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

De Creso Rege.

¶ This Riche Cresus whilom kinge of Lyde Of whiche Cresus Ciquus sore him dradde Ȝette was he cauht amydes al his pride And to be brent men to þe fire him ladde Line 3920 Bot suche a Raine doune fro þe walkyn schadde Þat slouhe þe fire & maade him to eskape Bot to be warre ȝitte no grace he hadde Til fortune on þe galoues maade him gape Line 3924

¶ Whan he ascaped was he can nouht stinte For to be-ginne a newe Reyne aȝeine He wende wele þat fortune him sente Suche happe þat he ascaped þoruhe þe Reine [folio 217a] Line 3928 þat of his foos he myht nouht be sleine And suche a sweuen vpon a nyht he mette Of whiche he was proude & eke feine þat in vengeance he al his hert sette Line 3932

¶ Vpon a tre he was as þat him þouhte There Iubiter him wessche boþe halse & side And phebus eke a faire towel him brouht To drye him wiþ & þerto wex his pride Line 3936 And to his douhter þat stode him be-side Whiche þat he knowe in hihe science abounde He badd him tel hir what it signified And sche his dreme began riht þus expounde Line 3940

[6-text p 280] Line 3940

¶ The tre quod sche þe galouse is to mene And Iubiter be-tokeneþ snowe & reyne And Phebus wiþ his towele so clene Is þe sonne stremes for to seyne Line 3944 Thou schalt an honged be fader certeine Reyne schal þe wassche & sonne schal þe drye Thus warned sche him ful platte & pleine His douhter þat called was Phayne Line 3948

¶ An honged was Cresus þe proude kynge His Roial throne myht him nouht availe Tregedrye in none oþere maner þinge Ne cann in sinynge · crie ne be-weyle Line 3952 Bot þat fortune al wei wil assaile Wiþ vnwar stroke þe Reignes þat bien proude For whan men trusteþ hir þan wil sche faile And couere hire briht face wiþ a cloude Line 3956