The Monk's Tale
Folio 192r
6 of 23 folios
To which ymage he bothe yonge and olde
Comaunded to lowte and haue in drede
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Or in a forneys ful of flambes rede
He shal be brend / that wold noght obeye
But neuer wolde assente to that dede
Danyel ne his yonge felawes tweye
The kyng of kynges proud was and elat
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He wende that god that sit in mageste
Ne myght him nat byreue of his estat
But sodeynly he lost his dignitee
And like a beest him semed for to bee
And eet hey as an Oxe and lay ther oute
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In reyne with wilde beestes walked he
Til certeyn tyme was I come aboute
And like an Egles federes wax his heres
His nayles like a briddes clawes were
Til god relesed him a certeyn yeres
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And yaf him wit and thanne with many a teere
He thanked god / and euer his lif in fere
Was he to doon amys / or more trespace
And til that tyme he leyde was on his beere
He knew that god / was ful of myght and gace
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His sone which that hight baltasar
That heelde the reygne after his fader day
He bi his fader coude noght be war
For proude he was of herte and of array
And eke and ydolastre was he ay
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His hie estat assured him in pride
But fortune cast him doun and there he lay
And sodeynly his reygne gan dyuyde
A feste he made vn to his lordes alle
Vpon a tyme and made hem blithe be
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And thanne his officers gan he calle
Gooth bryngeth forth the vesselles quod he