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THE PROLOGUE <1>

 

 The Canterbury Tales
 

[“YEA, let that passe,” quoth our Host, “as now.
Sir Doctor of Physik, I praye you,
Tell us a tale of some honest mattere.”
“It shall be done, if that ye will it hear,”
Said this Doctor; and his tale gan anon.
“Now, good men,” quoth he, “hearken everyone.”]

Notes to the Prologue to the Doctor’s Tale

1. The authenticity of the prologue is questionable. It is found in one manuscript only; other manuscripts give other prologues, more plainly not Chaucer’s than this; and some manuscripts have merely a colophon to the effect that “Here endeth the Franklin’s Tale and beginneth the Physician’s Tale without a prologue.” The Tale itself is the well-known story of Virginia, with several departures from the text of Livy. Chaucer probably followed the “Romance of the Rose” and Gower’s “Confessio Amantis,” in both of which the story is found.

THE TALE

 

 There was, as telleth Titus Livius, <1>
 

 A knight, that called was Virginius,
 

 Full filled of honour and worthiness,
 

 And strong of friendes, and of great richess.
 

 This knight one daughter hadde by his wife;
 

 No children had he more in all his life.
 

 Fair was this maid in excellent beauty
 

 Aboven ev'ry wight that man may see:
 

 For nature had with sov'reign diligence
 

 Y-formed her in so great excellence,
 

 As though she woulde say, "Lo, I, Nature,
 

 Thus can I form and paint a creature,
 

 When that me list; who can me counterfeit?
 

 Pygmalion? not though he aye forge and beat,
 

 Or grave or painte: for I dare well sayn,
 

 Apelles, Zeuxis, shoulde work in vain,
 

 Either to grave, or paint, or forge, or beat,
 

 If they presumed me to counterfeit.
 

 For he that is the former principal,
 

 Hath made me his vicar-general
 

 To form and painten earthly creatures
 

 Right as me list, and all thing in my cure* is,         *care
 

 Under the moone, that may wane and wax.
 

 And for my work right nothing will I ax*             *ask
 

 My lord and I be full of one accord.
 

 I made her to the worship* of my lord;
 

 So do I all mine other creatures,
 

 What colour that they have, or what figures."
 

 Thus seemeth me that Nature woulde say.
 

This maiden was of age twelve year and tway,* *two
In which that Nature hadde such delight.
For right as she can paint a lily white,
And red a rose, right with such painture
She painted had this noble creature,
Ere she was born, upon her limbes free,
Where as by right such colours shoulde be:
And Phoebus dyed had her tresses great,
Like to the streames* of his burned heat. *beams, rays
And if that excellent was her beauty,
A thousand-fold more virtuous was she.
In her there lacked no condition,
That is to praise, as by discretion.
As well in ghost* as body chaste was she: *mind, spirit
For which she flower’d in virginity,
With all humility and abstinence,
With alle temperance and patience,
With measure* eke of bearing and array. *moderation
Discreet she was in answering alway,
Though she were wise as Pallas, dare I sayn;
Her faconde* eke full womanly and plain, *speech <2>
No counterfeited termes hadde she
To seeme wise; but after her degree
She spake, and all her worde’s more and less
Sounding in virtue and in gentleness.
Shamefast she was in maiden’s shamefastness,
Constant in heart, and ever *in business* *diligent, eager*
To drive her out of idle sluggardy:
Bacchus had of her mouth right no mast’ry.
For wine and slothe <3> do Venus increase,
As men in fire will casten oil and grease.
And of her owen virtue, unconstrain’d,
She had herself full often sick y-feign’d,
For that she woulde flee the company,
Where likely was to treaten of folly,
As is at feasts, at revels, and at dances,
That be occasions of dalliances.
Such thinges make children for to be
Too soone ripe and bold, as men may see,
Which is full perilous, and hath been yore;* *of old
For all too soone may she learne lore
Of boldeness, when that she is a wife.