And after noon home with the fenatour Goth Alla, for to see this wonder chance. 5465 This fenateur doth Alla grec honour, And hafály ke sent after Caftance;' But trusteth wel hire lafte not to dance: Whan that she wiste wherfore was that fonde Unnethe upou hire feet she mighte ftonde. 5470

Whan Alla saw his wif faire he hire grette, And wept that it was touthe for to fee; For at the firste look he on hire fette He knew wel veraily that it was she; And she for forwe as domb ftant as a tree: 5475 So was hire herte fretre in hire diftreffe Whan she remembered his unkindeneffe.

Twies the swouneth in his owen fight; He wepeth and him excuseth pitously: Now God, quod he, and all his halwes bright, 5489 So wisy on my foule as have mercy, That of your harme as gilteles am I As is Maurice my sone, so like your face, Elles the fend me fetche out of this place.

Long was the fobbing and the hitter peine 5483
Or that hir woful hertes mighten cese,
Gret was the pitee for to here hem pleine,
Thurgh whiche pleintes gan bir wo encrese.
I pray you

all
niy

labour to relefe,
I may not tell hir wo until to-morwe,

5490 I am so wery for to speke of forwe.

5300

But finally, whan that the loth is wilt,
That Alla gilteles was of hire wo, it's
I trow an hundred times ivan they kist,"'.
And swicho abliffe is cher betwix hem two, 5495
That save the joye that laiteth evermo,
Ther is pon like that any creature,
Hath seen or fhal while that the world may durę,

Tho praied the hire hulbond mekely,'
In releef of hite longe pitous pine,
That he wold pray hire fader specially i.

That of his mageftee bewold encline,
To vouchesaus som day with him to dine;
She praied him eke he hulde by no'way'
Unto hire fader no word of hire say.

3505
Som men wold fayn how that the child Maurice
Doth this nieslage until this emperour;
But as I geffe Alla was not so nicé,
To him that is fo foveraine of honour,
As he that is of Criften folk the flour, 5510
Send any child, but it is bet to deme
He went himfelf; and so it may wel feme.

This empereur hath granted gentilly To come tö dimmer as he hiin bcfoughte; And wel réde the lobed befily

5515 Upon this child, and on his daughter thought.

V 5506. Som men tvolllayn) See Gower, Confm.int. B. ii. fol. 35, b. 11, and the Difroux, C. $ 15,---in another circumttance which has bez ctroduced with the same words, ver. 5429, our Author agrees with Gower, Weid, foto 3594. I.

Alla goth to his inne, and as him ought
Arraied for this feste in every wise
As ferforth as his conning may suffice.

The morwe came, and Alla gan him dresse, 5520
And eke his wif, this emperour to mete;
And forth they ride in joye and in gladnesse;
And whan she saw hire fader in the stretc
She light adoun and falleth him to fete.
Fader, quod she, your yonge child Custance 5325
Is now ful clene out of your remembrance.

I am your doughter, your Cuftance, quod fhe, That whilom ye han sent into Surrie; It am I, fader, that in the falte fee Was put alone, and dampned for to die: 5530 Now, goode fader, I you mercy crie ; Send me no more into non Hethenesse, But thanketh my lord here of his kindeneffe.

Who can the pitous joye tellen all
Betwix hen thre sin they ben thus ymette ? 5535
But of my Tale make an ende I fhal,
The day goth fast, I wol no longer lette.
'Thise glade folk to dinner ben ysette ;
In joye and bliffe at mete I let hem dwell,
A thousand fold wel more than I can tell. 5540

This child Maurice was fithen Emperour
Made by the Pope, and lived Cristenly;
To Cristes chirche did he gret honour:

7. 5527. your Cuftance) I have added your for the sake of

the metre.

hete;

But I let all his storie passen by;
Of Custance is my Tale specially;

5545 In the olde Romane gestes men may find Maurices lif, I bere it not in mind.

This King Alla, whan he his time sey, With his Caftance, his holy wif so swete, To Englond ben they come the righte wey, 5550 Ther as they live in joye and in quiete: But litel while it laiteth I

you Joye of this world for time wol not abide, Fro day to night it changeth as the tide.

Who lived ever in swiche delite o day 5555 That him ne meved eyther conscience, Or ire, or talent, or som kin affray, Envie, or pride, or pallion, or offence? I ne say but for this end this sentence, That litel while in joge or in plesance

fot. 5560 Lasteth the bliffe of Alla with Cuslance."

For Deth, that taketh of hie and low his rente,
Whan passed was a yere, even as I gesse,
Out of this world this King Alla he hente,

V.5552. But litel while] In Marg. C. 1, " A mane usque ad “ vesperem mutabitur tempus, tenent tympanum et gaudent “ ad fonum organi," C.

W.5555. Who lived ever) ibid. “Quis unquam unicam diem “ totam in sua dile&tione duxit jocundam? quem in aliqua

parte diei reatus conscientiæ, viz. impetus iræ, vel motus “concupiscentiæ non turbavit; quem livor, vel ardor avari" tice, vel tumor fuperbiæ non vexavit, quem aliqua jadura, "vel offensa, vel paflio non commoverit," $56.

For whom Cuitance hath ful gret heveneffe ; ' 5365
Now let us praien God his soule bleffe:
And Dame Cuftance, finally to fay,
Toward the toun of Rome goth hire way.

To Rome is come this holy cțeacure,
And findech ther hire frendes hole and found; 5570
Now is the feaped all hire aventure :
And whan that me hire facier hath yfound
Doun on hire knees The to ground,
Weping for tenderneile in herte blithe,
She herieth God an hundred thousand fiche - 5573

In vertue and in holy ahmeffe dede,
They liven alle, and never afonder wende ;
Till deth depiteta hein this lif they lede :
And fareth now wel, my Fale is at an ende.
Now Jesu Crift, that of his might imay sende

5580 Joye after wo, governe us in his grace, And kepe us alle that ben in this place.

3582