['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.
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