The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 84r
13 of 31 folios
This Constable doþ forþ come a messagere
And wrot to his king þat cleped was alle .
How þat þis blisful tyding is bifaƚƚ
And oþer tydynges spedful for to seye
630
He takeþ þe lettre and forth he goþ his weye
¶ This messager to don his auantage
Vnto þe kinges moder rideþ swiþe
And salueth hire ful faire in his langage
Ma dame quoþ he ȝe may be glad and bliþe
635
And thanke god an hundred þousand siþe
My lady queen haþ child wiþouten doute
To Ioye and blisse of aƚƚ þis regne aboute
¶ Lo here þe lettres seled of þis þing
That I mot bere with al þe haste I may
640
If ye wole aught vnto your sone þe king
I am your seruaūt boþe night and day
Dongyld answerd as now at þis tyme nay
But heer al night I wole þou take þi rest
Tomorwe wil I seie what me lest
645
¶ This messager drank sadly ale and wyn
And stolen weren his lr~es priuyly
Out of his box whil he sleep as a swyn
And counterfeted was ful subtilly
Anoþer lr~e wrougħt ful synfully
650
Vnto þe king direct of þis matiere
Fro his Conestable as ȝe schal after heere
The lettre spak þe queen deliuered was
Of so horrible a feendlich creature
That in þe Casteƚƚ non so hardy was
655
That ony while dorste þerinne endur
The mooder was an elf by auentur
Ycome by charmes or by sorcerie
And euery wight hateþ hire companye
Wo was þis king whan he þis lr~e hadde seyn
660
But to no wigħt he tolde his sorwes sore
But of his oughne hond he wrot ageyn