The Knight's Tale
Folio 24v
30 of 48 folios
But mercy lady brigħt that knowest weele
My thought and seest what harmes þt I feele
1375
Considere al this / and rewe vpon my soore
As wisly / as I shal for eueremoore
Emforth my mygħt thy trewe seruant be
And holden werre / alwey with chastitee
That make I myn auow / so ye me helpe
1380
I kepe nogħt of Armes for to yelpe
Ne I ne axe nat tomorwe to haue victorie
Ne renoū in this cas / ne veyneglorie
Of pris of Armes / blowen vp and doun
But I wolde haue / fully possessioun
1385
Of Emelye / and dye in thy seruyse
Fynd thow the manere / hou & in what wyse
I recche nat / but it may bettre be
To haue victorie of hem / or they of me
So that I haue / my lady in myne Armes
1390
For though so be / that Mars is god of Armes
Youre vertu is so greet in heuene aboue
That if yow list I shal wel haue my loue
¶ Thy temple wol I worshipe eueremo
And on thyn Auter / where I ride or go
1395
I wol doon sacrifice / and fires beete
And if ye wol nat so / my lady sweete
Thanne preye I thee / tomorwe / wt a spere
That Arcita / me thurgħ the herte bere
Thāne rekke I nogħt whan I haue lost my lyf
1400
Thougħ that Arcita / wynne hir to his wyf
This is theffect and ende of my preyere
Yif me my loue / thow blisful lady deere
¶ Whan the orison was doon of Palamou
His sacrifice he dide / and that anon
1405
Ful pitously / with alle circumstaū~ce
Al telle I nogħt as now / his obseruaūce
But atte laste / the statue of Venus shook
And made a signe / wher by þt he took
That his preyere / accepted was that day
1410
For thogh the signe / shewed a delay
Yet wiste he wel / þt graunted was his boone
And wt glad herte / he wente hym hoom ful soone
The thridde houre in equal that Palamon
Bigan / to Venus temple for to gon
1415
Vp roos the sonne / and vp roos Emelye
And to the temple of Dyane gan hye
Hir maydens / þt she thider wt hir ladde
Ful redily / wt hem the fyr they ladde
Thencens / the clothes / and the remenant al
1420
That to the sacrifice / longen shal