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
to entreate Of all the werre and to tellen you the great THe time nigheth after this as yore The breme wynter with his trostê hore Gan to aswage of his bitter colde Whan Apollo passed was the holde Of the sygne that we call Aquarye And in the fyshe fer in Februarye Yronne was toward the Ariete And that season with his feynte heate On hylles high gan his beames smyte Makyng the snowe with fayre flakes white Into water kyndely to relente Whych from aboue to the valey wente That nere floudes of the sodayne thowe The grene mede gan to ouerflowe And the yse gan sâ—oundmele destyll Downe fro the hight the brokes for to fyll With fomy streames of the wawes smale By broke bankes as they did auale When lusty Vere with his yonge grene Yrecomforted by the sonne shene Which lytel and litel his hewes styl ameÌ„deth Ayein his sphere as Titan vp ascendeth Whan Marche approcheth brauÌ„ches ouer all Gan blowe out and Equinoctiall Of Vere is halowed the season amerous Whan the Grekes proude and couragious With hole the floure of the chiualrye Assembled were and hooly theyr nauye In the hauen that was most of fame And of Athenes that tyme bare the name Ygathered was by assent echone Towadre Troye to sayle and to gone So great a nomber that sith the world begaÌ„ Is remembred of no maner man That togyther in one companye Was met yfeare so passyng a nauye Of manly men who so lyst take hede In this storye as ye shall after rede And by and by to make descripcion ¶ Mine auctour telleth howe Agamemnon The worthi king an hondred shippê brought With worthy knightes stuffed as theÌ„ ought ¶ And Menelay on whom lay most y e charge Hath w t him brought syxty shippes large Out of his land that called is Sperten ¶ And from Boece ful of manly men Came fifty shippes y e story telleth thus With Prothenor and with Achelaus ¶ And from the land called Sithemenye Came syxty shippes in the companye Of the Duke that hyght Achalaphus With whoÌ„ was eke freshe and desyrous Helmyus the Erle the worthy knyght ¶ And fyfty shippes enarmed for to fyght With him brought the kyng Epistrophus Onely with helpe of king Thedius ¶ And Thelamon whom Ayax men call Ful renowmed for to reken all Hath fifty shippes brought to his Iourney From Salerne his royall chefe Citye With Earles Dukes many worthy knight Eueryche of theim in stele armed bryght ¶ And Duke Tenter with Amphiacus Earle Daryon and noble Theseus This ylke foure full worthy of renowne In this voyage came with Thelamowne ¶ And olde Nestor cruel of hert thought Out of Pylon hath fyfty shippes brought ¶ The kinge of Dyames y t full worthy was And eke the kinge that hight also Thoas Brought with theim in theyr companye An hundred shippes knightlye for to guye ¶ And Thelamou ycalled Pyleus That was in armes fell and dâ—spytous With him brought from his lande so ferre Sixe and thyrty shippes for the werre ¶ Amphymacus and kinge Polibete Thyrty shippes brought to the flete From Calcedoyne and MereoÌ„ the kinge With Ydameus had in theyr ledinge Foure score shippes with theym out of Crete ¶ And Vlixes with the grekes dyd mete with fyfty shyppes stuffed out of Trace Towardes Troye proudly for to pace ¶ Duke Mellens full of manly men Brought eke with hym great shyppes ten And moreouer the duke Prothecatus ¶ And the duke named Prothesylaus To the hauen that called was Athene Brought fyfty shyppê enarmed bright shene From Phylyarcha the stronge myghtye yle ¶ And Machaon as Guydo doth compyle With his brother Polydris also From their countrey Trycionyco Brought two and twenty shippes as I finde ¶ And from Phyces as it is had in mynde With Achilles came fyfty full by numbre ¶ And from Rhodon Troyans to encombre Came twenty shyppes w t kyng Thelapolus ¶ And with the duke that hyght Antipus Out of the lande that Hesyda men call Of whiche the folke be nyghe cherles all With sayle crossed agayne the bryght heauen In numbre came shyppes eke elleuen And with them was of name full famous The worthy duke called Amphymacus ¶ And Polibethes the stronge myghty kyng Fyfty shyppes brought at his coÌ„mynge Out of Richa the noble regiowne And with this kyng full worthy of renowne Was Latnisus the duke eke as I rede ¶ And as I fynde the noble Diomede Of shyppes great I saye no small barge Hath w t him brought fro Calidonye Arge Fourescore in numbre sothly this no tale ¶ And Thelemus and myghty Euryale Two manly men and in armes sage With Dyomede came in this voyage ¶ And Polyphebus brought shippes seuen And Phyneus the hardy kynge enleuen ¶ And Prothoylus as I can specifye Brought fyfty shyppes vnto this nauye Fro Demenesa the myghtye regyon ¶ And Carpenor as made is mencion Brought fyfty eke from Capadye his couÌ„trey A great prouynce of whiche king was he ¶ Tricorius of Beysa lorde and kynge Brought two and twenty eke in his coÌ„myng And fynally if I shall not lye Full many shyppe was in this nauye Mo than Guydo maketh rehersayle Towarde Troye with grekes for to sayle For as Homer in his discrypcion Of grekes shyppes maketh mencion Shortly affyrmyng y e man was neuer borne That such a nombre of shippes sawe toforne Countyng the shyppes that Palamydes Brought with him their nombre to encrease That whan these lordes aforsayd euerychone Kynges dukes and erles all in one Assembled were without any wene Afore the hauen that called is Athene THe famous kynge great Agamenowne So wyse so worthy of so hye renown As he that was Prynce and gouernour Of grekes hooste anone dyd his labour His busy cure and waker dylygence By hyghe aduyse and inwarde prouydence To deliberate wisely in this nede What were to do or that he procede In this matter castyng vp and downe And reuoluynge of hygh discreciowne That he may so begyn that the ende Conclude well that wylfulnesse ne shende Hooly their purpose through no rakelnesse Ne through none haste without auysenesse So that they may afore so wysely see That fynally they in felicitye Accomplyshe may their purpose in certayne ¶ And so this king vpon a large playne Out of the Citie lyttle from the stronde With his lordes wyll for nothyng wonde To haue counsaile this wyse Agamenon Makyng anone a conuocacyon Of suche as were more great inspeciall He syttyng fyrste in his see royall And his lordes eueryche in his see Lyke as they were of hye or lowe degree And all Tumulte stynted and scylence Was through y e prese to gyne hym audyence Whan he anone in full sobre wyse Began his tale as I shall deuyse SYres quod he I praye you taketh hede That be so noble and so renowmede Both of wysedome and of worthinesse Of manhode eke and of hyghe prowesse That of knyghthode the reporte the fame Thrughout y e world rebouÌ„deth to your name
To anul his tytle that he not succede Him to preserue that he were not shent Kinge Taltibus with power hath him sente Ful secretly out of that countree Vnto a kinge called Ydume That helde his sceptre and his royall sete Full mightely in the lande of Crete And Carkasis named was the quene That had a doughter called eke Climene Borne to be heyre of that regyon And as it is made eke mencyon This Horestes to reken all thynge Was with the quene and also with the kinge Cherished as well the storye can you lere As Climena theyr owne doughter deare And was eke kepte and had in cherte Fro poynt to poynt lyke to his degre With attendaunce conuenyent and dewe To his estate that euer vpon him sewe Of such as were most experte and sage To gouerne him tyll he came to age To reioyce if god gaue him might His heritage to whych he had right By clere discent if happy were his chaunce Thus leue I him vnder gouernaunce The yonge sonne of Agamenon For I must make a dygressyon Fro this matter and tell of Diomede The auentures in Guydo as I rede His wofull fate and his paynes smerte The whych alas he might not asterte As is remembred playnly in writynge That Oetes sonne of the riche kinge Called Naulus as ye haue herde toforne Such heuynesse in his herte hath borne Vnto Grekes repeyringe home fro Troye That his lust and his inwarde ioye Was them to hyndre both high and lowe And cause why to you it is vnknowe To them he was so passynge enuyous In will and thought ylyke desyrous If he might sothly this no les The death to venge of Pallamides Lyke as tofore the storye can deuyse To you that be so prudent and so wyse And how Oetes now of malice wrought And trayterously new meane sought If he might by any maner waye Diomedes vnwarely to destroye Of all this thinge I cast not to fayle Ceryously to make rehersayle IN Grece was a kingedome wide large Coniunct in one Calidonye and Arge Full habundaunt of rychesse and of rente Of which the kinge called was Pollente A worthy man and of noble fame And had a sonne Assandrus was his name And a doughter passinge fayre of syght And sothly Egra I finde that she hyght And for her father like as wryte Guydo Had no mo but these children two For them he hath of wisedome so prouided This mighty reygne for to be deuyded Atwene theim two after his decease Eche with his parte for to lyue in peace To exclude them fro indigence or nede And she was wyfe vnto Diomede Albe tofore the storye of him sayde That he whilom loued one Crysayde I can not saye where it was doubilnesse But well wote I Guydo beareth wytnesse And in his boke sothly sayth none other And how Assandrus his owne wiues brother Full lusty freshe and ful of manlyhead To Troye went with this Dyomede But in the sea fordriuen vp so downe They riued vp in the regyon Called Boece all disconsolate With tempest driue wery and full mate Them to refreshe and for none other thinge In which lande Thelephus was kinge Of whose riuayle whan he herde sayne In his herte he had high disdayne That they were bolde to do so great offence To entre his grounde hauinge no licence And yet in sothe they did no domage To high nor lowe of no maner age Nor toke nought that might disauayle Vnto that lande but it were vytayle For which they payde iustly at the fine For fleshe and fyshe and for bread and wine Yet for all that of indignaciowne Kinge Thelaphus is descended downe With great array to harme thē if he might And so they gan to bicker and to fight And Assandrus full of high prowesse Like a Lion his fomen gan oppresse And wonder knyghtly the felde vpen thē wā And slewe that daye many worthy man Of hygh courage and of manly pryde And when the kinge whiche that stode asyde Sawe his men slayne on euery parte Of hygh dysdayne hent anone a darte And caste at hym alas the mortall fate And perced hathe through mayles through plate Of Assandrus that he fel downe dead The soyle about of his bloud all redde His deadly wounde so began to blede And wood as Tygre tho came Dyomede And hym to auenge bare hym lyke a knyght Sleeth and kylleth and put them vnto flight And after that such sorowe gan to make Of knyghtly routh for his brothers sake That he ne wyst what was best to do But as I finde myd of all his wo From beast and foule the dead corps to saue Like his estate he let make a graue And buryed hym after rites olde ¶ But Oetes to his syster tolde That he was slayne by fraude of Dyomede To fyne that he myght full possede The reygne of Arge hole without stryfe Wyth the purpartye annexed to hys wyfe For by his death he myght season take And tolde her eke that she was forsake This fayre Egra for all her womanhead Of her lorde callled Dyomede All this he tolde in hell be he chayned And ouermore he forged hath and fained How of enuye Assandrus lost his lyfe And how her lorde hath take an other wyfe That was to her dyshonour and shame And passyngly great sclaunder to her name In preiudyce ydone of her estate All this he tolde to make them at debate Lyke as he wrote in conclusyon To Clemestra of Agamenon Whych her herte made sore greue For he put her fully in byleue Of all the treason ye haue herde me tolde That for yre she pale was and colde Vnkyndnesse so her herte sleeth And heuynesse of her brothers death For neuer yet Guydo doth assure No woman loued better a creature Than she loued hym in no maner age For fyrst at nought she set her herytage In comparyson of her brothers lyfe Lo how Oetes made a newe stryfe As ye haue herde in the storye rede That gyltles worthy Dyomede When he hath longe at the syege layne And to his kingdom would haue come agayn By migyhty hande of this worthy quene And her lyeges that assented bene He was exyled out of that regyon There may be made no medyacyon Thus in him selfe mate and dyspeyred Dysconsolate he is agayne repeyred To Salerne a londe of great rychesse Where that Tenter through his worthynesse Wyth crowne Sceptre had reygned longe Wyth hys lyeges and hys knyghtes stronge And brother was to Ayax Thelamon Murdred tofore as made is mencyon And Dyomede pore and destytute Maye in Salerne fynde no refute For whan Tenter first gan him espye He sewed hym by full great enuye Hauynge to hym aye suspection Touchynge the death of kynge Thelamon ¶ But Dyomede on a certayne nyghte Full secretely hath taken him to flyght And fro Salerne fast gan hym hye In hope to fynde better remedye Helpe or socour in some other place If fortune wolde graunte hym grace For of hym selfe ashamed
after sewe And where a man might his fate eschewe And of all this like to mine entent I had aunswere full conuenient Saue what befalleth when a soule is gone Diffinicion vnto me was none Such thinge to assoyle accordeth not to right It is reserued vnto goddes myght And excedeth reason and wyt of man And fro thense forth to sayle I gan Driuen with wynde and no parte succoured Where I was lyke to haue be deuoured ¶ Of Karibdes with his profounde well Where Syrines Meremaydens dwell That fro the brest with scales siluer shene Be of theyr shape fishes freshe and clene And ouermore kinde doth compasse Them to appeare feminine of face Like virgins that were of nature Without spot vndefouled pure And of custome in wawes as they flete The songe of them is so heauenly swete So aungelike and full of armonye That veryly the sugred melodye Rauishe would any man alyue Of inly ioye almost his herte ryue Make a man of sodayne high pleasaunce Forget him selfe and lese his remembraunce Deuoyde him clene from his owne thought Tyl vnwarely he be to mischiefe brought And with theyr songe or he take kepe He shall be brought in a mortall slepe And they anone yt maye not be withdrawe Wil drenche his shippe lowe vnder the wawe Thus the swetenesse of theyr heauenly sowne Bringeth a man to confusyon Who so euer by theyr bondes passe ¶ But with the lyfe I scaped by grace For mine eares with waxe and gommes clere Were stopped so that I ne might heare Touche nor werble of theyr instrumentes Wherby the reason of a man blinded is And fynally through my subtyltee I and my men be escaped free Saylinge forth all mate of werinesse Till we came vp with full great distresse ¶ At Phenice and toke anone the lande Caste anker and our shippes bande But sothly there it fell vs full vnfayre ¶ For the people cruell and contrayre Onely of malice fell on me anone And slewe my men almost euerychone Treasour and good litell that I had Was me berafte all with thē they ladde And fewe of theim that were lefte alone They toke theim and put in prison bliue Thus hath fortune lad me on her daunce With litell ioye and plentye of mischaunce Of whose daunger learned and experte I am fall in mischiefe and pouerte And with great dole and sorowe full my brest On sea and land by South and not by East I am come vnto your presence And haue declared playnly in sentence Min auentures to your worthinesse Of truste onely and of faythfulnesse That I haue to you in specyall And now I haue rehersed and tolde all To your hyghnesse and my best wyse Without more to me it doth suffyse And though in herte he was constrayned sore Thilke time Vlixes spake no more But helde his peace ful heuy in lokinge ¶ And Ydumeus like a gentyll kinge Comforted him all that euer he might And busy was his herte for to light And him besought his heuinesse lete And as longe as hym lyst in Crete With him abide he made him suerte He should fare also as wel as he And not wante of what maye do him ease And when his sorowe some what gan apease That his rage drewe vnto an ende Leue he toke and sayde he would wende Out of that lande home to his countre ¶ But fyrst the kinge of fredome and bounte Gaue vnto hym great rychesse and arraye And what soeuer was to his paye Golde treasour and many other thinges And at partynge of these two kynges There were shippes when you list to sayle Redy stuffed with meyne and vitayle And thus Vlixes gan him redy make And when he hath his leue fully take He hasted him and toke anone the sea And gan to sayle towarde his countre But fyrste he wente to kinge Alphenon Whych passingly had affeccion To se Vlixes at his home comynge And desyrous ouer all thynge To haue of him newly acqueyntaunce For vnto him was inly great plesaunce To heare him talke for his eloquence For his wisedome and his high prudence And there he was after all his smerte Receyued playnly with as glad an herte As euer yet was any maner man Sithen tyme that the worlde began ¶ And to encrease of his felycyte There herde me first of Penolopee His trewe wife without spot of blame Of whom yet grene is the noble fame Which from her lorde for all his longe absēce In thought nor dede neuer did offence But sothly was both in chere and dede Throughout Grece example of womanhede And yet was she as bokes lyst expresse Throughout y e world myrrour of fayrenesse And amonge Grekes borne of hyest blode Called of Auctours both fayre and good And yet saye bokes of her doubtles Was neuer none that had so great prese But she her kepte chaunginge for no newe Vnto her lorde euer ylyke trewe Of herte aye one not parted into twayne That she is called quene and soueraygne Of wifely trouthe in this bokes olde And ofte I finde her herte would colde She tourne pale fro her lorde so ferre In her closet to heare of the werre Of dread she had and for feare eke quake Of fantasyes for her lordes sake For his absence both eue and morowe Was death vnto her and importable sorowe And aye in sothe for ioye or any game When it fell she herde Hectors name In any place anone she fell a swowne And gan her selfe in teares drowne Of womanhead so she was aferde To heare the slaughter of his mortall swerde Lest her lorde of knyghtly surquedrye Had of fortune fall in ieopardye Of had or sorte to a mette that worthy knight That seld or neuer she felte her herte lyght And many dreame on nightes did her gaste All the while that the siege laste And euery playe was venym in her syght When that she was from her owne knight For in this worlde ioye had she none Of high nor lowe playnly but of one For whose sake all myrth she refuseth And who so be that in his herte museth Of any woman any thinge but good Of melancolye meued in his bloud Let him aduerte of wysedome and ysee And remembre on Penolope For his deserte lest that he be blamed And oh Guido thou shouldest be ashamed To saye of wiues any thinge but wele For in good fayth as ferre as I can fele Though one or two do amonge offence She that is good through her prouidence Is therof nothinge for to wite And though Guydo in his bokes endite ¶ The varyaunce of Heleyne or Criseyde ¶ Or Medea that for sorowe deyde Let the agayne of ryght and equyte The wifely trouth of Penolope The maydenhode of yonge Polycene And the goodnesse of Hecuba the quene Of Cassandra eke the stedfastnesse And with all this take the vnkindnesse Of Pantasyll withoute variaunce And put all this togyther in balaunce And ye shal finde if ye lyst accounte Maugre who grutcheth trouth shal surmoūt I dare affirme and beare
coragious And he was called Thelagonyus ¶ Borne in the see amonge the floddes rage That was also to reken his age Fyue and twenty yeres and there aboute ¶ But of hys father he was aye in doute What man he was or who it mighte be Beynge therof in no securytie Tyll on a daye he desyrous to knowe To hys mother fell on knees lowe Beseching her goodly and not spare Of hys father to him the trouthe declare What that he was or where he shuld dwelle He her besought that she woulde hym tell ¶ But sothly she longe and many dayes Of hyghe prudence put hym in delayes Tyll that she sawe she might haue no reste So importune he was in his requeste And whē she knew ther was none other bote Fro poynt to poynt she tolde him crop rote ¶ Of Vlixes and where that he was kynge And he anone made no taryinge But toke leue it may none other be And playnely sayde he wolde hys father se ¶ Wherof the quene gan in her herte colde But when she saw she might him not w tholde She hym besought wyth chere debonayre That he wolde soone agayne to her repayre And forthe he sayleth onwarde on his way Without abode the selfe same day By many porte and many fer countre Tyll he was brought there as he would be ¶ To Achaya a lande of great renowne And he gan serche through out the regyon After the place and paleys pryncypall Where as the kinge helde his see royall And he so longe in the countre rode Tyll he was taught where the kynge abode There Vlixes was shytte vp in mewe To which place in haste he gan pursewe A great party releued of hys sorow And on a monday erely by the morow ¶ Vnto the brydge the ryghteway he toke And foūde a porter deynous of hys loke And lowely fyrste he gan him for to praye That he voutsafe hym goodly to conueye Into the courte and make no taryinge For he a message he hadde to the kynge ¶ But proudely he denyed the gate And shortly sayd that he came to late To entre there in any maner wyse And eke vngoodly gan him to despyse Frowarde of speche and malycyous But in all haste thys Thelagonyus As he that was in heart not a ferde The proude porter hente by the berde And with his fyste rofe his chawe bone That he fell deade muet as a stone And other eke that him tho withstode He made proudely lepe into the flode And whan mo came to maken resistence He hente a swerde by manly vyolence And furyously in hys yrous tene The story sayeth he slewe of them fyftene Hym selfe almoste wounded to death And gan for wery sothly fayle breath And Vlixes what for noyse and sowne To the bridge is descendyd downe Fynding his men at entre of his gate Dead and slayne by full mortall hate And he full yrous hente anone adarte Of auenture standinge tho aparte And cruelly caste at Thelagon But yet the stroke as in conclusyon Domaged not for it glode asyde And he for haste no longer would abyde Hent vp the darte without more arest And smote the king lowe vnder the brest Through the ribbes shortly for to saye That of the wounde he must nedes deye Hauinge as tho no opinion That he was kinge nor suspection Nor that he had his owne father slawe Which fast gan to his ende drawe His wound was so deadly and so kene That he might him selfe not sustene But pale and wan to the grounde gan glide His men about vpon euery syde That busy were to helpe hym and releue But his sore gan so ake and greue That he well felte that he must be dead ¶ But abrayding as he lift vp his head Hauynge as yet both perfect minde reason Remembre gan of his auysyon And how it was tolde him out of dreade That one that was next of his kinrede Descended downe from his owne lyne His sweuen shall parfourme and to the fyne Accomplishe it wyth a darte of stele And for he could naught conceyuen wele What that he was nor who that it shulde be He badde anone vnto his meyne Without harme or any vyolence To do him sette anone vnto his presence The yonge man whych at the gate stode That hath that daye shed so muche bloud ¶ And when he was afore Vlixes brought Of him he hath enquyred out and sought Fyrste of his kyn and next of his countre ¶ Certes quod he I was borne in the sea Amonge fyshes myd the wawes grene And sayde also his mother was a quene Called Circes of whom the name is kouthe Both east and west and eke right fer by south And tolde also his father was a kynge That hym begat at his home comynge Fro Troye towne towarde this countre And as my mother Circes tolde it me Serteinly that he Vlixes hyghte Of whom desyrous for to haue a syghte I entred am this myghty regyon And haue pursewed vnto this dungeon Onely in hope my father to haue seyne But I se well my laboure is in vayne And syth in sothe lost is my trauayle And that it maye in no syde auayle It were folly longer for to dwell Lo here is all that I can you tell Of my kynred aske of me no more ¶ With that Vlixes gan to syghe sore For lacke of bloud as he that was full pale And sayde anone when he herde his tale ¶ Now wot I well my wofull destynye Fulfylled is it maye none other be Now wot I well that it is to late To grutche or stryue agayne my piteous fate ¶ For my sonne as clerkes whilom tolde Hath made an ende of my dayes olde Theron exspectant with paynes full greuous ¶ And with that worde Thelagonius When so he wist agayne natures lawe That he alas had his father slawe Which in y e land longe had borne his crowne Without abode fell anone in swowne ¶ His clothes rente his yelowe heyre to torne ¶ Alas quod he that euer was I borne For cursed is my woful destynye And my fortune which I maye not fle Cursed my sorte cursed min auenture And I refuse of euery creature Forwarryed eke my disposycyon And cursed is my constellacyon Cursed also and full infortunate The houre in which my father me begat So would god without longer reade To acquite him anone that I were dead To laye my life for his death to borowe ¶ And when the kynge sawe his great sorow And wyst he was his sonne of Circes borne By many sygnes rehersed heretoforne He vnto him anone forgaue his death As tho he might for lacke and want of breth So importable was his passyon ¶ And efte his sonne called Thelamon Whyche hath in prison so many daye be shet To his presence in all haste was fet Which when he sawe his father in suche poynt Wpon his death standynge in disioynt And knewe also and the trouthe hath founde By whom he had his last deadly
wounde A sworde he hente and mortally yrous Woulde tho haue ronne on Thelagonius Of hygh despyte auenged for to be ¶ But Vlixes of fatherly pytye Made his men holde and restrayne And amyd of all his greuous payne By his prudence and that was done anone He made his sonnes for to be all one ¶ And gaue in charge vnto Thelamon Of enterenesse and affection And of hole herte fayned neuer adele All his life loued his brother wele To parte with him treasour golde and good As to the next borne of all his bloud And tho in sothe it was no longer taryed That Vlixes full royally was caryed Of all Achaya to the chyefe cyte Where after that he liued dayes thre Without more and tho gaue vp the goost I can not saye playnly to what cost After this lyfe that his soule is gone But in a tumbe of metall and of stone The body was closed and yshet And after that there made was no let That Thelamon wyth great solempnytye Ycrowned was in his fathers see Sworde and Sceptre delyuered to his hand Of all Achaya a ryche and worthy lande Ryght habundaunt of treasour and of golde And Thelagon wyth hym there abode A yeare complete well cheryshed in his syght And of his brother toke ordre of a knygt And for him list no longer there abyde The kynge for him wysely gan prouyde That he with golde and of treasure plente Repeyred is home to his countre ¶ And his mother of age wexen sadde Of his repeyre passyngly was gladde As she that sawe by her sorcerye He scaped was many ieopardye Many peryll and many great dystresse And after that she fell into sycknesse And her dette yelde as vnto nature The whych escape maye no maner creature In all this worlde that is here lyuynge After whose death her son was crowned king Of Aulydos the meruaylous countre As I haue tolde enclosed with a sea Amonge rockes where many shippes drowne And sixtye yere there he bare his crowne This manly man this Thelagonins And his brother Thelamonius Reygned also in his regyon Seuentye wynter as made is mencyon And after that they made a royall ende And both two to Iubiter they wende To reygne there amonge the sterres bryght BVt now the lanterne and the clere lyght Is wasted out of Frygyus Darete Whylom of Troye wryter and Poete Guyde haue I none further for to passe For euen here in this selfe place He fytched hath the boundes of his style At the syege he present all the whyle And aye in one wyth them did abyde Dites the Greke on the tother syde And both two as in theyr wrytynge Ne varye not but in a lytell thynge Touchynge matter as in specyall That is notable or hystoryall I do no force of incydentes smale Of whych in sothe is but lytell tale ¶ Saue this Dites maketh mencyon Of the nombre slayne tofore the towne Lastynge the syege afferminge out of dreade Eyghte hundred thousande six weren deade On Grekes syde vp ryght in the fyelde And as Dares also there behelde On Troye partye in the werre kene Six hundred thousande seuentye and syxtene Were slayne there in Guydo ye maye se With theym that came in helpe to the Citye Fro many coste and many regyowne In diffence and rescues of the towne ¶ And full ten yere so as I can caste And sixe monthes the mighty syege did laste Or it was gette Dares wryte him selfe And ouermore complete dayes twelue Or Grekes had full possessyon By false engyne of the Greke Synon Lyke as tofore rehersed was but late I haue no more of latyn to translate After Dytes Dares nor Guydo And me to adde any more therto Than myn Auctours specyfye and sayne The occupacyon sothly were in vayne And lyke a maner of presumpcyon The tyme complete of this translatyon By iuste reckenynge and accountes clere Was a thousande and foure hundred yeare And twentye nere I knowe it out of dread After that christe receyued our manhead Of her that was emperesse and quene Of heauen and hell and a mayde cleane The eyghte yeare by iuste computacyon Sewynge next the coronacyon Of him that is most gracyous in workynge Henry the fyfthe the noble worthy kinge And protectour of brutes albyon And called is through his high renowne Through his prowesse and his chyualrye Also ferre as passeth anye cloude or skye Of Normandye the mighty conquerour For through his knighthod his high labour Maugre all tho that list him to withsayne He conquered hath his herytage agayne And by his myghty prudent gouernaunce Recured eke hys tytle vnto Fraunce ¶ That who so lyst loke and doe vnfolde The pee de Grewe of these cronicles olde And sercheth bokes ywryt longe toforne He shall fynde that he is iustly borne To reygne in Fraunce by lineall dyscente ¶ And onwarde nowe he is ordeined regent Of thylke lande durynge his fathers lyfe Of his goodnesse to voyden werre stryfe He to reioyse without more delay Septre and crowne after the kinges day As it is clerely in conclusion Enrolled vp in the conuencyon ¶ And than I hope the tyme fortunat ¶ Of the olde world called Aureat Resorte shall by influence of grace That cruell Mars shall no more manace With his lokes furious and wodde By false aspectes for to shede bloude Atwene the folkes of these realmes twayne Which euery wyght iustly ought complayne ¶ But as I truste in myne opynion Thys worthy kynge of wysdome reason And of knighthode shall so doe hys payne To make one that longe hathe betwayne I meane as thus that England and FrauÌ„ce May be all one withouten varyaunce Out of hertes olde rancour to enchace By influence of his mighty grace That called is of clerkes douteles The soueraygne lord and the prince of peace So that I hope his grace now shall reygne So set a peace atwene these realmes twayne For in hys power sothly standeth all ¶ And allyaunce of the blode royall That is knet vp by bonde of mariage Of werre shall voyde away the rage To make peace with bryght bemes shyne ¶ And one that is called Katheryne And named is right good and fayre also Shal be a mene atwyxt bothe two Of grace emprynted in her womanhede That to complayne we shal haue no nede ¶ And as I hope her gracyous aryuayle Into thys lande shall so much auayle That ioye honour and prosperytye Without trouble of all aduersytye Repeyre shall and all hertye pleasaunce Plentye welfare and fulsome habundaunce Peace and quyet both to nigh and ferre Without strife debate or any werre Myschiefe pouerte nede â–ª nor indigence With full ceassinge of death and pestylence Sothly I hope all this ye shall sene Come into lande with that noble quene That we shall saye of herte and feyne nought Blessed be she that all this hath vs broughte And he y t hath through might of his working Of his knighthod concluded all this thyng And such meruayles iÌ„ armê done
