The Knight's Tale
Folio 35v
24 of 35 folios
Freedom / and al that longeth / to that art
So Iubiter haue / of my soule part
As in this world rigħt now / ne knowe I non
1930
So worthy to ben loued / as Palamon
That serueth ȝow / and wol don al his lyf
And if þat euere / ȝe shuln ben a wyf
Forȝete nat Palamoū / the gentil man
¶ And with that word / his speche faile began
1935
For fro his fete / vp to his brest was come
The colde of deth / that had hī ouercome
And ȝet more ouer / for in his armes two
The vitayƚƚ strengthe / is lost and al a go
Oonly the intellect / with outen more
1940
That dwelletħ / in his hert / seke and sore
Gan faylen / whan the hert feleth deth
Dusked ys hise eyen two / and faileth breth
But on his lady / ȝet cast he his eye
His last word / was mercy Emelye
1945
His spirit chaunged hens / & went there
As I cam neuere / I kan nat tellen where
Therfore I stynt / I am no diuinistre
Of soules fynde I nouȝt / in this registre
Ne me ne list / thilke opinions to telle
1950
Of hem / though þt þei wryten / where they dwelle
Arcite is cold / there Mars his soule gye
Now wol I speken forth / of Emelye
¶ Shryghte / Emelye / and howletħ Palamoñ
And Theseus his Suster / tok a noñ
1955
Swoughnyng / & bar hire / fro the corps a way
What helpeth it / to tarien forth the day
To tellen how she wepte / bothe eue and morwe
For in swicħ cas / wōmen han swicħ sorwe
Whan þt here husbondes / ben fro hem a go
1960
That for the more part / they sorwen so
Or ellis fallen / in swicħ a maladie
That at the last / certeynly they deye
¶ Infinite ben the sorwes / and the teeres
Of olde folk / and folk of tendre ȝeres
1965
In al theToun / for the detħ / of this Theban
For hī þere wepeth / bothe child & man
So gret a wepyng / was þere non certeyn
Whan Ector was brougħt / al fressħ I slayn
To Troye / allas the pyte that was there
1970
Cracchyng of chekes / rendyng eke of here
Why woldest þu be ded / theise wōmen crye