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That thei be logged faste by
Where he his oghne body lay；
And whan it was amorwe day；
That on of hem seith that he mette
Wher he a goldhord scholde fette：
Wherof this Emperour was glad；
And therupon anon he bad 2120
His Mynours forto go and myne；
And he himself of that covine
Goth forth withal； and at his hond
The tresor redi there he fond；
Where as thei seide it scholde be；
And who was thanne glad bot he？
Upon that other dai secounde
Thei have an other goldhord founde；
Which the seconde maister tok
Upon his swevene and undertok。 2130
And thus the sothe experience
To themperour yaf such credence；
That al his trist and al his feith
So sikerliche on hem he leith；
Of that he fond him so relieved；
That thei ben parfitli believed；
As thogh thei were goddes thre。
Nou herkne the soutilete。
The thridde maister scholde mete；
Which； as thei seiden； was unmete 2140
Above hem alle； and couthe most；
And he withoute noise or bost
Al priveli； so as he wolde；
Upon the morwe his swevene tolde
To themperour riht in his Ere；
And seide him that he wiste where
A tresor was so plentivous
Of gold and ek so precious
Of jeueals and of riche stones；
That unto alle hise hors at ones 2150
It were a charge sufficant。
This lord upon this covenant
Was glad； and axeth where it was。
The maister seide； under the glas；
And tolde him eke； as for the Myn
He wolde ordeigne such engin；
That thei the werk schull undersette
With Tymber； that withoute lette
Men mai the tresor saufli delve；
So that the Mirour be himselve 2160
Withoute empeirement schal stonde：
And this the maister upon honde
Hath undertake in alle weie。
This lord； which hadde his wit aweie
And was with Covoitise blent；
Anon therto yaf his assent；
And thus they myne forth withal；
The timber set up overal；
Wherof the Piler stod upriht；
Til it befell upon a nyht 2170
These clerkes； whan thei were war
Hou that the timber only bar
The Piler； wher the Mirour stod；…
Here sleihte noman understod；…
Thei go be nyhte unto the Myne
With pich； with soulphre and with rosine；
And whan the Cite was a slepe；
A wylde fyr into the depe
They caste among the timberwerk；
And so forth； whil the nyht was derk； 2180
Desguised in a povere arai
Thei passeden the toun er dai。
And whan thei come upon an hell；
Thei sihen how the Mirour fell；
Wherof thei maden joie ynowh；
And ech of hem with other lowh；
And seiden； 〃Lo； what coveitise
Mai do with hem that be noght wise！〃
And that was proved afterward；
For every lond； to Romeward 2190
Which hadde be soubgit tofore；
Whan this Mirour was so forlore
And thei the wonder herde seie；
Anon begunne desobeie
With werres upon every side；
And thus hath Rome lost his pride
And was defouled overal。
For this I finde of Hanybal；
That he of Romeins in a dai；
Whan he hem fond out of arai； 2200
So gret a multitude slowh；
That of goldringes； whiche he drowh
Of gentil handes that ben dede；
Buisshelles fulle thre； I rede；
He felde； and made a bregge also；
That he mihte over Tibre go
Upon the corps that dede were
Of the Romeins； whiche he slowh there。
Bot now to speke of the juise；
The which after the covoitise 2210
Was take upon this Emperour；
For he destruide the Mirour；
It is a wonder forto hiere。
The Romeins maden a chaiere
And sette here Emperour therinne；
And seiden； for he wolde winne
Of gold the superfluite；
Of gold he scholde such plente
Receive； til he seide Ho：
And with gold； which thei hadden tho 2220
Buillende hot withinne a panne；
Into his Mouth thei poure thanne。
And thus the thurst of gold was queynt；
With gold which hadde ben atteignt。
Wherof； mi Sone； thou miht hiere；
Whan Covoitise hath lost the stiere
Of resonable governance；
Ther falleth ofte gret vengance。
For ther mai be no worse thing
Than Covoitise aboute a king： 2230
If it in his persone be；
It doth the more adversite；
And if it in his conseil stonde；
It bringth alday meschief to honde
Of commun harm； and if it growe
Withinne his court； it wol be knowe；
For thanne schal the king be piled。
The man which hath hise londes tiled；
Awaiteth noght more redily
The Hervest； than thei gredily 2240
Ne maken thanne warde and wacche；
Wher thei the profit mihten cacche：
And yit fulofte it falleth so；
As men mai sen among hem tho；
That he which most coveiteth faste
Hath lest avantage ate laste。
For whan fortune is therayein；
Thogh he coveite； it is in vein；
The happes be noght alle liche；
On is mad povere； an other riche； 2250
The court to some doth profit；
And some ben evere in o plit；
And yit thei bothe aliche sore
Coveite； bot fortune is more
Unto that o part favorable。
And thogh it be noght resonable；
This thing a man mai sen alday；
Wherof that I thee telle may
A fair ensample in remembrance；
Hou every man mot take his chance 2260
Or of richesse or of poverte。
Hou so it stonde of the decerte；
Hier is noght every thing aquit；
For ofte a man mai se this yit；
That who best doth； lest thonk schal have；
It helpeth noght the world to crave；
Which out of reule and of mesure
Hath evere stonde in aventure
Als wel in Court as elles where：
And hou in olde daies there 2270
It stod； so as the thinges felle；
I thenke a tale forto telle。
In a Cronique this I rede。
Aboute a king； as moste nede；
Ther was of knyhtes and squiers
Gret route； and ek of Officers：
Some of long time him hadden served；
And thoghten that thei have deserved
Avancement； and gon withoute；
And some also ben of the route 2280
That comen bot a while agon；
And thei avanced were anon。
These olde men upon this thing；
So as thei dorste； ayein the king
Among hemself compleignen ofte：
Bot ther is nothing seid so softe；
That it ne comth out ate laste；
The king it wiste； and als so faste；
As he which was of hih Prudence；
He schop therfore an evidence 2290
Of hem that pleignen in that cas；
To knowe in whos defalte it was。
And al withinne his oghne entente；
That noman wiste what it mente；
Anon he let tuo cofres make
Of o semblance and of o make；
So lich that no lif thilke throwe
That on mai fro that other knowe：
Thei were into his chambre broght；
Bot noman wot why thei be wroght； 2300
And natheles the king hath bede
That thei be set in prive stede。
As he that was of wisdom slih；
Whan he therto his time sih；
Al prively； that non it wiste；
Hise oghne hondes that o kiste
Of fin gold and of fin perrie；
The which out of his tresorie
Was take； anon he felde full；
That other cofre of straw and mull 2310
With Stones meind he felde also。
Thus be thei fulle bothe tuo；
So that erliche upon a day
He bad withinne； ther he lay；
Ther scholde be tofore his bed
A bord upset and faire spred；
And thanne he let the cofres fette；
Upon the bord and dede hem sette。
He knew the names wel of tho；
The whiche ayein him grucche so； 2320
Bothe of his chambre and of his halle；
Anon and sende for hem alle；
And seide to hem in this wise：
〃Ther schal noman his happ despise；
I wot wel ye have longe served；
And god wot what ye have deserved：
Bot if it is along on me
Of that ye unavanced be；
Or elles it be long on you；
The sothe schal be proved nou； 2330
To stoppe with youre evele word。
Lo hier tuo cofres on the bord：
Ches which you list of bothe tuo；
And witeth wel that on of tho
Is with tresor so full begon；
That if ye happe therupon；
Ye schull be riche men for evere。
Now ches and tak which you is levere：
Bot be wel war； er that ye take；
For of that on I undertake 2340
Ther is no maner good therinne；
Wherof ye mihten profit winne。
Now goth togedre of on assent
And taketh youre avisement；
For bot I you this dai avance；
It stant upon youre oghne chance
Al only in defalte of grace：
So schal be schewed in this place
Upon you alle wel afyn；
That no defalte schal be myn。〃 2350
Thei knelen alle and with o vois
The king thei thonken of this chois：
And after that thei up arise；
And gon aside and hem avise；
And ate laste thei acorde；
Wherof her tale to recorde；
To what issue thei be falle；
A kniht schal speke for hem alle。
He kneleth doun unto the king；
And seith that thei upon this thing； 2360
Or forto winne or forto lese；
Ben alle avised forto chese。
Tho tok this kn