The Franklin's Prologue
709: Thise olde gentil britouns in hir dayes 
710: Of diverse aventures maden layes, 
711: Rymeyed in hir firste briton tonge; 
712: Whiche leyes with hir instrumentz songe, 
713: Or elles redden hem for hir plesaunce, 
714: And oon of hem have I in remembraunce, 
715: Which I shal seyn with good wyl as I kan. 
716: But, sires, by cause I am a burel man, 
717: At my bigynnyng first I yow biseche, 
718: Have me excused of my rude speche. 
719: I lerned nevere rethorik, certeyn; 
720: Thyng that I speke, it moot be bare and pleyn. 
721: I sleep nevere on the mount of pernaso, 
722: Ne lerned marcus tullius scithero. 
723: Colours ne knowe I none, withouten drede, 
724: But swiche colours as growen in the mede, 
725: Or elles swiche as men dye or peynte. 
726: Colours of rethoryk been to me queynte; 
727: My spririt feeleth noght of swich mateere. 
728: But if yow list, my tale shul ye heere.

The Franklin's Tale
729: In armorik, that called is britayne, 
730: Ther was a knyght that loved and dide his payne 
731: To serve a lady in his beste wise; 
732: And many a labour, many a greet emprise 
733: He for his lady wroghte, er she were wonne. 
734: For she was oon the faireste under sonne, 
735: And eek therto comen of so heigh kynrede 
736: That wel unnethes dorste this knyght, drede, 
737: Telle hire his wo, his peyne, and his distresse. 
738: But atte laste she, for his worthynesse, 
739: And namely for his meke obeysaunce, 
740: Hath swich a pitee caught of his penaunce 
741: That pryvely she fil of his accord 
742: To take hym for hir housbonde and hir lord, 
743: Of swich lordshipe as men han over hir wyves. 
744: And for to lede the moore in blisse hir lyves, 
745: Of his free wyl he swoor hire as a knyght 
746: That nevere in al his lyf he, day ne nyght, 
747: Ne sholde upon hym take no maistrie 
748: Agayn hir wyl, ne kithe hire jalousie, 
749: But hire obeye, and folwe hir wyl in al, 
750: As any lovere to his lady shal, 
751: Save that the name of soveraynetee, 
752: That wolde he have for shame of his degree. 
753: She thanked hym, and with ful greet humblesse 
754: She seyde, sire, sith of youre gentillesse 
755: Ye profre me to have so large a reyne, 
756: Ne wolde nevere God bitwixe us tweyne, 
757: As in my gilt, were outher werre or stryf. 
758: Sire, I wol be youre humble trewe wyf; 
759: Have heer my trouthe, til that myn herte breste. 
760: Thus been they bothe in quiete and in reste. 
761: For o thyng, sires, saufly dar I seye, 
762: That freendes everych oother moot obeye, 
763: If they wol longe holden compaignye. 
764: Love wol nat been constreyned by maistrye. 
765: Whan maistrie comth, the God of love anon 
766: Beteth his wynges, and farewel, he is gon! 
767: Love is a thyng as any spirit free. 
768: Wommen, of kynde, desiren libertee, 
769: And nat to been constreyned as a thral; 
770: And so doon men, if I sooth seyen shal. 
771: Looke who that is moost pacient in love, 
772: He is at his advantage al above. 
773: Pacience is an heigh vertu, certeyn, 
774: For it venquysseth, as thise clerkes seyn, 
775: Thynges that rigour sholde nevere atteyne. 
776: For every word men may nat chide or pleyne. 
777: Lerneth to suffre, or elles, so moot I goon, 
778: Ye shul it lerne, wher so ye wole or noon; 
779: For in this world, certein, ther no wight is 
780: That he ne dooth or seith somtyme amys. 
781: Ire, siknesse, or constellacioun, 
782: Wyn, wo, or chaungynge of complexioun 
783: Causeth ful ofte to doon amys or speken. 
784: On every wrong a man may nat be wreken. 
785: After the tyme moste be temperaunce 
786: To every wight that kan on governaunce. 
787: And therfore hath this wise, worthy knyght, 
788: To lyve in ese, suffrance hire bihight, 
789: And she to hym ful wisly gan to swere 
790: That nevere sholde ther be defaunte in here. 
791: Heere may men seen an humble, wys accord; 
792: Thus hath she take hir servant and hir lord, -- 
793: Servant in love, and lord in mariage. 
794: Thanne was he bothe in lordshipe and servage. 
795: Servage? nay, but in lordshipe above, 
796: Sith he hath bothe his lady and his love; 
797: His lady, certes, and his wyf also, 
798: The which that lawe of love acordeth to. 
799: And whan he was in this prosperitee, 
800: Hoom with his wyf he gooth to his contree, 
801: Nat fer fro pedmark, ther his dwellyng was, 
802: Where as he lyveth in blisse and in solas. 
803: Who koude telle, but he hadde wedded be, 
804: The joye, the ese, and the prosperitee 
805: That is bitwixe and housbonde and his wyf? 
806: A yeer and moore lasted this blisful lyf, 
807: Til that the knyght of which I speke thus, 
808: That of kayrrud was cleped arveragus, 
809: Shoop hym to goon and dwelle a yeer or tweyne 
810: In engelond, that cleped was eek briteyne, 
811: To seke in armes worshipe and honour; 
812: For al his lust he sette in swich labour; 
813: And dwelled there two yeer, the book seith thus. 
814: now wol I stynten of this arveragus, 
815: And speken I wole of dorigen his wyf, 
816: That loveth hire housbonde as hire hertes lyf, 
817: For his absence wepeth she and siketh, 
818: As doon thise noble wyves whan hem liketh. 
819: She moorneth, waketh, wayleth, fasteth, pleyneth; 
820: Desir of his presence hire so destreyneth 
821: That al this wyde world she sette at noght. 
822: Hire freendes, whiche that knewe hir hevy thoght, 
823: Conforten hire in al that ever they may. 
824: They prechen hire, they telle hire nyght and day 
825: That causelees she sleeth hirself, allas! 
826: And every confort possible in this cas 
827: They doon to hire with al hire bisynesse, 
828: Al for to make hire leve hire hevynesse. 
829: by process, as ye knowen everichoon, 
830: Men may so longe graven in a stoon 
831: Til som figure therinne emprented be. 
832: So longe han they conforted hire, til she 
833: Receyved hath, by hope and by resoun, 
834: The empreyntyng of hire consolacioun, 
835: Thurgh which hir grete sorwe gan aswage; 
836: She may nat alwey duren in swich rage 
837: and eek arveragus, in al this care, 
838: Hath sent hire lettres hoom of his welfare, 
839: And that he wol come hastily agayn; 
840: Or elles hadde this sorwe hir herte slayn. 
841: hire freendes sawe hir sorwe gan to slake, 
842: And preyde hire on knees, for goddes sake, 
843: To come and romen hire in compaignye, 
844: Awey to dryve hire derke fantasye. 
845: And finally she graunted that requeste, 
846: For wel she saugh that it was for the beste. 
847: now stood hire castel faste by the see, 
848: And often with hire freendes walketh shee, 
849: Hire to disporte, upon the bank an heigh, 
850: Where as she many a ship and barge seigh 
851: Seillynge hir cours, where as hem liste go. 
852: But thanne was that a parcel of hire wo, 
853: For to hirself ful ofte, allas! seith she, 
854: Is ther no ship, of so manye as I se, 
855: Wol bryngeth hom my lord? thanne were myn herte 
856: Al warisshed of his bittre peynes smerte. 
857: another tyme them wolde she sitte and thynke, 
858: And caste hir eyen dounward fro the brynke. 
859: But whan she saugh the grisly rokkes blake, 
860: For verray feere so wolde hir herte quake 
861: That on hire feet she myghte hire noght sustene. 
862: Thanne wolde she sitte adoun upon the grene, 
863: And pitously into the see biholde, 
864: And seyn right thus, with sorweful sikes colde -- 
865: eterne god, that thurgh thy purveiaunce 
866: Ledest the world by certein governaunce, 
867: In ydel, as men seyn, ye no thyng make, 
868: But, lord, thise grisly feendly rokkes blake, 
869: That semen rather a foul confusion 
870: Of werk than any fair creacion 
871: Of swich a parfit wys God and a stable 
872: Why han ye wroght this werk unresonable? 
873: For by this werk, south, north, ne west, ne eest, 
874: Ther nys yfostred man, ne bryd, ne beest; 
875: It dooth no good, to my wit, but anoyeth. 
876: So ye nat, lord, how mankynde it destroyeth? 
877: An hundred thousand bodyes of mankynde 
878: Han rokkes slayn, al be they nat in mynde, 
879: Which mankynde is so fair part of thy werk 
880: That thou it madest lyk to thyn owene merk. 
881: Thanne semed it ye hadde a greet chiertee 
882: Toward mankynde; but how thanne may it bee 
883: That ye swiche meenes make it to destroyen, 
884: Whiche meenes do no good, but evere anoyen? 
885: I woot wel clerkes wol seyn as hem leste, 
886: By argumentz, that al is for the beste, 
887: Though I ne kan the causes nat yknowe. 
888: But thilke God that made wynd to blowe 
889: As kepe my lord! this my conclusion. 
890: To clerkes lete I al disputison. 
891: But wolde God that alle thise rokkes blake 
892: Were sonken into helle for his sake! 
893: Thise rokkes sleen myn herte for the feere. 
894: Thus wolde she seyn, with many a pitous teere. 
895: hire freendes sawe that it was no disport 
896: To romen by the see, but disconfort, 
897: And shopen for to pleyen somwher elles. 
898: They leden hire by ryveres and by welles, 
899: And eek in othere places delitables; 
900: They dauncen, and they pleyen at ches and tables. 
901: so on a day, right in the morwe-tyde, 
902: Unto a gardyn that was ther bisyde, 
903: In which that they hadde maad hir ordinaunce 
904: Of vitaille and of oother purveiaunce, 
905: They goon and pleye hem al the longe day. 
906: And this was on the sixte morwe of may, 
907: Which may hadde peynted with his softe shoures 
908: This gardyn ful of leves and of floures; 
909: And craft of mannes hand so curiously 
910: Arrayed hadde this gardyn, trewely, 
911: That nevere was ther gardyn of swich prys, 
912: But if it were the verray paradys. 
913: The odour of floures and the fresshe sighte 
914: Wolde han maked any herte lighte 
915: That evere was born, but if to greet siknesse, 
916: Or to greet sorwe, helde it in distresse; 
917: So ful it was of beautee with plesaunce. 
918: At after-dyner gonne they to daunce, 
919: And synge also, save dorigen allone, 
920: Which made alwey hir compleint and hir moone, 
921: For she ne saugh hym on the daunce go 
922: That was hir housbonde and hir love also. 
923: But nathelees she moste a tyme abyde, 
924: And with good hope lete hir sorwe slyde. 
925: upon this daunce, amonges othere men, 
926: Daunced a squier biforn dorigen, 
927: That fressher was and jolyer of array, 
928: As to my doom, than is the month of may. 
929: He syngeth, daunceth, passynge any man 
930: That is, or was, sith that the world bigan. 
931: Therwith he was, if men sholde hym discryve, 
932: Oon of the beste farynge man on lyve; 
933: Yong, strong, right vertuous, and riche, and wys, 
934: And wel biloved, and holden in greet prys. 
935: And shortly, if the sothe I tellen shal, 
936: Unwityng of this dorigen at al, 
937: This lusty squier, servant to venus, 
938: Which that ycleped was aurelius, 
939: Hadde loved hire best of any creature 
940: Two yeer and moore, as was his aventure, 
941: But nevere dorste he tellen hire his grevaunce. 
942: Withouten coppe he drank al his penaunce. 
