How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
"We shul first feyne us cristendom to take,—
Coold water shal nat greve us but a lite—
And I shal swich a feeste and revel make,
That, as I trowe, I shal the Sowdan quite." (351-354)
The Sultaness's plan involves two deceptions: the first, to feign acceptance of Christianity; the second, to pretend to celebrate her son's marriage at a feast in the couple's honor. The first deception might be a symbol for the sin of all Christians who fail to live the precepts of their religion despite enjoying the sacraments.
Quote #2
She rydeth to the Sowdan on a day,
And seyde hym, that she wolde reneye hir lay,
And cristendom of preestes handes fonge,
Repentynge hir she hethen was so longe. (375-378)
What's most interesting about this passage is that it implies the Sultaness has a choice about whether or not to convert, despite her portrayal of the Christian conversion as something her son is forcing upon her. This makes her seem even more guilty for what she does, since it deprives her of a sympathetic motive.
Quote #3
[She biseeched] hym to doon hir that honour
That she moste han the Cristen folk to feeste.
"To plesen hem I wol do my labour."
The Sowdan seith, "I wol doon at youre heeste,"
And knelynge thanketh hir of that requeste.
So glad he was, he nyste what to seye. (379-384)
This passage heightens the pathos of the Sultaness's deception with the Sultan's submissive kneeling and his happiness at his mother's apparent agreement. What mother would murder a son whose devotion is so obvious?
Quote #4
Sathan, that ever us waiteth to bigile,
Saugh of Custance al hir perfeccioun
And caste anon how he myghte quite her while. (582-584)
According to the Man of Law, Satan's always waiting to "bigile" or trick us. He appears to be particularly motivated to do so by "perfeccioun," or virtue. The trick Satan propagates is to convince people that sin will make them happier than virtue.
Quote #5
This false knyght, that hath this tresoun wroght,
Berth hir on hond that she hath doon thys thyng,
But nathelees, ther was greet moornyng
Among the peple, and seyn, they kan nat gesse
That she had doon so greet a wikkednesse. (619-623)
The false knight's accusation of Custance fails because of her reputation for virtue and everyone's knowledge of how much she loved Dame Hermengyld. This failure reveals the tale's belief that the truth will win, no matter what.
Quote #6
This gentil kyng hath caught a greet motyf
Of this witnesse, and thoghte he wolde enquere
Depper in this, a trouthe for to lere. (628-630)
The King's ability to sniff out deception marks him as discerning and wise. Not content with surface explanations, he inquires deeply in order to learn the truth. This trait is necessary not just for a good King, but for a good Christian. Which means this passage makes a point about the compatibility of the duties of a ruler and a Christian.
Quote #7
A Britoun book, written with Evaungiles,
Was fet, and on this book he swoor anoon
She gilty was, and in the meene-whiles
An hand hym smoot upon the nekke-boon
That doun he fil at ones, as a stoon. (666-670)
The narrator doesn't explain why the pagan Northumbrian king wants the knight to swear upon a Gospel-book. Nevertheless, it seems to serve its purpose, with the Knight committing the sacrilege that reveals his treachery.
Quote #8
A voys was herd in general audience,
And seyde, "Thou hast desclaundred, giltelees,
The doghter of hooly chirche in heigh presence,
Thus hastou doon, and yet holde I my pees." (673-676)
The fact that the Knight lies is bad, but it's even worse that he slanders a Christian, in the presence of her God. The fact that everyone can hear him represents the publication of the truth. It probably symbolizes the Revelation of the Truth, the Christianity the audience is soon to embrace.
Quote #9
And stolen wer hise lettres pryvely
Out of his box, whil he sleep as a swyn;
And countrefeted was ful subtilly
Another lettre wrought ful synfully,
Unto the kyng direct of this mateere. (744-748)
Donegild counterfeits a letter to her son in an attempt to turn him against Custance. The fact that she intercepts a sealed communication between the Constable and his King is just as bad as the lies she tells in the fake letter. Her deception jeopardizes the integrity of this so-called official mode of communication. Donegild's meddling with the letters represents her greater ambition, to meddle in the affairs of state (which, by the way, was definitely not a place for woman in those days).
Quote #10
Eft were hise lettres stolen everychon
And countrefeted lettres in this wyse,
"The king comandeth his constable anon
Up peyne of hangyng and on heigh juyse
That he ne sholde suffren in no wyse
Custance inwith his reawme for t'abyde." (792-797)
Here, Donegild issues a command to the Constable, stealing power that rightfully belongs to her son. This passage is just one more of the ways the tale emphasizes the authority-flouting of its "evil" women, whose sin is just as much trying to usurp male authority as it is being deceptive.
Quote #11
And thus, by wit and sotil enquerynge,
Ymagined was, by whom this harm gan sprynge.
The hand was knowe that the lettre wroot,
And al the venym of this cursed dede,
But in what wise certeinly I noot.
Th'effect is this, that Alla, out of drede,
His mooder slow. (888-894)
Again we see King Alla in his role of inquirer into the truth, which he learns through "wit and sotil enquerynge" just as he learned the truth of Custance's innocence through deeper "enquere" into the knight's testimony. As happened in that instance, the liar receives death for her deception.