Previous Previous:
From The Clerk's Tale, lines 442-448:
Griselda gives birth to a daughter
Previous
Librarius Homepage
© Librarius
All rights reserved.


From The Canterbury Tales:
The Clerk's Tale
lines 449-462: Lord Walter intends to test his wife Griselda


Incipit tercia pars.
Here begins the third part


       Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo,
450Whan that this child had souked but a throwe,
This markys in his herte longeth so
To tempte his wyf, hir sadnesse for to knowe,
That he ne myghte out of his herte throwe
This merveillous desir his wyf t'assaye.
455Nedelees, God woot, he thoghte hir for t'affraye.
       It happened, as it has sometimes before,
450That when this child had sucked a month or so,
This marquis in his heart such longing bore
To test his wife, her patience thus to know,
He could not in his heart the chance forgo
This marvelous desire his wife to try;
455Needless it is, God knows, thus to peek and pry

       He hadde assayed hir ynogh bifore,
And foond hir evere good; what neded it
Hir for to tempte and alwey moore and moore?
Though som men preise it for a subtil wit,
460But as for me, I seye that yvele it sit
To assaye a wyf, whan that it is no nede,
And putten hir in angwyssh and in drede.
       He had sufficiently tried her before
And found her ever good; what needed it
That he should test her ever more and more?
Though some men praise it for a subtle wit,
460Yet I say that to him 'twas no credit
To try his wife when there was never need,
Putting her heart to anguish and to dread.





Next Next:
From The Clerk's Tale, lines 463-497:
Lord Walter says to Griselda he has to do with her daughter 'what is best'
Next