The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Introduction
• Errata.
• Additions to ‘the Minor Poems’ In Vol. I.
• XXIV.: Womanly Noblesse.
• XXV.: Complaint to My Mortal Foe.
• XXVI.: Complaint to My Lode-sterre.
• Notes to the Preceding Poems.
• The Canterbury Tales. Group A.
• The Prologue.
• The Knightes Tale.
• The Miller’s Prologue.
• The Milleres Tale.
• The Reeve’s Prologue.
• The Reves Tale.
• The Cook’s Prologue.
• The Cokes Tale.
• Group B.
• Introduction to the Man of Law’s Prologue. (t. 4421-4446.)
• The Tale of the Man of Lawe.
• The Shipman’s Prologue.
• The Shipmannes Tale.
• The Prioress’s Prologue. (t. 13365-13382.)
• The Prioresses Tale.
• Prologue to Sir Thopas. (t. 13621-13641.)
• Sir Thopas.
• Prologue to Melibeus. (t. 13847-13875.)
• The Tale of Melibeus.
• The Monk’s Prologue. (t. 13895-13924.)
• The Monkes Tale.
• The Prologue of the Nonne Prestes Tale. (t. 14773-14798).
• The Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Group C.
• The Phisiciens Tale. (t. 11935-11957.)
• Words of the Host. (t. 12221-12239.)
• The Prologue of the Pardoners Tale. (t. 12263-12288).
• The Pardoners Tale. ( Numbered In Continuation of the Preceding. )
• Group D.
• The Wife of Bath’s Prologue. (t. 5583-5602; For T. 5582, See P. 164.)
• The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe.
• The Friar’s Prologue. (t. 6847-6868).
• The Freres Tale.
• The Somnour’s Prologue. (t. 7247-7270.)
• The Somnours Tale.
• Group E.
• The Clerk’s Prologue. (t. 7877-7898.)
• The Clerkes Tale.
• The Merchant’s Prologue. (t. 9089-9120).
• The Marchantes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Marchantes Tale.
• Group F.
• The Squieres Tale. (t. 10315-10334).
• The Franklin’s Prologue. (t. 11021-11040).
• The Frankeleyns Tale.
• Group G.
• The Seconde Nonnes Tale.
• The Canon’s Yeoman’s Prologue. (t. 16022-16043.)
• The Chanouns Yemannes Tale.
• Group H.
• The Manciple’s Prologue. (t. 16950-16968).
• The Maunciples Tale.
• Group I.
• The Parson’s Prologue. (t. 17312-17330).
• The Persones Tale.
• Appendix to Group A.
• The Tale of Gamelyn.

THE PHISICIENS TALE.
(T. 11935-11957.)

*∗* For a spurious Prologue, see p. 289.

