The Clerk's Tale
Folio 142v
27 of 31 folios
Right nougħt was sche abayssht of hire <1b>cloþing1b>
Þough it were rude and eek somdel <2b>torent2b>
But with glad chere to þe gate is <2c>went2c>
With oþer folk to grete þe <3a>marquysesse3a>
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And after þat doþ forþ hire <3b>besynesse3b>
¶ Wiþ so glad chere his gestes sche <1a>resceyueþ1a>
And connyngly euerich in his <2a>degre2a>
That defaute no man <1b>apparceyueþ1b>
But ay þey wondren what sche mighte <2b>be2b>
1020
Þat in so pore array was for to <2c>se2c>
And coude such honor & <3a>reuerence3a>
And worþily þey preysen hire <3b>prudence3b>
¶ In al þis mene while sche ne <1a>stente1a>
Þis mayde and eek hir broþer to <2a>comende2a>
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With aƚƚ hire herte in ful benigne <1b>entente1b>
So wel þat no man couþe hire pris <2b>amende2b>
But atte laste whan þise lordes <2c>wende2c>
To sitte doun at mete he gan to <3a>calle3a>
Grisilde as sche was besy in his <3b>halle3b>
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¶ Grisilde quod he as it were in his <1a>play1a>
How likeþ þe my wijf and hire <2a>beaute2a>
Right wel quod sche my lord for in good <1b>fey1b>
A fairer sawe I neuer non þan <2b>sche2b>
I pray to god ȝif ȝou <2c>prosperite2c>
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And so hope I þat he wil to ȝou <3a>sende3a>
Plesaunce ynow vnto ȝour lyues <3b>ende3b>
¶ O þing beseke I ȝou and warne <1a>also1a> /
Þat ȝe prike wiþ no <2a>tormentynge2a>
Þis tendre mayden as ȝe han do <1b>mo1b>
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For sche is fostred in hire <2b>norischinge2b>
More tenderly and to my <2c>supposynge2c>
Sche coude nougħt aduersite <3a>endure3a>
As coude a pore fostred <3b>creature3b> /
And whan þis walt er saugh hir <1a>pacience1a>
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Hire glad cher and no malice at <2a>al2a>
And he so often hadde don hire <1b>offence1b>