He inquired the cause of this, and found that he
had double occasion to grieve; and his grief was indeed so great that it
nearly killed him.
5 Common people were then buried in shrouds, not in coffins.
--Ed.
This martyr of chastity was buried in the Church of St. Florentin, and,
as was their duty, all the upright women of Amboise failed not to show
her every possible honour, deeming themselves fortunate in belonging to
a town where so virtuous a woman had been found. And seeing the honour
that was shown to the deceased, such women as were wanton and unchaste
resolved to amend their lives.
"This, ladies, is a true story, which should incline us more strongly to
preserve the fair virtue of chastity. We who are of gentle blood should
die of shame on feeling in our hearts that worldly lust to avoid which
the poor wife of a muleteer shrank not from so cruel a death. Some
esteem themselves virtuous women who have never like this one resisted
unto the shedding of blood. It is fitting that we should humble
ourselves, for God does not vouchsafe His grace to men because of their
birth or riches, but according as it pleases His own good-will.
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