As Chaucer's monk says, before he begins to "biwayle in maner of tragedie": Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn storie Of him that stood in great prosperitee, And is y-fallen out of heigh degree Into miserie, and endeth wrecchedly.

With a heigh-ho. 1ST SOLDIER.

O noble wyvês, full of heigh prudence, Let noon humilitie your tongês nayle.