The palm of martirdom for to receyve,
Seinte Cecile, fulfild of goddes yifte, 275
The world and eek hir chambre gan she weyve;
Witnes Tyburces and Valerians shrifte,
To whiche god of his bountee wolde shifte
Corones two of floures wel smellinge,
And made his angel hem the corones bringe: 280
277. _The MSS. have_ Cecilies, _wrongly_ (for Valerians); Lat.
_text_—Ualeriani; cf. l. 281.
The mayde hath broght thise men to blisse above;
The world hath wist what it is worth, certeyn,
Devocioun of chastitee to love.—
Tho shewede him Cecile al open and pleyn
That alle ydoles nis but a thing in veyn; 285
For they been dombe, and therto they been deve,
And charged him his ydoles for to leve.
281. E. Hn. _omit_ thise; _the rest retain it, except_ Cm., _which has_
brought hem to blysse. 284. Cp. Pt. Ln. _omit_ al.
‘Who so that troweth nat this, a beste he is,’
Quod tho Tiburce, ‘if that I shal nat lye.’
And she gan kisse his brest, that herde this, 290
And was ful glad he coude trouthe espye.
‘This day I take thee for myn allye,’
Seyde this blisful fayre mayde dere;
And after that she seyde as ye may here: