The Franklin's Tale
Folio 160r
3 of 24 folios
And so do men if I þe soþe seye schal
Loke who þat is most pacient in loue /
He is at his auauntage aboue
65
Pacience is an heih vertu certeyn
For it venquissheþ as þese clerkes seyn
Thynges þat Rigor schulde neuer atteigne
For euery word men may nouȝt chyde ne pleyne /
Lerneþ to suffre or elles so mote I gon
70
Ȝe schullen it lerne wheþer ȝe wole or non
For in þis worlde certeyn no wight nys
Þat he ne doþ or saiþ sumtyme amys /
Or oþir siknesse oþer constillacioū
Wyn wo or chaungyng of complexioū
75
Causeþ ful often to don amys oþer speken
On euery wrong men may nouȝt ben awreken
After þe tyme moste be temperaunce
To euery wigħt þat can no gouernance /
And þerfore haþ þis worþy wise knigħt
80
To lyue in ese suffraunce hire behigħt
And sche to him ful wisly gan to swere
That neuer schulde þer be defaute in here /
Here may men sen an humble wyse acord
Thus haþ sche take hire seruaūt and hire lord
85
Seruaunt in loue and lord in mariage
Then was he boþe in lordschipe and seruage
Seruage nay but in lordschipe aboue
Seþyns þat he haþ boþe his lady and his loue
His lady certes and his wyf also
90
The whiche þat lawe of loue acordeþ þer to
And whan he was in þis prosperite
Home wiþ his wyf he goþ to his cuntre
Nouȝt fer fro pedmark þer as his dwellyng was
Wher as he lyueþ in blisse and in solas
95
Who couþe telle but he hadde wedded be
Þe ioye þe ese and þe prosperite /
That is bitwixe an housebond and his wyf