wiþouten doute it may stonde so
The answer of þis I lete to diuinis
But wel I woot þat in þis world gret pyne is
Line 1324
Allas I se a serpent or a þeef
That many a trewe man haþ doon mescheef
Gon at his large and wher him lust/ may turne
But I moste be in prisoun þurgh saturne
Line 1328
And eek þorugh Iuno Ialous and eke wood [folio 18b]
That haþ destruyed wel neyh al þe blood
Of Thebes wiþ his waste walles wyde /
And venus sleeþ me on þat oþer syde /
Line 1332
For Ielousye and fere of him Arcyte
NOw wol I stynte of Palamon a lite
And lete him stille in his prisoun dwelle
And of arcita for þan wol I telle
Line 1336
The somer passeþ and þe nightes longe
Encrescen double wise the peynes stronge
Bothe of þe lover and þe prisoner
I noot which hath þe wofullere cheer
Line 1340
For schortly for to sey þis Palomon
Perpetuelly is dampned in prisoun
In cheynes and in feteres to be deed
And Arcite is exiled vpon his heed
Line 1344
For eueremo as out of þat contre
Ne neuere mo schal he his lady see
Now louyeres / axe I þis question
who haþ þe worse Arcite or Palomon.
Line 1348
That on may se his lady day by day
But in prisoun he moot dwelle alway
That oþer may wher him lust ryde or go
But seen his lady schal he neuer mo
Line 1352
Now deemeth as ȝou luste ȝe þat can
For I wol telle forþ as I bigan
