The Knight's Tale
Folio 8v
3 of 42 folios
55
When she hed swouned wyth deedly cheere
That it was routhe for to seen and here
She seide lord to whom fortune hath yeuen
Victorie and as a conquerour to lyuen.
Nat greueth vs youre glorie and youre honour
60
But we beseken mercy and Socour
Haue mercy on oure wo and oure distresse
Som drope of pitee thurgh thi gentilnesse.
Vppon vs wrecched women lat thow falle
For certes lord ther is noon of vs alle
65
That She ne hath ben a duchesse or a quene
Now be we kaytiues as it is wel yseene.
Thanked be fortune and hir fals whele
That noon estate assureth to be wel.
Now certes lord to abyden ȝoure persence
70
Here in this temple of the goddes clemence.
We haue be waytyng al this fourtenyght
Now helpe vs lorde sith it lith in thi myght
¶ I wrecche which that wepe and waille thus
Was whilom wyfe to kyng Carpaneus.
75
That starf at Thebes cursed be the day
And alle we that ben in this array
And maken alle this lamentacioun
We losten alle oure husbondes at that toun
While that the sege ther aboute lay
80
And yit now the olde creon wailaway.
That lord is now of Thebes the citee
Fulfilled of Ire and of Iniquitee.
He for despyte and for his tyrannye
To doon the deed bodyes vileynye.
85
Of alle oure lordes which that ben Slawe
Hath alle the bodyes on a heep y drawe
And wol not suffren hem by noon assent
Neither to ben y buryed nor y brent.
But maketh houndes eten hem in dispite
90
And wyth that word wythoute more respite
Thei fillen gruf an criden pitously
Haue on vs wrecched women som mercy
And lat oure sorw synken in thyn hert