Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/458

284 Be-set with perrey all about. Forth right he stretched his finger out, Upon the which he had a ring— To see it, was a rich-e thing, A fine carbuncle for the nones , Most precious of all stones. And fell that time in Rom-e thus, There was a clerk, one Lucius, A courtier, a famous man; Of every wit somewhat he can, Out-take, that him lacketh rule, His own estate to guide and rule; How so it stood of his speaking, He was not wise in his doing; But every riot-e at last Must need-es fall, and may not last. After the need of his desert, So fell this clerk-e in povérte, And wist not how for to rise Whereof in many a sundry wise He cast his wit-es here and there, He looketh nigh, he looketh far. Fell on a tim-e that he come Into the temple, and heed nome