The Physician's Tale
Folio 171v
5 of 8 folios
This fals Iuge goþ nowe fast aboute
To hasten his delite al þat he maie
160
And so be fel sone after on adaie
Þis fals Iuge as telleþ vs þe storie
As he was wonte satt in his Consistorie
And ȝaue his domes vpon sundre caas
This fals clerke cam forþe a wel good paas
165
And seide lorde if þat it be ȝoure wiƚƚ
As doþe me riht vpon þis pitous biƚƚ
In whiche .I. pleine vpon virgineus
And if þat he wil seine it is nouȝ þus
.I. wille preue it & finde good wittenesse
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Þat soþe is þat my biƚƚ wiƚƚ expresse
The Iuge ansewerde of þis in his absence
.I. maie not ȝif diffinitif sentence
Latt done him caƚƚ . & .I. wil gladly here
Thou schalt haue riht & no wronge here
175
Virgineus came to wite þe Iuges wiƚƚ
And riht a none was redde þis cursed biƚƚ
Þe sentence of hit was as ȝe schal here
To ȝowe my lorde ser Apius so dere
Scheweþ ȝoure pouer seruant Claudius
180
Howe þat a knyht called virgineus
Aȝeines þe lawe aȝeines al equite
Holdeþ expresse aȝeines þe wil of me
Mi seruant whiche þat is þraƚƚ be riht
Wyche from myne hous was stolne one a nyht
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Whiles sche was ful ȝonge .I. wiƚƚ it preue
Be wittenesse lorde so þat ȝe ȝowe nouht greue
Sche his nouht his douhter what so he seie
Where for my lorde þe Iugge to ȝowe .I. preie
Ȝelde me my þraƚƚ if it be ȝoure wil
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Lo þis was þe sentence of þe bil
Virgineus began vpon þe clerke be holde
Bote hastely ar he his tale tolde
He wolde haue defended it as scholde a knyht
And be wittenesse of mony a trewe wyht
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That al was fals þat seide his aduersarie
This Cursed Iuge wolde no longer tarie
Ne here a worde more of virgineus
Bot ȝaf his Iugement & seide þus
.I. deme anone þis clerk his seruant haue