The Clerk's Tale
Folio 125v
5 of 28 folios
Namely of men bot as in sothe fastnesse
935
Thow clerkes preisen wēmen bo a lite
Ther can no man in humblesse him acquite
As wēmen can . ne cān behalfe so trewe
As wēmen buen bot it be fal of newe
¶ Fro Boleyne is þis erle of pauyhe cōme
940
Of whiche þe fame vp spronge to more & lesse
And to þe peple eres al & sōme
Was Couþe eke þat a newe Marquysesse
He wiþ him brouht in suche pompe & recchesse
Þat neuer was þer seen wiþ mannes eye
945
So noble araie in al west lumbardeye
¶ Ther Markes whiche þat knewe & schope al þis
Or þat þis Erle was cōme sent his message
For þilke cely poure Crisild
And sche wiþ humble herte & glad visage
950
Nouhte wiþþe no swollen hert in hir Corage
Cam att hire heste & on hir knes hir sette
And reuerently & wisly sche him grette
¶ Crisilda qd he my wil is vtterlye
This maiden þat schal be wedded to me
955
Receyved be morwe as Roiallye
As possible is in my house to be
And eke þat euery wyght in his degre
Haue his astate in sittinge & seruice
And hihe plesance as .I. can best deuise
960
¶ I. haue no wōman suffisant certeine
The chambres for to arraie in ordinance
After my lust & þere fore wolde .I. feine
Þine were al suche maner gouernance
Þou knowest eke of olde al my plesaūce
965
Þouhe þine araie be bad & yuel beseye
Do þou þi deuere att þe leste waie
¶ Not only lorde þat .I. am gladde qd sche
To do ȝoure lust bot .I. desire also
Ȝowe for to serue & plese in my degre
970
Wiþ outen feynteinge & schal euer moo
Ne neuer for no wele ne for woo
Ne schal þe goste wiþ inne myne hert stinte
To loue ȝow best wiþ al my trewe entente
¶ And wiþ þat worde sche gan þe house to diht
975
And tables for to sette & beddes make