[Prisoner] 5 10 15 20 25 [Fortune] 30 35 40 [Prisoner] 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140

Allas, Fortune, alas, what have I gilt In prison thus to lye here desolate? Artow the better thus to have me spilt? Nay, nay, God wote, but for thow wilt debate With every wight, either erly or late, And art chaungeable eke as the mone: From wele to woo thow bryngest a man ful soone. For like a whele that tournyth ay aboute Now up, now downe, now est, west, north, and sowth, So farestow in oone; thow dryvest in and oute As don these weders out of the wyndes mowth! In thee no trust is, thow art so selcowth And canst never stille there abide. Whan men wene siker to be, thow makest hem to slyde.1 I wote ful wele that lordis, princis, and kyng Thow hast in his weele worse i-overthrowe.2 Thy condicioun is ever so varyeng That now thow laughest and now thow makest a mowe. Allas, Fortune, who may thee trust and trowe? But yit I thee pray, in som maner wise, So torne thy whele that I may ones arise.3 But whom along it wore, now wolde I wite, That wrongfully I ly thus in prisoun: Saturnus or Mars, I trowe I may it wite,4 Or som infortunate constellacioun. But this I wote, as for a conclusioun, Be it by destyné or fortunate chaunce, In prison here I suffre moche myschaunce. Peas of thy wordis, that are both lewde and nyce! Wenistow that God chastisith thee for nought? Though thow be giltles, I graunt wele, in this wise, It is for synnes that thow hast afore wrought, That now perauntre ful litel are in thi thought. Thee for to gladde it is iwreten thus: Maxima etenim morum semper paciencia virtus.5 Thow wotist wele God chastiseth whom He lovith, That of His grace He graunte thee to be oon of tho Who that wilbe saved, hym behovith To suffre in this world adversité or he go:6 Thus fortune grace wynne for present woo. The best conceyt that I can gyve thee, Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique.7 Farwele, Fortune, and do right as thee list! Compleyne now wil I as to thi sustres thre That whan I crept out of my moders chist, Forthwith anon they shoope my destyné. Cloto, com forth; what seystow? Late se. Wiltow no lenger the state of my lif holde Or be my yeeris comen up that I die shuld? If it be so the nombre of my dayes Be comen up, that I may nat hem passe, Why ne had I than by other maner wayes Ordeyned me to dye in som other place, And nat in prison? Is there non other grace? Wil Lachesis my threde no lengger twyne? Bestire thee, than, and al my sorwis fyne. And Antropos, that makith an end of al, Cutte of the threde - wherto wiltow tarye? - And help me hens, sith I nedis shal, That men to chirche my corps myght carye; And my soule to God and Seynt Marie I now betake, and pray hem to yeve me space My rightes al to receyve or I hens passe. The worst of al, that grevith me so sore, Is that my fame is lost, and eke goode loos, And spredith wide, ever lenger the more, As wele among my friendis as my foos; For wykked sclaundre will in no wise be close, But with the wynges of envy fleeth aloft Thereas goode loos slepith and lith ful soft. Whan I was fre and in bounchief at ease, In company over al where that I went, No man sayde that I did hym displease, Ne worthy was nothyng to be shent; And thus with faire wordes was I blent; And he that sayde he wold me never faile, I myght for hym chese to synke or saile. They wold me nat oones yeve a draught of drynk, Ne say, "Friend, wiltow ought with me?" The soth is saide, suche frendship soone doth synk That from his friend fleeth in adversité And wil nat abide but in prosperité. Suche feyned friendis, Lord, ther be ful many. Fy on theyr flateryng! They are nat worth a peny! I have no friende that wil me now visite In prison here, to comfort of my care. Of sorow inowgh, of joye I have but lite. Farewele my blisse, farewele my welfare! To telle my sorwe my wittes bien al bare. There is no man can telle myn hevynesse Save only Ekko, that can bere me witnesse. Now and oure Lord, the kyng of blisse, Jhesus, Shuld with His fynger here on erth write Amonges hem that me accusen thus, I trowe they wold on me have litel dispite, And with theyr mowthis say right lite; No more than diden the men that soughten wreche Upon the womman that taken was in spouse-breche. Fy on this world; it is but fantasie! Swerte is none, in no degré ne state: As wele a kyng as a knave shal dye, Nat witeng where nor whan, erly nor late! Whan men beth myrriest, al day Deth sayth, "Chekmate!" There is no man shal alwey here abide: The richest man eke from his goode shal slyde. Than best is this world to sette at nought And mekely suffre al adversité That may us availe of synnes that we have wrought, In mede encresyng or relesyng, pardé, Of peynes whiche in Purgatory be. And so I wil be glad, so God me save, To soeffre men me wrongly to deprave. There is no more, I se now at ie; These feyned goddis and goddessis availe right nought. Fortune and eke thi sustres I defye, For I wil go to Hym that me hath wrought, To whom I pray and hath besowght My synnes al that he wil reles; And furthermore I pray or I cease Al Holy Chirche, that is His verray spowse, Benyngne Lord, kepe from al damage; And make thy people for to be vertuous Thee for to serve in every maner of age With fervent love and hertis hole corage; And al that erre, Lord, in any side, Or Thow do right, late mercy be theyr guyde. And stidefastly Thow make us to persevere In verray feyth, and Holi Chirche beleve, And us to blisse brynge that lasstyth evere, And Marie us helpe, both morwe and eve, And of this world whan we take oure leve, Or that the Fiende oure soulis than be-trappe, Help, blisful qwene, and kovere us with thy lappe. Late nat be spilt that thy Sone dere hath bought Upon the Crosse with deth and woundes smert; And namly hym that his synnes hath forthought Here in this lif with meke and contrite hert, And thee of grace to aske, ay thow up-stert. Now, lady swete, I can no more now sey, But rewe on me and help me whan I dey. Amen.

done wrong; (t-note) Are you; killed; (t-note) knows, except person; (t-note) also; moon; (t-note) good fortune; in short time wheel; turns always (t-note) So do you all at once; (t-note) weathers; (see note) uncanny (various); (t-note) unmoving; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) grimace; (t-note) believe in (t-note) (t-note) whose fault it is; I wish I knew; (t-note) lie (t-note) know; (t-note) destiny misfortune (affliction) Cease; ignorant and foolish; (t-note) Do you think; nothing guiltless; well, in this matter; (t-note) done before; (t-note) perhaps cheer; written; (t-note) You know well; (see note); (t-note) those; (t-note) (t-note) (t-note) may earn grace advice just as you wish; (t-note) three sisters; (see note); (t-note) chest (womb) Immediately; shaped do you say? Let's see Will you (t-note) surpass then by any other ways Brought it about that I should die; (t-note) help unwind; (t-note) Stir yourself; sorrows end (t-note) off; why will you tarry hence, since I must [apparently die here] hand over; enough time; (t-note) [Last] rights; before I hence; (t-note) grieves good name; good reputation; (t-note) more and more with time well; foes slander; no way be kept secret; (t-note) [slander] flies on high Whereas; lies quiet; (t-note) free and in prosperity; (see note) wherever I went; (t-note) (t-note) Nor was at all worthy; punished blinded (t-note) for all he cared choose; (t-note) once give; (t-note) do you wish anything from me feigned (t-note) enough; little; (t-note) (t-note) count (measure) Echo; (see note); (t-note) Now if our Lord; (see note) disdain little vengeance adultery Surety (security) knowing always; (see note); (t-note) always; (t-note) goods shall fall Then [it] is best; (t-note) committed; (t-note) As a reward; truly Of [the] pains (t-note) suffer; condemn; (t-note) nothing else; now clearly feigned; (see note) thy sisters (Parcae) ; (see note) created; (t-note) besought; (t-note) will release (forgive) ; (t-note) ere (before) ; (t-note) true spouse; (see note); (t-note) Benign; harm (t-note) (t-note) heart's whole desire err, Lord, anywhere; (t-note) Ere; let (t-note) (t-note) Ere; then entrap; (t-note) cover us with your skirt; (see note) killed those whom painful especially; repented; (t-note) move quickly [to help] ; (t-note) have pity on me; die