Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
Folio 43v
2 of 2 folios
But los of tyme shendeth vs quod he
It wol not come agayn wyth outen drede
30
Na more than wol Malkyns Maydenhede
Whan she hath lost it in hir wantownesse
Lat vs nat mowlen thus in ydelnesse
¶ Syr man of law quod he so haue I blis
Tel vs a tale anon as forward is
35
Ye ben submitted thurgh your fre assent
To stonden in this cas at my Iuggement
Aquyteth yow of your bihest
Thanne haue ye doon your deuour at the lest
Hoost quod he depardieux ych assent
40
To breek forward is nat myn entent
Bihest is det and I wol holde fayn
Al my bihest I can no better sayn
For swich law as a man yeueth another wyght
He sholde him selfe vsen it by ryght
45
Thus wol our text but natheles certeyn
I kan ryght now no thrifty tale seyn
That chaucer thogh he can but lewdely
On metres or on rymyng craftily
Hath seide hem in swich Englissh as he kan
50
Of olde tyme as kouthe many a man
And yif he hath not seide hem leue brother
In oo bok he hath seide hem in another
For he hath tolde of louers vp and doun
Mo than ouyde made of mencioun
55
In hise Episteles that ben ful olde
What shold I tellen hem syn thei be tolde
¶ In youth he made of seys and alcione
And sythen hath he spoke of euerychone
Thise noble wyues and thise louers eke
60
Who so that wole his large volume seke
Cleeped the seyntes legende of Cupide
Ther may he sen the large woundes and wyde
Of lucres and of Babilan Tesbe
The swerd of dido for the false Ene
65
The tree of Phillis for hir demophon
The plente of Dyane and of hermyon