The Clerk's Tale
Folio 251r
15 of 30 folios
As glad as hūble as besy in seruyse
And ek in loue as sche was wone to be
605
Was sche to hȳ in euery manere wyse
Nor of hire doughtyr nouȝt a word spak she
Non accident for noon aduersite
Was seyn in hire / ne neuere hire doughtiris name
Ne nemenede sche in ernest nor in game
610
In this estaat there passede been foure ȝeer
Er sche with childe was but as god wolde
A knaue child be this waltyr
Ful gracious & fayr for to be holde
And whā that folk / it to his fadyr tolde
615
Not only he but al his court merye
Was for this child & god þey thākede & herye
Whan it was two ȝeer old & fro the brest
Departede of his norysse on a day
This Markis caughte ȝet a nothir lest
620
To tempte his wyf ȝit oftere ȝif he may
O needeles was sche temptid in assay
But weddede men ne knewe no mesure
Whan that þey fynde a pacient creature
Wyf quod this Markys ȝe han herd er this
625
Myn peple beryth \hevye/ oure maryage
And namely sithe mȳ sone I born is
Now is it werse than euere in al oure age
The murmur sleth mȳ herte & mȳ corage
For to mȳne eris comyth the vois so smerte
630
That it wel nygh distroyed hath myn herte
Now sey they thus now waltyr is a goon
Than schal the blood of Ianicle succede
And been oure lord / for oþere haue we non
Swich wordis seigħ myn peple out of drede
635
Weel oughte I of swich murmor takȳ heede
For certeynly I drede swich sentence
Thogh they not pleynly speke in myn audience