The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 79v
22 of 31 folios
¶ Naught trowe I þe tryumphe of Iulius
Of which þat lukan makeþ such a bost
Was riallere ne more curious
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Than was thassemble of þis blisful oost
But þis scorpioū this wikkede goost
The Sowdanesse for aƚƚ hir flateringe
Caste vnder þis ful mortally to stynge
¶ The Sowdan comeþ himself sone after þis
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So really that wonder is to telle
He welcomeþ hir with aƚƚ ioye and blis
And þus in merthe and Ioye I lete hem dwelle
The fruyt of þis matiere þat I telle
Whan tyme come men þougħt it for þe best
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That Reuel stynte and men gon to here Rest
¶ The tyme com þis olde Sowdanesse
Ordeyned haþ þis feeste of which I tolde
And to þe feste cristene folk hem dresse
In general boþe ȝonge and olde
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Here may men feste and rialte biholde
And deyntees mo þan I can ȝou deuyse
But all to deere þei bougħt it ar þey ryse
¶ O sodein woo þat euer art Successour
To worldly blysse spreynd is with bitt ernesse
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The ende of þe ioye of oure worldly laboure
Wo occupieth þe fyn of oure gladnesse /
Herk þis counseiƚƚ for þi sikernesse
Vpon þi glade day haue in thy mynde
The vnwar wo or harm þat comth behynde
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For schortly for to tellen at oo word
The Sawdan and þe cristene euerychone
Ben al to hewe and stiked atte bord
But it were oonly dame Custance allone
This olde Sowdanesse cursede crone
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Haþ with hire freendes doon þis cursede dede
For sche hirself wolde aƚƚ þe contre lede
¶ Ne þer nas Surrian non þat was conuerted That of þe consaiƚƚ