The Clerk's Tale
Folio 122v
13 of 32 folios
For though a mayden child come al byfore /
Sche may vnto a knaue child atteigne
By liklihed and sche nys not bareigne
Ther fel as fallith many tymes mo
450
Whan þat þis child haþ souked but a þrowe
This marquys in his herte longith so
Tempte his wyf . hir sadnesse for to knowe
That he ne migħt out of his herte þrowe
This meruaylous desir his wyf tassaye
455
Now god wot he þougħt hir to affraye
He had assayed hir ynough bifore
And fond hir euer good what needith it /
Hire to tempte . and alway more and more
Though som men prayse it for a subtil wit
460
But as for me I say þat euel it sit
Tassay a wyf whan þat it is no neede /
And putte hir in anguysch and in dreede
For which þis marquis wrouȝt in þis manere
He com aloone a night þer as sche lay /
465
Wiþ sterne face and with ful trouble cheere
And sayde þus Grisild quod he þat day /
Þat I ȝow took out of ȝour pore array /
And putte ȝow in estat of heigħ noblesse
Ȝe haue not þat forgeten as I gesse /
470
I say Grisild þis present dignite
In which þat I haue put ȝow as I trowe
Makith ȝow not forȝetful for to be
Þat I ȝow took in pore estat ful lowe
For eny wele ȝe moot ȝour selue knowe /
475
Tak heed of euery word þat I ȝow say /
Ther is no wigħt þat herith it but we tway
Ȝe wot ȝour self . how ȝe comen heere
In to þis hous it is nougħt long ago
And þough to me þat ȝe be leef and deere
480
Vnto my gentils ȝe be no þing so
Thay seyn to hem it is gret schame and wo
For to ben subiect . and ben in seruage /