The Franklin's Tale
Folio 160r
14 of 24 folios
On which hym self / he daunced as hym thoughte
And whan this maister þt this magyk wroughte
495
Saugh it was tyme / he clapte his handes two
And farwel / al oure reuel was ago
And yet remoeued they neuere / out of the hous
Whil they sawe / al this sighte merueillous
But in his studie / ther as his bookes be
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They sitten stille / and no wight but they thre
¶ To hym this maister / called his Squyer
And seide hym thus / is redy oure soper
Almoost an houre it is / I vndertake
Sith I yow bad / oure soper for to make
505
Whan that thise worthy men / wenten wt me
In to my studie / ther as my bookes be
¶ Sire quod this Squyer/ whan it liketh yow
It is al redy / thogh ye wol right now
Gowe thanne soupe quod he / as for the beste
510
This amorous folk som tyme mote han hir reste
¶ At after soper / fille they in tretee
What sōme sholde / this Maistres gerdoū be
To remoeuen / alle the Rokkes of Britayne
And eek from Gerounde / to the mouth of Sayne
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He made it straunge / and swoor so god hym saue
Lasse than a thousand pound / he wolde nat haue
Ne gladly for that somme / he wolde nat gon
¶ Aurelius / with xxxxxx blisful herte anon
Answerde thus / fy on a thousand pound
520
This wyde world / which þt men seye is round
I wolde it yeue / if I were lord of it
This bargayn is ful dryue / for we ben knyt
Ye shal be payed trewely / by my trouthe
But looketh now / for no necligence or slouthe
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Ye tarie vs heer / no lenger than tomorwe
¶ Nay quod this clerk haue heer my feith to borwe
¶ To bedde is goon Aurelius / whan hym leste
And wel neigh al that nyght he hadde his reste
What for his labour / and his hope of blisse
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His woful herte / of penaunce hadde a lisse
¶ Vp on the morwe / whan þt it was day
To Britayne / tooke they the righte way