Chapter 34

[Tale of Codrus.]P. iii. 198, l. 17Of Pite forto speke plein,Which is with mercy wel besein,Fulofte he wole himselve peineNota hic de Principis pietate erga populum, vbi narrat quod, cum Codrus Rex Athenarum contra Dorences bellum gerere deberet, consulto prius Appolline responsum accepit, quod vnum de duobus, videlicet aut seipsum in prelio interfici et populum suum saluari, aut populum interfici et se1238saluum fieri, eligere oporteret. Super quo Rex pietate motus plebisque sue magis quam proprii corporis salutem affectans, mortem sibi preelegit; et sic bellum aggrediens pro vita multorum solus interiit.To kepe an other fro the peine:For Charite the moder isOf Pite, which nothing amisCan soffre, if he it mai amende.It sit to every man livende3170To be Pitous, bot non so welAs to a king, which on the whiel(3370*)Fortune hath set aboven alle:For in a king, if so befalle1239That his Pite be ferme and stable,To al the loud it is vailableP. iii. 199Only thurgh grace of his persone;For the Pite of him al oneMai al the large realme save.So sit it wel a king to have3180Pite; for this Valeire tolde,And seide hou that be daies olde(3380*)Codrus, which was in his degreKing of Athenis the cite,A werre he hadde ayein Dorrence:And forto take his evidence1240What schal befalle of the bataille,He thoghte he wolde him ferst consailleWith Appollo, in whom he triste;Thurgh whos ansuere this he wiste,3190Of tuo pointz that he myhte chese,Or that he wolde his body lese(3390*)And in bataille himselve deie,Or elles the seconde weie,To sen his poeple desconfit.Bot he, which Pite hath parfitUpon the point of his believe,The poeple thoghte to relieve,1241And ches himselve to be ded.Wher is nou such an other hed,3200Which wolde for the lemes dye?And natheles in som partie(3400*)It oghte a kinges herte stere,That he hise liege men forbere.And ek toward hise enemisFulofte he may deserve pris,P. iii. 200To take of Pite remembrance,Wher that he myhte do vengance:For whanne a king hath the victoire,And thanne he drawe into memoire3210To do Pite in stede of wreche,He mai noght faile of thilke specheWherof arist the worldes fame,To yive a Prince a worthi name.[Pompeius and the King of Armenia.]I rede hou whilom that Pompeie,To whom that Rome moste obeie,Hic ponit exemplum de victoriosi Principis pietate erga aduersarios suos. Et narrat quod, cum Pompeius Romanorum Imperator Regem Armenie aduersarium suum in bello victum cepisset, captumque vinculis alligatum Rome tenuisset, tirannidis iracundie stimulos postponens, pietatis mansuetudinem operatus est. Dixit enim quod nobilius est Regem facere quam deponere: super quo dictum Regem absque vlla redempcione non solum a vinculis absoluit, set ad sui regni culmen gratuita voluntate coronatum restituit.1244A werre hadde in jeupartieAyein the king of Ermenie,1242Which of long time him hadde grieved.Bot ate laste it was achieved3220That he this king desconfit hadde,And forth with him to Rome laddeAs Prisoner, wher many a dayIn sori plit and povere he lay,The corone of his heved deposed,1243Withinne walles faste enclosed;And with ful gret humiliteHe soffreth his adversite.Pompeie sih his pacienceAnd tok pite with conscience,3230So that upon his hihe deisTofore al Rome in his Paleis,As he that wolde upon him rewe,Let yive him his corone neweAnd his astat al full and plein1245Restoreth of his regne ayein,P. iii. 201And seide it was more goodly thingTo make than undon a king,To him which pouer hadde of bothe.Thus thei, that weren longe wrothe,3240Acorden hem to final pes;And yit justice nathelesWas kept and in nothing offended;Wherof Pompeie was comended.1246Ther mai no king himself excuse,Bot if justice he kepe and use,Which for teschuie crualteHe mot attempre with Pite.[Cruelty.]Of crualte the felonieEngendred is of tirannie,3250Ayein the whos condicionGod is himself the champion,(3450*)Whos strengthe mai noman withstonde.For evere yit it hath so stonde,That god a tirant overladde;Bot wher Pite the regne ladde,Ther mihte no fortune lasteWhich was grevous, bot ate lasteThe god himself it hath redresced.Pite is thilke vertu blessed3260Which nevere let his Maister falle;Bot crualte, thogh it so falleThat it mai regne for a throwe,God wole it schal ben overthrowe:Wherof ensamples ben ynowheOf hem that thilke merel drowhe.[Cruelty of Leontius.]P. iii. 202Of crualte I rede thus:Whan the tirant LeonciusHic loquitur contra illos, qui tirannica potestate principatum obtinentes in1247iniquitatis sue malicia gloriantur. Et narrat exemplum,1248qualiter Leoncius tirannus pium Iustinianum non solum a solio imperatorie maiestatis fraudulenter expulit, set vt ipse inhabilis ad regnum in1249aspectu plebis efficeretur, naso et labris abscisis, ipsum tirannice mutulauit. Deus tamen, qui super omnia pius est, Tiberio superueniente vna cum adiutorio Terbellis Bulgarie Regis, Iustinianum interfecto Leoncio ad imperium restitui misericorditer procurauit.Was to thempire of Rome arrived,Fro which he hath with strengthe prived12503270The pietous Justinian,1251As he which was a cruel man,His nase of and his lippes botheHe kutte, for he wolde him lotheUnto the poeple and make unable.Bot he which is al merciable,1252The hihe god, ordeigneth so,That he withinne a time also,Whan he was strengest in his ire,1253Was schoven out of his empire.3280Tiberius the pouer hadde,And Rome after his will he ladde,And for Leonce in such a wiseOrdeigneth, that he tok juiseOf nase and lippes bothe tuo,For that he dede an other so,Which more worthi was than he.Lo, which a fall hath crualte,And Pite was set up ayein:For after that the bokes sein,3290Therbellis king of BulgarieWith helpe of his chivalerieJustinian hath unprisonedAnd to thempire ayein coroned.[Cruelty of Siculus.]In a Cronique I finde alsoOf Siculus, which was ek soP. iii. 203Hic loquitur vlterius de crudelitate Siculi tiranni,1254necnon et de Berillo eiusdem Consiliario, qui ad tormentum populi quendam taurum eneum tirannica coniectura fabricari constituit; in quo tamen ipse prior, proprio crimine illud exigente, vsque ad sui interitus expiracionem iudicialiter torquebatur.A cruel king lich the tempeste,The whom no Pite myhte areste,—1255He was the ferste, as bokes seie,Upon the See which fond Galeie3300And let hem make for the werre,—As he which al was out of herre(3500*)Fro Pite and misericorde;For therto couthe he noght acorde,Bot whom he myhte slen, he slouh,And therof was he glad ynouh.He hadde of conseil manyon,Among the whiche ther was on,Be name which Berillus hihte;And he bethoghte him hou he myhte3310Unto the tirant do likinge,And of his oghne ymaginyngeLet forge and make a Bole of bras,And on the side cast ther wasA Dore, wher a man mai inne,Whan he his peine schal beginneThurgh fyr, which that men putten under.And al this dede he for a wonder,That whanne a man for peine cride,The Bole of bras, which gapeth wyde,3320It scholde seme as thogh it wereA belwinge in a mannes Ere,And noght the criinge of a man.Bot he which alle sleihtes can,The devel, that lith in helle fast,Him that this caste hath overcast,1256P. iii. 204That for a trespas which he dedeHe was putt in the same stede,And was himself the ferste of alleWhich was into that peine falle12573330That he for othre men ordeigneth;Ther was noman which him compleigneth.1258Of tirannie and crualteBe this ensample a king mai se,Himself and ek his conseil bothe,Hou thei ben to mankinde lotheAnd to the god abhominable.Ensamples that ben concordable1259I finde of othre Princes mo,As thou schalt hiere, of time go.12603340The grete tirant Dionys,Which mannes lif sette of no pris,1261[Dionysius and his Horses.]Unto his hors fulofte he yafThe men in stede of corn and chaf,Nota hic de Dionisio tiranno, qui mire crudelitatis seueritate eciam hospites suos ad deuorandum equis suis tribuit: cui Hercules tandem superueniens victum impium in impietate sua pari morte conclusit.So that the hors of thilke stodDevoureden the mennes blod;Til fortune ate laste cam,That Hercules him overcam,And he riht in the same wiseOf this tirant tok the juise:3350As he til othre men hath do,The same deth he deide also,(3550*)That no Pite him hath socoured,Til he was of hise hors devoured.[Lichaon.]Of Lichaon also I findeHou he ayein the lawe of kindeP. iii. 205Nota hic de consimili Lichaontis tirannia, qui carnes hominum hominibus in suo hospicio ad vescendum dedit; cuius formam condicioni similem Iupiter1262coequans ipsum in lupum transformauit.Hise hostes slouh, and into meteHe made her bodies to ben eteWith othre men withinne his hous.Bot Jupiter the glorious,3360Which was commoeved of this thing,Vengance upon this cruel kingSo tok, that he fro mannes formeInto a wolf him let transforme:And thus the crualte was kidd,Which of long time he hadde hidd;A wolf he was thanne openly,The whos nature privelyHe hadde in his condicion.And unto this conclusioun,3370That tirannie is to despise,I finde ensample in sondri wise,And nameliche of hem fulofte,The whom fortune hath set alofteUpon the werres forto winne.Bot hou so that the wrong beginneOf tirannie, it mai noght laste,Bot such as thei don ate lasteTo othre men, such on hem falleth;For ayein suche Pite calleth3380Vengance to the god above.For who that hath no tender loveIn savinge of a mannes lif,He schal be founde so gultif,That whanne he wolde mercy crave[Nobleness of the Lion.]In time of nede, he schal non have.P. iii. 206Of the natures this I finde,1263Nota qualiter Leo hominibus stratis parcit.The fierce Leon in his kinde,Which goth rampende after his preie,If he a man finde in his weie,3390He wole him slen, if he withstonde.Bot if the man coude understondeTo falle anon before his faceIn signe of mercy and of grace,The Leon schal of his natureRestreigne his ire in such mesure,As thogh it were a beste tamed,1264And torne awey halfvinge aschamed,That he the man schal nothing grieve.Hou scholde than a Prince achieve3400The worldes grace, if that he woldeDestruie a man whanne he is yolde(3600*)And stant upon his mercy al?Bot forto speke in special,Ther have be suche and yit ther beTirantz, whos hertes no piteMai to no point of mercy plie,That thei upon her tirannieNe gladen hem the men to sle;And as the rages of the See3410Ben unpitous in the tempeste,Riht so mai no Pite areste1265Of crualte the gret oultrage,Which the tirant in his corageEngendred hath: wherof I findeA tale, which comth nou to mynde.P. iii. 207I rede in olde bokes thus:[Spertachus and Thamaris.]Ther was a Duk, which SpertachusMen clepe, and was a werreiour,Hic loquitur precipue1266contra tirannos illos qui, cum in bello vincere possunt, humani sanguinis effusione saturari nequiunt. Et narrat in exemplum de quodam Persarum Rege, cuius nomen Spertachus erat, qui pre ceteris tunc in Oriente bellicosus et victoriosus, quoscunque gladio vincere poterat, absque pietate interfici constituit. Set tandem sub manu Thamaris Marsegetarum Regine in bello captus, quod a diu quesivit, seueritatem pro seueritate finaliter inuenit. Nam et ipsa quoddam vas de sanguine Persarum plenum ante se afferri1267decreuit, in quo caput tiranni vsque ad mortem mergens dixit: ‘O tirannorum crudelissime, semper esuriens sanguinem sitisti: ecce iam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe.’A cruel man, a conquerour3420With strong pouer the which he ladde.For this condicion he hadde,That where him hapneth the victoire,1268His lust and al his moste gloireWas forto sle and noght to save:Of rancoun wolde he no good haveFor savinge of a mannes lif,Bot al goth to the swerd and knyf,So lief him was the mannes blod.1269And natheles yit thus it stod,3430So as fortune aboute wente,He fell riht heir as be descente1270To Perse, and was coroned king.And whan the worschipe of this thingWas falle, and he was king of Perse,If that thei weren ferst diverse,The tirannies whiche he wroghte,A thousendfold welmore he soghteThanne afterward to do malice.The god vengance ayein the vice12713440Hath schape: for upon a tyde,Whan he was heihest in his Pride,In his rancour and in his heteAyein the queene of Marsagete,Which Thameris that time hihte,He made werre al that he myhte:P. iii. 208And sche, which wolde hir loud defende,Hir oghne Sone ayein him sende,1272Which the defence hath undertake.Bot he desconfit was and take;3450And whan this king him hadde in honde,He wol no mercy understonde,(3650*)Bot dede him slen in his presence.The tidinge of this violence1273Whan it cam to the moder Ere,Sche sende anon ay wydewhereTo suche frendes as sche hadde,A gret pouer til that sche ladde.In sondri wise and tho sche casteHou sche this king mai overcaste;3460And ate laste acorded was,That in the danger of a pass,Thurgh which this tirant scholde passe,Sche schop his pouer to compasse1274With strengthe of men be such a weie1275That he schal noght eschape aweie.And whan sche hadde thus ordeigned,Sche hath hir oghne bodi feigned,For feere as thogh sche wolde fleeOut of hir lond: and whan that he3470Hath herd hou that this ladi fledde,So faste after the chace he spedde,That he was founde out of array.For it betidde upon a day,Into the pas whanne he was falle,Thembuisschementz tobrieken alle1276P. iii. 209And him beclipte on every side,That fle ne myhte he noght aside:So that ther weren dede and takeTuo hundred thousend for his sake,3480That weren with him of his host.And thus was leid the grete bostOf him and of his tirannie:1277It halp no mercy forto crie1278To him which whilom dede non;For he unto the queene anonWas broght, and whan that sche him sih,This word sche spak and seide on hih:‘O man, which out of mannes kindeReson of man hast left behinde3490And lived worse than a beste,Whom Pite myhte noght areste,The mannes blod to schede and spilleThou haddest nevere yit thi fille.Bot nou the laste time is come,That thi malice is overcome:As thou til othre men hast do,Nou schal be do to thee riht so.’Tho bad this ladi that men scholdeA vessel bringe, in which sche wolde3500Se the vengance of his juise,Which sche began anon devise;(3700*)And tok the Princes whiche he ladde,Be whom his chief conseil he hadde,And whil hem lasteth eny breth,1279Sche made hem blede to the dethP. iii. 210Into the vessel wher it stod:And whan it was fulfild of blod,Sche caste this tirant therinne,And seide him, ‘Lo, thus myht thou wynne12803510The lustes of thin appetit.In blod was whilom thi delit,Nou schalt thou drinken al thi fille.’And thus onliche of goddes wille,He which that wolde himselve strangeTo Pite, fond mercy so strange,That he withoute grace is lore.So may it schewe wel therforeThat crualte hath no good ende;Bot Pite, hou so that it wende,3520Makth that the god is merciable,If ther be cause resonableWhy that a king schal be pitous.1281Bot elles, if he be doubtousTo slen in cause of rihtwisnesse,It mai be said no Pitousnesse,Bot it is Pusillamite,[Mercy must be without Weakness.]Which every Prince scholde flee.For if Pite mesure excede,Kinghode may noght wel procede12823530To do justice upon the riht:For it belongeth to a knyhtAls gladly forto fihte as reste,To sette his liege poeple in reste,Whan that the werre upon hem falleth;For thanne he mote, as it befalleth,P. iii. 211Of his knyhthode as a LeonBe to the poeple a champiounWithouten eny Pite feigned.For if manhode be restreigned,3540Or be it pes or be it werre,Justice goth al out of herre,So that knyhthode is set behinde.Of Aristotles lore I finde,A king schal make good visage,That noman knowe of his corageBot al honour and worthinesse:For if a king schal upon gesseWithoute verrai cause drede,He mai be lich to that I rede;3550And thogh that it be lich a fable,1283Thensample is good and resonable.(3750*)[The Mountain and the Mouse.]As it be olde daies fell,I rede whilom that an hellHic loquitur secundum Philosophum, dicens quod sicut non decet Principes tirannica impetuositate esse crudeles, ita nec decet timorosa pusillanimitate esse vecordes.Up in the londes of ArchadeA wonder dredful noise made;1284For so it fell that ilke day,This hell on his childinge lay,And whan the throwes on him come,His noise lich the day of dome3560Was ferfull in a mannes thoghtOf thing which that thei sihe noght,Bot wel thei herden al abouteThe noise, of which thei were in doute,As thei that wenden to be loreOf thing which thanne was unbore.P. iii. 212The nerr this hell was upon chanceTo taken his deliverance,The more unbuxomliche he cride;And every man was fledd aside,3570For drede and lefte his oghne hous:And ate laste it was a Mous,The which was bore and to norriceBetake; and tho thei hield hem nyce,1285For thei withoute cause dradde.1286Thus if a king his herte laddeWith every thing that he schal hiere,Fulofte he scholde change his chiereAnd upon fantasie drede,Whan that ther is no cause of drede.3580Nota hic secundum Oracium de magnanimo Yacide et pusillanime Thersite.Orace to his Prince tolde,That him were levere that he woldeUpon knihthode Achillem suieIn time of werre, thanne eschuie,So as Tersites dede at Troie.Achilles al his hole joieSette upon Armes forto fihte;Tersites soghte al that he myhteUnarmed forto stonde in reste:1287Bot of the tuo it was the beste3590That Achilles upon the nedeHath do, wherof his knyhtlihiede1288Is yit comended overal.Salomon. Tempus belli, tempus pacis.King Salomon in specialSeith, as ther is a time of pes,So is a time nathelesP. iii. 213Of werre, in which a Prince algateSchal for the comun riht debateAnd for his oghne worschipe eke.Bot it behoveth noght to seke3600[There is a time for War.]Only the werre for worschipe,Bot to the riht of his lordschipe,(3800*)Which he is holde to defende,Mote every worthi Prince entende.Nota qualiter inter duo extrema consistit virtus.Betwen the simplesce of PiteAnd the folhaste of crualte,Wher stant the verray hardiesce,1289Ther mote a king his herte adresce,Whanne it is time to forsake,And whan time is also to take3610The dedly werres upon honde,That he schal for no drede wonde,If rihtwisnesse be withal.For god is myhty overalTo forthren every mannes trowthe,1290Bot it be thurgh his oghne slowthe;And namely the kinges nedeIt mai noght faile forto spede,For he stant one for hem alle;So mote it wel the betre falle3620And wel the more god favoureth,Whan he the comun riht socoureth.And forto se the sothe in dede,Behold the bible and thou myht redeOf grete ensamples manyon,Wherof that I wol tellen on.[Story of Gideon.]P. iii. 214Upon a time as it befell,Ayein Judee and Irahel1291Whan sondri kinges come wereHic dicit quod Princeps iusticie causa bellum nullo modo timere debet. Et narrat qualiter dux Gedeon cum solis tricentis viris quinque Reges, scilicet Madianitarum, Amalechitarum, Amonitarum, Amoreorum et Iebuseorum, cum eorum excercitu, qui ad lxxxxtaMilia numeratus est, gracia cooperante diuina, victoriose in fugam conuertit.In pourpos to destruie there3630The poeple which god kepte tho,—And stod in thilke daies so,That Gedeon, which scholde ledeThe goddes folk, tok him to rede,And sende in al the lond aboute,Til he assembled hath a routeWith thritti thousend of defence,To fihte and make resistenceAyein the whiche hem wolde assaille:1292And natheles that o bataille3640Of thre that weren enemys1293Was double mor than was al his;Wherof that Gedeon him dradde,That he so litel poeple hadde.Bot he which alle thing mai helpe,Wher that ther lacketh mannes helpe,To Gedeon his Angel sente,And bad, er that he forther wente,Al openly that he do crieThat every man in his partie3650Which wolde after his oghne willeIn his delice abide stille1294(3850*)At hom in eny maner wise,For pourchas or for covoitise,For lust of love or lacke of herte,He scholde noght aboute sterte,P. iii. 215Bot holde him stille at hom in pes:Wherof upon the morwe he lesWel twenty thousend men and mo,The whiche after the cri ben go.3660Thus was with him bot only leftThe thridde part, and yit god eftHis Angel sende and seide thisTo Gedeon: ‘If it so isThat I thin help schal undertake,Thou schalt yit lasse poeple take,Be whom mi will is that thou spede.Forthi tomorwe tak good hiede,Unto the flod whan ye be come,What man that hath the water nome3670Up in his hond and lapeth so,To thi part ches out alle tho;1295And him which wery is to swinke,Upon his wombe and lith to drinke,Forsak and put hem alle aweie.For I am myhti alle weie,Wher as me list myn help to schewe1296In goode men, thogh thei ben fewe.’This Gedeon awaiteth wel,Upon the morwe and everydel,3680As god him bad, riht so he dede.And thus ther leften in that stedeWith him thre hundred and nomo,1297The remenant was al ago:Wherof that Gedeon merveileth,And therupon with god conseileth,P. iii. 216Pleignende as ferforth as he dar.And god, which wolde he were war1298That he schal spede upon his riht,1299Hath bede him go the same nyht3690And take a man with him, to hiereWhat schal be spoke in his matere1300Among the hethen enemis;So mai he be the more wys,What afterward him schal befalle.This Gedeon amonges allePhara, to whom he triste most,Be nyhte tok toward thilke host,Which logged was in a valleie,To hiere what thei wolden seie;3700Upon his fot and as he ferde,1301Tuo Sarazins spekende he herde.(3900*)Quod on, ‘Ared mi swevene ariht,Which I mette in mi slep to nyht.1302Me thoghte I sih a barli cake,Which fro the Hull his weie hath take,And cam rollende doun at ones;And as it were for the nones,Forth in his cours so as it ran,The kinges tente of Madian,3710Of Amalech, of Amoreie,Of Amon and of Jebuseie,And many an other tente moWith gret noise, as me thoghte tho,It threw to grounde and overcaste,And al this host so sore agaste1303P. iii. 217That I awok for pure drede.’‘This swevene can I wel arede,’Quod thother Sarazin anon:‘The barli cake is Gedeon,3720Which fro the hell doun sodeinlySchal come and sette such ascryUpon the kinges and ous bothe,That it schal to ous alle lothe:For in such drede he schal ous bringe,That if we hadden flyht of wynge,The weie on fote in desespeir1304We scholden leve and flen in their,1305For ther schal nothing him withstonde.’Whan Gedeon hath understonde3730This tale, he thonketh god of al,And priveliche ayein he stal,So that no lif him hath perceived.And thanne he hath fulli conceivedThat he schal spede; and theruponThe nyht suiende he schop to gonThis multitude to assaile.Nou schalt thou hiere a gret mervaile,With what voisdie that he wroghte.The litel poeple which he broghte,3740Was non of hem that he ne hathA pot of erthe, in which he tathA lyht brennende in a kressette,And ech of hem ek a trompetteBar in his other hond beside;And thus upon the nyhtes tydeP. iii. 218Duk Gedeon, whan it was derk,Ordeineth him unto his werk,1306And parteth thanne his folk in thre,And chargeth hem that thei ne fle,3750And tawhte hem hou they scholde ascrieAlle in o vois per compaignie,1307(3950*)And what word ek thei scholden speke,And hou thei scholde here pottes brekeEchon with other, whan thei herdeThat he himselve ferst so ferde;For whan thei come into the stede,He bad hem do riht as he dede.And thus stalkende forth a pasThis noble Duk, whan time was,3760His pot tobrak and loude ascride,And tho thei breke on every side.The trompe was noght forto seke;1308He blew, and so thei blewen ekeWith such a noise among hem alle,As thogh the hevene scholde falle.The hull unto here vois ansuerde,This host in the valleie it herde,And sih hou that the hell alyhte;So what of hieringe and of sihte,3770Thei cawhten such a sodein feere,That non of hem belefte there:The tentes hole thei forsoke,1309That thei non other good ne toke,Bot only with here bodi bareThei fledde, as doth the wylde Hare.P. iii. 219And evere upon the hull thei blewe,Til that thei sihe time, and kneweThat thei be fled upon the rage;And whan thei wiste here avantage,3780Thei felle anon unto the chace.Thus myht thou sen hou goddes graceUnto the goode men availeth;But elles ofte time it failethTo suche as be noght wel disposed.This tale nedeth noght be glosed,For it is openliche schewedThat god to hem that ben wel thewedHath yove and granted the victoire:So that thensample of this histoire3790Is good for every king to holde;Ferst in himself that he beholdeIf he be good of his livinge,And that the folk which he schal bringeBe good also, for thanne he mayBe glad of many a merie day,In what as evere he hath to done.1310For he which sit above the MoneAnd alle thing mai spille and spede,In every cause, in every nede13113800His goode king so wel adresceth,That alle his fomen he represseth,(4000*)So that ther mai noman him dere;And als so wel he can forbere,And soffre a wickid king to falleIn hondes of his fomen alle.

