The Franklin's Tale
Folio 287r
1 of 21 folios
IN Armoryk that callyd is Britayne
There was a knyȝt that louede & dede his payne
To serue a lady in his beste wyse
And manye a labour / manye a gret empryse
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He for his lady wrouȝte er sche weere wonne
For sche was on the fayreste vndyr sūne
And ek therto come of so heigh kynrede
That weel onethe durste this knyȝt for drede
Telle hire his woo his peyne & his distresse
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But at the laste / sche for his worthynesse
And namely for his meke obeysaūce
Hath swich a pete cauȝt for his penaunce
That pryuyly sche fel of his acord
To take hȳ for hire husbonde & for hire lord
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Of swich lordschepe as men han of here wyuys
And for to leede þe more in blysse hire lyuys
Of his frewil he swoor hire as a knyȝt
That he neuere his lyue day ne nyȝt
Ne schulde vp on hȳ take maystrye
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A geyn hire wyl ne kythe hire Ialusye
But hire obeye & folwe hire wil in al
As ony louere to his lady schal
Saue that the name of souereynte
That wele he haue for schame of his degre
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Sche thankede hym with ful greet hūblesse
And seyde sire seyth of ȝoure gentillesse
Ȝe profere me to haue so greet a reyne
Ne wolde neuere god be twyn vs tweyne
As in myn gylt were other werre or stryf
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Syre I wele be ȝore hūble trewe wyf
Haue here myn trouthe til myn herte breste
Thus been they in quyete & in reste
For othyng syrys sauely dare I seye
That frendys eueryche oþer moote obeye
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Ȝif they wele longe holde cūpainiye
Loue wele not been constreynede by maystrye
Whā maystrye comyth the god of loue anon
Bethith his wyngis & farewel he is goon