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 Bitynctus kyng of Auergnatis bi the Romayns was taken and deied in prisoun.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
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[How Bitynctus kyng of Auergnatis bi the Romayns was taken and deied in prisoun.]
Bytinctus next, of Auergnatis kyng,
Cam tofor Bochas gynnyng his compleynt,
Of his distresse the ordre rehersyng,
And how that he was maad feeble & feynt,
Ageyn the Romeyns myscheuousli atteynt,
Natwithstandyng, to meynteene his quarell
He cast of pride ageyn hem to rebell.
Cam tofor Bochas gynnyng his compleynt,
Of his distresse the ordre rehersyng,
And how that he was maad feeble & feynt,
Ageyn the Romeyns myscheuousli atteynt,
Natwithstandyng, to meynteene his quarell
He cast of pride ageyn hem to rebell.
But it is first put in remembraunce,
How Auergnatis is a nacioun
Hangyng on Gaule, longyng vnto Fraunce,
Of which Bytynct stood in pocessioun,
Hauyng despiht in his oppynyoun
To the Romeyns any wise tobeie,
But proudli caste ageyn hem to werreie.
How Auergnatis is a nacioun
Hangyng on Gaule, longyng vnto Fraunce,
Of which Bytynct stood in pocessioun,
Hauyng despiht in his oppynyoun
To the Romeyns any wise tobeie,
But proudli caste ageyn hem to werreie.
His labour was to stonden in fraunchise
And been at large from ther subieccioun.
Gan of pride ther lordshipe to despise,
Gadred peeple of presumpcioun,
Whom for to meete Fabius was sente doun,
A myhti consul, which knihtli took on honde
For that parti Bituitus to withstonde.
And been at large from ther subieccioun.
Gan of pride ther lordshipe to despise,
Gadred peeple of presumpcioun,
Whom for to meete Fabius was sente doun,
A myhti consul, which knihtli took on honde
For that parti Bituitus to withstonde.
Of whos comyng Bituitus took disdeyn,
Because the folk which Fabius dide leede
Wer but fewe; & whan he hath hem seyn,
He seide of scorn: “this peeple, who taketh heede,
May nat suffise myn houndis for to feede
Whan thei be slayn; to fewe thei been in noumbre,
With multitude that I shal hem encoumbre.”
Because the folk which Fabius dide leede
Wer but fewe; & whan he hath hem seyn,
He seide of scorn: “this peeple, who taketh heede,
May nat suffise myn houndis for to feede
Whan thei be slayn; to fewe thei been in noumbre,
With multitude that I shal hem encoumbre.”
An hundred thousand in his vaunwarde he hadde,
That passe sholde of Auuerne the ryueer;
And foure score thousand beside that he ladde.
The consul Fabius mette hym with good cheer
Whan he was passid of Rodamus the daunger,
Fauht al the day til it drouh to niht;
The Romeyns wan; ther foon wer put to fliht.
That passe sholde of Auuerne the ryueer;
And foure score thousand beside that he ladde.
The consul Fabius mette hym with good cheer
Whan he was passid of Rodamus the daunger,
Fauht al the day til it drouh to niht;
The Romeyns wan; ther foon wer put to fliht.
666
At the ryuer, lik as seith the book,
Ther wer drownid & brouht to myschaunce
Fiffti thousand, as thei the watir took,
Thoruh Fortunys froward variaunce.
And bi a treyne, tencres of his greuaunce,
Bituitus take was of the Romeyns,
Dampnid to prysoun ther to deye in cheyns.
Ther wer drownid & brouht to myschaunce
Fiffti thousand, as thei the watir took,
Thoruh Fortunys froward variaunce.
And bi a treyne, tencres of his greuaunce,
Bituitus take was of the Romeyns,
Dampnid to prysoun ther to deye in cheyns.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |