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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A Chapitle of wordly folk wich desire to be magnified. |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
A Chapitle of wordly folk wich desire to be magnified.
Afft[er] this processe, yif ye list to lere,
Lich as Iohn Bochas maketh mencioun,
That worldli folk most souereynli desire
To haue in lordshipe gret exaltacioun,
And up to clymbe in ther entencioun
Of worldli worshepe to the hiest place,
Al erthli tresour attonys to enbrace.
Lich as Iohn Bochas maketh mencioun,
That worldli folk most souereynli desire
To haue in lordshipe gret exaltacioun,
And up to clymbe in ther entencioun
Of worldli worshepe to the hiest place,
Al erthli tresour attonys to enbrace.
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The feruent flawme of ther gredi desir[e]s
In mekil gadryng fynt no suffisance;
Ther hungri etik kyndeleth so the fires
Of auarice be long contynuaunce,
That her thrust of worldli habundaunce
On Tantalus ryuer abraideth euer in oon,
Drownid in drynkyng, & deeme ther part is non.
In mekil gadryng fynt no suffisance;
Ther hungri etik kyndeleth so the fires
Of auarice be long contynuaunce,
That her thrust of worldli habundaunce
On Tantalus ryuer abraideth euer in oon,
Drownid in drynkyng, & deeme ther part is non.
Ther may no tresour ther dropesie weel staunche;
The mor thei drynke the mor thei thruste in deede.
In Thagus floodis the depper that thei launche,
The gretter drynesse doth in ther brestes breede.
The hier water, an ebbe most thei dreede;
Fals indigence ther herte hath so confoundid,
At fullest sees thei seeme ther barge is groundid.
The mor thei drynke the mor thei thruste in deede.
In Thagus floodis the depper that thei launche,
The gretter drynesse doth in ther brestes breede.
The hier water, an ebbe most thei dreede;
Fals indigence ther herte hath so confoundid,
At fullest sees thei seeme ther barge is groundid.
Thus ech man wolde to gret richesse atteyne;
With suffisaunce but fewe hold hem content;
Who most haboundeth, now rathest wil compleyne
For lak of good—alas, how thei be blent!
Wher shal ther gadryng, wher shal ther good be spent?
Sum oon par cas shal hem therof discharge,
Whom thei most hate, & spende it out at large.
With suffisaunce but fewe hold hem content;
Who most haboundeth, now rathest wil compleyne
For lak of good—alas, how thei be blent!
Wher shal ther gadryng, wher shal ther good be spent?
Sum oon par cas shal hem therof discharge,
Whom thei most hate, & spende it out at large.
Withynne a bodi, but litil of stature,
Corages growe up to gret magnificence,
Which up tascende do ther besi cure,
And in ther clymbyng & transitorie assence,
Hauyng an hope of worldli apparence,
Lich as nothyng ther puissaunce myht trouble,
Nothyng aduertyng how that Fortune is double.
Corages growe up to gret magnificence,
Which up tascende do ther besi cure,
And in ther clymbyng & transitorie assence,
Hauyng an hope of worldli apparence,
Lich as nothyng ther puissaunce myht trouble,
Nothyng aduertyng how that Fortune is double.
Summe set ther ioie in conquest and in werris,
Tenbrace al erthe vndir ther puissaunce,
Lik as thei myhte reche aboue the sterris,
To brynge doun heuene vnto ther obeissaunce.
But yif ther poweer wer peised in ballaunce,
And countirweied a-riht in ther memorye,
Thei sholde weel fynde that al is but veynglorie.
Tenbrace al erthe vndir ther puissaunce,
Lik as thei myhte reche aboue the sterris,
To brynge doun heuene vnto ther obeissaunce.
But yif ther poweer wer peised in ballaunce,
And countirweied a-riht in ther memorye,
Thei sholde weel fynde that al is but veynglorie.
What may auaille hem ther fethirbeddis softe,
Shetis of Reynys, longe, large & wide,
Duyers deuises or clothes chaunged ofte,
Or vicious mene walking be ther side,—
Void of vertu, ambicious in ther pride,
Which causeth princis, be report of swich fame,
For ther mysleuyng to han an heuy name.
Shetis of Reynys, longe, large & wide,
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Or vicious mene walking be ther side,—
Void of vertu, ambicious in ther pride,
Which causeth princis, be report of swich fame,
For ther mysleuyng to han an heuy name.
And thus for lak of vertuous dilligence,
Thoruh fals luxure and froward idilnesse,
And upon flatereris thoutragous expence,
Support of wrong oppressyng rihtwisnesse,
Wher lesyngmongeres haue an interesse,
Whom to susteene whan princis do þer cure,
God wil nat suffre that thei shal long endure.
Thoruh fals luxure and froward idilnesse,
And upon flatereris thoutragous expence,
Support of wrong oppressyng rihtwisnesse,
Wher lesyngmongeres haue an interesse,
Whom to susteene whan princis do þer cure,
God wil nat suffre that thei shal long endure.
Offise of princis is to supporte riht,
His suerd of knihthod fro wrongis to restreyne,
The poore releuyng, toppresse hem nat with myht,
His olde seruauntes weel preved nat disdeyne,
His hasti rigour and his vengaunce sodeyne
Lat merci tempre, to doom or he proceede,
And God shal quite hym whan he hath most neede.
His suerd of knihthod fro wrongis to restreyne,
The poore releuyng, toppresse hem nat with myht,
His olde seruauntes weel preved nat disdeyne,
His hasti rigour and his vengaunce sodeyne
Lat merci tempre, to doom or he proceede,
And God shal quite hym whan he hath most neede.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |