Upon this maid, avising3443 her full fast,
As she came forth by where this judgë stood;
Anon his heartë changed and his mood,
So was he caught with beauty of this maid
And to himself full privily he said,
“This maiden shall be mine for any man.”
Anon the fiend into his heartë ran,
And taught him suddenly, that he by sleight
This maiden to his purpose winnë might.
For certes, by no force, nor by no meed,3444
Him thought he was not able for to speed;
For she was strong of friendës, and eke she
Confirmed was in such sov’reign bounté,
That well he wist he might her never win,
As for to make her with her body sin.
For which, with great deliberatioún,
He sent after a clerk3445 was in the town,
The which he knew for subtle and for bold.
This judge unto this clerk his talë told
In secret wise, and made him to assure
He shouldë tell it to no creatúre,
And if he did, he shouldë lose his head.
And when assented was this cursed rede,3446
Glad was the judge, and made him greatë cheer,
And gave him giftës precioús and dear.
When shapen3447 was all their conspiracy
From point to point, how that his lechery
Performed shouldë be full subtilly,
As ye shall hear it after openly,
Home went this clerk, that hightë Claudius.
This falsë judge, that hightë Appius—
(So was his namë, for it is no fable,
But knowen for a storial3448 thing notáble;
The sentence3449 of it sooth3450 is out of doubt);—
This falsë judgë went now fast about
To hasten his delight all that he may.
And so befell, soon after on a day,
This falsë judge, as telleth us the story,
As he was wont, sat in his consistóry,
And gave his doomes3451 upon sundry case’;
This falsë clerk came forth a full great pace,3452
And saidë; “Lord, if that it be your will,
As do me right upon this piteous bill,3453
In which I plain upon Virginius.
And if that he will say it is not thus,
I will it prove, and findë good witnéss,
That sooth is what my billë will express.”
The judge answér’d, “Of this, in his absénce,
I may not give definitive senténce.
Let do3454 him call, and I will gladly hear;
Thou shalt have allë right, and no wrong here.”
Virginius came to weet3455 the judgë’s will,
And right anon was read this cursed bill;
The sentence of it was as ye shall hear:
“To you, my lord, Sir Appius so clear,
Sheweth your poorë servant Claudius,
How that a knight callëd Virginius,
Against the law, against all equity,
Holdeth, express against the will of me,
My servant, which that is my thrall3456 by right,
Which from my house was stolen on a night,
While that she was full young; I will it preve3457
By witness, lord, so that it you not grieve;3458
She is his daughter not, what so he say.
Wherefore to you, my lord the judge, I pray,
Yield me my thrall, if that it be your will.”
Lo, this was all the sentence of the bill.
Virginius gan upon the clerk behold;
But hastily, ere he his talë told,
And would have proved it, as should a knight,
And eke by witnessing of many a wight,
That all was false that said his adversary,
This cursed3459 judgë would no longer tarry,
Nor hear a word more of Virginius,
But gave his judgëment, and saidë thus:
“I deem3460 anon this clerk his servant have;
Thou shalt no longer in thy house her save.
Go, bring her forth, and put her in our ward;
The clerk shall have his thrall: thus I award.”
And when this worthy knight, Virginius,
Through sentence of this justice Appius,
Mustë by force his dearë daughter give
Unto the judge, in lechery to live,
He went him home, and sat him in his hall,
And let anon his dearë daughter call;
And with a facë dead as ashes cold
Upon her humble face he gan behold,
With father’s pity sticking3461 through his heart,
All3462 would he from his purpose not convert.3463
“Daughter,” quoth he, “Virginia by name,
There be two wayës, either death or shame,
That thou must suffer—alas that I was bore!
For never thou deservedest wherefore
To dien with a sword or with a knife,
O dearë daughter, ender of my life,
Whom I have foster’d up with such pleasánce
That thou were ne’er out of my remembrance;
O daughter, which that art my lastë woe,
And in this life my lastë joy also,
O gem of chastity, in patiénce
Take thou thy death, for this is my senténce:
For love and not for hate thou must be dead;
My piteous hand must smiten off thine head.
Alas, that ever Appius thee say!3464
Thus hath he falsely judged thee to-day.”
And told her all the case, as ye before
Have heard; it needeth not to tell it more.
“O mercy, dearë father,” quoth the maid.
And with that word she both her armës laid
About his neck, as she was wont to do,
(The tearës burst out of her eyen two),
And said, “O goodë father, shall I die?
Is there no grace? is there no remedý?”
“No, certes, dearë daughter mine,” quoth he.
“Then give me leisure, father mine,” quoth she,
“My death for to complain3465 a little space:
For, pardie, Jephthah gave his daughter grace
For to complain, ere he her slew, alas!3466
And, God it wot, nothing was her trespáss,3467
But for she ran her father first to see,
To welcome him with great solemnity.”
And with that word she fell aswoon anon;
And after, when her swooning was y-gone,
She rose up, and unto her father said:
“Blessed be God, that I shall die a maid.
Give me my death, ere that I havë shame;
Do with your child your will, in Goddë’s name.”
And with that word she prayed him full oft
That with his sword he wouldë smite her soft;
And with that word, aswoon again she fell.
Her father, with full sorrowful heart and fell,3468
Her head off smote, and by the top it hent,3469
And to the judge he went it
