The Franklin's Tale
Folio 297v
21 of 21 folios
Myn trouthe I plyghte I schal ȝow neuere re preue
Of no beheste & here I take myn leeue
As of \the/ treweste & the beste wyf
That euere ȝit I knew in al myn lyf
825
But euery wif be war of hire byheste
On Dorigene / remembrth at the leste
Thus can a squyer doon a gentyl deede
As weel as kan a knyȝt / wt outyn drede
Sche thankede hȳ vp on hyr kneis al bare
830
And hō vn to hire husbonde is sche fare
And told hȳ al a\s/ȝe han herd me seyd /
And be ȝe sykyr / he was so weel apayed
That weere impossible me to wryte
What schulde I lengere / of this cas endyte
835
Arueragus & Dorygene / his wyf
In souereyn blysse leedȳ forth here lyf
Neuere eft ne was there angyr hē be twene
He cherysseth hire ryȝt as sche were a queene
And sche was with hȳ trewe for eueremoore
840
Of these two folk ȝe gete of me no more
Aurelyus that his cost hath al for lorn
Cursith the tyme that euere was he born
Allas quod he allas that I be hyȝte
Of purede gold a thousent pound of wighte
845
On to this philysophere how schal I do
I se namoore but that I am fordo
Myn erytage mote I nedis selle
And ben a beggere heere may I nat dwelle
And schamyn al myn kynrede in this place
850
But I of hȳ may getyn betere grace
But natheles I wele of hȳ assaye
At serteyn dayis ȝeer by ȝer to paye
And thāke hȳ of his greete curteysye
Mȳ trouthe wele I kepe I wele nat lye
855
With herte sor he goth vnto his cofere
And bryngith gold vn to this philisophere
The valew of fyue hunderede pound I gesse
And hȳ be sechith of hise gentilesse