943: He was despeyred; no thyng dorste he seye, 
944: Save in his songes somwhat wolde he wreye 
945: His wo, as in a general compleynyng; 
946: He seyde he lovede, and was biloved no thyng. 
947: Of swich matere made he manye layes, 
948: Songes, compleintes, roundels, virelayes, 
949: How that he dorste nat his sorwe telle, 
950: But langwissheth as a furye dooth in helle; 
951: And dye he moste, he seyde, as dide ekko 
952: For narcisus, that dorste nat telle hir wo. 
953: In oother manere than ye heere me seye, 
954: Ne dorste he nat to hire his wo biwreye, 
955: Save that, paraventure, somtyme at daunces, 
956: Ther yonge folk kepen hir observaunces, 
957: It may wel be he looked on hir face 
958: In swich a wise as man that asketh grace; 
959: But nothyng wiste she of his entente. 
960: Nathelees it happed, er they thennes wente, 
961: By cause that he was hire neighebour, 
962: And was a man of worshipe and honour, 
963: And hadde yknowen hym of tyme yoore, 
964: They fille in speche; and forth, moore and moore, 
965: Unto his purpos drough aurelius, 
966: and whan he saugh his tyme, he seyde thus -- 
967: madame, quod he, by God that this world made, 
968: So that I wiste it myghte youre herte glade, 
969: I wolde that day that youre arveragus 
970: Wente over the see, that I, aurelius, 
971: Hadde went ther nevere I sholde have come agayn. 
972: For wel I woot my servyce is in vayn; 
973: My gerdon is but brestyng of myn herte. 
974: Madame, reweth upon my peynes smerte; 
975: For with a word ye may me sleen or save. 
976: Heere at youre feet God wolde that I were grave! 
977: I ne have as now no leyser moore to seye; 
978: Have mercy, sweete, or ye wol do me deye! 
979: she gan to looke upon aurelius -- 
980: Is this youre wyl, quod she, and sey ye thus? 
981: Nevere erst, quod she, ne wiste I what ye mente. 
982: But now, aurelie, I knowe your entente, 
983: By thilke God that yaf me soule and lyf, 
984: Ne shal I nevere been untrewe wyf 
985: In word ne werk, as fer as I have wit; 
986: I wol been his to whom that I am knyt. 
987: Taak this for fynal answere as of me. 
988: But after that in pley thus seyde she -- 
989: aurelie, quod she, by heighe God above, 
990: Yet wolde I graunte yow to been youre love, 
991: Syn I yow se so pitously complayne. 
992: Looke what day that endelong britayne 
993: Ye remoeve alle the rokkes, stoon by stoon, 
994: That they ne lette ship ne boot to goon, -- 
995: I seye, whan ye han maad the coost so clene 
996: Of rokkes that ther nys no stoon ysene, 
997: Thanne wol I love yow best of any man, 
998: Have heer my trouthe, in al that evere I kan. 
999: Is ther noon oother grace in yow? quod he. 
1000: no, by that lord, quod she, that maked me! 
1001: For wel I woot that it shal never bityde. 
1002: Lat swiche folies out of youre herte slyde. 
1003: What deyntee sholde a man han in his lyf 
1004: For to go love another mannes wyf, 
1005: That hath hir body whan so that hym liketh? 
1006: aurelius ful ofte soore siketh; 
1007: Wo was aurelie whan that he this herde, 
1008: And with a sorweful herte he thus answerde; 
1009: madame, quod he, this were inpossible! 
1010: Thanne moot I dye of sodeyn deth horrible. 
1011: And with that word he turned hym anon. 
1012: Tho coome hir othere freendes many oon, 
1013: And in the aleyes romeden up and doun, 
1014: And nothyng wiste of this conclusioun, 
1015: But sodeynly bigonne revel newe 
1016: Til that the brighte sonne loste his hewe; 
1017: For th'orisonte hath reft the sonne his lyght, -- 
1018: This is as muche to seye as it was nyght! -- 
1019: And hoom they goon in joye and in solas, 
1020: Save oonly wrecche aurelius, allas! 
1021: He to his hous is goon with sorweful herte. 
1022: He seeth he may nat fro his deeth asterte; 
1023: Hym semed that he felte his herte colde. 
1024: Up to the hevene his handes he gan holde, 
1025: And on his knowes bare he sette hym doun, 
1026: And in his ravyng seyde his orisoun. 
1027: For verray wo out of his wit he breyde. 
1028: He nyste what he spak, but thus he seyde; 
1029: With pitous herte his pleynt hath bigonne 
1030: Unto the goddes, and first unto the sonne; 
1031: he seyde, appollo, God and governour 
1032: Of every plaunte, herbe, tree, and flour, 
1033: That yevest, after thy declinacion, 
1034: To ech of hem his tyme and his seson, 
1035: As thyn herberwe chaungeth lowe or heighe, 
1036: Lord phebus, cast thy merciable eighe 
1037: On wrecche aurelie, which that am but lorn. 
1038: Lo, lord! my lady hath my deeth ysworn 
1039: Withoute gilt, but thy benignytee 
1040: Upon my dedly herte have som pitee. 
1041: For wel I woot, lord phebus, if yow lest, 
1042: Ye may me helpen, save my lady, best. 
1043: Now voucheth sauf that I may yow devyse 
1044: How that I may been holpen and in what wyse. 
1045: youre blisful suster, lucina the sheene, 
1046: That of the see is chief goddesse and queene 
1047: (though neptunus have deitee in the see,, 
1048: Yet emperisse aboven hym is she), 
1049: Ye knowen wel, lord, that right as hir desir 
1050: Is to be quyked and lighted of youre fir, 
1051: For which she folweth yow ful bisily, 
1052: Right so the see desireth naturelly 
1053: To folwen hire, as she that is goddesse 
1054: Bothe in the see and ryveres moore and lesse. 
1055: Wherfore, lord phebus, this is my requeste -- 
1056: Do this miracle, or do myn herte breste -- 
1057: That now next at this opposicion 
1058: Which in the signe shal be of the leon, 
1059: As preieth hire so greet a flood to brynge 
1060: That fyve fadme at the leeste it oversprynge 
1061: The hyeste rokke in armorik briteyne; 
1062: And lat this flood endure yeres tweyne. 
1063: Thanne certes to my lady may I seye, 
1064: 'holdeth youre heste, the rokkes been aweye.' 
1065: lord phebus, dooth this miracle for me. 
1066: Preye hire she go no faster cours than ye; 
1067: I seye, preyeth your suster that she go 
1068: No faster cours than ye thise yeres two. 
1069: Thanne shal she been evene atte fulle alwey, 
1070: And spryng flood laste bothe nyght and day. 
1071: And but she vouche sauf in swich manere 
1072: To graunte me my sovereyn lady deere, 
1073: Prey hire to synken every rok adoun 
1074: Into hir owene dirke regioun 
1075: Under the ground, ther pluto dwelleth inne, 
1076: Or nevere mo shal I my lady wynne. 
1077: Thy temple in delphos wol I barefoot seke. 
1078: Lord phebus, se the teris on my cheke, 
1079: And of my peyne have som compassioun. 
1080: And with that word in swowne he fil adoun, 
1081: And longe tyme he lay forth in a traunce. 
1082: his brother, which that knew of his penaunce, 
1083: Up caughte hym, and to bedde he hath hym broght. 
1084: Dispeyred in this torment and this thoght 
1085: Lete I this woful creature lye; 
1086: Chese he, for me, wheither he wol lyve or dye. 
1087: arveragus, with heele and greet honour, 
1088: As he that was of chivalrie the flour, 
1089: Is comen hoom, and othere worthy men. 
1090: O blisful artow now, thou dorigen, 
1091: That hast thy lusty housbonde in thyne armes, 
1092: The fresshe knyght, the worthy man of armes, 
1093: That loveth thee as his owene hertes lyf. 
1094: No thyng list hym to been ymaginatyf, 
1095: If any wight hadde spoke, whil he was oute, 
1096: To hire of love; he hadde of it no doute. 
1097: He noght entendeth to no swich mateere, 
1098: But daunceth, justeth, maketh hire good cheere; 
1099: And thus in joye and blisse I lete hem dwelle, 
1100: And of the sike aurelius wol I telle. 
1101: in langour and in torment furyus 
1102: Two yeer and moore lay wrecche aurelyus, 
1103: Er any foot he myghte on erthe gon; 
1104: Ne confort in this tyme hadde he noon, 
1105: Save of his brother, which that was a clerk. 
1106: He knew of al this wo and al this werk; 
1107: For to noon oother creature, certeyn, 
1108: Of this matere he dorste no word seyn. 
1109: Under his brest he baar it moore secree 
1110: Than evere dide pamphilus for galathee. 
1111: His brest was hool, withoute for to sene, 
1112: But in his herte ay was the arwe kene. 
1113: And wel ye knowe that of a sursanure 
1114: In surgerye is perilus the cure, 
1115: But men myghte touche the arwe, or come therby. 
1116: His brother weep and wayled pryvely, 
1117: Til atte laste hym fil in remembraunce, 
1118: That whiles he was at orliens in fraunce, 
1119: As yonge clerkes, that been lykerous 
1120: To redern artes that been curious, 
1121: Seken in every halke and every herne 
1122: Particuler sciences for to lerne -- 
1123: He hym remembred that, upon a day, 
1124: At orliens in studie a book he say 
1125: Of magyk natureel, which his felawe, 
1126: That was that tyme a bacheler of lawe, 
1127: Al were he ther to lerne another craft, 
1128: Hadde prively upon his desk ylaft; 
1129: Which book spak muchel of the operaciouns 
1130: Touchynge the eighte and twenty mansiouns 
1131: That longen to the moone, and swich folye 
1132: As in oure dayes is nat worth a flye, -- 
1133: For hooly chirches feith in our bileve 
1134: Ne suffreth noon illusioun us to greve. 
1135: And whan this book was in his remembraunce, 
1136: Anon for joye his herte gan to daunce, 
1137: And to hymself he seyde pryvely; 
1138: My brother shal be warisshed hastily; 
1139: For I am siker that ther be sciences 
1140: By whiche men make diverse apparences, 
1141: Swiche as thise subtile tregetoures pleye. 
1142: For ofte at feestes have I wel herd seye 
1143: That tregetours, withinne an halle large, 
1144: Have maad come in a water and a barge, 
1145: And in the halle rowen up and doun. 
1146: Somtyme hath semed come a grym leoun; 
1147: And sometyme floures sprynge as in a mede; 
1148: Somtyme a vyne, and grapes white and rede; 
1149: Somtyme a castel, al of lym and stoon; 
1150: And whan hem lyked, voyded it anon. 
1151: Thus semed it to every mannes sighte. 
1152: Now thanne conclude I thus, that if I myghte 
1153: At orliens som oold felawe yfynde 
1154: That hadde thise moones mansions in mynde, 
1155: Or oother magyk natureel above, 
1156: He sholde wel make my brother han his love. 
1157: For with an apparence a clerk may make, 
1158: To mannes sighte, that alle the rokkes blake 
1159: Of britaigne weren yvoyded everichon, 
1160: And shippes by the brynke comen and gon, 
1161: And in swich forme enduren a wowke or two. 
1162: Thanne were my brother warisshed of his wo; 
1163: Thanne moste she nedes holden hire biheste, 
1164: Or elles he shal shame hire atte leeste. 
1165: what sholde I make a lenger tale of this? 
1166: Unto his brotheres bed he comen is, 
1167: And swich confort he yaf hym for to gon 
1168: To orliens that he up stirte anon, 
1169: And on his wey forthward thanne is he fare 
1170: In hope for to been lissed of his care. 
1171: whan they were come almoost to that citee, 
1172: But if it were a two furlong or thre, 
1173: A yong clerk romynge by hymself they mette, 
1174: Which that in latyn thriftily hem grette, 
1175: And after that he seyde a wonder thyng -- 
1176: I knowe, quod he, the cause of youre comyng. 
1177: And er they ferther any foote wente, 
1178: He tolde hem al that was in hire entente. 
1179: this briton clerk hym asked of felawes 
1180: The whiche that he had knowe in olde dawes, 
1181: And he answerde hym that they dede were, 
1182: For which he weep ful ofte many a teere. 
1183: doun of his hors aurelius lighte anon, 
1184: And with this magicien forth is he gon 
1185: Hoom to his hous, and maden hem wel at ese. 
1186: Hem lakked no vitaille that myghte hem plese. 
1187: So wel arrayed hous as ther was oon 
1188: Aurelius in his lyf saugh nevere noon. 
1189: he shewed hym, er he wente to sopeer, 
1190: Forestes, parkes ful of wilde deer; 
1191: Ther saugh he hertes with hir hornes hye, 
1192: The gretteste that evere were seyn with ye. 
1193: He saugh of hem an hondred slayn with houndes, 
1194: And somme with arwes blede of bittre woundes. 
1195: He saugh, whan voyded were thise wilde deer, 
1196: Thise fauconers upon a fair ryver, 
1197: That with hir haukes han the heron slayn. 
1198: tho saugh he knyghtes justyng in a playn; 
1199: And after this he dide hym swich plesaunce 
1200: That he hym shewed his lady on a daunce, 
1201: On which hymself he daunced, as hym thoughte. 
1202: And whan this maister that this magyk wroughte 
1203: Saugh it was tyme, he clapte his handes two, 
1204: And farewel! al oure revel was ago, 
1205: And yet remoeved they nevere out of the hous, 
1206: Whil they saugh al this sighte merveillous, 
1207: But in his studie, ther as his bookes be, 
1208: They seten stille, and no wight but they thre. 
1209: to hym this maister called his squier, 
1210: And seyde hym thus -- is redy oure soper? 
1211: Almoost an houre it is, I undertake, 
1212: Sith I yow bad oure soper for to make, 
1213: Whan that thise wrothy men wenten with me 
1214: Into my studie, ther as my bookes be. 
1215: sire, quod this squier, whan it liketh yow, 
1216: It is al redy, though ye wol right now. 
1217: Go we thanne soupe, quod he, as for the beste. 
1218: Thise amorous folk somtyme moote han hir reste. 
1219: at after-soper fille they in tretee 
1220: What somme sholde this maistres gerdon be, 
1221: To remoeven alle the rokkes of britayne, 
1222: And eek from gerounde to the mouth of sayne. 
1223: he made it straunge, and swoor, so God hym save, 
1224: Lasse than a thousand pound he wolde nat have, 
1225: Ne gladly for than somme he wolde nat goon. 
1226: aurelius, with blisful herte anoon, 
1227: Answerde thus -- fy on a thousand pound! 
1228: This wyde world, which that men seye is round, 
1229: I wolde it yeve, if I were lord of it. 
1230: This bargayn is ful dryve, for we been knyt. 
1231: Ye shal be payed trewely, by my trouthe! 
1232: But looketh now, for no necligence or slouthe 
1233: Ye tarie us heere no lenger than to-morwe. 
1234: nay, quod this clerk, have heer my feith to borwe. 
1235: to bedde is goon aurelius whan hym leste, 
1236: And wel ny al that nyght he hadde his reste. 
1237: What for his labour and his hope of blisse, 
1238: His woful herte of penaunce hadde a lisse. 
1239: upon the morwe, what that it was day, 
1240: To britaigne tooke they the righte way, 
1241: Aurelius and this magicien bisyde, 
1242: And been descended ther they wolde abyde. 
1243: And this was, as thise bookes me remembre, 
1244: The colde, frosty seson of decembre. 
1245: phebus wax old, and hewed lyk laton, 
1246: That in his hoote declynacion 
1247: Shoon as the burned gold with stremes brighte; 
1248: But now in capricorn adoun he lighte, 
1249: Where as he shoon ful pale, I dar wel seyn, 
1250: The bittre frostes, with the sleet and reyn, 
1251: Destroyed hath the grene in every yerd. 
1252: Janus sit by the fyr, with double berd, 
1253: And drynketh of his bugle horn the wyn; 
1254: Biforn hym stant brawen of the tusked swyn, 
1255: And nowel crieth every lusty man. 
1256: aurelius, in al that evere he kan, 
1257: Dooth to this maister chiere and reverence, 
1258: And preyeth hym to doon his diligence 
1259: To bryngen hym out of his peynes smerte, 
1260: Or with swerd that he wolde slitte his herte. 
1261: this subtil clerk swich routhe had of this man 
1262: That nyght and day he spedde hym that he kan 
1263: To wayten a tyme of his conclusioun; 
1264: This is to seye, to maken illusioun, 
1265: By swich an apparence or jogelrye -- 
1266: I ne kan no termes of astrologye -- 
1267: That she and every wight sholde wene and seye 
1268: That of britaigne the rokkes were aweye, 
1269: Or ellis they were sonken under grounde. 
1270: So atte laste he hath his tyme yfounde 
1271: To maken his japes and his wrecchednesse 
1272: Of swich a supersticiuos cursednesse. 
1273: His tables tolletanes forth he brought, 
1274: Ful wel corrected, ne ther lakked nought, 
1275: Neither his collect ne his expans yeeris, 
1276: Ne his rootes, ne his othere geeris, 
1277: As been his centris and his argumentz 
1278: And his proporcioneles convenientz 
1279: For his equacions in every thyng. 
1280: And by his eighte speere in his wirkyng 
1281: He knew ful wel how fer alnath was shove 
1282: For the heed of thilke fixe aries above, 
1283: That in the ninthe speere considered is; 
1284: Ful subtilly he kalkulled al this. 
1285: whan he hadde founde his firste mansioun, 
1286: He knew the remenaunt by propocioun, 
1287: And knew the arisyng of his moone weel, 
1288: And in whos face, and terme, and everydeel; 
1289: And knew ful weel the moones mansioun 
1290: Acordaunt to his operacioun, 
1291: And knew also his othere observaunces 
1292: For swiche illusiouns and swiche meschaunces 
1293: As hethen folk useden in thilke dayes. 
1294: For which no lenger maked he delayes, 
1295: But thurgh his magik, for a wyke or tweye, 
1296: It semed that alle the rokkes were aweye. 
1297: aurelius, which that yet despeired is 
1298: Wher he shal han his love or fare amys, 
1299: Awaitheth nyght and day on this myracle; 
1300: And whan he knew that ther was noon obstacle, 
1301: That voyded were thise rokkes everychon, 
1302: Doun to his maistres feet he fil anon, 
1303: And seyde, I woful wrecche, aurelius, 
1304: Thanke yow, lord, and lady myn venus, 
1305: That me han holpen fro my cares colde. 
1306: And to the temple his wey forth hath he holde, 
1307: Where as he knew he sholde his lady see. 
1308: And whan he saugh his tyme, anon-right hee, 
1309: With dredful herte and with ful humble cheere, 
1310: Salewed hath his sovereyn lady deere -- 
1311: my righte lady, quod this woful man, 
1312: Whom I moost drede and love as best I kan, 
1313: And lothest were of al this world displese, 
1314: Nere it that I for yow have swich disese 
1315: That I moste dyen heere at youre foot anon, 
1316: Noght wolde I telle how me is wo bigon. 
1317: But certes outher moste I dye or pleyne; 
1318: Ye sle me giltelees for verray peyne. 
1319: But of my deeth thogh that ye have no routhe, 
1320: Avyseth yow er that ye breke youre trouthe. 
1321: Repenteth yow, for thilke God above, 
1322: Er ye me sleen by cause that I yow love. 
1323: For, madame, wel ye woot what ye han hight -- 
1324: Nat that I chalange any thyng of right 
1325: Of yow, my sovereyn lady, but youre grace -- 
1326: But in a gardyn yond, at swich a place, 
1327: Ye woot right wel what ye bihighten me; 
1328: And in my hand youre trouthe plighten ye 
1329: To love me best -- God woot, ye seyde so, 
1330: Al be that I unworthy am therto. 
1331: Madame, I speke it for the honour of yow 
1332: Moore than to save myn hertes lyf right now, -- 
1333: I have do so as ye comanded me; 
1334: And if ye vouche sauf, ye may go see. 
1335: Dooth as yow list; have youre biheste in mynde, 
1336: For, quyk or deed, right there ye shal me fynde. 
1337: In yow lith al to do me lyve or deye, -- 
1338: But wel I woot the rokkes been aweye. 
1339: he taketh his leve, and she astoned stood; 
1340: In al hir face nas a drope of blood. 
1341: She wende nevere han come in swich a trappe. 
1342: Allas, quod she, that evere this sholde happe! 
1343: For wende I nevere by possibilitee 
1344: That swich a monstre or merveille myghte be! 
1345: It is agayns the proces of nature. 
1346: And hoom she goth a sorweful creature; 
1347: For verray feere unnethe may she go. 
1348: She wepeth, wailleth, al a day or two. 
1349: And swowneth, that it routhe was to see. 
1350: But why it was to no wight tolde shee, 
1351: For out of towne was goon arveragus. 
1352: But to hirself she spak, and seyde thus, 
1353: With face pale and with ful sorweful cheere, 
1354: In hire compleynt, as ye shal after heere -- 
1355: allas, quod she, on thee, fortune, I pleyne, 
1356: That unwar wrapped hast me in thy cheyne, 
1357: Fro which t'escape woot I no socour, 
1358: Save oonly deeth or elles dishonour; 
1359: Oon of thise two bihoveth me to chese. 
1360: But nathelees, yet have I levere to lese 
1361: My lif than of my body to have a shame, 
1362: Or knowe myselven fals, or lese my name; 
1363: And with my deth I may be quyt, ywis. 
1364: Hath ther nat many a noble wyf er this, 
1365: And many a mayde, yslayn hirself, allas! 
1366: Rather than with hir body doon trespas? 
1367: yis, certes, lo, thise stories beren witnesse -- 
1368: Whan thritty tirauntz, ful of cursednesse, 
1369: Hadde slayn phidon in atthenes atte feste, 
1370: They comanded his doghtres for t'areste, 
1371: And bryngen hem biforn hem in despit, 
1372: Al naked, to fulfille hir foul delit, 
1373: And in hir fadres blood they made hem daunce 
1374: Upon the pavement, God yeve hem meschaunce! 
1375: For which thise woful maydens, ful of drede, 
1376: Rather than they wolde lese hir maydenhede, 
1377: They prively been stirt into a welle, 
1378: And dreynte hemselven, as the bookes telle. 
1379: they of mecene leete enquere and seke 
1380: Of lacedomye fifty maydens eke, 
1381: On whiche they wolden doon hir lecherye. 
1382: But was ther noon of al that compaignye 
1383: That she nas slayn, and with a good entente 
1384: Chees rather for to dye than assente 
1385: To been oppressed of hir maydenhede. 
1386: Why sholde I thanne to dye been in drede? 
1387: Lo, eek, the tiraunt aristoclides, 
1388: That loved a mayden, heet stymphalides, 
1389: Whan that hir fader slayn was on a nyght, 
1390: Unto dianes temple goth she right, 
1391: And hente the ymage in hir handes two, 
1392: Fro which ymage wolde she nevere go. 
1393: No wight ne myghte hir handes of it arace 
1394: Til she was slayn, right in the selve place. 
1395: now sith that maydens hadden swich despit 
1396: To been defouled with mannes foul delit, 
1397: Wel oghte a wyf rather hirselven slee 
1398: Than be defouled, as it thynketh me. 
