The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 73r
3 of 29 folios
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Vnto þese surrienz marchauntz in such wyse
Fro day to day as I schal ȝou deuyse /
This was þe comyn voys of euery man
Oure emperour of Rome god him see
A doughter haþ þat siþ þe world bygan /
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To Rekne as wel hir goodnes as hir bewte /
Nas neuer such anoþer as was sche
I prey to god hir saue and susteene
And wolde sche were of al Europe þe queene
In hire is hye bewte wiþoute pryde
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Ȝowþe wiþoute grefhed or folye
To alle here werkes vertu is hire gyde /
Humblesse haþ slayn in hir tyrannye /
Sche is myrour of aƚƚ curtesye /
Hir herte is verrey chambre of holynesse
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Hir hond mynistre of fredom and almesse
And al þis voys is soþ as god is trewe
But now to purpos let vs turne aȝein
These marchantz haue don fraught here schippes newe
And whan þey haue þis blisful mayde seyn
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Home to Surrey be þey went aȝein /
And doon here needes as þey haue don ȝore
And lyuen in wele I can ȝou say no more /
Now fel it þat þese marchaūtz stooden in grace /
Of him þat was þe Sowdan of Surrye
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For whan þey come fro eny straunge place /
He wolde of his benigne curtesye
Make hem good chere and busily aspye
Tydynges of sondry regnes for to lere /
The wordes þat þey mighte seen and heere /
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Among oþer þinges specially
These marchauntz him told of dame Constaūce
So gret noblesse in ernest so ryally
That þis Sowdan haþ caugħt so gret plesaūce
To haue hir figure in his remembraunce
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And al his lust and al his besy cure
Was for to loue hire whiles his lyf may dure /
Par auenture in þilke large booke /