CCXXV.
Crudelitas contra naturam detestanda
est.
We rede in 'Historia Neronis,' how at þis Nero garte sla his moder & cutt hur in sonder, at he might se how he lay in hur wombe, & whar̛-with he was nurrisshid̛. And þe philosophirs reprovid̛ hym̛ þerfor̛ & said̛, "þe law denyes, & rightwusnes forbiddis [MS. forbiddid.] , att þe son̛ sulde sla his moder þat sufferd̛ so grete payn̛ for hym̛ in hur burtℏ as sho did̛, & broght hym̛ vp̛ with so grete labur." And þan̛ Nero said̛ vnto þaim; "Make ye me to be with childe, and afterward̛ to be delyver þeroff, at I may hafe verray knawlege whatt sorow my moder had̛ with birtℏ of me when̛ I was born̛." And þai ansswerd̛ agayn̛ & said̛ þat it was not possible, þat was contrarie vnto natur. And he said̛ bod if þai did̛ itt, þai sulde dye ilkone. And þan̛ þai made hym̛ drynkis, and privalie þai made hym̛ to drynk̘ a froske; and be þer crafte þai made it to grow in his body & to wax. And so his bely began̛ agayns natur to bolne, to so mekuƚƚ att he trowid̛ he was with childe; and þai made hym̛ daylie to be dyett with sucℏ meatt as þai knew wolde nurissℏ a frosk̘. So on̛ a tyme his belie warkid̛ hugelie, & he said̛ vnto þies lechis; "Take hede on̛ me, ffor þe tyme of my birtℏ is nere; ffor my belie warkis so, þat I may vnnethis draw myne and̛." And þan̛ þai gaff hym̛ a purgacion̛, and he spewid̛ oute a grete froske and ane vglie to luke on̛, bludie & infecte with humers. And when̛ Nero lukid̛ þervppon̛, hym̛ vggid̛ þerwith, & he askid̛; "Had my moder als mekuƚƚ sorow for beryng of me, as I had̛ for beryng of þis?" And þai said̛, ya. And þan̛ he commandid̛ þat þis vglie burtℏ of his sulde be norisshid̛ & kepyd̛, and at it sulde be closid̛ in a stone, as a snyle is in hur sheƚƚ.