The Franklin's Tale
Folio 135v
7 of 24 folios
That fressher was and Iolyer of aray
220
As to my doom than is the monthe of may
He syngeth daunceth passyng any man
That is or was sith the world bigan
Therwith he was yif me sholde him discryue
Oon of the best faryng man on lyue
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Yong stronge riche vertuous and wys
And wel biloued and holden in gret prys
And shortly if the sooth I tellen shal
Vnwityng of dorogen at al
This lusti squyer seruant vnto venus
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Which that I cleped was aurelius
Had loued hir best of any creature
Two yeer and more as was his auenture
But neuer dorste he tellen here his greuance
Wyth outen cuppe he dranke al his penance
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He was despeyred nothing dorste he seye
Saue in his songes som what wold he wreye
His wo as a gentil compleynyng
He seyde he loued and was be loued nothing
Of which matere made he many layes
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Songes compleyntes roundels virelayes
How that he dorste nat his sorwe telle
But languyssheth as a fuyre doth in helle
And dye he moste he seide as did ekko
For Narcisus that dorste nat telle hir wo
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In other maner than ye here seye
Ne dorste he nat to hir his wo biwreye
Saue that perauenture som tyme at daunces
Ther yonge folk kepen hir obseruaunces
It may wel be he loked on hir face
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In swich a wise as a man that asketh gace
But nothing wist she of his entente
Nathelees it happed or thei thennes wente
Bi cause that he was bore hir neighebour
And was a man of worship and honour
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And had I knowen him of tyme yore
Thei fille in speche and forth more and more