The Clerk's Tale
Folio 144r
30 of 31 folios
Vppon hire heed þey in to halle hir <3a>brougħte3a>
1120
And þan sche was honoured as sche <3b>ougħte3b>
¶ Thus haþ þis pitous day a blisful <1a>ende1a>
For euery man and wōman doþ here <2a>migħt2a>
This day in mirþe and reuel to <1b>dispende1b>
Til on þe welken schone þe sterres <2b>bright2b>
1125
For more solempne in euery mānes <2c>sight2c>
Þis feste was and gretter of <3a>costage3a>
Than was þe reuel of hire <3b>mariage3b>
¶ Ful many a ȝeer in hih <1a>prosperite1a>
Lyuen þise tuo in concord and in <2a>reste2a>
1130
And richely his douȝt er maryed <1b>he1b>
Vnto a lord on of þe <2b>worþieste2b>
Of aƚƚ ytayle þanne and pes & <2c>reste2c>
His wyues fader in his court he <3a>kepeþ3a>
Til þat his soule out of his body <3b>creepiþ3b>
1135
¶ His soñe succediþ in his <1a>heritage1a>
In reste and pees aft er his fader <2a>day2a>
And fortunat eek was in <1b>mariage1b>
Al putte he not his wijf in gret <2b>assay2b>
This world is not so strong it is no <2c>nay2c>
1140
As it haþ ben in olde tyme <3a>ȝore3a>
And herkneþ what þis auctor seiþ <3b>þerfore3b>
This story is sayd not for þat wyues <1a>scholde1a>
Folwen grisilde as in <2a>humilite2a>
For it were importable þough þey <1b>wolde1b>
1145
But for þat euery wight in his <2b>degre2b>
Schulde be constante in <2c>aduersite2c>
As was Grisilde þerfore Petrayke <3a>writeþ3a>
Þis story which he wiþ his stile <3b>enditeþ3b>
For siþþe a wōman was so <1a>paciente1a>
1150
Vnto a mortel man wel more vs <2a>ouȝte2a>
Resceyuen al in gree þat god vs <1b>sente1b>
For grete skiles he preeueþ þat he <2b>wrouȝte2b>
But he ne tempteþ no man þat he <2c>bouȝte2c>
As seiþ seint Iame ȝif ȝe his pistil <3a>rede3a>