Lydgate's Fall of Princes Edited by Dr. Henry Bergen ... presented to The Early English Text Society by The Carnegie Institution of Washington |
 |
|
| I. |
|
 | II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
|
 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Prusias kyng of Bethenye betraied Hanybal and wolde haue disherite his sone & heir went a beggyng in straunge landys.]
Folwyng in ordre ther cam to Bochas
Of Bithynye the grete myht[y] kyng,
Which in his tyme was cal[li]d Prusias,
Gretli slaundred & noised of o thyng,
That he was fals & double in werkyng,
Ageyn the noblesse of his estat roiall,
Because that he betraisshed Hanyball.
Of Bithynye the grete myht[y] kyng,
Which in his tyme was cal[li]d Prusias,
Gretli slaundred & noised of o thyng,
That he was fals & double in werkyng,
Ageyn the noblesse of his estat roiall,
Because that he betraisshed Hanyball.
This defaute dirked the brihtnesse
Of his fame & his knihtli renoun,
And eclipsed his passid old prowesse
Bi report in many a regeoun.
Alas, that euer the condicioun
Of doubilnesse bi falsnesse or feynyng,
Sholde be founde, a[nd] namli in a kyng!
Of his fame & his knihtli renoun,
And eclipsed his passid old prowesse
Bi report in many a regeoun.
Alas, that euer the condicioun
Of doubilnesse bi falsnesse or feynyng,
Sholde be founde, a[nd] namli in a kyng!
646
Off this Prusias ferther to proceede,
Which geyn Hanybal wrouhte this tresoun,
A sone he hadde callid Nichomeede,
Born to been heir be iust successioun.
But his fader bi fals collusioun
Purposed hym, for he was yong of age,
To putte hym out of his heritage.
Which geyn Hanybal wrouhte this tresoun,
A sone he hadde callid Nichomeede,
Born to been heir be iust successioun.
But his fader bi fals collusioun
Purposed hym, for he was yong of age,
To putte hym out of his heritage.
In this mateer ther greuh up a gret striff
Bi Prusias [a]geyn this Nichomeede,
Cause that he bi his seconde wiff
Hadde a yong sone, in bookis thus I reede,
Whom he purposeth to preferre in deede,
For which he caste, bi short conclusioun,
Off Nichomeede the destruccioun.
Bi Prusias [a]geyn this Nichomeede,
Cause that he bi his seconde wiff
Hadde a yong sone, in bookis thus I reede,
Whom he purposeth to preferre in deede,
For which he caste, bi short conclusioun,
Off Nichomeede the destruccioun.
And for tacomplisshe this froward fals mateer,
Bi ful gret deliberacioun
Kyng Prusias gan shewen heuy cheer
Geyn Nichomeede, seekyng occasioun
To depryue hym off pocessioun,
Afftir his day, bi sotil fals werkyng,
In Bithynye he shal nat regne as kyng.
Bi ful gret deliberacioun
Kyng Prusias gan shewen heuy cheer
Geyn Nichomeede, seekyng occasioun
To depryue hym off pocessioun,
Afftir his day, bi sotil fals werkyng,
In Bithynye he shal nat regne as kyng.
The peeple seyng this gret iniquite
Wrouht bi the kyng geyn good[e] conscience,
Thoruh al the lond, of hih & louh degre,
To Nichomeede, alle of o sentence,
Gaff ther good will and ther benivolence,
For eueri lord and eueri gret baroun
Stood hool with hym thoruh al the regioun.
Wrouht bi the kyng geyn good[e] conscience,
Thoruh al the lond, of hih & louh degre,
To Nichomeede, alle of o sentence,
Gaff ther good will and ther benivolence,
For eueri lord and eueri gret baroun
Stood hool with hym thoruh al the regioun.
Thus bi iust title he was crowned kyng.
Prusias for shame & heuynesse
In straunge contrees lyued be beggyng,
Al desolat cried for almesse.
Loo, heer the eende of tresoun & falsnesse!—
Laft at myscheeff, myn auctour seith the same,
Of pouerte forsook his owne name.
Prusias for shame & heuynesse
In straunge contrees lyued be beggyng,
Al desolat cried for almesse.
Loo, heer the eende of tresoun & falsnesse!—
Laft at myscheeff, myn auctour seith the same,
Of pouerte forsook his owne name.
Seeth heer too thynges, & taketh riht good heede,
Of Prusias thunwar sodeyn myschaunce,
The disherityng doon to Nychomeede,
Aftir folwyng on hym the grete vengaunce,
As the stori put in remembrance,
For tresoun doon odible & mortal
Ageyn the forseid famous Hanybal.
Of Prusias thunwar sodeyn myschaunce,
The disherityng doon to Nychomeede,
647
As the stori put in remembrance,
For tresoun doon odible & mortal
Ageyn the forseid famous Hanybal.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |