stare Clypse the mone and the bryght sonne Or naturelly they hadde theyr cours yronne To them apropred whiche they may nat passe For if that Tytan his cours by kynde trase Whan he meueth vnder clyptyk lyne The clypse nat folowe as auctours lyst diffyne So that there be by theyr discripcion Of bothe twayne full coniunccion And that the sonne with his bemes reed Haue his dwellynge in the dragon heed And the mone be set eke in the tayle As by nature than it may nat fayle That there must falle eclips of very nede In sondry bokes lyke as ye may rede Bycause of certayne intersecacions Of dyuers clerkes and reuolucions That maked ben in the heuen a lofte Whiche cause vs for to fayle ofte Of the fresshe comfortable stremes That be to vs shadde from phebus bemes For the mone hath made dyuysion By this sodayne interposicion That of our syght the stremes visuall May nat beholde nor I sene at all Nor to our luste fully comprehende How Appollo is in his chare chyuende As we were wonte aforehande for to se But of all this the great tholome Kynge of Egypt telleth the great causes why Within his boke full compendyously Bothe of eclyps and coniunccion And why they falle by naturell mocion But of Medee though this clerke suyde To encrease hir name vpon euery syde Lest in his fables suche thynges telle Thoughe he of poetes was the sprynge welle Yet god forbede ye shulde gyue credence To suche feynynge or do so hygh offence Syth of nature muste be denyed All suche affermynge and also be diffyed Of euery cristen stedfast in byleue For certaynly it wolde hyghly greue Our conscience in any wyse wene Agaynst kynde whiche is so hye a quene That any wyght orlyuynge creature Shulde haue power I do you playne â—â—â—ure So cursyd thynges supersticious To do or werke to kynde contraryous ¶ For god almyghty Iuge of Iuges alle Hath set a lawe the whiche may nat falle Amonge planettes perpetuelly to endure Afore ordeyned in his eternall cure The whiche may nat as clerkes lyst termyne Vpon no syde bowe nor declyne But as they were from discorde or debate Eternally yformed and create Thorugh the fynger of his sapyence Alway to meue in theyr intellygence Lyke as they be to his lordshyp bounde For neuer yet ne was eclyps yfounde The mone nat beynge in coniunccion As I haue tolde saue in the passyon The whiche eclips was agaynst kynde Nature hir knot that tyme dyde vnbynde Whan goddes sone starfe vpon the roode The sonne of lyfe was dyrked for our goode Whan heuen and erthe with hye compunccion Haue sygnes shewed of Lamentacion By erthe quaues lyght tourned to dyrkenesse And deed bodyes vpwarde gan them dresse From theyr tombes agayne from deth to lyue Stone and rocke a sonder ganne ryue In the temple the veyll was kut a two And sygnes many were yshewed tho That for wonder and tokens meruaylous The great worthy Dyonysyous Whiche at Athenes as clerkes of hym wryte Was called in scolys Ariopagyte That whan he sawe this noble famous clerke The bryght daye sodaynly so derke All though he were apaynym in tho dayes And was infect with rightê of theyr layes As he that was moost cheyf and pryncypall Of phylosophers for to reken all Yet that tyme astoned in his mynde Sayde platly outher the god of kynde Suffreth the dethe outher out of doute This rounde worlde whiche is so large aboute Shalbe dissolued and ybrought to nought By sodayne chaunge hasty as a thought ¶ By this clergye he knewe no better skyll For god may all chaunge at his wyll And hath power of suche coaccion Vnder whose myght and disposicion Is lawe of kynde constreyned sothe to seye From poynt to poynt lowely to obeye In euery thynge that hym lyst ordeyne Of elementê he may the cours restreyne As hooly wryt wytnesseth ye may se How at requeste of worthy Iosue The bryght sonne stode at Gabaon Adayes space in one degre and shon Shewynge his token to his trewe knyght Fynally for to gyue hym lyght That he myght by his hye prowesse His cruell foon manfully oppresse Whan that he faught this knyght this Iosue With kynges fyue reygnynge in Amoree So longe laste the pursute and the chaas Tyll they were take and for theyr trespaas Dempt to be dede the Bible can you telle Now syth that god thus hyghly lyst fulfylle Of his knyght request and orison What wonder was though in the passion Of criste Ihesu incarnat for our sake The sonne bemes though they wex blake Syth he hath lordshyp of planettes alle And as hym lyst nedes it must falle For of Medea though Ouydius In his fables reherseth and wryte thus As he that lyst hir name to exalte Yet from the trouthe some whyle he doth alte All be she were a passynge sorceresse And ferthest name of any chaunteresse 〈◊〉 I wyll passe ouer agayne to my matere And how she came to mete ye shall here Whan hir fader hadde for hir sent She came anone at his coÌ„maundement But or she came I fynde that tofore For to make hir beaute seme more In hir closet she toke hir beste araye For to encrease all that euer she maye Natures werke with royall apparayle For this women gladly wyll nat fayle WhaÌ„ they of beaute haue plenteuous largesse It to embellysshe they do theyr besynesse With ryche a tyre vpon euery syde I fought be mysse they can it close and hyde For all the foule shall couertly be wryed That no defaute outwarde be espyed ¶ But she was bothe fayre and well besayne And in hir porte so womanly certayne That hir comynge gladeth all the halle For it was ioye vnto one and alle To se the maner tho of hir entree To whom hir fader bad to take hir see Besyde Iason hym for to disporte Of womanhode and to recomforte ¶ But oo alas here lacked hye prudence Discrete auyse of inwarde prouydence Wysdome also with perell caste afore To truste a mayde of tendre yeres bore Of vnhappy fonde wylfulnesse For this kynge of his gentylnesse CoÌ„maunded hath to his confusion To his dishonour and destruccion His owne donghter borne to be his heyre That was also so womanly and feyre So sodaynly downe for to discende Consydred nat the myscheif of the ende Alas why durst he in hir you the affye To make hir sytte of his curtesye Where she myght by casuell mocion Full lyghtly catche or haue occasion To do amysse alas why dyde he so Why lyst hym nat take hede therto Nor to auerte in his discrecion Wysely to caste afore in his reason The vnware chaunge that is in womanhede Whiche euery wyse man oughte for to drede For who was euer yet so mad or wood That ought of reason konne a ryght his good To gyue fayth or hastely credence To any woman without experyence In whom is nouther truste nor sykernesse They ben so double and full of brytylnesse That it
the soueraynte And for to tell of this Eban tree Lyke in bokes sothely as I fynde It cometh out of Ethyope and ynde Blacke as is geete and it wyll wexe anone Whan it is korue harde as any stone And euermore laste and endure And nat corrupte with water nor moysture And of this halle further to diffyne With stones square by leuell and by lyne It paued was with great dilygence Of masonrye and passynge excellence And all aboue reysed was a see Full curyously of stones and perre That called was as chefe and pryncipall Of the reygne the sete moste royall To fore whiche was sette by great delyte A borde of Eban and of yuery whyte So egally yioyned and so clene That in the werke there was no ryfte sene And sessyouns were made on euery syde Oonly the estates by ordre to deuyde Eke in the halle as it was couenable On eche partye was a dormaunt table Of yuery eke and this Eban tree And euen agayne this kynges royall se In the partye that was therto contrayre I reysed was by many crafty stayre Hye in the halle in the other syte Right as lyne in the opposyte Of pured metall and of stones clere In brede and lengthe a full ryche autere On whiche there stode of fygure and vysage Of massy fe golde a wonderfull ymage To be honoured in that hye sete Oonly in honour of Iubyter the grete ¶ And the statute for all his huge heyghte Fyftene cubytes complet was of heyghte A crowne of golde hye vpon his heede With heuenly saphyres and many ruby rede Fret enuyron with other stones ynde And amonges were medled as I fynde Whyte perles massyfe large and rounde And for most chefe all dirkenesse to confounde Was a Carbuncle kynge of stones alle To recomforte and glade all the halle And it to enlumyne in the blacke nyght With the fresshenesse of his rody lyght The value was therof inestymable And the rychesse playnly in comparable For this ymage by dyuysion Was of shap and proporcion From heed to fote so maysterly entayled That in apoynt yâ— workman hath nat fayled It to parfourme by crafty excellence Whom Pryamus with drede and reuerence Honoured hath aboue the goddes alle In all myschefe to hym to clepe and calle For in hym was his hole affeccion His soueraygne truste and deuocion His hope also and his affyaunce His helthe his ioye and his assuraunce And his welfare and prosperyte He hath coÌ„mytted to his deyte Wenynge in herte wonder sykerly To be assured from all myschefe therby And diffended in eche aduersyte And holde his reygne in hye felycyte And in honour contynuelly to shyne Whyle Iubyter thorugh his power dyuyne Hym and his hath in proteccion This was his truste and full opynyon And thus this werke fynally achyeued Wherof Pryam with ioye full releued That he his cyte and noble ylyon Hath fully brought vnto perfeccyon Lyke his entent whan that he began And thus Pryam this kyge this worthy man Full many a day in this newe Troye With his lyeges lad his lyfe in ioye Where I hym leue in his royall sete Soueraygnely reygnynge in quyete Procedynge forthe if ye lyste to here Vnto the effect anone of my matere ¶ How kyÌ„g Pryamus sent Anthenor iÌ„to Grece for to haue his suster Exyone agayne Ca. xij O Hateful harme which most is for to dred Kyndled solonge osparke of old hatred Roote of debate grounde of enuy and â—re With newe flawme hertes for to fyre O grayne of malys causer of all offence O francour rusted of impacience Whiche hast of newe made festred sores sinerte Whan thou art ones raked in an herte Whiche for disdayne of mercy mayst not lete A man no whyle to lyue in equyte But deluest vp malys many folde Debates newe that buryed were of olde And falsly quykest stryues to restore That enuyous serpent yâ— was slayne of yore Whiche felly hath this addre enuyous Out of his reste awaked Pryamus And with his venym so persynge so ylle Made hym wery to lyue in tranquylle And meued hym of his iniquyte Vpon Grekes auenged for to be For where as he in peas helde his reygne With his lyeges in ioy souereygne Without anoye or any perturbaunce This serpent hath with newe remembraunce Without aduyse or discrete areste So hoote a flawme