From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Man of Law's Tale, lines 925-952

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

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Man of Law's Tale
lines 925-952: Biblical examples about protection

925	O foule lust of luxurie, lo, thyn ende!
	Nat oonly that thou feyntest mannes mynde,
	But verraily thou wolt his body shende.
	Th'ende of thy werk or of thy lustes blynde
	Is compleynyng. Hou many oon may men fynde,
930	That noght for werk somtyme, but for th'entente
	To doon this synne, been outher slayn or shente!

925	O foul desire of lechery, lo thine end!
	Not only dost thou cripple a man's mind,
	But verily dost thou his body rend;
	The end of all thy work and thy lusts blind
	Is bitterness; how many may we find
930	That not for actions but for mere intent
	To do this sin, to shame or death are sent.

How may this wayke womman han this strengthe

Hire to defende agayn this renegat?

O Golias, unmesurable of lengthe,

935 Hou myghte David make thee so maat,

So yong, and of armure so desolaat?

Hou dorste he looke upon thy dredful face?

Wel may men seen, it nas but Goddes grace!

How could this poor weak woman have the strength

To keep herself against that renegade?

Goliath of immeasurable length,

935 How could young David such a death have made,

So slight and without armour? How arrayed

Himself to look upon that dreadful face?

Men may well see, it was but God's own grace!

Who yaf Judith corage or hardynesse

940 To sleen hym, Olofernus, in his tente,

And to deliveren out of wrecchednesse

The peple of God? I seyde, for this entente

That right as God spirit of vigour sente

To hem, and saved hem out of meschance,

945 So sente he myght and vigour to Custance.

Who gave to Judith courage all reckless

940 To slay him, Holofernes, in his tent,

And to deliver out of wretchedness

The folk of God? I say, for this intent

That just as God a soul of vigour sent

To them, and saved them out of their mischance,

945 So sent He might and vigour to Constance.

Forth gooth hir ship thurghout the narwe mouth

Of Jubaltar and Septe, dryvynge alway,

Somtyme west, and somtyme north and south,

And somtyme est, ful many a wery day;

950 Til Cristes mooder - blessed be she ay! -

Hath shapen, thurgh hir endelees goodnesse,

To make an ende of al hir hevynesse.

Forth went her ship and through the narrow mouth

Of Ceuta and Gibraltar, on its way,

Sometimes to west, and sometimes north or south,

Aye and sometimes east, many a weary day,

950 Until Christ's Mother - blest be she for aye! -

Did destine, out of good that is endless,

To make an end of Constance' heaviness.

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From The Man of Law's Tale, lines 953-966:
The emperor of Rome learns about the conspiracy in Syria and sends a punitive expedition