Pars + 

Tertia + 

There fell, as falleth many timës mo’, + 

When that his child had sucked but a throw, + 

This marquis in his heartë longed so + 

To tempt his wife, her sadness for to know, + 

That he might not out of his heartë throw + 

This marvellous desire his wife t’assay; + 

Needless, God wot, he thought her to affray. + 

He had assayed her anough before, + 

And found her ever good; what needed it + 

Her for to tempt, and always more and more? + 

Though some men praise it for a subtle wit, + 

But as for me, I say that evil it sit + 

T’ assay a wife when that it is no need, + 

And puttë her in anguish and in dread. + 

For which this marquis wrought in this mannére: + 

He came at night alone there as she lay, + 

With sternë face and with full troubled cheer, + 

And saidë thus; “Griseld’,” quoth he “that day + 

That I you took out of your poor array, + 

And put you in estate of high nobléss, + 

Ye have it not forgotten, as I guess. + 

“I say, Griseld’, this present dignity, + 

In which that I have put you, as I trow + 

Maketh you not forgetful for to be + 

That I you took in poor estate full low, + 

For any weal you must yourselfë know. + 

Take heed of every word that I you say, + 

There is no wight that hears it but we tway. + 

“Ye know yourself well how that ye came here + 

Into this house, it is not long ago; + 

And though to me ye be right lefe and dear, + 

Unto my gentles ye be nothing so: + 

They say, to them it is great shame and woe + 

For to be subject, and be in serváge, + 

To thee, that born art of small lineage. + 

“And namely since thy daughter was y-bore + 

These wordës have they spoken doubtëless; + 

But I desire, as I have done before, + 

To live my life with them in rest and peace: + 

I may not in this case be reckëless; + 

I must do with thy daughter for the best, + 

Not as I would, but as my gentles lest. + 

“And yet, God wot, this is full loth to me: + 

But natheless withoutë your weeting + 

I will nought do; but this will I,” quoth he, + 

“That ye to me assenten in this thing. + 

Shew now your patience in your working, + 

That ye me hight and swore in your villáge + 

The day that maked was our marriáge.” + 

When she had heard all this, she not amev’d + 

Neither in word, in cheer, nor countenance + 

(For, as it seemed, she was not aggriev’d); + 

She saidë; “Lord, all lies in your pleasánce, + 

My child and I, with hearty obeisánce + 

Be yourës all, and ye may save or spill + 

Your owen thing: work then after your will. + 

“There may no thing, so God my soulë save, + 

Likë to you, that may displeasë me: + 

Nor I desire nothing for to have, + 

Nor dreadë for to lose, save only ye: + 

This will is in mine heart, and aye shall be, + 

No length of time, nor death, may this deface, + 

Nor change my corage to another place.” + 

Glad was the marquis for her answering, + 

But yet he feigned as he were not so; + 

All dreary was his cheer and his looking + 

When that he should out of the chamber go. + 

Soon after this, a furlong way or two, + 

He privily hath told all his intent + 

Unto a man, and to his wife him sent. + 

A manner sergeant was this private man, + 

The which he faithful often founden had + 

In thingës great, and eke such folk well can + 

Do executión in thingës bad: + 

The lord knew well, that he him loved and drad. + 

And when this sergeant knew his lordë’s will, + 

Into the chamber stalked he full still. + 

“Madam,” he said, “ye must forgive it me, + 

Though I do thing to which I am constrain’d; + 

Ye be so wise, that right well knowë ye + 

That lordës’ hestës may not be y-feign’d; + 

They may well be bewailed and complain’d, + 

But men must needs unto their lust obey; + 

And so will I, there is no more to say. + 

“This child I am commanded for to take.” + 

And spake no more, but out the child he hent + 

Dispiteously, and gan a cheer to make + 

As though he would have slain it ere he went. + 

Griseldis must all suffer and consent: + 

And as a lamb she sat there meek and still, + 

And let this cruel sergeant do his will. + 

Suspicious was the diffame of this man, + 

Suspect his face, suspect his word also, + 

Suspect the time in which he this began: + 

Alas! her daughter, that she loved so, + 

She weened he would have it slain right tho, + 

But natheless she neither wept nor siked, + 

Conforming her to what the marquis liked. + 

But at the last to speakë she began, + 

And meekly she unto the sergeant pray’d, + 

So as he was a worthy gentle man, + 

That she might kiss her child, ere that it died: + 

And in her barme this little child she laid, + 

With full sad face, and gan the child to bless, + 

And lulled it, and after gan it kiss. + 

And thus she said in her benignë voice: + 

“Farewell, my child, I shall thee never see; + 

But since I have thee marked with the cross, + 

Of that father y-blessed may’st thou be + 

That for us died upon a cross of tree: + 

Thy soul, my little child, I him betake, + 

For this night shalt thou dien for my sake.” + 

I trow that to a norice in this case + 

It had been hard this ruthë for to see: + 

Well might a mother then have cried, “Alas!” + 

But natheless so sad steadfást was she, + 

That she endured all adversity, + 

And to the sergeant meekëly she said, + 

“Have here again your little youngë maid. + 

“Go now,” quoth she, “and do my lord’s behest. + 

And one thing would I pray you of your grace, + 

But if my lord forbade you at the least, + 

Bury this little body in some place, + 

That neither beasts nor birdës it arace.” + 

But he no word would to that purpose say, + 

But took the child and went upon his way. + 

The sergeant came unto his lord again, + 

And of Griselda’s words and of her cheer + 

He told him point for point, in short and plain, + 

And him presented with his daughter dear. + 

Somewhat this lord had ruth in his mannére, + 

But natheless his purpose held he still, + 

As lordës do, when they will have their will; + 

And bade this sergeant that he privily + 

Shouldë the child full softly wind and wrap, + 

With allë circumstances tenderly, + 

And carry it in a coffer, or in lap; + 

But, upon pain his head off for to swap, + 

That no man shouldë know of his intent, + 

Nor whence he came, nor whither that he went; + 

But at Bologna, to his sister dear, + 

That at that time of Panic’ was Countéss, + 

He should it take, and shew her this mattere, + 

Beseeching her to do her business + 

This child to foster in all gentleness, + 

And whosë child it was he bade her hide + 

From every wight, for aught that might betide. + 

The sergeant went, and hath fulfill’d this thing. + 

But to the marquis now returnë we; + 

For now went he full fast imagining + 

If by his wifë’s cheer he mightë see, + 

Or by her wordës apperceive, that she + 

Were changed; but he never could her find, + 

But ever-in-one alikë sad and kind. + 

As glad, as humble, as busy in servíce, + 

And eke in love, as she was wont to be, + 

Was she to him, in every manner wise; + 

And of her daughter not a word spake she; + 

No accident for no adversity + 

Was seen in her, nor e’er her daughter’s name + 

She named, or in earnest or in game. + 