“Then will I,” quoth the marquis softëly, “That in thy chamber I, and thou, and she, Have a collatión; and know’st thou why? For I will ask her, if her will it be To be my wife, and rule her after me: And all this shall be done in thy presénce, I will not speak out of thine audience.”
And in the chamber while they were about The treaty, which ye shall hereafter hear, The people came into the house without, And wonder’d them in how honést mannére And tenderly she kept her father dear; But utterly Griseldis wonder might, For never erst ne saw she such a sight.
No wonder is though that she be astoned, To see so great a guest come in that place, She never was to no such guestës woned; For which she looked with full palë face. But shortly forth this matter for to chase, These are the wordës that the marquis said To this benignë, very, faithful maid.
“Griseld’,” he said, “ye shall well understand, It liketh to your father and to me That I you wed, and eke it may so stand, As I suppose ye will that it so be: But these demandës ask I first,” quoth he, “Since that it shall be done in hasty wise; Will ye assent, or ellës you advise?
“I say this, be ye ready with good heart To all my lust, and that I freely may, As me best thinketh, do you laugh or smart, And never ye to grudgë, night nor day, And eke when I say Yea, ye say not Nay, Neither by word, nor frowning countenance? Swear this, and here I swear our álliance.”
Wond’ring upon this word, quaking for dread, She saidë; “Lord, indigne and unworthy Am I to this honoúr that ye me bede, But as ye will yourself, right so will I: And here I swear, that never willingly In word or thought I will you disobey, For to be dead; though me were loth to dey.”
“This is enough, Griselda mine,” quoth he. And forth he went with a full sober cheer, Out at the door, and after then came she, And to the people