your lyues to Ieoparte In any wyse for lacke of prouydence Agaynst his wyll to make resystence Outher of pryde or of wylfulnesse For to be bolde without a vysynesse To interrupte his felycyte For he desyreth in tranquyllyte To holde his reygne without perturbaunce In whose parsone is made suche allyaunce At wene his manhode and Royall mageste That they wyll nat suffre none of no degre To enpugne his quyete in any maner wyse Wherfore I counsayle as ye seme wyse To take hede vnto that I seye And his byddynge nat to disobeye ¶ Leste ye offende his knyghtly excellence For ye shall fynde in experyence Without feynynge sothe all that I telle Take hede therfore I may no lenger dwelle From poynt to poynt syth ye be wyse and sage For this is hool the effect of my message WHan Iason herde of the messagere Thyse wordê all he gan chauÌ„ge there And kepte hym close with sobre couÌ„tenaunce And was nat hasty for Irene greuaunce For no rancoure he caughte of his tale Saue in his face he began to wex pale Longe abydynge or aughte he wolde sayne And or he spake any worde agayne Vnto hym that fro the kynge was sent He began disclose the soÌ„me of his entent Vnto his folke stondynge rounde aboute For vnto them he discured oute The message hool firste whan he abreyde And worde by worde thus to them he seyde Syres he sayth to you be it knowe Take hede I praye bothe hye and lowe How Lamedone that is kynge of Troye Hath sent to vs a wonderfull enuoye Chargynge in haste to hye out of his londe And axeth how we vpon the stronde For to aryue hadde hardynesse Without leue se there his gentylnesse And his fredom the whiche is nat alyte How lyke a kynge that he can hym quyte Vnto straungers that entre in his yle For nought god wote but for a lytell whyle Them to refresshe and to departe anoon Lyke as ye can recorde euerychon And bere wytnesse all and some Alas fredom where is it now become ¶ Where is manhode and gentylnesse also Whiche in a kynge togyder bothe two Shulde of custome haue theyr restyng place And where is honour that shuld also embrace Alordes herte whiche of kyngly ryght Of manly fredome with all his full myght Shulde straungers refresshe and recomforte That afterwarde they myght of hym reporte ¶ Larges experte manhode and gentyllesse That they haue founde in his worthynesse For if noblesse were of his allye And fredom eke knyt with his regallye So as longeth to honoure of a kynge He shulde haue charged firste of all thynge His worthy lyeges with all that myght please To haue shewed the comforte and the ease With all theyr myght and theyr besy cure Vnto straungers that of a venture Were in the see dryuen and dismayed And of our comforte nat be euyll apayed For if that he in any caas semblable Outher by fortune that is varyable By sort or hap that may nat withstande Aryued hadde into grekes lande More honestly lyke to his degre He sholde of vs haue receyued be Lyke as it longeth vnto gentrye But syth that he for ought I can espyâ— Hath fredom honoure and humanyte At ones made out of his courte to fle Chose dyshonour and let worshyp gone There is no more but we shall euery chone That he hath chose helpe to fulfyll Whan power shall nat belyke his wyll This is to saye and sothe it shal be founde That his dede shall on hym selfe rebounde Syth of malys he hath this werke begonne Perauenture or the somer sonne The sodyak hath thryes gone aboute For lete hym truste and no thynge be in doute we shall hym serue with suche as he hath sought For if I lyue it shal be dere a bought All be therof I sette as now no tyde And in his lande I wyll no lenger byde Tyll I haue leyser better to soiourne And with that worde he gan anone to tourne With manly face and a sterne chere Sodaynly vnto the messagere That fro the kynge was vnto hym sent And in this wyse he sheweth his entent My frende quod he I haue well vnderstande The message hool that thou toke on hande Of thy kynge to brynge vnto vs Right now vnwarely syth it stondeth thus That I haue his menynge euerydele From poynt to poynt and vnderstonde it wele For word by word I haue it playnly coÌ„teyned And the gyftes that we haue receyued On his behalfe in our great nede I wyll remembre take of it right good hede To euery thynge that thou haste vs brought For truste well that I forgete it nought But emprente it well suerly in my mynde And with all this how goodly that we fynde The great bounte in all maner thynge Within this lande of Lamedone the kynge His welcomynge and his great chere And goodly sonde that thou bryngest here Nat accordynge nat to our entent For god well wote that we neuer ment Harme vnto hym nor playnly no damage To none of his of no maner age And there vpon the goddes inmortall That of kynde ben celestyall Vnto recorde with all myn herte I take And touching this my borowes I them make In wytnessynge we ment none offence Ne toke nat as by violence Within his realme of woman childe nor man And so thou mayste reporte if thou can But for that we dryuen in the see Compelled were of necessyte For to aryue as thou haste harde me sayne Oonly to reste vs here vpon the playne Without more vnto a certayne daye And afterwarde to holde forthe our waye Vpon our iourney and make no taryenge Lyke as thou mayste recorde to thy kynge And saye hym eke he shall the tyme â—e That he paraunter shall mowe thanked be Whan tyme cometh by vs or by some other Go forthe thy way say hym thus my brother And than anone as Ialon was in pes The manly knyght the worthy hercules WhaÌ„ he had herd this thyng fro poyÌ„t to poynt He was anone brought in suche disioynt Of hasty rancoure and of sodayne Ire The whiche his herte almoste sette a fyre That sodaynly as he abreyde a bake Of hye disdeyne euen thus he spake With chere askoyne vnto the messagere And sayde felawe be no thynge in were Of our abydynge but be right well certayne That are Tytan his bemes reyse agayne We shall departe and to shyp gone That of our men shall nat leue one Within this lande god toforne to morowe And there vpon haue here my fayth to borowe For we no lenger shall holde here soioure For elles where we shall make our retoure To morowe erely in the dawnynge Vpon payne of repref and so go say thy kynge And or thre yere if god vs graunt lyfe Maugre who grutcheth or make any stryfe Vnto this lande we shall agayne retourne And caste anker a whyle to soiourne Take hede therof and note well the tyme A newe chaunge shall folowe of this pryme And
nat semble with spere nor with shelde To encountre hym with all his multytude Wherfore the beste that I can conclude Is syth fortune hath vs hyder brought And the goddes haue eke for vs wrought So graciously to make vs for to londe At venus temple faste by the stronde Whiche haboundeth with full great rychesse Of grekes offrynge vnto the goddesse By londe and see fro many sondry porte Of men and women that haue here resorte To that place in worshyp of venus So that the wyfe of kynge Menelaus Is there present full ryche and well beseyne And if that we by manhode myght atteyne To rauysshe hir and the temple spoyle And of theyr treasoure chesen out and coyle The chefe iewelles and charge our somers With golde and syluer and take prysoners And maugre them to our shyppes brynge This same nyght without taryenge We may nat fayle who euer that say nay If ye assente of a ryche pray Wherfore in haste that ye now redy make And euery man anone his harnes take And arme hym well in his beste aray â— And they assente without more delay And in theyr shyppes they byde tyll at nyght Whan Phebus chare with drawen had his lyght Vnder wawes and sterres dyd appere On the heuen with theyr stremes clere Or the moone that tyme dyde ryse They shope them forthe in full thryfty wyse The manly Troyans in stele armed bryght To the temple holdynge theyr way ryght For they caste no lenger for to tarye But proudely entre in the sentuarye Into the chapell called Citheron Without reuerence or deuocion Done to venus in hir oratorye For it was clene out of theyr memorye Honour and drede and all obseruaunce For fynally all theyr attendaunce As myn Auctor sothely can diffyne Was to right nought but oonly to rauyne They toke all that came to their hande Rychesse and treasour that was in the lande Golde and syluer stones and Iewelles Relyques sacred the holy eke vesselles Without abode out of the sacrarye And all yfere to theyr shyppes carye It is a wonder to thynke on the gode They kylle and sâ—e all that them withstode It was a pyte for to se them blede And many grekes they to shyp lede That after lyued in captyuyte Full many yere in Troye the Cyte ¶ And there whyles goth Parys to Eleyne And hir embraceth in his armes tweyne Full humbly and with great reuerence In whom he fonde no maner resystence It sat hir nat she was so womanly For to Parys she yolde hir vtterly Hir herte in hap was yolde or she came there Therfore to yelde hir she hadde lesse fere She can nat stryue nor no woman sholde And he anone as gentyllesse wolde Comforteth hir as he beste can or may And ladde hir with hym without more delay To his shyppes and there full besyly He sette wardes to kepe hir honestly Whyle he retourneth to the temple agayne To spoyle and robbe and to make all playne Thorugh the temple with walles wyde ¶ Now stode a castell faste there besyde Ystuffed well with grekysshe souldeours The whiche awoke with noyse of the pylours The same nyght and gan make a shoute And therwithall anone they yssue oute Armed in stele the temple to reskewe And manfully after them they sewe And so befylle whan they togydre mette With speres sharpe and swerdes kene whette ¶ They ran togydre as Tygres vnmylde Lyke wodelyons or these bores wylde There was no faynynge founde in their fyght Albe the felde departed was aryght For the Troyans doubled them in noumbre That vtterly the grekes they encoumbre And of myschefe made them to flee And pursue after and cruelly them slee Without mercy to the castell gate There was no rescuse for they came late Of this skarmysshe for the fyne was deth Now here now there they yolde vp the breth So myghtely Troyans them assayle That to withstande it wolde nat auayle For of manhode they the felde haue wonne And after that cruelly begonne In all haste to spoyle the castell And to shyppe they brought euerydell Treasour golde what that they may wyn And on the morowe to sayle they begyn Stuffed with good by the grekysshe see Towarde the costes of Troye the Cytee The see was calme and fully at theyr wylle Bothe of tempest and of stormes ylle And clere also was the bryght heuen That in space almoste of dayes seuen At the castell called Tenedowne They aryue sixe myle fro the towne And glad and lyght they to lande wente And after that I fynde Parys sente His messager streyght vnto the kynge That hym enfourmeth of his home comynge Of theyr expleyt he tolde hym euerydele And Pryamus lyketh wonder wele That so manly they haue borne them oute And made puplysshe it in the towne aboute This tydynges with great solempnyte To hye and lowe thorugh out the cyte And that for ioye the most and the leste For remembraunce halowe and holde a feste And thanke theyr goddes in full humble wyse With obseruaunces and with sacryfyse On theyr auters with great deuocion And all this whyle he at Tenedon Holdeth soiour with the quene Eleyne The whiche gan reufully compleyne Hir vnkouthe lyfe to dwelle with straungers All desolate amonges prysoners Fer sequestred away from hir countre Solytarye in captyuyte She wepeth and cryeth with a pytous chere The burbly wawes of hir eyen clere Lyke welle stremes by hir chekes rayne And for constraynt of hir inwarde payne Full ofte a daye hir songe was welaway With sobbynge voyce that she so fer away Departed is from hir Menelaus For whose absence in rages furyous Hir lyfe she hateth and curseth eke fortune And in this wo she euer doth contune Without soiour alway more and more And for hir bretherne Pollux and Castore And for the loue of hir doughter dere Now pale and grene she wexyth of hir chere That whylom was fressher for to sene Than the lyllye on his stalke grenâ— Alas chaunged is hir rosen hewe And euer on hir wo encreaseth newe That lyke no woman she was to beholde For aye she wepte as she to water wolde Tyll at the laste in all hir heuynesse Parys to hir came of gentyllesse Hir to comforte and to appese hir rage He besyeth hym hir sorowes to aswage Sayeng to hir what may all this mene That ye alas o goodly fresshe quene Lyst thus your selfe in sorowynge diffygure I wonder greatly how ye may endure So moche water causeles to shede That with wepynge haue dewed so your wede For lyke a conduyte the stremes ran downe Lyke to a penytaunt in contryciowne Ye you disâ—aye alas why do you so Let be this fare and let it ouer go All your wepynge thought and heuynesse And be no more my lady in distresse Make an ende now of your greuaunce For all the ease comforte and pleasaunce That men may do truste well ye shall haue It is but folye in sorowe thus to raue Let passe ouer all these sharpe shoures And
of Cupydes darte And specheles full ofte felte sore ¶ What shall I sayne eke of duke Nestore Of longe stature and well compact withall With corbe shuldres and of myddell small In handes stronge with armes large rouÌ„de In counsaylynge prudent and wyse yfounde Whose wordes were sugred with pleasaunce Vpon his frende hauynge aye remembraunce For of his trouthe he ne coude fayne But in anger he myght hym nat refrayne He was so fret with melancolye That no man myght his yre modefye Albe it laste but a lytell space Who coude hym suffre anone it wolde pace Lyghtly it came and lyghtly went awaye And Protheselaus was fresshe of araye Wonder semely and of grete beaute I trowe a fayrer no man myght se Of good stature and delyuer and lyght No man more swyfte and to speke of myght Of his makynge he was passynge stronge Fers of courage and lothe to take a wronge And to tell of Neptolomous He was of makynge wonder corsyous Whose heer was blacke shynynge as dothe geeâ— With eyen rounde brode and greet Large brested with a rysynge backe And in speche stamerde whan he spacke But in causes he coude medle wele And in the lawe full depe he dyde fele For all his luste was besette on plees But for to tell of Pallamydees Kynge Naulus â—one withouten any wene Of face fayre of body longe and lene Of manfull herte hardy in batayle And desyrous his enemye to assayle Famylyer curteyse and tretable In all his dedes and inly worshypable In gyuynge large and passynge of great same Of whose bounce full wyde sprange the name In many lande the storye telleth thus And herte I fynde of Polydamus The worthy greke was of great thycknesse Of womâ—â—wolle enbossed with fatnesse That 〈◊〉 he myght hymselfe sustene And yet of herte he was full proude and kene Right surquedrous and full of pensyfenesse And 〈◊〉 glad so thought dyde hym oppresse But Machaon lyke as wryte Guydo Of longe and shorte was betwyx two Full proude and ferse deuoyde of pacyence And vengeable who hym dyde offence And yet he was balde as a coote On whose forhede euen by the roote The heer was fallen and wasted clene away And selde or neuer he wolde stepe a day And ouermore to tell of Cryseyde My penne stombleth for longe or she deyde My mayster Chauncer dyde his dylygence To discryue the great excellence Of hir beaute and that so maysterlye To take on me it were but hye folye In any wyse to adde more therto For well I wote anone as I haue do That I in sothe no thanke deserue may Bycause that he in wrytynge was so gay And but I wryte I muste the trouthe leue Of Troye boke and my mater breue And ouer passe and nat go by and by As Guydo doth in ordre ceryously And that I muste do offencion Thorugh neclygence or presumpcion So am I sette euen amyddes twayne Great cause haue I and mater to complayne On Antropose and vpon hir enuye That brake the threde and made for to dye Noble Galfryde Poete of Brytayne Amonge our Euglysshe that made first to rayne The golden dewe droppes of rethoryke so fyne Our rude langage oonly to enlumyne To god I praye that he his soule haue After whose helpe of nede I muste craue And seke his boke that is lefte behynde Some goodly worde therin for to fynde To set amonge the croked lynes rude Whiche I do wryte as by symylytude The rubyestant so royall of renowne Within a rynge of coper or latowne So stant the makynge of hym douteles Amonge our bokes of Englysshe pereles They are esye to knowe they be so excellent There is no makynge to his equypollent We do but halte who so taketh hede That medle of makynge without any drede Whan we wolde his style counterfete We may alday our colour grynde and bete Tempre our asour and vermylyon But all I holde but presumpcyon It foloweth nat therfore I lette be And firste of all I wyll excuse me And procede as I haue begonne And thorugh his fauour certayne if I konne Of Troye boke for to make an ende And there I lefte agayne I wyll now wende Vnto Cryseyde and though to my socour Of rethoryke that I haue no flour Nor hewes ryche stones nor perre For I am bare of all curyouste Thorugh crafty speche to enbroude with hir sleue Yet for all that now I wyll nat leue But be as bolde as bayarde is the blynde That caste no peryll what way that he fynde Right so wyll I stomble forthe of hede For vnconnynge and take no better hede So as I can hir beaute to discryue That was in sothe of all tho a lyue One the fayrest this Calchas doughter dere Therto of shap of face and of chere There myght be no fayrer creature Ofhye nor lowe but mene of stature Hir sonnysshe heer lyke Phebus in his spere Bounde in a tresse bryghter than golde were Downe at hir backe lowe downe behynde Whiche with a threde of gold she wold bynde Full ofte sythe of acustomaunce Therto she had so moche fuffysaunce Of kyndes werke without any were And saue hir browes ioyned yfere No man coude in hir alacke espyen And ferthermore to speke of hir eyen They were so persynge heuenly and so clere That an herte ne myght hymsefe stere Agayne hir shynynge yâ— they ne wolde wouÌ„de Thorugh out a breste god wote be younde Also she was for all hir semelynesse Full symple and meke and full of sobernesse The beste nourysshed eke that myght be Goodly of speche fulfylled of pyte Facunoyous and therto right tretable And as sayth Guydo in loue varyable Of tendre herte and vnsted fastnesse He hir accuseth and newfongylnesse And after this Dares doth reherse Amonges other how the kynge of Perse Came to grekes with many worthy knyght To helpe and further with all his full myght The whiche kynge was of stature longe And wonder fat as he wryte right stronge Whose berde and heer redde as flawme of fyre With eyen stepe and feruent of desyre To haue a do and sterne of chere and loke And ofte sythes of sodayne yre he quoke And had wertes plente in his face And thus Dares shortly for to pace No more of Grekes wryteth as I fynde But of Troyans for to make mynde Ceryously he doth his style dresse Them do descryue as I shall expresse ¶ Of the Discripcyon of Pryamus and his sones and doughters and how yâ— Grekes toke lande before the Temple of Dyame yâ— goddesse Capitulo xvi ANd first he sayth how kyng Pryamus Was of his chere benyngne gracious Of hye stature with lymmes sklendre longe Delytynge moche in musyke and in songe And specially he was moste desyrous To here songes that were amerous A semely man and of great hardynesse And spake but lowe as bokes vs expresse Deuoyde of drede hatynge flaterye And all that coude outher glose or lye Trewe of his worde and to euery
he telleth of the fyght Whan they entred and of theyr welcomynge And ceryously he tolde eke of the kynge That Tentran hyghte playnely also howe Achilles amydde the selde hym slowe And or his dethe how he of hole entent Fully ordeyned in his testament Thelephus also to be his heyre All this he tolde and eke of his reâ—eyre Vnto the see and eke of the vytayle And Thelephus how he wyll nat fayle To sende them all that may them please Of whiche thynge the grekes in great ease Were brought of herte and lyke wonder well Whan Achilles hadde tolde them euerydell And greatly preysed his hye prouydence His manhode bothe and his sapyence In his out beynge that he bare hym so And after this Achilles is go To his lodgynge a lytell there besyde Where his knyghtes vpon hym abyde Myrundones full glade of his comynge And hym receyued as longeth to a kynge Where he abode and rested hym a whyle But for Guydo declyneth here his style From the grekes to them of Troye towne I muste also make dygressy owne Of myne Auctor the steppes for to shewe Lyke as it is conuenyent and dewe To my matere syth he is my guyde And for a whyle grekes sette asyde And reherce how Dares Frygyus In Troye booke declareth vnto vs And ceryously maketh mency owne Of the lordes that came to Troye towne To helpe them manly in theyr defence Agaynst grekes to make resystence With ordynaunce of many dyuerse thynges There came to them Erles Dukes Kynges As in Dares playnely is made mynde Rede his boke and there ye may it fynde And alder firste I rede how that he Specyally speketh of kynges thre Full manly 〈◊〉 and also of great â—aâ—e 〈…〉 〈…〉 wryteth thus 〈…〉 of them â— was called Pandaâ—us And as I rede Thabet the secounde The thuâ—e Andastrus lyke as it is founde And as Gâ—ydo â— lyste to specysye 〈…〉 knyghtes in theyr companye 〈◊〉 manly men they were euerychon And from an Iâ— called colloson Lyke as Dares lyketh to expresse There came also of excellent prowesse 〈…〉 of whiche the firste was 〈…〉 ynamed Caryas And the seconde â— hyghte ymasyus 〈◊〉 the thirdeâ— the .iiij. Amphymacus And fyue thousande worthy knyghtes alle There came with them manly for to falle Vpon grekes in helpynge of the towne And from an yie of full great renowne Called lyâ—ye came the kynge Glaucon And â—ith hym brought his sone Spardon A noble knyght in armes full famous And was allyed to kynge Pryamus And thre thousande if I shall nat fayne There came of knyghtê with these lordes twayne And from larys a ryche lande also As I fynde there came kynges two And them to quyte manly as they ought A thousande knyghtê they to Troye brought And from a kyngdome named lycaowne Caphemus a kynge of great renowne Brought with hym as dares bereth wytnesse A thousande knyghtes of great worthynesse And fyue hondred Dares telleth vs Came with Hupon and with Epedus Many knyghtes in plates of syluer bryght And with hym eke a kynge yâ— Remus hyght Brought .iij. thousande to Troye many myle From Tabaria his large myghty yle And Dukes foure with all theyr chyualrye 〈◊〉 Eries viij came in his companye Hauyngem armes great experyence And all they bare without difference Theyrmen they whan they were in yâ— felde The chief of golde eueryche in his shelde Wherby the kynge and booly his nauye Amonge them all knowen myght be All be that other bore eke the same And fro Trace kynge Pylex by his name Fro thyâ—ke Trace that is moste excellent Whiche in the plage of the Oryent Haueth his syght froÌ„ which this myghty kyÌ„â—ge A thousande knyghtê brought at his comynge As myne Auctor recordeth eke also An hondred knyghtes be to Troye go With Alchamus a Duke eke full famous That came with Pylex Guydo wryteth thus Troyans to helpe in theyr great nede And fro Pauonye sothely as I rede Came Pretemessus the noble werryour Lorde of that lande kynge and gouernour And duke Stupex with hym eke he hadde And of knyghtes a thousande that he ladde Towarde Troye from his regyon And as this storye maketh mencyon That yle standeth moste by wyldernesse And by woodes of plenteuous thyckenesse Growe therin many full dyuerse tree And moste is forest that men may there se For they there buylde houses but a fewe And in that lande full dyuersely themshewe Many lyknesse queynte and monstruous Bestes vnkouthe to syghte meruaylous Stoundemell as by apparence By illusyon false in existence Wonder gastefull playnely for to sene For dyuerse goodes of the woodes grene Appere there called Satyrye By cornys eke fawny and incubye That cause often men to falle in rage And of this lande the people is full sauage Hardy knyghtes furyous and wode And desyrous aye to shede blode Greatly experte specially to shete With darte and spere peryllous for to mete For they caste euen as any lyne And from an I le that named was Botyne In great arraye to Troye the Cyte Lyke as I fynde there came Dukes thre The firste of all called Auphymyus Saume the secounde the thirde Forcyus And as sayth Dares whiche lyste natlye Twelue hondred knyghtê in theyr companye And fro Bytunye as made is remembrauÌ„ce The ryche lande that hath suche habundauÌ„ce Of spyces goÌ„mes fruytes corne and wyne Holsome rotes ryndes ryche and fyne Wonder vnkouthe and precious also Out of whiche I le there came knyghtes two Full knyghtly men in armes desyrous Kynge Boetes and Epysterus And with them brought to Troye from so ferre A thousande knyghtes arayed for the werre And fro the lande called Paffogonye Whiche seuered is from all companye As bokes saye that be Hystoryall Vnder the plage that is Oryentall Sette so ferre as made is rehersayle That fewe or none to that lande trauayle For there to come is almoste impossyble For whiche that lande is called muysyble Bycause oonly of his remocyon And it is a ryche regyon Of golde and syluer and also of stones And habundaunte of plente for the nones It is so full of treasoure and of gode And hath his syght on the ryche flode I named Tygre nat fer from Eufrates As sayth myne Auctour that called is Dares Fro whiche lande in stele armed clene A thousande knyghtê came with Phylymene The worthy kynge whose sheldes out of orede Were of querboyl in Guydo as I rede With golde depaynte fret with stones ryche That in this worlde I trowe was none lyche Out of the floodes chosen by deuyse Whiche haue theyr course out of Paradyse The whiche kynge a Gyaunt of stature And of makynge is passynge all measure Stronge and delyuer also as I fynde And fro the lande that marcheth vpon ynde Kynge Porses came with many knghtly man And he also that with his honde hym wan So moche honour the noble Meryon And his brother called Sygamon Whiche from the lande of theyr subieccyowne Of dukes erles and knyghtes of renowne Thre thousande brought
And toke the londe out of shyppes borde ¶ Where duke Nestor was gouernour lorde Whiche them receyueth lyke a gentyll knyght With all his power dylygence and myght But Menelaye of rancoure and great hete Gan with the duke secretely to trete To fynde a mene in his inwarde syght For to depryue Horestes of his ryght And therupon to haue a iugement At Athenes was holde a Parlement Of all the lordes of that regyon To gyue theron a diffynycyon In whiche was shewed openly ynoughe How Horestes his owne modre sloughe And the maner of his great offence Hym selfe tho beynge in presence And whan this thynge he fully dyde espye For his partye he gan agayne replye As he that felte hym frely at his large For hym allegynge how he hadde in charge Of the goddes shortly to declare His mortall swerde that he nat ne spare Vpon Clemestra roote of false treason That slewe hir lorde kynge Agamenon And the murdre thorugh hir malys wrought Wherfore Horestes humbly besought The lordes all with a manly herte Of equyte consydre and aduerte For no malyce rancoure nor for rage Hym to depryue of his herytage Syth he was sone of Agamenon Borne to be heyre of that regyon As ye haue herde that called was Methene Albe his moder Clemestra the quene Compassyd hadde his destruccyon But Duke Nestor ymeuyd of reason In susteynynge 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 deth 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 oppynyon And by his knyghtly medyacyon He bare hym so feynynge in no thynge That Horestes was ycrowned kynge 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 Kynge Menelay and he were made atone And gan theyr Ire and theyr rancourelete And yâ—dumee the worthy kynge of Crete So prudently gouerneth this matere That hermyone the yonge doughter dere Of Menelay and the quene Eleyne So yonge so fresshe of beaute souereyne Yweddyd was without more tariynge To Horestes the newe lusty kynge And bycause of this allyaunce Deuoyded was all rancour and distaunce Atwene the kynges Menelay the olde And horestes of whom right now I tolde Thus leue I them as it was the beste Eche in his reygne lyue in peas and reste For all stryfe was ceasyd in this caas But Erygona that the doughter was Of Egistus as ye haue herde me telle For sorowe and drede lyste no lenger dwelle But toke a rope and lyst no thynge to spare And therwithall gan hir selfe to gnare The storye sayth hye vpon a tree This was hir fyne ye gette no more of me But I wyll forth ceryously entreate Of the storye to telle you the greate OVlixes by ordre in my wrytynge Thyne auentures come on the rynge Full wonderfull both on londe see Entermedlyd with great aduersytee For Guydo firste descryuynge thy repayre Sayth how thou founde weder foule fayre Now agreable now the thonder sowne Now stylle and smothe now with clwdes frowne And sayth also that thou dyddest ordayne To thy passage myghty shyppes twayne Apparaylled all for marchaundyse That thou myghtest in moste secrete wyse Euery myschefe of the see escape ¶ But for all that thou haddest a felle iape For as this Auctour thy resorte doth wryte He sayth Vlixes for all his wordes whyte Yrobbed was of rychesse and of gode Contraryous wynde so agayne hym stode That he was dryue to his confusyon Into the myghty stronge regyon Where Thelamon reygned by his lyue And there he was hent and take blyue ¶ By myghty honde sesyd by the brest And mercyles put vnder arest For they hym hadde suspect in workynge Touchynge the murdre of the same kynge But he so wroughte by his sleyghty wyle And his tale sette in suche a style That them all he playnely hath be iaped And fro theyr honde freely is escaped Except that he for all his queynt fare Of his treasour was ymade full bare And for his passage was to hym vnkouthe He fyll agayne into the wolfes mouthe For veryly as it is specyfyed Kynge Naulus men haue hym eft espyed Take and bounde and chayned mercyles For the murdre of kynge Pallamydes But the storye reherseth in certayne By his prudence he scaped is agayne For he was bothe expert wyse and olde All though the maner be nat fully tolde Of his escape thorugh his besy payne Out of daunger of these kynges twayne Tyll thurgh Fortune he came fro myschefe fre To the presence of kynge ydume In symple array and torne apparayle Wherof the kynge greatly gan meruayle Tose his pouert in so lowe manere But for all that he made hym good chere Though that tyme he were infortunate He hym receyueth lyke to his estate And whan they were bothe twayne alone In complaynynge Vlixes made his mone Vnto the kynge as he that was full sage Ceryously the sorte of his passage With face sad and a sobre chere Fro poynt to poynt anone as ye shall here My lorde quod he shortly to expresse Of truste I haue in your gentyllesse I shall to you myn auentures alle Reherse here right as it is falle FIrste whan that I Troye londe forsoke And the water with my shyppes toke I was anone with wynde pesyble blowe To an yâ—le whiche was to me vnknowe Called Mirma of great habâ—â—daunce And all thynge that was to my plesaunce That may for syluer or for golde be bought I redy founde and wanted right nought And there abode full longe whyle in ioye With the treasoure that I gat at Troye My shyppes stuffed my men hole and sounde And for coÌ„modyte of that ylke gounde We lyked so the countre enuyron That for disporte and recreacyon Our tariynge there we thought nat full longe For no man dyde vnto vs no wronge Tyll on a daye that the eyer was styll The wynde also fully at our wyll We sayled forth in quyete and in pees Vnto a porte called Claustafages Wherwith my meyne longe and many day I founde all thynge accordynge to my pay The weder lusly agreable and fayre But who may truste outher in wynde or ayre For vpon fayth of the smothe skye Agayne to shyppe faste I gan me hye Taryed nought but toke anone the see Smothe and calme endurynge dayes three That in the weder founde was no lacke But sodaynely the heuen tourneth blacke The hydous tempest and the wawes grene Out of hope haue me dispeyred clene Troubled my spirite and made me so pensyfe Without refute to escape with the lyfe Tossyd and dryuen by many sondry yle Tyll at the laste caste vp at Cecyle Recurynge londe with great annoye payne Where that tyme reygned kynges twayne And as I
Without fauour who solyste take hede For after dethe clerkes lytell drede After decrete for to bere wytnesse Nor of a tyraunt the trouthe to expresse ¶ As men disserne without excepcion with lak or prys they graunt them theyr guerdon Wherfore me semeth euery maner man Shulde by his lyne in all that euer he can For vertue oonly eschewe to do amys For after deth playnly as it is Clerkes wyll wryte and excepte none The playne trouthe whan a man is gone And by olde tyme for theyr wrytynge trewe They cherysshed were of lordes that them knewe And honoured greatly in tho dayes For they enacted and gylte with theyr sayes Theyr hyghe renowne their maÌ„hod prowes Theyr knyghthode eke and theyr worthynesse Theyr Tryumphes also and victories Theyr famous coÌ„quest their fonge glories ¶ From poynt to poynt rehersyng al yâ— trouth Without fraude neclygence or slouth They dyde theyr labour and theyr besynesse For elles certayne the great worthynesse Of theyr dedes hadde ben in vayne For dyrked age elles wolde haue slayne By lengthe of yeres the noble worthy fame Of conqueroures and playnly of theyr name For dymmed eke the letters aureat And diffaced the palme laureat Whiche that they wan by knyghode iÌ„ theyr dayes Whose fretynge ruste newe and newe assayes For to eclypse the honour and the glorye Of hyghe prowesse whiche clerkes in memorye Haue trewely set thorugh dylygent laboure And enlumyned with many coryous floure Of Rethoryk to make vs comprehende The trouthe of all as it was in kynde Besyed them and faythfully trauayled Agayne all that that age wolde assayled In theyr bokes euery thynge I set And with the key of remembraunce it shet Whiche lasteth yet and dureth euer in one Recorde of Thebes that was so longe a gone Of whiche the ruyne and destruccion Ye may beholde by good inspeccion Croppe and roote right as it was in dede On Stace loke and there ye may it rede How Polynece and Ethiocles The bretherne two ne cowde nat lyue in pes Tyll Thebes was brought vnto ruyne And all the maner how they dyde fyne That dethe also of worthy Tideus And how Edippus with terys full pyteus Wept out his eyen and all his drery payne And how the smokê departed were on twayne At the feste of fyres funerall In great Stace ye may rede all The fyre engendred by brotherly hatrede Where thorugh that deth was the cruell mede ¶ In very sothe of many worthy man Lyke as myne Auctour well reherce can Of Troye also that was of latter yeres By dylygence of Cronycleres Ye may beholde in theyr wrytynge well The stryfe the werre the sege and euerydell Right as it was so many yeres passyd Whose storye yet age hath not dyffacyd Nor cruell deth with his mortall strokes For maugre deth ye may beholde in bokes The storye fully rehersyd newe and newe And fresshely floure of coloure and of hewe From day to day quycke and nothynge feynt For clerkes haue this strorye so depeynt That deth nor age by no maner weye The trouth may nat make for to deye ¶ All be that some haue the trouthe spared In the wrytynge and playnly nat declared So as it was nor tolde out faythfully But it transformyd in theyr poysy Thorugh vayne fables whiche of entencion They haue contryued by fals transsumpcion To hyde trouthe falsly vnder clowde And the sothe of malys for to shrowde As Omer dyde the whiche in his wrytynge I feyned hathe full many dyuers thynge That neuer was as Guydo lyste deuyse And thynges done in another wyse He hath transformyd than the trouthe was And feyned falsly that goddes in this cas ¶ The worthy Grekes holpe to werrey Agayne Troyens and how that they were sey Lyke lyfely men amonge them day by day And in his dytees that were so fresshe and gay With sugred wordes vnder hony soote His galle is hyd lowe by the roote That it may nat outwarde be aspyed And all for he with Grekes was allyed Therfore he was to them fauourable In moche thynge whiche is nat coÌ„mendable Of them that lust to deme after ryght For in makynge loue hath loste his syght To gyue a prys where none is deserued Cupide is blynde whose domes ben obserued More after luste than after equyte Or after reason how the trouthe be For syngulertee and fals affeccyon Reyseth full ofte by vayne lausyon A man to worshyp that deserueth none By fals reporte and thus full many one Without meryte hath his fame blowe Wherof another the renowne is vnknowe That in armes hath meruayles wrought Of whom paraunter speketh no man nought For fauour oonly is fostred more than ryghtê That hyndred hath many worthy knyghtê ¶ Ouyde also poete ycally hath closed Falshed with trouthe that maketh men enosed To whiche parte that they shall them holde His mysty speche so harde is to vnfolde That it entryketh reders that it se Virgyle also for loue of Enee In eneydos rehersyth moche thynge And was in partye trewe of his wrytynge Excepte oonly that hym lyste some whyle The tracys folowe of Omeris style ¶ And of this sege wrote eke Lollius But tofore all Dares frigius Wrote moste trewely after that he fonde And dytees eke of the grekes londe For they were present and seyen euerydell And as it fyll they wryte trewe and well Eche in his tunge by suche consonaunce That in theyr bokes was no varyaunce Whiche after were vnto Athenes brought And by processe cerchyd out and sought By dylygence of one Cornelius Whiche was neuewe vnto Salustius Of Rome I borne whiche dyde his dewe Them to translate and the tracys sewe Of thyse Auctours by good auysement But bycause he set all his entent For to be breef he left moche behynde Of the story as men in bokes fynde The firste meuynge and cause orygenall What was the gynnynge and roote in specyall Ne how they came by londe or by nauye How firste the sparke was kyndled of enuye Betwyxt grekes and them of troye towne Of whiche Cornelie maketh no menciowne Of theyr shyppes nor of theyr vytayle Nor howe that grece is callyd yâ— tayle And the lasse as bokes veryfye ¶ Is named nowe the londe of Romanye What noumbre of kynges of dukes wente Towarde the sege all of one assente To wynne worshyp and for excersyse Of armes oonly in full knyghtly wyse Abydynge there to se the version Of the cytee and noble yllion Nor what the maner was of theyr armure ¶ Nor at the sege who lengest dyde endure In what wyse eche other dyde assayle Nor how often they mette in batayle How many worthy loste there his lyfe Thorugh olde hatred wrought vp newe stryfe Nor of theyr deth he datyth nat the yere For his wrytynge was particulere Without fruyte he was compendious This foresayd romeynge this Cornelius ¶ Wherfore but late in comparysowne There was an Auctour of full hygh renowne That besyed hym the tracys for to sewe Of dyte and Dares
walles caste and broke downe It was in cause that many regyowne Begonne was and many great cytee For this Troyan this manly man Enee By sondry sees gan so longe sayle Tyll of fortune he came into yâ—tayle And wan that londe as bookes telle vs With whom was eke his sone Askanius That after Ence doth by lyne succeede The lande of Italye iustly to possede And after hym his sone Syluyus Of whom came Brute so passyngly famous After whom if I shall nat fayne Whylom this lande called was bretayne For he of geauntes thorugh his manhode wan This noble yÌ„le and it firste began ¶ From Troye also with this ylke Enee Came worthy francus a lorde of hye degree Whiche vpon Rome to encrease his renowne Bylded in his tyme a fall royall towne The whiche sothely his honour to auaunce After his name he made calle fraunce And thus began as I vnderstande The name firste of that worthy lande And Authenor departynge fro Troyens Began firste the cyte of venycyens And Sycanus within alytell whyle Began enhabyte the lande of Cecyle And after partynge of this Sycanus His worthy brother called Syculus So as I fynde reygned in that yle And after hym it called was Cecyle ¶ But Eneas is to Tuscy gone It to enhabyte with people right anone And in Cecyle he Naplys firste began To whiche full many Neopolytane Longeth this day full ryche of great myght ¶ And Dyomedes the noble worthy knyght Whan Troye was falle with his toures fayre And to his reygne he caste to repayre His lyeges began to feyne a quarell Agaynst hym and shope them to be rebell And of malys and conspiracy owne They hym withhelde bothe sceptre crowne Theyr deuty and olde lygeaunce And hym denye trouthe and obeyssaunce Wherfore anone so as bokes telle With aâ—l his folke he went for to dwelle Vnto Calabre and began it to possede And there the knyghtes of this Dyomede That tro Troye haue hym thyder sewed To fourme of byrdes were anone traÌ„smewed By Circes crafte doughter of the sonne And in the eyre to flee an one they gonne And called ben in ysydre as I rede Amonge grekes brydes of Dyomede But as some bokes of them bere wytnesse This chaunge was made by venus yâ— goddesse Of wrathe that she hadde to this worthy knyght Oonly for the sawe hym ones fyght With Eneas hir owne sone dere At whiche tyme as they faughte yfere And Dyomede with a darte I grounde Can ame at hym a deedly mortall wounde ¶ This moder venus began anone hym shroude Vnder a skye and a mystye cloude To saue hym that tyme fro myschaunce And for this skyl venus toke vengaunce Into byrdes to tourne his meyne And in that fourme from yere to yere they fle Vnto his tombe where as he is graue So vpon hym a mynde they haue That of custome for a remembraunce Aryte they holde and an obseruaunce At his exequyes thyse brydes euerychone A dayes space and thennys nat ne gone And ouer more as it to them is dewe They loue grekes and platly they eschewe Latynes all for nought that may betyde For they present anone they fice asyde And eche from other as bokes vs assure These byrdes knowe oonly of nature Grekes and latynes kyndely assonder Whan they them se the which is such a wonder Vnto my wyt that I can nat aspye The causes hydde of suche sorcerye But well I wote though my wyt be blent That roote of all was fals enchauntement But of our faythe we ought to defye Suche apparences shewed to the eye Whiche of the fende is but illusion Thereof no more thus whan Troye towne Euersed was and yâ— brought to nought Full many cyte was ybyld and wrought ¶ And many lande and many ryche towne Was edefyed by the occasiowne Of this werre as ye haue herde me telle Whiche to declare nowe I maye nat dwelle From poynt to poynt lyke as bokes sayne For to Iason I wyll resorte agayne That landyd is with worthy hercules At Symeounte the hauen that he ches As I haue tolde to reste them and comforte And for nat elles but oonly to disporte But to the kynge reygnynge in Troye towne That was that tyme called lamedowne Of fals enuye reported was and tolde How certayne grekes were of herte bolde To entrete his lande yâ— whiche they nat knewe Well arayed in a vessell newe Whiche to aryue hadde no lycence And them purpose for to done offence By lyklyheed and his lande to greue For they of pryde without any leue Or sauf conduyte haue the stronde ytake And suche maystryes on the lande they make As in theyr power were all maner thynge Hauynge no regarde playnely to the kynge ¶ Of his estate take they none hede Of suche straungers great is to drede If men be laches outher neclygent Fully to wete what is theyr entent But forthe prolonge and no peryll caste Suche sodayne thynge wolde be wyst as faste And nat differred tyll the harme be do It were wysdom that it were se to Men may to longe suffre and abyde Of neclygence for to lete slyde For to enquere of theyr gouernaunce This was the speche of the dalyaunce Eueryche to other by reuelaciowne In euery strete thorugh Troye towne Some rownynge and some spake a brode And this speche so longe there a bode From one to another sothely that the sowne Reported was to kynge Lamedowne As ye haue herde the whiche of wylfulnesse Without counsayle or a vysynesse To hastely maked hath his sonde To wyt how they were hardy for to londe Besyde his leue of presumpcion Wherfore he bad in conclusion Without a bode soone to remewe Or fynally they shulde nat eschewe To be compelled maugre who sayth nay And so the kynge vpon a certayne day In haste hath sent his embassatoure Vnto Jason of grekes gouernoure That nouther thoughte harme nor villanye But Innocent with his companye Disportyd hym endlonge the stronde And euer hath do sythe he came to londe And of the charge that he on hym layde And worde by worde to Iason how he sayde As in effect with euery circumstaunce This was the soÌ„me playnely in substaunce ¶ How kyng Lamedone of Troyesent a messenger vnto Iason for to byd hym auoyde his Countre and of theyr langage betwene them Capitulo v. THe wyse worthy famous of renown The myghty kyÌ„g the noble Lamedown Hath vnto you his message sent Of whiche theffect as in sentement Is this in sothe that he hath meruayle Into his lande of your aryuayle Bryngynge with you grekes nat afewe And haue no conduyte for you for to shewe Proteccion playnly nor lycence In preiudyce of his magnyfycence Wherfore he hath on me the charge layde And wyll to you that it be platly sayde That ye anone without more delaye Without noyse or any more affraye Of Troye lande the bondes that ye leue Or you and youres he casteth for to greue And better it is with ease to departe Than of folye
nat oonly nor hir heuynesse But parcell eke of the vnkyndenesse Of this Iason and telleth playnely howe Medea hir bothe sones slowe For they were lyke theyr fader of vysage And telleth eke that put hir moste in rage How falsly he I can hym nat excuse Loued a nother that called was Ceruse Eke in his pysteles who so taketh hede Hir deedly sorowe he may beholde and rede And how that she hir trouthe a boughte sore Of Medea ye gete of me no more In all this boke nor of hir auenture But I wyll now do my besy cure Hooly to tourne my style to Iason And of the werre he made on Lamedon Lyke as in Guydo is openly descryued After that he in Grece was aryued FI rste whan Iason and Hercules also I londed were with many a nother mo In the lande and reygne of Thesalye Kynge Pelleus with all his Cheualrye Caste hym playnely that he wyll nat fayle To mete his neuewe at his aryuayle And whan they mette in countenaunce â—here Made it outwarde as hole and as entere As he hadde had soueraygne gladnesse Of his kynghthode and his heyprowesse Of his renowne and his manly hede Of his expleyte and his good spede And that fortune to encrease his name Hath caused hym with so noble fame Out of Colchos with honour to repayre All be his chere was vtterly contrayre To his entent that euer he came agayne But for all that with face hole and playne He welcomed hym all agaynst herte Full sore astoned that he euer asterte The auentures of Colchos peryllous And is retourned so victoryous But couertly his treason for to hyde All delaye he gan to sette asyde And to Iason with chere full benyngne His herytage firste he gan resygne Septre and crowne and kyngdome at the leste For to parfourme the suÌ„me of his beheste Lyke as he was assured by his bonde And Iason toke all into his honde And gan his vncle in full lowe manere Firste to thanke with all his herte entere And after that ful knyghtly gan hym praye Goodly to here what that he wolde saye Of a matere that fret his herte sore From daye to daye encresynge euer more Besechynge hym to graunte hym audyence Tochynge a wronge and a vyolence Done vnto hym whan he no harme ne mente In Torye lande to Colchos as he wente This is to saye the kynge of Troye towne Within the bondes of his regyon Whan I and myne in great aduersyte With wynde weder for to dryue in the see Vs to refresshe to lande dyde aryue Not in purpose with hym for to stryue But for to rest vs after all our wo A lytell whyle and forth anone to go For we in sothe no maner harme ne thought But he vnkyngly of very malys sought Agaynst vs firste occasion Byddynge in haste to voyde his regyon Nat withstondynge that we come in pes Lyke as my brother knoweth hercules Vnto no myght doynge no distresse Wherfore we praye to your hye noblesse To our purpose for to condescende Of whiche platly this the fynall ende That we be sette in full conclusion Hooly to werke to his destruccion Lyke our auowe whan we thense went If it so be ye goodly lyste assent And all at ones strongly and nat spare Maugre his myght to Troye for to fare So that we may fynde in you fauoure Vs to refresshe with golde and with creasoure And oonly eke of your curtesye Vs strengthe also with your cheualrye And Pelleus without more abode Anone as he this mater vnderstode Assented is of herte and wyll also In this vyage with them for to go And all the worthy of that regyowne Kynges dukes and lordes of renowne Be accorded there is nat one sayth nay To go with them and helpe what they may And of this Iourney chyeue solycytour Was hercules the worthy conquerour And he in haste his retenewe to make Towarde sparthos hath the way take Whiche is an yle to Grekes pertynent Fully obeyeng to theyr coÌ„maundement In whiche Pollux and Castor eke also The worthy kyngê the myghty brethren two Wereas I fynde that tyme gouernours And bare theyr crowne lyke noble werreours And brothren were also to Eleyne And as poetes lyketh for to feyne That Iubiter for all his deyte Vpon Dyane begat them all thre That in beaute all other dyde excelle And for Eleyne lyke as bokes telle Conceyued was in Tyndarys the yle Vnto the londe ioynynge of Cecyle Therfore of some I fynde that she is After the yle called Tyndarys Of theyr byrthe me lyste no more to endyte But forthe I thynke of hercules to wryte That hath besought these noble kâ—gê twayne With myghty hande to do theyr besy payne Oonly to graunte with hym for to wende To Troye warde shortly this the ende And to assente they saye nat ones nay With all the power that they catche may Agayne what tyme that hym lyste assygne And hercules with cherefull benyngne Thanked them of that they hym behyght And forthe he wente in all the haste he myght Towarwe Messene the stronge myghty londe Within whiche the noble kynge he fonde The knyghtly man the worthy Thelamon Lorde and prynce of that regyon That in armes was one the manlyest That was a lyue and egall with the beste And whan he knewe that hercules was come For â—oye he hath hym in armes noâ—e And receyued in all maner thynge Lyke as it sat to a worthy kynge And whan he wyste sothely what he mente Without more anone he dyde assente With hym to gone Troyens for to greue And hercules goodly toke leue And hym enhasteth to Thesalye agayne To Pelleus and telleth hym certayne How he hath spedde besechynge hym also In all the haste that it may be do To sende letters and his lordes call And to assemble his worthy knyghtes all Thorugh out his lande both nygh and ferre Suche as he knewe that were expert in werre And them also that were of counsayle sage For wyt of them that be ronne in age Is more than force without experyence But whan manhode is mente with sapyence Who consydereth it may double auayle And they that longe haue vsed to trauayle Lyke as it is playnely to suppose May helpe moste our iourney to dispose For vnto age experyence and wytte To youthe force and hardynesse sytte And whan that bothe be of one entent Fully accorded to worke by assent With a quarell grounded vpon ryght Thorugh helpe of grace yâ— hath treble myght Them that nat drede with spere nor with shelde In knyghtly wyse for to holde a felde For of knyghthode the fame nor the glorye Nor in armes conquest nor victorye Be nat assured vpon multytude But on manhode so grace lyste conclude Therfore lete vs for to auenge our wronge Firste with ryght make our selfe stronge And our force manly for to shewe Of knyghtes chose taken out a fewe And deuoyde encombraunce of nombre And so we shall our foes beste encombre And of all
of the moneth of Iuyn At whiche season erely on a morowe Whan that Phebus to voyde nyghtes sorowe Doth Pirrous his wayne agayne vp drawe And Aurora Estwarde doth adawe And with the water of hir teres rounde The syluer dewe causeth to habounde Vpon herbes and on floures soote For kyndely norysshynge both of crop roote Vp I rose out of my bedde anone Full desyrous on huntynge for to gone Prycked in herte with lusty fresshe pleasaunce To do to loue some dewe obseruaunce And lucyna that day to magnefye Whiche called is lady of venerye And dewely our rytes to obserue Cythera and hir for to serue I and my feres our hertes to releue Cast vs fully tyll it drewe to eue In the forest to playe vs and disporte And pleasauntly vs to recomforte As it longeth to loue of lustynesse For thylke day to venus the goddesse I sacred was by full great excellence With great honour and dewe reuerence Do unto hir bothe of one and all And on a fryday this aduenture is fall Whan we gan hast vs to the wodes grene In hope that day some game for to sene With great labour rydynge to and fro Tyll we hadde full many bucke and doo By strengthe slayne as we myght them fynde The herte I chaced with houndes and the hynde Thorugh the downes and the dales lowe Tyll Phebus of his dayes bowe Amyd the arke was of meridyen Whan his bemes full hote were and shene And we moste besy were vpon the chaas That me befell a wonder dyuerse caas For of fortune it happed sodaynly Whyle I was seuered fro my companye Sole by my selfe amonge the holtes hore To fynde game desyrous euermore Or I was ware thorow thycke thorow thyn A full great harte I sawe afore meryn Downe by the lande and the vales grene That I in sothe myght nat sustene He was so swyfte for to nygh hym nere Albe that I prycked my coursere Nyghe to y◠deth thorugh many sondry shawe Out of my syght so fer he gan withdrawe For all that euer that I sewe myght That I anone loste of hym the syght In a woode that yda bare the name And I so faynt gan wexe of that game And myn hors on whiche I dyde ryde Fomynge full whyte vpon euery syde And his flankes all with blode distayned In my pursute so sore he was constrayned With my spores sharp and dyed rede After the harte so prycked I my stede Now vp now downe with a full besy thought But my laboure auayled me right nought Tyll at the laste amonge the bowes glade Of aduenture I caughte a plesaunt shade Full smothe and playne and lusty for to sene And softe as veluet was the yonge grene Where fro my hors I dyd a lyght as faste And on a bowe I his reyne caste So faynte and mate of werynesse I was That I me layde downe vpon the gras Vpon a brynke shortly for to telle Besyde aryuer and a cristalle welle And the water as Ireherse can Lyke quycke syluer in his stremes ran Of whiche the grauell and the bryght stone As any golde agayne the sonne shone ¶ Where right anone for very werynesse A sondayne slepe gan me so oppresse That fro tyme that I firste was borne I neuer was asleped so toforne And as I lay I had a wonder sweuen For me thought hye downe fro heuen The wynged god wonderfull of chere Mercuryous to me dyde appere Of whom I was somedele firste aferde For he was gyrde with his croked swerde And with hym brought also in his honde His slepy yerde plyaunt as a wonde With a serpent goynge enuyrowne And at his feet also lowe downe Me semeth also that there stode a cocke Syngynge his houres trewe as any clocke And to the mouthe of this god Mercurye Were pypes sette that longe wonder merye Of whiche the swete sugred armonye Made in myn ere 's suche a melodye That me semed tho in myn aduyse I was rauysshed into paradyse And thus this god dyuerse of lyknesse More wonderfull than I can expresse Shewed hymselfe in his apparence Lyke as he is discryued in fulgence In the boke of his methologyes Where be rehersed many poesyes And many lyknesse lyke as ye may se And for to take the moralyte His longe yerde right as is a lyne Whiche on no syde wrongly may declyne Signefyeth the prudent gouernaunce Of discrete folke y◠thorugh theyr purueyaunce Cast a peryll or that it be fall And his pypes loude as any shall That thorugh musyke be entuned trewe Betokeneth eke with many lusty hewe The sugred dytees by great excellence Of rethoryke and of eloquence Of whiche this god is soueraygne patrowne And of this cocke the swete lusty sowne That iustly kepeth the houres of the nyght Is vtterly the aduyse of in warde syght Of suche as voyde by waker dylygence Out of theyr court slouthe and neclygence And his swerde whiche croketh so agayne That is nat forged nor ymade in vayne Is to reuoke to the right weye Suche as wrongly for trouthe do forueye And the serpent whiche that I of tolde Whiche wryncled is as ye may beholde Vpon the yerde and aboute gothe Signefyeth that falshode wode and wrothe Lyeth in awayte by many sleyghty weye With his gynnes trouthe to werreye And this god of eloquence kynge Brought with hym eke in his comynge Cythera whom louers serue Iuno and Pallas that called is Mynerue And this ven us hir lyeges to delyte Aboute hir hede hadde douues whyte With loke benyngne and eyen debonayre Aye flykerynge with snowy wynges fayre For to declare sothly in sentence By the douues very Innocence Of them in loue that but trouthe mene And that theyr groūde shulde honest be clene Ytokened is clerely by wytnesse Without soylynge of any vnclennesse And the fresshenesse of the roses rede That in somer so lusty do sprede And in wynter of theyr colour fade Signefyeth the hertely thoughtes glade Of yonge folkes that be amerous Feruent in hope and inly desyrous Whan loue gynneth in theyr hertes floure Tyll longe processe maketh them to loure With the wynter of vnweldy age That lust is palled dulled with the rage Of febylnesse whan somer is a gone As folkes knowe I trowe mo than one And therfore venus fleteth in a see To shewe the trouble and aduersytee That is in loue and in hir stormy lawe Whiche is byset with many sturdy wawe Nowe calme now rough who so taketh hede And hope assayled aye with sodayne drede And next venus Pallas I behelde With hir spere and hir cristall shelde And a raynebowe rounde aboute hir hede That of colour was grene blewe and rede And afore hir as I can descryue She growynge had a grene fresshe olyue And therupon with his browes fowle In the braunches I sawe sytte lyke a nowle And firste the shylde of Pallas the goddesse Signefyed as I can expresse In vertue force by manly hye diffence Agayne vyces to make resystence And hir spere
That was in armes felle and despytous With hym brought from his lande so ferre Sixe and thyrty shyppes for the werre Amphymacus and kynge Polybete Thyrty shyppes brought to the flete From Calcedoyne and Meryon the kynge With ydinneus hadde in theyr ledynge Foure score shyppes with them out of Crete And vlixes with grekes dyde mete With fyfty shyppes stuffed out of Trace Towardes Troye proudely for to pace ¶ Duke Melleus full of manly men Brought eke with hym grete shyppes ten And moreouer the duke Perhotacus And the duke named Prothesylaus To the hauen that called was Athene Brought fyfty shyppê enarmed bryght shene From Phylyarcha the stronge myghty Yle And Methaon as Guydo dothe compyle With his brother Polydris also From theyr countre Trycionyco Brought two and twenty shyppes as I fynde And from Phyces as it is made mynde With Achilles came fyfty full by nombre And from rodon Troyans to encombre Came twenty shyppes with kynge Thelapolus And with the duke that hyght Antipus Out of the lande that Hesyda men call Of whiche the folke be nyghe cherles all With sayle crossed agayne the bryghte heuen In nombre came shyppes eke elleuen And with them was of name full famous The worthy duke called Amphymacus And Polybethes the stronge myghty kynge Fyfty shyppes brought at his coÌ„mynge Out of Richa the noble regyowne And with this kynge full worthy of renowne Was Losius the duke eke as I rede And as I fynde the noble Dyomede Of shyppes great I speke of no small barge Hath with hym brought fro Calydonye Arge Foure score in nombre sothly this no tale And Thelemus and myghty Euryale Two manly men and in armes lage With Dyomede came in this vyage And Polyphebus brought shyppes seuen And Phyneus the hardy kynge enleuen And Prothoylus as I can specyfye Brought fyfty shyppes vnto this nauye Fro Demenesa the myghty regyon And Carpenor as made is mencyon Brought fyfty eke from Capadye his countre A great prouynce of whiche kynge was he Trearyus of Beysa lorde and kynge Brought two and twenty also in his coÌ„mynge And fynally if I shall nat lye Full many shyppe was in this nauye Mo than Guydo maketh rehersayle Towarde Troye with grekes for to sayle For as Omer in his descripcion Of grekes shyppes maketh mencion Shortly affermynge yâ— man was neuer borne That suche a nombre of shyppes sawe toforne Counted the shyppes that Palamydes Brought with hym theyr nombre to encrese That whan these lordes aforesayd euerychone Kynges dukes and erles all in one Assembled were without any wene Afore the hauen that called is Athene THe famous kynge great Agamenown So wyse so worthy of so hye renown As he that was Prynce and gouernoure Of grekes hoost anone dyde his laboure His besy cure and waker dylygence By hye aduyse and inwarde prouydence To delyuer wysely in this nede What were to do or that he procede In this matere castynge vp and downe And reuoluynge of hye discreciowne That he may so begyn that the ende Conclude well that wylfulnesse ne shende Hooly theyr purpose thorugh no rakelnesse Ne thorugh none haste without auysenesse So that they may afore so wysely se That fynally in felycyte They may accoÌ„plisshe their purpose iÌ„ certayne And so this kynge vpon a large playne Out of the Cyte but lytell fro the stronde With his lordes wyll for no thynge wonde To haue a counsayle this wyse Agamenon Makynge anone a conuocacyon Of suche as were moste great inspecyall He syttynge firste in his see royall And his lordes eueryche in his see Lyke as they were of hye or lowe degree And all Tumulte stynted and scylence Was thorugh yâ— prees to gyue hym audyence Than he anone in full sobre wyse Began his tale as I shall deuyse SYres quod he I praye you take hede That be so noble and so renowmede Both of wysdome and of worthynesse Of manhode eke and of hye prowesse That of knyghthode the reporte the fame Thorugh out yâ— world rebouÌ„deth to yoâ— name For douteles the floure of Chyualrye Men may now fynde in this companye For whosawe euer of manly men yfere Togyder met as there be now here So yonge so fresshe so couragyous also So well besene for to haue a do Orso lykely sythe the worlde began Without raskayle so many knyghtly man Of kynges dukes and many another lorde As be now here of wyll and one accorde And of one herte assembled in this place That if fortune and goddes of theyr grace Be nat behynde our Iourney to repreue We may nat fayle our purpose to acheue ¶ For I deme hym playnely in arage Or werâ—e than wood that durste this vyage In any wyse perturbe or presume To take agayne vs outher to assume By myght on hym of malys to excyte Our worthynesse were it neuer so lyte Vs to prouoke to Ire or do offence That we ne shulde by mortall recompence Aquyte his mede as it lyeth in our myght That haue amoÌ„ge vs so many worthy knyght Amonges whiche an hondred and yet mo I coude chese able for to go By manly force and knyghtly suffysaunce To take on hym for to do vengaunce Vpon Troyans by hymselfe alone For whiche that we be gadred now echone That with his men were suffycyent To execute the suÌ„me of his entent And it accomplysshe in felycyte The cause I mene for whiche that all we Assembled be bothe hye and lowe And with all this to you is nat vnknowe How shamefully Troyans haue vs greued Prouoked vs and wylfully ymeued To ryse agayne them to haue recure of ryght Of wronges done with all our force myght Wherfore let vs by one assente and wyll Sette to haue as it is right and skyll Redresse to fynde of that we now complayne And of one herte do our besy payne Vpon Troyans a werre for to make And I suppose we shall them so awake That they shall lerne or we thense wende To remembre to the worldes ende How they hereafter shall dare take an hande For to presume in grece more to lande Or to be bolde whyle they haue lyfe or space Agayne Grekes more to trespace For whose offence as who sayth do but late Within our herte with so brennynge hate The feruent hete and the gredy Yre Fro day to day so setteth vs a fyre That it reneweth the constreynt of our payne So inwardely if I shall nat fayne We must of reason of so hye greuaunce Our selfe enforce for to do vengaunce As right requereth and our iuste sorowe Compelleth vs bothe eue and morowe On Troyans our harmes to bewreke And for to stoppe tunges that so speke To our reprefe and to our vylenye We must attones shape remedye That our foon hensforthe may drede For to do worse to vs as god forbede In tyme coÌ„mynge if thorugh our pacyence We lykely suffre theyr importable offence To passe forthe and take of it nohede Syth neuer yet of Grekes coude I rede That any man
dyde reprefe to theyr name That iustely myght rebounde to theyr shame Withouten this that they it quyte agayne Thorugh theyr manhode so openly playne That no man myght of them seyne or this In any wyse or reporte amys New shall nat dissymule in this case With chere oppressed nor with dredefull face To let slyde or lyghtly ouer go The great offences that were so late do Whiche wolde tourne vnto vs and oures To great reprefe and to our successoures In tyme cōmynge and shamefully bespoke How that grekes vurste not be wroke Vpon theyr foon the whiche may nat be I you ensure sythe that all we Be of one wyll to refourme our wronge And therwithall so myghty and so stronge That who is he that coude in brede lengthe A right reherse our power and our strenthe Or who durste euer our worthynesse assayle That he ne shulde without any fayle Repente in herte or at the ende rewe Saue Troyans this other day of newe Of wylfulnesse in a foly rage Into our lande made a vyage Vnware of vs with theyr pray home wente The whiche they shall full hastely repente For theyr trespas and great offencyowne ¶ For all the worlde knoweth vp and downe But late a gone how Grekes but a fewe Vpon Troyans theyr power dyde shewe And slewe theyr kynge called Lamedowne Fader to Pryam now kynge of that towne And fordyde toures and Cyte And slewe vp all the comynalte From Grekes swerde whom that them lyst spare That amonge vs in seruytude and care Cōplayne theyr harme that may nat be recured Than how may they stande full assured Agayne vs all to holde chaumpartye That haue so worthy in our companye For it is lykely a thousande to acheue That foure or fyue so lyghtly myght preue And yet one thynge afferme well I dare Of our cōmynge Troyans are well ware And do theyr laboure and theyr dilygence Agaynst vs to make resystence With all theyr myght I knowe it out of doute And gadre frendes in countres all aboute To helpe theym strength them in theyrnede Vs to withstande if they myght spede But fynally one thynge I counsayle From this hauen or we ferther sayle That we may be the more fortunat Of one assent to make ambassyat And prudently or we further wende Into Delos in all haste that we sende Whiche is an I le a lytell here besyde More discretely our iourney to prouyde That we may haue the better hap and grace Of Appollo Patron of this place To haue of hym if that we may spede Fynall answere in this great nede Of our expleyt how that it shall fall If it so be ye wyll assent all To this counsayle the most and eke the leste And they echone thought for the beste To condescende to this conclusyon Without any contradiccyon And all attones without any drede They prayse his counsayle his wyse rede And therupon discretely as they oughte As sayth this story euen thus they wroughte ¶ How the Grekes sente Achylles and Pyrro des into the yle of Delos for to haue answere of the god Appollo how they shulde spede in their Iourney Capitulo xvij AFter the tyme that Agamenon Concluded hath fully his reason As ye haue herde his sentence fyned The Grekes be of herte ful enclyned And with one voyce accorded playnely thus That Achylles and also Pirrodus For comyn profyte sythe they were sage Shall take on them the charge of this message To Appollo for answere for to gone And to shyppe they them haste anone And sayle forthe by the large see Towarde Deluos and in prosperytee They be aryued and ycome to lande The whiche I le as I vnderstande And as myn Auctor sayth without les Hath his syght amonges Cyclades Where men with rockes haue so moche ado Amyd the sec called Helespontico Of whiche I le to make descripcyon I muste a whyle make disgressyon Fro my mater as myn Auctor doth For in this yle Isydorus in soth Reherseth playnly how Latona the quene Appollo firste and Dyane the shene I childed hath by Iubyter hir lorde Whan he and Iuno were at discorde As wryte Ouyde for alytell whyle And so befylle in this lytell Yle There was a Temple whylom dedycate Vnto Appollo and also consecrate In his worshyp of olde foundacyon That was honoured by great deuocyon Bycause Appollo with his bemes clere After the flood firste there dyde appere To shewed his hornes rather there and soone And Dyane eke that called is the moone Of whiche shewynge this yle bereth the name Into this day that is of so great fame Oonly be apperynge of this ylke twayne For Delos is in greke no more to sayne Than a shewynge or an apparence And thus began the great reuerence To Appollo firste and the honour eke To hym Idone of so many greke And to his suster that called is Dyane The pale moone that can so waxe and wane And called is of Paynems a goddesse That whylom was in wod an hunteresse And this lady with the sonne hir brother Of this yle hath lordshyp and none other Oonly for they at theyr natyuyte Shewed theyr lyght firste in that countre The whiche I le Grekes also calle Ortygya in theyr langage alle Bycause Curlewes were there firste Iseyne For Otygyas is no more to seyne Than a Curlewe in Grewe I vnderstande For they were firste engendred in that lande ¶ And Appollo is called eke Titan That in his tyme so moche worshyp wan Longe afore or he was made a sterre With Iubyter whan that he helde werre And he also ycalled is Phebus And of some ynamed Phycius For of Pheton he had the victorye Whan he hym stewe to his encrease of glorye The great serpent here in erthe lowe With his arowes and his myghty bowe Of whiche conqueste the great god Cupyde Hadde enuye and euen thorugh the syde He wounded hym depe to the herte With y◠arowe of gold that made hym sore smerte And of Pheton that Phebus made fyne Came Phetonysses that can so deuyne I mene women that be deuyneresses Thorugh dede men these false sorceresses As one whylom reysed Samuel For loue of Saule the byble can you tell And in his temple large longe and olde There was a stature all of pured golde Full great and hye and of huge weyghte And therin was thorugh the deuylles sleyghte A spirite vnclene by false illusyon That gaue answere to euery questyon Nat the Ydoll dombe as stocke or stone And thus the people deceyued euerychone Were by the fende brought in great errour To do worshyppe and suche false honour With sacryfyce and cursed mawmentrye And in this wyse began Ydolatrye As in this place to telle I me caste And how longe it abode and laste Compendyously I purpose to descryue Gynnynge and ende as ye shall here blyue Without any Ambygnyte For at the byrthe and natyuyte Of criste Ihesu at the Incarnacy owne All the Ydolles braste and fell a downe
great fame Passynge ryche and wonder plenteuous But of all this Dares Frygyus In his boke maketh no mencyon But shortly telleth in concluycon Howe Achylles and Thelephus also To Messana be togyder go With thre thousande of grekes chosen oute Moste manly men amonges all theyr route The whiche as faste as they gan to londe And the kynge gan to vnderstonde Of theyr comynge he is descended downe With all the worthy of his regyowne Ou hors and fote in stele armed bryght Agaynst Grekes manfully to fyght Them to deuoyde playnely if ye can And sodaynely thus the skarmysshe gan At wyxe grekes and theyr mortall fone On outher parte that there was many one Slayne and hurte and to the deth ywounded Euer vnlyckely therof to be sounded Hor other treate was none them atwene But swerdes sharpe and speres square kene Now here now there that they go to grounde For euery man his foo for to confounde His laboure dyde and his besynesse And though grek thrugh theyr worthynesse Hadde on theyr fooâ— moche lande ywonne yet to resorte after they begonne And meruayle none bycause that theyr fone Hadde alway thre in noumbre agaynst one For the tyme it may none other be Tyll Achylles gan beholde and se The mortall slaughter vpon grekes syde Tournynge the backe with wouÌ„des large wyde Of hasty rancour chaunge gan his blode And for Ire furyous and wode Whan he behelde his men lese theyr lande He with yâ— swerde whiche he helde in his hande Made waye kylled and bare downe And in the felde lyke a fyers lyowne He fared in sothe whan his men were slawe Makynge his foon backwarde to withdrawe And his grekes so manly recomforte That maugre them he made them to resorte And who that euer in his way stode Without mercy he kylleth in his mode There gayneth nat in his cruelte For douteles ne had his manhode be His passynge renowne and his worthynesse His knyghthode eke and his hye prowesse The grekes hadde that daye fynallye Vaynquysshed be without remedye But thorugh his helpe they recure all For Achylles sturdy as a wall Gan serche sheltrouns theyr rangys brake To fore whose face his fomen go to wrake And alderlaste whan he gan espye Tentran the kynge thorugh his chyualrye Diffende hymselfe lyke a worthy knyght And as a lyon bare hym in his fyght Now here now there grekes so oppresse This Achylles of cruell hardynesse Ne wolde cease in his putsewynge Thorugh the warde tyll he came to the kynge Of manly force stoute and full of pryde Makynge awaye rounde on euery syde Agayne whose myght no thyng myght auayle And of Tentran firste the auentayle He raced hath and rente the mayle a sonder And all to hewe that it was a wonder To consydre that day his cruelte And after that all to broke hath he His bassenet with many cruell wounde Of very myght smyt the kynge to grounde And in all haste he maked hath no lette Of his hede to rende his bassenette And mercyles for to do vengaunce His harme he gan on heyghte to auaunce Fully in purpose that he shall be dede And raunsomles gan hamyn at his hede With blody swerde and a despytous herte Castynge playnely he shuld hym nat asserte In his Ire he was so furyous ¶ But of fortune it befell right thus Thelephus the yonge lusty knyght Casuelly therof hadde a syght And of Achylles the maner full behelde The stroke anone he bare vp with his shelde And gan Achylles mekely for to preye To haue pyte so to do hym deye Syth he lay wounded almoste to the deth Brought to the poynt to yelde vp the breth Besechynge hym for his benyngnyte Of manly routhe and knyghtly eke pyte Withdrawe his hande and to do hym grace And graunte hym lyfe for a lytell space Syth euery knyght shulde of gentyllesse His enmye spare whan he is in distresse To vttraunce brought specyally whan he Mercy requyreth of humble volunte To whom Achylles feruent in his yre As he that was of rancoure sette a fyre Answerde agayne what lyst the so to preye For hym that nolde of pryde our wyll obeye Gan a werre where as was no nede Of disdayne and indignacyon Hauynge a truste of presumpcyon In his manhode which myght hy nat auayle Agaynst grekes to holde a batayle As it is preuyd playnely in the ende All otherwyse shortly than he wende For in the dyche iustely he is falle Whiche he made of malys for vs alle ¶ Where we of wyll nor entencyon Gaue vnto hym none occasyon Vpon no syde platly fer nor nere Nor mynystred to hym no matere Nor to his londe mente no damage But hymselfe grounde of all this rage Without offence done to hym of vs And efte agayne yonge Thelephus Humbly requyred of Achylle Of knyghtly routhe his axynge to fulfylle And to haue mercy on hym in this cas For with my fader this kynge whylom was Quod Thelephus be bonde conferate Whiche lyeth now here all desconsolate Expectant oonly with a dedely face Vpon the houre whan his goste shall pace Thorugh gyrte alas with many mortall wouÌ„de And for cause I haue in hym founde Afore this tyme full great kyndenesse For of manhode and of gentyllesse In the boundes of his regyowne He vnto me thorugh his hye renowne Whylom as I casuelly gan ryde Shewed in sothe vpon euery syde Full ryall chere and great humanyte That I am bounde of very duyte To remembre and to haue in mynde And douteles elles I were vnkynde Whiche after wolde my name foule a twyte And for that I parcell wolde hym quyte I you beseche of respyte of his lyfe And Achylles without any stryfe Delyuered hath the storye telleth thus Tentran frely vnto Thelephus Whether hym lyste to saue or to spylle And whan that he had hym at his wylle He consydered by his woundes grene That were so mortall sothely and so kene Of very nede that he muste dye There was no gayne nor no remedye Nor auayle may no medecyne The hour whaÌ„ Phebê° westward gan declyne And the batayle brought was to an ende Whyle the grekes to theyr shyppes wende The meane whyle Tentran for the payne Of his woundes gan more more complayne Without staunche so pyteously they blede His offycers faste gan them spede In a lytter made full royall Towarde his paleys douÌ„ge owne pryncypall To cary hym softely and easely ¶ And at his prayer full benyngnely Thelephus and also Achylles Conueyed hym amonges all the prees Tyll he was brought there as them lyste to be And they receyued lyke to theyr degre Full royally the kynge aye languysshynge As he that drewe towarde his endynge And myght nat lenger drawe a lengthe His wofull lyfe so weke was he of strengthe That his spirite muste algates wende And he in his haste made for to sende For Achylles and for Thelephus And whan they came he sayde vnto them thus Syres quod he full worthy of degre Helthe