kyndled in his breste Of olde enuye with fresshe rancour meynte That lykly is neuer to be queynte For Pryam nowe in his entenciowne Caste and compasseth reuoluynge vp downe Howe stronge he was of rychesse and meyne Howe noble and myghty was also his cyte And habundaunt shortly to conclude Bothe of plente and of multytude Of men of armes and of chyualrye Whiche stered hym to haue fantasye Alas the whyle to his vnhappy chaunce That to be deed he take wyll vengeaunce Vpon his foon the fyre of hoote enuye So brent hym in warde by malencolye Stondynge in purpose that no man chauÌ„ge may Of his damages auenged be some day And of miuryes that they on hym haue wrought And whan that he had a tyme sought To his purpose moste conuenyent Anone he hath for all his lordes sent And his knyghtes called euerychone To come in haste excused was nat one Namely of them that were of hye degre And they obeyeng with all humylyte His byddynge hooly and made no delay To come echeone agayne a certayne day And his sones were also present Ector except that was that tyme absent In the stronge and myghty regyon Of Panomye whiche in subieccyon Kynge Pryam helde thorugh his worthynesse And to amende thynges and redresse Ector was gone into this Panomye Certayne causes for to Iustefye As in his reason he thought for the beste To sette them in quyete and in reste For he was aye so iuste and so prudent So well aduysed and so pacyent And so demened in his gouernaunce That hym was lothe for to do vengeaunce Where as he myght in easy wyse treate For to reforme thynges smale and greate For lothe he was this noble worthy knyght For any haste to execute ryght Or causeles by rygour to condempne And in this whyle full worthy and solempne Kynge Pryamus of lordes great and small Within Troye helde a court royall As he that lyste for no coste to spare And ceryously his menynge to declare He in his see his lordes enuyron Gan thus to shewe his hertes mocyon O worthy lordes that be now here present Faythfull and trewe of herte of entent It is nat vnknowen to your discrecyon The great damages and oppressyon Whiche that Grekes haue vpon vs wrought Without cause for a thynge of nought This other daye as who sayth but late That as I trowe so newe is yet the date That it was fresshe remeÌ„bred in your mynde Vnto your blode if that ye be kynde For I suppose no foryetylnesse May put awaye the mortall heuynesse Of harmes olde whiche aye renewe agayne In my memorye I saye you in certayne And as I trowe
newe with suche ryalte Ben sodenly entred into the towne Thus eueryche wolde with his felawe rowne They were so rude to stare and to gase To gape and loke as it were on a mase This townysshe folke do so comonly Of euery thynge that falleth sodeynly But how that Cethes lyke a worthy kynge Whan that he herde firste of theyr comynge Receyueth them and hooly the matere If that ye lyste an one ye shall it here WHan yâ— the kyng hath sothly vnderstaÌ„de How the grekes come were to lande And how Iason was also therwith all Borne by dyssent of the blode royall Of Thesalye and lykly to be heyre If he by grace haue agayne repeyre The auentures achyeued of Colchos The kynge anone out of his see aroos Of gentyllesse in all the haste he may In goodly wyse to mete them on the way And them receyueth with chere full benynge And vnto them an one he dothe assygne His offycers to awayte them nyght and daye Chargynge them in all maner waye That what so euer may to them do ese Or any thynge that may them queme or plese That they it haue in foyson and plente Eueryche of them lyke to his degre Thus he coÌ„maunded in all maner thynge And than anone this noble worthy kynge As he that was of fredom a myroure Thorughe many halle and many ryche toure By many tourne and many dyuers waye By many gree made of marbyll graye Hath them conueyed a full easy pas Tyll he them brought there his â—hambre was Where he with them helde his dalyaunce And there anone with euery circumstaunce Of manly fredom he made to them chere And in his chambre englased bryght clere That shone full shene with golde with asure Of many ymage that was there in pycture He hath coÌ„maunded to his offycers Oonly in honour of them that were strauÌ„gers Spâ—ces and wyne and after that anoon The yonge fresshe the lusty man Iason As faste gan by lycence of the kynge For to declare the cause of this coÌ„mynge But firste the kynge with great tyaltee Assendyd is into his royall see Clothes of golde hanged enuyron After the custome of that regyon That to beholde it was a noble syght Stondynge aboute many a worthy knyght And many squyre and many gentylman Full well besene and the kynge right than Vnto Iason stondynge in presence CoÌ„maundyd hath of his magnyfycence With Hercules to sytte downe besyde And Iason than no lenger lyste abyde Of his coÌ„mynge the cause for to shewe The effect of whiche was this in wordes fewe Saue Iason are he his tale began Full well auysed and chered lyke a man Conceyued hath and noted wonder well From poynt to poynt his mater euerydell And nat forgat a worde in all his speche But euen lyke as rethoryk dothe teche He gan his tale so by crafte conueye To make the kynge to that he wolde seye Condescende and rather to enclyne For to assente that he myght fyne Of his coÌ„mynge the knyghtly hye empryse Thus worde by worde as I shal here deuyse RIght worthy prynce present iÌ„ this place Oonly with supporte of your hye grace And your goodnesse moste excellent dygne With pacyence of your fauour benyngne Displease it nat that I may saye and shewe And declare with wordes but a fewe The fynall grounde and cause of my coÌ„mynge So that ye lyste whiche ben so noble a kynge In goodly wyse without more offence Benyngly to gyue audyence To my request and that ye nat disdeyne Goodly to graunte that I may atteyne In this yâ—le if it may auayle The slees of golde frely for to assayle As the goddes in this auenture Lyste to ordayne for my fatall eure In whom lyeth all playnly and fortune For to gouerne thynges in comune In were and peas conquest and victorye And of armys the renowne and glorye Discomfyture and bryngynge to outraunce All lyeth in them to hyndre or to auaunte Ayen whose myght no mortal man may chesâ— But for all this where I wynne or lese Or lyfe or deth befyne of my labour If that ye lyste to do me this fauour To gyue me leue and no more delaye I am accorded fully for to assaye Lyke as the statute maketh mencyon Me lyste to make none excepcyon Vpon no syde fauour for to fynde But as the rytys playnly make mynde What euer falle I shall them vnder fonge Lowly besechynge that ye nat prolonge My purpose now nor make no delaye But of your grace sette me a daye Myne empryse that I may achyeue For myne abode stant vpon your leue Seyth but one worde of grauntynge at yâ— leste And than I haue the fyne of my requeste And whan the kynge had herde ceryously The entent of Iason sayde so manfully He stynt alyte and kepte hym close a whyle Tyll at the laste he goodly gan to smyle Towardes Iason and sayde vnto hym thus Iason quod he though thou be desyrous To vnderfonge this passynge hye empryse My counsayle is lyke as I shall deuyse Full prudently for to caste aforne The mortal peryle or that thou be lorne For in this thynge there is a lawe sette Bychauntement that may nat belette Nor remedyed for fauour nor for mede For deth in sothe who so taketh hede Is the guerdon platly or they twynne O fall that caste them the flees of golde to wynne For helpe is none in manhode nor fortune The streyghte waye is so Importune So dredfull eke and so full of rage That saue deth there is no passage Of victorye the palme to conquere For sothly Iason as I shall the lere Founded of olde by meruaylous workynge Be the statutes of this mortall thynge So sore bounde vnder my regalye That the rygour I may nat modefye Wherfore Iason or thou this thynge at tame Leste afterwarde on me were layde the blame Of thy lesynge or destruccion Of feythfull herte and trewe entencion I warne the my selfe for to quyte So that no man iustely shall me wyte Though thou of youthe and of wylfulnesse Thy lyfe destroye without a vysynesse Syth Iason of this perylous caas From poynt to poynt haue tolde the all yâ— caas Be now auysed and put no faute in me For the surplus frely lyeth in the Of all this thynge sythe thou mayst chese And where so be that thou wynne or lese No man to me it iustly may arecte For the lawe that mars hym selfe sette No mortall man of dewe right may passe For hye or lowe gette noon other grace Than the goddes lyste for hym ordeyne What euer he be that caste hym to darreyne This dyuers thynge moste furyous of drede Wherfore Iason how euer that thou spede I haue to the openly declared Hooly the peryle and for fauour spared As fer in sothe as reason wyll and ryght For thou wotest well it lyeth not in my myght For to declare or any man to lette That of manhode knyghtly caste to sette Vpon this thynge as thou haste herde me tell What shulde Ilenger
shyttynge was Of stronge Iren barres square and rounde And great barres pytched in the grounde With huge cheynes forged for diffence Whiche ne wolde breke for no vyolence That harde it was thorugh them for to wynne And euery hous that was bylded within Euery paleys and euery manstowne Of marbell were thorughout all the towne Of crafty byldynge workynge moste royall And the hyghte was of euery walle Sixty cubytes from the grounde accounted And there was none that other hath surmounted In the Cyte but of one heyghte alyche In very sothe bothe of pore and ryche That it was harde of hye estate or lowe Hous or paleys a sonder for to knowe So egally of tymbre and of stone Theyr houses were reysed euerychone And if I shulde reherse by and by The korue knottes by craste of masonry The fresshe enbowȳge with verges right as lynes And the housynge full of bakewynes The ryche koynynge the lusty tablementes Vynettes rennynge in casementes Though the termes in Englysshe wolde ryme To reken them all I haue as now no tyme Ne no langage pycked for the nones The sotyll ioynynge to tell of the stones Nor how they put in stede of mortere In the ioyntoures coper gylte full clere To make them ioyne by leuell and by lyne Amonge the marbyll fresshely for to shyne Agaynst the sonne whan his shene lyght Smote on the golde that was burned bryght To make the werke glystre on euery syde And of this towne the stretes large wyde Were by crafte so prudently prouyded And by werkmen sette so and deuyded That holsome eyre amyddes myght enspyre Erely on morowe to them that it desyre And zephyrus that is so comfortable For to norysshe thynges vegetable In tyme of yere thorughe out euery strete With sugred flauour so lusty and so swete Moste plesauntly in the eyre gan smyte The Cytezeynes oonly to delyte And with his brethe them to recomforte Whan they lyste walke themselfe to disporte And thrugh the towne with crafty purueaunce By great auyse and discrete ordenaunce By compase caste and squared out by squyers Of polysshed marble vpon stronge pyllers Deuysed were longe large and wyde In the frontell of euery stretes syde Fresshe alures with lusty hye pynacles And moustrynge outwarde ryche tabernacles Vouted aboue lyke reclynatoryes That called were deambulatoryes Men to walke togyders twayne and twayne To kepe them drye whan it dyde rayne Or them to saue fro tempest wynde or thundre If that them lyst shroude themself ther vndre And euery hous couered was with leede And many gargoyle and many hydous heede With spoutes thorugh pypes as they aughte From the stone werke to the canell taughte Voydynge fylthes lowe into the grounde Thorugh grates perced of yron perced tounde The stretes paued bothe in lengthe brede In cheker wyse with stones whyte and rede And euery crafte that any maner man In any lande deuyse or reken can Kynge Pryamus of hye discreciowne Ordeyned hath to dwelle in the towne And in stretes seuered here and yonder Eueryche from other to be set a sonder That they myght for more cōmodyte Eche by hymselfe werke at lyberte Goldsmythes firste and ryche Iewelleres And by themfelfe crafty browdereres Weuers also of wollen and of lyn Of clothe of golde damaske and satyn Of veluet sendell and dowble samyt eke And eueryche clothe that men lyste to seke Smythes also that coude forge wele Pollaxes swerdes speres sharpe of stele Dartes daggers for to mayme wounde And quarethedes sharpe square ygrounde There were also crafty armerers Bowyers and faste by fletchers And suche as coude make shaftes playne And other eke that dyde theyr besy payne For the werre to make also trappures Bete baners and royall cote armures And by deuyse Standardes and penounse And for the felde fresshe and gay getounse And euery crafte that may rekened be To tell shortly was in this cyte And thorughe this towne soryche excellent In the myddes a large ryuer went Causynge to them full great cōmodyte The whiche on twayne hath parted the cyte Ofcours full swyfte with fresshe stremes clere And hyghte xamtus as Guydo doth vs lere And as I rede that vpon this flode On eche a syde many a mylle stode Whā nede was theyr grayne corne to grynde Them to susteyne in storye as I fynde This ryuer eke of fysshe full plenteous Deuyded was by werkmen curyous So craftely thorugh castynge souerayne That in his cours the stremes myght attayne For to areche as Guydo doth comecte By Archys stronge his cours for to reflecte Thorugh condyte pypes large wyde withall By certayne meanes artyficiall That it made a full purgacion Of all ordure and fylthes in the towne Wasshynge the stretes as they stode arowe And the gutters in the erthe lowe That in the cyte was no fylthe sene For the canell scoured was so clene And deuoyded in so secrete wyse That no man myght espye nor deuyse By what engyne the sylthes fer nor nere Were borne awaye by cours of the ryuere So couertly euery thynge was couered Wherby the towne was vtterly assured From engendrynge of all corrupcion From wycked eyre and from infexion That cause ofte by theyr vyolence Mortalyte and great pestylence And by example of this flode there was Made cybre at Rome and wrought by Eneas The whiche also departeth Rome a two Myn Auctour sayth I note if it be so And to enhabyte this royall chefe cyte Kynge Pryam hath aboute in the countre Made for to serche with all his hole entent And in prouynces that were adiacent In borowes townes and in smale vyllages Ygadred out of all maner ages And of thropes folkes full dyuers And suche as were vacaunt and dyspers Aboute Troye in any regiowne He made hath to entre into towne Great multitude what of yonge and olde It to enhabyte as ye haue herde me tolde And them that were afore to hym foreynes He hath in Troye made Cyteseynes Full discretly lyke as it is founde And whan they gan with people to abounde ¶ Kynge Pryamus of hye affecciowne After the buyldynge of this myghty towne Hath in his herte caught a fantasye His newe cyte for to magnefye And it to put the more in remembraunce He caste fully to do some obseruaunce To myghty Mars sterne and ferse of hewe And specially with certayne playes newe On hors and foote in many sondry wyse To gyue his men in knyghthode excersyse Eueryche to put other at assay In iustes boordes and also in tournay To preue theyr force whan they happe mete The whiche playes were foūded firste in Crete And in that lande of hye and lowe estate In martys honoure they were dedycate And in paleste on wakes on the nyght Were other playes men to assaye their myght Oonly on foote with many sotyll poynt And some of them were naked and enioynt To wynne a pryse they dyde their full entent And there was founde by clerkes full prudent Of the chesse
lycence Of the noble wyse Agamenowne They entred be into Troye towne By conueyinge of this Eneas Of whose coÌ„mynge suche a Ioye there was Of the comunes whiche in thynges newe Reioyse aye after thoughe they rewe Wenynge full well in theyr oppynyon That by the good medyacyon Of Vlixes and the kynge of Crete And Dyomede that came eke to Trete That these thre shuld make as faste A fynall peas euer for to laste And a full ende of theyr alder sorowe And therupon Erely the next morowe Pryam lette make a conuocacyowne Of all the worthy within Troye towne And whan they were assembled all in one The wyse Vlixes rose vp anone And his tale gan in suche a wyse So prudently his wordes to deuyse That to herken euery man hath ioye And specyally they that were of Troye That of his inwarde menynge fraudelent Full lytell wyste nor of his entent To theyr pleasaunce so he coude fayne And firste he axeth of them thynges twayne The one was this that of the Cyte He wolde haue golde an huge quantyte In recompense of harmes that were do Another thynge he axed also Without abode that Amphymacus That sone was to kynge Pryamus Perpetuelly that he exyled be Neuer to entre Troye the cyte For golde prayer nor for no raunson And this was done by suggestyon Of Anthenor false and malycious Oonly for he was contraryous That he shulde treaty for to a pees And for that he was nat reckeles To say a trouthe this Amphymacus Therfore in sothe this serpent enuyous Now he hath founde a tyme for to byte He thought he wolde cruelly hym quyte For trouthe oonly that was in his entent ¶ Therfore it is full expedyent Of prudence euery man to charge That his tonge be nat ouer large Trouthes all be nat for to sayne For wysedome is somtyme to fayne And dissymule in aduersyte Specyally whan men in trouble be And se theyr speche may them nat auyle Better is than that theyr tonge fayle Than folyly to theyr damage speke Men must amonge kure and ouer reke The trouthe of thynges oonly of prudence And humbly suffre in pacyence For false reporte of folkes enuyous Who can so do I holde hym vertuous For better it is a whyle to abyde Than say all out of rancoure and of pryde Sylence in sothe hath ofte in hasty stryfe Hadde of victorye a prserogatyfe And the palme of debates wonne That well are they that so suffre konne And be of speche nat presumptuous For as I tolde this Amphymacus Nat withstandynge that he trouthe mente Yet for a worde he into Exyle wente Albe that god full iustely afterwarde Hath Anthenor quyte for his rewarde For with the same he was after hyt For his falsenesse duely as it syt This to say for his iniquyte He was to exyle and captyuyte For iuged after into proscripcy owne And relegat out of Troye towne Perpetuelly by the procurynge Of Eneas loo how the right full kynge That all may se in his prouydence Full iustly can make recompence Of doubylnesse and symulacyon And of all suche contryued false treason For who auengeth with falsehede on his parte He shall be hyt with the same darte He scapeth nat for to haue a wounde For falsehede aye wyll agayne rebounde Where it rose firste to his Orygenall Resorte agayne right as doth a ball For who for fraude euer doth hym caste Truste right well it wyll out at the laste And who supplanteth shall supplanted be By good exaumple as ye shall after se OF Anthenor the storye if ye rede And whyles they treaty and procede Touchynge the exyle and proscripcyon Captyuyte and relegacyon That they caste for Amphymacus There was herde a noyse meruayllous A great tumulte and a wonder sowne Lyke as it were a lamentacyowne Of sondry folke playnynge in distresse For hertely wo and in warde heuynesse Out of the treate euen whan they gone This confuse crye after gan anone ¶ Wherof vlixes and eke Dyomede Sodaynely fylle in a drede Supposynge in theyr oppyowne That some rumoure was falle in the towne Amonge the people in the comoâ—te Of hasty rancour auenged for to be For the loue of Amphymacus That causeles was exyled thus Of volunte agayne all trouthe and ryght Wherfore they dradde whan it drewe to nyght To be murdred of the comons of the towne For the fraude and conspyracyowne Falsly compalsyd of olde enmytee By Anthenor and by false Enee And sothly yet there was no maner man That coude wyt wherof it began Nor espye firste where it arose In all the paleys nor thorugh out the close They herde it well but they lay nought Wherof they were astoned in theyr thought And affrayde of very sodayne drede Vlixes most and also Dyomede Lyste with comons they had be by set But Anthenor without lenger let To make them sure from all tumulte cry The Grekes hath conueyed secretely And whan they were assured of theyr place Vlixes firste with a chaunged face Gan pynche sore in the selfe whyle At Anthenor of treason and of gyle That with his hestys so fro day to day Of very sleyghte put them in delay Semynge fully for ought he coude espye There was deceyt fraude or trecherye In the couenauntes that he hath behyght To whom an one this false Troyan knyght With sadde chere and sobre countenaunce Well auysed in his dalyaunce Answerde agayne and playnely dyde expresse I wysse quod he I take vnto wytnesse The hye goddes that euery thynge may se Without faynynge that I haue besy be Fro poynt to poynt your purpose to acheue So that I you do nat greue And fynally that ye lyste to here There is one thynge parturbeth this matere Whiche that I shall so it be none offence Playnely remembre here in your presence This to say of olde Antyquyte Firste at the byldynge of Troye the Cyte That whylom was ycalled Yllyon For cause oonly at his foundacyon Kynge Ylyus sythe go full longe The founder was of the walle stronge After whom as made is mencyon It called was and named Yllyon In the whiche with great and besy charge In Pallas name he made a temple large That passyngly was had in reuerence And whan this Phane of moste excellence Perfourmed was by masonry full wele And saue the rofe complete euerydele Of myghty stone the byldynge well assured But or it was with lede and tymber cured Agayne tempest for to be obstacle There fyll a wonder oonly by myracle That I dare well afferme it in certeyne Suche another was there neuer seyne Who so lyste se and consydre all This meruayle was so celestyall FOr there came downe from yâ— hye heuen By Plyades and the sterres seuen And thorugh the Eyer holdynge his passage Lyke a fayre and meruaylous ymage That in this worlde though men had sought Ne was there none halfe so well ywrought For as it is trewely to suppose Pygmalyon remembred in the rose In his tyme hadde no cunnynge To graue or peynte
