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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[The laste lenvoye direct vn to my lord.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[The laste lenvoye direct vn to my lord.]
Noble Prynce, remembreth al this thynges,
Peyseth of resoun, lefft vp your eye and se,
As your lyne conveyed is fro kynges,
How vertu longeth vn-to dignyte.
[What folwith afftyr? grace & prosperite.]
Hath this in mynde and theron doth attende,
Mawgre Fortvnys mutabilite,
Ye shal to-Godward encresyn and ascende.
Peyseth of resoun, lefft vp your eye and se,
As your lyne conveyed is fro kynges,
How vertu longeth vn-to dignyte.
[What folwith afftyr? grace & prosperite.]
Hath this in mynde and theron doth attende,
Mawgre Fortvnys mutabilite,
Ye shal to-Godward encresyn and ascende.
Off humble entent, with herte & hand quakyng,
Directe this book vn-to your mageste;
In which ye may, at good leyseer redyng,
Seen dyvers chaunges of worldly vanyte,—
Prynces cast doun from ther imperyal se,
For they wer froward, lyst nat condiscende
Vertu to sewe and vices [for] to fle,
So to-Godward tencresen and ascende.
Directe this book vn-to your mageste;
In which ye may, at good leyseer redyng,
Seen dyvers chaunges of worldly vanyte,—
Prynces cast doun from ther imperyal se,
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Vertu to sewe and vices [for] to fle,
So to-Godward tencresen and ascende.
Fal of othir thorugh vicious lyvyng,
Somme dysgradyd vn-to ful lowh degre,
Off providence lat ther chastysyng
For lak of grace, to yow a merour be.
Wher vertu regnyth, ther is felycite
In suych as lyst ther froward lyff tamende;
Whoo lovith that Lord which hath the souereynte
Shal ay be grace encresyn and ascende.
Somme dysgradyd vn-to ful lowh degre,
Off providence lat ther chastysyng
For lak of grace, to yow a merour be.
Wher vertu regnyth, ther is felycite
In suych as lyst ther froward lyff tamende;
Whoo lovith that Lord which hath the souereynte
Shal ay be grace encresyn and ascende.
Though your estat lyk Phebus wer shynyng,
Yit, for al that, ye haue no sewerte,
How long[e] tyme is here your abydyng;
Age, with hire cosyn callyd Infirmyte,
Wyl cleyme hire ryght of verry dewete;
Deth takith no mede; afforn he wyl not sende.
Provide your-sylff whyl ye haue liberte,
Dayly in vertu tencresyn and ascende.
Yit, for al that, ye haue no sewerte,
How long[e] tyme is here your abydyng;
Age, with hire cosyn callyd Infirmyte,
Wyl cleyme hire ryght of verry dewete;
Deth takith no mede; afforn he wyl not sende.
Provide your-sylff whyl ye haue liberte,
Dayly in vertu tencresyn and ascende.
As men dysserve, be record of wrytyng,
An expert thyng by old auctoryte,
Ye shal receyve your mede or your punysshyng,
By egal peys of trouthe and equite.
Beth war afforn, folk haue ther tounges fre,
Lyk your dyscert shal rede your legende;
This verray soth, voyde of duplycite,
Yevith hem cause to preye ye may ascende.
An expert thyng by old auctoryte,
Ye shal receyve your mede or your punysshyng,
By egal peys of trouthe and equite.
Beth war afforn, folk haue ther tounges fre,
Lyk your dyscert shal rede your legende;
This verray soth, voyde of duplycite,
Yevith hem cause to preye ye may ascende.
Off hyh prudence aforn ymagynyng,
Yiff vertu guye your magnanymyte,
Than good[e] repoort afftir your partyng
Shal floure and shyne in euery comounte.
Almesse partyd to folk in poverte,
And compassyoun the poraylle to amende,
Is beest[e] mene toward the hevenly se
By vertuous lyff tencresyn and ascende.
Yiff vertu guye your magnanymyte,
Than good[e] repoort afftir your partyng
Shal floure and shyne in euery comounte.
Almesse partyd to folk in poverte,
And compassyoun the poraylle to amende,
Is beest[e] mene toward the hevenly se
By vertuous lyff tencresyn and ascende.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |