First wol I telle yow of Cambynskan, 665 Ne hadde he ben holpen by the stede of bras ; That faught in listes with the bretheren two (660) For Canacee, er that he mighte hir winne. Here folwen the wordes of the Frankelin to the Squier, and the wordes of the Host to the Frankelin. 'In feith, Squier, thou hast thee wel y-quit, And gentilly I preise wel thy wit,' Quod the Frankeleyn, 'considering thy youthe, 675 So feelingly thou spekest, sir, I allow the! As to my doom, there is non that is here If that thou live; god yeve thee good chaunce, I have a sone, and, by the Trinitee, I hadde lever than twenty pound worth lond, As that ye been! fy on possessioun 664. E. Theodera. 672. Here the MSS. fail. HEADING. So E.; Hn. chauntes tale. 676. E. allowethe; Hn. allowthe. in place of 11. 671, 672. 680 (10) 685 Ln. has 8 spurious lines The prologe of the Mar But-if a man be vertuous with-al. I have my sone snibbed, and yet shal, But for to pleye at dees, and to despende, 'Straw for your gentillesse,' quod our host; 'That knowe I wel, sir,' quod the frankeleyn ; 'I prey yow, haveth me nat in desdeyn Than woot I wel that it is good y-now.' [The Frankleyn's Prologue follows immediately; see p. 482.] 690 (20) 695 700 (30) 705 E. Hn. Pt. hoost, woost. 689. E. listneth; rest listeth, lusteth. 695, 696. Laud 600 has host, wost; I i THE FRANKLIN'S PROLOGUE. (T. 11021-11040). The Prologe of the Frankeleyns Tale. [This Prologue follows immediately after the Words on p. 481.] HISE olde gentil Britons in hir dayes THIS Tof diverse aventures maden layes, Of Rymeyed in hir firste Briton tonge; Which layes with hir instruments they songe, At my biginning first I yow biseche I lerned never rethoryk certeyn ; Thing that I speke, it moot be bare and pleyn. I sleep never on the mount of Pernaso, Or elles swiche as men dye or peynte. 720 (50) 725 HEADING. So E.; Ln. Incipit prologus de le Frankeleyne; Hn. Pt. Here bigynneth the Frankeleyns tale. Hl. omits 11. 709-1223. 712. E. whiche. 722. E. Hn. Scithero. 726. Cp. Ln. ben me to; Pt. bene to me; Hn. they ben to; E. been to. THE FRANKELEYNS TALE. Here biginneth the Frankeleyns Tale. IN Armorik, that called is Britayne, Ther was a knight that loved and dide his payne To serve a lady in his beste wyse; And many a labour, many a greet empryse He for his lady wroghte, er she were wonne. To take him for hir housbonde and hir lord, 730 735 (10) 740 745 (20) 750 Save that the name of soveraynetee, That wolde he have for shame of his degree. She thanked him, and with ful greet humblesse She seyde, 'sire, sith of your gentillesse Ye profre me to have so large a reyne, 755 Ne wolde never god bitwixe us tweyne, As in my gilt, were outher werre or stryf. Have heer my trouthe, til that myn herte breste.' Heer may men seen an humble wys accord; may I nack, so may (30) 760 765 (40) 770 775 (50) 780 785 (60) 790 772. E. auantate (sic). 791. E. Heere. 794. E. Thanne. |