From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Second Nun's Tale, lines 400-413

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

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

400	This Maximus that saugh this thyng bityde,
	With pitous teeris tolde it anon-right,
	That he hir soules saugh to hevene glyde
	With aungels ful of cleernesse and of light;
	And with this word converted many a wight;
405	For which Almachius dide hym so bete
	With whippe of leed, til he the lyf gan lete.

400	This Maximus, who saw this thing betide,
	With pitying tears he told folk then, forthright.
	That he their souls had seen to Heaven glide
	With angels full of glory and of light,
	And by his words converted many a wight;
405	For which Almachius had him beaten so,
	With whips of lead, he did his life forgo.

Cecile hym took, and buryed hym anon

By Tiburce and Valerian softely,

Withinne hir buriyng place, under the stoon,

410 And after this Almachius hastily

Bad his ministres fecchen openly

Cecile, so that she myghte in his presence

Doon sacrifice, and Juppiter encense.

Cecilia him buried with the others,

Valerian and Tibertius, quietly.

Thus in the tomb he rested with the brothers;

410 And after this Almachius speedily

Ordered his servants fetch him openly

Cecilia, that she might in his presence

Make sacrifice to Jove and burn incense.

Next:
From The Second Nun's Tale, lines 414-441:
The Roman governour Almachius arrests and interrogates Cecilia