Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Clerk's Tale - Parts Four, Five, and Six and Lenvoy de Chaucer
=Explicit tercia pars.
Sequitur pars quarta.
= In this estaat ther passed been foure yeer 610 Er she with childe was; but, as god wolde, A knave child she bar by this Walter, Ful gracious and fair for to biholde.
And whan that folk it to his fader tolde, Nat only he, but al his contree, merie 615 Was for this child, and god they thanke and herie.
(560) 612. E.
man; _rest_ knaue.
[408: T.
8493-8527. ] Whan it was two yeer old, and fro the brest Departed of his norice, on a day This markis caughte yet another lest To tempte his wyf yet ofter, if he may.
620 O needles was she tempted in assay!
But wedded men ne knowe no mesure, Whan that they finde a pacient creature.
‘Wyf,’ quod this markis, ‘ye han herd er this, My peple sikly berth our mariage, 625 And namely, sith my sone y-boren is, (570) Now is it worse than ever in al our age.
The murmur sleeth myn herte and my corage;
For to myne eres comth the voys so smerte, That it wel ny destroyed hath myn herte.
630 626. Hl.
y-boren; E. Hn.
Cm.
yborn.
Now sey they thus, “whan Walter is agoon, Then shal the blood of Ianicle succede And been our lord, for other have we noon;”
Swiche wordes seith my peple, out of drede.
Wel oughte I of swich murmur taken hede; 635 For certeinly I drede swich sentence, (580) Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience.
I wolde live in pees, if that I mighte;
Wherfor I am disposed outerly, As I his suster servede by nighte, 640 Right so thenke I to serve him prively;
This warne I yow, that ye nat sodeynly Out of your-self for no wo sholde outraye;
Beth pacient, and ther-of I yow preye.
’ 640. Cm.
Cp.
Hl.
seruede; _rest_ serued.
643. E.
outreye.
‘I have,’ quod she, ‘seyd thus, and ever shal, 645 I wol no thing, ne nil no thing, certayn, (590) But as yow list; noght greveth me at al, Thogh that my doghter and my sone be slayn, At your comandement, this is to sayn.
I have noght had no part of children tweyne 650 But first siknesse, and after wo and peyne.
[409: T.
8528-8562. ] Ye been our lord, doth with your owene thing Right as yow list; axeth no reed at me.
For, as I lefte at hoom al my clothing, Whan I first cam to yow, right so,’ quod she, 655 ‘Left I my wil and al my libertee, (600) And took your clothing; wherfor I yow preye, Doth your plesaunce, I wol your lust obeye.
And certes, if I hadde prescience Your wil to knowe er ye your lust me tolde, 660 I wolde it doon with-outen necligence;
But now I woot your lust and what ye wolde, Al your plesaunce ferme and stable I holde;
For wiste I that my deeth wolde do yow ese, Right gladly wolde I dyen, yow to plese.
665 Deth may noght make no comparisoun (610) Un-to your love:’ and, whan this markis sey The constance of his wyf, he caste adoun His yën two, and wondreth that she may In pacience suffre al this array.
670 And forth he gooth with drery contenaunce, But to his herte it was ful greet plesaunce.
667. MSS.
say.
This ugly sergeant, in the same wyse That he hir doghter caughte, right so he, Or worse, if men worse can devyse, 675 Hath hent hir sone, that ful was of beautee.
(620) And ever in oon so pacient was she, That she no chere made of hevinesse, But kiste hir sone, and after gan it blesse;
Save this; she preyed him that, if he mighte, 680 Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe grave, His tendre limes, delicat to sighte, Fro foules and fro bestes for to save.
But she non answer of him mighte have.
He wente his wey, as him no-thing ne roghte; 685 But to Boloigne he tendrely it broghte.
(630) 680. Cm.
preyede; Hl.
prayed; E. Hn.
preyde.
[410: T.
8563-8597. ] This markis wondreth ever lenger the more Up-on hir pacience, and if that he Ne hadde soothly knowen ther-bifore, That parfitly hir children lovede she, 690 He wolde have wend that of som subtiltee, And of malice or for cruel corage, That she had suffred this with sad visage.
687. E.
wondred; _rest_ wondreth.
692. E.
crueel.
But wel he knew that next him-self, certayn, She loved hir children best in every wyse.
695 But now of wommen wolde I axen fayn, (640) If thise assayes mighte nat suffyse?
What coude a sturdy housbond more devyse To preve hir wyfhod and hir stedfastnesse, And he continuing ever in sturdinesse?
700 699. E.
or; _rest_ and.
E.
stede-.
But ther ben folk of swich condicioun, That, whan they have a certein purpos take, They can nat stinte of hir entencioun, But, right as they were bounden to a stake, They wol nat of that firste purpos slake.
705 Right so this markis fulliche hath purposed (650) To tempte his wyf, as he was first disposed.
704. E.
Hn.
Cm.
that; _the rest_ a. He waiteth, if by word or contenance That she to him was changed of corage;
But never coude he finde variance; 710 She was ay oon in herte and in visage;
And ay the forther that she was in age, The more trewe, if that it were possible, She was to him in love, and more penible.
For which it semed thus, that of hem two 715 Ther nas but o wil; for, as Walter leste, (660) The same lust was hir plesance also, And, god be thanked, al fil for the beste.
She shewed wel, for no worldly unreste A wyf, as of hir-self, no-thing ne sholde 720 Wille in effect, but as hir housbond wolde.
[411: T.
8598-8630. ] The sclaundre of Walter ofte and wyde spradde, That of a cruel herte he wikkedly, For he a povre womman wedded hadde, Hath mordred bothe his children prively.
725 Swich murmur was among hem comunly.
(670) No wonder is, for to the peples ere Ther cam no word but that they mordred were.
For which, wher-as his peple ther-bifore Had loved him wel, the sclaundre of his diffame 730 Made hem that they him hatede therfore;
To been a mordrer is an hateful name.
But natheles, for ernest ne for game He of his cruel purpos nolde stente;
To tempte his wyf was set al his entente.
735 731. Cp.
Hl.
hatede; _rest_ hated.
734. E.
crueel.
Whan that his doghter twelf yeer was of age, (680) He to the court of Rome, in subtil wyse Enformed of his wil, sente his message, Comaunding hem swiche bulles to devyse As to his cruel purpos may suffyse, 740 How that the pope, as for his peples reste, Bad him to wedde another, if him leste.
740. E.
crueel.
I seye, he bad they sholde countrefete The popes bulles, making mencioun That he hath leve his firste wyf to lete, 745 As by the popes dispensacioun, (690) To stinte rancour and dissencioun Bitwixe his peple and him; thus seyde the bulle, The which they han publiced atte fulle.
749. E.
publiced; Cp.
publisshed; Hn.
publissed.
The rude peple, as it no wonder is, 750 Wenden ful wel that it had been right so;
But whan thise tydinges cam to Grisildis, I deme that hir herte was ful wo.
But she, y-lyke sad for evermo, [412: T.
8631-8660. ] Disposed was, this humble creature, 755 Thadversitee of fortune al tendure.
(700) 751. Cm.
been; Hn.
ben; _rest_ be.
Abyding ever his lust and his plesaunce, To whom that she was yeven, herte and al, As to hir verray worldly suffisaunce;
But shortly if this storie I tellen shal, 760 This markis writen hath in special A lettre in which he sheweth his entente, And secrely he to Boloigne it sente.
To the erl of Panik, which that hadde tho Wedded his suster, preyde he specially 765 To bringen boom agayn his children two (710) In honurable estaat al openly.
But o thing he him preyede outerly, That he to no wight, though men wolde enquere, Sholde nat telle, whos children that they were, 770 764. Hl.
panyk; Cp.
Panyke; _rest_ Pavyk, Pauyke, Pavie.
770. E.
Hn.
Cp.
Ln.
that they; _the rest omit_ that.
But seye, the mayden sholde y-wedded be Un-to the markis of Saluce anon.
And as this erl was preyed, so dide he;
For at day set he on his wey is goon Toward Saluce, and lordes many oon, 775 In riche array, this mayden for to gyde; (720) Hir yonge brother ryding hir bisyde.
773. Cp.
Cm.
preyed; E. preyd; Hn.
Hl.
prayd.
Arrayed was toward hir mariage This fresshe mayde, ful of gemmes clere;
Hir brother, which that seven yeer was of age, 780 Arrayed eek ful fresh in his manere.
And thus in greet noblesse and with glad chere, Toward Saluces shaping hir Iourney, Fro day to day they ryden in hir wey.
=Explicit quarta pars.
Sequitur quinta pars.
= [413: T.
8661-8695. ] Among al this, after his wikke usage, 785 This markis, yet his wyf to tempte more (730) To the uttereste preve of hir corage, Fully to han experience and lore If that she were as stedfast as bifore, He on a day in open audience 790 Ful boistously hath seyd hir this sentence: 787. Cm.
vttyreste; E. outtreste.
789. E.
Cp.
stide-; Pt.
Ln.
sted-;
_rest_ stede-.
‘Certes, Grisilde, I hadde y-nough plesaunce To han yow to my wyf for your goodnesse, As for your trouthe and for your obeisaunce, Nought for your linage ne for your richesse; 795 But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse (740) That in gret lordshipe, if I wel avyse, Ther is gret servitute in sondry wyse.
I may nat don as every plowman may;
My peple me constreyneth for to take 800 Another wyf, and cryen day by day;
And eek the pope, rancour for to slake, Consenteth it, that dar I undertake;
And treweliche thus muche I wol yow seye, My newe wyf is coming by the weye.
805 Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place, (750) And thilke dower that ye broghten me Tak it agayn, I graunte it of my grace;
Retourneth to your fadres hous,’ quod he;
‘No man may alwey han prosperitee; 810 With evene herte I rede yow tendure The strook of fortune or of aventure.
’ 812. E.
This; _the rest_ The.
And she answerde agayn in pacience, ‘My lord,’ quod she, ‘I woot, and wiste alway How that bitwixen your magnificence 815 And my poverte no wight can ne may (760) Maken comparison; it is no nay.
I ne heeld me never digne in no manere To be your wyf, no, ne your chamberere.
[414: T.
8696-8730. ] And in this hous, ther ye me lady made— 820 The heighe god take I for my witnesse, And also wisly he my soule glade— I never heeld me lady ne maistresse, But humble servant to your worthinesse, And ever shal, whyl that my lyf may dure, 825 Aboven every worldly creature.
(770) That ye so longe of your benignitee Han holden me in honour and nobleye, Wher-as I was noght worthy for to be, That thonke I god and yow, to whom I preye 830 Foryelde it yow; there is na-more to seye.
Un-to my fader gladly wol I wende, And with him dwelle un-to my lyves ende.
829. E.
_omits_ for to.
Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal, Til I be deed, my lyf ther wol I lede 835 A widwe clene, in body, herte, and al. (780) For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede, And am your trewe wyf, it is no drede, God shilde swich a lordes wyf to take Another man to housbonde or to make.
840 And of your newe wyf, god of his grace So graunte yow wele and prosperitee: For I wol gladly yelden hir my place, In which that I was blisful wont to be, For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,’ quod she, 845 ‘That whylom weren al myn hertes reste, (790) That I shal goon, I wol gon whan yow leste.
But ther-as ye me profre swich dowaire As I first broghte, it is wel in my minde It were my wrecched clothes, no-thing faire, 850 The which to me were hard now for to finde.
O gode god!
how gentil and how kinde Ye semed by your speche and your visage The day that maked was our mariage!
[415: T.
8731-8765. ] But sooth is seyd, algate I finde it trewe— 855 For in effect it preved is on me— (800) Love is noght old as whan that it is newe.
But certes, lord, for noon adversitee, To dyen in the cas, it shal nat be That ever in word or werk I shal repente 860 That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.
My lord, ye woot that, in my fadres place, Ye dede me strepe out of my povre wede, And richely me cladden, of your grace.
To yow broghte I noght elles, out of drede, 865 But feyth and nakednesse and maydenhede.
(810) And here agayn my clothing I restore, And eek my wedding-ring, for evermore.
867, 868. my] Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
your.
The remenant of your Iewels redy be In-with your chambre, dar I saufly sayn; 870 Naked out of my fadres hous,’ quod she, ‘I cam, and naked moot I turne agayn.
Al your plesaunce wol I folwen fayn;
But yet I hope it be nat your entente That I smoklees out of your paleys wente.
875 869. Hn.
Hl.
Ln.
Iewels; E. Iueles.
Ye coude nat doon so dishoneste a thing, (820) That thilke wombe in which your children leye Sholde, biforn the peple, in my walking, Be seyn al bare; wherfor I yow preye, Lat me nat lyk a worm go by the weye.
880 Remembre yow, myn owene lord so dere, I was your wyf, thogh I unworthy were.
Wherfor, in guerdon of my maydenhede, Which that I broghte, and noght agayn I bere, As voucheth sauf to yeve me, to my mede, 885 But swich a smok as I was wont to were, (830) That I therwith may wrye the wombe of here That was your wyf; and heer take I my leve Of yow, myn owene lord, lest I yow greve.
’ 883. E.
Hn.
gerdon; _rest_ guerdon, guerdo_u_n.
[416: T.
8766-8798. ] ‘The smok,’ quod he, ‘that thou hast on thy bak, 890 Lat it be stille, and ber it forth with thee.
’ But wel unnethes thilke word he spak, But wente his wey for rewthe and for pitee.
Biforn the folk hir-selven strepeth she, And in hir smok, with heed and foot al bare, 895 Toward hir fader hous forth is she fare.
(840) The folk hir folwe wepinge in hir weye, And fortune ay they cursen as they goon;
But she fro weping kepte hir yën dreye, Ne in this tyme word ne spak she noon.
900 Hir fader, that this tyding herde anoon, Curseth the day and tyme that nature Shoop him to been a lyves creature.
For out of doute this olde povre man Was ever in suspect of hir mariage; 905 For ever he demed, sith that it bigan, (850) That whan the lord fulfild had his corage, Him wolde thinke it were a disparage To his estaat so lowe for talighte, And voyden hir as sone as ever he mighte.
910 Agayns his doghter hastilich goth he, For he by noyse of folk knew hir cominge, And with hir olde cote, as it mighte be, He covered hir, ful sorwefully wepinge;
But on hir body mighte he it nat bringe.
915 For rude was the cloth, and more of age (860) By dayes fele than at hir mariage.
916. E.
Hn.
Cm.
and she moore; _rest omit_ she.
Thus with hir fader, for a certeyn space, Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience, That neither by hir wordes ne hir face 920 Biforn the folk, ne eek in hir absence, Ne shewed she that hir was doon offence;
[417: T.
8799-8828. ] Ne of hir heigh estaat no remembraunce Ne hadde she, as by hir countenaunce.
No wonder is, for in hir grete estaat 925 Hir goost was ever in pleyn humylitee; (870) No tendre mouth, non herte delicaat, No pompe, no semblant of royaltee, But ful of pacient benignitee, Discreet and prydeles, ay honurable, 930 And to hir housbonde ever meke and stable.
Men speke of Iob and most for his humblesse, As clerkes, whan hem list, can wel endyte, Namely of men, but as in soothfastnesse, Thogh clerkes preyse wommen but a lyte, 935 Ther can no man in humblesse him acquyte (880) As womman can, ne can ben half so trewe As wommen been, but it be falle of-newe.
933. E.
Hn.
conne; _rest_ can.
937. Hn.
kan; Cp.
Ln.
Hl.
can; _rest omit (2nd time)_.
[_Pars Sexta.
_] Fro Boloigne is this erl of Panik come, Of which the fame up-sprang to more and lesse, 940 And in the peples eres alle and some Was couth eek, that a newe markisesse He with him broghte, in swich pompe and richesse, That never was ther seyn with mannes yë So noble array in al West Lumbardye.
945 939. Hl.
panik; Cp.
Panyke; Pt.
Pavie; _rest_ Pavyk, Pauyk.
944. Hl.
ye; _rest_ eye.
The markis, which that shoop and knew al this, (890) Er that this erl was come, sente his message For thilke sely povre Grisildis;
And she with humble herte and glad visage, Nat with no swollen thoght in hir corage, 950 Cam at his heste, and on hir knees hir sette, And reverently and wysly she him grette.
[418: T.
8829-8863. ] ‘Grisild,’ quod he, ‘my wille is outerly, This mayden, that shal wedded been to me, Receyved be to-morwe as royally 955 As it possible is in myn hous to be.
