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 Atreus accusid himsilf of mordre and his
brothir vpon auoutry don with Europa the quene.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Atreus accusid himsilf of mordre and his brothir vpon auoutry don with Europa the quene.]
Atreus afftir, with a ful pale cheer,
And off envie ful ded in his visage,
Onto Iohn Bochas gan approche neer,
Lich as he hadde be fallen in a rage,
And furiousli abraid in his langage,
“How may this be, that lik a man wer wood,
Thiestes hath his venym sowe a-brod,
And off envie ful ded in his visage,
Onto Iohn Bochas gan approche neer,
Lich as he hadde be fallen in a rage,
And furiousli abraid in his langage,
“How may this be, that lik a man wer wood,
Thiestes hath his venym sowe a-brod,
And lik a rebaude falsli me accusid,
Nat-withstandyng that I ful cleerli see
Myn infortunyes, which may nat be refusid,
So sore, allas, thei werke ageyn[e]s me!
And thouh Thiestes fals & ontrewe be,
And to the, Bochas, with a face pale
Ageyn[e]s me hath forged heer a tale
Nat-withstandyng that I ful cleerli see
Myn infortunyes, which may nat be refusid,
So sore, allas, thei werke ageyn[e]s me!
And thouh Thiestes fals & ontrewe be,
And to the, Bochas, with a face pale
Ageyn[e]s me hath forged heer a tale
Which in effect shal be founde ontrewe,
Yiff I ha[ue] space my compleynt to declare.
For I purpose to telle a tale newe
Fro poynt to poynt, & for no man to spare,
How he was roote & ground off al my care,
And euene lik as it is befall
Reherse the gynnyng off my sorwes all.
Yiff I ha[ue] space my compleynt to declare.
For I purpose to telle a tale newe
Fro poynt to poynt, & for no man to spare,
114
And euene lik as it is befall
Reherse the gynnyng off my sorwes all.
Whilom whan I regned in Messene,
Off age lusti, flouryng in my fresshnesse,
With my wyff Europa, that was queene,
Most renommed that tyme off hir fairnesse,
Thiestes thanne, ground off al falsnesse,
As a traitour his tyme dede espie,
Thoruh his fals fraude & his flat[e]rie
Off age lusti, flouryng in my fresshnesse,
With my wyff Europa, that was queene,
Most renommed that tyme off hir fairnesse,
Thiestes thanne, ground off al falsnesse,
As a traitour his tyme dede espie,
Thoruh his fals fraude & his flat[e]rie
Compassid a mene withynne my cite
Bi sleihti wilis that were incomparable,
To corrupte my wyuys chastite,
Mi bed defoulyng, a thyng intollerable,
And to the goddis verray abhomynable—
Vsyng the queen to his flesshli plesaunce,
Til onto tyme that bi continuaunce
Bi sleihti wilis that were incomparable,
To corrupte my wyuys chastite,
Mi bed defoulyng, a thyng intollerable,
And to the goddis verray abhomynable—
Vsyng the queen to his flesshli plesaunce,
Til onto tyme that bi continuaunce
She bi hym hadde sonys too or thre,
Echon brouht forth in fals auout[e]rye.
Deemyng euer that thei hadde be
Myn owne childre, til that I dede espie,
How that this swyn thoruh his fals lecherie,
This Thiestes, afftir Europa,
Lay bi his douhter callid Pellopia.
Echon brouht forth in fals auout[e]rye.
Deemyng euer that thei hadde be
Myn owne childre, til that I dede espie,
How that this swyn thoruh his fals lecherie,
This Thiestes, afftir Europa,
Lay bi his douhter callid Pellopia.
And bi processe foorth a child she brouhte,
Callid Egistus, which whan he cam to age,
As seith Bochas, ful gret tresoun he wrouhte;
For bi his malice and his gret outrage
Destroied was al hooli the lynage
Off Tantalus, which bi his lyuyng
In Frigia regned as lord and kyng.
Callid Egistus, which whan he cam to age,
As seith Bochas, ful gret tresoun he wrouhte;
For bi his malice and his gret outrage
Destroied was al hooli the lynage
Off Tantalus, which bi his lyuyng
In Frigia regned as lord and kyng.
But this Egistus, off whom I spak afforn,
Falsli begote, myn auctour writ the same,
Off Pelopia, anon as he was born,
To hide the sclaundre & also the diffame
Off Thiestes, and for to saue his name,
Whan that he was but a day off age,
He was out cast to beestis ful sauage
Falsli begote, myn auctour writ the same,
Off Pelopia, anon as he was born,
To hide the sclaundre & also the diffame
Off Thiestes, and for to saue his name,
115
He was out cast to beestis ful sauage
To be deuoured, the story is weel kouth.
A mylch[e] goot God list for hym prouyde,
To fostren hym in his tendre youth,
He day & nyht liggyng bi hir side.
Withynne the forest thus he dede abide
Onto tyme that he gan growe in age;
Thanne to the court he holdeth his passage,
A mylch[e] goot God list for hym prouyde,
To fostren hym in his tendre youth,
He day & nyht liggyng bi hir side.
Withynne the forest thus he dede abide
Onto tyme that he gan growe in age;
Thanne to the court he holdeth his passage,
As onknowe to eueri maner wiht,
Wher he herde, abidyng in houshold,
Off his kenreede, & how, ageyn al riht,
Thiestes was presumptuous and bold,
Bi his deceytis compassid manyfold,
With Europa my wiff to haue a-do,
And on Pelopia begat a child also,
Wher he herde, abidyng in houshold,
Off his kenreede, & how, ageyn al riht,
Thiestes was presumptuous and bold,
Bi his deceytis compassid manyfold,
With Europa my wiff to haue a-do,
And on Pelopia begat a child also,
Which was hymsilff, as he dede vndirstonde
Bi euydencis many mo than on.
Wherfore off malice he took on honde,
On me, his vncle, tauengid been anon.
For Thiestes, cheuest off all my fon,
Myn owne brothir, made Egistus blyue
To make a suerd thoruhout myn herte ryue.
Bi euydencis many mo than on.
Wherfore off malice he took on honde,
On me, his vncle, tauengid been anon.
For Thiestes, cheuest off all my fon,
Myn owne brothir, made Egistus blyue
To make a suerd thoruhout myn herte ryue.
Thus bi this moordre, conspired bi tresoun,
On me Atreus, liggyng pale and ded,
Cam Thiestes to haue possessioun,
And sette a crowne oniustli on his hed.
He nouther hadde conscience nor dreed,
Routheles to see my woundis bleede,
With this that he myhte in my land succeede.
On me Atreus, liggyng pale and ded,
Cam Thiestes to haue possessioun,
And sette a crowne oniustli on his hed.
He nouther hadde conscience nor dreed,
Routheles to see my woundis bleede,
With this that he myhte in my land succeede.
This same Egistus, ful falsli in his liff,
As a yong braunche spronge out off tresoun,
Lay bi Clymestra, which that was the wiff
Off the noble worthi kyng Agamenoun,
Liggyng a-siege toffor Troie toun.
And this Egistus, which is a thyng nat fair,
Moordred hym also in Grece at his repair.
As a yong braunche spronge out off tresoun,
Lay bi Clymestra, which that was the wiff
Off the noble worthi kyng Agamenoun,
Liggyng a-siege toffor Troie toun.
And this Egistus, which is a thyng nat fair,
Moordred hym also in Grece at his repair.
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Wherfore, O Bochas, off herte I pray[e] the,
Which off these stories is now most terrible?—
Off Edippus, Iocasta, or off me?
Telle on anon, yiff it be possible,
Which off ther sorwes is founde most penyble,
Off Theban brethre, most ful off wo & teene,
Or off vs tweyne brethern off Missene?
Which off these stories is now most terrible?—
Off Edippus, Iocasta, or off me?
Telle on anon, yiff it be possible,
Which off ther sorwes is founde most penyble,
Off Theban brethre, most ful off wo & teene,
Or off vs tweyne brethern off Missene?
I am a-knowe, as for my partie,
Off vengaunce I dede a cruel deede:
I slouh his childre off malice & envie
And rosted hem, whan that thei wer dede,
Onli because, yiff thou list take heede,
That he begat hem, as roote off al this striff,
Vpon Europa, which that was my wiff.
Off vengaunce I dede a cruel deede:
I slouh his childre off malice & envie
And rosted hem, whan that thei wer dede,
Onli because, yiff thou list take heede,
That he begat hem, as roote off al this striff,
Vpon Europa, which that was my wiff.
Such hatful thyngis echman sholde lothe,
Which appertene to moordre and to tresoun:
Thus may I seyn, we been vnhappi bothe,
He first bi trespas off fornycacioun
Doon bi the queen withynne my regioun,
And I, disclaundrid, on the tothir side,
Off hasti vengaunce to been an homycide.
Which appertene to moordre and to tresoun:
Thus may I seyn, we been vnhappi bothe,
He first bi trespas off fornycacioun
Doon bi the queen withynne my regioun,
And I, disclaundrid, on the tothir side,
Off hasti vengaunce to been an homycide.
My bed he fouled bi his auoutrie,
To God & man a thyng most detestable;
And I off malice and fals malencolie
Slouh his childre & serued hem atte table.
Thus entirchaungyng, yiff it be comendable,
Ech was desirous, thoruh our vnhappi chaunce,
Vpon other for to do vengaunce.
To God & man a thyng most detestable;
And I off malice and fals malencolie
Slouh his childre & serued hem atte table.
Thus entirchaungyng, yiff it be comendable,
Ech was desirous, thoruh our vnhappi chaunce,
Vpon other for to do vengaunce.
Our gret hatreede, most odious founde att all,
Our cruel deedis wrouht on outher side,
Senech rehersith hem in especiall
In his tragedies; and ther he doth deuyde
Our compleyntis, our malice & our pride,
Our fatal eende in sorwe & myscheeff fyned,
Whan Antropos our lyuys threed hath twyned.”
Our cruel deedis wrouht on outher side,
Senech rehersith hem in especiall
In his tragedies; and ther he doth deuyde
Our compleyntis, our malice & our pride,
Our fatal eende in sorwe & myscheeff fyned,
Whan Antropos our lyuys threed hath twyned.”
117
Whan Iohn Bochas fulli hadde espied
Off these too brethre thaccusaciouns,
And how thei hadde maliciousli replied
Ech ageyn other in ther discenciouns,
He gan dulle to heere ther mociouns,
Put vp his penne, & wrot nat mor a woord
Off the[r] furie nor off ther fals discord.
Off these too brethre thaccusaciouns,
And how thei hadde maliciousli replied
Ech ageyn other in ther discenciouns,
He gan dulle to heere ther mociouns,
Put vp his penne, & wrot nat mor a woord
Off the[r] furie nor off ther fals discord.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |