And hereupon he to his officers
Commanded for the feastë to purvey.2467
And to his privy knightës and squiérs
Such charge he gave, as him list on them lay:
And they to his commandëment obey,
And each of them doth all his diligence
To do unto the feast all reverence.
Pars Secunda
Not far from thilkë2468 palace honouráble,
Where as this marquis shope2469 his marriáge,
There stood a thorp,2470 of sightë délectáble,
In which the poorë folk of that villáge
Haddë their beastës and their harbourage,2471
And of their labour took their sustenance,
After the earthë gave them ábundánce.
Among this poorë folk there dwelt a man
Which that was holden poorest of them all;
But highë God sometimës sendë can
His grace unto a little ox’s stall;
Janicola men of that thorp him call.
A daughter had he, fair enough to sight,
And Griseldis this youngë maiden hight.
But for to speak of virtuous beauty,
Then was she one the fairest under sun:
Full poorëly y-foster’d up was she;
No likerous lust2472 was in her heart y-run;
Well ofter of the well than of the tun2473
She drank, and, for2474 she wouldë virtue please,
She knew well labour, but no idle ease.
But though this maiden tender were of age;
Yet in the breast of her virginity
There was inclos’d a sad and ripe coráge;2475
And in great reverence and charity
Her oldë poorë father foster’d she.
A few sheep, spinning, on the field she kept,
She wouldë not be idle till she slept.
And when she homeward camë, she would bring
Wortës,2476 and other herbës, timës oft,
The which she shred and seeth’d for her livíng,
And made her bed full hard, and nothing soft:
And aye she kept her father’s life on loft2477
With ev’ry obeisánce and diligence,
That child may do to father’s reverence.
Upon Griselda, this poor creatúre,
Full often sithes2478 this marquis set his eye,
As he on hunting rode, paráventure:2479
And when it fell that he might her espy,
He not with wanton looking of follý
His eyen cast on her, but in sad2480 wise
Upon her cheer2481 he would him oft advise;2482
Commending in his heart her womanhead,
And eke her virtue, passing any wight
Of so young age, as well in cheer as deed.
For though the people have no great insight
In virtue, he considered full right
Her bounté,2483 and disposed that he would
Wed only her, if ever wed he should.
The day of wedding came, but no wight can
Tellë what woman that it shouldë be;
For which marvail wonder’d many a man,
And saidë, when they were in privity,
“Will not our lord yet leave his vanity?
Will he not wed? Alas, alas the while!
Why will he thus himself and us beguile?”
But natheless this marquis had done2484 make
Of gemmës, set in gold and in azúre,
Brooches and ringës, for Griselda’s sake,
And of her clothing took he the measúre
Of a maiden like unto her statúre,
And eke of other ornamentës all
That unto such a wedding shouldë fall.2485
The time of undern2486 of the samë day
Approached, that this wedding shouldë be,
And all the palace put was in array,
Both hall and chamber, each in its degree,
Houses of office stuffed with plenty
There may’st thou see of dainteous vitáille,
That may be found, as far as lasts Itále.
This royal marquis, richëly array’d,
Lordës and ladies in his company,
The which unto the feastë werë pray’d,
And of his retinue the bach’lerý,
With many a sound of sundry melody,
Unto the village, of the which I told,
In this array the right way did they hold.
Griseld’ of this (God wot) full innocent,
That for her shapen2487 was all this array,
To fetchë water at a well is went,
And home she came as soon as e’er she may.
For well she had heard say, that on that day
The marquis shouldë wed, and, if she might,
She fain would have seen somewhat of that sight.
She thought, “I will with other maidens stand,
That be my fellows, in our door, and see
The marchioness; and therefore will I fand2488
To do at home, as soon as it may be,
The labour which belongeth unto me,
And then I may at leisure her behold,
If she this way unto the castle hold.”
And as she would over the threshold gon,
The marquis came and gan for her to call,
And she set down her water-pot anon
Beside the threshold, in an ox’s stall,
And down upon her knees she gan to fall,
And with sad2489 countenancë kneeled still,
Till she had heard what was the lordë’s will.
The thoughtful marquis spake unto the maid
Full soberly, and said in this mannére:
“Where is your father, Griseldis?” he said.
And she with reverence, in humble cheer,2490
Answered, “Lord, he is all ready here.”
And in she went withoutë longer let,2491
And to the marquis she her father fet.2492
He by the hand then took the poorë man,
And saidë thus, when he him had aside:
“Janicola, I neither may nor can
Longer the pleasance of mine heartë hide;
If that thou vouchësafe, whatso betide,
Thy daughter will I take, ere that I wend,2493
As for my wife, unto her lifë’s end.
“Thou lovest me, that know I well certáin,
And art my faithful liegëman y-bore,2494
And all that liketh me, I dare well sayn
It liketh thee; and specially therefore
Tell me that point, that I have said before—
If that thou wilt unto this purpose draw,
To takë me as for thy son-in-law.”
This sudden case2495 the man astonied so,
That red he wax’d, abash’d,2496 and all quaking
He stood; unnethës2497 said he wordës mo’,
But only thus; “Lord,” quoth he, “my willing
Is as ye will, nor against your liking
I will no thing, mine owen lord so dear;
Right as you list governë this mattére.”
“Then will I,” quoth the marquis softëly,
“That in thy chamber I, and thou, and she,
Have a collatión;2498 and know’st thou why?
For I will ask her, if her will it be
To be
