Canterbury Tales Man Of Law Quotes

"Mooder," quod she, "and mayde bright, Marie,
Sooth is that thurgh wommanes eggement
Mankynde was lorn, and damned ay to dye,
For which thy child was on a croys yrent.
Thy blisful eyen sawe al his torment."

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. Constance prays to Mary, acknowledging that it was because of Eve that mankind suffered the Fall and original sin came to the world and Mary had to watch her son Christ suffer and die on a cross for our sins. Being a mother now herself, Constance emphathizes with the suffering of the Mother of God.

Therwith she looked bakward to the londe,
And seyde, "Farewel, housbonde routhelees!"
And up she rist, and walketh doun the stronde
Toward the ship – hir folweth al the prees –
And evere she preyeth hire child to holde his pees;
And taketh hir leve, and with an hooly entente
She blisseth hire, and into ship she wente.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. Constance and her child are banished from Northumberland on foot of a letter purporting to be from husband King Alla, but forged by his mother Donegild. Looking back on the land she bids farewell to a ruthless husband, then walks down the strand towards the ship as the crowds follow her. She blesses herself and steps on board the vessel for the start of her second sea voyage.

And thus, by wit and sotil enquerynge,
Ymagined was by whom this harm gan sprynge.
The hand was knowe that the lettre wroot,
And al the venym of this cursed dede,
But in what wise, certeinly, I noot.
Th’ effect is this: that Alla, out of drede,
His mooder slow – that may men pleynly rede –
For that she traitour was to hire ligeance.
Thus endeth olde Donegild, with meschance!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. After finding his wife and son gone on his return home King Alla, through wit and subtle questioning, learns the identify of the writer of the forged letters that had Constance banished – his mother Donegild! For her cruelty and for being a traitor, she pays the ultimate penalty – King Alla slays her.

The sorwe that this Alla nyght and day
Maketh for his wyf, and for his child also,
Ther is no tonge that it telle may.
But now wol I unto Custance go,
That fleteth in the see, in peyne and wo,
Fyve yeer and moore, as liked Cristes sonde,
Er that hir ship approched unto londe.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. Separated by the seas, King Alla and his wife Constance live their separate sorrows and woes. Alla in Northumberland mourning the loss of his wife and child, Constance and her son floating in pain on the sea for over five years before their ship approaches land.

Under an hethen castel, atte laste,
Of which the name in my text noght I fynde,
Custance, and eek hir child, the see up caste.
Almyghty God, that saveth al mankynde,
Have on Custance and on hir child som mynde,
That fallen is in hethen hand eft soone,
In point to spille, as I shal telle yow soone.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. Constance’s ship washed up alongside a heathen castle. The Man of Laws asks the God that saves all mankind to have a thought for Constance and her child in this heathen land, where they are about to come into mortal danger.

Hir child cride, and she cride pitously.
But blisful Marie heelp hire right anon;
For with hir struglyng wel and myghtily
The theef fil over bord al sodeynly,
And in the see he dreynte for vengeance;
And thus hath Crist unwemmed kept Custance.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. When an amorous steward comes on board Constance’s ship and says he will be her lover whether she likes it or not, she and her child cry. The Virgin Mary comes to her aid and the would-be rapist falls overboard and is drowned as a punishment for his sin. Thus Christ keeps Constance undefiled.

Kyng Alla, which that hadde his mooder slayn,
Upon a day fil in swich repentance
That, if I shortly tellen shal and playn,
To Rome he comth to receyven his penance;
And putte hym in the Popes ordinance
In heigh and logh, and Jhesu Crist bisoghte
Foryeve his wikked werkes that he wroghte.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. King Alla has a troubled conscience over having his mother Donegild slain, so he goes on a pilgrimage to Rome to receive his penance and seek forgiveness for his wicked deed.

"But God woot," quod this senatour also,
"So vertuous a lyvere in my lyf
Ne saugh I nevere as she, ne herde of mo,
Of worldly wommen, mayde, ne of wyf.
I dar wel seyn hir hadde levere a knyf
Thurghout hir brest, than ben a womman wikke;
There is no man koude brynge hire to that prikke."

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. The Senator who picked up Constance at sea and not knowing who she was brought her home to Rome sings the praises of her goodness. He has never seen so virtuous a woman in his life. She would rather be stabbed through the breast than be a wicked woman, no man could bring her to that point.

Whan Alla saugh his wyf, faire he hire grette,
And weep that it was routhe for to see;
For at the firste look he on hire sette
He knew wel verraily that it was she.
And she, for sorwe, as doumb stant as a tree,
So was hir herte shet in hir distresse,
Whan she remembred his unkyndenesse.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. There are tears of joy and sorrow at the great re-union between King Alla and his wife Constance after their years apart. When Alla sees his wife he gently greets her and weeps. But Constance stands as dumb as a tree, stiff with emotion, as she remembers his unkindness at having her banished.

But finally, whan that the sothe is wist
That Alla giltelees was of hir wo,
I trowe an hundred tymes been they kist,
And swich a blisse is ther bitwix hem two
That, save the joye that lasteth everemo,
Ther is noon lyk that any creature
Hath seyn or shal, whil that the world may dure.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. When Constance learns the truth about the forged letters and that Alla is guiltless and was not the cause of her woe, they kiss a hundred times and are blissfully happy.

But litel while it lasteth, I yow heete,
Joye of this world, for tyme wol nat abyde;
Fro day to nyght it changeth as the tyde.
Who lyved euere in swich delit o day
That hym ne moeved outher conscience,
Or ire, or talent, or som kynnes affray,
Envye, or pride, or passion, or offence?

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. The Man of Law gets rather pessimistic here when he talks about joy in this world. It’s fleeting, it doesn’t last because time won’t stand still. Happiness comes and then it goes like the tide. He challenges anyone to remember a day of delight they experienced, when they weren’t moved by conscience, anger, desire, fear, envy, price, passion or offence.
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