[Sidenote: [NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PUNISHMENT.]] xi. _Humani generis cum sit sibi gloria maior,_ _Sepe subesse solet proximus ille dolor:_ _Mens elata graues descensus sepe subibit,_ _Mens humilis stabile molleque firmat iter._ _Motibus innumeris volutat fortuna per orbem;_[473] _Cum magis alta petis, inferiora time._ Ther was a king that mochel myhte, Which Nabugodonosor hihte, [Sidenote: Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra vicium inanis glorie, narrans qualiter Nabugodonosor Rex Caldeorum, cum ipse in omni sue maiestatis gloria celsior extitisset, deus eius superbiam castigare volens ipsum extra formam hominis in bestiam fenum comedentem transmutauit.[475] Et sic per septennium penitens, cum ipse potenciorem se agnouit, misertus deus ipsum in sui regni solium restituta sanitate emendatum graciosius collocauit.] Of whom that I spak hier tofore. Yit in the bible his name is bore, For al the world in Orient[474] Was hol at his comandement: 2790 As thanne of kinges to his liche Was non so myhty ne so riche; To his Empire and to his lawes, As who seith, alle in thilke dawes Were obeissant and tribut bere, As thogh he godd of Erthe were. With strengthe he putte kinges under, And wroghte of Pride many a wonder; He was so full of veine gloire, That he ne hadde no memoire 2800 That ther was eny good bot he,[476] For pride of his prosperite; Til that the hihe king of kinges, Which seth and knoweth alle thinges, Whos yhe mai nothing asterte,-- The privetes of mannes herte [Sidenote: =P. i. 137=] Thei speke and sounen in his Ere As thogh thei lowde wyndes were,-- He tok vengance upon this pride. Bot for he wolde awhile abide 2810 To loke if he him wolde amende, To him a foretokne he sende,[477] And that was in his slep be nyhte. This proude kyng a wonder syhte Hadde in his swevene, ther he lay: Him thoghte, upon a merie day As he behield the world aboute, A tree fulgrowe he syh theroute, Which stod the world amiddes evene, Whos heihte straghte up to the hevene; 2820 The leves weren faire and large, Of fruit it bar so ripe a charge, That alle men it myhte fede: He sih also the bowes spriede Above al Erthe, in whiche were The kinde of alle briddes there; And eke him thoghte he syh also The kinde of alle bestes go Under this tre aboute round And fedden hem upon the ground. 2830 As he this wonder stod and syh, Him thoghte he herde a vois on hih Criende, and seide aboven alle: ‘Hew doun this tree and lett it falle, The leves let defoule in haste[478] And do the fruit destruie and waste,[479]