The Clerk's Tale
Folio 124v
17 of 32 folios
But to þis marquys now retourne we
For now goþ he ful fast ymaginyng
If by his wyues cher he mighte se
600
Or by hir word apparceyne þat sche
Were chaunged . but he hir neuer couþe fynde
But euer in oon y like sad and kynde
As glad as humble as busy in seruise /
And eek in loue as sche was wont to be
605
Was sche to him in euery maner wyse /
Ne of hir doughter nouȝt o word spak sche
Non accident for noon aduersite
Was seyn in hir ne neuer hir doughter name
Ne nempnyd sche . in ernest ne in game
¶ Incipit . Quarta pars .
610
IN þis estaat þer passed ben foure ȝer
Er sche wiþ childe was . but as god wolde
A knaue child sche bar by þis waltier
Ful gracious and fair for to biholde
And whan þat folk it to his fader tolde
615
Nouȝt oonly he . but al his contre merye
Was for þis child and god þay þank and herie
Whan it was tuo ȝer old and fro þe brest
Departed fro his noris vpon a day
This markys caughte ȝit another lest
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To tempt his wif ȝit after if he may
O needles was sche tempted in assay
But weddid men ne knowen no mesure
Whan þat þay fynde a pacient creature
Wyf quod þis marquys ȝe han herd er þis
625
My peple sekly berith oure mariage
And namly syn . my sone y boren is
Now is it wors þan euer in al our age
The murmur sleþ mȳ hert and my corrage
For to myn eeris comeþ þe vois so smerte
630
Þat it wel neigh destroyed haþ myn herte /
Now say þay þus whan wauter is a goon
Than schal þe blood of Ianicula succede
And ben our lord for oþer haue we noon