But lytil while it lastyth I ȝow hete
Ioye of þis world for tyme wele not a-byde
ffrom day to nyȝt it schaungith as þe tyde
Line 1134
Who lyuede euere in swich delyt a day
That sche ne menede outhir concyence
Or yre or talent or sumkenys a-fray
Enuye or pride or passioun or offence
Line 1138
I ne seye but for þis ende this sentence
That lytyl while in ioye & in plesaunce
Lastith þe ioye of alla with Custaunce
Line 1141
ffor deth þat takyth of high & low hise rente [folio 210b]
Whan passede was euene a ȝer as I gesse
Out of þe world þis kyng alla he hente
ffor whom Custaunce hath ful gret heuinesse
Line 1145
Now let vs preyen god his soule blysse
And dame Custaunce finally to seye
Toward þe toun goth hire weye
Line 1148
To rome is comyn þis holy creature
And fyndith hire frendis hole & sounde
Now is sche scapid al hire Auenture
And whan þat sche hire fadyr hath I-founde
Line 1152
Doun on hire kneis fallyth sche to grounde
Wepynge for tendirnesse in herte blyþe
Sche heryeth god an hundered thousent sythe
Line 1155
In vertu & holy allemesse dede
They lyuyn alle & neuere asundyr wende
Thil deth departyth hem þis lyf þey leede
And faryth now wel myn tale is at an ende
Line 1159
Now Ihesu crist þat of his myȝt may sende
Ioye aftyr wo gouerne vs in hise grace
And kepe vs alle þat ben in þis place. Amen
Line 1162
Here endyth the man of lawe hise tale [[Break of 2 lines, after which is the heading of the Wife of Bath's Prologue.]]
