yrowne blode Bothe man and childe without excepcyon The Grekes sparynge no condcyon Of olde nor yonge woman wyfe nor mayde That with the crye Pryamus abrayde Out of his llepe and sodaynely a woke Whiche lay all nyght and no hede ne toke Of the daughter nor murdre in the towne But tho he wyste that there was treasowne Falsly compassyd vnto his cytee By Anthenor and also by Enee Of whose malys he was no more in doute For the venym was now broken oute And now the galle of conspyracyon That vnder sugre of symulacyon Hath so louge closyd be and hyd In dede is now execute and kyd And nowe the fraude fully of treason The caste also of false collusyon Be taked out and abrode yblowe And the Autours openly yknowe Now hath enuye and contryued hate Of theyr Engyne sette abrode the gate Now hath deceyte and olde conspyracye And fayned othes all of one allye Openly shewed theyr falsenesse And disclosed all theyr doubylnesse So ferre abrode that now is there no geyne For now alas the wylde fyre is seyne In toures hye with the wynde yblased Wherof Pryam astoned and amased All awapyd sterte out of his bed And comforteles to the temple is fled Of Appollo to saue hym if he myght And aye the flawme of the fyres bryght Brent in the towne and cousumeth all The ryche byldynge whylom so royall That the walles with theyr rofes huge Coueryd with lede for a chefe refuge Were now alas bare and bareyne makyd The grekes aye with theyr swerdes nakyd Murdre and slee where so that they go That twenty thousande that nyght and mo They kylled haue longe or it was day And in this slaughter and this great affray Spoyle and robbe and take what they fynde Treasour and good and lefte nat behynde By myghty honde and sturdy vyolence And the temples without reuerence They haue despoyled thorugh out all the towne And gredely rent and racyd downe Of golde and syluer the ornamentes alle Totore the goddes foule mote them falle Kynge Pryam aye with a deedly chere To Appolio makynge his prayere Furyously this hertely wofull man As he in soth that no rede ne can BUt wayte his deth his fatall Eure And Cassandra that holy creature Of in warde wo desyrous to sterue Complaynynge ran vnto Mynerue Makynge to hir a lamentacyowne With other gentyll women of the towne And there alas as they wolde dye Full pyteously they sobbe wepe and crye And in theyr dooll there I lette them dwelle For all theyr sorowes if I shulde telle In this storye and theyr wo descryue My penne shulde of very routhe ryue Rehersynge eke how in euery strete Theyr clothes blacke redy moyste and wete As they alas bothe one and alle On theyr lordes downe aswowne falle With theyr blode bedewed and ysprent Where men may se the cristall terys meynt Of theyr wepynge in theyr woundes grene That laye and blede agayne the sonne shene With deedly iyen castynge vp the whyte It were but vayne all here to wryte Nor the maner of theyr mortall sorowe But Guydo wryt that the same morowe How Anthenor and with hym false Enee Conueyued haue thorugh out the Cyte The myghty Grekes vnto Ylyon The royall toure and ryche mansyon That whylom was of most excellence In the whiche they founde no diffence Of hye nor lowe nor of none estate For it was lefte alone desolate With all the golde and rychesse of the twone Shet and enclosed in the chefe dongeowne But for there was no man that withstode They brake the lockes raught away the gode And the treasour that was shet within Eche for his partye that he myght wyn They gaue no force who was lefe or lothe And Pyrrus after to the temple goth Of Appollo by great cruelte And fyll on Pryam knelynge on his kne And with his swerde furyously and wode Tofore the auter shadde there his blode So hye raughte both in lengthe and brede That the stremes of his woundes rede That the statue of golde borned bryght Of this Appollo for all his great myght For all his power and his sterne face Defouled was and pollut all the place Oonly by deth of this worthy kynge By Pyrrus slayne whyle he lay knelynge Of olde hatrede and enuyous pryde Whyle Anthenor and Enee stode besyde That routhe was and pyte to beholde To sehym lye