The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 219v
4 of 15 folios
.I. schal my self to erbes techen ȝowe
130
Þat schal biene ȝoure hele & ȝoure prowe
And in þe gardine þo erbes schal .I. finde
Þe whiche haue of her properte be kinde
To purgen ȝowe be neþe & eke aboue
135
For ȝetteþ nouht þis for goddes owen loue
Ȝe bien ful colerik of complexioūe
Were þe sonne in his ascencioūe
Ne fynde ȝoue replite of ȝoure humers hote
And if it do ; .I. dare wele leie agrote
140
Þat ȝe schal haue a feuere t erciane
Or an Agwe þt maie be ȝour bane
A daye or tuo ȝe schal haue digestiones
Of wermes ar ȝe take ȝoure laxatiues
Of Laureole ; Centaure & of fymyter
145
Or elles of elobore þat groweþ þere
Of Catapuce or of gaitres buryes
Of herbe /yve\ groinge in owre gardine þat merery is
Peke hem vp riht as þei growe & ete hem inne
Bemery husbande for ȝoure faders kinne
150
Dredeþ no dreme .I. can sei ȝowe no more
Madame qd he gremercy of ȝoure lore
Bot naþeles as toucheinge dan Catoune
That haþ of wisdom suche grete renoune
155
Be god men maie in olde bokes reede
One of þe grettest Auctor oute of drede
And mony a man mor of auctorite
Than euer Caton was so mott .I. þe
That al þeuerese seine of her sentence
And haue wele founden be experience
160
Þat dremes be significacions
As wele of Ioye as of tribulacions
Þat folke enduren in þis lif persent
The nedeþ nouht to make of þis none argument
Þe verei preue scheweþ it in dede
165
One of þe grettest auctor þat men rede
Seiþ þus þat whilom tuo felawes ȝede
On pilgrenage in a ful grete nede
And happed so þei cam in to a toune
Where as þere was suche congregacione
170
Of peple and eke of streite herbigage
Þat þei fande as meche as a cotage .