The Franklin's Tale
Folio 170v
24 of 24 folios
830
And home vnto hire housbonde is sche fare
And tolde hem aƚƚ as ȝe han herde me sayde
And be ȝe siker he was so wel a payde /
Þat it were inpossible to write /
What schulde I lengere of þis cas endite /
835
Arueragus and dorigen his wijff
In souerayn blisse leden forþ here lyff
Neuer eft ne was þer anger hem betwene
He cherisscheþ hire as þougħ sche were a quene
And sche was to him trewe for euermore
Aurelius þat his cost haþ al forlore
Curseþ þe tyme þat euer he was y born
For certes he seiþ I am forlorn
Allas quod he allas þat I behigħt
Of pured gold a þousand pound of wigħt
845
Vnto þis philosofre how schal I do
I se no more but þat I am fordo
Myn heritage moot I needes selle
And ben a beggere here may I no lenger dwelle
And schamen al my kynrede in þis place
850
But I of him may gete bettre grace /
I wole þonke him of his grete curtesye
My trouþe wol I kepe I wol nouȝt lye
855
Wiþ herte sore he goþ vnto his coffre
And broughte gold vnto his philosophre
The value of .v. hundred pound I gesse
And him besecheþ of his gentilnesse
To graunte him dayes of þe remenaūt
860
And maister I dar wel make auaunt
I fayled neuer my trouþe as ȝit
For sikerly my dettes schal be quyt
Towardes ȝou how euer þat I fare
To gon abegged in my kirtel bare
865
But wolde ȝe fouche sauf vpon suerte
Tuo ȝere or þre to respiten me
Þenne were I wel for elles moste I selle /