The Franklin's Tale
Folio 297r
20 of 21 folios
This squier which that hyȝte aurelyus
On Dorigene that was so amerous
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Of auenture happede hire to meete
A myd the toū rygh in the quykkeste strete
As sche was boū to go the woye ful ryȝt
Toward the gardyn there that sche hadde hight
And he was to the gardynward also
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For weel he spyed whan sche wolde go
Out of hire hous to ony maner place
But thus they mette of auenture or grace
And he saluyth hire with good entente
And axed hire whidyrward sche wente
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And sche answerde half as sche were mad
Vn to the gardyn as myn husbonde bad
Myn trouthe for to holde allas allas
Aurelius gan wonderyn of this cas
And in his herte hadde greet cōpassioū
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Of hire & of hire lamentacioū
And of Arueragus the worthi k\n/ight
That bad hire holdyn al that sche hadde hiȝt
So loth hȳ was his wyf schulde breke hire trouthe
And in his herte he caughte of this greet routhe
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Considerynge the beste on euery syde
That for his lust ȝit were hȳ leuere a byde
Thā don so high a cherliche wrechedenesse
A gayns fraūchese of alle gentillesse
For which in fewe wordys seyde he thus
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Madame sythe to ȝoure lord Arueragus
That sithe I se his grete gentillesse
To ȝow & eek I se wel ȝoure distresse
That he were leuere hā schame & that were routhe
Thā ȝe to me schulde breke thus ȝoure trouthe
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I haue wel leuere euere to suffere wo
Thā I departe the loue by twixe ȝow two
I ȝow relese madame in to ȝoure hond
Quyt euery surement & euery bond
That ȝe han mad to me as here be forn
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Sitħ thylke tyme which that ȝe were born