按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Thogh it be prive for a throwe；
Godd wolde noght it were unknowe；
And that was afterward wel proved
In him which hath the deth controved。
Of that his brother was so slain
This Perses was wonder fain； 1710
As he that tho was apparant；
Upon the Regne and expectant；
Wherof he wax so proud and vein；
That he his fader in desdeign
Hath take and set of non acompte；
As he which thoghte him to surmonte；
That wher he was ferst debonaire；
He was tho rebell and contraire；
And noght as heir bot as a king
He tok upon him alle thing 1720
Of malice and of tirannie
In contempt of the Regalie；
Livende his fader； and so wroghte；
That whan the fader him bethoghte
And sih to whether side it drowh；
Anon he wiste well ynowh
How Perse after his false tunge
Hath so thenvious belle runge；
That he hath slain his oghne brother。
Wherof as thanne he knew non other； 1730
Bot sodeinly the jugge he nom；
Which corrupt sat upon the dom；
In such a wise and hath him pressed；
That he the sothe him hath confessed
Of al that hath be spoke and do。
Mor sori than the king was tho
Was nevere man upon this Molde；
And thoghte in certain that he wolde
Vengance take upon this wrong。
Bot thother parti was so strong； 1740
That for the lawe of no statut
Ther mai no riht ben execut；
And upon this division
The lond was torned up so doun：
Wherof his herte is so distraght；
That he for pure sorwe hath caght
The maladie of which nature
Is queint in every creature。
And whan this king was passed thus；
This false tunged Perses 1750
The regiment hath underfonge。
Bot ther mai nothing stonde longe
Which is noght upon trowthe grounded；
For god； which alle thing hath bounded
And sih the falshod of his guile；
Hath set him bot a litel while；
That he schal regne upon depos；
For sodeinliche as he aros
So sodeinliche doun he fell。
In thilke time it so befell； 1760
This newe king of newe Pride
With strengthe schop him forto ride；
And seide he wolde Rome waste；
Wherof he made a besi haste；
And hath assembled him an host
In al that evere he mihte most：
What man that mihte wepne bere
Of alle he wolde non forbere；
So that it mihte noght be nombred；
The folk which after was encombred 1770
Thurgh him； that god wolde overthrowe。
Anon it was at Rome knowe；
The pompe which that Perse ladde；
And the Romeins that time hadde
A Consul； which was cleped thus
Be name； Paul Emilius；
A noble； a worthi kniht withalle；
And he； which chief was of hem alle；
This werre on honde hath undertake。
And whanne he scholde his leve take 1780
Of a yong dowhter which was his；
Sche wepte； and he what cause it is
Hire axeth； and sche him ansuerde
That Perse is ded； and he it herde；
And wondreth what sche meene wolde：
And sche upon childhode him tolde
That Perse hir litel hound is ded。
With that he pulleth up his hed
And made riht a glad visage；
And seide how that was a presage 1790
Touchende unto that other Perse；
Of that fortune him scholde adverse；
He seith； for such a prenostik
Most of an hound was to him lik：
For as it is an houndes kinde
To berke upon a man behinde；
Riht so behinde his brother bak
With false wordes whiche he spak
He hath do slain； and that is rowthe。
〃Bot he which hateth alle untrowthe； 1800
The hihe god； it schal redresse；
For so my dowhter prophetesse
Forth with hir litel houndes deth
Betokneth。〃 And thus forth he geth
Conforted of this evidence；
With the Romeins in his defence
Ayein the Greks that ben comende。
This Perses； as noght seende
This meschief which that him abod；
With al his multitude rod； 1810
And prided him upon the thing；
Of that he was become a king；
And how he hadde his regne gete；
Bot he hath al the riht foryete
Which longeth unto governance。
Wherof thurgh goddes ordinance
It fell； upon the wynter tide
That with his host he scholde ride
Over Danubie thilke flod；
Which al befrose thanne stod 1820
So harde； that he wende wel
To passe： bot the blinde whiel；
Which torneth ofte er men be war；
Thilke ys which that the horsmen bar
Tobrak； so that a gret partie
Was dreint； of the chivalerie
The rerewarde it tok aweie；
Cam non of hem to londe dreie。
Paulus the worthi kniht Romein
Be his aspie it herde sein； 1830
And hasteth him al that he may；
So that upon that other day
He cam wher he this host beheld；
And that was in a large feld；
Wher the Baneres ben desplaied。
He hath anon hise men arraied；
And whan that he was embatailled；
He goth and hath the feld assailed；
And slowh and tok al that he fond；
Wherof the Macedoyne lond； 1840
Which thurgh king Alisandre honoured
Long time stod； was tho devoured。
To Perse and al that infortune
Thei wyte； so that the comune
Of al the lond his heir exile；
And he despeired for the while
Desguised in a povere wede
To Rome goth； and ther for nede
The craft which thilke time was；
To worche in latoun and in bras； 1850
He lerneth for his sustienance。
Such was the Sones pourveance；
And of his fader it is seid；
In strong prisoun that he was leid
In Albe； wher that he was ded
For hunger and defalte of bred。
The hound was tokne and prophecie
That lich an hound he scholde die；
Which lich was of condicioun；
Whan he with his detraccioun 1860
Bark on his brother so behinde。
Lo； what profit a man mai finde；
Which hindre wole an other wiht。
Forthi with al thin hole miht；
Mi Sone； eschuie thilke vice。
Mi fader； elles were I nyce：
For ye therof so wel have spoke；
That it is in myn herte loke
And evere schal： bot of Envie；
If ther be more in his baillie 1870
Towardes love； sai me what。
Mi Sone； as guile under the hat
With sleyhtes of a tregetour
Is hidd； Envie of such colour
Hath yit the ferthe deceivant；
The which is cleped Falssemblant；
Wherof the matiere and the forme
Now herkne and I thee schal enforme。
Of Falssemblant if I schal telle；
Above alle othre it is the welle 1880
Out of the which deceipte floweth。
Ther is noman so wys that knoweth
Of thilke flod which is the tyde；
Ne how he scholde himselven guide
To take sauf passage there。
And yit the wynd to mannes Ere
Is softe； and as it semeth oute
It makth clier weder al aboute；
Bot thogh it seme； it is noght so。
For Falssemblant hath everemo 1890
Of his conseil in compaignie
The derke untrewe Ypocrisie；
Whos word descordeth to his thoght：
Forthi thei ben togedre broght
Of o covine； of on houshold；
As it schal after this be told。
Of Falssemblant it nedeth noght
To telle of olde ensamples oght；
For al dai in experience
A man mai se thilke evidence 1900
Of faire wordes whiche he hiereth；
Bot yit the barge Envie stiereth
And halt it evere fro the londe；
Wher Falssemblant with Ore on honde
It roweth； and wol noght arive；
Bot let it on the wawes dryve
In gret tempeste and gret debat；
Wherof that love and his astat
Empeireth。 And therfore I rede；
Mi Sone； that thou fle and drede 1910
This vice； and what that othre sein；
Let thi Semblant be trewe and plein。
For Falssemblant is thilke vice；
Which nevere was withoute office：
Wher that Envie thenkth to guile；
He schal be for that ilke while
Of prive conseil Messagier。
For whan his semblant is most clier；
Thanne is he most derk in his thoght；
Thogh men him se； thei knowe him noght； 1920
Bot as it scheweth in the glas
Thing which therinne nevere was；
So scheweth it in his visage
That nevere was in his corage：
Thus doth he al his thing with sleyhte。
Now ley thi conscience in weyhte；
Mi goode Sone； and schrif the hier；
If thou were evere Custummer
To Falssemblant in eny wise。
For ought I can me yit avise； 1930
Mi goode fader； certes no。
If I for love have oght do so；
Now asketh； I wol praie yow：
For elles I wot nevere how
Of Falssemblant that I have gilt。
Mi Sone； and sithen that thou wilt
That I schal axe； gabbe noght；
Bot tell if evere was thi thoght
With Falssemblant and coverture
To wite of eny creature 1940
How that he was with love lad；
So were he sori； were he glad；
Whan that thou wistest how it were；
Al that he rounede in thin Ere
Thou toldest forth in other place；
To setten him fro loves grace
Of what womman that thee beste liste；
Ther as noman his conseil wiste
Bot thou； be