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 Amynta of Macedoyne kyng had by Erudice
his wif, Alisaundre, Perdica, & Philip, that were slayn.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
456
[How Amynta of Macedoyne kyng had by Erudice his wif, Alisaundre, Perdica, & Philip, that were slayn.]
And among other, ther fatis compleynyng,
Thoruh Fortunis dreedful violence,
Ther cam Amynta, of Macedoyne kyng,
And to Iohn Bochas shewed his sentence.
And to declare his magnificence,
To Alisaundre graunfader in his liff,
Hauyng foure childre be Erudice his wiff.
Thoruh Fortunis dreedful violence,
Ther cam Amynta, of Macedoyne kyng,
And to Iohn Bochas shewed his sentence.
And to declare his magnificence,
To Alisaundre graunfader in his liff,
Hauyng foure childre be Erudice his wiff.
The firste of hem was Alisandre Icallid,
And Perdica namyd the seconde,
The thridde Phelipp, in Macedoyne stallid,
Kynge of Grece, lik as it is founde,
Which in richessis gretli dide habounde,
And was eek fader, this noble werreiour,
To Alisaundre the myhti conquerour.
And Perdica namyd the seconde,
The thridde Phelipp, in Macedoyne stallid,
Kynge of Grece, lik as it is founde,
Which in richessis gretli dide habounde,
And was eek fader, this noble werreiour,
To Alisaundre the myhti conquerour.
And or myn auctour ferther doth proceede,
He makth in maner a digressioun
From his mateer, lik as ye may reede,
And gynneth in ordre a descripcioun
Of Macedoyne, the famous regioun,
Among Greekis writ in especiall,
Of seuene provynces it is the princepall.
He makth in maner a digressioun
From his mateer, lik as ye may reede,
And gynneth in ordre a descripcioun
Of Macedoyne, the famous regioun,
Among Greekis writ in especiall,
Of seuene provynces it is the princepall.
And so procedyng, he seith how that contre
Strechchith his boundis aboute hym enviroun
Toward the se which callid is Egee,
Foorth be Achaia toward septemptryoun.
And to Messie westward it goth doun;
And who that can bi crafte the coostis caste,
To Dalmacia the name therof doth laste.
Strechchith his boundis aboute hym enviroun
Toward the se which callid is Egee,
Foorth be Achaia toward septemptryoun.
And to Messie westward it goth doun;
And who that can bi crafte the coostis caste,
To Dalmacia the name therof doth laste.
In Macedoyne, he doth us also lere,
Of Olympus stant the gret mounteyn;
And in that kyngdam is many gret mynere
Of gold and siluer, lik as bookis seyn.
And on that hill is neuer wynd nor reyn;
For thilke mounteyn so hih[e] doth atteyne,
That it may nouther blowe ther nor reyne.
Of Olympus stant the gret mounteyn;
And in that kyngdam is many gret mynere
Of gold and siluer, lik as bookis seyn.
And on that hill is neuer wynd nor reyn;
457
That it may nouther blowe ther nor reyne.
The kyng Amynta, of whom I spak toforn,
Hadde in Grece many gret bataille:
Olympiens in Macedoyne born
And Illiriens, togidre he dide assaille.
Thoruh his wisdam he dide alway preuaill;
But with his enmys whil he stood most in striff,
His deth was shapen bi Erudice his wiff.
Hadde in Grece many gret bataille:
Olympiens in Macedoyne born
And Illiriens, togidre he dide assaille.
Thoruh his wisdam he dide alway preuaill;
But with his enmys whil he stood most in striff,
His deth was shapen bi Erudice his wiff.
Myn auctour Bochas of hir doth diffyne,
She imagynede his destruccioun,
Because she hadde another concubyne
On whom she sette al hir affeccioun.
Day set and tyme to his confusioun,
Fulli ordeyned, at a mariage
He to be slayn bi oon of his lynage.
She imagynede his destruccioun,
Because she hadde another concubyne
On whom she sette al hir affeccioun.
Day set and tyme to his confusioun,
Fulli ordeyned, at a mariage
He to be slayn bi oon of his lynage.
He hadde a suster callid Vrione,
Which prudentli espied the maneere
Of Erudice, and secreli allone
Goth to the kyng & told hym al ifeere.
And as the story in ordre tellith heere,
Thouh she faillede that day of hir emprise,
She thouhte fulfille it in a-nother wise.
Which prudentli espied the maneere
Of Erudice, and secreli allone
Goth to the kyng & told hym al ifeere.
And as the story in ordre tellith heere,
Thouh she faillede that day of hir emprise,
She thouhte fulfille it in a-nother wise.
This to meene, of hir iniquite,
Of hir fraude and fals imagynyng,
She was in cause thoruh hir contrariouste
Of the destruccioun of this mihti kyng.
For the conclusioun of hir fals werkyng
Was to ha slayn the kyng & al his lyne,
She to haue regnede with hir concubyne.
Of hir fraude and fals imagynyng,
She was in cause thoruh hir contrariouste
Of the destruccioun of this mihti kyng.
For the conclusioun of hir fals werkyng
Was to ha slayn the kyng & al his lyne,
She to haue regnede with hir concubyne.
But whan she sauh she myht[e] nat acheeve
Hir furious purpos bi non auenture,
Hir venymous malis upon hir lord to preeve,
On other parties she dide hir besi cure
Enmytes & myscheuys to procure
Ageyn the kyng, bi mortal fel assaies,
With sorwe and trouble for to shorte his daies.
Hir furious purpos bi non auenture,
Hir venymous malis upon hir lord to preeve,
On other parties she dide hir besi cure
Enmytes & myscheuys to procure
Ageyn the kyng, bi mortal fel assaies,
With sorwe and trouble for to shorte his daies.
458
Niht and day his lyff stood euere in dreed,
Hym to be-tra[i]sshe she cast out hook & lyne.
And who is he that can or may take heed,
Freli tescape, teschewen or declyne
Malis of wommen, whan thei be serpentyne?
Seeth an exaumple in this queen Erudice,
Void of al vertu and ful of eueri vice.
Hym to be-tra[i]sshe she cast out hook & lyne.
And who is he that can or may take heed,
Freli tescape, teschewen or declyne
Malis of wommen, whan thei be serpentyne?
Seeth an exaumple in this queen Erudice,
Void of al vertu and ful of eueri vice.
Alas, no prince can be war be other,
To bridle ther noblesse with reynes of resoun,
Swich as commytte, alas, bothe ship & rother
Vnto Syrenes to rowe hem up and doun
Thoruhout Caribdis to ther destruccioun.
Bi craft of Circes, alas, thei wer maad nyce,
Blynd to remembre upon this Erudice!
To bridle ther noblesse with reynes of resoun,
Swich as commytte, alas, bothe ship & rother
Vnto Syrenes to rowe hem up and doun
Thoruhout Caribdis to ther destruccioun.
Bi craft of Circes, alas, thei wer maad nyce,
Blynd to remembre upon this Erudice!
Which made Amynta to lyue in sorwe & dreede,
To reste in pes suffred hym ha[ue] no space.
In thouht and trouble his liff he gan to leede,
Til be long processe deth hym gan manace;
Yit or he deide Fortune gaff hym grace,
His eldest sone bi wisdam to ordeyne,
Callid Alisandre, his crowne to atteyne.
To reste in pes suffred hym ha[ue] no space.
In thouht and trouble his liff he gan to leede,
Til be long processe deth hym gan manace;
Yit or he deide Fortune gaff hym grace,
His eldest sone bi wisdam to ordeyne,
Callid Alisandre, his crowne to atteyne.
Thus Alisandre was his successour;
For Thath[e]nienses gan ther rancour lete
Ageyn[e]s hym, for [he] with gret labour
Bi ther suffraunce cam to his roial seete.
And for to sette his rewm in ful quiete,
First with Athenys, the stronge myhti toun,
Prouided a pes, of hih discrecioun.
For Thath[e]nienses gan ther rancour lete
Ageyn[e]s hym, for [he] with gret labour
Bi ther suffraunce cam to his roial seete.
And for to sette his rewm in ful quiete,
First with Athenys, the stronge myhti toun,
Prouided a pes, of hih discrecioun.
And for tauoide al ambiguite
Of old debatis and of old outrage,
First he sente into that strong cite
His sone Phelipp, yong and tendir of age,
On pes assurid to lyn ther for hostage.
And in that cite, the story berth witnesse,
He gan to growe vnto ful hih noblesse.
Of old debatis and of old outrage,
First he sente into that strong cite
His sone Phelipp, yong and tendir of age,
On pes assurid to lyn ther for hostage.
And in that cite, the story berth witnesse,
He gan to growe vnto ful hih noblesse.
He was commytted to the disciplyne
Of a gret duk callid Epamynedoun,
Which to al vertu his youthe made enclyne.
For of this duk Iustyn maketh mencioun
Bi a maner recomendacioun,
Tofor nor aftir, as be his auys,
Was neuer no prince mor excellent nor wis.
Of a gret duk callid Epamynedoun,
Which to al vertu his youthe made enclyne.
For of this duk Iustyn maketh mencioun
459
Tofor nor aftir, as be his auys,
Was neuer no prince mor excellent nor wis.
First he comendith his vertuous corage,
His hih noblesse, his knihtli excellence,
And be discent he born of hih lynage;
And in too thynges concludeth his sentence,
Seith that he was of most magnifisence,
Egal to Mars be famous cheualrie,
And sone to Phebus thoruh hih philosophie.
