The Clerk's Tale
Folio 105r
31 of 35 folios
1030
Grisilde quod he as it were in his pley
How liketh the my wyf and hir beaute
Ryght wel quod she my lord in good feye
A fairer saw I neuer mo than she
I praye to god yeue yow prosperite
1035
And so y hope that he wol to yow sende
Plesaunce ynow vnto your lyues ende
O thing I beseke yow and warne also
That ye ne prike wyth no turmentyng
This tendre mayden as ye han do mo
1040
For she is fostrid in hir norisshyng.
More tendrely and to my supposyng
She myght nat aduersite endure
As coude a poore fostred creature
And whan this Wauter saw hir pacience
1045
Hir glad chere and no malice at al
And he so often had doon hir offence
And she ay sad and constant as a wal
Contynuyng euer hir innocence oueral
This sturdy Marquys gan his hert dresse
1050
To ruwe vpon hir wifly stedfastnesse
This is ynow grisild myn quod he
Be now no more agast and euel apayde
I haue thi feith and thi benygnyte
As wel as euyr womman was assayde
1055
In gret estat and porelych arrayde
Now know I dere wif thi stedfastnesse
And hir in armes took and gan hir kesse
And she for wondre took of it no kepe
She herd not of it what thing he to hir seyde
1060
She firde as she had stirte out of hir sleep
Til she out of hir mazednesse abreyde
Grisild quod he bigod that for vs deyde
Thow art my wif ne no nother I haue
Ne neuer hadde so god my soule saue