The Franklin's Tale
Folio 160v
8 of 11 folios
He nolde no wigħt tellen his entent
This squyer which þat hight aurelius
On dorigen þat was so amerous
785
Of aduenture happed hire to mete
Amyd þe toun right in þe quyke strete
As sche was boun to goon þe wey forþ rigħt
Toward þe Gardyn þer as sche had hight
And he was to þe gardynward also /
790
For wel he spyed whan sche wolde go
Out of hir hous to eny maner place
But þus þay mette of aduenture or grace
And he salueth hir with glad entent
And askith hire whiderward sche went /
795
And sche answered half as sche were mad
Vnto þe gardyn as myn housbond bad
My trouþe for to holde allas allas
Aurilius gan wondren on þis caas
And in his hert had gret compassiou~
800
Of hire and of hir lamentaciou~
And of Arueragus þe worþy knigħt
That bad hir hold al þat sche hadde higħt
So loþ him was his wif schuld breke hir trouþe
And in his hert he caught of þis gret rouþe
805
Consideryng þe best on euery syde
That fro his lust ȝet were him leuer abyde
Than doon so higħ a cheerlissch wrecchednesse
Agayns fraunchis of alle gentilesce /
For which in fewe wordes sayd he þus
810
Madame saith to ȝour lord arueragus
That siþ I se his grete gentillesse
To ȝou . and eek I se wel ȝour distresse
That him were leuer haue schame and þat were rouþe /
Than ȝe to me schulde breke ȝoure trouþe
815
I haue wel leuer euer to suffre woo
Than I departe þe loue bytwix ȝow tuo
I ȝow relesse madame in to ȝour hond
Quyt euery seurement and euery bond
That ȝe han maad to me as her biforn