[6-text p 268]
[6-text p 271]
¶ Allas ffortune / she that whilom was [folio 94a]
Dredeful / to kynges / and to Emperoures
Now gawreth al the peple / on hire allas
And she that helmed was / in starke stoures
Line 3560
And wan by force / townes stronge and toures
Shal on hire heed / now were a vitremyte
And she þat bar / the Ceptre ful of floures
Shal bere a distaf hire cost for to quyte [[The modern instances which should come here, are at the end of the Tale in this MS.]]
Line 3564
[Nero.]
Al though / that Nero were vicius [/ De Nerone]
As any feend / that lyth ful lowe adown
Line 3654
Yet he / as telleth vs Swetonius
This wide world / hadde in subieccioun
Line 3656
Bothe Est and West North / and Septemtrioun
Of Rubies / Saphires / and of perles white
Were alle hise clothes / browded vp and doun
ffor he in gemmes / greetly gan delite
Line 3660
¶ Moore delicat moore pompous of array
Moore proud / was neuere Emperour than he
That ilke clooth / that he hadde weryd o day
After that tyme / he nolde it neuere see
Line 3664
Nettes of gold threed / hadde he greet plentee
To fisshen in Tybre / whan hym liste pleye
Hise lustes were al lawe / in his decree
ffor ffortune / as his freend / hym wolde obeye
Line 3668
¶ He Rome brende / for his delicacie
The Senatours / he slow vp-on a day
To heere / how þat men wolde wepe & crye
And slow his brother / and by his suster lay
Line 3672
His moder he made / in pitous array
ffor he hire wombe slytte / to biholde
Where he conceyued was / so weilaway
That he so litel / of his moder tolde
Line 3676
