The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 403]

GROUP E. FRAGMENT VI.

§ 1. THE CLERK'S HEAD-LINK.

CORPUS MS.

¶ here bygenneþ þe prologe of þe clerk of Oxenford [on leaf 129, back]

SIre clerk of Oxenford oure oste sayde ȝe ryde as stille and coy as doþ a mayde Were newe spoused sittyng atte bord This day ne herde I of ȝoure tonge a word Line 4 I trowe þat ȝe studye aboute som sophime But Salamon saiþ euery þing haþ tyme [¶ Pausacio] ffor goddes sake beþ of bettre cheere It nys no tyme for to stodyen heere Line 8 Telle vs som mery tale by ȝoure fay ffor what man þat is entred in-to play he needes mote vnto þe play assente But preches nat as freres don in lente Line 12 To make vs for oure olde synnes wepe Ne þat þy tale make vs not to sleepe [¶ Pausacio] Telle vs som mery þing of auentures / ȝoure termes ȝoure coloures ȝoure figures Line 16 keep hem in store til so be ȝe enditen by stile as when þat men to kinges writen Spekeþ so plein at þis tyme I ȝou pray þat we may vnderstonde what ȝe say [¶ Pausacio] This worþi clerk benignely answerde Oft quod he I am vnder ȝour ȝerde ȝe han of vs as now þe gouernance And þerfore wol I do yow obeissance Line 24

[6-text p 404] Line 24 As fer as reson axeþ hardel I wil ȝou telle a tale which þat I lernede at paradovse of a worþi clerk As preued by his wordes and his werk Line 28 he is now deed and nayled in his cheste I pray to god to ȝiue his soule reste [¶ Pausacio] ffraunces Petrake þe laureat poete highte þis clerk whos retorique sweete [[a leaf out]] Line 32 [enlumynede al ytaille / of Poyetrie [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 66a] as Lynyan dide / of Philosophie or lawe / or other arte par-ticulere but deth that wol not suffre vs / duelle here Line 36 but as it were / a twynkelyng of an yghe hem both hath sleyn / and alle shulle we dye but forthe to tellen / of this worthy man that taughte me this tale / as I bigan Line 40 I sey that he first / wight highe stile enditeth er he the body of his tale writeth a proheme / in the which discerneth he the mounde / and of Saluce the contre Line 44 and spekith of Appenyn the hilles highe that ben the boundes / of west Lumbardie and of the Mounte Vesulus / in special where as the Poo / out of a wel smal Line 48 takith his first spryngyng / and his sours and holte even streighte wey / his cours to Emel-ward / to Ferrare / and to Venyse the which a longe thing were / to devise Line 52 and trewely / as to my Iugement me thinkith it a thing / inpertynent save he wol conveye / his matiere but this is the tale / which ye shal hiere Line 56

Here endith the clerke of Oxonford his prolog

[6-text p 405]

And next folwyng bigynneth his tale of Gresilde. [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14, on leaf 66]

Ther was in the weste side of ytaylle down at the rote / of Vesulus the colde a lusty playne / habundaunte of vitaylle where many a toure and towne / thow maist biholde Line 60 that founded were / in tyme of faders olde and many a-nother / dilectable sight and Saluces / this noble contre hight Line 63

A Marques whilom / was lord of that londe Line 64 as were his worthi eldres / him bifore and obeysaunte / ay redy to his honde were alle his liges / both lesse and more [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 66b] Line 67 thus in delite he lyved / and hath done yore biloued and drad / thorugh favour of fortune both of his lordis / and of his comune Line 70

¶ Therwith he was / to speken of lynage Line 71 the gentilest borne / of al Lumbardye a faire persone and strong / and yonge of age and ful of honoure / and of curtesie Line 74 discrete I-nough / his contre for to gye saue in som thingis / he was to blame and Walter was this yonge lord-is name Line 77

¶ I blame him thus / that he considred noughte Line 78 in tyme comyng / what myghte him betide but on his lust present / was al his thoughte as for to havke and hounte / on euery side Line 81 wel nygh al other cures / lete he slide and eke he nolde / and that was worst of alle wedde no wiff / for aughte that myghte bifalle Line 84

[6-text p 406] Line 84

¶ Oonly that poynt / his peple bare soore [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14.]] that flokmele on a day / they to him wente and oon of hem / that wysest was of loore or ellis that the lord / best wolde assente Line 88 that he shulde telle him / what his peple mente or ellis coude he wel / shewe suche matire he to the Marques seide / as ye shulle hire Line 91

¶ O noble Marques / youre humanite Line 92 assurith vs / and yevith vs hardynesse as offte as tyme / is of necessite that we to yow mow telle / oure hevynesse Line 95 acceptith now lord / of youre gentilnesse that we with pitevous herte / to yow pleyne and lete not youre eeris / my voys disdeyne Line 98

¶ Al haue I nought to done / in this matire Line 99 more than a-nother man hath / in this place yit for as meche / as ye my lord / so dere haue alwey shewed to me / favoure and grace Line 102 I dar the better axe of yow / a space [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 67a] of audience / to shewe oure requeste and ye my lord / to do right as ye leste Line 105

¶ For certes lord / so wel vs likith yow Line 106 and al youre werke / and haue done that we] [[Arch. Seld. B. 14 extract ends]] Ne coude nought vs self deuysen how [Corpus MS] [folio 130a] We mighte lyue in more felicite Line 109 Saue o þing lord if it ȝour wille be That for to be a wedded man ȝou leste þen were ȝoure peple in souereyn hertes reste [[No breaks in the Corpus MS between the stanzas.]] Line 112

Boweþ ȝoure nekke vnder þat blisful ȝok Line 113 Of souerainte and nought of seruise Which þat men clepe spousaile or wedlok And þenkeþ lord amonges ȝoure þoughtes wise Line 116

[6-text p 407] Line 116 [how that oure dayes pas / in sondre gise] [[Arch. Seld. B. 14.]] ffor þough we slepe or wake or renne or ryde Ay fleeþ þe tyme and wol noman abyde Line 119

And þough ȝoure greene þoughtes floure as ȝit Line 120 In crepeþ age alway as stille as stoon And deth manaceþ euery age and smyt In ech astat for þer askapeþ noon Line 123 And also certein as we knowe echoon þat we schulle deye as vncertein we alle Ben of þat day þat deþ schal on vs falle Line 126

¶ Accepteþ þanne of vs þe trewe entent Line 127 þat neuere ȝit ne refused ȝour heste And we lord if þat ȝe wile assent To chese ȝou a wijf in schort tyme atte leste Line 130 Borne of þe gentilest and of þe meste Of alle þis lond so þat it oughte seme honour to god and ȝou as we can deme Line 133

¶ Delyuer vs out of al þis busy dede Line 134 And tak a wijf for hihe goddes sake ffor if it so bifelle as god forbede þat þorugh ȝoure deþ ȝour lynage schulde slake Line 137 And þat a straunge successour schulde take ȝoure heritage. o wo were vs on lyue wherfore we pray ȝow hastily to wyue Line 140

¶ here meke preyer and here pitous cherte Line 141 Made þe marquys herte haue pite [ye wol quod he / myn owne peple dere] [[Arch. Seld. B. 14.]] To þat I neuer erst þouȝte streyne me Line 144 I me reioysed of my liberte That selden tyme is founden mariage [folio 130b] Ther I was free I moste be in seruage Line 147

[6-text p 408] Line 147

¶ But naþeles I se ȝour trewe entente Line 148 And truste vpon ȝour witte and haue don ay Wherfore with al my fre wille I wil assente To wedde me as sone as euer I may Line 151 But þer as ȝe han profred me to day To chese me a wijf I ȝou relesse þat choys and pray ȝou of ȝoure profre cesse Line 154

¶ ffor I wot þat children often ben Line 155 vnlike here eldres hem byfore Bounte comþ al of god not of þe stren Of which þei beþ engendred and y-bore Line 158 I truste in goddes bounte and þerfore my mariage and myn astat and reste I him bitake he may do as him leste Line 161

¶ lat me alone in chesyng of my wijf Line 162 But I ȝou pray and charge vpon ȝour lijf That charge vpon my bak I wil endure þat what wijf I take I þe assure Line 165 To worschipe hire whil þat hire lijf may dure In word in werk boþe heere and euerywhere As sche an Emperoures doughter were Line 168

¶ And forþermore þis schal ȝe swere þat ȝe Line 169 Aȝein my choys schulle neuer grucche ne stryue ffor siþþe I schal forgo my liberte At ȝoure request as euer mote I þriue Line 172 [there as myn herte is sett / there woll I wyve] [[Arch. Seld. B. 14.]] And but ȝe wol assente in such manere I pray ȝou speke nomore of þis matiere Line 175

¶ Wiþ hertly wil þey sweren and assenten Line 176 To al þis þing þer seyde no wight nay Beseking him of grace or þat þei wenten þat he wolde graunten hem a certein day Line 179

[6-text p 409] Line 179 Of his spousaile as sone as euer he may ffor ȝet alway þe poeple somwhat dredde lest þat þis marquys no wijf wolde wedde Line 182

He graunted hem a day such as him leste [folio 131a] Line 183 On which he wolde be wedded sikerly And sayde he dide al þis at þair requeste And þay wiþ humble entent ful buxomly Line 186 knelyng vpon here knees ful reuerently him þonkyng alle and þus þay haue an ende Of here entent and home aȝein þei wende Line 189

And her vpon he to his officers Line 190 Comandeþ for þe feste to purveye And to his priue knightes and squyers Such charge ȝaf as him list on hem leye Line 193 And þay to his comaundement obeye And ech of hem doþ al his diligence To do vnto þe feste reuerence Line 196

[PART II.]

¶ Prima pars

NOught fer fro þe paleys honurable Line 197 Wher as þe marquys schop his mariage Ther stood a throop of þe Cite delitable In which þat pore folk of þat village Line 200 hadden here bestes and here herbergage And of here labour toke here sustienance After þe erþe ȝaf hem abundance Line 203

Among þis pore folk þer dwelled a man Line 204 Which was holde pouerest of hem alle But heihe god sum tyme sende can his grace in to a litel oxe stalle Line 207 Ianicula men of þat throop him calle A doughter hadde he fair ynough to sight ¶ And Grisildis þis ȝonge mayden highte Line 210

[6-text p 410] Line 210

But for to speke of verteuous beaute Line 211 þanne was sche on þe fairest vnder sonne fful pouerely y-fostered was sche No likerous lust was in hire herte ronne Line 214 Wel oftere of þe welle þan of þe tonne Sche drank for sche wolde vertues plese Sche knew wel labour but non ydel ese Line 217

¶ But þough þis mayden tendre were of age Line 218 ȝet in þe brest of hire virginite [folio 131b] Ther was y-closed rype and scharpe corage And in a gret reuerence and charite Line 221 hire olde pouere fader fostred sche A fewe scheep spynnyng on feld sche kepte Sche nolde not ben ydel til þat sche slepte Line 224

And whan sche com homward sche wolde bringe Line 225 Wortes or oþer herbes tymes ofte The which sche schredde and seth for hir lyuynge And made hir bed ful harde and no þing softe / Line 228 And ay sche kepte hir faderes lif on lofte Wiþ euery obeissance and diligence That childe may do to faderes reuerence / Line 231

¶ vpon Grisilde þe pouer creature Line 232 fful ofte siþe þe marquys sette his ye As he on huntyng rood perauenture And whan it fell þat he might hir aspye Line 235 he not wiþ wantoun lokyng of folye his eyen caste on hire but in sad wyse vpon hir cheere he wolde him ofte auyse Line 238

¶ Commendyng in his herte hir wommanhede Line 239 And eek hire vertu passyng any wight Of so ȝong age as wel in cheere as in dede ffor þough þe poeple haue no gret insight Line 242

[6-text p 411] Line 242 In vertu he considerd ful right hir bounte and disposed þat he wolde Wedde hir oonly if euer he wedde scholde Line 245

The day of weddyng com but no wight can Line 246 Telle what womman þat it schulde be ffor which meruayle wondreþ many man And seyde whan þey were in pryuyte Line 249 Wil nat oure lord ȝit leue his vanite Wil he nat wedde allas allas þe while Why wol he þus himself and vs begile Line 252

But naþeles þis marquys haþ don make Line 253 Of gemmes sette in golde and in asure Broches and rynges for Grisildes sake [folio 132a] And of hire cloþing tok he þe mesure Line 256 Of a mayden like to hire stature And eek of oþer ornamentes alle That vnto such a weddyng schulde falle Line 259

¶ þe tyme of vnderne of þe same day Line 260 Approcheþ þat þis weddyng schulde be And al þe paleys but was in aray Boþe halle and chambre eche in his degre Line 263 houses of offices stuffed wiþ plente Ther maystow se of deynteuous vitayle That may be founde as feer as last ytayle Line 266

¶ This real marquys richely arrayed Line 267 lordes and ladyes in his companye The which vnto þe feste were prayed And of his retenue þe bachelrie Line 270 With many a soun of sondry melodye vnto þe vilage of which I tolde In þis array þe righte wey haþ holde Line 273

[6-text p 412] Line 273

¶ Grisilde of þis god wot ful Innocent Line 274 þat for hire schapen al þis array was To fecche water at a welle is wente And comeþ home as sone as euer sche may Line 277 ffor wel sche hadde herd seyde þat ilke day That marquys schulde wedde and if sche might Sche wolde fayn han seyn some of þat sight Line 280

¶ Sche þought I wille wiþ oþre maydens stonde Line 281 þat ben my felawes in oure dore and se The marquisesse and þerfore wol I fonde To do at home as sone as it may be Line 284 þe labour which þat longeþ vnto me And þanne I may at leysyr hire by-holde If sche þis wey vnto þe castel holde Line 287

¶ And as sche wolde ouer hire þresshfold gon Line 288 The marquys cam and gan hir for to calle And sche sette doun hir water potte anon· Bysyde þis þresshfolde of þis oxe stalle [folio 132b] Line 291 And doun vpon hir knees sche gan to falle Wiþ sad contynance and kneleþ stille Til sche had herd what was þe lordes wille Line 294

þis þoughtful marquys spak vnto þis mayde Line 295 fful soberly and seyde in þis manere Wher is ȝour fader Grisildis he sayde And sche wiþ reuerence in humble chere Line 298 Answerde lord he is al redy heere And in sche goþ wiþoute lenger lette And to þe marquys hir fader sche fette Line 301

¶ he by þe hond þan took þis olde man/ Line 302 And sayde þus whan he him hadde a syde Ianycala I neyþer may ne can lengere þe plesaunce of myn herte hyde Line 305

[6-text p 413] Line 305 If þat þou vouche saff what so betyde þy doughter I wol take or þat I wende As for my wijf vnto hire lyues ende Line 308

¶ þou louest me I wot it wel certain Line 309 And art my feiþful liege man y-bore And al þat likeþ me I dar wel sayn It likeþ þe and specialliche þerfore Line 312 Telle me þat poynt as I haue sayd bifore If þat þou wilt vnto þat purpos drawe To take me as for þi sone in lawe Line 315

¶ The sodeyn cas þe man astoned so Line 316 þat reed he wax abayst and al quakynge he stood vnneþe he sayde worde no mo But only þus lord quod he my willynge Line 319 Is as ȝe wille nought aȝeins ȝour likynge I wole noþing ȝe be my lord so dere But as ȝou luste gouerneþ þis matiere Line 322

¶ ȝit wol I quod þis marquys softely Line 323 þat in þi chambre I and þou and sche. haue a collacion and wostow why ffor I wil axe if þat hire wille be Line 326 To be my wijf and reule hire after me [folio 133a] And al þis schal be doon in þi presence I wol not speke out of þin audience Line 329

¶ And in here chambre whil þay were aboute Line 330 here tretees which þat ȝe schul after heere þe poeple cam in to þe hous wiþoute And wondred hem in hor honeste manere Line 333 And tentyfly sche kepte hir fader deere But outerly Grysildis wondre might ffor neuer erst ne saugh sche such a sight Line 336

[6-text p 414] Line 336

¶ No wonder is þouȝ þat sche were astoned Line 337 To se so gret a geste in þat place Sche neuer was to suche gestes woned ffor which sche loked wiþ ful pale face Line 340 But schortly forþ þis mater for to chace This aren þe wordes þat þe marquys sayde To his benigne verray feyþful mayde Line 343

¶ Grisilde he seyde ȝe schule wel vnderstonde Line 344 It likeþ to ȝoure fader and to me That I ȝou wedde and eek it may so stonde As I suppose ȝe wil þat it so be Line 347 But þese demaundes ax I first quod he ¶ þat siþþen it schal be don in hasty wise Wille ȝe assente or elles ȝou auyse Line 350

I seye þis be redy wiþ good herte Line 351 To al my lust and þat I frely may As me best þinkeþ do ȝou knowe or smerte And neuer þe to grucche it night ne day Line 354 And eek whan I say ȝe ne say not nay Neiþer by word ne by frounyng contynance Swere þis and heer I swere oure alliance Line 357

¶ Weddyng vpon þis word quakyng for drede Line 358 Sche sayde lord vndigne or vnworþy Am I to þat ilke honour þat ȝe me bede But as ȝe wille ȝoure self right so wol I Line 361 And here I swere þat neuer willyngly In werk ne þought I nyl ȝou disobeye [folio 133b] ffor to be deed þough me were loþ to deye Line 364

¶ This is ynough Grisylde myn quod he Line 365 And forþ he goþ wiþ a ful sobre cheere Out at þe dore and after þat cam sche And to þe poeple he sayde in þis manere Line 368

[6-text p 415] Line 368 þis is my wyf quod he þat stondeþ heere honoureþ hire and loueþ eek I preye Who so me loueþ þer is no more to seye Line 371

And for þat noþing of hir olde gere Line 372 Sche scholde bringe in to his hous he bad That wommen schulde dispoylen hire right þere Of which þis ladyes were noþing glad Line 375 To handle hire cloþes wher Inne sche was clad But naþeles þis mayden bright of hewe ffro foot to heed þey cloþed han al newe Line 378

¶ hire heres han þey kempte þat layn vntressed Line 379 fful rudely and wiþ hire fyngres smale þay tyred hire heed þat longe rudely lay dressed Of hire array what schulde I make a tale Line 382 Sche is now fair of hew þat arst was pale vnneþe þe poeple hir knew for hir fairnesse Whan sche transmewed was in such richesse Line 385

¶ This marquys haþ hir wedded wiþ a ryng Line 386 Brouȝt for þe same cause and hire sette vpon an hors snow whyt and wel amblyng And to þe paleys or he lenger lette Line 389 Wiþ ioyful poeple þat hire ladde and mette Conueyed hire and þus þe day þay spende In reuel til þe sonne gan descende Line 392

¶ And schortly forþ þis tale for to chace Line 393 I seye þat to þis newe marquysesse God haþ such fauour sent hire of his grace That it ne semed nought be kykenesse Line 396 That sche was born and fedde in iudenesse As in a cote or in an Oxe stalle/ But norisshed in an emperoures halle [folio 134a] Line 399

[6-text p 416] Line 399

¶ To euery wight sche woxen is so deere Line 400 And worschipful þat folk þer sche was bore And from hire burþe knewe hire þere by ȝeere vnneþe trowede þey but durst han swore Line 403 þat to Ianicle of which I spak byfore Sche doughter nas for as by coueiture hem þoughte sche was anoþer creature Line 406

¶ ffor þough euere vertuous was sche Line 407 Sche was encressed in such excellence Of þewes good y-sette in heih bounte And so discrete and fair of eloquence So benigne and digne of reuerence And coude so þe poeples herte embrace þat ech hir loueþ þat lokeþ on hir face Line 413

¶ Not only of salues in þe toun Line 414 Pirplissched was þe bounte of hir name But eek besyde in many a region If on sayde wel anoþer sayde þe same Line 417 So spredeþ of hire heih bounte & fame That men and wommen als wel ȝonge as olde Gon to salice vpon hir to byholde Line 420

¶ Thus Walter lowly nat but really Line 421 Wedded wiþ fortunate honeste In goddes pees lyueþ ful esily At hom and outward grace ynough hadde he Line 424 And for he saugh þat vnder lough degre Was ofte vertu hyd þe poeple him helde A prudent man and þat is seyn ful seelde Line 427

¶ Nat oonly þis Grisildis þurgh hir witte Line 428 Coude al þe fait of wyfly homlynesse But eke whan þat þe cas requyred it The comun profyt coude sche redresse Line 431

[6-text p 417] Line 431 þer nas discorde rancour ne heuynesse In al þat lond þat sche couþe appese And wisly bringe hem alle in hertes eese Line 434

¶ Though þat hire housbonde absent were anon [folio 134b] If gentil men or oþer of hire countre / Were wroþe sche wolde bringen hem at on So wys and rype wordes hadde sche / Line 438 And Iuggements of so gret equite þat sche from heuen sent was as men wende þe poeple to plese and euery wrong to amende Line 441

¶ Nat long tyme after þat þis Grisilde Line 442 Was wedded sche a douȝter haþ y-bore Al hadde hir leuer haue born a knaue childe Glad was þis marquys and his folk þerfore Line 445 ffor þough a mayden childe come al bifore Sche may vnto a knaue child atteyne Be lykened siþþe sche is not bareyne Line 448

¶ Explicit ij^a pars.

Ther felle as it bifalleþ tymes mo Line 449 When þat þis childe had souked but a þrowe This marquys in his herte longeþ so To tempte his wyf hir sadnesse for to knowe Line 452 þat he ne might out of his herte þrowe ¶ This merueylous desir his wijf to assaye Needeles god wot he þought hir to affraye Line 455

he hadde assayed hire ynough bifore Line 456 And fond hir euer good what needed it hire for to tempte and alway more and more But as for me I seye þat euele it sitte Line 459 þough some men it preyse for a subtil witte To assaye a wijf whan þat it is no neede And putten hire in anguissche and in dreede Line 462

[6-text p 418] Line 462

¶ ffor which þis marquys wrought in þis manere Line 463 he com a night allone þer as sche lay Wiþ sterne fate and wiþ trouble cheere And seyde þus Grisilde quod he þat day Line 466 þat I ȝou took out of ȝoure pore aray And putte ȝou in astat of heye noblesse ȝe haue nouȝt forgeten as I gesse Line 469

¶ I seye Grisilde þis present dignite Line 470 In which I haue putte ȝow as I trowe [folio 135a] makeþ ȝou nouȝt forȝeteful for to be þat I ȝou took in pouer astate ful lowe Line 473 ffor eny wele ȝe mote ȝoure selue knowe Tak heed of euery word þat I ȝou say þer nys no wight þat heereþ it but we tway Line 476

¶ ȝe wote ȝoure selue wel how þat ȝe come here Line 477 In to þis hous þat nys nat longe ago And þough to me ȝe be right leeue and deere vnto my gentiles ȝe ben noþing so Line 480 þey say to hem it is gret schame and wo ffor to be sogette and ben in seruage To þe þat art born of a smal vilage Line 483

¶ And namely siþþe þy douȝter was y-bore Line 484 This wordes han þey spoke douteles But I desire as I haue don byfore To lyue my lyf wiþ hem in reste and pees Line 487 I may not in þis cas be recheles I mot do wiþ þi douȝter for þe beste Nouȝt as I wolde but as my gentils leste Line 490

¶ And ȝit god wot þis is ful loþ to me Line 491 But naþeles wiþouten ȝour wetynge I wil nat do but þis wil I quod he That ȝe to me assent/ as in þis þinge Line 494

[6-text p 419] Line 494 Schewe now ȝour pacience as in werkynge þat ȝe me hight and swor in ȝour village That day þat maked was our mariage Line 497

¶ Whan sche had herd al þis sche nat ameued Line 498 Noyþer in word ne cheere ne contynance ffor as it semed sche was nat agreued Sche sayde lord al liþ in ȝour plesaunce Line 501 My childe and I wiþ hertely obeissance ben ȝoures al and ȝe mowe saue & spille ȝoure owne þing workiþ after ȝour wille Line 504

¶ Ther may no þing so god my soule saue Line 505 liken to ȝou þat may displesen me Ne I desyre noþing for to haue [folio 135b] Ne drede for to lese saue oonly þe Line 508 þis wille is in myn herte and ay schal be No lengþe of tyme or deþ may þis deface Ne chaunge my corrage to anoþer place Line 511

¶ Glad was þis marquys for hire answeryng Line 512 But ȝit he feigned as it were not so Al dreery was his cheer as his lokyng Whan þat he schulde out/ of þe chambre go Line 515 Sone after þis a forlong way or tuo he priuely haþ tolde al his entente vnto a man and to his wijf him sente Line 518

¶ A maner sergeant was þis priue man Line 519 The which he feiþful often founden hadde In þinges gret and eek such folk wel can Don execucion of þinges badde Line 522 The lord knew wel þat he him loued and dradde And whan þis sergaunt knew his lordes wille In to þe chambur he stalked him ful stille Line 525

[6-text p 420] Line 525

¶ Ma dame he sayde ȝe moote forȝiue it me Line 526 Though I do þing þe which I am constreyned ȝe ben so wys þat ful wel knowe ȝe þat lordes heestes mowe not be feyned Line 529 þey mowe wel be weyled or compleyned But men moot needes to here lust obeye And so wol I þer nys nomore to seye Line 532

¶ þis child am I comaunded for to take Line 533 And spak no more but out þe childe he hente Dispitously and gan a cheere make As þough he wold han slayn it or he wente Line 536 Grisildes mot al soffre and consente And as a lombe sche sitteþ meke & stille And lete þis cruel sergant han his wille Line 539

¶ Suspeccious was þe defame of þis man Line 540 Suspecte his face suspecte his word also Suspecte þe tyme in which he þis bygan. Allas hir doughter þat sche loued so [folio 136a] Line 543 Sche wende he wolde haue slayen it right þo But naþeles sche nouþer weep ne siked Conformyng hire to þat þe marquys liked Line 546

¶ But atte laste speke sche bigan Line 547 And mekely sche to þe sergaunt preyed So as he was a worþy gentil man þat sche moste kisse hir childe or þat it deyde Line 550 And in hir barm þis litel child sche leyde Wiþ ful sadde face and gan þis childe to blisse And lulled it and after gan it kisse Line 553

¶ And þus sche seyde in hire benigne vois Line 554 ffar wel my child I schal þe neuer se But siþ I haue þe marked wiþ þe croys Of þilke fader blessed mote þou be Line 557

