The Physician's Tale
Folio 302v
2 of 2 folios
205
Muste be forse his dere douȝtyr ȝeuȳ~x
Vn to the Iuge in lecherye to lyuyn
He goth hym hom & settyth hȳ in his halle
And leet a non his deere douȝtyr calle
And with a face ded as aschyn colde
210
Vp on hire hūble face he gan by holde
With faderys pite styngynge thor his herte
Al wolde he not frō his purpos conuerte
Douȝtyr quod he virginia bi thyn name
There been two woyis othir ded or schame
215
That þu muste suffere allas that I was bore
For neuere thow diseruedist wherefore
To deyen with a swerd or wit a knyf
O deere douȝtyr endere of myn lyf
Which I haue fostered vp with swich plesaūce
220
That thow were neuere out of mȳ remēbraūce
O douȝt\yr/ which that art myn laste wo
And in myn lyf myn laste Ioye also
O gemme of chastite in pacience
Take thow thȳ deth for this is mȳ sentence
225
For loue & not for hate þu muste be deed
Myn pitous hand mote smytyn of thyn heed
Allas that euere apius the say
Thus hath he falsely Iuged the to day
And tolde hire al the cas as ȝe be fore .
230
Han herd / nought nedyth forto telle it more .
O mercy dere Fadyr quod this mayde .
And with that word sche bothe hire armys layde .
Aboute his nekke as sche was wont to do .
The teris broste out of hise eyen two
235
And seyde goode fadyr schal I deye
Is there no grace is there no remedye
No certis dere douȝtyr myn quod he
Thāne ȝeue me leue fadyr myn quod sche
Myn deth for to cōpleyne a lytyl space
240
Parde Iepte ȝaf his douȝtyr grace
For to compleyne er he hire slow allas
And god it wot no thyng was hire trespas