* * * * *
=Here biginneth the Frankeleyns Tale.=
In Armorik, that called is Britayne,
Ther was a knight that loved and dide his payne 730
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.
For she was oon, the faireste under sonne,
And eek therto come of so heigh kinrede, 735
That wel unnethes dorste this knight, for drede,
Telle hir his wo, his peyne, and his distresse.
But atte laste, she, for his worthinesse, (10)
And namely for his meke obeysaunce,
Hath swich a pitee caught of his penaunce, 740
That prively she fil of his accord
To take him for hir housbonde and hir lord,
Of swich lordshipe as men han over hir wyves;
And for to lede the more in blisse hir lyves,
Of his free wil he swoor hir as a knight, 745
That never in al his lyf he, day ne night,
Ne sholde up-on him take no maistrye
Agayn hir wil, ne kythe hir Ialousye, (20)
But hir obeye, and folwe hir wil in al
As any lovere to his lady shal; 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,
[484: T. 11069-11106.]
As in my gilt, were outher werre or stryf.
Sir, I wol be your humble trewe wyf, (30)
Have heer my trouthe, til that myn herte breste.’
Thus been they bothe in quiete and in reste. 760
For o thing, sires, saufly dar I seye,
That frendes everich other moot obeye,
If they wol longe holden companye.
Love wol nat ben constreyned by maistrye;
Whan maistrie comth, the god of love anon 765
Beteth hise winges, and farewel! he is gon!
Love is a thing as any spirit free;
Wommen of kinde desiren libertee, (40)
And nat to ben constreyned as a thral;
And so don men, if I soth seyen shal. 770
Loke who that is most pacient in love,
He is at his avantage al above.
Pacience is an heigh vertu certeyn;
For it venquisseth, as thise clerkes seyn,
Thinges that rigour sholde never atteyne. 775
For every word men may nat chyde or pleyne.
Lerneth to suffre, or elles, so moot I goon,
Ye shul it lerne, wher-so ye wole or noon. (50)
For in this world, certein, ther no wight is,
That he ne dooth or seith som-tyme amis. 780
Ire, siknesse, or constellacioun,
Wyn, wo, or chaunginge of complexioun
Causeth ful ofte to doon amis or speken.
On every wrong a man may nat be wreken;
After the tyme, moste be temperaunce 785
To every wight that can on governaunce.
And therfore hath this wyse worthy knight,
To live in ese, suffrance hir bihight, (60)
And she to him ful wisly gan to swere
That never sholde ther be defaute in here. 790