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
whan they were crossyd vnder fayle Within the shyp whiche that Argus made Whiche was so stauÌ„che it myght no water lade They gan to sayle and had wynde at wyll The shyp gan breke the sturdy wawes yll Vpon the see and so bothe daye and nyght To colchos warde they helde the waye ryght Gydynge theyr cours by the lode sterre Where they sayle by costes nyghe or ferre For philotetes was theyr alder guyde That coude afore so prudently prouyde Of very insyght to caste afore and se Tempest or wynde bothe on londe and see Or whan there shulde trouble of stormes fall For he was mayster playnly of them all In shypman craft and chose theyr gouernour And coude them warne afore of euery shour That shulde falle whan sterres dyde appere And specyally as Guydo doth vs lere This philotetes whiche was no fole Had moste his syght erecte vnto the pole His aduertence and clere inspeccion To the sterres and constellacion With the axtre rounde aboute gon That clerkes call the septemtryon For the pole ycallyd arthycus Euer in oon apperyth vnto vs Ryght so in sothe who can loke aryght Antharticus is shrouded from our syght But to shypmen that be discrete and wyse That lyste theyr cours prudently deuyse Vpon the see haue suffysaunce ynoughe To gye theyr passage by Arthourys ploughe For it to them is direccion Vnto the costes of euery region With helpe oonly of nedle and of stone They may not erre what costes that they gone For maryners that be discrete and sage And expert be of theyr lodmanage By strâ—â—â—ge costes for to sayle ferre Gynne theyr cours oonly by the sterre ¶ Whiche that Arthur compasseth enuyron The whiche cercle and constellacion I called is the cercle Artophilax Who knoweth it nedeth no more to ax For it to shypmen on the sterry nyght Is suffysaunt whan they se his lyght ¶ And as poetis of thyse poolys twayne In theyr bokes lyketh for to fayne And in theyr dytees declare vnto vs Calixtoâ—e and Archadius Hir owne sone were Istellyfyed In the heuen and I deyfyed For that Iune to hir hadde enuye With Iubiter whan she dyde hir espye ¶ For whiche she was into a bere tourned And for hir gylt she hath in erthe mourned Tyll into heuen Nason can you tell She was translatyd eternally to dwell Amonge sterres where as she is stalled And vrsa maior is of clerkes called So as hir sone for his worthy fame ¶ Of vria minor beryth it the name Of suche the cours myght nat asterte Philotetes that was the moste experte Of all shypmen that euer I herde tell For of connynge he myght bere the bell ¶ And whan the grekes hadde longe be Fordryue and caste saylynge in the see Forweryed after trauayle They caste to aryue if it wolde auayle Them to refresshe and disporte in ioye Vpon the boundes of the londe of Troye ¶ How Iason gâ—ynge to conquere the golden flees toke Lande for to refresshe hym and his felawshyp besyde Troye Ca. iiii WHan Hercules Iason on his honde Out of their shyp taken haue yâ— londe And with them eke theyr knyghtes euerychone That fro the see be to londe gone Forweryed after theyr trauayle And they in sothe come to aryuayle At Symeounte an hauen of great renowne That was a lytell besyde Troye towne And they were gladde to be in sykernesse From storme and tempest after werynesse For they ne mente treason harme nor gyle But on the stronde to resten them a whyle To hyndre no wyght of no maner age Nor in that yle for to do damage To man nor beest where euer that they go But for to abyde there a day or two Them to refresshe and repayre anone Whan that the rage of the see were gone And whyles they vpon the stronde laye They no thynge dyde but disporte and playe And bathe wasshe them in the fresshe ryuere And dronke waters that were soote and clere That sprange lyke cristall in the colde welle And toke right nought but it were to selle It was no thynge in theyr entencion Vnto no wyght to do offension For to moleste or greue any wyght But the ordre of fortunes myght Hath euer enuye that men lyue in ese Whose coursenhasteth vnwarely to dysese For she was cause god wote causeles This gery fortune this lady recheles The blynde goddesse of transmutacion To tourne hir whele by reuolucion To make Troyens vniustly for to wene That grekes were aryued them to tene So that the cause of this suspicion Hath many brought vnto destruccion Full many worthy of kynges and of prynces Thorughout the worlde rekened in prouynces Were by this sclaundre vnto myscheif brought For thynge alas that was neuer thought For it was cause and occasiowne That this cyte and this royall towne Distroyed was as it is playnly founde Whose walles hye were bete downe to grouÌ„de And many a man many a worthy knyght Where slayne there and many lady bryght Was wedowe made by duresshe of this werre As it is kouthe and reported ferre And many mayde in grene and tendre age Be lefte were sool in that great rage Behynde theyr fadres alas it fall sholde And for no thynge but that fortune wolde Shewe hir myght and hir crueltee In vengeaunce takynge vpon this cytee ¶ Alas that euer so worthy of estate Shulde for lytell falle at the debate Whan it is gon it is nat lyke to staunche For of graffynge of a lytell braunche Full sturdy trees growe vp full ofte Who clymbeth hye may nat fall softe And of sparkes that be of syght small Is fyre engendred that deuoureth all And a gnast firste of lytell hate Encauseth flawme of contek and debate And of enuye to sprede a brode full ferre And thus alas in realmes mortall werre Is firste bygonne as men may rede and se Of a sparke of lytell enmytee That was nat stauÌ„chyd first whaÌ„ it was goÌ„ne For whan the fyre is so fer yronne That it embraseth hertes by hatrede To make them brenne hoote as any glede On other partye thorughe his cruell tene There is no staunche but sharpe swerdes kene The whiche alas consumeth all and slethe And thus the fyne of enmyte is dethe Thoughe the gynnynge be but casuell The frete abydynge is passyngly cruell To voyde realmes of reste peas and ioye As it fyll whylom of this worthy Troys It dothe me wepe of this caas sodayne For euery wyght ought to complayne That lytell gylt shuld haue suche vengeaunce Except parcaas thorugh goddes pourueaunce That this myscheyf shulde after be Folowynge parchaunce of great felycyte For Troye brought vnto destruccion Was the gynnynge and occasion In myn Auctour as it is specyfyed That worthy Rome was after edyfyed By the ofsprynge of worthy Eneas Whylom fro Troy whan he exyled was The whiche Rome rede and ye may se Of all the worlde was hede and cheyf cyte For the passynge famous worthynesse And eke whaÌ„ Troye was brought in distresse And the
Cithera this day And in the hauen in all the hast they may They cast anker bonde their shyppes stronge And after that them lyste nat tarye longe To take the lande full many lusty man Arrayeng them as fresshely as they can ¶ Now in this yle of passynge excellence There was a temple of great reuerence That bylded was of olde foundacion And most honoured in that region Thorughout the lande bothe fer and neere The feste day aye from yere to yere Lyke as it fylle by reuolucion Repeyrynge thyther of great deuocion In honour oonly of venus the goddesse Whom the grekes with all theyr besynesse Honoured most of euery maner age With gyftes bryngynge with pylgrymage With great offrynge and with sacryfyse As vsed was in theyr paynem wyse ¶ For in this phane as they knele and wake With contryte herte and theyr prayer make The statute gaue of euery question Playne answere and full solucion With cerymonyes to venus as they loute Of euery thynge that they had doute They hadde full declaracion And thus the grekes vpon Citheron Halowe this feste with ryche and great aray With rytes dewe as ferforth as they may In hope fully the better for to thryue ¶ And of fortune whan he dyde aryue Vp to the lande by aduenture or cas The same tyme this feste halowed was Of many a greke comynge to and fro From euery coste that to the temple go On pylgrymage theyr vowes to acquyte Of the place the relyques to vysyte ¶ And whan Parys dyde this espye He gadred out of his companye The worthyest that he chese may And to the temple he toke the right way Full well besene and in knyghtly wyse And dyde his honour and his sacryfyce Full humbly to the grekes lyche With many an ouche and Iewell ryche With golde and syluer stones and perre He spendeth there lyke to his degre And quyt hym manly in his oblacionê° And deuoutely in his orysoâ—s He hym demeneth that ioye was to se ¶ Now was Parys of passynge great beaute Amonges all that euer were alyue For there was none that myght with whym stryue Troyan nor greke to speke of semelyhede Wonder fresshe and lusty as I rede And in his porte full lyke a gentyll knyght Of whose persone for to haue a syght They gan to prease both nyghe and fere So ryally he had hym in his gere And coueyte of hye estate and lowe What he was greatly for to knowe And of his men they aske besely Fro whense he came and the cause why Of his comynge enquerynge one by one But prudently they kepte them euerychone That no thynge was openly espyde In theyr answere so they haue them gyde That euery thynge kept was secree Eueryche of them was so auysee Albe that some openly declare What that he was and ne lyste nat spare But tolde playnely the cause of his comynge And how Pryam the stronge myghty kynge His fader was moste ryall of renowne And how he came also for Exyowne Thus eche of them gan with other rowne At pryme face whan he came to towne And therupon were ymagynatyfe Sore musynge and inquysityfe Eche with other by suspeccion Demynge therof lyke theyr oppynyon And rathest they that no thynge ne knewe As folkes done of thynges that be newe And