1399: What shal I seyn of hasdrubales wyf, 
1400: That at cartage birafte hirself hir lyf? 
1401: For whan she saugh that romayns wan the toun, 
1402: She took hir children alle, and skipte adoun 
1403: Into the fyr, and chees rather to dye 
1404: Than any romayn dide hire vileynye. 
1405: Hath nat lucresse yslayn hirself, allas! 
1406: At rome, whan that she oppressed was 
1407: Of tarquyn, for hire thoughte it was a shame 
1408: To lyven whan that she had lost hir name? 
1409: The sevene maydens of milesie also 
1410: Han slayn hemself, for verrey drede and wo, 
1411: Rather than folk of gawle hem sholde oppresse. 
1412: Mo than a thousand stories, as I gesse, 
1413: Koude I now telle as touchynge this mateere. 
1414: Whan habradate was slayn, his wyf so deere 
1415: Hirselven slow, and leet hir blood to glyde 
1416: In habradates woundes depe and wyde, 
1417: And seyde, my body, at the leeste way, 
1418: Ther shal no wight defoulen, if I may. 
1419: what sholde I mo ensamples heerof sayn, 
1420: Sith that so manye han hemselven slayn 
1421: Wel rather than they wolde defouled be? 
1422: I wol conclude that it is bet for me 
1423: To sleen myself than been defouled thus. 
1424: I wol be trewe unto arveragus, 
1425: Or rather sleen myself in som manere, 
1426: As dide demociones doghter deere 
1427: By cause that she wolde nat defouled be. 
1428: O cedasus, it is ful greet pitee 
1429: To reden how thy doghtren deyde, allas! 
1430: That slowe hemself for swich a manere cas. 
1431: As greet a pitee was it, or wel moore, 
1432: The theban mayden that for nichanore 
1433: Hirselven slow, right for swich manere wo. 
1434: Another theban mayden dide right so; 
1435: For oon of macidonye hadde hire oppressed, 
1436: She with hire deeth hir maydenhede redressed. 
1437: What shal I seye of nicerates wyf, 
1438: That for swich cas birafte hirself hir lyf? 
1439: How trewe eek was to alcebiades 
1440: His love, that rather for to dyen chees 
1441: Than for to suffre his body unburyed be. 
1442: Lo, which a wyf was alceste, quod she. 
1443: What seith omer of good penalopee? 
1444: Al grece knoweth of hire chastitee 
1445: Pardee, of laodomya is writen thus, 
1446: That whan at troie was slayn protheselaus, 
1447: Ne lenger wolde she lyve after his day. 
1448: The same of noble porcia telle I may; 
1449: Withoute brutus koude she nat lyve, 
1450: To whom she hadde al hool hir herte yive. 
1451: The parfit wyfhod of arthemesie 
1452: Honured is thurgh al the barbarie. 
1453: O teuta, queene! thy wyfly chastitee 
1454: To alle wyves may a mirour bee. 
1455: The same thyng I seye of bilyea, 
1456: Of rodogne, and eek valeria. 
1457: thus pleyned dorigen a day or tweye, 
1458: Purposynge evere that she wolde deye. 
1459: But nathelees, upon the thridde nyght, 
1460: Hoom cam arveragus, this worthy knyght, 
1461: And asked hire why that she weep so soore; 
1462: And she gan wepen ever lenger the moore. 
1463: Allas, quod she, that evere was I born! 
1464: Thus have I seyd, quod she, thus have I sworn -- 
1465: And toold hym al as ye han herd bifore; 
1466: It nedeth nat reherce it yow namoore. 
1467: This housbonde, with glad chiere, in freendly wyse 
1468: Answerde and seyde as I shal yow devyse -- 
1469: Is ther oght elles, dorigen, but this? 
1470: nay, nay, quod she, God helpe me so as wys! 
1471: This is to muche, and it were goddes wille. 
1472: ye, wyf, quod he, lat slepen that is stille. 
1473: It may be wel, paraventure, yet to day. 
1474: Ye shul youre trouthe holden, by my fay! 
1475: For God so wisly have mercy upon me, 
1476: I hadde wel levere ystiked for to be 
1477: For verray love which I to yow have, 
1478: But if ye sholde youre trouthe kepe and save. 
1479: Trouthe is the hyeste thyng that man may kepe -- 
1480: But with that word he brast anon to wepe, 
1481: And seyde, I yow forbede, up peyne of deeth, 
1482: That nevere, whil thee lasteth lyf ne breeth, 
1483: To no wight telle thou of this aventure, -- 
1484: As I may best, I wol my wo endure 
1485: Ne make no contenance of hevynesse, 
1486: That folk of yow may demen harm or gesse. 
1487: and forth he cleped a squier and a mayde -- 
1488: Gooth forth anon with dorigen, he sayde, 
1489: And bryngeth hire to swich a place anon. 
1490: They take hir leve, and on hir wey they gon 
1491: But they ne wiste why she thider wente. 
1492: He nolde no wight tellen his entente. 
1493: paraventure an heep of yow, ywis, 
1494: Wol holden hym a lewed man in this 
1495: That he wol putte his wyf in jupartie. 
1496: Herkneth the tale er ye upon hire crie. 
1497: She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth; 
1498: And whan that ye han herd the tale, demeth. 
1499: this squier, which that highte aurelius, 
1500: On dorigen that was so amorous, 
1501: Of aventure happed hire to meete 
1502: Amydde the toun, right in the quykkest strete, 
1503: As she was bown to goon the wey forth right 
1504: Toward the gardyn ther as she had hight. 
1505: And he was to the gardyn-ward also -- 
1506: For wel he spyed whan she wolde go 
1507: Out of hir hous to any maner place. 
1508: But thus they mette, of aventure or grace, 
1509: And he saleweth hire with glad entente, 
1510: And asked of hire whiderward she wente; 
1511: And she answerde, half as she were mad, 
1512: Unto the gardyn, as myn housbonde bad, 
1513: My trouthe for to holde, allas! allas! 
