The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 77r
23 of 27 folios
And put him in þe popes ordinane
895
In hihe & lowe & ihū crist be souht
For ȝeue his wikked werke þat he wrouht
¶ The fame anone þorwhe Rome toune is borne
Howe alla kinge schal com in pilgrenage
Be herberioures þat went him be forne
900
For whiche þe Senator as was þe vsage
Rode him aȝeine & mony of his lignage
Als wele to schewe his magnificence
As to done any kenge a reuerence
¶ Grete chere doþe þis noble Senatour i
905
To kinge Alla & he to him also
Eueriche of hem doþ oþere grete honor
And so be fel þat on a daie or two
This Senatur is to kinge Alla go
To feste & schortly if .I. schal nouht lye
910
Costance soū in his companye
¶ Som men wald seine att þe request of Custance
This Senator haþe ledde þis childe to fest
.I. maie not tel euery Circumstance
Be as be may þere he was at lest
915
Bot soþ is þis þat att his moder hest
Be forne Alla dureinge þe mete space
The childe stode lokeinge ī þe kinges face
¶ This Alla kinge haþ of þis childe grete wonder
And to þe Senator he seide a none
920
Whos is þat faire childe þat stondeþ ȝonder
.I. note qd he be god & be seinte Iohñ
Amoder he haþe bot fader haþe he none
Þat .I. of wote & schortly schortly in a stounde
He tolde Alla howe þat þis childe was founde
925
¶ Bot god woote qd þis Senator also
So vertuouse a leuere in my lyf
Sawhe .I. neuer as sche . ne herd of moo
Of werldly wēmen maiden or wif
.I. dar wele saie sche had leuer aknyf
930
Thoruhe hir breste þan bene a wōman wik
There is no man couþe bringe hire to þat prik
¶ Nowe was þis childe as like vn to custance
As possible as is a creature to be
This Alla haþe þe face in remembrance
935
Of Dame Custance & þere oñ mused he