on the stones colde So pyteously tofore the auter blede Wherof alas whan Eccuba toke hede And hir doughter fayre Polycene With heer to rent as any golde wyer shene Inly supprysed with sorowe to the herte Whan they began consydre and aduerte This noble kynge with blody stremes rede All for drowned his eyen dyrke and dede With Pyrrus swerd gyrt thorugh outher syde For mortall fere they durste nat abyde But inwardly thorugh darted with the syght All in a rage toke them to the flyght And yet in sothe thorugh out the Cyte They wyste neuer whytherwarde to flee Rescuse was none nor no remedye Of kynne nor frende nor of none allye With grekes swerde the towne was so be set And in hir flyght this wofull quene hath met Eneas causer of all this wrake Vnto whom rebukynge thus she spake O thou traytour moste malycyous Thou false serpent adder enuyous Crope and roote fynder of falsenesse Soures and well of vnkyndenesse How myghtest thou in thy herte fynde Vnto thy kynge to be so vnkynde Gynner and grounde exaumple of treason And fynall cause of our destruccyon How myghtest thou deuoyde of all pyte Beholde alas thorugh thy cruelte Of the kynge shedde so the blode That euer hath ben so gentyll and so good So gracyous lorde specyally to the And ouer more thorugh his hye bounte They honoured and ymagnefyed All his lyue it may nat be denyed That lyeth now deed in the temple alas Thou were nat oonly traytoure in this caas But to his deth conspyrynge and vukynde Pyrrus conueyinge where he shuld hȳ fynde Tofore Appollo mydes of this Cyte Where thou shuldest of very duete Rather haue ben his proteccyon His myghty shelde and sauacyon That haste this cyte and this towne ylorne In whiche thou were fostryd and yborne On the grettest of reputacyon Of all the lordes dwellynge in this towne In which thou haddest whylom most pleasaūce But all is now out of remembraunce ¶ Yet in thy herte if any drope be Of gentyllesse mercy or pyte In this deedly rage full of tene Rewe on my doughter yonge Polycene From grekes swerde hir youthe for to saue If thy herte may any routhe haue Of manly pyte on hir maydenhede Diffende hir nowe and kepe hir out of drede If thou canste fynde any weye In any wyse that she may nat deye That hereafter whan men se and rede The false treason and the foule dede That thou haste done vnto troye towne It may in partye be proteccyowne To thy fame the venym to allye Of this treason whan men wyll assaye By iuste reporte thy name to accuse This
For he of them lyke a conquerour With victorye Tryumphe and honour Myght haue brought thurgh his hye renowne The palme of conquest into troye towne Whiche he hath that day refused folylye For as he rode this Ector cruellye Amonge grekes slowe and bare all downe Caâ—uelly he mette Thelamowne I mene Ayax nye of his allye That of hate and cruell hote enuye To Ector rode lyke as he were woode Albe to hym he was full nye of bloode Yet for all that this yonge lusty knyght Dyde his power and his full myght Without faynynge to haue borne hym downe Whose Fader hyght also Thelamowne That hym begat the storye telleth thus Of ExyonÌ„ suster to Pryamus And this Ayax flourynge in yonge age Fresshe and delyuer and of great courage Sette on Ector of knyghtly hye prowesse And as they mette bothe in theyr woodnesse On theyr stedes these manly champyownes Eueryche on other lyke Tygres or lyownes Began to falle and proudely to assayle And furyously seuere plate and mayle Firste with speres longe large and rounde And afterwarde with swerdes kene grounde And fyghtynge thus longe they contune Tyll it befylle of case or of Fortune Token or sygne or some apparence Or by nature is kyndely influence Whiche into hertes doth full depe myne Namely of them that borne be of one lyne Whiche cause was paraunter of these twanye Naturally theyr rancoure to restrayne And theyr yre for to modefye Onely for they so nye were of allye Vnwyst of outher and therof vnsure Tyll they were taught oonly of nature For naturally blode wyll aye of kynde Drawe vnto blode where he may it fynde Whiche made Ector kyndely to aduerte To be meuyd and steryd in his herte Bothe of knyghthode and of gentyllesse Whan he of Ayax sawe the worthynesse ¶ Spake vnto hym full benyngnely And sayde Cosyn I saye the trewely If thou lyste grekes here forsake And come to troye I dare vndertake To thyne allyes and to thy kynrede Thou shalte be there without any drede Full well receyued in partye and in all Of them that be of the blode royall Sothely descended and hyest of degre That it of right shall suffyse vnto the And kyndelye be to the pleasaunce For to repayre to thyne allyaunce To gentyll herte sythe no thynge is so gode As be confedryd with his owne blode For I conceyue by the worthynesse Whiche nature dothe in the impresse Of troyan blode that thou arte descended Whiche of grekes longe hath be offended Wherfore I rede to leue them vtterly And he answered agayne full humbly That sythen he of berthe was a greke And was of youthe amonge them fostryde eke From the tyme of his natyuyte And taken hadde the ordre and degre Of knyghthode eke amonges them aforne And ouer this bounde was and sworne To be trewe to theyr nacyon Makynge of blode none excepcyon He swore he wolde conserue his beheste And to Ector he made this requeste That if that he of manfull gentyllesse Wolde of knyghthode and of worthynesse Shewe vnto hym so great affeccyowne To make them that were of Troye towne Oonly withdrawe grekes to pursewe And for theyr tentes make them to remewe And resorte agayne vnto the towne Of knyghthode routhe and compassy owne Without assayllynge or any more affraye Made on grekes for that ylke daye Sythe vnto them ought Inoughe suffyse That of the felde in so knyghtly wyse They were of manhode fully possessours And of theyr foomen fynally victours Lyke as tofore fully is diffyned To whose requeste Ector is enclyned Alas the whyle of hasty wylfulnesse And made anone without auysenesse Mydde the felde a trumpet for to blowe Wherby Troyans fully myght knowe That he his wyll they shulde them withdrawe After custome playnely and the lawe And the vsaunce bothe nye and ferre Amonges them that be expert in werre Whan they were moste feruent for to fyght Vpon grekes for to preue theyr myght And hadde them chacyd lowe to the stronde That they were weyk of power to withstonde For they of Troye all of one desyre Gan sette on with shotte of wylde fyre To brenne theyr shyppes of hye myschaunce Fynally to put them at outtraunce And so they hadde this the very trouthe â—e hadde Ector had vpon them routhe Makynge Troyans repayre to the towne Vngracyously to theyr confusyowne As the storye shall after specyfye For tho he putte alas in Iupardye Lyfe and deth whiche myght haue be sure The whiche agayne they neuer shall recure ¶ How the Grekes sent to kynge Pryamus for to haue trewes for Eyght wekes And of theyr Bataylles after the trewes faylled Ca. xxiij THey haue mater to complayne sore For fro that daye farewell for euermore Victory and laude fro them of the towne To them denyed by disposicyowne Of mortall fate whiche was contrarye In this mater me lyste no lenger tarye For they of Troye be entred theyr Cyte And shet theyr gates for more surete For of that daye lyke as made is mynde Thus was the ende in Euydo as I fynde They wende haue done paraunter for the beste And whan the sonne was ygo to reste They toke theyr ease all that ylke nyght Tyll on the morowe Tytan clere and bryght Shadde his bemys on theyr Emysperye Makynge the day for to shewe merye At whiche tyme Troyans anone ryght They that were hole and lusty for to fyght Gan arme them in purpose full that day Theyr foon to mete platly if they may For that was hole theyr wyll playne entent And eke they hadde in coÌ„maundement Tofore of Ector redy them to make Out of theyr slepe a morowe whan they wake Of whiche thynge they were nat neclygent But to Pryam the grekes haue ysent There messangeres the same day or pryme To take trewes oonly for the tyme Of eyghte wekes the whiche Pryamus By assent of Ector the story telleth thus Hath graunted them and by auctoryte Of the wysest that were in that Cyte In whiche tyme whyle they leyser haue The grekes gan for to burye and graue The bodyes that afore were slawe Lyke the rytys in theyr paynem lawe With all theyr myght and theyr besy cure For some brent and by sepulture Enclosed were lyke theyr estate in all And thus they helde the feste funerall Fro day to day durynge aye the pees In whiche space I fynde how Achylles Of Patroclus the deth hath sore playned As he that was with terys all be rayned So inwardely he loued hym in his herte That for the anguysshe and the cruell smerte He longe abode in lamentacyon And dyde make by great affeccyon A large toumbe for a remembraunce Myd the felde as tho was the vsaunce Amonge grekes with great reuerence Lyke the honour and the excellence Of royall buryenge so this Patroclus Ygraue was and Protheselaus In theyr toumbes korue of marbyll graye And nye togydre in a playne they laye The werke aboute them rychely ywrought And to the Erthe they were togydre brought Solempnely lyke
to be To them he hadde so cruell enmyte And whan Parys sawe hym in the felde Towardes hym the right waye he helde And of purpose they theyr wardes sette Eche on other tyll they togydre mette And tho the skarmysshe the slaughter gan On outher parte of many manly man And all this whyle Ector ne wolde cease Amonge grekes cruelly to prease And new and new of hym as I rede A lyke fresshe the blode of them to shede For of his swerde the traces were ysene That the grekes myght nat sustene To resyste nor stande afore his face But where he rode aye they gaue hym place ¶ Tyll that aknyght whiche Boetes hyght Yonge of age whan he hadde a syght How Ector slewe the Grekes mortally On euery syde hauynge no mercy He presyd in to encrease his name Perpetuelly to purchace hym a fame And furyously in herte nat afferde He caste hym platly to mete hym in the berde The whiche thynge whan Ector gan aduerte So hye raucour enbracyd hath his herte That with his swerde of indignacyowne He rofe hym euen to the nauell downe Fro the crowne with so great a payne That in the felde he partyd lay in twayne And Ector tho assygned hath his stede To a squyer and bad he shulde it lede To troye towne without more abode And all this whyle furyously he rode Amonge Grekes and euer mercylees He slewe all the that put them selfe in prees And shadde theyr blode of herte despytous The whiche thynge whan kynge Archylogus Rydynge besyde sawe and gan espye How Boetes his cosyn and allye So cruelly was of Ector slawe Towardes hym in haste he gan hym drawe Vpon his deth auenged for to be And tode at hym with great cruelte Fully in purpose Ector for to quyte And sodaynely as he gan at hym smyte Ector vnwarely hyt hym on the hede So myghtely that he felle downe dede Partyd on two by cruell aduenture NatwithstaÌ„dyng his myghty stronge armure Agayne his stroke it was of no diffence For it was gyuen with suche vyolence That it holpe hym in no maner thynge And than anone Prochenor the kynge Of hatefull yre and foole hardynesse Of surquedye and of hastynesse Of melancolye and indignacyon Caught in his herte a presumpcyon To assayle Ector of inwarde foly pryde And goth to hym a trauerse on the syde Furyously with a despytous herte That his coÌ„mynge he myght nat aduerte Oonly for he came at his backe behynde And vnwarely in Guydo as I fynde And Ector smote from his hors to grounde In whom there was so moch manhode fouÌ„de That he anone with a knyghtly herte Without abode into his sadell sterte And right fyersly Prothen or purseweth That fynally his honde he nat escheweth For with his swerde he marked hym so wele Thorugh basenet by his breste of stele That into twayne withoute any fayle He roofe hym downe into his paunce of mayle And he felle downe in full pyteous wyse Of whiche stroke the grekes sore agryse And specyally the hardy fyerse Achylle Whan he behelde lyked full ylle For Phothenor was his nye cosyne And descendyd of the same lyne For deth of whom he hath suche heuynesse So inwarde thought and so great distresse In all this worlde he ne wyste what to do For hym he had so moche payne and wo And for the deth of Archylogus To be auenge he was full desyrous And in his herte many waye he caste And in the wardes gan to seke faste With many greke on Ector to haue falle Conspyred fully in soth amonge them alle Of one entent Ector to assayle But all for nought it wolde nat auayle He was that day so cruell in his rage They myght of hym haue none auauntage And Troyan knyghtes by fauour of Fortune Vpon Grekes so myghtely contune Thorugh conueyinge of Ector and his myght That they anone haue them put to flyght And to theyr tentes maugre who that stryue In their pursuyte for wouÌ„ded they them dryue That here and there they laye in aswowe And many a greke mercyles they slowe The longe day tyll it drewe to nyght And sothly than for very lacke of lyght These troyan knyghtê full worthy of renowne Aboute Ector repayre to the towne And entre in with honour and with glorye That day of grekes hauynge the victorye And thus I leue them in theyr towne within And forth of Grekes telle I wyll begyn WHan Esperus the fayre bryght sterre Agaynst eue caste his stremys ferre And in the west rathest gan appere Whan the twylyght with a pale chere In maner morneth the absence of the sonne And nyght approcheth with his copys donne The same tyme whan Tytan toke his leue That clerkes calle crepusculum at eue Whiche is nat ellys but the meane lyght Of Phebus absence and the derke nyght And twylyght hatte for it is a mene Of daye and nyght departynge them betwene Fully nouther but of bothe meynt Or the heuen be clustred and depeynt With bryght sterrys in the euenynge AT whiche tyme Agamenon the kynge For his lordes sodaynely hath sent To come echone anone into his tent And whan they were assembled all yfere Tryst and heuy and with a sorefull chere They gan yâ— slaughter of Ector to complayne Affermyng playnly they myght neuer attayne Vnto victorye whyle he were a lyue Wherfore they gan to conspyre blyue The deth of hym in many sondry weye Echone concludynge whyle he were in Troye It was nat lykely Grekes for to wynne For he alone of them that were withinne Was chefe diffence and proteccy owne And soueraynely vpholder of the towne Theyr myghty Castell and theyr stronge wall And vnto grekes dedely foo mortall For they ne myght his great force endure Nor neuer a right agayne theyr foos be sure He standynge hole they sayde in no degre Nor whyle he floureth in Felycyte Wherfore echone of one entencyon They condescende to this conclusyon That by some sleyghte of awayte lymge Whan he were moste besy in fyghtynge Amonge them in myschefe or distresse That Achylles do his besynesse With all his myght vnwarely hym to assayle That hym to slee for no thynge that he fayle And grekes all gan theyr prayer make To Achylles for to vndertake Of this Empresse fynally the sute Thorugh his manhode that it be execute The hasty deth of theyr mortall foo And Achylles without wordes moo Theyr request assenteth to parfourme And to theyr luste gan hooly hym confourme For that tyme let hym beware I rede To be to hasty this iourne for to spede Vpon Ector his power for to kythe Lyste Fortune a wronge hir face wrythe To loke on hym with a frowarde chere Hym to brynge vnto his handes nere Thorugh sorte or hap of Ector folylye To put his lyfe of deth in Ieopartye Lyste vnto hym it happe euen lyche To falle hymsefe in the same dyche That he for Ector compassed hath and shape For it is wonder if that he escape Syth Ector hadde without any
dede may the helpe to excuse Agaynst tonges that speke of Enee Than wyll they say thou haddest yet pyte On Polycene oonly of gentyllesse Therwith to sugre all the bytternesse Of thy decert blowe forth by fame By rehersayle of the foule blame That shall of the thorugh the worlde be borne With sklaundre infect whan thou art all to torne That thou ne shalt the shame mowe sustene Than shall my doughter fayre Polycene Be thy diffence agayne suche famous stryfe If it so be now thou saue hir lyfe Of me no forse though thou make as blyue The swerde of grekes thorugh my herte ryue And so by prayer of this wofull quene This Eneas toke to hym Polycene Whose traytour herte for all his cruelte On hir youthe was meued of pyte Oonly of routhe that in his breste arose And secretely put hir vp in close Lyste that Grekes founde occasyon Agaynst hym and Ayax Thelamon Toke to his warde Andronomecha Actors wyfe and wyse Cassandra Out of the Temple longynge to Mynerue From Grekes swerde theyr lyues to conserue And Menelay toke the quene Eleyne Into his Garde for whom so great a payne Bode in his herte many day toforne By whom alas the Cyte is now lorne And grekes aye were besy in theyr yre To slee and kylle and cruelly to fyre On euery syde and to bete downe Paleys and house and walles of the towne They spare nought for all goth to the fyre So feruent hate brent in theyr desyre Of olde enuye auenged for to be That they ne lefte within the Cyte No thynge vnbrent and also Ylyowne Was in this rage tourned vp so downe There made were none excepcyons Oonly out take the possessyons Of Anthenor euyll mote he fate And Eneas whom the grekes spare As they to them were vounde by theyr othe And thus the grekes furyous and wrouthe Haue all that day robbed and ybrent Tyll that the kynge Agamenon hath sent For his lordes to assemble yfere In Pallas temple oonly for to here Theyr wyse aduyse vpon thynges twayne Firste if they wolde holde and nat fayne Hoolly theyr hope without excepcyowne To them by whom they wonne first the towne And ouer more he axed them also Touchynge the goddes what they wolde do With golde treasour and possessyowne That they haue won thurgh their hye renown̄ And they answerd without more tariynge They wolde theyr fayth kepe in euery thynge As they were sworne and hestys holde And ouer this they sayde how they wolde That golde treasour and good of the Cyte As right requyreth and also equyte Be iustly partyd by dyuysyon To euery wyght made distrybucyon Lyke his meryt of hye and lowe degre And that the kynge eke of reason se Eche to rewarde after his laboure So as it longeth to a conqueroure That no man haue mater to compleyne And so they fylle in spekynge of Eleyne Eueryche after his oppynyon And tofore all other Ayax Thelamon Shortly sayde she hath deserued deth For whom so many haue yelde vp the breth Playnely affermynge there in Parlement Of rightwysnesse and trewe Iugement She shulde nat escape with the lyfe That gynnynge was cause of all theyr stryfe Rote and grounde of all theyr sorowe wo And so sayde eke many a nother mo And for the noyse and the great affray Agamenon nor kynge Menelay Ne durste a worde for hir party meue To saue the quene lyste grekes wold them greue Agaynst them there was so great rumour Tyll Vlixes chefely hir socour Thorugh his wyt and his eloquence His deuer dyde and his dylygence To saue hir lyfe and fully to purchace Of the grekes for to gette hir grace And as Guydo also doth vs lere Agamenon Grekes gan requere To graunte hym for a chefe guerdo◠Of Cassandra to haue possessyon All hir lyfe with hym to abyde Eke Eneas and Anthenor besyde Of Elenus to the Grekes tolde How to the werre he neuer assent wolde And how that he prudent and vertuous In counsayllynge was contraryous To all tho of hye and lowe estate In Troye firste that began debate At wixe grekes and this myghty towne Eke by his helpe and medyacyowne Achylles was buryed and ygraue The deed corps from houndes for to saue Whan he was slayne in full cruell wyse By nyght tyme as ye haue herde deuyse For sothly he and Cassandra bothe Of this murdre in herte were full wrothe And sory eke of many another thynge Wrought in the towne wtout theyr wyttynge And for they were of malys Innocent The Grekes haue fully by assent Graunted to them a prerogatyfe By Parlement for to haue theyr lyfe But Elenus firste in teers drowned Tofore the kynge pyteously hath swowned And abraydynge with a deedly face In humble wyle besought hym of his grace Of knyghtly pyte to haue his aduertence To spare his swerde fro blode of Innocence And of mercy that he nat disdayne To graunte lyfe to the sones twayne Of worthy Ector his brother most entere And eke to rewe on theyr moder dere Oonly of grace that she be nat dede A wydowe left alone and can no rede And wote nat whyther that she may dyuerte And so the kynge ameued in his herte Of his wordes and his wofull chere Benygnely graunted his prayere And gaue eke lyfe and fredam for to go To the moder and hir children two And to ladyes and gentyll women alle That for mercy to his grace calle He graunted eke of compassyon A safe conduyt and a fre pardon Where that them lyst in the towne abyde Or in the countre adiacent besyde He put it hole in theyr eleccyowne And thankynge hȳ they fyll on knees downe With many tere dewed in the face And so the kynge parteth fro the place And after that grekes right anone Fully purpose to shyp for to gone In haste to sayle towarde theyr countree But suche a tempest rose vp in the see Of wawe and wynde also of cloudes blake All a moneth that they dare nat take The water salte for drede of Neptunus Of very Ire and also Golus Was vnto them in euery thynge contrarye That on the londe made them longe tarye The see was aye so fell and bolyinge Tyll that grekes of Clachas enquerynge By one assent what it myght be That euer in one so dyuerse was the see In his rage both at eue and morowe And he answerd god gyue hym euyll sorowe This olde shrewe with all his prophesye That can so well whan hym lyst to lye How this tempest caused was at all By the goddes and furyes infernall That neuer wolde appese nor be stylle Tyll the murdre platly of Achylle Auenged be and shedynge of his blode For whiche he sayde Appollo was eke wode For his temple to hym consecrate Was thorugh his deth in Troye vyolate By blode agayne be made satysfaccyon Wherfore there muste thorugh redempcyon Of hir that was roote in specyall Thorugh hir beaute and orygynall Cause of his deth yonge Polycene And gynnynge firste of his mortall
haste for this Dyomede Knowynge full well his desolacyon How he was proscrip fro his regyon Besechynge hym of manhode and of routhe Hym to enhaste without any slouthe With all the stuffe that he get can And souldeours also manly euery man Without abode and to Troye them lede To socoure them in this great nede And Dyomede came and taryed nought At theyr request as he was besought To releue them in this sharpe shoure And with hym brought many souldeoure And Eneas on the way hym mette In frendely wyse and into towne hym fette And to hym made passyngly great chere And there they gan to comune yfere Theyr auentures bothe of lande and see Entermedlyd with great aduersyte That no man may deuoyde nor eschewe But take his parte as it to hym is dewe As sorte or hap doth his brydell lede And in this storye shortly to procede Cely Troyans that almost were shent With theyr fomen of Yles adiacent That them besette aboute enuyrowne But thorugh the manhode the hye renowne Of Dyomede and his souldeours And other knyghtes noble werry ours They were reskued and holpen vtterly And foure dayes they foughte by and by In knyghtly wyse deffendynge the Cyree And thorugh prowesse also of Enee They slewe and toke all that them withstode And in diffence of Troyanysshe blode Suche as they fonde to the Cyte false They henge them vp hye by the halse And punysshed them for theyr great wronge And Dyomede thus gan wexe stronge By longe processe as made is mencyowne Chefe protectoure nowe of Troye towne That enmye none by a large space Durste abyde but he hadde grace To this lygaunce so he made them loute And thus his name sprede gan aboute That of his fame the great oppynyon Dylated is vnto the regyon By swyfte reporte to Calydonye and Argâ— Whiche the quene greatly gan to charge And astoned whan she taketh hede His power gan and his myght to drede Lyste he wolde hir londe vpon hir wynne And of knyghthode a werre newe begynne And secretely gan muse on this thynge That hir lorde and hir myghty kynge Late exyled and yput to flyght Hath grace founde in Fortunes syght And is remounted to so hye estate Wherof she was in hir selfe chekmate And wayes caste as she that was prudent By hole aduyse of hir Parlement Without grutchynge or rebellyon Hym to reuoke to his regyon ¶ And therupon to hym lowly sent And with lettres the messager forth went The cause annullyng by which he was exyled And how he was fully reconcyled By hole assente of his lyeges alle And full lowly euerychone they calle For theyr offence and of theyr trespace Without rygoure for to do them grace And he anone lyke a manly knyght More of mercy sothly than of ryght Whan he hath theyr sonde well conceyued And theyr menynge fully apparceyued To stynte all stryfe thought for the beste In goodly wyse to grauute theyr requeste And to his reygne within a certayne day He is repeyred in full ryche array Of whose coÌ„mynge full glad his lyeges bene And reconcyled bothe he and the quene And all rancoure of any olde offence Oonly of wysdome they put in suspence And of one herte a blysfull lyfe they lede In Troye boke no more of hym I rede But lette hym lyue in felycytee Agayne resortynge to tell of Enee After how he hath his tyme spent Whiche is fro Troye with many Troyan went His shyppes stuffed he and his meynee Be sayled forth by many straunge see Many daunger and many strayte passage Tofore or he aryued in Cartage Ledynge with hym his fader Anchyses And by the way I fynde that he les His wyfe Crewsa by fatall auenture But all the woo that he dyde endure Who so lyste ceryously to sene And how that he falsehede the quene I mene Dido of womanhede floure That gaue to hym hir rychesse and treasoure Iewellys and golde all yâ— myght hym please And euery thynge that myght do hym ease But for all that how he was vnkynde Rede Eneydos and there ye shall it fynde And how that he falsely stale away By nyght tyme whyle she a bedde lay And of his conqueste also in Itaylle Where he hadde many stronge bataylle His auentures and his workes all And of the fyne that is to hym fall Ye may all se by full souerayne style Fro poynt to poynt compyled in virgyle Wryte and made sythen go full yore For Troye boke speketh of hym no more But procedeth as I shall endyte How Horestes caste hym for to quyte His fadres deth playnely and nat spare If ye lyste here as Guydo shall declare IT is requered of equyte and ryght Of that iuge that is moste of myght And Egally holdeth his balaunce On deth conspyred for to do vengaunce The voyse of blode doth so aye contune To crye wreche with clamour importune On them in sothe that it iniustly shede For murdre wrought wyll haue his egal mede And his guerdon as he hath disseruyd They may nat flee the iugement reseruyd Of hym that sytte hyest in his Trone And all beholdeth by hym selfe alone Full rightfully the noble myghty kynge For though he suffre he foryet no thynge But all consydereth in his inspeccyon And for the murdre of Agamenon The myghty lorde that is most souerayne gode Made his Mynystre of the same blode ¶ Yonge Horestes full of hye prowesse To execute his dome of ryght wysnesse And gaue to hym grace power and myght And he anone toke the ordre of a knyght Of you meâ—s lyke as it is tolde Whan he was foure and twenty wynter olde Fresshe and lusty and wonderly prudent And in wardely desyrous of entent If Fortune wolde hym nat withsayne His herytage to recure agayne ¶ Whiche Egistus falsly hym denyeth And the crowne in iustly occupyeth By false tytle of hir that was his wyfe But horestes wyll Iuparde his lyfe And auenture whyle hym lasteth breth Firste to be venged on his fadres deth Vpon them tho that the treason wrought And alderfirste full lowely he besought Kynge yâ—dumee of his goodlyhede To forther hym in this great nede And the kynge benygnely anone Assigned hath with hym for to gone A thousande knyghtes manly right stronge To redresse the great horryble wronge Of Egistus wroughte by vyolence And by his wysedome and his dylygence This Horestes gan hym so purueye Within a whyle there is no more to seye That he hym gat the store wyll nat lye Another thousande to his companye Of worthy knyghtes all of one accorde To go with hym as with theyr souerayne lorde In euery thynge his byddynge to obeye As ye haue herde Egistus to werreye And thus Horestes in full ryche array Gan hoostey and made no delay And his lodgynge alderfirste gan chese In a Cytee that called was Troyese Receyued there with great reuernece Of the kynge that named was Forence A manly knyght as bookes specefye And bare in herte passynge great enuye To