more, but “Farewell, fair Constance.” She pained her to make good countenance. And forth I let her sail in this mannér, And turn I will again to my mattér.
The mother of the Soudan, well of vices, Espied hath her sonë’s plain intent, How he will leave his oldë sacrifices: And right anon she for her council sent, And they be come, to knowë what she meant, And when assembled was this folk in fere, She sat her down, and said as ye shall hear.
“Lordës,” she said, “ye knowen every one, How that my son in point is for to lete The holy lawës of our Alkaron, Given by God’s messenger Mahométe: But one avow to greatë God I hete, Life shall rather out of my body start, Than Mahomet’s law go out of mine heart.
“What should us tiden of this newë law, But thraldom to our bodies, and penánce, And afterward in hell to be y-draw, For we renied Mahound our creance? But, lordës, will ye maken assurance, As I shall say, assenting to my lore? And I shall make us safe for evermore.”
They sworen and assented every man To live with her and die, and by her stand: And every one, in the best wise he can, To strengthen her shall all his friendës fand. And she hath this emprise taken in hand, Which ye shall hearë that I shall devise; And to them all she spake right in this wise.
“We shall first feign us Christendom to take; Cold water shall not grieve us but a lite: And I shall such a feast and revel make, That, as I trow, I shall the Soudan quite. For though his wife be christen’d ne’er so white, She shall have need to wash away the red, Though she a fount of water with her led.”
O Soudaness, root of iniquity, Virago thou, Semiramis the secónd! O serpent under femininity, Like to the serpent deep in hell y-bound! O feigned woman, all that may confound Virtue and innocence, through thy malíce, Is bred in thee, as nest of every vice!