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Notes to the Prologue to the Franklin’s Tale

1. In the older editions, the verses here given as the prologue were prefixed to the Merchant’s Tale, and put into his mouth. Tyrwhitt was abundantly justified, by the internal evidence afforded by the lines themselves, in transferring them to their present place.

2. The “Breton Lays” were an important and curious element in the literature of the Middle Ages; they were originally composed in the Armorican language, and the chief collection of them extant was translated into French verse by a poetess calling herself “Marie,” about the middle of the thirteenth century. But though this collection was the most famous, and had doubtless been read by Chaucer, there were other British or Breton lays, and from one of those the Franklin’s Tale is taken. Boccaccio has dealt with the same story in the “Decameron” and the “Philocopo,” altering the circumstances to suit the removal of its scene to a southern clime.

THE TALE

 

 In Armoric', that called is Bretagne,
 

 There was a knight, that lov'd and *did his pain*  *devoted himself,
 

 To serve a lady in his beste wise;               strove*
 

 And many a labour, many a great emprise,*         *enterprise
 

 He for his lady wrought, ere she were won:
 

 For she was one the fairest under sun,
 

 And eke thereto come of so high kindred,
 

 That *well unnethes durst this knight for dread,*    *see note <1>*
 

 Tell her his woe, his pain, and his distress
 

 But, at the last, she for his worthiness,
 

 And namely* for his meek obeisance,            *especially
 

 Hath such a pity caught of his penance,*     *suffering, distress
 

 That privily she fell of his accord
 

 To take him for her husband and her lord
 

 (Of such lordship as men have o'er their wives);
 

 And, for to lead the more in bliss their lives,
 

 Of his free will he swore her as a knight,
 

 That never in all his life he day nor night
 

 Should take upon himself no mastery
 

 Against her will, nor kithe* her jealousy,            *show
 

 But her obey, and follow her will in all,
 

 As any lover to his lady shall;
 

 Save that the name of sovereignety
 

 That would he have, for shame of his degree.
 

 She thanked him, and with full great humbless
 

 She saide; "Sir, since of your gentleness
 

 Ye proffer me to have so large a reign,
 

 *Ne woulde God never betwixt us twain,
 

 As in my guilt, were either war or strife:*       *see note <2>*
 

 Sir, I will be your humble true wife,
 

 Have here my troth, till that my hearte brest."*        *burst
 

 Thus be they both in quiet and in rest.