The Hengwrt ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[Ugolino, Count of Pisa.]

Of the Erl Hugelyn of Pize / the langour [/ De hugelyn Comite de Pize] Ther may no tonge / tellen for pitee But litel out of Pize / stant a tour In which[e] tour / in prison put was he Line 3600 And with hym been / hise litel children thre The eldeste scarsly / fyue yeer was of age Allas ffortune / it was greet crueltee Swiche briddes / for to putte in swich a cage Line 3604

[6-text p 269] [6-text p 270] Line 3604

¶ Dampned was he / to dyen in that prison ffor Roger / which þat bisshope was of Pize Hadde on hym maad / a fals suggestion Thurgh which the peple / gan vp on hym rise Line 3608 And putten hym to prison / in swich wise As ye han herd / and mete and drynke he hadde So smal / that wel vnnethe it may suffise And ther with al / it was ful poure and badde Line 3612

[ [Rats.] [folio 98b] A]nd on a day bifel / þat in that hour Whan þat his mete / wont was to be broght The Gayler / shette the dores of the tour He herde it wel / but he spak / right noght Line 3616 And in his herte / anon ther fil a thoght That they for hunger / wolde doon hym dyen Allas quod he / allas þat I was wroght Ther with / the teeris fillen from hise eyen Line 3620

¶ His yonge sone / þat thre yeer was of age Vn-to hym seyde / fader / fader / why do ye wepe Whanne wol the Gayler / bryngen oure potage Is ther no morsel breed / þat ye do kepe Line 3624 I am so hungry / that I may nat slepe Now wolde god / þat I myghte slepen euere Thanne sholde noght hunger / in my wombe crepe Ther is no thyng but breed / þat me were leuere Line 3628

¶ Thus day by day / this child bigan to crye Til in his fadres barm / adoun it lay And seyde / farewel fader / I moot dye And kiste his fader / and deyde the same day Line 3632 And whan the woful fader / deed it say ffor wo / hise armes two / he gan to byte And seyde / allas ffortune and weylaway Thy false wheele / my wo al may I wyte Line 3636

[6-text p 270] Line 3636

¶ Hise children wende / that it for hunger was That he hise armes gnow / and nat for wo And seyden fader / do nat so allas But rather / ete the flessh vp-on vs two Line 3640 Oure flessh thow yaf taak oure flessh vs fro And ete ynow / right thus they to hym seyde And after that with-Inne a day / or two They leyde hem / in his lappe adoun / and deyde Line 3644

¶ Hym self despeired / eek / for hunger starf Thus ended is / this myghty Erl of Pize ffrom heigh estat. ffortune awey hym carf Of this tragedie / it oghte ynogh suffise Line 3648 Who so wole it heere it in a lenger wise Redeth / the grete Poete of Ytaille That highte Dant. for he kan al deuyse ffro point to point nat o word wol he faille [6-text p 281] Line 3652