The Franklin's Tale
Folio 144r
23 of 24 folios
855
And brought gold vnto this philosopre
The value of fyue hundred pound I gesse
And him bisecheth of his gentilesse
To graunt him dayes of the remenaunt
And seide Maister I dar wel make auaunt
860
I failled neuer of my trouth as yit
For sikerly my det shal be quyt
Towardes yow how euyr that I fare
To gon abegged in my kirtil bare
But wolde ye vouche sauf vpon surete
865
Two yer or thre for to respiten me
Than were I wel for elles mote I selle
Myn heritage ther nys na more to telle
¶ This Philosophre sobrely answerde
And seide thus whan he thise wordes herde
870
Haue I nat holden couenant vnto the
Yis certes wel and trewly quod he
¶ Hastow nat had thi lady as the liketh
¶ No no quod he and sorowfully he siketh
¶ What was the cause telle me yif thou can
875
¶ Aurelius his tale anon bigan
And told him als ye han herd bifore
It nedeth nat to yow reherce namore
¶ He seide Arueragus of gentilesse
Hadde leuer dye in sorwe and distresse
880
Than that his wif were of hir trouthe fals
The sorow of doregene he tolde him als
How loth hir was to ben a wikked wif
And that she lost had leuer that day hir lif
And that hir xxouth she swere of Innocence
885
She neuer xxst had herd of apparence
That maxx him han of hir so grete pite
And right as frely as he sent hir to me
As frely sent I hir to hym ageyn
This is al and som ther nys namore to seyn
890
¶ This Philosophre answerd deere brother
Euerych of yow dide gentilly to othir
Thow art a squier and he is a knyght
But god forbede for his blisful myght