And nowe I syt here blynde and lame,
And croked ben my lymes all.
I was full wylde, I am now tame.
Thys feder of streyngth ys fro me fall.
Line 172
And now hathe age smetyn me fro
My thryd feder of iolyte.
ffor all that euer I haue mysdo,
Parce michi, domine!
Line 176
(15)
My fourth feder, 'Ryches' was.
To make hit shyne, I trauayled sore.
I wente in many a perylous place,
Well ofte my lyfe was nygh for-lore. [folio 16b]
Line 180
By dale, by doune, by wodes syde,
I boode many a bytter shoure;
In salt see I sayled well wyde
ffor to multiply my tresoure.
Line 184
With false sleyghtes I gate my good,
In Couetyse I grounded me.
Ihesu, for thy precious blood,
Parce michi, domine!
Line 188
(16)
When I was seker of golde y-nowgh,
I gan to ryde abowte well faste.
I purchased moche, and god wote howgh.
I wende thys lyfe wolde euer haue laste.
Line 192
I lete me bylde castelles and toures,
Withoute y-warded with stronge dyches,
Withyn y-bylde halles and bowres;
There was no toure my castell lyche.
Line 196
In thys was set all my lykyng,
And torned me, lorde, holy from the.
To the I crye now, heuen kyng,
Parce michi, domine!
Line 200
(17)
When I was most in all my flowres,
And had aboute me wyfe and chylde,
I lost my catell and my toures.
Then wexed myn hert in party mylde.
Line 204
