The Franklin's Tale
Folio 159v
13 of 24 folios
xxx in swich forme / enduren a day or two
Thanne were my brother / warisshed of his wo
455
Thanne moste she nedes / holden hir biheste
Or ellis / he shal shame hir / at the leeste
¶ What sholde I make / a lenger tale of this
Vn to his brotheres bed / he comen is
And swich confort he yaf hym for to gon
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To Orliens / that he vp stirte anon
And on his wey forthward / thanne he is fare
In hope / for to been lissed of his care
¶ Whan they were come / almoost to that Citee
But if it were / a two furlong or thre
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A yong clerk / romynge by hym self they mette
Which þt in latyn / thriftily hem grette
And after that he seyde a wonder thyng
I knowe quod he / the cause of youre comyng
And er they ferther / any foote wente
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He tolde hem / al that was in hir entente
¶ This Britoū clerk hym asked of felawes
The whiche þt he hadde knowe / in olde dawes
And he answerde hym / þt they dede were
For which / he weepe ful ofte many a teere
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¶ Doun of his hors / Aurelius lighte anon
And with this Magicien / forth he is gon
Hom to his hous / and maden hem wel atese
Hem lakked no vitaille / þt myghte hem plese
So wel arrayed hous / as ther was oon
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Aurelius / in his lyf / saw neuere noon
¶ He shewed hym / er he wente to soper
Forestes / Parkes / ful of wilde deer
Ther saw he hertes / with hir hornes hye
The gretteste / þt euere were seyn wt eye
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He say of hem / an hundred slayn wt houndes
And sōme with arwes blede / of bittre woundes
¶ He saw / whan voyded were thise wilde deer
Thise Fawconers / vp on a fair Ryuer
That with hir hawkes / han the heron slayn
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¶ Tho saugh he knyghtes / Iustyng in a playn
And after this / he dide hym this plesaunce
That he hym shewed / his lady on a daunce