| | And as clerkis make mentioun | |
| | She hath hym sent a sherte fresh and gay | |
| 125 | Allas this sherte and wel a way | |
| | Enuenemyd was subtilly with alle | |
| | That er he hadde werid it half a day | |
| | It made his flesh fro his bonys falle | |
| | But natheles som clerkis here excusyn | |
| 130 | Be on that highte nessus that it maked | |
| | Be as be may I wol her not acusen | |
| | But on his body the sherte he werid al nakid | |
| | Tyl the flesh was for the venym slakid | |
| | And whanne he sawe non other remedye | |
| 135 | In hoot colis he hath hym self rakyd | |
| | For with no venym deyned he to dye | |
| | Thus starf this worthy mighty hercules | |
| | Lo who may truste in fortune ony throwe | |
| | For hym that folowith al this worlde of prees | |
| 140 | Or he be waar is ofte leyd ful lowe | |
| | Ful wise is he that hym self can knowe | |
| | Be waar for whanne that fortune list to glose | |
| | Thanne waitith she her man to doun throwe | |
| | Be such awey as he wold lest suppose | |
| | T | He mighty trone the precyous tresour | |
| | The glorius septre and the ryal maieste | |
| | That hadde the kyng Nabugodonosor | |
| | With tunge vnnethe may discribid be | |
| | He twyes wan Iherusalem that cyte | |
| 150 | The vessel of the tempyl he with hym lad | |
| | At Babilon was his souerayn see | |
