The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[PART II.]

¶ Arriued bene þis cresten folk to londe In Surry wiþþe a grete solempne route And hastely þis Souldan sent his sonde ffirst to his Moder and al þe regne aboute Line 389 And seide his wif was commen oute of doute And praide hir for to riden aȝein þe qwene The honoure of his regne to suteigne Line 392

¶ Grete was þe pres and riche was þe raie Of Surrys and Romeyns mette .I.-fere The Moder of þe souldan riche and gaie Reseiueþ hire wiþ also glad a chere Line 396 As any moder myht hire douhter dere And to þe next Cite þere beside A soft pas solempnyeli þei ride Line 399

¶ Nouht trowe .I. þe triumphe of Iulius Of whiche þat lukan maade suche a boste Was Roialer ne more corious [folio 70a] Than was þassemble of þis blisful oste Line 403 Bot þis Scorpion þis wikked goste This Sauldanesse for al hir flateringe Kast vnder þis mortali to stinge Line 406

¶ The Souldan comeþ himself sone after þis So Roialy þat wonder is to tel He welcomeþ hire wiþ al Ioy and blis And þus in merþe and Ioye .I. lete hem duel Line 410

[6-text p 143] Line 410 Þe fruyte of þis matier þat .I. tel Whan tim com men þouht it for þe best That Reuel stinte and men gon to rest Line 413

¶ The time come þis olde Souldanesse Ordeined þe fest haþ of wich .I. tolde And to þe feste Cristenten folke hem dresse In generale boþe ȝonge and olde Line 417 He may men feste and Roialte beholde And deynteþs mo þan .I. can ȝou deuyse Bot al to der þei bouht it er þei rise Line 420

¶ O Sodan woo þat euer art succesour To werldly blisse spreynde is wiþ bitternes The ende of þe ioye of oure werldly labour Woo occupieþ þe fine of oure gladnes Line 424 Herke þis conseile for þi securnes Vpon þi glad daie haue in mynde The vnwar wo or harme þat comeþ be-hinde Line 427

¶ ffor schortly for to telle att o worde The souldan and þe cristen euerychone Be al to-hewe and stiken att þe borde Bot it war only Dam Custance alone Line 431 Thys olde Sauldanes cursed crone Haþ wiþ hir frendes don þis cursed dede ffor sche hir selfe wolde þe contrei lede Line 434

¶ Ne þere was Surreyne ne none þat was conuertede That of þe counsel of þe souldan wote That he ne es alto-hewen or he astert-it And Constance han þei take a-none fote hote Line 438 And in a schippe al sterles god wote Thei hane hir sett and beden hire leren to saile Owte of Surry aȝeine to Itaile Line 441

[6-text p 144] Line 441

¶ A certeine tresoure þat sche þeder ladde And soþe to seine vital grete plente Þei hane here ȝeuen and cloþes eke sche hadde [folio 70b] And forþ sche saileþ in þe salte see Line 445 O my Custance fful of benignite O . Emperours ȝonge douhter dere He þat is lorde ouere fortune he þe steere Line 448

¶ Sche blisseþ and wiþ ful pitous voyce Vn to þe croys of crist þus seide sche O clere o welful auter holy croyce Rede of þe lambes blode ful of pite Line 452 Þat whisse þe werlde fro þe olde iniquite Me fro þe fende and fro his clowes kepe þat daie þat .I. schal drenchen in þe depe Line 455

¶ Victorious tree proteccion of trewe Þat oonely worþi war for to bere Þe kinge of heuen wiþ his wondes newe Þe wyght lambe þat hurt was wiþ a spere Line 459 fflemer of frendes oute of him and here On whiche þi lynes faiþfuly extenden Me kep and ȝife me myht my lyf to amenden Line 462

¶ Ȝeres and dayes fleteþ þis creature Þoruhe owte þe see of grece vnto þe streite Of Marrok as it as it was hir auenture O many a sory mele noue maie sche baite Line 466 Affter her deþ ful oft mai sche waite Or þat þe wilde wawes wil hir drive Vn to þe place þare sche schal ariue Line 469

