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 the Emperour Andronycus slouh all that were
of the blood Roial cherysshed vicious peple and aftir was honget.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How the Emperour Andronycus slouh all that were of the blood Roial cherysshed vicious peple and aftir was honget.]
As verray heir and trewe successour
Bi eleccioun and also bi lynage,
Cam Andronicus, as lord & emperour,
Constantynople, crownid yong of age,
Next to Bochas, with trist & pale visage,
Besechyng hym to doon his besi cure
To remembre his woful auenture.
Bi eleccioun and also bi lynage,
Cam Andronicus, as lord & emperour,
Constantynople, crownid yong of age,
Next to Bochas, with trist & pale visage,
Besechyng hym to doon his besi cure
To remembre his woful auenture.
Among Grekis, be stori and scripture,
This Andronicus gouernid nat ariht;
Ageyn[es] lawe & eek ageyn nature,
Founde with his sustir flesshli on a niht;
Bothe of assent[e] took hem to the fliht,
Ageyn[es] hym his cosyn was so fell,
Lord of that contre callid Emanvell.
This Andronicus gouernid nat ariht;
Ageyn[es] lawe & eek ageyn nature,
Founde with his sustir flesshli on a niht;
Bothe of assent[e] took hem to the fliht,
Ageyn[es] hym his cosyn was so fell,
Lord of that contre callid Emanvell.
For a tyme stood as a man exilid
For his discenciouns and many vnkouth stryff;
Bi his princis afftir reconciled,
Stondyng in hope he sholde amende his lyff.
But in the tyme that he was fugitiff,
He was maad lord, & stood so for a while
Regnyng in Pontus, of Asie a gret ile.
For his discenciouns and many vnkouth stryff;
Bi his princis afftir reconciled,
Stondyng in hope he sholde amende his lyff.
But in the tyme that he was fugitiff,
He was maad lord, & stood so for a while
Regnyng in Pontus, of Asie a gret ile.
In this while Emanuel was ded,
Fall in gret age, the stori tellith thus,
Hauyng a child, & he, who list take heed,
Whil he duelled in his fadris hous
Among Grekis callid Alexivs;
And the tutour he was assigned too
Icallid was Alexivs also.
Fall in gret age, the stori tellith thus,
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Whil he duelled in his fadris hous
Among Grekis callid Alexivs;
And the tutour he was assigned too
Icallid was Alexivs also.
The same that was assigned his tutour,
Took upon hym al the gouernaunce
And ful poweer as lord & emperour,
Hadde al thempire vndir his obeissaunce;
Princis, lordis gaff to hym attendaunce;
Wher that he was present or absent,
Ech thyng was doon at his comaundement.
Took upon hym al the gouernaunce
And ful poweer as lord & emperour,
Hadde al thempire vndir his obeissaunce;
Princis, lordis gaff to hym attendaunce;
Wher that he was present or absent,
Ech thyng was doon at his comaundement.
I meene as thus: he had al in his hond
Constantynople, cite of gret substaunce;
But for extorsiouns which he did in the lond
On his sogettis, and for mysgouernaunce,
Among the lordis it fill in remembraunce,
Alle of assent in hert[e] gan desire
Calle Andronicus ageyn to his empire.
Constantynople, cite of gret substaunce;
But for extorsiouns which he did in the lond
On his sogettis, and for mysgouernaunce,
Among the lordis it fill in remembraunce,
Alle of assent in hert[e] gan desire
Calle Andronicus ageyn to his empire.
Bassent restorid and crownid emperour,
Constantynople entryng the cite,
Besied hym be fraudulent labour
Al the blood born of the imperial see
For to be slayn, of vengable cruelte,
Be iugement of this Andronicus,
Except a prince callid Isacivs.
Constantynople entryng the cite,
Besied hym be fraudulent labour
Al the blood born of the imperial see
For to be slayn, of vengable cruelte,
Be iugement of this Andronicus,
Except a prince callid Isacivs.
Thus in effect the trouthe was weel seene,
He was vengable last in his old age,
Riht as he was in his yeeris greene,
Felli gouerned, ful off fals outrage,
Last of alle, malicious of corage.
Took to counsail, in Grece he was thus namyd,
Al suich as wern disclaundrid or diffamyd.
He was vengable last in his old age,
Riht as he was in his yeeris greene,
Felli gouerned, ful off fals outrage,
Last of alle, malicious of corage.
Took to counsail, in Grece he was thus namyd,
Al suich as wern disclaundrid or diffamyd.
Homycides he hadde in his housholde,
Tirauntis that wrouhte ageyn[es] rihtwisnesse;
Cherisshed all that hardi wern and bolde
Widwes, wyues & maidenes to oppresse;
Ribaudie was callid gentilesse;
Spared nouther, he was so lecherous,
Women sworn chast nor folk religious.
Tirauntis that wrouhte ageyn[es] rihtwisnesse;
Cherisshed all that hardi wern and bolde
Widwes, wyues & maidenes to oppresse;
Ribaudie was callid gentilesse;
Spared nouther, he was so lecherous,
Women sworn chast nor folk religious.
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Hadde also no maner conscience
To pile his sogettis falsli be rauyne;
Took what hym list be iniust violence;
To alle vices his youthe he did enclyne.
And alle that wer[e]n of the roial lyne
Wer slayn echon, except Isacivs,
As I told erst[e], bi Andronicvs.
