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That he mai best a man beguile
In whom the man hath most credence；
And this befell in evidence
Toward this yonge lord of Rome。
His Bacheler； which hadde tome； 2680
Whan that his lord be nihte slepte；
This Ring； the which his maister kepte；
Out of his Pours awey he dede；
And putte an other in the stede。
Amorwe； whan the Court is set；
The yonge ladi was forth fet；
To whom the lordes don homage；
And after that of Mariage
Thei trete and axen of hir wille。
Bot sche； which thoghte to fulfille 2690
Hire fader heste in this matiere；
Seide openly； that men mai hiere；
The charge which hire fader bad。
Tho was this Lord of Rome glad
And drowh toward his Pours anon；
Bot al for noght； it was agon：
His Bacheler it hath forthdrawe；
And axeth ther upon the lawe
That sche him holde covenant。
The tokne was so sufficant 2700
That it ne mihte be forsake；
And natheles his lord hath take
Querelle ayein his oghne man；
Bot for nothing that evere he can
He mihte as thanne noght ben herd；
So that his cleym is unansuerd；
And he hath of his pourpos failed。
This Bacheler was tho consailed
And wedded； and of thilke Empire
He was coroned Lord and Sire； 2710
And al the lond him hath received；
Wherof his lord； which was deceived；
A seknesse er the thridde morwe
Conceived hath of dedly sorwe：
And as he lay upon his deth；
Therwhile him lasteth speche and breth；
He sende for the worthieste
Of al the lond and ek the beste；
And tolde hem al the sothe tho；
That he was Sone and Heir also 2720
Of themperour of grete Rome；
And how that thei togedre come；
This kniht and he； riht as it was；
He tolde hem al the pleine cas；
And for that he his conseil tolde；
That other hath al that he wolde；
And he hath failed of his mede：
As for the good he takth non hiede；
He seith； bot only of the love；
Of which he wende have ben above。 2730
And therupon be lettre write
He doth his fader forto wite
Of al this matiere as it stod；
And thanne with an hertly mod
Unto the lordes he besoghte
To telle his ladi how he boghte
Hire love； of which an other gladeth；
And with that word his hewe fadeth；
And seide； 〃A dieu； my ladi swete。〃
The lif hath lost his kindly hete； 2740
And he lay ded as eny ston；
Wherof was sory manyon；
Bot non of alle so as sche。
This false knyht in his degree
Arested was and put in hold：
For openly whan it was told
Of the tresoun which is befalle；
Thurghout the lond thei seiden alle；
If it be soth that men suppose；
His oghne untrowthe him schal depose。 2750
And forto seche an evidence；
With honour and gret reverence；
Wherof they mihten knowe an ende；
To themperour anon thei sende
The lettre which his Sone wrot。
And whan that he the sothe wot；
To telle his sorwe is endeles；
Bot yit in haste natheles
Upon the tale which he herde
His Stieward into Perse ferde 2760
With many a worthi Romein eke；
His liege tretour forto seke；
And whan thei thider come were；
This kniht him hath confessed there
How falsly that he hath him bore；
Wherof his worthi lord was lore。
Tho seiden some he scholde deie；
Bot yit thei founden such a weie
That he schal noght be ded in Perse；
And thus the skiles ben diverse。 2770
Be cause that he was coroned；
And that the lond was abandoned
To him； althogh it were unriht；
Ther is no peine for him diht；
Bot to this point and to this ende
Thei granten wel that he schal wende
With the Romeins to Rome ayein。
And thus acorded ful and plein；
The qwike body with the dede
With leve take forth thei lede； 2780
Wher that Supplant hath his juise。
Wherof that thou thee miht avise
Upon this enformacioun
Touchende of Supplantacioun；
That thou； my Sone； do noght so：
And forto take hiede also
What Supplant doth in other halve；
Ther is noman can finde a salve
Pleinly to helen such a Sor；
It hath and schal ben everemor； 2790
Whan Pride is with Envie joint；
He soffreth noman in good point；
Wher that he mai his honour lette。
And therupon if I schal sette
Ensample； in holy cherche I finde
How that Supplant is noght behinde；
God wot if that it now be so：
For in Cronique of time ago
I finde a tale concordable
Of Supplant； which that is no fable； 2800
In the manere as I schal telle；
So as whilom the thinges felle。
At Rome； as it hath ofte falle；
The vicair general of alle
Of hem that lieven Cristes feith
His laste day； which non withseith；
Hath schet as to the worldes ije；
Whos name if I schal specefie；
He hihte Pope Nicolas。
And thus whan that he passed was； 2810
The Cardinals； that wolden save
The forme of lawe； in the conclave
Gon forto chese a newe Pope；
And after that thei cowthe agrope
Hath ech of hem seid his entente：
Til ate laste thei assente
Upon an holy clerk reclus；
Which full was of gostli vertus；
His pacience and his simplesse
Hath set him into hih noblesse。 2820
Thus was he Pope canonized；
With gret honour and intronized；
And upon chance as it is falle；
His name Celestin men calle；
Which notefied was be bulle
To holi cherche and to the fulle
In alle londes magnified。
Bot every worschipe is envied；
And that was thilke time sene：
For whan this Pope of whom I meene 2830
Was chose； and othre set beside；
A Cardinal was thilke tide
Which the papat longe hath desired
And therupon gretli conspired；
Bot whan he sih fortune is failed；
For which long time he hath travailed；
That ilke fyr which Ethna brenneth
Thurghout his wofull herte renneth；
Which is resembled to Envie；
Wherof Supplant and tricherie 2840
Engendred is； and natheles
He feigneth love； he feigneth pes；
Outward he doth the reverence；
Bot al withinne his conscience
Thurgh fals ymaginacioun
He thoghte Supplantacioun。
And therupon a wonder wyle
He wroghte： for at thilke whyle
It fell so that of his lignage
He hadde a clergoun of yong age； 2850
Whom he hath in his chambre affaited。
This Cardinal his time hath waited；
And with his wordes slyhe and queinte；
The whiche he cowthe wysly peinte；
He schop this clerk of which I telle
Toward the Pope forto duelle；
So that withinne his chambre anyht
He lai； and was a prive wyht
Toward the Pope on nyhtes tide。
Mai noman fle that schal betide。 2860
This Cardinal； which thoghte guile；
Upon a day whan he hath while
This yonge clerc unto him tok；
And made him swere upon a bok；
And told him what his wille was。
And forth withal a Trompe of bras
He hath him take； and bad him this：
〃Thou schalt；〃 he seide； 〃whan time is
Awaite； and take riht good kepe；
Whan that the Pope is fast aslepe 2870
And that non other man by nyh；
And thanne that thou be so slyh
Thurghout the Trompe into his Ere；
Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were；
To soune of such prolacioun
That he his meditacioun
Therof mai take and understonde；
As thogh it were of goddes sonde。
And in this wise thou schalt seie；
That he do thilke astat aweie 2880
Of Pope； in which he stant honoured；
So schal his Soule be socoured
Of thilke worschipe ate laste
In hevene which schal evere laste。〃
This clerc； whan he hath herd the forme
How he the Pope scholde enforme；
Tok of the Cardinal his leve；
And goth him hom； til it was Eve；
And prively the trompe he hedde；
Til that the Pope was abedde。 2890
And at the Midnyht； whan he knewh
The Pope slepte； thanne he blewh
Withinne his trompe thurgh the wal；
And tolde in what manere he schal
His Papacie leve； and take
His ferste astat： and thus awake
This holi Pope he made thries；
Wherof diverse fantasies
Upon his grete holinesse
Withinne his herte he gan impresse。 2900
The Pope ful of innocence
Conceiveth in his conscience
That it is goddes wille he cesse；
Bot in what wise he may relesse
His hihe astat； that wot he noght。
And thus withinne himself bethoght；
He bar it stille in his memoire；
Til he cam to the Consistoire；
And there in presence of hem alle
He axeth； if it so befalle 2910
That eny Pope cesse wolde；
How that the lawe it soffre scholde。
Thei seten alle stille and herde；
Was non which to the point ansuerde；
For to what pourpos that it mente
Ther was noman knew his entente；
Bot only he which schop the guile。
This Cardinal the same while
Al openly with wordes pleine
Seith； if the Pope wolde orde