no message Eche on other so fyxe haue cast theyr sight That they conceyue and wyst anone right Within theim selfe what theyr herte ment And nere to her euer Parys wente To seke fully and get occasyon When as they might by ful relacion Theyr hertes conceyte declare secretly And so befell that Parys nigheth nye To the place where the quene Heleyne Stode in her see there atwene thē tweyne They broke out al sum of theyr whole hert And gaue yssue to theyr inward smerte But this was done lest they were espyed Whan the people was most occupyed In the temple for to stare and gase Now here now there as it were on a mase They kept theim close that no worde asterte There was no man the treasō myght aduert Of theim twayne ne what they would mene But at the last Parys and this quene Concluded haue wyth shorte auysement Fully the fine of theyr both entent And set the time betwyx theim in certayne Whan they appoynten for to mete agayne But lest men had to theim suspection They made an ende without more sermō And syth departe albe that they were lothe And soberly anone this Parys gothe From the temple with brest in euery parte Fully through gyrt with loues fiery darte And to his shippes he helde the right way Where he anone in al the hast he may Whan that assembled was his chiualrye One and other and al his companye In fewe wordes as shortly as I can Tofore theim all his tale he thus began LOrdinges quod he shortly to expresse The cause is kouthe as to youre worthinesse Why my father into Grece vs sent For as ye knowe the chief of his entent Was to recure his sister Exion Out of the handes of mighty Thelamon The which thinge for ought I can espye Is impossible shortly in mine eye By any waie as fer as I can se He is so great and strong in his countre Of his allyes aboute on euery side And in herte so inly full of pride To yelde her vp he hath not but disdayne Therof to treate it were not but in vayne Therfore the best that I can deuise Sith our power may not now suffise To werrey him in this regiowne We be not egall of might nor of renowne For lacke of men with him to holde a felde We may not win with spere nor w t shelde Tencountre him with all his multitude Wherfore the best that I can conclude Is sith fortune hath vs hither brought And the goddes haue eke for vs wrought So graciously to make vs for to londe At Venus temple fast here by the stronde Whiche aboundeth with ful great richesse Of grekes offringe vnto the goddesse By londe and sea fro many sundry porte Of men and women that hyther haue resort To that place in worshyp of Venus So that the wife of kinge Menelaus Is there present ful riche and wel beseyne And if that we by manhod might atteyne To rauishe her and the temple spoyle And of theyr treasour chesen out and coyle The chefe iewels and chargen our somers Wyth golde and syluer and wyth prysoners And maugre theim to our shyppes brynge This same night without tarying We may not fayle who euer that saythe nay If ye assenten of a worthye pray Wherfore in haste that ye now redy make And euery man anone his harnes take And arme hym well in his best aray And they assente without more delaye And in theyr shyppes they bydē till at night Whē Phebus chaire w tdrawē had his light Vnder the wawes and sterres did appeare On the heauen with theyr streames cleare And or the moone that time did aryse They shope theim forth in ful thrifty wise The manly Troians armed in stele bryghte To the temple holding theyr waye aryght For they casten no longer for to tarye But proudly enter in the sanctuarye Into the chappel called Citheron Without reuerence or deuocion Done to Venus in her oratorye For it was cleane out of theyr memorye Honour and dread and all obseruaunce For fynally all theyr attendaunce As myn Auctour sothly can diffine Was to ryght nought but onely to rauyne They token all that came to theyr hande Rychesse and treasour that was in the lande Golde and syluer stones and riche Iewelles Releques sacred the holy eke vessels Without abode out of the sacrary And all yfeare to theyr shippes carye It is a wonder to thynke on the good They kil sley all that theim withstode And likewyse pytie for to se theim blede And of the Grekes how they to ship lede That after lyued in captyuytie Ful many a yeare in Troye the Citye ¶ And there whiles goth Parys to Heleyne And her embraseth in his armes tweyne Full humble and with great reuerence In whom he found no maner resystence It sat her not she was so womanly For ther to Parys she yolde her vtterly Her herte in hap was yolde or he came there Therfore to yelde she had lesse feare She can not stryue nor no woman sholde And he anone as gentilnesse him wolde Comforteth her as he best can or may And led her forthe without more delaye Vnto the shyppes and there full busyly He set wardes to kepe her honestly While to the temple he retourneth agayne To spoyle and robbe and to make all playne Through the temple withe his walles wyde ¶ Nowe stode a castell fast there besyde Ystuffed well with Grekishe Souldeours The whych awoke wyth noyse of pylours The same nyght and gan make a shoute And therwithall anone they yssue oute Armed in stele the temple to reskewe And manfully after theim they sewe And so befell whan they togyther mette Wyth speres sharpe and swerdes kene whet ¶ They ran togither as these Tygres wilde Like wood Lions or these Bores vnmilde There was no fayninge foūd in theyr fyght Albe the felde was not departed ryght For the Troians doubled them in nomber That vtterly the Grekes they encoumbre And at mischefe made theim fast to flee And in pursute ful cruelly theym flee Without mercy to the castell gate There was no rescuse for they came to late Of this skermyshe for the fine was deathe Nowe here now there thei yeldē vp y e breath So mightely the Troians theim assayle That to withstāde it might not theim auaile For of manhod they the felde haue wonne And after that ryght cruelly begonne In hasty wyse to ransacke that castell And to shyppe they broughten euerydell Treasour golde what that they may win And on the morowe to salen they begyn Stuffed with good by the grekyshe sea Towarde the costes of Troye the Citye The sea was calme and fully at theyr will Both of tempest and of stormes ill And cleare also was the bryght heauen That in space almost of dayes seuen At the castel called Tenedowne They are aryued sixe mile from the towne And glad and light they to land wente And after that I finde this Parys sente His messāger streyght vnto
the kinge That him enfourmeth of his home cominge Of theyr exployt he tolde theim euery dele And Pryamus it lyketh wonder wele That so manly they haue borne them out And made to publyshe in all the towne about These tydynges new with great solempnitie To hygh and lowe through out the cytie And that for ioye the moste and eke the leste For remembraunce halowe and holde a feste And thanke their goddes in full humble wyse With obseruaunces and with sacrafyce On their aulters with great deuocion And all this whyle he at Tenedon Holdeth soiourne with the quene Heleyne The whiche her hap gan rewfully complain Her vnkouth life to dwellen with straungers Disconsolate amonge the prysoners Ferre sequestred away from her countrey All solytarye and in captiuitie She wepeth and cryeth with a pyteous chere With wawes vpboyled from her eyen clere Wherof the stremes by her chekes rayne And for constraynt of her inwarde peyne Full often sythes her songe was wel away With sobbing voice that she so fer awaye Departed is from Menelaus For whose absence in rages furyous She hateth her lyfe and curseth eke fortune And in this wo she euer doth contune Without soiourne alway more and more And for her brethern Pollux and Castor And for the loue of her doughter dere Now pale and grene she wexeth of her chere That whylom was fresher for to sene Than is lyilye on his stalke grene Alas chaunged is her rosen hewe And aye elyche her wo encreaseth newe That lyke no woman she was to beholde For aye she wepte as she to water wolde ¶ Till at the laste in all her heauynesse Parys to her came of gentylnesse To recomforte and