The Franklin's Tale
Folio 161r
9 of 11 folios
820
Sith þilke tyme which þat ȝe were born
My trouþe I pligħt I schal ȝow neuer repreue
Of no byhest and her I take my leue
As of þe trewest and þe beste wif
That euer ȝit I knew in al my lyf
825
But euery wyf be war of hir byhest
On Dorigen remembreþ atte lest
Thus can a squyer doon a gentil dede
As wel as can a knyght wiþouten drede
Sche þankeþ him vpon hir knees al bare /
830
And hoom vnto hir housbond is sche fare /
And told him al as ȝe han herd me sayd
And be ȝe siker he was so wel a payd
That it were impossible me to write
What schuld I lenger of þis caas endite
835
Arueragus and Dorigen his wif
In souereyn blisse leden forþ here lyf
Neuer eft ne was þer anger hem bytwen
He cherisscheþ hir as þough sche were a queen
And sche was to him trewe for euermore /
840
Of þese tuo folk ȝe gete for me nomore /
Aurilius þat his cost haþ al forlorn
Curseþ þe tyme þat euer he was born
Allas quod he allas þat I byhight
Of pured gold a þousand pound of wigħt
845
Vnto þis philosophre how schal I doo
I se no more but þat I am for doo
Myn heritage moot I needes selle /
And ben a begger her may I not duelle
And schamen al my kynrede in þis place
850
But I of him may gete better grace
But naþeles I wol of him assay
At certeyn dayes ȝeer by ȝer to pay
And þanke him of his grete curtesye
My trouþe wol I kepe I wol nouȝt lye /
855
With herte soor he goþ vn to his cofre
And broughte gold vnto þis philosophre
The value of fyf hundred pound I gesse