The Canterbury tales

Group 8

The Second Nun's Prologue

1 The ministre and norice unto vices

2 Which that men clepe in englissh ydelnesse,

3 That porter of the gate is of delices,

4 To eschue, and by hire contrarie hire oppresse,

5 That is to seyn, by leveful bisynesse,

6 Wel oghten we to doon al oure entente,

7 Lest that the feend thurgh ydelnesse us hente.

8 For he that with his thousand cordes slye

9 Continuelly us waiteth to biclappe,

10 Whan he may man in ydelnesse espye,

11 He kan so lightly cache hym in his trappe,

12 Til that a man be hent right by the lappe,

13 He nys nat war the feend hath hym in honde.

14 Wel oghte us werche, and ydelnesse withstonde.

15 And though men dradden nevere for to dye,

16 Yet seen men wel by resoun, doutelees,

17 That ydelnesse is roten slogardye,

18 Of which ther nevere comth no good n' encrees,

19 And syn that slouthe hire holdeth in a lees

20 Oonly to slepe, and for to ete and drynke,

21 And to devouren al that othere swynke,

22 And for to putte us fro swich ydelnesse,

23 That cause is of so greet confusioun,

24 I have heer doon my feithful bisynesse

25 After the legende, in translacioun

26 Right of thy glorious lif and passioun,

27 Thou with thy gerland wroght with rose and lilie, --

28 Thee meene I, mayde and martyr, seint cecile.

Invocacio ad mariam

29 And thow that flour of birgines art alle,

30 Of whom that bernard list so wel to write,

31 To thee at my bigynnyng first I calle;

32 Thou confort of us wrecches, do me endite

33 Thy maydens deeth, that wan thurgh hire merite

34 The eterneel lyf, and of the feend victorie,

35 As man may after reden in hire storie.

36 Thow mayde and mooder, doghter of thy sone,

37 Thow welle of mercy, synful soules cure,

38 In whom that God for bountee chees to wone,

39 Thow humble, and heigh over every creature,

40 Thow nobledest so ferforth oure nature,

41 That no desdeyn the makere hadde of kynde

42 His sone in blood and flessh to clothe and wynde.

43 Withinne the cloistre blisful of thy sydis

44 Took mannes shap the eterneel love and pees,

45 That of the tryne compas lord and gyde is,

46 Whom erthe and see and hevene, out of relees,

47 Ay heryen; and thou, virgine wemmelees,

48 Baar of thy body -- and dweltest mayden pure --

49 The creatour of every creature.

50 Assembled is in thee magnificence

51 With mercy, goodnesse, and with swich pitee

52 That thou, that art the sonne of excellence

53 Nat oonly helpest hem that preyen thee,

54 But often tyme, of thy benygnytee,

55 Ful frely, er that men thyn help biseche,

56 Thou goost biforn, and art hir lyves leche.

57 Now help, thow meeke and blisful faire mayde,

58 Me, flemed wrecche, in this desert of galle;

59 Thynk on the womman cananee, that sayde

60 That whelpes eten somme of the crommes alle

61 That from hir lordes table been yfalle;

62 And though that I, unworthy sone of eve,

63 Be synful, yet accepte my bileve.

64 And, for that teith is deed withouten werkis,

65 So for to werken yif me wit and space,

66 That I be quit fro thennes that most derk is!

67 O thou, that art so fair and ful of grace,

68 Be myn advocat in that heighe place

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69 Theras withouten ende is songe osanne,

