[6-text p 147]
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