to appese her rage He besyeth hym her sorowes to aswage Sayeng to her alas what may this mene That ye in one oh goodly freshe quene Lyst thus your selfe in sorowynge diffygure I wonder greatly how ye may endure So moche water causeles thus to shede That with weping haue dewed so your wede For like a conduite the streames ran a downe And as a penitaunt in contriciowne Ye you disraye alas why do ye so Let be this fare and let it ouer go All your wepynge thought and heauinesse And be no more my lady in distresse Make here an ende now of your greuaunce For all the ease comforte and pleasaunce That men may do truste well ye shall haue It is but foly in sorowe thus to raue Lette passen ouer all these sharpe shoures And here my trouth ye and all youres Of what your lyste you shal haue suffysaunce As ferforth and more in haboundaunce Than haue ye had amonge the grekes there I you ensure and be nothyng in feare That I shall holde all that I haue hyght On my trouthe as I am true knyght In worde and dede with all my herte entire And she anone with a dolefull chere So as she myght forsobbyng tho suffyce Answered agayne in full lowly wyse ¶ I wote quod she were me lothe or lefe Syth I am caught take at this mischiefe Vnto your wyll I may not now with seye I am so bounde that I must obeye Vnder your daunger that I may not flee In holde distrayned and in captiuitee ¶ Ye wot also by nature out of dreade That it ne longeth vnto womanhead In straunge soyle to stryue or to rebell And namely there where as her quarell Shall haue no fauour nor susteyned be But yf ye lyste now to haue pitee On me or myne of your goodlyhead Ye may of god deserue thanke and mede That wyll rewarde iustly geue to tho And comforte them that be in care and wo. ¶ Now lady myne than quod Parys What that maye lyke or be at your deuyse All shall be do trusteth me ryght wele For by my trouthe as ferre as I can feele In any thyng that may do you pleasaunce Ye shall it haue and that in habundaunce This I ensure of heste not fallyble Be not agaste but fully be credible To my wordes and hestes euerychone And therwithall he ladde her ryght anone Into a place of royall apparayle To comforte her if it wolde auayle And secretely there betwene them two This Parys fyrste without more a do Spake vnto her and sayde my lady dere I fayne it not but speake of herte entyer And that I hope ye shall hereafter fynde Wherfore I praye enprenteth in your mynde What that I saye and in your remembraunce This is to saye syth ye by purueyaunce Ben of the goddes brought as now therto And fortune eke will that it be so I dare affyrme playnly for the fyrste That they disposed haue not for your worste But for your good and so ye must it take Wherfore I reade suffer ouer shake All heauynesse and loketh that ye be As glad and lyght here in this countrey As though ye were in your owne lande For faythfully I do you tunderstande Ye shall haue here as moche habundaunce On euery parte with full suffysaunce Of all that you semeth to be pleasaunt For of one thyng I dare me well auaunt That in this countrey as it shal be founde In euery thyng we plenteously habounde And more at ful then do your grekes yonder And though ye ben farre from them a sonder Out of the lande that called is Achaye There is no cause whye ye shoulde dismay Syth ye at worshyp and more reuerence At more honour and greater excellence Here shal be cherished than ye were afore And where ye playne that ye haue forbore Your owne lord and be as now left sole For whom ye maken al this wo and dole Ye shall in haste be sette at better ease For certaynly so it not displease Nor offende vnto your womanhead In stede of hym I purpose out of dread To wedde you and be your trewe man To loue and serue in all that euer I can Without faynyng to my lyues ende And be to you as lowly and as kynde As dylygent and eke more laborous Than whylom was your Menelaus In euery thynge your lustes to obeye Haue here my trouthe tyll tyme that I deye ¶ And though that I in wordes be but plain For the loue of god haue no disdeyne Of my request nor grutche not at all For at the least of the stocke royall I am descended and come as hygh of bloud As Menelay and of byrth as good And can in loue to you be farre more trewe Than erst was he and chaunge for no newe ¶ Wherfore leue of thus to playne and wepe And let some comforte in your bosome crepe Your wo appease which is not worth an haw And lette some myrth in your herte adawe This I beseche you and of womanhead To my wordes that ye lyst take hede ¶ Alas quod she how myght this befall That haue ylefte my frendes one and all In straunge lande and here am al alone How shuld I thā but stil complaine in one I haue no cause god wote for to pley Nor yet my chekes for to kepe
That fyrst in Rome by sceptre imperyall Maugre theyr myght had the gouernaunce And of wysedome set the ordynaunce Of common thynges touchyng the Cytee And to procede further of Enee Hooly his lyfe and knyghthod by and by If that ye lyst to reade ceryously Ye may se all ful autentyke of style In Eneydos compyled of Vergyle Albeit so that this noble clerke Was graue afore or coÌ„plete was his werke As bokes olde maken mencion ¶ How Agamenon sent Achilles and Thelephus into the Ilande of Messa for vytayles and how they slewe the king and after ordeyned Thelephus the kynge there Ca. xx BVt nowe agayne to Agamenon Without more I wyll my style retourne The whych kyng will no more soiourne In this matter delayes for to make But in all haste he hath his counsayle take Of his lordes beyng there present And such as were not he hath after sent For one and al Earles Dukes and kinges ¶ And sayd syres amonge other thynges To our Iourney that be necessarye My counsayle is no longer that we tarye But fyrst of all to make ordynaunce By one assent with prudent purueaunce That alder fyrst we shape vs for vytayle Without whych none hoost may auayle To parfourme a iourney thryftely Wherfore I reade here but fast by If it to you be lykyng and plesaunce Into an yle ful of habundaunce Called Messa that we sende anone And at one worde assented euery chone They chosen haue worthy Achilles And Thelephus the sone of Hercules To execute this purpose fynally With many worthy in theyr company Ychosen out through the hoost anone With Achilles are to Messa gone In whych lande ryche and plenteous Reygned a kynge worthy and famous That Tentran hyght whych in tranquylyte Without werre or aduersyte Had holde his Sceptre and his royall sete In this yle so pleasaunte and so mete Albe that some saye that this lytell yle To the kyngedome longeth of Cecyle And hath his name gyuen of plente After Messane an huge great Cite Full plenteous both on se and lande The whych kyngdome as I vnderstande Is sayde Messena of Messes in latin Through habundauÌ„ce of fruyt corne wyne At the aryuayle on the playnes large Where they are wont for to stuffe charge Merchaunt shyppes of straunge fer countre That thyther sayle by the large sea To fetche vitayle aye from yeare to yeare Fro many coste of landes farre and nere Onely by eschaunge of merchaundise And eke also as bokes can deuyse And as Guido full playnly telleth vs That of a kyng called Messanus This countrey first of Messa toke the name That in his tyme was of great fame Passyng ryche and wonder plenteous But of all this Dares Frygyus In his boke maketh no mencion But shortly telleth in conclusyon How Achilles and Thelephus also To Messena be togither go With thre thousande of grekes chosen out Most manly men amonges all theyr route The whych as fast as they gan to londe And the kynge gan to vnderstonde Of theyr comyng he is descended downe With all the worthy of his regiowne On horse and foote in stele armed bryght Agaynst Grekes manfully to fyght Theim to deuoyde playnly yf they can And sodaynly thus the skermyshe gan Atwixe Grekes and other mortall fone On other parte there was many one Slayne and hurte to the death ywounded Neuer lykly therof to be sounded ¶ For other treate was theim not atwene But swerdê sharpe and speres square kene Now here now there that they go to ground For euery man his foo for to