The Clerk's Tale
Folio 131r
4 of 31 folios
He gaunted hem a day such as him <1a>leste1a>
On which he wolde be wedded <2a>sikerly2a>
185
And sayde he dide al þis at þair <1b>requeste1b>
And þay wiþ humble entent ful <2b>buxomly2b>
Knelyng vpon here knees ful <2c>reuerently2c>
Him þonkyng alle and þus þay haue an <3a>ende3a>
Of here entent and home aȝein þei <3b>wende3b>
190
And her vpon he to his <1a>officers1a>
Comandeþ for þe feste to <2a>purveye2a>
And to his priue knightes and <1b>squyers1b>
Such charge ȝaf as him list on hem <2b>leye2b>
And þay to his comaundemēt <2c>obeye2c>
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And ech of hem doþ al his <3a>diligence3a>
To do vnto þe feste <3b>reuerence3b>
NOught fer fro þe paleys <1a>honurable1a>
Wher as þe marquys schop his <2a>mariage2a>
Ther stood a throop of þe Cite <1b>delitable1b>
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In which þat pore folk of þat <2b>village2b>
Hadden here bestes and here <2c>herbergage2c>
And of here labour toke here <3a>sustienance3a>
After þe erþe ȝaf hem <3b>abundaūce3b>
Among þis pore folk þer dwelled a <1a>man1a>
205
Which was holde pouerest of hem <2a>alle2a>
But heihe god sum tyme sende <1b>can1b>
His gace in to a litel oxe <2b>stalle2b>
Ianicula men of þat throop him <2c>calle2c>
A doughter hadde he fair ynougħ to <3a>sigħt3a>
210
¶ And Grisildis þis ȝonge mayden <3b>highte3b>
But for to speke of verteuous <1a>beaute1a>
Þanne was sche on þe fairest vnder <2a>sonne2a>
For pouerely y fostered was <1b>sche1b>
No likerous lust was in hire herte <2b>ronne2b>
215
Wel oftere of þe welle þan of þe <2c>tonne2c>
Sche drank for sche wolde vertues <3a>plese3a>
Sche knew wel labour but non ydel <3b>ese3b>
¶ But þougħ þis mayden tendre were of <1a>age1a>