The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 58r
17 of 27 folios
645
¶ This Messager drank sadly Ale and wyn
And stolen were hise lettres pryuely
Out of his box / whil he sleepe as a swyn
And countrefeted was ful subtilly
Another lettre / wroght ful synfully
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Vn to the kyng direct of this mateere
Fro his Constable / as ye shal after heere
The lettre spak the queene deliuered was
Of so horrible a feendly creature
That in the Castel / noon so hardy was
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That any while / dorste ther endure
The mooder was an Elf by auenture
Ycomen / by charmes / or by sorcerie
And euerich / hateth hir compaignye
¶ Wo was this kyng whan he this lettre had sayn
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But to no wight he tolde his sorwes soore
But of his owene hand / he wroot agayn
Welcome the sonde of crist for eueremoore
To me / that am now lerned in his loore
Lord / welcome be thy lust and thy plesaūce
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My lust I putte al in thyn ordinaūce
Kepeth this child / al be it foul or feir
And eek my wyf vn to myn hoom comynge
Crist whan hym list may sende me an heir
Moore agreable than this / to my likynge
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This lettre he seleth / pryuely wepynge
Which to the Messager / was take soone
And forth he gooth / ther is namoore to doone
O Messager / fulfild of dronkenesse
Strong is thy breeth / thy lymes faltren ay
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And thou biwreyest / alle secreenesse
Thy mynde is lorn / thou ianglest as a Iay
Thy face is turned / in a newe array
Ther dronkenesse / regneth in any route
Ther is no conseil hyd / with outen doute
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O donegild / I ne haue noon englissħ digne
Vn to thy malice / and thy tirannye
And therfore / to the feend I thee resigne
Lat hym enditen / of thy traitorie
Fy mannyssħ fy / o nay by god I lye
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Fy feendlych spirit for I dar wel telle
Thogh thou heere walke / thy spirit is in helle