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From The Second Nun's Tale, lines 442-511:
Discussion and dispute on worldly and religious power
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Second Nun's Tale
lines 512-525: Cecilia is boiled, but not killed


       Thise wordes and swiche othere seyde she,
And he weex wrooth, and bad men sholde hir lede
Hom til hir hous, and "in hire hous," quod he,
515"Brenne hire right in a bath of flambes rede."
And as he bad, right so was doon in dede,
For in a bath they gonne hire faste shetten,
And nyght and day greet fyre they underbetten.
       These words and many other such said she,
And he grew wroth and bade she should be led
Home to her house. "And in her house," said he,
515"Boil her in bath heated by great flames red."
And as he bade, so was it done, 'tis said;
For in a bath they locked her and began
All night and day a great fire there to fan.

       The longe nyght and eek a day also
520For al the fyr and eek the bathes heete
She sat al coold, and feelede no wo;
It made hire nat a drope for to sweete.
But in that bath hir lyf she moste lete,
For he Almachius, with a ful wikke entente,
525To sleen hir in the bath his sonde sente.
       The long night through, and a long day also,
520For all the fire and all the bath's great heat,
She sat there cool and calm and felt no woe,
Nor did it make her any drop to sweat.
But in that bath her life should she lose yet;
For he, Almachius, with bad intent,
525To slay her in the bath his headsman sent.





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From The Second Nun's Tale, lines 526-553:
Cecilia is finally killed and martyred
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