To pile his sogettis falsli be rauyne;
Took what hym list be iniust violence;
To alle vices his youthe he did enclyne.
And alle that wer[e]n of the roial lyne
Wer slayn echon, except Isacivs,
As I told erst[e], bi Andronicvs.
As I fynde, for hym in haste he sente,
For this purpos to come to his presence,
To moord[e]ren hym, this was his entente;
Be dyuers toknes and many euidence,
And fully knew the fyn of his sentence,
He lik a prince list [to] come no neer;
Smet of the hed[e] of the massageer.
For this purpos to come to his presence,
To moord[e]ren hym, this was his entente;
Be dyuers toknes and many euidence,
And fully knew the fyn of his sentence,
He lik a prince list [to] come no neer;
Smet of the hed[e] of the massageer.
And afftir that, of manli prouidence,
Mid the cite shewed hym lik a kniht;
Praied lordis to yiue hym audience,
Princis, iuges for to doon hym riht,
That he myht declaren in ther siht
Gret iniuries, damages outragious
Wrouht bi themperour callid Andronicus.
Mid the cite shewed hym lik a kniht;
Praied lordis to yiue hym audience,
Princis, iuges for to doon hym riht,
That he myht declaren in ther siht
Gret iniuries, damages outragious
Wrouht bi themperour callid Andronicus.
“O citeseyns, that knowen al the guise
Of your emperour callid Andronicus;
Nat emperour, so ye list aduertise,
But a tiraunt cruel & furious,
A fals moordrer, vengable, despitous,
Hath of newe, of frowar[d] fals corage
Slayn of thempire hooli the lynage.
Of your emperour callid Andronicus;
Nat emperour, so ye list aduertise,
But a tiraunt cruel & furious,
A fals moordrer, vengable, despitous,
Hath of newe, of frowar[d] fals corage
Slayn of thempire hooli the lynage.
Ther is alyue left non of the blood
Sauf I allone of the roial lyne;
For Andronicus lik a tiraunt wood
Hath slay[e]n echon, breeffli to termyne;
His suerd of vengaunce thei myhte nat declyne.
Now purposeth of mortal tirannye,
Slen me also that am of ther allie.
Sauf I allone of the roial lyne;
For Andronicus lik a tiraunt wood
Hath slay[e]n echon, breeffli to termyne;
His suerd of vengaunce thei myhte nat declyne.
Now purposeth of mortal tirannye,
Slen me also that am of ther allie.
Requeryng you in this consistorie,
O citeseyn[e]s that heer present bee,
To remembre and calle to memorie
How this famous imperial cite
Hath ay be redi to doon equite,
Besi also of ther hih noblesse
Wrong of tirauntes manli to represse.
O citeseyn[e]s that heer present bee,
To remembre and calle to memorie
How this famous imperial cite
Hath ay be redi to doon equite,
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Wrong of tirauntes manli to represse.
Philisophres and poetis eek deuise,
In ther sawes prudent and notable,
Blood of tirauntis is noble sacrefise
To God aboue, whan thei be vengable.
And sith ye bee rihtful, iust & stable,
In your werkis void of variaunce,
Weieth this mateer iustli in ballaunce.”
In ther sawes prudent and notable,
Blood of tirauntis is noble sacrefise
To God aboue, whan thei be vengable.
And sith ye bee rihtful, iust & stable,
In your werkis void of variaunce,
Weieth this mateer iustli in ballaunce.”
The peeple echon, alle of oon assent,
For outrages of this Andronicus
Put hym doun be rihtful iugement,
In whos place set up Isacius.
The said tiraunt, froward & furious,
Gan maligne and hymsiluen dresse
In his diffence to take a forteresse.
For outrages of this Andronicus
Put hym doun be rihtful iugement,
In whos place set up Isacius.
The said tiraunt, froward & furious,
Gan maligne and hymsiluen dresse
In his diffence to take a forteresse.
It halpe hym nat to make resistence,
So as he stood[e] void of al fauour;
Segid he was, and be violence,
Maugre his myht[e], rent out of that tour;
Spoilled cruelli; fond no bet socour,
Stood al nakid, quakyng in his peyne;
And first rent out oon of his eien tweyne.
So as he stood[e] void of al fauour;
Segid he was, and be violence,
Maugre his myht[e], rent out of that tour;
Spoilled cruelli; fond no bet socour,
Stood al nakid, quakyng in his peyne;
And first rent out oon of his eien tweyne.
And ouermor he hadde this reward,
Withoutyn help[e], socour or respiht,
Rood on an asse, his face set bakward,
The assis tail holdyng for despiht.
Whom to beholde the peeple hath deliht;
To poore and riche thoruhout the cite
Hym to rebuke was grantid liberte.
Withoutyn help[e], socour or respiht,
Rood on an asse, his face set bakward,
The assis tail holdyng for despiht.
Whom to beholde the peeple hath deliht;
To poore and riche thoruhout the cite
Hym to rebuke was grantid liberte.
Afftir al this, in a carte sette
And vengabli lad out off the toun,
Be doom Ihangid on an hih gibet.
The peeple on hym, to his confusioun,
Made [a] clamour and terrible soun,
Wolde neuer fro the galwes weende
Til in myscheeff bi deth he made an eende.
And vengabli lad out off the toun,
Be doom Ihangid on an hih gibet.
The peeple on hym, to his confusioun,
Made [a] clamour and terrible soun,
Wolde neuer fro the galwes weende
Til in myscheeff bi deth he made an eende.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |