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Upon that other syde Palamon, Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon, Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour Resouneth of his youling and clamour. The pure fettres on his shines grete Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. ‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘Arcita, cosin myn, Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn. Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large, And of my wo thou yevest litel charge. Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede, Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede, And make a werre so sharp on this citee, That by som aventure, or som tretee, Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf, For whom that I mot nedes lese my lyf. For, as by wey of possibilitee, Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free, And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage, More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. For I mot wepe and wayle, whyl I live, With al the wo that prison may me yive, And eek with peyne that love me yiveth also, That doubleth al my torment and my wo.’ Ther-with the fyr of Ielousye up-sterte With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde. Tho seyde he; ‘O cruel goddes, that governe This world with binding of your word eterne, And wryten in the table of athamaunt Your parlement, and your eterne graunt, What is mankinde more unto yow holde Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde? For slayn is man right as another beste, And dwelleth eek in prison and areste, And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee, And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee! Upon that other syde Palamon, Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon, Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour Resouneth of his youling and clamour. The pure fettres on his shines grete Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. ‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘Arcita, cosin myn, Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn. Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large, And of my wo thou yevest litel charge. Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede, Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede, And make a werre so sharp on this citee, That by som aventure, or som tretee, Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf, For whom that I mot nedes lese my lyf. For, as by wey of possibilitee, Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free, And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage, More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. For I mot wepe and wayle, whyl I live, With al the wo that prison may me yive, And eek with peyne that love me yiveth also, That doubleth al my torment and my wo.’ Ther-with the fyr of Ielousye up-sterte With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde. Tho seyde he; ‘O cruel goddes, that governe This world with binding of your word eterne, And wryten in the table of athamaunt Your parlement, and your eterne graunt, What is mankinde more unto yow holde Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde? For slayn is man right as another beste, And dwelleth eek in prison and areste, And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee, And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee!

Original Text

Modern Text

Upon that other syde Palamon, Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon, Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour Resouneth of his youling and clamour. The pure fettres on his shines grete Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. ‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘Arcita, cosin myn, Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn. Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large, And of my wo thou yevest litel charge. Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede, Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede, And make a werre so sharp on this citee, That by som aventure, or som tretee, Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf, For whom that I mot nedes lese my lyf. For, as by wey of possibilitee, Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free, And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage, More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. For I mot wepe and wayle, whyl I live, With al the wo that prison may me yive, And eek with peyne that love me yiveth also, That doubleth al my torment and my wo.’ Ther-with the fyr of Ielousye up-sterte With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde. Tho seyde he; ‘O cruel goddes, that governe This world with binding of your word eterne, And wryten in the table of athamaunt Your parlement, and your eterne graunt, What is mankinde more unto yow holde Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde? For slayn is man right as another beste, And dwelleth eek in prison and areste, And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee, And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee! Upon that other syde Palamon, Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon, Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour Resouneth of his youling and clamour. The pure fettres on his shines grete Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. ‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘Arcita, cosin myn, Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn. Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large, And of my wo thou yevest litel charge. Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede, Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede, And make a werre so sharp on this citee, That by som aventure, or som tretee, Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf, For whom that I mot nedes lese my lyf. For, as by wey of possibilitee, Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free, And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage, More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. For I mot wepe and wayle, whyl I live, With al the wo that prison may me yive, And eek with peyne that love me yiveth also, That doubleth al my torment and my wo.’ Ther-with the fyr of Ielousye up-sterte With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde. Tho seyde he; ‘O cruel goddes, that governe This world with binding of your word eterne, And wryten in the table of athamaunt Your parlement, and your eterne graunt, What is mankinde more unto yow holde Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde? For slayn is man right as another beste, And dwelleth eek in prison and areste, And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee, And ofte tymes giltelees, pardee!
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