And like an eagle’s feathers wax’d his hairs, His nailës like a birdë’s clawës were, Till God released him at certain years, And gave him wit; and then with many a tear He thanked God, and ever his life in fear Was he to do amiss, or more trespace: And till that time he laid was on his bier, He knew that God was full of might and grace.
His sonë, which that hightë Balthasar , That held the regne after his father’s day, He by his father couldë not beware, For proud he was of heart and of array; And eke an idolaster was he aye. His high estate assured him in pride; But Fortune cast him down, and there he lay, And suddenly his regnë gan divide.
A feast he made unto his lordës all Upon a time, and made them blithë be, And then his officérës gan he call; “Go, bringë forth the vessels,” saidë he, “Which that my father in his prosperity Out of the temple of Jerusalem reft, And to our highë goddës thankë we Of honour, that our elders with us left.”
His wife, his lordës, and his concubines Aye drankë, while their appetites did last, Out of these noble vessels sundry wines. And on a wall this king his eyen cast, And saw an hand, armless, that wrote full fast; For fear of which he quaked, and sighed sore. This hand, that Balthasar so sore aghast, Wrote Mane, tekel, phares , and no more.
In all that land magician was there none That could expoundë what this letter meant. But Daniel expounded it anon, And said, “O King, God to thy father lent Glory and honour, regnë, treasure, rent; And he was proud, and nothing God he drad; And therefore God great wreche upon him sent, And him bereft the regnë that he had.
“He was cast out of mannë’s company; With asses was his habitatión; And ate hay, as a beast, in wet and dry, Till that he knew by grace and by reasón That God of heaven hath dominatión O’er every regne, and every creatúre; And then had God of him compassión, And him restor’d his regne and his figúre.