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 heynon duc of Cartage was dismembrid.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[How heynon duc of Cartage was dismembrid.]
Afftir whos deth anon þer gan succeede
A mihti duk þat callid was Haynoun,
Which purposed for to chaunge in deede
His name of duk, bi fals ambicioun,
And to be callid thoruhout the myhti toun,
Kyng of Cartage; and therupon of pride
To fynde out weies he felli gan prouyde.
A mihti duk þat callid was Haynoun,
Which purposed for to chaunge in deede
His name of duk, bi fals ambicioun,
And to be callid thoruhout the myhti toun,
Kyng of Cartage; and therupon of pride
To fynde out weies he felli gan prouyde.
He was nat content a duk men sholde hym calle,
But of Cartage for to be namyd kyng,
And lik his purpos that it sholde falle,
Fro day to day the menys compassyng,
How he myht fulfille this vnkout[h] thyng,
For to be crownid an[d] regnen in that lond.
And atte laste this mene weie he fond:
But of Cartage for to be namyd kyng,
And lik his purpos that it sholde falle,
Fro day to day the menys compassyng,
How he myht fulfille this vnkout[h] thyng,
For to be crownid an[d] regnen in that lond.
And atte laste this mene weie he fond:
444
He hadde a douhtir yonge & tendir of age,
Which of the peeple stood in gret fauour;
And he hym caste to yiue hir in mariage
To a yong kniht, sone of a senatour,
Which in the cite was a gret gouernour.
And that his purpos myhte been atteyned,
Day of the mariage & tyme was ordeyned.
Which of the peeple stood in gret fauour;
And he hym caste to yiue hir in mariage
To a yong kniht, sone of a senatour,
Which in the cite was a gret gouernour.
And that his purpos myhte been atteyned,
Day of the mariage & tyme was ordeyned.
And in his paleis, cheeff and princepal,
This saide duk leet make his ordenaunce
To holde a feeste ful solempne & roial,
And with gret costis made his purueiaunce
Of sondry deyntes, which that in substaunce
Wer necessarie in alle maner thyng
Vnto the feeste of a worthi kyng.
This saide duk leet make his ordenaunce
To holde a feeste ful solempne & roial,
And with gret costis made his purueiaunce
Of sondry deyntes, which that in substaunce
Wer necessarie in alle maner thyng
Vnto the feeste of a worthi kyng.
He gaf in charge vnto his purueiours,
That al wer redi ageyn a certeyn day;
And to his feeste cam al the senatours
Duellyng in Cartage; ther durste no man sey nay.
And of his purpos to make no delay,
Thouh his fraude was nat apparceyued,
He caste that day summe sholde be deceyued.
That al wer redi ageyn a certeyn day;
And to his feeste cam al the senatours
Duellyng in Cartage; ther durste no man sey nay.
And of his purpos to make no delay,
Thouh his fraude was nat apparceyued,
He caste that day summe sholde be deceyued.
He conceyued in his inward entent,
He to be kyng and regnen in Cartage;
The senatour[e]s wolde neuer assente
To chaunge ther custum nor ther old vsage.
He durste theroff vttre no langage,
Kepte hym secre withoute noise or soun,
And fulli caste hym to proceede bi tresoun.
He to be kyng and regnen in Cartage;
The senatour[e]s wolde neuer assente
To chaunge ther custum nor ther old vsage.
He durste theroff vttre no langage,
Kepte hym secre withoute noise or soun,
And fulli caste hym to proceede bi tresoun.
The nexte weie, he knew no bettir reed
To his desir, than pleynli to ordeyne
That of Cartage the senatours wer ded;
Than wer he likli his purpos to atteyne
For to be crownid lord and souereyne,
So tacomplysshe his luste in alle thyng,
And in Cartage to regne as lord & kyng.
To his desir, than pleynli to ordeyne
That of Cartage the senatours wer ded;
Than wer he likli his purpos to atteyne
For to be crownid lord and souereyne,
So tacomplysshe his luste in alle thyng,
And in Cartage to regne as lord & kyng.
445
For yif the senat wer uttirli destroied,
He sholde fynde no maner resistence,
Wherbi his purpos sholde been encloied,
Nor dur sei nay to his magnificence;
For in the poraille ther was no diffence.
And at this feeste he caste hym to proceede
Al his entent[e] to conclude in deede.
He sholde fynde no maner resistence,
Wherbi his purpos sholde been encloied,
Nor dur sei nay to his magnificence;
For in the poraille ther was no diffence.
And at this feeste he caste hym to proceede
Al his entent[e] to conclude in deede.
His officeris he made to be sworn
To helpe destroie falsli be poisoun
The senatours, of whom I spak toforn,
And that ther vitaille & deyntes in foisoun,
And eek ther wynes, for short conclusioun,
Sholde with venym been intoxicat,
Thoruh al the paleis, & spare non estat.
To helpe destroie falsli be poisoun
The senatours, of whom I spak toforn,
And that ther vitaille & deyntes in foisoun,
And eek ther wynes, for short conclusioun,
Sholde with venym been intoxicat,
Thoruh al the paleis, & spare non estat.
These officeres hadde a conscience
For tacomplisshe so horrible a thyng;
And secreli vnder gret prouidence
To the senat thei gaff therof warnyng.
And whan thei knew this mortal compassyng
Off duk Haynoun, teschewen al affray,
Thei putte the weddyng of prudence in delay.
For tacomplisshe so horrible a thyng;
And secreli vnder gret prouidence
To the senat thei gaff therof warnyng.
And whan thei knew this mortal compassyng
Off duk Haynoun, teschewen al affray,
Thei putte the weddyng of prudence in delay.
Wherof this duk gan haue suspecioun,
And of this mateer fill in a maner dreede;
Thouhte he wolde bi sum collusioun
Ageyn Cartage mor mortalli proceede,
And gan calle to helpe hym in his neede
Of Mauritayne a kyng of gret renoun,
With hym bi force to falle upon the toun.
And of this mateer fill in a maner dreede;
Thouhte he wolde bi sum collusioun
Ageyn Cartage mor mortalli proceede,
And gan calle to helpe hym in his neede
Of Mauritayne a kyng of gret renoun,
With hym bi force to falle upon the toun.
Made hym promys, to his auauntage,
For to make free destribucioun
Of [the] richessis, tresour and pillage,
Which that he myht fynde in the toun.
For vttir fyn of his entencioun
Was to destroie, of wilfu[l] cruelte,
The famous Cartage, the myhti strong cite.
For to make free destribucioun
Of [the] richessis, tresour and pillage,
Which that he myht fynde in the toun.
For vttir fyn of his entencioun
Was to destroie, of wilfu[l] cruelte,
The famous Cartage, the myhti strong cite.
446
Of al the thrallis in the toun duellyng,
And swich as wer[e] born of louh lynage,
To strengthe his parti, this was his werkyng:
He made hem alle, bi mortal fals outrage,
Withynne the myhti castell of Cartage
To keepe hem cloos, of malis & envie
Ageyn the cite hymsilff to fortefie.
And swich as wer[e] born of louh lynage,
To strengthe his parti, this was his werkyng:
He made hem alle, bi mortal fals outrage,
Withynne the myhti castell of Cartage
To keepe hem cloos, of malis & envie
Ageyn the cite hymsilff to fortefie.
But al for nouht: the myhti senatours
Therof wer ware, and of hih prudence
Ageyn his malis and al his fals robbours
Thei made hem strong, and thoruh ther prouidence,
In especial tordeyne a diffence,
First on ther parti to lette the komyng
Of Mauritayne the stronge cruel kyng.
Therof wer ware, and of hih prudence
Ageyn his malis and al his fals robbours
Thei made hem strong, and thoruh ther prouidence,
In especial tordeyne a diffence,
First on ther parti to lette the komyng
Of Mauritayne the stronge cruel kyng.
And of assent thei list[e] nat dellaye,
But roos attonys, and bi gret ordenaunce
Ther false duk to venquisshe and outraie,
Hym and his cherlis thei brouhte to vttraunce,
Fill upon hym with a gret puissaunce,
And fynalli, proceedyng off resoun,
This was his doom, bauys of al the toun:
But roos attonys, and bi gret ordenaunce
Ther false duk to venquisshe and outraie,
Hym and his cherlis thei brouhte to vttraunce,
Fill upon hym with a gret puissaunce,
And fynalli, proceedyng off resoun,
This was his doom, bauys of al the toun:
First, of this duk as it is remembrid,
He was dispoilled, his doublet eek vnlacid,
Ioynt fro ioynt hewen and dismembrid,
And from his hed his eyen out arraced.
And riht as he hadde afforn compassid
To haue destroied his owne myhti toun,
As ye han herd, [he] resceyued his guerdoun.
He was dispoilled, his doublet eek vnlacid,
Ioynt fro ioynt hewen and dismembrid,
And from his hed his eyen out arraced.
And riht as he hadde afforn compassid
To haue destroied his owne myhti toun,
As ye han herd, [he] resceyued his guerdoun.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |