| | The mayden to his purpos wynne he mighte | |
| | For certis by no fors ne by no mede | |
| | Hym thoughte he was not abyl forto spede | |
| 135 | For she was strong of frendis and eek she | |
| | Confermyd was in suche souereyn beaute | |
| | That wel he wiste he might her nat wynne | |
| | As forto make her with her body to synne | |
| | For whiche with gret deliberacion | |
| 140 | He sente aftir a chorl in the toun | |
| | The whiche he knew ful subtil and ful bold | |
| | This Iuge vnto this chorl this tale hath told | |
| | In secret wyse and made hym to assure | |
| | He sholde telle it to no creature | |
| 145 | And yf he dede he sholde lese his hed | |
| | When assentid was this cursid ded | |
| | Glad was the Iuge and made glad chere | |
| | And yaf hym yeftis precious and dere | |
| | When shapyn was al this conspirasye | |
| 150 | From poynt to poynt how that his lecherye | |
| | Parfourmyd shulde be ful subtilly | |
| | As ye shullyn here al openly | |
| | Hoom goth this chorl that highte claudius | |
| | This fals Iuge that highte appius | |
| 155 | So was his name for it is no fabil | |
| | But knowen for an historial thing notabil | |
| | The sentence of it soth is out of doute | |
| | This fals Iuge goth now faste aboute | |
| | To hastyn his delyte al that he may | |
| 160 | And so befyl sone aftir on a day | |
