The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 198r
5 of 29 folios
Fadyr sche seyde þȳ wrechede chyld Custaunce
Thi ȝonge douȝty fosterede vp so softe
And ȝe myn modyr myn souereyn plesaūce
Ouer alle thȳge out take cryst on lofte
180
Custaūce ȝore child hire recomaūdyth ofte
Vn to ȝoure grace for I schal to surrye
Ne schal I x neuere sen ȝow more with eye
Allas vn to þe barbre nacioū
I muste a non sithe þt it is ȝore wille
185
But cryst þt starf for oure redēpcyoun
So ȝeue me grace hese hestis to fulfylle
I wreche woman no fors thow I spille
Wemē are bore to thraldā & penaūce
And to ben vndyr manys gouernaūce
190
I trowe at troye whā pirrus brak þe wal
Or ylion brende at thebes the cetee
Nat rome for þe harm þorw hanybal
That romaynys han enqueschid tymys three
Nas herd swich tendere wepyng for pete
195
As in the chaūbere was for here departynge
But forth sche muste / where so sche wepe or sȳge
O fyrste moeuyng crewel fyrmament
With thi dyurnal which þt croudist ay
And hurlyst al frō est tyl occident
200
That naturally wolde holde a noþer way
Thi croudyng set þe heuene in swich a ray
At þe begynynge of this ferse viage
That crewel mars hath slaye þis maryage
Infortunat ascendent tortuous
205
Of which þe lord is helpeles falle allas
Out of hese angele in to þe derkeste hous
O mars o atazer as in this cas
O febele mone vn happi ben thi pas
Thow knyttist þe þere þt art not reseyuyd
210
There þow were wel frō thens art thow weyuyd