anon,
    And let it christen in function. 
    And for it was in an ash y-found,
    She cleped it Frain in that stound. 
    The name[56] of the ash is a frain,
    After the language of Bretayn;
    Forthy[57] Le Frain men clepeth this lay,
    More than ash, in each country. 
      This Frain thriv’d from year to year;
    The abbess niece men ween’d it were. 
    The abbess her gan teach, and beld.[58]
    By that she was twelve winter eld,
    In all England there was none
    A fairer maiden than she was one. 
    And when she couthe ought of manhede,[59]
    She bade the abbesse her wisse[60] and rede,
    Which were her kin, one or other,
    Father or mother, sister or brother. 
    The abbesse her in council took,
    To tellen her she nought forsook,
    How she was founden in all thing;
    And took her the cloth and the ring,
    And bade her keep it in that stede;
    And, therwhiles she lived, so she did. 
      Then was there, in that cuntre,
    A rich knight of land and fee,
    Proud, and young, and jollif,
    And had not yet y-wedded wife. 
    He was stout, of great renown,
    And was y-cleped Sir Guroun. 
    He heard praise that maiden free,
    And said, he would her see. 
    He dight him in the way anon,
    And jolliflich thither is gone,
    And bode his man segge, verament,
    He should toward a tournament. 
    The abbesse, and the nonnes all,
    Fair him grette in the guest-hall;
    And damsel Frain, so fair of mouth,
    Grette him fair, as she well couth. 
    And swithe well he gan devise,
    Her semblant, and her gentrise,
    Her lovesome eyen, her rode[61] so bright. 
    And commenced to love her anon-right;
    And thought how he might take on,
    To have her for his lemon [Errata:  leman]. 
      He thought, “Gificcome her to
    More than ich have y-do,
    The abbesse will souchy[62] guile,
    And wide[63] her away in a little while.” 
    He compassed another suchesoun;[64]
    To be brother of that religion. 
    “Madam,” he said to the abbesse,
    "I-lovi[65] well, in all goodness,
    Ich will give one and other
    Londes and rentes, to become your brother,[66]
    That ye shall ever fare the bet[67]
    When I come to have recet."[68]
      At few wordes they ben at one.
    He graithes him[69], and forth is gone. 
    Oft he com, by day and night,
    To speak with that maiden bright;
    So that, with his fair behest,[70]
    And with his glosing, at lest
    She granted him to don his will,
    When he will, loud and still. 
    “Leman,” he said, “thou must let be
    The abbesse thy neice,[71] and go with me;
    For ich am riche, of swich