Volume 16 / Part 4 — Prayer Of Custance, The Persecuted Queen Of Alla Of Northumberland.

Mother, quod she, and maiden bright, Mary!

Soth is that through womanne's eggement

Mankind was lorn, and damned aye to die,

For which thy Child was on a cross yrent:

Thy blissful eyen saw all his torment;

Then is there no comparison between

Thy woe and any woe man may sustain.

Thou saw'st thy Child yslain before thine eyen,

And yet now liveth my little child parfay,

Now, lady bright! to whom all woful crien,

Thou glory of womanhood, thou faire May,

Thou haven of refute, bright star of the day!

Rue on my child, that of thy gentleness

Ruest on every rueful in distress.

—Chaucer.

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