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From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 470-483:
Why was Constance not killed in Syria?		 Previous
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Man of Law's Tale
lines 484-497: Why has Constance not drowned while drifting at sea?


       Now, sith she was nat at the feeste yslawe,
485Who kepte hir fro the drenchyng in the see?
Who kepte Jonas in the fisshes mawe
Til he was spouted up at Nynyvee?
Wel may men knowe it was no wight but he
That kepte peple Ebrayk from hir drenchynge,
490With drye feet thurghout the see passynge.
       Now, since she was not slain at feast we saw,
485Who kept her that she drowned not in the sea?
But who kept Jonah in the fish's maw
Till he was spewed forth there at Nineveh?
Well may men know it was no one but He
Who saved the Hebrew people from drowning
490When, dry-shod, through the sea they went walking.

       Who bad the foure spirites of tempest,
That power han t'anoyen lond and see,
"Bothe north and south, and also west and est,
Anoyeth neither see, ne land, ne tree?"
495Soothly, the comandour of that was he,
That fro the tempest ay this womman kepte,
As wel eek when she wook as whan she slepte.
       Who bade the four great spirits of tempest,
That power have to harry land and sea,
"Not north, nor south, nor yet to east, nor west
Shall ye molest the ocean, land, or tree"?
495Truly, the captain of all this was he
Who from the storm has aye this woman kept,
As well when waking as in hours she slept.





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From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 498-504:
Why was Constance not starved while drifting at sea?		 Next