The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[Nero.]

Al-thow that Nero were vicious [Nero] As ony feend that lyth ful lowe a-doun Line 3654 Ȝit as tellyth vs Switonyus This wide world hadde in subieccioun Line 3656 Bothe est & west / North & Septemptrioun Of Rubees Safferys / & of perlys whyte Weere alle hise clothis broudede vp & doun For he in gemmys gretly gan delyte Line 3660

More delicat / more pompous of aray Moore proud was neuere emperour than hee That ilke cloth that he hadde wered a day Aftyr that tyme he wolde it neuere se Line 3664 Nettis of gold thred hadde he greet plente To fysche in tibre whan hym lyste to pleye His lustis were alle lawe in his decree [folio 358a] For fortune as his frend / hym wolde obeye Line 3668

He Rome brende for his delicasie The Senatouris he slow vp-on a day To heere how that men schulde weepe & crye And slow his brothir & by his sistyr lay Line 3672 His modyr made he in pytous array ffor he hyre wombe slytte to byholde Wheere he conseyuede was so weyle-awey That he so lytyl of his modyr tolde Line 3676

[6-text p 271] [6-text p 272] Line 3676

No teer out of hise eyen for that syght Ne cam but seyde a fayr woman was sche Greet wondyr is how that he coude or myghte Be domysman of hire deede beaute Line 3680 The wyn to bryngyn hym comaundede he And drank a-noon / non othyr wo he made Whan myght is Ioyned on to creweltee Allas to deepe wil the venym wade Line 3684

In ȝouthe a maystyr hadde this Emperour To teche hym letterure & curteysye For of moralite he was the floure As in his tyme but ȝif bokis lye Line 3688 And whil this Maystyr hadde of hym maystrye He makede hym so cunning [[ing corrected]] & so souple That long tyme it was er tyranye Or ony vice durste on hym oncouple Line 3692

This Seneca / of which that I deuyse By cause that Nero hadde of hym swich dreede For he from vicis wolde hym ay chastyse Discretly by word & not by deede Line 3696 Syre wolde he seyn an emperour mot neede Been vertyuous & hatyn tyrannye For which he in a bath made hym to bleede On bothe hise armys tyl he muste deye Line 3700

This Nero hadde ek of a custumance [folio 358b] In ȝouthe a-geyn his maystyr for to ryse Which aftyrward hym thoughte a greet greuaunce Therfore he made hym deye in this wyse Line 3704 But natheles this Seneca the wise Ches in a bath to deye in this ²manere² [[^2_2 corrected]] Rathere than han a-nothir ³turmantrise³ [[^3_3 tur, ise corrected]] And thus hath Nero slayn his maystir deere Line 3708

[6-text p 272] [6-text p 273] Line 3708

Now fil it so that fortune leste no lengere The hyghe pryde of nero to cheryce For thow that he were strong ȝit was sche strengere Sche thouȝte thus bi god I am to nyce Line 3712 To sette a man that is fulfyld of vice In high degre & emperour hym calle By god out of his seete I wele hym tryce Whan he lest wenyth / sonest schal he falle Line 3716

The peple ros vp on hym on a nygh[t] For his defaute & whan he it espyed Out of his doris he hath a-non hym dygh[t] A-loone & theere he wende a been alyed Line 3720 He knokkede faste & ay the more he cryede The fastere schettyn they the dorys alle Tho wiste he weel he hadde hym self mys gyede And wente his wey no lengere durste he calle Line 3724

The peple cryede / & rumblede vp & doun That with hise eris herde he how they seyde Wheere is this false tyraunt this neroun For fer almost out of his wit he broyde Line 3728 And to hise goddis pitously he preyede For socour but it myghte not be-tyde For dreed of this hym thoughte he deyede And ran in-to a gardyn hym to hyde Line 3732

And in this gardyn fond he cherlys tweye That seetyn by a fyr / greet & reed And to these cherlys two he gan to preye [folio 359a] To sleen hym & to gyrdyn of his heed Line 3736 That to his body whan that he was deed Weere no dispyt doon / for his defame Hym selue he slow be coude no betere red Of whiche fortune lough & hadde game Line 3740