The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 210r
28 of 29 folios
I am ȝoure douȝty custaūce quod sche
1010
That whilhom han sent vn to surrye
It am I fadyr þt in þe salte se
Was put a lone & dampned for to deye
Now goode fadyr mercy I ȝow preye
Sende me no more vn to nō hethenesse
1015
But thāke mȳ lord here of his kyndenesse
Who can þe pytous ioye tellyn al
By twexe hē thre syn þey ben þus I mette
But of myn tale makyn an ende I schal
The day goth faste I wele no lengere lette
1020
These glade folk to dyner þey ben sette
In ioye & blysse at dyner I lete hē dwelle
A thousent fold more þā I can telle
This child Maurice was sythe emperour
Mad bi þe pope & lyuede cristene lyf
1025
To Cristis cherche he dede gret honour
But I lete alle hise storyis passȳ by
Of Custaūce is mȳ tale specially
In þe olde romayn storyis may mē fynde
Maurycis lyf I bere it not in mynde
1030
This kyng Alla whan he hise tyme say
W his Custaūce his holy wif so swete
To ingelond ben þey come þe ryȝte way
Where as þey lyue In ioye & in quiete
But lytil while it lastyth I ȝow hete
1035
Ioye of þis world for tyme wele not a byde
Frō day to nyȝt it schaūgith as þe tyde
Who lyuede euere in swich delyt a day
That sche ne meuede outhir concyence
Or yre or talent or sūkenys a fray
1040
Enuye or pide or passioū or offence
I ne seye but for þis ende this sentence
That lytylwhile in ioye & in plesaūce
Lastith þe ioye of alla with Custaūce