The Franklin's Tale
Folio 143r
21 of 24 folios
And whan that ye han the tale demeth
¶ This squier which that hight aurelius
On doregene that was so amerous
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Of auenture happed hir to mete
A mydde the toun right in the quykkest strete
As she was boun to go the forth right
Toward the gardyn there as she had hight
And he was to the gardynward also
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For wel he spied whan she wold go
Out of hir hous to any maner place
But thus thei met of auenture and gace
And he salueth hir with good entente
And asked of hir whiderward she wente
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And she answerd half as she were mad
Vnto the gardyn as myn husbond bad
My trouthe for to hold allas allas
¶ Aurelius gan wondre on this cas
And in his hert had gret compassioun
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Of hir and of hir lamentacioun
¶ And of Arueragus the worthi knyght
That bad hir holden al that she hath hight
So loth him was his wif shold breke hir trouth
And in his hert he caught of it gret routh
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Consideryng the best on euery side
That fro his lust yit were him leuer abide
Than to do so high a cherlessh wrecchednesse
Agayns fraunchise and al gentilesse
For which in few wordes seyde he thus
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¶ Madame seith to your lord Arueragus
That sith I se his gret gentilesse
To yow and ek I se wel youre destresse
That him were leuer han shame and that were routh
Than ye to me sholde breke thus your trouth
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I haue wel leuer euer to suffre wo
Than I departe the loue bitwix yow two
And yow relese madame in to your hond