Here folweth the Prologe of the Clerkes Tale of Oxenford.
'Sir clerk of Oxenford,' our hoste sayde,
'Ye ryde as coy and stille as dooth a mayde,
Were newe spoused, sitting at the bord;
This day ne herde I of your tonge a word.
I trowe ye studie aboute som sophyme, 5
But Salomon seith, "every thing hath tyme."
For goddes sake, as beth of bettre chere,
It is no tyme for to studien here.
Telle us som mery tale, by your fey;
For what man that is entred in a pley, 10
He nedes moot unto the pley assente.
But precheth nat, as freres doon in Lente,
To make us for our olde sinnes wepe,
Ne that thy tale make us nat to slepe.
Telle us som mery thing of aventures;— 15
Your termes, your colours, and your figures,
Kepe hem in stoor til so be ye endyte
Heigh style, as whan that men to kinges wryte.
Speketh so pleyn at this tyme, I yow preye,
That we may understonde what ye seye.' 20
This worthy clerk benignely answerde,
'Hoste,' quod he, 'I am under your yerde;
Ye han of us as now the governaunce,
And therfor wol I do yow obeisaunce,
As fer as reson axeth, hardily. 25
I wol yow telle a tale which that I
Lerned at Padowe of a worthy clerk,
As preved by his wordes and his werk.
He is now deed and nayled in his cheste,
I prey to god so yeve his soule reste! 30
Fraunceys Petrark, the laureat poete,
Highte this clerk, whos rethoryke sweete
Enlumined al Itaille of poetrye,
As Linian dide of philosophye
Or lawe, or other art particuler; 35
But deeth, that wol nat suffre us dwellen heer
But as it were a twinkling of an yë,
Hem bothe hath slayn, and alle shul we dyë.
But forth to tellen of this worthy man,
That taughte me this tale, as I bigan, 40
I seye that first with heigh style he endyteth,
Er he the body of his tale wryteth,
A proheme, in the which discryveth he
Pemond, and of Saluces the contree,
And speketh of Apennyn, the hilles hye, 45
That been the boundes of West Lumbardye,
And of Mount Vesulus in special,
Where as the Poo, out of a welle smal,
Taketh his firste springing and his sours,
That estward ay encresseth in his cours 50
To Emelward, to Ferrare, and Venyse:
The which a long thing were to devyse.
And trewely, as to my Iugement,
Me thinketh it a thing impertinent,
Save that he wol convey en his matere: 55
But this his tale, which that ye may here.'
Here biginneth the Tale of the Clerk of Oxenford.
Ther is, at the west syde of Itaille,
Doun at the rote of Vesulus the colde,
A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille,
Wher many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde, 60
That founded were in tyme of fadres olde,
And many another delitable sighte,
And Saluces this noble contree highte.
A markis whylom lord was of that londe,
As were his worthy eldres him bifore; 65
And obeisant and redy to his honde (10)
Were alle his liges, bothe lasse and more.
Thus in delyt he liveth, and hath don yore,
Biloved and drad, thurgh favour of fortune,
Bothe of his lordes and of his commune. 70
Therwith he was, to speke as of linage,
The gentilleste y-born of Lumbardye,
A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age,
And ful of honour and of curteisye;
Discreet y-nogh his contree for to gye, 75
Save in somme thinges that he was to blame, (20)
And Walter was this yonge lordes name.
I blame him thus, that he considereth noght
In tyme cominge what mighte him bityde,
But on his lust present was al his thoght, 80
As for to hauke and hunte on every syde;
Wel ny alle othere cures leet he slyde,
And eek he nolde, and that was worst of alle,
Wedde no wyf, for noght that may bifalle.
Only that point his peple bar so sore, 85
That flokmele on a day they to him wente, (30)
And oon of hem, that wysest was of lore,
Or elles that the lord best wolde assente
That he sholde telle him what his peple mente,
Or elles coude he shewe wel swich matere, 90
He to the markis seyde as ye shul here.
'O noble markis, your humanitee
Assureth us and yeveth us hardinesse,
As ofte as tyme is of necessitee
That we to yow mowe telle our hevinesse; 95
Accepteth, lord, now for your gentillesse, (40)
That we with pitous herte un-to yow pleyne,
And lete your eres nat my voys disdeyne.
Al have I noght to done in this matere
More than another man hath in this place, 100
Yet for as muche as ye, my lord so dere,
Han alwey shewed me favour and grace,
I dar the better aske of yow a space
Of audience, to shewen our requeste,
And ye, my lord, to doon right as yow leste. 105
For certes, lord, so wel us lyketh yow (50)
And al your werk and ever han doon, that we
Ne coude nat us self devysen how
We mighte liven in more felicitee,
Save o thing, lord, if it your wille be, 110
That for to been a wedded man yow leste,
Than were your peple in sovereyn hertes reste.
Boweth your nekke under that blisful yok
Of soveraynetee, noght of servyse,
Which that men clepeth spousaille or wedlok; 115
And thenketh, lord, among your thoghtes wyse, (60)
How that our dayes passe in sondry wyse;
For though we slepe or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay fleeth the tyme, it nil no man abyde.
And though your grene youthe floure as yit, 120
In crepeth age alwey, as stille as stoon,
And deeth manaceth every age, and smit
In ech estaat, for ther escapeth noon:
And al so certein as we knowe echoon
That we shul deye, as uncerteyn we alle 125
Been of that day whan deeth shal on us falle. (70)
Accepteth than of us the trewe entente,
That never yet refuseden your heste,
And we wol, lord, if that ye wol assente,
Chese yow a wyf in short tyme, atte leste, 130
Born of the gentilleste and of the meste
Of al this lond, so that it oghte seme
Honour to god and yow, as we can deme.
Deliver us out of al this bisy drede,
And tak a wyf, for hye goddes sake; 135
For if it so bifelle, as god forbede, (80)
That thurgh your deeth your linage sholde slake,
And that a straunge successour sholde take
Your heritage, o! wo were us alyve!
Wherfor we pray you hastily to wyve.' 140
Hir meke preyere and hir pitous chere
Made the markis herte han pitee.
'Ye wol,' quod he, 'myn owene peple dere,
To that I never erst thoghte streyne me.
I me reioysed of my libertee, 145
That selde tyme is founde in mariage; (90)
Ther I was free, I moot been in servage.
But nathelees I see your trewe entente,
And truste upon your wit, and have don ay;
Wherfor of my free wil I wol assente 150
To wedde me, as sone as ever I may.
But ther-as ye han profred me to-day
To chese me a wyf, I yow relesse
That choys, and prey yow of that profre cesse.
For god it woot, that children ofte been 155
Unlyk her worthy eldres hem bifore; (100)
Bountee comth al of god, nat of the streen
Of which they been engendred and y-bore;
I truste in goddes bountee, and therfore
My mariage and myn estaat and reste 160
I him bitake; he may don as him leste.
Lat me alone in chesinge of my wyf,
That charge up-on my bak I wol endure;
But I yow preye, and charge up-on your lyf,
That what wyf that I take, ye me assure 165
To worshipe hir, whyl that hir lyf may dure, (110)
In word and werk, bothe here and everywhere,
As she an emperoures doghter were.
And forthermore, this shal ye swere, that ye
Agayn my choys shul neither grucche ne stryve; 170
For sith I shal forgoon my libertee
At your requeste, as ever moot I thryve,
Ther as myn herte is set, ther wol I wyve;
And but ye wole assente in swich manere,
I prey yow, speketh na-more of this matere.' 175
With hertly wil they sworen, and assenten (120)
To al this thing, ther seyde no wight nay;
Bisekinge him of grace, er that they wenten,
That he wolde graunten hem a certein day
Of his spousaille, as sone as ever he may; 180
For yet alwey the peple som-what dredde
Lest that this markis no wyf wolde wedde.
He graunted hem a day, swich as him leste,
On which he wolde be wedded sikerly,
And seyde, he dide al this at hir requeste; 185
And they, with humble entente, buxomly, (130)
Knelinge up-on her knees ful reverently
Him thanken alle, and thus they han an ende
Of hir entente, and hoom agayn they wende.
And heer-up-on he to his officeres 190
Comaundeth for the feste to purveye,
And to his privee knightes and squyeres
Swich charge yaf, as him liste on hem leye;
And they to his comandement obeye,
And ech of hem doth al his diligence 195
To doon un-to the feste reverence. (140)
Explicit prima pars. Incipit secunda pars.
Noght fer fro thilke paleys honurable
Ther-as this markis shoop his mariage,
Ther stood a throp, of site delitable,
In which that povre folk of that village 200
Hadden hir bestes and hir herbergage,
And of hir labour took hir sustenance
After that the erthe yaf hem habundance.
Amonges thise povre folk ther dwelte a man
Which that was holden povrest of hem alle; 205
But hye god som tyme senden can (150)
His grace in-to a litel oxes stalle:
Ianicula men of that throp him calle.
A doghter hadde he, fair y-nogh to sighte,
And Grisildis this yonge mayden highte. 210
But for to speke of vertuous beautee,
Than was she oon the faireste under sonne;
For povreliche y-fostred up was she,
No likerous lust was thurgh hir herte y-ronne;
Wel ofter of the welle than of the tonne 215
She drank, and for she wolde vertu plese, (160)
She knew wel labour, but non ydel ese.
But thogh this mayde tendre were of age,
Yet in the brest of hir virginitee
Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage; 220
And in greet reverence and charitee
Hir olde povre fader fostred she;
A fewe sheep spinning on feeld she kepte,
She wolde noght been ydel til she slepte.
And whan she hoomward cam, she wolde bringe 225
Wortes or othere herbes tymes ofte, (170)
The whiche she shredde and seeth for hir livinge,
And made hir bed ful harde and no-thing softe;
And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf on-lofte
With everich obeisaunce and diligence 230
That child may doon to fadres reverence.
Up-on Grisilde, this povre creature,
Ful ofte sythe this markis sette his yë
As he on hunting rood paraventure;
And whan it fil that he mighte hir espye, 235
He noght with wantoun loking of folye (180)
His yën caste on hir, but in sad wyse
Up-on hir chere he wolde him ofte avyse,
Commending in his herte hir wommanhede,
And eek hir vertu, passing any wight 240
Of so yong age, as wel in chere as dede.
For thogh the peple have no greet insight
In vertu, he considered ful right
Hir bountee, and disposed that he wolde
Wedde hir only, if ever he wedde sholde. 245
The day of wedding cam, but no wight can (190)
Telle what womman that it sholde be;
For which merveille wondred many a man,
And seyden, whan they were in privetee,
'Wol nat our lord yet leve his vanitee? 250
Wol he nat wedde? allas, allas the whyle!
Why wol he thus him-self and us bigyle?'
But natheles this markis hath don make
Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure,
Broches and ringes, for Grisildis sake, 255
And of hir clothing took he the mesure (200)
By a mayde, lyk to hir stature,
And eek of othere ornamentes alle
That un-to swich a wedding sholde falle.
The tyme of undern of the same day 260
Approcheth, that this wedding sholde be;
And al the paleys put was in array,
Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree;
Houses of office stuffed with plentee
Ther maystow seen of deyntevous vitaille, 265
That may be founde, as fer as last Itaille. (210)
This royal markis, richely arrayed,
Lordes and ladyes in his companye,
The whiche unto the feste were y-prayed,
And of his retenue the bachelrye, 270
With many a soun of sondry melodye,
Un-to the village, of the which I tolde,
In this array the righte wey han holde.
Grisilde of this, god woot, ful innocent,
That for hir shapen was al this array, 275
To fecchen water at a welle is went, (220)
And cometh hoom as sone as ever she may.
For wel she hadde herd seyd, that thilke day
The markis sholde wedde, and, if she mighte,
She wolde fayn han seyn som of that sighte. 280
She thoghte, 'I wol with othere maydens stonde,
That been my felawes, in our dore, and see
The markisesse, and therfor wol I fonde
To doon at hoom, as sone as it may be,
The labour which that longeth un-to me; 285
And than I may at leyser hir biholde, (230)
If she this wey un-to the castel holde.'
And as she wolde over hir threshfold goon,
The markis cam and gan hir for to calle;
And she sette doun hir water-pot anoon 290
Bisyde the threshfold, in an oxes stalle,
And doun up-on hir knees she gan to falle,
And with sad contenance kneleth stille
Til she had herd what was the lordes wille.
This thoghtful markis spak un-to this mayde 295
Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere, (240)
'Wher is your fader, Grisildis?' he sayde,
And she with reverence, in humble chere,
Answerde, 'lord, he is al redy here.'
And in she gooth with-outen lenger lette, 300
And to the markis she hir fader fette.
He by the hond than took this olde man,
And seyde thus, whan he him hadde asyde,
'Ianicula, I neither may ne can
Lenger the plesance of myn herte hyde. 305
If that thou vouche-sauf, what-so bityde, (250)
Thy doghter wol I take, er that I wende,
As for my wyf, un-to hir lyves ende.
Thou lovest me, I woot it wel, certeyn,
And art my feithful lige man y-bore; 310
And al that lyketh me, I dar wel seyn
It lyketh thee, and specially therfore
Tel me that poynt that I have seyd bifore,
If that thou wolt un-to that purpos drawe,
To take me as for thy sone-in-lawe?' 315
This sodeyn cas this man astoned so, (260)
That reed he wex, abayst, and al quaking
He stood unnethes seyde he wordes mo,
But only thus: 'lord,' quod he, 'my willing
Is as ye wole, ne ayeines your lyking 320
I wol no-thing; ye be my lord so dere;
Right as yow lust governeth this matere.'
'Yet wol I,' quod this markis softely,
'That in thy chambre I and thou and she
Have a collacion, and wostow why? 325
For I wol axe if it hir wille be (270)
To be my wyf, and reule hir after me;
And al this shal be doon in thy presence,
I wol noght speke out of thyn audience.'
And in the chambre whyl they were aboute 330
Hir tretis, which as ye shal after here,
The peple cam un-to the hous with-oute,
And wondred hem in how honest manere
And tentifly she kepte hir fader dere.
But outerly Grisildis wondre mighte, 335
For never erst ne saugh she swich a sighte. (280)
No wonder is thogh that she were astoned
To seen so greet a gest come in that place;
She never was to swiche gestes woned,
For which she loked with ful pale face. 340
But shortly forth this tale for to chace,
Thise arn the wordes that the markis sayde
To this benigne verray feithful mayde.
'Grisilde,' he seyde, 'ye shul wel understonde
It lyketh to your fader and to me 345
That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde, (290)
As I suppose, ye wol that it so be.
But thise demandes axe I first,' quod he,
'That, sith it shal be doon in hastif wyse,
Wol ye assente, or elles yow avyse? 350
I seye this, be ye redy with good herte
To al my lust, and that I frely may,
As me best thinketh, do yow laughe or smerte,
And never ye to grucche it, night ne day?
And eek whan I sey "ye," ne sey nat "nay," 355
Neither by word ne frowning contenance; (300)
Swer this, and here I swere our alliance.'
Wondring upon this word, quaking for drede,
She seyde, 'lord, undigne and unworthy
Am I to thilke honour that ye me bede; 360
But as ye wol your-self, right so wol I.
And heer I swere that never willingly
In werk ne thoght I nil yow disobeye,
For to be deed, though me were looth to deye.'
'This is y-nogh, Grisilde myn!' quod he. 365
And forth he gooth with a ful sobre chere (310)
Out at the dore, and after that cam she,
And to the peple he seyde in this manere,
'This is my wyf,' quod he, 'that standeth here.
Honoureth hir, and loveth hir, I preye, 370
Who-so me loveth; ther is na-more to seye.'
And for that no-thing of hir olde gere
She sholde bringe in-to his hous, he bad
That wommen sholde dispoilen hir right there;
Of which thise ladyes were nat right glad 375
To handle hir clothes wher-in she was clad. (320)
But natheles this mayde bright of hewe
Fro foot to heed they clothed han al newe.
Hir heres han they kembd, that lay untressed
Ful rudely, and with hir fingres smale 380
A corone on hir heed they han y-dressed,
And sette hir ful of nowches grete and smale;
Of hir array what sholde I make a tale?
Unnethe the peple hir knew for hir fairnesse,
Whan she translated was in swich richesse. 385
This markis hath hir spoused with a ring (330)
Broght for the same cause, and than hir sette
Up-on an hors, snow-whyt and wel ambling,
And to his paleys, er he lenger lette,
With Ioyful peple that hir ladde and mette, 390
Conveyed hir, and thus the day they spende
In revel, til the sonne gan descende.
And shortly forth this tale for to chace,
I seye that to this newe markisesse
God hath swich favour sent hir of his grace, 395
That it ne semed nat by lyklinesse (340)
That she was born and fed in rudenesse,
As in a cote or in an oxe-stalle,
But norished in an emperoures halle.
To every wight she woxen is so dere 400
And worshipful, that folk ther she was bore
And from hir birthe knewe hir yeer by yere,
Unnethe trowed they, but dorste han swore
That to Ianicle, of which I spak bifore,
She doghter nas, for, as by coniecture, 405
Hem thoughte she was another creature. (350)
For thogh that ever vertuous was she,
She was encressed in swich excellence
Of thewes gode, y-set in heigh bountee,
And so discreet and fair of eloquence, 410
So benigne and so digne of reverence,
And coude so the peples herte embrace,
That ech hir lovede that loked on hir face.
Noght only of Saluces in the toun
Publiced was the bountee of hir name, 415
But eek bisyde in many a regioun, (360)
If oon seyde wel, another seyde the same;
So spradde of hir heigh bountee the fame,
That men and wommen, as wel yonge as olde,
Gon to Saluce, upon hir to biholde. 420
Thus Walter lowly, nay but royally,
Wedded with fortunat honestetee,
In goddes pees liveth ful esily
At hoom, and outward grace y-nogh had he;
And for he saugh that under low degree 425
Was ofte vertu hid, the peple him helde (370)
A prudent man, and that is seyn ful selde.
Nat only this Grisildis thurgh hir wit
Coude al the feet of wyfly hoomlinesse,
But eek, whan that the cas requyred it, 430
The commune profit coude she redresse.
Ther nas discord, rancour, ne hevinesse
In al that lond, that she ne coude apese,
And wysly bringe hem alle in reste and ese.
Though that hir housbonde absent were anoon, 435
If gentil men, or othere of hir contree (380)
Were wrothe, she wolde bringen hem atoon;
So wyse and rype wordes hadde she,
And Iugements of so greet equitee,
That she from heven sent was, as men wende, 440
Peple to save and every wrong tamende.
Nat longe tyme after that this Grisild
Was wedded, she a doughter hath y-bore,
Al had hir lever have born a knave child.
Glad was this markis and the folk therfore; 445
For though a mayde child come al bifore, (390)
She may unto a knave child atteyne
By lyklihed, sin she nis nat bareyne.
Explicit secunda pars. Incipit tercia pars.
Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo,
Whan that this child had souked but a throwe, 450
This markis in his herte longeth so
To tempte his wyf, hir sadnesse for to knowe,
That he ne mighte out of his herte throwe
This merveillous desyr, his wyf tassaye,
Needless, god woot, he thoughte hir for taffraye. 455
He hadde assayed hir y-nogh bifore, (400)
And fond hir ever good; what neded it
Hir for to tempte and alwey more and more?
Though som men preise it for a subtil wit,
But as for me, I seye that yvel it sit 460
Tassaye a wyf whan that it is no nede,
And putten her in anguish and in drede.
For which this markis wroghte in this manere;
He cam alone a-night, ther as she lay,
With sterne face and with ful trouble chere, 465
And seyde thus, 'Grisild,' quod he, 'that day (410)
That I yow took out of your povre array,
And putte yow in estaat of heigh noblesse,
Ye have nat that forgeten, as I gesse.
I seye, Grisild, this present dignitee, 470
In which that I have put yow, as I trowe,
Maketh yow nat foryetful for to be
That I yow took in povre estaat ful lowe
For any wele ye moot your-selven knowe.
Tak hede of every word that I yow seye, 475
Ther is no wight that hereth it but we tweye. (420)
Ye woot your-self wel, how that ye cam here
In-to this hous, it is nat longe ago,
And though to me that ye be lief and dere,
Un-to my gentils ye be no-thing so; 480
They seyn, to hem it is greet shame and wo
For to be subgets and ben in servage
To thee, that born art of a smal village.
And namely, sith thy doghter was y-bore,
Thise wordes han they spoken doutelees; 485
But I desyre, as I have doon bifore, (430)
To live my lyf with hem in reste and pees;
I may nat in this caas be recchelees.
I moot don with thy doghter for the beste,
Nat as I wolde, but as my peple leste. 490
And yet, god wot, this is ful looth to me;
But nathelees with-oute your witing
I wol nat doon, but this wol I,' quod he,
'That ye to me assente as in this thing.
Shewe now your pacience in your werking 495
That ye me highte and swore in your village (440)
That day that maked was our mariage.'
Whan she had herd al this, she noght ameved
Neither in word, or chere, or countenaunce;
For, as it semed, she was nat agreved: 500
She seyde, 'lord, al lyth in your plesaunce,
My child and I with hertly obeisaunce
Ben youres al, and ye mowe save or spille
Your owene thing; werketh after your wille.
Ther may no-thing, god so my soule save, 505
Lyken to yow that may displese me; (450)
Ne I desyre no-thing for to have,
Ne drede for to lese, save only ye;
This wil is in myn herte and ay shal be.
No lengthe of tyme or deeth may this deface, 510
Ne chaunge my corage to another place.'
Glad was this markis of hir answering,
But yet he feyned as he were nat so;
Al drery was his chere and his loking
Whan that he sholde out of the chambre go. 515
Sone after this, a furlong wey or two, (460)
He prively hath told al his entente
Un-to a man, and to his wyf him sente.
A maner sergeant was this privee man,
The which that feithful ofte he founden hadde 520
In thinges grete, and eek swich folk wel can
Don execucioun on thinges badde.
The lord knew wel that he him loved and dradde;
And whan this sergeant wiste his lordes wille,
In-to the chambre he stalked him ful stille. 525
'Madame,' he seyde, 'ye mote foryeve it me, (470)
Thogh I do thing to which I am constreyned;
Ye ben so wys that ful wel knowe ye
That lordes hestes mowe nat been y-feyned;
They mowe wel been biwailled or compleyned, 530
But men mot nede un-to her lust obeye,
And so wol I; ther is na-more to seye.
This child I am comanded for to take'—
And spak na-more, but out the child he hente
Despitously, and gan a chere make 535
As though he wolde han slayn it er he wente. (480)
Grisildis mot al suffren and consente;
And as a lamb she sitteth meke and stille,
And leet this cruel sergeant doon his wille.
Suspecious was the diffame of this man, 540
Suspect his face, suspect his word also;
Suspect the tyme in which he this bigan.
Allas! hir doghter that she lovede so
She wende he wolde han slawen it right tho.
But natheles she neither weep ne syked, 545
Consenting hir to that the markis lyked. (490)
But atte laste speken she bigan,
And mekely she to the sergeant preyde,
So as he was a worthy gentil man,
That she moste kisse hir child er that it deyde; 550
And in her barm this litel child she leyde
With ful sad face, and gan the child to kisse
And lulled it, and after gan it blisse.
And thus she seyde in hir benigne voys,
'Far weel, my child; I shal thee never see; 555
But, sith I thee have marked with the croys, (500)
Of thilke fader blessed mote thou be,
That for us deyde up-on a croys of tree.
Thy soule, litel child, I him bitake,
For this night shaltow dyen for my sake.' 560
I trowe that to a norice in this cas
It had ben hard this rewthe for to se;
Wel mighte a mooder than han cryed 'allas!'
But nathelees so sad stedfast was she,
That she endured all adversitee, 565
And to the sergeant mekely she sayde, (510)
'Have heer agayn your litel yonge mayde.
Goth now,' quod she, 'and dooth my lordes heste,
But o thing wol I preye yow of your grace,
That, but my lord forbad yow, atte leste 570
Burieth this litel body in som place
That bestes ne no briddes it to-race.'
But he no word wol to that purpos seye,
But took the child and wente upon his weye.
This sergeant cam un-to his lord ageyn, 575
And of Grisildis wordes and hir chere (520)
He tolde him point for point, in short and playn,
And him presenteth with his doghter dere.
Somwhat this lord hath rewthe in his manere;
But nathelees his purpos heeld he stille, 580
As lordes doon, whan they wol han hir wille;
And bad his sergeant that he prively
Sholde this child ful softe winde and wrappe
With alle circumstances tendrely,
And carie it in a cofre or in a lappe; 585
But, up-on peyne his heed of for to swappe, (530)
That no man sholde knowe of his entente,
Ne whenne he cam, ne whider that he wente;
But at Boloigne to his suster dere,
That thilke tyme of Panik was countesse, 590
He sholde it take, and shewe hir this matere,
Bisekinge hir to don hir bisinesse
This child to fostre in alle gentilesse;
And whos child that it was he bad hir hyde
From every wight, for oght that may bityde. 595
The sergeant gooth, and hath fulfild this thing; (540)
But to this markis now retourne we;
For now goth he ful faste imagining
If by his wyves chere he mighte see,
Or by hir word aperceyve that she 600
Were chaunged; but he never hir coude finde
But ever in oon y-lyke sad and kinde.
As glad, as humble, as bisy in servyse,
And eek in love as she was wont to be,
Was she to him in every maner wyse; 605
Ne of hir doghter noght a word spak she. (550)
Non accident for noon adversitee
Was seyn in hir, ne never hir doghter name
Ne nempned she, in ernest nor in game.
Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta.
In this estaat ther passed been foure yeer 610
Er she with childe was; but, as god wolde,
A knave child she bar by this Walter,
Ful gracious and fair for to biholde.
And whan that folk it to his fader tolde,
Nat only he, but al his contree, merie 615
Was for this child, and god they thanke and herie. (560)
Whan it was two yeer old, and fro the brest
Departed of his norice, on a day
This markis caughte yet another lest
To tempte his wyf yet ofter, if he may. 620
O needles was she tempted in assay!
But wedded men ne knowe no mesure,
Whan that they finde a pacient creature.
'Wyf,' quod this markis, 'ye han herd er this,
My peple sikly berth our mariage, 625
And namely, sith my sone y-boren is, (570)
Now is it worse than ever in al our age.
The murmur sleeth myn herte and my corage;
For to myne eres comth the voys so smerte,
That it wel ny destroyed hath myn herte. 630
Now sey they thus, "whan Walter is agoon,
Then shal the blood of Ianicle succede
And been our lord, for other have we noon;"
Swiche wordes seith my peple, out of drede.
Wel oughte I of swich murmur taken hede; 635
For certeinly I drede swich sentence, (580)
Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience.
I wolde live in pees, if that I mighte;
Wherfor I am disposed outerly,
As I his suster servede by nighte, 640
Right so thenke I to serve him prively;
This warne I yow, that ye nat sodeynly
Out of your-self for no wo sholde outraye;
Beth pacient, and ther-of I yow preye.'
'I have,' quod she, 'seyd thus, and ever shal, 645
I wol no thing, ne nil no thing, certayn, (590)
But as yow list; noght greveth me at al,
Thogh that my doghter and my sone be slayn,
At your comandement, this is to sayn.
I have noght had no part of children tweyne 650
But first siknesse, and after wo and peyne.
Ye been our lord, doth with your owene thing
Right as yow list; axeth no reed at me.
For, as I lefte at hoom al my clothing,
Whan I first cam to yow, right so,' quod she, 655
'Left I my wil and al my libertee, (600)
And took your clothing; wherfor I yow preye,
Doth your plesaunce, I wol your lust obeye.
And certes, if I hadde prescience
Your wil to knowe er ye your lust me tolde, 660
I wolde it doon with-outen necligence;
But now I woot your lust and what ye wolde,
Al your plesaunce ferme and stable I holde;
For wiste I that my deeth wolde do yow ese,
Right gladly wolde I dyen, yow to plese. 665
Deth may noght make no comparisoun (610)
Un-to your love:' and, whan this markis sey
The constance of his wyf, he caste adoun
His yën two, and wondreth that she may
In pacience suffre al this array. 670
And forth he gooth with drery contenaunce,
But to his herte it was ful greet plesaunce.
This ugly sergeant, in the same wyse
That he hir doghter caughte, right so he,
Or worse, if men worse can devyse, 675
Hath hent hir sone, that ful was of beautee. (620)
And ever in oon so pacient was she,
That she no chere made of hevinesse,
But kiste hir sone, and after gan it blesse;
Save this; she preyed him that, if he mighte, 680
Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe grave,
His tendre limes, delicat to sighte,
Fro foules and fro bestes for to save.
But she non answer of him mighte have.
He wente his wey, as him no-thing ne roghte; 685
But to Boloigne he tendrely it broghte. (630)
This markis wondreth ever lenger the more
Up-on hir pacience, and if that he
Ne hadde soothly knowen ther-bifore,
That parfitly hir children lovede she, 690
He wolde have wend that of som subtiltee,
And of malice or for cruel corage,
That she had suffred this with sad visage.
But wel he knew that next him-self, certayn,
She loved hir children best in every wyse. 695
But now of wommen wolde I axen fayn, (640)
If thise assayes mighte nat suffyse?
What coude a sturdy housbond more devyse
To preve hir wyfhod and hir stedfastnesse,
And he continuing ever in sturdinesse? 700
But ther ben folk of swich condicioun,
That, whan they have a certein purpos take,
They can nat stinte of hir entencioun,
But, right as they were bounden to a stake,
They wol nat of that firste purpos slake. 705
Right so this markis fulliche hath purposed (650)
To tempte his wyf, as he was first disposed.
He waiteth, if by word or contenance
That she to him was changed of corage;
But never coude he finde variance; 710
She was ay oon in herte and in visage;
And ay the forther that she was in age,
The more trewe, if that it were possible,
She was to him in love, and more penible.
For which it semed thus, that of hem two 715
Ther nas but o wil; for, as Walter leste, (660)
The same lust was hir plesance also,
And, god be thanked, al fil for the beste.
She shewed wel, for no worldly unreste
A wyf, as of hir-self, no-thing ne sholde 720
Wille in effect, but as hir housbond wolde.
The sclaundre of Walter ofte and wyde spradde,
That of a cruel herte he wikkedly,
For he a povre womman wedded hadde,
Hath mordred bothe his children prively. 725
Swich murmur was among hem comunly. (670)
No wonder is, for to the peples ere
Ther cam no word but that they mordred were.
For which, wher-as his peple ther-bifore
Had loved him wel, the sclaundre of his diffame 730
Made hem that they him hatede therfore;
To been a mordrer is an hateful name.
But natheles, for ernest ne for game
He of his cruel purpos nolde stente;
To tempte his wyf was set al his entente. 735
Whan that his doghter twelf yeer was of age, (680)
He to the court of Rome, in subtil wyse
Enformed of his wil, sente his message,
Comaunding hem swiche bulles to devyse
As to his cruel purpos may suffyse, 740
How that the pope, as for his peples reste,
Bad him to wedde another, if him leste.
I seye, he bad they sholde countrefete
The popes bulles, making mencioun
That he hath leve his firste wyf to lete, 745
As by the popes dispensacioun, (690)
To stinte rancour and dissencioun
Bitwixe his peple and him; thus seyde the bulle,
The which they han publiced atte fulle.
The rude peple, as it no wonder is, 750
Wenden ful wel that it had been right so;
But whan thise tydinges cam to Grisildis,
I deme that hir herte was ful wo.
But she, y-lyke sad for evermo,
Disposed was, this humble creature, 755
Thadversitee of fortune al tendure. (700)
Abyding ever his lust and his plesaunce,
To whom that she was yeven, herte and al,
As to hir verray worldly suffisaunce;
But shortly if this storie I tellen shal, 760
This markis writen hath in special
A lettre in which he sheweth his entente,
And secrely he to Boloigne it sente.
To the erl of Panik, which that hadde tho
Wedded his suster, preyde he specially 765
To bringen boom agayn his children two (710)
In honurable estaat al openly.
But o thing he him preyede outerly,
That he to no wight, though men wolde enquere,
Sholde nat telle, whos children that they were, 770
But seye, the mayden sholde y-wedded be
Un-to the markis of Saluce anon.
And as this erl was preyed, so dide he;
For at day set he on his wey is goon
Toward Saluce, and lordes many oon, 775
In riche array, this mayden for to gyde; (720)
Hir yonge brother ryding hir bisyde.
Arrayed was toward hir mariage
This fresshe mayde, ful of gemmes clere;
Hir brother, which that seven yeer was of age, 780
Arrayed eek ful fresh in his manere.
And thus in greet noblesse and with glad chere,
Toward Saluces shaping hir Iourney,
Fro day to day they ryden in hir wey.
Explicit quarta pars. Sequitur quinta pars.
Among al this, after his wikke usage, 785
This markis, yet his wyf to tempte more (730)
To the uttereste preve of hir corage,
Fully to han experience and lore
If that she were as stedfast as bifore,
He on a day in open audience 790
Ful boistously hath seyd hir this sentence:
'Certes, Grisilde, I hadde y-nough plesaunce
To han yow to my wyf for your goodnesse,
As for your trouthe and for your obeisaunce,
Nought for your linage ne for your richesse; 795
But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse (740)
That in gret lordshipe, if I wel avyse,
Ther is gret servitute in sondry wyse.
I may nat don as every plowman may;
My peple me constreyneth for to take 800
Another wyf, and cryen day by day;
And eek the pope, rancour for to slake,
Consenteth it, that dar I undertake;
And treweliche thus muche I wol yow seye,
My newe wyf is coming by the weye. 805
Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place, (750)
And thilke dower that ye broghten me
Tak it agayn, I graunte it of my grace;
Retourneth to your fadres hous,' quod he;
'No man may alwey han prosperitee; 810
With evene herte I rede yow tendure
The strook of fortune or of aventure.'
And she answerde agayn in pacience,
'My lord,' quod she, 'I woot, and wiste alway
How that bitwixen your magnificence 815
And my poverte no wight can ne may (760)
Maken comparison; it is no nay.
I ne heeld me never digne in no manere
To be your wyf, no, ne your chamberere.
And in this hous, ther ye me lady made— 820
The heighe god take I for my witnesse,
And also wisly he my soule glade—
I never heeld me lady ne maistresse,
But humble servant to your worthinesse,
And ever shal, whyl that my lyf may dure, 825
Aboven every worldly creature. (770)
That ye so longe of your benignitee
Han holden me in honour and nobleye,
Wher-as I was noght worthy for to be,
That thonke I god and yow, to whom I preye 830
Foryelde it yow; there is na-more to seye.
Un-to my fader gladly wol I wende,
And with him dwelle un-to my lyves ende.
Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal,
Til I be deed, my lyf ther wol I lede 835
A widwe clene, in body, herte, and al. (780)
For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede,
And am your trewe wyf, it is no drede,
God shilde swich a lordes wyf to take
Another man to housbonde or to make. 840
And of your newe wyf, god of his grace
So graunte yow wele and prosperitee:
For I wol gladly yelden hir my place,
In which that I was blisful wont to be,
For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,' quod she, 845
'That whylom weren al myn hertes reste, (790)
That I shal goon, I wol gon whan yow leste.
But ther-as ye me profre swich dowaire
As I first broghte, it is wel in my minde
It were my wrecched clothes, no-thing faire, 850
The which to me were hard now for to finde.
O gode god! how gentil and how kinde
Ye semed by your speche and your visage
The day that maked was our mariage!
But sooth is seyd, algate I finde it trewe— 855
For in effect it preved is on me— (800)
Love is noght old as whan that it is newe.
But certes, lord, for noon adversitee,
To dyen in the cas, it shal nat be
That ever in word or werk I shal repente 860
That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.
My lord, ye woot that, in my fadres place,
Ye dede me strepe out of my povre wede,
And richely me cladden, of your grace.
To yow broghte I noght elles, out of drede, 865
But feyth and nakednesse and maydenhede. (810)
And here agayn my clothing I restore,
And eek my wedding-ring, for evermore.
The remenant of your Iewels redy be
In-with your chambre, dar I saufly sayn; 870
Naked out of my fadres hous,' quod she,
'I cam, and naked moot I turne agayn.
Al your plesaunce wol I folwen fayn;
But yet I hope it be nat your entente
That I smoklees out of your paleys wente. 875
Ye coude nat doon so dishoneste a thing, (820)
That thilke wombe in which your children leye
Sholde, biforn the peple, in my walking,
Be seyn al bare; wherfor I yow preye,
Lat me nat lyk a worm go by the weye. 880
Remembre yow, myn owene lord so dere,
I was your wyf, thogh I unworthy were.
Wherfor, in guerdon of my maydenhede,
Which that I broghte, and noght agayn I bere,
As voucheth sauf to yeve me, to my mede, 885
But swich a smok as I was wont to were, (830)
That I therwith may wrye the wombe of here
That was your wyf; and heer take I my leve
Of yow, myn owene lord, lest I yow greve.'
'The smok,' quod he, 'that thou hast on thy bak, 890
Lat it be stille, and ber it forth with thee.'
But wel unnethes thilke word he spak,
But wente his wey for rewthe and for pitee.
Biforn the folk hir-selven strepeth she,
And in hir smok, with heed and foot al bare, 895
Toward hir fader hous forth is she fare. (840)
The folk hir folwe wepinge in hir weye,
And fortune ay they cursen as they goon;
But she fro weping kepte hir yën dreye,
Ne in this tyme word ne spak she noon. 900
Hir fader, that this tyding herde anoon,
Curseth the day and tyme that nature
Shoop him to been a lyves creature.
For out of doute this olde povre man
Was ever in suspect of hir mariage; 905
For ever he demed, sith that it bigan, (850)
That whan the lord fulfild had his corage,
Him wolde thinke it were a disparage
To his estaat so lowe for talighte,
And voyden hir as sone as ever he mighte. 910
Agayns his doghter hastilich goth he,
For he by noyse of folk knew hir cominge,
And with hir olde cote, as it mighte be,
He covered hir, ful sorwefully wepinge;
But on hir body mighte he it nat bringe. 915
For rude was the cloth, and more of age (860)
By dayes fele than at hir mariage.
Thus with hir fader, for a certeyn space,
Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience,
That neither by hir wordes ne hir face 920
Biforn the folk, ne eek in hir absence,
Ne shewed she that hir was doon offence;
Ne of hir heigh estaat no remembraunce
Ne hadde she, as by hir countenaunce.
No wonder is, for in hir grete estaat 925
Hir goost was ever in pleyn humylitee; (870)
No tendre mouth, non herte delicaat,
No pompe, no semblant of royaltee,
But ful of pacient benignitee,
Discreet and prydeles, ay honurable, 930
And to hir housbonde ever meke and stable.
Men speke of Iob and most for his humblesse,
As clerkes, whan hem list, can wel endyte,
Namely of men, but as in soothfastnesse,
Thogh clerkes preyse wommen but a lyte, 935
Ther can no man in humblesse him acquyte (880)
As womman can, ne can ben half so trewe
As wommen been, but it be falle of-newe.
[Pars Sexta.]
Fro Boloigne is this erl of Panik come,
Of which the fame up-sprang to more and lesse, 940
And in the peples eres alle and some
Was couth eek, that a newe markisesse
He with him broghte, in swich pompe and richesse,
That never was ther seyn with mannes yë
So noble array in al West Lumbardye. 945
The markis, which that shoop and knew al this, (890)
Er that this erl was come, sente his message
For thilke sely povre Grisildis;
And she with humble herte and glad visage,
Nat with no swollen thoght in hir corage, 950
Cam at his heste, and on hir knees hir sette,
And reverently and wysly she him grette.
'Grisild,' quod he, 'my wille is outerly,
This mayden, that shal wedded been to me,
Receyved be to-morwe as royally 955
As it possible is in myn hous to be. (900)
And eek that every wight in his degree
Have his estaat in sitting and servyse
And heigh plesaunce, as I can best devyse.
I have no wommen suffisaunt certayn 960
The chambres for tarraye in ordinaunce
After my lust, and therfor wolde I fayn
That thyn were al swich maner governaunce;
Thou knowest eek of old al my plesaunce;
Though thyn array be badde and yvel biseye, 965
Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye.' (910)
'Nat only, lord, that I am glad,' quod she,
'To doon your lust, but I desyre also
Yow for to serve and plese in my degree
With-outen feynting, and shal evermo. 970
Ne never, for no wele ne no wo,
Ne shal the gost with-in myn herte stente
To love yow best with al my trewe entente.'
And with that word she gan the hous to dighte,
And tables for to sette and beddes make; 975
And peyned hir to doon al that she mighte, (920)
Preying the chambereres, for goddes sake,
To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake;
And she, the moste servisable of alle,
Hath every chambre arrayed and his halle. 980
Abouten undern gan this erl alighte,
That with him broghte thise noble children tweye,
For which the peple ran to seen the sighte
Of hir array, so richely biseye;
And than at erst amonges hem they seye, 985
That Walter was no fool, thogh that him leste (930)
To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.
For she is fairer, as they demen alle,
Than is Grisild, and more tendre of age,
And fairer fruit bitwene hem sholde falle, 990
And more plesant, for hir heigh linage;
Hir brother eek so fair was of visage,
That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce,
Commending now the markis governaunce.—
Auctor. 'O stormy peple! unsad and ever untrewe! 995
Ay undiscreet and chaunging as a vane, (940)
Delyting ever in rumbel that is newe,
For lyk the mone ay wexe ye and wane;
Ay ful of clapping, dere y-nogh a Iane;
Your doom is fals, your constance yvel preveth, 1000
A ful greet fool is he that on yow leveth!'
Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee,
Whan that the peple gazed up and doun,
For they were glad, right for the noveltee,
To han a newe lady of hir toun. 1005
Na-more of this make I now mencioun; (950)
But to Grisilde agayn wol I me dresse,
And telle hir constance and hir bisinesse.—
Ful bisy was Grisilde in every thing
That to the feste was apertinent; 1010
Right noght was she abayst of hir clothing,
Though it were rude and somdel eek to-rent.
But with glad chere to the yate is went,
With other folk, to grete the markisesse,
And after that doth forth hir bisinesse. 1015
With so glad chere his gestes she receyveth, (960)
And conningly, everich in his degree,
That no defaute no man aperceyveth;
But ay they wondren what she mighte be
That in so povre array was for to see, 1020
And coude swich honour and reverence;
And worthily they preisen hir prudence.
In al this mene whyle she ne stente
This mayde and eek hir brother to commende
With al hir herte, in ful benigne entente, 1025
So wel, that no man coude hir prys amende. (970)
But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende
To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle
Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle.
'Grisilde,' quod he, as it were in his pley, 1030
'How lyketh thee my wyf and hir beautee?'
'Right wel,' quod she, 'my lord; for, in good fey,
A fairer say I never noon than she.
I prey to god yeve hir prosperitee;
And so hope I that he wol to yow sende 1035
Plesance y-nogh un-to your lyves ende. (980)
O thing biseke I yow and warne also,
That ye ne prikke with no tormentinge
This tendre mayden, as ye han don mo;
For she is fostred in hir norishinge 1040
More tendrely, and, to my supposinge,
She coude nat adversitee endure
As coude a povre fostred creature.'
And whan this Walter say hir pacience,
Hir glade chere and no malice at al, 1045
And he so ofte had doon to hir offence, (990)
And she ay sad and constant as a wal,
Continuing ever hir innocence overal,
This sturdy markis gan his herte dresse
To rewen up-on hir wyfly stedfastnesse. 1050
'This is y-nogh, Grisilde myn,' quod he,
'Be now na-more agast ne yvel apayed;
I have thy feith and thy benignitee,
As wel as ever womman was, assayed,
In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed. 1055
Now knowe I, dere wyf, thy stedfastnesse,'— (1000)
And hir in armes took and gan hir kesse.
And she for wonder took of it no keep;
She herde nat what thing he to hir seyde;
She ferde as she had stert out of a sleep, 1060
Til she out of hir masednesse abreyde.
'Grisilde,' quod he, 'by god that for us deyde,
Thou art my wyf, ne noon other I have,
Ne never hadde, as god my soule save!
This is thy doghter which thou hast supposed 1065
To be my wyf; that other feithfully (1010)
Shal be myn heir, as I have ay purposed;
Thou bare him in thy body trewely.
At Boloigne have I kept hem prively;
Tak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye 1070
That thou hast lorn non of thy children tweye.
And folk that otherweyes han seyd of me,
I warne hem wel that I have doon this dede
For no malice ne for no crueltee,
But for tassaye in thee thy wommanhede, 1075
And nat to sleen my children, god forbede! (1020)
But for to kepe hem prively and stille,
Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille.'
Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth
For pitous Ioye, and after hir swowninge 1080
She bothe hir yonge children un-to hir calleth,
And in hir armes, pitously wepinge,
Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissinge
Ful lyk a mooder, with hir salte teres
She batheth bothe hir visage and hir heres. 1085
O, which a pitous thing it was to see (1030)
Hir swowning, and hir humble voys to here!
'Grauntmercy, lord, that thanke I yow,' quod she,
'That ye han saved me my children dere!
Now rekke I never to ben deed right here; 1090
Sith I stonde in your love and in your grace,
No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace!
O tendre, o dere, o yonge children myne,
Your woful mooder wende stedfastly
That cruel houndes or som foul vermyne 1095
Hadde eten yow; but god, of his mercy, (1040)
And your benigne fader tendrely
Hath doon yow kept;' and in that same stounde
Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde.
And in her swough so sadly holdeth she 1100
Hir children two, whan she gan hem tembrace,
That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee
The children from hir arm they gonne arace.
O many a teer on many a pitous face
Doun ran of hem that stoden hir bisyde; 1105
Unnethe abouten hir mighte they abyde. (1050)
Walter hir gladeth, and hir sorwe slaketh;
She ryseth up, abaysed, from hir traunce,
And every wight hir Ioye and feste maketh,
Til she hath caught agayn hir contenaunce. 1110
Walter hir dooth so feithfully plesaunce,
That it was deyntee for to seen the chere
Bitwixe hem two, now they ben met y-fere.
Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say,
Han taken hir, and in-to chambre goon, 1115
And strepen hir out of hir rude array, (1060)
And in a cloth of gold that brighte shoon,
With a coroune of many a riche stoon
Up-on hir heed, they in-to halle hir broghte,
And ther she was honoured as hir oghte. 1120
Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende,
For every man and womman dooth his might
This day in murthe and revel to dispende
Til on the welkne shoon the sterres light.
For more solempne in every mannes sight 1125
This feste was, and gretter of costage, (1070)
Than was the revel of hir mariage.
Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee
Liven thise two in concord and in reste,
And richely his doghter maried he 1130
Un-to a lord, oon of the worthieste
Of al Itaille; and than in pees and reste
His wyves fader in his court he kepeth,
Til that the soule out of his body crepeth.
His sone succedeth in his heritage 1135
In reste and pees, after his fader day; (1080)
And fortunat was eek in mariage,
Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay.
This world is nat so strong, it is no nay,
As it hath been in olde tymes yore, 1140
And herkneth what this auctour seith therfore.
This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde
Folwen Grisilde as in humilitee,
For it were importable, though they wolde;
But for that every wight, in his degree, 1145
Sholde be constant in adversitee (1090)
As was Grisilde; therfor Petrark wryteth
This storie, which with heigh style he endyteth.
For, sith a womman was so pacient
Un-to a mortal man, wel more us oghte 1150
Receyven al in gree that god us sent;
For greet skile is, he preve that he wroghte.
But he ne tempteth no man that he boghte,
As seith seint Iame, if ye his pistel rede;
He preveth folk al day, it is no drede, 1155
And suffreth us, as for our excercyse, (1100)
With sharpe scourges of adversitee
Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wyse;
Nat for to knowe our wil, for certes he,
Er we were bom, knew al our freletee; 1160
And for our beste is al his governaunce;
Lat us than live in vertuous suffraunce.
————
But o word, lordinges, herkneth er I go:—
It were ful hard to finde now a dayes
In al a toun Grisildes three or two; 1165
For, if that they were put to swiche assayes, (1110)
The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes
With bras, that thogh the coyne be fair at yë,
It wolde rather breste a-two than plye.
For which heer, for the wyves love of Bathe, 1170
Whos lyf and al hir secte god mayntene
In heigh maistrye, and elles were it scathe,
I wol with lusty herte fresshe and grene
Seyn yow a song to glade yow, I wene,
And lat us stinte of ernestful matere:— 1175
Herkneth my song, that seith in this manere. (1120)
Lenvoy de Chaucer.
Grisilde is deed, and eek hir pacience,
And bothe atones buried in Itaille;
For which I crye in open audience,
No wedded man so hardy be tassaille 1180
His wyves pacience, in hope to finde
Grisildes, for in certein he shall faille!
O noble wyves, ful of heigh prudence,
Lat noon humilitee your tonge naille,
Ne lat no clerk have cause or diligence 1185
To wryte of yow a storie of swich mervaille (1130)
As of Grisildis pacient and kinde;
Lest Chichevache yow swelwe in hir entraille!
Folweth Ekko, that holdeth no silence,
But evere answereth at the countretaille; 1190
Beth nat bidaffed for your innocence,
But sharply tak on yow the governaille.
Emprinteth wel this lesson in your minde
For commune profit, sith it may availle.
Ye archewyves, stondeth at defence, 1195
Sin ye be stronge as is a greet camaille; (1140)
Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offence.
And sclendre wyves, feble as in bataille,
Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Inde;
Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille. 1200
Ne dreed hem nat, do hem no reverence;
For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,
The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence
Shal perce his brest, and eek his aventaille;
In Ialousye I rede eek thou him binde, 1205
And thou shalt make him couche as dooth a quaille.
If thou be fair, ther folk ben in presence
Shew thou thy visage and thyn apparaille;
If thou be foul, be free of thy dispence,
To gete thee freendes ay do thy travaille; 1210
Be ay of chere as light as leef on linde,
And lat him care, and wepe, and wringe, and waille!
Here endeth the Clerk of Oxonford his Tale.
Variae Lectiones, etc.
Heading. So E. Hn.; E. Somonours.—1665. E. Somonour; Hl. sompnour; rest Somnour.—1676. E. vanysshed(!); rest rauysshed.—1692. Pt. Hl. than; rest that.—1693. E. Hn. swarmeden; Hl. swarmed al.—1700. Cp. Hn. loked hadde; Pt. Ln. Hl. loked had; E. hadde looke al (sic).—Colophon. From Hn.—Heading. So E.; Hn. Somnours (for Somonour his).—1710. Cp. Pt. Ln. mersshy; Hl. mersschly; E. Hn. merssh.—1718. Cp. Hl. mighten; E. Hn. myghte.—1721. Cp. Hl. yiue; rest yeue.—1735. E. lest.—1736. E. Pt. Ln. Hl. went.—1738. E. Hn. Ln. poure; rest pore.—1743. E. wroote.—1745. Hn. Ascaunces; E. Asaunces; Hl. Pt. Ln. Ascaunce; Cp. Ascance.—E. prey.—1746. Ln. Yeue; Cp. Yiue; rest Yif (see 1750).—E. him; rest vs.—1747. Ln. kechel; Hl. kichil.—Cp. Pt. trippe; Ln. trep.—1750. E. Hn. Hl. yif; rest yeue (yiue).—1751. Cm. Cp. Hl. dagoun.—1768. Hl. that; rest om.—1769. Pt. Hl. Bedred.—1772. Hl. yeld it.—1774. E. myrie; Hn. Cm. murye; rest mery.—1783. E. Hn. fourtnyght; rest fourtenight.—1784. E. Hn. I haue; rest haue I.—1792. Hl. ay (for al).—1793. Hl. a ful glorious.—1794. E. thise; Hn. Cm. Pt. Hl. we.—1804. E. Hn. chirteth.—1830. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. of him right non.—1832. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. Ieo.—1838. Cp. Pt. Hl. Ieo.—1856. Ln. than; rest that.—1870. E. Hn. wel moore; rest om. wel.—1872. Hl. borel.—1873. Cm. Hl. pouert; rest pouerte.—1874. Hl. borel.—1878. E. Hn. gerdon; Cm. gerdoun; Pt. guardon.—1887. Hn. mountayne; Ln. Dd. mounte; rest mount.—1895. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. that; Cm. Hl. Pt. the.—1901. E. taak heede.—1906, 12. E. mendynantz.—1918. Cm. Pt. Hl. now; rest om.—1923. E. pouere; Hn. poure; Ln. Hl. pouer; Cm. poore; Cp. pore.—1925. E. Hn. likker; Cm. lykere.—1927. E. Hn. om. 2nd on.—1934. buf] E. but; Hl. boef.—1935. E. Hn. foore; Cm. Hl. fore; rest lore.—1937. E. Cm. Werkeris.—1938. up at] Hl. vpon.—1939. Hl. thaer; Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. the eyre (ayre).—1947. E. weelden.—1949. Hn. Hl. I in; E. Cm. in a; Pt. I haue in.—1950. Hn. Hl. Haue spended; E. I han spent.—1952. E. I haue.—1959. E. thanne.—1968. E. it-; rest him-.—1977. E. Hn. Hl. buylden; Cm. bildyn; Cp. bulden; Pt. beelden; Ln. bilden.—1981. E. om. and.—1983. E. Hn. Hl. the; rest this.—1988. E. this; rest swich (such).—1989. All With-inne.—1991. E. Hn. Cm. aqueyntances; Hl. acqueyntis; rest aqueintance.—Cm. not to; Pt. for to; Hl. fro thee; rest nat for to.—1993. Pt. yre (for hir).—1994. Hn. War fro; Hl. War for; Pt. Ware the for; Cm. By-war from; E. Be war fro; Cp. Ln. Be war of.—1999. Hl. and meke; Cp. Ln. and so meke; rest meke.—2002. E. What (for Whan).—E. Hn. man tret; Cm. man trat; rest men trede.—After 2004 Hl. ins. 2 spurious lines: Schortly may no man by rym and vers Tellen her thoughtes, thay ben so diuers.—After 2012 Hl. ins. 2 spurious lines: Ire is the grate of synne as saith the wise To fle ther-fro ech man schuld him deuyse.—2015. Hn. Cp. Ln. certes; Hl. also; rest eke (eek).—2037. Here Hl. adds two spurious lines: Than thoughte thay it were the beste rede To lede him forth into a fair mede.—2046. Hn. Cm. louede (= lov'de); E. loued.—2047. E. bitwene.—2048. Here Hl. adds two spurious lines: An irous man is lik a frentik best In which ther is of wisdom noon arrest.—2048. E. Pt. vicius.—2050. Hl. of (for in).—2055. Hn. Cp. Ln. Hl. eek; rest om.—2062. E. om. doon.—2064. Hl. sone anoon; rest sone.—2069. E. wheither.—2071. E. bireft; rest byreued.—2091, 2. Hl. transposes these lines.—2095. Hl. of (for at).—2096. E. Hn. Hl. hoolly al; rest al holly (holy).—2097. E. Hl. speken.—2101, 2. Hl. transposes these lines.—2105. E. Cm. tyl; rest tyle.—2110. E. Thanne.—2116. Hl. siththen; Cp. Ln. sethyns; Cm. sithe that; E. syn; Hn. Ln. sith.—E. Ennok; rest Elie (Elye).—2121. E. wax; Hn. weex; rest wex.—2125. Hl. yeue yow; rest om. yow.—2126. E. Cp. Ln. om. how.—2128. Hn. Cm. Cp. Ln. with; E. and; Pt. of; Hl. vnder.—2129. Cp. Hl. yiue; rest yeue.—2133. E. leeue; rest dere (deere).—2137. E. Pt. by; rest vpon.—2140. E. Now thanne put in; Hn. Hl. Now thanne put; Pt. Now than put; Cp. Ln. Than putte (put).—2145. Hl. launched; Cp. Pt. Ln. launceth.—2148. Cm. tewel; Hl. tuel; Ln. touele.—2153. E. Pt. Ln. fals.—2161. Hn. Cm. Pt. grynt; Cp. grynded; Ln. grenteth.—2162. E. Hn. Cp. Hl. paas. E. lordes court; rest om. lordes.—2163. E. om. ther.—2170. E. bigan to; Cm. gan to; rest gan.—2172. So Hn. Cm.; E. I trowe som manerthing.—2174. Cp. greef; Cm. Hl. gref; E. Hn. grief.—2175. E. Cp. Ln. Hl. if that; rest om. that.—2181. E. Cp. Ln. om. ne.—2185. E. Cp. Pt. Ln. om. sire.—2186. E. swich; Hl. such; rest that.—2190. E. he (for this frere).—2192. E. Pt. in; rest to.—2200. E. al; rest ay.—2201. MS. Add. 5140. all; rest om.—2204. Hn. thynketh yow; Cp. thenke you; Hl. Ln. thynke yow; E. thynke ye.—Hn. Cp. Ln. Hl. ther-by.—2205. thinketh = think'th.—2211. E. ins. hym after on (wrongly).—E. om. may.—2212. Hn. Cp. diffame; Cm. Hl. defame; E. disclaundre.—2218. E. the (for this).—E. Cm. insert this after cherl.—2222. Ln. metrike; rest metrik.—2224. So the rest; E. Certes it was a shrewed conclusion.—2227. E. vile; rest nyce.—2229. E. herd; rest herde.—E. Cm. Cp. herd euere.—2232. him] E. thee.—2235. E. Cp. Pt. Hl. litel and litel.—2245. So Hn. Cp. Ln.; E. which that I haue.—2246. E. Cp. beth; Ln. be; rest be ye.—2249. E. euene delt shal; Hl. euen departed schuld; rest as above.—2255. E. Hl. om. here. Hl. a large wheel.—2257. Hn. Hl. Twelf; E. Cm. Twelue.—2258. E. thanne. xij.—2259. E. Ln. twelue (for thrittene).—2262, 7. E. Thanne.—2268. E. Cm. been hyder.—2272. Hl. By verray proef.—2274. E. eke; Hn. eek.—2278. So Hn. Cp. Ln.; Pt. it (for yet); Hl. om. yet; E. As yet the noble vsage of freres is.—2280. E. Hn. Cp. disserued.—2281. Hn. muchel; Hl. Cp. mochil; E. Ln. muche. 2285. E. the (for his).—2287. E. alle men.—2289. E. Euclude.—I supply 2nd as (Hl. supplies elles); Ln. has ptholome; E. Hn. Protholomee; Cp. Hl. protholome.—2291. Hl. speken; rest speke.—Colophon. So E. Hn. Cp. Hl.; E. Somonours. 1. Hl. hoste; Cp. Ln. oste; E. Hn. hoost.—17. E. Hl. that ye; rest omit that.—19. E. Hn. we; rest I.—22. Ln. Oste; E. Hn. Pt. Hoost; Hl. Sir host.—32. Hl. rethorique; Cp. retorique; Pt. retorike; E. Hn. Ln. rethorik.—36. E. omits suffre us.—51. E. Hn. Emele; Hl. Emyl; Cp. Pt. Ln. Emel.—55. E. Hn. conuoyen; rest conueyen (-eye).—56. E. Hn. this his tale (where this is a contraction for this is; cf. mod. E. 'tis); Hl. Pt. this is the tale; Ln. this is tale.—76. E. Saue that; rest omit that.—79. So Hn. Ln.; E. hym myghte; Pt. myȝt; Hl. mighte.—84. Pt. Ln. ouȝt; E. Hn. noght; Hl. no thing.—93. Hn. Pt. and yeueth; Hl. and yiueth; E. to yeue; Ln. and whisse.—103. E. Hn. bettre; rest better.—108. Pt. Ln. oure; E. Hn. Cp. vs.—110. E. Ln. omit it.—128. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. your; E. Hn. Cm. thyn.—128, 130, 131. E. heeste, leeste, meeste; Cm. heste, leste, meste.—137. Cp. Pt. lynage; Ln. Hl. lignage; E. lyne; Hn. ligne; Cm. lyf.—144. E. thoughte; Hn. thoghte.—152. to-] E. this.—154. E. (only) omits yow.—165. So Hn. Cp. Ln.; E. Cm. omit That; Pt. om. what.—174. E. this; rest swich, such.—199. Hl. throp; E. Hn. Cp. throop.—208. Pt. throp; E. Hn. Cp. throop; Cm. thorp; Ln. thorpe.—211. E. bountee; rest beautee, beute.—233. E. caste; rest sette (set).—235. E. that it; rest omit that.—238. E. gan; rest wolde.—238. E. chiere.—241. E. chiere.—242. E. hadde; Hn. Cm. hath; Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. haue.—249. E. Cm. that they; rest omit that.—257. Hl. y-lik to hir of stature.—269. Cp. Ln. Hl. vnto; Cm. Pt. to; E. Hn. that to. E. weren.—297. E. Hn. Cm. insert o after fader.—302. E. thanne; Hn, than.—317. E. Cp. Hl. wax; Hn. weex; rest wex.—320. E. ayeins; Ln. a-yeines; see l. 2325 below (Group E).—337. E. Pt. omit that.—357. E. yow; rest oure.—385. translated] Cp. transmewed; Pt. transformed.—404. E. That she; rest omit she.—405. Cp. Ln. nas; E. Hn. Cm. Hl. were; Pt. ne were.—415. E. Publiced; Pt. Publisshed; Hn. Publissed.—E. beautee; rest bountee.—418. E. heighe.—E. name; rest fame.—425. E. saugh; see B. 810.—E. heigh; the rest lowe, low.—426. E omits ofte.—429. So Cp. Ln.; Hl. humblesse; rest humblenesse.—439. E. Iuggementz.—444. E. man; rest knaue.—447. E. man; the rest knaue.—448. Cm. liklyhed; E. Hn. liklihede.—457. E. foond; Hn. Cm. fond.—465. Cm. sterne; E. stierne.—466, 470. Hl. Grisild; E. Hn. Cm. Grisilde.—477. E. Hn. Cm. cam; Cp. Pt. come; Ln. com; Hl. comen.—482. E. subgetz and to; rest omit to.—499. E. chiere.—503. E. Cp. Pt. Ln. and; rest or.—507. E. Hn. Ne I ne; rest omit ne.—508. E. Hn. thee vel yee; Pt. Hl. ȝe; Cm. Cp. Ln. thee.—524. his] E. the; Cm. this.—530. E. Cm. and; rest or.—547. E. to speken; rest omit to.—552, 3. E. kisse, blisse; rest blisse, kisse; see 678.—557. E. Hn. Cm. he; rest thou.—564. E. Cm. Pt. sad and; rest omit and.—E. stide-; Pt. Ln. sted-; rest stede-.—569. E. Pt. And; rest But.—583. Cp. Pt. Ln. ful; rest omit.—588. Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. Hl. he cam (com); E. Ln. omit.—590. Hl. panik; Cp. Panyke; rest Pavik, Pauyk, Pavie.—594. E. him; rest hire, hir.—612. E. man; rest knaue.—626. Hl. y-boren; E. Hn. Cm. yborn.—640. Cm. Cp. Hl. seruede; rest serued.—643. E. outreye.—667. MSS. say.—680. Cm. preyede; Hl. prayed; E. Hn. preyde.—687. E. wondred; rest wondreth.—692. E. crueel.—699. E. or; rest and.—E. stede-.—704. E. Hn. Cm. that; the rest a.—731. Cp. Hl. hatede; rest hated.—734. E. crueel.—740. E. crueel.—749. E. publiced; Cp. publisshed; Hn. publissed.—751. Cm. been; Hn. ben; rest be.—764. Hl. panyk; Cp. Panyke; rest Pavyk, Pauyke, Pavie.—770. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. that they; the rest omit that.—773. Cp. Cm. preyed; E. preyd; Hn. Hl. prayd.—787. Cm. vttyreste; E. outtreste.—789. E. Cp. stide-; Pt. Ln. sted-; rest stede-.—812. E. This; the rest The.—829. E. omits for to.—867, 868. my] Cp. Pt. Ln. your.—869. Hn. Hl. Ln. Iewels; E. Iueles.—883. E. Hn. gerdon; rest guerdon, guerdoun.—916. E. Hn. Cm. and she moore; rest omit she.—933. E. Hn. conne; rest can.—937. Hn. kan; Cp. Ln. Hl. can; rest omit (2nd time).—939. Hl. panik; Cp. Panyke; Pt. Pavie; rest Pavyk, Pauyk.—944. Hl. ye; rest eye.—953. Cp. Pt. wille; rest wil.—977. Cp. Hl. Cm. chambereres; E. Hn. Pt. Ln. chambreres.—981. Hl. Pt. Ln. vndern; E. Hn. Cp. vndren; Cm. vndryn.—997. E. Cm. rumbul; Hn. rumbel; Hl. rombel.—1000. Hl. yuel; Cm. euel; E. Hn. yuele.—1013. E. Hn. Hl. is she; rest omit she.—E. Hn. Ln. chiere; Hl. chier.—1017. E. Hn. Cm. Hl. And so; Cp. Pt. Ln. omit so.—1033. E. saugh; see l. 1114.—1040. E. Hn. norissynge.—1044. E. saugh; see l. 1114.—1045. E. Ln. chiere.—1056. E. goode; rest dere.—1063. Cm. Cp. Ln. Hl. ne; Pt. and; E. Hn. omit ne.—1067. Cp. Ln. Hl. purposed; E. Hn. Cm. supposed (wrongly); Pt. disposed.—1070. E. Taak.—1095. E. crueel.—1117. Cm. cloth; E. Hn. clooth.—1140. in] E. of.—1147. Cm. this Petrak; rest omit this.—Hl. Petrark; E. Hn. Cm. Petrak.—1160. E. omits al; the rest have it. It seems to have been Chaucer's intention, in the first instance, to end this Tale here. Hence, we find, in MSS. E. Hn. Cm. Dd., the following genuine, but rejected stanza, suitable for insertion at this point:—
Bihold the merye wordes of the Hoste.
This worthy Clerk, whan ended was his tale,
Our hoste seyde, and swoor by goddes bones,
'Me were lever than a barel ale
My wyf at hoom had herd this legende ones;
This is a gentil tale for the nones,5
As to my purpos, wiste ye my wille;
But thing that wol nat be, lat it be stille.'
Here endeth the Tale of the Clerk of Oxenford.
Heading. E. Bihoold; murye; Hoost.—2. E. Oure hoost.—3. E. leuere. Dd. barel of ale.—5. E. Hn. Dd. is; Cm. was.—6. E. Hn. wiste; Dd. wyst; Cm. woste. N.B. With l. 3, compare B. 3083.
1201. Cm. Ln. Hl. do; rest doth.—1211. E. chiere; Hn. cheere.—Colophon. From Cp.