[Sidenote: [TALE OF VIRGINIA.]] At Rome whan that Apius, [Sidenote: Hic ponit exemplum super eodem,[1418] qualiter Liuius Virginius dux excercitus Romanorum vnicam filiam pulcherimam habens cum quodam nobili viro nomine Ilicio, vt ipsam in vxorem duceret, finaliter concordauit. Set interim Apius Claudius tunc[1419] Imperator virginis formositatem, vt eam violaret, concupiscens, occasiones quibus matrimonium impedire, ipsamque ad sui vsum apprehendere posset, subdola conspiracione fieri coniectauit. Et cum propositum sui desiderii productis falsis testibus in iudicio Imperator habere debuisset, pater tunc ibidem presens extracto gladio filie sue pectus mortali vulnere per medium transfodit, dicens: ‘Malo michi de filia mea virginem habere mortuam, quam in sui scandalum meretricem reseruare viuentem.’] Whos other name is Claudius, Was governour of the cite, Ther fell a wonder thing to se Touchende a gentil Maide, as thus,[1420] Whom Livius Virginius Begeten hadde upon his wif: Men seiden that so fair a lif As sche was noght in al the toun. This fame, which goth up and doun, 5140 To Claudius cam in his Ere, Wherof his thoght anon was there, Which al his herte hath set afyre, That he began the flour desire Which longeth unto maydenhede, And sende, if that he myhte spede The blinde lustes of his wille. Bot that thing mai he noght fulfille, For sche stod upon Mariage; A worthi kniht of gret lignage, 5150 Ilicius which thanne hihte, Acorded in hire fader sihte (5350*) [Sidenote: =P. iii. 265=] Was, that he scholde his douhter wedde. Bot er the cause fully spedde, Hire fader, which in Romanie The ledinge of chivalerie In governance hath undertake, Upon a werre which was take Goth out with al the strengthe he hadde Of men of Armes whiche he ladde: 5160 So was the mariage left,[1421] And stod upon acord til eft. The king, which herde telle of this, Hou that this Maide ordeigned is To Mariage, thoghte an other. And hadde thilke time a brother, Which Marchus Claudius was hote, And was a man of such riote Riht as the king himselve was: Thei tuo togedre upon this cas 5170 In conseil founden out this weie,[1422] That Marchus Claudius schal seie Hou sche be weie of covenant To his service appourtenant Was hol, and to non other man; And therupon he seith he can In every point witnesse take, So that sche schal it noght forsake. Whan that thei hadden schape so, After the lawe which was tho, 5180 Whil that hir fader was absent, Sche was somouned and assent[1423]