Beset with perrie al aboute,

Forthriht he strawhte his finger oute,

Upon the which he hadde a ryng,

To sen it was a riche thing,7120*

A fin Carbuncle for the nones,[604]

Most precious of alle Stones.

And fell that time in Rome thus:

Ther was a clerk, on Lucius,

A Courteour, a famous man,

Of every witt somwhat he can,