The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 58r
19 of 21 folios
And to hem alle / she spak rigħt in this wyse
¶ We shuln first feyne vs / cristendome to take
Cold water shal nouȝt greue vs / but a lite
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And I shal swicħ a feest / and reuel make
That as I trowe / I shal the Soudan quyte
For thougħ his wyf be cistened / neuere so whyte
She shal haue nede / to wasshe a wey the rede
Thougħ she a fontful water / witħ hire lede
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¶ O Soudanesse / roote of iniquite
Virago thow semirame / the secounde
O serpent / vnder femynynytee
Like to the serpent / depe in helle I bounde
O feyned womman / al that may confounde
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Vertue and innocence / thurgħ thy malice
Is bred in the / as neste of euery vyce
¶ O Sathan enuyous / syn thilke day
That thow were chased / from oure heritage
Wel knowest þu / to wommen the olde way
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Thow madest Eue / brynge vs in seruage
Thow wylt for don / this cristene mariage
Thyn instrument / so welawey the whyle
Makest þu of wōmen / whan þu wylt begyle
¶ This Soudanesse / whom I thus blame & warye
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Leet pryuyly hire counseil / gon here way
What shulde I in this tale / lengere tary
She rideth to the Soudan / on a day
And seide hī that she wolde / reneye hire lay
And cristendome / of prestes handes fonge
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Repentynge hire / she hethene was so longe
¶ Bysechyng hī / to don hire that honour
That she must han / the cristene folk to fest
To plesen hem / I wyl do my labour
The Soudan seitħ / I wyl don at ȝoure hest
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And knelynge thanketh hire / of that request
So glad was he / he nyst what to seye
She kist hire sone / and hom she gotħ hire weye
¶ ARyued ben / theise cistene folk to londe
In Surrye / wt a gret solempne route
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And hastilicħ this Soudan / sent his sonde
First to his moder / and al the regne a boute
And seide / his wyf was comen / out of doute
And preyede hire for to ride / a geyne the Quene
The honour of his regne / to sustene
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¶ Greet was the prees / and riche was the Arraye
Of Surreyens and Romayns / mette I feere