| | As eny fende that lith ful lowe adoun | |
| | Yet he as tellith vs Snetomus | |
| 380 | Al this worlde hadde in subiection | |
| | Bothe est and west and septemtrion | |
| | Of Rubies . saphires and of perlis white | |
| | Were alle his clothis browdid vp and doun | |
| | For he in gemmys gretly gan delyte | |
| 385 | More delicat . more pompons of aray | |
| | More proude was neuer Emperour than he | |
| | That ilke cloth that he hadde weryd o day | |
| | After that tyme he nolde it neuer se | |
| | Nettis of goold threed had he gret plente | |
| 390 | To fisshe in tiber whenne he list to pleye | |
| | His lustis were as lawe in his degre | |
| | For fortune as his frend wolde hym obeye | |
| | He Rome brent for his dilycacye | |
| | The senatours he slough vp on aday | |
| 395 | To here how that wommen wolde wepe & crye | |
| | And slough his brothir & by his suster lay | |
| | His moder made he in a pytous aray | |
| | For he her wombe slytte to be holde | |
| | Where he conceyued was so wel away | |
| 400 | That he so lityl of his modir tolde | |
| | No teris out of his eyen for that sight | |
| | Ne cam but sayde a fayr womman was she | |
| | Gret wondir is that he coude or myght | |
| | Be domesman of her ded beaute | |
| 405 | The wyn to brynge comaundid he | |
| | And drank anon non other wo he made | |
