For which this emperour hath sent anon

5380

His fenatour, with real ordinance,

And other lordes, God wote, many on,

On Surriens to taken high vengeance:

They brennen, fleen, and bring hem to mefchance,
Ful many a day : but fhortly this is th' ende, 5385
Homward to Rome they shapen hem to wende.
This fenatour repaireth with victorie

To Rome ward, fayling ful really,
And met the fhip driving, as faith the storie,
In which Cuftance fitteth ful pitously:
Nothing ne knew he what she was, ne why
She was in fwiche array, ne fhe wil fey
Of hire eftat, though that she shulde dey.

He bringeth hire to Rome, and to his wif

He yaf hire, and hire yonge fønne also,
And with the fenatour fhe lad hire lif.
Thus can our Lady bringen out of wo
Woful Cuftance, and many another mo:
And longe time dwelled fhe in that place
In holy werkes ever, as was hire grace.

The fenatoures wif hire aunte was,

But for all that she knew hire never the more:

I wol no longer tarien in this cas,

But to King Alla, which I spake of yore,
That for his wif wipeth and fiketh fore,
I wol returne, and let I wol Cuftance
Under the fenatoures governance.

5390

5395

5400

5405

King Alla, which that had his moder flain, Upon a day fell in swiche repentance,

That if I fhortly tellen fhal and plain,

To Rome he cometh to receive his penance,
And putte him in the Popes ordinance

5410

In high and low, and Jefu Crift befought
Foryeve his wicked werkes that he had wrought.
The fame anon thurghout the toun is born, 5415
How Alla king fhal come on pilgrimage,

By herbergeours that wenten him beforn,
For which the fenatour, as was ufage,
Rode him againe, and many of his linage,
As wel to fhewen his high magnificence
As to don any king a reverence.

3420

Gret chere doth this noble senatour To King Alla, and he to him alfo :

Everich of hem doth other gret honour;

And fo befell that in a day or two

5425

This fenatour is to King Alla go

To feft, and fhortly, if I fhal not lie,

Cuftances fone went in his compagnie.

Som men wold fain at requeste of Cuflance This fenatour hath lad this child to fefte:

5430

may not tellen every circumftance;

I

Be as be may ther was he at the lefte:

But foth is this, that at his mothers hefte
Beforn Alla, during the metes space,

The child ftood, loking in the kinges face.

5435

This Alla king hath of this child gret wonder,
And to the fenatour he said anon,
Whos is that faire child that ftondeth yonder?

I n'ot, quod he, by God, and by Seint John;

A moder he hath, but fader hath he non
That I of wote: but shortly in a stound

He told Alla how that this child was found,

But God wot, quod this fenatour also,

5449

So vertuous a liver in all my lif

Ne faw I never as the, ne herd of mo

5445

Of wordly woman, maiden, widewe or wif:

I dare wel fayn hire hadde lever a knif

Thurghout hire breft than ben a woman wikke;
Ther is no man coude bring hire to that prikke.
Now was this child as like unto Cuftance
As poffible is a creature to be:

5450

This Alla hath the face in remembrance
Of Dame Custance, and theron mused he,
If that the childes moder were aught she
That is his wif, and prively he fighte,
And sped him fro the table that he mighte.

Parfay, thought he, fantome is in min hed;

I ought to deme of skilful jugement
That in the falte fee my wif is ded.
And afterward he made his argument;
What wot I if that Crift have hider fent
My wif by fee, as wel as he hire lent
To my contree, fro thennes that she went?

5455

5460

Volume II.

Y

And after noon home with the fenatour

Goth Alla, for to fee this wonder chance.

3465

This fenateur doth Alla gret honour,
And haftily he fent after Cuftance;

But trufteth wel hire lufte not to dance:

Whan that the wifte wherfore was that fonde

Unnethe upon hire feet the mighte ftonde.

5470

Whan Alla faw his wif faire he hire grette,

And wept that it was touche for to fee;

For at the firfte look he on hire fette

He knew wel veraily that it was she;

And the for forwe as domb ftant as a tree:
So was hire herte fhette in hire diftreffe
Whan fhe remembered his unkindeneffe.
Twies fhe fwouneth in his owen fight;
He wepeth and him excufeth pitously:

5475

Now God, quod he, and all his halwesbright, 5480
So wifly on my foule as have mercy,
That of your harme as gilteles am 1
As is Maurice my fone, fo like your face,

Eiles the fend me fetche out of this place.

Long was the fobbing and the bitter peine 5485 Or that hir woful hertes mighten cefe, Gret was the pitee for to here hem pleine, Thurgh whiche pleintes gan hir wo encrefe. I pray you all my labour to relefe, I may not tell hir wo until to-morwe, I am fo wery for to fpeke of forwe.

5490

But finally, whan that the foth is wist, That Alla gilteles was of hire wọ,. Hirat

I trow an hundred times han they kit,

And fwiche abiliffe is cher betwix hem two,
That fave the joye that lateth evermo

5495

Ther is non like that any creature

Hath feen or fhal, while that the world may dure. Tho praied the hire husbond mekely,'

In releef of hire longe pitous pine,

5500

That he wold pray hire fader fpecially.

That of his mageftee be wold encline.

To vouchefauf fom day with him to dine;
She praied him eke he fhukde by no`way'

Unto hire fader no word of hire fay.

5505

Som men wold fayn how that the child Maurice

Doth this nieffage until this emperour;

But as I geffe Alla was not fo nicé,

To him that is fo foveraine of honour,
As he that is of Criften folk the flour,
Send any child, but it is bet to deme
He went himself, and fo it may wel feme.

This empereur hath granted gentilly

551Q

To come to dinner as he him befaughte;
And wel réde the loked befily

5515

Upon this child, and on his doughter thought.

5506. Sommen wold ayn} See Gower, Conf. Amant. B. ii. fol. 35, b. 11, and the Discourse, Fc. § 15.---In another circumitance which has been atroduced with the fame words, ver. 5429, our Author agrees with Gower, ibid. Tək. 35, d. I.