The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 51v
16 of 16 folios
To Rome is come this holy creature
And fyndeth hir frendes hoole and sounde
Now is she scaped al hir auenture
And whan that she hir fadyr hath I founde
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Doun on hir knees falleth she to grounde
Wepyng for tendernesse in herte blythe
She herieth god an hundred thousant sythe
In vertue and holy almes dede
Thei liuen al and neuer a sondre wende
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Til deth departed hem this lyf thei lede
And fareth now wel my tale is at an ende
Now Ihū criste that of his myght may sende
Ioy aftyr wo gouerne vs in his grace
And kepe vs al that ben in this place .
Here endeth the Sergeantes tale of noble Custance the Emperours doghter of Rome
Here bigynneth the prologe of the wyfes tale of bathe
Experience thogh noon auctorite
Were in this world is rygh I nogh for me
To speke of wo that is in mariage
For lordynges sith that I twelue yeer was of age
5
Thonked be god that is eterne on liue
Husbondes at chirche dore I haue had fyue
If I so oft myght han wedded be
And al were worthi men in hir degre
But me was told certeyn noght longe a goon is
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That sith that crist ne went neuer but ones
To weddyng in the cane of galilee
That bi the same ensample taght he me
That I ne shuld wedden ben but onys
Herk ek lo which a sharpe worde for the nonys
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Biside a welle Ihūs god and man
Spak in the repref of the samaritan
Thow hast I had .v. husebondes quodhe
And that ilk man which that now hath the
Is noght thyn housebond thus he seide certeyn