And when she homeward went, she would often bring
Plants or other herbs,
Which she shredded and boiled for her living,
And made her bed full hard and nothing soft;
And ever she her father’s life sustained
With every obedience and diligence
That a child may do for her parent.
Up-on Grisilde, this povre creature,
Ful ofte sythe this markis sette his ye
As he on hunting rood paraventure;
And whan it fil that he mighte hir espye,
He noght with wantoun loking of folye
His yen caste on hir, but in sad wyse
Up-on hir chere he wolde him ofte avyse,
Commending in his herte hir wommanhede,
And eek hir vertu, passing any wight
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.
The day of wedding cam, but no wight can
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?
Wol he nat wedde? alias, alias the whyle!
Why wol he thus him-self and us bigyle?”
But natheles this markis hath don make
Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure,
Broches and ringes, for Grisildis sake,
And of hir clothing took he the mesure
By a mayde, lyk to hir stature,
And eek of othere ornamentes alle
That un-to swich a wedding sholde falle.
The tyme of undern of the same day
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,
That may be founde, as fer as last Itaille.
Upon Griselda, this poor creature,
Full oftentimes this marquis set his eye
As he while hunting by chance rode by;
And when it befell that he might her espy,
He not with wanton, foolish looks
His eyes cast upon her, but in a serious way
Upon her face he would often ponder,
Commending in his heart her womanhood,
And also her virtue, surpassing any person
Of so young age, as well in looks as deed.
For though common folk have no great insight
In virtue, he considered fully
Her goodness, and decided that he would
Wed her only, if wed he ever should.
The day of wedding came, but no one could
Tell what woman it would be;
For which wondered many a man
And said, when they were in private,
“Will not our lord yet leave his levity?
Will he not wed? alas, alas the while!
Why will he thus himself and us beguile?”
But nevertheless this marquis had ordered made
Of gems, set in gold and in azure
Brooches and rings, for Griselda’s sake,
And of her clothing too he took the measure
By a maid, like to her stature,
And also of other adornments all
That unto such a wedding should fall.
As midmorning of the same day
Approached, that this wedding should be;
And all the palace was put in order,
Both hall and chambers, each in its degree;
Kitchens stuffed with plenty
There you could see, with dainty foods
That may be found as far as extends Italy.
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,
With many a soun of sondry melodye,
Un-to the village, of the which I tolde,
In this array the righte wey han holde.
Grisilde of this, god woot, ful innocent,
That for hir shapen was al this array,
To fecchen water at a welle is went,
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.
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;
And than I may at leyser hir biholde,
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 set doun hir water-pot anoon
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
Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere,
“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,
And to the markis she hir fader fette.
This royal marquis, richly dressed,
Lords and ladies in his company,
Who unto the feast were asked,
And the young knights of his retinue,
With many a sound of various melodies,
Unto the village of which I spoke,
In their array the straight way took.
Griselda, full unaware
That all this parade was prepared for her,
Went to fetch water at the well,
And came home as soon as ever she could.
For well she had heard said that very day
The marquis should wed, and if she might,
She would gladly have seen some of that sight.
She thought, “I will with other maidens stand,
Who be my companions, in our door and see
The marchioness, and therefore will I try
To finish up at home as soon as may be
The labor that belongs to me;
And then I may at leisure her behold,
If she this way unto the castle goes.”
And as she would over her threshold go,
The marquis came and began for her to call;
And she set down her pail anon
Beside the threshold, in an ox’s stall,
And down on her knees she began to fall,
And with earnest countenance knelt still
Till she had heard what was the lord’s will.
The thoughtful marquis spoke unto this maid
Full gravely, and said in this manner:
“Where is your father, Griselda?”
And she with reverence, in a humble way,
Answered, “Lord, he is here, ready to serve you.”
And she went in without delay,
And to the marquis her father led.
He by the hond than took this olde man,
And seyde thus, whan he him hadde asyde,
“Janicula, I neither may ne can
Lenger the plesance of my herte hyde.
If that thou vouche-sauf, what-so bityde,
Thy doghter wol I take, er that I wende,
As for my wyf, un-to hir lyves ende.
&nbs
p; Thou lovest me, I woot it wel, certyn,
And art my feithful lige man y-bore;
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?”
