From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Second Nun's Tale, lines 358-399

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From The Second Nun's Tale, lines 288-357:
Cecilia explains christianity and Tibertius meets the angel too

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Second Nun's Tale
lines 358-399: The brothers are executed because they refuse to worship Jupiter

	It were ful hard by ordre for to seyn
	How manye wondres Jesu for hem wroghte.
360	But atte laste, to tellen short and pleyn,
	The sergeantz of the toun of Rome hem soghte,
	And hem biforn Almache the Prefect broghte,
	Which hem apposed, and knew al hire entente,
	And to the ymage of Juppiter hem sente,

	'Twere hard in proper order to explain
	How many wonders Jesus for them wrought;
360	But at the last, to tell it short and plain,
	They by the sergeants of Rome town were sought,
	And to Almachius the prefect brought,
	Who questioned them and learned their whole intent,
	And unto Jupiter's image had them sent,

365 And seyde, "Whoso wol nat sacrifise,

Swap of his heed, this my sentence heer."

Anon thise martirs that I yow devyse,

Oon Maximus, that was an officer

Of the prefectes, and his corniculer,

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

Hymself he weep, for pitee that he hadde.

365 Saying: "Who will not go and sacrifice,

Strike off his head, that is my command here."

These martyrs, then, of whom I do apprise,

One Maximus, who was an officer

Of the prefect's, and his corniculer,

370 Took them; and when the saints forth he had led,

Himself he wept, for pity that he had.

Whan Maximus had herd the seintes loore,

He gat hym of the tormentoures leve,

And ladde hem to his hous withoute moore.

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

They gonnen fro the tormentours to reve,

And fro Maxime, and fro his folk echone

The fals feith, to trowe in God allone.

When Maximus had learned their creed and lore,

Of executioners obtained he leave,

And to his house he led them, without more;

375 And by their preaching, before it came to eve,

They from the executioners did reave,

And Maximus and from his folk, each one,

The false faith, to believe in God alone.

Cecile cam whan it was woxen nyght,

380 With preestes that hem cristned alle yfeere,

And afterward, whan day was woxen light,

Cecile hem seyde, with a ful stedefast cheere,

"Now Cristes owene knyghtes, leeve and deere,

Cast alle awey the werkes of derknesse

385 And armeth yow in armure of brightnesse.

Cecilia came, when it was fully night,

380 With priests, who christened them together there;

And afterward, when day came with its light,

Cecilia them bade, with steadfast cheer:

"Now Christ's own knights together, lief and dear,

The works of darkness cast you all away,

385 And arm you in the armour of the day.

Ye han for sothe ydoon a greet bataille,

Youre cours is doon, youre feith han ye conserved,

Gooth to the corone of lyf that may nat faille.

The rightful juge which that ye han served

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

And whan this thyng was seyd as I devyse,

Men ledde hem forth to doon the sacrifise.

You have indeed fought the good fight- all hail!

Your course is done, your faith you have preserved,

Go to the crown of life that shall not fail;

The Righteous judge, Whom you have so well served,

390 Will give it to you, since you've it deserved."

And when, as I have told this thing was said,

To make the sacrifice they forth were led.

But whan they weren to the place broght,

To tellen shortly the conclusioun,

395 They nolde encense ne sacrifise right noght,

But on hir knees they setten hem adoun

With humble herte and sad devocioun,

And losten bothe hir hevedes in the place.

Hir soules wenten to the kyng of grace.

But when before the image they were brought,

Briefly to tell the end as it is known,

395 They'd not incense, and sacrificed they naught,

But on their knees they reverently knelt down,

With humble heart and firm devotion shown,

And so they lost their heads there in that place.

Their spirits went unto the King of Grace.

Next:
From The Second Nun's Tale, lines 400-413:
The executioner is converted and thereafter executed