• THER was, as telleth Titus Livius,
• A knight that called was Virginius,
• Fulfild of honour and of worthinesse,
• And strong of freendes and of greet richesse.
• This knight a doghter hadde by his wyf,5
• No children hadde he mo in al his lyf.
• Fair was this mayde in excellent beautee
• Aboven every wight that man may see;
• For nature hath with sovereyn diligence
• Y-formed hir in so greet excellence,10
• As though she wolde seyn, ‘lo! I, Nature,
• Thus can I forme and peynte a creature,
• Whan that me list; who can me countrefete?
• Pigmalion noght, though he ay forge and bete,
• Or grave, or peynte; for I dar wel seyn,15
• Apelles, Zanzis, sholde werche in veyn,
• Outher to grave or peynte or forge or bete,
• If they presumed me to countrefete.
• For he that is the former principal
• Hath maked me his vicaire general,20
• To forme and peynten erthely creaturis
• Right as me list, and ech thing in my cure is
• Under the mone, that may wane and waxe,
• And for my werk right no-thing wol I axe;
• My lord and I ben ful of oon accord;25
• I made hir to the worship of my lord.
• So do I alle myne othere creatures,
• What colour that they han, or what figures.’—
• Thus semeth me that Nature wolde seye.
• This mayde of age twelf yeer was and tweye,30
• In which that Nature hadde swich delyt.
• For right as she can peynte a lilie whyt
• And reed a rose, right with swich peynture
• She peynted hath this noble creature
• Er she were born, up-on hir limes free,35
• Wher-as by right swiche colours sholde be;
• And Phebus dyed hath hir tresses grete
• Lyk to the stremes of his burned hete.
• And if that excellent was hir beautee,
• A thousand-fold more vertuous was she.40
• In hir ne lakked no condicioun,
• That is to preyse, as by discrecioun.
• As wel in goost as body chast was she;
• For which she floured in virginitee
• With alle humilitee and abstinence,45
• With alle attemperaunce and pacience,
• With mesure eek of bering and array.
• Discreet she was in answering alway;
• Though she were wys as Pallas, dar I seyn,
• Hir facound eek ful wommanly and pleyn,50
• No countrefeted termes hadde she
• To seme wys; but after hir degree
• She spak, and alle hir wordes more and lesse
• Souninge in vertu and in gentillesse.
• Shamfast she was in maydens shamfastnesse,55
• Constant in herte, and ever in bisinesse
• To dryve hir out of ydel slogardye.
• Bacus hadde of hir mouth right no maistrye;
• For wyn and youthe doon Venus encrece,
• As men in fyr wol casten oile or grece.60
• And of hir owene vertu, unconstreyned,
• She hath ful ofte tyme syk hir feyned,
• For that she wolde fleen the companye
• Wher lykly was to treten of folye,
• As is at festes, revels, and at daunces,65
• That been occasions of daliaunces.
• Swich thinges maken children for to be
• To sone rype and bold, as men may see,
• Which is ful perilous, and hath ben yore.
• For al to sone may she lerne lore70
• Of boldnesse, whan she woxen is a wyf.
• And ye maistresses in your olde lyf,
• That lordes doghtres han in governaunce,
• Ne taketh of my wordes no displesaunce;
• Thenketh that ye ben set in governinges75
• Of lordes doghtres, only for two thinges;
• Outher for ye han kept your honestee,
• Or elles ye han falle in freletee,
• And knowen wel y-nough the olde daunce,
• And han forsaken fully swich meschaunce80
• For evermo; therfore, for Cristes sake,
• To teche hem vertu loke that ye ne slake.
• A theef of venisoun, that hath forlaft
• His likerousnesse, and al his olde craft,
• Can kepe a forest best of any man.85
• Now kepeth hem wel, for if ye wol, ye can;
• Loke wel that ye un-to no vice assente,
• Lest ye be dampned for your wikke entente;
• For who-so doth, a traitour is certeyn.
• And taketh kepe of that that I shal seyn;90
• Of alle tresons sovereyn pestilence
• Is whan a wight bitrayseth innocence.
• Ye fadres and ye modres eek also,
• Though ye han children, be it oon or two,
• Your is the charge of al hir surveyaunce,95
• Whyl that they been under your governaunce.
• Beth war that by ensample of your livinge,
• Or by your necligence in chastisinge,
• That they ne perisse; for I dar wel seye,
• If that they doon, ye shul it dere abeye.100
• Under a shepherde softe and necligent
• The wolf hath many a sheep and lamb to-rent.
• Suffyseth oon ensample now as here,
• For I mot turne agayn to my matere.
• This mayde, of which I wol this tale expresse,105
• So kepte hir-self, hir neded no maistresse;
• For in hir living maydens mighten rede,
• As in a book, every good word or dede,
• That longeth to a mayden vertuous;
• She was so prudent and so bountevous.110
• For which the fame out-sprong on every syde
• Bothe of hir beautee and hir bountee wyde;
• That thurgh that land they preysed hir echone,
• That loved vertu, save envye allone,
• That sory is of other mennes wele,115
• And glad is of his sorwe and his unhele;
• (The doctour maketh this descripcioun).
• This mayde up-on a day wente in the toun
• Toward a temple, with hir moder dere,
• As is of yonge maydens the manere.120
• Now was ther thanne a Iustice in that toun,
• That governour was of that regioun.
• And so bifel, this Iuge his eyen caste
• Up-on this mayde, avysinge him ful faste,
• As she cam forby ther this Iuge stood.125
• Anon his herte chaunged and his mood,
• So was he caught with beautee of this mayde;
• And to him-self ful prively he sayde,
• ‘This mayde shal be myn, for any man.’
• Anon the feend in-to his herte ran,130
• And taughte him sodeynly, that he by slighte
• The mayden to his purpos winne mighte.
• For certes, by no force, ne by no mede,
• Him thoughte, he was nat able for to spede;
• For she was strong of freendes, and eek she135
• Confermed was in swich soverayn bountee,
• That wel he wiste he mighte hir never winne
• As for to make hir with hir body sinne.
• For which, by greet deliberacioun,
• He sente after a cherl, was in the toun,140
• Which that he knew for subtil and for bold.
• This Iuge un-to this cherl his tale hath told
• In secree wyse, and made him to ensure,
• He sholde telle it to no creature,
• And if he dide, he sholde lese his heed.145
• Whan that assented was this cursed reed,
• Glad was this Iuge and maked him greet chere,
• And yaf hym yiftes preciouse and dere.
• Whan shapen was al hir conspiracye
• Fro point to point, how that his lecherye150
• Parfourned sholde been ful subtilly,
• As ye shul here it after openly,
• Hoom gooth the cherl, that highte Claudius.
• This false Iuge that highte Apius,
• So was his name, (for this is no fable,155
• But knowen for historial thing notable,
• The sentence of it sooth is, out of doute),
• This false Iuge gooth now faste aboute
• To hasten his delyt al that he may.
• And so bifel sone after, on a day,160
• This false Iuge, as telleth us the storie,
• As he was wont, sat in his consistorie,
• And yaf his domes up-on sondry cas.
• This false cherl cam forth a ful greet pas,
• And seyde, ‘lord, if that it be your wille,165
• As dooth me right up-on this pitous bille,
• In which I pleyne up-on Virginius.
• And if that he wol seyn it is nat thus,
• I wol it preve, and finde good witnesse,
• That sooth is that my bille wol expresse.’170
• The Iuge answerde, ‘of this, in his absence,
• I may nat yeve diffinitif sentence.
• Lat do him calle, and I wol gladly here;
• Thou shalt have al right, and no wrong here.’
• Virginius cam, to wite the Iuges wille,175
• And right anon was rad this cursed bille;
• The sentence of it was as ye shul here.
• ‘To yow, my lord, sire Apius so dere,
• Sheweth your povre servant Claudius,
• How that a knight, called Virginius,180
• Agayns the lawe, agayn al equitee,
• Holdeth, expres agayn the wil of me,
• My servant, which that is my thral by right,
• Which fro myn hous was stole up-on a night,
• Whyl that she was ful yong; this wol I preve185
• By witnesse, lord, so that it nat yow greve.
• She nis his doghter nat, what so he seye;
• Wherfore to yow, my lord the Iuge, I preye,
• Yeld me my thral, if that it be your wille.’
• Lo! this was al the sentence of his bille.190
• Virginius gan up-on the cherl biholde,
• But hastily, er he his tale tolde,
• And wolde have preved it, as sholde a knight,
• And eek by witnessing of many a wight,
• That it was fals that seyde his adversarie,195
• This cursed Iuge wolde no-thing tarie,
• Ne here a word more of Virginius,
• But yaf his Iugement, and seyde thus:—
• ‘I deme anon this cherl his servant have;
• Thou shalt no lenger in thyn hous hir save.200
• Go bring hir forth, and put hir in our warde,
• The cherl shal have his thral, this I awarde.’
• And whan this worthy knight Virginius,
• Thurgh sentence of this Iustice Apius,
• Moste by force his dere doghter yiven205
• Un-to the Iuge, in lecherye to liven,
• He gooth him hoom, and sette him in his halle,
• And leet anon his dere doghter calle,
• And, with a face deed as asshen colde,
• Upon hir humble face he gan biholde,210
• With fadres pitee stiking thurgh his herte,
• Al wolde he from his purpose nat converte.
• ‘Doghter,’ quod he, ‘Virginia, by thy name,
• Ther been two weyes, outher deeth or shame,
• That thou most suffre; allas! that I was bore!215
• For never thou deservedest wherfore
• To dyen with a swerd or with a knyf.
• O dere doghter, ender of my lyf,
• Which I have fostred up with swich plesaunce,
• That thou were never out of my remembraunce!220
• O doghter, which that art my laste wo,
• And in my lyf my laste Ioye also,
• O gemme of chastitee, in pacience
• Take thou thy deeth, for this is my sentence.
• For love and nat for hate, thou most be deed;225
• My pitous hand mot smyten of thyn heed.
• Allas! that ever Apius thee say!
• Thus hath he falsly Iuged thee to-day’—
• And tolde hir al the cas, as ye bifore
• Han herd; nat nedeth for to telle it more.230
• ‘O mercy, dere fader,’ quod this mayde,
• And with that word she both hir armes layde
• About his nekke, as she was wont to do:
• The teres broste out of hir eyen two,
• And seyde, ‘gode fader, shal I dye?235
• Is ther no grace? is ther no remedye?’
• ‘No, certes, dere doghter myn,’ quod he.
• ‘Thanne yif me leyser, fader myn,’ quod she,
• ‘My deeth for to compleyne a litel space;
• For pardee, Iepte yaf his doghter grace240
• For to compleyne, er he hir slow, allas!
• And god it woot, no-thing was hir trespas,
• But for she ran hir fader first to see,
• To welcome him with greet solempnitee.’
• And with that word she fil aswowne anon,245
• And after, whan hir swowning is agon,
• She ryseth up, and to hir fader sayde,
• ‘Blessed be god, that I shal dye a mayde.
• Yif me my deeth, er that I have a shame;
• Doth with your child your wil, a goddes name!’250
• And with that word she preyed him ful ofte,
• That with his swerd he wolde smyte softe,
• And with that word aswowne doun she fil.
• Hir fader, with ful sorweful herte and wil,
• Hir heed of smoot, and by the top it hente,255
• And to the Iuge he gan it to presente,
• As he sat yet in doom in consistorie.
• And whan the Iuge it saugh, as seith the storie,
• He bad to take him and anhange him faste.
• But right anon a thousand peple in thraste,260
• To save the knight, for routhe and for pitee,
• For knowen was the false iniquitee.
• The peple anon hath suspect of this thing,
• By manere of the cherles chalanging,
• That it was by the assent of Apius;265
• They wisten wel that he was lecherous.
• For which un-to this Apius they gon,
• And caste him in a prison right anon,
• Wher-as he slow him-self; and Claudius,
• That servant was un-to this Apius,270
• Was demed for to hange upon a tree;
• But that Virginius, of his pitee,
• So preyde for him that he was exyled;
• And elles, certes, he had been bigyled.
• The remenant were anhanged, more and lesse,275
• That were consentant of this cursednesse.—
• Heer men may seen how sinne hath his meryte!
• Beth war, for no man woot whom god wol smyte
• In no degree, ne in which maner wyse
• The worm of conscience may agryse280
• Of wikked lyf, though it so privee be,
• That no man woot ther-of but god and he.
• For be he lewed man, or elles lered,
• He noot how sone that he shal been afered.
• Therfore I rede yow this conseil take,285
• Forsaketh sinne, er sinne yow forsake.

