[Sidenote: Belshazzar, to exhibit his vainglory, proclaims throughout Babylon, that all the great ones should assemble on a set day, at the Sultan’s feast.] The{n}ne þis bolde Baltaȝar biþenkkes hy{m} ones, To vouche on a vayment of his vayne g[l]orie; Hit is not i{n}nogh{e} to þe nice al noȝty þi{n}k[68] vse, Bot if alle þe worlde wyt his wykked dedes. 1360 Baltaȝar þurȝ babiloyn his ba{n}ne gart crye, & þurȝ þe cu{n}tre of caldee his cally{n}g con spry{n}g, Þat alle þe grete vpon grou{n}de schulde geder hem samen & assemble at a set day at þe saudans fest. 1364 [Sidenote: Kings, dukes, and lords were commanded to attend the court.] Such a mangerie to make þe man watȝ auised, Þat vche a kythyn ky{n}g schuld com þider; Vche duk wyth his duthe & oþ{er} dere lordes, [Sidenote: [Fol. 76a.]] Schulde com to his co{ur}t to kyþe hy{m} for lege, 1368 & to reche hy{m} reu{er}ens & his reuel herkken; [Sidenote: To do the king honour many nobles came to Babylon.] To loke on his lemanes & ladis hem calle, To rose hy{m} i{n} his rialty rych me{n} soȝtten, & mony a barou{n} ful bolde, to babyloyn þe noble. 1372 Þer bowed toward babiloyn burnes so mony, Ky{n}ges, Cayseres ful kene, to þe co{ur}t wo{n}nen, Mony ludisch lordes þat ladies broȝten, [Sidenote: It would take too long to name the number.] Þat to neuen þe nou{m}bre to much nye were. 1376 [Sidenote: The city of Babylon is broad and big.] For þe bo{ur}ȝ watȝ so brod & so bigge alce, Stalled i{n} þe fayrest stud þe sterreȝ an-vnder, [Sidenote: It is situated on a plain, surrounded by seven streams, a high wall, and towers.] Prudly on a plat playn, plek alþ{er}-fayrest, Vmbe-sweyed on vch a syde w{i}t{h} seuen grete wat{er}es, 1380 W{i}t{h} a wonder wroȝt walle wruxeled ful hiȝe, W{i}t{h} koy{n}t carneles aboue, coruen ful clene, Troched toures bitwene twenty spere lenþe, & þiker þrowen vmbe þo{ur}[69]-w{i}t{h} ou{er}-þwert palle. 1384 [Sidenote: The palace was long and large, each side being seven miles in length.] Þe place, þat plyed þe pursau{n}t wyth-i{n}ne, Watȝ longe & ful large & eu{er} ilych sware, & vch a syde vpon soyle helde seuen myle, & þe saudans sete sette i{n} þe myddes; 1388 Þat watȝ a palayce of pryde passande alle oþ{er}, Boþe of werk & of wu{n}der & walle al aboute; [Sidenote: High houses were within the walls.] Heȝe houses w{i}t{h}-i{n}ne þe halle to hit med, So brod bilde i{n} a bay, þ{a}t blonkkes myȝt re{n}ne. 1392 [Sidenote: The time of the feast has come.] When þe terme of þe tyde watȝ to vsched of þe feste, Dere droȝen þ{er}-to & vpon des metten, [Sidenote: Belshazzar sits upon his throne: the hall floor is covered with knights.] & baltaȝar vpon bench was busked to sete,