(900) And eek that every wight in his degree Have his estaat in sitting and servyse And heigh plesaunce, as I can best devyse.
953. Cp.
Pt.
wille; _rest_ wil.
I have no wommen suffisaunt certayn 960 The chambres for tarraye in ordinaunce After my lust, and therfor wolde I fayn That thyn were al swich maner governaunce;
Thou knowest eek of old al my plesaunce;
Though thyn array be badde and yvel biseye, 965 Do thou thy devoir at the leeste weye.
’ (910) ‘Nat only, lord, that I am glad,’ quod she, ‘To doon your lust, but I desyre also Yow for to serve and plese in my degree With-outen feynting, and shal evermo.
970 Ne never, for no wele ne no wo, Ne shal the gost with-in myn herte stente To love yow best with al my trewe entente.
’ And with that word she gan the hous to dighte, And tables for to sette and beddes make; 975 And peyned hir to doon al that she mighte, (920) Preying the chambereres, for goddes sake, To hasten hem, and faste swepe and shake;
And she, the moste servisable of alle, Hath every chambre arrayed and his halle.
980 977. Cp.
Hl.
Cm.
chambereres; E. Hn.
Pt.
Ln.
chambreres.
Abouten undern gan this erl alighte, That with him broghte thise noble children tweye, For which the peple ran to seen the sighte Of hir array, so richely biseye;
And than at erst amonges hem they seye, 985 That Walter was no fool, thogh that him leste (930) To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.
981. Hl.
Pt.
Ln.
vndern; E. Hn.
Cp.
vndren; Cm.
vndryn.
[419: T.
8864-8898. ] For she is fairer, as they demen alle, Than is Grisild, and more tendre of age, And fairer fruit bitwene hem sholde falle, 990 And more plesant, for hir heigh linage;
Hir brother eek so fair was of visage, That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesaunce, Commending now the markis gouernaunce.
— _Auctor_.
‘O stormy peple!
unsad and ever untrewe!
995 Ay undiscreet and chaunging as a vane, (940) Delyting ever in rumbel that is newe, For lyk the mone ay wexe ye and wane;
Ay ful of clapping, dere y-nogh a Iane;
Your doom is fals, your constance yvel preveth, 1000 A ful greet fool is he that on yow leveth!
’ 997. E.
Cm.
rumbul; Hn.
rumbel; Hl.
rombel.
1000. Hl.
yuel; Cm.
euel;
E.
Hn.
yuele.
Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee, Whan that the peple gazed up and doun, For they were glad, right for the noveltee, To han a newe lady of hir toun.
1005 Na-more of this make I now mencioun; (950) But to Grisilde agayn wol I me dresse, And telle hir constance and hir bisinesse.
— Ful bisy was Grisilde in every thing That to the feste was apertinent; 1010 Right noght was she abayst of hir clothing, Though it were rude and somdel eek to-rent.
But with glad chere to the yate is went, With other folk, to grete the markisesse, And after that doth forth hir bisinesse.
1015 1013. E.
Hn.
Hl.
is she; _rest omit_ she.
E.
Hn.
Ln.
chiere; Hl.
chier.
With so glad chere his gestes she receyveth, (960) And conningly, everich in his degree, That no defaute no man aperceyveth;
But ay they wondren what she mighte be That in so povre array was for to see, 1020 And coude swich honour and reverence;
And worthily they preisen hir prudence.
1017. E.
Hn.
Cm.
Hl.
And so; Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
_omit_ so.
[420: T.
8899-8933. ] In al this mene whyle she ne stente This mayde and eek hir brother to commende With al hir herte, in ful benigne entente, 1025 So wel, that no man coude hir prys amende.
(970) But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle Grisilde, as she was bisy in his halle.
‘Grisilde,’ quod he, as it were in his pley, 1030 ‘How lyketh thee my wyf and hir beautee?
’ ‘Right wel,’ quod she, ‘my lord; for, in good fey, A fairer say I never noon than she.
I prey to god yeve hir prosperitee;
And so hope I that he wol to yow sende 1035 Plesance y-nogh un-to your lyves ende.
(980) 1033. E.