[2. ]Hn called was; E. was called; rest cleped was.

[16. ]E. Hn. Apelles; Hl. Appollus; rest Apollus. E. Hn. Zanzis; rest zephirus(!).

[25. ]E. Hn. ful of oon; rest fully at.

[49. ]Cp. Pt. Ln. as; rest om.

[50. ]E. a (for and).

[55. ]E. Shamefast. E. om. in.

[59. ]E. Hn. dooth; rest doon. E. Hn. encresse.

[60. ]E. man; rest men. E. wasten; rest casten. E. oille; greesse.

[67. ]E. Hn. thyng; rest thinges.

[70. ]E. Hn. they; rest she.

[80. ]E. Hn. han; rest conne.

[82. ]So E. Hn.; rest Kepeth wel tho that ye undertake.

[84. ]E. Hn. olde; rest theves.

[86. ]Read kep’th; E. Hn. om. hem; Hl. hir (!). E. wolde; rest wole (wil).

[92. ]E. Hn. bitrayseth; rest betrayeth.

[95. ]E. Hn. surveiaunce; rest sufferaunce (suffraunce).

[97. ]E. Hn. if; rest that.

[99. ]E. Hn. om. ne.

[103. ]E. om. both lines; I follow Hn. and the rest.

[104. ]E. om. both lines; I follow Hn. and the rest.

[105. ]E. Hn. I wol this; rest I telle my.

[119. ]E. Hn. a; rest the.

[125. ]E. Hn. ther as; rest om. as.

[138. ]E. maken; rest make.

[140. ]E. Hn. cherl; rest clerk.

[142. ]E. Hn. cherl; rest clerk.

[147. ]E. Hn. this; rest the.

[149. ]E. Hn. hir; rest this.

[153. ]E. Hn. cherl; rest clerk.

[155. ]E. Hn. this; rest it.

[164. ]E. Hn. cherl; rest clerk.

[172. ]E. diffynyue; rest diffinitif.

[173. ]E. heere, glossed audire; and heere, glossed hic.

[174. ]E. heere, glossed audire; and heere, glossed hic.

[191. ]E. Hn. Cm. cherl; rest clerk.

[199. ]E. Hn. Cm. cherl; rest clerk.

[202. ]E. Hn. Cm. cherl; rest clerk.

202. E. Hn. Cm. this; rest thus.

[205. ]Hl. Cp. yiuen; rest yeuen.

[223. ]E. o; rest of.

[234. ]E. Hn. teeris. E. bruste; Cm. broste; Pt. brosten; Hn. borste; Cp. Ln. barsten; Hl. brast.

[243. ]E. Hn. for; rest first.

[248. ]E. Ln. Blissed; rest Blessed.

[252. ]All but E. Hn. ins. hir before softe.

[259. ]E. Hn. anhange; rest honge.

[260. ]E. Hn. a thousand; rest al the.

[263. ]E. of; rest in.

[264. ]E. Hn. the cherles; rest this clerkes.

[269. ]E. Hn. Ther; rest Wher.

[271. ]E. And; rest Was.

[275. ]E. Hn. Hl. anhanged; rest honged.

[278. ]E. Hn. whom; rest how.

[280. ]E. Hn. may agryse; rest wol (wil) arise.

[283. ]E. ellis. Cp. Ln Whether he be lewed man or lered; so Pt. (with Where for Whether); so Hl. (with Wher that for Whether).

Colophon.So E. Hn.; Sloane has Here endethe the tale of the Mayster of phisyk; Hl. Here endeth the Doctor of phisique his tale.