From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Clerk's Tale, lines 246-266

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

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Clerk's Tale
lines 246-266: The preparation of the wedding

	The day of weddyng cam, but no wight kan
	Telle what womman that it sholde be,
	For which merveille wondred many a man,
	And seyden, whan that they were in privetee,
250	"Wol nat oure lord yet leve his vanytee?
	Wol he nat wedde? Allas, allas, the while!
	Why wole he thus hymself and us bigile?"

	The day of wedding came, but no one can
	Tell who the woman is that bride shall be;
	At which strange thing they wondered, many a man,
	And they said, marvelling, in privacy:
250	"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 nathelees this markys hath doon make

O gemmes set in gold and in asure

255 Brooches and rynges, for Grisildis sake,

And of hir clothyng took he the mesure,

By a mayde lyk to hir stature,

And eek of othere aornementes alle

That unto swich a weddyng sholde falle.

Nevertheless, this marquis has bade make,

Of jewels set in gold and in rich azure,

255 Brooches and rings, all for Griselda's sake,

And for her garments took he then the measure

By a young girl of her form and stature,

And found all other ornaments as well

That for such wedding would be meet to tell.

260 The time of undren of the same day

Approcheth, that this weddyng sholde be;

And al the paleys put was in array,

Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree;

Houses of office stuffed with plentee

265 Ther maystow seen, of deyntevous vitaille,

That may be founde as fer as last Ytaille.

260 The time of mid-morn of that very day

Approached when this lord's marriage was to be;

And all the palace was bedecked and gay,

Both hall and chambers, each in its degree;

With kitchens stuffed with food in great plenty,

265 There might one see the last and least dainty

That could be found in all of Italy.

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From The Clerk's Tale, lines 267-287:
On the wedding day, Walter goes to the village