Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Clerk's Prologue and Tale - Parts One, Two, and Three
1. Hl.
hoste; Cp.
Ln.
oste; E. Hn.
hoost.
For goddes sake, as beth of bettre chere, It is no tyme for to studien here.
Telle us som mery tale, by your fey;
For what man that is entred in a pley, 10 He nedes moot unto the pley assente.
But precheth nat, as freres doon in Lente, To make us for our olde sinnes wepe, Ne that thy tale make us nat to slepe.
Telle us som mery thing of aventures;— 15 Your termes, your colours, and your figures, Kepe hem in stoor til so be ye endyte Heigh style, as whan that men to kinges wryte.
Speketh so pleyn at this tyme, I yow preye, That we may understonde what ye seye.
’ 20 17. E.
Hl.
that ye; _rest omit_ that.
19. E.
Hn.
we; _rest_ I. This worthy clerk benignely answerde, ‘Hoste,’ quod he, ‘I am under your yerde;
[390: T.
7899-7932. ] Ye han of us as now the governaunce, And therfor wol I do yow obeisaunce, As fer as reson axeth, hardily.
25 I wol yow telle a tale which that I Lerned at Padowe of a worthy clerk, As preved by his wordes and his werk.
He is now deed and nayled in his cheste, I prey to god so yeve his soule reste!
30 22. Ln.
Oste; E. Hn.
Pt.
Hoost; Hl.
Sir host.
Fraunceys Petrark, the laureat poete, Highte this clerk, whos rethoryke sweete Enlumined al Itaille of poetrye, As Linian dide of philosophye Or lawe, or other art particuler; 35 But deeth, that wol nat suffre us dwellen heer But as it were a twinkling of an yë, Hem bothe hath slayn, and alle shul we dyë.
32. Hl.
rethorique; Cp.
retorique; Pt.
retorike; E. Hn.
Ln.
rethorik.
36. E.
_omits_ suffre us.
But forth to tellen of this worthy man, That taughte me this tale, as I bigan, 40 I seye that first with heigh style he endyteth, Er he the body of his tale wryteth, A proheme, in the which discryveth he Pemond, and of Saluces the contree, And speketh of Apennyn, the hilles hye, 45 That been the boundes of West Lumbardye, And of Mount Vesulus in special, Where as the Poo, out of a welle smal, Taketh his firste springing and his sours, That estward ay encresseth in his cours 50 To Emelward, to Ferrare, and Venyse: The which a long thing were to devyse.
And trewely, as to my Iugement, Me thinketh it a thing impertinent, Save that he wol convey en his matere: 55 But this his tale, which that ye may here.
’ 51. E.
Hn.
Emele; Hl.
Emyl; Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Emel.
55. E.
Hn.
conuoyen;
_rest_ conueyen (-eye).
56. E.
Hn.
this his tale (_where_ this _is a contraction for_ this is; _cf.
mod.
_ E.
’tis); Hl.
Pt.
this is the tale; Ln.
this is tale.
[391: T.
7933-7957. ] * * * * * THE CLERKES TALE.
* * * * * =Here biginneth the Tale of the Clerk of Oxenford.
= Ther is, at the west syde of Itaille, Doun at the rote of Vesulus the colde, A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille, Wher many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde, 60 That founded were in tyme of fadres olde, And many another delitable sighte, And Saluces this noble contree highte.
A markis whylom lord was of that londe, As were his worthy eldres him bifore; 65 And obeisant and redy to his honde (10) Were alle his liges, bothe lasse and more.
Thus in delyt he liveth, and hath don yore, Biloved and drad, thurgh favour of fortune, Bothe of his lordes and of his commune.
70 Therwith he was, to speke as of linage, The gentilleste y-born of Lumbardye, A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age, And ful of honour and of curteisye;
Discreet y-nogh his contree for to gye, 75 Save in somme thinges that he was to blame, (20) And Walter was this yonge lordes name.
76. E.
Saue that; _rest omit_ that.
I blame him thus, that he considereth noght In tyme cominge what mighte him bityde, But on his lust present was al his thoght, 80 As for to hauke and hunte on every syde;
[392: T.
