From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Man of Law's Tale, lines 897-910

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From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 876-896:
King Alla returns home, learns about the treason of his mother and consequently executes his mother

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Man of Law's Tale
lines 897-910: Meanwhile, Constance drifts at sea for five years before she reaches land

	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-
900	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.

	The sorrow that this Alla, night and day,
	Felt for his wife, and for his child also,
	There is no human tongue on earth to say.
900	But now will I back to fair Constance go,
	Who drifted on the seas, in pain and woe,
	Five years and more, as was Lord Christ's command,
	Before her ship approached to any land.

Under an hethen castel, atte laste,

905 Of which the name in my text toght I fynde,

Custance and eek hir child the see upcaste.

Almyghty god that saved al mankynde,

Have on Custance and on hir child som mynde,

That fallen is in hethen hand eft soone,

910 In point to spille, as I shal telle yow soone.

Under a heathen castle, at the last,

905 Whereof the name not in my text I find,

Constance and her young son the sea did cast.

Almighty God, Redeemer of mankind,

Have Constance and her little child in mind!

Who must fall into heathen hands and soon

910 Be near to death, as I shall tell anon.

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From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 911-924:
A thug attempts to rape Constance