The Clerk's Tale
Folio 131v
31 of 32 folios
This feste was and gretter of costage
Than was þe reuel of hir mariage /
Ful many a ȝer in heigh prosperite
Lyuen þese tuo in concord and in rest
1130
And richeliche his doughter maried he
Vnto a lord on of þe worthiest
Of al ytaile and þanne in pees and rest
His wyues fader in his court he kepith
Til þat þe soule out of his body crepith
1135
His sone succedith in his heritage
In rest and pees . after his fader day
And fortunat . was eek in mariage
Al put he not his wyf in gret assay
This world is not so strong it is no nay
1140
As it haþ ben in olde tymes ȝore
And herknith what þis auctour saiþ þerfore
This story is sayd nat for þat wyues scholde
Folwe Grisild . as in humilite
For it were importable þougħ þay wolde
1145
But for þat euery wigħt in his degre
Schulde be constant . in aduersite
As was Grisild . therfore Petrark writeth
This story which wiþ higħ stile he enditeth
For swich a wōman was so pacient
1150
Vnto a mortal man wel more vs ougħte
Receyuen al in gre þat god vs sent
For gret skil is he proue þat he wrougħte
But he ne temptith no man þat he bougħte
As saith seint Iame if he his pistil rede /
1155
He prouith folk al day it is no drede
And suffrith vs as for our excercise
Wiþ scharpe scourges of aduersite
Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wise
Nought for to knowe oure wille for certes he
1160
Er we were born . knew al oure frelte
And for oure best is al his gouernaūce
Leet vs þanne lyue in vertuous suffraūce
But oo word lordes herkneth er I go