The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 82v
16 of 31 folios
Falle in disese and in mysauentur
¶ For as þe lomb toward his deth is brougħt
520
So stant þis Innocent bifore þe king
This false knight þat haþ þis traysoū wrougħt
Bereþ hire an hand þat sche haþ do þis þing
But naþeles þer was gret mornyng
Among þe poeple and seye þay can not gesse
525
That sche hadde don so gret a wickednesse
¶ For þey han sein hir euer so vertuous
And louyng hermynghild rigħt as hire lif
Of þis bar witnesse euerich in þat hous
Sauf he þat hermegild slough wiþ his knif
530
This gentil king haþ caught a gret motyf
Of þis witnesse and þougħt he wolde enquere
Deppere in þis cas a trouthe for to lere
¶ Allas Custance þou nast no champioū
Ne fighte canst þou nought so weylowey
535
But he þat for oure redempciou
And bond Sathan and lith yet þer he lay
So be þy stronge champioū þis day
For but vpon þe miracle kithe
Wiþouten gilt þou schalt ben slayn as swithe
540
¶ Sche sitte hir doun on knees and þus sche sayde
Immortal god þat sauedest Susanne
Fro false blame and þou merciful mayde
Marie I mene dought er to seint Anne
Biforn whos child aungelis synge Osanne
545
If I be gilteles of þis felonie
My socour be for elles schalt I dye
¶ Haue ye not sein som tyme a pale face /
Among a prees of him þat haþ be lad
Toward his deth wher as him get no grace /
550
And swich a colour in his face haþ had
Men mighte knowe his face þat was bystad
Amonges alle þe faces in þat route
So stant Custance and loketh hire aboute