The Physician's Tale
Folio 170v
3 of 8 folios
Ne takeþ of mi worde no displesance
75
Thinges þat bien set in gouernynges
Of lordes douhtres only for tuo þinges
Eyþer for ȝe han kepped ȝoure honeste
Or elles ȝe haue faƚƚ in frelte
And knowe wele ynowhe þe olde daunce
80
And konne for saake fully meschaunce
For euere mo þer fore for crist saak
Kepeþ wel þo þat ȝe vndertak
A þef of venison þat haþ for laft
His lycorusnesse & al his þefes craft
85
Kan kepe a forest best ony man
Nowe kepeþe hem wele for ȝe wele can
Lokeþ wele to no vice þat ȝe assent
Lest be dampned for ȝoure yuel entent
For who so doþe a traitor is certeine
90
And takeþ of þat \þ / .I. schal seine
Of al tresoū suffreine pestelence
Is whan a whight be trayeþ Innocence
Ȝe faders & ȝe moders eke also
Þouhe ȝe haue childern be it on or mo
95
Ȝoure is þe charge of al her suffrance
Whiles þei bien vnder gouernance
Beþe ware þat be ensample of ȝoure leueinge
Eyþer be necligence in chastisinge
Þat þei ne perische .I. dare wele seie
100
Ȝif þat þei done ȝe schol ful sore abye
Vnder a scheperd soft & necligent
Þe wolf haþ mony a schepe & lāme to rent
Sufficit one ensample nowe as here
For .I. most torne aȝeine to matiere
105
This maide of whiche .y tel my tale expresse
Sche kepped hir self sche neded no maistresse
For in hire leueynge maydens myht rede
As in a boke euery good worde & dede
Þat longeþ to a mayden vertuous
110
Sche was so perrudent & so bounteuous
For whiche oute spronge on euery side
Boþe of hir beute & hire bounte wide
Þat þoruhe þe londe þei persede hir ychon
Þat loued verteus saue envye alone
115
Þat sory is of oþer mennes wele