The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 77r
27 of 31 folios
By cause þat þer was such diuersite
Bitwen here boþe lawes þat þei sayn
They trowe þat no cristne pince wolde fain
125
Wedde his child vnder oure lawes so sweete
That vs was taught by mahoū oure prophete
¶ And he answerde raþer þan I leese ;
Custance I wol be cristned douteles
I mot ben hires I may non oþer cheese
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I pay ȝow holdeþ ȝour agumentz in pees
Saueþ my lif and beþ nougħt Recheles
To geten hire þat haþ my lif in cure
For in this woo I may not longe endur
¶ What nedeþ gretteer dilatacioū
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I seie by tretys and embassadrie /
And by þe popes mediacioū
And aƚƚ þe chirche and aƚƚ þe chiualrie
That in distruccioū of mawmattrie
And in encres of cristes lawe deere
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They ben accorded so as ȝe schal heere /
¶ How þat þe Sowdan and his Baronage
And aƚƚ his lieges schold y cristened be /
And he schal han Custance in mariage
And certein gold y not what qantite
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And herto founden sufficeant seurte
This same accord was sworn in either syde
Now faire Custance almighty god þe gyde
Now wolde sommen waiten as I gesse /
That I schulde tellen al þe prueance
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That þe Emperour of his noblesse
Hath schapen for his dought er dame Custance
Wel may men knowe þat so gret ordinaūce
May noman tellen in a litel clause
As was arrayed for so heigħ a cause
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¶ Bisschopes ben schapen wiþ hire for to wende
Lordes ladies knightes of renou
And oþer folk ynowe þis is þe ende