The Monk's Tale
Folio 215v
17 of 20 folios
The wreche of god him smote so so crudelye
530
Þat in his bode wyked wermes creped
And þerwiþ aƚƚ he stanke so orribily
Þat none of al his meyne þat him kepped
Wheþer so þat he woke or elles sleped
Ne myht nouht þe stinke of him endure
535
In þis meschef he weiled & eke wepped
And knowe god lorde of euery creature .
¶ To al his oste & to him self also
Ful wlatesome was þe stinke of þis caren
No man miht him bere to ne fro
540
And in his stinke & in his orrible peyne
He starf ful wrecchedly in a mownteyne
Thus haþ þis Robboure & þis homicide
That mony a man maade to wepe & pleyne
Suche guerdone as belongeþ vnto pide
De Alexandro Magno Philippi Regis Macidonie filio
545
The storie of Alexander is so comune
That euery wight þat haþe descrecione
Haþe herd sum whate or al of his fortune
Þis wilde werlde as in conclusione
He wān be strenkeþ or for his hihe renone
550
Thei weren gladde for pes vn to him sende
The pride of man & beste he laide adoune
Wher so he came vn to þe werldes ende
¶ Comperisoū of myht ȝite neuere be makede
Be tuex him & anoþer conqueroure
555
For al þis we\r/lde for drede of him haþe qwaked
He was of knyhede & of fredome floure
Fortune him maade þe heire of owre honor
Saue wyne & wemmen no þinge miht a swage
His hihe atente in armes & laboure
560
So was he of loueinge corage
¶ What pite were it to him þouhe .I. ȝowe tolde
Of Princes kinges Erles bolde
Whiche he conquered & brouht hem in to woo
565
As fer .I. saie as man mai ride or goo
Þe werlde was his whatt schold .I. more deuise
For þouhe .I. write or tolde ȝowe euermo
Of his knyhthode he miht not suffise
¶ Twelue ȝere he regned as seiþe Machabe