From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Man of Law's Tale, lines 372-385

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From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 358-371:
A comparison between the sultan's mother, the snake in hell and Satan

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Man of Law's Tale
lines 372-385: The onset of the conspiracy

	This Sowdanesse, whom I thus blame and warye,
	Leet prively hir conseil goon hir way.
	What sholde I in this tale lenger tarie?
375	She rydeth to the Sowdan on a day,
	And seyde hym, that she wolde reneye hir lay,
	And cristendom of preestes handes fonge,
	Repentynge hir she hethen was so longe;

	Now this sultana whom I blame and harry,
	Let, secretly, her council go their way.
	Why should I longer in my story tarry?
375	She rode unto the sultan, on a day,
	And told him she'd renounce her old faith, yea,
	Be christened at priests' hands, with all the throng,
	Repentant she'd been heathen for so long.

Bisechynge hym to doon hir that honour

380 That she moste han the Cristen folk to feeste.

"To plesen hem I wol do my labour."

The Sowdan seith, "I wol doon at youre heeste,"

And knelynge thanketh hir of that requeste.

So gald he was, he nyste what to seye;

385 She kiste hir sone, and hoome she gooth hir weye.

Beseeching him to do her the honour

380 To let her have the Christian men to feast:

"To entertain them will be my labour."

The sultan said: "I'll be at your behest."

And, kneeling, thanked her for that fair request,

So glad he was he knew not what to say;

385 She kissed her son, and homeward went her way.

Explicit prima pars
(Here ends the first part)

Next:
From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 386-406:
Constance arrives in Syria