The Knight's Tale
Folio 16r
56 of 63 folios
220
And þer with al he bleynt and cryed a
As þough he stongen were vnto þe herte
And with þat crye Arcite anon vp sterte /
And seide Cosyn myn what eyleþ þe
That art so pale and dedly on to se
225
Why crydestow who haþ þe don offence
For goddes loue tak al in pacience
Oure pisoun for it may non oþer be
Fortune haþ yiue vs þis aduersite
Som wicke aspect or disposicioū
230
Of Saturne by som constellacioū
Haþ ȝiuen vs þis al þough we had it sworn
So stood þe heuen whan þat we ware born
We mote endure it þis is schort and playn
This Palamon answerd and seide again /
235
Cosyn for soþe of þis opynioū
Þou hast a vain Imaginacioū
This pisoū causede me nought to crie
But I was hurt right now þorugħ out myn yhe
In to myn hert þat wol my bane be
240
The fayrnesse of þat lady þat I see
Ȝonde in the gardyn rome to and fro
Is cause of al my crying and my wo
I not wher sche be wōman or goddesse /
But venus is it soþly as I gesse /
245
And þer with al on knees a doun he fille
And seyde venus if it be þy wille
Yow in þis gardeyn þus to tansfigure
Byfore me sorwful wrecched creature
Out of þis prisoū help þat we mowe scape
250
And if so be my destenye be schape /
By eterne world to deyen in pisoū
Of oure lynage haue som compassioū
That is so lowe y brougħt by tyrannie
And with þat word Arcite gan aspye
255
Wher as þis lady romed to and fro