GROUP C. FRAGMENT IV.
§ 1. THE DOCTOR'S TALE.
LANSDOWNE MS.
¶ Incipit fabu[l]a. [on leaf 169, back]
Ther was as telleþ vs titus liueus
A knyht þat cleped was virgineus
Fulfilled of honoure & worþinesse
And stronge of frendes and of riches
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A douhtere he hadd be his wyf
And neuer hadde he mo in al his lif
Faire was þis maide in excellent beautee
Abouen euery whight þat maie see
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For Nature haþe wiþ souereigne diligence
Formed hir in so grete excellence
As þouhe sche wolde seie loo .I. Nature
Thus can .I. forme and painte a creature
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Whan þat me leste who can me counterfete
Pigmalyon nouht þouhe he alweie forge or bete
Or graue or peinte for .I. dar wel seine
Apollus ȝepherus schold werche in veine
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To graue or peinte or forge or bete
If þei presumed me for to counterfete
For he þat is þe formour principal
Haþe maade me his viser general
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To forme and peinte eche erþely creature
Riht as me lest for al þinge is in my cure
Vnder þe mone þat maie wane and wax
And for my werke no þinge wil .I. ax
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