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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| IX. |
[How Robert duk of Normandie fauht with turkes
was named to the crowne of Ierusalem & died at mischef.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Robert duk of Normandie fauht with turkes was named to the crowne of Ierusalem & died at mischef.]
A worthi prince spoke of in many rewm,
Noble Robert, duk of Normandie,
Chose to the crowne of Iherusalem;
But for cause he dide it denye,
Fortune ay hadde onto hym enuye.
The same Robert next in order was
That cam to pleyne his fall onto Bochas.
Noble Robert, duk of Normandie,
Chose to the crowne of Iherusalem;
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Fortune ay hadde onto hym enuye.
The same Robert next in order was
That cam to pleyne his fall onto Bochas.
For Cristis feith this myhti champioun,
This Duk Robert, armyd in plate & maile,
With manli Godfrey, Godfrey Bollioun,
Ageyn[es] Turkis fauht a gret bataille,
For Cristes feith that it sholde auaille
To susteene his lawe in ther entent
To alle the kyngis of the occident.
This Duk Robert, armyd in plate & maile,
With manli Godfrey, Godfrey Bollioun,
Ageyn[es] Turkis fauht a gret bataille,
For Cristes feith that it sholde auaille
To susteene his lawe in ther entent
To alle the kyngis of the occident.
Of Turkis, Sarsyns was so gret a noumbre,
Geyn Cristis lawe gadred a puissaunce,
The feith of Crist falsli to encoumbre:
But ther wer maad[e] hasti ordenaunce
Be kynges of Inglond, Normandie & Fraunce;
First to socoure did his besi peyne
Godfrey Bollioun, that was duk of Loreyne,
Geyn Cristis lawe gadred a puissaunce,
The feith of Crist falsli to encoumbre:
But ther wer maad[e] hasti ordenaunce
Be kynges of Inglond, Normandie & Fraunce;
First to socoure did his besi peyne
Godfrey Bollioun, that was duk of Loreyne,
Which on Sarsyns made a disconfiture,
Maugre Turkis, for al ther cruel myht.
In which bataille Crist made hym to recure
The feeld that day for to supporte his riht,
Wher said Robert was founde so good a kniht,
That for his noblesse, be report of writyng,
Of Iherusalem was namyd to be kyng.
Maugre Turkis, for al ther cruel myht.
In which bataille Crist made hym to recure
The feeld that day for to supporte his riht,
Wher said Robert was founde so good a kniht,
That for his noblesse, be report of writyng,
Of Iherusalem was namyd to be kyng.
Assentid nat onto the eleccioun,
Because of newe that he did vndirstonde
His elder brothir, for short conclusioun,
Icallid William was ded in Inglond;
Knowyng hymsilf[e] next heir to that lond,
Forsook Iherusalem, and lik a manli kniht
Cam to Inglond for to cleyme his riht.
Because of newe that he did vndirstonde
His elder brothir, for short conclusioun,
Icallid William was ded in Inglond;
Knowyng hymsilf[e] next heir to that lond,
Forsook Iherusalem, and lik a manli kniht
Cam to Inglond for to cleyme his riht.
And yit or he cam he hadde knouleching,
His yonger brothir, [that] callid [was] Herry,
Had take upon hym to be crownid kyng;
Told his lordis and princis fynalli
He was next heir; entrid rihtfulli
As enheritour to succeede in that rewm,
His brother beyng kyng of Iherusalem.
His yonger brothir, [that] callid [was] Herry,
Had take upon hym to be crownid kyng;
Told his lordis and princis fynalli
He was next heir; entrid rihtfulli
As enheritour to succeede in that rewm,
His brother beyng kyng of Iherusalem.
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God wot the cas stood al in oþer wise:
The said[e] Duk Robert of Normandie
Purposed hym be marcial emprise
From his brother to take the regalie.
Took his princis and his cheualrie;
Thouhte he wolde, lik a manli kniht,
Arryue in Inglond and reioysshe his riht.
The said[e] Duk Robert of Normandie
Purposed hym be marcial emprise
From his brother to take the regalie.
Took his princis and his cheualrie;
Thouhte he wolde, lik a manli kniht,
Arryue in Inglond and reioysshe his riht.
Bothe in o feeld assemblid on o day,
The brethre tweyne, ech with strong partie
To darreyne, and make no delay,
Euerich with othir to holde chaumpartie.
But whan the lordes this mischeef did espie,
Thei besied hem and wer nat rek[e]les
Atween the brethre to refourme pes.
The brethre tweyne, ech with strong partie
To darreyne, and make no delay,
Euerich with othir to holde chaumpartie.
But whan the lordes this mischeef did espie,
Thei besied hem and wer nat rek[e]les
Atween the brethre to refourme pes.
The said[e] brethre wer fulli condescendid
Vpon this poynt, for short conclusioun,
As in thaccord was iustli comprehendid:
Herry to holde and haue pocessioun
Duryng his lyff of al this regioun,
And Robert sholde haue for his partie
A summe of gold with al Normandie.
Vpon this poynt, for short conclusioun,
As in thaccord was iustli comprehendid:
Herry to holde and haue pocessioun
Duryng his lyff of al this regioun,
And Robert sholde haue for his partie
A summe of gold with al Normandie.
Thre thousand pound, put in remembrance,
Ech yeer to Robert sent fro this regioun,
Of which[e] pay to make ful assuraunce
Was leid hostages, as maad is mencioun.
But yit of newe fill a discencioun
Atwixe the brethre, of hatreede & envie,
For certeyn castellis that stood in Normandie,
Ech yeer to Robert sent fro this regioun,
Of which[e] pay to make ful assuraunce
Was leid hostages, as maad is mencioun.
But yit of newe fill a discencioun
Atwixe the brethre, of hatreede & envie,
For certeyn castellis that stood in Normandie,
Which castel[lis] longed of heritage
Vnto the kyngis iurediccioun,
Of which the duk took his auauntage,
Maugre the kyng, & heeld pocessioun—
Torned aftir to his confusioun.
And whan the kyng did this thing espie,
With strong[e] hond cam into Normandie,
Vnto the kyngis iurediccioun,
Of which the duk took his auauntage,
Maugre the kyng, & heeld pocessioun—
Torned aftir to his confusioun.
And whan the kyng did this thing espie,
With strong[e] hond cam into Normandie,
Wher the duk was leid a siege aboute.
Made ordenaunce to recure his riht;
Gat the castel; took his brother oute;
Emprisowned hym of verray force & myht;
Lefft hym allone out of mennys siht
Fourteene yeer, the cronicle writ so;
Ther he deide in myscheeff and in wo.
Made ordenaunce to recure his riht;
Gat the castel; took his brother oute;
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Lefft hym allone out of mennys siht
Fourteene yeer, the cronicle writ so;
Ther he deide in myscheeff and in wo.
Whil Bochas was besi in his labour
His book tacomplissh with gret dilligence,
To hym appeered the grete emperour
Callid Herry, shewyng his presence;
Gan compleyne of the grete offence
Doon to hym, the myscheeff and distresse,
Bi his sonys gret vnkyndenesse.
His book tacomplissh with gret dilligence,
To hym appeered the grete emperour
Callid Herry, shewyng his presence;
Gan compleyne of the grete offence
Doon to hym, the myscheeff and distresse,
Bi his sonys gret vnkyndenesse.
The which[e] sone was callid eek Herry,
Gretli accusid of ingratitude,
Cause he wrouhte so disnaturalli:
Took his fadir with force & multitude,
Bounde and cheynid, shortli to conclude;
And aftirward, ther geyned no raunsoun,
At gret myscheef deied in prisoun.
Gretli accusid of ingratitude,
Cause he wrouhte so disnaturalli:
Took his fadir with force & multitude,
Bounde and cheynid, shortli to conclude;
And aftirward, ther geyned no raunsoun,
At gret myscheef deied in prisoun.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |