The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 115r
5 of 31 folios
120
¶ Thanne sawe they ther Inne / swich difficultee
By wey of reson / for to speke al playn
By cause / þt ther was swich diuersitee
Bitwene hir bothe lawes / þt they sayn
They trowe / þt no cristen Prince wolde fayn
125
Wedden his child / vnder oure lawes swete
That vs was taught by Mahoun oure prophete
¶ And he answerde / rather than I lese
Custaunce / I wol be cristned doutelees
I moot ben hires / I may noon oother chese
130
I pray yow / hold youre argumentz in pees
Saueth my lyf / and beth noght recchelees
To geten hire / þt hath my lyf in cure
For in this wo / I may nat longe endure
¶ What nedeth / gretter dilatacioū
135
I seye / by tretys / and embassadrye
And by the Popes byshopmediacioū
And al the chirche / and al the chiualrie
That in destrucciou of Mawmetrie
And in encrees / of Cristes lawe deere
140
They been acorded / so as ye shal heere
¶ How þt the Sowdan / and his Baronage
And alle his liges / sholde ycristned be
And he shal han / Custaunce in mariage
And certeyn gold / I noot what quantitee
145
And heer to / founden sufficient seuretee
This same acord / was sworn on either syde
Now faire Custaunce / almyghty god thee gyde
¶ Now wolde som men / waiten as I gesse
That I sholde tellen / al the purueiaunce
150
That Themperour / of his grete noblesse
Hath shapen for his doghter / dame Custaunce
Wel may men knowen / þt so greet ordinaunce
May no man tellen / in a litel clause
As was arrayed / for so heigh a cause