whyles they of this mater treate In sondry wyse amonge theyr wordes greate The saynge of them gan anone atteyne To the ere 's of the quene Eleyne Nygh besyde in that region And whan she herde by reuelacion And by reporte of them that came bytwene This fayre Eleyne this fresshe lusty quene Anone as she the sothe vnderstode Without taryenge or any more abode She hasteth hir to this solempnyte The fresshe folke of Frygye for to se Well more god wote in hir entencion To se Parys than for deuocion Vnder colour of holy pylgrymage To the temple she taketh hir vyage With a great meyne and ryall of parayle Parys to se for she wyll nat fayle But alas what lusty new fyre Hath hir herte enâ—lawmed by desyre To go to vigiles outher to spectacles None holynesse to here of myracles Hath meued hir that there shall befall But as the maner is of women all To drawe thether platly to conclude Where as they be sure that multytude Gadred is at lyberte to se Where they fynde opportunyte To theyr desyre full narowe they awayte Now couertly theyr eyen for to bayte In place where as sette is theyr pleasaunce Now pryuely to haue theyr dalyaunce By some sygne or castynge of an eye Or tokens shewyng in herte what they drye With touche of handes stole amonge the prese With arme or fote to catche vp in theyr lese Whom that them lyst all be he fre or bonde Of nature they can hym holde an honde Ayen whose sleyghte auayleth wyt nor myght For what them lyste be it wronge or ryght They ay acheue who saythe ye or nay Agayne whose lust defende hym no man may Thus Guydo aye of cursed false delyte To speke them harme hath caught an appetite Thorughout his boke of women to say yll That to translate it is agayne my wyll He hath aye ioye theyr honour to transuerse I am sory that I muste reherce The felle wordes in his boke I founde To all women I am so moche bounde They â—e echone so goodly and so kynde I dare of them nat say as I fynde Of Guydoes wryte thorughout Troye boke For whan I redde for fere my herte quoke And veryly my wyttes gan fayle Whan I therof made rehersayle Lyke his decrete but Guydo now be quyt For ye shall here anone how that he chyt The quene Eleyne for cause that she went With deuoute herte hir offrynge to presente To the temple of venus the goddesse Thus worde by worde he saythe to hir expresse O mortall harme that most is for to drede A fraude I â—aste by sleyghte of womanhede Of euery wo gynnynge crop and rote Agaynst whiche helpe may no bote Whan lust hath dryue in theyr herte auayle Aye dedely venyme seweth at the tayle Whiche no man hath power to restreyne Recorde I take of the quene Eleyne That hoâ—e brente alas in hir desyres Of newe luste to dele with straungeres Whom she knewe nat ne neuer sawe aforne Where thorugh alas full many meÌ„ were lorne Of cruell dethe embraced in the cheyne Without pyte now say thou quene Eleyne What goost or spiryte alas hath meued the Sool fro thy lorde in suche royalte Out of thy hous to go amonge the prease Why were thou wery to lyue at home in pease And wente out straungers for to se Takynge no hede vnto thyn honeste Thou shuldest haue kept thy closet secretly And nat haue passed out so folyly In the absence of thy lorde alas Thou were to wylfull and rakell in this â—as To se afore what shulde after sewe For all to soone thou were drawen out of mewe That coude nat kepe at home thy boundes Thou wentest out
as hare amonge the houndes For to be caughte of very wylfulnesse And thy desyre coudest nat compesse For though thy luste lyst nat to refrayne O many woman hath caught in a trayne Theyr goynge out suche halowes for to seke It syt them better them selfe for to kepe Close in theyr chamber and fle occasiowne For neuer shyp shulde in peryll drowne Nor scatre on rocke nor be with tempestrent Nor with carybbes deuoured or I shent Nor go to wrake with no weders ylle If it were kept in the hauen stylle For who wyll nat occasions eschewe Nor drede no peryll for to sewe He muste amonge of necessyte Or he be ware endure aduersyte And who can nat hir fote fro trappes spare Let hir be ware or she falle in the snare For harme I done to late is to compleyne For if whylom the worthy quene Eleyne Hir selfe had kept at home in close Of hir there ne had be so wycke a lose Reported yeâ— grene fre she and newe Whose chauÌ„ce vnhappy ethe man ought rewe That cause was of suche destruccion Oâ— many worthy and confusion Of hir worthy husbonde and many other mo On grekes syde and on Troye also In this storye as ye shall after rede And so this quene as faste as she may spede To the temple hath the way nome Full ryally and whan that she was come Full deuoutly within Citheron Made vnto venus hir oblacion In presence and syght of many one With many iewell and many ryche stone And whan Parys had this espyed To the temple anone he hath hym hyed Full thryf tely in all the haste he myght And whan that he had firste a syght Of the goodly fayre fresshe quene Cupides darte that is whet so kene Or he was ware hath hym marked so That for astoned he ne wyste what to do So he meruayleth hir great semelynesse Hir womanhede hir porte and hir fayrenesse For neuer afore ne wende he that nature Coude haue made so fayre a creature So aungellyke she was of hir beaute So femynyne so goodly on to se That he dempte as by lyklynesse For hir beaute to be some goddesse For his herte dyde hym aye assure That she was no mortall creature So heuenly fayre and so celestyall He thought she was in party and in all And consydereth for auysely Hir futures in ordre by and by Ententyfly within his reason Euery thynge by good inspeccion Hir golden heer lyke the sonne stremes Of fresshe Phebus with his bryght bemes The goodlyhede of hir fresshely face So replenysshed of beaute and grace Euen ennewed with quyckenesse of colour Of the rose and the lylye flour So egally that nouther was to wyte Thorugh none excesse of moche nor of lyte Within the cerclynge of hir eyen bryght Was paradys compassed in hir syght That thorugh abreste the beaute wolde perce And certaynly if I shall reherce Hir shap hir fourme and futures by and by As Guydo dothe by ordre ceryously From hede to foâ—e clerely to deuyse I haue none englysshe that therto may suffyse It wyll nat be our tunge is nat lyke I wante floures also of rethoryke To sewe his flourysshyng or his gay peynture For to descryue so fayre a creature For my coloures be to feble and faynte That nouther can ennewe well nor paynte Eke I am nat acqueynted with noâ—use Of all myn therfore I me excuse To you echone nat all of neclygence But for defaute oonly of eloquence And you remytte to Guydo for to se How he descryueth by ordre hir beaute To take on me it were presumpciowne ¶ But I wyll tell how Parys vp and downe Gothe in the temple and his eye caste Towarde Eleyne and gan prese faste As he that brente hoote in loues fyre That was enflawmed greatly by desyre And ofte he chaungeth countenaunce chere And euer he neygheth to hir nere and nere Ydarted thorugh with hir eyen tweyne And agayne warde the fresshe quene Eleyne As hoote brente in herte pryuely Albe no man it outwarde coude espy For she thought she had neuer afore Of all men that euer yet were bore Se none so fayre nor lyke hir pleasaunce On hym to loke was hir suffysaunce For in the temple she toke hede of right nought But to compasse and caste in hir thought How she may catche opportunyte With hym to speke at good lyberte This hooly was all hir besynesse For hym she felte so inly great distresse That ofte she chaungeth couÌ„tenaunce hewe And venus hath marked them of newe With hir brondes fyred by feruence And enflawmed by sodayne influence That egally they were brought in a rage And saue the eye atweâ—e was no message Eche on other so fyxe hath caste theyr syght That they conceyue and wyste â—one ryght Within themself what theyr herte mente And neâ—e to hir euer Parys wente To seke fully and gete occasion That they myght by full relacion Theyr hertes conceyt declare secretly And so vefell that Parys nygheth nye To the place where the quene Eleyne Stode in hir see and ther at wene them tweyne They broke out the suÌ„me of all theyr herte And gaue yssue to theyr inwarde smerte But this was done lyst they were espyed Whan the people was moste occupyed In the templeâ— for to stare and gase Now here now there as it were on a mase They kepte them close that no worde asterte There was no man the treson myght aduerte Of them twayne ne what they wolde mene But at the laste Parys and this quene Concluded haue with short auysement Fully the fyne of theyr bothe entent And sette a purpose betwyxe them in certayne Whan they caste for to mete agayne But lyste men hadde to them suspeccion They made an ende without more sermon And departe albe that they were lothe And soberly anone this Parys gothe Out of the temple his herte in euery parte Wounded thorugh out with loues firy darte To his shyppes he helde the right way And than anone in all the haste he may Whan assembled was his chyualrye One and other of his companye In fewe wordes as shortly as I can Tofore them all his tale thus he gan Syâ—res quod he shortly to expresse The cause is kouthe to yor worthynesse Why my fader into Grece vs sente For as ye knowe the chefe of his entent Was to recure his suster Exyon Out of the handes of kynge Thelamon The whiche thynge for ought I can espye Is impossyble shortly in myn eye By any waye as fer as I can se He is so great and stronge in this countre Of his allyes aboute on euery syde And in herte â— so inly full of pryde To yelde hir vp he hath nat but disdayne Therof to treate it were nat but in vayne Therfore the beste that I can deuyse Syth our power may nat now suffyse To werrey hym in this regyowne We be nat egall of myght nor of renowne For lacke of men with hym to holde a felde We may