His hih noblesse, his knihtli excellence,
And be discent he born of hih lynage;
And in too thynges concludeth his sentence,
Seith that he was of most magnifisence,
Egal to Mars be famous cheualrie,
And sone to Phebus thoruh hih philosophie.
And Bochas heer doth his stile auaunce
Ful notabli with excellent langage,
And seith no tresour atteyneth in substaunce
To thilke richesse, auoidyng al outrage,
As whan ther is be bond of mariage
Knette up a knotte atween thexcellence
Of famous knihthod and of Dame Prudence.
Ful notabli with excellent langage,
And seith no tresour atteyneth in substaunce
To thilke richesse, auoidyng al outrage,
As whan ther is be bond of mariage
Knette up a knotte atween thexcellence
Of famous knihthod and of Dame Prudence.
This knotte auaileth mor than gold in coffre,
And is mor glorious perpetuelli tabide,
A myhti prince to been a philisophre,
Which can be prudence alle vices set aside,—
For whan to manhod prouydence is guide,
And vertuous force is capteyn in the werre,
Lat men weel truste, that parti may nat erre!
And is mor glorious perpetuelli tabide,
A myhti prince to been a philisophre,
Which can be prudence alle vices set aside,—
For whan to manhod prouydence is guide,
And vertuous force is capteyn in the werre,
Lat men weel truste, that parti may nat erre!
This Epamynoda, of knihthod sustenour,
Charboncle of vertu, as bookis telle konne,
Of gentil maneres callid the famous flour,
And of hih noblesse a verray worldli sonne,
Whos knihtli tryumphes be so hih up ronne
To Martis paleis, with the blissid souns
Of Famis trompetis and goldene clariouns.
Charboncle of vertu, as bookis telle konne,
Of gentil maneres callid the famous flour,
And of hih noblesse a verray worldli sonne,
Whos knihtli tryumphes be so hih up ronne
To Martis paleis, with the blissid souns
Of Famis trompetis and goldene clariouns.
For he was callid the briht[e] cleer merour
Of rihtful quarellis the parti [to] susteene,
Of extort wrongis most iust reformatour,
Ay egal iuge, of entent most cleene,
Whiche neuer koude nothyng but trouthe meene,
Wolde of custum for hate nor alliaunce
On nouther parti declyne the ballaunce.
Of rihtful quarellis the parti [to] susteene,
Of extort wrongis most iust reformatour,
Ay egal iuge, of entent most cleene,
Whiche neuer koude nothyng but trouthe meene,
Wolde of custum for hate nor alliaunce
On nouther parti declyne the ballaunce.
460
And to comende his vertuous prowesse,
His preuyd tryumphes, his magnanymyte,
His marcial actis, his knihtli bisynesse
In the getyng of many a strong cite,—
And al his labour was for the comounte,
Which to augmente he wolde neuer cesse,
Swich ioie he hadde the comoun good tencrece.
His preuyd tryumphes, his magnanymyte,
His marcial actis, his knihtli bisynesse
In the getyng of many a strong cite,—
And al his labour was for the comounte,
Which to augmente he wolde neuer cesse,
Swich ioie he hadde the comoun good tencrece.
This was also his vsaunce ouermor:
What-euer he gat to parte it in largesse;
Of gold nor coign he sette but litil stoor,
For al his herte was sette on gentilesse
Bi manli fredam, and, pleynli to expresse,
He spared no good, it shewed weel in deede,
His trewe seruauntis to helpe hem in her neede.
What-euer he gat to parte it in largesse;
Of gold nor coign he sette but litil stoor,
For al his herte was sette on gentilesse
Bi manli fredam, and, pleynli to expresse,
He spared no good, it shewed weel in deede,
His trewe seruauntis to helpe hem in her neede.
He kepte nat in coffres his tresour,
Of his nature he was so liberall
For to releue ech manli soudeour,
Swich as wer preued in actis marciall.
And for to holde his feeste funerall,
Aftir his deth, his story maketh mynde,
Thoruh fre departyng ther left no gold behynde.
Of his nature he was so liberall
For to releue ech manli soudeour,
Swich as wer preued in actis marciall.
And for to holde his feeste funerall,
Aftir his deth, his story maketh mynde,
Thoruh fre departyng ther left no gold behynde.
Alle his offises & famous dignites
And gret emprises in his tyme wrouht,
Encresid fraunchises thoruh Grece in his cities
With libertes bi his prudence out souht
For comoun proffit, and for hymsilff riht nouht,
With gret aumentyng of straunge teritories:
Al this cam in bi mene of his victories.
And gret emprises in his tyme wrouht,
Encresid fraunchises thoruh Grece in his cities
With libertes bi his prudence out souht
For comoun proffit, and for hymsilff riht nouht,
With gret aumentyng of straunge teritories:
Al this cam in bi mene of his victories.
And among alle his knihtli excellences,
Bi dyuers auctours vnto mynde is brouht,
How al his liff he studied in sciences
And upon konyng set hooli his thouht.
Bi manli prowesse of deth he rouhte nouht:
That was shewed, as it is weel founde,
The day whan he resceyuede his dethis wounde.
Bi dyuers auctours vnto mynde is brouht,
How al his liff he studied in sciences
And upon konyng set hooli his thouht.
Bi manli prowesse of deth he rouhte nouht:
That was shewed, as it is weel founde,
The day whan he resceyuede his dethis wounde.
461
He was hom born vnto his pauyllioun,
Al his armure with blood steyned red,
And on a couch[e] bi his men leid doun,
And gan abraide as he lay half ded:
“Sires,” quod he, “of o thyng taketh heed,
Hath any enmy this day in the feeld,
Whan I was woundid, taken up my sheeld?”
Al his armure with blood steyned red,
And on a couch[e] bi his men leid doun,
And gan abraide as he lay half ded:
“Sires,” quod he, “of o thyng taketh heed,
Hath any enmy this day in the feeld,
Whan I was woundid, taken up my sheeld?”
And whan his knihtis hadde told hym nay,
Bi a maner of knihtli reioysshyng
He hem comaunded, withoute mor delay
To his presence that thei sholde it bryng.
And therupon ful pitousli lookyng,
Ful lik a kniht, & with a mortal cheere
He kissid it, and seide as ye shal heere:
Bi a maner of knihtli reioysshyng
He hem comaunded, withoute mor delay
To his presence that thei sholde it bryng.
And therupon ful pitousli lookyng,
Ful lik a kniht, & with a mortal cheere
He kissid it, and seide as ye shal heere:
“Thou wer my felawe in armys [and] my brother,
That neuer woldest my felaship forsake,
Seur and abidyng, ther was nat swich a-nother,
In eueri iourne that I did vndirtake.
To me wolcome, an eende I mut now make.
Aftir my deth my soule shal ha[ue] plesaunce,
The to be kept yet for a remembraunce.”
That neuer woldest my felaship forsake,
Seur and abidyng, ther was nat swich a-nother,
In eueri iourne that I did vndirtake.
To me wolcome, an eende I mut now make.
Aftir my deth my soule shal ha[ue] plesaunce,
The to be kept yet for a remembraunce.”
Afforn his deth[e], it is put in mynde,
The same hour, it cam to his memorie
To enquere, he lefft nat behynde,
“Ha[ue] we,” quod he, “this day hadde victorie?
Or in the feeld who hath the palme of glorie?”
He praied his knihtis that day he sholde deie,
The pleyn[e] trouthe that thei wolde hym seie.
The same hour, it cam to his memorie
To enquere, he lefft nat behynde,
“Ha[ue] we,” quod he, “this day hadde victorie?
Or in the feeld who hath the palme of glorie?”
He praied his knihtis that day he sholde deie,
The pleyn[e] trouthe that thei wolde hym seie.
And thei hym tolde platli al the cas,
How his parti hadde wonne the feeld of myht;
And with that woord he so reioysshed was,
That he his sperit yolde anon vpriht.
And so he deide lik a worthi kniht,
In whom is shewed what vailleth, in sentence,
Noblesse of knihthod ioyned with prudence.
How his parti hadde wonne the feeld of myht;
And with that woord he so reioysshed was,
That he his sperit yolde anon vpriht.
And so he deide lik a worthi kniht,
In whom is shewed what vailleth, in sentence,
Noblesse of knihthod ioyned with prudence.
462
And bi the mene of his wis doctryne,
Phelipp, that lay with hym in hostage,
Gan encrece in knihtli disciplyne,
Wex in vertu riht as he wex in age.
Whos fader was be furious outrage
(Callid Alisandre, as maad is mencioun,)
Slayn bi his mooder be couert fals tresoun.
Phelipp, that lay with hym in hostage,
Gan encrece in knihtli disciplyne,
Wex in vertu riht as he wex in age.
Whos fader was be furious outrage
(Callid Alisandre, as maad is mencioun,)
Slayn bi his mooder be couert fals tresoun.
Afftir whos deth[e], Perdica in deede,
The yonger brother, the story doth deuise,
To the crowne gan lynealli succeede;
Anon slayn aftir in ful cruel wise.
Swich fals[e] moordre ech man sholde agrise,
As ye han rad[de], first of Amynta,
Of Alisaundre and of kyng Perdica.
The yonger brother, the story doth deuise,
To the crowne gan lynealli succeede;
Anon slayn aftir in ful cruel wise.
Swich fals[e] moordre ech man sholde agrise,
As ye han rad[de], first of Amynta,
Of Alisaundre and of kyng Perdica.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |