The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 88v
4 of 31 folios
950
But trusteþ wel hire luste nought to daunce
Whan þat sche wiste wherfore was þat sonde
Vnneþe vppon hir feet sche mighte stonde /
¶ Whan alla saugh his wyf faire he hire grette /
And wepte þat it was reuþe for to se
955
For atte ferste look he on hire sette /
He knew wel verrely þat it was sche /
And for sorwe as domb stant as a tre
So was hir herte schet in hire distresse
Whan sche remembred his vnkyndenesse /
960
¶ Twies sche swowneþ in his owne sight
He wepte and him excuseth pitously
Now god qd he and his halwes brigħt
So wisly on my saule as haue mercy
That of youre harm as gilteles am I
965
As is Maurice my sone so lik ȝoure face
Elles the feende me fecche out of þis place /
¶ Longe was þe sobbyng and þe bittre peyne /
Or þat here wofuƚƚ hertes mighte cesse /
Gret was þe pite for to heere hem pleyne /
970
Þurgh whiche pleyntes gan hire wo encresse /
I pray ȝou aƚƚ my labour to relesse
I may not tellen hir wo vntil to morwe
I am so wery for to speke of hire sorwe
¶ But finally whan þat þe soþe is wist
975
That Alla gilteles was of hire woo /
I trowe an hundred tymes ben þei kiste
And such a blisse is þer betwixe hem tuo
That saue þe ioye þat lasteth eueremo
Ther is non lik þat ony creatur
980
Haþ seyn or schal whil þe world may dur
¶ Tho preyed sche hire housbonde mekely
In relief of hir longe pitous pyne
That he wolde preye hire fader specially
That of his mageste he wolde enclyne /
985
To fouche sauf som day with him to dyne