In a Cronique I rede thus
Of the rihtful Ligurgius,
[Sidenote: Hic ponit exemplum de Principibus illis, qui[1184]
non solum legem statuentes illam conseruant, set vt commune
bonum adaugeant, propriam facultatem diminuunt. Et narrat
quod, cum Ligurgius Athenarum princeps subditos suos[1185] in
omni prosperitatis habundancia divites et vnanimes congruis
legibus stare fecisset, volens ad vtilitatem rei publice
leges illas firmius obseruari, peregre proficisci se
finxit; set prius iuramentum solempne a legiis suis sub hac
forma exegit, quod ipsi vsque in reditum suum leges suas
nullatenus infringerent: quibus iuratis peregrinacionem
suam in exilium absque reditu pro perpetuo delegauit.[1186]]
Which of Athenis Prince was,
Hou he the lawe in every cas, 2920
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 184=]
Wherof he scholde his poeple reule,
Hath set upon so good a reule,
In al this world that cite non
Of lawe was so wel begon
Forth with the trouthe of governance.
Ther was among hem no distance,
Bot every man hath his encress;
Ther was withoute werre pes,
Withoute envie love stod;
Richesse upon the comun good 2930
And noght upon the singuler
Ordeigned was, and the pouer
Of hem that weren in astat
Was sauf: wherof upon debat
Ther stod nothing, so that in reste
Mihte every man his herte reste.
And whan this noble rihtful king
Sih hou it ferde of al this thing,
Wherof the poeple stod in ese,
He, which for evere wolde plese 2940
The hihe god, whos thonk he soghte,
A wonder thing thanne him bethoghte,
And schop if that it myhte be,
Hou that his lawe in the cite
Mihte afterward for evere laste.
And therupon his wit he caste
What thing him were best to feigne,
That he his pourpos myhte atteigne.
A Parlement and thus he sette,
His wisdom wher that he besette 2950
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 185=]
In audience of grete and smale,[1187]
And in this wise he tolde his tale:
‘God wot, and so ye witen alle,
Hierafterward hou so it falle,
Yit into now my will hath be
To do justice and equite
In forthringe of comun profit:
Such hath ben evere my delit.
Bot of o thing I am beknowe,
The which mi will is that ye knowe: 2960
The lawe which I tok on honde,
Was altogedre of goddes sonde
And nothing of myn oghne wit;
So mot it nede endure yit,
And schal do lengere, if ye wile.
For I wol telle you the skile;
The god Mercurius and no man[1188]
He hath me tawht al that I can
Of suche lawes as I made,
Wherof that ye ben alle glade; 2970
It was the god and nothing I,
Which dede al this, and nou forthi
He hath comanded of his grace
That I schal come into a place
Which is forein out in an yle,
Wher I mot tarie for a while,
With him to speke, as he hath bede.[1189]
For as he seith, in thilke stede
He schal me suche thinges telle,
That evere, whyl the world schal duelle, 2980
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 186=]
Athenis schal the betre fare.
Bot ferst, er that I thider fare,
For that I wolde that mi lawe
Amonges you ne be withdrawe
Ther whyles that I schal ben oute,
Forthi to setten out of doute
Bothe you and me, this wol I preie,
That ye me wolde assure and seie (3000*)
With such an oth as I wol take,[1190]
That ech of you schal undertake 2990
Mi lawes forto kepe and holde.’
Thei seiden alle that thei wolde,
And therupon thei swore here oth,[1191]
That fro the time that he goth,
Til he to hem be come ayein,
Thei scholde hise lawes wel and plein
In every point kepe and fulfille.
Thus hath Ligurgius his wille,
And tok his leve and forth he wente.
Bot lest nou wel to what entente[1192] 3000
Of rihtwisnesse he dede so:
For after that he was ago,
He schop him nevere to be founde;[1193]
So that Athenis, which was bounde,
Nevere after scholde be relessed,[1194]
Ne thilke goode lawe cessed,
Which was for comun profit set.
And in this wise he hath it knet;
He, which the comun profit soghte,
The king, his oghne astat ne roghte; 3010
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 187=]
To do profit to the comune,
He tok of exil the fortune,
And lefte of Prince thilke office
Only for love and for justice,
Thurgh which he thoghte, if that he myhte,
For evere after his deth to rihte
The cite which was him betake.
