THE DOCTORS TALE（第1页）

theprologue

["yea，letthatpasse，"quothourhost，"asnow.

sirdoctorofphysik，iprayeyou，

tel露sataleofsomehonestmattere."

"itshallbedone，ifthatyewillithear，"

saidthisdoctor;andhistalegananon.

"now，goodmen，"quothhe，"hearkeneveryone."]

theauthenticityoftheprologueisquestionable.itisfoundinonemanuscriptonly;othermanuscriptsgiveotherprologues，replainlynotchaucersthanthis;andsomemanuscriptshavemerelyacolophontotheeffectthat"hereendeththefranklinstaleandbeginhthephysicianstalewithoutaprologue."thetaleitselfisthewell-knownstoryofvirginia，withseveraldeparturesfromthetextoflivy.chaucerprobablyfollowedthe"romanceoftherose"andgowers"confessioamantis，"inbothofwhichthestoryisfound.