The Clerk's Tale
Folio 99r
19 of 35 folios
610
In this estat ther passed ben .iiij. yer
Or she wyth childe was but as god wolde
A knaue childe she bar bi this Wauter
Ful gracious and fair for to biholde
And whan that folk it to his fadre tolde
615
Nat oonly he but al his contre merye
Was for this childe and god thei thanke and hery
Whan it was two yeer old and fro the brest
Departed of his norice on a day
This Marquys caught him eft another lest
620
To tempte his wif yit ofter if ye may
O needles was she tempted in assay
But weddid men ne know no mesure
Whan that thei fynde a pacient creature
Wif quod this Marquys ye han herd or this
625
My peple seekly bereth our mariage
And namely syn my sone yborn is
Now is it wers than euer in al our age
The murmur sleeth myn hert and my corage
For to myn eris comth the vois so smerte
630
That it wel ny destruyed hath myn herte
Now sey thei thus whan Wauter is agon
Than shal the blod of Ianicle succede
And be our lord for other haue we non
Swich wordes seith my peple it is no drede
635
Wel ought I of swich murmur taken hede
For certeynly I drede swich sentence
Though thei not pleyn speke in myn audience
I wold lyue in pees yif that I myght
Wherfore I am desposed vttrely
640
As I his sister serued haue by nyght
Ryght so thinke I. to serue him pryuely
This warne I you . for ye not sodeynly
Out of your selfe for no wo shold outreye
Beth pacient and ther of I wol yow preye