¶ Men myht axen whi sche was nouȝt sleine Eke att þe feste who myht hir body saue .I. answere to þat demande aȝeine Who saue Danyel in þe horrible caue Line 473

[6-text p 145] Line 473 Þere euery saue he Maister or knaue Was wiþ þe lyons frete in a sterte No whight bot god þa he bare in his hert Line 476

¶ God luste to schewe his wonderful miracle In hire for sche schold see his myhty werkes Crist whiche þat is to euery harme treacle Be certeine Menes oft as knowen clerkes Line 480 Doþ þinge for certein ende þat ful derke is To mannes witte þat for owre ignorance Ne conne knowe his prodent purueance Line 483

¶ Nowe seþ sche was not at þe fest slawe Who kepped hire fro þe drencheinge in þe see Who keppet Iona in þe fisches mawe [folio 71a] To he was spouted vp att Niniue Line 487 Wele maie men knowe it was no whight bot he Þat keppe þe peple Ebayk fro drencheinge Wiþ dri feete þoruhe oute þe see passinge Line 490

¶ Who had þe foure spirites of tempest Þat power hane to anoyen londe and see Boþe norþe and souþe and also west and este Anoyeþ neyþer se ne londe ne tree Line 494 Soþe þe comander of þat was he Þat fro þe tempest ay þis womman kepet As wele whan sche woke as wen sche slepet Line 497

¶ Whare myht þis womman mete and drenke haue Three ȝere and more how lasteþ hir vytaile Who fede þe Egipciane Marye in þe caue Or in desert non bot crist sans faille Line 501 ffyve þousand folke it was a grete mervaille Wiþ loues five and ffisches tuo to feede Gode sente his foyson att her grete nede Line 504

[6-text p 146] Line 504

¶ Sche dryueþ forþ in to owre Occeane Þoruhe oute þe wilde see till att þe last Vnder an castel þat neuen .y. ne can ffor in Norþe Humbrelond þe wawe her caste Line 508 And in þe sonde þe schippe stikked so fast That þens wold it nouht of al a tyde The wil of criste was þat sche scholde abide Line 511

¶ The Cunstable of þe Castel doune is fare To seen þis wrakke and al þe schipe he souhte And fonde þis wery womman ful of Care He fonde also tresoure þat sche brouht Line 515 In hir langage Mercie sche be-souht Þe lif oute of þe body for to twynne Hir to deliuer of woo þat sche was inne Line 518

¶ A maner latine corrupte was hir speche Bot algatez þere by was sche vnderstonde The Constable whan him lust no longer seche This wooful womman brouht he to þe londe Line 522 Sche kneleþ doune and þonkeþ goddes sonde Bot what sche was sche wolde no man seye ffor foule ne faire þouhe þat sche scholde deye Line 525

¶ Sche seid sche was so mased in þe see Þat sche for-gat here mynde be hir trouþe The constable of hir haþe so grete pite [folio 71b] And eke his wif þat þei wepen for reuþe Line 529 Sche was so diligent wiþ owten sleuþe To serue and plese eueryche in þat place That al hir louen þat loken on hir face Line 532

¶ The Constable and dam Ermenilda his wif Where payneins and þat cuntre euery where Bot Ermenilda loued here riht as hir lif And custance haþ so longe soiourned þere Line 536

[6-text p 147] Line 536 In orisons wiþ mony a better tere Til ihesu haþe conuerted þoruhe his grace Dam. Ermenilda Constablesse of þilke place Line 539

¶ In al þat londe dorst no kersten route Al cresten folke bene fledde fro þat contre Þoruhe payneins þat conquerden here aboute The plages of þe norþe be þe lande and þe see Line 543 To Wales fledd fledde þe cristeante Of olde bretons dwelynge in þis Isle Ther was hire refute for þe mene while Line 546

¶ Bot ȝit was neuer cristen bretons so exiled Þat þer nas sum in hir priuete Honoured crist and heyþen folk be-giled And nyhe þe castel þer dwel þer dwelden þre Line 550 Þat one of hem was blinde and myht nouht see Bot it weere wiþe ilke yen of his mynde Wiþ wiche men seen after þat þei be blinde Line 553

¶ Briht was þe sonne as in þe somers daie ffor whiche þe Constable and his wif also And Constance hane ytake þe riht waie To-warde þe se a forlonge way or tuo Line 557 To pleyen and to Romen to and fro And in her waie blende men þaie mette Croked and olde wiþ fast eyen schett Line 560

¶ In þe name of criste cried þis blinde bretoune Dame Ermenilda ȝeue me my sihte aȝeine This lady wex affrayde of þe soune Lest hir husbonde schortly for to seyne Line 564 Wolde hir for ihesu cristes loue haue sleyne Til Constance made hir bolde and bad hire wirche The wil of criste as douhter of his chirche Line 567

[6-text p 148] Line 567

¶ The Constable wex abassched of þat siht And seide what amounteþ al þis fare Custance anseward it is cristes miht [folio 72a] Þat helpeþ folke oute of þe fendes snare Line 571 And so ferforþe sche gan oure laye declare Þat sche constable ar þat it was eue Conuerteþ and on criste maad him beleue Line 574

¶ This Constable was nouht lorde of þis place Of whiche .I. spak þare he constance fonde Bot keped it stronge mony a winter space Vnder Allea kynge of of Northehumbrelonde Line 578 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] Aȝein þe scottes as men may wele here Bot torne .I. wil a-ȝeine to my matier Line 581

¶ Sathan þat euer waiteþ vs to begile Sauhe of Custance al hir perfeccioun And kast anone howe he myht white hir while And maad a ȝonge knyht þat dwelleþ in þe toune Line 585 Loue hire so hote of foule affeccione Þat verraily him þouht þat he scholde spille Bote of hir myht ones haue his wille Line 588

¶ He woweþe hir bot it aveileþ nouht Sche wolde do no sinne be no weie And for dispite he compassed in his þouht To make hir a schameful deþe to deye Line 592 He waiteþ whan þe Constable was awaie And priuely on a nyhte he crepte In Ermenilda scambur whiles þat sche sleped Line 595

¶ Wery for-waked in hire orisons Slepeþ custance and Ermenilde also Þis knyht þouht to performe sathanas temptacions Al softly he is to þe bedde go Line 599

[6-text p 149] Line 599 And kette þe þrote of Ermenylde a tuo And leide þe blody knyf be dam Custance And wente his weie þere god ȝiue him meschaunce Line 602

¶ Sone affter comeþ þis Constable aȝeine And Eke Allea þe kenge þat was of þis lande And sauhe his wyf dispitously sleyne ffor whiche ful of oft he wepet and wronge his honde Line 606 And in þe bedde þe blody knyfe he fonde Be dam Custance Alas what myht sche seye ffor verre woo hir witte was al awaie Line 609

¶ To Kinge Alla was tolde al þis meschance And eke þe time and where and in what wise Þat in a schip was founden þis Constance As ȝe haue herde to-forne devise [folio 72b] Line 613 The kinges herte of pite gan agrise Whan he seþe so benyngne a creature ffal in disese and in mesauenture Line 616

¶ ffor as þe lambe towarde towarde his deþe is brouht So stant þis Innocent be-for þe kenge This fals knyht þat haþe þis treson wrouht Bereþ hir on honde þa sche haþe don þis þinge Line 620 Bot naþeles þer was grete Morneinge Amonge þe peple and sei þe can not gesse That sche had done so grete a wikkenesse Line 623

¶ ffor þei haue sene hir euer so vertuous And loueinge ermenilde riht as hir lif Of þis bare wittenes eueryche in þat house saue he þat Ermenilde slowhe wiþ his knyfe Line 627 This Gentil kinge haþe cauht a grete motif Of þis wittenes And þouht he wolde enquere Depper in þis caas he troueþ for to lere Line 630

[6-text p 150] Line 630

¶ Alas Constance þou naste no champioun Ne fiht cans tow nouht so walawaie Bot he þat for oure redempcioun And bonde Sathan. and lythe ȝit þere he laye Line 634 So be þi stronge champion þis daie ffor bot if criste oopen myracle kyþe Wiþe outen gilt þou schalt be sleyne also swyþe Line 637

¶ Sche Sett hir doune on knes and þus sche seyde Immortale god þat sauedest Susan ffrom false blam and þou mercyful mayde Mary .I. mene douhter of seint Anne Line 641 Beforne whos childe Angels singe osanne If .I. be giltles of þis felonye Mi soker be. for elles schal .I. deye Line 644

¶ Haue ȝe nouht seen sum tyme a pale face Amonge a pres of him þat haþe be lad To wardes his deþ where him gat no grace And suche a colour in his face haþ hadde Line 648 þat men miht knowe his face þat was be-stadde Amonge al þe faces in þat route So stant Custance and lokeþ hire aboute Line 651

¶ O queens leueinge in prosperite Duchesses and ladies euerychon Haue some reuþe of his aduersite An Emperour douhter stant alone [folio 73a] Line 655 Sche haþe no whihte to whome to make hire mone O blode Roial þat standest in þis drede ffer bue þin frendes att þi grete nede Line 658

¶ This allea kinge haþ suche compassioun As gentil hert is fulfilled of pete Þat from his yen ran þe water doune Nowe hastely do feche a boke quod he Line 662

[6-text p 151] Line 662 And if þis knyht wil swere howe þat sche This womman slowhe ȝit wil we vs avise Whome þat we wolde þat schal be oure Iustice Line 665

¶ A breton boke wreten wiþ þe euangelies Was fett and on þis boke he swore anone Sche giltif was in þe mene whiles An hande him smote vpon þe nekke bone Line 669 Þat doune he fel att ones as a stone And boþe his eyȝen borst oute of his face In siht of euery body in þat place Line 672

¶ A voice was herde in general audience And seide þou haste disclaundred giltles The douhter of holy cherche in hiehe presence Thus hast þou done and ȝit .I. mot hold my pes Line 676 Of þis Merueile a-gast was al þe pres As Mased folke þei stoden euerychone ffor drede of wreche saue Constance alone Line 679

¶ Grete was þe dede and eke þe repentance Of hem þat hadden wronge suspecione Vpon þis cely Innocent constance And for þis miracle in conclusione Line 683 And by Constance Mediacione The kinge and mony a-noþer in þat place Conuerted was þonked be cristes grace Line 686

¶ This fals knyht was sleyne for his vntrewþe Be Iuggement of Allea Hastelye And Constance haþe of his deþe grete rewþe And after þis ihesus of his mercy Line 690 Maade Alla wedden ful solempnely. Þis holy mayden þat is briht and schene And þus haþe criste maad Constance a queene Line 693

[6-text p 152] Line 693

¶ Bot who was woful. If .I. schal not lye Of þis wedynge bot Domylda and no mo Þe kinges moder ful of Tiranny. Hire þouht hir cursed hert braste a two [folio 73b] Line 697 Sche wolde nouht her sonne had don so Hir þouht a dispite þat he scholde take So straunge a creature vnto his maake Line 700

¶ Me list nouht of þe chaf ne of þe stre Maake so longe a tale as of þe corne What scholde .I. tellen of þe royalte Of þe Mariage or whiche cours goþ to forne Line 704 Who bloweþ in a trompe or in an horne The fruyte of euery tale is for to seie Thei ete. and drinke and dance. and singe and pleie Line 707

¶ Thei gone to bed as it was skill and riht ffor þouhe þat wyues bene holy þinges Thei must take a pacience a nyht Suche maner necessaries as biene plesinges Line 711 To folke þat hane ywedded hem wiþ ringes And laie a lite hire holines a side As for þe time it maie non oþer betide Line 714

¶ On hire he gate a knaue childe anone And to a bischop and his Cunstabule eke He toke his wif to kepe whan he is gone To scotelande ward his fomen for to seke Line 718 Nowe faire Custance þat is so humble and meke So longe is gone wiþ childe til þat still Sche halt hir chambure abideinge att cristes will Line 721

¶ The time is come a knaue childe sche bare Mauricius att þe font þei him calle This Constable doþ forþe come a Messagier And wrote to his kinge þat cleped was Alle Line 725

[6-text p 153] Line 725 Howe þat þis blisful tiþinge was be-falle And oþer tiþinge spedful for to seie He takeþ þe letter and forþe he goþ his weie Line 728

¶ This Messagier to done his auantage Vnto þe kinges moder rideþ swyþe And salueþ hire ful faire in his langage Madame quod he he ȝe maye glad and bliþe Line 732 And þonkeþ god an hundreþ þousand siþe My lady queene haþ childe wiþ oute doute To Ioy and blisse of al þis regne a-boute Line 735

¶ Lo here þe lettres selede of þe tiþinge þat .I. mote bere wiþ al þe hast .I. maie If ȝe wille ouht vn to ȝowre sone þe kinge. I am ȝoure seruant boþe niht and daie [folio 74a] Line 739 Domilda anseward as nowe at þis time Bot here al niht .I. wil þat þou take þi rest To morwe will .I. saie what me lest Line 742

¶ This Messagier dranke sadly ale and wyne And stollne was his lettres priuely Out off his box while he slepe as a swyne And Conterfet was ful sotely Line 746 And oþer lettres wrouht ful sinfuly. Vnto þe kinge direct of þis matier ffro his Constable as ȝe schal after here Line 749

¶ The lettre spak howe þe queene deliuerd was Of so horrible fendelyche creature That in þe Castel none so hardy was That any while dorst þer in endure Line 753 The moder was an elfe be aventure Ycome be charmes or be sorceri And euery whitte hateþe hir company Line 756

[6-text p 154] Line 756

¶ Woo was þis kinge whan he þis lettre had seyne Bot to no white he tolde þis sorwe sore Bot of his owen he wrote ageyne Welcome be þe sonde of criste for euer more Line 760 To me þat am nowe lerend in his lore Lord welcom be þi lust and þi plesance Mi lust is put al in þine ordinance Line 763

¶ Kepeþ þis childe al be it foule or faire And eke my wif vnto myne home comynge Criste whan him liste maie sende me an heire More Agreable þan this to my likinge Line 767 This letter he seleþ priuely wepeinge Whiche to þe Messagier was take sone And forþe he goþe þare is nomore to done Line 770

¶ O Messagier fulfilde of dronkennesse Stronge is þi breþe þi limmes faltern aye And þou be-wreyest al sekurnesse Thi mynde is lorne þu Iangelest as a Iaye Line 774 Thi face is turned in a newe arraie There drunkennesse reygneþ in any route Þere is no counsel hidde wiþ outen doute Line 777

¶ O domilda. I ne haue non englisshe digne Vnto þi malice and þi tirannye An þer-for to þe fende .I. þe resigne. Lat him endite þi traitery [folio 74b] Line 781 ffy mannysshe fy. o nay be god .I. lye ffy fendlyche spirit for .I. dare wele telle Thouhe þou here walke þi spirit is in helle Line 784

¶ This Messagier comeþ fro þe kinge aȝeine And att þe kinges moder courte he liþe And sche was of þis Messagier ful faine And plesed him in al þat euer sche myht Line 788

[6-text p 155] Line 788 He dranke and wele his girdel vnder pyht He slepeþ and he fronteþ in his gise Alle nyht til þe son gan rise Line 791

¶ Eft was his letters stollen euerychōn And Conterfet lettres in þis wise The kinge Commandeþ his constable a none Vppeyne of hangeynge or an hihe Iewys Line 795 Þat he ne schold suffur in no wise Constance inwiþe his regne to Abide Thre daies and a quarter of a tide Line 798

¶ Bot in þe same schippe as he hir fonde Hire and hire ȝonge sone and hir gere He schold putte and croude fro þe londe And Charger þat sche neuer eft com þere Line 802 O my Constance wele may þi goste haue fere And slepeinge in þi dreme be in penance Whan Domilda cast al þis ordinance Line 805

¶ This Messagier on morwe whan he woke Vnto þe castel halt þe next waie And to þe Constable he þe letter toke And whan þat he þis pitous lettre saye Line 809 fful oft he seide alas and walawaie Lord criste quod he howe maie þis lettre endure So wooful of synne is mony a creature Line 812

¶ O myhti god. if þat it be þi wille Sethe þowe is riht-ful Iugge howe maie it be Þat þou wilt suffur Innocent to spille An wikked folk reigne in prosperite Line 816 O good Constance alas so woo is me Þat .I. mot be þi tormentour or deye On schames deþ þere is none oþer weie Line 819

[6-text p 156] Line 819

¶ Wepen boþe ȝonge and olde in al þat place Whan þat þe kinge þis cursede letter sent And Custance wiþ a dedly pale face Þe ferþe daie to warde þe schippe sche wente [folio 75a] Line 823 Bot Naþeles sche takeþ in goode entente Þe will of criste and kneleinge att þe stronde Sche seide lorde ay welcome be þi sonde Line 826

¶ He þat me keppet fro þe fals blame While .y. was in þe londe amonges ȝowe He can me kepe from arme and eke frome schame In salt see al-þouhe .I. see nouȝt howe Line 830 As stronge as euer he was he is riht nowe In him trust .I. and in his moder dere Þat is to me my saile and eke my stere Line 833

¶ Hire litel childe laie wepeinge in hir arme And knelynge pitusly to him sche seide Pees litel son .I. will do þe none harme Wiþ þat þe kerchef of hir hede sche braide Line 837 And ouer his litel yen sche it leide And in hir arme sche lulleþ it ful fast And in to heuen her yen vp sche cast Line 840

¶ Moder quod sche and Maiden briht Marie Soþe is þat þoruh wommannes egment Man kinde was lorne and dampned aye to deye ffor whiche þi childe was on a crois rente Line 844 Þi blisfully yen sawhe all his tornement Than is þere no comparison be-twene Þi woo and any woo man may susteigne Line 847

¶ Thowe sawhe þi sonne slayne to for þin eyȝene And ȝit leueþ now my childe parfaie Now lady to whome al woful cryȝen Thow glorie of wommanhode þou faire maie Line 851

[6-text p 157] Line 851 Þou haven of refute briht sterre of daie Rew on my childe þat of þi gentillesse Rewest on euery rewful in destrisse Line 854

¶ O litel childe alas what is þi gilte Þat neuer wrouhtest sinne as ȝit parde Whi wil þi hard fader haue þe spilte O merci dere constable quod sche Line 858 As lat my litel childe dwel here wiþ þe And if þou darst nouht saue him frome blame So kesse him ones in his faders name Line 861

¶ Ther-wiþ sche loked bakward to þe londe And seide fare wel husbonde rewþeles And vp sche riseþ and walkeþ doune þe stronde To warde þe schippe hir foloweþ al þe prees [folio 75b] And euer sche praieþ her childe to holde his pees And takeþ hire leue and wiþ an holy entent Sche blisseþ hir and in to schippe sche went Line 868

¶ Vitailled was þe schip it is no drede Abundantly for hire ful longe space And oþere necessaries þat schold nede Sche had .I.-nowhe heried be goddes grace Line 872 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And bringe hire home .I. can no better saie Bot in þe see sche driueþ forþ hire waie Line 875