The Ellesmere ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

Page 479

[6-text p 256]

¶ Heere bigynneth / the Monkes tale / de casibus virorum Illustrium.

                        
                          Iwol biwaille / in manere of Tragedie
                        
                          The harm of hem / that stoode in heigh degree
                        
                          And fillen so / that ther nas no remedie
                        
                          To brynge hem / out of hir aduersitee
                          Line 3184 
                        
                          ffor certein / whan þat ffortune list to flee
                        
                          Ther may no man / the cours of hire withholde
                        
                          Lat no man truste / on blynd prosperitee
                        
                          Be war of thise ensamples / trewe and olde
                          Line 3188

[Lucifer.]

                        
                          AT lucifer / though / he an Angel were
                        
                          And nat a man / at hym wol I bigynne
                        
                          ffor though ffortune / may noon Angel dere
                        
                          ffrom heigh degree / yet fel he for his synne
                          Line 3192 
                        
                          Doun in to helle / where he yet is Inne
                        
                          O Lucifer/ brightest . of Angels alle
                        
                          Now artow sathanas / þat mayst nat twynne
                        
                          Out of miserie / in which þat thou art falle
                          Line 3196

[Adam.]

                        
                          Loo Adam / in the feeld of Damyssene
                        
                          With goddes owene fynger/ wroght was he
                        
                          And nat bigeten / of mannes sperme vnclene
                        
                          And welte all Paradys / sauynge o tree
                          Line 3200 
                        
                          Hadde neuere worldly man so heigh degree
                        
                          As Adam / til he for mysgouernance
                        
                          Was dryuen / out of hys hye prosperitee
                        
                          To labour and to helle / and to meschance

                          Line 3204

Page 480

[6-text p 257]

[Sampson.]

                        
                          Loo Sampson / which that was Annunciat
                        
                          By Angel / longe er his Natiuitee
                        
                          And was / to god almyghty consecrat
                        
                          And stood in noblesse / whil he myghte see
                          Line 3208 
                        
                          Was neuere / swich another as was hee
                        
                          To speke of strengthe / and ther-with hardynesse
                        
                          But to hise wyues / toolde he his secree
                          Line 3211 
                        
                          Thurgh which / he slow hym self / for wrecchednesse

                        
                          Sampson / this noble almyghty Champion [folio 173b] 
                        
                          With-outen wepene / saue his handes tweyne
                        
                          He slow / and al torente the leon
                        
                          Toward his weddyng walkynge by the weye
                          Line 3216 
                        
                          His false wyf / koude hym so plese and preye
                        
                          Til she his conseil knew / and she vntrewe
                        
                          Vn-to hise foos / his conseil gan biwreye
                        
                          And hym forsook. and took another newe
                          Line 3220

                        
                          Thre hundred foxes / took Sampson for Ire
                        
                          And alle hir tayles / he togydre bond
                        
                          And sette the foxes tayles / alle on fire
                        
                          ffor he / on euery tayl / had knyt a brond
                          Line 3224 
                        
                          And they brende / alle the cornes in that lond
                        
                          And alle hire Olyueres / and vynes eke
                        
                          A thousand men / he slow eek with his hond
                        
                          And hadde no wepene / but an Asses cheke
                          Line 3228

                        
                          Whan they were slayn / so thursted hym / that he
                        
                          Was wel ny lorn / for which he gan to preye
                        
                          That god wolde / on his peyne han som pitee
                        
                          And sende hym drynke / or elles moste he deye
                          Line 3232 
                        
                          And of this asses cheke / that was dreye
                        
                          Out of a wang tooth / sprang anon a welle
                        
                          Of which he drank anon / shortly to seye
                        
                          Thus heelpe hym god / as Iudicum can telle

                          Line 3236

Page 481

[6-text p 258] 3236

                        
                          By verray force / at Gazan / on a nyght
                        
                          Maugree Philistiens of that Citee
                        
                          The gates of the toun / he hath vp plyght
                        
                          And on his bak. ycaryed hem hath hee
                          Line 3240 
                        
                          Hye on an hill / þat men myghte hem see
                        
                          O noble almyghty Sampson / lief and deere
                        
                          Had thou nat toold / to wommen thy secree
                        
                          In all this world / ne hadde been thy peere
                          Line 3244

                        
                          This Sampson / neuere Ciser drank ne wyn
                        
                          Ne on his heed / cam rasour noon ne sheere
                        
                          By precept of the Messager diuyn
                        
                          ffor alle hise strengthes / in hise heeres weere
                          Line 3248 
                        
                          And fully twenty wynter yeer by yeere
                        
                          He / hadde of Israel the gouernance
                        
                          But soone / shal he wepe many a teere
                        
                          ffor wommen / shal hym bryngen to meschance
                          Line 3252

                        
                          Vn-to his lemman Dalida he tolde
                        
                          That in hise heeris / al his strengthe lay
                        
                          And falsly to hise foomen / she hym solde
                        
                          ¶ And slepynge in hir barm / vp-on a day [folio 174a] 
                          Line 3256 
                        
                          She made to clippe / or shere / hise heres away
                        
                          And made hise foomen / al this craft espyen
                        
                          And whan þat they / hym foond in this array
                        
                          They bounde hym faste / and putten out hise eyen
                          Line 3260

                        
                          But er his heer/ were clipped or yshaue
                        
                          Ther was no boond / with which men myghte him bynde
                        
                          But now is he / in prison in a Caue
                        
                          Where as they made hym / at the Queerne grynde
                          Line 3264 
                        
                          O noble Sampson / strongest of mankynde
                        
                          O whilom / Iuge in glorie and in richesse
                        
                          Now maystow wepen / with thyne eyen blynde
                        
                          Sith thou fro wele / art falle in wrecchednesse

                          Line 3268

Page 482

[6-text p 259] 3268

                        
                          The ende of this caytyf was as I shal seye
                        
                          Hise foomen / made a feeste vp-on a day
                        
                          And made hym as a fool / biforn hem pleye
                        
                          And this was / in a temple of greet array
                          Line 3272 
                        
                          But atte laste / he made a foul affray
                        
                          ffor he / the pilers shook / and made hem falle
                        
                          And doun fil Temple and al / and ther it lay
                        
                          And slow hym self / and eek his foomen alle
                          Line 3276

                        
                          This is to seyn the Prynces euerichoon
                        
                          And eek / thre thousand bodyes were ther slayn
                        
                          With fallynge / of the grete Temple of stoon
                        
                          Of Sampson / now wol I na moore sayn
                          Line 3280 
                        
                          Beth war / by this ensample oold and playn
                        
                          That no men / telle hir conseil til hir wyues
                        
                          Of swich thyng as they wolde han secree fayn
                        
                          If þat it touche / hir lymes or hir lyues
                          Line 3284

[Hercules.]

