The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 208v
25 of 29 folios
Gret cher doth þis noble senatour
905
To kyng Alla & he to hȳ also
Euerych of hē doþ oþer gret honour
An that xx with in a day or too
This senator is to kyng Alla go
To feste & schortly ȝif I schal not lye
910
Custaūcis sone wente in his cūpanye
Sūmen wolde seyn at þe request of Custaūce
This senator hath lad þis child to feste
I ne may tellȳ euery crecūstaūce
Be as be may þere was he at þe laste
915
But soth is þis þt at his moderys heste
By forn Alla durȳge þe metis space
This child stod lokynge in þe kȳgis face
This Alla kyng hath of þe child gret wōdyr
And to þe senatour he seyde a non
920
Whos is þt fayre child þt standis ȝondyr
I not quod he bi god & bi seynt Ioħn
A modyr he hath but fadyr hath he non
That I of wot & schortly in a stoūde
He tolde alla how þt þe child was foūde
925
But god wot quod this senatour also
So verteuous a leuere in mȳ lyue
Ne saw I neuere as sche ne herde of mo
Of wordely wemen maydyn nor of wif
I dare wel seyn hire hadde leuere a knyf
930
Thurgh out hyre brest þā ben a womā weke
Þere is no man coude brynge hire to þe prikke
Now was þis child as lyk on to custaūce
As possible is a creator to be
This alla hath þis face in remēbraūce
935
Of dame custaūce & þeron musede he
Ȝif þt þe childis modyr were ouȝt sche
That is his wyf & pryuyly he sighte
And sped hȳ frō þe table þt he myȝte