noble in speciall Was halfe of Cedre as I reherse can And the remnaunt of the ryche Heban Which most is able as I dare specifye With stone to ioyne by craft of carpentrye For they of tymber haue the soueraynte And for to tel of this Heban tree Lyke in bokes sothely as I finde It cometh out of Ethiop and ynde Blacke as is geate and it wyll waxe anone Whan it is korne as harde as any stone And euermore last wil and endure And not corrupt with water nor moysture And of this hall further to diffine With stones square by leuel and by line It paued was with full great dilygence Of masonrye and passyng excellence And all aboue reysed was a see Ful curyously of stones and perre That called was as chiefe and pryncipall Of the reygne the seate most royall Tofore which was set by great delyte A borde of Heban and of yuerye white So egally yioyned and so clene That in the worke there was no ryft ysene And sessyons were made on euery syde Onely the states by ordre to deuide Eke in the hall as it was conuenable On eche partye was a dormaunt table Of yueree eke and of this Heban tree And euen agayne this kynges royall see In the partye that was therto contrayre Yraysed was by many crafty stayre High in the hall in the other syte Ryght as lyne in the opposytr Of pured metall and of stones clere In brede and length a full rych aultere On which there stode of fygure and vysage Of massy golde a wonderful ymage As to be honoured in that high seate Onely in name of Iupyter the great ¶ And the statue for all his huge weyght Fyftene cubytes compleyt was of heyght A crowne of golde high vpon his heade With heauēly saphyres many ruby redde Fret enuyron with other stones of Inde And amonges were medled as I fynde Whyte pereles massye large and rounde And for most chefe all dirkenesse to confound A Carbuncle was set as kyng of stones all To recomforte and gladden all the hall And it to enlumine in the black night With the freshenes of his ruddy light The value was therof inestymable And the ryches playnly incomparable For this ymage by diuision Was of shape and of proporcion From heade to foote so maysterly entayled That in a poynt the workmā hath not failed It to parfourme by crafty excellence Whom Priamus with dread and reuerence Honoured hath aboue the goddes all In all mischiefe him to clepe and call For in him was his hole affection His soueraygne trust and chefe deuocion His hope also and his affyaunce His welth his ioye and his assuraunce And his welfare and his prosperytye He hath committed to his deyte Wening in herte wonder sykerly To be assured from all mischefe therby And diffended in eche aduersytye And holde his reygne in high felicitye And in honour contynually to shyne While Iupyter through his power diuine Hym and his hath in protection This was his trust and full opinion And thus this worke to the ende achyeued Wherof Pryam with ioye full releued That he his Citye and noble Ilion Hath fully brought vnto perfection Lyke his entent whā he therof began And thus Pryam this king this worthy man Full many a day in this newe Troye With his lyeges lad his lefe in ioye Where I hym leue in his royall sete Soueraygnly reygning in quyete Procedyng forth if so ye list to heare Vnto the effect anone of my matere ¶ How king Pryā send Anthenor into Grece to haue restored ayen his sister Exion Ca. xii O Hateful harme which most is for to dred Kindled so longe o sparke of olde hatred Roote and debate grounde of enuy and yre With newe flawme hertes for to fyre O grayne of malyce causer of all offence Of rancour rusted of impacyence Which hast of newe made festred sores smert Whan thou art ones raked in an herte Which for disdayne of mercye mayst not lete A man no whyle to lyue as in quyete But deluest vp malyce manyfolde Debates newe that buryed were of olde And falsly quyckest strifes to restore That enuious serpēt that was slayne of yore Which felly hath this addre enuyous Out of his rest awaked Pryamus And with his venim so persyng and so ille Made him wery to lyue a lyfe tranquille And meued hym of his iniquitee Vpon the Grekes auenged for to be For where as he in peace held his reygne With his lyeges in ioye souereygne Without anoye or any perturbaunce This serpent hath wyth newe remembraūce Without aduyse or discrete areste So hote a flawme kindled in his breste Of olde enuye with freshe rancour meynte That lykly is neuer to be queynte For Pryam nowe in his entenciowne Cast and compasseth reuoluing vp downe Howe strong he was of ryches and meyne How noble and mighty was his newe Citye And habundaunt shortly to conclude Both of plentye and of multitude Of men of armes and of chyualrye Which stered him to haue a fantesye Alas the whyle to his vnhappy chaunce That to be dead he take will vengeaunce Vpon his foon the fyre of hote enuye So brent him inward by melancolye Standing in purpose y t no man chaūge may Of his domages auenged be some day And of iniuryes y t thei on him haue wrought ¶ And when that he had a tyme out sought To his purpose most conuenient Anone he hath for all his lordes sent And his knightes called euerychone To come in haste excused was not one Namely of theim that were of hygh degre And they obeying with all humylitye His bydding hooly and made no delay To come echeone agayne a certayne day And his sonnes were also tho present Hector except that was that tyme absent In the stronge and mighty regyon Of Panomye which in subiection Kinge Pryam held through his worthynesse And to amende thinges and redresse Hector was gone into this Panomye Certayne causes for to iustifye As in his reason he thought for the best To settle theim in quiet and in rest For he was aye so iust and so prudent So well aduysed and so pacient And so demeaned in his gouernaunce That him was lothe for to do vengeaunce Where as he might in easy wise treate For to reforme thinges small and great For lothe he was this noble worthy knighte For any haste to execute vnright Or causeles by rygour to condempne And in this while full worthy and solempne Kinge Priamus of lordes great and small Within Troye held a court royall As he that lyst for no cost to spare And ceryously his meaning to declare He in his see his lordes enuyron Gan to shewe his hertes entention ¶ O worthy lordes assembled here present Faythfull and trewe of herte and of entēte It is well knowen to your discrecion The great domages and foule oppression Which that y e Grekes haue vpon vs wrought Without cause for a thinge of nought This other daye as who sayeth yet but late
cause onely at his foundacion Kinge Ylyus sythe go full longe The founder was of the wall stronge After whom as made is mencion It called was and named Yllyon In the whych with great and busy charge In Pallas name he made a temple large That passingly was had in reuerence And when this Phane of most excellence Perfourmed was by masonry full wele And saue the rose complete euerydele Of myghty stone the buyldinge well assured But or it was with lede and tymber cured Agayne tempest for to be obstacle There tell a wonder onely by myracle That I dare well affyrme it in certayne Suche an other was there neuer seyne Who so list se and consydre all This meruayle was so celestiall FOr there came downe from y e high heauē By Plyades and the sterres seuen And through the eyre holdynge his passage Lyke a fayre and meruaylous ymage That in this world though men had sought Ne was there none halfe so well ywrought For as it is truely to suppose Pygmalyon remembred in the rose In his tyme had no connynge To graue or paynte so curyous a thynge For it was wrought wyth dylygent laboure By hande of Aungell in the heauenly toure Thrugh goddes myght and diuine ordinaūce And hither sent through his purueyaunce For a relyke onely of his grace There to abyde for a protection For a diffence and saluacion Perpetually whyle the worlde maye dure Agayne all mischyefe and mysauenture Euery trouble and trybulacyon In susteynynge and releuacion And soueraygne helpe eke of this Cyte The whych neuer maye destroyed be By no engyne that men maye purchase The goddes haue graunted such a grace And such vertue annexed eke therto That Troye in sothe maye neuer be fordo Tyll this relyke stole be awaye And yet in sothe there is no man that maye From the place slere it nor remewe But the preieste to whom it is dewe Onely of offyce to touche it with his honde So mightely conserued is the bonde That who attempteth in conclusyon It to remewe of presumpcion At the fyne platly he shall fayle For force none maye him not auayle For it in sothe will not remeued be Except of him to whom of deutee It pertayneth as ye haue herde toforne And ouermore there is no man yet borne That reade can nor tell in no degre Veryly where it be stone or tree Nor howe it was deuised nor ywrought There is no wight so subtill in his thoughte Ceriously to tell the manere For Minerua that is so freshe and clere The sterne goddesse thrugh her great might That is so dreadful both of loke and sight Which on her brest hath of cristall Her shelde Egys this goddesse immortall Ygraunted hath in bokes as I lerne Through her power which that is eterne This holy relike for a memoryall To her Temple of buildinge most royall It to conserue from all assault of dreade And to succoure in euery maner nede Agayne theyr foen vnto Troye towne While it is kept with deuocyowne So that alwaye by successyowne From kinge to kinge in the line downe But iust tytle liuely succede Therto annexed that they take hede Prudently auoyding necligence It to conserue with due reuerence As they are bounde and yholde of ryght Thē shall no enemye power haue nor might To do domage in hindering of the towne And why it is called Palladyowne Lyke as clerkes wryte of it and sayne Is for Pallas to make her towne certayne This relike sente fro the heauen downe And to conclude shortly my reasowne This the cause our purpose is so let ¶ Than quod Vlixus sith it maye be no bet Our labour is in ydell and in vayne Without recure if it be certayne As thou hast sayd this towne in no degre Through this relyke maye not 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 hight ye shall haue the towne Although there be a dylacyowne And the maner anone I shall tell If it so be ye lyst a whyle dwell Without noyse other perturbaunce ¶ The prieste the whych the gouernaunce Of this relike shal be spoke vnto By good aduyse and ytreated so That he shall be full of our assente For he with golde and treasour shal be blent That he accorde shall to our purpose To brynge the relyke which is kept so close To what place that ye lyste assigne Be styll of porte goodly and benygne In your workes tyll I haue brought about Fully this thinge and be nothyng in doubte I dare my selfe take it well on hande And when they had his meaninge vnderstād They toke leue and went out of the towne But fyrst to voyde all suspecyowne At theyr goynge Anthenor hath hyght How that he would go the same nyghte To Priamus to make ordynaunce How the bondes and the assuraunce Of the peace should ymaked be And for to knowe eke the quantytye Of the golde that ye shall receyue Thus shall I best the purpose apperceyue Of the kinge and knowe it eueridele And they consente and like it wonder wele Euery thinge that Anthenor had sayde And so they parte glad and well apayde And went theyr waye and made no tarying ¶ And Anthenor goth vnto the kinge Hym counsaylinge he make no delay To call his lordes agayne the nexte daye And his lyeges to assemble yfere Fynally to engroce this mattere As it was syttynge and expedyent And when the kinge in open perliament Crowned sat in his regalye This Anthenor gan to specyfye In audyence that men myght knowe To eche estate both to high and lowe The Grekes will if they agre therto And what the summe was of golde also Which they are if the peace shall stande Twenty thousande marke to haue in hande Of pured golde which must anone be payde And of syluer that maye not be delayed They must eke haue the same quantytee And ouer this as they accorded be Certayne measures by couenaunt also Of wheate and floure theyr lyues for to saue In theyr repayre by the large sea When they sayle home to theyr countre And that the collecte made be anone By good aduyse of them euerychone That all be redy by a certayne daye There was no man that durst tho saye naye Nor contrarye that Anthenor had sayde Where so they were well or euyll payde But ful assent in conclusyowne And in all haste throughout all the towne The collatours gathered vp the golde Lyke the summe that I haue you tolde Of poore ryche there was spared none The whych tyme Anthenor is gone Vnto the priest that called was Tonaunt If he might in any wise him daunt To make his herte fully to enclyne Full craftely he layde out hooke and lyne With lusty bayte of false couetyse Excytynge him in full secret wyse That would be of his assente And condescende vnto his entente To put him in possession Of the relyke called
