The Monk's Tale
Folio 216r
18 of 20 folios
570
Philippus þe sonne of Macedo he was
That first was kynge of grece þe Contre
O worþi gentil Alisander Alas
Þat euer schold faƚƚ suche a cas
Enpoysonde of þi folke þou were
575
Þin su~ster fortune haþe torne in to an as
And ȝit for þe ne wepped sche neuer a tere
¶ How schal men ȝeue teres to compleyne
The deþe of gentillesse & of frauncheys
Þat al þe werlde werlde weldede in his demeygne
580
And ȝit him þouht it myht nouht suffise
So ful was his Corage of hihe empise
Alace who schal me helpe to endite
Fals fortune & poyson to despise
The whiche tuo of al þes wo .I. wite
585
¶ By wisdom manhede & be labor
Fro humblehede & fro Roial Maieste
Vp rose he Iulius þe conqueror
That al þe Occident be lande & see
Be strenkeþe of hande or elles be trete
590
And vnto Rome maade hem tributarye
And seþþen of of Rome þan Emperoure was he
Til þat fortune wex his aduersarie
¶ O myht Cesar þat in Thessalye
Aȝeines Pompeus fader þin in lawe
595
Of þat þe orient hadde al þe cheualrie
As fer as þe daie beginneþ to dawe
Theime þoruhe þi knyht hode hast hem take & slawe
Saue fewe folke þat wiþ pompeus fledde
Þorwhe whiche þou puttest al þe orient in awe
600
Þonke fortune þat so wele þe spedde
¶ Bot nowe alitel while .I. wil beweile
Þis pompeus þis noble gouernoure
Of Rome whiche þat flyeþ att þis Batayle
.I. saye one of his men a fals traiture
605
His hedde of fmote to wynne him fauoure
Of Iulius & him þe hede brouht
Alas Pompey of þe Orient conqueroure
That fortune vnto suche a deþe brouht
¶ To Rome aȝeine Repaireþ Iulius
610
Wiþ his tryumphe laureate ful hihe