The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 47r
7 of 16 folios
Hir litel child lay wepyng in hir arm
And kneelyng pitously to him she seide
Pees litel soon I wol do the no harm
Wyth that hire couerechief of hir hed she breyde
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And ouer hir litel eyen she it leyde
And in hir arm she lulleth it ful fast
And in to heuen hir eyen vp she cast
Moder quod she and mayde bryght marie
Sooth is that thurgh wommannes eggement
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Mankynde was lorn and dampned ay to dye
For which thi child was on a croys I rente
This blisful eyen saugh al this torment
Than is ther no comparison bitwene
Thi wo and any wo men may sustene
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Thow sauwe thi child I slayn bi fore thin eyen
And yet now lyueth my litel child parfay
Now lady bryght to whom al woful cryen
Thow glori of wommanhod thou fair may
Thou haue of refute bryght sterre of day
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Ruwe on my child that of thi gentilesse
Ruwest on euery Ruful in distresse .
O litel child allas what is thi gilt
That neuer wroghtest synne as yet parde
Whi wold thin hard fadyr han the spilt
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O mercye deer Constable quod she
As lat my litel child dwelle here wyth the
And yif thow darst nat saue him for blame
So kys him ones in his fadres name
Ther wyth she loked bacward to the londe
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And seide fare wel husbond routhlees
And vp she rist and walketh doun the stronde
Toward the ship hir foloweth al the prees
And euyr she preyeth hir child to holden his pees
And taketh hir leue and wyth an holy entente
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She blesseth hir and in to the ship she wente