¶ The Constable / weex abasshed of that sight
And seyde / what amounteth all this fare
Custance 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 that it were eue
Conuerteth / and on Crist maketh hym bileue
Line 574
This Constable / was no thyng lord of this place [folio 60a]
Of which I speke / ther he Custance fond
But kepte it strongly many wyntres space
Vnder Alla / kyng of al Northhumbrelond
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 mateere
Line 581
¶ Sathan / that euere vs waiteth to bigile
Saugh of Custance / al hire perfeccioun
And caste anon / how he myghte quite hir while
And made a yong knyght / þat dwelte in that toun
Line 585
Loue hire so hoote 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 pryuely / vp on a nyght he crepte
In Hermengyldes chambre / whil she slepte
Line 595
¶ Wery / for-waked / in hire orisons
Slepeth Custance / and Hermengyld also
This knyght thurgh Sathans temptacions
All softely / is to the bed ygo
Line 599