                        
                          Off Hercules / the souereyn Conquerour
                        
                          Syngen hise werkes / laude and heigh renoun
                        
                          ffor in his tyme / of strengthe he was the flour
                        
                          He slow / and rafte the skyn of the leoun
                          Line 3288 
                        
                          He of Centauros / leyde the boost adoun
                        
                          He Arpies slow / the crueel bryddes felle
                        
                          He golden Apples / refte of the dragoun
                        
                          He drow out Cerberus / the hound of helle
                          Line 3292

                        
                          He slow the crueel tyrant Busirus
                        
                          And made his hors / to frete hym flessh and boon
                        
                          He slow / the firy serpent venymus
                        
                          Of Acheloys hornes two / he brak oon
                          Line 3296 
                        
                          And he slow Cacus / in a Caue of stoon
                        
                          He slow-the geant Antheus the stronge
                        
                          He slow the grisly boor / and that anon [folio 174b] 
                        
                          And bar the heuene / on his nekke longe

                          Line 3300

Page 483

[6-text p 260] 3300

                        
                          Was neuere wight sith that this world bigan
                        
                          That slow so manye Monstres / as dide he
                        
                          Thurgh-out this wyde world / his name ran
                        
                          What for his strengthe / and for his heigh bountee
                          Line 3304 
                        
                          And euery Reawme / wente he for to see
                        
                          He was so stroong þat no man myghte hym lette
                        
                          At bothe the worldes endes / seith Trophee
                        
                          In stide of boundes / he a pileer sette
                          Line 3308

                        
                          A lemman hadde / this noble Champion
                        
                          That highte Dianira / fressh as May
                        
                          And as thise clerkes / maken mention
                        
                          She hath hym sent. a sherte fressh and gay
                          Line 3312 
                        
                          Allas this sherte / allas and weylaway
                        
                          Euenymed was / so subtilly with-alle
                        
                          That er þat he / had wered it half a day
                        
                          It made his flessh / al from hise bones falle
                          Line 3316

                        
                          But nathelees / somme clerkes hire excusen
                        
                          By oon þat highte Nessus that it maked
                        
                          Be as be may / I wol hire noght accusen
                        
                          But on his bak this sherte he wered al naked
                          Line 3320 
                        
                          Til þat his flessh / was for the venym blaked
                        
                          And whan he saugh / noon oother remedye
                        
                          In hoote coles / he hath hym seluen raked
                        
                          ffor with no venym deigned hym to dye
                          Line 3324

                        
                          Thus starf / this worthy / myghty Hercules
                        
                          Lo / who may truste / on ffortune any throwe
                        
                          ffor hym þat folweth / al this world of prees
                        
                          Er he be war / is ofte yleyd ful lowe
                          Line 3328 
                        
                          fful wys is he / that kan hym seluen knowe
                        
                          Beth war / for whan that ffortune list to glose
                        
                          Thanne wayteth she / her man to ouerthrowe
                        
                          By swich a wey / as he wolde leest suppose

                          Line 3332

Page 484

[6-text p 261]

[Nebuchadnezzar.]

                        
                          The myghty trone / the precious tresor
                        
                          The glorious ceptre / and Roial magestee
                        
                          That hadde the kyng Nabugodonosor
                        
                          With tonge / vnnethe may discryued bee
                          Line 3336 
                        
                          He twyes / wan Ierusalem the Citee
                        
                          The vessel of the temple / he with hym ladde
                        
                          At Babiloigne / was his souereyn see
                        
                          In which his glorie / and his delit he hadde
                          Line 3340

                        
                          The faireste children / of the blood Roial [folio 175a] 
                        
                          Of Israel / he leet do gelde anoon
                        
                          And maked ech of hem / to been his thral
                        
                          Amonges othere / Daniel was oon
                          Line 3344 
                        
                          That was the wiseste child of euerychon
                        
                          ffor he / the dremes of the kyng expowned
                        
                          Where as in Chaldeye / clerk ne was ther noon
                        
                          That wiste / to what fyn / hise dremes sowned
                          Line 3348

                        
                          This proude kyng leet maken a statue of gold
                        
                          Sixty cubites long and seuene in brede
                        
                          The which ymage / he bothe yonge and oold
                        
                          Comanded to loute / and haue in drede
                          Line 3352 
                        
                          Or in a ffourneys / ful of flambes rede
                        
                          He shal be brent that wolde noght obeye
                        
                          But neuere wolde assente / to that dede
                        
                          Daniel / ne hise yonge felawes tweye
                          Line 3356

                        
                          This kyng of kynges / proud was and elaat
                        
                          He wende / þat god that sit in magestee
                        
                          Ne myghte / hym nat bireue of his estaat
                        
                          But sodeynly / he loste his dignytee
                          Line 3360 
                        
                          And lyk a beest / hym semed for to bee
                        
                          And eet hey as an Oxe / and lay ther oute
                        
                          In reyn / with wilde beestes walked hee
                        
                          Til certein tyme / was ycome aboute

                          Line 3364

Page 485

[6-text p 262] 3364

                        
                          And lik/ an Egles fetheres / wax his heres
                        
                          Hise nayles / lyk a briddes clawes weere
                        
                          Til god relessed hym / a certeyn yeres
                        
                          And yaf hym wit / and thanne with many a teere
                          Line 3368 
                        
                          He thanked god / and euere his lyf in feere
                        
                          Was he / to doon amys / or moore trespace
                        
                          And til that tyme / he leyd was on his beere
                        
                          He knew / that god was / ful of myght and grace
                          Line 3372

[Belshazzar.]

                        
                          His sone / which that highte Balthasar
                        
                          That heeld the regne / after his fader day
                        
                          He by his fader / koude noght be war
                        
                          ffor proud he was / of herte and of array
                          Line 3376 
                        
                          And eek / an ydolastre / he was ay
                        
                          His hye estaat assured hym in pryde
                        
                          But ffortune / caste hym doun / and ther he lay
                        
                          And sodeynly / his regne gan diuide
                          Line 3380

                        
                          A feeste he made / vn-to hise lordes alle
                        
                          Vp-on a tyme / and bad hem blithe bee
                        
                          And thanne / hise Officers gan he calle
                        
                          Gooth bryngeth forth / the vessels quod he [folio 175b] 
                        
                          Whiche that my fader / in his prosperitee
                          Line 3385 
                        
                          Out of the temple / of Ierusalem birafte
                        
                          And to oure hye goddes / thanke we
                        
                          Of honour / that oure eldres with us lafte
                          Line 3388

                        
                          Hys wyf hise lordes / and hise concubynes
                        
                          Ay dronken / whil hire Appetites laste
                        
                          Out of thise noble vessels / sondry wynes
                        
                          And on a wal / this kyng hise eyen caste
                          Line 3392 
                        
                          And saugh an hand Armlees / þat wroot ful fast
                        
                          ffor feere of which / he quook and siked soore
                        
                          This hand / that Balthasar so soore agaste
                        
                          Wroot Mane techel phares / and na moore

                          Line 3396

Page 486

[6-text p 263] 3396

                        
                          In al that land / Magicien was noon
                        
                          That koude expounde / what this lettre mente
                        
                          But Daniel / expowned it anon
                        
                          And seyde kyng god to thy fader sente
                          Line 3400 
                        
                          Glorie and honour / regne / tresour / rente
                        
                          And he was proud / and no-thyng god ne dradde
                        
                          And therfore / god greet wreche vp-on hym sente
                        
                          And hym birafte / the regne þat he hadde
                          Line 3404

                        
                          He was out cast of mannes compaignye
                        
                          With asses / was his habitacioun
                        
                          And eet hey as a beest in weet and drye
                        
                          Til that he knew / by grace and by resoun
                          Line 3408 
                        
                          That god of heuene / hath domynacioun
                        
                          Ouer euery regne / and euery creature
                        
                          And thanne / hadde god of hym compassioun
                        
                          And hym restored / his regne and his figure
                          Line 3412

                        
                          Eek / thou that art his sone / art proud also
                        
                          And knowest alle thise thynges verraily
                        
                          And art rebel to god / and art his foo
                        
                          Thou drank eek / of hise vessels boldely
                          Line 3416 
                        
                          Thy wyf eek and thy wenches synfully
                        
                          Dronke of the same vessels / sondry wynys
                        
                          And heryest false goddes cursedly
                        
                          Therfore to thee / yshapen ful greet pyne ys
                          Line 3420

                        
                          This hand was sent from god / that on the wal
                        
                          Wroot Mane techel phares / truste me
                        
                          Thy regne is doon / thou weyest noght at al
                        
                          Dyuyded is thy regne / and it shal be
                          Line 3424 
                        
                          To Medes and to Perses [yeue] quod he
                        
                          And thilke same nyght this kyng was slawe
                        
                          And Darius / occupieth his degree [folio 176a] 
                        
                          Thogh he therto / hadde neither right ne lawe

                          Line 3428

Page 487

                        
                             [6-text p 264] 
                          
                          Line 3428 
                        
                          Lordynges / ensample / heer-by may ye take
                        
                          How that in lordshipe / is no sikernesse
                        
                          ffor whan ffortune wole a man forsake
                        
                          She bereth awey / his regne and his richesse
                          Line 3432 
                        
                          And eek hise freendes / bothe moore and lesse
                        
                          ffor what man / þat hath freendes / thurgh ffortune
                        
                          Mishape / wol maken hem enemys as I gesse
                        
                          This prouerbe / is ful sooth and ful commune
                          Line 3436

[Zenobia.]

                        
                          CEnobia / of Palymerie Queene
                        
                          As writen Persiens / of hir noblesse
                        
                          So worthy was in Armes / and so keene
                        
                          That no wight passed hire in hardynesse
                          Line 3440 
                        
                          Ne in lynage / nor in oother gentillesse
                        
                          Of kynges blood of Perce / is she descended
                        
                          I seye nat that she hadde moost fairnesse
                        
                          But of hire shape / she myghte nat been amended
                          Line 3444

                        
                          ffrom hire childhede / I fynde that she fledde
                        
                          Office of wommen / and to wode she went
                        
                          And many a wilde hertes blood she shedde
                        
                          With arwes brode / that she to hem sente
                          Line 3448 
                        
                          She was so swift / þat she anon hem hente
                        
                          And whan þat she was elder / she wolde kille
                        
                          Leons / leopardes / and Beres al to-rente
                        
                          And in hir Armes / weelde hem at hir wille
                          Line 3452

                        
                          She dorste / wilde beestes dennes seke
                        
                          And rennen in the montaignes al the nyght
                        
                          And slepen vnder the bussh / and she koude eke
                        
                          Wrastlen / by verray force / and verray myght/
                          Line 3456 
                        
                          With any yong man / were he neuer so wight
                        
                          Ther myghte no thyng in hir Armes stonde
                        
                          She kepte hir maydenhod / from euery wight
                        
                          To no man / deigned hire for to be bonde

                          Line 3460

Page 488

[6-text p 265] 3460

                        
                          But atte laste / hir freendes han hire maried
                        
                          To Onedake / a Prynce of that contree
                        
                          Al were it so / that she hem longe taried
                        
                          And ye shul vnderstonde / how that he?
                          Line 3464 
                        
                          Hadde swiche fantasies / as hadde she
                        
                          But nathelees / whan they were knyt infeere
                        
                          They lyued / in ioye / and in felicitee
                        
                          ffor ech of hem / hadde oother lief and deere
                          Line 3468

                        
                          Saue o thyng that she wolde neuere assente [folio 176b] 
                        
