The Franklin's Tale
Folio 167v
18 of 24 folios
610
Ȝe sleen me gilteles for verrey peyne
But of my deþ þougħ ȝe haue no rouþe
Auyseþ ȝou er þat ȝe lese ȝour trouþe
Repentiþ ȝou for þilke god aboue
Or ȝe me sleen by cause þat I ȝou loue /
615
For ma dame wel ȝe wot þat ȝe han higħt
Nougħt þat I chalenge eny þing of rigħt
Of ȝou souereyne lady but ȝoure grace
But in a gardyn ȝonde at such a place
Ȝe wot rigħt wel þat ȝe behighte me
620
And in myn hande my trouþe plighte me
To loue me best god wot ȝe sayde so
Al be þat I vnworþy am þerto
Madame I speke it for þe honour of ȝow
More þen to saue myn hertes lyf right now /
625
I haue don so as ȝe haue cōmaunded me
And if ȝe vouche sauf ȝe may go se
And as ȝou luste haueþ ȝoure byheste in mynde
For quyk or deed rigħt þus ȝe schulle me fynde
In ȝow liþ al to do me lyue or deye
630
But wel I wot þe rokkes ben aweye
He took his leeue and sche astoned stood
In aƚƚ hir face þer nas a drop of blood
Sche wende neuer han comyn in such a trappe
Allas quod sche þat þis euer schulde happe
635
For wende I neuer by possibilite
Þat such a muster or such a meruaile schulde be
It is aȝein þe processe of nature
And home sche goþ a sorwful creature
For verray feere vnneþes may sche go
640
Sche wepeþ and wayleþ a day or tuo
And swowneþ þat it rouþe was to se
But why it was to no wight tolde sche
For out of toune was gon arueragus
But to hir self sche sayde and spak þus
In hire compleynt as ȝe schullen aft er heere