Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: John Gower
Editors: Tom Bishop, Andrew Forsberg
Not Peer Reviewed

Apollonius of Tyre

1575[Qualiter Appolinus in regno suo apud Tyrum existens parliamentum fieri constituit.]
How Appolinus, staying in his kingdom at Tyre, summoned a parliament.
Thus was this false treson hidd,
Which afterward was wyde kidd,
As be the tale a man schal hiere.
Bot forto clare mi matiere,
1580To Tyr I thenke torne ayein,
And telle as the Croniqes sein.
Whan that the king was comen hom,
And hath left in the salte fom
His wif, which he mai noght foryete,
1585For he som confort wolde gete,
He let somoune a parlement,
To which the lordes were asent;
And of the time he hath ben oute,
He seth the thinges al aboute,
1590And told hem ek hou he hath fare,
Whil he was out of londe fare;
And preide hem alle to abyde,
For he wolde at the same tyde
Do schape for his wyves mynde,
1595As he that wol noght ben unkinde.
Solempne was that ilke office,
And riche was the sacrifice,
The feste reali was holde:
And therto was he wel beholde;
1600For such a wif as he hadde on
In thilke daies was ther non.