[Sidenote: [TALE OF ADRIAN AND BARDUS.]] To speke of an unkinde man, I finde hou whilom Adrian, [Sidenote: =P. ii. 293=] Of Rome which a gret lord was, [Sidenote: 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, Thurgh happ, the which noman eschuieth,[310] He fell unwar into a pet, Wher that it mihte noght be let. The pet was dep and he fell lowe, That of his men non myhte knowe Wher he becam, for non was nyh, Which of his fall the meschief syh. 4950 And thus al one ther he lay Clepende and criende al the day For socour and deliverance, Til ayein Eve it fell per chance, A while er it began to nyhte, A povere man, which Bardus hihte, Cam forth walkende with his asse, And hadde gadred him a tasse Of grene stickes and of dreie To selle, who that wolde hem beie, 4960 As he which hadde no liflode, Bot whanne he myhte such a lode To toune with his Asse carie. And as it fell him forto tarie That ilke time nyh the pet, And hath the trusse faste knet, He herde a vois, which cride dimme, And he his Ere to the brimme [Sidenote: =P. ii. 294=] Hath leid, and herde it was a man, Which seide, ‘Ha, help hier Adrian, 4970 And I wol yiven half mi good.’ The povere man this understod, As he that wolde gladly winne, And to this lord which was withinne He spak and seide, ‘If I thee save, What sikernesse schal I have Of covenant, that afterward Thou wolt me yive such reward As thou behihtest nou tofore?’ That other hath his othes swore 4980 Be hevene and be the goddes alle,[312] If that it myhte so befalle That he out of the pet him broghte, Of all the goodes whiche he oghte[313] He schal have evene halvendel. This Bardus seide he wolde wel; And with this word his Asse anon He let untrusse, and therupon Doun goth the corde into the pet,[314] To which he hath at ende knet 4990 A staf, wherby, he seide, he wolde That Adrian him scholde holde.