The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 83v
14 of 31 folios
590
By Iuggement of . alla . hastily
And yet Custance haþ of his deth gret rouþe
And after þis iħc of his mercy
Made Alla wedden ful solempnely
This holy mayden þat is so bright and scheene
595
And þus haþ Crist made Custance a queene
¶ But who was woful if I schul nat lye
Of þis wedding but Donegilde and nomo
The kinges mooder ful of tyrannye
Hir þought hir cursed herte barst a two
600
Sche wolde nought hir sone hadde don so
Hir þought a despit þat he schulde take
So strange a creature vnto his make
¶ Me list nouȝt of þe chaf ne of þe stre
Make so long a tale as of þe corn
605
What schulde I tellen of þe realte
Of mariage or which cours goþ biforn
Who bloweþ in a trompe or in an horn
The fruyt of euery tale is for to seie /
Thei ete and drynke and daunce and synge and pleye
610
They gon to bedde as it was skile and rigħt
For þough þat wyfes ben ful holy þinges
They moste take a pacience a night
Such maner necessaries as ben plesynges
To folk þat han y wedded hem wiþ rynges
615
And leye a litel here holynesse asyde
As for þe time it may non oþer betyde
¶ On hire he gat a knaue child anon
And to a bisshope and his counseil eeke
He took his wijf to kepe whan he is goon
620
To Scotland ward his fomen for to seeke
Now faire Custance þat is so humble and meeke
So longe is gon wiþ childe til þat stille
Sche halt hir chambre abydyng at cristes wille
¶ The tyme is come a knaue child sche beer
625
Mauricius atte fontston þei him caƚƚ