[Tale of Codrus.]

P. iii. 198, l. 17

Of Pite forto speke plein,

Which is with mercy wel besein,

Fulofte he wole himselve peine

Nota hic de Principis pietate erga populum, vbi narrat quod, cum Codrus Rex Athenarum contra Dorences bellum gerere deberet, consulto prius Appolline responsum accepit, quod vnum de duobus, videlicet aut seipsum in prelio interfici et populum suum saluari, aut populum interfici et se1238saluum fieri, eligere oporteret. Super quo Rex pietate motus plebisque sue magis quam proprii corporis salutem affectans, mortem sibi preelegit; et sic bellum aggrediens pro vita multorum solus interiit.

To kepe an other fro the peine:

For Charite the moder is

Of Pite, which nothing amis

Can soffre, if he it mai amende.

It sit to every man livende3170

To be Pitous, bot non so wel

As to a king, which on the whiel(3370*)

Fortune hath set aboven alle:

For in a king, if so befalle1239

That his Pite be ferme and stable,

To al the loud it is vailable

P. iii. 199

Only thurgh grace of his persone;

For the Pite of him al one

Mai al the large realme save.

So sit it wel a king to have3180

Pite; for this Valeire tolde,

And seide hou that be daies olde(3380*)

Codrus, which was in his degre

King of Athenis the cite,

A werre he hadde ayein Dorrence:

And forto take his evidence1240

What schal befalle of the bataille,

He thoghte he wolde him ferst consaille

With Appollo, in whom he triste;

Thurgh whos ansuere this he wiste,3190

Of tuo pointz that he myhte chese,

Or that he wolde his body lese(3390*)

And in bataille himselve deie,

Or elles the seconde weie,

To sen his poeple desconfit.

Bot he, which Pite hath parfit

Upon the point of his believe,

The poeple thoghte to relieve,1241

And ches himselve to be ded.

Wher is nou such an other hed,3200

Which wolde for the lemes dye?

And natheles in som partie(3400*)

It oghte a kinges herte stere,

That he hise liege men forbere.

And ek toward hise enemis

Fulofte he may deserve pris,

P. iii. 200

To take of Pite remembrance,

Wher that he myhte do vengance:

For whanne a king hath the victoire,

And thanne he drawe into memoire3210

To do Pite in stede of wreche,

He mai noght faile of thilke speche

Wherof arist the worldes fame,

To yive a Prince a worthi name.

[Pompeius and the King of Armenia.]I rede hou whilom that Pompeie,To whom that Rome moste obeie,Hic ponit exemplum de victoriosi Principis pietate erga aduersarios suos. Et narrat quod, cum Pompeius Romanorum Imperator Regem Armenie aduersarium suum in bello victum cepisset, captumque vinculis alligatum Rome tenuisset, tirannidis iracundie stimulos postponens, pietatis mansuetudinem operatus est. Dixit enim quod nobilius est Regem facere quam deponere: super quo dictum Regem absque vlla redempcione non solum a vinculis absoluit, set ad sui regni culmen gratuita voluntate coronatum restituit.1244A werre hadde in jeupartieAyein the king of Ermenie,1242Which of long time him hadde grieved.Bot ate laste it was achieved3220That he this king desconfit hadde,And forth with him to Rome laddeAs Prisoner, wher many a dayIn sori plit and povere he lay,The corone of his heved deposed,1243Withinne walles faste enclosed;And with ful gret humiliteHe soffreth his adversite.Pompeie sih his pacienceAnd tok pite with conscience,3230So that upon his hihe deisTofore al Rome in his Paleis,As he that wolde upon him rewe,Let yive him his corone neweAnd his astat al full and plein1245Restoreth of his regne ayein,P. iii. 201And seide it was more goodly thingTo make than undon a king,To him which pouer hadde of bothe.Thus thei, that weren longe wrothe,3240Acorden hem to final pes;And yit justice nathelesWas kept and in nothing offended;Wherof Pompeie was comended.1246Ther mai no king himself excuse,Bot if justice he kepe and use,Which for teschuie crualteHe mot attempre with Pite.[Cruelty.]Of crualte the felonieEngendred is of tirannie,3250Ayein the whos condicionGod is himself the champion,(3450*)Whos strengthe mai noman withstonde.For evere yit it hath so stonde,That god a tirant overladde;Bot wher Pite the regne ladde,Ther mihte no fortune lasteWhich was grevous, bot ate lasteThe god himself it hath redresced.Pite is thilke vertu blessed3260Which nevere let his Maister falle;Bot crualte, thogh it so falleThat it mai regne for a throwe,God wole it schal ben overthrowe:Wherof ensamples ben ynowheOf hem that thilke merel drowhe.

[Pompeius and the King of Armenia.]

I rede hou whilom that Pompeie,

To whom that Rome moste obeie,

Hic ponit exemplum de victoriosi Principis pietate erga aduersarios suos. Et narrat quod, cum Pompeius Romanorum Imperator Regem Armenie aduersarium suum in bello victum cepisset, captumque vinculis alligatum Rome tenuisset, tirannidis iracundie stimulos postponens, pietatis mansuetudinem operatus est. Dixit enim quod nobilius est Regem facere quam deponere: super quo dictum Regem absque vlla redempcione non solum a vinculis absoluit, set ad sui regni culmen gratuita voluntate coronatum restituit.1244

A werre hadde in jeupartie

Ayein the king of Ermenie,1242

Which of long time him hadde grieved.

Bot ate laste it was achieved3220

That he this king desconfit hadde,

And forth with him to Rome ladde

As Prisoner, wher many a day

In sori plit and povere he lay,

The corone of his heved deposed,1243

Withinne walles faste enclosed;

And with ful gret humilite

He soffreth his adversite.

Pompeie sih his pacience

And tok pite with conscience,3230

So that upon his hihe deis

Tofore al Rome in his Paleis,

As he that wolde upon him rewe,

Let yive him his corone newe

And his astat al full and plein1245

Restoreth of his regne ayein,

P. iii. 201

And seide it was more goodly thing

To make than undon a king,

To him which pouer hadde of bothe.

Thus thei, that weren longe wrothe,3240

Acorden hem to final pes;

And yit justice natheles

Was kept and in nothing offended;

Wherof Pompeie was comended.1246

Ther mai no king himself excuse,

Bot if justice he kepe and use,

Which for teschuie crualte

He mot attempre with Pite.

[Cruelty.]

Of crualte the felonie

Engendred is of tirannie,3250

Ayein the whos condicion

God is himself the champion,(3450*)

Whos strengthe mai noman withstonde.

For evere yit it hath so stonde,

That god a tirant overladde;

Bot wher Pite the regne ladde,

Ther mihte no fortune laste

Which was grevous, bot ate laste

The god himself it hath redresced.

Pite is thilke vertu blessed3260

Which nevere let his Maister falle;

Bot crualte, thogh it so falle

That it mai regne for a throwe,

God wole it schal ben overthrowe:

Wherof ensamples ben ynowhe

Of hem that thilke merel drowhe.

[Cruelty of Leontius.]P. iii. 202Of crualte I rede thus:Whan the tirant LeonciusHic loquitur contra illos, qui tirannica potestate principatum obtinentes in1247iniquitatis sue malicia gloriantur. Et narrat exemplum,1248qualiter Leoncius tirannus pium Iustinianum non solum a solio imperatorie maiestatis fraudulenter expulit, set vt ipse inhabilis ad regnum in1249aspectu plebis efficeretur, naso et labris abscisis, ipsum tirannice mutulauit. Deus tamen, qui super omnia pius est, Tiberio superueniente vna cum adiutorio Terbellis Bulgarie Regis, Iustinianum interfecto Leoncio ad imperium restitui misericorditer procurauit.Was to thempire of Rome arrived,Fro which he hath with strengthe prived12503270The pietous Justinian,1251As he which was a cruel man,His nase of and his lippes botheHe kutte, for he wolde him lotheUnto the poeple and make unable.Bot he which is al merciable,1252The hihe god, ordeigneth so,That he withinne a time also,Whan he was strengest in his ire,1253Was schoven out of his empire.3280Tiberius the pouer hadde,And Rome after his will he ladde,And for Leonce in such a wiseOrdeigneth, that he tok juiseOf nase and lippes bothe tuo,For that he dede an other so,Which more worthi was than he.Lo, which a fall hath crualte,And Pite was set up ayein:For after that the bokes sein,3290Therbellis king of BulgarieWith helpe of his chivalerieJustinian hath unprisonedAnd to thempire ayein coroned.

[Cruelty of Leontius.]

P. iii. 202

Of crualte I rede thus:

Whan the tirant Leoncius

Hic loquitur contra illos, qui tirannica potestate principatum obtinentes in1247iniquitatis sue malicia gloriantur. Et narrat exemplum,1248qualiter Leoncius tirannus pium Iustinianum non solum a solio imperatorie maiestatis fraudulenter expulit, set vt ipse inhabilis ad regnum in1249aspectu plebis efficeretur, naso et labris abscisis, ipsum tirannice mutulauit. Deus tamen, qui super omnia pius est, Tiberio superueniente vna cum adiutorio Terbellis Bulgarie Regis, Iustinianum interfecto Leoncio ad imperium restitui misericorditer procurauit.

Was to thempire of Rome arrived,

Fro which he hath with strengthe prived12503270

The pietous Justinian,1251

As he which was a cruel man,

His nase of and his lippes bothe

He kutte, for he wolde him lothe

Unto the poeple and make unable.

Bot he which is al merciable,1252

The hihe god, ordeigneth so,

That he withinne a time also,

Whan he was strengest in his ire,1253

Was schoven out of his empire.3280

Tiberius the pouer hadde,

And Rome after his will he ladde,

And for Leonce in such a wise

Ordeigneth, that he tok juise

Of nase and lippes bothe tuo,

For that he dede an other so,

Which more worthi was than he.

Lo, which a fall hath crualte,

And Pite was set up ayein:

For after that the bokes sein,3290

Therbellis king of Bulgarie

With helpe of his chivalerie

Justinian hath unprisoned

And to thempire ayein coroned.

[Cruelty of Siculus.]In a Cronique I finde alsoOf Siculus, which was ek soP. iii. 203Hic loquitur vlterius de crudelitate Siculi tiranni,1254necnon et de Berillo eiusdem Consiliario, qui ad tormentum populi quendam taurum eneum tirannica coniectura fabricari constituit; in quo tamen ipse prior, proprio crimine illud exigente, vsque ad sui interitus expiracionem iudicialiter torquebatur.A cruel king lich the tempeste,The whom no Pite myhte areste,—1255He was the ferste, as bokes seie,Upon the See which fond Galeie3300And let hem make for the werre,—As he which al was out of herre(3500*)Fro Pite and misericorde;For therto couthe he noght acorde,Bot whom he myhte slen, he slouh,And therof was he glad ynouh.He hadde of conseil manyon,Among the whiche ther was on,Be name which Berillus hihte;And he bethoghte him hou he myhte3310Unto the tirant do likinge,And of his oghne ymaginyngeLet forge and make a Bole of bras,And on the side cast ther wasA Dore, wher a man mai inne,Whan he his peine schal beginneThurgh fyr, which that men putten under.And al this dede he for a wonder,That whanne a man for peine cride,The Bole of bras, which gapeth wyde,3320It scholde seme as thogh it wereA belwinge in a mannes Ere,And noght the criinge of a man.Bot he which alle sleihtes can,The devel, that lith in helle fast,Him that this caste hath overcast,1256P. iii. 204That for a trespas which he dedeHe was putt in the same stede,And was himself the ferste of alleWhich was into that peine falle12573330That he for othre men ordeigneth;Ther was noman which him compleigneth.1258Of tirannie and crualteBe this ensample a king mai se,Himself and ek his conseil bothe,Hou thei ben to mankinde lotheAnd to the god abhominable.Ensamples that ben concordable1259I finde of othre Princes mo,As thou schalt hiere, of time go.12603340

[Cruelty of Siculus.]

In a Cronique I finde also

Of Siculus, which was ek so

P. iii. 203

Hic loquitur vlterius de crudelitate Siculi tiranni,1254necnon et de Berillo eiusdem Consiliario, qui ad tormentum populi quendam taurum eneum tirannica coniectura fabricari constituit; in quo tamen ipse prior, proprio crimine illud exigente, vsque ad sui interitus expiracionem iudicialiter torquebatur.

A cruel king lich the tempeste,

The whom no Pite myhte areste,—1255

He was the ferste, as bokes seie,

Upon the See which fond Galeie3300

And let hem make for the werre,—

As he which al was out of herre(3500*)

Fro Pite and misericorde;

For therto couthe he noght acorde,

Bot whom he myhte slen, he slouh,

And therof was he glad ynouh.

He hadde of conseil manyon,

Among the whiche ther was on,

Be name which Berillus hihte;

And he bethoghte him hou he myhte3310

Unto the tirant do likinge,

And of his oghne ymaginynge

Let forge and make a Bole of bras,

And on the side cast ther was

A Dore, wher a man mai inne,

Whan he his peine schal beginne

Thurgh fyr, which that men putten under.

And al this dede he for a wonder,

That whanne a man for peine cride,

The Bole of bras, which gapeth wyde,3320

It scholde seme as thogh it were

A belwinge in a mannes Ere,

And noght the criinge of a man.

Bot he which alle sleihtes can,

The devel, that lith in helle fast,

Him that this caste hath overcast,1256

P. iii. 204

That for a trespas which he dede

He was putt in the same stede,

And was himself the ferste of alle

Which was into that peine falle12573330

That he for othre men ordeigneth;

Ther was noman which him compleigneth.1258

Of tirannie and crualte

Be this ensample a king mai se,

Himself and ek his conseil bothe,

Hou thei ben to mankinde lothe

And to the god abhominable.

Ensamples that ben concordable1259

I finde of othre Princes mo,

As thou schalt hiere, of time go.12603340

The grete tirant Dionys,Which mannes lif sette of no pris,1261[Dionysius and his Horses.]Unto his hors fulofte he yafThe men in stede of corn and chaf,Nota hic de Dionisio tiranno, qui mire crudelitatis seueritate eciam hospites suos ad deuorandum equis suis tribuit: cui Hercules tandem superueniens victum impium in impietate sua pari morte conclusit.So that the hors of thilke stodDevoureden the mennes blod;Til fortune ate laste cam,That Hercules him overcam,And he riht in the same wiseOf this tirant tok the juise:3350As he til othre men hath do,The same deth he deide also,(3550*)That no Pite him hath socoured,Til he was of hise hors devoured.

The grete tirant Dionys,

Which mannes lif sette of no pris,1261

[Dionysius and his Horses.]

Unto his hors fulofte he yaf

The men in stede of corn and chaf,

Nota hic de Dionisio tiranno, qui mire crudelitatis seueritate eciam hospites suos ad deuorandum equis suis tribuit: cui Hercules tandem superueniens victum impium in impietate sua pari morte conclusit.

So that the hors of thilke stod

Devoureden the mennes blod;

Til fortune ate laste cam,

That Hercules him overcam,

And he riht in the same wise

Of this tirant tok the juise:3350

As he til othre men hath do,

The same deth he deide also,(3550*)

That no Pite him hath socoured,

Til he was of hise hors devoured.

[Lichaon.]Of Lichaon also I findeHou he ayein the lawe of kindeP. iii. 205Nota hic de consimili Lichaontis tirannia, qui carnes hominum hominibus in suo hospicio ad vescendum dedit; cuius formam condicioni similem Iupiter1262coequans ipsum in lupum transformauit.Hise hostes slouh, and into meteHe made her bodies to ben eteWith othre men withinne his hous.Bot Jupiter the glorious,3360Which was commoeved of this thing,Vengance upon this cruel kingSo tok, that he fro mannes formeInto a wolf him let transforme:And thus the crualte was kidd,Which of long time he hadde hidd;A wolf he was thanne openly,The whos nature privelyHe hadde in his condicion.And unto this conclusioun,3370That tirannie is to despise,I finde ensample in sondri wise,And nameliche of hem fulofte,The whom fortune hath set alofteUpon the werres forto winne.Bot hou so that the wrong beginneOf tirannie, it mai noght laste,Bot such as thei don ate lasteTo othre men, such on hem falleth;For ayein suche Pite calleth3380Vengance to the god above.For who that hath no tender loveIn savinge of a mannes lif,He schal be founde so gultif,That whanne he wolde mercy crave[Nobleness of the Lion.]In time of nede, he schal non have.P. iii. 206Of the natures this I finde,1263Nota qualiter Leo hominibus stratis parcit.The fierce Leon in his kinde,Which goth rampende after his preie,If he a man finde in his weie,3390He wole him slen, if he withstonde.Bot if the man coude understondeTo falle anon before his faceIn signe of mercy and of grace,The Leon schal of his natureRestreigne his ire in such mesure,As thogh it were a beste tamed,1264And torne awey halfvinge aschamed,That he the man schal nothing grieve.Hou scholde than a Prince achieve3400The worldes grace, if that he woldeDestruie a man whanne he is yolde(3600*)And stant upon his mercy al?Bot forto speke in special,Ther have be suche and yit ther beTirantz, whos hertes no piteMai to no point of mercy plie,That thei upon her tirannieNe gladen hem the men to sle;And as the rages of the See3410Ben unpitous in the tempeste,Riht so mai no Pite areste1265Of crualte the gret oultrage,Which the tirant in his corageEngendred hath: wherof I findeA tale, which comth nou to mynde.P. iii. 207

[Lichaon.]

Of Lichaon also I finde

Hou he ayein the lawe of kinde

P. iii. 205

Nota hic de consimili Lichaontis tirannia, qui carnes hominum hominibus in suo hospicio ad vescendum dedit; cuius formam condicioni similem Iupiter1262coequans ipsum in lupum transformauit.

Hise hostes slouh, and into mete

He made her bodies to ben ete

With othre men withinne his hous.

Bot Jupiter the glorious,3360

Which was commoeved of this thing,

Vengance upon this cruel king

So tok, that he fro mannes forme

Into a wolf him let transforme:

And thus the crualte was kidd,

Which of long time he hadde hidd;

A wolf he was thanne openly,

The whos nature prively

He hadde in his condicion.

And unto this conclusioun,3370

That tirannie is to despise,

I finde ensample in sondri wise,

And nameliche of hem fulofte,

The whom fortune hath set alofte

Upon the werres forto winne.

Bot hou so that the wrong beginne

Of tirannie, it mai noght laste,

Bot such as thei don ate laste

To othre men, such on hem falleth;

For ayein suche Pite calleth3380

Vengance to the god above.

For who that hath no tender love

In savinge of a mannes lif,

He schal be founde so gultif,

That whanne he wolde mercy crave

[Nobleness of the Lion.]

In time of nede, he schal non have.

P. iii. 206

Of the natures this I finde,1263

Nota qualiter Leo hominibus stratis parcit.

The fierce Leon in his kinde,

Which goth rampende after his preie,

If he a man finde in his weie,3390

He wole him slen, if he withstonde.

Bot if the man coude understonde

To falle anon before his face

In signe of mercy and of grace,

The Leon schal of his nature

Restreigne his ire in such mesure,

As thogh it were a beste tamed,1264

And torne awey halfvinge aschamed,

That he the man schal nothing grieve.

Hou scholde than a Prince achieve3400

The worldes grace, if that he wolde

Destruie a man whanne he is yolde(3600*)

And stant upon his mercy al?

Bot forto speke in special,

Ther have be suche and yit ther be

Tirantz, whos hertes no pite

Mai to no point of mercy plie,

That thei upon her tirannie

Ne gladen hem the men to sle;

And as the rages of the See3410

Ben unpitous in the tempeste,

Riht so mai no Pite areste1265

Of crualte the gret oultrage,

Which the tirant in his corage

Engendred hath: wherof I finde

A tale, which comth nou to mynde.

P. iii. 207

I rede in olde bokes thus:[Spertachus and Thamaris.]Ther was a Duk, which SpertachusMen clepe, and was a werreiour,Hic loquitur precipue1266contra tirannos illos qui, cum in bello vincere possunt, humani sanguinis effusione saturari nequiunt. Et narrat in exemplum de quodam Persarum Rege, cuius nomen Spertachus erat, qui pre ceteris tunc in Oriente bellicosus et victoriosus, quoscunque gladio vincere poterat, absque pietate interfici constituit. Set tandem sub manu Thamaris Marsegetarum Regine in bello captus, quod a diu quesivit, seueritatem pro seueritate finaliter inuenit. Nam et ipsa quoddam vas de sanguine Persarum plenum ante se afferri1267decreuit, in quo caput tiranni vsque ad mortem mergens dixit: ‘O tirannorum crudelissime, semper esuriens sanguinem sitisti: ecce iam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe.’A cruel man, a conquerour3420With strong pouer the which he ladde.For this condicion he hadde,That where him hapneth the victoire,1268His lust and al his moste gloireWas forto sle and noght to save:Of rancoun wolde he no good haveFor savinge of a mannes lif,Bot al goth to the swerd and knyf,So lief him was the mannes blod.1269And natheles yit thus it stod,3430So as fortune aboute wente,He fell riht heir as be descente1270To Perse, and was coroned king.And whan the worschipe of this thingWas falle, and he was king of Perse,If that thei weren ferst diverse,The tirannies whiche he wroghte,A thousendfold welmore he soghteThanne afterward to do malice.The god vengance ayein the vice12713440Hath schape: for upon a tyde,Whan he was heihest in his Pride,In his rancour and in his heteAyein the queene of Marsagete,Which Thameris that time hihte,He made werre al that he myhte:P. iii. 208And sche, which wolde hir loud defende,Hir oghne Sone ayein him sende,1272Which the defence hath undertake.Bot he desconfit was and take;3450And whan this king him hadde in honde,He wol no mercy understonde,(3650*)Bot dede him slen in his presence.The tidinge of this violence1273Whan it cam to the moder Ere,Sche sende anon ay wydewhereTo suche frendes as sche hadde,A gret pouer til that sche ladde.In sondri wise and tho sche casteHou sche this king mai overcaste;3460And ate laste acorded was,That in the danger of a pass,Thurgh which this tirant scholde passe,Sche schop his pouer to compasse1274With strengthe of men be such a weie1275That he schal noght eschape aweie.And whan sche hadde thus ordeigned,Sche hath hir oghne bodi feigned,For feere as thogh sche wolde fleeOut of hir lond: and whan that he3470Hath herd hou that this ladi fledde,So faste after the chace he spedde,That he was founde out of array.For it betidde upon a day,Into the pas whanne he was falle,Thembuisschementz tobrieken alle1276P. iii. 209And him beclipte on every side,That fle ne myhte he noght aside:So that ther weren dede and takeTuo hundred thousend for his sake,3480That weren with him of his host.And thus was leid the grete bostOf him and of his tirannie:1277It halp no mercy forto crie1278To him which whilom dede non;For he unto the queene anonWas broght, and whan that sche him sih,This word sche spak and seide on hih:‘O man, which out of mannes kindeReson of man hast left behinde3490And lived worse than a beste,Whom Pite myhte noght areste,The mannes blod to schede and spilleThou haddest nevere yit thi fille.Bot nou the laste time is come,That thi malice is overcome:As thou til othre men hast do,Nou schal be do to thee riht so.’Tho bad this ladi that men scholdeA vessel bringe, in which sche wolde3500Se the vengance of his juise,Which sche began anon devise;(3700*)And tok the Princes whiche he ladde,Be whom his chief conseil he hadde,And whil hem lasteth eny breth,1279Sche made hem blede to the dethP. iii. 210Into the vessel wher it stod:And whan it was fulfild of blod,Sche caste this tirant therinne,And seide him, ‘Lo, thus myht thou wynne12803510The lustes of thin appetit.In blod was whilom thi delit,Nou schalt thou drinken al thi fille.’And thus onliche of goddes wille,He which that wolde himselve strangeTo Pite, fond mercy so strange,That he withoute grace is lore.So may it schewe wel therforeThat crualte hath no good ende;Bot Pite, hou so that it wende,3520Makth that the god is merciable,If ther be cause resonableWhy that a king schal be pitous.1281Bot elles, if he be doubtousTo slen in cause of rihtwisnesse,It mai be said no Pitousnesse,Bot it is Pusillamite,[Mercy must be without Weakness.]Which every Prince scholde flee.For if Pite mesure excede,Kinghode may noght wel procede12823530To do justice upon the riht:For it belongeth to a knyhtAls gladly forto fihte as reste,To sette his liege poeple in reste,Whan that the werre upon hem falleth;For thanne he mote, as it befalleth,P. iii. 211Of his knyhthode as a LeonBe to the poeple a champiounWithouten eny Pite feigned.For if manhode be restreigned,3540Or be it pes or be it werre,Justice goth al out of herre,So that knyhthode is set behinde.Of Aristotles lore I finde,A king schal make good visage,That noman knowe of his corageBot al honour and worthinesse:For if a king schal upon gesseWithoute verrai cause drede,He mai be lich to that I rede;3550And thogh that it be lich a fable,1283Thensample is good and resonable.(3750*)

I rede in olde bokes thus:

[Spertachus and Thamaris.]

Ther was a Duk, which Spertachus

Men clepe, and was a werreiour,

Hic loquitur precipue1266contra tirannos illos qui, cum in bello vincere possunt, humani sanguinis effusione saturari nequiunt. Et narrat in exemplum de quodam Persarum Rege, cuius nomen Spertachus erat, qui pre ceteris tunc in Oriente bellicosus et victoriosus, quoscunque gladio vincere poterat, absque pietate interfici constituit. Set tandem sub manu Thamaris Marsegetarum Regine in bello captus, quod a diu quesivit, seueritatem pro seueritate finaliter inuenit. Nam et ipsa quoddam vas de sanguine Persarum plenum ante se afferri1267decreuit, in quo caput tiranni vsque ad mortem mergens dixit: ‘O tirannorum crudelissime, semper esuriens sanguinem sitisti: ecce iam ad saturitatem sanguinem bibe.’

A cruel man, a conquerour3420

With strong pouer the which he ladde.

For this condicion he hadde,

That where him hapneth the victoire,1268

His lust and al his moste gloire

Was forto sle and noght to save:

Of rancoun wolde he no good have

For savinge of a mannes lif,

Bot al goth to the swerd and knyf,

So lief him was the mannes blod.1269

And natheles yit thus it stod,3430

So as fortune aboute wente,

He fell riht heir as be descente1270

To Perse, and was coroned king.

And whan the worschipe of this thing

Was falle, and he was king of Perse,

If that thei weren ferst diverse,

The tirannies whiche he wroghte,

A thousendfold welmore he soghte

Thanne afterward to do malice.

The god vengance ayein the vice12713440

Hath schape: for upon a tyde,

Whan he was heihest in his Pride,

In his rancour and in his hete

Ayein the queene of Marsagete,

Which Thameris that time hihte,

He made werre al that he myhte:

P. iii. 208

And sche, which wolde hir loud defende,

Hir oghne Sone ayein him sende,1272

Which the defence hath undertake.

Bot he desconfit was and take;3450

And whan this king him hadde in honde,

He wol no mercy understonde,(3650*)

Bot dede him slen in his presence.

The tidinge of this violence1273

Whan it cam to the moder Ere,

Sche sende anon ay wydewhere

To suche frendes as sche hadde,

A gret pouer til that sche ladde.

In sondri wise and tho sche caste

Hou sche this king mai overcaste;3460

And ate laste acorded was,

That in the danger of a pass,

Thurgh which this tirant scholde passe,

Sche schop his pouer to compasse1274

With strengthe of men be such a weie1275

That he schal noght eschape aweie.

And whan sche hadde thus ordeigned,

Sche hath hir oghne bodi feigned,

For feere as thogh sche wolde flee

Out of hir lond: and whan that he3470

Hath herd hou that this ladi fledde,

So faste after the chace he spedde,

That he was founde out of array.

For it betidde upon a day,

Into the pas whanne he was falle,

Thembuisschementz tobrieken alle1276

P. iii. 209

And him beclipte on every side,

That fle ne myhte he noght aside:

So that ther weren dede and take

Tuo hundred thousend for his sake,3480

That weren with him of his host.

And thus was leid the grete bost

Of him and of his tirannie:1277

It halp no mercy forto crie1278

To him which whilom dede non;

For he unto the queene anon

Was broght, and whan that sche him sih,

This word sche spak and seide on hih:

‘O man, which out of mannes kinde

Reson of man hast left behinde3490

And lived worse than a beste,

Whom Pite myhte noght areste,

The mannes blod to schede and spille

Thou haddest nevere yit thi fille.

Bot nou the laste time is come,

That thi malice is overcome:

As thou til othre men hast do,

Nou schal be do to thee riht so.’

Tho bad this ladi that men scholde

A vessel bringe, in which sche wolde3500

Se the vengance of his juise,

Which sche began anon devise;(3700*)

And tok the Princes whiche he ladde,

Be whom his chief conseil he hadde,

And whil hem lasteth eny breth,1279

Sche made hem blede to the deth

P. iii. 210

Into the vessel wher it stod:

And whan it was fulfild of blod,

Sche caste this tirant therinne,

And seide him, ‘Lo, thus myht thou wynne12803510

The lustes of thin appetit.

In blod was whilom thi delit,

Nou schalt thou drinken al thi fille.’

And thus onliche of goddes wille,

He which that wolde himselve strange

To Pite, fond mercy so strange,

That he withoute grace is lore.

So may it schewe wel therfore

That crualte hath no good ende;

Bot Pite, hou so that it wende,3520

Makth that the god is merciable,

If ther be cause resonable

Why that a king schal be pitous.1281

Bot elles, if he be doubtous

To slen in cause of rihtwisnesse,

It mai be said no Pitousnesse,

Bot it is Pusillamite,

[Mercy must be without Weakness.]

Which every Prince scholde flee.

For if Pite mesure excede,

Kinghode may noght wel procede12823530

To do justice upon the riht:

For it belongeth to a knyht

Als gladly forto fihte as reste,

To sette his liege poeple in reste,

Whan that the werre upon hem falleth;

For thanne he mote, as it befalleth,

P. iii. 211

Of his knyhthode as a Leon

Be to the poeple a champioun

Withouten eny Pite feigned.

For if manhode be restreigned,3540

Or be it pes or be it werre,

Justice goth al out of herre,

So that knyhthode is set behinde.

