The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 80r
21 of 31 folios
That of þe counseil of þe Sowdan wot
That he nas al to hewe or he asterted
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And circumstance han þei take anon foot hoot
And in a Schipp al steereles god woot
Thay han hire sette and bidden hire lerne sayle
Out of Surrie agaynward to ytaile
¶ A certein tresour þat sche þider ladde
345
And soþ to sain vitaile gret plente
They han hire yeuen and cloþes eek sche hadde
And forþ sche saileþ in þe Salte see
O my Custance ful of benignite
O emperoures yonge doughter deere
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He þat is lord ouer fortune be þy steere
¶ Sche blisseþ & with ful pitous vois
Vnto þe croys of crist þus seyde sche /
O cler . o welful auter holy croys
Rede of þi lambes blood ful of pite
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That wisshe þe world fro þe olde iniquite
Me fro þe feend and fro his clawes keepe
That day þat I schal drenchen in þe deepe
¶ Victorious tree proteccioū of trewe
That oonly worþi were for to bere
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The king of heuene with his woundes newe
The white lambe þat hurt was with a spere
Fleemer of feendes out of him and here
On whych þi lymes feithfully entenden
Me keepe and yef me might my lijf tamenden
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¶ Yeeres and dayes fleet þis creature
Thurgh out þe see of grece vnto þe strayte
Of Marrok as it was hire auenture
O many a sory meel now may sche bayte
After hire deþ fulofte may sche wayte
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Or þat þe wilde wawes wil hir dryue
Vnto þe place þer sche schal arryue
¶ Men mighten whi sche nas nat slayn
Eke atte feste who might hir body saue