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 Artabanus moordred kyng xerses and how aftir himsilf was moordred.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How Artabanus moordred kyng xerses and how aftir himsilf was moordred.]
Next these tragedies, wepyng & dolerous,
Whil Bochas stynte, & wolde ha been in pes,
A knyht appered callid Artabanus,
Which hadde aforn[e] moordred kyng Xerses;
And gan his compleynt for to putte in pres,
Ful concludyng, to speke in wordes pleyn,
Who vseth moordre, bi moordre he shal be slayn.
Whil Bochas stynte, & wolde ha been in pes,
A knyht appered callid Artabanus,
Which hadde aforn[e] moordred kyng Xerses;
And gan his compleynt for to putte in pres,
Ful concludyng, to speke in wordes pleyn,
Who vseth moordre, bi moordre he shal be slayn.
This Artabanus, be record off writyng,
With Xerses prouost whilom, as I reede,
Falsli conspired be sleihte off his werkyng,
For to be kyng bothe off Perse & Mede,
Hauyng seuene sonys, which that wer in deede
Worthi knyhtis, manli and riht strong,
Al-be ther fader was set to do gret wrong.
With Xerses prouost whilom, as I reede,
Falsli conspired be sleihte off his werkyng,
For to be kyng bothe off Perse & Mede,
Hauyng seuene sonys, which that wer in deede
Worthi knyhtis, manli and riht strong,
Al-be ther fader was set to do gret wrong.
For he presumed bi vsurpacioun,
In Perse and Mede to quench the cleer[e] liht,
And trouble the lyne off iust successioun:
For so as he off force and nat off riht,
Nothyng rasemblyng to a trewe knyht,
The moordre off Xerses falsli dede ordeyne,
Riht so he caste to moordre his sonys tweyne.
In Perse and Mede to quench the cleer[e] liht,
And trouble the lyne off iust successioun:
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Nothyng rasemblyng to a trewe knyht,
The moordre off Xerses falsli dede ordeyne,
Riht so he caste to moordre his sonys tweyne.
And to conclude pleynli and nat tarie,
The said[e] kyng that callid was Xerses,
Hadde too sonys, the yongest callid Darie,
And the tother named Artaxerses,
Which, as the stori reherseth dout[e]les,
Wer be discent bor[e]n for to succeede,
Afftir ther fader to regne in Perse & Mede.
The said[e] kyng that callid was Xerses,
Hadde too sonys, the yongest callid Darie,
And the tother named Artaxerses,
Which, as the stori reherseth dout[e]les,
Wer be discent bor[e]n for to succeede,
Afftir ther fader to regne in Perse & Mede.
The moordre off Xerses outward was nat knowe,
Nor how Artabanus hadde the tresoun wrouht,
Till afftirward withynne a litil throwe
He hadde off newe forged out & souht
Fals odious treynes that wer neuer thouht:
Tolde Artaxerses, as he gan with hym rowne,
How Darie caste to ocupie the crowne,
Nor how Artabanus hadde the tresoun wrouht,
Till afftirward withynne a litil throwe
He hadde off newe forged out & souht
Fals odious treynes that wer neuer thouht:
Tolde Artaxerses, as he gan with hym rowne,
How Darie caste to ocupie the crowne,
And how the deth off Xerses was ordeyned
Onli be Darie and be noon othir wiht.
Wherupon, which auhte be compleyned,
Artaxerses prouyded anon riht
The slauhtre off Darie; & so, ageyn al riht,
This yonger brother in his innocence
Was falsli slayn, and dede non offence.
Onli be Darie and be noon othir wiht.
Wherupon, which auhte be compleyned,
Artaxerses prouyded anon riht
The slauhtre off Darie; & so, ageyn al riht,
This yonger brother in his innocence
Was falsli slayn, and dede non offence.
Ye wete, be whom this tresoun was compassid,
Twen brethre tweyne to make dyuysioun,
The yonger slayn, & nothyng hath trespasid,
Most redi were to the destruccioun
Off Artaxerses; for in conclusioun,
Whan the brethre moordred wer in deede,
Artabanus thouhte to succeede.
Twen brethre tweyne to make dyuysioun,
The yonger slayn, & nothyng hath trespasid,
Most redi were to the destruccioun
Off Artaxerses; for in conclusioun,
Whan the brethre moordred wer in deede,
Artabanus thouhte to succeede.
But Artaxerses, be pleyn instruccioun
Off oon that callid was Baccar[i]us,
Be toknys kneuh the couert fals tresoun
Off this forsaid double Artabanus,
And how that he be treynes outraious
Hadde Xerses slayn, as ye han herd toforn,
And Darie appechid, wherbi that he was lorn.
Off oon that callid was Baccar[i]us,
Be toknys kneuh the couert fals tresoun
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And how that he be treynes outraious
Hadde Xerses slayn, as ye han herd toforn,
And Darie appechid, wherbi that he was lorn.
But off this vnkouth straunge tresoun wrouht,
Whan Artaxerses hadde knowlechyng,
Bi gret auys weies he hath souht,
Artabanus to brynge to rek[e]nyng.
But speciali he dradde hym off o thyng:
He feeble was to brynge this thyng aboute,
Off his seuene sonys he stood in so gret doute.
Whan Artaxerses hadde knowlechyng,
Bi gret auys weies he hath souht,
Artabanus to brynge to rek[e]nyng.
But speciali he dradde hym off o thyng:
He feeble was to brynge this thyng aboute,
Off his seuene sonys he stood in so gret doute.
But for tacomplisshe fulli his entent
Ful secreli, this was his ordenaunce:
To all the worthi he hath his lettres sent,
Duellyng in Perse vnder his obeisaunce,
Withoute excus or lenger attendaunce,
Armed echon, and in especial
To come in haste onto his court roial.
Ful secreli, this was his ordenaunce:
To all the worthi he hath his lettres sent,
Duellyng in Perse vnder his obeisaunce,
Withoute excus or lenger attendaunce,
Armed echon, and in especial
To come in haste onto his court roial.
Cause off ther komyng was to hem nat knowe,
The kynges purpos was holden so secre
And kept so cloos, bothe from hih & lowe,
That to his menyng no man was pryve,
Except the kyng saide he wolde see
What noumbre off men, yiff it cam to neede,
In his diffence he myht[e] gadre and leede.
The kynges purpos was holden so secre
And kept so cloos, bothe from hih & lowe,
That to his menyng no man was pryve,
Except the kyng saide he wolde see
What noumbre off men, yiff it cam to neede,
In his diffence he myht[e] gadre and leede.
And among other cam Artabanus
Onto the court, and list nat for to faile,—
A man that was cruel and coraious,
Ful off sleihtis in al his gouernaile,
Which thilke tyme armyd was in maile;
For he with hym non other armour ladde,
Sauff on his bak an haberioun he hadde.
Onto the court, and list nat for to faile,—
A man that was cruel and coraious,
Ful off sleihtis in al his gouernaile,
Which thilke tyme armyd was in maile;
For he with hym non other armour ladde,
Sauff on his bak an haberioun he hadde.
Thanne Artaxerses, beyng in his strengthe,
To hym abraide off fals affeccioun:
“For that my maile wantith off his lengthe,
I wolde with the chaunge myn haberioun.”
The tother hauyng noon euel suspeccioun,
Ongirt hymsilff[e], wolde no lenger bide,
Bothe suerd & dagger cast hem ferr a-side.
To hym abraide off fals affeccioun:
“For that my maile wantith off his lengthe,
I wolde with the chaunge myn haberioun.”
The tother hauyng noon euel suspeccioun,
Ongirt hymsilff[e], wolde no lenger bide,
Bothe suerd & dagger cast hem ferr a-side.
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And whil that he threuh off his haberioun,
And with the maile stoppid was his siht,
He beyng naked, for short conclusioun,
The kyng out pullith a suerd[e] keene & briht;
And thoruh the herte he rooff hym anon riht.
And afftir that, off indignacioun
Took his seuene sonys & cast hem in prisoun.
And with the maile stoppid was his siht,
He beyng naked, for short conclusioun,
The kyng out pullith a suerd[e] keene & briht;
And thoruh the herte he rooff hym anon riht.
And afftir that, off indignacioun
Took his seuene sonys & cast hem in prisoun.
Off ther eende what sholde I mor endite,
Nor off ther deth make a digressioun?
God mai his vengaunce a while weel respite,
But moordre will out, & al such fals tresoun.
And for Artaban hadde a condicioun,
Falsli to moordre, as ye toforn ha[ue] seyn,
With onwar moordre he guerdonyd was ageyn.
Nor off ther deth make a digressioun?
God mai his vengaunce a while weel respite,
But moordre will out, & al such fals tresoun.
And for Artaban hadde a condicioun,
Falsli to moordre, as ye toforn ha[ue] seyn,
With onwar moordre he guerdonyd was ageyn.
Thus euer moordre requereth for his wages
Sclaundre inportable, odious for to heere,—
A woord diffamous, most foul in al languages,
The soun horrible bi report to appeere,
A clips duryng, whos dirknesse may nat cleere;
For this woord moordre, most ougli & onfair,
Bi a rehersyng infectith al the hair.
Sclaundre inportable, odious for to heere,—
A woord diffamous, most foul in al languages,
The soun horrible bi report to appeere,
A clips duryng, whos dirknesse may nat cleere;
For this woord moordre, most ougli & onfair,
Bi a rehersyng infectith al the hair.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |