The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 78r
25 of 27 folios
That saueþ þe ioy þat lasteþ euer mo
There is none like þat any creature
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Haþ seen or schal while þe werlde maye dure
¶ Tho praide sche hir husbond mekly
In releueinge of hir longe pitous pyne
Þa he wolde praie hir fader secialy
That he of his hihe magestee enclyne
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To vowche saue som day wiþ him to dyne
Sche praide him eke he scholde be no weie
Vnto hir fader no worde of hir seie
¶ Som men wold sey howe þat þe Childe morice
Doþ þis message vnto þis Emperor
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Bot as .I. gesse Alla was nouht so nyce
To him þat was of so souereigne honoure
As he þat is of cristen folke þe floure
Sent any Childe but it \is/ bet to deme
He went him selfe & so it maie wole seme
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¶ This Emperoure haþ graunted gentilly
To come to denere as he him besouht
And wele rede .I. he loked besyly .
Vpon þis child . & on his douhter þouht
Alla goþe to his Inne as him ouhte
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And array for þis feste in euery wise
As ferforþe as his comynge maie suffise
¶ The morwe cam and Alla gan him dresse
And eke his wif þis emperor for to mete
And forþe þei redde in Ioy . & in gladnesse
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And whan sche seyhe hire fader in þe strete
Sche lihteþ adoune & falleþ him to fete
Fader qd sche ȝoure ȝonge childe Constance
Is nowe ful clene oute of ȝoure remembrance
¶ .I. am ȝoure douhter Constance qd sche
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That whilome ȝe sente vnto Surrye
It am .I. fader þat in þe salt see
Was put alone & dampned for to dye
Goode fader to ȝowe .I. crye
Sende me no mo\re/ in to heyþennesse
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Bot þonke my lorde here of his kindenesse
¶ Who kan þe pytous Ioy tellen aƚƚ
Be twixe hem þree seþþen þei bue þus ymett
Bot of my tale make an ende .I. schaƚƚ
The day goþe fast .I. wil no longer lette