fauorable Fortune theyr frende though she be variable And thus to Colchos safe they ben ycome And vnto lande safe both all and some They ben ariued in a litell space For in the sea founde they haue such grace Of Neptunus that caused them as blyue As I sayd erst at Colchos to aryue NOw in this yle and in this lytell lande That Colchos hight ye shal vnderstāde Howe that there was a royall cheife cyty In al that reygne most of dignitye Of worthinesse of ryches and of fame And Iacomtes tho it bare the name Chefest of all to speake of buylding With stretes large and curyous of housinge And therwith all dyched well without Stronge walled and toured rounde about Of huge height and aloft battayled And y e ryght strongly leste they were assailed With many paleys stately and royall For there was tho the seat most principall The kinge to abide better than elles where And at that time it happed him be there And he was called Oetes as I reade Full renōmed of knighthod and of manhead And him about a well besene meane Like as was sitting vnto his degre And euery where the landes enuirowne The fame spredde of his hye renowne And al about this mighty chiefe citye Where as Oetes helde his royall sea Were riuers freshe of which y e waters cleane Lyke cristall shone agayne the sonne shene Fayre playnes as Guydo beareth wytnesse And holsome hilles full of lustinesse And many lake and many lusty welle And there were eke mine auctour cā you tell Full many a parke full fayre freshe to sene And many wode and many a medowe grene With sundry floures among y e herbes meynt Which on theyr stalke nature hath depeynt With sundry hewes within and eke withoute After the season as somer came aboute For fishing fouling for hauking eke also For venery and hunting both two The place was right inly delytable Of corne and grayne passingly greable And plenteous in all maner thynge For their men harde the birdes freshely syng In tyme of yere in their hermonye That the noyse and soote melodye On freshe braunches full delycious Reioyse wolde these folkes amerous Whom loues bronde had fyred to the herte And efte adawen of their paynes smerte That certeynly whan that grene Vere Ypassed was aye fro yere to yere And May was come the month of gladnes And freshe flora of floures Emperesse Had cladde the soyle newe at her deuyse This noble place was lyke to Paradyse And Ceres goddesse of largesse and foyson Suche plentye gaue vnto that regyon Of fleshe of fyshe wyne vitaile and corne That the lycour of her full horne Vpon the londe so gan to raine and snowe That all astates yea both high and lowe Lad their life in soueraiane suffysaunce With al that nature coulde or might auaūce This litle yle with her giftes great Lyke as toforne ye haue harde me treate For ther was plētie ther was habundaūce And there was al that might do pleasaunce To any harte and all commoditee And so befell that to this citie Iason is come and with him Hercules And after them foloweth al the pres Full well arayed and royally be sayne Their armes enclosed togyther twayne and twain A people chose as it were for y e nones And therwith all of brawnes and of bones Eueriche of theim of makyng and facion Full well complete as by preportion Yonge of age and of good stature Sadde of countenaunce and full demure That euery wight had great pleasaunce To se the maner of their gouernaunce So yonge so freshe hardy and meke also And all at ones they to the paleys go With suche a chere that eueriche hath disport To see the maner of their noble porte So gentylmanly they demeaned were That the people prese gan euery where To see these straungers lyke the grekes gyse Demeane them selfe in so thryfty wyse And of desire the people ne wolde cesse Aboute them to gather and impresse And to enquere what they myght be That of newe with suche a royalte Ben sodeynly entred into the towne Thus eueriche wold with his felowe rowne They were so rude to stare and to gase To gape and loke as it were in a mase As townish folke done so comonly Of euery thynge that falleth sodeinly But how Oetes lyke a worthy kyng Whan that he harde fyrst of their comyng Receyueth them and hooly the manere If that ye lyst anone ye shall it here VVhan y t the king hath sothly vnderstāde How the grekes come were to lande And how Iason was also there with all Borne by dissente of the blud royall Of Thesalye and lykely to be heyre If he by grace haue againe repeire The auentures achyued of Colchos The kynge anone out of his sea arose Of gentillesse in all the haste he may In goodly wyse to mete theim on the waye And them receiueth with a cheare benigne And vnto them anone he doth assygne His offycers tawayte them night and daye Chargynge them in euery maner waye That what soeuer may to them do ease Or any thyng that may them queme or plese That they it haue in foyson and plente Eueryche of them lyke to his degree Thus he commaunded in al maner thyng And than anone this noble worthy kyng As he that was of fredome a myrrour Through many halle and many riche toure By many tourne and many dyuers waye By many gree made of marbyll graye Hath them conueyed a full easy pase Tyll he thē brought there his chambre was Where he with them helde his daliaunce And there anone with euery circumstaunce Of manly fredome he made vnto them chere And in his chambre englosed bright cleare That shone ful shene with gold with asure Of many ymage that there was in picture He hath commaunded to his offycers Only in honour of thē that were straungers Spyces and wyne and after that anon The yonge freshe the lusty man Iason As fast gan by lycence of the kyng For to declare the cause of this comyng But fyrst the kyng with great royalte Assended is into his royall sea Clothes of golde ranged enuyron After the custome of that regyon That to beholde it was a noble syght Stondyng aboute many a worthy knight And many a squyre and many a gentylman Full well besene and the kyng right than Vnto Iason stondyng in presence Commaunded hath of his magnifycence With Hercules to sytte a downe besyde And Iason than no longer lyste abyde Of his commyng the cause for to shewe The effect of which was this in wordes fewe Saue Iason fyrst ere he his tale began Full well auised and chered lyke a man Conceyued hath and noted wonder well From poynt to poynt his mater euerydell And not forgot a worde in all his speche But euen lyke as rethoryke doth teache He gan his tale so by crafte conueye To make y e kyng to that which he wold seye Condescende and rather to enclyne For to assente
And the lockes thycke brode and large Of al y e gates wel wrought of shyning brasse And eke within the mighty shytting was Of yren barres stronge square and rounde And great barres pytched in the grounde With huge cheynes forged for diffence Whiche ne wolde breake for no violence That harde it was through theym for to win And euery house that buylded was within Euery paleys and euery mansyowne Of marbell were throughout all the towne Of crafty buildyng working most royall And the highte was of euery wall Sixty cubytes from the grounde accounted And there was none y t other hath surmoūted In the Citie but of one hyght aliche In very soth both of pore and ryche That it was harde of hye estate or lowe House or paleys a sonder for to knowe So egally of tymbre and of stone Theyr houses were reysed euerychone And yf I shuld rehersen by and by The corne knottes by craft of masonry The freshe enbowīg w t verges right as lynes And the housyng ful of backewines The ryche coyning the lusty tablementes Vinettes ronning in casementes Though y e termes in Englishe wolden rime To shewe theim all I haue as now no time Ne yet language picked for the nones To tell the sotyll ioynyng of the stones Nor howe they put in stede of mortere In the ioyntoures coper gylte full clere To make them ioyne by leuell and by lyne Amonge the marbell freshely for to shyne Agaynst he sonne whan his shene lyght Smote on the golde that was burned bright To make the worke glister on euery syde And of this towne the stretes large wyde Were by crafte so prudently prouyded And by workmen sette so and deuyded That holsome eyre amyddes myght enspyre Erely on morowe to them that it desyre And zephirus that is so comfortable For to nouryshe thinges that bene vegetable In tyme of yere throughout euery strete With sugred sauour lusty and so swete Moste pleasauntly in the eyre gan smyte The Citezeynes onely to delyte And with his breth them to recomforte Whan they lyste walke theim selfe to disporte And thrugh the towne w t crafty purueiaunce By great auise and discrete ordenaunce By compase cast and squared out by squyers Of pullished marble vpon stronge pyllers Deuysed were longe large and wyde Of euery streate in the fronter syde Freshe alures with lusty hye pynacles And moūstryng outward costly tabernacles Vauted aboue lyke to reclynatoryes That called were deambulatoryes Men to walke togithers twaine and twaine To kepe thē drye when it happed to rayne Or them to saue fro tempest winde or thundre If that them lyst shroude thēselfe there vnder And euery house couered was with lead And many gargoyle and many hydous head With spoutes thorough pipes as they aught From the stone worke to the canell raught Voydyng fylthes lowe into the grounde Thorough grates made of yron perced roūd The stretes paued bothe in length and brede In cheker wyse with stones whyte and reade And euery crafte that any maner man In any lande deuyse or reken can Kyng Pryamus of hye discreciowne Ordeyned hath to dwell in the towne And in streates seuered here and yonder Eueryche from other to be set a sonder That they myght for there more commoditie Eche by hymselfe worke at his lybertye ¶ Goldsmythes fyrst and riche Iewelleres And by them selfe crafty brouderers Weuers also of wollen and of lyne Of clothe of golde damaske and satyn Of veluet sendell and double samyt eke And eueryche clothe that men lyste to seke Smythes also that coulden forge wele Pollaxes swerdes and speres sharpe of stele Dartes daggers for to mayme and wounde And quarelheades sharpe square ygrounde There were also crafty armerers Makers of bowes and also these fletchers And suche as coulde make shaftes playne And other eke that dyd their busy payne For the werre to make also trappures Baners beate and royall cote armures And by diuers Standardes and penouns And for the fyelde freshe and gaye getouns And euery crafte that may reckened be To tell shortly was in this Citie And through this towne so ryche excellent In the myddes a large ryuer went Causynge to them full great commoditie The whiche on twayne hath parted the Citie Of course full swyfte w t freshe stremes clere And hyght Xantus as Guydo doth vs lere And as I rede that vpon this flode On eche a syde many a mylle stode Whē nede was their graine corne to grinde Them to susteyne in storye as I fynde This ryuer eke of fyshe full plenteous Deuided was by workemen curious So craftely through castynge souerayne That in his course the stremes might attaine For to areche as Guydo doth coniecte By arches stronge his course for to reflecte Through condite pypes large wyde withal By certayne meanes artifyciall That it tho made a full purgacion Of all ordure and fylthes in the towne Wasshyng the stretes as they