The Physician's Tale
Folio 181v
1 of 8 folios
I rede as for þe beste let it goon
For who so makeþ god his aduersarie
As for to werke eny þing in contrarie /
Vnto his wil certes neuer schal he þriue
760
Thougħ þat he multiplie terme of al his lyue
And þer a poynt for ended is my tale
God send euery trewe man boote of his bale /
¶ Here endeth þe chanoūs ȝeman his tale
¶ And here bygynneth þe tale of þe Doctor of of phisik
THer was as telleþ Thitus lyuius
A knight þat cleped was virgineus
Fulfild of honours and of worþines
And strong of frendes and of gret riches
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A doughter he hadde by his wyf
And neuer ne hadde he mo in al his lyf
Fair was þis mayde in excellent beaute /
Aboue euery wight that men may se
For nature haþ with souereyn diligence
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I formed hir in so gret excellence
As þough sche wolde say lo I nature
Þus can I forme and peynte a creature
Whan þat me lust who can me counterfete /
Pigmalion nouȝt þougħ he alwey forge and bete /
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Or graue or peynte for I dar wel sayn
Appollus zepherus schulde wirche in vayn
To graue or paynte or forge & bete
If þay presumed me to counterfete
For he þat is þe former principal
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Haþ maad me his viker general
To forme and peynte erþely creature
Right as me lust al þing is in my cure
Vnder þe moone þat may wane and waxe
And for my werke noþing wol I axe
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My lord and I ben fully at accord
I made hir to þe worschip of my lord
So do I aƚƚ myn oþer creatures
What colour þat þay been or what figures /
Thus semeþ me þat nature wolde say