of Cupydes darte And specheles full ofte felte sore ¶ What shall I sayne eke of duke Nestore Of longe stature and well compact withall With corbe shuldres and of myddell small In handes stronge with armes large rouÌ„de In counsaylynge prudent and wyse yfounde Whose wordes were sugred with pleasaunce Vpon his frende hauynge aye remembraunce For of his trouthe he ne coude fayne But in anger he myght hym nat refrayne He was so fret with melancolye That no man myght his yre modefye Albe it laste but a lytell space Who coude hym suffre anone it wolde pace Lyghtly it came and lyghtly went awaye And Protheselaus was fresshe of araye Wonder semely and of grete beaute I trowe a fayrer no man myght se Of good stature and delyuer and lyght No man more swyfte and to speke of myght Of his makynge he was passynge stronge Fers of courage and lothe to take a wronge And to tell of Neptolomous He was of makynge wonder corsyous Whose heer was blacke shynynge as dothe geeâ— With eyen rounde brode and greet Large brested with a rysynge backe And in speche stamerde whan he spacke But in causes he coude medle wele And in the lawe full depe he dyde fele For all his luste was besette on plees But for to tell of Pallamydees Kynge Naulus â—one withouten any wene Of face fayre of body longe and lene Of manfull herte hardy in batayle And desyrous his enemye to assayle Famylyer curteyse and tretable In all his dedes and inly worshypable In gyuynge large and passynge of great same Of whose bounce full wyde sprange the name In many lande the storye telleth thus And herte I fynde of Polydamus The worthy greke was of great thycknesse Of womâ—â—wolle enbossed with fatnesse That 〈◊〉 he myght hymselfe sustene And yet of herte he was full proude and kene Right surquedrous and full of pensyfenesse And 〈◊〉 glad so thought dyde hym oppresse But Machaon lyke as wryte Guydo Of longe and shorte was betwyx two Full proude and ferse deuoyde of pacyence And vengeable who hym dyde offence And yet he was balde as a coote On whose forhede euen by the roote The heer was fallen and wasted clene away And selde or neuer he wolde stepe a day And ouermore to tell of Cryseyde My penne stombleth for longe or she deyde My mayster Chauncer dyde his dylygence To discryue the great excellence Of hir beaute and that so maysterlye To take on me it were but hye folye In any wyse to adde more therto For well I wote anone as I haue do That I in sothe no thanke deserue may Bycause that he in wrytynge was so gay And but I wryte I muste the trouthe leue Of Troye boke and my mater breue And ouer passe and nat go by and by As Guydo doth in ordre ceryously And that I muste do offencion Thorugh neclygence or presumpcion So am I sette euen amyddes twayne Great cause haue I and mater to complayne On Antropose and vpon hir enuye That brake the threde and made for to dye Noble Galfryde Poete of Brytayne Amonge our Euglysshe that made first to rayne The golden dewe droppes of rethoryke so fyne Our rude langage oonly to enlumyne To god I praye that he his soule haue After whose helpe of nede I muste craue And seke his boke that is lefte behynde Some goodly worde therin for to fynde To set amonge the croked lynes rude Whiche I do wryte as by symylytude The rubyestant so royall of renowne Within a rynge of coper or latowne So stant the makynge of hym douteles Amonge our bokes of Englysshe pereles They are esye to knowe they be so excellent There is no makynge to his equypollent We do but halte who so taketh hede That medle of makynge without any drede Whan we wolde his style counterfete We may alday our colour grynde and bete Tempre our asour and vermylyon But all I holde but presumpcyon It foloweth nat therfore I lette be And firste of all I wyll excuse me And procede as I haue begonne And thorugh his fauour certayne if I konne Of Troye boke for to make an ende And there I lefte agayne I wyll now wende Vnto Cryseyde and though to my socour Of rethoryke that I haue no flour Nor hewes ryche stones nor perre For I am bare of all curyouste Thorugh crafty speche to enbroude with hir sleue Yet for all that now I wyll nat leue But be as bolde as bayarde is the blynde That caste no peryll what way that he fynde Right so wyll I stomble forthe of hede For vnconnynge and take no better hede So as I can hir beaute to discryue That was in sothe of all tho a lyue One the fayrest this Calchas doughter dere Therto of shap of face and of chere There myght be no fayrer creature Ofhye nor lowe but mene of stature Hir sonnysshe heer lyke Phebus in his spere Bounde in a tresse bryghter than golde were Downe at hir backe lowe downe behynde Whiche with a threde of gold she wold bynde Full ofte sythe of acustomaunce Therto she had so moche fuffysaunce Of kyndes werke without any were And saue hir browes ioyned yfere No man coude in hir alacke espyen And ferthermore to speke of hir eyen They were so persynge heuenly and so clere That an herte ne myght hymsefe stere Agayne hir shynynge yâ— they ne wolde wouÌ„de Thorugh out a breste god wote be younde Also she was for all hir semelynesse Full symple and meke and full of sobernesse The beste nourysshed eke that myght be Goodly of speche fulfylled of pyte Facunoyous and therto right tretable And as sayth Guydo in loue varyable Of tendre herte and vnsted fastnesse He hir accuseth and newfongylnesse And after this Dares doth reherse Amonges other how the kynge of Perse Came to grekes with many worthy knyght To helpe and further with all his full myght The whiche kynge was of stature longe And wonder fat as he wryte right stronge Whose berde and heer redde as flawme of fyre With eyen stepe and feruent of desyre To haue a do and sterne of chere and loke And ofte sythes of sodayne yre he quoke And had wertes plente in his face And thus Dares shortly for to pace No more of Grekes wryteth as I fynde But of Troyans for to make mynde Ceryously he doth his style dresse Them do descryue as I shall expresse ¶ Of the Discripcyon of Pryamus and his sones and doughters and how yâ— Grekes toke lande before the Temple of Dyame yâ— goddesse Capitulo xvi ANd first he sayth how kyng Pryamus Was of his chere benyngne gracious Of hye stature with lymmes sklendre longe Delytynge moche in musyke and in songe And specially he was moste desyrous To here songes that were amerous A semely man and of great hardynesse And spake but lowe as bokes vs expresse Deuoyde of drede hatynge flaterye And all that coude outher glose or lye Trewe of his worde and to euery
Nouther in syght nor in semelynesse To be egall to hym in fayrenesse But thorugh his pryde and his surquydrye Whan he sayde to god that sytte so hys He wyll be lyke and also set his see Hye in the northe passynge his degree He was caste downe with all his relygyons From the fayre heuenly mansyons All sodaynely into the pytte of helle Perpetuelly there for to dwelle Of whom was sayde whan he fylle so ferre How fylle thou so O thou morowe sterre From the myddes of the stones bryght That be so persynge and firy of theyr lyght That whylom were for thy great bryghtnesse Called Lucyfer of whom criste sayth expresse In his gospell how he sawe fro heuene Sathan descende lyke the firy leuene The olde serpent that is solowe falle Whom heebreâ— in theyr tunge calle ¶ Bemoth that doth in latyn playne expresse A beest rude full of cursednesse The vyle serpent he leuyathan Whom Isydre well descryue can Whiche of kynde is neuer conuersaunte In welles trouble hath moste his haunte Amonges watres in the large see Of whom sayth Dauyd lyke as ye may se In the Sauter makynge mencyon Of the snake the monstruous dragon Full of venym and of harde grace Whiche in the see large and great of space With foule adders hath his mansyon Vnto mankynde to do illusyon Whom whylom sawe the holy monke BraÌ„dan As he sayled by the Occyan Thorowe and deâ—ecte in apytte horryble More foule and hydous than it is credyble There to abyde this tortuous serpent Vnto the daye playnely of Iugement That of malys enuyed so mankynde Whiche with his gynnes sleyghtes as I fynde Came to our faders firste in paradyse And to deceyue the bet at his deuyse More couertly this worme in his passage Toke of a serpent the lyknesse and ymage That is of chere of loke and countenaunce Lyke a mayde and hath resemblaunce Of a woman as recordeth Bede In his deceytes rather for to spede I mene the oonly and nat elles For behynde so as clerkes telles Lyke a serpent of wombe backe and tayle He was whan he gan hym to assayle And towarde Eue whan he gan to glyde He firste enquereth as he hir roke a lyde Why god forbade them eten of the tree Whiche if they ete sothly shulde be Lyke to goddes knowynge good and yll And right forthwith as they gan sulfyll The fendes heste theyr eyen were vnclosed And for theyr gylte sodaynely deposed From Paradyse into wretchydnesse To lyue in laboure sorowe and distresse And thus the fende firste whan that hetoke Forme of a snake and a womans loke And made the tunge in hir hede to meue By false engyne mankynde for to greue So as he doth in them that be trauayled With wycked spirites vaxed and assayled To meue he tunges falsely out to breke Into blasphemye what thynge yâ— they speke The same serpent he leuyathan Contunynge aye falsely as he gan In cursed yools dombe â–ª vâ—fe â–ª and blynde Full ofte speketh be spirites as I fynde Whiche are but fendes Dauid wryte certayne The goddes all whom folkes so in vayne Honour with rytes supersticious As whylom was Appollo Delphicus Lyke as tofore ye haue herde deuyse Whiche as for now ought Inough suffyse And as I trowe the very cause why That myn Auctor reherseth by and by Grounde and gynnynge of Idolatrye This the cause for ought I can espye For that he sawe the mater was nat knowe I lyche well bothe to hye and lowe Perauenture you to do plesaunce He hath the grounde put in remembraunce Of false goddes and of mawmetrye And moste for them that can no poysye ANd to yâ— storye resorteth soone agayne How achilles as ye haue herde me saye And Pirrodus haue the waye ynome To the temple and thyder be ycome To haue answere of theyr embassatrye Of great Appollo whiche may nat lye Of the prestes they haue theyr counsayle take In the temple to praye and to wake Tyll they may fynde vnto theyr entent To haue answere at houre conuenyent To theyr purpose and leyser opportune ¶ And of one herte so longe they contune In prayenge fastynge and oblacyons With sacrifyse and sondry orysons Tofore the god awaytynge alway faste Tyll he to them answered at laste With 〈◊〉 voyce and sayde Achilles twye Home to Grekes faste that thou the hye From whom thou were hyder to me sente And say them sothely the suÌ„me of theyr entent Shal be fulfylled without wordes mo And how that they shall to Troye go And there abyde many stronge batayle But at the laste without any fayle At ten yere daye they wynne shall the towne And brynge it playnely to destrucciowne Walle and toures shall falle to ruyne And with all this theyr purpose for to fyne Kynge Pryamus and Ecuba his wyfe And theyr sones in this mortall stryfe Shall there be slayne brother after brother This is the fyne for it may be none other For there shall none escape in the place But suche as Grekes lyketh vnto grace Of very routhe and of mercy take This all some and thus an ende I make OF whiche answere Achilles glad lyght Was in his herte with all his myght Thanketh Appollo of this blesfull eure And sodaynely of sort or aduenture The selfe tyme befyll a wonder thynge For out of Troye fro Pryamus the kynge Was sent a bysshop for the same cas To haue answere whose name was Calcas And he came in sool without pres The same houre whyle that Achilles Was there present a man of great scyence I mene Calcas and hadde experyence Specyally of calculacion Of sort also and dyuynacion And lerned was in astronomye And whan that he his tyme dyde espye To haue answere most conuenyent Of Appollo lyke to his entent As tofore maked is memorye He entred is in the oratorye Doynge his rytes and his obseruaunces Lyke the custome with the circumstaunces And besely gan to knele and praye And his thynges deuoutely for to saye And to the god crye and calle ful stronge And for Appollo wolde nat prolonge Sodaynely his answere gan attame ¶ And sayde Calcas twyes by his name Be right well ware thou ne tourne agayne To Troye towne for that were but in vayne For fynally lerne this of me In shorte tyme it shall destroyed be This is in sothe whiche may nat be denyed Wherfore I wyll that thou be allyed With the grekes and with Achilles go To them anone my wyll is it beso For they shall haue as I haue disposed Victorye and honour that may be disposed For it is fatall and ne may nat varye And thou to them shalt be necessarye In counseylynge and in yeuynge rede And be right helpynge to theyr good spede And with that worde rose hym vp Calcas And to Achilles he went an easy pas And whan that he came to his presence With great honour and moche reuerence He was receyued lyke to his estate And after soone they were confederate Swore togydre
on Iustely to make restytucyon Than may we all in worshyp and honour Retourne home without more labour If they assente to do as we requere And our axynge if they lyste nat here But folyly of theyr wylfulnesse Refuse it than our worthynesse Is double assured on asyker grounde By iuste tytle Troyans to confounde With thynges two we shal be vnder pyght Firste our power borne vp with our ryght Shall for vs fyght our quarell to dareyne In balaunce to weye atwixe vs weyne To fyne that we shal be more excused For they tofore haue wylfully refused Oure iuste profers made to them afore And we shal be thorugh the worlde therfore Without spot of trespas or of blame Of mysreport in hyndrynge of our name Where they of folye shall ynoted be Of wylfull wodenesse playnely where that we Shall stande free our power for to vse And euery man shall vs well excuse Though that we do execucyon By takynge vengeaunce for their offencyon Of man and childe of eche sect and age That shall of deth holde the passage And by the swerde without mercy pace One and other there is no better grace BVt yet tofore I counsayle take hede That ye to them all mesoure bede This holde I beste and moost sykernesse And worke now by good auysenesse Amonge your selfe and no lenger tarye To whiche counsayle some were contrarye And varyaunt to his oppynyon Saue they that were of moost discrecyon Assented be playnely to this ende And chosen haue to Pryam for to sende Amonges them the embassy at to spede Wyse Vlixes and worthy Dyomede The whiche anone gan them redy make And shope them forthe and theyr way take Towarde Troye as any lyne ryght Whan the sonne shone full shene and bryght Holdynge the course of his firy spere In mydday arke wonder bryght and clere And gylte eche hylle vale playne roche With his bemes whan they dyde approche To the walles and gates of the towne And in they go without noyse or sowne Full well â—esene and in their porte them hadde Right manfully and the way them ladde To the paleyes streyght as any lyne Them nedeth nat asyde to declyne But into a court large wyde and square And they ful knightly for no wyght wold spare Vnto the effecte manly to procede To do theyr charge without fere or drede For the entre was to them nat refused For tho dayes paraunter was nat vsed To haue no conduyte for embassatrye The custome was to no man to denye As I suppose entre nor passage If it so were he come for message And in this court buylded so ryally Whan they come they meruayled full greatly The royall syght of so huge strengthe So well complete bothe in brede and lengthe For they nat hadde in theyr lyfe to fore Sene none so fayre yet they wonder more Into the Paleyes as they togyder gone That paued was all of Iasper stone Of a tree that amyddes stode On which to loke they thought it dyd theÌ„ gode Musynge where it were Artifycyall Erect or sette by magyk naturall Or by engyne of werkemen coryous Thorugh subtyll craftes superiticyous Or other werke of Nygromancye Or profounde castyuge of Phylosophye By apparence or illusyon Outher by crafte of Incantacyon Vp and downe they caste in theyr mynde Out by reason if they coude fynde Rote and grounde of this wonder werke But the trouthe was to them so derke That in theyr wytte though they longe trace The pryuyte they can out compace To conceyue how it was possyble For to the eye as it was vysyble In very sothe without any fable To mannes hande so it was palpable Of whiche the stocke of Guydo as I tolde In soth fastnesse was of pured golde Whiche shone as bryght as the somer sonne To enlumyne thynges that were donne And the body as a maste was ryght Proporcyoned moost goodly to the syght Substancyall and of huge strengthe And twelue cubytes the body was of lengthe And the croppe rounde and large of brede And in compas gan so flourysshe and sprede That all the playne aboute enuyrowne With the bowes was shadowed vp and downe The ryche braunches and the leues fayre Twayne and twayne ioyned as a payre One of golde a nother syluer shene And meynt amonge with stones whyte grene Some rede and some sapher hewed And euery daye the blomes were renewed And the blossomes with many sondry fuyte For stones ynde it bare in stede of fruyte As sayth Guydo I can no ferther telle And the Grekes wyll no lenger dwalle But holde theyr way by many sondry went To parfourme the fyne of theyr entent Tyll they atteyne the chambre pryncypall Where Pryamus in his see royall Lyke his estate in full kyngly wyse Sat and aboute full prudent and full wyse His lordes all in settes hym besyde Whan the grekes surquedous of pryde With sterne there and frowarde couÌ„tenaunce As they that had lytell remembraunce Of gentyllesse nor of curtesye For as Guydo doth playnely specyfye Entrynge in they taken haue theyr place In the opposyte of the kynges face And set them downe without more sermon Any obeyinge or salutacyon Worshyp honour or any reuerence Done of the kynge for all his excellence In pretudyce of all gentyllesse And than anone Vlixes gan expresse Cause of theyr comynge to kynge Pryamus Without abode sayinge euen thus Nat forberynge presence of the kynge OEruayle nat nor haue no wondrynge Though we to yâ— ne do no honour dewe In our comynge the for to salewe Syth it ne longeth in sothe as thynketh me Where rancour is and hertely enmyte Or dedely hate with salutacyons Or with fayned false affeccyons For to shewe where hertes be a fyre For naturally no man shall desyre Of his enmye the helthe nor welfare And platly now me lyste nat for to spare Shortly to shewe the fyne of our entent Lyke as we haue in coÌ„maundement In our message from Agamenowne The noble kynge moost worthy of reuowne Whiche vs hath sent there is no more to seyne Now vnto the for the quene Eleyne That was rauysshed out of grekes lande And brought to Troy by force of myghty haÌ„de Agaynst right and by vyolence Wherfore shortly without more offence We iustely axe without more demaunde That thou anone rightfully coÌ„maunde To Menelay that she be sent agayne And with all this we axe nat in vayne That thou make restytucyon Of wronges done in that regyon Of pylfres great slaughter and roberye By Parys done of wylfull tyrannye Whiche is thy sone and by the susteyned And in his errour wrongefully meynteyned Wherfore come of and fully condescende Without grutchynge this wronges to amende For so thou mayste beste the goddes queme Lyke as thou myght in thy reason deme As right requereth to worke as the wyse For if so be that thou now despyse To execute that I haue tolde the here Truste me right well a lesson thou shalt lere Whiche thou and thyne shall after sore rewe Without feynynge thou
very shoures and welle Displaese it nat now that I shall telle To youre noble famous excellence Nor to your Erys let be none offence That I shall say but of goodlyhede Pacyently that ye wyll take hede To my wordes sayde of herte and thought I you ensure for I fayne nought This to saye if ye remembre well The firste cause and purpose euerydell Of the grekes if ye haue mencyon Was fully sette by one entencyon As well of you as of vs parde Whan we come firste to this Cyte Kynges Prynces I except none Of whiche in sothe to reken euerychone Your selfe was to speke in specyall One of the firste and most pryncypall Assentyd full how Troye the Cyte Thorugh our manhode destroyed shulde be Perpetuelly brought vnto ruyne But now of newe I note what doth enclyne Your worthynesse sodaynely to varye And to our purpose for to be contrarye Consyder firste of you that be so sage The wronges done and the great damage In Grekes londe of them of the towne Conspyrynge aye to our destruccyowne If ye aduerte wysely in your thought That slayne haue and to an ende brought Full many worthy sythe gone full yore And of treasoure that no man may restore Despoyled vs and brought in great distresse Our goodes raughte our golde our rychesse Our shyppes brent thorugh theyr cruelte And to all this alas ye lyste nat se Now that they be whiche may nat be delayed Thorugh your manhode fynally outrayed Syth ye haue slayÌ„e theyr hope their suffysauÌ„ce Actor in whom was all theyr affyaunce Fully theyr truste and diffence also And Dephebus also is a go And lykely are more to be apeyred Fro day to day and fynally dispeyred So frowardly Fortune on them loureth And now your honour your fame floureth In his worshyp and your hye renowne Atteyned hath the exaltacyowne And hyest prycke of Fortunes whele It were great wronge and ye loke wele Of wylfulnesse for to be vnkynde To hir that ye so frendely to you fynde Or to be frowarde whyle she is benygne By influence gracyously to assygne Hir spokys meue vnto your plesaunce And hap to tourne with plente on your chaunce After whose helpe you nedeth nat to calle ¶ Wherfore alas why wyll ye suffre palle Your noble fame of very wylfulnesse Whyle it is hyest in his worthynesse Your knyghtly prudence it shulde natâ—a sâ—â—rte Of whiche thynge euery gentyll herte Shulde haue routhe and compassyon Wherfore we praye of discrecyon That ye you shape this purpose to amende And that ye wolde of herte condiscende With vs to stonde knyghtly in this werre By your