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

[6-text p 261]

De Rege Nabugodonosor

¶ The myhty trone þe precious tresoure þe glorious septre & Roial Maieste þat hadde þe kinge Nabugodonosore Wiþ tunge vnneþ maie descriued be Line 3336 He twyes name iherusalem þe Cite The vessel of þe temple he wiþ him ladde Att Babiloyne was his souereigne see In whiche his glorie & his delyte he had Line 3340

¶ þe fairest childern of þe blode Roial Of iherusalem he dide do gelde anone And maade eche of hem to bu his clerke Amonge al oþere Danyel was one Line 3344 þat was þe wisest childe of euerychone For he þe dremes of þe kenge expounded Where as in Caldeie clerk was þere none þat wist to what fyne his dremes sounded Line 3348

¶ This proude kinge lete make a stature of golde Sexty Cubetes longe & .vij. in brede To whiche ymage boþe ȝonge & olde Commanded he to loute & haue in drede Line 3352 Or in a forneys ful of flammes rede He scholde be bernt þat wold not obeie Bot neuer wolde assent to þat dede Danyel ne his ȝonge felawes tweye Line 3356

¶ This kenge of kinges proude & elate He wende god þat sitteþ in Mageste Ne myht him nouht be-reue of þat estate Bot sodanly he lost his dignite Line 3360 And like a beste him semed for to be And ete haye as an oxe & leye þere oute. In reyne wiþ wilde bestes walked he [folio 210a] Til certein time was comme aboute Line 3364

[6-text p 262] Line 3364

And ylike an egle fethers was his heres His nayles like birdes clowes were God releued him a certein ȝeres And ȝaf him witte & þan wiþ mony a tere Line 3368 He þonked god; and euer his lif in fere Was; he to done amys or more trespas And or þat time leide was on his bere He knewe wele þat god was ful of myht & grace Line 3372