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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[A good processe how Theodosie with praiere and
smal noumbre gat the victory.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[A good processe how Theodosie with praiere and smal noumbre gat the victory.]
Than Valentynyan with gret apparaile
Bi Arbogastes took pocessioun
Of Lumbardie & of al Itaile,
Brouht al that lond to subieccioun.
Than with his poweer he cam to Gaule doun,
Ther resceyuyd with gret solempnite
At Vyenne, a famous old cite.
Bi Arbogastes took pocessioun
Of Lumbardie & of al Itaile,
Brouht al that lond to subieccioun.
Than with his poweer he cam to Gaule doun,
Ther resceyuyd with gret solempnite
At Vyenne, a famous old cite.
Arbogastes, of whom I spak now late,
His cheef constable, as ye haue herd deuise,
Of his lord[e] be ful cruel hate
The deth conspired of fals couetise,
Therbi supposyng that he shold arise
Vnto thestat to be chose emperour,
Whan he wer ded[e], lik a fals tretour.
His cheef constable, as ye haue herd deuise,
Of his lord[e] be ful cruel hate
The deth conspired of fals couetise,
Therbi supposyng that he shold arise
Vnto thestat to be chose emperour,
Whan he wer ded[e], lik a fals tretour.
Vp in a tour he heeng hym traitourli,
[And] to mor sclaundre & hyndryng of his name,
Reportid outward and seide cursidli,
This Arbogaste, to hide his owne shame,—
His souereyn lord to putte in mor diffame,—
Stefli affermed, a thyng that was ful fals,
How he hymsilf[e] heng up bi the hals.
[And] to mor sclaundre & hyndryng of his name,
Reportid outward and seide cursidli,
This Arbogaste, to hide his owne shame,—
His souereyn lord to putte in mor diffame,—
876
How he hymsilf[e] heng up bi the hals.
Thus lik a moordrer and a fals tretour,
And of condicioun hatful and odious,
Laboured sore to be maad emperour,
That he allone with Eugenivs
Mihte exclude Theodosyus,
First to lette hym, he sholde on no partie
Passe thoruh Itaille nor thoruh Lumbardie.
And of condicioun hatful and odious,
Laboured sore to be maad emperour,
That he allone with Eugenivs
Mihte exclude Theodosyus,
First to lette hym, he sholde on no partie
Passe thoruh Itaille nor thoruh Lumbardie.
Sette espies to brynge hym in a treyne,
Which that tyme, as thei vndirstood,
Lik a iust prynce did his besy peyne,
As he that thouhte nothyng but on good,
In the hilles of Lumbardie abood,
Whom Arbogast, of furious corage,
Cast hym to trouble & stoppen his passage,
Which that tyme, as thei vndirstood,
Lik a iust prynce did his besy peyne,
As he that thouhte nothyng but on good,
In the hilles of Lumbardie abood,
Whom Arbogast, of furious corage,
Cast hym to trouble & stoppen his passage,
He and Eugenius beyng of assent
Theodosie mortalli tassaile.
Which whan he knew ther meenyng fraudulent,
Al-be that he had but scars vitaille,
On eueri cost besette with a bataille,
And of his knihtis forsaken in maneere,
He lefte all thyng & took hym to praiere.
Theodosie mortalli tassaile.
Which whan he knew ther meenyng fraudulent,
Al-be that he had but scars vitaille,
On eueri cost besette with a bataille,
And of his knihtis forsaken in maneere,
He lefte all thyng & took hym to praiere.
With hym was left[e] but a smal meyne,
Trewe & feithful in ther affeccioun.
And first of alle he fill doun on his kne
And to Iesus gan make his orisoun:
“O Lord,” quod he, “thyn eres enclyne doun,
And of thi merciful gracious [hih] goodnesse
Delyuere me out of my mortal distresse.
Trewe & feithful in ther affeccioun.
And first of alle he fill doun on his kne
And to Iesus gan make his orisoun:
“O Lord,” quod he, “thyn eres enclyne doun,
And of thi merciful gracious [hih] goodnesse
Delyuere me out of my mortal distresse.
Considre & see how that I am thi kniht,
Which ofte sithe thoruh my fragilite,
With flesshli lustis bleendid in my siht,
A thousand tymes haue trespasid onto the;
But, gracious Iesu, of merci & pite
To my requestis benigneli tak heed
Me to socoure in this gret[e] need.
Which ofte sithe thoruh my fragilite,
With flesshli lustis bleendid in my siht,
A thousand tymes haue trespasid onto the;
But, gracious Iesu, of merci & pite
To my requestis benigneli tak heed
Me to socoure in this gret[e] need.
877
My trust is hool, pleynli to conclude,
Thou shalt foorthre & fortune my viage,
With litil folk ageyn gret multitude
To make me haue gracious passage,
Aftir the prouerbe of newe & old langage,
How that thou maist & kanst thi poweer shewe
Geyn multitude victorie with a fewe.
Thou shalt foorthre & fortune my viage,
With litil folk ageyn gret multitude
To make me haue gracious passage,
Aftir the prouerbe of newe & old langage,
How that thou maist & kanst thi poweer shewe
Geyn multitude victorie with a fewe.
And as thou sauedest whilom Israel
Geyn Phar[a]os myhti strong puissaunce,
And fro the leouns delyueredest Danyel,
And saueddest Susanne in hir mortal greuaunce,
Saue me this day fro sorwe & myschaunce,
In this myscheef to grante me this issu,
Tescape fro daunger be grace of the, Iesu!
Geyn Phar[a]os myhti strong puissaunce,
And fro the leouns delyueredest Danyel,
And saueddest Susanne in hir mortal greuaunce,
Saue me this day fro sorwe & myschaunce,
In this myscheef to grante me this issu,
Tescape fro daunger be grace of the, Iesu!
Thi blissid name be interpretacioun
Is to seyne most myhti Saueour;
Ther is no dreed nor dubitacioun
That Iesus is in al worldli labour
To al that trust hym victorious protectour.
Now, blissid Iesu, pauys of my diffence,
Make me escape myn enmyes violence!
Is to seyne most myhti Saueour;
Ther is no dreed nor dubitacioun
That Iesus is in al worldli labour
To al that trust hym victorious protectour.
Now, blissid Iesu, pauys of my diffence,
Make me escape myn enmyes violence!
Lat myn enmyes, that so gret bost do blowe,
Thouh ther poweer be dreedful & terrible,
That thei may bexperience knowe
Ther is to the nothyng impossible,—
Thou too and thre & oon indiuysible,
Thouh I with me haue but fewe men,
Saue me, Iesu, this day fro deth; Amen.”
Thouh ther poweer be dreedful & terrible,
That thei may bexperience knowe
Ther is to the nothyng impossible,—
Thou too and thre & oon indiuysible,
Thouh I with me haue but fewe men,
Saue me, Iesu, this day fro deth; Amen.”
The day gan cleere, the sunne gan shewe briht,
Whan Theodosie deuoutli lay knelyng,
And be grace adawen gan his siht
Fro cloudi wawes of long pitous weeping,
His souereyn hope set in the heuenli kyng,
Iesus his capteyn, in whos hooli name
That day escapid fro myscheef & shame.
Whan Theodosie deuoutli lay knelyng,
And be grace adawen gan his siht
Fro cloudi wawes of long pitous weeping,
His souereyn hope set in the heuenli kyng,
Iesus his capteyn, in whos hooli name
That day escapid fro myscheef & shame.
The hooli crosse bete in his armure,
Born as cheef standard toforn in his bataile;
God made hym strong[e] in the feeld tendure,
Hardi as leoun his enmyes to assaile;
Iesus his champioun, his plate & eek his maile,—
Iesus allone, set fix in his memorie,
Be whom that day he hadde the victorie.
Born as cheef standard toforn in his bataile;
God made hym strong[e] in the feeld tendure,
878
Iesus his champioun, his plate & eek his maile,—
Iesus allone, set fix in his memorie,
Be whom that day he hadde the victorie.
Ther was a kniht, prince of the cheualrie
Of Arbogast and [of] Eugenivs,
Which gouerned al hool[i] ther partie,
Arbicio callid, manli and vertuous,
Which goodli cam to Theodosius,
Did hym reuerence, & with riht glad cheer
Saued hym that day fro myscheef & daungeer.
Of Arbogast and [of] Eugenivs,
Which gouerned al hool[i] ther partie,
Arbicio callid, manli and vertuous,
Which goodli cam to Theodosius,
Did hym reuerence, & with riht glad cheer
Saued hym that day fro myscheef & daungeer.
Whan Theodosie upon his foon gan sette,
Lik a kniht nat turnyng his visage,
And bothe batailes togidre whan thei mette,
Of Theodosie texpleite the passage
Fill a myracle to his auauntage:
Be sodeyn tempest of wyndis, hail & reyn
Troubled all tho that seeged the mounteyn.
Lik a kniht nat turnyng his visage,
And bothe batailes togidre whan thei mette,
Of Theodosie texpleite the passage
Fill a myracle to his auauntage:
Be sodeyn tempest of wyndis, hail & reyn
Troubled all tho that seeged the mounteyn.
Vlcanvs, which is cheef smyth of heuene,
Geyn Arbogastes gan hym reedi make
To beende his gunnys with thonder & with leuene,
And Eolus his wyndis gan awake
Out of the[r] kauernys, hidous, broun & blake;
Alle of assent be sturdi violence
With Theodosius stooden at diffence
Geyn Arbogastes gan hym reedi make
To beende his gunnys with thonder & with leuene,
And Eolus his wyndis gan awake
Out of the[r] kauernys, hidous, broun & blake;
Alle of assent be sturdi violence
With Theodosius stooden at diffence
Ageyn Eugenivs & Arbogast his brothir,
Ther peeple and thei departed heer & yonder
With wynd and myst, that non of hem sauh oþer,
Be vnwar vengaunce of tempest & of thundir,
Ther speres tobrak, ther sheeldes roff assonder.
Eugenivs take, aftir lost his hed,
[And] Arbogastes slouh hymsilf for dreed.
Ther peeple and thei departed heer & yonder
With wynd and myst, that non of hem sauh oþer,
Be vnwar vengaunce of tempest & of thundir,
Ther speres tobrak, ther sheeldes roff assonder.
Eugenivs take, aftir lost his hed,
[And] Arbogastes slouh hymsilf for dreed.
879
Thus can the Lord of his eternal myht
Chastise tirauntis & ther malis represse;
Saued Theodose, his owne chose kniht:
Who trustith hym of parfit stabilnesse,
Goth free fro daungeer, escapeth fro distresse.
Bookis recorde how Theodosius
Was in his tyme callid Catholicus.
Chastise tirauntis & ther malis represse;
Saued Theodose, his owne chose kniht:
Who trustith hym of parfit stabilnesse,
Goth free fro daungeer, escapeth fro distresse.
Bookis recorde how Theodosius
Was in his tyme callid Catholicus.
This myracle God list for hym werche,
Made hym victor for his gret meeknesse.
[Afforn and] afftir founde onto the cherche
As Cristis kniht; I take onto witnesse
His submyssioun & his deuout humblesse;
Of hastynesse whan he was vengable,
He to the cherch[e] yald hymsilf coupable.
Made hym victor for his gret meeknesse.
[Afforn and] afftir founde onto the cherche
As Cristis kniht; I take onto witnesse
His submyssioun & his deuout humblesse;
Of hastynesse whan he was vengable,
He to the cherch[e] yald hymsilf coupable.
The caas was this, as I reherse can:
In Thesalonica, a famous old cite,
Beyng bisshop Seynt Ambrose in Melan,
Certeyn iuges for to doon equite
And sitte in doom hauyng auctorite,
Natwithstondyng ther commyssioun
Wer slayn be comouns entryng in the toun.
