The Clerk's Tale
Folio 94r
9 of 35 folios
Grisilde god wot of this ful Innocent
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That for hir shapen was this array
To fecche watyr at a welle is went
And cometh hoom as sone as euer she may
For wel she hadde hard seyde that thilke day
The Marquys shulde wedde and yif she myght
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She wolde fayn han seen sum of that syght
She thought I wol wyth other Maydenes stonde
That been my felaws in oure dore and se
The Marquysesse and therfore wol I fonde
To do at home as sone as it may be
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The labour which that longeth vnto me
And thanne I may at leiser hir biholde
If she this wey vnto the Casteƚƚ holde
And as she wold ouer the thresshold gon
The Marquys cam and gan hir for to calle
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And she set doū hir water pot anon
Byside the thresshfold of this oxes stalle
And doun vpon hir knees she gan to falle
And wyth sad contenance kneleth stille
Til she had herd what was the lordes wille
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This thoghtful Markys spak vnto the mayde
Fuƚƚ sobrely and seyde in this manere
Where is your fadyr Grisildis he sayde
And she wyth reuerence and humble cheere
Answerd lord he is al redy here
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And ynne she goth wyth owten lenger lette
And to the Marquys she hir fadre fette
He bi the hand than took this poore man
And seyde thus whan he him had a syde
Ianicola y nother may ne can
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Lenger the plesaunce of myn hert hide
If that thou vouche sauf what so bityde
Thi doughter wol I take or that I wende
As for my wyf vn to hir lyues ende