The Physician's Tale
Folio 172v
7 of 8 folios
And god it wote no þinge was hire trespas
Bot þat sche raun hir fader first to see
To welcom him wiþ grete solempnite
245
And wiþ þat worde sche fel in swoune anone
And after whan hir swounynge was agone
Sche riseþ vpe & to hire fader seide
Blissed be god þat .I. schal deye a meide
Ȝif me my deþe ar þat .I. haue a schame
250
Doþe wiþ ȝoure Childe ȝoure wil a goddesname
And wiþ þat word sche praieþ ful oft
Þat wiþ his swerde he scholde smite hir softe
And wiþ þat worde in swoune doune sche felle
Hir fader wiþ ful sorweful hert & felle
255
Hir heued of smote & betoppe it hent
And to þe Iuge he ȝaue it to persent
As he satt in his dome in consistorie
Whan þe Iuge it sauhe as seiþe þe storie
He badde take him & honge him also fast
260
Bot riht a none al þe peple in þrast
To saue þe knyht for reuþe & for pyte
For knowen was þe foles iniquite
Þe peple anone hadd susspecte in þis þinge
Be maner of þis clerkes chalangeinge
265
Þat it was be þe assent of Apius
That wist wele þat he was lycherous
For whiche vn to þis Apius þei gone
And kesten him in pison riht a none
Whereas he slowhe him self & Claudius
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That seruant was vn to þis Apius
Was demed for to honge vpon a tre
Bot virgineus of his grete Pite
Praide for him þat he was exiled
And elles certes he hadde be by gilede
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The remenant were honged more & lesse
That consented were to þis cursednesse
Here maye men see how sinne haþe his merite
Be war for no man wote howe god wil smyte
In no degre nein wyche maner wise
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Þe werme of conscience wil arise
Of wikked lif þouhe it so piue be
Þat noman woot of it bot god & he
Wheþer he be lewde man or lerede
He note howe sone he maie bee aferde