From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Clerk's Tale, lines 1044-1078

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From The Clerk's Tale, lines 1037-1043:
Griselda asks Walter not to test his new wife like he has tested her

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Clerk's Tale
lines 1044-1078: Walter is done testing Griselda and he reveals that
his bride is actually her (and his) daughter

	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.

	And when this Walter thought of her patience,
1045	Her glad face, with no malice there at all,
	And how so oft he'd done to her offence,
	And she always firm and constant as a wall,
	Remaining ever blameless through it all,
	This cruel marquis did his heart address
1050	To pity for her wifely steadfastness.

"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.

"This is enough, Griselda mine!" cried he,

"Be now no more ill pleased nor more afraid;

I have your faith and your benignity,

As straitly as ever woman's was, assayed

1055 In high place and in poverty arrayed.

Now know I well, dear wife, your steadfastness."

And he began to kiss her and to press.

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.

And she, for wonder, took of this no keep;

She heard not what the thing was he had cried;

1060 She fared as if she'd started out of sleep,

Till from bewilderment she roused her pride.

"Griselda," said he, "by our God Who died,

You are my wife, no other one I have,

Nor ever had, as God my soul may 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.

1065 This is your daughter, whom you have supposed

Should be my wife; the other child truly

Shall be my heir, as I have always purposed;

You bore him in your body faithfully.

I've kept them at Bologna secretly;

1070 Take them again, for now you cannot say

That you have lost your two children for aye

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."

And folk that otherwise have said of me,

I warn them well that I have done this deed

Neither for malice nor for cruelty,

1075 But to make trial in you of virtue hid,

And not to slay my children, God forbid!

But just to keep them secretly and still

Till I your purpose knew and all your will."

Next:
From The Clerk's Tale, lines 1079-1106:
Griselda swoons from emotions