In Thesalonica, a famous old cite,
Beyng bisshop Seynt Ambrose in Melan,
Certeyn iuges for to doon equite
And sitte in doom hauyng auctorite,
Natwithstondyng ther commyssioun
Wer slayn be comouns entryng in the toun.
Wherof themperour was nothyng glad nor fayn,
But comaunded of hasti wilfulnesse,
Whan he knew his iuges wer so slayn,
That his knihtis sholde hem thidir dresse,
Entre the cite be cruel sturdynesse,
With suerd & pollex & daggeres sharpe whette,
Indifferentli slen al tho þat thei mette.
But comaunded of hasti wilfulnesse,
Whan he knew his iuges wer so slayn,
That his knihtis sholde hem thidir dresse,
Entre the cite be cruel sturdynesse,
With suerd & pollex & daggeres sharpe whette,
Indifferentli slen al tho þat thei mette.
Bi whos biddyng the cite to encoumbre,
That day was slayn many an innocent:
Fyue thousand ded remembrid in that noumbre,
Moordrid in hast withoute iugement
Bi them that wern vnto the cite sent.
But whan Ambrose herde of this cruel deede,
Lik a iust prelat thus he gan proceede:
That day was slayn many an innocent:
Fyue thousand ded remembrid in that noumbre,
Moordrid in hast withoute iugement
Bi them that wern vnto the cite sent.
But whan Ambrose herde of this cruel deede,
Lik a iust prelat thus he gan proceede:
As ye haue herd[e] how this vengaunce gan,
Be Theodosie to chastise the cite,
The same emperour cam aftir to Melan,
Wolde haue entrid at a solempnite
The cathedral cherch in his most rialte;
Bisshop Ambrose at the porche hym mette,
And of purpos manli hym withsette.
Be Theodosie to chastise the cite,
The same emperour cam aftir to Melan,
880
The cathedral cherch in his most rialte;
Bisshop Ambrose at the porche hym mette,
And of purpos manli hym withsette.
Quod the bisshop, “I counseil the withdrawe,
Into this cherch thou shalt haue non entre.
Thou hast offendid God and eek his lawe.
Be nat so hardi nor bold, I charge the,
To sette thi foot nor entre in no degre;
Because thou art a cruel homycide,
Maugre thi myht thou shalt a while abide.
Into this cherch thou shalt haue non entre.
Thou hast offendid God and eek his lawe.
Be nat so hardi nor bold, I charge the,
To sette thi foot nor entre in no degre;
Because thou art a cruel homycide,
Maugre thi myht thou shalt a while abide.
Vnto thi paleis hom ageyn retourne,
This eihte monethes looke thou be nat seyn;
Passe nat thi boundis, doo meekli ther soiourne:
For, trust me weel and be riht weel certeyne,
Al suich moordrers God hath hem in disdeyne.
Blood falsli shad, haue this in remembrance,
Callith day and niht to hym to do vengaunce.
This eihte monethes looke thou be nat seyn;
Passe nat thi boundis, doo meekli ther soiourne:
For, trust me weel and be riht weel certeyne,
Al suich moordrers God hath hem in disdeyne.
Blood falsli shad, haue this in remembrance,
Callith day and niht to hym to do vengaunce.
Ageyn[e]s the, for this gret offence
Of innocent blood shad ageyn[e]s riht,
Be iust auctorite I yiue this sentence:
This eihte monethes acountid day & niht
To entre the cherch thou shalt nat come in siht,
Resoun shal holde so iustli the ballaunce
Til thou haue fulli acomplisshid thi penaunce.
Of innocent blood shad ageyn[e]s riht,
Be iust auctorite I yiue this sentence:
This eihte monethes acountid day & niht
To entre the cherch thou shalt nat come in siht,
Resoun shal holde so iustli the ballaunce
Til thou haue fulli acomplisshid thi penaunce.
What I haue seid[e] tak [t]heerof good heede,
For this tyme thou gest no mor of me.
Withdrawe thyn hand innocent blood to sheede
For any rancour or hasti cruelte.”
That to behold the gret humylite
Of themperour, considred euerideel,
It wolde haue perced an herte maad of steel.
For this tyme thou gest no mor of me.
Withdrawe thyn hand innocent blood to sheede
For any rancour or hasti cruelte.”
That to behold the gret humylite
Of themperour, considred euerideel,
It wolde haue perced an herte maad of steel.
With hed enclyned he spak no woord ageyn,
Brast on weepyng with sobbyng vnstaunchable,
His purpil weede bedewed as with reyn,
Returnyng hom with cheer most lamentable,
So contynued in his purpos stable,
With al the toknys of feithful repentaunce
In lowli wise acomplisshed his penaunce.
Brast on weepyng with sobbyng vnstaunchable,
His purpil weede bedewed as with reyn,
Returnyng hom with cheer most lamentable,
So contynued in his purpos stable,
With al the toknys of feithful repentaunce
In lowli wise acomplisshed his penaunce.
881
Gaf exaumple to princis euerichon
In caas semblable, that werke of wilfulnesse
To execucioun for to proceede anon,
Meynteene ther errour & froward cursidnesse,
Diffende ther trespas, meynteene ther woodnesse,
Ferr out of ioynt, yif it shal be declarid,
To Theodosie for to be comparid.
In caas semblable, that werke of wilfulnesse
To execucioun for to proceede anon,
Meynteene ther errour & froward cursidnesse,
Diffende ther trespas, meynteene ther woodnesse,
Ferr out of ioynt, yif it shal be declarid,
To Theodosie for to be comparid.
To the cherche he meekli did obeye,
[Lik] Goddis kniht did lowli his penaunce,
Wher ther be summe that wrongli it werreye,
Holde therageyn be froward meyntenaunce.
Touchyng this mateer set heer in remembrance,
As men disserue,—lat euery wiht tak heede—
He that seeth al quiteth hem ther meede.
[Lik] Goddis kniht did lowli his penaunce,
Wher ther be summe that wrongli it werreye,
Holde therageyn be froward meyntenaunce.
Touchyng this mateer set heer in remembrance,
As men disserue,—lat euery wiht tak heede—
He that seeth al quiteth hem ther meede.
Theodosivs list nothyng abregge
To shorte the yerde of his correccioun;
Forsook the platte, of rigour took the egge,
Meekli to suffre his castigacioun;
To bowe his chyne was no rebellioun,
Bi meek confessioun knowyng his trespace,
Be Seynt Ambrose restored ageyn to grace.
To shorte the yerde of his correccioun;
Forsook the platte, of rigour took the egge,
Meekli to suffre his castigacioun;
To bowe his chyne was no rebellioun,
Bi meek confessioun knowyng his trespace,
Be Seynt Ambrose restored ageyn to grace.
Vertuous princis may exaumple take
Of Theodose, how thei the Lord shal queeme,
He nat froward amendis for to make,
His sceptre, his suerd, his purpre, his diadeeme
Soget to Ambrose, what hym list to deeme,
Obeied al thyng; & for his gret offence
To hooli cherch to make recompence.
Of Theodose, how thei the Lord shal queeme,
He nat froward amendis for to make,
His sceptre, his suerd, his purpre, his diadeeme
Soget to Ambrose, what hym list to deeme,
Obeied al thyng; & for his gret offence
To hooli cherch to make recompence.
He knew[e] that God was his souereyn Lord,
To hooli cherch how gretli he was bounde,
Gruchched neuer in thouht, will nor woord,
Hooli on Crist his empire for to founde.
Wher vertu regneth, vertu wil ay rebounde;
And for this prince obeied tal vertu,
Hath now his guerdoun aboue with Crist Iesu.
To hooli cherch how gretli he was bounde,
Gruchched neuer in thouht, will nor woord,
Hooli on Crist his empire for to founde.
Wher vertu regneth, vertu wil ay rebounde;
And for this prince obeied tal vertu,
Hath now his guerdoun aboue with Crist Iesu.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |