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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[Prologue.] |
| III. |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[Prologue.]
To summe folk, parcas, it wolde seeme,
Touchyng the chaunges & mutabilites
Bi me rehersid, that thei myhte deeme,
Off Fortunes straunge aduersites
To pryncis shewed, doun pullid from ther sees,
The tragedies auhte inouh suffise
In compleynyng, which ye han herd deuise.
Touchyng the chaunges & mutabilites
Bi me rehersid, that thei myhte deeme,
Off Fortunes straunge aduersites
To pryncis shewed, doun pullid from ther sees,
The tragedies auhte inouh suffise
In compleynyng, which ye han herd deuise.
The stori pitous, the processe lamentable,
Void off ioie, al gladnesse and plesaunce,
A thyng to greuous and to inportable,
Where-as no merthe is medlid with greuaunce,
Al upon compleynt standith thalliaunce,
Most whan Fortune, who that hir cours weel knewe,
Chaungith old ioie into sorwes newe.
Void off ioie, al gladnesse and plesaunce,
A thyng to greuous and to inportable,
Where-as no merthe is medlid with greuaunce,
Al upon compleynt standith thalliaunce,
Most whan Fortune, who that hir cours weel knewe,
Chaungith old ioie into sorwes newe.
For onto hym that neuer wiste off wo,
Remembraunce off his old gladnesse,
Whan his weelfare & plesaunce is ago,
And neuer aforn knew off non heuynesse,—
Such vnwar chaung, such vnkouth wrechidnesse
Causith in pryncis, thoruh newe dedli trouble,
Afftir ther fallyng ther sorwes to be double.
Remembraunce off his old gladnesse,
Whan his weelfare & plesaunce is ago,
And neuer aforn knew off non heuynesse,—
Such vnwar chaung, such vnkouth wrechidnesse
Causith in pryncis, thoruh newe dedli trouble,
Afftir ther fallyng ther sorwes to be double.
Olde exaumples off pryncis that ha[ue] fall,
Ther remembraunce off newe brouht to mynde,
May been a merour to estatis all,
How thei in vertu shal remedies fynde
Teschewe vices, off such as wer maad blynde,
Fro sodeyn fallyng hemsiluen to preserue,
Longe to contune and thank off God disserue.
Ther remembraunce off newe brouht to mynde,
May been a merour to estatis all,
How thei in vertu shal remedies fynde
Teschewe vices, off such as wer maad blynde,
Fro sodeyn fallyng hemsiluen to preserue,
Longe to contune and thank off God disserue.
The fall off on is a cleer lanterne
To teche a-nother what he shal eschewe;
Pereil off on, is, who can discerne,
Scoole and doctryn from pereil to remewe.
As men disserue such guerdoun ther mut sewe;
In vice nor vertu no man may God deceyue,
Lik ther desertis ther meede thei [shal] receyue.
To teche a-nother what he shal eschewe;
Pereil off on, is, who can discerne,
Scoole and doctryn from pereil to remewe.
As men disserue such guerdoun ther mut sewe;
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Lik ther desertis ther meede thei [shal] receyue.
Who folweth vertu lengest doth perseuere,
Be it in richesse, be it in pouerte;
Liht off trouthe his cleernesse kepith euere
Ageyn thassautis off al aduersite.
Vertu is cause off long prosperite;
And whan pryncis fro vertu doun declyne,
Ther fame is shroudid vndir the cliptik lyne.
Be it in richesse, be it in pouerte;
Liht off trouthe his cleernesse kepith euere
Ageyn thassautis off al aduersite.
Vertu is cause off long prosperite;
And whan pryncis fro vertu doun declyne,
Ther fame is shroudid vndir the cliptik lyne.
For fals Fortune, which turneth as a ball,
Off vnwar chaunges thouh men hir wheel atwite,
It is nat she that pryncis gaff the fall,
But vicious lyuyng, pleynli to endite:
Thouh God aboue ful offte hem doth respite,
Longe abidith, and doth his grace sende
To this entent, thei sholde ther liff amende.
Off vnwar chaunges thouh men hir wheel atwite,
It is nat she that pryncis gaff the fall,
But vicious lyuyng, pleynli to endite:
Thouh God aboue ful offte hem doth respite,
Longe abidith, and doth his grace sende
To this entent, thei sholde ther liff amende.
For ther weelfare and ther abidyng longe,
Who aduertisith, dependith nat on chaunce.
Good liff and vertu maketh hem to be stronge,
And hem assureth in long perseueraunce;
Vertu on Fortune maketh a diffiaunce,
That Fortune hath no domynacioun
Wher noble pryncis be gouerned be resoun.
Who aduertisith, dependith nat on chaunce.
Good liff and vertu maketh hem to be stronge,
And hem assureth in long perseueraunce;
Vertu on Fortune maketh a diffiaunce,
That Fortune hath no domynacioun
Wher noble pryncis be gouerned be resoun.
But such as list[e] nat correctid be
Bexaumple off othre fro vicious gouernaunce,
And fro ther vices list nat for to fle:
Yiff thei be troubled in ther hih puissaunce,
Thei arette it Fortunys variaunce,
Touchyng the giltes that thei deden vse,
Ther demerites ful falsli to excuse.
Bexaumple off othre fro vicious gouernaunce,
And fro ther vices list nat for to fle:
Yiff thei be troubled in ther hih puissaunce,
Thei arette it Fortunys variaunce,
Touchyng the giltes that thei deden vse,
Ther demerites ful falsli to excuse.
Vertu conserueth pryncis in ther glorie
And confermeth ther dominaciouns;
And vicis put ther price out off memorie,
For ther trespacis and ther transgressiouns.
And in alle such sodeyn mutaciouns,
Thei can no refut nor no bet socour,
But ageyn Fortune to maken ther clamour.
And confermeth ther dominaciouns;
And vicis put ther price out off memorie,
For ther trespacis and ther transgressiouns.
And in alle such sodeyn mutaciouns,
Thei can no refut nor no bet socour,
But ageyn Fortune to maken ther clamour.
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Make an outcri on hir doubilnesse,
As no gilt were in ther owne deede;
Thus ontreuli thei calle hir a goddesse,
Which lite or nouht may helpe at such a neede.
But yiff thei hadde God in loue & dreede,
Trustid his lordshep in herte, will & thouht,
Thei sholde Fortune pleynli sette at nouht.
As no gilt were in ther owne deede;
Thus ontreuli thei calle hir a goddesse,
Which lite or nouht may helpe at such a neede.
But yiff thei hadde God in loue & dreede,
Trustid his lordshep in herte, will & thouht,
Thei sholde Fortune pleynli sette at nouht.
Euidencis ful expert and palpable,
Toforn rehersid, told off dyuers ages,
Worldli glorie veyn and ful onstable,
With deceites double off ther visages,
Shewyng to pryncis ferme off ther corages,
Be these exaumples, how and in what wise
By othris fallyng thei shal hemsilff chastise.
Toforn rehersid, told off dyuers ages,
Worldli glorie veyn and ful onstable,
With deceites double off ther visages,
Shewyng to pryncis ferme off ther corages,
Be these exaumples, how and in what wise
By othris fallyng thei shal hemsilff chastise.
Signes shewed and toknes in the heuene,
Dyuers cometis and constellaciouns,
Dreedful thundryng, feerful firi leuene,
Rumour in erthe and gret discenciouns,
Disobeisaunce in sondry regiouns,
Shewen exaumples, ful weel afferme I dar,
To myhti pryncis, hem biddyng to be war,
Dyuers cometis and constellaciouns,
Dreedful thundryng, feerful firi leuene,
Rumour in erthe and gret discenciouns,
Disobeisaunce in sondry regiouns,
Shewen exaumples, ful weel afferme I dar,
To myhti pryncis, hem biddyng to be war,
Ther liff tamende or the Lord do smyte,
Thoruh necligence or it be to late;
And or the suerd off vengaunce kerue & bite,
Into vertues ther vicious liff translate,
Cherisshe rihtwisnesse, ageyn al wrong debate,
With dreed off God make hemsiluen stronge:
Than is no doubte thei shal enduren longe.
Thoruh necligence or it be to late;
And or the suerd off vengaunce kerue & bite,
Into vertues ther vicious liff translate,
Cherisshe rihtwisnesse, ageyn al wrong debate,
With dreed off God make hemsiluen stronge:
Than is no doubte thei shal enduren longe.
Who is nat war bi othres chastisyng,
Othre bi hym shal chastised be:
Hard is is that herte, which for no writyng,
For no dottryn nor non auctorite,
For non exaumple will from his vices flee;
To indurat is his froward entent,
Which wil nat suffre his hardnesse to relent.
Othre bi hym shal chastised be:
Hard is is that herte, which for no writyng,
For no dottryn nor non auctorite,
For non exaumple will from his vices flee;
To indurat is his froward entent,
Which wil nat suffre his hardnesse to relent.
The rounde dropis off the smothe reyn,
Which that discende & falle from aloffte
On stonys harde, at eye as it is seyn,
Perceth ther hardnesse with ther fallyng offte,
Al-be in touchyng, water is but soffte;
The percyng causid be force nor puissaunce,
But off fallyng be long contynuaunce.
Which that discende & falle from aloffte
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Perceth ther hardnesse with ther fallyng offte,
Al-be in touchyng, water is but soffte;
The percyng causid be force nor puissaunce,
But off fallyng be long contynuaunce.
Semblabli, off riht I dar reherse,
Offte reedyng on bookis fructuous
The hertis sholde off prudent pryncis perse,
Synke in ther mynde & make hem vertuous
Teschewe all thynge that is vicious:
For what auaileth thexaumples that thei reede,
To ther reedyng yiff contraire be the deede?
Offte reedyng on bookis fructuous
The hertis sholde off prudent pryncis perse,
Synke in ther mynde & make hem vertuous
Teschewe all thynge that is vicious:
For what auaileth thexaumples that thei reede,
To ther reedyng yiff contraire be the deede?
Cunnyng and deede, who can comprehende,
In cleer conceites thei be thynges tweyne;
And yiff cunnyng doth the deede amende,
Than atwen hem is maad a myhti cheyne,
A noble thyng, and riht souereyne:
For thanne off cunnyng the labour is weel spent,
Whan deede folweth, & bothe been off assent.
In cleer conceites thei be thynges tweyne;
And yiff cunnyng doth the deede amende,
Than atwen hem is maad a myhti cheyne,
A noble thyng, and riht souereyne:
For thanne off cunnyng the labour is weel spent,
Whan deede folweth, & bothe been off assent.
Thus Iohn Bochas procedyng in his book,
Which in noumbre is callid the secounde,
Gan for to write, and his purpos took
To sette in stories such as he hadde founde,
Off entent alle vices to confounde
Be thexaumples which he dede expresse.
And at the gynnyng off his besynesse,
Which in noumbre is callid the secounde,
Gan for to write, and his purpos took
To sette in stories such as he hadde founde,
Off entent alle vices to confounde
Be thexaumples which he dede expresse.
And at the gynnyng off his besynesse,
Myhti Saul to hym dede appeere,
Kyng off Israel, pitousli wepyng,
Dedli off face, and with an hidous cheere,
His vois Ibroke be manyfold sobbyng;
And to myn auctour his sorwe compleynyng,
Requeryng hym, togidre whan thei mette,
First in his book his woful fate to sette.
Kyng off Israel, pitousli wepyng,
Dedli off face, and with an hidous cheere,
His vois Ibroke be manyfold sobbyng;
And to myn auctour his sorwe compleynyng,
Requeryng hym, togidre whan thei mette,
First in his book his woful fate to sette.
Anon afftir, I off entencioun,
With penne in hande faste gan me speede,
As I koude, in my translacioun,
In this labour ferthere to proceede,
My lord cam forbi, and gan to taken heede;
This myhti prynce, riht manli & riht wis,
Gaff me charge in his prudent auys,
With penne in hande faste gan me speede,
As I koude, in my translacioun,
In this labour ferthere to proceede,
My lord cam forbi, and gan to taken heede;
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Gaff me charge in his prudent auys,
That I sholde in eueri tragedie,
Afftir the processe made mencioun,
At the eende sette a remedie,
With a lenvoie conueied be resoun,
And afftir that, with humble affeccioun,
To noble pryncis lowli it directe,
Bi othres fallyng [thei myht] themsilff correcte.
Afftir the processe made mencioun,
At the eende sette a remedie,
With a lenvoie conueied be resoun,
And afftir that, with humble affeccioun,
To noble pryncis lowli it directe,
Bi othres fallyng [thei myht] themsilff correcte.
And I obeied his biddyng and plesaunce,
Vnder support off his magnyficence.
As I coude, I gan my penne auaunce,
Al-be I was bareyn off eloquence,
Folwyng myn auctour in substaunce & sentence:
For it suffised, pleynli, onto me,
So that my lord my makyng took at gre.
Vnder support off his magnyficence.
As I coude, I gan my penne auaunce,
Al-be I was bareyn off eloquence,
Folwyng myn auctour in substaunce & sentence:
For it suffised, pleynli, onto me,
So that my lord my makyng took at gre.
Finis prologi libri secundi.
Sequitur liber secundus.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |