The Franklin's Tale
Folio 168r
19 of 24 folios
645
Wiþ face pale and wiþ sorweful cheere
Allas quod sche on þe fortune I pleyne
That vnwar hast wrapped me in þi cheyne
For which þe eschape wot I no socour
650
Saue oonly deþ oþer elles dishonor
On of þese tuo bihoueþ me to chese
But naþeles ȝit hadde I leuer to lese
My lif þan of my body to han a schame
Oþer knowe my self fals oþer lese my name
655
And wiþ my deþ I may be quyte ywys
Haþ þer nouȝt many a wyf er þis
And many a mayden y slayn hem self allas
Raþir þan wiþ here bodyes don trespas
And certes lo þise stories beren witnesse
660
Whan xxx tyrauntz ful of cursednesse
Hadde slayn Phydon in athenes atte leste
Þey comaunded his douȝtres to areste
And bryngen hem byforn hem in dispyt
Al naked to fulfille here foule delyt
665
And in here fadres blod þey made hem daunce
Vpon þe pament god ȝeue hem meschaunce
For whiche þese woful maydens ful of drede /
Raþer þen þey wolde lese here maydenhed
Þay pryuely ben stert in to a welle
670
And dreynt hemselue as þe bookes telle
They of mesne lete enquere and seke
Of lacedemye .L. maydens eeke
On which þey wolden don here leccherie
But was þer non of al þat companye
675
Þat sche nas slayn and wiþ a glad entent
Chese raþir for to dye þan for to assent
To ben oppressed of here maydenhede
Why schulde I þanne to deye ben in drede
Lo eke þe tyraunt Anstoclydes
680
Þat loued a mayde þat higħt Symphalides
Whan þat hir fader slayn was on a nigħt /