Chapter 34

[Tale of Constance.]A worthi kniht in Cristes laweOf grete Rome, as is the sawe,Hic loquitur Confessor contra istos in amoris causa detrahentes, qui suis obloquiis aliena solacia perturbant. Et narrat exemplum de Constancia Tiberii Rome Imparatoris filia, omnium virtutum famosissima, ob cuius amorem Soldanus tunc Persie, vt eam in vxorem ducere posset, Cristianum se fieri promisit; cuius accepta caucione consilio Pelagii tunc pape dicta filia vna cum duobus Cardinalibus aliisque Rome proceribus in Persiam maritagii causa nauigio honorifice destinata fuit:578que tamen obloquencium postea detraccionibus variis modis, prout inferius articulatur, absque sui culpa dolorosa fata multipliciter passa est.The Sceptre hadde forto rihte;Tiberie Constantin he hihte,590Whos wif was cleped Ytalie:Bot thei togedre of progenieNo children hadde bot a Maide;And sche the god so wel apaide,That al the wide worldes fameSpak worschipe of hire goode name.Constance, as the Cronique seith,Sche hihte, and was so ful of feith,That the greteste of Barbarie,Of hem whiche usen marchandie,600P. i. 180Sche hath converted, as thei comeTo hire upon a time in Rome,To schewen such thing as thei broghte;Whiche worthili of hem sche boghte,And over that in such a wiseSche hath hem with hire wordes wiseOf Cristes feith so full enformed,That thei therto ben all conformed,So that baptesme thei receivenAnd alle here false goddes weyven.610Whan thei ben of the feith certein,Thei gon to Barbarie ayein,And ther the Souldan for hem senteAnd axeth hem to what ententeThei have here ferste feith forsake.And thei, whiche hadden undertakeThe rihte feith to kepe and holde,The matiere of here tale toldeWith al the hole circumstance.And whan the Souldan of Constance620Upon the point that thei ansuerdeThe beaute and the grace herde,As he which thanne was to wedde,In alle haste his cause speddeTo sende for the mariage.And furthermor with good corageHe seith, be so he mai hire have,That Crist, which cam this world to save,He woll believe: and this recorded,Thei ben on either side acorded,630P. i. 181And therupon to make an endeThe Souldan hise hostages sendeTo Rome, of Princes Sones tuelve:Wherof the fader in himselveWas glad, and with the Pope avisedTuo Cardinals he hath assissedWith othre lordes many mo,That with his doghter scholden go,To se the Souldan be converted.Bot that which nevere was wel herted,Envie, tho began travaile640Qualiter adueniente Constancia in Barbariam Mater Soldani, huiusmodi nupcias perturbare volens, filium suum vna cum dicta Constancia Cardinalibusque et aliis Romanis primo die ad conuiuium inuitauit; et conuescentibus illis in mensa ipsum Soldanum omnesque ibidem preter Constanciam Romanos ab insidiis latitantibus subdola detraccione interfici procurauit. Ipsamque Constanciam in quadam naui absque gubernaculo positam per altum mare ventorum flatibus agitandam in exilium580dirigi solam constituit.In destourbance of this spousaileSo prively that non was war.The Moder which this Souldan barWas thanne alyve, and thoghte thisUnto hirself: ‘If it so isMi Sone him wedde in this manere,Than have I lost my joies hiere,For myn astat schal so be lassed.’579Thenkende thus sche hath compassed650Be sleihte how that sche may beguileHire Sone; and fell withinne a while,Betwen hem two whan that thei were,Sche feigneth wordes in his Ere,And in this wise gan to seie:‘Mi Sone, I am be double weieWith al myn herte glad and blithe,For that miself have ofte sitheDesired thou wolt, as men seith,Receive and take a newe feith,660P. i. 182Which schal be forthringe of thi lif:And ek so worschipful a wif,The doughter of an Emperour,To wedde it schal be gret honour.Forthi, mi Sone, I you besecheThat I such grace mihte areche,Whan that my doughter come schal,That I mai thanne in special,So as me thenkth it is honeste,Be thilke which the ferste feste670Schal make unto hire welcominge.’581The Souldan granteth hire axinge,And sche therof was glad ynowh:For under that anon she drowhWith false wordes that sche spakCovine of deth behinde his bak.And therupon hire ordinanceShe made so, that whan ConstanceWas come forth with the Romeins,Of clerkes and of Citezeins,680A riche feste sche hem made:And most whan that thei weren glade,With fals covine which sche haddeHire clos Envie tho sche spradde,And alle tho that hadden beOr in apert or in priveOf conseil to the manage,Sche slowh hem in a sodein rageEndlong the bord as thei be set,So that it myhte noght be let;690P. i. 183Hire oghne Sone was noght quit,Bot deide upon the same plit.Bot what the hihe god wol spareIt mai for no peril misfare:This worthi Maiden which was thereStod thanne, as who seith, ded for feere,To se the feste how that it stod,Which al was torned into blod:The Dissh forthwith the Coppe and alBebled thei weren overal;700Sche sih hem deie on every side;No wonder thogh sche wepte and crideMakende many a wofull mone.Whan al was slain bot sche al one,This olde fend, this Sarazine,Let take anon this ConstantineWith al the good sche thider broghte,And hath ordeined, as sche thoghte,A nakid Schip withoute stiere,In which the good and hire in fiere,582710Vitailed full for yeres fyve,Wher that the wynd it wolde dryve,Sche putte upon the wawes wilde.Bot he which alle thing mai schilde,Qualiter nauis cum Constancia in partes583Anglie, que tunc pagana fuit, prope Humber sub quodam castello Regis, qui tunc Allee vocabatur, post triennium applicuit, quam quidam miles nomine Elda, dicti castelli tunc custos, e naui lete suscipiens vxori sue Hermynghelde in custodiam honorifice commendauit.Thre yer, til that sche cam to londe,Hire Schip to stiere hath take in honde,And in Northumberlond aryveth;And happeth thanne that sche dryvethUnder a Castel with the flod,Which upon Humber banke stod720P. i. 184And was the kynges oghne also,The which Allee was cleped tho,A Saxon and a worthi knyht,Bot he believeth noght ariht.Of this Castell was ChastelleinElda the kinges Chamberlein,A knyhtly man after his lawe;And whan he sih upon the waweThe Schip drivende al one so,He bad anon men scholden go730To se what it betokne mai.This was upon a Somer dai,The Schip was loked and sche founde;Elda withinne a litel stoundeIt wiste, and with his wif anonToward this yonge ladi gon,Wher that thei founden gret richesse;Bot sche hire wolde noght confesse,Whan thei hire axen what sche was.And natheles upon the cas740Out of the Schip with gret worschipeThei toke hire into felaschipe,As thei that weren of hir glade:Bot sche no maner joie made,Bot sorweth sore of that sche fondNo cristendom in thilke lond;Bot elles sche hath al hire wille,And thus with hem sche duelleth stille.Dame Hermyngheld, which was the wifOf Elda, lichhire oghne lif750Qualiter Constancia584Eldam585cum vxore sua Hermynghelda, qui antea Cristiani non extiterant, ad fidem Cristi miraculose conuertit.P. i. 185Constance loveth; and fell so,Spekende alday betwen hem two,Thurgh grace of goddes pourveanceThis maiden tawhte the creanceUnto this wif so parfitly,Upon a dai that faste byIn presence of hire housebonde,Wher thei go walkende on the Stronde,A blind man, which cam there lad,Unto this wif criende he bad,760With bothe hise hondes up and preideTo hire, and in this wise he seide:‘O Hermyngeld, which Cristes feith,Enformed as Constance seith,Received hast, yif me my sihte.’Upon his word hire herte afflihteThenkende what was best to done,Bot natheles sche herde his boneAnd seide, ‘In trust of Cristes lawe,Which don was on the crois and slawe,770Thou bysne man, behold and se.’With that to god upon his kneThonkende he tok his sihte anon,Wherof thei merveile everychon,Bot Elda wondreth most of alle:This open thing which is befalleConcludeth him be such a weie,That he the feith mot nede obeie.Now lest what fell upon this thing.Qualiter quidam miles iuuenis in amorem Constancie exardescens, pro eo quod ipsa assentire586noluit, eam de morte Hermynghelde, quam ipsemet noctanter interfecit, verbis detractoriis accusauit. Set Angelus domini ipsum sic detrahentem in maxilla subito percuciens non solum pro mendace comprobauit, set ictu mortali post ipsius confessionem penitus interfecit.This Elda forth unto the king780P. i. 186A morwe tok his weie and rod,And Hermyngeld at home abodForth with Constance wel at ese.Elda, which thoghte his king to plese,As he that thanne unwedded was,Of Constance al the pleine casAls goodliche as he cowthe tolde.The king was glad and seide he woldeCome thider upon such a wiseThat he him mihte of hire avise,790The time apointed forth withal.This Elda triste in specialUpon a knyht, whom fro childhodeHe hadde updrawe into manhode:To him he tolde al that he thoghte,Wherof that after him forthoghte;And natheles at thilke tideUnto his wif he bad him rideTo make redi alle thingAyein the cominge of the king,800And seith that he himself toforeThenkth forto come, and bad therforeThat he him kepe, and told him whanne.587This knyht rod forth his weie thanne;And soth was that of time passedHe hadde in al his wit compassedHow he Constance myhte winne;Bot he sih tho no sped therinne,Wherof his lust began tabate,And that was love is thanne hate;810P. i. 187Of hire honour he hadde Envie,So that upon his tricherieA lesinge in his herte he caste.Til he cam home he hieth faste,And doth his ladi tunderstonde588The Message of hire housebonde:And therupon the longe daiThei setten thinges in arrai,That al was as it scholde beOf every thing in his degree;820And whan it cam into the nyht,This wif hire hath to bedde dyht,Wher that this Maiden with hire lay.This false knyht upon delayHath taried til thei were aslepe,As he that wolde his time kepeHis dedly werkes to fulfille;And to the bed he stalketh stille,Wher that he wiste was the wif,And in his hond a rasour knif830He bar, with which hire throte he cutte,And prively the knif he putteUnder that other beddes side,589Wher that Constance lai beside.Elda cam hom the same nyht,And stille with a prive lyht,As he that wolde noght awakeHis wif, he hath his weie takeInto the chambre, and ther liggendeHe fond his dede wif bledende,840P. i. 188Wher that Constance faste byWas falle aslepe; and sodeinlyHe cride alowd, and sche awok,And forth withal sche caste a lok590And sih this ladi blede there,Wherof swounende ded for fereSche was, and stille as eny StonShe lay, and Elda theruponInto the Castell clepeth oute,And up sterte every man aboute,850Into the chambre and forth thei wente.Bot he, which alle untrouthe mente,This false knyht, among hem alleUpon this thing which is befalleSeith that Constance hath don this dede;And to the bed with that he yedeAfter the falshed of his speche,And made him there forto seche,And fond the knif, wher he it leide,And thanne he cride and thanne he seide,591860‘Lo, seth the knif al blody hiere!What nedeth more in this matiereTo axe?’ And thus hire innocenceHe sclaundreth there in audienceWith false wordes whiche he feigneth.Bot yit for al that evere he pleigneth,Elda no full credence tok:And happeth that ther lay a bok,Upon the which, whan he it sih,This knyht hath swore and seid on hih,870P. i. 189That alle men it mihte wite,‘Now be this bok, which hier is write,Constance is gultif, wel I wot.’With that the hond of hevene him smotIn tokne of that he was forswore,That he hath bothe hise yhen lore,Out of his hed the same stoundeThei sterte, and so thei weren founde.A vois was herd, whan that they felle,Which seide, ‘O dampned man to helle,880Lo, thus hath god the sclaundre wrokeThat thou ayein Constance hast spoke:592Beknow the sothe er that thou dye.’And he told out his felonie,593And starf forth with his tale anon.Into the ground, wher alle gon,This dede lady was begrave:Elda, which thoghte his honour save,Al that he mai restreigneth sorwe.For the seconde day a morwe890Qualiter Rex Allee ad fidem Cristi conuersus baptismum recepit et Constanciam super hoc leto animo desponsauit; que tamen qualis vel vnde fuit alicui nullo modo fatebatur. Et cum infra breue postea a domino suo impregnata fuisset, ipse ad debellandum cum Scotis iter arripuit, et ibidem super guerras aliquamdiu permansit.The king cam, as thei were acorded;And whan it was to him recordedWhat god hath wroght upon this chaunce,He tok it into remembranceAnd thoghte more than he seide.For al his hole herte he leideUpon Constance, and seide he scholdeFor love of hire, if that sche wolde,Baptesme take and Cristes feithBelieve, and over that he seith900P. i. 190He wol hire wedde, and upon thisAsseured ech til other is.And forto make schorte tales,Ther cam a Bisschop out of WalesFro Bangor, and Lucie he hihte,Which thurgh the grace of god almihteThe king with many an other moHath cristned, and betwen hem tuoHe hath fulfild the mariage.Bot for no lust ne for no rage910Sche tolde hem nevere what sche was;And natheles upon the cas594The king was glad, how so it stod,For wel he wiste and understodSche was a noble creature.The hihe makere of natureHire hath visited in a throwe,That it was openliche knoweSche was with childe be the king,Wherof above al other thing920He thonketh god and was riht glad.And fell that time he was bestadUpon a werre and moste ride;And whil he scholde there abide,He lefte at hom to kepe his wif595Suche as he knew of holi lif,Elda forth with the Bisschop eke;And he with pouer goth to sekeAyein the Scottes forto fondeThe werre which he tok on honde.930P. i. 191The time set of kinde is come,Qualiter Regina Constancia infantem masculum, quem in baptismo Mauricium vocant, Rege absente enixa est. Set inuida Regis mater Domilda super isto facto condolens litteris mendacibus Regi certificauit quod596vxor sua demoniaci et non597humani generis quoddam monstrosum fantasma loco geniture ad ortum produxit; huiusmodique detraccionibus aduersus Constanciam in tanto procurauit, quod ipsa in nauim, qua prius venerat, iterum ad exilium vna cum suo partu remissa desolabatur.598This lady hath hire chambre nome,And of a Sone bore full,Wherof that sche was joiefull,Sche was delivered sauf and sone.The bisshop, as it was to done,Yaf him baptesme and Moris calleth;And therupon, as it befalleth,With lettres writen of recordThei sende unto here liege lord,940That kepers weren of the qweene:And he that scholde go betwene,The Messager, to Knaresburgh,Which toun he scholde passe thurgh,Ridende cam the ferste day.The kinges Moder there lay,Whos rihte name was Domilde,Which after al the cause spilde:For he, which thonk deserve wolde,599Unto this ladi goth and tolde950Of his Message al how it ferde.600And sche with feigned joie it herdeAnd yaf him yiftes largely,Bot in the nyht al privelySche tok the lettres whiche he hadde,Fro point to point and overradde,As sche that was thurghout untrewe,601And let do wryten othre neweIn stede of hem, and thus thei spieke:Prima littera in commendacionem Constancie ab Episcopo Regi missa per Domildam in contrarium falsata.‘Oure liege lord, we thee beseke960P. i. 192That thou with ous ne be noght wroth,602Though we such thing as is thee loth603Upon oure trowthe certefie.Thi wif, which is of faierie,Of such a child delivered isFro kinde which stantal amis:Bot for it scholde noght be seie,We have it kept out of the weieFor drede of pure worldes schame,A povere child and in the name970Of thilke which is so misboreWe toke, and therto we be swore,That non bot only thou and weSchal knowen of this privete:Moris it hatte, and thus men weneThat it was boren of the qweeneAnd of thin oghne bodi gete.Bot this thing mai noght be foryete,That thou ne sende ous word anonWhat is thi wille therupon.’980This lettre, as thou hast herd devise,Was contrefet in such a wiseThat noman scholde it aperceive:And sche, which thoghte to deceive,It leith wher sche that other tok.This Messager, whan he awok,And wiste nothing how it was,Aros and rod the grete pasAnd tok this lettre to the king.And whan he sih this wonder thing,990P. i. 193He makth the Messager no chiere,Bot natheles in wys manereHe wrot ayein, and yaf hem charge604That thei ne soffre noght at largeHis wif to go, bot kepe hire stille,Til thei have herd mor of his wille.This Messager was yifteles,Bot with this lettre natheles,Or be him lief or be him loth,In alle haste ayein he goth1000Be Knaresburgh, and as he wente,Unto the Moder his ententeOf that he fond toward the kingHe tolde; and sche upon this thingSeith that he scholde abide al nyhtAnd made him feste and chiere ariht,Feignende as thogh sche cowthe him thonk.Bot he with strong wyn which he dronkForth with the travail of the day605Was drunke, aslepe and while he lay,1010Sche hath hise lettres overseieAnd formed in an other weie.Ther was a newe lettre write,Secunda littera per Regem Episcopo remissa a Domilda iterum falsata.Which seith: ‘I do you forto wite,That thurgh the conseil of you tuoI stonde in point to ben undo,As he which is a king deposed.For every man it hath supposed,How that my wif Constance is faie;And if that I, thei sein, delaie6061020P. i. 194To put hire out of compaignie,607The worschipe of my RegalieIs lore; and over this thei telle,Hire child schal noght among hem duelle,To cleymen eny heritage.So can I se non avantage,Bot al is lost, if sche abide:Forthi to loke on every sideToward the meschief as it is,I charge you and bidde this,1030That ye the same Schip vitaile,In which that sche tok arivaile,Therinne and putteth bothe tuo,Hireself forthwith hire child also,And so forth broght unto the depeBetaketh hire the See to kepe.Of foure daies time I sette,That ye this thing no longer lette,So that your lif be noght forsfet.’And thus this lettre contrefet1040The Messager, which was unwar,Upon the kingeshalve bar,And where he scholde it hath betake.Bot whan that thei have hiede take,And rad that writen is withinne,608So gret a sorwe thei beginne,As thei here oghne Moder sihenBrent in a fyr before here yhen:609Ther was wepinge and ther was wo,Bot finaly the thing is do.1050P. i. 195Upon the See thei have hire broght,Bot sche the cause wiste noght,And thus upon the flod thei wone,This ladi with hire yonge Sone:And thanne hire handes to the heveneSche strawhte, and with a milde steveneKnelende upon hire bare kneSche seide, ‘O hihe mageste,Which sest the point of every trowthe,Tak of thi wofull womman rowthe1060And of this child that I schal kepe.’And with that word sche gan to wepe,Swounende as ded, and ther sche lay;610Bot he which alle thinges mayConforteth hire, and ate lasteSche loketh and hire yhen caste611Upon hire child and seide this:‘Of me no maner charge it isWhat sorwe I soffre, bot of theeMe thenkth it is a gret pite,6121070For if I sterve thou schalt deie:613So mot I nedes be that weieFor Moderhed and for tendresseWith al myn hole besinesseOrdeigne me for thilke office,As sche which schal be thi Norrice.’Thus was sche strengthed forto stonde;And tho sche tok hire child in hondeAnd yaf it sowke, and evere amongSche wepte, and otherwhile song1080P. i. 196To rocke with hire child aslepe:And thus hire oghne child to kepeSche hath under the goddes cure.And so fell upon aventure,Qualiter Nauis Constancie post biennium in partes Hispanie superioris inter Sarazenos iactabatur, a quorum manibus deus ipsam conseruans graciosissime liberauit.614Whan thilke yer hath mad his ende,Hire Schip, so as it moste wendeThurgh strengthe of wynd which god hath yive,Estward was into Spaigne driveRiht faste under a Castell wall,Wher that an hethen Amirall1090Was lord, and he a Stieward hadde,Oon Theloüs, which al was badde,A fals knyht and a renegat.He goth to loke in what astatThe Schip was come, and there he fondForth with a child upon hire hondThis lady, wher sche was al one.He tok good hiede of the persone,And sih sche was a worthi wiht,And thoghte he wolde upon the nyht1100Demene hire at his oghne wille,615And let hire be therinne stille,That mo men sih sche noght that dai.616At goddes wille and thus sche lai,Unknowe what hire schal betide;And fell so that be nyhtes tideThis knyht withoute felaschipeHath take a bot and cam to Schipe,And thoghte of hire his lust to take,And swor, if sche him daunger make,1110P. i. 197That certeinly sche scholde deie.Sche sih ther was non other weie,And seide he scholde hire wel conforte,That he ferst loke out ate porte,That noman were nyh the stede,Which myhte knowe what thei dede,And thanne he mai do what he wolde.He was riht glad that sche so tolde,And to the porte anon he ferde:Sche preide god, and he hire herde,6171120And sodeinliche he was out throweAnd dreynt, and tho began to bloweA wynd menable fro the lond,618And thus the myhti goddes hondHire hath conveied and defended.And whan thre yer be full despended,Qualiter nauicula Constancie quodam die per altum mare vagans619inter copiosam Nauium multitudinem dilapsa est, quarum Arcennus Romanorum Consul, Dux et Capitaneus ipsam ignotam suscipiens vsque ad Romam secum perduxit; vbi equalem vxori sue Helene permansuram reuerenter associauit, necnon et eiusdem filium Mauricium in omni habundancia quasi proprium educauit.620Hire Schip was drive upon a dai,Wher that a gret Navye layOf Schipes, al the world at ones:And as god wolde for the nones,1130Hire Schip goth in among hem alle,And stinte noght, er it be falle621And hath the vessell undergete,622Which Maister was of al the Flete,Bot there it resteth and abod.This grete Schip on Anker rod;The Lord cam forth, and whan he sihThat other ligge abord so nyh,He wondreth what it myhte be,And bad men to gon in and se.6231140P. i. 198This ladi tho was crope aside,As sche that wolde hireselven hide,For sche ne wiste what thei were:Thei soghte aboute and founde hir thereAnd broghten up hire child and hire;And therupon this lord to spireBegan, fro whenne that sche cam,And what sche was. Quod sche, ‘I amA womman wofully bestad.I hadde a lord, and thus he bad,1150That I forth with my litel Sone624Upon the wawes scholden wone,Bot why the cause was, I not:Bot he which alle thinges wotYit hath, I thonke him, of his mihtMi child and me so kept upriht,That we be save bothe tuo.’This lord hire axeth overmo625How sche believeth, and sche seith,‘I lieve and triste in Cristes feith,1160Which deide upon the Rode tree.’‘What is thi name?’ tho quod he.‘Mi name is Couste,’ sche him seide:Bot forthermor for noght he preideOf hire astat to knowe plein,Sche wolde him nothing elles seinBot of hir name, which sche feigneth;Alle othre thinges sche restreigneth,That a word more sche ne tolde.626This lord thanne axeth if sche wolde1170P. i. 199With him abide in compaignie,And seide he cam fro BarbarieTo Romeward, and hom he wente.Tho sche supposeth what it mente,And seith sche wolde with him wendeAnd duelle unto hire lyves ende,Be so it be to his plesance.And thus upon here aqueintance627He tolde hire pleinly as it stod,Of Rome how that the gentil blod1180In Barbarie was betraied,And therupon he hath assaiedBe werre, and taken such vengance,That non of al thilke alliance,628Be whom the tresoun was compassed,Is from the swerd alyve passed;Bot of Constance hou it was,That cowthe he knowe be no cas,Wher sche becam, so as he seide.629Hire Ere unto his word sche leide,1190Bot forther made sche no chiere.630And natheles in this matiereIt happeth thilke time so:631This Lord, with whom sche scholde go,Of Rome was the Senatour,And of hir fader themperourHis brother doughter hath to wyve,Which hath hir fader ek alyve,And was Salustes cleped tho;This wif Heleine hihte also,6321200P. i. 200To whom Constance was Cousine.Thus to the sike a medicineHath god ordeined of his grace,That forthwith in the same placeThis Senatour his trowthe plihte,For evere, whil he live mihte,To kepe in worschipe and in welthe,Be so that god wol yive hire helthe,This ladi, which fortune him sende.And thus be Schipe forth sailende1210Hire and hir child to Rome he broghte,And to his wif tho he besoghteTo take hire into compaignie:And sche, which cowthe of courtesieAl that a good wif scholde konne,Was inly glad that sche hath wonneThe felaschip of so good on.633Til tuelve yeres were agon,This Emperoures dowhter CusteForth with the dowhter of Saluste1220Was kept, bot noman redilyKnew what sche was, and noght forthiThei thoghten wel sche hadde beIn hire astat of hih degre,And every lif hire loveth wel.Now herke how thilke unstable whel,634Qualiter Rex Allee inita pace cum Scotis a guerris rediens et non inuenta vxore sua causam exilii diligencius perscrutans, cum Matrem suam Domildam inde culpabilem sciuisset, ipsam in igne proiciens comburi fecit.Which evere torneth, wente aboute.The king Allee, whil he was oute,As thou tofore hast herd this cas,Deceived thurgh his Moder was:1230Bot whan that he cam hom ayein,He axeth of his ChamberleinP. i. 201And of the Bisschop ek also,Wher thei the qweene hadden do.And thei answerde, there he bad,And have him thilke lettre rad,Which he hem sende for warant,635And tolde him pleinli as it stant,And sein, it thoghte hem gret piteTo se so worthi on as sche,1240With such a child as ther was bore,So sodeinly to be forlore.He axeth hem what child that were;And thei him seiden, that naghere,In al the world thogh men it soghte,636Was nevere womman that forth broghteA fairer child than it was on.And thanne he axede hem anon,Whi thei ne hadden write so:Thei tolden, so thei hadden do.1250He seide, ‘Nay.’ Thei seiden, ‘Yis.’The lettre schewed rad it is,Which thei forsoken everidel.Tho was it understonde welThat ther is tresoun in the thing:The Messager tofore the kingWas broght and sodeinliche opposed;And he, which nothing hath supposed637Bot alle wel, began to seieThat he nagher upon the weie1260Abod, bot only in a stede;And cause why that he so dedeP. i. 202Was, as he wente to and fro,At Knaresburgh be nyhtes tuoThe kinges Moder made him duelle.And whan the king it herde telle,Withinne his herte he wiste als fasteThe treson which his Moder caste;And thoghte he wolde noght abide,Bot forth riht in the same tide1270He tok his hors and rod anon.With him ther riden manion,To Knaresburgh and forth thei wente,And lich the fyr which tunder hente,In such a rage, as seith the bok,His Moder sodeinliche he tokAnd seide unto hir in this wise:‘O beste of helle, in what juiseHast thou deserved forto deie,That hast so falsly put aweie1280With tresoun of thi bacbitingeThe treweste at my knowlechingeOf wyves and the most honeste?Bot I wol make this beheste,I schal be venged er I go.’638And let a fyr do make tho,And bad men forto caste hire inne:Bot ferst sche tolde out al the sinne,And dede hem alle forto witeHow sche the lettres hadde write,1290Fro point to point as it was wroght.And tho sche was to dethe broghtP. i. 203And brent tofore hire Sones yhe:Wherof these othre, whiche it siheAnd herden how the cause stod,Sein that the juggement is good,Of that hir Sone hire hath so served;For sche it hadde wel deservedThurgh tresoun of hire false tunge,Which thurgh the loud was after sunge,1300Constance and every wiht compleigneth.Bot he, whom alle we distreigneth,This sorghfull king, was so bestad,639That he schal nevermor be glad,He seith, eftsone forto wedde,Til that he wiste how that sche spedde,Which hadde ben his ferste wif:And thus his yonge unlusti lifHe dryveth forth so as he mai.Til it befell upon a dai,1310Qualiter post lapsum xii. annorum Rex Allee absolucionis causa Romam proficiscens vxorem suam Constanciam vna cum filio suo diuina prouidencia ibidem letus inuenit.Whan he hise werres hadde achieved,And thoghte he wolde be relievedOf Soule hele upon the feithWhich he hath take, thanne he seithThat he to Rome in pelrinageWol go, wher Pope was Pelage,To take his absolucioun.And upon this condiciounHe made Edwyn his lieutenant,Which heir to him was apparant,1320That he the lond in his absenceSchal reule: and thus be providenceP. i. 204Of alle thinges wel begonHe tok his leve and forth is gon.Elda, which tho was with him there,Er thei fulliche at Rome were,Was sent tofore to pourveie;And he his guide upon the weie,640In help to ben his herbergour,Hath axed who was Senatour,1330That he his name myhte kenne.Of Capadoce, he seide, ArcenneHe hihte, and was a worthi kniht.To him goth Elda tho forth rihtAnd tolde him of his lord tidinge,And preide that for his comyngeHe wolde assigne him herbergage;And he so dede of good corage.Whan al is do that was to done,The king himself cam after sone.1340This Senatour, whan that he com,To Couste and to his wif at homHath told how such a king Allee641Of gret array to the CiteeWas come, and Couste upon his taleWith herte clos and colour paleAswoune fell, and he merveilethSo sodeinly what thing hire eyleth,And cawhte hire up, and whan sche wok,Sche syketh with a pitous lok1350And feigneth seknesse of the See;Bot it was for the king Allee,P. i. 205For joie which fell in hire thoght642That god him hath to toune broght.This king hath spoke with the PopeAnd told al that he cowthe agrope,643What grieveth in his conscience;And thanne he thoghte in reverenceOf his astat, er that he wente,To make a feste, and thus he sente1360Unto the Senatour to comeUpon the morwe and othre some,To sitte with him at the mete.644This tale hath Couste noght foryete,Bot to Moris hire Sone toldeThat he upon the morwe scholdeIn al that evere he cowthe and mihteBe present in the kinges sihte,So that the king him ofte sihe.Moris tofore the kinges yhe1370Upon the morwe, wher he sat,Fulofte stod, and upon thatThe king his chiere upon him caste,And in his face him thoghte als fasteHe sih his oghne wif Constance;For nature as in resemblanceOf face hem liketh so to clothe,That thei were of a suite bothe.645The king was moeved in his thoghtOf that he seth, and knoweth it noght;1380This child he loveth kindely,And yit he wot no cause why.P. i. 206Bot wel he sih and understodThat he toward Arcenne stod,And axeth him anon riht there,If that this child his Sone were.He seide, ‘Yee, so I him calle,And wolde it were so befalle,Bot it is al in other wise.’And tho began he to devise1390How he the childes Moder fondUpon the See from every londWithinne a Schip was stiereles,And how this ladi helpelesForth with hir child he hath forthdrawe.The king hath understonde his sawe,The childes name and axeth tho,And what the Moder hihte alsoThat he him wolde telle he preide.‘Moris this child is hote,’ he seide,1400‘His Moder hatte Couste, and thisI not what maner name it is.’But Allee wiste wel ynowh,Wherof somdiel smylende he lowh;For Couste in Saxoun is to seinConstance upon the word Romein.Bot who that cowthe specefieWhat tho fell in his fantasie,And how his wit aboute rennethUpon the love in which he brenneth,1410It were a wonder forto hiere:For he was nouther ther ne hiere,646P. i. 207Bot clene out of himself aweie,That he not what to thenke or seie,So fain he wolde it were sche.Wherof his hertes priveteBegan the werre of yee and nay,The which in such balance lay,That contenance for a throweHe loste, til he mihte knowe1420The sothe: bot in his memoireThe man which lith in purgatoireDesireth noght the hevene more,That he ne longeth al so soreTo wite what him schal betide.And whan the bordes were asideAnd every man was rise aboute,The king hath weyved al the route,And with the Senatour al oneHe spak and preide him of a bone,1430To se this Couste, wher sche duellethAt hom with him, so as he telleth.The Senatour was wel appaied,This thing no lengere is delaied,647To se this Couste goth the king;And sche was warned of the thing,And with Heleine forth sche camAyein the king, and he tho namGood hiede, and whan he sih his wif,Anon with al his hertes lif1440He cawhte hire in his arm and kiste.648Was nevere wiht that sih ne wisteP. i. 208A man that more joie made,Wherof thei weren alle gladeWhiche herde tellen of this chance.649This king tho with his wif Constance,Which hadde a gret part of his wille,650In Rome for a time stilleAbod and made him wel at ese:Bot so yit cowthe he nevere plese1450His wif, that sche him wolde seinOf hire astat the trowthe plein,Of what contre that sche was bore,Ne what sche was, and yit therforeWith al his wit he hath don sieke.Thus as they lihe abedde and spieke,Sche preide him and conseileth bothe,That for the worschipe of hem bothe,651So as hire thoghte it were honeste,652He wolde an honourable feste1460Make, er he wente, in the Cite,653Wher themperour himself schal be:He graunteth al that sche him preide.Bot as men in that time seide,This Emperour fro thilke dayThat ferst his dowhter wente awayHe was thanne after nevere glad;Bot what that eny man him bad654Of grace for his dowhter sake,That grace wolde he noght forsake;1470And thus ful gret almesse he dede,Wherof sche hadde many a bede.655P. i. 209This Emperour out of the tounQualiter Constancia, que antea per totum tempus exilii sui penes omnes incognitam se celauit, tunc demum patri suo Imperatori seipsam per omnia manifestauit: quod cum Rex Allee sciuisset, vna cum vniuersa Romanorum multitudine inestimabili gaudio admirantes cunctipotentem laudarunt.Withinne a ten mile enviroun,Where as it thoghte him for the beste,Hath sondry places forto reste;And as fortune wolde tho,He was duellende at on of tho.The king Allee forth with thassent656Of Couste his wif hath thider sent1480Moris his Sone, as he was taght,To themperour and he goth straght,And in his fader half besoghte,657As he which his lordschipe soghte,658That of his hihe worthinesseHe wolde do so gret meknesse,His oghne toun to come and se,And yive a time in the cite,So that his fader mihte him geteThat he wolde ones with him ete.1490This lord hath granted his requeste;And whan the dai was of the feste,In worschipe of here EmperourThe king and ek the SenatourForth with here wyves bothe tuo,659With many a lord and lady mo,On horse riden him ayein;Til it befell, upon a pleinThei sihen wher he was comende.With that Constance anon preiende1500Spak to hir lord that he abyde,So that sche mai tofore ryde,P. i. 210To ben upon his bienvenueThe ferste which schal him salue;And thus after hire lordes grauntUpon a Mule whyt amblauntForth with a fewe rod this qweene.Thei wondren what sche wolde mene,And riden after softe pas;Bot whan this ladi come was1510To themperour, in his presenceSche seide alowd in audience,‘Mi lord, mi fader, wel you be!And of this time that I seYoure honour and your goode hele,Which is the helpe of my querele,I thonke unto the goddes myht.’For joie his herte was afflihtOf that sche tolde in remembrance;And whanne he wiste it was Constance,1520Was nevere fader half so blithe.Wepende he keste hire ofte sithe,So was his herte al overcome;For thogh his Moder were comeFro deth to lyve out of the grave,He mihte nomor wonder haveThan he hath whan that he hire sih.With that hire oghne lord cam nyhAnd is to themperour obeied;Bot whan the fortune is bewreied,1530How that Constance is come aboute,So hard an herte was non oute,P. i. 211That he for pite tho ne wepte.Arcennus, which hire fond and kepte,Was thanne glad of that is falle,So that with joie among hem alleThei riden in at Rome gate.This Emperour thoghte al to late,Til that the Pope were come,660And of the lordes sende some1540To preie him that he wolde haste:And he cam forth in alle haste,And whan that he the tale herde,661How wonderly this chance ferde,He thonketh god of his miracle,To whos miht mai be non obstacle:The king a noble feste hem made,And thus thei weren alle glade.A parlement, er that thei wente,Thei setten unto this entente,1550To puten Rome in full espeirThat Moris was apparant heirAnd scholde abide with hem stille,For such was al the londes wille.Whan every thing was fulli spoke,Qualiter Mauricius cum Imperatore vt heres Imperii remansit, et Rex Allee cum Constancia in Angliam regressi sunt.Of sorwe and queint was al the smoke,Tho tok his leve Allee the king,And with full many a riche thing,Which themperour him hadde yive,He goth a glad lif forto live;1560For he Constance hath in his hond,Which was the confort of his lond.P. i. 212For whan that he cam hom ayein,Ther is no tunge it mihte seinWhat joie was that ilke stoundeOf that he hath his qweene founde,Which ferst was sent of goddes sonde,Whan sche was drive upon the Stronde,662Be whom the misbelieve of SinneWas left, and Cristes feith cam inne1570To hem that whilom were blinde.Bot he which hindreth every kindeQualiter Rex Allee post biennium in Anglia humane carnis resolucionem subiens nature debitum persoluit, post cuius obitum Constancia cum patre suo Rome se transtulit moraturam.And for no gold mai be forboght,The deth comende er he be soght,663Tok with this king such aqueintance,That he with al his retenanceNe mihte noght defende his lif;664And thus he parteth from his wif,Which thanne made sorwe ynowh.And therupon hire herte drowh1580To leven Engelond for evereAnd go wher that sche hadde levere,665To Rome, whenne that sche cam:And thus of al the lond sche namHir leve, and goth to Rome ayein.And after that the bokes sein,She was noght there bot a throwe,Whan deth of kinde hath overthroweDe morte Imperatoris.Hir worthi fader, which men seideThat he betwen hire armes deide.1590And afterward the yer suiendeDe morte Constancie.The god hath mad of hire an ende,P. i. 213And fro this worldes faierieHath take hire into compaignie.De coronacione Mauricii, qui adhuc in Cronicis Mauricius Imperator Cristianissimus nuncupatus est.Moris hir Sone was corouned,Which so ferforth was abandounedTo Cristes feith, that men him calleMoris the cristeneste of alle.And thus the wel meninge of love666Was ate laste set above;1600And so as thou hast herd tofore,The false tunges weren lore,Whiche upon love wolden lie.Forthi touchende of this EnvieWhich longeth unto bacbitinge,Be war thou make no lesingeIn hindringe of an other wiht:And if thou wolt be tawht arihtWhat meschief bakbitinge dothBe other weie, a tale soth1610Now miht thou hiere next suiende,Which to this vice is acordende.

[Tale of Constance.]

A worthi kniht in Cristes lawe

Of grete Rome, as is the sawe,

Hic loquitur Confessor contra istos in amoris causa detrahentes, qui suis obloquiis aliena solacia perturbant. Et narrat exemplum de Constancia Tiberii Rome Imparatoris filia, omnium virtutum famosissima, ob cuius amorem Soldanus tunc Persie, vt eam in vxorem ducere posset, Cristianum se fieri promisit; cuius accepta caucione consilio Pelagii tunc pape dicta filia vna cum duobus Cardinalibus aliisque Rome proceribus in Persiam maritagii causa nauigio honorifice destinata fuit:578que tamen obloquencium postea detraccionibus variis modis, prout inferius articulatur, absque sui culpa dolorosa fata multipliciter passa est.

The Sceptre hadde forto rihte;

Tiberie Constantin he hihte,590

Whos wif was cleped Ytalie:

Bot thei togedre of progenie

No children hadde bot a Maide;

And sche the god so wel apaide,

That al the wide worldes fame

Spak worschipe of hire goode name.

Constance, as the Cronique seith,

Sche hihte, and was so ful of feith,

That the greteste of Barbarie,

Of hem whiche usen marchandie,600

P. i. 180

Sche hath converted, as thei come

To hire upon a time in Rome,

To schewen such thing as thei broghte;

Whiche worthili of hem sche boghte,

And over that in such a wise

Sche hath hem with hire wordes wise

Of Cristes feith so full enformed,

That thei therto ben all conformed,

So that baptesme thei receiven

And alle here false goddes weyven.610

Whan thei ben of the feith certein,

Thei gon to Barbarie ayein,

And ther the Souldan for hem sente

And axeth hem to what entente

Thei have here ferste feith forsake.

And thei, whiche hadden undertake

The rihte feith to kepe and holde,

The matiere of here tale tolde

With al the hole circumstance.

And whan the Souldan of Constance620

Upon the point that thei ansuerde

The beaute and the grace herde,

As he which thanne was to wedde,

In alle haste his cause spedde

To sende for the mariage.

And furthermor with good corage

He seith, be so he mai hire have,

That Crist, which cam this world to save,

He woll believe: and this recorded,

Thei ben on either side acorded,630

P. i. 181

And therupon to make an ende

The Souldan hise hostages sende

To Rome, of Princes Sones tuelve:

Wherof the fader in himselve

Was glad, and with the Pope avised

Tuo Cardinals he hath assissed

With othre lordes many mo,

That with his doghter scholden go,

To se the Souldan be converted.

Bot that which nevere was wel herted,

Envie, tho began travaile640

Qualiter adueniente Constancia in Barbariam Mater Soldani, huiusmodi nupcias perturbare volens, filium suum vna cum dicta Constancia Cardinalibusque et aliis Romanis primo die ad conuiuium inuitauit; et conuescentibus illis in mensa ipsum Soldanum omnesque ibidem preter Constanciam Romanos ab insidiis latitantibus subdola detraccione interfici procurauit. Ipsamque Constanciam in quadam naui absque gubernaculo positam per altum mare ventorum flatibus agitandam in exilium580dirigi solam constituit.

In destourbance of this spousaile

So prively that non was war.

The Moder which this Souldan bar

Was thanne alyve, and thoghte this

Unto hirself: ‘If it so is

Mi Sone him wedde in this manere,

Than have I lost my joies hiere,

For myn astat schal so be lassed.’579

Thenkende thus sche hath compassed650

Be sleihte how that sche may beguile

Hire Sone; and fell withinne a while,

Betwen hem two whan that thei were,

Sche feigneth wordes in his Ere,

And in this wise gan to seie:

‘Mi Sone, I am be double weie

With al myn herte glad and blithe,

For that miself have ofte sithe

Desired thou wolt, as men seith,

Receive and take a newe feith,660

P. i. 182

Which schal be forthringe of thi lif:

And ek so worschipful a wif,

The doughter of an Emperour,

To wedde it schal be gret honour.

Forthi, mi Sone, I you beseche

That I such grace mihte areche,

Whan that my doughter come schal,

That I mai thanne in special,

So as me thenkth it is honeste,

Be thilke which the ferste feste670

Schal make unto hire welcominge.’581

The Souldan granteth hire axinge,

And sche therof was glad ynowh:

For under that anon she drowh

With false wordes that sche spak

Covine of deth behinde his bak.

And therupon hire ordinance

She made so, that whan Constance

Was come forth with the Romeins,

Of clerkes and of Citezeins,680

A riche feste sche hem made:

And most whan that thei weren glade,

With fals covine which sche hadde

Hire clos Envie tho sche spradde,

And alle tho that hadden be

Or in apert or in prive

Of conseil to the manage,

Sche slowh hem in a sodein rage

Endlong the bord as thei be set,

So that it myhte noght be let;690

P. i. 183

Hire oghne Sone was noght quit,

Bot deide upon the same plit.

Bot what the hihe god wol spare

It mai for no peril misfare:

This worthi Maiden which was there

Stod thanne, as who seith, ded for feere,

To se the feste how that it stod,

Which al was torned into blod:

The Dissh forthwith the Coppe and al

Bebled thei weren overal;700

Sche sih hem deie on every side;

No wonder thogh sche wepte and cride

Makende many a wofull mone.

Whan al was slain bot sche al one,

This olde fend, this Sarazine,

Let take anon this Constantine

With al the good sche thider broghte,

And hath ordeined, as sche thoghte,

A nakid Schip withoute stiere,

In which the good and hire in fiere,582710

Vitailed full for yeres fyve,

Wher that the wynd it wolde dryve,

Sche putte upon the wawes wilde.

Bot he which alle thing mai schilde,

Qualiter nauis cum Constancia in partes583Anglie, que tunc pagana fuit, prope Humber sub quodam castello Regis, qui tunc Allee vocabatur, post triennium applicuit, quam quidam miles nomine Elda, dicti castelli tunc custos, e naui lete suscipiens vxori sue Hermynghelde in custodiam honorifice commendauit.

Thre yer, til that sche cam to londe,

Hire Schip to stiere hath take in honde,

And in Northumberlond aryveth;

And happeth thanne that sche dryveth

Under a Castel with the flod,

Which upon Humber banke stod720

P. i. 184

And was the kynges oghne also,

The which Allee was cleped tho,

A Saxon and a worthi knyht,

Bot he believeth noght ariht.

Of this Castell was Chastellein

Elda the kinges Chamberlein,

A knyhtly man after his lawe;

And whan he sih upon the wawe

The Schip drivende al one so,

He bad anon men scholden go730

To se what it betokne mai.

This was upon a Somer dai,

The Schip was loked and sche founde;

Elda withinne a litel stounde

It wiste, and with his wif anon

Toward this yonge ladi gon,

Wher that thei founden gret richesse;

Bot sche hire wolde noght confesse,

Whan thei hire axen what sche was.

And natheles upon the cas740

Out of the Schip with gret worschipe

Thei toke hire into felaschipe,

As thei that weren of hir glade:

Bot sche no maner joie made,

Bot sorweth sore of that sche fond

No cristendom in thilke lond;

Bot elles sche hath al hire wille,

And thus with hem sche duelleth stille.

Dame Hermyngheld, which was the wif

Of Elda, lichhire oghne lif750

Qualiter Constancia584Eldam585cum vxore sua Hermynghelda, qui antea Cristiani non extiterant, ad fidem Cristi miraculose conuertit.

P. i. 185

Constance loveth; and fell so,

Spekende alday betwen hem two,

Thurgh grace of goddes pourveance

This maiden tawhte the creance

Unto this wif so parfitly,

Upon a dai that faste by

In presence of hire housebonde,

Wher thei go walkende on the Stronde,

A blind man, which cam there lad,

Unto this wif criende he bad,760

With bothe hise hondes up and preide

To hire, and in this wise he seide:

‘O Hermyngeld, which Cristes feith,

Enformed as Constance seith,

Received hast, yif me my sihte.’

Upon his word hire herte afflihte

Thenkende what was best to done,

Bot natheles sche herde his bone

And seide, ‘In trust of Cristes lawe,

Which don was on the crois and slawe,770

Thou bysne man, behold and se.’

With that to god upon his kne

Thonkende he tok his sihte anon,

Wherof thei merveile everychon,

Bot Elda wondreth most of alle:

This open thing which is befalle

Concludeth him be such a weie,

That he the feith mot nede obeie.

Now lest what fell upon this thing.

Qualiter quidam miles iuuenis in amorem Constancie exardescens, pro eo quod ipsa assentire586noluit, eam de morte Hermynghelde, quam ipsemet noctanter interfecit, verbis detractoriis accusauit. Set Angelus domini ipsum sic detrahentem in maxilla subito percuciens non solum pro mendace comprobauit, set ictu mortali post ipsius confessionem penitus interfecit.

This Elda forth unto the king780

P. i. 186

A morwe tok his weie and rod,

And Hermyngeld at home abod

Forth with Constance wel at ese.

Elda, which thoghte his king to plese,

As he that thanne unwedded was,

Of Constance al the pleine cas

Als goodliche as he cowthe tolde.

The king was glad and seide he wolde

Come thider upon such a wise

That he him mihte of hire avise,790

The time apointed forth withal.

This Elda triste in special

Upon a knyht, whom fro childhode

He hadde updrawe into manhode:

To him he tolde al that he thoghte,

Wherof that after him forthoghte;

And natheles at thilke tide

Unto his wif he bad him ride

To make redi alle thing

Ayein the cominge of the king,800

And seith that he himself tofore

Thenkth forto come, and bad therfore

That he him kepe, and told him whanne.587

This knyht rod forth his weie thanne;

And soth was that of time passed

He hadde in al his wit compassed

How he Constance myhte winne;

Bot he sih tho no sped therinne,

Wherof his lust began tabate,

And that was love is thanne hate;810

P. i. 187

Of hire honour he hadde Envie,

So that upon his tricherie

A lesinge in his herte he caste.

Til he cam home he hieth faste,

And doth his ladi tunderstonde588

The Message of hire housebonde:

And therupon the longe dai

Thei setten thinges in arrai,

That al was as it scholde be

Of every thing in his degree;820

And whan it cam into the nyht,

This wif hire hath to bedde dyht,

Wher that this Maiden with hire lay.

This false knyht upon delay

Hath taried til thei were aslepe,

As he that wolde his time kepe

His dedly werkes to fulfille;

And to the bed he stalketh stille,

Wher that he wiste was the wif,

And in his hond a rasour knif830

He bar, with which hire throte he cutte,

And prively the knif he putte

Under that other beddes side,589

Wher that Constance lai beside.

Elda cam hom the same nyht,

And stille with a prive lyht,

As he that wolde noght awake

His wif, he hath his weie take

Into the chambre, and ther liggende

He fond his dede wif bledende,840

P. i. 188

Wher that Constance faste by

Was falle aslepe; and sodeinly

He cride alowd, and sche awok,

And forth withal sche caste a lok590

And sih this ladi blede there,

Wherof swounende ded for fere

Sche was, and stille as eny Ston

She lay, and Elda therupon

Into the Castell clepeth oute,

And up sterte every man aboute,850

Into the chambre and forth thei wente.

Bot he, which alle untrouthe mente,

This false knyht, among hem alle

Upon this thing which is befalle

Seith that Constance hath don this dede;

And to the bed with that he yede

After the falshed of his speche,

And made him there forto seche,

And fond the knif, wher he it leide,

And thanne he cride and thanne he seide,591860

‘Lo, seth the knif al blody hiere!

What nedeth more in this matiere

To axe?’ And thus hire innocence

He sclaundreth there in audience

With false wordes whiche he feigneth.

Bot yit for al that evere he pleigneth,

Elda no full credence tok:

And happeth that ther lay a bok,

Upon the which, whan he it sih,

This knyht hath swore and seid on hih,870

P. i. 189

That alle men it mihte wite,

‘Now be this bok, which hier is write,

Constance is gultif, wel I wot.’

With that the hond of hevene him smot

In tokne of that he was forswore,

That he hath bothe hise yhen lore,

Out of his hed the same stounde

Thei sterte, and so thei weren founde.

A vois was herd, whan that they felle,

Which seide, ‘O dampned man to helle,880

Lo, thus hath god the sclaundre wroke

That thou ayein Constance hast spoke:592

Beknow the sothe er that thou dye.’

And he told out his felonie,593

And starf forth with his tale anon.

Into the ground, wher alle gon,

This dede lady was begrave:

Elda, which thoghte his honour save,

Al that he mai restreigneth sorwe.

For the seconde day a morwe890

Qualiter Rex Allee ad fidem Cristi conuersus baptismum recepit et Constanciam super hoc leto animo desponsauit; que tamen qualis vel vnde fuit alicui nullo modo fatebatur. Et cum infra breue postea a domino suo impregnata fuisset, ipse ad debellandum cum Scotis iter arripuit, et ibidem super guerras aliquamdiu permansit.

The king cam, as thei were acorded;

And whan it was to him recorded

What god hath wroght upon this chaunce,

He tok it into remembrance

And thoghte more than he seide.

For al his hole herte he leide

Upon Constance, and seide he scholde

For love of hire, if that sche wolde,

Baptesme take and Cristes feith

Believe, and over that he seith900

P. i. 190

He wol hire wedde, and upon this

Asseured ech til other is.

And forto make schorte tales,

Ther cam a Bisschop out of Wales

Fro Bangor, and Lucie he hihte,

Which thurgh the grace of god almihte

The king with many an other mo

Hath cristned, and betwen hem tuo

He hath fulfild the mariage.

Bot for no lust ne for no rage910

Sche tolde hem nevere what sche was;

And natheles upon the cas594

The king was glad, how so it stod,

For wel he wiste and understod

Sche was a noble creature.

The hihe makere of nature

Hire hath visited in a throwe,

That it was openliche knowe

Sche was with childe be the king,

Wherof above al other thing920

He thonketh god and was riht glad.

And fell that time he was bestad

Upon a werre and moste ride;

And whil he scholde there abide,

He lefte at hom to kepe his wif595

Suche as he knew of holi lif,

Elda forth with the Bisschop eke;

And he with pouer goth to seke

Ayein the Scottes forto fonde

The werre which he tok on honde.930

P. i. 191

The time set of kinde is come,

Qualiter Regina Constancia infantem masculum, quem in baptismo Mauricium vocant, Rege absente enixa est. Set inuida Regis mater Domilda super isto facto condolens litteris mendacibus Regi certificauit quod596vxor sua demoniaci et non597humani generis quoddam monstrosum fantasma loco geniture ad ortum produxit; huiusmodique detraccionibus aduersus Constanciam in tanto procurauit, quod ipsa in nauim, qua prius venerat, iterum ad exilium vna cum suo partu remissa desolabatur.598

This lady hath hire chambre nome,

And of a Sone bore full,

Wherof that sche was joiefull,

Sche was delivered sauf and sone.

The bisshop, as it was to done,

Yaf him baptesme and Moris calleth;

And therupon, as it befalleth,

With lettres writen of record

Thei sende unto here liege lord,940

That kepers weren of the qweene:

And he that scholde go betwene,

The Messager, to Knaresburgh,

Which toun he scholde passe thurgh,

Ridende cam the ferste day.

The kinges Moder there lay,

Whos rihte name was Domilde,

Which after al the cause spilde:

For he, which thonk deserve wolde,599

Unto this ladi goth and tolde950

Of his Message al how it ferde.600

And sche with feigned joie it herde

And yaf him yiftes largely,

Bot in the nyht al prively

Sche tok the lettres whiche he hadde,

Fro point to point and overradde,

As sche that was thurghout untrewe,601

And let do wryten othre newe

In stede of hem, and thus thei spieke:

Prima littera in commendacionem Constancie ab Episcopo Regi missa per Domildam in contrarium falsata.

‘Oure liege lord, we thee beseke960

P. i. 192

That thou with ous ne be noght wroth,602

Though we such thing as is thee loth603

Upon oure trowthe certefie.

Thi wif, which is of faierie,

Of such a child delivered is

Fro kinde which stantal amis:

Bot for it scholde noght be seie,

We have it kept out of the weie

For drede of pure worldes schame,

A povere child and in the name970

Of thilke which is so misbore

We toke, and therto we be swore,

That non bot only thou and we

Schal knowen of this privete:

Moris it hatte, and thus men wene

That it was boren of the qweene

And of thin oghne bodi gete.

Bot this thing mai noght be foryete,

That thou ne sende ous word anon

What is thi wille therupon.’980

This lettre, as thou hast herd devise,

Was contrefet in such a wise

That noman scholde it aperceive:

And sche, which thoghte to deceive,

It leith wher sche that other tok.

This Messager, whan he awok,

And wiste nothing how it was,

Aros and rod the grete pas

And tok this lettre to the king.

And whan he sih this wonder thing,990

P. i. 193

He makth the Messager no chiere,

Bot natheles in wys manere

He wrot ayein, and yaf hem charge604

That thei ne soffre noght at large

His wif to go, bot kepe hire stille,

Til thei have herd mor of his wille.

This Messager was yifteles,

Bot with this lettre natheles,

Or be him lief or be him loth,

In alle haste ayein he goth1000

Be Knaresburgh, and as he wente,

Unto the Moder his entente

Of that he fond toward the king

He tolde; and sche upon this thing

Seith that he scholde abide al nyht

And made him feste and chiere ariht,

Feignende as thogh sche cowthe him thonk.

Bot he with strong wyn which he dronk

Forth with the travail of the day605

Was drunke, aslepe and while he lay,1010

Sche hath hise lettres overseie

And formed in an other weie.

Ther was a newe lettre write,

Secunda littera per Regem Episcopo remissa a Domilda iterum falsata.

Which seith: ‘I do you forto wite,

That thurgh the conseil of you tuo

I stonde in point to ben undo,

As he which is a king deposed.

For every man it hath supposed,

How that my wif Constance is faie;

And if that I, thei sein, delaie6061020

P. i. 194

To put hire out of compaignie,607

The worschipe of my Regalie

Is lore; and over this thei telle,

Hire child schal noght among hem duelle,

To cleymen eny heritage.

So can I se non avantage,

Bot al is lost, if sche abide:

Forthi to loke on every side

Toward the meschief as it is,

I charge you and bidde this,1030

That ye the same Schip vitaile,

In which that sche tok arivaile,

Therinne and putteth bothe tuo,

Hireself forthwith hire child also,

And so forth broght unto the depe

Betaketh hire the See to kepe.

Of foure daies time I sette,

That ye this thing no longer lette,

So that your lif be noght forsfet.’

And thus this lettre contrefet1040

The Messager, which was unwar,

Upon the kingeshalve bar,

And where he scholde it hath betake.

Bot whan that thei have hiede take,

And rad that writen is withinne,608

So gret a sorwe thei beginne,

As thei here oghne Moder sihen

Brent in a fyr before here yhen:609

Ther was wepinge and ther was wo,

Bot finaly the thing is do.1050

P. i. 195

Upon the See thei have hire broght,

Bot sche the cause wiste noght,

And thus upon the flod thei wone,

This ladi with hire yonge Sone:

And thanne hire handes to the hevene

Sche strawhte, and with a milde stevene

Knelende upon hire bare kne

Sche seide, ‘O hihe mageste,

Which sest the point of every trowthe,

Tak of thi wofull womman rowthe1060

And of this child that I schal kepe.’

And with that word sche gan to wepe,

Swounende as ded, and ther sche lay;610

Bot he which alle thinges may

Conforteth hire, and ate laste

Sche loketh and hire yhen caste611

Upon hire child and seide this:

‘Of me no maner charge it is

What sorwe I soffre, bot of thee

Me thenkth it is a gret pite,6121070

For if I sterve thou schalt deie:613

So mot I nedes be that weie

For Moderhed and for tendresse

With al myn hole besinesse

Ordeigne me for thilke office,

As sche which schal be thi Norrice.’

Thus was sche strengthed forto stonde;

And tho sche tok hire child in honde

And yaf it sowke, and evere among

Sche wepte, and otherwhile song1080

P. i. 196

To rocke with hire child aslepe:

And thus hire oghne child to kepe

Sche hath under the goddes cure.

And so fell upon aventure,

Qualiter Nauis Constancie post biennium in partes Hispanie superioris inter Sarazenos iactabatur, a quorum manibus deus ipsam conseruans graciosissime liberauit.614

Whan thilke yer hath mad his ende,

Hire Schip, so as it moste wende

Thurgh strengthe of wynd which god hath yive,

Estward was into Spaigne drive

Riht faste under a Castell wall,

Wher that an hethen Amirall1090

Was lord, and he a Stieward hadde,

Oon Theloüs, which al was badde,

A fals knyht and a renegat.

He goth to loke in what astat

The Schip was come, and there he fond

Forth with a child upon hire hond

This lady, wher sche was al one.

He tok good hiede of the persone,

And sih sche was a worthi wiht,

And thoghte he wolde upon the nyht1100

Demene hire at his oghne wille,615

And let hire be therinne stille,

That mo men sih sche noght that dai.616

At goddes wille and thus sche lai,

Unknowe what hire schal betide;

And fell so that be nyhtes tide

This knyht withoute felaschipe

Hath take a bot and cam to Schipe,

And thoghte of hire his lust to take,

And swor, if sche him daunger make,1110

P. i. 197

That certeinly sche scholde deie.

Sche sih ther was non other weie,

And seide he scholde hire wel conforte,

That he ferst loke out ate porte,

That noman were nyh the stede,

Which myhte knowe what thei dede,

And thanne he mai do what he wolde.

He was riht glad that sche so tolde,

And to the porte anon he ferde:

Sche preide god, and he hire herde,6171120

And sodeinliche he was out throwe

And dreynt, and tho began to blowe

A wynd menable fro the lond,618

And thus the myhti goddes hond

Hire hath conveied and defended.

And whan thre yer be full despended,

Qualiter nauicula Constancie quodam die per altum mare vagans619inter copiosam Nauium multitudinem dilapsa est, quarum Arcennus Romanorum Consul, Dux et Capitaneus ipsam ignotam suscipiens vsque ad Romam secum perduxit; vbi equalem vxori sue Helene permansuram reuerenter associauit, necnon et eiusdem filium Mauricium in omni habundancia quasi proprium educauit.620

Hire Schip was drive upon a dai,

Wher that a gret Navye lay

Of Schipes, al the world at ones:

And as god wolde for the nones,1130

Hire Schip goth in among hem alle,

And stinte noght, er it be falle621

And hath the vessell undergete,622

Which Maister was of al the Flete,

Bot there it resteth and abod.

This grete Schip on Anker rod;

The Lord cam forth, and whan he sih

That other ligge abord so nyh,

He wondreth what it myhte be,

And bad men to gon in and se.6231140

P. i. 198

This ladi tho was crope aside,

As sche that wolde hireselven hide,

For sche ne wiste what thei were:

Thei soghte aboute and founde hir there

And broghten up hire child and hire;

And therupon this lord to spire

Began, fro whenne that sche cam,

And what sche was. Quod sche, ‘I am

A womman wofully bestad.

I hadde a lord, and thus he bad,1150

That I forth with my litel Sone624

Upon the wawes scholden wone,

Bot why the cause was, I not:

Bot he which alle thinges wot

Yit hath, I thonke him, of his miht

Mi child and me so kept upriht,

That we be save bothe tuo.’

This lord hire axeth overmo625

How sche believeth, and sche seith,

‘I lieve and triste in Cristes feith,1160

Which deide upon the Rode tree.’

‘What is thi name?’ tho quod he.

‘Mi name is Couste,’ sche him seide:

Bot forthermor for noght he preide

Of hire astat to knowe plein,

Sche wolde him nothing elles sein

Bot of hir name, which sche feigneth;

Alle othre thinges sche restreigneth,

That a word more sche ne tolde.626

This lord thanne axeth if sche wolde1170

P. i. 199

With him abide in compaignie,

And seide he cam fro Barbarie

To Romeward, and hom he wente.

Tho sche supposeth what it mente,

And seith sche wolde with him wende

And duelle unto hire lyves ende,

Be so it be to his plesance.

And thus upon here aqueintance627

He tolde hire pleinly as it stod,

Of Rome how that the gentil blod1180

In Barbarie was betraied,

And therupon he hath assaied

Be werre, and taken such vengance,

That non of al thilke alliance,628

Be whom the tresoun was compassed,

Is from the swerd alyve passed;

Bot of Constance hou it was,

That cowthe he knowe be no cas,

Wher sche becam, so as he seide.629

Hire Ere unto his word sche leide,1190

Bot forther made sche no chiere.630

And natheles in this matiere

It happeth thilke time so:631

This Lord, with whom sche scholde go,

Of Rome was the Senatour,

And of hir fader themperour

His brother doughter hath to wyve,

Which hath hir fader ek alyve,

And was Salustes cleped tho;

This wif Heleine hihte also,6321200

P. i. 200

To whom Constance was Cousine.

Thus to the sike a medicine

Hath god ordeined of his grace,

That forthwith in the same place

This Senatour his trowthe plihte,

For evere, whil he live mihte,

To kepe in worschipe and in welthe,

Be so that god wol yive hire helthe,

This ladi, which fortune him sende.

And thus be Schipe forth sailende1210

Hire and hir child to Rome he broghte,

And to his wif tho he besoghte

To take hire into compaignie:

And sche, which cowthe of courtesie

Al that a good wif scholde konne,

Was inly glad that sche hath wonne

The felaschip of so good on.633

Til tuelve yeres were agon,

This Emperoures dowhter Custe

Forth with the dowhter of Saluste1220

Was kept, bot noman redily

Knew what sche was, and noght forthi

Thei thoghten wel sche hadde be

In hire astat of hih degre,

And every lif hire loveth wel.

Now herke how thilke unstable whel,634

Qualiter Rex Allee inita pace cum Scotis a guerris rediens et non inuenta vxore sua causam exilii diligencius perscrutans, cum Matrem suam Domildam inde culpabilem sciuisset, ipsam in igne proiciens comburi fecit.

Which evere torneth, wente aboute.

The king Allee, whil he was oute,

As thou tofore hast herd this cas,

Deceived thurgh his Moder was:1230

Bot whan that he cam hom ayein,

He axeth of his Chamberlein

P. i. 201

And of the Bisschop ek also,

Wher thei the qweene hadden do.

And thei answerde, there he bad,

And have him thilke lettre rad,

Which he hem sende for warant,635

And tolde him pleinli as it stant,

And sein, it thoghte hem gret pite

To se so worthi on as sche,1240

With such a child as ther was bore,

So sodeinly to be forlore.

He axeth hem what child that were;

And thei him seiden, that naghere,

In al the world thogh men it soghte,636

Was nevere womman that forth broghte

A fairer child than it was on.

And thanne he axede hem anon,

Whi thei ne hadden write so:

Thei tolden, so thei hadden do.1250

He seide, ‘Nay.’ Thei seiden, ‘Yis.’

The lettre schewed rad it is,

Which thei forsoken everidel.

Tho was it understonde wel

That ther is tresoun in the thing:

The Messager tofore the king

Was broght and sodeinliche opposed;

And he, which nothing hath supposed637

Bot alle wel, began to seie

That he nagher upon the weie1260

Abod, bot only in a stede;

And cause why that he so dede

P. i. 202

Was, as he wente to and fro,

At Knaresburgh be nyhtes tuo

The kinges Moder made him duelle.

And whan the king it herde telle,

Withinne his herte he wiste als faste

The treson which his Moder caste;

And thoghte he wolde noght abide,

Bot forth riht in the same tide1270

He tok his hors and rod anon.

With him ther riden manion,

To Knaresburgh and forth thei wente,

And lich the fyr which tunder hente,

In such a rage, as seith the bok,

His Moder sodeinliche he tok

And seide unto hir in this wise:

‘O beste of helle, in what juise

Hast thou deserved forto deie,

That hast so falsly put aweie1280

With tresoun of thi bacbitinge

The treweste at my knowlechinge

Of wyves and the most honeste?

Bot I wol make this beheste,

I schal be venged er I go.’638

And let a fyr do make tho,

And bad men forto caste hire inne:

Bot ferst sche tolde out al the sinne,

And dede hem alle forto wite

How sche the lettres hadde write,1290

Fro point to point as it was wroght.

And tho sche was to dethe broght

P. i. 203

And brent tofore hire Sones yhe:

Wherof these othre, whiche it sihe

And herden how the cause stod,

Sein that the juggement is good,

Of that hir Sone hire hath so served;

For sche it hadde wel deserved

Thurgh tresoun of hire false tunge,

Which thurgh the loud was after sunge,1300

Constance and every wiht compleigneth.

Bot he, whom alle we distreigneth,

This sorghfull king, was so bestad,639

That he schal nevermor be glad,

He seith, eftsone forto wedde,

Til that he wiste how that sche spedde,

Which hadde ben his ferste wif:

And thus his yonge unlusti lif

He dryveth forth so as he mai.

Til it befell upon a dai,1310

Qualiter post lapsum xii. annorum Rex Allee absolucionis causa Romam proficiscens vxorem suam Constanciam vna cum filio suo diuina prouidencia ibidem letus inuenit.

Whan he hise werres hadde achieved,

And thoghte he wolde be relieved

Of Soule hele upon the feith

Which he hath take, thanne he seith

That he to Rome in pelrinage

Wol go, wher Pope was Pelage,

To take his absolucioun.

And upon this condicioun

He made Edwyn his lieutenant,

Which heir to him was apparant,1320

That he the lond in his absence

Schal reule: and thus be providence

P. i. 204

Of alle thinges wel begon

He tok his leve and forth is gon.

Elda, which tho was with him there,

Er thei fulliche at Rome were,

Was sent tofore to pourveie;

And he his guide upon the weie,640

In help to ben his herbergour,

Hath axed who was Senatour,1330

That he his name myhte kenne.

Of Capadoce, he seide, Arcenne

He hihte, and was a worthi kniht.

To him goth Elda tho forth riht

And tolde him of his lord tidinge,

And preide that for his comynge

He wolde assigne him herbergage;

And he so dede of good corage.

Whan al is do that was to done,

The king himself cam after sone.1340

This Senatour, whan that he com,

To Couste and to his wif at hom

Hath told how such a king Allee641

Of gret array to the Citee

Was come, and Couste upon his tale

With herte clos and colour pale

Aswoune fell, and he merveileth

So sodeinly what thing hire eyleth,

And cawhte hire up, and whan sche wok,

Sche syketh with a pitous lok1350

And feigneth seknesse of the See;

Bot it was for the king Allee,

P. i. 205

For joie which fell in hire thoght642

That god him hath to toune broght.

This king hath spoke with the Pope

And told al that he cowthe agrope,643

What grieveth in his conscience;

And thanne he thoghte in reverence

Of his astat, er that he wente,

To make a feste, and thus he sente1360

Unto the Senatour to come

Upon the morwe and othre some,

To sitte with him at the mete.644

This tale hath Couste noght foryete,

Bot to Moris hire Sone tolde

That he upon the morwe scholde

In al that evere he cowthe and mihte

Be present in the kinges sihte,

So that the king him ofte sihe.

Moris tofore the kinges yhe1370

Upon the morwe, wher he sat,

Fulofte stod, and upon that

The king his chiere upon him caste,

And in his face him thoghte als faste

He sih his oghne wif Constance;

For nature as in resemblance

Of face hem liketh so to clothe,

That thei were of a suite bothe.645

The king was moeved in his thoght

Of that he seth, and knoweth it noght;1380

This child he loveth kindely,

And yit he wot no cause why.

P. i. 206

Bot wel he sih and understod

That he toward Arcenne stod,

And axeth him anon riht there,

If that this child his Sone were.

He seide, ‘Yee, so I him calle,

And wolde it were so befalle,

Bot it is al in other wise.’

And tho began he to devise1390

How he the childes Moder fond

Upon the See from every lond

Withinne a Schip was stiereles,

And how this ladi helpeles

Forth with hir child he hath forthdrawe.

The king hath understonde his sawe,

The childes name and axeth tho,

And what the Moder hihte also

That he him wolde telle he preide.

‘Moris this child is hote,’ he seide,1400

‘His Moder hatte Couste, and this

I not what maner name it is.’

But Allee wiste wel ynowh,

Wherof somdiel smylende he lowh;

For Couste in Saxoun is to sein

Constance upon the word Romein.

Bot who that cowthe specefie

What tho fell in his fantasie,

And how his wit aboute renneth

Upon the love in which he brenneth,1410

It were a wonder forto hiere:

For he was nouther ther ne hiere,646

P. i. 207

Bot clene out of himself aweie,

That he not what to thenke or seie,

So fain he wolde it were sche.

Wherof his hertes privete

Began the werre of yee and nay,

The which in such balance lay,

That contenance for a throwe

He loste, til he mihte knowe1420

The sothe: bot in his memoire

The man which lith in purgatoire

Desireth noght the hevene more,

That he ne longeth al so sore

To wite what him schal betide.

And whan the bordes were aside

And every man was rise aboute,

The king hath weyved al the route,

And with the Senatour al one

He spak and preide him of a bone,1430

To se this Couste, wher sche duelleth

At hom with him, so as he telleth.

The Senatour was wel appaied,

This thing no lengere is delaied,647

To se this Couste goth the king;

And sche was warned of the thing,

And with Heleine forth sche cam

Ayein the king, and he tho nam

Good hiede, and whan he sih his wif,

Anon with al his hertes lif1440

He cawhte hire in his arm and kiste.648

Was nevere wiht that sih ne wiste

P. i. 208

A man that more joie made,

Wherof thei weren alle glade

Whiche herde tellen of this chance.649

This king tho with his wif Constance,

Which hadde a gret part of his wille,650

In Rome for a time stille

Abod and made him wel at ese:

Bot so yit cowthe he nevere plese1450

His wif, that sche him wolde sein

Of hire astat the trowthe plein,

Of what contre that sche was bore,

Ne what sche was, and yit therfore

With al his wit he hath don sieke.

Thus as they lihe abedde and spieke,

Sche preide him and conseileth bothe,

That for the worschipe of hem bothe,651

So as hire thoghte it were honeste,652

He wolde an honourable feste1460

Make, er he wente, in the Cite,653

Wher themperour himself schal be:

He graunteth al that sche him preide.

Bot as men in that time seide,

This Emperour fro thilke day

That ferst his dowhter wente away

He was thanne after nevere glad;

Bot what that eny man him bad654

Of grace for his dowhter sake,

That grace wolde he noght forsake;1470

And thus ful gret almesse he dede,

Wherof sche hadde many a bede.655

P. i. 209

This Emperour out of the toun

Qualiter Constancia, que antea per totum tempus exilii sui penes omnes incognitam se celauit, tunc demum patri suo Imperatori seipsam per omnia manifestauit: quod cum Rex Allee sciuisset, vna cum vniuersa Romanorum multitudine inestimabili gaudio admirantes cunctipotentem laudarunt.

Withinne a ten mile enviroun,

Where as it thoghte him for the beste,

Hath sondry places forto reste;

And as fortune wolde tho,

He was duellende at on of tho.

The king Allee forth with thassent656

Of Couste his wif hath thider sent1480

Moris his Sone, as he was taght,

To themperour and he goth straght,

And in his fader half besoghte,657

As he which his lordschipe soghte,658

That of his hihe worthinesse

He wolde do so gret meknesse,

His oghne toun to come and se,

And yive a time in the cite,

So that his fader mihte him gete

That he wolde ones with him ete.1490

This lord hath granted his requeste;

And whan the dai was of the feste,

In worschipe of here Emperour

The king and ek the Senatour

Forth with here wyves bothe tuo,659

With many a lord and lady mo,

On horse riden him ayein;

Til it befell, upon a plein

Thei sihen wher he was comende.

With that Constance anon preiende1500

Spak to hir lord that he abyde,

So that sche mai tofore ryde,

P. i. 210

To ben upon his bienvenue

The ferste which schal him salue;

And thus after hire lordes graunt

Upon a Mule whyt amblaunt

Forth with a fewe rod this qweene.

Thei wondren what sche wolde mene,

And riden after softe pas;

Bot whan this ladi come was1510

To themperour, in his presence

Sche seide alowd in audience,

‘Mi lord, mi fader, wel you be!

And of this time that I se

Youre honour and your goode hele,

Which is the helpe of my querele,

I thonke unto the goddes myht.’

For joie his herte was affliht

Of that sche tolde in remembrance;

And whanne he wiste it was Constance,1520

Was nevere fader half so blithe.

Wepende he keste hire ofte sithe,

So was his herte al overcome;

For thogh his Moder were come

Fro deth to lyve out of the grave,

He mihte nomor wonder have

Than he hath whan that he hire sih.

With that hire oghne lord cam nyh

And is to themperour obeied;

Bot whan the fortune is bewreied,1530

How that Constance is come aboute,

So hard an herte was non oute,

P. i. 211

That he for pite tho ne wepte.

Arcennus, which hire fond and kepte,

Was thanne glad of that is falle,

So that with joie among hem alle

Thei riden in at Rome gate.

This Emperour thoghte al to late,

Til that the Pope were come,660

And of the lordes sende some1540

To preie him that he wolde haste:

And he cam forth in alle haste,

And whan that he the tale herde,661

How wonderly this chance ferde,

He thonketh god of his miracle,

To whos miht mai be non obstacle:

The king a noble feste hem made,

And thus thei weren alle glade.

A parlement, er that thei wente,

Thei setten unto this entente,1550

To puten Rome in full espeir

That Moris was apparant heir

And scholde abide with hem stille,

For such was al the londes wille.

Whan every thing was fulli spoke,

Qualiter Mauricius cum Imperatore vt heres Imperii remansit, et Rex Allee cum Constancia in Angliam regressi sunt.

Of sorwe and queint was al the smoke,

Tho tok his leve Allee the king,

And with full many a riche thing,

Which themperour him hadde yive,

He goth a glad lif forto live;1560

For he Constance hath in his hond,

Which was the confort of his lond.

P. i. 212

For whan that he cam hom ayein,

Ther is no tunge it mihte sein

What joie was that ilke stounde

Of that he hath his qweene founde,

Which ferst was sent of goddes sonde,

Whan sche was drive upon the Stronde,662

Be whom the misbelieve of Sinne

Was left, and Cristes feith cam inne1570

To hem that whilom were blinde.

Bot he which hindreth every kinde

Qualiter Rex Allee post biennium in Anglia humane carnis resolucionem subiens nature debitum persoluit, post cuius obitum Constancia cum patre suo Rome se transtulit moraturam.

And for no gold mai be forboght,

The deth comende er he be soght,663

Tok with this king such aqueintance,

That he with al his retenance

Ne mihte noght defende his lif;664

And thus he parteth from his wif,

Which thanne made sorwe ynowh.

And therupon hire herte drowh1580

To leven Engelond for evere

And go wher that sche hadde levere,665

To Rome, whenne that sche cam:

And thus of al the lond sche nam

Hir leve, and goth to Rome ayein.

And after that the bokes sein,

She was noght there bot a throwe,

Whan deth of kinde hath overthrowe

De morte Imperatoris.

Hir worthi fader, which men seide

That he betwen hire armes deide.1590

And afterward the yer suiende

De morte Constancie.

The god hath mad of hire an ende,

P. i. 213

And fro this worldes faierie

Hath take hire into compaignie.

De coronacione Mauricii, qui adhuc in Cronicis Mauricius Imperator Cristianissimus nuncupatus est.

Moris hir Sone was corouned,

Which so ferforth was abandouned

To Cristes feith, that men him calle

Moris the cristeneste of alle.

And thus the wel meninge of love666

Was ate laste set above;1600

And so as thou hast herd tofore,

The false tunges weren lore,

Whiche upon love wolden lie.

Forthi touchende of this Envie

Which longeth unto bacbitinge,

Be war thou make no lesinge

In hindringe of an other wiht:

And if thou wolt be tawht ariht

What meschief bakbitinge doth

Be other weie, a tale soth1610

Now miht thou hiere next suiende,

Which to this vice is acordende.

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