The Phisiciens Tale

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,

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,

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,

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,

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;

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,

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,

Wher-as by right swiche colours sholde be;

And Phebus dyed hath hir tresses grete