confounde His labour dyd and his busynesse And though grekê through theyr worthinesse Had on theyr foen much londe ywon Yet to retyre after they begon And meruayle none bycause that theyr fone Had alwaye thre in noumber agaynst one For the time it may none other be Till Achilles gan beholde and se The mortall slaughter vpon grekes syde Tourning y e backe w t woundes large wide Of hasty rancour chaungen gan his bloode And for yre furious and woode Whan he behelde his men lese theyr lande He w t the swerd whiche he helde in his hande Made waye kylled and bare downe And in the felde like a fierse Lyowne He fared in sothe when y t his men were slawe Makyng his foen backwarde to withdrawe And his grekes so manly recomforte That maugre theim he made them to resorte ¶ And who that euer in his waye stode Without mercy he kylleth in his mode There gayneth nought in his crueltee For doubtles ne had his manhod be His passyng renowne and his worthynesse His knighthod eke and his high prowesse The Grekes had that daye fynallye Vanquished be without remedye But through his helpe they recure all For Achilles sturdy as a wall Gan serche sheltrouns theyr raÌ„ges brake Tofore whose face his fomen go to wrake ¶ And alderlast whan he gan espye Tentran the kyng through his chyualrye Defende him selfe lyke a worthy knyght And as a Lyon bare him in his fyght Now here now there grekes so oppresse This Achilles of cruell hardynesse Ne would cease in his pursewynge Through the warde tyll he came to the king Of manly force stoute and full of pryde Makyng a waye rounde on euery syde Agayne whose might nothyng might auayle ¶ And of Tentran fyrst the auentayle He raced hath and rent the male asonder And al to hewe that it was a wonder To consydre that daye his cruelte And after that al to broke hath he His bassenet wyth many cruell wounde And by his myght smyt the kyng to grounde And in all haste he maked hath no let From of his head to rende his bassenet And merciles for to do vengeaunce His harme he gan on heyght to auaunce Fully in purpose that he shulde be dead And raunsomles gan amyn at his heade With blody swerde and despytous herte Castyng playnly he shulde not asterte In his Ire he was so furyous ¶ But of fortune it befell ryght thus Thelephus the yonge lusty knyght Casuelly therof had a syght And of Achilles the maner ful behelde The stroke anone he bare vp with his shelde And gan Achilles mekely for to preye To haue pytye so to do him deye Syth he laye wounded almost to the deathe Brought to the poynt to yelden vp y e breathe Beseching him for his beningnyte Of manly routhe and eke knightly pyte Withdrawe his hande and to do him grace And graunt him life for a lytell space Syth euery knyght should of gentilnesse His enmye spare whan he is in distresse To vttraunce brought and specyally wheÌ„ he Mercy requireth of humble voluntee ¶ To whom Achylles feruent in his yre As he that was of rancoure set a fyre Aunswered agayne what lyst the so to preye For him that nolde of pryde our wyll obeye But gyn a werre where as was no nede Of highe disdayne and indignacion Hauyng a truste of presumpcion In his manhod which myght him not auaile Agaynst grekes to holden a
wether lusty agreable and fayre But who maye truste other winde or ayre For vpon fayth of the smothe skye Agayne to shyppe faste I gan me hye Taryed nought but toke anone the sea Smothe and calme enduringe dayes three That in the wether founde was no lacke But sodaynly the heauen tourneth blacke The hidous tempest and the wawes grene Out of hope haue me dyspeyred clene Troubled my spyrite made me so pensife Without refute to escape with the lyfe Tossed and driuen by many sundrye yle Tyll the laste caste vp at Cecyle Recuringe lande with great annoye payne Where that tyme reygned kynges twayne And as I can remembre doubtles The tone of theim called Sorygines Whiche vnto me full contrarious was ¶ And the tother named Coclopas Brethren of byrthe and in conclusion Ylike cruell of condycyon For though my sorte had shape for the nones ¶ Both twayne fell on me attones Oppressinge in full great dystresse Spoyled my shippes of treasour and richesse And for pyte liked not to spare Till I was lefte destitute and bare Of all my good alas my mortall chaunce And most of all was to me greuaunce WheÌ„ of my golde they may no more restrayne They sent downe their mighty sones twayne ¶ Alipham that was ful large and longe ¶ And Polipheme y e mighty gianut stronge Which on my meÌ„ to auenge theÌ„ wereful fame That they of them haue an hundred slayne Disarayed to stande at diffence And of malice with sodayne violence They toke me for mischiefe almost lorne ¶ And Alphenor mine owne brother sworne And hatefully as they haue vs founde In chaynes caste and in stockes bounde And after that ylocked in prison And for to make platly mencyon This mighty man this great Polypheme A syster had shortly for to deme One of the fayrest that euer yet was borne She might in beaute so be set aforne Nature her gaue suche a prerogatife A cleane mayde sothly and no wyfe Flouringe both in fayrenesse and bounte Whom Alphenor when he did se Albe he was fetred in prison For loue he loste wit and eke reason And wex al mad so narowe she did him binde Saue vpon her alway was his minde And closed aye was his perillous wounde And sixe monethes thus we laye bounde ¶ Both he and I to saye the platte trouthe Til Polipheme had vpon vs routhe And through his grace and mediacion He quit vs fre out of that pryson And shewed vs of mercy and pite After our sorowe great humanite ¶ But Alphenor ylike of one entente Was with the bronde of Cupide brent And felte his parte with many mortall fit Till he so wrought with his sotyll wit That on a night who was leef or lothe He stale this mayde and his waye he gothe Through helpe of men with hym at that time ¶ But on the morowe at the houre of prime ¶ Poliphemus gan vs for to sewe Whose mighty hande we might not eschewe And suche assaulte on vs they gan make That of force they haue the mayde take ¶ From Alphenor mauger all his rage And Polipheme vnto my domage With his knightes so sore vpon me laye That I might vnneth scape awaye To saue my selfe compassed enuyron To death pursewed of that champyon But when I sawe there was no other gayne To fle death shortly for to sayne While this giaunt most fiersly on me set With my sworde out his eye I smet And vnto ship with my companye I fled in haste that no man might espye ¶ Where I became nor Alphenor my fere And when the wawes gan for to clere And gracious winde gan to vs awake That countre we haue anone forsake It was not holsome for vs to abyde But of this man like as write Ouide ¶ Poliphemus the Giaunt out of dread Had an eye amid of his forhead Which Vlixes smote out at a stroke And like the browes of a branched oke Was all his heyre and his longe berde On whom to loke children were aferde And when that he had lost his syght Amonge the hilles he runneth daye night In a rage to finde him some refuge Caste rockes and great stones huge On euery parte enuyron the countre On Vlixes auenged for to be Thus sayth Ouide in conclusion In his boke of transformacion Metamorphoseos there ye maye it se When so euer that your leyser be Ceriously the storye for to reade And in my writinge forth I will procede How Vlixes with face dead and pale To Ydume tolde forth his tale Rehersinge thus supprised and awaked Fro Polipheme when we were escaped Through our vnhappe and infelicyte Into an yle middes of the sea We were driue when it gan to night And ElidiuÌ„ that litell kingedome hight Where that Circes the great enchauntresse Thilke time was lady and goddesse That could her crafte so wonderly ê‘fourme All sodaynly a man for to transforme To haue the liknesse and lese his reason Of Horse of Bere Tygre or Lyon Wolfe or For or what her list deuise Her dreadful crafte was shapen in such wise So mighty were her straunge pocions Her letuaries and confections And she also so fayre vpon to se That tho her power no man might fle For by the worke of this sorceresse I was so founced vpon her fayrenesse That fynally thus with me it stode That