A Woman with two daughters buried one, and mourners were provided for the funeral. The other daughter asked about strangers. Woman said they had the money.
Professional mourners serve those who pay the most.
L’Estrange version
A woman that had two daughters, bury’d one of them, and mourners were provided to attend the funeral. The surviving daughter wonder’d to see strangers so much concern’d at the loss of her sister, and her nearest relations so little. Pray mother, says she, what’s the reason of this? Oh, says the mother, we that are a-kin to her, are never the better for crying, but the strangers have money for’t.
Moral
Mourners are as mercenary as common prostitutes; they are at his service that bids most for them.
Gherardo Image from 1480
Dives et Praeficae
Dives quidam, duas filias habens, altera earum defuncta, praeficas mercede conduxit. Tum vero altera sic matrem alloquitur, “Heu nos miseras, quae flere nescimus, cum nobis tale infortunium contigerit. Hae vero, licet nulla nobis necessitate coniunctae, sic vehementer pectora tundunt ac lugent.” Cui mater “Ne mireris, filia,” respondit, “si tam flebiliter istae lamentantur; id enim nummorum causa tantummodo faciunt.”
Perry #205