Wherof men oghte ensample take
The goode lawes to avance
With hem which under governance[1195] 3020
The lawes have forto kepe;
For who that wolde take kepe
Of hem that ferst the lawes founde,
Als fer as lasteth eny bounde
Of lond, here names yit ben knowe:
And if it like thee to knowe
Some of here names hou thei stonde,
Nou herkne and thou schalt understonde.
[Sidenote: [THE FIRST LAW-GIVERS.]]
Of every bienfet the merite
The god himself it wol aquite; 3030
[Sidenote: Hic ad eorum laudem, qui iusticie causa leges
primo statuerunt, aliquorum nomina specialius commemorat.]
And ek fulofte it falleth so,
The world it wole aquite also,
Bot that mai noght ben evene liche:
The god he yifth the heveneriche,
The world yifth only bot a name,
Which stant upon the goode fame
Of hem that don the goode dede.
And in this wise double mede
Resceiven thei that don wel hiere;
Wherof if that thee list to hiere[1196] 3040
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 188=]
After the fame as it is blowe,
Ther myht thou wel the sothe knowe,
Hou thilke honeste besinesse
Of hem that ferst for rihtwisnesse
Among the men the lawes made,
Mai nevere upon this erthe fade.
For evere, whil ther is a tunge,
Here name schal be rad and sunge
And holde in the Cronique write;
So that the men it scholden wite, 3050
To speke good, as thei wel oghten,
Of hem that ferst the lawes soghten
In forthringe of the worldes pes.
Unto thebreus was Moïses
The ferste, and to thegipciens
Mercurius, and to Troiens
Ferst was Neuma Pompilius,
To Athenes Ligurgius
Yaf ferst the lawe, and to Gregois
Foroneüs hath thilke vois,[1197] 3060
And Romulus to the Romeins.
For suche men that ben vileins
The lawe in such a wise ordeigneth,[1198]
That what man to the lawe pleigneth,
[Sidenote: [KINGS MUST KEEP THE LAWS.]]
Be so the jugge stonde upriht,
He schal be served of his riht.
And so ferforth it is befalle
That lawe is come among ous alle:
God lieve it mote wel ben holde,
As every king therto is holde; 3070
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 189=]
For thing which is of kinges set,
With kinges oghte it noght be let.
What king of lawe takth no kepe,
Be lawe he mai no regne kepe.
Do lawe awey, what is a king?
Wher is the riht of eny thing,
If that ther be no lawe in londe?
This oghte a king wel understonde,
As he which is to lawe swore,
That if the lawe be forbore 3080
Withouten execucioun,
It makth a lond torne up so doun,
Which is unto the king a sclandre.
Forthi unto king Alisandre
The wise Philosophre bad,
That he himselve ferst be lad[1199]
Of lawe, and forth thanne overal
So do justice in general,[1200] (3100*)
That al the wyde lond aboute
The justice of his lawe doute, 3090
And thanne schal he stonde in reste.
For therto lawe is on the beste
Above alle other erthly thing,
To make a liege drede his king.
Bot hou a king schal gete him love
Toward the hihe god above,
And ek among the men in erthe,
This nexte point, which is the ferthe
Of Aristotles lore, it techeth:
Wherof who that the Scole secheth, 3100
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 190=]
What Policie that it is
The bok reherceth after this.
[Sidenote: [THE FOURTH POINT OF POLICY. PITY.]]
x. _Nil racionis habens vbi velle tirannica regna_
_Stringit, amor populi transiet exul ibi._[1201]
_Set Pietas, regnum que conseruabit in euum,_
_Non tantum populo, set placet illa deo._
It nedeth noght that I delate
The pris which preised is algate,
[Sidenote: Hic tractat de quarta Principum regiminis
Policia, que Pietas dicta est; per quam Principes erga
populum misericordes effecti misericordiam altissimi
gracius[1202] consequuntur.]
And hath ben evere and evere schal,
Wherof to speke in special,
It is the vertu of Pite,
Thurgh which the hihe mageste
Was stered, whan his Sone alyhte,
And in pite the world to rihte 3110
Tok of the Maide fleissh and blod.
Pite was cause of thilke good,
Wherof that we ben alle save:
Wel oghte a man Pite to have
And the vertu to sette in pris,
Whan he himself which is al wys
Hath schewed why it schal be preised.
Pite may noght be conterpeised
Of tirannie with no peis;
For Pite makth a king courteis 3120
Bothe in his word and in his dede.
[Sidenote: Nota.[1203]]
It sit wel every liege drede
His king and to his heste obeie,
And riht so be the same weie
It sit a king to be pitous
Toward his poeple and gracious
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 191=]
Upon the reule of governance,
So that he worche no vengance,
Which mai be cleped crualte.
Justice which doth equite 3130
Is dredfull, for he noman spareth;
Bot in the lond wher Pite fareth
The king mai nevere faile of love,
For Pite thurgh the grace above,
So as the Philosophre affermeth,[1204]
His regne in good astat confermeth.*
* * * * *
*Thapostle James in this wise[1205]
Seith, what man scholde do juise,[1206] 3150*
And hath not pite forth with al,
The doom of him which demeth al
He may himself fulsore drede,
That him schal lakke upon the nede
To fynde pite, whan he wolde:
For who that pite wol biholde,--
It is a poynt of Cristes lore.
And for to loken overmore,
It is bihovely, as we fynde,
To resoun and to lawe of kynde. 3160*
[Sidenote: Cassodorus. Vbi regnat pietas, consolidatur regnum.]
Cassodre in his apprise telleth,
‘The regne is sauf, wher pite duelleth.’
[Sidenote: Tullius. Qui pietate vincitur scutum victorie
merito gestabit.]
And Tullius his tale avoweth,[1207]
And seith, ‘What king to pite boweth
And with pite stant overcome,
He hath that schield of grace nome,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 192=]
Which to the kinges yifth victoire.’
[Sidenote: Valerius narrat quod cum rex Alexander in
ira sua quendam militem morti condempnasset, et ille
appellauit, dixit rex, ‘In terra nullus maior me est: ad
quem ergo appellas?’ Respondit miles, ‘Non a maiestate
tua, set a sentencia ire tue tantum ad pietatem tuam
appello.’ Et sic rex pietate motus ipsum in misericordiam
benignissime suscepit.]
Of Alisandre in his histoire
I rede how he a worthi knight
Of sodein wraththe and nought of right 3170*
Forjugged hath, and he appeleth.
And with that word the king quereleth,
And seith, ‘Non is above me.’
‘That wot I wel my lord,’ quoth he;
‘Fro thy lordschipe appele I nought,
But fro thy wraththe in al my thought
To thy pitee stant myn appeel.
The king, which understod him wel,
Of pure pite yaf him grace.
And eek I rede in other place, 3180*
Thus seide whilom etc. (_as_ 3137 ff.)
* * * * *
[Sidenote: Constantinus Imperator ait: ‘Vere se dominum
esse comprobat, qui seruum pietatis se facit.’]
Thus seide whilom Constantin:[1208]
‘What Emperour that is enclin
To Pite forto be servant,
Of al the worldes remenant 3140
He is worthi to ben a lord.’
[Sidenote: Troianus ait, quod ipse subditos suos solite
pietatis fauore magis quam austeritatis rigore regere,
eorumque benevolenciam pocius quam timorem penes se
attractare proponebat.[1209]]
In olde bokes of record
This finde I write of essamplaire:[1210]
Troian the worthi debonaire,
Be whom that Rome stod governed,
Upon a time as he was lerned (3190*)
Of that he was to familier,
He seide unto that conseiller,[1211]
That forto ben an Emperour
His will was noght for vein honour, 3150
Ne yit for reddour of justice;
Bot if he myhte in his office
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 193=]
Hise lordes and his poeple plese,
Him thoghte it were a grettere ese
With love here hertes to him drawe,
Than with the drede of eny lawe. (3200*)
For whan a thing is do for doute,
Fulofte it comth the worse aboute;
Bot wher a king is Pietous,[1212]
He is the more gracious, 3160
That mochel thrift him schal betyde,
Which elles scholde torne aside.*
* * * * *
[Sidenote: [TALE OF THE JEW AND THE PAGAN.]]
*To do pite support and grace,[1213]
The Philosophre upon a place
[Sidenote: Hic in pietatis exemplum prout Aristotiles
Regi Alexandro nuper rettulit, declarans scribit qualiter
Iudeus pedester cum quodam pagano asinum equitante per
desertum itinerando ipsum de secta et fide sua strictius
interrogauit. Qui respondens ait: ‘Paganus sum et
fides mea hec est, vt omnes vno animo diligam et penes
vnumquemque tempore necessitatis pietatem[1214] pro posse
meo excerceam.’[1215] Cui Iudeus: ‘Permitte me ergo,
qui lassatus itinere deficio, aliquantulum equitare, et
tu respectu pietatis ob meam recreacionem pedibus pro
tempore[1216] incedas.’ Et ita factum est, vnde postea
paganus infra breue lassatus asino suo restitui[1217] a
Iudeo postulauit. At ille ait: ‘Nequaquam: quia fides mea
est, vt illi qui sectam meam non credit, nocumentum[1218]
absque pietate prouocare debeo.’ Et hiis dictis asellum
veloci passu coegit, et paganum a dorso illusum reliquit.
Quod videns paganus in terram dolens corruit, extensisque
in celum manibus summam iusticiam inuocabat. Postque a
terra exurgens, cum paulisper deambulasset, respexit in
quamdam vallem[1219] Iudeum a leone in mortis articulo
prostratum; et sic asinum suum cum gaudio resumens,
pietatem magis quam austeritatem laudabilem decreuit.[1220]]
In his writinge of daies olde
A tale of gret essample tolde 3210*
Unto the king of Macedoine:
How betwen Kaire and Babeloine,[1221]
Whan comen is the somer heete,
It hapneth tuo men forto meete,
As thei scholde entren in a pas,
Wher that the wyldernesse was.
And as they wenten forth spekende
Under the large wodes ende,
That o man axeth of that other:
‘What man art thou, mi lieve brother?[1222] 3220*
Which is thi creance and thi feith?’
‘I am paien,’ that other seith,
‘And be the lawe which I use
I schal noght in mi feith refuse
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 194=]
To loven alle men aliche,
The povere bothe and ek the riche:
Whan thei ben glade I schal be glad,
And sori whan thei ben bestad;
So schal I live in unite
With every man in his degre. 3230*
For riht as to miself I wolde,
Riht so toward alle othre I scholde[1223]
Be gracious and debonaire.
Thus have I told thee softe and faire
Mi feith, mi lawe, and mi creance;
And if thee list for aqueintance,
Now tell what maner man thou art.’
And he ansuerde upon his part:
‘I am a Jew, and be mi lawe
I schal to noman be felawe 3240*
To kepe him trowthe in word ne dede,
Bot if he be withoute drede[1224]
A verrai Jew riht as am I:
For elles I mai trewely
Bereve him bothe lif and good.’
The paien herde and understod,
And thoghte it was a wonder lawe.
And thus upon here sondri sawe
Talkende bothe forth thei wente.
The dai was hoot, the sonne brente, 3250*
The paien rod upon an asse,
And of his catell more and lasse
With him a riche trusse he ladde.
The Jew, which al untrowthe hadde,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 195=]
And wente upon his feet beside,
Bethoghte him how he mihte ride;[1225]
And with his wordes slihe and wise
Unto the paien in this wise
He seide: ‘O, now it schal be seene
What thing it is thou woldest meene: 3260*
For if thi lawe be certein
As thou hast told, I dar wel sein,
Thou wolt beholde mi destresse.
Which am so full of werinesse,
That I ne mai unethe go,[1226]
And let me ride a Myle or tuo,
So that I mai mi bodi ese.’
The paien wolde him noght desplese
Of that he spak, bot in pite
It list him forto knowe and se 3270*
The pleignte which that other made;
And for he wolde his herte glade,
He lihte and made him nothing strange.
Thus was ther made a newe change,
The paien goth, the Jew alofte
Was sett upon his asse softe:
So gon thei forth carpende faste
Of this and that, til ate laste[1227]
The paien mihte go nomore,
And preide unto the Jew therfore 3280*
To suffre him ride a litel while.
