ffor more solempne / in euery mannes sight
This feste was / and grettere of costage
Than was the reuel / of hire mariage
Line 1127
¶ fful many a ȝere / in heigh prosperitee
Line 1128
lyuen theise two / in concord and in reest
And richely his doughter / maryed he
Vn-to a lord / oon of the worthiest
Line 1131
Of al Itayle / and thanne in pees and rest
his wyues fader / in his court he kepeth
Til that the soule / out of his body crepeth
Line 1134
¶ His sone succedith / in his heritage
Line 1135
In reste and pees / after his faderes day
And fortunat was eke / in mariage
Al put he nat his wyf / in gret assay
Line 1138
This world is nat so strong / it is no nay
As it hath ben / in olde tymes ȝore
And herkeneth / what this Auctor / seith therfore
Line 1141
¶ This storie is seid / nat for that wyues shulde [folio 105a]
ffolwe Grisilde / as in humilitee
ffor it were importable / though they wold
Line 1144
But for that euery wyght / in his degree [¶ Hanc Historiam stilo nunc alto retexere visum fuit non tum ideo vt matronas nostri temporis ad imitandam huius vxoris pacienciam que mihi inimitabilis videtur quam vt legentes ad imitandam saltem femine constanciam excitarentur vt quod hec viro suo prestitit / hoc prestare deo nostro audeat quilibet vt Iacobus ait Apostolns / Intemptator sit malorum & ipse neminem temptat / pro|bat tamen & sepe nos multis ac grauibus flagellis exerceri sinit non vt animum nostrum sciat quem sciuit antequam crearemur & c':]
Shulde be constaunt / in aduersitee
As was Grisilde / therfore Petrak wryteth
This storie / which with heye stile / he endyteth
Line 1148
¶ ffor sithe a womman / was so pacient
Line 1149
Vn-to a mortal man / wel more we [[Above the line.—W.]] ought
Resceyuen al in gree / that god vs sent
ffor gret skyl is / he preeue that he wrought
Line 1152
But he ne tempteth no man / that he bought
As seith Seynt Iame / if ȝe his pistel rede
he preeueth folk al day / it is no drede
Line 1155
