The Physician's Tale
Folio 182r
2 of 8 folios
30
This mayde was of age twelf ȝer and tway
In which þat nature haþ suche delite
For right as sche can peynte a lili white
And rody as rose right with such peynture
Sche peynted haþ þis noble creature
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Er sche was born vpon hir limes fre
Were als bright as such colour schulde be /
And phebus deyed hadde hire tresses grete
I lyk to þe stremes of his borned hete
And if þat excellent was hir beaute
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A þousand fold more vertuous was sche
And hire ne lakkeþ no condiciou~
That is to preyse as by discreciou~
As wel in body as goost chaste was sche
For which sche floured in virginite
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With aƚƚ humilite and abstinence
With aƚƚ attemperaunce and pacience
With mesure eek and beryng of array
Discret sche was in answeryng alway
Though sche were wis pallas dar I sayn
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Hir faucond eek ful wōmanly and playn
Noon countrefeted termes hadde sche
To seme wys but after hir degre
Sche spak and alle hire wordes more and lesse
Sovnyng in vertu and in gentilesse
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Schamefast sche was in maydenes schamfastnesse
Constant in hert . and euer in besynesse
To dryue hire out of hir slogardye
Bachus had of hir mouþ no maistrye
For wille and þougħt doon venus encrece
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As men in fuyr wil caste oyle or grece
And of hir oughne vertu unconstreigned
Sche haþ ful ofte tyme hire seek y feyned
For þat sche wolde fleen þe companye
Wher likly was to treten of folye
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As is at festes reueles and at daunces
That ben occasiouns of daliaunces
Suche þinges maken children for to be /