{"poem":{"id":"poetrydb:Geoffrey%20Chaucer%3AThe%20Canterbury%20Tales%3A%20The%20Doctor's%20Tale","title":"The Canterbury Tales: The Doctor's Tale","author":"Geoffrey Chaucer","content":"THE PROLOGUE.\n\n[\"YEA, let that passe,\" quoth our Host, \"as now.\nSir Doctor of Physik, I praye you,\nTell us a tale of some honest mattere.\"\n\"It shall be done, if that ye will it hear,\"\nSaid this Doctor; and his tale gan anon.\n\"Now, good men,\" quoth he, \"hearken everyone.\"]\n\nTHE TALE.\n\nThere was, as telleth Titus Livius,\nA knight, that called was Virginius,\nFull filled of honour and worthiness,\nAnd strong of friendes, and of great richess.\nThis knight one daughter hadde by his wife;\nNo children had he more in all his life.\nFair was this maid in excellent beauty\nAboven ev'ry wight that man may see:\nFor nature had with sov'reign diligence\nY-formed her in so great excellence,\nAs though she woulde say, \"Lo, I, Nature,\nThus can I form and paint a creature,\nWhen that me list; who can me counterfeit?\nPygmalion? not though he aye forge and beat,\nOr grave or painte: for I dare well sayn,\nApelles, Zeuxis, shoulde work in vain,\nEither to grave, or paint, or forge, or beat,\nIf they presumed me to counterfeit.\nFor he that is the former principal,\nHath made me his vicar-general\nTo form and painten earthly creatures\nRight as me list, and all thing in my cure is,\nUnder the moone, that may wane and wax.\nAnd for my work right nothing will I ax\nMy lord and I be full of one accord.\nI made her to the worship of my lord;\nSo do I all mine other creatures,\nWhat colour that they have, or what figures.\"\nThus seemeth me that Nature woulde say.\n\nThis maiden was of age twelve year and tway,\nIn which that Nature hadde such delight.\nFor right as she can paint a lily white,\nAnd red a rose, right with such painture\nShe painted had this noble creature,\nEre she was born, upon her limbes free,\nWhere as by right such colours shoulde be:\nAnd Phoebus dyed had her tresses great,\nLike to the streames of his burned heat.\nAnd if that excellent was her beauty,\nA thousand-fold more virtuous was she.\nIn her there lacked no condition,\nThat is to praise, as by discretion.\nAs well in ghost as body chaste was she:\nFor which she flower'd in virginity,\nWith all humility and abstinence,\nWith alle temperance and patience,\nWith measure eke of bearing and array.\nDiscreet she was in answering alway,\nThough she were wise as Pallas, dare I sayn;\nHer faconde eke full womanly and plain,\nNo counterfeited termes hadde she\nTo seeme wise; but after her degree\nShe spake, and all her worde's more and less\nSounding in virtue and in gentleness.\nShamefast she was in maiden's shamefastness,\nConstant in heart, and ever in business\nTo drive her out of idle sluggardy:\nBacchus had of her mouth right no mast'ry.\nFor wine and slothe  do Venus increase,\nAs men in fire will casten oil and grease.\nAnd of her owen virtue, unconstrain'd,\nShe had herself full often sick y-feign'd,\nFor that she woulde flee the company,\nWhere likely was to treaten of folly,\nAs is at feasts, at revels, and at dances,\nThat be occasions of dalliances.\nSuch thinges make children for to be\nToo soone ripe and bold, as men may see,\nWhich is full perilous, and hath been yore;\nFor all too soone may she learne lore\nOf boldeness, when that she is a wife.\n\nAnd ye mistresses, in your olde life\nThat lordes' daughters have in governance,\nTake not of my wordes displeasance\nThinke that ye be set in governings\nOf lordes' daughters only for two things;\nEither for ye have kept your honesty,\nOr else for ye have fallen in frailty\nAnd knowe well enough the olde dance,\nAnd have forsaken fully such meschance\nFor evermore; therefore, for Christe's sake,\nTo teach them virtue look that ye not slake.\nA thief of venison, that hath forlaft\nHis lik'rousness, and all his olde craft,\nCan keep a forest best of any man;\nNow keep them well, for if ye will ye can.\nLook well, that ye unto no vice assent,\nLest ye be damned for your wick' intent,\nFor whoso doth, a traitor is certain;\nAnd take keep of that I shall you sayn;\nOf alle treason, sov'reign pestilence\nIs when a wight betrayeth innocence.\nYe fathers, and ye mothers eke also,\nThough ye have children, be it one or mo',\nYours is the charge of all their surveyance,\nWhile that they be under your governance.\nBeware, that by example of your living,\nOr by your negligence in chastising,\nThat they not perish for I dare well say,\nIf that they do, ye shall it dear abeye.\nUnder a shepherd soft and negligent\nThe wolf hath many a sheep and lamb to-rent.\nSuffice this example now as here,\nFor I must turn again to my mattere.\n\nThis maid, of which I tell my tale express,\nShe kept herself, her needed no mistress;\nFor in her living maidens mighte read,\nAs in a book, ev'ry good word and deed\nThat longeth to a maiden virtuous;\nShe was so prudent and so bounteous.\nFor which the fame out sprang on every side\nBoth of her beauty and her bounte wide:\nThat through the land they praised her each one\nThat loved virtue, save envy alone,\nThat sorry is of other manne's weal,\nAnd glad is of his sorrow and unheal --\nThe Doctor maketh this descriptioun. --\nThis maiden on a day went in the town\nToward a temple, with her mother dear,\nAs is of younge maidens the mannere.\nNow was there then a justice in that town,\nThat governor was of that regioun:\nAnd so befell, this judge his eyen cast\nUpon this maid, avising her full fast,\nAs she came forth by where this judge stood;\nAnon his hearte changed and his mood,\nSo was he caught with beauty of this maid\nAnd to himself full privily he said,\n\"This maiden shall be mine for any man.\"\nAnon the fiend into his hearte ran,\nAnd taught him suddenly, that he by sleight\nThis maiden to his purpose winne might.\nFor certes, by no force, nor by no meed,\nHim thought he was not able for to speed;\nFor she was strong of friendes, and eke she\nConfirmed was in such sov'reign bounte,\nThat well he wist he might her never win,\nAs for to make her with her body sin.\nFor which, with great deliberatioun,\nHe sent after a clerk   was in the town,\nThe which he knew for subtle and for bold.\nThis judge unto this clerk his tale told\nIn secret wise, and made him to assure\nHe shoulde tell it to no creature,\nAnd if he did, he shoulde lose his head.\nAnd when assented was this cursed rede,\nGlad was the judge, and made him greate cheer,\nAnd gave him giftes precious and dear.\nWhen shapen was all their conspiracy\nFrom point to point, how that his lechery\nPerformed shoulde be full subtilly,\nAs ye shall hear it after openly,\nHome went this clerk, that highte Claudius.\nThis false judge, that highte Appius, --\n(So was his name, for it is no fable,\nBut knowen for a storial thing notable;\nThe sentence of it sooth is out of doubt); --\nThis false judge went now fast about\nTo hasten his delight all that he may.\nAnd so befell, soon after on a day,\nThis false judge, as telleth us the story,\nAs he was wont, sat in his consistory,\nAnd gave his doomes upon sundry case';\nThis false clerk came forth a full great pace,\nAnd saide; Lord, if that it be your will,\nAs do me right upon this piteous bill,\nIn which I plain upon Virginius.\nAnd if that he will say it is not thus,\nI will it prove, and finde good witness,\nThat sooth is what my bille will express.\"\nThe judge answer'd, \"Of this, in his absence,\nI may not give definitive sentence.\nLet do him call, and I will gladly hear;\nThou shalt have alle right, and no wrong here.\"\nVirginius came to weet the judge's will,\nAnd right anon was read this cursed bill;\nThe sentence of it was as ye shall hear\n\"To you, my lord, Sir Appius so clear,\nSheweth your poore servant Claudius,\nHow that a knight called Virginius,\nAgainst the law, against all equity,\nHoldeth, express against the will of me,\nMy servant, which that is my thrall by right,\nWhich from my house was stolen on a night,\nWhile that she was full young; I will it preve\nBy witness, lord, so that it you not grieve;\nShe is his daughter not, what so he say.\nWherefore to you, my lord the judge, I pray,\nYield me my thrall, if that it be your will.\"\nLo, this was all the sentence of the bill.\nVirginius gan upon the clerk behold;\nBut hastily, ere he his tale told,\nAnd would have proved it, as should a knight,\nAnd eke by witnessing of many a wight,\nThat all was false that said his adversary,\nThis cursed judge would no longer tarry,\nNor hear a word more of Virginius,\nBut gave his judgement, and saide thus:\n\"I deem anon this clerk his servant have;\nThou shalt no longer in thy house her save.\nGo, bring her forth, and put her in our ward\nThe clerk shall have his thrall: thus I award.\"\n\nAnd when this worthy knight, Virginius,\nThrough sentence of this justice Appius,\nMuste by force his deare daughter give\nUnto the judge, in lechery to live,\nHe went him home, and sat him in his hall,\nAnd let anon his deare daughter call;\nAnd with a face dead as ashes cold\nUpon her humble face he gan behold,\nWith father's pity sticking through his heart,\nAll would he from his purpose not convert.\n\"Daughter,\" quoth he, \"Virginia by name,\nThere be two wayes, either death or shame,\nThat thou must suffer, -- alas that I was bore!\nFor never thou deservedest wherefore\nTo dien with a sword or with a knife,\nO deare daughter, ender of my life,\nWhom I have foster'd up with such pleasance\nThat thou were ne'er out of my remembrance;\nO daughter, which that art my laste woe,\nAnd in this life my laste joy also,\nO gem of chastity, in patience\nTake thou thy death, for this is my sentence:\nFor love and not for hate thou must be dead;\nMy piteous hand must smiten off thine head.\nAlas, that ever Appius thee say!\nThus hath he falsely judged thee to-day.\"\nAnd told her all the case, as ye before\nHave heard; it needeth not to tell it more.\n\n\"O mercy, deare father,\" quoth the maid.\nAnd with that word she both her armes laid\nAbout his neck, as she was wont to do,\n(The teares burst out of her eyen two),\nAnd said, \"O goode father, shall I die?\nIs there no grace? is there no remedy?\"\n\"No, certes, deare daughter mine,\" quoth he.\n\"Then give me leisure, father mine, quoth she,\n\"My death for to complain a little space\nFor, pardie, Jephthah gave his daughter grace\nFor to complain, ere he her slew, alas!\nAnd, God it wot, nothing was her trespass,\nBut for she ran her father first to see,\nTo welcome him with great solemnity.\"\nAnd with that word she fell a-swoon anon;\nAnd after, when her swooning was y-gone,\nShe rose up, and unto her father said:\n\"Blessed be God, that I shall die a maid.\nGive me my death, ere that I have shame;\nDo with your child your will, in Godde's name.\"\nAnd with that word she prayed him full oft\nThat with his sword he woulde smite her soft;\nAnd with that word, a-swoon again she fell.\nHer father, with full sorrowful heart and fell,\nHer head off smote, and by the top it hent,\nAnd to the judge he went it to present,\nAs he sat yet in doom in consistory.\n\nAnd when the judge it saw, as saith the story,\nHe bade to take him, and to hang him fast.\nBut right anon a thousand people in thrast\nTo save the knight, for ruth and for pity\nFor knowen was the false iniquity.\nThe people anon had suspect in this thing,\nBy manner of the clerke's challenging,\nThat it was by th'assent of Appius;\nThey wiste well that he was lecherous.\nFor which unto this Appius they gon,\nAnd cast him in a prison right anon,\nWhere as he slew himself: and Claudius,\nThat servant was unto this Appius,\nWas doomed for to hang upon a tree;\nBut that Virginius, of his pity,\nSo prayed for him, that he was exil'd;\nAnd elles certes had he been beguil'd;\nThe remenant were hanged, more and less,\nThat were consenting to this cursedness.\nHere men may see how sin hath his merite:\nBeware, for no man knows how God will smite\nIn no degree, nor in which manner wise\nThe worm of conscience may agrise\nOf  wicked life, though it so privy be,\nThat no man knows thereof, save God and he;\nFor be he lewed man or elles lear'd,\nHe knows not how soon he shall be afear'd;\nTherefore I rede you this counsel take,\nForsake sin, ere sinne you forsake.","sourceName":"PoetryDB","sourceURL":"https://poetrydb.org"},"fallback":false}