The Physician's Tale
Folio 302r
1 of 2 folios
In which I pleyne vp on virginius
And ȝif he wele seyn it is not thus
I wele it preue / & fynde it good witnesse
170
That soth is that myn bille wele expresse
The Iuge answerde / of this in his absence
I may not ȝeue diffynytiue sentence
Lat do hȳ calle & I wele gladli here
Thow schalt haue alle ryȝt & no wrong heere
175
Virgynyus cam to wete xx the Iugis wille
And ryȝt a non was rad this curssede bylle
The sentence of it was as ȝe schul here
To ȝow myn lord sire apius so deere
Schewith ȝoure poure seruaū claudyus
180
How that a knygh / callyd virgynyus
A geyns the lawe a geyn alle equyte
Holdyth expres a geyn the wil of me
Myn seruant which that \is myn/ thral be ryȝt
Whiche frō myn hous was stole vp on a nyȝt
185
Whil that sche was ful ȝyng this wele I preue
By witnesse lord so that it nat ȝow greue
Sche nys his doughty / nat what so he seye
Wherefore to ȝow myn lord / ȝe Iuge I preye
Ȝilde me my thral / ȝif þt it be ȝoure wille
190
Lo this was al the sentens of his bille
Virginius gan vp on the cherl be holde
But hastyly er he his tale tolde
And wolde a preued it as schulde a knyȝt
And ek by witnesse of manye a wight
195
That it was fals that seyde his aduersarye
This cursede Iuge wolde no thyng tarye
Ne here a word more of virginius
But ȝaf his Iugement & seyde thus
I deme a noon / this cherl his seruaūt haue
200
Thow schalt no lengere / in thyn // ho\us here saue/
Go brynge hire forth / & putte hire in owere warde
This cherl schal han / his thral this I awrarde
And whan this worthi / knyȝt virgynyus
Thore sentence / of this Iustyse Apyus