                          By no wey / that he sholde by hire lye
                        
                          But ones / for it was hir pleyn entente
                        
                          To haue a child / the world to multiplye
                          Line 3472 
                        
                          And also soone / as þat she myghte espye
                        
                          That she was nat with childe / with that dede
                        
                          Thanne wolde she suffre hym / doon his fantasye
                        
                          Eft soone / and nat but oones out of drede
                          Line 3476

                        
                          And if she were with childe / at thilke cast
                        
                          Na moore / sholde he pleyen thilke game
                        
                          Til fully / fourty dayes / weren past
                        
                          Thanne wolde she ones / suffre hym do the same
                          Line 3480 
                        
                          Al were this Onedake / wilde or tame
                        
                          He gat na moore of hire / for thus she seyde
                        
                          It was to wyues / lecherie and shame
                        
                          In oother caas / if þat men with hem pleyde
                          Line 3484

                        
                          Two sones / by Onedake hadde she
                        
                          The whiche she kepte / in vertu and lettrure
                        
                          But now / vn-to oure tale / turne we
                        
                          I seye / so worshipful a creature
                          Line 3488 
                        
                          And wys ther-with / and large with mesure
                        
                          So penyble in the werre / and curteis eke
                        
                          Ne moore labour / myghte in werre endure
                        
                          Was noon / though al this world men wolde seke

                          Line 3492

Page 489

[6-text p 266] 3492

                        
                          Hir riche array / ne myghte nat be told
                        
                          As wel in vessel / as in hire clothyng
                        
                          She was al clad / in perree and in gold
                        
                          And eek / she lafte noght / for noon huntyng
                          Line 3496 
                        
                          To haue of sondry tonges / ful knowyng
                        
                          Whan þat she leyser hadde / and for to entende
                        
                          To lerne bookes / was al hire likyng
                        
                          How she in vertu / myghte hir lyf dispende
                          Line 3500

                        
                          And shortly / of this proces for to trete
                        
                          So doghty was hir housbonde and eek she
                        
                          That they conquered / manye regnes grete
                        
                          In the Orient with many a faire Citee
                          Line 3504 
                        
                          Apertenaunt vn-to the magestee
                        
                          Of Rome / and with strong hond held hem ful faste
                        
                          Ne neuere myghte / hir foo men doon hem flee
                        
                          Ay / whil that Onedakes dayes laste
                          Line 3508

                        
                          Hir batailles / who so list hem for to rede
                        
                          Agayn Sapor the kyng and othere mo
                        
                          And how al this proces / fil in dede
                        
                          Why she conquered / and what title therto [folio 177a] 
                          Line 3512 
                        
                          And after/ of hir meschief and hire wo
                        
                          How þat she was / biseged and ytake
                        
                          Lat hym / vn-to my maister Petrak go
                        
                          That writ ynough of this .I vndertake
                          Line 3516

                        
                          Whan Onedake was deed / she myghtily
                        
                          The regnes heeld / and with hire propre hond
                        
                          Agayn hir foos / she faught so cruelly
                        
                          That ther nas kyng ne prynce in al that lond
                          Line 3520 
                        
                          That he nas glad / if he that grace fond
                        
                          That she ne wolde / vp-on his lond werreye
                        
                          With hire / they made alliance by bond
                        
                          To been in pees / and lete hire ride and pleye

                          Line 3524

Page 490

[6-text p 267] 3524

                        
                          The Emperour of Rome Claudius
                        
                          Ne hym bifore / the Romayn Galien
                        
                          Ne dorste neuere / been so corageus
                        
                          Ne noon Ermyn / ne noon Egipcien
                          Line 3528 
                        
                          Ne Surrien / ne noon Arabyen
                        
                          With-Inne the feeldes / that dorste with hire fighte
                        
                          Lest that she wolde / hem with hir handes slen
                        
                          Or with hir meignee / putten hem to flighte
                          Line 3532

                        
                          In kynges habit / wente hir sones two
                        
                          As heires / of hir fadres regnes alle
                        
                          And hermanno / and Thymalao
                        
                          Hir names were / as Persiens hem calle
                          Line 3536 
                        
                          But ay ffortune / hath in hire hony galle
                        
                          This myghty queene / may no while endure
                        
                          ffortune / out of hir regne made hire falle
                        
                          To wrecchednesse / and to mysauenture
                          Line 3540

                        
                          Aurelian / whan that the gouernaunce
                        
                          Of Rome / cam in-to hise handes tweye
                        
                          He shoope / vp-on this queene to doon vengeaunce
                        
                          And with hise legions / he took his weye
                          Line 3544 
                        
                          Toward Cenobie / and shortly for to seye
                        
                          He made hire flee / and atte last hire hente
                        
                          And fettred hire / and eek hire children tweye
                        
                          And wan the land / and hoom to Rome he wente
                          Line 3548

                        
                          Amonges othere thynges / that he wan
                        
                          Hir Chaar/ þat was with gold wroght and perree
                        
                          This grete Romayn / this Aurelian
                        
                          Hath with hym lad / for that men sholde it see
                          Line 3552 
                        
                          Biforn his triumphe / walketh shee
                        
                          With gilte cheynes / on hire nekke hangynge
                        
                          Coroned was she / after hir degree [folio 177b] 
                        
                          And ful of perree / charged hire clothynge

                          Line 3556

Page 491

[6-text p 268] , [6-text p 271] 3556

                        
                          Allas ffortune / she that whilom was
                        
                          Dredeful / to kynges and to Emperoures
                        
                          Now gaureth al the peple / on hire allas
                        
                          And she / that helmed was in starke shoures
                          Line 3560 
                        
                          And wan by force / townes stronge and toures
                        
                          Shal on hir heed / now were a vitremyte
                        
                          And she that bar/ the ceptre ful of floures
                        
                          Shal bere a distaf / hire costes for to quyte
                          Line 3564

[Nero.]

                        
                          Al though / that Nero were vicius
                        
                          As any feend that lith in helle adoun
                          Line 3654 
                        
                          Yet he / as telleth vs Swetonius
                        
                          This wyde world / hadde in subieccioun
                          Line 3656 
                        
                          Bothe Est and West North / and Septemtrioun
                        
                          Of Rubies / saphires / and of peerles white
                        
                          Were alle hise clothes / brouded vp and doun
                        
                          ffor he in gemmes / greetly gan delite
                          Line 3660

                        
                          Moore delicaat moore pompous of array
                        
                          Moore proud / was neuere Emperour than he
                        
                          That ilke clooth / þat he hadde wered o day
                        
                          After that tyme / he nolde it neuere see
                          Line 3664 
                        
                          Nettes of gold threed / hadde he greet plentee
                        
                          To fisshe in Tybre / whan hym liste pleye
                        
                          Hise lustes were al lawe / in his decree
                        
                          ffor ffortune / as his freend / hym wolde obeye
                          Line 3668

                        
                          He Rome brende / for his delicasie
                        
                          The Senatours / he slow vp-on a day
                        
                          To heere / how men wolde wepe and crie
                        
                          And slow his brother / and by his suster lay
                          Line 3672 
                        
                          His mooder made he / in pitous array
                        
                          ffor he / hire wombe slitte / to biholde
                        
                          Where he conceyued was so weilaway
                        
                          That he so litel / of his mooder tolde

                          Line 3676

Page 492

[6-text p 271] , [6-text p 272] 3676

                        
                          No teere out of hise eyen / for that sighte
                        
                          Ne cam / but seyde / a fair womman was she
                        
                          Greet wonder is / how þat he koude / or myghte
                        
                          Be domesman / of hire dede beautee
                          Line 3680 
                        
                          The wyn to bryngen hym comanded he
                        
                          And drank / anon / noon oother wo he made
                        
                          Whan myght is ioyned vn-to crueltee
                        
                          Allas to depe / wol the venym wade
                          Line 3684

                        
                          In yowthe / a maister hadde this Emperour [folio 178a] 
                        
                          To teche hym lettrure / and curteisye
                        
                          ffor of moralitee / he was the flour
                        
                          As in his tyme / but if bookes lye
                          Line 3688 
                        
                          And whil this maister / hadde of hym maistrye
                        
                          He maked hym / so konnyng and so sowple
                        
                          That longe tyme it was / er tirannye
                        
                          Or any vice / dorste on hym vncowple
                          Line 3692

                        
                          This Seneca / of which that I deuyse
                        
                          By cause Nero / hadde of hym swich drede
                        
                          ffor he fro vices / wolde hym chastise
                        
                          Discreetly / as by word / and nat by dede
                          Line 3696 
                        
                          Sire wolde he seyn / an Emperour moot nede
                        
                          Be vertuous / and hate tirannye
                        
                          ffor which / he in a bath / made hym to blede
                        
                          On bothe hise Armes / til he moste dye
                          Line 3700

                        
                          This Nero / hadde eek/ of acustumaunce
                        
                          In youthe / agayns his maister for to ryse
                        
                          Which afterward / hym thoughte greet greuaunce
                        
                          Therfore / he made hym dyen in this wise
                          Line 3704 
                        
                          But nathelees / this Seneca the wise
                        
                          Chees in a Bath to dye / in this manere
                        
                          Rather than han / any oother tormentise
                        
                          And thus hath Nero / slayn his maister deere

                          Line 3708

Page 493

[6-text p 272] , [6-text p 273] 3708

                        
                          Now fil it so / that ffortune liste no lenger
                        
                          The hye pryde of Nero to cherice
                        
                          ffor though þat he was strong yet was she strenger
                        
                          She thoughte thus / by god I am to nyce
                          Line 3712 
                        
                          To sette a man / that is fulfild of vice
                        
                          In heigh degree / and Emperour hym calle
                        
                          By god / out of his sete / I wol hym trice
                        
                          Whan he leest weneth / sonnest shal he falle
                          Line 3716

                        
                          The peple roos vp-on hym on a nyght
                        
                          ffor his defaute / and whan he it espied
                        
                          Out of hise dores / anon he hath hym dight
                        
                          Allone / and ther he wende han ben allied
                          Line 3720 
                        
                          He knokked faste / and ay the moore he cried
                        
                          The fastere shette they / the dores alle
                        
                          ffor drede of this / hym thoughte þat he dyed
                        
                          And wente his wey / no lenger dorste he calle
                          Line 3724

                        
                          The peple cride / and rombled vp and doun
                        
                          That with his erys / herde he / how they seyde
                        
                          Where is this false tiraunt this Neroun
                        
                          ffor fere / almoost out of his wit he breyde [folio 178b] 
                        
                          And to hise goddes / pitously he preyd
                        
                          ffor socour / but it myghte nat bityde
                        
                          ffor drede of this / hym thoughte þat he deyde
                        
                          And ran in-to a gardyn hym to hyde
                          Line 3732

                        
                          And in this gardyn / foond he cherles tweye
                        
                          That seten by a fyr / greet and reed
                        
                          And to thise cherles two / he gan to preye
                        
                          To sleen hym / and to girden of his heed
                          Line 3736 
                        
                          That to his body / whan þat he were deed
                        
                          Were no despit ydoon / for his defame
                        
                          Hym self he slow / he koude no bettre reed
                        
                          Of which / ffortune lough / and hadde a game

                          Line 3740

Page 494

[6-text p 273] , [6-text p 274] 3740

[Holofernes.]

                        
                          Was neuere Capitayn / vnder a kyng/
                        
                          That regnes mo / putte in subieccioun
                        
                          Ne strenger was in feeld / of alle thyng
                        
                          As in his tyme / ne gretter of renoun
                          Line 3744 
                        
                          Ne moore pompous / in heigh presumpcioun
                        
                          Than Oloferne / which ffortune ay kiste
                        
                          So likerously / and ladde hym vp and doun
                        
                          Til þat his heed was of / er þat he wiste
                          Line 3748

                        
                          Nat oonly / that this world / hadde hym in Awe
                        
                          ffor lesynge / of richesse / or libertee
                        
                          But made euery man / reneyen his lawe
                        
                          Nabugodonosor / was god seyde hee
                          Line 3752 
                        
                          Noon oother god / [ne] sholde adoured bee
                        
                          Agayns his heeste / no wight dorste trespace
                        
                          saue in Bethulia / a strong Citee
                        
                          Where Eliachim / a preest was of that place

                        
                          But taak kepe of the deeth of Oloferne
                        
                          Amydde his hoost he dronke lay a nyght
                        
                          With-Inne his tente / large as is a berne
                        
                          And yet for al his pompe / and al his myght
                          Line 3760 
                        
                          Iudith a womman / as he lay vpright
                        
                          Slepynge / his heed of smoot and from his tente
                        
                          fful pryuely / she stal from euery wight
                        
                          And with his heed / vn-to hir toun she wente
                          Line 3764

[Antiochus.]

                        
                          What nedeth it of kyng Anthiochus
                        
                          To telle / his hye Roial magestee
                        
                          His hye pride / hise werkes venymus
                        
                          ffor swich another / was ther noon as he
                          Line 3768 
                        
                          Rede which þat he was / in Machabee
                        
                          And rede / the proude wordes that he seyde
                        
                          And why he fil / fro heigh prosperitee [folio 179a] 
                        
                          And in an hill / how wrecchedly he deyde

                          Line 3772

Page 495

[6-text p 274] , [6-text p 275] 3772

                        
                          ffortune / hym hadde enhaunced so in pride
                        
                          That verraily / he wende he myghte attayne
                        
                          Vn-to the sterres / vp-on euery syde
                        
                          And in balance / weyen ech montayne
                          Line 3776 
                        
                          And alle the floodes / of the see restrayne
                        
                          And goddes peple / hadde he moost in hate
                        
                          Hem wolde he sleen / in torment and in payne
                        
                          Wenynge / þat god ne myghte his pride abate
                          Line 3780

                        
                          And for that Nichanore / and Thymothee
                        
                          Of Iewes / weren venquysshed myghtily
                        
                          Vn-to the Iewes / swich an hate hadde he
                        
                          That he bad / greithen his Chaar ful hastily
                          Line 3784 
                        
                          And swoor / and seyde ful despitously
                        
                          Vn-to Ierusalem / he wolde eft soone
                        
                          To wreken his Ire / on it ful cruelly
                        
                          But of his purpos / he was let ful soone
                          Line 3788

                        
                          God for his manace / hym so soore smoot
                        
                          With invisible wounde / ay incurable
                        
                          That in hise guttes / carf it so and boot
                        
                          That hise peynes / weren importable
                          Line 3792 
                        
                          And certeinly / the wreche was resonable
                        
                          ffor many a mannes guttes / dide he peyne
                        
                          But from his purpos / cursed and dampnable
                        
                          ffor all his smert he wolde hym nat restreyne
                          Line 3796

                        
                          But bad anon / apparaillen his hoost
                        
                          And sodeynly / er he was of it war
                        
                          God daunted / al his pride and all his boost
                        
                          ffor he so soore / fil out of his Char
                          Line 3800 
                        
                          That it hise lemes / and his skyn to-tar
                        
                          So that he neyther/ myghte go ne ryde
                        
                          But in a chayer / men / aboute hym bar
                        
                          Al forbrused / bothe bak and syde

                          Line 3804

Page 496

[6-text p 275] , [6-text p 276] 3804

                        
                          The wreche of god / hym smoot so cruelly
                        
                          That thurgh his body / wikked wormes crepte
                        
                          And ther-with-al / he stank horriblely
                        
                          That noon of al his meynee / þat hym kepte
                          Line 3808 
                        
                          Wheither so he wook or ellis slepte
                        
                          Ne myghte noght for stynk of hym endure
                        
                          In this meschief / he wayled and eek wepte
                        
                          And knew god / lord of euery creature
                          Line 3812

                        
                          To all his hoost and to hym self also [folio 179b] 
                        
                          fful wlatsom was / the stynk of his careyne
                        
                          No man / ne myghte hym bere / to ne fro
                        
                          And in this stynk and this horrible peyne
                          Line 3816 
                        
                          He starf ful wrecchedly / in a Monteyne
                        
                          Thus hath this Robbour / and this homycide
                        
                          That many a man / made to wepe and pleyne
                        
                          Swich gerdon / as bilongeth vn-to pryde
                          Line 3820

[Alexander the Great.]

                        
                          The storie of Alisaundre / is so commune
                        
                          That euery wight that hath discrecioun
                        
                          Hath herd somwhat or al / of his ffortune
                        
                          This wyde world / as in conclusioun
                          Line 3824 
                        
                          He wan by strengthe / or for his hye renoun
                        
                          They weren glad / for pees vn-to hym sende
                        
                          The pride / of man and beest / he leyde adoun
                        
                          Wher so he cam / vn-to the worldes ende
                          Line 3828

                        
                          Comparison / myghte neuere yet been maked
                        
                          Bitwixen hym / and another Conquerour
                        
                          ffor al this world / for drede of hym hath quaked
                        
                          He [was] of knyghthod and of fredom flour
                          Line 3832 
                        
                          ffortune hym made / the heir of hire honour
                        
                          Saue wyn and wommen / no man mighte aswage
                        
                          His hye entente in Armes and labour
                        
                          So was he ful / of leonyn corage

                          Line 3836

Page 497

[6-text p 276] , [6-text p 277] 3836

                        
                          What pris were it to hym / though I yow tolde
                        
                          Of Darius / and an hundred thousand mo
                        
                          Of kynges / princes / Erles / dukes / bolde
                        
                          Whiche he conquered / and broghte hem in-to wo
                          Line 3840 
                        
                          I seye / as fer as man may ryde or go
                        
                          The world was his / what sholde I moore deuyse
                        
                          ffor though I write / or tolde yow eueremo
                        
                          Of his knyghthode / it myghte nat suffise
                          Line 3844

                        
                          Twelf yeer he regned / as seith Machabee
                        
                          Philippes sone of Macidoyne he was
                        
                          That first was kyng in Grece the contree
                        
                          O worthy gentil Alisandre allas
                          Line 3848 
                        
                          That euere sholde fallen swich a cas
                        
                          Empoysoned / of thyn owene folk thou weere
                        
                          Thy sys / ffortune / hath turned in-to Aas
                        
                          And [yet] for thee / ne weepe she neuer a teere
                          Line 3852

                        
                          Who shal me yeuen teeris to compleyne
                        
                          The deeth of gentillesse / and of ffranchise
                        
                          That al the world / weelded in his demeyne
                        
                          And yet hym thoughte / it myghte nat suffise [folio 180a] 
                          Line 3856 
                        
                          So ful was his corage / of heigh emprise
                        
                          Allas / who shal me helpe to endite
                        
                          ffalse ffortune / and poyson to despise
                        
                          The whiche two / of al this wo I wyte
                          Line 3860

[Julius Cæsar.]

                        
                          By wisedom / manhede / and by labour
                        
                          ffrom humble bed / to roial magestee
                        
                          Vp roos he Iulius the Conquerour
                        
                          That wan al thoccident by land and See
                          Line 3864 
                        
                          By strengthe of hand / or elles by tretee
                        
                          And vn-to Rome / made hem tributarie
                        
                          And sitthe of Rome / the Emperour was he
                        
                          Til that ffortune / weex his Aduersarie

                          Line 3868

Page 498

[6-text p 277] , [6-text p 278] 3868

                        
                          O myghty Cesar / that in Thessalie
                        
                          Agayn Pompeus / fader thyn in lawe
                        
                          That of the Orient hadde all the Chiualrie
                        
                          As fer/ as þat the day bigynneth dawe
                          Line 3872 
                        
                          Thou thurgh thy knyghthod / hast hem take and slawe
                        
                          Saue fewe folk / that with Pompeus fledde
                        
                          Thurgh which thou puttest al thorient in Awe
                        
                          Thanke ffortune / that so wel thee spedde
                          Line 3876

                        
                          ¶ But now a litel while / I wol biwaille
                        
                          This Pompeus / this noble gouernour
                        
                          Of Rome / which that fleigh at this bataille
                        
                          I seye / oon of hise men / a fals traitour
                          Line 3880 
                        
                          His heed of smoot to wynnen hym fauour
                        
                          Of Iulius / and hym the heed he broghte
                        
                          Allas Pompeye / of Thorient Conquerour
                        
                          That ffortune / vn-to swich a fyn thee broghte
                          Line 3884

                        
                          ¶ To Rome agayn / repaireth Iulius
                        
                          With his triumphe / lauriat ful hye
                        
                          But on a tyme / Brutus Cassius
                        
                          That euere hadde / of his hye estaat envye
                          Line 3888 
                        
                          fful priuely / hath maad conspiracye
                        
                          Agayns this Iulius / in subtil wise
                        
                          And caste the place / in which he sholde dye
                        
                          With Boydekyns / as I shal yow deuyse
                          Line 3892

                        
                          This Iulius / to the Capitolie wente
                        
                          Vpon a day / as he was wont to goon
                        
                          And in the Capitolie / anon hym hente
                        
                          This false Brutus / and hise othere foon
                          Line 3896 
                        
                          And stiked hym / with boydekyns anoon
                        
                          With many a wounde / and thus they lete hym lye
                        
                          But neuere gronte he / at no strook but oon [folio 180b] 
                        
                          Or elles at two / but if his storie lye

                          Line 3900

Page 499

[6-text p 278] , [6-text p 279] 3900

                        
                          So manly / was this Iulius of herte
                        
                          And so wel louede / estaatly honestee
                        
                          That though hise deedly woundes soore smerte
                        
                          His Mantel / ouer hise hypes caste he
                          Line 3904 
                        
                          ffor no man / sholde seen his priuetee
                        
                          And as he lay / of diyng in a traunce
                        
                          And wiste verraily / that deed was hee
                        
                          Of honestee / yet hadde he remembraunce
                          Line 3908

                        
                          Lucan / to thee / this storie I recomende
                        
                          And to Sweton / and to Valerius also
                        
                          That of this storie / writen word and ende
                        
                          How þat / to thise grete Conquerours two
                          Line 3912 
                        
                          ffortune was first freend / and sitthe foo
                        
                          No man ne truste / vp-on hire fauour longe
                        
                          But haue hire / in awayt for euere moo
                        
                          Witnesse / on alle thise Conquerours stronge
                          Line 3916

[Cresus.]

                        
                          This riche Cresus / whilom kyng of Lyde
                        
                          Of which Cresus / Cirus soore hym dradde
                        
                          Yet was he caught/ amyddes al his pryde
                        
                          And to be brent/ men to the fyr hym ladde
                          Line 3920 
                        
                          But swich a reyn / doun fro the welkne shadde
                        
                          That slow the fyr / and made hym to escape
                        
                          But to be war / no grace yet he hadde
                        
                          Til ffortune / on the galwes / made hym gape
                          Line 3924

                        
                          Whanne he escaped was / he kan nat stente
                        
                          ffor to bigynne / a newe werre agayn
                        
                          He wende wel / for þat ffortune hym sente
                        
                          Swich hape / that he escaped thurgh the rayn
                          Line 3928 
                        
                          That of hise foos / he myghte nat be slayn
                        
                          And eek a sweuene / vp-on a nyght he mette
                        
                          Of which / he was so proud / and eek so fayn
                        
                          That in vengeance / he al his herte sette

                          Line 3932

Page 500

[6-text p 279] , [6-text p 280] , [6-text p 268] 3932

                        
                          Vp-on a tree / he was / as that hym thoughte
                        
                          Ther Iuppiter hym wesshe / bothe bak and syde
                        
                          And Phebus eek a fair towaille hym broughte
                        
                          To dryen hym with / and therfore wax his pryde
                          Line 3936 
                        
                          And to his doghter / that stood hym bisyde
                        
                          Which þat he knew / in heigh science habounde
                        
                          He bad hire telle hym / what it signyfyde
                        
                          And she his dreem / bigan right thus expounde
                          Line 3940

                        
                          The tree quod she / the galwes is to meene [folio 181a] 
                        
                          And Iuppiter / bitokneth snow and reyn
                        
                          And Phebus / with his towaille so clene
                        
                          Tho been / the sonne bemes for to seyn
                          Line 3944 
                        
                          Thou shalt anhanged be / fader certeyn
                        
                          Reyn shal thee wasshe / and sonne shal thee drye
                        
                          Thus warned hym / ful plat and ful pleyn
                        
                          His doghter / which that called was Phanye
                          Line 3948

                        
                          An-hanged was Cresus / the proude kyng
                        
                          His roial Trone / myghte hym nat auaille
                        
                          Tragedies / noon oother maner thyng /
                        
                          Ne kan in syngyng crie ne biwaille
                          Line 3952 
                        
                          But that ffortune / alwey wole assaille
                        
                          With vnwar strook / the Regnes þat been proude
                        
                          ffor whan men trusteth hire / thanne wol she faille
                        
                          And couere hire brighte face / with a clowde
                          Line 3956

[Peter the Cruel, of Spain.]

