The Canterbury Tales [240]
To God alone thus in her heart sang she; "O Lord, my soul and eke my body gie* *guide Unwemmed,* lest that I confounded be." *unblemished And, for his love that died upon the tree, Every second or third day she fast', Aye bidding* in her orisons full fast. *praying
The night came, and to bedde must she gon With her husband, as it is the mannere; And privily she said to him anon; "O sweet and well-beloved spouse dear, There is a counsel,* an'** ye will it hear, *secret **if Which that right fain I would unto you say, So that ye swear ye will it not bewray."* *betray
Valerian gan fast unto her swear That for no case nor thing that mighte be, He never should to none bewrayen her; And then at erst* thus to him saide she; *for the first time "I have an angel which that loveth me, That with great love, whether I wake or sleep, Is ready aye my body for to keep;
"And if that he may feelen, *out of dread,* *without doubt* That ye me touch or love in villainy, He right anon will slay you with the deed, And in your youthe thus ye shoulde die. And if that ye in cleane love me gie,"* *guide He will you love as me, for your cleanness, And shew to you his joy and his brightness."
Valerian, corrected as God wo'ld, Answer'd again, "If I shall truste thee, Let me that angel see, and him behold; And if that it a very angel be, Then will I do as thou hast prayed me; And if thou love another man, forsooth Right with this sword then will I slay you both."
Cecile answer'd anon right in this wise; "If that you list, the angel shall ye see, So that ye trow* Of Christ, and you baptise; *know Go forth to Via Appia," quoth she, That from this towne stands but miles three, And to the poore folkes that there dwell Say them right thus, as that I shall you tell,
"Tell them, that I, Cecile, you to them sent To shewe you the good Urban the old, For secret needes,* and for good intent; *business And when that ye Saint Urban have behold, Tell him the wordes which I to you told And when that he hath purged you from sin, Then shall ye see that angel ere ye twin* *depart
Valerian is to the place gone; And, right as he was taught by her learning He found this holy old Urban anon Among the saintes' burials louting;* *lying concealed <9> And he anon, withoute tarrying, Did his message, and when that he it told, Urban for joy his handes gan uphold.
The teares from his eyen let he fall; "Almighty Lord, O Jesus Christ," Quoth he, "Sower of chaste counsel, herd* of us all; *shepherd The fruit of thilke* seed of chastity *that That thou hast sown in Cecile, take to thee Lo, like a busy bee, withoute guile, Thee serveth aye thine owen thrall* Cicile, *servant
"For thilke spouse, that she took *but now,* *lately* Full like a fierce lion, she sendeth here, As meek as e'er was any lamb to owe." And with that word anon there gan appear An old man, clad in white clothes clear, That had a book with letters of gold in hand, And gan before Valerian to stand.
Valerian, as dead, fell down for dread, When he him saw; and he up hent* him tho,** *took **there And on his book right thus he gan to read; "One Lord, one faith, one God withoute mo', One Christendom, one Father of all also, Aboven all, and over all everywhere." These wordes all with gold y-written were.
When this was read, then said this olde man, "Believ'st thou this or no? say yea or nay." "I believe all this," quoth Valerian, "For soother* thing than this, I dare well say, *truer Under the Heaven no wight thinke may." Then vanish'd the old man, he wist not where And Pope Urban him christened right there.
Valerian went home, and found Cecilie Within his chamber with an angel stand; This angel had of roses and of lily Corones* two, the
The night came, and to bedde must she gon With her husband, as it is the mannere; And privily she said to him anon; "O sweet and well-beloved spouse dear, There is a counsel,* an'** ye will it hear, *secret **if Which that right fain I would unto you say, So that ye swear ye will it not bewray."* *betray
Valerian gan fast unto her swear That for no case nor thing that mighte be, He never should to none bewrayen her; And then at erst* thus to him saide she; *for the first time "I have an angel which that loveth me, That with great love, whether I wake or sleep, Is ready aye my body for to keep;
"And if that he may feelen, *out of dread,* *without doubt* That ye me touch or love in villainy, He right anon will slay you with the deed, And in your youthe thus ye shoulde die. And if that ye in cleane love me gie,"* *guide He will you love as me, for your cleanness, And shew to you his joy and his brightness."
Valerian, corrected as God wo'ld, Answer'd again, "If I shall truste thee, Let me that angel see, and him behold; And if that it a very angel be, Then will I do as thou hast prayed me; And if thou love another man, forsooth Right with this sword then will I slay you both."
Cecile answer'd anon right in this wise; "If that you list, the angel shall ye see, So that ye trow* Of Christ, and you baptise; *know Go forth to Via Appia," quoth she, That from this towne stands but miles three, And to the poore folkes that there dwell Say them right thus, as that I shall you tell,
"Tell them, that I, Cecile, you to them sent To shewe you the good Urban the old, For secret needes,* and for good intent; *business And when that ye Saint Urban have behold, Tell him the wordes which I to you told And when that he hath purged you from sin, Then shall ye see that angel ere ye twin* *depart
Valerian is to the place gone; And, right as he was taught by her learning He found this holy old Urban anon Among the saintes' burials louting;* *lying concealed <9> And he anon, withoute tarrying, Did his message, and when that he it told, Urban for joy his handes gan uphold.
The teares from his eyen let he fall; "Almighty Lord, O Jesus Christ," Quoth he, "Sower of chaste counsel, herd* of us all; *shepherd The fruit of thilke* seed of chastity *that That thou hast sown in Cecile, take to thee Lo, like a busy bee, withoute guile, Thee serveth aye thine owen thrall* Cicile, *servant
"For thilke spouse, that she took *but now,* *lately* Full like a fierce lion, she sendeth here, As meek as e'er was any lamb to owe." And with that word anon there gan appear An old man, clad in white clothes clear, That had a book with letters of gold in hand, And gan before Valerian to stand.
Valerian, as dead, fell down for dread, When he him saw; and he up hent* him tho,** *took **there And on his book right thus he gan to read; "One Lord, one faith, one God withoute mo', One Christendom, one Father of all also, Aboven all, and over all everywhere." These wordes all with gold y-written were.
When this was read, then said this olde man, "Believ'st thou this or no? say yea or nay." "I believe all this," quoth Valerian, "For soother* thing than this, I dare well say, *truer Under the Heaven no wight thinke may." Then vanish'd the old man, he wist not where And Pope Urban him christened right there.
Valerian went home, and found Cecilie Within his chamber with an angel stand; This angel had of roses and of lily Corones* two, the