The Clerk's Prologue 1: Sire clerk of oxenford, oure hooste sayde, 2: Ye ryde as coy and stille as dooth a mayde 3: Were newe spoused, sittynge at the bord; 4: This day ne herde I of youre tonge a word. 5: I trowe ye studie aboute som sophyme; 6: But salomon seith -- every thyng hath tyme. -- 7: For goddes sake, as beth of bettre cheere! 8: It is no tyme for to studien heere. 9: Telle us som myrie tale, by youre fey! 10: For what man that is entred in a pley, 11: He nedes moot unto the pley assente. 12: But precheth nat, as freres doon in lente, 13: To make us for oure olde synnes wepe, 14: Ne that thy tale make us nat to slepe. 15: Telle us som murie thyng of aventures. 16: Youre termes, youre colours, and youre figures, 17: Keepe hem in stoor til so be that ye endite 18: Heigh style, as whan that men to kynges write. 19: Speketh so pleyn at this tyme, we yow preye, 20: That we may understonde what ye seye. 21: This worthy clerk benignely answerde: 22: Hooste, quod he, I am under youre yerde; 23: Ye han of us as now the governance, 24: And therfore wol I do yow obeisance, 25: As fer as resoun axeth, hardily. 26: I wol yow telle a tale which that I 27: Lerned at padowe of a worthy clerk, 28: As preved by his wordes and his werk. 29: He is now deed and nayled in his cheste, 30: I prey to God so yeve his soule reste! 31: Fraunceys petrak, the lauriat poete, 32: Highte this clerk, whos rethorike sweete 33: Enlumyned al ytaille of poetrie, 34: As lynyan dide of philosophie, 35: Or lawe, or oother art particuler; 36: But deeth, that wol nat suffre us dwellen heer, 37: But as it were a twynklyng of an ye, 38: Hem bothe hath slayn, and alle shul we dye. 39: But forth to tellen of this worthy man 40: That taughte me this tale, as I bigan, 41: I seye that first with heigh stile he enditeth, 42: Er he the body of his tale writeth, 43: A prohemye, in the which discryveth he 44: Pemond, and of saluces the contree, 45: And speketh of apennyn, the hilles hye, 46: That been the boundes of west lumbardye, 47: And of mount vesulus in special, 48: Where as the poo out of a welle smal 49: Taketh his firste spryngyng and his sours, 50: That estward ay encresseth in his cours 51: To emele-ward, to ferrare, and venyse; 52: The which a long thyng were to devyse. 53: And trewely, as to my juggement, 54: Me thynketh it a thyng impertinent, 55: Save that he wole conveyen his mateere; 56: But this his tale, which that ye may heere. The Clerk's Tale Part I 57: Ther is, right at the west syde of ytaille, 58: Doun at the roote of vesulus the colde, 59: A lusty playn, habundant of vitaille, 60: Where many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde, 61: That founded were in tyme of fadres olde, 62: And many another delitable sighte, 63: And saluces this noble contree highte. 64: A markys whilom lord was of that lond, 65: As were his worthy eldres hym bifore; 66: And obeisant, ay redy to his hond, 67: Were alle his liges, bothe lasse and moore. 68: Thus in delit he lyveth, and hath doon yoore, 69: Biloved and drad, thurgh favour of fortune, 70: Bothe of his lordes and of his commune. 71: Therwith he was, to speke as of lynage, 72: The gentillest yborn of lumbardye, 73: A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age, 74: And ful of honour and of curteisye; 75: Discreet ynogh his contree for to gye, 76: Save in somme thynges that he was to blame; 77: And walter was this yonge lordes name. 78: I blame hym thus, that he considered noght 79: In tyme comynge what myghte hym bityde, 80: But on his lust present was al his thoght, 81: As for to hauke and hunte on every syde. 82: Wel ny alle othere cures leet he slyde, 83: And eek he nolde -- and that was worst of alle -- 84: Wedde no wyf, for noght that may bifalle. 85: Oonly that point his peple bar so soore 86: That flokmeele on a day they to hym wente, 87: And oon of he, that wisest was of loore -- 88: Or elles that the lord best wolde assente 89: That he sholde telle hym what his peple mente, 90: Or elles koude he shewe wel swich mateere -- 91: He to the markys seyde as ye shul heere: 92: O noble markys, youre humanitee 93: Asseureth us and yeveth us hardinesse, 94: As ofte as tyme is of necessitee, 95: That we to yow mowe telle oure hevynesse. 96: Accepteth, lord, now of youre gentilesse 97: That we with pitous herte unto yow pleyne, 98: And lat youre eres nat my voys desdeyne. 99: Al have I noght to doone in this mateere 100: Moore than another man hath in this place, 101: Yet for as muche as ye, my lord so deere, 102: Han alwey shewed me favour and grace 103: I dar the bettre aske of yow a space 104: Of audience, to shewen oure requeste, 105: And ye, my lord, to doon right as yow leste. 106: For certes, lord, so wel us liketh yow 107: And al youre werk, and evere han doon, that we 108: Ne koude nat us self devysen how 109: We myghte lyven in moore felicitee, 110: Save o thyng, lord, if it youre wille be, 111: That for to been a wedded man yow leste; 112: Thanne were youre peple in sovereyn hertes reste. 113: Boweth youre nekke under that blisful yok 114: Of sovereynetee, noght of servyse, 115: Which that men clepe spousaille or wedlok; 116: And thanketh, lord, among youre thoghtes wyse 117: How that oure dayes passe in sondry wyse; 118: For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde, 119: Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde. 120: And thogh youre grene youthe floure as yit, 121: In crepeth age alwey, as stille as stoon, 122: And deeth manaceth every age, and smyt 123: In ech estaat, for ther escapeth noon; 124: And al so certein as we knowe echoon 125: That we shul deye, as uncerteyn we alle 126: Been of that day whan deeth shal on us falle 127: Accepteth thanne of us the trewe entente, 128: That nevere yet refuseden thyn heeste, 129: And we wol, lord, if that ye wole assente, 130: Chese yow a wyf, in short tyme atte leeste, 131: Born of the gentilleste and of the meeste 132: Of al this land, so that it oghte seme 133: Honour to God and yow, as we kan deeme. 134: Delivere us out of al this bisy drede, 135: And taak a wyf, for hye goddes sake! 136: For if it so bifelle, as God forbede, 137: That thurgh youre deeth youre lynage sholde slake, 138: And that a straunge successour sholde take 139: Youre heritage, o, wo were us alyve! 140: Wherfore we pray you hastily to wyve. 141: Hir meeke preyere and hir pitous cheer 142: Made the markys herte han pitee. 143: Ye wol, quod he, myn owene peple deere, 144: To that I nevere erst thoughte streyne me. 145: I me rejoysed of my liberte. 146: That seelde tyme is founde in mariage; 147: Ther I was free, I moot been in servage. 148: But nathelees I se youre trewe entente, 149: And truste upon youre wit, and have doon ay; 150: Wherfore of my free wyl I wole assente 151: To wedde me, as soone as evere I may. 152: But ther as ye han profred me to-day 153: To chese me a wyf, I yow relesse 154: That choys, and prey yow of that profre cesse. 155: For God it woot, that children ofte been 156: Unlyk hir worthy eldress hem bifore; 157: Bountee comth al of god, nat of the streen 158: Of which they been engendred and ybore. 159: I truste in goddes bountee, and therfore 160: My mariage and myn estaat and reste 161: I hym bitake; he may doon as hym leste. 162: Lat me allone in chesynge of my wyf, -- 163: That charge upon my bak I wole endure. 164: But I yow preye, and charge upon youre lyf, 165: That what wyf that I take, ye me assure 166: To worshipe hire, whil that hir lyf may dure, 167: In word and werk, bothe heere and everywheere, 168: As she and emperoures doghter weere. 169: And forthermoore, this shal ye swere, that ye 170: Agayn my choys shul neither grucche ne stryve; 171: For sith I shal forgoon my libertee 172: At youre requeste, as evere moot I thryve, 173: Ther as myn herte is set, ther wol I wyve; 174: And but ye wole assente in swich manere, 175: I prey yow, speketh namoore of this matere. 176: With hertely wyl they sworen and assenten 177: To al this thyng, ther seyde no wight nay; 178: Bisekynge hym of grace, er that they wenten, 179: That he wolde graunten hem a certein day 180: Of his spousaille, as soone as evere he may; 181: For yet alwey the peple somwhat dredde, 182: Lest that the markys no wyf wolde wedde. 183: He graunted hem a day, swich as hym leste, 184: On which he wolde be wedded sikerly. 185: And seyde he dide al this at hir requeste. 186: And they, with humble entente, buxomly, 187: Knelynge upon hir knees ful reverently, 188: Hym thonken alle; and thus they han an ende 189: Of hire entente, and hoom agayn they wende. 190: And heerupon he to his officeres 191: Comaundeth for the feste to purveye, 192: And to his privee knyghtes and squieres 193: Swich charge yaf as hym liste on hem leye; 194: And they to his comandement obeye, 195: And ech of hem dooth al his diligence 196: To doon unto the feeste reverence. Explicit prima pars Incipit secunda pars 197: Noght fer fro thilke paleys honurable, 198: Wher as this markys shoop his mariage, 199: There stood a throop, of site delitable, 200: In which that povre folk of that village 201: Hadden hir beestes and hir herbergage, 202: And of hire labour tooke hir sustenance, 203: After that the erthe yaf hem habundance. 204: Amonges thise povre folk ther dwelte a man 205: Which that was holden povrest of hem alle; 206: But hye God somtyme senden kan 207: His grace into litel oxes stalle; 208: Janicula men of that throop hym calle. 209: A doghter hadde he, fair ynogh to sighte, 210: And grisildis this yonge mayden highte. 211: But for to speke of vertuous beautee, 212: Thanne was she oon the faireste under sonne; 213: For povreliche yfostred up was she, 214: No likerous lust was thurgh hire herte yronne. 215: Wel ofter of the welle than of the tonne 216: She drank, and for she wolde vertu plese, 217: She knew wel labour, but noon ydel ese. 218: But thogh this mayde tendre were of age, 219: Yet in the brest of hire virginitee 220: Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage; 221: And in greet reverence and charitee 222: Hir olde povre fader fostred shee. 223: A fewe sheep, spynnynge, on feeld she kepte; 224: She wolde noght been ydel til she slepte. 225: And whan she homward cam, she wolde brynge 226: Wortes or othere herbes tymes ofte, 227: The whiche she shredde and seeth for hir lyvynge, 228: And made hir bed ful hard and nothyng softe; 229: And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf on-lofte 230: With everich obeisaunce and diligence 231: That child may doon to fadres reverence. 232: Upon grisilde, this povre creature, 233: Ful ofte sithe this markys sette his ye 234: As he on huntyng rood paraventure; 235: And whan it fil that he myghte hire espye, 236: He noght with wantown lookyng of folye 237: His eyen caste on hire, but in sad wyse 238: Upon hir chiere he wolde hym ofte avyse, 239: Commendynge in his herte hir wommanhede, 240: And eek hir verty, passynge any wight 241: Of so yong age, as wel in chiere as dede. 242: For thogh the peple have no greet insight 243: In verty, he considered ful right 244: Hir bountee, and disposed that he wolde 245: Wedde hire oonly, if evere he wedde sholde. 246: The day of weddyng cam, but no wight kan 247: Telle what womman that it sholde be; 248: For which merveille wondred many a man, 249: And seyden, whan they were in privetee, 250: Wol nat oure lord yet leve his vanytee? 251: Wol he nat wedde? allas; allas, the while! 252: Why wole he thus hymself and us bigile? 253: But nathelees this markys hath doon make 254: Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure, 255: Brooches and rynges, for grisildis sake; 256: And of hir clothyng took he the mesure 257: By a mayde lyk to hire stature, 258: And eek of othere aornementes alle 259: That unto swich a weddyng sholde falle. 260: The time of undren of the same day 261: Approcheth, that this weddyng sholde be; 262: And al the paleys put was in array, 263: Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree; 264: Houses of office stuffed with plentee 265: Ther maystow seen, of deyntevous vitaille 266: That may be founde as fer al last ytaille. 267: This roial markys, richely arrayed, 268: Lordes and ladyes in his compaignye, 269: The whiche that to the feeste weren yprayed, 270: And of his retenue the bachelrye, 271: With manya soun of sondry melodye, 272: Unto the village of the which I tolde, 273: In this array the righte wey han holde. 274: Grisilde of this, God woot, ful innocent, 275: That for hire shapen was al this array, 276: To fecchen water at a welle is went, 277: And cometh hoom as soone as ever she may; 278: For wel she hadde herd seyd that thilke day 279: The markys sholde wedde, and if she myghte, 280: She wolde fayn han seyn som of that sighte. 281: She thoghte, I wole with othere maydens stonde, 282: That been my felawes, in oure dore and se 283: The markysesse, and therfore wol I fonde 284: To doon at hoom, as soone as it may be, 285: The labour which that longeth unto me; 286: And thanne I may at leyser hire biholde, 287: If she this wey unto the castel holde. 288: And as she wolde over hir thresshfold gon, 289: The markys cam and gan hire for to calle; 290: And she set doun hir water pot anon, 291: Biside the thresshfold, in an oxes stalle, 292: And doun upon hir knes she gan to falle, 293: And with sad contenance kneleth stille, 294: Til she had herd what was the lordes wille. 295: This thoghtful markys spak unto this mayde 296: Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere: 297: Where is youre fader, o grisildis? he sayde. 298: And she with reverence, in humble cheere, 299: Answerde, lord, he is al redy heere. 300: And in she gooth withouten lenger lette, 301: And to the markys she hir fader fette. 302: He by the hand thanne took this olde man, 303: And seyde thus, whan he hym hadde asyde: 304: Janicula, I neither may ne kan 305: Lenger the plesance of myn herte hyde. 306: If that thou vouche sauf, what so bityde, 307: Thy doghter wol I take, er that I wende, 308: As for my wyf, unto hir lyves ende. 309: Thou lovest me, I woot it wel certeyn, 310: And art my feithful lige man ybore; 311: And al that liketh me, I dar wel seyn 312: It liketh thee, and specially therfore 313: Tel me that poynt that I have seyd bifore, 314: If that thou wolt unto that purpos drawe, 315: To take me as for thy sone-in-lawe. 316: This sodeyn cas this man astonyed so 317: That reed he wax; abayst and al quakynge 318: He stood; unnethes seyde he wordes mo, 319: But oonly thus: lord, quod he, my willynge 320: Is as ye wole, ne ayeynes youre likynge 321: I wol no thyng, ye be my lord so deere; 322: Right as yow lust, governeth this mateere. 323: Yet wol I, quod this markys softely, 324: That in thy chambre I and thou and she 325: Have a collacioun, and wostow why? 326: For I wol axe if it hire wille be 327: To be my wyf, and reule hire after me. 328: And al this shal be doon in thy presence; 329: I wol noght speke out of thyn audience. 330: And in the chambre, whil they were aboute 331: Hir tretys, which as ye shal after heere, 332: The peple cam unto the hous withoute, 333: And wondred hem in how honest manere 334: And tentifly she kepte hir fader deere. 335: But outrely grisildis wondre myghte, 336: For nevere erst ne saugh she swich a sighte. 337: No wonder is thogh that she were astoned 338: To seen so greet a gest come in that place; 339: She nevere was to swiche gestes woned, 340: For which she looked with ful pale face. 341: But shortly forth this matere for to chace, 342: Thise arn the wordes that the markys sayde 343: To this benigne, verray, feithful mayde. 344: Grisilde, he seyde, ye shal wel understonde 345: It liketh to youre fader and to me 346: That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde, 347: As I suppose, ye wol that it so be. 348: But thise demandes axe I first, quod he, 349: That, sith it shal be doon in hastif wyse, 350: Wol ye assente, or elles yow avyse? 351: I seye this, be ye redy with good herte 352: To al my lust, and that I frely may, 353: As me best thynketh, do yow laughe or smerte, 354: And nevere ye to grucche it, nyght ne day? 355: And eek whan I sey 'ye,' ne sey nat 'nay,' 356: Neither by word ne frownyng contenance? 357: Swere this, and heere I swere oure alliance. 358: Wondrynge upon this word, quakynge for drede, 359: She seyde, lord, undigne and unworthy 360: Am I to thilke honour that ye me beede, 361: But as ye wole youreself, right so wol I. 362: And heere I swere that nevere willyngly, 363: In werk ne thogh, I nyl yow disobeye, 364: For to be deed, though me were looth to deye. 365: This is ynogh, grisilde myn, quod he. 366: And forth he gooth, with a ful sobre cheere, 367: Out at the dore, and after that cam she, 368: And to the peple he seyde in this manere: 369: This is my wyf, quod he, that standeth heere. 370: Honoureth hire and loveth hire, I preye, 371: Whoso me loveth; ther is namoore to seye. 372: And for that no thyng of hir olde geere 373: She sholde brynge into his hous, he bad 374: That wommen sholde dispoillen hire right theere; 375: Of which thise ladyes were nat right glad 376: To handle hir clothes, wherinne she was clad. 377: But nathelees, this mayde bright of hewe 378: Fro foot to heed they clothed han al newe. 379: Hir heris han they kembd, that lay untressed 380: Ful rudely, and with hir fyngres smale 381: A corone on hire heed they han ydressed, 382: And sette hire ful of nowches grete and smale. 383: Of hire array what sholde I make a tale? 384: Unnethe the peple hir knew for hire fairnesse, 385: Whan she translated was in swich richesse. 386: This markys hath hire spoused with a ryng 387: Broght for the same cause, and thanne hire sette 388: Upon an hors, snow-whit and wel amblyng, 389: And to his paleys, er he lenger lette, 390: With joyful peple that hire ladde and mette, 391: Conveyed hire, and thus the day they spende 392: In revel, til the sonne gan descende. 393: And shortly forth this tale for to chace, 394: I seye that to this newe markysesse 395: God hath swich favour sent hire of his grace, 396: That it ne semed nat by liklynesse 397: That she was born and fed in rudenesse, 398: As in a cote or in an oxe-stalle, 399: But norissed in an emperoures halle. 400: To every wight she woxen is so deere 401: And worshipful that folk ther she was bore, 402: And from hire birthe knewe hire yeer by yeere, 403: Unnethe trowed they, -- but dorste han swore -- 404: That to janicle, of which I spak bifore, 405: She doghter were, for, as by conjecture, 406: Hem thoughte she was another creature. 407: For though that evere vertuous was she, 408: She was encressed in swich excellence 409: Of thewes goode, yset in heigh bountee, 410: And so discreet and fair of eloquence, 411: So benigne and so digne of reverence, 412: And koude so the peples herte embrace, 413: That ech hire lovede that looked in hir face. 414: Noght oonly of saluces in the toun 415: Publiced was the bountee of hir name, 416: But eek biside in many a regioun, 417: If oon seide wel, another seyde the same; 418: So spradde of hire heighe bountee the fame 419: That men and wommen, as wel yonge as olde, 420: Goon to saluce, upon hire to biholde. 421: Thus walter lowely -- nay, but roially -- 422: Wedded with fortunat honestetee, 423: In goddes pees lyveth ful esily 424: At hoom, and outward grace ynogh had he; 425: And for he saugh that under low degree 426: Was ofte vertu hid, the peple hym heelde 427: A prudent man, and that is seyn ful seelde. 428: Nat oonly this grisildis thurgh hir wit 429: Koude al the feet of wyfly hoomlinesse, 430: But eek, whan that the cas required it, 431: The commune profit koude she redresse. 432: Ther nas discord, rancour, ne hevynesse 433: In al that land, that she ne koude apese, 434: And wisely brynge hem alle in reste and ese. 435: Though that hire housbonde absent were anon, 436: If gentil men or othere of hire contree 437: Were wrothe, she wolde bryngen hem aton; 438: So wise and rype wordes hadde she, 439: And juggementz of so greet equitee, 440: That she from hevene sent was, as men wende, 441: Peple to save and every wrong t' amende. 442: Nat longe tyme after that this grisild 443: Was wedded, she a doghter hath ybore. 444: Al had hire levere have born a knave child, 445: Glad was this markys and the folk therfore; 446: For though a mayde child coome al bifore, 447: She may unto a knave child attayne 448: By liklihede, syn she nys nat bareyne. Explicit secunda pars. Incipit tercia pars. 449: Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo, 450: Whan that this child had souked but a throwe, 451: This markys in his herte longeth so 452: To tempte his wyf, hir sadnesse for to knowe, 453: That he ne myghte out of his herte throwe 454: This merveillous desir his wyf t' assaye; 455: Nedelees, God woot, he thoghte hire for t' affraye. 456: He hadde assayed hire ynogh bifore, 457: And foond hire evere good; what neded it 458: Hire for to tempte, and alwey moore and moore, 459: Though som men preise it for a subtil wit? 460: But as for me, I seye that yvele it sit 461: To assaye a wyf whan that it is no nede, 462: And putten hire in angwyssh and in drede. 463: For which this markys wroghte in this manere: 464: He cam allone a-nyght, ther as she lay, 465: With stierne face and with ful trouble cheere, 466: And seyde thus: grisilde, quod he, that day 467: That I yow took out of youre povere array, 468: And putte yow in estaat of heigh noblesse, -- 469: Ye have nat that forgeten, as I gesse? 470: I seye, grisilde, this present dignitee, 471: In which that I have put yow, as I trowe, 472: Maketh yow nat foryetful for to be 473: That I yow took in povre estaat ful lowe, 474: For any wele ye moot youreselven knowe. 475: Taak heede of every word that y yow seye; 476: Ther is no wight that hereth it but we tweye. 477: Ye woot youreself wel how that ye cam heere 478: Into this hous, it is nat longe ago; 479: And though to me that ye be lief and deere, 480: Unto my gentils ye be no thyng so. 481: They seyn, to hem it is greet shame and wo 482: For to be subgetz and been in servage 483: To thee, that born art of a smal village. 484: And namely sith thy doghter was ybore 485: Thise wordes han they spoken, doutelees. 486: But I desire, as I have doon bifore, 487: To lyve my lyf with hem in reste and pees. 488: I may nat in this caas be recchelees; 489: I moot doon with thy doghter for the beste, 490: Nat as I wolde, but as my peple leste. 491: And yet, God woot, this is ful looth to me; 492: But nathelees withoute youre wityng 493: I wol nat doon; but this wol I, quod he, 494: That ye to me assente as in this thyng. 495: Shewe now youre pacience in youre werkyng, 496: That ye me highte and swore in youre village 497: That day that maked was oure mariage. 498: Whan she had herd al this, she noght ameved 499: Neither in word, or chiere, or contenaunce; 500: For, as it semed, she was nat agreved. 501: She seyde, lord, al lyth in youre plesaunce. 502: My child and I, with hertely obeisaunce, 503: Been youres al, and ye mowe save or spille 504: Youre owene thyng; weketh after youre wille. 505: Ther may no thyng, God so my soule save, 506: Liken to yow that may displese me; 507: Ne I desire no thyng for to have, 508: Ne drede for to leese, save oonly yee. 509: This wyl is in myn herte, and ay shal be; 510: No lengthe of tyme or deeth may this deface, 511: Ne chaunge my corage to another place. 512: Glad was this markys of hire answeryng, 513: But yet he feyned as he were nat so; 514: Al drery was his cheere and his lookyng, 515: Whan that he sholde out of the chambre go. 516: Soone after this, a furlong wey or two, 517: He prively hath toold al his entente 518: Unto a man, and to his wyf hym sente. 519: A maner sergeant was this privee man, 520: The which that feithful ofte he founden hadde 521: In thynges grete, and eek swich folk wel kan 522: Doon execucioun in thynges badde. 523: The lord knew wel that he hym loved and dradde; 524: And whan this sergeant wist his lordes wille, 525: Into the chambre he stalked hym ful stille. 526: Madame, he seyde, ye moote foryeve it me, 527: Though I do thyng to which I am constreyned. 528: Ye been so wys that ful wel knowe ye 529: That lordes heestes mowe nat been yfeyned; 530: They mowe wel been biwailled or compleyned, 531: But men moote nede unto hire lust obeye, 532: And so wol I; ther is namoore to seye. 533: This child I am comanded for to take, -- 534: And spak namoore, but out the child he hente 535: Despitously, and gan a cheere make 536: As though he wolde han slayn it er he wente. 537: Grisildis moot al suffre and al consente; 538: And as a lamb she sitteth meke and stille, 539: And leet this crueel sergeant doon his wille. 540: Suspecious was the diffame of this man, 541: Suspect his face, suspect his word also; 542: Suspect the tyme in which he this bigan. 543: Allas! hir doghter that she loved so, 544: She wende he wolde han slawen it right tho. 545: But nathelees she neither weep ne syked, 546: Conformynge hire to that the markys lyked. 547: But atte laste to speken she bigan, 548: And mekely she to the sergeant preyde, 549: So as he was a worthy gentil man, 550: That she moste kisse hire child er that it deyde. 551: And in hir barm this litel child she leyde 552: With ful sad face, and gan the child to blisse, 553: And lulled it, and after gan it kisse. 554: And thus she seyde in hire benigne voys, 555: Fareweel my child! I shal thee nevere see. 556: But sith I thee have marked with the croys 557: Of thilke fader -- blessed moote he be! -- 558: That for us deyde upon a croys of tree, 559: Thy soule, litel child, I hym bitake, 560: For this nyght shaltow dyen for my sake. 561: I trowe that to a norice in this cas 562: It had been hard this reuthe for to se; 563: Wel myghte a mooder thanne han cryd allas! 564: But nathelees so sad stidefast was she 565: That she endured al adversitee, 566: And to the sergeant mekely she sayde, 567: Have heer agayn your litel yonge mayde. 568: Gooth now, quod she, and dooth my lordes heeste; 569: But o thyng wol I prey yow of youre grace, 570: That, but my lord forbad yow, atte leeste 571: Burieth this litel body in som place 572: That beestes ne no briddes it torace. 573: But he no word wol to that purpos seye, 574: But took the child and wente upon his weye. 575: This sergeant cam unto his lord ageyn, 576: And of grisildis wordes and hire cheere 577: He tolde hym point for point, in short and pleyn, 578: And hym presenteth with his doghter deere. 579: Somwhat this lord hadde routhe in his manere, 580: But nathelees his purpos heeld he stille, 581: As lordes doon, whan they wol han hir wille; 582: And bad this sergeant that he pryvely 583: Sholde this child ful softe wynde and wrappe, 584: With alle circumstances tendrely, 585: And carie it in a cofre or in a lappe; 586: But, upon peyne his heed of for to swappe, 587: That no man sholde knowe of his entente, 588: Ne whenne he cam, ne whider that he wente; 589: But at boloigne to his suster deere, 590: That thilke tyme of panik was countesse, 591: He sholde it take, and shewe hire this mateere, 592: Bisekynge hire to doon hire bisynesse 593: This child to fostre in alle gentillesse; 594: And whos child that it was he bad hire hyde 595: From every wight, for oght that may bityde. 596: The sergeant gooth, and hath fulfild this thyng; 597: But to this markys now retourne we. 598: For now gooth he ful faste ymaginyng 599: If by his wyves cheere he myghte se, 600: Or by hire word aperceyve, that she 601: Were chaunged; but he nevere hire koude fynde 602: But evere in oon ylike sad and kynde. 603: As glad, as humble, as bisy in servyse, 604: And eek in love, as she was wont to be, 605: Was she to hym in every maner wyse; 606: Ne of hir doghter noght a word spak she. 607: Noon accident, for noon adversitee, 608: Was seyn in hire, ne nevere hir doghter name 609: Ne nempned she, in ernest nor in game. Explicit tercia pars Sequitur pars quarta. 610: In this estaat the passed been foure yeer 611: Er she with childe was, but, as God wolde, 612: A knave child she bar by this walter, 613: Ful gracious and fair for to biholde. 614: And whan that folk it to his fader tolde, 615: Nat oonly he, but al his contree merye 616: Was for this child, and God they thanke and herye. 617: Whan it was two yeer old, and fro the brest 618: Departed of his norice, on a day 619: This markys caughte yet another lest 620: To tempte his wyf yet ofter, if he may. 621: O nedelees was she tempted in assay! 622: But wedded men ne knowe no mesure, 623: Whan that they fynde a pacient creature. 624: Wyf, quod this markys, ye han herd er this, 625: My peple sikly berth oure mariage; 626: And namely sith my sone yboren is, 627: Now is it worse than evere in al oure age. 628: The murmur sleeth myn herte and my corage, 629: For to myne eres comth the voys so smerte 630: That it wel ny destroyed hath myn herte. 631: Now sey they thus: -- whan walter is agon, 632: Thanne shal the blood of janicle succede 633: And been oure lord, for oother have we noon. 634: Swiche wordes seith my peple, out of drede. 635: Wel oughte I of swich murmur taken heede; 636: For certeinly I drede swich sentence, 637: Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience. 638: I wolde lyve in pees, if that I myghte; 639: Wherfore I am disposed outrely, 640: As I his suster servede by nyghte, 641: Right to thenke I to serve hym pryvely. 642: This warne I yow, that ye nat sodeynly 643: Out of youreself for no wo sholde outreye; 644: Beth pacient, and therof I yow preye. 645: I have, quod she, seyd thys, and evere shal: 646: I wol no thyng, ne nyl no thyng, certayn, 647: But as yow list. Naught greveth me at al, 648: Though that my doughter and my sone be slayn, -- 649: At youre comandement, this is to sayn. 650: I have noght had no part of children tweyne 651: But first siknesse, and after, wo and peyne. 652: Ye been oure lord, dooth with youre owene thyng 653: Right as yow list; axeth no reed at me. 654: For as I lefte at hoom al my clothyng, 655: Whan I first cam to yow, right so, quod she, 656: Lefte I my wyl and al my libertee, 657: And took youre clothyng; wherfore I yow preye, 658: Dooth youre plesaunce, I wol youre lust obeye. 659: And certes, if I hadde prescience 660: Youre wyl to knowe, er ye youre lust me tolde, 661: I wolde it doon withouten necligence; 662: But now I woot youre lust, and what ye wolde, 663: Al youre plesance ferme and stable I holde; 664: For wiste I that my deeth wolde do yow ese, 665: Right gladly wolde I dyen, yow to plese. 666: Deth may noght make no comparisoun 667: Unto youre love. And whan this markys say 668: The constance of hys wyf, he caste adoun 669: His eyen two, and wondreth that she may 670: In pacience suffre al this array; 671: And forth he goth with drery contenance, 672: But to his herte it was ful greet plesance. 673: This ugly sergeant, in the same wyse 674: That he hire doghter caughte, right so he, 675: Or worse, if men worse kan devyse, 676: Hath hent hire sone, that ful was of beautee. 677: And evere in oon so pacient was she 678: That she no chiere maade of hevynesse, 679: But kiste hir sone, and after gan it blesse; 680: Save this, she preyede hym that, if he myghte, 681: Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe grave, 682: His tendre lymes, delicaat to sighte, 683: Fro foweles and fro beestes for to save. 684: But she noon answere of hym myghte have. 685: He wente his wey, as hym no thyng ne roghte; 686: But to boloigne he tendrely it broghte. 687: This markys wondred, evere lenger the moore, 688: Upon hir pacience, and if that he 689: Ne hadde soothly knowen therbifoore 690: That parfitly hir children loved she, 691: He wolde have wend that of som subtiltee, 692: And of malice, or for crueel corage, 693: That she hadde suffred this with sad visage. 694: But wel he knew that next hymself, certayn, 695: She loved hir children best in every wyse. 696: But now of wommen wolde I axen fayn 697: If thise assayes myghte nat suffise? 698: What koude a sturdy housbonde moore devyse 699: To preeve hir wyfhod and hir stedefastnesse, 700: And he continuynge evere in sturdinesse? 701: But ther been folk of swich condicion 702: That whan they have a certein purpos take, 703: They kan nat stynte of hire entencion, 704: But, right as they were bounden to a stake, 705: They wol nat of that firste purpos slake. 706: Right so this markys fulliche hath purposed 707: To tempte his wyf as he was first disposed. 708: He waiteth if by word or contenance 709: That she to hym was changed of corage; 710: But nevere koude he fynde variance. 711: She was ay oon in herte and in visage; 712: And ay the forther that she was in age, 713: The moore trewe, if that it were possible, 714: She was to hym in love, and moore penyble. 715: For which it semed thus, that of hem two 716: Ther nas but o wyl; for, as walter leste, 717: The same lust was hire plesance also. 718: And, God be thanked, al fil for the beste. 719: She shewed wel, for no worldly unreste 720: A wyf, as of hirself, nothing ne sholde 721: Wille in effect, but as hir housbonde wolde. 722: The sclaundre of walter ofte and wyde spradde, 723: That of a crueel herte he wikkedly, 724: For he a povre womman wedded hadde, 725: Hath mordred bothe his children prively. 726: Swich murmur was among hem comunly. 727: No wonder is, for to the peples ere 728: Ther cam no word, but that they mordred were. 729: For which, where as his peple therbifore 730: Hadde loved hym wel, the sclaundre of his diffame 731: Made hem that they hym hatede therfore. 732: To been a mordrere is an hateful name; 733: But nathelees, for ernest ne for game, 734: He of his crueel purpos nolde stente; 735: To tempte his wyf was set al his entente. 736: Than that his doghter twelve yeer was of age, 737: He to the court of rome, in subtil wyse 738: Enformed of his wyl, sente his message, 739: Comaundynge hem swiche bulles to devyse 740: As to his crueel purpos may suffyse, 741: How that the pope, as for his peples reste, 742: Bad hym to wedde another, if hym leste. 743: I seye, he bad they sholde countrefete 744: The popes bulles, makynge mencion 745: That he hath leve his firste wyf to lete, 746: As by the popes dispensacion, 747: To stynte rancour and dissencion 748: Bitwixe his peple and hym; thus seyde the bulle, 749: The which they han publiced atte fulle. 750: The rude peple, as it no wonder is, 751: Wenden ful wel that it hadde be right so; 752: But whan thise tidynges came to grisildis, 753: I deeme that hire herte was ful wo. 754: But she, ylike sad for everemo, 755: Disposed was, this humble creature, 756: The adversitee of fortune al t' endure, 757: Abidynge evere his lust and his plesance, 758: To whom that she was yeven herte and al, 759: As to hire verray worldly suffisance. 760: But shortly if this storie I tellen shal, 761: This markys writen hath in special 762: A lettre, in which he sheweth his entente, 763: And secreely he to boloigne it sente. 764: To the erl of panyk, which that hadde tho 765: Wedded his suster, preyde he specially 766: To bryngen hoom agayn his children two 767: In honurable estaat al openly. 768: But o thyng he hym preyede outrely, 769: That he to no wight, though men wolde enquere, 770: Sholde nat telle whos children that they were, 771: But seye, the mayden sholde ywedded be 772: Unto the markys of saluce anon. 773: And as this erl was preyed, so dide he; 774: For at day set he on his wey is goon 775: Toward saluce, and lordes many oon 776: In riche array, this mayden for to gyde, 777: Hir yonge brother ridynge hire bisyde. 778: Arrayed was toward hir mariage 779: This fresshe mayde, ful of gemmes cleere; 780: Hir brother, which that seven yeer was of age. 781: Arrayed eek ful fressh in his manere. 782: And thus in greet noblesse and with glad cheere, 783: Toward saluces shapynge hir journey, 784: Fro day to day they ryden in hir wey. Explicit quarta pars. Sequitur pars quinta. 785: Among al this, after his wikke usage, 786: This markys, yet his wyf to tempte moore 787: To the outtreste preeve of hir corage, 788: Fully to han experience and loore 789: If that she were as stidefast as bifoore, 790: He on a day, in open audience, 791: Ful boistously hath seyd hire this sentence: 792: Certes, grisilde, I hadde ynogh plesance 793: To han yow to my wyf for youre goodnesse, 794: As for youre trouthe and for youre obeisance, 795: Noght for youre lynage, ne for youre richesse; 796: But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse 797: That in greet lordshipe, if I wel avyse, 798: Ther is greet servitute in sondry wyse. 799: I may nat doon as every plowman may. 800: My peple me constreyneth for to take 801: Another wyf, and crien day by day; 802: And eek the pope, rancour for to slake. 803: Consenteth it, that dar I undertake; 804: And trewely thus muche I wol yow seye, 805: My newe wyf is comynge by the weye. 806: Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place, 807: And thilke dowere that ye broghten me, 808: Taak it agayn; I graunte it of my grace. 809: Retourneth to youre fadres hous, quod he; 810: No man may alwey han prosperitee. 811: With evene herte I rede yow t' endure 812: The strook of fortune or of aventure. 813: And she agayn answerde in pacience, 814: My lord, quod she, I woot, and wiste alway, 815: How that bitwixen youre magnificence 816: And my poverte no wight kan ne may 817: Maken comparison; it is no nay. 818: I ne heeld me nevere digne in no manere 819: To be youre wyf, no, ne youre chamberere. 820: And in this hous, ther ye me lady maade -- 821: The heighe God take I for my witnesse, 822: And also wysly he my soule glaade -- 823: I nevere heeld me lady ne mistresse, 824: But humble servant to youre worthynesse, 825: And evere shal, whil that my lyf may dure, 826: Aboven every worldly creature. 827: That ye so longe of youre benignitee 828: Han holden me in honour and nobleye, 829: Where as I was noght worthy for to bee, 830: That thonke I God and yow, to whom I preye 831: Foryelde it yow; ther is namoore to seye. 832: Unto my fader gladly wol I wende, 833: And with hym dwelle unto my lyves ende. 834: Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal, 835: Til I be deed my lyf ther wol I lede, 836: A wydwe clene in body, herte, and al. 837: For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede, 838: And am youre trewe wyf, it is no drede, 839: God shilde swich a lordes wyf to take 840: Another man to housbonde or to make! 841: And of youre newe wyf God of his grace 842: So graunte yow wele and prosperitee! 843: For I wol gladly yelden hire my place, 844: In which that I was blisful wont to bee. 845: For sith it liketh yow, my lord, quod shee, 846: That whilom weren al myn hertes reste, 847: That I shal goon, I wol goon whan yow leste. 848: But ther as ye me profre swich dowaire 849: As I first broghte, it is wel in my mynde 850: It were my wrecched clothes, nothyng faire, 851: The whiche to me were hard now for to fynde. 852: O goode god! how gentil and how kynde 853: Ye semed by youre speche and youre visage 854: The day that maked was oure mariage! 855: But sooth is seyd -- algate I fynde it trewe, 856: For in effect it preeved is on me -- 857: Love is noght oold as whan that it is newe. 858: But certes, lord, for noon adversitee, 859: To dyen in the cas, it shal nat bee 860: That evere in word or werk I shal repente 861: That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente. 862: My lord, ye woot that in my fadres place 863: Ye dide me streepe out of my povre weede, 864: And richely me cladden, of youre grace. 865: To yow broghte I noght elles, out of drede, 866: But feith, and nakednesse, and maydenhede; 867: And heere agayn your clothyng I restoore, 868: And eek your weddyng ryng, for everemore. 869: The remenant of youre jueles redy be 870: Inwith youre chambre, dar I saufly sayn. 871: Naked out of my fadres hous, quod she, 872: I cam, and naked moot I turne agayn. 873: Al youre plesance wol I folwen fayn; 874: But yet I hope it be nat youre entente 875: That I smoklees out of youre paleys wente. 876: Ye koude nat doon so dishonest a thyng, 877: That thilke wombe in which youre children leye 878: Sholde biforn the peple, in my walkyng, 879: Be seyn al bare; wherfore I yow preye, 880: Lat me nat lyk a worm go by the weye. 881: Remembre yow, myn owene lord so deere, 882: I was youre wyf, though I unworthy weere. 883: Wherfore, in gerdon of my maydenhede, 884: Which that I broghte, and noght agayn I bere, 885: As voucheth sauf to yeve me, to my meede, 886: But swich a smok as I was wont to were, 887: That I therwith may wrye the wombe of here 888: That was youre wyf. And heer take I my leeve 889: Of yow, myn owene lord, lest I yow greve. 890: The smok, quod he, that thou hast on thy bak, 891: Lat it be stille, and bere it forth with thee. 892: But wel unnethes thilke word he spak, 893: But wente his wey, for routhe and for pitee. 894: Biforn the folk hirselven strepeth she, 895: And in hir smok, with heed and foot al bare, 896: Toward hir fadre hous forth is she fare. 897: The folk hire folwe, wepynge in hir weye, 898: And fortune ay they cursen as they goon; 899: But she fro wepyng kepte hire eyen dreye, 900: Ne in this tyme word ne spak she noon. 901: Hir fader, that this tidynge herde anoon, 902: Curseth the day and tyme that nature 903: Shoop hym to been a lyves creature. 904: For out of doute this olde poure man 905: Was evere in suspect of hir mariage; 906: For evere he demed, sith that it bigan, 907: That whan the lord fulfild hadde his corage, 908: Hym wolde thynke it were a disparage 909: To his estaat so lowe for t' alighte, 910: And voyden hire as soone as ever he myghte. 911: Agayns his doghter hastily goth he, 912: For he by noyse of folk knew hire comynge, 913: And with hire olde coote, as it myghte be 914: He covered hire, ful sorwefully wepynge. 915: But on hire body myghte he it nat brynge, 916: For rude was the clooth, and moore of age 917: By dayes fele than at hire mariage. 918: Thus with hire fader, for a certeyn space, 919: Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience, 920: That neither by hire wordes ne hire face, 921: Biforn the folk, ne eek in hire absence, 922: Ne shewed she that hire was doon offence; 923: Ne of hire heighe astaat no remembraunce 924: Ne hadde she, as by hire contenaunce. 925: No wonder is for in hire grete estaat 926: Hire goost was evere in pleyn humylitee; 927: No tendre mouth, noon herte delicaat, 928: No pompe, no semblant of roialtee, 929: But ful of pacient benyngnytee, 930: Discreet and pridelees, ay honurable, 931: And to hire housbonde evere meke and stable. 932: Men speke of job, and moost for humblesse, 933: As clerkes, whan hem list, konne wel endite, 934: Namely of men, but as in soothfastnesse, 935: Though clerkes preise wommen but a lite, 936: Ther kan no man in humbless hym acquite 937: As womman kan, ne kan been half so trewe 938: As wommen been, but it be falle of newe. Part VI 939: Fro boloigne is this erl of panyk come, 940: Of which the fame up sprang to moore and lesse, 941: And to the peples eres, alle and some, 942: Was kouth eek that a newe markysesse 943: He with hym broghte, in swich pompe and richesse 944: That nevere was ther seyn with mannes ye 945: So noble array in al west lumbardye. 946: The markys, which that shoop and knew al this, 947: Er that this erl was come, sente his message 948: For thilke sely povre grisildis; 949: And she with humble herte and glad visage, 950: Nat with no swollen thoght in hire corage, 951: Cam at his heste, and on hire knees hire sette, 952: And reverently and wisely she hym grette. 953: Grisilde, quod he, my wyl is outrely, 954: This mayden, that shal wedded been to me, 955: Received be to-morwe as roially 956: As it possible is in myn hous to be, 957: And eek that every wight in his degree 958: Have his estaat, in sittyng and servyse 959: And heigh plesaunce, as I kan best devyse. 960: I have no wommen suffisaunt, certayn, 961: The chambres for t' arraye in ordinaunce 962: After my lust, and therfore wolde I fayn 963: That thyn were al swich manere governaunce. 964: Thou knowest eek of old al my plesaunce; 965: Thogh thyn array be badde and yvel biseye, 966: Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye. 967: Nat oonly, lord, that I am glad, quod she, 968: To doon youre lust, but I desire also 969: Yow for to serve and plese in my degree 970: Withouten feyntyng, and shal everemo; 971: Ne nevere, for no wele ne no wo, 972: Ne shal the goost withinne myn herte stente 973: To love yow best with al my trewe entente. 974: And with that word she gan the hous to dighte, 975: And tables for to sette, and beddes make; 976: And peyned hire to doon al that she myghte, 977: Preyynge the chambereres, for goddes sake, 978: To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake; 979: And she, the mooste servysable of alle, 980: Hath every chambre arrayed and his halle. 981: Abouten undren gan this erl alighte, 982: That with hym broghte thise noble children tweye, 983: For which the peple ran to seen the sighte 984: Of hire array, so richely biseye; 985: And thanne at erst amonges hem they seye 986: That walter was no fool, thogh that hym leste 987: To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste. 988: For she is fairer, as they deemen alle, 989: That is grisilde, and moore tendre of age, 990: And fairer fruyt bitwene hem sholde falle, 991: And moore plesant, for hire heigh lynage. 992: Hir brother eek so fair was of visage 993: That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce, 994: Commendynge now the markys governaunce. 995: O stormy peple! unsad and evere untrewe! 996: Ay undiscreet and chaungynge as a fane! 997: Delitynge evere in rumbul that is newe, 998: For lyk the moone ay wexe ye and wane! 999: Ay ful of clappyng, deere ynogh a jane! 1000: Youre doom is fals, youre constance preeveth; 1001: A ful greet fool is he that on yow leeveth. 1002: Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee, 1003: Whan that the peple gazed up and doun; 1004: For they were glad, right for the noveltee, 1005: To han a newe lady of hir toun. 1006: Namoore of this make I now mencioun, 1007: But to grisilde agayn wol I me dresse, 1008: And telle hir constance and hir bisynesse. -- 1009: Ful bisy was grisilde in every thyng 1010: That to the feeste was apertinent. 1011: Right noght was she abayst of hire clothyng, 1012: Thogh it were rude and somdeel eek torent; 1013: But with glad cheere to the yate is went 1014: With oother folk, to greete the markysesse, 1015: And after that dooth forth hire bisynesse. 1016: With so glad chiere his gestes she receyveth, 1017: And konnyngly, everich in his degree, 1018: That no defaute no man aperceyveth, 1019: But ay they wondren what she myghte bee 1020: That in so povre array was for to see, 1021: And koude swich honour and reverence, 1022: And worthily they preisen hire prudence. 1023: In al this meene while she ne stente 1024: This mayde and eek hir brother to commende 1025: With al hir herte, in ful benyngne entente, 1026: So wel that no man koude hir pris amende. 1027: But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende 1028: To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle 1029: Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle. 1030: Grisilde, quod he, as it were in his pley, 1031: How liketh thee my wyf and hire beautee? 1032: Right wel, quod she, my lord; for, in good fey, 1033: A fairer saugh I nevere noon than she. 1034: I prey to God yeve hire prosperitee; 1035: And so hope I that he wol to yow sende 1036: Plesance ynogh unto youre lyves ende. 1037: O thyng biseke I yow, and warne also, 1038: That ye ne prikke with no tormentynge 1039: This tendre mayden, as ye han doon mo; 1040: For she is fostred in hire norissynge 1041: Moore tendrely, and, to my supposynge, 1042: She koude nat adversitee endure 1043: As koude a povre fostred creature. 1044: And whan this walter saugh hire pacience, 1045: Hir glade chiere, and no malice at al, 1046: And he so ofte had doon to hire offence, 1047: And she ay sad and constant as a wal, 1048: Continuynge evere hire innocence overal, 1049: This sturdy markys gan his herte dresse 1050: To rewen upon hire wyfly stedfastnesse. 1051: This is ynogh, grisilde myn, quod he; 1052: Be now namoore agast ne yvele apayed. 1053: I have thy feith and thy benyngnytee, 1054: As wel as evere womman was, assayed, 1055: In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed. 1056: Now knowe I, dere wyf, thy stedfastnesse, -- 1057: And hire in armes took and gan hire kesse. 1058: And she for wonder took of it no keep; 1059: She herde nat what thyng he to hire seyde; 1060: She ferde as she had stert out of a sleep, 1061: Til she out of hire mazednesse abreyde. 1062: Grisilde, quod he, by god, that for us deyde, 1063: Thou art my wyf, ne noon oother I have, 1064: Ne nevere hadde, as God my soule save! 1065: This is thy doghter, which thou hast supposed 1066: To be my wyf; that oother feithfully 1067: Shal be myn heir, as I have ay disposed; 1068: Thou bare hym in thy body trewely. 1069: At boloigne have I kept hem prively; 1070: Taak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye 1071: That thou hast lorn noon of thy children tweye. 