The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 89v
2 of 31 folios
A þousand fold wel more þan I can telle /
This child maurice was sitthen Emperour /
Made by þe pope and lyuede cristenely
1025
To cristes chirche he dede gret honor
But I letete aƚƚ þis story passen by
Of Custance is my tale specially
In olde Romeyn gestes men may fynde
Maurices lyf I bere it nougħt in mynde
1030
¶ This king Alla . whan he his tyme say
With his Custance his holy wif so sweete
To Engelond þei come þe redy way
Wher as þay lyue in ioye and in quiete
But litel while it lasteþ I ȝou heete
1035
Ioye of þis world for tyme wil nouȝt abyde
Fro day to nygħt it chaungeþ as þe tyde
¶ Who lyued euere in such delyt a day
That ne meued eyþer conscience /
Or Ire or talent of som kyn affray
1040
Enuye or pride or passioū or offense /
I ne say but for þis ende þis sentence
That litel while in Ioye or in plesance
Lasteþ þe blisse of alla wiþ Custance /
For deþ þat takeþ of heigħ and lougħ his rent
1045
Whan passed was a yeer euene as I gesse /
Out of þis world þis king Alla he hent
For whom Custance haþ ful gret heuynesse /
Now lat vs prayen god his soule blesse /
And dame Custance finally to seye
1050
Toward þe toun of Rome goþ hire weye
To Rome is come þis holy creatur
And fyndeþ hire freendes hol and sounde
Now is sche scaped aƚƚ hire auenture
And whan sche hir fader haþ I founde
1055
Doun on hir knees falleth sche to grounde
Wepynge for tendirnesse in herte bliþe
Sche herieþ god an C. þousand sithe