70 Thow cristes mooder, doghter deere of anne!

71 And of thy light my soule in prison lighte,

72 That troubled is by the contagioun

73 Of my body, and also by the wighte

74 Of erthely lust and fals affeccioun;

75 O havene of refut, o salvacioun

76 Of hem that been in sorwe and in distresse,

77 Now help, for to my werk I wol me dresse.

78 Yet preye I yow that reden that I write,

79 Foryeve me that I do no diligence

80 This ilke storie subtilly to endite,

81 For bothe have I the wordes and sentence

82 Of hym that at the seintes reverence

83 The storie wroot, and folwen hire legende,

84 And pray yow that ye wole my wek amende.

interpretacio nominis Cecilie quam ponit Frater Jacobus Januensis in legenda

85 First wolde I yow the name of seint cecilie

86 Expowne, as men may in hir storie see.

87 It is to seye in englissh hevenes lilie,

88 For pure chaastnesse of virginitee;

89 Or, ofr she whitnesse hadde of honestee,

90 And grene of conscience, and of good fame

91 The soote savour, lilie was hir name.

92 Or cecilie is to seye the wey to blynde,

93 For she ensample was by good techynge;

94 Or elles cecile, as I writen fynde,

95 Is joyned, by a manere conjoynynge

96 Of hevene and lia; and heere, in figurynge,

97 The hevene is set for thoght of hoolynesse,

98 And lia for hire lastynge bisynesse.

99 Cecile may eek be seyd in this manere,

100 Wantynge of blyndnesse, for hir grete light

101 Of sapience, and for hire thewes cleere;

102 Or elles, loo, this maydens name bright

103 Of hevene and leos comth, for which by right

104 Men myghte hire wel the hevene of peple calle,

105 Ensample of goode and wise werkes alle.

106 For leos peple in englissh is to seye,

107 And right as men may in the hevene see

108 The sonne and moone and sterres every weye,

109 Right so men goostly in this mayden free

110 Seyen of feith the magnanymytee,

111 And eek the cleernesse hool of sapience,

112 And sondry werkes, brighte of excellence.

113 And right so as thise philosophres write

114 That hevene is swift and round and eek brennynge,

115 Right so was faire cecilie the white

116 Ful swift and bisy evere in good werkynge,

117 And round and hool in good perseverynge,

118 And brennynge evere in charite ful brighte.

119 Now have I yow declared what she highte.

The Second Nun's Tale

120 This mayden bright cecilie, as hir lif seith,

121 Was comen of romayns, and of noble kynde,

122 And from hir cradel up fostred in the feith

123 Of crist, and bar his gospel in hir mynde.

124 She nevere cessed, as I writen fynde,

125 Of hir preyere, and God to love and drede,

126 Bisekynge hym to kepe hir maydenhede.

127 And whan this mayden sholde unto a man

128 Ywedded be, that was ful yong of age,

129 Which that ycleped was valerian,

130 And day was comen of hir marriage,

131 She, ful devout and humble in hir corage,

132 Under hir robe of gold, that sat ful faire,

133 Hadde next hire flessh yclad hire in an haire.

134 And whil the organs maden melodie,

135 To God allone in herte thus sang she:

136 O lord, my soule and eek my body gye

137 Unwemmed, lest that it confounded be.

138 And, for his love that dyde upon a tree,

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139 Every seconde and thridde day she faste,

140 Ay biddynge in hire orisons ful faste.

141 The nyght cam, and to bedde moste she gon

142 With hire housbonde, as ofte is the manere,

143 And pryvely to hym she seyde anon,

144 O sweete and wel biloved spouse deere,

145 Ther is a conseil, and ye wolde it heere,

146 Which that right fayn I wolde unto yow seye,

147 So that ye swere ye shul it nat biwreye.

148 Valerian gan faste unto hire swere

149 That for no cas, ne thyng that myghte be,

150 He sholde nevere mo biwreyen here;

151 And thanne at erst to hym thus seyde she:

152 I have an aungel which that loveth me,

153 That with greet love, wher so I wake or sleepe,

154 Is redy ay my body for to kepe.

155 And if that he may feelen, out of drede,

156 That ye me touche, or love in vileynye,

157 He right anon wol sle yow with the dede,

158 And in youre yowthe thus ye shullen dye;

159 And if that ye in clene love me gye,

160 He wol yow loven as me, for youre clennesse,

161 And shewen yow his joye and his brightnesse.

162 Valerian, corrected as God wolde,

163 Answerde agayn, if I shal trusten thee,

164 Lat me that aungel se, and hym biholde;

165 And if that it a verray angel bee,

166 Thanne wol I doon as thou hast prayed me;

167 And if thou love another man, for sothe

168 Right with this swerd thanne wol I sle yow bothe.

169 Cecile answerde anon-right in this wise:

170 If that yow list, the angel shul ye see,

171 So that ye trowe on crist and yow baptize.

172 Gooth forth to via apia, quod shee,

173 That fro this toun ne stant but miles three,

174 And to the povre folkes that ther dwelle,

175 Sey hem right thus, as that I shal yow telle.

176 Telle hem that I, cecile, yow to hem sente,

177 To shewen yow the goode urban the olde,

178 For secree nedes and for good entente.

179 And whan that ye seint urban han biholde,

180 Telle hym the wordes whiche I to yow tolde;

181 And whan that he hath purged yow fro synne,

182 Thanne shul ye se that angel, er ye twynne.

183 Valerian is to the place ygon,

184 And right as hym was taught by his lernynge,

185 He foond this hooly olde urban anon

186 Among the seintes buryeles lotynge.

187 And he anon, withouten tariynge,

188 Dide his message; and whan that he it tolde,

189 Urban for joye his handes gan up holde.

190 The teeris from his eyen leet he falle.

191 Almyghty lord, o jhesu crist, quod he,

192 Sower of chaast conseil, hierde of us alle,

193 The fruyt of thilke seed of chastitee

194 That thou hast sowe in cecile, taak to thee!

195 Lo, lyk a bisy bee, withouten gile,

196 Thee serveth ay thyn owene thral cecile.

197 For thilke spouse that she took but now

198 Ful lyk a fiers leoun, she sendeth heere,

199 As meke as evere was any lomb, to yow!

200 And with that word anon ther gan appeere

201 An oold man, clad in white clothes cleere,

202 That hadde a book with lettre of gold in honde,

203 And gan bifore valerian to stonde.

204 Valerian as deed fil doun for drede

205 Whan he hym saugh, and he up hente hym tho,

206 And on his book right thus he gan to rede:

207 O lord, o feith, o god, withouten mo,

208 O cristendom, and fader of alle also,

209 Aboven alle and over alle everywhere.

210 Thise wordes al with gold ywriten were.

211 Whan this was rad, thanne seyde this olde man,

212 Leevestow this thyng or no? sey ye or nay.

213 I leeve al this thyng, quod valerian,

214 For sother thyng than this, I dar wel say,

215 Under the hevene no wight thynke may.

216 Tho vanysshed the olde man, he nyste where,

217 And pope urban hym cristned right there.

218 Valerian gooth hoom and fynt cecilie

219 Withinne his chambre with an angel stonde.

220 This angel hadde of roses and of lilie

221 Corones two, the which he bar in honde;

222 And first to cecile, as I understonde,

223 He yaf that oon, and after gan he take

224 That oother to valerian, hir make.

225 With body clene and with unwemmed though

226 Kepeth ay wel thise corones, quod he;

227 Fro paradys to yow have I hem broght,

228 Ne nevere mo ne shal they roten bee,

229 Ne lese hir soote savour, trusteth me;

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230 Ne nevere wight shal seen hem with his ye,

231 But he be chaast and hate vileynye.

232 And thow, valerian, for thow so soone

233 Assentedest to good conseil also,

234 Sey what thee list, and thou shalt han thy boone.

235 I have a brother,quod valerian tho,

236 That in this world I love no man so.

237 I pray yow that my brother may han grace

238 To knowe the trouthe, as I do in this place.

239 The angel seyde,god liketh thy requeste,

240 And bothe, with the palm of martirdom,

241 Ye shullen come unto his blisful feste.

242 And with that word tiburce his brother coom.

243 And whan that he the savour undernoom,

244 Which that the roses and the lilies caste,

245 Withinne his herte he gan to wondre faste,

246 And seyde,i wondre, this tyme of the yeer

247 Whennes that soote savour cometh so

248 Of rose and lilies that I smelle heer.

249 For though I hadde hem in myne handes two.

250 The savour myghte in me no depper go.

251 The sweete smel that in myn herte I fynde

252 Hath chaunged me al in another kynde.

253 Valerian seyde: two corones han we,

254 Snow white and rose reed, that shynen cleere,

255 Whiche that thyne eyen han no myght to see;

256 And as thou smellest hem thurgh my preyere,

257 So shaltow seen hem,leeve brother deere,

258 If it so be thou wolt, withouten slouthe,

259 Bileve aright and knowen verray troughe,

260 Tiburce answerde, seistow this to me

261 In soothnesse, or in dreem I herkne this?

262 In dremes, quod valerian, han we be

263 Unto this tyme, brother myn, ywis.

264 But now at erst in trouthe oure dwellyng is.

265 How woostow this? quod tiburce, and in what wyse?

266 Quod valerian, that shal I thee devyse.

267 The aungel of God hath me the trouthe ytaught

268 Which thou shalt seen, if that thou wolt reneye

269 The ydoles and be clene, and elles naught.

270 And of the myracle of thise corones tweye

271 Seint ambrose in his preface list to seye;

272 Solempnely this noble doctour deere

273 Commendeth it, and seith in this manere:

274 The palm of martirdom for to receyve,

275 Seinte cecile, fulfild of goddes yifte,

276 The world and eek hire chambre gan she weyve;

277 Witnesse tyburces and valerians shrifte,

278 To whiche God of his bountee wolde shifte

279 Corones two of floures wel smellynge,

280 And make his angel hem the corones brynge.

281 The mayde hath broght thise men to blisse above;

282 The world hath wist what it is worth, certeyn,

283 Devocioun of chastitee to love.

284 Tho shewed hym cecile al open and pleyn

285 That alle ydoles nys but a thyng in veyn,

286 For they been dombe, and therto they been deve,

287 And charged hym his ydoles for to leve.

288 Whoso that troweth nat this, a beest he is,

289 Quod tho tiburce, if that I shal nat lye.

290 And she gan kisse his brest, that herde this,

291 And was ful glad he koude trouthe espye.

292 This day I take thee for myn allye,

293 Seyde this blisful faire mayde deere,

294 And after that, she seyde as ye may heere:

295 Lo, right so as the love of crist, quod she,

296 Made me thy brotheres wyf, right in that wise

297 Anon for myn allye heer take I thee,

298 Syn that thou wolt thyne ydoles despise.

299 Go with thy brother now, and thee baptise,

300 And make thee clene, so that thou mowe biholde

301 The angels face of which thy brother tolde.

302 Tiburce answerde and seyde, brother deere,

303 First el me whider I shal, and to what man?

304 To whom? quod he, com forth with right good cheere,

305 I wol thee lede unto the pope urban.

306 Til urban?brother myn valerian,

307 Quod tho tiburce, woltow me thider lede?

308 Me thynketh that it were a wonder dede.

309 Ne menestow nat urban,quod he tho,

310 That is so ofte dampned to be deed,

311 And woneth in halkes alwey to and fro,

312 And dar nat ones putte forth his heed?

313 Men sholde hym brennen in a fyr so reed

314 If he were founde, or that men myghte hym spye,

315 And we also, to bere hym compaignye;

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316 And whil we seken thile divinitee

317 That is yhid in hevene pryvely,

318 Algate ybrend in this world shul we bel

319 To whom cecile answerde boldely,

320 Men myghten dreden wel and skilfully

321 This lyf to lese, myn owene deere brother,

322 If this were lyvynge oonly and noon oother.

323 But ther is bettre lif in oother place,

324 That nevere shal be lost, ne drede thee noght,

325 Which goddes sone us tolde thurgh his grace.

326 That fadres sone hath alle thyng ywroght,

327 And al that wroght is with a skilful though,

328 The goost, that fro the fader gan procede,

329 Hath sowled hem, withouten any drede.

330 By word and by myracle heigh goodes sone

331 Whan he was in this world, declared heere

332 That ther was oother lyf ther men may wone.

333 To whom answerde tiburce,o suster deere,

334 Ne seydestow right now in this manere,

335 Ther nys but o god, lord in soothfastnesse?

336 And now of three how maystow bere witnesse?

337 That shal I telle,quod she, er I go.

338 Right as a man hath sapiences three,

339 Memorie, engyn, and intellect also,

340 So in o beynge of divinitee,

341 Thre persones may ther wright wel bee.

342 Tho gan she hym ful bisily to preche

343 Of cristes come, and of his peynes teche,

344 And manye pointes of his passioun;

345 How goddes sone in this world was withholde

346 To doon mankynde pleyn remissioun,

347 That was ybounde in synne and cares colde,

348 Al this thyng she unto tiburce tolde.

349 And after this, tiburce in good entente

350 With valerian to pope urban he wente,

351 That thanked god, and with glad herte light

352 He cristned hyn, and made hym in that place

353 Parfit in his lernynge, goddes knyght.

354 And after this, tiburce gat swich grace

355 That every day he saugh, in tyme and space,

356 The aungel of god; and every maner boone

357 That he God axed, it was sped ful soone.

358 If were ful hard by ordre for to seyn

359 How manye wondres jhesus for hem wroghte;

360 But atte laste, to tellen short and pleyn,

361 The sergeantz of the toun of rome hem soghte,

362 And hem biforn almache, the prefect, broghte,

363 Which hem apposed, and knew al hire entente,

364 And to the ymage of juppiter hem sente,

365 And seyde, whoso wol nat sacrifise,

366 Swape of his heed; this my sentence heer.

367 Anon thise martirs that I yow devyse,

368 Oon maximus, that was an officer

369 Of the prefectes, and his corniculer,

370 Hem hente, and whan he forth the seintes ladde,

371 Hymself he weep for pitee that he hadde.

372 Whan maximus had herd the seintes loore,

373 He gat hym of the tormentoures leve,

374 And ladde hem to his hous withoute moore,

375 And with hir prechyng, er that it were eve,

376 They gonnen fro the tormentours to reve,

377 And fro maxime, and fro his fold echone,

378 The false feith, to trowe in God allone.

379 Cecile cam, whan it was woxen nyght,

380 With preestes that hem cristned alle yfeere;

381 And afterward, whan day was woxen light,

382 Cecile hem seyde with a ful stedefast cheere,

383 Now, christes owene knyghtes leeve and deere,

384 Cast alle awey the werkes of derknesse,

385 And armeth yow in armure of brightnesse.

386 Ye han for sothe ydoon a greet bataille,

387 Youre cours is doon, youre feith han ye conserved.

388 Gooth to the corone of lif that may nat faille;

389 The rightful juge, which that ye han served,

390 Shal yeve it yow, as ye han it deserved.

391 And whan this thyng was seyd as I devyse,

392 Men ledde hem forth to doon the sacrefise.

393 But whan they weren to the place broght

394 To tellen shortly the conclusioun,

395 They nolde encense ne sacrifise right noght,

396 But on hir knees they setten hem adoun

397 With humble herte and sad devocioun,

398 And losten bothe hir hevedes in the place.

399 Hir soules wenten to the kyng of grace.

400 This maximus, that saugh this thyng bityde,

401 With pitous teeris tolde it anonright,

402 That he hir soules saugh to hevene glyde

403 With aungels ful of cleernesse and of light,

404 And with his word converted many a wight;

405 For which almachius dide hym so tobete

406 With whippe of leed, til he his lif gan lete.

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407 Cecile hym took and buryed hym anon

408 By tiburce and valerian softely

409 Withinne hire buriyng place, under the stoon;

410 And after this, almachius hastily

411 Bad his ministres fecchen openly

412 Cecile, so that she myghte in his presence

413 Doon sacrifice, and juppiter encense.

414 But they, converted at hir wise loore,

415 Wepten ful soore, and yaven ful credence

416 Unto hire word, and cryden moore and moore,

417 Crist, goddes sone, withouten difference,

418 Is verray God -- this is al oure sentence --

419 That hath so good a servant hym to serve.

420 This with o voys we trowen, thogh we sterve!

421 Almachius, that herde of this doynge,

422 Bad fecchen cecile, that he myghte hire see,

423 And alderfirst, lo! this was his axynge.

424 What maner womman artow? tho quod he.

425 I am a gentil womman born, quod she.

426 I axe thee, quod he, though it thee greeve,

427 Of thy religioun and of thy bileeve.

428 Ye han bigonne youre questioun folily,

429 Quod she, that wolden two answers conclude

430 In o demande; ye axed lewedly.

431 Almache answerde unto that similitude,

432 Of whennes comth thyn answeryng so rude?

433 Of whennes? quod she, whan that she was freyned,

434 Of conscience and of good feith unfeyned.

435 Almachius seyde, ne takestow noon heede

436 Of my power? and she answerde hym this:

437 Youre myght, quod she, ful litel is to dreede.

438 For every mortal mannes power nys

439 But lyk a bladdre ful of wynd ywys.

440 For with nedles poynt, whan it is blowe,

441 May al the boost of it be leyd ful lowe.

442 Ful wrongfully bigonne thow, quod he,

443 And yet in wrong is thy perserveraunce.

444 Wostow nat how oure myghty princes free

445 Han thus comanded and maad ordinaunce,

446 That every cristen wight shal han penaunce

447 But if that he his cristendom withseye,

448 And foon al quit, if he wole it reneye?

449 Yowre princes erren, as youre nobleye dooth,

450 Quod tho cecile, and with a wood sentence

451 Ye make us gilty, and it is nat sooth.

452 For ye, that knowen wel oure innocence,

453 For as muche as we doon a reverence

454 To crist, and for we berre a cristen name,

455 Ye putte on us a cryme, and eek a blame.

456 But we that knowen thilke name so

457 For vertuous, we may it nat withseye.

458 Almache answerde, chees oon of thise two:

459 Do sacrifice, or cristendom reneye,

460 That thou mowe now escapen by that weye.

461 At which the hooly blisful faire mayde

462 Gan for to laughe, and to juge sayde:

463 O juge, confus in thy nycetee,

464 Woltow that I reneye innocence,

465 To make me a wikked wight? quod shee.

466 Lo, he dissymuleth heere in audience;

467 He stareth, and woodeth in his advertence!

468 To whom almachius, unsely wrecche,

469 Ne woostow nat how fer my myght may strecche?

470 Han noght oure myghty princes to me yiven,

471 Ye, bothe power and auctoritee

472 To maken folk to dyen or to lyven?

473 Why spekestow so proudly thanne to me?

474 I speke noght but stedfastly, quod she;

475 Nat prudly, for I seye, as for my syde,

476 We haten deedly thilke vice of pryde.

477 And if thou drede nat a sooth to heere,

478 Thanne wol I shewe al openly, by right,

479 That thou hast maad a ful gret lesyng heere.

480 Thou seyst thy princes han thee yeven myght

481 Bothe for to sleen and for to quyken a wight;

482 Thou, that ne mayst but oonly lyf bireve,

483 Thou hast noon oother power ne no leve.

484 But thou mayst seyn thy princes han thee maked

485 Ministre of deeth; for if thou speke of mo,

486 Thou lyest, for thy power is ful naked.

487 Do wey thy booldnesse, seyde almachius tho,

488 And sacrifice to oure goddes, er thou go!

489 Irecche nat what wrong that thou me profre,

490 For I kan suffre it as a philosophre;

491 But thilke wronges may I nat endure

492 That thou spekest of oure goddes heere, quod

493 Cecile answerde, o nyce creature!

494 Thou seydest no word syn thou spak to me

495 That I ne knew therwith thy nycetee;

496 And that thou were, in every maner wise,

497 A lewed officer and a veyn justise.

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498 Ther lakketh no thyng to thyne outer yen

499 That thou n' art blynd; for thyng that we seen alle

500 That it is stoon, -- that men may wel espyen, --

501 That ilke stoon a God tho wolt it calle.

502 I rede thee, lat thyn hand upon it falle,

503 And taste it wel, and stoon thou shalt it fynde,

504 Syn that thou seest nat with thyne eyen blynde.

505 It is a shame that the peple shal

506 So scorne thee, and laughe at thy folye;

507 For communly men woot it wel overal

508 That myghty God is in his hevenes hye;

509 And thise ymages, wel thou mayst espye,

510 To thee ne to hemself mowen noght profite,

511 For in effect thy been nat worth a myte.

512 Thise wordes and swiche othere seyde she,

513 And he weex wroth, and bad men sholde hir lede

514 Hom til hir hous, and in hire hous, quod he,

515 Brenne hire right in a bath of flambes rede.

516 And as he bad, right so was doon the dede;

517 For in a bath they gonne hire faste shetten,

518 And nyght and day greet fyr they under betten.

519 The longe nyght, and eek a day also,

520 For al the fyr, and eek the bathes heete,

521 She sat al coold, and feelede no wo.

522 It made hire nat a drope for to sweete.

523 But in that bath hir lyf she moste lete,

524 For he almachius, with ful wikke entente,

525 To sleen hire in the bath his sonde sente.

526 Thre strokes in the nekke he smoot hire tho,

527 The tormentour, but for no maner chaunce

528 He myghte noght smyte al hir nekke atwo;

529 And for ther was that tyme an ordinaunce

530 That no man sholde doon man swich penaunce

531 The ferthe strook to smyten, softe or soore,

532 This tormentour ne dorste do namoore,

533 But half deed, with hir nekke ycorven there,

534 He lefte hir lye, and on his wey is went.

535 The cristen folk, which that aboute hire were,

536 With sheetes han the blood ful faire yhent.

537 Thre dayes lyved she in this torment,

538 And nevere cessed hem the feithe to teche

539 That she hadde fostred; hem she gan to preche,

540 And hem she yaf hir moebles and hir thyng,

541 And to the pope urban bitook hem tho,

542 And seyde, I axed this of hevene kyng,

543 To han respit thre dayes and namo,

544 To recomende to yow, er that I go,

545 Thise soules, lo! and that I myghte do werche

546 Heere of myn hous perpetuilly a cherche.

547 Seint urban, with his deknes, prively

548 The body fette, and buryed it by nyghte

549 Among his othere seintes honestly.

550 Hir hous the chirche of seint cecilie highte;

551 Seint urban halwed it, as he wel myghte;

552 In which, into this day, in noble wyse,

553 Men doon to crist and to his seint servyse.