The Doctour maketh this discripcioun.
This maide upon a day118 wente in the toun
Toward a temple, with hir moder deere,
120 As is of yonge maidens the manere120.
Now was ther thanne a justice in that toun
That governour was of that regioun;
And so bifel, this juge hise eyen caste
Upon this maide, avisinge him ful faste124,
125 As she cam forby ther125 this juge stood.
Anoon his herte chaunged and his mood,
So was he caught with beautee of this maide.
And to himself ful prively128 he saide:
‘This maide shal be min, for129 any man!’
130 Anon the feend130 into his herte ran,
And taughte him sodeinly that he by slighte131
The maiden to his purpos winne mighte.
For certes, by no force ne by no meede133
Him thoughte he was nat able for to speede134,
135 For she was strong of135 freendes, and eek she
Confermed136 was in swich soverein bountee,
That wel he wiste137 he mighte hire nevere winne
As for to make hir with hir body sinne.
For which, by greet deliberacioun,
140 He sente after a cherl was140 in the toun,
Which that he knew for subtil141 and for bold.
This juge unto this cherl his tale hath told
In secree wise143, and made him to ensure
He sholde telle it to no creature,
145 And if he dide, he sholde lese145 his heed.
Whan that assented146 was this cursed reed,
Glad was this juge and maked him gret cheere147,
And yaf him yiftes preciouse and deere.
Whan shapen was al hir conspiracye
150 Fro point to point150, how that his lecherye
Parfourned151 sholde been ful subtilly –
As ye shul heere it after openly –
Hoom goth the cherl, that highte153 Claudius.
This false juge, that highte Apius –
155 So was his name, for this is no fable,
But knowen for historial thing notable156;
The sentence157 of it sooth is, out of doute –
This false juge gooth158 now faste aboute158
To hasten159 his delit al that he may.
160 And so bifel, soone after, on a day,
This false juge, as telleth us the storye,
As he was wont, sat in his consistorye162,
And yaf his domes163 upon sondry cas.
This false cherl cam forth a ful gret pas164
165 And seide, ‘Lord, if that it be youre wille,
As dooth me right166 upon this pitous bille,
In which I pleine upon167 Virginius.
And if that he wol seyn it is nat thus,
I wol it preve, and finde good witnesse
170 That sooth170 is that my bille wol expresse.’
The juge answerde: ‘Of this in his absence
I may nat yeve diffinitif172 sentence.
Lat do him calle173, and I wol gladly heere;
Thow shalt have al right174, and no wrong heere.’
175 Virginius cam, to wite175 the juges wille,
And right anon was rad176 this cursed bille.
The sentence177 of it was as ye shul heere:
‘To yow, my lord sire Apius so deere,
Sheweth179 youre povre servant Claudius
180 How that a knight, called Virginius,
Agains the lawe, again al equitee,
Holdeth expres again182 the wil of me
My servant, which that is my thral183 by right,
Which fro min hous was stole184 upon a night
185 Whil that she was ful yong; this wol I preve
By witnesse, lord, so that186 it nat yow greve.
She nis his doghter nat, whatso he seye.
Wherfore to yow, my lord the juge, I preye,
Yeld189 me my thral, if that it be youre wille!’
190 Lo, this was al the sentence of his bille.
Virginius gan upon the cherl biholde;
But hastily, er he his tale tolde,
And wolde have preved it as sholde a knight,
And eek by witnessinge of many a wight,
195 That it was fals that seide his adversarye,
This cursed juge wolde nothing tarye,
Ne here a word moore of Virginius,
But yaf his juggement and seide thus:
‘I deme199 anon this cherl his servant have.
200 Thow shalt no lenger in thin hous hir save200;
Go bring hire forth, and put hire in oure201 warde.
The cherl shal have his thral; this I awarde202.’
And whan this worthy knight Virginius,
Thurgh sentence of this justice Apius,
205 Moste by force his deere doghter yeven
Unto the juge, in lecherye to liven,
He gooth him hoom, and sette him207 in his halle,
And leet208 anoon his deere doghter calle208;
And with a face deed as asshen209 colde
210 Upon hir humble face he gan biholde,
With fadres pitee stikinge211 thurgh his herte,
Al wolde he from his purpos nat converte212.
‘Doghter,’ quod he, ‘Virginia, by thy name,
Ther been two weyes, outher deeth or shame,
215 That thow most suffre – allas, that I was bore215!
For nevere thow deservedest wherfore216
To dien with a sword or with a knif.
O deere doghter, endere218 of my lif,
Which I have fostred up with swich plesaunce
220 That thow were nevere out of my remembraunce,
O doghter, which that art my laste wo,
And in my lif my laste joye also,
O gemme of chastitee, in pacience
Tak thow thy deeth, for this is my sentence224.
225 For love, and nat for hate, thow most be deed;
My pitous hand moot smiten of226 thin heed.
Allas, that evere Apius thee say227!
Thus hath he falsly juged thee today’ –
And tolde hire al the cas229, as ye bifore
230 Han herd; nat nedeth for to telle it moore.
‘O mercy, deere fader!’ quod this maide,
And with that word she bothe hir armes laide
Aboute his nekke, as she was wont to do.
The teeris borste234 out of hir eyen two,
235 And seide, ‘Goode fader, shal I die?
Is ther no grace? Is ther no remedye?’
‘No, certes, deere doghter min,’ quod he.
‘Thanne yif me leiser238, fader min,’ quod she,
‘My deeth for to compleine a litel space239.
240 For, pardee, Jepte yaf his doghter grace
For to compleine, er he hir slow241, allas!
And God it woot, nothing was hir trespas242
But for she ran hir fader first to see,
To welcome him with greet solempnitee244.’
245 And with that word she fil aswowne245 anon.
And after, whan hir swowning is agon246,
She riseth up, and to hir fader saide,
‘Blessed be God that I shal die a maide!
Yif me my deeth, er that I have a shame.
250 Dooth with youre child youre wil, a Goddes name!’
And with that word she preyed him ful ofte
That with his swerd he wolde smite softe252;
And with that word aswowne doun she fil.
Hir fader, with ful sorweful herte and wil,
255 Hir heed of smoot, and by the top it hente255,
And to the juge he gan it to presente,
As he yet257 sat in doom in consistorye.
And whan the juge it saw, as seyth the storye,
He bad to take him and anhange him faste.
260 But right anon a thousand peple in thraste260
To save the knight, for routhe and for pitee,
For knowen was the false iniquitee.
The peple anon had suspect263 in this thing,
By manere of the cherles chalanging264,
265 That it was by th’assent of Apius;
They wisten266 wel that he was lecherus.
For which267 unto this Apius they gon
And caste him in a prisoun right anon,
Theras269 he slow himself; and Claudius,
270 That servant was unto this Apius,
Was demed271 for to hange upon a tree,
But that Virginius, of his pitee,
So preide273 for him that he was exiled;
And elles, certes, he hadde been bigiled274.
275 The remenant were anhanged, moore and lesse275,
That were consentant of276 this cursednesse.
Heere may men seen how sinne hath his merite!
Beth war, for no man woot whom God wol smite
In no degree279, ne in which manere wise;
280 The worm280 of conscience may agrise
Of wikked lif, thogh it so privee be
That no man woot therof but282 God and he.
For be he lewed283 man or ellis lered,
He noot how soone that he shal been afered.284
285 Therfore I rede285 yow this conseil take:
Forsaketh sinne, er sinne yow forsake.
Heere endeth the Physiciens Tale.
THE PHYSICIAN – PARDONER LINK
The wordes of the Hoost to the Physicien and the Pardoner.
Oure Hooste gan to swere as he were wood287;
‘Harrow!’ quod he, ‘by nailes and by blood!
This was a fals cherl and a fals justise!
290 As shameful deeth as herte may devise290
Come to thise juges and hir advocatz!
Algate292 this sely maide is slain, allas!
Allas293, to deere boghte she beautee!
Wherfore I seye alday294 that men may se
295 That yiftes of Fortune and of Nature
Been cause of deeth to many a creature.
