Ther I was fostred of a child ful smal,
Til I be deed, my lyf ther wol I lede 835
A widwe clene, in body, herte, and al. (780)
For sith I yaf to yow my maydenhede,
And am your trewe wyf, it is no drede,
God shilde swich a lordes wyf to take
Another man to housbonde or to make. 840
And of your newe wyf, god of his grace
So graunte yow wele and prosperitee:
For I wol gladly yelden hir my place,
In which that I was blisful wont to be,
For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,’ quod she, 845
‘That whylom weren al myn hertes reste, (790)
That I shal goon, I wol gon whan yow leste.
But ther-as ye me profre swich dowaire
As I first broghte, it is wel in my minde
It were my wrecched clothes, no-thing faire, 850
The which to me were hard now for to finde.
O gode god! how gentil and how kinde
Ye semed by your speche and your visage
The day that maked was our mariage!
[415: T. 8731-8765.]
But sooth is seyd, algate I finde it trewe— 855
For in effect it preved is on me— (800)
Love is noght old as whan that it is newe.
But certes, lord, for noon adversitee,
To dyen in the cas, it shal nat be
That ever in word or werk I shal repente 860
That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.
My lord, ye woot that, in my fadres place,
Ye dede me strepe out of my povre wede,
And richely me cladden, of your grace.
To yow broghte I noght elles, out of drede, 865
But feyth and nakednesse and maydenhede. (810)
And here agayn my clothing I restore,
And eek my wedding-ring, for evermore.
867, 868. my] Cp. Pt. Ln. your.
The remenant of your Iewels redy be
In-with your chambre, dar I saufly sayn; 870
Naked out of my fadres hous,’ quod she,
‘I cam, and naked moot I turne agayn.
Al your plesaunce wol I folwen fayn;
But yet I hope it be nat your entente
That I smoklees out of your paleys wente. 875