The Knight's Tale
Folio 40v
57 of 58 folios
2195
That goode Arcite / of chiualrie flour
Departed is / with duetee / and with honour
Out of this foule prison / of this lyf
Why gruccheth heere / his cosyn and his wyf /
Of his welfare / þt loueth hem so weel
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Kan he hem thank ; nay god woot neuer a deel
That bothe his soule / and eek hem self offende
And yet they mowe / hir lustes nat amende
¶ What may I conclude / of this longe serye
But after wo / I rede vs to be merye
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And thanken Iuppiter / of al his grace
And er we / departen from this place
I rede we make / of sorwes two
O parfit Ioye / lastynge euere mo
And loketh now / wher moost sorwe is her Inne
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Ther wol I first amenden and bigynne
¶ Suster quod he / this is my ful assent
With al thauys / heer of my parlement
That gentil Palamon / youre owene knyght
That serueth yow / with wyl and herte myght
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And euere hath doon / syn ye first hym knewe
That ye shal of youre grace vp on hym rewe
And taken hym / for housbond and for lord
Leen me youre hond / for this is oure acord
Lat se now / of youre wōmanly pitee
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He is / a kynges brother sone pardee
And thogh he were / a poure Bachiler
Syn he hath serued yow / so many a yeer
And had for yow / so greet aduersitee
It moste been considred / leueth me
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For gentil mercy / oghte to passen right
¶ Thanne seyde he thus / to Palamon the knyght
I trowe / ther nedeth litel sermonyng
To make yow / assente to this thyng
Com neer / and taketh youre lady by the hond
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Bitwixe hem / was maad anon the bond
That highte matrymoigne / or mariage
By al the conseil / and the Baronage
And thus / with alle blisse / and melodye
Hath Palamon / ywedded Emelye