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University of Virginia Library

Lydgate's Fall of Princes

Edited by Dr. Henry Bergen ... presented to The Early English Text Society by The Carnegie Institution of Washington

Lydgate, John (1370?-1451?)

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THE FALL OF PRINCES

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

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IX.

[How the Emperoure Maurycyus his wif and his childre wer slayne atte Calcedonye.]

[Off Machomet the fals prophete and how he beyng dronke was deuoured among swyn.]

[How Brounchild / queene of Fraunce slouh hir kyn / brought the londe in diuisioun, and aftir was honged / and hewen in pecys smale.]

Here Bochas in maner excusith the vorrching of Brunnechild.

[How Eraclyus the Emperour sustened heresye fill in to dropesy and sikenesse incurabl and so died.]

[How Constantyne the sone of Eraclyus supportyng errour and heresye was moordred in a stewe.]

[How Gisulphus was slayn, and his wif ended mischeuesly in lecherye.]

[Off Iustynyan the fals extorcioner exiled by Patrycyan / after bothe nose & eien kut from his hede.]

[How Philip the Emperour died at myschef.]

Bochas in maner compleynyth of þingis deuidid in too.

[How the hede of Lupus kyng of Lumbardie was smet of by Grymaldus.]

[How the hede of Alexyus was smet of by Compertoun.]

[How Arypertoun was drowned with his rychesse.]

[How Dediere by pope Adryan and Charles of Fraunce was put to flight & died at mischef.]

[Off pope Iohn a woman with child and put doun.]

[How arnold son to Charles of Fraunce was eten with lys and so died.]

Thauctour geyn the pride of Princis.

[Howe pope Iohn the xijthe for lechery & vicious lif was put doun.]

[Off Charles of Loreyn confounded with hunger.]

[How kyng Salamon whilom kynge of Hungery was put to flight.]

[How Petro kyng of Hungery was slayn.]

[How Diogenes the emperour was take and eiene put out.]

[How Robert duk of Normandie fauht with turkes was named to the crowne of Ierusalem & died at mischef.]

[How Iocelyne prince of Rage for pride slouthe & lecherie died in pouert.]

[How the Emperour Andronycus slouh all that were of the blood Roial cherysshed vicious peple and aftir was honget.]

[Off Isacyus made blynde & taken at mischeff.]

[Off Herry the eldest sone of Frederyk the secounde myscheued by his Fadir.]

Bochas makith a comendacion of trewe love a-tween kynrede.

[How Manfroy kyng of Poyle was slayn.]

[How Encys kyng of Sardany died in prisoun.]

[a water makith theves blynde & trewe men to see.]

[An erbe who tastith it shal die lauhyng.]

[Another Frederyk was slayn bi Iugement of his brothir.]

[How Manymettus and Argones died at mischef.]

[How Charles kyng of Jerusalem and of Cecile for Auaryce and avoutrie died at mischef.]

[Off Hugolyne erle of Pyse slayn in prisoun.]

[Athon kyng of Ar[me]nye / put from his ri[ght] by his brothire.]

[How pope Boneface the viijthe. was take by the Lynage de Columpnys / ete his hondes & died in prisoun.]

[How the ordre of Templers was founded and [Iaques] with other of the ordre brent.]

Here Bochas makith a comendacion of thre Philisophris for their pacience.

A Comendacion of pacience in stede of a Lenvoy.

[How Philip la Bele kyng of Fraunce was slayn with a wilde boor and of his thre sones and theire weddyng.]

[How Duk Gaultere of Florence for his tyrannye Lecherye and couetise ended in mischef.]

[Off Philip Cathenoise born of lowe birthe cam to grete estat / & aftir she hir son & doughtir were brent.]

[How kyng Sausys was slayn by his Cosyn whiche was brothir to the kyng of Arrogon.]

[How Lowes kyng of Jerusalem & Cecile was put doun.]

[How kyng John of fraunce at Peyters was take prisonere by Prynce Edward & brouȝt in to Englond.]

A chapitle of Fortune compilid howe she hath hir quytt to al wordly pepill.

[A lenvoye compyled vpon the book wryten by the translatour specially direct to hym that causyd the translacioun & secundely to alle othir it shal seen.]

[The laste lenvoye direct vn to my lord.]

Woordis of the translatur vn to his book atte ende.

[Greneacres A Lenvoye vpon John Bochas.]

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[Lenvoy.]

O folkis all that this tragedie reede,
Haueth to meeknesse a-mong your aduertence,
Off proude Nembroth also takith heede,
How that he fill from his magnificence,
Onli for he be sturdi violence
List off malis the myhti Lord assaile,
But in such caas what myht his pride auaile?

39

Noble Pryncis, which that this world posseede,
Ye that be famous off wisdam and prudence,
And han so many subiectis, that you dreede,
In gouernaunce vndir your excellence,
Lat your power with meeknesse so dispence,
That fals[e] pride oppresse nat the poraile,
Which to your noblesse so moche may auaile.

Pride of Nembroth dede the bridil leede,
Which hym conueied to gret insolence;
Pride apperteneth nothyng to manheede,
Sauf in armys to shewen his presence—
Wherfore honour, laude and reuerence
Be to meeknesse, that hath the gouernaile
Off alle vertues man may most auaile.