The Franklin's Tale
Folio 161r
16 of 24 folios
He knew ful wel / how fer Alnath was shoue
Fro the heed / of thilke fixe Aries aboue
575
That in the .9. speere / considered is
Ful subtilly / he kalkuled al this
¶ Whan he hadde founde / his firste mansioū
He knew the remenaunt by proporcioū
And knew the arisyng of his Moone wel
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And in whos face / and terme / and euerydel
And knew ful wel / the Moones mansioū
Acordaunt / to his operacioū
And knew also / hise othere obseruaunces
For swiche illusions / and swiche meschaūces
585
As hethen folk vseden / in thilke dayes
For which no lenger / maked he delayes
But thurgh his magyk for a wyke or tweye
It semed / that alle the Rokkes were aweye
¶ Aurelius / which þt yet despeired is
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Wher he shal han his loue / or fare amys
Awaiteth nyght and day / on this myracle
And whan he knew / that ther was noon obstacle
That voyded were / thise Rokkes euerichon
Doun to his maistres feet he fil anon
595
And seyde / I woful wrecche Aurelius
Thonke yow lord / and lady myn Venus
That me han holpen / fro my cares colde
And to the temple / his wey forth hath he holde
Wher as he knew / he sholde his lady se
600
And whan he saw his tyme / anon right he
With dredful herte / and with ful humble cheere
Salued hath / his souerayn lady deere
¶ My righte lady / quod this woful man
Whom I moost drede / and loue as I best kan
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And lothest were / of al this world displese
Nere it þt I for yow haue swich disese
That I moste dyen heer at youre foot anon
Noght wolde I telle yow / how me is wo bigon
But certes / outher moste I dye / or pleyne
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Ye sleen me giltlees / for verray peyne
But of my deeth / thogh þt ye haue no routhe
Auyseth yow / er that ye breke your trouthe