Of the erl Hugelyn of Pyse the langour
Ther may no tonge telle for pitee;
But litel out of Pyse stant a tour,
In whiche tour in prisoun put was he, 3600
And with him been his litel children three. (421)
The eldeste scarsly fyf yeer was of age.
Allas, fortune! it was greet crueltee
Swiche briddes for to putte in swiche a cage!
3597. E. Pyze; Hn. Pize; Cp. Pyse; Pt. Ln. Hl. Pise. 3599. E. Hn. Cm.
Pize; Cp. Pyse; Pt. Ln. Hl. Pise.
Dampned was he to deye in that prisoun, 3605
For Roger, which that bisshop was of Pyse,
Hadde on him maad a fals suggestioun,
Thurgh which the peple gan upon him ryse,
And putten him to prisoun in swich wyse
As ye han herd, and mete and drink he hadde 3610
So smal, that wel unnethe it may suffyse, (431)
And therwith-al it was ful povre and badde.
3606. E. Hn. Pize; Cm. Pyze; Cp. Pyse; Pt. Ln. Hl. Pise. 3611. E. Pt.
_omit_ wel.
And on a day bifil that, in that hour,
Whan that his mete wont was to be broght,
The gayler shette the dores of the tour. 3615
He herde it wel,—but he spak right noght,
And in his herte anon ther fil a thoght,
That they for hunger wolde doon him dyen.
‘Allas!’ quod he, ‘allas! that I was wroght!’
Therwith the teres fillen from his yën. 3620
3616. E. Hn. spak right; Cp. Hl. saugh it; Pt. seegh it; Ln. sawe it.
[258: T. 14741-14772.]
His yonge sone, that three yeer was of age, (441)
Un-to him seyde, ‘fader, why do ye wepe?
Whan wol the gayler bringen our potage,
Is ther no morsel breed that ye do kepe?
I am so hungry that I may nat slepe, 3625
Now wolde god that I mighte slepen ever!
Than sholde nat hunger in my wombe crepe;
Ther is no thing, save breed, that me were lever.’
3622. E. Hn. _repeat_ fader. 3628. Ln. Hl. saue; Cp. Pt. sauf; E. Hn.
but.
Thus day by day this child bigan to crye,
Til in his fadres barme adoun it lay, 3630
And seyde, ‘far-wel, fader, I moot dye,’ (451)
And kiste his fader, and deyde the same day.
And whan the woful fader deed it sey,
For wo his armes two he gan to byte,
And seyde, ‘allas, fortune! and weylaway! 3635
Thy false wheel my wo al may I wyte!’
3632. E. Hl. dyde; Hn. Cp. deyde; _see_ l. 3644.
His children wende that it for hunger was
That he his armes gnow, and nat for wo,
And seyde, ‘fader, do nat so, allas!
But rather eet the flesh upon us two; 3640
Our flesh thou yaf us, tak our flesh us fro (461)
And eet y-nough:’ right thus they to him seyde,
And after that, with-in a day or two,
They leyde hem in his lappe adoun, and deyde.
3640. E. flessh. 3641. E. flessh. E. Hn. _omit_ vs _after_ yaf.
Him-self, despeired, eek for hunger starf; 3645
Thus ended is this mighty Erl of Pyse;
From heigh estaat fortune awey him carf.
Of this Tragedie it oghte y-nough suffyse.
Who-so wol here it in a lenger wyse,
Redeth the grete poete of Itaille, 3650
That highte Dant, for he can al devyse (471)
Fro point to point, nat o word wol he faille. [T. 14772.
3646. _See note to _ l. 3597.
[259: T. 14381-14412.] (_For_ T. 14773, _see_ p. 269; _for_ T. 14380, _see_
p. 256.)