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

¶ De Hugiline Comyte Pisano. [folio 213a]

Of þe Erle Hugylyne of Pise þe Langoure There maie no tunge tel for pite Bot litel oute of Pise stant a toure In wiche toure in prisone put was he Line 3600 And wiþ him ben his litel childern þre þe eldest scarsly .v. ȝere was of age Alas fortune it was grete cruelte Suche burdes to putte in suche a cage Line 3604

¶ Dampned he was to deye in þat prisone For Roger þat bischop was of Pise Hadde on him maade a fals suggestione Thorwhe þe peple gan on him a-rise Line 3608 And putten him to prison in suche wise As ȝe haue herde & mete & drinke he hadde . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And þere-wiþ-all it was ful pore & badde. Line 3612

¶ And one a daie be-fell þat inne þat oure Whan þat his mete was wonte to be brouht The gayler schette þe dores of þe toure He herde it wele bot he sawe it nouht Line 3616 And in his hert anone þere fell a þouht þat þei for hunger wolde done him deyen Alas quod he alas þat .I. was wrouht þer-wiþe þe teres fel fro hyȝen Line 3620

[6-text p 270] Line 3620

¶ His ȝonge son þat þrei ȝere was of age vnto him seide fader whi do ȝe wepe Whan wil þe Gayloure bringen oure potage Is þere no morsel brede þat ȝe do kepe Line 3624 .I. am so hungry þat .I. maie nouht [slepe] Now wolde god þat .I. myht slepe euer þan scholde none hunger in my wombe crepe þare nys noþinge saue brede þat me were leuere Line 3628

¶ þus daie be daye þis childe gan to crie Til in his fader berme adoune it leye And seide fader Fare wele .I. mote deye And kissed his fader & deyed þe same daye Line 3632 And whan þe woful fader dede him seye For woo his arme tuo he gan to bite And seid alas fortune; & walaweye Þine fals whele my woo .I. al wite Line 3636

¶ His childern wende þat it for hungere was þat he his arme gnowhe & nout for woo And seid fader do nouht so alas [folio 213b] Bot raþer ete þe flesche vpon vs tuo Line 3640 Oure flesche þou ȝaf vs tak oure flesche vs fro And ete ynouhe riht þus to him þei seide And efter þat wiþ-inne a daie or tuo þei leide hem doune in his lappe & deyed Line 3644

¶ Him self dispeired eke for hunger starf Þus endede is þe mihte Erle of Pise Fro hihe a state fortune fro him carf Of þis tregedrie it ouht .I.-nouhe suffise Line 3648 Who so wile here it in a longer wise Reede þe grete Poete of Itaile That hiht Daunte for he can it deuise Fro pointe to poynte nouht o worde wil he faile Line 3652