[6-text p 148]
¶ The Constable / weex abasshed of that sight [folio 120a]
And seide / What amounteth al this fare
Custaunce answerde / sire it is Cristes myght
That helpeth folk / out of the feendes snare
Line 571
And so ferforth / she gan oure lay declare
That she the Constable / er þat it was eue
Conuerteth / and on Crist made hym bileue
Line 574
¶ This Constable / was no thyng lord of this place
Of which I speek ther he Custaunce fond
But kepte it strongly / many wynter space
Vnder Alla / kyng of al Northumberlond
Line 578
That was ful wys / and worthy of his hond
Agayn the Scottes / as men may wel heere
But turne I wole / agayn to my matere
Line 581
¶ Sathan / þat euere vs waiteth to bigile
Saugh of Custaunce / al hir perfeccion
And caste anon / how he myghte quite hir while
And made a yong knyght þat dwelte in that town
Line 585
Loue hire hote / of foul affeccioun
That verraily / hym thoughte he sholde spille
But he of hire / myghte ones haue his wille
Line 588
¶ He woweth hire / but it auailleth noght
She wolde do no synne / by no weye
And for despit he compassed in his thoght
To maken hire / on shameful deeth to deye
Line 592
He wayteth / whan the Constable was aweye
And priuely / vp on a nyght he crepte
In Hermengildes chambre / whil she slepte
Line 595
¶ Wery for-waked / in hir orisons
Slepeth Custaunce / and hermengild also
This knyght thurgh Sathans temptacions
Al softely / is to the bed ygo
Line 599
