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Whan that this worthy duk, this Theseus, Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus, Stille in that feeld he took al night his reste, And dide with al the contree as him leste. Whan that this worthy duk, this Theseus, Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus, Stille in that feeld he took al night his reste, And dide with al the contree as him leste.
To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede, Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, The pilours diden bisinesse and cure, After the bataille and disconfiture. And so bifel, that in the tas they founde, Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, Two yonge knightes ligging by and by, Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely, Of whiche two, Arcita hight that oon, And that other knight hight Palamon. Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were, But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere, The heraudes knewe hem best in special, As they that weren of the blood royal Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born. Out of the tas the pilours han hem torn, And han hem caried softe unto the tente Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente To Athenës, to dwellen in prisoun Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun. And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don, He took his host, and hoom he rood anon With laurer crowned as a conquerour; And there he liveth, in Ioye and in honour, Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo? And in a tour, in angwish and in wo, Dwellen this Palamoun and eek Arcite, For evermore, ther may no gold hem quyte. To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede, Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, The pilours diden bisinesse and cure, After the bataille and disconfiture. And so bifel, that in the tas they founde, Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, Two yonge knightes ligging by and by, Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely, Of whiche two, Arcita hight that oon, And that other knight hight Palamon. Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were, But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere, The heraudes knewe hem best in special, As they that weren of the blood royal Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born. Out of the tas the pilours han hem torn, And han hem caried softe unto the tente Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente To Athenës, to dwellen in prisoun Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun. And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don, He took his host, and hoom he rood anon With laurer crowned as a conquerour; And there he liveth, in Ioye and in honour, Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo? And in a tour, in angwish and in wo, Dwellen this Palamoun and eek Arcite, For evermore, ther may no gold hem quyte.

Original Text

Modern Text

Whan that this worthy duk, this Theseus, Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus, Stille in that feeld he took al night his reste, And dide with al the contree as him leste. Whan that this worthy duk, this Theseus, Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus, Stille in that feeld he took al night his reste, And dide with al the contree as him leste.
To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede, Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, The pilours diden bisinesse and cure, After the bataille and disconfiture. And so bifel, that in the tas they founde, Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, Two yonge knightes ligging by and by, Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely, Of whiche two, Arcita hight that oon, And that other knight hight Palamon. Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were, But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere, The heraudes knewe hem best in special, As they that weren of the blood royal Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born. Out of the tas the pilours han hem torn, And han hem caried softe unto the tente Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente To Athenës, to dwellen in prisoun Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun. And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don, He took his host, and hoom he rood anon With laurer crowned as a conquerour; And there he liveth, in Ioye and in honour, Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo? And in a tour, in angwish and in wo, Dwellen this Palamoun and eek Arcite, For evermore, ther may no gold hem quyte. To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede, Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, The pilours diden bisinesse and cure, After the bataille and disconfiture. And so bifel, that in the tas they founde, Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, Two yonge knightes ligging by and by, Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely, Of whiche two, Arcita hight that oon, And that other knight hight Palamon. Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were, But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere, The heraudes knewe hem best in special, As they that weren of the blood royal Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born. Out of the tas the pilours han hem torn, And han hem caried softe unto the tente Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente To Athenës, to dwellen in prisoun Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun. And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don, He took his host, and hoom he rood anon With laurer crowned as a conquerour; And there he liveth, in Ioye and in honour, Terme of his lyf; what nedeth wordes mo? And in a tour, in angwish and in wo, Dwellen this Palamoun and eek Arcite, For evermore, ther may no gold hem quyte.