The Monk's Tale
Folio 191v
5 of 23 folios
But nathalees some clerkes hir excusen
130
By oon that hight nessus that it maked
Be as be may I wol hir noght accusen
But on his bak the shert he weried al naked
Til that his flessh was fro the venym blaked
And whan he say noon other remedye
135
In hote coles he hath him seluen raked
For with no venym deyngned him to dye
Thus starf this worthi myghti hercules
Lo who may truste on fortune any throwe
For him that foloweth al this world of prees
140
Er he be war is ofte pleyde ful lowe
Ful wise is he that kan him seluen knowe
Beth war / for whan that fortune list to glose
Thanne waiteth she / hir man to ouerthrowe
Bi swich a wey / as he wolde leest suppose
145
The mighti trone the percious tresour
The glorious ceptre of Royal mageste
That hadde the kynge Nabugodonosor
With tonge vnneth may discryued be
He twies whan Ierusalem the Citee
150
The vesselle of the temple he with him ladde
At babiloygne was his souereyne see
In which his glorie and his delit he hadde
The fairest children of the blood Royal
Of Israel he let do gelde anon
155
And maked eche of hem to ben his thral
Amonges other Danyel was oon
That was the wisest child of euerychoon
For he the dremes of the kyng expouned
There as in Caldey / clerke ne was ther non
160
That wist to what fyne his xxx dremes souned
Th proude kyng let make a statue of gold
Sixti cubites longe / and seuene in brede