7958-7988. ] Wel ny alle othere cures leet he slyde, And eek he nolde, and that was worst of alle, Wedde no wyf, for noght that may bifalle.
79. _So_ Hn.
Ln.
; E.
hym myghte; Pt.
myȝt; Hl.
mighte.
84. Pt.
Ln.
ouȝt; E. Hn.
noght; Hl.
no thing.
Only that point his peple bar so sore, 85 That flokmele on a day they to him wente, (30) And oon of hem, that wysest was of lore, Or elles that the lord best wolde assente That he sholde telle him what his peple mente, Or elles coude he shewe wel swich matere, 90 He to the markis seyde as ye shul here.
‘O noble markis, your humanitee Assureth us and yeveth us hardinesse, As ofte as tyme is of necessitee That we to yow mowe telle our hevinesse; 95 Accepteth, lord, now for your gentillesse, (40) That we with pitous herte un-to yow pleyne, And lete your eres nat my voys disdeyne.
93. Hn.
Pt.
and yeueth; Hl.
and yiueth; E. to yeue; Ln.
and whisse.
Al have I noght to done in this matere More than another man hath in this place, 100 Yet for as muche as ye, my lord so dere, Han alwey shewed me favour and grace, I dar the better aske of yow a space Of audience, to shewen our requeste, And ye, my lord, to doon right as yow leste.
105 103. E.
Hn.
bettre; _rest_ better.
For certes, lord, so wel us lyketh yow (50) And al your werk and ever han doon, that we Ne coude nat us self devysen how We mighte liven in more felicitee, Save o thing, lord, if it your wille be, 110 That for to been a wedded man yow leste, Than were your peple in sovereyn hertes reste.
108. Pt.
Ln.
oure; E. Hn.
Cp.
vs. 110. E.
Ln.
_omit_ it.
[393: T.
7989-8023. ] Boweth your nekke under that blisful yok Of soveraynetee, noght of servyse, Which that men clepeth spousaille or wedlok; 115 And thenketh, lord, among your thoghtes wyse, (60) How that our dayes passe in sondry wyse;
For though we slepe or wake, or rome, or ryde, Ay fleeth the tyme, it nil no man abyde.
And though your grene youthe floure as yit, 120 In crepeth age alwey, as stille as stoon, And deeth manaceth every age, and smit In ech estaat, for ther escapeth noon: And al so certein as we knowe echoon That we shul deye, as uncerteyn we alle 125 Been of that day whan deeth shal on us falle.
(70) Accepteth than of us the trewe entente, That never yet refuseden your heste, And we wol, lord, if that ye wol assente, Chese yow a wyf in short tyme, atte leste, 130 Born of the gentilleste and of the meste Of al this lond, so that it oghte seme Honour to god and yow, as we can deme.
128. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
your; E. Hn.
Cm.
thyn.
128, 130, 131. E.
heeste, leeste, meeste; Cm.
heste, leste, meste.
Deliver us out of al this bisy drede, And tak a wyf, for hye goddes sake; 135 For if it so bifelle, as god forbede, (80) That thurgh your deeth your linage sholde slake, And that a straunge successour sholde take Your heritage, o!
wo were us alyve!
Wherfor we pray you hastily to wyve.
’ 140 137. Cp.
Pt.
lynage; Ln.
Hl.
lignage; E. lyne; Hn.
ligne; Cm.
lyf.
Hir meke preyere and hir pitous chere Made the markis herte han pitee.
‘Ye wol,’ quod he, ‘myn owene peple dere, To that I never erst thoghte streyne me.
I me reioysed of my libertee, 145 That selde tyme is founde in mariage; (90) Ther I was free, I moot been in servage.
144. E.
thoughte; Hn.
thoghte.
[394: T.
8024-8058. ] But nathelees I see your trewe entente, And truste upon your wit, and have don ay;
Wherfor of my free wil I wol assente 150 To wedde me, as sone as ever I may.
But ther-as ye han profred me to-day To chese me a wyf, I yow relesse That choys, and prey yow of that profre cesse.
152. to-] E. this.
154. E.
(_only_) _omits_ yow.
For god it woot, that children ofte been 155 Unlyk her worthy eldres hem bifore; (100) Bountee comth al of god, nat of the streen Of which they been engendred and y-bore;
I truste in goddes bountee, and therfore My mariage and myn estaat and reste 160 I him bitake; he may don as him leste.
Lat me alone in chesinge of my wyf, That charge up-on my bak I wol endure;
But I yow preye, and charge up-on your lyf, That what wyf that I take, ye me assure 165 To worshipe hir, whyl that hir lyf may dure, (110) In word and werk, bothe here and everywhere, As she an emperoures doghter were.
165. So Hn.
Cp.
Ln.
; E.
Cm.
_omit_ That; Pt.
_om.
_ what.
And forthermore, this shal ye swere, that ye Agayn my choys shul neither grucche ne stryve; 170 For sith I shal forgoon my libertee At your requeste, as ever moot I thryve, Ther as myn herte is set, ther wol I wyve;
And but ye wole assente in swich manere, I prey yow, speketh na-more of this matere.
’ 175 174. E.
this; _rest_ swich, such.
With hertly wil they sworen, and assenten (120) To al this thing, ther seyde no wight nay;
Bisekinge him of grace, er that they wenten, That he wolde graunten hem a certein day Of his spousaille, as sone as ever he may; 180 For yet alwey the peple som-what dredde Lest that this markis no wyf wolde wedde.
[395: T.
8059-8089. ] He graunted hem a day, swich as him leste, On which he wolde be wedded sikerly, And seyde, he dide al this at hir requeste; 185 And they, with humble entente, buxomly, (130) Knelinge up-on her knees ful reverently Him thanken alle, and thus they han an ende Of hir entente, and hoom agayn they wende.
And heer-up-on he to his officeres 190 Comaundeth for the feste to purveye, And to his privee knightes and squyeres Swich charge yaf, as him liste on hem leye;
And they to his comandement obeye, And ech of hem doth al his diligence 195 To doon un-to the feste reverence.
(140) =Explicit prima pars.
Incipit secunda pars.
= Noght fer fro thilke paleys honurable Ther-as this markis shoop his mariage, Ther stood a throp, of site delitable, In which that povre folk of that village 200 Hadden hir bestes and hir herbergage, And of hir labour took hir sustenance After that the erthe yaf hem habundance.
199. Hl.
throp; E. Hn.
Cp.
throop.
Amonges thise povre folk ther dwelte a man Which that was holden povrest of hem alle; 205 But hye god som tyme senden can (150) His grace in-to a litel oxes stalle: Ianicula men of that throp him calle.
A doghter hadde he, fair y-nogh to sighte, And Grisildis this yonge mayden highte.
210 208. Pt.
throp; E. Hn.
Cp.
throop; Cm.
thorp; Ln.
thorpe.
But for to speke of vertuous beautee, Than was she oon the faireste under sonne;
For povreliche y-fostred up was she, [396: T.
8090-8121. ] No likerous lust was thurgh hir herte y-ronne;
Wel ofter of the welle than of the tonne 215 She drank, and for she wolde vertu plese, (160) She knew wel labour, but non ydel ese.
211. E.
bountee; _rest_ beautee, beute.
But thogh this mayde tendre were of age, Yet in the brest of hir virginitee Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage; 220 And in greet reverence and charitee Hir olde povre fader fostred she;
A fewe sheep spinning on feeld she kepte, She wolde noght been ydel til she slepte.
And whan she hoomward cam, she wolde bringe 225 Wortes or othere herbes tymes ofte, (170) The whiche she shredde and seeth for hir livinge, And made hir bed ful harde and no-thing softe;
And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf on-lofte With everich obeisaunce and diligence 230 That child may doon to fadres reverence.
Up-on Grisilde, this povre creature, Ful ofte sythe this markis sette his yë As he on hunting rood paraventure;
And whan it fil that he mighte hir espye, 235 He noght with wantoun loking of folye (180) His yën caste on hir, but in sad wyse Up-on hir chere he wolde him ofte avyse, 233. E.
caste; _rest_ sette (set).
235. E.
that it; _rest omit_ that.
238. E.
gan; _rest_ wolde.
238. E.
chiere.
Commending in his herte hir wommanhede, And eek hir vertu, passing any wight 240 Of so yong age, as wel in chere as dede.
For thogh the peple have no greet insight In vertu, he considered ful right Hir bountee, and disposed that he wolde Wedde hir only, if ever he wedde sholde.
245 241. E.
chiere.
242. E.
hadde; Hn.
Cm.
hath; Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
haue.
[397: T.
8122-8156. ] The day of wedding cam, but no wight can (190) Telle what womman that it sholde be;
For which merveille wondred many a man, And seyden, whan they were in privetee, ‘Wol nat our lord yet leve his vanitee?
250 Wol he nat wedde?
allas, allas the whyle!
Why wol he thus him-self and us bigyle?
’ 249. E.
Cm.
that they; _rest omit_ that.
But natheles this markis hath don make Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure, Broches and ringes, for Grisildis sake, 255 And of hir clothing took he the mesure (200) By a mayde, lyk to hir stature, And eek of othere ornamentes alle That un-to swich a wedding sholde falle.
257. Hl.
y-lik to hir of stature.
The tyme of undern of the same day 360 Approcheth, that this wedding sholde be;
And al the paleys put was in array, Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree;
Houses of office stuffed with plentee Ther maystow seen of deyntevous vitaille, 265 That may be founde, as fer as last Itaille.
(210) This royal markis, richely arrayed, Lordes and ladyes in his companye, The whiche unto the feste were y-prayed, And of his retenue the bachelrye, 270 With many a soun of sondry melodye, Un-to the village, of the which I tolde, In this array the righte wey han holde.
269. Cp.
Ln.
Hl.
vnto; Cm.
Pt.
to; E. Hn.
that to.
E.
weren.
Grisilde of this, god woot, ful innocent, That for hir shapen was al this array, 275 To fecchen water at a welle is went, (220) And cometh hoom as sone as ever she may.
For wel she hadde herd seyd, that thilke day The markis sholde wedde, and, if she mighte, She wolde fayn han seyn som of that sighte.
280 [398: T.
8157-8191. ] She thoghte, ‘I wol with othere maydens stonde, That been my felawes, in our dore, and see The markisesse, and therfor wol I fonde To doon at hoom, as sone as it may be, The labour which that longeth un-to me; 285 And than I may at leyser hir biholde, (230) If she this wey un-to the castel holde.
’ And as she wolde over hir threshfold goon, The markis cam and gan hir for to calle;
And she sette doun hir water-pot anoon 290 Bisyde the threshfold, in an oxes stalle, And doun up-on hir knees she gan to falle, And with sad contenance kneleth stille Til she had herd what was the lordes wille.
This thoghtful markis spak un-to this mayde 295 Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere, (240) ‘Wher is your fader, Grisildis?
’ he sayde, And she with reverence, in humble chere, Answerde, ‘lord, he is al redy here.
’ And in she gooth with-outen lenger lette, 300 And to the markis she hir fader fette.
297. E.
Hn.
Cm.
_insert_ o _after_ fader.
He by the hond than took this olde man, And seyde thus, whan he him hadde asyde, ‘Ianicula, I neither may ne can Lenger the plesance of myn herte hyde.
305 If that thou vouche-sauf, what-so bityde, (250) Thy doghter wol I take, er that I wende, As for my wyf, un-to hir lyves ende.
302. E.
thanne; Hn, than.
Thou lovest me, I woot it wel, certeyn, And art my feithful lige man y-bore; 310 And al that lyketh me, I dar wel seyn It lyketh thee, and specially therfore Tel me that poynt that I have seyd bifore, If that thou wolt un-to that purpos drawe, To take me as for thy sone-in-lawe?
’ 315 [399: T.
8192-8226. ] This sodeyn cas this man astoned so, (260) That reed he wex, abayst, and al quaking He stood unnethes seyde he wordes mo, But only thus: ‘lord,’ quod he, ‘my willing Is as ye wole, ne ayeines your lyking 320 I wol no-thing; ye be my lord so dere;
Right as yow lust governeth this matere.
’ 317. E.
Cp.
Hl.
wax; Hn.
weex; _rest_ wex.
320. E.
ayeins; Ln.
a-yeines; see l. 2325 _below_ (Group E).
‘Yet wol I,’ quod this markis softely, ‘That in thy chambre I and thou and she Have a collacion, and wostow why?
325 For I wol axe if it hir wille be (270) To be my wyf, and reule hir after me;
And al this shal be doon in thy presence, I wol noght speke out of thyn audience.
’ And in the chambre whyl they were aboute 330 Hir tretis, which as ye shal after here, The peple cam un-to the hous with-oute, And wondred hem in how honest manere And tentifly she kepte hir fader dere.
But outerly Grisildis wondre mighte, 335 For never erst ne saugh she swich a sighte.
(280) No wonder is thogh that she were astoned To seen so greet a gest come in that place;
She never was to swiche gestes woned, For which she loked with ful pale face.
340 But shortly forth this tale for to chace, Thise arn the wordes that the markis sayde To this benigne verray feithful mayde.
337. E.
Pt.
_omit_ that.
‘Grisilde,’ he seyde, ‘ye shul wel understonde It lyketh to your fader and to me 345 That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde, (290) As I suppose, ye wol that it so be.
But thise demandes axe I first,’ quod he, ‘That, sith it shal be doon in hastif wyse, Wol ye assente, or elles yow avyse?
350 [400: T.
8227-8261. ] I seye this, be ye redy with good herte To al my lust, and that I frely may, As me best thinketh, do yow laughe or smerte, And never ye to grucche it, night ne day?
And eek whan I sey “ye,” ne sey nat “nay,” 355 Neither by word ne frowning contenance; (300) Swer this, and here I swere our alliance.
’ 357. E.
yow; _rest_ oure.
Wondring upon this word, quaking for drede, She seyde, ‘lord, undigne and unworthy Am I to thilke honour that ye me bede; 360 But as ye wol your-self, right so wol I. And heer I swere that never willingly In werk ne thoght I nil yow disobeye, For to be deed, though me were looth to deye.
’ ‘This is y-nogh, Grisilde myn!
’ quod he.
365 And forth he gooth with a ful sobre chere (310) Out at the dore, and after that cam she, And to the peple he seyde in this manere, ‘This is my wyf,’ quod he, ‘that standeth here.
Honoureth hir, and loveth hir, I preye, 370 Who-so me loveth; ther is na-more to seye.
’ And for that no-thing of hir olde gere She sholde bringe in-to his hous, he bad That wommen sholde dispoilen hir right there;
Of which thise ladyes were nat right glad 375 To handle hir clothes wher-in she was clad.
(320) But natheles this mayde bright of hewe Fro foot to heed they clothed han al newe.
Hir heres han they kembd, that lay untressed Ful rudely, and with hir fingres smale 380 A corone on hir heed they han y-dressed, And sette hir ful of nowches grete and smale;
Of hir array what sholde I make a tale?
Unnethe the peple hir knew for hir fairnesse, Whan she translated was in swich richesse.
385 385. translated] Cp.
transmewed; Pt.
transformed.
[401: T.
8262-8296. ] This markis hath hir spoused with a ring (330) Broght for the same cause, and than hir sette Up-on an hors, snow-whyt and wel ambling, And to his paleys, er he lenger lette, With Ioyful peple that hir ladde and mette, 390 Conveyed hir, and thus the day they spende In revel, til the sonne gan descende.
And shortly forth this tale for to chace, I seye that to this newe markisesse God hath swich favour sent hir of his grace, 395 That it ne semed nat by lyklinesse (340) That she was born and fed in rudenesse, As in a cote or in an oxe-stalle, But norished in an emperoures halle.
To every wight she woxen is so dere 400 And worshipful, that folk ther she was bore And from hir birthe knewe hir yeer by yere, Unnethe trowed they, but dorste han swore That to Ianicle, of which I spak bifore, She doghter nas, for, as by coniecture, 405 Hem thoughte she was another creature.
(350) 404. E.
That she; _rest omit_ she.
405. Cp.
Ln.