many that be now present I am alone in suffycyent Without helpe for to bere the charge Men with to moche may ouer lade a barge And namely in tempest and in rage And syth ye be so discrete and sage Of my burthen let me be releued So that no man therwith be agreued But let vs all of one entencyon Without stryfe or discencyon Chose suche one that moste be acceptable To you echone and moste couenable You to gouerne by discrecyon And they echone with hole affeccyon Assentyd be to speke in generall Here men may se how it is naturall Men to delyte in thyngê that is newe The truste of people is faynt and vntrewe Aye vndiscrete and full of doublenesse And varyable of theyr sykernesse Aye awaytynge in theyr oppynyon After chaunge and transmutacyon Selde or neuer standynge hole in one To day they loue to morowe it is gone In whom full selde is any sykernesse For oonly nowe of newfangelnesse That hath embracyd theyr affeccyon They haue in stede of Agamenon Of newe chose oonly of fauour Pallamydes to be theyr gouernour And of all Grece lyke as they desyre To haue the Sceptre of the hole Empyre And to be called aboute in euery coste Emperour of the Grekes hooste Right as tofore was Agamenon And this was fyne and conclusyon For that daye of theyr parlement And after that euery man is went To his lodgynge home the right way But in his Tent wounded as he lay The hardy knyght the hardy Achylles Whan that he herde of Pallamydes Fro poynt to poynt and of the leccyon He was displeased in his oppynyon And playnely thought as to his aduyse Agamenon was passyngly more wyse And more discrete vnto gouernaunce Than the tother as to his plesaunce And sayde it was none eleccyon But a maner subrogacyon Bycause hym selfe in the parlement At the chesynge was nat there present Arettynge it passynge great offence That the choyse was made in his absence Wherwith he was of herte inly wrothe But where so be that he be lefe or lothe There is no more but in conclusyon In his strengthe stode the eleccyon ¶ How kynge Pryamus went vnto the batayle for to auenge the deth of Ector where as he dyde meruaylous dedes of Armes Ca. xxx THe Trewes passyd and yweryd oute The wounded eke recured all aboute The next morowe after Pryamus In his herte was inly desyrous With the Grekes manly for to fyght Ectors deth to auenge if he myght This olde Pryam knyghtly in the felde That whan Troyans in them selfe behelde The great wyll and the hye courage Of hym that was so ferre ronne in age They gan reioyse and plucke vp theyr herte And specyally whan they gan aduerte His great manhode and his worthynesse His lyflyed and his hye prowesse And for his sake euery maner man Gan arme hym in all â—he haste they can With Pryamus that day to lyue or deye And into felde they proudely hym conueye An hondred thousande and fyfty of the towne Lyke as Dares maketh mencyowne And worthy knyghtes they were euerychone Without other that with Pryam gone And all afore wente Dephebus And Parys nexte and than Pryamus Menon the kynge and worthy Eneas And alderlaste came Pollydamas And as I fynde sterne and full of Pryde Pallamydes came on the tothersyde Into the felde with many stronge batayle And firste whan eche other gan assayle Kynge Pryamus knyghtly his wayches Thorugh the wardes to Pallamydes And hym vnhorseth thurgh his hye renowne And lyke a knyght he kylleth bereth downe The proude Grekes where so the rode Was none so hardy that his swerde abode For so narowe he gan them to coharte That theyr wardes he made a sonder parte On them he was so felle and furyous For he that day dedes meruaylous In armes wrought that wonder was to sene And a meruayle how he may sustene Of so great age in the felde to endure For in credyble was I you ensure To se how he thorugh his great myghte The Grekes put proudely to the flyghte And Dephebus was also nat behynde Agayne his foon knyghtly as I fynde To acquyte hym self make them to go backe And Sarpedowne in whom eke is no lacke Yfallen is on Neptolonyus The proudest greke and moste surquedous And most famous as of strengthe and myght The whiche agaynwarde rode full lyne ryght To Sarped owne with a spere rounde And delyuerly smote hym to the grounde But Sarpedowne full yrous in his herte Without abode on his feet vpsterte And Neptolonye in his Ire all hote Through out the thyghe with his swerde he smote And than anone the kynge of Perce londe That was so worthy and famous of his honde Of Sarpedowne whan he toke hede Knyghtly to hym restored hath his stede Natwithstandynge that Menelaus Was vpon hym passynge despytous And with hym eke the Duke of Athenes Enclosyd haue amonge the great prees The kynge of Perce alas it shulde falle And slewe hym as he amonge them alle Full knyghtly faught lyke a champyowne With multytude enclosyd enuyrowne And he hym selfe but alone alas All destytute in this mortall cas Thorugh whose myschefe they of troye towne Gan to withdrawe tyll that Sarpedowne Hath holpen them to recure theyr londe Full many Greke kyllynge with his honde And kynge Pryam so manly founde at all With his sones called naturall Whiche vpon hym where so that he rode The longe day manfully abode Partynge nat playnely fro his syde And the kynge and they togydre ryde Full mortally the grekes they confounde For Pryamus with many cruell wounde Hath slayne of them many worthy man On horse backe amonge them as he ran For there was none that day yonge nor olde Of Troye towne so hardy nor so bolde Of none estate that hath so well hym quyt Amonge Grekes where so that he ryt Fro poynt to poynt to reken euery thynge As hath Pryam the noble worthy kynge For he alone was confusyon To the Grekes and destruccyon Theyr outter myschefe and discomfyture Afore whose face they myght nat endure For thynges two in his mortall yre Inwardly sette hym a fyre The hertely hate that he bare of olde Vnto Grekes doubled many folde With the deth hadde in remembraunce Of worthy Ector by countenaunce The whiche platly thorugh his worthynesse With his swerde he shope hym to redresse For fret of hate and constreynt of his payne Were veryly thylke thynges twayne By whiche that day who so loke a ryght His force was doubled and his myght Where thorugh he toke cruelly vengeaunce That he the Grekes brought to outtraunce And thurgh his knyghthod put theÌ„ to the flyght But Grekes than attones dyde theyr myght By assent to assemble into one And for a sleyghte a syde out they gone Into a playne large and fayre to se Betwene Pryam and Troye the cyte To fyne oonly in theyr entencyowne Hym to debarre the entre of the towne For euery way the grekes haue with set That they of
dere And was eke kept and hadde in cherte Fro poynt to poynt lyke to his degre With attendaunce conuenyent and dewe To his estate that euer vpon hym sewe Of suche as were moste expert and sage To gouerne hym tyll he came to age To reioyse if god gaue hym myght His herytage to whiche he hadde ryght By clere discent if happy were his chaunce Thus leue I hym vnder gouernaunce The yonge lone of Agamenon For I muste make a dygressyon ¶ Fro this mater and telle of Dyomede The auentures in Guydo as I rede His wofull fate and his paynes smerte The whiche alas he myght nat asterte As is remembred playnely in wrytynge That Oeres sone of the ryche kynge Called Naulus as ye haue herde toforne Suche heuynesse in his herte hath borne Vnto Grekes repeyrynge home fro Troye That his luste and his inwarde ioye Was them to hyndre bothe hye and lowe And cause why to you is nat vnknowe To them he was so passynge enuyous In wyll and thought ylyke desyrous If he myght sothly this no les The deth to venge of Pallamydes Lyke as tofore the stroye can deuyse To you that be so prudent and so wyse And how Oetes now of malyce wrought And traytoursly newe menes sought If he myght by any maner weye Dyomedes vnwarely to destroye Of all this thynge I caste nat to fayle Ceryously to make rehersayle IN Grece was a kyngdome wyde large Conyumpt in one Calydonye and Arge Full habundaunt of rychesse and of rente Of whiche the kynge called was Pollente A worthy man and of noble fame And had a sone Assandrus was his name And a doughter passynge fayre of syght And sothly Egra I fynde that she hyght And for hir Fader lyke as wryt Guydo Hadde nomo but thyse childre two For them he hath of wysedome so prouyded This myghty reygne for to be deuyded Atwene them two after his dissees Eche with his parte for to lyue in pees To exclude them fro indigence or nede And she was wyfe vnto Dyomede Albe tofore the storye of hym sayde That he whylom loued well Crysayde I can nat say where it was doublenesse But well wot I Guydo bereth wytnesse And in his boke sothely sayth none other And how Assandrus his owne wyues brother Full lusty fresshe and full of manlyhede To Troye wente with this Dyomede But in the see fordyuen vp so downe They ryued vp in the regyon Called Boece all disconsolate With tempest dryue wery and full mate Them to refresshe and for none other thynge In whiche lande Thelephus was kynge Of whose ryuayle whan he herde sayne In his herte he hadde hye disdayne That they were bolde to do so great offence To entre his grounde hauynge no lycence And yet in sothe they dyde no damage To hye nor lowe of no maner age Nortoke nat that myght disauayle Vnto that lande but it were vytayle For whiche they payde iustly at the fyne For flesshe and fysshe and for brede and wyne Yet for all that of indignacyowne Kynge Thelephus is descended downe With great array to harme them if he myght And so they gan to bycker and to fyght And Assandrus full of hye prowesse Lyke a Lyon his fomen gan oppresse And wonder knyghtly the feld vpon them wan And slewe that day many worthy man Of hye courage and of manly pryde And whan the kynge whiche that stode asyde Sawe his men slayne on euery parte Of hye disdayne hent anone a darte And caste at hym alas the mortall fate And ê‘cyd hath thurgh mayles thurgh plate Of Assandrus that he felle downe dede The soyle aboute of his blode all rede His deedly wounde so began to blede And wood as Tygre tho came Dyomede And hym to auenge bare hym lyke a knyght Sleeth and kylleth and put them vnto flyght And after that suche sorowe gan to make Of knyghtly routhe for his brothres sake That he ne wyste what was best to do But as I fynde myd of all his wo From beste and foule the deed corps to saue Lyke his estate he lette make a graue And buryed hym after rytes olde But Oetes to his suster tolde That he was slayne by fraude of Dyomede To fyne that he myght full possede The reygne of Arge hole without stryfe With the purpartye annexed to his wyfe For by his deth he myght season take And tolde hir eke that she was forsake This fayre Egra for all hir womenhede Of hir lorde called Dyomede All this he tolde in helle be he chayned And ouermore he forged hath and fayned How of enuye Assandrus lost his lyfe And howe hir lorde hath take a nother wyfe That was to hir dishonour and shame And passyngly great sclaundre to hir name In preiudyce ydone of hir estate All this he tolde to make them at debate Lyke as he wrote in conclusyon To Clemestra of Agamenon Whiche hir herte made sore greue For he put hir fully in byleue Of all the treason ye haue herde me tolde That for yre she pale wexe and colde Vnkyndenesse so hir herte sleeth And heuynesse of hir brothreâ— deth For neuer yet Guydo doth assure No woman loued better a creature Than she loued hym in no maner age For firste at nought she sette hir herytage In comparyson of hir brothres lyfe Loo how Oetes made a newe stryfe As ye haue herde in the storye rede That gylteles worthy Dyomede Whan he hath longe at the sege layne And to his kyngdome wold haue come agayne By myghty honde of this worthy quene And hir lyeges that assentyd bene He was exyled out of that regyon There may be made no medyacyon Thus in hym selfe mate and dispeyred Disconsolate he is agayne repeyred To Salerne a londe of great rychesse Where that Tenter thorugh his worthynesse With crowne sceptre hadde reygned longe With his lyeges and his knyghtes stronge And brother was to Apax Thelamon Murdred tofore as made is mencyon And Dyomede pore and destytute May in Salerne fynde no refute For whan Tenter firste gan hym espye He sewed hym by full great enuye Hauynge to hym aye suspecyon Touchynge the deth of kynge Thelamon But Dyomede on a certayne nyght Full secretly hath taken hym to flyght And fro Salerne faste gan hym hye In hope to fynde better remedye Helpe or socoure in some other place If Fortune wolde graunte hym grace For of hymselfe ashamed and confuse As man forsake abiect and refuse Right so fared he wandrynge to and fro As he that ne wyst what was best to do BVt I fynde the Troyan Eneas That al this whyle styll at Troye was Oonly of routhe and compassyowne To supporte them that were lefte of the towne Beynge alway of theyr lyfe in doute Of theyr fomen rounde beset aboute As they that lyued for lacke of an hede Contynuelly in myschefe and drede Knowynge no refute nor comforte in this caas Tyll by counsayle of this Eneas To supporte them in this great nede They sent in
of face Lyke virgyns that were of nature Without spot vndefouled pure And of custome in wawes as they flete The songe of them is to heuenly swete So Aungelyke and full of Armonye That veryly the sugred melodye Rauysshe wolde any man a lyue Of inly ioye almoste his herte ryue Make a man of sodayne hye plesaunce Foryet hym selfe and lese his remembraunce Deuoyde hym clene from his owne thought Tyll vnwarely he be to myschefe brought And with theyr songe or he take kepe He shall be brought in a mortall slepe And they anone it may nat be withdrawe Wyll drenche his shyp lowe vnder the wawe Thus the swetnesse of theyr heuenly sowne Bryngeth a man to con fusyowne Who so euer by theyr boundes passe ¶ But with the lyfe I scaped by grace For myn ere 's with waxe gummes clere Were stopped so that I ne myght here Touche nor werble of theyr instrumentis Wherby the reason of a man blynded is And fynally thorugh my sotylte I and my men be escaped fre Saylynge forth all mate of werynesse Tyll we came vp with full great distresse At Phenyce and toke anone the londe Caste anker and our shyppes bonde But sothly there it fyll vs full vnfayre For the people cruell and contrayre Oonly of malyce fyll on me anone And slewe my men almoste euerychone Tresoure and good lytell that I hadde Was me berafte all with them they ladde And fewe of them that were left a lyue They toke them and put in pryson blyue Thus hath Fortune lad me an hir daunce With lytell ioye and plente of myschaunce Of whose daunger lernyd and experte I am fall in mychefe and pouerte And with great dole sorowe full my breest On see and londe by Southe and nat by Eest I am come vnto your presence And haue declaryd playnely in sentence Myn auentures to your worthynesse Of truste oonly and of faythfulnesse That I haue to you in specyall And now I haue rehersyd and tolde all To your hyghnesse and my beste wyse Without more to me it dothe suffyse And though in hert he was constrayned sore Thylke tyme Vlixes spake no more But helde his peas full heuy in lokynge And Ydumeus lyke a gentyll kynge Comforted hym all that euer he myght And besy was his herte for to lyght And hym besought his heuynesse lete And as longe as hym lyste in Crete With hym abyde he made hym suerte He shulde fare also well as he And nat wante of what may do hym ease And whan his sorowe some what gan apease That his cage drewe vnto an ende Leue he toke and sayde he wolde wende Out of tha◠londe home to his countre But firste the kynge of fredome and bounte Gaue vnto hym great rychesse and array And what so euer was to his pay Golde treasour and many other thynges And at partynge of thyse two kynges There were shyppes whan hym lyste to sayle Redy stuffyd with meyne and vytayle And thus vlixes gan hym redy make And whan he hath his leue fully take He hasted hym and toke anone the see And gan sayle towarde his countree But firste he wente to kynge Alphenon Whiche passyngly hadde affeccyon To se vlixes at his home comynge And desyrous ouer all thynge To haue of hym newely aqueyntaunce For vnto hym was inly great plesaunce To here hym talke for his eloquence For his wysdome and his hye prudence And there he was after all his smerte Receyued playnely with as glad an herte As euer yet was any maner man Sythen tyme that the worlde began And to encrease of his Felycytee There herde he firste of Penolopee His trewe wyfe without spot of blame Of whom yet grene is the noble fame Whiche from hir lorde for all his longe absence In thought nor dede neuer dyde offence But sothly was bothe in chere and dede Thorugh out Grece exaumple of womanhede And yet was she as bokes lyste expresse Thorugh out the world Myrour of fayrenesse And amonge Grekes borne of hyest blode Called of Auctours bothe fayre and gode And yet say bookes of hir doutlees Was neuer none that hadde so great prees But she hir kept chaungynge for no newe Vnto hir lorde euer ylyke trewe Of herte aye one nat parted into twayne That she is called quene and souerayne Of wyfely trouthe in this bokes olde And ofte I fynde hir herte wolde colde She tourne pale fro hir lorde so ferre In hir closet to here of the werre Of drede she hadde and fro fere eke quake Of fantasyes for hir lordes sake For his absence bothe eue and morowe Was deth vnto hir and importable sorowe And aye in sothe for ioye or any game Whan it fyll she herde Ectors name In any place anone she fylle a swowne And gan hir selfe in teres drowne Of womanhede so she was a ferde To here the slaughter of his mortall swerde Lyste hir lorde of knyghtly surquedye Hadde of Fortune falle in ieopardye Of hap or sorte to a mette y◠worthy knyght That selde or neuer she felte hir herte lyght And many dreme a nyghtes dyde hir gaste All the whyle that the sege laste And euery play was venym in hir syght Whan that she was from hir owne knyght For in this worlde ioye hadde she none Of hye nor lowe playnely but of one For whose sake all myrthe she refuseth And who so be that in his herte museth Of any woman any thynge but gode Of melancolye meuyd in his blode Let hym aduerte of wysdome and ysee And remembre on Penolopee For his decert lyste that he be blamyd And o Guydo thou shuldest be ashamyd To say of wyues any thynge but we le For in good fayth as ferre as I can fele Though one or two do amonge offence She that is good thorugh hir prouydence Is therof no thynge for to wyte And thoughe Guydo in his boke endyte The varyaunce of Eleyne or Creseyde Or Medea that for sorowe deyde Let the agayne of right and equytee The wyfely trouthe of Penolopee The maydenhode of yonge Polycene And the goodnesse of Eccuba the quene Of Cassandra eke the stedefastnesse And with all this take the kyndenesse Of Pantasylle without varyaunce And put all this togydre in balaunce And ye shall fynde if ye lyste accounte Maugre who grutcheth trouth shal surmoūte I dare afferme and bere away the pryse There wyll no man replye that is wyse He were to feble in his oppynyon And whyle vlixes was with Alphenon It was to hym made relacyon Of an hatefull conspiracyon That certayne lordes enuyron his countree Bauysshe wold◠his quene Penolopee Maugre all tho that were there agayne Albe that she was euer ylyke playne In hir trouthe stedfaste as a wall Yet they haue caste platly that she shall Be take of Force it may nat be eschewed But if so be in haste she be reskewed For they them caste the tyme nat aiourne For day and nyght with hir they soiourne Inly in herte for loue disamayde
But of wysedome she hath them so delayde That there was none so manly nor so sage That coude of hir gette auauntage So auyse she was in hir werkynge And whan vlixes conceyueth all this thynge And fully knewe by open euydence And hadde also in specyall credence Sent vnto hym fro Penolopee The mater hole declarynge in secretee His owne sone Thelamonyus He wexe in herte wood and Furyous And wolde make no dylacyon But in all haste besoughte Alphenon The myghty kynge of his hye bounte To releue hym in his aduersyte And that he wolde thorugh his myghty honde Of gentyllesse conueye hym to his londe He graunteth hym and say nat ones nay And bothe two in full great array Toke the see whan the wynde was gode Well fortuned for no thynge them withstode They be aryued and hadde no lettynge Where vlixes as ye haue herde was kynge And secretely in a nyght they were conueyed To them that haue his lygaunce disobeyed And mercyles or they myght awake In theyr beddes they haue them all take Makynge no prolongynge tyll the morowe But in all hast for no wyght durst theÌ„ borowe Smette of theyr hedes by Jugement fynall And sette them vpon the castell wall Eueryche by other endelonge the rowe Vpon the toure whan the kocke gan crowe And thus all nyght they kept them selfe close Tyll that Phebus meryly arose In the Oryent whan the larke songe And tho these kyngê with their meyne stronge Fresshely besene entre the Cytee ¶ Who was tho glad but Penolopee Who made ioye but this goodly quene Full desyrous hir owne lorde to sene But if I shulde all in ordre sette The great myrthe they made whan they mette Make rehersayle of complayntes olde And how they gan theyr hertes to vnfolde Eche to other and lyste no thynge concele And the gladnesse that they inly fele If I shulde put all in memorye The reioysynge and the hertely glorye That his lyeges made at his comynge The costes eke they hadde at his metynge The gyftes great and presentes ryche In all this worlde It cowe none ylyche It were to longe tariynge for my boke And how that he newe assuraunce toke Of his lordes and lyeges alle And how that they to his grace falle The chere he made eke to Alphenowne Of gentyllesse thorugh his hye renowne And how the doughter inly debonayre Of Alphenon Nausica the fayre By vlixes medyacyon Yweddyd was vnto Thelamon Borne by discent there may no man say nay To reioyse his crowne after his day And thus came in by his purueaunce Of two reygnes the myghty allyaunce And how all this brought was to the knotte Men wolde deme playnely me to sotte To presume of oppynyon For to delate a descripcyon Sythen Guydo touchynge but the chefe In this mater of style was but brefe Shortly rehersynge how kynge Alphenon Repeyred is home to his regyon And vlixes in his chefe Cytee Abode stylle with Penolopee Where I hym leue in ioye and in solace Tyll Antropos lyketh to purchace For to Fychche fynally the date The threde to vntwyne of his lyues fate ¶ How the translatoure wryteth the stocke of Pyrrus by lyncall dyscent and how his Fader hyght Pelleus his graunmoder called Thetydes Capitulo xxxvij NOw muste I full besy be a whyle To directe the tracys of my style In descryuynge shortly of entent The stocke of pyâ—â—us by lyneal disceÌ„t Myn Auctour folowe and be compendyous ¶ Whose olde Fader hyght Pelleus His graunmoder called Therydes Of whiche two came worthy Achylles That at Troye by treason loste his lyfe And Dardanyca called was his wyfe Pyrrus moder and doughter as I rede Vnto the kynge called Lychomede Hauynge a Fader that Acastus hyght Whiche in sothnesse all that euer he myght Bare heuy herte to kynge Pelleus To Achylles and also to Pyrrus To all the kyn playnely on that syde And of malyce rancoure and of pryde And of enuye in an hatefull rage ¶ Whan Pelleus salie was in age He berafte hym bothe sceptre and crowne And from his see lowe a lyght hym downe And into exyle auayle way no stryfe He made hym go with Thetydes his wyfe Of hye disdeyne gayne may no grace And in his herte gan day and nyght compace The deth of Pyrrus kepe hym if he can And therupon malycyously began To shape away by awayte lyinge Hym for to sle at his home comynge ¶ But this Pyrrus from his treynes free Many daunger escaped of the see Many wawe and many tempest wode With great losse bothe of men and gode At Malasus alder firste gan londe A stronge Cyte a lytell fro the stronde Where that he was refresshed wonder wele And there he knewe grounde and euerydele Firste of Thexyle lyke as men hym tolde Of Therydes and Pelleus the olde And how Atastus bare to hym hatrede Vnto the deth wherof he gan drede And thought he wolde as he yâ— was right wyse By some engyne eschewe his malyse And therupon do his besy payne Nowhadde Atastus other sones twayne Menalyppus and Polystenes And adoughter ycalled Thetydes And all this whyle wofull Pelleus In a Castell olde and ruynous With Thetydes full of sorowe and care For drede of deth day and nyght gan dare Disespeyred in his vnweldy age Recure to fynde of this mortall rage Except that he hadde an hope of yore That Pyrrus shulde helpe hym and restore At his repeyre whan so that it falle After whose comynge often he gan calle The tyme curse that he so longe abode But whan Pyrrus all this vnderstode At Malasus by relacyowne Full faste he gan haste out of the towne Toke the see and faste gan hym hye Towarde the londe called Thesalye Ofentent to make ordynaunce On Atastus for to do vengaunce But alderfirste this Pyrrus full prudent Espyes twayne he tofore hath sent To Thesalye forth togydre gone And Crylyppus called was the tone And Adastrus named was his fere They were expert them nedeth nat to lere In whose expleyte to more auauntage This Pyrrus hath direct his massage Of Thesalye to a Cyteseyne Called Assandrus a maner chaumberleyne With Pelleus and whylom full secree Whyle he was flourynge in Felycytee And whan Pyrrus in conclusyon Knewe all the sothe by relacyon On see nor londe hym ne lyste to tarye Albe that he founde the wynde contrarye ¶ But he â—â—caped many dredefull stoundes Of Thesalye aprocheth to the boundes For Eolus that his luste obeyed And of Fortune wonâ—erly conâ—eyed He dryuen was as it were by grace To aryue in the same place Where Pelleus in a dolefull caue For drede of deth lay hym selfe to saue Sool saue his wyfe withouten any ferys All enclosyd with husshes and with brerys And Pyrrus there went vp firste to sonde Sool by hym selfe walkynge on the stronde Pensyfe and tryste and his way toke ¶ Where Pelleus in the caue quoke Hauynge with hym tho none other guyde Saue his swerde hangynge by his syde And vn warely with a dredefull
he was brought there he wolde be To Achaya a londe of great renowne And he gan serche thorugh the regyon After the place and paleys pryncypall Where as the kynge helde his see royall And he so longe in the countre rode Tyll he was taught where the kynge abode There vlixes was shytte vp in mewe To whiche place in haste he gan pursewe A great party releuyd of his sorowe And on a monday erely by the morowe Vnto the brydge the ryght way he toke And founde a porter deynous of his loke And lowely firste he gan hym to praye That he wolde goodly hym conueye Into the courte and make no tariynge For a message he hadde to the kynge But proudely he denyed hym the gate And shortly sayde that he came to late To entre there in any maner wyse And vngoodly gan hym to despyse Frowarde of speche and malycyous But in all haste Thelagonyus As he that was in herte nat aferde The proude porter hente by the berde And with his fyste rofe his chawe bone That he fyll deed Muet as a stone And other eke that hym tho withstode He made proudely lepe into the flode And whan mo came to make resystence He hente a swerde by manly vyolence And furyously in his Irous tene The storye sayth he slewe of them fyftene Hym selfe almoste wounded to the deth And gan for wery sothly fayle breth And vlixes what for noyse and sowne To the brydge is descendyd downe Fyndynge his men at entre of the gate Deed and slayne by full mortall hate And he full Irous hente anone a darte Of auenture stondynge tho a parte And cruelly caste at Thelagon But the stroke as in conclucyon Damageth nat for it glode asyde And he for haste no lenger wolde abyde Hent vp the darte without more a rest And smote the kynge lowe vnder the brest Thorugh the rybbes shortly for to seye Of the wounde that he must deye Hauynge tho none oppynyon That he was kynge nor suspecyon Nor that he hadde his owne Fader slawe Whiche faste gan to his ende drawe His wounde was so deedly and so kene That he myght hym selfe nat sustene But pale and wan to the grounde gan glyde His men aboute vpon euery syde That besy were to helpe hym and releue But his sore gan so ake and greue That he well felte that he must be dede But abraydynge as he lyfte vp his hede Hauynge as yet mynde and good reason Remembre gan of his auysyon And how it was tolde hym out of drede That one that was next of his kynrede Descendyd downe from his owne lyne His sweuene shall parfourme to the fyne Accomplysshe it with a darte of stele And for he coude nat conceyue wele What that he was nor who it shulde be He badde anone vnto his meyne Without harme or any vyolence Fette anone vnto his presence The yonge man whiche at the gate stode That hath that day shad so moche blode And whan he was afore vlixes brought Of hym he hath enqueryd out and sought Firste of his kyn and nexte of his countree Certes quod he I was borne in the see Amonge fysshes myd the wawes grene And sayde also his Moder was a quene Called Circes of whom the name is kouthe Bothe Est and west and right fer by southe And tolde also his Fader was a kynge That hym begat at his home comynge Fro Troye towne towarde his countre And as my Moder Cyrces tolde me Secretely that he vlixes hyghte Of whom desyrous for to haue a syghte I entred am this myghty regyon And haue pursewed vnto this dongeon Oonly in hope my Fader to haue seyne But I se well my labour is in veyne And sythe in sothe lost is my trauayle And that it may in no syde auayle It were foly lenger here to dwelle Lo here is all that I can you telle Of my kynred axe me no more ¶ With that vlixes gan to syghe sore For lacke of blode as he that was full pale And sayde anone whan he herde his tale Now wot I well my wofull destyne Fulfylled is it may none other be Now wot I well that it is to late To grutche or stryue agayne my pyteous fate For my sone as clerkes whylom tolde Hath made an ende of my dayes olde Theron expectant with paynes full greuous And with that worde Thelagonyus Whan he wyste agayne natures lawe That he alas had his Fader slawe Whiche in that londe longe bare his crowne Without abode he fylle anone a swowne His clothes rent his yelowe heer to torne Alas quod he that euer was I borne For cursed is my wofull destyne And my Fortune whiche I may nat fle Cursed my sort cursed myn auenture And I refuse of euery creature Forwaryed eke my disposycyon And cursed is my constellacyon Cursed also and infortunat The houre in whiche my Fader me begat So wolde god without lenger rede To aquyte hym anone that I were dede To lay my lyfe for his deth to borowe And whan the kynge sawe his great sorowe And wyste he was his sone of Cyrces borne By many sygnes rehersed here toforne He vnto hym anone forgaue his deth As he myght for lacke and want of breth So importable was his passyon And his sone called Thelagon Whiche hath in pryson so many daye be shet To his presence in all haste was fet Whiche whan he sawe his fader in suche poynt Vpon his deth stondynge in disioynt And knewe also and the trouth hath founde By whom he hadde his laste deedly wounde A swerde he hente and mortally Irous And wolde haue ronne on Thelagonyus Of hye despyte auenged for to be But vlixes of Faderly pyte Made his men holde hym and restrayne And amyd of all his greuous payne By his prudence and that was done anone He made his sones for to be all one And gaue in charge vnto Thelamon Of enteernesse and affeccyon And of hole herte fayned neuer adele All his lyfe to loue his brother wele To parte with hym treasour golde and gode As to the nexte borne of all his blode And tho in sothe was no lenger taryed That vlixes royally was caryed Of Achaya to the chefe Cyte And after that lyued dayes thre Without more and tho gaue vp the gost I can nat say playnely to what cost After this lyfe that his soule is gone But in atoumbe of metall and of stone The body was closed and yshet And after that made was no let That Thelamon with great solempnytee Ȳcrowned was in his Fadres see Swerde and sceptre delyueryd to his honde Of Achaya a full worthy londe Ryght habundaunt of treasour and of gode And Thelagon with hym there abode A yere complet well cherysshed in his syght And of his brother toke the ordre of knyght And for hym lyste no lenger there abyde The kynge for hym wysely gan prouyde That he with golde great treasour and plente Repeyred is home to his countre And his moder of
age wexe sad Of his repeyre passyngly was glad As she that sawe by hir Sorcerye He scapyd was many Iupardye Many pereyll and many great distressâ— And after that she fylle into sykenesse And hir dette yelde vnto nature Whiche escape may no creature In all this wolde that is here lyuynge After whose deth hir sone was made kynge Of Anlydos the meruayllous countre As I haue tolde enclosed with a see Amonge rockes where many shyppes drowne And syxty yere there he bare his crowne This manly man Thelagonyus And his brother Thelamonyus Reygned also in his regyon Seuenty wynter as made is mencyon And after that they made a royall ende And bothe two to Iubyter they wende To reygne there amonge the sterres bryght BVt now the lanterne the clere lyght Is wasted out of Frygyus Darete Whylom of Troye wryter Poyete Guyde haue I none ferther for to passe For euen here in this selfe place He fychched hath the boundes of his style At the sege he present all the whyle And aye in one with them dyde abyde Dytes the Greke on the tother syde And bothe two as in theyr wrytynge Ne vary nat but in a lytell thynge Touchynge matere as in specyall That is notable or hystoryall I do no force of incydentis smale Of whiche in sothe it is but lytell tale Saue this Dytes maketh mencyowne Of the nombre slayne at the towne Lastynge the sege affermynge out of drede Eyght hondred thousaÌ„de syx were there dede On Grekes syde vp right in the felde And as Dares also there behelde On Troye partye in the werre kene Syxe hondred thousande seuenty and syxtene Were slayne there in Guydo ye may se With them that came to helpe the Cyte Fro many coste and many regyowne In diffence and reskus of the towne And full ten yere so as I can caste And syxe monthes the myghty sege laste Or it was gette Dares wryte hym selfe And ouer more complet dayes twelue Or Grekes hadde full possessyon By false engyne of the Greke Synon Lyke as tofore rehersyd was but late I haue no more of latyn to translate After Dytes Dares nor Guydo And me to adde any more therto Than myn Auctours specefye and seynâ— The occupacyon sothly were in veyne Lyke a maner of presumpcyon And tyme complet of this translacyon By iuste rekenynge and a countis clere Was a thousande and foure hondred yere And twenty nere I knowe it out of drede After that criste receyued our manhede Of hir that was Emperesse and quene Of heuen and helle and a mayde clene The eyghte yere by computacyon Suynge after the Coronacyon Of hym that is most gracyous in werkynge Herry the fyfthe the noble worthy kynge And protectoure of Brutys Albyowne And called is thorugh his hyerenowne Thorugh his prowesse and his Chyualrye Also fer as passeth cloude or skye Of Normadye the myghty conquerour For thorugh his knyghthod dilygent labour Maugre all tho that lyste hym to withseyne He hath conqueryd his herytage ageyne And by his myghty prudent gouernaunce Recuryd eke trewe tytle of Fraunce That who so lyste loke and vnfolde The pee de Grewe of Cronycles olde And sercheth bokes ywryt longe aforne He shall fynde that he is iustly borne To reygne in Fraunce by lyneall discent And onwarde now he is made regent Of thylke londe durynge his Faders lyfe Of his goodnesse to voyde werre and stryfe He to reioyse without more delay Sceptre and crowne after the kynges day As it is clerely in conclusyon Enrolled vp in the conuencyon And than I hope the tyme Fortunat Of the olde worlde called Aureat Resorte shall by influence of grace That cruell Mars shall no more manace With his lookes furyous and wode By false Aspectes for to shede blode Atwene the folkes of thyse Realmes twayne Whiche euery wyght ought to complayne But as I truste in myn oppynyon This worthy kynge of wysedome and reson And of knyghthode shall so do his payne To make one that longe hath be twayne I mene thus that Englonde and Fraunce May be all one without varyaunce Out of hertes olde rancour to enchace By influence of his myghty grace That called is of clerkes douteles The soueraygne lorde and the prynce of pees And I hope his grace shall now reygne To set reste atwene thyse Realmes twayne For in his power sothly stondeth all And allyaunce of the blode royall That is knet vp by bonde of maryage Of werre shall voyde away the rage To make peas with bryght bemes shyne And one that is called Katheryne And named is right good and fayre also Shalbe mene atwyxe bothe two Of grace emprynted in hir womanhede That to complayne we shall haue no nede And I hope hir gracyous aryuaylle Into this londe shall so moche auaylle That ioye honour and prosperyte Without trouble of all aduersyte Repeyre shall and all hertely plesaunce Plente welfare and fulsome habundaunce Peas and quyete bothe nyghe and ferre Without stryfe debate or any werre Myschefe pouert nede or indigence With full cessynge of deth and pestylence Sothly all this I hope ye shall sene Come into londe with this noble quene That we shall say of herte and feyne nought Blessyd be she that all this hath vs brought And he yâ— hath thorugh myght of his werkyÌ„g Of his knyghthode concludyd all this thyng And suche meruayles iÌ„ armes done wrought And his purpose fully aboute brought Of hye wysedome set in his inwarde syght Reioysynge all that longeth to his ryght And hyest syt of worthynesse in glorye With the Sceptre of conquest and victorye I praye god oonly for his beste ¶ Whan he hath all set in peas and reste And is full put in clere possessyon Of all that longeth to his subieccyon To sende hym home with as great honour As euer yet hadde any conquerour Longe after in ioye and in quyete For to reygne in his royall sete Thus shall I aye there is no more to saye Daye and nyght for his expleyt I praye Of faythfull herte and of hole entent That whylom gaue me in coÌ„maundement Nat yore ago in his faders tyme The sege of Troye on my maner to ryme Most for his sake to speke in specyall All though that I be boystous and rurall He gaue me charge this storye to translate Rude of connynge called IohnÌ„ Lydgate â—onke of Burye by professyon Vsynge an habyte of perfeccyon Albe my lyfe accorde nat therto I feyne nat I wot well it is so It nedeth nat wytnesse for to calle Recorde I take of my brethren alle That wyll nat fayle at so great a nede And all that shall this noble storye rede I beseche of supporte and of grace Where I offende in any maner place Or where so euer that they fynde errour Of gentyllesse to shewe his fauour Benyngnely for to do theyr payne To correcte rather than disdayne For well wot I moche thynge is wronge Falsely metryd bothe of short and longe And if they shulde haue of all
cast hym nat transmewe In all the storye a worde as in sentence But foloweth them by suche conuenyence That in effect the substaunce is the same And of columpna Guydo was his name Whiche had in wrytynge passynge excellence For he enlumyneth by crafte and cadence This noble storye with many fresshe coloure Of Rethoryk and many ryche floure Of eloquence to make it sowne bet ¶ Hein the storye hath ympyd in and set That in good fayth I trowe he hath no pere To reken all that wryted of this matere As in his boke ye may beholde and se To whom I saye knelynge on mykne Laude and honour and excellence of fame O Guydo mayster be vnto thy name That excellest by souereygne of style All that wryte this mater to compyle Whom I shall folowe as nere as euer I may That god graunte it to be to thy pay Of hym for whom I haue vndertake So as I can this storye for to make Prayeng to all that shall it rede or se Where as I erre to amende me Of humble herte and lowe entencion Commyttynge all to theyr correccion And there of thanke my wyll is that they wyn For thorugh their support thus I wyl begyn ¶ Explicit Prologus Here begynneth the Troye boke translated by IohnÌ„ Lydgate monke of Bery the whiche speketh firste How the kynge of Thesalye named Pelleus had all his men slayne by dyuyne punycyon And how thorugh his prayer he had other agayne Ca. Primo IN the reygne and londe of Thesalye The whiche is now ynamed Salonye There was a kynge callyd Pelleus Wyse and discrete and also vertuous The whiche as Guydo lyste to specyfye Helde the lordshyp and the regalye Of this yle as gouernour and kynge Of whiche the people by recorde of wrytynge Myrundones were callyd in tho dayes Of whom Ouyde seyneth in his sayes Methamorphoscos where as ye may rede How this people soth fastly in dede So as myn Auctour maketh mencion Were brought echone to destruccion With sodayne tempest and with fyry leuen By the goddes sent downe from the heuen For they of yre without more offence With the swerde and stroke of pestylence On this yle whylom toke vengaunce Lyke as it is put in remembraunce For this people distroyed were certayne With thunder dynt with hayle and rayne Full vnwarely as Guydo lyst descryue For there was none of them lefte a lyue In all the lande that the vyolence Escape myght of this pestylence Except the kynge the whiche went alone In to a wood for to make his mone Sool by hym selfe all disconsolate In a place that stode all desolate Where this kynge romynge to and fro Complaynynge aye of his fatall wo And the harmys that he dyde endure Tyll at the laste of caas or auenture Besyde an holt he sawe where stode a tree Of full great heyght and large of quantytee Hole by the roote as he cowde knowe Where as he sawe by the erthe lowe Of Amptys crepe passynge great plente With whiche syghte he fylle downe on his kne And made his prayer in his paynym wyse To the goddes with humble sacrefyse Vpon his wo and great aduersytee Oonly of mercy for to haue pytee To tourne these Amptys into fourme of man Thus gan he praye with colour pale wan His lande to enhabyte whiche staÌ„deth desolate And he alone a wapyd and a mate Comfortles of any creature Hym to releue of that he dyde endure And as Ouyde maketh mencion That Iubiter herde his orison And hath suche routhe on hym at the leste That he anone fulfylleth his requeste And of his myght whiche that is dyuyne His grace he made from heuen for to shyne Benyngly vnto the erthe downe That a sodayne transmutaciowne Was made of Amptê to fourme of meÌ„ anoon Whiche on theyr fete gonne streyght to goon To Thesalye and salue there the kynge And lyke his lyeges toke theyr dwellynge Whithin a Cytee callyd tho Egee As in Ouyde ye may beholde and se The whiche people for theyr worthynesse For theyr strengthe and great hardynesse Myrundones so longe haue bore the name As in the lyfe ye rede may the same Of seynt Mathewe how they be callyd so Where the apostle so moche hadde a do Whiche for wysdome and prudent aduertence Besye laboure and wylfull dylygence By forseynge and discrecyon As I suppose in myn oppynyon That this fable of Amptys was contryued Which by their wysdom haue somoch acheued Thorugh theyr knyghthod who so lyst to loke Theyr manly dedys thorugh Troye boke In all myscheif so well they haue them borne That they full wysely prouyded were toforne Of that it fyll bothe in werre and pes For of no sâ—outhe they were nat rekles ¶ But as the Ampte to eschewe ydelnesse In somer is so full of besynesse Or wynter come to saue hir fro colde She tofore astoryd hath hir holde ¶ But in this matere I holde no sermon I wyll no lenger make digression Nor in fables no more as now soiourne But there I lefte I wyll agayne retourne Of Pelleus ferther to procede Whiche kynge forsothe in storye as I rede And as myn Auctour lysteth to endyte Hadde a wyfe that callyd was Tedyte Of whiche twayne platly this no lees The manly man the hardy Achilles So as Guydo lysteth to termyne Descendyd was sothly as by lyne Moste renoÌ„med of manhode and of myght Amonges Grekes and the beste knyght I holde in sothe thorughout all the lande In worthynes preued of his hande Whose cruelte troyens sore abought By his meruayles that he there wrought Durynge the syege as ye shall after lere Pacyently yf yelyst to here ¶ This Pelleus that I of spake aforne A brother had of one moder borne That hyght Eson so ferre I ronne in yeres That he of lust hath loste all his desyres So ferre he was cropen in to aege That all his wyt was turned to dotage For bothe mynde and memoryall Fordulled were and derked so all That verayly his dyscrecyon Was hyâ— berafte in conclusyon Wherfore the regne londe of Thesalye Crowne and ceptre with all the regalye He hathe resygned his brother for to queme Estate royall and also dyademe ¶ How kynge Eson crowned his broder Pelleus kynge bycause that he was fallen in age myght not welde it Ca. ii Bycause he was croked lame blynde And to gouerne lost both wyt mynde So feble was his celle retentyfe And forderked his ymagynatyfe That lost were bothe memorye and reason For whiche he made a resygnacyon To his broder nexte heyre by degre And nyest allye of his affynyte But as some Auctours in theyr bokes sayne To youthe he was restoryd newe agayne By crafâ—e of Medee the great Sorceresse And renewed to his lustynesse For with hir herbys and with hir pocions Sotyll workynge of confexions By queyntyse eke of hir instrumentes With hir charmes and enchauntementes She made a drynke in bokes as is tolde In whiche a yerde that was drye and
than his power shall nat so large streche Of his sauf conduyte lytell shall we reche I saye the platly as is our entent We wyll nat haue vnto his maundement But lytell regarde and we that day abyde For takynge leue shal be sette a syde Bycause he hath begonne a playe Whiche we shall quyte by god if that I maye That tourne shall into his owne shame And spare nat to saye thy kynge the same This messager than gan agayne replye And sayde syr ye maye nat denye Of honeste my message to declare Auyse you for I wyll nat spare The kynges sonde playnely for to telle And where so be ye lyste to go or dwelle Ye may yet chese who so be leef or lothe Ye haue no cause with me to be wrothe For it syt nat vnto your worthynesse If ye take hede by waye of gentyllesse Or manassynge suche arowes for to shete For more honeste it were your thretynge to lete And kepe secrete tyll ye be at your large For certaynely no parcell of my charge Is to stryue with you or debate But better it is by tymes than to late That ye beware for harme that myght falle And for my parte I say vnto you alle It were pytee that ye destroyed were Or any man hyndre shulde or dere So worthy parsones in any maner wyse Whiche ben as lykly to be discrete and wyse And lest with wordes as now I do you greue I saye no more I take of you my leue THe nyght ypassed at spriÌ„gyng of yâ— daye Whan that the â—arke with a blessed laye Began to salue the lusty rowes rede Of phebus chare there fresshely sprede Vpon the bordure of the oryente And Aurora of herte and hool entente With the swetnesse of hir syluer shoures Bedewed hadde the fresshe somer floures And made the rose with newe bawme flete The soote lylye and the margarete For to vnclose theyr tendre leues whyte Oppressed hertes with gladnesse to delyte That drery were afore of myghtes tene And hony souklys amonge the busshes grene Enbawmed hadde enuyron all the eyre Longe or Tytan began make his repeyre With the bryghtnesse of his bemys merye For to reioyse all our emysperye For longe aforne are he dyde aryse This worthy Iason in full hasty wyse And his felowe hercules also I chargyd haue theyr shypmen haue ado To hale vp anker and them redy make And bad in haste euery man to take The right waye vnto shyp anoon For in sothenesse this manly man Iason Thought he was nat stuffed of meyne To begyn a werre on Troye cyte For he was nat shortly to conclude Egall in noumbre nor in multitude As for that tyme a werre to begynne It was nat lykly that he shulde wynne Victorye as tho for they were but a fewe And it is nat holsome a man to hewe Aboue his heed whan it is ouer hye Leste the chyppes wyll falle in his eye Wherfore of frygye they leue the costes blyue They drewe vp sayle the shyp began to dryue The wynde was good the goddes fauorable Fortune theyr frende though she be varyable And thus to Colchos sauf they ben I come And vnto lande bothe all and some They ben aryued in a lytell space For in the see they haue founde grace Of Neptunus that caused them as blyue As I sayde ere at Colchos for to aryue NOw in this yle and this lytell lande yâ— Colchos hyghte ye shall vnderstande How that there was a ryall cheyf cyte In all that reygne moost of dignyte Of worthynesse of rychesse and of fame And Iachonytes that tyme it bare the name Cheuest of all to speke of buyldynge And stretes large and coryous housynge And therwith all dyched well withoute Stronge walled and toured rounde aboute Of huge heyght and aboue batayled Magecolde also leste they were assayled With many paleys stately and royall For there the sete was moost pryncypall The kynge to abyde better than elles where And that tyme it happed hym be there And he was called Cethes as I rede Full renoÌ„med of knyghode and manhede And aboute hym a well besene meyne Lyke as was syttynge vnto his degre And euery where landes enuyrowne The same spradde of his hye renowne And all aboute this myghty cheyfcytee Where as Cethes helde his royall see Were fresshe ryuers of which the water clene Lyke cristall shone agayne the sonne shene Fayre playnes as Guydo bereth wytnesse And holsom hylles full of lustynesse And many lay and many lusty welle And there were eke myn auctoâ—r can you telle Full many a parke full fayre fresshe to sene And many wode and many medowe grene With sondry floures amonge yâ— herbes meynt Whiche on theyr stalke nature hath depeynt With sondry hewes within withoute After the season that somer came aboute For fysshynge foulynge and haukynge also For venerye and huatynge bothe two The place was Iâ—ly delytable Of corne and greyne passyngly greable And plenteuous in all maner thynge For there men herde the byrdes fresshely synge In tyme of yere in theyr armonye That the noyse and soote melodye On fresshe braunches full delycyous Reioyse wolde these folkes amerous Whom loues bronde had fyred to the herte And adawen of theyr paynes sinerte That certaynely whan that grene vere Ypassed were aye fro yere to yere And May was come the monthe of gladnesse And fresshe flora of floures Emperesse Hadde cladde the soyle newe at hir deuyse This noble place was lyke paradyse And Ceres goddesse of largesse and foyson Suche plente gaue vnto that regyon Of flesshe of fysshe wyne vytayle and corne That the lycoure of hir full horne Vpon that lande so began rayne and snowe That all astates bothe hyghe and lowe Lad theyr lyfe in soueraygne suffysaunce With all that nature cowde or myght auaunce This lytell yle with hir gyftes greate Lyke as toforne ye haue herde me treate For there was plente there was habundauÌ„ce And there was all that myght do pleasaunce To any herte and all coÌ„modytee And so besell that to this Cytee Iason is come and with hym hercules And after them foloweth all the pres Full well arayed and ryally be sayne Army senclosyd togyder twayne twayne A people chose as it were for the nones And therwith all of brawnes and of bones Eueryche of them of makynge and facyon Full well complete by proporcyon Yonge of age and of good stature Of countenaunce sad and full demure That euery wyghte hadde great plesaunce To se the maner of theyr gouernaunce So yonge so fresshe hardy and meke also And all at ones they to the paleys go With suche a chere that eueryche hath disporte To se the maner of theyr noble porte So gentylmanly they demenyd were That the people gan prese euery where Tose thyse straungers lyke the grekes gyse Demene them selfe in so thryfty wyse And of desyre the people ne wolde ceesse Aboute them to gader and empreesse And to enquere what they myght be That of
newe with suche ryalte Ben sodenly entred into the towne Thus eueryche wolde with his felawe rowne They were so rude to stare and to gase To gape and loke as it were on a mase This townysshe folke do so comonly Of euery thynge that falleth sodeynly But how that Cethes lyke a worthy kynge Whan that he herde firste of theyr comynge Receyueth them and hooly the matere If that ye lyste an one ye shall it here WHan yâ— the kyng hath sothly vnderstaÌ„de How the grekes come were to lande And how Iason was also therwith all Borne by dyssent of the blode royall Of Thesalye and lykly to be heyre If he by grace haue agayne repeyre The auentures achyeued of Colchos The kynge anone out of his see aroos Of gentyllesse in all the haste he may In goodly wyse to mete them on the way And them receyueth with chere full benynge And vnto them an one he dothe assygne His offycers to awayte them nyght and daye Chargynge them in all maner waye That what so euer may to them do ese Or any thynge that may them queme or plese That they it haue in foyson and plente Eueryche of them lyke to his degre Thus he coÌ„maunded in all maner thynge And than anone this noble worthy kynge As he that was of fredom a myroure Thorughe many halle and many ryche toure By many tourne and many dyuers waye By many gree made of marbyll graye Hath them conueyed a full easy pas Tyll he them brought there his â—hambre was Where he with them helde his dalyaunce And there anone with euery circumstaunce Of manly fredom he made to them chere And in his chambre englased bryght clere That shone full shene with golde with asure Of many ymage that was there in pycture He hath coÌ„maunded to his offycers Oonly in honour of them that were strauÌ„gers Spâ—ces and wyne and after that anoon The yonge fresshe the lusty man Iason As faste gan by lycence of the kynge For to declare the cause of this coÌ„mynge But firste the kynge with great tyaltee Assendyd is into his royall see Clothes of golde hanged enuyron After the custome of that regyon That to beholde it was a noble syght Stondynge aboute many a worthy knyght And many squyre and many gentylman Full well besene and the kynge right than Vnto Iason stondynge in presence CoÌ„maundyd hath of his magnyfycence With Hercules to sytte downe besyde And Iason than no lenger lyste abyde Of his coÌ„mynge the cause for to shewe The effect of whiche was this in wordes fewe Saue Iason are he his tale began Full well auysed and chered lyke a man Conceyued hath and noted wonder well From poynt to poynt his mater euerydell And nat forgat a worde in all his speche But euen lyke as rethoryk dothe teche He gan his tale so by crafte conueye To make the kynge to that he wolde seye Condescende and rather to enclyne For to assente that he myght fyne Of his coÌ„mynge the knyghtly hye empryse Thus worde by worde as I shal here deuyse RIght worthy prynce present iÌ„ this place Oonly with supporte of your hye grace And your goodnesse moste excellent dygne With pacyence of your fauour benyngne Displease it nat that I may saye and shewe And declare with wordes but a fewe The fynall grounde and cause of my coÌ„mynge So that ye lyste whiche ben so noble a kynge In goodly wyse without more offence Benyngly to gyue audyence To my request and that ye nat disdeyne Goodly to graunte that I may atteyne In this yâ—le if it may auayle The slees of golde frely for to assayle As the goddes in this auenture Lyste to ordayne for my fatall eure In whom lyeth all playnly and fortune For to gouerne thynges in comune In were and peas conquest and victorye And of armys the renowne and glorye Discomfyture and bryngynge to outraunce All lyeth in them to hyndre or to auaunte Ayen whose myght no mortal man may chesâ— But for all this where I wynne or lese Or lyfe or deth befyne of my labour If that ye lyste to do me this fauour To gyue me leue and no more delaye I am accorded fully for to assaye Lyke as the statute maketh mencyon Me lyste to make none excepcyon Vpon no syde fauour for to fynde But as the rytys playnly make mynde What euer falle I shall them vnder fonge Lowly besechynge that ye nat prolonge My purpose now nor make no delaye But of your grace sette me a daye Myne empryse that I may achyeue For myne abode stant vpon your leue Seyth but one worde of grauntynge at yâ— leste And than I haue the fyne of my requeste And whan the kynge had herde ceryously The entent of Iason sayde so manfully He stynt alyte and kepte hym close a whyle Tyll at the laste he goodly gan to smyle Towardes Iason and sayde vnto hym thus Iason quod he though thou be desyrous To vnderfonge this passynge hye empryse My counsayle is lyke as I shall deuyse Full prudently for to caste aforne The mortal peryle or that thou be lorne For in this thynge there is a lawe sette Bychauntement that may nat belette Nor remedyed for fauour nor for mede For deth in sothe who so taketh hede Is the guerdon platly or they twynne O fall that caste them the flees of golde to wynne For helpe is none in manhode nor fortune The streyghte waye is so Importune So dredfull eke and so full of rage That saue deth there is no passage Of victorye the palme to conquere For sothly Iason as I shall the lere Founded of olde by meruaylous workynge Be the statutes of this mortall thynge So sore bounde vnder my regalye That the rygour I may nat modefye Wherfore Iason or thou this thynge at tame Leste afterwarde on me were layde the blame Of thy lesynge or destruccion Of feythfull herte and trewe entencion I warne the my selfe for to quyte So that no man iustely shall me wyte Though thou of youthe and of wylfulnesse Thy lyfe destroye without a vysynesse Syth Iason of this perylous caas From poynt to poynt haue tolde the all yâ— caas Be now auysed and put no faute in me For the surplus frely lyeth in the Of all this thynge sythe thou mayst chese And where so be that thou wynne or lese No man to me it iustly may arecte For the lawe that mars hym selfe sette No mortall man of dewe right may passe For hye or lowe gette noon other grace Than the goddes lyste for hym ordeyne What euer he be that caste hym to darreyne This dyuers thynge moste furyous of drede Wherfore Iason how euer that thou spede I haue to the openly declared Hooly the peryle and for fauour spared As fer in sothe as reason wyll and ryght For thou wotest well it lyeth not in my myght For to declare or any man to lette That of manhode knyghtly caste to sette Vpon this thynge as thou haste herde me tell What shulde Ilenger
stone they lette than And lyne right agayne the wromes hede They holde it tyll that he be dede For that is sothly his vertue of nature That no venym may laste nor endure In the presence of this ryche stone And as I fynde this Bufo right anone Thorugh myght therof bresteth euen a twayn Oonly by kynde whiche no man may restrayn For the goddesse that called is nature Whiche next hir lorde all thynge in cure Hath vertue gyue to herhe gras and stone Whiche no man knoweth but hir selfe alone The causes hyd be closed in hir hande That wytte of man can nat vnderstande Openly the myght of hir workynge And so Iason by vertue of this rynge And thrugh his stone that might hyÌ„ most auauÌ„ce Hath the dragon brought vnto vttraunce In whom he fonde no maner resystence Hym to withstande force nor diffence Nouther by venym nor none other stryfe Wherfore he hath berafte hym of his lyfe In manly wyse and in the felde outrayed And Iason than full glad and well apayed Hath with his swerde spent on hyÌ„ many a stroke And layde on hym as men hewe on an oke His bryght skales were so harde and durâ— That well vnneth he ne myght endure Hym to dismembre and smyte of his hede And than anone in the stede of sede He gan his tethe out of his hede arace And ryght forthwith in the selfe place He gan them sowe ryght as men do corne Vpon the lande that ered was aforne Of whiche sede there sprange a wonder grayne Bryght armed knyght stondinge on yâ— playne The whiche anone with sharpe swerdes grounde Eueryche gan other for to hurte and wounde Tyll eche his felowe hath cruelly I slawe This of theyr fate was the fynall lawe That none of them shulde by victorye The dethe reioyse of other by memorye For all yfere thus they made an ende And after this Iason gan to wende Vnto the Ram with all his dylygence In whiche he fonde no power nor diffence No maner stryfe nor rebellyowne And myghtely the Ram he draweth downe And sette an honde vpon eueryche horne And slewe it firste and than he hath it shorne Out of his flees of golde so passynge ryche That in this world there was no tresour lyche And after that he made no delay To take his boote in all the haste he may And roweth forthe into the tother yle Where Hercules all the mene whyle Vpon the brynke with many a nother mo Aâ—ode Iason tyll he had do And euerychone I fynde that as blyue Oonly for ioye whan he dyde aryue They gan to thanke to cheyr goddes all So graciously that it hath I fall And that the flees he hath so knyghtly wonne That shone as clere as the somer sonne Whiche that he brought with hym vnto londe His feres all abydynge on the stronde ANd whan Appollo of his dayes arke Had in the west almost ronne his marke And faste gan downwarde to declyne And on the wawes full watrye gan to shyne Yet or he was passed the Occian Iason is come with many a manly man Of his feres to the presence of the kynge As he that hadde acheued euery thynge Whiche that longeth to conquest of the Ram And Cethes than as soone as euer he cam To make hym chere outward hath hyÌ„ payned All be in herte that it was but fayned For he was sory without any drede Of the expleyte and the good spede Of this Iason that he the flees hath wonne But lyke in sothe as these feyners konne Whan that them lyste craftly compace To shewe outwarde a faythfull trewe face And the venym enclosed hole within As in menynge there were no maner syn Ryght so the kynge with loke forheed clere Made vnto Iason outward ryght good chere And gan to hym to speke in wordes fewe Of frendlyhede many sygnes shewe As though his conquest euery dele From poynt to poynt lyked wonder wele And befull glad that he was so fortuned Vnto the ende that he hath contuned And reioyseth in speche and countenaunce That fortune lyste hym so to auaunce And to his paleys gan goodly hym conueye And daye by daye full rychely festeye All be that it was no thynge done of herte For this no les he felte full great smerte That of his treasour he was despoyled so And that he hath the ryche flees forgo To his damage and confucion And thus there was a great dyuysion A twixe his chere menynge of his thought As it fareth ofte if it be well sought That many man in menynge fals and double Can with the calme couer so the trouble Of hye malys hyd in his desyre And rake falsly the wycked couert fyre Full hoote brennynge inwarde of enuye So well were hym that cowde them out espye And knewe theyr menynge fals fraudelent Where thorugh alas full many an Innocent Deceyued is that wote nat what they mene And namely suche that nat but trouthe wene And euery chere that men to them make Of Innocence for the beste take And in no wyse thynke nat but we le Ryght so certayne this Iason euery dele Hath take in gre what the kynge hath wrought Nat aduertynge the grutchynge of his thought For doutles it sat the kynge full sore That he the Ram hath loste for euermore But whan that he hath vtterly I sayne Though he grutche that there was no gayne But fynally of necessyte At that tyme it myght none outher be And playnely sawe that he may nat chese But that algate the flees he must lese Whether it were that he were lefe or lothe He fayneth chere as he were nat wrothe For oonly he of his gentylnesse No sygne outward of grutchyng dyd expresse But daye by daye of very curtesye He chereth Iason and his companye At whiche tyme aboute enuyrowne From euery partye of his regyowne The people came to stare and to gase Vpon the Ram as it were a mase They loke wondre deme what them lyste On whose domes is but lytell tryste They ofte vary and tourne to and fro That who that wysely taketh hede therto The comon people chaungeth as a phane To daye they wexe and to morowe wane As dothe the mone they be so flaskysable Who trusteth them shal fynde theÌ„ ful vnstable For some were glad that Iason hath sped wele And some sory and lyke it neuer adele And some sayde they wonder how he myght Agayne the dragon or the bulles fyght Or how that he agayne the force of Marte Out of the I le alyue myght parte Another sayde that parauenture By crafte was wrought this discomfyture Outher by charme or some sorcerye Thus eche of them after theyr fantasye Gan deme of hym all the longe day But at the laste makynge no delay Full glad lyght Medea downe descendeth From hir chambre and outwarde pretendeth Sadnesse of chere as she no thynge ne knewe Men coude nat conceyue by hir hewe Hir secrete menynge for she so womanly Dâ—mened hir and so
that that hercules hath sayde Kynge Pelleus was right well apayde For hym thought his couÌ„sayle was right gode And hercules without more abode Is in great haste with his meyne gon To aprouynce that called is Phylon In whiche there was a duke of noble fame And as I fynde Nestor was his name Full renowmed and stronge of chyualrye And he was eke full nye of allye To hercules and of the same blode And whan that he playnely vnderstode The purpose hole and cause of his comynge He graunted hym without more tariynge To go hymselfe with hym in this vyage With all the worthy of his baronage And to be redy agayne a certayne daye And hercules as faste as euer he maye Repayred is home to Thesalye Where gadred was hooly the nauye Of the lordes full redy apparayled Well enarmed and rychely vytayled And Pelleus hath taken firste the see And euery lorde lyke to his degree I shypped is and redy for to gon With hercules and also with Iason Theyr behestes manly to fulfylle Towardes Troye the Cyte for to spylle And after that sothely as I fynde They nat abyde but vpon the wynde ¶ How Iason Hercules and all the Prynces of Grece toke theyr shyppynge for to go and destroye the cyte of Troye Ca. viii WHan yâ— the sote stormes of Aprylle Vnto the roote full lowe gan distylle His lusty lycoure with many holsome shoure To reyse the vertue vpon the floure And Phebus was ascendynge in his spere And on the brest smote his bemes clere Of the Ram full coleryke at all Halowynge in veer the equynoxiall Whan May kalendes entre in for sothe And zephyrus full ageable and smothe The tendre brauÌ„ches enspyreth doth sprynge And euery busshe is lusty blossomynge And from the hylle the water is reuolued Of snowes whyte yâ— Phebus hath dissolued And the bawme vapoureth vp a lofte Into the eyre of the herbes softe The rotes vertue with colde of wynter hydde Hath hole his myght and his forse kydde Out of the erthe in herbe and euery tree Shade in the braunches his humydytee Areysed oonly with the sonnes hete And with the moysture of the raynes swete Whan syluer welles shedeth out theyr stremes In the ryuers gylte with the sonne bemes And for he hadde with newe grene agayne Hir lyner shad vpon euery playne And nyghtyngalys that all the wooed ronge Full amorously welcomed in their songe The lusty season fresshe and desyrous Namely to hertes that be amerous And the see his calour and blaundysshynge From trouble of wynde or wawy bollynge And from tempest is sure to escape The same season Grekes forth them shape Towardes Troye erles â–ª dukes â–ª and kynges Their shyppes stuffed with al maner thynges That to werre myght them moste auayle And right anone they began to sayle Whan all was redy without more abode Eche shyppe by other on the water rode And whan the wynde at theyr luste gan blowe A ioye it was to se them go by rowe Whiche made them faste to hast in theyr waye That in shorte tyme they come ben to Troye And in the hauen called Symeonte Whan Phebus fer vnder theyr orysonte I westred was that men ne myght hym se Grekes escaped all peryll of the see Caste theyr ancres and thought for the beste In theyr shyppes the same nyght to reste ANd in yâ— morowe whan yâ— larke songe The worthy Grekê so maÌ„ly so stronge Began to lande in all the haste they myghte On Troye grounde and theyr tentys pyghtâ— Afore the towne with great dylygence For they ne founde no maner resystence And all this whyle they sette good awayte On euery syde leste there were deceyte Tyll on the houre that the sonne bryghte Hadde in the morowe shade his rody lyghte Amyd the felde vpon euery tente At whiche tyme all of one assente The Grekes were assembled euerychonâ— And by the byddynge of the kynge anone Iason firste and with hym hercules With many worthy beynge in that pres Ben to the tenâ—e of Pelleus come And whan the lordes both all and some Were â—ogyder in that place met And eche of them in his degre was set Than Pelleus whan al was whyste and styll Began ryght thus to declare his wyll O noble and worthy of hye estate and lowe Whose knyghtly fame thrugh yâ— world yknow Reported is as fer as shyneth sonne That Grekes yet neuer thynge begonne That they ne hadde victorye at the ende For with the lawrer as fer a men may wende They crowned ben of what they toke on hande Suche is theyr happe both on se and lande ¶ Wherfore ye lordê moste worthy of renowne Ye can remembre of kynge Lameoowâ—e And of the wronge yâ— he vpon you â— rought Whan harme to hym none of you ne thought Whiche muste be quyt shortly this the ende For we be come to stroye them and to shende Wherfore anone in all the haste we may Lete vs set on without more delay But firste I rede that we take hede To thynges thre moste helpynge in this nede ¶ Firste by aduyse and good discrecion For our defence and sauacion So prudently our wardes for to make That none of oures be at myscheif take This ylke daye for lacke of prouydence The seconde is to do our dylygence With all our myght and hole entencion For to laboure to full destruccion O four foes for our owne glorye And the thirde that we may victorye Reioyse of them platly at the laste And after this ye maye afore well caste If we of knyghthod thorugh our hardynesse May venquysshe them we shal so hyerychesse Conquere of them to our possessiowne For it is knowen how that Troye towne Of all plente as it shal be founde Of golde and treasour is passyngly habounde That our shyppes sothly as I wene For to receyue ne shall nat mow sustene The habundaunce that is yonder within If it so be that we the Cyte wyn As god vs graunte if it be his wyll ¶ And also faste as the kynge was styll The noble knyght the stronge hercules In the presence of that worthy pres Sayd his counsayle was hyghly to coÌ„mende For wyse begynnynge is preysed by the ende But to effect our purpose for to brynge My counsayle is in the mornynge Tofore or we discured ben by daye That we vs arme in all the haste we maye And on this felde that we do our payne For to deuyde our mayne into twayne And of the tone shall kynge Thelamowne Be gouernour of his hye renowne And of the other kynge Pelleus shall haue The gouernaunce wysely them to saue And I myselfe and Iason here my brother Shall secretly go with all the other Vnder the Cyte or the sonneshynes And in the busshayle and the thycke vynes We shall vs hyde and kepe vs there full koye For Lamedon that is kynge of Troye Anone as he may here and espye Of the Grekes with his chyualrye Out of the cyte wyll Issue out anone With you to fyghte venge
shyttynge was Of stronge Iren barres square and rounde And great barres pytched in the grounde With huge cheynes forged for diffence Whiche ne wolde breke for no vyolence That harde it was thorugh them for to wynne And euery hous that was bylded within Euery paleys and euery manstowne Of marbell were thorughout all the towne Of crafty byldynge workynge moste royall And the hyghte was of euery walle Sixty cubytes from the grounde accounted And there was none that other hath surmounted In the Cyte but of one heyghte alyche In very sothe bothe of pore and ryche That it was harde of hye estate or lowe Hous or paleys a sonder for to knowe So egally of tymbre and of stone Theyr houses were reysed euerychone And if I shulde reherse by and by The korue knottes by craste of masonry The fresshe enbowȳge with verges right as lynes And the housynge full of bakewynes The ryche koynynge the lusty tablementes Vynettes rennynge in casementes Though the termes in Englysshe wolde ryme To reken them all I haue as now no tyme Ne no langage pycked for the nones The sotyll ioynynge to tell of the stones Nor how they put in stede of mortere In the ioyntoures coper gylte full clere To make them ioyne by leuell and by lyne Amonge the marbyll fresshely for to shyne Agaynst the sonne whan his shene lyght Smote on the golde that was burned bryght To make the werke glystre on euery syde And of this towne the stretes large wyde Were by crafte so prudently prouyded And by werkmen sette so and deuyded That holsome eyre amyddes myght enspyre Erely on morowe to them that it desyre And zephyrus that is so comfortable For to norysshe thynges vegetable In tyme of yere thorughe out euery strete With sugred flauour so lusty and so swete Moste plesauntly in the eyre gan smyte The Cytezeynes oonly to delyte And with his brethe them to recomforte Whan they lyste walke themselfe to disporte And thrugh the towne with crafty purueaunce By great auyse and discrete ordenaunce By compase caste and squared out by squyers Of polysshed marble vpon stronge pyllers Deuysed were longe large and wyde In the frontell of euery stretes syde Fresshe alures with lusty hye pynacles And moustrynge outwarde ryche tabernacles Vouted aboue lyke reclynatoryes That called were deambulatoryes Men to walke togyders twayne and twayne To kepe them drye whan it dyde rayne Or them to saue fro tempest wynde or thundre If that them lyst shroude themself ther vndre And euery hous couered was with leede And many gargoyle and many hydous heede With spoutes thorugh pypes as they aughte From the stone werke to the canell taughte Voydynge fylthes lowe into the grounde Thorugh grates perced of yron perced tounde The stretes paued bothe in lengthe brede In cheker wyse with stones whyte and rede And euery crafte that any maner man In any lande deuyse or reken can Kynge Pryamus of hye discreciowne Ordeyned hath to dwelle in the towne And in stretes seuered here and yonder Eueryche from other to be set a sonder That they myght for more cōmodyte Eche by hymselfe werke at lyberte Goldsmythes firste and ryche Iewelleres And by themfelfe crafty browdereres Weuers also of wollen and of lyn Of clothe of golde damaske and satyn Of veluet sendell and dowble samyt eke And eueryche clothe that men lyste to seke Smythes also that coude forge wele Pollaxes swerdes speres sharpe of stele Dartes daggers for to mayme wounde And quarethedes sharpe square ygrounde There were also crafty armerers Bowyers and faste by fletchers And suche as coude make shaftes playne And other eke that dyde theyr besy payne For the werre to make also trappures Bete baners and royall cote armures And by deuyse Standardes and penounse And for the felde fresshe and gay getounse And euery crafte that may rekened be To tell shortly was in this cyte And thorughe this towne soryche excellent In the myddes a large ryuer went Causynge to them full great cōmodyte The whiche on twayne hath parted the cyte Ofcours full swyfte with fresshe stremes clere And hyghte xamtus as Guydo doth vs lere And as I rede that vpon this flode On eche a syde many a mylle stode Whā nede was theyr grayne corne to grynde Them to susteyne in storye as I fynde This ryuer eke of fysshe full plenteous Deuyded was by werkmen curyous So craftely thorugh castynge souerayne That in his cours the stremes myght attayne For to areche as Guydo doth comecte By Archys stronge his cours for to reflecte Thorugh condyte pypes large wyde withall By certayne meanes artyficiall That it made a full purgacion Of all ordure and fylthes in the towne Wasshynge the stretes as they stode arowe And the gutters in the erthe lowe That in the cyte was no fylthe sene For the canell scoured was so clene And deuoyded in so secrete wyse That no man myght espye nor deuyse By what engyne the sylthes fer nor nere Were borne awaye by cours of the ryuere So couertly euery thynge was couered Wherby the towne was vtterly assured From engendrynge of all corrupcion From wycked eyre and from infexion That cause ofte by theyr vyolence Mortalyte and great pestylence And by example of this flode there was Made cybre at Rome and wrought by Eneas The whiche also departeth Rome a two Myn Auctour sayth I note if it be so And to enhabyte this royall chefe cyte Kynge Pryam hath aboute in the countre Made for to serche with all his hole entent And in prouynces that were adiacent In borowes townes and in smale vyllages Ygadred out of all maner ages And of thropes folkes full dyuers And suche as were vacaunt and dyspers Aboute Troye in any regiowne He made hath to entre into towne Great multitude what of yonge and olde It to enhabyte as ye haue herde me tolde And them that were afore to hym foreynes He hath in Troye made Cyteseynes Full discretly lyke as it is founde And whan they gan with people to abounde ¶ Kynge Pryamus of hye affecciowne After the buyldynge of this myghty towne Hath in his herte caught a fantasye His newe cyte for to magnefye And it to put the more in remembraunce He caste fully to do some obseruaunce To myghty Mars sterne and ferse of hewe And specially with certayne playes newe On hors and foote in many sondry wyse To gyue his men in knyghthode excersyse Eueryche to put other at assay In iustes boordes and also in tournay To preue theyr force whan they happe mete The whiche playes were foūded firste in Crete And in that lande of hye and lowe estate In martys honoure they were dedycate And in paleste on wakes on the nyght Were other playes men to assaye their myght Oonly on foote with many sotyll poynt And some of them were naked and enioynt To wynne a pryse they dyde their full entent And there was founde by clerkes full prudent Of the chesse
the playe moste gloryous Whiche is so sotyll and so meruaylous That it were harde the mater to discryue For though a man studyed all his lyue He shall aye fynde dyuerse fantasyes Of wardes makynge and newe Iupartyes There is there in so great dyuersyte And it was firste founde in this cyte Durynge the sege lyke as sayth Guydo But Iacobus de vitriaco Is coutrarye of oppynyon For lyke as he maketh mencyon And affermeth fully in his aduyse How Philometer a phylosopher wyse Vnto a kynge to stynte his crueltee Fonde firste this play and made it in Caldee And into Grece from thens it was sent Also in Troye by great auysement The playe was founde firste of dyce tables And of castynge the chaunces deceyuables That haue be cause ofte of great debate For if that one be nowe founde fortunate To wynne a whyle by fauoure of his chaunce Or he be ware with sodayne varyaunce Vnhappely he is put a backe And a nother that stode vpon the wracke And of losse was plonged in distresse They reysed haue vnto the hye rychesse Gladnesse of one is to a nother rage A deuaunt hasarde and passage If one haue ioye another suffreth wo Lyke as the bones ronne to and fro An hondred sythe in a daye they varye Now blandysshynge now they be contrarye No man with them assured is in ioye And firste also I rede that in Troye Were songe and red many fresshe comedyes And other dytees that called be tragedyes And to declare shortly in sentence Of bothe two the fynall difference ¶ A Comedye hath in his gynnynge A pryme face a maner complaynynge And afterwarde endeth in gladnesse And it the dedes oonly doth expresse Of suche as be in pouerte plonged lowe But Tragedye who so lyste to knowe It begynneth in prosperyte And endeth euer in aduersyte And it also doth the conqueste treate Of ryche kynges and of lordes greate Of myghty men and olde conqueroures Whiche by fraude of fortunes shoures Be ouer caste and whelmed from theyr glorye And whylom thus was halowed y◠memorye Of tragedyes as bokes make mynde Whan they were red and songe as I fynde ¶ In the theatre there was a smale auter Amyddes sette that was halfe Circuler Whiche into Est of custome was directe Vpon the whiche a pulpet was erecte And therin stode an auncyent poete For to reherse by rethorykes swete The noble dedes that were hystoryall Of kynges prynces for a memoryall And of these olde worthy Emperours The great empryse eke of conquerours And how they gate in Martes hye honoure The lawrer grene for fyne of theyr laboure The palme of knighthod disserued by olde date Or Parchas made them passe into fate ¶ And after that with chere and face pale With style enclyned gan to tourne his tale And for to synge after all theyr loos Full mortally the stroke of Antropos And tell also for all theyr worthy hede The sodayne brekynge of theyr lyues threde How pytously they made theyr mortall ende Thrugh false fortune that all y◠world wyll shende And how the fyne of all theyr worthynesse Endede in sorowe and in hye trystesse By compassynge of fraude or false treason By sodayne murdre or vengeaunce of poyson Or conspyrynge of fretynge false enuye How vnwarly that they dyde dye And how theyr renowne theyr hye fame Was of hatrede sodaynly made lame And how theyr honour drough vnto declyne And the myschefe of theyr vnhappy fyne And how fortune was to them vnswete All this was tolde and red of the poete And whyle that he in the pulpet stode With dedely face all deuoyde of blode Syngynge his dytees with muses all to rent Amyd the theatre shrowded in a tent There cam out men gastfull of theyr cheres Diffygured theyr faces with vyseres Playeng by sygnes in the peoples syght That the poete songe hath on heyght So that there was no maner discordaunce At wene his dytees and theyr countenauce ¶ For lyke as he a lofte dyde expresse Wordes of ioye or of heuynesse Menynge and there benethe of them playeng From poynt to poynt was alway answeryng Now triste now glade now heuy now lyght And face chaunged with a sodayne syght So craftely they coude them transfygure Conformynge them to the chaunce plure Now to synge and sodaynly to wepe So well they coude theyr obseruaunces kepe And this was done in Apryll and in May Whan blosmes newe bothe on busshe and hay And floures fresshe gynne for to sprynge And the byrdes in the wood synge With luste supprysed of the somer sonne Whan these playes in Troye were begonne And in the theatre halowed and yholde And thus the ryte of tragedyes olde Pryamus the worthy kynge began Of this mater no more tell I can BVt I wyll forth this storye wryte And on my mater boystously endyte How Pryamus was passynge dylygent Right desirous and in wardly feruent If he myght amonge his werkes alle To bylde a paleys and a ryche halle Whiche shulde be his chose chefe dungyon His royall see and souerayne mansyon And whan he gan to his werke approche He made it bylde hye vpon a roche It for to assure in his foundacion And called it the noble Ylion The syght of whiche iustly circuler By compase cast rounde as any sper And who that wold the content of the grounde Truely acounte of this place rounde In the theatre firste he muste entre Takynge the lyne that kerueth thorugh the centre By gemetrye as longeth to that art And trebled it with the seuenthe part He fynde myght by experyence The measure hole of the circumference What lande also playnly eke with all Conteyned was within the stronge wall The creste of whiche where lowest was Hadde in heyghte full syxe hondred pas Bylded of marbyll full royall and full stronge And many other ryche stone amonge Whose toures were reysed vp so hye That they raughte almoste to the lkye The werke of whiche no man myght amende And who that lyste by greces vp assende He myght se in his inspeccyon To the boundes of many regyon And prouynces that stode rounde aboute And the walles within and withoute Endlonge with knottes grauen clene Depeynt with asure golde cynopre and grene That veryly whan the sonne shone Vpon the golde meynt amonge the stone They gaue a lyght withouten any were As Phebus doth in his mydday spere The worke of wyndowe and eke fenestrall Wrought of beryle and of clere crystall ¶ And amyddes of this Ylyon So fresshe so ryche of foundacyon Whiche clerkes yet in theyr bokes prayse Kynge Pryam made an halle for to rayse Excellynge all in beaute and in strengthe The latytude accordynge with the lengthe And of marbyll outwarde was the walle And the tymbre moste noble in specialle Was halfe of cedre as I reherse can And the remenaunt of the ryche Eban Whiche moste is able as I dare specefye With stone to ioyne by crafte of carpentrye For they of tymber haue
For whom I hadde so many mortall wounde At Troye towne or that I hir wan And in good fayth as ferforth as I can She shall nat lyghtly fro my handes pace For she alone standeth so in my grace For hir beaute and hir semelyhede For hir bounte and hir goodlyhede That if I shall my reason shortly fyne She is in sothe the moste femynyne That euer I sawe and without drede Of porte and connynge and of womanhede She hath alone in very existence The souereynte and the excellence That Pryamus for ought yâ— thou canst sayne Whyle that I lyue gete hir nat agayne But he hir bye with many dedely wounde With sharpe swerdes square speres grounde For there shall firste be reysed suche a stryfe That it shall coste many mannes lyfe Or that she agayne restored be Take this forsothe thou gettest no more of me Whan hym lyste he may well begynne But I suppose he shall but lytell wynne None other wyse but as I the tolde And wotest what a great role I the holde The to put so ferre in Iupartye To execute this embassetrye The manly grekes so boldly to offende Beware therfore that he no more the sende Vpon thy lyfe for rancour nor for pryde Now go thy way for if that thou abyde Any lenger sothly in my syght Thou wotest the pryse of that I haue the hyght Thou scapest nat who that be lefe or lothe Than Anthenor anone to shyp he gothe And to sayle hym lyste nat to delaye Towarde an yle that called is Achaye And whan that he taken hath the londe At his ryuayle of auenture he fonde The worthy kynges Pollux and Castor And right anone this Troyan Anthenor Without abode to the courte is fare Vnto them his message to declare And togydre whan they were present Ryght thus he sayde as in sentement The noble kynge of Troye the ryte Hath vnto you sent his wyll by me Besechynge you in full lowe maner That ye lyste vnto his prayer Of equyte for to condescende And goodly helpe a certayne wronge to mende Touchynge his suster called Exyon That he may haue restytucyon Of hir agayne by your discrete aduyse For sythe ye be so manly and so wyse It lykly is in his oppynyon That by your good medyacyon Shelyghtly may agayne restored be For to cherysshe peas and vnyte Wherfore he prayeth with all his herte entere In goodly wyse to do your deuere That holde ben so knyghtly and so sage And he wyll playnely all the surplusage Of wronges olde put in suspence For he desyreth of knyghtly hye prudence To stynte werre and to noryll he pes For he is nouther rakell nor rekles But auysed in his werkes all To caste afore what that shal be fall And thynges futur aduertynge from a ferre And seeth what perell that there is in werre Wyll hym conforme vnto peas and reste For he conceyueth that it is the beste Euery man vnyte to sewe And prudently also to eschewe Of debates eche occacyon Lo here the fyne of his entencyon Whiche I coÌ„mytte to your Iugement And Castor than of yre inpacyent For hastynesse ne myght nat abyde His cruell herte so swolle was with pryde Brake out anone with a despytous face And sayde frende I knowe of no trespace That grekes dyde euer vnto thy kynge To axe amendes it is a wonder tâ—ynge Of vs that neuer dyde hym noâ—â— offence Saue that we made a maner recompence Of a wronge wrought by lamedon The whiche firste sought occacyon Agaynst grekes in vngoodly wyse That caused vs vpon hym to ryse All at ones and manly on hym sette Of due right for to quyrâ— our dette Lyke his decrete we haue hym playnly serued And nothyÌ„g wrought but as he hath disserued To are amendes he gynneth now to late For we coueyte more his mortall hate His vtter malys and his enmyte Than outher peas accorde or vnyte As in effecte hereafter he shall fele If it happe that he with vs dele The bargeyn shall full dere ben abought And we his frendshyp sothly sette at nought And ouer more I speke now to the It lykly is as semeth vnto me That Pryamus the loued but alyte Nat the value I suppose of a myte Whan he the sent vpon his message And thou of folye dydest great outrage To take on the so hye a peryllous thynge Vnto grekes to brynge suche tydynge Where thorugh thy lyfe is put in iupartye But I counsayle fast that thou the hye Out of my syght lyst that thou repente ¶ And Anthenor forthe to shyp wente And with the wynde gan to sayle anon Towarde an yle called Pyllyon And in all haste whan he dyde aryue He shope hym forth to the court as blyue Where duke Nestor in all maner thynge His housholde helde royall as a kynge And Anthenor full sad and auysee Tofore Nestor syttynge on his see Whan that he was amytted for to sayne His tale he tolde full openly and playne From poynt to poynt as ye herde afore It were but vayne to reherse it more For he alway concluded hath in one Lyke as ye herde touchynge Exyone But duke Nestor With face no thynge rede But of hewe as any asshes dede Fret with coloure so inwardly was he That his blode from eche extremyte With drawen is downe vnto his herte Whiche for yre so sore made hym smerte That he gan quake in euery ioynt and vayne That he his hande vnnethe may restrayne For melancolye a venged for to be Lyke a lyon so wood and wrothe was he Fer from hymselfe he was so alyenat And inwardly of rancour passyonat With loke reuersed and furyous of syght That tempre hymselfe vnnethes he ne myght He felte of angre so great aduersyte And amyddes all his cruelte Of sodayne haste at ones he out brake And euen thus to Anthenor he spake O thou quod he with all thy wordes whyte As I suppose that thou wyste full lyte Vnto fore whom thou haste thy tale tolde For I meruayle how thou arte so bolde To presume myne ere 's 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 Iniuryes wrought of â—amedon Boldely affermynge of false presumpcion Vpon grekes wronges outragyous Whiche in myneres be so odyous So fretynge eke so bytynge and sokene For to lyste that I may nat sustene In my herynge lo hatefull is the sowne That ner the honour of my hyerenowne Refrayned me I shulde in cruell wyse Execute full hastely Iustyce Thorugh the rygour of my mortall lawe With bestes wylde firste to do the drawe And therupon for thy fayned tale Dismembre the all on peces smale In despyte of Pryamus the kynge To teche other to brynge more tydynge Presumptuously or any talys newe To any lorde but the better yâ— hym knewe This shulde be for thy presumpcyon Thy laste mede and fynall guerdon Without mercy
to seke Our state consydered and our hye noblesse And in what plyte we stoude of worthynesse Whan that bestes of reason rude and blynde Desyre the same by instuyt of kynde ¶ And for my parte truste in certayne Ye haue no sone that wolde halfe so fayne Vpon grekes auenged be as I For here my trouthe I say you faythfully For yre of them I brenne as doth the glede I thurste theyr blode more than other mede For right as I eldest am of age Amonge your sones so am I moste with rage I fret within iustly of knyghthode With my right hande to shede yâ— grekes blode As they shall fynde paraunter or they wene Whan tyme cometh the sothe shal be sene ¶ But firste I rede wysely in your mynde To caste afore and leue nat behynde Or ye begynne discretely to aduerte And prudently consydre in your herte All oonly nat the gynnynge but the ende And the myddes what way they wyll wende And to what fyne fortune wyll them lede If ye thus do amysse ye may not spede For that counsayle in myne opynyon Is worthy lytell by discrecyon To haue a pryse that cast nat by and by The course of thynges by ordre ceryously What way they trace to wo or to delyte For though a gynnynge haue his appetyte Yet in the ende playnly this no fable Ther may thyÌ„g folow which is nat coÌ„meÌ„dable For what is worthe agynnynge fortunate What causeth after stryfe and great debate Wherfor in sothe pryncyples are to drede But men well knowe what fyne shall succede For a gynnynge with grace is well fortuned Whan ende and myddes a lyke be contuned But whan that it in we le ne may contene It is well better betymes to abstene Than put in doute that standeth insuerte For who so doth hath aduersyte But humbly to your estate royall Of herte I praye let nat offende at all That I am bolde to say my mocion For in good fayth of none entencion I no thynge meue you to do offence But oonly this that your magnyfycence Procede nat of hede wylfully Ne that no spyryte you meue folylye To begyn thyng that after wyll you shende For lacke that ye se nat to the ende Nor take hede in your aduertence To consydre by good prouydence How grekes haue in theyr subieccion Europe and Aufryk with many region Ful large wyde of knyghthod most famous And of rychesse wonder plenteuous Right renoÌ„med also of worthynesse With your supporte that I dare well expresse Full peryllous is to displese them or disturbe For if that we our quyete now parturbe Whiche standeth in peas greatly is to drede For though all Asye helpe vs in our nede If it be loked on euery parte aryght They be nat egall vnto grekes myght ¶ And though also myn Aunte Exyon Agayne all right be holde of Thelamon It is nat good for hir redempcion To put vs all to destruccion I rede nat to beye hir halfe so dere For many of vs in hap that sytte here And other mo myght for hir sake Deth vnderâ—onge and an ende make Whiche were no wysedome lyke as semeth me And it may happe also how that she In short tyme hir fatall cours shall fyne Whan Antropos the threde a two shall twyne What had we wonne than and she were go But enmyte thought sorowe and wo Slaughter of our men deth and confusion Wherfore I rede without dissymylacion Without more that we our wo endure And nat to put our selfe in auenture This holde I beste and werke as the wyse But douteles for no cowardyse I saye nat this in your hye presence But forcause I holde it no prudence To fortune full of doubylnesse Syth we be sure to put our sykernesse Thus all and some the effecte of my wylle And with that worde Ector helde hym stylle ANd whan yâ— Ector by full hye prudence Concluded hath yâ— fyne of his sentence Full demurely he kepte his lyppes close And therwithall Parys vp arose And gan his tale thus afore the kynge My lorde quod he so it be lykynge To your hyghnesse for to take hede As me semeth we shulde lytell drede In knyghtly wyse for to vndertake Vpon Grekes a werre for to make All atones theyr pryde to confounde Syth that we passyngly habounde Of chyuaâ—rye here within our towne And haue plente and possessiowne Of eche thynge that may to werre auayle Stuffe in our selfe and royall apparayle Of all that longeth to assautes marcyall And with all this more in specyal Helpe and socoure of many regyon With vsto werke to theyr destruccyon The pompe and pryde manly to abate And of Grekes the malys for to mate For all that they of herte be so stoute Me semeth shortly that we nede nat doute Nor on no parte for to be dismayde Wherfore I rede let nat be delayde Our shyppes firste redy for to make And I myselfe wyll fully vndertake So it to you be lykynge and pleasaunce Of this empryse hooly the gouernaunce And you assure and put in certayne Exyona to recure agayne And in what fourme that it shal be wrought I haue awaye founde in my thought That lykely is here after to be done Whiche vnto you I wyll declare anone Firste I haue cast with stronge myghty hande For to rauysshe some lady of that lande Of hye estate and make no taryenge And myghtely into Troye hir brynge Maugce hir myght for this conclusion That ye may haue testytucion By eschaunge of hir that ye desyre so And therupon shall nat be longe a do I you behete for all the grekes stronge And for that I shall nat you prolonge I wyll you sayne excludynge euery doute How this aduyse shal be brought about Firste how that I shall this purpose fyne The goddes haue thorugh their power dyuyâ—e Shewed to me by reuelacion For therupon I hadde auysion But late a gone as I lay a slepe Vnto whiche if ye take kepe Ye may nat fayle nor be in no dispayre To haue recure of hir that is so fayre For whom ye haue now so moche care ¶ And the maner hole I wyll declare Of this dreme to your magnyfycence If it so be ye gyue wyll credence To my tale for I shall nat dwelle Ceryously in ordre for to telle The trouthe playne and no fable fayne To you that be my lorde moste souerayne ¶ Firste if that ye remembre in your mynde This other day whan I was last in ynde By your aduyse and coÌ„maundement For a mater whiche in yourentent Was specyally hadde in cherte As it is knowen betwene you and me Of whiche I toke vpon me the charge In the bondes of that lande full large ¶ The same tyme your desyre to spede Whan that Tytan with his bemes rede From Gemyny droue his chare of golde Towarde the crabbe for to take his holde Whiche named is the paleys of dyane The bente moone that wex can and wane Whan halowed is the sonnes stacyon Nygh the myddes
O noble worthy quene Of thy sones suche vengeaunce for to sene O wofull deth cruell and horryble Alas why are ye no more credyble To my counsayle suche harmes to eschewe Your mortall purpose fully to remewe That he go nat as it is ordeyned For thought of whiche I am so constrayned That vnneth I may the wo endure And to hir fader this wofull creature Helde streyght hir way falleth plat to grouÌ„de And of hir wepynge all in water wounde By hir chekes so the teres rayne And as she myght for constraynt of hir payne Vpon hym she gan clyppe and crye Besechynge hym to shape a remedye With pytous voyce as she yâ— knewe full wele In this matere playnly euery dele What shall befaile and had it full in mynde The sodayne harmes that we shall behynde But all hir clamour was nat but in vayne For that shall falle as some clerkes sayne Ne may nat well of men eschewed be And eke fortune by great aduersyte Of hasty Ire furyous and wode And vnkynde to the Troyan blode Causelesse agaynst them agreued And of rancour sodaynly ameued With blynde awayte to catche them in atrauÌ„ce By vyolence of hir vnhappy chaunce Hath with a sweyght tourned hir whele vnstable As she that is enuyous and mutable To haste troyens to theyr confusion Of wylfulnesse and vndiscrecion Agaynst grekes quarell for to make And therupon haue theyr counsayle take And acheued as ye haue herde deuyse Without assent of the most wyse For if they had the diffynacion Of Ector herde concluded in reason In this matere and of helenus The counsayle take and to Pentheus Aduerted wysely and to his sentence Without faynynge your full credence And of Cassandra that neuer coude lye Prudently herde the prophecye Fro poynt to poynt for to caste aforne In suche myschefe they had nat be lorne But floured yet in theyr felycyte Without damage and aduersyte But fortune wyll haue hir course alway Whose purpose holdeth who sayth ye or nay For she it was that made this vyage With forhede playne and a false vysage with sugre out shadde and venym in the roote Bytter of taste and in shewynge soote wrynkled double lyke an horned snayle Faythe in theyr face and fraude aye in the tayle To haste troyans accorde into one That Parys shulde into Grece gone As ye haue herde there is to more to sayne For here vpon they caste them to ordayne ¶ How kyng Pryamus sent Parys into grece with Dephebus other men of armes for to take vengeauÌ„ce on the grekes how they toke the fayre Helayne quene vnto Menelaus and brought hir vnto Troye Capitulo xiij THe tyme approcheth whaÌ„ the sonne shene His golden wayne whyrled vp at wene The clere sterres of yades so rede whiche haue theyr syght in the crabbes hede And Plyadeâ— the seuenth sterre bryght Of whiche syxe appere to our syght For the seuenth draweth hir asyde And couertly doth hir bemes hyde Whylom for she dyde a great offence That vnto vs causeth hir absence For she dare nat shewe hir stremes clere Nor with hir susterne openly appere Whylom for she with a god mortall Dyde a synne that was crymynall Whiche noysed was kouâ—he thorugh yâ— heuen That she alone amonge the susterne seuen Shroudeth to vs shamefastly hir chere ¶ And whan Titan in the zoudyak spere Atwene these sterres had take his see Of the bole in the syxtene degree Vpon the tyme of the Ioly grene may Whan that Flora with hir hewes gay Hath euery playne medowe hylle and vale With hir floures quycke and no thynge pale Ouer spred and cladde in lyuere newe And braunches blosme with many lusty hewe And byd vs fully to be glad and lyght For by assurauÌ„ce they haue their fruyt behyght Agayne Autumpne who that lyst them shake Whan on vynes rypeth euery grape And thus this season most lusty of disporte Embraceth hertes with newe recomforte Oonly of hope by kynde as it is dewe That holsom fruyte shall the blosmes sewe Whan tyme cometh by reuolucion And thus in May the lusty fresshe season Whan brydes synge in theyr armonye The same tyme out of Panomye Repayred be Dephebus and Parys And with them brought chosen by deuys Thre thousande knyghtes redy for to gone With them to grece and shyppes many one Full vytayled of all that may them nede And of these shyppes the nombre as I rede Was two and twenty lyke as wryte Guydo And after this without more ado The kynge coÌ„maundeth vnto Eneas To Anthenor and to Polydamas In all haste that they them redy make With Parys knyghtly for to vndertake As ye haue herde this Iourney to acheue And on the tyme whan they toke theyr leue Pryamus with short conclusion Sheweth the effect of his entencion And specially that they theyr deuer done For to recure his suster Exyone As ye haue herde here tofore me telle What shulde I more in this mater dwelle Whan they were redy without more soiour This Parys firste as lorde and gouernour Of this vyage made by Pryamus And his brother called Dephebus Theyr leue toke with wepynge tenderly And after that to shyppe manfully Whithout abode they began them dresse And in the name of venus the goddesse And myghty Ioue they toke theyr iournee They hale vp anker and by the large see They gan to sayle haue the wynde at wylle The water calme blandysshynge and stylle Without trouble of any boystous wawe And to the costes they gan fast drawe Of grekes lande for no thynge them lette And of fortune in theyr cours they mette A grekysshe shyp myn Auctour telleth thus In whiche there was the kyng Menelaus Towarde Pryam a famous stronge Cyte For to vysyte a Duke of hye degre That Nestor hyghte and this Menelaus Was brother eke vnto the kynge famous The wyse worthy great Agamenon Most of name and reputacion Amonges grekes for his worthynesse And Menelay this storye bereth wytnesse Husbonde was to the quene Eleyne That was suster to the bretherne tweyne Castor and Pollux whiche as I you tolde Were of theyr hande so worthy knyght holde And in that tyme lyke to theyr degre In Strynestar theyr moste chefe Cyte They helde a housholde solempne and ryall The loue of whom was so speciall Of wyll and herte accordynge with the dede Atwyxe them two of very bretherhede That none from other coude lyue alone With whom was eke the mayde Hermyone The yonge doughter of the quene Eleyne Of fayrenesse moste inly souereyne Moste passyngly excellynge in beaute ¶ And thus Troyans saylynge by the see Towarde grece amonge the wawes wete Of auenture happed for to mete Kynge Menelaus saylynge by theyr syde And none of them lyste of very pryde For to enquere what that other was But passe forthe a full huge pas For none of them other coude knowe And aye the wynde pesybly gan blowe The Troyan flete causynge in a whyle For to approche to the noble yle That called is
here my trouthe ye and all youres Of what your lyst shall haue suffysaunce As ferforth and more habundaunce Than ye hadde amonge the grekes there I you ensure and be no thynge in fere That I shall holde all that I haue hyght On my trouthe as I am trewe knyght In worde and dede with all my herte entere And she anone with a dolefull chere So as she myght for sobbynge tho suffyse Answered agayne in full lowly wyse I woâ—e quod she were me lothe or lese Syth I am caught take of this myschefe Vnto your wyll I may nat now with seye I am so bounde that I must obeye Vnder your daunger that I may nat flee In holde discryued and captyuytee ¶ Ye wot also by nature out of drede That it ne longeth vnto womanhede In straunge soyle to stryue or rebelle And namely there where as hir quarelle Shall haue no fauoure nor susteyned be But if you lyst now to haue pyte On me or myne of your goodlyhede Ye may of god deserue thanke and mede That wyll rewarde iustely all tho That comforte them that be in care and wo. Now lady myne than quod Parys What that may lyke or be at your deuys All shal be do truste me right wele For by my trouthe as fer as I can fele In any thynge that may you do pleasaunce ye shall it haue with all habundaunce This I ensure of heste nat fallyble Be nat agaste but fully be credyble To my wordes and hestes euerychone And therwithall he ladde hir right anone Into a place of royall apparayle To comforte hir if it wolde auayle And secretly there betwene them two This Parys firste without more a do Spake vnto hir and sayde lady dere I fayne nat but speke of herte entere And that I hope ye shall in dede fynde Wherfore I pray enprente in your mynde What I say and in your remembraunce This is to saye sythe ye by purueaunce Be of the goddes brought as now thereto And fortune eke wyll that it be so I dare afferme playnly for the fyrste That they disposed haue nat for your wyrste But for your good and so ye must it take Wherfore I rede to let ouer shake All heuynesse and loke that ye be As glad and lyght here in this countre As though ye were in your owne lande For faythfully I do you to vnderstande ye shall haue here as moche habundaunce On euery parte with full suffysaunce Of all that may be to you plesaunt For of o thynge I dare make auaunt In this countre as it shal be founde Of all plente we passe and habounde More rychely than your grekes yonder And though ye be fro them now a sonder Out of the lande that called is Achaye ye haue no cause you so to dismaye Syth at worshyp and more reuerence At more honour and gretter excellence ye shal be cherysshed more than ye were afore And where ye playne that ye haue forbore your owne lorde and be as now left sole For whom ye make all this wo and dole ye shall in haste be sette better at ease For certaynely so it nat displease Nor offende vnto your womanhede In stede of hym I purpose out of drede To wedde you and be your trewe man To loue and serue in all that euer I can Without feynynge to my lyues ende And be to you as lowly and as kynde As dilygent and more laborous Than Whylom was your Menelaus In euery thynge your lustes to obeye Haue here my trouthe tyll tyme that I deye ¶ And though that I in wordê be but playne For the loue of god haue no disdayne Of my request nor grutche nat at all For at the leste of the stocke royall I am descended and come of as hye blode As Menelay and of byrthe as gode And can in loue to you be more trewe Than he was euer and chaunge for no newe ¶ Wherfore stynte thus to playne and wepe And let some comforte in your bosome crepe Your wo appese whiche is nat worthe an hawe And some myrthe let in your herte adawe This I beseche and of womanhede To my wordes for to take hede ¶ Alas quod she how myght this befalle That haue left my frendes one and alle In a straunge lande and am here alone How shulde I than but I made mone I haue no cause god wote for to pleye Nor my chekes for to kepe dreye From salte teres alas it wyll nat be That can none ende of myn aduersyte For in good fayth it were agaynst kynde So sodaynely to put out of mynde Thylke thynge that for ioye or smerte In all this worlde sytteth next my herte For whom alas so sore I am destrayned But sythe goddes haue as now ordayned No better chaunce of hope vnto me I can no more I must it take at gre And humbly accepte also theyr sonde For I am feble theyr power to withstonde Wherfore I shall agayne my wyll now stryue Albe for wo my herte I fele ryue For to consente and lowly to admytte Thylke thynge fro whiche I may nat flytte Maugre my wyll of necessyte Fully to obeye what ye lyst do with me It wyll nat helpe though I sayde nay And thus she payneth all that euer she may Lytell and lytell hir sorowe to aswage What shulde she aye lyue in wo and rage To lese hir selfe so tendre a creature An herte of stele ne myght it nat endure But aye of women the maner and the kynde That they can nat of sorowe make an ende Tyll they by leyser haue wept theyr fulle But at the laste whan they gynne dulle To make sorowe to happe them as faste That by grace they soone it ouer caste And lyghtly catche comforte for theyr smerte They be so tendre that men may them conuerte From wo to ioye thought from them disseuer There is no storme that may laste euer As clerkes wyse in bokes lyst discerne Thynge vyolente may nat be eterne For after stormes Phebus bryghter is And so by comforte and counsayle of Paris She dawed is of hir olde sorowe For euen lyke as the glad morowe Of kynde seweth the derke blacke nyght So by processe hir herte wexeth lyght And of hir wepynge dryed is the welle Lyke as the storye shall anone vs tell ¶ How Parys was receyued at Troye at his home comynge and howe he wedded the fayre Eleyne Capytulo xiiij WHan the quene that called is Eleyne Adawed was of hir drery peyne And the wawes of hir heuy chere On hir chekes gonne for to clere Parys in herte fresshe and amerous In haste hath sente to kynge Pryamus For hors and men and other apparayle Clothes of golde full noble of entayle Made for Eleyne and wrought for the nones With ryche perle and many sondry stones Agayne hir comynge into Troye towne And after that Parys fro Tenedowne Shappeth hym to lede hir into Troye And Pryamus mette them on the weye Full ryally as faste as he
Eccuba the quene Lyke the storye my style I muste enclyne Whose lymmes all dyde more declyne To shappe of man than to woman hede As sayth Guydo but in werke and dede She was in sothe the moste womanly The beste aduysed and moste prudently In hir dedes coude hir selfe gouerne That mannes wytte myght nat discerne To fynde a better douteles than she So trewe example of femynyte She was in sothe and to euery wyghte Benyngne of prote and gracyous of syghte To pore also pytous and mercyable And vnto nedy wonder cheritable The wyfe of Ector hir doughter in lawe After hir lore moche dyde drawe Andronomecha the faythfull trewe wyfe So good so iuste the whiche in all hir lyfe In honeste dyde hir moste delyte Longe of hir shap with brestes fayre whyte With rody chekes ennewed by measure With persynge eyen of aungelyke fygure Lyke golde hir tresses and rosen lyppes rede Ylyche fresshe of coloure no thynge dede Therto she was of chere the goodlyeste To ryche and pore and spake alwaye the beste Of euery wyght aye helpynge yâ— she myght That no man triste went out of hir syght And ouer this euery gentylman She further wolde in all that euer she can And gladly euer dyde hir dylygence To gete grace to them that dyde offence This was hir vsage and condycion She was so full of compassion That women all myght of hir lere And Cassandra hir owne doughter dere Was of stature wonder womanly Of colour whyte and therwith right semely Saue in hir face in sondry places were Many wertes growynge here and there And all hir ioye and felycyte Was to kepe hir virgynyte In freelte that women haue of kynde Thorugh vertue morall she put out of mynde Of all folye fleynge occasion And aye in stody and contemplacion Of sondry bokes she wolde hir occupye And specyally of Astronomye ¶ Of prophecye a spirite had she And some men saye she was one of the thre Of women that Cebylebare the name Of whom yâ— renowne floureth and the fame Vnto this day and is as yet full grene And for to tell of yonge Polycene And discryue hir beate vp and downe It were in sothe a presumpciowne To take on me now so great a thynge To clymbe so hye and passe my connynge Sythe nature in forgynge of this mayde Hir connynge all vtterly assayde To make hir fayre aboue eche creature ¶ And sayde proudely se how I nature Whan that me lyst enbellysshe can my werke Lyke as Phebus amonge the cloudes derke Is passynge clere so in comparyson I can my worke and operacion Right as me lyste adourne and make fayre So paynte and florisshe it shall nat appayre And my coloures so craftely dispose Of the lylye and of the fresshe rose And so ennewe that they shall nat fade But aye be one and in this wyse I made My dere doughter ye knowe whom I mene The yonge fresshe fayre Polycene A skaunce that none can this crafte but I Thus in hir worke bosted vtterly Nature hir selfe whan she this may wrought As she that fully in hir herte thought Aboue all other to make hir excelle And of the beaute to be the very welle And ther withall in shap nor in stature Ne was no lacke I dare you well assure And god aboue gaue hir soueraynte In all thewes and woldeshe shulde be Crop and roote and named of womanhede With fulsomnesse of all goodlyhede So passyngly that it were ydelnesse Me to presume by and by to expresse Hir beaute all it were a vayne trauayle For well I wote myn englysshe wolde fayle In suche mater to talke felyngely Who euer it can certayne it am nat I Therfore I passe and streyght now wyll I go To my mater for Dares of no mo In all his boke maketh menciowne Of them of grece nor of Troye towne In speciall he put no mo in mynde Than ye haue herde saue as ye shall fynde In this storye whan it cometh therto Of theyr knyghthode who that beste hath do Lastynge the sege the maner euerydell And right anone to sharpe my poyntell I wyll me dresse this storye to entreate Of all the werre to tell you the greate THe tyme nygheth after this as yore That breme wynter with his frostê hore Gan to aswage of his bytter colde Whan Apollo passed was the holde Of the sygne that we call Aquarye And in the fysshe fer in Februarye Yronne was towarde the Aryete And that season with his faynte hete On hylles hye gan his bemes smyte Makynge the snowe with fayre flakes whyte Into water kyndely relente Whiche from aboue to the valey wente That neuer flodes of the sodayne thowe The grene mede gan to ouer flowe And the yâ—se gan stoundemele destylle Downe fro the hylle the brokes for to fylle With fomy stremes of the wawes smale By broke bankes as they dyde auale Whan lusty vere with his yonge grene I recomforted by the sonne shene Whiche lytell lytell his hewes aye amendeth Vp in his spere as Titan vp ascendeth Whan Marche approcheth brauÌ„ches ouerall Gan blowe out and equynoccyall Of veer is halowed the season Amerous Whan the grekes proude and courageous With hole the floure of the cheualrye Assembled were and hooly theyr nauye In the hauen that was moste of fame And of Athenes that tyme bare the name Ygadred was by assent echone Towarde Troye to sayle and to gone So great a nombre yâ— syth the worlde began Is nat remembred of no maner man That togyder in one companye Was mecyfere so passynge a nauye Of manly men who so lyste take hede In this storye as ye shall after rede And by and by to make descripcyon Myne Auctor telleth how Agamenon The worthy kyng a hondred shyppes brought With worthy knyghtes stuffed as them ought And Menelaus on whom lay most the charge Hath with hym brought syxty shyppes large Out of his lande that called is Sperten And from boece full of manly men Came fyfty shyppes the story telleth thus With Prothenor and with Archelaus And from the lande called Sycomenye Came syxty shyppes in the companye Of the Duke that hyght Achalapus With whom was eke full fresshe and desyrous Helymux the Erle the worthy knyght And fyfty shyppes enarmed for to fyght With hym brought the kynge Epistrophus Oonly with helpe of kynge Cedyus And Thelamon whom Ayax some call Full renowmed for to reken all Hath fyfty shyppes brought to this Iournee From solemyne his royall chefe Cytee With Erles dukes and many worthy knyght Eueryche of them in stele armed bryght And duke Tenter with Amphiacus Erle Daryon and noble Theseus This ylke foure full worthy of renowne In this viage came with Thelamowne And olde Nestor cruell of herte and thought Out of Pylon hath fyfty shyppes brought The kynge of Daymes that full worthy was And eke the kynge that hyght also Thoas Brought with them in theyr companye An hondred shyppes knyghtly forto guye And Thelamon ycalled Cylleus
And vanysshed and were brought to nought Whan herodes the blesfull childe sought Thorugh his malys and cruelte horryble As holy wrytte recordeth and the byble For whiche pursuyte and persecucion There dyde apere by auysion An hooly aungell to Ioseph as he slepe And bad hym ryse and also take kepe Vnto the childe and also to marye And go his waye or Herode hym aspye Into Egipt the great regyon Lyke as the Gospell maketh mencyon And right anone as he came to that lande There was none Ydoll that vpright myght stāde But to shyuered vnto peces smale This holy wrytte playnely and no tale And was recorded friste of Isaye How that our lorde on an esy skaye Ascende shulde and holde forthe his weye Towarde Egipt and therwith shulde deye All mawmetrye and no longer dwelle But as the Iewes recorde of Ysmaelle That he was firste that mawmetrye fonde And made of claye an Ydoll with his honde And as Paynems wryte and telle vs That alder firste was Promotheus That founde Ydolles shortly to conclude For symulacrum cometh of symylitude That is no thynge playnely but lyknesse Made after man his ymage to expresse Vnto whiche paynems in theyr gyse With false honour and cursed sacryfyse Begonne firste this ryte for drede of man And some saye how Belus firste began Suche false worshyp and suche mawmettye In theyr bokes as clerkes specefye That of assirye was lorde and gouernour After whose deth his sone in his honour That Nynus hyghte an ymage dyde make To be worshypped oonly for his sake All of brent golde by false affeccion And sette it vp for consolacion And for a mynde and a memoryall Vnto the whiche with herte wyll and all Of ignoraunce and of flesshely loue He dyde honour as to god aboue In his temples moste of excellence And made his people to do reuerence And sayde in heuen he was deyfyed That of no man durste be denyed Tyll after soone but a lytell whyle A wycked spyryte folkes to begyle In this ydoll entrede to abyde And gaue answere vpon euery syde To the people of what them lyste demaunde And they agayne what he wyll cōmaunde Obeye fully the folke of all Assyrye Whiche vnto god dyde great iniurye Makynge the people in suche errour falle And some Belus and some Bell hym calle And some Balym and some Belphegore And felle in errour alway more and more And Belzebub he named was also Whiche name is made of wordes two Of bel and zebub that thus signefye For bel is god and zebub is a flye Than Belzebub togydre specyfyes Ioyned in one the great god of flyes And of this fayned false ydolatrye Gan all the worlde worshyp mawmetrye ¶ For some Saturne god of goddes all Gan in theyr errour falsely for to call That was whylom the myghtykyng of Crete And gaue hym name after the planete That in heuen hath so large a spere And as Poetes in theyr fables lere That he before thorugh his sapyence Sawe in his dyuyne prouydence How a sone shulde of hym descende ¶ And of Iuno the goddes as he wende That shulde hȳ playnely fro his reigne expelle And suffre hym no lenger for to dwelle In his kyngdome whan he came to age Wherof Saturne fyll in suche arage That he wyll shape remedye therfore Byddynge his wyfe whan y◠childe were bore That she to hym shulde it brynge anone In stede wherof to hym she brought a stone To saue hir childe she dyde hir besynesse And this Saturne thorugh his gredynesse The stone deuoureth in his melancolye And thus Saturne but if bokes lye Hadde sones thre a doughter and no mo Iubyter Neptunus and Pluto But Iubyter grettest was of the name Moste renowmed and worthyest of fame Amonge Paynems as it is veryfyed For they so hye haue hym magnefyed That they hym calle god of fyre and eyre Nert to Saturne borne for to be heyre And nert to hym in bokes as I rede Is god of batayle myghty Mars the rede And next Appollo so clere so shene bryght The dayes eye and voyder of the nyght Cheryssher of fruyte herbe floure and corne The whiche god lyke as is sayde toforne In Delos is worshypped and honoured And after venus that often hath socoured Many louer the fayre lusty quene And them aledge of theyr woundes grene That firste was hurte with hir firy bronde As she that is goddesse of many londe And all the worlde hath in hir demeyne Faste enbraced in hir firy cheyne I mene the lady that called is venus And next in ordre is Mercurius That in speche hath moste excellence Of rethoryke and sugred eloquence Of musyke songe and Armonye He hath lordshyp and hole the regalye Next the Moone that wexe can and wane Called Lucyna and also eke Dyane That in Delos hath hir mancyon Lyke as tofore is maked mencyon Now full of myght now horned pale is she Lady of chaunge and mutabylyte That selde in one halte hir any tyme And so fare they that be borne in hir clyme That aye delyte in thynges that be newe Whose herte is cladde in many sondry hewe So they be dyuers in theyr affeccyons And in this wyse in sondry regyons Of mawmetrye is in the venym ronne Lyke as clerkes well deuyse konne For as I fynde the Maurycyens Worshyp Iulam and Egipcyens Honoure y◠sis after theyr konnynge Whylom doughter of ynachus the kynge That taughte thē first theyr lōde to ere sowe And also letters for to rede and knowe And in lecture to sette theyr besynesse For whiche thynge they calle hir a goddesse And Iubyter honoured is in Crete Where he whylom helde his souerayne sete And on them leyde many dyuerse charge With egles beten in his baner large And he was lorde of eyre londe and see His royall kyngdome deuydynge into thre In the hyest hymselfe doth contune And hole in the see he gaue vnto Neptune And laste the erthe to holde his see royall He gaue to Pluto that god is infernall And alder laste whan he was stellyfyed This Iubyter was moste magnyfyed Of them of Crete aboute ouer all To whom they made for a memoryall A large tombe and a statue a lofte And hym honoured in theyr rytes ofte With encens and other sacryfyse And of this mater ferther to deuyse The larynes with besy dylygence In theyr rytes dyde reuerence To the goddes if it be credyble y◠called fawny that be muysyble And haue hered wellynge in the wodes grene Albe that men theyr fygure may nat sene And of Romayns further to deuyne They moste ī honour haue theyr god quyryne The whiche whylom as bokes telle vs Amonges them was called Romulus That bylte firste the walles of the towne And from an herde he came to suche renowne Thorugh his manhode and his worthynesse The spere of whom as bokes sayne expresse As he the hede pytched in the grounde It gan anone lyke as it is founde To florysshe and floure and budde by myracle And of nature hadde
the kyng haue thaÌ„ his see So inwardely with rancour fret was he That he ne myght hymselfe nat refrayne And sayde syr so ye nat disdayne That I shall saye me semeth that it is Well accordynge whan one hath sayde amys And reklesly spoken vnaduysed Of his folye that he be chastysed That other may example by hym take To be well ware suche noyse crye to make And specyally in open audyence So to offende your toyall excellence And sothely yet I wote well that I myght So me gouerne playnely in your syght Of hastynesse without aduysement That I shulde by your coÌ„maundement The deth deserue for my great offence And trewely yet ne were for your presence Of this twayne that haue so yspoke Without abode I shulde anone be wroke For it were worthy and right well syttynge Whan that a fole in presence of kynge Is bolde or hardy of presumpcyon To take on hym of indiscrecyon Thynge to reherce concludynge in sentence Preiudyce of your magnyfycence That he were taught better to gouerne His large tunge to konne bet diserne Whan he shall speke or whan be in pese To suffre hym to renne out of lese As doth he this that spoke hath so large Wherfore in hast I counsayle hym and charge Without abode or any worde mo Out of your syght anone he be a go For it is beste to do as I hym rede TO whom anone ful proudly Dyomede Nat astoned but a with sterne loke To Eneas that for yre quoke Answered agayne with wordes but a fewe And sayde syr thy wordes doth well shewe What so thou be that thou art right wyse Well is that kynge that doth by thyne aduyse Or hath the nye of counsayle for to be For he ne may erre in no degre That art so rightfull in thy iugement Of wylfulnesse without aduysement To causea lorde his bondes for to pace So wolde god in some other place That I myght by fauoure of fortune Mete with the at leyser oportune Lyke my desyre that canst so well endyte In olde fables thy labour for to quyte And the to thanke for thy gentyll there Whiche so knyghtly thou hast vs shewed here Truste well therto and haue therof no drede ANd tho Vlixes of this Dyomede Gan interrupte his wordê prudently And to hym sayde full aduysely That it was beste to stynte and be styll And now we knowe fully all the wyll Quod vlires full manly to the kynge We wyll go hense without more tariynge Out of thy syght to Agamenon And make to hym playne relacyon Of thy answer in ordre by and by And to horse they went sodaynly And in shorte tyme so hast them in theyr waye That they be come there is no more to saye Where the kynge satte in his tentorye And worde by worde as came to memorye They reherce the substraunce euery dele Wherof the grekes lyke no thynge wele Conceyuynge full there was no remedye As by reporte of the embassatrye Saue oonly this vtterly procede How they them shall gouerne in this nede Agayne Troyans of necessyte For they well wot it may none other be And assented both in wyll and bede To purueye them faste they them spede In this storye as I shall after fynde BVt or that I make therof mynde I muste a whyle of Eneas endyte As myn Auctor lyst of hym to wryte The whiche sothly as bokes saye he was This manly Troyan this famous Eneas Anchisis sone of great wortynesse Whylom gete of Venus the goddesse Conqueroure of many regyon Whan Troye was brought to destruccyon He wente his waye by the large see Called Tyrene and saylynge forth goth he By many coste and many narowe passage Many daunger tyll into Cartage He ryued is and then segan to sayle To the conquest of the great ytale And so to Rome he hath the way take Of whose ofsprynge as Auctours make Came Augustus Cesar the Emperour That was whylom so noble a conquerour That his renowne to this daye doth shyne And of Enee the Emperour Iustyne In his boke called Autentykes Full playnely wryt therin the rubrykes That after Cesar so as Cesares Be named yet right so Eneades After Enee the name shulde bere Whiche fro Troye comen was so fere Vnto ytayle and of this Eneas As I haue tolde Cesar descended was Downe lyne right full manly and royall That firste in Rome by sceptre imperyall Mauge theyr myght had gouernaunce And of wysoome sette in gouernaunce Comon thynges touchynge the Cytee And to procede ferther of Enee Hooly his lyfe and knyghthode by and by If that ye lyste to rede ceryously Ye maye se all full Autentyke of style In Eneydos compyled of virgyle Albe it so that this noble clerke Was graue afore or complete was his werke As bokes olde make mencyon ¶ How kynge Agamenon sent Achylles and Thelephus into the yle of Messa for vitaylles and how they slewe the kynge and made The lephus kynge after his deth Ca. xx BVt nowe agayne to Agamenon Without more my style I wyl retourne The whiche kynge wyll no more soiourne In this mater delayes for to make But in all haste he hath his counsayle take Of his lordes beynge there present And suche as were nat he hath after sent For one and all Erlys Dukes and kynges And sayde syres amonge other thynges To our Iourney that be necessarye My counsayle is no lenger that we tarye But firste of all to make ordynaunce By one assent with prudent purueaunce That alder firste we shape for vytayle Without whiche none hoost may auayle To parforme a Iourney thryftely Wherfore I rede here but faste by If it to you be lykynge and plesaunce Into an yle full of habundaunce Called Messa that we sende anone And at one worde assented euerychone They chosen haue worthy Achylles And Geleffus the sone of Hercules To execute this purpose fynally With many worthy in theyr company I chosen out thorugh the hoost anone With Achylles to Messa for to gone In whiche lande ryche and plenteuous Reygned a kynge worthy and famous That Tentran hyght whiche in tranquyllyté Without werre or aduersyte Hadde holde his Sceptre and his royall sete In this yle so plesaunt and so mete Albe that some saye that this lytell yle To the kyngdome longeth of Cecyle And hath his name gyuen of plente After Messane an huge great Cyte Full plenteuous both on see and lande The whiche kyngdome as I vnderstande Is sayde Messana of Messes in latyne Thorugh habundaunce of fruyt corne wyne At the aryuayle on the playnes large Where they are wonte for to stuffe and charge Marchaunt shyppes of straunge fer countree That thyder sayle by the large see To fetche vytaylle aye fro yere to yere Fro many coste of landes fer and nere Oonly by eschaunge of other march aundyse And eke also as bokes can deuyse And as Guydo full playnely telleth vs That of a kynge called Messanus This countre firste of Messa toke the name That in his tyme was of
and honour with longe prosperyte Be vnto you and good aduenture All the whyle that your lyfe may dure And specyally of the O Thelephus Whiche haste to me be so gracyous Of gentyllesse in my paynes stronge Oonly of grace my lyfe for to prolonge But deth alas I may nat now eichewe Nor his swerde on no part remewe Without recure knytte in bytter bondes Vpon the brynke falle of fatys hondes Of my lyfe all fully in despeyre Whiche of my body neuer myght haue heyre After my daye by successyon To gouerne this lytell regyon Whiche lyckely is to stande desolate Of gouernaunce and disconsolate Whiche that I wan with full great trauayle And to this day with werre and batayle I haue it kepte as ye well knowe echoue And defended from all maner fone Without losse yeres here toforne But recurlees of yore I had it lorne Ne had I had helpe and eke socour Of Hercules the great conquerour That whylom was fader to Thelepus So stronge so myghty and so chyualrous By whose manhode and whose hardynesse By his knyghthode and great worthynesse Whiche day by day is newe of memorye Of all my foon I hadde the victorye He daunted them and made them so a ferde Oonly by rygoure of his sharpeswerde That fynally thorugh his manly hede He made me this reygne to possede Maugre theyr myght in peas and quyete With septre and crowne my royall sete That none of them tyll that he was dede Hardy was to lyfte vp the hede Agaynst me to speke wordes fewe Wherby I may fully declare and shewe By euydence that this lytell yle Is perteynent and longeth to Cecyle Where Hercules for a memoryall Sâ—tte pylers in his conquest royall Whan he hadde ryde and go to fere And of Columpna yet the name bere After hym called Herculea Though some saye they hyght Herracula The name chaungynge by corrupcyon The whiche lande was whylom mansyon To the people of wylde barbarye The whiche kyngdome for to magnefye Frederyke sothly the secounde Of golde and good passyngly habounde That chosen was to be Emperour Of Rome towne and myghty gouernour And whylom eke was kynge of Cecyle Whiche made reyse in that large yle A myghty toure hye and thycke of walle As sayth Guydo for a memoryall To put his name longe in remembraunce And for the soyle was to his plesaunce With floures fresshe of many sondry hewe In some bokes the londe was named newe And pealled as I vnderstonde For his fayrenesse the lusty newe londe But Tentran aye lymge in his payne As he that faste gan the houre attayne Of cruell deth afore his lordes all He made in haste Thelephus to call To his presence and with a mortall chere Sayde openly that all myght here My sone quod he nowe I shall pace Out of this worlde for gayne may no grace My lyfe to saue thorugh no mannes myght But for bycause of equyte and ryght I am compelled iustly in sentence To declare elerely my conscyence To fore my deth herynge all this prees This to sage thy fader Hercules The wyse worthy and that knyghtly man Whylom this londe thorugh his conquest wan The whiche oonly of his goodly hede As he that was the stocke of manly hede Toke vnto me by coÌ„myssyon The gouernaunce of this regyon Of his free wyll with hole the regallye And nolde hymselfe the cowne occupye And sothely yet his right was nat the lasse For loue of whom now that I shall passe Withall the entent of my laste wylle To the I graunt as it is ryght and skylle As very heyer iustely to succede Longe in honour therin thy lyfe to lede Makynge there a prodestacyon That in full token of confirmacyon This is the wyll fynall of myn herte Fro the whiche no man may dyuerte Vpon no syde nor vtterly declyne Hor firste my wyll and dissent of lyne Be togyder combyne now in one For whiche thynge no mortall man may gone For this desyre laste of my langour That thou playnely be my Successour And fynally thus I conclude and deme That vnto the Septre and dyademe Delyuered be with euery circumstaunce But all his wyll for more assuraunce He made wryte in his testament The fyne concludynge of his laste entent And after that he full pyteously Thelephus besought hertely Of manly routhe and knyghtly gentyllesse To do his deuer and his besynesse After his deth lyke his estate royall To halowe and holde the feste funerall Solempnely and the exequyes do And sodaynely without wordes mo The kynge Tentran yeldeth vp the goste And went his way I note to what coste I can nat deme of suche mystyhede And whan Parcas broken haue the thrde On the rokke and he was forth his waye Than Thelephus out of marbyll graye Curyously a tombe madekerue The dede corps therin to conserue Full rychely and aboue the graue An Epythaphe anone he dyde graue In his honour playnely to expresse His knyghthode bothe and worthynesse And how his goste and he were deuorced With letters ryche of golde aboue enboced Rounde aboute wonder curyous On his tombe that sayde playnely thus Here lyeth Tentran the kynge douteles Whylom slayne of cruell Achylles That his sceptre and the regalye Hoolly gaue whiche no man may denye To Thelephus sone of Hercules Whiche in his tombe resteth now in pees Whan this perfourmed was in euery thynge And Thelephus was crowned in to kynge And hye and lowe all by one assent Had openly in a Parlement Made fayth to hym and ydone homage Lyke theyr degrees as they were of age And with hole herte in all theyr best entent By othe assured and by sacrament As trewe lyeges receyued hym for kynge Than Achylles without more tariynge Whan all was sette in peas gouernaunce Without grutchynge or any varyaunce To theyr shyppes anone he made carye Euery thynge that was necessarye To the grekes corne fruyte or vytayle Flesshe or fysshe or what that myght auayle To hosteynge or helpe them in theyr nede Downe to the see all hedyde lede Fully theyr vessell for to stuffe and lade And Thelephus after this he made Stylle in the boundes of his regyon For to abyde for this conclusyon That thorugh his helpe and his dylygence Besynes and discrete prouydence Agayne all myschefe and all scarsyte Whan they nede he myght theyr socour be AL be that he lyke as sayth Guydo With Achilles full fayne wold haue go But he abode sothely for the beste By bonde assured fully and beheste In euery thynge grekes to releue And than in haste Achilles toke his leue Of Thelephus and gan anone to sayle All his shyppes stuffed with vytayle Towarde grekes as made is mencyowne And in shorte tyme he at Thenedowne Aryued is and taken bathe the grounde With all his knyghted 〈…〉 rounde And after this to 〈◊〉 Hemade firste full relacyon Of his expleyt lyke as it was falle In the presence of his lordes alle Syttynge enuyron many worthy knyght ¶ And firste in Messa
all in plates shene With speres rounde whet full quare and kene From Ethyope came this noble route And from the kyngdome also out of doute That Teremo of Dares called is Came the kynge full prudent and full wys The manly man named Theseus And eke his sone that hyght Archylogus A thousande knyghtes in theyr companye And Theseus full nye was of allye To Pryamus by discent of blode And kynges twayne passynge ryche of gode And renowmed of knyghthode as by fame All be that Guydo reherseth nat theyr name Yet in this storye he maketh mensyon That from Agresta the lytell regyon A thousande knyghtê they brought vnto troye Grekes pryde to daunte and acoye For they were chosen and pycked for the nones And from the lande beyonde Amazones Lyssyny a the kynge Epystrophus So wyse so worthy and inly vertuous Passynge of counsayle and discrecyowne And with all this full worthy of renowne He preuyd was also in specyall And in the Artys called lyberall He lerned was and expert a ryght Natwithstandynge he was a worthy knyght In werre and peas manfull and ryght sage All be that he was ron ferre in age And as the storye maketh rehersayle A thousande knyghtê cladde in plate mayle To troye towne I fynde that he ladde And with hym Guydo sayth he hadde A wonder Archer of syght meruaylous Of fourme and shap in maner monstruous For lyke myne Auctour as I reherce can Fro the nauell vp warde he was man And lower downe lyke a hors yshaped And thylke parte that after man was maked Of skynne was blacke and rough as any vere Coueryd with here fro colde hym for to were Passynge foule and horryble of syght Whose eyen were sparkelynge as bryght As a furneys with his rede leuene Or the lyghtenynge that cometh downe fro heuene Dredefull of loke and reed as fyre of â—here And as I rede he was a good archere And with his bowe bothe at euen morowe Vpon grekes he wrought moche sorowe And gastyd them with many hydous loke So sterne he was that many of them quoke Whan they hym sawe so ougly horrybly And more lothsome than it is credyble That many one hath wounded to the deth And caused them to yelde vp the breth On grekes syde as ye shall after here And in this wyse assembled be yfere Kynges dukes and Erles of renowne From sondry landes within Troye towne That be gaderyd and come fro so ferre As sayth Dares to helpe them in this werre That were in nombre as he maketh mynde Two and thurty thousande as I fynde Of worthy knyghtes and lordes of estate That fythe the worlde was fourmed create Ne was sene I trowe in one Cyte Togydre assembled of so hye degre Nor of knyghtes so great a multytude And yet this Dares sothly to conclude In his boke maketh of them nomynde That came to Troye out of smaler ynde Nouther of them moste famous of renowne That were with Pryam yborne of troye towne That fynally if it be trewely sought Syth the houre that this world was wrought I dare afferme vnder Phebus spere So many worthy were nat mette yfere Of manly men flourynge in lustynesse So fresshe so yonge and as by lyklynesse In euery poynt of shape and of arraye For to do well for sothely this is no naye Who lyste consyder vpon outher syâ—e For thorugh the worlde where men go or ryde Thâ— floure of knyghthode of worthynesse Of chyualrye and of hye prowesse Assembled was withoute and within Fully assented a werre to begyn ¶ Wherfore ye lysters take now good hede That you delyte in this boke to rede Firste for how lytell that this werre began How lyght yâ— cause for whiche so many a man Hath loste his lyfe in myschefe pytuously And yet no man can beware therby Almoste for nought was this stryfe begonne And who lyst loke they haue no thyng wonne But oonly deth alas the harde stounde So many knyght caught his dethes wounde Withoute recure or any remedye And for a woman if I shall nat lye Gan all this stryfe it was the more pyte That so great myschefe or aduersyte Of mortall slaughter euer shulde tyde Better had be to haue sette asyde Suche quarelles dere ynough a myte To a let passyd or the vengeaunce byte For wysedome were to caste afore and se If suche sklaundres myght eschewed be Or the venym gonne for to rype For though yâ— men with hornes blowe pype Whan the hous is fyred in his hete Of the sparcle to late it is to trete That caused all wherfore at the gynnynge The remedy is put of euery thynge As euery wyght may deme in his reason And whyle that grekes lay at Tenedon Them to refresshe and to reste in pes The worthy kynge called Pallamydes With thurty shyppes out of grekes lande Stuffed with knyghtê ful worthy of theyr hande The beste choyse of all his regyon Aryued is vp at Tenedon Wherof grekes whan they had a syght Reioysynge them were right glade and lyght Hauynge rewarde vnto his worthynesse Where they afore hadde had heuynesse For his absence that he was so longe And some of them grutched at hym stronge For he nat kepte his moustre at Athene But for to shewe that he was all clene Of any spotte in his conscyence Full manfully in open audyence Lyke a knyght hegan hymself excuse Stoppynge all tho that theron lyste to muse Of his absence she wynge the cause why That for sykenesse and sodayne malady He was coÌ„strayned his presence to withdrawe And for they sawe that lykensse hath no lawe They helde excused fully his absence And for he was of moste reuerence Amonge grekes to no wyght the secounde And was also full wyse and eke habounde Of golde and good auyse and prudent That what so euer he sette on his entent Knyghtly wysely he wolde aye well acheue And what he gan he ne wolde leue Maugre his foon in no maner wyse Tyll that he sawe a fyne of his empryse And for he was moste of oppynyon Amonge grekes and reputacyon They hym beâ—ought that he wolde be Of theyr counsayle auysely tose What were to do in euery maner thynge And he assenteth vnto theyr axynge Benygnely of his gentylnesse And grekes than dyde theyr besynesse To procede without more delaye Them to enhaste in all that euer they maye To gynne a sege and differre it nought And sondry wayes they serched haue sought In theyr wyttes how fro Tenedowne They maye remeue towarde troye towne From the hauen where theyr shyppes be And some thought moste coÌ„modyte For moste expleyt by nyght pryuely Towarde troye that stode faste by Proudely to sayle with theyr shyppes alle And some sayde great peryll myght falle Towarde nyght for take the see Lest with derkenesse they ennosed bee In theyr passage knowynge nat the waye Wherof great harme after falle maye And thus dyuerse of oppynyon Procedynge nat to no conclusyon For in effect theyr
purpose nat ne helde But styll lye aye lodged in the felde Lyke as they had entryked be with drede Tyll on a daye worthy Dyomede Of the grekes seynge the cowardyse Euen thus his counsayle gan deuyse Syres quod he that be here now present If that ye lyste all by one assent Goodly consydre aduertynge prudently What I shall saye tofore you openly Whiche of knyghthode haue so noble a name Sothly me semeth we ought haue gret shame Whiche holde our selfe so myghty so stronge And in this lande soiourned haue so longe Nygh all this yere and durste in no wyse Remeue hense for very cowardyse What haue we do nat ellys certaynely But to our foon graunted folyly Euen at theyr luste space and lyberte To make them stronge and opportunyte Vs to withstande playnely at the hande And so they wyll ye may well vnderstande ¶ For day by day to our confusyowne They sought wayes full wysely vp downe To gette them helpe in the mene space And them enforced aboute in euery place Theyr large Cyte with barrerys with palys Theyr wall mascued and agayne our skalys Trusteth theron made great ordynaunce And with all this of our gouernaunce They haue aspyed seynge that for drede We haue no herte manly to procede In our purpose to holde with them werre And aye the more they se that we deferre The more they wyll catche hardynesse Vs to resyste with all theyr besynesse Also I se and truste it veryly That if we hadde afore hande manfully As we began knyghtly forth contynued Our iourney hadde better be fortuned If sodaynely with stronge and myghty hande They vnauysed we hadde into theyr lande Without abode afore this tyme aryued Of whiche a whyle we muste be depryued And delayed where firste with victorye To our honour with the palme of glorye We myght sothely ne had be our slouthe Our wyl complysshed this the playnetrouthe Where maugre vs or we to lande aryue With stroÌ„ge defence they wyl agayne vs stryue And put vs of or we the stronde wynne For aye the more we tarye to begynne The more in sothe for me lyste nat lye We put our selfe echone in Ieopardye What shulde I fayne or fage fro the trouthe For our tariynge and our cowarde â—louthe Are lykely after to tourne vs to great sorowe Wherfore erely by tymes to morowe My counsayle is our ankers vp to pulle In this mater no lenger that we dulle But to enarme our shyppes for the werre And at the vp ryse of the morowe sterre Lette vs ordayne with knyghtly apparayle Out of this hauen with the wynde to sayle Of manfull herte and lusty fresshe courage Our course holdynge and our right passage Towarde Troye and lande oppedlye What euer falle for truste sykerlye Without scarmousshe we may nat aryue For they fro Troye descende wyll as blyue Lyke manly men to mete vs in the berde But for all that lette vs nat be aferde But voyde drede and manhode sette afore That cowardyse entre at no bore For taste the manhode of your herte And with that worde grekes gan aduerte The manly counsayle of this Dyomede And in effect to procede in dede Vnto the poynt and for nothynge spare And in what wyse anone I shall declare ⸫ ⸫ ⸫ ¶ How the Grekes toke lande before Troye how they were strongely fought with Ca. xxi THe next morowe wonderly be tyme Or Phebus vp rose loÌ„ge or it was pÌ„me Whan it began full meryly to dawe The grekes hoste to shypwarde gan drawe With manly herte fully deuoyde of drede O only thorugh comforte of this Dyomede But alder firste anone as they awoke The lordes wysely theyr counsayle toke And concluded amonge them euerychone Whiche of theyr shyppes shulde for mest gone And on the see how they shulde them guye So to aryue that no man them aspye This was deuysed at a certayne marke The nyght passed at syngynge of the larke Grekes be shypped without more tariynge Bothe hye and lowe in the dawnynge And first tofore an hondred shyppes of toure Stuffed with many worthy warryoure Gan proudely sayle as they had in charge And the baners brode bryght and large Were I splayed out vpon euery syde And they departed the fomy wawes wyde That to syghte whelmen vp so grene And next to them for werre wel enarmed clene Another hondred folowed faste by Whiche bare theyr sayles passyngly proudely In which there was ful many worthy knyght Armed in mayle and in plates bryght And after foloweth hoolly theyr nauye That as I trowe suche a companye Of worthy kynghtes and lordes of degree Was neuer afore sene vpon the see And â—olus was to them fortunate And eke Neptune made none debate with wynde nor trouble amoÌ„ge the sterne wawes The atempre weder full mery to them dawes That in a tyde as they sayled ryght Of Troye towne they caughte anone a syght Wherof in herte full glade lyght they be But whan Troyans firste theyr shyppes se So proudely sayle a lytell fro the stronde And sawe how they caste them for to londe They bode no more but arme them hastely In plate and mayle and Iackes rychely With Irous herte and that was done anone And toke theyr hors forth in haste they gone Out at the gates and made no tariynge For they ne abyde prynce duke nor kynge Nor other lorâ—e to guyde them or gouerne But haste them forth so many and so yerne Torough out the felde so great a multytude Amonges whom were no folkes rude But manly men thryftely be sayne So clenly armed on the large playne That whan grekes gan them firste beholde Oâ— the nombre theyr hertes gan to colde For there was none so manly them amonge So yonge so fresshe so hardy nor so stronge Of hye estate nor of lowe degre That he ne was a stonyed for to se The hardy troyans so proudly downe desceÌ„de To lette Grekes that they nat assende That they wyste and conceyue vtterly There was no meane to aryue by But oonly deth or manly for to fyght Or cowardely take them to the flyght For other conduyte playnely none there was But sharpe sworde and speres in this cas Tyll sodaynely the hardy fyerse kynge Prothesylaus whiche in his gouernynge Formest of all an hondred shyppesladde Gan haste hym for Ire that he hadde To a landed firste if it wolde haue be To haue mette with them so great desyre had he But suche a wynde gan in the sayle dryue Of his shyppes whan hes hope to aryue That he vnwarely smette vpon the loude On the gettys and the drye sonde That his shyppes shyuered all a sonder And some dreynt to broke here and yonder And deuoured of the wawy see That it was routhe and pyte for to se For but of harde there myght none escape And whyles some were bely for to take The drye lande with fylthe and mudde ylade Troyans of them full cruell slaughter made Maugre theyr myght grekes so constrayned That
some wyll haue a payre platys lyght To welde hym well whan that he shall fyght And some wyll haue a target or a spere And some a pauys his body for to were And some a targe made stronge to laste And some wyll haue dartes for to caste Some a pollax heded of fyne stele And pycked square for to laste wele And some a swerde his enemy for to mete And some wyll haue a bowe for to shete Some an arblast to stande out asyde ¶ And some on foot and some for to tyde Array themsesfe their foomen for to sayle And many one was besy for to nayle His felawes harneys for to make it stronge And to dresse it sytte nat wronge With poyntes tresshes other maner thynge That in suche case longeth to armynge I haue no connynge euery thynge to telle And vnto you were to longe to dwelle Where I fayle ye mot haue me excused For in suche crafte I am lytell vsed And ignoraunce doth my penne lette In theyr ordre my termys for to sette And ofte chaungeth suche harneys and deuyse And ye that be therin expert and wyse Dysdayne nat that I speke in this place Of theyr armynge for all is in your grace Right at your lyste to correcte euery dell And whan Ector sawe that all was well And euery armed and arrayed This worthy knyght no lenger hath delayed Aduysely his wardes for to make And prudently badde they shulde take Theyr grounde in haste to put all in certayne And stande in ordre endelonge the playne So that no man were founde recheles And the gate called Dardanydes Without abode Ector made vnshette And after bad that men shulde fette To his presence that it were done in haste Cyncynabor his brother borne in baste And vnto hym firste of euerychon And to a lorde that named was Glaucon The kynges sone of Lycye and his heyre With many baner displayed in the eyre To this two Ector gaue the guarde And gouernaunce of the firste warde In which he hath a thousande knyghtes sette With speres rounde and swerdes kene whette And on theyr breste full many ryche shelde And they werechosen out in all the felde Amonge the beste that endure myght Agayne grekes manly for to fyght And vnto them Ector bad anone In goddes name that they shulde gone Out at the gate sothely as I rede And ieâ—te they fylle in myschefe or in nede He assygned in the selfe place With manly chere to the kynge of Trace Wysely on hym to be awaytynge A thousande knyghtes to haue at his ledynge In a wenge knyghtly for to abyde To wayte on hym vpon euery syde And with hym was his sone Archylogus Of his age a man right vertuous To fulfylle that longeth to a knyght For bothe he had herte and also myght And next to them Ector gan deuyse The next warde to the kynge of Fryse That in his tyme called zantipus And vnto hym yonge stronge and desyrous He assygned to wayte on his vanere Thre thousande knyghtê armed bryght clere With whiche warde kynge Alchomus also Of Ector was coÌ„maunded for to go And to his byddynge he mekely dyde obeye And full knyghtly they haue take theyr weye Out at the gate passyngly arrayed Towarde grekê with baners fresshe displayed And theyr penons vnrolled euerychone And after Ector assygned hath anone To the noble yonge lusty free His brother Troylus so fresshe vpon to se Whiche in knyghthode had all suffysaunce The thirde warde to haue in gouernaunce With .iii. thousande knyghtes yonge of age Flourynge in force hardy of courage Suche as he was of custome wont to lede To whom Ector of very bretherhede Full goodly spake sayde at his departynge Brother quod he my herte is so louynge Towardes the of very kyndenesse That though I haue in partye great gladnesse Of thy manhode that so ferre is kouthe And the knyghthode of thy grene youthe Yet douteles in my fantasye Full ofte a daye I stonde in Iupardye Of pensyfehede and in warde besy drede Whan I remembre vpon thy manhede Lest thy courage be to vyolent Of thy lyfe to be neclygent Thy selfe to put to ferre in aduenture Of surquydrye so moche to assure In thy force kynghtly to a sterte Euery peryll in thy manfull herte Hauynge no rewarde in suche mortall stryfe Of wylfulnesse nouther to deth nor lyfe Nor aduertence to thy sauacyowne But as fortune turneth vp and downe Hyr whele meuable hye and after lowe In Martys Ire as the wynde doth blowe Whiche causeth me full ofte syghe and thynke And to wake whan I shulde wynke Reuoluynge aye thy hasty wylfulnesse But gentyll brother for any hardynesse Thus ylke day vpon euery syde I praye the so wysely to prouyde For hate or yre thy foos pursuynge Nat to excede more than is syttynge But let prudence the kepe in a mene And wysdome eke holde agayne the reyne Of thy herte and thy fyers courage That fyred haue thy grene tendre age Deuoyde of drede eche peryll to endure That our enemyes of thy mysauenture Reioysenat myn owne brother dere And myghty mars I praye of herte entere Thus euery day on Troyans grounde From theyr handes the to kepe sounde Lyke as I wolde that he dyde me To whom anone with all humylyte In manly wyse this yonge iusty knyght This worthy Troylus of herte fresshe lyght Answered agayne and sayd with glad chere Myn owne lorde and my brother dere And god to fore I fully shall obeye To fulfylle what you lyste to seye Now vnto me of your gentyllesse And nat declyne thorugh none reklesnesse In any poynt from your coÌ„maundement But with hole herte in all my best entent I shall take hede and playnely do none other Than ye haue sayde myn owne lord brother So lothe me were offende you or greue And in this wyse he lowly toke his leue And forth herode so lyke a manly knyght That to beholde it was a noble syght Amonge his men he behaueth hym so wele Thre thousande knyghtê armed in bryght stele Enuyron rode with Troylus into felde And that day he bare in his shelde Passant of golde iij. lyons rychely The chaumpe of asure wrought full craftely And by the gate he yssued out anone And with hym ladde his knyghtes euerychone To the grekes holdynge the next waye And Ector hasteth all that euer he maye Prudently his wardes to ordayne And to the noble worthy bretherne twayne To kynge Hupon and to Ardelaus He assygned the storye telleth thus The fouthe warde to guye and to wysse And in the lande that called was larysse The bretherne two hadde reygned longe And kynge Hupon was passyngly stronge And of stature lyke a chaumpyowne And saue Ector in all Troye towne Was none to hym egall as of myght More delyuere nor a better knyght And on his foon passynge despytous Whiche with his brother called Ardelaus Foure thousande knyghtes hadde for to lede And seuen thousande sothly as I rede And to them lyke
euer so contune Without chaunge theyr loue so abode ¶ And Patroclus forth anone hym tode Into the felde with Myrundones And in his tente abyteth Achylles The seconde warde to kynge Meryon Assygned was by Agamenon And to the worthy kynge Ydumenee And to a Duke that hyght Menestee Thre thousande knyghtes in stele armed clene With all the folke that came from Athene Assygned were with them for to go The thyrde warde to kynge Astalapho And to his sone that hyght Phylymene With the knyghtes that came for cuâ—ene The fourthe warde without more lettynge To Archelaus the noble worthy kynge To Prothenor and to Securydan Whiche in his dayes was so stronge a man Assygned was hoolly to this thre And all the knyghtes with them for to be Of Boece the great lande famous The fyfte warde to kynge Menelaus With all the folke of the regyowne Called Spertence of full hye renowne And of Iles that were adiacent All thyse with the baner went Of Menelay fresshe and couragyous The .vi. warde to kynge Epystrophus Was assygned and to the kynge Elyde With many worthy rydynge by his syde Of the prouynce and the famous Yle That called is in Guydo Fordesyle The .vii. warde to Thelamonyus Called Ayax the great kynge famous Was assygned sâ—orâ—ely to termyne With the toâ—kes that fro Salamyne He with hym brought and many another mo And foure Erles with hym went also Theseus and eke Amphymacus And the thyrde called Daryus And the fourthe named Polysarye The .viij. warde if I shall nat tarye By good aduyse that daye assygned was Vnto the kynge that called was Thoas Ayar Cyleus the .ix. warde ladde And the .x. kynge of Phylyk hadde And to the kynge the .xi. he dyde assygne That sothely was bothe of berthe and lyne So renowmed and of so great encrease The myghty kynge called Pallamydes Kynge Nawlus sone hyest borne of blode And duke Nestor full famous in knyghthode The .xij. warde ladde on Grekes syde Melancolyke and surquedous of pryde And kynge Honux sone of one Mabente Into the felde playnely whan he wente In ordre hadde of wardes the thyrtene Proudely mustrynge endelonge the grene Agayne Troyans redy for to fyght And eke the kynge that Vlyxes hyght Ladde with hym the fourtene as I â—ede And Humerus the kynge eke dyde lede The fyâ—â—eneth myne Auctour wryteth thus And a Duke called Curybulus The syxteneth ladde vpon that daye In whiche the kynght of kyng Prothesylaye Assygned were by great ordynaunce To enforce them for to do vengaunce Vpon the deth of theyr worthy kynge By Ector slayne at grekes arryuynge And kynge Roydo ladde the seuentene And he that was kynge of Occymene The .xviij. warde hadde at his ledynge And zantipus that was of lyde kynge Hadde to kepe coÌ„mytted to his garde On grekes syde the .xix. warde And the .xx. myn Auctour lerneth vs Hadde the kynge called Amphymacus Lyke a knyght to guyde them and to wysse And Phylocetes that was kynge of larysse The one and twenty ladde eke as I rede The two and twenty hadde Dyomede And Heneus kynge of Cyparye That was whylom so noble and so worthy The thre and twenty hadde in gouernayle And the Troyans proudely for to assayle The xxiiij with swerde spere and shelde Bynge Prothaylus ladde into the felde And Carpenor of Carpedye kynge In werre expert and right wyse in workynge The fyue and twenty ryche and well besayne On grekes syde brought into the playne The sixe and twenty sothely and the laste As he that coudese afore and caste Euery thynge by good inspeccyon The wyse kynge the great Agamenon Hadde with hym this prudent werryour As he that was ordayned Emperour Of grekes hoost as wysest of echone And in this wyse forthe the grekes gone In the felde with pompe full royall With the ensygnes and tokens marcyall Haue take theyr grounde passyngely arrayed And on theyr standardes rychely displayed Brode banerys and many fresshe penowne Agayne the wynde that made an hydous sowne And right dredefull playnely for to here And theremen sawe many crestys clere And many tufte of golde and syluer shene Meynt with fetheres redde whyte and grene And deuyse wonder incruaylous And of folkes that were amerous The tokens borne to shewe openly How they in loue brente inwardly Some hye empryse that day to fulfylle And there were herde the loude noyses shrylle Ferre in the felde and the dredefull souns Bothe of trumpettes and of claryouns That the kalendes of shedynge out of blode And with the noyse almoste for rage wode The fomy brydelles and the mouthes blede And furyous neyhyng of many bastarde stede Praunsynge of hors vpon eyther syde With all the ensygnes that myght be of pryde On grekes partye and on troye also In knyghtly wyse for to haue a do Euery warde standynge in his place The firste a sonder but a lytell space Began to a reproche with all their full entent And Ector tho full vnpacyent Formest of all on the syde of Torye The Ire of whome no man myght accoye But lyke a Lyon in his hungry rage Yssued out furyous of vysage Towarde grekes on his myghty stede That with his spores made his sydes blede His knyghtly herte so inly was to torne Of mortall Ire and as he rode toforne Brennynge full hote in his melancolye The whiche thynge whan grekes gan espye Patroclus without more abode Of surquedye afore the wardes rode Out all toforne in bothe hoostes syght For to encountre playnely if he myght With worthy Ector whan he hym sawe a ferre And as right lyne as is Dyameterre Rode vnto hym in his hatefull tene And with a spere sherpe grounde and kene Thorughout his shelde of enuyous rage He smote Ector without more damage Excepte oonly that the hede of stele That was afore forged and whet full wele Thorugh plate mayle myghtely gan glace But to the skynne for no thyng myght it trace Albe it came of passynge vyolence Yet to Ector it dyde none offence Out of his sadell ones hym to flytte For though that he sturdely hym hytte He myght nat bakwarde bowe his chyne Nor on no partye make hym to enclyne But fatally to his confusyon This myghty man this troyan champyon In his Ire aye brennynge more and more Vpon hym the hate frat so sore Left his spere myne Auctor wryteth thus And with a swerde rode to Patroclus Auysed fully that he shal be dede And furyously gan ayme at his hede And rofe hym downe theyr was no maner let Into the breste thorugh his basenet As sayth Guydo with so great a payne That with his stroke he parted hym it wayne His mortall swerde whetted was so kene That Patroclus myght nat sustene Vpon his hors but fyll downe to grounde As he that caught his laste fatall wounde Beynge present his knyghtes euerychone And delyuerly vpon hym anone Worthy Ector from his stede a downe Descendyd is lyke a wode lyowne Of hatefull Ire brennynge as the fyre Hauynge in herte
this noble worthy kynge And all attones without more tariynge Maugre all tho that made resystence From grekes swerde by myghty vyolence They haue reskewed the noble kynge Phyon And at his large with them he is goon Of his escape wonder gladde and lyght And Ector than with many lusty knyght Retourned is and Dephebus also Pollydamas and many another to Of Troyan knyghtes that desyre newe Grekes to make sore for to rewe For of assent they fully them purpose In suche myschefe grekes to enclose That if they myght fewe shulde escape And therupon knyghtly they them shape And them began fresshely for to assayle That in the felde grekes gan to fayle Of theyr power and to lese theyr lande That fynally thorugh the myghty hande And the force of Troianysshe knyghtes The grekes hadde maugre all theyr myghtes Be brought that day to confusyowne But Menelay and kynge Thelamowne Whan they them sawe febly and apeyre They of knyghthode made them to repeyre And so lyke men they haue themself diffendyd Tyll Eneas from Troye is discendyd With Ewfremus the Duke the manly man And with theyr knyghtes of newe they began Efte agayne grekes to oppresse And Ector aye thorugh his worthynesse Lyke a lyon with a sterne face Euer in one so gan them to enchace That compellyd of necessyte They were echone afore his swerde to fle And constrayned ryght of very nede Of whiche thynge whan Ayax gan take hede Hadde in herte great compassyon To se the slaughter and confusyon On grekes syde Guydo maketh mynde And gan to loke at his backe behynde And sawe where many warde stode abrode And many baner and penowne that abode Amyd the felde hole and nat for broke That redy were attones to be wroke If nede were on them of Troye towne In whiche wardes without excepcyowne Was hole the floure of grekes chyualtye To whom anone Ayax gan hym hye As he that was sore in herte agreued And with his crye he hath them so cōmeued That they in haste them to come to reskuse Amonges whom was there no refuse And as faste as they gan assemble Of noyse of hors the erthe gan to tremble Furyously as they togydre flynge There myght men the strokys here rynge Of sperys sharpe thorugh the harneys borne And thorugh sheldes wrought of stele horne Into the breste sturdy square and brode And there I fynde how that Ayax rode To Eneas and he to hym also So great enuye was atwyxe them two That nat but deth myght theyr yre apese For in herte nouther myght haue ese Tyll with sperys sharpe grounde and whette On hors backe they haue togydre mette And at Coupynge so sore they haue hytte That eueryche other to the erth smytte That to beholde was a knyghtly syght And after they bothe on fote fyght By lyklyhede in theyr wode rage Outher to falle in full great damage Amonge the horse because that they stode Vpon the soyle a louer sparde with blode But Phyloteas is to Ayar come And hath hym vp amonge the horse ynome That knyghtly faught as made is memorye For sothely ellys Troyans with victorye Hadde had the felde playnely for to sayne Tyll Phyloteas with his wardes twayne Euen in the face manly them withstode And with a spere he firste to Ector rode And vpon hym the shafte I fynde he brake But sothly he vpon his horse bake Kept hym so well for all that felle stroke Remeuynge nat but sturdy as an oke Sat in his sadell vpryght with his chyne And with a spere right as any lyne Into body depe thorugh the shelde Phyloteas he smote into the felde That of his lyfe his knyghtes were in doute But tho came in with so great a route Bynge Humerus and vlixes eke And with them brought many worthy greke Ten thousande knyghtes manly men echone That gan Troyans for to assoyle anone And cruelly on euery halfe certayne With multytude they haue them so be layne That dispayred and disconsolate And of longe fyght awaped and a mate Gan withdrawe faynted in batayle And eke theyr hors sothly gan fayle That on theyr syde all went vp so downe But Parys tho with them of Troye towne Is entrede in in full manly wyse And firste he mette with the kynge of Fryse That to Vlixes was nye of allye Whom Parys smote with so great enuye That he hym slewe wherof grekes were Sore abasshed and after with a spere Vlixes to de to auenge hym if he myght And firste whan he of Parys hadde a syght Into the reste he gan his spere throwe That fynally for he bare to lowe Faylynge of Parys sothly as I rede Vnder hym he slewe his myghty stede That maugre hym he to grounde is gone And he on hym wolde haue falle anone But Troylus tho mette hym in the berde And furyously with his sharpe swerde He smote Vlixes thorugh out his vyser That lyke a condyte or a small ryuer Downe by his face of blode the stremys ran But vlixes lyke a manly man Of that stroke astoned nat at all But on his stede styffe as any wall With his swerde so myghtely gan race Thorughe the vmbrer into Troylus face That he hym gaue a large mortall wounde Of whiche stroke passyngly iocounde The grekes were supposyng in theyr thought How Troyans fynally were brought Vnto out traunce and sothely so they hadde Saue that Ector with kynghtes whiche he ladde And with hym eke Parys and Dephebus And all his brethren i knyghthod most famous Troylus also for all his laste wounde That was alway so noble knyght y◠founde All attones Ioyned into one Vpon grekes sodaynely be gone And worthy Ector alder firste began Grekes to enchace that afore hym ran Lyke as bestes that fledde fro the deth And euer in one with his swerde he sleth Whom he mette or durste his stroke abyde And on his soon with fresshe woundes wyde The slaughter he made alway to renewe And thylke daye in blody rosen hewe He hath theyr platys theyr harneyse steyned And though it hadde blode fro heuen reyned The soyle redder myght nat a ben And aye ylyche as a swarme of been The grekes flockmele fledde out of his way And Guydo sayth that all that ylke day Actor hadde formest on the playne In the frounter of the grekes layne That behynde the knyghtes of his Garde For lacke of hym were all out of warde Wherfore whan he hadde sought longe And grekes sawe of newe wexe stronge To his knyghtes he is agayne repayred Whiche in themselfe greatly were dispayred For his absence but tho whan they hym se Full inwardely recomforted be And with glad herte haue their lorde receyued And theyr gladnesse whan he hath parceyued Spake vnto them full affectuously And prayed them full benyngnely To remembre knyghtly in theyr herte And consyder wysely and aduerte Firste the wronges that grekes haue them do Of yore agoo and ouermore also If grekes hadde that day victorye Farewell for aye the honour and the
glorye Of Troyan blode in conclusiowne For fynally we and eke our towne Shall mortally turne to ruyne And our honour that was wont to shyne Thorugh out the worlde and our worthynesse Eclypse shall and turne to derkenesse But ye this day lyke as men you quyte Wherfore I praye that no man atwyte Your hye renowne of any cowardyse To sette vpon in full manly wyse And nat to spare for drede of deth I praye And they echone full lowely gan obaye To his desyre without lenger tale And entrynge in by a certayne vale Vpon grekes this worthy knyghtes all Folowynge Ector sodaynely be fall Full mortally or that they were ware And Ector tho no greke wolde spare But euery where to theyr confusyon He kylled and slewe aboute hym enuyron And his knyghtes rydynge by his syde Made theyr â—omen maugre all theyr pryde To lese theyr londe flewe out of theyr syght Tyll that the kynge whiche Toas hyght On grekes syde in warde gan hym dresse And of newe full knyghtly gan oppresse Them of Troye this kynge this manly man That hadde afore slayne Cassybelan One of the sones of kynge Pryamus But as he rode of fortune it felle thus That all the bretherne on a frusshe he mette Whiche of assent enuyron hym be sette And from his sadell that many greke behelde Amonge the hors smethym into the felde And of they rente firste his basenet And cruelly they hadde his hede of smet For he vnarmed all at myschefe stode Saue that the Duke furyous and wode Of Athenys rydynge a great pace Reskued hym in this mortall cace With is knyghtes that aboute hym rode And hym to helpe without more abode With aspere sharpe whette and kene Firste of all he felle on Quyntylene That besy was Thoas to haue slawe And the bretherne he made also withdrawe Whan Quyntylene of his hors was throwe But Parys tho drewe vp his myghty bowe And to this duke lette an arowe glyde And thorugh his plates hyt hym in the syde Vpon a ryb that made hym sore blede Of whiche stroke he ne toke no hede Bycause oonly that he so feruent was Amyd his foon to helpe kynge Thoas Amonge the hors that was bore to grounde In poynt of deth with many mortall wounde Oonly for he was naked on the hede But this Duke fully deuoyde of drede Of his knyghode in this pecyllous caas Amyd his foon hath holpe kynge Thoas And with his lyfe made hym scape free And Ector aye of cruell enmytee Ilyche fresshe for no thynge wolde leue Vpon grekes his manhode for to preue Enforsynge hym to theyr destruccy wone And as he rode amonge them vp downe Kynge Humerus hath a bowe take And to shote gan hym redy make And hatefully therin sette an arowe And to Ector he marked hath so narowe That he smote hym euen amyd the face But or he myght any fertherpase Ector smet hym with so great a payne That with his swerde he rose his hede at wayne The deth of whom whan the grekes knowe Myn Auctor sayth they haue an horne yblowe That vnwarly with that dredefull sowne Seuen thousaÌ„de knyghtê came attones downe Aboute Ector without more abode But he of force thorugh them all he rode Maugre theyr myght that hym tho with sette And slowe all tho that his waye lette And stynte nat playnely tyll he cam To his Fader the worthy kynge Pryam With many worthy full famous of renowne That with his knyghtes faste by the towne Lay all the daye with men on hors and foote As he that was of knyghode croppe and roote And kept hym close of full hye prudence Tyll Ector came vnto his presence And hym besoughte in this great nede With thre thousande that he wolde hym spede Vpon grekes in theyr felle rage To falle on them at moost auauntage ANd than i hast this worthy Pryamus With his knyghtes fresshe desyrous Towarde grekes hath the waye take And suche a mordre gan vpon them make That many grekes lay dede on the playne For Pryamus so sore hath them be layne On euery halfe thorugh his great myght That they full faste fledde out of his syght So sore of newe he vpon them sette And as I fynde they togydre mette Actor and Ayax of very auenture And on theyr stedes stronge and wonder sure The storye sayth in all the haste they konne Lyke wood lyons they togydre ronne With so great myght yâ— were they lefe or lothe Vpon the playne they were vnhorsed bothe And in this whyle Menelay the kynge Sodaynely as he came rydynge He slewe of Troye a worthy Amyrall And thus the slaughtre passyngly mortall Benewed aye for Celydonas The neue we slewe of kynge Thoas And Madan met myn Auctor wryteth thus A grekysshe kynge called Cedyus Whiche with his swerde suche a stroke hym sette That thorughe yâ— vmbrer out his eye he smette And Sardellus that was of Troye eke The same whyle slewe a worthy greke A lorde of name and of hye prowesse All though Guydo his name nat expresse And than also came Margaryton On troye syde agayne Thelamon And bothe two inly sette a fyre Of hye disdayne and of hatefull yre And they mette on hors backe yfere Kynge Thelamon sothly as I lere Gaue vnto hym a woundefull cruell But tho came in the troyan Phanuell And Prothenor smote downe of his stede And thus the sones playnely as I rede Of Pryamus no thynge disamayde The grekes haue on euery part outrayed And so knyghtly all the daye them borne That many greke fatally hath lorne His lyfe in sothe of hate and enmyte And kynge Duglas is falle on Meneste Of Athenys Duke and gouernoure And with aspere of Ire and olde rancoure He ran at hym smet hym amyd the shelde But for all that his sadell yet he helde And for the duke spere hadde none He with a swerde to Duglas rode anone And thorugh the owmbrer rofe of nye his nase That he astoned stode as in a mase Whan that he sawe the condyte of his blode So streme out but for all that he rode Out asyde fully deuoyde of fere Vnto tyme that he staunched were But Deamor his owne brother dere Whan he behelde his mortall blody chere Of hye disdayne he rode to Meneste And hym vnhorseth but vp anone sterte he And or he myght fully vp aryse Another brother in full cruell wyse Is falle on hym so that of them thre Attones were vpon Meneste Fully in purpose he shall lese his lyfe But he so knyghtly bare hym in that stryfe Agaynst them that wonder was to se And vpon hym moste cruell of them thre Was one Thoras eldest of echone Whiche hym to a slayne was besy euer in one For all to broke they haue his basenet But whan that Tenter sawe hym so beset A grekysshe kynge as made is mencyon Hadde in his herte great compassyon And thought playnly of manhode hym releue And if he myght his foomen for to
drede As brennynge yre and as great hatrede To Achylles his deth for to puruey If he hym founde or in place sey Conuenyent for execucyon I trowe there shulde hym gayne no raunson Nor other mede his herte to quyete But onely deth whan so that they mete This the ende and fyne of this matere As in this boke after ye shall here And thus Grekes made haue an ende Of theyr counsayle and an one they wende Eueryche of them home to theyr lodgynge And toke theyr reste tyll the morenynge ¶ Howe the Troyans toke kynge Thoas prysoner and ledde hym into Troye Ca. xxiiij WHan Aurora with syluer droppes shene Hitterys shadde vpon y◠fresshe grene Cōplaynȳge ay in wepyng i sorowe Hir childrens deth euery somer morowe This to saye whan the dewe so soote Enbawmed hath the floure and eke the roote With lusty lycoure in Apryll and in May Whan the larke messager of day Of custome aye Aurora doth salue With sondry notes hir sorowe to transmue Or Phebus ryse to ioye and gladnesse Thorugh Armonye to leue hir heuynesse Takynge hir leue with seynt Iohn̄ to borowe The same tyme Grekes by the morowe With lusty herte erely dyde aryse And armed them in all theyr beste wyse For they them caste that daye for to goon Into the felde to mete with theyr foon And Ector hath the same morowe also I caste hym fully with grekes haue ado And yssued is knyghtly out of troye In herte he hath so great desyre and ioye The same day with grekes for to fyght And with hym ladde many lusty knyght Of suche as were of the Cyte borne And forth he rode hymselfe all aforne And Eneas with many a worthy Folowed after wonder faste by And Parys than and next hym Dephebus And sythe Troylus that was couragyous With all the wardes made of troye towne In wiche as Dares maketh mencyowne Within his boke there were on troye syde Of fyghtynge men that went and dyde ryde An hondred thousande armed for to go Into the felde and fyfty thousande mo Whiche haue them caste that day or at eue Of one entent Grekes for to greue And so they mette strongly on outher syde And gan assemble and togydre ryde Full cruelly and with great hatrede And with them tho that Parys dyde lede He entrede in full myghty stronge Archeres Of Perce londe and many Arbalasteres that with theyr arrowes fyled sharpe rounde And with quarelles square whette grounde Full many greke hath reuyd of his lyfe And amyddes of this mortall stryfe Agamenon into the felde is come Towardes whom Ector hath ynome The right way and threwe hym of his stede Amonge his knyghtes that he dyde lede He spared nought for all the great prees And therwithall anone came Achylles That in awayte of Ector hadde layne And sodaynely with all his myght and payne ¶ Ector he smote on the hede so sore That with the stroke myn Auctour sayth no more His basenet was bowed and ycrased Of whiche stroke Ector nat amased On Achylles shulde anone yfalle Ne hadde Eneas with his knynghtes alle And worthy troylous come and go betwene The whiche twayne with their swerdes kene Gan Achylles felly for to assayle To hewe his plates and to perce his mayle And tho began the slaughter on euery syde Of men of foote and of them that ryde Lyke a condyte their woundes gan blede And in this whyle cruell Dyomede Were it by hap aduenture or caas So as he rode hath mette with Eneas And right anone as he hadde hym founde He smet at hym and gaue hym such a wounde That lykely was he shulde nat recure But if therto be do the better cure And therupon full despyteously This Dyomede in his melancoly Repreuyd hath this troyan knyght Enee And sayd to hym all heyle for thou art he That whylom gaue to Pryamus the kynge A felle counsayle hasty and bytynge Me for to a slayne by sodayne vyolence Whan I was laste at troye in his presence That truste me well and haue it wel in mynde Amyd the felde if I the efte fynde Thou shalt thy counsayle mortally repente If that Fortune here after wyll assente To brynge the a right vnto my hande At good leyser here in thyne owne lande I am full sette thy labour for to quyte here my trouth this swerde shal kerue byte So kenely thy troyan blode to shede That fynally deth shal be thy mede The which I bere atwene my handes twayne And with that worde he myght hȳ nat restrayne This Dyomede but rode all sodaynely Vpon Enee and so furyously He smote at hym this hardy cruell knyght With suche a payne and so great a myght That from his hors he made hym for to falle Maugre the myght of his knyghtes alle The whiche stroke he lyked full ylle And in this whyle Ector hath Achylle Assayled so that thorugh his basenet He perced hath with his swerde hym smet And so narowe brought hym to the poynt Of hye myschefe and in such disioynt Constrayned hym that of necessyte He hadde hym take ne had oonly be Sodayne reskues of his chyualrous That called is the sone of Tydeus I meane the felle fyerse Dyomede Whiche Achylles hath holpen in this nede For he thorugh force of his armes twayne Smote Ector tho with so great a payne That he hym gaue a wounde full greuous But he no thȳge myn Auctour wryteth thus Astoned was this knyght this manly man But with his swerd in all the haste he can Smote Dyomede so furyous and wrothe That from his hors to the erth he gothe For all his pryde and his surquedrye The whiche anone as Troylous dyde espye Without abode downe of his stede a lyght With Dyomede a fote for to fyghte And eche of them in sothfastnesse than Aquyte hymselfe lyke a manly man That nouther was in moche nor lyte In no degree of manhode for to wyte And whyle they faught Ector and Achylles Togydre mette agayne amonge the prees And ran yfere fyersly in theyr rage As woode lyons whan they be ramage Right so in sothe they fared in theyr fyghtyng And in that tyme Menelay the kyng Full proudely shope hym troyans for to mete Vlixes eke and also Polymete And after hym came Neptolonyus Pallamydes and eke Scelemus Duke Menestee Nestor and Thoas Currynulus and Phylotheas Aud Theseus as it is made mynde With his knyghtes proudely came behynde And on the partye of them of the towne Came all the kynges without excepcyowne That were assembled into theyr diffence Agayne Grekes to make resystence Except the knyghtes whiche Ector ladde And the wardes that he made hadde The same daye as sayth the Latyn boke In knyghtly wyse the felde whan that he toke And tho began the felle mortall fyght In whiche that day ful many worthy knyght In Fatyshondes fynally are falle And of Fortune amonge the wardes alle Agamenon the noble myghty kynge All sodaynely as he came rydynge Pantysylaus
Troye hadde tho belet At theyr repeyre the storye telleth thus He had the manhode be of Pryamus The whiche anone as any lyon stronge With his swerde gan ryde them amonge And seuered them with large woundes wyde And slewe all tho that wolde his swerde abyde Euery where endelonge the playne And Parys eke hath them so belayne With myghty shote of his stronge Archerys And with the pursuyte of his Arbalasterys That they ne myght of the shote so kene The mortall harme abyde nor sustene But gan anone to fle out of the place And kyng pryam so narowe gan them chace That of nede and necessyte Thorugh the slaughtre and the cruelte Of his swerde sharpe whette and grounde There was no greke in the felde yfounde But fled away eueryche to his tent And they of Troye be to theyr cyte went Bycause it drewe faste towarde nyght For Phebus hadde be reued them his lyght And so the honour of his hye victorye The worshyp eke the laude and memorye Perpetuelly and the palme also Pryam the kynge hath wonne and no mo For that day in release of his sorowe And as I rede on the next morowe He hath ysent out of Troye towne For atrewes to Agamenowne Whiche graunted was the selfe day at pryme Albe therof rehersyd be no tyme How longe it laste in the boke expresse Durynge the whiche they dyd their besynesse Hertely laboure and inwarde dylygence For to ordayne with great reuerence How that the corps of the worthy kynge Of Perce londe without more tariynge With kyngly honour out of Troye towne Shall caryed be into this regyowne To be buryed with his predecessours With outher kynges his progenytours The whiche thynge was complete by the aduys Of Alysaunder that called was Parys And firste the corps enbawmed rychely Conueyed was full solempnely As wryte Guydo with an huge route Of his knyghtes rydynge hym aboute Tryste and heuy cladde in blacke echone And with the chare the right way they gone Towardes Perce ledynge of this kynge The dede corps towarde his buriynge Whiche halowed was lyke his estate royall And in this whyle the feste funerall Was holde also with great deuocyowne Of worthy Ector within Troye towne Lyke the custome vsed in tho dayes And the rytes of theyr paynem layes The whichefeste as made is mencyon Fro yere to yere by reuolucyon Yhalowed was the space of fourtenyght With many flawme and many hydous lyght That brent enuyrowne in the seyntuarye And called was the Anyuersarye For that it came aboute yere by yere A certayne day in theyr Kalendere In whiche of custome for a remembraunce The people shulde by contynuaunce Playne and wepe and also praye and rede For theyr frendes that afore were dede Full pyteously with theyr heer to torne Mornynge in blacke and knelynge aye aforne The dede corps of this worthy knyght Whiche in his tyme passynge was of myght And this was done whyle the trewes dure So that Grekes trustely myght assure Whan that them lyste at good lyberte Without daunger entre the cyte Day by day and Troyans myght also Vnto Grekes frely come and go AT whiche tyme with full great delyte Hath Achylles caught an apetyte To entre and se the maner of the towne Without wysdome or discrecyowne For to beholde playnely and to se Hooly the maner of this solempnyte And forth he went on a certayne day Towarde Troye in all the haste he may Vnarmed sothly as myn Auctour sayth Without assuraunce or any other fayth Except the trewes who so be lefe or loth And firste of all to the temple he goth Of Appollo halowed was the feste Thorugh out the towne downe vnto the leste That cleped was the Anyuersarye As ye haue herde what shulde I lenger tarye And many worthy present was there at Amyd the temple of hye and lowe estat Lordes and ladyes of affeccyowne From euery parte gaderyd of the towne Now was the corps of this worthy knyght As fresshe of coloure kept vnto the syght As lyfely eke and as quycke of hewe To beholde as any rosenewe Thorugh vertue oonly of the gommys swete And the bawme that gan aboute flete To euery ioynt and eche extremyte And at this feste and solempnyte Was Eccuba and yonge Polycene So womanly and goodly on to sene With many other of hye estate and lowe Tofore the corps syttynge on a rowe With heer vntrussyd cladde in wedes blake That euer in one suche a sorowe make That routh was and pyte for to sene How they playne and the deth by mene Of worthy Ector of knyghthod groūd welle But trowe ye as Guydo lyste to telle That Polycene in all hir wofull rage Ychaunged hath vpon hir vysage Hyr natyfe colour as fresshe to the syght As is the rose or the lylyes whyte Outher the fresshenesse of hir lyppes rede For all the terys that she gan to shede On hir chekes as any crystall clere Hyr heer also resemblynge to golde wyere Whiche lay abrode lyke vnto the syght Phebus bemys in his spere bryght Whan he to vs doth his lyght auale And aye she rent with hir fyngers smale Hyr golden heer on hir blacke wede Of whiche thynge Achylles toke good hede And gan meruayle greatly in his thought How god or kynde euer myght haue wrought In theyr werkes so fayre a creature For hym thought he myght nat endure To beholde the bryghtnesse of hir face For he felte thorugh his herte pace The persynge stremys of hir eyen two Cupydes bronde hath hym marked so For loue of hyr that in his desyre He brente as hote as any fyre And after soone with sodayne colde he quoke And alway fyxe on hir he had his loke So that the arrowe of the god Cupyde Perced hym euen thorugh the syde To the herte and gaue hym suche a wounde That neuer was lykely for to be sownde And aye in one his loke on hir he caste As he durste and gan to prese faste Towarde hir namely with his eye That hym thought he must nedes deye But if that he founde in hir some grace There was no geyne for playnely in y◠place Of newe he was caughte in loues snare That of helth and of all welfare He was dispeyred in his herte so That he ne knewe what was beste to do Eche other thynge I do you well assure He set at nought and toke of it no cure His thought was hole on hir and no mo The longe day thus went he to and fro Tyll Phebus chare lowe gan declyne His golden axtre that so clere doth shyne This to saye the sonne went downe ¶ Whan Eccuba quene of Troye towne And hir doughter Polycene also Out of the Temple to the paleys go And aye Achylles on hir had a syght Whyle he myght tyll for lacke of lyght He maye no more haue leyser opportune To loke on hir cursed be Fortune For whiche in haste he maked hath his went With his knyghtes home to his Tent Where he anone
very shoures and welle Displaese it nat now that I shall telle To youre noble famous excellence Nor to your Erys let be none offence That I shall say but of goodlyhede Pacyently that ye wyll take hede To my wordes sayde of herte and thought I you ensure for I fayne nought This to saye if ye remembre well The firste cause and purpose euerydell Of the grekes if ye haue mencyon Was fully sette by one entencyon As well of you as of vs parde Whan we come firste to this Cyte Kynges Prynces I except none Of whiche in sothe to reken euerychone Your selfe was to speke in specyall One of the firste and most pryncypall Assentyd full how Troye the Cyte Thorugh our manhode destroyed shulde be Perpetuelly brought vnto ruyne But now of newe I note what doth enclyne Your worthynesse sodaynely to varye And to our purpose for to be contrarye Consyder firste of you that be so sage The wronges done and the great damage In Grekes londe of them of the towne Conspyrynge aye to our destruccyowne If ye aduerte wysely in your thought That slayne haue and to an ende brought Full many worthy sythe gone full yore And of treasoure that no man may restore Despoyled vs and brought in great distresse Our goodes raughte our golde our rychesse Our shyppes brent thorugh theyr cruelte And to all this alas ye lyste nat se Now that they be whiche may nat be delayed Thorugh your manhode fynally outrayed Syth ye haue slayÌ„e theyr hope their suffysauÌ„ce Actor in whom was all theyr affyaunce Fully theyr truste and diffence also And Dephebus also is a go And lykely are more to be apeyred Fro day to day and fynally dispeyred So frowardly Fortune on them loureth And now your honour your fame floureth In his worshyp and your hye renowne Atteyned hath the exaltacyowne And hyest prycke of Fortunes whele It were great wronge and ye loke wele Of wylfulnesse for to be vnkynde To hir that ye so frendely to you fynde Or to be frowarde whyle she is benygne By influence gracyously to assygne Hir spokys meue vnto your plesaunce And hap to tourne with plente on your chaunce After whose helpe you nedeth nat to calle ¶ Wherfore alas why wyll ye suffre palle Your noble fame of very wylfulnesse Whyle it is hyest in his worthynesse Your knyghtly prudence it shulde natâ—a sâ—â—rte Of whiche thynge euery gentyll herte Shulde haue routhe and compassyon Wherfore we praye of discrecyon That ye you shape this purpose to amende And that ye wolde of herte condiscende With vs to stonde knyghtly in this werre By your manhode that is spoke of so ferre That your renowne to the worldes ende Reported be where so that men wende Perpetuelly by fresshenesse of hewe Day be day to encrease newe That the tryumphe of this hye victorye Be put in storye and eke in memorye And so enprentyd that foryetylnesse No power haue by malys to oppresse Your fame in knyghthode dyrke or difface That shyneth yet so clere in many place Without Eclypsynge sothly this no lesse Whiche to conserne ye be now reckelesse Of wylfulnesse to cloude so the lyght Of your renowne that whylom shone so bryght Your myghty hande of manhode to with drawe Consyder firste how Grekes are yslawe Tofore your Tent with mortall woundes wyde Thorugh out the felde vpon euery syde And haue disdayne oonly for lacke of routhe Alas the whyle for a lytell slouthe To ley to hande in theyr myschefe at all That whylom were theyr stroÌ„ge myghty wall Theyr chefe diffence and theyr champyowne Soueuerayne helpe and proteccyowne For whom ye haue so ofte shadde your blode Agayne theyr foon with them whan he stode Full myghtely theyr enmyes to assayle Without whom they lytell may auayle In very sothe ne none of vs echone But ye of knyghthode lyste with vs to gone Agayne Troyans as ye were wont to do As is our truste and fynall hope also That ye shall helpe and our socour be And here vpon we praye you that ye Saye your auyse and your full wylle And than anone the hardy fyerse Achylle Whan vlixes concludyd hadde his tale With a face for anger dede and pale Sayde euen thus all openly and playne Syr vlixes if so right as ye sayne And haue declaryd in conclusyon That our purpose and entencyon Was fynally to brenne and destroye This royall Cyte that is called Troye I holde in sothe me lyketh nat to lye That our entent was grounded on folye To put vs all thorugh in discrecyon Of reckeleshede and hasty mocyon Of lyfe and deth in suche Iupardye And specyally in all the Chyualrye Of Grekes londe for so smale a thynge So many prynce and many worthy kynge That haue Iuparted theyr body theyr gode Yloste theyr lyfe and yspent theyr blode Which myght haue be full well at home iÌ„ pees And is nat nowe the kynge Pallamydes Yslawe also as who sayth but of newe That was so wyse so manly and so trewe Of whom the lyfe was of more pryse alone Than the cause for whiche that we echone Be gaderyd here who so loke a ryght And of Grekes many a noble knyght That haue be slayne bothe of the worthyest The worlde to seke and the manlyest For out of euery lande and regyowne On grekes party and with them of the towne Of chyualry of knyghthod the sourayne floure To wynne in armes worshyp and honoure Assembled be and come fro so ferre Of whiche in sothe by duresse of this werre Full many one in the felde is dede And veryly without any drede There shall well mo if the werre laste For euery day the nombre lasseth faste Of worthy knyghtes dede without routhe That I dare saye and conclude of trouthe In this rage furyous and wode Full lykely is that all the gentyll blode Thorugh out this worlde shall destroyed be And rurall folke and that were great pyte Shall haue lordshyp and hooly gouernaunce And Churles eke with sorowe myschaunce In euery londe shall lordes be alone Whan gentyll men slayne be echone Is nat Ector that was so noble a knyght That was this worldes very sonne and lyght Of manhode floure slayne pyteously In this werre in soth and so myghte I Parauenture whiche may nat attayne To his noblesse if I shall nat fayne For by what waye shall we the deth eschewe With all our myght if we it pursewe Fro day to day whyle that we lye here Therfore shortely me for to requere Touchynge the werre outher for to praye Is but in vayne and herken what I saye I nat purpose in this werre or stryfe For to Iuparte any more my lyfe For leuer I haue that pallyd be my name Than to be slayne and haue an ydell fame For worthynesse after deth yblowe Is but a wynde and lasteth but a throwe For though renowne and pryse be blowe wyde Foryetylnesse leyth it ofte asyde By lengthe of yeres and oblyuyon Thorugh enuye and false conclusyon The
hertes be Or knyghtly force in aduersyte For to endure by vertue of suffraunce Tyll of his deth ye take may vengaunce And manly quyte this outragyous offence Whan tyme coÌ„meth to make recompence But syth that ye be manly and prudent I wolde firste se the playne entent In this mater of you that be so wyse Hereupon what is your aduyse By one assente and voyce in comune Where that ye wyll the werre forth contune And the sege ygonne vpon this towne Tyll they be brought to destruccyowne Or into Grece now resorte agayne For cause oonly that Achylles is slayne That whylom was your stronge ChaÌ„pyowne Your diffence and proteccyowne But fynally now that he is dede Hereupon lette se what is your rede Saye openly and no lenger tarye And some anone gonne for to varye And to grutche castynge to and fro Stondynge in doute what were beste to do And some sayde on the tother syde For lyfe or deth they wolde an ende abyde And some of them that of wytte were rude For theyr partye gonne to conclude That they wolde home agayne retourne And other sayde that they wyll soiourne Styll at the sege happe what happe may And thus they treate all the longe day Euery man lyke his oppynyon Tyll at the laste in conclusyon They be accorded fully into one Fro the sege neuer for to gone Vnto the tyme they haue of the towne Thorugh theyr knyghthode full possessyon At theyr fce wyll to spylle and to saue All be Achylles was buryed and ygraue For the truste of euery worthy knyght Was fynally as goddes haue behyght That they in haste shall the towne possede This was the hope fully deuoyde of drede Vndispeyred in theyr oppynyon And than anone Ayax Thelamon A worthy knyght and famous of his hande Amonge all tho of the Grekes lande Sayde euen thus playnely in sentence Syres quod he that be here in presence My counsayle is platly and my rede Now it standeth so that Achylles is dede For his sone in all haste to sende Hyder to come for to se an ende Of the sege and helpe vs in this nede ¶ Whiche nowe abyt with kynge Lycomede His bysayel and named is Pirrus And some hym call Neptolonyus Right lusty fresshe and by lyklynesse Able to attayne to great worthynesse As by reporte and the fame is kouthe If he drawe hym to armes in his youthe And sothfastly but if bokes lye As I haue redde and herde by prophecye That fynally Troye the Cyte Without hym shall neuer wonne be Thus bokes saye that be of olde memorye And how grekes shall haue no victorye Tyll he come this sone of Achylles Wherfore in haste and be nat reckeles Sende for hym that it be done anone And they coÌ„mende his counsayle euerychone And to his rede fully them assente And by aduyse full prudently they sente In all haste on this embassyat The wyse kynge full famous of estat I mene the prudent noble Menelay And forth he goth the selfe same day And on his iourney gan hym faste spede Tyll that he came vnto Lycomede The olde kynge as ye haue herde me telle Wherfore a tyme I wyll leue hym dwelle And to Grekes in the mene whyle So as I can directe agayne my style ¶ Howe Parys Thelamon Ayax slewe eche other in the felde Capitulo xxxiij THe tyme of yere whan the shene sonne In the Crabbe had his course yronne To the hyest of his Ascencyon Whiche called is the somer stacyon Whan the vertue out of euery roote Is drawen vp and the bawme soote Into the crop and the fresshe floure Most lusty is of hewe and of coloure Tyll Phebus chare in his descencyon Out of the Crabbe towarde the Lyon Holdeth his course in the firmament I mene whan he is retrogradyent And dryeth vp the moysture and the wete Of herbe and floure with his feruent hete And all that veer afore hym made grene To whyte he tourneth with his bemys shene Bothe sede and grayne by decoccyon For naturelly by digestyon That firste was rawe in fruytes in floures And watery eke by plente of humoures He dryeth vp and rypeth at the fulle With his feruence that men may them pulle Eche in his kynde after the season Fro yere to yere by reuolucyon On theyr braunches fresshely as they sprede Whan that Cheryes powbly be and rede Firste in Iune that seweth after May Whan the hoote mery somers day No dwery is but lyke a geaunt longe The same tyme grekes stoute and stronge With rancour brent of theyr enuyous hete Haue shapen them with theyr foon to mete And bryght armed into felde they go And they of Troye out of the towne also And theyr wardes ordeyned euerychone The felde haue take to mete with theyr foon And gan to assemble vpon outher syde But Thelamon of foly and of pryde The same day of hym as I rede As he that hadde of his deth no drede Disarmed was for batayle of arest Of mayle and plate bare vpon his brest For of foly and surquedous outrage Bare his hede and bare eke his vysage And bare also without basenet And naked eke of vyser and palet Herode all day of no thynge aferde Hauynge no wepen but a naked swerde For wylfully he lefte at home his shelde And his spere whan he toke the felde Full lyke a knyght syttynge on his stede And after hym foloweth Dyomede Lyke Mars hym selfe aboute hym his meyne And faste by came duke Meneste Kynge vlyxes and Agamenon ANd Pryamus with them of troye towne Toke eke the felde with a full heuy chere For he was bothe ferefull and in were In great dispeyre and inly full of drede To yssue out now Ector was dede ¶ Worthy Troylus and also Dephebus For in hym selfe he demyd playnely thus That he was feblyd greatly of his myght After theyr deth with grekes for to fyght But out he goth hap what happe may And Parys eke full knyghtly of array Kynge Phylymene and Pollydamas ¶ Worthy Esdre and with them Eneas By one assent there is no more to seye The same day knyghtly lyue or deye In theyr diffence and vtterly Iuparte As goddes lyste the felde to departe And proudely firste the grekê they gan perce And Parys tho with them that were of Perce Fyll in asyde with the sonne shene And his archerys with arrowes square kene The grekes gan aâ—ondre to disseuere For in the felde they myght nat perseuerâ— Oonly for shot of the stronge archerys Of Perce londe and the Arbalasterys Whiche made them fle right of very nede Into tyme that proude Dyomede Whan he of grekes sawe this sodayne flyght Them to releue lyke a manly knyght Is come vpon felly in his tene And firste of all he sette on Phylyment A worthy kynge that came on Troye syde The whiche agayne gan at hym to ryde That Dyomede hath but lytell wonne With swerdes styffe as they togydre ronne That to beholde it was a noble syght
ferre Peas in the face but in the herte werre All openly confermed with theyr honde Inly to treason by assuraunce of bonde But though the venym was closyd with a wall It was nat hyd fro hym that knoweth all For certaynely so as clerkes teche Who that swereth falsly in his speche Flourysshynge outwarde by a fayre coloure For to deceyue his trewe neyghboure He is forsworne what so euer he be The treason hyd though men may nat se How so the worde be away yborne Who swereth by crafte is by crafte forsworne There may be made none excusacyon For god that knoweth the entencyon Demeth the herte and the worde right nought For he the wyll knoweth and the thought Of euery man nyghe and eke a fere Therfore beware no man hym forswere As Grekes dyde Troyans to deceyue That the fraude coude nat conceyue Supposynge that Grekes hadde be Faythfull and trewe of theyr surete But no thynge on they in herte thought Whiche in the ende they full dere abought Whan they founde fully the reuerse And to theyr speche the dede so dyuerse It were but vayne by and by to wryte Theyr fayned othes nor theyr wordes whyte Nor the cherys that they coude fayne But to conclude with the quene Eleyne Durynge the treate vpon the same day Delyueryd was to kynge Menelay And after that was payed the raunsowne Graunted tofore and gaderyd in the towne Golde and syluer where also and floure And to theyr shyppes with dylygent laboure In full great haste euery thynge was brought Where thorugh the Cyte after came to nought And grekes than by symulacyon Makynge a coloure of deuocyon Thorugh holynesse vnder Ypocrysye Falsly fayned by fraude and flatery The kynge haue prayed to haue lyberte Freely to Entre into the Cyte To make asseth by oblacyon For the thefte of Palladyon And offre vp the ryche stede of bras To the goddes that called is Pallas ¶ What kynge Pryam lyketh to assygne That she to them be wyllnge and benygne In theyr repeyre saylynge by the see Home into Grece towarde theyr countree Whan she is quemyd with his large stede Of whiche alas Pryam toke no hede The treason hyd he coude nat aduerte But graunted them with all his hole herte Whan that them lyst to brynge it into towne By false entysynge and suggestyowne Of Anthenor and also of Enee Hauynge no drede nor ambygnytee In his entent nor suspeccyon Nouther of fayngynge nor of false treason But right frendely lyke to his beheste Condescendeth vnto theyr requeste Theyr auowes that they myght obserue To offre vp this hors vnto Mynerue And grekes tho with great dylygence Full great honour and huge reuerence Haue shapen them with processyowne To brynge the stede into Troye towne The men of armes beynge aye thein By whom they calle Troye for to wyn In shorte tyme for it stode on the date And whan this hors brought was to the gate It was so narowe that there was no space For the stede into towne to pace Albe that they assayed ouer all Whefore Pryam bet a downe the wall To make it large right at theyr deuyse In whiche thynge alas he was vnwyse For cause cheâ—e of his confusyowne Was that this hors came into the towne But humbly forth they gan procede To the temple with this large stede And to Pallas mekely downe knelynge All attones they made there offrynge With fayned chere and false deuocyowne Wherof in herte glad was all the towne And specyall they that were of Troye But sothe is sayde that aye the fyne of ioye Who occupyeth as men full ofte se For vnwarely cometh aduersyte After gladnesse and mysauenture Whan men best wene for to ston de sure In worldly blysshe is none affyaunce So dyuers is his vnhappy chaunce Full of deceyte euer meynt with trouble And for to truste varyaunt and double And selde in one abydynge any throwe For worldly luste though it be now blowe With pompe and pryde with bost sowne Anone it passeth recorde of Troye towne That wende well by this ryche stede To haue be sure and deuoyde of drede Perpetuelly as I haue tolde tofore But whan grekes haue this hors ybore Tofore Pallas as ye haue herde me telle Them lyketh nat lenger for to dwelle In the boundes of this myghty towne But of purpose to the Greke Synowne They haue coÌ„mytted hole the gouernayle Of this stede the whiche wyll nat fayle Whan he seeth best opportunyte By his engyne to traysshe the Cyte And Grekes haue in this whyle founde A newe sleyghte them fully to confounde This to say they haue made theyr sonde To kynge Pryam they wolde go fro londe Vnto the see towarde Tenedowne And thyder sayle for this conclusyowne For that Eleyne by good aâ—ysement In secrete wyse thyder shal be sent For they dradde if vpon the londe She were delyuered shortly to theyr honde Grekes wolde of malys do theyr payne The more party to slee this Eleyne For she was grounde gynnynge of theyr wo The very roote and the cause also Of the slaughter of many worthy man Sythen the ryme the sege firste began Wherfore they sayde for to stynte all stryfe And to be sure for to saue hir lyfe The best was to lende hir out of syght Secretely to Tenedowne by nyght Thus they fayned of full false treason Pryam to put from all suspeccyon Alkaunce they wolde after neuer theyr lyue Resorte agayne with Troye for to stryue Thus they made Pryam for to wene But in the honde he was deceyued clene Of theyr deceyte knowynge neuer adele For in his herte he thought nat but we le Grauntynge them all that myght them please And whan they hadde at leyser and good ease Fro Troyesayled vnto Tenedowne ¶ With theyrnauye the false greke Synowne In Troye wakergan to take kepe The houre whan men were in theyr firste slepe And in all haste with his sleyghty gynne Many vyse and many sotyll pynne In the stede he made aboute gone The crafty lokes vndoynge euerychone And out he goth and gan anone to calle Within the hors the worthy knyghtes alle So secretely no man myght espye And traytoursly he gan hym for to hye Vpon the walles the selfe same nyght And towarde grekes gan to shewe a lyght Where as they lay tofore Tenedowne Redy armed to falle vpon the towne And whan they had this sodayne lyght espyed On hors backe anone they haue them hyed Towarde Troye armed clene at all And in they wente by the same walle Whiche for the hors was but late broke And mortally for to be a wroke The knyghtes eke in the stede of bras Haue with them met a full sterne paas And gan anone thorugh out the Cyte On euery halfe for to kylle and slee With blody swerde vpon euery syde And made theyr woundes brode large wyde Whyle they alas no thynge aduertynge At mydnyght houre a dedde lay slepynge Full innocent and thought nat but gode All for bathed in the
of Appollo Of Venus eke and fauour of Iuno Thorugh Pallas myght Dyane Mynerue Whom they were wont to honour serue With Cerymonyes and with sacryfyce As ye tofore haue herde me deuyse That them haue brought now vnto ruyne By cruell deth in a bed them to fyne Here may ye se how the venym bytes At the ende of suche olde rytes By euydence of this noble towne What may auayle now Palladyowne What may nowe helpe theyr frauded fantasye Of all theyr olde false Ydolatrye Alas alas they bought it all to sore Now farewell Troye farewell for euermore Farewell alas to cruell was thy fall Of the no more now I wryte shall For thy sake forsothe whan I take hede Of inwarde woo my herte I fele blede And whan that I remembre in my thought By ruyne how thou arte brought to nought That whylom were so noble and so ryche That in this worlde I trowe none was lyche Nor perrygall to speke of fayrenesse To speke of knyghthode or of worthynesse As clerkes say that thy byldynge knewe That all the worlde ought for to rewe On thy pyteous waste walles wylde Whylom so royall whan men gan to bylde Thy toures hye and kynge Pryamus The firste began moste ryche and gloryous And sette his see in noble Ylyon O who can wryte a lamentacyon Conuenyent O troye for thy sake Thy great myschefe to complayne and crye Certes I trowe nat olde Ieremye That so be wepte the captyuyte Of thylke noble royall chefe Cyte Ierusalem and his destruccyon With all the hole transmygracyon Of the Iewes nor thou Ezechyell That were that tyme whan the myschefe fell Vnto the kynge ycalled Sedeclye In Babylon and for thy prophesye With stones were cruelly yslawe Nor he that was departyd with a sawe Ye bothe two that coude so complayne Nor Danyell that felte so great payne For the kynges transmutacyon Into a beste tyll thorugh the oryson Of Danyell he restored was To mynde agayne and ete nomore gras ¶ Yet veryly though ye all thre With your wepynge hadde a lyue be And present eke at the destruccyowne Of this noble worthy royall towne To haue bewayled the myschefe and the wo And the slaughter at the sege do On outher partye in full cruell wyse All your terys myght nat suffyse To haue bewept theyr sorowes euerychone By treason wrought aswell as by theyr sone Hereof no more for it may nat auayle But lyke as he that gynneth for to sayle Agayne the wynde whan the maste doth ryue Right so it were but in vayne to stryue Agayne the face bytterer than galle By the vengeaunce vpon Troye falle Nor to presume theyr Furyes sharpe whette Ceryously in this boke to sette So great a thynge I dare nat vnder take But euen here a pyteous ende I make Of the sege after my symplesse And though my style be blotted with rudenesse As of metre be rusty and vnfyled The fourthe boke that I haue complyed With humble honde of drede yâ— doth me quake Vnto your grace hoolly I betake Of your mercy no thynge in dispeyre So as I can makynge my repeyre To the Grekes and no lenger dwelle Theyr auentures of the see to telle In theyr resorte home to theyr countre And how that they there receyued be Oonly of supporte so ye nat despyse The fyfthe Boke shortly shall deuyse ¶ Here begynneth the fyfth Boke of Troye the whiche speketh howe the Grekes retourned into Grece after the dystruccyon And howe they were perysshed almoste all in the see And after they that escaped dyed myscheuously Capitulo xxxvi WHan Eolus which doth the wyÌ„des rore Apesed was that he blewe no more Which is of stormys gouernor lorde And was also fully of accorde Whiche myghty Iuno lady of the ayre Tomake the skye and the weder fayre That clowde none in heuen dyde appere And Neptunus blaundysshynge of chere Was of assent the storye sayth for sothe To make the see fro tempest calme and smothe Without boyllynge or trouble of any wawe The myghty grekê to shypward gan theÌ„ drawe For to repeyre home to theyr countre After they hadde wonne the Cyte Put theyr fomen fully at the werse But Fortune aye frowarde and peruerse Hath with theyr merthe meynt aduersyte For whan they wende full assuryd be And haue stonde stedefaste in quyete This vlynde lady falsly made flete Into the yrsugre galle of discordaunce Amonge them selfe to brynge in varyaunce And theyr hertes of rancour and of pryde Contagyously to seueryne and deuyde Whan they sat hyest in theyr glorye With the palme of conquest and victorye Fully reioysynge thorugh theyr hye renowne The crowne of laurer in possessyowne And hadde also at theyr lust all wonne Whan bryghtest shone the lusty fresshe sonne From Eest to west of theyr worthynesse A clowdy skye vnwarely with derkenesse Eclypsed hath a party of theyr lyght And diffacyd the holsome bemys bryght Of theyr welfare and prosperyte By the enuyous false contagyouste Of the serpent pompouse and ellat Amonge them selfe tomake them at debate Indusynge in rancoure and discorde For or they entre within shyppes borde Agayne vlixes worthy Thelamon In presence of kynge Agamenon Purposed hath playnely his matere Tofore Grekes anone as ye shall here SYres quod he so it you nat greue Me semeth iustly of reasoÌ„ I may meue Touchyng the wyÌ„nyng gettyng of this towne With golde rychesse and possessyowne Fully delyuered and taken to our honde With all the treasoure founde in the londe The which me thynketh in my inwarde syght Ne hath nat ben departed halfe a ryght Amonge vs by iuste dyuysyon Nor by egall distrybusyon Consydred firste by tytle of equyte Of euery wyght the estate and dignyte Remembred eke in this sharpe shoure The worthyest the meryte and laboure And decertys in this mortall stryfe Grauntynge to eueryche his prerogatyfe Lyke Fortune as he hath deseruyd But this ordre hath nat be obseruyd Amonges vs without excepcyon In delyueraunce of Palladyon Whiche Vlixes I say without drede Tofore you all vniustly doth possede On hym vsurpynge by false oppynyon By merytorye retrybucyon And apparence his tytle for to grounde Vnder pretense of coloure falsly founde That he this relyke reioyse shulde of ryght By sleyghte wonne rather than of myght And vsurpeth by maner of a vaunt As it were gyuen to hym by graunt Of you echone for a chefe guerdon But I wyll make a replycacyon That this relyke is nat to hym mete Whiche he shall nat reioyse in quyete If that I may distourbe hym or lette For I it cleyme duely of dette As for guerdon to me conuenyent So that ye lyste to be indifferent Of reason oonly as it doth you seme Atwene vs two Egally to deme Iustly firste with euery circumstaunce Out outher meryte weyed in ballaunce Firste consydered forth fro day to day All the whyle that the sege lay That ye shulde of plente of vytayle On no syde fro no myschefe fayle And if I shall wtout auaunt out breke As
this malyce in werkynge Firste astoned in his inwarde syght All sodaynely stert vp lyke a knyght This wyse worthy this Pallamydes Hardy as Lyon amyd all the prees No thynge agaste hym knyghtly gan expresse And playnely sayde he wolde nat refuse To acquyte hym selfe of this horryble caas Nat exceptynge that he so worthy was Of byrthe and blode and of hye kynrede All this deuoydynge of knyghthode maÌ„hede As he that gaue of lyfe nor deth no fo rs Tofore them all to Iuparde his cors Within a felde where them lyste ordeyne Lyke as a knyght this quarell to dareyne With whom that lyst or durste it vndertake Excepcyon hym lyked none to make Of hye nor lowe who that were so bolde To preue the reason that I haue you tolde Besechynge them to make no delay Nor prolonge hym but the same day Manly requerynge it may be do in haste But they yâ— had falsly this thynge compaste Of his answere stoned were echone In all the hoost that there was nat one That hardy was if I shall nat feyne In chaump close this quarell to dareyne Nouther Vlixes nouther Dyomede Chefe workers of this foule dede ¶ But Vlixes as he was customable In euery thynge to be deceyuable Double in his werke and full aye of disceyte Lyke a serpent that lyeth in awayte Whiche vnder floures can so glyde and trace Right so vlixes with a fayned face Whan yâ— he sawe the knyghtly hye prowesse The manly chere and the hardynesse And hye renowne of this Pallamydes Anone of falshede put hym selfe in prees And lyke a frende that mente nat but wele Brotell as glasse pretendynge outwarde stele With one the firste gan hym to excuse Them counsayllynge no longer for to muse On this matere for theyr alder ease And by crafte gan them so appease Touchynge the rumoure of this hye treason That he hath voyded all suspecyon Out of theyr hertes concludynge in tertayne This accusynge made was in vayne And conspyred oonly of hatrede Albe hym selfe was roote of all this dede ¶ But whan he sawe he myght nat acheue As ye haue herde this worthy kynge to greue Some spot of treason on hym for to laye Hehath anone founde another waye By the assent fully of Dyomede Vnder pretense playnely of frendelyhede Comynge to hym agayne a certayne nyght Vndersuraunce as he was trewe knyght Counsayle to kepe outher for sote or soure Enformynge hym of a great treasoure Of golde and good and infynyte ryches To hym discured vnder secretenes The whiche sothly no man dyde knowe Hyd and enclosyd in a welle lowe Within a felde a lytell there be syde The whiche hym lyste fro hym nat to hyde But of truste vnto hym discure So he wolde do his besy cure The same nyght with hym for to go Vnto the welle they thre and no mo To fette away that great suÌ„me of gode And he in sothe that no thynge vnderstode What they mente assentyd was anone And so they thre be togydre gone Vnto the well lyke as I haue tolde And for that he moste manly was and bolde Pallamydes lyke as they hym telle Descended is lowe into the welle Supposynge to haue a treasour founde But they alas hym falsly to confounde Haue murdred hym with stones great and huge He in the botome hauynge no refuge And whaÌ„ they had acomplysshed their entent They be repeyred eueryche to his Tent. THis tale the storye telleth vs That feyned was to the kynge Naulus Touchynge the deth of Pallamydes Them to desclaundre that were gylteles For vlixes and with Dyomede Were innocent platly as I rede And grekes all bothenygh and ferre For he was slayne knyghtly in the werre Durynge the sege of Parys with an arowe But who is false fayne can full narowe To fynde a tale that neuer yet was thought And of the treason that shuld haue be wrought Touchynge the lettres sent out of the towne There was no suche conspyracyowne By grekes wrought but a fable vnsoth Falsly feyned to make Naulus wroth With Vlixes and Dyomede also Agamenon and other grekes mo To lette them homewarde in theyr waye And hyndre also there is no more to saye As they repeyre to theyr regyons And Naulus than by this occasyons And Oetes his sone a manly man Accorded be in what they may or can By one assent to auenge mercyles The cruell murdre of Pallamydes And to ordayne at theyr home passage To worke fully into theyr damage For Grekes muste of necessyte Homewarde sayle foreby his countre Wherfore this kynge shapen hath a wyle On hylâ—es hye by a lytell yle In wynter season euery maner nyght To make fyres and to sette vp lyght To cause them on the see to erre For as Grekes sawe the fyre a ferre Vnware of harme caste them for to lande As they that coude no perell vnderstande But shope them with all theyr full myght For to aryue faste by the lyght Wherwith .ij. hondred of theyr shyppes brake Amonge rockes and fully go to wrake That there was drowned many worthy man And thus the vengaunce alderfirste began That kynge Naulus hath on grekes take Of deedly hate for his sones sake To great myschefe and confusyon Of Grekes nauye but Agamenon With great perell is the deth escaped That hadde almoste amonge them be beiaped For erles dukes worthy kynges crowned Thorugh this trayne in the see were drowned But Menelay and also Dyomede Escaped this myschefe as I rede And whan they were from all daunger gone This Oetes wood foryre an one In his herte shope another wyle And thought he wolde Agamenon begyle Compassynge a full mortall stryfe Let sende a lettre anone to the wyfe Of this myghty great Agamenon In whiche there was included false treason For euen lyke if I shall nat lye Thus in effect they dyde specyfye Firste how hir lorde Agamenon the kynge Hadde at the sege wrought a wonder thynge In preiudyce and sclaundre of hir name Albe in hir was no maner blame Lyke as he wrote platly nor trespace His knyghtly honoure of foly to difface This to say Guydo telleth thus He loued a doughter of kynge Pryamus And for beaute hadde hir to wyfe take And hir in herte fynally forsake This worthy quene whylom of great fame And Clemestra sothly was hir name Wonder semely and right fayre with all And by descent borne of the stocke royall Hir celly nge eke for all hir excellence Albe that she neuer dyde offence Yet hir lorde of newe fangylnesse Toke a nother the lettres dyde expresse Fully in purpose anone at his repayre Though Clemestra were bothe good fayre All sodaynely hir to exyle Out of his londe many thousande myle Warnynge hir that she be prudent This was the substaunce as in sentement That Oetes wrote vnto this quene Albe the kynge was innocent and clene And was to hir in all his fore lyuynge Louynge and trewe in all maner thynge And hir to please passynge ententyfe In worde and
dede durynge all his lyfe As fer as oughte of reason be desyred But the lettres that falsly was conspyred They haue hir put parcas of Innocence For to gyue to hasty credence Thankynge firste Oetes for his trouthe That so goodly hym lyst to haue routhe Vpon hir wronge of hye compassyon And yet the storye maketh mencyon Here afterwarde as I shall descryue That she was the falsest one alyue Vnto hir lorde and in his longe absence And in all haste she made stronge dâ—ffence Agayne this thynge and gan hir to purueye By suche fraude that she nat ne deye But of hir werke in sothe she was to wyte The whiche alas I muste anone endyte As the storye platly doth me lere Whiche dolefull is and mortall for to here OVnsure truste of all worldly glorye with sodayne chauÌ„ge put out of memorye O ioye vnstable of vayne ambycyon With vnware tourne reuersed vp so downe O ydell fame blowe vp to the skye Ouer whelmyd with twynclynge of an eye O pompe o boste of tryumphe and victorye Lyke a shadowe waste and transytorye O Fortune false and vnassured That to no man was neuer fully lured To hye nor lowe of no maner estate With bonde of fayth to be conferate Agayne whose myght no man may hyÌ„diffende But at his tourne that he shall discende Whan he syt hyest on thyne vnstable whele Thy brotyll fauour forged nat of stele Meynt and allayed with mutabylyte For welfulnesse and false felycyte With sodayne sweygh frowarde thou canst auale Now fresshe of chere now for anger pale Of hye disdayne thou sparest no degree For Prynces Dukes hyest in theyr see Myghty kynges and worthy Emperours That rychest reygne in theyr royall floures With Sceptre and crowne thou canst pull downe I take wytnesse of Agamenowne That was so noble and myghty in his lyue As sondry Auctours his hye renown descryue But sothfastly for all his excellence He myght nat make no diffence With all the kynges that his baner sewe Conspyred murdre to voyde and eschewe Rescuse was none that he coude make For whiche alas my penne I fele quake That doth myn ynke blotte on my boke O myghty god yâ— with thyne inwarde loke Seest euery thynge thurgh thy eternal myght Why wylt thou nat of equyte and ryght Punysshe chastyse so horryble a thynge And specyally the murdre of a kynge Alas the payne of Ixyon in helle Or of Manes that with Sathan dwelle Were nat egall nor equypolent To venge murdre nor suffycyent For it excedeth in comparyson All felonye falshede and treason Wherfore o lorde that seest and knowest all Thorugh thy power that is eternall Suffre no suche to lyue vpon the grounde Worse than Tygre or Cerberus the hounde That chayned lyeth bounde at helle gate Whiche of malyce playnely though he hate He berketh firste or he do offence But murdre gladly is wrought in sylence Or men aduerte or take any kepe Alas a Prynce to sle hym in his slepe On his pyllowe whan he slepeth softe That cryeth wreche to hye god a lofte And axeth vengaunce to take as faste Though it abyde it wyll out at the laste Alas a kynge spoken of so ferre That was so worthy outwarde in the werre His cruell fate passynge odyous Disposed hath in his owne hous His mortall ende to be execute Agaynst whiche there was no refute For right as he his shyppe to londe sette The quene Clemestra on the stronde hyÌ„ mette With humble chere and loke full benygne And shewed out full many faythfull sygne Of wyfely trouthe in hir countenauce Albe in herte there was varyaunce Nat parceyued playnely in hir face Whom the kynge goodly dyde enbrace As he in soth that but trouthe mente And to his paleyse the hye way he went Nat aduertynge the treason that was shape The whiche alas he myght nat escape Of the falshede he coude no thynge fele But I ne may no lenger it concele Agayne hir lorde how Clemestra wrought For on hir bonde of wedlocke she ne thought The trewe loke sothly of spousayle Agayne hir malyce lytell myght auayle Vnto hir lorde hir trouthe to conserue Newfangelnesse caused to streue Hir olde fayth and hir assuraunce Hir loue abode on a fykyll chaunce Longe absence hadde hir herte appalled She loued one that was Egistus called Whiche afore all in hir grace stode That nouther was of byrthe nor of blode Lytell or nought of reputacyowne Nor renowned of manhode nor renowne Nor of knyghthode nor of hye prowesse But for his labour and his besynesse And good awayte vpon hir by nyght Therfore he was best furthrede in hir syght Suche drede hadde she for to lyue alone Sorowles so well she coude grone I can nat say what lyfe that they ladde Except that she by hym a doughter hadde And Exyona Guydo sayth she hyght And vnto hym Clemestra behyght Assurynge hym vpon payne of hir hede He shulde reygne whan hir lorde were dede And to enhaste this conclusyon Hir worthy lorde kynge Agamenon The nexte nyght was murdred yssayne By false Egistus and the quene full fayne No lenger bode the storye can you lere But in all haste they wedded were yfere And by hir false and sleyghty compassynge Of Messene she made hym crowned kynge And put hym full in possessyon Alas that synne hath domynacyon To furthre wronge and abate ryght For in this worlde falshede hath more myght Full ofte sythe than hath rightwysenesse And in the estate sette of worthynesse Loo how the synne of auoutrye Brought in murdre by conspyracye Synne vpon synne lynked both twayne And enbraced in the fendes chayne Perpetuelly in helle to endure Alas who shall hymselfe full assure Fro cruell murdre his body to withdrawe Whan that kynges in theyr bed are slawe Whiche bryngeth in Alyenacyon By extort tytle false successyon There may coloure of pretense seme But full straytely god shall after deme And iustly venge with dewe recompence Intrusyon brought in by vyolence And felly quyte suche horryble thynges And sodayne slaughter specyally of kynges Greatly to drede in euery regyon And as I fynde that Agamenon By Clemestra the false double quene Hadde a sone passynge fayre to sene Right gracyous in euery mannes syght And Horestes the boke sayth that he hyght Wonder semely and but yonge of age And for great fere of this mortall rage Lyste he were slayne as it was to drede To anulle his tytle that he nat succede Hym to preserue that he were nat shent Kynge taltybus with power hath hym sent Full secretely out of that countre Vnto a kynge called Ydume That helde his sceptre and his royall sete Full myghtely in the lande of Crete And Carkasys named was the quene That hadde a doughter called eke Clymene Borne to be heyre of that regyon And as it is made eke mencyon This Horestes to reken all thynge Was with the quene and also with the kynge Cherysshed as well the storye can you lere As Clymen a theyr owne doughter
haste for this Dyomede Knowynge full well his desolacyon How he was proscrip fro his regyon Besechynge hym of manhode and of routhe Hym to enhaste without any slouthe With all the stuffe that he get can And souldeours also manly euery man Without abode and to Troye them lede To socoure them in this great nede And Dyomede came and taryed nought At theyr request as he was besought To releue them in this sharpe shoure And with hym brought many souldeoure And Eneas on the way hym mette In frendely wyse and into towne hym fette And to hym made passyngly great chere And there they gan to comune yfere Theyr auentures bothe of lande and see Entermedlyd with great aduersyte That no man may deuoyde nor eschewe But take his parte as it to hym is dewe As sorte or hap doth his brydell lede And in this storye shortly to procede Cely Troyans that almost were shent With theyr fomen of Yles adiacent That them besette aboute enuyrowne But thorugh the manhode the hye renowne Of Dyomede and his souldeours And other knyghtes noble werry ours They were reskued and holpen vtterly And foure dayes they foughte by and by In knyghtly wyse deffendynge the Cyree And thorugh prowesse also of Enee They slewe and toke all that them withstode And in diffence of Troyanysshe blode Suche as they fonde to the Cyte false They henge them vp hye by the halse And punysshed them for theyr great wronge And Dyomede thus gan wexe stronge By longe processe as made is mencyowne Chefe protectoure nowe of Troye towne That enmye none by a large space Durste abyde but he hadde grace To this lygaunce so he made them loute And thus his name sprede gan aboute That of his fame the great oppynyon Dylated is vnto the regyon By swyfte reporte to Calydonye and Argâ— Whiche the quene greatly gan to charge And astoned whan she taketh hede His power gan and his myght to drede Lyste he wolde hir londe vpon hir wynne And of knyghthode a werre newe begynne And secretely gan muse on this thynge That hir lorde and hir myghty kynge Late exyled and yput to flyght Hath grace founde in Fortunes syght And is remounted to so hye estate Wherof she was in hir selfe chekmate And wayes caste as she that was prudent By hole aduyse of hir Parlement Without grutchynge or rebellyon Hym to reuoke to his regyon ¶ And therupon to hym lowly sent And with lettres the messager forth went The cause annullyng by which he was exyled And how he was fully reconcyled By hole assente of his lyeges alle And full lowly euerychone they calle For theyr offence and of theyr trespace Without rygoure for to do them grace And he anone lyke a manly knyght More of mercy sothly than of ryght Whan he hath theyr sonde well conceyued And theyr menynge fully apparceyued To stynte all stryfe thought for the beste In goodly wyse to grauute theyr requeste And to his reygne within a certayne day He is repeyred in full ryche array Of whose coÌ„mynge full glad his lyeges bene And reconcyled bothe he and the quene And all rancoure of any olde offence Oonly of wysdome they put in suspence And of one herte a blysfull lyfe they lede In Troye boke no more of hym I rede But lette hym lyue in felycytee Agayne resortynge to tell of Enee After how he hath his tyme spent Whiche is fro Troye with many Troyan went His shyppes stuffed he and his meynee Be sayled forth by many straunge see Many daunger and many strayte passage Tofore or he aryued in Cartage Ledynge with hym his fader Anchyses And by the way I fynde that he les His wyfe Crewsa by fatall auenture But all the woo that he dyde endure Who so lyste ceryously to sene And how that he falsehede the quene I mene Dido of womanhede floure That gaue to hym hir rychesse and treasoure Iewellys and golde all yâ— myght hym please And euery thynge that myght do hym ease But for all that how he was vnkynde Rede Eneydos and there ye shall it fynde And how that he falsely stale away By nyght tyme whyle she a bedde lay And of his conqueste also in Itaylle Where he hadde many stronge bataylle His auentures and his workes all And of the fyne that is to hym fall Ye may all se by full souerayne style Fro poynt to poynt compyled in virgyle Wryte and made sythen go full yore For Troye boke speketh of hym no more But procedeth as I shall endyte How Horestes caste hym for to quyte His fadres deth playnely and nat spare If ye lyste here as Guydo shall declare IT is requered of equyte and ryght Of that iuge that is moste of myght And Egally holdeth his balaunce On deth conspyred for to do vengaunce The voyse of blode doth so aye contune To crye wreche with clamour importune On them in sothe that it iniustly shede For murdre wrought wyll haue his egal mede And his guerdon as he hath disseruyd They may nat flee the iugement reseruyd Of hym that sytte hyest in his Trone And all beholdeth by hym selfe alone Full rightfully the noble myghty kynge For though he suffre he foryet no thynge But all consydereth in his inspeccyon And for the murdre of Agamenon The myghty lorde that is most souerayne gode Made his Mynystre of the same blode ¶ Yonge Horestes full of hye prowesse To execute his dome of ryght wysnesse And gaue to hym grace power and myght And he anone toke the ordre of a knyght Of you meâ—s lyke as it is tolde Whan he was foure and twenty wynter olde Fresshe and lusty and wonderly prudent And in wardely desyrous of entent If Fortune wolde hym nat withsayne His herytage to recure agayne ¶ Whiche Egistus falsly hym denyeth And the crowne in iustly occupyeth By false tytle of hir that was his wyfe But horestes wyll Iuparde his lyfe And auenture whyle hym lasteth breth Firste to be venged on his fadres deth Vpon them tho that the treason wrought And alderfirste full lowely he besought Kynge yâ—dumee of his goodlyhede To forther hym in this great nede And the kynge benygnely anone Assigned hath with hym for to gone A thousande knyghtes manly right stronge To redresse the great horryble wronge Of Egistus wroughte by vyolence And by his wysedome and his dylygence This Horestes gan hym so purueye Within a whyle there is no more to seye That he hym gat the store wyll nat lye Another thousande to his companye Of worthy knyghtes all of one accorde To go with hym as with theyr souerayne lorde In euery thynge his byddynge to obeye As ye haue herde Egistus to werreye And thus Horestes in full ryche array Gan hoostey and made no delay And his lodgynge alderfirste gan chese In a Cytee that called was Troyese Receyued there with great reuernece Of the kynge that named was Forence A manly knyght as bookes specefye And bare in herte passynge great enuye To
herte Pelleus out of the caue sterte Disamayde of his lyfe in doute Whan he behelde a knyght there walke aboute And astoned abode and stode full stylle Ymagynynge that he sawe Achylle ¶ By this Pyrrus stondynge in the place By all the sygnes shewed in his face For nature without varyaunce Made them so lyke of chere and countenaunce Of forme of shape and lymmes euerychone That difference in effect was none And Pelleus without longer space Gan anone Pyrrus to enbrace And abrayde out of his deedly thought And for ioye sette all his sorowe at nought And gan to hym by and by declare Bothe his exyle and his euyll fare His pyteous lyfe his pouerte and myschaunce And Fortunes false varyaunce And of Atastus the feruent hoote enuye The cruelte and the Tyrannye Ceryously he tolde Pyrrus alle And he full sobre stode stylle as a walle With face pale and in herte wrothe Specheles to shyp agayne he gothe And there he was enformed douteles That Menalyppus and Polystenes And Atastus togydre all thre With huge array and a great meyne The same day full surquedous of pryde Hunte in a Forest lytell there besyde And whan Pyrrus therof toke good hede Without abode chaunge gan his wede Full porely rent and disarayed Lyke a man that were for thought dismayed Gyrte with his swerde made no delay But to the forest toke the ryght way Sool by hym selfe without companye So secretely that no man myght espye And as he drowghe many dyuerse boundes He herde hornes vncouplynge of houndes And lyke a man that lyst make his mone Fro syght of folke he drewe hym aye alone And casuelly disseueryd fro the prees Firste he mette with Polystenes Menalyppus rydynge by his syde And bothe two on Pyrrus gan abyde And boystously of hym to enquere Fro when se he came also what he were So febly cladde and of so pore estate Walkynge there as he were desolate And lowly he of chere and countenaunce Styll and humble in his dalyaunce Answerde agayne and sayde how that he Fordyuen was with myschefe of the see And affermed pale and no thynge rede His felowshyp drowned was and dede Fyue hondred the wawes were so rage Of olde and yonge and of medell age And he escaped the tempest was so ryfe As he them tolde vnneth with the lyfe And ouer more he tolde them platly eke Touchynge his byrthe that he was a greke And went there destytur of ioye Late come fro the sege of Troye And besought them towarde his lyuynge To helpe hym with some refresshynge As hym that hadde catell loste and gode Lyke as they sawe naked how he stode Prayinge also in hope it shulde auayle Hym to releue with clothynge or vytayle To his refute somewhat to prouyde And they had hym that he shulde abyde For they wyll wyt playnely what he can And that whyle besyde them there ran A full great harte downe by the ryuer And Menalyppus prycked his courser As it sempte it was to hym dewe Thorugh thynne and thycke onely to pursewe He spareth nat but alway after rode And his brother with Pyrrus stylle abode Polystenes and toke of it no hede But in all haste alyght fro his stede On the grene to reste hym there besyde As he that was wery for to ryde Without meyne beynge hym selfe sool Lysâ—ynge of Pyrrus the complaynte yâ— dool But sodaynely or he myght aduerte Cruell Pyrrus ran hym to the herte And lefte hym dede lyinge on the playne Whan Menalyppus repeyred was agayne Seynge his brother baskyn in his blode And Pyrrus efte furyous and wode With a face of coloure pale and wan To Menalyppus in his yre ran And slewe hym eke or that he toke hede And thus they lay on the grounde and blede The bretherne two with Pyrrus swerd yslawe And he anone asyde gan hym drawe Metynge aknyght were it of sorte or caas As sayth the storye called Cynaras Of whom Pyrrus gan in haste enquere Whose man he was or what he dyd there And he answerde and made no tariynge He was seruaunt with the myghty kynge Called Atastus lorde of that countre And Pyrrus tho of dedely enmyte With cruell swerde all fresshe rede of blode Ran hym thorugh out as any Lyon wode And after that the forest he forsoke And in all haste the right way he toke To shyppe agayne pale and blacke of hewe And gan anone to array hym newe All in purpyll whiche as clerkes telles Is for kynges and for no wyght elles And than Pyrrus fresshe and well deseyne To the forest repeyred is ageyne Where sodaynely of hap in his walkynge In shorte whyle he mette with the kynge Olde Atastus that asked of Pyrrus What man art thou that by thy selfe thus Walkyst thus here all day to and fro Certes quod Pyrrus full of sorowe wo Inly supprysed of hertely complaynynge One of the sones of Pryamus the kynge I was whylom nowe put out of memorye Whan that Troye flouryd in his glorye Now refutles into myschefe brought I walke sool full of care and thought For in exyle out of Troye towne With cruell Pyrrus to lyue in prysowne Bounde vnto hym though me be full lothe My honde assured with many full great othe To obeye his luste in captyuyte Loo here is all thus it standeth with me Atastus tho of entencyon After many other questyon Enqueryd of hym in his dalyaunce If he knewe ought of Pyrrus gouernaunce Or if that he coude ought vnderstonde Where he hym kept sythe he came to londe Ywysse quod he if ye lyste hym haue He kepeth hym close in yonder caue Amonge bruskayle with a shrowded face Makynge a sygne to the same place And all was done for an ydell mase For whyle the kynge thyderwarde gan gase Hasty Pyrrus gan his swerde out drawe In purpose fully Atastus to haue slawe But wonderly the storye can you lere Quene Thetydes dyde anone appere All be rayned with teres on hir face And gan the swerde of Pyrrus to enbrace Prayinge hym his deedly honde restrayne Hast thou nat slayne my yonge brethren twayne And now alas my Fader hore and gray Mercyles fro me wylt take away Put vp the swerde and no blode ne shede And haue pyte vpon thy kynrede And aduerte clerely to the fyne How thou arte come of the same lyne And hatefull is who loke a ryght Vnkynde blode in euery mannes syght And Pyrrus tho as any Tygre wrothe Gan afferme with many full great othe That who so grutche or agaynst playne He shall hym sle with his hondes twayne For hath nat he by false extorsyon Put Pelleus out of his regyon Whiche is your lorde and ye his trewe wyfe That fynally he shall lese his lyfe And here anone of myn handes deye In this matere there is no more to seye But Pelleus darynge in the caue Of grace oonly lyste his lyfe to saue All other helpe platly is for nought And Pelleus was anone forth brought