The Clerk's Tale, Sixth Part, ll. 939-1218 (The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer)

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Clerk's Tale

Pars sexta.
Sixth part

	Fro Boloigne is this Erl of Panyk come,
940	Of which the fame up sprang to moore and lesse,
	And in the peples eres, alle and some,
	Was kouth eek that a newe markysesse
	He with hym broghte, in swich pompe and richesse,
	That nevere was ther seyn with mannes eye
945	So noble array in al Westlumbardye.

The markys, which that shoop and knew al this,

Er that this Erl was come, sente his message

For thilke sely povre Grisildis;

And she with humble herte and glad visage,

950 Nat with no swollen thoght in hire corage

Cam at his heste, and on hir knees hire sette,

And reverently and wysely she hym grette.

"Grisilde," quod he, "my wyl is outrely

This mayden, that shal wedded been to me,

955 Received be to-morwe as roially

As it possible is in myn hous to be;

And eek that every wight in his degree

Have his estaat in sittyng and servyse

And heigh plesaunce, as I kan best devyse.

960 I have no wommen, suffisaunt, certayn,

The chambres for t'arraye in ordinaunce

After my lust, and therfore wolde I fayn

That thyn were al swich manere governaunce;

Thou knowest eek of olde al my plesaunce,

965 Thogh thyn array be badde and yvel biseye,

Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye."

"Nat oonly lord, that I am glad," quod she,

"To doon your lust, but I desire also

Yow for to serve and plese in my degree

970 Withouten feyntyng, and shal everemo.

Ne nevere, for no wele ne no wo,

Ne shal the goost withinne myn herte stente

To love yow best with al my trewe entente."

And with that word she gan the hous to dighte,

975 And tables for to sette, and beddes make,

And peyned hir to doon al that she myghte,

Preyynge the chambereres for Goddes sake

To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake,

And she, the mooste servysable of alle,

980 Hath every chambre arrayed, and his halle.

Abouten undren gan this Erl alighte,

That with hym broghte thise noble children tweye,

For which the peple ran to seen the sighte

Of hire array, so richely biseye;

985 And thanne at erst amonges hem they seye,

That Walter was no fool, thogh that hym leste

To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.

"For she is fairer," as they deemen alle,

"Than is Grisilde, and moore tendre of age,

990 And fairer fruyt bitwene hem sholde falle,

And moore plesant for hir heigh lynage."

Hir brother eek so faire was of visage,

That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce,

Commendynge now the markys governaunce.

995 "O stormy peple, unsad and evere untrewe!

Ay undiscreet and chaungynge as a vane,

Delitynge evere in rumbul that is newe;

For lyk the moone ay wexe ye and wane,

Ay ful of clappyng, deere ynogh a jane,

1000 Youre doom is fals, youre constance yvele preeveth,

A ful greet fool is he that on yow leeveth!"

Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee,

Whan that the peple gazed up and doun,

For they were glad right for the noveltee

1005 To han a newe lady of hir toun.

Namoore of this make I now mencioun,

But to Grisilde agayn wol I me dresse,

And telle hir constance and hir bisynesse.

Ful bisy was Grisilde in every thyng

1010 That to the feeste was apertinent.

Right noght was she abayst of hir clothyng,

Thogh it were rude and somdeel eek torent,

But with glad cheere to the yate is went

With oother folk to greete the markysesse,

1015 And after that dooth forth hir bisynesse.

With so glad chiere hise gestes she receyveth,

And konnyngly everich in his degree,

That no defaute no man aperceyveth,

But ay they wondren what she myghte bee

1020 That in so povre array was for to see,

And koude swich honour and reverence;

And worthily they preisen hire prudence.

In al this meenewhile she ne stente

This mayde and eek hir brother to commende

1025 With al hir herte, in ful benyngne entente,

So wel that no man koude hir pris amende

But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende

To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle

Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle.

1030 "Grisilde," quod he, as it were in his pley,

"How liketh thee my wyf and hir beautee?"

"Right wel," quod she, "my lord, for in good fey

A fairer saugh I nevere noon than she.

I prey to God yeve hir prosperitee,

1035 And so hope I that he wol to yow sende

Plesance ynogh unto youre lyves ende.

