From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Clerk's Tale, lines 687-721

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

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

	This markys wondred evere lenger the moore
	Upon hir pacience, and if that he
	Ne hadde soothly knowen therbifoore
690	That parfitly hir children loved she,
	He wolde have wend that of som subtiltee,
	And of malice, or for crueel corage,
	That she hadde suffred this with sad visage.

	This marquis wondered ever more and more
	Upon her patience; and indeed if he
	Had not known truly in her years before
690	That she had loved her children perfectly,
	He would have thought that out of subtlety
	And malice, or from some urge more savage
	She suffered this with calm face and courage.

But wel he knew that next hymself, certayn,

695 She loved hir children best in every wyse;

But now of wommen wolde I axen fayn,

If thise assayes myghte nat suffise,

What koude a sturdy housbonde moore devyse

To preeve hire wyfhod or hir stedefastnesse,

700 And he continuynge evere in sturdinesse?

But well he knew that, next himself, 'twas plain

695 She loved her children best in every wise.

But now to ask of women I am fain,

Whether these trials should not the man suffice?

What could an obdurate husband more devise

To prove her wifehood and her faithfulness,

700 And he continuing in his stubbornness?

But ther been folk of swich condicioun

That whan they have a certein purpos take

They kan nat stynte of hir entencioun,

But right as they were bounden to that stake

705 They wol nat of that firste purpos slake.

Right so this markys fulliche hath purposed

To tempte his wyf, as he was first disposed.

But there are folk to such condition grown

That, when they do a certain purpose take,

They cannot quit the intent they thus own,

But just as they were bound unto a stake

705 They will not from that first hard purpose shake.

Just so this marquis fully was purposed

To test his wife, as he was first disposed.

He waiteth, if by word or contenance

That she to hym was changed of corage;

710 But nevere koude he fynde variance,

She was ay oon in herte and in visage.

And ay the forther that she was in age,

The moore trewe, if that it were possible-

She was to hym in love, and moore penyble.

He watched her, if by word or countenance

She show a change toward him, or in courage;

710 But never could he find a variance.

She was always one in heart and in visage;

And always the farther that she went in age,

The more true, if such thing were possible,

She was in love, and painstaking, as well.

715 For which it semed thus, that of hem two

Ther nas but o wyl; for, as Walter leste,

The same lust was hir plesance also,

And, God be thanked, al fil for the beste.

She shewed wel, for no worldly unreste

720 A wyf as of hirself no thing ne sholde

Wille in effect, but as hir housbonde wolde.

715 From which it seemed that, as between those two,

There was but one will, for, to Walter's quest,

The same thing was her sole desire also,

And- God be thanked!- all fell out for the best.

She showed well that, in all this world's unrest,

720 A wife, of her volition, nothing should

Will to be done, except the way her husband would.

Next:
From The Clerk's Tale, lines 722-735:
Lord Walter subjects speak ill about him