299 Of bothe yiftes that I speke of now
300 Men han ful ofte moore for harm than prow300.
‘But trewely, min owene maister deere,
This is a pitous tale for to heere!
But nathelees, passe over is no fors303.
I pray to God so save thy gentil cors304,
305 And eek thine urinals305 and thy jurdones,
Thin ipocras306 and eek thy galiones,
And every boiste307 ful of thy letuarye –
God blesse hem, and oure Lady Seinte Marye!
So mote I theen309, thow art a propre man,
310 And lik a prelat310, by Seint Ronian!
Seide I nat wel? I kan nat speke in terme311;
But wel I woot thow doost min herte to erme312,
That I almoost have caught a cardinacle313.
By corpus bones314, but I have triacle,
315 Or elles a draghte of moiste and corny315 ale,
Or but I heere anon a mirye tale,
Min herte is lost for pitee of this maide!
Thow beel ami318, thow Pardoner,’ he saide,
‘Tel us som mirthe, or japes319, right anon.’
320 ‘It shal be doon,’ quod he, ‘by Seint Ronion.
But first,’ quod he, ‘heere at this ale-stake321,
I wol bothe drinke and eten of a cake.’
But right anon thise gentils gonne to crye:
‘Nay, lat him telle us of no ribaudye324!
325 Tel us som moral thing, that we may leere325
Som wit326, and thanne wol we gladly heere.’
‘I graunte, iwys,’ quod he, ‘but I moot thinke
Upon som honeste328 thing whil that I drinke.’
THE PARDONER’S PROLOGUE
Heere folweth the Prologe of the Pardoners Tale.
Radix malorum est Cupiditas. Ad Thimotheum, sexto.
‘Lordinges,’ quod he, ‘in chirches whan I preche,
330 I peine me330 to han an hautein speche,
And ringe it out as round331 as gooth a belle,
For I kan al332 by rote that I telle.
My theme333 is alwey oon, and evere was:
“Radix malorum est cupiditas.”334
335 ‘First I pronounce335 whennes that I come,
And thanne my bulles336 shewe I, alle and some.
Oure lige lordes seel on my337 patente,
That shewe I first, my body to warente338,
That no man be so boold, ne preest ne clerk,
340 Me to destourbe of340 Cristes holy werk,
And after that thanne telle I forth my tales.
Bulles of popes and of cardinales,
Of patriarkes343 and bisshopes I shewe,
And in Latin I speke a wordes fewe,
345 To saffron345 with my predicacioun,
And for to stire346 hem to devocioun.
Thanne shewe I forth my longe cristal stones,
Ycrammed ful of cloutes348 and of bones;
Relikes been they, as wenen349 they echon.
350 Thanne have I in latoun a shulder-bon350,
Which that was of an holy Jewes sheep.
“Goode men,” I seye, “tak of my wordes keep:352
If that this boon be wasshe in any welle,
If cow, or calf, or sheep, or oxe swelle
355 That any worm hath ete, or worm355 ystonge,
Taak water of that welle and wassh his tonge,
And it is hool anoon; and forthermoor,
Of pokkes358 and of scabbe and every soor
Shal every sheep be hool that of this welle
360 Drinketh a draughte. Taak kepe360 eek what I telle:
If that the goodman361 that the bestes oweth
Wol every wike362, er that the cok him croweth,
Fastinge, drinken of this welle a draughte,
As thilke holy Jew oure eldres taughte,
365 Hise bestes and his stoor365 shal multiplye.
‘“And, sires, also it heeleth jalousye;
For thogh a man be falle in jalous rage,
Lat maken368 with this water his potage,
And nevere shal he moore his wif mistriste369,
370 Thogh he the soothe of hir defaute370 wiste,
Al hadde she taken preestes two or thre.
‘“Heere is a mitein372 eek, that ye may se;
He that his hand wol putte in this mitain,
He shal have multiplying of his grain
375 Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes,
So that he offre pens, or ellis grotes.376
“‘Goode men and wommen, o thing warne I yow:377
If any wight be in this chirche now
That hath doon sinne horrible, that he
380 Dar nat for shame of it yshriven be,380
Or any womman, be she yong or old,
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