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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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970

[How Manfroy kyng of Poyle was slayn.]

Nexte to Bochas of Poille cam þe kyng,
Began his fall and compleynt specefie,
Callid Manfroy; and for his fals werking
Put doun & slayn, cause of his tirannye.
Loo, what auailleth sceptre or regalie
To a tiraunt, which of violence
List to Godward haue non aduertence!