[Tale of Adrian and Bardus.]
To speke of an unkinde man,
I finde hou whilom Adrian,
P. ii. 293
Of Rome which a gret lord was,
Hic dicit qualiter bestie in suis beneficiis hominem ingratum naturaliter precellunt. Et ponit exemplum de Adriano Rome Cenatore, qui in quadam Foresta venacionibus insistens, dum predam persequeretur, in Cisternam profundam nescia familia corruit: vbi superueniens quidam pauper nomine Bardus, immissa cordula, putans hominem extraxisse, primo Simeam extraxit, secundo Serpentem, tercio Adrianum, qui pauperem despiciens aliquid ei pro benefacto reddere recusabat. Set tam Serpens quam Simea gratuita beneuolencia ipsum[311] singulis donis sufficienter remunerarent.
Upon a day as he per cas 4940
To wode in his huntinge wente,
It hapneth at a soudein wente,[309]
After his chace as he poursuieth,