The Monk's Tale
Folio 98v
20 of 20 folios
Xxd on a day bifel / þt in that hour
730
Whan þt his mete / wont was to be broght
The Gayler / shette the dores of the tour
He herde it wel / but he spak / right noght
And in his herte / anon ther fil a thoght
That they for hunger / wolde doon hym dyen
735
Allas quod he / allas þt I was wroght
Ther with / the teeris fillen from hise eyen
¶ His yonge sone / þt thre yeer was of age
Vn to hym seyde / fader/ fader / why do ye wepe
Whanne wol the Gayler / bryngen oure potage
740
Is ther no morsel breed / þt ye do kepe
I am so hungry / that I may nat slepe
Now wolde god / þt I myghte slepen euere
Thanne sholde noght hunger / in my wombe crepe
Ther is no thyng but breed / þt me were leuere
745
¶ Thus day by day / this child bigan to crye
Til in his fadres barm / adoun it lay
And seyde / farewel fader / I moot dye
And kiste his fader / and deyde the same day
And whan the woful fader / deed it say
750
For wo hise armes two / he gan to byte
And seyde / allas Fortune and weylaway
Thy false wheel / my wo al may I wyte
¶ Hise children wende / that it for hunger was
That he hise armes gnow / and nat for wo
755
And seyden fader / do nat so allas
But rather / ete the flessh vp on vs two
Oure flessh thow yaf taak oure flessħ vs fro
And ete ynow / right thus they to hym seyde
And after that with Inne a day / or two
760
They leyde hem / in his lappe adoun / and deyde
¶ Hym self despeired / eek for hunger starf
Thus ended is / this myghty Erl of Pize
From heigh estat. Fortune awey hym carf
Of this tragedie / it oghte ynogh suffise
765
Who so wole heere it in a lenger wise
Redeth / the grete Poete of Ytaille
That highte Dant. for he kan al deuyse
Fro point to point nat o word wol he faille
~ Here is ended the Monkes tale ~