The Clerk's Tale
Folio 100r
26 of 29 folios
In al this meene while / she ne stente
This mayde / and eek hir brother to cōmende
1025
With al hir herte / in ful benyngne entente
So wel / þt no man koude hir pris amende
But atte laste / whan þt thise lordes wende
To sitten doun to mete / he gan to calle
Grisilde / as she was bisy in his halle
1030
¶ Grisilde quod he / as it were in his pley
How liketh thee my wyf / and hir beautee ;
Rigħt wel quod she my lord / for in good fey
A fairer saugħ I neuere noon than she
I prey to god / yeue hir prosperitee
1035
And so hope I / that he wol to yow sende
Plesance ynogħ / vn to youre lyues ende
O thyng biseke I yow / and warne also
That ye ne prikke / with no tormentynge
This tendre mayden / as ye han doon mo
1040
For she is fostred / in hir norissynge
Moore tendrely / and to my supposynge
She koude nat Aduersitee endure
As koude / a poure fostred creature
¶ And whan this walter / saugħ hir pacience
1045
Hir glad chiere / and no malice at al
And he so ofte / had doon to hir
And she ay sad / and constant as a wal
Continuynge euere / hir Innocence ouer al .i. vbique
This sturdy Markys / gan his herte dresse
1050
To rewen / vp on hir wyfly stedfastnesse
¶ This is ynogħ / Grisilde myn quod he
Be now namoore agast ne yuele apayed
I haue thy feith / and thy benyngnytee
As wel / as euere womman was assayed
1055
In greet estaat . and poureliche arrayed
Now knowe I goode wyf / thy stedfastnesse
And hir in armes took / and gan hir kesse
¶ And she for wonder / took of it no keepe
She herde nat / what thyng he to hir seyde
1060
She ferde / as she had stert out of a sleepe
Til she / out of hir mazednesse abreyde
Grisilde quod he / by god that for vs deyde
Thou art my wyf / noon oother I haue
Ne neuere hadde / as god my soule saue