                        
                          Onoble / o. worthy Petro / glorie of Spayne
                        
                          Whom ffortune heeld / so hye in magestee
                        
                          Wel oghten men / thy pitous deeth complayne
                        
                          Out of thy land / thy brother made thee flee
                          Line 3568 
                        
                          And after/ at a seege by subtiltee
                        
                          Thou were bitraysed / and lad vn-to his tente
                        
                          Where as he / with his owene hand slow thee
                        
                          Succedynge / in thy regne and in thy rente

                          Line 3572

Page 501

[6-text p 268] , [6-text p 269] 3572

                        
                          The feeld of snow / with thegle of blak ther-Inne
                        
                          Caught with the lymerod / coloured as the gleede
                        
                          He brew this cursednesse / and al this synne
                        
                          The wikked nest was werker of this nede
                          Line 3576 
                        
                          Noght Charles Olyuver / that took ay heede
                        
                          Of trouthe and honour / but of Armorike
                        
                          Genylon Olyuer / corrupt for meede
                        
                          Broghte this worthy kyng in swich a brike
                          Line 3580

[Peter of Cyprus.]

                        
                          Oworthy Petro / kyng of Cipre also
                        
                          That Alisandre wan / by heigh maistrie
                        
                          fful many an hethen / wroghtestow ful wo
                        
                          Of which / thyne owene liges hadde envie
                          Line 3584 
                        
                          And for no thyng but for thy Chiualrie
                        
                          They in thy bed / han slayn thee by the morwe
                        
                          Thus kan ffortune / hir wheel gouerne and gye
                        
                          And out of Ioye / brynge men to sorwe
                          Line 3588

[Bernabo Visconti, of Milan.]

                        
                          Off Melan / grete Barnabo Viscounte
                        
                          God of delit. and scourge of Lumbardye
                        
                          Why sholde I nat thyn Infortune acounte
                        
                          Sith in estaat / thow cloumbe were so hye [folio 181b] 
                        
                          Thy brother sone / that was thy double allye
                        
                          ffor he thy Nevew was / and sone in lawe
                        
                          With-Inne his prison / made thee to dye
                        
                          But why ne how / noot I þat thou were slawe
                          Line 3596

[Ugolino, Count of Pisa.]

                        
                          Off the Erl Hugelyn of Pyze / the langour
                        
                          Ther may no tonge / telle for pitee
                        
                          But litel out of Pize / stant a tour
                        
                          In which tour/ in prison put was he
                          Line 3600 
                        
                          And with hym / been hise litel children thre
                        
                          The eldeste / scarsly / fyf yeer was of Age
                        
                          Allas ffortune / it was greet crueltee
                        
                          Swiche briddes / for to putte / in swiche a Cage

                          Line 3604

Page 502

[6-text p 269] , [6-text p 270] 3604

                        
                          Dampned was he / to dyen in that prison
                        
                          ffor Roger / which þat Bisshope was of Pize
                        
                          Hadde on hym maad / a fals suggestion
                        
                          Thurgh which / the peple / gan vpon hym rise
                          Line 3608 
                        
                          And putten hym to prison / in swich wise
                        
                          As ye han herd / and mete / and drynke he hadde
                        
                          So smal / that vnnethe it may suffise
                        
                          And therwith-al / it was ful poure and badde
                          Line 3612

                        
                          And on a day / bifil / þat in that hour
                        
                          Whan þat his mete / wont was to be broght
                        
                          The Gayler shette the dores of the tour
                        
                          He herde it wel / but he spak right noght
                          Line 3616 
                        
                          And in his herte / anon ther fil a thoght/
                        
                          That they for hunger / wolde doon hym dyen
                        
                          Allas quod he / allas that I was wroght
                        
                          Ther-with / the teeris fillen from hise eyen
                          Line 3620

                        
                          His yonge sone / that thre yeer was of age
                        
                          Vn-to hym seyde / fader / fader // why do ye wepe
                        
                          Whanne wol the Gayler / bryngen oure potage
                        
                          Is ther no morsel breed / that ye do kepe
                          Line 3624 
                        
                          I am so hungry / that I may nat slepe
                        
                          Now wolde god / that I myghte slepen euere
                        
                          Thanne sholde nat hunger / in my wombe crepe
                        
                          Ther is no thyng but breed / that me were leuere
                          Line 3628

                        
                          Thus day by day / this child bigan to crye
                        
                          Til in his fadres barm / adoun it lay
                        
                          And seyde / fare wel fader / I moot dye
                        
                          And kiste his fader/ and dyde the same day
                          Line 3632 
                        
                          And whan the woful fader/ deed it say
                        
                          ffor wo / hise Armes two / he gan to byte
                        
                          And seyde / Allas ffortune and weylaway [folio 182a] 
                        
                          Thy false wheel / my wo al may I wyte

                          Line 3636

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[6-text p 270] 3636

                        
                          Hise children wende / that it for hunger was
                        
                          That he hise Armes gnow / and nat for wo
                        
                          And seyde fader/ do nat so Allas
                        
                          But rather ete the flessh vp-on vs two
                          Line 3640 
                        
                          Oure flessh thou yaf /. take oure flessh vs fro
                        
                          And ete ynogh / right thus they to hym seyde
                        
                          And after that with-Inne a day or two
                        
                          They leyde hem / in his lappe adoun and deyde
                          Line 3644

                        
                          Hym-self despeired / eek for hunger starf
                        
                          Thus ended is / this myghty Erl of Pize
                        
                          ffrom heigh estaat ffortune awey hym carf
                        
                          Of this Tragedie / it oghte ynough suffise
                          Line 3648 
                        
                          Who so wol here it in a lenger wise
                        
                          Redeth / the grete Poete of ytaille
                        
                          That highte Dant. for he kan al deuyse
                        
                          ffro point to point. nat o word wol he faille
                          Line 3652

¶ Heere stynteth the Knyght the Monk of his tale. .

¶ Explicit Tragedia

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¶ Heere bigynneth / the Monkes tale / de casibus virorum Illustrium.

[Lucifer.]

[Adam.]

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[Sampson.]

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[Hercules.]

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[Nebuchadnezzar.]

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[Belshazzar.]

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[Zenobia.]

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