The Canterbury Tales: the Man of Law's Tale Lines 659-707 Summary

Lines 659-679

Saved by the bell. Oops, we mean King. See, King Alla has so much compassion for our girl Custance that he weeps. Something has to be done.
"Now fetch a book, quickly," he says, "And if this knight will swear that he has slain this woman, we will give a judgment."
A Breton book of the Gospels is fetched, and on the book the knight swears that Custance is guilty.
When he does this, a hand smites him on his neck so that he falls down, and both his eyes burst out of his face, in sight of everyone, Indiana Jones-style.
A voice is heard by everyone assembled, and says, "You have slandered an innocent daughter of the holy church in the presence of God. That's what you've done. I rest my case."
The crowd is amazed at this marvel, and afraid of vengeance, except Custance alone. She's down for whatever's coming because she and God are tight.

The people who suspected innocent Custance of wrongdoing are very fearful and repentant.
Because of this miracle, and through the mediation of Custance, the king and many others are converted, and the treacherous knight is executed for his lie, by Alla's judgment.
And yet Custance is sad about his death. Because she's that compassionate.
After this, Jesus causes Alla to marry the bright, shiny Custance, and thus makes Custance a queen. Bonus.

Guys, this wouldn't be Custance's story if someone weren't pissed that she's happy—for once. This time it's Donegild, the tyrannical mother of the king.
She feels like her heart breaks in two; she wishes her son had not taken such a strange creature for his wife.
But Donegild will have to shut up for now, because there's a wedding on. They all eat, drink, dance, sing, and play, and Custance nabs herself a man. A king no less.