Therfore I passe as lightly as I may
hit fel þat in þe seuenþe ȝeer in May
The þridde night as olde bookes seyn
That al þis storie tellen more pleyn
Line 1464
were it by auenture or destene
As whan a þing is schapen it schal be
That soone aftur þe mydnyght Palamoun
By helpyng of a freend brak his prisoun
Line 1468
And fleeth þe cite fast as he may goo
For he had ȝiue drinke his gayler soo
Of a clarre maad of certeyn wyn
with nercotykes and opye of Thebes fyn
Line 1472
That al þat night þough þat men wolde him schake
The gayler sleep he mighte nouȝt/ awake
And þus he fleeþ as fast as euer he may
The night was schort and faste by þe day
Line 1476
That needes cost he moste himseluen hyde
And til a groue ther faste besyde
with dredful foot þan stalkeþ Palomoun
For schortly þis / was his opynyoun
Line 1480
That in þat groue he wolde him hyde al day [folio 20b]
And in þe night þen wolde he take his way
To Thebesward his frendes for to preye
On Theseus to helpe him to werreye /
Line 1484
And shortelich or he wolde lese his lyf
Or wynnen Emelye vnto his wyf
This is þeffect of his entente playn.
Now wol I torne vnto Arcite agayn.
Line 1488
That litel wiste how nyh þat was his care
Til þat fortune haþ brought him in the snare
The busy larke messager of May
Salueþ in hire song þe morwe gray
Line 1492
And fyry Phebus ryseþ vp so bright
That þe orient laugheþ of þe light
And wiþ his stremes dryeþ in þe greues
The siluer dropes hongyng in þe leeues
Line 1496
