And of malice, or for cruel corage,

That the had fuffred this with fad vifage.

But wel he knew that next himself certain

She loved hire children beft in every

But now of women wold I asken fayn

If thife affaies mighten not fuffife?

wife.

What coud a sturdy husbond more devife

8570

To preve hire wifhood and hire ftedfaftneffe, 8575 And he continuing ever in sturdineffe?

But ther ben folk of fwiche condition, That whan they han a certain purpos take They cannot flint of hir entention,

But right as they were bounden to a stake
They wol not of hir firfte purpos flake:
Right fo this markis fully hath purposed
To tempt his wif as he was firft difpofed.

8580

He waiteth if by word or contenance That she to him was changed of corage; But never coud he finden variance;

8585

She was ay on in herte and in visage;
And ay the further that she was in age
The more trewe (if that it were poffible)
She was to him in love, and more penible.

For which it femed thus, that of hem two

8590

Ther was but o will; for as Walter left

The fame luft was hire plefance alfo ;

And, God be thanked, all fell for the best.

She fhewed wel for no worldly unreft

8595

A wif, as of hireself, no thing ne sholde

Wille in effect but as hire husbond wolde.
The fclandre of Walter wonder wide fpradde,
That of a cruel herte he wikkedly,

For he a poure woman wedded hadde,
Hath murdred both his children prively:

8600

Swich murmur was among hem comunly.

No wonder is, for to the peples ere

Ther came no word but that they murdred were.
For which ther as his peple therbefore

8605

Had loved him wel, the fclandre of his diffame

Made hem that they him hateden therfore:
To ben a mudrour is an hateful name.
But natheles for erneft ne for game

He of his cruel purpos n'olde stente:

8610

To tempt his wif was fette all his entente.

Whan that his doughter twelf yere was of age

He to the court of Rome, in fubtil wife
Enformed of his will, fent his meffage,"
Commanding him fwiche billes to devise
As to his cruel purpos may fuffife,

How that the Pope, as for his peples rest,
Bade him to wed another if him left.

8615

I say he bade they shulden contrefete

The Popes bulles, making mention

8620

.8614. his message] His messenger. See below, ver. 8813. Meffage was commonly used for meager by the French poets. Du Cange, in v. Messagarius.

That he hath leve his firfte wif to lete,

As by the Popes difpenfation

To flinten rancour and diffention

Betwix his peple and him. Thus fpake the bull,

The which they han published at the full.

The rude peple, as no wonder is, Wenden ful wel that it had ben right fo; But whan thife tidings came to Grifildis

8625

I deme that hire herte was ful of wo;
But fhe ylike fad for evermo

8630

Difpofed was, this humble creature,

The adverfitee of fortune al to endure;

Abiding ever his luft and his plesance

To whom that he was yeven herte and al,

As to hire veray worldly fuffifance.

8635

But fhortly if this florie tell I fhal,

This markis writen hath in fpecial

A lettre, in which he fheweth his entente,
And fecretly he to Boloigne it fente

To the Erl of Pavie, which that hadde tho 8640 Wedded his fufter, prayed he specially

To bringen home agein his children two

In honourable eftat al openly;

But o thing he him prayed utterly,

That he to no wight, though men wold enquere,

Shulde not tell whos children that they were, 8646 But fay the maiden shuld ywedded be

Unto the Markis of Saluces anon.

And as this erl was prayed fo did he;
For at day fette he on his way is gon
Toward Saluces, and lordes many on
In rich arraie, this maiden for to gide,
Hire yonge brother riding hire befide.
Arraied was toward hire mariage

8650

This fresfhe maiden, ful of gemmes clere,

8655

Hire brother, which that seven yere was of age,

Arraied eke ful fresh in his manere:

And thus in gret nobleffe and with glad chere
Toward Saluces fhaping hir journay

8660

Fro day to day they riden in hir way.

Pars quinta.

8665

Among al his, after this wicked usage, This markis yet his wif to tempten more To the uttereste prefe of hire corage, Fully to have experience and lore If that fhe were as stedefast as before, He on a day in open audience Ful boiftously hath said hire this sentence: Certes, Grifilde, I had ynough plesance To han you to my wif for your goodneffe, And for your trouthe and for your obeyfance, 8670 Not for your linage ne for your richeffe ; But now know I in veray fothfastnesse That in gret lordship, if I me wel avise, Ther is gret fervitude in fondry wife.

8675

8680

I may not don as every ploughman may:
My peple me conflreineth for to take
Another wif, and crien day by day;
And eke the Pope, rancour for to flake,
Confenteth it, that dare I undertake:
And trewely thus moche I wol you say,
My newe wif is coming by the way.

Be strong of herte, and void anon hire place,
And thilke dower that ye broughten me
Take it agen; I grant it of my grace.
Returneth to your fadres hous, (quod he)
No man may alway have profperitee.
With even herte I rede you to endure
The froke of Fortune or of aventure.
And the agen anfwerd in patience;
My Lord, quod fhe, I wote and wist alway
How that betwixen your magnificence
And my poverte no wight ne can ne may
Maken comparifon; it is no nay:

I ne held me never digne in no manere
To be your wif ne yet your chamberere.
And in this hous ther ye me lady made
(The highe God take I for
my witnesse,

And all fo wifly he my foule glad)

I never held me lady ne maistreffe,

But humble fervant to your worthineffe,

And ever fhal, while that my lif may dure,
Aboven every wordly creature.

8685

8690

8695

8700