The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 209v
27 of 29 folios
But finalli whan þt þe sorwe is wist
975
That Alla giltles was of hire wo
I trowe an hunderede tymys ben þey kyst
And swich a blysse is þere be twē hē two
That saue þe ioye þt lastyth eueremo
Ther is non lyk þt any creature
980
Hath seyn or schal whil þt þe word wele dure
Tho preyede sche hire housbonde mekely
In relef of hire longe pitous peyne
That he wolde preye hire fadyr specially
That of his maieste he wolde enclyne
985
To vouche saf sūday with hē to dyne
Sche preyede hȳ ek he schulde be no weye
Vn to hire fadyr no word of hire seye
Sūmen wolde seyn how þt þe child mauryce
Doth þis message vn to þis emperour
990
But as I gesse alla was not so nyce
To hȳ þt was of so souereyn honour
As he þt is of cristene folk þe flour
Sente any child but it is bet to deme
He wente hī selue & so it may wel seme
995
This emperour hath graūtid gentyly
To come to dyner as he hȳ be souȝte
And wel rede I he lokede besily
Vp on þis child & on his douȝtyr thouȝte
Alla goth to hise in and as hym oȝte
1000
Arayede for þis feste in euery wyse
As fer forth as hise kūnȳge may suffyse
The morwe cam and alla gan hȳ dresse
And ek his wif þis emperour to mete
And forth þey rede In ioye & in gladnesse
1005
And whan sche saw hire fadyr in þe strete
Sche lyȝte a doū & fallyth hȳ to feete
Fadyr quod sche ȝore ȝonge chyld Custaūce
Is now ful clene out of ȝore remembraūce