The Jew, which thoghte him to beguile,
Anon rod forth the grete pas,[1228]
And to the paien in this cas
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 196=]
He seide, ‘Thou hast do thi riht,
Of that thou haddest me behiht
To do socour upon mi nede;
And that acordeth to the dede,
As thou art to the lawe holde.
And in such wise as I thee tolde, 3290*
I thenke also for mi partie
Upon the lawe of Juerie[1229]
To worche and do mi duete.
Thin asse schal go forth with me
With al thi good, which I have sesed;
And that I wot thou art desesed,
I am riht glad and noght mispaid.’
And whanne he hath these wordes said,
In alle haste he rod aweie.
This paien wot non other weie, 3300*
Bot on the ground he kneleth evene,
His handes up unto the hevene,
And seide, ‘O hihe sothfastnesse,
That lovest alle rihtwisnesse,
Unto thi dom, lord, I appele;[1230]
Behold and deme mi querele,
With humble herte I thee beseche;
The mercy bothe and ek the wreche
I sette al in thi juggement.’
And thus upon his marrement 3310*
This paien hath made his preiere:[1231]
And than he ros with drery chiere,[1232]
And goth him forth, and in his gate
He caste his yhe aboute algate,
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 197=]
The Jew if that he mihte se.
Bot for a time it mai noght be;
Til ate laste ayein the nyht,
So as god wolde, he wente ariht,
As he which hield the hihe weie,
And thanne he sih in a valleie 3320*
Wher that the Jew liggende was,
Al blodi ded upon the gras,
Which strangled was of a leoun.
And as he lokede up and doun,
He fond his asse faste by
Forth with his harneis redely
Al hol and sound, as he it lefte,[1233]
Whan that the Jew it him berefte:
Wherof he thonketh god knelende.
Lo, thus a man mai knowe at ende, 3330*
How the pitous pite deserveth.
For what man that to pite serveth,
As Aristotle it berth witnesse,
God schal hise foomen so represse,
That thei schul ay stonde under foote.
Pite, men sein, is thilke roote
Wherof the vertus springen alle:
What infortune that befalle
In eny lond, lacke of pite[1234]
Is cause of thilke adversite; 3340*
And that aldai mai schewe at yhe,
Who that the world discretly syhe.[1235]
Good is that every man therfore
Take hiede of that is seid tofore;
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 198=]
For of this tale and othre ynowhe
These noble princes whilom drowhe
Here evidence and here aprise,
As men mai finde in many a wise,[1236]
Who that these olde bokes rede:
And thogh thei ben in erthe dede, 3350*
Here goode name may noght deie
For Pite, which thei wolde obeie,
To do the dedes of mercy.
And who this tale redily
Remembre, as Aristotle it tolde,
He mai the will of god beholde
Upon the point as it was ended,
Wherof that pite stod commended,
Which is to charite felawe,
As thei that kepen bothe o lawe.[1237] 3360*
* * * * *
[Sidenote: [TALE OF CODRUS.]]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 198=, l. 17]
Of Pite forto speke plein,
Which is with mercy wel besein,
Fulofte he wole himselve peine
[Sidenote: 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 se[1238] saluum 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 livende 3170
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 befalle[1239]
That his Pite be ferme and stable,
To al the loud it is vailable
[Sidenote: =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 have 3180
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 evidence[1240]
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,
[Sidenote: =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 memoire 3210
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.
[Sidenote: [POMPEIUS AND THE KING OF ARMENIA.]]
I rede hou whilom that Pompeie,
To whom that Rome moste obeie,
[Sidenote: 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 achieved 3220
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 plein[1245]
Restoreth of his regne ayein,
[Sidenote: =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.
[Sidenote: [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 blessed 3260
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.
[Sidenote: [CRUELTY OF LEONTIUS.]]
[Sidenote: =P. iii. 202=]
Of crualte I rede thus:
Whan the tirant Leoncius
[Sidenote: Hic loquitur contra illos, qui tirannica
potestate principatum obtinentes in[1247] iniquitatis sue
malicia gloriantur. Et narrat exemplum,[1248] qualiter
Leoncius tirannus pium Iustinianum non solum a solio
imperatorie maiestatis fraudulenter expulit, set vt ipse
inhabilis ad regnum in[1249] aspectu 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 prived[1250] 3270
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.