Lyfte logges þerover and on lofte corven,
Pared out of paper and poynted of golde, [MS. glolde.]
Line 1408
Broþe baboynes abof, besttes anunder,
Foles in foler flakerande bitwene,
And al in asure and ynde enaumayld ryche,
And al on blonkken bak bere hit on honde.
Line 1412
And ay þe nakeryn noyse, notes of pipes,
Tymbres and tabornes, tulket among; [MS., M. among; Fi. among[es].]
Symbales and sonetez sware þe noyse,
And bougounz busch batered so þikke.
Line 1416
So watz served fele syþe þe sale alle aboute,
Wyth solace at þe sere course bifore þe self lorde,
Þer þe lede and alle his love lenged at þe table.
So faste þay weȝed to him wyne, hit warmed his hert,
Line 1420
And breyþed uppe into his brayn and blemyst his mynde,
And al waykned his wyt, and wel neȝe he foles;
For he waytez on wyde, his wenches he byholdes,
And his bolde baronage aboute bi þe woȝes.
Line 1424
Þenne a dotage ful depe drof to his hert,
And a caytif counsayl he caȝt bi hymselven.
Maynly his marschal þe mayster upon calles,
And comaundes hym cofly coferes to lance,
Line 1428
And fech forþe vessel þat his fader broȝt, [MS., M. forþe; Fi. for þe.]
Nabugodenozar, noble in his strenþe,
Conquerd with his knyȝtes, and of kyrk rafte,
In Jude, in Jerusalem in gentyle wyse:
Line 1432
'Bryng hem now to my borde, of beverage hem fylles,
Let þise ladyes of hem lape—I luf hem in hert!
Þat schal I cortaysly kyþe, and þay schin knawe sone
Þer is no bounte in burne lyk Baltazar þewes.'
Line 1436
Þenne towchede to þe tresor þis tale watz sone,
And he wyth keyes uncloses kystes ful mony;
