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 Siphax of Munedie kyng was take & deied in prisoun.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
614
[How Siphax of Munedie kyng was take & deied in prisoun.]
Heer Bochas breeffli for a remembrance
Writeth of werris, debatis & batailes
That wer þat tyme in Itaille & France,
In Spaigne, Chaumpayne, with marcial apparailles.
And among othir in his rehersailles,
He tellith in Affrik the gret[e] discencioun
Atween Hanybal & worthi Scipioun.
Writeth of werris, debatis & batailes
That wer þat tyme in Itaille & France,
In Spaigne, Chaumpayne, with marcial apparailles.
And among othir in his rehersailles,
He tellith in Affrik the gret[e] discencioun
Atween Hanybal & worthi Scipioun.
He touchith ther namys & abit nat longe;
Vpon ther stories he bit nat but a while,
Heer nat rehersyng ther myhti werris stronge,
Nor of ther stryues he doth heer nat compile,
But doun descendyng, directeth foorth his stile
For to reherse & telle be writyng
The fall of Siphax in Munedie kyng.
Vpon ther stories he bit nat but a while,
Heer nat rehersyng ther myhti werris stronge,
Nor of ther stryues he doth heer nat compile,
But doun descendyng, directeth foorth his stile
For to reherse & telle be writyng
The fall of Siphax in Munedie kyng.
This said[e] Siphax batailles hadde tweyne,
Oon with kyng Gabba, [&] he of verray myht
Hadde eek another, in which he dede his peyne
To meete Masmyssa afftir anon riht.
And bothe kynges he putte to the fliht.
And of Messulie, I fynde be writyng,
How Masmyssa was gouernour & kyng.
Oon with kyng Gabba, [&] he of verray myht
Hadde eek another, in which he dede his peyne
To meete Masmyssa afftir anon riht.
And bothe kynges he putte to the fliht.
And of Messulie, I fynde be writyng,
How Masmyssa was gouernour & kyng.
This said[e] Siphax thoruh his cheualrie
Maad Masmyssa to fleen his regioun,
Constreynyng hym to lyue be robberie,
To walke in forestis with beestis up & doun.
And for diffaute, as maad is mencioun,
To saue his liff he fond no bet reffut,
But fedde hymsilff on rootes & on frut.
Maad Masmyssa to fleen his regioun,
Constreynyng hym to lyue be robberie,
To walke in forestis with beestis up & doun.
And for diffaute, as maad is mencioun,
To saue his liff he fond no bet reffut,
But fedde hymsilff on rootes & on frut.
Out of his reum Masmyssa was enchaced,
And constreyned to fleen from his contre;
Fro mynde of folk his name was out raced,
For no man wiste wher he sholde be.
His liegemen & folk of his cite,
Thoruh al Affrik knew no bettir reed
Off his persone, but dempte that he was ded.
And constreyned to fleen from his contre;
Fro mynde of folk his name was out raced,
For no man wiste wher he sholde be.
His liegemen & folk of his cite,
Thoruh al Affrik knew no bettir reed
Off his persone, but dempte that he was ded.
615
Thus of kyng Siphax encrece gan the glorie,
Which bi force too kynges hath outraied,
And upon them wonnen the victorie,
Put hem to fliht & the peeple affraied;
That Rome & Cartage wer of hym dismaied.
And ech of them dede ther labour
Of ther werris to make hym gouernour.
Which bi force too kynges hath outraied,
And upon them wonnen the victorie,
Put hem to fliht & the peeple affraied;
That Rome & Cartage wer of hym dismaied.
And ech of them dede ther labour
Of ther werris to make hym gouernour.
Vnto [this] Siphax, out of Rome toun,
As it is write for a memoriall,
To Numedie was sent Scipioun
For this mateer in especiall.
Out of Cartage was sent Hastruball;
And at the castell wher Siphax lay,
Bothe tweyne arryued at o day.
As it is write for a memoriall,
To Numedie was sent Scipioun
For this mateer in especiall.
Out of Cartage was sent Hastruball;
And at the castell wher Siphax lay,
Bothe tweyne arryued at o day.
And be pleyn writyng as I haue conceyued,
And as the stori remembreth in sentence,
At ther comyng bothe wer resceyued
Of kyng Siphax with gret[e] reuerence.
And thoruh his notable manli dilligence,
As it is Iwrityn be record,
He made thes capteyns hertili of accord,
And as the stori remembreth in sentence,
At ther comyng bothe wer resceyued
Of kyng Siphax with gret[e] reuerence.
And thoruh his notable manli dilligence,
As it is Iwrityn be record,
He made thes capteyns hertili of accord,
That thei togidre lay the same niht,
Thei hadde of Siphax so gret surete,
Be promys maad, as he was trewe kniht,
That nouther of them sholde deceyued be.
But ther was founde ful gret duplicite
Folwyng afftir, who-so can take heede,
Lik as this storie shal deuise in deede.
Thei hadde of Siphax so gret surete,
Be promys maad, as he was trewe kniht,
That nouther of them sholde deceyued be.
But ther was founde ful gret duplicite
Folwyng afftir, who-so can take heede,
Lik as this storie shal deuise in deede.
For bi the fraude & falsnesse most mortall
Compassed befor[e]n, it is thus befalle,
That bi the sleihte of this Hastruball,—
As Affrican[e]s be nih double alle,
Vnder sugre can hide weel ther galle,—
So Hastruball bi fals decepcioun
Vnder fair cheer deceyued Scipioun.
Compassed befor[e]n, it is thus befalle,
That bi the sleihte of this Hastruball,—
As Affrican[e]s be nih double alle,
Vnder sugre can hide weel ther galle,—
So Hastruball bi fals decepcioun
Vnder fair cheer deceyued Scipioun.
He brouht in Siphax bi fals sotilte,
And bi his sleihti peynted fair langage,
That he sholde with hym allied bee,
Be ful assent to hauen in mariage
Sophonisba, a maiden of Cartage,
Which was douhtir, yong & fa[i]r withal,
As seith Bochas, to this Hastrubal.
And bi his sleihti peynted fair langage,
That he sholde with hym allied bee,
Be ful assent to hauen in mariage
616
Which was douhtir, yong & fa[i]r withal,
As seith Bochas, to this Hastrubal.
The which[e] thyng be crafft was brouht aboute
And acomplisshe[d] verraily in deede.
And bi this mene, pleynli out of doute,
Ther first began rancour & hatreede,
Symulacioun, feynyng & falsheede,
That atween Siphax & Hastrubal, alas,
Scipioun was deceyued in this caas.
And acomplisshe[d] verraily in deede.
And bi this mene, pleynli out of doute,
Ther first began rancour & hatreede,
Symulacioun, feynyng & falsheede,
That atween Siphax & Hastrubal, alas,
Scipioun was deceyued in this caas.
And aftir that doon was this mariage,
Siphax ful enmy vnto Sipioun,
With Hastrubal rood into Cartage
And gan werreie ageyn[e]s Roome toun.
And in this while, as maad is mencioun,
Kyng Masmyssa out of wildirnesse
Toward Scipioun in al haste gan hym dresse.
Siphax ful enmy vnto Sipioun,
With Hastrubal rood into Cartage
And gan werreie ageyn[e]s Roome toun.
And in this while, as maad is mencioun,
Kyng Masmyssa out of wildirnesse
Toward Scipioun in al haste gan hym dresse.
With his peeple gan to make hym strong
Thoruh help of Scipioun & of Bellius,
Wente ageyn Siphax, & abood nat long,
His herte ageyn hym was so envious.
And on a day, the stori tellith thus,
With Affricanys & folkis of Cartage,
Siphax the Romeyns mette in the visage.
Thoruh help of Scipioun & of Bellius,
Wente ageyn Siphax, & abood nat long,
His herte ageyn hym was so envious.
And on a day, the stori tellith thus,
With Affricanys & folkis of Cartage,
Siphax the Romeyns mette in the visage.
Of Masmyssa the peeple wer so wood
Vpon Siphax auengid for to bee,
Thoruh ther batailles cam to hym ther he stood,
And maugre hym and [al] his cruelte,
Of verray manhod—space was non to flee—
Thei brouhte hym hom thoruh ther hih renoun
Into the handis of worthi Scipioun.
Vpon Siphax auengid for to bee,
Thoruh ther batailles cam to hym ther he stood,
And maugre hym and [al] his cruelte,
Of verray manhod—space was non to flee—
Thei brouhte hym hom thoruh ther hih renoun
Into the handis of worthi Scipioun.
Siphax was take thus or he was war,
Vndir his baneer, maugre al his myht,
And into Rome lad afforn the chaar
Off Scipioun, the noble worthi kniht,
That wan the tryumphe, grauntid hym of riht.
And Sophonisba, afforn to Siphax wiff,
Weddid to Masmysse at theende of al this striff.
Vndir his baneer, maugre al his myht,
And into Rome lad afforn the chaar
Off Scipioun, the noble worthi kniht,
That wan the tryumphe, grauntid hym of riht.
And Sophonisba, afforn to Siphax wiff,
Weddid to Masmysse at theende of al this striff.
617
Loo, how Fortune chaunge can hir tides!
To oon this day she can be fauourable,
Make capteyns & thes grete guides,
Which wende ha founde hir wheel ferme & stable.
But that she is ay froward & chaungable,
Freendli to-day, to-morwe at discord,—
Yiff this be trewe, Siphax can ber record.
To oon this day she can be fauourable,
Make capteyns & thes grete guides,
Which wende ha founde hir wheel ferme & stable.
But that she is ay froward & chaungable,
Freendli to-day, to-morwe at discord,—
Yiff this be trewe, Siphax can ber record.
This Siphax was sent out of the toun
In cheynys bounde withoute mor tarieng,
And at Tiburny lay fetrid in prisoun,
Deied at myscheeff, made ther his eendyng.
And for because that he was a kyng,
The Romeyns made, of marcial pite,
Hym to be buried withynne ther cite.
In cheynys bounde withoute mor tarieng,
And at Tiburny lay fetrid in prisoun,
Deied at myscheeff, made ther his eendyng.
And for because that he was a kyng,
The Romeyns made, of marcial pite,
Hym to be buried withynne ther cite.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |