This Alla king hath swich compassioun,
As gentil herte is fulfild of pitee, 660
That from his yën ran the water doun.
‘Now hastily do fecche a book,’ quod he,
‘And if this knight wol sweren how that she
This womman slow, yet wole we us avyse
Whom that we wole that shal ben our Iustyse.’ 665
A Briton book, writen with Evangyles,
Was fet, and on this book he swoor anoon
She gilty was, and in the mene whyles (570)
A hand him smoot upon the nekke-boon,
That doun he fil atones as a stoon, 670
And bothe his yën broste out of his face
In sight of every body in that place.
A vois was herd in general audience,
And seyde, ‘thou hast desclaundred giltelees
The doghter of holy chirche in hey presence; 675
Thus hastou doon, and yet holde I my pees.’
Of this mervaille agast was al the prees;
As mased folk they stoden everichone, (580)
For drede of wreche, save Custance allone.
[150: T. 5100-5134.]
Greet was the drede and eek the repentance 680
Of hem that hadden wrong suspeccioun
Upon this sely innocent Custance;
And, for this miracle, in conclusioun,
And by Custances mediacioun,
The king, and many another in that place, 685
Converted was, thanked be Cristes grace!
This false knight was slayn for his untrouthe
By Iugement of Alla hastifly; (590)
And yet Custance hadde of his deeth gret routhe.
And after this Iesus, of his mercy, 690
Made Alla wedden ful solempnely
This holy mayden, that is so bright and shene,
And thus hath Crist y-maad Custance a quene.
But who was woful, if I shal nat lye,
Of this wedding but Donegild, and na mo, 695
The kinges moder, ful of tirannye?
Hir thoughte hir cursed herte brast a-two;
She wolde noght hir sone had do so; (600)
Hir thoughte a despit, that he sholde take
So strange a creature un-to his make. 700
Me list nat of the chaf nor of the stree
Maken so long a tale, as of the corn.
What sholde I tellen of the royaltee
At mariage, or which cours gooth biforn,
Who bloweth in a trompe or in an horn? 705
The fruit of every tale is for to seye;
They ete, and drinke, and daunce, and singe, and pleye.
701. Cm. nor; E. or; _rest_ ne. 704. E. Hn. mariages; Ln. þe mariage;
_rest_ mariage; Hl. Of mariage. 705. a] E. the; Hn. Pt. _omit_.
They goon to bedde, as it was skile and right; (610)
For, thogh that wyves been ful holy thinges,
They moste take in pacience at night 710
Swich maner necessaries as been plesinges
To folk that han y-wedded hem with ringes,
And leye a lyte hir holinesse asyde
As for the tyme; it may no bet bityde.
[151: T. 5135-5169.]
On hir he gat a knave-child anoon, 715
And to a bishop and his constable eke
He took his wyf to kepe, whan he is goon
To Scotland-ward, his fo-men for to seke; (620)
Now faire Custance, that is so humble and meke,
So longe is goon with childe, til that stille 720
She halt hir chambre, abyding Cristes wille.
The tyme is come, a knave-child she ber;
Mauricius at the font-stoon they him calle;
This Constable dooth forth come a messager,
And wroot un-to his king, that cleped was Alle, 725
How that this blisful tyding is bifalle,
And othere tydings speedful for to seye;
He takth the lettre, and forth he gooth his weye. (630)