From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Clerk's Tale, lines 673-686

Previous:
From The Clerk's Tale, lines 645-672:
Griselda again submits herself to Walter's will

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Clerk's Tale
lines 673-686: The sergeant takes the boy and secretly brings it to Bologna

	This ugly sergeant, in the same wyse
	That he hir doghter caughte, right so he -
675	Or worse, if men worse kan devyse -
	Hath hent hire sone, that ful was of beautee,
	And evere in oon so pacient was she,
	That she no chiere maade of hevynesse,
	But kiste hir sone, and after gan it blesse.

	This ugly sergeant in the very wise
	That he her daughter took away, so he -
675	Or worse, if worse than this men could devise -
	Has taken her son, the child of such beauty.
	And always yet so all-patient was she
	That she no sign gave forth of heaviness,
	But kissed her son and so began to bless;

680 Save this, she preyde hym, that if he myghte,

Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe grave

His tendre lymes, delicaat to sighte,

Fro foweles and fro beestes for to save.

But she noon answere of hym myghte have,

685 He wente his wey, as hym nothyng ne roghte,

But to Boloigne he tendrely it broghte.

680 Except this: She prayed him that, and if he might,

Her son he'd bury in an earthen grave,

His tender limbs, so delicate to sight,

From ravenous birds and from all beasts to save.

But she no answer out of him could have.

685 He went his way as if he cared nor thought,

But to Bologna tenderly 'twas brought.

Next:
From The Clerk's Tale, lines 687-721:
Despite the loss of her second child, Griselda's mood and splendour remain unchanged