The Monk's Tale
Folio 194v
11 of 23 folios
Ne dursten neuer been so corageous
340
Ne noon hermyn ne non egipcien
Ne surryen ne noon arrabyen
With ynne the felde that durste with hir fyghte
Lest that she wold hem with hir hondes sleen
Or with hir meynye putten hem to flighte
345
In kynges habit wenten hir sones two
As heyres / of hir fadres regnes alle
Hir names were as Persiens hem calle
But ay fortune hath in hir hony galle
350
This myghti quene may no while endure
Fortune out of hir regne made hir falle
To wrecchednesse and to mysauenture
Aurelian whan that the gouernance
Of Rome cam in to his handes tweye
355
He shoop him vpon this quene to doon vengeance
And with his legeons / he took his weye
Toward Senobe and shortly to seye
He made hir flee and atte last hir hente
And fetred hir and hir children tweye
360
And wan the land home to Rome he wente
Amonges other thinges that he wan
His chaar that was with gold wroght and perre
This gret Romayn this aurelyan
Hath with him ladde forthxx xxx xxold it se
365
By fore his triumphe walketh she
With gilt cheynes on hir nekke hangynge
Crowned was she as aftyr hir degre
And ful of perre charged hir clothyng
Allas fortune she that whilom was
370
Dredful to kynges and to Emperoures
Now gaureth al the peple on hir allas
And she that helmed was in stark stoures
And wan bi force tounes stronge and toures
Shal on hir heed now were a vitremyte
375
And she that baar the Ceptre ful of floures
Shal bere a distaf hir cost for to quyte