The Franklin's Tale
Folio 169v
22 of 24 folios
Answerd and sayde as I schal ȝou deuyse
Is þer ougħt elles Dorigen but þis
760
Nay nay quod sche god help me so as wis
This is to meche and it were goddes wille
Ȝe wyf quod he let slepe þat is stille
It may be wel ȝit peraduenture to say
Ȝe schullen ȝour trouþe holden by my fay
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For god so wisly helpe me
I hadde wel leuere y stiked for to be /
For verray loue which þat I to ȝou haue
But if ȝe schulde ȝoure trouþe saue
Trouþe is þe heihest þing þat man may kepe
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But wiþ þat word he brast anon to weepe /
And sayde I ȝou forbede vp payne of deþ
That neuer whiles þe lasteþ lyf and breþ
To no wight telle how þat þis matere
As I may kepe I wole my woo endere
775
Ne make no contynaunce of heuynesse
That folk of ȝou may deme harme or gesse
And forþ he cleped a squyer and a mayde
Goþ forþ anon wiþ Dorigen he sayde /
And bringeþ hire to such a place anon
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Þey tooke her leue and on þair way þey gon
But þey ne wiste why sche þider wente
He nolde no wight telle hire entente
This squyer which þat higħt Aurelyus
On Dorigen which þat was so amerous
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Of aduenture happed hire to mete
Amyd þe toun rigħt in þe quyke strete
As sche was boun to gon þe wey forþ rigħt
Toward þe gardyn þer as sche hadde higħt
And he was to þe gardynward also
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For wel he spyed whan sche wolde go
Out of hir hous to eny maner place
But þus þey mette of auenture or of gace
And he saluyþ hire wiþ glad entent and axed of hir