The Monk's Tale
Folio 191r
4 of 23 folios
That no man telle hir counseil to hir wyues
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Of which thing as thei wolden han secre fayn
If that it touche hir lymes or hir lyues
Of hercules the souereyne conquerour
Syngen his werkes laude and high renoun
For in his tyme of strength he was the flour
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He slow and rafte the skyn fro the leoun
He of Centauros leide the boost a doun
He arpies slow the cruelle briddes felle
He golden apples rafte of the dragoun
He drow out Cerberus / the hound of helle
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He slow the cruel tyrant Busirus
And made his hors to frete him flessh and bon
He slow the firy serpent venymus
Of achilois two hornes he brak on
And he slow Cakus in a Caue of stoon
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He slow the geant Antheous the stronge
He slow the grisly boor and that anon
And bare the heuene on his nekke bon
Was neuer wight sith that this world bigan
That slow so many monstres as did he
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Thurgh oute the world wyde his name ran
What for his streynth and his hie bounte
And euery Reame went he for to se
He was so stronge that no man myght him lette
At bothe the worldes endes seith trophe
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In stede of boundes / he a piler sette
A lemman had this noble Champioun
That hight dyanra fressh as may
And as thise clerkes maken mencioun
She hath him sent a sherte fressh and gay
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Allas this sherte allas and welaway
Enuenymed was so subtili with alle
That er that he had werid it half a day
It made his flessh al from his bones falle