The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

THE SECOND NUN'S TALE. T75
To whom answdr'd Tiburce, " O sister dear, Cast all away the workes of darkness,
Saidest thou not right now in this mann6re, And arme you in armour of brightness.
There was but one God, Lord in soothfastness, " Ye have forsooth y-done a Heat battaile;
And now of three how may'st thou bear wit- Your course is done,21 your faith have ye conness?" served;
"That shall I tell," quoth she, "ere that Go to the crown of life that may not fail;
I go. The rightful Judge, which that ye have served,
Right as a man hath sapiences three, Shall give it you, as ye have it deserved."
Memory, engine, and intellect also, And when this thing was said, as I devise,22
So in one being of divinity Men led them forth to do the sacrifice.
Three personis there maye right well be." But when they were unto the placi brought,
Then gan she him full busily to preach To telle shortly the conclusion,
Of Christe's coming, and his painis teach, They would incense nor sacrifice right nought.
And many pointes of his passin; But on their knees they sette them adown,
How Goddi's Son in this world was withhold 3 Vith humble heart and sad 23 devoti6n,
To do mankind plein 4 remissi6n, And lost both their heades in the place;24
That was y-bound in sin and cares cold.5 Their soules wente to the King of grace.
All this thing she unto Tiburce told, This Maximus, that saw this thing betide,
And after this Tiburce, in good intent, With piteous teares told it anon right,
With Valerian to Pope Urban he went; That he their soulis saw to heaven glide
That thanked God, and with glad heart and With angels, full of clearness and of light;
light And with his worc d convered many a wight.
He christen'd him, and made him in that place For which Almachius did him to-beat 2
Perfect in his learning, and Godde's knight. ith hip of lead, till he his life gan
And after this Tiburce got such grace, Cecile him took, and buried him anon
That every day he saw in time and space By Tiburce and Valerian softely,
Th' angel of God, and every manner boon 6 Within their burying-place, under the stone.
That he God asked, it was sped 7 full soon. And after this Almachius hastily
It were full hard by order for to sayn Bade his ministers fetchen openly
How many wonders Jesus for them wrought. Cecile, so that she might in his presnce
But at the last, to tell short and plain, Do sacrifice, and Jupiter incense.2
The sergeants of the town of Rome them sought, But they, converted at her wise lore,28
And them before Almach the prefect brought, Wepte full sore, and gave full credence
Which them appos'd,8 and knew all their in- Unto her word, and cried more and more;
tent, " Christ, Godde's Son, withoute difference,
And to th' image of Jupiter them sent; Is very God, this is all our sentence,29
And said, " Whoso will not do sacrifice, That bath so good a servant him to serve:
Swap 9 off his head, this is my sentence here." Thus wi one voice we trow,30 though we
Anon these martyrs, that I you devise, sterve." 31
One Maximus, that was an officere Almachius, that heard of this doing,
Of the prefect's, and his corniculere," Bade fetch Cecilie, that he might her see;
Them hent,12 and when he forth the saintes And alderfirst,3 lo, this was his asking;
lad,13 " Vhat manner woman arte thou?" quoth he.
Himself he wept for pity that he had. "I am a gentle woman born," quoth she.
When Maximus had heard the saintes' lore,l "I aske thee," quoth he, "though it thee
He got him of the tormentores leave, grieve,
And led them to his house withoute more; Of thy religion and of thy believe."
And with their preaching, ere that it were eve, "Ye have begun your question foolishly,"
They gonnen 1 from the t6rmentors to reave,6 Quoth she, "that wouldest two answers conAnd from Maxim', and from his folk each one, elude
The false faith, to trow 17 in God alone. In one demand? ye aske lewedly."33
Cecilia came, when it was waxen night, Almach answdr'd to that similitude,
With priestes, that them christen'd all in fere;8 " Of whence comes thine answering so rude?"
And afterward, when day was waxen light, " Of whence?" quoth she, when that she was
Cecile them said with a full steadfast cheer,19 freined,34
" Now, Christi's owen knightis lefe 20 and dear, " Of conscience, and of good faith unfeigned."
1 Truth. 15 Began. 16 To wrest, root out. 17 Believe.
2 Wit; the devising or constructive faculty; Latin, 18 In a company. 19 Mien. 20 Beloved.
" ingenium." 3 Employed. 4 Full. 21 See 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8; "I have fought a good fight, I
5 Distressful, wretched. See note 2, page 169. have finished my course, I have kept the faith," &c.
6 Request, favour. 7 Granted, successful. 22 Relate. 23 Steadfast. 24 On the spot.
8 Questioned. 9 Strike. 25 Caused him to be cruelly or fatally beaten; the
10 Of whom I tell you. force of the "to" is intensive. 26 Quit.
11 The secretary or registrar who was charged with 27 Burn incense to. 28 Teaching. 29 Opinion.
publishing the acts, decrees, and orders of the prefect. 30 Believe. 31 Die. 32 First of all.
12 Seized. 13 Led. 14 Doctrine, teaching. 33 Ignorantly. 34 Asked.