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 Cambises assentyng to the moordre of his
brothir Mergus at last slouh himsilf.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Cambises assentyng to the moordre of his brothir Mergus at last slouh himsilf.]
Afftir the deth of myhti kyng Cirus,
Next cam his sone callid Cambises,
Heir be successioun ful victorious,
Which tofor Bochas put hymselff in pres
And gan his compleynt—this is dout[e]les,—
That thei off Egipt, in many vnkouth wise,
To sundri goddis dede sacrifise.
Next cam his sone callid Cambises,
Heir be successioun ful victorious,
Which tofor Bochas put hymselff in pres
And gan his compleynt—this is dout[e]les,—
That thei off Egipt, in many vnkouth wise,
To sundri goddis dede sacrifise.
First onto Apis thei dede reuerence,
Callid Serapis, ther grettest god off all,
Regnyng in Egipt off most excellence,
And god of goddis foolis dede hym call.
And off his noblesse thus it is befall,
Slayn bi his brother, which is a gret wonder,
Seuered on pecis & ful ferr cast assonder.
Callid Serapis, ther grettest god off all,
Regnyng in Egipt off most excellence,
And god of goddis foolis dede hym call.
And off his noblesse thus it is befall,
Slayn bi his brother, which is a gret wonder,
Seuered on pecis & ful ferr cast assonder.
And thei off Egipt made ther ordynaunces,
Vp peyne off deth in ther statutis olde,
A god to calle hym, & doon ther obseruaunces
Withynne his templis, lik as thei wer holde.
Wheroff Cambises, toforn as I you tolde,
Alle the templis off that regioun
Cast hym be force for to throwe doun.
Vp peyne off deth in ther statutis olde,
A god to calle hym, & doon ther obseruaunces
Withynne his templis, lik as thei wer holde.
Wheroff Cambises, toforn as I you tolde,
Alle the templis off that regioun
Cast hym be force for to throwe doun.
375
The temple off Iubiter to robbe it be rauyne,
Callid Amon, withoute excepcioun,
His knyhtis sente to brynge it to ruyne.
But thei echon for ther presumpcioun,
With sodeyn leuene wer smet & bete doun.
Wheroff Cambises, in Asie tho regnyng,
Hadde this drem as he lai slepyng.
Callid Amon, withoute excepcioun,
His knyhtis sente to brynge it to ruyne.
But thei echon for ther presumpcioun,
With sodeyn leuene wer smet & bete doun.
Wheroff Cambises, in Asie tho regnyng,
Hadde this drem as he lai slepyng.
He drempte his brother, that called was Mergus,
Sholde in the kyngdam afftir hym succeede.
Wheroff in herte he wex so envious,
That he purposed, off rancour and hatreede,
Bi sum mene to make his sides bleede;
And that his purpos sholde take auail,
A magicien he took to his counsail.
Sholde in the kyngdam afftir hym succeede.
Wheroff in herte he wex so envious,
That he purposed, off rancour and hatreede,
Bi sum mene to make his sides bleede;
And that his purpos sholde take auail,
A magicien he took to his counsail.
And he was holde a ful gret philisophre,
Callid Cometes, ful sleihti and cunnyng,
To whom Cambises made a large proffre
Off gold and tresour to make hym assentyng
To execute this horrible thyng;
And that he wolde in most cruel wise
The moordre off Mergus compassen & deuise.
Callid Cometes, ful sleihti and cunnyng,
To whom Cambises made a large proffre
Off gold and tresour to make hym assentyng
To execute this horrible thyng;
And that he wolde in most cruel wise
The moordre off Mergus compassen & deuise.
And whil Cambises ordeyned this tresoun,
To slen Mergus, his owne brother deere,
God from aboue caste his eien doun,
Hym to pun[y]she in ful cruel manere:
For he wex wood[e], who-so list to lere,
Cauht a sharp suerd, & roff his thih on tweyne;
And sodenli he deied for the peyne.
To slen Mergus, his owne brother deere,
God from aboue caste his eien doun,
Hym to pun[y]she in ful cruel manere:
For he wex wood[e], who-so list to lere,
Cauht a sharp suerd, & roff his thih on tweyne;
And sodenli he deied for the peyne.
For too causes God took on hym vengaunce,
As myn auctour Bochas doth expresse:
For his presumptuous fals disobeisaunce,
Spoilyng the goddis off her gret richesse,
And for the froward gret onkynd[e]nesse
To yeue assent to the contagious caas,
Whan that Mergus his brother moordred was.
As myn auctour Bochas doth expresse:
For his presumptuous fals disobeisaunce,
Spoilyng the goddis off her gret richesse,
And for the froward gret onkynd[e]nesse
To yeue assent to the contagious caas,
Whan that Mergus his brother moordred was.
376
The deth off whom was cheeff occasioun
Off ful gret werre, stryues and debat,
Eek fynal cause whi al the regioun
Off myhti Perse stood disconsolat:
For heir was non, off hih nor low estat,
Be title off riht, thoruh this onhappi chaunce,
To been ther kyng and ha[ue] the gouernaunce.
Off ful gret werre, stryues and debat,
Eek fynal cause whi al the regioun
Off myhti Perse stood disconsolat:
For heir was non, off hih nor low estat,
Be title off riht, thoruh this onhappi chaunce,
To been ther kyng and ha[ue] the gouernaunce.
For the magicien callid Cometes,
Which slouh Mergus, as ye haue herd expresse,
Took his brother callid Oropastes,
And made hym kyng, the stori berth witnesse,
Because that he resembled in liknesse
Onto Mergus off face and off stature,
To crowne hym kyng therfore he dede his cure.
Which slouh Mergus, as ye haue herd expresse,
Took his brother callid Oropastes,
And made hym kyng, the stori berth witnesse,
Because that he resembled in liknesse
Onto Mergus off face and off stature,
To crowne hym kyng therfore he dede his cure.
The deth off Mergus outward was nat knowe
Nor pleynli publisht in that regioun;
His bodi buried and cast in erthe lowe.
Off whom the moordre and fraudulent tresoun,
The pitous slauhtre wrouht be collusioun,
And al the maner, bi processe was espied
So openli it myhte nat be denyed.
Nor pleynli publisht in that regioun;
His bodi buried and cast in erthe lowe.
Off whom the moordre and fraudulent tresoun,
The pitous slauhtre wrouht be collusioun,
And al the maner, bi processe was espied
So openli it myhte nat be denyed.
And in what wise the noise gan out spreede
Touchyng this moordre odious for to heere:
Whan that Orapastes ocupied in deede
The crowne off Perse, the stori doth vs lere,
Ther was a prynce ful notable & enteere,
Callid Hostanes, that gan his witt applie,
Off hih prudence this moordre out tespie.
Touchyng this moordre odious for to heere:
Whan that Orapastes ocupied in deede
The crowne off Perse, the stori doth vs lere,
Ther was a prynce ful notable & enteere,
Callid Hostanes, that gan his witt applie,
Off hih prudence this moordre out tespie.
Whil that Orapastes, vnder a fals pretence,
Off Perciens was resseyued as for kyng,
The said[e] prynce dede his deligence,
Bi inquisicioun to ha[ue] knowlechyng,
Be what engyn or be what sleihti thyng
The said Orapastes cauhte occasioun
In stede off Mergus to ocupie the croun.
Off Perciens was resseyued as for kyng,
The said[e] prynce dede his deligence,
Bi inquisicioun to ha[ue] knowlechyng,
Be what engyn or be what sleihti thyng
The said Orapastes cauhte occasioun
In stede off Mergus to ocupie the croun.
377
On this mateer he hadde a coniecture,
That his title was nouther hool nor cleer.
The trouthe to trie he dede his besi cure,
And to serche out hooli the maneer,
He souht[e] so ferr that he cam riht neer,
And in this caas lettid for no slouthe,
Till that he hadde founden out the trouthe.
That his title was nouther hool nor cleer.
The trouthe to trie he dede his besi cure,
And to serche out hooli the maneer,
He souht[e] so ferr that he cam riht neer,
And in this caas lettid for no slouthe,
Till that he hadde founden out the trouthe.
The cas was this, pleynli to termyne:
He hadde a douhter, ful fair off hir visage,
Which off the kyng was cheuest concubyne,
Bi whom he thouhte to cachchen auauntage.
And onto hir he hath sent his massage,
Secreli tenqueren how it stood,
Wher that the kyng wer come off Cirus blood.
He hadde a douhter, ful fair off hir visage,
Which off the kyng was cheuest concubyne,
Bi whom he thouhte to cachchen auauntage.
And onto hir he hath sent his massage,
Secreli tenqueren how it stood,
Wher that the kyng wer come off Cirus blood.
And bad she sholde secreli taken heed,
Whil that he slepte to doon hir besi peyne
With hir handis for to feele his hed,
And to grope afftir bothe his eris tweyne.
And yiff it fill—ther is no mor to seyne—
Vpon his hed that she non eris founde,
To telle hir fadir, off trouthe as she was bounde.
Whil that he slepte to doon hir besi peyne
With hir handis for to feele his hed,
And to grope afftir bothe his eris tweyne.
And yiff it fill—ther is no mor to seyne—
Vpon his hed that she non eris founde,
To telle hir fadir, off trouthe as she was bounde.
This myhti prynce Hostanes knew[e] weel,
Riht as it is recorded be scripture,
Touchyng this caas how it stood euerideel,
How kyng Cambises off sodeyn auenture,
Bi his lyue for a forfeture,
Made off Orapastes, the stori seith nat nay,
Bothe his tweyne eris to be kit away.
Riht as it is recorded be scripture,
Touchyng this caas how it stood euerideel,
How kyng Cambises off sodeyn auenture,
Bi his lyue for a forfeture,
Made off Orapastes, the stori seith nat nay,
Bothe his tweyne eris to be kit away.
And heerupon to be certefied,
He was desirous ta[ue] ful knowlechyng.
Which be his douhter whan it was espied,
Vpon a nyht liggyng bi the kyng,
Gropyng his hed[e] as he lai slepyng,
Ful subtili felte and took good heed,
How he non eris hadde vpon his hed.
He was desirous ta[ue] ful knowlechyng.
Which be his douhter whan it was espied,
Vpon a nyht liggyng bi the kyng,
Gropyng his hed[e] as he lai slepyng,
Ful subtili felte and took good heed,
How he non eris hadde vpon his hed.
And to hir fadir anon she hath declarid
The secrenesse off this auenture.
And for no feer nor dreed he hath nat sparid,
How that it stood[e] pleynli to discure.
And first off all he dede his besi cure,
Alle the pryncis off Perse-lond ifeere
To counseil calle tentrete off this mateere.
The secrenesse off this auenture.
And for no feer nor dreed he hath nat sparid,
378
And first off all he dede his besi cure,
Alle the pryncis off Perse-lond ifeere
To counseil calle tentrete off this mateere.
And whan thei wern assemblid euerichon,
Off Orapastes he told hem al the chaunce,
And how that Mergus was moordred yore agon,
As heer-toforn is put in remembraunce.
Wherupon to sette an ordynaunce
And to redresse these wronges doon toforn,
Off Perse-lond wer seuene pryncis sworn.
Off Orapastes he told hem al the chaunce,
And how that Mergus was moordred yore agon,
As heer-toforn is put in remembraunce.
Wherupon to sette an ordynaunce
And to redresse these wronges doon toforn,
Off Perse-lond wer seuene pryncis sworn.
Off oon assent in ther entencioun,
Bi bond off oth thei made ther assuraunce,
And a ful secre coniuracioun
To putte Orapastes from his roial puissaunce,
Which hadde al Perse vnder his gouernaunce
Bi a ful fals pretens off heritage,
For he was lik to Mergus off visage.
Bi bond off oth thei made ther assuraunce,
And a ful secre coniuracioun
To putte Orapastes from his roial puissaunce,
Which hadde al Perse vnder his gouernaunce
Bi a ful fals pretens off heritage,
For he was lik to Mergus off visage.
These seuene pryncis, off which toforn I tolde,
Alle off oon herte, & bi ther oth ibounde,
Prudent and manli and off yeris olde,
Han souht a tyme Orapastes to confounde.
And with ther suerdis sharp[e] whet & grounde,
Wonder couert in ther apparaile,
Cam off entent Orapastes to assaile.
Alle off oon herte, & bi ther oth ibounde,
Prudent and manli and off yeris olde,
Han souht a tyme Orapastes to confounde.
And with ther suerdis sharp[e] whet & grounde,
Wonder couert in ther apparaile,
Cam off entent Orapastes to assaile.
And in the paleis whom-euer that thei mette
Or ageyn hem made resistence,
Alle off accord thei fersli on hym sette.
But the magicien, that was ther in presence,
Cam ageyn hem be sturdi violence,
And at thencountre gan hem so constreyne,
That off the pryncis thei haue islay[e]n tweyne.
Or ageyn hem made resistence,
Alle off accord thei fersli on hym sette.
But the magicien, that was ther in presence,
Cam ageyn hem be sturdi violence,
And at thencountre gan hem so constreyne,
That off the pryncis thei haue islay[e]n tweyne.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |