His sone, which that highte Balthasar,
That heeld the regne after his fader day,
He by his fader coude nought be war, 3375
For proud he was of herte and of array;
And eek an ydolastre was he ay.
His hye estaat assured him in pryde.
But fortune caste him doun, and ther he lay,
And sodeynly his regne gan divyde. 3380
3377. E. he was; _rest_ was he.
A feste he made un-to his lordes alle (201)
Up-on a tyme, and bad hem blythe be,
And than his officeres gan he calle—
‘Goth, bringeth forth the vessels,’ [tho] quod he,
‘Which that my fader, in his prosperitee, 3385
Out of the temple of Ierusalem birafte,
And to our hye goddes thanke we
Of honour, that our eldres with us lafte.’
3384. _I supply_ tho. _For_ vessels, _see_ 3391, 3416, 3418.
His wyf, his lordes, and his concubynes
Ay dronken, whyl hir appetytes laste, 3390
Out of thise noble vessels sundry wynes; (211)
And on a wal this king his yën caste,
And sey an hond armlees, that wroot ful faste,
For fere of which he quook and syked sore.
This hond, that Balthasar so sore agaste, 3395
Wroot _Mane, techel, phares_, and na-more.
[251: T. 14213-14244.]
In al that lond magicien was noon
That coude expoune what this lettre mente;
But Daniel expouned it anoon,
And seyde, ‘king, god to thy fader lente 3400
Glorie and honour, regne, tresour, rente: (221)
And he was proud, and no-thing god ne dradde,
And therfor god gret wreche up-on him sente,
And him birafte the regne that he hadde.
3400. Hn. lente; _rest_ sente (_but see_ l. 3403).
He was out cast of mannes companye, 3405
With asses was his habitacioun,
And eet hey as a beste in weet and drye,
Til that he knew, by grace and by resoun,
That god of heven hath dominacioun
Over every regne and every creature; 3410
And thanne had god of him compassioun, (231)
And him restored his regne and his figure.
Eek thou, that art his sone, art proud also,
And knowest alle thise thinges verraily,
And art rebel to god, and art his fo. 3415
Thou drank eek of his vessels boldely;
Thy wyf eek and thy wenches sinfully
Dronke of the same vessels sondry wynes,
And heriest false goddes cursedly;
Therfor to thee y-shapen ful gret pyne is. 3420
This hand was sent from god, that on the walle (241)
Wroot _mane, techel, phares_, truste me;
Thy regne is doon, thou weyest noght at alle;
Divyded is thy regne, and it shal be
To Medes and to Perses yeven,’ quod he. 3425
And thilke same night this king was slawe,
And Darius occupyeth his degree,
Thogh he therto had neither right ne lawe.
3422. E. Hn. Cp. Hl. truste; Pt. trest; Ln. trust; Cm. trust to. See
B. 4214. 3425. E. _om._ yeven.
[252: T. 14245-14276.]
Lordinges, ensample heer-by may ye take
How that in lordshipe is no sikernesse; 3430
For whan fortune wol a man forsake, (251)
She bereth awey his regne and his richesse,
And eek his freendes, bothe more and lesse;
For what man that hath freendes thurgh fortune,
Mishap wol make hem enemys, I gesse: 3435
This proverbe is ful sooth and ful commune.
3435. E. as I; _the rest omit_ as.