The Physician's Tale
Folio 182v
3 of 8 folios
To soone rype and bold . as men may se /
Which is ful perilous and haþ ben ȝore
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For al to soone may sche lerne lore
Of boldenesse whan sche is a wyf
And ȝe maystresses in ȝoure olde lyf
That lordes doughtres han in gouernaūce
Ne takeþ of my word no displesaunce /
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Thinges þat ben set in gouernynges
Of lordes douȝtres oonly for tuo þinges /
Ouþer for ȝe han kept ȝour honeste
Oþer elles ȝe han falle in frelete
And knowe wel y nougħ þe olde daunce
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And conne forsake fully meschaunce
For euermo þerfore for cristes sake /
Kepeþ wel þo þat ȝe vndertake
A þeof of venesoun þat haþ forlaft
His licorousnesse and al his theues craft
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Can kepe a forest best of eny man
Now kepe hir wel for and ȝe wil ȝe can
Loke wel to no vice ȝe assent
Lest ȝe be dampned for ȝour wicked entent
For who so doþ a traytour is certayn
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And takeþ keep of þat þat sche schal sayn
Of al tresoun souereyn pestilence
Is whan a wigħt bytrayeth Innocence
Ȝe fadres and ȝe modres eek also
Thougħ ȝe han children be it oon or mo
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Ȝoure is þe charge of al her sufferaunce
Whiles þay be vnder ȝour gouernaunce /
Beth war þat by ensample of ȝoure lyuynge
Ouþer by necligence in chastisynge
That þay ne perische for I dar wel seye
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If þat þay doon ȝe schul fulsore abeye
Vnder a schepherd softe and necligent
The wolf haþ many a schep and lamb torent
Sufficeþ oon ensample now as here
For I moot turne aȝein to my matiere
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This mayde of which I telle my tale expresse