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

THE MONK'S TALE. T61
When might is joined unto cruelty, Were no despite done for his defame.l8
Alas! too deepe will the venom wade. Himself he slew, he coud no better rede;19
In youth a master had this emperofir, Of which Fortfine laugh'd and hadde game.20
To teachi him lettrure 1 and courtesy; Was never capitain under a king,Was never capitain under a king,
For of morality he was the flow'r,s me pt in
As in his time, but if 2 bookes lie. Tat regnes more put in subjectioun,
As in his timN, but if 2 bookies lie. Nor stronger was in field of alli thing
And while this master had of him mast'r,,,
As in his time, nor greater of renown,
He made him so conning and so souple, Nor more pompous in high presumption,
That long6 time it was eretyranny, Than HOLOFERNES, whom Fortfine aye kiss'd
Or any vice durst in him uncouple.4
Or any vicao, durst in him uncouple.4 So lik'rously, and led him up and down,
This Seneca, of which that I devise,5 Till that his head was off ere that he wist.
B3ecause Nero had of him suche dread,
Because Nero had of him such dread, Not only that this world had of him awe,
For he from vices would him aye chastise
For losing of richess and liberty;
Discreetly, as by word, and not by deed; But he made every man reny hs la
"Sir," he would say, "an emperor must need Nuchod6nos6r was God, said he;
Be virtuous, and hate tyranny." None other Godde should honowred be.
For which he made him in a bath to bleed N
ohh he h tin b be. Against his hest 2 there dare no wight trespace,
On both his armes, till he muste die. S in Bethulia, a strong cit,
This Nero had eke of a custumance 6
This Nero had eke of a custumance 6 Where Eliachim priest was of that place.
In youth against his master for to risem pet ws of t ple
But take keep 23 of the death of Holofern;
Which afterward he thought a great grievance; d hs ht e en l at ni
0~...,Amid his host he drunken lay at night
Therefore he made him dien in this wise. l a i a
Within his tentS, large as is a bern; 24
]3ut natheless this Seneca the wise
But natheless this Seneca the wise And yet, for all his pomp and all his might,
Chose in a bath to die in this mannre, he y uprigh
Rather than have another tormentise; s
And thus hath Nero slain his master dear. Sleeping, his head off smote, and from his tent
And thus hath Nero slain his master dear..
Full privily she stole from every wight,
Now fell it so, that Fortune list no longer Ad with his head unto her town she went.
The'highe pride of Nero to cherice;9
For though he werd strong, yet was she stronger. What needeth it of king ANTIOCHUS 2
She thoughte thus; "By God, I am too nice 0o To tell his high and royal majesty,
To set a man, that is full fill'd of vice, His great pride, and his workes venomous?
In high degree, and emperor him call! For such another was there none as he;
By God, out of his seat I will him trice! 11 Reade what that he was in Maccabee.
When he least weeneth,l1 soonest shall he fall." And read the proude wordis that he said,
The people rose upon him on a night, And why he fell from his prosperity,
For his default; and when he it espied, And in an hill how wretchedly he died.
Out of his doors anon he hath him dight 13 Fortfne him had enhanced so in pride,
Alone, and where he ween'd t' have been allied,l4 That verily he ween'd he might attain
He knocked fast, and aye the more he cried Unto the starris upon every side,
The faster shutte they their doores all; And in a balance weighen each mountain,
Then wist he well he had himself misgied,l5 And all the flood's of the sea restrain.
And went his way, no longer durst he call. And Goddi's people had he most in hate;
The people cried and rumbled up and down, Them would he slay in torment and in pain,
That with his eares heard he how they said; Weening that God might not his pride abate.
" Where is this false tyrant, this Neroin?" And for that Nicanor and Timothee
For fear almost out of his wit he braid,6 With Jewis were vanquish'd mightily,26
And to his goddes piteously he pray'd Unto the Jewis such an hate had he,
For succour, but it mighti not betide; That he bade graith his car27 full hastily,
For dread of this he thoughte that he died, And swore and saide full dispiteously,
And ran into a garden him to hide. Unto Jerusalem he would eftsoon,28
And in this garden found he churles tway, To wreak his ire on it full cruelly;
That satte by a fire great and red; But of his purpose was he let 29 full soon.
And to these churles two he gan to pray God for his menace him so sore smote,
To slay him, and to girdenl7 off his head, With invisible wound incurable,
That to his body, when that he were dead, That in his guttis carf it so and bote,30
1 Learning, letters. 2 Unless. 20 Made merry, was amused by the sport.
3 So intelligent and pliable. 21 Renounce his religion; so, in the Man of Law's
4 Let itself loose, likea hound released from the leash. Tale, the Sultaness promises her son that she will
5 Tell 6 Habit. "reny her lay;" see page 64. 22 Commandment.
7 To rise up in his master's presence, out of respect. 23 Notice. 24 Barn.
8 Torture. 9 Cherish. o1 Foolish. 25 As the "' tragedy" of Holofernes is founded on the
11 Thrust; from Anglo-Saxon, "thriccan." Book of Judith, so is that of Antiochus on the Second
12 Expecteth. 13 Betaken himself. Book of the Maccabees, chap. ix.
14 Regarded with friendship. 26 By the insurgents under the leadership of Judas
15 Misguided, misled. 16 Went. Maccabeus; 2 Macc. chap. viii.
17 Strike. 18 Infamy. 27 Prepare his chariot. 28 Immediately.
19 He knew no better counsel; there was no other? 29 Prevented.
resource. 83 It so cut and gnawed in his entrails.
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