The Clerk's Tale
Folio 119r
6 of 32 folios
For ȝit alway þe peple som what dredde
Lest that the marquys wolde no wyf wedde
He graunted hem a day such as him lest
On which he wolde be weddid sicurly
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And sayd he dede al þis at her requeste
And þay with humble hert ful buxomly
Knelyng vpon her knees ful reuerently
Him þanken alle and þus þay haue an ende
Of her entent . and hom aȝein þay wende
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And her vpon he to his officeris
Comaundith for the feste to purueye
And to his priue knightes and squyeres
Which charge ȝaf as him list on hem leye
And thay to his comaundemēt obeye /
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And ech of hem doth his diligence
To doon vnto þe feste reuerence
NOugħt fer fro þilke place honurable
Wher as this marquys schop his mariage
Ther stood a thrope of sighte delitable
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In which þat pore folk of þat vilage
Hadden her bestes and her herburgage /
And after her labour took her sustienaūce
After the erthe ȝaf hem abundaunce
Among this pore folk ther duelt a man
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Which þat was holden porest of hem alle
But heighe god som tyme sende can
His grace vnto a litel oxe stalle
Ianicula men of þat throop him calle /
A doughter had he fair ynough to sigħt
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And Crisildes þis ȝonge doughter higħt
But for to speke of hir vertuous beaute
Than was sche oon þe fayrest vnder sonne
For porely I fostred vp was sche
No licorous lust was in his body ronne
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Wel ofter of þe welle þan of þe tonne
Sche dronk and for sche wolde vertu please
Sche knew wel labour but noon ydel ease