Croesus
This riche cresus, whilom kyng of lyde, Line 2727
Of which cresus cirus soore hym dradde, Line 2728
Yet was he caught amyddes al his pryde, Line 2729
And to be brent men to the fyr hym ladde. Line 2730
But swich a reyn doun fro the welkne shadde Line 2731
That slow the fyr, and made hym to escape; Line 2732
But to be war no grace yet he hadde, Line 2733
Til fortune on the galwes made hym gape. Line 2734
Whanne he escaped was, he kan nat stente Line 2735
For to bigynne a newe werre agayn. Line 2736
He wende wel, for that fortune hym sente Line 2737
Swich hap that he escaped thurgh the rayn, Line 2738
That of his foos he myghte nat be slayn; Line 2739
And eek a sweven upon a nyght he mette, Line 2740
Of which he was so proud and eek so fayn Line 2741
That in vengeance he al his herte sette. Line 2742
Upon a tree he was, as that hym thoughte, Line 2743
Ther juppiter hym wessh, bothe bak and syde, Line 2744
And phebus eek a fair towaille hym broughte Line 2745
To dryen hym with; and therfore was his pryde, Line 2746
And to his doghter, that stood hym bisyde, Line 2747
Which that he knew in heigh sentence habounde, Line 2748
He bad hire telle hym what it signyfyde, Line 2749
And she his dreem bigan right thus expounde: Line 2750
The tree, quod she, the galwes is to meene, Line 2751
And juppiter bitokneth snow and reyn, Line 2752
And phebus, with his towaille so clene, Line 2753
Tho been the sonne stremes for to seyn. Line 2754
Thou shalt anhanged be, fader, certeyn; Line 2755
Reyn shal thee wasshe, and sonne shal thee drye. Line 2756
Thus warned hym ful plat and eek ful pleyn Line 2757
His doghter, which that called was phanye. Line 2758
Anhanged was cresus, the proude kyng; Line 2759
His roial trone myghte hym nat availle. Line 2760
Tragedies noon oother maner thyng Line 2761
Ne kan in syngyng crie ne biwaille Line 2762
But that fortune alwey wole assaille Line 2763
With unwar strook the regnes that been proude; Line 2764
For whan men trusteth hire, thanne wol she faille, Line 2765
And covere hire brighte face with a clowde. Line 2766