stode a rowe And the gutters in the earth be lowe That in the Citie was no fylthe ysene For the cauell scoured was so clene And eke deuoyded in so secrete wyse That no man myght espye or deuyse By what engyne the fylthes fer nor nere Were borne awaye by course of the ryuer So couertly euery thyng was coured Wherby the towne was vtterly assured From engendryng of all corruption From wycked eyre and from infexion That cause ofte by their vyolence Mortalitie and great pestilence And by example of this flode there was Made tybre at Rome and wrought by Eneas The whiche also departeth Rome a two Myne auctour saith I note if it be so And tenhabite this royall chiefe Citie Kynge Pryam hath about in eche countre Made for to serche with all his hole entent And in prouinces that were adiacent In borowes townes and in smales vyllages Ygathred had out of all maner ages And of thropes folkes full dyuers Of suche as were vacant and dispers About Troye in any regyowne He made hath to entre into towne Great multitude what of yonge and olde It tenhabyte as ye haue herde me tolde And those that were afore to him foreynes He hath in Troye made them Citezeynes Full discretly lyke as it is founde And whan they gan with people to abounde Kynge Priamus of hye affectiowne After the buyldyng of this myghty towne Hath in his harte caughte a fantasye His newe Cytie for to magnifye And it to put the more in remembraunce He fully caste to do some obseruaunce To myghty Mars sterne and ferse of hewe And specially with certayne playes newe On horse and foote in many sondry wyse To gyue his men in knyghthode excercyse Eueryche to put other at assaye In iustes lystes and also in tourney To preue their force whā they happe to mete The which plaies were founded first in Crete And in that lande of hye and lowe estate In Martys honour they were dedicate And in palastre on wakes on the nyght Were other plaies as men tassaye their
protection His myghty shelde and sauacion That haste this citie and this towne ylorne In whiche thou were fostred and yborne On the greatest of reputacion Of all the lordes dwellinge in this towne In which thou haddest whilom most plesauÌ„ce But all is now out of remembraunce ¶ Yet in thy hert yf any drape be Of gentylnesse mercy or pytye In this deadly rage full of tene Rewe on my doughter yonge Polycene From grekes sworde her youthe for to saue If thy herte may any routhe haue Of manly pytye on her maydenheade Defende her nowe and kepe her out of drede If thou canste fynde any weye In any wyse that she maye not deye ¶ That hereafter when men se and rede The false treason and the foule dede That thou haste done vnto Troye towne It maye in partye be protectiowne To thy fame the venym to allye Of this treason when men wyll assaye By iuste reporte thy name to accuse This dede may the helpe to excuse Agaynst tonges that speake of Enee Than wyll they saye thou haddest yet pytye On Polycene onely of gentilnesse Therwith to sugre all the bytternesse Of thy deserte blowe forth by fame By rehersayle of the foule blame That shal of the through the worlde be borne With sklauÌ„der infect wheÌ„ thou art al to torne That thou ne shalte the shame mowe sustene Then shall my doughter fayre Polycene Be thy defence agayne suche famous stryfe If it so be now thou saue her lyfe Of me no force though thou make as blyue The sworde of grekes through 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 her youthe was meued of pytye Onely of routhe that in his brest arose And secretely put her vp in close Lest that grekes founde occasyon Agaynst hym and Ayax Thelamon Toke to his warde Andromecha Hectors wyfe and wyfe Cassandra Out of the temple longing to Mynerue From grekes sworde their lyues to conserue ¶ And Menelaye toke the quene Heleyne Into his garde for whom so great a payne Bode in his herte many daye toforne By whom alas the cytye is now lorne ¶ And grekes aye were busye in their yre To slea and kylle and crullly to fyre On euery syde and to beate downe Palyce and house and wall of the towne They spare nought for all goth to the fyre So feruent hate brent in their desyre Of olde enuye auenged for to be That they ne lefte within the Cyte Nothynge vnbrent and also ylyowne Was in this rage tourned vp so downe There made were none exceptions Onely but take the possyons Of Anthenor euyll mote he fare And Eneas whom the grekes spare As thâ—y to them were bounde by their othe And thus the grekes furyous and wrothe Haue all that daye robbed and ybrent ¶ Tyll that the kynge Agamenon hath sent For his lordes to assemble yfeare In Pallas temple onely for to here There wyse aduyse vpon thynges twayne Fyrste if they wolde holde and not fayne Hooly their hope without exceptiowne To theÌ„ by whom they wonne fyrst 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 thrugh their hie renown ¶ And they answered without more taryinge They wolde their faith kepe in euery thynge As they were sworne and hestes holde And ouer this they sayde howe they wolde That golde treasour and good of the Cyte As ryght requietrh and also equitye Be iustly parted by deuysion To euery wyght made distribucyon Lyke his meryt of hygh and lowe degree And that the kynge eke of reason se Eche to rewarde after his labour So as it longeth to a conquerour That no man haue matter to compleyne And so they felle in speakynge of Heleyne Eueryche after his opynyon And tofore all other Ayax Thelamon Shortly sayde she hath deserued death For whom so many haue yelde vp the brethe Playnely affyrmynge there in Parlement Of ryghtwysenesse and trewe iudgement She shulde not escape with the lyfe That gynnyng was cause of all their strife Rote and grounde of all their sorowe and wo And so sayde eke many an other mo And for the noyse and the great affraye ¶ Agamenon nor kinge Menelaye Ne durst a worde for her partye meue To saue y e quene lest grekes wold them greue Agaynst them there was so great rumour Tyll Vlixes chiefely her socour Through his wyt and his eloquence His deuer dyd and his dylygence To haue her life and fully to purchace Of the grekes for to gette her grace ¶ And as Guydo also doth vs lere Agamenon grekes gan requere To graunt hym for a chiefe guerdon Of Cassandra to haue possession All her lyfe with hym to abyde Eke Eneas and Anthenor besyde Of Helenus to the grekes tolde How to the werre he neuer assente wolde And how that he prudennt and vertuous In counsaylyng was contrarious To all tho of hygh and lowe estate In Troye first that began debate Atwyxe grekes and this myghty towne Eke by his helpe and medyatiowne Achylles was buryed and ygraue The deade 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 both Of this murder in herte were full wrothe And sory eke of many an other thynge Wrought in the towne w tout their wyttynge ¶ And for they were of malyce Innocent The grekes haue fully by assent Graunted to them a prerogatyfe By Parlement for to haue theyr lyfe But Helenus first in teares drowned Tofore the kynge pyteously hath sowned And abraydynge with a deadly face In humble wyse besought hym of his grace Of knyghtly pytye to haue his aduertence To spare his sworde fro bloud of Innocence And of mercy that he not disdayne To graunt lyfe to the sonnes twayne ¶ Of worthy Hector his brother most entere And eke to rewe on their mother dere Onely of grace that she be not dead A wydowe lefte a lone and can not reade And so the kynge ameued in his herte And wote not whither that she maye diuerte Of his wordes and his wofull chere Benygnely graunted his prayer And gaue eke lyfe and fredom for to go To the mother and her chyldren two ¶ And to ladyes and gentyll women all That for mercy to his grace calle He graunted eke of compassyon A safe conduite and a fre pardon Where that them lyste in the towne abyde Or in the countre adiacent besyde He put it hole in their electiowne ¶ And thanking him they fell on knees down With many teare dewed in the face ¶ And so the kynge parteth fro the place And after that grekes ryght anone Fully purpose to shyp for to gone In haste to sayle towarde their countre But suche a tempest rose vp in the sea Of wawe and wynde also of cloudes blacke All a moneth that they dare not take The
of any maner age Nor in that yle for to do damage To man nor beast where euer that they go But as to abyde for a daye or two Theim to refreshe and efte repaire anone When that the rage of the seas were gone And whyle that they vpon the stronde laye They did nought els but to disporte playe And bath washe them in the freshe ryuere And dronke waters that were soote cleare That sprange like cristall in the colde well And toke right nought but if it were to selle It was nothyng in their entencion Vnto no wyght to do offensyon Or to moleste or greuen any wyght But the vnstable rule of fortunes might Hath euer enuye that men liue in ease Whose hastie course vnwarely doth disease For she was cause god wote causeles This gery fortune this lady recheles The blinde goddesse of transmutacion To tourne her whele by reuolucion To make Troyens vniustly for to wene That Grekes were ariued theim to tene So that the cause of this suspicion Hath many brought vnto destruction Full many worthy of kinges and princes Throughout y e world reckened in prouinces Were by this slaundre vnto mischief brought For thinge alas that neuer was be thought For it was cause and chiefe occasiowne That this citye and this royall towne Destroyed was as it is playnly founde Whose walles hie were beteÌ„ downe to grouÌ„d And many a man many a worthye knight Were slayue there and many a lady bright Was wedowe made by duresse of this werre As it is kouthe and sith reported ferre And many a mayde in grene and tender age Be lefte were sole withouten mariage Behinde theyr fathers alas it fall shulde And for nought elles but y t fortune would Shewen her might and her crueltye In vengeaunce taking vpon this citye ¶ Alas that euer so worthy of estate Shuld for so lytell fallen at the debate Whan it is gon it is not like to staunche For of the graffing of a litell braunche Full sturdy trees growen vp full ofte Who clymbeth hye may not fall softe And of sparkes that be of sight small Is fyre engendred that deuoureth all And as a gnat first of litell hate Encauseth flawme of contek and debate And enuiouslye to sprede abrode full ferre And thus alas in realmes mortall werre Is first begonne as men may reade and se Of a sparke of litell enmitye That was not staunched fyrst wheÌ„ it begoÌ„ne For when the fire is so ferre yronne That it embraseth hertes by such hatrede To make them brenne as hote as any glede On other partye through his cruell tene Ther is no staunche but sherp swerdes kene The which alas consumeth all and slethe And thus the fine of enmite is death And though the ginning be but casuell The biding frete is passingly cruell To voyde realmes of reste peace and ioye As it fill whilom of this worthy Troye It doth me wepe of this case sodayne For euery wight ought it to complayne That litell gilt shuld haue suche vengeauÌ„ce Except percase through goddes purueaunce That this mischiefe shuld perhappes be The ensuing cause of great felycitye For Troye brought thus vnto destruction Was the ginninge and occacion In mine auctour as it is specified That worthy Rome was after edified By the of springe of worthy Eneas Whilom from Troy whan he exiled was The whiche Rome reade and ye may se Of all the worlde was head and chiefe citye For the famous passing worthinesse And eke wheÌ„ Troy was brought thus in distresse And y e walles cast broke adowne It was in cause that many regiowne Begonne was and many a great citye For this Troyan this manly man Enee By sundrye seas gan so longe to sayle Till of fortune he came into Itayle And wan that lande as bokes tellen vs With whom was eke his sonne Ascanius That after Enee doth by line succede The land of Itale iustly to possede And after him his sonne Siluius Of whom came Brute so passingly famous After whom if so I shall not fayne Whilom this land called was Britayne For he of geauntes through his maÌ„hode waÌ„ This noble yle and it first began ¶ From Troye also with this ilke Enee Came worthy Francus a lorde of hye degre Which after Rome teÌ„crease his high renowne Builded in his time a full royall towne Which he sothely his honour to auaunce After his name he made do call it Fraunce And thus began as I vnderstande The name first of that worthy lande And Anthenor departing from Troyens Began the cytie of the Veneciens And Sycanus within a litell while Began tenhabite the land of Cecile And after parting of this Sycanus His worthy brother called Syculus So as I finde reygned in that yle And after him it called was Cecile But Eneas is forth to Tuscy gone It tenhabite with people right anone And in Cicile he Naples first began To which full many Neopolitane Longeth this daye ful riche of great might ¶ And Diomede the noble worthy knight Whan Troye was fall with his toures faire Howe to his reygne he cast to repayre His lieges tho began a quarell fayne And him withstode w t al their might maine And of malyce and conspiraciowne They him w theld both sceptre the crowne Their deutye and theyr olde aligeaunce And him denied both trouth and obeyssauÌ„ce Wherfore anone so as the bokes tell With all his folkes he went for to dwell To Calabre and gan it to possede And there the knightes of this Diomede That fro Troye haue him thither sewed To fourme of byrdes wer anone traÌ„smewed By Circes crafte doughter of the Sonne And in the eyer to flee anone they gonne And called bene in I sodore as I reade Amonge Grekes the byrdes of Diomede Not as some bokes of theim list beare witnes This chauÌ„ge was made by Venê° y e goddesse Of wrathe y t she had to this worthy knight Onely for that she sawe him ones fighte With Eneas her ownely sonne deare At which time as they faughte yfeare And Diomede with a darte ygrounde Gan ame at him a deadly mortall wounde ¶ His mother Venê° gan anone him shroud Vnder a skye and a misty cloude To saue him tho that time fro mischaunce And for this skill Venus toke vengeaunce Into byrdes to tourne his meyne And in that fourme from yere to yere they fle Vnto his tombe where as he is graue So y t on him as yet a minde they haue That of custome for a remembraunce A rite they holde and an obseruaunce At his exequies these byrdes euery chone A dayes space and thence not ne gone And moreouer as it to them is dewe They loue the Grekes platly they eschewe Latins all for ought that may betyde For they present anone they flee aside And eche from other as bokes vs assure These byrdes knowe onely of nature Grekes and latines kindely assonder Whan they theym se y t which is such a woÌ„der
that he myght fyne Of his comyng the knightly hye empryse Thus word by worde as I shall here deuyse RIght worthy prince preseÌ„t in this place Only with supporte of your hye grace And your goodnes most excelleÌ„t dign With pacience of your fauour benygne Displease it not that I may saye and shewe And efte declare with wordes but fewe The fynal grounde and cause of my coming So that ye lyste whiche ben so noble a kyng In goodly wise without more offence Of curtesye to gyue aundience To my request and that ye not disdayne Goodly to graunte that I may atteyne In this yle if it may me auayle The flese of golde frely to assayle As the goddes in this myne auenture Lyste to ordeyne for my fatall eure In whom lyeth all playnly and fortune For to gouerne thynges in comune In werre and peace conquest and victorye And of armes the renowne and glory Discomfyture and bryngyng to outraunce All lyeth in them to hyndre or tauaunce Ayen whose might no mortal maÌ„ may chese But for all this where so I wynne or lese Or lyfe or deth be fyne 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 mencion Me lyste to make none acception Vpon no syde fauour for to fynde But as the rytes playnly maken mynde What euer fall I shall them vnder fonge Lowly besechynge that ye not prolonge My purpose now nor make no delaye But of your grace sette to me a daye Myne enterpryse that I maye achyeue For myne abode stant vpon your leue Saithe but one word of grauntyng at y e lest And than I haue the fyne of my requeste ¶ And whan the kyng had herde ceriously Th entent of Iason sayd so manfully He stynt alyte and kepte hym close a whyle Tyll at the last he goodly gan to smyle Towardes Iason and said vnto hym thus Iason quod he albe thou desyrous To vnderfonge this passyng hye empryse My counsayle is lyke as I shall deuyse Full prudently for to caste aforne The mortall peryll or that thou be lorne For in this thynge there is a lawe ysette By chauntement that may not be ylette Nor remedyed for fauour nor for mede For deth in soth who so taketh hede Is the guerdon platly or they twynne Of them that caste the flese of golde to wyn For helpe is none in manhode nor fortune The streyght waye is so importune So dredefull eke and so full of rage That saue deth there lyeth no passage Of victorye the palme to conquere For sothly Iason as I shall the lere Founded of olde by meruaylous workyng By the statutes of this mortall thinge So sore bounde vnder my regalye That the rygour I may not modifye Wherfore Iason or thou this thinge attame Leste afterwarde on me were laide y e blame Of thy lesynge or thy destruction Of faythfull herte and true entencion I warne the my selfe for to quyte So that no man iustely shall me wyte Though thou of youth of thy wylfulnesse Thy lyfe destroye without auysynesse Sith I Iason of this peryllous case From poynt to point haue tolde the al y e case Be now auised and put no faulte in me For the surplus frely lyeth in the. Of all this thinge syth thou mayst chese And where so be that thou wynne or lesse No man to me it iustly may arecte For that lawe that Mars hym selfe sette No mortall man of right may duelye passe For hie or lowe he getteth none other grace Than the goddes lyste for hym ordeyne What euer he be that caste hym to darrayne This diuers thyng most furious 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 soth as reason wyll and ryght For thou wotest wel it lyeth not in my might For to declare or any man to lette That of manhode knightly caste to sette Vpon this thing as thou hast herde me tell What shulde I longer in this mater dwell It were but vaine for now thou knowest all Beware of her that tourneth as a ball For at this tyme thou gettest no more of me Do as thou lyste I put the choyse in the. And with that word the kyng rose vp anone Vpon the tyme whan he shulde gone Vnto his meate and Iason by his syde As ye shall here if so ye lyste abyde THe time approcheth gan to neigh fast That offycers full busyly them cast To make redy with all their busye cure And in the halle bordes for to cure For by the dyal the hour they gan to marke That Phebê° southward whirled vp his arke So hye a lofte that it drewe to none That it was tyme for the kyng to gone Vnto his meate and entre into halle And than Oetes with his lordes all And with his knightê aboute hym euerichon With Hercules and also with Iason It sette to meate in his royall sea And euery lorde lyke to his degree But fyrste of all this worthy man Iason Assygned was by the kynge anone For to sytte at his owne borde And Hercules that was so great a lorde Was sette also faste by his syde And the marshall no longer lyste abyde To assygne estates where they shulde be Lyke as they were of hye or lowe degree And after that on scaffolde hye alofte The noise gan loude and nothynge softe Of trumpeters and eke of clarioneres And there with all the noble offycers Full thryftely serued haue the halle Lyke as the season gan that tyme fall With all deyntes that may rekened be That sothfastly the foyson and plente Of kyngly fredom vnto hye and lowe So fulsomly gan there to reygne and snowe That through y e hall was y e manhod praised Of the kyng and his renowne reysed That can his gestes sothly for to sey Whan that hym lysteth chere and festey So lyke a kyng and in so thryfty wyse With all deynte that man can deuyse For at this feast and solempnitie The grekes myght the great nobely see Of kyng Oetes and the worthynesse And by reporte therof beare wytnesse Where so they come after all their lyue I wante connynge by ordre to discryue Of euery course the diuersitees The straunge sewes and the sotyltees That were that day serued in that place Haue me excused thoughe I lyghtly passe Though I can not all in ordre sayne Mine englyshe is to rude and eke to playne For to endite of so hye a thyng But forthe I will reherse how the kyng To shewe his gestes his nobley ouer all Hath for his doughter sent in speciall And byd she shulde forth anone be broughte The which in south though men had sought The world thrughout I do you plain assure Men might a founde no fayrer creature More womanly of porte nor manere Nor more demure nor sadder of her chere Whose beaute was not
This Parys first as lord and gouernour Of this voyage made by Pryamus And his brother called Deiphobus Theyr leue haue take as longed of deutye And after that to ship right manfully Without abode they gan theym selues dresse And in the name of Venus the goddesse And mighty Ioue they taken theyr Iourney With anker hoist forth by the large sea They gan to saile and haue the winde at wil. The water calme blandishing and still Without trouble of any boystous wawe And to the costes they ginnen fast to drawe Of grekes lande for nothing ne theim let And of fortune in theyr course they met A grekishe shyp mine Auctour telleth thus In whych there was the king Menelaus Towarde Pyram a famous stronge Citie For to visite a duke of high degre That Nestor hight and this Menelaus Was brother eke vnto the king famous The wise worthy great Agamenon Greatest of name and reputacion Amonges the Grekes for his worthinesse And Menelay this storye beareth wytnesse Husbande was to the quene Heleyne And she was syster to the brethren tweyne Castor and Pollux whych as I you tolde Were of their hand so worthy knightes hold And in that time like to their degre In Strynester theyr most cheif Citye They helde a housholde solempne royall The loue of whom was tho so speciall Of wyll and herte accordinge with the dede Atwixe theim two of very brotherhede That none from other could lyue alone With whom was eke the mayde Hermyone The yonge doughter of the quene Heleyne Of fayrenesse most inly souereyne Most passyngly excellyng in beaute ¶ And thus the Troians sayling on the sea Towarde grece amonge the wawes wete Of auenture theim happed for to mete Kinge Menelaus sayling by theyr syde And none of theim list of very pryde For to enquere what that other was But passen forthe a swyft and lusty pase For none of theym could then other knowe And aye the wynde peasebly gan blowe The Troian flete causyng in a whyle For to approche to the noble yle That called is Cithera at this daye And in the hauen in all the haste they may They anker cast boūd theyr shippes strōge And after that theim list not tarye longe To take the lande ful many lusty man Araying theim as freshly as they can ¶ Now in this yle of passyng excellence There was a temple of great reuerence That buylded was of olde foundacion And honoured most as in that region Throughout the land both of fer and nere The feast day aye from yere to yere Like as it fil by reuolucion Repeyringe thither of great deuocion In honour onely of Venus the goddesse Whom the grekes with al theyr businesse Honoured most of euery maner age With giftes brynging and with pilgremage With great offryng and with sacrafise As vsed was in theyr paynem wise ¶ For in this Phane as they knele wake With herte contryte and theyr prayer make The statue gaue of euery questyon Perfect answere and ful solucion With ceremonies to Venus as they loute Of euery thinge wherof they were in doubt They hadden there ful declaracion And thus the grekes vpon Citheron Halowe this feast with riche great araye With rytes dewe as fer forthe as they may In hope fully the better for to thryue ¶ And of fortune when he did aryue Vp to the land by aduenture or case The same tyme this feast halowed was Of many a greke coming to and fro From euery coste that to the temple go On pilgramage theyr vowes to acquite Of the place the reliques to visyte And after Parys all this did espye He chosen hath out of his companye The worthiest that he there chese may And to the temple he toke the right way Ful wel besene and in knightly wise And did his honour and his sacrafise Ful humble and to the Grekes liche With many an ouche and many iewel riche With golde and syluer stones and riche perre He spendeth there like to his degre And quit him manly in his oblacions And ful deuoutly in his orysons He him demeneth that ioye it was to se ¶ Now was Parys of passing great beaute Amonges all that euer were alyue For there was none that might w t him striue Troian nor greke to speake of semeliheade Wonder freshe and lusty as I reade And in his porte full lyke a gentil knighte Of whose person for to haue a sight They gan to prease both of nigh and fere So royally he bare him in his gere And all prease both high estate and loowe What knight he was desyren for to knowe And of his men they asken busyly From whense he came and the cause why Of his coming enquyring one by one But prudently they kept theym euerychone That nothing was openly espyed In theyr answer so they them selues guyde That euery thing kept was secree Eueriche of theim was so auisee Albe that some openly declare What that he was and ne list not to spare But tolde playnly the cause of his cominge And howe Pryam the stronge mighty kinge His father was most royall of renowne And how he came also for Exiowne Thus eche of theim gan with other rowne At pryme face whan he came to towne And therupon were ymagynatyfe Sore musyng and much inquisitife Eche with other as by suspection Deminge therof lyke theyr opynyon And rathest they that nothinge ne knewe As folkes done of thinges that be newe And whyles that they of this matter treate In sondry wise among theyr wordes greate The saying of theim gan anone atteyne To the eares of the quene Heleyne Nigh there beside in that regyon And when she herde as by relacion And by reporte of them that come bytwene This fayre Heleyne this freshe lusty quene Anone as she the sothe vnderstode Without delay or any more abode She casteth her to this solempnytye The freshe folke of Phrigia to se Wel more god wote in her entention To se Parys than for deuocion Vnder colour of holy pylgramage To the temple she taketh her voyage With a great meyne and royal apparayle Parys to se for she wyll not fayle ¶ But oh alas what lusty newe fyre Her herte hath nowe enflawmed by desyre To go to vigiles other to spectacles None holynesse to heare of myracles Hath meued her that there shal befall But as the maner is of women all To drawe thether platly to conclude Where as they be sure that multytude Ygathered is at lybertye to see Where as they may finde oportunitye To theyr desyre ful narowe they awayte Now couertly theyr eyen for to baite In place where as set is theyr plesaunce Now pryuely to haue dalyaunce By some sygne or casting of an eye Or tokens shewing in hert what they drye With touche of hādes stole amonge the prese With arme or fote to catche vp in theyr lese Whom that them lyst all be he free or bonde Of nature they can holde him in honde Ayen whose sleyght auaileth wyt
w t brest ful square mete To endure in armes fel and coragious And of his loke wonder amerous High of stature and large of giftes eke And more of strength than any other Greke And to spend he set lytel charge He was of herte so plenteous and large And in the felde passyng chyualrous ¶ And for to tell forth of Tantalus Of sanguine hewe hauing much of reed Diuerse eyed aye meuing in his head Of huge making also of great strengthe Wel answeryng hys brede to his lengthe Hatinge to striue where he sawe no nede Ryght trewe of worde also as I reade And neuer quarel wolde he take on hande To fyght for but he might vnderstande That it were fully grounded vpon ryght And than he wolde quyte hym like a knyght ¶ Cilcus Ayax was right corpulent To be well cladde he set al his entent In ryche aray he was ful curyous Although he were of body corsyous Of armes great w t shoulders square brode It was of him almost a horse lode Hygh of stature and boystous in a pres And of his speche rude and rechles Ful many worde in ydel hym asterte And but a coward was he of his herte ¶ An other Ayax Thelamonyous There was also dyscrete and vertuous Wonder fayre and semely to beholde Whose heyr was black vpward ay gā folde In compas wise rounde as any sphere And of musyke was there none his pere Hauing a voyce full of melodye Right well entuned as by Hermonye And was inuentife for to counterfete Instrumentes aswell smal as grete In sundry wise longing to musyke And for all this yet had he good practike In armes eke and was a noble knyght No man more orped nor hardyer for to fight Nor desyrous for to haue vyctorye Deuoyde of pompe hatyng all vaynglorye All ydle laude spent and blowe in vayne ¶ Of Vlyxes what shall I also sayne That was so noble and worthy in his dayes Ful of wyles and sleyghty at assayes In meaning double and deceyuable To forge a leysyng also wonder able With face playn he coud make it toughe Mery worded and but selde loughe In counsayling discret and ryght prudent And in his tyme the most eloquent And holpe to Grekes often in theyr nede ¶ And for to speake of worthy Diomede Full wel compact and growe well in length Of sturdy porte and famous eke of strength Large brested and ferse also of syght And deceyuable of what euer he hyght Hasty testyf to smyte reckles And medlyng aye and but selde in peace To his seruauntes ful inpacient And baraytous where that so euer he went For lytel worthe of disposycion And lecherous eke of complexion And had in loue oft syth his parte Brenning within of Cupydes fyery darte And spechles ful ofte felt he his sore ¶ What shal I sayne eke of Duke Nestore Of longe stature and wel compact wythall With corbe shoulders and of middell small In handes strong with armes large roūde In counsalyng prudent and wyse yfounde Whose wordes were sugred wyth pleasaunce Vpon his frende hauing aye remembraunce For of his trouthe he ne coud fayne But in anger he might him not refrayne He was so fret wyth melancolye That no man myght his yre modefye Albe it laste but a lytell space Who could him suffer anone it would pace Lightly it came and lyghtly went awaye ¶ And Prothesalyus y t freshe was of araye Wonder semely and of great beaute I trowe a fayrer might no man se Of good stature delyuer and ful lyght No man swyfter and to speake of myght Of his makyng he was passyng stronge Ferse of courage and lothe to take a wronge ¶ And to tell of Neptolomus He was of making wonder corsyous Whose heyr was blacke shining as doth geat With eyen rounde brode and therto great Large brested with a rysyng backe And in speche stamerd whan he spacke But in causes he could medle wele And in the lawe ful depe he did fele For all his lust was beset on plees ¶ But for to tell of Pallamides King Naulus sonne withouten any wene Of face fayre of body longe and lene Of manful hert hardy in battayle And desyrous his enemye to assayle Famylyer curteyse and therto right tretable In al his dedes and inly worshipable In giuing large and passing of grete fame Of whose bounteful wide sprange the name In many land the storye telleth thus ¶ And next I finde of Polydamus The worthy Greke was of great thycknesse Of wombe swolle enbossed with fatnesse That vnneth he might him selfe sustene And yet of herte he was ful proude kene Right surquidrous and ful of pensyfenesse And selde glad so thought did him oppresse ¶ But Machaon like as wryte Guydo Of longe and short was betwyx two Ful proude and ferse deuoyde of pacyence And vengeable who hym did offence And yet he was as balde as is a coote On whose forhead euen by the roote The heyr was fallen wasted clene away And selde or neuer he would slepe a daye ¶ And ouermore to tellen of Crysyde Stumbleth my pen for longe or she dyed My mayster Chauncer did his diligence As to descryue the great excellence Of her beaute and that so maysterly To take on me it were but high folye In any wyse to adde more therto For wel I wote anone as I haue do That I in sothe no thāke deserue maye By cause that he in wrytyng was so gay And but I wryte I must the trouthe leue Of Troye booke and my matter breue And ouer passe and not go by and by As doth Guydo in ordre ceryously And that I must don offencion Through necligence or presumpcion So am I set euen amiddes twayne Great cause haue I matter to complayne On Attropos that through her enuye Tho brake the thred and made for to dye Noble Galfryde chefe Poete of Brytayne Among our Englishe y t caused first to rayne The golden droppes of Rethorike so fyne Our rude language onely tenlumine To god I praye that he his soule haue After whose helpe of nede I must craue And seke his boke that is left behinde Some goodly worde therin for co finde To set amonge the croked lines rude Whych I do wryte as by symylitude The rubye stant so royall of renowne Within a ryng of coper or latowne So stant the making of him doubtles Amonge our bokes of Englyshe pereles They be ful easy knowen so they be excellēt There is no making to his equipolent We do but halte who so taketh hede That medle of makyng without any drede Whan as we would his style counterfete We may alday our colour grinde and bete Tempre our asour and vermilyon But al I holde but presumpcion It foloweth not therfore I let be And fyrst of all I wil excuse me And procede as I haue erst begon And through his fauour certayn if I con Of Troye booke for to make an ende And there I left I wyl agayne nowe wende
bryng forth a worde ¶ And thus Bachus the strōg mighty lord Ful oft causeth folkes for to erre For to debate and to maken werre Of hastynesse where as is no nede Wherfore it is wysedome that men drede His sleyghty workyng or they fall in snare And feble braines by measure for to spare Or they vnwarely arested be and take And or Bachus make theim for to shake In a feuer worse than tercyen If it of custome be cotydyen Alterat with Bachus myghty Ious And affered of tourning of the hous And fordreynt on the drye lande When he hath lost the vse of foote hande And with a strawe playeth lyke an ape And deuoutly ginneth for to gape And noddeth oft wyth his Iowsy heade As he had on an heauy cappe of leade And who that be of this condicion He entre maye the relegyon Of myghty Bachus for habylite The whych lorde hath the souereynte Both of hony and of mylke therto And of bawme that is so ryche also And lordshyp hath of high power diuine Both of grapes and of euery vyne Theim to nouryshe through his influence Of whom the honour and the reuerence Is reysed most as I vnderstande Amonges vynters in euery maner lande Bycause he is to theim so gracious ¶ And they of Lemnos worshyp Vulcanus The god of fyre Iubyter his smythe The whych forgeth on his blacke stythe The great thonder hydous and horryble And the leuens that whylom be visible Into the west out of the Oryent And gasteth vs with his dredful dent The smotry smyth this swarte Vulcanus That whylom in herte was so Ialous Toward Venus that was his wedded wife Wherof there rose a deadly mortall strife Whan he with Mars gan her first espye Of hygh malyce and cruell false enuye Through y e shining of Phebus bemes bright Lying abed with Mars her owne knight For which in herte he brent as any glede Making the slaundre all abrode to sprede And gan theron falsly for to muse And god forbede that any man accuse For so lytell any woman euer Where loue is set hard is to disseuer For though they do such thing of gentilnesse Passe ouer lyghtly and beare none heuinesse Lest that thou be to women odius And yet this smythe this false Vulcanus Albe that he had theim thus espyed Amonge Paynems yet was he defyed And for that he so falsly theim awoke I haue him set last of all my boke Amonge the goddes of false mawmentrye And in this wyse gan ydolatrye As ye haue herde through oppynyons Of people erryng in theyr affections That all is false who the trouthe serche For by teaching of all holy churche By holy doctryne and tradicions