[6-text p 260]
Was neuer wight / siþþen þe world bigan
That slough so many monstres as dede he
Thurgh-out þe wide world his name ran
what for his strengþe and for his bounte
Line 3304
And euery roialme went he for to se
he was so strong þer might no man him lette
At boþe þe worldes endes as saith trophe
In stede of boundes he a piler sette
Line 3308
A lemman hadde þis noble campioun [folio 229a]
That highte Deianire freissh as may
And as þese clerkes maken mencioun
Sche haþ him sent a schurte fresch and gay
Line 3312
Alas þis schirt allas and wailaway
Enuenymed was soþly with alle
That er he hadde wered it half a day
It made his fleisch al fro his bones falle /
Line 3316
But natheles som clerkes hir excusen
By oon þat highte Nessus þat it makyd
Be as be may I wil nouȝt hir accusyn
But on his bak/ he wered þis schirt al naked
Line 3320
Til þat his fleisch was for þe venym blaked
And whan he saugh noon oþer remedye
In hote colis he haþ himself I-raked
For no venym deyned him to dye
Line 3324
Thus starf þis mighty and worthy Ercules
lo who may truste fortune eny þrowe
For him þat folweþ al þis world of pres
Er he be war is oft y-layd ful lowe /
Line 3328
Ful wys is he þat/ can himseluen knowe /
Be war for whan þat fortune lust to glose /
Than waytith sche hir man to ouerþrowe /
By suche way as he wolde lest suppose
Line 3332
