                                      1380
                                CANTERBURY TALES
                           THE SECOND NUN'S PROLOGUE
                              by Geoffrey Chaucer

  That servant and that nurse unto the vices
  Which men do call in English Idleness,
  Portress at Pleasure's gate, by all advices
  We should avoid, and by her foe express,
  That is to say, by lawful busyness,
  We ought to live with resolute intent,
  Lest by the Fiend through sloth we should be rent.

  For he, that with his thousand cords and sly
  Continually awaits us all to trap,
  When he a man in idleness may spy
  He easily the hidden snare will snap,
  And till the man has met the foul mishap,
  He's not aware the Fiend has him in hand;
  We ought to work and idleness withstand.

  And though men never dreaded they must die,
  Yet men see well, by reason, idleness
  Is nothing more than rotten sluggardry,
  Whereof comes never good one may possess;
  And see sloth hold her in a leash, no less,
  Only to sleep and eat and always drink
  And to absorb all gain of others' swink.

  And so, to save us from such idleness
  Through which great trouble and distress have grown,
  I have here done my faithful busyness,
  Translating the old legend, to make known
  All of that glorious life which was thine own,
  Thou ever with the rose and lily crowned,
  Cecilia, for virtues high renowned.

             Invocatio ad Mariam

  And Thou that art the flower of virgins all
  Of whom Saint Bernard loved so well to write,
  To Thee at my beginning do I call;
  Thou comfort of us wretches, help me indite
  Thy maiden's death, who won through her merit
  The eternal life, and from the Fiend such glory
  As men may read hereafter in her story.

  Thou Maid and Mother, Daughter of Thy Son,
  Thou well of ruth, of sinful souls the cure,
  In Whom, for goodness, God was embryon,
  Thou humble One, high over each creature,
  Thou did'st ennoble so far our nature
  That no disdain God had of humankind
  His Son in blood and flesh to clothe and wind.

  Within the blessed cloister of Thy sides
  Took human shape eternal love and peace
  Who all the threefold world as sovereign guides,
  Whom earth and sea and heaven, without cease,
  Do praise; and Thou, O stainless Maid, increase
  Bore of Thy body- and wert kept a maid-
  The mighty God Who every creature made.

  Assembled is in Thee magnificence,
  With mercy, goodness, and with such pity
  That Thou, Who art the sun of excellence,
  Not only keepest those that pay to Thee,
  But oftentimes, of Thy benignity,
  Freely, or ever men Thy help beseech,
  Thou goest before and art their spirits' leech.

  Now help, Thou meek and blessed, Thou fair Maid,
  Me, banished wretch, in wilderness of gall;
  Think how the Canaanitish woman said
  That even dogs may eat of the crumbs all
  Which from the master's laden table fall;
  And though I, now, unworthy son of Eve,
  Am sinful, yet accept me, who believe.

  And since all faith is dead divorced from works,
  That I may do the right, O give me space
  To free me from that darkness of deep murks!
  O Thou, Who art so fair and full of grace,
  Be Thou my advocate in that high place
  Where without ever end is sung "Hosanna,"
  Thou, Mother of Christ and daughter of Saint Anna!

  And of Thy light my soul illuminate,
  That troubled is by the contagion sown
  Here in my body, also by the weight
  Of earthly lust and false loves I have known;
  O haven of refuge, O salvation shown
  To those that are in sorrow and distress,
  Now help, for to my work I'll me address.

  Yet pray I all who read what I do write,
  Forgive me that I do no diligence
  By subtle change to make the story right;
  For I have taken both the words and sense
  From him who wrote the tale in reverence
  Of this one saint; I follow her legend
  And pray you that you will my work amend.

       Interpretacio Nominis Caecilie
         Quam Ponit Frater Iacobus
        Ianuensis in Legenda Aurea.

  First would I you the name of Saint Cecilia
  Expound, as men may in her story see.
  It is to say, in English, "Heaven's lily,"
  Symbol of pure and virgin chastity;
  Or, since she had the white of modesty,
  And green of good conscience, and of good fame
  The savour sweet, so "lily" was her name.

  Or else Cecilia means "path for the blind,"
  For she example was, by good teaching;
  Or else Cecilia, as I written find,
  Is made, after a manner of joining,
  Of "Heaven" and "Lia"; and, in figuring,
  The "Heaven" is put for "thought of holiness"
  And "Lia" for enduring busyness.

  Cecilia may mean, too, in this wise,
  "Lacking in blindness," for her shining light
  Of sapience, and for good qualities;
  Or else, behold! this maiden's name so bright
  From "Heaven" and "leos" comes, for which, by right,
  Men well might her the "Heaven of people" call,
  Example of good and wise works unto all.

  Leos is folk in English, so to say,
  And just as men may in the heavens see
  The sun and moon and stars strewn every way,
  Just so men ghostly, in this maiden free,
  See of her faith the magnanimity,
  And the whole glory of her sapience,
  And many actions, bright of excellence.

  And just as these philosophers do write
  That heaven is round and moving and burning,
  Just so was fair Cecilia the white
  Eager and busy ever in good working,
  Large and whole-hearted, steadfast in each thing,
  And shining ever in charity full bright;
  Now have I told you of her name aright.

                  Explicit
