The Lives of Ss. Edmund and Fremund: Text

The Canon of John Lydgate Project

The Lives of Ss. Edmund and Fremund: Text

MS Harley 2278 fol. 10v

[This is the beginning of the main portion of Book 1.]

[The initial letter of the first stanza fills the left margin and has sprays extending from it filling the upper and lower margins of the page. The initial letters of the second and third stanzas are lightly decorated.]

IN Saxonie whilom ther was a kyng
Callid Alkmond / of excellent noblesse
A manli prince / vertuous of leuyng
And ful habounde / of tresour and richesse
Notable in armys / ful reno[m]med of prowesse
A semly persone / hardi and corageous
Mercurie in wisdam / lik Mars victorious

Eyed as Argus be vertuous prouidence
And circumspect / as famous Scipiou[n]
In kyngli honour / of most excellence
Holde in his tyme / thoruh many a regiou[n]
But nat withstandyng / his famous hih renou[n]
He so demened / his hih noblesse in deede
A boue al tresour / to loue god and dreede

In wordli honour / thouh he were fortunat
Set in a chaier / of kyngli dignite
He koude knowe / in his roial estat
A boue alle kyngis / god hath the souereynte
And aduertisid / in his most mageste
That sceptre or crowne / may litil auaile / or nouht
To hem that loue not god / in herte and thouht

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The Canon of John Lydgate Project

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