The Physician's Tale
Folio 170r
2 of 8 folios
For riht as sche kan peinte as lyle white
An Rode as rose riht wiþ suche peinture
Sche peinted haþe þis noble creature
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Ar sche was borne vppon hir lī~mes fre
Were als briht as suche coloures scholde be
And phebus hadd dyed hire tresses grete
Lyke to þe stremes of his burned hete
And if þat excellent was hire beute
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A þousand folde mor vertuous was sche
In hire ne lakkeþ no condicione
Þat is to preise as be discrecione
As wele in body . as goste chast was schee
For whiche sche floured in virginite
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Wiþ al humilite & abstinence
And wiþ al attemperance & pacience
Wiþ mesure eke & bereinge of araie
Discrete sche was in ansewa\r/inge alweie
Þouhe sche were wise as pallas dar .I. seine
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Hire faukonde eke ful wōmanly & pleyne
None conterfeted termes hadde sche
To seme wise bot after hir degre
Sche spakk & al hir wordes more & lesse
Souneinge in vertue & in gentillesse
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Schamefast sche was in maidens schamfastnesse
Constant in hert & euer in his besinesse
To dryue hire oute of hire slogardie
Bachus hadde of hire mouþe no maistre
For wil & þouht to done venus encrese
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As men in fire wil kasten oyle or grese
And of hir owen vertue vnconstreyned
Sche haþe ful oft time hire seke feyned
For þat sche wolde flye þe companye
Wher likly was to treten of folye
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As es att festes reueles & att daunces
Þat bene occasione of dalyaunces
Suche þinges maken childern for to bee
To sone Ripe & bolde as men maie see
Whiche is ful perilous & haþe be ȝore
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For al to sone maie sche leren lore
Of boldenesse whan sche is a wyfe
And ȝe maistresses in ȝoure olde life
Þat lordes douhters haue in gouernaūce