Who yaf Iudith corage or hardinesse
To sleen him, Olofernus, in his tente, 940
And to deliveren out of wrecchednesse
The peple of god? I seye, for this entente,
That, right as god spirit of vigour sente
To hem, and saved hem out of meschance,
So sente he might and vigour to Custance. 945
940. E. Oloferne; Hl. Olefernes; _the rest_ Olofernus, Olefernus, _or_
Olesphernus; _see note_.
Forth goth hir ship thurgh-out the narwe mouth
Of Iubaltar and Septe, dryving ay,
Som-tyme West, som-tyme North and South, (850)
And som-tyme Est, ful many a wery day,
Til Cristes moder (blessed be she ay!) 950
[158: T. 5371-5400.]
Hath shapen, thurgh hir endelees goodnesse,
To make an ende of al hir hevinesse.
947. E. alway; _rest_ ay. (_The latter is better, but recurs in_ l.
950.) 948. _All but_ Hl. _ins._ and _after_ West.
Now lat us stinte of Custance but a throwe,
And speke we of the Romain Emperour,
That out of Surrie hath by lettres knowe 955
The slaughtre of cristen folk, and dishonour
Don to his doghter by a fals traitour,
I mene the cursed wikked sowdanesse, (860)
That at the feste leet sleen both more and lesse.
For which this emperour hath sent anoon 960
His senatour, with royal ordinance,
And othere lordes, got wot, many oon,
On Surriens to taken heigh vengeance.
They brennen, sleen, and bringe hem to meschance
Ful many a day; but shortly, this is thende, 965
Homward to Rome they shapen hem to wende.
This senatour repaireth with victorie
To Rome-ward, sayling ful royally, (870)
And mette the ship dryving, as seith the storie,
In which Custance sit ful pitously. 970
No-thing ne knew he what she was, ne why
She was in swich array; ne she nil seye
Of hir estaat, althogh she sholde deye.
971. E. Cm. _om._ ne _before_ knew; _the rest have it_. 973. Hl.
although; Pt. though that; _rest_ thogh, though, thow.
He bringeth hir to Rome, and to his wyf
He yaf hir, and hir yonge sone also; 975
And with the senatour she ladde her lyf.
Thus can our lady bringen out of wo
Woful Custance, and many another mo. (880)
And longe tyme dwelled she in that place,
In holy werkes ever, as was hir grace. 980
[159: T. 5401-5435.]
The senatoures wyf hir aunte was,
But for al that she knew hir never the more;
I wol no lenger tarien in this cas,
But to king Alla, which I spak of yore,
That for his wyf wepeth and syketh sore, 985
I wol retourne, and lete I wol Custance
Under the senatoures governance.