The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[Ugolino, Count of Pisa.]

¶ Of the Erl hugelyn of Pyre the langour Theere may no tunge telle for pite But lytyl out of Pize stant a tour In which tour in prysoun put was he Line 3600 And with hym been hise lyte childere thre The oldeste skarsely fyue ȝeer was of age Allas fortune it was greet crewelte Swiche bryddis to putte in swich a cage Line 3604

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

Dampnede was he to deye in that prysoun For Roger which that bischop was of Pyze Hadde on hym mad a fals suggestioun Thour the peple gan vp-on hym ryse Line 3608 And puttyn hym in prysoun in swich wyse As ȝe han herd & mete & drynk he hadde So smal that wel anethe it may suffyse And there withal it was fful poore & badde Line 3612

And on a day by-fel that in that hour Whan that his meete / wont was to been brought [[Leaves 363-4, Camb. MS, are cut out; till l. 3653.]] [The Ieylour shet þe dores of þe toure [Sloane MS 1685 folio 209a] he herd it wele but he sawe it nouȝt Line 3616 As in hys herte a-none þere felle a þouȝt þat þei for hungre wolde done hem dye Alas. quod he Alas þat I was wrouȝt þere-with þe teeres felle fro þe eye Line 3620

His ȝonge sonne þre ȝeere was of age Vnto hym said fader why do ȝe wepe Whan wille þe Gaylour brynge our potage Is þere no morselle brede þat ȝe do kepe Line 3624 I am so hongerye þat I may not slepe Nowe wolde god þat I myȝte slepen euere [Than schulde non hungre in my wombe crepe. Ther/ is/ nothyng saue breed that me were leuyr/. [Harl. 1758 folio 188b] ] Line 3628

Thys day by day þe childe gan to crye [Sloane MS 1685 folio 209a] Tyll in hys ffadere barme a doune hit lay And said fadir/ fare wele I mot deye And kyste hys fader and deyde þe same daye Line 3632 And whan hys woofulle fadere did hym saye ffor. woo hys armes too he gan to byte And sayde fortune Alas and weylaway þi. false wyles my woo I may wyte Line 3636

[6-text p 270] Line 3636

His children þat fortune hungry was [[Sloane MS 1685]] þat he hys armes gnewe and not for woo And said fader do not so Alas. But rathere ete þe flesshe vpon vs twoo Line 3640 Oure. flessh þou yaveste vs take oure flesshe vs fro. And ete y-nouȝe riȝt þus to hym þei saide [Sloane MS 1685 folio 209b] And after þat with-In a day or two þei leyde hem doune in his lappe & dyed Line 3644

Hym selfe dispeyred eke for honger starfe Thus endid ys þe myȝti Erle of pyse ffro hyeȝe estate fortune fro hym carf Of þis Tregedye hit ouȝt ynouȝe suffice Line 3648 ho · so wylle here hit/ in a lenger wyse Redeth þe grete poete of Itayle þat/ hyȝt/ Daunte for he can hit deuyse Line 3651 ffro poynte to poynte not oo worde wille he fayle] [[Sloane ex|tract ends.]]