The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 128r
31 of 31 folios
1030
¶ This kyng Alla / whan he his tyme say
With his Custaunce / his holy wif so swete
To Engelond / been they come the righte way
Wher as they lyue / in ioye and in quiete
But litel while it lasteth I yow heete
1035
Ioye of this world / for tyme wol nat abyde
Fro day to nyght it chaungeth as the tyde
¶ Who lyued euere / in swich delit / a day
That hym ne moeued / outher Conscience
Or Ire / or talent or som kyn affray
1040
Enuye / or pryde / or passion / or offence
I ne seye / but for this ende this sentence
That litel while / in ioye / or in plesaunce
Lasteth the blisse of Alla with Custaunce
¶ For deeth that taketh / of heigh and logh his rente
1045
Whan passed was a yeer / euene as I gesse
Out of this world / this kyng Alla he hente
For whom Custance / hath ful greet heuynesse
Now lat vs prayen god / his soule blesse
And dame Custance / fynally to seye
1050
Toward the town of Rome / gooth hir weye
¶ To Rome is come / this holy creature
And fyndeth hir freendes / hoole and sownde
Now is she scaped / al hir auenture
And whan that she / hir fader hath yfownde
1055
Doun on hir knees / falleth xhe to grownde
Wepynge for tendrenesse / in herte blythe
She herieth god / an hondred thousand sythe
In vertue / and holy almë dede
They lyuen alle / and neuere asonder wende
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Til deeth departeth hem / this lyf they lede
And fareth now wel / my tale is at an ende
Now Ihū crist that of his myght may sende
Ioye after wo / gouerne vs in his gace
And kepe vs alle / that been in this place Amen ~
¶ Here is ended / the tale / of the man of Lawe