The Monk's Tale
Folio 193r
8 of 23 folios
This hand was sent fro god that on the wal
Wroot Mane techel phares truste me
235
Thi regne is doo thow weyest noght at al
Dyuyded is thi regne and it shal be
To Medes and to perses yeuen quod he
And thilke same nyght this kyng was slaw
And darius occupieth his degree
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Thogh he ther to had neither right ne law
Lordynges ensample here bi me ye take
How that in lordship is no sykernesse
For whan fortune wol a man forsake
She bereth a wey his regne and his richesse
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And eke his frendes bothe more and lesse
For what man that hath frendes thurgh fortune
Mishap wol make him enemys as I gesse
This prouerbe is ful sooth and ful comune
Cenobia of palymerye queene
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As writen persiens of hir noblesse
So worthi was in armes and so kene
That no wight passed hir in hardynesse
Ne in lynage ne other gentilesse
Of kynges blood of Perce is she descended
But of hir shap she myght nat ben amended
From hire childehede I fynde that she fledde
Office of wommen and to wode she wente
And many a wilde hertes blood she shedde
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With arwes brode that she to hem sente
She was so swift / that she anon hem hente
And whan that she was elder she wold kille
Leons leopardes and beres al to rente
And in hir armes welde hem at hir wille
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She durst wild beestes dennes seke
And rennen in the Montayns alle the nyght
And slepen vnder the busshe and she koude eke
Wrastelen by verray force and verray myght