The Man of Law's Tale
Folio 80v
20 of 31 folios
I answere to þat demande agayn
375
He saued Daniel in þe horrible caue
Ther euery wigħt saue he maister or knaue
Was wiþ þe leoū frete or asterte
No wigħt but god þat he bar in his herte
¶ God list to schewe his wonderful myracle
380
In hire . for sche scholde seen his mighty werkes
Crist which þat is to euery harm triacle
By certein menes oft as knowen clerkes
Doþ þing for certein ende þat ful derk is
To mannes wit þat for oure ignorance
385
Ne konne nought knowe his prudent prueance
¶ Now siþ sche was not atte feste y slawe
Who kept hir fro þe drenching in þe see
Who kepte Ionas in þe fisshes mawe
Til he was spouted vp at Nyniue
390
Wel may men knowe it was no wight but he
That kepte pepul ebraik from here drenchyng
With drye feet þurgħ out þe see passyng
¶ Who bad þe foure spiritz of tempest
That power han boþe to annoyen lond and see
395
Boþe north and south and also west and est
Anoyeþ neyþer see ne lond ne tree
Soþly þe comandour of þat was he
That fro þe tempest ay þis wōman kepte
As wel whan sche wook as whan sche slepte
400
¶ Wher might þis wōman mete and drynke haue
Three ȝeer and moore how lasteþ hire vitaille
Who fedde þe Egipcien marie in þe Caue
Or in desert no wight but crist sanz faille
V. þousand folk it was a gret meruaille
405
With loues fyue and fisshes tuo to feede
God sent his foysoū at hire grete neede
¶ Sche driueþ forþ in to oure Occean
Þurghout oure wilde see til atte last
Vnder an hold þat nempnen I ne can