The Monk's Prologue
Folio 189v
4 of 4 folios
As it now comth vn to my remembrance
Haue me excused of myn ignorance
Here bigynneth the monkes tale
I wol biwaille in manere of tragedie
The harm of hem that stood in high degree
And fillen so / that ther nas no remedye
To brynge hem out of hir aduersite
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For certeyn whan that fortune list to fle
Ther may no man the cours of hir with holde
Lat no man truste on blynde prosperyte
Bewar bi thise ensamples trew and olde
At lucifer though he an aungel were
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And nat a man at him I wol bygynne
For though fortune may noon aungel dere
From high degree yit fel he for his synne
Doun in to helle where as he yit is ynne
O lucifer brightest of aungels alle
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Now artow sathanas that maist nat twynne
Out of miserye in which that thow art falle
Too Adam in the felde of damassene
With goddes owne fynger wroght was he
And noght bigoten of mannes sperme vnclene
And welt al paradys sauyng .o. tre
Hadde neuer worldly man so high degree
As adam til he for mysgouernaunce
Was dryue out of his high prosperytee
To labour and to helle and to meschaunce
To sampson which that was annuncat
Bi the aungel longe er his natyuitee
And was to god almyghti consecrat
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And stood in noblesse whil he myght se
Was neuer swich another as was he
To speke of streyngth and therwith hardynesse
But to hise wyues told he his secree
Thurgh which he slow himself for wrecchednesse