The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 197r
3 of 29 folios
This soudon for hese piuy conseyl sente
And schortely of þis matiere for to pace
He hath to hē declarede his entente
And seyde serteyn but he myȝte han grace
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To han custaūce with inne a lytyl space
He nas but ded & chargede hē in hye
To schapyn for hese lyf sū remedye
Dyuerse men dyuerse thyngys seydyn
They argumentyn & castyn vp & doun
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Manye a subtyle resoū forth þey leydyn
They spekyn of Magyk & Abusioūn
But fynally as in conclusioun
They can not sen in that non auantage
Ne in non othir woye saue maryage
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Thanne sawe they þerin swich difficulte
Be weye of resoū for to speke al pl\e/eyn
Be cause þere was / swich dyuercyte
Be twethyn here bothe lawys þat þey seyn
They trowede that no crystene prȳce wolde fayn
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Weddȳ his chyld vndyr vndyr oure lawys swete
That vs was tauȝt be mahoū oure prophete
And he answerde raþere than I lese
Costance I wele ben cristened douteles
I mote ben hers / I may non oþer chese
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I prey ȝow holde ȝoure argument ī pes
Sauyth myn lyf & beth nat recheles
To getyn here that hath mȳ lyf in cure
For in þis wo I may not longe endure
What nedyth grettere dilatacioū
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I sey be tretys & enbassadrye
And bi þe popis mediacioū
And al the cherch & þe chyualrye
That in distruccioū of mametrye
And in encres of Crystes lawe dere
140
They ben ecordit so as ȝe schal here