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 preis of Bochas & suerte that stondith in pouert. |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
The preis of Bochas & suerte that stondith in pouert.
These grete lordshipes, these hih[e] dignites,
Cheeff thyng annexid onto ther regalie,
Whan thei sitten hiest in ther sees,
And round aboute stant ther cheualrie,
Dreed entreth in, pereil and envie,
And onwar chaung[e], which no man may knowe,
The hour whan Fortune will make hem loute lowe.
Cheeff thyng annexid onto ther regalie,
Whan thei sitten hiest in ther sees,
And round aboute stant ther cheualrie,
Dreed entreth in, pereil and envie,
And onwar chaung[e], which no man may knowe,
The hour whan Fortune will make hem loute lowe.
173
Thei may weel holden a statli gret houshold,
With a veyn trust ther power sholde ay laste,
Clad in ther mantles off purpil, perle & gold,
And on the wheel off Fortune clymbe up faste—
Lich as she myhte neuer doun hem caste;
But ay the hiere ther clymbyng is att all,
Allas, the sorere is ther onhappi fall.
With a veyn trust ther power sholde ay laste,
Clad in ther mantles off purpil, perle & gold,
And on the wheel off Fortune clymbe up faste—
Lich as she myhte neuer doun hem caste;
But ay the hiere ther clymbyng is att all,
Allas, the sorere is ther onhappi fall.
The fal off Priam and kyng Agamenoun
Ouhte off riht mor to be compleynyd,
Whan Fortune hadde hem pullid doun
And off hir malice hath at hem disdeynyd,
Than yiff thei neuer to worshepe hadde atteynyd;
But ther fallyng was the more greuous
Because thei wern toforn so glorious.
Ouhte off riht mor to be compleynyd,
Whan Fortune hadde hem pullid doun
And off hir malice hath at hem disdeynyd,
Than yiff thei neuer to worshepe hadde atteynyd;
But ther fallyng was the more greuous
Because thei wern toforn so glorious.
O thou Pouert, meek, humble and debonaire,
Which that kepest the lawes off Nature,
For sodeyn chaunges thou wilt nat disespaire,
So art thou fraunchised fro Fortunys lure;
Alle hir assautis thou lowli doost endure,
That she may haue no iurediccioun
To interupte thi possessioun.
Which that kepest the lawes off Nature,
For sodeyn chaunges thou wilt nat disespaire,
So art thou fraunchised fro Fortunys lure;
Alle hir assautis thou lowli doost endure,
That she may haue no iurediccioun
To interupte thi possessioun.
Thou settist litil bi al worldli richesse,
Nor be his tresours which be transitorie;
Thou scornest hem that ther sheltrouns dresse
Toward batailles for conquest and victorie;
Thou despisist al shynyng off veynglorie,
Laude off tryumphes which conquerours ha[ue] souht,
With all ther pillages, thou settist hem at nouht.
Nor be his tresours which be transitorie;
Thou scornest hem that ther sheltrouns dresse
Toward batailles for conquest and victorie;
Thou despisist al shynyng off veynglorie,
Laude off tryumphes which conquerours ha[ue] souht,
With all ther pillages, thou settist hem at nouht.
Thou dispreisist al superfluite;
Non infortunye may chaunge thi corage:
And the shippis that saile bi the se
With marchaundise among the floodis rage,
Ther auentures and ther pereilous passage—
Lyff, bodi, good, al put in auenture
Onli for lucre, gret richesse to recure—
Non infortunye may chaunge thi corage:
And the shippis that saile bi the se
With marchaundise among the floodis rage,
Ther auentures and ther pereilous passage—
Lyff, bodi, good, al put in auenture
Onli for lucre, gret richesse to recure—
174
Off al such thyng thou takest litil heede,
Nor off that peeple that maneres do purchace,
Nor off plederes, which for lucre & meede
Meyntene quarelis & questis doon enbrace,
Thou hem beholdest with a ful stille face,
Ther sotil werkyng souht out for the nonys,
And sodenli departe from al attonys.
Nor off that peeple that maneres do purchace,
Nor off plederes, which for lucre & meede
Meyntene quarelis & questis doon enbrace,
Thou hem beholdest with a ful stille face,
Ther sotil werkyng souht out for the nonys,
And sodenli departe from al attonys.
Thou canst in litil also haue suffisaunce,
And art content with ful smal dispence;
For thi richesse and thyn habundaunce
Withoute gruchchyng is humble pacience.
Yiff any man do to the offence,
Thou foryetist and lihtli canst foryiue;
To the suffisith so [that] thou maist lyue.
And art content with ful smal dispence;
For thi richesse and thyn habundaunce
Withoute gruchchyng is humble pacience.
Yiff any man do to the offence,
Thou foryetist and lihtli canst foryiue;
To the suffisith so [that] thou maist lyue.
The sterrid heuene is thi couerture
In somer sesoun; vnder the leuys greene
Thou makest thi duellyng & doost thiselff assure
Ageyn gret heetis off the sunne sheene:
Content with frutis & watir cristal cleene
To staunche thyn hunger & thi thrustis sore,
Afftir the sesouns, & carest for no more.
In somer sesoun; vnder the leuys greene
Thou makest thi duellyng & doost thiselff assure
Ageyn gret heetis off the sunne sheene:
Content with frutis & watir cristal cleene
To staunche thyn hunger & thi thrustis sore,
Afftir the sesouns, & carest for no more.
Pouert eek liggith the colde wyntris nyht
Wrappid in strauh, withoute compleynynge;
Withoute dreed he go[e]th glad and liht,
And tofor theuys he merili doth synge:
He goth also withoute patisynge
Fro lond to lond among[es] poore & riche;
For freend and fo to hym be bothe aliche.
Wrappid in strauh, withoute compleynynge;
Withoute dreed he go[e]th glad and liht,
And tofor theuys he merili doth synge:
He goth also withoute patisynge
Fro lond to lond among[es] poore & riche;
For freend and fo to hym be bothe aliche.
Moral Senec recordeth be writyng,
Richest off thynges is Glad Pouerte,
Euer off o cheer[e], void off al gruchchyng,
Bothe in ioie and in aduersite:
Thoruh al the world[e] last hir liberte,
And hir fraunchise stant in so gret ese,
That off hir fredam no man will hir displese.
Richest off thynges is Glad Pouerte,
Euer off o cheer[e], void off al gruchchyng,
Bothe in ioie and in aduersite:
Thoruh al the world[e] last hir liberte,
And hir fraunchise stant in so gret ese,
That off hir fredam no man will hir displese.
175
She is norice off studie & off doctryne,
In vertuous labour doth hir dilligence;
And off sciences, which that be dyuyne,
She is callid mooder be clerkis, in sentence.
Off philisophres most had in reuerence,
Fortune and she so ferr assonder varie,
That ech to other off custum is contrarie.
In vertuous labour doth hir dilligence;
And off sciences, which that be dyuyne,
She is callid mooder be clerkis, in sentence.
Off philisophres most had in reuerence,
Fortune and she so ferr assonder varie,
That ech to other off custum is contrarie.
Hir hertili ioie is for to lyue in pes,
Hateth tumulte, noise and disturbaunce;
For hir disciple, callid Zenocrates,
In wilful pouert set hooli his plesaunce,
Sobre off his port, thoruh whose attemp[e]raunce
Ful many a man bexaumple off his techyng
Wer brouht to vertu fro vicious lyuyng.
Hateth tumulte, noise and disturbaunce;
For hir disciple, callid Zenocrates,
In wilful pouert set hooli his plesaunce,
Sobre off his port, thoruh whose attemp[e]raunce
Ful many a man bexaumple off his techyng
Wer brouht to vertu fro vicious lyuyng.
His diete was so mesurable
And deuoid off superfluite,
That his corage he kepte ferme & stable,
Fro flesshli lustis he was so attempre:
Resoun maistred his sensualite,
Desirs onleefful for to sette a-side;
Duryng his liff Pouert was his guide.
And deuoid off superfluite,
That his corage he kepte ferme & stable,
Fro flesshli lustis he was so attempre:
Resoun maistred his sensualite,
Desirs onleefful for to sette a-side;
Duryng his liff Pouert was his guide.
His abidyng and conuersacioun
Was in placis that were solitarie;
Mong trees & wellis he bilt hym a donioun,
With multitude he hated for to tarie:
For Pouerte was his secretarie,
Sobre off his cheer & stable off his entent,
And in Athenes first to scoole he went.
Was in placis that were solitarie;
Mong trees & wellis he bilt hym a donioun,
With multitude he hated for to tarie:
For Pouerte was his secretarie,
Sobre off his cheer & stable off his entent,
And in Athenes first to scoole he went.
He was so myhti off auctorite,
Rihtwisnesse & iustice to obserue,
That rihtful iuges his sentence took at gre:
He coude his mouth & tunge so weel preserue,
That in the temple onys off Mynerue,
Withoutyn oth, onto his sentence,
To that he saide the iuges gaff credence.
Rihtwisnesse & iustice to obserue,
That rihtful iuges his sentence took at gre:
He coude his mouth & tunge so weel preserue,
That in the temple onys off Mynerue,
Withoutyn oth, onto his sentence,
To that he saide the iuges gaff credence.
176
He axed was among gret audience,
Whi he was soleyn off his daliaunce:
His answere was, that neuer for silence
Thoruh litil spekyng he felte no greuaunce.
Spech onavised causeth repentaunce;
And rakil tunges, for lak off refreynyng,
To many a man hath be ful gret hyndryng.
Whi he was soleyn off his daliaunce:
His answere was, that neuer for silence
Thoruh litil spekyng he felte no greuaunce.
Spech onavised causeth repentaunce;
And rakil tunges, for lak off refreynyng,
To many a man hath be ful gret hyndryng.
Diogenes, trewe heir and next allied
To wilful pouert be iust enheritaunce,—
For al richesse he pleynli hath diffied,
It was to hym so gret[e] encumbraunce
With worldli tresour to haue alliaunce.
His duellyng made withynne a litil tunne,
Which turned a-boute with concours off the sunne,
To wilful pouert be iust enheritaunce,—
For al richesse he pleynli hath diffied,
It was to hym so gret[e] encumbraunce
With worldli tresour to haue alliaunce.
His duellyng made withynne a litil tunne,
Which turned a-boute with concours off the sunne,
Hymselff refresshyng with hete off Phebus bemys;
For he was content, God wot, with ful lite.
Kyng Alisaundre, that conquered rewmys,
Cam ridyng doun, & gan hymselff delite
This philisophre to seen and visite,
Hymselff sequestred sool from al the pres,
And cam alone to seen Diogenes.
For he was content, God wot, with ful lite.
Kyng Alisaundre, that conquered rewmys,
Cam ridyng doun, & gan hymselff delite
This philisophre to seen and visite,
Hymselff sequestred sool from al the pres,
And cam alone to seen Diogenes.
Proffred to hym gret richesse & tresour,
Bad hym aske what thyng that he wolde,
That myhte hym plese or doon to hym socour;
But off al that, he nothyng ne tolde,
But praied hym ful lowli, that he sholde
Nat drawe from hym þat thyng, ageyn al riht,
Which for to yiue lay nat in his myht.
Bad hym aske what thyng that he wolde,
That myhte hym plese or doon to hym socour;
But off al that, he nothyng ne tolde,
But praied hym ful lowli, that he sholde
Nat drawe from hym þat thyng, ageyn al riht,
Which for to yiue lay nat in his myht.
“What thyng is that?” quod Alisaundre ageyn,
“I ha[ue] be conquest al ertheli tresour wonne.”
The philisophre seide he spak in veyn,
“Thou hast,” quod he, “no lordshep off the sonne.
Thi shadwe lettith his bemys fro my tonne;
And sithe thou hast no power off his liht,
I pray the freendli, forbarre me nat his siht.”
“I ha[ue] be conquest al ertheli tresour wonne.”
The philisophre seide he spak in veyn,
“Thou hast,” quod he, “no lordshep off the sonne.
Thi shadwe lettith his bemys fro my tonne;
177
I pray the freendli, forbarre me nat his siht.”
Thouh Alisaundre was myhti off puissaunce,
And al the world[e] hadde in his demeyne,
Yit was his resoun vnder thobeisaunce
Off flesshli lustis fetrid in a cheyne;
For in his persone will was souereyne,
His resoun bridled be sensualite,
Troublyng the fredam off riht & equite.
And al the world[e] hadde in his demeyne,
Yit was his resoun vnder thobeisaunce
Off flesshli lustis fetrid in a cheyne;
For in his persone will was souereyne,
His resoun bridled be sensualite,
Troublyng the fredam off riht & equite.
For where that will hath dominacioun
In a prynce, which sholde sustene riht,
And parcial fauour oppressith his resoun,
And trouthes title is bor doun with myht,
And egall doom hath lost his cleer[e] lyht:
Thouh for a sesoun thei sitte in hih[e] chaieres,
Ther fame shal fade withynne a fewe yeres.
In a prynce, which sholde sustene riht,
And parcial fauour oppressith his resoun,
And trouthes title is bor doun with myht,
And egall doom hath lost his cleer[e] lyht:
Thouh for a sesoun thei sitte in hih[e] chaieres,
Ther fame shal fade withynne a fewe yeres.
In this mater mak a comparisoun
Twen Alisaundre and Diogenes:
The ton endured but a short sesoun,
For that he loued werre more than pes;
And for the tother was nat rech[e]les,
But heeld hym content with gifftis off Nature,
Onto gret age his pouert dede endure.
Twen Alisaundre and Diogenes:
The ton endured but a short sesoun,
For that he loued werre more than pes;
And for the tother was nat rech[e]les,
But heeld hym content with gifftis off Nature,
Onto gret age his pouert dede endure.
Alisaundre was slay[e]n with poisoun,
In his triumphes whan he dede excell;
But in a tonne that lay ful lowe doun
Diogenes drank watir off the well.
And off ther eende the difference to tell,
Alisaundre with couetise was blent;
The philisophre with litil was content.
In his triumphes whan he dede excell;
But in a tonne that lay ful lowe doun
Diogenes drank watir off the well.
And off ther eende the difference to tell,
Alisaundre with couetise was blent;
The philisophre with litil was content.
Blessid be pouert, that may endure longe,
Maugre the fraude & daunger off Fortune,
Where-as kynges & emperour[e]s stronge
In ther estat no while may contune.
And off all vertues rekned in comune,
Tween indigence and gret habundaunce,
Is a good mene content with suffisaunce.
Maugre the fraude & daunger off Fortune,
Where-as kynges & emperour[e]s stronge
In ther estat no while may contune.
And off all vertues rekned in comune,
Tween indigence and gret habundaunce,
Is a good mene content with suffisaunce.
178
For with gret plente men be nat assurid,
Afftir ther lust alway to lyue in ese;
And thouh that men gret tresour han recurid,
With ther richesse thei feele many disese:
Lordis ha[ue] nat all thynge that may hem plese;
But hertili ioie, philisophres expresse,
Is grettest tresour tween pouert & richesse.
Afftir ther lust alway to lyue in ese;
And thouh that men gret tresour han recurid,
With ther richesse thei feele many disese:
Lordis ha[ue] nat all thynge that may hem plese;
But hertili ioie, philisophres expresse,
Is grettest tresour tween pouert & richesse.
For this chapitle sheweth a figure,
A maner liknesse and demonstracioun,
How Diogenes lengere dede endure
Than myhti Priam or kyng Lamedoun:
Texemplefie, in conclusioun,
Ther is mor trust in vertuous symplesse,
Than in presumyng off vicious fals richesse.
A maner liknesse and demonstracioun,
How Diogenes lengere dede endure
Than myhti Priam or kyng Lamedoun:
Texemplefie, in conclusioun,
Ther is mor trust in vertuous symplesse,
Than in presumyng off vicious fals richesse.
For thauoutrie off Paris and Heleyne
Brouhte al Troye to destruccioun;
Pride & luxure were also menys tweyne
Whi Grekis leide a siege to the toun,
And fynal cause off ther confusioun,
To outher parti losse off many a man,
The ground conceyued whi first the werre gan.
Brouhte al Troye to destruccioun;
Pride & luxure were also menys tweyne
Whi Grekis leide a siege to the toun,
And fynal cause off ther confusioun,
To outher parti losse off many a man,
The ground conceyued whi first the werre gan.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |