The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 197v
4 of 29 folios
How þt the soudan & hese baronage
And alle hese lyges schulde cristenede be
And he schal haue custaūce in maryage
And serteyn gold I not what quantyte
145
And heer to fyndyn sufficient suretee
This same a cord was sworn on eyþer syde
Now fayre Custaūce al myȝty god ȝow gyde
Now wolde sū men waytyn as \I/ gesse
Ȝit I schulde telle al þe puruyaunce
150
That þe emperour of his greete noblesse
Hath schapyn for hese \doughtr dame Custaunce/
Wel may men knowe þt so gret ordenaūce
May no man telle in swich a lytyl clause
As was arayed for so high a cause
155
Byschopis ben schapyn with here for to wende
Lordyngis ladyis knyȝtis of renoū
And oþere folk I nowe this is the ende
And notyfyed is thorw out þe toū
That euery knyȝt with gret deuociou
160
Schulde preye cist þt he this maryage
Receyue In gre & spede þis viage
The day is come of here departynge
I sey the woful fatal day is come
That þere may be no lengere taryinge
165
But forward þey hem drese alle & some
Custaunce that was with sorwe al ouyrcome
Ful pale a ryst & dreseth here to wende
For weel sche seeth there is non oþer ende
Allas nowondir is it þow sche wepte
170
That schal be sent in to straūge \nacioū/
Fro frendys that so tenderely xx here kepte
And to ben boūdyn vndyr subieccyoū
Of on sche knowyth not hese cōdiciou
Housbondis ben alle goode & han been ȝore
175
That knowȳ wyuys I dar sey ȝow no moore