The Monk's Tale
Folio 207v
1 of 20 folios
Þouhe .I. be order tel nouht þes þinges
Be it of popes Emperoure or kynges
And affter her age as me wreten finde
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Bot tel hem some be fore some be hinde
And it cōmeþ nowe to my remembrance
Have me excused of myne ignorānce .
Incipit fabula de Casibz virox .
Y Wil be weile in maner of tregedrie
Þe maner of him þat standeþ in hihe degre
And felle so þat þer was no remedye
To bringe hem out of her aduersite
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For certeyne whan þat fortune luste to flye
Þere maie maie no man of hir þe course wiþ holde
Beþe war By þis ensample ȝonge & olde
At lucifer þouhe he an angele were
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And nouht a man att him .I. wil beginne
For þeihe forton maie none angel dere
Frome hihe degre ȝit feƚƚ he foo his sinne
Doune in to heƚƚ where as he ȝitte is inne
O lucifer brihtest of aungeles aƚƚ
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Nowe ert þou Sathanas þat maist not twynne
Owte of misery in whiche þou hert faƚƚ
Lo Adam in þe felde of Damasene
Wiþ goddes owen finger wrouht was he
And nouht be geten of mannes sperme vnclene
And wele al paradise saueinge o tre
Hadd neuer werldly man so hihe degre
As Adam til he for his gouernance
Was dreven oute of his hihe prosperite
To labure & to heƚƚ & to muschance .
Lo Sampson whiche was annunciate
Be þe Angel longe ar his natiuite
And was god almyhty consecrate
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And stode in noblesse whiles he myht see
Was neuer suche anoþer as was he
To speke of strenkeþ & þer to hardinesse
Bott to his wif told he his secre .
Þoruhe whiche he slouhe him self þoruh wrechednesse