¶ Dame Fortune [[Tib., om. C.]] :
'The nestys hih vp-on the tre,
That ben hyest off degre,
Ben they off ryht and good resoun
That entre by successïoun, [Stowe folio 328a]
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As kynges, by iust enherytaunce,
Whom that trouthë lyst avaunce [[trouthe habundaunce Tib.]]
Only by lyneal dyscent,
Hys lyges echon [[leegis echone Tib.]] off assent;
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Or, [[Or Tib., Off C., of St.]] for lak off successïoun,
Swyche as by elleccïoun
Ben reysed vp to hih degre,
As many princes and lordys be.
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'Thogh I to hem have envye,
To reve hem off ther Regalye,
Yet, thogh I ther-to haue no myght
ffor to robbe hem off ther ryht, [Tib folio 62a]
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Yet (who lyst looke with Eyen cler)
They be ful offte in my daunger;
ffor they may nat assuryd be
Ageyn my mutabylyte,
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Nor ageyn my mortal stryff;
ffor offtë sythe they lese her lyff
By compassyng off ffals Tresoun,
By mordre also, and poysoun.
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And trewly, al thys frowardnesse [folio 255b]
Ys tookned [[tokenyd St.]] by the crookydnesse
Off my staff and off my crok,
Wrong [[wronge St.]] at the ende, as ys an hook.
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'And whan I loke with Eyen cler,
Lawhe on ffolk, [[folk, om. Tib., folke St.]] and make hem cher,
Thanne lygge I rathest in a-wayt,
ffor to don hem som deceyt.
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'Lo, her ys al; go forth [[fforthe Tib., forthe St., foth C.]] thy way;
And trustë wel, yiff that I may,
What weye euere that thow go,
Or thy pylgrymage be do,—
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Tourne yt to sour, outher to swete,—
Onys I shal yet [[ther St.]] with the mete.'
¶ Fortune is walkyd. [[Tib., om. C., St.]]
