The Clerk's Tale
Folio 132r
6 of 31 folios
255
Broches and rynges for Grisildes <1b>sake1b>
And of hire cloþing tok he þe <2b>mesure2b>
Of a mayden like to hire <2c>stature2c>
And eek of oþer ornamentes <3a>aƚƚ3a>
That vnto such a weddyng schulde <3b>falle3b>
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¶ Þe tyme of vnderne of þe same <1a>day1a>
Approcheþ þat þis weddyng schulde <2a>be2a>
And al þe paleys but was in <1b>aray1b>
Boþe halle and chambre eche in his <2b>degre2b>
Houses of offices stuffed wiþ <2c>plente2c>
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Ther maystow se of deynteuous / <3a>vitayle3a>
That may be founde as feer as last <3b>ytayle3b>
¶ This real marquys richely <1a>arrayed1a>
Lordes and ladyes in his <2a>companye2a>
The which vnto þe feste were <1b>prayed1b>
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And of his retenue þe <2b>bachelrie2b>
With many a soun of sondry <2c>melodye2c>
Vnto þe vilage of which I <3a>tolde3a>
In þis array þe righte wey haþ <3b>holde3b>
¶ Grisilde of þis god wot ful <1a>Innocent1a>
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Þat for hire schapen al þis array <2a>was2a>
To fecche water at a welle is <1b>wente1b>
And comeþ home as sone as euer sche <2b>may2b>
For wel sche hadde herd sayde þat ilke <2c>day2c>
That marquys schulde wedde and if sche <3a>might3a>
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Sche wolde fayn han seyn some of þat <3b>sight3b>
¶ Sche þougħt I wille wiþ oþre maydens <1a>stonde1a>
Þat ben my felawes in oure dore and <2a>se2a>
The marquisesse and þerfore wol I <1b>fonde1b>
To do at home as sone as it may <2b>be2b>
285
Þe labour which þat longeþ vnto <2c>me2c>
And þanne I may at leysyr hire by <3a>holde3a>
If sche þis wey vnto þe castel <3b>holde3b>
¶ And as sche wolde ouer hire þresshfold <1a>gon1a>
The marquys cam and gan hir for to <2a>calle2a>
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And sche sette doun hir water potte <1b>anon1b>