From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Clerk's Tale, lines 211-231

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From The Clerk's Tale, lines 197-210:
About a poor village and its poorest inhabitants Janicula and his daughter Griselda

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Clerk's Tale
lines 211-231: About Griselda, the fairest under the sun

	But for to speke of vertuous beautee,
	Thanne was she oon the faireste under sonne,
	For povreliche yfostred up was she,
	No likerous lust was thurgh hir herte yronne.
215	Wel ofter of the welle than of the tonne
	She drank, and for she wolde vertu plese
	She knew wel labour but noon ydel ese.

	If one should speak of virtuous beauty,
	Then was she of the fairest under sun;
	Since fostered in dire poverty was she,
	No luxurious lust in her heart had run;
215	More often from the well than from the tun
	She drank, and since she would chaste virtue please,
	She knew work well, but knew not idle ease.

But thogh this mayde tendre were of age,

Yet in the brest of hire virginitee

220 Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage;

And in greet reverence and charitee

Hir olde povre fader fostred shee.

A fewe sheepe, spynnynge on feeld she kepte,

She wolde noght been ydel, til she slepte.

But though this maiden tender was of age,

Yet in the breast of her virginity

220 There was enclosed a ripe and grave courage;

And in great reverence and charity

Her poor old father fed and fostered she;

A few sheep grazing in a field she kept,

For she would not be idle till she slept.

225 And whan she homward cam, she wolde brynge

Wortes, or othere herbes tymes ofte,

The whiche she shredde and seeth for hir lyvynge,

And made hir bed ful harde and no thyng softe;

And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf on lofte

230 With everich obeisaunce and diligence

That child may doon to fadres reverence.

225 And when she homeward came, why she would bring

Roots and green herbs, full many times and oft,

The which she'd shred and boil for her living,

And made her bed a hard one and not soft;

Her father kept she in their humble croft

230 With what obedience and diligence

A child may do for father's reverence.

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From The Clerk's Tale, lines 232-245:
Lord Walter's thoughts about Griselda