The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 366r
3 of 14 folios
115
For feer of blake beris / or of bolys blake
Or ellis blake deuyllis wole hem take
Of othere humoris coude I telle also
That werkyn manye a man in sleep ful wo
But I wele passe as lyghtely as I can
120
Lo Catoū which that was so wis a man
Seyde he nat thus ne do no fors of dremys
Now sire quod sche whā we flye frō the bemys
For godis loue tak sū laxatyf
Vp peril of mȳ soule & of myn lyf
125
I conseyle ȝow the beste I wele nat lye
That bothe of colere & of malencolye
Ȝe porge ȝow & for ȝe schal nat tarye
Thow in this toū is non apotecarye
I schal mȳ self to erbis techȳ ȝow
130
That schul been for ȝoure hele & for ȝore prow
And in oure ȝerd two erbis schal I fynde
The whiche hā of here propirte by kynde
To porge ȝow be nethe & ek a bove
135
For ȝet nat this for godis owene lowe
Ȝe been ful colerik of cōplexioū
Ware the sūne in his ascencioū
Ne fynde ȝow nat replet / of humoris hoote
For yef he do / I dar leye a grote.
140
That ȝe schul han a feuere terciane
Or an agu that may been ȝore bane
A day or two ȝe schul haue digestivis
Of wermys er ȝe take ȝore laxatyues
Of lauriole sentaurye / & fumeteere
145
Or ellis of Elebre that growith theere
Of Catapuce / or of Gattris beryis
Or Erbe Iue that growith ī oure ȝerd theere merye is
Pikke hē vp righ as they growe & ete hem in
Be merye husbonde for ȝore fadyr kyn
150
Dredyth no dreem I cā seye ȝow no moore
Madame quod he graūnt mercy of ȝore lore
But natheles as touchith daū Catoū
That hath of wisdam swich a greet renoū