All wordly richesse his lustys dyd obeye
And whan he fonde she was so fauourable
For a ceson as she list to pleye
This blynde goddes vnsure and euer vnstable
Set him so hye vp at the famys table
Of fals entent in his estate royall
Whan he sat highest to make him haue a fall
For in him silf of pride he gan to deme
Howe that he stode moost in pros{per}ite
Of theym that weryd crowne or dyademe
Aboue all other in moost felycite
And thus enhauncyd in his royall ••ee
Thought him egall with goddys in comune
Ferre from all daungere of fate or fortune
And for tatempte of goddis the power
And of fortune the variaunt doublenesse
He toke a ringe of golde full bright and clere
Therin a rubye of excellent rednesse
Sekinge occasion of newe heuynesse
Whiche neuer afore had knowe of such thinge
Into the se anone he caste his ringe
Disespyred ageyne to recure
For he dempte it was an impossible
But right anone fisshers of auenture
Lyke a merueyle very incredible
Amonge the wawes hidous and horrible
Cast in their nettis if it wolde auaile
Takynge afysshe the ringe in his entrayle
Which was presented at a solempnite
To pollicrate with greate reuerence
Whan he sat crowned in his moost dignite
At a feest of famous excellence
The fisshe vndone anone in his presence
Myd thentrailes his keruer fonde the ringe
Of auenture and toke it to the kinge
Which dempt of pride and high presumpcion
That Neptunus god of the salt see
Had of his ringe made restitucion
And durst nat offende his mageste
Wherupon a fantasye caught he
Nouther heuenly goddes no Fortune blynde of sight
Were both vnhardy tatempte ageyne his might
His greate outrage to god was nat vnknowe
And his presumption fortune hath well espied
For which she made aduersite be hir bowe
And of hir whele the spokys she hath so guyed
Wheron he sat moost richely magnefyed
That he vnwarly doun from his hye noblesse
Was brought full lowe in sorowe and wretchidnesse
In wordly ioye no thinge is more to drede
Than whan fortune is moost blandisshinge
And that hir flatrye is f••et with wordly mede
High on hir whele to make folys singe
Than of hir nature sorowe she doth bringe
Witnesse of princes of olde or newe date
And recorde also of proude pollycrate
Sūtyme he sat hye on fortunes whele
Of prosperite with bemys clere shynynge
Whoos temple is made of glas and nat of stele
His castell is vnwarly dissoluynge
Though it be fresse outwarde in shewynge
Vnsure to stonde on and brotyll for to abyde
Whoo trusteth moost / moost lykly is to slyde
The geryssh quene of chere and face double
Withdrough hir fauoure and began to varye
Fro pollicrates set him in sorowe and trouble
Wexe ageyne him maliciously contrarye
Causinge Orontes constable with kinge darye
Maugre this tyraunt in moost his cruelte
To gynne a werre on Samoys the cyte
And whan his glorye was moost clere of light
And his noblesse shone highest at the full
Fortune gan through hir chaungeable might
Of his prosperyte the fethers to pull
And than atte erst his corage gan to dull
And all his pride vnwarly for tapall
Whan he was spoyled of his richesse all
First whan Orontes his cuntre gan assayle
To pollicrate of sodeyne auenture
Outrayed was and takyn in batayle
By a full perilous mortall disconfiture
Thus fortune coude bringe him vnto hir lure
Thrugh hir vnware vgly fals disdeynes
Led into pryson and bonde in stronge cheynes
The people dwellyd within his region
Reioysed in herte to se him suffre peyne
His tirannye his fals extorcion
Caused that they dyd at him disdeyne
For of his deth no man lyst compleyne
Men through the worlde be glad and haue plesaunce
To se a tiraunte brought vnto myschaunce