NOTES.
Note 1.Page 16.
This fable is very well told by Gower, but with some variations.
[The letters printed in Italics are to be pronounced as separate syllables; the acute mark denotes the emphasis.]
Ere Rom-e came to the creánce[1]
Of Christ-es faith, it fell perchance
Cæsar, which then was emperour,
Him list-e for to do honóur
Untó the temple Apollinis;
And made an image upon this,
The which was cleped[2] Apolló,
Was none so rich in Rom-e tho.[3]
Of plate of gold, a beard he had,
The which his breast all over spradde.[4]
Of gold also, withouten fail,
His mantle was of large entayle,[5]
Be-set with perrey[6] all about.
Forth right he stretched his finger out,
Upon the which he had a ring—
To see it, was a rich-e thing,
A fine carbuncle for the nones,[7]
Most precious of all stones.
And fell that time in Rom-e thus,
There was a clerk, one Lucius,
A courtier, a famous man;
Of every wit[8] somewhat he can,
Out-take[9] that him lacketh rule,
His own estate to guide and rule;
How so it stood of his speaking,
He was not wise in his doing;
But every riot-e at last
Must need-es fall, and may not last.
After the need of his desert,
So fell this clerk-e in povérte,
