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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[How the too brethern, Seleuchus and Anthiochus
eche desirous to excellen other fel at discord ended in mischeff.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
588
[How the too brethern, Seleuchus and Anthiochus eche desirous to excellen other fel at discord ended in mischeff.]
Ther is no man þat can in stori reede
Of mor myscheef nor of mor debat,
Than of debat þat is atween kynreede,
Tween blood & blood, geyn kynde infortunat;
Namli in personys which been of hih estat,
As it fill onys, the stori berþ record,
Atween to brethre that wer at discord.
Of mor myscheef nor of mor debat,
Than of debat þat is atween kynreede,
Tween blood & blood, geyn kynde infortunat;
Namli in personys which been of hih estat,
As it fill onys, the stori berþ record,
Atween to brethre that wer at discord.
The ton Seleuchus, Antiochus the tothir,
As the stori heeraftir shal deuise:
Ech desirous for texcellen othir
In worldli worshep; & wonderli thei wer wise.
And bothe blent bi worldli couetise
For to clymben up to hih estat,
Which caused hem to been at debat.
As the stori heeraftir shal deuise:
Ech desirous for texcellen othir
In worldli worshep; & wonderli thei wer wise.
And bothe blent bi worldli couetise
For to clymben up to hih estat,
Which caused hem to been at debat.
Bothe mihti kyngis, Bochas makth mencioun,
And of o wombe sothli thei wer born,
Vndir a cursid fell constellacioun:
Of froward seed may growe no good[e] corn.
And thoruh couetise bothe thei wer lorn
And destroied bi the mortal werre
That was atween hem, in Asie nih & ferre.
And of o wombe sothli thei wer born,
Vndir a cursid fell constellacioun:
Of froward seed may growe no good[e] corn.
And thoruh couetise bothe thei wer lorn
And destroied bi the mortal werre
That was atween hem, in Asie nih & ferre.
It is to me verray contagious
To reede the batailles & the discenciouns,
The false promyses of Antiochus,
With his deceitis & conspiraciouns.
Brethre of berthe & off condiciouns,
Contrarious weies euer thei dede weende,
Froward ther gynnyng [&] froward was ther eende.
To reede the batailles & the discenciouns,
The false promyses of Antiochus,
With his deceitis & conspiraciouns.
Brethre of berthe & off condiciouns,
Contrarious weies euer thei dede weende,
Froward ther gynnyng [&] froward was ther eende.
Ther mooder was callid Laodices,
And in Asia Seleuchus was regnyng,
Euer at werre, koude nat lyue in pes;
And in Surrie Antiochus was kyng.
And among robbours thei made þer eendyng:
Wher-euer thei fauht, outher in wrong or riht,
Thei neuer abod but took hem to the fliht.
And in Asia Seleuchus was regnyng,
Euer at werre, koude nat lyue in pes;
And in Surrie Antiochus was kyng.
And among robbours thei made þer eendyng:
Wher-euer thei fauht, outher in wrong or riht,
Thei neuer abod but took hem to the fliht.
589
Thouh Seleuchus was at his gynnyng
Shynyng in glorie & in hih prowesse,
And of Asie he was lord & kyng,
With gret diffame was dirked his noblesse,
Because that he of gret vnkyndenesse
Ful falsli slouh, withoute iugement,
His yonger brother, that was innocent.
Shynyng in glorie & in hih prowesse,
And of Asie he was lord & kyng,
With gret diffame was dirked his noblesse,
Because that he of gret vnkyndenesse
Ful falsli slouh, withoute iugement,
His yonger brother, that was innocent.
And bi the biddyng of Laodices,
Which was his mooder, of hatful cruelte
Falsli to moordre the queen Beronices,
Wiff to the kyng callid Tholome,
Regnyng in Egipt; but it stood that he,
For al his poweer, failed of his pray,
Because that she was war & fledde a-way.
Which was his mooder, of hatful cruelte
Falsli to moordre the queen Beronices,
Wiff to the kyng callid Tholome,
Regnyng in Egipt; but it stood that he,
For al his poweer, failed of his pray,
Because that she was war & fledde a-way.
Yit aftirward, of old hate & envie,
This Seleuchus, bi ful fals tresoun,
Moordred Beronices bi conspiracie,
Hir sone also, as maad is mencioun.
The sclaundre aros thoruh many a regioun
And was reportid onto his diffame,
Wherthoruh he loste his worshep & his name.
This Seleuchus, bi ful fals tresoun,
Moordred Beronices bi conspiracie,
Hir sone also, as maad is mencioun.
The sclaundre aros thoruh many a regioun
And was reportid onto his diffame,
Wherthoruh he loste his worshep & his name.
And on this moordre auengid for to bee,
For thorrible gret abusioun,
The kyng of Egipt, the said[e] Tholome,
Gan make hym strong, & cam with peeple doun.
But for ther was so gret discencioun
Thoruh al his lond, the stori seith certeyn,
He was constreyned to retourne hom ageyn.
For thorrible gret abusioun,
The kyng of Egipt, the said[e] Tholome,
Gan make hym strong, & cam with peeple doun.
But for ther was so gret discencioun
Thoruh al his lond, the stori seith certeyn,
He was constreyned to retourne hom ageyn.
Seleuchus thanne maad a strong arme,
Gadred shippis, stuffed hem with vitaile,
Toward Asie he taken hath the se,
But such tempest gan his peeple assaile,
That ther hertis and poweer gan to faile,
With thundryng, lihtnyng vengabli distreyned,
To take the lond of neede he was constreyned.
Gadred shippis, stuffed hem with vitaile,
Toward Asie he taken hath the se,
But such tempest gan his peeple assaile,
That ther hertis and poweer gan to faile,
With thundryng, lihtnyng vengabli distreyned,
To take the lond of neede he was constreyned.
The peeple of Asie seyng this myscheeff,
Hadde of Seleuchus gret compassioun;
And ther socour to setten at a preeff,
Thei hym resceyued into that regeoun,
Thouh it [so] stood, as maad is mencioun,
That affor-tyme for his cruel deede
Thei hadde his persone in ful gret hatreede.
Hadde of Seleuchus gret compassioun;
And ther socour to setten at a preeff,
Thei hym resceyued into that regeoun,
590
That affor-tyme for his cruel deede
Thei hadde his persone in ful gret hatreede.
And for he fond Fortune fauourable,
Nat considryng hir mutabilite,
He cast of rancour for to be vengable,
And gynne a werre ageyn[es] Tholome.
His men outraied, he was maad to flee;
Knew no refuge nor socour of non othir,
But for gret myscheeff sente to his brothir,—
Nat considryng hir mutabilite,
He cast of rancour for to be vengable,
And gynne a werre ageyn[es] Tholome.
His men outraied, he was maad to flee;
Knew no refuge nor socour of non othir,
But for gret myscheeff sente to his brothir,—
I meene his brothir callid Antiochus,
Behestyng hym for to crowne hym kyng
Of al Asie, his stori tellith thus,—
Took treus this while, be sotil fals werkyng,
With Tholome for ten yeer enduryng;
And whan his brother cam with his poweer,
Falsid his promys, double of herte & cheer.
Behestyng hym for to crowne hym kyng
Of al Asie, his stori tellith thus,—
Took treus this while, be sotil fals werkyng,
With Tholome for ten yeer enduryng;
And whan his brother cam with his poweer,
Falsid his promys, double of herte & cheer.
Thus of newe thei fillen at debat;
Euerich gan other myhtili werreie.
Fals couetise tencrecen ther estat
Caused that nouther list other to obeie.
Mette in a feeld, ther is no mor to seie,
Fauht hand of hand ther hostis bothe too;
Seleuchus fledde, as he was wont to doo.
Euerich gan other myhtili werreie.
Fals couetise tencrecen ther estat
Caused that nouther list other to obeie.
Mette in a feeld, ther is no mor to seie,
Fauht hand of hand ther hostis bothe too;
Seleuchus fledde, as he was wont to doo.
Thus a fals werre of hatreede fraternall
Ageyn nature set hem at discord,
Ech bisi was in especiall,
As ther stori remembreth be record,
Neuer ther lyue to been of oon accord.
But whan Seleuchus was thus put to fliht,
The peeple off Surrie gan deemen anon riht,
Ageyn nature set hem at discord,
Ech bisi was in especiall,
As ther stori remembreth be record,
Neuer ther lyue to been of oon accord.
But whan Seleuchus was thus put to fliht,
The peeple off Surrie gan deemen anon riht,
That he that day was outher taken or ded;
And Gallocrecs, a peeple of gret pouste,
Of couetise gan haste hem ful gret speed
Tentre Asie, & spoille al that contre.
To Antiochus thei hadde eek enmyte,
That he was fayn for his sauacioun
To paie to them a ful gret raunsoun.
And Gallocrecs, a peeple of gret pouste,
Of couetise gan haste hem ful gret speed
Tentre Asie, & spoille al that contre.
To Antiochus thei hadde eek enmyte,
That he was fayn for his sauacioun
To paie to them a ful gret raunsoun.
591
Ther herte was youe onli to pillage,
Takyng of hym of gold gret quantite,
And he, seyng of robbyng the outrage,
Drouh to the pillours; & oon of them was he.
And thoruh al Asie thei robbed ech contre;
For Seleuchus thei gan so purchace,
That he nat durste abiden in no place.
Takyng of hym of gold gret quantite,
And he, seyng of robbyng the outrage,
Drouh to the pillours; & oon of them was he.
And thoruh al Asie thei robbed ech contre;
For Seleuchus thei gan so purchace,
That he nat durste abiden in no place.
Than Antiochus drouh to Tholome,
Void of sauffconduit or any assuraunce,
Thouh that atween hem was gret enmyte
For a sesoun, as maad is remembraunce,
Tafounde socour in his gret greuaunce.
But al for nouht; for in conclusioun
Tholome hym took & cast in derk prisoun.
Void of sauffconduit or any assuraunce,
Thouh that atween hem was gret enmyte
For a sesoun, as maad is remembraunce,
Tafounde socour in his gret greuaunce.
But al for nouht; for in conclusioun
Tholome hym took & cast in derk prisoun.
Ther constreyned of necessite,
Knowyng no mene to make[n] his raunsoun,
Bi a woman that lyued in pouerte
He was holp out of that merk prisoun.
Loo, heer of Fortune a fals condicioun,
That koude make a kyng withoute peere
Of a woman to stonden in daungeere!
Knowyng no mene to make[n] his raunsoun,
Bi a woman that lyued in pouerte
He was holp out of that merk prisoun.
Loo, heer of Fortune a fals condicioun,
That koude make a kyng withoute peere
Of a woman to stonden in daungeere!
To proude folk this may be a merour,
To seen a prince thus sodeynli brouht lowe,
That shon in richesse lik an emperour,
Which of disdeyn[e] list no man to knowe.
Now is he cast; now is he ouerthrowe;
Now hath he cause to pleyne, weepe & mourne,
Knowyng no freend for socour hym to tourne.
To seen a prince thus sodeynli brouht lowe,
That shon in richesse lik an emperour,
Which of disdeyn[e] list no man to knowe.
Now is he cast; now is he ouerthrowe;
Now hath he cause to pleyne, weepe & mourne,
Knowyng no freend for socour hym to tourne.
He was afferd to holden his passage
Bi hih-weies, or for to kome in siht;
Fill among theues; & thei be gret outrage
Al merciles thei slouh hym anon riht.
And his brother, for al his gret[e] myht,
Callid Seleuchus, which was a gret[e] wonder,
Fill from his courseer & brak his nek assonder.
Bi hih-weies, or for to kome in siht;
Fill among theues; & thei be gret outrage
Al merciles thei slouh hym anon riht.
And his brother, for al his gret[e] myht,
Callid Seleuchus, which was a gret[e] wonder,
Fill from his courseer & brak his nek assonder.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |