The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 84v
12 of 31 folios
Welcome þe sonde of crist for eueremore
To me þat am now lerned in his lore
Lord welcome be þi lust and þi plesance
665
My lust is put al in þin ordinance
¶ Kepeth þis child al be it foul or fair
And eek my wif vnto myn hom comyng
Crist whan him list may sende me an hair
More agreable þan þis is to my liking
670
This lettre he seleþ priuyly wepyng
Which to þe messager was take sone
And forth he goþ þer is nomore to doone
¶ O messager fulfild of dronkenesse /
Strong is þi breþ þi lymes faltren ay
675
And þou biwreyest aƚƚ sikernesse /
Thy mynde is lorn þou iangelest as a Iay
Thy face is torned in a newe aray
Ther dronkenesse regneþ in ony route
Ther nys no counseil hid wiþouten doute
680
¶ O donegild I haue non englissħ digne
Vnto þy malice and þy tyrannye
And þerfore to þe feend I þe resigne /
Lat him enditen of þi traiterie /
Fy mannyssħ fy o nay by god I lye
685
Fy feendlich spirit for I dar wel telle
Though þou here walke þy spirit is in helle /
¶ This messager comþ fro þe king agayn
And at þe kinges moodres court he ligħt
And sche was of þis messager ful fain /
690
And plesed him in al þat euer sche migħt
He drank and wel his gerdel vnderpight
He sleepeþ and he fnorteþ in his gyse
Al night til þe sonne gan arise
¶ Eft were his lettres stolen euerichon
695
And countrefeted lr~es in þis wise
The king comandeþ his constable anon
Vp peyne of hangyng on an heih Iuyse