The Monk's Tale
Folio 94r
11 of 20 folios
¶ Allas Fortune / she that whilom was
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Dredeful / to kynges / and to Emperoures
Now gawreth al the peple / on hir allas
And she that helmed was / in starke stoures
And wan by force / townes stronge and toures
Shal on hir heed / now were a vitremyte
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And she þt bar / the Ceptre ful of floures
Shal bere a distaf hir cost for to quyte
Al though / that Nero were vicius
As any feend / that lyth ful lowe adown
Yet he / as telleth vs Swetonius
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This wide world / hadde in subieccioun
Bothe Est and West North / and Septemtrioun
Of Rubies / Saphires / and of perles white
Were alle hise clothes / browded vp and doun
For he in gemmes / greetly gan delite
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¶ Moore delicat moore pompous of array
Moore proud / was neuere Emperour than he
That ilke clooth / that he hadde weryd o day
After that tyme / he nolde it neuere see
Nettes of gold threed / hadde he greet plentee
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To fisshen in Tybre / whan hym liste pleye
Hise lustes were al lawe / in his decree
For Fortune / as his freend / hym wolde obeye
¶ He Rome brende / for his delicacie
The Senatours / he slow vp on a day
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To heere / how þt men wolde wepe & crye
And slow his brother / and by his suster lay
His moder he made / in pitous array
For he hir wombe slytte / to biholde
Where he conceyued was / so weilaway
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That he so litel / of his moder tolde
¶ No teere out of hise eyen / for that sighte
Ne cam / but seyde / a fair womman was she
Greet wonder is / how þt he koude / or myghte
Be domesman / of hir dede beautee
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The wyn to bryngen hym / comanded he
And drank anoon / noon oother wo he made
Whan myght is ioyned / vn to crueltee
Allas to depe / wol the venym wade