From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Monk's Tale, lines 487-502

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From The Monk's Tale, lines 359-486:
Cenobia

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Monk's Tale
lines 487-502: De Petro Rege Ispannie

De Petro Rege Ispannie

O noble, O worthy Petro, glorie of Spayne!

Whom Fortune heeld so hye in magestee,

Wel oghten men thy pitous deeth complayne;

490 Out of thy land thy brother made thee flee,

And after at a seege by subtiltee

Thou were bitraysed, and lad unto his tente

Where as he with his owene hand slow thee,

Succedynge in thy regne and in thy rente.

O noble Pedro, glory once of Spain,

Whom Fortune held so high in majesty,

Well ought men read thy piteous death with pain!

490 Out of thy land thy brother made thee flee;

And later, at a siege, by scheme crafty,

Thou wert betrayed, and led into his tent,

Where he then, and with his own hand, slew thee,

Succeeding to thy realm and government.

495 The feeld of snow, with th'egle of blak therinne

Caught with the lymerod, coloured as the gleede,

He brew this cursednesse and al this synne

The wikked nest was werker of this nede,

Noght Charles Olyvver, that took ay heede

500 Of trouthe and honour, but of Armorike

Genyloun Olyver, corrupt for meede,

Broghte this worthy kyng in swich a brike.

495 The field of snow, with eagle black therein,

Caught by the lime-rod, coloured as the gleed,

He brewed this wickedness and all this sin.

The "Wicked Nest" was worker of this deed;

Not that Charles Oliver who aye took heed

500 Of truth and honour, but the Armorican

Ganelon Oliver, corrupt for mead,

Brought low this worthy king by such a plan.

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From The Monk's Tale, lines 503-510:
De Petro Rege de Cipro