The Clerk's Tale
Folio 187v
29 of 35 folios
960
x haue no wommen suffisant certayn
The chambres for taraye / in ordynance
After my lust and ther fore wolde I fayn
That thyn were / al swich manere gouernance
Thow knowest eek of old al my plesance
965
Though thyn array be badde / and yuel biseye
Do thow thy deuoir / at the leeste weye
¶ Nat oonly lord / that I am glad / quod she
To doon youre lust but I desire also
Yow for to serue / and plese in my degree
970
With outen feyntyng and shal euere mo
Ne neuere / for no wele / ne no wo
Ne shal the goost with Inne myn herte stente
To loue yow best with al my trewe entente
¶ And with that word / she gan the hous to dighte
975
And tables for to sette / and beddes make
And peyned hir / to doon al that she myghte
Preyynge the chambreres / for goddes sake
To hasten hem / and faste swepe and shake
And she / the mooste seruysable of alle
980
Hath euery chambre arrayed / and his halle
¶ Abouten vndren / gan this Erl alighte
That wt hym broghte / thise noble children tweye
For which the peple / ran to seen the sighte
Of hire array / so richely biseye
985
And thanne at erst amonges hem they seye
That Walter was no fool / thogh þt hym leste
To chaunge his wyf for it was for his beste
¶ For she is fairer / as they demen alle
Than is Grisilde / and moore tendre of age
990
And fairer fruyt bitwene hem sholde falle
And moore plesant for hir heigh lynage
Hir brother eek / so fair was of visage
That hem to seen / the peple hath caught plesance
Cōmendynge now / the Markys gouernance