O thyng biseke I yow, and warne also

That ye ne prikke with no tormentynge

This tendre mayden, as ye han doon mo;

1040 For she is fostred in hir norissynge

Moore tendrely, and to my supposynge

She koude nat adversitee endure,

As koude a povre fostred creature."

And whan this Walter saugh hir pacience,

1045 Hir glade chiere, and no malice at al,

And he so ofte had doon to hir offence

And she ay sad and constant as a wal,

Continuynge evere hir innocence overal,

This sturdy markys gan his herte dresse

1050 To rewen upon hir wyfly stedfastnesse.

"This is ynogh Grisilde myn," quod he,

"Be now namoore agast, ne yvele apayed.

I have thy feith and thy benyngnytee

As wel as evere womman was, assayed

1055 In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed;

Now knowe I, goode wyf, thy stedfastnesse!"

And hire in armes took, and gan hir kesse.

And she for wonder took of it no keep.

She herde nat, what thyng he to hir seyde.

1060 She ferde as she had stert out of a sleep,

Til she out of hire mazednesse abreyde.

"Grisilde," quod he, "by God that for us deyde,

Thou art my wyf, ne noon oother I have,

Ne nevere hadde, as God my soule save.

1065 This is thy doghter which thou hast supposed

To be my wyf; that oother feithfully

Shal be myn heir, as I have ay purposed;

Thou bare hym in thy body trewely.

At Boloigne have I kept hem prively.

1070 Taak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye

That thou hast lorn noon of thy children tweye.

And folk that ootherweys han seyd of me,

I warne hem wel that I have doon this deede

For no malice, ne for no crueltee,

1075 But for t'assaye in thee thy wommanheede,

And not to sleen my children - God forbeede! -

But for to kepe hem pryvely and stille,

Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille."

Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth

1080 For pitous joye, and after hir swownynge

She bothe hir yonge children unto hir calleth,

And in hir armes pitously wepynge

Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissynge

Ful lyk a mooder, with hir salte teeres

1085 She bathed bothe hir visage and hir heeres.

O, which a pitous thyng it was to se

Hir swownyng, and hir humble voys to heere!

"Grauntmercy, lord, that thanke I yow," quod she,

"That ye han saved me my children deere!

1090 Now rekke I nevere to been deed right heere.

Sith I stonde in your love and in your grace,

No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace!

O tendre, O deere, O yonge children myne!

Your woful mooder wende stedfastly

1095 That crueel houndes, or som foul vermyne

Hadde eten yow; but God of his mercy

And youre benyngne fader tendrely

Hath doon yow kept," - and in that same stounde

Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde.

1100 And in hir swough so sadly holdeth she

Hire children two, whan she gan hem t'embrace,

That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee

The children from hire arm they gonne arace.

O many a teere on many a pitous face

1105 Doun ran, of hem that stooden hir bisyde;

Unnethe abouten hir myghte they abyde.

Walter hir gladeth, and hir sorwe slaketh,

She riseth up abaysed from hir traunce,

And every wight hir joye and feeste maketh,

1110 Til she hath caught agayn hir contenaunce.

Walter hire dooth so feithfully plesaunce,

That it was deyntee for to seen the cheere.

Bitwixe hem two, now they been met yfeere.

Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say,

1115 Han taken hir and into chambre gon,

And strepen hire out of hir rude array

And in a clooth of gold that brighte shoon,

With a coroune of many a riche stoon

Upon hir heed, they into halle hir broghte,

1120 And ther she was honured as hire oghte.

Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende,

For every man and womman dooth his myght

This day in murthe and revel to dispende,

Til on the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.

1125 For moore solempne in every mannes syght

This feste was, and gretter of costage,

Than was the revel of hire mariage.

Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee

Lyven thise two in concord and in reste.

1130 And richely his doghter maryed he

Unto a lord, oon of the worthieste

Of al Ytaille, and thanne in pees and reste

His wyves fader in his court he kepeth,

Til that the soule out of his body crepeth.

1135 His sone succedeth in his heritage

In reste and pees, after his fader day,

And fortunat was eek in mariage-

Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay;

This world is nat so strong, it is no nay,

1140 As it hath been of olde tymes yoore.

And herkneth what this auctour seith therfore.

This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde

Folwen Grisilde as in humylitee,

For it were inportable, though they wolde,

1145 But for that every wight in his degree

Sholde be constant in adversitee

As was Grisilde. Therfore Petrark writeth

This storie, which with heigh stile he enditeth.

For sith a womman was so pacient

1150 Unto a mortal man, wel moore us oghte

Receyven al in gree that God us sent.

For greet skile is, he preeve that he wroghte.

But he ne tempteth no man that he boghte,

As seith Seint Jame, if ye his pistel rede;

1155 He preeveth folk al day, it is no drede,

And suffreth us, as for oure excercise,

With sharpe scourges of adversitee

Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wise,

Nat for to knowe oure wyl, for certes he

1160 Er we were born knew al oure freletee,

And for oure beste is al his governaunce.

Lat us thanne lyve in vertuous suffraunce.

But o word, lordynges, herkneth er I go,

It were ful hard to fynde nowadayes

1165 In al a toun Grisildis thre or two;

For it that they were put to swiche assayes,

The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes

With bras, that thogh the coyne be fair at eye,

It wolde rather breste atwo than plye.

1170 For which, heere for the Wyves love of Bathe,

Whos lyf and al hir seete God mayntene

In heigh maistrie, and elles were it scathe,

I wol with lusty herte fressh and grene

Seyn yow a song, to glade yow, I wene,

1175 And lat us stynte of ernestful matere.

Herkneth my song, that seith in this manere.

Lenvoy de Chaucer

Grisilde is deed, and eek hire pacience,

And bothe atones buryed in Ytaille,

For which I crie in open audience

1180 No wedded man so hardy be t'assaille

His wyves pacience, in hope to fynde

Grisildis, for in certein he shal faille.

O noble wyves, ful of heigh prudence,

Lat noon humylitee youre tonge naille,

1185 Ne lat no clerk have cause or diligence

To write of yow a storie of swich mervaille

As of Grisildis, pacient and kynde,

Lest Chichivache yow swelwe in hire entraille!

Folweth Ekko, that holdeth no silence,

1190 But evere answereth at the countretaille;

Beth nat bidaffed for youre innocence,

But sharply taak on yow the governaille.

Emprenteth wel this lessoun in youre mynde

For commune profit, sith it may availle.

1195 Ye archiwyves, stondeth at defense,

Syn ye be strong as is a greet camaille.

Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offense,

And sklendre wyves, fieble as in bataille,

Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Ynde,

1200 Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille.

Ne dreed hem nat, doth hem no reverence,

For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,

The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence

Shal perce his brest and eek his aventaille.

1205 In jalousie I rede eek thou hym bynde,

And thou shalt make hym couche as doth a quaille.

If thou be fair, ther folk been in presence

Shewe thou thy visage and thyn apparaille;

If thou be foul, be fre of thy dispence,

1210 To gete thee freendes ay do thy travaille,

Be ay of chiere as light as leef on lynde,

And lat hym care, and wepe, and wryng, and waille.

Bihoold the murye Wordes of the Hoost.

This worthy clerk, whan ended was his tale,

Oure hoost seyde, and swoor by goddes bones,

1215 Me were levere than a barel ale

Me wyf at hoom had herd this legende ones;

This is a gentil tale for the nones,

As to my purpos, wiste ye my wille,-

But thyng that wol nat be, lat it be stille."

	The markys, which that shoop and knew al this,
	Er that this Erl was come, sente his message
	For thilke sely povre Grisildis;
	And she with humble herte and glad visage,
950	Nat with no swollen thoght in hire corage
	Cam at his heste, and on hir knees hire sette,
	And reverently and wysely she hym grette.

	"Grisilde," quod he, "my wyl is outrely
	This mayden, that shal wedded been to me,
955	Received be to-morwe as roially
	As it possible is in myn hous to be;
	And eek that every wight in his degree
	Have his estaat in sittyng and servyse
	And heigh plesaunce, as I kan best devyse.

960	I have no wommen, suffisaunt, certayn,
	The chambres for t'arraye in ordinaunce
	After my lust, and therfore wolde I fayn
	That thyn were al swich manere governaunce;
	Thou knowest eek of olde al my plesaunce,
965	Thogh thyn array be badde and yvel biseye,
	Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye."