manhode that is spoke of so ferre That your renowne to the worldes ende Reported be where so that men wende Perpetuelly by fresshenesse of hewe Day be day to encrease newe That the tryumphe of this hye victorye Be put in storye and eke in memorye And so enprentyd that foryetylnesse No power haue by malys to oppresse Your fame in knyghthode dyrke or difface That shyneth yet so clere in many place Without Eclypsynge sothly this no lesse Whiche to conserne ye be now reckelesse Of wylfulnesse to cloude so the lyght Of your renowne that whylom shone so bryght Your myghty hande of manhode to with drawe Consyder firste how Grekes are yslawe Tofore your Tent with mortall woundes wyde Thorugh out the felde vpon euery syde And haue disdayne oonly for lacke of routhe Alas the whyle for a lytell slouthe To ley to hande in theyr myschefe at all That whylom were theyr stroÌ„ge myghty wall Theyr chefe diffence and theyr champyowne Soueuerayne helpe and proteccyowne For whom ye haue so ofte shadde your blode Agayne theyr foon with them whan he stode Full myghtely theyr enmyes to assayle Without whom they lytell may auayle In very sothe ne none of vs echone But ye of knyghthode lyste with vs to gone Agayne Troyans as ye were wont to do As is our truste and fynall hope also That ye shall helpe and our socour be And here vpon we praye you that ye Saye your auyse and your full wylle And than anone the hardy fyerse Achylle Whan vlixes concludyd hadde his tale With a face for anger dede and pale Sayde euen thus all openly and playne Syr vlixes if so right as ye sayne And haue declaryd in conclusyon That our purpose and entencyon Was fynally to brenne and destroye This royall Cyte that is called Troye I holde in sothe me lyketh nat to lye That our entent was grounded on folye To put vs all thorugh in discrecyon Of reckeleshede and hasty mocyon Of lyfe and deth in suche Iupardye And specyally in all the Chyualrye Of Grekes londe for so smale a thynge So many prynce and many worthy kynge That haue Iuparted theyr body theyr gode Yloste theyr lyfe and yspent theyr blode Which myght haue be full well at home iÌ„ pees And is nat nowe the kynge Pallamydes Yslawe also as who sayth but of newe That was so wyse so manly and so trewe Of whom the lyfe was of more pryse alone Than the cause for whiche that we echone Be gaderyd here who so loke a ryght And of Grekes many a noble knyght That haue be slayne bothe of the worthyest The worlde to seke and the manlyest For out of euery lande and regyowne On grekes party and with them of the towne Of chyualry of knyghthod the sourayne floure To wynne in armes worshyp and honoure Assembled be and come fro so ferre Of whiche in sothe by duresse of this werre Full many one in the felde is dede And veryly without any drede There shall well mo if the werre laste For euery day the nombre lasseth faste Of worthy knyghtes dede without routhe That I dare saye and conclude of trouthe In this rage furyous and wode Full lykely is that all the gentyll blode Thorugh out this worlde shall destroyed be And rurall folke and that were great pyte Shall haue lordshyp and hooly gouernaunce And Churles eke with sorowe myschaunce In euery londe shall lordes be alone Whan gentyll men slayne be echone Is nat Ector that was so noble a knyght That was this worldes very sonne and lyght Of manhode floure slayne pyteously In this werre in soth and so myghte I Parauenture whiche may nat attayne To his noblesse if I shall nat fayne For by what waye shall we the deth eschewe With all our myght if we it pursewe Fro day to day whyle that we lye here Therfore shortely me for to requere Touchynge the werre outher for to praye Is but in vayne and herken what I saye I nat purpose in this werre or stryfe For to Iuparte any more my lyfe For leuer I haue that pallyd be my name Than to be slayne and haue an ydell fame For worthynesse after deth yblowe Is but a wynde and lasteth but a throwe For though renowne and pryse be blowe wyde Foryetylnesse leyth it ofte asyde By lengthe of yeres and oblyuyon Thorugh enuye and false conclusyon The
so curyous a thynge For it was wrought with dylygent laboure By hande of Aungell in the heuenly toure Thorugh goddes myght dyuyne ordyauÌ„ce And hyder sent thorugh his puruyaunce For a relyke oonly of his grace And prouyded to the same place There to abyde for a proteccyon For a diffence and sauacyon Perpetuelly whyle the worlde may dure Agayne all myschefe and mysauenture Euery trouble and trybulacyon In susteynynge and releuacyon And soueraygne helpe eke of this Cyte The whiche neuer may destroyed be By none engyne that men may purchace The goddes haue graunted suche a grace And suche vertue annexed eke therto That troye in sothe may neuer be fordo Tyll this relyke stole be away And yet in sothe there is no man that may From the place stere it nor remewe But the preste to whom it is dewe Oonly of offyce to touche it with his honde So myghtely conserued is the bonde That who attempteth in conclusyon It to remewe of presumpcyon At the fyne platly he shall fayle For force none may hym nat auayle For it in sothe wyll nat remeued be Except of hym to whom of duete It apperteyneth as ye haue herde to forne And ouer more there is no man yet borne That rede can nor tell in no degree Veryly where it be stone or tree Nor how it was deuysed nor ywrought There is no wyght so sotyll in his thought Ceryously to tell the manere For Mynerua that is so fresshe and clere The sterne goddesse thorugh hir great myght That is so dredefull bothe of loke and syght Whiche on hir brest haueth of cristall Hir shelde Egys this goddesse inmortall Ygraunted hath in bokes as I lerne Thorugh hir power whiche that is eterne This holy relyke for a memoryall To hir temple of byldynge moste royall It to conserue from all assaute of brede And to socoure in euery maner nede Agayne theyr foon vnto Troye towne Whyle it is kept with deuociowne So that alway by successyowne From kynge to kynge in the lyne downe But iust tycle lynealy succede There to annexyd that they take hede Prudently auoydynge neclygence It to conserue with dewe reuerence As they are bounde and yholde of ryght Than shall no enmye power haue nor myght To do damage in hyndrynge of the towne And why it is called Palladyowne Lyke as clerkes wryte of it and sayne Is for Pallas to make hir towne certayne This relyke sent fro the heuen downe And to conclude shortly my reasowne This the cause our purpose is so let Than quod vlixes syth it may beno bet Our labour is in ydell and in vayne Without recure if it be certayne As thou haste sayde this towne in no degre Thorugh this relyke may nat destroyed be It was foly the to vndertake Vnto Grekes beheste for to make Without this thou haddest be well sure Quod Anthenor yet there is recure As I haue hyght ye shall haue the towne All though there be a dylacyowne And the maner anone I shall telle If it so be ye lyste a whyle dwelle Without noyse outher perturbaunce The preste the whiche the gouernaunce Of this relyke shal be spoke vnto By good aduyse and ytretyd so That he shall be full of our assent For he with golde and treasour shal be blent That he accorde shall to our purpose To brynge the relyke whiche is kept so close To what place that ye lyste assygne Be styll of porte goodly and benygne In your werkes tyll I haue brought aboute Fully this thynge and be nothynge in doute I dare my selfe take it well on honde And whan they had his menynge vnderstoÌ„de They toke leue and went out of the towne But firste to voyde all suspecyowne At theyr goynge Anthenor hath hyght How that he wolde go the same nyght To Pryamus to make ordynaunce How the bondes and the assuraunce Of the peas shulde ymaked be And for to knowe eke the quantyte Of the golde that ye shall receyue Thus shall I beste the purpose apparceyne Of the kynge to knowe it euerydeâ—e And they consente and lyke wonder wele Euery thynge that Anthenor hath fayde And so they parte glad and well apayde And went theyr way and made no tariynge And Anthenor goth vnto the kynge Hym counsayllynge he make no delay To calle his lordes agayne the next day And his lyeges to assemble yfere Fynally to engroce this matere As it was syttynge and expedyent And whan the kynge in open ê‘lement Crowned sat in his regalye This Anthenor gan to specyfye In audyence that men myght knowe To eche estate bothe hye and lowe The grekes wyll if they agree therto And what the suÌ„me was of golde also Whiche they axe if the peas shall stande Twenty thousande Marke to haue in hande Of puryd god whiche must anone be payed And of syluer that may nat be delayed They muste eke haue the same quantyte And ouer this as they accorded be Certayne mesours by couenaunt also Of whete and floure theyr lyues for to saue In theyr repayre by the large see Whan they sayle home to theyr countree And that the collect made be anone By good aduyse of them euerychone That all be redy by acercayne day There was no man that durste tho say nay Nor contrarye that Anthern or hath sayde Where so they were well or euyll payde But full assent in conclusyowne And in all haste thorugh out all the towne The Collatours gadered vp the golde Lyke the suÌ„me that I haue you tolde Of pore and ryche there was sparyd none The whiche tyme Anthenor is gone Vnto the preest that called was Tonaunt I she myght in any wyse hym daunt To make his herte fully to enclyne Full craftely he layde out hoke and lyne With lusty â—eyte of false coueytyse Excycynge hym in full secrete wyse That wolde be of his assent And condescende vnto his entent To put hym in possessyon Of the relyke called Palladyon Without abode it may delyueryd be And gaue hym golde an huge quantyte And hym to blende moche more behyght And this was done full pryuely by nyght Shortly concludynge if he condescende That he wolde his estate amende So passyngly that for euer more He and his heyres shulde haue golde and store Plente ynough that none indygence Shulde haue power hym to do offence For vnto the this a vowe I make Quod Anthenor and platly vndertake Of golde good thou shalt haue suffysaunce And of treasour passynge habundaunce That thou shalt in very sykernesse All thy kyn excelle in rychesse If thou delyuer lyke to myn axynge Palladyon whiche is in thy kepynge And I behote thou mayste truste me By bonde of it shal be secree Lyst it were hyndrynge to thy name For if so be that thou drede shame To be esclaundred of so foule a dede I shape shall that thou nede nat drede Nor be agaste in no maner wyse For suche away in sothe I shall deuyse That no man shal be suspecyous To thy persone nor engenyous
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