The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 200r
9 of 29 folios
The tyme cam this olde soudonesse
Ordeynyd hath this feste of which I telle
And to þe feste cristene folk hȳ dresse
In general ȝe bothe ȝynge & olde
320
Here may men feste & rialte be holde
And deynteis mo þā I can ȝow deuyse
But al to dere they bouȝte it er they ryse
O sodeyn wo that euere art successor
To wordely blysse spreynt with bittyrnesse
325
Thende of the ioye of oure wordely labour
Who ocupiet the fyn of oure gladnesse
Herkene þis cōseyl for thȳ sekyrnesse
Vp on thyn glade day haue in thȳ mynde
The onwar wo or harm that comyth be hynde
330
For schortely for to tellȳ at on word
The soudon & the crystene euerychone
Ben al to hewe & stikid at the bord
But it were only dame custaūce a lone
This olde soudanesse cursede crone
335
Hath with here frendis don this curssede dede
For sche here selue wolde al the cuntre lede
Ne þere was surreyn nō that was conuertid
That of the conseyl of the soudon wot
That he was hewe er that he a sterted
340
And custaūce han they take a non fot hot
And in a schip al stereles god wot
They han hire set & bidde hire lerne sayle
Out of surrie a geyn ward to ytayle
A serteyn tresor that sche theþer ladde
345
And soth to sayn vitayle gret plente
They han hyre ȝeuyn & clothis ech sche hadde
And forth sche saylyth in the salte see
O myn custaūce ful of benyngnete
O emperouris \ȝonge/ douȝtyr dere
350
He that is lord of fortune be thi stere