From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Physician's Tale, lines 149-190

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Physician's Tale
lines 149-190: Claudius claims the knight's daughter and says she is his stolen servant

	Whan shapen was al hir conspiracie
150	Fro point to point, how that his lecherie
	Parfourned sholde been ful subtilly,
	As ye shul heere it after openly,
	Hoom gooth the cherl, that highte Claudius.
	This false juge, that highte Apius,
155	(So was his name, for this is no fable,
	But knowen for historial thyng notable;
	The sentence of it sooth is out of doute),
	This false juge gooth now faste aboute
	To hasten his delit al that he may.
160	And so bifel soone after on a day,
	This false juge, as telleth us the storie,
	As he was wont, sat in his consistorie,
	And yaf his doomes upon sondry cas.
	This false cherl cam forth a ful greet pas
165	And seyde, "Lord, if that it be youre wille,
	As dooth me right upon this pitous bille
	In which I pleyne upon Virginius;
	And if that he wol seyn it is nat thus,
	I wol it preeve, and fynde good witnesse,
170	That sooth is, that my bille wol expresse."

	When plotted out was their conspiracy,
150	From point to point, how all his lechery
	Should have its will, performing craftily,
	As you shall hear it now told openly,
	Home went the churl, whose name was Claudius.
	This false judge, who was known as Appius
155	(Such was his name, for this is no fable,
	But an historical event I tell,
	At least the gist is true, beyond a doubt)
	This false judge goes now busily about
	To hasten his delight in all he may.
160	And so it happened soon after, on a day,
	This false judge, as recounts the ancient story,
	As he was wont, sat in his auditory
	And gave his judgment upon every case.
	Forthwith the wicked churl advanced a pace,
165	And said: "Your honour, if it be your will,
	Then give me justice prayed for in this bill,
	Of my complaint against Virginius.
	And if he claim the matter stands not thus,
	I will so prove, by many a good witness,
170	That truth is what my bill does here express."

	The juge answerde, "Of this in his absence,
	I may nat yeve diffynytyve sentence.
	Lat do hym calle, and I wol gladly heere.
	Thou shalt have al right and no wrong heere."
175	Virginius cam to wite the juges wille,
	And right anon was rad this cursed bille.
	The sentence of it was, as ye shul heere:

	The judge replied: "On this, in his absence,
	I may not give definitive sentence.
	Let him be called and I will gladly hear;
	You shall have all your right, and no wrong, here."
175	Virginius came to learn the judge's will,
	And then was read to him this wicked bill,
	The substance of it being as you shall hear.

	"To yow, my lord, Sire Apius so deere,
	Sheweth youre povre servant Claudius,
180	How that a knyght called Virginius
	Agayns the lawe, agayn al equitee,
	Holdeth expres agayn the wyl of me
	My servant, which that is my thral by right,
	Which fro myn hous was stole upon a nyght,
185	Whil that she was ful yong; this wol I preeve
	By witnesse, lord, so that it nat yow greeve.
	She nys his doghter, nat what so he seye.
	Wherfore to yow, my lord the Juge, I preye
	Yeld me my thral, if that it be youre wille."
190	Lo, this was al the sentence of his bille.

	"To you, Judge Appius, may it so appear
	That comes and says your servant Claudius,
180	How that a knight, by name Virginius,
	Against the law, against all equity,
	Holds, expressly against the will of me,
	My servant who is slave to me by right,
	Who from my house was stolen, on a night,
185	While yet she was but young; this will I prove,
	My lord, by witness competent thereof.
	She's not his child, whatever he may say;
	Wherefore to you, my lord the judge, I pray,
	Yield me my slave, if that it be your will."
190	Lo, this was all the substance of his bill.