The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 74v
6 of 29 folios
Allas what wonder is it / þougħ sche wepte
170
That schal be sent to staunge naciou~
Fro freendes þat so tenderly hir kepte /
And to be bounde vndur subiecciou~
Of oon sche knew nat his condiciou~
Housbondes ben al goode and han be ȝore
175
That knowen wyfes I dar say yow no more /
Fader sche seid þy wrecched child Costaūce
Thy ȝonge doughter fostred vp so softe /
And ȝe my mooder my souerayn plesaūce
Ouer al þing outaken crist on lofte /
180
Constaūce ȝour child hir recomaundeth ofte /
Vnto ȝour grace / for I schal in to Surrye
Ne schal I neuer see ȝou more wiþ ye
Allas vnto þe barbre naciou~
I most anoon / seþens it is ȝour wille
185
But crist þat starf for our redempciou
So ȝeue me grace his hestes to fulfille /
I wrecched wōman no fors þey I spille /
Wōmen ben born to þraldam and penaūce
And to ben vnder mannes gouernaūce
190
I trowe at Troye whan Pirrus brak þe wal
Or yleon þat brend Thebes þe Citee
Ne at Rome for þe harm þurgħ hanibal
That Romayns han venquysshed tymes þre
Nas herd such tender wepyng for pite
195
As in þe Chambur was for hir partyng
But forþ sche moot wheþer sche weep or syng
O firste meuyng cruel firmamēt
With þi diurnal swougħ þat crowdest ay
And hurlest al fro Est til Occident
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That naturelly wold hold anoþer way
Thyn crowdyng sette þe heuen in such array
At þe bygȳnyng of þis fiers viage
That cruel marcz haþ slayn þis mariage
Infortunat ascendent tortuous
205
Of which þe lordes helples falle allas
Out of his angle in to þe derkest hous