Of Aristotles lore I finde,

A king schal make good visage,

That noman knowe of his corage

Bot al honour and worthinesse:

For if a king schal upon gesse

Withoute verrai cause drede,

He mai be lich to that I rede;3550

And thogh that it be lich a fable,1283

Thensample is good and resonable.(3750*)

[The Mountain and the Mouse.]As it be olde daies fell,I rede whilom that an hellHic loquitur secundum Philosophum, dicens quod sicut non decet Principes tirannica impetuositate esse crudeles, ita nec decet timorosa pusillanimitate esse vecordes.Up in the londes of ArchadeA wonder dredful noise made;1284For so it fell that ilke day,This hell on his childinge lay,And whan the throwes on him come,His noise lich the day of dome3560Was ferfull in a mannes thoghtOf thing which that thei sihe noght,Bot wel thei herden al abouteThe noise, of which thei were in doute,As thei that wenden to be loreOf thing which thanne was unbore.P. iii. 212The nerr this hell was upon chanceTo taken his deliverance,The more unbuxomliche he cride;And every man was fledd aside,3570For drede and lefte his oghne hous:And ate laste it was a Mous,The which was bore and to norriceBetake; and tho thei hield hem nyce,1285For thei withoute cause dradde.1286Thus if a king his herte laddeWith every thing that he schal hiere,Fulofte he scholde change his chiereAnd upon fantasie drede,Whan that ther is no cause of drede.3580Nota hic secundum Oracium de magnanimo Yacide et pusillanime Thersite.Orace to his Prince tolde,That him were levere that he woldeUpon knihthode Achillem suieIn time of werre, thanne eschuie,So as Tersites dede at Troie.Achilles al his hole joieSette upon Armes forto fihte;Tersites soghte al that he myhteUnarmed forto stonde in reste:1287Bot of the tuo it was the beste3590That Achilles upon the nedeHath do, wherof his knyhtlihiede1288Is yit comended overal.Salomon. Tempus belli, tempus pacis.King Salomon in specialSeith, as ther is a time of pes,So is a time nathelesP. iii. 213Of werre, in which a Prince algateSchal for the comun riht debateAnd for his oghne worschipe eke.Bot it behoveth noght to seke3600[There is a time for War.]Only the werre for worschipe,Bot to the riht of his lordschipe,(3800*)Which he is holde to defende,Mote every worthi Prince entende.Nota qualiter inter duo extrema consistit virtus.Betwen the simplesce of PiteAnd the folhaste of crualte,Wher stant the verray hardiesce,1289Ther mote a king his herte adresce,Whanne it is time to forsake,And whan time is also to take3610The dedly werres upon honde,That he schal for no drede wonde,If rihtwisnesse be withal.For god is myhty overalTo forthren every mannes trowthe,1290Bot it be thurgh his oghne slowthe;And namely the kinges nedeIt mai noght faile forto spede,For he stant one for hem alle;So mote it wel the betre falle3620And wel the more god favoureth,Whan he the comun riht socoureth.And forto se the sothe in dede,Behold the bible and thou myht redeOf grete ensamples manyon,Wherof that I wol tellen on.

[The Mountain and the Mouse.]

As it be olde daies fell,

I rede whilom that an hell

Hic loquitur secundum Philosophum, dicens quod sicut non decet Principes tirannica impetuositate esse crudeles, ita nec decet timorosa pusillanimitate esse vecordes.

Up in the londes of Archade

A wonder dredful noise made;1284

For so it fell that ilke day,

This hell on his childinge lay,

And whan the throwes on him come,

His noise lich the day of dome3560

Was ferfull in a mannes thoght

Of thing which that thei sihe noght,

Bot wel thei herden al aboute

The noise, of which thei were in doute,

As thei that wenden to be lore

Of thing which thanne was unbore.

P. iii. 212

The nerr this hell was upon chance

To taken his deliverance,

The more unbuxomliche he cride;

And every man was fledd aside,3570

For drede and lefte his oghne hous:

And ate laste it was a Mous,

The which was bore and to norrice

Betake; and tho thei hield hem nyce,1285

For thei withoute cause dradde.1286

Thus if a king his herte ladde

With every thing that he schal hiere,

Fulofte he scholde change his chiere

And upon fantasie drede,

Whan that ther is no cause of drede.3580

Nota hic secundum Oracium de magnanimo Yacide et pusillanime Thersite.

Orace to his Prince tolde,

That him were levere that he wolde

Upon knihthode Achillem suie

In time of werre, thanne eschuie,

So as Tersites dede at Troie.

Achilles al his hole joie

Sette upon Armes forto fihte;

Tersites soghte al that he myhte

Unarmed forto stonde in reste:1287

Bot of the tuo it was the beste3590

That Achilles upon the nede

Hath do, wherof his knyhtlihiede1288

Is yit comended overal.

Salomon. Tempus belli, tempus pacis.

King Salomon in special

Seith, as ther is a time of pes,

So is a time natheles

P. iii. 213

Of werre, in which a Prince algate

Schal for the comun riht debate

And for his oghne worschipe eke.

Bot it behoveth noght to seke3600

[There is a time for War.]

Only the werre for worschipe,

Bot to the riht of his lordschipe,(3800*)

Which he is holde to defende,

Mote every worthi Prince entende.

Nota qualiter inter duo extrema consistit virtus.

Betwen the simplesce of Pite

And the folhaste of crualte,

Wher stant the verray hardiesce,1289

Ther mote a king his herte adresce,

Whanne it is time to forsake,

And whan time is also to take3610

The dedly werres upon honde,

That he schal for no drede wonde,

If rihtwisnesse be withal.

For god is myhty overal

To forthren every mannes trowthe,1290

Bot it be thurgh his oghne slowthe;

And namely the kinges nede

It mai noght faile forto spede,

For he stant one for hem alle;

So mote it wel the betre falle3620

And wel the more god favoureth,

Whan he the comun riht socoureth.

And forto se the sothe in dede,

Behold the bible and thou myht rede

Of grete ensamples manyon,

Wherof that I wol tellen on.

[Story of Gideon.]P. iii. 214Upon a time as it befell,Ayein Judee and Irahel1291Whan sondri kinges come wereHic dicit quod Princeps iusticie causa bellum nullo modo timere debet. Et narrat qualiter dux Gedeon cum solis tricentis viris quinque Reges, scilicet Madianitarum, Amalechitarum, Amonitarum, Amoreorum et Iebuseorum, cum eorum excercitu, qui ad lxxxxtaMilia numeratus est, gracia cooperante diuina, victoriose in fugam conuertit.In pourpos to destruie there3630The poeple which god kepte tho,—And stod in thilke daies so,That Gedeon, which scholde ledeThe goddes folk, tok him to rede,And sende in al the lond aboute,Til he assembled hath a routeWith thritti thousend of defence,To fihte and make resistenceAyein the whiche hem wolde assaille:1292And natheles that o bataille3640Of thre that weren enemys1293Was double mor than was al his;Wherof that Gedeon him dradde,That he so litel poeple hadde.Bot he which alle thing mai helpe,Wher that ther lacketh mannes helpe,To Gedeon his Angel sente,And bad, er that he forther wente,Al openly that he do crieThat every man in his partie3650Which wolde after his oghne willeIn his delice abide stille1294(3850*)At hom in eny maner wise,For pourchas or for covoitise,For lust of love or lacke of herte,He scholde noght aboute sterte,P. iii. 215Bot holde him stille at hom in pes:Wherof upon the morwe he lesWel twenty thousend men and mo,The whiche after the cri ben go.3660Thus was with him bot only leftThe thridde part, and yit god eftHis Angel sende and seide thisTo Gedeon: ‘If it so isThat I thin help schal undertake,Thou schalt yit lasse poeple take,Be whom mi will is that thou spede.Forthi tomorwe tak good hiede,Unto the flod whan ye be come,What man that hath the water nome3670Up in his hond and lapeth so,To thi part ches out alle tho;1295And him which wery is to swinke,Upon his wombe and lith to drinke,Forsak and put hem alle aweie.For I am myhti alle weie,Wher as me list myn help to schewe1296In goode men, thogh thei ben fewe.’This Gedeon awaiteth wel,Upon the morwe and everydel,3680As god him bad, riht so he dede.And thus ther leften in that stedeWith him thre hundred and nomo,1297The remenant was al ago:Wherof that Gedeon merveileth,And therupon with god conseileth,P. iii. 216Pleignende as ferforth as he dar.And god, which wolde he were war1298That he schal spede upon his riht,1299Hath bede him go the same nyht3690And take a man with him, to hiereWhat schal be spoke in his matere1300Among the hethen enemis;So mai he be the more wys,What afterward him schal befalle.This Gedeon amonges allePhara, to whom he triste most,Be nyhte tok toward thilke host,Which logged was in a valleie,To hiere what thei wolden seie;3700Upon his fot and as he ferde,1301Tuo Sarazins spekende he herde.(3900*)Quod on, ‘Ared mi swevene ariht,Which I mette in mi slep to nyht.1302Me thoghte I sih a barli cake,Which fro the Hull his weie hath take,And cam rollende doun at ones;And as it were for the nones,Forth in his cours so as it ran,The kinges tente of Madian,3710Of Amalech, of Amoreie,Of Amon and of Jebuseie,And many an other tente moWith gret noise, as me thoghte tho,It threw to grounde and overcaste,And al this host so sore agaste1303P. iii. 217That I awok for pure drede.’‘This swevene can I wel arede,’Quod thother Sarazin anon:‘The barli cake is Gedeon,3720Which fro the hell doun sodeinlySchal come and sette such ascryUpon the kinges and ous bothe,That it schal to ous alle lothe:For in such drede he schal ous bringe,That if we hadden flyht of wynge,The weie on fote in desespeir1304We scholden leve and flen in their,1305For ther schal nothing him withstonde.’Whan Gedeon hath understonde3730This tale, he thonketh god of al,And priveliche ayein he stal,So that no lif him hath perceived.And thanne he hath fulli conceivedThat he schal spede; and theruponThe nyht suiende he schop to gonThis multitude to assaile.Nou schalt thou hiere a gret mervaile,With what voisdie that he wroghte.The litel poeple which he broghte,3740Was non of hem that he ne hathA pot of erthe, in which he tathA lyht brennende in a kressette,And ech of hem ek a trompetteBar in his other hond beside;And thus upon the nyhtes tydeP. iii. 218Duk Gedeon, whan it was derk,Ordeineth him unto his werk,1306And parteth thanne his folk in thre,And chargeth hem that thei ne fle,3750And tawhte hem hou they scholde ascrieAlle in o vois per compaignie,1307(3950*)And what word ek thei scholden speke,And hou thei scholde here pottes brekeEchon with other, whan thei herdeThat he himselve ferst so ferde;For whan thei come into the stede,He bad hem do riht as he dede.And thus stalkende forth a pasThis noble Duk, whan time was,3760His pot tobrak and loude ascride,And tho thei breke on every side.The trompe was noght forto seke;1308He blew, and so thei blewen ekeWith such a noise among hem alle,As thogh the hevene scholde falle.The hull unto here vois ansuerde,This host in the valleie it herde,And sih hou that the hell alyhte;So what of hieringe and of sihte,3770Thei cawhten such a sodein feere,That non of hem belefte there:The tentes hole thei forsoke,1309That thei non other good ne toke,Bot only with here bodi bareThei fledde, as doth the wylde Hare.P. iii. 219And evere upon the hull thei blewe,Til that thei sihe time, and kneweThat thei be fled upon the rage;And whan thei wiste here avantage,3780Thei felle anon unto the chace.Thus myht thou sen hou goddes graceUnto the goode men availeth;But elles ofte time it failethTo suche as be noght wel disposed.This tale nedeth noght be glosed,For it is openliche schewedThat god to hem that ben wel thewedHath yove and granted the victoire:So that thensample of this histoire3790Is good for every king to holde;Ferst in himself that he beholdeIf he be good of his livinge,And that the folk which he schal bringeBe good also, for thanne he mayBe glad of many a merie day,In what as evere he hath to done.1310For he which sit above the MoneAnd alle thing mai spille and spede,In every cause, in every nede13113800His goode king so wel adresceth,That alle his fomen he represseth,(4000*)So that ther mai noman him dere;And als so wel he can forbere,And soffre a wickid king to falleIn hondes of his fomen alle.

[Story of Gideon.]

P. iii. 214

Upon a time as it befell,

Ayein Judee and Irahel1291

Whan sondri kinges come were

Hic dicit quod Princeps iusticie causa bellum nullo modo timere debet. Et narrat qualiter dux Gedeon cum solis tricentis viris quinque Reges, scilicet Madianitarum, Amalechitarum, Amonitarum, Amoreorum et Iebuseorum, cum eorum excercitu, qui ad lxxxxtaMilia numeratus est, gracia cooperante diuina, victoriose in fugam conuertit.

In pourpos to destruie there3630

The poeple which god kepte tho,—

And stod in thilke daies so,

That Gedeon, which scholde lede

The goddes folk, tok him to rede,

And sende in al the lond aboute,

Til he assembled hath a route

With thritti thousend of defence,

To fihte and make resistence

Ayein the whiche hem wolde assaille:1292

And natheles that o bataille3640

Of thre that weren enemys1293

Was double mor than was al his;

Wherof that Gedeon him dradde,

That he so litel poeple hadde.

Bot he which alle thing mai helpe,

Wher that ther lacketh mannes helpe,

To Gedeon his Angel sente,

And bad, er that he forther wente,

Al openly that he do crie

That every man in his partie3650

Which wolde after his oghne wille

In his delice abide stille1294(3850*)

At hom in eny maner wise,

For pourchas or for covoitise,

For lust of love or lacke of herte,

He scholde noght aboute sterte,

P. iii. 215

Bot holde him stille at hom in pes:

Wherof upon the morwe he les

Wel twenty thousend men and mo,

The whiche after the cri ben go.3660

Thus was with him bot only left

The thridde part, and yit god eft

His Angel sende and seide this

To Gedeon: ‘If it so is

That I thin help schal undertake,

Thou schalt yit lasse poeple take,

Be whom mi will is that thou spede.

Forthi tomorwe tak good hiede,

Unto the flod whan ye be come,

What man that hath the water nome3670

Up in his hond and lapeth so,

To thi part ches out alle tho;1295

And him which wery is to swinke,

Upon his wombe and lith to drinke,

Forsak and put hem alle aweie.

For I am myhti alle weie,

Wher as me list myn help to schewe1296

In goode men, thogh thei ben fewe.’

This Gedeon awaiteth wel,

Upon the morwe and everydel,3680

As god him bad, riht so he dede.

And thus ther leften in that stede

With him thre hundred and nomo,1297

The remenant was al ago:

Wherof that Gedeon merveileth,

And therupon with god conseileth,

P. iii. 216

Pleignende as ferforth as he dar.

And god, which wolde he were war1298

That he schal spede upon his riht,1299

Hath bede him go the same nyht3690

And take a man with him, to hiere

What schal be spoke in his matere1300

Among the hethen enemis;

So mai he be the more wys,

What afterward him schal befalle.

This Gedeon amonges alle

Phara, to whom he triste most,

Be nyhte tok toward thilke host,

Which logged was in a valleie,

To hiere what thei wolden seie;3700

Upon his fot and as he ferde,1301

Tuo Sarazins spekende he herde.(3900*)

Quod on, ‘Ared mi swevene ariht,

Which I mette in mi slep to nyht.1302

Me thoghte I sih a barli cake,

Which fro the Hull his weie hath take,

And cam rollende doun at ones;

And as it were for the nones,

Forth in his cours so as it ran,

The kinges tente of Madian,3710

Of Amalech, of Amoreie,

Of Amon and of Jebuseie,

And many an other tente mo

With gret noise, as me thoghte tho,

It threw to grounde and overcaste,

And al this host so sore agaste1303

P. iii. 217

That I awok for pure drede.’

‘This swevene can I wel arede,’

Quod thother Sarazin anon:

‘The barli cake is Gedeon,3720

Which fro the hell doun sodeinly

Schal come and sette such ascry

Upon the kinges and ous bothe,

That it schal to ous alle lothe:

For in such drede he schal ous bringe,

That if we hadden flyht of wynge,

The weie on fote in desespeir1304

We scholden leve and flen in their,1305

For ther schal nothing him withstonde.’

Whan Gedeon hath understonde3730

This tale, he thonketh god of al,

And priveliche ayein he stal,

So that no lif him hath perceived.

And thanne he hath fulli conceived

That he schal spede; and therupon

The nyht suiende he schop to gon

This multitude to assaile.

Nou schalt thou hiere a gret mervaile,

With what voisdie that he wroghte.

The litel poeple which he broghte,3740

Was non of hem that he ne hath

A pot of erthe, in which he tath

A lyht brennende in a kressette,

And ech of hem ek a trompette

Bar in his other hond beside;

And thus upon the nyhtes tyde

P. iii. 218

Duk Gedeon, whan it was derk,

Ordeineth him unto his werk,1306

And parteth thanne his folk in thre,

And chargeth hem that thei ne fle,3750

And tawhte hem hou they scholde ascrie

Alle in o vois per compaignie,1307(3950*)

And what word ek thei scholden speke,

And hou thei scholde here pottes breke

Echon with other, whan thei herde

That he himselve ferst so ferde;

For whan thei come into the stede,

He bad hem do riht as he dede.

And thus stalkende forth a pas

This noble Duk, whan time was,3760

His pot tobrak and loude ascride,

And tho thei breke on every side.

The trompe was noght forto seke;1308

He blew, and so thei blewen eke

With such a noise among hem alle,

As thogh the hevene scholde falle.

The hull unto here vois ansuerde,

This host in the valleie it herde,

And sih hou that the hell alyhte;

So what of hieringe and of sihte,3770

Thei cawhten such a sodein feere,

That non of hem belefte there:

The tentes hole thei forsoke,1309

That thei non other good ne toke,

Bot only with here bodi bare

Thei fledde, as doth the wylde Hare.

P. iii. 219

And evere upon the hull thei blewe,

Til that thei sihe time, and knewe

That thei be fled upon the rage;

And whan thei wiste here avantage,3780

Thei felle anon unto the chace.

Thus myht thou sen hou goddes grace

Unto the goode men availeth;

But elles ofte time it faileth

To suche as be noght wel disposed.

This tale nedeth noght be glosed,

For it is openliche schewed

That god to hem that ben wel thewed

Hath yove and granted the victoire:

So that thensample of this histoire3790

Is good for every king to holde;

Ferst in himself that he beholde

If he be good of his livinge,

And that the folk which he schal bringe

Be good also, for thanne he may

Be glad of many a merie day,

In what as evere he hath to done.1310

For he which sit above the Mone

And alle thing mai spille and spede,

In every cause, in every nede13113800

His goode king so wel adresceth,

That alle his fomen he represseth,(4000*)

So that ther mai noman him dere;

And als so wel he can forbere,

And soffre a wickid king to falle

In hondes of his fomen alle.

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