Janicola '"  men  of  that  thorpe  Iiim  call.
A  daughter  had  he,  fau'  enough  to  sight,
And  Grisildis  this  yomige  maiden  hight.
But  for  to  speako  of  vii'tuous  beaute.
Then  was  she  one  the  fairest  under  sun  ;

For  poorely  i-fostercd  up  was  she.
No  lecherous  lust  was  in  her  body  run  ;

WeU  offer  of  the  well  than  of  the  tun

She  drank,  and  for  she  wolde  vh-tue  please,  160

She  knew  well  labom-,  but  none  idle  ease.
But  though  this  maiden  tender  were  of  age.
Yet  in  the  breast  of  her  ™'ginite
There  was  enclosed  ripe  and  sad  courage  :"

And  in  great  reverence  and  charitc

Her  olde  poorc  father  fostered  she ;

A  few  sheep,  spinning  on  the  field,'-  she  kept,

She  wolde  not  ben  idle  tiU  she  slept.
And  when  she  homeward  came  she  wolde  bring

Wortcs  or  other  herbcs  times  oft,  170

The  which  she  shi-ed  and  seethed  for  her  li\-ing.
And  made  her  bed  full  hard,  and  nothing  soft.
And  aye  she  kejit  her  father's  life  aloft,
With  eveiy  obeisance  and  ilihgcncc.
That  child  may  doon  to  father's  reverence.
Upon  Grisild,  the  poore  creatiire.
Fill  ofte  sith  '^  this  marquis  set  his  eye,

As  he  a-hunting  rode  par  avcntflre.'*

And  when  it  fell  that  he  might  her  espy.
He  not  with  wanton  looking  of  folve  180


'"  Janicola.  Giannucola  is  the  name  in  the  original  story,  and
Boccaccio's  heroine  is  called  Griselda ;  Petrarch  Latinised  this  into
Brisildis,  and  Chaucer's  spelling  of  the  name  is  iaiflueneed  by
Petrarch's  Latin  form.
