Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
Folio 112v
2 of 3 folios
xquiteth yow now / of youre biheste
Thanne haue ye doon youre deuoir atte leeste
¶ Hoost quod he depardieux ich assente
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To breken forward / is nat myn entente
Biheste is dette / and I wol holde fayn
Al my biheste / I kan no bettre sayn
For swich lawe / as a man yeueth another wight /
He sholde hym self / vsen it by right
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Thus wol oure text / but nathelees certein
I kan right now / no thrifty tale seyn
That Chaucer / thogh he kan but lewedly
On metres / and on rymyng craftily
Hath seyd hem / in swich englissħ as he kan
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Of olde tyme / as knoweth many a man
And if he ne haue nat seyd hem / leeue brother
In o book he hath seyd hem in another
For he hath toold / of louers vp and doun
Mo than Ouide / made of mencioun
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In his epistles / þt been ful olde
What sholde I tellen hem / syn they been tolde
In yowthe he made / of Ceys and Alcione
And sithen hath he spoke of euerychone
Thise noble wyues / and thise loueres eke
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Who so þt wole / his large volum seke
Clepyd the Seintes legende of Cupide
Ther maystow seen /. the large woundes wyde
Of Lucresse / and of Babilan Tisbee
The swerd of Dido / for the false Enee
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The tree of Phillis / for hir Demophon
The pleinte of Dianire / and of Hermyoñ
Of Adriane / and of ysiphilee
The barayne Ile / stondynge in the See
The dreynte leandre / for his Erro
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The terys of Eleyne / and eke the wo
Of Brixseyde / and of the Ladomea
The crueltee / of the queene Medea
The litel children / hangyng by the hals
For thy Iasou / that was of loue so fals
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O ypermystra / Penolopee / Alceste
Youre wifhod / he comendeth with the beste