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What governaunce is in this prescience, That giltelees tormenteth innocence? And yet encreseth this al my penaunce, That man is bounden to his observaunce, For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille, Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne; But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, Though in this world he have care and wo: With-outen doute it may stonden so. The answere of this I lete to divynis, But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is. Allas! I see a serpent or a theef, That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne. But I mot been in prison thurgh Saturne, And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood, That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde. And Venus sleeth me on that other syde For Ielousye, and fere of him Arcite.’ What governaunce is in this prescience, That giltelees tormenteth innocence? And yet encreseth this al my penaunce, That man is bounden to his observaunce, For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille, Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne; But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, Though in this world he have care and wo: With-outen doute it may stonden so. The answere of this I lete to divynis, But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is. Allas! I see a serpent or a theef, That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne. But I mot been in prison thurgh Saturne, And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood, That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde. And Venus sleeth me on that other syde For Ielousye, and fere of him Arcite.’
Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte, And lete him in his prison stille dwelle, And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle. Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte, And lete him in his prison stille dwelle, And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.

Original Text

Modern Text

What governaunce is in this prescience, That giltelees tormenteth innocence? And yet encreseth this al my penaunce, That man is bounden to his observaunce, For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille, Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne; But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, Though in this world he have care and wo: With-outen doute it may stonden so. The answere of this I lete to divynis, But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is. Allas! I see a serpent or a theef, That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne. But I mot been in prison thurgh Saturne, And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood, That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde. And Venus sleeth me on that other syde For Ielousye, and fere of him Arcite.’ What governaunce is in this prescience, That giltelees tormenteth innocence? And yet encreseth this al my penaunce, That man is bounden to his observaunce, For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille, Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne; But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne, Though in this world he have care and wo: With-outen doute it may stonden so. The answere of this I lete to divynis, But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is. Allas! I see a serpent or a theef, That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne. But I mot been in prison thurgh Saturne, And eek thurgh Iuno, Ialous and eek wood, That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde. And Venus sleeth me on that other syde For Ielousye, and fere of him Arcite.’
Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte, And lete him in his prison stille dwelle, And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle. Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte, And lete him in his prison stille dwelle, And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle.