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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[Ho[w] Persa of Macedoyne kyng that enpoisoned
his brothir/was bi Emylyus outraied & deied in prisoun.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[Ho[w] Persa of Macedoyne kyng that enpoisoned his brothir/was bi Emylyus outraied & deied in prisoun.]
Bespreynt with teris, pitousli weping,
As Bochas sat in his studie allone,
Next cam Persa, of Macedoyne kyng,
And mortalli he gan sihhe & grone
And furiousli for to make his mone,
That he whilom was of so hih renoun,
Constreyned afftir to deien in prisoun.
As Bochas sat in his studie allone,
Next cam Persa, of Macedoyne kyng,
And mortalli he gan sihhe & grone
And furiousli for to make his mone,
That he whilom was of so hih renoun,
Constreyned afftir to deien in prisoun.
This said[e] Persa of nature was froward,
Euel disposed eek of condicioun.
Thouh he of berthe was but a bastard,
He compassid bi fals collusioun
Afftir his fader to haue pocessioun,
As myn auctour remembreth be writyng,
Of Macedoyne to be crowned kyng.
Euel disposed eek of condicioun.
Thouh he of berthe was but a bastard,
He compassid bi fals collusioun
Afftir his fader to haue pocessioun,
As myn auctour remembreth be writyng,
Of Macedoyne to be crowned kyng.
His fader Phelipp, the stori tellith thus,
Hadde a sone which was yong of age,
Wis & redi, callid Demetrius,
Born & begete treuli in mariage.
But Persa caste bi furious outrage
Hym to destroie & moordre be poisoun,
He of that kyngdam to haue pocessioun,—
Hadde a sone which was yong of age,
Wis & redi, callid Demetrius,
Born & begete treuli in mariage.
But Persa caste bi furious outrage
Hym to destroie & moordre be poisoun,
He of that kyngdam to haue pocessioun,—
Falsli compassed to his auauntage,
In his entent Demetrius to depriue
Of Macedoyne, which was his heritage.
And therupon he lettres gan contryue
To preeue hym tre[i]tour whil he was alyue.
Wherof kyng Phelipp gretli was annoyed,
That he & Persa sholde be destroied
In his entent Demetrius to depriue
Of Macedoyne, which was his heritage.
And therupon he lettres gan contryue
To preeue hym tre[i]tour whil he was alyue.
Wherof kyng Phelipp gretli was annoyed,
That he & Persa sholde be destroied
648
Be Demetrius, that thouhte no damage,
Mente non harm in his oppynyoun;
Yit his fader, suspecious of corage,
As Persa gaff hym fals enformacioun,
Made hym be slayn be drynkyng of poisoun
Vpon a day, a thyng abhomynable,
Sittyng at mete at his fadris table.
Mente non harm in his oppynyoun;
Yit his fader, suspecious of corage,
As Persa gaff hym fals enformacioun,
Made hym be slayn be drynkyng of poisoun
Vpon a day, a thyng abhomynable,
Sittyng at mete at his fadris table.
Kyng Phelipp aftir, whan he knew the trouthe,
Hadde of his deth[e] gret compassioun,
But al to late; & that was ful gret routhe.
Which caused aftir his owne destruccioun,—
For sorwe deide; and of presumpcioun,
Persa afftir, falsli vsurpyng,
In Macedoyne was c[o]rownid kyng.
Hadde of his deth[e] gret compassioun,
But al to late; & that was ful gret routhe.
Which caused aftir his owne destruccioun,—
For sorwe deide; and of presumpcioun,
Persa afftir, falsli vsurpyng,
In Macedoyne was c[o]rownid kyng.
With dyuers contrees made his alliaunce,
In Grece, & Trace gat freendes nih & ferre,
And of pride & wilful gouernaunce
Caste with Romeyns for to holde werre.
Vngrace & youthe made hym for to erre,
Til a consul sente fro Roome toun
Brouhte this Persa to destruccioun.
In Grece, & Trace gat freendes nih & ferre,
And of pride & wilful gouernaunce
Caste with Romeyns for to holde werre.
Vngrace & youthe made hym for to erre,
Til a consul sente fro Roome toun
Brouhte this Persa to destruccioun.
Callid Emilius was this consuleer,
Sent ageyn Persa to haue a gret bataille.
Seyng his douhtir heuy of hir cheer,
Whan he wente oute his enmyes to assaille,
Made vnto hire this vnkouth apposaille:
“Whi weepe ye so? What thyng doth you greeue,
At my departyng takyng of me leue?”
Sent ageyn Persa to haue a gret bataille.
Seyng his douhtir heuy of hir cheer,
Whan he wente oute his enmyes to assaille,
Made vnto hire this vnkouth apposaille:
“Whi weepe ye so? What thyng doth you greeue,
At my departyng takyng of me leue?”
“Fader,” quod she, “& ye taken heed,
A whelpe I hadde that dede me gret plesaunce,
Callid Persa, the which riht now is ded,
And this cheef cause onli of my greuaunce.”
Hir fader thanne gan chaungen contenaunce:
“This a tokne, to myn encres of glorie,
That I of Persa shal hauen the victorie.”
A whelpe I hadde that dede me gret plesaunce,
Callid Persa, the which riht now is ded,
And this cheef cause onli of my greuaunce.”
Hir fader thanne gan chaungen contenaunce:
“This a tokne, to myn encres of glorie,
That I of Persa shal hauen the victorie.”
649
In Macedoyne he & Persa mette,
And quit hym ther lik a manli kniht,
Conquereth the lond, non myht[e] hym withsette,
And manli putte Persa to the fliht;
Afftir to Trace he took the weie riht.
Of which[e] conquest short processe to make,
With his too sonys Persa was ther take.
And quit hym ther lik a manli kniht,
Conquereth the lond, non myht[e] hym withsette,
And manli putte Persa to the fliht;
Afftir to Trace he took the weie riht.
Of which[e] conquest short processe to make,
With his too sonys Persa was ther take.
Emelius aftir this victorie
Axeth the tryumphe vnto his guerdoun;
And as it is remembred in historie,
Persa folweth his char thoruh Rome toun,
Condempned aftir to deien in prisoun.
The which[e] deth he dede weel disserue,
For he be poisoun made his brother sterue.
Axeth the tryumphe vnto his guerdoun;
And as it is remembred in historie,
Persa folweth his char thoruh Rome toun,
Condempned aftir to deien in prisoun.
The which[e] deth he dede weel disserue,
For he be poisoun made his brother sterue.
Thus can Fortune, erli & eek late,
Doun from hir wheel & hir hih[e] stage
Of proude princis the surquedie abate.
Whan to hir lust she seeth most auauntage,
She frowardli can turnen hir visage,
And sodenli thestat of hem consume,
Aboue ther offis that wrongli list presume.
Doun from hir wheel & hir hih[e] stage
Of proude princis the surquedie abate.
Whan to hir lust she seeth most auauntage,
She frowardli can turnen hir visage,
And sodenli thestat of hem consume,
Aboue ther offis that wrongli list presume.
Amongis which, a kyng of Israel,
Ageyn the presept and lawe of Moises,
Callid Ozias, the Bible kan weel tel,
Of presumpcioun wilful & rek[e]les,
To sacrefise put hymsilff in pres,
Lik a bisshop in the temple arraied;
But or he passid he gretli was affraied,
Ageyn the presept and lawe of Moises,
Callid Ozias, the Bible kan weel tel,
Of presumpcioun wilful & rek[e]les,
To sacrefise put hymsilff in pres,
Lik a bisshop in the temple arraied;
But or he passid he gretli was affraied,
Lost his speche, [and] smet with meselrie
Duryng his lyff: loo, heer a gret vengaunce!—
Off his crowne & his regalie
Inpotent to vse the gouernaunce,
Parcel for pride & disobeissaunce;
For he list nat meekli the lawe obeie,
For which at myscheef he dede a lepre deie.
Duryng his lyff: loo, heer a gret vengaunce!—
Off his crowne & his regalie
Inpotent to vse the gouernaunce,
Parcel for pride & disobeissaunce;
For he list nat meekli the lawe obeie,
For which at myscheef he dede a lepre deie.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |