The Clerk's Tale
Folio 257v
27 of 30 folios
And sche for wondyr tok of it no kep
Sche herde not what thyng he to hire seyde
1060
Sche ferde as sche hadde styrt out of hyre slep
Tyl sche out of hire masedenesse a breyde
Grisilde quod he bi god that for vs deyede
Thow art myn wif / ne non oþer ne haue
Ne neuere ne hadde as god mȳ soule saue
1065
This is thȳ douȝtyr / which þow hast supposyd
To been myn wyf / þt oþer feithfully
Schal been myn eyr / as I haue ay supposid
Thow bar hȳ in thȳ body trewely
At Boloyne haue I kept hē pryuyly
1070
Take hem a geyn for now þow mayst nat seye
That þu hast lost non of thȳne childeryn tweye
And folk that oþere weyis han seyd of mee
I warne hē weel that I haue don this dede
For no maleys / nor for no creueltee
1075
But for tassaye in the thȳ womanhede
And not for to sle mȳne childerȳ god for beede
But for to kepe hē piuyly & stille
Til I thȳ purpos knew & al thȳ wille
Whan // sche // this herde / aswoūne doū sche fallyth
1080
For pytous Ioye & aftyr hire swounȳge
Sche boþe hire ȝonge chyldere vn to hyre callyth
And in hire armys / pitously / wepȳge
Enbrasyth hȳ / & tenderely kyssynge
Ful lyk a modyr with hire salte terys
1085
Sche bathith bothe hire visage & hire herys
O which a pitous thyng it was to se
Hire swoūnynge & hire humble voys for to heere
Graunt mercy lord / god thāke ȝow quod sche
That ȝe han sauede me mȳne chyldere deere
1090
Now rekke I neuere to been ded ryȝt here
Sithe I stonde in ȝoure loue & in ȝoure grace
No fors of deth ne whā myn spiryt pace