all a yeare I with her abode And paynly had power none nor myght For to deparie neyther daye nor night So lusty was the life that I ladde In whych time by me a childe she had Right inly fayre and goodly to the syght And Thelagonius in sothnesse he hight Which afterwarde I wel reherse can By processe wexe a manly man And by my subtyll secret prouidence Of her crafte I had experyence That maugre her enchauntementes olde I stale awaye she might me not holde And fynally my fate to conclude With my connynge her crafte I can delude That with my men I scaped fro her hande And went at large fre out of her lande But all this thinge me litell did auayle For on my waye as I gan to sayle For all my sleyght in a litell whyle Yblowe was vp into an yle ¶ Where Calipha syster to Circes Was crowned quene held her sceptre iÌ„ peace Whose craftes were so mighty and so strong Maugre my will she held me there ful longe But she in sothe to speake of womanhede Of bounte fredome and of goodlyhead Surely had so soueraygne excellence That mine abode to me was none offence But who soeuer therat crye or clappe At the laste I scaped fro her trappe And came to an yle ryght as any lyne Which specyally through high power diuine Ordayned is of yore by myracle As it were a spirituall oracle A man to haue in a temple there Sodayne answere of what him list enquere Of questions and demaundes all And of soules what shall eke befall When men are dead and grauen vnder stone And I gan axe in the temple anone Mine auentures that should
her excellence Albe that she neuer dyd offence Yet her lorde of newfangilnesse Toke an other the letters did expresse Fully in purpose anone at his repayre Though Clemestra were both good fayre All sodaynly her to exyle Out of his lande many thousande myle Warning her that she be prudente This was the substaunce as in sentemente That Oetes wrote vnto this quene Albe the kynge was innocente and clene And was to her in all his fore liuinge Louyng and true in all maner thinge And her to please passyng ententyfe In worde and dede durynge all his lyfe As fer as oughte of reson be desyred But the letters that falsly was conspyred They haue her put parcase of Innocence For to gyue to hasty credence ¶ Thankynge firste Oetes for his trouthe That so goodly hym lyst to haue routhe Vpon her wronge of hygh compassyon And yet the storye maketh mencion Here afterwarde as I shall descriue That she was the fal'est one alyue Vnto her lorde and in his longe absence And in all haste she made stronge diffence Agayne this thinge gan her to purueye By suche fraude that she not ne deye But of her worke in sothe she was to wyte The whych alas I must anone endyte As the story platly doth me lere Whych doleful is and mortall for to heare OH vnsure truste of all worldly glorye w t sodayn chaunge put out of memorye Oh ioye vnstable of vayne ambycyon With vnware tourne reuersed vp so downe Oh ydell fame blowe vp to the skye Ouer whelmed with twincklinge of an eye Oh pompe oh boste of tryumphe victorye Lyke a shadowe waste and transytorye Oh fortune false and vnassured That to no man maye fully be lured To hygh nor lowe of no maner estate With bonde of fayth to be conferate Agayne whose myght no mā may him diffēd But at his tourne that he shall discende When he syt hyest on thyne vnstable whele Thy brotyll fauour forged not of stele Meynt and all allyed with mutabylytye For welfulnesse and false felicitye With sodayn sweygh frowarde y u canst auale Now freshe of chere now for anger pale Of hygh disdayne thou sparest no degree For Princes Dukes highest in their see Mighty kinges and worthy Emperours That richest reygne in theyr royal floures With Sceptre crowne y u canst pul downe ¶ I take wytnesse of Agamenowne That was so noble and myghty in his lyue As sondry auctours his hie renowne desriue But sothfastly for all his excellence He might not make no diffence With all his knightes that his baner sewe Conspyred murdre to voyde and eschewe Rescuse was none that he could make For which alas I fele my pen quake That doth mine inke blotte on my boke Oh mighty god that w t thine inwarde loke Seest euery thing thrugh thy eternal might Why wilt thou not of equit and of ryght Punishe and chastice so horrible a thinge And specyally the murdre of a kinge Alas the payne of Ixion in hell Or of Manes that with Sathan dwell Were not egall nor equipolent To venge murdre nor sufficient For it excedeth in comparison Al felonye falshed and treason Wherfore oh lord that seest and knowest all Through thy power that is eternall Suffre no suche to liue vpon the grounde Worse than Tygre or Cerberus the hounde That chayned lyeth bounde at hel gate Whych of malyce playnly though he hate He berketh fyrst or he do offence But murdre gladly is wrought in sylence Or men aduerte or take any kepe ¶ Alas a Prince to sley him in his slepe On his pyllowe when he slepeth softe That cryeth wreche to hye god alofte And axeth vengeaunce to take as fast Though it abyde it wyll out at the laste Alas a kynge spoken of so ferre That was so worthy outwarde in the werre His cruell fate passynge odyous Dysposed hath in his owne house His mortall ende to be execute Agaynst whych there was no refute For ryght as he his shyp to lande sette The quene Clemestra on y e strond him mette With humble cheare and loke full beninge And shewed out full many faythful sygne Of wysely trouthe in her countenaunce Albe in herte there was varyaunce Not perceyued playnly in her face Whom the kynge goodly did embrace As he in sothe that but trouth mente And to his paleys the hye waye he wente Not aduertynge the treason that was shape The whych alas he might not escape Of the falshede he could nothinke fele But I ne maye no longer it consele Agayne her lorde how Clemestra wrought For on her bond of wedlocke she ne thought The trewe loke sothly of spousayle Agayne her malyce lytell myght auayle Vnto her lorde her trouthe to conserue Newfangilnesse caused to sterue Her olde fayth and her assuraunce Her loue abode on a fykell chaunce Longe absence had her herte apalled She loued one that was Egistus called Which afore all in her grace stode That nother was of byrth nor of bloud Lytell or nought of reputacyowne Nor renowmed of manhode nor renowne Nor of knyghthod nor of hygh prowesse But for his laboure and his busynesse And good awayte vpon her by nyght Therfore he was best furthred in her syght Such dread had she for to lyue alone Sorowles so well she could grone I can not saye what life that she ladde Except that she by him a doughter had And Exyona Guydo sayth she hight And vnto him Clemestra behyght Assuringe him vpon payne of her head He shulde raygne when her lorde were dead And to enhaste this conclusyon Her worthy lorde kynge Agamenon The next nyght was murdred and yslayne By false Egistus and the quene full fayne No longer bode the storye can you lere But in all haste they wedded were yfere And by her false and sleyghty compassynge Of Messene she made him crowned kynge And put him full in possessyon ¶ Alas that synne hath dominacion To further wronge and abate ryght For in this worlde falshed hath more ryghte Full ofte syth than hath ryghtwisenesse And in the estate sette of worthynesse Lo how the synne of auoutrye Brought in murdre by conspyracye Synne vpon synne lynked both twayne And embraced in the fendes chayne Perpetually in hell to endure Alas who shall him selfe full assure Fro cruell murdre his body to withdrawe When that kinges in theyr bedde are slawe Whiche bringeth in alyenacyon By extorte tytle false successyon There maye coloure of pretense seme But full streyghtly god shall after deme And iustly venge with due recompence Intrusyon brought in by violence And felly quyte suche horryble thinges And sodayne slaughter specially of kinges Greatly to dread in euery regyon ¶ And as I fynde that Agamenon By Clemestra the false double quene Had a sonne passynge faire to sene Right gracious in euery mannes syght And Horestus the boke sayth that he hyghte Wonder semely and but yonge of age And for great feare of this mortall rage Lest he were slayne as it was to dread