1514: aurelius gan wondren on this cas, 
1515: And in his herte hadde greet compassioun 
1516: Of hire and of hire lamentacioun, 
1517: And of arveragus, the worthy knyght, 
1518: That bad hire holden al that she had hight, 
1519: So looth hym was his wyf sholde breke hir trouthe 
1520: And in his herte he caughte of this greet routhe, 
1521: Considerynge the beste on every syde, 
1522: That fro his lust yet were hym levere abyde 
1523: Than doon so heigh a cherlyssh wrecchednesse 
1524: Agayns franchise and all gentillesse; 
1525: For which in fewe wordes seyde he thus -- 
1526: madame, seyth to youre lord arveragus, 
1527: That sith I se his grete gentillesse 
1528: To yow, and eek I se wel youre distresse, 
1529: That him were levere han shame (and that were routhe) 
1530: Than ye to me sholde breke thus youre trouthe, 
1531: I have wel levere evere to suffre wo 
1532: Than I departe the love bitwix yow two. 
1533: I yow relesse, madame, into youre hond 
1534: Quyt every serement and every bond 
1535: That ye han maad to me as heerbiforn, 
1536: Sith thilke tyme which that ye were born. 
1537: My trouthe I plighte, I shal yow never repreve 
1538: Of no biheste, and heere I take my leve, 
1539: As of the treweste and the beste wyf 
1540: That evere yet I knew in al my lyf. 
1541: But every wyf be war of hire biheeste! 
1542: Or dorigen remembreth, atte leeste. 
1543: Thus kan a squier doon a gentil dede 
1544: As wel as kan a knyght, withouten drede. 
1545: she thonketh hym upon hir knees al bare, 
1546: And hoom unto hir housbonde is she fare, 
1547: And tolde hym al, as ye han herd me sayd; 
1548: And be ye siker, he was so weel apayd 
1549: That it were inpossible me to wryte. 
1550: What sholde I lenger of this cas endyte? 
1551: arveragus and dorigen his wyf 
1552: In sovereyn blisse leden forth hir lyf. 
1553: Nevere eft ne was ther angre hem bitweene. 
1554: He cherisseth hire as though she were a queene, 
1555: And she was to hym trewe for everemoore. 
1556: Of thise two folk ye gete of me namoore. 
1557: aurelius, that his cost hath al forlorn, 
1558: Curseth the tyme that evere he was born -- 
1559: Allas, quod he, allas, that I bihighte 
1560: Of pured gold a thousand pound of wighte 
1561: Unto this philosophre! how shal I do? 
1562: I se namoore but that I am fordo. 
1563: Myn heritage moot I nedes selle, 
1564: And been a beggere; heere may I nat dwelle, 
1565: And shamen al my kynrede in this place, 
1566: But I of hym may gete bettre grace. 
1567: But nathelees, I wole of hym assaye, 
1568: At certeyn dayes, yeer by yeer, to paye, 
1569: And thanke hym of his grete curteisye. 
1570: My trouthe wol I kepe, I wol nat lye. 
1571: with herte soor he gooth unto his cofre, 
1572: And broghte gold unto his philosophre, 
1573: The value of fyve hundred pound, I gesse, 
1574: And hym bisecheth, of his gentillesse, 
1575: To graunte hym dayes of the remenaunt; 
1576: And seyde, maister, I dar wel make avaunt, 
1577: I failled nevere of my trouthe as yit, 
1578: For sikerly my dette shal be quyt 
1579: Towardes yow, howevere that I fare 
1580: To goon a-begged in my kirtle bare. 
1581: But wolde ye vouche sauf, upon seuretee, 
1582: Two yeer or thre for to respiten me, 
1583: Thanne were I wel; for elles moot I selle 
1584: Myn heritage; ther is namoore to telle. 
1585: this philosophre sobrely answerde, 
1586: And seyde thus, whan he thise wordes herde -- 
1587: Have I nat holden covenant unto thee? 
1588: yes, certes, wel and trewely, quod he. 
1589: hastow nat had thy lady as thee liketh? 
1590: no, no, quod he, and sorwefully he siketh. 
1591: what was the cause? tel me if thou kan. 
1592: aurelius his tale anon bigan, 
1593: And tolde hym al, as ye han herd biroore; 
1594: It nedeth nat to yow reherce it moore. 
1595: he seide, arveragus, of gentillesse, 
1596: Hadde levere dye in sorwe and in distresse 
1597: Than that his wyf were of hir trouthe fals. 
1598: The sorwe of dorigen he tolde hym als; 
1599: How looth hire was to been a wikked wyf, 
1600: And that she levere had lost that day hir lyf, 
1601: And that hir trouthe she swoor thurgh innocence, 
1602: She nevere erst hadde herd speke of apparence. 
1603: That made me han of hire so greet pitee; 
1604: And right as frely as he sente hire me, 
1605: As frely sente I hire to hym ageyn, 
1606: This al and som; ther is namoore to seyn. 
1607: This philosophre answerde, leeve brother, 
1608: Everich of yow dide gentilly til oother. 
1609: Thou art a squier, and he is a knyght; 
1610: But God forbede, for his blisful myght, 
1611: But if a clerk koude doon a gentil dede 
1612: As wel as any of yow, it is no drede! 
1613: sire, I releesse thee thy thousand pound, 
1614: As thou right now were cropen out of the ground, 
1615: Ne nevere er now ne haddest knowen me. 
1616: For, sire, I wol nat taken a peny of thee 
1617: For al my craft, ne noght for my travaille. 
1618: Thou hast ypayed wel for my vitaille. 
1619: It is ynogh, and farewel, have good day! 
1620: And took his hors, and forth he goth his way. 
1621: Lordynges, this question, thanne, wol I aske now, 
1622: Which was the mooste fre, as thenketh yow? 
1623: Now telleth me, er that ye ferther wende. 
1624: I kan namoore; my tale is at an ende. 

Return to: directory.html Canterbury Tales Directory