Thou lovest me, I woot it wel, certeyn,
And art my feithful lige man y-bore; 310
And al that lyketh me, I dar wel seyn
It lyketh thee, and specially therfore
Tel me that poynt that I have seyd bifore,
If that thou wolt un-to that purpos drawe,
To take me as for thy sone-in-lawe?’ 315
[399: T. 8192-8226.]
This sodeyn cas this man astoned so, (260)
That reed he wex, abayst, and al quaking
He stood unnethes seyde he wordes mo,
But only thus: ‘lord,’ quod he, ‘my willing
Is as ye wole, ne ayeines your lyking 320
I wol no-thing; ye be my lord so dere;
Right as yow lust governeth this matere.’
317. E. Cp. Hl. wax; Hn. weex; _rest_ wex. 320. E. ayeins; Ln.
a-yeines; see l. 2325 _below_ (Group E).
‘Yet wol I,’ quod this markis softely,
‘That in thy chambre I and thou and she
Have a collacion, and wostow why? 325
For I wol axe if it hir wille be (270)
To be my wyf, and reule hir after me;
And al this shal be doon in thy presence,
I wol noght speke out of thyn audience.’
And in the chambre whyl they were aboute 330
Hir tretis, which as ye shal after here,
The peple cam un-to the hous with-oute,
And wondred hem in how honest manere
And tentifly she kepte hir fader dere.
But outerly Grisildis wondre mighte, 335
For never erst ne saugh she swich a sighte. (280)
No wonder is thogh that she were astoned
To seen so greet a gest come in that place;
She never was to swiche gestes woned,
For which she loked with ful pale face. 340
But shortly forth this tale for to chace,
Thise arn the wordes that the markis sayde
To this benigne verray feithful mayde.