fyght Our tunge appese by māhod preue or might Worde is but winde and water that we wepe And though the tempest and of fluddes depe Of this two encrease euer mo They may not do but augment our wo. And to our foon therof when they here Both of our dole and our heauy chere All is to them but encrease of ioye Wherfore brother a whyle do acoye The cruel tourment that byndeth you so sore For in prouerbe it hath be sayd full yore That the prowesse of a manly knyght Is proued most in mischyefe and his myght To be assured in aduersitee Strongly susteyne what wo that it be Not cowardly his courage to submytte In euery peryll nor his honour flytte Through no dispeyre but hope alway wele And haue a truste trewe as any stele Tacheue aye what he take an hande For fynally I do you vnderstande That of hym selfe who hath good fantasye To set vpon and put in inpartye What that befall or happe what happe may Takyng what chaunce tourneth on his play The fyne of suche gladly is victorye They fayle selde of the palme of glorye And tyme is now to speke in wordes fewe Oh brother myne manhode for to shewe To plucke vp herte and to make you stronge And to venge your damages and wronge We shall echyone helpe and lay to hande Kynges Dukes and lordes of this lande And all atones do our busynesse I you behyght your harmes to redresse And in despyte who that euer vs lette We shall vs lodge and our tentes sette Euen in the fyelde afore Troye towne And it beseage to their destructiowne Albe therof I set as now no daye But brother first in all the haste we may Let maken letters without more sermon To all the lordes of this region Of matter touchynge this your vyllanye To come to gyther and shape a remedye This is theffect of all that I can sayne ¶ And thus released somwhat of the payne Is Menelays through cōfort of his brother For whan he sawe it myght be none other And of his tale the kynge made an ende Thrugh out y e lande he did his letters sende Fyrst to her kynne and to his allye To come to helpe hym of their curtesye ¶ And fyrst of all to Menelaus Came Achylles and with him Patroclus And alder nexte the stronge Dyomede And many another to helpe in this nede And all echone in open Parlement They were accorded full by assente To be gouerned as Agamenon Lyst to ordayne in his discrecion Of this voyage they made hym gouernour And of their hooste chieftaine and Emperour Amonge them all there was full vnitee Vpon Troyans auenged for to bee And from this purpose neuer to remewe But fyrst I fynde Parys for to sewe The voyage toke y e worthy brethern tweine Pollux and Castor to recure Heleyne Yet neuertheles as some bokes lysten tell That these kynges no longer wolde dwell But alder faste as Parys was agone They toke a shyppe and folowed hym anone With many worthy in their company And doubtlesse but yf olde bokes lye That or they had sayled dayes three To Troyewarde in the large see The tempest rose and wyndes dyd awake The heauen derke with the cloudes blake That haue the day tourned into nyght And bryght Phebus was mirked of this light The fyry lenen and stroke of the thonder Smote in the maste and shyuerde it a sonder It was so derke no lyghte myght adawe The sea gan swell with many sturdy wawe That rose on hyghte large as any mounte And fell downe and swapped in the frounte Euen of the shyppe and plunged it full lowe Now vp now downe forcast and ouerthrow Their shyppes were with tempest to and fro The fomy waters grene whyte and blo Of feruent boylyng and as pytche blacke With storme wynd that al goeth to wracke So hydously the blastes at theim dryue That euery borde gan from other ryue And all is peryshed there scaped not a man But all atones as I reherse can Be dead drowned with tempest sodaynly There scaped none I say you certaynly Except the brethern such as bookes tel The one in heauen the other lowe in hel Were lordes made tabyde eternally ¶ And some fayne in theyr poesy How the goddes haue theim defyed Like in heauen and ystellifyed After theyr shyppes ware ygo to wrake They were made sterres in the zodyake And to the sygne transfourmed vtterly Whych is of clerkes called Gemyny The whych sygne and constellation Is to Mercury house and mansyon And is of kinde femell and masculyne In whych the Egle and also the Dolphyne Haue theyr arysyng by reuolucion The tayle also aboue the Dragon Is exaltate in the thyrd degree Of Gemyny whych sygne hathe most pouste In hande and armes of man oute of doubte Like as Lucina halt her course aboute And in this wyse were the brether twayne To heauen rapt as these poetes fayne After the tempest ye get no more of me For in this wise the grekes in the sea An ende made and that ful wylfully This ernest first came vnhappely To theim echone as ginning of theyr wo And finall chaunce to the brether two ¶ How y e Grekes assembled to be aduēged of y t Troians for the rauishing of Helein Ca. xv BVt for asmuche as Dares frigius Was in his boke whilom curyous The fourme of Troiens grekes to descriue Lyke as he sawe this auctour by his lyue The shape the fourme complexiowne Both of the partye of theym of Troy towne And of the grekes by good auisement In time of trewse amonge theim as they wēt Seyng the maner of theyr gouernaunce Their porte theyr chere w t euery circūstaūce Namely of tho that were of high degre He not forgate one loose nor qualyte Condicions and also theyr stature All to descryue Dares did his cure In Grekishe tunge beginning at Heleyne Like as tofore ye haue herd me seyne Of her beaute and her semelynesse How seryously Guido doth expresse Saue he sayd as in a lytell space A strype there was endlong in her face Whych as he wryte became her wonder wele Embelyshing her beaute euerydele Like as Dares maketh desripcion ¶ And first he sayeth how king Agamenon Was of good shape and high of his stature And might in laboure at the best endure Vnpacient to lyue in quyet He was to armes so egall and so mete Of coloure whyte and good proporcion And flemytek of his complexion Discrete and hardy and wonder vertuous And of speche ryght facundious And coud him wel in euery thinge demene ¶ But Menelay of stature was but meane Proporcioned atwix shorte and longe Worthy in armes delyuer and ryght stronge Of courage and of hert vygorous Semely also and aye more desyrous To lyue in werre rather than in peace ¶ And furthermore to speake of Achilles He was ryght fayre and of great semelynesse With aborne heyr crispyng for thicknesse With eyen glawke large stepe and great shuldred brode
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
thy kinrede And do aduerte clerely to the fyne How thou art come of the same line And hatefull is who so can loke aryght Vnkinde bloud in euery mannes sight And Pyrrhus tho as any Tygre wrothe Afferme gan with many sacred othe That who so grutche or agaynst playne He shall hym sle with his handes twayne ¶ For hath not he by false extorsion ¶ Put Pelleus out of his regyon Whyche is your lorde and ye his trewe wyfe That fynally he shall lese hys lyfe And here anone of myne handes deye In this matter there is no more to seye And Pelleus darynge in the caue But ye of grace lyste his lyfe saue All other helpe platly is for nought This Pelleus anone forthe brought Croked and olde vnweldy eke to se And tofore Pyrrhus fell downe on hys kne Besechinge hym wyth a pyteous face At hys request take hym to hys grace ¶ And that he wolde in his manly herte Goodly beholde the deadly wo and smerte ¶ Of Atastus and the mortall payne That he tho hadde for his sonnes twaine Whiche lay dead tofore hym on the grene Slaine with your swerd y t is so sharpe kene Which he ne may recure in no wyse The sorow of which ought ynough suffyse Though ye on hym do no more vengeaunce All this well peysed iustly in balaunce Sith he is hooly submytted to your myghte Taketh now him to mercy anone ryght And let your sworde his age not consume This my request as I dare presume ANd then Pirrhus shortly for to sayne When he had put vp his sword agayne Seynge mercy myght him most auayle Without wordes or any rehersayle Fyrste of all tofore theim euerychone The kynges made accorden into one By his wysedome concludynge vp in dede That eche of theim shuld his right possede ¶ In Thesalye parted into twayne That neyther had matter to complayne Eueryche to reygne in his dewe see And while they were togyther all thre Out of presence of any other man ¶ Atastus fyrste thus his tale began ¶ Syres quod he to you is not vnknowe How through my age I am now brought so lowe And through natures kindly mocion Am wexed feble of wyt and of reason Beynge vnweldy of my lymmes all So many yeares are vpon me fall And can vnneth any thinge discerne To feble in sothe a kingedome to gouerne Of lyfe nor death takynge nowe no hede Sith that my sonnes slayne be and dead And sole lefte now withouten heyre Of worldly luste fully in dispeyre The tyme passed of my felycytye Fortunes tourne with mutabylytye Hathe taughte me playnlye I dare it well expresse In worldly ioye there is no sykernesse Nor very truste no while to abyde But I wyll now for my selfe prouyde And in all haste by prudent purueaunce Me clere discharge from all gouernaunce Agayne my sorte me list not maligne ¶ But sceptre and crowne frely I resigne Of Thesalye the lordship and the lande Of my fre will hole into thy hande There shall no man reclayme nor saye naye Interrupte nor make no delaye Touchinge this thinge by no conclusyon For I the put full in possession And hereupon of all that euer he abyde Makynge full fayth his hand in his he layde Quene Thetides syttynge there present And Pelleus of the same entent Vnto Pirrhus for his purpartye Resygned eke his ryght of Thesalye Fully affermynge that of yore ago His full desyre and his ioye also Was euer in one his neuewe to succede As ryghtfull heyre his kingdome to possede And vtterly without repentaunce All that belongeth vnto my lygeaunce Sceptre and sworde crowne and dyademe So as a kynge lyfe and death to deme Into thy hande without longer date This same houre holy to translate And when the knot of this conuencion Was fully brought to this concluson Perfourmed vp hole the vnyte For euermore atwene these kinges thre Atastus knightes disseuered enuyrowne Out of the forest be descended downe And by byddynge platly of theyr lorde They were echone sworne to this accorde And attones this lusty companye To Thesalye fast gan theim hye And Pirrhus folke lyinge on the sea Be sayled forthe streyght to the Cytye And Atastus doth sytte a parliament Where openly he gaue commaundement That all his lieges of hygh or lowe estate Wythout strife or any more debate Specially of gentyll bloud yborne The same daye to Pirrhus to be sworne Like theyr degrees in the royall hall To perseuer his trewe lieges all Durynge theyr lyfe for ernest or for game And Pelleus commaūded hath the same For his partye without any fraude And thus with ioye and with solempne laude Pirrhus was of euery maner age Gladly accepted to his heritage And on a daye fortunate and good With glad aspectes when the heuen stode Well accordynge to such maner thinge Worthy Pirrhus was ycrowned kinge Of Thesalye the riche regyon It were but vayne to make mencion Of theyr reuell nor theyr great arraye Nor of the feast made the same daye Eke in the story I finde it not in sothe I wyll passe ouer as mine auctour dothe Saue in his booke as it is specefyed That the kingdome was fer magnefyed Of Thesalye by puyssaunce and might Of this Pyrrhus whylom so good a knight Where I hym leaue in his royall see ¶ Tournynge agayne to kynge Ydumee Which in this while ygraue was vnder stone ¶ And after hym hys sonne Meeryone The story saith was crowned king of Crete That but awhyle reygninge in equyte Dyed also it wolde be none other ¶ And than in hast Leorica hys brother As rightfull heyre by successyon Was crowned kinge of that regyon ¶ In which tyme Atastus out of drede By thassent of Pyrrhus as I rede Full busy was to make in specyal A ryche toumbe passyngly royall Where buryed were with full huge prese ¶ Menalyppus and Polystenes That both two were in the forest slawe Thorugh Pirrhus swerde by full cruell law ¶ Of them can I none other processe make But euen there fully my tale I take Of them bothe and also eke yfere ¶ Of Atastus theyr owne father dere Of whome sothly for all hys lockes hore In Troye booke rede I can no more ¶ But now must I again to Pirrhus wende To wryte of him the sorye wofull ende Which whan he sat highest in his see Made full blinde with vayne prosperyte Gouerning tho the lande of Thesalye ¶ There hym betydde to fall in fantasye And to sette hys loue on Hermyon the quene ¶ Horestes wyfe reygnynge in Methene For whome he brent hote as any fyre And in fulfyllyng of hys foule desyre His purpose hole thus he brought aboute Her rauyshyng while her lorde was oute Tho led hir home and helde her as his wyfe Seminge to hym it was a blysfull lyfe And full relese of his paynes smerte ¶ Of whyche Horestes bare full heuy herte And caste hym playnely auenged for to be Whan he therto hath opportunyte And for that time though he susteined wrong ¶ He
is and alway meynt with wo That in this world where so that we go We truely may aduert as in our thought That for the value of a thyng of nought Mortall causes of werres first begonne Strife and debate here vnderneth the sonne Were meued first of small occasyon That caused after great confusyon That no man can the harmes halfe endite And for a cause deare inough a mite Eche one is redy to destroye other A man for litel stryue will with his brother Blode is vnkynde which greatly is to drede Alas why ne will they take better hede For olde Troye and after that the newe Through smal enchesō who the trouth knew Were fynally brought to destruction As olde bokes make mencion And many worthy and many noble knight Slayne in the felde by duresse of that fight Kynges and prynces at the siege ben deade Whā Attropos lyst breake theyr liues threde That for to tel the mischiefe and the wo I want connyng and I fele also My pen quake and tremble in my hand Lyst that my lorde dradde on sea lande Whose worthines thrugh y e world doth sprede My rude makyng shal beholde and reade Whych of colour full naked is and bare That but if he of his mercye spare For to disdayne and list to haue pytye For feare I tremble that he shuld it se ¶ But onely mercye y t doth his hert embrase Byd me presume fully in his grace Seyng in hym most vertuous and good Mercye annexed vnto royall blode As to a prince longeth nigh and ferre Aye to fore ryght pytye to preferre For through the support of his high noblesse As now I will ayene my style dresse To wryte forth the storye by and by Of newe Troye in ordre seryously As mine auctour in latyn Guydo wryt Praying y e reader wher as my wordes missit Causyng the metre to be halte or lame For to correct to saue me from blame Let hym not wayte to haue curyosytye Sith that in rime Englyshe hath skersytye I am so dull certayne that I ne can Guido ensewe that clerke and curyous man Whych in latyn hath by rethoryke Set so his wordes that I cā not be lyke To sewe his style in my translation Worde by worde like the construction After the maner of gramariens Nor like the stile of rethoriciens I toke but on me this storye to translate For me to further Clio came to late That in such craft hath great experience I leue the wordes and folowe the sētence And trouthe of metre I set also asyde For of that arte I had as tho no guide Me to reduce whan I went a wrong Taking small hede eyther of short or long But to the trouth and lette curiosite Both of making and of metre be Not purposyng to much for to varye Nor for to be dyuers nor contrarye Vnto Guydo as by discordaunce But me conforme fully in substaunce Onely in meanyng to conclude all one Albe that I ne can the waye gone To sewe the floures of his eloquence Nor of peyntyng I haue none excellence With sundry hewes noble freshe and gay So ryche coloures byggen I ne may I must procede with sable and with blacke And in ennuyng where ye fynde a lacke I axe mercy or that I fro you twyn And with your fauour I will nowe begyn And in all haste my stile forth right directe And where I erre I pray you to correct THe same tyme whē that Troye towne Destroyed was y t king Lomedowne Was also slayne through the crueltye Of Hercules and that tofore his cytye He had a sonne the storye telleth vs Which was his heyre ycalled Priamus Wonder manly discrete eke and prudent Which at that time from Troye was absente When so his father lost hath so his lyfe For at that tyme with Hecuba his wyfe And with his sonnes aboute a castell laye And all his knightes to get it if they may That hath on theym mightely werreyed For they his father falsly disobeied And vnto hym be rebell wonder longe Albe Priam with sautes huge and stronge Theim had assayled oft and many syth His strength on them like a knight to kyth To get in armes worship and honour And theim to daunt like a conquerour He cast him fully or that he departe For day by day his life he gan Ieoparte Tofore their walles for to preue his mighte With many baron many worthy knight For he was flowing yet lusty bloude And was of age flouryng in knighthode And at assautes and such maner strife On with the first auenture his life To herte his men him lyst not be behind For dread of death sothly as I find Afore the castell hygh thyck ywalled And by his wife that Hecuba was called This Pryam had ful worthy of degre Fiue sonnes and yonge doughters thre ¶ Of whych the eldest Hector called was Which also fer as Phebus in compase A naturall daye his cercle goeth about So fer of hym withouten any doubte Reported was the renowne and the name The worthynesse and the noble fame For like as bokes of him specifye He was the roote and stocke of chiualrye And of knighthod very soueraygne floure The sours and well of worship and honoure And of manhode I dare it well expresse Patron myrrour and of high prowesse Ginning and grounde with all this yfeare Wonder benynge and lowely of his cheare Discrete also prudent and vertuous Of whom the dedes and actes merueilous Remembred ben of so long a gone For he alone excelled euerychone In olde Auctours reade and ye may finde Of his knighthod how yet they makē mynde ¶ The next brother called was Parys To whom nature gaue to her deuys Of shape and fourme beautye semelynesse That to recorde his excellent fayrnesse He in his time withouten any dread Ferre passed all that I can of reade And he was eke a full manly knight But most he vsed when so he shuld fight In his hand to beare a mighty bowe For such an archer no man coud knowe None might be foūd to seke both fer nere That of shoting might hardely be his pere As he was founde whan he had a do And Alexsandre called he was also ¶ The third sonne hight Deiphobus A worthy knight and a chiualrous And had in armes a ful great renowne And was a man of high discresciowne And wife of coūsail min auctour sayeth thus ¶ The fourth brother called was Helenus Sad and discrete and of highe prudence And was also a man of great scyence And renommed therwith in specyall In al the artes called lyberal For he in theym was full experte a ryght ¶ The fyfth sonne was a worthy knyght Freshe and lusty and yongest of theim all And as sayeth Guido Troylus men him call A manly man valyaunt in battayle And fearsely hote his fomen to assayle One of the best in his time yfounde For called he was Hector the secound For his manhode throughout Troye booke Within
the most entere Exiona whom nowe thou claymest here But be well syker thyne asking is in vayne For truste me this be right well certayne Thou gettest her not at one worde yf I may For there shal first be made full greate affray Or I her leue during all my liue Who euer grutche or there agaynst striue It were not sittyng me to leue her so For whom I had whilom so great a do Or I her gat with spending of me blode For who so wrothe be therwith or wood I will her kepe as it shall be founde For whom I had so many mortall wounde At Troye towne or that I her thense wan And in good fayth as fer forthe as I can She shall not lightly fro my handes pace For she alone so standeth in my grace For her beaute and her semelyheade For of her bounte and her godlyheade That if I shal my reason shortly fine She is in sothe the most feminine That euer I sawe and without dreade Of porte conning and of womanheade She hath alone in very existence The souereynte and perfect excellence That Priamus for ought that thou cā sayne While that I lyue getteth her not agayne But he her bye with many deadly wounde With sharpe swerdes square speres groūde For there shal first be reysed such a strife That it shall cost many mannes lyfe Or she to him agayne restored be Take this forsothe y u gettest no more of me And when him list he may wel beginne But I supose he shall but litell winne None otherwise but as I haue the tolde And wotest y u what a great foole I the holde The to put thy selfe so ferre in Ieopartye To execute this his embassadrye The manly Grekes so boldly to offende Beware therfore that he no more the sende Vpon thy selfe for rancoure nor for pride Now go thy waye for yf that thou abide Any longer sothly in my syght Thou wotest y e pryse y t I haue the hyght Thou scapest not who that be liefe or lothe Than Anthenor anone to shyp he goth And forth sayleth hym list not to delaye Towarde an yle that called is Achaye And whan that he taken hath the lande At his ryuayle of auenture he fonde The worthy kynges Pollux and Castor And ryght anone this Troyan Anthenor Without abode to the courte is fare Vnto them his message to declare And together when they were present Right thus he sayd as in sentement ¶ The noble kynge of Troye the Citee Hath vnto you sent his wyll by me Besechyng you in full lowe maner That she vouchesafe as vnto his prayer Of equitie for to condescende And goodly helpe a certeine wrong to mende Touchyng his syster called Exion That he may haue restitucion Of her agayne by your discrete aduyse For syth ye be so manly and so wyse It lykely is in his oppynion That ye by your good medyacion May easely agayne restored be For to cheryshe peace and vnitee Wherfore he prayeth w t all his herte entere In goodly wyse to done your deuere That holde byn so knyghtly and so sage And he wyll playnly all the surplusage Of wronges olde put as in suspence For he desyreth of knyghtly hygh prudence To stynte warre and to nouryshe peace For he is nother rakle nor rekles But euell auysed in his workes all To caste afore what that shall after fall And thynges future aduertynge from a ferre And seeth what peryll that there is in werre Wyll hym conforme vnto peace and reste For he conceyueth that it is the beste For euery man vnite to sewe And prudently also to eschewe Of all debates the hole full occasion Lo here the fyne of this entencion Which I commyt vnto your iugement ¶ This Castor then of yre inpacient For hastinesse ne might not abyde His cruell herte so swolen was with pride Brake out anone with right despiteous face And sayde frende I knowe of no trespace That euer grekes did vnto thy kynge To axe amendes it is a wonder thynge Of vs that neuer dyd him none offence Saue that we made a maner recompence Of a wronge wrought by Lamedon The whiche fyste sought occasyon Agaynst grekes in vngoodly wyse That caused vs vpon hym tho to ryse All at ones and manly on hym sette Of due ryght for to quyte our dette Lyke his deserte we haue him playnly serued And nothīg wrought but as he hath deserued To axe amendes he gynneth now to late For we coueyte more his mortall hate His vtter malys and his enmyte Then outher peace accorde or vnite As in effecte hereafter he shall fele If so he dare hereafter with vs deale The bargayne shall full dere ben abought And we his frendeshyp sothly set at nouhgt And ouermore I speake now as to the It lykely is as semeth vnto me That Pryamus they loued but a lyte Not as I thincke the value of a myte Whan he the sent forth on this message And thou of folye dyddest great outrage To take on the so hyghe a peryllous thynge Vnto grekes to bryngen suche tydynge Where throughe thy lyfe is put in inpartye But I the counsayle faste that thou the hye ▪ Out of my syght lest that thou repente ¶ And Anthenor forth to shyp went And with the wynde gan to sayle anone Towarde an yle that called was Pylon And in all hast whan he dyd aryue He shope hym forth to the court as blyue Where duke Nestor in all maner thynge His housholde helde royall as a kinge And Anthenor full sad and auysee Tofore Nestor syttyng on his see Whan that he was admytted for to sayne His tale he tolde full openly and playne From poynt to poynt as ye herde afore It were but vayne for to reherse it more For he alway concluded hath in one As ye haue herde touchyng Exion ¶ But duke Nestor with face nothyng red But of hewe of any asshes dead Fret with collor so inwardly was he That his blode from eche extremitee Withdrawen is downe alowe vnto his herte Which for his yre so sore made hym smerte That he gan quake in euery ioynt and vayne That he his hande vnneth may restreyne For melancolye a venged for to be Lyke a Lyon so wood and wroth was he Fer from hym selfe he was so alyenate And inwardly of rancour passyonate With loke reserued and furious of syghte That tho to rule hym selfe vnneth he myghte He felte of anger so great aduersytie And syth amyddes of all his crueltie Of sodeyne haste at ones he out brake And euen thus to Anthenor he spake ¶ O thou quod he with al thy wordes whyte As I suppose that thou wottest full lyte Tofore whom thou haste thy tale tolde For I meruayle howe thou arte so bolde Thus to presume myne eares to offende And for Pryam so proudely to pretende A maner tytle in thy kynges name The worthy grekes for to put in blame And vniustly of foule hardynesse Requere of them for to haue redresse Of
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
gouernaunce With thre thousand knightes yonge of age Flourynge in force hardy of courage Suche as he was of custome wont to lede To whom Hector of very brotherhead Full goodly spake and sayd at his partynge Brother quod he my herte is so louynge Towardes the of very kyndnesse That though I haue in party gret gladnesse Of thy manhode that so ferre is kouthe And the knyghthode of thy grene youthe Yet doubtlesse I in my fantasye Ful ofte a daye stande in iupardye Of pensyfehead and in busye drede Whan I remembre vpon thy manhead Lest thy courage be to vyolent Of thy lyfe to be neglygent Thy selfe to put to ferre in aduenture Of surquidrye so moche to assure In thy force knightly to a sterte Euery peryll in thy manfull herte Hauynge regarde in suche mortall stryfe Of wylfulnesse nouther to death nor life Nor aduertence to thy sauacyowne But as fortune turneth vp and downe Her whele meuable hye and after lowe In Martes Ire as the wynde doth blowe Whiche causeth me ful ofte syghe and thincke And to wake whan that I shulde wynke Reuoluynge aye thy hasty wylfulnesse But gentyll brother for any hardynesse Thus ylke daye vpon euery syde I praye the so wysely to prouyde For hate or yre thy foes pursuynge Not to excede more than is settynge But let prudence kepe the in a mene And wysdome eke holde agayne the reyne Of thy herte and thy fyerse courage That fyred haue thy grene tendre age Deuoyde of drede eche peryll to endure That our ennemyes of thy mysauenture Reioyce not myne owne brother dere And myghty Mars I praye of herte entere Thus euery day on the Troyans grounde From their handes the to kepe sounde Lyke as I wolde that he dyd do me ¶ To whom anone with all humilite In manly wise this yonge lusty knight This worthy Troylus in herte freshe light Answered agayn and sayd with glad cheare Mine owne lorde and my brother deare And god tofore I fully shall obeye And all fullfyll what you lyst to seye Now vnto me of your gentilnesse And not decline through none recklesnesse In any poynt from your commaundemente But with hole herte in all my best entente I shall take hede and playnly do none other Than ye haue sayd mine owne lord bother So lothe me were offende you or greue And in this wise he lowly toke his leue And forth he rode so lyke a manly knyght That to beholde it was a noble syght Amonge his men he haueth hym so wele Thre thousande knightes armed all in stele Enuyron rode with Troylus into fyelde And as that day he beareth in his shielde Passant of golde thre Lyons rychely The champe of asure wrought full craftly And by the gate he yssued out anone And with him ladde his knyghtes euerychon To the grekes holdyng the next waye ¶ And Hector hasteth all that euer he may Prudently his wardes to ordeyne And to the noble worthy bretherne twayne To kyng Hupon and Andelius Assygned he the story telleth thus The fourth warde to guye and to wysse And in the lande that called was Larysse The brethern two there had reigned longe And this Hupon was passyngly stronge And of stature lyke a chaumpyowne And saue Hector in all Troye towne Was none to hym egall as of myght More delyuer nor a better knight And on his foen passyng despytous Whiche with his brother Andelyus Foure thousande knyghtes hadde for to lede And seuen thousande sothly as I rede And to them lyke as wryte Guydo Worthy Hector assygned hath also One of his brothern called Dimarchus A noble knight in armes ryght famous And had in manhode passyng excellence And of Hector they taken haue lycence And rode their waye amonge all the prese Through the gate of Dardanides ¶ The fyfte warde to haue at his ledyng Was by Hector commytted to the kyng That of Cesoyne lorde and prynce was And to his brother called Pollidamas These Cysones were of hye stature And might in armes passyngly endure Vpon whom full many man behelde And their kyng bare nothynge in his shyelde But a fyelde of Gules as I fynde Of other sygne Guydo maketh no minde And forth he rode a full sterne pase This noble kynge and Pollydamas Whan they had of Hector lene take Whiche euer in one full busye was to make The syxth warde with all his diligence And to the kyng called Pretemense That was full worthy both in werre peace ¶ And to a duke that hyght Sterepes Whyche was also full worthy of his honde He toke the folke of Poenye lande Them to gouerne in the fyelde that day The whiche people hath in custome aye Without plate hawberion or mayle On swyfte horse their fomen for to assayle With mighty bowes arrowes sharpe groūd Through an harneys mortally to wounde And with this folke of Hector eke also Deyphobus assygned was to go In the fyelde to guyde them and to lede And on their waye they faste gan theim spede But or they passe by Dardanydes Full discretely Hector for them chese Panysers cladde in mayle and plate Them commaundyng at yssuyng of the gate And with the archers in to fyelde to gone And many worthy well armed euerychone To awayte on them that they were not lore For this folke that I of spake tofore Of Poenye hadden none armure But prudent Hector for to make them sure Out of Agrest the myghty regyowne Hath chosen out full worthy of renowne The best knightes of them euerychon ¶ And with the kynges Esdras and Phylon Assygned them for to taken hede To the fotemen when that they haue nede The whiche Phylon ordeyned full rychely Rode in a chere all of Yuery Of whyche the wheles wrought full curious Were of a tree ycalled Hebanus The whiche tree groweth ferre in Inde Blacke of hewe and also as I fynde When it is korne this tree wyll were anone Of his nature harde as any stone Whan it is graue eyther rounde or square And of pure golde roued was this chare Fret with perle and many ryche stones That suche an other I trowe now there none is In all this worlde if I shall not fayne And it was ladde of mighty knightes twaine Men of armes within eke and without Armed in stele rydyng rounde aboute These worthy kynges Esdras and Phylon And Hector hath called to hym anone One of his brethern what so that be falle To be guyde and leder of them all The name of whom was Pytagoras ¶ And to the great Troyon Eneas Of whom tofore made is mencion Hector by good deliberation The seuenth warde assygned hath to kepe And vpon stedes lusty for to lepe Of suche as were vsed moche to ryde Full manly knightes to haue by his syde Whiche with Ewpheny vnto Troye towne Come so ferre from their regyowne To succour them and that for Hectors sake And when they had of hym leue take They rode full proudely forth with Eneas Out at the gate a wonder knightly
ouerflowe with a freshe deluge The winde also so sternly gan to blowe That their tentes standing on a rowe Forpossid were and ybeten downe And furyously to their confusyowne The flodê raught theÌ„ from their staÌ„ding place And bare theim forth froÌ„ thens a large space Wherof in myschyefe and in great distresse In great laboure and hertye heauynesse The grekes bydde all the same nyght What for the tempest and for lacke of lyghte Tyll the floude gan agayne withdrawe The wynde to appease and the day gan dawe And the heauen gan agayne to clere Without cloudes freshly to appere And Phebus eke with a feruent hete Had on the soyle dryed vp the wete And the moysture enuyrowne on the playne And grekes had their tentes sette agayne And were adawed of their nyghtes sorowe Through the apering of the glade morowe They them arayed nothynge for the peace And into fyelde fyrst went Achylles As ye shall here of entencyowne That daye to fyght w t them of Troye towne VVhan dryed was the lusty large playne w t Phebê° bemes as ye haue hard me sain The troian knightes full worthy of renowne Descended be and ycomen downe And in the fyelde toke their fyghtyng place But Achylles to mete them in the face Tofore went out lyke as I you tolde With his lordes and his knightes bolde And fyrst I fynde without more abode Vnto Hupon furyously he rode I meane Hupon that was of his stature Lyke a Gyaunt as bokes vs assure Whom Achylles with his sharpe spere Through the body perced him so fere That he fylle dead his wounde was so kene And after this the kynge Octamene As he fyersly on Hector wolde haue gone Without abode Hector hath slaine anone And cruelly quytte him his fatall mede And sodaynely agaynst Diomede ¶ As zantipus the worthy kyng gan drawe Full pyteously he of hym was slawe And ryght anone the kyng Epystrophus And eke the kyng that hyght Cedius Of one assent proudly in battayle Begonne Hector mortally tassayle And with a spere fyrst Epystrophus Ran at hym with herte despyteous And as Guydo also doth deuyse Rebuked him in vngoodly wyse At hym so sore in herte he was a meued Wherof Hector furyously agreued Hath mortally his wounde made so large That hym ne geyneth plate shelde nor targe For he fell dead amonge his men echone To whom Hector bad he shulde be gone And to the Furyes depe downe in helle Suche proude wordes amonges them to tell For here quod he men take of them no hede And thus whan he was waged for his mede ¶ Anone his brother called Cedyus Suche sorowe made for Epystrophus So hertye dole and so wofull chere That pytie was for to se and here So inwardely on his death he thought And with a thousande knightê y t he brought To be auenged by manhode of them all Despyteously on Hector he is fall Where he hym founde fyghtyng w t his foen That through the force of thâ—m euerycone So sore enuyrowne they haue him beset That froÌ„ his stede downe they haue him smit ¶ Whom Cedyus aye in his cruell rage Whan that he sawe to his ouauntage Hector vnhorsed and he on his stede His sworde he lefte of inwardly hatred Markynge at hym with so great a payne With all the force of his armes twayne Fully in purpose withouten more delaye To slea Hector playnly if he maye But or his stroke descende myght downe Hector of hate and indignaciowne With his sworde that was full sharpe whet From his shoulder hath his arme of smet And after that he reuyd hym his lyfe Than Eneas amyddes all this stryfe Came rydyng in ryght wood and furious And as he mette the kyng Amphymacus He fell on him and slewe hym in his rage And from the grekes holdyng their passage ¶ There be discended fyrst Menelaus ¶ And after him kynge Thelamonius ¶ The great duke also of Athene In whom there was so moche manhode sene Vlixes eke and cruell Diomede And eke also to helpe them in their nede There came with them the kyng Machaon And alderlast the great Agamenon With all their wardes and fell in sodeynly Vpon Troyans and they full manfully Diffende them selfe agayne the grekes proude And put them of full knightly as they coude And eche on other sothly as they mette With spere and sworde enuyously they sette So mortall hate there was them betwene And whan the sonne was merydyen In mydday angell passyng hote and shene The grekes gan felly in their tene So myghtely to falle on them of Troye That they them made for to geuen weye Of very force and necessytye ¶ And Achylles so full of cruelte Amonge the renges as he gan hym drawe The kyng Phylem enuyously hath slawe ¶ And amyd of grekes the same time Hector Maugre them all slewe kyng Alphenor ¶ And eke the kynge called Dorius On them he was so cruell and Irous That through vertue of his knyghtly honde Troyans wonne haue agayne their londe Vpon grekes and made them for to flee ¶ And thylke houre from Troye the Cite Epystrophus full of manlynesse The felde haue take through his worthinesse And on grekes proudely for the nones With his knightes he fauleth all attones And seuered them made them for to twinne And gan the fyelde fast vpon them wynne ¶ Hauyng that tyme in his companye Amonges other that he tho dyd guye ¶ A certayne archer the whiche as I fynde Was monstruous and wonderfull of kynde For from the myddell vp vnto the crowne He was a man and the remnaunt downe Bare of an horse lykenesse and fygure And horses heire this monstre in nature Had on his skynne growyng enuyrowne Full rough and thycke of his voice y e sowne Was lyke the neyhynge of an horse I reade And though his face both in length and brede Of shape were mannyshe yet in sothfastnesse His colour was semblable in lykenesse Vnto the fyry hoote brennyng glede Whose cyen eke flawmyng also reade As the blase is of an ouen mouthe And for he was in syghte so vnkouth Where soeuer he was met in the berde Both man and horse sore were a ferde His face was so hatefull and so odyble And his loke so hydous and horrible And aye he had in custome and vsaunce As in bokes is made remembraunce For to go vnarmed into fyelde Without sworde spere axe or shielde For he nothyng coulde of that myster But as I fynde he was a good archer And bare a bowe styffe and wonder stronge And for he was also of tyller longe His arrowes were lyke to his tyller In a bushment trussed wonder ner By his syde aye ready to his hande Where so he were outher on sea and lande And as I fynde how that none armure Agayne his shot playnly myght endure And there was horse stede nor couser That durst abyde nouther fer nor ner But fledde anone with all their full myght As fast as they of hym had a syght To them
ne he felte That with the heat he thought his hert melt Aye on his bedde walowinge to and fro For the constreynt of his hidde wo For which almost him thought that he deyde And to him selfe euen thus he seyde ¶ Alas quod he howe me is wo begone That of my sorowe knowe ende none For I suppose sith the worlde began Ne was there neuer a more wofull man For I that whylom was of so great myght So renowmed of euery maner wyght Throughout the worlde both of high lowe For there was none in sothe that could know A man in armes that was more famous Nor yet yholde more victorious Tofore this time remembred by no stile Vnto this daye alas the harde while Nother Hector playnly nor none other Of Pollicene that was the worthy brother That power had when they with me mette For all theyr might me to ouersette Nor in the felde my force for to daunte Here pryuely as I me dare auaunte ¶ But nowe alas a mayde of tender age Hath sodaynly me brought in suche a rage That with the streames of her eyen twayne She perced hath and clouen euery vayne Of my herte that I maye not asterte For to be dead thrugh constreynt of my smert ¶ For who shall nowe wishe me or teache Or who alas shall nowe be my leche Or who alas shall helpe me or saue There is but death and after that my graue For other hope playnly is there none Saue in her mercy alas and that is gone For nother prayer treasour nor rychesse Force nor might nother high prowesse Highnes of bloud byrthe nor kinrede Maye auayle nor helpen in this nede To meue her nor my sadde trouthe Vpon my wo euer to haue routhe ¶ What newe furye or inportune rage Hath brought my hertin to suche outrage Agaynst whych I can not nowe debate ¶ To loue her beste that deadly doth me hate ¶ And in good fayth who wysely lyste aduert Lytell wonder though she me hate of herte Syth I am come hither fro so ferre On her kinrede for to make werre In the whyche to my confusyowne Her knightly brother most worthy of renown Haue fatally with mine handes slawe Whych in this worlde had no felowe Of worthynesse nor of manlyheade Alas alas nowe maye I quake and dreade And of my lyfe fallen in dispeyre For howe shoulde I be bolde to haue repeyre Or dare alas come in theyr syghte I woful wretche I vnhappy wighte Or howe shall I be hardy to appeare In the presence of her eyen cleare Certys I se none other mene weye But fynally that I must nedes deye So dispeyred I stande on euery syde Of other helpe I con me not prouyde And ryght anone with scaldinge sighes depe This Achilles braste out for to wepe With deadly cheare pale and funerall And with his face tourned to the wall That routhe was and pyte for to sene The hertye furye of his paynes kene For so oppressed he was in his thoughte Of lyfe nor death that he rought nought And this continued till it drewe to nyght That Titan hath withdrawe his clear light And euer in one like this wofull man Ilyche like of coloure pale and wan Without slepe so fretinge was his sorowe ¶ Tyll Lucifer on the next morowe Tofore the sonne with his beemes cleare Full lustely gan for to appeare In the oryent whan this Achilles Vnpacient wythout reste or peace Quakinge aye in his feuer newe As it was sene playnly in his hewe Tyll he abrayde of anguishe sodaynly And called one that was with him pryue And of counsayle whom he trusteth well And vnto him he telleth euerydell Fro poynt to poynt with him howe it stode And sent him forth bycause he could his good On his message streyght to Troye towne With full aduise and informaciowne Of this mattere to Hecuba the quene Through his wisedome for to be a mene If so he might by his discrecion Finde any waye as of saluacion Vnto his lorde that he loued so And to the quene anone he is go And his matter wisely gan conueye Tofore or he of grace would her preye That she enioyeth to gyue him audience For in his tale there was none offence ¶ He was no foole nor newe for to lere Wherfore the quene goodly gan him here Of all that euer him liketh for to sayne There was no word ylost nor spoke in vaine For his tale no man could amende And craftely he gan to discende To the substaunce and tolde clerely oute With premisses full well brought aboute That fynally in conclusyon The chiefe he sayde of his entencion Effectuelly if it would be Was for to make peace and vnyte Atwene Grekes and the folke of Troye To whych thinge he knewe no better weye Than of the werre for their alder ease By his witte prudently to appease The mortall stryfe and the bytter rage By allyaunce onely of maryage If that her lyst this wise worthy quene ¶ That her doughter fayre Pollicene Maye wedded be vnto Achilles Where through theyr might be a fynall peas If Hecuba by her discrescion Through her wytte and medyacion And her prudence might about brynge That Pryamus were fully assentinge ¶ That Achilles might his doughter wyue So that it might parfourmed be as blyue Lyke as tofore made is mencin By couenaunt onely and condicion That the Grekes shall theyr werre lete And suffer him to lyuen in quyete If the maryage of these ylke twayne Parfourmed be and knyt vp in a chayne ¶ And when y e quene hath knowen his entēt Full soberly by good aduysement Tofore or that any worde asterte Full pyteously she sighed in her herte And at the laste with a sobre cheare Euen thus she sayd to the messagere My frende quod she touchynge thy requeste I can no more make the beheste But at the leste I will condescende What lyeth in me to bringe to an ende Thy lordes wyll with all my herte entiere But herevpon I must fyrst requere The kinges wyll if he lyst to assente To the purpose for whych thou arte sente And ouermore I must wytte also If that Parys be willynge eke therto Of whych thynge with euery circumstaunce I wyll my selfe maken enqueraunce ¶ Full faythfully of Priam and Parys The meane whyle what is theyr aduyse Without more within dayes thre At whiche time come againe to me From Achilles if so he will the sende And fynally thou shalt knowe an ende Of this matter and an aunswere playne And home he goeth to Achilles agayne ¶ With full glad cheare his lorde the more to please And for to set his hert at better ease Auysedly of high discrescion He hath so made his relacion And tolde his tale in so thrifty wyse As he that could his wordes so deuyse To brynge in hope into his lordes herte With full relese of his paynes smerte Wherby he made his sorowe to withdrawe And thus whyle hope gan to adawe ¶ Amid his breke and Hecuba the
quene ¶ To Priam spake of this Pollycene Touchinge the sonde of this Achilles And of his profre for to make a peace She tolde him all and forgate nothinge Wherof astoned Priamus the kynge Spake not a worde halfe an houres space But in him selfe gan inly to compace Full prudently what it might meane That Achilles would haue Pollycene Vnto his wife aye wonderynge more more And at the laste syghinge wonder sore He hath disclosed the conceyt of his herte And sayd alas howe sore it doth me smerte To remembre that I may haue no peace The great offence of this Achilles Towardes me playnly when that he Slewe worthy Hector through his crueltye That hooly was vpon euery side The hoole assuraunce gouernour and guyd Of me and mine platly for to sayne And therwithall of myne eyen twayne He was alone the very sothfast lyght Shelde protectour thrugh his great might And his manhode agayne the mortall rage Of Grekes werre in my croked age ¶ But nowe alas to my confusyowne He slayne is so worthy of renowne By Achilles which maye not out of minde That in my herte I can neuer fynde To be allyed with my mortall foo Roote and grounde of all my sorowe woo It were full harde my herte to appease To loue him that causeth mine vnease On euery halfe where through my cruel foen The proude Grekes harted be echone Agaynst me nowe Fortune is contrayre Tourned of newe my quarell to apayre That causeth Grekes wood and furyous On me alas to be presumptuous ¶ Onely for Hector is me berafte awaye But sythen I no other choyse maye Agaynst herte though it for anger ryue In this matter assaye I shall to stryue Though me be lothe and sytteth me full sore Yet to eschewe harmes that be more Which lykly be hereafter for to fall And for to saue myne other sonnes all I will consente that this Achilles So that he moke a trewe fynall peace Atwene Grekes and also this Cite Without more playnly howe that he Haue vnto wyfe my doughter Pollycene ¶ But leste that he any treason meane My will is firste how so that it wende Of his behest that he make an ende Wythout fraude this is mine aduise ¶ To whych counsayle assenteth eke Parys And more rather in conclusyon For there was made none excepcioon ¶ In this Trete of the quene Heleyne That Menelaye neuer shoulde atteyne Her to recure agayne vnto hys wyfe For whyche Parys without noyse or stryfe Or grutchynge other vnto this entente Within him selfe was fully of assente Therby hopynge without feare or dreade Perpetually Heleyne to possede Right at his luste and no man shall saye nay And after this vpon the thirde daye ¶ Achilles hath to wytte of this mattere To Hecuba sente his messingere And she him tolde the aunswere of the kynge Ceryously gynninge and endinge And how that he assenteth well therto ¶ And Parys eke and she her selfe also If it so were playnly she him tolde Touchinge the peace that the purpose holde And fyrste that he his heste brynge aboute That they be sure therof nede not doubte That he shall haue his purpose euerydele If that he worke prudently and we le And herevpon with informaciowne This messenger out of Troye towne Without abode in all the haste he maye To Achilles helde the ryghte waye And tolde him hole the effect of this mattere And he alwaye feruente and entiere In herte brent as hole as any glede And sawe there was none other way to spede But onely peace as ye haue herde me telle ¶ And aye his brest with sighes gan to swel For the only loue of this Pollycene And caste alwaye amonge his throes kene To his purpose a waye for to fynde And whyles he was busy in his mynde How he shoulde his purpose brynge aboute And in him selfe casteth many doubte ¶ Anone dispayre in a rage vp sterte And cruelty caught hym by the herte Whych hath him throwe into suche a were That him thoughe it was in his power All his beheste to fulfyll in dede Except he hadde well the lesse dreade Euery thinge to put in certayne Wening no Greke would his luste with fayne From his desyre to be varyable And to him selfe thus was he fauorable For to parfourme and nothynge to denye All that was lusty to his fantasye As is the maner of louers euerychone That they suppose to acheue anone What thinge it be that they lyst take on hand In what disioynt that the matter stande All though it be a very impossyble In theyr foly they be aye so credible And so Achilles trusteth fynally For to fulfyll his hestes vtterly Supposinge aye for his worthynesse For his manhode and his hygh prowesse In whych he did him selfe gloryfye Some what of pryde and of surquedrye How the Grekes shoulden be despayred Both of theyr truste theyr might appeyred Vpon Troians to wynnen any lande If it so were that he withdrewe his hande To helpe theim and therwithall also Home into Grece that they wolden go From the syege onely for his sake And their quarell vterly forsake ¶ But it so were this daye fyerse Achille With theym abode the cite for to spylle For whyche thinge the lordes by assente Assembled were to heren the entente Amonge theim all of thys Achilles By the byddinge of Pallamydes And when they were gathered all yfere Tofore theim all lyke as ye shall heare THis Achilles hath his tale begonne And sayd syres that so muche konne Both of wysedome and of high prudence So renowmed eke of sapyence Throughout the worlde of discreciowne And be so worthy also of renowne Kynges and dukes of whose royall name From East to West floureth yet the fame Both of knyghthode and of manlyhead To that I saye I pray you taken hede This to saye yf that ye consyder The playne entent of our commyng hyther By good auyse that our entencyon Had no grounde founded on reason Nor cause roted on no maner ryght If it so be that ye lyft vp your syght And aduerte clerely in your mynde Full ferre a backe wytte was set behynde Prudent lokyng and aduysenesse For fyrst whan that we of foly hastynesse Toke vpon vs to come from so ferre Agayne Troyans for to gynne a werre And to ieoparte our lyues euerychone For the loue of one man alone Ye wote all I trowe whom I meane ¶ Kyng Menelay defrauded of his quene To telle trouth me lyste not for to feyne For ye well wote onely that Heleyne Was groūde and gynnyng of all this debate For whom so many worthy of estate Recurlesse of any remedye Lyfe and good haue put in ieopardye Our landes lefte and eke our regyownes Our cyties also and our ryche townes Whiche by our absence stonden desolate Wyues and chyldren eke disconsolate In woe abyde mournynge and distresse Whyles that we here the soth to expresse From day to day beset on euery ryde Lye in the felde and our death abyde
downe The wardes sought about enuyrowne ¶ Tyll at the laste Pallamydes he fonde With Sarpedon fyghtyng hande of hande Now was this king this worthi Sarpedown Come in defence of them of Troye towne Whiche of his hande was a noble knight And whyle that he with all his full myght ¶ Moste busy was Pallamydes to presse Lyke a Lyon whetted with woodnesse Pallamydes in herte not a ferde Let flye at hym with his sharpe sworde So myghtely that it was a wonder For he his thygh parted hath a sonder And smote of by the herde bone ¶ That Sarpedon fyll downe dead anone So that Troyans whan that he was slawe Were compelled of force them to withdrawe Through the pursuite of kyng Pallamydes Whiche vpon them was so merciles And as cruell as a wood Lyon ¶ After the death of kyng Sarpedon The whiche alas whan Parys dyd espye He marked hym with a cruell eye And hente a bowe that passyngly was strong And with an arowe to his tyller longe Entoxycat with venym in the head That whom he smote therwith was but dead And hytte hym so in the auentayle Throughout the stuffe and the thicke mayle Into the throte that it gan through pace That he fell dead in the selfe place ¶ Pallamydes this manfull worthy knight Where through Grekê toke them to the flight And made a noyse and a wofull crye The death complaynyng wonder piteouslye Of their lorde and myghty gouernour But late chose to be their Emperour Their chiefe socour and soueraine refute But now alas they stonde destitute Of gouernaunce broke and disarayed Without guyde ryght as shepe dismayed Disconsolate and comfortlesse yshent That eche of them flyeth vnto his tente And they of Troye sued on the chace On horsebacke a wonder huge pace And merciles slewe them as they fle On euery syde that pyte was to se Without mercy or any other grace For lyke the Lyons they gan them enchace Tyll they compelled of necessyte Constrayned were through their cruelte To tourne agayne and them selfe diffende And they of Troye downe anone discende Of horsebacke euen vpon the playne And attones there was none other gayne They gan the grekes proudely to outraye And cruelly do them so disamaye That fynally there gayneth no diffence So mortall was the mighty violence Of Troyans that Grekes so diffoyle And alderfyrste at leyser they dispoyle The grekes tentes of golde and rychesse At whiche time Troylus gan him dresse And Parys eke downe to their nauye With thirtye thousande in their companye Kyllyng all tho playnly that they mette And on their shyppes wylde fyre they sette That to the wall of Troye the Cyte Men myght well the hydous flawme se ¶ And all had gone to destruction Ne had Ayax ycalled Thelamon Through his manhode knyghtly excellence Come anone and made resystence Of the grekes with many worthy knyght And tho of new began the mortall fyght Atwene Troyans and the grekes stoute The red bloud raylyng all aboute Vpon the playne so hydously they blede And here and there both in length and brede Dead and maymed and full pale of syght Vpon the soyle full many noble knyght Atwyxe them so cruell was the hate For in their fyght togyther they debate As wylde bores euen so they fare For none of them lyste other for to spare And in the fyelde worthy Thelamowne Through his knyghthod his high renowne So manly bare hym grekes to deffende That no maÌ„ might in manhode him amende Thrugh all y e world though men had sought For he that day in his person hath wroughte Meruailes in armes thrugh his great might That in sothnesse Grekes anone ryght Without hym had fynally be shent And their shyppes attones loste and brent Through the pursuite of Parys that day ¶ And worthy Troilus y t made such affraye Amonges them through hygh prowesse That fyfty shyypes Guydo doth expresse Were loste and brent or that Thelamowne To reskus came with his knightes downe Vnto the sea the remenaunt for to saue But for all that Troyans that daye haue The hygher hande of this mortall fyght Through the force and the great myght Of Troylus only which hath so many slaine Of the grekes in soth that they were fayne Them to withdrawe and the fielde to lete For in abydyng they fonde full vnswete Wherfore they gan for to lese their place ¶ Amonge which the kinges sonne of Trace That Heber hyght wounded to the death That he ne myght vnneth drawe his breth With a spere in his breste styckynge ¶ To Achylles he came in complaynyng Vnto his tent euen there he laye Whiche in the fyelde was not all that daye ¶ For the sake onely of Pollycene The loue of whom was so sharpe and kene Aye at his herte ylyke grene and newe To whom Heber with a mortall hewe Complayneth sore arrettyng cowardyse And in manhode a very trewandyse That he that day myght so for shame Withdrawe him selfe in hindring of his name Out of the fyelde to hym full great reprefe Of the grekes seynge the mischiefe That they were in and confusyon Vpon the brinke of their destruction Abrode the fielde to se them so lye deade And lyste not ones for to take hede Of his knyghthode grekes to releue ¶ And whyle Heber gan hym thus repreue And the spere whiche in his body was All sodaynly was drawen out alas With Eye vp caste in rancoure and in yre Full pyteously Heber dyd expyre ¶ In the presence of this Achylles And therwith came in a sodayne res Into his tente a certayne knyght of his ¶ Of whom Achylles axeth how it is Amonge the grekes and clerely how it stode And he answered full Irours in his mode Certes quod he full vnhappely For they of Troye haue so cruelly Our grekes all this daye in their fyght Full shamefully put vnto the flyghte So many slayne alas and welawaye That vnneth none escape myght awaye Vnhurte maymed or withouten wounde So fell on vs Troyans were yfounde And of them eke was suche multitude That I suppose shortely to conclude This daye there was to my opynyowne Not lefte a man within Troye towne That able was to stande in battayle With spere or sworde his enmye to assayle I Wene in soth but they byn come out With vs to fyght there was so huge a route That we ne myght of force take on hande In the fyelde agaynst them for to stande ¶ But nowe my lorde it draweth vnto night That they be faynte any more to fyght If it were pleasyng to your worthynesse To your manhode and your hygh noblesse To take on you to your encrese of fame For euermore to getten you a name And there withall for your owne glorye Perpetually to be in memorye To ryse vp and arme you anone And sodaynely vpon them to gone Feble and weake to make resystence Agaynst your manly famous excellence There were no more but we were victours For eâ—er more and very conquerours Duryng the worlde to
make mencion After the scyte of the fyrmamente Is in the plage of the Oryent ¶ And called is the reygne of Amazonis Of which the custome and the vse is That onely women therin shall abyde And they were wonte armed for to ryde And haue in armes great experyence For theyr laboure and theyr dylygence Is fynally to haue exercyse Fro daye to daye in Martes hygh seruyce ¶ And ouermore theyr custome and vsaunce As to this daye is made remembraunce Is that no man shall them nygh nere But yf it be thre monthes in the yeare ¶ This to saye in Iune Apryll and Maye And then the women haue in custome aye Vnto an yle a lytell there besyde Where as the men by them selfe abyde Fro yere to yere togyther euerychone Vnto the men out of theyr lande to gone And there abyde in that regyon Tyll tyme cometh of concepcion Wythout taryinge any longer whyle For then anone home vnto theyr ile They be repeyred out of that countre Vnto tyme that they delyuered be And as fast as the chylde is borne For lacke of kepynge that it be not lorne He fostred is tyll thre yeres be agone Amonge the women and then ryght anone To the yle besyde adiacent Vnto the men the chylde in haste is sent If that it be of kynde masculyne And yf it fall that it be femynyne With the women abyde styll it shall Tyll that it be in actes mercyall Full well expert and that she can eke knowe A spere to haddle or to drawe a bowe Lyke the statutes of that regyon The whych as bookes make mencyon Is sette betwene Ewrope and Asya ¶ And of this lande was Pantasilia Whylom lady and chyefe gouernesse Full renowmed of strength and hardinesse Thrugh out y e worlde both in length brede And yet in sothe to speake of womanhead For all her myght she had an huge pryse For both she was vertuous and wyse Wonder dyscrete and had an honest name Notwythstandynge the excellence of fame Of her renowne in armes and in glorye For of conquest and of high victorye She was most surmountynge out of drede Of any woman that I can of rede And sothely yet bookes bere wytnesse Of womanhead and of gentylnesse She kepte her so that nothynge her asterte ¶ The whych loued wyth all her hole herte Worthy Hector and wyth all her myght Onely for he was so good a knyght All her ioye and worldly plesaunce Her harty ease and soueraygne suffysaunce In very sothe where she wake or wyncke Was euer in one vpon him to thynke Of very fayth wythout any slouthe And vnto hym she was by bonde of trouthe Confederate of olde affectiowne That when she herde how that Troye towne Beseiged was of the Grekes fell Thys hardy quene lyst no longer dwell But hasteth her as fast as euer she maye Towarde Troye infull good araye With all the worthy women of her lande Full well experte and preued of her hande Well horsed eke and armed rychely And as I fynde in her companye A thousande maydens rydyng by her side This worthy quene that durst well abyde She wyth her brought in stele armed bryght For loue of Hector her owne trewe knyght And on her waye fast she gan her spede To helpe hym yf she se cause of nede For in nothynge she could her more delyte Than towarde him her faythfully to quyte For that was all her lust and hertes ioye ¶ But when that she come was to Troye And hath hard tell as by relacyowne That he was dead most worthy of renowne To whom she was so louynge and so trewe Anone she gan to chaunge cheare and hewe And pyteously gan to wepe and crye And fared in sothe as she would dye For very wo and hertely heuynesse And thought she would thrugh her wortthynesse Auenge his death platly if she maye On the Grekes and so vpon a daye ¶ She prayeth Pryam w t great affectiowne For to open the gates of the towne And to go out with Grekes for to fyght That they maye knowe and be expert aright Of this women the great worthynesse And of this quene the famous hardynesse And so the kynge hopynge for the beste Without abode graunted her requeste The next morowe wheÌ„ Phebê° shone ful shene ¶ And all tofore out goth Philomene The noble kinge w t them of Pafflagonye And after him other knightes manye Folowed after with worthy Eneas The Troyan eke Dan Pollidamas And the quene Pantasilla By the gate called Dardanica Towarde Grekes proudly yssued oute With her women rydynge her aboute The whych anone when Grekes did espye Into felde gan them fast hye ANd fyrste of all worthy Meneste Pantasylla when that he dyd se Wyth his sporres made his stede gone And wyth a spere rode to her anone ¶ Of whom the quene astoned neuer a dele Kaught a spere that was squared wele Round y e shafte and the head well grounde Which as they coupe smet hiÌ„ downe to grouÌ„d And maugre hym reued him his stede But then in haste in came Dyomede And cruelly to the quene gan ryde And she as fast on the other syde Rode eke to him in plates bryght and shene And as they met wyth theyr speres kene She hytte so this fell Diomede For all his myght and his manlyhead That she him made his sadell for to lese There is no more he myght tho not chese And in despyte of his men echone She hath his shelde him berafte anone And it delyuereth proudly as she rode To a mayde that vpon her abode And lyke a Tygre in his gredynesse Or lyke in sothe to a Lionesse That daye she fared rydynge vp and downe Amonge the Grekes till that Thelamowne Gan to beholde the slaughter that she made Of high despyte and rancour ouerlade As he that myght for yre not sustene Gan reyne his horse to fall vpon this quene ¶ But when that she his comynge dyd espye She fell on him in her melancolye So mortally maugre his knightes all That to the grounde she made him for to fall And Grekes put in so great disraye Where euer she rode all that ylke daye That they ne might afore her not sustene And through the helpe of kyng Philomene As myn auctour recordeth in his boke Amyd the felde Thelamon she toke And sent him forth through her hie renowne As prysoner towarde Troye towne ¶ Tyll vnto reskuse came he Dyomede And cruelly on them that gan him lede He fell vnwarely with an huge route Of his knyghtes rydynge him aboute And from theyr haÌ„des maugre al their might He him delyuereth lyke a manly knyght At whych tyme the hardy quene anone With her women aboute her euerichone The Grekes hath afore her on the playne As wryt Guydo so mortally belayne That she them made of necessytee Out of the felde wyth her sworde to fle That verely it semed incredible And to leue a maner impossyble To se the women Grekes so enchase Which might not there
was full trist and liked nothinge wele But inwardly felte ful great smerte ¶ And his neuewe he had also at herte I meane Horrestes that so mercyles Like a tyraunt that were graceles His mother slewe and had no pytye Of mortall yre in his crueltye And fully caste that he would bline Of sceptre and crowne platly him depriue Full afferminge of this mortall case By all lawe that he vnworthy was His fathers reygne as heyre to possede Iustly consydred his horrible dede And all at ones furyous and wroth Without abode vnto ship he goth Melancolike in his great tene Out of Crete saylinge to Athene And toke the lande out of shippes borde Where duke Nestor was gouernour and lord Which them receyueth like a gentyll knyghte With all his power diligence and myght But Menelay of rancour and great heat Gan with the duke secretly to trete To fynde a meane in his inward syght ¶ For to depriue Horrestes of his right And therupon to haue a iudgement At Athenes was holde a Parliament Of all the lordes of that regyon To giue theron a diffinicion In whych was shewed openly ynough How Horrestes his owne mother slough And the maner of his great offence Him selfe tho beynge in presence And when this thinge he fully did espye For his partye he gan agayne replye As he that felte him frely at his large For him alledginge how he had in charge Of the goddes shortly to declare His mortall sworde that he not ne spare Vpon Clemestra roote of false treason That slewe her lorde kinge Agamenon And the murdre through her malice wrought Wherfore Horrestes humbly besought The lordes all with a manly herte Of equit consydre and aduerte For no malice rancour nor for rage Him to depriue of his heritage Sith he was sonne of Agamenon Borne to be heyre of that regyon As ye haue herde that called was Methene Albe his mother Clemestra the quene Compassed had his destruction ¶ But duke Nestor ymeued of reason In sustaynynge of Horestes ryght Rose vp anone lyke a manly knyght Offrynge hym selfe proudely for his sake This hye quarell for to vndertake With his body to the death darreyne With whom that lyst his tytle to withseyne ¶ But there was none in all that companye That durste a worde agayne hym replye So hoole he stode in his opynion And by his knyghtly mediacyon He bare hym so feynynge in nothynge That Horestes was ycrowned kyng Of Meneste all beynge of assent And whan dissolued was the parlement This Horestes of his lyeges trewe Receyued was with a crowne newe And by treate of lordes many one Kyng Menelay and he were made attone And gan their Ire and their rancour lete ¶ And Ydume the worthy kynge of Crete So prudently gouerneth this mattere That Hermyone the yonge doughter dere ¶ Of Menelay and the quene Heleyne So yonge so freshe of beaute souerayne Ywedded was without more taryinge To Horestes the yonge lusty kynge And bycause of this allyaunce Deuoyded was all rancour and distraunce Atwene the kynges Menelay the olde And Horestes of whom ryght nowe I tolde Thus leue I them as it was the beste Eche in his reygne lyue in peace and reste For all stryfe was ceased in this case ¶ But Erygona that the doughter was Of Egistus as ye haue herde me telle For sorowe and drede lyste no longer dwelle But toke a rope and lyst nothynge to spare And therwithall gan her selfe to gnare The storye sayth hye vpon a tree This was her fyne ye gette no more of me But I wyll forth ceryously entreate Of the storye to telle you the great OH Vlixes by ordre in my wrytynge Thyne auentures come on the rynge Full wonderfull both on londe and sea Entermedlyd with great aduersytye For Guydo fyrste descryuynge thy repayre Saith how thou founde wether foule fayre Nowe agreable now the thonder sowne Now styll and smoth now w t cloudes frowne And sayth also that thou dyddest ordeyne To thy passage myghty shyppes twayne Apparayled all for marchandyse That thou myghtest in most secrete wyse Euery myschyefe of the sea escape ¶ But for all that thou haddest a felle iape For as this auctour thy resorte doth wryte He sayth Vlyxes for all his wordes whyte Yrobbed was of rychesse and of good Contraryous wynde so agayne hym stode That he was dryue to his confusyon In to the myghty stronge regyon Where Thelamon reygned by his lyue And there he was hent and take blyue ¶ By myghtye hande seased by the brest And mercyles put vnder arest For they hym had suspecte in workynge Touchynge the murther of the same kynge But he so wrought by his sleyghty wyle And his tale sette in suche a style That them all he playnly hath be iaped And fro their hande frely is escaped Excepte that he for all his queynt fare Of his treasour was ymade full bare And for his passage was to hym vnkouth He fell agayne into the wolfes mouthe For veryly as it is specyfyed Kynge Naulus men haue hym efte espyed Take and bounde and chayned mercyles For the murther of kynge Pallamydes ¶ But the storye reherseth in certayne By his prudence he scaped is agayne For he was both expert wyse and olde Although the maner be not fully tolde Of his escape through his busy peyne Out of daunger of these kynges twayne Tyll through fortune he came fro mischefe fre To the presence of kyng Ydume In symple arraye and torne apparayle Wherof the kynge greatly gan meruayle To se his pouert in so lowe manere But for all that he made hym good chere Though that tyme ye were infortunate He hym receyueth lyke to his estate And when they were both twayne alone In complayninge Vlixes made his mone Vnto the kinge as he that was ful sage Ceryously the sorte of his passage With face sad and a sobre cheare Fro poynt to poynt anone as ye shall heare ¶ My lorde quod he shortly to expresse Of truste I haue in your gentylnesse I shall to you my auentures all Reherse here ryght as it is fall FIrste when that I Troye lande forsoke And the water wyth my shippes toke I was anone with winde peceably blowe To an yle which was to me vnknowe ¶ Called Mirma of great habundaunce And all thynge that was to my pleasaunce That maye for siluer or for golde be bought I redy founde and wanted ryght nought And there abode full longe while in ioye With the treasour that I gat at Troye My shyppes stuffed my men safe and sounde And for commodyte of that ylke grounde We lyked so the countre enuyron That for disporte and recreacyon Our taryinge there we thought not ful lōge For no man dyd vnto vs no wronge Tyll on a daye that the eyer was styll The winde also fully at our wyll We sayled for the in quyete and in peace Vnto a porte called Claustafages Wherwyth my meyne longe and many daye I founde all thinge accordynge to my paye The
was to feble Pyrrhus was to strong ¶ Whiche helde also in storye it is tolde ¶ Andromecha with hym in his housholde ¶ Hectors wyfe by whom whylom she had A lytell chylde whyche with hir she ladde The sege complete and destructiowne Whan she was brought out of Troye towne Laomedonte I fende was his name Encreasyng after to full worthy fame ¶ And by this Pyrrhus she had a sonne also â–ª ¶ Achylleydos so calleth hym Guydo And these women for all theyr great estate Atwene them selfe amonge were at debate ¶ And Hermyone with yre full hote In complayning thus to her father wrote That her fere for all her hygh degree Andronomecha was cherished better thaÌ„ she Of kynge Pyrrhus besechynge Menelay Hym to enhaste in al that euer he maye And come hym selfe anone that it were do To slea this woman and her childe also That naught he abode but fastgan hym hye In all heate his towardes Thesalye To be avenged with his swerde of stele On her that herein fauleth neuer adele But maugre hym in all his cruelte She was reskewed amyd of the Cite ¶ It is a thynge which hath not be herde To a woman a kynge to draw hys swerde I wyll no more in thys matter dwelle In maner shamed it to wryte or telle But this was done while Pyrrhê° of courage To Delos was gone was on his pilgrimage Hauinge with him but a litell route ¶ To Apollo there knele and to loute For the soule to praye of him Achylle And hys vowes also to fulfylle And hym to thanke with hyghe affeccyon Of good exployte he hadde at Troye towne And for the wreche also that was take At the Cyte for hys fathers sake But all this thinge here yspecified ¶ Kinge Horestes warely hath espyed And to Delos haste the full ryght Ledinge with him many a lusty knight And vnwarely there with Pirrhus mette And vengeably he vpon him sette That fynally in that straunge lande ¶ Horestes slewe him with his owne hande I fynde in sothe he made no diffence So sodayne was the mortall vyolence Of his enuye he could not asterte For or that he his sworde myght aduerte He was on him enuyron all beset Thilke tyme it myght be no bet For there was nother socour nor declyne Thus was Pyrrhus brought to his fine ¶ Late crowned kinge of Thesalye Lo here the guerdon of auoutrye Lo how the mede and rewarde is ful rife To misuse an other mannes wife It is no dread folowe shall vengeaunce Sodayne death or vnware myschaunce Which euery man greatly ought charge And in Delos in a temple large ¶ Kinge Pyrrhus was locked vnder stone And Horestes furth his waye is gone And by force gat his wyfe agayne There was no wight durst him tho w tsayne And to Methene proudly is repeyred And Thesalye piteously dispeyed Destitute as they that can no reade When they wist theyr worthy king was dead And heyre was none by succession To gouerne that noble regyon Saue Achilleydos that but litell aforne In Pirrhus absence was in Grece borne Fully of age not a quarter cleane The youth of whom sothly was to grene Who lyst consydre and to tender of myght Full many daye to reioyce his ryght And to gouerne with Sceptre in his hande The large boundes of so great a lande ¶ And yet this childe likly and right fayre In very sothe was borne to be heyre After Pirrhus this the trouth playne There was no man that lyst it withsaine ¶ But I finde when he came to age He resygned hole his herytage To his brother frely and his ryght ¶ Lamedowne a wonder manly knight That was descended of Troyanishe bloud Downe fro the stock of him that was so good Floure of knighthod diffence of Frygya That him begat on Andromecha Ordeyned nowe who so grutche or frowne Of Thesalye for to beare the crowne And whan he was made lorde of that lande And all was frely resygned to his hande ¶ He hath coÌ„maunded no man dare replye Through the kyngdome of all Theaslye That all that were in captyuitye Or prysoners of Troye the Cytye For loue or hate exceptyon was none That all shulde at their large gone ¶ By full assent of Achylleydos And suche as were eke in pryson close Without raunsome shall delyuered be ¶ And reioyse the full lyberte By custome vsed both in borough and towne Of the lyeges of that great regyon And thus the folke y t came thralle fro Troye Restored be sodaynely to ioye ¶ By Lamedowne and ymade free And he eke reygneth in his royall sea Full myghtly as I haue made mynde In Troye boke no more of hym I fynde Nor of Pyrrhus nor of his kynrede Fro henseforth I can no processe reade ¶ But incydentes that beare no substaunce Whiche were but vayne to put in remeÌ„brance Except myne auctour I note to what entent Here impeth in me a littell incydent Ywrought and done of full yore agone Touchynge the death of kyng Menon Whyche by enuye of cruell Achylles Was slayne in soth amonge Myrmydones Onely for he proudely gan pursewe Vpon Achylles Troylus to reskue ¶ Whom kynge Pryam made buryed be Besyde Troylus in Troye the cyte In a temple ybylte of marbell olde And to what fyne this tale is tolde In this Chapitle I shall reherse anone THe noble quene of this kynge Menon After the tyme longe and many day That she was deade and grauen vnder claye At the toumbe heuenly gan appere Albe set with bryght sterres clere Whose symylytude for to reken all Was lyke a thynge that were immortall That no man myght vtterly sustene To beholde of loke she was so shene Downe descendynge fro the fyrmament Full many man beynge there present Clade in a mantell ful celestyall And of her porte passyngly royall With swetenesse freshe as any rose Made in all haste the tombe to vnclose Of her lorde and taketh out the bones And in a chest made of golde and stones She couched them as fast as euer she maye Dispeyred and went anone her waye And tofore that nor after in certayne In that place she was neuer sayne Some afferminge as by lyklynesse She was other aungell or goddesse The soule or fate of the same kynge I can not deme in suche heauenly thynge Nor therin holde none opinyon For it transcendeth shortly my reason And me lyst not in suche matter diffyne But resorte ryght as any lyne To Vlixes and a while dwell Of his ende the surplus for to tell And how that he myght not escape The parodye that was for hym shape For Parchas haue his last terme sette And Attropos mesured out and mette His liues threde on the rocke sponne Diffende thy selfe Vlixes if thou konne Shewe thy manhode and not be aferde And be welfare of thy sonnes sworde For I shall nowe like as I am wonte Sharpe my penne both rude and blonte To descriue the fine of thy soioure Vpon the boundes set of my laboure For almost wery
weake and faynt ynough Be the beastes and oxen of my plough The longe daye agayne the hyll to wende But almost now at the landes ende Of Troye booke fyche I wyll a stake Saue I must spende a fewe lynes blake The laste chapiter shortly to translate Of all this worke and ympen in the date Of that daye death sette on him areste Full execute by him he loued best LOwe on my knees now must I loute To this god that maketh men to route And causeth folkes to haue glad swenenes Both on morowe and on lusty euenes When Morphe us with slepy wande Which that he holdeth alwaye in his hande Hath marked them agayne the nyght To make men both mery and lyght And some whyle to haue gladnesse And sodeynly to falle in heauynesse Lyke as to them he gyueth euydence By sondry sygnes in his apparence Vnto that lord now must I mekely preye At this tyme my style to conueye Of Vlyxes the dreame to discryue The laste of all he had by his lyue Declarynge hym by tokens full notable And by sygnes very demonstrable As he slepte agayne the pale mone His fatall day that shulde folowe soone For it fell thus as he abedde laye After mydnyght tofore the morowe graye ¶ Hym thought he sawe appeare a creature To his syght celestyall of fygure None erthly thynge but veryly deuyne Of porte and chere wonder femynyne ¶ And as hym sempte in his fantasye Lyke a thynge sent out of fayrye For the beaute of her goodly face Recomforted playnely all the place Most surmountynge and most souerayne And the clerenesse of her eyen twayne All sodeynly or men myght aduerte Perce woulde euen to the herte Deffence none myght be deuysed ¶ And Vlyxes with her loke supprysed Gan her beholde alwaye more and more And in his slepe for to syghe sore Persynge aye with full busy peyne Her to enbrace in his armes twayne ¶ But aye the more that he gan pursue She agaynewarde gan hym to eschewe And aye the more he preysed her to se Aye the more from hym she gan to flee So contrayre to hym was fortune And whan she sawe he was importune She asked hym shortly what he wolde And he to her the platte trouth tolde ¶ Certes quod he my lyues Emperysse Where that ye be woman or goddesse I can not deme nor iudge halfe a ryght I am so derked and blynded in my syght ¶ But I dare well affyrme in this place My lyfe my deth stande hoolely in your grace More of mercy requyrynge than of ryght To rewe on me which am your owne knight And of your pyte and compassyon Goodly to se to my saluacyon For my desyre but I maye fulfyll This same night to haue of you my wyll To my recure I can no remedye For lacke of routhe but nedely I must dye Now haue I all atwixe hope and dread My selfe declared to your womanhead And after that she kept her close a while And tho full sadly gan on him to smyle And as it put is in remembraunce Sayde vnto him with sobre countenaunce Sothly quod she this thine affection Would fully tourne to the confusion As of vs both so it is perellous So inly mortall and contagyous That vtterly there gayne may no reade But one of vs must anone be dead This is the fyne of the hateful chaunce That folowe should after our pleasaunce And as Vlixes gan to nighen nere Beholdinge aye on her the heauenly cheare Where as she stode vp right on the grdunde He sawe her holde a spere longe and rounde The head therof all of borned stele Forged newe and grounde wonder wele ¶ And therupon in his auisiowne He sawe a baner blasynge vp and downe The felde therof all of coloure ynde Full of fyshes beaten as I fynde ¶ And in some bokes like as it is tolde In the middes a large crowne of golde ¶ And or that she tourne gan her face Lykly anone to parte out of the place She spake to him sayd in wordes playne This is full token of partynge of vs twayne For euermore and efte for sowre ne swete After this daye neuer agayne to mete And disaperinge anone her leue she toke And after that he sodaynly awoke And gan to musen in his fantasye What maner thing this dreme might sygnefy But where it mente other euill or good The secretnesse he tho not vnderstode For it surmounted sothly his reason Therfore he sente throughout his region For suche as were subtill exposytoures Of fate or sorte or crafty dyuinours For all the clerkes subeict to his crowne To assemble in one his sweuen to expowne ¶ And when they knewe by informacyon The maner hole of his auision They byn concluded according as in one The time aprocheth and shall come anone That one that is the next of his kinrede With a spere shulde make his herte blede ¶ Let se where he his fate gan remewe Sith it is harde destynye teschewe As saye tho folke in theyr opinion That worke and trust on constellacion And Vlixes musynge on this tale Chaungeth coloure and gan to wexeen pale Wonder dreadfull and full of fantasyes Gan in him selfe to seke out remedyes Awaye to voyde thinge that will not be ¶ He stareth brode but he maye not se His inwarde loke was with a cloude yblent ¶ But weninge he for to be prudent ¶ Made call to hym his sonne Thelamon And to be take and shet vp in pryson He supposynge fully in his witte From all mischiefe therby to go quite He not aduerteth nor ne toke none hede To the sharpenesse of his speares head Nor to the fishes in the baner beate Nor of the sea wherin they swimme and flete Nor of the quene that called is Circes That signes brought of wer not of peace Nor of the crowne token of dignyte Of one that holde shall his royall see Waltryng amid the wawes both fell woo Amonge the fyshes in the large floud ¶ And he shall make the ful diuision Tofore remembred in the auision Agayne his will of very ignoraunce And execute the fatall puruyaunce Vp of the dreame with his spere of stele Whych Vlixes consydreth neuer a dele ¶ Nor to no wyght hath suspection ¶ But to his sonne called Thelamon That closed is and shet vp in a towre ¶ And Vlixes with coste and great laboure Fro daye to daye doth his busynesse For him selfe to make a forteresse Bilte on a rocke of lime and square stones Depe ditched about for the nones That no man maye enter on no syde Where as he casteth all hys lyfe to abyde With certayne men chosen in specyall ¶ Night and daye to watche vpon the wall That no maner wyght shulde haue none entree But it so falle that he be aye secree And knowen of olde to counsayle sworne NOw as y e story rehersed hath to forne The olde foole this dotarde Vlixes A sonne had begot on her Cyrces Freshe and lusty yonge and