The Canon's Yeoman-Physician Link
Folio 169r
1 of 2 folios
Is of secre of secretees parde
Also þere was a disciple of Plato
730
Þat on a time seide his maister to
As his booke somer wil bere wittnesse
And þis was his demaunde in soþefastnesse
Tel me þe name of þe piue stoone
And plato ansewerd vn to him a none
735
Take þat titanus men name
Whiche is þat qd he Magnesia is þe same
Seide plato ; ȝe sir & es it þus
Þis is ignotum par ignocius
What is magnesia good sire .I. preie
740
It is a wat er þat is maad .I. seie
Of elementes foure qd plato
Tel me þe roches good ser qd he þo
Of þat water if it be ȝoure wiƚƚ
Naie naie qd plato certeine þat .I. nyƚƚ
745
The philosophres wer sworne euerychōn
Þat þei scholde discouere it to no mōn
Ne in no booke it write in no manere
For vnto criste it is so leue & dere
Þat he wil nouȝt þat it discouerd be
750
Bot where so it likeþ to his deite
Man to enspire & eke to defende
Whome þat him lykeþ lo þis is þe ende
That conclude .I. þus seþen þat god of heuen
Ne wil not þat þe philofres neven
755
Howe þat aman schal com vn to þis stone
.I. rede as for þe beste latt it gone
For who so makeþ god his aduersarie
As for to worche any þinge in contrarye
Vnto his wil certes neuer schal he þriue
760
Thouhe þat he multiplie terme of his liue
And þere a pointe for endid is my tale
God sende euery trewman bote of his bale
Incipit prologĂ« Magrī Phisici.
NOwe trewly qd oure Oste þis is a prati tale
For litel merveile it is þat þou lokest so pale
Seþen þou hast medeled wiþ so mony þinges
Wiþ bloweinge att þe cole to melte boþe brochez & ringes
5
And opere many Iewels dar .I. vnder take
And þat þi lorde couþe vs tel ; if we myht him ouere take