The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 80v
18 of 29 folios
This Constabil doþ come forþ a messager
And wrot to his kyng þat cleped was Alle
How þat þis blisful tydyng is bifalle
And oþer þinges spedful for to seye
630
He takeþ þe ƚre and forþ he goþ his weye
This messanger to doon his auauntage
Vnto þe kynges moder he goþ ful swiþe
And salueth hire / fair in his langage
Ma dame qd he ȝe may be glad and bliþe
635
And þanke god an hundred þousand siþe
My lady queen haþ child wiþouten doute
To ioye and blis of al þe reame aboute
Lo heer þe ƚres sealed of þis þing
That I mot bere with al þe hast I may
640
If ȝe wole ought vnto ȝoure sone þe kyng
I am ȝoure seruaunt boþe night and day
Doungyld answerde as now þis tyme nay
But here al nyght I wol þou take þy rest
To morwen I wil say þe what me lest
645
This messanger drank sadly ale and wyn
And stolen were his ƚres pryuely
Out of his box whil he sleep as a swyn
And countrefeet þey were subtily
Anoþer sche him wroot ful synfully
650
Vnto þe kyng direct of þis matiere
Frō his Constable as ȝe schul after heere
The ƚre spak þe queen delyuered was
Of so orryble and feendly creature
That in þe castel noon so hardy was
655
That eny while dorste þerin endure /
The mooder was an Elf by auentur
Bycome by charmes or by sorcerie
And euery man hatiþ hir companye
Wo was þis kyng whan he þis letter had sein
660
But to no wight he told his sorwes sore /
But of his owen hand he wrot agayn
Welcome þe sond of crist for eueremore
To me þat am now lerned in his lore