The Monk's Tale
Folio 361v
20 of 22 folios
For non man schulde seen his piuyte
630
And as he lay on deyinge in a traūce
And wiste verrayly that deed he muste bee
Of honeste ȝit hadde he remembraūce
Lucan to this storye I recomende
And to Swetoū & to valerius also
635
That of the storye wrytȳ word & ende
How that these greete Conquerourys two
Fortune was fyrst freend & sithe a foo
No man ne truste vp on hire fauor longe
But haue hire in a wayte for euere mo
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Witnesse on alle these conquerourys strōge
This ryche crysus whilom kyng of lyde
Of whiche Cresus / Cirus soore hȳ dradde
Ȝit was he caught a mydde al his pryde
And to be brent men to the fuyr hȳ ladde
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But swich a reyn doū frō the walkyn shadde
That slow the fuyr & made hȳ to escape
But to be war no grace ȝit he hadde
Til fortune on the galwis made hȳ gape
Whan he escapid was he can nat stente
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For to begȳne a newe werre a gayn
He wende weel for that fortune hȳ sente
Swich hap that he escapid thor the rayn
That of hise fois he myghte nat been slayn
And ek a sweuene vp on a nyght he mette
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Of which he was so proud & ek so fayn
That in vengeaūce he al his herte sette
Vp on a tre he was as that hȳ thouȝte
Where Iubiter hȳ wesch bothe bak & syde
And phebus ek a fayr towayle hȳ broughte
660
To dreye hȳ with & therfore wex his pryde
And to his doughtyr which that stod hȳ besyde
Which that he knew in high science habounde