[294: T. 12064-12100.]
Anon the feend in-to his herte ran, 130
And taughte him sodeynly, that he by slighte
The mayden to his purpos winne mighte.
For certes, by no force, ne by no mede,
Him thoughte, he was nat able for to spede;
For she was strong of freendes, and eek she 135
Confermed was in swich soverayn bountee,
That wel he wiste he mighte hir never winne
As for to make hir with hir body sinne.
For which, by greet deliberacioun,
He sente after a cherl, was in the toun, 140
Which that he knew for subtil and for bold.
This Iuge un-to this cherl his tale hath told
In secree wyse, and made him to ensure,
He sholde telle it to no creature,
And if he dide, he sholde lese his heed. 145
Whan that assented was this cursed reed,
Glad was this Iuge and maked him greet chere,
And yaf hym yiftes preciouse and dere.
138. E. maken; _rest_ make. 140, 142. E. Hn. cherl; _rest_ clerk.
147. E. Hn. this; _rest_ the.
Whan shapen was al hir conspiracye
Fro point to point, how that his lecherye 150
Parfourned sholde been ful subtilly,
As ye shul here it after openly,
Hoom gooth the cherl, that highte Claudius.
This false Iuge that highte Apius,
So was his name, (for this is no fable, 155
But knowen for historial thing notable,
The sentence of it sooth is, out of doute),
This false Iuge gooth now faste aboute
To hasten his delyt al that he may.
And so bifel sone after, on a day, 160
This false Iuge, as telleth us the storie,
As he was wont, sat in his consistorie,
And yaf his domes up-on sondry cas.
This false cherl cam forth a ful greet pas,
And seyde, ‘lord, if that it be your wille, 165
As dooth me right up-on this pitous bille,
[295: T. 12101-12136.]
In which I pleyne up-on Virginius.
And if that he wol seyn it is nat thus,
I wol it preve, and finde good witnesse,
That sooth is that my bille wol expresse.’ 170
149. E. Hn. hir; _rest_ this. 153, 164. E. Hn. cherl; _rest_ clerk.
155. E. Hn. this; _rest_ it.
The Iuge answerde, ‘of this, in his absence,
I may nat yeve diffinitif sentence.
Lat do him calle, and I wol gladly here;
Thou shall have al right, and no wrong here.’
172. E. diffynyue; rest diffinitif. 173, 174. E. heere, glossed
audire; and heere, glossed hie.
Virginius cam, to wite the Iuges wille, 175
And right anon was rad this cursed bille;
The sentence of it was as ye shul here.
‘To yow, my lord, sire Apius so dere,
Sheweth your povre servant Claudius,
How that a knight, called Virginius, 180
Agayns the lawe, agayn al equitee,
Holdeth, expres agayn the wil of me,
My servant, which that is my thral by right,
Which fro myn hous was stole up-on a night,
Whyl that she was ful yong; this wol I preve 185
By witnesse, lord, so that it nat yow greve.
She nis his doghter nat, what so he seye;
Wherfore to yow, my lord the Iuge, I preye,
Yeld me my thral, if that it be your wille.’
Lo! this was al the sentence of his bille. 190
Virginius gan up-on the cherl biholde,
But hastily, er he his tale tolde,
And wolde have preved it, as sholde a knight,
And eek by witnessing of many a wight,
That it was fals that seyde his adversarie, 195
This cursed Iuge wolde no-thing tarie,
Ne here a word more of Virginius,
But yaf his Iugement, and seyde thus:—