Whan þat hir housbond / is from hem ago
That for the moore part they sorwen so
Line 2824
Or ellis / fallen in swich maladye
That at the laste / certeinly they dye
¶ Infinite / been the sorwes and the teeres
Of olde folk / and eek of tendre yeeres
Line 2828
In al the toun / for deeth of this Theban
ffor hym ther wepeth / bothe child and man
So greet a wepyng was ther noon certayn
Whan Ector was ybroght / al fressh yslayn
Line 2832
To Troye / allas the pitee þat was ther
Cracchynge of chekes / rentynge eek of heer
Why woldestow be deed / thise wommen crye
And haddest gold ynough / and Emelye
Line 2836
¶ No man / myghte gladen Theseus
Sauynge / his olde fader Egeus
That knew / this worldes transmutacion
As he hadde / seyn it / vp and doun
Line 2840
Ioye after wo / and wo after gladnesse
And shewed / hem ensamples and liknesse
Right as ther / dyed neuere man quod he [¶ Argumentum]
That he ne lyuede in erthe / in som degree
Line 2844
Right so / ther lyuede neuer man he seyde
In al this world / þat som tyme he ne deyde
This world / nys but a thurghfare ful of wo
And we been pilgrymes / passynge to and fro
Line 2848
Deeth is an ende / of euery worldes soore
And ouer al this / yet seyde he muchel moore
To this effect ful wisely / to enhorte [folio 35a]
The peple / that they sholde hem reconforte
Line 2852
Duc Theseus / with al his bisy cure
Cast now / wher that the sepulture
Of goode Arcite / may best ymaked be
And eek moost honurable in his degree
Line 2856
And at the laste / he took conclusion
That ther as first Arcite and Palamon
