The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 152v
9 of 19 folios
265
Blaspheme of crist manslaughter and waast also
Of catel and of corn and forther mo
It is repref and contrarie of honour
For to be holden a comun hazardour
And euer the hier he is of estate
270
The more he is y holden desolate
If that a prince vseth hazardye
In al gouernaunce and policie
He is as bicomun oppinioun
Holden the lesse in reputacioun
275
¶ Stilbon that was a wis abbassatour
Was sente to corinthe in ful gret honour
Fro lacedomye to make hir alliaunce
And whan he cam he happed parchaunce
That alle the grettest that were of that land
280
Pleying atte hazard he hem fand
For which as sone as that it myght be
He staal him hoom agayn to his contre
And seide there I wol nat lese my name
I wole nat take on me so gret deffame
285
Yow for to allie vnto non hazardours
Sendith othir wise ambassatours
For bi my trouthe me were leuer dye
Than I yow shold to hazardours allie
For ye that ben so glorious in honours
290
Shul nat allie yow to non hazardours
As bi my wille ne as bi my tretee
This wyse philosophre thus seide he
¶ Look ek that to the kyng demetrius
The kyng of parthes as the book seith vs
295
Sent him a payr of dees of gold in scorn
For he had vsed hazard ther bi forn
For which he heeld his glorie or his renoun
At no value or reputacioun
Lordes may fynden other maner pley
300
Honest ynow to dryue the day a wey
¶ Now wol I speke of othes fals and grete