	"Nat oonly lord, that I am glad," quod she,
	"To doon your lust, but I desire also
	Yow for to serve and plese in my degree
970	Withouten feyntyng, and shal everemo.
	Ne nevere, for no wele ne no wo,
	Ne shal the goost withinne myn herte stente
	To love yow best with al my trewe entente."

	And with that word she gan the hous to dighte,
975	And tables for to sette, and beddes make,
	And peyned hir to doon al that she myghte,
	Preyynge the chambereres for Goddes sake
	To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake,
	And she, the mooste servysable of alle,
980	Hath every chambre arrayed, and his halle.

	Abouten undren gan this Erl alighte,
	That with hym broghte thise noble children tweye,
	For which the peple ran to seen the sighte
	Of hire array, so richely biseye;
985	And thanne at erst amonges hem they seye,
	That Walter was no fool, thogh that hym leste
	To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.

	"For she is fairer," as they deemen alle,
	"Than is Grisilde, and moore tendre of age,
990	And fairer fruyt bitwene hem sholde falle,
	And moore plesant for hir heigh lynage."
	Hir brother eek so faire was of visage,
	That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce,
	Commendynge now the markys governaunce.

995	"O stormy peple, unsad and evere untrewe!
	Ay undiscreet and chaungynge as a vane,
	Delitynge evere in rumbul that is newe;
	For lyk the moone ay wexe ye and wane,
	Ay ful of clappyng, deere ynogh a jane,
1000	Youre doom is fals, youre constance yvele preeveth,
	A ful greet fool is he that on yow leeveth!"

	Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee,
	Whan that the peple gazed up and doun,
	For they were glad right for the noveltee
1005	To han a newe lady of hir toun.
	Namoore of this make I now mencioun,
	But to Grisilde agayn wol I me dresse,
	And telle hir constance and hir bisynesse.

	Ful bisy was Grisilde in every thyng
1010	That to the feeste was apertinent.
	Right noght was she abayst of hir clothyng,
	Thogh it were rude and somdeel eek torent,
	But with glad cheere to the yate is went
	With oother folk to greete the markysesse,
1015	And after that dooth forth hir bisynesse.

	With so glad chiere hise gestes she receyveth,
	And konnyngly everich in his degree,
	That no defaute no man aperceyveth,
	But ay they wondren what she myghte bee
1020	That in so povre array was for to see,
	And koude swich honour and reverence;
	And worthily they preisen hire prudence.

	In al this meenewhile she ne stente
	This mayde and eek hir brother to commende
1025	With al hir herte, in ful benyngne entente,
	So wel that no man koude hir pris amende
	But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende
	To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle
	Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle.

1030	"Grisilde," quod he, as it were in his pley,
	"How liketh thee my wyf and hir beautee?"
	"Right wel," quod she, "my lord, for in good fey
	A fairer saugh I nevere noon than she.
	I prey to God yeve hir prosperitee,
1035	And so hope I that he wol to yow sende
	Plesance ynogh unto youre lyves ende.

	O thyng biseke I yow, and warne also
	That ye ne prikke with no tormentynge
	This tendre mayden, as ye han doon mo;
1040	For she is fostred in hir norissynge
	Moore tendrely, and to my supposynge
	She koude nat adversitee endure,
	As koude a povre fostred creature."

	And whan this Walter saugh hir pacience,
1045	Hir glade chiere, and no malice at al,
	And he so ofte had doon to hir offence
	And she ay sad and constant as a wal,
	Continuynge evere hir innocence overal,
	This sturdy markys gan his herte dresse
1050	To rewen upon hir wyfly stedfastnesse.

	"This is ynogh Grisilde myn," quod he,
	"Be now namoore agast, ne yvele apayed.
	I have thy feith and thy benyngnytee
	As wel as evere womman was, assayed
1055	In greet estaat, and povreliche arrayed;
	Now knowe I, goode wyf, thy stedfastnesse!"
	And hire in armes took, and gan hir kesse.

