| | Of thebes with his wast wallis wyde | |
| | And venus sletth me in that other syde | |
| 475 | For Ielosie and feer of hym and arcite | |
| | Now wol I stynte of Palamon alite | |
| | And lete hym in his prison stille duelle | |
| | And of arcite forth I wol you telle | |
| | The somer passed the nyghtis wax long | |
| 480 | Encrecith he doubil wyse the peynes strong | |
| | Bothe of the louer and of the prisoner | |
| | I ne woot who hath the wofuller myster | |
| | For shortly to say of this Palamon | |
| | Perpetuelly is dampned to prison | |
| 485 | In cheynys and in feters to be ded | |
| | And arcite is exiled on his hed | |
| | For euermore and out of that contre | |
| | For neuer more shal be his lady se | |
| | Yow louers axe I now this question | |
| 490 | Who hath the worse of arcite & of Palamon | |
| | That one may se his lady day be day | |
| | But in prison muste he dwelle al way | |
| | That other where hym list may ryde or goo | |
| | But se his lady shal he neuer moo | |
| 495 | Now demyth as ye list ye that can | |
| | For I wil telle forth as I began | |
| | Whan that arcite to Thebes come was | |
| | Ful ofte a day he swelte and sayde allas | |
| | For se his lady shal he neuer moo | |
| 500 | And shortly to conclude all his woo | |
| | So moche sorow ne hath creature | |
