The Knight's Tale
Folio 27r
40 of 42 folios
That speces of thingus and progressiouns
2150
Shullen enduren by successiouns
And noght eterne wyth outen eny lye
This maistow vnderstond and seen at hye
¶ Loke the ook that hath so longe a norishinge
For the tyme that it first gynneth sprynge
2155
And hath so longe a lyf as ye may see
Yit att the last wasted is the tree
¶ Considreth eke how that the herd ston
Vnder our foot on which we trede and goon
It wasteth as it lythe bi the weye
2160
The brood ryuer som tyme wexeth drye
The grete townes se we wane and wende
Thanne ye se that al this thing hath ende .
¶ Of Man and womman se we wel also
That nedes in oon of the teermes two
2165
This is to seyn in youth or elles in age
He moot be deed the kyng as shal a page
Som in his bed som in the depe See
Som in the large felde as ye may se
Ther helpeth noght al gooth that ilke weye
2170
Than may I seyn that al this thing mot dye
¶ What maketh this but Iuppit er the kyng
That is prince and cause of al thing
Conuertyng al in to his propre wylle
From whych it is deryued sooth to telle
2175
And here agaynes no creature on lyue
Of no degre auayleth for to stryue
¶ Than it is wisdom as it thinketh me
To maken vertue of necessitee
¶ And take yt wel that we may not eschue
2180
And namelych that to vs alle is due
And who so gruccheth oght he doth folye
And rebel is to him that al may gye
And certeynly a man hath moste honour
To dyen in his excellence and flour
2185
Whan he is syker of his good name
Than hath he don his freend ne him no shame
And gladder oght his frend ben of his deth