[6-text p 421] Line 557 þat for vs deyed vpon a crosse of tre þy soule litel child I him bytake ffor þis night schalt þou deye for my sake Line 560

¶ I trowe to a norice in þis cas Line 561 It hadde ben hard þis reuþe for to se Wel might a mooder þan han cryed allas But naþeles so sadde stedefast was sche Line 564 þat sche endured alle aduersite And to þe sergeaunt mekely sche sayde haue her aȝein ȝour litel ȝonge mayde Line 567

¶ Goþ now quod sche and doþ my lordes heste Line 568 But o þing wold I pray ȝou of ȝour grace þat but my lord forbad ȝou atte leste Burieþ þis litel body in som place Line 571 þat bestes ne no briddes it to-race But he ne wolde no word to þe purpos seye But/ tok þe childe and went vpon his weye Line 574

¶ þis sergaunt cam vnto þis lord ageyne Line 575 And of Grisildes wordes and hir cheere he tolde him word for word in schort and pleyne And him presenteþ with his douȝter dere Line 578 Somwhat þis lord hadde reuþe in his manere [folio 136b] But naþeles his purpos held he stille As lordes don whan þay wol haue here wille Line 581

And bad þis sergaunt þat he priuyly Line 582 Schulde þis child ful ofte wynde and wrappe Wiþ alle circumstaunces tendrely And carye it in a coffre or in a lappe Line 585 But vpon peyne his heed of for to swappe þat noman schulde knowe of his entent Ne when he come ne whider þat he went Line 588

[6-text p 422] Line 588

¶ But at Boloigne it to his suster deere Line 589 That ilke time of Panyke was Countesse / he schulde it take and schewe hir þis mateere / Besekyng hire to don hire besynesse Line 592 This child to fostre in alle gentilnesse And whos child þat it was he bad hire hyde ffrom euery wight for ought þat may betyde Line 595

¶ þis sergaunt goþ and haþ fulfild þis þing Line 596 But now to þis markys retorne we ffor now goþ he ful ofte ymagynyng If by his wyffes cheer he mighte se Line 599 Or by hire word apparceyue þat sche Were chaunged but he neuer coude hir fynde But euer in oon ylike sad and kynde Line 602

¶ As glad as besy as humble in seruice Line 603 And eek in loue as sche was wont to be Was sche to him in euery maner wyse Ne of hir doughter nought a word spak sche Line 606 Accident for non aduersite Was seyn in hire ne neuer hir douȝter name Ne nempned sche in ernest ne in game Line 609

¶ Explicit iij^a pars.

IN þis astat þer ben passed .iiij. ȝer Line 610 sche wiþ childe was but as god wolde A knaue childe sche bar by þis walter fful gracious and fair for to biholde Line 613 And whan þat folk it to his fader tolde Nat onlich he but al þe contre merye [folio 137a] Was for þis child and god þey þank and herye Line 616

¶ Whan it was tuo ȝeer old and fro be breste Line 617 Departed of his norice on a day This marquys caughte ȝit anoþer leste

[6-text p 423] To tempte his wijf ȝit ofter if he may Line 620 O nedeles was sche tempted in assay But wedded men knowen no mesure Whan þat þay fynde a pacient creature Line 623

¶ Wijf quod þis marquys ȝe han herd of þis Line 624 My poeple sekerly bereþ heuy of oure mariage And namely siþþe my sone boren is Now is it wers þan euer in al oure age Line 627 The murmur sleþ myn herte and my corage ffor to myn eeres comeþ þe voys so smerte That it wel neih destroyed haþ myn herte Line 630

¶ Now sey þey þus whan walter is agon Line 631 þanne schal þe blood of Ianicle succede And ben oure lord for oþer haue we non Suche wordes seiþ my poeple it is no drede Line 634 Wel ought I of such murmur taken heede ffor certeinly I drede such sentence þough þey nought pleyne speke in myn audience Line 637

¶ I wolde lyue in pees if þat I mighte Line 638 Wher fore I am disposed outerly As I his suster seruede be nighte Right so þenke I to serue him priuely Line 641 þus warne I ȝou for ȝe nouȝt sodeinly Out of ȝour self for no wo schulde outraye Beþ pacient and þerfore I ȝou praye Line 644

¶ I haue quod sche sayd þus and euer schal Line 645 I wille no þing ne nyl no þing certayne But as ȝou liste nouȝt greueþ me al þough þat my doughter and my sone be slayne Line 648 At ȝour comaundement þis is to sayne I haue nouȝt had no part of children tweyne But first siknesse and after wo and peyne [folio 137b] Line 651

[6-text p 424] Line 651

¶ ȝe ben oure lord doþ wiþ ȝour owne þing Line 652 Riȝt as ȝou liste askeþ no rede at me ffor as I lifte at home al my cloþinge Whan I first come to ȝou right so quod sche Line 655 lefte I my wille and al my liberte And tok ȝour cloþing wherfore I ȝou preye Doþ ȝour plesance I wil ȝour lust obeye Line 658

¶ And certes if I hadde prescience Line 659 ȝoure wille to knowe or ȝe ȝour lust me tolde I wolde it do wiþouten necligence But now I wot ȝour lust and what ȝe wolde Line 662 Al ȝour plesaunce ferme and stable I holde ffor wiste I þat my deþ wolde do ȝou ese Right gladly wolde I deye ȝou to plese Line 665

¶ Deþ may not make no comparisoun Line 666 vnto oure loue and whan þis marquys say þe contenaunce of his wijf he cast a doun his eyȝen tuo and wondreþ þat sche may Line 669 In pacience suffre al þis array And forþ he goþ wiþ drery contynaunce But to his herte it was right gret plesance Line 672

¶ þis Oggel sergaunt in þe same wise Line 673 þat he hir douȝter caughte right so he Or worse if men worse can deuyse haþ hent hir sone þat ful was of beaute Line 676 And euer in oon so pacient was sche That sche no cheere made of heuynesse But kiste hir sone and after gan it blesse Line 679

¶ Saue þis sche preyed him if þat he mighte Line 680 hir litel sone he wolde in erþe graue his tendre lymes delicat to sight ffro foules and fro bestes for to saue Line 683

[6-text p 425] Line 683 but sche non answer of him mighte haue he wente his wey as he no þing ne roughte But to Boloigne he tendrely it brouȝte Line 686

¶ This marquys wondreþ euer lenger þe more [folio 138a] Line 687 vpon hir pacience and if þat he Ne hadde soþly knowe þer bifore þat parfitly hir children loued sche Line 690 he wolde haue wende þat of som subtilte And of malice or for cruel corrage That sche hadde suffred þis wiþ sad visage Line 693

¶ But wel he knewe next himself certayne Line 694 Sche loued hir children best in euery wise / But now of wommen wolde I aske fayne If þise assayes mighte nouȝt suffise / Line 697 What couþe a stordy housbonde more deuyse To proeue his wijf and hire stedfastnesse And he contynuyng euer in sturdynesse Line 700

¶ But þer ben folk of such condicion Line 701 That whan þey haue a certein purpos take They can nought stynte of here entencion But right as þey were bounden to a stake Line 704 þey wil nat of þat firste purpos slake / Right so þis marquys fully haþ purposed To tempte his wijf as he was first disposed Line 707

¶ he wayteþ if by word or contynance Line 708 That sche to him was chaunged of corage But neuer coude he fynde variance Sche was ay oon in hert and in visage Line 711 And ay þe furþer þat sche was in age þe more trewe if þat it were possible Sche was to him more lowe and more pesible Line 714

[6-text p 426] Line 714

¶ ffor which it semed þus þat of hem tuo Line 715 þer nas but oo wille for as walter liste That same lust was hire plesance also And god he þanked al fel for þe beste Line 718 Sche schewed weel for no worldly vnreste A wijf as of hir self no þing ne scholde Wille in effecte but as hir housbond wolde Line 721

þe sclaundre of walter ofte and wyde spradde Line 722 That of a cruel herte he wikkedly [folio 138b] ffor he a pore womman wedded hadde haþ murdred boþe his children priuely Line 725 Such murmur was among hem comunly No wonder is for to þe poeples eere Ther com no word but þat þay mordred were Line 728

ffor which þer as his poeple þer bifore Line 729 hadde loued him wel þe sclaunder of his diffame Made hem þat þey him hatede þerfore To ben a murdrer is an hateful name Line 732 But naþeles for ernest ne for game he of his cruel purpos nolde stente To tempte his wijf was sette al his entente Line 735

¶ Whan þat his douȝter twelf ȝer was of age Line 736 he to þe court of Rome in subtil wise Enformed of his wille and sente his message Comaundyng hem suche bulles to deuyse/ Line 739 In þis maner and in þis same gyse how þat þe pope as for his poeples reste Bad him to wedde anoþer if him leste Line 742

¶ I say he bad þay scholden countrefete Line 743 The popes bulles making mencion þat he haþ leue his firste wijf to lete As by þe popes dispensacion Line 746

[6-text p 427] Line 746 To stynte rancour and discencion Bitwixe his poeple and him þus spak þe bulle þe which þey han publisshed atte fulle Line 749

¶ The rude poeple as it no wonder is Line 750 Wenden ful wel þat it hadde be riȝt so But whan þis tyþinges come to Grisildis I deme þat hir herte was ful wo Line 753 And sche ylike sad for euermo Disposed was þis humble creature To aduersite of fortune al tendure Line 756

¶ Abydyng euer his lust and his plesance Line 757 To whom sche was ȝiuen herte and al As to hire worldly verray suffisaunce [folio 139a] But schortly if þis story telle I schal Line 760 This marquys writen haþ in special A lettre in which he scheweþ his entente And secretly he to boloigne it sente Line 763

¶ To þe erl of Panyke which þat hadde þo Line 764 Wedded his suster preyed he specially To bringen home aȝein his children tuo But he o þinge preyed outrely Line 767 With alle his herte ful affectuously þat he to no wight þough men wolde enquere Schulde nought telle whos children þat þei were Line 770

¶ But seye þe mayden schulde y-wedded be Line 771 Vnto þe marquys of Saluce right anon And as þis erle was preyed right so dede he ffor at day sette he on his day is goon Line 774 Toward Saluce and lordes many oon In riche array þis mayden for to gyde hire ȝonge broþer ryding by hir syde Line 777

[6-text p 428] Line 777

Arrayed was toward hir mariage Line 778 This freisshe mayde ful of gemmes cleere hir broþer which þat vij. ȝeer was of age Arrayed eek ful freissch in his manere Line 781 And þus in gret noblesse and wiþ glad cheere Toward Saluces schapynge hire iourneye ffro day to day þey ryden in here weye [¶ Quarta pars.] Line 784

[PART V.]

AMong al þis after his wicked vsage Line 785 þis marquys ȝit his wijf gan tempte more To þe outrest proef of hire corage ffully to han experiment and lore Line 788 If þat sche was as stidefast as bifore he on a day in open audience fful boustously haþ seid hir þis sentence Line 791

Certes Grisildis I hadde ynough plesaunce Line 792 To han ȝou to my wijf for ȝour goodnesse As for ȝour trouþe and ȝour obeissance Nat for ȝour lignage ne for ȝour richesse [folio 139b] Line 795 But now quod he in verray soþfastnesse þat in gret lorschipe if I wol auyse þer is gret seruytute in sondry wise Line 798

¶ I may not do as euery ploughman may Line 799 My poeple me constreyneþ for to take anoþer wijf and cryen day by day And eek þe pope rancour for to slake Line 802 Consenteþ it þat dar I vndertake And trewelich þus meche I wil ȝou seye My newe wijf is comynge by þe weye Line 805

¶ Be strong of herte and voyde anon hire place Line 806 And þilke doware þat ȝe broughten me Tak it aȝein and graunte it of my grace

[6-text p 429] Retorneþ to ȝour fadres hous quod he Line 809 No man may alwey haue prosperite Wiþ euene herte I rede ȝou tendure þe strok of fortune or of auenture Line 812

¶ And sche aȝein answerde in pacience Line 813 My lord seyde sche I wot & wiste alway how þat bitwixe ȝoure magnificence And my pouerte no wight can ne may Line 816 maken comparison it/ is no nay I helde me neuer digne in no manere To be ȝour wijf ne ȝit ȝour chamberere Line 819

And in þis hous þer ȝe me lady made Line 820 ¶ þe hihe god take I for my witnesse And also wisly he my soule glade I neuer heelde me lady ne maystresse Line 823 But humble seruaunt to ȝour worþinesse And euere schal whil þat my lijff may dure Abouen euery worldly creature Line 826

¶ That ȝe so longe of ȝoure benignite Line 827 han holde me in honour and nobleye Wher as I was nouȝt worþy for to be þat þanke I god and ȝow whom I preye Line 830 fforȝelde it ȝow þer nys no more to seye [folio 140a] vnto my fader gladly wol I wende And wiþ him dwelle vnto my lyues ende Line 833

¶ Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal Line 834 Til I be dede my lijf þer wil I lede A wydewe clene in body herte and al ffor siþþe I ȝaf to ȝow my maydenhede Line 837 And am ȝour trewe wijf it is no drede God schilde such a lordes wijf to take Anoþer man to housbonde or to make Line 840

[6-text p 430] Line 840

¶ And of ȝoure newe wyf god of his grace Line 841 So graunte ȝou wele and heigh prosperite ffor I wille gladly ȝelden hire my place In which I was blisful wont to be Line 844 ffor siþþe it likeþ ȝow my lord quod sche That whilom weren al myn hertes reste þat I schal go I wol go whan ȝou leste Line 847

¶ But þer as ȝe me profre swich dowayre Line 848 Ay I first brought it is wel in my mynde It were my wrecched cloþes no þing fayre The whiche to me were now ful hard to fynde Line 851 O goode god how gentil and how kynde ȝe semede by ȝour speche and ȝour visage þe day þat maked was our mariage Line 854

But soþ is seyde algate I fynde it trewe Line 855 ffor in effecte it preuede is on me loue is nat olde as whan þat it is newe But certes lord for non aduersite Line 858 To deyen in þe cas it schal not be þat euer in word or werk I schal repente þat I ȝou ȝaf myn herte in hol entente Line 861

¶ My lord ȝe wot þat in my fadres place Line 862 ȝe dede me strepe out of my pore wede And richely me cladden of ȝour grace To ȝou brought I nouȝt elles out of drede Line 865 But feiþ and nakednesse and maydenhede And here aȝein ȝour cloþing I restore [folio 140b] And eek ȝour weddyng ryng for euermore Line 868

¶ The remenaunt of ȝoure Iewellis redy be Line 869 Wiþinne ȝour chambre dar I sauely sayn Naked out of my fadres hous quod sche I cam and naked I mot agayn Line 872

[6-text p 431] Line 872 Al ȝoure plesaunce wolde I folwe fayn But ȝit I hope it be nat ȝoure entente That smokles out of ȝoure paleys I wente Line 875

¶ ȝe coude nouȝt do so dishoneste a þing Line 876 That þilke wombe in which ȝour children leye Schulde bifore þe poeple in my walkyng Be seyn al bare wher fore I ȝou preye / Line 879 lat me not lik a worme go by þe weye Remembre ȝou myn owne lord so deere I was ȝoure wijf þough I vnworþy were Line 882

Wherfore in guerdon of my maydenhede Line 883 Which þat I brought and not awey I bere As voucheþ sauf to ȝif me to my mede But such a smok as I was wont to were Line 886 þat I þer wiþ may wrye þe wombe of here þat was ȝour wijf and here take I my leue Of ȝou myn owen lord lest I ȝou greue Line 889

¶ The smok/ quod he þat þou hast on þi bak Line 890 lat it be stille and bere it forþ wiþ þe But vnneþes þilke word he spak But wente his wey for rewþe and pite Line 893 Biforn þe folk hir seluen strepeþ sche And in hire smok wiþ heued and foot al bare Toward hir fader hous is sche fare Line 896

The folk hir folwen wepyng in hire weye Line 897 And fortune ay þey cursen as þey gon But sche fro weepyng kepte hire eyhen dreye Ne in þis tyme word ne spak sche noon Line 900 hire fader þat þis tydinge herde anon Curseþ þe day and tyme þat nature Schope him to be a lyues creature [folio 141a] Line 903

[6-text p 432] Line 903

¶ ffor out of doute þis olde pouere man Line 904 þat whan þe lord had fulfilde his corage Line 906 ffor euer it demed siþ it ferst bigan Line 905 him wolde þinke it were disparage Line 907 To wedde oon of so pore a lynage To his astat so lowe to alighte And voyde hire as sone as euer he mighte Line 910

¶ Aȝein his doughter hastely goþ he Line 911 ffor he by noyse of folk knew hire comyng And wiþ hire olde cote as it mighte be he couered hire ful sorwfully wepynge Line 914 But on hir body might he it not bringe ffor rude was þe cloþ and more of age By fele dayes þan was hire mariage Line 917

Thus wiþ hir fader for a certein space Line 918 Dwelleþ þis flour of wyfly pacience þat neyþer by hir wordes ne hir face Biforn þe folk ne eek in here absence / Line 921 Ne schewede sche þat hire was don offence Ne of hire heih astat þe remembrance Ne hadde sche as by hire contynaunce Line 924

No wonder is for in hire gret astate Line 925 hire gost was euer in plein humilite No tendre mouþ non herte delicate No pompe ne semblant of realte Line 928 But ful of pacience and benignite Discrete and prydeles ay honorable And to hir housbonde euer meeke and stable Line 931

¶ Men speke of Iob. and most for his humblesse Line 932 As clerkes whan hem liste can endite Namly of men but as in soþfastnesse þough clerkes preyse wommen but a lite Line 935

[6-text p 433] Line 935 þer can no man in humblesse him aquite As wommen can ne can be half so trewe As wommen ben but it be falle of newe Line 938

[PART VI.]

¶ ffro Boloigne is þis erl of Panyke come / [folio 141b] Of which þe fame vp sprong to more & lesse / And to þe poeples eres alle and some / Was couþ eek þat a newe marquysesse Line 942 he wiþ him brought in such pompe and richesse That neuer was þer seyn wiþ mannes eye So noble array in al west lumbardye Line 945

¶ The marquys which þat schope and knew al þis Line 946 Or þat þis erl were come sent his message ffor þilke sely pore Grisildis And sche with humble herte and glad visage Line 949 nouȝt wiþ no swollen herte in hire corage Cam at his heste and on hir knees hir sette And reuerently and wysly sche him grette Line 952

¶ Grisildis quod he my wille is vtterly Line 953 þis mayden þat schal be wedded to me Receyued be to morn als really As possible is in myn hous for to be Line 956 And eke þat euery wight in his degre haue his astat in sittyng and seruise And heih plesaunce as I can best deuyse Line 959

¶ I haue no womman sufficaunt certayn Line 960 þe chambres for to arraye in ordinance After my lust and þerfore wolde I fayn Thyn were al such maner gouernance Line 963 þou knowest eek of olde al my plesaunce þough þin array be badde and yuel beseye Do þou þi deuer atte leste weye Line 966

[6-text p 434] Line 966

¶ Nat oonly lord þat I am glad quod sche Line 967 To do ȝoure lust but I desire also ȝou for to serue and plese in my degre Wiþouten feynyng and schal eueremo Line 970 Ne neuer for no wele ne no woo Ne schal þe goost wiþinne myn herte stente To loue ȝou best/ wiþ al my trewe entente Line 973

¶ And wiþ þat word sche gan the house to dighte Line 974 And tables for to sette and beddes make [folio 142a] And peyned hire to do al þat sche mighte Preyinge þe chambereres for goddes sake Line 977 To hasten hem and faste swepe and schake And sche þe moste seruisable of alle haþ euery chambre arrayed and his halle Line 980

¶ Abouten vndren gan þis erl alighte Line 981 And wiþ him brought his noble children tweye ffor wiþ þe poeple ran to see þe sight Of hire array so richely byseye Line 984 And þan at erst amonges hem þey seye That walter was no fool þough þat him liste To chaunge his wyf for it was for þe beste Line 987

¶ ffor sche is fairer as þey demen alle Line 988 þan is Grisilde and more tendre of age And fairer fruyt betwen hem schulde falle And more plesaunce for hire heih lynage Line 991 hire broþer eek so fair was of visage That hem to se þe poeple haþ cauȝt plesaunce Commendynge now þe marquys gouernaunce Line 994

¶ O stormy poeple vnsad and euer vntrewe Line 995 Ay vndiscrete and chaungyng as a fane Delityng ay in rombile þat is newe ffor lik þe mone ay wexen ȝe and wane Line 998

[6-text p 435] Line 998 Ay ful of clappyng dere y-nough a Iane ȝoure dome is fals ȝour inconstance wel preueþ A ful gret fool is he þat on ȝou leeueþ Line 1001

¶ Thus saiden sadde folk in þat Cite Line 1002 Whan þat þe peple gazed vp and doun ffor þey were glade right for þe nouelte To han a newe lady of oure toun Line 1005 No more of þis now make I mencioun But to Grisilde anon wil I me dresse And telle hire constance and hire besynesse Line 1008

¶ fful besy was Grisilde in euery þing Line 1009 That to þe feste was apertenent Right nought was sche abayssht of hire cloþing [folio 142b] þough it were rude and eek somdel torent Line 1012 But with glad chere to þe gate is went With oþer folk to grete þe marquysesse And after þat doþ forþ hire besynesse Line 1015

¶ Wiþ so glad chere his gestes sche resceyueþ Line 1016 And connyngly euerich in his degre That defaute no man apparceyueþ But ay þey wondren what sche mighte be Line 1019 þat in so pore array was for to se And coude such honour & reuerence And worþily þey preysen hire prudence Line 1022

¶ In al þis mene while sche ne stente Line 1023 þis mayde and eek hir broþer to comende With alle hire herte in ful benigne entente So wel þat no man couþe hire pris amende Line 1026 But atte laste whan þise lordes wende To sitte doun at mete he gan to calle Grisilde as sche was besy in his halle Line 1029

[6-text p 436] Line 1029

¶ Grisilde quod he as it were in his play Line 1030 how likeþ þe my wijf and hire beaute Right wel quod sche my lord for in good fey A fairer sawe I neuer non þan sche Line 1033 I pray to god ȝif ȝou prosperite And so hope I þat he wil to ȝou sende Plesaunce ynow vnto ȝour lyues ende Line 1036

¶ O þing beseke I ȝou and warne also / Line 1037 þat ȝe prike wiþ no tormentynge þis tendre mayden as ȝe han do mo ffor sche is fostred in hire norischinge Line 1040 more tenderly and to my supposynge Sche coude nought aduersite endure As coude a pore fostred creature/ Line 1043

And whan þis walter saugh hir pacience Line 1044 hire glad cher and no malice at al And he so often hadde don hire offence And sche ay sadde and constant as a wal [folio 143a] Continuyng euere hire Innocence oueral This sturdy marquys gan hire herte dresse To rewen on hire wyfly stedfastnesse Line 1050

¶ This is ynough Grisilde myn quod he Line 1051 Be now no more agast ne yuel apayed I haue þy feiþ and þi benignite As wel as euer womman was assayed Line 1054 In gret astate and pouereliche arrayed Now knowe I deere wijf þy stedfastnesse / And hire in armes toke and gan hire kesse Line 1057

¶ And sche for wonder took of hit no keepe Line 1058 Sche þouȝte nought what þing he to hir sayde/ Sche ferde as sche hadde stirte out of hir slepe Til sche out of hir masednesse abrayde Line 1061

[6-text p 437] Line 1061 Grisilde quod he god þat / for vs deyed þou art my wyf ne non oþer I haue Ne neuer hadde so god my soule saue Line 1064

¶ This is þy doughter which þou hast supposed Line 1065 To be my wijf þat oþer feiþfully Schal be myn [heir] as I haue ay purposed þou bare him in þi body trewely Line 1068 At boloygne haue I kept hem pryuyly Tak hem aȝein for now mayst þou not seye þat þou hast lorn non of þy children tweye Line 1071

¶ And folk þat oþerwise han sayd of me Line 1072 I warne hem wel þat I haue don þis dede ffor no malice ne for no cruelte But for tassaye in þe þy wommanhede Line 1075 And nat to slee my children god forbede But for to kepe hem pryuyly and stille Til I þi purpos knewe and al þy wille Line 1078

¶ Whan þis herde a swowne doun sche falleþ Line 1079 ffor pytous ioye and after hir swownynge Sche boþe hire ȝonge children to hire calleþ And in his armes pitously wepynge Line 1082 Embraceþ hem and tendrely kissinge [folio 143b] fful like a moder wiþ hire salte teeres Sche baþeþ boþe hire visage and hire heres Line 1085

¶ O which a pytous sight it was to see Line 1086 hir swownyng and hire humble voys to heere Graunt mercy lord god I þanke it ȝou quod she þat ȝe han saued me my children deere Line 1089 now rekke I neuer to be ded right heere Siþþe I stonde in ȝour loue and in ȝour grace No fors of deþ ne whan my spirit pace Line 1092

[6-text p 438] Line 1092

¶ O tendre o dere o ȝonge children myne Line 1093 ȝour woful moder wende stedefastly That cruel houndes or som foul vermyne hadde eten ȝou but god of his mercy Line 1096 And ȝoure benigne fader tenderly haþ don ȝou kepte and in þe same stounde Al sodeinly sche swapte a doun to grounde Line 1099

¶ And in hire swowne so sadly holdeþ sche Line 1100 hire children tuo whan sche gan hem enbrace þat with gret sleighte and wiþ gret difficulte þe children from hire arm þei gon arace Line 1103 O many a teer on many a pitous face Doun ran of hem þat stooden hire besyde vnneþe aboute hire mighten þey abyde Line 1106

Walter hir gladeþ and hir sorwe slakeþ Line 1107 Sche ryseþ vp abaysshed from hire traunce And euery wight hire ioye and feste makeþ til sche haþ caught aȝein hir contenance Line 1110 Walter hire doþ feiþfully plesaunce þat it is deynte for to se þe cheere Bitwixe hem tuo now þey ben mett in feere Line 1113

¶ This ladyes whan þat þey here tyme saye Line 1114 han taken hire and in to chambre goon And streepen hire out of hire ruyde array And in a cloþ of gold þat brighte schoon Line 1117 Wiþ a coroune of many a riche stoon vppon hire heed þey in to halle hir broughte [folio 144a] And þan sche was honoured as sche oughte Line 1120

¶ Thus haþ þis pitous day a blisful ende Line 1121 ffor euery man and womman doþ here might This day in mirþe and reuel to dispende Til on þe welken schone þe sterres bright Line 1124

[6-text p 439] Line 1124 ffor more solempne in euery mannes sight þis feste was and gretter of costage Than was þe reuel of hire mariage Line 1127

¶ fful many a ȝeer in hih prosperite Line 1128 lyuen þise tuo in concord and in reste And richely his douȝter maryed he vnto a lord on of þe worþieste Line 1131 Of alle ytayle þanne and pes & reste his wyues fader in his court he kepeþ Til þat his soule out of his body creepeþ Line 1134

¶ his sone succediþ in his heritage Line 1135 In reste and pees after his fader day And fortunat eek was in mariage Al putte he not his wijf in gret assay Line 1138 This world is not so strong it is no nay As it haþ ben in olde tyme ȝore And herkneþ what þis auctor seiþ þerfore Line 1141

This story is sayd not for þat wyues scholde Line 1142 ffolwen grisilde as in humilite ffor it were importable þough þey wolde But for þat euery wight in his degre Line 1145 Schulde be constante in aduersite As was Grisilde þerfore Petrayke writeþ þis story which he wiþ his stile enditeþ Line 1148

ffor siþþe a womman was so paciente Line 1149 vnto a mortel man wel more vs ouȝte Resceyuen al in gree þat god vs sente ffor grete skiles he preeueþ þat he wrouȝte Line 1152 But he ne tempteþ no man þat he brouȝte As seiþ seint Iame ȝif ȝe his pistil rede He preueþ folk alday it is no drede [folio 144b] Line 1155

[6-text p 440] Line 1155

And suffreþ vs as for oure excercise Line 1156 Wiþ scharpe scorges of aduersite fful often to ben betyn in sondry wyse Nought for to knowe oure wille for certes he Line 1159 Or we were born knew al oure frelete And for oure beste is al oure gouernance lat vs þanne lyue in vertuous suffraunce Line 1162

¶ But lordinges o word herkeneþ ar I go Line 1163 It were ful hard to fynde now a dayes In alle a toun Grisildes þre or tuo ffor if þat þey were putte to suche assayes Line 1166 The golde of hem haþ now so badde layes Wiþ bras þat þough þe coyne be fayr at eye It wolde raþer berst/ a tuo þan plye Line 1169

¶ ffor which here for þe wyues loue of Baþe Line 1170 Whos lijf and al hire helþe god mayntene In hire maystrye and elles were it skaþe I wolde wiþ lusty herte freisshe and grene Line 1173 Sey ȝou a song to glade ȝou I wene And late vs stynte of ernestful matiere herkneþ my song þat seiþ in þis manere Line 1176

¶ lenvoye de Chaucere

¶ Grisild is deed and eek hir pacience And boþe at oones buryed in ytayle Wher fore I crye in open audience Line 1179 No wedded man be hardy to assayle / his wyues pacience in hope to fynde / Grisildis for in certes he schal fayle / Line 1182

[6-text p 441] Line 1182

O noble wyues ful of heih prudence lat non humilite ȝoure tonge nayle / Ne lat no clerk haue cause or diligence Line 1185 To write of ȝou a story of such meruayle As Grisildis pacient and kynde lest chychevache ȝow swolwe in hire entrayle Line 1188

ffolweþ herto and holdeþ no scilence [[a leaf out]] [but euere answerith / in the contir-taille [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 82a] beth nat bidaffid / for youre innocence Line 1191 but sharply take on yow / the gouernaille enpoynteth wel this lessoun / in youre mynde for comune profit / sith hit may availle Line 1194

And ye Archiwivis / stondith at defence syn ye be stronge / as is a grete Camaille ne suffrith not / that men do yow offence Line 1197 and slender wivis / as feble in bataille beith egre as a Tigre / bi-yende the se fer in ynde ay clappith as a mylle / I yow consaille Line 1200

Ne dredith hem nought doith hem no reuerence for though thyn housbond armed be / in maille the wordis of thi crabbed eloquence Line 1203 shal persshe his breste / and eke his auentaille in gelousie I rede eke / thow him bynde and thow shalt make him covche / as a quaille Line 1206

Yf thow be feyre / there folk ben in presence shewe thow thi visage / and thin apparaille yf thow be foule / be fre of thi dispence Line 1209 to gete the frendis / ay do thi travaille be euer of chere as light / as leff on lynde and lete him care · wepe / wrynge and waille Line 1212

Here endith the Clerke of Oxonford his tale /]

[6-text p 443]

[and next folwith his tale of Ianuare and May. [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14.]]

Whilom ther was dwellyng / in Lumbardye a worthi knyght / that borne was in Pavie in which he lived / in grete prosperite and sexti yere / a wiffles man was he Line 1248 and folwed ay / his bodyly delite on women / there as was his appetite as don these foolis / that ben seculere and whan he was passed sexti yere Line 1252 were hit for holynes / or for dotage I can not sey / but suche a grete corage had this knyght / to be a wedded man that day and night / he doth al that he can Line 1256 to espien where he myghte / wedded be prayng oure lord / graunte him that he myghte onys knowe / of that blisful liff that is bitwixe an housbonde / and his wiff Line 1260 and for to live / vnder that holy bonde with which first / god man and woman bonde noon other liff seide he / is worthe a bene for wedlok is so esy / and so clene Line 1264 that in this world / hit is a paradise thus seide this olde knyght / that was so wise and certeynly / as soth as god is kynge to take a wiff / hit is a glorious thinge Line 1268 and namely whan a man is olde / and hore than is a wiff the fructe / of his tresore than shulde he take a yonge wiff / and a feyre [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 115b] on which he myghte / engender him an heyre Line 1272

[6-text p 444] Line 1272 and lede his liff in ioye / and in solas [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] where that these bachelers / synge alas whan that thei fynden / any aduersite in love / which nys but childis vanyte Line 1276 and trewely hit sit wel / to be so that bachelers han ofte peyne and wo on brotil gronde thei bilde / and brotilnes they fynden / whan thei wenyn sikernes Line 1280 thei live but as a brid / or as a beste in liberte / and vnder noon a-reste there as a wedded man / in his estate livith a liff blisful / and ordynate Line 1284 vnder the yoke of mariage I-bounde wel may his herte / in ioye and blis habounde for who can be so boxom / as a wiff who is so trewe / and eke so ententiff Line 1288 to kepe him sike and hole / as his make for wel or wo / she wol him not forsake she is not wery / him to loue and serue though that he lye bedred / til he sterve] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 extract ends]] And ȝit some clerkes seyn it nys nouȝt so [Corpus MS] [folio 145a] Of which Theoffraste / is on of þo What fors þeiȝ theofraste luste lye Ne take no wijf quod he for husbandrye Line 1296 As for to spare in housholde þin dispence A trewe seruaunt doþ more diligence þy good to kepe þan þin owen wijf ffor sche wol clayme half part al hire lijf Line 1300 And if þat þou be seek so god me saue þy verray frendes oþer a trewe knaue Wol kepe þe bet þan sche þat wayteþ ay After þy good and haþ don many a day Line 1304 [and if thow take a wiff / in thin age oolde fful lightly maist thow be a Cokewoolde] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] To þis entente and an C siþes wurse Line 1307 [writeth this man / there / god his bonys cors] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]]

[6-text p 445] But tak no kepe of alle such vanyte Defye theofrast and herkne me A wyff is goddes ȝifte verrayly Alle oþer maner ȝiftes hardily Line 1312 As landes rentes pasture or comune Oþer oþer ȝiftes þat moebles of fortune þat passen as a schadewe on a wall But drede nought if pleynly speke I schall Line 1316 A wyf wil laste and in þin hous endure Wel lenger þan þe luste to endure mariage is a ful gret sacrament he which haþ no wijf I holde him schent Line 1320 he lyueþ helples and is al desolat I speke of folk in seculer estat And herkne why I say nouȝt þis for nouȝt þe womman is for mannes help y-wrouȝt Line 1324 þe hihe god when he hadde adam maked And sawe him allone bely naked God of his grete goodnesse sayde he þanne lete vs now make an helpe to þis manne Line 1328 ylike to himself and þen he made Eue here may ȝe se and here-by ȝe preue That wijf is mannes helpe and his comfort his paradis terreste and his disport [folio 145b] Line 1332 So buxom and so vertuous is sche þey mosten needes lyue in vnite Of fleisshe þei ben and O fleisch as I gesse nouȝt but on herte in wele and in distresse Line 1336 A wyf; A seinte mary benedicite how might a man han any aduersite þat haþ a wyf certes I can nouȝt say þe blisse þat is bitwexe hem tway Line 1340 þer may no tonge telle or herte þynke If he be pore sche helpeþ him to swynke Sche keepiþ his good and wasteþ neuer a del And al þat hire housband lust hir likeþ wel Line 1344

[6-text p 446] Line 1344 Sche saiþ nouȝt ones nay whan he saiþ ȝe Do þis saiþ he al redy sire seyþ sche O blisful ordre O wedlok precious þou art so mery and eek so vertuous Line 1348 And so comended and aproued eke That euery man þat halt/ him worþ a leek vpon his bare knees aught al his lijf þanken his god þat him haþ sent a wyf Line 1352 Oþer preyed god him for to sende A wijf to laste vnto his lyues ende ffor þanne his lijf is sett in sikernesse he may nouȝt be desceyued as I gesse Line 1356 So þat he werche after his wyues reed þanne may he boldely beren vp his heed þey ben so trewe and so wys ffor which if þou wolt worchen as þe wyse Line 1360 Do alway so as þe womman wol þe rede lo how þat Iacob as þise clerkes rede By good counseil of his moder rebekke Band þe kydes skyn abouten his nekke Line 1364 ffor which his fadres benyson he wan lo Iudith as þe story eek telle can By wys counseil sche goddes poeple kepte And slough him Olophinus whiles he slepte [folio 146a] Line 1368 Lo how Abygayle by good counseil how þat sche Saued hire housbonde Nabal whan þat he Schulde han be slayn and loke after also By good counseil delyuered out of wo Line 1372 The poeple of god and made him mardoche Of Assuer enhaunced for to be Ther is no þing gree superlatiff As seiþ Senek aboue an humble wyf Line 1376 Suffre þyn wyues tonge as Catoun byt Sche schal comaunde and þou schalt suffre yt And ȝit sche wolde obeye of curtesye A wyf is kepere of þin housbondrye Line 1380

[6-text p 447] Line 1380 Wel may þe seeke man bewayle and wepe / Ther as þer nys no wijf þe hous to keepe I warne þe if wysly þou wilt wirche loue wel þy wyf as crist loueþ his chirche Line 1384 If þou loue þy self þou louest þy wyf No man hateþ his flesch but in his lyf he fostreþ it/ and þerfore byd I þe Cherissche þy wijf or þou schalt neuer þe Line 1388 housbond & wijf what so men Iape or pleye Of worldly folk holde þe righte weye þey ben so knyt þer may non harm betyde And namely vpon þe wyues syde Line 1392 ffor which þis Ianuarye of which I tolde Considereþ haþ in wiþ his dayes olde þe lusty þe vertuous quyete þat is in mariage hony swete Line 1396 And for his frendes on a day sent To telle hem þeffect of his entent Wiþ face sadde he haþ hem þis tale tolde he sayde frendes I am hoor and olde Line 1400 And almost god wot at my pittis brinke vpon my sowle somwhat most I þinke I haue my body folyly dispended y-blessed be god þat it schal ben amended [folio 146b] Line 1404 ffor I wol be certein a wedded man And þat in alle þe haste þat I can vnto som mayde fayr and tendre of age I pray you schapeþ for my mariage Line 1408 Al sodeinly for I wol nouȝt abyde And I wole fonde aspye on my syde To whom I may be wedded hastely But for as moche þat ȝe ben mo þen I Line 1412 ȝe schullen raþer such a þing aspyen þan I and wher me luste best allyen But o þing warne I ȝou my frendes deere I wol non old wyf haue in no manere / Line 1416

[6-text p 448] Line 1416 She schal nouȝt passe xvj ȝer certayn Old fleissh and ȝong fleissh þat wolde I han ful fayn Bet is quod he a pyk þan a pykrelle And bet þan olde beef is þe tendre feelle Line 1420 I wol no womman xx^ti ȝer of age It nys but benestraw and gret forage And eek þis olde wydewes god it woot þey konne so moche craft on wades boot Line 1424 So mochil broken harme whan þat hem liste þat wiþ hem schulde I neuer lyuen in reste ffor sondry scoles makeþ subtile clerkys Wommen of many a scole half a clerk is Line 1428 But certeinly a ȝong þing may me gye Right as men may warm wax wiþ handes to-plye þerfore I sey ȝow pleinly in a clause I wol non old wijf haue for þis cause Line 1432 ffor if so were if I hadde so myschaunce That I in hire ne couþe han · no plesaunce þenne scholde I lede my lijf in aduoutrye And so streyt to þe deuyl whan I dye Line 1436 Ne children schulde I non vpon hire geten ȝit were me leuer houndes hadde me eten þan þat myn heritage scholde falle In straunge hande and þus I telle ȝou alle [folio 147a] Line 1440 I dowte nought I wot þe cause why men schulde wedde and forþermore wot I þer spekeþ many men of mariage þat wot nomore of hit þen wot my page Line 1444 ffor whiche causes men schulde take a wyf If he may not chaste be by his lijf Tak him a wijf wiþ gret deuocioun By cause of leofful procreacion Line 1448 Of children to þe honour of god aboue And nought only for paramour and for loue And for þei schulden leccherie eschue And ȝelde here dette whil þat it is newe Line 1452

[6-text p 449] Line 1452 Or for þat ilke man schulde helpe oþer In meschief as a soster schal do a broþer And lyue in chastite ful heuenly But sires by ȝour leue þat am not I Line 1456 ffor [god] be þanked I dar make auaunt I feele my lemes starke and suffisaunt To don al þat a man bilongeþ to do I wot my seluen best what I may do Line 1460 þough I be hoor and fare / as doþ a tree þat blosmeth er þat fruyt y-waxe be A blossemed tree nys neyþer druye ne deed I feele me no wher hoor but on myn heed Line 1464 Myn herte and myn lymes ben as greene As laurere þat purgh þe ȝer is seene And seþenes ȝe han herd al myn entent I pray ȝou to my wille þat ȝe assent Line 1468 Dyuerse men dyuersely him tolde Of mariages many ensamples olde Some blamed it some preysed it certein But atte laste schortly for to seyn Line 1472 As alday falleþ altercacion Bitwixe frendes in disputacion þer fel a stryf betwixe his breþeren tuo Of which þat on was cleped Placebo [folio 147b] Line 1476 Placebo seyde o Ianuare broþer To ȝou telle I þis tale and to non oþer fful litel need hadde ȝe my lord so deere / Counseil to aske of any þat is heere Line 1480 But þat ȝe be on so ful of sapience þat ȝou ne likeþ for ȝour heigh prudence To weyue fro þe word of Salomon This word sayde he vnto vs euerychon Line 1484 Wirke alle þing by counseil þus seyde he And þanne schalt þou nouȝt repente þe But þough þat Salomon speke such a word myn owen deere brother and my lord Line 1488

[6-text p 450] Line 1488 So wisly god my soule bringe at reste I halde ȝoure owne counseil for þe beste ffor broþer myn of me take þis motyf I haue now ben a court man al my lyf Line 1492 And ȝit god wot þough I vnworþy be I haue standen in ful gret degre Abouten lordes in ful gret estate ȝit hadde I neuer wiþ non of hem debate Line 1496 I neuer hem contraried trewely I wot wel þat my lord can more þan I What þat he saiþ I halde it ferme & stable I saye þe same or oþer þing semblable Line 1500 A ful gret fool is eny counseilour þat serueþ eny lord of heih honour þat dar presume or ones þenken it/ þat his counseil schulde passe his lordes witt Line 1504 Nay lordes ben no fooles by my fay ȝe haue ȝoure self spoken here to day So heih sentence so holy and so wel That I consente and conferme euery del Line 1508 ȝoure wordes alle and ȝoure opynioun By god þer nys no man in al þis toun Ne in ytaille couþe bet han sayd Crist haldeþ him of þis ful wel a-payd [folio 148a] Line 1512 And trewely it is an heih corage Of eny man þat stopen is in age To take a ȝong wyf by my fader kyn ȝoure herte hangeþ vpon a Ioly pyn Line 1516 Doþ now in þis matier right as ȝou leste ffor fynally I halde it for þe beste ¶ Iustynus þat ay stille sat and herde he right on þis wise to Placebo answerde Line 1520 Now broþer myn be pacient I preye Siþenes ȝe han sayd and herkneþ what I seye Senek amonges oþer wordes wyse Seiþ þat a man him oughte right wel auyse Line 1524

[6-text p 451] Line 1524 To whom he ȝeuyþ his lond oþer his catel And seþenes I aught/ auyse me right wel To whom I ȝiue my good awey fro me Wel more I auȝte to auȝse me Line 1528 To whom I ȝiue my body for alwey I warne ȝou wel it nys no childes pley To take a wijf wiþoute auysement Men moste enquere þis is myn assent Line 1532 Wheþer she be wys or sobre or drunkelewe Oþer proude oþer oþerwey a schrewe A chydester or a wastour of þy good Oþir riche or pore or of maneres wood Line 1536 Al be it so þat no man fynde schal None in þis worlde þat trottiþ hool in al Ne man ne beeste suche as men conne deuyse But naþeles it auȝt ynough suffise Line 1540 Wiþ any wijf if þat so were sche hadde mo goode þewes þan hire vices badde And al þis askeþ leiser for to enquere / ffor god it woot I haue wepte many a teere Line 1544 fful priuyly siþ þat I hadde a wyf Preyse who so wole a wedded mannes lijf Certayn I fynde in hit but coste and care And obseruaunces of alle blisses bare [folio 148b] And ȝit god wot my neygheburs aboute. And namely of wommen many a rowte Sayn þat I haue þe moste stedefast wijf And eek þe meekest oon þat bereþ lijf Line 1552 But I wot best wher wryngeþ me my scho ȝe may for me right as ȝou likeþ do Auyseþ ȝou ȝe ben a man of age how þat ȝe entren in to mariage Line 1556 And namely wiþ a ȝong wijf and a fayr By him þat made water erþe and ayr þe ȝongest man þat is in al þis route Is besy ynough to bringen it aboute Line 1560

[6-text p 452] Line 1560 To han his wijf allone trusteþ to me ȝe schulle nouȝt plesen hire oonly ȝeres þre þis is to seyn to don hire plesaunce A wijf axeþ ful many an obseruaunce Line 1564 I pray ȝou þat ȝe ne ben euyl payed Wel quod þis Ianuare and hast þou al sayd Straw for þyn Senek and for þy prouerbis I counte nought a paner ful of herbes Line 1568 Of scole termes wiser men þan þou And þou hast herde assenteden right now / To my purpos Placebo what say ȝe I say it is a cursed man quod he Line 1572 þat letteþ matrimonye sikerly And wiþ þat word þay rysen sodeinly And ben assented fully þat he scholde Be weddid whan him luste and whan he wolde Line 1576 þe fantasye and þe besy curiousnesse ffro day to day gan in þe soule impresse / Of Ianuare aboute his mariage / many fayr schapp and many fayr visage / Line 1580 þer passeþ þorgh his herte night be night As whos took a myrour polisshed bright And sette it in a comune market place þenne scholde he se many a figure pace [folio 149a] Line 1584 By his myrour and in þe same wise Gan Ianuare in wiþ his þouȝt deuyse Of maydenes whiche þat dwelte besyde he wiste nought wher he might abyde Line 1588 ffor þouȝ þat oon haþ beaute in hire face / Anoþer stant so in þe poeples grace / ffor hire sadnes and hire benignite þat of þe poeple grettest voys hadde sche Line 1592 And some were riche and hadde badde name but naþeles bitwixe ernest and game he atte laste appoynted him on oon And leet alle oþer fro his herte gon Line 1596

[6-text p 453] Line 1596 And ches hir of his owen auctorite ffor loue is blynd alday and may not se And whan þat he was in þe bed y-brought he purtreyed in his herte and in his þought Line 1600 hire freisshe beaute / and hir age tender hire myddel smal and hir armes long and sklender hire wise gouernaunce and hire grete gentilnes hir wommanly berynge and hire sadnes Line 1604 And whan þat he was fro hire condescended him þouȝte his þouȝt might nouȝt ben amended ffor whan þat he himself concluded hadde him þouȝt euer oþer mannes witte so badde Line 1608 þat inpossible it were to replye aȝein his choys þis was his fantasye his frendes sent he to at his instance And preyed hem to don him þat plesaunce Line 1612 þat hastely þey wolden don him come / he wolde abregge here labour alle and some Needeþ nomore for him to goon or ryde he was apoynted þer he wolde abyde Line 1616 Placebo cam and eek his freendes sone And alþer first he bad hem alle a bone þat non of hem non argumentes make Aȝeins þe purpos which þat he haþ take [folio 149b] Which purpos was plesaunt/ to god sayde he And verray ground of his prosperite he sayde þer was a mayden in þe toun Which þat of beaute hadde gret renoun Line 1624 Al were it so sche were of smal degre Sufficeþ him hire ȝouþe and hire beaute Which mayde he seyde schulde ben his wiff To lede in ese and holynesse his lijf Line 1628 And þanked god þat he might han hire al þat no wight wiþ his blisse parten schal And preyed hem to laboure in þis neede / And schaped þat he fayled not to spede Line 1632

[6-text p 454] Line 1632 ffor þanne he seyde his spirit was at eese þen is quod he no þing may me displese / Saue o þing prikeþ in my conscience þe which I wol reherse in ȝoure presence / Line 1636 I haue quod he herd seyd ful ȝore ago þer may no man han parfyt blisses tuo þis is to say in erþe and eek in heuene ffor þey he kepte him fro þe synnes seuene Line 1640 And eek for euery braunche of þilke tre ȝit is þer so parfit prosperite And so gret ese and lust in mariage þat euer I am agast now in myn age Line 1644 þat I schal lede now so mery a lijf [so delicate withouten wo / or striff [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14; no gap in Corpus.]] that I shal haue myn heuen / in erthe] heere ffor siþenes þat verray heuene is bought so deere Line 1648 Wiþ tribulacion and gret penaunce how scholde I lyue in such plesaunce As alle wedded men doþ wiþ here wyues / Come to þe blisse þer crist eterne on lyue is Line 1652 þis is my drede and ȝit myn breþeren tweye Assoylleþ me þis question I ȝou preye Iustynus which þat hated his folye Answeryng anon riȝt in his Iapere Line 1656 And for he wolde his longe tale abregge he wolde non auctorite alegge [folio 150a] But seyde sire so þer be non obstacle Oþer þan þis god of his heih miracle Line 1660 And of his mercy may so for ȝou wirche þat er ȝe han ȝour ȝiftes of holy chirche ȝe may repente of wedded mannes lijf In which ye sayn þer is neiþer woo ne strijf Line 1664 And elles god forbede but if he sente A wedded man grace to repente Wel often raþer þan a sengil man And þerfore sire þe beste reed I can Line 1668

[6-text p 455] Line 1668 Dispeyreþ ȝou nouȝt haueþ in memory Paraunter sche may be ȝour purgatory Sche may be goddes mene and goddes whippe þan schal ȝour soule vp to heuene skippe Line 1672 Swifter þan doþ an arwe out of a bowe I hope to god her-after schalt þou knowe þat þer nys non so gret felicite In mariage ne neuer more schal be Line 1676 þat ȝou schal lakke of ȝour saluacion So þat ȝe vse as skile is and resoun þe lustes of ȝour wijf attemperelly And þat ȝe plese hir nouȝt to amerously Line 1680 And þat ȝe kepe ȝou eek fro oþer synne / Myn tale is doon for my witte is þinne Beþ nouȝt agast here-of my broþer But let vs wade fro þis mater to anoþer Line 1684 þe wijf of Bathe if ȝe han vnderstonde Of mariage which ȝe han on honde Declared haþ ful wel in litel space ffareþ now wel god haue ȝou in his grace Line 1688 And wiþ þis word þis Iustyne and his broþer han take here leue and ilke of hem of oþer ffor whan þey sawe it moste needes be þey wrouȝten so by wys and sleigh trete Line 1692 þat sche þis mayden which þat mayus hight As hastely as euer þat sche might [folio 150b] Schal wedded be vnto Ianuarie / It trowe it were to long ȝou to tarie Line 1696 If I ȝou tolde of euery scryt or band By which þat sche was feffed in his land Oþer for to herken of hire riche aray But fynally y-comen is þis day Line 1700 That to þe chirche boþe ben þey went ffor to resceyue þe holy sacrament fforþ comþ þe prest wiþ stole aboute his nekke / And bad hire be ylike Sarra and Rebekke Line 1704

[6-text p 456] Line 1704 In wisdom and trouþe of mariage And sayde his orisouns as is his vsage And crouched hem and bad god schulde hem blesse And made al siker ynough with holynesse / Line 1708 þus ben þey weddid with solempnite And atte feste sitteþ he and sche Wiþ oþer worþy folk vpon þe deys Al ful of ioye and blisse is þe paleys Line 1712 And ful of instrumentz and of vitayle þe moste deyntevous of alle ytayle Byforn hem of instrumentz which a soun That Orpheus ne of Phebes ampheoun Line 1716 Ne maden neuer such a melodye And at euery cours cam lowde menstralcie þat neuer Ioab trumped for to heere / Neiþer Theodomas ȝit half so cleere Line 1720 And Thebes whan þe cite was in doute / Bacus þe wyn hem schenkeþ al aboute And venus lawheþ vpon euery wight ffor Ianuarye was bycome here knight Line 1724 And wolde boþe assayen his corage In liberte and eek in mariage And wiþ hir fyr brond wiþ hire hand aboute Daunsiþ byforn þe bryde al aboute Line 1728 And certeynly I dar wel seyn riȝt þis Emyneus þat god of weddyng is [folio 151a] Sawe neuer in his lijf so mery a wedded man halde þou þy pes þou poete Marcean Line 1732 þat writest vs þat ilke weddyng mery Of hire phylologie and of mercurye And of þe sanges þat þe muses song So smale as eek þin penne and eek þy tong Line 1736 ffor to discryuen of þis mariage When tendre ȝouþe haþ wedded stowpyng age þer is such myrþe þat it may nouȝt be write Assayeþ it ȝou self þen may ȝe wite / Line 1740

[6-text p 457] Line 1740 If þat I lakke or non in þis matere Mayus þat sitt wiþ so benigne a cheere hire to beholde it semed fayerye Queene Ester loked neuer wiþ such an yhe Line 1744 On assuer so meke a look haþ sche I may ȝou nouȝt deuyse al hire beaute But þus moche of hir beaute telle I may þat sche was like þe brighte morwe of may Line 1748 ffulfilde of beaute and of plesaunce þis Ianuarye is rauyssht in a traunce And at euery tyme he loked on hire face / But in his herte he gan hire to manace Line 1752 þat he þat night in armes wolde hir streyne harder þan euyr parys did Eleyne But naþeles ȝit had he gret pite þat þilke night offenden hire moste he Line 1756 And þouȝt allas O tender creature Now wolde god ȝe mighte wel endure Al my corrage / it is so scharpe and kene I am agast ȝe schullen it nat sustene Line 1760 But god forbede þat I did al my myght Now wolde god þat it were waxen nyght And þat þe night wolde lasten eueremo I wolde þat al þis poeple were a go Line 1764 And finally he doþ alle his labour As he best mighte sauynge his honour [folio 151b] To hasten hem fro þe mete in subtil wise þe tyme came þat resoun was to ryse Line 1768 And after þat men daunce and drynke faste And spices al aboute þe hous þay caste And ful of ioye and blisse is euery man Al but a squyer þat highte damyan Line 1772 Which karf byforn þe knight many a day he was so rauysshed on his lady may That for þe verray peyne he was neyȝ wood Almost he swelt and swowned þer he stood Line 1776

[6-text p 458] Line 1776 As þat sche bare daunsyng in hir hand So freisshe sche was and þerto so likand [[spurious]] And to his bed he went him hastily Nomore of him at þis tyme speke I Line 1780 But þere I lete him weepe ynough and pleyne Till freissche may wil rewen on his peyne ¶ O perilous fyr þat in þe bedstraw brediþ O famuler foo þat his seruise beediþ Line 1784 O seruant traytour fals holy hewe I-like to þe neddre sleyȝ and in Bosom vntrewe God schilde vs alle fro ȝoure iniquitance O Ianuare drunken in plesaunce Line 1788 O mariage see how þine Damyan þin oughne squyer and þyn borne man Entendiþ to do þe vylenye God graunte þe þin harmly foo to aspye Line 1792 ffor in þis world nys worse pestylence Than homly foo alday in þy presence Parfourmed haþ þis deuyn day his ark dyurne No lenger may þe body of him soiourne Line 1796 The Orisowte as in þat latitude Night wiþ his mantel þat is so derk & rude Gan for to sprede þe mysperye aboute ffor which departed is þe lusty route Line 1800 ffor Ianuare wiþ þank on euery syde home to here houses lustily þei ryde / [folio 152a] þer as þey don here þinges as hem leste And whanne þay seye her tyme gon to reste Line 1804 Sone after þat þis hastyf Ianuare Wol go to bedde he wol no lengere care he drynkeþ ypocras clarre and vernage Of spices hote to encresen his corage Line 1808 And many a letuare hadde he ful fyn Suche as þe cursed monk daun Constantyn haþ writen in his book of coytu To eten hem alle he nas no þing eschewe Line 1812

[6-text p 459] Line 1812 And þus to his priue freendes seyde he ffor goddes loue as sone as it may be let voyden alle þis hous in curteys wyse soone Line 1815 Men drunken and þe trauers drowe anone Line 1817 The bryde was brouȝt to bedde as stille as stoon Line 1818 So hastede Ianuer it moste be doon [[spurious]] And whan þe bed was wiþ þe prest y-blessed Out of þe chambre haþ euery wight him dressed Line 1820 And Ianuare haþ faste in armes take his freissche may his paradys his make he lulliþ hire he kisseþ hire ful ofte Wiþ þikke brystles of his berd vnsofte Line 1824 Ylike to þe skyn of an houndfissh scharp as brere ffor he was schaue al newe in his manere he rubbeþ hire vpon hire tendre face And sayde þus allas I mot trespace Line 1828 To ȝou my spouse and ȝou gretly offende Or tyme come þat I wol doun descende But naþeles considereþ þis quod he þis nys no werkman what so euer he be Line 1832 þat may boþe wirche wel and hastely þis wol be don at leyser parfitly It is no force how longe þat we pleye I trowe in wedlok coupled be we tweye Line 1836 And y-blessed be þe ȝok þat we ben Inne ffor in oure actis we may do no synne / [folio 152b] A man may do no synne wiþ his wijf Ne hurte himselue wiþ his owene knyf Line 1840 Now we han leue to pleye vs by þe lawe Thus laboureþ he til þat þe day gan dawe And þenne he takeþ a soppe in fyn clarre And vpright in his bedde þanne sitteþ he / Line 1844 And after þat he sang ful lowde and cleere And kissed his wijf and made wantoun cheere he was al coltissch and ful of ragerie And ful of Girgoun as is a flekked pye / Line 1848

[6-text p 460] Line 1848 þe slakke skyn aboute his nekke schakeþ Whil þat he sang so chaunteþ he and crakeþ / But god wot what may þouȝte in hire herte / Whan sche him saugh vp sittyng in his scherte Line 1852 In his night cappe and wiþ his nekke lene / Sche preyseþ nouȝt his pleying worþ a bene þenne seyde he þus my restyng wol I take Now day is come I may no lenger wake Line 1856 And doun he leyd his heed and sleep til prime And aftirward whan þat he saugh his tyme vp ryseþ Ianuare but/ freissche may holt hire chambre vnto þe ferþe day Line 1860 As vsage is of wyues for þe beste / ffor euery labour som tyme mot haue reste Oþer elles longe may he nouȝt endure þis is to say no lyues creature Line 1864 Be it of fissh or brid or best or man Now wol I speke of woful dauyan þat langureþ for loue as ȝe schullen heere þerfore I speke to him in þis manere Line 1868 I say O sely Damyan allas Answere to þis demaunde as in þis cas how schalt þou þy lady freisshe may Telle þy wo sche wole alway say nay Line 1872 Eke if þou speke sche wole þy wo bewreye God be þin helpe I can no bettre seye [folio 153a] þis sike damyan in venus fyre So brenneþ þat he deyeþ for desire Line 1876 ffor which he putte his liff/ in aduenture No lenger might he in þis wise endure But priuyly a penner gan he borwe And in a lettre wrot he alle his sorwe Line 1880 In maner of a complaynt oþer a lay vnto þis fair and freissche lady may And in a purs of silk heng on his scherte he haþ y-put and leyd it/ at his herte/ Line 1884

[6-text p 461] Line 1884 þe more þat at noon was þilke day That Ianuare haþ wedded þat freissche may In tuo of Taure was in þe Cancre Gliden So longe haþ sche in hire chambre abyden Line 1888 As costume is vnto þise noblis alle A bryde schal nouȝt eten in þe halle Til dayes foure oþer þre dayes atte leste y-passed ben þen lat hire go to feste Line 1892 þe ferþe day complet froo noon to noon Whan þat þe hihe masse was y-doon In halle sitt þis Ianuare and may As freissh as is þe brighte someres day Line 1896 And so bifelle how þat þis goode man Remembreþ him vpon þis damyan And sayde seinte mary how may þis be That Damyan entendiþ nouȝt to me Line 1900 Is he ay sike or how may þis betyde his squyers whiche þat stooden him besyde Excusynge him be cause of his seknesse Which letted him to don his busynesse Line 1904 Non oþer cause mighte make him care That me forþinkeþ quod þis Ianuare he is a gentil squyer by my trouþe / If þat he deyde it were harm and rouþe Line 1908 he is as wys discrete and secre As eny man I wot of his degre [folio 153b] And þerto manly and eek seruisable And for to ben a þrifty man right able Line 1912 But after mete as sone as euer I may I wole my self visite him and eek may To don him al þe confort þat I can And for þat word him blessed euery man Line 1916 That of his bounte and of his gentilnesse He wolde so conforten him in his siknesse His squyer for it was a gentil dede Dame quod he þis Ianuar take good hede Line 1920

[6-text p 462] Line 1920 That at after mete ȝe wiþ ȝour wommen alle Whan ȝe han ben in chambre out of þis halle That alle ȝe gon to se þis Damyan Doþ him disport he is a gentil man Line 1924 And telleþ him þat I wil him visite haue I no þing but rested me a lite [and spede yow faste / for I wol abide til that ye slepe / right bi my side] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] Now wiþ þat worde he gan to him calle A squyer þat was marschal of his halle And tolde him certeyn þinges what he wolde This freisshe may haþ streyt hir weye holde Line 1932 Wiþ alle hire wommen vnto þis damyan Doun by his beddes syde sat sche þan Confortyng him as goodly as sche may This damyan whan he his tyme say Line 1936 In secret wise his purs and eek his bille In which þat he writen hadde his wille haþ putte in to hire hond wiþouten more Saue þat he siked wonder sore Line 1940 And softely to hire right þus sayde he mercy and þat ȝe discouereþ nouȝt me ffor I am ded if þat þis þing be kyd This purs haþ sche wiþinne hir bosme hid Line 1944 And went hir way ȝe gete nomore of me But vnto Ianure y-comen is sche And on his beddes syde sitte ful softe He takeþ hire and kisseþ hire ful ofte [folio 154a] Line 1948 And leyde him doun to slepe and þat anon Sche feyned hire as þat sche moste gon þer as ȝe woot þat euery wight mot neede And when sche of þis bille haþ taken heede Line 1952 Sche rent it al to cloutes at þe laste And in þe pryue softely sche it caste Who studieþ now but fayre freissche may And a doun by Ianuer sche lay Line 1956

[6-text p 463] Line 1956 That sleep til þat þe coughe him haþ awaked Anon he preyed hir to strepen hire al naked he wolde of hire he sayde of hire haue som plesaunce he seyde hire cloþes dide him encombraunce Line 1960 And sche obeyeþ be he leef or loþ But lest þat precious folk be wiþ me wroþ how þat he wrouȝte I dar to ȝou nouȝt telle Oþer whether þat he þouȝt on paradys oþer of helle Line 1964 But I lete hem worchen in here wise Til euesong rynge and þat þey moste aryse / Were it by destyne oþir by auenture Were it by influence or by nature Line 1968 Oþer in constillacion þat in such estat The heuene stood þat tyme fortunat Was for to putte a bille of venus werkis ffor alle þing haþ tyme as seyn þise clerkis Line 1972 To any womman for to gete hir loue I can nouȝt say but þe grete god aboue þat knoweþ þat non acte is causeles he demeþ of alle for I wol holde my pes Line 1976 But soþ is þis how þat þis freissche may haþ take such impression þat day On pite of þis sike Damyan þat fro hir herte sche ne dryue can Line 1980 þe remembrance for to don him eese Certein þouȝt sche whom þat þis þing displese I rekke nouȝt for here I him assure To loue him best of eny creature / [folio 154b] Line 1984 þough he na more nadde þan his scherte lo pite renneþ sone in gentil herte Her may ȝe se how excellent franchise In wommen is whan þey narwe hem auyse Line 1988 Som tyrant þer is as þer ben many oon þat haþ an herte as hard as eny stoon Which wolde han lete him steruen in þe place Wel raþer þan haue graunted him þat grace Line 1992

[6-text p 464] Line 1992 And hem reioysen in here cruel pryde And recched nouȝt to ben an homicide ¶ This gentil may fulfild of alle pite Right so of hire hond a lettre made sche Line 1996 In which sche graunteþ him of hire verray grace þer lackeþ nouȝt oonly but day and space Wher þat sche mighte to his lust suffise ffor it schal be right as he wol deuyse Line 2000 And whan sche saugh hire tyme vpon a day To visite þis damyan goþ faire may And sotilly þis lettre doun sche þriste vnder his pilwe rede iff him liste Line 2004 Sche takeþ him by þe hond and harde him twiste So secrely þat no wight hit wiste And bad him be al hool and forþ sche wente To Ianuare whan þat he for hire sente Line 2008 vp ryseþ Damyan þe nexte morwe Al passed was his siknesse and his sorwe he kembiþ him and proyneþ him and pikeþ he doþ al þat þis lady lust and likeþ Line 2012 And ek to Ianuare he goþ as lowe As euer did a dogge for þe bowe he is so plesaunt vnto euery man ffor craft is al who so þat it can Line 2016 þat euery wight is fayn to teche him good And fully in his lady grace he stood þus lete I Damyan aboute his neede And my tale forþ I wil procede [folio 155a] Line 2020 Some clerkes halden þat felicite; Stant in delite and þerfore he This noble Ianuare wiþ alle his might In honeste wise as longeþ to a knight Line 2024 Schop him to lyue ful deliciously his housynge his array al honestely To his degre was maked as a kinges Among oþir of his honeste þinges Line 2028

[6-text p 465] Line 2028 he hadde a gardyn walled al wiþ stoon So fair a gardyn wot I nowher noon ffor out of doute I verrayly suppose þat he þat wroot þe romance of þe rose Line 2032 Ne couþe of it þe beaute wel deuyse ne pryapus ne mighte nat suffise þouȝ he be god of gardyns for to telle The beaute of þe gardyn and of þe welle Line 2036 þat stood vnder a laurer alway greene fful often tyme king Pluto and his queene Preserpyna and alle hire fayerie Disporten hem and maken melodye Line 2040 aboute þat welle and daunced as men tolde þis noble knight þis Ianuare þe olde Suche deynte haþ in it to walken and to pleye þat he wol suffre no wight to bere þe keye Line 2044 Saue he himself or of þe smale wiket he bar alwey of siluer a clyket Wiþ þe whiche whan þat him lust vnschette And whan þat he wolde paye his wijf his dette Line 2048 In somer seson þider wolde he go And may his wijf and no wight but þay tuo A þinges whiche þat were nouȝt don a bedde þey in þe gardyn parformed han and spedde Line 2052 And in þis wise many a mery day lyuede þis Ianuare and freissche may But worldly ioye may nouȝt alwey endure To Ianuare ne to no worldly creature [folio 155b] Line 2056 O sodeyn happ O þou fortune vnstable / I-like to þe scorpion vnstable / That flaterest wiþ þin heed whan þou wolt stynge Thyn tayl is deþ þoruȝ þin enuenemynge Line 2060 O brutel ioye O swete poyson queynte O mustier þat sotilly canst peynte þine ȝiftes vnder þe hewe of stedefastnesse þat þou disceyuedest boþe more and lesse Line 2064

[6-text p 466] Line 2064 Why hast þou Ianuare þus deceyued And haddist him for þi fulle frend receyued And now þou hast byraft him boþe his eyen ffor sorwe of which desireþ he to deyen Line 2068 Allas þis noble Ianuare þat is so fre Amydde his lust and his prosperite Is woxen blynde and al sodeynly his deþ þerfore desireþ he outrely Line 2072 And þer wiþ al þe fyr of Ielousye leste þat his wijf schulde falle in som folye So brent his herte þat he wolde fayn That som man boþe hire and him hadde slayn Line 2076 ffor neuer [after] his deþ ne in his lyf Ne wolde he þat sche were loue ne wyf But euer lyue as a wydewe in cloþes blake Soule as þe turtil doþ þat haþ lost hire make / Line 2080 But at þe laste after a monþe or tweye his sorwe gan to swage soþ to seye ffor when he wiste it/ may non oþer be he paciently took his aduersite Line 2084 Saf out of doute may he nouȝt forgon þat he nas Ielous euermore in oon Which Ielousie it was so outrageous þat neiþer in halle ne in non oþer hous Line 2088 he nolde suffre hire for to ryde ne go Ne in non oþer place neuer þe mo But if þat he hadde hond on hire alway ffor which ful ofte wepeþ freisshe may [folio 156a] Line 2092 That loueþ Damyan so benignely þat sche moot eyþer deye sodeinly Or elles sche mote han him at hire leste sche wayteþ whan hir herte wolde toberste Line 2096 vpon þat oþer syde Damyan Bycomen is þe sorwfulleste man þat euere was for neiþer night nor day Ne might he speke a word to freisshe may Line 2100

[6-text p 467] Line 2100 As to his purpos of no such matiere / But if þat Ianuarie most it here / þat hadde oon hond on hir euer mo And naþeles by wrytyng to and fro Line 2104 And pryue signes wist he what sche ment/ And sche knew of þe signe of his entent O Ianuarie what mighte þe affayle / þou mightest see as fer as schippes sayle Line 2108 ffor a[s] good is a blynd disceyued be As to be deceyued whan a man may se Lo argus which þat hadde an C. eyen ffor al þat euer he couþe poure or prien Line 2112 ȝit was he blent and god wot so ben mo þat wenyn wisly þat it nys nat so Passe ouer is an ese and say nomore This freissche may of which I spak of yore Line 2116 In warm wax haþ emprynted þis cliket þat Ianuarye bar of þis smale wyket By which vnto his gardyn ofte he wente And Damyan þat knew hire entente Line 2120 þe clyket countrefeted priuily Ther nys no more to say but hastyly Som wonder by his cliket schal betyde / Which ȝe schullen heere if ȝe woln abyde Line 2124 O noble Ovyde soþ saist þou god wot What sleight is it þough it be long and hoot That he nyl fynde it out in som manere By Pyramus and Thysbe may men leere [folio 156b] þough þey were kepte ful longe streiȝt ouer al þey ben acorded rownynge þurgh a wal þer is no wight couþe han founde out such a sleiȝte But now to purpos er þat dayes eyȝte Line 2132 Were passed or þe monþe of Iuyl byfille þat Ianuarye haþ caught so gret a wille þurgh eggyng of his wijf him for to pleye In his gardyn and no wight but þey tweye Line 2136

[6-text p 468] Line 2136 That in a morwe vnto his may sayde he Rise vp my wijf/ my loue my lady fre þe turtlis voys is herd my doufe sweete The wynter is gon with alle his reynes weete Line 2140 Com forþ now wiþ þin eyen columbyne how fairer ben þy brestes þan is wyne þe gardyn is enclosed al aboute Come forþ my white spouse out of doute Line 2144 þou hast me wounded in myn herte O wyf No spotte in þe nas in al þy lyf Com forþ and let vs taken oure disport I chees þe for my wyff and my confort Line 2148 Suche olde lowde wordes vsed he On damyan a signe made sche That he schulde go biforn wiþ his clyket þis damyan haþ opened þe wyket Line 2152 And in he sterte and þat in such manere þat no wight might it se ne heere And stille he sitt vnder a bussch anon This Ianuare so blynd as is a stoon Line 2156 Wiþ mayus in his hond and no wight mo In to his freisshe gardyn is he go And clapte to þe wyket sodeynly Now wiff quod he her nys but þou and I Line 2160 þat art þe creature þat I best loue ffor by þat lord þat sitt vs alle aboue I hadde leuer deyen on a knyf Then þe offenden deere trewe wyf [folio 157a] Line 2164 ffor goddes sake þenk how I þe chees Nouȝt for no coueytise dowteles / But oonly for þe loue I hadde to þe And þough þat I be olde and may nouȝt se Line 2168 Be to me trewe and I wol telle ȝou why Certes þre þinges scholden ȝe wynne þerby ffirst loue of crist and to ȝour self honour And al myn heritage toun and tour Line 2172

[6-text p 469] Line 2172 I ȝiue it ȝow makeþ Chartres as ȝou leste This schal be do to morwe er sonnes reste So wisly god my soule bringe in blisse And preye ȝou on couenaunt þat ȝe me kisse Line 2176 And þough þat I be Ielous wyte me nouȝt ȝe ben so deepe enprynted in my þouȝt þat whan þat I considere ȝour beaute And þer wiþ al þe vnlikly elde of me Line 2180 I may nouȝt certes þough I schulde deye ffor-bere to ben out of ȝour companye ffor verray loue þis is wiþouten doute Now kisse me wijf and let vs rome aboute Line 2184 ¶ This freissche may whan sche þis wordes herde/ Benignely to Ianuarye answerde But first and forward sche bygan to weepe I haue quod sche a soule for to keepe Line 2188 As wel as ȝe and also myn honour And of my wifhede þilke tendre flour Which þat I haue asseured in ȝour hand Whan þat þe prest to yow my body band Line 2192 Wher-fore I wol answere in þis manere Wiþ þe leue of ȝou my lord so deere I pray god þat neuer dawe þat day þat I ne sterue as foule as womman may Line 2196 If euer I do vnto my kynne þat schame / Oþer elles I empeyre so my name / þat y be fals and if I do þat lak To strype me and putte me in a sakk [folio 157b] Line 2200 And in þe nexte ryuer do me drenche I am a gentil womman and no wenche Why speke ȝe þus but men ben euer vntrewe And wommen han reproef of ȝou ay newe Line 2204 ȝe can non oþer contynaunce I leeue But speke to vs as vntriste and in repreue And wiþ þat word sche saugh wher damyan Sat in þe bussh and knelen he bigan Line 2208

[6-text p 470] Line 2208 And wiþ hire fynger signes made sche þat Damyan schulde clymbe vpon a tree þat charged was wiþ fruyt and vp he wente ffor verrayly he knew al hire entente Line 2212 And euery signe þat sche couþe make Wel bet þan Ianuarye hir owne make ffor in a lettre sche hadde told him al Of þis matiere how he worche schal Line 2216 And þus I lete him sitte in þe Pyry And Ianuarye and mayus rownynge myry ¶ Bright was þe day and blew þe firmament Phebus of gold doun haþ his stremes sent Line 2220 To gladen euery flour wiþ his warmnesse he was þat tyme in Gemynys as I gesse But litel fro his declynacion Of Cancer Iouys exaltacion Line 2224 And so bifelle þat in a bright morwetyde þat in þe gardyn on þat ferþer syde / Pluto þat is þe king of fayerye And many a lady in his companye Line 2228 ffolwyng his wyf þe queene proserpyna Which þat he rauyssched out of Proserpyna Whiles þat sche gaderede floures in a mede In Claudian ȝe may þe storyes rede Line 2232 how in his grysly carte he hire fette This kyng of fayerie a doun him sette vpon a benche of/ toruys freissch and grene And right anon seyde he þus to his queene [folio 158a] Line 2236 My wijf quod he þat may no wight seye nay þe experiens proueþ it euery day þe tresoun which þat womman doþ to man Ten hundred þousand tellen I can / Line 2240 Notable of ȝour vntrouþe and brytilnes O Salamon richest of alle richesse ffulfild of sapience and of worldly glorie fful worþy ben þyne wordes to memorie Line 2244

[6-text p 471] Line 2244 To euery wight þat witt and reson can þus preiseþ he ȝit þe bounte of man Among a þousand men ȝit fond I on But of alle wommen fond he neuer noon Line 2248 þus seiþ þe king þat knoweþ ȝoure wickednes / And Ihesus filius Cyrak as I ges / Ne spekeþ of ȝou but seeldyn reuerens A wilde fuyre a corumpte pestilens Line 2252 So falle vpon ȝour bodyes ȝit to nyght Ne se ȝe nought þis honurable knight By cause allas þat he is blynd and old his owne man schal make him kokewold Line 2256 Lo wher he sitte þe lecchour in þe tree Now wol I graunte of myn mageste vnto þis olde blynde worþy knight þat he schal han aȝein his eyȝen sight Line 2260 Whan þat his wijf wolde don him vylenye þan schal he knowe al hire harlottrie Boþe in repreef of hire and oþer mo ȝe schal quod Proserpyn and wol ȝe so Line 2264 Now by mo moodres syres soule I swere þat I schal ȝeuyn hire suffisaunt answere And alle wommen after for ȝour sake / þat þough þey ben in eny gilt y-take Line 2268 Wiþ face bold þei scholden hemself excuse And bere hem doun þat wolden hem accuse / ffor lakke of answere non of hem scholde deyen Al hadde ȝe seye a þing wiþ boþe ȝour eyȝen [folio 158b] ȝit schullen we so visagen it hardyly And weepe and swere and chide subtyly þat ȝe schuln ben as lewed as here gees What rekkeþ me of ȝour auctoritees Line 2276 I wot wel þis Iewe þis Salamon ffand of vs wommen fooles many oon But þough þat he ne fond no good womman þer haþ I-founde many anoþer man Line 2280

[6-text p 472] Line 2280 Wommen ful trewe ful good ful vertuous Witnesse on hem þat dwellen in cristes hous Wiþ martirdom þey prouyd hir [[MS h]] constance þe Romayne Iestes maken remembrance Line 2284 Of many a verray trewe wijf also but sire ne beþ nouȝt wroþ as be it so þouȝ þat he seyde he fond no good womman I pray ȝou take þe sentence of þe man Line 2288 he mente þus þat in souerayne bounte Nis non but god but neyþer he ne sche Ey for verray god þat nys but oon What make ȝe so moche of Salamon Line 2292 What þough he made a temple goddes hous What þough he were riche and glorious So made he a temple of false godis Who mighte do a þing þat more forbode is Line 2296 Parde as fayr as he his name in-plastre he was a lecchour and an ydolastre And in his eelde he verry god forsook And if þat god ne hadde as seiþ þe book Line 2300 y-spared him for his fadres sake he scholde haue lost his regne sonner þan he wolde I sette nouȝt of alle þe vylenye þat ȝe of wommen wite a bottirflye Line 2304 I am a womman needes moot I speke Oþer elles swelle til myn herte breke ffor siþenes he seyde þat we ben Iangeleresses As euer mote I brouke boþe my tresses [folio 159a] Line 2308 I schal not spare for no curtesye To speke him harm þat wolde vs vilanye Dame quod þis pluto be no lengere wroþ I ȝiue it vp but seþens I swor myn oþ Line 2312 þat I wolde graunten him his sight aȝein My word schal stonde þat warne I þe certayn I am a king it sitt me nouȝt to lye And I quod sche a queen of fayerye Line 2316

[6-text p 473] Line 2316 hire answere sche schal haue I vndertake let vs no more wordes make [[For the rest of the Tale (from MS Arch. Seld. B. 14) see the Appendix.]] Line 2318