[6-text p 166]
But litel while it lasteth I yow heete [¶ A mane vsque [ad vesperam mu]tabitur tempus / t[enent tympa]num & gaudent ad s[onum organi]. [MS is gnawn away by rats.]]
Ioye of this world / for tyme wol nat abyde
ffro day to nyght it chaungeth as the tyde
Line 1134
¶ Who lyued euere / in swich delit / a day
That hym ne moeued / outher Conscience [¶ Quis vnquam vnicam diem totam [duxit] in sua dileccione iocundam / quem [in ali]qua parte diei reatus con|sciencie / v[el] impetus ire / vel motus concupiscen[tie] non tur|bauerit/ quem liuor Inuidie vel ardor auaricie / vel tumor superbie non vexauerit / quem aliqua iactura vel offensa / vel passio non commouerit &c. [The MS is partly gnawn away.]]
Or Ire / or talent or som kyn affray
Enuye / or pryde / or passion / or offence
Line 1138
I ne seye / but for this ende this sentence
That litel while / in ioye / or in plesaunce
Lasteth the blisse of Alla with Custaunce
Line 1141
¶ ffor deeth that taketh / of heigh and logh his rente
Whan passed was a yeer / euene as I gesse
Out of this world / this kyng Alla he hente
ffor whom Custaunce / hath ful greet heuynesse
Line 1145
Now lat vs prayen god / his soule blesse
And dame Custance / fynally to seye
Toward the town of Rome / gooth hir weye
Line 1148
¶ To Rome is come / this holy creature
And fyndeth hir freendss / hoole and sownde
Now is she scaped / al hir auenture
And whan that she / hir fader hath yfownde
Line 1152
Doun on hir knees / falleth she to grownd
Wepynge for tendrenesse / in herte blythe
She herieth god / an hondred thousand sythe
Line 1155
¶ In vertue / and holy almes-dede
They lyuen alle / and neuere asonder wende
Til deeth departeth hem / this lyf they lede
And fareth now wel / my tale is at an ende
Line 1159
Now Ihesu crist that of his myght may sende
Ioye after wo / gouerne vs in his grace
And kepe vs alle / that been in this place Amen. [6-text p 479]
Line 1162
¶ Here is ended / the tale / of the man of Lawe.