We shal despyse such opynyons Whych of the fende were founde not of late For whan aungelles in heauen were create He that of all had the prelacye Of whom the prophete called Esaye Wryteth ryght thus how the Cedres grene Of Paradyse were not so fayre to sene Planys nor fyrre in heyght soth to sayne To his highnes might not attayne Nor all the trees so delycious Of Paradyse were not so precious Nouther in sight nor in semelinesse To be egall to him as in fayrnesse But through his pryde and his surquidrye Whan so he sayde to god that syt so hye He wyll be lyke and also set his see High in the north passyng his degre He was cast downe wyth all his legyons From the fayre heauenly mansyons All sodaynly into the pyt of hel Perpetually there for to dwell Of whom was sayde whan he fel so ferre How fell thou so O thou morowe sterre From the middes of the stones bryght That be so persyng and fyery of theyr lyght That whilom were for thy great bryghtnesse Called Lucifer of whō Christ sayeth expresse In his gospell how he sawe fro heauen Sathan descende lyke the fyery leuene The olde serpent that is so lowe yfall Whom the Hebrues in theyr tunge call ¶ Bemoth that doth in latin playne expresse A beast rude full of cursednesse The vile serpent he Leuiathan Whom I sydore well descryue can Whych of kynde is neuer conuersaunt In welles trouble and hath most his haunt Amonges waters and in the large sea Of whom sayth Dauid like as ye may se In his Psalter making mencion Of the snake the monstruous Dragon ful of venym and of hard grace Whych in the sea large and great of space Wyth foule adders hath his mansyon Vnto mankynde to do illusyon Whom whylom sawe the holy monke Brādā As he sayled forthe by the Occyan Thorowen and deiect in a pyt horryble More foule and hydous than it is credible There to abide this tortuous serpent Vnto the daye playnly of Iudgement That of malyce enuyed so mankynde Whych with his ginnes sleightes as I find Came to our fathers first 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 cheare of loke and countenaunce Lyke a mayde and hath resemblaunce Of a woman as recordeth Bede In his deceytes rather for to spede I meane the face onely and not elles For behynde so as clerkes telles Lyke a serpent of wombe backe and tayle He was whan he gan him to assaile And towarde Eue whan he gan to glyde He fyrst enquereth as he her toke asyde Why god forbad theim eten of the tree Whych if they eate sothly they shulden be Like to goddes knowing good and yll And right forthwith as they gan fulfyll The fendes hest theyr eyen were vnclosed And for theyr gylt sodaynly deposed From Paradyse into wretchednesse To lyue in labour sorowe and distresse And thus the fende whan that fyrst he toke Fourme of a snake and a womans loke And made the tunge in her heade to meue By false engene mankinde for to greue So as he doth in theim that be trauayled With wycked spyrytes vexed and assayled To meue theyr tunges falsly out to breake Into blasphemy what thinge y t they speake The same serpent he Leuiathan Continuing aye falsely as he gan In cursed Idolles dombe deafe and blinde Ful oft speaketh by spyrytes as I finde Which are but fendes Dauid wryte certayne ▪ The goddes all whom folkes so in vaine Honour with rites supersticious As whilom was Apollo Delphicus Like as tofore ye haue herd deuise Which as for now ought inough suffise ¶ And as I trowe the very cause why That myne auctour reherseth by and by Grounde and ginnyng of Idolatrye This the cause for ought I can espye For that he sawe the matter was not knowe Ilyche well both to high and lowe Perauenture you to do pleasaunce He hath the grounde put in remembraunce Of false goddes and of mawmentrye And most for theim that can no poesye ANd to y e storye resorteth soone agayne How Achilles as ye haue herd me saine And Patroclus haue the waye ynome To the temple and thyther be ycome To haue aunswere of theyr
hertes may not lightly staunshed be The Etike draweth by so great distresse That it defaceth the high worthynesse Full ofte sythe of these conqueroures And of theyr fame rente away the floures Desyre of hauynge in a gredy thuoght To hygh noblesse sothly longeth nought Nor suche pylfre spoylynge nor robberye Appartayne not to worthy chyualrye For couetyse and knighthod as I lere In one chayne maye not be knet yfere For kouthe it is that ofte suche rauyne Hath cause be and roote of ruyne Of many worthy who so lyst take hede Lyke as ye maye nowe of Hector reade That sodaynly was brought to his endynge Onely for spoylynge of this ryche kinge For of desyre to him that he hadde On horse backe out whan he him ladde Reklesly the storye maketh mynde He caste his shelde at his backe behynde To welde him selfe at more lyberte And for to haue oportunyte To spoyle him and for no wyght spare So that hys brest disarmed was and bare Except his plates there was no diffence Agayne the stroke to maken resistence Alas why was he tho so reckles This floure of knighthod of maÌ„hode pereles When that his foo all that ylke daye For him alone in awayte so laye If in mischiefe of hate or of enuye In the fielde he might him ought espye This Achilles cruell and venymous Of hertye moste melancolius Whych couertly houing him beside When that he sawe Hector disarmed ryde He hente a spere sharpe grounde and kene And of yre in his hatefull tene All vnwarely or Hector might aduerte ¶ Alas the while he smote him to the herte Throughout y e brest that dead he fel adowne Vnto the earthe this Troian champyowne Through neclygence onely of his shelde The death of whom when Odemon behelde The worthy kinge might hym not refrayne ¶ But to Achilles rode with all his payne And hit him so amyd of all the prese Maugre the might of his Myrmydones That for dead Guydo sayth certayne Of that wounde fel grofeling on y e playne But his knightes on a shelde alofte The ylayde him and caryed him full softe Vnto his tente in all the haste he can And there I leue this deadly wounded man Full sore sycke tyll he maye releue And after that when it drewe to eue They of Troye with great reuerence Did their laboure and theyr diligence The dead corps to carye into towne Of worthy Hector wheÌ„ Titan went adowne And to the temple dolefully they wende And of that daye this was the wofull ende I can no more but thus the longe night In heauinesse as it is skill and ryght I will theim leue and agayne retourne To my matter to helpe theym for to mourne ¶ The complaynte of Lydgate for the death of Hector Ca. xxviii BVt nowe alas how shal I forth procede In the storye that for wo and dreade Fele my hande bothe tremble and eke quake Oh worthy Hector onely for thy sake Of thy deathe I am so lothe to wryte Oh who shall now helpe me to endite Or vnto whom shall I clepe or call Certys to none amonge the muses all That by accorde singen euer in one On Pernasus besyde Helycon So aungelyke in theyr hermonye That tunge is none that may specifye The great swetenesse of theyr goodly songe For no discorde is founde theim amonge In theyr minsyke they be entuned so It sytte theim nought for to helpe in wo Nor in maters y t be with mourninge shente As tragydyes all to tore and rente In camplayninge pyteously in rage In the Theatre with a dead vysage To theim alas I clepe dare nor crye My troubled penne of grace for to guye Nother to Clyo nor to Callyope ¶ But to Alecto and to Thesyphone And to Megera that euer doth complayne As they that lyue aye in wo and payne Eternally and in torment dwell With Cerberus depe downe in hell Whom I must praye to be gratious To my matter which is so furyous For to a wyght that is comlaplayninge A drery feare is ryght well syttinge And to a matter meynt with heuynesse Accordeth well a cheare of drerynesse To be allyed as by vnyte ¶ Wherfore helpe nowe thou wofull Nyobe Some drery teare in all thy piteous payne Into my penne dolefully to rayne ¶ And helpe also thou cruelly Yxione And Belydes that dothe the bokette gone And with thy stone helpe thou Secyphus And in thy ryuer helpe eke Tantalus That for hunger haste so huge pyne This wofull playute helpe me for to fyne Me to further do your busynesse For now the stocke and roote of worthynesse Of knighthod grouÌ„d of maÌ„hod soures well That tofore all bare away the bell Of derrynge do this floure of high prowesse And was exaumple also of gentilnesse That neuer could do amisse or seye ¶ Alas Hector alas why shuldest thou deye Oh cruell Parchas why toke ye no hede So cruelly to twine his fatall threde Ye were to hasty alas why were ye so And namely when the threde ye brake a two Thou Attropos which thrugh thy gret enuye Oh Troye alas well mayst thou wepe crye And make a wofull lamentacion Whych haste of newe to thy confusyon Loste thy diffence and thy stronge wall Thy berer vp thy suertie royall By whom thy honour chiefely was begonne Alas alas for now thy bryght sonne Eclipsed is now standest thou desolate Of all comforte and disconsolate Thy lyght is loste and thou in dercknesse Yplounged arte for in sothefastnesse Of all worthy thou haste the worthyest This daye yloste and the knightlyest That is or was or shall I the ensure Be euer borne whylse the worlde may dure No wonder is though thou be wale sore And daye by daye complayne for euermore That was thy shelde bothe in ioye and wo Whom thou were wonte for to loue so So tenderly with all thy hole herte That it maye not lyghtly the asterte To haue him euer in thy remembraunce Which was in sothe fully thy suffysaunce ¶ For as Guydo maketh mencion There was no man dwellinge in the towne That he ne hadde of very kindenesse For loue of him as he lyste expresse His childe more lefe to haue dyed in this case Other his heyre so well beloued he was If the goddes fate or destyne Disposed had that it might haue be Women also of euery maner age Be for his deathe fall in suche a rage Through the Cite aboute in euery strete That with sobbinge and with salte tearê wete And heyre to rente for their deadly wo Furyously they ronnen to and fro So mortall was their aduersyte That to beholde alas it was pyte Yonge maydes and lykewyse matrones olde Sobbe and syghe and their fystes folde And loude crye and sayde fynally Alas nowe shall our fathers cruelly In our syght be slayne day by day Alas the while and no man shal say nay Farewell our helpe nowe Hector is ygone That in the surenesse of vs euerychone Was wonte to reste now is he dead alas ¶ Of
be in remembraunce And they for euer brought vnto outraunce In sothfastnesse I haue of it no dread ¶ But Achylles toke of hym no hede Nor to Heber that laye afore him dead Full colde and strake of coloure lyke to leade Nor ones lyste to gyue hym audience Nor vnto hym haue his aduertence There may no worde in his herte myne To that he sayde to maken hym enclyne For vtterly euen lyke he ferde As though he no maner worde ne herde For through his eares it passed as a sowne ¶ Lo here the maner and condiciowne The very custome and the playne vsaunce Of these louers hangyng in a traunce ¶ Honour worshyp manhode and prowesse Strength might fame and hardynesse Encrease of name vertue and victorye Knyghthode noblesse and in armes glorye All these myghtye can loueley asyde Suche is the myght of the god Cupyde Whiche hertes hye with his hoke can sease So loth they are playnly to displease Outher in chere or in countenaunce In wyll or dede or disobeysaunce To her that is theyr souerayne lady dere For with a loke of her eyen clere She can full well daunte all their pride For Venus soone so can prouyde His arrowes kene to perce nerfe and vayne And them enlace in his fyry chayne That onely through his importable charge They be restrayned for to go at large Whiche cause was this day doubtles That this noble hardy Achylles Wolde not withouten any wene Come in the fyelde for drede of Polycene Leste that she were offended in her herte If any thynge escaped or asterte This Achylles throughe mysgouernaunce And whyles he hengeth thus as in balaunce The grekes faught with them of the twone Tyll bryght Phebus was at goinge downe That Troyans of necessytye For lacke of lyght entre the citye And whyle that they homewarde be repeyred Laye Deiphobus of his lyfe dispeyred Compleynyng aye on his deadly wounde And whan Parys troylus haue hym found In that myschyefe they gan wepe and crye As they wolde for very routhe dye With wofull noyse and with pyteous sowne The salte teares gan to renne downe On their chekes vpon outher syde And whyles they vpon hym abyde This wounded man gan drawe to his ende Whose spyryte was redy for to wende Out of his brest and his wery goste Full hastely into another coste With deadly eyen tourned vp so downe Whan that he knewe by relacyowne ¶ That Parys hath Pallamydes yslawe Anone he bad that they shulde out drawe The large tronchone with the stelen head And there with all anone he fell downe dead And with the corps they gan them faste spede Towarde the towne but for it is no nede The dole to wryte and lamentaciowne That made was for the noble Sarpedowne Through the cytye and namely of the kynge And of the quene euer in wepynge Of his brethren and his systers dere It were but vayne to reherse it here ¶ But Pryam hath with great dylygence Two towmbes of royall excellence For Deyphobus and kynge Sarpedowne With many ymage grauen enuyron And many a knotte koruen here and yonder And buryed them but a lyttle a sonder Lyke the custome of their rytes olde And whyles they the feste halowe holde That called is the feste funerall The Grekes haue do make in specyall A ryche toumbe to the worthy kyng ¶ Pallamydes and for his buryinge Solempnely made ordinaunce Amonges them as it was vsaunce And with great dole and pyteous heuynesse They haue this kynge of great worthynesse Royally brought to his sepulture ¶ And for they myght longe not endure Without an head and a gouernour They chosen haue to their Emperour By one assente and affection The worthy kyng the wyse Agamenon ¶ And after they made no lettynge They of Troye the next day ensuynge With their wardes in to fielde to gone Fully purposed to fyght with their foen And grekes manly in the face them mette But worthy Troylus so them ouer sette That greke was none shortly for to telle Thilke daye afore him myght dwelle So cruelly he gan them for to chace For where he came or rode in any place They fledde his sworde of their lyfe in doubte His yonge knightes ridinge him aboute Suche as he was vsaunt for to lede And euer in one the grekes bloud the shede Whiche lyke a streame disteined al the playne And all this whyle was so huge a rayne The same day and so huge a myste That euery man hath his felowe myste Specially vpon the grekes syde That for the storme and their woundes wide And for the manhode of this Troian knight ¶ Worthy Troilus so freshe so yonge light They were coact through his cruelte Maugre their might for dred of death to fle To their tentes succour for to fynde Troyans aye pursuynge behynde Iull mortally wish a sterne pase But for the storme they cease of the case And home repayre to their Eitie stronge Tyll on the morowe that the larke songe That Troylus efte most manly to battayle The grekes newe caste hym for to assayle ¶ And Guydo wryt this yonge champyowne Thylke daye as he rode vp and downe Amonge his foen through his hygh renowne that there ne was king duke erle nor barown With his sworde where so that he wende That of their lyfe he made a mortall ende All the whyle that Phebus gaue his lyght Tyll at the laste that it drewe to nyght That he to Troye repayreth manfully ¶ And seuen dayes suynge by and by This lyfe he ledde with his knyghtes felle Vpon grekes as Guydo can you telle Aye newe and new he gan them so confounde His cruell sworde was so kene grounde That they ne myght in his mortall tene Afore his syght abyde nor sustene Nor the vengeaunce that he on them toke For where he rode the weye they forsoke In his trase the renges were so redde Of them in soth that in the fielde lay dead For whiche slaughte and confusyowne The grekes new sent to the towne ¶ For a trewse to Pryamus the kyng And he anone graunted their axynge For two monthes fully by the assent Of all the lordes of his parlement Wherof they made full relacion ¶ The enbassadours to Agamenon And to their lodgyng after forth they wente ¶ But how that he vnto Achylles sente The meane whyle his messangers wyse So as I can I shall anone deuyse AGamenon as Guydo lyste endyte His lordes sent Achylles to vysyte For certayne causes lyke as ye shall here Whiche in the storye be rehersed here And with Vlixes and worthy Diomede ¶ Duke Nestor wente playnely as I reade To fyne onely by their counsellyng Into his herte that they myght brynge And endure hym to haue a fantasye To be wyllynge thorugh his chyualrye With them to stande as he hath do toforne That haue so many of Troye men ylorne For lacke onely of his hygh presence ¶ And Achylles with dygne reuerence Receyued them and with right knightly chere And
after that whan they were set yfeare Lyke theyr degree anone in aduenture ¶ Whyle Vlixes full of eloquence Gan his tale prudently deuyse ¶ To Achylles saying in this wise ¶ Syr Achylles moste renowned of glorye Throughout the worlde to be in memorye And of his knyghthode very shoures and wel Displease it not now that I shall tell To your noble famous excellence Nor to your eares let be none offence That I shall say but of goodlyhead Pacyently that ye wyll take hede To my wordes sayd of herte and thought I you ensure for I fayne noughte This to saye yf ye remembre wel The fyrst cause and purpose euery dell Of the grekes yf ye haue mencyon Was fully sette by one entencyon As well of you as of vs pardye Whan we come fyrst to this citye Kynges prynces I except none Of whiche in soth to recken euerychone Your selfe was to speake in speciall One of the fyrst and moste pryncypall Assented full how Troye the Cite Through our manhode destroyed shulde be Perpetually brought vnto ruyne But nowe of newe I note what doth enclyne Your worthynesse sodeynly to varye And to our purpose for to be contrarye ¶ Consyder fyrst of you that be so sage The wronges done and the great damage In grekes lande of them of the towne Conspyryng aye to our destructiowne If ye aduerte wysely in your thought That slayne haue and to an ende brought Full many worthy syth gone full yore And of treasour that no man may restore Dispoyled vs and brought in great distresse Our goodes raught our golde our rychesse â–ª Our shyppes brent through their cruelte And to all this alas ye lyste not se Now that they be whiche may not be delayed Through your manhode fynally outtrayed Sith ye haue slaine their hope their suffisauÌ„ce ¶ Hector in whom was all their affyaunce Fully their truste and diffence also ¶ And Deyphobus 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 flouteth In his worshyp and your high renowne Atteyned hath the exaltaciowne And hyghest prycke of fortunes whele It were great wronge and ye loke wele Of wylfulnes for to be vnkynde To her that ye so frendly to you fynde Or to be frowarde whyle she is benynge By influence graciously to assygne Her spoukes meue vnto your pleasaunce And hap to tourne w t plente on your chaunce After whose helpe you nedeth not to calle ¶ Wherfore alas why wyll ye suffer palle Your noble fame of very wylfulnesse Whyle it is hyest in his worthynesse Your knyghtly prudence it shulde not asterte Of whiche thynge euery gentyll herte Shulde haue routhe and compassyon Wherfore we praye of â—iscrecyon 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 worlde ende Reported be where so that men wende Perpetually by freshenesse of hewe Day by day to encrease newe That the tryumphe of this hygh victorye Be put in storye and eke in memorye And so enprynted that foryetfulnesse No power haue by malys to oppresse Your fame in knyghthode derke or difface That shyneth yet so clere in many place Without Eclypsyng sothly this no lesse Whiche to conserne ye be now reckelesse Of wylfulnesse to cloude so the lyght Of your renowne y e whylom shone so bryght Your myghty hande of manhode to w tdrawe Consyder fyrst how grekes are yslawe Tofore your tent w t mortal woundes wyde Through out the fyelde vpon euery syde And haue disdayne onely for lacke of routhe Alas the whyle for a lyttle slouthe To ley to honde in their mischyefe at all That whylom were their stroÌ„ge mighty wall Their chiefe diffence and their champiowne Souerayne helpe and protectiowne For whom ye haue so ofte shedde your bloud Agayne their foen with them whan he stode Full myghtely their enmyes to assayle Without whom they lyttell may auayle In very soth ne none of vs echone But ye of knyghthode lyste with vs to gone Agayne Troyans as ye were wont to do And is our trust and fynall hope also That ye shall helpe and our socour be ¶ And hereupon we praye you that ye Saye your aduyce and your full wyll ¶ And than anone the hardy fyerse Achylle Whan Vlixes concluded had his tale Sith a face for anger dead and pale Sayde euen thus all openly and playne Sir Vlixes if so ryght as ye sayne And haue declared in conclusyon That our purpose and entensyon Was fynally to brenne and destroye This royall citie that is called Troye I holde in soth me lyketh not to lye That our entent was grounded on folye To put vs all through indiscrecion Of reckleshede and hasty mocyon Of lyfe and death in suche ieopardye And specyally in all the Chiualrye Of grekes lande for so smale a thynge So many prynce and so many worthy kyng That haue ieoparted their body their good Yloste their lyfe and yspent their bloud Which might haue be ful well at home iÌ„ peace ¶ And is not nowe the kyng Pallamydes Yslawe also as who sayth but of newe That was so wise so manly and so trewe Of whom the lyfe was of more pryce alone Than the cause for whiche that we echone Be gathered here who so loke a ryght And of grekes many a noble knyght That haue be slayne both of the worthyest The worlde to seke and the manlyest For out of euery lande and regyowne On grekes partye and with them of y e towne Of chyualry knighthod y e soueraine floure To wynne in arme worshippe and honour Assembled be and come fro so ferre Of whiche in soth by duresse of this werre Full many one in the fyelde is dead And veryly without any drede There shall well mo if the werre laste Fro euery day the numbre lasseth faste Of worthy knyghtes dede without routh That I dare saye and conclude of trouth In this rage furyous and wood Full lykely is that all the gentyl bloude Through out this worlde shall destroyed be And rural folke and that were great pyty Shall haue lordshyp and hooly gouernaunce And Churles eke with sorowe mischaunce In euery londe shall lordes be alone Whan gentyll men slayne be echone ¶ Is not Hector that was so noble a knight That was this worldes very sonne and light Of manhode floure slayne pyteously In this werte in soth and so myghty I. Parauenture whiche may not attayne To his noblesse if I shall not fayne For by what way shall we the death eschewe With all our myght if we it pursewe Fro day to daye whyle that we lye here Therfore shortely me for to requere Touchynge the werre outher for to praye Is but in veyne and herken what I saye I wyll not purpose in this werre or stryfe For to ieoparte any more my lyfe
For leuer I haue that Palled be my name Than for to be slayne and haue an ydle fame For worthinesse after death yblowe Is but a wynde and lasteth but a throwe For though renowne and prise be blowe wide Foryetfulnesse leyth it ofte asyde By length of yeres and oblyuion Through enuye and false conclusyon The lande of knyghthode and of worthynesse Of wysedome eke and of gentylnesse Fredam bounte vertue and suche grace Foryetfulnesse can darke and defface And therwithall males and enuye Ysered hath the palme of Chyualrye By false reporte wherfore I saye for me I wyll of wysedome suche folye let be And in quyet forth my lyfe nowe lede ¶ And ouer this to you three I rede To seke peace with Troyans if ye may In hasty wyse without more delaye This my counsayle platly to you all Or that myschyefe of death vpon you fall It were well done that ye toke hede ¶ Both Vlixes and thou Dyomede ¶ And Nestor eke sythen ye be wyse To worke playnely lyke as I deuyse This the summe and fyne of myne entent And so reporteth to hym that hath you sent And they anone with shorte conclusyon ¶ Repeyred be to Agamenon With such answere as ye haue herde me seine It nedeth not to wryte it newe againe ¶ And herevpon kynge Agamenon Let make anone a conuocasyon Of his lordes and in their presence Fro poynt to poynt sothly in sentence He hath rehersed how that Achylles Was desyrous for to haue a peace With them of Troye and platly how that he For no prayer wyll in no degree Agayne Troians with spere nor with shelde In helpe of grekes be armed in the felde Wherfore the kynge as he that was ful wise Hereupon axed their deuyse And whan them thought what best for to do In this matter syth it stode so ¶ And fyrste of all speaketh Menelay With angry chere and sayde platly nay To haue a peace it was not his entent Ne that he wolde therto be of assent Sythen the Cyte in conclusion Stode on the prycke of his distruction NOw that Hector Deiphobê° were dead y t whylom were their trust in euery nede And their diffence but now they are ago Farewell their truste and their hope also Without more and all their hole pryde They maye not now but after death abyde ¶ And truste well without any lesse Though it so be that this Achylles Ne helpe vs not towarde our empryse We therof not drede in no maner wyse Without hym for to haue victorye By our manhode and our owne glorye I am full sure therof and certayne But Vlixes gan replye agayne Nestor also of sodayne mocyon Contrayre was to his opynyon Affyrmynge playnely that no wonder was Though Menelay sothly in this case Vnto the peace wolde not assent For openly they wyste what he ment For he was ground and roote of al the werre And cause also they come were so ferre Out of their lande he and the quene Heleyne ¶ And for the sake onely of them tweyne The grekes all whiche no man may denye Their lyues put in suche ieopardye For hym and her if the grounde be soughte For well they wyste that he rought nought This Menelay what wo they endure So he his wyfe myght agayne recure ¶ And where he sayth that Hector is dead He hath an heyre to speake of manlyhead And of knyghthode as it wyll be founde And called is Hector the seconde ¶ Worthy Troylus whiche y t is his brother In all this worlde is not suche an other Of worthynesse for to recken all For he of Troye is the myghty wall ¶ And diffence now Hector is a gone Ye knowe it well your selfe euerychone If it so be that ye lyste take hede Whose sharpe sworde sore doth vs blede Euery day in his furyous hete Amyd the fyelde whan we with hym mete And in stede of worthy Deiphobus Whiche in his tyme was wonderly famous ¶ His brother Parys is nowe founde at all In worthynesse of knyghthode perygall So that of them we haue none auauntage Vnto this houre but rather great damage To recken all syth we be gonne This very soth we but lyttle wonne But we are lykely alwaye more to lese If we contune but syth we may chese It were holsome to lyue in quyet To haue a peace and this werre lete By one assent syth ye be wyse ANd with y t worde Calchas gan to ryse The Troyan treytour w t a pale chere For very Ire and sayde as ye shall here ¶ A worthy prynces what thynke ye to done To chaunge so lyke as doth the moone Your olde purpose and your fyrst entent Agayne the wyll and commaundement Of the godder that euery thynge gouerne By purueyaunce who so can discerne Alas alss why ne wyll ye at the leste Credence and fayth geue to theyr heste Whiche in no wyse may not be fallyble For in soth it were an impossyble Vtterly but Troye the citye Of ordynaunce and necessytye Myght be destroyed hense but alyte If your slouth be it not to wyte So that victorye worshyp and honour And fynall palme eke of this labour To be reported on water and on lande Reserued be hooly to your hande In your purpose yf ye forth contune And hynder not of foly your fortune This in soth I dare it well conclude And peryllous is the goddes to yllude Of neclygence or slouth wylfully Wherfore I read that now manfully Of herte and thought and of full vnyte Platly deuoydyng ambyguyte To set vpon and knyghtly to resume Your force agayne fully to consume Your cruell foen and let be shet without Wanhope and drede dispeyre euery doubte Castyng of parrell slouth and cowardyse And let manhode vtterly dispyse All dread of death that causeth hertes feynt With cowardyse and to be atteynt That fynally as goddes haue be hyght Through prescyence of their eternall might To victorye that ye shall attayne Lyke your desyre there is no more to sayne ¶ And whan Calchas in conclusyowne This false treytour vnto Troye towne The grekes had through his wordes fayre Touchynge the werre put out of dyspayre Of herte all one they caste them to fulfyll Hooly his counsayle though so that Achylle Be frowarde aye to helpe them in their nede They gaue no force nor toke of it no hede But euerychone they them redy make As ye shall here the fielde in haste to take THe trewes passed of y e monthes twayne Into y e felde Grekê gan theim ordayne And they of Troye agayne theim yssue oute ¶ And worthy Troylus with an huge route The Grekes gan alderfirste assayle And with his swerde he made for to rayle The red bloud through their harneys bright That as the death they fled fro his syght For he that daye thrugh his cruelte Caste him platly auenged for to be Vpon the death of Hector vtterly ¶ And as Dares wryteth specyally A M. knightes this Troyan champyowne That day hath slayne rydyng vp and downe ¶ As
knyghtes all So secretly no man myght espye And trayterously he gan hym for to hye Vpon the walles the selfe same nyght And towarde grekes gan to shewe a lyght Where as they laye tofore Tenedowne Redy armed to falle vpon the towne And whan they had this sodayne light espyed On horse backe anone they haue them hyed Towarde Troye armed clene at all And in they went by the same walle Whyche for the horse was but late broke And mortally for to be a wroke The knyghtes eke in the stede of brasse Haue with them met a full sterne pace And gan anone throughout the Citye On euery halfe for to kylle and slea With bloudy sworde vpon euery syde And made their woundes brode large wide Whyle they alas no thinge aduertynge At mydnight houre abedde lay slepynge Full innocent and thought not be good All forbathed in their owne bloude Bothe man and childe without exception The grekes sparynge no condicyon Of olde nor yonge woman wyfe nor mayde ¶ That with the crye Pryamus abrayde Out of his slepe and sodeynely awoke Whiche laye all nyght and no hede ne toke Of the slaughter nor murther in the towne ¶ But tho he wiste that there was treasowne Falsely compassed vnto his cytee By Anthenor and also by Enee Of whose malys he was no more in doubte For the venym was now taken oute And now the galle of conspyracion That vnder sugre of symulacion Hath so longe closed be and hyd In dede is nowe execute and kyd And nowe the fraude fully of treason The castes also of false collusyon Be raked out and abrode yblowe And the auctours openly yknowe ¶ Now hath enuye and contryued hate Of their engyne sette abrode the gate Now hate deceyte and olde conspyracye And fayned othes all of one allye All openly shewed theyr falsenesse And disclosed all their doublenesse So farre abrode that nowe is there no geyne For nowe alas the wylde fyre is seyne In towers hye with the wynde yblased Wherof Pryam astoned and amased All awaped sterte out of his bedde And comfortelesse to the temple is fledde Of Apollo to saue hym yf he myght And aye the flawme of the fyres bryght Brent in the towne and consumeth all The ryche byldynge whylom so royall That the walles with the rofes huge Couered with lede for a chyefe refuge Were now alas bare and bareyne makyd The grekes aye with their swordes naked Murdre and slea where so that they go That twenty thousande they y t nyght and mo There kylled haue longe or it was day And in this slaughter and this great affraye Spoyle and robbe and take what they finde Treasour and good and lefte not behynde By myghty hande and sturdy vyolence And the temples without reuerence They haue despoiled throughout al the town And gredely rent and raced downe Of golde and syluer the ornamentes all Tofore the goddes foule mote them fall ¶ Kynge Pryam aye with a deadly chere To Apollo makyng his prayer Furyously this deadly wofull man As he in soth that no reade ne can BVt wayte his death his fatall eure And Cassandra that holy creature Of inwarde wo desyrous to sterue Complaynynge hyed vnto Mynerue Makynge to her a lamentaciowne With other gentyll women of the towne And there alas as they wolden dye Full pyteously they sobbe wepe and crye And in their dole there I lette them dwelle For all there sorowes if I shulde do telle In this storye and theyr wo discryue My dulled penne of ruthe shulde also rite riue ¶ Rehersynge eke howe in euery strete Their clothes blacke redy moyste and wete As they alas both in one and all On their lordes downe aswone fall With their bloude be dewed and ysprent Where men may see the crystall teares meynt Of their wepynge in their woundes grene That laye and blede agayne the sonne shene With deadly eyen castynge vp the whyte It were but vayne their wofull case to wryte Nor the maner of their mortall sorowe ¶ But Guydo wryt that the same morowe How Anthenor and with him false Euee Conueyed haue throughout the cyte The myghty Grekes vnto Ilyon The royall toure and ryche mansyon That whylom was of most excellence In the whiche they founde as tho no dyffence Of hyghe nor lowe nor of none estate For it was lefte alone all desolate With all the golde and rychesse of the towne Shet and enclosed in the chyefe dongeowne But there was no man that withstode They brake the lockes raught away y e good And the treasure that was shet within Eche for his partie that he might wyn They gaue no force who was lyfe or loth ¶ And Pirrhus after to the temple goth Of Appollo by great cruelte And fell on Pryam knelyng on his kne And with his sworde furyously and wood Tofore the aulter shadde there his bloud So hye raught both in length and brede What the streames of his woundes redde That the statute of golde borned bryght Of this Apollo for all his great might For all his power and his sterne face Defouled was and pollut all the place Onely by death of this worthy kynge By Pirrhus slaine while he lay knelynge Of olde hatred and olde enuyous pryde Whyle Anthenor and Enee stode besyde That routhe was and pytye to beholde To se him lye on the stones colde So pyteously tofore the aulter blede Wherof alas when Hecuba toke hede And her fayre doughter Polycene With heire to rent as any golde wyer shene Inly supprysed with sorowe to the herte When they began consider and aduerte The noble kinge with bloudy streames red All for drowned his eyen derke and dead With Pirrhus sword girte thrugh outher side For mortall feare they durst not abyde But inwardly through darted with the sight All in a rage toke them to the flyghte And yet in so the through out the Cite They wyste neuer whytherwarde to flee Rescuse was none nor no remedye Of kynne nor friende nor of none allye With grekes sworde the towne was so be sette And in her flight this wofull quene hath met Eneas causer of all this wrake Vnto whom rebukynge thus he spake Oh thou traytour most malycious Thou false serpent adder enuyous Croppe and roote fynder of falsenesse Soures and well of vnkyndenesse How myghtest thou in thy hande fynde Vnto thy kynge to be so vnkynde Gynner and grounde example of treason And fynall cause of our destruction How myghtest thou deuoyde of all pytye Beholdynge alas through thy cruelte Of the kynge shedde so the bloude That euer hath byn so gentyll and so good So gracious lorde specially to the. And ouermore throughe his highe bounte They honoured and ymagnefyed All his lyfe it may not be denyed That lyeth now dead in the temple alas Thou were not onely traytour in this case But to his death conspyrynge and vnkynde Pirrhus conueying where he shuld him finde Tofore Apollo myddes of this cyte Where thou shuldest of very duetye Rather haue byn his