[6-text p 156]
¶ Wepen boþe ȝonge and olde in al þat place
Whan þat þe king þis cursede lettre sente
And Custance with a dedly pale face
The ferþe day toward hir schip sche wente
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But naþeles sche takeþ in good entente
The wille of crist and knelyng in þe stronde
Sche seyde lord ay welcome be þi sonde
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he þat me kepte fro þe false blame
Whil I was on þe lond amonges yow /
he kan me kepe from harm and eek fro schame
In salte see al þough I se not how
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As strong as euer he was he is right now /
In him trust I and in his mooder deere [folio 85b]
That is to me my sail and eek my steere
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hir litel child lay weepyng in hire arm
And knelyng pitously to him sche seide
Pees litel sone I wol do þe non harm
Wiþ þat hir couerchef of hir heed sche breyde
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And ouer his litel eyȝen sche it leyde/
And in hir arm sche lulleth it ful faste /
And in to heuen hir yhen vp sche caste
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¶ Moder quod sche and mayde bright marie
Soth is þat þurgh wommannes eggement
Mankynde was lorn and dampned ay to deye
ffor which þi child was on a croys y-rent
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Thy blisful eighen saugh al his torment
Than is þer no comparison bitwene
Thy wo and any wo man may sustene
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¶ Thou saugh þi sone y-slayn biforn þin eyen
And ȝit now lyueþ my litel child par fay
Now lady bright to whom alle woful cryen
Thow glorie of wommanhod þou faire may
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