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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[Off mighty Sampson whiche tolde his counsaile
to Dalida wherby he was deceived.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[Off mighty Sampson whiche tolde his counsaile to Dalida wherby he was deceived.]
Who was mor myhti or strong than Sampson?
Non mor delyuer, þe Bible berth witnesse:
Withoute wepne he slouh a fers leoun,
And for his enmyes to hym dede expresse
His vnkouth problem, anon he gan hym dresse
Geyn Philistes, and slouh off hem thretti,
To paie his promys spoiled hem bi and bi.
Non mor delyuer, þe Bible berth witnesse:
Withoute wepne he slouh a fers leoun,
And for his enmyes to hym dede expresse
His vnkouth problem, anon he gan hym dresse
Geyn Philistes, and slouh off hem thretti,
To paie his promys spoiled hem bi and bi.
His problem was, the text thus rehersyng,
Afftir the lettir in veray sothfastnesse:
“Ther cam out mete off a thyng etyng,
And fro the stronge ther wente out suetnesse.”
But his wiff, off froward doubilnesse,
Which euer wrouhte to his disauail,
Off worthi Sampson tolde the counsail:
Afftir the lettir in veray sothfastnesse:
“Ther cam out mete off a thyng etyng,
And fro the stronge ther wente out suetnesse.”
But his wiff, off froward doubilnesse,
Which euer wrouhte to his disauail,
Off worthi Sampson tolde the counsail:
“What is mor strong than is a leoun,
Or mor soote than hony in tastyng?”—
But women haue this condicioun,
Off secre thynges whan thei haue knowlechyng,
Thei bollyn inward, ther hertis ay fretyng:
Outher thei musten deien or discure,
So brotil is off custum ther nature.
Or mor soote than hony in tastyng?”—
But women haue this condicioun,
Off secre thynges whan thei haue knowlechyng,
Thei bollyn inward, ther hertis ay fretyng:
Outher thei musten deien or discure,
So brotil is off custum ther nature.
180
This was the cas: the leoun that was ded,
Ageyn the sonne gapyng lay vpriht;
A swarm off been entred in his hed,
Off whom ther cam hony anon riht.
And whan Sampson theroff hadde a siht,
He fantasied in his opynyoun
Ful secreli this proposicioun,
Ageyn the sonne gapyng lay vpriht;
A swarm off been entred in his hed,
Off whom ther cam hony anon riht.
And whan Sampson theroff hadde a siht,
He fantasied in his opynyoun
Ful secreli this proposicioun,
As ye han herd, and gan it foorth purpose,
That Philistes to hym it sholde expowne,
Vnder a peyne the trouthe to hym onclose.
But with his wiff thei preueli gan rowne;
And she on Sampson gan compleyne & frowne,
And feynyngli so longe vpon hym weepe,
That he nat coude his counsail from hir keepe.
That Philistes to hym it sholde expowne,
Vnder a peyne the trouthe to hym onclose.
But with his wiff thei preueli gan rowne;
And she on Sampson gan compleyne & frowne,
And feynyngli so longe vpon hym weepe,
That he nat coude his counsail from hir keepe.
Which whan she kneuh, she made no tarieng,
But pleyn and hool she gan it to declare.
Such double trust is in ther wepyng;
To keepe ther tunges wommen can nat spare.
Such wepyng wyues, euel mut thei fare!
And all husbondis, I pray God yiue hem sorwe,
That to hem tell ther counseil eue or morwe.
But pleyn and hool she gan it to declare.
Such double trust is in ther wepyng;
To keepe ther tunges wommen can nat spare.
Such wepyng wyues, euel mut thei fare!
And all husbondis, I pray God yiue hem sorwe,
That to hem tell ther counseil eue or morwe.
She told hem hool, she tolde it hem nat halff;
And Sampson thanne gan vpon hem smyle,
“Yiff ye nat hadde herd it in my calff,
Ye sholde nat a founde it a gret while.”
Who may be seur, wher women list begile!—
Thouh bookis Sampson off strengthe so comende,
Yit durste he nat ageyn his wiff offende.
And Sampson thanne gan vpon hem smyle,
“Yiff ye nat hadde herd it in my calff,
Ye sholde nat a founde it a gret while.”
Who may be seur, wher women list begile!—
Thouh bookis Sampson off strengthe so comende,
Yit durste he nat ageyn his wiff offende.
This myhti Sampson dede also his peyne,
Thre hundred foxis onys that he fond,
He took her tailes, knet hem tweyne & tweyne,
And amyd euerich he sette a feer-brond;
And as thei ran in Philistes lond,
So furiousli vp and doun thei wente,
That thei her frutis & ther vynes brente.
Thre hundred foxis onys that he fond,
He took her tailes, knet hem tweyne & tweyne,
And amyd euerich he sette a feer-brond;
And as thei ran in Philistes lond,
So furiousli vp and doun thei wente,
That thei her frutis & ther vynes brente.
Eek be tresoun whan he was onys bounde
With newe cordis as he lay and sleep,
Ther cam thre thousand, which that Sampson founde,
Tamoordred hym, or that he took keep:
He brak his bondis, and vp anon he leep,
Off an asse [he] cauhte a chaule-bon,
And a thousand he slouh off hem anon.
With newe cordis as he lay and sleep,
Ther cam thre thousand, which that Sampson founde,
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He brak his bondis, and vp anon he leep,
Off an asse [he] cauhte a chaule-bon,
And a thousand he slouh off hem anon.
He gan to feynte & hadde a sodeyn lust
For to drynke, fadid face and cheer;
And God sente hym to staunche with his thrust
From thassis toth watir cristal cleer,
Which that sprang out large as a ryuer,
Refresshid his sperit, which afforn gan dull,
Til that he hadde off watir drunke his full.
For to drynke, fadid face and cheer;
And God sente hym to staunche with his thrust
From thassis toth watir cristal cleer,
Which that sprang out large as a ryuer,
Refresshid his sperit, which afforn gan dull,
Til that he hadde off watir drunke his full.
Afftir he wente to Gazam the cite,
Mong all his enmyes, that were off gret myht,
To his plesaunce where he dede see
A ful fair woman, lay with hire al nyht,
And on the morwe, longe or it was lyht,
Maugre the wach, vpon his shuldres squar
The gatis stronge vp to an hill he bar.
Mong all his enmyes, that were off gret myht,
To his plesaunce where he dede see
A ful fair woman, lay with hire al nyht,
And on the morwe, longe or it was lyht,
Maugre the wach, vpon his shuldres squar
The gatis stronge vp to an hill he bar.
And in a vale which callid was Soret
Ful hoote he loued Dalida the faire,
On whom his herte was ful sore set,
She koude hir feyne so meek & debonaire,
Make hym such cheer whan that hym list repaire.
But I dar calle hir Dalida the double,
Cheeff roote & cause off al his mortal trouble.
Ful hoote he loued Dalida the faire,
On whom his herte was ful sore set,
She koude hir feyne so meek & debonaire,
Make hym such cheer whan that hym list repaire.
But I dar calle hir Dalida the double,
Cheeff roote & cause off al his mortal trouble.
He neuer drank wynes whiht nor red,
Off Nazarees such is the goueraunce;
Rasour nor sheer touchid neuer his hed,
For in long growyng stondeth ther plesaunce.
And this Sampson, most myhti off substaunce,
Hadde al his force be influence off heuene,
B[y] heris wexyng, that were in noumbre seuene.
Off Nazarees such is the goueraunce;
Rasour nor sheer touchid neuer his hed,
For in long growyng stondeth ther plesaunce.
And this Sampson, most myhti off substaunce,
Hadde al his force be influence off heuene,
B[y] heris wexyng, that were in noumbre seuene.
It was ful secre in euery manys siht,
Among peeple told for an vnkouth thyng,
Wheroff Sampson hadde so gret myht,
Outward shewed bi force off his werkyng.
But Dalida with hir flateryng
Wolde neuer stynte, enqueryng euer among,
Til that she kneuh wherbi he was so strong.
Among peeple told for an vnkouth thyng,
Wheroff Sampson hadde so gret myht,
Outward shewed bi force off his werkyng.
But Dalida with hir flateryng
182
Til that she kneuh wherbi he was so strong.
She lich a serpent daryng vnder floures,
Or lik a werm that wrotith on a tre,
Or lich an addere off manyfold coloures,
Riht fressh apperyng and fair vpon to see:
For shrowdid was hir mutabilite
With lowliheed[e] and a fair pretense
Off trewe menyng vnder fals apparence.
Or lik a werm that wrotith on a tre,
Or lich an addere off manyfold coloures,
Riht fressh apperyng and fair vpon to see:
For shrowdid was hir mutabilite
With lowliheed[e] and a fair pretense
Off trewe menyng vnder fals apparence.
He mente trouthe, & she was variable,
He was feithful, and she was ontrewe,
He was stedfast, and she was onstable,
His trust ay oon; she loued thynges newe:
She wered coloures off many dyuers hewe,
In stede off bleu, which stedfast is and cleene;
She loued chaunges off many dyuers greene.
He was feithful, and she was ontrewe,
He was stedfast, and she was onstable,
His trust ay oon; she loued thynges newe:
She wered coloures off many dyuers hewe,
In stede off bleu, which stedfast is and cleene;
She loued chaunges off many dyuers greene.
But to the purpos for to condescende,
Whan she off Sampson kneuh al the preuite,
Hir falsheed shortli for to comprehende,
She made hym slepe ful sofftli on hir kne;
And a sharp rasour afftir that took she,
Shoof off his her, large and off gret lengthe,
Wherbi, allas, he loste al his strengthe.
Whan she off Sampson kneuh al the preuite,
Hir falsheed shortli for to comprehende,
She made hym slepe ful sofftli on hir kne;
And a sharp rasour afftir that took she,
Shoof off his her, large and off gret lengthe,
Wherbi, allas, he loste al his strengthe.
Damage is erthe is non so greuous,
As an enmy which that is secre,
Nor pestilence non so pereilous
As falsnesse where he is preue,
And speciali in femynyte;
For yiff wyues be founden variable,
Wher shal husbondis fynden other stable?
As an enmy which that is secre,
Nor pestilence non so pereilous
As falsnesse where he is preue,
And speciali in femynyte;
For yiff wyues be founden variable,
Wher shal husbondis fynden other stable?
Thus Sampson was be Dalida deceyued,
She coude so weel flatre, forge and feyne,—
Which Philistes, whan thei ha[ue] conceyued,
Onwarli bond hym in a myhti cheyne,
Cast hym in prisoun, put out his eyen tweyne,
And off despiht, afftir, as I fynde,
At ther queernys maad hym for to grynde.
She coude so weel flatre, forge and feyne,—
Which Philistes, whan thei ha[ue] conceyued,
Onwarli bond hym in a myhti cheyne,
Cast hym in prisoun, put out his eyen tweyne,
And off despiht, afftir, as I fynde,
At ther queernys maad hym for to grynde.
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Thei made a feste statli and solempne,
Whan thei hadde al this tresoun wrouht;
And to rebuke hym, scorne hym & condempne,
Blynde Sampson was aforn hem brouht:
Which thyng ful sore greued hym in his thouht,
Caste he wolde in his preue mynde
Tauenge his blyndnesse sum maner weie fynde.
Whan thei hadde al this tresoun wrouht;
And to rebuke hym, scorne hym & condempne,
Blynde Sampson was aforn hem brouht:
Which thyng ful sore greued hym in his thouht,
Caste he wolde in his preue mynde
Tauenge his blyndnesse sum maner weie fynde.
And whan he hadde thus bethouht hym longe,
He made a child hym preueli to leede
To tweyne postis, large, squar and stronge,
Enbraced hem, or any man took heede,
And gan to shake hem, withoute feer or dreede,
So sturdili among his fomen all,
That the temple is vpon hem fall.
He made a child hym preueli to leede
To tweyne postis, large, squar and stronge,
Enbraced hem, or any man took heede,
And gan to shake hem, withoute feer or dreede,
So sturdili among his fomen all,
That the temple is vpon hem fall.
Thus he was auengid on his foon,
Which that falsli dede ageyn hym stryue,
Slouh in his deieng, God wot, many on
Mo than he dede euer afforn his lyue.
And he was also, the date to descryue,
In Israel, the Bible is myn auctour,
Twenti yeer ther iuge and gouernour.
Which that falsli dede ageyn hym stryue,
Slouh in his deieng, God wot, many on
Mo than he dede euer afforn his lyue.
And he was also, the date to descryue,
In Israel, the Bible is myn auctour,
Twenti yeer ther iuge and gouernour.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |