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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An exclamacioun of Bochas ageyn thextorsions
& oppressions of þe poraill of Rome. |
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Lydgate's Fall of Princes | ||
419
An exclamacioun of Bochas ageyn thextorsions & oppressions of þe poraill of Rome.
Iohn Bochas heer makith a digressioun,
And bi rebukyng cast hym for tassaile
Thilke officeres that wer in Rome toun,
Which bextorsioun oppressid the poraile,—
And ageyn iuges also off Itaile,
A[nd] namli them, that for lucre & meede
Sett trouthe aside & took off it noon heede.
And bi rebukyng cast hym for tassaile
Thilke officeres that wer in Rome toun,
Which bextorsioun oppressid the poraile,—
And ageyn iuges also off Itaile,
A[nd] namli them, that for lucre & meede
Sett trouthe aside & took off it noon heede.
He maketh ageyn hem an exclamacioun,
Such as to vertu wer contrarious,
And vnder colour and occasioun
Off ther office list to be lecherous,
Lik condiciowned onto Appius,
And fynali, as it was afftir seene,
Fals in ther domys & off ther liff oncleene.
Such as to vertu wer contrarious,
And vnder colour and occasioun
Off ther office list to be lecherous,
Lik condiciowned onto Appius,
And fynali, as it was afftir seene,
Fals in ther domys & off ther liff oncleene.
O, quod Bochas, O trouthe, O thou Iustise,
Which in your noblesse whilom dede excell,
Wher in effect is now your exercise?
Wher is your wonyng? alas, wher do ye duell?
Off your practik ful fewe men can tell,
So ferr put bak is now your disciplyne,
Your kyn exiled and your noble lyne!
Which in your noblesse whilom dede excell,
Wher in effect is now your exercise?
Wher is your wonyng? alas, wher do ye duell?
Off your practik ful fewe men can tell,
So ferr put bak is now your disciplyne,
Your kyn exiled and your noble lyne!
Aduocatis that now doon ocupie
Your olde sees & placis ful roiall,
Al to falsheed ther wittis thei applie,—
Such couetise now regneth ouer all!
Causes off cyuyle & causes cremynall
Ther doomys take, wher thei be fals or trewe,
Al afftir will be statutis chaungid newe.
Your olde sees & placis ful roiall,
Al to falsheed ther wittis thei applie,—
Such couetise now regneth ouer all!
Causes off cyuyle & causes cremynall
Ther doomys take, wher thei be fals or trewe,
Al afftir will be statutis chaungid newe.
Ther been eek other callid accessours,
Sittyng be iuges to yeuen hem counsail,
Which may ful weel be callid raueynours;
For thei nat laboure but for ther owne auail.
A noumbre off robbours folwe at ther tail,
To pile the peeple, as ye han herd toforn,
Bare as a sheep that is but newe shorn.
Sittyng be iuges to yeuen hem counsail,
Which may ful weel be callid raueynours;
For thei nat laboure but for ther owne auail.
A noumbre off robbours folwe at ther tail,
To pile the peeple, as ye han herd toforn,
Bare as a sheep that is but newe shorn.
420
Ther is no mor in this mateer to seyne,
Sauff onli this: trouthe stant desolat,
[And] rihtwisnesse to no wiht dar compleyne,
With wrong oppressid, wepyng disconsolat.
Wherfor, ye Pryncis, that sit in hih estat,
Such thyng tamende but ye bet heed list take,
God shal with you a ful hard reknyng make.
Sauff onli this: trouthe stant desolat,
[And] rihtwisnesse to no wiht dar compleyne,
With wrong oppressid, wepyng disconsolat.
Wherfor, ye Pryncis, that sit in hih estat,
Such thyng tamende but ye bet heed list take,
God shal with you a ful hard reknyng make.
Your office is in your magnyficence
Twen man and man all wronges to redresse,
And wher a mateer is ageyn conscience,
It to refourme onli off rihtwisnesse;
To stonde be trouthe, meyntene no falsnesse,
And lete wis counseil such materes examyne
Or ye off haste theron determyne.
Twen man and man all wronges to redresse,
And wher a mateer is ageyn conscience,
It to refourme onli off rihtwisnesse;
To stonde be trouthe, meyntene no falsnesse,
And lete wis counseil such materes examyne
Or ye off haste theron determyne.
Hath such thynges in your mynde among;
Thynk God will quite lik as ye disserue.
Ye spotte your noblesse iff that ye do wrong,
His suerd off punshyng dredith or it kerue.
Lat your resoun & conscience conserue
Your noble estatis, & thynk, lik your werkyng,
The Lord off you will axen a reknyng.
Thynk God will quite lik as ye disserue.
Ye spotte your noblesse iff that ye do wrong,
His suerd off punshyng dredith or it kerue.
Lat your resoun & conscience conserue
Your noble estatis, & thynk, lik your werkyng,
The Lord off you will axen a reknyng.
Lydgate's Fall of Princes | ||