[Sidenote: =P. iii. 218=] Duk Gedeon, whan it was derk, Ordeineth him unto his werk,[1306] And parteth thanne his folk in thre, And chargeth hem that thei ne fle, 3750 And tawhte hem hou they scholde ascrie Alle in o vois per compaignie,[1307] (3950*) And what word ek thei scholden speke, And hou thei scholde here pottes breke Echon with other, whan thei herde That he himselve ferst so ferde; For whan thei come into the stede, He bad hem do riht as he dede. And thus stalkende forth a pas This noble Duk, whan time was, 3760 His pot tobrak and loude ascride, And tho thei breke on every side. The trompe was noght forto seke;[1308] He blew, and so thei blewen eke With such a noise among hem alle, As thogh the hevene scholde falle. The hull unto here vois ansuerde, This host in the valleie it herde, And sih hou that the hell alyhte; So what of hieringe and of sihte, 3770 Thei cawhten such a sodein feere, That non of hem belefte there: The tentes hole thei forsoke,[1309] That thei non other good ne toke, Bot only with here bodi bare Thei fledde, as doth the wylde Hare. [Sidenote: =P. iii. 219=] And evere upon the hull thei blewe, Til that thei sihe time, and knewe That thei be fled upon the rage; And whan thei wiste here avantage, 3780 Thei felle anon unto the chace. Thus myht thou sen hou goddes grace Unto the goode men availeth; But elles ofte time it faileth To suche as be noght wel disposed. This tale nedeth noght be glosed, For it is openliche schewed That god to hem that ben wel thewed Hath yove and granted the victoire: So that thensample of this histoire 3790 Is good for every king to holde; Ferst in himself that he beholde If he be good of his livinge, And that the folk which he schal bringe Be good also, for thanne he may Be glad of many a merie day, In what as evere he hath to done.[1310] For he which sit above the Mone And alle thing mai spille and spede, In every cause, in every nede[1311] 3800 His goode king so wel adresceth, That alle his fomen he represseth, (4000*) So that ther mai noman him dere; And als so wel he can forbere, And soffre a wickid king to falle In hondes of his fomen alle.