The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 114r
3 of 31 folios
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¶ Soiorned han thise Marchauntz / in that town
A certein tyme / as fil to hir plesaunce
But so bifel / þt the excellent renoun
Of the Emperours doghter / dame Custaunce
Reported was / with euery circumstaunce
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Vn to thise Surryen Marchauntz / in swich wise
Fro day / to day / as I shal yow deuyse
¶ This was the cōmune voys / of euery man
Oure Emperour of Rome / god hym se
A doghter hath / þt syn the world bigan
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To rekne as wel / hir goodnesse as beautee
Nas neuere swich another / as is she
I pray to god / in honour hir sustene
And wolde she were / of al Europe the queene
¶ In hire is heigh beautee / with oute pryde
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Youthe / with outen grenehede / or folye
To alle hir werkes / vertu is hir gyde
Humblesse / hath slayn in hir al tirannye
She is Mirour / of al curteisye
Hir herte / is verray chambre of holynesse
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Hir hand Ministre / of fredam / for almesse
¶ And al this voys was sooth / as god is trewe
But now to purpos / lat vs come agayn
Thise Marchauntz / han doon fraught hir shippes newe
And whan they han / this blisful mayden sayn
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Hom to Surrye / been they went ful fayn
And doon hir nedes / as they han doon yoore
And lyuen in wele / I kan sey yow namoore
¶ Now fil it that thise Marchauntz stode in gace
Of hym / that was the Sowdan of Surrye
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For whan they coome / from any straunge place
He wolde / of his benygne curteisye
Maken hem good cheere / and bisily espye
Tidynges / of sondry regnes for to leere
The wondres / that they myghte seen or heere