CARMINA QUI QUONDAM STUDIO FLORENTE PEREGI. —
Metrum 1
Allas! I wepynge, am constreyned to bygynnen vers of sorwful
matere, that whilom in florysschyng studie made delitable ditees.
For lo, rendynge muses of poetes enditen to me thynges to ben
writen, and drery vers of wretchidnesse weten my face with verray
teres. At the leeste, no drede ne myghte overcomen tho muses,
that thei ne were felawes, and folwyden my wey (that
is to seyn, whan I was exiled). They that weren glorie of
my youthe, whilom weleful and grene, conforten nowe the sorwful
wyerdes of me, olde man. For eelde is comyn unwarly uppon me,
hasted by the harmes that Y have, and sorwe hath comandid his age
to ben in me. Heeris hore arn schad overtymeliche upon myn heved,
and the slakke skyn trembleth of myn emptid body. Thilke deth of
men is weleful that ne comyth noght in yeeris that ben swete, but
cometh to wrecches often yclepid. Allas, allas! With how deef an
ere deth, cruwel, turneth awey fro wrecches and nayteth to closen
wepynge eien. Whil Fortune, unfeithful, favourede me with lyghte
goodes, the sorwful houre (that is to seyn, the deth) hadde almoost dreynt myn heved. But now, for Fortune
cloudy hath chaunged hir deceyvable chere to meward, myn
unpietous lif draweth along unagreable duellynges in me. O ye,
my frendes, what or wherto avaunted ye
me to be weleful? For he that hath fallen stood noght in stedefast
degre.