How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #4
And Custance hath so longe sojourned there
In orisons, with many a bitter teere,
Til Jesus hath converted thurgh his grace
Dame Hermengyld, constablesse of that place. (536-539)
Interesting. So Hermengyld's conversion is the responsibility of Custance's prayers? Or wait. It's actually Jesus. Could it be that Custance is merely a vessel of God's grace, its conduit on Earth with little control over how it acts?
Quote #5
This lady weex affrayed of the soun,
Lest that hir housbonde, shortly for to sayn,
Wolde hir for Jesu Cristes love han slayn,
Til Custance made hir boold, and bad hir wirche
The wyl of Crist, as doghter of his chirche. (563-567)
When Hermengyld is afraid that her husband will disapprove of her Christianity, Custance encourages her to work Christ's will and heal the blind man anyways. As we will see, Custance's encouraging of Hermengyld results in the Constable's conversion, too. This demonstrates how drawing courage from one's faith in Christ can have consequences beyond one's control. And it helps bring Christianity to the rest of Northumberland. Bonus.
Quote #6
And so ferforth she gan oure lay declare,
That she the constable, er that it were eve
Converteth, and on Crist maketh hym bileve. (572-574)
Custance's declaration of "oure lay," or Christian faith, results in the Constable's conversion. This conversionary power aligns Custance with the women from virgin martyr legends, who also converted mass numbers of people through their teachings.