	And she for wonder took of it no keep.
	She herde nat, what thyng he to hir seyde.
1060	She ferde as she had stert out of a sleep,
	Til she out of hire mazednesse abreyde.
	"Grisilde," quod he, "by God that for us deyde,
	Thou art my wyf, ne noon oother I have,
	Ne nevere hadde, as God my soule save.

1065	This is thy doghter which thou hast supposed
	To be my wyf; that oother feithfully
	Shal be myn heir, as I have ay purposed;
	Thou bare hym in thy body trewely.
	At Boloigne have I kept hem prively.
1070	Taak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye
	That thou hast lorn noon of thy children tweye.

	And folk that ootherweys han seyd of me,
	I warne hem wel that I have doon this deede
	For no malice, ne for no crueltee,
1075	But for t'assaye in thee thy wommanheede,
	And not to sleen my children - God forbeede! -
	But for to kepe hem pryvely and stille,
	Til I thy purpos knewe and al thy wille."

	Whan she this herde, aswowne doun she falleth
1080	For pitous joye, and after hir swownynge
	She bothe hir yonge children unto hir calleth,
	And in hir armes pitously wepynge
	Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissynge
	Ful lyk a mooder, with hir salte teeres
1085	She bathed bothe hir visage and hir heeres.

	O, which a pitous thyng it was to se
	Hir swownyng, and hir humble voys to heere!
	"Grauntmercy, lord, that thanke I yow," quod she,
	"That ye han saved me my children deere!
1090	Now rekke I nevere to been deed right heere.
	Sith I stonde in your love and in your grace,
	No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace!

	O tendre, O deere, O yonge children myne!
	Your woful mooder wende stedfastly
1095	That crueel houndes, or som foul vermyne
	Hadde eten yow; but God of his mercy
	And youre benyngne fader tendrely
	Hath doon yow kept," - and in that same stounde
	Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde.

1100	And in hir swough so sadly holdeth she
	Hire children two, whan she gan hem t'embrace,
	That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee
	The children from hire arm they gonne arace.
	O many a teere on many a pitous face
1105	Doun ran, of hem that stooden hir bisyde;
	Unnethe abouten hir myghte they abyde.

	Walter hir gladeth, and hir sorwe slaketh,
	She riseth up abaysed from hir traunce,
	And every wight hir joye and feeste maketh,
1110	Til she hath caught agayn hir contenaunce.
	Walter hire dooth so feithfully plesaunce,
	That it was deyntee for to seen the cheere.
	Bitwixe hem two, now they been met yfeere.

	Thise ladyes, whan that they hir tyme say,
1115	Han taken hir and into chambre gon,
	And strepen hire out of hir rude array
	And in a clooth of gold that brighte shoon,
	With a coroune of many a riche stoon
	Upon hir heed, they into halle hir broghte,
1120	And ther she was honured as hire oghte.

	Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende,
	For every man and womman dooth his myght
	This day in murthe and revel to dispende,
	Til on the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.
1125	For moore solempne in every mannes syght
	This feste was, and gretter of costage,
	Than was the revel of hire mariage.

	Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee
	Lyven thise two in concord and in reste.
1130	And richely his doghter maryed he
	Unto a lord, oon of the worthieste
	Of al Ytaille, and thanne in pees and reste
	His wyves fader in his court he kepeth,
	Til that the soule out of his body crepeth.

1135	His sone succedeth in his heritage
	In reste and pees, after his fader day,
	And fortunat was eek in mariage-
	Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay;
	This world is nat so strong, it is no nay,
1140	As it hath been of olde tymes yoore.
	And herkneth what this auctour seith therfore.

	This storie is seyd, nat for that wyves sholde
	Folwen Grisilde as in humylitee,
	For it were inportable, though they wolde,
1145	But for that every wight in his degree
	Sholde be constant in adversitee
	As was Grisilde. Therfore Petrark writeth
	This storie, which with heigh stile he enditeth.

	For sith a womman was so pacient
1150	Unto a mortal man, wel moore us oghte
	Receyven al in gree that God us sent.
	For greet skile is, he preeve that he wroghte.
	But he ne tempteth no man that he boghte,
	As seith Seint Jame, if ye his pistel rede;
1155	He preeveth folk al day, it is no drede,