1072: And folk that ootherweys han seyd of me, 1073: I warne hem wel that I have doon this deede 1074: For no malice, ne for no crueltee, 1075: But for t' assaye in thee thy wommanheede, 1076: And nat to sleen my children -- God forbeede! -- 1077: But for to kepe hem pryvely and stille, 1078: Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille. 1079: Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth 1080: For pitous joye, and after hire swownynge 1081: She bothe hire yonge children to hire calleth, 1082: And in hire armes, pitously wepynge, 1083: Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissynge 1084: Ful lyk a mooder, with hire salte teeres 1085: She bathed bothe hire visage and hire heeres. 1086: O which a pitous thyng it was to se 1087: Hir swownyng, and hire humble voys to heere! 1088: Grauntmercy, lord, God thanke it yow, quod she, 1089: That ye han saved me my children deere! 1090: Now rekke I nevere to been deed right heere; 1091: Sith I stonde in youre love and in youre grace, 1092: No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace! 1093: O tendre, o deere, o yonge children myne! 1094: Youre woful mooder wende stedfastly 1095: That crueel houndes or som foul vermyne 1096: Hadde eten yow; but god, of his mercy, 1097: And youre benyngne fader tendrely 1098: Hath doon yow kept, -- and in that same stounde 1099: Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde, 1100: And in hire swough so sadly holdeth she 1101: Hire children two, whan she gan hem t' embrace, 1102: That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee 1103: The children from hire arm they gonne arace. 1104: O many a teere on many a pitous face 1105: Doun ran of hem that stooden hire bisyde; 1106: Unnethe abouten hire myghte they abyde. 1107: Walter hire gladeth, and hire sorwe slaketh; 1108: She riseth up, abaysed, from hire traunce, 1109: And every wight hire joye and feeste maketh 1110: Til she hath caught agayn hire contenaunce. 1111: Walter hire dooth so feithfully plesaunce 1112: That it was deyntee for to seen the cheere 1113: Bitwixe hem two, now they been met yfeere. 1114: Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say, 1115: Han taken hire and into chambre gon, 1116: And strepen hire out of hire rude array, 1117: And in a clooth of gold that brighte shoon, 1118: With a coroune of many a riche stoon 1119: Upon hire heed, they into halle hire broghte, 1120: And ther she was honured as hire oghte. 1121: Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende, 1122: For every man and womman dooth his myght 1123: This day in murthe and revel to dispende 1124: Til on the welkne shoon the sterres lyght. 1125: For moore solempne in every mannes syght 1126: This feste was, and gretter of costage, 1127: Than was the revel of hire mariage. 1128: Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee 1129: Lyven thise two in concord and in reste, 1130: And richely his doghter maryed he 1131: Unto a lord, oon of the worthieste 1132: Of al ytaille; and thanne in pees and reste 1133: His wyves fader in his court he kepeth, 1134: Til that the soule out of his body crepeth. 1135: His sone succedeth in his heritage 1136: In reste and pees, after his fader day, 1137: And fortunat was eek in mariage, 1138: Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay. 1139: This world is nat so strong, it is no nay, 1140: As it hath been in olde tymes yoore, 1141: And herkneth what this auctour seith therfoore. 1142: This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde 1143: Folwen grisilde as in humylitee, 1144: For it were inportable, though they wolde; 1145: But for that every wight, in his degree, 1146: Sholde be constant in adversitee 1147: As was grisilde; therfore petrak writeth 1148: This storie, which with heigh stile he enditeth. 1149: For, sith a womman was so pacient 1150: Unto a mortal man, wel moore us oghte 1151: Receyven al in gree that God us sent; 1152: For greet skile is, he preeve that he wroghte. 1153: But he ne tempteth no man that he boghte, 1154: As seith seint jame, if ye his pistel rede; 1155: He preeveth folk al day, it is no drede, 1156: And suffreth us, as for oure excercise, 1157: With sharpe scourges of adversitee 1158: Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wise; 1159: Nat for to knowe oure wyl, for certes he, 1160: Er we were born, knew al oure freletee; 1161: And for oure beste is al his governaunce. 1162: Lat us thanne lyve in vertuous suffraunce. 1163: But o work lordynges, herkneth er I go: 1164: It were ful hard to fynde now-a-dayes 1165: In al a toun grisildis thre or two; 1166: For if that they were put to swiche assayes, 1167: The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes 1168: With bras, that thogh the coyne be fair at ye, 1169: It wolde rather breste a-two than plye. 1170: For which heere, for the wyves love of bathe -- 1171: Whos lyf and al hire secte God mayntene 1172: In heigh maistrie, and elles were it scathe -- 1173: I wol with lusty herte, fressh and grene, 1174: Seyn yow a song to glade yow, I wene; 1175: And lat us stynte of ernestful matere. 1176: Herkneth my song that seith in this manere: Lenvoy de Chaucer 1177: Grisilde is deed, and eek hire pacience, 1178: And bothe atones buryed in ytaille; 1179: For which I crie in open audience, 1180: No wedded man so hardy be t' assaille 1181: His wyves pacience in trust to fynde 1182: Grisildis, for in certein he shal faille. 1183: O noble wyves, ful of heigh prudence, 1184: Lat noon humylitee youre tonge naille, 1185: Ne lat no clerk have cause or diligence 1186: To write of yow a storie of swich mervaille 1187: As of grisildis pacient and kynde, 1188: Lest chichevache yow swelwe in hire entraille! 1189: Folweth ekko, that holdeth no silence, 1190: But evere answereth at the countretaille. 1191: Beth nat bidaffed for youre innocence, 1192: But sharply taak on yow the governaille. 1193: Emprenteth wel this lessoun in youre mynde, 1194: For commune profit sith it may availle. 1195: Ye archewyves, stondeth at defense, 1196: Syn ye be strong as is a greet camaille; 1197: Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offense. 1198: And sklendre wyves, fieble as in bataille, 1199: Beth egre as is a tygre yond in ynde; 1200: Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille. 1201: Ne dreed hem nat, doth hem no reverence, 1202: For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille, 1203: The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence 1204: Shal perce his brest, and eek his aventaille. 1205: In jalousie I rede eek thou hym bynde, 1206: And thou shalt make hym couche as doth a quaille. 1207: If thou be fair, ther folk been in presence, 1208: Shewe thou thy visage and thyn apparaille; 1209: If thou be foul, be fre of thy dispence; 1210: To gete thee freendes ay do thy travaille; 1211: Be ay of chiere as light as leef on lynde, 1212: And lat hym care, and wepe, and wrynge, and waille! 1212.1: This worthy clerk, whan ended was his tale, 1212.2: Oure hooste seyde, and swoor, by goddes bondes, 1212.3: Me were levere than a barel ale 1212.4: My wyf at hoom had herd this legende ones! 1212.5: This is a gentil tale for the nones, 1212.6: As to my purpos, wiste ye my wille; 1212.7: But thyng that wol nat be, lat it be stille. 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