The Franklin's Tale
Folio 135r
6 of 24 folios
To clerkes let I al disputisoun
But wolde god that al thise Rokkes blake
Were sonken in to helle for his sake
185
Thise rokkes sleen myn hert for verry fere
Thus she seith wyth many apitous tere
¶ Hir frendes saugh that it was no disport
To romen bi the see but disconfort
And shopen for to pleyen som wher elles
190
Thei ledden hir bi Reuers and bi welles
And ek in other places delitables
Thei dauncen and thei pleyn at ches and tables
¶ So on a day ryght in the morwe tyde
Vn to a gardeyn that was there biside
195
In which thei had made hir ordinaunce
Of vitaille and of other purueyaunce
Thei goon and pleyen hem al the longe day
And this was on the next morwe of may
Which may had peynted wyth his softe shoures
200
This gardeyn ful of leues and of floures
And craft of mannes hand so curiously
Arrayed had this gardeyn trewly
That neuer was ther gardeyn of such prys
But yif it were the verry paradys
205
The odour of flours and the fressh sight
Wolde han maken any hert light
That euer was born but yif so gret sykenesse
Or to gret sorwe held it in destresse
So ful it was of beaute wyth plesaunce
210
At aftyr dyner gonne thei to daunce
And synge also saue dorigen allone
Which made alwey hir compleynt and hir mone
For she ne saugh him in daunce go
That was hir husbond and in hir loue also
215
But nathalees she moste a tyme abide
And wyth good hope let hir sorwe slide
Vpon this daunce amonge other men
Daunced a squier bifore dorigen .