The Clerk's Tale
Folio 93v
8 of 35 folios
Commendyng in his hert hir wommanhede
240
And ek hir vertu passyng any wight
Of so yonge age as wel in chere and dede
For though the peple haue no gret insight
In vertu he considered ful ryght
Hir bountee and disposed that he wold
245
Wedde hir oonly if euer he wedde shold
The day of weddyng cam / but no wyght can
Telle what womman that it sholde be
For which maruaille wondrith many a man
And seiden whan thei were in piuyte
250
Wol not our lord yit leue his vanyte
Wol he not wedde allas allas the while
Whi wol he thus him selfe and vs bigyle
But nathales this Marquys hath don make
Of gemmes sette in gold and in asure
255
Broches and rynges for grisildes sake
And of hir clothyng took he the mesure
Of a mayden lyke vnto hir stature
And ek of other ornamentes alle
That vxxx xwich a weddyng shulde falle
260
The xxxx of vndren of the same day
Approcheth that this weddyng sholde be
And al the palays put was in array
Bothe halle and chambres eche in his degre
Houses of office stuffed wyth plentee
265
Theer maistow se of deynteuous vitaille
That may be founde as fer as last ytaille
This real Marquys richely arayde
Lordes and ladyes in his compaignye
The which vn to the fest were I prayed
270
And of his retenue the bachelrye
Wyth many a soun of sondry melodye
Vnto the vilage of the which I tolde
In this array the ryght wey han thei holde