The Clerk's Tale
Folio 256v
25 of 30 folios
For sche is fayrere as they demyn alle
As is Gresilde & more tendere of age
990
And fayrere frent be twē hem schulde falle
And more plesaūt for hire heye lenage
Hire brothir ek so fayr was of visage
That hē to sen þõ peple hath caught plesaūce
Comendȳge now þõ Markys gouernaūce
995
O stormy puple / on sad & euere vntrewe
Ay vndiscret & chaūgȳge as a fane
Delytynge euere in rumbul þt is newe
For lyk the mone / ay waxe ȝe & wane
Ay ful of clappyng deere ynogħ a Iane
1000
Ȝoure dom is fals / ȝoure constaūce euel peruyth
A ful greet fol is he þt on ȝow leuytħ
Thus seydyn sadde folk in þt Cetee
Whā þt the peple gazede vp & doū
For they were glad rygh for þõ noueltee
1005
To haue a newe lady of hire toun
No more of this now make I mēcioū
But to grysilde a geyn wil I me dresse
And telle hire constance & hire besynesse
Ful bisy was Grisilde / in euery thyng
1010
That to þõ feste / was apertynent
Rygh nought was sche / abast of hire clothȳge
Thow it were rude & sūdel ek to rent
But with glad chier to þõ ȝate is went
With oþere folk to greete the Markisesse
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And aftyr doth / forth hire besinesse
With so glad chiere / hire gestis she resseynydh
And so benyngnely euerych in his degre
That no defaute noman aperseynyth
But ay they wondere / what sche myghte be
1020
That in so pore aray / was for to se
And coude swich honour / & reuerence
And worthily they preyse hire prudence