The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 67r
3 of 27 folios
Owre Emperor of Rome Gode him see
A douhter he haþe þat sen þe werlde beganne
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To rekken as wele hire goodnes as beaute
Was neuer suche anoþer as is sche
.I. praie to gode in honoure hire susteigne
And wald sche were of al Europe þe quene .
In hir is hihe beaute wiþ oute pride
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Ȝowþe wiþ oute grenehode or foly
To al hire werkes vertue is hir gyde
Humblesse haþe slayne in ȝowe al tyranny
Hire herte is verrai chambre of holynesse
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Hir hande Ministre of fredam for almesse
¶ And al þis voice was soþe as god is trewe
Bot nowe to purpos lat vs turne aȝeine
This marchantez handon frauht here schippes newe
And whan þei han þis blisseful Maiden seine
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Home to surre be þei wente aȝeine
And done here nedes as þei han done ȝore
And leuen in wele .I. can say ȝow nomore
¶ Nowe fel it þat þese marchantz stoden in grace
Of him þat was Souldan of Surrye
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For whan þat þei cam from any strange place
He wolde of his benigne curtesie
Make hem good chiere & besilye aspye
Thinges of sundre reines for to lere
The wonderes þat þei myht se or here
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¶ Amonges oþer þinges specialy
Thes Marchantz haue him tolde of dame Custance
So grete noblesse in erneste curiousely
Þat þis souldan haþ kauht so grete plesance
To haue hir figure in his remembrance
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And al his lust & al his besy cure
Was for to loue hir while his lif maie dure
¶ Parauenture in þe large booke
Whiche þat cleped þe heuen y writen was
Wiþ sterres whan þat he his broþe toke
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That he for loue schol haue his deþe alas
For in þe sterres clerer þan is þe glas
Is wreten god wote who so couþe it rede
Þe deþe of euery man wiþ outen drede
¶ In sterres mony a winter þar be forne
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Was wreten þe deþe of Ector & achilles