Lydgate's Fall of Princes Edited by Dr. Henry Bergen ... presented to The Early English Text Society by The Carnegie Institution of Washington |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
Lenvoye.
This tragedie sheweth an apparence
And a liknesse of feithful assuravnce,
Texite men to yiue fals credence
Vnto Fortunys froward variaunce.
Which cast hir baitis & anglis of plesaunce,
An hook hid vndir of vengable cruelte,
As this chapitle [hath] put in remembraunce
Of Lysymachus & of Arsynoe.
And a liknesse of feithful assuravnce,
Texite men to yiue fals credence
Vnto Fortunys froward variaunce.
Which cast hir baitis & anglis of plesaunce,
An hook hid vndir of vengable cruelte,
As this chapitle [hath] put in remembraunce
Of Lysymachus & of Arsynoe.
568
Is ther any gretter euidence
Of worldli trouble of worldli constaunce,
Than seen princis from ther magnificence
And from ther myhti roial [hih] puissaunce
Vnwarli brouht bi Fortune to myschaunce,
And ouerwhelmyd from ther tranquillite?
Seeþ heer a merour ful notable in substaunce
Of Lisymachus & queen Arsynoe.
Of worldli trouble of worldli constaunce,
Than seen princis from ther magnificence
And from ther myhti roial [hih] puissaunce
Vnwarli brouht bi Fortune to myschaunce,
And ouerwhelmyd from ther tranquillite?
Seeþ heer a merour ful notable in substaunce
Of Lisymachus & queen Arsynoe.
The ryng, the anker of gret excellence
Youe to Seleuchus for marcial suffisaunce,
Whan Appollo be heuenli influence
List with his mooder make his alliaunce,
Sent hym thes reliques of synguler aqueyntaunce,
To sette his manhod in mor surete;
But in al such quaueryng perseueraunce,
Thynk on Lysymachus & on Arsynoe!
Youe to Seleuchus for marcial suffisaunce,
Whan Appollo be heuenli influence
List with his mooder make his alliaunce,
Sent hym thes reliques of synguler aqueyntaunce,
To sette his manhod in mor surete;
But in al such quaueryng perseueraunce,
Thynk on Lysymachus & on Arsynoe!
The vnkout[h] tresours, the gold nor the dispence
Of hem that han this world in gouernaunce,
Nor al the subiectes, up rekned in sentence,
Nor al the regiouns vnder ther obeissaunce,
Princis, princessis, with al ther attendaunce,
May ageyn Fortune yiue hem no liberte;
Who nat knoweth hir vnseur geri chaunce,
Thynk on Lysymacus & on Arsynoe.
Of hem that han this world in gouernaunce,
Nor al the subiectes, up rekned in sentence,
Nor al the regiouns vnder ther obeissaunce,
Princis, princessis, with al ther attendaunce,
May ageyn Fortune yiue hem no liberte;
Who nat knoweth hir vnseur geri chaunce,
Thynk on Lysymacus & on Arsynoe.
Hir childre and she slayn bi violence
Of Ceramyus (God yiue hym sori chaunce!)
That bi fals colour dide hir reuerence
And pretendid a maner obseruaunce,
The tresoun cloos of venymous purueiaunce,
Purposed afforn toutraie hem all[e] thre:
The childre slayn, which knewe no cheuisaunce,
The mooder exiled, callid Arsynoe.
Of Ceramyus (God yiue hym sori chaunce!)
That bi fals colour dide hir reuerence
And pretendid a maner obseruaunce,
The tresoun cloos of venymous purueiaunce,
Purposed afforn toutraie hem all[e] thre:
The childre slayn, which knewe no cheuisaunce,
The mooder exiled, callid Arsynoe.
Noble Princis, beeth war of hih prudence,
Among your-silf that ther be no distaunce,
Hideth no rancour of hatful violence
Vndir a courtyn of double daliaunce;
Lik your herte shewe out your contenaunce,
Void of dissymulyng & duplicite,
Wisly weieth this chapitle in balaunce,
Off Lisymachus and queen Arsynoe.
Among your-silf that ther be no distaunce,
Hideth no rancour of hatful violence
Vndir a courtyn of double daliaunce;
Lik your herte shewe out your contenaunce,
Void of dissymulyng & duplicite,
569
Off Lisymachus and queen Arsynoe.
Explicit.
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