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 Charles kyng of Jerusalem and of Cecile for
Auaryce and avoutrie died at mischef.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
972
[How Charles kyng of Jerusalem and of Cecile for Auaryce and avoutrie died at mischef.]
Afftir thes forseid, rehersed in sentence,
As Bochas procedeth in his stile,
Kam noble Charlis unto his presence,
Kyng of Iherusalem and also of Cicile;
Of whos comyng myn auctour a gret while
Astonid was, to seen his knihtli face
With so good cheere com into the place.
As Bochas procedeth in his stile,
Kam noble Charlis unto his presence,
Kyng of Iherusalem and also of Cicile;
Of whos comyng myn auctour a gret while
Astonid was, to seen his knihtli face
With so good cheere com into the place.
For bi his port, who that beheeld hym weel,
Considred first his look & his visage,
It sempte he trad upon Fortunys wheel,
And of his noble marcial corage
Hadde of hir poweer getyn auauntage,
Shewyng hym-silf so fressh on ech partie,
Hir and hir myht did vttirly diffye.
Considred first his look & his visage,
It sempte he trad upon Fortunys wheel,
And of his noble marcial corage
Hadde of hir poweer getyn auauntage,
Shewyng hym-silf so fressh on ech partie,
Hir and hir myht did vttirly diffye.
First to comende his roial hih lynage,
And of his vertuous famous allyaunce,
As be writyng and preisyng with langage
The name of hym specialli tauaunce,
Seith he was bor[e]n of the blood of Fraunce;
And to encrece mor souereynli his prys,
Writ he was brother onto Seynt Lowis.
And of his vertuous famous allyaunce,
As be writyng and preisyng with langage
The name of hym specialli tauaunce,
Seith he was bor[e]n of the blood of Fraunce;
And to encrece mor souereynli his prys,
Writ he was brother onto Seynt Lowis.
Gaff to France this comendacioun:
So as Phebus passeth ech othir sterre,
Riht so that kyngdam in comparisoun
Passeth eueri lond, bothe nih & ferre,
In policie, be it of pes or werre;
For it transcendith, in pes be prouidence,
And in werre be knihtli excellence.
So as Phebus passeth ech othir sterre,
Riht so that kyngdam in comparisoun
Passeth eueri lond, bothe nih & ferre,
In policie, be it of pes or werre;
For it transcendith, in pes be prouidence,
And in werre be knihtli excellence.
Thes woordis be nat take out of myn auctour,—
Entitled heer for a remembraunce
Bi oon Laurence, which was a translatour
Of this processe, to comende Fraunce;
To preise that lond set al his plesaunce,
Seith influence of that roial lond
Made Charlis so worthi of his hond.
Entitled heer for a remembraunce
Bi oon Laurence, which was a translatour
Of this processe, to comende Fraunce;
To preise that lond set al his plesaunce,
973
Made Charlis so worthi of his hond.
Of whos noblesse Pope Vrban hadde ioie,
Hym to encrece for vertuous lyuyng,
Which that tyme was duk of Aungoie,
Aftir chose of Cicile to be kyng.
Of Pope Vrban requered be writyng,
Toward Rome that he shold hym dresse
Of kyng Manfroy the tirannye toppresse.
Hym to encrece for vertuous lyuyng,
Which that tyme was duk of Aungoie,
Aftir chose of Cicile to be kyng.
Of Pope Vrban requered be writyng,
Toward Rome that he shold hym dresse
Of kyng Manfroy the tirannye toppresse.
Ageyn the pope and hooli cherchis riht
This same Manfroy dide gret extorsioun.
Noble Charlis, as Goddis owne kniht,
Cam with strong hond up to Roome toun;
Which in his komyng gaf pocessioun
To Guyot Maunfort for to haue the garde
In his passage and gouerne the vaunwarde.
This same Manfroy dide gret extorsioun.
Noble Charlis, as Goddis owne kniht,
Cam with strong hond up to Roome toun;
Which in his komyng gaf pocessioun
To Guyot Maunfort for to haue the garde
In his passage and gouerne the vaunwarde.
Toward Roome with gret ordenaunce
Thei passed ouer the boundis of Itaille;
This manly kniht, this Charlis born in France,
Ladde with hym many strong bataille
The popis enmy manli for tassaille.
But al this while, to stonden at diffence
The said[e] Charlis fond no resistence.
Thei passed ouer the boundis of Itaille;
This manly kniht, this Charlis born in France,
Ladde with hym many strong bataille
The popis enmy manli for tassaille.
But al this while, to stonden at diffence
The said[e] Charlis fond no resistence.
Entryng Roome to be ther protectour,
Ful weel resceyuyd at his first entryng,
Chose and preferrid for cheef senatour
Bi the pope, most glad of his komyng;
Of Cicile was aftir crownid kyng,
And of Iherusalem, as maad is mencio[u]n,
Graunted to hym fulli pocessioun.
Ful weel resceyuyd at his first entryng,
Chose and preferrid for cheef senatour
Bi the pope, most glad of his komyng;
Of Cicile was aftir crownid kyng,
And of Iherusalem, as maad is mencio[u]n,
Graunted to hym fulli pocessioun.
Which in his gynnyng bar hym tho so weel,
Entryng that lond with knihtly apparaille,
Of Cassyne gat first the strong castel,
At Bonnevente hadde a gret bataille
With kyng Manfroy, whos parti did[e] faille.
To reherse shortli his auenture,
Charlis on hym made a disconfiture.
Entryng that lond with knihtly apparaille,
Of Cassyne gat first the strong castel,
At Bonnevente hadde a gret bataille
With kyng Manfroy, whos parti did[e] faille.
To reherse shortli his auenture,
Charlis on hym made a disconfiture.
974
In which[e] bataile kyng Manfroy was slayn;
And noble Charlis took pocessioun,
Wherof Romeyns wer ful glad & fayn.
Yit in Cicile ther was rebellioun,
But their wer brouht onto subieccioun.
Than Coradyn, record of old writing,
Sone of Conrade cleymed to be kyng.
And noble Charlis took pocessioun,
Wherof Romeyns wer ful glad & fayn.
Yit in Cicile ther was rebellioun,
But their wer brouht onto subieccioun.
Than Coradyn, record of old writing,
Sone of Conrade cleymed to be kyng.
Gan make hym strong, proudli took his place
At Aligate, a famous old cite.
Noble Charlis with knihtli cheer & face
Fill upon hym, made hym for to flee.
And to sette reste in the contre,
Tauoide trouble & make al thing certayn,
Gaff iugement Coradyn to be slayn.
At Aligate, a famous old cite.
Noble Charlis with knihtli cheer & face
Fill upon hym, made hym for to flee.
And to sette reste in the contre,
Tauoide trouble & make al thing certayn,
Gaff iugement Coradyn to be slayn.
Among kinges notable and glorious,
Charlis was put, as maad is mencioun,
Lik a prince strong and victorious
In ful pesible and hool pocessioun
Of Cicile and al that regioun,
Ageyn[e]s whom was non dissobeissaunce,
Yolde of hool herte to his gouernaunce.
Charlis was put, as maad is mencioun,
Lik a prince strong and victorious
In ful pesible and hool pocessioun
Of Cicile and al that regioun,
Ageyn[e]s whom was non dissobeissaunce,
Yolde of hool herte to his gouernaunce.
Be title also off his alliaunce,
Fortune gretli did hym magnefie;
For as it is Iput in remembraunce,
The noble princesse that callid was Marye,
Douhtir to Steuene regnyng in Hungrye,
Iioyned was and knet in mariage
To Charlis sone, tencres of his lynage.
Fortune gretli did hym magnefie;
For as it is Iput in remembraunce,
The noble princesse that callid was Marye,
Douhtir to Steuene regnyng in Hungrye,
Iioyned was and knet in mariage
To Charlis sone, tencres of his lynage.
The same Charlis be auctorite
Of the pope, so as hym list ordeyne,
Was eek maad kyng of the gret cite
Callid Iherusalem, of touns most souereyne;
Be which[e] title he bar crownis tweyne.
His brothir Lowis, olde bookis seye,
The same tyme in Egipt gan werreye.
Of the pope, so as hym list ordeyne,
Was eek maad kyng of the gret cite
Callid Iherusalem, of touns most souereyne;
Be which[e] title he bar crownis tweyne.
His brothir Lowis, olde bookis seye,
The same tyme in Egipt gan werreye.
Gat al the contrees abouten enviroun,
Which that Sarsyns did falsli occupie;
Brouht hem ageyn[e] to subieccioun
Of Iherusalem, that lond to magnefie:
Cartage in Affrik, with al ther regalie,
And alle the contrees beyng afforn contrarye,
To kyng Charlis becam tributarye.
Which that Sarsyns did falsli occupie;
975
Of Iherusalem, that lond to magnefie:
Cartage in Affrik, with al ther regalie,
And alle the contrees beyng afforn contrarye,
To kyng Charlis becam tributarye.
Thus while he sat hiest in his glorie,
Lik Phebus shynyng in his mydday speere,
With many conquest and many gret victorie,
Whan his noblesse shon most briht & cleere,
The same tyme, with a frownyng cheere,
Fortune gan from Charlis turne hir face
And hym berafte his fauour and his grace.
Lik Phebus shynyng in his mydday speere,
With many conquest and many gret victorie,
Whan his noblesse shon most briht & cleere,
The same tyme, with a frownyng cheere,
Fortune gan from Charlis turne hir face
And hym berafte his fauour and his grace.
This lady Fortune doth seelde in oon contune,
She is so gerissh of condicioun,
A sorceresse, a traitour in comune,
Caste a fals mene to his destruccioun,
Oon of his sonys slay[e]n with poisoun,
Which did eclipse, myn auctour doth expresse,
A ful gret part of [al] his old gladnesse.
She is so gerissh of condicioun,
A sorceresse, a traitour in comune,
Caste a fals mene to his destruccioun,
Oon of his sonys slay[e]n with poisoun,
Which did eclipse, myn auctour doth expresse,
A ful gret part of [al] his old gladnesse.
He was disclaundrid of the grete vice
Which apparteneth onto tirannye,
I meene the vice of froward auarice,
Which is contrarie gretli to cheualrie;
Diffamed also of fals auoutrie,
Which was susteened thoruh his meyntenaunce
Withynne that lond[e] be a kniht of Fraunce.
Which apparteneth onto tirannye,
I meene the vice of froward auarice,
Which is contrarie gretli to cheualrie;
Diffamed also of fals auoutrie,
Which was susteened thoruh his meyntenaunce
Withynne that lond[e] be a kniht of Fraunce.
The same kniht abidyng in his hous,
Al Cicile troublid with that deede:
The grete offence was so disclaundrous,
Thoruh al the regioun that it began to spreede;
For thilke woman, pleynli as I reede,
Was wyff to oon which suffred this offence
And to be vengid dide his dilligence.
Al Cicile troublid with that deede:
The grete offence was so disclaundrous,
Thoruh al the regioun that it began to spreede;
For thilke woman, pleynli as I reede,
Was wyff to oon which suffred this offence
And to be vengid dide his dilligence.
Iohn Prosithe pleynli was his name,
Which cast hym fulli auengid for to be,
That kyng Charlis sholde ber the blame,
Slen al Frensh-men that bood in that contre,
Withoute grace, merci or pite.
And for to doon ful execucioun
Requered was the kyng of Arragoun.
Which cast hym fulli auengid for to be,
That kyng Charlis sholde ber the blame,
Slen al Frensh-men that bood in that contre,
Withoute grace, merci or pite.
976
Requered was the kyng of Arragoun.
Loste of Cicile al hool the regioun
With the obeissaunce of many gret cite,
And of Iherusalem the pocessioun;
Fill be processe in gret aduersite,
And last, constreyned with greuous pouerte,
To God most meekli, with ful heuy cheere,
Soone to be ded[e]; this was his praieere.
With the obeissaunce of many gret cite,
And of Iherusalem the pocessioun;
Fill be processe in gret aduersite,
And last, constreyned with greuous pouerte,
To God most meekli, with ful heuy cheere,
Soone to be ded[e]; this was his praieere.
Supprised he was with sorwe in his corage;
Loste his force; fill into malladie;
Languisshed foorth til he gan falle in age,
Ageyn Fortune fond no remedie.
And be thoccasioun of fals auoutrie
Fill to myscheeff; and for sorwe & dreed
This Charlis deide; no mor of hym I reede.
Loste his force; fill into malladie;
Languisshed foorth til he gan falle in age,
Ageyn Fortune fond no remedie.
And be thoccasioun of fals auoutrie
Fill to myscheeff; and for sorwe & dreed
This Charlis deide; no mor of hym I reede.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |