The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 76v
10 of 29 folios
But al to deere þey bougħt it ar þey ryse
O sodeyn wo þat euer art successour
¶ To worldly blis spreynd is wiþ bitternesse /
325
The ende of oure ioye of oure worldly labour
Wo occupieth þe fyn of oure gladnesse /
Herken þis counseil for thyn sikernesse /
Vpon þyn glade dayes haue / in þi mynde
The vnwar woo þat comeþ ay bihynde
330
For schortly for to tellen at o word
The Sawdan and þe cristen euerichone
Ben al to hewe and stiked atte bord
But it were Dame Constaunce allone
This olde Sowdones þis cursed crone
335
Haþ wiþ hir frendes doon þis cursed dede
For sche hir self wold al þe contre lede
Ne þer was surrien noon / þat was conuerted
That of þe counseil of the Sawdon woot
That he nas alto hewe or he asterted
340
And Constaunce haue þey take anon foot hoot
And in a schippe / stereles god it woot
They haue hir set . and bad hir lerne to sayle
Out of Surry aȝeinward to ytaile
A certein tresour þat sche þider ladde
345
And soþ to sayn vitaile gret plente
They haue hir ȝeuen and cloþes eek sche hadde
And forþ sche sayleþ to þe salte see
O my Constaunce ful of benignite
O Emperoures ȝonge doughter deere
350
He þat is lord of fortun be þi steere
Sche blesseþ hir and with ful pitous voys
Vnto þe croys of crist þan seyde sche
O cler o welful auter holy croys
Rood of þe lambes blood ful of pite
355
That wissħ þe world fro old iniquite
Me fro þe feend and fro his clowes keepe
That day þat I schal drenchen in þe deepe
Victorious tre proteccioū of trewe
That oonly were worþy for to bere