The Knight's Tale
Folio 40r
56 of 58 folios
¶ Loo the ook / that hath so long a norisshynge
Fro the tyme / that it first gynneth sprynge
2155
And hath so long a lyf / as ye may see
Yet at the laste / wasted is the tree
¶ Considreth eek / how þt the harde stoon
Vnder oure foot on which we ryde and goon
It wasteth / as it lyth by the weye
2160
The brode Ryuer / som tyme wexeth dreye
The grete townes / se we wane and wende
Thanne se ye / þt al this thyng hath ende
Of man and wōman / se we wel also
That nedeth / in oon of thise termes two
2165
This is to seyn / in youthe / or ellis age
He moot be deed / the kyng as shal a page
Som in his bed / som in the depe see
Som in the large feeld / as ye may se
Ther helpeth noght al gooth that ilke weye
2170
Thanne may I seyn / þt al this thyng moot deye
What maketh this ~ but Iuppiter the kyng
That is Prince / and cause of alle thyng
Conuertyng al vn to his propre welle
From which it is diryued sooth to telle
2175
And heer agayns / no creature on lyue
Of no degree / auailleth for to stryue
¶ Thanne is it wisdom / as it thynketh me
To maken vertu / of necessitee
And take it wel / þt we may nat eschue
2180
And nameliche / that to vs alle is due
And who so gruccheth oght he dooth folye
And rebel is / to hym þt al may gye
And certeinly / a man hath moost honour
To dyen / in his excellence and flour
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Whan he is siker / of his goode name
Thanne hath he doon / his freend ne hym no shame
And gladder oghte / his freend been of his deeth
Whan with honour / yolden is vp his breeth
Than whan his name / apalled is for age
2190
For al forgeten is his vasselage
Thanne is it best as for a worthy fame
To dyen / whan he is best of name
¶ The contrarie of al this / is wilfulnesse
Why grucchen we / why haue we heuynesse