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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[Off the brethre Constaunce & Constancyus & how
Magnencyus & decyus moordred hem self.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[Off the brethre Constaunce & Constancyus & how Magnencyus & decyus moordred hem self.]
Than cam Constans and Constancius,
Yonge brethre, thus writ myn auctour,
To Constantyn in tyme of Arryvs.
And ech of hem be ful gret labour
Dide his peyne to regne as emperour,
Til at the laste, breefli for to seie,
Euerich of hem gan othir to werreye.
Yonge brethre, thus writ myn auctour,
To Constantyn in tyme of Arryvs.
And ech of hem be ful gret labour
Dide his peyne to regne as emperour,
Til at the laste, breefli for to seie,
Euerich of hem gan othir to werreye.
This saide Constans is entrid Perse-lond;
Nyne tymes he fauht ageyn Sapore,
The same kyng, as ye shal vndirstond,
That with Romeyns hadde fouht affore.
But fynalli Constans hath hym so bore,
To holde the feelde he myhte nat endure;
For upon hym fill the disconfiture.
Nyne tymes he fauht ageyn Sapore,
The same kyng, as ye shal vndirstond,
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But fynalli Constans hath hym so bore,
To holde the feelde he myhte nat endure;
For upon hym fill the disconfiture.
His fortune gan to chaungen anon riht,
Whan that he lefte to be vertuous;
He was in Spaigne slay[e]n be a kniht,
In Castel Tunge, callid Magnencius.
Than was non lefft but Constancivs;
The Romeyn kni[h]tis, destitut echon,
Ches hem an emperour callid Vetramon.
Whan that he lefte to be vertuous;
He was in Spaigne slay[e]n be a kniht,
In Castel Tunge, callid Magnencius.
Than was non lefft but Constancivs;
The Romeyn kni[h]tis, destitut echon,
Ches hem an emperour callid Vetramon.
This Vetramon was ferr [i]ronne in age,
Bareyn of witt, koude non lettrure,
Nor in knihthod had no gret corage,
Nor was nat hable to studien in scripture,
Nor lik an emperour no while to endure;
For Constancius, of whom I spak now late,
With this Vetremon cast hym to debate.
Bareyn of witt, koude non lettrure,
Nor in knihthod had no gret corage,
Nor was nat hable to studien in scripture,
Nor lik an emperour no while to endure;
For Constancius, of whom I spak now late,
With this Vetremon cast hym to debate.
This Vetremon hath lefft his estat,
List nat werreye ageyn Constancius,
Forsook the feeld[e], loued no debat.
But of Spaigne, myn auctour writeth þus,
As I wrot late, how that Magnencius
Geyn Constancivs with suerd[e], spere & sheeld
Presumed proudli for to holde a feeld.
List nat werreye ageyn Constancius,
Forsook the feeld[e], loued no debat.
But of Spaigne, myn auctour writeth þus,
As I wrot late, how that Magnencius
Geyn Constancivs with suerd[e], spere & sheeld
Presumed proudli for to holde a feeld.
To gret damage & hyndryng of the toun,
For many Romeyn thilke day was ded,
Beside a cite which callid was Leoun;
Til at the laste, of verray coward dreed,
Magnencivs, which capteyn was & hed
Ageyn Constancius, hath the feeld forsake.
Loo, how Fortune can hir chaunges make!
For many Romeyn thilke day was ded,
Beside a cite which callid was Leoun;
Til at the laste, of verray coward dreed,
Magnencivs, which capteyn was & hed
Ageyn Constancius, hath the feeld forsake.
Loo, how Fortune can hir chaunges make!
Magnencivs for verray sorwe & shame
Bood no lenger, but gat hym a sharp kniff,
Sool be hymsilff, wher[of] he was to blame,
Roof thoruh his herte & loste [so] his lyff.
His brothir Dencivs, partable of the stryff,
Aboute his necke cast a myhti corde
And heeng hymsilf[e], bookis so recorde.
Bood no lenger, but gat hym a sharp kniff,
Sool be hymsilff, wher[of] he was to blame,
Roof thoruh his herte & loste [so] his lyff.
His brothir Dencivs, partable of the stryff,
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And heeng hymsilf[e], bookis so recorde.
Constancius ches aftir hym Gallus,
His vncles brothir, to gouerne Fraunce;
Was a fals tiraunt, cruel [and] outraious,
Soone aftir slayn for his mysgouernaunce.
Another viker for his disobeissaunce,
Callid Siluanvs, be iugement was slayn;
For which in France ful many a man was fayn.
His vncles brothir, to gouerne Fraunce;
Was a fals tiraunt, cruel [and] outraious,
Soone aftir slayn for his mysgouernaunce.
Another viker for his disobeissaunce,
Callid Siluanvs, be iugement was slayn;
For which in France ful many a man was fayn.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |