Arrayed was toward hir mariage
This fresshe mayde, ful of gemmes clere;
Hir brother, which that seven yeer was of age, 780
Arrayed eek ful fresh in his manere.
And thus in greet noblesse and with glad chere,
Toward Saluces shaping hir Iourney,
Fro day to day they ryden in hir wey.
=Explicit quarta pars. Sequitur quinta pars.=
[413: T. 8661-8695.]
Among al this, after his wikke usage, 785
This markis, yet his wyf to tempte more (730)
To the uttereste preve of hir corage,
Fully to han experience and lore
If that she were as stedfast as bifore,
He on a day in open audience 790
Ful boistously hath seyd hir this sentence:
787. Cm. vttyreste; E. outtreste. 789. E. Cp. stide-; Pt. Ln. sted-;
_rest_ stede-.
‘Certes, Grisilde, I hadde y-nough plesaunce
To han yow to my wyf for your goodnesse,
As for your trouthe and for your obeisaunce,
Nought for your linage ne for your richesse; 795
But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse (740)
That in gret lordshipe, if I wel avyse,
Ther is gret servitute in sondry wyse.
I may nat don as every plowman may;
My peple me constreyneth for to take 800
Another wyf, and cryen day by day;
And eek the pope, rancour for to slake,
Consenteth it, that dar I undertake;
And treweliche thus muche I wol yow seye,
My newe wyf is coming by the weye. 805
Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place, (750)
And thilke dower that ye broghten me
Tak it agayn, I graunte it of my grace;
Retourneth to your fadres hous,’ quod he;
‘No man may alwey han prosperitee; 810
With evene herte I rede yow tendure
The strook of fortune or of aventure.’