This sodeyn cas this man astoned so,
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
I wol no-thing; ye be my lord so dere;
Right as yow lust governeth this matere.”
“Yet wol I,” quod this markis softely,
“That in thy chambre I and thou and she
Have a collacion, and wostow why?
For I wol axe if it hir wille be
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
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,
For never erst ne saugh she swich a sighte.
He by the hand then took this old man,
And said when he had him aside,
“Janicula, I neither may nor can
Longer the pleasure of my heart hide.
If you will permit, whatever may betide,
Your daughter will I take, before I depart—
For my wife, until our lives end.
You love me, I know it well, certain,
And were my faithful vassal born;
And all that pleases me, I dare well say
Also pleases you; and especially therefore
Answer me that question I have said before:
If you will
Take me for your son-in-law.”
This sudden turn this man bewildered so
That red he turned, abashed and all trembling
He stood. Scarcely said he words more,
But only thus: “Lord,” said he, “my wish
Is as you will; against your liking
I wish no thing, you be my lord so dear.
Right as you please govern this matter.”
“Then I would like,” said this marquis softly,
“That in your chamber you and I and she
Have a talk, and do you know why?
For I will ask if her will it be
To be my wife, and govern herself after me.
And all this shall be done in your presence—
I will not speak out of your audience.”
And in the chamber while they made
Their contract, as you shall after hear,
The people came to the house outside,
And wondered at how attentively
And tenderly she kept her father dear.
But especially Griselda might have wondered,
For never before had she seen such a sight.
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.
But shortly forth this tale for to chace,
Thise arn the wordes that the markis sayde
To this benigne verray feithful mayde.
“Grisilde,” he seyde, “ye shul wel understonde
It lyketh to your fader and to me
That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde,
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?
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,’
Neither by word ne frowning contenance;
Swer this, and here I swere our alliance.”
Wondring upon this word, quaking for drede,
She seyde, “lord, undigne and unworthy
Am I to thilke honour that ye me bede;
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.
And forth he gooth with a ful sobre chere
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,
Who-so me loveth; ther is na-more to seye.”
No wonder that she was bewildered
To see so great a guest come in that place;
She never was to such guests accustomed,
And so she looked with full pale face.
But shortly, this matter to pursue,
These are the words that the marquis said
To this gracious, true, faithful maid.
“Griselda,” he said, “you shall well understand
It pleases your father and me
That I you wed, and also it may be the case,
As I suppose, you will that it so be.
But these demands I ask first,” said he,
“That since it shall be done in haste,
Will you assent, or else deliberate?
I say this, be you ready with good heart
To honor my every wish, and that I freely may,
As I think best, make you laugh or suffer,
And you never to complain about it, night or day?
And also when I say ‘yes,’ you say not ‘nay,’
Neither by word nor frowning countenance?
Swear this, and here I swear our alliance.”
Wondering upon this speech, trembling for dread,
She said, “Lord, undeserving and unworthy
Am I to that honor that you offer me;
But as you will it yourself, right so will I,
And here I swear that never willingly
In deed nor thought will I disobey you,
Even to die, though to die I loathe would be.”
“This is enough, Griselda, mine!” said he.
And forth he went with a full sober face
Out at the door, and after that came she,
And to the people he said in this manner:
“This is my wife,” said he, “who stands here.
Honor her and love her I pray
Whoso me loves; there is no more to say.”
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
To handle hir clothes wher-in she was clad.
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
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.
This markis hath hir spoused with a ring
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 joyful peple that hir ladde and mette,
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,
That it ne semed nat by lyklinesse
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
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 Janicle, of which I spak bifore,
She doghter nas, for, as by conjecture,
Hem thoughte she was another creature.
And so that none of her old clothes
She should bring into his house, he bade
That women should undress her right there;
Of which these ladies were not right glad
To handle her clothes wherein she was clad.
But nevertheless, this maid bright of hue
From foot to head they clothed all new.
Her hair they combed, that lay unbraided
Full artless, and with their fingers small
A crown on her head they placed,
And adorned her full of jewels great and small.
Of her apparel why should I make a tale?
Scarcely the people knew her for her fairness,
When she was transformed in such richness.
This marquis had her married with a ring
Brought for the same purpose, and then her set
Upon a horse, snow-white and soft-gaited,
And to his palace, with no further delay,
With joyful people who her met and led,
Canterbury Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Page 38
