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 Demetrius the secounde lost at last his hede.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Demetrius the secounde lost at last his hede.]
Bvt I will turne to Demetrius
That callid was Demetrius þe secounde,
Which bi descent cam from Anthiochus,
And bi his manhod, as it was weel founde,
Dede the pride of kyng Ballas confounde,
Callid Alisaundre, which bi gret outrage
Hadde putte his fader from his heritage.
That callid was Demetrius þe secounde,
Which bi descent cam from Anthiochus,
And bi his manhod, as it was weel founde,
Dede the pride of kyng Ballas confounde,
Callid Alisaundre, which bi gret outrage
Hadde putte his fader from his heritage.
This Demetrius, famous & notable,
Vpon Parthois hadde many gret victorie,
Til kyng Arsacides, double and deceyuable,
Hymsilff delityng gretli in veynglorie,
Bi his sleihti fraudis deceptorie,
Vndir a shadwe of feynyng & fals cheer
Took Demetrius vnwarli prisoneer.
Vpon Parthois hadde many gret victorie,
Til kyng Arsacides, double and deceyuable,
Hymsilff delityng gretli in veynglorie,
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Vndir a shadwe of feynyng & fals cheer
Took Demetrius vnwarli prisoneer.
And to gret sclaundre & hyndryng of his name,
Arsacides bamaner moquerye
Made Demetrius, for despiht & shame,
Poorli arraied, of hate & gret envie
For to be lad thoruhout al Surrye;
Made hym aftir, bi gret auisement,
To wedde his douhtir ageyn his owne entent.
Arsacides bamaner moquerye
Made Demetrius, for despiht & shame,
Poorli arraied, of hate & gret envie
For to be lad thoruhout al Surrye;
Made hym aftir, bi gret auisement,
To wedde his douhtir ageyn his owne entent.
This Demetrius was kept out of pres,
That but fewe hadde of hym [a] siht,
Vnto tyme that Arsacides
Was ded & passed, for al his gret[e] myht.
Than he caste tescape awey be fliht;
And secreli tacomplisshe his entent,
He gat hym counsail that was of his assent.
That but fewe hadde of hym [a] siht,
Vnto tyme that Arsacides
Was ded & passed, for al his gret[e] myht.
Than he caste tescape awey be fliht;
And secreli tacomplisshe his entent,
He gat hym counsail that was of his assent.
Gallymandrus, a lord of that contre,
Which that was of his assent in deede,
In ther fliht to keepe hem mor secre
Made Demetrius for to chaunge his weede,
And preuy weies foorth he dede hym leede.
But al for nouht; his fliht was but in veyn,
For bi strong pursut he was take ageyn.
Which that was of his assent in deede,
In ther fliht to keepe hem mor secre
Made Demetrius for to chaunge his weede,
And preuy weies foorth he dede hym leede.
But al for nouht; his fliht was but in veyn,
For bi strong pursut he was take ageyn.
Afftir bi constreynt presentid to the kyng,
That he gan wexe weri of his lyff,
Kept mor streihtli, folk on hym waityng,
And maugre hym presentid to his wiff,
With hir tabide ful heuy and pensyff.
But whan thei hadde childre atween hem tweyne,
To go mor large loosnyd was his cheyne.
That he gan wexe weri of his lyff,
Kept mor streihtli, folk on hym waityng,
And maugre hym presentid to his wiff,
With hir tabide ful heuy and pensyff.
But whan thei hadde childre atween hem tweyne,
To go mor large loosnyd was his cheyne.
And thus he hadde space & fre licence
To gon and comen at his auauntage;
For whil his wiff heeld with hym residence,
Thei dempte his childre wer suffisaunt hostage.
But he was euere vnstable of his corage,
With Gallymandrus the forseid[e] kniht
Thre tyme take & brouht ageyn be fliht.
To gon and comen at his auauntage;
For whil his wiff heeld with hym residence,
Thei dempte his childre wer suffisaunt hostage.
But he was euere vnstable of his corage,
With Gallymandrus the forseid[e] kniht
Thre tyme take & brouht ageyn be fliht.
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And for he was so dyuers manyfold,
Kyng Fraactes, in tokne he was vnstable,
Sent hym thre dees forgid squar of gold,
To pleye raket as a child chaungable,—
His disposicioun was so variable.
But for to restreyne his condicioun,
He was efft take & fetrid in prisoun.
Kyng Fraactes, in tokne he was vnstable,
Sent hym thre dees forgid squar of gold,
To pleye raket as a child chaungable,—
His disposicioun was so variable.
But for to restreyne his condicioun,
He was efft take & fetrid in prisoun.
But whan Fortune hadde youen hym a pull,
Bi many dyuers stra[u]nge aduersite,
To punshe hym mor Pharactes wexeth dull.
And Demetrius of prisoun was maad free,
Ful restored ageyn to his contre,
Wex proud ageyn, of newe it is so fall,
That he was hated of his lieges all.
Bi many dyuers stra[u]nge aduersite,
To punshe hym mor Pharactes wexeth dull.
And Demetrius of prisoun was maad free,
Ful restored ageyn to his contre,
Wex proud ageyn, of newe it is so fall,
That he was hated of his lieges all.
Cleopatra, his mooder, that was queen
Of al Egipt & wiff to Tholome,
Was with hir lord at striff, who list to seen,
Which turnid aftir to gret aduersite.
But to strengthe hir parti thus wrouht she,
Made hir sone for to take on honde
For hir to fihte ageyn[es] hir husbonde.
Of al Egipt & wiff to Tholome,
Was with hir lord at striff, who list to seen,
Which turnid aftir to gret aduersite.
But to strengthe hir parti thus wrouht she,
Made hir sone for to take on honde
For hir to fihte ageyn[es] hir husbonde.
But Tholomeus callid Euergetes,
Geyn Demetrius diffendyng his contre,
Made Zebenna to putte hymsilf in pres,
Sone of a marchaunt, born of low degre,
To make a cleym bi fals subtilite,
Of al Surrye to haue pocessioun,
For hym aleggyng title of adopcioun.
Geyn Demetrius diffendyng his contre,
Made Zebenna to putte hymsilf in pres,
Sone of a marchaunt, born of low degre,
To make a cleym bi fals subtilite,
Of al Surrye to haue pocessioun,
For hym aleggyng title of adopcioun.
He to be sone to [old] Anthiochus,
Cleymyng therbi the kyngdam of Surrye,
Onli texclude the said Demetrius.
And Tholomeus, to susteene the partie
Of Zebenna, with al his cheualrie
Gadrid in Egipt & contrees enviroun,
Ageyn Demetrius proudli is come doun.
Cleymyng therbi the kyngdam of Surrye,
Onli texclude the said Demetrius.
And Tholomeus, to susteene the partie
Of Zebenna, with al his cheualrie
Gadrid in Egipt & contrees enviroun,
Ageyn Demetrius proudli is come doun.
And Fortune with hir double face
Caused the cuntre bi rebellioun,
That Demetrius stood cleene out of grace;
Wherbi the peeple of al that regeoun
Wer hool ageyn hym in ther oppynyoun:
That be Tholomes wonderful werkyng
Zebenna ther resceyued was as kyng.
Caused the cuntre bi rebellioun,
That Demetrius stood cleene out of grace;
Wherbi the peeple of al that regeoun
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That be Tholomes wonderful werkyng
Zebenna ther resceyued was as kyng.
Thus Zebenna, bi fals intrusioun,
Of al Surrie was maad[e] lord & kyng;
Title was ther non, but collusioun,
Texclude Demetrius bi subtil compassyng.
Yit as I fynde, his parti defendyng,
How Demetrius Zebenna gan assaille,
Ther quarel dareyned with a gret bataille.
Of al Surrie was maad[e] lord & kyng;
Title was ther non, but collusioun,
Texclude Demetrius bi subtil compassyng.
Yit as I fynde, his parti defendyng,
How Demetrius Zebenna gan assaille,
Ther quarel dareyned with a gret bataille.
Gret peeple slay[e]n vpon outher side,
Demetrius put from his regeoun
And ouercomen, for [al] his gret[e] pride,
At gret myscheeff to his confusioun,
Hauyng no socour nor consolacioun;
But with a fewe chose of his meyne
Fledde be watir to Tire the cite,
Demetrius put from his regeoun
And ouercomen, for [al] his gret[e] pride,
At gret myscheeff to his confusioun,
Hauyng no socour nor consolacioun;
But with a fewe chose of his meyne
Fledde be watir to Tire the cite,
Lik as he wolde haue luyed ther in pes,
Bi a feynt maner of perfeccioun,
Withynne the temple of myhti Hercules
Vnder a shadwe of religioun.
But sodeynli at his comyng doun
Into Tire & at his arryuaille,
His hed smet of; what myht his pride [a]vaille!
Bi a feynt maner of perfeccioun,
Withynne the temple of myhti Hercules
Vnder a shadwe of religioun.
But sodeynli at his comyng doun
Into Tire & at his arryuaille,
His hed smet of; what myht his pride [a]vaille!
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |