OVr gracyous god moo …
OVr gracyous god moost in magnyfycēce
His mercyful eyen casteth frō heuē on hi
Seynge his creatures in deedly vyolence
Hym selfe complayneth by pyte full ru [...]fully
Sayenge
Deus.
o man deuoyde of intellygence
Open thyne eeres vnto my call and crye
And tell me yf I haue done to the offence
That thou forsakest my wyllyngly
Man suche a loue to the I dyde take
This world in seuen dayes whā I it wrought
Thou was the laste thynge that I dyd make
Bycause I wolde thou wanted nought
What thynge the myght helpe dyd not lake
That at thy nede yf it were sought
Fowle fysshe all thynge for thy sake
For thy comforte all was forth brought
More ouer I gaue the that dygnyte
All beestes to bowe the vntyll
I made the also lyke vnto me
And gaue the connynge and freewyll
Me to serue that thou sholde se
To chose the good and leue the yll
I aske nothynge agayne of the
But loue thy souerayne as it is skyll
But vnto this takest thou none entente
Thou tournest fro me full vnkyndly
On loues vnlefull thy loue is lente
Thy herte beholdeth not heuen so hye
For all the goodes I haue the sente
The lysteth not ones to saye gramercye
In tyme to come or thou repente
Man make amendes or that thou dye
[Page]A crysten soule conceyued in synne
Receyued in conscyence thus complanynge
He fell downe flatte with delefull dynne
And sayd
Homo.
lorde mercy souerayne kynge
I moost vnkynde wretche of man kynne
I knowe I am thy traytour vntrue in my ly­uynge
This wycked lyfe that I lyue in
I may it nought hyde frome thy knowynge
I want wordes and also wytte
Of thy kyndnesse to speke a cause
That I haue thou gaue me it
Of thy goodnes withouten cause
Thoughe I haue greued the and do yet
Thy benefaytes thou nought withdrawse
I haue deserued to haue hell pytte
So haue I lyued ayenst thy lawse
But lorde thou knowest mannes feblenesse
How frayle it is and hath ben aye
For thoughe the soule haue thy lykenesse
Man is but fulsome erthe and claye
In synne conceyued and wretchednesse
And to the soule rebell alwaye
Fyrst a man groweth as dooth gresse
And he wasteth after as floures or haye
Syth man is than so frayle a thynge
And thy power so grete in kynde
This worlde is but a twynkelynge
Thou mayst destroye the myght of the fynde
With thy ryght lorde mercy mynge
And to my sore salue thou sende
Sore me repenteth of my my slyuynge
Mercy lorde I wyll amende
Deus.
[Page]Man I gaue the bodyly hele
That thou sholde it spende in my seruyce
Fayrenes also and fetures fele
Man what doost thou with all thyse
Thou with delytes of the deuyll doost dele
Whiche is to me a great despyse
Thou lyuest a lecherous lyfe vnlele
Fro yere to yere thou lyst not ryse
Thou studyest after nyce araye
And makest great cost on thy clothynge
To make the semely as who sholde saye
Thou coudest amende my makynge
Thou purposed the daye by daye
To set my people in synnynge
Thy wretched wyll thou folowest alwaye
What ende synne hathe y u thynkest nothynge
In Noes tyme bycause of synne
And for lecherye in especyall
What vengeaūce came than to mānes kynne
Saue .viii. persones drowned were all
On Sodome / and Gomor / and the men w tin
How I made fyre and brymstone fall
Fro heuen on them that bode therin
for synne were destroyed bothe great & small
Man wenest thou my myght be lesse
Than it was than or that elles I
Thou hast no as moche wyckednesse
As whan I smote the moost pyteously
But yf thou wyll thy fautes redresse
Thought I now spare for my mercy
Man thynke on my ryghtwysnesse
And make amendes or that thou dye
[...]
〈1… pages missing〉Ta …
[...]

Tabula.

  • ¶How the Grekes toke lande before Troye / & how they were strongly fought with. Ca. xxi.
¶The thirde boke.
  • ¶How the thirde boke telleth how the Troy­ans yssued out on y e morowe / and fought with the Grekes / & how valyauntly Ector bare hym selfe that daye. Capitulo. xxij.
  • ¶How the Grekes sent to kynge Pryamus for to haue trewes for Eyght wekes / And of theyr Bataylles after the trewes fayled. Ca. xxiij.
  • ¶How the Troyans toke kynge Thoas prysoner / & ledde hym into Troye. Capitulo. xxiiij.
  • ¶Howe durynge a Trewes of thre Monthes Ector walked into the grekes hoost / And of the cōmunyacyon of Achylles & hym. Ca. xxv.
  • ¶How whan the trewes was endyd they went to batayle agayne / where as were many a man slayne on bothe partyes / And of the Discripcy­on of the Palays of ylyon / And also how there dyed so many grekes of the pestylence / that they demaunded trewes for .xxx. dayes whiche they obteyned. Capitulo. xxvi.
  • ¶How Andromecha Ectors wyfe had a vysy­on in hir slepe / that and hir housbonde fought on the morowe that he shulde be slayne / the whi­che wold nat byleue hir / nouther Fader nor mo der / And how Achylles slewe hym. Ca. xxvij.
  • ¶Of the complaynt that Lydgate maketh for the deth of worthy Ector. Cap. xxviij.
¶The Fourthe boke.
  • ¶Now the fourthe Boke / whiche speketh how Grekes made kynge Pallamydes chefe Capi­tayne of theyr Hoost / and deposed kynge Aga­menon. Capitulo. xxix.
  • ¶How kynge Pryamus went vnto the batay le / for to auenge the dethe of Ector / where as he dyd meruayllous dedes of Armes. Ca. xxx.
  • ¶Howe Achylles slewe the worthy Troylus Ectors brother vnknyghtly / and trayled hym aboute the felde at his hors tayle. Ca. xxxi.
  • ¶How Parys slewe Achylles in the Temple of Appollo / and Anthylogus duke Nestors sone Capitulo. xxxij.
  • ¶Howe Parys & Thelamon Ayax slewe eche other in the felde. Capitulo. xxxiij.
  • ¶Howe Pantasyllya / the Quene of Amazon [...] came for to socoure kynge Pryamus of Troye And howe Pyrrus Achylles sone slewe hir▪ Capitulo. xxxiiij.
  • ¶How the Grekꝭ made an hors of brasse wher­in was men of Armes / & vnder coloure of peas brought it into Troye / by the whiche it was vtterly distroyed for euer. Cap. xxxv.
¶The fyfthe boke.
  • ¶The fyfthe boke of Troye / the which speketh how the Grekes retourned into Grece after the distruccyon / And after they that escaped dyed myscheuously. Capitulo. xxxvi.
  • ¶Howe the translatoure wryteth the stocke of Pyrrus by lyneal discent / how his Graunfader hyghte Pelleus / and his Graunmoder called Thetydes. Capitulo. xxxvij.
  • ¶Of the moost worthy kynge Henry y • fyfthe.
¶Explicit Tabula.

Here after foloweth the Troye boke / otherwyse called the Sege of Troye / Translated by Iohn̄ Lydgate monke of the Monastery of Bury / And Emprynted at the cōmaūdement of oure Soue raygne Lorde the kynge Henry the .viij. By Richarde Pynson / prynter vnto his most noble gra­ce. The yere of our Lorde god a. M.CCCCC. and .xiij⸫

The Prologue of the Translatoure.

[figure]
O Myghty Mars y t w t thy sterne lyght
In Armys hast / y e power & y • myght
And named art / from est tyl occident
The myghty lorde / the god Armypotent
That with shynynge / of thy stremes rede
By influence / doest thy brydell lede
Of chyualrie / as soueraygne and patron
Full hote and drye / of complexion
Irous and wode / and malencolyk
And of nature / brent and colleryk
Of colour shewynge / lyke the fyrie glede
Whose ferce lokes / ben as full of drede
As the leuene / that alyghteth lowe
Downe by the skye / from Iubiters bowe
Thy stremys ben / so passynge dispytous
To loke vpon / inly furyous.
And Canser / art with thy fyrie bemys
Of werre and stryfe / in many sondry reamys
Whose lordshyp is / moste in Capricorne
But in the boke / is thy power lorne
And Canser art of contek / and of stryfe
Nowe for the loue / of Vulcanus wyfe
With whom whylom / y u were at myschef take
So helpe me now / onely for hir sake
And for the loue / of thy belloua
That with the dwellyth / beyonde Cirrea
In Libye londe / vpon the sondes rede
So be my helpe / in this great nede
To do socour / my style to directe
And of my penne / the tracys to correcte
Whiche barayne is / of aureat lycoure
But in thy grace / I fynde some socoure
For to conuey i [...] / with thyne influence
That stumbleth aye / for faute of eloquence
For to reherse / or wryte any worde
Now helpe / o mars / y • art of knyghthode lorde
And hast of manhode / the magnyficence
And Other / goddesse / of prudence
This werke texpleyte / that ye nat refuse
But maketh Clyo / for to be my muse
With hir sustren / that on pernasa dwelle
In Cirrea / by Elycon the welle
Rennynge full clere / with stremys cristallyn
And callyd is / the welle Caballyn
That sprynge by touche / of the pegase
And helpe also / o thou callyope
That were moder / vnto Orpheus
Whose dytees were / so melodyous
That the werbles / of his resownynge harpe
Appese dyde / the bytter wordes sharpe
Bothe of parchas / and furyes infernall
And Cerbetus / locruell founde at all
[Page] He coyed also / beast foule and tree
Now of thy grace / be helpynge vnto me
And of thy golden dewe / let the lycour wete
My dullyd brest / that with thyne hony swete
Sugryst tunges / of rethoricyens
And maystresse art / to musicyens
Now be myn helpe / to enlumyne w t this werke
Which am beset / with cloudes dymme & derke
Of ygnoraunce / in makynge to procede
To be lusty to them / that shall it rede
Also in herte / I am so full of drede
Whan prudent lysters / here to shall take hede
That in makynge / more skyll can than I
To whom I praye / full benyngly
Of theyr goodnesse / to haue compassyon
Where as I erre / in my translacyon
For god I take / hyghly / to wytnesse
That I this werke / of hertely lowe humblesse
Toke vpon me / of entencion
Deuoyde of pryde / and presumpcion
For to obeye / without varyaunce
My lordes byddynge / fully and pleasaunce
Whiche hath desyre / sothely for to sayne
Of verray knyghthode / to remembre agayne
The worthynesse / if I shall not lye
And the prowesse / of olde chyualrye
Bycause he hath ioye / and great deyntee
To rede in bokes / of antiquytee
To fynde onely vertue / for to sewe
By example of them / & also for to eschewe
The cursed vyce of slouthe / and ydelnesse
So he emoyeth / in vertuous besynesse
In all that longeth / to manhode dare I sayne
He besyeth euer / and therto is so fayne
To haunte his body / in playes marcyall
Thorugh excercise / to exclude s [...]outhe at all
After the doctryne / of vigecius
Thus is he bothe manfull and vertuous
More passyngly / than I can of hym wryte
I wante cōnyng / his hygh renowne to endyte
So moche of manhode / men may in hym sene
And for to wyte / whom I wolde mene
Theeldest sone / of the noble kynge
Henry y • fourth / of knyghthod welle & sprynge
In whom is shewed / of what stocke y t he grewe
The rootis vertue / thus can the sent renewe
In euery parte / the tarage is the same
Lyke his fader / of maners and of name
In sothfastnesse / this no tale is
Called Henry eke / the worthy prince of walys.
¶To whom shall longe / by successyon
For to gouerne / brutis albyon
Whiche me cōmaundyd / the drery pytous fate
Of them of troye / in ynglysshe to translate
The sege / also / and destruccion
Lyke as the latyn / maketh mencion
For to compyle / and after Guydo make
So I coude / and wryte it for his sake
Bycause he wolde / that to hygh and lowe
The noble storye / openly were knowe
In our tunge / aboute in euery age
And Iwryten / as well in our langage
As in latyn / and in frensche it is
That of the storye / the trouthe we nat mys
Nomore than dothe / eche other nacion
This was the fyne of his entencion.
¶The whiche empryse / anone I gynne shall
In his worshyp / for a memoryall
And of the tyme / to make mencion
Whan I began / on this translacion
It was the yere / sothly to seyne
Fortene complete / of his faders reygne
The tyme of yere / shortly to conclude
Whan .xx grees / was phebus altitude
The hour whan he / made his stedes drawe
His rosen chariet / lowe vnder the wawe
To bathe his beme / in the wawysce
Gressyd lyke golde / as men myght se
Passynge the bordure / of our Occian
And lucyna of colour / pale and wan
Hir colde arisynge / in Octobre gan to dyght
To enchace the derkenes / of the frosty nyght
In the myddes / of the Scorpion
And Esperus / gan to westre down
To hast hir cours / agayne the morowe gray
And lucyfer the nyght / to voyde away
Is called than / messager of daye
Our emysperie / to put out of affraye
With bryght kalendis / of phebus vprist shene
Out of the boundes / proserpma the quene
Where pluto dwelleth / the derke region
And the furies / haue theyr mansion
Tyll after sone Apollo lyst nat tarye
To take so [...]our / in the sagittarye.
¶Which tyme I gan / the prologue to beholde
Of troye boke / I made by dayes olde
Wher was remembred / of auctours vs beforne
Of the dede the verray trewe corne
So as it fell / seuered fro the chaffe
For in theyr honde / they holde for a staffe
[Page] The trouthe oonly / which they haue complyed
Vnto this fyne / that we were nat begyled
Of neclygence / thorugh for yet fulnesse
The whiche serpent / of age by processe
Engendred is / fersely vs to assayle
Of the trouthe / to make vs for to fayle
For ner wryters / all were out of mynde
Nat storyed oonly / but of nature and kynde
The trewe knowyng / shuld haue gon to wrake
And from scyence / our wyttes put abake
Ne hadde our elders / cerched out and sought
The sothfast pythe / to ympe it in our thought
Of thynges passed / fordyrked of theyr hewe
But thorugh wrytyng / they be refresshed newe
Of our Auncetres / lefte to vs be hynde
To make a myrrour / oonly to our mynde
Tose eche thynge / trewely as it was
More hyght and clere / than in any glas
For ner theyr wrytynge / nowe memoryall
Deth with his swerde / shulde haue slayne all
And I dymmed / with his sodayne shoures
The great prowesse / of thyse conqueres
And dyrked eke / the bryghtnesse of theyr fame
That shyneth yet / by reporte of theyr name
For vnto vs / theyr bokes represent
Without feynynge / the waye that they went
In theyr dayes / whan they were alyue
Agayne the trouthe / who so euerstryue
Or counterplete / or make any debate
The sothe is redde / of hyghe or lowe estate
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
w t 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 y t them knewe
And honoured greatly / in tho dayes
For they enacted / and gylte with theyr sayes
Theyr hyghe renowne / their māhod & prowes
Theyr knyghthode eke / and theyr worthynesse
Theyr Tryumphes / also and victories
Theyr famous cōquest / & their fonge glories
¶From poynt to poynt / rehersyng al y • 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 y t they wan / by knyghode ī 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 smokꝭ / 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
[Page] 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 cōmendable
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 ryghtꝭ
That hyndred hath / many worthy knyghtꝭ.
¶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 y • 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.
[Page] ¶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 / & 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 y t they wyn
For thorugh their support / thus I wyl begyn.
¶Explicit Prologus.

Here begynneth the Troye boke / translated by Iohn̄ 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.

[figure]
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
[Page] 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 stādeth 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 Amptꝭ / to fourme of mē 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 s [...]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 renōmed / 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
[Page] ¶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 hy [...] 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.

[figure]
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 craf [...]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 olde
Without abode / anone as she it caste
To blosme and budde / it began as faste
Tourne grene / and fresshe to beholde
And thorugh his drynk / she hath fro yeres olde
Eson restored / vnto lusty age
And was of wyt and reason / eke as sage
As euer he hadde / his lyfe ben aforne
The whiche Eson / of his wyfe I borne
Hadde a sone / and Iason was his name
In werke of whom / nature was not to blame
For she hir crafte / platlye and connynge
Spent vpon hym / hooly in werkynge
Whan she hym made / w t herte / wyll & thought
That of hir crafte / behynde was right nought
[Page] To reken his shap / and also his fayrnesse
His strengthe / his beaute / and his lyflynesse
His gentylnesse / and his wyse gouernaunce
How large he was / and of dalyaunce
The moste goodly / that men cowde knowe
In all his por [...]e / bothe to hyghe and lowe
And with all this / auyse and a tretable
That of connynge / god wote I am nat able
For to descryue / his vertues by and by
For as myne Auctour / telleth faythfully
He was beloued / so of olde and yonge
That thorugh the londe / is his honour spronge
But for that he was / but yonge and sklendre
Of age also / miy grene and tendre
He was comytted / to the gouernayle
Of Pelleus / to whom without fayle
In euery thynge / he was as seruyable
As dylygent in chambre / and at table
As euer was any / childe or man
Vnto his lorde / in all that euer he can
Glade in herte / and of faythfull obeyssaunce
So that in chere / nor in countenaunce
Inwarde in herte / nor outwarde in shewynge
His vncle / ne was he nat grutchynge
All be he hadde / hooly in his honde
The worthy kyngdome / and the ryche londe
Of this Iason / and the herytage
Oonly, for he was to yonge of age.
¶Vnto whom / Pelleus dyde his payne
Agaynst herte / falsly for to fayne
To shewe other / than he mente in herte
And kept hym close / y • no thyng hym out sterte
Lyke an addre / vnderfloures fayre
For to his herte / his tunge was contrayre
Benyngne of speche / of meuynge a serpente
For v [...]o [...]r coloure / was the treason blente
To shewe hym goodly / vnto his allye
But inwarde brent / of hate and of enuye
The hoote fyre / and yet there was no smeke
So couertly / the malys / was I reke
That no man myght / as by sygne espye
Towarde Iason / in herte he bare enuye
And meruayle noon / for it was causeles
Saue he dradde / that he for his encres
And for his manhode / lykly was to atteyne
For to succede / in his fadres reyne
Whiche Pelleus / vniustly occupyeth
And daye by day / cast and fantasyeth
How his venym / may by some pursute
Vpon Iason / be fully execute
Here on he museth / euery houre and tyme
As he that dradde / to se an hasty pryme
Folowe chaunge / as it is wonte to done
Sodeynly after / a newe mone
He caste wayes / and compasseth sore
And vnder colour / alway more and more
His felle malys / he gan to close and hyde
Lyke a snake / that is wonte to glyde
With his venym / vnder fresshe floures
And as the sonne / is hoote after thyse shoures
So of enuye hatter / brent the glede
Vpon a tyme / he thought to procede
To execute / his meuynge euerydell
In porte / alambe / in herte a lyon fell
Double as a Tygre / slyghly to compace
Galle in his breste / and lugre in his face
That no man hath / to hym suspeccion
How he purueyeth / the distruccion
Of his neuewe / and that within a whyle
Pretendynge loue / all be the fyne was gyle
His malys was yshet / so vnder keye
That his entent / there can no man bewreye
It was conceled / and closyd in secre
Vnder the locke / of pryue enmyte
And that in sothe / greued hym the more
Vpon hym selfe / the angre frette so sore
Abydynge aye / tyll vnto his entent
He fynde may / leyser conuenyent
Vpon his purpose / platly to procede
For to perfourme / it fully vp in dede
Wherof Iason / hath full lytell rought
His vncle / and he / ne were nat in one thought
Of whose menynge / was no conuenyence
For malyse was coupled / with innocence
And grounde of al / so as I can deuyse
Was enuye / and couetyse
Whiche fret so sore / falsly for to wynne
As croppe and roote / of euery sorowe & synne
And cause hath ben / sythe go full yore
That many a realme / hath a bought full sore
The dredefull venym / of couetyse alas
Let them beware / that stonde in this caas.
¶To thynke afore / and for to haue in mynde
That all falshed / draweth to an ende
For thoughe it byde / and laste a yere or two
The ende in sothe / shalbe sorowe and wo
Of all that ben false / and enuyous
Here of no more / but forth of Pelleus
I wyll you tell / that hath solonge sought
Vpon this thyng / tyl there were to hȳ brought
[Page] Tydynges newe / and that so meruaylous
That he astonyd was / and all his hous
Of a meruayle / that newly was falle
Besyde Troye / the plage oryentalle
How in Colchos / as the rydynge cam
Whithin an yle / enclosed was a Ram
Whiche bare his flees / full rychely of golde
And for the rychesshe / it was kept in holde
With great aduyce / and great dylygence
That no man myght / there to do offence.
¶And in this yle / there was a gouernour
A noble kynge / a worthy werreour
That Cethes hyghte / wyse discrete and sage
Whiche was also / yronne fer in age
That in his tyme / as bokes can deuyse
Had vnderfonged / many great empryse
In peas & werre / and moche worshyp wonne
And he was sone / also to the sonne
That gaue hym vre / to honour to atteyne
So as poetes lysteth / for to feyne
Touchynge his lyne / I leue as nowe the grete
And of this Ram / my purpose is entrete.
¶That was cōmytted / I dare you well assure
To the kepynge / and the besy cure
Of cruell Mars / the myghty god of werre
Whiche with the stremys / of his reed sterre
And influence / of his deytee
Ordeyned hath / by full great crueltee
This Ram to kepe / bollys full vnmylde
With brasen feet / ramageous and wylde
And therwith / all full fell and dyspitous
And of nature / woode and furyous
To hurte and slee / euer of one desyre
Out of whose mouthe / leuen and wylde fyre
Lyke a flawme / euer blased out
To brenne all them / that stode nyghe about
Eke of theyreyen / the lokes moste horryble
To a fourneys / the stremes were visyble
And who that wolde / to encrease his glorie
This Ram of golde / wynne by the victorie
Firste he muste / of very force and myght
Vnto oultrance / with this bullys fyght
And them venquysshe / alder firste of all
And make them humble / as any oxe in stall
And to the yok / and do them ere the londe
Of very manhode / this must he take an honde
And after that / he muste also endure
With a serpent / of huge and great stature
Without fauour / playnly haue a do
To oultrance eke / without wordes mo
The whiche serpent / shortly for to tell
Was lyke a fende / comen out of hell.
¶Full of venym / and of cruell hate
And with skalys / harde as any plate
He armed was / to stonde at defence
And his brethe / werse than pestylence
Infecten wolde / enuyron all the eyre
In eche place / where was his repeyre
He was so full / of corrupcion
And so dredefull / of infeccion
That deth in [...]oth / shortly to deuyse
Was the fyne / of this hyghe Empryse
To suche as wolde / this quarell take in honde
Ilyke in one / bothe to fre and bonde
But if he cowde / the better hym selfe defende
And of his conquest / this was eke the ende
That whan he had / the myghty serpent slawe
He muste anone / by custome and by lawe.
¶Out of his hed / his tethe echon arrace
And than sowe them / in the selfe place
Where the Oxes / eryd had aforne
Of suche seede / there sprange a wonder corne
Knyghtes armed / passynge of great myght
Eueryche with other / redy for to fyght
Tyll eche his brother / had brought to grounde
By mortall fate / and yeue his dethes wounde
This was the ende / of them euerychon
For in sothenesse / of all there was noon
That lyue myght / by that fatall lawe
Any lenger in sothe / than his felawe.
¶And by this waye / dredefull and peryllous
Who desyreth / to be victoryous
He muste passe / and manly to endure
And how so falle / take his auenture
Of none estate / was none excepcion
Chese who so wyll / for his conclusion
He may nat scape / for fauourne for mede
Who so euer begyn / a vyse hym well I rede
For by the statute / of the kynge I may
Who so that wyll / entre and assay
But after that he / ones hath begonne
He may nat chese / tyll he haue loste or wonne
y •et / as some of this Ram expresse
And of his flees / also bere wytnesse
It was no thynge / but golde & great treasoure
That Cethes kynge / withfull hye laboure
Made kepe it / by Incantacions
By sorcerye / and fals illusions.
¶That was spoke of in realmes fer aboute
For whiche many / put theyr lyfe in doute
[Page] Of hye desyre / they hadde for to wyn
The great treasoure / that was shyt within
Colchos londe / as ye haue herde deuyse
Whos pursuyte rose / out of couetyse
Grounde and roote / of wo and all myschaunce
By vayne reporte / them selfe to auaunce
For whiche they put / them selfe / in ieopardye
Without rescues / lykely for to dye
There was no helpe / ne no sleyghte of armes
That vayle myght / agayne y • cursyd charmes
They were so stronge / and superstycious
That many worthy / ī knyghthod full famous
Enhasted were / vnto theyr deth alas
That lyste ieoparde / theyr lyues in this cas.
¶And this lastyth tyll / afterwarde byfell
That Pelleus / platly herde tell
The great myschefes / and distruccions
In Colchos wrought / on sondry nacions
That pursued / the auntres to conquere
Tyll Pelleus / so ferfoth gan enquere
That he knewe hooly / how the trouthe was
And in his herte / anone he gan compas
How he myght / by any sleyght make
His neuewe Iason / for to vnder take
This hye Empryse / in Colchos for to wende
By whiche waye / beste he myght hym shende.
¶And gan pretende a coloure / fresshe of hewe
I gylt outwarde / so lusty and so newe
As there were no treason / hydde within
And sawe it was tyme / to begyn
On his purpose / thofirst / he made it queynte
And began with asour / and golde to peynte
His gaye wordes / in sownynge gloryous
Knowynge Iason / was yonge and desyrous
Vnto suche thynge / and lyghtly wolde enclyne
Therfore he thought / that he wolde fyne
Playnly to werke to his conclusion
And made anone / a conuocacion
Of his lordes / and his baronye
Aboute enuyron / the londe of Thesalye
For to assemble / estates of degree
Of all his realme / within the chefe cytee
For to holde a counsayle / vtterly caste
Therby to acheue / his desyre as faste
And so his court / contynued dayes thre
That the laste / his hyd myquyte
He out gan rake / that hath be hyd so longe
For he ne myght / no longer forth prolonge
The venym hyd / that frete so at his herte
In so slye wyse / that no man myght auerte
Vpon no syde / but that he mente well
For the treason / was cured euerydell
And curtyned / vnder trecherye
For he this thynge / so slyghly gan to gye
At pryme face / that no man myght deme
By any worde / as it wolde seme
In chere / in port / by sygne or dalyaunce
But that he caste / knyghtly for to auaunce
His yonge neuewe / as by lyklynesse
To hye honour / of manhode and prowesse
For of the entent / of whiche he gan purpose
No man cowde spye / theffecte he dyde so glose
The texte was so conueyed / so with flaterye
That the people / cowde nat espye
Lytell or nought / of his entent within
For whiche anone / to preyse hym they begyn
That he suche honour / to his neuewe wolde
For with suche chere / he began vnfolde
Tofore them all / this entencion
That he hath voyded / all suspeccion
From all that were / assembled in the place
And towarde Iason / he tourne gan his face
Full louyngly / in countenaunce and cher [...]
And to hym sayde / that all myghte it here
Thorughout y • court / whā maked was sylence
Thus worde by worde / platly in sentence.

¶How Pelleus counsayled his neuewe Iason by malyce to go conquere the golden [...]lees / and how he toke it vpon hym. Ca. iii.

[figure]
COsyn Iasō / take hede what I shal sayn
For the I am / so inly glad and fayn
And supprised / with myrthe thorugh my herte
That it enchasyth / & voydeth all my smerte
For to consyder / in myn Inspeccion
Of thy youthe / the disposicion
The whiche shortly / for to comprehende
Saue to vertue / to no thynge dothe entende
Vnto worshyp / and to gentylnesse
To manly fredom / and to hye largesse
That verrayly / where I wake or wynke
My ioye is oonly / there on for to thynke
My selfe I holde / so passynge fortunate
And all my londe / of hye and lowe estate
That lykely are / in honour for to flete
And tolyue in reste / and quyete
Thorugh thy supporte / and supportayle
Whose man hode may / so moche vs auayle
By lykelyhod / and so moche amende
In verray sothe / to saue vs and defende
Agayne all tho / as I can descryue
That of malys / wolde agaynst vs stryue
Or rebell / in any maner waye
Of surquedrye / or pryde to werraye
Our worthynesse / assuryd in tranquylle
From all assaute / of them that wolde vs ylle
For to perturbe / our noble estate royall
Agaynst whom whan thou art our wall
Our myghty shyeld / and proteccion
Thus deme I fully / in myn oppynyon.
¶For of thyne age / thy wyt / thy prouydence
Thy knyghtly herte / thy manly excellence
Reported ben / and thyne hye renowne
In many londe / and many regyowne
This rounde worlde / aboute in circuyte
How myght I than / stonde in better plyte
For thyne honour / lyke as it is founde
To my worshyp / so hyghly dothe rebounde
That I wolde playnely / and nat cease
If I coude helpe / to encrease
Thyne hygh renowne / I wys in euery hour
And therupon / spenden my treasour
This hygh desyre / withouten any fayle
Of entyer loue / me dothe so sore assayle
That nyght nor daye / I may haue no rest [...]
And all shall tourne / I hope for the beste
For to enhaunce thyn honour / to the heuen
Aboue the pool / and the sterrys seuen
To whiche thynge / I haue awaye espyed
As I my wyt / therto haue applyed
This is to mene / what shuld I lenger dwelle
My dere Cosyn / as I shall the telle
[Page] If it so were / by manhode souereyne
Of thy knyghthode that thou durst atteyne
The flees of golde / to conquere by thy strengthe
Whiche is spoke of / so fer in brede and lengthe
And retourne home / in body saufand sounde
If this conquest myght in the be founde
That thou durst / achieue this empryse
More hertis wye / kowde I nat deuyse
In all this worlde / for sothly at the beste
My realme and I / were than in reste
For to thy manhode / all wolde vs drede
Wherfore / cosyne / of knyghthode & manhede
Take vpon the / my prayer and requeste
¶And here my trouthe / and take it for beheste
What euer nedeth / in meygne or costage
I wyll my selfe / towarde this vyage
Ordeyney▪ ioughe / in harneyse and araye
That nought shall fayle / that is to thy paye
And moreouer / I playnely the ensure
That if I se / thou do thy besycure
This hygh empryse / for to brynge aboute
Thou shalt not fere / nor eke ben in doute
After my daye / by succession
For to be kynge / of this Region
And hooly haue sceptre / and regalye
Wherfore Iason / lyfte vp thyne hert is eye
Thynke thy name / shalbe longe recorded
Thurgh out the worlde / wherfore be accorded
Within thy selfe / and playnly nat ne spare
Of thyne entent / the somme to declare.
wHan Iason had / his vncle vnderstande
He reioyseth / for to take on hande
This dredfull laboure / withoute auysement
He nought aduertith / the meuynge fraudulent
The pryue poyson / vnder sugre cured
Nor howe to galle / with hony he was lured
The derke deceyte / the clowdy fals engyne
Ygy [...]t without / but vnder was venyme
Wherto Iason / hath noon aduertence
The kynge he wende / of clene conscyence
Without fraude hadde / all this thynge Iment
Wherfore anon / he yeueth full assent
At wordes fewe / and playnly gan to seye
His vncles wyll / that he wolde obeye
He was accordyd / in conclusion
With humble herte / and hoole entencion
Wherof the kynge / receyueth suche gladnesse
That he vuneth / myght it out expresse
But right as faste / dyde his besy payne
For this iourney / in haste for to ordayne
And for asmoche / as the Colchos countree
Enclosed was / aboute with a see
And that no man / how longe that he stryue
Without shyp / thyder may arryue
To his prelence / anone he dyde call
Famous Argus / that cowde moste of all
To make a shyp / and firste that art yfonde
To sayle with / by see / f [...]o londe to londe
The which hath wrought / a ship by sotyl craft
Whiche was the firste / that euer wawe raft
To haue entre / and Argon / bare the name
Gramariens recorde / yet the same
That eche great shyp / firste for that meruayle
Is callyd so / whiche proudely bare hir sayle
As this boke / dothe vs specefye
How it byfell / forthe of this nauye.
¶Whan all was redy / meyne and vytayle
They [...]yde nought / but wynde for to sayle
And many worthy was in that companye
Of noble byrthe / and of great allye
In that vyage / redy for to gen
Bothe for loue / and worshyp of Iason
Amonge whiche / the great hercules
Of force & myght / of strengthe pereles
And he bygette was / vpon Almene
Somly fayre / aud womanly to sene
Of Iubiter / and that full louge agon
Takynge lyknesse / of Amphitrion
Downe fro the heuen / for all his deyte
He was rauysshed / thurgh luste of hir beaute
For he hir loued / with herte and hole entente
And of them two / sothly by discente
Came hercules the worthy famous knyght
Moste renōmed / of manhode / and of myght
Whiche in his tyme / was so meruaylous
So excellent / and so victoryous
That Ouyde lyst / recorde hym sylue
Methamorphoseos / his famous dedys twelue
Whiche ben remembred / there inspecyall
In his honour / for a memoryall.
¶And to reherse them / in ordre by and by
If ye lyst here / I purpose viterly
He slough Antheon / in the eyer on hyght
And many geaūt / what with myght & s [...]eyght
He outrayed / for all theyr lymes rude
The serpent / y •dre / he sloughe eke in pallude
And Serberus the hounde / he bonde so sore
At helle gates / that he brake no more
And made hym voyde / his venym in y • stryfe.
[Page] And vpwarde gaue hym / suche a laxatyfe
That all the worlde / his brethe contagyous
Infectyd hath / it was so venymous
And with o wynde / he wolde renne ascadye
He catchyd arpyes / byrdys of archadye▪
And slough Centaurus / the bestꝭ monstruous
The firste Lyon / he brast his hous
This is to fayne / whan that he was slawe
Out of his skynne / he hath hym strypt & flawe
With cruell herte / thorugh his hye renowne
The golden applys / he barefro the dragone
The firye catte / he slough without more
And of Archadye / the cruell tuskye bore
And at the laste / on his shuldres square
Of veray myght / the firmament hebare
But for that / I may nat reken all
His passynge dedys whiche ben hystoryall
Rede Ouyde / and there ye shall them fynde
Of his tryumphes / howe he maketh mynde
Thorugh out y • world / how he hym honour fet
And of the pylers / at gades that he set
Whiche Alysaundre / of macedoyne kynge
That was so worthy / here in his lyuynge
Rood in his conquest / as Guydolyst to wryte
With all his hoost / proudely to visyte
Beyonde whiche / no londe is habytable
Nor see to sayle / sothely couenable
So ferre it is / beyonde the Occian
That shypmen / no further no skyll can
Sibilles streyghtes / maryners it call
And the boundes / be they named eke of all
Of hercules / for he hym selfe them sette
As for markes / all other for to lette
Ferther to passe / as Guy do maketh mynde
And the place is callyd / as I fynde
Siracenyca / as fyne of his labour
Of longa / saphy / recorde of myne auctour.
¶Of this mater what more shuld I sayne
For vnto Iason / I wyll retourne agayne
That in all haste / doth hym redy make
Of his vncle / whan he hath leue take
Towarde the see / and Hercules yfere
With all his men / anoneas ye shall here.
THe tyme of yere / whan the shene sonne
In his spere / was so ferre vp ronne
And he was passyd / the gemyny
And hath his chare / whyrlyd vp so hy
Thorough the draught / of Pirous so reed
That he had made / in the crabbys heed
His mansion / and his see royall
Where halowed is / the stondyng escynall
Of fresshe Appollo / with his golden wayne
Whan herde men / in herte be so fayne
For the hete / to shroude them in the shade
Vnder thyse braunches / and thyse bowys glade
Whan phebus bemys / that so bryght shyne
Descendyd ben / right as any lyne
And cause the eyer / by refleccion
To be full hoote / that lusty fresshe season
Whan cornys gynne / in the felde to sede
And the grassys / in the grene mede
Fro yere to yere / ben of custome mowe
And on the playne / caste and leyde full lowe
Tyll the moysture / consumed be awaye
On holte and hethe / the merye somers daye
At whiche tyme / the yonge knyght Iason
With hercules / is to shyp gon
And with them eke / as I reherse can
Of Grekes eke many lusty man
Shypped echon / with royall apparayle
And whan they were / crossyd vnder fayle
Within the shyp / whiche that Argus made
Whiche was so staūche / it myght no water lade
They gan to sayle / and had wynde at wyll
The shyp gan breke / the sturdy wawes yll
Vpon the see / and so bothe daye and nyght
To colchos warde / they helde the waye ryght
Gydynge theyr cours / by the lode sterre
Where they sayle / by costes nyghe or ferre
For philotetes / was theyr alder guyde
That coude afore / so prudently prouyde
Of very insyght / to caste afore and se
Tempest or wynde / bothe on londe and see
Or whan there shulde / trouble of stormes fall
For he was mayster / playnly of them all
In shypman craft / and chose theyr gouernour
And coude them warne / afore of euery shour
That shulde falle / whan sterres dyde appere
And specyally / as Guydo doth vs lere
This philotetes / whiche was no fole
Had moste his syght / erecte vnto the pole
His aduertence / and clere inspeccion
To the sterres / and constellacion
With the axtre / rounde aboute gon
That clerkes call / the septemtryon
For the pole / ycallyd arthycus
Euer in oon / apperyth vnto vs
Ryght so in sothe / who can loke aryght
Antharticus is shrouded from our syght
[Page] But to shypmen / that be discrete and wyse
That lyste theyr cours / prudently deuyse
Vpon the see / haue suffysaunce ynoughe
To gye theyr passage / by Arthourys ploughe
For it to them / is direccion
Vnto the costes / of euery region
With helpe oonly / of nedle and of stone
They may not erre / what costes that they gone
For maryners that be discrete and sage
And expert be / of theyr lodmanage
By str [...]ge costes / for to sayle ferre
Gynne theyr cours / oonly by the sterre
¶Whiche that Arthur / compasseth enuyron
The whiche cercle / and constellacion
I called is the cercle Artophilax
Who knoweth it / nedeth no more to ax
For it to shypmen / on the sterry nyght
Is suffysaunt / whan they se his lyght.
¶And as poetis / of thyse poolys twayne
In theyr bokes / lyketh for to fayne
And in theyr dytees / declare vnto vs
Calixto [...]e / and Archadius
Hir owne sone / were Istellyfyed
In the heuen / and I deyfyed
For that Iune / to hir hadde enuye
With Iubiter / whan she dyde hir espye.
¶For whiche she was / into a bere tourned
And for hir gylt / she hath in erthe mourned
Tyll into heuen / Nason can you tell
She was translatyd / eternally to dwell
Amonge sterres / where as she is stalled
And vrsa maior / is of clerkes called
So as hir sone / for his worthy fame
¶Of vria minor / beryth it the name
Of suche the cours / myght nat asterte
Philotetes / that was the moste experte
Of all shypmen / that euer I herde tell
For of connynge / he myght bere the bell.
¶And whan the grekes / hadde longe be
Fordryue and caste / saylynge in the see
Forweryed / after trauayle
They caste to aryue / if it wolde auayle
Them to refresshe / and disporte in ioye
Vpon the boundes / of the londe of Troye.

¶How Iason g [...]ynge to conquere the golden flees toke Lande for to refresshe hym and his felawshyp besyde Troye. Ca. iiii.

[figure]
WHan Hercules / & Iason on his honde
Out of their shyp / taken haue y • londe
And w t them eke / theyr knyghtes euerychone
That fro the see / be to londe gone
Forweryed / after theyr trauayle
And they in sothe / come to aryuayle
[Page] At Symeounte / an hauen of great renowne
That was a lytell / besyde Troye towne
And they were gladde / to be in sykernesse
From storme and tempest / after werynesse
For they ne mente / treason harme / nor gyle
But on the stronde / to resten them a whyle
To hyndre no wyght / of no maner age
Nor in that yle / for to do damage
To man nor beest / where euer that they go
But for to abyde / there a day or two
Them to refresshe / and repayre anone
Whan that the rage / of the see were gone
And whyles they / vpon the stronde laye
They no thynge dyde / but disporte and playe
And bathe & wasshe them / in the fresshe ryuere
And dronke waters / that were soote and clere
That sprange lyke cristall / in the colde welle
And toke right nought / but it were to selle
It was no thynge / in theyr entencion
Vnto no wyght / to do offension
For to moleste / or greue any wyght
But the ordre / of fortunes myght
Hath euer enuye / that men lyue in ese
Whose coursenhasteth / vnwarely to dysese
For she was cause / god wote causeles
This gery fortune / this lady recheles
The blynde goddesse / of transmutacion
To tourne hir whele / by reuolucion
To make Troyens / vniustly for to wene
That grekes were / aryued them to tene
So that the cause / of this suspicion
Hath many brought / vnto destruccion
Full many worthy / of kynges and of prynces
Thorughout the worlde / rekened in prouynces
Were by this sclaundre / vnto myscheif brought
For thynge alas / that was neuer thought
For it was cause / and occasiowne
That this cyte / and this royall towne
Distroyed was / as it is playnly founde
Whose walles hye / were bete downe to groūde
And many a man / & many a worthy knyght
Where slayne there / and many lady bryght
Was wedowe made / by duresshe of this werre
As it is kouthe / and reported ferre
And many mayde / in grene and tendre age
Be lefte were sool / in that great rage
Behynde theyr fadres / alas it fall sholde
And for no thynge / but that fortune wolde
Shewe hir myght / and hir crueltee
In vengeaunce takynge / vpon this cytee.
¶Alas that euer / so worthy of estate
Shulde for lytell / falle at the debate
Whan it is gon / it is nat lyke to staunche
For of graffynge / of a lytell braunche
Full sturdy trees / growe vp full ofte
Who clymbeth hye / may nat fall softe
And of sparkes / that be of syght small
Is fyre engendred / that deuoureth all
And a gnast firste / of lytell hate
Encauseth flawme / of contek and debate
And of enuye / to sprede a brode full ferre
And thus alas / in realmes mortall werre
Is firste bygonne / as men may rede and se
Of a sparke / of lytell enmytee
That was nat staūchyd first / whā it was gōne
For whan the fyre / is so fer yronne
That it embraseth / hertes by hatrede
To make them brenne / hoote as any glede
On other partye / thorughe his cruell tene
There is no staunche / but sharpe swerdes kene
The whiche alas / consumeth all and slethe
And thus the fyne / of enmyte is dethe
Thoughe the gynnynge / be but casuell
The frete abydynge / is passyngly cruell
To voyde realmes / of reste peas and ioye
As it fyll whylom / of this worthy Troys
It dothe me wepe / of this caas sodayne
For euery wyght / ought to complayne
That lytell gylt / shuld haue suche vengeaunce
Except parcaas / thorugh goddes pourueaunce
That this myscheyf / shulde after be
Folowynge parchaunce / of great felycyte
For Troye brought / vnto destruccion
Was the gynnynge / and occasion
In myn Auctour / as it is specyfyed
That worthy Rome / was after edyfyed
By the ofsprynge / of worthy Eneas
Whylom fro Troy / whan he exyled was
The whiche Rome / rede and ye may se
Of all the worlde / was hede and cheyf cyte
For the passynge / famous worthynesse
And eke whā Troye / was brought in distresse
And the 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 y •tayle
And wan that londe / as bookes telle vs
With whom was eke / his sone Askanius
[Page] 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 ȳle / 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 a [...]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 trāsmewed
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 y • goddesse
Of wrathe y t 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 y • 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
[Page] To entrete his lande / y • 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 sōme / 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.

[figure]
[Page] THe wyse worthy / & famous of renown
The myghty kȳg / y e 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 / 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 wordꝭ all / he gan chaūge there
And kepte hym close / with sobre coūtenaunce
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 sōme 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 espy [...]
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
[Page] That he hath chose / helpe to fulfyll
Whan power shall nat / belyke his wyll
This is to saye / and sothe it shalbe 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 / w t suche as he hath sought
For if I lyue / it shalbe 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 y t 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 cōteyned
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 [...]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
Whā he had herd / this thyng fro poȳt 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 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 / shalbe 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
[Page] 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 sprīgyng of y • daye
Whan that the [...]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
y • 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 renōmed / 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 aucto [...]r can you telle
Full many a parke / full fayre & fresshe to sene
And many wode / and many medowe grene
[Page] With sondry floures / amonge y • herbes meynt
Whiche on theyr stalke / nature hath depeynt
With sondry hewes / within & withoute
After the season / y t somer came aboute
For fysshynge / foulynge / and haukynge also
For venerye / and huatynge bothe two
The place was / I [...]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 habundaūce
And there was all / that myght do pleasaunce
To any herte / and all cōmodytee
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 y • y e kyng / hath sothly vnderstāde
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 cōmaunded / 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 [...]hambre was
Where he with them / helde his dalyaunce
And there anone / with euery circumstaunce
Of manly fredom / he made to them chere
[Page] 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 cōmaunded / to his offycers
Oonly in honour of them / that were straūgers
Sp [...]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 cōmynge
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
Cōmaundyd hath / of his magnyfycence
With Hercules / to sytte downe besyde
And Iason / than no lenger lyste abyde
Of his cōmynge / 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 cōmynge / the knyghtly hye empryse
Thus worde by worde / as I shal here deuyse.
RIght worthy prynce / present ī 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 cōmynge
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 y •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 ches [...]
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 y • 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 y t 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
[Page] 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 y • 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 / in this mater dwell
It were but vayne / for now thou knowest all
Beware of hir / that tourneth as a ball
For at this tyme / thou gettest no more of me
Do as thou lyste / I put the choys in the
And with that worde / the kynge rose vp anone
Vpon the tyme / whan he shulde gone
Vnto his mete / and Iason by his syde
As ye shall here / if ye lyste abyde.
THe tyme aprocheth / & gan to neygh fast
That offycers / full besely them cast
To make redy / with all theyr full cure
And in the halle / the bordes for to cure
For by the dyall / the hour they began to marke
That phebus shouthward / was reysed ī his arke
So hye a lofte / that it drewe to noone
That it was tyme / for the kynge to gone
Vnto his mete / and entre into halle
And Cethes than / with his lordes alle
And with his knyghtꝭ / about hym euerychon
With Hercules / and also with Iason
Is sette to mete / in his royall see
And euery lorde / lyke to his degree
But firste of all / this worthy man Iason
Assygned was / by the kynge anoon
For to sytte / at his owne borde
And hercules / that was so great a lorde
Was set also / faste by his syde
And the marshall / no lenger lyste abyde
To assygne estates / where they shulde be
Lyke as they were / of hye or lowe degree
And after that / on scaffolde hye a lofte
The noyse gan loude / and no thynge sof [...]e
Bothe of trompers / and of claryoners
And there with all / the noble offycers
Full thryftely / serued haue the halle
Lyke as the season / that tyme dyde falle
With all deyntes / that may rekened be
That sothfastly / the foyson and plente
Of kyngly fredom / vnto hye and lowe
So fulsomly / gan to reygne and snowe
That thorugh y • hall / was y • manhode preysed
Of the kynge / and his renowne reysed
That can his gestes / sothely for to sye
Whan that hym lyste / chere and fes [...]ey
So lyke a kynge / and in so thryfty wyse
With all deynte / that man can deuyse
For at this feste / and solempnyte
The grekes myght / the great nobley see
Of kyng Cethes / and the worthynesse
And by reporte therof / bere wytnesse
Where so they come / after all theyr lyue
I wante connynge / by ordre to discryue
Of euery cours / the dyuersytees
The straunge sewes / and the sotyltees
That were that day / serued in that place
Haue me excused / thoughe I lyghtly passe
Though I can nat / all in ordre sayne
Myn Englysshe / is to rude and eke to playne
For to endyte / of so hye a thynge
But forthe I wyll / reherse how the kynge
To shewe his gestes / his nobley ouer all
Hathe for his doughter / sent in specyall
And bad she shulde / forth anoon be brought
The whiche in sothe / though men had sought
This world thrugh out / I do you playn assure
Men myght a founde / no fayrer creature
More womanly of porte / nor manere
[Page] Nor more demure / nor sadder of hir chere
Whose beaute was / nat lykely for to fade
And whan she came / the grekes for to glade
The halle in sooth / she walketh vp and downe
Of woman hede / and pure affeccy owne
To make chere / vnto these gestes newe
And thus Medca / with hir rosen hewe
And with fresshenesse / of the lyllye whyte
So enter medled / of kynde by delyte
That nature made / in hir face spr [...]de
So egally the whyte with the rede
That the medlynge / in conclusion
So was ennewed / by proporcion
That fynally / excesse was there none
Of one nor other / for bothe two in one
So ioyned were / longe to endure
By the emperesse / that called is nature
For she hir made / lyke to hir deuyse
That to beholde / it was a paradyse
In very sothe / bothe to one and all
Of olde and yonge / syttynge in the hall
Therto she was / as by successyon
Borne to be heyre / of that regyon
After hir fader / by discent of lyne
If she abyde / and dure after his fyne
Syth he [...]e had / by right to succede
Noon heyre male / that I can of rede
She was also / the boke maketh mencyon
Were vnto yeres / of discrecyon
Able for age / maryed for to be
And not withstondynge / also eke that she
Was of beaute / and of womanheed
One of the fayrest that I can of reed
Yet none of bothe / haue hir youthe let
That to clergye / hir desyre was set
So passyngly / that in specyall
In all the artes / called lyberall
She was expert / and knowynge at the beste
It was hir vre / to konne what hir leste
Of suche a woman / herde I neuer telle
At Elycon / she dranke so of the welle
That in hir tyme / was there none semblable
I founde in sothe / ne none that was so able
To conceyue by studye / and doctryne
And of natures / dispute and termyne
She koude also / and the causes fynde
Of all thynges / formed as by kynde
She had in lernynge / so hir tyme spent
That she knewe / of the fyrmament
The trewe cours / and of the sterres all
And by theyr meuynge / what that shulde fall
So expert she was / in astronomye
But moste she wrought / by nygromanyce
With exorsismes / and coniurisons
And vsed also / to make illusions
With hir charmes sayde / in sondry wyse
And with rytes / of dyuers sacrifyse
Encens / and rechelys / caste into the fyre
To shewe thynges / lyke to hir desyre
With gootes hornes / and with mylke & blode
Whan the mone was / equat and stode
In the fyfthe / or syxte hous
And was fortuned / with lokynge gracious
To chese an houre / that were conuenyent
And fortunat / by enchauntement
To make and werke / sondry apparences
So well she knewe / the heuenly influences
And aspectes bothe / wrothe and glade
For she by them / all hir thynges made
That appartene / to suche experymentes
For whan hir lyste / by hir enchauntementes
She cowde make / the wyndes for to blowe
To thondre and lyghte / and to hayle & snowe
And frese also / to greue men with payne
And sodeynly she cowde / make to rayne
Shewe what weder / that hir lyste to haue
And gasten men / with sodeyne erthe quaue
And turne the daye / vnwarely vnto nyght
And than anone / make the sonne bryght
Shewe his bemes / full persynge and full shene
With golden hornes / to voyde nyghtes tene
And reyse floodes / with many dredfull wawe
And whan hir lyst / she cowde them eft w tdrawe
Eke yonge trees / to sere roote and rynde
And afterwarde / make them ageyne kynde
With lusty braunches / blosme & budde newe
Also in wynter / with floures flresshe of hewe
Aray the erthe / and tappte hym in grene
That to beholde / a Ioye it was to sene
With many coloure / shewynge full dyuers
As whyte and rede / grene ynde and pers
The dayesye / with hir ryche crowne
And other floures / that wynter made frown [...]
Vpon theyr stalke / fresshely for to appere
And sodeynly / with a dedely chere
She cowde somer / into wynter tourne
Causynge the daye / with mystes for to morne
And olde men / she cowde make yonge
And eft agayne / or any here was spronge
She cowde them shewe / bothe in heed & berde
[Page] Full hore and graye / in crafte / she so lerede
And trees w t fruyte / she cowde eke make bare
Of rynde and leef / to do men on them stare
Clypse the mone / and the bryght sonne
Or naturelly / they hadde theyr cours yronne
To them apropred / whiche they may nat passe
For if that Tytan / his cours by kynde trase
Whan he meueth / vnder clyptyk lyne
The clypse nat folowe / as auctours lyst diffyne
So that there be / by theyr discripcion
Of bothe twayne / full coniunccion
And that the sonne / with his bemes reed
Haue his dwellynge / in the dragon heed
And the mone / be set eke in the tayle
As by nature / than it may nat fayle
That there must falle / eclips of very nede
In sondry bokes / lyke as ye may rede
Bycause of certayne / intersecacions
Of dyuers clerkes / and reuolucions
That maked ben / in the heuen a lofte
Whiche cause vs / for to fayle ofte
Of the fresshe / comfortable stremes
That be to vs shadde / from phebus bemes
For the mone / hath made dyuysion
By this sodayne / interposicion
That of our syght / the stremes visuall
May nat beholde / nor I sene at all
Nor to our luste / fully comprehende
How Appollo / is in his chare chyuende
As we were wonte / aforehande for to se
But of all this / the great tholome
Kynge of Egypt / telleth the great causes why
Within his boke / full compendyously
Bothe of eclyps / and coniunccion
And why they falle / by naturell mocion
But of Medee / though this clerke suyde
To encrease hir name / vpon euery syde
Lest in his fables / suche thynges telle
Thoughe he of poetes / was the sprynge & welle
Yet god forbede / ye shulde gyue credence
To suche feynynge / or do so hygh offence
Syth of nature / muste be denyed
All suche affermynge / and also be diffyed
Of euery cristen / stedfast in byleue
For certaynly / it wolde hyghly greue
Our conscience / in any wyse wene
Agaynst kynde / whiche is so hye a quene
That any wyght / orlyuynge creature
Shulde haue power / I do you playne [...]ure
So cursyd thynges / supersticious
To do or werke / to kynde contraryous.
¶For god almyghty / Iuge of Iuges alle
Hath set a lawe / the whiche may nat falle
Amonge planettes / perpetuelly to endure
Afore ordeyned / in his eternall cure
The whiche may nat / as clerkes lyst termyne
Vpon no syde / bowe / nor declyne
But as they were / from discorde or debate
Eternally yformed / and create
Thorugh the fynger / of his sapyence
Alway / to meue in theyr intellygence
Lyke as they be / to his lordshyp bounde
For neuer yet / ne was eclyps yfounde
The mone nat beynge / in coniunccion
As I haue tolde / saue in the passyon
The whiche eclips / was agaynst kynde
Nature hir knot / that tyme dyde vnbynde
Whan goddes sone / starfe vpon the roode
The sonne of lyfe / was dyrked for our goode
Whan heuen and erthe / w t hye compunccion
Haue sygnes shewed / of Lamentacion
By erthe quaues / lyght tourned to dyrkenesse
And deed bodyes / vpwarde gan them dresse
From theyr tombes / agayne from deth to lyue
Stone and rocke / a sonder ganne ryue
In the temple / the veyll was kut a two
And sygnes many / were yshewed tho
That for wonder / and tokens meruaylous
The great worthy / Dyonysyous
Whiche at Athenes / as clerkes of hym wryte
Was called in scolys / Ariopagyte
That whan he sawe / this noble famous clerke
The bryght daye / sodaynly so derke
All though he were apaynym / in tho dayes
And was infect / with rightꝭ of theyr layes
As he that was moost cheyf / and pryncypall
Of phylosophers / for to reken all
Yet that tyme / astoned in his mynde
Sayde platly / outher the god of kynde
Suffreth the dethe / outher out of doute
This rounde worlde / whiche is so large aboute
Shalbe dissolued / and ybrought to nought
By sodayne chaunge / hasty as a thought.
¶By this clergye / he knewe no better skyll
For god may / all chaunge at his wyll
And hath power of suche coaccion
Vnder whose myght / and disposicion
Is lawe of kynde / constreyned sothe to seye
From poynt to poynt / lowely to obeye
In euery thynge / that hym lyst ordeyne
[Page] Of elementꝭ / he may the cours restreyne
As hooly wryt / wytnesseth ye may se
How at requeste / of worthy Iosue
The bryght sonne / stode at Gabaon
Adayes space / in one degre and shon
Shewynge his token / to his trewe knyght
Fynally / for to gyue hym lyght
That he myght / by his hye prowesse
His cruell foon / manfully oppresse
Whan that he faught / this knyght this Iosue
With kynges fyue / reygnynge in Amoree
So longe laste / the pursute and the chaas
Tyll they were take / and for theyr trespaas
Dempt to be dede / the Bible can you telle
Now syth that god / thus hyghly lyst fulfylle
Of his knyght / request and orison
What wonder was / though in the passion
Of criste Ihesu incarnat, for our sake
The sonne bemes / though they wex blake
Syth he hath lordshyp of planettes alle
And as hym lyst / nedes it must falle
For of Medea / though Ouydius
In his fables / reherseth and wryte thus
As he that lyst / hir name to exalte
Yet from the trouthe / some whyle he doth alte
All be she were / a passynge sorceresse
And ferthest name / of any chaunteresse.
[...] I wyll passe ouer / agayne to my matere
And how she came / to mete / ye shall here
Whan hir fader / hadde for hir sent
She came anone / at his cōmaundement
But or she came / I fynde that tofore
For to make hir beaute / seme more
In hir closet / she toke hir beste araye
For to encrease / all that euer she maye
Natures werke / with royall apparayle
For this women / gladly wyll nat fayle
Whā they of beaute / haue plenteuous largesse
It to embellysshe / they do theyr besynesse
With ryche a tyre / vpon euery syde
I fought be mysse / they can it close and hyde
For all the foule / shall couertly be wryed
That no defaute / outwarde be espyed.
¶But she was bothe / fayre / and well besayne
And in hir porte / so womanly certayne
That hir comynge / gladeth all the halle
For it was ioye / vnto one and alle
To se the maner / tho of hir entree
To whom hir fader / bad to take hir see
Besyde Iason / hym for to disporte
Of womanhode / and to recomforte.
¶But oo alas / here lacked hye prudence
Discrete auyse / of inwarde prouydence
Wysdome also / with perell caste afore
To truste a mayde / of tendre yeres bore
Of vnhappy fonde / wylfulnesse
For this kynge / of his gentylnesse
Cōmaunded hath / to his confusion
To his dishonour / and destruccion
His owne donghter / borne to be his heyre
That was also / so womanly and feyre
So sodaynly downe / for to discende
Consydred nat / the myscheif of the ende
Alas why durst he / in hir you the affye
To make hir sytte / of his curtesye
Where she myght / by casuell mocion
Full lyghtly catche / or haue occasion
To do amysse / alas why dyde he so
Why lyst hym nat / take hede therto
Nor to auerte / in his discrecion
Wysely to caste / afore in his reason
The vnware chaunge / that is in womanhede
Whiche euery wyse man / oughte for to drede
For who was euer / yet so mad or wood
That ought of reason / konne a ryght his good
To gyue fayth / or hastely credence
To any woman / without experyence
In whom is nouther / truste nor sykernesse
They ben so double / and full of brytylnesse
That it is harde / in them to assure
For vnto them / it longeth of nature
From theyr byrthe to haue allyaunce
With doublenesse / and with varyaunce
Theyr hertes be so freell / and vnstable
Namely in youthe / so meuynge and mutable
That so as clerkes / of them lyst to endyte
All be that I am / sory for to wryte
They saye / that chaunge and mutabylyte
Apropred ben / to femynyte
This is affermed of them / that were full sage
And specyally / whyle they be tendre of age
In theyr wexynge / and whan y t they be yonge
Whose herte accordeth / full selde w t her tonge
For if the trouthe / inwardely be sought
With y • surplus / & remenaunt of theyr thought
Men may there / the trewe patron fynde
Of inconstaunce / whose flaskysable kynde
Is to and fro / meuynge as a wynde
That Hercules / were nat stronge to bynde
Nouther Sampson / so as I beleue
[Page] Womans herte / to make it nat remeue
For as the blase / whyrleth of afyre
So to and fro / they flee in theyr desyre
Tyll they accomplysshe / fully theyr delyte
For as matere / by naturell appetyte
Kyndely desyreth / after fourme
Tyll he his cours / by processe may perfourme
So this women / refrayne them ne can
To sewe theyr luste / as fro man to man
They wyll nat cease / tyll all be assayed
But wolde god / as matere is apayed
With one fourme / and holdeth hym content
Whan of his boundes / he hath the terme went
And nat desyre / ferther to procede
But styll abyte / and wyll it nat excede
That by example / all women wolde
Reste in one / as dewely they sholde
And holde them payde / and stylle there abyde
But vnsure fotynge / dothe them ofte slyde
For they be nat / content with vnytee
They pursue aye / for pluralytee
So of nature / to meuynge they be thewed
All though amōge / by signes outward shewed
They pretende / a maner of stabylnesse
But vnder that is hyd / the doublensse
Of secrely that outwarde at the eye
Full harde it is / the treason to espye
Vnder curtyn / and veyle of honeste
Is closed chaunge / and mutabylyte
For theyr desyre / is kepte full close in mewe
And thynge they hadde / leuest for to sewe
O only outwarde / for to haue a lawde
They can declyne / w t faynynge & with frawde.
¶Wherfore Cethes / thy wyt was to barayne
That thou afore / by prudence naddyst sayne
What shulde folowe / of this vnhappy cas
Why were thou bolde / for to suffre alas
Thyn owne doughter / so fayre & fresshe of hewe
With straunge gestys entred but of newe
So folylye / for to lete hir dele
Wher thrugh thy hono [...] / thy worship & thy hele
Was loste in haste / & she to myscheif brought
In straunge lande / w t sorowe & moche thought
Where as she / to great sclaundre of the
In great myserye / and aduersyte
An ende made / and thou were lefte all sole
Thou myghtest wel complayne and make dole
Alas the whyle / if thy prudent syght
Thou haddest grace / to remembre a ryght
And to haue cast / by discrete purueaunce
And weyed wysely / by mesure in balaunce
The fraude of women / and the freelte
In whom full selde / is any sykerte
As in his latyn / Guydo doth expresse
Wherfore thou Cethes / of very rechelesnesse
Thou haste at ones / in Augment of thy wo
Without recure / bothe two forgo
Firste thy treasoure / and thy doughter dere
That was to the / so passyngly entere
And eke thyne heyre / for whan y t she was gone
As sayth myn Auctour / other was there none
After thy daye / for to occupye
Thy royall ceptre / nor thy lande to gye.
¶But what was worthe / y • great prouydence
The waker kepynge / or besy dylygence
Of myghty Mars / that god is of batayle
What myght it helpe / diffende or auayle
Agayne the wyt of woman / or the sleyghte
Whose fraudes are / of so huge aweyghte
That as them lyste / aye the game gothe
Theyr purpose holde / who so be lyef or lothe
They be slye / so prudent and so wyse
For as this storye / playnly doth deuyse
This Medea / by hir engyne and crafte
From hir fader / his treasour hath berafte
Thorugh the worchynge / of hir sleyght gyle
As ye shall here / within a lytell whyle
For as she sat / at mete in that tyde
Next hir fader / and Iason by hir syde
All sodaynly / hir fresshe rosen hewe
Full ofte tyme / gan chaunge and renewe
An hondreth fythe / in alytell space
For now the blood / from hir goodly face
Vnto hir herte / vnwarely gan a bale
And therwithall / she wexeth dede and pale
And efte anone / who that can take hede
Hir hewe chaungeth / into goodly rede
But euer amonge / to ennewe hir coloure
The rose was meynt / with the lylye f [...]oure
And though the rose / some delegan pace
yet the lylye / abydeth in his place
Tyll nature made them efte to mete
And thus with colde / and with sodayne hete
Was Medea / in hir selfe assayled
And passyngly bexed / and trauayled
For now she brent / and now she gan to colde
And aye the more / that she gan beholde
This yonge Iason / the more she gan desyr [...]
To loke on hym / so was she set afyre
With his beaute / and his semelynesse
[Page] And euery thynge / she inly gan inpresse
What y • she sawe / bothe in mynde & thought
She all emprenteth / and forgat right nought
For she considereth / euery circumstaunce
Bothe of his porte / and his gouernaunce
His sonnysshe heer / crisped lyke golde were
His knyghtly loke / and his manly chere
His countenaunce / with many noble sygne
His face also moste gracious and benygne
Moste acceptable / vnto hir plesaunce
For as she thought / it was suffisaunce
Without more / vnto hir alone
To consyder and loke on his parsone
For in that tyme / without any drede
Of mete or drynke / she toke but lytell hede
For she of foode / hath loste hir appetyte
To loke on hym / she hath so great delyte
He was so prynted / in hir remembraunce
Loue hathe hir caught / so newly in a traunce
And I marked / with his fury bronde
That she may nat / escape from his honde
Noreschewe his stroke / in speciall
For she was yolde / body herte and all
Vnto Iason / platly for to seye
And euer amonge / on hym she cast hir eye
Whan that she fonde / aleyser opportune
But of wysdom / she woldenat contune
Hir loke to longe / lest men dempte amys
But as the maner / of these women is
She kepte hir close / and wonderly secree
That by hir chere / no man myght see
What that she mente / by none occasion
She put them out / of all suspeccion
For openly / there was no tokens sene
She caste rather / that men shulde wene
That the encheson / of hir abstynence
And why that she / sat so in sylence
How that it was oonly of womanhede
Of honeste shame / and of chaste drede
That togyder / in hir herte mette
The whiche twayne / so this mayde lette
Fro mete and drynke / as it wolde seme
Thus of wysdome / she made them for to deme
And so to caste / in theyr oppynyon
And thus she blent them / by discrecion
For hir chere / cowde euery thynge excuse
She gaue no mater / fooles for to muse.
¶No chere vnbrydeled / that tyme hir asterte
For there was one / enclosed in hir herte
And another / in hir chere declared
For maydens / hath ofte sythes spared
To shewe out / that they desyre in dede
As it falleth / who so can take hede
That whyle they flouren / in virgynyte
And for youthe / haue no lyberte
To specefye / that theyr herte wolde
They kepe them close / for they be nat bolde
To shewe out / the sūme / of theyr sentence
And thus Medea / kepynge aye sylence
Ne lette no worde / by hir lyppes pace
But couertly / with [...]obre chere and face
What she mente / sheweth with hir eye
So secretly / that no man cowde espye
The hote fyre / in hir brest yreke
And in hir selfe / right thus she gan to speke
As she in sothe / that so moche can
So wolde god / this yonge lusty man
Whiche so fayre / and semely in my syght
Assured were / to be myn owne kynght
Whiche is to me / moste plesaunt and enteer
With berde yspronge / shynynge lyke gold weer
So well Ilymed / and compact by measure
Well growe on heyght / and of good stature
And lyketh me / in euery parte so wele
That by assent of fortune / and hir whele
Iewred were / to stonde in his grace
For as me semeth / vpon his knyghtly face
It is to me / an heuen to beholde
All be therwith / my herte I fele colde
And yet in sothe / it may none other be
Alas why ne hath he / on my wopyte
Or at the leste / he knewe in his entente
How moche trouthe / to hym that I mente
Of whiche alas / he taketh no maner hede
All be for hym / I brenne as dothe the glede
And to be deed / I dare me nat discure
Alas my pytous / and wofull auenture
Is to rewefull / and my mortall payne
So to be murdred / & dare me not complayn [...]
To frende nor foo / of my chaunce alas
To fynde helpe / or socour in this cas
And trewely / yet as I shall deuyse
I no thynge mene / but in honest wyse
Lyke as it shall / openly be founde
For I desyre / to be knyt and bounde
With hym in wedlok / & neuer from hym twyn
For my menynge / is withouten syn
Grounded and sette / vpon all clenlynesse
Without fraude / or any doubylnesse
So clene and pure / is myne entencion
[Page] Lo aye the maner / and condycion
Of these women / that so well can fayne
And shewe one / though they thynke twayne
And couertly / that no thynge be sayne
With humble chere / and face playn [...]
Enclose theyr lustes / by suche sotylte
Vnder the boundes / of all honeste
Of theyr entent / though the trecherye
Withall the surplus / vnder be Iurye
And though that they / fayth afore pretende
And can their fraude / w t florisshing wel defēde
And flaterye oonly / the worlde to blende
With doubylnesse / enclosed in the ende
Yet aye deceyt / is benethe ment
Vnder the sugre / of fayned clene entent
As it were sothe / in very existence
But truste me well / all is but apparence
They can shewe one / and another mene
Whose blewe is lyghtly / dyed into grene
For vnder floures depeynt / of stabylnesse
The serpent dareth / of newfangelnesse
So playne they seme / w t wordes fayre glosed
But vnderneth / theyr couert wyles closed
For what thyngr / be moste of theyr paye
They wyll denye / and rathest they swere naye.
THis lyketh Guydo / of womē for to endyte
Alas why wolde he / so cursydly wryte
Agaynst them / or with them debate
I am right sory / in englysshe to translate
Repreef of them / or any euyll to seye
Leuer me were / for theyr loue deye
Wherfore I praye them / to take pacyence
My purpose is nat / them to do offence
They be so good / and parfyte euerychone
To reken all / I trowe there be nat one
But that they be / in wyll and herte trewe
For though amonge / they chese thē loues newe
Who consydereth / they be no thynge to blame
For ofte tyme / they se men do the same
They must them puruaye / whā mē them refuse
And if I cowde / I wolde them excuse
It sytteth nat / a woman lyue alone
It is no store / but they haue mo than one
Prayeng to them / for to do me grace
For as I hope / to them is no trespace
Though my makynge / be the same in all
As Guydo wryte / in his origynall
Where he myssayth / lete hym bere the wyte
For it syt well / that the vengaunce byte
On hym that so / these women hath offended
And if I myght / it shulde be amended
He shulde receyue / duely his penaunce
For if he deyed / without repentaunce
I am dispeyred / of his sauacion
How he shulde euer / haue remyssion
But he were contryte / his synne to redresse
It may nat ben / as clerkes bere wytnesse.
¶And by my trouthe / and he were alyue
I mene Guydo / and I shulde hym shryue
So bytter penaunce / playnly he shulde haue
That to the tyme / that he were ygraue
He shulde remembre / and platly nat a sterte
For to repente hym / with all his hole herte
That he so spake / to his confusion
I wyll no lenger / make disgression
From my matere / but lete Gnydo be
And tell forthe / the workynge of Medee
That hath lycence / of hir fader nome
And to hir chaumbre / is alone I come
Whan out of halle / withdrawen was the pres
And whan Iason / and also hercules
Lyke as the kynge / after mete hadde
To theyr chambres / conueyed were and ladde
Full royally arayed / and besayne
For euery walle / was couered in certayne
With clothe of golde / in full stately wyse
And in this whyle / as ye haue herde deuyse
Was Medea / to hir chaumbre gone
Wherby her selfe / complaynynge euer in one
She gaue yssue / to hir paynes smerte
That hir so sore / haue wounded to the herte
For loue hath brought hir / in a sodayne rage
That was nat lykly / soone for to aswage
For in Sothenesse / the furyous god Cupyde
Hath suche a fyre / kynled in hir syde
That it was neuer / lykly for to lete
So violent and feruent / was the hete
That more and more / encrease gan hir payne
For in hir brest / there was at wixe twayne
A great debate / and a stronge batayle
So feruently / eche other dyde assayle
And this contek / in ernes and in game
Inparted was / betwyxt loue and shame
Metynge togydre / there at vnset steuen
All be the felde / was nat parted euen
For loue in sothe / full of hye renowne
Was bolde and hardy / lyke a fyerse Lyowne
And was nat ferefull of spere / swerde nor knyfe
But hote and hasty / for to auntre his lyfe
[Page] Eke surquydous / stoute / and full of pryde
Chefe champyon / of the god cupyde
That causeth ofte bothe f [...]e and bonde
Full many peryll / for to take on honde
And caused hath / full many man his deth
And many one / to yelde vp the breth
And made theyr woundes / largely to blede
For of peryll / loue taketh none hede
To gete hym honour / by excellence of fame
¶But in contrary / his enmye called shame
Lyke a cowarde / faynt and hertles
As he that neuer / dare put hymselfe in pres
For lacke of manhode / draweth hȳ euer a bake
He is so dredfull / and ferefull of the wrake
Lyke a childe / yonge / and tendre of age
For he hath nouther / herte nor corage
For to assayle / he is so febyll of myght
And yet full ofte / he hath stonde in the syght
Of many louer / to lete hym for to spede
Thorugh false cōspyrynge / of his brother drede
For drede and shame / whan they be allyed
Of one assent / haue pytously denyed
Vnto loue / herte and hardynesse
That he ne durst / out a worde expresse
For whan that loue / of manhode wolde speke
The woode fyre / out of his brest to vnreke
Vpon the poynt / whan he shulde assay
Cometh shame anone / and vtterly fayth nay
And causeth loue / hornes for to shrynke
To abasshe his chere / & pytously to wynke
Cowardely his cause / to appayre
And thus is shame / frowarde and contrayre
Thorugh helpe of drede / louers folke to fere
For doutlesse / if shame nought ne were
As it is kouthe / bothe nyghe and ferre
Loue in his lawes / often shulde erre
And wynde out / of honestes cheyne
Of his bondes / brydell breke and reyne
Right as an hors / out of the trays at large
For lytell or nought / louers wolde charge
To folowe theyr wyll / and theyr lust to sewe
But all the whyle / that shame is kept in mewe
Within his brest / so that none it knowe
Outwarde in porte / loue bereth hym lowe
For ne were shame / as clerkes haue compyled
Out of theyr hertes daunger were exyled
All straungenesse / and feyned fals disdayne
For ne were shame / playnly the wardayne
Of these women / by wrytynge of these olde
Without assaute / the castell were I yolde
It were no nede / a sege for to layne
For in suche caas / longe tretye were in vayne
For of nature / they loue no processe
¶But now alas drede / and shamefastnesse
Haue daunted loue / in full lowe manere
And made hym full humble / of porte and chere
And they haue eke / by theyr vyolence
For all his manhode / put hym in sylence
And ben great cause / of mornyng of his payne
And amyddes / of this ylke twayne
Of loue and shame / euen vpon the poynt
Stode Medea / in full great disioynt
That she ne may / the payne nat endure
So hoote she brente / this wofull creature
Betwyxe bothe / I mene loue and shame
For whan that loue / wolde any thynge attame
Of his desyres / to declare them oute
Came shame anone / and put hym in a doute
And drede was redy / his lust for to denye
And thus she stode / in Iupardye
Of loue and shame / in maner of a traunce
Vn euenly hanged / in balaunce
For shame was great / and loue yet was more
As she well knewe / by hir syghes sore
And by hir stormy / cruell auenture
For drede and shame / durste nat discure
The fyre that loue hath / in hir brest enclosed
Whiche was full harde / for to be deposed
And thus she henge / euen at wixe two
That shene wyste / what was beste to do
Tyll that fortune / with hir double face
Vnhappely hath wrought / to gete hir grace
With the whyrlynge / of hir whele aboute
That causeth wretches / ful lowe dowe to loute
Whan they beste wene / to sytte hye a lofte
By experyence / as men may se full ofte
By hir gery / reuolucion
For this lady / of transmutacion
Full ofte tyme / fals and full vnstable
Enhasteth thynges / to foolys full greable
Whiche in the ende / to theyr confusion
Can vndre sugre / shrowde hir poyson
For aye fortune / as hir maner is
To wretches sheweth / other than it is
For with fayre chere / and face of flaterye
As she that can / with a benyngne eye
Fully of foolys / parfourme thentent
Where thorugh they be / in great myscheif shent
At the ende / and can no crafte to eschewe
To vnware harme / that at hir tayle doth sewe
[Page] Right as it fell whylome of Medee
Gynnyge and grounde / of hir aduersyte.
¶For this lady / that called is fortune
I graunted hath / a leyser opportune
To shewe Iason / hooly at hir herte
Whiche made hir after / full sore wepe & smerte
For on a daye / after merydyene
Whan Appollo / with his bemes shene
From the southe plage / gan to westre faste
Cethes hir fader / hath I sent in haste
To Medea / to come to hym anone
And bad to hir that she shulde gone
Vnto Iason / and to Hercules
To make them / chere / amonge all the pres
And whan she kaught / oportune space
To hir desyre / and sawe eke in the place
That hir fader / was moost occupyed
As she that thought nat / to be espyed
Apparceyuynge / his great besynesse
Towarde Iason / anone she gan hir dresse
And he in haste / with a full knyghtly chere
In curteys wyse / gan to drawe nere
Towardes hir / and sawe there was no let
And whan that they were / togyder met
This Medea / with syghynge firste abrayde
And to Iason / euen thus she sayde.

¶Howe Medea shewed Iason all the maner of the Conquest of the golden Flees / and how he wan it. Ca. vi.

[figure]
IAson quod she / of thyne hye noblesse
Of thy manhode / and of thy gentylnesse
Bothe assembled / in thy parsone yfere
And of knyghthode / firste I the requere
In thy conceyte / and oppynyon
Nat to arecte / to presumpcyon
To doubylnesse / nor to inconstaunce
Of womanhede / nor varyaunce
That I am bolde / and can for no thynge spare
My menynge clerely / to you to declare
Without [...]eynynge / in wordes plat and playne
Besechynge firste / to that I shall sayne
Without more / of your goodlyhede
Benyngnely / for to take hede
And pacyently / to my wordes leste
And what I saye / to take it for the beste
[Page] In your entent / and no thynge you to greue
For thynges two / myne herte sore meue
This is to saye / loue and gentylnesse
What that I mene / clerely to expresse
To your persone / and no thynge to counsele
Or we parte / lyke as ye shall fele
For me semeth / firste of curtesye
In soth fastnesse / and of genterye
That to straungers / euery maner wyght
Is bounde and holde / of very due ryght
To make chere / and trewely as of me
Bycause Iason / that I in you se
So moche manhode / & so great worthynesse
I wyll nat fayne / with all my besynesse
To helpe and further / in al that may you lyke
And with that worde / of herte she gan to syke
For his sake / and sayde ouer more
For you I fele / full great anoy and sore
That meued are / without auysenesse
Oonly of youthe / and wylfull hardynesse
The flees of golde / to gete if ye may
The whiche empryse / who euer assay
More peryllous is / playnly to achyeue
In very sothe / than ye cowdelyeue
For douteles / I do you well assure
The fynall mede / of this auenture
Is nat but deth / saue report of shame
For there ye wene / to gete you a name
The ende playnly / shall tourne in contrarye
For the gynnynge / so the fyne shall varye
For wyt of man / nouther engyne nor myght
Though he be neuer / so expert in fyght
Or haue in armes / passynge excersyse
With all the sleyghtes / of olde or newe empryse
Or though he be / beste brethed to endure
Or what deuyse there be / of his armure
Or what wepen also / that he brynge
Harded with stele / trenchaunt or persynge
Yet at the laste / whan he hath all sought
Without me / it vayle may right nought.
¶Wherfore Iason / I haue compassion
On your youthe / of pure affeccion
That of wylfulnesse / ye shall thus be lorne
That ben of blood and lyne / so hygh yborne
For certaynly / it may none other be
But if that ye / your counsayle take of me
For none but I may do you helpe or ese
Alas Iason / why wyll ye nat appese
Your manly corage / in this caas yblent
And to my counsayle / ben obedyent
Than durst I swere / ye shulde haue victory
Ben remembred / and put in memorye
Perpetuelly / & thorugh your knyghthod wyn
The flees of golde / the whiche is yonde within
In the yle / that standes here besyde
Of whiche that Mars / is gouernour and gyde
Wherfore at ones / in your selfe assente
To my counsayle / fully to consente
At fewe wordes / if ye lyste to spede
And leue your lust / and worke after my rede.
TO whom Iason / w t full humble chere
Answered & sayd / myn owne lady dere
I thanke you / in all my best wyse
Right as fet forthe / as I may suffyse
And as my power / platly may attayne
Myne hertes quene / and lady souerayne
Whom ye may / hooly I ensure
All the whyle / that my lyfe may dure
Truste right well / me lyst nat for to fayne
To lyue or dye / at your luste restrayne
As hym that is / your owne trewe man
You for to obeye / in all that euer I can
Without chaunge / or any doubylnesse
Whyle that I lyue / in very sothfastnesse
That you lyste / of trewe affeccion
Vpon my lyfe / to haue compassion
Of gentyllesse / and that ye lyste to haue
Suche cherte / my body for to saue
That in good fayth / of very due ryght
I am ybounde / to be your owne knyght
Vnto myn ende / and that more specially
That of your grace / so benyngnely
Ye lyst your selfe / of any counsayle be
That neuer afore / to you in no degre
Ne dyde seruyse / to your womanhede
And with your wordes / full of goodlyhede
Your owne man / lysteth recomforte
The whiche in sothe / so as I can reporte
A thousande folde / be the more plesaunt
That neuer afore / no meryte gat hym graunt
Ne no desert / request nor prayere
But more frely / with herte full entere
Lyst vnrequyred / on my wo to rewe
And vndisserued / be to me so trewe
That I ensure / vpon my fayth as faste
In your seruyse / I shall vnto my laste
Parseuer sothely / that there shalbe no slouthe
Nor varyaunce / and therto here my trouthe
For fynally / withouten wene
[Page] At fewe wordes I saye right as I mene
Me lyste nat fayne / flatre nor delude
For my beheste / with dethe I shall conclude
Whan that parcas / my lyues threde to rende
This all & some / and thus I make an ende.
THan quod she / ful wysely in your herte
Ye muste afore / consydre aud aduerte
The aduenture / that ye take on hande
And prudently / the peryll vnderstande
And full warely caste / and haue in mynde
The mortall harme / at the tayle behynde
That is well more / then it is credyble
For leue me well / it is an impossyble
To gynne in honour / and also for to fyne
For thylke flees / by hye power dyuyne
Preserued is / and eke with Marcys myght
That who so entreth / therfore to fyght
It were full harde / to hym to escape
The fyrye flawme / whan the bulles gape
That ben of brasse / trapped all in leuen
More for to drede / than lyghtnynge of y • heuen
Tofore the dynt / of the great thonder
That seuered hath / many toure asonder
For to Asshes / they must a man consume
Wherfore I rede / that ye nat presume
The Ram to assayle / leste ye your labour lese
Withdrawe your foote / yet sythe ye may chese
By good aduyse / and discreciowne
Your honour sauf / and your hye renowne
Where so ye lyste / of your wylfulnesse
Oonly of folye / and of hastynesse
To this empryse / of heed to procede
Or where ye lyst / lyke as I you rede
Saue your selfe / from wo and all myschaunce
Lyke as ye shall / if to myn ordenaunce
Ye you commytte / and lowely lyste obeye
Without fraude / there is no more to seye.
ANd Iason than / syttynge at the borde
Of Medea emprentynge / euery worde
Waxe for Ire / almoste vnpacyent
And sayde alas / and is this your entent
Me to counsayle / to leue this empryse
Certes it were / to foule a cowardyse
To gynne thynge I myght nat a cheue
For euery man / wolde me repreue
And reporte to my confusion
That I of pryde / and presumpcion
Toke on me / whan I was at my large
So hye a thynge / and so great a charge
That I durst not / for doute of myschefe
Accomplysshe it / whan it cam to the prefe
Leuer me were / myn owne lady dere
For to Iuparte / and to put in were
My selfe at ones / and at wordes fewe
On smale pecys / to be all to hewe
Than I shulde cowardely / forsake
Thylke empryse / that I haue vndertake
As ye well knowe / and leue it thus alas
Let be your counsayle / playnely in this cas
For what so euer / happe or falle of me
Trusteth right well / it shall none other be
For if that I / of my cowarde herte
Fro my purpose / shulde now dyuerte
Without lawde / my lyfe I shulde lede
And shame eternall / shulde be my mede
Through out the worlde / noted ouer all
In euery lande / spoke of in speciall
That Iason hath / so hyghly vndertake
That he for fere / dare none ende make
Thynketh right well / that it shall not betyde
For lyfe or dethe / what myscheif I abyde
And there vpon / my trouthe I you ensure
That as ferforthe / as my lyfe / may endure
I shall parfourme / that I haue begonne
And though so be / it may nat be wonne
But that I muste / with my deth it beye
I wyll nat leue / for leuer I haue to deye
Than lyue ashamed / of cowardyse & slouthe
For me semeth / it is to hygh a routhe
A man to appere / or dare shewe his hede
Whan he hath / his honour vyllanede
After tyme / whan his name is slayne
For eueryman / shulde be rather fayne
To dye in honour / than lyue as a wretche
And though this thynge / to my deth stretche
It is welcome / I shall it well abyde
This all and some / what so of me betyde.
THan quod she / sythe it is so
That ye algates / desyre to haue ado
Ther is nomore / by ought I can espy
But ye had leuer / shortly for to dye
Rather than lyue / and to haue a shame
And yet it is an ernest / and no game
With suche monstres / vnwarely for to dele
Lyke as in dede / there after ye shall fele
Wherfore / I am meued of pyte
And greatly stered / that ye of volunte
Without aduyse / or discrecion
[Page] Counsayle / or good delyberacion
Lyste take on you / this meruaylous vyage
For your youthe / and also your corage
Gouerned ben as / in this matere
All after luste / for bothe two yfere
Inparded ben / if ye your purpose sewe
For unpossyble / is to you to eschewe
A sodayne dethe / for nouther fre nor bonde
By crafte of man / hath power to withstonde.
¶Wherfore I thynke / of herte & good entent
To caste awaye yet / or ye be shent
And to your tourne / shape a remedye
Suche routhe I haue / that ye shulde dye
For my fader / whom I loue moste
Rather than ye shulde / thus be loste
I shall offende / and vtterly displease
My frendes all / so it may do you ease
For I shall fynde / suche amene weye
At the leste / that ye shall nat deye
For in this caas / I thynke be your gyde
So that for you / I shall sette asyde
My byrthe firste / of the stok royall
¶And ouer more myn heritage withall
And myn honour / shalbe put backe
You for to helpe / that there shalbe no lacke
Founde in me / so ye wyll be kynde
And that ye lyste / for to haue in mynde
As I disserne / goodly me to quyte
Consyderynge firste / that it is nat alyte
To saue your lyfe / that stande in Ieopardye
More peryllous [...]y / than ye can espye
But for all this / I shall it so ordayne
Thorugh my crafte / oonly at wyxe vs twayne
That or we parte / I hope all shalbe wele
Vpon this poynt / so that I may fele
Faythfully for ioye / wo or smerte
With full accorde / of body wyll and herte
To my desyre / that ye condecende
I vndertake / to make a good ende.
This sothly lady / sayde Iason tho
I am assented / without wordes mo
For to fulfyll / with euery circumstaunce
What that euer / may be to you pleasaunce.
THan quod she / there is no more to sayne
But firste of all / w t fayth & herte playne
With all your myght / and your besy cure
And menynge hole / that ye meassure
That ye hereafter / shall take me to wyfe
To holde and kepe / after all your lyfe
So that your dede accorde / with your hest [...]
This is the fyne / and sūme of my requeste
Excepte oonly / that ye shall ordeyne
In your repayre / to your faders reygne
That faythfully / ye shall me with you led [...]
And after that / whan that ye succede
After his daye / into your herytage
With herte aye one / and with one corage
Ye shall to me / be I lyke trewe
And cherysshe me / for chaunge of any newe
Lyke myn estate / without varyaunce
And whyle ye lyue / haue in remembraunce
My kyndenesse / in your great nede
For there is none a lyue / that may spede
Creature / that is here mortall
For to assayle / the forces marcy all
Of the dragon / and bulles bothe in fere
But it so be / of me that he lere
Hooly the manere / how he shall hym gye
Lyke as to you / I thynke specifye
Whan it happeth / that we mete agayne
For none but I / may helpe certayne
In this caas / as platly ye shall fynde
And I nat aske / but that ye be kynde.
SOthly quod Iason / all this shalbe do
As ye deuyse / I wyll that it be so
And here my fayth / there on I you assure
O goodlyest / of any creature
That euer yet / I sawe vnto my paye
And fayrest eke / in sothe it is no naye
And of bounte / ye ben in comparable
For of my dethe / ye ben so merciable
That whyle I lyue / I saye you by my fayth
Myn herte meneth / as my tunge [...]ayth
I wyll be founde / your owne trewe man
For lyfe or deth / in all that euer I can
So that of grace / it be to you pleasaunt
For to parfourme / your hestes & your graunnt
And worke fully / to my sauacion
As ye haue sayde / in full conclusion
For trewely ye of all / that bere lyfe
In beaute / haue a prerogatyfe
Passynge echone / me lyst nat for to glose
Amonges floures / as dothe the rede rose
Whiche in somer / amyd the leuys soote
After that veer / hath made out of the roote
The humydyte / kyndly to ascende
The barayne foyle / to clothe and amende
And the braunches / that wynter made bare
[Page] With sote blosmes / fresshely to repare
And the medowes / of many sondry hewe
Tapited ben / with dyuers floures newe
Of sondry motlees / moste lusty for to sene
And holsome bawme / is shad amonge y e grene
¶Right as the rose / is fayrest of echone
Right so nature / sette you alone
Whan she you made / firste at hir deuyse
Aboue all other / for to haue a pryse
As ye that ben / of bounte sprynge and welle
Therto in beuute / sothly ye excelle
All that lyue / for any comparison
Ne may be made / and of discrecion
Ye passe all / as euery man may se
And with all this / I fynde you vnto me
The moste goodly / that euer yet was borne
Without whom / I were as now but lorne
Of helpe and socour / fully destitute
Ne were that I / founde in you refute
Fro whom al fredō / to mewarde doth haboūde
In somoche / that I am euer bounde
As fer forthe / as my lyue may streche
That for your sake / of deth I ne reche
If therwithall / I myght you agrene
That to my helpe / so goodly lyste to sene
For if that I / of neclygence sholde
Any thynge refuse / that ye wolde
I myght of reason / full well merked be
And noted eke / of wylfull nycetee
So folylye / to voyde away my grace
It were arage / a man from hym to chace
Wylfull fortune / whan she is benyngne
Wherfore as now / hooly I resygne
Herte body my lyfe / and eke my dethe
Into your hande / whyle me lasteth brethe
With all the othes / that I afferme may
For to perseruer / to myn endynge day
Youre trewe spouse / as I haue sayd & sworne
And you behested / playnly here toforne
And there vpon / euery thynge obeye
That may you please / tyll tyme that I deye
This all and some / what shuld I lenger tarye
From this beheste / I shall neuer varye.
And whan she sawe / his great stedefastnesse
She was [...]upprysed / with so hye gladnesse
With so great ioye / pleynly in hir herte
That she was voyde / of euery wo and smerte
For he so lowly / to hir lust obeyde
And or she wente / thus to hym she seyde.
Iason quod she / than I shall ordayne
Amene waye / that we bothe twayne
May efte agayne / at leyser mete sone
For to parfourme / all that is to done
In this matere / lyke to our entent
Where shalbe made / a fynall sacrament
Of our desyre / that no man shall vnbynde
Though now therto / we may no leyser fynde
Towarde eue / it shall nat me escape
Truste me right well / a tyme for to shape
Secretly / that we may mete yfere
For I shall sende / a pryue chambrere
To you of myne / whiche shall you conueye
Vnto my chamber / by a pryue weye
A certayne houre / without any fable
To our entent / that be moste greable
Vpon the poynt / whan Phebus w t his lyght
I westryd is / and eke the derke nyght
Hath with the dymnesse / of his shadowes blake
Our emysperye / fully ouer take
That ofte gyueth / by fauour of fortune
Vnto louers a leyser / opportune
For to parfourme theyr / lustes / and achyeue
And right anone / as it draweth to eue
I shall for you / to my closet sende
Of euery thynge / for to make an ende
Where as we / shall at good leyser speke
Eueryche with other / and our hertes breke
And declare the sūme / of all our wylle
And whan we haue / spoken all our fylle
By good leyser / I fully you byhete
We shall ordayne / whan so vs lust to mete
To sette a tyme / who euer that saye nay
Alway by nyght / whan passed is the day
For myghty Ioue / as wysely me socoure
As hence forth / I wyll be hooly youre
Whyle that I lyue / wakynge and a slepe
If it so be / that ye your hestys kepe.
TO whom Iosan / lowly gan to enclyne
And said as fer / as man may ymagyne
Or any wyght / may clerely comprehende
I wyll to you / to my lyues ende
As seruaunt / faythfully me quyte
And though that I can nat say but lyte
My trewe herte / wyll nat neuerthelasse
And though I can nat peynte nor compasse
No gay processe / my soueraygne hertes quene
Tyll I be deed / trewely I shall mene
Haue here my trouth / whyle I haue lyf & mȳde
As in the ende / trewely ye shall fynde.
[Page] And for theyr speche / & ende thus they make
And Medea / shope hir for to take
Hir leue anone / amonges all the pres
First of hir fader / and than of Hercules
And bode no lenger / but forth with anone
Vnto hir chambre / in haste she is gone
Where vp and downe / she made many wente
None of hir meyne / wetynge what she mente
Castynge wayes / hir purpose to a chyeue
And in hir wyttes / gan besyly to meue
As she rometh / in hir habytacle
On any syde / if there were obstacle
Or any lettynge / whiche wolde hir sore greue
This was hir studye / tyll it drewe to eue
Where I hir leue / complaynynge in hir wo
With many a thought / walkynge to and fro.
¶The myddaye houre / is gone and ouer slyde
Tytan so faste / hath in his chare I ryde
The dayes arke / from est to west compassed
His fyry stedes / haue almoste I passed
Our oryzonte / and drawe downe full lowe
His golden wayne / that no man myght knowe
Where as he hydde / his fyry bemes bryght
In his descence / full fer out of our syght.
¶And herynes / with hir copes myrke
The euenynge / begonne for to dyrke
In the twylyght / whan the day gan fade
And Esperus / with her stremes glade
That ben so fresshe / so lusty and so merye
Gan recomforte / all our emysperye.
¶Whan Medea / by hir selfe alone
Of hygh desyre / gan for to make hir mone
That she so longe abode / after hir knyght
Alway accountynge / the houres of the nyght
So full of trouble / and full of thought
Whiche hath full streytly / serched out & sought
A redy waye / vnto hir purpose
All be that she / kept it in full close
Amyd hir herte / quappynge as awawe
For drede and fere / tyll hope gan adawe
And bad she shulde / be right merye & gladde
Tyll drede agaynward / made hir sobre & sadde
Lest hir desyre / troubled were or lette
And thus she was / at abay ysette
Amyd of hope / and of drede also
That she ne wyste / what was beste to do.
¶For hir desyre / and hye affeccion
So sobre brente / in hir oppynyon
Of luste she hadde / to mete with Iason
And there agaynst / drede came in anoon
And made hir ferefull / lest she were espyed
But all hir sorowe / was holpe and remedyed
Oonly by fortune / and the dyrke nyght
By whiche she was made / full glade and lyght
For recomforted oonly thyse two
And with good hope / that made hir glade also
She began anone / to caste and deuyse
Whan that the mone / on heuen wolde a ryse
And whan that she / with hir hornes pale
Wolde shede hir lyght / vpon hylle and vale
She gan acounte / and caste well the tyme
And founde a quarter / was passed after pryme
And she that was / well knowynge in that art
And sawe in sothe / that the fourth part
Of the mone / was shadde with newe lyght
And passed was / in hir cours full ryght
After the tyme of coniunccion
Thre sygnes full / by computacion
And complet was / seuen dayes of hir age
¶At whiche tyme / she brennynge in hir rage
And thorugh darted / with cupides arowe
Gan to loke / and beholde narowe
At euery dore / and lysten besely
If ony wyght / that she myghtespy
Of all the court / outher walke or go
Or any man romyn / to or fro
So sore shedradde / goynge vp and downe
Whan she herde / any noyse or sowne
Or whan she hereth / why sprynge any where
It was venym / sothly in hir ere
She wysshed all / hadde ben a bedde
This pytouslyfe / the longe nyght she ledde
W tout respyte / though no wyght coude it knowe
Tyll hye mydnyght / that the cokkes crowe
At whiche tyme / whan all was huste & stylle
For to accomplysshe / y e remenaunt of hir wylle
And euery where / made was sylence
She clepyd anone / vnto hir presence
An aged vecke / fer in yeres ronne
That in suche crafte / moche helpe konne
Thriftely to bryng [...] / a thynge aboute
For they afore / can caste euery doute.
¶Of yeres passed / olde experyence
Hath gyue to them / so passynge hye prudence
That they in loue / all the sleyghtes knowe
And she was made / as dogge for the bowe
To whom Medea / discureth all hir thought
From poynt to poynt / and forgat right nought
And charged hir / in reles of hir smerte
And recomforte / of hir troubled herte
[Page] To haste hir anone / vpon hir waye
Vnto hir chaumbre / Iason to conuaye
And she anone / nat rekles in that caas
Is gone for hym / a full softe paas
As she that was / of newe nat to lere
And brought hym anone / as ye shall here.
WHan that the cok / comon Astrologere
y • mydnyght hour / w t his voyce ful clere
Began to sowne / and dyde his besy payne
To bete his breste / with his wynges twayne
And of the tyme / a mynute wyll nat pace
To warne them / that were in the place
Of the tydes / and season of the nyght
Medea to awayte / vpon hir knyght
Full redy was / the entre for to kepe
As she that lyste / full lytell for to slepe
For that ne was / no parcell of hir thought
And whā Iason was / to hir chambre brought
Without espyeng / of any maner wyght
Than she anone / conueyeth hym full right
Into hir closet / in all the haste she maye
Full well besene / with great and ryche arraye
Where by hir syde / she made hym take his see
And firste of all / this ylke lees of three
By hir that was / moste expert in this caas
Was sodeynly / tourned to a braas
For the vecke / to stare vpon the mone
Is walked out / and hath them lefte alone
And whan Medea / the dores had shette
Downe by Iason / anone she hath hir sette
But firste I fynde / with all hir besy myght
Aboute the chambre / that she set vp lyght
Of great torches / and cyerges full ryall
Aboute on pyllers / and on euery wall
Whiche gaue alyght / lyke the sonne shene
And to a cheste / wrought of crystall clene
Firste of all / she taketh hir passage
Out of the whiche / she toke aryche ymage
Of pure golde / full lusty to beholde
That by custome / of the rytes olde
To myghty Ioue / eterne and creat
I halowed was / and also consecrat
The whiche ymage / deuoutly as she ought
With humble herte / to Iason first she brought
And made hym lowly / theron take his othe
Vnto his laste / outher for lyef orlothe
That he hir shulde take / vnto his wyfe
Fro that daye forthe / durynge all his lyfe
With herte vnfayned / and fayth inuyolate
And cherysshe hir / lyke to hir estate
Fro that tyme / I fynde how that she
Hadde euer floured / in virgynyte
And as myn Auctour / well reherce can
Aye kept hir clene / from touche of any man
In thought and dede / and neuer dyde amys
For she of herte / so holly gyuen is
Vnto Iason / and that for euer mo
And he anone / hath put his hande vnto
And swore fully / as ye haue herde me saye
All hir requestes / without more delaye
To kepe them / whyle his lyfe may laste
But o alas / how soone he ouer caste
His hest / his fayth / w t whiche he was assured
And hadde his fraude / with flaterye yeured
So couertly / that hir innocence
Hir trewe menynge / and hir dylygence
And all that euer / she deuyse can
Deceyued was by falshede of this man
And though y t trouthe / was apparent aboue
Doubylnesse so slyghly / was in shoue
As though he had / sothly be allyed
With trewe menyng / and so no thynge espyed
Vnder fayre chere / was faynynge and failas
For what myght she / a wrought more ī this cas
Than for thy sake / ceptre and regalye
And all the lordes / eke of hir alye
Forsoke at ones / and toke of them no hede
And of pyte / and of very goodlyhede
Loste hir frendes / and hir good fame
Oonly Iason / to saue the froshame
And yet moreouer / forsoke hir herytage
She that was borne / of so hye parage
And shulde haue be / by successyon
Heyre by dissent / of that Regyon
But womanly / for she wolde hir quyte
Of all yfere / she set nat amyte
But at one hour / all she hath forsake
And vnto the / she hath hir holly take
Oonly for truste / thou shuldest haue be kynde
Rychesse and honour / she hath I lefte behynde
And ches in exyle / with the for to gone
From all hir kynne / this cely mayde alone.
Alas I wepe / for thyne vnkyndnesse
What hath she nat / fro deth and fro distresse
Preserued the / and yet thou takest none hede
That shulde haue deyed / ne had she be thy rede
Of thy conquest / she was the very cause
That I may nat / shortly in a clause
Wryte hir bounte / nor breifly comprehende
[Page] Effectuelly parfourmed to the ende
At wordes fewe / it may nat be tolde
Thorugh whom y • hast / the ryche f [...]ees of golde
Manly conquered / whiche without doute
Vnlyaly was / that to a brought aboute
For whan thou were / of helpe destytute
She was thy comforte / and synguler refute
And with all this / thou mayst it nat denye
All erthely honour / how she gan defye
The to conserue / out of heuynesse
And hir fader / she hath o [...] his rychesse
So emperysshed / that pyte is to here
By ensample / of whiche women myght lere
How they shulde truste / on any man
Alas Medea that so moche can
Bothe of sterres / and of astronomye
Yet sawe she nat / afore hir desten ye
Loue hath hir put / so out of gouernayle
That all hir crafte / ne myght hir natauayle
She was to slowe / by calculacion
To caste afore the constellacion
Of hir byrthe / and hir wofull fate
For rekleshed / she sawe it all to late
But I suppose hir connynge was fallyble
For doutles me semeth / nat credyble
That if she hadde wyste of it toforne
So pytously / she hadde nat be lorne
As ye shall se here after hastely
So as the storye / reherseth by and by
How it befell / of Iason and Medee
But firste ye shall the ordre and maner se
How she wrought / after he was swore
The same nyght / alas she hathe forbore
Hir mayden hede / and y • was great pyte
And yet she mente / nat but honeste
As I suppose / she went to haue be his wyfe
But touchynge / that I holde as now no stryfe
And yet one thynge / I dare aferme and fayne
That the menynge / of this ylke twayne
Ne was nat one / but wonder fer atwene
For all that she / trewely gan mene
Of honeste thynkynge no outrage
Lyke a mayde / innocent of age
He to accomplysshe / his flesshely false appetyte
And to parfourme / his foule appetyte
Wrought euery thynge / to hir entent contrayre
Alas that she was / so debonayre
For to truste / vpon his curtesye
Or to quyte hir / of hir genterye
So hastely to rewe / vpon his sinerte
But women be / of so tendre herte
That they wyll gladly / of routhe and pyte
Whan that a man / is in aduersyte
Saue his lyfe / rather than he shulde deye
And so Medea / shortly for to seye
Castynge no peryll / after that shall fall
His desyres and his lustes all
Hooly obeyeth / with all hir full myght
And that so longe / almoste that the nyght
Hath his course / rounde aboute gon
At whiche tyme / to hir spake Iason
And lowly sayde / my lady it is tyme
That we aryse / for soone it wyll be pryme
Ye may se well / the daye begynneth to sprynge
For we may here / how the byrdes synge
Prayenge to you / in all my beste wyse
How I shall werke / that ye lyste deuyse
And ceryously / euery thynge dispose
I you beseche / o goodly fresshe rose
Myne empryse / to brynge to an ende
And than at erst / hense wyll I wynde
Saue that I thynke / firste w t you to trete
In what wyse / this countre ye shall lete
And into Grece / repayre agayne with me
Whiche is a lande / of great felycyte
For truste well / and be no thynge drede
Into that reyne / with me I shall you lede
After my conquest / if so be that I wynne
Wherfore I praye you / goodly to begynne
How I shall werke / in all the haste ye maye
For in good fayth / anone it wyll be daye.
To whom she spake / fayeng as ye shall here
Myn owne Iason / vnto me more dere
Than is myselfe / as in conclusion
I am assented / with full affeccion
Of my wyttes / and all my hole herte
You to enfourme / how ye shall asterte
Euery daunger / of the lytell yle
If it so be / ye lyste abyde a whyle.
And vp she rose / in all the haste she maye
And to a cofre / where hir treasour laye
She went anone / & brought hym in hir honde
A ryche ymage / of syluer that she fonde
Whiche sothely was / of meruaylous entayle
Whose power was / and vertue to auayle
Effectuelly / to hir bothe entent
Agayne all magyk / and enchauntement
And to with sytte / the force of Sorcerye
For it was made / by astronomye
In houre chose out / and equat for the nones
[Page] By clerkes olde / for full longe agone is
Whylom whā they were / flouryng ī their ages
That they vsed / to make suche ymages
As dyde the kynge / called Tholomee
And so to Iason / cōmaunded hath Medee
To bere this ymage / on hym pryuely
As ye haue herde / to worke effectuelly
In euery thynge / as she dyde assygne
And than she toke / to hym a medecyne
Made in maner / of an oynement
To ennoynte hym with / that he be nat brent
That was more ryche / & precious than bawme
Agayne the malys / of euery fyre and flawme
And after that / she toke to hym anone
A ryche rynge / where in was sette a stone
That vertue hadde / all venym to destroye
That on no syde / it myght hym not a noye
The whiche stone / had also this myght
That if a man / cowde it bere a ryght
Within his hande / next the skyn enclosed
The strengthe of syght / shulde be deposed
Of them that wolde / gase or beholde
For who so euer / in his hande it holde
By the vertue / that was infallyble
The storye sayth / he shulde be in vysyble
The whiche stone / wyse clerkes calle
Achates / moste vertuous of alle
And it is founde / sothely in Cecyle
Of whiche stone / whylom wrote virgyle
How that venus / to Eneas it sente
Firste whan that he / into Cartage wente.
And after this / she to Iason toke
A certayne bylle / wryten lyke a boke
That to his iourney / myght moche auayle
And bad hym wysely / that he nat ne fayle
If he caste hym / graciously to spede
Firste of all / the scripture that he rede
Or he the Ram / touche in any wyse
Hym chargynge / eke afore this hye empryse
With humble herte / and deuocyon
That he knelynge / saye that oryson
That vp and downe / was wryten on the bylle
Prayenge the goddes / lowely to fulfylle
His requeste / and mercy for to haue
Of very pyte / from myscheif hym to saue
And after that / for his cheif socoure
She toke to hym / a vyoll with lycoure
And bad hym manly / without fere or drede
Whan he come / vnto the bullys rede
If he hym shape / knyghtly to escape
That as faste / as he seeth them gape
Into theyr goles / that he the lycour caste
Than that hym nat / but lytell of them gaste
For theyr iowes / togyder it shall glyewe
That on no syde / they shall nat eschewe
To beye his luste / in what hym lyste cōstreyne
For doutles / maugre all theyr peyne
He shall them so daunte / and make tame
That where hym lyste / in ernest and in game
He myght them make louten and enclyne
And do them bowe / bothe backe and chyne
The lycour / shall there chawles so coharte
That a sonder / they shall nat departe
For to offende / or noye any wyght
And whan she had thus / vnto hir knyght
In euery thynge / gaue instruccion
Playne doctryne / and informacion
How he shall scape / the daungers by and by
If he take hede / and werke auysely.
And than accorded / they thought it for y e best
For to parte / or men out of theyr rest
A waked were / for it drewe to daye
As they well sawe / by the morowe graye
And leste men hadde to them suspecion
Of hye prudence / and discrecion
A twene the twelyght / and the rody morowe
They toke theyr leue / w t seynt Iohn̄ y e borowe
With oft kyssynge / as louers whā they twynne
And so he wente / and she is lefte withinne
Beynge in hope / to mete agayne some daye
And Iason than / as faste as euer he maye
Gan ordayne hym / his Iourney to acheue
And thought he wolde / anone go take his leue
And in what wyse / within a lytell whyle
After the maner of my rude style
My purpose is / sothely and nat spare
With your supporte / playnly to declare.
WHan that the rowes / and the rayes rede
Estwarde to vs / full erely gonne sprede
Euen at the twelyght / in y e damnynge
Whan the larke / of custome gynneth synge
For to salue / in hir heuenly laye
The lusty goddesse / of the morowe graye
I mene Aurora / whiche afore the sonne
Is wonte to enchase / the blacke skyes donne
And the derkenesse / of the dymme nyght
And fresshe Phebus / with cōforte of his lyght
And the bryghtnesse / of his bemes shene
Hadde ouer gylte / the hye hylles grene
[Page] And floures eke / agayne the morowe tyde
Vpon theyr stalkꝭ / gan playn their leues wyde
Whan that Iason / with all his companye
Towarde the kynge / full faste gan hym hye
Who that he fonde / lyke to his estate
With sceptre in hande / full pompous & elate
Hye in the see / of his regalye
Syttynge full kyngly / amyd his chyualrye
And his lordes / aboute enuyron
At whiche tyme / this yonge champyon
Vnder a vowe stondyng / of the Ram
With sterne face / tofore the kynge in cam
Besechynge hym / of his magnyfycence
The same day / to graunte hym lycence
To do his armes / and make no delayes
Concludynge playnly / that at all assayes
He wyll that daye / in the felde be founde
For to achieue / lyke as he was bounde
Of olde byheste / and nat a poynt declyne
For lyfe nor deth / tyll he parfourme and fyne
Hooly the auntres / vnto the flees that longe
The kynge requeryng / no lenger hym prolonge
But goodly graunte / the fyn of his empryse
And than the kynge / in full sobre wyse
Consyderynge / the sūme of his demaunde
To Iason spake and sayde / he shall cōmaunde
That his requeste / parfourmed were in haste
All be quod he / I am full sore a gaste
Of wylfulnesse / thou shuldest destruyde be
Leste men thy deth / arected vnto me
And therupon / wolde & blame sette
Of ryall power / that I nat ne lette
Thy manly youthe / from suche Iupartye
Whiche were in sothe / a great vylanye
And preiudyce / to myn estate and name
That afterwarde / men put me in blame
Thorugh fals reporte / and wronge opynyon
That I withstode / nat thy destruccion
¶Wherfore I rede / yet be thou auysed
And my counsayle / lete nat be dispysed
For better it is / with honoure in certayne
Into thy countre / to repayre agayne
Than wylfully / for to take an honde
A mortall thynge / that no man may w tstonde
This is my rede / and fully myn aduyse
Take hede therto / fythe that thou art wyse
Leste thou repente / whan it is to late
And if so be / that thou wylt algate
Thy purpose holde / and nat do as I rede
Almyghty Mars / I praye the to spede
The for to gyde / what so euer falle
And eke I praye / to the goddes alle
Saufe and sounde / thy body to restore
This all & some / of me thou gettest no more.
And whan Iason / had herde the kynge
Nat dismayed / nor stoned in no thynge
In knyghtly wyse / dyde hym reuerence
Thankynge hyghly / his royall excellence
That of his grace / and benyngnyte
Vpon his deth / hym lyste to haue pyte
Fully concludynge / touchynge his batayle
That nouther rede / nor counsayle
In no wyse / his purpose shulde withdrawe
But lyke the statute / playnly and the lawe
Right as fer forthe / as fortune wyll hym eure
What so be tyde / of his auenture
Settynge asyde / euery feer and drede
Sayde platly / that he wyll procede
For to parfourme / that he hath vndertake
It were in ydell mo / skylles for to make
Or to allegge / more there agayne
And Iason than / full openly and playne
Touchynge y • surplus / of this dredfull thynge
At his departynge / sayde to the kynge
In audyence / of his lordes alle
What so euer of me / now be falle
Or who so euer / of malys theron muse
To all the worlde / firste I you excuse
And to the goddes / platly you quyte
Though I deye / ye be nothynge to wyte
Ne no man shall / arecte it you of skylle
For that I werke / is frely at my wylle
Agayne the aduyse / of your hye prudence
And lyfe or deth / here in your presence
Hooly of herte / and neuer for to f [...]ytte
To the goddes / and fortune I cōmytte
So as them lyste / for me to ordayne
Agayne whose wyll / I shall neuer playne
Nor them nor you / put in no blame
What so betyde / honour / ioye or shame
And of this thynge / thus an ende I make
And for this tyme / of you my leue I take
And of all tho / that you aboute stonde
And one by one / he toke them by the honde
And in what wyse / forthe he gan hym dresse
To you anone / I thynke it to expresse.
WHan that Tytan / had w t his feruent hete
Drawe vp y e dewe / from the leues wete
Towarde myd morowe / as I can diffyne
[Page] Vpon the houre / whan the clocke is nyne
Iason full manly / and full lyke a knyght
Armed in stele / of chere full glad and lyght
Ganoresse hym forth / what hap that euer fall
And sayde a dieu / vnto his feres all
He in the boote / and they vpon the stronde
And all alone / whan he came to londe
And in the water / hadde his vessell lafte
He firste of all / remembrynge on the crafte
Of Medea / with all the circumstaunces
And how he shulde / kepe his obseruaunces
In euery thynge / and hadde it well in mynde
And than anone / full manly as I fynde
He shope hym forth / and went a knyghtly pas
Towarde the bulles / that forged were of bras
But at the poynt / whan he his Iourney gan
For hym Medea / wexed full pale and wan
So [...]ore agast / that no thynge myght hir glade
A routhe it was to se / what woshe made
For the teres / on hir chekes twayne
Full pyteously / do distylle and [...]ayne
That all fordewed / were hir wedes blake
And aye this sorowe / she made for his sake
Lyke a woman / ferefull and in doute
Whyle he his armes / ful māly brought aboute
To sobbe and syghe / she can nat be in pes
Leste he for haste / were oughte rekles
From poynt to poynt / to do lyke as she badde
This was the lyfe / that she for hym hath ladde
¶And for to se / how he shulde hym defende
She gan anone / by grecys to assende
Of a toure / into an hye pynacle
Where as she myght / haue none obstacle
Nor lettynge nouther / for to haue a syght
Of hym that was / hir owne chosen knyght
And euer amonge / with wordes out she brake
And stoundemell / thus to hir selfe she spake.
O thou Iaso [...] / my souerayne hertes hele
If thou knewe / what wo forthe I fele
Sothly I trowe / it shulde the nat asterte
For to be trewe / with all thy hole herte
And god I praye / this Iourney at the leste
May this tyme / tourne for the beste
And kepe the saufe / & sounde / in euery membre
And yefe the myght / fully to remembre
As I the taughte / and in the same fourme
Euery thynge fully / to parfourme
Oonly this daye / thyn honoure to auaunce
Whiche for to se / were all my hole pleasaunce
For certes Iason / if the fylle ought amysse
Fare well my helthe / and all my worldly blysse
And fare well than / my myrthe and my solace
And my welfare / my fortune and my grace
And all at ones / my hertely suffysaunce
¶Lo this for hym / was hir gouernaunce
From the tyme / that he the lande hath [...]ome
And firste of all / whan that he was come
Where as the bulles / fell and dispytous
Out caste theyr fyre / and frawme f [...]ryous
At theyr mouthes / wonder large and huge
Agayne the whiche / for his chefe refuge
Hym to saue / that he were nat brent
He was enoynted / with an Oyntement
On his body / that kept hym from damage
Of thylke fyre / that was so full of rage
And the smokes / derke and full horryble
Whiche to escape / was almoste impossyble
For any man / of what estate he be
Without comforte / and counsayle of Medee
By whose doctryne / Iason can so werke
That he is scaped / from the mystes derke
Of the fyre / with the blases blake
That all the eyer / so cludy dyde make
She hadde hym made / so discret and sage
Oonly by vertue / of thylke ymage
Whiche that he / aboute his necke bare
Wherby he / was so prudent and so ware
That whan y e bulles / haue most feersly gaped
He hath theyr malys / auysely escaped
For the enfeccion / of theyr troubled eyre
He hath venquysshed / and was in no disspeyre
For in effecte / agayne the foule fume
That wolde a man / vnto the deth consume
The ymage was / a preseruatyfe
Hym to diffende / and to saue his lyfe
And more surely / to kepe hym out of drede
Full ofte sythe / the wrytte he dyde rede
For the vertue / of that oryson
Was vnto hym / full proteccion
That he nat fell / in no distresse
And after that / for more sykernesse
Hym to preserue / in his mortall cas
He toke the lycour / that in the vyell was
And therwithall / full lyke a manly man
All at ones / he toke the bulles than
And forgat nat / so warely it to cast
That therwithal / their chawes were made fast
And by the vertue / so myghtely englewed
That he there thorugh / hath vtterly eschewed
The enfeccion / of the sinoky leuen
[Page] And whan the eyre / gan clere and the heuen
And the mystes / were wasted hym toforne
With manly herte / he raughte by the horne
The sterne bulles / and by vyolence
He drewe them forth / in whom was no defence
And yoketh them / so as the maner was
And with the ploughe / he made them go a pas
Now vp n [...]w downe / and to eere the londe
And at his lyste so buxom he them fonde
That the soyle / smothe bare and playne
They made it / redy to bere grayne
And on renges / it tourned vp so downe
For th [...] in them / was no rebellyowne
But humble and meke / and redy at his wylle
All his desyres / playnly to fulfylle.
¶And Iason than / lyke a Champyon
Gan hym enhaste / towarde the dragon
That was a beest great / & monstruous
Foule and horryble / and ryght venymous
And was enarmed / in scales large and thycke
Of whom the brethe / more peryllous & wycke
Was than the heyre / of any pestylence
For his venym / was of suche vyolence
That it was full deedly / and mortall
And at his throte / there yssued out with all
A flawme of fyre as of a fournes mouthe
Or lyke the leuene / that downe by the southe
Out of the Gest / is wont in tempest smyte
Right so this dragon / sothely for to wryte
Out at his mouthe / hadde a flawme blased
Wherof Iason / fyrste a lytell mased
Was in his herte / of that dredefull thynge
But whan that he / remembred on his rynge
All fere and drede / was layde asyde and gone
For in that rynge / there was sette a stone
Full ryche and noble / and ryght vertuous
Of whiche as techeth great y •sydorus
And in myn Auctor / also as I fynde
Moste comenly / comyth out of Ynde
And must be kept chaste / and wonder clene
And of colour surmounteth / euery grene
Whose vertue is / all venym to destroye
And to withstande / that it may nat anoye
Of dragon serpent / of adder and of snake
And specially / if that it be take
And I holden / in the opposyte
Of any worme / euen agayne the syte
Without abode / in sothe he may nat chese
Of his venym / the force he muste lese
How stronge it be / or vyolent of rage
But to the stone / it dothe full great damage
For whan he hath / his vertue do as blyue
On pecys smale / it gynneth all to ryue
And in it selfe / hole it abydes no whyle
For in the lande / that called is Cecyle
There is a worme / that Bufo bereth the name
And whā men wyll / of malys make hym tame
And his venym / vtterly expresse
They take a quyll / myn auctor bereth wytnesse
Whan they wyll worke or a large can
And in the ende / this 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 / y t might hȳ most auaūce
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 w t his swerde / spent on hȳ many a stroke
And layde on hym / as men hewe on an oke
His bryght skales / were so harde and dur [...]
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 y • playne
The whiche anone / w t sharpe swerdes grounde
Eueryche gan other / for to hurte and wounde
Tyll eche his felowe / hath cruelly I slawe
[Page] 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
A [...]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 / w t hym vnto londe
His feres all / abydynge on the stronde.
ANd whan Appollo / of his dayes arke
Had in y e 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 hȳ 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 wele
Ryght so certayne / this Iason euery dele
Hath take in gre / what y e kynge hath wrought
Nat aduertynge / y e 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
[Page] 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 thē 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 Ile / 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
D [...]mened hir / and so prudently
That she auoyded / by discrecion
All fantasye / and suspeccion
That no man coude / of hir workynge deme
No thynge but well / for as it dyde seme
By porte and chere / there was no cause why
And so by processe / she drewe hir pryuely
Towarde Iason / for she was nat to lere
And secretly / badde hym in his ere
In alwyse / that he nat ne leue
To hir chambre / for to come at eue
For mater / they hadde for to trete
Which he shal know / at leyser whan they mete
And so anone whan entred was the nyght
Sool by hym selfe / without torche or lyght
To Medea / he hath the way take
And she abode / slepeles for his sake
Wonder deuoutly / desyrynge as I gesse
With hym to trete / of some holynesse
Touchynge materes / of contemplacion
For she was smytte with a deuocion
Of freshe Venus / to holde a memorye
With hym alone / in hir oratorye
Nat openly / as ypocrytes praye
In dyuers angles / ioynge on the waye
Of the people / for to be comended
But they nat so / hath the nyght dispended
For vayneglorye / nor none other laude
But by themselfe / thynkyng on no fraude
Secretly / this ylke twayne alone
Without lyght / outher of sonne or mone
The longe nyght / haue ladde without reste
For as them thought / it was nat for the beste
To speke of slepe / tyll that it was pryme
For they them caste / to lese as tho no tyme
And thus the nyght / togyder they dispende
That I am dull / for to comprehende
The obseruaunces / of suche relygyous
Prolix in werkynge / and compendyous
Deme your selfe / ye gete nomore of me
For well ye wote / in euery faculte
Who hath knowynge / and experyence
Men wyll to hym / rather gyue credence
Wherfore I saye / ye that be wyse and can
Axe nat me / whiche am so rude a man
To deme a thynge / and namely whan that it
Passeth my knowynge also / and my wit
For dulled / is myn ymagenatyfe
To deme in practyke / or in speculatyfe
Wherfore I passe / and lete it ouer slyde
And forthe I thynke / if ye lyste abyde
Playnely to tell / of Iason and Me [...]ee
The whiche accorded / and assented be
That she with hym / shall into grece wende
Whan that he gothe / shortly this the ende
Vnwyste hir fader / and euery other wyght
Saue he alone / that hath his trouthe plyght
For to be trewe / bothe in well and woo▪
Vnto his laste / to hir and to no moo.
⸫ ⸫ ⸫

¶Howe Iason toke shyppynge with his loue Medea / and sayled awaye with hir. Ca. vij.

[figure]
ANd whan Iason / after his Iournee
Full rychely / lyke to his degree
Refresshed was / in Colchos of the kynge
Withall that myght / be to his lykynge
And amoneth passed / was and gone
He with his Grekes / assented into one
Purposed hath / shortly if he myght
With Medea / to stele awaye by nyght
That moche treasour / and the ryche flees
And full accorde / also of Herculees.
But O Medea / thou hastest all to faste
Thou were to slowe / wysely for to caste
What shulde falle / whan y u thy iourney toke
For how that he in myscheif the forsoke
And how that he / was false and eke vnkynde
For all his othes / to the as I fynde
And how that thou / bothe at eue & morowe
Thy fatall chaunce / and thy pytous sorowe
By weptest after / and gan thy selfe to rende
Tyll dethe of all / made a wofull ende
It were but vayne / to make rehersayle
I wote no thynge / that it myght auayle
Nor how Iason / vnkynde for the nones
Receyued hath / penam talliones
Of the goddes / for his disnaturelnesse
For he in myscheif / and in wretchednesse
Made eke an ende / thorugh the cruell hate
Of felle Mars / loo here the mortall fate
Of these twayne / that made theyr ende so
But as I trowe / lyke as wryte Guydo
For theyr gynnynge / was nat vertuous
An ende foloweth / full contagyous
Alas if they hadde / take hede aforne
Than had they nat / in myscheif be lorne
But who wyll nat / afore his myscheif se
May nat eschewe / to haue aduersyte
In the ende / platly to deuyne
For euen lyke / ryght as a medecyne
Auayleth nat / whan the syke is deed
For what may helpe / the stomake or the heed
Letuarye emplaystre / or pocyon
Or any resseyt / or confeccyon
Herbe or stone / or that leches knowe
[Page] Whan that the corps / is layde in erthe lowe.
¶Or whan a beest / is tourned to careyne
Myne Auctor sayth / that it is but veyne
For his recure / vpon any halowe
To his ere / for to leyne a salowe
For veryly / after his fantasye
It helpeth nat / nor doth no remedye
For thynge parfourmed / in his due date
More vertue hath / than whan it cometh to late
Rightsom case / veryly semblable
Of worldly truste / false and full mutable
Who caste no peryll / tyll that it be falle
In stede of sugre / ofte casteth galle
Blended with luste / whiche that is present
Of the future / slouthe and neclygent
That them ne lyste / afore no myscheif caste
Tyll in the snare / they be englued faste
For to prouyde / they be graceles
Full vnprudent / and wylfull recheles
To caste peryll / or that it be tyde
They sewe theyr luste / their reason goth asyde
As it befelle / whylom of this two
Of Medea / and of Iason also.
¶But how so euer / of Iason that it be
I [...]ynde playnly / the harme alone had she
The great damage / and the fynall smerte
For lacke of wysdome / y • she ne wolde aduerte
What shulde falle / whan she hir iourney toke
And hir fader / folyly forsoke
But sythe she wrought / oonly of wylfulnesse
Without counsayle / or auysenesse
Me lyste no more / hir harmes to bewayle
For lytell or nought / it myght now auayle
Lete hir alone / complayne hir damage
For well I wote / touchynge hir passage
It was nat take / in good plyte of the moone
Of hastynesse / she began to soone
Chesynge an houre / that was nat fortunat
For she alone / of frendes desolat
Colchos forsoke / and is to shyp gon
And in all haste / be byddynge of Iason
Hercules / and all his companye
That with hym came / out of Thesalye
Without taryeng / at ones at a worde
Yentred ben / within shyppes borde
Oonly for cause / that the wynde was gode
And euery thynge / at theyr luste tho stode
And so by assent / they stale awaye by nyght
With all the treasoure / that they catche myght
And with them ladde / plente of vytayle
And forthe anone / they began to sayle
By many coste / and many sondry Ile
Towardes Grece / and all this mene whyle
Was Medea glad / and of good chere
She and Iason / syttynge bothe yfere
And Hercules / of very gentylnesse
Her to comforte / dyde his besynesse
All faynyngly / for the maner sake
As these louers / full queynte can it make
Tyll they haue hadde / hooly theyr pleasaunce
Theyr luste fulfylled / than vttreth varyaunce
As it was preued / by Iason vtterly
That hath forsake / full vnkyndely
This Medea / in payne sorowe and wo
Of hir Guydo / ne wryte no wordes mo
Nor maketh of hir / none other mencyon
Bycause I trowe / in myn opynyon
That hir sorowes / ende and euery dele
Rehersed be / full openly and wele
Methamorphoseos / & wryte there full playne
Where as Naso / recordeth in certayne
Hir deth 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 & [...]here
Made it outwarde / as hole and as entere
As he hadde had / soueraygne gladnesse
Of his kynghthode / and his heyprowesse
[Page] 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 sūme 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 cōmaundement
In whiche Pollux / and Castor eke also
The worthy kyngꝭ / 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 k [...]gꝭ 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
[Page] 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 [...]oye he hath / hym in armes no [...]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 / y • hath treble myght
Them that nat drede / with spere nor w t 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 that / that hercules hath sayde
Kynge Pelleus / was right well apayde
For hym thought / his coūsayle 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.

[figure]
WHan y • 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 braūches / enspyreth & doth sprynge
And euery busshe / is lusty blossomynge
And from the hylle / the water is reuolued
Of snowes whyte / y • Phebus hath dissolued
And the bawme / vapoureth vp a lofte
Into the eyre / of the herbes softe
The rotes vertue / w t 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▪ dukes▪ 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 y • morowe / whan y • larke songe
The worthy Grekꝭ / so māly & so stronge
Began to lande / in all the haste they myghte
On Troye grounde / and theyr tentys pyght [...]
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 euerychon [...]
[Page] And by the byddynge / of the kynge anone
Iason firste / and with hym hercules
With many worthy / beynge in that pres
Ben to the ten [...]e / of Pelleus come
And whan the lordes / both all and some
Were [...]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 y • 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 lordꝭ / moste worthy of renowne
Ye can remembre / of kynge Lameoow [...]e
And of the wronge / y • he vpon you [...] 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 shalbe 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 cōmende
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 hym of his fone
But whan he cometh / to our shyppes warde
Nestor the duke / shall in the firste warde
Mete with hym / and Castor shall also
Whan he seeth tyme / knyghtly haue ado
To helpe Nestor / if that it be nede
The thirde warde / Pelleus shall lede
And whyles / ye thus hym occupye
Iason and I / shall vs faste hye
To the Cyte / vnwyst of them echone
I doute nat / we shall it wynne anone
Dothe by counsayle / and it wyll you auayle
And here my trouthe / ye may nat fayle
For to conquere / the Cyte yonder afore
This all and some / ye gete of me no more.
And they accorde / w t al theyr strēgth & myght
And arme them / in stele y • shone full bryght
Agayne the sonne / at morowe whan he ryseth
And wrought fully / as hercules deuyseth.

¶How the Grekes armed them vpon the morowe / and fought with the Troyens / & discom­fyte them / and toke theyr cyte and distroyed it. Capitulo .ix.

[Page]
[figure]
ANd Lamedon / whan he herde tell
Of their comyng / h [...] lyst no lēger dwell
But out he went / with many a noble knyght
Flourynge in youthe / and desyrous to fyght
And all tho that myght / armes bere
Or coude sho [...]e / or durste handell a spere.
And whan they were / assembled in the felde
Eueryche his armes / depeynt vpon his shelde
Brouded or bete / vpon his coote armure
Than Lamedone / with all his besy cure
Set them inordre / and his wardes maketh
And in the felde / forthe his way he taketh
Towarde the Grekes / as any lyneryght
Fully purposynge / to abyde and fyght
He was nat ware / of them that were behynde
He nat aduerteth / nor casteth in his mynde
The great sleyghte / nor the trecherye
That hym was shape / he coude it nat espye
But forthe he went / with his wardes set
And the Grekes anone / with hym hath met
With herte bolde / astoned nat at alle
Duke Nestor / firste sturdy as a walle
In whose manhod / was neuer founde lacke
Full knyghtly than / vpon hors backe
To herte his men / and his knyghtes eke
Gan prese in with many worthy Greke
With Lamedon / sturdely to mete
At whiche tyme / they felte it full vnswete.
¶And in the frountell / ful many manly man
With sharpe speres / firste togyder ran
And with swerdes sharpe / and kene grounde
Was thylke daye / gyuen many a wounde
Where as they mette / vpon euery syde
Thrugh plate & mayle / theyr woūdꝭ bled wyde
And basenettes / they ryue to the crowne
The noyse of strokes / in the eyre gan sowne
And of the blode / that was shad of newe
The Grene soyle / chaunged hath his he we
For it was dyed / playnly into reed
Vpon the whiche / full many man lay deed
And many worthy / lost there his lyfe
And certaynly / in this mortall stryfe
The grekes hadde discomfyted be echone
Ne had Castor / socoured them anone
They of Troye / so manly haue them bore
That many a knyght / of grekes was I lore
But whan Castor / entreth in batayle
With his knyghtes / so sore he dyde assayle
The worthy Troyans / y • with spere and shelde
Grekes agayne / recouerde haue the felde
That many one lyeth slayne on the grene
Gyrt thorugh the body / w t sharpe speres kene
That they of Troye / in this mortall stoure
Were dryue a backe / tyll there came socoure
To them in haste / of worthy Lamedowne
Whiche entrede in / lyke a wood lyowne
And made waye / vpon euery syde
And where as he made / his swerde to glyd [...]
[Page] There was but deth / so manly he hym bare
That well vnneth / was there none that dare
Abyde his stroke / for rydynge vp and downe
He made waye aboute / hym enuyrowne
In the renges / he hath his foen out sought
That day i armes meruailes hath he wrought
Than by his manhod / and his worthynesse
He grekes hath brought / in suche distresse
That they his swerde / fledde as the deth
Mercyles / so many of them he sleeth
Of whiche slaughter / the grekes were confuse
Tyll Pelleus / came to theyr rescuse
Irous and wood / as he were fall in rage
He thought he wolde the great pompe aswage
Of them of Troye / and so he dyde an one
For he vnhorseth / of them many one
And felly slough / all that stode hym aforne
And many harneys / he hath that day to torne
And made sheldes / for to ryue a sondre
That to beholde / it was a very wondre
Tyll lamedone / his people sawe go backe
For Pelleus / brought them so to wracke
Wherof in herte / he felte full great payne
Besechynge them / to repayre agayne
And kythe theyr myght / & lyke as men endure
And so the felde / he made them to recure.
Tyll duke Nestor / knewe that lamedowne
Amyd the felde / was kynge of Troye towne
And right anone / without more abode
Agaynst hym / a full great pase he rode
And whan the kynge / dyde hym firste espye
Of hye dispyte / of rancour and enuye
In knyghtly wyse / gan to tourne agayne
No thynge agast / but of hye disdayne
With Irous herte / enbolled all with pryde
His hor [...] fyersly / gan take in the syde
Tyll there ranne out / the very rede blode
And to Nestor / lyke as he were woode
He rode anone / and his spere brake
But he full knyghtly / kept his hors bake
And full delyue [...]ly / hym agayne to quyte
W [...]th a spere full sharpe / whette to byte
Thorugh sheld & brest / gaue hym such a woūde
That fro his hors / he felde h [...] downe to groūde
Of whiche falle / the kynge no thynge a ferde
But ro [...]e hym vp / and drewe out his swerde
So angre fret hym / at his herte rote
That he vnhorsed / fyghte muste on fote
Wherof he was / in party full confuse
Tyll one Cedar / came to his rescuse
That was made knyght / the selfe same yere
Yonge fresshe and lusty / and of noble chere
Syttynge that tyme / on a noble stede
And whan that he / gan to take hede
And sawe the kynge / on fote at myscheif fyght
Gan to pryke / in all the haste he myght
Towarde Nestor / and with a spere hymhytte
From his sadell / that he made hym f [...]ytte
Downe to the grounde / afore kynge lamedon
But he anone / lyke a champion
Recured vp / and hym selfe diffendeth
And many a stroke / eche on other spendeth
With sharpe swerdes / kene for to byte
Eueryche at other / gan to foyne and smyte
Tyll lamedone / with a dispytous chere
From his face / rased his viser
And by force / all at ones smet
A ryche cercle / from his basenet
Of large perle / goynge enuyrowne
With creste / and all he fyersly bete a downe
That whyles Nestor / thus afore hym stode
His face was all depeynt / with blode
That certaynly / the sothe to conclude
Hadde nat grekes / with great multytude
Rescued hym / he had of lamedowne
Beslayne as faste / for he was bore downe
Vnto the erthe / amonge the hors f [...]te
But Castor thought / that he ne wolde lete
To be his helpe / as he byhelde a fere
And Irously / he toke a myghty spere
And to Cedar / that I spake of late
He gan to ryde / and prycke in great hate
But or he came / and toke hym douteles
A troyan knyght / called Segnerides
Cosyn to Cedar / whan he hath this sene
On a courser / rode anone bytwene
And with a spere / he smote Castor so
That with the stroke / it brake euen a two
To whom Castor / without more areste
Hath with a spere / amyddes of the breste
Segnerides / gyue a mortall wounde
That lykly was / neuer for to sounde
Wherfore Cedar / caughte suche enuye
That he anone of melancolye
And of despyte / boylynge in his herte
Segnerides / whan he sawe so smerte
Maugre who grutcheth / amyddes of the felde
Of very myght / from Castor toke his shelde
And thorugh vyser / of rancour and of rage
He wounded hym / amyddes his vysage
[Page] And his hors / fro hym also he caughte
And to his squyer / manfully it raughte
That certaynly / he stode in suche disioynt
This worthy Castor / that he was in poynt
To haue be taken / of them of Troye tho
For he on fote / with hym must haue go
Ne hadde Pollux / with many manly knyght
Mo than .vii. hondred / in stele armed bryght
The rather come / Castor to rescewe
Whiche after them / so soregan to sewe
That maugre them / Castor whan he fonde
Of force / he toke hym fro out of theyr honde
And to his hors restored / hym agayne
And after that this / Pollux in certayne
Of very anger / and of feruent Ire
Agayne troyens / with rancour set a fyre
That all at ones / he vpon them sette
And in his mode / by fortune as he mette
A troyan knyght / called Elyatus
In armes yonge / fresshe and desyrous
Wonder semely / and but tendre of age
The kynges sone / also of Cartage
And neuewe eke vnto Lamedon
Whan Pollux / hath lyke a fyers lyon
Without routhe / pyte or mercy
In the renges / slayne cruelly
That lamedone / whan he gan take hede
Of inwarde dole / felte his herte blede
Whan he hym sawe / euen vpon the dethe
Full pytously / yelde vp the brethe
Vpon the playne / as he lay hym beforne
For whiche anone / he made sowne a horne
At whiche tyme / there came in full ryche araye
Seuen. M. knyghtꝭ / in all the haste they maye
Vpon his dethe auenged for to be
Whiche mercyles / of great cruelte
The Grekes haue here / & there I grounded
Here lyeth one dede / there another wounded
So that they myght / with them haue no take
So mortally / they made them go abake
That all gan tourne / to theyr confusion
And fynally / that day with lamedon
The tryumphe hadde / and the felde I gone
Saue that alas / out of the towne anone
Vnto the kynge / there came a messangere
That hath hym tolde / with a full pytous chere
How the Grekes / haue his Cyte take
¶Than for to se / the wo he dyde make
It wolde haue made / a pytous herte as blyue
Of very dole / a sondre for to ryue
So sore he gan / within hym selfe to morne
He wyste nat what partye he may torne
But in a weer / he abydynge longe
Afore hym sawe / the myghty grekes stronge
And in the Cyte / another hoost behynde
Almoste for wo / he went out of his mynde
And sodeynly bakwarde / as he behelde
Towarde the cyte / he sawe come in the felde
Firste hercules / and with hym Iason
That by theyr sleyghte / wonne had the towne
¶And in all haste / this cruell hercules
The myghty gyaunt / of force pereles
Lyke a lyon / wood and despytous
Or a Tygre / in rage furyous
Gan of newe / them of Troye assayle
And with his swerde / perce plate and mayle
Whiche of labour / were full mate and feynt
And of longe fyghte / with werynesse atteynt
And he came in lusty / fresshe and grene
That they his force / myght nat sustene
For as he rode / amonge them here and yonder
In cruell wyse / he seuered them a sonder
And put them hooly / in this hye myschaunce
Out of reule / and of gouernaunce
So that the kynge / oppressed all with dole
Of his wardes / destytute and sole
At myscheif left / and all infortunat
And of comforte / fully disconsolat
This Hercules / with despytous loke
With sharp spores / his stede felly toke
And cruelly rode / to lamedowne
And to the erthe fyersly / bare hym downe
And vpon hym / in all the haste he myght
Downe of his hors / sodeynly a lyghte
And myghtely / rent of his Basenette
And with a swerde sharp / grounde & whette
Smote of his hede / there was none other grace
And caste it forthe / in the selfe place
Amonge the hors / by cruell vyolence
Without pyte / or any reuerence
And in arage / raughte his hors agayne
And lyke alyon / rennynge on the playne
Baredowne & sloughe / what came in his weye
And many troyan / that day made them deye
That lyke to shepe / were for skatered wyde
All destytute / of gouernour or guyde
Ne can no rede / shortly to conclude
For the Grekes / with double multytude
Gan them enchace / to the dethe full blyue
That well vnneth / there lefte none a lyue
[Page] The felde they haue [...] victours
And [...] tryumphe [...] lyke as conquerours
To the Cyte / they toke theyr waye after
And [...]ende downe / bothe spa [...]ce and rafter
And all the treasour and rychesse of the towne
They toke anone to theyr possessy owne
Who euer grutche / or be lefe or lothe
What they founde / playnely w t them gothe
In the temples / they dyde great offence
To the goddes / doynge no reuerence
[...] they spoyle / without drede or fere
And vnto shyppe / euery thynge they bere
[...] [...]yles / on croked olde and lame
[...] [...]werdes they made / cruelly to a tame
And children soukynge at theyr moders breste
They murdre and sle / without more areste
[...] yonge maydens / wepynge in distresse
[...] gentyll borne / and of great fayrenesse
[...] them they ladde / & may them nat excuse
[...] fresshe beaute / falsly to mysuse
They waste and brenne / and consume all
And without / they brake a downe the wall
And Exyone / the kynges doughter dere
That was to hym passyngly entere
By his lyfe / I meane lamedon
Meke and benyngne / of condycion
Hercules hath anone hir take
That for drede / pyteously gan quake
[...] delyuered / vnto The [...]am [...]wne
[...] / firste into the towne
[...] his gyfte / receyued hath at gree
Bycause she was / surmountynge of beautee
And tretyde hir / after as he wolde
Not lyke as he / a kynges doughter sholde
For sythe he gat hir / that day by victorye
For his worshyp / and his owne glorye
Hauynge regarde / to hir hye degree
He shulde rather / of knyghtly honestee
And of knyghthode / haue wedded hir therfore
With that she was of blode / so gentyll bore
Wan of false luste / agayne all goodlyhede
[...] hir beaute / and hir womanhede
Dishonestly / and in synfull wyse
Of royall blode / nat lyke the hye empryse
Nor the doctryne / of natures ryght
Nor lyke nurture / of a gentyll knyght
Consydred firste / hir byrthe and hir kynrede
Hir grene youthe / and hir maydenhede
So good so fayre / so womanly therto
A kynges doughter / of byrthe she was also
[...]had ben of name
Now [...] thou were to blame
For thorugh [...] [...] of thy gouernaunce
There kynled was / of full hye vengaunce
So hote a sparke / after of enuye
That thorugh y e world / the fyre gan multeply
Whiche was nat lyght / to quenche of his hete
For ha [...] olde / to brenne can nat lete
With newe flawme / who so taketh hede
If it not smoke / it is the more to drede
As in this storye / hereafter shalbe knowe
& whā this towne was brent / & brought lowe
Bothe toure and wall / w t the soyle made pleyn
And no thynge stode / of all that myght be [...]
So vtterly the Grekes / them oppresse
Makynge all waste / lyke a wyldernesse.
¶For good and tresour / and rychesse [...]
With many iewell / full plesynge of delyte
To theyr shyppes / out of the towne they lede
And in short tyme / homwarde they them spede
With treasour stuffed / & habundaunce of gode
And whan they sawe / that the weder stode
The wynde also / at theyr lust they hadde
They gan to sayle / & w t them home they ladde
Exyone / and many a mayde moo
That out of Troye / into Grece goo
And saylynge forth / within a lytell space
They be escaped / fro the see by grace
And vnto londe / aryued merely
At whose comynge / the grekes vtterly
So ioyfull be / of theyr good spede
And specially in Guydo as I rede
Theyr shyppes were / w t golde & [...] lade
Wherof in herte / they wexe wonder glade
And for they hadde out so well the [...] [...]
To conquere / and so fewe lorne
Of theyr meyne / they thanke theyr goddes all
And of the grace / that to them is fall
For w t the treasour / y t they haue home brought
Full many pore / was made vp of nought
Thrugh out y e lande / ther was such habūndāce
So moche good / and so great su [...]ysaunce
That no wyghte / had amonges them no nede
And many day / this blessydfull lyfe they lede
Frome yere to yere / by reuoluciowne
And for theyr manhode / & theyr hye renowne
Theyr honour ran / rounde the worlde aboute
That them to offende / many lande hath doute
For theyr knyghthode / & for they were so wyse
¶And tyll the storye / lyste agayne deuyse
[Page] In this manere ferther to procede
With the fauour / of your goodlyhede
I wyll me reste / for a lytell space
And than vp borne / w t supporte of your grace
For to accomplysshe / as I vndertoke
And here an ende / of the firste boke.
I make now / with quakynge hande for drede
[...] only for fere / of you / that shall it rede
Lyste ye alas / of hasty mocyon
Ne wyll nat haue / no compassyon
Pyte nor routhe / vpon my rudenesse
Lowly besechynge / to your gentylnesse
Of mercy oonly / bothe nyghe and ferre
Where ye fynde / that I fayle or erre
For to correcte / are ye ferther flytte
For to your grace / I hooly all commytte.

How Lydgate complayneth hym on Fortune / for the firste dy­struccyon of the cyte of Troye / And how he begynneth his seconde Boke folowynge the mater of the sayde storye. Capitulo .x.

[figure]
THe enuyous ordre / of fortunat meuȳge
In worldly thynge / false & flykerynge
Ne wyll nat suffre vs / ī this p̄sent lyfe
[...] reste / without werre or stryfe
For she is blynde / fykell and vnstable
And of hir course / false and full mutable
Who sytte hyest / she can downe hym enclyne
[...] he leest weneth / brynge hym to ruyne
[...] [...]ay [...]es / that gladly ben sodayne
And with hir face / that parted is on twayne
Shewe moost hole / whan she is leest to tryste
Tha [...] well were hym / that hir disceytes wyste
[...] engynes / and hir trappes knewe
That euery daye / in hir courte be newe
Of whiche in sothe / I well afferme dare
No mortall man / may in this lyfe beware
For she vneuen / peysynge in balaunce
With countrefete / and fayned countenaunce
With lokynge playne / & chere of flaterye
Vnwarely can blere / a mannes eye
And hym begyle / this the very sothe
With a face blandysshynge / and smothe
Whā she hath hym fro hye degre / brought lowe
Full falsly smyle / and make hym the mowe
And yet somwhyle / moost varyaunt of hewe
She vnto some / pretendeth to be trewe
For she whylom to some / is fauourable
And to some / false and deceyuable
She can reyse one / and brynge another downe
This false lady of transmutaciowne
[Page] To some she gyueth / renowne and victorye
And dothe them floure / in honour & in glorye
And some she can apayre / with false fame
And gyltles / put a man in blame
To some she is / goodly and benyngne
And of disdayne / she can also malygne
Agayne another / and make hym lowte lowe
And from theyr sees / she can kynges throwe
And them auayle / for all theyr hye toures
And she can plonge / worthy Emperours
From the hylle / of hye prosperyte
Into the vale / of aduersyte
The ryche emporysshe / of rancoure & disdayne
And the pore / she can enhaunce agayne
This false goddesse / with hir eyen blynde
Set one afore / a nother gothe behynde
And dothe one renne / and a nother halte
And one she can / in rychesse hye exalte
And a nother plonge in pouerte
In whom no man / may haue no sykerte
To some sugre and hony / she distylleth
And of some / she the botell fylleth
With bytter galle / myrre and ales
And thus this lady / wylfull and recheles
As she that is frowarde / and peruers
Hath in hir seler / drynkes of dyuers
For she to some / of fraude and of fallas
Mynystreth pyment / bawme and ypocras
And sodaynly / whan the soote is paste
She of custome / can gyue hym a caste
For to conclude / falsly in the fyne
Of bytter eysell / and of egre wyne
And corrosynes / that fret and perce depe
And Narcotykes / that cause men to slepe
Thus she to them / that hir can approche
After swete / the bytter can a broche
In hir reygne / this quene of varyaunce
Whose ioye fyneth / alway with myschaunce
Who trusteth hir / she wyll hym ouer caste
And hym deceyue / playnly at the laste
Of what estate / so euer that he be
This double lady / of mut abylyte
Se here example / of kynge lamedon
Whom she hath brought / to confusion
For lytell cause / and for athynge of nouthe
Hir cruelte / he hath to dere bought
Wherfore I rede / euery man take hede
To gynne a quarell / where as is no nede
For lytell fyre / vnder asshes reke
So may be kyndled / that it wyll out breke
Into suche flawme / men may it nat a pease
Who beste can suffre / most shall haue his ease
Therfore ye kynges / and lordes euerychone
Make you a myrour / of this lamedone
And be well ware / to do no vyolence
Vnto straungers / whan they do none offence
Whan they come / fer into this regyon
Ne suffre them nat / by none oppressyon
In your boundes / for to haue no wronge
For in your owne / though that ye be stronge
And myghty eke / amonge your lyeges alle
A nother daye / perauenture may be falle
That whan that ye / full lytell thynke on it
Of sodayne case / that ye may be quyt
And I thanked / in a nother place
Of auenture / if ye happe pace
Therfore whan ye may any suche espye
Doo them good chere / of your curtesye
And prudently / consyder in your wyt
That to a lorde / of gentyllesse it syt
To euery straunger / goodly hym to haue
There is no thyng / may more his honour saue
Than to refresshe them frely / and disporte
Than may they after / good of hym reporte
By whose cōtrarye / hath moch wo be wrought
Afore this tyme / if it be well sought
The firste Troy / vtterly destroyed
And the people / in sorowe and wo a cloyed
Lad into exyle / fer fro theyr Cyte
Lyuynge in thraldome / and captyuyte
And Exyone / as ye haue herde me telle
Lad into Grece / with Thelamon to dwelle
For whom there was / as Guydo can you teche
After take / so great vengaunce and wreche
On eyther parte / that in very trouthe
For to here / it is to moche routhe
As in this boke / ye maye after rede
Ceryously / if ye lyste take hede
For gladly aye / the reuolusion
Of fatall thynge / by disposicion
Is so enuyous / and alway meynt with wo
That in this worlde / where so that we go
We truely may aduerte in our thought
That for the value / of a thynge of nought
Mortall causes / and werres firste begonne
And stryfe and debate / here vnder the sonne
Were meued firste / of smale occasion
That caused after / great confusion
That noman can / the harmes halfe endyte
For a cause / dere Inough a myte
[Page] Eche is redy / to destroye other
A man for lytell / wyll stryue with his brother
Blode is vnkynde / whiche greatly is to drede
Alas / why ne wyll they take better hede
For olde Troye / and after the newe
Thorugh small encheson / who y • trouthe knewe
Were fynally brought / to distruccion
As olde bokes / make mencion
And many worthy / and many noble knyght
Slayne in the felde / by dute [...]e of that fyght
Kynges prynces / at the sege dede
Whan Attropos / to breke theyr lyues threde
That for to tell / the myscheif and the wo
I wante connynge / and I fele also
My penne quake / and tremble in my honde
Lyste that my lorde / dradde on see and londe
Whose worthynes / thrugh y e world doth sprede
My makynge rude / shall beholde and rede
Whiche of colour / full naked is and bare
That but if he / of his grace spare
For to disdayne / and lyste to haue pyte
For fere I tremble / that he shulde it se.
¶But onely mercy / y t doth his herte enbrace
Byd me presume / fully in his grace
Seynge in hym / moste vertuous and gode
Mercy anexed / vnto royall blode
As to a prynce longeth / nyghe and ferre
Aye tofore right / pyte to preferre
For thorugh the supporte / of his hye noblesse
Sowpowayled / I wyll my style dresse
To wryte forth / the storye by and by
Of newe Troye / in ordre ceryously
As myn Auctour / in latyn Guydo wryt
Prayeng the reder / where my worde myssyt
Causynge the metre / to be halte or lame
For to correcte / to saue me fro blame
Lete hym not wayte / after curyosyte
Syth that in ryme / Englysshe hath scarste
I am so dull / certayne that I ne can
Folowe Guy do that clerke / that coryous man
Whiche in latyn / hath by rethoryke
Set so his wordes / that I can nat be lyke
To sewe his style / in my translacion
Worde by worde / lyke the construccion
After the maner / of gramaryens
Nor lyke the style / of rethorycyens
I toke nat on me / this storye to translate
For me to further / Clyo came to late
That in suche crafte / hath great experyence
I leue these wordes / and folowe the sentence
And trouthe of metre / I sette also a syde
For of that art / I hadde as tho no guyde
Me to reduce / whan I went a wronge
I toke none hede nouther of shorte nor longe
But to the trouthe / and lefte euryosyte
Bothe of makynge / and of metre be
Nat purposynge / to moche for to varye
Nor for to be dyuers / nor contrarye
Vnto Guydo / as by discordaunce
But me conforme / fully in substaunce
Oonly in menynge / to conclude all one
All be that I ne can / the way gone
To sewe the floures / of his eloquence
Nor of peyntynge / I haue none excellence
With sondry hewes / noble fresshe and gay
So ryche colours / byggen I ne may
I muste procede / with sable and with blacke
And in ennewynge / where ye fynde a lacke
I axe mercy / or I fro you twynne
And with your fauour / I wyll anone begynne
And in all haste / my style forth dyrecte
And where I erre / I praye you to correcte.
THe same tyme / whan y t Troye towne
Destroyed was / and kyng lamedowne
Was also slayne / thorugh the cruelte
Of hercules / vnder his eyte
He had a sone / the storye telleth vs
Whiche was his heyce / y called Pryamus
Wonder manly / discrete and prudente
Whiche that tyme / from Troye was absent
Whan his fader / loste there his lyfe
For he that tyme / with Ecuba his wyfe
And with his sones / aboute a castell lay
And all his knyghtes / to gete it if they may
That hath on them / myghtely werreyed
For they his fader haue falsly disobeyed
And vnto hym / be rebell wonder longe
All be Pryam / w t sautes huge and stronge
Them hadde assayled / ofte and many sythe
His strengthe on them / lyke a knyght of kythe
To gete in armes / worshyp and honour
And them to daunte / lyke a conquerour
He caste hym fully / or that he departe
For day by day / his lyfe he gan Iuparte
At theyr walles for to preue his myght
With many baron / and many worthy knyght
For he yet hadde / his yonge lusty blode
And was in age / flowrynge in knyghthode
And at assautes / and suche maner stryfe
[Page] On with the firste / for to auntre his lyfe
To herte his men / hym lyste nat be behynde
For drede of dethe / sothly as I fynde
Afore the castell / hye and thycke walled
And by his wyfe / that Ecuba was called
This Pryam / had full worthy of degree
Fyue sones / and yonge doughters three.
Of whiche the eldest / Ector called was
Whiche also fer as Phebus / in compas
A naturell daye / goth his cercle aboute
So fer of hym / without any doute
Reported was / the renowne and the name
The worthynesse / and the noble fame
For lyke as bokes / of hym specefye
He was the roote / and stocke of chyualrye
And of knyghthod / very soueraygne floure
The sours and welle / of worshyp & honoure
And of manhod / I dare it well expresse
Example and myroure / and of hye prowesse
Gynnynge and grounde / & with all this yfere
Wonder benygne / and lowely of his chere
Discrete also / prudent and vertuous
Of whom the dedes / and actes meruaylous
Remembred ben / of so longe a gone
For he alone / excelled euerychone
In olde Auctours rede / and ye may fynde
Of his knyghthod / how yet they make mynde
The nexte brother / called was Parys
To whom nature / gaue to herdeuys
Of shap and fourme / beaute and semelynesse
That to remembre / his excellent fayrenesse
In his tyme / without any drede
He passed all / that I can of rede
And he was eke / a full manly knyght
But moost he vsed / whan he shulde fyght
In his hande / for to bere abowe
For suche an archer / no man coude knowe
For to seke / bothe fer and nere
That of shotynge / myght be his pere
As it was founde / whan he hadde a do
And Alysaundre / called was also
The thirde sone / hyghte Dephebus
A worthy knyght / and a chyualrous
And hadde in armes / a full great renowne
And was a man of hye discreciowne
And wyse of coūsayle / myn auctor telleth thus
¶The fourth brother / called Helenus
Sad and discrete / and of hye prudence
And was also a man / of great scyente
And renōmed therwith / in specyall
In all the artes / called lyberall
For he in them / was expert a ryght
The fyfte sone / was a worthy knyght
Fresshe and lusty / and yongest of them all
And as sayth / Guydo / Troylus men hym call
A manly man / founde in barayle
And desyrous / his fomen to assayle
One of the beste / in his tyme founde
And called was / Ector the secounde
For his manhode / thorugh out Troye boke
Within the werre / full ofte vpon hym toke
Of his knyghthod / many hye empryse
As the storye hereafter / shall deuyse.
And in his boke / lyke as wryte virgyle
The poete olde / by full soueraynestyle
How that the kynge Pryam / hadde also
By Ecuba / other sones two
And by recorde / of this virgilius
The one was called / Pollyodorus
Whom Pryamus / in his grene youthe
Whan the comynge was / of grekes kouthe
To Troye warde / in all haste anone
With golde treasour / and many ryche stone
Sent hym forth / besyde vnto a kynge
Of full great truste / to haue hym in kepynge
Tyll tyme he sawe / what conclusiowne
There shulde falle after / of the towne
And eke what fyne / the werre wolde take
That vpon them / the grekes dyde make.
¶But thylke kynge / for false couetyse
Of his treasour / that ye haue herde deuyse
Whan that he sawe / fortunes varyaunce
Towward Pryam / and his vnhappy chaunce
Lyke a tyraunt / and murdrer also
The childes throte / made cutte a two
And after that he / full cruelly
Made his men / to burye hym pryuely
That no man myght / his treson vnderstonde
Besyde a see depe / vnder the stronde.
The other sone / also as Irede
In virgyle / was called Ganymede
Whom Iubyter / in a forest hente
Gpon a daye / as he on huntynge wente
And bare hym vp / aboue the sterres clere
And made hym in heuen / his botelere
Eternally with hym / for to wone
In stede of hebes / his owne dere sone.
The firste doughter / of kynge Pryamus
Hyght Creusa / as sayth virgilius
In his Eneydos / sothly as it was
[Page] And she was wedded / vnto Eneas
As sayth this storye / and eke this ylke Enee
Was wonderfull / in his natyuyte
Of whom the fader / I fynde doutles
Was in his tyme / called Anchyses
That hym begat / on Venus the goddesse
For after hir / he hadde suche fayrenesse
That neuer wyght / ne coude yet I se
A man that was more / passynge of beaute
Of whom this storye / touchyng his workynge
Shall you declare / many wonder thynge
For it is he / to whom so great a los
Virgyle gaue / in his Eneydos
For he that boke / in worshyp of Enee
Compyled hath / lyke as ye may se
Of his knyghthod / & many stronge batayle
By hym acheued / or he wan Itayle
After full longe / that the royall towne
Of Troye / was brought to confusiowne
And his conquest / if ye lyste take hede
In this poete / ye may by ordre rede
And in armes wrought / in all his age
And his comynge / also to Cartage
Fro Troyewarde / in a lytell whyle
All this ye may / beholde in virgyle.
Another doughter / also it is founde
Kynge Pryam hadde / of byrthe the seconde
Called cassandra / of full great sadnesse
And was in maner / a dyuyneresse
And in eche art / hadde experyence
Of thynges futur / fully prescyence
To tell afore / what that shall betyde
Of whom the fame / sprange in costes wyde
Whiche kepte hirchaste / in virgynyte
And aye in prayers / and in honeste
She ladde hir lyfe / and in deuocion
After the rytes / and relygyon
Of paganysme / vsed in tho sayes
The obseruaunces / kepynge of theyrlayes.
The thirde doughter / hyght Pollycene
Yongest of all / and euer a maydeclene
She kepte hir selfe / and honest in hir lawe
Vnto the tyme / that Pirrus hath hir slawe
Of shap of fortune / was neuer by nature
Wrought nor shap / a fayrer creature
Eke as I fynde / this noble kynge also
Hadde thyrty sones / the boke sayth and no mo
Hardy in armes / and noble founde at all
That called were / his sones naturall
And they were all / I excepte none
Worthy knyghtes / and manly men echone
And theyr names / who so lyste to knowe
He shall fynde them wryte / vpon arowe
After this storye / eueryche after other
Begynnynge firste / at the eldest brother.
And whyles Pryam / at the sege laye
Tofore the castell / to gete it if he maye
And theraboute / hath many way sought
The wofull tydynges / be vnto hym brought
How the grekes / haue take Troye towne
And slayne his fader / worthy Lamedowne
And how the cyte / of olde foundaciowne
Full pytously / was tourned vp so downe
The worthy lordes / and gentyll men echone
Taken and slayne / and I lefte nat one
Of them a lyue / thorugh grekes cruelte
After the ruyne / alas of theyr cyte
And Exion / his owne suster dere
Lad into exyle / with hir eyen clere.
¶Wherfore the kynge / in herte is stoned so
For very sorowe / he ne wyste what to do
His sodayne wo / gan hym so constrayne
He sobbeth wepeth / that of mortall payne
He thought his herte / wolde a sonder breste
Of hye distresse / for he myght haue no reste
And into teeres / he gan hymselfe dislylle
That for to deye / was fynally his wylle.
¶And fortune / that can so falsly varye
With drery herte / he gan to warye
That she to hym / was so deceyuable
So inly cruell / and vnmercyable
So dispytous / and so sterne of face
So vengeable / and deuoyde of grace
For of enuy / with a rage thought
She hath hir wreste / of malys on hȳ wrought
And felly shewed / what she myght do
That in this worlde / was neuer wyght so wo
As I suppose / of no maner age
To reken / all hir harmes and damage
For whiche anone / in all that euer he maye
Faste he chaungeth / all his ryche araye
Tryste and heuy / with deedly face pale
So astoned / with this mortall tale
That his desyre was / to haue be dede
With countenaunce enclyned / his hede
This lyfe he ladde / & cladde hym all in blacke
And sodaynely / he the sege bracke
And wolde as tho / no lenger there abyde
But with his folke / anone he gan to ryde
That pyteously / gan with hym to morne
[Page] And towarde Troye / attones they retourne.
And whan that he / hath the cyte founde
Playne with the soyle / & euen w t the grounde
The hye walles / whylom thycke and longe
I vere downe / that were made so stronge
And his toures / and paleys pryncypall
That was in byldynge / so excellent royall
So famous ryche / and of great nobylnesse
He fonde tourned into wyldernesse
His people slayne / his suster ladde awaye
For very wo / he ne wyste what to saye
For the constreynt / of his aduersyte
And for his harmes / that wyll not recured be
For in that tyme / he was fully sure
Vpon no syde / there was no recure
Wherfore he can nat / but sobbe and wepe
And from his brest / w t syghes sought full depe
Broken out / with a deed vysage
And thus alas / in this furyous rage
Full pyteously / all his hooste and he
Without respyte / contynewe dayes thre
Tyll at the laste / the derke skyes blacke
Gan of theyr wo / in partye for to slacke
And the tempest / some delegan withdrawe
And of theyr wepynge / blādysshe gan y • wawe
And whan the floode of wo / is ouer paste
The ebbe of ioye / folowe muste in haste
To sorowe euer / it wolde theyr hertes shende
And at a terme / euery wo muste ende
For though for frendes / men aye wepe & wayle
After theyr deth / there may no recure vayle
Wherfore the kynge / after all his care
Hath sought a waye / the cyte to repare
And caste hym fully / if it wolde be
To make reuerture / of necessyte
And manfully / after all his tene
Whan that the eyre / gan to wexe clene
Of the mystes / of his cloudy sorowe
And that somedele adawe / gan the morowe
Of heuynesse / after the derke nyght
Chaced awaye / with a sonne bryght
Of newe ioye / for aye the fyne of wo
Muste be gladnesse / whan that sorowe is go
And so Pryam / after a certayne space
Whan his sorowe / gan lyte aud lyte pace
And of wysdome / in all his pytous smerte
Gan prudently / to plucke vp his herte
And of his eyen / the wawes gan clere
Anone he wrought / right as ye shall here.

¶How kynge Pryamus sone vnto kynge La medone buylded Troye newe agayne. Ca. xi.

[figure]
THe sorowe aswaged / & the syghes olde
By longe processe / lyke as I you tolde
This worthy kynge / called Pryamus
In his herte now / so desyrous
Vpon the playne / that was so waste & wylde
So stronge a towne / of newe for to bylde
At his deuyse / a cyte edefye
That shall the assautes / vtterly defye
Of all enmyes / and his mortall foone
With ryche toures / and walles of harde stoone
And all aboute / the countres enuyron
He made seke / in euery regyon
For suche workemen / as were curyous
Of wyt inuentyfe / of castynge meruaylous
Or suche as coude crafte / of gemetrye
Or were sotyll / in theyr fantasye
And for eueryche / that was good a deuysous
Mason hewer / or crafty quarreour
For euery wryghte / and passynge carpenters
That may be founde ferre or nere
For suche as coude / graue groupe or kerue
Or suche as were / able for to serue
With lyme and stone / for to reyse a walle
With bataylynge / and crestes marcyalle
Or suche as hadde / konnynge in theyr hede
Alabastre / outher whyte or rede
Or marbyll graye / for to pullysshe it playne
To make it smothe / of vaynes and of grayne
He sente also / for euery ymagour
Bothe in entayle / and euery portreyour
[Page] That coude drawe / or with coloure peynte
With hewes fresshe / y t the werke nat feynte
And suche as coude / w t countenaunce glade
Make an Image / that wyll neuer fade
To countrefete / in metall tree or stoon
The sotyll werke of pygmaleon
Or of Appollo / the whiche as bokes telle
In ymagerye / all other dyde excelle
For by his crafty workynge curyous
The tombe he made / of kynge daryous
Whiche Alysaundre / dyde on heyght reyse
Oonly for men / shulde his fame preyse
In his conquest / by perce whan he went
And thus Pryam / for euery mayster sent
For eche keruere / and passynge ioygnyour
To make knottes / with many curyous floure
To sette on crestes / within and withoute
Vpon the wall / the Cyte rounde aboute
Or who that were / excellynge in practyke
Of any arte / called mecanyke
Or hadde a name flowrynge / or famous
Was after sent / to come to pryamus.
¶For he purposeth / this noble worthy kynge
To make a cyte / moost royall in byloynge
Brode large and wyde / & lyst it were assayled
For werre / proudely aboute enbatayled
And firste the grounde / he made to be sought
Full depe and lowe / that it fayle nought
To make sure / the foundaciowne
In the place / where the olde towne
Was firste ybylded / he the walles sette
And he of lande / many myle out mette
Aboute in compasse / for to make it large
As the maystres / that toke on them the charge
Deuysed haue / the settynge and the syte
For holsome eyre / to be more of delyte.
And whan the soyle / defouled with ruyne
Of walles olde / was made playne as a lyne
The workemen gan / this Cyte for to founde
Full myghtely / with stones square and rounde
That in this worlde / was to it none lyche
Of workemanshyp / nor of byldynge ryche
Nor of crafte / of curyous masonrye
I can no termes / to speke of gemetrye
Wherfore as now / I muste them sette asyde
For douteles / I radde neuer Enclyde
That the mayster / and foundour was
Of all that worke / by quare or compas
Or kepe theyr measure / by leuell or by lyne
I am to rude / clerely to diffyne
Or to discryue / this werke in euery part
For lacke of termes / longynge to that arte
But I dare well of trouthe / afferme here
In all this world / ne was there neuer his pere
Vnto this cyte / and wryte it for a sothe
As in his boke / my mayster Guydo dothe
And that it myght / in prosperyte
In hye honour / and felycyte
From all assaute / perpetuelly contune
It was reysed / in worshyp of Neptune
And named Troye / as it was to forne
Lyke the firste / that was thorugh grekes lorne
The lengthe was shortly / to conclude
Thre dayes iourne / lyke the latytude
That neuer I herde / make mencion
Of suche a nother / of foundacion
So huge in compase / nor of suche largesse
Nor to counte / so passynge of fayrenesse
So edefyed / or iusty to the syghte
And as I rede / the walles were on hyghte
Two hondred cubytes / all of marbyll graye
Magecolled without / for lautes and assaye
And it to make / more pleasaunt of delyte
Amonge the marbyll / was alabastre whyte
Meynt in the walles / & rounde y • towne about
To make it shewe / within and without
So fresshe so ryche / and so delectable
That it alone / was in comparable
Of all cytes / that any mortall man
Sawe euer yet / sythe the worlde began
And at the corner / of euery walle was sette
A crowne of golde / with ryche stones frette
That shone full bryght / agayne y • sonne shene
And euery toure / bretexed was so clene
Of chose stone / that were nat fer a sondre
That to beholde / it was very wondre
Therto his cyte / compassed enuyrowne
Hadde gates .vi. to entre into the towne
The firste of all / and strengest eke with all
Largest also / and moste pryncypall
Of myghty byldynge / alone pereles
Was by the kynge called / Dardanydes
And in storye / lyke as it is founde
Tymbria / was named the seconde
And the thirde / called helyas
The fourthe gate / hyghte also Cetheas
The fyfte Troiana / the syxth Anthonydes
Stronge and myghty / bothe in werre & pes
With square toures / set on euery syde
At whose corners / of very pompe and pryde
[Page] The workemen haue / with sterne fell vysages
Of ryche entayle / sette vp great Ymages
Wrought out of stone / y t neuer are lyke to fayle
Full curyously / enarmed for batayle
And thorugh the walle / theyr fomen for to lette
At euery toure / were great gonnes sette
For assautes / and sodayne auentures
And on tourettes / were reysed vp fygures
Of wylde beestes / as beres and lyons
Of Tygres bores / of serpentes & dragons
And hertes eke / with theyr brode hornes
Olyfauntes / and large vnycornes
Bugles bulles / and many great gryf [...]on
Forged of brasse / of coper and laton
That cruelly by sygnes / of theyr faces
Vpon theyr foon / made felle menaces
Barbycans / and bul werkes huge
Afore the towne / made for hye refuge
If nede were / erely and eke late
And portekoles stronge / at euery gate
That them nede nat / none assaylynge charge
And the lockes thycke / brode and large
Of the gates / all of bryght bras
And within the myghty 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 / y t 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 / w t 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 y e towne / w t 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
[Page] 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 / w t 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
[Page] 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 / y t 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
[Page] 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 y e grounde
Truely acounte / of this place rounde
In the theatre / firste he muste entre
Takynge y e lyne / y t 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 the soueraynte
And for to tell / of this Eban tree
Lyke in bokes / sothely as I fynde
It cometh out / of Ethyope and ynde
Blacke as is geete / and it wyll wexe anone
Whan it is korue / harde as any stone
And euermore laste / and endure
And nat corrupte / with water nor moysture
And of this halle / further to diffyne
With stones / square / by leuell and by lyne
It paued was / with great dilygence
Of masonrye / and passynge excellence
And all aboue / reysed was a see
Full curyously / of stones and perre
That called was / as chefe and pryncipall
Of the reygne the sete moste royall
To fore whiche was / sette by great delyte
A borde of Eban / and of yuery whyte
So egally yioyned / and so clene
That in the werke there was no ryfte sene
And sessyouns were made / on euery syde
Oonly the estates / by ordre to deuyde
Eke in the halle / as it was couenable
On eche partye / was a dormaunt table
Of yuery eke / and this Eban tree
[Page] And euen agayne / this kynges royall se
In the partye / that was therto contrayre
I reysed was / by many crafty stayre
Hye in the halle / in the other syte
Right as lyne / in the opposyte
Of pured metall / and of stones clere
In brede and lengthe / a full ryche autere
On whiche there stode / of fygure and vysage
Of massy fe golde / a wonderfull ymage
To be honoured / in that hye sete
Oonly in honour / of Iubyter the grete.
¶And the statute / for all his huge heyghte
Fyftene cubytes / complet was of heyghte
A crowne of golde / hye vpon his heede
With heuenly saphyres / and many ruby rede
Fret enuyron / with other stones ynde
And amonges / were medled as I fynde
Whyte perles massyfe / large and rounde
And for most chefe / all dirkenesse to confounde
Was a Carbuncle / kynge of stones alle
To recomforte / and glade all the halle
And it to enlumyne / in the blacke nyght
With the fresshenesse / of his rody lyght
The value was therof / inestymable
And the rychesse / playnly in comparable
For this ymage / by dyuysion
Was of shap / and proporcion
From heed to fote / so maysterly entayled
That in apoynt / y • workman hath nat fayled
It to parfourme / by crafty excellence
Whom Pryamus / with drede and reuerence
Honoured hath / aboue the goddes alle
In all myschefe / to hym to clepe and calle
For in hym was / his hole affeccion
His soueraygne truste / and deuocion
His hope also / and his affyaunce
His helthe his ioye / and his assuraunce
And his welfare / and prosperyte
He hath cōmytted / to his deyte
Wenynge in herte / wonder sykerly
To be assured / from all myschefe therby
And diffended / in eche aduersyte
And holde his reygne / in hye felycyte
And in honour contynuelly / to shyne
Whyle Iubyter / thorugh his power dyuyne
Hym and his / hath in proteccion
This was his truste / and full opynyon
And thus this werke / fynally achyeued
Wherof Pryam / with ioye full releued
That he his cyte / and noble ylyon
Hath fully brought / vnto perfeccyon
Lyke his entent / whan that he began
And thus Pryam this kyge / this worthy man
Full many a day / in this newe Troye
With his lyeges / lad his lyfe in ioye
Where I hym leue / in his royall sete
Soueraygnely reygnynge / in quyete
Procedynge forthe / if ye lyste to here
Vnto the effect / anone of my matere

¶How kȳg Pryamus sent Anthenor īto Grece for to haue his suster Exyone agayne. Ca. xij.

[figure]
O Hateful harme / which most is for to dred
Kyndled solonge / osparke of old hatred
Roote of debate / grounde of enuy and [...]re
With newe flawme / hertes for to fyre
[Page] O grayne of malys / causer of all offence
O francour rusted / of impacience
Whiche hast of newe made / festred sores sinerte
Whan thou art ones / raked in an herte
Whiche for disdayne / of mercy mayst not lete
A man no whyle / to lyue in equyte
But deluest vp / malys many folde
Debates newe / that buryed were of olde
And falsly quykest / stryues to restore
That enuyous serpent / y • was slayne of yore
Whiche felly hath / this addre enuyous
Out of his reste / awaked Pryamus
And with his venym / so persynge & so ylle
Made hym wery / to lyue in tranquylle
And meued hym / of his iniquyte
Vpon Grekes / auenged for to be
For where as he / in peas helde his reygne
With his lyeges / in ioy souereygne
Without anoye / or any perturbaunce
This serpent hath / with newe remembraunce
Without aduyse / or discrete areste
So hoote a flawme / kyndled in his breste
Of olde enuye / with fresshe rancour meynte
That lykly is neuer / to be queynte
For Pryam nowe in his entenciowne
Caste and compasseth / reuoluynge vp & downe
Howe stronge he was / of rychesse and meyne
Howe noble and myghty / was also his cyte
And habundaunt / shortly to conclude
Bothe of plente / and of multytude
Of men of armes / and of chyualrye
Whiche stered hym / to haue fantasye
Alas the whyle / to his vnhappy chaunce
That to be deed / he take wyll vengeaunce
Vpon his foon / the fyre of hoote enuye
So brent hym in warde / by malencolye
Stondynge in purpose / y t no man chaūge may
Of his damages / auenged be some day
And of miuryes / y t they on hym haue wrought
And whan that he / had a tyme sought
To his purpose / moste conuenyent
Anone he hath / for all his lordes sent
And his knyghtes called euerychone
To come in haste / excused was nat one
Namely of them / that were of hye degre
And they obeyeng / with all humylyte
His byddynge hooly / and made no delay
To come echeone / agayne a certayne day
And his sones / were also present
Ector except / that was that tyme absent
In the stronge and myghty regyon
Of Panomye / whiche in subieccyon
Kynge Pryam helde / thorugh his worthynesse
And to amende thynges / and redresse
Ector was gone / into this Panomye
Certayne causes / for to Iustefye
As in his reason / he thought for the beste
To sette them / in quyete and in reste
For he was aye so iuste / and so prudent
So well aduysed / and so pacyent
And so demened / in his gouernaunce
That hym was lothe / for to do vengeaunce
Where as he myght / in easy wyse treate
For to reforme / thynges smale and greate
For lothe he was / this noble worthy knyght
For any haste / to execute ryght
Or causeles by rygour / to condempne
And in this whyle / full worthy and solempne
Kynge Pryamus / of lordes great and small
Within Troye / helde a court royall
As he that lyste / for no coste to spare
And ceryously / his menynge to declare
He in his see / his lordes enuyron
Gan thus to shewe / his hertes mocyon.
O worthy lordes / that be now here present
Faythfull and trewe / of herte & of entent
It is nat vnknowen / to your discrecyon
The great damages / and oppressyon
Whiche that Grekes / haue vpon vs wrought
Without cause / for a thynge of nought
This other daye / as who sayth but late
That as I trowe / so newe is yet the date
That it was fresshe / remēbred / in your mynde
Vnto your blode / if that ye be kynde
For I suppose / no foryetylnesse
May put awaye the mortall heuynesse
Of harmes olde / whiche aye renewe agayne
In my memorye / I saye you in certayne
And as I trowe / playnly in your thought
That euer is grene / and ne dyeth nought
How they haue slayne / our progenytours
That whylom were / so noble werreours
Our Cyte brente / and brought vnto ruyne
And robbed it / falsly by rauyne
And tourned all / into wyldernesse
And into Grece / caryed our rychesse
My fader slayne / that hyghte lamedon
Without cause / or occasyon
And raught from hym / his golde & his tresour
Whiche me semeth / is a foule errour
[Page] We myght of right amendes well chalenge
And desyre vs / iustly to reuenge
Afore the goddes / of so hye offence
Oonly of reason / and of conscyence
And passynge all / theyr mortall cruelte
There is one thynge / that moste greueth me
That they vngoodly / agaynst gentyllesse
No rewarde hauynge / to the worthynesse
To the byrthe / ne the royall blode
Of hir that is so fayre / and eke so gode
I meane my suster / called Exyon
Whom they alas to theyr confusyon
Difuse / and kepe nat lyke hir degre
From day to day / in dishoneste
Where thorugh hir honour / & hir name lorne
Consyderynge / nat of what stok she was borne
For they are blynde / for to take hede
Or to aduerte / the roote of hir kynrede
Of surquyde / they be so indu rate
And sythe that she of so hye estate
Ytreted [...] is / lyke as ye may se
I suppose / other that be of lowe degre
Eouerned be / full dishonestly
For ye may thynke / and demetruely
How wyues maydens / in that companye
With other eke / that be of your allye
Ynaunted be / and vsed at theyr luste
On the grekes / I haue no better truste
For they ne spare / nother blode nor age
And thus they lyue in / turment & seruage
Without touthe mercy / or pyte
The whiche toucheth you / as well as me
And as me semeth / of equyte and ryght
Ye oughte echone / with all your full myght
Of the wronges / with whiche ye be offended
To seke awaye / it myght be amended
And that we worke / all by one assent
And procede / lyke to oure entent
Of theyr malys / and cursed cruelte
All at ones / auenged for to be
And that we be / in herte wyll and thought
Of one accorde / and ne vary nought
For than our force / is dowbled and pouste
For right and reason / and good equyte
Requyre vengeaunce / on hym y • doth y • wronge
Though it so be / that it abyde longe
I truste also / on the goddes rightwysenesse
That they shall helpe / our harmes to redresse
And fauour vs / in our innocence
To chastyse them / that wrought this offence.
Also ye knowe / how that our cyte
Is stronge and myghty / & of great suerte
With toures hye / and walled for the werre
That also fer / as shyneth sonne or sterre
There is none lyke / for to reken all
That may in force / be therto perygall
Ye knowe also / as it shalbe founde
With chyualrye / how that we habounde
Expert in armes / and of olde assayed
That for drede / neuer were dismayed
And we haue plente also / of vytayle
Of frendshyp eke / that ne wyll vs nat fayle
With all theyr myght / to do to vs socour
Wherfore I rede / without more soiour
To sette vpon them / sythe we be able
And tyme is nowe / me semeth couenable
For manhode byd / make no delay
To venge a wronge / hap what that may
For in differynge / is ofte great damage
To worke in tyme / is double auauntage
For to our purpose / lacketh neuer adele
And thorugh our manhod / we be assured wele
But lyste we be / nat holde to hasty
Or to rakell / to worke wylfully
And werre / also stande in auenture
For aye of mart / doutous is the eure
I rede firste / to grekes that we sende
To wyt if they / our harmes wyll amende
Without stryfe werre / or more debate
Than may we sayne / that we be fortunate
And if they be / contrarye to reason
To condyscende / to this conclusion
To graunte our askynge / of equyte & ryght
Than haue we cause / for to preue our myght
But are that we procede / by rygour
We shall to them / offer all measour
As fer as right / and reason eke requere
And of disdayne / if them lyst nat here
Than our quarell / deuoyde of wylfulnesse
Yrooted is / vpon sykernesse
And if that we / of theyr great offence
Axe amendes / firste in pacyence
God and fortune / I hope wyll nat assente
In the ende / we shall vs nat repente
And it is better / by peas to haue redresse
Than gynne a werre / without auysenesse
Therfore / lete vs our wofull auenture
Pacyently suffre / and endure
And in our porte / be but humble & playne
Vpon answere / what that they wyll sayn [...]
[Page] For though so be / in myne entencion
Ymeued am / by iuste occasion
To procede of yre / to vengeaunce
I wyll all put / out of remembraunce
And lete slyde by / foryetfulnesse
The wronges do / and voyde all heuynesse
Towarde grekes / and axe of them no more
But that they wyll / Exyona restore
To vs agayne / whiche is to me moste derre
Oonly to stynte / all debate and werre
For the surplus / of our mortall eure
We shall dissymule / and prudently endure
Our harmes olde / forth in pacyence
If ye accorde / vnto my sentence
Saye here vpon / as ye be auysed
For if this sonde / be of them despysed
And that them lyste / to reason not obeye
Than we may iustely / seke a nother weye
To haue redresse / for now there is no more
Saue I purpose / to sende Anthenore
Whiche is a man / discrete and auysee
And specyally in mater of treate
For he is bothe wyse / and eloquente
As ye well knowe / and passyngly prudente
And whan the kynge / had tolde his tale anone
To his counsayle / they consent euerychone
That Anthenor this Iourney / vndertake
And he in haste / gan hym redy make
Without abode / and wyll nat denye
To take on hym / this embassetrye
Well auysed / in his discrecion
Toke or he wente / informacion
From poynt to poynt / of this great charge
For he hym caste / to stande at his large
Without errour / as he that coude his gode
For he the effect / full playnly vnderstode
For euery thynge / he prynted in his thought
Or that he went / and forgate right nought
For of a worde / he caste hym nat to fayle
To shyppe he gothe / and began to sayle
And to short tyme / he and his companye
Aryued be vp / into Thesalye
At a cyte / called Mynusyus
Where by fortune / was kynge Pelleus
The same tyme / and Anthenor anone
Vnto the kynge / the right waye is gone
Of whom he was / as Guydo hath conceyued
At pryme face / benyngnely receyued
But whan he knewe / the cause of his comynge
He had in haste / without more taryenge
To Authenor / with a felle vysage
Shortly to saye / the effecte of his message.
THis Troyā knyght / astoned neuer adel
But full demure / and auysed wel
Nat to hasty / nor rakell for to sayne
But abydynge / with loke and face playne
To Pelleus / with a manly chere
Sayde in effecte / right thus as ye shall here.
The worthy kynge / called Pryamus
So wyse so noble / so manly and famous
And of knyghthod / passynge excellent
Hath firste to you / in goodly wyse sent
Out of Torye / his royall chefe cyte
His full entent / and message here by me
As I shall saye to you / in wordes playne
If it so be / that ye nat disdayne
Pacyently / to gyue audyence
Remembrynge / firste in your aduertence
Of the harmes / nat full longe ago
And the wronges / that ye wroughte also
Full cruelly / with other eke of youres
In Troye lande / on his progenytoures
What Iniuryes / and destruccion
Causeles / without occasion
Ye shewed haue / of very cruelte
And mercyles / destroyed his cyte
Slayne his fader / named lamedowne
And his cyte brent / and bete downe
And nouther lefte paleys / hous nor toure
And ladde awaye / his rychesse and treasoure
And nouther spared / as I reherse can
In your slaughter / woman childe nor man
There myght none / from your swerde asterte
And yet one thynge / that most he hath at herte
That his suster / called Exyon
Is holde and kept / of kynge Thelamon
Dishonestly / agayne all gentrye
To great dishonour / and great vyllanye
Of hir kynred / lyke as ye may se
Treated nor cherysshed / lyke to hir degre
Wherfore / sythe ye be so wyse a knyght
Ye oughte aduerte / and to haue a syght
To suche thynges / of iuste affeccyon
And consydre / in your discrecyon
Of gentyllesse / and of equyte
How suche wronges / myght amended be
Wherfore Pryam / of great auysenesse
As he that fully / with all his besynesse
Of herte and wyll / desyreth peas and reste
[Page] Sendeth to you / besechynge for the beste
That ye wyll / do your besy dylygence
To make to hym / this lytell recompence
That he may haue / restytucyon
Thorugh your knyghtly / medyaryon
Of his suster / without lenger space
And the remenaunt he wyll lete pace
Stryfe and werre / oonly to eschewe
For he desyreth / fully for to sewe
Peas and quyete / of hole affeccyon
And to pursue / measour and reason
And fynally / lyke as ye may se
All occasyon of werre / for to fle
Consyder this / that holde be so sage
For this the fyne / fully of my message.
¶Whan Pelleus / hym playnly vnderstode
Of sodayne yre / he wexe in herte wode
Of there and loke / fell and furyous
And of rancour / right melancolyous
That he ne myght / attempre nor appease
The hasty fyre / that gan his herte sease
For he anone / in full despytous wyse
Gan Pryamus threten / and despyse
And of malys / sette his sonde at nought
With all the meanes / y t Anthenor hath sought
And gan also / this Troyan knyght menace
And bad in haste / he shulde voyde his place
Vpon peryll / that after falle myght
And he anone wente / out of his syght
And in all haste / he and his meynee
Without abode / taken haue the see
And began to sayle / out of Thesalye
And in theyr waye / so faste they them hye
That in shorte tyme / they aryued be
Vp at Salempne / a myghty stronge cyte
Where by fortune in this royall towne
This Anthenor / fonde kynge Thelamowne
And to his paleys / he hath the waye nome
And firste I fynde / whan that he was come
He was accepted / vnto his presence
Benynguely / without all offence
For Exyone was present / in that tyde
Of auenture / stondynge by his syde
And at reuerence / of hir woman hede
Of Anthenor / he toke the better hede
All be of custome / that kynge Thelamon
Had hye despyte / and indignacyon
Of euery Troyan / that he coude espye
For specially / to them he hadde enuye
Of rancour oonly / thorugh the bytter rag [...]
Whiche in his herte / myght neuer aswage
But for all that / he in pacyence
To Anthenor / hath gyuen audyence
The whiche anone / in full sobre wyse
His tale gan / as I shall deuyse.
Syr quod he / with support of your grace
So ye me graunte / opportune space
For to declare / the cause of my comynge
I wyll reherse / without more taryenge
My mater hole / breefly in sentence
To make it kouthe / to your magnyfycence
Signefyeng / without displeasaunce
That Pryamus / which hath the gouernaunce
Of Troye towne / hath vnto you sent
Of faythfull menynge / and of clene entent
Besechynge firste / to your goodlyhede
All other wronges / forgete and eke dede
That ye oonly / of your hye noblesse
Of equyte / and of gentylnesse
Ye wyll restore / Exyona agayne
Whiche that ye holde / to speke in wordꝭ playne
In very sothe / nat lyke to hir estate
Wherfore he prayeth / to stynte all debate
And euery harme / to put out of memorye
Of knyghtly honour / for your owne glorye
To sende hir home / and make delyueraunce
Goodly of hir / without varyaunce
Whom ye haue holde / so many longe dayes
Ne taryeth natnor / setteth no delayes
Ne lete in you / be founde nowe no slouthe
For sothfastlye / it is to great a routhe
To recorde / how ye haue hir vsed
It may of trouthe / nat goodly be excused
That we shall lete / lyghtly / ouer slyde
So that ye benyngnely / prouyde
To sende hir home / lyke as I haue sayde
Lo here the charge / that was on me layde
Without more abydynge / in certayne
What goodly answere / ye wyll sende agayne.
¶Whan Thelamon / herkened had his tale
To hasty yre / he gan to wexe pale
The fyry coke / hath hym made so wode
That from his face / aualed is the blode
Within his herte / gan to frete and byte
With loke askoye / and tourned vp the whyte
Of hye disdayne / with face despytous
With pale smylynge / and laughter furyous
Gan rake out / the feble mortall fyre
Of fretynge hate / that brent in his desyre
And shortly made / in conclusyon
[Page] To Anthenor / this obieccyon
And sayde frende what euer that thou be
I wonder greatly / and meruayle is to me
What auenture / or sodayne newe thynge
Vnprudently / meueth now thy kynge
Vnto me / to make suche a sonde
Thou were a fole / whan thou toke on honde
Oather vnhappy / or infortunat
To me to brynge / this embassat
For I with hym / haue no thynge ado
Nor he with me / and loke thou say hym so
For we ne be / aqueynted / but alyte
Nor I no thynge / platly me delyte
It shorte wordes / if thou lyst to here
To do for hym / nor at his prayere
For I ne haue / ioye nouther feste
To do right nought / sothly at his requeste
This wote I well / that but a whyle a go
I was at Troye / myselfe and other mo
For to reforme a thynge / that was amys
Thorugh your offence / shortly thus it is
For certayne thynge / wrought by lamedowne
And by our manhod / we wonne there y e towne
And slewe the kynge / & all y t with hym helde
In knyghtly wyse / hym metynge in the felde
And for that I / as eueryche myght se
Dyde entre firste / into that Cyte
It was to me graunted / for memorye
In sygne oonly / of myne hye victorye
Without any contradiccyon
By all the grekes / to haue possessyon
Of hir that is / to me moste entere
Exyona / whom thou claymest here
But be well syker / thyne askynge is in vayne
For truste well syker / & be right well certayne
Thou getest hir nat / at one worde if I may
For there shall firste / be made full great affray
Or I hir leue / durynge all my lyue
Who euer grutche / or there agaynst stryue
It were nat syttynge / me to leue hir so
For whom I had / whylom so great ado
Or I hir gat / with spendynge of my blode
And who that be wrothe / therwith or wode
I wyll hir kepe / as it shalbe founde
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 / y • 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 y e pryse / of y t 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
[Page] [...] [Page] [...]
[Page] That by your good / medyacyon
Shelyghtly may / agayne restored be
For to cherysshe peas / and vnyte
Wherfore he prayeth / w t 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 shalbe 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 cōmytte / 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 t [...]ynge
Of vs that neuer / dyde hym no [...] 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 quyr [...] our dette
Lyke his decrete / we haue hym playnly serued
And nothȳg 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 eres 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
[Page] Requere of them / for to haue redresse
Of Iniuryes / wrought of [...]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 y • hym knewe
This shulde be / for thy presumpcyon
Thy laste mede / and fynall guerdon
Without mercy / lyke as I haue behyght
And in all haste / bego out of my syght
For vtterly / it dothe to great offence
Vnto myn eye / to hauethe in presence
For thorugh disdayne / it causeth myn vnreste
Than Anthenor / thought for the beste
It was nat holsom / lenger to abyde
But caste wysely / for rancour or for pryde
That it was beste / for to bere hym fayre
And to his shyppe / he gan anone repayre
And in all haste / by possybylytee
Without abode / he taken hath the see
And gan to sayle / and homewarde faste drawe
But sodaynly boyle / gan the wawe
The see to ryse / and the cloudes blake
For to appere / and the wynde a wake
Wonder gastfull / also was the heuene
With dredfull fyre / of the bryght leuene
The thonder smote / the tempest gan to dryue
That the maste / gan a soder ryue
Now alofre / now in poynt to drowne
The felle weder / gan so on them frowne
That they awayte nat / but vpon dethe
Euen at the poynt / of yeldynge vp of the brethe
For they ne sawe / none other remedye
And euer amonge / they gan clepe and crye
To theyr goddes / and auowes make
And deuoutly / for to vndertake
Eche of them / lyke as he was of age
If they escape / to go on pylgrymage
Lyke the rytes / of theyr paynem wyse
To the goddes / to do theyr sacryfyse
So as they were / of substaunce & of myght
And sodaynly / the weder derke as nyght
With newe lyght / by grace gan adawe
The see waxe calme / and smothe gan the wawe
So that of happe / amonge euerychone
For all the tempest / perysshed was nat one
But tofore Troye / within a sytell space
They be aryued / euerychone by grace
Escaped safe / from euery Ieopardye
Bothe Anthenor / and all his companye
And to the temple / he toke the right way
And in his prayer / there full longe he lay
With many another / also for his sake
Thākyng their goddes / y t made them so eskape
Euery peryll / and tempest of the see
And after this / vnto the kynge gothe he
That with his lordes / aboute hym full royall
In his paleys / and dongyon pryncypall
Sat and abode / full solempnelye
Trewe reporte / of this embassatrye
And this knyght / of all that hath hym falle
Hath tolde the kynge / tofore his lordes alle.
THis Anthenor / hath first made mēcion
Tofore the kynge / by iuste relacyon
Of his expleyt / by ordre by and by
And in what wyse / and how vncurteysly
He was receyued / of kynge Pelleus
Of the thretes / and wordes despytous
That he suffred / of kynge Thelamon
Beynge as ferse / as a wood lyon
And afterwarde / he gan also complayne
Of the despyte / of the bretherne twayne
Of his rebuke / and his great drede
And at Nestor / how he dyde spede
That with his lyfe / he myght vnneth skape
All this he tolde / and gan an ende make
Of his iourney / and eke of his repayre
And than Pryam / was fully in despayre
Outher by forte / or by aduenture
Euer agayne / his suster to recure
For he conceyueth / in his aduertence
By clere reporte / of experte euydence
That aye the more / he was to them benygne
The more vngoodly / ayen hym they malygne
And where he most hym / sheweth debonayre
There he fonde thē / agaynward most cōtrayre
[Page] So frowardly euer / they them quyte
Shewynge by sygnes / that they sette lyte
By his frenshyp / for ought he coude aduerte
Wherof he was pure sorym his herte
That he constrayned / right of very nede
Compelled was / iustly to procede
To haue redresse / oonly by rygour
For profre of peas / myght haue no fauour
To be admytted / by tytle of ryghtwysenesse
Thorugh hye despyte / of hasty wylfulnesse
For euery mene of measour / was in vayne
Saue oonly werre / engendred by disdayne
Begonne and caused / all of olde hatrede
Whiche gan anone / suche a bronde to brede
Of newe enuye / in the kynges breste
That Pryamus / without more areste
Is so iuly with Yre / and rancour fret
And with disdayne / so sore grounde and whet
That where so be / that he lese or wynne
Vpon grekes / he wyll a werre begynne
And Iuparte manly as a knyght
His lyfe his deth / bycause he hadde ryght
And caste hym firste / a nauee for to sende
Into grece / his fomen for to fende
And lyke a knyght / his force for to haunte
In knyghtly wyse / he caste hym for to daunte
The pompe of grekes / and the sturdynesse
And fynally theyr pryde / to oppresse.
¶But saye Pryam / what infelycyte
What newe trouble / what hap what destyne
Or from aboue / what hatefull Influence
Descended is / by vnware vyolence
To m [...]ue the / thou canste nat lyue in pees
What sodayne sorte / what fortune gracelees
What chaunce vnhappy / without auysenesse
What wylfull luste / what fonned hardynesse
Haue put thy soule / out of tranquyllyte
To make the werye / of thy prosperyte
Why hast y • fauour / in bytter more than swete
That canste nat lyue / in peas nor in quyete
Thou art trauayled / with wylfull mocyons
Ouer maystred / with thy passyons
For lacke of reason / and of hye prudence
Derked and blynde / from all prouydence
And full barayne / to cast afore and se
The harmes folowynge / of thyne aduersyte
Thou were to slowe / wysely to consydere
For wante of syght / made to the slydere
Thorugh myste of errour / falsly to forueye
By pathys wronge / from the right weye
To voyde reason / of wylfull hastynesse
Wher was thy guyde / wher was thy maistresse
Descrecyon / so prudent and so ladde
A vyselye / that shulde the haue ladde
From the traces / of sensualyte
Though it full selde / in mannes power be
By suffraunce / hymselfe to refrayne
Whan sodayne Yre / doth his herte strayne
Thou shuldest afore / better a cast thy chaunce
Wrought by counsayle / & nat put in balaunce
Thy sykernesse / alas why dydest thou so
And haue symuled / some dele of thy wo
And caste thy chaunge / well afore the pryme
To haue forgoten / wronges of olde tyme
And thought afore / in thyn aduertence
That ofte falleth / in experyence
That whyles men / do moste besynesse
Vengeably / theyr wronges to redresse
With double harme / or that they are ware
They falle agayne / in a newe snare
And damages / that were forgete clene
By false reporte / of rumoure fresshe and grene
Renewed be / thorugh the swyfte fame
That fleeth so fer / to hyndre alordes name
Namely whan they / to a purpose wende
Oonly of hede / and se nat the ende
For of pryde / and of sodayne heete
They voyde themselfe / out of all quyete
Aduertynge nat / to worke auyselye
Nor the prouerbe / that techeth comonlye
He that stande sure / enhaste hym nat to meue
For if he do / it shall hym after greue
And he that walketh surely / on the playne
If he stumble / it is but in vayne
But if so be / helyste of his folye
Be neclygent / to put hym wylfullye
In auenture / and of hymselfe to reche
To eschewe peryll / I holde he be a wreche
For sothly Pryam / thou were to rechelees
For to cōmytte / thy quyete and the pees
So dredefully durynge / by no date
To cruell fortune / or to fykell fate
Whose maner is / of custome comonly
That whan a man / trusteth moste soueraynely
Of this goddesse / blynde and full vnstable
Than she to hym / is moste deceyuable
Hym to abate / from his royall stalle
And sodaynly / to make hym downe to falle
And with a tryp / throwe hym on the bake
Who that gayne stryueth / shall haue lytell take
[Page] She is so slyely / with hir gynne snare
That she can make a man / fro his welfare
With hir pantre / that is with fraude englewed
Whan he lest weneth / for to be remewed
Therfore no man / haue none affyaunce
In fortune / nor in hir vary aunce
Ne lete no wyght / his ease more Iuparte
Lyst thou the playe / wyll afterwarde departe
To tourne his chaunce / outher to well or wo
For selde in one / she doth the game go
As ye may se / by example of Pryamus
That of folye / is so desyrous
To werke of hede / and folowe his owne wylle
To trouble alas / the calme of his tranquylle
As in this boke / here after shalbe founde
Hym and his Cyte / platly to confounde
And vtterly / to his confusyon
That afterwarde / by longe successyon
It shalbe red / in storye and in fable
And remembred / with dytees delytable
To do pleasaunce / to them that shall it here
That by example / they may beware and lere
Of hasty luste / or of volunte
To begyn a thynge / wherin no suerte
Dependeth aye / as stryfe werre and debate
For in such playe / vnwarely cometh chek mate
And harme I done / to late is to amende
Whose fyne is ofte / other than they wende
In this storye / as ye shall after se
And lete Pryam alwaye your myrour be
Hasty errour / by tymes to correcte
For I anone / my poyntell wyll directe
After the maner / of his traces rude
Of this storye / the remenaunt to conclude.
THis worthy kyng / euer of one sentence
Aye more & more / fyred with feruence
Hath his breuettes / and his letters sente
For his lordes / to holde a parlemente
And them cōmaunded / in al the hast they may
To come anone / at theyr assygned day
From euery warde / & partye of the towne
For to assemble / in noble Ilyowne
Chefe of his reygne / & whan they were echone
With hym present / this noble kynge anone
Tofore them all / as shortly as he can
His wyll declareth / and thus he began.
Syres quod he / bycause ye be wyse
It nedeth nat / longe processe to deuyse
For to reherse / of your comynge cause
But for to tell / shortly in a clause
What I meane / and make no delay
Ye wot how / I now this other day
Sent into Grece / by counsayle of you all
A knyght of myne / that Anthenor men call
To haue recured / Exyona agayne
Whose message / was nat but in vayne
For of grekes / full vncurteysly
He was receyued / and dispytously
Threte and rebuked / in poynt to haue be dede
Vnneth he myght / escape with his hede
They put on hym / suche offence and blame
That reboundeth / to our aldershame
And day by day / it must encrease more
But we ordayne / some remedye therfore
For there as we / all mesour haue them offred
They haue to vs / werre and stryfe yprof [...]ed
Of hye despyte / of rancour and of hete
And of malys / cruelly vs threte
And where as we / wolde peas purchace
For wronges / done they fellyvs manace
And for y • harmes / that they haue vs wrought
They nat purpose / playnly in theyr thought
Other redresse / nor amendes make
But vtterly with werre / vs to awake
Whose ioye is fully / encrease of our greuaunce
So wolde god they were / with repentaunce
Contryte in herte / to stynte all myschefe
That lykly is to falle / and the grefe
On outher parte / that it myght ouer slyde
But they alas / with rancour & with pryde
Ar swolle of newe / to threte more and more
But god diffende / halfe dele of the sore
By infortune / euer shulde fall
As they purpose / on any of vs all
But sythe they haue shape / thus for vs
We must resyste / theyr wyll malycyous
Thorugh myght of god / of necessyte
In our diffence / it wyll none other be
And beste I holde / vnto oure entent
To worke and do / all by one assent
So we our purpose / sonest shall acheue
Where is discorde / there may no quarell preue
For on that parte / where hertes be nat one
Victorye may / in no wyse gone
Chefe of conquest / is peas and vnyte
Right as discorde / is of aduersyte
Ouyde of hertes / maketh rewmes sure
Dyuysyon / causeth discomfyture
Wherfore I rede / of o wyll and herte
[Page] Lette vs set on / to do the grekes smerte
For sothfastly / if ye lyst to se
I dare afferme / that we strenger be
Than the Grekes / vpon euery parte
And haue of armes / parfytely the arte
And be a coūted of knyghthod / crop and roote
And plente haue of men / on hors and foote
Arrayed well / eueryche in his degre
And therwith also / stronge is our Cyte
For to withstonde / our fomen euerychone
You counsaylynge / to ordayne anone
Firste to assemble / hooly your nauye
And stuffe them strongly / w t our Chyualrye
And into grece / hastely them sende
The proude grekes / manly to offende
And of iuste cause / and by tytle of ryght
Oa them werre / with all our full myght
Theyr townes brenne / and theyr feldes waste
With herte vnfayned / also vs enhaste
To quyte them / as they deserued haue
For my rede / we shall none of them saue
But cruelly take / on them vengeaunce
Ne hath no fere / ne let be no greuaunce
Though they afore / by fortune were victoures
To [...]lee our auncetres / and progenytoures
For he that was of vnhap / firste put downe
Remounteth ofte / to full hye renowne
By the chaunge / and the varyaunce
Of werre and stryfe / that euer is in balaunce
For he that is / this day assured wele
Tomorowe he is / caste downe of the whele
The victor ofte / put in aduenture
And vanquysshed / by discomfyture
Of hym that he hadde / afore victorye
Nor vp now downe / in armes stande y • glorye
In martes chaunce / no man hym assure
But as it cometh / let hym take his eure
For gery Mars / by his influence
Can gyue a man / whylom excellence
To wynne a pryse / lyke a conqueroure
And sodaynly / as a somer floure
He can his honour / make for to fade
For whan that he / his aspectis glade
For a man / lysteth for to wrythe
His renowne olde / goth awaye as blythe
After a floode an ebbe / foloweth aye
As men deserue / prayse them for a daye
For thoughe Phebus / this day mery shyne
Tomorowe he may / his bemes downe declyne
Thorugh the thycknesse / of the mystes trouble
Ryght so of Mars / are the chaunces double
Now vp now downe / now lowe now alofte
As fortune whiche that chaungeth ofte
Lyst on hir whele / make a man assende
And vnwarely / downe agayne descende
Stoundemele his honoure / to auaunce
And with asweygh / throwe hym to myschaūce
Nowe with fauour / set hym vp full hye
Est auale hym / with twynclynge of an eye
Hir playe vnstable / tourneth as a balle
Whyle one gothe vp / a nother hath a falle
She reyseth one / and doth a nother loute
For euery man / whan it cometh aboute
Must take his tourne / as hir play requereth
Who is experte / and hir fraudes lereth
Shall with hir sugre / fynde galle meynt
And hir hony / aye with bytter spreynt
In peas and werre / in honour and fame
In dignytes / in renowne and in shame
At hi [...] lykynge / as hir lyst to graunte
Therfore no man / his hap to moche auaunte.
¶For though grekes / whylom were alofte
It may hereafter / them happe full vnsofte
Wherfore echone / shewe your worthynesse
That so are named / of strengthe & hardynesse
And to fortune / playnely you comytte
And let no fer / your manly hertes f [...]ytte
But stande hole / and be in menynge playne
And therupon / let se what ye wyll sayne
And atones / theyr voyse they gan reyse
And his sentence / hyghly for to preyse
And of one herte / manly gan expresse
They wyll dispende / goodes and rychesse
And theyr bodyes / put in Iupardye
There was nat one / that wolde it tho denye
And of this graunte / he thanketh them echone
And gaue them leue / where them lyst to gone
For he dissolued hath / his parlement
And euery man / on his waye is went
And repayred / to his mansyowne
The kynge alone / lefte in Ylyowne
Sole by hymselfe / inwardely musynge
How his purpose / he myght aboute brynge
For he in soth / on no thynge elles thought
And therupon / euen thus he wrought.
BYng Pryamus / makyng thus his mone
As I you tolde / in a chambre alone
Many wayes / castynge vp and downe
For to parfourme / his conclusyowne
[Page] And to fulfyll / the fyne of his entent
He firste of all / prudently hath sent
For his sones / to come to hym in haste
As well for them / that were borne in baste
As the tother / for to assemble yfere
For a purpose / lyke as ye shall here
To haue a counsayle / for nedefull purueaunce
Agaynst grekes / to make ordenaunce
Firste by themselfe / alone pryuely
And whan they were in ordre / by and by
Eueryche of them set / in his dewe see
Lyke as they were / of age and of degree
And Ector firste / floure of chyualrye
Repayred home / out of panomye
Most acceptable / in euery wyghtes grace
Nexte his fader / taken hathe his place.
¶And whan Pryam / his leyser dyde espye
With syghes sore / castynge vp his eye
To them echone / syttynge enuyron
Gan to declare / his hertes mocion.
¶But firste or he myght / his wyll expowne
Into teres / he gan hymselfe drowne
His hertely wo was / so outragyous
That for wepynge / and sobbynge furyous
Vnneth he myght / with any worde out breke
Nor vnto them / for distresse speke
Nor openly / his inwarde menynge shewe
Tyll at the laste / he in wordes fewe
Gan to abrade / in all his pytous fare
Euen thus / his menynge to declare.
¶My dere sones / so louynge and so kynde
As I suppose / that ye haue in mynde
And remembre discretly / and aduerte
And emprente full fresshely / in your herte
How the grekes / agayne all right and lawe
With cruell swerde / murdred haue and slawe
Our worthy auncetres / of full hye renowne
And destroyed / brent and bete downe
The firste Troye / with his walles olde
And how vngoodly / also that they holde
Myn owne suster / called Exyon
To full great shame / and confusyon
And hye reprefe / to your worthynesse
That me semeth / of very kyndenesse
And of nature / ye oughte be agreued
And inwardly / in herte sore meued
To suffre her / in hyndrynge of hir name
So to be treated / for your alder shame
Alas why nyl / ye do your besynesse
This hye despyte / knyghtly to redresse
You for to auenge / vpon theyr cruelte
Recure to fynde / of her iniquyte
Syth that ye be / so myghty and so stronge
Certes me semeth / ye byde all to longe
Fro day to day / that ye so differre
In knyghtly wyse / to gynne on them a werre
Your force and myght / manly to assaye
I am pure sorye / that ye lyste delaye
You to comforte / vnto my desyre
That in theyr hate / brenne as hote as fyre
Vpon them / lyke as ye may se
Of fretynge yre / auenged for to be
Lyke theyr decrete / to quyte them theyr mede
And ye alas / take lyst no hede
Whyle your renowne / doth so fresshely shyne
Vnto my luste / your hertes to declyne
Consyderynge lyke / as it is kouthe
How I haue / for your grene youthe
Yfostred you and brought / you forth echone
Frothylke day / that ye coude gone
As tenderly / as I coude or myght
To whiche thynge / in your inwarde syght
Ye shulde aduerte / alway new and newe
And of nature / on my sores rewe
To remedye / myn aduersyte
Whiche toucheth you / also well as me
Syth that ye wote / how sore it doth me greue
Ye shulde shape / myn harmes to releue
And sodaynly / as he thus ganmourne
Towardes Ector / he gan his face tourne
And sayde Ector / my truste and all my ioye
Myn heyre also / lyke to reygne in Troye
After my day / and be my successoure
And named arte / the very souerayne floure
Of worthynesse / and of manhod welle
And all thy brethren / in knyghthod dost excelle
And in armes / lyke a conquerour
Called the stocke / of worshyp and honour
I hertely praye / though thou sytte stylle
Be wyllynge now / my purpose to fulfylle
To execute / that I desyre so
For fynally / in the and in nomo
Is full my fayth / to brynge this aboute
Now take on the / and be no thynge in doute
To be chefe prynce / and also gouernour
Of this purpose / and vtterly socour
Into thyn honde / this Iourney I cōmytte
Hooly of herte / so that thou ne flytte
The to confourme / by good aduysement
To parfourme vp / the fyne of myne entent
[Page] For of reason / best to the it syt
Whiche art so prudent / and so full of wyt
Stronge and delyuer / flouryng eke in youthe
Of whom the fame / thorugh y • world is kouthe
Yonge of yeres / olde of discreciowne
Eurous to loue / passynge of renowne
Vnto whose wyll / thy bretherne shall obeye
And sto [...]de with the / bothe to lyue and deye
Now cōdescende / to accomphysshe my requeste
And what thou felest / answere at the leste.
¶And whā y • kyng / hath shewed his sentence
Demure of chere / humble of reuerence
This worthy Ector example of gentrye
With softe speche / as techeth cuttesye
His answere gaue / with sobre countenaunce
The effecte of whiche / was this in substaunce.
Myne owne lorde / and my fader dere
Benyngnely / if ye lyste to here
After the force / and the great myght
And the s [...]me / of natures ryght
Whiche euery thyng / by kynde doth constrayne
In the bondes / of hir large chayne
It syttynge is / as the doth enspyre
And accordynge / that euery man desyre
Of wronges done / to haue amendement
And to hir lawe / right conuenyent
Namely to suche / that with nobylte
Kynde hath endewed / and sette in hye degre
For to suche / great reprefe is and shame
Whan any wronge / be do vnto theyr name
For echetrespasse / must consydered be
Iustly mesured / after the qualyte
Of hym that is offended / and also
After the parsone / by whom y • wronge is do
Be it in werre / in contek or debate
For gretter grefe / is to hye estate
To suffre and harme / of case or auenture
Or any wronge / vniustly to endure
Or Iniuryes / compassed of malys
Is more offence / by discrete aduyse
To whom that be famous / in manhode
Renōmed and borne / of gentyll blode
Than to suche one / that holde is but a wretche
Wherfore we must / greatly charge and retche
Oonly of knyghthode / our worshyp for to eke
Of wronges done / amendes for 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 w t rage
I fret within / iustly of knyghthode
With my right hande / to shede y • grekes blode
As they shall fynde / paraunter or they wene
Whan tyme cometh / the sothe shalbe 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 thȳg folow / which is nat cōmēdable
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 wele / 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
[Page] 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 renōmed / 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 vnder [...]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 y • Ector / by full hye prudence
Concluded hath / y • 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 chyua [...]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 shalbe 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 / w t 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 / shalbe brought about
Firste how that I shall / this purpose fyne
The goddes haue thorugh / their power dyuy [...]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
[Page] 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 cōmaundement
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 / 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 / w t 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
[Page] 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 eres 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 / sharpe and kene grounde
By iuste rygour / was forged to confounde
Them that be false / and to put a backe
And for that mercy / shall medle w t the wracke
The shafte in sothe / shauen was full playne
[Page] Lest mercyles / that right ne wrought in vayne
And after werre / to make full releas
There was the Olyue / that betokeneth peas
The owle also / so odyous at all
That songes syngeth / at festes funerall
Declareth playnly / fyne of euery glorye
Is oonly deth / who hath it in memorye
And the raynebowe / grene rede and perse
Sygnefyeth the chaunges / full dyuerse
That ofte falleth / in werre and batayle
Now to wynne / and sodaynly to fayle
Now stable as blewe / chaūgyng now as grene
For Pallas playe / is alway meynt with tene.
And alder last / as I haue in mynde
With hir nynphes / Iuno came behynde
Whiche of custome / as fulgence telles
Abyde in floodes / and in depe welles
And this Iuno / as poetes sayne
Amayden is / and of fruyte barayne
And the Pecok / to this fresshe quene
Ysacred is / with his fethers shene
Splayed abrode / as a large sayle
With Argus eyen / emprynted in his tayle.
¶The water rennynge / in ryuer and in flode
Is the labour / that men haue for gode
The great trouble / and the besynesse
That day and nyght / they suffre for rychesse
That who so euer / in these flodes rowe
Lete hym beware / for aye after the flowe
Of nature / right as it is dewe
Folowynge the moone / there must an ebbesewe
The moste drede is / aye vpon the fulle
Lyste fortune / the fresshe fethers pulle
Of ryche folke / that shyne in golde so shene
Sythe she of chaunge / lady is and quene.
¶And Argus eyen / that are set behynde
In nygardes hertes / be ofte sythes blynde
Whiche nat aduerte / of goodes to the ende
That lyke an ebbe / sodaynly wyll wende
Whiche they nothyng / consydre in theyr syght
For as the fayre lusty / fethers bryght
Of a pecok / vnwarely fall away
Right so rychesse / shortly at a day
Wyll theyr mayster / sodaynly forsake
Saynge a dewe / and theyr leue take
And as Iuno / barayne is of fruyte
Right so naked / bare and distytuyte
Are these gredy / hertes couetous
Whiche to gadre / be so desyrous
That in no thynge / can haue suffysaunce
The fret of drede / them put in suche myschaūce
Ymagenynge / that the worlde wyll fayle
And in theyr fere / agayne the wynde they sayle
Tyll all atones / they must go there fro
And thus of good / aye the fyne is wo
Namely of them / that so pynche and spare
For this no drede / as clarkes can declare
The fruyte of good / is to spende large
And who is man full / set but lytell charge
To parte frely / his treasour in comune
Whan he discretly / sethe tyme oportune
He hath no ioye / to put his good in mewe
For in herte / that fredome lyste to sewe
Of gentylnesse / taketh no hede therto
¶And in this wyse / Pallas and Iuno
With fresshe venus / be a downe descended
Lyke as I haue / shortly comprehended
Vnder the guyynge / of Mercurius
Whiche vnto me / gan his tale thus
Parys quod he / lyfte vp thyne eyen and se
Lo these goddesses / here in nombre thre
Whiche fro heuen / with theyr eyen clere
So dyuersly / vnto the appere
Were at a feste / as I the tell shall
With all the goddes / aboue celestyall
That Iubyter helde / at his owne borde
Was none absent / oonly saue discorde
And for despyte / she was nat there present
To be auenged / she sette all hir entent
And in hir wyttes many wayes sought
Tyll at the laste / euen thus she wrought
Of Poetes / lyke as it is tolde
She toke an appel / rounde of pure golde
With greke letters / grauen vp and downe
Whiche sayde thus / in conclusy owne
Without stryfe / that it were gyue anoon
To the fayrest of them / euerychone
And of discorde / this lady and goddesse
As she that is / of debate maystresse
Hath this appell / passynge of delyte
Brought to this feste / of malys and despyte
And caste it downe / amonge them at the borde
With deynous chere / spekynge nat a worde
But on hir waye / faste gan hir hye
And sodaynly / so a preuy great enuye
Into the courte / this appell hath in brought
So great a werre / and suche a contek wrought
In the hertes / of these ylke thre
That after longe / may nat staunchedbe
Amonge themselfe / so they gan disdayne
[Page] Whiche in beaute / was moste soueraygne
And whiche of them / hath beste tytle of ryght
For to conquere / this burned appell bryght
And firste they gan thus / for beaute stryue
That of rancour / theyr hertes almost ryue
To wyte of right / who shulde it firste possede
[...]o yet enuye / reygneth in womanhede
That one is fayrer / than a not her holde
For eche woman / of hir kynde wolde
Haue on some parte / prys aboue another
In eche estate / in sothe it is none other
And eche of them / in hir owne aduys
Hath ioye / in beaute / for to haue a prys
For none so foule / doth in a myrour prye
That she is fayre / in hir owne eye
But lyke a fole / he hymfelfe doth quyte
That aumber yelowe / cheseth for the whyte
A goundy eye / is deceyued soone
That any colour / cheseth by the moone
For some colour / is with fyre made fyne
And some encreased / with spyces & with wyne
With oyntementes / and confeccions
And on nyght / by false illusions
Some appere wonder / fresshe and fayre
That loke derke by day lyght / in the ayre
There is no prefe / but erely by the morowe
Of suche as nede / no beaute for to borowe
But as nature hath / hir selfe disposed
Therfore fastynge / or boystes be vnclosed
Make thy choyse / as byd Ouyde
Whan euery drugge and pot / is set asyde
Lyst that thou / be after his sentence
Deceyued lyghtly / by false apparence
For now a dayes / suche crafte is full ryue
And in this wyse / thus began the stryue
Betwyxe / Iuno / venus / and Pallas
That be descended / for this sodaynecas
By one assent / touchynge theyr beaute
The dome therof / cōmytted vnto the
I speke to the / that called art Parys
And holde art / right prudent & right wys
Be auysed how / thy dome shall fyne
For they ne may / to nor fro declyne
But obeye / all by one assent
Without stryfe / to thy iugement
But herke firste / or that thou procede
Of eche of them / what shalbe thy mede
Consydre a right / and take good hede therto
If thou the appell / graunt vnto Iuno
She shall the gyue / plente of rychesse
Hye renowne of fame / eke worthynesse
With haboundaunce / of golde and of tresour
And do the ryse / to so hye honour
That thou alone / all other shalt excelle
For thy guerdon / lyke as I the telle.
And if to Pallas / goddesse of prudence
The lyst the fyne conclude / of thy sentence
That she may lady / of the appell be
For thy mede / she shall assure the
That of wyt / and ofsapyence
Thou shalt hooly / haue the excellence
And of wysdome / and of discrecion
To dyscerne / by clerenesse of reason
Also fer as Phebus / caste his lyght
There shall nat be a more / prudent knyght
Nor in this worlde / sythe that it began
Of iuste reporte / a manlyer man
Nor to thy name / none equypollent
And if to venus / of trewe & clene entent
The lyste to graunt / in conclusion
Of the Appell / to haue possession
The fresshe goddesse / that syt so hye aboue
Shall the ensure / to haue vnto thy loue
The fayrest lady / that is or was tofore
Or in this worlde / euer shalbe bore
And in Grece / thou shalt hir knyghtly wynne
Now be aduysed / or that thou begynne
Iustly to deme / and for no thynge spare
¶And I anone / gan loke vp and stare
Greatly astoned / what me was best to do
Tyll at the laste / I spake Mercurye to
And sayde certayne / that I ne wolde there
Gyue no dome / but they naked were
So that I myghty / haue fully lyberte
Eueryche of them / a vyselye to se
And consydre / euery circumstaunce
Who fayrest were / vnto my plesaunce
And goodlyest / to speke of womanhede
And after that / to my dome procede.
And they anone / as ye haue herde me seye
To my desyre / mekely gan obeye
In all haste to do / theyr besy cure
Them to dispoyle / of clothynge and vesture
Lyche as the statute / of my dome them bonde
In a poynt they ne wolde / it nat withstonde
That I myght haue / full inspexion
Of fourme and shap / and eche proporsion
For to discerne / as I can remembre
A vysely by ordre / euery membre
And than at erst / to Iuge after ryght
[Page] But whan that I / of eche hadde a syght
I gaue to venus / the appell right anone
Bycause she was / fayrest of echone
And moste excellynge / sothly of beaute
Moste womanly / and goodly on to se
As I deme playnly / in my syght
For the stremes / of hir eyen bryght
Ilyche glade / and egall euen of lyght
Were to y • sterre / y • sheweth towarde nyght
Whiche called is / Esperus so shene
Venus hir selfe / the fresshe lusty quene
The whiche anone / this heuenly Emperesse
After my dome of hertely / hye gladnesse
That of the appell she hooly hath the glorye
And wonne it / iustly by victorye
Reioysed hir / more than I can tell
That she hir feres / in beaute dyde excell
And she in haste / of trewe affeccion
Concluded hath fully / for my guerdon
Full demurely / lowe / and nat a lofte
To Mercurye / with sobre wordes softe
Deuoyde bothe / of doubylnesse and slouthe
Lyke her beheste / holde wyll hir trouthe
And sodaynly / without more Iniurye
They disapered / and the god Mercurye
Streyghte to heuen / the right way toke
And I anone / out of my slepe a woke.
¶Wherof my lord / whom I most loue & drede
If ye aduerte / and wysely take hede
That this beheste / affermed in certayne
Was vnto me / assured nat in vayne
Of goodly venus / lyke as I haue tolde
Wherfore I rede / ye be of herte bolde
Me for to sende / with stronge & myghty hande
Without abode / into Grekes lande
After the fourme / that I haue you sayde
And I hope / ye shalbe well apayde
Whan I haue spede / as venus hath behyghte
And home retourne / with my lady bryghte
So shall ye beste / me lyste nat speke in vayne
Be echaunge / of hir your suster wyn agayne
Whom Thelamon / withholde hath of yore
Lo this is all / I can say you nomore
Touchynge the effect / hooly of myn aduyse
And after that / stylle / sat Parys
As he that / fully hymselfe aquyte
But saye Pryam / alas where was thy wyte
Of neclygence / for take kepe
Thy truste to sette / on dremes or on slepe
Full thynne / was thy discrecyon
To take a grounde / of false illusyon
For to procede / lyke the fantasye
Vpon a sweuen / meynt with flaterye
Alas reason / was no thynge thy guyde
For Pallas / was wrongly sette asyde
Nat receyued / with dewe reuerence
And Iuuo eke / for all hir sapyence
For all hir good / and lokynge debonayre
With hir treasour / and hir hestes fayre
Refused was / alas of wylfulnesse
And she that is of loue / the goddesse
And eke also / of vulcanus the wyfe
In whose seruyce / is euer werre and stryfe
Preferred was / the appell to procede
Agayne all right / for Parys toke none hede
Saue vnto luste / and sette a syde trouthe
Where thorugh alas / & y t was full great routhe
The myghty ryche / and the noble towne
Of Troye / was brought to confusyowne
Oonly for he / knyghthode hath forsake
Prudence and golde / and in his choyse Ytake
Oonly a woman / and holde hym therto
That after was / roote of all theyr woo
As this storye / ceryously shall telle
But I in dremes / wyll no lenger dwelle
But wryte forthe / how that Dephebus
The thyrde sone / of kynge Pryamus
His tale gan / in open audyence
And to the kynge / shortly in sentence
As he that lyste / a trouthe nat to spare
Euen thus / his conceyte to declare.
My lorde quod he / if that euery wyght
Aduerte shulde / and caste in his syght
Of future thynge / the peryll and the doute
And cerche it / within and withoute
From poynt to poynt / alwaye in his reason
To caste doutes / and tourne vp so downe
Than no wyght shulde / to no purpose wende
In any matere / for to make an ende
Other presume / by manhod in his thought
Who caste perylles / acheueth lytell or nought
For if the plowman / alway caste aforne
How many graynes / in his felde of corne
Shalbe deuoured / of foules rauynous
That he doth sowe / in feldes plenteuous
Than shulde he neuer / in vale nor in playne
For cowardshyp / throwe abrode his grayne
Lete all suche drede / nowe be layde asyde
I holde folye / lenger to abyde
But y • Parys / my brother make hym stronge
[Page] With his shyppes / for to venge our wronge
Vpon grekes / with all his payne and myght
To preue shortly / that he is a knyght
For of reason / ye consydre may
How that no man iustly / may say nay
But that Parys hath / counsayled wele
For by my trouthe / as fer as I can fele
It were errour / his purpose to contrarye
Wherfore / let hym now no lenger tarye
But holde his waye / with a stronge nauye
For to auenge / the great velanye
That grekes haue / if ye take hede
Done heretofore to vs / and to our kynrede
And for fynall execucyon
Of the recure / touchynge Exyon
Whom they treate / in dishonest wyse
Agaynst all right / and tytle of iustyse
That to thynke / it gyueth my herte a wounde
The shame of whiche / so newe doth rebounde
Vpon all / that be of hir allye
Wherfore the beste / that I can espye
Is that Parys / take this vyage
With suche as be / of fresshe and lusty age
Manly to wende / into Grekes lande
And by force / of theyr myghty hande
Maugre the Grekes / proude and most elate
Rauysshe there / some lady of estate
And than ye may / by knyghthod of my brother
If ye lyste chaunge / hir for that other
This moste redy / and short conclusion
That I can se / for restytucion
Of Exyone / if that Parys wende
And of my counsayle / shortly thus the ende.
And than as faste / full discrete and sage
Helenus the fourth sone / of age
Rose from his sete / with great reuerence
Prayeng his fader / graunte hym audyence
That he may say / in presence of them all
Openly / what that shalbe fall
As he that most / of secrete thynges can
And soberly / thus his tale began
With clene entent / and trewe affeccion
My lorde quod he / with supportacion
Of your grace / wherin is most my truste
Let none offence / be vnto your luste
Nor you displease / though I say my conceyte
Syth ye knowe / I mene no deceyte
For neuer yet / fayled no sentence
But that it fyll / in experyence
Lyke as I tolde / in partye and in all
In pryue treate / and in generall
Without menynge / of any doubylnesse
That it folowed / as I dyde expresse
Remembre you / and ye shall fynde it trewe
And if god wyll / I shall nat now of newe
Spare for to say / lyke as I conceyue
Nor to be dede / with fraude you deceyue
Declarynge firste / of trewe entencion
As it shall folowe / in conclusion.
That if Parys / into Grece wende
Truste me well / it wyll vs all shende
The goddes haue / by reuelacion
Made vnto me / demonstracion
And eke I knowe it / by astronomye
For neuer yet / in my prophecye
Ne was I deceyued / of that shulde falle
Nor none that lyste / me to counsayle calle
So am I taught / of thynge y t shall betyde
Wherfore I praye / for rancour nor for pryde
Nor for enuye / of none olde hatrede
To take vengaunce / that ye nat procede
In your aduyse / lyke as ye purpose
I say you playnly / for me lyste nat glose
Ye shall repente / if ye Parys sende
Into Grece / the whiche god defende
Wytte this well for the conclusion
Shall fully tourne / to our destruccion
And fynally / into our ruyne
Lyke as to you / I gan afore deuyne
For this the fyne / that there folowe shall
Subuercion / bothe of towne and wall
Of paleys / house / here in our Cyte
All goth to nought / ye get no more of me
For me semeth / it ought ynough suffyse
That I haue sayde / sythe that ye be wyse
For if that ye / aduerte to my sawe
I doute nat / that ye wyll withdrawe
Your hande be tyme / or that more damage
Assayle you / by constraynte of this rage
For better is / betymes to abstene
From this purpose / whiche is yet but grene
Than of hede hastely assente
To thynge for whiche / we shall echone repente
For plenerly there shall / no thynge socoure
That there shall folowe / of you and all youre
Despytefull deth / without excepciowne
Of one and all / abydynge in this towne
Firste on your selfe / playnly to endyte
Shall the vengaunce / of the grekes byte
Thorugh the furye / of theyr mortall tene
[Page] And your wyfe / cuba the quene
Shall lede hir lyfe / thorugh grekes cruelte
In sorowe and wo / and in captyuyte
And your lyeges / by the swerde shall pace
Of cruell de [...]h / without any grace
And innocentes / mercyles shall blede
In your auyse / if that ye procede
Of wylfulnesse / a werre for to make
And folylye / for to vndertake
For to parturbe / your quyete and your reste
Whiche shall tourne / no thynge for the beste
But to ruyne / of you / and of vs all
I can no more [...] but or that myschefe fall
My counsayle is / afore for to prouyde
And wylfulnesse / for to sette asyde
Specially / whan deth as I you tolde
Muste be the fyne / if ye your purpose holde
Lo here is all / without wordes mo
Into grece / if that Parys go.
¶And in this wyse / whan that Helenus
Had playnly sayde / as Guydo telleth vs
Tryste and heuy / with a pale face
Agayne resorteth / to his syttynge place
Of whose sentence / astoned euerychone
Sat in sylence / stylle as any stone
Powerles theyr hertes to resume
To speke a worde / no man dare presume
Of all the prese / but kept theyr lyppes close
That at the laste / Troylous vp arose
Yonge fresshe and lusty / and courageous also
And aye desyrous / for to haue a do
In armes manly / as longeth to a knyght
And whan that he of there / full glad and lyght
Sawe his fader / and bretherne euerychone
So inly troubled / thus he spake anone.
O noble and worthy / syttynge enuyron
Of hye prudence / and great discrecyon
Manfull also / and of hye courage
What sodayn fere / hath brought you ī this rage
What new trouble / is cropen in your breste
For the sentence / of a cowarde preste
Syth they echone / as ye shall euer fynde
Desyre more veryly / of kynde
To lyue in luste / and voyde away trauayle
And dedely hate / to here of batayle
For they theyr wyt / fynally applye
To sewe theyr luste / and lyue in glotonye
To fyll theyr stomacke / and restore theyr mawe
To reste and ease / euer for to drawe
And to sewe / theyr inwarde appetyte
Thus theyr ioye / and thus theyr delyte
In etynge drynkynge / and in couetyse
Is theyr studye / and fully to deuyse
How they may folow / their lust without more
Of right nought elles / set they no store
Alas for shame / why be ye so dismayde
And sytte mate / astoned and afrayde
For the wordes / of this Helenus
Ferefull for drede / as a lytell mous
That he quaketh / to here speke of fyght
And more ouer / agayne all skylle and ryght
In preiudyce / of the goddes alle
He taketh on hym / to say what shall befalle
Of thynge futur / for to specefye
As he had / a spyryte of prophecye
Graunted to hym alone / in speciall
As though he were / in connynge perygall
To the goddes / hauynge prescience
To shewe afore / thorugh his sapyence
What shall betyde / outher euyll or gode
Let be let be / for no wyght is so wode
That hath his wyt / to gyue therto credence
That any man / by crafte or by scyence
That mortall is / hath connynge to deuyne
Fortunes course / or fates to termyne
Suche causes hyd / conceled in secree
Reserued be / to goddes preuytee
Men may dyuyne / but all is but folye
To take hede / for they do but lye
Wherfore I rede / as in this matere
Both one and all / and you my lorde most dere
To exclude all drede / and all that may disturbe
Out of your herte / and let no thynge perturbe
Your hye courages / that helenus hath tolde
And if that he / of herte be nat bolde
As manhode wold / to helpe venge our wronge
Let hym go hyde hym / in the temple stronge
And kepe hym close / in contemplacion
To wake and praye / by deuocion
Without socour / a dayes and a nyghtes
And suffre suche / as be lusty knyghtes
To haunte theyr youthe / and grene lustynesse
Manly in armes / to preue theyr hardynesse
That they may haue / the better acqueyntaūce
In tyme comynge / for to do vengeaunce
On theyr enmyes / and theyr cruell [...]oon
And cōmaunde / that Parys may forth goon
To execute / the fyne / of your entent
Afore purposed / in your parlament
Vpon grekes / for theyr offencyon
[Page] To parfourme vp / the payne of talyon
For wronges olde / of whiche yet the fame
Rehersed is / vnto our alder shame
Thorugh out the worlde / ye wote this is no les
And therwithall / Troylus helde his pes
And sodaynly all / that were present
Began atones / all by one assent
Troylus counsayle / greatly for to preyse
And his manhode / to the heuen reyse
His fresshe courage / and his hye prowesse
His feruent zele / and his hardynesse
And of one herte / greatly hym cōmende
And right anone / there they made an ende
Than Pryamus / whan that all was done
Vpon the tyme / of the houre of noone
To mete goth / within Ilyon
All his sones / syttynge enuyron
And after mete / he called hath Parys
And Dephebus / also that was full wys
And secretly / bad they shulde go
The same day / with other lordes mo
To Panomye / in all the haste they may
To make them redy / agayne a certayne day
With all the aray / of worthy chyualrye
That they may gete / in theyr companye
Towardes grece / to sayle hastely
And after that / the kynge all sodaynely
The nexte day made / his counsayle calle
And euen thus / he sayde afore them alle.
¶O noble lyeges / beynge now present
My purpose is / to say you myn entent
Without abode / to here it if ye lyste
As I suppose / to you is nat vnwyste
How the grekes / of pryde and tyrannye
Of malys olde / compassed by enuye
In many wyse / haue agayne vs wrought
Whiche is so grene / that I foryete nought
For day by day / encreasynge euer mo
By remembraunce / renewed is my wo
Whan I recorde / and caste vp and downe
Our greues all / and how that Exyowne
In seruytude / amonge them doth soiourne
Whiche ofte a day / causeth me to mourne
And my herte almost / asonder ryue
For to consyder / and se it by my lyue
Whose cruelte / we haue to dere bought
Natwithstandynge / y t I haue meanes sought
To haue be in reste / without any more
Whan into Grece / I sent Anthenore
Peasybly my suster / to recure
And the surplus / pacyently to endure
But all for nought / they toke of it no hede
For all that / I offred of goodlyhede
It was nat herde / for lacke of gentyllesse
Recorde of whiche / doubleth my distresse.
¶Wherfore we muste / as techeth Suxgerye
With sharpe yrons / seke remedye
To cutte away / by the roote rounde
The proude flesshe / y t groweth in the grounde
Whiche wyll nat voyde / w t oyntementes softe
Albe that they / be layde therto full ofte
Right so by example / we must by duresse
Gette recure / whan that with fayrenesse
We may none haue / wherfore by your aduyse
My purpose is / to sende forthe Paryse
Into grece / some lady there to wyn
And brynge hir home / & we shall here within
Kepe hir stronge / maugre who sayth nay
Tyll that we se / some agreable day
That they be fayne / lyke myn oppynyon
To haue eschaunge / for hir of Exyon
My dere suster / whom I loue so
We may nat fayle / that it shall be do
So the goddes / be to vs fauourable
And this counsayle / be also acceptable
To you echone / as it is to me
For whan a kynge / toucheth a comonte
Of wyse men / as it is affermed
Of all the comon / it ought be confermed
Thynge touchynge all / shulde be apreued
Of all echone / or it were acheued
Wherfore I caste / by aduyse of you echone
Playnly to werke / and with that worde anone
This noble Pryam / was sodaynly in pease
And after that amonges / all the prease
Whan all was whyste / in theyr aller syght
A knyght vp rose / and Pentheus he hyght
That sone was / to Euforbyus
De transformatis / as sayth Ouydius
Into whom he fayneth / that there was
Whylom the soule / of Pictagoras
Hooly transsumed / so as wryte Ouyde
As touchynge that / I wyll no lenger byde
But tell forth / of this Pentheus
Afore the kynge / whiche gan his tale thus.
My lyege lorde / vnto your hye noblesse
Displease it nat / nor to your worthynesse
In presence of your / mageste
That I shall say / for to acquyte me
Towardes you / of my fayth and trouthe
[Page] For soth fastly / in me may be no slouthe
Touchynge your honour / that without drede
With zele of faythe / I brenne as doth the glede
Of all harmes / to bydde you beware
For doutelesse / afferme well I dare
If ye stande / in your firste aduyse
As ye purpose / to sende forth Paryse
I doute it nat / that it shall you rewe
For god well wore / of olde and nat of newe
I had a fader called / Euforbyus
Discrete and wyse / and right vertuous
And knowynge had afore / of euery thynge
By prescyence / and byfore wyttynge
To tell playnly / thorugh his phylosophye
So heuenly he sawe / with his hertes eye
That there [...]e was / no thynge so secree
Hyd from his knowynge / nor no pryuetee
That he it knewe / he was of wyt so sage
And at the laste / whan he was of age
An hondred yere / w t lokkes gray and hore
I can remembre / how he complayned sore
And wepte also / of pyte tenderly
Fully affermynge / if Parys vtterly
Wente into grece / to rauysshe hym a wyfe
There shulde folowe / suche a mortall stryfe
Vpon vs all / that sothly this Cyte
Shulde into asshes / and scyndres tourned be
And that there shulde / nothynge vs socoure
That grekes swerde / shall cruelly deuoure
Both hye and lowe / and playnly spare none
Wherfore I praye / amonge you euerychone
Of that I tell / haue no despyte
Your wronge to venge / put in respyte
And rancour olde / I rede that ye lete
And the tranquylle / now of your quyete
Of hastynesse / that ye nat submytte
To fortune / that can so falsely flytte
Perturbe nat / for none olde enmyte
With newe sterynge / your felycyte
For if that ye / to this Iourney assente
Ye euerychone full sore / shall repente
And if ye wyll / algates thether sende
In Parys stede / let some other wende
Lyst his vyage / be to you no spede
This my counsayse / and this is full my rede
Sayde vnder supporte / oonly of your grace
And sodaynly / they gan echone to chace
At Pentheus / and loude agayne hym crye
Repreuynge hym / and the prophecye
Of his fader / to theyr confucion
¶But o alas / the reuolucion
Of ioye or wo / or of felycyte
For thynge ordeyned / nedes must be
The ordre of thynges / w t fate is so englewed
For that shall falle / may nat be eschewed
Whiche caused them / for to assente in one
Vndiscretly / that Parys shulde gone
Vnhappely w t hap / they were enuolued
¶And thꝰ cōcludȳg / theyr coūsayl is dissolued
But casuelly / it befell right than
That this aduyse / vnto the eres ran
Of Cassandra / and she with great afray
Of sodayne wo / gan crye welaway.
¶Alas quod she alas / what wyll ye do
What shall Parys / now into grece go
And with that worde / she braste out to wepe
Full pytously / with inwarde syghes depe
She gan to wayle / and swowne for the payne
And furyously / with noyse to complayne
With wofull rage / and many pytous sowne
She made / a mortall lamentaciowne
For to be dede / she myght hir nat withholde
With heer to torne / and with fystes folde
She sayde alas / more than an hondred sythe
A stormy fortune / why lyst thou to kythe
Thy cruell force / to oure aduersyte
Vpon vs all / and vpon this Cyte
Of mortall yre / and gery vyolence
With swerde of vengeaūce / worse thā pestylence
¶O Troye Troye / what is thy gylte alas
What hast thou done / what is thy trespas
To be euersed / and tourned into nought
With wylde fyre / thy synne is dere abought
A Pryam kynge / vncely is thy chaunce
What hast thou gylte / outher do greuaunce
To thy goddes / or wyrched thorugh vnryght
Them to prouoke / to shewe theyr cruell myght
Vpon thy blode / alas what hast thou do
O moder myn / O Ecuba also
What maner cryme / or importable offence
Hast thou wrought / to haue suche recompence
The day to abyde / 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
[Page] And to hir fader / this wofull creature
Helde streyght hir way / & falleth plat to groūde
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 y • 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 atraūce
By vyolence / of hir vnhappy chaunce
Hath w t 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 y e 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 w t Dephebus / & other men of armes for to take vengeaūce on y e grekes / & how they toke y e fayre Helayne quene vnto Menelaus / and brought hir vnto Troye. Capitulo. xiij.

[figure]
THe tyme approcheth / whā y e sonne shene
His golden wayne / whyrled vp at wene
The clere sterres / of yades so rede
whiche haue theyr syght / in the crabbes hede
[Page] And Plyade [...] / 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 / & kou [...]he thorugh y • 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 / w t many lusty hewe
And byd vs fully / to be glad and lyght
For by assuraūce / 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 cōmaundeth / 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
[Page] 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 / Cithera this day
And in the hauen / in all the hast they may
They cast anker / & bonde their shyppes stronge
And after that / them lyste nat tarye longe
To take the lande / full many lusty man
Arrayeng them / as fresshely as they can.
¶Now in this yle / of passynge excellence
There was a temple / of great reuerence
That bylded was / of olde foundacion
And most honoured / in that region
Thorughout the lande / bothe fer and neere
The feste day / aye from yere to yere
Lyke as it fylle / by reuolucion
Repeyrynge thyther / of great deuocion
In honour / oonly of venus the goddesse
Whom the grekes / with all theyr besynesse
Honoured most / of euery maner age
With gyftes bryngynge / & with pylgrymage
With great offrynge / and with sacryfyse
As vsed was / in theyr paynem wyse.
¶For in this phane / as they knele and wake
With contryte herte / and theyr prayer make
The statute gaue / of euery question
Playne answere / and full solucion
With cerymonyes / to venus as they loute
Of euery thynge / that they had doute
They hadde / full declaracion
And thus the grekes / vpon Citheron
Halowe this feste / w t ryche and great aray
With rytes dewe / as ferforth as they may
In hope fully / the better for to thryue
¶And of fortune / whan he dyde aryue
Vp to the lande / by aduenture or cas
The same tyme / this feste halowed was
Of many a greke / comynge to and fro
From euery coste that / to the temple go
On pylgrymage / theyr vowes to acquyte
Of the place / the relyques to vysyte.
¶And whan Parys / dyde this espye
He gadred out / of his companye
The worthyest / that he chese may
And to the temple / he toke the right way
Full well besene / and in knyghtly wyse
And dyde his honour / and his sacryfyce
Full humbly / to the grekes lyche
With many an ouche / and Iewell ryche
With golde and syluer / stones and perre
He spendeth there / lyke to his degre
And quyt hym manly / in his oblacionꝰ
And deuoutely / in his oryso [...]s
He hym demeneth / that ioye was to se
¶Now was Parys / of passynge great beaute
Amonges all / that euer were alyue
For there was none / that myght w t whym stryue
Troyan nor greke / to speke of semelyhede
Wonder fresshe / and lusty / as I rede
And in his porte / full lyke a gentyll knyght
Of whose persone / for to haue a syght
They gan to prease / both nyghe and fere
So ryally / he had hym in his gere
And coueyte / of hye estate and lowe
What he was / greatly for to knowe
And of his men / they aske besely
Fro whense he came / and the cause why
Of his comynge / enquerynge one by one
But prudently / they kepte them euerychone
That no thynge was / openly espyde
In theyr answere / so they haue them gyde
That euery thynge / kept was secree
Eueryche of them / was so auysee
Albe that some / openly declare
What that he was / and ne lyste nat spare
But tolde playnely / the cause of his comynge
And how Pryam / the stronge myghty kynge
His fader was / moste ryall of renowne
And how he came also / for Exyowne
Thus eche of them / gan with other rowne
At pryme face / whan he came to towne
And therupon / were ymagynatyfe
Sore musynge / and inquysityfe
Eche with other / by suspeccion
Demynge therof / lyke theyr oppynyon
And rathest they / that no thynge ne knewe
As folkes done / of thynges that be newe
And whyles they / of this mater treate
In sondry wyse / amonge theyr wordes greate
The saynge of them / gan anone atteyne
To the eres / of the quene Eleyne
Nygh besyde / in that region
And whan she herde / by reuelacion
And by reporte of them / that came bytwene
This fayre Eleyne / this fresshe lusty quene
Anone as she / the sothe / vnderstode
Without taryenge / or any more abode
[Page] She hasteth hir / to this solempnyte
The fresshe folke / of Frygye / for to se
Well more god wote / in hir entencion
To se Parys / than for deuocion
Vnder colour / of holy pylgrymage
To the temple / she taketh hir vyage
With a great meyne / and ryall of parayle
Parys to se for she wyll nat fayle.
But alas / what lusty new fyre
Hath hir herte, en [...]lawmed by desyre
To go to vigiles / outher to spectacles
None holynesse / to here of myracles
Hath meued hir / that there shall befall
But as the maner / is of women all
To drawe thether / platly to conclude
Where as they be sure / that multytude
Gadred is at lyberte to se
Where they fynde / opportunyte
To theyr desyre / full narowe they awayte
Now couertly / theyr eyen for to bayte
In place where as / sette is theyr pleasaunce
Now pryuely / to haue theyr dalyaunce
By some sygne or castynge of an eye
Or tokens shewyng / in herte what they drye
With touche of handes / stole amonge the prese
With arme or fote to catche vp in theyr lese
Whom that them lyst / all be he fre or bonde
Of nature / they can hym holde an honde
Ayen whose sleyghte / auayleth wyt nor myght
For what them lyste / be it wronge or ryght
They ay acheue / who saythe ye or nay
Agayne whose lust / defende hym no man may.
Thus Guydo / aye of cursed false delyte
To speke them harme / hath caught an appetite
Thorughout his boke / of women to say yll
That to translate / it is agayne my wyll
He hath aye ioye / theyr honour to transuerse
I am sory / that I muste reherce
The felle wordes / in his boke I founde
To all women / I am so moche bounde
They [...]e echone / so goodly and so kynde
I dare of them / nat say as I fynde
Of Guydoes wryte / thorughout Troye boke
For whan I redde / for fere my herte quoke
And veryly / my wyttes gan fayle
Whan I therof / made rehersayle
Lyke his decrete / but Guydo now be quyt
For ye shall here anone / how that he chyt
The quene Eleyne / for cause that she went
With deuoute herte / hir offrynge to presente
To the temple / of venus the goddesse
Thus worde by worde / he saythe to hir expresse
O mortall harme / that most is for to drede
A fraude I [...]aste / by sleyghte of womanhede
Of euery wo / gynnynge crop and rote
Agaynst whiche / helpe may no bote
Whan lust hath dryue / in theyr herte auayle
Aye dedely venyme / seweth at the tayle
Whiche no man / hath power to restreyne
Recorde I take / of the quene Eleyne
That ho [...]e brente / alas in hir desyres
Of newe luste / to dele with straungeres
Whom she knewe nat / ne neuer sawe aforne
Where thorugh alas / full many mē were lorne
Of cruell dethe / embraced in the cheyne
Without pyte / now say thou quene Eleyne
What goost or spiryte / alas hath meued the
Sool fro thy lorde / in suche royalte
Out of thy hous / to go amonge the prease
Why were thou wery / to lyue at home in pease
And wente out / straungers for to se
Takynge no hede / vnto thyn honeste
Thou shuldest haue kept / thy closet secretly
And nat haue passed out / so folyly
In the absence / of thy lorde alas
Thou were to wylfull / and rakell in this [...]as
To se afore / what shulde after sewe
For all to soone / thou were drawen out of mewe
That coude nat kepe / at home thy boundes
Thou wentest out / as hare amonge y e houndes
For to be caughte / of very wylfulnesse
And thy desyre / coudest nat compesse
For though thy luste / lyst nat to refrayne
O many woman / hath caught in a trayne
Theyr goynge out / suche halowes for to seke
It syt them better / them selfe for to kepe
Close in theyr chamber / and fle occasiowne
For neuer shyp shulde / in peryll drowne
Nor scatre on rocke / nor be with tempestrent
Nor with carybbes / deuoured or I shent
Nor go to wrake / with no weders ylle
If it were kept / in the hauen stylle
For who wyll nat / occasions eschewe
Nor drede no / peryll for to sewe
He muste amonge / of necessyte
Or he be ware / endure aduersyte
And who can nat / hir fote fro trappes spare
Let hir / be ware or she falle in the snare
For harme I done / to late is to compleyne
For if whylom / the worthy quene Eleyne
[Page] Hir selfe had kept / at home in close
Of hir there ne had be / so wycke a lose
Reported ye [...] grene / fre she and newe
Whose chaūce vnhappy / ethe man ought rewe
That cause was / of suche destruccion
O [...] many worthy / and confusion
Of hir worthy husbonde / and many other mo
On grekes syde / and on Troye also
In this storye / as ye shall after rede
And so this quene / as faste as she may spede
To the temple / hath the way nome
Full ryally / and whan that she was come
Full deuoutly / within Citheron
Made vnto venus / hir oblacion
In presence and syght / of many one
With many iewell / and many ryche stone.
And whan Parys had / this espyed
To the temple / anone he hath hym hyed
Full thryf tely / in all the haste he myght
And whan that he had / firste a syght
Of the goodly / fayre fresshe quene
Cupides darte / that is whet so kene
Or he was ware / hath hym marked so
That for astoned / he ne wyste what to do
So he meruayleth hir great semelynesse
Hir womanhede / hir porte and hir fayrenesse
For neuer afore / ne wende he that nature
Coude haue made / so fayre a creature
So aungellyke / she was of hir beaute
So femynyne / so goodly on to se
That he dempte / as by lyklynesse
For hir beaute / to be some goddesse
For his herte / dyde hym aye assure
That she was / no mortall creature
So heuenly fayre / and so celestyall
He thought she was / in party and in all
And consydereth / for auysely
Hir futures in ordre / by and by
Ententyfly / within his reason
Euery thynge / by good inspeccion
Hir golden heer / lyke the sonne stremes
Of fresshe Phebus / w t his bryght bemes
The goodlyhede / of hir fresshely face
So replenysshed / of beaute and grace
Euen ennewed / with quyckenesse of colour
Of the rose / and the lylye flour
So egally / that nouther was to wyte
Thorugh none excesse / of moche nor of lyte
Within the cerclynge / of hir eyen bryght
Was paradys compassed / in hir syght
That thorugh abreste / the beaute wolde perce
And certaynly / if I shall reherce
Hir shap hir fourme / and futures by and by
As Guydo dothe / by ordre ceryously
From hede to fo [...]e / clerely to deuyse
I haue none englysshe / that therto may suffyse
It wyll nat be / our tunge is nat lyke
I wante floures / also of rethoryke
To sewe his flourysshyng / or his gay peynture
For to descryue / so fayre a creature
For my coloures / be to feble and faynte
That nouther can ennewe / well nor paynte
Eke I am nat acqueynted / with no [...]use
Of all myn / therfore I me excuse
To you echone / nat all of neclygence
But for defaute / oonly of eloquence
And you remytte / to Guydo for to se
How he descryueth / by ordre hir beaute
To take on me / it were presumpciowne
¶But I wyll tell / how Parys vp and downe
Gothe in the temple / and his eye caste
Towarde Eleyne / and gan prese faste
As he that brente / hoote in loues fyre
That was enflawmed / greatly by desyre
And ofte he chaungeth countenaunce & chere
And euer he neygheth / to hir nere and nere
Ydarted thorugh / with hir eyen tweyne
And agayne warde / the fresshe quene Eleyne
As hoote brente / in herte pryuely
Albe no man / it outwarde coude espy
For she thought / she had neuer afore
Of all men / that euer yet were bore
Se none so fayre / nor lyke hir pleasaunce
On hym to loke / was hir suffysaunce
For in the temple / she toke hede of right nought
But to compasse / and caste in hir thought
How she may catche / opportunyte
With hym to speke / at good lyberte
This hooly was / all hir besynesse
For hym she felte / so inly great distresse
That ofte she chaungeth / coūtenaunce & hewe
And venus hath / marked them of newe
With hir brondes / fyred by feruence
And enflawmed / by sodayne influence
That egally they were brought in a rage
And saue the eye / atwe [...]e was no message
Eche on other so fyxe / hath caste theyr syght
That they conceyue / and wyste [...]one ryght
Within themself / what theyr herte mente
And ne [...]e to hir / euer Parys wente
[Page] To seke fully and gete occasion
That they myght by full relacion
Theyr hertes conceyt / declare secretly
And so vefell that Parys nygheth nye
To the place / where the quene Eleyne
Stode in hir see / and ther at wene them tweyne
They broke out / the sūme of all theyr herte
And gaue yssue / to theyr inwarde smerte
But this was done / lyst they were espyed
Whan the people was / moste occupyed
In the temple [...] for to stare and gase
Now here now there / as it were on a mase
They kepte them close / that no worde asterte
There was no man / the treson myght aduerte
Of them twayne / ne what they wolde mene
But at the laste / Parys and this quene
Concluded haue / with short auysement
Fully the fyne / of theyr bothe entent
And sette a purpose / betwyxe them in certayne
Whan they caste / for to mete agayne
But lyste men hadde to them suspeccion
They made an ende / without more sermon
And departe / albe that they were lothe
And soberly anone / this Parys gothe
Out of the temple / his herte in euery parte
Wounded thorugh out / with loues firy darte
To his shyppes / he helde the right way
And than anone / in all the haste he may
Whan assembled was / his chyualrye
One and other / of his companye
In fewe wordes / as shortly as I can
Tofore them all / his tale thus he gan.
Sy •res quod he / shortly to expresse
The cause is kouthe / to yo r worthynesse
Why my fader / into Grece vs sente
For as ye knowe / the chefe of his entent
Was to recure / his suster Exyon
Out of the handes / of kynge Thelamon
The whiche thynge / for ought I can espye
Is impossyble / shortly in myn eye
By any waye / as fer as I can se
He is so great / and stronge in this countre
Of his allyes / aboute on euery syde
And in herte [...] so inly full of pryde
To yelde hir vp / he hath nat but disdayne
Therof to treate / it were nat but in vayne
Therfore the beste / that I can deuyse
Syth our power / may nat now suffyse
To werrey hym / in this regyowne
We be nat egall / of myght nor of renowne
For lacke of men / with hym to holde a felde
We may 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 •
And they assente / without more delay
And in theyr shyppes / they byde tyll at nyght
Whan Phebus chare / w t 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
[Page] 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 s [...]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
[Page] Than the lyllye / on his stalke gren [...]
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 dis [...]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 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 wo [...]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 shalbe 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 shalbe 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 shalbe 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
[Page] 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 wordꝭ 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 / y t 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.

[figure]
WHan the quene / that called is Eleyne
Adawed was / of hir drery peyne
And the wawes / of hir heuy chere
[Page] 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 may hye
With many a lorde / in his companye
Full many lady / fresshe and well beseyne
And many mayde / that ryde them ageyne
Firste estates / and after comuners
Now hadde Parys / all his prysoners
Set before in ordre / tweyne and tweyne
And he rode next / with the quene Eleyne
And Dephebus / vpon the other syde
And his knyghtes / enuyrondyde ryde
But next hym rode / the worthy Eneas
And the Troyan / called Pollydamas
His meyne suynge / eche in his degre
So gentylmanly / that ioye it was to se
Eeche from other / kepynge a certayne space
And forthe they rode / but a softe pace
Tyll that the kynge / them mette sodaynly
And receyued them / solempnely
As he beste coude / and goodly toke the reyne
Into his hande / of the quene Eleyne
And hir conueyed forthe / to his Cyte
Great was the prease / that abode to se
Of sondry folke / that shoued faste and croude
The shyrle trumpettes / were yreysed loude
Vp to the skye / goth the blysfull sowne
Whan all this people / entreth in the towne
And many a nother / dyuerse instrument
That all tofore / in at the gates went
In sondry wyse / that made melodye
That to here / the heuenly armonye
By musyke touched / vpon strynge and corde
So euen in one / and iustly they accorde
It wolde an herte / rauysshe into ioye
And whan they were / entred into Troye
Amydde his palayse / kynge Pryamus alyghte
And anone as faste / as euer he myghte
Into a chambre ryche / and well besey
The quene Eleyne / in haste he doth conuey
Cōmaundynge with herte / wyll and thought
His offycers / that hir fayle nought
Of any thynge / that she can bethynke
The spyces parted / anone y e wyne they drynke
And than the kynge toke leue / tyll suppyre
And she there whyles / chaungeth hir attyre.
¶But of the ioye / that was in the towne
In euery place / where men went vp & downe
I am to rude / sothely all to wryte
So moche in herte / the Troyans them delyte
That safe and sounde / retourned is Parys
They wende to haue be / for ioye in paradys
That he so well / sped / in his iourne
And hath nat one loste / of his meyne
Wherof they be / in herte glad and lyght
And in all haste / after the next nyght
As wryte Guydo / without taryeng longe
Erely on the morowe / afore the large songe
In Pallas temple / as myn Auctor sayth
Assured was / by othe / and eke by fayth
The bonde of wedlocke / of hym and of Eleyne
For euer more to laste / atwene them tweyne
The knotte is knyt / of this sacrament
And thus was done / fully by the assent
Firste of the kynge / and also by the aduyse
Of all the Cyte / in fauour of Paryse
And so the feste / and great solempnyte
Contynued was / with moche ryalte
Of this weddynge / in myrthe and solace
Thorugh the towne / by eyghte dayes space
What shulde I wryte / the reuell or y e daunces
The fresshe aray / or the countenaunces
The scole touches / the lokes amerous
The pryue grutchyng / of them y t were Ialous
The great Iustes / bordes or tornaye
Amydde palestre / with many sondry playe
The dyuerse courses / eke at euery feste
The large plente / done vnto the leste
The straunge metes / the maner of seruyse
I haue none englysshe all / for to deuyse
I passe ouer / for I was nat there
¶But whan this weddynge / came to the ere
Of Cassandra / and firste it dyde espye
A thousande sythe / alas she gan to crye
Of pytous wo / with vntrussed heeres
And sayde thus / all be speynte with teeres
O wretched Troye / errynge in this case
Within thy selfe / to suffre this trespase
For to consente / vnto suche folye
In susteynynge / of foule auoutrye
That Parys shulde take / vnto wyue
[Page] The quene Eleyne / whose husbande is a lyue
O wofull Troye / to cruell is thy fate
For to beware / it is almoste to late
The tyme is come / thou shalte destroyed be
For many fader / shall his sone se
Hole on the morowe / that shalbe slayne or eue
Amyddes the felde / that wyll hym sore greue
And many wyfe / sore shall bewepe
To se her husbande / with large woundes depe
Gryde thorugh the body / pale colde and grene
Alas how shall ye / the sorowe mowe sustene.
A wretched moders / how shall ye endure
To se your childerne / by cruell aduenture
Afore you slayne / without remedye
It wyll nat helpe / though ye clepe and crye.
A moder myn / Eccuba the quene
How shalt thou byde / the sharpe stoundes kene
Thy worthy sones / to seafore the slawe
And in the felde / be cruelte Idrawe.
A blynde people / of deth thou takest no hede
Why ne wyl thou worke / and do after my rede
And in this case / more prudent be and wyse
To take away Eleyne / fro Parys
As right requereth / without any more
And to hir lorde / iustely hir restore.
¶What trowe ye his thefte / and cruell dede
Shall passe thus / nay nay without drede
The swerde of vengeaūce / shall full sharpe byte
For his offence / and we shall bere the wyte
Paleys and hous / to se within a throwe
And toures hye / layde on the erthe lowe
Alas alas / I saye to the Eleyne
Vnhappy woman / causer of our peyne
Harde and vnsely / and also graceles
Vnwelfull woman / distourbler of our pes
Thou hast vs brought / in myschefe & in were
Kyndled a bronde / to sette vs all afere
Alas thou arte / the grounde and roote of all
Of many drery feste / fymerall
That shall beholde / amonge vs in this towne
And in this wyse / Cassandra vp and downe
Aboute ran / in subarbe / and in strete
And cryeth euer / whom that euer she mete
Full ofte sythe / alas / and welaway
Tyll Pryamus / bycause of hir affray
And for the noyse / that she dyde make
Without more / anone he doth hir take
And bynde faste / fetred in pryson
Without mercy / or remyssyon
They toke no hede / to hir sadde trouthe
Nor to hir wordes / it was the more routhe
But shet hir vp / in bondes great and stronge
Without pyte / where she abydde longe
And thus in pryson / a whyle I leue hir morne
And to the grekes / I wyll agayne retourne.
THe vnhappy tyme / & in y e same whyle
That fortune falsely / gan to smyle
Vpon Troyans / and bad them to be merye
For whiche hyely / they gan theyr goddes herye
Wenynge in ioye / to haue be assured wele
No thyng aduertynge / the turnynge of y e whele
Of hir that lasteth stable / but a throwe
Whā men most truste hir / she can make amowe
Tourne hir forhede / and hir face wrythe
Suche ioye she hath / hir doubylnesse to kythe
And to wrappe hir clerenesse / vnder cloude
Agaynst whose myght / no mā may hȳ shroude
Whā she most flatereth / thā she is l [...]st to tryste
For in her ioye / the Troyans lytell wyste
What she mente / to theyr confusiowne
For whyle that they / aboute in all the towne
Wende of grekes / haue goten full recure
Of theyr damages / and euer to haue be sure
Thorugh thylke praye / that Parys had wonne
The wycked fame / and rumoure is Yronne
With swyfte wyngꝭ / of all y t they haue wrought
To Menelay / the tydynges were Ybrought
Whyles he abode / with Nestor at Pyra
Firste of the temple / in Cithera
How it was spoyled / and the robberye
Of golde and treasoure / and the tyrannye
Vpon his men / by Troyans execute
Both of assaylynge / and of all the sute
That on the grekes / they made cruelly
And how that they / ne spared vtterly
Man nor woman / that came in theyr waye
That they ne toke / and ladde as for praye
To theyr shyppes / also of the fyght
Afore the Castell / that was on the nyght.
¶And alder laste / he hereth of his wyfe
Whom he loued / as moche as his lyfe
More tenderly god wote / a thousande folde
For whom astoned at herte / he waxed as colde
As any stone / and pale of his hewe
His hertely wo / so inly gan renewe
That first whan he herde / hir name sowne
Without more / anone he fell in a swowne
For he ne myght endure / for to stande
Tyll duke Nestor / toke hym by the hande
[Page] And hym awoke / of his deedly swowgh
Alas quod he / why haue I lost and howgh
My lyues luste / my hertely suffysaunce
A come now deth / and make of my greuaunce
Fully and ende / with thy cruell darte
That wounded am / thorugh on euery parte
My herte also / korue in euery peyne
For you my wyfe / for you myn owne Eleyne
That be deuorced / frome welaway
Farewell my ioye / farewell myn olde play
Now haue straungers / of you possession
Whiche wyll to me / be full confusion
Alas I noot / how they you cherysshe or trete
My fayre Eleyne / that were to me so mete
Now ye are gone / pensyfenesse me slethe
I may nat wayte now / but after dethe
And after this [...] amyd in all his wo
This Menelay / shope hym for to go
To his reygne / but lytell there besyde
He axeth hors / and sayde he wolde ryde
Sool to complayne / of y t he felte hym greue
But all this whyle / Nestor wyll nat leue
To go with hym / for consolacion
Of frendely right / hauynge compassion
Hym to comforte / with all his full myght
[...]edynge with hym many a worthy knyght
Into the reygne / of this Menelaus
Than firste of all [...] the storye telleth vs
How they sente / for Agamenon
And for Castor / to come to hym anon
And for Pollux / if it myght be
And whan that they / were come all thre
And sawe their brother / ī such myschef brought
Almoste murdred / with his owne thought
Without abode / the wyse Agamenon
To gyue hym comforte / and consolacion
Dyde his labour / and dylygence entere
Sayenge to hym / right as ye shall here.
O brother myn / what wo / what heuynesse
What deedly sorowe / thus inly may oppresse
Your knyghtly herte / or trouble your manhede
More furyously / Iwys than it is nede
For though that right / requered vtterly
You for to sorowe / and hadde cause why
Yet me semeth / by iuste prouydence
Ye shuld slyely / dissymule your offence
Syth eche wyse man / in his aduersytee
Shulde fayne chere / and kepe in secree
The inwarde wo / that bynde hym in distresse
By manly force / rathest there compesse
The spirite of Ire / and melancolye
Where the people / it soonest myght espye
It is a doctryne / of them that be prudent
That whan a man / with furye is to rent
To fayne chere / tyll tyme he se leysere
That he of vengeaunce / kyndele may the fyere
For sorowe out shewed / if I shall nat fayne
Who so taketh hede / it doth thynges twayne
It causeth frendes / for to syghe sore
And his enemyes / to reioyse more
Thy frende in herte / is sorye of nature
Thyne enemye glad / of thy mysaduenture
Wherfore in herte / whā wo doth most haboūde
Fayne gladnesse / thyne enemye to confounde
And shewe in chere / as thou roughtest nought
Of that moste is greuous / in thy thought
And wher thou hast / most mater to complayne
Make there good face / & glad in porte y e fayne
For into teres / though thou all distylle
And rende thy selfe / as thou woldest the spylle
It helpeth nat / to a legge thy greuaunce
For nouther honour / nor pursute of vengeaūce
With sorowe makynge / mowe be execute
Though it last ay / ther cometh therof no fruyte
Men lay how he / that can dissymule a wronge
How he is slyghe / and of herte stronge
And who can / be pesyble in his smerte
It is a token / he hath a manly herte
Nat to wepe / as women in theyr rage
Whiche is contrary / to an hye courage
With worde & wepyng / for to auēge our payne
By no meanes / to worshyp to attayne
Let vs with swerde / & nat with wordes fyght
Our tunge appese / by māhod preue our myght
Worde is but wynde / and water that we wepe
And though the tempest / and the floddes depe
Of this two / encrease euer moo
They may nat do / but augment our woo
And to our soon / therof whan they here
Bothe of our dole / and our heuy chere
All is to them / but encrase of ioye
Wherfore brother / a whyle do acoye
The cruell tourment / that bynde you so sore
For in prouerbe / it hath be sayde full yore
That the prowesse / of a manly knyght
Is proued moste in myschefe / and his myght
To be assured / in aduersyte
Strongly sustene / what wo that it be
Nat cowardly / his courage to submytte
In euery peryll / nor his honour flytte
[Page] Thorughe no dispayre / but hope alway wele
And haue a truste / trewe as any ste [...]e
To acheue / aye what he take an honde
For fynally / I do you vnderstonde
That of hymselfe / who hath good fantasye
To set vpon / and put in Iupar [...]ye
What that befalle / or happe / what happe may
Takynge what chaūce / wyll turne on his play
The fyne of suche / gladly is victorye
They fayle selde / of the palme of glorye
And tyme is now / to speke in wordes fewe
O brother myn / manhode for to shewe
To plucke vp herte / and you to make stronge
And to venge your dāmages / & your wronge
We shall echone helpe / and lay to hande
Kynges / Dukes / and lordes of this lande
And atones / do our besynesse
I you behyghte / your harmes to redresse
And in despyte / of who that euer vs lette
We shall vs lodge / and our tentes sette
Euen in the felde / afore Troye towne
And laye afore it sege / to theyr destrucciowne
Albe therof / I set as now no day
But brother firste / in all the haste we may
Let make letters / without more sermon
To all the lordes / of this regyon
Of matere / touchynge your vyllanye
To come togydre / and shape remedye
This is the effect / of all that I can sayne
¶And thus relesed / somwhat of his payne
Is Menelaus / thorugh comfort of his brother
For whan he fawe / it myght be none other
And of his tale / the kynge made an ende
Thorugh out y • lande / he dyd his letters sende
Firste to hir kynne / and his alye
To come to helpe hym / of theyr curtesye.
And firste of all / to Menelaus
Came Achylles / and with hym Patroclus
And alder next / stronge Dyomede
And many a nother / to helpe in this nede
And all echone / in open Parlement
They were accorded / full by one assent
To be gouerned / as Agamenon
Lyst to ordayne / in his discrecion
Of this vyage / they made hym gouernour
And of theyr ooste / cheffetayne and Emperour
Amonge them all / there was full vnyte
Vpon Troyans / auenged for to be
And from this purpose / neuer to remewe
But firste I fynde / Parys for to sewe
The vyage toke / the worthy bretherne tweyne
Pollux and Castor / to recure Eleyne
Yet neuertheles / as some bokes telle
That these kynges / no lenger wolde dwelle
But tast as Parys / was agone
They toke a shyppe / and folowed anone
With many worthy / in theyr companye
And [...]outeles / but if bokes [...]ye
That or they had / sayled dayes thre
To Troyewarde / in the large see
The tempest rose / and wyndes dyde awake
The heuen derke / with the cloudes blake
That haue the day / tourned into nyght
And bryght Phebus / was myrked of his lyght
The fyry leuene / and stroke of the thonder
Smote in the maste / and shyuerde it asonder
It was so derke / no lyght myght adawe
The see gan swelle / with many sturdy wawe
That rose on hyghte / large as any mounte
And fell downe / and swapped in the frounte
Euen of the shyppe / and plounged it full lowe
Now vp now downe / forcast and ouer throwe
Theyr shyppes were / with tempest to and fro
The famy water / grene whyte and blo
Of feruent boylynge / and as pytche eke blacke
With storme and wynde / y t all goth to wracke
So hydouslye / the blastes at them dryue
That euery borde / gan from other ryue
And all is perysshed / there scaped nat a man
But all atones / as I reherse can
Be deed and drowned / with tempest sodaynely
There scaped none / I saye certaynely
Except the brether / suche as bokes telle
The toon in heuen / the tother lowe in helle
Were lordes made / to abyde eternally
¶And some feyne / in theyr poesy
How the goddes / haue them deyfyed
Lyke in heuen / and ystellyfyed
After theyr shyppes / were ygo to wrake
They were made sterres / in the zoudyake
And to the sygne / transfourmed vtterly
Whiche is of clerkes / called gemyny
The whiche sygne / and constellacion
Is to Mercurye / hous and mansion
And is of kynde / femynyne and masculyne
In whiche the Egle / and also the Dolphyne
Haue theyr arysynge / by reuolucion
The tayle also / aboue of the dragon
Is exaltate / in the thirde gree
Of Gemmy / whiche sygne hath moste pouste [...]
[Page] In hande a [...]d armes [...] of man out of doute
Lyke as lucyna / helde hir cours aboute
And in this wyse / were the brether twayne
To heuen rapt / as poetes fayne
After the tempest / ye gete no more of me
For in this wyse / the grekes in the see
An ende made / and that full [...]ewfully
This ernest firste / came vnhappely
To them echone / as gy [...]ynge of theyr wo
And fynall chaunce / to the brether i [...] wo.

¶How the Grekꝭ assembled them togyder for to go to Troye / and distroye it agayne for que­ne Helaynes sake. Capitulo. xv.

[figure]
BVt for asmoche / as Dares frigyus
Was in his boke / whylom coryous
The fourme of Troyens / & Grekes to descryue
Lyke as he sawe / this Auctour by his lyue
The sha [...] the fourme / and complexiowne
Bothe of the partye / of them of Troye towne
And of the grekes by good auysement
In tyme of trewes / amonge them as he went
Seynge the maner / of theyr gouernaunce
Theyr port theyr chere / with euery circūstaūce
Namely of tho / that were of hye degre
[...] nat fogate / one loose nor qualyte
Condicions / and also theyr stature
[...]ll to [...]escryue / Dares dyde his cure
[...] grekysshe tunge / begynnynge at Eleyne
Lyke as tofore / ye haue herde me seyne
[...] hir beaute / and hir semelynesse
[...] ceryously / Guydo doth expresse
[...] he sayde / in a lytell space
A strype there was / end longe hir face
Whiche as he wryte / became hir wonder wele
Embelysshynge / hir beaute euerydele
Lyke as Dares / maketh descripcion
And firste he sayth / how kynge Agamenon
Was of good shape / and hye of his stature
And myghty in laboure / at the best endure
Vnpacyent / to lyue in quyete
He was to armes / so egall and so mete
Of coloure whyte / and good proporcyon
And flematyk / of his complexyon
Discrete and hardy / and wonder vertuous
And of speche / right facundyous
And coude hym well / in euery thynge demene
But Menelay / of stature was but mene
Proporcyoned / at wyxte and longe
Worthy in armes / delyuer and also stronge
And of courage / and herte vygorous
Semely also / and aye more desyrous
To lyue in werre / rather than in pes
¶And ferthermore / to speke of Achilles
He was right fayre / and of great semelynesse
[Page] With aborne heer / crispynge for thyckenesse
With eyen glawke / large [...]epe and grete
And brode shuldred / w t breste full square & mete
To endure in armes / fel [...]e and couragious
And of his loke / wonder amerous
Hye of stature / and large of gyftes eke
And more of strengthe / than any other greke
And to spende / he lette lytell charge
He was of herte / so plenteuous and large
And in the felde / passynge chyualrous
And for to tell / forthe of Tantalus
Or sanguynehewe / hauynge moche of reed
Dyuerse eyed / aye meuynge in his heed
Of huge makynge / and also of great strengthe
Well answerynge / his brede / to his lengthe
Ha [...]ynge to stryue / where he sawe no nede
[...]ight trewe of worde / also as I rede
And neuer quarell / wolde he take on hande
To syght for / but he myght vnderstande
[...] were fully / grounded vpon ryght
And than he wolde / quyte hym lyke a knyght.
Cyleus Ayax / was right corpulent
To be well cladde / he sette all his entent
In ryche araye / he was full curyous
All though he were / of body corsyous
Of armes great / w t shulders square and brode
It was of hym / almoste an horse lode
Hye of stature / and boystous in a pres
And of his speche / rude and recheles
Full many worde / in ydell hym asterte
A [...]d but a cowarde / was he of his herte.
Another / Ayax Thelamonyous
There was also / descrete and vertuous
Wonder fayre / and semely to beholde
Whose hear was blacke / & vpward ay gan folde
In compas wyse / rounde as any spere
[...] of musyke / was there none his pere
Hauynge a voyce / full of melodye
Right well entuned / as by armonye
And was [...]dentyfe / for to counterfete
Instrumentes / bothe smale and grete
In sturdy wyse / longynge to musyke
And for all this / yet had he great practyke
In armes eke / and was a noble knyght
No man more orped / nor hardyer to fyght
Nor desyrous / for to haue victorye
Deuoyde of pompe / hatynge all vayneglorye
All ydell laude spent / and blowe in vayne
Of vlixes / what shall I also sayne
That was so noble / and worthy in his dayes
Full of wyles / and sleyghty at assayes
In menynge double / and deceyuable
To forge a lesynge / also wonder able
With face playne / he coude make it towghe
Mery worded / and but selde lowghe
In counseylynge / discrete and full prudent
And in his tyme / the moste eloquent
And holpe to grekes / often in theyr nede
And for to speke / of worthy Dyomede
Fullwell compacte / and growe well in lengthe
Of sturdy porte / and famous eke of strengthe
Large brested / and feers also of syghte
And deceyuable / of what euer he hyghte
Hasty / testyf / to smyte reckeles
And medlynge aye / and but selde in pes
To his seruauntes / full inpacyent
And baratous / where that euer he went
For lytell worthe / of disposicyon
And lecherous / of complexyon
And hadde in loue ofte / sythe his parte
Brennynge at herte / 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 & roūde
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 gee [...]
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
[Page] 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 [...]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 wom [...] [...]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 / y t 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 w t 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
[Page] 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 / y • they ne wolde woūde
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 y • Grekes toke lande before the Temple of Dyame y • goddesse. Capitulo. xvi.

[figure]
ANd first he sayth / how kyng Pryamus
Was of his chere / benyngne & gracious
Of hye stature / w t 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 wyght
He dyde playnly / equyte and ryght
For no mede / hym lyste nat to declyne
And loued erely / on morowe for to dyne
In his tyme / one of the worthyeste
Of all kynges / and he that loued beste
Worthy knyghtes / and all that he knewe
That manfull were / and of herte trewe
[Page] He coude cherysshe no man halfe so wele
With golde and gyftes / that they myght fele
His great fredome / and larges eke withall
And of his sones / for to reken them all
The firste of byrthe / so as bokes tell
Was worthy Ector / of knighthod sprȳg & well
Floure of manhode / of strengthe pereles
Sad and discrete / and prudent neuertheles
Crop and roote / grounde of chyualrye
Of chere demure / and of curtesye
He was example / therto of sobernesse
A very myrour / and for his gentylnesse
In his tyme / the moste renōmed
To reken all / and of goodlyhed
The moste famous / in peas and werre
Ferthest spoke of / bothe nygh and ferre
On eche parte he was / so vertuous
And to be loued / moste gracious
Of brawne and bones / compact by measure
So well brethed / in armes to endure
So well parfourmed / by proporciowne
So qucke so lyfely / and of most renowne
So huge made / so well growe on lengthe
So well complet / for to haue great strengthe
That in this worlde / if I shall nat fayne
Was neuer none / that fully myght attayne
To the prowesse / of this worthy knyght
To reken his herte / as well as his myght
And therwithall / so wyse and auysee
The lowlyest eke / of his degree
To ryche and pore / and of wordes fewe
Vnto all / suche chere he coude shewe
Of his presence / that glad was euery wyght
Whan they at leyser / had of hym a syght
He was so benyngne / to them of the towne
And to his enemyes / lyke a ferse lyowne
He coude hym shewe / whan it was to do
And in the felde / there myght no man so
To reken all / his labour halfe endure
For the storye / doth vs playne assure
That he was neuer / wery in batayle
Nor faynt in herte / his fomen for to assayle
Of all good I fynde / he was the beste
Prowesse and vertue / in hym were set at reste
So passyngly / that neuer was nor shall
None bore of moder / to be perygall
To hym of manhode / nor of chyualrye
For all he passed / but of bokes lye
In whom nature / ne was no thynge to wyte
Saue in his tunge / he was let alyte
And as some Auctours / make mencion
He was sanguyne / of complexion.
And ferthermore / his brother Dephebus
Lyke as I fynde / and also Helenus
Were lyke Pryam / that sothly of them thre
Was harde to espye / any dyuersyte
Of shap or fourme / or of countenaunce
Saue of age / there was no varyaunce
Theyr fader olde / and they were yonge & lyght
And Dephebus / was a worthy knyght
And had in armes / fame and excellence
And Helenus / in clergye and scyence
Was well expert / and toke but lytel hede
Of all the werre / knyghthode and manhede.
But Troylus / sothly if I shall descryue
There was of herte / no manlyer a lyue
Nor more lykly / in armes to endure
Well growen on hyghte / and of good stature
Yonge fresshe and lusty / hardy as a lyowne
Delyuer and stronge / as any champyowne
And perygall of manhode / and of dede
He was to any / that I can of rede
In derrynge do / this noble worthy wyght
For to fulfylle / that longeth to a knyght
The seconde Ector / for his worthynesse
He called was / and for his hye prowesse
Durynge the werre / he bare hym aye so wele
Therto in loue / trewe as any stele
Secre and wyse / stedfast of courage
The moste goodly / also of vysage
That myght be / and benyngne of chere
Without chaunge / and of one herte entere
He was alway / faythfull iuste and stable
Perseueraunt / and of wyll immutable
Vpon what thynge / he ones set his herte
That doubylnesse / myght hym nat peruerte
In his dedes / he was so hole and playne
But of his foon / the sothe for to sayne
He was so ferse / they myght hym nat w tstande
Whan that he helde / his blody swerde in hande
Vnto Grekes / dethe / and confusion
To them of Troye / shelde and proteccion
And his kynghthode / shortly to accounte
There myght in māhode / no man hȳ surmoūte
Thorugh the worlde / though men wolde seke
To reken all / Troyan nouther greke
None so named / of famous hardynesse
As bokes olde / of hym bere wytnesse
Except Ector / there ne was suche another
And after hym / to speke of his brother
[Page] I mene Parys / moste passynge of beaute
That in this worlde / no man myght se
In very sothe / a more semely knyght
For as I rede / that he by tytle of ryght
Of fayrenesse / bare away the floure
With lockes yelowe / lyke gold wyre of coloure
And in shotynge / moue was his delyte
Hauynge in huntynge / a full great appetyte
And as Dares / lyketh hym descryue
The beste archer / one therof a lyue
And of his hande / was eke a noble knyght
A manly man / delyuer / and of good myght
And in the werre / preued well he was
And as I rede / the Troyan Eneas
As myn Auctor / lysteth to endyte
Was well brested / and of body lyte
And bare in Troye / wonder great estate
And in his werkes / discrete and temperate
And had a fame / of passynge eloquence
Wyse of counsayle / and of great sapyence
Moste renōmed / also of lecture
Delytynge moche / of bokes and scripture
And euer glad / bothe of porte and chere
Sterne of his loke / with persynge eyen clere
And amonge all / dwellynge in the towne
To speke of goodes / and possessiowne
Of Castelles and toures / great plente
I fynde sothly / that none in that Cyte
Nemyght attayne / vnto his rychesse
And had also / for all his worthynesse
Of golde and mebles / passynge great tresor
And his felowe / hyght dan̄ Anthenor
Was sklendre and longe / & of great dalyaunce
And circumspect / in all his gouernaunce
Well beloued also / of Pryamus
And of wordes / wonder copyous
Resownynge aye / into myrthe and playe
And he was Iapynge / all the longe daye
Amonges his feres / and in companye
So dryely / that no man myght efpye
So sobre he was / in his countenaune
That euery wyght / had great pleasaunce
To here hym talke / whan that he was glad
And albe it / that he of porte was sad
Yet all his speche / full of bourdes was
And his sone / called Pollydamas
Was lyke his fader / of stature and of make
Ythewed well / that there was no lake
In his persone / gentyll and right trewe
Wonder stronge / and pale also of hewe
And to Ire / stered sodaynly
Albe in wordes / he kept hym couertly
But all his here / passe wolde anone
And to tell / of kynge Meryone
Large brested / and of his makynge alle
The beste compacte / and the molle talle
Of shap and fourme / that men coude fynde
And so well perfourmed / vp by kynde
That none was lyke / to hym nye ne feere
His lockes yelowe / and crispyng was his heere
Stylle of his porte / and gentyll with to playe
And inly stronge / maystryes for to assaye
Wonder curteyse / & to no wyght dispytous
And wroughte in armes / dedes meruaylous
As in this boke / hereafter shalbe sene
Now after hym / to 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 y • 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
[Page] 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 y • 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 / w t his frostꝭ 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 y •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 / & braūches 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
[Page] And of Athenes / that tyme bare the name
Ygadred was / by assent echone
Towarde Troye / to sayle and to gone
So great a nombre / y • 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 y e charge
Hath w t 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 / y t 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
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 shyppꝭ / 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 / w t 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 cōmynge
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 w t 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 cōmynge
And fynally / if I shall nat lye
[Page] 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 / y • 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 accōplisshe / their purpose ī 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 y • 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 y • world / reboūdeth to yo [...] 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 wer [...]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 amōge 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 sūme / 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
[Page] 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 cōmynge / 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 y t them lyst spare
That amonge vs / in seruytude and care
Cōplayne theyr harme / y t 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 Ile / 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.

[figure]
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 yle / 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 yle / 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 yle / Grekes also calle
Ortygya / in theyr langage alle
Bycause Curlewes / were there firste Iseyne
For Otygyas / is no more to seyne
[Page] 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 / y t 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
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 / y t 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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 none obstacle
To wexe grene / with fresshe blomes newe
And for the manhode / that men in hym knewe
For his knyghthode / and his great fame
¶The worthy knyghtꝭ / of Romebare y e name
After hym / and were Quyryte called
Hye in heuen / whan that he was stalled
Amonge the goddes / and ydeyfyed
And thus Romeyns / haue hym glorifyed
As for theyr god / & with golde & great expenses
And as I rede / the Athenyenses
Of hole herte / chosen for to serue
To the goddesse / that called is Mynerue
And Pallas eke / with hir cristall shelde
That with Neptunus / euen amyd the felde
Helde champartye / with women on theyr syde
And he with men / full surquedous in pryde
Defendeth hym / for gyuynge of the name
Of Athenes / a Cyte moste of fame
This is to sayne / whether he or she
Shulde of right / name the Cyte
Tyll it befell / as they gan stryue
Sodeynly there sprange / a fayre Olyue
For Pallas / part / grene & fayre blossomynge
And there agayne / a welle gan to sprynge
For hym Pluto / with water large and depe
Of whiche thynge / Appollo toke good kepe
Whiche in his dome / was nat reckeles
And for the Olyue / tokeneth loue and pes
Water trouble / contek werre and stry fe
He gaue sentence / anone diffynytyfe
How Pallas / shulde / that called is Mynerue
The palme playnely / of this stryue discerue.
And she anone / gaue name to the towne
And called it / by hye discrecyowne
Athenes / the whiche in speeyall
Is to sayne / a Cyte inmortall
For wyldome firste there began to floure
And for this skyll / this Cyte dyde honoure
Myghty Pallas / goddesse of scyence
And hir aye moste hadde / in reuerence.
And they of Paue / in all theyr regyon
Whorshyp moste / the quene of Cytheron
I mene venus / full of doubylnesse
Of whom afore / somwhat I dyde expresse
And in hir temple / full solempnely
They sette hir hyest / and moste rychely
With gold and asure / hir statue they do paynte
And other coloures / that may neuer faynte
And sette hir vp / in the hyest see
Of all the temple / that all men may se
And she stant naked / in a wawy see
Aboute hir / with goddesses thre
That be assigned / with besy attendaunce
To awayte on hir / and do hir obseruaunce
And floures fresshe / blewe / rede / and whyte
Be hir aboute / the more for to delyte
And on hir hede / she hath a chapelet
Of roses rede / full pleasauntly yset
And from the hede / downe vnto hir fote
With sondry gōmes / and oyntemerꝭ sore
She is ennoynte / swetter for to smelle
And enuyron / as Poetes telle
By dowues whyte / flyenge / and eke sparowes
And besyde Cupyde / with his arowes
Hir blynde sone / for to hurte and dere
And loseth ofte / and smyte / he wote nat where
As he must nedes / bycause he is blynde
And thus honoured / and most had in mynde
Amonge this people / is venus the goddesse
And Naxyens / do theyr besynesse
To serue Bachus / the myghty god of wyne
Whose lycour is / moste precyous and fyne
To recomforte hertes / and to glade
And to refresshe / hewes that be fade
In faces pale / and maketh wyttes sharpe
Loseth tunges / and make them loude to carpe
And causeth / them to walke at lyberte
And to discure thynge / that was secree
Without aduyse / or discrecyon
For where / as wyne hath domynacyon
[Page] No secretnesse may / be kept in mewe
And some of them / that Bachus serue & sewe
Amonge to hym / haue suche deuocion
That they some whyle / are voyde of all reason
Hasty and wood / and without all drede
And some also / so toty in theyr hede
That they are voyde / of power and of myght
And haue no foot / for to stande vp ryght
And yet they be / as Iargaunt as a pye
Pale chered with a glasy eye
Full of reason / tyll his wynde be spent
For man or woman / that is vyolent
Is veryly a beest / vnresonable
And to my dome / I holde them eke vnable
To be accepted / in any companye
Whan that theyr tunge / wadeth on the lye
That they ne may / brynge forthe a worde
And thus Bachus / the stronge myghty lorde
For ofte causeth / folkes for to erre
To debate / and to make werre
Of hastynesse / where as is no nede
Wherfore it is / wysdome / that men drede
His sleyghty werkynge / or they falle in y • snare
And feble braynes / by mesure for to spare
Or they vnwarely / arested be and take
And or Bachus / make them for to shake
In a feuer / worse than tercyen
If it of custome / be cotydyen
Alterat with Bachus / myghty Ious
And affered / of tournynge of the hous
And fordreynt / on the drye lande
Whan he hath loste / bothe foot and hande
And with a strawe / playeth lyke an ape
And deuoutely / gynneth for to gape
And [...]oddeth ofte / with his Iowsy hede
As he hadde on / an heuy cappe of lede
And who that be of this condycyon
He entre maye / the relygyon
Of myghty Bachus / for habylyte
The whiche lorde / hath the soueraynte
Both of hony / and of mylke therto
And of bawme / that is so ryche also
And lordshyp hath / of hye power deuyne
Bothe of grapes / and of euery vyne
To gyue them nourysshynge / by his influence
Of whom the honour / and the reuerence
Is reysed moste / as I vnderstande
Amonge vynters / in euery maner lande
Bycause he is / to them so gracyous
And they of lymme / worshyp vulcanus
The god of fyre / Iubyters smythe
The whiche forgeth / on his blacke slythe
The great thonder / hydous and horryble
And the leuenes / that whylom be vysyble
Into the west / out of the oryent
And gasteth vs / with his dredefull dent
This smotry smythe / this swarte vulcanus
That whylom in herte / was so Ialous
Towarde venus / that was his wedded wyfe
Wherof there rose / a dedely mortall stryfe
Whan he with Mars / gan hir firste espye
Of hye malys / and cruell false enuye
Thorugh y • shynȳge / of Phebus bemes bryght
Lyenge a bedde / with Mars hir owne knyght
For whiche in herte / he brente as any glede
Makynge the sclaundre / all a brode to sprede
And gan theron / falsely for to muse
As god forbede / that any man accuse
For [...]o lytell / any woman euer
Where loue is lette / harde is to disseuer
For though they do / suche thynge of gentyllesse
Passe ouer lyghtly / and bere none heuynesse
Lest that thou be / to women odyous
And yet this smythe / this false vulcanus
All be that he / hadde them thus espyed
Amonge Paynems / yet was he deyfyed
And for that he / so falsely them a woke
I haue hym sette / laste of all my boke
Amonge to goddesse / of false mawmetrye
And in this wyse / gan ydolatrye
As ye haue herde / thorugh oppynyons
Of people errynge / in theyr affeccyons
That all is false / who the trouthe cerche
For by techynge / of all holy chirche
The holy doctryne / and tradycyons
We shall despyse / suche oppyons
Whiche of the fende / were founde nat oflate
For whan aungelles / in heuen were create
He that of all / hadde prelacye
Of whom the prophete / called ysaye
Wryteth right thus / how the cedres grene
Of paradyse were nat / so fayre to sene
Planys nor fyr / in heyghte sothe to sayne
To his hyghnesse / myght nat attayne
Nor all the trees / so delycyous
Of Paradyse / were natso precyous
Nouther in syght / nor in semelynesse
To be egall to hym / in fayrenesse
But thorugh his pryde / and his surquydrye
Whan he sayde / to god that sytte so hys
[Page] He wyll be lyke / and also set his see
Hye in the northe / passynge his degree
He was caste downe / with all his relygyons
From the fayre / heuenly mansyons
All sodaynely / into the pytte of helle
Perpetuelly / there for to dwelle
Of whom was sayde / whan he fylle so ferre
How fylle thou so / O thou morowe sterre
From the myddes / of the stones bryght
That be so persynge / and firy of theyr lyght
That whylom were / for thy great bryghtnesse
Called Lucyfer / of whom criste sayth expresse
In his gospell / how he sawe fro heuene
Sathan descende / lyke the firy leuene
The olde serpent / that is solowe falle
Whom heebre [...] / in theyr tunge calle.
¶Bemoth / that doth in latyn playne expresse
A beest rude / full of cursednesse
The vyle serpent / he leuyathan
Whom Isydre / well descryue can
Whiche of kynde / is neuer conuersaunte
In welles trouble / & hath moste his haunte
Amonges watres / in the large see
Of whom sayth Dauyd / lyke as ye may se
In the Sauter / makynge mencyon
Of the snake / the monstruous dragon
Full of venym / and of harde grace
Whiche in the see / large and great of space
With foule adders / hath his mansyon
Vnto mankynde / to do illusyon
Whom whylom sawe / y e holy monke Brādan
As he sayled / by the Occyan
Thorowe and de [...]ecte / in apytte horryble
More foule and hydous / than it is credyble
There to abyde / this tortuous serpent
Vnto the daye / playnely of Iugement
That of malys / enuyed so mankynde
Whiche w t his gynnes / & sleyghtes as I fynde
Came to our faders / firste in paradyse
And to deceyue / the bet at his deuyse
More couertly / this worme in his passage
Toke of a serpent / the lyknesse and ymage
That is of chere / of loke and countenaunce
Lyke a mayde / and hath resemblaunce
Of a woman / as recordeth Bede
In his deceytes / rather for to spede
I mene the oonly / and nat elles
For behynde / so as clerkes telles
Lyke a serpent / of wombe / backe and tayle
He was / whan he gan hym to assayle
And towarde Eue / whan he gan to glyde
He firste enquereth / as he hir roke a lyde
Why god forbade them / eten of the tree
Whiche if they ete / sothly shulde be
Lyke to goddes / knowynge good and yll
And right forthwith as they gan sulfyll
The fendes heste / theyr eyen were vnclosed
And for theyr gylte / sodaynely deposed
From Paradyse / into wretchydnesse
To lyue in laboure / sorowe and distresse
And thus the fende / firste whan that hetoke
Forme of a snake / and a womans loke
And made the tunge / in hir hede to meue
By false engyne / mankynde for to greue
So as he doth in them / that be trauayled
With wycked spirites / vaxed and assayled
To meue he tunges / falsely out to breke
Into blasphemye / what thynge y • they speke
The same serpent / he leuyathan
Contunynge aye / falsely as he gan
In cursed yools / dombe▪ v [...]fe▪ and blynde
Full ofte speketh / be spirites as I fynde
Whiche are but fendes / Dauid wryte certayne
The goddes all / whom folkes so in vayne
Honour with rytes / supersticious
As whylom was / Appollo Delphicus
Lyke as tofore / ye haue herde deuyse
Whiche as for now / ought Inough suffyse
And as I trowe / the very cause why
That myn Auctor / reherseth by and by
Grounde and gynnynge / of Idolatrye
This the cause / for ought I can espye
For that he sawe / the mater was nat knowe
I lyche well / bothe to hye and lowe
Perauenture / you to do plesaunce
He hath the grounde / put in remembraunce
Of false goddes / and of mawmetrye
And moste for them / that can no poysye,
ANd to y • storye / resorteth soone agayne
How achilles / as ye haue herde me saye
And Pirrodus / haue the waye ynome
To the temple and thyder be ycome
To haue answere / of theyr embassatrye
Of great Appollo / whiche may nat lye
Of the prestes / they haue theyr counsayle take
In the temple / to praye and to wake
Tyll they may fynde / vnto theyr entent
To haue answere / at houre conuenyent
To theyr purpose / and leyser opportune
[Page] ¶And of one herte / so longe they contune
In prayenge fastynge / and oblacyons
With sacrifyse and sondry orysons
Tofore the god / awaytynge alway faste
Tyll he to them / answered at laste
With [...] voyce / and sayde Achilles twye
Home to Grekes / faste that thou the hye
From whom thou were / hyder to me sente
And say them sothely / the sūme of theyr entent
Shalbe fulfylled / without wordes mo
And how that they shall / to Troye go
And there abyde / many stronge batayle
But at the laste / without any fayle
At ten yere daye / they wynne shall the towne
And brynge it playnely / to destrucciowne
Walle and toures / shall falle to ruyne
And with all this / theyr purpose for to fyne
Kynge Pryamus / and Ecuba his wyfe
And theyr sones / in this mortall stryfe
Shall there be slayne / brother after brother
This is the fyne / for it may be none other
For there shall none / escape in the place
But suche as Grekes / lyketh vnto grace
Of very routhe / and of mercy take
This all & some / and thus an ende I make.
OF whiche answere / Achilles glad & lyght
Was in his herte / & with all his myght
Thanketh Appollo / of this blesfull eure
And sodaynely / of sort or aduenture
The selfe tyme / befyll a wonder thynge
For out of Troye / fro Pryamus the kynge
Was sent a bysshop / for the same cas
To haue answere / whose name was Calcas
And he came in sool / without pres
The same houre / whyle that Achilles
Was there present / a man of great scyence
I mene Calcas / and hadde experyence
Specyally / of calculacion
Of sort also / and dyuynacion
And lerned was / in astronomye
And whan that he his tyme dyde espye
To haue answere / most conuenyent
Of Appollo / lyke to his entent
As tofore / maked is memorye
He entred is in the oratorye
Doynge his rytes / and his obseruaunces
Lyke the custome / with the circumstaunces
And besely gan / to knele and praye
And his thynges / deuoutely for to saye
And to the god / crye and calle ful stronge
And for Appollo / wolde nat prolonge
Sodaynely his answere / gan attame
¶And sayde Calcas / twyes by his name
Be right well ware / thou ne tourne agayne
To Troye towne / for that were but in vayne
For fynally / lerne this of me
In shorte tyme / it shall destroyed be
This is in sothe / whiche may nat be denyed
Wherfore I wyll / that thou be allyed
With the grekes / and with Achilles go
To them anone / my wyll is it beso
For they shall haue / as I haue disposed
Victorye and honour / that may be disposed
For it is fatall / and ne may nat varye
And thou to them / shalt be necessarye
In counseylynge / and in yeuynge rede
And be right helpynge / to theyr good spede
And with that worde / rose hym vp Calcas
And to Achilles / he went an easy pas
And whan that he came / to his presence
With great honour / and moche reuerence
He was receyued / lyke to his estate
And after soone / they were confederate
Swore togydre / be bonde and assuraunce
To be all one / without varyaunce
And than in haste / they togydre gone
To theyr shyppes / and shope them forth anone
With Pirrodus / goynge by theyr syde
They hale vp the anker / and no lenger byde
But sayle forthe / Calcas and they twayne
Towarde Grece / them nedeth nat complayne
On wynde and wawe / tyll they aryued be
At Athenes / that stode vpon the see
A large Cyte / of olde foundacion
And Achilles / to kynge Agamenon
Hath Calcas brought / and also Pirrodus
And whan the grekes / the story telleth vs
Assembled were / they togyder went
Tofore the kynge / and Calcas represent
To all the lordes / and no lenger dwell
And right anone / Achilles gan to tell
Without abode / in Delos how they mette
Tofore Appollo / where they answere fette
And how the god / hath playnely determyned
The grekes purpose / how it shalbe fyned
Vpon Troyans / and bad Calcas also
In no wyse / that he to Troye go
But with grekes that he abyde stylle
Tyll they theyr purpose / fynally fulfylle
[Page] Of whiche thynge / the grekes glad of chere
Calcas accepte / with herte full entere
For one of them / confederat be bonde
To be all one / on water and on londe
Without chaunge / or any varyaunce
The othe is made / and put in remembraunce
And they agayne / fully hym assure
To cherysshe hym / whyle theyr lyfe may dure
For wele or wo / and so they made an ende
And after parte / and to theyr lodgynge wende.
Tȳll on the morowe / after y • sterry nyght
Whan Aurora / was gladded w t y e lyght
Of Phebus vemes / the grekes vp aryse
And to theyr goddes / with many sacryfyse
They do honour / in what they can or maye
And deuoutly / holdynge a feste daye
After theyr rytes / meynt with loue and drede
In remembraunce / of the good spede
And of the answere / y t goddes haue them sent
So agreable / vnto theyr entent
By Pirrodus / and by Achilles
And after this / amonges all the pres
Is Calcas come / tofore Agamenon
All his lordes / syttynge enuyron
Lyke theyr estates / eche in his place dewe
And humbly / gan them to salewe
Vpon his knees / with sobre coūtenaunce
And prayed them / it be no displesaunce
To stynte a whyle / and gyue hym audyence
And right anone / as made was sylence
Amonge them all / Calcas gan abrayde
And euen thus / full soberly he sayde.
OSyres quod he / and my lordes dere
Kynges / Prynces / & dukes that be here
Sonoble echone / worthy and famous
And eke so manly / and so vertuous
Whiche in this place / be now here present
Is nat the fyne / and chefe of your entent
And cause also / why that ye echone
Assembled be / to Troye for togone
With this power / and this great strengthe
Your purpose is / to longe drawe a lengthe
And differred forthe / fro day to daye
To your damage / platly this no naye
For to longe / ye soiourne in this yle
And trowe ye nat / that Pryam in this whyle
Hath his espyes / amonge you pryuelye
I wote it wele / I saye you faythfullye
To knowe the fyne / of our gouernaunce
And he there whyles / may make purueaunce
Hym to defende / whyle ye m ydell reste
Me semeth sothly / ye do nat for the beste
For in abydynge / and in suche delayes
Great harme may fall / certayne this no nay is
I preue it thus / for playnely whyle that ye
To your enmyes / graunte lyberte
Them to puruey / they may with myghty hāde
Enforce them / your power to withstande
With theyr frendes / and theyr allyaunce
And at leyser / make theyr ordynaunce
It is folye / that ye so differre
Syth ye be redy / for to make a werre
On your ennemyes / with euery circūstaunce
For no thynge may / a quarell so auaunce
As hasty suyte / it wyll the sharper byte
The Iren hoote / tyme is for to smyte
And nat abyde / tyll that it be colde
For nouther than / it plye wyll nor folde
Go sette vpon / all of one accorde
And to shyppe / anone within borde
Enhaste you / for tyme is to remewe
With all your myght / your quarell to pursewe
Agaynst them / that haue to you trespassed
How many dayes / be of somer passed
And many monthes / ronne and ouer slyde
And Titan ofte / with his chare hath ryde
From eest to west / and in the wawes depe
His stremes bathed / whyle ye haue leyne aslepe
And spent your tyme / in this place thus
Whyle that the wynde / called zephyrus
Benyngnely enspyred / hath a lofte
The a tempre eyer / the wether fayre & softe
The calme see / from wawes stylle and playne
Whyles ye waste / your dayes here in vayne
That whan your foon / therto take hede
They wyll suppose / that it be for drede
And be more bolde / to sette of you but lyte
Truste forsothe / for I wyll me quyte
Trewely to you / lyke as I am bounde
And thynke how ye / haue the goddes founde
There towarde / benyngne and fortunat
Your honour saued / in hye and lowe estat
And so shall forthe / if your ingratytude
Prouoke them nat / your purpose to delude
Wylfully to slouthe / your fortune
No wonder is / though they nat contune
Towardes you / for to shewe theyr grace
Wherfore I rede / hense for to pace
[Page] Demynge the grekes / playnely of the see
For weryed / and faynted / hadde be
With longe saylynge / parbraked and forbroke
Wherfore they caue / on them haue be wroke
All sodaynely / and sette on the hede
And put themselfe / in aduenture and drede
Of rakelnesse / vn aduysely
Wherof to them selfe / vnhappely
It befell / whan they the grekes mette
With speres longe / and swerdes sharpe whette
Eche on other / manhode for to shewe
But for cause / Troyans were to fewe
To yssue out / they dyde folylye
The felde was / nat parted egallye
For the grekes were / innumerable
That them to mete / Troyans were nat able
For that tyme / they myght nat suffyse
They toke on them / to passynge hye empryse
And yet they ne wold / for no thyng thē wdrawe
Tyll that they were / wounded and yslawe
And ouerlayne / of grekes vtterly
Now here / now there / bore downe cruelly
Mercyles / as Guy do dath reporte
That them behoueth / home agayne resorte
Of very nede / and necessytee
And all attones / gan for to flee
I mene suche / as were lefte a lyue
To the castell / they has [...]ed them full blyue
For they ne myght / no lenger holde felde
Agaynst grekes / with spere nor with shelde
They were to feble / shortly to conclude
To abyde / so great a multytude
And as they flee / the grekes a great pase
Ne cease nat / to sewe on the chase
Full hastely to the castell gate
And entre in / and by cruell fate
They kyll and slee / both hye and lowe
They spare none / ne lyste no wyghte to knowe
Of none estate / but felly hym oppresse
And what they fonde / golde and eke rychesse
Vnto shyppe they caryed anone
And of the castell / they lefte nat a stone
Aboue another / but turned vp so downe
Both walle & toure / and the chefe donge owne
That no thynge stode / so they vnder myne
And whan all / was brought vnto ruyne
Grekes anone / to theyr shyppes haste
Of one assent / and purpose as faste
Without abode / of one wyll and herte
Fro that hauen / playnely to dyuerte
And to sayle / Towarde Tenedowne
A stronge castell / whiche fro Troye towne
In distaunce / but sixe myle stode
Full of Tresoure / of rychesse and of gode
Replenysshed / of all habundaunce
And whan that they / with theyr ordynaunce
ysayled haue / bothe safe and sounde
And fro the see / taken haue the grounde
To theyr pleasaunce / wonder agreable
And of syght / a place delytable
Holsome of eyre / the soyle right fayre and grene
And lusty playnes / goodly on to sene
And was also habundaunt / of vytayle
Replenysshed / of all that may auayle
To osteynge / and to sowgyoures
For firste the lande / full of fresshe floures
Was plenteuous / bothe of corne and grayne
Of wyne and fruyt / that no thyng lay barayne
Of beste and foules / passyngly plente
And faste by / stode also the see
Full habundaunt of fysshe / as I fynde
After the season / of euery maner kynde
And whan that they / within the castell were
The grekesse londed / from a fere
Without abode / they arme them & went oute
And vpon them / make an hydous shoute
Stuffyng the castell / w t meyne strong behynde
And toke theyr way / in Guydo as I fynde
Towarde theyr foon / and knyghtly set vpon
And right forthe / with grekes eke anon
Mette with them / vpon the other syde
Full surquydous / and right full of pryde
Clenly armed / in harneys all ofstele
Fresshe arayed / and besene so wele
For the felde as thycke / as sworme of been
On eche syde / men may beholde and seen
Spradde all the playne / downe vnto y • stronde
Tyll at the laste / they mette honde to honde
And assemble / with square speres grounde
And hurtle yfere / with many blody wounde
There was no good day / nor no saluynge
But strokes felle / that men herde rynge
On bassenettes / the strokes rounde aboute
So cruelly / that the fyre sprange oute
Amonge the tuftes / brode / bryght and shene
Of foyle of golde / & fethers whyte and grene
Eke into brestes / perced many shelde
And besagues / fleed a brode in the felde
And many men / ley that mortall founde
Full dedely pale / lawe by the grunde
[Page] With face gruf / and blody stremes wyde
And aldermost / vpon the grekes syde
The slaughter was / and the discomfyture
So myghtely / the Troyans dyde endure
Tyll at the laste / for they were so sewe
With multytude / the grekꝭ on thē hewe
For mo than forty / were agaynst one
Of very force / abacke they muste gone
No thyng for lacke of manhode / dare I sayne
But for so many / haue them ouer layne
They may no lenger / in the felde soiourne
But to theyr Castell / home agayne retourne
In full great haste / suche as myght escape
Away a lyue / and some of them for rape
And drede of deth / toke them to flyght
On horse backe / to Troye towne full ryght
No wonder was / though they haste faste
For to the gates / the chace of grekes laste
So cruelly / after they pursewe
And some of them / that myght nat remewe
On Troye syde / forweryed of fyght
The grekes slewe / with all theyr full myght
Now here now there / who they myght attayne
There may no raunsome / nor no mercy gayne
Of none estate / without excepcyowne
And after that / vnto Tenedowne
The grekes went / and it be sette aboute
That Troyan none / myght escape out
And whan they hadde / the bulwerkes wonne
To skale the walle / after they begonne
And made a saute / manfully and ofte
And Troyans / as they stode a lofte
Put them of / that entre they ne myght
With caste of stone / and quarell bryght
With bowe turkeys / and shote of Arbalasteres
And theyr gonners / standynge at corneres
With hym also / and caste of wylde fyre
Of yrous hate / full hote in theyr desyre
Lyke manly men / them selfe / they diffende
And aye the grekes / as they vp ascende
Cruelly they put / to the grounde
Tyll they without / an ordynaūce haue founde
What with gynnes / deuysed for the nones
And gonnes great / for to caste stones
Bent to the toures / right as any lyne
And large sowes / lowe for to myne
And some of them / vpon the walle gone
That were so thycke / made of lyme and stone
And to entre / they many wayes seke
Sette theyr bastyles / and theyr hurdeys eke
Rounde aboute / to the harde walle
And skalynge ladders / for saw [...]es marcyalle
They gan vp caste / with hokes for to holde
And vp ascende / the sturdye grekes bolde
Tyll Troyans / from the crestes caste
The great stones / whyle they wolde laste
And Callyowne / eke grekes to opresse
And wonder manly / dyde theyr besynesse
In theyr diffence / and made plonge them lowe
With caste of quarell / and with shote of bowe
Thorugh Olyettes / that of necessyte
They put them of / it may none other be
And broke theyr neckes / & theyr shuldre boues
As they felle / with the square stones
And lye dede / pyteous pale of hewe
But Grekes aye / gan the saute renewe
With multytude / Troyans to assayle
To withstande / that they gan to fayle
And wexe feble / for rescuse came there none
And so of force / the grekes be in gone
Thorugh y e walles / whan they haue thē broke
And on Troyans / so cruelly be wroke
That fynally / they lefte none a lyue
But slee and kylle / and after that as blyue
On the walles / theyr baners they haue sette
And yonge and olde / it myght be no bette
All goth to wracke / vpon Troye syde
And after that / they ne wyll no lenger byde
But treasoure golde / and what they may fynde
They caste an hepe / and togyder bynde
And make spoyle / of all that was within
And than in haste / the walles they begyn
Pynacle and toures / and also the dungeowne
To brenne and hewe / and to bete downe
And with the soyle / they made euen & playne
And with great pray / anone they went agayne
To theyr shyppes / glad and lyght of chere
Whan the fyre / with his flawmes clere
The castell had / consumed and ybrent
And after that / auyse and prudent
The manly man / the worthy Agamenon
Let make anone / a conuocacyon
Of the grekes / and bad they shulde brynge
Golde and treasour / without more tariynge
With all the praye / they wanne at Tenedowne
To his presence / for this conclusyowne
That he may make / distribucyon
Amonges them / without excepcyon
Lyke theyr desert / vnto pore and ryche
[Page] He departeth / to euery man a lyche
But moste to suche / as dyde beste disserue
For to hymselfe / hym lyste no thynge conserue
For he hath leuer / theyr hertes than the gode
Of suche as hadde / spente theyr owne blode
So manfully / the castell for to wynne
For who that can / with largesse firste begynne
Ne fayleth nat / after well to spede
Thorugh helpe of men / whan that hath nede
For loue foloweth / fredome comenly.

¶How kynge Agamenon assembled the Ba­rons of Grece afore to kepe a counsayle / And how they sent Vlixes and kynge Dyomede to kynge Pryamus on message. Ca. xix.

[figure]
ANd after this / the kynge let make a cry
That all the kyngꝭ / & lordes of his oste
Dukes / and Erles / come from euery coste
The nexte morowe / tofore hym to appere
The nyght ypassed / Phebus gan to clere
Hir emysperye / after the larke songe
Whan y • the kynge / amonge the grekes stronge
Vpon the playne / in his see royall
And faste by / moste chefe and pryncypall
Of his lordes / were set in theyr degre
And whan the kynge / sawe oportunyte
That was there made scylence / euery where
His lyeges standynge / enuyron here & there
The kynge of chere sad / and eke Iocounde
As he that was of speche / full faucounde
Began his tale / with sobre countenaunce
The effect of whiche / was this in substaunce.
Syres quod he / full worthy of degre
Of very right / and necessyte
We be compelled / bothe hye and lowe
With all our myght / lyke as ye well knowe
To redresse a thynge / that is amys
For thorugh the worlde / as it reported is
We be of force / of power and of myght
Of worthynesse / in euery wyghtes syght
Moste renowmed / and moste worshypable
And ydempt and Iuged / for moste able
Of all people / and lyklyest to stonde
For to parforme / what we take an honde
Who that euer grutcheth / or sayth nay
Yer me semeth / if it be to your pay
Thylke power / moste is acceptable
Vnto goddes / and lengest stondeth stable
That is deuoyde / of surquedry and pryde
For it is kouth / vpon euery syde
In eche lande / bothe of one and all
How many harmes / and greues haue befall
Thorugh rancoure / oonly pryde & wylfulnesse
So inportable / as I coude expresse
Thorugh pryde / there is done offence
The hye goddes / make resistence
To all tho / that be surquydous
Whiche is a vyce / so contraryous
That it may / in no place abyde
And in good fayth / manhode is no pryde
For who that hath / any acqueyntaunce
Outher by frendshyp / or by alyaunce
With a proude man / to be confederate
With hym in herte / of hye or lowe estate
He nedes muste / what euer that he be
To many other / of necessyte
Be lothsome / firste enmy and contrayre
For no thynge may / a man so moche appayre
As pryde in sothe / in hye or lowe degre
Wherfore I rede / playnly how that we
This foule vyce / out of our herte arrace
That our quarell / may haue the more grace
And specyally / that our dedes all
Conueyed be / how euer that it fall
By rightwysnesse / more than volunte
For if trouthe / our sothfaste guyde be
Vs to directe / by his rightfull lyne
Than our quarell / shall aye in honour shyne
And contune / in full felycyte
[Page] And ferthermore / this knowe all ye
How we are come / for to do vengeaunce
With our frendshyppe / and out alyaunce
Vpon Pryam / for wronges done of olde
By hym and his / as I haue ofte tolde
And here vpon / we haue his grounde ytake
And some of his / maked to a wake
With manfull hande / and his castelles stronge
Ibete downe / that stonde haue so longe
And take there the rychesseꝭ that we founde
And slewe his men / with many blody wounde
And harmes mo / done in his countre
That I wote well / if theyr enmyte
Was vnto vs / great and moche afore
I dare saye now / it is in double more
That if that they / auenged myght be
On vs echone / anone ye shulde se
Theyr great Ire / so cruell and so huge
Be execute / without more refuge
And yet in sothe / I wote they haue espyed
Our beynge here / though we be nat askyred
Of them as yet / I dare saye vtterly
They are well ware / that we are faste by
And ouer more / this wote I well also
Of the harmes / that we haue them do
The whiche as yet / be but fresshe and grene
If they were stronge / and myghty to sustene
A werre on vs / anone they wolde gynne
And yet the Cyte / in whiche they be inne
Is walled stronge / and toured rounde aboute
That they wene fully / out of doute
With the meyne / that they haue gadred in
Of theyr alyes / that we shall nat wyn
Of them but smale / in werre nor in stryfe
For he in sothe / hath a prerogatyfe
And auauntage / that in his countre
Hym selfe diffendeth / namely if that he
Be stuffed stronge / of frendes hym besyde
And of alyes / where he dothe abyde
Lyke as the Rauen / with his fethers blake
Within his nest / wyll ofte tyme make
Agayne the Faukon / gentyll of nature
Full harde diffence / whyles he may dure
Or that he be vaynquysshed / and outrayed
And yet some whyle / the Faukon is delayed
Whyles the Rauen / besyde his nest doth flee
Within his courte / at his lyberte
As euery foule / is frowarde to areste
For to be daunted / in his owne neste.
ANd yet these wordes / to you I nat saye
In any wyse / to put in a fraye
Your knyghtly herte / so manly and so stable
Nor that to you / it shulde be doutabse
But the Troyans / that we shall confounde
And theyr Cyte / in whiche they habounde
Playnely destroye / albe that it be stronge
And they / and all be them amonge
Shall fynally / consumpt / be with dethe
Thorowe grekes swerde / yelde vp the brethe.
¶But the cause / without any drede
Why I saye thus / is that ye take hede
For any pryde / or presumpcyon
To aduerte / in your discrecyon
So prudently / that reason in this nede
For any haste / may our brydell lede
And so ordayne / or we hense wende
That laude / and prayse / after the ende
May be reported / as I haue deuysed
For many man / that hath nat be aduysed
In his pursuyte / for lacke of prouydence
To se tofore / in his aduertence
What shuld falle / to deth it hath them brought
Suche wylfull haste / were good to be thought
Of vs afore / by examynacyon
And well discussed / by reuolucyon.
¶Of thynkynge ofte / that we nat repente
And firste remembre / how that Pryam sente
To vs but late / oonly for Exyon
That yet is holde / of kynge Thelamon
Whiche was of vs / without aduysement
Vndiscretely denyed / by assent
Whiche hath to vs / be none aduauntage
But grounde and rote / of full great damage
For if that we / thorugh wyse purueaunce
Of hir hadde made / delyueraunce
The harmes great / had be eschewed
That after were / of Parys so pursewed
In the temple / of Cythera
That buylde is / besyde Eirrea
The tresoure great / also that he hadde
And Iewelles / that he with hym ladde
Than to Troye / and the great rychesse
The slaughter of men / and the heuynesse
That yet is made / for the quene Eleyne
Thorughoute Grece / and the great payne
Of Menelay / all hadde ben vnwrought
If we hadde sene / this in our thought
Wysely afore / and Exyon restored
Than hadde nat / the harmes be so mourned
[Page] On vs echone / in very soth fastnesse
Nor spent our laboure / so in ydelnesse
Tresoure nor good / wasted so in vayne
Nor come so ferre / for to fetche agayne
The quene Eleyne / with costes inportable
Withouten harmes / now in eschewable.
ANd for all this / yet ne wote we
Whether to ioye / or aduersyte
The thynge shall tourne / that we be aboute
Syth ofte sythe / dependent and in doute
Is fatall thynge / vnsyker / and vnstable
And fro the gynnynge / ofte varyable
The ende is sene / fortune can transmewe
Hir gery cours / and therfore to eschewe
The harmes lykly / possyble for to fall
My counsayle is / here amonge you all
Vpon trauayle / trauayle to eschewe
In this mater / are we further sewe
To Pryamus / without any more
To sende firste agayne / for to restore
The quene Eleyne / as right and reason is
And other harmes / done eke by Parys
After his trespas / and offency on
Iustely to make / restytucyon
Than may we all / in worshyp and honour
Retourne home / without more labour
If they assente / to do as we requere
And our axynge / if they lyste nat here
But folyly / of theyr wylfulnesse
Refuse it / than our worthynesse
Is double assured / on asyker grounde
By iuste tytle / Troyans to confounde
With thynges two / we shalbe vnder pyght
Firste our power / borne vp with our ryght
Shall for vs fyght / our quarell to dareyne
In balaunce to weye / atwixe vs weyne
To fyne that we / shalbe more excused
For they tofore / haue wylfully refused
Oure iuste profers / made to them afore
And we shalbe / thorugh the worlde therfore
Without spot / of trespas or of blame
Of mysreport / in hyndrynge of our name
Where they of folye shall ynoted be
Of wylfull wodenesse / playnely where that we
Shall stande free / our power for to vse
And euery man / shall vs well excuse
Though that we do / execucyon
By takynge vengeaunce / for their offencyon
Of man and childe / of eche sect and age
That shall of deth / holde the passage
And by the swerde / without mercy pace
One and other / there is no better grace.
BVt yet tofore / I counsayle take hede
That ye to them / all mesoure bede
This holde I beste / and moost sykernesse
And worke now / by good auysenesse
Amonge your selfe / and no lenger tarye
To whiche counsayle / some were contrarye
And varyaunt / to his oppynyon
Saue they that were / of moost discrecyon
Assented be playnely / to this ende
And chosen haue / to Pryam for to sende
Amonges them / the embassy at to spede
Wyse Vlixes / and worthy Dyomede
The whiche anone / gan them redy make
And shope them forthe / and theyr way take
Towarde Troye / as any lyne ryght
Whan the sonne / shone full shene and bryght
Holdynge the course / of his firy spere
In mydday arke / wonder bryght and clere
And gylte eche hylle / vale playne & roche
With his bemes / whan they dyde approche
To the walles / and gates of the towne
And in they go / without noyse or sowne
Full well [...]esene / and in their porte them hadde
Right manfully / and the way them ladde
To the paleyes / streyght as any lyne
Them nedeth nat / asyde to declyne
But into a court / large wyde and square
And they ful knightly / for no wyght wold spare
Vnto the effecte / manly to procede
To do theyr charge / without fere or drede
For the entre / was to them nat refused
For tho dayes / paraunter was nat vsed
To haue no conduyte / for embassatrye
The custome was / to no man to denye
As I suppose / entre nor passage
If it so were / he come for message
And in this court / buylded so ryally
Whan they come / they meruayled full greatly
The royall syght / of so huge strengthe
So well complete / bothe in brede and lengthe
For they nat hadde / in theyr lyfe to fore
Sene none so fayre / & yet they wonder more
Into the Paleyes / as they togyder gone
That paued was / all of Iasper stone
Of a tree / that amyddes stode
On which to loke / they thought it dyd thē gode
[Page] Musynge where / it were Artifycyall
Erect or sette / by magyk naturall
Or by engyne / of werkemen coryous
Thorugh subtyll craftes / superiticyous
Or other werke / of Nygromancye
Or profounde castyuge / of Phylosophye
By apparence / or illusyon
Outher by crafte / of Incantacyon
Vp and downe / they caste in theyr mynde
Out by reason / if they coude fynde
Rote and grounde / of this wonder werke
But the trouthe / was to them so derke
That in theyr wytte / though they longe trace
The pryuyte / they can out compace
To conceyue / how it was possyble
For to the eye / as it was vysyble
In very sothe / without any fable
To mannes hande / so it was palpable
Of whiche the stocke / of Guydo as I tolde
In soth fastnesse / was of pured golde
Whiche shone as bryght / as the somer sonne
To enlumyne / thynges that were donne
And the body / as a maste was ryght
Proporcyoned / moost goodly to the syght
Substancyall / and of huge strengthe
And twelue cubytes / the body was of lengthe
And the croppe / rounde / and large of brede
And in compas / gan so flourysshe and sprede
That all the playne / aboute enuyrowne
With the bowes / was shadowed vp and downe
The ryche braunches / and the leues fayre
Twayne and twayne / ioyned as a payre
One of golde / a nother syluer shene
And meynt amonge / w t stones whyte & grene
Some rede / and some sapher hewed
And euery daye / the blomes were renewed
And the blossomes / with many sondry fuyte
For stones ynde / it bare in stede of fruyte
As sayth Guydo / I can no ferther telle
And the Grekes / wyll no lenger dwalle
But holde theyr way / by many sondry went
To parfourme / the fyne of theyr entent
Tyll they atteyne / the chambre pryncypall
Where Pryamus / in his see royall
Lyke his estate / in full kyngly wyse
Sat / and aboute / full prudent and full wyse
His lordes all / in settes hym besyde
Whan the grekes / surquedous of pryde
With sterne there / and frowarde coūtenaunce
As they that had / lytell remembraunce
Of gentyllesse / nor of curtesye
For as Guydo / doth playnely specyfye
Entrynge in / they taken haue theyr place
In the opposyte / of the kynges face
And set them downe / without more sermon
Any obeyinge / or salutacyon
Worshyp honour / or any reuerence
Done of the kynge / for all his excellence
In pretudyce / of all gentyllesse
And than anone / Vlixes gan expresse
Cause of theyr comynge / to kynge Pryamus
Without abode / sayinge euen thus
Nat forberynge / presence of the kynge.
OEruayle nat / nor haue no wondrynge
Though we to y • / ne do no honour dewe
In our comynge / the for to salewe
Syth it ne longeth in sothe / as thynketh me
Where rancour is / and hertely enmyte
Or dedely hate / with salutacyons
Or with fayned / false affeccyons
For to shewe / where hertes be a fyre
For naturally / no man shall desyre
Of his enmye / the helthe nor welfare
And platly now / me lyste nat for to spare
Shortly to shewe / the fyne of our entent
Lyke as we haue / in cōmaundement
In our message / from Agamenowne
The noble kynge / moost worthy of reuowne
Whiche vs hath sent / there is no more to seyne
Now vnto the / for the quene Eleyne
That was rauysshed / out of grekes lande
And brought to Troy / by force of myghty hāde
Agaynst right / and by vyolence
Wherfore shortly / without more offence
We iustely axe / without more demaunde
That thou anone / rightfully cōmaunde
To Menelay / that she be sent agayne
And with all this / we axe nat in vayne
That thou make / restytucyon
Of wronges done / in that regyon
Of pylfres great / slaughter and roberye
By Parys done / of wylfull tyrannye
Whiche is thy sone / and by the susteyned
And in his errour / wrongefully meynteyned
Wherfore come of / and fully condescende
Without grutchynge / this wronges to amende
For so thou mayste / beste the goddes queme
Lyke as thou myght / in thy reason deme
As right requereth / to worke as the wyse
[Page] For if so be / that thou now despyse
To execute / that I haue tolde the here
Truste me right well / a lesson thou shalt lere
Whiche thou and thyne / shall after sore rewe
Without feynynge / thou shalt fynde trewe
That but if thou / a better ende make
Cruell vengeaunce / shall on the be take
And fynally / what shulde I to the fayne
The force of deth / this quarell shall darayne
Vpon the / and vpon all the blode
Raunsomles / other of golde and gode
And questyonles / reporte this of me
That mercyles / this ryche stronge Cyte
Shall downe be bete / and ylayde full lowe
Walle and toures / also ouerthrowe
This all and some / be now well aduysed
That our axynge / of the be nat despysed
But wysely werke / and do as I haue sayde
ANd sodaynly / kyng Pryamus ī abrayde
Of hasty Ire / he myght nat abyde
Of the grekes / whan he sawe the pryde
The great outrage / and presumpcyon
Without abode / or dely beracyon
To [...]lixes / anone he gan out breke
And vnto hym / euen thus to speke.
I wonder greatly / in myn aduertence
Beunge astoned / how ye in my presence
So vngoodly / dare make this demaunde
Lyke as ye hadde power / to cōmaunde
And me constrayne / your byddynge to obeye
And I for fere / durste nat with saye
No maner thynge / that ye axe here
Nor contrarye / what that ye requyre
Wherof sothly / in herte I am ameued
And of your thretes / inwardly agreued
And astoned surely / nat alyte
That ye are bolde / so me to excyte
And vylaynously / myn honour to prouoke
On your wordes / for to be a worke
But for all this / truste me right wele!
I wyll nat passe my boundes / neuer adele
Nor the rather / shrotely at the ende
To your axynge / in no thynge condescende.
¶For to consyder / the fyne of your entent
It were nat syttynge / nor conuenyent
Akynge to graunte / your axynge thoughe y • he
Stode in myschefe / and captyuyte
Without recure / to vttraunce bought
It were outrage / playnely to be thought
To axe of hym / that ye axe of me
And sothely yet / I suppose nat that ye
Accomplysshynge may / so moche auayle
As ye haue sayde / for plately ye shall fayle
Of your purpose / I saye and god toforne
Mauge your myght / though ye had it sworne
For your request / in euery wyghtes syght
Wanteth a grounde / bothe of trouthe & ryght
That axe of me / satisfaccyon
And were your selfe / firste occasyon
Whan ye slewe / my fader Lamedowne
And his lyeges / and brent eke his towne
And many harmes / if they were out sought
On hym and his / causeles ye wrought
That it were longe / all for to reherce
Whiche daye by daye / thorugh my herte perce
My suster / eke called Exyon
Ye ladde awaye / out of this regyon
The whiche is nat / vnto hir worthynesse
Ytreted lyke / nor after gentylnesse.
¶And for all this / ye wolde amendes haue
Wrongly of me / that whylom for to saue
All thynge in peas / and to stynte werre
To you sente / into Grece ferre
Oonly to haue hadde / Exyona agayne
Of whiche sonde / ye hadde but disdayne
And cruelly / in vngoodly wyse
My messager / ye gan to despyse
That he vnneth / myght eskape awaye
Out of grece / ye knowe it is no naye
Of you he hadde / so vngoodly chere
And in good fayth / me lyste nat now to here
Your request / nor gyue audyence
To your axynge / for your great offence
For leuer I hadde / shortely for to deye
Than condescende / to ought that ye seye
For I wyll fully / for conclusyon
That it be knowen / to Agamenon
That we haue leuer / this is douteles
Fynally his werre / than his pees
Syth ye to me / haue done so great trespace
And by my trouthe / in this selfe place
Cruelly anone / ye shulde dye
But for the offyce / of embassatrye
Agaynst deth / is fully your defence
That be so bolde / without reuerence
In my presence / so to threte or speke
Truste me right / it shulde an one bewreke
Wherfore in haste / without wordes mo
My counsayle is / that ye be a go
[Page] Out of my syght / and voyde this Cyte
For thus it standeth / whyles I you se
In my herte / may entre no gladnesse
The fret of Ire / put me in suche distresse
That in good fayth / I may it nat sustene
So In portune / is the rage and tene
That inwardly / byndeth me for the whyle
ANd Dyomedes / tho began to smyle
And sayde anone / thus vnto the kynge
If it so be / that thou of our comynge
In thyne herte / haste so moche payne
Vs to beholde / now that be buttwayne
And art therwith / so inly sette a fyre
Than shalt thou neuer / be without yre
In all thy lyfe / nor deuoyde of woo
Sythe thou hast / so many cruell foo
Of grekes now / entred in thy lande
An hondred thousande / almoste at thyn hande
Agayne whose myght / thou mayst y • nat assure
To resyste playnely / nor endure
Consyder well / how that they be stronge
As thou shalt wyt / paraunter are aught longe
Somanly men / and so well arayed
Expert in armes / and of olde assayed
That no diffence / many agayne them vayle
And wyteeke well / that thou mayst nat fayle
By deth of swerde / of theyr hande to deye
And all thyne / there is no more to seye
Though it so be / proudely that thou speke
And with thy tunge / oonly to be wreke
Afermest more / than thou mayst acheue
Better it were / suche wordes leue
And to wyse counsayle / take better hede
BUt than in haste / agayne this Dyomede
Surquydous / and moste full of pryde
There rose vp some / by the kynges syde
With swerdes drawe / and on hym haue fall
And all to hewe / there amonge them all
Of hasty Ire / brennynge as the glede
Tyll Pryamus / gan to take hede
And rose hym vp / seynge this disease
And manfully / this rage gan appease
Them diffendynge / vpon deth and lyfe
That none of them / be hardy in this stryfe
The embassatoures / to harme or to greue
For though a fole / his foly wyll nat leue
To presume / to speke vnconnyngly
A wyse man / muste suffre pacyently
And thoughe that he / happe do offence
Thorugh foly speche / for lacke of sapyence
To a wyse man / ne iongeth sothe to sayne
To take hede / or to speke agayne
For as to a fole / it is perteynent
To shewe his foly / right so conuenyent
Is to the wyse / sothly with suffraunce
In all his port / to haue tolleraunce
For to foles / longeth kyndely
Without aduyse / to speke folyly
Vndiscretely his menynge / to fulfylle
Where a wyse man / shall here and bestylle
Tyll he se tyme / and haue pacyence
And dissymule / in his aduertence
The rage of foles / that last but a throwe
For by his tunge / a fole is ofte knowe
And leuer I hadde / I do you well assure
In my persone / damage to endure
Than to suffre / any messagere
In my court / of you that be here
To haue a wronge / outher great or lyte
The swerde of rancour / may nat alway byte
To do vengeaunce / for a thynge of nought
For ofte it falleth / a wronge is wrought
For lytell excesse / foloweth great reprefe
And haste is ayemedled / with myschefe
Wherfore I bydde / that ye sytte downe
And in no wyse / of presumpcyowne
Attempteth nat / in no maner wyse
By sygne or worde / more for to despyse
The embassatoures / from the grekes sent
But lette them freely / declare theyr entent
And ye there whyles / kepe your lyppes close
ANd sodaynely / than Eneas rose
Whiche next the kyng / haue thā 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 cōmaundement
[Page] 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 wordꝭ 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
[Page] 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.

[figure]
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 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
[Page] 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 foo [...] / 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 / w t woūdes 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 y • 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
[Page] 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 / w t many mortall woūde
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 whā Phebꝰ / 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 / & doūge 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 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 / w t 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
[Page] 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
S [...]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 cōmyssyon
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
[Page] 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 / 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 re [...]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
[Page] Full manly [...] and also of great [...]a [...]e
[...]
[...] wryteth thus
[...] of them [...] was called Panda [...]us
And as I rede Thabet the secounde
The thu [...]e Andastrus lyke as it is founde
And as G [...]ydo [...] lyste to specysye
[...] knyghtes / in theyr companye
[...] manly men they were euerychon
And from an I [...] called colloson
Lyke as Dares / lyketh to expresse
There came also / of excellent prowesse
[...] of whiche the firste was
[...] / ynamed Caryas
And the seconde [...] hyghte ymasyus
[...] the thirde [...] 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 ly [...]ye / came the kynge Glaucon
And [...]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 knyghtꝭ / w t 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 knyghtꝭ / 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 y • 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 y • 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 thy [...]ke Trace / that is moste excellent
Whiche in the plage / of the Oryent
Haueth his syght / frō which this myghty kȳ [...]ge
A thousande knyghtꝭ / 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 Ile / 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 knyghtꝭ / in theyr companye
And fro Bytunye / as made is remembraūce
The ryche lande / that hath suche habundaūce
Of spyces gōmes / fruytes corne and wyne
Holsome rotes / ryndes ryche and fyne
Wonder vnkouthe / and precious also
Out of whiche Ile / there came knyghtes two
[Page] Full knyghtly men / in armes desyrous
Kynge Boetes / and Epysterus
And w t 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 knyghtꝭ / 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 / 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 knyghtꝭ / they brought vnto troye
Grekes pryde / to daunte and acoye
For they were chosen / and pycked for y e 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 knyghtꝭ / 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 y e lyghtenynge / y t cometh downe fro heuene
Dredefull of loke / and reed as fyre of [...]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
[Page] 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 w t 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 sy [...]e
For thorugh the worlde / where men go or ryde
Th [...] 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 y • 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 y • 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 w t knyghtꝭ / 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 cōstrayned / 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 be [...]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
[Page] From the hauen / where theyr shyppes be
And some thought / moste cōmodyte
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 strōge 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 [...]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.

[figure]
THe next morowe / wonderly be tyme
Or Phebus vp rose / lōge or it was p̄me
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 [...]olus / was to them fortunate
And eke Neptune / made none debate
w t wynde nor trouble / amōge 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 lor [...]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
O [...] 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 descēde
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 w t 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
[Page] 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 w t theyr blode / the wawes were ystayned
So mortally / that sothely to beholde
Amonge the sonde / pale dede and colde
The grekes lye / with woūdes fresshe & grene
And all the eyre / with shote of arowes kene
I shadowed was / that Phebus bemes bryght
Vpon the soyle / was derked of his lyght
And newe alway / Troyans them assayle
That to grekes / playnely this [...]yuayle
So mortall was / and so infortunate
So vnwelfull / and disconsolate
So v [...]sposed / thorugh infelycytee
That I trowe neuer / out of no see
[...] none hoost / of more harde to londe
But for all that / grekes ne wolde wonde
For lyfe nor deth / manly to aryue
And so befelle / of aduenture as blyue
Thre hondred shyppes / that next after sewe
Auyfedly / and in tyme dewe
Be entrede in / and haste nat to faste
And stryke sayle / and theyr ankers caste
For the werre / strongly enbatayled
In theyr londynge / leste they were assayled
And wysely firste / they sette theyr A [...]bala [...]ters
And theyr gonners / and theyr beste archers
With pauysers / for to go aforne
Knyghtly to lāde / though troyans had sworne
The contrarye / proudely them tolet [...]e
Yet for all that / fyers [...]y vp they sette
The grekysshe shote / made them to withdrawe
And many of them / on the lande lay slawe
That maugre them / the stronde they recure
And suche as myght / moste manfully endure
Was sette afore / tyll they the lande haue take
And all attones / suche assaute they make
Vpon troyans / and tho began the fyght
Whan Prothesylaus / y e noble worthy knyght
Wonder lyfely / and right passynge stronge
With the grekes / entrede in amonge
The hardy troyans / & euery where thē sought
For he of armes / meruayles on them wrought
Thylke daye / thorugh his worthynesse
That many troyan / he brought in distresse
Where he went / they felte full vnsofte
Thorugh whose manhode / grekes were a lofte
For thy [...]ke daye / ne ha [...]de his knyght hode be
The greekes hadde / in great aduersyte
Be venquysshed / by fatall puru [...]yaunce
And fynally / brought vnto outtraunce
I put a backe / playnely this no lye
But what a [...]uyleth / all his chyualrye
His worthynesse / or his fyerse courage
What myght it helpe / or do auauntage
Syth .vij. thousande grekes / hadde a do
With an hondred thousāde / troyans & yet mo
It metuayle was / how they myght endure
In any wyse / the stronde to recure
Or so fewe / for to holde a felde
But in themselfe / one thynge they behelde
Full prudently / whiche that gaue them herte
That they sawe / they myght nat as [...]erte
To escape a lyue / if they wolde flee
For at theyr backe / was no thynge but the see
And tofore them / an hoost so great and huge
And other waye / was there no refuge
But dye attones / or fyght manfully
Wherfore they cast / & shope them full knyghtly
Lyke rather as māly men / theyr lyues to ieoꝑte
Than cowardely / from theyr foon departe
To lese theyr grounde / and drenchen in the see
And thus as longe / as it wolde be
Grekes defende them / ferre aboue their myght
All be that / many were kylled in this fyght
That the stremes / of theyr rede blode
Ran in the sonde / large as any flode
So cruelly / troyans on hym set
With spere & swerde / ful sharpe groūde & whet
That routhe was / and pyte for to thynke
Tyll they almoost / droue them to the brynke
Where the grekes / in myschefe and distresse
In great anguysshe / and passyngly wer [...]nesse
Themselfe defende / maat and full [...]ery
Where they shulde haue perysshed vtterly
Recurles / in sothe for euermore
Ne hadde Archelaus / and worthy P [...]otenor
From theyr shyppes / aryued vnto lande
Of sodayne happe / with them for to stande
And yet they hadde / full great aduersyte
For to aryue / thorugh the cruelte
Of the troyans / but yet the lande they wynne
And grekes than / cruelly begynne
Agayne theyr foon / to stande a [...] defence
With manly force / and great vyolence
[Page] And th [...] encreaseth / the blody werre newe
That all the [...]oyle / depaynt was with the dewe
That firste was gre [...]e / tourned into rede
On eche syde / so many one laye dede
Vpon the grounde / of his lyfe depryued
But duke Nestor / is sodaynely aryued
With his knyghtes felle / and full Irous
And of herte / right melancolyous
With his speres / archyers out asyde
He entrede in sterne / and full of pryde
With swerde and axe / grounde sharpe and kene
They ran [...]fere / and mette vpon the grene
And hoked [...]rowes / alway flewe amonge
And [...] / to braste & tourne wronge
And with they [...] [...]olys [...]teled and well whette
The longe daye / they haue togyder mette
And the slaughter newe / alway began
[...] euery halfe / of many worthy man
Wtih woundes large / felle and despytous
[...] Prothenor / and kynge Archelaus
[...] swerdes styffe / amonge the renges kerue
[...] many many Troyan / made for to sterue
They were that day / so passyngely Irous
And them to auenge / inly desyrous
Neuce seasynge / in theyr pursuynge
And to releue them / Alagus the kynge
[...]londed is / and eke kynge Athalus
Whiche on Troyans / were full enuyous
[...] of Ire / as the firy glede
And vpon them / of very olde hatrede
With theyr knyghtes / sodaynely be falle
And in theyr Ire / bytterer than galle
Cruelly / they theyr foon oppresse
And of assent / dyde theyr besynesse
Maugre them / bakwarde to resorte
Amy [...]de the felde / as I can reporte
There was no choyse / so they were cōstrayned
[...] ve [...]y force / and of manhode payned
To withdrawe / to theyr confusyowne
But than in haste / downe from Troye towne
Of worthy knyghtes / fresshely armed newe
With deuyses / of many sondry hewe
[...] abode / shortely to conclude
There came downe / so great a multytude
[...] armes / depaynte vpon the shelde
[...] in theyr comynge / glytereth all the felde
Of theyr armure / as the sonne bryght
A [...]d whan that they / were entrede into fyght
[...] metynge / felly by enuye
They sette vpon / feet with melancolye
With suche a wyll / of herte and courage
With suche furye / in theyr mortall rage
That vnto accorde / was none other mene
But slaughter and dethe / them to go betwene
Thorugh stroke of axe / of dagger and of spere
That of force / coacte the grekes were
To retourne bakwarde / to the stronde
To whose rescuse / anone there come to londe
The kynge vlyxes / with his hole nauye
And full knyghtly / with his chyualrye
Towarde Troyans / enhasteth hym anone
And of one herte / the grekes with hym gone
And theyr courage / holly they resume
And gan theyr foon / felly to consume
Vnto the deth / theyr damage to reuenge
That no wyght may / iustely them chalenge
Of manhode so well / they haue them bor [...]e
To quyte agayne / theyr harmes done before
At whiche tyme / lyke a fyersly owne
Amonge Troyans / rengynge vp and downe
Vltxes went / with his swerde in honde
He kylleth sleeth / and knyghtly gan to sonde
Thylke daye / lyke a man be founde
And here & there / with many mortall wounde
Vpon Troyans / he wrought all this wracke
Them berynge downe / on fote & on horse backe
In his Ire / his strokes were so kene
At whiche tyme / worthy Phylomene
Lorde and kynge / of Paffogonye
Whan he behelde / with his companye
So many Troyan / of vlixes slawe
Tawardes hym anone / he gan hym drawe
On horse backe / and with a spere rounde
Out of his sadell / bare hym to the grounde
But vlixes rose / vp anone ryght
Takynge his horse / lyke a manly knyght
The whiche anone / as Phylomene hath sayne
Toke efte aspere / and rode to hym agayne
So myghtely / and with suche vyolence
That fynally / there gayneth no diffence
But that he smote hym / euen thorugh y • shelde
The whiche flewe / a sondre in the felde
And thorughe his plates / without any fayle
The spere hede ran / and rested in the mayle
That forged was / of stele full shene and bryght
Whiche to perce / the spere hede hath no myght
So trewely made / was the hawberiowne
But with that stroke / vlixes was bore downe
Yet efte agayne / but he vp rose anone
Whiche of his stroke / harme ne felte none
[Page] And raughte a spere / sharpe whet & grounde
And Phylomene / he gaue suche a wounde
With all the myght / of his armes twayne
Of Irous herte / with so great a payne
That thorugh his shelde / bothe place & mayle
He smote hym vp / thorugh his auentayle
Into the gorge / that the stocke gan glyde
That from his hors / he fell downe a syde
Full perryllously pyght / vpon his hede
His knyghtes wenynge / sothly he were dede
Whiche toke hym vp / & layde hym on a shelde
And bare hym home / in haste out of the felde
With great daūger / or they myght hym wȳne
Thorugh the grekes / with theyr lorde to twȳne
And for Troyans / supposed sykerly
That Phylomene / without remedy
Hadde be deed / they were astoned all
That if this case / that day ne had fall
Of Physomene / grekes on the stronde
[...]dde be outrayed / aryuynge vp to londe
Thorughe the knyghthode / this is douteles
Of Phylomene / whom that vlixes
V [...]ho [...]sed hath / with a mortall wounde
In knyghtly wyse / Troyans to confounde
Wherof they were / astoned euerychon
¶But tho as than / and Agamenon
Of greks ooste / lorde and Emperour
Aryued is / vnto theyr socour
With all his knyghtes / and Menelaus
And eke the worthy / Thelamonyous
Called Ayax / is to lande come
And they at leyser / haue theyr hors nome
Whyle other grekes / Troyans occupye
Sor [...] fyghtynge / and they gan faste hye
Towardes them / makynge no delay
All in a frusshe / in all haste they may
They ran Yfere / and theyr speres bracke
With herte enuyous / vpon hors backe
There myght men / the worthy knyghtes se
On theyr stedes / eche at other flee
With styffe swerdes / shaftes great and rounde
With hedes square / the poyntes kene grounde
There myght men se / in theyr furyous tene
So many knyghtes / dede vpon the grene
But moste the slaughter / and confusyowne
Fell thylke tyme / of them of the towne
The grekes were / so myghty and so stronge
And in the felde / this contynueth longe
Tyll Prothesilaus / the stronge myghty kyng
Whiche all the daye / in skarmysshe & fyghtyng
Full lyke a knyght / had occupyed be
Agayne Troyans / in his cruelte
Of manhode oonly / and of worthynesse
Of aduenture / in his werynesse
Hym to refresshe / and to take eyre
And to a brethe hym / maked his repeyre
To the stronde / where he dyde aryue
¶Where as he thought / his herte gan toryue
Of cruell yre / and alfo of pyte
That he caughte / oonly for to se
His men lye slayne / ende longe the stronde
And some of them / comynge vp to the londe
Dreynt in the see / amonge the floodes depe
For whiche thynge / he gan anone to wepe
Full pyteuosly / all were it nat espyed
Whose wofull eyen / myght nat be dryed
For the constreynt / whiche sat sonye his herte
Tyll at the laste / amonge his paynes smerte
So cruell Yre / gan his herte enbrace
That sodaynely / with a despytous face
Without abode / thought how that he
Vpon theyr deth / wolde auenged be
Or fynally attones / with them deye
And on his stede / he toke the ryght weye
Towarde his foon / full Irous in his rage
And lyne right / he holdeth his passage
Swyfte as grayhounde / y • renneth out of lees
And where he sawe / that was grettest prees
He preceth thorugh / amyddes of the felde
And w t the swerde / whiche in his hande he helde
That grounde was / to kerue and to byte
Full mortally / aboute hym he gan smyte
That Troyans / myght hym nat asterte
Some he ryueth / euen to the herte
And some he woundeth / sothely to the deth
And some he made / yelde vp the breth
And he vnhorseth / some cruelly
And whom he mette / that day vtterly
From his hors / he made hym to alyght
For where he rode / they fledde out of his syght
And his presence / as the deth eschewe
But euer in one / he gan after sewe
In his chase / lyke as a wood lyon
This playe he playeth / with them of the towne
Tyll Perseus / of Ethyopye kynge
From y e Cyte / came sodaynely rydynge
With many a knyght / and many lyfely man
At whose comynge / of newe there began
A fresshe skarmysshe / furyous and woode
[Page] That many greke / that day loste his blode
So felle assaute / Troyans on them make
Amonge them / the Ethyopyes blake
So manly bare them / fyghtynge here & there
That where Troyans / were afore in fere
[...] be / and of newe assured
y • thorugh theyr helpe / they haue y • felde recured
And made them lese / also moche agayne
As they tofore / wonne on the playne
For they so hole / and so myghtely
Kept them togydre / and so auysely
Gouerned them / with pauys spere and shelde
That grekes were / compelled in the felde
Maugre who so grutche / of necessyte
To the sironde / backewarde for to flee
Almoste dispayred / mate and comforteles
But in that whyle / kynge Pallamydes
To theyr rescous / come to arryuayle
And lusty fresshe / entreth in batayle
With his knyghtes / and his hole maynee
Takynge theyr hors / faste by the see
And full proudely / enbusshed all attones
With spere and swerde / ygroūde for the nones
By conueyinge / of theyr worthy comynge
Haue so oppressed / at theyr in comynge
The manly Troyans / that it was a wonder
To se them lye slayne / here and yonder
And this contynueth / tyll amonge the prees
Of auenture / that Pallamydes
Brennynge aye / in his furyoushete
Amyd the felde / happeth for to mete
A worthy knyght / called Sygamon
Whiche brother was / to the kynge Menon
[...] also / as Guydo doth reherce
This manly man / to the kynge Perce
Whiche grekes had / that daye sore opressed
By his knyghthode / as it is expressed
For he the grekes / to his worthynesse
Had ofte brought / in full great distresse
The same daye / to his great encrees
[...]ut of Fortune / alas Pallamydes
As I you tolde / hath in the felde hym mette
And with aspere square / and sharpe whette
Whan he of knyghthode / was most ī his pryde
He rode at hym / and smote hym thorugh y • syde
And with that / laste dedely fatall wounde
From his stede / he bare hym to the grounde
And on the playne / of his blode all rede
[...] [...]amydes / lefte hym pale and dede
Amonges them / that of Troye were
And forth he rode / & bare downe here and there
All that euer / in his waye stode
He was on them / so furyous and wode
Maugre Troyans / tofore hym on the playne
Made resorte / to the walle agayne
His manly knyghtes / alway faste by
On hym awaytynge / full ententyfely
Redy to honde / at euery great empryse
But tho began / the noyse to aryse
The wofull clamour / and the pyteous crye
Of them of Troye / the whiche vtterly
Agayne grekes / myght nat sustene
The mortall swerde / was so sherpe and kene
Of the noble worthy / famous knyght
Pallamydes / that with his great myght
The longe daye / hath yborne hym so
Agayne his foon / and so knyghtly do
In his persone / thorugh his hye renowne
That chaced hath / almoste to the towne
Troyans echone / manly made to fle
The noyse of whom / is entred in the Cyte
The hydous crye / and the mortall shoute
¶Wherof ameued Ector / yssueth oute
Furyously / in all the haste he can
The sone of mars / this knyght this māly man
Of all worthy / yet the worthyest
That euer was / and the hardyest
For as Phebus / with his bemysclere
Amonge sterres / so dyde appere
Excellynge all / in stele armed bryght
On whom it was / a very heuenly syght
For it was he / that bothe nye and ferre
Of worthynesse was / the lode sterre
The whiche / whan he entred into felde
Lyke as I rede / bare that daye a shelde
The shelde of whiche / was of pure golde
With thre lyons / in storye as I tolde
Of whose coloure / is made no mencyon
But as I fynde / by descripcyon
They were passant / if I reporte a ryght
Borne on the breste / of this Troyan knyght
That was the grounde & rote / of hye prowesse
And floure accompted / of all worthynesse
The whiche so manly / without more abode
Amonge his knyghtes / to the grekes rode
So lyke a man / that they in his comynge
A stoned were / as he gan in thrynge
Amonges them / whiche kylleth downe & slethe
And whom he mette / there was nat but dethe
Afore his swerde / grekes go to wrake
[Page] And theyr wardes / of knyghtly force he brake
And maugre them / seuered them a sonder
And bare all downe / rydynge here and yonder
And casuelly / he meteth in his waye
Prothesylaus / whiche all the longe daye
Hadde sore fought / agaynst them of Troye
And slewe all tho / that come in his waye
This hardy knyght / this worthy fyers kynge
Whiche on Troyans / was euer pursuynge
He to them hadde / so hertely great enuye
The whiche thynge / whan Ector gan espye
And of his knyghthode / gan to take hede
Towardes hym / he gan to reyne his stede
And lyne ryght / of hasty Ire he rode
And with his swerde / disteyned all with blode
He cloue his hede / thorugh his basenet
With suche a myght / y • his stroke ne was let
By force of mayle / nor of thycke plate
But fynally / by full mortall fate
The swerde of Ector / thrugh nerf bone & vayne
This worthy kynge / parted hath on twayne
For vtterly / there gayneth none armure
Agayne the stroke of Ector / to endure
But that this kynge / so full of worthynesse
Stronge and myghty / and of great hardynesse
Receyued hath / his laste fatall wounde
And lyeth now dede / parted on the grounde
And Ector forth amonge / the grekes ryde
And who so euer / that his stroke abyde
Refute was none / nor diffence but deth
And many greke / that daye he sleth
For whiche of them / in his waye stode
His sharpe swerde / he batheth in his blode
That also ferre / as they myght hym se
As the deth / from his swerde they fle
So mortal vengeafice / vpon them he wrought
And many greke / at his felowe sought
And gan enquere / what he myght be
For all theyr lyfe / they coude neuer se
None so knyghtly / behaue hym in batayle
And playnely dempte / as be supposayle
It was Ector / the noble warryour
Which of knyghthode / may bere away y • flour
Amonge all / that euer yet were borne
For there was no greke / y t hȳ may stāde aforne
Of all that daye / he gan them so enchace
To the stronde / euen afore his face
For they ne durste / his mortall stroke abyde
And whan he hadde / vpon euery syde
The grekes chaced / to the wawy see
Wounded and mate / in great aduersytee
Than hȳ to reste / this Troyan knyght anone
Lyke Mars hymselfe / home to Troye is gone
AT whose partynge / grekes e [...]t presume
Manly agayne / theyr hertes to resume
And of newe / theyr foomen to assayle
And to Iuparte / if it wolde auayle
Lyfe and deth / to sette at outraunce
On fortune / if she wolde auaunce
Theyr parte agayne / in recure of the felde
And them enforce / with myght of spere & shelde
Anone forthwith / and make no delay
To wynne agayne / on Troyans if they may
For .viij. tymes / sythen they begonne
The felde they haue / that day loste and wonne
Lyke as fortune / lyste to do theyr cure
Vp or downe / for to turne hyr eure
For as hyr whele / went aboute rounde
Right so that day / they wan & lost their groūde
But specyally / they were moste desmayde
Whan Ector came / which hath thē so outrayde
Thrugh his knyghthod / made theyr hert / tyue
And to resorte / where they dyde aryue
And thus contynued / maugre all theyr myght
Whyle in the felde / was this Troyan knyght.
Tyll Phebus chare / gan to westre downe
That he repeyred is / into the towne
Whiche hadde grekes / wrought afore full ylle
But nowe the hardy / cruell fyers Achylle
Aryued is / with his knyghtes alle
Myrondones / whom men are wonte to calle
Whiche from the see / taken hath the playne
At whose cōmynge / grekes haue agayne
The felde recured / and put themselfe in prees
O only thorugh helpe / of worthy Achylles
Whiche is so felly / Troyans falle vpon
That he of them / hath slayne full many oon
For thre thousande / in stele armed bryght
With hym he brought / redy for to fyght
Knyghtes echone / full worthy of renowne
Whiche with Achylles / grekes champyowne
Haue mercyles / in theyr cruelte
Slayne many troyan / out of the Cyte
They were so feruent / in theyr mortall Ire
So enuyous / of hate to desyre
Newe and newe / for to shede theyrblode
For Achylles thought / it dyde hym gode
That his swerde / troyans blode to shede
And on the soyle / to se them lye and blede
[Page] Rowteles / in his melancolye
For he to them / hath so hote enuye
Without theyr deth / that it may nat quenche
And he his swerde / full depe made drenche
The longe daye / in Troyans blode
And batheth it / as it werein a flode
Whiche forged was / and I whette so kene
That many ryuer / for hely on the grene
Ran here and there / of hurtes sore
And with his knyghtes / alway more & more
Pursued them / afore hym as they flee
To the walles of Troye / the cytee
Where they made / a full pyteous crye
And in this whyle / I fynde in the storye.
The grekes hoost / hoolly is aryued
Lyke in Guydo / as it is descryued
Of men of armes / suche a multytude
And of knyghtes / shortly to conclude
That from theyr shyppes / of newe landed be
That troyans / astoned were to se
And abasshed / they gan wexe alle
For sodaynely / they gan on them falle
On euery halfe / passyngly great prees
And euer in one / this hardy Achylles
With his swerde / made theyr sydes rede
For here and there / lay the bodyes dede
And wounded some / at entre of the gate
And knyghtly there / with them he gan debate
And furyously / this felle cruell knyght
The children slewe / in theyr faders syght
That to beholde / it was full great pyte
And yet the slaughter / gretter had be
Without nombre / of them of the towne
Perpetuelly / to theyr confusyowne
Lykely for euer / to haue be ouercome
¶If Troylus / ne had vnto rescuse come
Yonge fresshe and lusty / and inly desyrous
With whom come eke / Parys and Dephebus
And many worthy / their partye to socoure
So that grekes / tho ne myght endure
Agaynst them / to stande at deffence
For all theyr pryde / nor make resystence
Worthy Troylus / so well y t tyme hym quytte
For thus in sothe / what greke that he hytte
Outher he maymeth / or he made deye
Wherfore as deth / they fled out of his weye
And Achylles / with his companye
For it was nyght / homewarde gan hym hye
Towarde grekes / with glorye & great honoure
And they receyue hym / lyke a Conqueroure
That whiche he hadde / so well Ymet
And they of troye / haue theyr gates shet
And made thē stronge / thorughout al y • towne
And in this tyme / kynge Agamenowne
Ycherched hath / a place couenable
Whiche hym thought was / moste a greable
By lyklyed / and moste conuenyent
For euery lorde / to sette his tente
And in a felde / of full large space
Moste competent / as for lodgynge place
In dewe syght / sette for the Cyte
Eche lorde was sygned / where he shulde be.
And gan anone / ordayne mansyons
Pytched theyr tentes / and Pauyllyons
And suche as myght / no Centoryes haue
From storme and rayne / themselfe for to saue
They deuysed / other habytacles
Tugurryes / and smale Receptacles
To shroude them in / and all the nyght also
From theyr shyppes / they had moche a do
Or they myght haue / theyr hors to lande
And to ordayne / where they shulde stande
And they also / besy were to carye
Other thynges / that were necessarye
And nedefully / vnto a sege longe
And eke they made / tey their shyppes stronge
For in the porte / their ankres caste
And of assent / they besyed them full faste
For to conferme / of one entenciowne
To sette a sege / to Troye towne
And therupon / by bounde assured faste
For to abyde / whyle their lyfe many laste
Fynally / without repentaunce
And prudently / they made their ordynaunce
As they beste coude / all the longe nyght
They bete their fyres / whiche bren wōder lyght
And at a space / deuyded fro the fyres
They sette vp / in maner of bares
And roūde aboute / where their lodgynge was
They paled them / all the felde compas
And to acheue / the fyne of their purpose
They felly wrought / & kept them selfe aye close
¶And the kynge / that no treason falle
Let make watche / without his tentes alle
Of them that hadde / rested them afore
And his mynstrellys / he made ouermore
As sayth Guydo / all the longe nyght
To kepe their tydes / tofore the fyres bryght
Meryly to sowne / their Instrumentes
And them he made / reste in their tentes
[Page] That had afore / wery be of fyght
And in the see / were faynted of theyr myght
And other eke / he made in theyr armure
Awayte wysely / agayne all aduenture
That no disceyte / were founde on no syde
And thus this kynge / knyghtly can prouyde
In his aduyse / that nothynge hym escape
And all the nyght / I fynde he dyde wake.
Tyll on the morowe / that the rowes rede
Of Phebus chare / gonne for to sprede
And thus eche kynge / desposed as it ought
I wyll procede to tell how / they wrought
Ceryously without / and within
With your supporte / the thyrde boke begyn.

Here begynneth the Thyrde Boke / That telleth howe the Troy ans yssued out on the morowe and fought with the Grekes / and how valyauntly Ector bare hymselfe that daye. Capitulo .xxij.

[figure]
WHan Aurora / with hyr pale lyght
Vnder y • mantel / of y • myrke nyght
And the curtyne / of hyr hewes fade
Yshroudyde was / in y e derke shade
Abasshed rody / as I can desyre
Oonly of hyr / that is Femynyne
For ashamed / durste nat be seyne
Bycause she hadde / so longe a bedde leyne
With fresshe Phebus / her owne chosen knyght
For whiche she hydde hyr / sothely out of syght
Tyll his stede / that called is Flegonte
Enhasted hym / aboue oure Oryzonte
And Appollo / with his bemys clere
Hath recomforted hyr oppressed chere
This to saye / after the dawnynge
Whan Tytan was / in Eest rysynge
Of his hete atempre / and right softe
Hyr Emysperye / for to glade a lofte.
The same houre / the Troyan champyowne
Gouernour of werres / of the towne
Worthy Ector / whiche in the Cyte
Next Pryam hadde of all / the souereynte
The towne to guyde / by knyghtly excellence
For his manhode / and his sapyence
Of Troyan knyghtes / lorde & eke cheuetayne
Whiche hath cōmaunded / in a large playne
To hye and lowe / he exceptynge none
Kynges / Pryces / and lordes euerychone
[Page] The same morowe for to mete Yfere
In theyr arraye / to mustre and apere
Lyke as they were / of name and of estate
Besyde a temple / whylom consecrate
To the goodes / that called is Dyane
Moste honoured in this ryche faane
There to array them / in all the haste they can
Lyke the deuyse / of this knyghtly man
And this playne passynge fayre to se
Was sette amydde / of Troye the Cyte
Smothe & right fayre / & full of fresshe floures
Where all the worthy / noble werryoures
Of troye towne togydre assembled be
And many other / to beholde and se
The famous knyghtes / arme them in y • place
And some of them / gan full streyte lace
Theyr doublettes made / of lynnen clothe
A certayne folde / that aboute hym gothe
And some also dempte moste sureste
To [...] them / for batayle of ar [...]ste
And dyde on firste / after theyr desyres
Sabatous greues cussues with voydres
A payre breche / alder firste of mayle
And some there were / eke that ne wolde fayle
To haue of mayle / a payre bras
And therwithall / as the custome was
A payregussettes / on a pety cote
Garnysshed with golde / vp vnto the throte
A paunce of plate / whiche of the selfe behynde
Was shet and close / and theron as I fynde
Enuyron was / abordure of smalle mayle
And some chose / of the newe entayle
For to be surmyd / of all their foos
An hole breste plate / with arere doos
Behynde shet / or elles on the syde
And on his armes / rynged nat to wyde
There were voyders / frettyd in the mayle
With cordes rounde / and of fresshe entayle
Vambras with wynges / and rerebras therto
And theron sette / were besaguys also
Vpon the hede / a basenet of stele
That within / locked was full wele
A crafty syght / wrought in the vyser
And some wolde haue / of plate a bauer
That on the breste / fastened be aforne
The canell pece / more esy to be borne
Gloues of plate / of stele forged bryght
¶And some wolde / armed be more lyght
In thykkes Iackes / couered with satyne
& some wolde haue / of mayle wrought ful fyne
An hawberion / all of late wrought cassade
That with weyghte / he be nat ouer lade
Hymsefe to welde / lyke a lyfly man
And some wyll haue / of choce geseran
On his doublet / but an hawberion
And some oonly / but a sure gepon
Ouer his poleyns / rechynge to thekne
And that the [...]euys / eke so longe be
That his vambras / may be cured ner
A pryckynge palet / of plate the cower
And some wyll haue / also no vyser
To saue his face / but oonly anaser
And 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
[Page] 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 ie [...]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 knyghtꝭ / armed bryght & clere
With whiche warde / kynge Alchomus also
Of Ector / was cōmaunded 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 grekꝭ / 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
[Page] Now vnto me / of your gentyllesse
And nat declyne / thorugh none reklesnesse
In any poynt / from your cōmaundement
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 knyghtꝭ / 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 / as wrytte Guydo
Worthy Ector / assygned hath also
One of his bretherne / called Brymarchus
A noble knyght / in armes right famous
And hadde in manhode / passynge excellence
And of Ector / they taken haue lycence
And rode theyr waye / amonge all the prces
Thorughe the gate / of Dardanydes.
The fyfte warde / to haue at his ledynge
Was by Ector / cōmytted to the kynge
That of Cesoyne lorde / and prynce was
And to his brother / called Pollydamas
And Cysones / were of hye stature
And myghty in armes / passyngly endure
Vpon whom / full many man behelde
And theyr kynge / bare no thynge in his shelde
But a felde of Gowlys / as I fynde
Of other sygne / Guydo maketh no mynde
And forth he rode / a full sterne pas
This noble kynge / and Pollydamas
Whan they hadde / of Ector leue take
Whiche euer in one / full besy was to make
The sixte warde / with all his dylygence
And to the kynge / called Pretemense
That was full worthy / bothe in werre & pees
And to a Duke / that hyght Sterepes
Whiche was also / full worthy of his honde
He toke the folke / of Pauonye londe
Them to gouerne / in the felde that daye
The whiche people / hath in custome aye
Without plate / hawberion or mayle
On swyfte hors / theyr foomen for to assayle
With myghty bowes / & arrowes sharpe groūde
Thorugh an harneys / mortally to wounde
And with this folke / of Ector eke also
Deyphebus / assygned was to go
In the felde / to guyde them and to lede
And on theyr waye / they faste gan them spede
But or they passe / by Dardanydes
Full discrtely / Ector for them chees
Pauyseres / cladde in mayle and plate
Them cōmaundynge / at yssynge of the gate
And with the Archers / into felde to gone
And many worthy / well armed euerychone
To awayte on them / that they were nat lore
For this folke / that I of spake tofore
Of Pauonye / hadde none armure
But prudent Ector / for to make them sure
Out of Agrest / the myghty regyowne
Hath chosen out / full worthy of renowne
The beste knyghtes / of them euerychon
And with two kynges / Esdras and Phyon
Assygned them / for to take hede
To the fotemen / whan that they haue nede
The whiche Phyon / made full rychely
Rode in a chare / all of Yuory
Of whiche the wheles / wrought full curyous
Were of a tree / Ycalled Ebenus
The whiche tree / groweth ferre in ynde
Blacke of hewe / and also as I fynde
Whan it is korue / this tree wyll wexe anone
Of his nature / harde as any stone
Whan it is graue / eyther rounde or square
And of pure golde / roued was this chare
[Page] Fret with perle / and many ryche stonys
That such a nother / I trowe now ther none is
In all this worlde / it I shall nat fayne
And it was ladde / of myghty knyghtꝭ twayne
Men of armes / within and withoute
Armed in stele / rydynge rounde aboute
This worthy kynges / Esoras and Phyon
And Ector hath called / to hym anone
One of his bretherne / what so that be falle
To be guyde / and leder of them alle.
The name of whom / was Pyktagoras
And to the great / Troyan Eneas
Of whom tofore / made is mencyon
Ector / by goode delyberacyon
The .vij. warde / assygned hath to kepe
And vpon stedys / lusty for to lepe
Of suche as were / vsed moche to ryde
Full manly knyghtes / to houe by his syde
Whiche with Emphranye / vnto Troye towne
Come so ferre / from theyr regyowne
To fostre them / for Ectors sake
And whan they hadde / of hym leue take
They rode full proudely / forthe with Eneas
Out at the gate / a wonder knyghtly pas
The brode felde / tyll they haue atteyned
And in this whyle / Ector hath ordayned
Lyke myn Auctour / as I can reherce
The eyght warde / of the folke of Perce
Worthy knyghtes / manly and ryght wyse
The whiche were / cōmytted to Paryse
On hym that day / to awayte besyly
To whom Ector / full benyngnely
Spake and sayde / at his departynge
O brother myn / in all maner thynge
Whan thou art passed / by Dardanydes
This daye to ferre / put the nat in prees
Amonge grekes / nor in Iupardye
Leste thy foon / in myschefe the espye
To whom they haue / of olde and newe date
In theyr hertes full fresshe / and mortall hate
The fyre of which / their breste hath so enbraced
That it were harde / out to be arraced
Wherfore brother / loke that thou be
In all wyse / nat to ferre fro me
But kepe the nye / that no mysauentoure
Falle vpon the / so that I may socoure
This day to the / myn owne brother dere
To whom Parys / with full humble chere
Answered and sayde / that in euery thynge
He wolde obeye / vnto his byddynge
And rode his waye / anone with his meyne
Into the felde / out of the Cyte
And Ector / aye dyde his besynesse
The nynthe warde / in ordre for to dresse
Whiche he thought / hymselfe for to lede
In whiche he put / sothly as I rede
Fyue thousande knyghtꝭ / borne of troye towne
The worthyest / and grettest of renowne
And passyngly famous / in knyghthode
Borne by descent / of troyans blode.
¶And of his bretherne / he toke with hym ten
Suche as he knewe / for moost manly men
That were forayne / fro stocke of regallye
Out of the lyne / borne in bastardye
Whom Ector had / in great chyerte
For the knyghthode / he coude in themse
And whan he hadde / by knyghtly purueaunce
All his wardes set / in gouernaunce
Lyke Mars hymselfe / faste gan hym spede
Without abode / for to take his stede
Whiche was in bokes / called Gallathe
Of all hors / hauynge the soueraygnete
As ferre as men / ryde in any coste
Of whom Dares / maketh so great a boste
Of shape of hyghte / and also of fayrenesse
Of strengthe of loke / and of great swyftenesse
So lyke an hors / perfourmed out and oute
And w t a wyer / men myght hym turne aboute
Lyke as Dares / maketh mencyowne
Of whom Ector / rode thorugh troye towne
Armed at all / that came hym wonder well
From foot to hede / full rychely euerydell
That shone as bryght / as sonne on somers day
And to pryam / he helde the right way
And whan that he / was come to the kynge
He reherseth / in ordre euery thynge
How he hath done / and all his ordynaunce
And lowly sayde / so it be pleasaunce
To your noble / royall excellence
I haue chosen / with besy dylygence
A thousande knyghtes / full of suffysaunce
With fyue houndred / to haue attendaunce
On your persone / alway where ye be
With all footmen / that be in the Cyte
That shall awayte / on you euer in one
Wherfore my lorde / as faste as we are gone
Lowly I praye / to your worthynesse
To sewe vs / by good aduysenesse
Out at the towne / alwaye eke that ye
Togydre kepe / your knyghtes and meyne
[Page] This I beseche / with all my full myght
Within the boundes / where as we shall fyght
That ye suffre none / of them passe
But kepe ye hole / in the selfe place
At wyxe vs / and this stronge Cyte
If we haue nede / that ye may aye se
Vs to releue / kepynge you asyde
And specyally there / for to abyde
Where moste is lyckely / our partye to sustene
For euer amonge / there shall men go betwene
Of our expleyt / the trouthe to reporte
For whiche parte / Mars lyste the felde to sorte
Of his power / this ylke day fatalle
For ye shalbe / our castell and our walle
And our refuge / to saue vs from all smerte
And specyally / one thynge ye aduerte
That no disceyte / fraude nor treasowne
Compassyd be behynde / to the towne
Of our foon / thorugh our reklesnesse
Whyles that we do / our besynesse
Agaynste them / in the felde to fyght
In all wyse / therto hath a syght
That no thynge tourne / vnto our damage
Thoughe our engyne / but worke as the sage
With victorye / that we may conclude
So that grekes / with fraude vs nat delude
By no engyne / of vn ware vyolence
Hopynge alway / that it is none offence
To your hyghnes / that I haue here sayde
And with that worde / Pryamus in abrayde
Benyngnely of chere / and countenaunce
And sayde Ector / my sothfast suffysaunce
My fynall truste / and supportacion
In thy wyse / disposycion
Hoolly I putte / as thou lyste ordayne
For next god / if I shall nat fayne
My fayth my hope / and all my sykernesse
And my welfare / in very sothfastnesse
Cōmytted behole / into thy hande
And gouernaunce / playnely of my lande
As thou ordaynest / it must nedes be
And this prayer / I make now for the
To the goddes / aboue celestyall
The to preserue / in partye and in all
From eche myschefe / and aduersyte
That thou mayste home / to this Cyte
Repayre in honour / with laude and victorye
So that the prayse / renowne and memorye
Of thy name be put / in remembraunce
Perpetuelly / thyne honour to auaunce
And fare now well / myn owne sone dere
And Ector tho / with full humble chere
His leue toke / and forthe he rode anone
Amonge his lordes / and knyghtes euerychone
As he that was rote / of all noblesse
Of knyghthod groūde / of strength & hardynesse
The very stocke / and therto inuyncyble
For asmoche / as it was possyble
That nature myght hym graunte / or kynde
Touchynge manhode / in bokes as I fynde
He hadde in hym / soueraygne excellence
And gouernaunce / medlyd with prudence
That nought a sterte hȳ / he was so wyse & ware
And in his shelde / I fynde that he bare
Vpon his breste / this Troyan champyon
The chief of golde / of Gowlys alyon
Depeynt therm / and in his baner bete
The selfe same / and so amydde the strete
He toke the waye / to Dardanydes
That to beholde / huge was the prees
Noyse of trumpettes / and of claryons
Baners vnrolled / and longe fresshe penons
Of rede and whyte / grene blewe and blake
And in this wyse / Ector hath I take
The felde without / w t herte and hole entent
As Mars hymselfe / hadde be present
And they that he / as Guydo maketh mynde
Rode with the warde / that lafte was behynde
Of his manhode / he wolde nat abyde
But smote his stede / sherpely in the syde
Of fell courage / he hath his hors so payned
The firste warde / that he hath attayned
By vale and hylle / to fore in the frounteres
Nat astoned / of the fell cheres
Of the grekes / nor platly nat aferde
But lyke a knyght / euen afore theyr berde
He gan prease in / as theyr foo mortall
And in this whyle / vpon Troye wall
In sondry place / on the hye toures
As fresshe besene as May / is with his floures
The ladyes be ascended / of the towne
So fayre so yonge / stondynge enuyrowne
The quene Eleyne / passynge fayre to sene
The kynges doughtres / and goodly Polycene
And many other / whiche of womanhede
In herte were / full of besy drede
Inly a gaste / and of fere a frayde
Whan they behelde / in the felde displayde
The brode baners / that some of tendernesse
Some of loue / and some of kyndenesse
[Page] Pale and dredefull / for theyr lordes were
And some theyr faces / hydde eke for fere
That were nat bolde / to lyfte vp theyr syght
To beholde the armure / clere and bryght
So glyterynge / agayne the sonne shene
Theyr hertes tendre / myght nat sustene
And in theyr drede / thus I [...]ette them dwelle
ANd of grekes / forth I shall you telle
If so be / ye lyste / abyoe a whyle
For now must I / my fordulled style
Agayne direct / to Agamenon
Well may I make / an exclamacyon
On ignoraunce / that standeth so in my lyght
Whiche causeth me / with a full clowdy syght
In my makynge / to speke of the werre
For lacke of termes / I must nedes erre
Connyngely / my wardes for sette
Cruell Allector / is besy me to lette
The nyghtes doughter / blynded by derkenesse
By crafte of armes / the trouthe to expresse
In ordre dewe / a felde to descryue
And Chauncer now / alas is nat alyue
Me to refourme / or to be my rede
For lacke of whom / slower is my spede
The noble Rethor / that all dyde excelle
For in makynge / he dranke of the welle
Vnder Pernaso / that the muses kepe
On whiche hylle / I myght neuer slepe
Vnneth slombre / for whiche alas I playne
But for all this / there is no more to sayne
Thoughe my wede / be nat Polymyte
Coloures forth / I wyll endyte
As it cometh / euen to my thought
Playnely to wryte / how y • kynghath wrought
The manly knyght / great Agamenon
Lyke as the Latyn / maketh mencyou.
¶What troweye / that he in his entent
Was founde slowe / outher neclygent
On grekes halfe / his wardes for to make
Nay nay nat so / for hym lyste to wake
That tyme more / sothly than to slepe
For lyke a kynge / that day the felde to kepe
No neclygence / myght his herte fade
For in that daye / I fynde that he made
Sixe and twenty wardes / by and by
So well deuysed / and so prudently
That no man myght / amende his ordynaunce
And of the firste / he gaue gouernaunce.
To the manfull / noble Patroclus
That w t hym ladde / myn Auctour telleth thus
Myrundones / so myghty and so stronge
With all the folke / that to Achylles longe
Besyde thylke / that were of his meyne
Whiche that he brought / out of his countre
At his cōmynge / to the sege of Troye
And he rode forth / with them on his waye
Into the felde / and made no delay
Now fyll it so / on the same day
That Achylles kepte hym / in his tente
And for sykenesse / that daye out ne wente
For his lechesse / made hym to abstene
For his woundes / fresshe were and grene
That he caught / on the day tofore
Whiche for to hele / of theyr akynge sore
He by counsayle / kepte hymselfe close
And from his bed / that day nat ne rose
In hope oonly / the bettre to endure
Whan that he was / restored vnto cure
But all his men / he toke to Patroclus
Whiche was marmes / passyngely famous
And be descent / come of great kynrede
And was also / of hym as I rede
Haboundaunt of golde / and of rychesse
And ferre cōmended / for his gentyllesse
And hadde a name / of hye discresyon
Now were they aye / of suche affeccyon
Of entyer loue / trouthe and faythfulnesse
So great desyre / and inwarde kyndenesse
Besy thenkynge / and so great feruence
So moche frenshyp / & thoughtfull aduertence
So huge brennynge / passynge amerous
Betwyxe Achylles / and this Patroclus
That theyr hertes were / locked in a chayne
And what so euer / if I shall nat fayne
The ton hath wrought / as broder vnto brother
In herte it was / confermed of the tother
For wyll and goodes / bothe were comune
And to the deth / they 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
[Page] The thyrde warde / to kynge Astalapho
And to his sone / that hyght Phylymene
With the knyghtes that came / for cu [...]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 / s [...]or [...]ely to termyne
With the to [...]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 [...]ede
And Humerus the kynge / eke dyde lede
The fy [...]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 / cōmytted 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 / y t 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
[Page] 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 shalbe 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 / inly great desyre
To spoyle hym / of his armure anone
In whiche there was / full many ryche stone
Bothe of rubyes / and Saphyres ynde
For that dayes / playnely as I fynde
Kynges lordes / and knyghtes this no naye
To batayle went / in theyr beste araye
And sothly Ector / whan he firste gan se
The multytude of stones / and pe [...]re
On Patro [...]lus / so oryent and sheyne
Vpon his arme / he hynge his hors reyne
The meane whyle / whyle he of hole entent
To catche his praye / was so dylygent
Of couetyse / in theyr alder syghtes
Tyll Meryon / with thre thousāde knyghtes
Armed in stele / rounde aboute hym alle
Is sodaynely / vpon Ector falle
The dede corps / of Patroclus to saue
That his purpose / Ector may nat haue
At lyberte / the ryche kynge to spoyle
Whiche caused hym / in angre for to boyle
To whom the kynge / called Meryon
Irous and wode / sayde amonge echon
O gredy Lyon / O wolfe moste tauynous
O hatefull Tygre / passynge enuyous
Of Auaryce / O beste in saturable
And of desyre / sothly vnstaunchable.
Vpon this praye / thou shalt y • nat now fede
Go elles where / to sewe for thy mede
For truste well / in conclusyon
[Page] Fyfty thousande / to thy destruccyon
Of one entent / playnely wyll nat fayle
Thyne hatefull pry [...]e / attones for to assayle
And sodaynely with speres / sharpe whette
On euery halfe / they gan hym besette
Maugre his force / his myght & his manhode
Enforcynge them to a refte hym his stede
That soth fastely / of great vyolence
He constrayned / for all his stronge defence
As sayth Guydo to falle vpon his kne
But thorugh his myght / and magnanymyte
He of manhode / hath his horse recured
And maugre grekes / is so moche assured
In his strengthe / and in his great myght
That he recured / lyke a worthy knyght
His stede agayne / amyddes of his foon
And right as syne / he rode to Meryon
Full desyrous / on hym auenged be
In his furye of hasty cruelte
For therupon / was sette all his delyte
That in his mortall / [...]lody appety [...]e
In very sothe / he had hym slayne anoon
Saue y • the kynge / whiche called was Glacon
Came to rescue hym / with kynge Theseus
And his sone that hyght Archylogus
As I haue tolde / Meryon to reskewe
And th [...]e thousande knyghtes / gan hym sewe
Full al [...]ted attones / in batayle
For lyfe or d [...]th Ector to assayle
In awayte / vnware on hym to sette
But al this whyle / with whom y • euer he mette
With his swerde / he kylled and bare downe
That fynally / there gayneth no raunsowne
For any greke / that durste with hym mete
At departynge felte full vnswete.
He made a waye / aboute hym euery where
That they fledde hym / as the deth for fere
For where he rode / he made a patthe ful playne
And as I rede / to Patroclus agayne
He is repeyred / to spoyle hym if he myght
Amyd the felde / in the grekes syght
As he wolde his praye nat lyghtly lete
Tyll I dumee the myghty kynge of Crete
With two thousande / cladde in plate & mayle
Worthy kynghtes / Ector to assayle
Whyles that he was / so desyrous
As I haue tolde / to spoyle Patroclusi
And newe agayne / to his confusyon
Lyke as I fynde / came kynge Meryon
And or Ector myght take hede
They of force / refte hym his stede
That sothely he / there was none other boote
Compelled was / for to fyght on foote
And of knyghode / his herte he resumeth
And w t his swerde / aboute hym he consumeth
All that withstande / bothe hors and man
And furyously / this troyan knyght began
Armes legges shuldres / by the boon
To hewe of amydde / his mortall foon
That grekes myght / afore hym nat sustene
And as I rede / that he slewe fyftene
Of them that were / besy hym to take
And such a slaughter / he gan amōge thē make
That they ne durste / abyde afore his face
And Meryon / in the selfe place
This meane whyle / toke vp Patroclus
With heuy chere / and face full pyruous
And on his [...]tede / he layde it hym beforne
And to his tente / anone he hath it borne
Alwaye grekes / in theyr cruell mode
Aboute Ector / furyous and wode
Felly a [...]ode / fyghtynge vpon fote
Of whiche / some felte vnlote
That presumed / vpon hym to presse
But of manhode / they ne wolde cesse
To besette hym / on euery syde
Hauynge a truste / in theyr great pryde
Fynally at myschefe / hym to take
For they dempte / he myght nat escape
Theyr handes shortly / by none aduenture
Nor his stede / by lyklyhede recure
For of force / they caste hym to lette
And all attones / gan on hym to sette
And specyally / amonge them euerychone
I fynde in sothe / howe that there was one
A grekysshe knyght / of right worthy fame
And Caryon / playnely was his name
That hym aforced / Ector to oppresse
Whan he was moste / in myschefe and distresse
Besette with grekes / hym enuyrownynge
Tyll of fortune / on hym awaytynge
The longe daye / in that felle fyght
To his rescuse / there came atroyan knyght
Mydde of grekes / whan he was besette
And toke .ij. dartes / sharpe and kene whette
And furyously / firste he shoke the toon
And thorugh the herte / he smote this Caryon
That the darte / into the felde gan glyde
By plate and mayle / thorughout outher syde
That fatally / of that dedely wounde
[Page] This Caryon / glode anone to grounde
Amonge an hondred / knyghtes of his ferys
Afore conspyred / with theyr felle cherys
To a slayne Ector / by some maner waye
But eft agayne / this yonge knyght of troye
Full delyuerly / raughte a nother spere
And caste at one / that he sawe afere
Auaunce hymselfe / on Ector in the felde
And thorugh his platys / playnely & his shelde
Lyne right / that he ne shulde asterte
Of very myght / roofe hym thorughe the herte
And after that / in all the haste he coude
Vpon Troyans / he gan to crye loude
To enhaste them / knyghtly to socoure
Whorthy Ector / that stode in aduentoure
Amonge Grekes / hauynge no refute
Sool he hymselfe / of helpe destytute
At whiche crye / on grekes all vnware
Firste of all / came worthy Cyncybare
That brother was / to Ector in baste borne
And hymselfe rydynge / all toforne
And the knyghtes / of whiche he was guyde
Wonder proudely / pryckynge by his syde
Sodaynely / bothe one and alle
In a frosshe / be on the grekes falle
That hadde Ector / rounde beset aboute
And thorugh manhode / of this great route
That be enbosshed / on them at the backe
Threhondred knyghtes / of whiche y t I spacke
For astoned / gan them to withdrawe
But thurty firste / cruelly were slawe
And maugre them / Ector of manhede
Amyd the felde / taken hath his stede
And entred is / in amonge the prees
And he that daye / of knyghthode pereles
Whyle he helde / his blody swerde in honde
All tho / that agayne hym stonde
There was no helpe / playnely nor no rede
But that he brake / and karfe a two the threde
And the knotte / of cruell Antropos
Onely for he was / let of his purpose
At good leyser / to spoyle Patroclus
Therfore in Ire / wode and Furyous
Full cruelly grekes / quytte theyr mede
Whiche from his face / faste gan them spede
Whose sharpe swerde / bathed in theyr blode
Was dyed rede / for it dyde hym gode
Vpon them / auenged for to be
For that daye / a lyon played he
Vpon grekes / his manhode for to haunte
For he theyr pryde / so mortally gan daunte
That they hym fledde / where that he rode
Makynge all hote / the streyntes of theyr blode
Endelonge to renne / vpon the grene
Tyll the tyme / the Duke of great Athene
That called was / whylom Menesteus
With thre thousande / knyghtes full famous
Of whiche he was / bothe lorde and guyde
The felde hath take / vpon the lefte syde
For a deceyte / in full secrete wyse
¶Where Troylus was / with the folke of Fryse
Whiche hath that daye / who so lyste to seke
By his knyghthode / kylled many greke
Lyke a Tygre / gredy on his pray
Troylus bare hym / all the longe day
Sleynge of grekes / many worthy knyght
And whyle that he was / besyest in fyght.
Agayne his foon / with kynge Antipus
And the kynge / that hyght Alchanus
Vpon grekes Ylyche / fresshe and newe
Makynge theyr sydes / all of blody hewe
By one assent this thre / thorugh theyr māhede
And specyally / vpon his bay stede
Where so euer / that this Troylus rode
Euery greke / that his swerde abode
Sodaynely / he made for to sterue
Thorugh theyr plates / so depe he gan kerue.
And this contynued / tyll duke Meneste
Of Troylus sawe / the great cruelte
And the slaughtre / that he of grekes made
Of hasty Ire / with face pale and fade
Hent a spere / and threwe it in the rest
And Troylus smette / euen amyd the brest
So sternely / that maugre his renowne
To the erthe / anone he bare hym downe
In the myddes / of his mortall foon
That cruelly / hym besette anoon
And hym to treyne / layde out oke and lase
Rounde aboute / in maner of compase
With spere & darte / and swerdes forged bryght
But he hymselfe / diffendeth lyke a knyght
With great manhode / his honour to auaunce
Albe his lyfe / was hanged in balaunce
Where he stode / and felte full vnswete
In poynt of deth / amonge the horse fete
With great awayte / of Duke Meneste
Howe this Troylus / myght haue take be
Of mortall hate / castynge in his thought
At myschefe take / that he escape nought
On euery halfe / he was so besette
[Page] With swerdes rounde / kene grounde & whette
Alone alas / mortally bestadde
They seased hym / & forth they haue hym ladde
Tyll Myseres / a worthy knyght of troye
Gan to crye / as he stode in the waye
Sore abasshed / in right furyous wyse
O ye noble / worthy men of Fryse
Manly knyghtes / aye preuyd in the felde
Moste renowmed / bothe with spere and shelde
Consyder nowe / vnto your hye fame
And aduerte / the glorye of your name
How this daye / thorugh your neclygence
By the power / and myghty vyolence
Of the grekes / Troylus is ytake
Sool in the felde / for ye haue hym forsake
That shall rebounde / to your alder shame
For ye in sothe / greatly are to blame
If he that is / of worthynesse floure
Be take of grekes / for lacke of socoure
That but if ye take / hasty wreche
Shamefull reporte / your honour shall apeche
Perpetuelly / and sayde therof amys
In your defaute / that Troylus taken is
Whiche named be / so worthy and famous
And with that worde / the kynge Alkamous
Of melancolye / felte his herte ryue
And in his Ire / hente a spere blyue
And pryckynge after / enhateth what he myght
Tyll he of them / playnely had a syght
That besy were Troylus / for to [...]ede
And he full knyghtly / syttynge on his stede
Ran one thorugh / that he fell downe dede
And efte agayne / pale and no thynge rede
In his rancoure / no lenger wolde lette
But a greke / the firste that he mette
Thorugh the body / smet he with a spere
That men myght se / the poynt a fere
By breste and plate / thorugh the shulder bone
That to the grounde / he fell downe dede anone
And therwithall / the worthy Fryses alle
Came flokmele downe / and on grekes falle
So myghtely / that maugre theyr diffence
They sette vpon / with so great vyolence
That Troylus / is from all daunger fre
And thorugh theyr knyghtly / magnanymyte
They made hym / to recure his stede
And specyally helpynge / in this nede
Was zantipus / the stronge manly kynge
Whiche of disdayne / at his in cōmynge
Ou Meneste / gan his spere grate
And thorugh his shelde / mayle & thycke plate
So sore he smote / that this Meneste
Hadde be dede / ne hadde his armour be
Whiche for Ire / gan to tremble and shake
That Troylus was / from his hondes take
And escaped / to be prysoner
Despyte his berde / and maugre his power
Wherfore he gan / of hasty hote enuye
On his knyghtes / furyously to crye
That were so myghty / renowmed and stronge
To payne them / for to venge his wronge
Vpon Troyans / to mete them in the face
And they in hast / gan myghtely enbrace
Theyr sharpe speres / grounde for to byte
And felly foyne / and togydre smyte
For tho began / the great mortall werre
The fyre brast out / shene as any sterre
On basenertes / and theyr plates bryght
That thorugh y • felde / flaumeth y e fereful lyght
To lyfe nor deth / they toke tho no hede
And downe the playne / both in lengthe & brede
The wardes gan / proudely to auale
And with lokes / of enuye pale
They aproche / and assemble yfere
In hate brennynge / that no man may stere
And gan hurte / with spere swerde and darte
And mortally / vpon euery parte
The slaughter gan / greatly for to rewe
And Ylyche alwaye / newe and newe
Ector grekes / thorugh his worthynesse
Where he rode / manly dyde oppresse
And mercylesse / slowe them and bare downe
Now here now there / without excepcyowne
So furyously / that routhe was to se
And than of newe / the duke Meneste
Repayred is / with enuyous herte
From his hondes / that Troylus so a sterte
And for the slaughter / eke of his meynee
That where he rode / he besy was to s [...]ee
The troyan people / whan he myght them mete
For to auenge hym / for nothynge wolde he lete
Tyll casuelly / amonges all the prees
A knyght he mette / that hyght Miserees
Whiche in despyte / of this Meneste
Hadde at the reskus / of worthy Troylus be
And maugre hym / put hym from his pray
And so befelle / on the selfe day
As they mete / agayne of aduenture
That Meneste / by his cote armure
Marked hym / by armes that he bare
[Page] And sodaynely / or that he was ware
Or that he / myght take any hede
Furyously / on his sterne stede
And with a spere / amyd the renges alle
Bare hym ouer / and made hym for to falle
Maugre his myght / to the erthe downe
And than I fynde / how the kynge Hupowne
Descended is / the storye lyste nat lye
Two thousande knyghtes / in his companye
Whiche on grekes / felly gan to sette
And in y • berde / kynge Prothenor them mette
And Archelaus / the noble werryour
Of Boece / lorde and gouernour
With helpe oonly / of this Prothenor
Lyke a tygre / or a wood boor
Gan troyans / assayle to the deth
And many one / that daye he sleeth
But kynge Hupon / thorugh his chyualrye
That tyme / in his melancolye
Full many greke / gaue his dethes wounde
And thus they gan / eche other to confounde
Suche mortall hate / amonges them there was
Tyll of Fortune / a knyght Pollydamas
On troye syde / sone of Anthenor
With his knyghtes / and hymselfe tofor
Is on grekes / of enuyous pryde
Myd theyr wardes / falle in a syde
And gan breke them / & knyghtly to disseuer
Agayne whose swerde / they myght nat ꝑseuer
He was on them / so inly furyous
And hym to helpe / came the kynge Remus
With a wynge / on that other parte
Brekynge in / with many spere and darte
Agayne grekes / with thre thousande knyghtes
That to beholde / how felly that he fyghtes
It was in sothe / vnto them of troye
A very luste / and a heuenly ioye
To se now grekes / brake asondre
That the noyse / loude as any thondre
In the felde / of strokes gan aryse
And whyle Remus / as ye haue herde deuyse
Vpon grekes / was so enuyous
Into the felde / came Menelaus
With his worthy knyghtes / of Spartense
Agayne Remus / to make resystence
And full proudely / makynge no delaye
This worthy Remus / and kynge Menelaye
On hors backe / with sharpe speres whette
Myd the felde / of enuye mette
And thorugh / their manly prowesse & renowne
From hors backe / eche bare other downe
For none the stroke / of other myght shone
And in that whyle / of Anthenor the sone
Pollydamas / lusty fresshe and lyght
As he that was / in his delyuer myght
And desyrous / to honour to atteyne
Mette in the felde / the neuewe of Eleyne
The myghty duke / called Mereus
Flourynge in youthe / and right vertuous
Fresshe armed newe / and lusty of courage
And was in sothe / but twenty yere of age
Whiche of so yonge / was a noble knyght
Right renowmed / bothe of herte and myght
But of Fortune / it befell alas
The troyan knyght / daūz Pollydamas
With a spere / thorugh shelde mayle and plate
Hytte hym so / that by cruell fate
Amonge grekes / that he felle downe dede
Of whiche thynge / whan Menelay toke hede
And sawe hym lye / slayne on the grene
In his herte / remembrynge on the quene
The quene Eleyne / whose neuewe he was
For dole of whiche / a full delyuer pas
To Remus rode / in his cruelte
Also ferre / as he myght hym se
And full knyghtly / mette hym in the berde
And smette at hym / with his sharpe swerde
Vpon the hede / in his hatefull tene
That of his stede / he myght nat sustene
His wounde was / so passyngely mortall
That with the stroke / and the pryllous fall
His knyghtes wende / dede he hadde be
And hent hym vp / and began to fle
To troye warde / with hym a great paas
But it befell / that Pollydamas
The maner of them / whan that he behelde
Made them repayre / knyghtly into felde
Excepte that some / as they in byddynge hadde
Worthy Remus / home to troye ladde
Pale and dede / with his woundes wyde
And tho came in / on the grekes syde.
Celydys / the lusty fresshe kynge
Of whom Dares / sayth in his wrytynge
And for a sothe / in his boke lyste telle
How Celydys / all other dyde excelle
Bothe in beaute / and in semelyhede
Of shape of porte / and of goodlyhede
Surmountynge all / as Dares lyste descryue
As in fayrenesse / all tho alyue
All his lymmes / compact were so clene
[Page] And as I rede / the yonge fresshe quene
Of Fumynye / whiche was of beaute floure
Kynge Celydys / loued Paramoure
That vpon hym / was hooly hir pleasaunce
He was so prynted / in hir remembraunce
For chefe resorte / sothely of hir herte
Was vpon hym / euery houre to aduerte
For fynally / he departed nought
Day nor nyght / nor houre out of hir thought
For he was fully / all hir owne knyght
But of Fortune / he lusty fresshe and lyght
Smote his stede / sharply in the syde
Of surquedye / and proudely gan to ryde
Of mortall hate / a full Furyous paas
Right as lyne / to Pollydamas
And with a spere / made hym for to flytte
From his sadell / in whiche he dyde sytte
He marked hym / with so great a myght
But agaynewarde / this manly troyan knyght
Pollydamas / with a despytous face
Or Celydys / departed fro the place
With aswerde / so smet hym on the hede
From his stede / that he fylle downe dede
Whiche to grekes / was great confusyon
And all this tyme / fyerser than lyon
Ector grekes / knyghtly gan enchace
And ofte made them / for to lese theyr place
Where euer he rode / of necessyte
Afore his swerde / he made them for to fle
Suche vengeaunce / he hath on them take
That they the felde / were fayne to forsake
And to pursewe / wolde he neuer fyne
Tyll amonge the people / of Salomyne
Ector mette / the worthy kynge famous
That was theyr lorde / and hyght Thesalus
That many Troyan / that day hadde slawe
And as Ector / towarde hym gan drawe
Kynge Tenter / that was of grece also
A manly knyght / and prudent bothe two
Raught a spere / in all the haste he can
And vnwarely / vnto Ector ran
And thorughe his shelde / plate & mayle of stele
The sperehede / forged was so wele
So sharpe and square / and so kene grounde
That he gaue Ector / full peryllous wounde
But as Ector / reyne gan his stede
Proude Tenter / to aquyte his mede
He full wysely / in all the haste he myght
Was right ferre seuered / from his syght
Wherof Ector / melancolyous
And of herte / wood and furyous
For the akynge / of his wounde grene
In haste to auenge / the constreynte of his ten [...]
What greke after / shortly that he mette
That was so bolde / his waye to with sette
Without mercy / he was his deth anone
And as I rede / he encountred one
Whiche of pryde / wolde hym dyuerte
Whom with his swerde / he rose to the herte
Thorugh his harneys / of melancolye
The whiche stroke / whan grekes gan espye
They astoned / of one entencyon
Peryllously / besette hym enuyron
And suche assaute / gan aboute hym make
Thorugh theyr māhode / if they myght hȳ take
And of accorde / with great multytude
Cruelly / they gan hym to include
By lyklyhede / in that mortall stryfe
He myght nat escape / with the lyfe
On hym they were / so fell and enuyous
Tyll that a kynge / whiche hyght Theseus
On grekes syde / oonly of gentyllesse
Suche routhe caughe / vpon his distresse
To se hym stande / so nye vpon the wrake
Thus vnto hym / of manly pytespake.
O Flour of knyghthode / rote of hardynes
Welle of manhode / stok of worthynes
Why lyst y • nat / to haue none aduertēce
Thy lyf to saue / of knyghtly prouydēce
But wylfully / where moste is to drede
Thy lyfe Iupardest / and take lyste no hede
In mortall peryll / how thou arte besette
Amonge so many / closed and yshette
Alone alas / deuoyde of all socoure
And to thy selfe / wylt do no fauoure
But as Fortune / lyketh to ordayne
That euery wyght / ought to complayne
To beholde / that so noble a knyght
Whiche thorugh the world / cast so clere a lyght
In worthynesse / and wyll hym nat withdrawe
Reklesly / this day to be slawe
So pyteously / thy persone for to lese
Withdrawe thy hande / yet syth y u mayst chese
Thy hye prowesse / compelleth me to preye
At suche myschefe / that thou nat ne deye
And whan Ector / of hym gan take hede
He thanked hym / of his goodlyhede
And maugre sothly / the power & the myght
[Page] Of the grekes / lyke a worthy knyght
He scapyd is / myd of all his foon
And went his waye / thorugh them euerychon
His blody swerde / alway in his honde
And in his waye / Pollydamas he fonde
Full lyke a man / with all his besy payne
Diffende hymself / agayne the kynges twayne
Menelay / and Thelamonyus
Whiche vpon hym / were full Furyous
And w t a spere / this greke this Thelamowne
Pollydamas / smote to the erthe downe
Compellynge hym / there was none other vote
Agayne them two / for to fyghte on fote
Assentyd fully / on hym to be wroke
And firste they haue / he wen and to broke
The myghty charnelle / of his basenet
And whan his vyser / after was smet
And his face naked / was and bare
They felle on hym / in that mortall snare
And toke hym / the storye can deuyse
And sent hym forth / in full cruell wyse
Towarde grekes / with many worthy knyght
But whan Ector / therof had a syght
And sawethe myschefe / of Pollydamas
He caste fully / to socoure in this caas
And prycked after / wooder than lyon
And where he rode / aboute hym enuyron
With his swerde / he made a large space
Tyll he came / to the same place
Amonges greke / furyous and wode
Pollydamas / the selfe tyme stode
Socourles / from all remedye
Tyll that he / on Ector caste his Eye
That grekes made / hastely withdrawe
And thurty firste of them he hath slawe
And seuered them / maugre all theyr pryde
Tofore his swerde / they durste nat abyde
Agaynst hym / nor make none obstacle
But of knyghthode / by very hye myracle
Pollydamas / in myschefe firste awhaped
From grekes honde / frely is escaped
But fresshely tho / the kynge Epystrophns
Menelay / and Thelamonyus
With all theyr knyghtes / togydre hole & cloos
Agayne Troyans / to gette them aloos
Be of newe entred / in batayle
With great strengthe / and passynge apparayle
That myghtely / troyans they compelle
In theyr waye / that they dare nat dwelle
Natwithstandynge / theyr great worthynesse
Nor of Ector / the knyghtly hye prowesse
That fought so manly / that tyme as I rede
But cowardely / they haue slayne his stede
That he constrayned was / to fyght on fote
That many greke / felte full vnsote
For there was none / that aboute hym stode
With his swerde / that he ne shadde his blode
Though he so thycke / aboute was be layne
He voyded them / and made aspace playne
In compasse rounde / behynde and eke afore
And on his fete / so well he hath hym bore
That day / that greke was none certayne
That harby was / hande on hym to layne
He was so stronge / and sturdy as a wall
And whan his brethren / called naturall
Sawe hym a fote / amyd of all his foon
On a frusshe / they felle in euerychon
And founde hym / the storye maketh mynde
Diffende hymselfe / lyke a Tygre in ynde
And hym to helpe / thorugh theyr hye renowne
They felle firste / on kynge Thelamowne
For he on Ector / was so cruell founde
They gaue to hym / many blody wounde
Tyll one of them / named Dyndaron
Hath so ferre / amonge the rengys gon
And bore hym so / oonly of manhede
That he hath wonne / a passynge myghty stede
And brought to Ector / sothly there he stode
Amonge grekes / all bathed in theyr blode
The whiche in haste / full knyghtly he be strode
And amōge them lyke / Mars hymself he rode
Full many greke / makynge for to sterue
And with his swerde / whetted for to kerue
He daunted hath / theyr enuyous pryde
Tyll Dephebus / entrede in a syde
Into the felde / with a knyghtly chere
And with hym brought / many good Archere
Of Poeme / whiche with theyr arrowes kene
And with fethers of pecok / fresshe and shene
Vpon grekes / haue the felde recured
In they shotte / they were so moche assured
That thorugh mayle / and thycke plate of stele
They perced haue / theyr harneys euerydele
And Dephebus / full lyke a manly man
To kynge Tentran / on hors backe tho ran
And furyously / gan his swerde enbrace
And wounded hym / euen amyd the face
Thorughe the vyser / in his felle tene
On hors backe / he myght nat sustene
And thus Troyans / on grekes are yronne
[Page] That they agayne / haue the felde ywonne
They were on them / so yrous and so wode
But Theseus / full knyghtly them withstode
With the knyghtes / that he with hym ladde
And as I rede / Ectora brother hadde
The storye sayth / that hyght Quyntylene
yonge fresshe and lusty / armed bryght & shene
Whiche with the kynge / called Modernus
Is proudely falle / vpon Theseus
And these twayne / togydre of assent
Be falle on hym / with great aduysement
That fynally / to his vnhappy chaunce
w t theyr knyghthode / brought hȳ to outtraūce
And caste shortly / that he shalbe dede
Of whose purpose / as Ector gan take hede
He vnto them / of very gentery
With all his myght / loude gan to crye
Besechynge them / for no thynge that he deye
And lowely they / his byddynge dyde obeye
And them withdrewe / for to do vengeaunce
For Ector hadde / fully remembraunce
How Theseus / the same daye tofore
Towarde hym / so goodly hadde hym bore
Whan he hym sawe / in myschefe and distresse
And knyghtly thought / quyte his gentylnesse
Lyke as it logeth / to euery gentylman
And Theseus / full lowely tho began
To thanke Ector / that he was escaped
But kynge Thoas / tho hath faste raped
Into the felde / with other knyghtes manye
And specyally / with them of Calydonye
Came Phyloteas / the myghty kynge also
Agayne Troyans / for to haue ado
And firste Thoas / with a spere ran
Furyously / to Cassybelan
One of the sones / of kynge Pryamus
And gaue hym tho / a wounde so greuous
Without recure / that he fell downe dede
Of whiche stroke / whan Ector gan take hede
In his herte / gan his deth complayne
And in all haste / dyde his besy payne
On his brother / auenge hym if he myght
And many one / he made to a lyght
Thorugh his knyghthode / from his hors bake
That sothefastly / all went vnto wrake
On grekes syde / what came in his way
So worthely / he bare hym all that day
Tyll duke Nestor / is entrede into fyght
With fyue thousande / in stele armed bryght
Agayne Troyans / grekes to socoure
And with hym mette / of very auenture
The kynge Esdras / so myghty and so bolde
And kynge Phyon / in his chare of golde
With all the worthy / noble chyualrye
That from Argesta / came with Ieconye
The kynges sone / of the same lande
Full renowmed / and worthy of his hande
And as they semble / and togydre ran
The same tyme / many worthy man
Hath loste his lyfe / vpon eyther syde
And of slaughtre / with large woundes wyde
All the soyle of bodyes / that laye dede
Lyke a ryuer / ran with stremys rede
With theyr cherys / grysely pale and fade
That in the blode / men myght go and wade
To the ancle / the slaughtre / was so huge
And kynge Phyon / socour and refuge
Vnto Troyans / so bare hym in that stryfe
That many greke / he made lese his lyfe
The same day / so well his swerde was whette
But he vnwarely / so sore was besette
With multytude / of grekes rounde aboute
That of his lyfe / he playnely stode in doute
For lykely was / he myght nat escape
And of grekes / he shulde anone be take
Ne hadde he be holpe / of worthy Ieconye
That to Esdras / loude gan to crye
Alas quod he / of routhe and pyte
¶Worthy Phyon / the kynge shall take be
Amonge grekes / thorugh your neclygence
But in all haste / ye do your dylygence
For to reskewe / 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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 / w t 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 [...]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
[Page] 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 w t 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 thousāde knyghtꝭ / 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 / y • 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 w t his swerde / suche a stroke hym sette
That thorughe y • 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
[Page] 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 greue
But all for nought / was his besy payne
For Ector the / e [...]le on bothe twayne
Vpon Tenter / and on Meneste
And hadde them slayne / ne hadde Ayaxbe
Whiche vnto Ector / faste gan hym hye
A thousande knyghtes / in his companye
To withstande hym / and Meneste to saue
From his handes / if he myght hym haue
But Parys tho / and the kynge of Perce
With fyue thousande / as I can reherce
Of worthy knyghtes / and many troyan mo
Be vnto Ector / all attones go
In thryfty wyse / rydynge on a rowe
For Parys made / a trumpet to be blowe
At whiche there came / knyghtly enbataylled
Many Troyan / full well apparaylled
Whiche in the felde / of Ector were conueyed
For of one herte / they fully haue obeyed
Vnto the byddynge / of this Troyan knyght
All fresshe and newe / tobegynne a fyght
Vpon grekes / as ferforth as they can
Of whom was slayne many manly man
And aye the slaughter / pyteously reneweth
That many greke / sore in herte reweth
Theyr great losse / and destruccyowne
Wrought vpon them / by them of troye towne
And specially / of Ector as I fynde
Whiche on that day / as Dares maketh mynde
With his hande / a thousande knyghtes slowe
That neuer were / a dawed of theyr sowe
For greke dare none / in his waye dwelle
For w t his swerde / he coude them so compelle
To lese theyr grounde / of necessyte
And lyke as shepe / afore the wolfe to fle
And as I rede / amyd of this victorye
Ector mette / vnder a Tentorye.
Amonge grekes / Meryon the kynge
To whom he spake / without more taryenge
O thou traytoure / thy houre aprocheth faste
For thou arte come / sothely to thy laste
Thy fatall day / hath his course yronne
For truste well / or westrynge of the sonne
I caste platly / to quyte the thy mede
And w t my swerde / in haste thy blode to shede
For thou so bolde were / on me to day
To lette me / of my ryche pray
At the spoylynge / of kynge Patroclus
That for cause / thou were presumptuous
Me to disturbe / thou shalt anone be dede
And downe he sterte / and smote of first his hede
And hym to spoyle / also gan hym haste
But Meneste / came on hym as faste
Whan he behelde / trauerse at his backe
And with aspere / in whiche was no lacke
Smote hym in / with great vyolence
Without syght / or any aduertence
Of worthy Ector / or any takynge hede
The wounde of whom / sore gan to blede
But out he went / and made it faste bynde
And Meneste / stale away behynde
Nat in purpose / sothly if he may
To mete Ector / of all that ylke day.
But whan that he / was ybounde sore
His wombe staunche / that it blede no more
More furyous / than euer he was tofore
Repayred is / with anger all to tore
So aye the yre / on his herte fret
That he bare downe / all that euer he met
Sleeth and kylleth / he was so mercyles
All tho / that put themselfe in prees
[Page] Of hardy were / with hym for to mete
For in his boke / lyke as wryte Darete
For very sothe / and in the storye sayth
If it be so / that men may gyue fayth
And credence / of possybylyte
As in Guydo / clerely ye mayse
After that he / caughte his latter wounde
Fynally grekes / to confounde
So as it is / affermyd in certayne
A thousande knyghtꝭ / w t his hande were slayne
Without them tho / that I spake of rathe
And newe alway / he gan his swerde to bathe
In grekes blode / that sodaynely they be
So ouerlayne / thorugh his cruelte
That greke was none / of hye nor lowe estate
That he ne was / awhaped and amate
Of his knyghthode / and manly excellence
For there was none / to make resystence
Nor vtterly / that durste take on honde
Of all that daye / Ector to withstonde.
And as it is made / also mensyon
Thylke daye / kynge Agamenon
As sayth Guydo / came nat into felde
For causes great / his presence he with helde
On grekes syde / that all goth vp so downe
Ector on them / so playeth the lyowne
That to theyr tentes / they fledde for socours
And they of troye / proudely as victours
Sewed after / by traces of theyr blode
And there they wan / treasoure and great gode
And spoyled them / in full great distresse
Of theyr armure / and of theyr rychesse
And felle on them / or that they were ware
And home to troye / all that good they bare
For fynally / that day with myschaunce
Grekes hadde be / brought vnto out traunce
Without recure / in sothe for euermore
On euery part / they were be layde so sore
Thorugh the manhode / of Ector & the myght
With helpe / of many other worthy knyght
That so felly / agayne grekes wrought
For to such myschefe / playnly they thē brought
That ne hadde be / theyr owne pyteous slouthe
Of pryde oonly / and of folye routhe
They hadde of them / at theyr volunte
That day for euer / hadde the soueraygnete
And recured / thorugh theyr hye renowne
Lordshyppe of them / and domynacy owne
Whiche shulde haue laste / and be contynuell
Victoryously / and perpetuell
Haue endured / saue cruell fate
Is redy aye with fortune / to debate
Agayne thynges / that gynne in wylfulnesse
To make them fyne / aye in wretchednesse
Thorughe theyr enuyous / disposicyon
Of sodayne chaunge / and reuolucyon
And vnware tournynge / of hir false whele
That wyll nat byde / whan a thynge is wele
Alas frele / deuoyde of sykernesse
The cause was / dymmed with derkenesse
That hath troyans / thorugh false oppynyon
Yblynded so / in theyr discrecyon
And specyally / for dyrked so the syght
Of worthy Ector / the prudent manly knyght
To se afore / what shulde after sewe
By good aduyse / the myschefe to eschewe
That folowed them / at the backe behynde
Alas they were / wylfully made blynde
The same day / whan they sete softe
By victorye / on the hylle a lofte
That they nat coude / of neclygence se
The after falle / of theyr Felycyte
So put a backe / was theyr aduertence
For lacke of reason / and of hye prudence
For they theyr hap / haue voyded & theyr grace
That presently / were sette afore theyr face.
For in a man / is nat cōmendable
If Fortune / be to hym fauourable
And blaundysshynge / with a forhede clere
To smyle on hym / with a splesaunte chere
Oonly of Famour / for to helpe hym oute
Whan he in myschefe / is beset aboute
If he refuse / his hap of wylfulnesse
Fortune auoydynge / thorugh vnkyndenesse
Whan she mynystreth to hym / of hir grace
Another tyme / he shall hir nat enbrace
Whan he hath nede / to hir helpe at all
To socoure hym / or he catche a fall
But rather than / for his ingratytude
Frowardly / with mowes hym delude
Whan he beste weneth / stonde in sykernesse
Fortune is aye / so full of brotylnesse
Remouable / and redy for to flytte
Hyr welfull houre / that who lyste nat amytte
With hir fauour / for to be allyed
Another tyme / it shalbe denyed
Whan he were leuest / fynde hir sauourable
For in some houre / sothly this nofable
Vnto some man / she graunteth his desyres
That wyll nat after / in a thousande yeres
[Page] Parauenture / ones condescende
Vnto his wyll / nor his luste hym sende
As it hath falle / this daye vnhappely
To worthy Ector / that so wyllfully
Wrought of hede / grekes for to spare
Fatally whan they / were in the snare
For he of them / lyke a conquerour
With victorye / Tryumphe and honour
Myght haue brought / thurgh his hye renowne
The palme of conquest / into troye towne
Whiche he hath that day / refused folylye
For as he rode / this Ector cruellye
Amonge grekes / slowe and bare all downe
Ca [...]uelly / he mette Thelamowne
I mene Ayax / nye of his allye
That of hate / and cruell hote enuye
To Ector rode / lyke as he were woode
Albe to hym / he was full nye of bloode
Yet for all that / this yonge lusty knyght
Dyde his power / and his full myght
Without faynynge / to haue borne hym downe
Whose Fader hyght / also Thelamowne
That hym begat / the storye telleth thus
Of Exyon̄ suster / to Pryamus
And this Ayax / flourynge in yonge age
Fresshe and delyuer / and of great courage
Sette on Ector / of knyghtly hye prowesse
And as they mette / bothe in theyr woodnesse
On theyr stedes / these manly champyownes
Eueryche on other / lyke Tygres or lyownes
Began to falle / and proudely to assayle
And furyously / seuere / plate and mayle
Firste with speres / longe large and rounde
And afterwarde / with swerdes kene grounde
And fyghtynge thus / longe they contune
Tyll it befylle of case / or of Fortune
Token or sygne / or some apparence
Or by nature is / kyndely influence
Whiche into hertes / doth full depe myne
Namely of them / that borne be of one lyne
Whiche cause was / paraunter of these twanye
Naturally / theyr rancoure to restrayne
And theyr yre / for to modefye
Onely for they / so nye were of allye
Vnwyst of outher / and therof vnsure
Tyll they were taught / oonly of nature
For naturally / blode wyll aye of kynde
Drawe vnto blode / where he may it fynde
Whiche made Ector / kyndely to aduerte
To be meuyd / and steryd in his herte
Bothe of knyghthode / and of gentyllesse
Whan he of Ayax / sawe the worthynesse
¶Spake vnto hym / full benyngnely
And sayde Cosyn / I saye the trewely
If thou lyste / grekes here forsake
And come to troye / I dare vndertake
To thyne allyes / and to thy kynrede
Thou shalte be there / without any drede
Full well receyued / in partye and in all
Of them that be / of the blode royall
Sothely descended / and hyest of degre
That it of right / shall suffyse vnto the
And kyndelye / be to the pleasaunce
For to repayre / to thyne allyaunce
To gentyll herte / sythe no thynge is so gode
As be confedryd / with his owne blode
For I conceyue / by the worthynesse
Whiche nature / dothe in the impresse
Of troyan blode / that thou arte descended
Whiche of grekes / longe hath be offended
Wherfore I rede / to leue them vtterly
And he answered agayne / full humbly
That sythen he / of berthe was a greke
And was of youthe / amonge them fostryde eke
From the tyme / of his natyuyte
And taken hadde / the ordre and degre
Of knyghthode eke / amonges them aforne
And ouer this / bounde was and sworne
To be trewe / to theyr nacyon
Makynge of blode / none excepcyon
He swore he wolde / conserue his beheste
And to Ector / he made this requeste
That if that he / of manfull gentyllesse
Wolde of knyghthode / and of worthynesse
Shewe vnto hym / so great affeccyowne
To make them / that were of Troye towne
Oonly withdrawe / grekes to pursewe
And for theyr tentes / make them to remewe
And resorte agayne / vnto the towne
Of knyghthode routhe / and compassy owne
Without assayllynge / or any more affraye
Made on grekes / for that ylke daye
Sythe vnto them / ought Inoughe suffyse
That of the felde / in so knyghtly wyse
They were of manhode / fully possessours
And of theyr foomen / fynally victours
Lyke as tofore / fully is diffyned
To whose requeste / Ector is enclyned
Alas the whyle / of hasty wylfulnesse
And made anone / without auysenesse
[Page] Mydde the felde / a trumpet for to blowe
Wherby Troyans / fully myght knowe
That he his wyll / they shulde them withdrawe
After custome / playnely and the lawe
And the vsaunce / bothe nye and ferre
Amonges them / that be expert in werre
Whan they were moste / feruent for to fyght
Vpon grekes / for to preue theyr myght
And hadde them chacyd / lowe to the stronde
That they were weyk / of power to withstonde
For they of Troye / all of one desyre
Gan sette on / with shotte of wylde fyre
To brenne theyr shyppes / & of hye myschaunce
Fynally to put them / at outtraunce.
And so they hadde / this the very trouthe
[...]e hadde Ector / had vpon them routhe
Makynge Troyans / repayre to the towne
Vngracyously / to theyr confusyowne
As the storye / shall after specyfye
For tho he putte / alas in Iupardye
Lyfe and deth / whiche myght haue be sure
The whiche agayne / they neuer shall recure.

¶How the Grekes sent to kynge Pryamus for to haue trewes for Eyght wekes / And of theyr Bataylles after the trewes faylled .Ca. xxiij.

[figure]
THey haue mater / to complayne sore
For fro that daye / farewell for euermore
Victory and laude / fro them of the towne
To them denyed / by disposicyowne
Of mortall fate / whiche was contrarye
In this mater / me lyste no lenger tarye
For they of Troye / be entred theyr Cyte
And shet theyr gates / for more surete
For of that daye / lyke as made is mynde
Thus was the ende / in Euydo as I fynde
They wende haue done / paraunter for the beste
And whan the sonne / was ygo to reste
They toke theyr ease / all that ylke nyght
Tyll on the morowe / Tytan clere and bryght
Shadde his bemys / on theyr Emysperye
Makynge the day / for to shewe merye
At whiche tyme / Troyans anone ryght
They that were hole / and lusty for to fyght
Gan arme them / in purpose full that day
Theyr foon to mete / platly if they may
For that was hole / theyr wyll & playne entent
And eke they hadde / in cōmaundement
Tofore of Ector / redy them to make
Out of theyr slepe / a morowe whan they wake
Of whiche thynge / they were nat neclygent
But to Pryam / the grekes haue ysent
There messangeres / the same day or pryme
To take trewes / oonly for the tyme
Of eyghte wekes / the whiche Pryamus
By assent of Ector / the story telleth thus
Hath graunted them / and by auctoryte
Of the wysest / that were in that Cyte
[Page] In whiche tyme / whyle they leyser haue
The grekes gan / for to burye and graue
The bodyes / that afore were slawe
Lyke the rytys / in theyr paynem lawe
With all theyr myght / and theyr besy cure
For some brent / and by sepulture
Enclosed were / lyke theyr estate in all
And thus they helde / the feste funerall
Fro day to day / durynge aye the pees
In whiche space / I fynde how Achylles
Of Patroclus / the deth hath sore playned
As he that was / with terys all be rayned
So inwardely / he loued hym in his herte
That for the anguysshe / and the cruell smerte
He longe abode / in lamentacyon
And dyde make / by great affeccyon
A large toumbe / for a remembraunce
Myd the felde / as tho was the vsaunce
Amonge grekes / with great reuerence
Lyke the honour / and the excellence
Of royall buryenge / so this Patroclus
Ygraue was / and Protheselaus
In theyr toumbes / korue of marbyll graye
And nye togydre / in a playne they laye
The werke aboute them / rychely ywrought
And to the Erthe / they were togydre brought
Solempnely / lyke the obseruaunces
Of theyr rytys / with the circumstaunces
Of grekes vsed / sothely in tho dayes
Fro poynt to poynt / as longeth to theyr layes
Of suche as were / of the estate royall
So holden was / the feste funerall
Of these two / whyle the trewes doth laste
And they of Troye / besyed them full faste
With all theyr myght / and theyr besy eure
Theyr grene hurtes / and woundes for to cure
By aduyse of them / that were in Surgerye
Full well expert / to shape remedye
Sheyr swolle sores / to softe of theyr payne
That in the space / of thyse monthes twayne
They were restored / to helthe in euery thynge
In whiche tyme / Pryamus the kynge.
Suche sorowe made / for Cassybellan
In his herte / that no wyght ne can
Hym recomforte / of his heuynesse
For day by day / of inwarde tendernesse
Full pyteously / he gan to sobbe and wepe
And the bodye / he made for to kepe
Aboue the erthe / for a certayne space
Tyll he hadde / chosen out a place
To his buryeng / and his sepulture
And as Guydo / vs fully doth assure
In venus Temple / ryche as any shryne
He made his workemen / a toumbe for to myne
In marbyll graye / and metall rychely
In whiche he putte / full solempnely
The dede corps / of this Cassybellan
Beynge present / full many manly man
In the Phane / of Cytherea
The whiche thynge / whan that Cassandra
Within hir selfe / consydered and behelde
And sawe vp offred / his helme / and his shelde
His swerde also / and vnto Mars his stede
Of inwarde woo / she felte hir hette blede
Herynge the noyse / and the pyteous crye
The tendre wepynge / and sorowynge vtterly
Of them of Troye / and lamentacy owne
Whiche for theyr frendꝭ / thrugh out al y • towne
They gan to make / that were slawe afore
With sodayne rage / hir herte was to tore
So inwardely / she myght hir nat restrayne
Furyously / to crye and complayne
And sayde alas / full ofte and wellawaye
O wofull wretches / that ye be this daye
Vnhappy eke / and graceles also
Infortunat / and inly woo bego
Howe ye may suffre / the great harmes kene
Whiche ye are lykely / hereafter to sustene
Durynge the sege / in this towne beloke
Seynge your foon / redy to be wroke
Aboute you beset / on euery syde
To be venged / on your great pryde
I wote ryght well / ye maye them nat eschewe
That they ne shall / vnto the deth pursewe
You euerychone / besegyd in this place
Without mercy / pyte or any grace
Alas alas / why ne wyll ye besy be
Ye wofull wretches / shet in the cyte
With the grekes / for to seke pees
Or the swerde of vengeaunce / mercylees
On hye and lowe / do execucy owne
And or this noble / worthy royall towne
Euersyd be / and ybrought to nought
Why lyste ye nat / consydre in your thought
How the Modres / with theyr childresmale
In stretes shall / with face dede and pale
Lye mordred there / thorugh grekes cruelte
And yonge maydens / in captyuyte
Be wepe shall / in myserye and who
Theyr seruytute / and this towne also
[Page] So famous ryche / alas it is pyte
With grekes fyre / shall destroyed be
In shorte tyme / sothly this no were
[...]leyne of vs / alas is bought to dere
Syth for hyr sake / we shall euerychone
Pore and ryche / I excepte none
An ende make / wofull and pyteous
The yre of them / shalbe so furyous
Vpon vs all / there is none other mene
Saue oonly deth / vs to go bytwene
This was the noyse / and the pyteous cry
Of Cassandra / that so dredefully
She gan to make / aboute in euery strete
Thorugh y • towne / whom euer she myght mete
Lyke as she hadde / be out of hir mynde
Tyll Pryamus / faste made hir bynde
And shytte vp / it as the more routhe
She was nat herde / albe she sayde trouthe
For neyther wysedome / nor discrecyon
Counsayle nor wyt / prudence nor reson
Trouthe nor rede / without any lye
Nor the spirite / of trewe prophecye
Auayleth nat / nor all suche sapyence
In place where / there is no audyence
For be a man / inly neuer so wyse
In counsaylynge / or in hye deuyse
In werkynge outher / or in eloquence
Eche thynge to se / in his aduertence
Or it be falle / afore in his reson
Amyd the Eye / of his discrecyon
Yet for all this / it is the more dole
Without fauour / he holden is but a fole
For vnfauoured / wysedome vayleth nought
Neyther trouthe / how dere that it be bought
Lyke as Cassandra / for all hir wyse rede
Despysed was / and taken of no hede
Of them of Troye / to theyr confusyon
But cruelly / ythrowen inpryson
Where a whyle / I wyll leue hir dwelle
And of Grekes / forth I wyll you telle.
ANd firste of all / how Pallamydes
Gan to grutche / agaynst them y • ches
He beynge absent / kynge Agamenon
To haue lordshyp / or domynacyon
On them all / namely syth that he
Was nat worthy / to suche dignyte
For to gouerne so great / a myghty oost
Thorugh out the worlde / come from euery cost
Of kynges / prynces / so worthy of renowne
For he therof / hadde indignacy owne.
And sayde hymselfe / was of more poustee
Amonge grekes / and gretter of degree
Concludynge / that by no maner weye
To his power / he ne wolde obeye
In peas and werre / as by subieccyon
Syth he ne was / at his eleccyon
Platly affermynge / how there were but thre
Whan he was chose / kynges of degre
Where as thurty / were that tyme absent
For whiche he swore / it was nat his entent
Nor accordynge / with his oppynyon
In any wyse / that Agamenon
Of Grekes shulde / haue suche gouernaunce
Lo what myschefe / lyeth in varyaunce
Amonge lordes / whan they nat accorde
For to drawe / fully by one corde
Enuye is cause / of suche dyuysyon
And Couetyse / of domynacyon
That eueryche wolde / surmounte his felawe
This cursed vyse / often hath withdrawe
Hap and grace / in many regyon
For whan discorde / and false discencyon
Allyed ben / in hertes for to stryue
Amonge lordes / that kyndh [...] may nat thryue
Tyll they reformed / be agayne to pees
Amonge themselfe / playnely this no lees
Of whiche thynge / grekes toke hede
And thought nat / ferther to procede
In the matere / that Pallamydes
Ymeued hadde / amonges all the prees
And thorugh theyr wyt / they set all in quyete
And made hym / his rancour for to lete
And to accorde / fully in his herte
But nowe muste / I my style agayne dyuerte
Vnto the werre / and telle the manere
After the trewes / how they mette yfere.
LYke as the storye / maketh mencyon
The worthy kynge / great Agamenon
Whan the trewes / were passyd and ygone
In all haste / he gan ordayne anone
With all myght / and waker dylygence
Deuoyde of slouthe / and neclygence
To sette his wardes / full auysely
And to Achylle / he full prudently
The firste warde / cōmytteth for to lede
And the seconde / vnto Dyomede.
The thyrde also / to kynge Menelay
And the fourthe / on the same day
[Page] [...]e hadde Menestee / the Duke of Athene
At his ledynge / in stele armed clene
And other wardes / folowynge by and by
Agamanon the kynge / full manfully
Ordayned hath / how they shall procede
As he that was / in all his werke and dede
Full circumspect / bothe in werre and pees
And worthy Ector / was nat reckles
To sette his wardes / of them of the towne
In knyghtly wyse / of discrecy owne
And to Troylus / so yonge / so fresshe and lyght
The firste warde / with many lusty knyght
He hath assigned / and other wardes set
So prudently / they myght be no bet
And forth in haste / hym lyste no lenger byde
With many worthy / rydynge by his syde
Out at the gates / he went of the towne
Towarde grekes / this Troyan champyowne
And firste / whan he sawe the fyerse Achylle
He ne coude / no lenger kepe hym stylle
But sinot his hors / felly in the syde
And towarde hym / cruelly gan ryde
The whiche thynge / with a despytous eye
Whan Achylles / sothly gan espye
Agayne Ector / of manfull hardynesse
With herte enuyous / gan his stede dresse
And in the felde / togydre / as they mette
With rounde speres / the poyntes kene whette
At the encountrynge / of knyghtly excellence
Eueryche other / thorugh great vyolence
By very force / bare other vnto grounde
As full ofte / it happeth and is founde
Whan stronge / dothe mete with his perygall
There is no more / but eueryche had a fall
But Ector firste / of strengthe moste assured
His stede agayne / hath anone recured
And lefte Achylle / tho of gentyllesse
And in great haste / forth he gan hym dresse
Amonge grekes / and where so that he rode
He kylled and slewe / all that hym withstode
For w t his swerde / he made theyr woūdes wyde
And thorugh the brest / & some thorugh the syde
He percy [...] hath / and waged them foreuer
And brake sheltroūs / & made them to disseuer
For in his herte / hym thought it dydehȳ gode
To bathe his swerde / in the grekes blode
And this contynued / tyll that Achylles
Caughte his stede / agayne amonge the prees
And entrede in / amonges them of troye
And with his swerde / he made large weye
Sleeth and bare downe / whom y • euer he mette
For there was none / hardy hym to lette
Tyll it befell / in his melancoly
[...]ctor he mette / rydynge sodaynely
And whan they sawe / eche other come a fere
Without abode / eueryche caught a spere
And ran togydre / there was no more areste
But Ector firste / smette hym in the breste
That his spere / playnely this no tale
All to shyuered / into peces smale
That Achylles / of necessyte
To grounde goth / it wolde none other be
And vnhorsed / at the erthe lay
And Ector than / in all the haste he may
Enforced hym / for to catche his stede
But many a greke / in this great nede
Came to reskues / of this Achylles
And for his loue / put themselfe in prees
Thrugh help of whom / his hors he doth atta [...]e
Enhastynge hym / with all his myght & payne
To be auenged / of his great miurye
And sodaynely / in his woode furye
With a swerde / ful sharpe grounde and whette
He smote Ector / vpon the basenet
That from his sadell / he made hym to remewe
The whiche stroke / he myght nat eschewe
But for all that / this noble worthy knyght
Of very force / thorugh his great myght
Maugre his foon / his sadell hath recured
As he that was / in manhode moste assured
And sodaynely / in herte / he wexed so wrothe
That in arage / to Achylles he gothe
And with his swerde / so smet hym on the hede
Thorugh the basenet / that the blode all rede
By his face gan / to ronne downe
Lyke a ryuer / his chekes enuyrowne
But he hymselfe / diffendeth as a knyght
And tho of newe / began the cruell fyght
At wene them two / to se that it was wonder
For euery stroke / great as dent of thonder
Range in the eyre / for none wolde other spare
And this the sothe / in theyr fyght they fare
Lyke woode Tygres / or bores in theyr rage
Or sterne bulles / whan they be sauage
That it sempte / in very sothfastnesse
If these two / so full of worthynesse
Contune longe / in fyghtynge and endure
The tone or bothe / of cruell aduenture
Muste haue be dede / of necessyte
The whiche thynge / hadde be pyte
[Page] Bycause they were / worthy knyghtes bothe
But whyle that they / in fyghtyng fell & wrothe
Moste besy were / the grekes to begynne
With theyr wardes / for to entre inne
And they of Troye / the storye maketh mynde
On theyr party / lefte nat behynde
But in the felde / enhaste them euerychone
In knyghtly wyse / to mete with theyr fone
That with the prease / here and also yonder
The knyghtes two / seueryd were a sonder
And tho came in / sterne Dyomede
With the knyghtes / whiche he dyde lede
Full lustely / in the selue place
With whom hath mette / proudely in the face
Whorthy Troylus / on his hors backe
That neuer hadde / yet in manhode lacke
And as they countre / the storye dothe vs lere
Eueryche vnhorsed / knyghtly hath his fere
But firste his hors / recureth Dyomede
And in all haste / gan hym spede
To assayle Troylus / stondynge vpon foote
And whan he sawe / there was none other bote
As knyghtly yet / as euer dyde man
Agaynst hym / diffende hym tho began
But Dyomede / hote as any fyre
Wonder enuyous / and hatefull of desyre
With his swerde / of rancour for the nones
The ryche Cercle / full of ynde stones
That was that tyme / on Troylus basenet
Full cruelly / hath racyd of and smet
But Troylus ne wolde / for all y t hym w tdrawe
For hym diffendynge / he hath the stede slawe
On whiche sat / that tyme Dyomede
That maugre hym / he muste alyght nede
And whan they were / on fote bothe twayne
They dyd theyr myght / and theyr cruell payne
Eueryche of them / other to assayle
With swerdes sharpe / so that plate and mayle
They gan to seuere / and a sonder race
As woode lyons / with mortall chere and face
Tyll the Grekes / stronge stoute and felle
As myn Auctour / in his boke can telle
Haue thorugh theyr myght / made Dyomede
Sodaynely / to recure a stede
And Troyan knyghtes / on the tother syde
Haue Troylus brought / a stede for to ryde
And whan they were / horsed bothe two
Without more / agayne togydre they go
With stronge foynes / and yfere ran
Eche at other / as felly as they can
Tyll at the laste / cruell Dyomede
Lyke as ye may / in myn Auctour rede
Were it by case / hap / or aduenture
In whiche no man / fully may assure
Or by Fortune / with hir false vysage
Hadde that tyme / of Troylus a vauntage
For he on hym / was falle at myschese
The whiche thynge / to hym was no reprefe
Though he hym toke / amonge so great aroute
On euery halfe / with grekes set aboute
Syth doutous euer / is the fyne of fyght
Now vp / now downe / now derk & after bryght
For no wyght may / be aye victoryous
In peas nor werre / nor ylyche Eurous
Let euery man / syth hap is sette in doute
Take his tourne / as it cōmeth aboute
Though troylus now / was take of dyomede
Another tyme / he shall hym quyte his mede
For as the storye / telleth in this place
This Dyomede / but a lytell space
Troylus ladde / forth as prysonere
That to reskewes / in stele armed clere
Many Troyan / came pryckynge in this nede
That maugre all / the myght of Dyomede
They Troylus haue / from his handes take
And tho began / the slaughter for his sake
On euery halfe / that wonder is to telle
Of the Troyans / and the Grekes felle
Than into felde / is entrede Menelay
Whiche on Troyans / all that ylke day
Full besy was / auenged for to be
To them he hadde / so cruell enmyte
And whan Parys / sawe hym in the felde
Towardes hym / the right waye he helde
And of purpose / they theyr wardes sette
Eche on other / tyll they togydre mette
And tho the skarmysshe / & the slaughter gan
On outher parte / of many manly man
And all this whyle / Ector ne wolde cease
Amonge grekes / cruelly to prease
And new and new / of hym as I rede
A lyke fresshe / the blode of them to shede
For of his swerde / the traces were ysene
That the grekes / myght nat sustene
To resyste / nor stande afore his face
But where he rode / aye they gaue hym place
¶Tyll that aknyght / whiche Boetes hyght
Yonge of age / whan he hadde a syght
How Ector slewe / the Grekes mortally
On euery syde / hauynge no mercy
[Page] He presyd in / to encrease his name
Perpetuelly / to purchace hym a fame
And furyously / in herte nat afferde
He caste hym platly / to mete hym in the berde
The whiche thynge / whan Ector gan aduerte
So hye raucour / enbracyd hath his herte
That with his swerde / of indignacyowne
He rofe hym / euen to the nauell downe
Fro the crowne / with so great a payne
That in the felde / he partyd lay in twayne
And Ector tho / assygned hath his stede
To a squyer / and bad he shulde it lede
To troye towne / without more abode
And all this whyle / furyously he rode
Amonge Grekes / and euer mercylees
He slewe all the / that put them selfe in prees
And shadde theyr blode / of herte despytous
The whiche thynge / whan kynge Archylogus
Rydynge besyde / sawe and gan espye
How Boetes / his cosyn and allye
So cruelly was / of Ector slawe
Towardes hym / in haste he gan hym drawe
Vpon his deth / auenged for to be
And tode at hym / with great cruelte
Fully in purpose / Ector for to quyte
And sodaynely / as he gan at hym smyte
Ector vnwarely / hyt hym on the hede
So myghtely / that he felle downe dede
Partyd on two / by cruell aduenture
Natwithstādyng / his myghty stronge armure
Agayne his stroke / it was of no diffence
For it was gyuen / with suche vyolence
That it holpe hym / in no maner thynge.
And than anone / Prochenor the kynge
Of hatefull yre / and foole hardynesse
Of surquedye / and of hastynesse
Of melancolye / and indignacyon
Caught in his herte / a presumpcyon
To assayle Ector / of inwarde foly pryde
And goth to hym / a trauerse on the syde
Furyously / with a despytous herte
That his cōmynge / he myght nat aduerte
Oonly for he came at his backe behynde
And vnwarely / in Guydo as I fynde
And Ector smote / from his hors to grounde
In whom there was / so moch manhode foūde
That he anone / with a knyghtly herte
Without abode / into his sadell sterte
And right fyersly / Prothen or purseweth
That fynally his honde / he nat escheweth
For with his swerde / he marked hym so wele
Thorugh basenet / by his breste of stele
That into twayne / withoute any fayle
He roofe hym downe / into his paunce of mayle
And he felle downe / in full pyteous wyse
Of whiche stroke / the grekes sore agryse
And specyally / the hardy fyerse Achylle
Whan he behelde / lyked full ylle
For Phothenor / was his nye cosyne
And descendyd / of the same lyne
For deth of whom / he hath suche heuynesse
So inwarde thought / and so great distresse
In all this worlde / he ne wyste what to do
For hym he had / so moche payne and wo
And for the deth / of Archylogus
To be auenge / he was full desyrous
And in his herte / many waye he caste
And in the wardes / gan to seke faste
With many greke / on Ector to haue falle
Conspyred fully in soth amonge them alle
Of one entent / Ector to assayle
But all for nought / it wolde nat auayle
He was that day / so cruell in his rage
They myght of hym / haue none auauntage
And Troyan knyghtes / by fauour of Fortune
Vpon Grekes / so myghtely contune
Thorugh conueyinge / of Ector and his myght
That they anone / haue them put to flyght
And to theyr tentes / maugre who that stryue
In their pursuyte / for woūded they them dryue
That here and there / they laye in aswowe
And many a greke / mercyles they slowe
The longe day / tyll it drewe to nyght
And sothly than / for very lacke of lyght
These troyan knyghtꝭ / full worthy of renowne
Aboute Ector / repayre to the towne
And entre in / with honour and with glorye
That day of grekes / hauynge the victorye
And thus I leue them / in theyr towne within
And forth of Grekes / telle I wyll begyn.
WHan Esperus / the fayre bryght sterre
Agaynst eue / caste his stremys ferre
And in the west / rathest gan appere
Whan the twylyght / with a pale chere
In maner morneth / the absence of the sonne
And nyght approcheth / with his copys donne
The same tyme / whan Tytan / toke his leue
That clerkes calle / crepusculum at eue
Whiche is nat ellys / but the meane lyght
[Page] Of Phebus absence / and the derke nyght
And twylyght hatte / for it is a mene
Of daye and nyght / departynge them betwene
Fully nouther / but of bothe meynt
Or the heuen / be clustred and depeynt
With bryght sterrys / in the euenynge
AT whiche tyme / Agamenon the kynge
For his lordes / sodaynely hath sent
To come echone / anone / into his tent
And whan they were / assembled all yfere
Tryst and heuy / and with a sorefull chere
They gan y • slaughter / of Ector to complayne
Affermyng playnly / they myght neuer attayne
Vnto victorye / whyle he were a lyue
Wherfore they gan / to conspyre blyue
The deth of hym / in many sondry weye
Echone concludynge / whyle he were in Troye
It was nat lykely / Grekes for to wynne
For he alone / of them that were withinne
Was chefe diffence / and proteccy owne
And soueraynely / vpholder of the towne
Theyr myghty Castell / and theyr stronge wall
And vnto grekes / dedely foo mortall
For they ne myght / his great force endure
Nor neuer a right / agayne theyr foos be sure
He standynge hole / they sayde in no degre
Nor whyle he floureth / in Felycyte
Wherfore echone / of one entencyon
They condescende / to this conclusyon
That by some sleyghte / of awayte lymge
Whan he were moste besy / in fyghtynge
Amonge them / in myschefe or distresse
That Achylles / do his besynesse
With all his myght / vnwarely hym to assayle
That hym to slee / for no thynge that he fayle
And grekes all / gan theyr prayer make
To Achylles / for to vndertake
Of this Empresse / fynally the sute
Thorugh his manhode / that it be execute
The hasty deth / of theyr mortall foo
And Achylles / without wordes moo
Theyr request / assenteth to parfourme
And to theyr luste / gan hooly hym confourme
For that tyme / let hym beware I rede
To be to hasty / this iourne for to spede
Vpon Ector / his power for to kythe
Lyste Fortune / a wronge hir face wrythe
To loke on hym / with a frowarde chere
Hym to brynge / vnto his handes nere
Thorugh sorte or hap / of Ector folylye
To put his lyfe / of deth in Ieopartye
Lyste vnto hym / it happe euen lyche
To falle hymsefe / in the same dyche
That he for Ector / compassed hath and shape
For it is wonder / if that he escape
Syth Ector hadde / without any 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.

[figure]
WHan Aurora / w t 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
[Page] 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 w t 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 w t y e 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 shalbe thy mede
The which I bere / atwene my handes twayne
And w t 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
[Page] 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 y t 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 / in his waye mette
Agaynst whom / anone his hors he sette
And he to hym / full knyghtly rode agayne
And as they mette / there is no more to sayne
On horsbacke / whyles they were wrothe
Of vyolence / they were vnhorsed bothe
And Menelay / Parys mette of newe
The whiche two / well togydre knewe
Full desyrous / eche other for to dere
But Menelay / caught firste a spere
And hytte Parys / with all his inwarde cure
But for surenesse / of his stronge armure
And myghty platꝭ / his wounde was but small
Whiche in effect / greued nat at all
But with that stroke / vnto grounde he gothe
Of whiche fall / Parys wexed right wrothe
Wonder confuse / and also rede for shame
Lest the reporte / in hyndrynge of his name
Came to the erys / of the Quene Eleyne
How he that daye / myght nat atteyne
With Menely / to holde chaumpartye
Lykely to sowne / into his vylonye
The whiche at herte / greued hym full sore
And Adrastus / the kynge without more
So as he rode / the kynge Vlixes fonde
& knyghtly both / they foughte honde to honde
And as they faughte / downe to the erthe lowe
From his hors / Vlixes hath hym throwe
And full proudely / in signe of this victorye
He sent his hors / home to his Tentorye
And in that tyme / amonges all the prees
Full sodaynely / kynge Pallamydes
Is falle on Hupon / with his lockes hore
And in his Ire / wounded hym so sore
That he felle dede / and grouelyng to y e groūde
His mortall swerde / was so kene grounde
Besyde whom / Neptolonyus
Assayled hath / kynge Archylogus
The whiche hymselfe / manly gan diffende
But as they faught / and many strokes spende
In their diffence / it wolde be none other
Eueryche of them / hath vnhorsed other
And tho came in / rydynge on his stede
Pollydamas / and gan to take hede
Amonge the renges / a lytell hym besyde
Where as the kynge / Pallamydes doth ryde
And cruelly / so lyke a manly man
He smote his stede / and to hym he ran
And maugre his myght / and his worthynesse
As the storye playnely / bereth wytnesse
[Page] Oonly to venge / the deth of kynge Hupowne
From his stede / he proudely bare hym downe
And in his rancoure / and his cruell hete
Of that despyte / gan hym to rehete
And tho besyde / the kynge Scelenus
Of dedely hate / and herte full Irous
With kynge Carras / by aduenture hath met
And furyously / from his stede smet
And than also / the kynge Phylymene
Is on the Duke / falle of Athene
That maugre / both his manhod / & his myght
He hath his hors / berafte hym in this fyght
And ladde with hym / proudely by his syde
Where as hym lyste / that it shulde abyde
And Phyloteas / the worthy kynge also
The selue tyme / with Remus had ado
And euery other / sothly as I rede
His felawe hath made / to voyde his stede
And Theseus / the kynge / y t was so stronge
Amyd the felde / so as he rode amonge
In the great prese / hath met Curyalus
The worthy kȳg / of knyghthod right famous
And bothe two / in armes wonder stronge
By themselfe / faught at leyser longe
Tyll eche other / with woundes fresshe & grene
Fro horsbak / his felawe threwe endlōg y e grene
And afterwarde / I fynde how they two
Vpon foote / knyghtly hadde ado
They were in armes / somly desyrous
And of manhode / passyngly famous
And all this whyle / the sones naturell
Of Pryamus / bare them wonder well
Amonge grekes / vp and downe rydynge
And prudently / togydre abydynge
Made a slaughter / of grekes full pytous
Of kynges / dukes / and lordes right famous
And as I rede / how worthy Thelamowne
That tyme met / with kynge Sapedowne
And with theyr speres / squared full sharpely
Eueryche hath other / wounded mortally
Thorugh shelde & plate / & haberion of mayle
That as the storye / maketh rehersayle
How theyr harneys / wexed of blode all rede
And how they fylle / almoste bothe dede
At great myschefe / amonge the hors feet
Of whose bledynge / the soyle gan wexe weet
Thorugh theyr harneys / as it can distylle
Whyles kynge Thoas / and the fyerse Achylle
As they that were / of kynne and allyed
Amyd the felde / Ector haue espyed
Where as he faught / beset amyd his foon
And vpon hym / of one accorde they goon
And mortally / if it wolde auayle
On euery halfe / they gan hym newe assayle
And of hate / in herte borne of yore
They haue beset / this Troyan knyght so sore
That they alas / from his hede hath smet
By vyolence / his ryche basenet
And wounded hym / felly on the hede
But for all that / he ne toke no hede
This worthy man / floure of Chyualrye
But hym diffendynge / tho so myghtely
Kynge Thoas smet hym / in the face so
That with a stroke / he rafte his nose a two
And shorted it / by the halfe dele
To whiche stroke / the brother naturele
Of manly Ector / faste gan them hye
To socoure hym / whan they firste espye
His great myschefe / and at theyr in cōmynge
They so manly / bare them in fyghtynge
Agayne grekes / that Thoas they haue take
And The [...]amon / so they made awake
With newe assaute / of sharpe woundes kene
That he was take / and lefte vpon the grene
And of his men / borne home to his tent
And kynge Thoas / home to troye is went
Maugre grekes / whiche helpe hȳ may no more
For Dephebus / and also Anthenore
Haue sente hym / forth to Troye the cyte
And Menelay / tho began to se
So as he rode / Parys stonde a syde
And shope hym shortly / of hate & cruell pryde
If it wolde falle / on his chaunce
Sodaynely / to ymen hym myschaunce
But he was ware / & kept hymselfe so narowe
That Menelay / he marked with an arowe
The hede of whiche / w t venym was enoynt
Intoxycate / at the square poynt
That the kynge / of that dredefull wounde
All dispayred / of his men was founde
Whiche in great haste / bare hym to his tent
And he anone / for Surgyens hath sent
Whiche firste the hede / toke out of his wounde
Albe it was / yperced full profounde
Thorugh his harneys / full depe into the bone
But cunnyngely / they dyde theyr crafte echone
To drawe it out / with theyr Instrumentes
And subtylly / with certayne oyntementes
They serched haue / the wounde enuyron
To make it clene / from corrupcyon
[Page] And prudently / firste they toke hede
That the venym / further nat procede
Rounde in compasse / clensyd it aboute
And after that / bounde it sure withoute
And defensyues / made on euery syde
And Menelay / no lenger wolde abyde
But bad in haste / brynge forth his stede
In purpose full / Parys to quyte his mede
If he hym fynde / the selfe same daye
Hym lyste no lenger / put it in delaye
What euer falle / of his grene wounde
And forth he rode / tyll he hath hym founde
By aduenture / vnarmed in the felde
Without swerde / pollex / spere or shelde
Or bowe in honde / were it of reklesnesse
Or to refresshe hym / after werynesse.
And Menelay / anone a spere hath take
And in his yre / [...]elly gan it shake
Towarde Parys / by great auysenesse
And shulde haue slayne hym / as by lyklynesse
Ne had Eneas / whiche all this thynge behelde
Bore of the stocke / with his stronge shelde
To diffende hym / in this auenture
Destytute / and naked / of armure.
Parys that tyme / in suche peryll was
Wherfore in haste / hath this Eneas
Ordayned knyghtes / armed bryght in stele
Aboute Parys / for to kepe hym wele
From all myschefe / and confusyowne
Hym to conuey / vnto Troye towne
Right in despyte / of kynge Menelay
Whiche in awayte / so for Parys lay
¶Whom Ector / hadde ytaken sodaynely
And vnto Troye / ladde hym vtterly
Ne hadde Grekes come / in his diffence
Agaynst hym / to make resystence.
Of whiche Ector / as they came in his weye
Full many Greke / made for to deye
And the remenaunt / put vnto the flyghte
That thorugh his māhod / y • day & his myghte
Troyans made / the grekes for to flee
Vnto theyr tentes / of necessytee
And them to sewe / ne wolde neuer leue
But slee and kyll / tyll it drewe to eue
That Phebus gan / faste for to weste
To drawe them home / they thought for y e beste
For Tytan was / at his goynge downe
Whan they gan entre / into troye towne
Theyr gatꝭ shet / they to theyr lodgynge wende
And of this day / thus they made an ende
Tyll on the morowe / that the rowes rede
Of Phebus carte / gonne for to sprede
Afore his vpryste / in the Oryent
At whiche tyme / kynge Pryamus hath sent
For suche as were / with hym moste pryue
And of his counsayle / inwardely secre
And specially / he sent for by name
For worthy Ector / that grettest was of fame
For Parys eke / and for Dephebus
And for Troylus / fresshe and desyrous
For Anthenor / and Pollydamas
And for the Troyan / called Eneas
For he that daye / caste hym nat to goon
Into the felde / to mete with his foon
And whan they were / to his Paleys come
These lordes haue / the right waye nome
Vnto the kynge / within his closet
And whan the hussher / hath the dore shet
And eueryche hadde / lyke to his degree
His place take / and his dewe see
This worthy kynge / as made is mencyon
Gan to declare / his hertes mocyon
And his menynge / afore them specifye
And sayde syres / in whom I moste affye
To you is knowen / how kynge Thoas is here
In this cyte / taken prysonere
And is as yet / belocked in prysowne
Whiche euer hath be / vnto Troye towne
An enemy great / vnto his power
And vs offendyd / bothe ferre and ner
In many wyse / all be we lytell retche
As ferre as he / his force / myght stretche
And now with Grekꝭ / came to sege our towne
As he that wyll not / our destruccyowne
And therupon / hath do his besynesse
Wherfore of dome / and of rightwysnesse
Both of reason / and of equyte
I saye playnely / as semeth vnto me
So that it be / to you acceptable
And that ye thynke / my coūsayle cōmendable
Lyke as he hath / caste our deth and shape
I holde rightfull / that he nat escape
But that of deth / he receyue his guerdon
For right requereth / and also good reason
that deth for deth / is skylfull guerdonnynge
Vnto my wytte / and right well syttynge
Saye your aduyse / now playnely in this caas
And firste of all / tho spake Eneas
And sayde lorde / so it be none offence
To your hyghnesse / to gyue me audyence
[Page] Thorugh supporte here / of them y t be full wyse
I shall reherce playnely / my deuyse
What is to werke / as in this matere
Me semeth firste / my lyege lorde so dere
That your noble / royall excellence
Consydre shulde / with full hye prudence
In euery werke / and operasyon
To caste afore / in conclusyon
To caste afore / in conclusyon
The fynall ende / that may after sewe
For to a wyse man / oonly is nat dewe
To se the gynnynge / and the ende nought
But bothe attones / peyse in his thought
And weye them / [...]o iustly in balaunce
That of the fyne / folowe no repentaunce
Why I say this / and platly why I mene
Is for that ye / ought for to sene
How kynge Thoas / is one of the pryncypall
Amonge Grekes / and of the blode royall
If ye consydre / descended as by lyne
Wherfore if he / haue this foule a fyne
To be slayne / whyle he is in pryson
It myght happen / in conclusyon
That ye and youres / that therto assente
Here afterwarde / sore to repente
I preue it thus / that if by aduenture
Of Fortune / that no man may assure
Some of your lordes / were a nother day
Of grekes take / as it happe may
Or of your sones / so worthy of renowne
Or of kynges / that be in this towne
Truste me well / that suche gentyllesse
As ye shewe to them / in theyr distresse
They wyl you quyte / whan in case semblable
Fortune to them / they fynde fauourable
The whiche no man / cōstrayne may nor bynde
Wherfore my lorde / haue this thyng in mynde
For if Thoas / of shorte auysement
Shall now be deed / thorugh hasty iugement
Another day / Grekes wyll vs quyte
And for rygour / make theyr malys byte
On some of youres / who euer that it be
And nouther spare / hye nor lowe degre
Though he were / paraunter of your blode
The whiche thynge / for all this worldes gode
It myght falle / that ye ne wolde se
Wherfore I rede / let kynge Thoas be
Honestely kepe / in prysowne
Lyke his estate / stylle here in this towne
Lyste as I sayde / that another day
Some lorde of youres / as it happe may
Casuelly / were take of auenture
By eschaunge of hym / ye myght beste recure
Without stryfe / youre owne man agayne
In this mater / I can no more sayne
But fynally / this my full rede
To whiche counsayle / Ector toke good hede
And for it was / accordynge to reason
He it cōmendeth / in his oppynyon
But Pryam euer / of one entencyon
Stode alway fyx / to this conclusyon
Playnely affermynge / if Grekes may espye
That we this kynge / spare of gentrye
They wyll arrecte / it cowardyse anone
That we dare nat / venge vs on our foone
For very drede / hauynge no hardynesse
Nor herte nouther / to do rightwysenesse
Yet neuerthelesse / after your assent
That he shall lyue / I wyll in myn entent
To your desyre / fully condescende
And of this counsayle / so they made an ende
Without more / saue Eneas is go
And Trylous eke / and Anthenor also
Into an halle / excellynge of beaute
The quene Eleyne / of purpose for to se
With whom was eke / Eccuba the quene
And other ladyes / goodly on to sene
And many mayde / that yonge & lusty was
And worthy Troylus / with this Eneas
Dyde theyr laboure / and theyr besy payne
For to comforte / the fayre quene Eleyne
As she that stode / for the werre in drede
But for all that / of very womanhede
Thylke tyme / with all hir herte entere
As she well coude / make them good chere
Hauynge of connynge / inly suffysaunce
Bothe of chere / and of dalyaunce.
And Eccuba beynge / in this halle
Very example / vnto women alle
Of bounte hauynge / soueraygne excellencce
In wysedome eke / and in eloquence
Besought them / tho wonder womanly
And counsayled eke / full prudently
For any haste / bothe nye and ferre
Auysely / to kepe them in the werre
And nat Iuparte / theyr bodyes folylye
But to aduerte / and caste prudently
In diffence / knyghtly of the towne
Them to gouerne / by discrecyowne
She spake of fayth / & coude no thynge feyne
And than of hir / and after of Eleyne
[Page] They toke leue and no lenger dwelle
But went theyr way / & forth I wyll you telle
How the Grekes / on the same morowe
Amonge them selfe / complayne & make sorowe
Theyr harmes great / in Murmur and in rage
The losse / the costes / and the great damage
That they haue / enduryd folylye
Lastynge the werre / and wyste neuer whye
The deth the slaughtre / of many worthy man
Syth the tyme / that the werre began
Hunger and thurste / watche and colde also
Full great vnreste / sorowe thought and wo
And all togydre / for a thynge of nought
In sothfastnesse / if the grounde be sought
This was the noyse / and rumour eke that ran
Thorugh out the hoost / y t day fro man to man
And moste amonge / the pore souldy oures
Whiche bare the bronte / euer of suche shoures
And the myschefe / of werre comenlye
And though they playne / they haue no remedy
Of thynges whiche sytte / them full vnsofte
And thus grekes / complayned haue full ofte
Of many myschefe / that hath on them falle
The whiche they myght / haue eschewed alle
If they ne hadde / of foly gonne a werre
Out of Grece / nat come halfe so ferre
To theyr myschefe / and confusyon
This was that daye / their lamentacyon.
¶Whiche to encrease / the same next nyght
So derked was / without sterre lyght
So cloudy blacke / and so thycke of ayre
Dymmyd with skyes / foule & no thynge fayre
So wyndy eke / with tempest all be layne
Almoste fordrenchyd / with the smoky rayne
And in the felde / astoned here and yonder
With sodayne stroke / of the dredefull thonder
And with openynge / of the hydous leuene
That it sempte / in the hye heuene
The Cataractys / hadde be vndo
For the cloudes / and skyes bothe two
Sodaynely wexen / were so blake
Lyke as the goddes / wolde haue taken wrake
And hadde of newe / assentyd be in oon
The lande to drenche / of Deucalyon
And all this worlde / without more refuge
To ouerflowe / with a fresshe deluge
The wynde also / so sternely gan blowe
That theyr tentes / stondynge on a rowe
For possyd were / and ybete downe
And furyously / to theyr confusyowne
The floodꝭ raughte / thē fro theyr stādyng place
And bare them forth / a full large space
Wherof in myschefe / and in great distresse
In great laboure / and hertely heuynesse
The grekes bydde / all the same nyght
What for the tempest / and for lacke of lyght
Tyll the floode / gan agayne withdrawe
The wynde to appese / and the day gan dawe
And the heuen / gan agayne to clere
Without cloudes / fresshely to appere
And Phebus eke / with a feruent hete
Hadde on the soyle / dryed vp the wete
And the moysture / enuyrowne on the playne
And grekes hadde / theyr tentes set agayne
And were adawed / of theyr nyghtes sorowe
Thorugh the aperynge / of the galde morowe
They them arrayed / nothynge for the pees
And into the felde / firste went Achylles
As ye shall here / of entencyowne
That day to fyght / w t them of Troye towne.
WHan dryed was / the lusty large playne
w t phebꝰ bemys / as ye haue herd me saȳe
The troyan knyghtes / full worthy of renowne
Descendyd be / and ycome downe
And in the felde / toke theyr fyghtynge place
But Achylles / to mete them in the face
Tofore went out / lyke as I you tolde
With his lordes / and his knyghtes bolde
And firste I fynde / without more abode
Vnto Hupon / furyously he rode
I mene Hupon / that was of his stature
Lyke a Geaunt / as bokes vs assure
Whom Achylles / with his sharpe spere
Thorugh the body / percyd hym so fere
That he fylle dede / his wounde was so kene
And after this / the kynge Octamene
As he fyersly / on Ector wolde haue gone
Without abode / Ector hym siewe anone
And cruelly / quytte hym his fatall mede
And sodaynely / agaynst Dyomede.
As zantipus / the worthy kynge gan drawe
Full pyteously / he of hym was slawe
And right anone / the kynge Epyscrophus
And eke the kynge / that hyght Cedyus
Of one assent / proudely in batayle
Begonne Ector / mortally to assayle
And with a spere / firste Epyscrophus
Ran at hym / with herte despytous
And as Guydo / also doth deuyse
[Page] Rebukyd hym / in vngoodly wyse
To hym so sore / in herte he was a meued
Wherof Ector / furyously agreued
Hath mortally / his wounde made so large
That hym ne geyneth / plate / shelde / nor targe
For he fyll dede / amonge his men echone
To whom Ector / bad he shulde gone
To the Furyes / depe downe in helle
Suche wordes / amonges them to telle
For here quod he / men take of them no hede
And thus whan he / was waged for his mede
Anone his brother / called Cedyus
Suche sorowe made / for Epyscrophus
So hertely dole / and so wofull chere
That pyte was / for to se and here
So inwardly / on his deth he thought
And with a thousande knyghtꝭ / y t he brought
To be auenged / by manhode of them alle
Despyteously / on Ertor / he is falle
Where he hym founde / fyghtynge w t his foon
That thorugh the force / of them euerychoon
So sore enuyrowne / they haue hym beset
That from his stede / downe they haue hȳ smet
¶Whom Cedyus / aye in his cruell rage
Whan that he sawe / to his auauntage
Ector vnhorsed / and he on his stede
His swerde he lefte / of inwardely hatrede
Markynge at hym / with so great a payne
With all the force / of his armes twayne
Fully in purpose / without more delay
To slee Ector / playnely if he may
But or his stroke / descende myght downe
Ector of hate / and indignacyowne
With his swerde / that was full sharpe whet
From his shuldre / hath his arme of smet
And after that / he reuyd hym his lyfe
Than Eneas / amyddes all this stryfe
Came rydynge in / woode and furyous
And as he mette / the kynge / Amphymacus
He fell on hym / and slewe hym in his rage
And from grekes / holdynge theyr passage
There came downe / firste Menelaus
And after hym / kynge Thelamonyus
The great Duke / also of Athene
In whom there was / so moche manhode sene
Vlixes eke / and cruell Dyomede
And eke also / to helpe them in theyr nede
There came with them / the kynge Machaon
And alderlaste / the great Agamenon
With all theyr wardes / and fyll in sodaynly
Vpon Troyans / and they full manfully
Diffende them selfe / agayne the Grekes proude
And put them of / full knyghtly as they coude
And eche on other / sothly as they mette
With spere and swerde / enuyously they sette
So mortall hate / there was them betwene
And whan the sonne / was in merydyen
In myd day angell / passynge hote and shene
The grekes / gan felly in theyr tene
So myghtely / to falle on them of Troye
That they them made / for to gyue weye
Of very force / and necessyte
And Achylles / so full of cruelte
Amonge the renges / as he gan hym drawe
The kynge Phylem / enuyously hath slawe
And amyd of grekes / the same tyme Ector
Maugre them all / slewe kynge Alphenor
And eke the kynge / called Dorous
On them he was / so cruell and yrous
That thorugh vertue / of his knyghtly honde
Troyans haue wonne / agayne theyr londe
Vpon grekes / and made them for to flee
And thylke houre / from Torye the Cytee
Epyscrophus / full of manlynesse
The felde hath take / thorugh his worthynesse
And on grekes / proudely for the nones
With his knyghtes / he falleth all attones
And seuered them / & made them for to twynne
And gan the felde / faste vpon them wynne
Hauynge that tyme / in his companye
Amonges other / that he dyde guye
Acertayne Archer / the whiche as I fynde
Was monstruous / and wonderfull of kynde
For from the myddell / vp vnto the crowne
He was a man / and the remenaunt downe
Bare of an horse / lyknesse and fygure
And horses heer / this monstre in nature
Hadde on his skyn / growynge enuyrowne
Full rough / and thycke / & of his voyce y e sowne
Was lyke the neyhynge / of an horse I rede
And though his face / both in lengthe & brede
Of shape were mannysshe / yet in suthfastnesse
His coloure was / semblable in lyknesse
Vnto the Fery hoote / breynnynge glede
Whose Eyen eke / flawmynge also rede
As the blase / of an ouen mouthe
And for he was / in syghte so vnkouthe
Where so euer / he was met in the berde
Bothe man and hors / sore were a ferde
His face was / so hatefull and so odyble
[Page] And his loke / so hydous / and horryble
And aye he hadde / in custome and vsaunce
As in bokes / is made remembraunce
For to go / vnarmed into felde
Without swerde / spere / axe / or shelde
For he no thynge / coude of that myster
But as I fynde / he was a good archer
And bare a bowe / styffe and wonder stronge
And for he was / also of tyller longe
His arrowes were lyke / to his tyller
In a busshement / trussed wonder ner
By his syde / aye redy to his hande
Where so he were / outher on see or lande
And as I fynde / how that none armure
Agayne his shot / playnely myght endure
And there was hors / stede nor courser
That durste abyde / nouther fer nor ner
But fledde anone / with all theyr full myght
As faste as they / of hym hadde a syght
To them he was / so passynge odyous
So lyke a deuyll / and so monstruous
And there was foūde / none so hardy a knyght
On hors backe / that hadde force or myght
To holde his hors / whan they myght hym se
But that anone / a backe he wolde fle
And of this Archer / I fynde wryten eke
That he that day / slewe full many greke
And wounded them / with his arrowes kene
Thorugh out y e plates / forged bryght & shene
For there was none / afore hym that abode
But to theyr Tentes / faste awaye they rode
They myght nat / his hydous loke endure
Tyll there befell / a wonder aduerture
Whyle they of Troye / by helpe of this Archer
Sewe on the chase / to theyr lodgynge ner
And slewe of them / in myschefe and in drede
Besyde a Tent / mette Dyomede
With this Archer / of necessyte
For it stode so / that he ne myght hym fle
No maner way / nor a backe remewe
For lyfe nor deth / he myght hym nat eschewe
So many Troyan / was tho at his backe
In his flyinge / he hadde go to wracke.
¶Wherfore anone / this worthy Dyomede
With cruell herte / faste gan hym spede
And towarde hym / proudely for to dresse
But this Archer / by great aduysenesse
Firste with an arrowe / smette Dyomede
Thorugh his harneys / that he made hym blede
Of whiche stroke / he wexed so wood & wrothe
That to this monstre / so hydous and so lothe
He went a pase / and hym vnarmed fonde
And with y e swerde / that he helde in his honde
He gaue to hym / his laste fatall wounde
That he fylle dede / grouelynge vnto y e grounde
The deth of whom / grekes reioysynge
and in all haste / theyr hertes resumynge
Began them selfe / for to recomforte
And into Felde / proudely they resorte
By conueyinge / of Polixenare
The worthy Duke / that so well hym bare
Vpon Troyans / that day in the felde
But whan Ector / the slaughtre of hym behelde
Vpon this Duke / anone he gan to sette
And on theyr stedes / fyersly as they mette
Ector hym slewe / of full great hatrede
And after that / on Gallathe his stede
So as he rode / forth amonge the prees
Or he was ware / he mette Achylles
And with theyr speres / longe large and rounde
In purpose fully / eche other to confounde
They ran yfere / Irous and right wrothe
That with y e stroke / they were vnhorsed bothe
But Achylles / wth a despytous herte
Firste as I rede / into his sadell sterte
And besy was / with all his inwarde peyne
Gallathe / to take by the reyne
Therof for euer / Ector to depryue
And bad his men / to lede it home as blyue
So that Ector / there was none other bote
Full lyke a man / faught stondynge on fote
Amonge grekes / and his fomen alle
And to his knyghtes / loude he gan to calle
For his stede / that they shulde sewe
And they in haste / his hors to reskewe
Ben attones / fallen on Achylle
And maugre hym / of force agayne his wylle
They haue from hym / berafte it on the playne
And to Ector / restored it agayne
Which in knyghthode / somoche hȳ self assureth
Despyte of them / his sadell he recureth
Whiche afterwarde / full dere they aboughte
For lyke a lyon / all that day he wroughte
Amonges them / rydynge here and there
And as the deth / they fled his swerde for fere
Thorugh whose manhode / troyans eft begyn
Vpon grekes / the felde agayne to wyn
But it befell / amyd theyr great fyght
That Anthenor / a certayne Troyan knyght
Amonge the prese / is so fer in gone
[Page] That of Grekes / he was take anone
And to theyr tentes / sent in haste he was
Albe his sone / called Pollydamas
To reskue hym / dyde his dylygence
So manfully / that no neclygence
Was founde in hym / who so lyste to seke
And that full dere / a boughte many greke
The same day / thorugh his worthynesse
But for cause / oonly of derkenesse
And for that it / gan drawe towarde nyght
They made an ende / oonly for lacke of lyght
And grekes went / home to theyr lodgynge
And eke Troyans / tyll on the mornynge
That Phebus / gan his bryght bemys shewe
And Aurora / newe gan to dewe
The Erbys sote / and the grene leuys
Both on hayes / and in fresshe greuys
Syluer bryght / with rounde perlys fyne
That so clerely / agayne the sonne shyne
And shewe them selfe / so Oryent and shene
On hylle and vale / and on euery grene
The rody morowe / tyll the hote bemys
Of bryght Phebus / with his fyrye stemys
Vapoureth vp / theyr moysture into ayre
The weder clere / agreable and fayre
And attempre / also of his heete
Whan the Troyans / caste them for to mete
With theyr fomen / platly if they may
And out they went / in theyr beste array
With theyr wardes / into felde by rowe
Agaynst whom / grekes were nat slowe
But shope them forth / Without lenger lette
Tyll they togydre / manfully haue mette
And with theyr speres / and theyr swerdes clere
They ran togydre / with a despytous chere
Tyll shyuered was / a sondre many spere
On sheldes stronge / them selfe for to were
And ryuen was / on pecys many targe
And with hexys / rounde brode and large
On basenettes / as they smyte and shrede
Full many knyght / mortally gan blede
In sothfastnesse / and as I tell can
The same day / was slayne many a man
On outher parte / but most of Troye towne
Albe Guydo / maketh no mencyowne
Of no persone / as in specyall
On nouther syde / but in generall
Saue he concludeth / playnely that this fyght
Laste fro morowe / tyll that it was nyght
The whiche Troyans / haue full dere bought
For that day / Fortune holpe them nought
But tourned hole / to theyr confusyowne
And so they be / repeyred to the towne
And to theyr tentes / grekes faste them spede
Tyll on the morowe / they sent Dyomede
¶Whith Vlixes / to Troye the cyte
For a trewes / oonly for monthes thre
If kynge Pryam / therto wolde assente
And as they two / on this message wente
A certayne knyght / borne of Troye towne
That hyght Dolon / of great discrecyowne
And also was / ryght famous of rychesse
Of curtely / and of gentyllesse
His deuer dyde / and his dylygence
Them to conueye / vnto the presence
Of Pryamus / in his paleys royall
And in his see / most chefe / and pryncypall
Where as he sat / his lordes enuyrowne
With many knyght / full worthy of renowne
They gan to hym / firste to specefye
Hoolly the substaunce / of theyr embassatrye
And of the trewes / theyr entent they tolde
If it so were / he assente wolde
And the kynge / benyngnely them herde
And by auyse / prudently answerde
That therupon / his honour for to saue
At good leyser / he wolde a counsayle haue
With his lordes / and fully hym gouerne
In this mater / lyke as they discerne
And to conclude / shortly euerychone
Assentyd be / except Ector alone
Vnto the trewes / and ne wolde it nat denye
But Ector sayde / that of trecherye
Oonly of slaughter / and false Treson
Theyr axynge was / vnder occason
Firste to berye Grekes / that were dede
And vnder coloure / therof out of drede
Afterwarde / them selfe to vytayle
For he well knewe / that theyr stuf gan fayle
And enfamyned / leste they shulde dye
They soughte a space / them selfe to purueye
By outwarde sygnes / that he dyde espye
Wherfore quod he / me lyketh nat to lye
By apparence / as I dare presume
Whyles that we / waste and consume
Oure stuf within / as it is to drede
They wyll prouyde / of what y t they haue nede
For all that is / to them auauntage
Myght be to vs / hyndrynge and damage
And whyles / they encrease and amende
[Page] We shall our store / discrease and dispende
Yet neuertheles / how euer that it be
Touchynge this trewes / as for monthes thre
Sythen ye all / assente and accorde
Fro your sentence / I wyll nat discorde
In no wyse / to be varyaunt
And thus the trewes / confermyd was by graūt
On outher syde / them thought for the beste
Bycause they shulde / in quyete and in reste
The mene whyle / ease them and releue
And they that felte / theyr woundes sore greue
Myght haue leyser / them selfe to recure
And whyle the trewes / dyde thus endure
They fylle in Tretee / and in comunynge
Of Athenor / and Thoas the kynge
That Anthenor / delyuered shulde be
For kynge Thoas / to Troye the cyte
And so Thoas shuld / to grekes home agayne
Oonly by eschaunge / as ye haue herde me sayne
One for a nother / as it accorded was
And in this whyle / y e bysshop hight Calchas
Remembred hym / vpon his doughter dere
Called Cryseyde / with hir Eyen clere
Whom in Troye / he had lefte behynde
Whan he wente / as the boke maketh mynde
For whom he felte / passyngly great smerte
So tenderly / she was set at his herte
And enprented / both at eue and morowe
And chefe cause / and grounde of all his sorowe
Was that she lefte / behynde hym in the towne
Without comforte / or consolacyowne
As he caste / sothly in his absence
And specyally / for his great offence
That he hath wrought / agaynst them of troye
And as hym thought / he shuld neuer haue ioye
Tyll he his doughter / recured hath agayne
¶Wherfore / Calchas / the storye sayth certayne
In his wyttes / many wayes caste
How he myght / whyle the trewes doth laste
Recure his doughter / by some maner way
And as I fynde / vpon a certayne day
In his porte / wonder humbly
With wepynge eye / wente pyteously
In complaynynge / of terys albe reyned
Whose inwarde wo / sothly was nat feyned
And on his knees / anone he falleth downe
Tofore / the great kynge / Agamenowne
Besechynge hym / with all humylyte
Of very mercy / and of hye pyte
With other kynges / syttynge in the place
To haue routhe / and for to do hym grace
And on his woo / to haue compassyon
That he may haue / restytucyon
Of his doughter / whom he loued so
Prayinge them all / theyr deuer for to do
That thorugh theyr prudent / medyacyon
For Anthenor / that was in theyr pryson
¶With kyng Thoas / she myght eschaūged be
If that them lyst / of theyr benygnyte
To his requeste / goodly to assente
And they hym graūt / & forth anone they sente
To kynge Pryamus / for to haue Cryseyde
For Calchas sake / and therwith all they leyde
The charge for hir / wonder specyally
On them that went / for this Embassatry
To Troye towne / and to kynge Pryamus
To whom Calchas / was so odyus
So hatefull eke / thorugh out all the towne
That this reporte / was of hym vp and downe
That he a Traytour / was and also false
Worthy to be / enhonged by the halfe
For his Treson / and his doubylnesse
And ouer more / they sayde eke expresse
That he disserued hath / by right of lawe
Shamefully / firste for to be drawe
And afterwarde / the most horryble deth
That he may haue / to yelde vp the breth
Lyke a Traytour / in as despytous wyse
As any herte / can thynke or deuyse
Eueryche affermynge / as by Iugement
That deth was none / fully equypollent
To his deserte / nor to his falsnesse
As yonge and olde / playnely bare wytnesse
Concludynge eke / for his iniquyte
That they wolde assent / in no degre
Vnto no thynge / that myght his herte please
Nor of Cryseyde / for to do hym ease
They caste nat / to make delyueraunce
Leuer they hadde / to gyue hym myschaunce
If they hym myght / haue at good large
But fynally the effect / of all this charge
Is so ferforth dryuen / to an ende
That Pryamus / hath graūted she shall wende
With kynge Thoas / shortly there is no more
Vnto hir Fader / for daūz Anthenore
Who euer grutche / the kynge in Parlement
Hath therupon / gyuen Iugement
So vtterly / it may nat be repelyd
For with his worde / the sentence was asselyd
That she must parte / with hir eyen glade
[Page] And of the sorowe / playnely that she made
At hir partynge / hereafter ye shall here
Whan it agayne / cometh to my matere.

¶Howe durynge a Trewes of thre Monthes Ector walked into the Grekes hooste / And of y e cōmunycacyon of Achylles & hym. Ca. xxv.

[figure]
⸫ ⸫ ⸫
tHe trewes affermyd / as ye haue herd deuyse
On outher syde / of them y t were full wyse
And full assentyd / of them euerychone
Tyll thre monthes / come be and gone
Lyke as I rede / on a certayne daye
Whan agreable was / the morowe graye
Blandysshynge / and pleasaunt of delyte
Ector in herte / caught an appetyte
Lyke as Guydo / lyketh for to wryte
The same day / Grekes to vysyte
Full well besene / and wonder rychely
With many worthy / in his company
Of suche as he / for the nones ches
And to the tent / firste of Achylles
I fynde in sothe / this Troyan knyght
Vpon his stede / toke the waye ryght
Full lyke a man / as made is mencyon
Nowe hadde Achylles / great affeccyon
In his herte / bothe day and nyght
Of worthy Ector / for to haue a syght
For neuer his lyfe / by none occasyon
He myght of hym / haue none inspeccyon
Nor hym beholde / at good lyberte
For vnarmed / he myght hym neuer se
But wonder knyghtly / as well in porte & chere
They had them both / as they mette in fere
And right manly / in theyr countenaunce
And at the laste / they felle in Dalyaunce
But Achylles / firste began abreyde
And vnto hym / euen thus he seyde
Ector quod he / full pleasynge is to me
That I at leyser / naked may these
Syth I of the / neuer myght haue syght
But whan thou were / armed as a knyght
And now to me / it shalbe full greuous
Whiche am to the / so inly enuyous
But thou of me / there is no more to sayne
Be slayne anone / with my handes twayne
For this in sothe / were hoolly my pleasaunce
By cruell deth / to take on the vengeaunce
For I full ofte / in werre and eke in fyght
Haue felte the vertue / and the great myght
Of thy force / thorugh many woundes kene
That vpon me / be full fresshe and grene
In many place / byshedynge of my blode
[Page] Thou wre on me / so furyous and wode
Aye com [...]assynge / to my destruccyowne
For many [...] mayle / of myn haber [...]owne
Thy shar [...]e swerde / racyd hath a sonder
And cruell [...] seuered / here and yonder
And mortally as / I can sygnes shewe
My plates stronge / percyd and yhewe
And my ha [...]eys / forged bryght of stele
Myght neu [...]r / assured be so wele
In thyne Yr [...] / whan thou lyste to smyte
That thy sw [...]rde / wolde kerue and byte
Into my flesshe / full depe and full profounde
As sheweth ye [...] / by many mortall wounde
On my body large / longe and wyde
That yet appere / vpon euery syde
And day by day full sore / ake and smerte
For whiche thynge / me semeth that my herte
Enbolleth newe / nowe whan I these
Of hye despyte / auenged for to be
So am I fret / of enuyous rage
That it may neuer / in my breste aswage
Tyll the vengeaunce / and the fatall sute
Of cruell deth / be on the execute
And of one thynge / moost is my greuaunce
Whan I haue / fully remembraunce
And in my mynde / consyderyd vp and downe
Howe thou madest / a dyuysyowne
Of me alas / and of Patroclus
So yonge so manly / and so vertuous
Whom I loued / as it was skylle and ryght
Ryght as my selfe / with all my full myght
With as hole herte / and inly kyndenesse
As an tunge / may telle or expresse
Now haste thou made / a departysyon
Of vs that were / by hole affeccyon
Yknet in one / of hertely allyaunce
Without partynge / or disseueraunce
So entyerly / our faythfull hertes twayne
Ylaced were / and locked in a chayne
Whiche myght nat / for none aduersyte
Of lyfe nor deth / a sonder twynned be
Tyll cruelly / thou madest vs departe
Which thurgh my herte / so īwardly doth darte
That it wyll neuer / in soth out of my thoughte
And truste well / full dere shalbe boughte
The deth of hym / and be no thynge in were
Parauenture / or endyd be this yere
For vpon the / oonly for his sake
Of cruell deth / vengeaunce shalbe take
I the ensure / without other bonde
If I may lyue / with myn owne honde
I shall of deth / do execucyon
Without abode / or longe delacyon
For right requyreth / without any drede
Deth for deth / for his fynall mede
For I my selfe / theron shalbe wroke
That thorugh y e worlde / hereafter shalbe spoke
How Achylles / was venged on his foo
For Patroclus / that he loued soo
And though that I be / to the enuyous
And of thy deth / inly desyrous
Ne wyte me nat / nor put on me no blame
For well I wotte / thou arte to me the same
And hast my dethe / many day desyred
And therupon / inwardely conspyred
And thus shortely / as atwene vs two
There is but deth / without wordes mo
Whan Fortune hath / the tyme shape
I hope fully / thou shalt nat escape
Truste none other / I say the vtterly
To whom Ector / nat to hastely
Answerde agayne / with sobre countenaunce
Auysed well / in all his dalyaunce
As he that was / in nothynge rekles
And euen thus / he spake to Achylles
Syr Achylles / without any fayle
Thou oughtest nat / in herte to meruayle
Though with my power / and my full myght
With herte and wyll / of very dewe ryght
Day by day / I thy deth conspyre
And euer in one / compasse it and desyre
And do my laboure / erely and eke late
To pursue it / by full cruell hate
Thou oughtest nat / to wonder in no wyse
But fully knowe / by sentence of the wyse
In no maner / who so taketh hede
Of rightwysnesse / it may nat procede
That outher I / or any other wyght
Shulde hym loue / that with all his myght
My deth pursueth / and destruccyon
And ouer this / to more confusyon
Hath layde a sege / aboute this Cyte
On my kynred / and also vpon me
And therupon / felly doth presume
With mortall hate / of werre to consume
Vs euerychone / I wysse I can nat fynde
In my herte / as by lawe of kynde
Suche one to loue / of right nor equyte
Nor haue hym chere / sothly in no degre
For of werre / may no frendlyhede
[Page] Nor of debate / loue / a right procede
For sothly loue / moste in specyall
Of faythfulnesse / hath his Orygenall
In hertes ioyned / by conuenyence
Of one accorde / whom no difference
Of doubylnesse / may in no degre
Nouther in ioye / nor aduersyte
For lyfe nor deth / a sondre nor disseuer
For where loue is / it contynueth euer.
But of hate / all is the contrarye
Of whiche sothly / from hertes whan they varye
Procedeth rancour at eye / as men may se
Debate / enuye / stryfe / and Enmyte
Mortall slaunghtre / bothe nye and ferre
Moder of whiche / in sothfastnesse is werre
The fyn wherof / longe or it be do
Seuereth hertes / and frendeshyp kut a two
And causeth loue / to be layde full lowe
But for all this / I wyll well that thou knowe
Thy proude wordes / in herte nor in thought
In very sothe / agaste me right nought
And if I shall / ferther more out breke
Without auaunt / the trouthe for to speke
I say the playnely / hense or two yere
If I may lyue / in this werres here
And my swerde of knyghthode / forth acheue
I hope in sothe / so mortally to grene
The grekes all / whan I with them mete
That they and thou / shall fele full vnswete
If ye contynue / and the werres haunte
I shall your pryde / and surquedye adaunte
In suche a wyse / with my handes two
That or the werre / fully be a do
Full many greke / sore shall it rewe
For well I wote / of olde and nat of newe
That the Grekes / gaderyd here in one
Of surquedye / are founde euerychone
Oonly for lacke / of discrecyon
To vndertake / of presumpcyon
So hye a thynge / a sege for to layne
And your selfe / to ouer charge in vayne
With Empryses / withoute fable
Be of weyght / to you importable
And the peys / of so great heuynesse
That fynally / wyll you all oppresse
And your pryde / auale and enclyne
The berthone eke / enbowe backe and chyne
And vnwarely / cause you to falle
Or ye haue done / I say to one and alle
And ouer more / be full in suerte
Thou Achylles I speke / vnto the
That fatall deth / firste shall the assay [...]
Tofore thy swerde / in any thynge auiyle
Agaynst me / for all thy worthynesse
And if so be / that so great hardynese
Courage of wyll / vygour force or m [...]ght
Meue thy herte / by manhode as a kiyght
To take on the / as in derrynge do
For to darreyne / here betwene vs two
Thylke quarell / how so that befalle
For the whiche / that we stryue all
I wyll assente / playnely to Iupa [...]te
Tyll that the deth / one of vs departe
There is no more / that these lordes here
Kynges / prynces / wyll accorde yfere
That it be do / fully by one assent
And holde stable / of herte and of entent
Whiche in a felde / oonly that we tweyne
As I haue sayde / this quarell may darreyne
And it fynysshe / by this condycyowne
That if it happe / thorugh thy hye renowne
Me to venquysshe / or put at outtraunce
I wyll you make / fully assuraunce
That firste my lorde / Pryamus the kynge
Shall vnto grekes / in all maner thynge
With sceptre & crowne / hoolly hym submytte
And in a poynt / varye nouther flytte
Fully to yelde / to your subieccyowne
All his lordshyp / within Troye towne
And his lyges / in captyuyte
Shall go theyr way / out of this cyte
And leue it quyte / in your gouernaunce
Without stryfe / or any varyaunce
And therupon / to make suerte
To deuoyde / all ambygnyte
Tofore the goddes / by othe and sacrament
We shall be swore / in full good entent
And ouer more / our fayth also to saue
To assure you / in pledge / ye shall haue
The mene whyle / and kepe them on your syde
At your choyse / hostages to abyde
From Troye towne / of the worthyeste
That ye lyste chese / and also of the beste
So that ye shall / of no thynge be in were
Of all that euer / that I saye you here
And Achylles / without wordes mo
If that thou lyste / accorde full therto
That I haue sayde / thy honour to encrease
To make this werre / sodaynely to cease
That lykly is / for to laste longe
[Page] Betwene Troyans / and the Grekes stronge
Thou shalt nat oonly / w t honour & with fame
Thorugh out the worlde / gette the a name
But therwith all / and that is nat a lyte
Thorugh thy knyghthod / to many man ꝓfyte
That fro the deth / shall escape a lyue
And to his countre / hole and sounde aryue
That lykly are / by cruell aduenture
For to be dede / if the werre endure
Come of therfore / and let nat be prolongued
But let the day / at wene vs two be ioyned
As I haue sayde / in condycyowne
If in diffence / oonly of this towne
I haue victorye / by fortune on the
I axe nat / but anone that ye
Breke vp sege / and the werre lete
And suffre vs / to lyue in quyete
Into Grece / home whan ye are gone
To whiche thynge / Achylles anone
Hote in his Ire / and furyous also
Brennynge full hote / for anger and for wo
Assentydis / with a despytous chere
And gan anone / to Ector dresse hym nere
And sayde he wolde / delyuer hym vtterly
Fro poynt to poynt / his axynge by and by
And there in made / none excepcyon
But of hole herte / and entencyon
His requeste / accepted euerydell
And as it semed / lyked it right well
And for his parte / he caste a gloue downe
In sygne and token / of confirmacyowne
For lyfe or deth / that he wyll holde his day
Agayne Ector / happe / what happe may
Vnto the whiche / Ector lyfly sterte
And toke it vp / with as glad an herte
As euer yet dyde / man or knyght
That quarell toke / with his foo to fyght
There can no man / in sothe a ryght deuyse
How gald he was / of this hye Empryse.
Of whiche the noyse / and the great sowne
Ran to the Erys / of Agamenowne
And he anone / came downe to theyr tent
With all the lordes / of his Parlyament
¶Where Achylles and Ector / were yfere
To wytte theyr wyll / as in this matere
Were they wolde / assente fynally
To put the quarell / full in Iupardy
Of outher part / atwene these knyghtes tweyne
As ye haue herde / it fully to dareyne
And with one voyce / grekes it denye
And sayde they ne wolde / of suche a companye
Of kynges / dukes / and lordes eke also
Both lyfe and deth / Iuparte atwene two
Nor to the course / of Fortune them submytte
That can hir face / all day chaunge and flytte
And some of Troye / in conclusyowne
Iuparte ne wold / theyr lyues nor theyr towne
In the handes / oonly of a knyght
To put all / in auenture of fyght
Pryam except / whiche sothly in this caas
Within hym selfe / fully assentyd was
Playnely to a put / and set in Iupardye
Hoolly the honour / of his regallye
Supposynge aye / as made is memorye
That Ector shulde / haue hadde the victorye
Of this Empryse / if he it toke on honde
But for Pryam / myght natwithstonde
Agayne so many / of one entencyon
That were contrarye / to his oppynyon
Bothe of Grekes / and on Troye syde
He helde his peas / and let it ouer slyde
And so the Grekes / parted be echone
And Ector / is from Achylles gone
Home to Troye / where I hym leue a whyle
Whyles that I / directe shall my style
To telle of Troylus / the lamentable wo
Whiche that he made / to parte his lady fro.
ALas Fortune / Gery and vnstable
And redy aye / for to be chaungeable
Whā folk most trust / ī thy stormy face
Lyke theyr desyre / y e fully to embrace
Than is thy ioye / away to tourne and wrythe
Vpon wretches / thy power for to kythe
Recorde on Troylus / y t fro the whele so lowe
By false enuye / thou hast ouer throwe
Out of the ioye / whiche that he was Inne
From his lady / to make hym for to twynne
Whan he best wende / for to haue be suryd
And of the woo / that he hath enduryd
I must nowe / helpe hym to complayne
Whiche as his herte / felte so great payne
So inwarde wo / and so great distresse
More than I haue / cunnynge to expresse
Whan he knewe / the partynge of Cryseyde
Almost for woo / and for payne / he deyde
And fully wyste / she departe shall
By sentence / and Iugement fynall
Of his fader / gyuen in Parlyament
For whiche / with wo and tourment all to rent
[Page] He was in poynt / to haue fallen in rage
That no man myght / a pease nor a swage
The hyd paynes / whiche in his breste gan dare
For lyke a man / in furye / he gan fare
And suche sorowe / day and nyght to make
In complaynynge / oonly for hir sake
For whan he sawe / that she shulde aweye
He leuer hadde / playnely for to deye
Than to lyue behynde / in hir absence
For hym thought / without hir presence
He was but dede / there is no more to sayne
And intoterys / he began to rayne
With whiche his eyen / gan for to bolie
And in his breste / the syghes vp to swolle
And the sobbynge / of his sorowes depe
That he ne can / but rore and wepe
So sore loue / his herte gan constrayne
And she ne felte / nat a lytell payne
But wepte also / and pyteously gan crye
Desyrynge aye / that she myght dye
Rather than parte fro hym out of Troye
Hir owne knyght / hir lust hir lyues ioye
That by hir chekes / the terys downe distylle
And fro hir eyen / the rounde droppes trylle
And all for dewed / haue hir blacke wede
And eke vntrussed / hir heer a brodegan sprede
Lyke to golde wyre / for rent and all to torne
Yplucked of / and nat with sherys shorne
And ouer this / hir fresshe rosen hewe
Whylom ymeynt / with whyte lylyes newe
With wofull wepynge / pyteously disteyned
And lyke Erbys / in Apryll all be reyned
Or floures fresshe / with the dewes swete
Right so hir chekes / moyste were and wete
With crystall water / vp ascendynge hye
Out of hir breste / into hir heuenly eye
And aye amonge / hir lamentaeyowne
Ofte sythe / she fyll in a swowne downe
Dedely pale / for dymmed in hir syght
And ofte sayde / alas myn owne knyght
Myn owne Troylous / alas why shall we ꝑte
Rather let deth / with his spere darte
Thorugh my herte / and the vaynes kerue
And with his rage / do me for to stryue
Rather alas / than fro my knyght to twynne
And of this wo / O deth that I am inne
Why ne wylt thou come / & helpe make an ende
For how shulde I out of Troye wende
He abyde / and I to grekes goon
There to dwelle / amonge my cruell foon
Alas alas / I wofull creature
How shulde I there / in the werre endure
I wretched woman / but my selfe alone
Amonge the men / of armes euerychone
Thus gan she crye / all the longe day
This was hir complaynte / w t full great afray
Hir pyteous noyse / tyll it drewe to nyght
That vnto hir / hir owne trewe knyght
Full tryste and heuy / came agaynes eue
If he myght / hir comforte or leue
But he in sothe / hath Cryseyde founde
All in a swowne / lyinge on the grounde
And pyteously / vnto hir he went
With wofull chere / and hir in armes hent
And toke hir vp / and than atwene them two
Began of newe / suche a dedely wo
That it was routhe / and pyte for to sene
For she of chere / pale was and grene
And he of coloure / lyke to asshes dede
And fro hir face / was gone all the rede
And in his chekes / deuoyded was the blode
So wofully / atwene them two it stode
For she ne myght / nat a worde Yspeke
And he was redy / with deth to be wreke
Vpon hym selfe / his naked swerde besyde
And she full ofte / gan to grounde glyde
Out of his armes / as she fylle a swowne
And he hym selfe / gan in terys drowne
She was as stylle / and dumbe as any stone
He had a mouthe / but wordes had he none
The wery spyryte / flyckered in hir breste
And of deth / stode vnder a reste
Withoute menprys / sothely as of lyfe
And thus there was / as it semed a stryfe
Whiche of them two / shulde firste ypasse
For deth portrayed / in herte outher face
With suche coloure / as men go to theyr graue
And thus in wo / they gan togydre raue
Disconsolate / all the longe nyght
That in good fayth / if I shulde a ryght
The processe hole / of theyr bothe sorowe
That they made / tyll the next morowe
Fro poynt to poynt / it to specefye
It wolde me / full longe occupye
Of euery thynge / to make mencyon
And tarye me / in my translacyon
If I shulde / in hir wo procede
But me semeth / that it is no nede
Syth my mayster / Chaucer here afore
In this mater / hath so well hym bore
[Page] In his boke / of Troylus and Cryseyde
Whiche he made / longe or that he deyde
Rehersynge first / how Troylus was contrayre
For to ascende / vp on loues stayre
And how that he / for all his surquedye
After became / one of the companye
Of loues folke / for all his olde game
Whan Cupyde / made hym full tame
And brought hym lowe / to his subieccyowne
In a temple / as he walked vp and downe
Whan he his gynnes / and his hookes leyde
Amyd the Eyen / cerclyd of Cryseyde
Whiche on that day / he myght nat asterte
For thorugh his breste / percyd and his herte
He wente hym home / pale syke / and wan
And in this wyse / Troylus firste began
To be a seruaunt / my mayster telleth thus
Tyll he was holpe / after of Pandarus
Thorugh whose comforte / and medyacyon
As in his boke / is made mencyon
With great laboure / firste he came to grace
And so contynueth / by certayne yeres space
Tyll fortune gan / vpon hym frowne
That she fro hym / must go out of towne
All sodaynely / and neuer hym after se
Lo here the ende / of false Felycyte
Lo here the ende / of wordely brotylnesse
Of flesshely luste / lo here the vnstablenesse
Lo here the double / varyacyon
Of worldly blysse / and transmutacyon
This daye in myrthe / and in wo to morowe
For aye the fyne / alas of ioye is sorowe
For now Cryseyde / with the kynge Thoas
For Anthenor / shall go forth alas
Vnto Grekes / and euer with them dwelle
The hole storye / Chaūcer can you telle
If that ye lyste / no man better a lyue
Nor the processe / halfe so well descryue
For he our englysshe / gylte with his sayes
Rude and boystous / firste by olde dayes
That was full fer / from all parfeccyon
And but of lytell / reputacyon
Tyll that he came / and thorugh his poetrye
Gan our tunge / firste to magnefye
And adourne it / with his eloquence
To whom honoure / laude and reuerence
Thorugh out this lande / gyuen be and songe
So that the laurer / of our englysshe tonge
Be to hym gyuen / for his excellence
Right as whylom / by full hye sentence
Perpetuelly / for a memoryall
Of Columpna / by the Cardynall
To Petrark Fraunceyse / was gyuen in Ytayle
That the reporte / neuer after fayle
Nor the honour / dyrked of his name
To be regystred / in the hous of fame
Amonge other / in the hyest sete
My mayster Galfryde / as for chefe Poete
That euer was / yet in our langage
The name of whom / shall pallen in none age
But euer ylyche / without eclypsynge shyne
And for my parte / I wyll neuer fyne
So as I can / hym to magnefye
In my wrytynge / playnely tyll I dye
And god I praye / his soule brynge in ioye
And where I lefte / I wyll agayne of troye
The storye telle / and firste how that Guydo
Within his boke / speketh Troylus to
Rebukynge hym / full vncurteysly
That he so sette / his herte folyly
Vpon Cryseyde / full of doubylnesse
For in his boke / as Guydolyste expresse
That hir terys / and hir complaynynge
Hir wordes whyte / softe and blandysshynge
Were meynt with faynynge / & with flaterye
And outwarde farsed / with many a false lye
For vnderhyd was / all the varyaunce
Curyd aboue / with fayned countenaunce
As women can / falsely terys borowe
In theyr herte / though there be no sorowe
Lyke as they wolde / of very trouthe deye
They can thynke on / and a nother seye
As a serpent / vnder floures fayre
His venym hydeth / where he doth repayre
The sugre afore / the galle hydde behynde
As appropryd is / vnto theyr kynde
To be dyuerse / and double of nature
Rathest deceyuynge / whan men moste assure
For vnder coloure / euery thynge they werke
The fayre aboue / the foule in the derke
They hydde so / that no man may espye
And though so be / that with a wofull Eye
They can outwarde / wepe pyteously
The tother eye / can laffe couertly
Whose sorowes all / are tempryd with allyes
And theyr coloure / euer is meynt with rayes
For vpon chaunge / and mutabylyte
Stande hole theyr truste / and theyr suerte
So that they be / sure in doubylnesse
And alway double / in theyr sykernesse
[Page] Semynge one / whan they beste can varye
Lykest to a corde / whan they be contrarye
And thus they be / varyaunt in accorde
And holest seme / whan there is discorde
And Guydo sayth / how there are fewe or none
That in hir herte / apayed is with one
And yet they can / be it to one or twayne
To thre or foure / in theyr speche fayne
Lyke as they were / to one and to no mo
Hole in theyr loue / for well and eke for wo
That eueryche shall / of hym selfe deme
That he be next / lyke as it doth seme
And thus in hope / standeth eche of them alle
The trewest aye / redyest to falle
Who serueth beste / next to be apayred
And thus in chaunge / all theyr loue is fayred
Let no man truste / but catche whan he may
Farewell to morowe / though it be sure to day
The fayre of chaunge / lasteth ouer yere
But it is folye / for to bye to dere
Thylke treasoure / whiche harde is to possede
But flyeth away / whan men therof mostenede
And if it happe / that no chapman be
As sayth Guydo / yet all day men may se
It sheweth out / at large fenestralles
On chaumbres / hye and lowe downe in halles
And in wyndowes / eke in euery strete
And also eke / men may with them mete
At Pylgrymages / and oblacyownes
At spectacles / in Cytes and in townes
As sayth Guydo / and all is for to selle
But after hym / I can no ferther telle
And eke he sayth / in his sentement
There is no fraude / fully equypolent
To the fraude / and sleyghty compassynge
Of a woman / nor lyke in workynge
For who that set / all his faythfulnesse
Wenynge in them / to fynde stabylnesse
He shall them fynde / stedfast as the mone
That is in poynt / for to chaunge soone
If he be yonge / they caste hym in rage
If he be olde / he falleth in dotage
Wherfore my counsayle is / to bothe two
Caste of the brydell / and lyghtly let them go.
This techeth Guydo / god wot and nat I
That hath delyte / to speke cursedly
Alway of women / thorugh out all his boke
As men may se / who so lyste to loke
To them he hadde / enuye in specyall
That in good fayth / I am right wroth w t all
That he with them / lyste so to debate
For Yre of whiche / the Latyn to translate
Inwardely / my herte / I felte blede
Of hye despyte / his clauses for to rede
That resowned / in conclusyon
Oonly of malys / to accusacyowne
Of these women / full euyll mote he thryue
So generally / their secte / to descryue
Whiche made nat / thorugh in discrecyon
Of good / nor badde / none excepcyon
He was to blame / foule mote he falle
For cause of one / for to hynder alle
For I dare well / afferme by the rode
Agayne one badde / be an hondred gode
And though some one / bouble be and newe
It hyndreth nat / to them that be trewe
And by example / also though he shewe
That some one / whylom was a shrewe
They that be good / take shall no hede
For it / no hyndrynge / is to womanhede
Though twayne or thre / can be double & fayne
For there agayne / lothely at Colayne
Of virgyns / inly full of grace
A leuen thousande / in that holy place
A man may fynde / and in our kalender
Full many mayde / parfyte and Enter
Whiche to the deth / stable were and trewe
For some of them / with the rosen hewe
Of Marterdome / the blysse of heuen wonne
And some also / as bokes tell konne
With the lylye / of virgynyte
And vyolettes / of parfyte chastyte
Ascended be / aboue the sterrys clere
And the sercle / of the nynthe spere
Wherfore ioye is euer / and gladnesse eterne
Wherfore in sothe / as I can discerne
Though some clerkꝭ / of shrewes haue myssayde
Let no good woman / therof be myspayde
For lacke of one / all are nat to blame
And eke of men / may be sayde the same
For to the trewe / it is no reprefe
Though it so be / a nother be a thefe
For what is he / the worse in his degree
Though the tother / be hanged on a tree
Nor vnto women / hyndrynge is it none
Amonge an hondred / though that there be one
Of gouernaunce / that be vycyous
For there agayne / a thousande vertuous
If that ye lyste / lyghtely ye may fynde
And though Guydo wryte / they haue of kȳde
[Page] To be double / men shulde it goodly take
And there agayne / no maner grutchyng make
Nature in werkynge / hath full great powere
And it were harde / for any that is here
The course of hir / to holde or restreyne
For she wyll nat be gyded / by no reyne
To be coarted / of hir dewe ryght
Therfore eche man / with all his full myght
Shulde thanke god / and take pacyently
For if women / be double naturelly
Why shulde men / ley on them the blame
For though myn Auctor / hyndre so their name
In his wrytynge / oonly of Cryseyde
And vpon hir / suche a blame leyde
My counsayle is / lyghtly ouer passe
Where he myssayth / of hir in any place
To hyndre women / outher eue or morowe
Take no hede / but let them be with sorowe
And skyppe ouer / where ye lyste nat rede
Tyll ye come / where that Dyomede
For hir was sent / into Troye towne
Where ceryously / is made mencyowne
Firste how that she / to hym delyuered was
For Anthenor / and for the kynge Thoas
And how Troylus / gan hir to conueye
With many other / to brynge hir on the weye
And after this / how that Dyomede
By the waye / gan hir brydell lede
Tyll he hir broughte / to hir faders tent
And how Calchas / in fall good entent
Receyued hir / lodgyd there he lay
And of hir speche / durynge all that day
And all the maner / hole and euerydele
All is rehersed / ceryously and wele
In Troylus boke / as ye haue herde me sayne
To wryte it ofte / I holde it were but vayne
But Guydo sayth / longe or it was nyght
How Cryseyde / forsoke hir owne knyght
And gaue hir herte / vnto Dyomede
Of tendernesse / and of womanhede
That Troylus / wexe in hir herte as colde
Without fyre / as ben these asshys olde
I can none other / excusacyon
But oonly / kyndes transmutacyon
That is appropryd / vnto hir nature
Selde or neuer / stable to endure
By experyence / as men may ofte lere
But nowe agayne / to my matere
I must resorte / though that I be ferre
As I began / to wryte of the werre.

¶How whan y e trewes was endyd they wente to batayle agayne / where as were many a man slayne on both partyes / And of y e Discrypcyon of y e Palays of Ylyon / And also how there dy­ed so many grekes of the pestylence / that they demaunded trewes for .xxx. dayes whiche they obteyned. Capitulo. xxvi.

[figure]
[Page] THe tyme passed / of the trewes Ytake
the next morowe / whā tytā hath forsake
The vnder partye / of our Emysperye
Where all y nyght / he had be full merye
With Aurora / lyinge by his syde
But in his bed / hym lyste no lenger byde
But shope hym vp / & caste his stremes shene
On Troye walle / whan Ector armed clene
Into the felde / faste gan hym hye
Fyftene thousande / in his companye
Of worthy knyghtes / and of manly men
And as I fynde / Troylus hadde ten
Of knyghtes eke / that his baner sewe
And in hast / Parys gan remewe
Out of the towne / with them of Perce longe
And eche of them / a bowe in his honde
And arrowes sharpe / trussed by theyr syde
And of knyghtes / that aboute hym ryde
He hadde also / thre thousande as I fynde
And Dephebus / next hym came behynde
With thre thousande / knyghtes armed clene
On whose plates / the sonne shone full shene
And next hym came / the Troyan Eneas
And as I rede / sothly that there was
Thesame day / with them of Troye towne
An hondred thousande / knyghtes of renowne
Lyke as recordeth / Dares Frygius
And in his boke / Guydo wryteth thus
And with the Grekes / all tofore that day
With seuen thousande / went Menelay
Knyghtes echone / whiche he dyde lede
And with as many / went Dyomede
And next them / foloweth the hardy Achylles
With his mayne / called Myrundynes
And zanptipu [...] / the worthy kynge eke hadde
Thre thousande knyghtꝭ / whiche that he ladde
Into the felde / agayne them of the towne
And alderlaste / came Agamenowne
With suche a nombre / of the Grekes felle
That wonder is / for to here telle
And whan the wardes / in the felde abrode
Hadde theyr place / without more abode
Agrekysshe kynge / whiche y t Phyllys hyghte
Anone as he of Ector / hadde a syghte
Towardes hym / syttynge on his stede
With his spere / he gan hym faste spede
But whan Ector / his cōmynge sayne
He hente a spere / and rode to hym agayne
And thorugh his shelde / and his plates rounde
He gaue to hym / his laste fat all wounde
Vpon whose deth / auenged for to be
Full many Greke / gan on Ector for to flee
And firste of all / the worthy kynge Famous
That of Grekes / was called zantipus
Of hye disdayne / oonly for Phyllys sake
Towarde Ector / hath his course ytake
And with a spere / ran at hym full ryght
But Ector firste / hyt hym with suche a myght
Thorugh his harneys / with his speres hede
That zantipus / fylle to grounde dede
The deth of whom / Greke sore playne
And dyde theyr myght / and theyr besy payne
On euery halfe / furyous and wode
To auenge them / on Troyans blode
And thorugh he passynge / cruell hardynesse
They began Troyans / so to oppresse
That many one / that day ne myght asterte
Thoruh the breste / yperced and the herte
For to be dede / and slayne amonge the prees
Amonges whiche / cruell Achylles
Slewe Lychaon / and Eufrobyus
Noble knyghtes / right worthy and famous
That were ycome / out of theyr countre
Agayne Grekes / to helpe the Cyte
And whyle troyans / cōstrayned were so narowe
Were it with spere / quarell / darte / or arowe
Ector was wounded / thorugh out the vyser
Into the face / that lyke a ryuer
The reed blode / downe began to rayle
But his harneys / thorugh his auentayle
Wherof astoned / whan they hadde a syght
Full many Troyan / toke hym to the flyght
And to the Cyte / faste gan them drawe
And at the chase / full many one was slawe
Or they myght / out of the felde remewe
And euer in one / grekes after sewe
Vnto the walles / almost of the towne
Tyll that Ector / the troyan champyowne
Of his knyght hode / gan to take hede
Albe his wounde / sore gan to blede
Yet of manhode / he gan them recomforte
And maugre them / into the felde resorte
Namely whan he / hadde inspeccyowne
On the walles / and toures of the towne
How that Eleyne / and Eccuba the quene
And his suster / fayre Polycene
With many other lady / gan beholde
Hym thought anone / his herte gan to colde
Of very shame / his knyghtes shulde fle
And lyke a Lyon / in his cruelte
[Page] He made them tourne / manly euerychone
And in his waye / he mette Meryon
Agrekysshe kynge / that was nye allye
To Achylles / as bokes specefye
And with his swerde / Ector smote hym so
That he hym rofe / on pecys two
And whan Achylles / sawe hym dede
Parted a two / euen fro the hede
He hent a spere / and thought he ne wolde fayle
Tohyt Ector / thorugh shelde plate & mayle
And rode to hym / full Enuyously
And amyd the shelde / he smet hym cruelly
But with the stroke / Ector neuer adell
Remeueth nat / he sat so faste and well
But with his swerde anone / & taryeth nought
Ran to Achylles / with an enuyous thought
He knyghtly ran / vpon his coursere
And on his creste / that shone so bryght & clere
With suche a myght / Ector hath hym smet
That he percyd / thorughe his basenet
And racede eke / from his auentayle
With that stroke / many pece of mayle
That Achylles / constrayned was of nede
Maugre his myght / to stagre on his stede
To enclyne / and to bowe his backe
At whiche tyme / Ector to hym spake.
And sayde Achylles / I do well aduerte
The great enuye / of thy cruell herte
And specyally / that thou haste to me
But yet beware / I counsayle the
Thy selfe to put / so in aduenture
For of one thynge / I playnely the ensure
As I desyre / at my laste some day
Here in the felde / if I the mete may
Truste me right well / there gayneth no socour
That I shall so / acquyte thy labour
So mortally / I do the vnderstande
With this swerde / that I holde in honde
That with thy lyfe / thou shalt nat escape
So cruelly / the vengeaunce shalbe take
Efte whan we met / euen vpon thy hede
Of whiche thynge / whan Achylles toke hede
Aduertynge all / that he herde hym sayne
Right as he wolde / haue answere agayne
¶Worthy Troylus / knyghtly entrede inne
And made them / a sondre for to twynne
And thorugh the manhode / of his companye
Of worthy knyghtes / that he dyde guye
And hye prowesse / of his owne myght
He hath the grekes / put agayne to flyght
And slayne of them / that day out of drede
Sixe hondred knyghtes / sothely as I rede
For losse of whiche / the Grekes faste fle
To theyr tentes / of necessyte
Tyll Menelay / dyde his besy cure
To make them / the felde agayne recure
Thorugh whose manhode / y t day out of doute
And worthy knyghtes / that were hym aboute
The felde of grekes / recured was anone
But tho fro Troye / came kynge Odemon
And in all haste / possyble / that he may
He came enbusshed / vpon Menelay
And hym vnhorseth / in the selfe place
And suche a wounde / gaue hym in the face
That fro the deth / he wende nat escape
And doutles anone / he hadde hym take
With helpe of Troylus / and lad vnto y e towne
But of Grekes / suche a prese came downe
To reskewe hym / in this great nede
That Odemon / no ferther myght lede
Kynge Menelay / towarde the Cyte
Whan Dyomede / came with his meyne
And many worthy / rydynge hym aboute
And Troylus mette / amonges all the route
All sodaynely / of hap or aduenture
And hym vnhorseth / as it was his eure
And after that / anone he hent his stede
And bad a squyer / that he shulde it lede
Vnto Cryseyde / oonly for his sake
Besechynge hir / that she wolde it take
As for a gyfte / of hir owne man
Syth he that day / for hir loue it wan
Amyd the felde / thorugh his great myght
Of hym that was / whylom hir owne knyght
And he in haste / on his waye is went
And therof made / vnto hir present
Prayinge hir / in full humble wyse
This lytell gyfte / that she nat despyse
But it receyue / for a remembraunce
And with all this / that it be pleasaunce
Of very pyte / and of womanhede
On hir seruaunt / called Dyomede
To remembre / that was be come hir knyght
And she anone / with herte glad and lyght
Full womanly / bad hym repayre agayne
Vnto his lorde / and playnely to hym sayne
That shene myght / of very kyndenesse
Of womanhede / nor of gentyllesse
Refuse hym platly / from hir grace
That was to hir / there in straunge place
[Page] So kynde founde / and so comfortable
In euery thynge / and so seruyable
That it may nat / lyghtly out of mynde
To thynke on hym / that was so trewe & kynde.
¶With whiche answere / the messager is gone
Vnto his lorde / and tolde it hym anone
Worde by worde / lyke as she hath sayde
And he therof / was full well apayde
That hym thought / playnely in his herte
He was recured / of his paynes smerte
And forth he had hym / in armes as a knyght
But that day / durynge the stronge fyght
They of Troye / so manly haue them borne
That grekes myght / nat stonde them aforne
For to theyr tentꝭ / they haue thē chased downe
That ne hadde be / kynge Agamenowne
Grekes hadde / be dryuen out of the felde
The whiche thynge / anone as he behelde
He came vpon / with many worthy man
And tho of newe / the slaughtre agayne began
On euery halfe / vpon the large playne
That Grekes / haue Troyans so be layne
That efte agayne / they haue the felde ywonne
So that Troyans / constrayned tho begonne
To lese theyr londe / tyll Pollydamas
Whiche with his knyghtes / there besyde was
Gan falle vpon / endelonge the grene
Them of Troye / full manly to sustene
And the Grekes / he gan so to enchace
Whan he came in / that they loste theyr place
And to the stronde / euen vpon the see
Thurgh his knyghthod / he made thē for to fle
Of theyr lyfe / that they were in drede
The whiche myschefe / whan that Dyomede
Behelde / and sawe / how Pollydamas
Mortally / pursued on the chas
On hors backe / in the felde a fere
With cruell herte / hent anone a spere
And spryngynge out / rode to hym full ryght
And he agayne / to acquyte hym lyke a knyght
As he that lyste / on no partye feyne
Of his stede / helde agayne the reyne
And raughte a spere / & threwe it in the reste
And Dyomede / he smote so on the breste
That mortally / lyke as it is founde
He vnhorsed hym / with a greuous wounde
And ryght anone / with a knyghtly herte
Pollydamas / all attones sterte
Vnto the hors / of this Dyomede
And by the reyne / proudely gan it lede
Vnto Troylus / where he on foot stode
All for bathed / in the Grekes blode
On euery halfe / whiche that he shadde
Amonges them / so knyghtly he hym hadde
That they ne myght / endure nor sustene
His sharpe swerde / grounde was so kene
And delyuerly / maugre all his foon
Into the sadell / vp he sterte anoon
Of very force / armed as he was
And vnwarely / by aduenture or cas
With sharpe swerdes / for the nones whette
As Achylles / and he togydre mette
Worthy Troylus / of rancour and of pryde
Achylles smote / that he felle asyde
Downe of his hors / lowe to the grounde
And natw tstandynge / his grene mortal woūde
He rose agayne / and faste gan hym spede
If that he myght / to recure his stede
But all for nought / it wolde nat auayle
For sodaynely / with a fresshe batayle
They of Troye / as made is mencyon
In compasse wyse / beset hym enuyron
Eueryche of them / armed bryght and clene
And Ector tho / in his furyous tene
As Dares telleth / all the maner howe
The same day / a thousande knyghtes slowe
Whiche them withstode / oonly in diffence
For Achylles / to make resystence
That tyme of deth / stondynge in Iupardye
That certaynely / but if bokes lye
By lyklyhede / he myght nat escape
In that myschefe / to be dede or take
Ector on hym / was so furyous
But as I rede / Thelamonyus
Reskued hym / in this great nede
And caused hym / to recure his stede
Natwithstandynge / all the great prees
For the Duke / and lorde of Athenes
Was in this case / of herte and hole entent
To helpe Achylles / wonder dylygent
That with hym ladde / many noble knyght
But for bycause / that it drewe to nyght
As the storye / maketh rehersayle
They made an ende / as of that batayle
And they of Troye / entred be the towne
And after that / as made is mencyowne
By and by / hauynge delayes
Mortally they foughte / thurty dayes
Withoute / any interrupcyon
On outher parte / to great destruccyon
[Page] But aldermost / for all theyr great pryde
They lost moste / on the Grekes syde
Saue Pryamus / loste in specyall
Sixe of his sones / called naturall
For whom he hadde / full great heuynesse
And as the storye / lyketh to expresse
This mene whyle / Ector in certayne
In his face / wounded was agayne
And thus they haue / in this cruell rage
On euery parte / receyued great damage
Tyll kynge Pryam / from Troye sent downe
For a trewes / vnto Agamenowne
For sixe monthes / if he assente wolde
And therupon / he hath a counsayle holde
With his lordes / what were beste to do
And they echone / accorded be therto
And graunte his axynge / in conclusyon
And all this whyle / within ylyon
Durynge the peas / on outher parte assured
Of his woundes / fully to be cured.
Lay worthy Ector / protector of the towne
But of this ryche / royall chefe doungeowne
That Ylyon / in Troye bare the name
Whiche of byldynge / hadde suche a fame
If that I shulde / cōmende it vp so downe
As Dares doth / in his descripcyowne
I wante cunnynge / my termys to aplye
For in his boke / as he doth specefye
In all this wrolde / was there none so ryche
Of hye deuyse / nor of byldynge lyche
The whiche stode / the more to delyte
As he recordeth / on twelue stones whyte
Of Alabastre / shortly to conclude
And twenty pase / was the latytude
That grounde ypaued / thorugh out w t crystall
And vp on hyghte / parformed euery wall
Of all stones / that any man can fynde
Of Dyamountes / and saphyres ynde
The royall rubye / so oryent and lyght
That the derkenesse / of the dymme nyght
Enchaced was / with his bemes shene
And euer amonge / were emeraudes grene
With stones all / that any maner man
In this worlde / deuyse or reken can
That were of pryse / value or rychesse
Ther were wrought / of large & gret roūdenesse
As sayth Dares / Yuory pyllers
And therupon / set at the corners
Of pured golde / all aboue on hyghte
There were ymages / wonder huge of weyghte
With many perle / and many ryche stone
And euery pyller / in the halle hadde one
Of massyfe golde / borned clere and bryght
And wonderfull / to any mannes syght
For of this werke / the meruaylous fasyon
Was more lyke / by estymacyon
A thynge ymade / and founded by fayrye
Than any werke / wrought by fantasye
Thorugh wytte of man / as by lyklynesse
For in his boke / Dares bereth wytnesse
That it was lyke / to reken syght and all
In apparaunce / a thynge celestyall
Syth in this boke / ye get no more of me
For but in wrytynge / I myght neuer it se
Albe all other / that it dyde excelle
No more therof / I thynke nowe to telle
But retourne agayne / to Pryamus
Whiche all this whyle / was inly coryous
With all his myght / and his besy cure
To ordayne / for the sepulture
Of his sones / that afore were dede
And all that tyme / syke lay Dyomede
With loues darte / wounded to the herte
As he that felte / inwardly smerte
Of wofull syghes / whiche in his breste abreyde
Full ofte a daye / for loue of Cryseyde
For he was shake / with a feuer newe
That caused hym / to be full pale of hewe
And to wexe / bothe megre and lene
For pyteously / he gan hym to abstene
Fro mete and drynke / and from all solace
As it was sene / in his dedely face
And ofte a day / to hir he wolde playne
Of his dissease / and his mortall payne
Prayinge of grace / that she wolde se
Vpon his woo / for to haue pyte
And of mercy / for to take hede
Of hir seruaunt / oonly of womanhede
Or planely ellys / there is no more to seye
For hir sake / he sayde he wolde deye.
But cunnyngly / and in full sleyghty wyse
To kepe hym lowe / vnder hir seruyse
With delayes / she helde hym forth on honde
And made hym / in a weer to stonde
Full vnsure / betwene hope and dispayre
And whan that grace / shulde haue had repayre
To put hym out / of all heuynesse
Daunger of newe / brought hym in distresse
And with a disdayne / to encrease his payne
Of double weer / she brought hȳ in a trayne
[Page] As women can holde / a man full narowe
Whan he is hurte / with Cupydes arowe
To sette on hym / many felle assayes
Day by day / to put hym in delayes
To stonde vnsure / betwyxe hope and drede
Right as Cryseyde / left Dyomede
Of entent to sette / hym more a fyre
As this women / kyndely desyre
Whan they a man / haue brought in a traunce
Vneuenly / to hange hym in balaunce
Of hope and drede / to lynke hym in a chayne
And of the fyne / vnsure of both twayne
To dryue hym forth / yeres them to serue
And do no force / where he lyue or sterue
This is the fyne / of loues fyry rage
And for she wolde / haue hym inseruage
She locked hym / vnder suche a keye
That he wote nat / where to lyue or deye
And in doute thus / I lette hym dwelle
And forth I wyll / of the storye telle
And to my matere / eke resorte agayne
And as myn Auctour / recordeth in certayne
After the trewes / were wered out and gone
Twelue dayes / suynge all in one
The grekes faught / w t them of the towne
To great damage / and confusyowne
Of outher partye / and aduersyte
And in this whyle / a great mortalyte
Bothe of swerde / and of pestylence
Amonge grekes / by fatall influence
Of noyous hete / and of corrupt eyre
Engendryd was / that in great dispeyre
Of theyr lyfe / in the felde they leye
For day by day / sodaynely they deye
And theyr nombre / faste gan discrece
And whan they sawe / that it ne wolde sece
By theyr aduyse / the kynge Agamenowne
For a trewes / sent to the towne
For thurty dayes / and Pryamus the kynge
Without more / graunted his axynge.

¶Howe Andronomecha Ectors wyfe hadde a vysyon in hir slepe / that & hir housbonde fought on the morowe that he shuld be slayne / the whi­che wold not byleue hir / nouther Fader nor moder / And how Achylles slewe hym. Ca. xxvij.

[figure]
WHan the moreyne / and the wofull rage
Of Pestylence / began for to aswage
And the trewes / were wered out & goon
The grekes caste / to mete with theyr foon
Vpon a day / in plates armed clene
Whan Phebus rose / with his bemys shene
Full plesauntly / and gan to shede his lyght
But as I fynde / tofore the selfe nyght
Andronomecha / the faythfull trewe wyfe
Of worthy Ector / hym louynge as hir lyfe
By whom he hadde / gete children two
Wonder semely / and inly fayre also
And Lamedoute / called was the tone
So yonge the tother / that it ne myght gone
And Astronanta / I rede that he hyghte
Fetured well / and passynge fayre of syghte
And as Guydo / lysteth to endyte
Of his moder / at the pappes whyte
For very yonge / that tyme was soukynge
And with his arme / hir brestys embrasynge
And she that nyght / as made is mencyon
Hadde in hir slepe / a wonder vysyon
I note in sothe what / I may it neuene
Outher a dreme / or veryly a sweuene
Or fro aboue / a reuelacyon
As whylom hadde / the kynge Scipyon
Or a shewynge / outher an Oracle
Or of goddes / a warnynge by myracle
For in sothenesse / slepynge as she lay
Hir thoughte playnely / if the next day.
Ector went / his fomen for to assayle
As he was wonte / armed in batayle
That hene shulde / escape vtterly
In fatys hondes / to falle fynally
[Page] And ouer more / Antropos shall fyne
For euermore / his lyues threde to twyne
And shewe the force / of hir fell myght
Whan the Parodye / of this worthy knyght
A proche shall / without wordes mo
Into the felde / playnely if he go
Of whiche astonyd / streyght and short of breth
Where as she lay / abrayde vp on the deth
And with a syghe / stynte for to slepe
And pyteously / braste out for to wepe
For the constraynte / of hir hertely sorowe
And specyally / on the wofull morowe
Whan that she sawe / this stocke of worthynesse
As he was wonte / manfully hym dresse
To arme hym / in stele borned bryght
This troyan wall / Ector this worthy knyght
She can no more / but at his fete felle downe
Lowly declarynge / hir a vysyowne
With quakynge herte / of very womanhede
Wherof god wote / he toke lytell hede
But therof hadde / indygnacyon
Platly affermynge / that no discrecyon
Was to truste / in suche fantasyes
In dremes shewed / gladly meynt with lyes
Full of Iapes / and illusyons
Of whiche playnely / the conclusyons
Benat ellys / but folkes to delude
Albe it so / that these people rude
Therin some whyle / haue affeccyon
To iuge and deme / in theyr oppynyon
Dyuersly / what they may pretende
And ofte falle / and happen as they wende
And foloweth lyke / in conclusyon
For drede of whiche / the Lamentacyon
Encrease gan / of Andronomecha
And in hir swowne / firste she cryed A
Sayeng alas / myn owne lorde so dere
Your trewe wyfe / alas why ne wyll ye here
Whiche of so faythfull / hoole affeccyon
Desyreth aye / your sauacyon
And vp she rose / dedely of vysage
And lyke a woman / caught with sodayne rage
To kynge Pryam / and Eccuba / the quene
In haste she wente / hir selfe to be mene
And of hir wyfely herte / trewe as stele
Ceryously / declared euery dele
Hir pyteous dreme / whiche thorugh myracle
To hir oonly / by deuyne oracle
I shewed was / thorugh goddes purueaunce
And tolde them eke / the fynall ordynaunce
Of Fortunes false / disposycyon
Fully purueyed / to destruccyon
Of hir lorde / without more delay
Into the felde / if he go that day
¶Wherfore she prayeth / with a dedely hewe
Vnto the kynge / of meccy for to rewe
Vpon hir wo / to haue compassyon
For to ordayne / by discrecyon
Of his lordshyp / and of soueraynte
That hir lorde / nat destroyed be
Of reckeleshede / nor of wylfulnesse
And with that worde / of very kyndenesse
In whom was aye / somoche loue founde
Tofore the quene / in a swowne fell to grounde
And sayde alas / with a full pale chere
Helpe in this case / myn owne moder dere
Of womanhede and routhe / do me grace
That my lorde / into the felde ne pace
And do your deuer / of moderly pyte
Benyngnely / and goodly for to se
To his knyghthode / and his hye prowesse
For to restrayne / his renowmed noblesse
Thylke day / to handle / spere / or shelde
Nor that he go / armed into felde
And bothe twayne / assent for the beste
And condescende / vnto hir requeste
Fynally accordynge / into one
That whan the wardes / were redy euerychone
On yssuynge out / and Troylus firste of alle
And Parys next / on grekes for to falle
And after hym / the Troyan Eneas
Kynge Sarpedon / and Pollydamas
Kynge Eroys / and kynge Epystrophus
And eke the kynge / ycalled Forcyus
In plate and mayle / eueryche armed clene
And alderlaste / came kyng Phylymene
With all the kynges / and lordes of renowne
That in diffence / come of the towne
With the grekes / knyghtly to debate
And Pryamus / sothly to the gate
Conueyed them / at their out goynge
And set their wardes / this noble worthy kynge
Full prudently / thoruhe his sapyence
And after gaue them / congee and lycence
Vpon Greke / for to proue their myght
Agaynst whom / full redy for to fyght
Their fomen were / with royall apparayle
Amyd the felde / abydynge the batayle
But Pryamus / in this mene whyle
Lyke as Guydo / remembreth in his style
[Page] For thylke fyne / that ye haue herde me sayne
To worthy Ector / repayred is agayne
Hym contermaūdynge / that he ne shuld gone
Thylke day to fyght / agayne theyr foon
For whiche thynge / of hye despyte he brent
Whan that he sawe / other lordes went
Out at the gate / and he alone abode
For whiche he wexed / furyous and wode
Hoolly the cause / arettynge to his wyfe
That was of cherte / so tender of his lyfe
Puttynge on his / fully the occasyowne
Of his abydynge / that day in the towne
In preiudyce / of hir worthynesse
And disencrease / of his hye prowesse
And lyfte thorugh tunges / to his hye estate
Thorugh false reporte / it were derogate
He caste anone / of a full knyghtly herte
For lyfe nor deth / it shulde hym nat asterte
Within the felde / that day to be founde
Though it so were / w t many mortall wounde
He shulde on pecys / he wen be a sondre
Vpon the playne / dismembryd here & yondre
So hole in manhode / was his herte sette
That he anone / without lenger lette
Agayne to arme hym / was full dylygent
Agayne the precept / and cōmaundement
Of his Fader / and rode forth on his weye
For fere of whiche / as she wolde deye
His wyfe of newe / crye gan and shoute
And with hir pappes / also hangynge oute
Hir lytell childe / in hir armes twayne
Afore hir lorde / gan to wepe and playne
Besechynge hym / of routhe and pyte
If he wolde / vnto hir sorowese
At the leste / for hir wyfely trouthe
That he of manhode / haue in herte routhe
Vpon hir childe / and on hir also
Whiche that she bare / in hir armes two
And nat myght / hym from cryinge kepe
Whan he sawe / his wofull moder wepe
And knelynge downe / vnto hym she sayde
In hir sobbynge / as she myght abrayde
Myne owne lorde / haue mercy nowe on me
And on this lytell childe / whiche that ye se
So pyteously / afore you wepe and crye
Haue mercy lorde on vs / or we dye
Haue mercy eke / vpon this cyte
Myn owne lorde / haue mercy or that we
By cruell deth / passe shall echone
For lacke of helpe / alas whan ye are gone
This was the crye / of Andromecha
With whom was eke / hir suster Cassandra
Eccuba / and fayre Polycene
And Eleyne / the lusty fresshe quene
Whiche all attones / felle hym beforne
With heer vntressyd / and wepynge all to torne
And loude gan to crye / in the place
Besechynge hym / of mercy and of grace
For thylke day / to abyde in the towne
And in his herte / to haue compassyowne
On hir complaynte / and hir wofull mone
Syth all the truste / of the twone alone
In hym abode / and all the resystence
For agayne deth / he was there chefe diffence
And in hym hoolly / was theyr affyaunce
Theyr suerte / and theyr suffysaunce
In eche thynge / that them myght greue
And yet all this / ne myght his herte meue
For to abyde / yet of goodlyhede
They hym besought / to theyr womanhede
He wolde enclyne / his herded herte of stele
That they myght / a lytell droppe fele
Oonly of pyte / on theyr woto rewe
That lykly was / to morne and renewe
Fynally / to theyr distruccyowne
For of the Cyte / sothly and the towne
His vnhap / were endelesse ruyne
But yet all this / myght hym nat enclyne
That he ne wolde out / in conclusyon
So indurate / and herted as a lyon
He was alway / contynuynge in his rage
Whose herte myght / a softe nor a swage
Nouther prayer / nor waymentacyon
Hym to restrayne / from his oppynyon
For euery perell / he layde so a syde
And on his way / gan anone to ryde
Where thorugh his wyfe / none other bote can
But in hir rage / to the kynge she ran
So a mased / in hir mortall wo
That she vnneth / myght speke hym to
So diffacyd / and rewefull of hir syght
That by hir hewe / knoweth hir no wyght
For loste she hadde / bothe myght & strengthe
And plat she fyll / to the grounde a lengthe
Tofore the kynge / that routhe was to sene
Besechynge hym / of entent full clene
Of his grace / to consydre hir wo
For but he helpe / Ector was a go
And he seynge / hir faythfull womanhede
At hir request / raughte anone his stede
[Page] And prycked after / oonly for hir sake
In so great haste / that he hath ouer take
Worthy Ector / within the cyte
And hent his reyne / with great diffyculte
And maugre hym / made hym tourne agayne
In suche wyse / he durste it nat with sayne
Albe that he / was full lothe therto
So that by force / and prayer also
From his stede / he made hym a lyghte
The a reste of whom / eschewe he ne myghte
For he ne wolde / agayne his fader stryue
Albe that he / felte his herte ryue
Of melancolye / and of hertely Ire
And of disdayne / newe set a fyre
So inwardely / steryd was his blode
That lyke a Tygre / or a lyon wode
That were depryued / newly of hir pray
Right so he fared / all that ylke day
Or lyke a bore / that his tuskes whette
Whyle the Grekes / and they of Troye mette
Furyously walkynge / vp and downe
And in diffence / sothly of the towne.
Troylus firste / on his bay stede
Of aduenture / mette Dyomede
And eche at other / surquedous of pryde
With sharpe speres / gan togydre ryde
And Guydo sayth / without any drede
One or bothe / hadde anone be dede.
Ne had Menelay / knyghtly go bytwene
And after that / in a furyous tene
He smette his hors / in full k [...]yghtly wyse
And Meryem / the myghty kynge of Fryse
Menelaus / marked hath full wele
And with his swerde / full sharpe groūde of stele
Vnhorsed hym / and threwe hym on the grene
For he the stroke / myght nat sustene
This Menelay / was on hym so wode
That it was lykly / euen there he stode
With the lyfe / he shuld nat escape
For the grekes / full hastely them shape
This Meryem / as ye haue herde me sayne
For to be sette / rounde vpon the playne
And to sesse hym / by the auentayle
On euery part / and cruelly to assayle
All destytute / in this dredefull caas
But hym to helpe / came Pollydamas
With his knyghtes / and gan to nyghe nere
Whan he hym sawe / taken prysonere
And maugre all / vpon hym sette
From theyr handes / Pollydamas hym fette
At whose reskues / there was so great a stryfe
That many one / therfore loste his lyfe
For grekes rather / than he shulde escape
From theyr handes / in that hasty rape
Caste them playnely / that he shalbe dede
Fully in purpose / to haue hadde his hede
He stode of myschefe / in so great disioynt
But hym to helpe / euen vpon the poynt
Came Troylus in / moste knyghtly of array
And of his manhode / made suche affray
Amonges them / in reskues of this kynge
That maugre them / at his in cōmynge
Delyuered was / this myghty lorde of Fryse
From cruell deth / as ye haue herde deuyse
But therupon / came Thelamonyus
Proude in armes / and euer surquedous
With thre thousande / full worthy euerychone
And he vnhorseth / Pollydamas anone
Amonge his knyghtꝭ / & proudly bare hȳ downe
But troylus / hath thorugh his hye renowne
Myd of his foon / gete hym his hors agayne
But they of Troye / so sore were be layne
On euery halfe / thorughe the grekes pryde
That they myght / afore them nat abyde
For newe and newe / the hardy Achylles
Assayled them / with his Myrundones
That they compelled / of necessyte
In myschefe were / made for to flee
Home to the walles / and gates of the towne
To great damage / and confusyowne
Of theyr partye / that a backe so gon
The whiche thynge / whan Margaryton
Behelde and sawe / how the game goth
In his herte / he gan to wexe wroth
And passyngly / for to haue disdayne
And as the storye / recordeth in certayne
That he was / bothe hardy and famous
And sone also / to kynge Pryamus
A noble knyght / and of great worthynesse
And whan he sawe / the myschefe and distresse
Of them of Troye / and how they gan to fle
He caste anone / auenged for to be
Vpon Achylles / for all his great myght
And ran to hym / full lyke a manly knyght
On hors backe / for the townes sake
And hym enforseth / Achylles to take
Amyd the felde / amonge his knyghtes alle
But Achylles / alas it shulde falle
That day hym slewe / by cruell aduenture
Where thorugh Troyans / myght nat endure
[Page] The felde to holde / but homewarde gan thē hye
And mortally / to make noyse and crye
Firste for the deth / of Margaryton
And for the pursuyte / that kynge Thelamon
Made on the chase / thorugh his cruelte
Home to the Gates / of Troye the Cyte
That slewe and kylled / alway as he rode
Albe that Parys / manly hym withstode
With his brethre / that in baste were borne
But for all that / theyr grounde they haue lorne
Lefte and forsake / vtterly the felde
And home they went / & broughte on a shelde
The dede corps / of Margaryron
And after that / theyr gates shette anone
The whiche myschefe / as Ector gan beholde
Of very Ire / his herte gan to colde
And sayde platly / without more delay
He wolde auenge / his deth the same day
And made in haste / his stede to be fet
And vp he sterte / and on his basenet
Vn wyste the kynge / or who be lefe or lothe
There was no gayne / forth anone he goth
Tyll he was passyd / the gates of the towne
More Furyous / than Tygre or lyowne
At whose cōmynge / thycke as swarme of been
Tofore his swerde / Grekes gan to fleen
They thought it was / tyme to withdrawe
And firste I fynde / how that he hath slawe
Two worthy Dukes / as he with them mette
That besy were / his waye for to lette
The tone ycalled / was Eurypalus
And the tother / hyghte Hascydyus
And so Troyans / the felde agayne haue wonne
And of newe / manfully begonne
Grekes to sewe / and folowe on the tras
And yet at myschefe / daūz Pollydamas
The same tyme / was of grekes take
But Ector / hath so borne hym for his sake
Where as that he / sorest was be layne
And thorugh his knyghthod / reskued hȳ agaȳe
And put the grekes / in so great distresse
Thorugh his manhode / and his worthynesse
That where so euer / thylke day he rode
His sharpe swerde / he bathed in theyr blode
He was so cruell / and so mercyles
But than a knyght / callyd Leothydes
Shope hym anone / with Ector for to mete
Whyle he was moste / Irous in his hete
And sette on hym / full presumptuously
But Ector tho / deuoyde / of all mercy
Anone hym slewe / and threwe hym in the felde
The whiche thynge / whan Achylles behelde
The great slaughtre / and the woundes wyde
That Ector made / vpon euery syde
He gan anone / compasse in his herte
And vp and downe / caste / and aduerte
How the grekes / neuer may be sure
Agayne theyr foon / to fyght nor endure
Nor kepe a felde / with them for to stryue
All the whyle / that Ector were a lyue
Wherfore he caste / and shope many weye
By what engyne / Ector myght deye
At auauntage / if he myght hym fynde
And therto eke / Polycenes of ynde
A worthy Duke / was also of assent
Oonly for he / of herte and hole entent
In hope stode / his suster wyue
For loue of whom / he felte his herte ryue
And in hir grace / better for to stonde
He caste fully / for to take on honde
This hye empryse / as I haue you tolde
But whyle that he / was on hym moste bolde
Ector hym slewe / there was none other geyne
The whiche anone / as Achylles hath seyne
For Ire he wexed / in his herte as wode
As bore or Tygre / in theyr cruell mode
Vpon Ector / auenged for to be
And furyously / on hym he gan fle
But Ector caughte / a quarell sharpe ygroūde
And threwe at hym / & gaue hȳ suche a wounde
Thorugh out the thyghe / vpon outher syde
That in the felde / he myght nat abyde
But hym withdrewe / and anone is wente
With his men home / vnto his tente
And made anone / a Surgyen to bynde
His mortall wounde / and after as I fynde
Whan he was staunche / & ceaseth for to blede
In all haste / agayne he toke his stede
And lest he were / of that wounde dede
Afterwarde / as it was great drede
He thought firste / auenged for to be
Vpon Ector / if he myght hym se
Of hap or sorte / if it wolde falle
For hym thought / to his paynes alle
It were to hym / the beste remedye
Of his honde / if he myght dye
For of his lyfe / he roughte nat amyte
Be so that he / Ector myghte quyte
Deth for deth / in conclusyon
For that was hoolly / his entencyon
[Page] Of his desyre / fully suffysaunce
By deth vnwarely / to gyue hym myschaunce
But all this tyme / Ector vp and downe
As he was wont / playeth the lyowne
Amonge grekes / in many sondry place
And with his swerde / gan them so to enchace
That as the deth / where they myght hym seen
They fledde afore hym / lyke a swarme of been
For none so hardy / was hym to with sette
And in this whyle / a grekysshe kynge he mette
Were it of hap / or of aduenture
The whiche in sothe / on his Cote armure
Enbrouded hadde / full many ryche stone
That gaue a lyght / whan the sonne shone
Full bryght and clere / that ioye was to sene
For Perlys whyte / and Emerawdys grene
Full many one / were there in sette
And on the cercle / of his basenette
And rounde enuyrowne / of his auentayle
In veluet fret / all aboue the mayle
Saffres ynde / and other stones rede
Of arraye / whan Ector taketh hede
Towardes hym / faste gan hym drawe
And firste I fynde / howe he hath hym slawe
And after that / by force of his manhede
He hent hym vp / afore hym on his stede
And faste gan / with hym for to ryde
From the wardes / a lytell out a syde
At good leyser / playnely if he may
To spoyle hym / of his ryche array
Full glad and lyght / of his newe Empryse
But out alas / on false couetyse
Whose gredy fret / the whiche is great pyte
In hertes may nat / lyghtly staunched be
The Etyk gnaweth / by so great distresse
That it defaceth / the hye worthynesse
Full ofte sythe / of these conqueroures
And of theyr fame / rent away the floures
Desyre of hauynge / in a gredy thought
To hye noblesse / sothely longeth nought
Nor suche pylfre / spoylynge nor roborye
Apparteyne not / to wrothy chyualrye
For couetyse / and knyghthode / as I lere
In one chayne / may nat be knet yfere
For kouthe it is / that ofte suche rauyne
Hath cause be / and rote of the ruyne
Of many worthy / who so lyste take hede
Lyke as ye may / now of Ector rede
That sodaynely was brought / to his endynge
Oonly for spoylynge / of this ryche kynge
For of desyre / to hym that he hadde
On hors backe / out whan he hym ladde
Reklesly / the storye maketh mynde
He caste his shelde / at his backe behynde
To welde hym selfe / at more lyberte
And for to haue / opportunyte
To spoyle hym / and for no wyght spare
So that his breste / disarmed was and bare
Except his plates / there was no diffence
Aagayne the stroke / to make resystence
Alas why was he / tho so rekles
This floure of knyghthode / of māhode pereles
Whan that his foo / all that ylke day
For hym alone / in awayte so lay
If in myschefe / of hate and of enuye
In the felde / he myght hym ought espye
This Achylles / cruell and venymous
Of hertely hate / moste melancolyous
Whiche couertely / houynge hym besyde
Whan that he sawe / Ector disarmed ryde
He hente a spere / sharpe grounde and kene
And of Ire / in his hatefull tene
All vnwarely / or Ector myght aduerte
Alas the whyle / he smote hym to the herte
Thorugh out y e breste / that dede he fylle downe
Vnto the erthe / this Troyan champyowne
Thorugh neclygence / oonly of his shelde
The deth of whom / whan Odemon behelde
The worthy kynge / myght hym nat refrayne
But to Achylles / rode with all his payne
And hyt hym so / amyd of all the prees
Maugre the myght / of his Myrundones
That for dede / Guydo sayth certayne
Of that wounde / he fyll gro felyng on y e playne
But his knyghtes / on a shelde a lofte
They layde hym / and caryed hym full softe
Vnto his tent / in all the haste they can
And there I leue / this dedely wounded man
Full sore syke / tyll he may releue
And after that / whan it drewe to eue
They of Troye / with great reuerence
Dyde theyr laboure / and theyr dylygence
The dede corps / to carye into towne
Of worthy Ector / whan Tytan went downe
And to the temple dolefully they wende
And of that day / this was the wofull ende
I can no more / but thus the longe nyght
In heuynesse / as it is skylle and ryght
I wyll them leue / and agayne retourne
To my mater / to helpe them for to mourne.

¶Of the complaynt that Lydgate maketh for the deth of the worthy Ector. Cap̄. xxviij.

[figure]
BUt now alas / how shall I procede
In the storye / that for wo and drede
Fele my hande / both tremble and quake
O worthy Ector / oonly for thy sake
Of thy deth / I am so lothe to wryte
O who shall now / helpe me to endyte
Or vnto whom / shall I clepe or calle
Certys to none / of the Musys alle
That by accorde / synge euer in oon
Vpon Pernaso / besyde Elycon
So aungelyke in theyr Armonye
That tunge is none / that may specefye
The great swetnesse / of theyr goodly songe
For no discorde is / founde them amonge
In theyr musyke / they be entunyd so
It sytte them noughte / for to helpe in wo
Nor with maters / that be w t mournyng shent
As Tragedyes / all to tore and rent
In complaynynge / pyteously in rage
In the Theatre / with a dede vysage
To them alas / I clepe dare nor crye
My troublyd penne / of grace for to guye
Nouther to Clyo / nor Callyope
But to Allecto / and Thesyphone
And Megera / that euer doth complayne
As they that lyue / euer in wo and payne
Eternally / and in tourment dwelle
With Cerberus / depe downe in helle
Whom I must praye / to be gracyous
To my mater / whiche is so furyous
For to a wyghte / that is complaynynge
A drery fere / is right well syttynge
And to a matere / meynt with heuynesse
Acordeth well / a chere of drerynesse
To be allyed / as by vnyte
¶Wherfore helpe now / thou wofull nyobe
Some drery tere / in all thy peteous payne
Into my penne / dolefully to rayne
And helpe also / thou cruelly yxione
And Belydes / that doth the boget gone
And with thy stone / helpe thou zepherus
And in thy ryuer / helpe eke Tantalus
That for hungre / haste so huge pyne
This wofull playnte / helpe me for to fyne
Me to further / do your besynesse
For now the stocke / and roote of worthynesse
Of knyghthod groūde / of māhod shours & well
That tofore all / bare awaye the bell
Of derrynge do / this floure of hye prowesse
And was example / also of gentyllesse
That neuer coude / do amys nor seye
Alas Ector / alas why shuldest thou deye
O cruell Parchas / why toke ye no hede
So cruelly / to twyne his fatall threde
Ye were to hasty / alas why were ye so
And namely / the threde to breke a two
Thou Antropos / thorugh thy great enuye
O troye alas / well mayst thou wepe and crye
And make a wofull / lamentacyon
Whiche haste of newe / to thy confusyon
Loste thy diffence / and thy stronge wall
Thy beret vp / thy suerte royall
By whom thy honour / chefely was begonne
Alas alas / for now thy bryght sonne
Eclypsed is / and thou standest desolate
Of all comforte / and disconsolate
Thy lyght is loste / and thou in derkenesse
I plounged arte / for in soth fastnesse
Of all worthy / thou haste the worthyest
This day yloste / and the knyghtlyest
That is or was / are shall / I the ensure
Be euer borne / whyle the worlde may dure
No wonder is / though thou wepe sore
And day by day / complayne hym euermore
That was thy shelde / both in ioye and wo
Whom thou were wont / for to loue so
So tenderly / with all thy hole herte
That it may nat / lyghtly the a sterte
To haue hym euer / in thy remembraunce
Whiche was in soth / thy full suffysaunce.
[Page] For as Guydo / maketh mencyon
There was no man / dwellynge in the towne
That he ne hadde / of very kyndenesse
For loue of hym / as he wryte expresse
His childe more lefe / to a dyed in this caas
Outher his Eyer / so well belouyd he was
If the goddes fate / or destyne
Disposyd hadde / that it myght haue be
Woman also / of euery maner age
Be for his deth / falle in suche a rage
Thorugh the cyte / aboute in euery strete
That with sobbynge / and salte terys wete
And heer to rent / for dedely wo
Furyously / ronne to and fro
So mortall was / theyr aduersyte
That to beholde / alas it was pyte
Yonge maydens / and matrones olde
Sobbe and syghe / and theyr fystes folde
And loude crye / and sayde fynally
Alas / nowe shall our Faders cruelly
In our syght / be slayne day by day
Alas the whyle / and no man shall saye nay
Farewell our helpe / now Ector is gone
In the surnesse / of vs euerychone
Was wont to reste / nowe is he dede alas
Of whom the body / whan it caryed was
Into presence / of Pryamus the kynge
Anone he loste / the offyce of spekynge
And gan hym selfe / in salte terys drowne
And pyteously therwith / fylle a swowne
Vpon the corps / colde as any stone
Inly desyrous / for to deye anone
Without tariynge / on hym as he lay
But that he was / by force rent away
His bretherne eke / whan they toke hede
Tryste and pale / for sorowe were nye dede
And haue them selfe / with rage all to torne
That neuer was / I trowe seen aforne
Of bretherne yet / suche another care
For eche of them / with hym selfe gan fare
As they wolde / haue dyed on the cors
For of theyr lyfe / platly / they gaue no fors
But at the grounde / with many sorowes sore
Lyke wylde bulles / they gan crye and rore
That routhe was / theyr dedely wo to sene
An herte of stele / myght it nat sustene
¶What shall I saye / of Eccuba the quene
Or his suster / yonge Polycene
Or Cassandra / the prudent and the wyse
Or of his wyfe / the sorowe to deuyse
Whiche rent them self / in tourment and in wo
As fynally / they wolde them selfe for do
By cruell deth / so they wepe and wayle
That if I shulde / make rehersayle
To wryte theyr sorowes / & theyr complaynges
Theyr pyteous sobbynge / throwes & wepȳges
The wofull cryes / and the pyteous sowns
Theyr drery playntes / and Lamentacyowns
And all theyr woo / for to specefye
A large boke / it wolde occupye
If eche thynge / I shulde in ordre telle
I trowe it were / to longe for to dwelle
For any man / and tedyous to here
For many day / after as I lere
The women wepte / afore the corps lyinge
Them selfe defacynge / in theyr complaynynge
That wonder was / how they myght endure
But that they haue / it sothely of nature
And of kynde / for to wepe and playne
To syghe sore / and into terys rayne
Tyll the tempest / of theyr wofull rage
May by processe / lytell and lytell aswage
And thus I leue them / syghe & sorowe make
This cely women / in theyr clothes blake
Shroude theyr faces / & wympled more ī vayne
Whyle I tourne / to my mater agayne
To telle playnely / how kynge Pryamus
In herte was / inly desyrous
To caste awaye / in his entencyon
The corps to kepe / from corrupcyon
Whiche naturelly / but men take hede
Corrupte must / right of very nede
For of kyndely / disposycyon
There may be made / none opposycyon
Aboue the grounde / if the body lye
That of reason / it must putrefye
But if crafte / be aboue nature
Vncorrupt / it myght nat endure
¶Wherfore the kynge / shope hym to ordayne
To preserue it hole / fro thynges twayne
From odoure / and abhomynacyon
And therwith eke / by crafty operacyon
That it in slyght / be nat founde horryble
But that it be lyfly / and vysyble
To the eye / as by apparence
Lyke as it were / quycke in existence
What it coste / the kynge wyll spare nought
But made anone / afore hym to be brought
The craftyest / maysters / of the towne
Suche as hadde / moste discrecyowne
[Page] To parfourme / his axynge curyously
And they obeye / his byddynge faythfully
With all theyr wyll / and entyer dylygence
In the Temple / moste of reuerence
Of all the cowne / whylom dedycate
And of full yore / also consecrate
To Appollo / of olde foundacyowne
Besyde a gate / standynge of the towne
Callyd Tymbr [...]a / in theyr Troyan tonge
As in storye / is botheradde and songe
And in this phane / that I speke of here
They made firste / by the hye autere
By great deuyse / a lytell oratorye
Perpetuelly / to be in memorye
Where was sette / a ryche receptacle
Made in maner / of a tabernacle
Egall of syght / for a large ymage
That reysed was / on a ryche stage
That was borne vp / at eche of his corners
Of puryd golde / vpon foure pyllers
And on eueryche / full craftely ydyght
An Aungell stode / of golde borned bryght
Ceryously the werke / to sustene
With crafty Archys / reysed wonder clene
Enbowed ouer / all the werke to cure
So meruaylous / was the celature
That all the rofe / and closure enuyrowne
Was of fyne golde / platyd vp and downe
With knottes graue / wonder curyous
Fret full of stones / ryche and precyous
Of euery kynde / that man can deuyse
So ryally / and in so thryfty wyse
That the derkenesse / of the blacke nyght
With the bemys / of theyr clere lyght
Enchacyd was / where they dyde shyne
And fro the grounde / vpright as a lyne
There were degrees / men by to ascende
Made so well / that no man coude amende
The workemanshyp / & they were euerychone
Parformed vp / all of cristall stone
Atteynynge vp / fro the table bas
Where the standynge / and the restynge was
Of this ryche / crafty tabernacle
Hauynge aboue / vpon eche pynacle
A ryche rubye / and reysed hye on hyghte
Stode an ymage / huge and large of weyghte
Of massyfe golde / hauynge the lykenesse
Of worthy Ector / that gan his face dresse
Towarde Grekes / where he dyde stonde
Aye thretynge them / with his swerde in honde
And amyddes / all this great rychesse
They haue yset / by good aduysenesse
The dede corps / of this worthy knyght
To syght of man / standynge as vp ryght
By sotyll crafte / as he were lyuynge
Of face and chere / and of quycke lokynge
And of colour / sothly and of hewe
Beynge as fresshe / as any rose newe
And lyke in all / as be supposayle
As he lyued / in his apparayle
For on his stede / lyke as it is tolde
Thrugh smale pypes / wrought & made of gold
That by mesure / were enbowed downe
To an entre / made in his crowne
By great aduyse / and subtylyte
To eche partye / and extremyte
Of his body / lyuealy porrect
Thorugh nerfe and synewe / dryuen and direct
By secrete porys / craftely to extende
Wherby the lycour / myght downe descende
To kepe hym hole / fro corrupcyon
Without any / transmutasyon
Of hyde and hewe / in any part to tourne
And at his hede / of golde was an ourne
That was fylde / with bawme naturall
That ran thorugh / pypes artyfycyall
Thorugh necke / and hede into many place
Penetrable / by vaynes / of the face
That thorugh vertue / and force of the lycoure
He was conserued / lyfely of coloure
Fresshe of hewe / quycke and no thynge pale
So myghtely / the bawme dyde auale
Comparysownyd / as it were semblable
To a soule / that were vegetable
The whiche / without sensybylyte
Mynystreth lyfe / in herbe / floure / and tree
And semblably / into euery vayne
Of the corps / the vertue dyde attayne
By breste and arme / spredynge enuyron
For the moysture / by discencyon
To hande and fote / sothly as I rede
Thorugh bone & ioynte / gan his vertue shede
And distyllynge / myghtely to flete
And at his fete / full of gommys swete
A vyoll stode / tempred with bawme ymeynt
That by processe / may nat wexe feynt
But day by day / encrease and amende
Of whiche the vapoure / vpwarde gan ascende
Causynge the Eyer / enuyron be delyse
To resemble / a very paradyse
[Page] For the flauour / more holsome was and soote
Than the odour / of spyce gōme or roote
And of pure golde / were foure laumpes lyght
Tofore the corps / brennynge day and nyght
With oyle in sothe / if it be credyble
That was by crafte / made in extynguyble
For it ne myght / myn Auctor sayth certayne
Nouther be queynt / w t tēpest wynde nor rayne
Nor by processe / wasten of no yeres
Whiche in the Eyre / be bryght borned wyres
Full craftely / reysed were a lofte
Of whose swetnesse / men reioysed ofte
In theyr courage / it lyked them so well
And whan this werke / was complete euerydell
Rounde enuyrowne / full ryche and fresshe to se
They made / a parclose all of Eban tree
That so longe / laste may and dure
The whiche tree / oonly of nature
Whan it is cut / smelleth wonder swete
And may nat waste / nor brenne with no hete
Though it be layde / amonge the colys rede
Mydde the flawme / of many fyrye glede
It nat consumeth / though men assaye ofte
And in water / it houeth eke a lofte
And kyndely / to the grounde it goth
Toswymme on heyght / in sothe it is so loth
And lyke also / as techeth Pluuyus
This tree whylom / was passyngly famous
Of so hye pryse / and reputacyon
That in the large / myghty regyon
And worthy londe / of Ethyopye and ynde
Of yore agon / the folkes as I fynde
Hadde this tree / in so great honour
That they gaue trybute / to the Emperour
As is remembred / of Antiquyte
Of golde and yuor / and this ryche tree
With these gyftes / famous and royall
To quyte theyr dette / to hym in specyall.
And whan Pryam / in full thryfty wyse
Parformed hath / as ye haue herde deuyse
This ryche werke / noble and excellent
Of hertely loue / in all his beste entent
Ordayned eke / as Guydo can you telle
A certayne noumbre / of prestes for to dwelle
In the Temple / in theyr deuocyons
Contynuelly / with deuoute orysons
For the soule of Ector / for to preye
That the goddes / his spyryte lyste conueye
Eternally / with them to dwelle yfere
In ioye and blysse / aboue the sterres clere
To whiche prestes / y • kyng gaue mansyons
There to abyde / and possessyons
The whiche he hath / to them mortysed
Perpetuelly / as ye haue herde deuysed
And whyles they / knele praye and wake
I caste fully / an ende for to make
Fynally / of my thyrde boke
On my rude maner / as I vnder toke
And whyles they of Troye / wepe and morne
Vnto Grekes / I wyll agayne retourne
And with dulle style / on the storye trace
Oonly borne vp / with supporte of your grace.
¶Explicit liber tercius. Incipit Liber quartus.

Hereafter foloweth the Fourth Boke / whiche speketh how the Grekes made kynge Pallamydes chefe Cap­tayne of theyr Hoost / and deposed kynge Agamenon Capitulo. xxix.

[Page]
[figure]
ECtor thus dede / as ye haue herde sayde
And Achylles / in his Tente ylayde
w t his woundes / mortall fresshe & grene
Vpon a morenyng / whan y • sonne shene
Enchased hadde / away the derke nyght
Agamenon the wyse / worthy knyght
In his werkes / passyngly prudent
Hath in all haste / for his lordes sent
And whan they were / assembled euerychone
Within his Tente / to them he sayde anone
Syrs quod he / and lordes that be here
Kynges Prynces / and Dukes eke yfere
If ye aduerte / by clere inspeccyon
Ye ought echone / with hye deuocyon
Hoolly of herte / our goddes for to herye
And in wardely / for to be right merye
If ye consydre / and wysely take hede
How that our ennemye / Ector is now dede
That whylom was / berer vp of Troye
Theyr full truste / theyr honour and theyr ioye
Theyr hole diffence / and proteccyon
And vnto vs / deth and confusyon
Vnlykly euer / vs to haue hadde victorye
Whyles that he / floured in his glorye
Agayne whose swerde / we myght nat auayle
For slewe he nat / at our aryuayle
If ye remembre / on the firste day
The noble kynge / callyd Protheselay
And after next / if I shall nat fayne
Patroclus / he parted euen on twayne
In the felde / amonge vs euerychon
Slewe he nat eke / the worthy kynge Menon
Archylogus / and also Prothenor
And eke the kynge / that hyght Alphynor
Phyllys also / and Epistrophus
And to his ende / he brought zantipus
And Meryon / the myghty stronge kynge
In his waye / as he came rydynge
He slayne hath / and other kynges two
Cedyus / and Drodyus also
Polycenes / and stronge Polybete
Letabonia / and the kynge Phylete
The manly knyght / the kynge Isydyus
And eke the kynge / that hyght humerus
For in his Ire / and his cruell tene
Of worthy kynges / he slayne hath eyghtene
Whiche hyder came / out of Grekes londe
By the power / of his myghty honde
Now laude and honour / to the goddes alle
Whiche caused haue / that it is be falle
[Page] That he is dede / to our encrease of ioye
And to discrese / of our foon in Troye
As they shall fynde / in experyence
And laude also / pryse and reuerence
Be to Fortune / that vs hath holpe wele
With the tournynge / of hir double whele
To hye comforte / and consolacyowne
Of vs echone / syttynge enuyrowne
That stoude nowe / in parfyte sykernesse
Thorugh deth of hym / y • dyde vs so oppresse
And what may they / now wayte on y • towne
But after deth / and destruccyowne
And hastely / for to ende in woo
Now that theyr truste / Ector is a goo
Without whom / they may nat longe endure
Wherfore we may / fully vs assure
Our purpose hole / that we shall acheue
And fynally / daunte them so and greue
That vnto them / it shalbe importable
Of one assent / if we stande stable
For theyr party / tourneth on the wrake
And theyr hope is fully / put a bake
And dispeyred / in nonsuerte
For vtterly / they and theyr Cyte
Shall more and more / in weer of deth depende
And we in soth / shall day by day amende
With helpe of god / bothe on see and londe
For now victorye / is redy to our honde
Voyde platly / of Ambygnyte
And excluded at Eye / as ye may se
Bothe of wantrust / and of foreyne drede
But I counsayle / or that we procede
Any ferther / vpon our foon to ryde
Prudently / a whyle to abyde
And kepe vs close / for to passe our boundes
Tyll Achylles / be helyd of his woundes
And than echone / by myghty vyolence
Oppresse them / whan they haue no diffence
As I haue sayde / thorugh helpe of Achylles
And let vs nowe / sende for a pees
For two monethes / to kynge Pryamus
If it so be / he lyste to graunt it vs
As it is lykely / playnely that he shall
And they there whyle / with flawme funerall
Consume may / the dede bodyes pale
That lye abrode / on euery hyll and vale
Whiche by reporte of them / that haue repeyre
Fro day to day / infecte so the Eyre
Thorugh the felde / engendrynge pestylence
Of stynke / there is / so great a vyolence
And we there whyle / may in ease and reste
Our woundes cure / me semeth for the beste
And they assente / therto euerychone
And vnto Troye / the messageres are gone
And haue the trewes / graunted of the kynge
And be repeyred / without more tariynge
And therof made / full relacyon
To the Grekes / afore Agamenon
And after that / whan all was at an ende
Home to his tent / euery lorde doth wende
And whyle the trewes / endureth and the pees
Amonge grekes / kynge Pallamydes
Complayneth sore / of Agamenon
That he so hadde / domynacyon
Aboue them all / hauynge there at enuye
And on a day / in his melancolye
Of hye despyte / and indygnacyon
Full inly fret / with yrous passyon
He gan breke out / and his rancour shewe
By certayne sygnes / though he spake but fewe
Tyll on a day / wyse Agamenon
Conceyued hath / of hye discrecyon
Hoolly this thynge / though he ne wold spare
Fro poynt to poynt / hym selfe to declare
Whan his lordes / togydre were present
Tofore them all / in his owne tent
As he that was / this noble worthy kynge
Full circumspect / in euery maner thynge
Nought to rakell / nor melancolyous
But by attempraunce / inly vertuous
Well auysed / and wonder prudent
Whan that he knewe / the menyng & the entent
And the conceyte / of this Pallamydes
He nat to hasty / nor to rekles
But longe abydyng / thorugh prudence & reson
Within the boundes / of discrecyon
Whose tunge was oonly / of Sapyence
So restreyned / that no neclygence
Of hasty speche / sothly for to rape
Myght make a worde / his lyppes to escape
Vnauysed / for no thynge hym asterte
But it were firste / examyned in his herte
For aye his speche / in so thryfty wyse
Conueyed was / by doctryne of the wyse
Vnder the Reyne / of wyt and hye prudence
And after that / by fourme of eloquence
Alway so sayde / that reason went aforne
So that no worde / was in his tale lorne
And in this wyse / shewynge his sentence
Tofore all / in open audyence
[Page] Sayde euen thus / whan that all was pees
Vnto the kynge / called Pallamydes.
Sothly quod he / if ye take hede
Me semeth playnely / that it were no nede
Auysely / if he lyste aduerte
To muse so / nor grutchynge in your herte
Of all his hoost / that I haue gouenaunce
Wysely consydered / euery circumstaunce
How I the estate / whiche no man may denye
Wolde in no maner / neuer occupye
By other Tytle / than fre eleccyon
Nat interrupt / by medyacyon
Of brocage / roted vpon mede
Aye vnder meynt / with fauour or falshede
Depycte with coloure / of trewe entencyon
To supporte suche / false ambycyon
Of whiche thynge / here I wyll me quyte
Tofore you all / that I am nat to wyte
In any wyse / of so hye offence
But stonde clere / in my conscyence
Without spot / of any suche vayne glorye
Touchynge the estate / whiche is transytorye
¶Yet neuerchelesse / I haue do my cure
With all my wyt / to helpe and procure
That euery thynge / touchynge the comonte
Perseuer myght / in prosperyte
Hauynge the eye / of my inwarde syghte
Vnto the estate / of euery maner wyghte
That were cōmytted / to my gouernaunce
With great laboure / and besy attendaunce
Indifferent / vnto hye or lowe
To helpe and fostre / where I coude knowe
That any stode / in myschefe or in nede
Day and nyght / for to take hede
As I beste coude / by aduysenesse
Aye dylygent / that nat felle in distresse
For sothfastely / who so loke a ryght
My dayes thynkynge / and my watche a nyght
And of my herte / the inly aduertence
Without fraude / slouthe or neclygence
Was faythfully / with all my full myght
Me to aquyte / to euery maner wyghte
Lyke his estate / without excepcyon
So that no man / iustly of reson
Greke nor other / that is nowe a lyue
Vnto my gylte / may duely ascryue
Any falsehede / engyne or trecherye
Of loue or hate / fauour or flaterye
In any cause / named in specyall
But that I haue / be a lyke egall
To one and all / with all my besy payne
That no man hath mater / to complayne
For his party / of hye nor lowe estate
And to deuoyde / all rancoure and debate
Amonges you / I haue do my deuer
In generall / all thynge and partyculer
That hyder towarde / no thȳg hath myscheued
And god wote well / it shulde nat agreued
To my herte / to a set at any pryse
You to a chose / by your discrete aduyse
Some other / to this domynacyon
And I to haue be / in subieccyon
With ease of herte / and tranquyllyte
Lyke other lordes / here of my degre
And in my wyll / fully haue obeyed
Lyke one of you / vtterly to haue deyed
In the quarell / that we haue vndertake
If destyne / hadde it so I shape
I saye in sothe / me is full loth to fayne
And ouer more / also where ye playne
That I was chosen / without your assent
Meruayle nat / syth ye ne were present
Nor longe after / if ye remembre a ryght
Towarde Troye / your waye was nat dyght
If ye consydre / is after nere
Or that ye came / passyd full two yere
And so longe / to abyde your cōmynge
It hadde be to grekes / great hyndrynge
Passynge harme / and full great damage
And huge lettynge / vnto our vyage
For if we hadde / without any wene
On your cōmynge / taryed at Athene
It lykely is / ye can nat well say nay
To haue be there / yet vnto this day
And where as ye / thought it be nat credyble
Afferme eke / for an impossyble
That Grekes shulde / in any maner wyse
Dare take on them / any great Empryse
In your absence / manly to acheue
It is but wynde / no thynge for to leue
For so it be / to you none offence
The grekes haue / without your presence
Thorugh force / on water and on londe
Full many thynge / parformed w t theyr honde
And acheued / thorugh theyr worthynesse
And of one thynge / that in me ye gesse
This to say / that of my degree
I shulde in herte / so reioyse me
Of this lordshyp / and this great estate
The more to be / pompos and elate
[Page] In there or porte / that I it occupye
But me to aquyte / trewely and nat lye
And to deuoyde / all suspeccyon
I wyll make / a resygnacyon
Tofore you all / for to excuse me
Now be auysed / discretly for to se
Whom ye lyste haue / agayne to morowe pryme
Without settynge / of any lenger tyme
Prolongynge forth / or any more delay
And thus they made / an ende of that day
And went theyr way / oonly for that nyght
Tyll on the morowe / y • Tytan shad his lyght
At whiche tyme / a counsayle generall
The grekes helde / but most in specyall
Of lordes / was there congregacyon
As I haue tolde / for the Eleccyon
And whan they were / all mette yfere
Agamenon / anone as ye shall here
Sayde euen thus / with sadde countenaunce
Lo syres quod he / touchynge gouernaunce
That I haue hadde / and domynacyon
I haue hereto / with hole affeccyon
And clene entent / do my besynesse
That euery thynge / myght in wylfulnesse
To your encrease / parseuer and contune
Recorde I take / of god / and Fortune
Whiche haue conserued / and the cause be
You for to floure / in felycyte
That your honour / & your hye noblesse
Stande hole and sounde / yet in syketnesse
And whyle your fame / is moste in flourynge
As semeth me / it is ryght well syttynge
Myn estate fully / to resygne
Specyally / whyle / Fortune is benygne
For of so 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 thyngꝭ 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.

[figure]
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 [...]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
[Page] And Neptolonye / in his Ire all hote
Through out y e thyghe / w t 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 thē to y e 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 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
[Page] 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 y e 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
[Page] 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 / withoute more taryinge
To bedde goth / full tryste in complaynynge
Aye in hym selfe / castynge vp and downe
In his mynde / and eke in his reasowne
From hede to fote / hir beaute euerydell
And in his herte / he felte and knewe full well
That fynall cause / of his languysshynge
Was Polycene / of beaute moste passynge
For loue of whom / so moche payne he felte
That with the hete / he thought his herte melte
Aye on his bedde / walowynge to and fro
For the constreynt / of his hydde wo
For whiche almoste / hym thought y t he deyde
And to hym selfe / euen thus heseyde
Allas quod he / how me is wo begone
That of my sorowe / knowe ende none
For I suppose / syth the worlde began
Ne was there neuer / a wofuller man
For I that whylom / was of so great myght
So renowmed / of euery maner wyght
Thorugh out the worlde / bothe of hye & lowe
For there was none / in sothe that coude knowe
A man in armes / that was more famous
Nor y •holde / more victoryous
Tofore this tyme / remembred by no style
Vnto this day / alas the harde whyle
Nouther Ector playnely / nor none other
Of Polycene / that was the worthy brother
That power hadde / whan they with me mette
For all theyr myght / me to ouer sette
Nor in the felde / my force for to daunte
Here pryuely / as I me dare auaunte
But now alas / a mayde of tendre age
Hath sodaynely me brought in suche arge
That with the stremys / of hir eyen twayne
She perced hath / and clouen euery vayne
Of my herte / that I may nat a sterte
For to be dede / thorugh constreynt of my smerte
For who shall now / wysshe me or teche
Or who alas / shall now be my leche
Or who shall now / helpe men or saue
There is but deth / and after that my graue
For other hope / playnely is there none
Saue in hir mercy / alas and that is gone
For nouther prayer / tresour nor rychesse
Force / nor myght / nouther hye prowesse
Hyghnesse of blode / byrthe nor kynrede
May auayle / nor helpe / in this nede
To meue hir / nor my sadde trouthe
Vpon my wo / euer to haue routhe.
¶What newe furye / or inportune rage
Hath brought my herte / into suche outrage
Agaynst whiche / I can nat debate
To loue hir beste / that dedely doth me hate
And in good fayth / who wysely lyste adueret
Lytell wonder / though she me hate of herte
Syth I am come hyder / fro so ferre
On hir kynred / for to make werre
In the whiche / to my confusyowne
Hir knyghtly brother / most worthy of renowne
Haue fatally / with myn hondes slowe
[Page] Whiche in this worlde / hadde no felowe
Of worthynesse / nor of manlyhede
Alas alas / nowe may I quake and drede
And of my lyfe / falle in dispeyre
For how shulde / I be bolde to haue repeyre
Or dare alas / come in theyr syghte
I wofull wretche / I vnhappy wyghte
Or how shall I be / hardy to appere
In the presence / of hir eyen clere
Certys I se / none other mene weye
But fynally / that I muste deye
So dispeyred / I stonde on euery syde
Of other helpe / I can me nat prouyde
And right anone / with profounde syghes depe
This Achylles / braste out for to wepe
With dedely chere / pale and funerall
And with his face / tourned to the wall
That routhe was / and pyte for to sene
The hertely furye / of his paynes kene
For so oppressyd / he was in his thought
Of lyfe nor deth / that he rought nought
And this contynued / tyll it drewe to nyght
That Tytan hath / withdrawe his clere lyght
And euer in one / lyke this wofull man
Ilyche syke of coloure / pale and wan
Without slepe / so fretynge was his sorowe
Tyll Lucyfer / on the next morowe
Tofore the sonne / with his bemys clere
Full lustely gan / for to appere
In the oryent / whan this Achylles
Vnpacyent / without reste or pees
Quakynge aye / in his feuer newe
As it was sene / playnely in his hewe
Tyll he abrayde / of anguysshe sodaynely
And called one / that was with hym preuy
And of counsayle / whom he trusteth well
And vnto hym / he telleth euerydell
Fro poynt to poynt / with hym how it stode
And sent hym forth / bycause he coude his gode
On his message / streyght to Troye towne
With full aduyse / and informacyowne
Of this mater / to Eccuba the quene
Thorughe his wysedome / for to be amene
If he myght / by his discrecyon
Fynde any way / of sauacyon
Vnto his lorde / that he louyd so
And to the quene / anone he is go
And his mater wysely / gan conueye
Tofore or he of grace / wolde preye
That she enioyeth / to gyue hym audyence
For in his tale / there was none offence
He was no foole / nor newe for to lere
Wherfore the quene / goodly gan hym here
Of all that euer / hym lyketh for to sayne
There was no worde / ylost nor spoke in vayne
For his tale / no man coude amende
And craftely / he gan to discende
To the substaunce / and tolde clerely oute
With premysses / full well brought aboute
That fynally / in conclusyon
The chefe he sayde / of his entencyon
Effectuelly / if it wolde be
Was for to make / peas and vnyte
Atwene Grekes / and the folke of Troye
To whiche thynge / he knewe no better weye
Than of the werre / for theyr alder ease
By his wytte / prudently to appease
The mortall stryfe / and the bytter rage
By allyaunce / oonly of maryage
If that hir lyste / this wyse worthy quene
That hir doughter / fayre Polycene
May wedded be / vnto Achylles
Where thorugh theyr myght be / a fynall pees
If Eccuba / by hir discrecyon
Thorugh hir wytte / and medyacyon
And hir prudence / myght aboute brynge
That Pryamus / were fully assentynge
That Achylles / myght his doughter wyue
So that it myght / parformed be as blyue
Lyke as I haue / made mencyon
By couenaunt oonly / and condycyon
That the Grekes / shall theyr werre lete
And suffre hym / to lyue in quyete
If the maryage / of these ylke twayne
Parformed be / and knyt vp in a chayne
And whan y e quene / hath knowen his entent
Full soberly / by good auysement
Tofore or that / any worde asterte
Full pyteously / she syghed in hir herte
And at the laste / with a sobre chere
She sayde thus / to the messagere
My frende quod she / touchynge thy requeste
I can no more / make the beheste
But at the leste / I wyll condescende
What lyeth in me / to brynge to an ende
Thy lordes wyll / with all my herte entere
But here vpon / I muste firste requere
The kynges wyll / if he wyll gyue assent
To the purpose / for whiche thou arte sent
And ouer more / I muste wytte also
[Page] ¶If that Parys / be wyllynge eke therto
Of whiche thynge / with euery circumstaunce
I wyll my selfe / make enqueraunce
Full faythfully / of Pryam and Parys
The mene whyle / what is theyr aduyse
Without more / within dayes thre
At whiche tyme / come agayne to me
From Achylles / if he wyll the sende
And fynally / thou shalte knowe an ende
Of this matere / and an answere playne
And home he goth / to Achylles agayne
¶With full glad chere / his lord y e more to plese
And for to sette / his herte better at ese
Auysely / of hye discrecyon
He hath so made / his relacyon
And tolde his tale / in so thryfty wyse
As he that coude / his wordes so deuyse
To brynge in hope / into his lordes herte
With full relesse / of his paynes smerte
¶Wherby he made / his sorowe to withdrawe
And thus whyle / hope gan for to adawe
Amyd his breste / Eccuba the quene
To Pryam spake / of this Polycene
Touchynge the sonde / of this Achylles
And of his profre / for to make a pees
She tolde hym all / and forgate no thynge
Wherof astoned / Pryamus the kynge
Spake nat a worde / halfe an houres space
But in hym selfe / gan to compace
Full prudently / what it myght mene
That Achylles / wolde haue Polycene
Vnto his wyfe / aye wondrynge more & more
And at the laste / syghynge wonder sore
He discloseth / the conceyt of his herte
And sayde alas / howe sore it doth me smerte
To remembre / that I may haue no pees
The great offence / of this Achylles
Towardes me / playnely whan that he
Slewe worthy Ector / thorugh his cruelte
That hoolly was / vpon euery syde
The assuraunce / gouernour and guyde
Of me and myne / platly for to sayne
And therwithall / of myn eyen twayne
He was alone / the very sothfast lyght
Shelde & protectour / thorugh his great myght
And his manhode / agayne the mortall rage
Of Grekes werre / in my croked age
But now alas / to my confusyowne
He slayne is / so worthy of renowne
By Achylles / whiche may nat out of mynde
That in my herte / I can neuer fynde
To be allyed / with my mortall foo
Rote and grounde / of all my sorowe and woo
It were full harde / my herte to appese
To loue hym / that causeth myn vnese
On euery halfe / where thorugh my cruell foon
The proude Grekes / herted be echon
Agaynst me / now Fortune is contrayre
Tourned of newe / my quarell to apayre
That causeth Grekes / wode and furyous
On me alas / to be presumptuous
O only for Ector / is me berafte a way
But sythen / I none other choyse may
Agaynst herte / though it for anger ryue
In this mater / assaye I shall to stryue
Though me be loth / and sytteth me full sore
Yet to eschewe / harmes that be more
Whiche lykely be / hereafter for to falle
And for to saue / myn other sones alle
I wyll consente / that this Achylles
So that he make / a trewe fynall pees
Atwene Grekes / and also this Cyte
Without more / playnely how that he
Haue vnto wyfe / my doughter Polycene
But leste that he / any treson mene
My wyll is firste / how so that it wende
Of his beheste / that he make ende
Without fraude / this is myn aduyse
To whiche counsayle / assenteth eke Parys
And more rather / in conclusyon
For there was made / none excepcyon
In this Trete / of the quene Eleyne
That Menelay / neuer shulde atteyne
Hir to recure / agayne vnto his wyfe
For whiche Parys / without noyse or stryfe
Or grutchynge outher / vnto this entent
Within hym selfe / was fully of assent
Therby hopynge / without fere or drede
Perpetuelly / Eleyne to possede
Right at his luste / and no man shall say nay
And after this / vpon the thyrde day
Achylles hath / to wytte of his matere
To Eccuba / sent his Messagere
And she tolde / hym the answere of the kynge
Ceryously / gynnynge and endynge
And how that he / assenteth well therto
And Parys eke / and she hir selfe also
If it so were / playnely she hym tolde
Touchynge the peas / that the purpose holde
And firste that he / his heste brynge aboute
[Page] That they be sure / therof hym nede nat doute
That he shall haue / his purpose euerydele
If that he werke / prudently and wele
And hereupon / with informacyowne
This Messager / out of Troye towne
Without abode / in all the haste he may
To Achylles / helde the right way
And tolde hym hole / the effecte of this matere
And he alway / feruent and entere
In herte brent / hote as any glede
And sawe there was no way / for to spede
But oonly peas / as ye haue herde me telle
And aye his breste / with syghes gan to swelle
For the loue / of this Polycene
And caste alway / amonge his paynes kene
To his purpose / awaye for to fynde
And whyles he was / besy in his mynde
How he shulde his purpose / brynge aboute
And in hym selfe / caste many doute
Anone dispeyre / in a rage / vp sterte
And cruelly caught / hym by the herte
Whiche hath hym throwe / into suche a weer
That hym thoughe / it was in his power
His behe [...]e / to fulfylle in dede
Except he hadde / well the lesse drede
Euery thynge / to putte in certayne
Wenynge no greke / wolde his luste with sayne
From his desyre / to be varyable
And to hym selfe / thus was he fauourable
For to parforme / and no thynge denye
All that was lusty / to his fantasye
As is the maner / of louers euerychone
That they suppose / to a cheue anone
What thynge it be / that they take on honde
In what disioynt / that the mater stonde
All though it be / a very impossyble
In theyr foly / they be aye / so credyble
And so Achylles / trusteth fynally
To fulfylle / his hestys vtterly
Supposynge / aye for his worthynesse
For his mainhode / and his hye prowesse
In whiche he dyde / hym selfe gloryfye
Some what of pryde / and of surquedye
How the grekes / shulde be dispeyred
Both of theyr trust / and their myght appeyred
Vpon Troyans / to wynne any londe
If it so were he withdrewe his honde
To helpe them / and therwithall also
Home into Grece / that they wolde go
From the sege / oonly for his sake
And theyr quarell / vtterly forsake
But it so were / this day fyerse Achylle
With them abode / the Cyte for to spylle
For whiche thynge / the lordes by assent
Assembled were / to here the entent
Amonge them all / of this Achylles
By the byddynge / of Pallamydes
And whan they were / gaderyd all yfere
Tofore them all / lyke as ye shall here.
THis Achylles / hath his tale ygonne
And sayd syres / that somoche konne
Both of wysdome / & of hye prudence
So renowmed eke / of sapyence
Thorugh out / the worlde / & of discrecyowne
And be so worthy / also of renowne
Kynges / dukes / of whom the royall name
From eest to west / floureth yet the fame
Bothe of knyghthode / and of manlyhede
To that I say / I praye you take hede
This to saye / if that ye consydre
The playne entent / of our cōmynge hydre
By good auyse / and destruccyon
Hadde no grounde / founded on reson
Nor cause roted / on no tytle of ryght
If it so be / that ye lyfte vp your syght
And aduerte clerely / in your mynde
Full ferre a backe / wytte was sette behynde
Prudent lokynge / and auysenesse
For firste whan we / of foly hastynesse
Toke vpon vs / to come fro so ferre
Agayne Troyans / for to gynne a werre
And to Iuparte / our lyues euerychone
For the loue / of one man alone
Ye wote all / I trowe / whom I mene
Kynge Menelay / defaurded of his quene
To telle trouth / me lyste nat for to feyne
For ye well wote / oonly that Eleyne
Was groūde and gynnynge / of all this debate
For whom / so many worthy of estate
Recurlesse / of any remedye
Lyfe and good / haue put in Iupardye
Our londes lefte / and our regyownes
Our Cytes eke / and our ryche townes
Whiche by our absence / stonde desolate
Wyues and children / eke disconsolate
In woo abyde / mournynge and distresse
Whyles that we / the sothe to expresse
Fro day to day / beset on euery syde
Lye in the flede / and our deth abyde
[Page] In sorowe and care / in laboure and in woo
And wot all this / ye wyte well also
Sythe tyme / that the werre began
Of our Grekes / how many worthy man
Hath lost his lyfe / thorugh dethes fatal woūde
That myght hytherto / haue lyued & be sounde
At home in Grece / assured well in ioye
If they ne hadde / come vnto Troye
That to remembre / it is full great pyte
And ouer this / I saye also for me
Amonge Troyans / in theyr cruell mode
I haue loste / so moche of my blode
That hath full ofte / made pale of hewe
This other day / also grene and newe
I hadde of Ector / suche a mortall wounde
With a quarell / sharpe whet and grounde
Aboue the theygh / so kene was the hede
The same daye / afore that he was dede
Of very happe / as it was I shape
That fro the deth / vnneth I myght escape
Whiche yet all fresshe / is vpon me sene
Large and wyde / and as yet but grene
The smerte of whiche / sore yet I pleyne
And in good fayth / me semeth that Eleyne
If ye aduerte / wysely in your thought
With suche a pryse / shulde nat be bought
Where thorugh / our lyfe and our good yfere
And our honour / are Yput in were
And dredfully / hange in ballaunce
For if that ye / in your remembraunce
Conceyue a right / and caste vp and downe
The sodayne chaunge / and reuolucyowne
That fallen hath / sythe the werre began
The slaughter & deth / of many worthy man
That for hir sake / hath here loste his lyfe
Yet the worste / of this mortall stryfe
Doth moste rebounde / into our damage
To disencrease / and eke disauauntage
And lykely is / to encrease more
If ordenaunce / be nat made therfore
And remedye shape / on outher syde
By fyne oonly / that Eleyne abyde
With them of Troye / styll here in the towne
And lette vs caste / by good inspeccyowne
For our ease / some other meane way
So that the kynge / called Menelay
These hym a wyfe / in some other londe
Lyke his estate / by suraunce / or by bonde
Vnder wedlocke / confermed vp of newe
That vnto hym / wyll be founde trewe
Sythe that we / without gylte or synne
May by lawe / from Eleyne twynne
For of dyuerse causes / be ynowe
Thorugh out y e world / of euery wyght yknowe
Of auoutry / for the foule vyce
For to lawe / is no preiudyce
Though Menelay / iustly hir forsake
Whan so hym lyste / and another take
That shall hym better / both queme and please
And so to vs / it shalbe full great ease
Whan the werre / is brought to an ende
Whiche lykely is / many man to shende
If it so be / that it forth contune
The great laboure / is so importune
That we ne shall / no whyle mowe sustene
For this is sothe / without any wene
Troyans yet / be floutynge in theyr myght
And w t them haue / full many worthy knyght
To helpe them / of hye / and lowe degre
And therwithall / so stronge in theyr cyte
On euery part / without and withinne
That we are nat / lykely for to wynne
In our purpose / though we euer abyde
Wherfore by wysdome / let vs voyde pryde
And wylfulnesse / oonly of prudence
To haue the Eye / of our aduertence
To our profyte / more than vayne glorye
And whyle our honour / shyneth by victorye
A wysdome is / to withdrawe our honde
Syth we may nat / constrayne by no bonde
Fortunes whele / for to abyde stable
Wherfore I rede / or she be mutable
This gery goddesse / with hir double chere
Let vs gyue vp / suche thynge as lyeth in were
Whyles that we may / our worshyp saue
For of the werre / the laude yet we haue
Consyder well / how by your manhede
Our moste foo / Ector is now dede
And whyle that we / in our honour floure
My counsayle is / or Fortune loure
As I saydeere / to chaunge hir bryght face
Whyle that beste / we stonde in hir grace
By one assent / and one oppynyon
Without any / contradiccyon
Of herte and wyll / bothe of one and alle
Or our honoure / on any party palle
Into Grece / that we home retourne
For if that we / lenger here soiourne
On the quarell / that we haue longe sewed
Douteles / it may bee schewed
[Page] Full great damage / this without fayle
Or we haue done / shall folowe at the tayle
Wherfore beste is / our folye vp resygne
And whyle our hap / is welfull and benygne
Most blandysshynge / and of face fayre
The tyme is beste / to make our repayre
Whyle that we stande / in party and in all
With our enmyes / in honour perygall
And fer aboue / playnely if that we
Coude haue an Eye / to our Felycyte
Whyle that it is / in his ascencyon
But lest some man / wyll make obieccyon
That we may nat / so our honour saue
To repayre playnely / but we haue
Eleyne agayne / that is cause of all
To whiche thynge / anone answere I shall
If any man / in his fantasye
To dishonour / or to vyllanye
Arrette wolde / in any maner kynde
We to go home / and leue hir behynde
Shortely to saye / I holde / it be no shame
Sythe that we haue / one as great of name
As is Eleyne / and of berthe as gode
Amonges vs / ycome of kynges blode
Suster to Pryam / lorde of Troye towne
Exyona / whom that Thelamowne
In kepynge hath / if I shall nat feyne
In Troye towne / as Parys hath Eleyne
And sythe nowe / it may be none other
Let the tone / be set agayne the tother
And the surplus / of olde enmyte
Bet wixe vs / and Troye the cyte
My counsayle is / for our bothe ease
By one assent / wysely to apease
This all and some / and that we hens wende
I can no more / my tale is at an ende
To whom anone / kynge Menelaus
For very yre / wode and Furyous
And kynge Thoas / the Duke eke of Athene
As they that myght / no lenger hym sustene
To suffre hym / they were so reckeles
Spake all attones / vnto Achylles
Nat oonly they / but thorugh inpacyence
The court perturbyd / without prouydence
With tumulte / gonne to repreue
This Achylles / and proudely them cōmeue
Agaynst hym / and his oppynyon
And sayde shortly / in conclusyon
Vnto his reed / they ne wolde neuer assente
Nor condescende / to no thynge that he mente
To be gouernyd / by hym in this caas
For whiche thynge / anone Achylles was
So full of Yre / and rancoure in his herte
That sodaynely / from his see he sterte
And went his way / as he were in a rage
Tryste and pale / and a wode vysage
And shortly sayde / for hym lyst nat fayne
That he ne wolde / lenger do his payne
To helpe them / how so that they spede
Agayne Troynas / for no maner nede
And bad anone / this hardy Achilles
To his knyghtes / callyd Myrundones
That they no more / with spere nor with shelde
To helpe Grekes / entre into felde
But kepe them close / at home within theyr tent
Thus in this Ȳre / he gaue cōmaundement
To all his men / as ye haue herde deuyse
Them to withdrawe / at euery hye empryse
Whan so euer / they go into batayle
And in this whyle / scarsenesse of vytayle
Fyll in the hoost of flesshe / of brede / and wynne
That many Greke / brought vnto his fyne
For they ne myght / endure for distresse
Constreynt of hunger / dyde them so oppresse
Tyll at the laste / kynge Pallamydes
As he that was / in no thynge reckeles
Hath therupon / made purueaunce
Remedye / and redy ordynaunce
And by assent / and counsayle of echon
He hath sent / wyse Agamenon
The worthy kynge / to Messa there besyde
A [...]y [...]ell Ile / oonly to prouyde
For the Grekes / if he myght spede
Them to releue / in this great nede.
And Telephus / kynge of that londe
Of gentyllesse / hath put to his honde
As he that was / large / and wonder free
And renowmed / of humanyte
To socoure them / cōmaundynge anone
His purueours / in all haste to gone
From euery party / aboute enuyron
Thorugh all the landes / of his regyon
And faythfully / to serche euery coost
To take vp vytayle / for the grekes hoost
And after that / full hastely he made
To stuffe theyr shyppes / playnely and to lade
With euery thynge / that was necessarye
To the grekes / and by water carye
At requeste / of Agamenon
Without tariynge / or delacyon
[Page] And so the kynge / with plente of vytayle
Fraute and Ȳlade / gan anone to sayle
Towarde the sege / he and his meynee
Aye costynge / by the Grekysshe see
The wynde was good / & the kynge as blyue
With his nauye / at Troye dyde aryue
In fewe dayes / and Grekes anone ryght
Of his repeyre / were full glad and lyght
Of his expleyt / and his good spede
That he so well / hath borne hym in this nede.
And after this / Pallamydes anone
As sayth Guydo / is to his shyppes gone
For to consydre / and loke all aboute
Where nede was / within and withoute
Any of them / to amende or repare
As he that lyst / for no coste to spare
In euery thynge / without neclygence
Touchynge his charge / to do his dylygence
Tyll the Trewes / fully were out ronne
And the werres / newe agayne begonne
Whiche many man / sothly dere aboughte
And ceryously / to wryte howe they wroughte
My purpose is / playnely in sentence
Vnder supporte / of your pacyence.
DVrynge in one / the dedely cruell hate
That stynte maye / nor cesse by no date
Atwyxe Grekes / and them of the towne
To great damage / and destruccyowne
On outher parte / felynge full vnswete
Tyll on a daye / they caste for to mete
As they were wonte / proudely w t spere & shelde
With theyr wardes / entrynge into felde
Armyd full bryght / vpon outher syde.
And enbatayled / stoute and full of pryde
Full knyghtly haue chose / theyr groūde & take
Theyr large baners / with the wynde yshake
Tyll they togydre / sodaynely haue mette
And alderfirste / Dephebus hath sette
Fresshe and lusty / and of herte yrous
Vpon a kynge / called Creseous
And of enuye / the storye telleth than
On hors backe / as they togydre ran
Dephebus firste / with his spere as blyue
Thorughout the breste / euen dyde hym ryue
Vnto the herte / that he spake no more
The deth of whom / Grekes playne sore
And for his loue / suche a woo they make
That all astoned / they haue the felde forsake
And gan anone / vnto theyr tentes flee
The whiche in sothe / whan they of Troye se
Vpon the chase / faste gan them spede
Vnto tyme / that worthy Dyomede
And with hym eke / the kynge Pallamydes
Of hye despyte / cruell and mercyles
With twenty thousande / worthy knyghtes alle
Vpon Troyans / sodaynely are falle
And mortally / made them lese theyr weye
And to resorte / home agayne to Troye
And eke with grekes / felle and furyous
The same tyme / came Thelamonyus
That hyght Ayax / the stronge knyghtly man
And lyke a Lyon / amonge them as he ran
Vpon Troyans / and them ouer sette
Casuelly / in his waye he mette
Cecylyen / lusty / fresshe and lyght
And of his tyme / a wonder manly knyght
And sone was / to Pryam as I rede
Whom Thelamon / pryckynge on his stede
Slowe cruelly / with his swerde anone
Rasynge his arme / from the shuldre bone
That heallas / fyll dede in the felde
The deth of whom / whan Dephebus behelde
Wodder anone / than Tygre or lyon
With a spere / ran to Thelamon
And smette hym so / thorugh his plates bryght
Of very force / that he made hym lyght
And lese his sadell / be sete amonge the prees
The whiche stroke / whan Pallamydes
Behelde and sawe / and clerely gan aduerte
Irous and wood / with a furyous herte
Caste hym anone / to auenge Thelamowne
On Dephebus / full worthy of renowne
And mortally his guerdon / hym to quyte
And with a spere / grounde for to byte
Sharpe and kene / large rounde and square
Full cruelly / or that he was ware
Thorugh his harneys / without more areste
Dephebus / he smote so in the breste
That with the stroke / he brake the shafte a two
So that the tronchone / and the hede also
Lefte in his breste / that there was no weye
Fynally / but that he muste deye
There was none helpe / nor remedye at all
The wounde was / so cruell and mortall
That with the lyfe / he myght nat abyde
And in this whyle / Parys came besyde
Of auenture / whyle this Dephebus
Was of his wounde / so inly anguysshous
And gan in haste / for to aproche nere
[Page] With face pale / and right an heuy chere
And for his distresse / wepte pyteously
And his knyghtes / cōmaunded hastely
His wounded brother / out asyde fere
In all haste / that they shulde bere
Out of the wardes / fro the great prees
Vnto his payne / for to do relees
For to a brethe hym / at leyser or to auente
In open eyre / and they vnto hym wente
Maugre the Grekes / where he wounded was
And bare hym out / a full easy pas
Towarde the walle / faste by the towne
And with great dole / and lamentacyowne
Full softely / on the grounde hym layde
Tyll at the laste / this dedely man abrayde
With mortall loke / and face funerall
And chere pyteous / so that eche ball
Gan tourne vp / of his deedly eye
And euen thus / to Parys he gan seye
O brother myn / whom that I loued so
Haue now pyte / and rewe vpon my wo
Of kyndenesse / and of brotherhede
And to my wordes / of routhe take now hede
Syth we by deth / muste a sondre twynne
For Antropose / shall no lenger spynne
My lyues threde / but the knotte breke
Wherfore brother / I praye the be wreke
Vpon my deth / or I hense pace
It that thou lyste / to do me suche a grace
Of kyndenesse / yet or I be dede
Out of my breste / or this sperys hede
Be rent away / that thou auengyd be
Vpon my foo / as I truste in the
That I may wyt / he be deed or I
And that his spirite / it passe fynally
And firste descende / depe downe in helle
Eternally / with Pluto for to dwelle
Myd his boundes / that dyrke ben and lowe
For fynally / so that I may knowe
That he be deed / there is no more to seye
I gyue no forse / how soone that I deye
To whose requeste / Parys toke good hede
And into felde / faste gan hym spede
For thought / and woo / pyteously wepynge
Whyle his brother / lay there languysshynge
Nat awaytynge / but oonly after deth
Vpon the poynt / to yelde vp the breth
And with his knyghtes / Parys vp & downe
The wardes soughte / aboute enuyrowne
Tyll at the laste / Pallamydes he fonde
With Sarpedon / fyghtynge honde of honde
Now was this kyng / this worthy sarpedowne
Come in diffence / of them of Troye towne
Whiche of his hande / was a noble knyght
And whyle that he / with all his full myght.
Moste besy was / Pallamydes to presse
Lyke a Lyon / whettyd with woodnesse
Pallamydes / in herte nat a ferde
Let flye at hym / with his sharpe swerde
So myghtely / that it was a wonder
For his theygh / parted hath a sonder
And smote of / by the harde bone
That Sarpedon / fyll downe dede anone
So that Troyans / whan that he was slawe
Were compellyd / of force them to withdrawe
Thorugh the pursuyt / of kynge Pallamydes
Whiche vpon them / was so mercyles
And as cruell / as a wood lyon
After the deth / of Sarpedon
The whiche alas / whan Parys dyde espye
He marked hym / with a cruell eye
And hente a bowe / that passyngly was stronge
And with an arowe / to his tyller longe
Entoxycat / with venym in the hede
That whom he smote / therwith was but dede
And hytte hym so / in the auentayle
Thorugh out the stuffe / and the thykke mayle
Into the throte / that it gan thorugh pace
That he fell dede / in the selfe place
Pallamydes / this manfull worthy knyght
Where thorugh Grekꝭ / toke them to the flyght
And made a noyse / and a wofull crye
The deth complaynynge / wonder pyteouslye
Of theyr lorde / and myghty gouernour
But late chose / to be Emperour
Theyr chefe socour / and souerayne refu [...]
But now alas / they stonde destytut
Of gouernaunce / broke and disarayed
Without guyde / right as shepe dismayed
Disconsolat / and comfortles yshent
That eche of them / flyeth vnto his Tent
And they of Troye / sued on the chace
On hors backe / a wonder huge pace
And mercyles slewe / them as they fle
On euery syde / that routhe was to se
Without pyte / or any other grace
For lyke Lyons / they gan them enchace
Tyll they compellyd / of necessyte
Constrayned were / thorugh theyr cruelte
To tourne agayne / and them selfe diffende
[Page] And they of Troye / downe anone discende
Of hors backe / euen vpon the playne
And attones / there was none other gayne
They gan the Grekes / proudely to outtraye
And cruelly / so to disamaye
That fynally / there gayneth no diffence
So mortall was / the myghty vyolence
Of Troyans / that Grekes so diffoyle
And alderfirste / at leyser they dispoyle
The grekes tentes / of golde and rychesse
At whiche tyme / Troylus gan hym dresse
And Parys eke / downe to theyr nauye
With thurty thousande / in theyr companye
Kyllynge all tho / playnely that they mette
And on theyr shyppes / wylde fyre they sette
That to the walle / of Troye the Cyte
Men myght well / the hydous flawmese
And all had gone / to destruccyon
Ne had Ayax / ycalled Thelamon
Thorugh his manhode / & knyghtly excellence
Come anone / and made resistence
Of the Grekes / with many worthy knyght
And tho of new / began the mortall fyght
Atwene Troyans / and the Grekes stoute
The rede blode / rayllynge all aboute
Vpon the playne / so hydously they blede
And here and there / bothe in lengthe and brede
Deed and maymed / and full pale of syght
Vpon the soyle / full many noble knyght
Atwexe them / so cruell was the hate
For in theyr fyght / togydre they debate
As wylde borys / euen so they fare
For none of them / lyste other for to spare
And in the felde / worthy Thelamowne
Thorugh his knyghthode / & his hye renowne
So manly bare hym / grekes to diffende
That no man myght / in manhode hȳ amende
Thorugh all y e world / though men had sought
For he that daye / in his ꝑsone hath wrought
Meruayle in armys / thorugh his great myght
That in sothenesse / Grekes anone ryght
Withoute hym / hadde fynally be shent
And theyr shyppes / attones loste and brent
Thorugh the pursuyt / of Parys that daye
And worthy troylus / that made such affraye
Amonges them / thorugh his hye prowesse
That fyfty shyppes / Guydo doth expresse
Were loste and brent / or that Thelamowne
To reskus came / with his knyghtes downe
Vnto the see / the remenaunt for to saue
But for all that / Troyans that daye haue
The hyer hande / of this mortall fyght
Thorugh the force / and the great myght
Of troylus oonly / whiche hath so many slayne
Of the grekes / in sothe that they were fayne
Them to withdrawe / and the felde to lete
For in abydynge / they fonde full vnswete
Wherfore they gan / for to lese theyr place
Amonge whiche / the kynges sone of Trace
That heber hyght / wounded to the deth
That he myght / vnneth / drawe his breth
With aspere / in his breste styckynge
To Achylles / he came in complaynynge
Vnto his tent / euen there he laye
Whiche in the felde / was nat all that daye
For the sake / oonly of Polycene
The loue of whom / was so sharpe and kene
Aye at his herte / ylyke grene and newe
To whom Heber / with a mortall hewe
Complayneth sore / arrettynge cowardyse
And in manhode / a very trewandyse
That he that daye / myght so for shame
Withdrawe hym / in hyndrynge of his name
Out of the felde / to hym full great reprefe
Of the Grekes / seynge the myschefe
That they were in / and confusyon
Vpon the brynke / of theyr destruccyon
Abrode the felde / to se them so lye dede
And lyste nat ones / for to take hede
Of his knyghthode / grekes to releue
And whyle Heber / gan hym thus repreue
And the spere / whiche in his body was
All sodaynely / was drawen out alas
With Eye vp caste / in rancour and in yre
Full pyteously / Heber dyde expyre
In the presence / of this Achylles
And therwith came / in a sodayne res
Into his tent / a certayne knyght of his
Of whom Achylles / axeth how it is
Amonge Grekes / and clerely how it stode
And he answeryd / full yrous in his mode
Certys quod he / full vnhappely
For they of Troye / haue so cruelly
Our Grekes all / this daye in theyr fyght
Full shamefully / put vnto the flyght
So many slayne / alas and wela waye
That vnneth / none ne went awaye
Vnhurte / maymed / or withouten wounde
So felle on vs / Troyans were Yfounde
And of them eke / was suche multytude
[Page] That I suppose / shortly to conclude
This daye there was / to my oppynyowne
Nat lefte a man / within Troye towne
That able was / to stonde in batayle
With spere / or swerde / his enmye to assayle
I wene in sothe / but they come oute
With vs to fyght / there was so huge a route
That we ne myght / of force take on honde
In the felde / agaynst them to stonde
But nowe my lorde / it draweth vnto nyght
That they be faynte / any more to fyght
If it were pleasynge / to your worthynesse
To your manhode / and your hye noblesse
To take on you / to your encrase of fame
For euermore / to gete you a name
And there with all / for your owne glorye
Perpetuelly / to be in memorye
To ryse vp / and arme you anone
And sodaynely / vpon them to gone
Feble and weke / to make resystence
Agaynst your manly / famous excellence
There were no more / but we were victours
For euer more / and very conquerours
Durynge the worlde / to be in remembraunce
And they for euer / brought vnto outtraunce
In soth fastnesse / I haue of it no drede
But Achylles / toke of hym no hede
Nor to Heber / that lay afore hym dede
Full colde and strake / of coloure lyke to lede
Nor ones lyste / to yeue hym audyence
Nor vnto hym / haue his aduertence
There may no worde / in his herte myne
To that he sayde / to make hym enclyne
For vtterly / euen lyke he ferde
As though he / no maner worde ne herde
For thorugh his eres / it passyd as a sowne
Lo here / the maner and condycyowne
The very custome / and the playne vsaunce
Of these louers / hangynge in a traunce.
Honour worshyp / manhode and prowesse
Strengthe / myght / fame and hardynesse
Encrease of name / vertue and victorye
Knyghthode / noblesse / and in armes glorye
All these / can loue ley asyde
Suche is the myght / of the god Cupyde
Whiche hertes hye / with his hoke can sease
So lothe they are / playnely to displease
Outher in chere / or in countenaunce
In wyll or dede / or disobeysaunce
To hir that is / theyr souereyne lady dere
For with a loke / of hir eyen clere
She can full well / daunte all theyr pryde
For Venus soone / so felly can prouyde
His arowes kene / to perce nerfe and vayne
And them enlace / in his firy chayne
That oonly thorugh / his importable charge
They be restrayned / for to go at large
Whiche cause was / this day douteles
That this / noble hardy Achylles
Wolde nat / withouten any wene
Come in the felde / for drede of Polycene
Lyste that she were / offended in hir herte
If any thynge / escaped or asterte
This Achylles / thorugh mysgouernaunce
And whyles he / hynge thus in balaunce
The Grekes faught / with them of the towne
Tyll bryght Phebus / was at goynge downe
That Troyans / of necessyte
For lacke of lyght / entre the Cyte
And whyle that they / homewarde be repreyred
Lay Dephebus / of his lyfe dispeyred
Complaynynge aye / on his dedely wounde
And whan Parys / & troylus / haue hym foūde
In that myschefe / they gan wepe and crye
As they wolde / for very routhe dye
With wofull noyse / and with pytous sowne
The [...]alte terys / gan to renne downe
On theyr chekes / vpon outher syde
And whyles they / vpon hym abyde
This wounded man / gan drawe to his ende
Whose spyryte was / redy for to wende
Out of his brest / and his wery goste
Full hastely / into another coste
With dedely Eyen / tournyd vp so downe
Whan that he knewe / by relacyowne
That Parys hath / Pallamydes yslawe
Anone he bad / that they shulde out drawe
The large tronchone / with the stelen hede
And there with all anone / he fyll downe dede
And with the corps / they gan them faste spede
Towarde the towne / but for it is no nede
The dole to wryte / and lamenciowne
That made was / for Sarpedowne
Thorugh the Cyte / and namely of the kynge
And of the quene / euer in one wepynge
Of his brethren / and his susters dere
It were but vayne / to reherse it here
But Pryam hath / with great dylygence
Two towmbes made / of royall excellence
For Dephebus / and kynge Sarpedowne
[Page] With many Ȳmage / grauen enuyron
And many a knotte / koruen here and yonder
And buryed them / but a lytell a sonder
Lyke the custome / of theyr rytes olde
And whyles they / the feste halowe & holde
That called is / the feste funerall
The Grekes / haue do made in specyall
A ryche toumbe / to the worthy kynge
Pallamydes / and for his buriynge
Sosempnely / made ordynaunce
Amonges them / as it was vsaunce
And with great dole / and pyteous heuynesse
They haue this kynge / of great worthynesse
Royally brought / to his sepulture
And for they myght / longe nat endure
Without an hede / and a gouernour
They chosen haue / to theyr Emperour
By one assent / and affeccyon
The worthy kynge / wyse Agamenon
And after they made / no lettynge
They of Troye / the next day suynge
With theyr wardes / into felde to goon
Fully purposyd / to fyght with theyr foon
And Grekes manly / in the face them mette
But worthy Troylus / so them ouersette
That Greke was none / shortly for to telle
Thylke day / afore hym myght dwelle
So cruelly / he gan them / for to chace
For where he came / or rode in any place
They fledde his swerde / of theyr lyfe in doute
His yonge kynghtes / rydynge hym aboute
Suche as he was / vsaunt for to lede
And euer in one / the grekes blode they shede
Whiche lyke a streme / disteyned all the playne
And all this whyle / was so huge a rayne
The same day / and so huge a myste
That euery man / hath his felowe myste
Specyally / vpon the Grekes syde
That for the storme / and theyr woundes wyde
And for the manhode / of this Troyan knyght
¶Worthy Troylus / so fresshe so yonge & lyght
They were coact / thorugh his cruelte
Maugre theyr myght / for drede of deth to fle
To theyr Tentys / socoure for to fynde
Troyans aye / pursuynge behynde
Full mortally / with a sterne paas
But for the storme / they cease of the caas
And home repeyre / to theyr Cyte stronge
Tyll on the morowe / that the larke songe
That Troylus eft / most manly in batayle
The Grekes newe / caste hym for to assayle
And Guydo wryt / this yonge champywne
Thylke daye / as he rode vp and downe
Amonge his foon / thorugh his hye renowne
That therne was kȳge / duke / erlenor barowne
With his swerde / where so that he wende
That of theyr lyfe / he made a mortall ende
All the whyle / that Phebus gaue his lyght
Tyll at the laste / that it drewe to nyght
That he to Troye / repayreth manfully
And seuen dayes / suynge by and by
This lyfe he ladde / with his knyghtes felle
Vpon grekes / as Guydo can you telle
Aye newe and newe / he gan them so confounde
His cruell swerde / was so kene grounde
That they ne myght / in his mortall tene
Afore his syght / abyde nor sustene
Nor the vengeaunce / that he on them toke
For where he rode / the waye they forsoke
In his trase / the renges / were so rede
Of them in sothe / that in the felde lay dede
For whiche slaughter / and confusyowne
The grekes newe / sent to the towne
For a trewes / to Pryamus the kynge
And he anone / graunted theyr axynge
For two monethes / fully by the assent
Of all the lordes / of his Parlement
Wherof they made / full relacyon
The Enbassatours / to Agamenon
And to theyr lodgynge / after forth they wente
But how that he / vnto Achylles sente
The meane whyle / his messagers wyse
So as I can / I shall anone deuyse.
AGamenon / as Guydo lyste endyte
His lordes sent / Achylles to vysyte
For certaȳe causes / lyk as ye shal here
Whiche in the storye / be rehersed here
And with vlixes / and worthy Dyomede
Duke Nestor went / playnely as I rede
To fyne oonly / by theyr counsayllynge
Into his herte / that they myght brynge
And induce hym / to haue a fantasye
To be wyllynge / thorugh his chyualrye
With them to stonde / as he hath do toforne
That haue so many / of theyr men ylorne
For lacke oonly / of his hye presence
And Achylles / with dygne reuerence
Receyued them / & with right knyghtly chere
And after that / whan they were set yfere
[Page] Lyke theyr degre / anone in audyence
¶Whyle vlixes / full of eloquence
Gan his tale / prudently deuyse
To Achylles / sayeng in this wyse
Syr Achylles / moste renowmed of glorye
Thorugh out the worlde / to be in memorye
And of knyghthode / 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 slaȳe / theyr hope / their suffysaūce
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 / w t 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 nat [...]a s [...]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 / y t whylom shone so bryght
Your myghty hande / of manhode to w t drawe
Consyder firste / how Grekes are yslawe
Tofore your Tent / w t 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 strōge 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
[Page] 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 ī 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 y e 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 laude of knyghthode / and of worthynesse
Of wysedome eke / and of gentyllesse
Fredam bounte / vertue and suche grace
Foryetylnesse / can derke and difface
And therwithall / malys and enuye
Yseryd hath / the palme of Chyualrye
By false reporte / wherfore I saye for me
I wyll of wysedome / suche folye let be
And in quyete / forth my lyfe nowelede
And ouer this / to you thre I rede
To seke peas / with Troyans if ye may
In hasty wyse / without more delay
This my counsayle / platly to you alle
Or that myschefe / of deth vpon you falle
It were well done / that ye toke hede
Bothe vlixes / and thou Dyomede
And Nestor eke / sythen ye be wyse
To werke playnely / lyke as I deuyse
This the sūme and fyne / of myn entent
And so reporteth to hym / that hath you sent
[Page] And they anone / with shorte conclusyon
Bepeyred be / to Agamenon
With suche answere / as ye haue herde me sayne
It nedeth nat / to wryte it newe agayne
And here vpon / kynge Agamenon
Let make anone / a conuocacyon
Of his lordes / and in theyr presence
Fro poynt to poynt / sothly in sentence
He hath rehersyd / how that Achylles
Was desyrous / for to haue a pees
With them of Troye / and platly how that he
For no prayer / wyll in no degre
Agayne Troyans / with spere nor with shelde
In helpe of Grekes / be armed in the felde
Wherfore the kynge / as he that was full wyse
Here vpon / axed theyr aduyse
And what them thought / was beste for to do
In this mater / sythe it stode so
And firste of all / speketh Menelay
With angry chere / and sayde platly nay
To haue a peas / it was nat his entent
Ne that he wolde / therto be of assent
Sythen the Cytee / in conclusyon
Stode on the prycke / of his destruccyon.
NOw that Ector / & Dephebus were dede
y t whylom were / their trust in euery nede
And theyr diffence / but now they are ago
Farewell their truste / and their hope also
Without more / and all their hole pryde
They may nat now / but after deth abyde
And truste well / without any les
Though it so be / that this Achylles
Ne helpe vs nat / towarde our empryse
We therof nat drede / in no maner wyse
Withoute hym / for to haue victorye
By our manhode / and our owne glorye
I am full sure therof / and certayne
But vlixes / gan replye agayne
Qestor also / of sodayne mocyon
Contrayre / was / to his oppynyon
Affermynge playnely / that no wonder was
Though Menelay / sothly in this cas
Vnto the peas / wolde nat assente
For openly / they wyste what he mente
For he was grounde / and roote of all the werre
And cause also / they come were so ferre
Out of theyr londe / he and the quene Eleyne
And for the sake / oonly of them tweyne
The Grekes all / whiche no man may denye
Theyr lyues put / in suche Iupardye
For hym and hir / if the grounde be sought
For well they wyste / that he rought nought
This Menelay / what wo they endure
So he his wyfe / myght agayne recure
And where he sayth / that Ector is dede
He hath an heyre / to speke of manlyhede
And of knyghthode / as it wyll be founde
And called is / Ector the secounde
¶Worthy Troylus / whiche y t is his brother
In all this worlde / is nat suche a nother
Of worthynesse / for to reken alle
For he of Troye / is the myghty walle
And diffence / now Ector is agone
Ye knowe it well / your selfe euerychone
If it so be / that ye lyste take hede
Whose sharpe swerde / sore doth vs blede
Euery day / in his furyous hete
Amyd the felde / whan we with hym mete
And in stede / of worthy Dephebus
Whiche in his tyme / was wonderly famous
His brother / Parys / is nowe founde at all
In worthynesse / of knyghthode perygall
So that of them / we haue none auauntage
Vnto this houre / but rather great damage
To reken all / sythe we be gonne
This very sothe / we haue but lytell wonne
But we are lykely / alway more to lese
If we contynue / but sythe we may chese
It were holsome / to lyue in quyete
To haue a peas / and this werre lete
By one assent / sythe ye be wyse
ANd with y e worde / Calchas gan to ryse
The Troyan traytour / w t a pale chere
For very Ire / and sayde as ye shall here
A worthy Prynces / what thynke ye to done
To chaunge / so lyke / as doth the moone
Your olde purpose / and your firste entent
Agayne the wyll / and cōmaundement
Of the goddes / that euery thynge gouerne
By purueaunce / who so can discerne
Alas alas / why ne wyll ye at the leste
Credence and fayth / gyue to theyr heste
Whiche in no wyse / may nat be fallyble
For in sothe / it were an impossyble
Vtterly / but Troye the Cyte
Of ordynaunce / and necessyte
Myght be destroyed / hens but alyte
If your slouthe / be it nat to wyte
[Page] So that victorye / worshyp and honour
And fynall palme / eke of this labour
To be reported / on water and on londe
Reserued be / hoolly / to your honde
In your purpose / if ye forth contune
And hyndre nat / of folye your Fortune
This in sothe / I dare it well conclude
And peryllous is / the goddes to yllude
Of neclygence / or slouthe wylfully
Wherfore I rede / that now manfully
Of herte and thought / and of full vnyte
Platly deuoydynge / all ambygnyte
To sette vpon / and knyghtly to resume
Your force agayne / fully to consume
Your cruell foon / and let be shet withoute
Wan hope and drede / dispeyre & euery doute
Castynge of parryll / slouthe and cowardyse
And let manhode / vtterly despyse
All drede of deth / that causeth hertes feynt
With cowardyse / for to be atteynt
That fynally / as goddes haue be hyght
Thorugh prescyence / of theyr eternall myght
To victorye / that ye shall attayne
Lyke your desyre / there is no more to sayne
And whan Calchas / in conclusyowne
This false traytour / vnto Troye towne
The Grekes hadde / thorugh his wordes fayre
Touchynge the werre / put out of dispayre
Of herte all one / they caste them to fulfylle
Hoolly his counsayle / though so that Achylle
Be frowarde aye / to helpe them in theyr nede
They gaue no force / nor toke of it no hede
But euerychone / they them redy make
As ye shall here / the felde in haste to take.
THe trewes passed / of y e monthes wayne
Into y e felde / the Grekes them ordayne
And they of Troye / agayne them yssue oute
And worthy Troylus / with an huge route
The Grekes gan / alderfirste assayle
And with his swerde / he made firste to rayle
The rede blode / thorugh theyr harneyse bryght
That as the deth / theyr fledde fro his syght
For he that daye / thorugh his cruelte
Caste hym fully / auenged for to be
Vpon the deth / of Ector vtterly
And as Dares / reherseth specyally
A. M. knyghtes / this Troyan champyowne
That day hath slayne / rydynge vp and downe
As myn Auctour / Guydo lyst endyte
Saue after hym / I can no ferther wryte
In his boke / he yeueth hym suche a name
That by his manhode / and his knyghtly fame
The Grekes all / were put vnto flyght
All that day / tyll it drewe to nyght
And on the morowe / in the dawenynge
The grekes haue / at Phebus vprysynge
Yarmed them / with great dylygence
Agayne Troyans / to stande at diffence
Amonges whom / that day as I rede
So well hym bare / worthy Dyomede
That many Troyan / thorugh his cruelte
Hath loste his lyfe / tyll Troylus gan to se
This Dyomede / in the felde rydynge
To whom anone / without more lettynge
With his spere / threwe into the reste
This Troylus rode / & smote hym on y e breste
So myghtely / that of very nede
Downe of his horse / he smote Dyomede
Albe of wounde / he hadde no damage
And furyously / Troylus in his rage
Ofenuye / gan hym to abreyde
Whan he was downe / the loue of Creseyde
Of his deceyte / and his Trecherye
And grekes than / faste gan them hye
Amonge the hors / in myschefe where he lay
To drawe hym out / in all the haste they may
And on a shelde / brosyd and affrayde
They bare hym home / so he was dismayde
Of the stroke / home vnto his Tent
And Menelay / the same whyle hath hent
A myghty spere / to auenge Dyomede
And to Troylus / faste gan hym spede
Fully auysed / to vnhorse hym anone
But Troylus firste / made his stede gone
So swyfte a course / towarde Menelay
That he anone / at the Erthe lay
So myghtely he hyt / hym with his spere
That shelde nor plate / myght hym nat were
To saue hym / from a mortall wounde
But his kynghtes / anone as they hym founde
Out of the prese / whan they had hym rent
They bare hym home / to his owne tent
The grekes aye / stondynge in distresse
Thorugh the knyghthode / and y e hye prowesse
Of this troylus / whiche hath them so belayne
On euery part / where he rode on the playne
Tyll vnto tyme / that Agamenowne
Into the felde / is a valyd downe
With many worthy / aboute his banere
[Page] That shone full shene / agayne the sonne clere
And w t his knyghtꝭ / hym rydynge enuyrowne
He sore enchased them / of troye towne
Woundeth & sleeth / and put them to the flyght
Hym selfe acquytynge / lyke a manly knyght
But for all that / without more abode
Amonge Troyans / fyersly as he rode
This worthy kynge / great Agamenowne
With a spere Troylus / smette hym downe
Maugre his Grekes / there gayneth no socour
And whan they sawe / theyr lorde & gouernour
In suche myschefe / at the grounde lyende
They hente hym vp / and made hym to ascende
Thorugh theyr manhode / on his stronge stede
And he of wyt / gan to take hede
And consyderyd / wysely in his thought
In what disioynt / Troylus had thē brought
And how his Grekes / for all theyr great pryde
Tofore his swerde / myght nat abyde
He prudently / of hye discrecyon
This noble knyght / kynge Agamenon
As he that hadde aye / his aduertence
On gouernaunce / thorugh his prouydence
Whan he sawe / his Grekes gan fayle
And wexe feble / to stande in batayle
For lacke of stuffe / that shulde them recomforte
Full prudently / he made them to resorte
Eueryche of them / to his owne tent
And after that / he hath to Pryam sent
For atrewes / to Troye the Cyte
For sixe Monethes / if it myght be
And by his counsayle / Pryamus the kynge
Without abode / graunted his axynge
Albe that some / as Guydo lyste endyte
Were euyll apayde / so longe to respyte
Theyr mortall foon / in any maner wyse
But yet his graunt / as ye haue herde deuyse
Stode in his strengthe / fully as I rede
In whiche tyme / of very womanhede
Creseyde / lyst no lenger for to tarye
Though hir Fader / were therto contrarye
For to vysyte / and to haue a syght
Of Dyomede / that was be come hir kynght
¶Which had of troylus / late caught a woūde
And in his Tent / whan she hath hym founde
Benygnely / vpon his beddes syde
She set hir downe / in the selfe tyde
And platly caste / in hir owne thought
Touchynge Troylus / y t it was for nought
To lyue in hope / of any more recure
And thought she wold / for no thynge be vnsure
Of purueaunce / nor without store
She gaue anone / without any more
Hooly hir herte / vpon Dyomede
Lo what pyte is / in womanhede
What mercy eke / and benygne routhe
That newly can / all hir olde trouthe
Of nauture / lette slyppe asyde
Rather than they / shulde se abyde
Any man in myschefe / for theyr sake
The chaunge is nat / so redy for to make
In Lombarde strete / of crowne nor doket
All poyse is good / be so the prent be set
Theyr lettre of chaunge / doth no man abyde
So that the wynde / be redy and the tyde
Passage is aye / who so lyste to pace
No man is loste / that lyste seke grace
Daunger is none / but counterfete disdayne
The see is calme / and from rockes playne
For mercyles / neuer man ne deyde
That soughte grace / recorde of Creseyde
Whiche fynally / hath gyuen / all hir herte
To Dyomede / in relese of his smerte
And prayed hym / to be right glad and lyght
And calleth hym / hir owne man / & hir knyght
And hym behyghte / rather than he deye
In euery thynge / howe she wolde obeye
That were honest / hym to do pleasaunce
For leuer she had / chaunge and varyaunce
Were founde on hir / than lacke of pyte
As syctynge is / to Femynynyte
Of nature / nat to be vengeable
For fayth nor othe / but rather mercyable
Of mannes lyfe / standynge in distresse
Here of no more / for now I wyll me dresse
To tell forth / in my translacyon
Ceryously / how Agamenon
Durynge the trewes / and the tyme of pees
Hym selfe wente / vnto Achylles
Besechynge hym / some rewarde to haue
Of his knyghthode / Grekes for to saue
And his presence / nomore to withdrawe
To suffre them / so mortally be slawe
Of theyr enmyes / pompous and Elate
But Achylles / alway indurate
Ilyche newe / bothe in herte and thought
From his purpose / platly chaungeth nought
Fully enclyned / for to haue a pees
But for asmoche / as Achylles
Of entyernesse / and affeccyon
[Page] So louynge was / to Agamenon
He vnto hym / graunted at the leste
A great parcell / touchynge his requeste
This to saye / that this Achylles
Graunteth to hym / his Myrundones
Full knyghtly men / oonly in his absence
With the Grekes / to make resystence
In the felde / agayne them of the towne
For whiche graunte / kynge Agamenowne
And duke Nestor / thanked hym of herte
But he alwaye / contynuynge in his smerte
For the loue / of fayre Polycene
Ne knewe no gayne / to his woundes grene
But dispeyred / languyssheth euer in one
And whan the trewes / passyd were and gone
Vpon adaye / the morowe full benygne
Achylles his knyghtes / dyde assygne
The felde to take / with Agamenon
And as the storye / maketh mencyon
He gaue to them bendes / fresshe of rede
That men may knowe / by theyr manlyhede
With whom they were / withholde in specyall
And lyke a man / deedly and mortall.
In his tent / Achylles abode
Into the felde / from hym whan they rode
Oonly for dole / they shulde from hym twynne
In his absence / a werre to begynne
Maugre his wyll / agayne them of the towne
But forthe they went / with Agamenowne
Vpon Troyans / sterne and full of pryde
But with them mette / on the other syde
The manly knyghtes / of Troyanysshe blode
Whiche were on them / so furyous and wode
That cruelly / the grekes they oppresse
So that a backe / for fere they gan them dresse
They were on them / so inly felle and kene
Tyll that the Duke / of Athene
Entrede in / the Grekes to diffende
But vpon hym / vnwarely / or he wende
Came myghty troylus / lyke a wood lyowne
And from his stede / anone he bare hym downe
And after that / he put hym so in prees
Tyll he mette / with Myrundones
And of them slewe / that daye full many one
And so fet in / Troylus is Ygone
That he grekes / put vtterly to flyght
Thorugh his knyghthod / tyl it drewe to nyght
& fro his swerde / no raunsoū myght thē borowe
And Guydo wryte / that on the next morowe
Full mortall was / the slaughter / on outher syde
Amyd the felde / as they togydre ryde
Of manly knyghtes / that wonder was to sene
And as they faughte / the kynge Phylymene
With helpe oonly / of Pollydamas
Taken hath / the worthy kynge Thoas
And gan hym lede / towarde Troye towne
But Myrundones / on hym come downe
Wonder proudely / and after gan to sewe
And thurgh their myght / Thoas they reskewe
And hym delyuer / for they were so stronge
But troylus than / hurtled them amonge
Furyously / lyke a champyowne
Now here now there / caste & threwe thē downe
Some he slewe / and some he made blede
Tyll cruelly / they slewe his myghty stede
Whiche he sat on / and yet neuertherles
He faught on fote / agayne Myrundones
That hadde caste troylus / to haue take
But Parys / tho / gan them so a wake
With his brethren / that aboute hym rode
That in the place / where as troylus stode
Vpon his fete / but hym selfe alone
Of Myrundones / they slewe many one
That of knighthod / thorugh theyr manlyhede
They vnto hym / brought another stede
Amyd his foon / and made hym to ascende
And he full knyghtly / gan hym selfe diffende
Be set with grekes / in the selfe stounde
That neuer yet / a better knyght was founde
They felte it well / that were his foon
But than his brother / callyd Emargaron
So as he faught / puttynge hym selfe in prees
Was slayne alas / amonge Myrundones
The deth of whom / in a cruell yre
Troylus with angre / newe sette a fyre
Playnely purposeth / to auenge if he may
And with his swerde / began to make way.
And Parys aye / faste by rydynge
And all his brethren / vpon hym awaytynge
Whiche all yfere / were so mercyles
As I fynde / vpon Myrundones
That of force / and necessyte
They were compelled / playnely for to fle
Troylus on them / was so Furyous
So vengeable eke / and so despytous
That he them gaue / many mortall wounde
And yet in sothe / that day they were founde
Noble knyghtes / and quyt them wonder wele
For they the crafte / knewe euerydele
Longynge to armys / of them as I rede
[Page] But for all that / he made theyr sydes blede
Thorughe the mayle / and theyr plates shene
That they ne myght / playnely nat sustene
The swerde of troylus / them chasyng ouerall
Albe they kepte / them close as any wall
Hole togydre / and wente nat a sonder
But troylus aye / them chaseth here & yonder
And seuered them maugre all theyr myght
Tyll into felde / with many worthy knyght
Came Menelay / and kynge Agamenon
Vlixes eke / and cruell Thelamon
And Dyomede / whiche of his woundes grene
Recuryd was / as sayth myn Auctor clene
And on Troyans / sodaynely they fall
With theyr wardes / and theyr knyghtes all
And tho began / the fyght to renewe
On euery halfe / that with blody hewe
The plates bryght / were of newe steyned
And they of troye / so manly haue them peyned
Agayne theyr foon / in this myghty stryfe
That many greke / was berafte his lyfe
And where they were / moste myghty in batayle
Troylus came in / and gan them to assayle
On euery parte / with many blody wounde
And by his knyghthode / gan them to comfoūde
That aye they fledde / so they were aferde
The mortall strokes / of his sharpe swerde
Theyr deedly foo / and destruccyon
And this contynueth / tyll kynge Thelamon
By his manhode / whan that he behelde
The grekes made / recure agayne the felde
And gan Troyans / assayle wonder sore
And tho began / the slaughter more and more
On eche syde tyll / troylus newe agayne
The grekes hathe / so fyersly ouerlayne
Myrundones / and them euerychone
Afore his swerde / that he made them gone
To theyr tentes / and the felde for sake
And with his honde / that day he hath take
An hondred knyghtes / that came in his weye
Thorugh his prowesse / & sent them into troye
And euer in one / gan so to enchace
Myrundones / that they loste theyr place
And to Achylles / lyenge in his tent
They repeyre / forwounde / and to rent
Theyr harneys broke / bothe plate and mayle
And of nombre / I fynde that they fayle
An hondred knyghtes / slayne and deed alas
That after were founde / in the Taas
Amyd the felde / thorugh gyrt w t many woūde
Of Troylus swerde / Ector the secounde
Wherof Achylles / whan he hadde a syght
So heuy was / all the nexte nyght
In his bedde / walo wynge to and fro
Deuoyde of slepe / for constreynt of his wo
At his herte / his wounde was so kene
What for his men / and fayre Polycene
Wyttynge well / if he dyde his payne
To be venged / he shulde nat attayne
In no wyse / vnto his desyre
And thus he brent / in a double fyre
Of loue and Ire / that made hym shyghe sore
But for cause / loue was the more
He was aferde / agayne them of the towne
In his ꝑsone / to do offencyowne
Lyste Pryamus / and Eccubathe quene
Offended were / and namely Polycene
And thus he stode / in a double weer
That his herte / satte hym wonder neer
With many wonder / dyuers fantasye
As haue louers / that be in poynt to dye
Ryght euen so fareth / this wofull man
For very woo / that no rede ne can
So entryked / that wende to deye
Of his recure / he knewe no better weye
And whyle he lay / this in this throwes whyte
Lyke as Guydo / playnely / lyste endyte
And the storye / maketh mencyowne
That dayes seuen / they of troye towne
To encrease and augment / of theyr sorowe
With the Grekes / mette euery morowe
That thorugh the force / of bothe theyr myght
On outher parte / was slayne many a knyght
And all this whyle / lay this Achylles
Of Grekes deth / ylyke reckeles
For loue oonly / and toke no maner hede
Who so were hole / or mortally dothe blede
Or who that playneth / with his woundꝭ large
Hym thought it was / no parcell of his charge
So moche he hath / on other thynge to thynke
That ofte he waketh / whan he shulde wynke
Thoughtfull aye / and Ymagynatyfe
And very wery / of his owne lyfe
Tyll on a daye / kynge Agamenon
Seynge the deth / and destruccyon
On Grekes halfe / without remedye
To Troye sent / by enbassatrye
For a trewes / certayne dayes space
But he myght / therof haue no grace
Lenger tyme / platly to endure
[Page] Than for leyser / of the Sepulture
Of worthy knyghtes / that were deed aforne
In the felde / on outher party lorne
Whiche in the taas / full besely they soughte
And after this / playnely how they wroughte
Durynge the sege / with great vyolence
I shall descryue / with your pacyence.

¶How Achylles slewe the worthy Troylus Ectors brother vnknyghtly / and trayled hym aboute the felde at his hors tayle. Ca. xxxi.

[figure]
THe cruell force / and mortall yre
Of Martys myght / alway set a fyre
W t newe enuye / gonne of olde hatrede
Brēnynge in hertꝭ / hote as any glede
Atwyxe Grekes / and Troye the Cyte
Whiche lykely is nat / staunched for to be
Tyll deth consume / with his mortall darte
Full many worthy / vpon outher parte
To execute / alas / by fynall fate
Eche on other / the enuyous deedly hate
Whiche they ne myght / by destyne remewe
Nor for Parchas / at lyberte eschewe
For Antropos / wyll suffre it be none other
That is maystresse / & guyder of therother
Of dethes shyp / tyll all goth vnto wrake
And Fortune gan / tourne hir face bake
Of hye disdayne / fro Troye the Cyte
As in this storye / right soone ye shall se.
For whan the trewes / that they hadde take
Were wered out / they gan them redy make
The proude Grekes / and into felde they gone
Vpon a morowe / whan Phebus bryght shone
Armed full shene / eueryche at his deuyse
And Menelay firste / mette with Parys
That daye / in storye as I rede
And eche of them / smet other of his stede
A [...] whiche tyme / daūz Pollydamas
To Vlixes / rode a sterne paas
And eche at other / of cruell enmyte
With styffe swerdes / gan togydre flee
That nouther was / of manhode for to wyte
And with aspere / squared for to byte
The myghty Duke / called Meneste
Rode lyne ryght / that all myght se
To Anthenor / the Troyan full of pryde
And from his sadell / caste hym downe asyde
[Page] In his furye / and his hatefull tene
And tho in all haste / came kyng Phylemene
Oonly in helpe / of them of the towne
And gan assayle / kynge Agamenowne
Thorugh his knyghthode / and his hardynesse
That he hym hadde / brought in great distresse
To outter myschefe / and confusyon
Ne hadde oonly be / that kynge Thelamon
Full proudely came / hym for to reskewe
And after sore / gan for to pursewe
With a spere / vpon Phylemene
And for his hors / he layde hym on the grene
Maugre his force / the storye telleth thus
For he to hym / was mortally Irous
And after that / yonge Archylogus
A mortall couts / ran vnto Brumus
One of the sones / of Pryamus the kynge
Yonge and delyuer / and beste in his lykynge
But he hym smette / with so great a myght
That he fell deed / this fresshe lusty knyght
The deth of whom / whan they of Troye espye
They made a shoute / and pyteously gan crye
Of wofull routhe / and his deth complayne
Tyll the noyse / gan vtterly attayne
To troylus Erys / platly where he rode
And he no lenger / after that abode
But to the place / felly gan approche
And with his swerde / for to sette a broche
Without routhe / the grekes hatefull blode
And mercyles / all that hym withstode
He slewe that daye / by cruell auenture
That greke was none / y • whiche myght endure
Tofore his swerde / he gan them so oppresse
For of knyghthode / and of hye prowesse
He hadde them put / vtterly to flyght
Ne hadde ben / the manhode / and the myght
Of Myrundones / whiche all that day
By one assent / vpon Troylus lay
Wherof he was / full melancolyus
And of courage / and manhode most famous
He ne lyste / no lenger for to lette
But all attones / vpon them he sette
And furyously / gan amonge them ryde
And some he smote / euen thorugh the syde
Thorugh the body / and some thorugh y • herte
And with his swerde / thorugh doublet & sherte
Thorugh shelde & plate / and thorugh haberion
He percyd hath / and lyke a wood lyon
He slewe that day / of them many one
That maugre them / they fledde euerychone
With the Grekes / eueryche to his tent
And they of Troye / after them be went
Swyftly on hors / tyll they haue them take
And suche a murdre / of grekes there they make
That fynally / there was no better reskuse
But oonly deth / so passyngly confuse
The grekes were / at myschefe desolate
Troylus so narowe / brought thē to chekmate
That they coude / no better remedye
But hydously / for to wayle and crye
To deth forwounded / with a grysely chere
That Achylles / whan he gan firste here
The dredefull noyse / and the wofull sowne
That caused was / by refleccyowne
Of eyre agayne / who so coude it knowe
In rochys harde / and kauernys lowe
Lyke as it were / one worde spoke of two
That men are wont / to called an Ecco
So confuse was / the lamentacyowne
On grekes syde / of whiche the deedly sowne
So pyteously / to Achylles is ronne
Of them that lay / agayne the hote sonne
With mortall woundes / yeldynge vp the breth
With roumble & swowhe / resownyng into deth
Suche a noyse / grekes made there
And what it ment / Achylles dyde enquere
And what the cause / was of theyr clamour
And they tolde hym / for lacke of socour
The grekes were eche / in his Centorye
Of Troylus slayne / so that the victorye
Goth fynally / with them of Troye towne
For euermore / in conclusyowne
So many greke lay / slayne in this tent
Gapynge vpwarde / that his blode yspent
Thorugh the constreynt / of his woūdes smerte
And whyle Achylles / gan aduerte
Full sodaynely / there came to hym a man
The whiche his tale / euen thus began
Alas quod he / how may ye sustene
To se your men / hereupon the grene
Afore youre face / slayne and lye dede
And lyste nat ones / for to take hede
But stonde stylle / pensyfe in your tent
Vpon the poynt / your selfe to be shent
In hasty houre / if ye here abyde
For fyfty thousande / knyghtes here besyde
Redy armed / in plates and in mayle
Caste them playnely / attones you to sayle
This no doute / vnarmed as ye stonde
But ye of knyghthode / manly take on honde
[Page] To resyste / in this selfe place
And lyke a man / to mete them in the face
For whiche anone / in a cruell mode
This Achylles / lyke as he were wode
Armed hym / fomynge as a bore
Farewell his loue / he sette of it no store
Of hasty hete / his yre was so kene
That he forgat / fayre Polycene
And hir beaute / y t whylom made hym smert
And in a rage / vp anone he sterte
And toke his stede / as any Lyon wroth
Agayne Troyans / and into felde he goth
Lyke a wolfe / that is with hunger gnawe
Right so gan he / agayne his foon to drawe
And where he rode / without excepcyowne
He woundeth / sleeth / kylleth / and bereth downe
Now here / now there / in a lytell throwe
That they of troye / gan his swerde to knowe
Whiche was infecte / of newe with theyr blode
For there was none / as yet y t hym withstode
So mortally he gan / aboute hym layne
The deed bodyes / enlonge the playne
Tyll casuelly / Troylus gan espye
This Achylles / as he caste an eye
And gan his hors / with spores to constrayne
And rode at hym / with all his myght & payne
But Achylles / of hym was ware also
Smette his stede / and made hym for to go
Towarde Troylus / in the selfe tyde
And with full course / as they togydre ryde
Full lyne ryght / theyr speres sharpe whette
With suche a myght / they haue togydre mette
Of hye disdayne / there is no more to sayne
That to the grounde / they felle bothe twayne
But Achylles / caught suche a wounde
In his body / so depe and profounde
That longe he lay / myn Auctor sayth certayne
Or he to helthe / restored was agayne.
And troylus eke / thorugh plates mayle & all
As wryte Guydo / hadde a wounde small
Whiche vnto hym / dyde no greuaunce
And thus that daye / by contynuaunce
And dayes sixe / suynge by and by
The proude grekes / mette cruelly
Amyd the felde / them of Troye towne
To great damage / and confusyowne
Of outher party / playnely this no nay
For many worthy / was slayne day by day
In theyr rancour / and hertely hoote enuye
Albe Guydo / doth nat specefye
None of theyr names / playnely in this boke
As ye shall fynde / if ye lyste to loke.
ANd al this whyle / for this sodeyn thȳge
Pensyfe & tryste / was Pryamꝰ y e kynge
That Achylles / tourned hath so clene
His herte away / fro yonge Polycene
And for this chaunge / so sodayne and so newe
Thought his behestes / were nat all trewe
But on deceyte / and doubylnesse
On fraude falsly / and newe fangylnesse
On sleyghty treason / an vncouert gyle
Or rage of loue / that lasteth but a whyle
Was vtterly / founde his beheste
For lyke a wynde / that no man may areste
Fareth a worde / discordaunt fro the dede
Of whiche a wyse man / take shall no hede
But lette passe / as he were reckeles
For albe it / that this Achylles
Was whylom caught / within loues snare
Hym lyste nat nowe / ones for tospare
Of hye rancour / his lady to offende
It was nat lyke / as they of troye wende
Eccuba / nouther Polycene
¶Wherfore Pryam / spake vnto the quene
In an angre / and gan hir to abreyde
That she hir truste / so entyerly leyde
On Achylles / that can so falsly mene
Wherfore full tryste / was this Polycene
That was enclyned / with hir eyen clere
By the counsayle / of hir moder dere
To haue be weddyd / to Achylles
To fyne oonly / there shulde haue be a pees
At wene grekes / and them of troye towne
But all was false / in conclusyowne
In the fyne / was the trouthe ysene
For whan Achylles / of his woundes grene
Was fully curyd / by a certayne day
He gan compasse / in all that euer he may
And ymagyne / in his enuyous herte
To be vengyd / of his woundes smerte
Vpon troylus / that stacke aye in his mynde
At auauntage / if he myght hym fynde
To hym he bare / so passyngly hatrede
In his herte / brennynge as the glede
Whiche day nor nyght / may in no degre
Fully be queynt / tyll he auengyd be
The hoote rancour / gan so on hym gnawe
Auysed platly / that he shalbe slawe
Of his hondes / whan so that it falle
[Page] And on a day / to hym he gan calle
Myrundones / his knyghtes euerychone
Vpon a morowe / whan the grekes gone
Tofore the towne / in stele armed bryght
Agayne troyans / of purpose for to fyght
And they were come / proudely into felde
In the opposyt / with many ryche shelde
Newely depeynt / with coloures fresshe & fyne
Vpon whiche / full bryght gan to shyne
Firy Tytan / golde tressyd in his spere
At his vpryste / with his bemysclere
Whan this felle / enuyous Achylles
To his knyghtes / called Myrundones
Vpon Troylus / gan hym to complayne
Besechynge them / for to do theyr payne
Agayne this Troylus / in the felde that day
To catche hym / at myschefe / if they may
And besely to do / theyr dyllygence
On hym to haue / theyr full aduertence
By one assent / where so that he ryde
All other thynge / for to sette asyde
And of nought ellys / for to take hede
Saufe fynally / agayne hym to procede
If they myght / catche hym in a trappe
Within them selfe / troylous for to clappe
To enclose / and sette hym rounde aboute
In all wyse / that he go nat oute
And whan he were / beset amonge them alle
Nat to slee hym / what so euer falle
But thorugh theyr myght / māly hym cōserue
Tyll he hym selfe come / and make hym sterue
With his swerde / he and none other wyght
Loo / here a manhode / for to preyse a ryght
Vengeaunce of deth / of rancoure and of pryde
Compassyd treason / knyghthode layde asyde
Worthynesse / by enuye slawe
Falshede a lofte / trauthe a backe ydrawe
Alas in armes / that he shulde falle
Of Trecherye / there the bytter galle
Shulde in this worlde / many knyght befoūde
That be to trauthe / of they ordre bounde
Alas / alas / for now this Achylles
Conspyred hath / with his Myrundones
The dethe of one / the worthyest wyght
That euer was / and the beste knyght
Alas for wo / my herte I fele dede
For his sake / this storye whan I rede
But whan Fortune / hath a thynge ordeyned
Though it be euer / wayled and compleyned
There is no gayne / nor no remedye
Though men on it / galen aye and crye
I can no more / touchynge this matere
But wryte forth / lyke as ye shall here
How Myrundones / haue theyr lorde behyght
With all theyr power / and theyr full myght
To fulfyll / his cōmaundement
And into felde / with grekes they be went
But Troylus firste / in the opposyte
Of very knyghthode / hathe so great delyte
Without abode / manly them to mete
He was ybrent / with so feruent hete
Of hardynesse / and of hye courage
Of worthynesse / and of vasselage
That hym ne lyste / no lenger to abyde
But with his folke / in began to ryde
Amonge grekes / this folke of hye renowne
And w t his swerde / he woūdeth & bereth downe
Sleeth and kylleth / vpon euery halue
So mortally / that there may no salue
Theyr sorys sounde / for there was but deth
Where so he rode / and yeldynge vp the breth
So furyously / he gan them enchace
And made them lese / in a lytell space
Theyr londe echone / and afore hym flee
In troylus swerde / there was suche crueltee
That maugre them / he the felde hath wonne
The same tyme / whan the bryght sonne
Hye in the southe / at mydday marke shoone
Euen at the houre / whan it drewe to noone
Whan Myrundones / gadred all in one
In compasse wyse / rounde aboute hym gone
And furyously / of one entencyowne
They made a cercle / aboute hym enuyrowne
Whan they sawe hym / of helpe desolate
But he of herte / nat disconsolate
Vpon no syde / thorugh his manlyhede
Lyke a Lyon / toke of them no hede
But thorugh his famous / knyghtly excellence
As a Tygre / stondeth at diffence
And manfully / gan them to encoumbre
And gan to lesse / and discrease theyr noumbre
And some he maymeth / & woundeth to y • dethe
And some he made / to yelde vp the brethe
And some he layde / to the erth lowe
And some he made / for to ouerthrowe
With his swerde / of theyr blode all wete
At great myschefe / vnder his hors fete
Vpon his stede / sturdy as a wall
This worthy knyght / this man most marcyall
Playeth his pley / amonge Myrundones
[Page] Hym selfe god wot / alone / all helpeles
But tho alas / what myght his force auayle
Whan thre thousande / knyghtes / hym assayle
On euery parte / bothe in lengthe and brede
And cowardly / firste they slewe his stede
With theyr sperys / sharpe and quare grounde
For whiche alas / he stante now on the grounde
Without reskus / refute or socoure
That was that day / of Chyualrye floure
But welawaye / they haue hym so beset
That from his hede / they smote his basenet
And brake his harneys / as they hym assayle
And seuere of stele / the myghty stronge mayle
He was disarmed / bothe necke and hede
Alas the whyle / and no wyght toke none hede
Of all his knyghtes / longynge to the towne
And yet alway / this Troyan Champyowne
In knyghtly wyse / naked as he was
Hym selfe diffendeth / tyll Achylles alas
Came rydynge in / Furyous and wode
And whan he sawe / how troylus stode
Of longe fyghtynge / awaped and amate
And from his folke / alone desolate
Sole by hym selfe / at myschefe pyteously
This Achylles / wonder cruelly
Behynde vnwarely / or that he toke hede
With his swerde / smyteth of his hede
And caste it forthe / of cruell cursyd herte
And thought platly / it shulde hym nat asterte
To shewe his malys / this wolfe vnmercyable
Full vnknyghtly / to be more vengeable
Vpon the body / that lay deed and colde
Alas / that euer / it shulde of knyght be tolde
Wryte or rehersyd / to do so foule a dede
Or in a boke / alas that men shall rede
Of any knyght / a storye so horryble
Vnto the erys / passyngly odyble
For this Achylles / of cruelte alas
The deed corps / toke out of the taas
And vengeably / bonde it as I fynde
At the tayle / of his hors behynde
And hatefully / that euery wyght behelde
Drewe it hym selfe / endelonge the felde
Thorugh the renges / and the wardes alle
But O alas / that euer it shulde falle
A knyght to be / in herte so cruell
Or of hatrede / so despytous fell
To drawe a man / after he were dede
O Thou Omer / for shame be now rede
And be astoned / y • holdest thy self so wyse
On Achylles / to sette suche a pryse
In thy bokes / for his Chyualrye
Aboue echone / doest hym magnefye
That was so sleyghty / and so full of fraude
Why gyuest thou hym / so hye a pryse & laude
Certys Omer / for all thyne excellence
Of Rethoryke / and of Eloquence
Thy lusty songes / and thy dytees smerte
Thy hony mouthe / that doth with sugre flete
Yet in one thynge / thou greatly arte to blame
Causeles / to gyue hym suche a name
With a tytle / of Tryumphe and glorye
So passyngly / put hym in memorye
In thy bokes / to saye and wryte so
Thurgh his knyghthod / he slewe Ectorys two
Firste hym that was / lyke vnto none other
And troylus after / y t was his owne brother
If thou arte meued / of affeccyon
Whiche that thou haste / to grekes nacyon
To preyse hym so / for thou canste endyte
Thou shuldest aye / for any fauour wryte
The trouthe / playnely / and be indifferent
And saye the sothe / clerely of entent
For whan he slewe / Ector in the felde
He was afore / disarmed / of his shelde
And besy eke / in spoylynge of a kynge
For if he hadde / beware of his cōmynge
He hadde hym quyt / thorugh his Chyualrye
His false deseyt / and his Trecherye
That he ne hadde / so lyghtly from hym gone
Troylus also / was naked and alone
Amyd thre thousande / closyd and beshet
¶Whan Achylles / hath his hede of smet
At his backe / of full cruell herte
Whan he nothynge / his treason dyde aduerte
¶Was that a dede / of a manly knyght
To slee a man / forweryed in fyght
Faynt of trauayle / all the longe daye
Amonge so many / stondynge at a bay
A kynges sone / and so hye borne
Naked the hede / his armure all to torne
Euen at the deth / on the selfe poynt
At disauauntage / and playnely out of ioynt
Of his lyfe / standynge on the wrake
¶Whan Achylles / came falsely at the bake
Assaylynge hym / whan he was halfe dede
And lyke a cowarde / smote of than his hede
That was tofore / hurte / and wounded sore
¶Wherfore Omer / preyse hym now no more
Late nat his pryse / thy ryall boke difface
[Page] [...] [Page] [...]
[Page] But in all haste / his renowne out arrace
For his name / whan I here neuen
Veryly / vp vnto the heuen
As semeth me / infecte is the eyre
The sowne therof / so foule is and vufayre
For if that he hadde had / his aduertence
Outher the eye / of his prouydence
Vnto knyghthode / or to worthynesse
Outher to manhode / or to gentyllesse
Or to the renowne / of his owne name
Or to the reporte / of his knyghtly fame
In any wyse / to haue taken hede
He hadde neuer done / so foule a dede
So vengeably / for to haue ydrawe
A kynges sone / after he was slawe
And namely hym / that was so gode a knyght
Whiche in his tyme / who so loke a ryght
Passed Achylles / I dare it well expresse
Bothe of manhode / and of gentyllesse
But for all that / he is now dede alas
The deth of whom / whan Pollydamas
And Parys eke / dyde firste espye
They fared in sothe / as they wolde dye
And specyally / with face dede and fade
Parys alas / suche sorowe made
For the constreynt / of his dedely wo
Whan he sawe / that troylus was ago
And that he shall / neuer alyue hym se
Suche sorowe also / the troyan daūz Enee
For hym hath made / and many another mo
And all attones / they togydre go
The deed corps / to recure if they may
But Grekes werre / so felle on them that day
That theyr laboure / was vtterly in vayne
In any wyse / the corps to gette agayne
Tyll that Menon / the noble worthy kynge
Whiche loued troylus / ouer all thynge
Caughte suche routhe / of affeccyon
That he in haste / fearser than a lyon
On his deth caste / hym to be wreke
And firste for Ire / thus he gan to speke
To Achylles / for his hye treasowne
O thou Traytoure / O thou Scorpyowne
O thou Serpent / full of Trecherye
Whiche in dishonour / of all Chyualrye
Thorugh false engyne / haste this day yslawe
One of the beste / that hadde no felawe
Whan he was / in this worlde a lyue
Alas alas / who may a right descryue
Thy venym hydde / thy malyce and vntrouthe
Without pyte / or vnknyghtly routhe
To drawe a knyght / so gentyll and so gode
A kynges sone / of so worthy blode
Thorugh out y • felde / at thy hros tayle behynde
That euer after / it shalbe in mynde
This cruell dede / and vngentyllesse
And with y t worde / Menon gan hym dresse
Towarde Achylles / without more areste
And with a spere / smet hym in the breste
Enuyously / of so great hatrede
That he vnneth / kepte hym on his stede
And Menon after / pulled out aswerde
And caste hym manly / to mete hym in the berde
And rode to hym / fully deuoyde of drede
And suche a wounde / he gaue hym on the hede
That maugre hym / in many mannes syghte
To the erthe / he made hym to a lyghte
For all his pryde / in a mortall traunce
For of that wounde / he felte suche greuaunce
That at the dethe / he lay an huge whyle
In a swowne / the space of halfe a myle
Tyll Myrundones / assembled into one
With great labour / hente hym vp anone
Full deedly pale / so he gan to blede
But for all that / they sette hym on his stede
And at the laste / his herte he caught agayne
And smet his hors / of hate and hye disdayne
And towarde Menon / fast gan hym hye
But whan that he / his comynge gan espye
Full lyke a knyght / lyste nat to abyde
But hyt his hors / sharpely in the syde
And mette Achylles / proudely on the playne
And with theyr swerdes / they togydre layne
And gan to hurtle / on horsbacke yfere
With herte enuyous / and despytous chere
But kynge Menon / was at auauntage
Of Achylles / for all his wode rage
In poynt to abrought hym / to confusyowne
Tyll the wardes / of newe come downe
On outher parte / bothe here and yonder
Whiche sodaynely / seuered them a sonder
And as the storye / telleth playnely than
Began the slaughter / of many manly man
For nouther party / the felde ne wolde leue
Of very pryde / tyll it drewe to eue
That Phebus / gan asswage of his hete
And gan to bathe / in the wawes wete
His bryght bemys / of the Occyan
That fro the felde / home goth euery man
To theyr lodgynge / and after seuen dayes
[Page] They faughte yfere / and made no delayes
Full mortall / by cruell aduenture
Whyle Achylles / besy was to cure
His woundes grene / and his sores sounde
And than he hath / a newe treson founde
To be vengyd / vpon kynge Menon
For all his wytte / he set therupon
And so this cruell / enuyous Achylles
I charged hath / his Myrundones
Worthy Menon / amonge them to enbrace
If they hym founde / in opportune place
With all theyr myght / and theyr besy thought
From theyr hondes / that he escape nought
Tyll he hym selfe / auengyd on hym be
And so befell / as they Menon se
The nexte morowe / lyke a manly knyght
Agayne the Grekes / armed for to fyght
On Troye syde / as he was wonte to do
Of auenture / that day it fylle so
That Achylles / and this Menon mette
And eche of them / gan on other sette
On horse backe / of full great enuye
And so longe in theyr / melancolye
Myn Auctor wryt / they togydre fyght
That eche made other / of force to a lyght
And whan Menon / stode vpon the grounde
Myrundones / wente abounte hym rounde
As they were charged / of the fyerse Achylle
Whan he allas / without goddes wylle
Dysseuered was / from his knyghtes alle
And at myschefe / they vpon hym falle
Destytute alone / and helples
And in suche poynt / slewe hym Achylles
But in the storye / lyke as it is founde
This Menon / firste gaue hym suche a woūde
Tofore his deth / in all this felle stryfe
That he dispeyred / was playnely of his lyfe
This Achylles / for all his false treson
Take hede Omer / and deme in thy reson
The false fraude / and the sleyghty gyle
The treson caste afore / with many wyle
Of Achylles / and Iuge now a ryght
If euer he slewe / any worthy knyght
But it were / by prodycyon
Recorde I take / of the kynge Menon
So that the tytyle / of his laude alas
Entryked is with fraude / and with fallas
That thou Omer / mayste with no coloure
Though thou paynte / with gold & with asoure
In thy wrytynge / his venym nat enclose
But as the thorne / hyd vnder the rose
Whose malys aye / dareth by the rote
Though the floure / aboue fayre and sote
That men the fraude / vnder may nat se
Of his treson / ye gette no more of me.
BUt I wyll tell / how grekes do that day
How Meneste / and kynge Menelay
Dyomede / and Thelamonyus
On Troyans / were passynge despytous
For cruelly / with theyr wardes alle
In theyr myschefe / be vpon them falle
And made them flee / home vnto the towne
For whylom / troylus / y • was their chāpyowne
Is dede alas / and hath them now forsake
Of whom they haue / the dede body take
The same day / with great diffyculte
And dolefully / into the Cyte
They haue it brought / cryeng oft alas
And for his deth / suche a woo there was
That I trowe / there is no man a lyue
Whiche coude a right / halfdele descryue
Theyr pyteous wo / nor lamentacyowne
Certeyse / nat Boys / that had suche renowne
With drery wordes / to be wepe and crye
In complaynynge / to Phylosophye
Thorugh his boke / accusynge aye Fortune
That selde or nought / can in one contune
She is so full / of transmutacyowne
O: stace of Thebes / make no boste nor sowne
Of drerynesse / for to wryte at all
Nouther of deth / nor festes funerall
Of makynge sorowe / nor aduersyte
Let be thy wepynge / o thou Nyobe
¶Y [...]e suster also / of Mellenger
That custome haue / for to fle so fer
Fro yere to yere / your brother to complayne
And thou that weptest / out thyn Eyen twayne
Edippus kynge / of Thebes the Cyte
Thou wofull Myrre / and Calixtone
That so well can / in rage you bemene
And Dydo eke / of Cartage quene
Lette be your dole / and contrycyon
And Phyllys eke / for thy Demophon
And Ecto eke / that newe dost begynne
To crye and wayle / and also thou Corynne
That whylom were / in so great affray
For deth oonly / of thy Popyngay
As in his boke / telleth vs Duyde
Let all this woo / now be layde asyde
[Page] And make of it / no comparysowne
Vnto the woo / that was in Troye towne
For deth oonly / of this worthy knyght
For loue of whom / euery maner wyght
Hye and lowe / olde and yonge of age
Are falle of newe / into suche a rage
That they coude / of theyr wo / none ende
Whose salte terys / wyll theyr eyen shende
So pyteous was / the lamentacyowne
In euery strete / thorugh out all the towne
Alas who coude / all theyr sorowes telle
I trowe certeys / Pluto depe in helle
For all his tourment / and his paynes kene
Nouther she / Proserpyna his quene
Nouther the wery / woode Tycyus
Ixyon / nor hungry Tantalus
Ne coude nat / for all theyr bytter payne
So furyously wepe / and complayne
As do troyans / Troylus for thy sake
For who can now / suche a sorowe make
Or who can wepe / as kynge Pryamus
Who wepeth nowe / with face full pyteous
Or maketh sorowe / but Eccuba the quene
¶Who wepeth nowe / but fayre Polycene
Who wepeth nowe / but Parys and Eleyne
Who can nowe wepe / or vnto terys reyne
As do Troyans / with dedely swolle chere
It neded them / no wepers / for to here
They hadde ynough / of theyr owne store
Alas for nowe / they be for euermore
Of helpe all sole / of comforte destytute
For who shall nowe / be to them refute
Nowe that Ector / and also Dephebus
And troylus eke / that was so vertuous
Be dede alas / who shall theyr socoure be
Or sustene / the werre of theyr Cyte
There is no more / in conclusyon
But after deth / fully destruccyon
Of theyr toures / and theyr walles stronge
In this mater / what shulde I playne longe
It vayleth nat / alway so to morne
Wherfore / I wyll now agayne retorne
To my mater / and telle how the kynge
To grekes hath / without more tariynge
For a trewes / and a peas Ysent
A certayne tyme / by great auysement
Whiche graunted was / of Agamenowne
And whā they anone were / repeyred to y • towne

¶Howe Parys slewe Achylles in the Temple of Appollo / and Anthylogus duke Nestors sone Capitulo. xxxij.

[figure]
BYnge Pryamus / dyde his besy cure
For to make / a ryche sepulture
For Troylus corps / full noble and ryall
As sayth Guydo / of stones and metall
And hym enclosed / of great affeccyon
And nye besyde / was the kynge Menon
[Page] Solempnely / buryed / and ygraue
And after that day / by day / they haue
Lyke the custome / of Festes funerall
And other Rytis / cerymonyall
For them bothe / with dewe obseruaunce
Seruyse done / by contynuaunce
In theyr Temple / lyke as was the guyse
Whiche were to longe / me for to deuyse
And Tedyus / eke for you to dwelle
But I purpose / ceryously to telle
Howe Eccuba / as I can endyte
Hir caste fully / Achylles to quyte
His Tyrannye / sothely if she may
And vnto hir / she calleth on a day
Alysaunder / in full secrete wyse
And vnto hym / as I shall deuyse
With wepynge eyen / and full heuy chere
Sayde euen thus / lyke as ye shall here
Parys quod she / alas saufe goddes wylle
Thou knowest well / how the fyerse Achylle
My sones hath slayne / nye echone
There is none lefte / but thy selfe alone
He hath me made / alas there is no gayne
Full cowardly / of children now barayne
Bothe of Ector / and Troylus eke therto
Whiche were to me / in euery trouble and wo
Fully comforte / plesaunce / and solace
Wherfore I caste / playnely to compace
By some engyne / his deth to ordayne
And lyke as he / by treason dyde his payne
Trayterously / with his swerde to smyte
Right so I thynke / with treason hym to quyte
As sytrynge is / of right and equyte
And sythe thou wotest / platly how that he
Hath sette his herte / and his loue clene
Oonly on my doughter / yonge Polycene
To fyne oonly / to haue hir to wyue
For whiche I caste / to hym sende blyue
For to come / and treate of that matere
In the Temple / of Appollo here
In the Temple / moste chefe of this Cyte
Whiche tyme / my wyll is that thou be
Thy selfe armed / there full pryuelye
With certayne knyghtes / in thy companye
Armed also / agayne the same daye
That in no wyse / he scape nat away
From your handes / but that he be dede
As I haue sayde / and therfore take good hede
Vnto this thynge / with all my herte I preye
Fro poynt to poynt / byddynge to obeye
And he assenteth / with all his hole herte
Behotynge hir / he shulde nat asterte
And with hym toke / twenty and no mo
Of manly men / that well durste do
And in the Temple / by full good aduys
They were Yhyd / by byddynge of Parys
Whyle Eccuba / couert in hir entent
Hir messager / to Achylles hath sent
As ye haue herde / in conclusyowne
To come in haste / vnto Troye towne
After the effect / was of hir message
Oonly to treate / for a maryage
And he in haste / cōmeth at hir sonde
As he that coude / no thynge vnders [...]onde
Hir treason hyd / nor playnely it aduerte
He was so hote / marked in his herte
With [...]oues bronde / and his firy glede
Oflyfe nor deth / that he toke no hede
But sette asyde / wytte and all reason
To caste afore / by good discrecyon
What was to do / with lokynge full prudent
But he in sothe / was with loue blent
Into Troye / whan he shulde gone
Lyke as it fareth / of louers euerychone
Whan they haue caught / in herte a fantasye
For no peryll / though they shulde dye
They haue no myght / nor power to be warre
Tyll they vnwarely / be trapped in the snare
Theyr maladye / is so furyous
And thus Achylles / and Anthylogus
Nestors sone / haue the way nome
Towarde the towne / and be togydre come
Into Temple / as ye haue herde me telle
And Parys tho / lyste no lenger dwelle
But all vnwarely / with his knyghtes alle
On Achylles / is at myschefe falle
Eueryche of them / with a swerde full bryght
And some bokes say / it was by nyght
Whan his deth / longe afore desyred
By Eccuba and Parys / was conspyred
But Achylles / in this mortall caas
Amonge them all / naked as he was
Hent out a swerde / in the selfe steuen
And lyke a knyght / he slewe of them seuen
Of very force / maugre all theyr myght
But whan Parys / therof hadde a syght
Thre dartes raughte / that were kene & square
And sodaynely / are that he was ware
Full secretely / hyd vnder the shade
Markynge at hym / and no noyse made
[Page] Caste at hym / euen as euer he can
That hede and shafte / thorugh his body ran
And therwith all / knyghtes nat a fewe
With sharpe swerdes / gan vpon hym hewe
And lefte hym nat / tyll he lay at grounde
Full pale deed / with many mortall wounde
And rightfully / of reason as it syt
Thus was the fraude / and the falshed quyt
Of Achylles / for his hye treason
As deth / for deth / his skylfully guerdon
And egall mede / without any fable
To them that be / mercyles vengeable
For thylke day / Guydo wryteth thus
That Achylles / and Anthylogus
Of Parys were / in the Temple yslawe
And afterwarde / the body was out drawe
Of Achylle / fro the holy boundes
And cruelly / throwen / vnto houndes
To be deuoured / in the brode strete
The canell rennynge / with his wawes wete
Without pyte / or any maner routhe
Lo here the ende / of falshede and vntrouthe
Lo here the fyne / of suche Trecherye
Of false deceyt / compassyd by enuye
Lo here the knotte / and conclusyon
How god quyt aye / slaughtre by treason
Lo here the guerdon / and the fynall mede
Of them / that so delyte / in falshede
For euery thynge / platly for to sayne
Lyke as it is / his guerdon doth attayne
As ye may se / of this Achylles
Whiche on a nyght / in the Temple les
His lyfe / for he was aye customable
By fraude and treason / for to be vengeable.
But it befell / at requeste of Eleyne
That the bodyes / of these ylke tweyne
Conserued were / from the hungry rage
Of beste and foule / gredy and ramage
And yet they lay / amyddes the Cyte
Full openly / that men myght them se
To great gladnesse / of them of the towne
Into tyme / that Agamenowne
To kynge Pryam / sent his massagerys
To haue Lysence / to fette them home on berys
By graunt of whom / they haue the corsys take
For whom Grekes / suche a sorowe make
That pyte was / and routhe for to here
And eueryche spake / thus vnto his fere
Farewell our truste / now Achylles is dede
Farewell our hope / and hoolly all our spede
Farewell our ioye / and our chefe diffence
That hadde in manhode / so great excellence
Farewell alas / our soueraygne assuraunce
Farewell in knyghthod / all our suffisaunce
For nowe alas / vnlykely is that we
Shall euer wynne / or gette this Cyte
To vs alas / so frowarde is Fortune
But for that they / myght nat contune
Alway in wo / nor in payne endure
They made haue / a ryche Sepulture
To Achylles / of stones precyous
And another / to Anthylogus
What shulde I now / any lenger dwelle
Ceryously / the rytes for to telle
Of theyr buriynge / nor what wo they make
Theyr wepynge all / nor of theyr clothes blake
Nor how that some / loure in theyr hode
And how some go / with mylke and blode
With dolefull herte / and into fyre it shete
And how other / caste gōmys swete
Amyd the great / flaumbe funerall
Nor of the playes / called pallestrall [...]
Nor the wrastlynge / that was at the wake
It were but vayne / me to vndertake
To telle all / wherfore I lette be
Fully in purpose / lyke as ye shall se
To resorte / in conclusyon
To telle / how the great Agamenon
For his Lordes / in all haste hath sent
And whan they were / assembled in his tent
Full prudently / this kynge this manly man
With great aduyse / thus his tale began.
SYres quod he / Fortunes varyaunce
Hir chere frowarde / & double coūtenaūce
And sodayne Tourne / of hir false vysage
Your hertes hath / put in suche arage
For the murdre / to god and man odyble
Of Achylles cruell / and the deth horryble
By compassynge / of Eccuba the quene
Now semeth me / that it shalbe sene
If any manhode / in your 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 cōmeth / 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
[Page] 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 Chāpyowne
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 cōmende / 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.

[figure]
[Page] 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 / w t them of troye towne
Toke eke the felde / w t 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 grekꝭ 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 / a [...]ondre to disseuere
For in the felde / they myght nat perseuer [...]
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
How eche of them / quyte hym lyke a knyght
As they togydre / ran on horse backe
That no man coude / in nouther se no lacke
But euer in one / Troyans were so felle
Vpon grekes / that they ne myght dwelle
To kepe theyr londe / so they made them blede
Maugre the force / of this Dyomede
The slaughter was / so hydous and so stronge
[Page] That thorugh y • felde / the wofull noyse ronge
And mortall crye / of wounded folke that lay
Slayne on the soyel / endelonge the way.
Tyll Meneste / syttynge on his stede
The worthy duke / gan to take hede
In what myschefe / grekes were beset
And hent anone / a spere sharpe whet
Smytynge his hors / felly in the syde
And thorugh to renges / knyghtly he gan ryde
And stynt nat / so furyous he was
Tyll that he mette / with Pollydamas
A Troyan knyght / and a manly man
And vnwarely / at hym as he ran
He hytte hym so / in many mannes syght
To the erthe / that he made hym lyght
And with a swerde / at grounde whan he lay
He hadde hym slayne / the sylfe same day
In his rage / and his cruell tene
Ne hadde oonly be / that kynge Phylymene
Had hym reskewed / in this auenture
Whiche so frendely / for hym dyde his cure
Maugre the myght / of this Menestee
From his handes / that he went free
All for bathyd / and be spreynt with blode
And all this whyle / Ayax proudely rode
Of surquedy / and of wylfulnesse
Of foly rage / and foule hardynesse
Nakyd his body / hede and euerydele
Amyd his foon / armed bryght in stele
And of Troyans / suche a slanghter made
That they lay dede / bothe in sonne and shade
Thorugh out the felde / where this Thelamon
Amonge them rode / woodder than a lyon
That troyan none / myght hym tho w tstonde
Whyle that he helde / his blody swerde in honde
That wonder was / nakyd as he rode
Without wounde / that he so longe abode
And as Guydo / maketh rehersayle
And wryteth eke / for a great meruayle
That he vnslayne / myght so contune
But whan a thynge / is shapen of fortune
It myght befalle / what euer thynge it be
In wele or wo / ioye or aduersyte
Whan one shall dye / or whan he shall escape
But she alas / can alder firste by iape
And brynge aman / vnwarely to myschaunce
Whan he beste weneth / to haue assuraunce
In this lady / of transmutacyon
Lyke as it fyll / of worthy Thelamon
This same day / whiche of foly pryde
Amonge his foon / gan so fer to ryde
Ylyche fresshe / right as he began
And slewe of Perce / many a manly man
And of hym selfe / toke no maner hede
His knyghtly herte / so voyde was of drede
Tyll Parys sawe / his great hardynesse
And howe that he / his knyghtes dyde oppresse
Enchasynge them / so mortally and narowe
Without abode / anone he toke an arowe
Entoxycat / sharpe and venymous
And in this Ire / fell and despytous
And shot at hym / in the selfe tyde
As sayth Guydo / and smet hym thorugh y • syde
That of that hurte / there is no more to [...]eye
He felte well / that he muste deye
And whan he sawe / none other remedye
Forth he rode / supprysed with enuye
Thorugh out y • prees / his swerde ay ī his honde
Into tyme / that he Parys fonde
And vnto hym / with a pale chere
He sayde thus anone / as ye shall here
Parys quod he / as this mortall wounde
Of thyne arrowe / sharpe and square ygrounde
Hath fynally / my lyfe put in dispeyre
Neuer into Grece / for to haue repeyre
Right so shall I / by short conclusyowne
Awaye shape / that into Troye towne
With thy lyfe / thou entre shalt no more
At my herte / the venym byt so sore
That other gayne / is there none but deth
¶But yet tofore / or I yelde vp the breth
Truste me right well / there may be no socoure
That thou shalt firste / be my predecessoure
And go afore / depe downe to helle
There with Pluto / eternally to dwelle
So as of right / it is necessarye
The tyme is set / whiche may nat tarye
And my trouthe / for morgage in depose
That in all haste / I shall make a deuose
Atwyxe the / and the quene Eleyne
And twynne asondre / eke the false theyne
Whiche lynked was / by coloure of wedlocke
And hath so longe / be shet vnder locke
Oonly by fraude / and false engyne also
¶But nowe the knotte / shalbe broke a two
With my right hande / the trouthe to darayne
For thorugh the cause / oonly of you twayne
In this werre / many worthy knyght
His lyfe hath loste / and many another wyght
On outher syde / for your bothe sake
[Page] But of all this / I shall an ende make
Of your loue / and foule auoutrye
For fynally / Parys thou shalt dye
Of my handes / as it is thy chaunce
And with y t worde / his swerde he gan enhaūce
Aboue his hede / and smote hym in the face
That he fyll deed / in the selfe place
For his hede / he partyd hath on twayne
And right forth with / there is no more to sayne
Ayax alas / of his mortall wounde
Fyll deed also gruflynge / vnto the grounde
Full pyteously / and than they of Troye
Haue Parys take / vp out of the weye
And bore hym home / into theyr cytee
But Dyomede / and duke Menestee
With many greke / rydynge enuyrowne
Sewed the chase / euen to the towne
But for cause / Tytan / gan to lowe
Downe by the arke / of his dayes bowe
For into west / vnder the rowes rede
And Esperus / gan his lyght to shede
This to say / for it drewe to nyght
The grekes be / repeyred anone ryght
Eueryche of them / to his lodgynge place
To take theyr reste / all that nyghtes space
Saue as I rede / that Agamenowne
The Grekes made / faste by the towne
To sette theyr tentes / and Papyllyons
Habytacles / and newe mansyons
Of very pryde / faste by the wall
And they of Troye / dispeyred ouerall
No refute coude / grekes for to lette
But of assent / faste theyr gates shette
And all the nyght / on the walles wake
And ouer this / suche a wo they make
Thorugh the Cyte / that Parys was so dede
For fynally / now they can no rede
But wepe and crye / and sorowe euer in one
NOw all y • sones / of Pryamꝰ were gone
Fortune alas / hath them so appeyred
That of theyr lyfe / they be dispeyred
Of all hope / and of good welfare
Perpetuelly / for to lyue in care
Vnto the deth / and that was fast bye
For now there is / no maner remedye
Vpon no syde / nor refute none at all
But them to kepe / close within the wall
That for to se / it was a pyteous thynge
And suche a wo / maketh now the kynge
For Parys deth / that for deedly smerte
Hym thought platly / that his sorowfull herte
Recurles / wolde ryue a tweyne
And into terys / he gan styll and reyne
As he wolde / for very sorowe deye
And of the quene / alas what shall I seye
Eccuba / his owne moder dere
That cryeth / wepeth / with a wofull chere
Of Polycene / that was so wo begon
And of his susterne / also euerychone
That haue theyr heer / and theyr clothes torne
As they hadde / theyr owne deth ysworne
For drery woo / and for pyteous peyne
But forby all / the fayre quene Eleyne
Wayleth / cryeth / with a deedly there
That hir eyen / whiche whylom were so clere
For dyrked were / with dolefull terys smerte
And to the corps / sodaynely she sterte
And clyppyd it / in hir armes twayne
And pyteously / enbrace it and restrayne
Lyke as she wolde / with hym dye anone
For styll she lay / dombe as any stone
As marbyll colde / hir lymes Craumpysshynge
Redy at all / towarde hir buriynge
Tyll men by force / from the corps hir hent
And she hir heer / and his chekes rent
As she were / fallen in a rage
That chaunged was / alas in hir vysage
Hir natyfe coloure / and hir rody hewe
Whylom as fresshe / as any rose newe
Now is she lyke / vnto asshes colde
And with hir handes / aye togydre folde
Hir selfe she smote / on hir pale face
And euer amonge / the corps she dyde embrace
In hir swownes / as she fyll to grounde
Twenty tymes / and wept full his wounde
With wo she was / so wapyd and amate
Of all comforte / alas disconsolate
In herte beynge / inly desirous
Thorugh hir rage / passynge Furyous
To dye attones / with hir owne knyght
For towarde deth / enclosyd was hir syght
As she that lyst / to lyue now no more
And I trowe / that neuer man before
No woman sawe / falle in suche distresse
In suche disioynt / of deedly heuynesse
Nor for no wo / so pyteously yraue
Nat Cleopatre / goynge to hir graue
Nor wofull Tesbe / that fro the kaue sterte
Whan she hir selfe / smote vnto the herte.
[Page] Nor the faythfull / trewe Orestylle
Whan that she sawe / hir lorde agayne hir wylle
Marcus Prolancus / vnto shyppe gone
And for his loue / fyll downe deed anone
Nor the sorowe / of trewe Iulia
Nor the feruence / of faythfull Porcia
Or whiche the one / fyll deed sodaynely
For she sawe blode / speynt so cruelly
On hir lordes / dredefull grauement
And Porcia / so trewe in hir entent
Whan that hir lorde / Brutus loste his lyfe
For bycause / she myght haue no knyfe
With colys rede / slewe hir selfe alas
Was nat also / in the selfe caas
Arthemysya / quene of Tarse londe
Of Mansalus / the graue whan she fonde
Hir owne knyght / of whose bones smale
Full wofully / and with a chere right pale
She poudre made / & dranke it euery morowe
But all the wo / and the furyous sorowe
Of these echone / yet may nat atteyne
Vnto the sorowe / of the quene Eleyne
That fynally / wyll hir selfe for do
For Parys sake / whom she loued so
For after hym / she wyll nat lyue a day
But be a wreke / playnely if she may
Vpon hir lyfe / rather than disseuere
And thus in wo / aye she doth perseuere
In hir herte / Parys sat so depe
Alas who sayth / that women can nat we
This douteles / they haue it of nature
Though it so be / that they no wo endure
Yet can they feyne / and salte terys fynde
Plente ynough / of theyr owne kynde
And sorowles morne / and compleyne
I saye nat this / for the quene Eleyne
That was with wo / wounded to the herte
That fro the deth / she wende nat asterte
For dethes darte / hir herte made ryue
And yet she rose / agayne fro deth to lyue
Oonly by grace / for all hir felle rage
For euery wo / by processe muste aswage
And ouer gone / and wasted by myracle
For eche venym / made is Tryacle
And euery wo / hath his remedye
For though Eleyne / fayne wolde dye
Hir kynde ne wolde / assent yet therto
So sodaynely / to slee hir selfe for wo
She was a woman / no man shulde hir wyte
Me lyste no more / of hir wo endyte
Lyste vnto you / that it were Tedyous
To here all / hir paynes furyous
Hir cruell wo / and lamentacyon
Whiche wolde meue / to compassyon
In very sothe / to wryte euerydele
Any herte / though it were made of stele
For kynge Pryam / and the quene also
Hadde suche couthe / of hir pyteous wo
To se hir so / wepe and complayne
That of hir / they felte asmoche payne
As they dyde / almost for Parys
Hereof no more / for Pryam by deuys
After this rage / and this mortall wo
Amyd the Temple / sacryd to Iuno
Ordayned hath / with full besy cure
For the corps / a ryche Sepulture
And in all haste / therin made it shette
That in sothnesse / if I shulde lette
Totelle all / the rytes and the gyse
That there were made / in theyr paynym wyse
And the costes / of his buriynge
It shulde be / to longe a tariynge
Ceryously / thereon to abyde
Wherfore as nowe / I lette ouerslyde
Theyr paynym rytys / supersticyous.

¶How Pantasyllya / the Quene of Amazone came for to socoure kynge Pryamus of Troye And howe Pirrus Achylles sone slewe hir⸫ Capitulo. xxxiiij.

[figure]
[Page] ANd tell I wyll / how kynge Pryamus
Cōmaūded hath / of myschefe & of nede
Thorugh troye towne / oonly of very drede
To shytte theyr gates / strongly as they may
And therupon / bothe nyght and day
To kepe watche / for shortly they of Troye
Disconsolate / of all theyr olde ioye
Can no refute / but wepe and sorowe make
For they ne durste / no more vndertake
Agayne Grekes / into felde to gon
Tyll on a day / kynge Agamenon
His messager / by good auysement
To Pryamus / into Troye hath sent
Requerynge hym / of manhode lyke a knyght
To yssue out / with Grekes for to fyght
As he was wonte / with his Chyual [...]ye
But kynge Pryam / his axynge gan denye
And shortly sayde / to hym that was sent
That he ne wolde / at his assignemenet
Nat ones passe / the gates of the towne
But at his owne / fre eleccyowne
Whan euer hym lyste / without compellynge
And yet in sothe / cause of his tariynge
¶Was for the hardy / quene of Femynye
Towarde Torye / faste gan hir hye
Out of hir lande / and lytell regyon
The whiche as bokes / make mencyon
After the syght / of the firmament
Is in the plage / of the Oryent
And called is / the reygne of Amazonys
Of whiche the custome / and the vse is
That oonly women / therin shall abyde
And they are wonte / armed for to ryde
And haue in armes / great experyence
For theyr laboure / and theyr dylygence
Is fynally / to haue excercyse
Fro day to day / in Martes hye seruyse
And ouer more / theyr custome and vsaunce
As to this day / is made remembraunce
Is that no man / shall them nyghe nere
But if it be / thre monethes in the yere.
This to say / in Iune / Apryll and May
And than the women / haue in custome aye
Vnto an Ile / a lytell there besyde
Where as the men / by them selfe abyde
Fro yere to yere / togydre euerychone
Vnto the men / out of theyr lande to gone
And there abyde / in that regyon
Tyll tyme cōmeth / of concepcyon
Without tariynge / any lenger whyle
For than anone / home vnto theyr yle
They repeyre / out of that countre
Vnto tyme / that they delyuered be
And as faste / as the childe is borne
For lacke of kepynge / that it be nat lorne
He fostryd is / tyll thre yere be agone
Amonge the women / and than right anone
To the Ile / besyde adiacent
Vnto the men / the childe in haste is sent
If that it be / of kynde masculyne
And if it falle / that it be Femynyne
With the women / abyde stylle it shall
Tyll that it be / in actes mercyall
Full well experte / and that she can eke knowe
To handle a spere / or to drawe a bowe
Lyke the statutes / of that Regyon
The whiche as bokes / make mencyon
Is sette bytwene / Ewrope and Asya
And of this lande / was Pantasyllya
Whylom lady / and gouernesse
Full renowmed / of strengthe and hardynesse
Thorugh out the world / both in length & brede
And yet in sothe / to speke of womanhede
For all hir myght / she hadde an huge pryse
For bothe she was / vertuous and wyse
Wonder discrete / and hadde an honest name
Nat withstondynge / the excellence of fame
Of hir renowne / in armes and in glorye
For of conquest / and of hye victorye
She was moste / surmuntynge out of drede
Of any woman / that I can of rede
And sothely yet / bokes bere wytnesse
Of womanhede / and of gentyllesse
She kepte hir so / that nothynge hir asterte
The whiche loued / with all hir hole herte
¶Worthy Ector / and with all hir myght
Oonly for he was / so noble a knyght
That hir ioye / and worldly plesaunce
Hir hertely ease / and soueraygne suffysaunce
In very sothe / where she wake or wynke
Was euer in one / vpon hym to thynke
Of very fayth / without any slouthe
And vnto hym / she was by bonde of trouthe
Confederat / of olde affeccyowne
That whan she herde / how that Troye towne
Besegyd was / of the Grekes felle
This hardy quene / lyste no lenger dwelle
But hasteth hir / as faste as euer she may
Towarde Troye / in full good array
With all the wrothy / women of hir lande
[Page] Full well experte / and preuyd of theyr honde
Well horsyd eke / and armed rychely
And as I fynde / in hir company
A thousande maydens / rydynge by hir syde
This worthy quene / that durste well abyde
She with hir brought / in stele armed bryght
For loue of Ector / hir owne trewe knyght
And on hir way / faste she gan hir spede
To helpe hym / if she se nede
For in no thynge / she coude hir more delyte
Than towarde hym / faythfully hir quyte
For that was all / hir luste and hertes ioye
But whan that she / come was to Troye
And herde telle / by relacyowne
That he was dede / most worthy of renowne
To whom she was / so louynge and so trewe
Anone she gan / to chaunge chere and hewe
And pyteously / for to wepe and crye
And fared in sothe / as she wolde dye
For very wo / and hertely heuynesse
And thought she wold / thurgh hir worthynesse
Auenge his deth / platly if she may
On the Grekes / and so vpon a day
She prayeth Pryam / w t great affeccyowne
For to open / the gates of the towne
And to go out / with Grekes for to fyght
That they may knowe / and be experte a ryght
Of this women / the great worthynesse
And of this quene / the famous hardynesse
And so the kynge / hopynge for the beste
Without abode / graunted hir requeste
The next morowe / whā Phebꝰ shone ful shene
And all tofore / out goth Phylymene
The noble kynge / with them of Paffagonye
And after hym / other knyghtes manye
Folowed after / with worthy Eneas
The Troyan eke / daūz Pollydamas
And than the quene / Pantasyllya
By the gate / called / Dardanyca
Towarde Grekes / proudely yssued oute
With hir women / rydynge hir aboute
The whiche anone / whan grekes dyde espye
Into the felde / gan them faste hye.
ANd firste of all / worthy Meneste
Pantasyllya / whan he dyde se
With his spores / made his stede gone
And with a spere / rode to hir anone.
Of whom the quene / astoned neuer adele
Kaught a spere / that was squaryd wele
Rounde the shafte / and the hede well grounde
Which as they coupe / smet hȳ downe to groūde
And maugre hym / reuyd hym his stede
But than / in haste / in came Dyomede
And cruelly / to the quene [...]an ryde
And she as faste / on the tother syde
Rode eke to hym / in plates bryght and shene
And as they mette / with theyr sperys kene
She hytte so / this felle Dyomede
For all his myght / and his manlyhede
That she hym made / his [...]adell for to lese
There is no more / he myght tho nat chese
And in despyte / of his men echone
She hath his shelde / hym berafte anone
And it delyuereth / proudely as she rode
To a mayde / that vpon hir abode
And lyke a Tygre / in his gredynesse
Or lyke in soth / to a Lyonesse
That dayeshe fared / rydynge vp and downe
Amonge the grekes / tyll that Thelamowne
Gan beholde the slaughter / that she made
Of hye despyte / and rancourouer lade
As he that myght / for Ire nat sustene
Gan reyne his hors / to fall vpon this quene
But whan that she / his cōmynge dyd espye
She fyll on hym / in hir melancolye
So mortally / maugre his knyghtes all
That to the grounde / she made hym for to fall
And Grekes put / in so great disray
Where euer she rode / all that ylke day
That they myght / afore hir nat sustene
And thorugh the helpe / of kyng Phylymene
As myn Auctor / recordeth in his boke
Amyd the felde / Thelamon she toke
And sent hym forth / thorugh hir hye renowne
As prysoner / towarde Troye towne
Tyll vnto reskus / came cruell Dyomede
And cruelly on them / that gan hym lede
He fyll vn warely / with an huge route
Of his knyghtes / rydynge hym aboute
And from theyr handꝭ / maugre al theyr myght
He hym delyuereth / lyke a manly knyght
At whiche tyme / this hardy quene anone
With hir women / aboute hir euerychone
The grekes hath / afore hir on the playne
As wryt Guydo / so mortally belayne
That she them made / of necessyte
Out of the felde / with hir swerde to fle
That veryly / it was incredyble
And to leue / a maner impossyble
[Page] To se the women / Grekes so enchace
Whiche myght nat abyde / afore theyr face
Nor in the felde / in any wyse stonde
For they them dryue / to the selfe stronde
Downe to the clyffe / of the salte see
And slewe of them / so huge great plente
That fynally / they hadde be destroyed
For euer more / and vtterly accloyed.
Ne hadde Dyomede / stonde at diffence
And of knyghthode / made resystence
For he that day / in party and in all
For Grekes stode / as a sturdy wall
And was alone / theyr helpe and chefe socoure
But for all that / with worshyp and honoure
Pantasyllya / as made is memorye
Repeyred is / with conquest and victorye
With all hir women / into Troye towne
Vpon the houre / of Phebus goynge downe
And by the syde / of this hardy quene
Armed in stele / rode kynge Phylymene
Whom Pryam hath / with great reuerence
Knyghtly receyued / and dyde his dylygence
Them to refresshe / with euery maner thynge
That myght be / vnto theyr lykynge
As theyr hertes / coude best deuyse
And after this / in full goodly wyse
He thanked hath / the noble hardy quene
Of hir goodnesse / that hir lyst to sene
To helpe hym / in his great nede
And offrede hir / in Guydo as I rede
All that he hath / Treasour and rychesse
Hopynge fully / thorugh hir worthynesse
Vpon Grekes / auenged for to be
And for to kepe hym / in his Cyte
Maugre grekes / whiche of them say nay
For as I rede / after day by day
She stynte nat / proudely them to assayle
Agayne whose swerde / they myght nat auayle
So mortally she made / theyr sydes blede
Tyll Menelay / frokynge Lycomede
Repeyred is / with Neptolonyus
Whiche in his bokes / called eke Pirrus
Whylom the sone / of cruell Achylles
Whom for to se / full huge was the prees
Of the Grekes / goynge enuyron
And for he was / by successyon
Borne to be heyre / of this Achylles
He was receyued / of Myrundones
With great honour / and great solempnyte
So glad were they / theyr yonge lorde to se
To whom / echone / they made affyaunce
And were eke sworne / by bonde & assuraunce
For lyfe or deth / to hym to be trewe
As his lyeges / and chaunge for no newe
To obeye his lust / in all maner thynge
And after this / Agamenon the kynge
Made hym knyght / and Thelamonyus
¶With a swerde / gyrte anone Pirrus
Sayenge to hym / in the selfe place
With y • bawdryke / whan he hym dyd embrace
Take hede quod he / myn owne cosyn dere
To resemble / in manhode and in chere
In knyghthode eke / and in worthynesse
To thy Fader / whiche in sothfastnesse
In his tyme / was so noble a knyght
And ouer more / with all thy full myght
To auenge his deth / that thou do thy payne
And than of grekes / worthy Dukes twayne
Full humbly / began downe toknele
And sette a spore / vpon eyther hele
As was the maner / of golde bornyd bryght
And in this wyse / Pirrus was made knyght
As ye haue herde / in full hye presence
With great honoure / and due reuerence
Lyke the custome / of the grekes layes
And the ryghtes / vsed in tho dayes
And than anone / hath Agamenon
With full glad there / and great affeccyon
Delyuered hym / fully by sentence
The armes hole / without difference
Whiche Achylles / by his lyfe bare
His worthy Fader / on his shuldres square
As for next heyre / of lyne by discent
And all the Tresour / also and his Tent
Armure and all / delyueryd were anone
Vnto Pirrus / and grekes euerychone
Eyght dayes / suynge by and by
Thorugh out the hoost / full solempnely
They halowe in honour / of this yonge knyght
Tyl on a morowe / whā Phebꝰ shone ful bryght
Which with his lyght / that shyneth fro so ferre
Diffaced hath / the stremys of the sterre
Lucyfer / the dayes messagere
Whan grekes gan / in plates bryght and clere
Enarmed them / that day for soure or swete
Fully in purpose / with theyr foon to mete
And manfully / out of theyr tentes wyde
Agaynst Troyans / they began to ryde
Warde after warde / proudely into felde
And Pirrus bare / that day vpon his shelde
[Page] His Faders armes / lyke as sayth Guydo
And of the same / he hadde vpon also
A cote armure / that became hym wele
And forth he rode / armed bryght in stele
And casuelly / formest as he was
He mette firste / with Pollydamas
A knyght of Troye / a full manly man
And furyously / Pirrus to hym ran
On hors backe / with a myghty swerde
And gan to hurtle / with hym in the berde
So myghtely / that in this hatefull stryfe
Pollydamas / hadde loste his lyfe
Ne hadde reskus ben / without more tariynge
Of Phylymene / the noble worthy kynge
Oonly of knyghthode / and of worthynesse
To whom Pirrus / gan hym dresse
With his swerde / and smet hym in the syghte
That from his hors / he made hym to a lyghte
For he the stroke / myght nat sustene
And sothfastly / this worthy Phylymene
Of Pirrus / hadde / ytake be anone
Saue his knyghtes / assembled into one
Of Paffagonye / came hym to rekewe
But Pirrus aye / so fyersly gan pursewe
Vpon this kynge / with Myrundones
Beset in myschefe / amonge the great prees
That many knyght / of this noble kynge
yslayne was / at his reske wynge
He stode of deth / in so streyt a caas
Tyll of Fortune / came Pollydamas
To his reskus / and dyde his full myght
Hym to delyuere / and quyte hym lyke a knyght
But in sothenesse / there was suche resystence
Of Pirrus knyghtes / stondynge at diffence
That aye in myschefe / stode kȳge Phylymene
Tyll Pantasyllya / of Femynye the quene
With hir women / a great companye
Gan this thynge / of auenture espye
Whiche were echone / for the more delyte
On theyr armure / that day clade in whyte
That veryly / there was no lylye floure
Nor snowe / that flaketh fro Iupyters toure
Of whytnesse / fressher on to sene
Than in felde / was this hardy quene
Whiche firste of all / amonge the grekes chees
Proudely to falle / on Myrundones
Amonges whom / rydynge vp and downe
She them on horseth / thorugh hir hyerenowne
And slewe them / vp on euery syde
Makynge theyr renges / for to seu [...]r wyde
Tyll Thelamon / in a furyous hete
With a spere / vn warely dyde hir mete
And in arage / smote hir to the playne
But she anone / full lyfely rose agayne
And w t hir swerde / so marketh Thelamowne
That from his hors / she made hȳ lyght dow ne
Plat to the grounde / on his handes twayne
And than hir women / dyde theyr besy payne
To make theyr quene / hir stede to recure
And all this whyle / stode in auenture
Of his lyfe / worthy Phylymene
Pirrus knyghtes / were on hym so kene
Maugre his men / that they haue hym take
It geyneth nat / diffence for to make
The grekes haue / so strongly hym beset
And forth they lad hym / it myght be no bet
Towarde theyr tentꝭ / thorugh out all the felde
The whiche thynge / whan the quene behelde
With hir women / that aboute hir rode
Pursued after / without more abode
That fynally / they haue so after sewed
Thorugh theyr force / that he was reskewed
Maugre the manhode / of Myrundones
And Pantasyllya / was so mercyles
Vpon Grekes / that of necessyte
Thorugh hir force / and hir cruelte
Afore hir swerde / they durst nat abyde
But whan Pirrus / sawe hir great pryde
To his knyghtes / loude he gan to crye
And sayde it was / shame and vyllanye
For the women / so to lese theyr londe
And to be slayne / so felly of hir honde
Wherfore echone / your hertes doth resume
And of assent / let vs nowe consume
The [...]ryde of them / that none away escape
For but if we / some remedye shape
This ylke day / theyr force to confounde
Shamefull reporte / to vs shall rebounde
Perpetuelly / where we slepe or wake
And as Pirrus / gan his swerde to take
Furyously / and with a knyghtly there
This hardy quene / happed to here
All that Pirrus / to his knyghtes spake
Hirlyste nat ones / for to tourne bake
Nor of his thret / for to take hede
For platly she / hadde of hym no drede
But right proudely / gan to drawe nere
And to hym sayde / anone as ye shall here
O thou Pirre / sone of Achylles
That slewe Ector / in knyghthode pereles
[Page] Thorugh his treynys / and his trecherye
By malys oonly / and by false enuye
Vnware whan he / no thynge dyde aduerte
The whiche neuer / may out of my herte
So grene it stycketh / in my remembraunce
Vpon his deth / for to do vengeaunce
And it syt well / as semeth vnto me
That his deth / be venged vpon the
Firste of all / and on thy Faders blode
For loue of hym / so gentyll and so gode
The deth of whom / shuld all y • world cōplayne
Nat oonly men / do theyr besy payne
To quyte his deth / but women eke also
With all theyr myght / helpe eke therto
As right requyreth / without excepcyon
There on to do / full execucyon
And I now stonde / in the same plyte
And for thou haste / vs women in despyte
Of our power / shortly in sentence
Thou shalt in haste / haue experyence
And knowe our force / sothely euerydele
Right in shorte tyme / truste me right wele
Here in this felde / in shedynge of his blode
¶Wherfore Pirrus / wexed gan as wode
As any Tygre / bore / or wood lyon
So frat the coloure / in his complexyon
And in his Ire / fell and despytous
He toke a spere / pale and Furyous
And ran at hir / with all his myght and payne
And agayne warde / as she that lyste nat fayne
Encountrede hym / all deuoyde of fere
But Pirrus / firste bracke on hir his spere
All be that / he myght hir nat remeue
In hir sadell / nor but lytell greue
But she agayne / so sore gan hym hytte
On his stede / that he may nat sytte
But descendeth / endelonge the playne
And vp he rose / with full great disdayne
And toke a swerde / in his honde anone
And made his stede / lyne ryght to gone
Vpon this quene / of passynge wortynesse
And inwardely / of hate of woodnesse
In herte yfret / smet at hir many stroke
But euer she sat / styll as any oke
And of force / in hir yre pale
Efte agayne / she made hym to auale
To the erthe / maugre all his payne
And thus the fyghte / lasteth of them twayne
A large whyle / tyll Myrundones
Haue take theyr lorde / by force out of the prees
And made hym / his hors recure agayne
And in his tyme / on the selfe playne
With his baner / is descendyd downe
The worthy kynge / great Agamenowne
With kynges / dukes / endelonge the grene
With theyr wardes / that wonder was to sene
So prudently / in the felde batayled
That haue Troyans mortally assayled
¶But tho in haste / the kynge Phylymene
As ye haue herde reskewed / by the quene
Whan he hath thanked / to hir worthynesse
With his knyghtes / in he gan hym dresse
And Pantasyllya / assembled bothe in one
Vpon Grekes / gan for to gone
Where men may se / with speres sharpe grounde
Eueryche other / bere vnto the grounde
There men may se / proudely without lacke
The manly knyghtes / renne on horse backe
And the women / mortally oppresse
The fell Grekes / thorugh theyr hardynesse
Oonly thorugh force / of the myghty quene
That deed they lay / couerynge all the grene
¶Wherwith came in / daūz Pollydamas
Fro deth reskewed / and with hym Eneas
Kynge Esdras eke / of troye the Cyte
And tho the wardes / gan togydre fle
On eyther partye / fell and furyous
¶But moste of all / Neptolonyus
That Pirrus hyghte / y • grekes Champyowne
Irous and wood / on them of troye towne
Made his swerde / in theyr flesshe to byte
And Pantasyllya / proudely hir to quyte
Ne spareth nat / with mortall woundes wyde
Grekes to slee / vpon euery syde
Now here now there / to theyr confusyon
And Pirrus than / is falle on Glawcon
The halfe brother / to Pollydamas
For Anthenor / eke his Fader was
And Pirrus / so in a cruell yre
With melancolye / newe sette a fyre
Smot Glawcon so / or that he toke hede
Amonge the prees / that he fylle downe dede
And Pantasyllya / from hir women all
The same tyde / is on Pirrus falle
And he of hir / whan he hadde a syght
Rode vnto hir / lyke a manly knyght
And as they hurtle / on hors backe yfere
Of auenture / with swerdes styffe and clere
Eueryche made / other to alyghte
And hatefully / on fote so they syghte
[Page] Longe or outher / myght of other wynne
Tyll they were made / of force for to twynne
By the wardes / that went them atwene
I mene Pirrus / and this hardy quene
And all this tyme / daūz Pollydamas
So wood for Ire / in his herte was
Amyd Grekes / for his brothers deth
That whom he mette / for his loue he sleth
Without mercy / in his hatefull tene
That he alone / and this worthy quene
Suche a slaughter / on the grekes make
That they the felde / vtterly forsake
And gan toflee / to theyr tentes downe
Tyll Dyomede / and Ayax Thelamowne
And Pirrus eke / made tourne agayne
But they in sothe / were so ouerlayne
That they ne myght / all that day releue
And thus they faughte / tyll it drewe to eue
To moste damage / of the grekes syde
Tyll Phebus gan / his bryght chare to hyde
Lowe in the west / and to shroude his lyght
Vnder courteyne / of the blacke nyght
That eyther parte / thought for the beste
To departe / and drawe to theyr reste
And toke theyr ease / that nyght as they may
And all the moneth / suynge day by day
Without / any interrupcyon
They faught yfere / albe no mencyon
Be made therof / nor wryte in specyall
Of no persone / but in generall
Who that euer / dyde euell or well
In Troye boke / I fynde neuer adele
Saue the quene / lyke as wryt Guydo
Of hir women / an hondred hath forgo
That slayne were / thylke moneth day
The deth of whom playnely if she may
Shall well be quyt / if so that Fortune
Be fauourable / frendely to contune
That hir face / chaunge nat contrarye
But she that can / euery day so varye
Alas the whyle / and selde in one soiourne
Gan fro this quene / hir loke away to tourne
To enhaste / thorugh hir vngoodlyhede
Antropose / to breke hir lyues threde
As the storye / playnely shall you lere
Benyngnely / if ye lyste to here.
THe fatall houre / harde for to remewe
Of cruel deth / which nomā may eschewe
Nor in this lyfe / fynally escape
Specyally / whan Parchas haue it shape
Approche gan / it may none other bene
Alas the whyle / of this hardy quene
¶Whiche on a day / furyous and wroth
Into the felde / out of Troye goth
And gan on grekes / proudely for to sette
And alder firste / Pirrus with hir mette
Of mortall hate / and indignacyowne
And she in haste / by the renges downe
Rode vnto hym / swyftly on hir stede
Whose sporys sharpe / made his sydes blede
And as they mette / theyr speres in the reste
They bare so euen / markynge at the breste
That theyr shaftes / sothly this no tale
Gan to shyuer / all on peces smale
Without bowynge / outher backe or chyne
For neyther made / other to enclyne
Saue the hede / forged harde of stele
Of Pantasyllya / that was grounde wele
In Pirrus breste / percyd hath so depe
That plate in soth / nor mayle myght hym kepe
But the sharpnesse / of the speres hede
Was of his blode / in party rede
The whiche stroke / whan grekes gan espye
For astoned / loude gan to crye
And all attones / for the noyse and sowne
Vpon this quene / in the felde came downe
In compasse wyse / goynge enuyrowne
But thorugh hir prowesse / & hir hye renowne
She hir diffendeth / that it was meruayle
But they alas / so sore hir gan assayle
That all to hewe / they haue hir basenet
Amyd Grekes / so thycke she was beset
That with axes / and swerdes square
Hir hede in sothe / made was all bare
And hir shuldres / were naked eke alas
The mayle hewen of / and the rere bras
And Pirrus than / lyke as it is founde
For anguysshe oonly / of his grene wounde
In doute playnely / where he shulde escape
Towarde this quene / faste gan hym rape
To be auenged / what so euer falle
Amyd the felde / amonge the grekes alle
And whan she sawe / that he came so faste
Of force oonly / to mete hym yet she caste
And with hir swerde / firste gan hym assayle
But of hir stroke / it happed hir to fayle
Amonge the prees / so narowe she was beset
And Pirrus swerde / was so sharpe whet
That sodaynely of / hir arme he smette
[Page] Alas there was / none armoure hym to lette
But raceth thorugh all / the shuldre bone
So that this quene / fyll downe deed anone
And of malys / for [...]o venge hym more
At his herte / the yre / fret so sore
That with a chere / of very anger pale
He hath hir hewen / all on pecys smale
The whiche was / to foule a cruell dede
But euer in one / Pirrus so gan blede
Nyghe to the deth / of his mortall wounde
For lacke of blode / that he fyll to grounde
In a traunce / full longe gruflynge he lay
Tyll knyghtes / in all the haste they may
Haue take hym vp / and layde hym on a shelde
And dolefully / home out of the felde
They haue hym borne / wounded as he was
And the women / of the quene alas
For very sorowe / and inwarde deedly wo
Whan they sawe / theyr lady was ago
For to be deed / they were so desyrous
That in all haste / wood and furyous
In a rage / without gouernayle
Grekes they gan / of newe for to assayle
To auēge theyr quene / they were so hertly kȳde
That they slewe / sothely as I fynde
Two thousāde grekꝭ / on thē they were so wode
But o alas / in great dis [...]oynt they stode
Oonly for lacke / they haue / no gouernour
For she was gone / that was theyr chefe socour
Whiche was also / to speke of hardynesse
Of women all / lady and maystresse
As of hir honde / that I can of rede
OYe Troyans / ye stande in great drede
Amyd the felde / all out of gouernaunce
The day is come / of your vnhappy chaunce
For now haue ye / leder none nor gyde
Farewell your truste / now on euery syde
And grekes be / vpon you so stronge
That ye the felde / may nat kepe longe
For they caste them / felly you to quyte
This same day / as Dares lyste endyte
For as he wryt / homewarde as they drawe
Ten thousande / troyans / were of grekꝭ yslawe
For all theyr wardes / came attones downe
And mortally / without excepcyowne
They kylle and slee / all that them withstode
And moste they were / vpon the women wode
To be auenged / playnely as I rede
On euery halfe / and theyr blode to shede
Without mercy / or remyssyowne
Chasynge troyans / home into the towne
Out of the felde / for there was none abode
So pyteously / tho with them it stode
That they ne can / none otherrecur caste
But kepe theyr towne / & shytte theyr gatꝭ faste
For all theyr hope / clene was agone
Any more to fyght / with theyr fone
For now theyr trust / of knyghthode was away
Theyr worthy men / slayne weylaway
Refute was none / but in theyr Cyte
To kepe them close / it may none other be
For them thought / they myght it kepe longe
Theyr walles were / so myghty & so stronge
If they hadde / plente of vytayle
Though all the worlde / attones them assay
They may be sure / whyle they kepe them in
For euermore / that no man shall them wyn
¶Yet neuertheles / erely and eke late
The Grekes made / tofore euery gate
Full myghty watche / and awayte full stronge
With preuy spyes / goynge in amonge
That of theyr foon / none escape away
By none engyne / as ferforth as they may
And in this whyle / within Troye towne
More than I can / make descripcyowne
For the quene / there was so great a sorowe
Of euery wyght / bothe at eue and morowe
That she alas / was slayne for hir mede
Whiche came so fer / to helpe them in their nede
And aldermoste / for they ne myght haue
The deed corps / to burye it and to graue
With reuerence / and with honour dewe
For whiche they gan / to the grekes sewe
With great prayer / and great besynesse
But all in vayne / and in ydelnesse
Was theyr requeste / the grekes / were so wrothe
And fynally / with many sondry othe
Oonly of malys / and of hote enuye
The deed corps / to them they denye
And shortly sayde / of mortall enmyte
That of houndes / it shall deuouryd be
There was no gayne / theyr rancour to cōpesse
But Pirrus than / of very gentyllesse
Ne wolde assent / to so foule a dede
But wood and wroth / cruell Dyomede
Sayde openly / how it was syttynge
That she fayle / of hir buriynge
That slayne hadde / so many worthy man
And thus the stryfe / amonge the grekes gan
[Page] With great rumoure / and altercacyowne
Tyll at the laste / vnder Troye towne
Of hir they haue / the dede corps ytake
And cruelly / in a profounde lake
They haue hir caste / where I lete hir lye
And vnto Troye / agayne I wyll me hye
To tell forth / how they lyue in pyne
O Cruell Mars / that hast made for to fyne
Thorugh thyne yre / all y • worthy blode
Of Troye alas / why hast thou be so wode
Agaynst them / to slee theyr knyghtes all
Why hast thou lette / thy bytter venym fall
On them alas / thou sterre infortunate
With all the worlde / to make them at debate
O hatefull sterre / hote combust and drye
Firy Irous / grounde of all enuye
Hasty euer / full of discencyon
And Coleryk / of thy complexyon
In murdre and deth / is aye thy delyte
In takynge vengeaunce / moste thyne appetyte
Firste meuer / of anger and of hate
Rote of Contek / causynge to debate
In stryfe and murmur / moste is thy desyre
Feerfull of loke / as any wylde fyre
And gastfulleuer / of thy wode syght
As any leuen / so flamynge is thy lyght
Lyke in twynklynge / to the spakes rede
In great fyres / that abrode so sprede
Consumynge aye / by melancolye
Hertes that be / enbraced with enuye
Thy wrathe is aye / so fretynge and so kene
And causest men / to be longe and lene
Consumpt sklendre / browne and cytrenhewed
Vnmercyable / and right euell thewed
Wonder sleyghty / and Engenyous
Compassynge / and suspecyous
Tryste and solen / and full of heuynesse
And assentynge / to all cursydnesse
To awaytynge / deth and roberye
To murdre also / and to trecherye
Without remors / of any conscyence
So venymous / is thyne influence
And helper arte / vnto false Treason
The house of whom / is the Scorpyon
And crowned arte / in the Caprycorne
But in the Bole / is thy kyngome lorne
For therin is / thy deieccyon
Thy power loste / and domynacyon
And haste also / in thy subieccyon
Exyle werre / chaynes and pryson
Proscripcyon / and Captyuyte
That for thy malys / on troye the Cyte
So wolde god / I coude chyde a ryght
That haste on them / kydde thy felle myght
Of thy rancour / hoolly the outtraunce
Firste on them / for to do vengaunce
With speres sharpe / and swerdes kene whette
And now in pryson / to enclose them & shette
So vengeably / that they dare nat oute
The grekes felle / aye lyinge them aboute
They be nat holde / in maner wyse
In thy temple / to do sacryfyse
Neyther with Bulles / nor with borys wylde
Nor with bestes / that euer be vnmylde
As Tygres / Berys / nor the wode lyon
Of whiche thou art / souerayne and patron
They are nat holde / to do the brymstone smoke
On thyne Auterys / whiche art so felly wroke
Of them alas / and nowe worste of alle
Thou haste shad out / chefe of all thy galle
Amonge them selfe / to brynge in treason
Fayned trouthe / and symulacyon
To make hertes / amonge them selfe deuyde
Lo how the serpent / of discordecan glyde
Full slyly in / tyll he haue caughte a place
To voyde away / both happe and grace
With his venym / of discencyon
Whan it is sprad / in any regyon
In any Comon / borugh / towne / or cyte
Amonges men / of hye or lowe degre
For whan hertes / in loue be nat one
Farewell Fortune / theyr grace is clene agone
For where discorde / holdeth resydence
It is well worse / than swerde of Pestylence
For what is worse / outher fer or nere
Than a foo / that is famylyere
For who may more / harme if hym luste
Than any enmye / vpon whom men truste
That to descryue / shortly in a clause
The very rote / and the trewe cause
Of all myschefe / and confucyon
In euery lande / is discencyon
And more peryllous / if it be pryue
Recorde I take / on Troye the Cyte
That founde Fortune / frendly aye at nede
Tyll longe byd hate / gan a brode to sprede
For prudence sothly / hath prouyded
That a regne / in it selfe deuyded
Shall recules / tourne wylde and waste
[Page] And the dwellers / desolate in haste
For Mars that is / of enuye lorde
Amonge them selfe / sowen hath discorde
Agayne the whiche / may no socoure be
For worse than werre / sothly semeth me
Treason cured / vnder a fayned pees
And roote of all / was olde Anchyses
¶With his sone / called Eneas
Daūz Anthenor / and Pollydamas
That haue contryued / amonge them vtterly
And vnder veyl / concelyd secretly
If it falle / Grekes Troye to haue
First how they may / theyr owne lyues saue
By some engyne / sleyghtes or treate
And if so were / that it may nat be
As they caste / by no maner weye
They wolde rather / traytours be to Troye
Pryuely / so it were nat espyed
And couertly / with Grekes ben allyed
Than stonde hole / with the towne of trouthe
And wylfully / of neclygence and slouthe
Suraūce and othe / of olde made to the towne
Refuse playnely / in conclusyowne
And allyaunce / lette slake and slyde
And theyr lygaunce / sette also asyde
In theyr auyse / they thought for the beste
For they them caste / for to lyue at reste
And meryer eke / for ernest or for game
To saue theyr lyfe / and wandre forthe in shame
Than wylfully / dye at myschefe
To traysshe their towne / they helde it no reprefe
So they myght / escape them selfe a lyue
Them lyste no thynge / for the towne to stryue
They sought in sothe / for soure or for swete
A mene waye / to lyue in quyete
And therupon / they haue theyr way nome
Vnto the kynge / & whan that they were come
To his presence / in full couert wyse
Vndercoloure / they began deuyse
To telle theyr tale / so that fynally
Teyr counsayle was / that Pryam vtterly
In no maner / be nat reckeles
To pursewe / to grekes for a pees
If it so be / that he it gette may
And yelde agayne / to kynge Menelay
Without stryfe / the fresshe quene Eleyne
And ouer more / that he nat disdeyne
The harmes done / by Parys gon full yore
In Cytheron / iustly to restore.
BVt o alas / of false Iniquyte
This counsayle rose / for vnder in secrete
The venym was / as sugre vnder galle
For well they wyste / that the grekes alle
Ne wolde accorde / in conclusyowne
To haue a peas / with them of Troye towne
Whyles they were / to suche myschefe brought
To treate therof / in sothe it was for nought
For Pryamus than / and Eccuba the quene
With his sones / and with Polycene
That yet were left / with hym in the towne
Myght haue reygned / by longe successyowne
If that grekes full / and nat repentyd
Vnto a peas / holly hadde assentyd
But that counsayle / gyuen was to late
Sythen Grekes / of well elder date
Had proferyd firste / at Tenedowne
By the aduyse / of kynge Agamenowne
A fynall peas / shortly for to seyne
So he wolde restore / agayne Eleyne
With amendes / requyred of reason
Of damages / wrought at Cytheron
His messengers / firste whan that he sente
To Pryamus / that wolde nat assente
To the requeste / iustly that they brought
For of peas / the meanes that they sought
Of very pryde / were to them denyed
By wylfulnesse / alas so were they guyed
For lacke oonly of wyt / and of prudence
But now they haue / w t cost & great dispence
With slaughter of men / & many great damage
The sharpe shoures / and the cruell rage
Abyde fully / of this mortall werre
It is full sure / that they wyll nat differre
The tyme forth / to treate for a pees
Them lyste no thynge / to be so reckeles
Nor vnauysed / what them ought to do
Trowe ye they wyll / so lyghtly go
Home into grece / without recompense
They wolde seme / it were a neclygence
Speke nat therof / for it wyll nat be
Tpecyally now / Troye the cyte
In myschefe stande / vpon his fynall fate
This remedy / shape was to late
For grekes thought / right of very truste
That they of Troye / stode at theyr luste
Holdynge them selfe / veryly victours
And of theyr foon / fully conquerours
Without doute / or ambygnytee
For the counsayle / of this ylke Enee
[Page] Of Anthenor / and of this Anchyses
As ye haue herde / to treate for a pees
Ne roos in sothe / but of doublenesse
Oonly of treason / and of hye falsnesse
As Pryamus / conceyueth / by theyr chere
Lyke in this boke / as ye shall after here
For on a day / whan that Pryamus
With his sone / called Amphymacus
A counsayle helde / with other of the towne
This thre haue made / a suggestyowne
Vnto the kynge / touchynge the treate
But he anone / discrete and auyse
Prudently / or he wolde assente
Gan vndergrope / playnely what they mente
Oonly of wytte / and discrecyon
Or he it put / in execucyon
Makynge therof / a maner of delay
But proudely than / stondynge at a bay
This Anthenor / without reuerence
Spake to the kynge / in open audyence
And shortly sayde / with a sterne chere
If thou lyste / our counsayle for to here
And do there after / platly thou mayst chese
And but thou wylte / where thou wynne or lese
This is the fyne / thou gettest no more of me
Worke after them / that of thy counsayle be
To whom the kynge / wonder soberly
Answered agayne / full benyngnely.
Syre Anthenor / ye ought you nat greue
For myne entent / is nat to repreue
Your wyse counsayle / nor your prudent rede
If it conclude / to the comon spede
Of my people / and sauacyon
But wyte right well / iustly of reason
Vnder sugre / if there be curyd galle
In preiudyce / of my lyeges all
Causynge them / in myschefe for to fyne
I wyll there from / vtterly declyne
As right requyreth / for our alder ease
And me semeth / this shulde nat displease
To thy conceyte / nor do the none offence
For euery man / is holden of prudence
The worst to leue / and the better take
Wysedome to sewe / and folye to forsake
And remedye / to seke for his sore
And with that worde / the Troyan Anthenor
Of sodayne Ire / gan to chaunge his blode
And abreydynge / on his feet he stode
And full felly / sayde vnto the kynge
Now sekerly / this is a wonder thynge
How your wysedome / and auysenesse
Are blynded so / of very wylfulnesse
That ye may nat / on nosyde se
The great myschefe / nor aduersyte
That we are in / vpon euery syde
For we may nat / dissymule nor hyde
In what disioynt / playnely that we stande
Be nat our foon / also here at hande
And haue be sette / our walle rounde aboute
And we for fere / dare nat yssue oute
Nor be so bolde / to vndo a gate
With them to fyghte / that vs deedly hate
We be so feble / and they are so stronge
For sothly yet / they haue them amonge
Fyfty kynges / worthy of renowne
Confederat / to our destruccyowne
And therupon / platly wyll abyde
Whiche vowed haue / in theyr great pryde
Neuer parte hense / fro the towne
Tyll the walles / be tourned vp so downe
¶Your worthy sones / also now be dede
That you were wonte / to helpe in your nede
Your manly knyghtes / slayne euerychone
That vs to saue / remedye is none
It is in vayne / to treaty of diffence
Wherfore I rede / of reason and prudence
Or we be slayne / and our Cyte lese
Of two harmes / the leest for to chese
This to saye / that in our entent
As syttynge is / and expedyent
We treate of p [...]as / and no lenger feyne
And here with all / restore agayne Eleyne
For loue of whom / many worthy man
Hath loste his lyfe / sythen the werre began
For now Parys / is vnderstone ygraue
The beste rede / in sothe that ye may haue
To sende hir home / agayne to Menelay
And to profre / as ferforth as ye may
To restore within / a lytell whyle
The harmes done / by Parys in the Ile
Whiche men are wont / Cythera to calle
This is my rede / here afore you alle
And with y t worde / vp rose Amphymacus
To this counsayle / full contraryous
And shortly sayde / that it shall nat be
As Anthenor / hath rade in no degre
And euer thus / without more respyte
He spake to hym / of very hye despyte.
⸫ ⸫ ⸫
THou Anthenor / I haue espyed wele
We may truste in the / neuer adele
With vs to stonde / in our great nede
For trouthe and fayth / in the be nowe dede
Falshede hath slayne / in the stabylnesse
And in stede / of thy sykernesse
We fynde in the / sothly varyaunce
Where is be come / the fayth of thy lygeaunce
Thy hestys made / to stande with thy kynge
Where be thyne othes / so double in menynge
Where is now hyd / thyne olde assuraunce
Where is be come / thy fayned false constaunce
In stede of whiche / Mutabylyte
Hath take his place / lyke as we may se
With newe chaunge / thou art so remewable
Vpon no groūde / thou mayst nat stande stable
Thy trouth is gone / of olde affeccyowne
That y • shouldest haue / to stande w t the towne
Of fayth with vs / for to lyue or deye
For truste and hope / exyled be aweye
In thy persone / shortly for to wryte
That besy arte / the kynge to excyte
In disencrease / of his estat royall
Vnto Grekes / now be so thrall
To seke a peas / as it were for drede
Thou shuldest / rather of thy manlyhede
Haue proferyd hym / the Cyte to diffende
There on thy lyfe / at outtraunce to dispende
Wherfore in sothe / here I the assure
Rather than we / shulde this endure
Twenty thousande / shall with spere and shelde
Vpon a day / be slayne in the felde
Thy worde I holde / for no prophecye
For it procedeth / of very trecherye
Of doubylnesse / and of false treason
Vndermynynge / with prodicyon
Though that thou / outwarde shewe fayre
The venym hyd / thy tale doth repayre
Lyke a serpent / styngynge vnder floures
There by to fele / of suche counsayllours
And in this wyse / with wordes despytous
Full bytyngly / hathe Amphymacus
All openly / Anthenor repreued
With his counsayle / so he was agreued
Seynge the treason / that he wolde mene
Tyll Eneas / gan to go betwene
With florysshed speche / full of flaterye
And gan his tale / so to modefye
Lyke as he mente / trouthe in his entent
But therin was / double entendement
He spake but one / and yet he mentetwayne
Amphymacus / oonly to refrayne
To attempre hym / of his melancolye
Oonly tyll he myght / a tyme espye
Lyke his purpose / that he may procede
To execute it / fully vp in dede
And whan that he / founde hadde a space
Vnder pretens / of a trewe face
With his tale / he gan to breke oute
Many Troyan / standynge hym aboute
And shortly sayde / for conclusyowne
Touchynge diffence / playnely of the towne
How that it henge / hoolly in balaunce
For bothe / hope / truste / and assuraunce
Of the Cyte / taken haue theyr flyght
For fynally / our manhode and our myght
And our knyghthode / togydre be ago
With the Grekes / more to haue a do
And with them / stoutely for to fyght
The whiche hath lost / many a worthy knyght
ANd they be redy / vpon vs to set
And we dare nat / our gatꝭ more vnshet
We be alas / supprysed / so with drede
Than semeth me / how it were great nede
By good aduyse / for to seke a mene
In this myschefe / how we shall vs demene
And for my parte / sothfastly I say
I knowe as now / none so redy way
As prudently / for a peas to trete
But Pryam than / in a sodayne hete
Without abode / of chere and face pale
Of rancour gan / interrupte his tale
For he attempre / myght nat his herte
So fretyngly / the treason made hym smerte
And for he myght / hym selfe nat restrayne
Thus he sayde / vnto bothe twayne
To Anthenor / and also to Enee
I wonder greatly / that ye hardy be
In your trouthe / for shame so to varye
And that ye be / so rebell and contrarye
To me oonly / of false collusyon
Vs to brynge / in desperacyon
Me and my lyeges / if I shall nat fayne
Of false entent / to catche vs in a trayne
Alas how may ye / in your herte fynde
Agayne nature / for to be vnkynde
That whylom were / of my counsayle chefe
Of euery thynge / or it was brought to prefe
For ye absent / I coude no thynge fyne
[Page] And now alas / ye caste to declyne
Away fro me / barayne left and sooll
That to remembre / it is to great adooll
How any wyght / alas so chaunge can
For who shall more / truste any man
Whan ye be founde / double / of entent
Can ye nat thynke / how by your assent
By your counsayle / and by your auys
Whylom / how I sent forth Parys
Into to Grece / of full yore ago
And Anthenor / thou wotest thy selfe also
How thou were firste / made embassatour
And therupon / chefe counsayllour
Touchynge the sonde / made for Exyon
But after that / cause and mocyon
Though were in soth / that Parys shulde go
Into Grece / thou wotest well it is so
For Ine durste / of presumpcyon
Haue sent Parys / vnto Cytheron
Without aduyse / and auctoryte
Of Eneas playnely / and of the
Vpon Grekes / a werre to haue gonne
I trowe in sothe / that you neyther konne
Excuse hym selfe / and ye be auysed
For euery thynge / wrought was and deuysed
And execute / by counsayle of you tweyne
For whan Parys / went for Eleyne
Grounde and roote / to speke in specyall
Were thou Enee / and cause pryncypall
Present also / whan euery thyng was wrought
Out of Grece / whan she was hyder brought
For this the sothe / out of that regyowne
She neuer hadde / come / to this towne
If thou haddest / be therto contrayre
Albe thou woldest / with thy wordes fayre
Thyselfe excuse / here in audyence
As thou knewe nought / of that offence
But fully were / vnwyttynge of the dede
And now my sonnes / euerychone be dede
And ye mese / alone destytute
Your counsayle is / as for chefe refute
Me to pursewe / to Grekes for a pees
As I were / foryetell reckeles
To remembre / the infynyt outrages
The mortall werre / slaughter & damages
The cruelte / and destruccyowne
That they haue wrought / hereupon this towne
That veryly / whan I all recorde
For to be deed / I can nat accorde
With them to treate / lyke as ye deuyse
For I espye / in many sondry wyse
In your entent / a right peryllous snare
So couertly / vnder falsehede dare
That it wyll be / to my confusyon
If ye acheue / your entencyon
Fynally / as ye haue it shape
For impossyble / it were to escape
Shamefully / at myschefe me to dye
Without recure / of any remedye
For this the fyne / I knowe it out of doute
Of the treate / that ye be aboute.
And right anone / the Troyan Eneas
Of Ire and rancoure / so ameued was
Agayne the kynge / with a swellynge herte
That sodaynely / out at the dore he sterte
After he hadde / for to be a wroke
Full many worde / agayne the kynge yspoke
He went his way / and Anthenor also
And Pryamus / of very Ire and wo
Sodaynely / braste out / for to wepe
He myght hym selfe / nat for anguysshe kepe
The anger frat / vpon hym so sore
Within hym selfe / conceyuynge more & more
By euydence / of discrecyon
The couert gyle / and the false treason
That they for hym / and for his Cyte
Ishapen haue / but he auysed be
Dredynge aye / that these ylke twayne
By some engyne / or conspyred trayne
To the Grekes / wolde hym betraye
Wherfore the kynge / caste and wolde saye
Shape away / theyr malys to withstonde
So the treason / that they toke on hande
Oonly of right / in dede or it were founde
Vpon them selfe / myght agayne rebounde
That the full / execucyon
Of theyr contryued / conspyracyon
Resorte agayne / in full dewe wyse
Oonly on them / that gan it firste deuyse
Treason for treason / is conuenyent
For to falsehed / the guerdon pertynent
Is shamefull deth / and the fynall mede
Wherfore to shape / in this great nede
A remedye / this olde Pryamus
Calleth his sone / Amphymacus
And pyteously / alone / but they twayne
In terys drowned / gan to hym complayne
On Anthenor / and on this Eneas
And sayde sone / take hede in this cas
And thynke how / I am thy Fader dere
[Page] And how there be / now no more yfere
O [...] my sones / lefte with me a lyue
But thou alone / and therfore as blyue
Touchynge the treason / conspyred & ysworne
What euer falle / let vs be toforne
Oonly of wysedome / away for to make
That we may firste / in the trappe them take
And to puruey / for them euen lyche
That iustly / they may falle in the oyche
Whiche they haue made / and for vs ytreyned
And in all hast / lette so be ordeyned
That this mater / close be kept in mewe
To fyne oonly / that they nat eschewe
For to be slayne / of equyte and ryght
In this place / euen towarde nyght
For I purpose / playnely for theyr sake
Agayne that houre / a counsayle for to make
And vnder coloure / make them both calle
And thou vnwarely / shalt vpon them falle
With knyghtes sworne / vnto the and me
In this mater / for to be secre.
And right anone / this Amphymacus
Assentyd is / vnto Pryamus
To accomplysshe / in full secrete wyse
Fro poynt to poynt / as ye haue herde deuyse
BVt sothe is sayde / of full yore agone
Of olde wyse / y t counsayle is there none
In all this worlde / so pryuely ycaste
That it wyll out / platly at the laste
For the people / whiche that is rurall
Sayth y t secretes / whiche be nat knowen at all
The erthe wyll / as they make mynde
Discure them / of his owne kynde
And of nature / vp caste and disclose
The thynge that men / are wont in it to close
Let euery man / beware as it is gode
Or his counsayle / go to ferre abrode
And specyally lordes / haue great nede
Of all men / they stonde moste in drede
So great awayte / is vpon them layde
That whan it happeth / that a thynge be sayde
Or ones spoke / of a lordes mouthe
It falleth ofte / that it is full kouthe
And reported / and ysprad full wyde
In many coste / by them that stonde asyde
Or he be ware / by sodayne auenture
For some in hap / in whom he dothe assure
Wyll first of all / hym reporte amys
Therfore in sothe / beste for them is this
For to beware / and kepe theyr tonge
A purpose caste / shulde nat be ronge
Nor spoke abrode / amonge folkes rude
For gladly aye / the worste they conclude
Of euery thynge / whyle that it is newe
In reporte varyaunt / and vntrewe
For after reason / no thynge they expowne
But after wyll / the folke that be of towne
Lyke the purpose / whiche they desyre
For they fare / as a wyspe of fyre
Whan it brenneth / bryghtest in his blase
Sodaynely / it wasteth as a mase
On suche folke / platly is no tryste
That fyre and water / holde in theyr fyste
Beynge with bothe / ylke indifferent
Now hote now colde / lyke as theyr entent
Of newe chaungeth / so in theyr courage
After the calme foloweth / sodayne rage
To day they loue / and tomorowe hate
To truste a comon / lasteth by no date
Lette nat a lorde / make them to secree
For now the counsayle / is ronne to Enee
That Pryam wende / hadde be full close
For the rumour / and the wynde arose
By false reporte / and so ferre is blowe
That Eneas and Anthenor / well knowe
Ende and gynnynge / and euery maner thynge
And hole the counsayle of Pryamus the kynge
And bothe two / full of one entent
With other eke / that were of theyr assent
Conspyred be / and togydre sworne
And couertly / caste awaye aforne
That fynally / Troye the Cyte
By theyr engyne / shall destroyed be
And of accorde / caste playnely thus
If it happe / that kynge Pryamus
Sende for them / shortly to conclude
They wolde come / with suche multytude
Of armyd men / if they se nede
That of hym / they shulde no thynge drede
For Eneas / was in that Cyte
Of great power / and Auctoryte
Bothe of blode / and kynred allyed
And for his golde / greatly magnefyed
Thorugh the Cyte / moste in specyall
That he in myght / and power perygall
As sayth Guydo / was vnto the kynge
And Anthenor / almoste in euery thynge
Was vnto hym / Egall of powere
And bothe twayne / of one herte entere
[Page] Conspyred haue / in sothe agayne the towne
Fynally / to this conclusyowne
That they of grekes / myght haue surete
With theyr treasoure / to go at lyberte
With theyr allyes / borne of Troye towne
Whan all were brought / to destruccyowne
With lyfe and good / [...]aufe without more
At whiche tyme / for daūz Anthenor
And Eneas / Pryamus hath sent
To accomplysshe / the fyne of his entent
And they in haste / with so great a route
Came of knyghtes / stuffyd them aboute
That therof was / astoned Pryamus
And made sende / for Amphymacus
Cōmaundynge hym / to chaunge his purpose
For well he wyste / his counsayle was nat close
And by sygnes / gan well vnderstonde
That the mater / whiche they hadde on honde
Discured was / to his confusyon
Bothe the murdre / and conspyracyon
Apparceyuynge / in his in warde syght
The great power / of this Troyan knyght
And the fauoure / of this Eneas
And of the Comon / how he fostryd was
The whiche proudely / in open audyence
Tofore the kynge / declareth his sentence
Fully concludynge / maugre who sayth nay
How that there was / none other mene way
Refute nor gayne / nor other remedye
But oonly peas / who so it denye
Other escapynge / playnely was there none
And therupon / the Comons euerychone
With one voyce / gan to gale and crye
And his counsayle / greatly magnefye
Albe the kynge / was therto contrarye
But Eneas / lyste no lenger tarye
Nor differre / the fyne of his purpose
But wonder Irous / from his see he rose
And full vngoodly / spake vnto the kynge
And shortly sayde / without more tariynge
Where so befalle / thou be lefe or lothe
Or with this purpose / pleased outher wrothe
Thou mayste well trust / it shall none other be
For fynally / herken this of me
Maugre thy wyll / and also all thy myght
This same day / yet or it be nyght
For a peas / with Grekes we shall trete
And whan the kynge / sawe the feruent hete
Bothe of the comon / and of Eneas
He gan anone / dissymule in this caas
For of prudence / he clerely gan to se
For that tyme / it may none other be
Wherfore sythe he / myght it nat amende
He wysely gan / for to condescende
To the purpose / platly of Enee
And sayde he wolde / goodly take at gree
And accept what / them lyst ordayne
And so the kynge / lernyd to fayne
Agayne the conceyte / platly of his herte
For otherwyse / he coude nat asterte
Coacte of force / and of vyolence
And whan he sawe / in his aduertence
That he myght / dyuerte on no syde
From the fraude / that sowen was so wyde
Without grutchynge / he falsly gaue assent
That Anthenor / shulde forth be sent
By comon choyse / to treate for the towne
Whiche was tofore / in conclusyowne
With the Grekes / accordyd fynally
Touchynge the effect / of his ambassatrye
Fro poynt to poynt / where he wolde stonde
Varyaunt / fro that he toke on honde
And for they hadde / afore hym full conceyued
With better chere / he was of them receyued
And in this whyle / that Anthenor was oute
For to treate / with the grekes stoute
As ye haue herde / for a peas fynall
In the towne / aboute on euery wall
They of Troye / gan ascende blyue
With the braunches / of many fresshe olyue
In token of peas / and grekes eke agayne
Amyd the felde / endelonge the playne
Shewed them / that all myght sene
Eke of Olyue / lusty bowes grene.
And to conferme / this fro proynt to poynt
And that no thynge / stode in no disioynt
The worthy kynge / great Agamenon
Cōmytted hath / of hye discrecyon
Fully power / and auctoryte
For the Grekes / playnely vnto thre
Firste of all / for a peas to trete
Vnto the wyse / worthy kynge of Crete
To vlixes / and to Dyomede
To these mo / them thought it was no nede
For what they do / they wyll holde stably
And fynally / nat be varyable
From the ende / platly that they make
And therupon / was assuraunce take
Of eyther parte / by bonde of sacrament
And so they be / with Anthenor ywent
[Page] Out asyde / this worthy lordes thre
And whan they were / at theyr lyberte
From all tumulte / alone pryuely
This Anthenor / full of trechery
Replete of falshode / and of doubylnesse
Gan his purpose / vnto them expresse
Behotynge them / to Trasshe the cyte
So they wolde / make hym suerte
That firste hym selfe / and with hym Eneas
Shall fredam haue / in euery maner caas
With theyr allyes / and goodes euerychone
Where them lyste / at large for to gone
At theyr choyse / or dwellynge in the towne
With theyr rychesse / and possessyowne
Without harme / or any more damage
Lyke as they se / it be to auauntage
Of theyr persones / to voyde or abyde
And they were sworne / on the grekes syde
Couenaunt to holde / in party and in all
As was rehersed / afore in specyall
And as they were / by theyr othes bounde
So that there be / no varyaunce founde
Of neyther partye / platly nor no stryfe
And they behyght / vp peryll of theyr lyfe
And whan he had / assuraunce of them thre
He charged them / to kepe in secre
All that was sayd / that no thynge be di [...]curyd
Vnto tyme / that they were assuryd
Of the ende / grosyd vp in dede
For it were good / that they toke hede
Lyst theyr purpose / perturbyd were or shent
By cōmynge / without auysement
Of this tonges / that be longe and large
Wherfore he gan / con [...]oure them and charge
In all wyse / for to be pryue
So that no wyghte / but he and they thre
Of none estate / neyther hye nor lowe
Fully the fyne / of theyr entent ne knowe
And couertly / our purpose for to hyde
Quod Anthen or / vpon euery syde
To voyde away / all suspeccyowne
This myn aduyse / that to troye towne
The wyse kynge / called Taltybyus
Shall go with me / to kynge Pryamus
For he is hore / and yronne in rage
Coy of his porte / sleyghty and right sage
And therwithall / sadde demure and stylle
Of whom troyans / no thynge shall mysylle
But that he come / to treate for a pees
To be assuryd / and wryte douteles
Where the Troyans / agree wyll therto
In euery thynge / fynally to do
As Anthenor / grekes hath behyght
Thus shall they be / deuoyded anone ryght
Thorugh his cōmynge / from all suspeccyon
Tyll that we haue / our conclusyon
As ye haue herde / parfourmed euerydele
Of whiche thynge / the grekes lyke wele
And be apoynted / vpon euery thynge
What they wyll do / and how this olde kynge
With Anthenor / shall to Troye go
And after this / he axed eke also
Of Pantasylle / the body for to haue
In the Cyte / that men myght it graue
With dewe honour / longynge to hir estate
To voyde away / suspeccyon and debate
And Anthenor / for it drewe to eue
Of the Grekes / taken hath his leue
And with this kynge / repeyreth into towne
Wherof was made / anone relacyon
To kynge Pryam / without more delay
And he in haste / vpon the next day
Made assemble / all his Cytesens
Secretely / deuoydynge all Foreyns
Where Anthenor / in open audyence
Thorugh the halle / whan made was sylence
His tale gan / with sugryd wordes swete
Makynge the bawne / outwarde for to flete
Of rethoryk / and of eloquence
Of chere nor worde / that there was none offence
In shewynge out / so circumspect he was
That no man coude / in no maner caas
By sygne outwarde / nor by countenaunce
Perceyue in hym / any varyaunce
So harde it was / his treason to espye
The effect declarynge / of his embassatrye
With clere reporte / of his answere agayne
In his meanynge / though he were nat playne
For vnderneth / he was with fraude fraught
This sleyghty wolf / tyl he his pray hath caught
For he was close / and couert in his speche
As a serpent / tyll he may do wreche
Hydynge his venym / vnder floures longe
And as a bee / that styngeth with the tonge
Whan he hath shad / out his hony sote
Sugre in the crop / venym in the rote
Right so in soth / with tonge in Scorpyon
This Anthenor / roote of all treason
His tale tolde / with a face pleyne
Lyke the sonne / that shyneth in the reyne
[Page] That fayre sheweth / though the weder be
Wonder dyuers / and troubly for to se
So this tygre / full of doubylnesse
So couertly / his treason dyde expresse
As he nat mente / but trouthe to the towne
Fully affermynge / in conclusyowne
How the grekes / myghty were and stronge
And lykly eke / to abyde longe
Day by day / redy them to assayle
And also plente / of vytayle
Concludynge aye / there was no remedye
Agaynst them / to holde chaumpartye
Nor with them / any more to stryue
For he sayde / they hadde yet a lyue
Theyr worthy knyghtes / hardy as lyons
Theyr manly men / and theyr champyons
Whiche theyr lyues / platly to Iuparte
From the Cyte / caste them nat departe
Tyll theyr purpose / acheued be in all
For fynally / nouther toure nor wall
Nor your gates / of yren though ye shette
The Grekes shall / on no syde lette
But that they wyll / vs wynne at the laste
Wherfore it nedeth / a mene way to caste
Sythen of myght / nor fauour of Fortune
We may nat longe / agaynst them contune
Wherfore quod he / so ye condescende
I can right well / all this thynge amende
Remedye / so that ye nat varye
To that I saye / for to be contrarye
This to mene / shortly out of doute
Embassatoure / whan that I was oute
With the grekes / laste whan ye me sent
They sayd goodly / how they wolde assent
Vnto a peas / by this condycyon
That ye wyll make / restytucyon
Of the harmes / and the vyolences
The wronges done / and also the offences
By Parys wrought / in Grece at Cytheron
As it is right / me semeth of reason
For theyr request / is meynt with equyte
And we be dryuen / of necessyte
Vnto theyr luste / iustly to enclyne
Maugre our wyll / the werre for to fyne
For all is now / in theyr eleccyon
We may nat make / no rebellyon
Now the mater / is so fer ybrought
To stryue agayne / in soth it helpeth nought
It may apeyre / but no thynge auayle
Therfore the beste / that I can counsayle
As in prouerbe / hath be sayde of yore
That if a man / be constrayned sore
And may nat flee / to falle in a trayne
Let hym chese / the lesse harme of twayne
And the gretter / prudently / to eschewe
And let our golde / that ye kept in mewe
To saue our lyfe / make redempcyon
For better it is / demeth of reason
Spoyled to be / oonly of rychesse
Than wylfully / dye in distresse
The lyfe is better / than glode or any gode
Set all at nought / in sauynge of your blode
For foly is / a man / for his welfare
Thorugh couetyse / any golde to spare
And now our lyfe / dependeth in balaunce
Let golde farewell / and go with myschaunce
We may hereafter / by sort of auenture
Golde by grace / and good ynough recure
And sythen we / as I haue you tolde
May bye a peas / fynally for golde
And with our treasour / stynt eke the werre
It were foly / playnely to differre
With the grekes / vtterly to accorde
For if so be / I to them recorde
That ye assent / without any varyaunce
There may of peas / be no perturbaunce
It is so lyght / now to be recured
For as soone / as they be assured
By iuste reporte / of your entencyons
They wyll do wryte / oblygacyons
Of couenauntes / that nat be by hynde
And that ye shall / in them no faute fynde
Whan assuraunce / from outher parte is hadde
Therupon / Endentures shalbe made
So that of fayth / ye may them nat repreue
And for that / they fully truste and leue
Without fraude / my relacyon
I wyll now make / no dylacyon
To signefye / to them in certayne
Hoolly the effect / of that ye wyll sayne
And the people / loude gan to crye
All with one voyse / and to magnefye
All that euer / Anthenor hath sayde
And vpon hym / they haue the charge layde
Of theyr answere / and entent fynall
And by recorde / to reporte all
That no thynge / be forgetten in this caas
They haue assigned / also Eneas
With hym to go / for the same thynge
In the presence / of the olde kynge
[Page] Taltybyus / whiche also of entent
¶With Anthenor / was to Troye sent
The whiche thre / haue playnely vndertake
As ye haue herde / a fynall peas to make
Albe that they / in couert treason mente
And on theyr way / forth anone they wente
With playne power / cōmytted of the towne
BUt kyng Pryam / hath ay suspeccyowne
To Anthenor / and also to Enee
How that they / shall destroye his Cytee
And to hym selfe / tryste of hertely wo
He sayd alas / what is beste to do
In this myschefe / that I am in falle
And yet is this / to me worste of alle
That I am nowe / thorugh myn aduersyte
Bounde and compelled / of necessyte
Maugre my hede / in maner of raunson
For my lyfe / to make redempcyon
Vnto my foon / that I haue moste at herte
I se right well / I may it nat asterte
For I must paye / there gayneth no socoure
My good my golde / ryches and treasoure
To my moste foon / and dare it nat denye
And yet I stonde / of lyfe in Iupartye
Without refute / hangynge in balaunce
Alas constrayned / thorugh my wofull chaunce
To obeye theyr luste / that mortally me hate
Dryuen therto / of byrthe thorugh my fate
So Parchas / haue my desteny yshape
By no engyne / I may it nat escape.
ANd whyle pryam / gan thus to cōpleyne
To Anthenor / came the quene Eleyne
Besechynge hym / in his embassatrye
Of gentyllesse / for to specefye
Thorugh / his prudent medyacyon
To fynde away / in conseruacyon
Of hir estate / fynally that she
To Menelay / may reconsyled be
If so falle / that the treate holde
So that hir lorde / of his grace wolde
Restore hir / vnto hir degre
Oonly of mercy / and of hye pyte
And Anthenor / vnto hir requeste
Gaue audyence / makynge a beheste
How he wolde / with all his herte entere
Be dylygent / to treate of this matere
And therwithall / of hym she toke hir leue
And thus was done / on the same eue
That Anthenor / I pray god gyue hȳ sorowe
To Grekes went / on the next morowe
Oonly to treate / for apeas fynall
And in this whyle / the feest Funerall
Was holde in troye / myn Auctor wryteth thus
Of a lorde / that called was Glaucus
A manly knyght / tofore in his lyuynge
And sone was / of Pryamus the kynge
And ouer this / lyke as sayth Guydo
That kynge Pryam / besyed hym also
Of Pantasyllya / how the body myght
Be conseruyd / fresshely to the syght
And for loue / of this worthy quene
Of puryd golde / and of stones shene
He lete make / a vessell full ryall
And fylde it full / with bawne naturall
To kepe the corps / fro corrupcyowne
Tyll the werre / of grekes and of the towne
Thorugh the treate / were ystynted clene
SO that the kynge / called Phylymene
This deed quene / myght of affeccyon
Carye it home / into hir regyon
With the Auncetres / buryed for to be
Lyke the maner / of olde antiquyte
And the custome / vsed in that tyme
It were in vayne / more therof to ryme
I passe ouer / vnto the Tretee
Atwene grekes / and Troye the Cytee
And for the partye / of grekes as I rede
Firste vlixes / and with hym Dyomede
Assigned were / and the kynge of Crete
With Anthenor / and Eneas to mete
And all yfere / shortly in sentence
By conduyt firste / and after by lycence
Of the noble wyse / Agamenowne
They entred be / into Troye towne
By conueyinge / of this Eneas
Of whose cōmynge / suche a Ioye there was
Of the comunes / whiche in thynges newe
Reioyse aye / after thoughe they rewe
Wenynge full well / in theyr oppynyon
That / by the good medyacyon
Of Vlixes / and the kynge of Crete
And Dyomede / that came eke to Trete
That these thre / shuld make as faste
A fynall peas / euer for to laste
And a full ende / of theyr alder sorowe
And therupon / Erely the next morowe
Pryam lette make / a conuocacyowne
[Page] Of all the worthy / within Troye towne
And whan they were / assembled all in one
The wyse Vlixes / rose vp anone
And his tale / gan in suche a wyse
So prudently / his wordes to deuyse
That to herken / euery man hath ioye
And specyally / they that were of Troye
That of his inwarde / menynge fraudelent
Full lytell wyste / nor of his entent
To theyr pleasaunce / so he coude fayne
And firste he axeth / of them thynges twayne
The one was this / that of the Cyte
He wolde haue golde / an huge quantyte
In recompense / of harmes that were do
Another thynge / he axed also
Without abode / that Amphymacus
That sone was / to kynge Pryamus
Perpetuelly / that he exyled be
Neuer to entre / Troye the cyte
For golde prayer / nor for no raunson
And this was done / by suggestyon
Of Anthenor / false and malycious
Oonly / for he was contraryous
That he shulde / treaty for to a pees
And for that / he was nat reckeles
To say a trouthe / this Amphymacus
Therfore in sothe / this serpent enuyous
Now he hath founde / a tyme for to byte
He thought he wolde / cruelly hym quyte
For trouthe oonly / that was in his entent
¶Therfore it is / full expedyent
Of prudence / euery man to charge
That his tonge / be nat ouer large
Trouthes all / be nat for to sayne
For wysedome is / somtyme to fayne
And dissymule / in aduersyte
Specyally / whan men in trouble be
And se theyr speche / may them nat auyle
Better is than / that theyr tonge fayle
Than folyly / to theyr damage speke
Men must amonge / kure and ouer reke
The trouthe of thynges / oonly of prudence
And humbly / suffre in pacyence
For false reporte / of folkes enuyous
Who can so do / I holde hym vertuous
For better it is / a whyle to abyde
Than say all out / of rancoure and of pryde
Sylence in sothe / hath ofte in hasty stryfe
Hadde of victorye / a prserogatyfe
And the palme / of debates wonne
That well are they / that so suffre konne
And be of speche / nat presumptuous
For as I tolde / this Amphymacus
Nat withstandynge / that he trouthe mente
Yet for a worde / he into Exyle wente.
Albe that god / full iustely afterwarde
Hath Anthenor quyte / for his rewarde
For with the same / he was after hyt
For his falsenesse / duely as it syt
This to say / for his iniquyte
He was to exyle / and captyuyte
For iuged after / into proscripcy owne
And relegat / out of Troye towne
Perpetuelly / by the procurynge
Of Eneas / loo / how the right full kynge
That all may se / in his prouydence
Full iustly can make recompence
Of doubylnesse / and symulacyon
And of all suche / contryued false treason
For who auengeth / with falsehede on his parte
He shall be hyt / with the same darte
He scapeth nat / for to haue a wounde
For falsehede aye / wyll agayne rebounde
Where it rose firste / to his Orygenall
Resorte agayne / right as doth a ball
For who for fraude / euer doth hym caste
Truste right well / it wyll out at the laste
And who supplanteth / shall supplanted be
By good exaumple / as ye shall after se.
OF Anthenor / the storye if ye rede
And whyles they / treaty and procede
Touchynge the exyle / and proscripcyon
Captyuyte / and relegacyon
That they caste / for Amphymacus
There was herde / a noyse meruayllous
A great tumulte / and a wonder sowne
Lyke as it were / a lamentacyowne
Of sondry folke / playnynge in distresse
For hertely wo / and in warde heuynesse
Out of the treate / euen whan they gone
This confuse crye / after gan anone
¶Wherof vlixes / and eke Dyomede
Sodaynely / fylle in a drede
Supposynge / in theyr oppyowne
That some rumoure / was falle in the towne
Amonge the people / in the como [...]te
Of hasty rancour / auenged for to be
For the loue / of Amphymacus
That causeles was / exyled thus
[Page] Of volunte / agayne all trouthe and ryght
Wherfore they dradde / whan it drewe to nyght
To be murdred / of the comons of the towne
For the fraude / and conspyracyowne
Falsly compalsyd / of olde enmytee
By Anthenor / and by false Enee
And sothly yet / there was no maner man
That coude wyt / wherof it began
Nor espye / firste where it arose
In all the paleys / nor thorugh out the close
They herde it well / but they lay nought
Wherof they were / astoned in theyr thought
And affrayde / of very sodayne drede
Vlixes most / and also Dyomede
Lyste with comons / they had be by set
But Anthenor / without lenger let
To make them sure / from all tumulte & cry
The Grekes hath / conueyed secretely
And whan they were / assured of theyr place
Vlixes firste / with a chaunged face
Gan pynche sore / in the selfe whyle
At Anthenor / of treason and of gyle
That with his hestys / so fro day to day
Of very sleyghte / put them in delay
Semynge fully / for ought he coude espye
There was deceyt / fraude or trecherye
In the couenauntes / that he hath behyght
To whom an one / this false Troyan knyght
With sadde chere / and sobre countenaunce
Well auysed / in his dalyaunce
Answerde agayne / and playnely dyde expresse
I wysse quod he / I take vnto wytnesse
The hye goddes / that euery thynge may se
Without faynynge / that I haue besy be
Fro poynt to poynt / your purpose to acheue
So that I you / do nat greue
And fynally / that ye lyste to here
There is one thynge / parturbeth this matere
Whiche that I shall / so it be none offence
Playnely remembre / here in your presence
This to say / of olde Antyquyte
Firste at the byldynge / of Troye the Cyte
That whylom was / ycalled Yllyon
For cause oonly / at his foundacyon
Kynge Ylyus / sythe go full longe
The founder was / of the walle stronge
After whom / as made is mencyon
It called was / and named Yllyon
In the whiche / with great and besy charge
In Pallas name / he made a temple large
That passyngly / was had in reuerence
And whan this Phane / of moste excellence
Perfourmed was / by masonry full wele
And saue the rofe / complete euerydele
Of myghty stone / the byldynge well assured
But or it was / with lede and tymber cured
Agayne tempest / for to be obstacle
There fyll a wonder / oonly by myracle
That I dare well / afferme it in certeyne
Suche another / was there neuer seyne
Who so lyste se / and consydre all
This meruayle was / so celestyall.
FOr there came downe / from y • hye heuen
By Plyades / and the sterres seuen
And thorugh the Eyer / holdynge his passage
Lyke a fayre / and meruaylous ymage
That in this worlde / though men had sought
Ne was there none / halfe so well ywrought
For as it is / trewely to suppose
Pygmalyon / remembred in the rose
In his tyme / hadde no cunnynge
To graue or peynte / so curyous a thynge
For it was wrought / with dylygent laboure
By hande of Aungell / in the heuenly toure
Thorugh goddes myght / & dyuyne ordyaūce
And hyder sent / thorugh his puruyaunce
For a relyke oonly / of his grace
And prouyded / to the same place
There to abyde / for a proteccyon
For a diffence / and sauacyon
Perpetuelly / whyle the worlde may dure
Agayne all myschefe / and mysauenture
Euery trouble / and trybulacyon
In susteynynge / and releuacyon
And soueraygne helpe / eke of this Cyte
The whiche / neuer may destroyed be
By none engyne / that men may purchace
The goddes haue / graunted suche a grace
And suche vertue / annexed eke therto
That troye in sothe / may neuer be fordo
Tyll this relyke / stole be away
And yet in sothe / there is no man that may
From the place / stere it / nor remewe
But the preste / to whom it is dewe
Oonly of offyce / to touche it with his honde
So myghtely / conserued is the bonde
That who attempteth / in conclusyon
It to remewe / of presumpcyon
At the fyne / platly he shall fayle
For force none / may hym nat auayle
[Page] For it in sothe / wyll nat remeued be
Except of hym / to whom of duete
It apperteyneth / as ye haue herde to forne
And ouer more / there is no man yet borne
That rede can / nor tell in no degree
Veryly / where it be stone or tree
Nor how it was deuysed / nor ywrought
There is no wyght / so sotyll in his thought
Ceryously / to tell the manere
For Mynerua / that is so fresshe and clere
The sterne goddesse / thorugh hir great myght
That is so dredefull / bothe of loke and syght
Whiche on hir brest / haueth of cristall
Hir shelde Egys / this goddesse inmortall
Ygraunted hath / in bokes as I lerne
Thorugh hir power / whiche that is eterne
This holy relyke / for a memoryall
To hir temple / of byldynge moste royall
It to conserue / from all assaute of brede
And to socoure / in euery maner nede
Agayne theyr foon / vnto Troye towne
Whyle it is kept / with deuociowne
So that alway / by successyowne
From kynge to kynge / in the lyne downe
But iust tycle / lynealy succede
There to annexyd / that they take hede
Prudently / auoydynge neclygence
It to conserue / with dewe reuerence
As they are bounde / and yholde of ryght
Than shall no enmye / power haue nor myght
To do damage / in hyndrynge of the towne
And why it is called / Palladyowne
Lyke as clerkes / wryte of it and sayne
Is for Pallas / to make hir towne certayne
This relyke sent / fro the heuen downe
And to conclude / shortly my reasowne
This the cause / our purpose is so let
Than quod vlixes / syth it may beno bet
Our labour is / in ydell and in vayne
Without recure / if it be certayne
As thou haste sayde / this towne in no degre
Thorugh this relyke / may nat destroyed be
It was foly / the to vndertake
Vnto Grekes / beheste for to make
Without this / thou haddest be well sure
Quod Anthenor / yet there is recure
As I haue hyght / ye shall haue the towne
All though there be / a dylacyowne
And the maner anone / I shall telle
If it so be / ye lyste a whyle dwelle
Without noyse / outher perturbaunce
The preste / the whiche the gouernaunce
Of this relyke / shalbe spoke vnto
By good aduyse / and ytretyd so
That he shall be / full of our assent
For he with golde / and treasour shalbe blent
That he accorde shall / to our purpose
To brynge the relyke / whiche is kept so close
To what place / that ye lyste assygne
Be styll of porte / goodly and benygne
In your werkes / tyll I haue brought aboute
Fully this thynge / and be nothynge in doute
I dare my selfe / take it well on honde
And whan they had / his menynge vnderstōde
They toke leue / and went out of the towne
But firste / to voyde all suspecyowne
At theyr goynge / Anthenor hath hyght
How that he wolde / go the same nyght
To Pryamus / to make ordynaunce
How the bondes / and the assuraunce
Of the peas / shulde ymaked be
And for to knowe / eke the quantyte
Of the golde / that ye shall receyue
Thus shall I beste / the purpose apparceyne
Of the kynge / to knowe it eueryde [...]e
And they consente / and lyke wonder wele.
Euery thynge / that Anthenor hath fayde
And so they parte / glad and well apayde
And went theyr way / and made no tariynge
And Anthenor / goth vnto the kynge
Hym counsayllynge / he make no delay
To calle his lordes / agayne the next day
And his lyeges / to assemble yfere
Fynally / to engroce / this matere
As it was syttynge / and expedyent
And whan the kynge / in open ꝑlement
Crowned sat / in his regalye
This Anthenor / gan to specyfye
In audyence / that men myght knowe
To eche estate / bothe hye and lowe
The grekes wyll / if they agree therto
And what the sūme / was of golde also
Whiche they axe / if the peas shall stande
Twenty thousande Marke / to haue in hande
Of puryd god / whiche must anone be payed
And of syluer / that may nat be delayed
They muste eke haue / the same quantyte
And ouer this / as they accorded be
Certayne mesours / by couenaunt also
Of whete and floure / theyr lyues for to saue
[Page] In theyr repayre / by the large see
Whan they sayle / home to theyr countree
And that the collect / made be anone
By good aduyse / of them euerychone
That all be redy / by acercayne day
There was no man / that durste tho say nay
Nor contrarye / that Anthern or hath sayde
Where so they were / well or euyll payde
But full assent / in conclusyowne
And in all haste / thorugh out all the towne
The Collatours / gadered vp the golde
Lyke the sūme / that I haue you tolde
Of pore and ryche / there was sparyd none
The whiche tyme / Anthenor is gone
Vnto the preest / that called was Tonaunt
I she myght / in any wyse hym daunt
To make his herte / fully to enclyne
Full craftely / he layde out hoke and lyne
With lusty [...]eyte / of false coueytyse
Excycynge hym / in full secrete wyse
That wolde / be of his assent
And condescende / vnto his entent
To put hym / in possessyon
Of the relyke / called Palladyon
Without abode / it may delyueryd be
And gaue hym golde / an huge quantyte
And hym to blende / moche more behyght
And this was done / full pryuely by nyght
Shortly concludynge / if he condescende
That he wolde / his estate amende
So passyngly / that for euer more
He and his heyres / shulde haue golde and store
Plente ynough / that none indygence
Shulde haue power / hym to do offence
For vnto the / this a vowe I make
Quod Anthenor / and platly vndertake
Of golde & good / thou shalt haue suffysaunce
And of treasour / passynge habundaunce
That thou shalt / in very sykernesse
All thy kyn excelle / in rychesse
If thou delyuer / lyke to myn axynge
Palladyon / whiche is in thy kepynge
And I behote / thou mayste truste me
By bonde of it / shalbe secree
Lyst it were / hyndrynge to thy name
For if so be / that thou drede shame
To be esclaundred / of so foule a dede
I shape shall / that thou nede nat drede
Nor be agaste / in no maner wyse
For suche away / in sothe I shall deuyse
That no man / shalbe suspecyous
To thy persone / nor engenyous
To deme amysse / how this mater goth
For be well ware / that me were as loth
To be diffamed / of so false a thynge
To knowe therof / or be assentynge
In any maner / that they of the towne
Shulde to me / haue suspeccyowne
Lece be / let be / leuer I hadde deye
We shall therfore / caste another weye
Our honour saue / so that thou and I
Shall go all quyte / I say the vtterly
That neyther / shall beholde ne parceyuere
Of this thefte / but stonde hole and clere
What euer falle / without any shame
For vlixes / shall bere all the blame
Of this dede / and this thefe also
For men shall say / whan that it is ago
By his engyne / and his sleyghty wyle
Thorugh his treynes / and his false gyle
That he hath stole / away Palladyowne
From the temple / in lesynge of the twone
That fynally / durynge all his lyue
Men shall to hym / this falsehede ascryue
And all the gylte / aretten his offence
That thou and I / oonly of Innocence
Thorugh out the worlde / of this iniquyte
Shalbe excusyd / platly and go free
It nedeth nat / tarye in this matere
Come of attones / lo thy golde is here
For thou ne shalte / lenger delayed be
And syth thou seest / that no diffyculte
Is on no parte / pereyll nor reprefe
Shame nor drede / scalundre nor myschefe
Delaye nat to take / this thynge on honde
And firste this preest / gan hym to withstonde
Full myghtely / and sayde for nothynge
Nouther for prayer / nor for manasynge
For golde nor gode / ne no maner mede
He ne wolde assent / to so foule a dede
Thus he answerde / at the pryme face
But ofte sythe / it happeth men purchace
By gyfte of good / to speke in wordes playne
That trouth in pouerte / myght neuer attayne
For mede more / by falshede may conquere
Than tytle of right / that men in trouth lere
And gyftes great / hertes can enclyne
And golde they maye / in stele & marbyll myne
This prestes herte / hath so depe graue
That Anthenor / shall his purpose haue
[Page] For to possede / the Palladyon
Thorugh false engyne / and conspyracyon
Of this preest / that called was Tonaunte
Whiche of falshede / myght hym best auaunte
That this relyke / fro the temple rente
And to Vlixes / Anthenor it sente
Out of the towne / in all the haste he myght
By a seruaunt / secretely by nyght
Wherof Troyans / mortally dismayde
And thorugh treason / fynally out trayed
Wrought by this preest / with coueytyse blent
False Anthenor / beynge of assent.

¶How the Grekꝭ made an hors of brasse wher­in was men of Armes / & vnder coloure of peas brought it into Troye / by the whiche it was vtterly dystroyed for euer. Cap̄. xxxv.

[figure]
O Troye alas / well mayest y u morne & wepe
In complaynynge / w thertely syghes depe
Falsly defraudyd / of Palladyon
And put for euer / out of possessyon
O myghty goddes / that the worlde gouerne
And euery thyng / thorugh your myght cōserne
Ryght as it is / of your deyte
And trouthe / and falshede / may togydrese
In euery herte / thorugh your puruyaunce
Why toke ye nat / on this preest vengaunce
That traytoursly / thorugh his iniquyte
For golde and good / be traysshed the cyte
Of troye alas / without more recure
Who shall emforth / and more be sure
Or any place / stonde in sykerte
Syth holynesse / of so hye degre
May be infect / and corrupt with mede
Euery herte / ought quake and drede
To se alas / by false Ypocrysye
Prestes that shulde / the worlde exemplefye
With good doctryne / of perfeccyon
To make so soone / a transmutacyon
Of double entent / so daynely to varye
For douteles / if the Seyntuarye
Be pollut founde / in conuersacyon
Naked and bare / of deuocyon
And that the shynynge / of theyr parfyt lyght
Yturned be / by dyrkenesse vnto nyght
Vnto what place / shall men ferther go
To take example / what them ought to do
Certys the roote / and grounde of euerydele
Is coueytyse / who so loke wele
Of whiche the greyne / is so fer ysowe
That who so lyste / Auaryce to knowe
Amonge prestes / he shall it rathest fynde
For therwithall / they be made blynde
To theyr estate / that they may nat se
For in sothnesse / there is no degre
Gredyer / nor more rauynous
Of worldely good / more coueytous
That prestes be / to catche what they may
For it is gone / sythe many a day
That in theyr brest / fyxhed was the rote
Of coueytyse / whiche syt so sote
That no man may / arrace hym nor remewe
For at theyr tayle / euer it doth them sewe
This false worme / moder and noryce
Of all myschefe / and of euery vyce
For golde is nowe / so shynynge and so bryght
So persynge eke / and so clere of lyght
That prestes be / with his stemes blent
For in sothnesse / they be in theyr entent
Of coueytyse / very receptacle
And to possede / eke the tabernacle
Theyr herte is aye / so gredy to enbrace
That Auaryce / hath his lodgynge place
Myd of theyr breste / this vyce of vyces all
That causeth vertue / rather for to falle
Where he abyt / so he can supplaunte
Recorde I take / of the preest Tonaunte
That for treasour / to Anthenor hath solde
The ryche relyke / that he hadde in holde
Palladyon / whyle they of Troye towne
Haue gaderyd vp / aboute euyrowne
Of ryche and pore / thorugh out the cyte
Golde and syluer / an huge quantyte
Floure and whete / to paye theyr raunson
[Page] The whiche sūme / of entencyon
They made kepe / wysely and conserue
In the temple / that longeth to Mynerue
Purposynge after / of one affeccyowne
The Cytesens / thorugh out all the towne
Hopynge therby / for to fare the bet
Vpon a day / assygned and yset
To Appollo / in theyr paynem wyse
Solempnely / make a sacryfyse
With slaughter of bestes / w t encense and blode
On whiche day / whan the prestes stode
In compasse rounde / aboute the autere
And gan to kyndle / the coles bryght and clere
Vpon the Autere / playnely as I rede
To offre vp / the bestes that were dede
In the flawme / and the great leuen
To Appollo / stellefyed in heuen
Whan they to offre / were most laboryous
There befell / two thynges meruaylous
The firste was / that the sacryde fyre
Ne wolde brenne / lyke to hir desyre
Nor the flawme / vp ascende alofte
Albe that they / assayed full ofte
More than ten tymes / and yet it ne wolde be
For aye it queynt / that they ne myght se
Nought but smoky / resolucyons
Horryble and blacke / lyke exalacyons
Of newe lyme / whan that it is meynt
With water colde / and of his hete queynt
That they myght / in no maner wyse
For lacke of fyre / do theyr sacryfyce
For aye they foūde / a wonderfull obstacle
And the next / was a more myracle
On theyr Auter / whan they gan to sprede
The entrayles / of bestes / that were dede
To queme Appollo / w t flawmes bryght & fayre
There came anone / downe out of the ayre
A royall Egle / full persynge of his loke
And in his clawes / the offrynge vp he toke
And the Entrayles / lyenge enuyrowne
In his descence / makynge suche a sowne
That none so hardy / of herte nor manhode
But that he was / astoned there he stode
And supprysed / thorugh nerfe and euery vayne
Of this meruayle / and this case sodayne
But the Egle / abydynge there no more
Ouer the towne / full hye gan to sore
Towarde grekes / enhastynge what he myght
And on theyr shypes / sodaynely a lyght
And the Entrayles / of the bestes alle
This Egle let / fro his clawes falle
Wherof Troyans / whan they toke hede
Disamayed / with a mortall drede
By sygnes haue / clerely comprehendyd
That theyr goddes / greatly were offendyd
Agayne the towne / whan the fyre went oute
And for they wolde / be put out of doute
To be sure / what this meruayle mente
To Cassandra / in all haste they wente
Fully to haue / declaracyon
And therupon / playne exposycyon
And she tolde them / platly out of drede
That the quenchynge / of theyr fyres rede
Was vnto them / a demonstracyon
Both of yre / and indignacyon
That Appollo / hath to Troye bore
For the blode / that was shad before
Of Achylles / in his temple slawe
Vengeably murdred / and ydrawe
Without any maner / reuerence
Or honour done / to the excellence
Of Appollo / beynge there present
That the Phane / and plates adiacent
Were defoulyd / and pollut with the blode
Wherfore she sayde / shortly it was gode
That they went / on prosessyon
With herte contryte / and deuocyon
To the toumbe / of Achylles at nyght
Oonly to fette / on theyr taprys lyght
Sacryd fyre / brennynge at the wake
Fully in purpose / by assent to make
For his murdre / satissfaccyon
The whiche fyre / by none occacyon
Shall nat quenche / but his flawmes holde
Thorugh none assaute / of stormy wyndes colde
The sacryfyce / vpon the Autere
Tofore Appollo / brenne shall so clere
And they of Troye / wrought by hir rede
But of the Egle / she badde them take hede
That no thynge was / but token oftreason
Pronostycke / and declaracyon
Fynally how Troye / and Ylyon
Shall tourne in haste / to destruccyon
For the flyenge / of this fowle royall
Ouer the towne / and the myghty wall
With his fethers / maylyd bryght and she
And the Entrayles / in his clawes kene
To troye was / a fynall demonstraunce
Sothfaste shewynge / and sygnefyaunce
That grace and Ewer / & hap of olde Fortune
[Page] By lyklyhede / myght nat contune
Nor perseuer / in theyr firste lyght
For all attones / they haue take theyr flyght
Palladyon / myght them nat withholde
That stole was / lyke as I you tolde
For no man may / his fatall chaunce refuse
And Grekes eke / faste gan to muse
And inwardly / in theyrwyttes sought
Of the Entrayles / that the Egle brought
And therupon / gan togydre rowne
Tyll y t Calchas / dyd euery thynge expowne
And vnto them / full gan assure
That the fyne / of this auenture
Conclude shulde / vpon theyr welfare
And bad also / for no coste they spare
To perseuere / and be of herte stable
By Fortune / them selfe to enhable
Them counsayllynge / to do theyr besy payne
Solempnely / in haste to ordayne
A certayne offrynge / borne out of the felde
To fayre Pallas / with hir Cristall shelde
And to hir make / a ryche sacryfyse
As the storye / by ordre shall deuyse.
BYsshop Calchas / with his lockes hore
Traytour forsworne / syth go ful yore
That falsed hath / trouth & his aliaūce
Whom Clerkes / haue put in remembraunce
In theyr lockes / with letters olde and newe
To exemplefye / no man to be vntrewe
For though yeres / passe faste aweye
Rust of sclaundre / lyghtly wyll nat deye
The fret therof / is so corrosyfe
That it lasteth / full many mannes lyfe
And is full harde / to arrace awaye
Of whose venym / full selde is made allaye
Reporte therof / blowen is so wyde
Perpetuelly / that it wyll abyde
Remembred newe / and fresshely had in mynde
Recorde of hym / that coude away fynde
Olde Calchas / euyll mut he sterue
Vnder colour / of offrynge to Mynerue
To make Grekes / entre into towne
This sleyghty serpent / Fader and patrowne
And fyndre vp / of treason and of gyle
Compassyd hath / and I founde a wyle
How grekes shall / the Cyte wynne and take
Pretendynge them / sacryfyce to make
Vnto Pallas / as I shall expresse
For this traytoure / meroure of falsenesse
The Grekes bad / for to do theyr payne
To Mynerua / an offrynge to fayne
And in all haste / that they shulde them spede
And of assent / they dyde make a stede
Large and wyde / of Coper and of bras
By crafte of synon / that contryued was
That it myght receyue / large and wele
A thousande knyghtes / armed bryght in stele
Thorugh the sleyghte / and the compassynge
The sotyll wytte / and meruayllous workynge
Of this wyse / and crafty greke Synon
Whiche thorugh his castynge / and discrecyon
Parformed hath / this ryche stede of bras
As ye haue herde / by byddynge of Calchas
And by the aduyse / of Appyus the wyse
That holpe also / the stede to deuyse
To fyne oonly / that of deuocyowne
Grekes myght / requere of the towne
Whan it were made / to graunte them lycence
It presente / in the reuerence
Of myghty Pallas / in stele armed bryght
Amyd hir temple / large and full of lyght
By the offrynge / to fynde occasyowne
To haue entre / frely into towne
By pylgrymage / theyr vowes to fulfylle
In whiche stede / daren shall full stylle
A thousande knyghtes / as Calchas by deuyse
Ordayned hath / that was so slye and wyse
By crafte / of Synon / and of Appyus
This large stede / of makynge meruayllous
Vnder pretense / of oblacyon
Was complete full / to his perfeccyon
Of werkemanshype / as I tolde afore
The same yere / that Troye was forlore
Whan the sege / sothly gan to fyne
And the Cyte / was brought to Ruyne
Thorugh grekes myght / & the wall stronge
Were bete downe / large thycke and longe
The whiche yere / as made is mencyowne
Alytell afore / takynge of the towne
Kynges echone / that came fro so ferre
Alyue lefte / after the mortall werre
¶Whan they sawe / how Pryam by couenaūt
Vnto Grekes / that vtterly made graunt
All haste possyble / to paye his raunsowne
They toke leue / and went out of the towne
And firste I fynde / how kynge Phylymene
With hym ladde / the body of the quene
'Pantasyllia / home to hir countre
Full rychely / there to buryed be
And of .ij. thousande knyghtes / y t this kynge.
[Page] Brought vnto Troye / firste at his comynge
No mo than fyfty / home with hym he ladde
And of women / that the quene eke hadde
Of a thousande / the storye sayth certayne
But foure hondred home agayne
And thus / whan all were fro Troye gone
The morowe nexte / Pryamus anone
With his lordes / rode out of the towne
As was the acorde / for confirmacyowne
Of Peas fynall / vpon outher syde
And in the felde / Grekes hym abyde
And on relykes / openly yborne
There they were / on outher party sworne
On the forme / to you afore recordyd
As Anthenor / with grekes was accordyd
And for grekes / firste swore Dyomede
They of Troye / takynge lytell hede
How the othe was / in condycyon
Curyd aboue / vnder false treason
Sythe grekes / tho in theyr swerynge
Ne bounde them selfe / to no maner thynge
To stonde to / as in specyall
But for to holde / and kepe in generall
The poyntes hole / engrossyd and no more
In thylke treate / that daūz Anthenore
With grekes helde / this traytour fraudulent
In whiche they were / full double of entent
Meynt with treason / as ye haue herde toforne
Whiche to obserue / oonly they were sworne
By fraude of othe / and nat by wordes playne
Theyr aduer saryes / to take in a Trayne
Excludynge them / from theyr meanynge 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 w t 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
[Page] 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 che [...]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 cōmytted / 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 a [...]ysement
In secrete wyse / thyder shalbe 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 wele
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
[Page] 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 yrowne blode
Bothe man and childe / without excepcyon
The Grekes sparynge / no condcyon
Of olde nor yonge / woman wyfe nor mayde
That with the crye / Pryamus abrayde
Out of his llepe / and sodaynely a woke
Whiche lay all nyght / and no hede ne toke
Of the daughter / nor murdre in the towne
But tho he wyste / that there was treasowne
Falsly compassyd / vnto his cytee
By Anthenor / and also by Enee
Of whose malys / he was no more in doute
For the venym / was now broken oute
And now the galle / of conspyracyon
That vnder sugre / of symulacyon
Hath so louge / closyd be and hyd
In dede is now / execute and kyd
And nowe the fraude / fully of treason
The caste also / of false collusyon
Be taked out / and abrode yblowe
And the Autours / openly yknowe
Now hath enuye / and contryued hate
Of theyr Engyne / sette abrode the gate
Now hath deceyte / and olde conspyracye
And fayned othes / all of one allye
Openly shewed / theyr falsenesse
And disclosed / all theyr doubylnesse
So ferre abrode / that now is there no geyne
For now alas / the wylde fyre is seyne
In toures hye / with the wynde yblased
Wherof Pryam / astoned and amased
All awapyd / sterte out of his bed
And comforteles / to the temple is fled
Of Appollo / to saue hym if he myght
And aye the flawme / of the fyres bryght
Brent in the towne / and cousumeth all
The ryche byldynge / whylom so royall
That the walles / with theyr rofes huge
Coueryd with lede / for a chefe refuge
Were now alas / bare and bareyne makyd
The grekes aye / with theyr swerdes nakyd
Murdre and slee / where so that they go
That twenty thousande / that nyght and mo
They kylled haue / longe or it was day
And in this slaughter / and this great affray
Spoyle and robbe / and take what they fynde
Treasour / and good / and lefte nat behynde
By myghty honde / and sturdy vyolence
And the temples / without reuerence
They haue despoyled / thorugh out all y e towne
And gredely rent / and racyd downe
Of golde and syluer / the ornamentes alle
Totore the goddes / foule mote them falle
Kynge Pryam aye / with a deedly chere
To Appolio / makynge his prayere
Furyously / this hertely wofull man
As he in soth / that no rede ne can.
BUt wayte his deth / & his fatall Eure
And Cassandra / that holy creature
Of in warde wo / desyrous to sterue
Complaynynge / ran vnto Mynerue
Makynge to hir / a lamentacyowne
With other gentyll women / of the towne
And there alas / as they wolde dye
Full pyteously / they sobbe wepe and crye
And in theyr dooll / there I lette them dwelle
For all theyr sorowes / if I shulde telle
In this storye / and theyr wo descryue
My penne shulde / of very routhe ryue
Rehersynge eke / how in euery strete
Theyr clothes blacke / redy / moyste and wete
As they alas / bothe one and alle
On theyr lordes / downe aswowne falle
With theyr blode bedewed / and ysprent
Where men may se / the cristall terys meynt
Of theyr wepynge / in theyr woundes grene
That laye and blede / agayne the sonne shene
With deedly iyen / castynge vp the whyte
It were but vayne / all here to wryte
Nor the maner / of theyr mortall sorowe
But Guydo wryt / that the same morowe
How Anthenor / and with hym false Enee
Conueyued haue / thorugh out the Cyte
The myghty Grekes / vnto Ylyon
The royall toure / and ryche mansyon
That whylom was / of most excellence
In the whiche / they founde no diffence
Of hye nor lowe / nor of none estate
For it was lefte / alone desolate
With all the golde / and rychesse of the twone
Shet and enclosed / in the chefe dongeowne
[Page] But for there was / no man that withstode
They brake the lockes / & raught away y e gode
And the treasour / that was shet within
Eche for his partye / that he myght wyn
They gaue no force / who was lefe or lothe
And Pyrrus after / to the temple goth
Of Appollo / by great cruelte
And fyll on Pryam / knelynge on his kne
And with his swerde / furyously and wode
Tofore the auter / shadde there his blode
So hye raughte / both in lengthe and brede
That the stremes / of his woundes rede
That the statue / of golde borned bryght
Of this Appollo / for all his great myght
For all his power / and his sterne face
Defouled was / and pollut all the place
Oonly by deth / of this worthy kynge
By Pyrrus slayne / whyle he lay knelynge
Of olde hatrede / and enuyous pryde
Whyle Anthenor / and Enee stode besyde
That routhe was / and pyte to beholde
To sehym lye / on the stones colde
So pyteously / tofore the auter blede
Wherof alas / whan Eccuba toke hede
And hir doughter / fayre Polycene
With heer to rent / as any golde wyer shene
Inly supprysed / with sorowe to the herte
Whan they began / consydre and aduerte
This noble kynge / with blody stremes rede
All for drowned / his eyen dyrke and dede
With Pyrrus swerd / gyrt thorugh outher syde
For mortall fere / they durste nat abyde
But inwardly / thorugh darted with the syght
All in a rage / toke them to the flyght
And yet in sothe / thorugh out the Cyte
They wyste neuer / whytherwarde to flee
Rescuse was none / nor no remedye
Of kynne nor frende / nor of none allye
With grekes swerde / the towne was so be set
And in hir flyght / this wofull quene hath met
Eneas / causer of all this wrake
Vnto whom / rebukynge thus she spake
O thou traytour / moste malycyous
Thou false serpent / adder enuyous
Crope and roote / fynder of falsenesse
Soures and well / of vnkyndenesse
How myghtest thou / in thy herte fynde
Vnto thy kynge / to be so vnkynde
Gynner and grounde / exaumple of treason
And fynall cause / of our destruccyon
How myghtest thou / deuoyde of all pyte
Beholde alas / thorugh thy cruelte
Of the kynge / shedde so the blode
That euer hath ben / so gentyll and so good
So gracyous lorde / specyally to the
And ouer more / thorugh his hye bounte
They honoured / and ymagnefyed
All his lyue / it may nat be denyed
That lyeth now deed / in the temple alas
Thou were nat oonly / traytoure in this caas
But to his deth / conspyrynge and vukynde
Pyrrus conueyinge / where he shuld hȳ fynde
Tofore Appollo / mydes of this Cyte
Where thou shuldest / of very duete
Rather haue ben / his proteccyon
His myghty shelde / and sauacyon
That haste this cyte / and this towne ylorne
In whiche thou were / fostryd and yborne
On the grettest / of reputacyon
Of all the lordes / dwellynge in this towne
In which thou haddest / whylom most pleasaūce
But all is now / out of remembraunce
¶Yet in thy herte / if any drope be
Of gentyllesse / mercy or pyte
In this deedly rage / full of tene
Rewe on my doughter / yonge Polycene
From grekes swerde / hir youthe for to saue
If thy herte / may any routhe haue
Of manly pyte / on hir maydenhede
Diffende hir nowe / and kepe hir out of drede
If thou canste / fynde any weye
In any wyse / that she may nat deye
That hereafter / whan men se and rede
The false treason / and the foule dede
That thou haste done / vnto troye towne
It may in partye / be proteccyowne
To thy fame / the venym to allye
Of this treason / whan men wyll assaye
By iuste reporte / thy name to accuse
This dede may / the helpe to excuse
Agaynst tonges / that speke of Enee
Than wyll they say / thou haddest yet pyte
On Polycene / oonly of gentyllesse
Therwith to sugre / all the bytternesse
Of thy decert / blowe forth by fame
By rehersayle / of the foule blame
That shall of the / thorugh the worlde be borne
With sklaundre infect / whan y u art all to torne
That thou ne shalt / the shame mowe sustene
Than shall my doughter / fayre Polycene
[Page] Be thy diffence / agayne suche famous stryfe
If it so be / now thou saue hir lyfe
Of me no forse / though thou make as blyue
The swerde of grekes / thorugh my herte ryue
And so by prayer / of this wofull quene
This Eneas / toke to hym Polycene
Whose traytour herte / for all his cruelte
On hir youthe / was meued of pyte
Oonly of routhe / that in his breste arose
And secretely / put hir vp in close
Lyste that Grekes / founde occasyon
Agaynst hym / and Ayax Thelamon
Toke to his warde / Andronomecha
Actors wyfe / and wyse Cassandra
Out of the Temple / longynge to Mynerue
From Grekes swerde / theyr lyues to conserue
And Menelay / toke the quene Eleyne
Into his Garde / for whom so great a payne
Bode in his herte / many day toforne
By whom alas / the Cyte is now lorne
And grekes aye / were besy in theyr yre
To slee and kylle / and cruelly to fyre
On euery syde / and to bete downe
Paleys and house / and walles of the towne
They spare nought / for all goth to the fyre
So feruent hate / brent in theyr desyre
Of olde enuye / auenged for to be
That they ne lefte / within the Cyte
No thynge vnbrent / and also Ylyowne
Was in this rage / tourned vp so downe
There made were / none excepcyons
Oonly out take / the possessyons
Of Anthenor / euyll mote he fate
And Eneas / whom the grekes spare
As they to them / were vounde by theyr othe
And thus the grekes / furyous and wrouthe
Haue all that day / robbed and ybrent
Tyll that the kynge / Agamenon hath sent
For his lordes / to assemble yfere
In Pallas temple / oonly for to here
Theyr wyse aduyse / vpon thynges twayne
Firste if they wolde / holde and nat fayne
Hoolly theyr hope / without excepcyowne
To them by whom / they wonne first the towne
And ouer more / he axed them also
Touchynge the goddes / what they wolde do
With golde treasour / and possessyowne
That they haue won / thurgh their hye renown̄
And they answerd / without more tariynge
They wolde theyr fayth / kepe in euery thynge
As they were sworne / and hestys holde
And ouer this / they sayde how they wolde
That golde treasour / and good of the Cyte
As right requyreth / and also equyte
Be iustly partyd / by dyuysyon
To euery wyght / made distrybucyon
Lyke his meryt / of hye / and lowe degre
And that the kynge / eke of reason se
Eche to rewarde / after his laboure
So as it longeth / to a conqueroure
That no man haue / mater to compleyne
And so they fylle / in spekynge of Eleyne
Eueryche after / his oppynyon
And tofore all other / Ayax Thelamon.
Shortly sayde / she hath deserued deth
For whom so many / haue yelde vp the breth
Playnely affermynge / there in Parlement
Of rightwysnesse / and trewe Iugement
She shulde nat escape / with the lyfe
That gynnynge was / & cause of all theyr stryfe
Rote and grounde / of all theyr sorowe & wo
And so sayde eke / many a nother mo
And for the noyse / and the great affray
Agamenon / nor kynge Menelay
Ne durste a worde / for hir party meue
To saue y e quene / lyste grekes wold them greue
Agaynst them / there was so great rumour
Tyll Vlixes / chefely / hir socour
Thorugh his wyt / and his eloquence
His deuer dyde / and his dylygence
To saue hir lyfe / and fully to purchace
Of the grekes / for to gette hir grace
And as Guydo / also doth vs lere
Agamenon / Grekes gan requere
To graunte hym / for a chefe guerdo [...]
Of Cassandra / to haue possessyon
All hir lyfe / with hym to abyde
Eke Eneas / and Anthenor besyde
Of Elenus / to the Grekes tolde
How to the werre / he neuer assent wolde
And how that he / prudent and vertuous
In counsayllynge / was contraryous
To all tho / of hye and lowe estate
In Troye firste / that began debate
At wixe grekes / and this myghty towne
Eke by his helpe / and medyacyowne
Achylles / was buryed and ygraue
The deed corps / from houndes for to saue
Whan he was slayne / in full cruell wyse
By nyght tyme / as ye haue herde deuyse
[Page] For sothly he / and Cassandra bothe
Of this murdre / in herte were full wrothe
And sory eke / of many another thynge
Wrought in the towne / w tout theyr wyttynge
And for they were / of malys Innocent
The Grekes haue / fully by assent
Graunted to them / a prerogatyfe
By Parlement / for to haue theyr lyfe
But Elenus / firste in teers drowned
Tofore the kynge / pyteously hath swowned
And abraydynge / with a deedly face
In humble wyle / besought hym of his grace
Of knyghtly pyte / to haue his aduertence
To spare his swerde / fro blode of Innocence
And of mercy / that he nat disdayne
To graunte lyfe / to the sones twayne
Of worthy Ector / his brother most entere
And eke to rewe / on theyr moder dere
Oonly of grace / that she be nat dede
A wydowe left alone / and can no rede
And wote nat whyther / that she may dyuerte
And so the kynge / ameued in his herte
Of his wordes / and his wofull chere
Benygnely / graunted his prayere
And gaue eke lyfe / and fredam for to go
To the moder / and hir children two
And to ladyes / and gentyll women alle
That for mercy / to his grace calle
He graunted eke / of compassyon
A safe conduyt / and a fre pardon
Where that them lyst / in the towne abyde
Or in the countre / adiacent besyde
He put it hole / in theyr eleccyowne
And thankynge hȳ / they fyll on knees downe
With many tere / dewed in the face
And so the kynge / parteth fro the place
And after that / grekes right anone
Fully purpose / to shyp for to gone
In haste to sayle / towarde theyr countree
But suche a tempest / rose vp in the see
Of wawe and wynde / also of cloudes blake
All a moneth / that they dare nat take
The water salte / for drede of Neptunus
Of very Ire / and also Golus
Was vnto them / in euery thynge contrarye
That on the londe / made them longe tarye
The see was aye / so fell and bolyinge
Tyll that grekes / of Clachas enquerynge
By one assent / what it myght be
That euer in one / so dyuerse was the see
In his rage / both at eue and morowe
And he answerd / god gyue hym euyll sorowe
This olde shrewe / with all his prophesye
That can so well / whan hym lyst to lye
How this tempest / caused was at all
By the goddes / and furyes infernall
That neuer wolde / appese nor be stylle
Tyll the murdre / platly / of Achylle
Auenged be / and shedynge of his blode
For whiche he sayde / Appollo was eke wode
For his temple / to hym consecrate
Was thorugh his deth / in Troye vyolate
By blode / agayne be made satysfaccyon
Wherfore there muste / thorugh redempcyon
Of hir that was roote / in specyall
Thorugh hir beaute / and orygynall
Cause of his deth / yonge Polycene
And gynnynge firste / of his mortall tene
Therfore to Appollo / she myght vp offred be
By sacryfyce / to please his deyte
With deth agayne / to make recompence
Right as by deth / firste was the offence
This grekes muste / vtterly fulfyll
If they desyre / for to haue at wyll
The large see / to sayle in quyete
And Pyrus / tho in a Furyous hete
Gan enquere / aboute of euery man
For Polycene / but no wyght tell can
Of hir a worde / nor shortly where she was
Saufe some sayde / how that Eneas
And Anthornor / hadde hyd hir pryuely
Wherof there rose / amonge them sodaynely
Suche a grutchynge / of grekes all aboute
Of theyr lyfe / that they were in doute
So inwardly / this thynge they toke at grefe
Tyll Anthenor / god gyue hym euyll prefe
That may of treason / as wardeyne bere y e keye
To shewe out / his malys euery weye
So longe hath sought / tyll in a chaumbre olde
He hath hir founde / and the grekes tolde
And brought hir forth / vnto theyr presence
By cruell force / and hatefull vyolence
Without pyte / or compassion
And hir delyueryd / to Agamenon
And he alas / by hasty Iugement
Without respyte / or auysement
Shortly hath dempte / that she shalbe dede
That was flourynge / in hir maydenhede
And for to do / excepcyon
She was assygned / by Agamenon
[Page] Vnto Pyrrus / and he of Tyrannye
Ladde hir forth / and fast gan hym hye
To the place / where she shulde deye
Great was the prease / that in the weye
Gan Croude and shoue / to beholde and sene
This yonge mayde / fayre Polycene
That for hir beaute / and hir semlynesse
Hir womanhede / and excellent fayrenesse
Of all yfere / whan they toke hede
They hadde routhe / that she shalbe dede
Without gylte / or any more trespace
Where men may se / vpon many face
The salte terys / faste fall downe
Of very pyte / and compas [...]yowne
For man nor childe / was none so harde of herte
But he felte / for hir sake smerte
Hir goodly face / whan they beholde and se
And fayne wolde / if it myght haue be
Delyuered hir / of very force anone
From Pyrrus hōde / but for they wende echone
Without hir deth / neuer to haue repayre
Into Grece / nor the weder fayre
As Calchas hadde / made suggestyon
And brought them all / in oppynyon
And at the laste / whan this Polycene
Of dede and wyll / a very mayde clene
Was to the graue / of Achylles brought
She kneleth downe / & w t an humble thought
Caste vp hir Eye / and gan syghe ofte
And to the goddes / humbly and softe
With dredfull herte / and deuocyon
Made in this wyse / hir lamentacyon.
OYe almyghty / y t in this worlde gouerne
And euery thynge / consydre & discerne
By whom this worlde / so huge large & rounde
Bothe eyer and see / heuen and eke the grounde
At your deuyse / with a worde was wrought
And soth fastly / knowe euery thought
Right as it is / of euery maner wyght
Without lettynge / so persynge is your syght
That no thynge is / concelyd nor ywrye
From the beholdynge / of your eternall eye
And euery thynge / may attones se
Vpon my soule / haue mercy and pyte
And of your grace / and benygne cure
Vpon my woo / and pyteous auenture
Haue some routhe / now that I shall deye
My wofull spirite / to lede and conueye
Where as you lyste / nowe that I shall pace
For vnto you / in this selfe place
I me confesse / with all humylyte
That hethertowarde / I haue in chastyte
Lade all my lyfe / and kept my maydenhede
In your seruyse / bothe in thought and dede
In porte in chere / and in countenaunce
Or for feture / of any dalyaunce
With one mysloke / I neuer yet abrayde
So that in sothe / I dye shall a mayde
As ye well knowe / of synne all innocent
Though I be nowe / dempt by Iugement
For to be deed / without gylte at all
Wytnesse on you / that be inmortall
Clene of entent / of that I am accusyd
And yet alas / I may nat be excusyd
But that the swerde / of vengeaunce mustebyte
Routheles / whiche am no thynge to wyte
But stonde clere / and pure of all offence
And discharged / in my conscyence
I dare afferme / and fully gylteles
Touchynge / the murdre of worthy Achylles
Whiche slewe my brother / and after louyd me
And is nowe cause / of myne aduersyte
And yet in wyll / dede / worde / nor thought
Vnto his deth / assentaunt was right nought
But therof / was right sory in my herte
Albe that / I may nat now asterte
For to be deed / oonly for his sake
On me alone / vengeaunce shalbe take
Without mercy / in full cruell wyse
With my blode / to make sacryfy [...]e
To the goddes / theyr wrathe for to queme
O people blynde / in sothe amys ye deme
Agaynst me / your herte is so cruell
To mercyles / to Yrous and to fell
Without routhe / to mykell Indurate
To slee a mayde / alone desolate
Out of your herte / alas pyte is gone
Harder in trouthe / than outher stocke or stone
And more cruell / in your oppynyon
Forlacke of pyte / than Tygre or Lyon
Certes ye be / greatly for to blame
And oughte therof / for to haue great shame
To assent / to so foule a dede
To slee a mayde / quakynge in hir drede
And graunte hir none / oportunyte
For to be wepe / hir virgynyte
That of this cruell / & this pyteous wreche
My blode / your gylte / hereafter shall apeche
And accuse also / your great enuye
[Page] To the goddes / that shall iustefye
Euery vnright / bothe of hye and lowe
Full egally / and make to be knowe
The trouthe playnely / spare and no degree
But make open / that is now secree
I saye nat this / nor my selfe complayne
To haue reders / of my fatall payne
For deth is now / more welcome vnto me
Than is my lyfe / and more I take at gree
Sythen my brether / most worthy of renowne
Be slayne all / and buryed in this towne
My Fader deed / in his vn weldy age
And I alone / lefte in all this rage
And haue abyde / pyteously to se
Fynall ruyne / now of this Cyte
Whiche at my herte / sytteth now so sore
That leuer I haue / than to wepe more
Dye attones / in reles of my woo
Sythe all my kynne / is passed and agoo
Longer to lyue / were to me a deth
For better is here / to yelde vp the breth
Than to be lad / out of this Cyte
Amonge straungers / to lyue in pouerte.
O Deth welcome / and longer lette
Thy dredefull darte / to fyle & to whette
My tendre herte / therwith all to ryue
Agayne thy myght / I shall neuer stryue
Now is tyme / to kythe thy powere
On me that am / of wyll and herte entere
A clene mayde / so as I began
Without touche / of any maner man
In all my lyfe / to this same day
This lytell auaunt / make yet I may
In myn ende / to the goddes alle
After whose helpe / now I clyppe and calle
And to theyr mercy / mekely I cōmende
My wofull spirite / & pray them that they sende
To euery mayde / better happe and grace
Than I haue nowe / and a longer space
In hertely ioye / and honour to contune
Without assaute / of any infortune
To lede theyr lyfe / in prosperyte
And all maydens / remembreth vpon me
To take exaumple / how ye shall you kepe
And that ye wolde / a fewe terys wepe
Whan that ye thynke / vpon Polycene
That was of age / and of yeres grene
Whan she was slayne / by cruell auenture
And to the goddes / for to haue in cure
My dredfull goste / hoolly I betake
Eternally / and thus an ende I make
And with y t worde / hir hede she gan enclyne
Full humbly / whan she shulde fyne
And of hir eyen / helde the ledes downe
And Pyrrus than / wodder than lyon
Dismembred hath / with his sharpe swerde
This mayde yonge / dredefull and a ferde
And ouer more / his cruelte to shewe
On peces smale / he hath hir all to hewe
Endelonge / his Faders sepulture
Alas how myght / his cruell herte endure
Mercyles to do / so foule adede
I am astoned / sothely whan I rede
After hir deth / how it dyde hym gode
Lyke a tyraunt / to caste abrode hir blode
Or a Tygre / that can no routhe haue
Rounde enuyrowne / aboute his Faders graue
He sprent of hate / and of cruelte
O thou Pyrrus / thou mayste full well ybe
Achylles sone / by lyneall discent
For lyke to hym / of herte and of entent
Thou were in sothe / deuoyde of all pyte
And werse than he / yet in one degree
For of thy Fader / in all his lyuynge
Ne radde I neuer / yet so foule a thynge
Though I wolde / of hatrede hym abrayde
For no rancoure / that euer he slewe amayde
I fynde well / that he hadde his parte
Whylom in loue / of Cupydes darte
That made hym sore / in his lyue smerte
Whan that he was / wounded to the herte
With the castynge / oonly of an Eye
Wenynge therby / wystly for to deye
He myght nat / the sodayne stroke escape
And afterwarde / as his fate hathe shape
He murdred was / for the loue of Polycene
Whom thou haste slayne / in thy cruell tene
Furyously / without routhe or shame
For whiche thynge / the foule hatefull fame
Thorugh al the worlde / hereafter shalbe sprede
Whan this storye / rehersyd is and rede
Than shalbe sayde / that Pyrrus routheles
Slewe in his yre / a mayde gyltles
And woryed shall / thy name most odyble
Be for this dede / passyngly horryble
For loue oonly / of fayre Polycene
The deth of whom / whan Eccuba the quene
Hath seen alas / as she besyde stode
For very wo / gan to wexe wode
[Page] And for sorowe / out of hir wytte she wente
And hir clothes / and hir heer she rente
All in a rage / and wot nat what she doth
But gan anone / with hondes and with toth
In hir Furye / crache and eke byte
Stones caste / and with fystes smyte
Whom she mette / tyll grekes made hir bynde
And sente hir forth / also as I fynde
Into an Yle / to Troye partynent
Where she was slayne / oonly by Iugement
Of the Grekes / and stoned to the deth
And whan she hadde / yelde vp the breth
This wofull quene / by cruell auenture
The Grekes dyde make / a Sepulture
Ceryously / of metall and of stone
And toke the corps / and buryed it anone
With great honour / and solempnyte
That longe after / men there myght se
The ryche toumbe / costfull and royall
There set and made / for a memoryall
Of Eccuba / whylom of great fame
And after gaue / to that place a name
And called it / to be longe in mynde
¶Locus in festus / in Guydo as I fynde
And thus the quene / oonly for sorowe wode
Whan hir doughter / hadde shadde hir blode
Of grekes stone / dyde hir ende make
As ye haue herde / playnely for the sake
Of Polycene / whylom by Calchas
Vnto Appollo / falsly offryde was
By Pyrrus swerde / Achylles auengynge
To make the see / calme and blandysshynge
That the goddes / take no vengeaunce
Vpon Grekes / that an euyll chaunce
Come to this false / goddes euerychone
And theyr statues / of stockes and of stone
In whiche the serpent / and the olde snake
Sathan hym selfe / gan his dwellynge make
And fraudently / folkes to illude
Full sotyll / can hym selfe include
In ymages / for to make his holde
That forgyd be / of syluer and of golde
That by erroure / of false illusyon
He hath ybrought / to confusyon
Thorugh myscreaūce / y e worthy kynde of man
Sythe tyme / that alder firste began
The false honour / of ydolatrye
And the worshyp / vnto Maumetrye
By sacryfyse / of bestes and of blode
To apese them / whan that they are wode
And to queme / bothe at eue and morowe
I pray to god / gyue them all sorowe
Where so they be / within or withoute
I none excepte / of the false route
Saturne / nor Mars / Pallas / nor Iuno
Iubyter / Mercurius / nor Pluto
Nouther Flora / that doth the floures sprede
Nouther Bachus / with grapes whyte & [...]ede
Nor Cupydo / with his Eyen blynde
Nouther Daphne / closyd vnder rynde
Thorugh Tellus myght / of the laurer tree
Nor thou Dyane / with thy chastytee
Myghty Venus / nor Cytherea
With thy dartes / nor Proserpyna
That lady arte / depe downe in helle
Nor Belydes / that draweth at the welle
Ixyon / nor thou zezyphus
Nor with thyne appyll / thou cruell Tantalus
Nor the Furyes / that be infernall
Nor ye that spynne / the lyues threde fatall
Vpon the rocke / of euery maner man
Nor the Muses / that so synge can
At wene the Coppys / of Nysus and Cyrra
Vpon the hylle / besyde Cyrrea
Nor the Cybeles / nor Ceres with thy corne
Nor Golus / of whom the dredefull horne
Is herde so ferre / whan thou lyst to blowe
Nor Ianus / By frons / with backe corbed lowe
Nor Pryapys / nor Genyus the preste
That curseth aye / with candellys in his feste
Them thoechone / that frowarde be to kynde
Nor ymeneus / whose power is to bynde
Hertes that be knet / in maryage
Tyll the goddesse / of discorde and rage
Disseuerth them / by dyuysyon
Nouther Maues / that haue theyr mansyon
Myd the erthe / in dyrkenesse and in woo
Nor this Elues / that are wont to goo
In vndyrmeles / whan Phebus is most shene
Nouther Fawny / in tendre greues grene
Water Nymphes / nor this Naydes
Satirye / nouther Dryades
That goddes be / of woode and wyldernesse
Nor other goddes / nouther more nor lesse
As Morpheus / that is the god of slepe
I holde hym woode / that taketh any kepe
To do to them / any obseruaunce
He may nat fayle / for to haue myschaunce
At the ende / playnely for his mede
For all suche feyned falsenesse / out of drede
[Page] Rose of the deuyll / and firste by his engyne
And of his sleyghty / Treynes serpentyne
Oonly mankynde / whan he made loute
To false ydoles / the whiche out of doute
Are but deuylles / Dauyd bereth wytnesse
In the sautre / where he wryt expresse
And confermeth / there as he endytes
How the goddes / of Paganysme rytes
One and all / he excepteth none
Be made of golde / of syluer and of stone
Forged of brasse / of metall and of tree
And eyen haue / and yet they may nat se
And all at fendes / so as Dauyd sayth
That who in them / haueth any fayth
Hope credence / or in them delyte
It is no drede / that they wyll hym quyte
With suche guerdon / as the soule sleeth
Perpetuelly / so that the fyne is deth
Of theyr seruyse / whan men hense pace
And in theyr lyfe vnhap / and euyll grace
Myschefe and woo / and confusyowne
As men may se / exaumple by this towne
That wende well / assured for to haue be
And to haue stonde / in longe prospyryte
Agayne theyr foon / thorugh helpe 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
[Page] The fourthe boke / that I haue complyed
With humble honde / of drede y • 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.

[figure]
WHan Eolus / which doth y e wȳdes 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 grekꝭ / to shypward gan thē 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
[Page] 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 reasō I may meue
Touchyng y e wȳnyng / & 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 / w tout auaunt out breke
As of knyghthode / and armes for to speke
In the felde / by longe contynuaunce
Of manly Force / and ꝑseueraunce
Vpon our foon / that were so fell and kene
Day by day / I was armed clene
It nedeth nat / to make mencyon
With my right honde / I slewe Phylemon
As ye well knowe / whiche had in his kepynge
The yonge sone / of Pryamus the kynge
Fresshe and lusty / and of great fayrenesse
And with hym hadde / infynyte rychesse
Of treasoure / golde / passyngly plente
And euerydele / was brought to you by me
If ye remembre / and lyst take hede
That ye were quyte / of Indigence and nede
By occasyon / of that great gode
And thorugh my manhode / shad I nat y • blode
Mercyles / in full cruell wyse
For your sake / of the kynge of Fryse
And the treasour / in his cofres sought
And all yfere / to the sege ybrought
And by my knyghthode / sythe go full yore
Haue I nat eke / augmented and made more
The Grekes londe / with possessyons
By conquest oonly / of two regyons
Thorugh my prudence / and my labour wonne
Sythen that ye / the sege firste begonne
With prouynces / to Troye adiacent
To your encrease / I was so dylygent
And with Achylles / the worthy warryoure
Ye be experte / full well of my laboure
What we wrought / to your auauntage
And sythen ye so prudent / be and sage
Nat foryetyll / but fully remembrynge
It nedeth nat / reherse euery thynge
And to dispreue / manly as a knyght
His tytle and cleyme / that he hath no ryght
The dome cōmyttynge / to your oppynyons
[Page] By rehersayle / of his condycyons
He nouther hath / manhode nor prowesse
Force knyghode / nouther hardynesse
And at a poynt / for to haue rewarde
In dorynge do / preued a cowarde
Experyence / hath shewed you in dede
How that he is / whan it cometh to nede
But worde and wynde / & sleyghty cōpassynge
And on falshode / euer ymagynynge
For euer yet / to this daye was preuyd
That any thynge / was by hym acheuyd
Whiche myght be / entytled to his laude
But the ende / medlyd were with fraude
For vnder coloure / he can cure alle
Pretende fayre / lyke a paynted walle
Dyuerse hewed / that nouther hye nor lowe
There may no man / his playne menȳge knowe
And with suche sleyghte / cōpassyd by treason
Out of Troye / he gat Palladyon
Whiche is great shame / & sclaundre to vs alle
For of our conquest / it is thus befalle
More of treason / we haue the cyte wonne
Than of knyghthode / as men reporte konne
And crop and rote / if I reherse shall
Vlixes there / is grounde and cause of all
And gynnynge firste / of this vnhappy fame
That reboundeth / to our alder shame
And syth the trouthe / is platly knowen & wyste
My tale is endyde / deme as ye lyste.
VLixes than / in his aduertence
Conceyued hath / the great inpacyence
Of Thelamon / and the great enuye
The feruent rancoure / and melancolye.
Forbare hym firste / by full great aduyse
As he that was / full prudent and right wyse
And thought he wolde / make therof no iape
By no worde for haste / that shulde escape
Nouther by none / vnbrydled countenaunce
Outwarde conceyued / in his regardaunce
And abraydynge / with a stable face
Syres quod he / so I may haue grace
Vnder supporte / of your hye presence
That my tale / may haue audyence
I nouther am / in doute nor in drede
Of equyte / that I shall possede
Palladyon / durynge my lyues day
Maugre the myght / of who that say nay
For if ye lyste / of reason for to se
At the sege layde / firste to this cyte
I haue my selfe / in double wyse a quyt
As well by knyghthode / sothly as by wyt
And thorugh my counsayle / and my besy cure
Be ofte cause / of theyr discomfyture
Aye dylygent / to your auauntage
Worught and compassyd / vnto theyr damage
That to this day / in sothe ne hadde I be
They hadde floured / in theyr felycyte
In theyr force / contuned and welfare
And if that I / the trouthe shall nat spare
If it be dempt / and lokyd of reason
I was moste cause / of theyr confusyon
Who so euer / agaynst it replye
How ofte wente I / on embassatrye
With importable costes / and dispense
The treate aye / concludynge in sentence
To the forthrynge / of your entencyowne
And disencrease / and hyndrynge of the towne
And whan I sawe / other mene none
In myne aduyse / and wyttes euerychone
By our force / the cyte for to wyn
Whyle they hadde / y • relyke them within
Therupon / so sotelly ywrought
That vnto you / Palladyon ybrought.
¶Whiche Thelamon / that of malys stryueth
Of olde hatrede / vnto my gylt ascryueth
Hoolly this thynge / y • I haue for you worught
But ye that be / so prudent in your thought
Aduerteth wysely / and an ende maketh
And in your honde / this quarell fully taketh
Palladyon iustly / to prouyde
And all fauour / let be layde a syde
Syth all this thynge / ye platly vnderstonde
And let vs both / to your demynge stonde
By one assent / how so the mater wende
Lo here is all / my tale is at an ende
Than Thelamon / in Ire full feruent
Of hate / made inpacyent
And of enuye / inwardly ameued
Vlixes hath / dispyteously repreued
Oonly of malys / and of hye disdayne
And Vlixes / rebukynge hym agayne
Full bytterly / without abode anone
And so they twayne / made full mortall fone
In the presence / of Agamenon
But furyously / Ayax Thelamon
Of melancolye / pale and nothynge rede
Thratte Vlixes / that he shalbe dede
Of his hondes / he shulde it nat eschewe
And grekes tho / all rancour to remewe
[Page] This quarell / put in arbytracyon
Of Menelay / and Agamenon
That caused after / a full mortall stryfe
For by sentence / anone diffynytyfe
They put Vlixes / in possessyon
Perpetuelly / of Palladyon
With hym confermynge / to abyde stable
And cause why / they were fauourable
To Vlixes / lyke as Guydo / wryt
Was / for that he so goodly hath hym quyt
Vnto Eleyne / at gettynge of the towne
Beynge in cause / of hir [...]auacyon
Dispeyred / and of hir lyfe in drede
Grekes wyllynge / to haue had hir dede
But thorugh his prudent / medyacyon
Maugre the myght / of this Thelamon
He hath the quene / fro the deth preserued
Albe that she hadde / it well deserued
As Grekes sayde / in theyr oppynyon
And thus defrauded / of Palladyon
As ye haue herde / was this worthy knyght
For all his manhode / and his great myght
Where thorugh there gan / in his herte brede
Passynge enuye / and full great hatrede
And thought he wolde / auenged be some day
Vpon Vlixes / and on Menelay
And eke also / vpon Agamenon
And out he brake / lyke a wood lyon
With his knyghtes / aboute hym y • were stronge
And sayde playnely / of this great wronge
For to be deed / he wolde auenged be
And specyally / on this ylke thre
And therwithall / Furyous and wrothe
Tournynge his backe / out anone he goth
In herte fret / with full mortall tene
With many greke / his quarell to sustene
That in herte sore / gan disdayne
Agayne Vlixes / and the tother twayne
But they full ware / what so euer falle
Theyr knyghtes / made aboute them for to calle
And with great stuffe / where they wake or slepe
To awayte on them / and manly for to kepe
With full good watche / enuyron all the close
But full erely / or the sonne arose
This worthy Ayax / in his bed vpryght
Ymurdred was / the selfe same nyght
And all be bledde / in the morowe founde
Onpeces hewe / with many mortall wounde
That for this thynge / cruell and horryble
To god and man / lothsome and odyble
Full many greke / that wofull morowe wepe
To se a knyght / so murdred in his slepe
That the crye / and the noyse ran
Thorugh out the hoost / an one fro man to man
And for constreynt / of this foule dede
Eueryche of them / felte his herte blede
Full desyrous / to make an ordynaunce
On this murdre / for to do vengeaunce
Hauynge therof / great suspecyon
To Menelay / and Agamenon.
But to Vlixes / moste in specyall
By comon voyce / to hym arrettynge all
The foule fame / he myght nat asterte
But Pyrrus moste / toke this thynge at herte
Makynge a vowe / Furyous and wode
To be venged / playnely on the blode
Of Thelamon / vpon vlixes hede
Hym manasynge / that he shalbe dede
So sore on hym / fretynge was the sorowe
But vlixes / erely on a morowe
For drede of Pyrrus / taken hath the see
And with his sheppes / faste gan to flee
But or he wente / platly as I rede
Palladyon / he toke to Dyemede
Hauynge in herte / a full great remors
And Pyrrus than / taken hath the cors
Of Thelamon / for loue in specyall
And dyde make / a flawme funerall
Large and great / of colys hoot and rede
And amyddes / the feruent firy glede
Full many a Greke / stondynge to beholde
He lette it brenne / into asshes colde
And in the storye / after as is tolde
Herlosed them / in an vrne of golde
Full reuerently / and after hath it shette
And therupon / he hath the prynt ysette
Of his armes / curyously ygraue
From all myschefe / the asshes for to saue
And sent them home / by great affeccyon
To be conserued / in the regyon
Where he was kynge / whyle he was alyue
And euery thynge / was perfourmed blyue
After the rytes / in tho dayes vsed
And euer in one / Pyrrus hath ymused
Vpon this murdre / traytoursly ywrought
And caste it shulde / be full dere abought
The pyteous deth / of this Thelamon
Hauynge aye herte / to Agamenon
And hadde eke suspect / olde Menelay
That in a wayte / eche for other lay
[Page] Makynge them selfe / w t theyr knyghtꝭ stronge
To trye out / who hath right or wronge
For Pyrrus ne wolde / let it lyghtly gone
And thus they were / made mortall fone
This ylke thre / platly to the deth
Thorugh false enuye / whiche their hertes sleeth
And whyle they were / amonge thē self vntrewe
Stryfe vpon stryfe / gan euery day renewe
And debates / for to multeplye
Tyll Anthenor / gan this thynge espye
And by his wysdome / to stynte all disdayne
Them reconcyled / vnto peas agayne
And caused them / to accorde in all
And after made / a feste full royall
Besechynge them / full lowely all thre
To graunt hym / therat for to be
Of gentyllesse / that Grekes myght echone
Outwarde conceyue / that they were alone
And to this feste / he manly made calle
As wryt Guydo / the worthy grekes alle
Of hye ne lowe / was none excepcyon
But if I shulde / make descripcyon
How the lordes / and estates sete
Of sondry courses / and the gyftes grete
That Anthenor / gaue on euery syde
It were to longe / to you for to abyde
There was of plente / so great suffysaunce
And I fynde / they fyll in dalyaunce
Syttyng at met / to speke of Enee
Brought in of hate / and of enmyte
And of disdayne / shortely in sentence
They put on hym / many great offence
And specyally / in theyr hasty tene
Whylom how / he concyled Polycene
And by his sleyghte / made hir be withdrawe
Whiche was in cause / Achylles was slawe
Shortly concludynge / by one oppynyon
His fynall exyle / out of Troye towne
Nat withstandynge / the graunt and lyberte
Gyuen to hym / to abyde in the Cyte
Also longe / as hym lyste deuyse
But grekes haue / annullyd his Fraunchyse
Fro the lowest / vp vnto the meste
That were present / at this hye feste
But douteles / I can nat well espye
By whom was brought / this conspyracye
In Troye boke / I fynde can no more
Saue that hym selfe / wytte it Anthenore
Ilyche false / bothe in one degre
As ye haue herde / betraysshynge the Cyte
Lyke as they hadde / spronge out of one roote
And whā he knewe / there was none other boote
This Eneas / his dome to modefye
He prayed them / of theyr courtesye
At the leest / to graunte hym grace
Foure monthes / that he myght haue space
To make his stuffe / and his apparayle
And hymselfe / to puruey of vytayle
Eke to graunt hym / that they wolde assent
Thylke shyppes / that with Parys went
To Cytheron / vnto that temple olde
That were in nombre / two and twenty tolde
And with full graunt / of his petycyowne
He is retourned / home to Troye towne
Tryste and heuy / to se and beholde
The waste Cyte / with his walles olde
And for sorowe / felte his herte blede
Within hymselfe / whan he taketh hede
And remembred / in his aduertence
The false treason / and the great offence
By hym compassyd / to the towne aforne
And howe that he / so sodaynely hath lorne
The grace of grekes / and stode disconsolate
That whylom was / of so great estate
Now in his herte / fully dispayred
That he vnwarely / was so euyll apayred
Vnto Grekes / behynde at his backe
Beyng vngylty / and without lacke
And by whom / he coude nat well deme
Saue by sygnes / as it dyde seme
That Anthenor was / most for to wyte
And caste playnely / that he wold hym quyte
And thorugh the towne / he made sende blyue
For thylke fewe / that were lefte a lyue
Comynge anone / at his cōmaundement
And whan they were / euerychone present.
SYres quod he / ye se how that fortune
Towardes me / gynneth discontune
Aye vnstable / with hir eyen blynde
As ye experte / in your selfe now fynde
Whylom frowarde / now tourned into werse
That of clerkes / called is aduerse
Whan hir lyste / hir cruelte to shewe
Now it standeth so / ye be here but a fewe
And I must parte / and ye stylle abyde
But it so be / that ye wyll prouyde
Stondynge alone / deuoyde of all socoure
Amonge your selfe / to make a gouernoure
I can nat se / but ye shalbe acloyed
[Page] On euery parte / and fynally destroyed
As sely shepe / that ne can no rede
All disparpled / whiche am with drede
Wherfore best is / in this dredfull thynge
By one assent / to chese you a kynge
And moste able / the estate to occupye
From all assaute / manly you to guye
Is Anthenor / of knyghthode and renowne
If it accorde / with your oppynyowne
Wherfore in haste / vnto this entent
Without abode / lete hym for be sent
And at his comynge / playnely into towne
Vpon his hede / let be set a crowne
Grauntynge to hym / sceptre and regalye
By his wysedome / that he may you guye
From all assaute / of any parturbaunce
By his knyghthode / & prudent gouernaunce
And they assent / makynge no delay
There was neuer one / that lyketh to say nay
But were right gladde / in all maner thynge
As ye haue herde / for to make hym kynge.
But they full lytell / sothly in theyr sonde
Of Eneas / the menynge vnderstonde
For he ne mente / but treason and falsehede
How at his entrynge / that he shalbe dede
Full traytoursly / in awayte liynge
To slee hym falsely / at his in cōmynge
But Anthenor / of all this no thynge ware
Dysarmed came / and no wepen bare
And Eneas / with an huge route
With swerdes drawe / set hym rounde aboute
Tyll they of Troye / both yonge and olde
Ran atwene / and manly hym with holde
And on theyr knees / fyll mekely downe
Besechynge hym / to haue compassyowne
Of worthynesse / and also of manhede
Lyke as a knyght / for to take hede
How they were left / but of people bare
Besechynge hym / his dredfull swerde to spare
And his rancoure / and his yre leue
Lest the slaughtre / wolde them all greue
And on the comon / they besought hym rewe
Quod Eneas / is he nat vntrewe
Is nat he double traytoure / and eke false
Worthy to be / enhanged by the halse
Of all desceyte / and of fraude welle
Amonge no comon / worthy for to dwelle
Hath he nat be / chefe occasyon
Of your vndoynge / and destruccyon
And of newe this serpent / whiche there gothe
Vndisserued / make the Grekes wrothe
Agayne me / by false coll [...]yowne
And myne Exyle / conspyred fro the towne
Whiche may nat be / repellyd nor withdrawe
But with my swerde / firste he shalbe slawe
That his falshede / may fynally be daunted
Right as he hath / me traytoursly supplaunted
The grekes menynge / fer out of this yle
By his engyne / me playnely to exyle
Where as I caste / if it myght haue be
Bothe in ioye / and in aduersyte
To haue had my parte / what so had falle
Durynge my lyfe / here amonge you alle
But he thurgh whom / all is wronge & kourbed
Of my desyre / hath the fyne perturbed
Whiche in my herte / abydeth alway grene
Was he nat cause / eke that Polycene
Yslawe was / at Achylles graue
And for all this / yet ye wolde hym saue
But vtterly / there shall no mene gayne
Who so euer / there agaynst playne
That he / whose herte / al treason hath compyled
Perpetuelly / shall now be exyled
Out of this towne / there shall it no man lette
And by assent / they his tyme sette
Whiche he shulde / for no raunson pace
This was the fyne / he gete none other grace
Thus bothe false / as brother lyke to brother
Eueryche of them / hath exyled other
Traytours bothe / to Troye the Cytee
This Anthenor / and with hym eke Enee
But Anthenor / gan hym redy make
And in all haste / hath the see ytake
With many Troyan / in great apparayle
The wynde was good / and he began to sayle
By many coste / and many sondry yles
It nedeth nat / reherse all the myles
Nor the perrelles / playnely whiche that he
At great myschefe / escaped in the see
I haue no ioye / therupon to dwelle
His auentures / by and by to telle
But shortly he / in a lytell whyle
Aryued vp / at a noble Yle
That whylom was / Gorbodya Ycalled
Where he bylt a Cyte / strongly walled
As wryt Guydo / large wyde and longe
Vpon a roche / whiche passyngly was stronge
Whiche had enuyron / as myn Auctour telles
Woddes / ryuers / and many lusty welles
And hadde plente / of all maner thynge
[Page] And Tethydes / called was the kynge
That helde in peas / his sceptre and his crowne
On whom Fortune / lyst nat for to frowne
But fauourable / fully to his wylle
Conseruynge hym / in peas and in tranquylle
Without trouble / many a daye afore
To whom acceptyd was / this Anthenore
And right welcome / as the storye sayth
And vnto hym / confederate by fayth
Fully assured / be came his lege man
Whan Tethydes / in all that euer he can
This worthy kynge / dyde magnefye
And fro Troye / great nombre of his allye
There came in soth / to vysyte hym and se
And to enhabyte / his myghty stronge Cyte
Full curyously bylte / of lyme and stone
In that dayes / called Menelone
To whiche he dyde / great rychesse a croche
Besyde the see / set vpon a roche
And besy was / with plente to astore
Of this traytoure / what shulde I wryte more
With his name / my penne is so a cloyed
By whose falshede / troye was destroyed
As in the storye / ye haue red and seyne
But muste I playnely / resorte ageyne
And to reherse / do my besy cure
How Cassandra / tolde euery auenture
That to Grekes / after shulde falle
And how that she / tolde amonge them alle
As she that was prudent / and vertuous
That traytoursly / within his owne hous
Agamen on / shulde murdred be
That fatall ende / for no thynge myght he fle
Let hym beware / and prudently prouyde
For in his lyfe / he shall nat longe abyde
Agayne his fate / was none other rede
Eke Guydo wryt / whā Thelamon was dede
By false murdre / as ye haue herde toforne
Two sones he hadde / ofsondry wyues borne
That were cōmytted / to be in kepynge
With worthy Tentre / a full manly kynge
That nourysshed / them y e storye sayth for sothe
Tyll they after / were worthy knyghtes bothe
The tone of them / called Anthenycus
And the tother hyght / Antissacus
Of shape full semely / and wonder fayre of face
And shortly here / Guydo / doth forth pace
And lyst of them / no lenger processe make
But bryngeth in / how Menelay hath take
His leue of Grekes / with Agamenon
Eueryche to sayle / to his regyon
With many a greke / in theyr companye
And though grekes / firste gan them denye
At the laste / with Instaunce and payne
They hadde leue / to sayle bothe twayne
And to the see / they faste gan them hye
Myd of Autumpne / whiche is colde & drye
Melancolyke / of complexyon
Whan Phebus / is passyd the Lyon
The heuenly beest / the beest most royall
And halfe Yronne / the sygne virgynall
Whiche after somer / is naked and bareyne
Whan Ceres hath / full ryped euery grayne
The tyme of yere / straunge and full dyuers
And sondry floures / red whyte and pers
The whiche in May / so lusty were and glade
Vpon theyr stalke / gan droupe and fade
And enclyne / theyr fresshe lusty cheres
At goynge out / of the Canyculeres
Whan wycked humours / inwardly habounde
With sodayne Feuer / folkes to confounde
To make them / in an Axes shake
And of custome / wyndes gynne wake
Bothe bough and leef / causynge for to falle
On the tyme / whan folke do Bachus calle
Fro storme and rayne / their grapes to conserue
That hydous tempest / make them nat to sterue
Nor no duresse / of fretynge of no froste
Where thorugh full ofte / moche fruyte is loste
With moysture / that cometh fro the skyes euen
And also eke with thondrynge / & with leuen
Whiche vnwarely / with suche weders kene
Boyllynge vp / with many wawes grene
Rorynge and rough / and frowarde to manasse
And passyngly peryllous / by to passe
Albe / that it be blandysshynge a whyle
The dredful calme / though it be smoth & smyle
There is no trust / that it wyll longe abyde
Recorde on grekes / that suche a lusty tyde
The see haue take / and began to sayle
With theyr stuffe / and theyr apparayle
Home into Grece / full many lusty man
With all the golde / and treasour / y • they wan
At the sege / and infynyt rychesse
And dayes thre / deuoyde of all distresse
The see obeyed / fully to theyr wyll
Deuoyde of trouble / and of wedres yll
For they full lusty / within shyppes borde
The foure wyndes / beynge of accorde
Them to conueye / to euery maner coste
[Page] But gladly euer / whan men truste moste
Vnto Fortune / to stonde in hir grace
Shesodaynely / chaunge can hir face
Smyle afore / and mowe at the bake
For she vnwarely / tourned all to wrake
This chaunteresse / and this stormye quene
FOr whan Grekes / effectuously best wene
In theyr passage / fully assured be
Vpon the see / that called was Egee
This false goddes / them anone forsooke
And Boreas / the fell wynde awooke
And with his hydous / dredfull noyse & sowne
He tourned / all theyr quyete vp so downe
And made the wawes / grysely to aryse
And as the storye / shortly doth deuyse
The bryght daye / was tourned into nyght
The heuen derke / except the dredfull lyght
Of the leuen / whiche made them sore a gaste
And the thondre / that seuered sayle and maste
Theyr toppes smette / into peces smale
And into water / made them lowe auale
And fyre of lyghtnynge / sodaynely therwith
That Wolcanus / forgeth on his styth
Hath borde fro borde / with the flawme rent
And two and twenty / of theyr shyppes brent
Without escape / platly or refuge
Thorughe the rage / of this fell deluge
For all to wrake / this wofull Nauy goth
Whylom with grekꝭ / Mynerua was so wroth
For they dyde hir / no reuerence
And specyally / for the great offence
That spytefully / Cylleus Ayax wrought
Whiche in his tempest / he full dere abought
For whan his shyppes / were almost ydrowned
This goddesse / hath so on hym frowned
And of vengeaunce / so felly hym awaked
That he was fayne / for to swymme naked
As sayth myn Auctour / at myschefe to y e londe
And there he was / founde on the sonde
Almoste at deth / without remedye
To hym Mynerua / hath so great enuye
For he so woodly / to hir temple wente
And Cassandra / tofore hir Auter hente
By cruell force / and hatefull vyolence
Lo what perell / is to do offence
Of hye despyte / to any holy place
I doute nat / he shall fayle grace
Who so euer / vseth it in dede
At the laste / god wyll quyte his mede
And rewarde hym / lyke as he disserueth
And for such thyng / many greke now streueth
Bycause oonly / of suche occasyon
To exemplefye / for no presumpcyon
Folyly to atame / as I haue tolde
For agayne god / who so be to bolde
Shall repente sooner / than he weneth
And many man / that no harmene meneth
Suffreth vengeaunce / for trespasse of one
The firste Auctour / goth nat quyte alone
But many other / his offence abayth
For ceryously / Guydo / wryt and sayth
Suynge in ordre / the wofull auenture
That euery greke / homewarde dyde endure
Of hye and lowe / sparynge none estate
How some welfull / and some infortunate
Bothe of theyr woo / and of theyr welfare
Right as it fyll / the storye shall declare.
IN grece whylom / was a worthy kynge
Manly & ryche / and prudent oflyuynge
And hadde in sothe / lyke as wryt Guydo
In his tyme / worthy sones two
Pallamydes / was the eldest brother
And Oetes / called was the tother
Bothe twayne / of one moder borne
And as the storye / reherseth hath toforne
Pallamydes / was a noble knyght
Full famous / eke of power and of myght
And fer spoke of / in many sondry coost
And hadde also / of all the Grekes hoost
For his wysedome / whylom gouernayle
But he alas / was slayne in batayle
Thorugh vnhap / of Martys cruell tene
Whan the sonne shone / most bryght and shene
Of his knyghthode / and his worthynesse
Lyke as tofore / the storye bereth wytnesse
And of his deth / doth playnely specefye
But nowe of malys / hatrede and enuye
Of suche as haue / tunges infortunate
To make oonly / kynge Naulus at debate
With the Grekes / contryued haue of newe
An hye treason / false and full vntrewe
The which in soth / was neuer do nor wrought
Nor in effect / ymagyned nor thought
But a false thynge / yfeyned of malyce
That this kynge / so manly and so wyse
And so prudent / this Pallamydes
Shulde of enuye / god wot causeles
At the sege of Troye / the Cyte
Vpon a nyght / falsely murdred be
[Page] So that this slaughter / & this lothsome dede
[...]y vlixes / and by Dyomede
Were fully wrought / as ye haue herde deuyse
Whiche euery herte / ought to agryse
This false also that this tale haue fayned
To kyng Naulus / haue traytoursly cōplayned
Albe / in dede / it was neuer mente
That Grekes were / also of assente
To this murdre / and conspyracyon
Both Menelay / and Agamenon
Albe in sothe / that euery [...]ele was false
That hanged be they / hye by the halfe
That can tales / so forge and contryue
To make frendes / causeles to stryue
For they thorugh fraude / of false collusyon
Kynge Naulus / put in suspecyon
That grekes hadde / conspyred douteles
Vpon the murdre / of Pallamydes
Makyng theyr groūde / which they dyd fayne
That fro Troye / were sent lettres twayne
To Pallamydes / inmedyatly dyrect
Whiche concluded / treason in effect
How that he was / for all his hye estat
Falsly allyed / and confederat
To them of Troye / for a sūme of golde
All this they haue / fayned and ytolde
And how he hadde / out of the Cyte
Of good receyued / huge quantyte
To fyne oonly / Grekes / to betraye
And to prolonge them / platly and delaye
At the sege / in gettynge of the towne
By his engyne / and medyacyowne
And to conferme / all this in sentence
To make Naulus / gyue full credence
They sayd playnely / in conclusyowne
The lettres whiche / y • were sent fro the towne
Yfounde were / enclosed in a shelde
Vpon a knyght / yslayne in the felde
Comprehendynge / hole / the trecherye
The treason full / and confederacye
Atwene the towne / and Pallamydes
Veryly / though he were gylteles
And to gyue / more open euydence
To make a prefe / of this great offence
They sayde vlixes / affermynge in certayne
Accorded was / with a chaumberlayne
That was in offyce / with Pallamydes
Wonder secrete / and no thynge reckeles
For to assente / to this conspyracye
Wrongly compassyd / of brennynge hote enuye
Behotynge hym / guerdon and great mede
Lyke his deuyse / to execute in dede
To take a treasour / and a sūme of gode
Full secretely / and knyt it in a hode
And hyd it / whan voyded was the prees
Vnder the bedde / of Pallamydes
And more to put / Grekes in suerte
The treasoure was / the same of quantyte
That it ne myght / after be denyed
Lyke as the lettres / hadde specyfyed.
And whan all this / founde was and knowe
Thorugh out the hoost / noysed and yblowe
Bothe of the lettres / and the golde also
Fro poynt to poynt / accordynge bothe two
Whiche y • this kynge / assentynge to treasowne
Receyued hadde / out of Troye towne
To be assented / as ye haue herde me telle
The grekes tho / no lenger wolde dwelle
But shope them forth / all of one entent
And in all haste / came vnto the tent
Of this kynge / full innocent and clene
That lytell knewe / what they wolde mene
But vpon hym / full knyghtly as he stode
In theyr Ire / furyously / and wode
To be venged / loude gan to crye
There may no man / theyr malyce modefye
They were on hym / so mercyles at all
And as I fynde / moste in specyall
Kynge Menelay / and Agamenon
Oonly meued / of indignacyon
Wolde haue proceded / vnto Iugement
Of hasty rancoure / withoute auysement
On this treason / auenged for to a bee
Nat withstandynge / all his hye degree
But in sothenesse / whan this worthy kynge
Conceyued hath / 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 & māhede
As he that gaue / of lyfe nor deth no fors
Tofore them all / to Iuparde his cors
Within a felde / where them lyste ordeyne
Lyke as a knyght / this quarell to dareyne
[Page] 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 y • 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 y • 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 sūme 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 / w t stones great and huge
He in the botome / hauynge no refuge
And whā they had / acomplysshed their entent
They be repeyred / eueryche to his Tent.
THis tale / the storye telleth vs
That feyned was / to y e 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
[Page] Homewarde sayle / foreby his countre
Wherfore this kynge / shapen hath a wyle
On hyl [...]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 d [...]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
w t sodayne chaūge / 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 hȳdiffende
But at his tourne / that he shall discende
Whan he syt hyest / on thyne vnstable whele
Thy brotyll fauour / forged nat of stele
[Page] Meynt and allayed / with mutabylyte
For welfulnesse / and false felycyte
With sodayne sweygh / frowarde y u 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 / y u 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 / y • 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 y e 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 y e stronde hȳ 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
[Page] 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 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
[Page] 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 / y e 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 ꝑcyd 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 brothre [...] 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
[Page] 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 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 Arg [...]
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
[Page] And to his reygne / within a certayne day
He is repeyred / in full ryche array
Of whose cōmynge / 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 / w t 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 y • 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 / y t 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 me [...]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 y •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 w t 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
[Page] Of the kynge / that named was Forence
A manly knyght / as bookes specefye
And bare in herte / passynge great enuye
To Egistus / by double occasyon
Firste for the deth / of Agamenon
And eke for he / hadde a doughter dere
That was to hym / in wardly entere
Both good and fayre / & but yonge of age
That whylom / was gyuen in maryage
To Egistus / but he of doubylnesse
Of false treason / and new fangylnesse
The kynges doughter / hath vtterly forsake
And in all haste / dyd a lybell make
And forge a wryt / of repulsyon
Albe he hadde / no trewe occasyon
This Egistus / that he hir forsoke
Saue that he falsly / to wyue toke
The quene Clemestra / agayne all ryght & lawe
Whan by assent / they murdred haue & slawe
A gamenon / as it tofore is tolde
That whylom was / so myghty and so bolde
And for the hatefull / false conspyracye
As well of murdre / as auoutrye
To venge bothe / by dewe recompence
The worthy knyght / y • myghty kyng Forence
Offrede Horestes / for to make hym stronge
And go with hym / to helpe venge his wronge
And with hym ladde / armed bryght in stele
Foure hondred knyghtes / horsed wonder wele
Takynge the felde / with a manly chere
And so Horestes / and the kynge yfere
Be ryden forthe / with many manly man
¶But Horestes / or he this werre gan
Whan bryght Phebus / in the bole shone
To the temple / is full lowely gone
And to the goddes / in his best wyse
With humble herte / dyde sacryfyse
Fully in hope / the better for to fare
Where he was bode / for lyfe nor deth to spare
Without mercy / or remyssyon
The deth to venge / of Agamenon
On Clemestra / that was moste to wyte
And that he make / firste his swerde to byte
On his moder / with his hondes twayne
And ouer more / to do his besy payne
Without pyte / and no mercye shewe
On smale peces / tyll she be to hewe
And dismembred / a sonder ioynt fro ioynt
And eke that he / foryet nat a poynt
Iustly to punysshe / by rygoure and by ryght
Egistus eke / the false vntrewe knyght
And that he be nat / slowe nor neclygent
To execute / the cōmaundement
Of the goddes / lyst what after falle
And than Horestes / with his knyghtes alle
And Forensis / the myghty kynge also
Of one herte / be to the sege go
Of the Cyte / that called was Methene
Within whiche / was the false quene
Clemestra / god gyue hir harde grace
And whan Horestes / seged hath the place
With his knyghtes / set it rounde aboute
False Existus / was Yryden oute
To gadre men / and to be a wreke
And falle vpon / and the sege breke.
If he myght / on any maner syde
And with great stuffe / thus he gan to ryde
Takynge vp men / from euery coost
Tyll he hym made / a full myghty hoost
But horeste / whiche at the sege lay
His gouernaunce / espyeth day by day
And sent out men / as he that was full sage
To stoppe wayes / and lette his passage
And made knyghtes / a full huge route
To pursue hym / euery coste aboute
And of the sege / man fully begonne
By assaute / he hath the towne y wonne
And entrede in / on a nyght full late
And sette wardes / stronge at euery gate
And in a doungeon / moste strong & pryncypall
That was of byldynge / myghty and royall
This horestes firste / his moder fonde
The quene Clemestra / lady of that londe
Whiche for drede / sore gan to quake
But mercyles / anone he made hir take
And put in chaynes / tyll the nexte morowe
And Egistus / god gyue hym euyll sorowe
With all the stuffe / that he myght accroche
Towarde the towne / fast gan approche
In purpose full / horestes / for to greue
And them within / sodaynely releue
But all in sothe / myght nat auayle
For or that he / the Cyte myght abayle
Horestes knyghtes / vnwarely haue hym mette
And all attones / proudely on hym sette
Firste slewe his men / & put them to the flyght
And taken hym / maugre all his myght
And with chaynes / lyke as they hym fynde
Mercyles / full faste they hym bynde
And shet hym vp / fetryd in prysowne
[Page] And all false / founde in the towne
That were assentyd / wynynge or helpynge
To the murdre / of the worthy kynge
Great werkers / and conspyratours
Agayne theyr lorde / rysynge as traytours
An were take / and bounde by rygoure
The same nyght / and shet vp in a toure
Tyll on the morowe / lyke as the lot be drawe
Eueryche of them / vnder fonge his lawe
Lyke his decerte / excepcyon was none
And whan the nyght / passed was and gone
And Phebus / role esswarde in his spere
And on the tours / shone full bryght & clere
¶Whan Clemestra / rote of all falsehede
Was brought forthe / quakynge in hir drede
Before Horestes / to Iugement yfet
He with a swerde / sharpe and kene whet
Lyke as the goddes / charged hym toforne
On peces smale / he hath hir all to shorne
And made hir bere / out of the townes boundes
To be vouryd / of bestes and of houndes
Pyte was none / in his breste reseruyd
But quyt hir fully / as she hath disseruyd
Fro poynt to poynt / and forgat right nought
And thā chayned / egistus was forth brought
And iustly dempt / by rygour of the lawe
On an herdell / naked to be drawe
Thorugh the towne / that all myght se
And after / hye hanged on a tree
For to rot and drye / agayne the sonne
Loo howe murdre / hath his guerdon wonne
Loo how falsehede / his master can awake
And all the traytours / in the towne ytake
Were on galowes / enhonged euerychone
Tyll they were seueryd / a sonder bone fro bone
Hye on an hylle / agayne the sterres shene
Thus was the towne / fro treason purgyd clene
And with trouthe / augmentyd and ymoryd
And to his reygne / Horestes full restoryd
As the storye sewynge / shall expowne
And of the daye / whan he toke his crowne.
ANd whan y • myste / & euery cloudy skye
Of false treason / and conspyracye
Were tryed out / vpon euery syde
That falsehede hadde / no place to abyde
The storye sayth / in ordre rehersynge
The same tyme / Menelay the kynge
Out of see / full of wawes were
Fro Troyewarde / aryued was in Crete
Frely escapyd / many drede and peyne
With his quene / the goodly fresshe Eleyne
And for cause / she was so famous fayre
Great was the prees / and meruayllous repayre
Fro euery parte / hir beaute to beholde
For whom Troye / with walles nat full olde
Destroyed was / the noble royall towne
And many man / full worthy of renowne
Hath loste his lyfe / there may no man say nay
All for Eleyne / wyfe to Menelay
Whan thynge is done / it may be none other
But whā this kyng / knew fully of his brother
A gamenon / murdre and euerydele
He was full tryste / and lyked no thynge wele
But inwardly / felte full great smerte
And his neuewe / he hadde also at herte
I mene Horestes / that so mercyles
Lyke a tyraunt / that were graceles
His Modre slewe / and had no pyte
Of morrall y •re / in his cruelte
And fully caste / that he wolde blyue
Of sceptre and crowne / platly hym depryue
Full affermynge / for this hatefull caas
By all lawe / that he vnworthy was
His faders reygne / as heyre to possede
Iustely consydred / his horryble dede
And all attones / Furyous and wrothe
Without abode / vnto shyp he gothe
Melancolyke / in his great tene
Out of Crete / saylnge to Athene
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
[Page] 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 y •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 w t 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
[Page] 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 y •le / whiche was to me vnknowe
Called Mirma / of great hab [...]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 cōmodyte / 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 can / remebre douteles
The tone of them / called Sorygenes
Whiche vnto me / full contraryous was
And the tother / named Coclopas
Bretherne of byrthe / and in conclusyon
Ylyke cruell / of condycyon
For though my sorte / hadde shape for the nones
Bothe twayne / fylle on me attones
Oppressynge / in full great distresse
Spoyled my shyppes / of treasour and rychesse
And for pyte / lyked nat to spare
Tyll I was lefte / destytute and bare
Of all my good alas / my mortall chaunce
And moste of all / was to me greuaunce
Whan of my golde / they may nomore restrayne
They sent downe / their myghty sones twayne
Alypham / that was full large and longe
And Polypheme / the myghty gyaūt stronge
Which on my men / to auenge thē were so fayne
That they of them / haue an hondred slayne
Disarayed / to stonde at diffence
And of malyce / with sodayne vyolence
They toke me / for myschefe almost lorne
And Alphenor / myn owne brother sworne
And hatefully / as they haue vs founde
In chaynes caste / and in stockes bounde
And after that / ylocked in pryson
And for to make / platly mencyon
This myghty man / this great Polypheme
A suster hadde / shortly for to deme
One of the fayrest / that euer yet was borne
She myght in beaute / so besette aforne
Nature hir gaue / suche a prerogatyfe
A clene mayde / sothly and no wyfe
Flourynge bothe / in fayrenesse & bounte
Whom Alphenor / whan he dyde se
Albe he was / fetred in pryson
For loue he loste / wyt and eke reason
And wexe all mad / so narowe she dyd hȳ bynde
Saue vpon hir / alway was his mynde
[Page] And closed aye / was his peryllous wounde
And syxe monthes / thus we lay bounde
Both he and I / to say the platte trouthe
Tyll Polypheme / hadde vpon vs [...]outhe
And thorugh his grace / and medyacyon
He quyt vs fre / out of that pryson
And shewed vs / of mercy and pyte
After our sorowe / great humanyte
But Alphenor / ylyke of one entent
Was with the bronde / of Cupyde brent
And felte his parte / with many mortall fyt
Tyll he so wrought / with his sotyll wyt
That on a nyght / who was leef or loth
He stale this mayde / and his way he goth
Thorugh helpe of men / w t hym at that tyme
But on the morowe / at the houre of pryme
Polyphemus / gan vs for to sewe
Whose myghty honde / we myght nat eschewe
And suche assaute / on vs they gan make
That of force / they haue the mayde take
From Alphenor / mauge all his rage
And Polypheme / vnto my damage
With his knyghtes / so sore vpon me lay
That I myght / vnneth scape away
To saue my selfe / compassyd enuyron
To deth pursued / of that champyon
But whan I sawe / there was no other gayne
To fle the deth / shortly for to sayne
Whyle this geaunt / most freesly on me sette
With my swerde / out his eye I smette
And vnto shyp / with my companye
I fledde in haste / that no man myght espye
¶Where I be came / nor Alphenor my fere
And whan the wawes / gan for to clere
And gracyous wynde / gan to vs a wake
That countre / we haue anone forsake
It was nat holsome / for vs to abyde
¶But of this man / lyke as wryt Ouyde
Polyphemus / the Geaunt out of drede
Hadde an eye / amyd of his forhede
Whiche vlixes / smote out at a stroke
And lyke the browes / of a braunched oke
Was all his heer / and his longe berde
On whom to loke / childre were aferde
And whan that he / hadde lost his syght
Amonge the hylles / he ronneth day and nyght
In a rage to fynde / hym some refuge
Caste rockes / and great stones huge
On euery parte / enuyron the countre
On Vlixes / auenged for to be
Thus sayth Ouyde / in conclusyon
In his boke / of transformacyon
Methamorphoseos / there ye may it se
Whan so euer / that your leyser be
Ce [...]yously / the storye for to rede
And in wrytynge / forth I wyll procede
How vlixes / with face deed and pale
To ydumee / tolde forth his tale
Re [...]ersynge thus / supprysed and awaked
Fro Polypheme / whan we were escaped
Thorugh our vnhappe / and infelycyte
Into an yle / myddes of the see
We were dryue / whan it gan to nyght
And Elodiū / that lytell kyngdome hyght
¶Where that Circes / the great enchaunteresse
Thylke tyme / was Lady and goddesse
Th [...] coude hir crafte / so wonderly ꝑforme
All sodaynely / a man for to transforme
To haue the lykenesse / and lese his reason
Of horse / of bere / Tygre or lyon
Wolfe / or fox / or what hir lyste deuyse
Hir dredefull craft / was shapen in suche wyse
So myghty were / hir straunge pocyons
Hir letuaryes / and confeccyons
And she also / so fayre vpon to se
That fro hir power / no man myght fle
For by the werke / of this sorceresse
I was so founcyd / vpon hir fayrenesse
That fynally / thus with me it stode
That all a yere / I with hir abode
And playnely hadde / power none nor myght
For to departe / nouther day nor nyght
So lusty was / the lyfe that I ladde
In whiche tyme / by me a childe she hadde
Right inly fayre / and goodly to the syght
And Thelagonyus / in sothenesse he hyght
Whiche afterwarde / I well reherse can
By processe / wexe a manly man
And by my sotyle secrete / prouydence
Of hir crafte / I hadde experyence
That maugre / hir enchauntementes olde
I stale away / she myght me nat holde
And fynally / my fate to conclude
With my connynge / hir crafte I gan delude
That with my men / I scaped fro hir honde
And went at large fre / out of hir londe
But all this thynge / me lytell dyd auayle
For on my way / as I gan to sayle
For all my sleyghte / in a lytell whyle
Yblowe was vp / into an yle
[Page] ¶Where Calypha / suster to Circes
Was crowned quene / & helde hir sceptre in pees
Whose craftes were / so myghty and so stronge
Maugre my wyll / she helde me there full longe
But she in sothe / to speke of womanhede
Of bounte fredome / and of goodlyhede
Surely hadde / so souerayne excellence
That myne abode / to me was none offence
But who so euer / there at crye or clappe
At the laste / I scaped / fro hir trappe
And came to an Yle / right as any lyne
Whiche specyally / thorugh hye power dyuyne
Ordeyned is / of yore by myracle
As it were / a spirituall oracle
A man to haue / in a temple there
Sodayne answere / of what hym lyst enquere
Of questyons / and demaundes alle
And of soules / what shall eke befalle
Whan men are dede / and grauen vnderstone
And I gan axe / in the temple anone
Myn auentures / that shulde after sewe
And where a man / myght his fate eschewe
And of all this / lyke to myn entent
I hadde answere / full conuenyent
Saue what befalleth / whan a soule is gone
Diffynycyon / vnto me was none
Such thyng to assoyle / accordeth nat to ryght
It is reseruyd / vnto goddes myght
And excedeth reason / and wyt of man
And fro thense / forth to sayle I gan
Dryuen with wynde / and no parte socoured
Where I was lyke / to haue be deuoured
Of Karybdes / with his profounde welle
Where Syrenes / Meremaydenes dwelle
That fro the brest / with scales syluer shene
Be of theyr shape / fysshes fresshe and clene
And ouer more / kynde doth compasse
Them to appere / Femynyne 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 eres / 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
[Page] 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 wele
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
[Page] 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 thē 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 kyngꝭ / 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.

[figure]
NOw muste I full besy be a whyle
To directe / the tracys of my style
In descryuynge / shortly of entent
The stocke of py [...]us / by lyneal discēt
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 y • 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
[Page] 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 [...]caped / many dredefull stoundes
Of Thesalye / aprocheth to the boundes
For Eolus / that his luste obeyed
And of Fortune / won [...]erly con [...]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 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
[Page] 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
Lys [...]ynge of Pyrrus / the complaynte & y • 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 y u 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
Croked and olde / vnweldy eke to se
And tofore Pyrrus / fyll downe on his kn [...]
[Page] Besechynge hym / with apyteous face
At his requeste / take hym to grace
And that he wolde / in his manly herte
Goodly consydre / the deedly wo and smerte
Of Atastus / and the mortall payne
That he hadde / for his sones twayne
Whiche lay deed / tofore hym on the grene
Slayne with your swerde / y • is so sharpe & kene
Whiche he ne may / recure in no wyse
The sorowe of whiche / ought ynough suffyse
Though ye on hym / do no more vengaunce
All this peysyd / iustly in balaunce
Syth he is hoolly / submyttyd to your myght
Take now hym / to mercy anone ryght
And let your swerde / his age nat consume
This my request / as I dare presume.
ANd than Pyrrus / shortly for to sayne
Whā he had / put vp his swerde agayue
Seynge mercy / myght moost auayle
Without wordes / or any rehersayle
Firste of all / tofore them euerychone
The kynges made / accorde into one
By his wysdome / concludynge vp in dede
That eche of them / shulde his right possede
In Thesalye / partyd into twayne
That neyther hadde / mater to complayne
Eueryche to reygne / in his dewe see
And whyle they were / togydre all thre
Out of presence / of any other man
Atastus firste / thus his tale began
Syres quod he / to you is nat vnknowe
How thorugh age / now I am brought lowe
And thorugh natures / kyndely mocyon
Am wexed feble / of wyt and reson
Beynge vnweldy / of my lymmes alle
So many yeres / are vpon me falle
And can vnneth / any thynge discerne
To feble in sothe / a kyngdome to gouerne
Of lyfe nor deth / takynge now no hede
Syth my sones / slayne be and dede
And sool lefte / now without heyre
Of worldly luste / fully in dispeyre
The tyme passyd / of my felycyte
Fortunes tourne / with mutabylyte
Hath taught me / playnly I dare it wel expresse
In worldly ioye / is no sykernesse
Nor very truste / no whyle to abyde
But I wyll now / for my selfe prouyde
And in all haste / by prudent purueaunce
Me discharge / of all gouernaunce
Agayne my sort / me lyste nat malygne
But sceptre / and crowne frely I resygne
Of Thesalye / lorshyp and eke londe
Of my fre wyll / hole into thy honde
There shall no man / reclayme nor say nay
Interupte / nor make no delay
Touchynge this thynge / by no collusyon
For I the put / in possessyon
And hereupon / of all that euer he sayde
Makynge full fayth / his honde in his he layde
Quene Thetydes / syttynge there present
And Pelleus / of the same entent
Vnto Pyrrus / for his purpartye
Resygned eke / his right of Thesalye
Fully affermynge / that of yore ago
His full desyre / and his ioye also
Was euer in one / his neuewe to succede
As rightfull heyre / his kyngdome to possede
And vtterly / without repentaunce
All that longeth / vnto my lygeaunce
Sceptre and swerde / crowne and dyademe
So as a kynge / lyfe and deth to deme
Into thy hande / without longer date
This same houre / hooly to translate
And whan the knot / of this conuencyon
Was fully brought / to conclusyon
Perfourmed vp / hole the vnyte
For euermore / atwene these kynges thre.
Atastus knyghtes / disseueryd enuyrowne
Out of the forest / be descendyd downe
And by byddynge / platly of theyr lorde
They were echone / sworne to this accorde
And attones / this lusty companye
To Thesalye / faste gan them hye
And Pyrrus / folke lyinge on the see
Be sayled forthe / streyght to the Cytee
And Atastus / doth sette a Parlement
Where openly / he gaue cōmaundement
That all his lyeges / of hye or lowe estate
Without stryfe / or any more debate
Specyally / of gentyll blode yborne
The same daye / to Pyrrus to be sworne
Lyke theyr degrees / in the royall halle
To perseuere / his trewe lyeges alle
Durynge theyr lyfe / for ernest or for game
And Pelleus / cōmaundeth hath the same
For his partye / without any fraude
And thus with ioye / and solempne laude
Pyrrus was / of euery maner age
[Page] Gladly / accepted / to his herytage
And on a day / fortunat and gode
With glad aspectis / whan the heuen stode
Well accordynge / to suche maner thynge
Worthy Pyrrus / was ycrowned kynge
Of Thesalye / the ryche regyon
It were but vayne / to make mencyon
Of theyr reuell / nor theyr great array
Nor of the feste / made the same day
Eke in the storye / I fynde it nat in sothe
I wyll passe ouer / as myn Auctour dothe
Saue in his boke / it is specefyed
That the kyngdome / was fer magnefyed
Of Thesalye / by great myght
Of this Pyrrus / whylom so gode a knght
Where I se hym / in his royall see
Tournynge agayne / to kynge ydumee
Whiche in this whyle / was graue vnder stone
And after hym / his sone Meryone
The storye sayth / was crowned kynge of Crete
But a whyle / reygnynge in equyte
He deyed also / it wolde be none other
And than in haste / Leorica his Brother
As rightfull heyre / by successyon
Was crowned kynge / of that regyon
In whiche tyme / Atastus out of drede
By the assent / of Pyrrus as I rede
Full besy was / to make in specyall
A ryche toumbe / passyngly royall
Where buryed were / with full huge prees
Menalyppus / and Polystenes
Bothe two / in the forest slawe
Thorugh Pyrrus swerde / by full cruell lawe
Of them / can I / none other processe make
But euen there / fully my tale I take
Of them bothe / and also eke yfere
Of Atastus / theyr owne fader dere
Of whom sothly / for all his lockes hore
In Troye boke / rede I can no more
¶But now must I / agayne to Pyrrus wende
To wryte of hym / the sory wofull ende
Whiche whan he sat / hyest in his see
Made full blynde / with vayne prosperyte
Gouernynge / the londe of Thesalye
He falsly fyll / on a fantasye
To sette his loue / on Hermyon the quene
Horestes wyfe / reygnynge in Methene
For whom he brent / hote as any fyre
And in fulfyllynge / of his foule desyre
His purpose hole / thus he brought aboute
Hir rauysshynge / whyle hir lorde was oute
Ladde hir home / and helde hir as his wyfe
Semynge to hym / it was a blysfull lyfe
And full relese / of his paynes smerte
Of whiche / Horestes bare full heuy herte
And caste hym playnely / auengyd for to be
Whan he may / haue opportunyte
For that tyme / though he hadde wronge
He was to feble / and Pyrrus was to stronge
¶Whiche helde also / in storye it is tolde
Andronomecha / with hym in housholde
Ectors wyfe / by whom whylom she hadde
Alytell childe / whiche with hir she ladde
The sege complete / and destruccyowne
Whan she was brought / out of Troye towne
Lamedouta / I fynde was his name
Encreasynge after / to full worthy fame
And by Pyrrus / she hadde a sone also
Called Achylleydos / so as wryt Guydo
And these women / for all theyr great estate
Atwene them selfe / amonge were at debate
And Hermyone / in hir yre all hote
In complaynynge / to hir Fader wrote
That hir fere / for all hir hye degree
Andronomecha / was cherisshed better thā she
Of kynge Pyrrus / besechynge Menelay
To enhaste hym / in all that euer he may
Come hym selfe anone / that it were do
To sle this woman / and hir childe also
And he abode nat / but faste gan hym hye
In an hete / towarde Thesalye
To be venged / with his swerde of stele
Vpon hir / that trespasseth neuer adele
But maugre hym / in all his cruelte
She was reskewed / amyd of the Cyte
It is a thynge / whiche hath nat be herde
To a woman / a kynge to drawe his swerde
I wyll no more / in this mater dwelle
In maner shamed / it to wryte or telle
But this was done / whyle Pyrrus of courage
To Delos was gone / on pylgrymage
Hauynge with hym / but a lytell route
To Appollo / to knele and to loute
For the soule / to praye of Achylle
And his vowes / also to fulfylle
And thanke hym / with humble affeccyon
Of god exployte / he hadde at Troye towne
And for wreche / also that was take
At the Cyte / for his Faders sake
¶But all this thynge / here yspecefyed
[Page] Kynge Horestes / warely hath espyed
And to Delos / gan haste hym full ryght
Ledynge with hym / many lusty knyght
And vnwarely / he with Pyrrus mette
And vengeably / vpon hym he sette
That fynally / in that straunge londe
Horestes slewe hym / with his owne honde
I fynde in sothe / he made no defence
So sodayne was / the mortall vyolence
Of his enmye / he coude nat asterte
For or that he myght / his swerde aduerte
He was on hym / enuyron all deset
Thylke tyme / it myght be no bet
For there was / nouther socoure nor declyne
Thus was Pyrrus / brought vnto his fyne
Late crowned / kynge of Thesalye
Loo: here / the guerdon / of anoutrye
Lo: how the mede / and rewarde is full ryfe
To mysse vse / another mannes wyfe
It is no drede / folowe shall vengaunce
Sodayne deth / or vnware myschaunce
Whiche euery man / greatly ought charge
And in Delos / in a temple large
Kynge Pyrrus / was locked vnder stone
And Horestes / forth his way is gone
And by force / gat his wyfe agayne
There was no wyght / durst hym tho w tsayne
And to Methene / proudely is repeyred
And Thesalye / pyteously dispeyred
Destytute / as they that can no rede
Whan they wyste / their worthy kyng was dede
And heyre was none / by successyon
To gouerne / that noble regyon
Saue Achylleydos / that but iytell aforne
In Pyrrus absence / was in Grece borne
Fully of age / nat a quarter clene
The youthe of whom / sothly was to grene
Who lyste consydre / and to rendre of myght
Full many day / to reioyse his ryght
And to gouerne / with Sceptre in his honde
The large boundes / of so great a londe
And yet this childe / lykely and right feyre
In very soth / was borne to be heyre
After Pyrrus / this the trouthe playne
There was no man / that lyste it withsayne
¶But I fynde / whan he came to age
He resygned / hole his herytage
To his brother / frely and his ryght
Lamedoute / a wonder manly knyght
That was descended / of troy anysshe blode
Downe fro the stocke of hym that was so gode
Floure of knyghthode / diffence of Frigya
That hym begat / on Andromecha
Ordeyned nowe / who so gru [...]che or frowne
Of Thesalye / for to bere the crowne
And whan he was / made lorde of that londe
And all was frely / resygned to his honde
He hath cōmaunded / no man dare replye
Thorugh the kyngome / of all Thesalye
That all that were / in captyuyte
Or prysoners / of Troye the Cyte
For loue or hate / excepcyon was none
That all shulde / at theyr large gone
¶By full assent / of Achylleydos
And suche as were eke / in pryson cloos
Without raunson / shall belyuered be
And reioyse / the full lyberte
By custome vsed / bothe in borugh and towne
Of the lyeges / of great regyon
And thus the folke / y • came thralle fro Troye
Restored be / sodaynely to ioye
¶By Lamedoute / and ymade free
And he eke reygneth / in his royall see
Full myghtely / as I haue made mynde
In Troye boke / no more of hym I fynde
Nor of Pyrrus / nor of his kynrede
Fro hensforth / I can no processe rede
¶But incydentes / that bere no substaunce
Whiche were but vayne / to put in remēbraūce
Except myn Auctor / I note to what entent
Here impeth in me / a lytell incydent
Ywrought and done of full yore agon
Touchynge the deth / of kynge Menon
Whiche by enuye / of cruell Achylles
Was slayne / in sothe amonge myrundones
O only for he / proudely gan pursewe
Vpon Achylles / Troylus to reskewe
¶Whom kynge Pryam / made buryed be
Besyde Troylus / in Troye the Cyte
In a temple / ybylte / of marbyll olde
And to what fyne / this tale is tolde
In this Chapitle / I shall reherse anon
THe noble quene / of this kynge Menon
After the tyme / longe and many day
That she was dede / and grauen vnder clay
At the toumbe / heuenly gan appere
All beset / with bryght sterres clere
Whose symylytude / for to reken all
Was lyke a thynge / that were immortall
[Page] That no man myght / vtterly sustene
To beholde / of loke / she was so shene
Downe descendynge / fro the fyrmament
Full many man / beynge there present
Clade in a mantell / full celestyall
And of hir porte / passyngly royall
With swetnesse / fresshe as any rose
Made in all haste / the toumbe to vnclose
Of hir lorde / and taketh out the bones
And in a cheste / made of golde and stones
She couched them / as faste as euer she may
Disapered / and went anone hir way
And tofore that / nor after in certayne
In that place / she was neuer sayne
Some affermynge / as by lyklynesse
She was outher / aungell or goodesse
The soule or fate / of the same kynge
I can nat deme / in suche heuenly thynge
Nor therm holde / none oppynyon
For it transcendeth / shortly my reson
And me lyste nat / in suche mater diffyne
But resorte / right as any lyne
To vlixes / and a whyle dwelle
Of his ende / the surplus for to telle
And how that he / myght nat escape
The parodye / that was for hym shape
For parchas haue / his laste terme sette
And Antropose / mesured out and mette
His lyues threde / on the rocke sponne
Diffende thy selfe / Vlixes if thou konne
Shewe thy manhode / and be nat aferde
And be welfare / of thy sones swerde.
For I shall now / lyke as I am wonte
Sha [...]pe my penne / bothe rude and blonte
To descryue / the fyne of thy soioure
Vpon the boundes / set of my laboure
For almost wery / feynt / and weyke ynough
Be the vestes / and oxes of my plough
The longe day / agayne the hylle to wende
But almost / now at the londes ende
Of Troye boke / fychche I wyll a stake
Saue I must spende / a fewe lynes blake
The laste chapitre / shortly to translate
Of all this werke / and Ympen in the date
Of that day / deth sette on hym arest
Full execute / by hym he loued best.
LOwe on my knees / now I must loute
To this god / y • maketh men to route
And causeth folke / to haue glad sweuenes
Bothe at morowe / and on lusty Euenes
Whan Mortheus / with slepy wonde
Whiche that he holdeth / alway in his honde
Hath marked them / agayne the derke nyght
To make men / bothe mery and lyght
And some whyle / for to haue gladnesse
And sodaynely / to falle in heuynesse
Lyke as to them / he gyueth euydence
By sondry sygnes / in his apparence
Vnto that lorde / now must I mekely preye
At this tyme / my style to conueye
Of vlixes / the dreme to descryue
The laste of all / he hadde by his lyue
Declarynge hym / by tokens full notable
And by sygnes / very demonstrable
As he slepte / agayne the pale moone
His fatall day / that shulde folowe soone
For it fy [...]l thus / as he a bedde lay
After my onyght / tofore the morowe gray
Hym thought he sawe / appere a creature
To his syght / celestyall of Fygure
None erthly thynge / but veryly dyuyne
Of porte and chere / wonder Femynyne
And as hym sempte / in his fantasye
Lyke a thynge / sent out of Fayrye
For the beaute / of hir goodly face
Recomforted / playnely all the place
Most surmountynge / and moste souerayne
And the clerenesse / of hir eyen twayne
All sodaynely / or men myght aduerte
Perce wolde / euen to the herte
Diffence none / myght be deuysed
And Vlixes / with hir loke supprysed
Gan hir beholde / alway more and more
And in his slepe / for to syghe sore
Persynge aye / with full besy payne
Hir to enbrace / in his armes twayne
But aye the more / that he gan pursewe
She agaynewarde / gan hym to eschewe
And aye the more / he presed hir to se
Aye the more / from hym she gan to flee
So contrayre / to hym was Fortune
And whan she sawe / he was importune
She axed hym / shortly what he wolde
And he to hir / the platte trouthe tolde
Certys quod he / my lyues Emperesse
Where that ye be / woman or goddesse
I can nat deme / nor iuge halfe a ryght
I am so derked / and blynded in my syght
But I dare well afferme / in this place
[Page] My lyfe my deth / stande hoolly in your grace
More of mercy requerynge / than of ryght
To rewe on me / whiche am your owne knyght
And of pyte / and of compassyon
Goodly to se / to my sauacyon
For my desyre / but I may fulfylle
This same nyght / to haue of you my wylle
To my recure / I can no remedye
For lacke of rouche / but I must dye
Nowe haue I all / atwyxe hope and drede
My selfe declaryd / to your womanhede
And after that / she kepte hir close a whyle
And full sadly / gan on hym to smyle
And as it is / put in remembraunce
Sayde vnto hym / with sobre countenaunce
Sothly quod she / thyne affeccyon
Wolde fully / tourne to confusyon
Of vs bothe / it is so peryllous
So inly mortall / and contagyous
That vtterly / there gayne may no rede
But one of vs / must an one be dede
This is the fyne / of the hatefull chaunce
That shulde folowe / after our plesaunce
And as vlixes / gan to nyghe nere
Beholdynge aye / on hir heuenly chere
Where as she stode / vpryght on the grounde
He sawe hir holde / a spere longe and rounde
The hede therof / all of borned stele
Forged newe / and grounde wonder wele
And therupon / in his a vysyowne
He sawe a baner / blasynge vp and downe
The felde therof / all of coloure ynde
Full of fysshes / beten as I fynde
And in some bokes / lyke as it is tolde
In the myddes / a large crowne of golde
And or that she / tourne gan hir face
Lykely anone / to parte out of the place
She spake to hym / & sayde in wordes playne
This full token / of partynge of vs twayne
For euermore / nouther for soure nor swete
After this daye / neuer agayne to mete
And disaperynge / anone hir leue she toke
And after that / he sodaynely a woke
And gan to muse / in his fantalye
What thynge this dreme / myght sygnefye
But where it mente / outher euell or gode
The secretnesse / he nat vnderstode
For it surmounted / sothly his reason
Therfore he sente / thorugh his regyon
For suche as were / sotell exposytours
Of fate or sorte / or crafty dyuynours
For all the clerkes / soget to his crowne
To assemble in one / his sweuen to expowne
And whan they knewe / by informacyon
The maner hole / of his a vysyon
They concluded / accordynge into one
The tyme approcheth / and shall come anone
That one / that is next / of his kynrede
With a spere / shulde make hym blede
Let se / where he / his fate can remewe
Syth it is harde / destynero eschewe
As say tho folke / in theyr oppynyon
That werke and truste / on constellacyon.
And vlixes / musynge on this tale
Chaungeth coloure / and gan wexe pale
Wonder dredefull / and full of fantasyes
Gan in hym selfe / seke remedyes
To voyde away / thynge that wyll nat be
He stareth brode / but he may nat se
His in warde loke / was with a cloude shent
But wenynge he / for to be prudent
Made calle / his sone Thelamon
And to be take / and shet vp in pryson
He supposynge / fully in his wytte
For all myschefe / therby to go quyte
He nat aduerteth / nor ne toke none hede
To the sharpnesse / of the speres hede
Nor to the fysshes / in the baner beete
Nor of the see / where they swymme and flete
Nor of the quene / that called is Circes
That sygnes brought / of werre and nat of pees
Nor of the crowne / token of dignytee
Of one / that shall holde his royall see
Myd the wawes / bothe felle and wode
Amonge the fysshes / in the large flode
And he shall make / the dyuysyon
Tofore remembred / in the auysyon
Agayne his wyll / of very ignoraunce
And execute the fatall puruyaunce
Vp of the dreme / with his spere of stele
Whiche vlixes / consydreth neuer adele
Nor to no wyght / hath suspecyon
But to his sone / called Thelamon
That is closed / and shet vp in a toure
And vlixes / with coste and great laboure
Fro day to day / doth his besynesse
For hym selfe / to make a forteresse
Bylte on a rocke / of lyme and square stones
Depe dyched aboute / for the nones
That no man may / entre on no syde
[Page] Where he casteth / all his lyfe to abyde
[...] certayne men / chosen in specyall
Nyght and day / to watche vpon the wall
That no wyght shulde / haue none entree
But it so falle / that he be secree
Knowen of olde / and to counsayle sworne
NOw as the storye / rehersed hath to forne
The olde fole / this dotarde vlixes
A sone hadde / begoten on Cyrces
Fresshe and lusty / yonge and coragyous
And he was called / Thelagonyus
Borne in the see amonge the floddes rage
That was also / for to reken his age
fyue and twenty yere / or there aboute
But of his Fader / he was aye in doute
What man he was / or who it myght be
Beynge therof / in no seurte
Tyll on a day / he desyrous to knowe
In his Moder / fyll on knees lowe
Besechynge hir / goodly and nat spare
Of his Fader / the trouthe to declare
What he was or where he shulde dwelle
He besought that she wolde telle
But sothly she / longe and many dayes
Of prudence put hym in delayes
Tyll that she sawe / she myght haue no reste
So importune / he was in his requeste
And whā she knewe / there was none other bote
Fro poynt to poynt / she tolde crop and rote
Of vlixes and where that he was kynge
And he anone / made no lettynge
But toke leue / it may none other be
And sayde playnely / he wolde his Fader se
¶Wherof the quene / gan in herte colde
But whan she saide / she myght hȳ nat w tholde
She hym besought / with chere debonayre
That he wolde soone / agayne repayre
And forthe he sayleth / onwarde on his way
Without abode the selfe same day
By many porte / and many fer countre
Tyll he was brought / there 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 y e 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
[Page] 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
[Page] 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 distress [...]
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 thousāde / & 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 seyn [...]
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
[Page] 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 y • hath / thorugh myght of his werkȳg
Of his knyghthode / concludyd all this thyng
And suche meruayles / ī 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 cōmaundement
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 Iohn̄ Lydgate
[...]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 disdayne
It is no drede / my labour were in vayne
Let ignoraunce / and rudenesse me excuse
For if that ye / platly all refuse
[Page] For certayne Fautes / whiche ye shall fynde
I doute nat / my thanke is set behynde
For in metrynge / though / there be ignoraunce
Yet in the storye / ye fynde may plesaunce
Touchynge substaūce / of y • myn Auctour wryt
And though so be / that any worde mysse syt
Amende it / with chere debonayre
For an Errour / to hyndre and appayre
That is nat sayde / of purpose nor malyce
It is no worshyp / to hym that is wyse
And no wyght gladly / so soon demeth a lacke
Specyally / behynde at the backe
As he in soth / that can no skylle at all
He gothe full hole / that neuer hadde fall
And I nat fynde / of newe nor of olde
For to deme / there is none so bolde
As he that is yblent / with vnconnynge
For blynde bayarde / caste pereyll of no thynge
Tyll he stumble / myddes of the lake
And none so redy / for to vndertake
Than he in sothe / nor bolder to say werse
That can no skylle / on prose nor on verse
Of all suche / that can nat be stylle
Lytell forse / where they say good or ylle
For vnto them / my boke is nat dyrect
But to suche / as haue in effect
On symple folke / full compassyon
That goodly can / by correccyon
Amende a thynge / that hyndre neuer adele
Of custome aye / redy to say wele.
FOr he that was groūde / of well sayinge
In all his lyfe / hyndred no makynge
My mayster Chaucer / y • founde full many spot
Hym lyst nat pynche / nor grutche at euery blot
Nor meue hym selfe / to parturbe his reste
I haue herde tolde / but sayde alway the beste
Suffrynge goodly / of his gentyllesse
Full many thynge / embraced with rudenesse
And if I shall / shortly hym descryue
Was neuer / none / to this daye alyue
To reken all / bothe yonge and olde
That worthy was / his ynkehorne for to holde
And in this londe / if there any be
In borugh or towne / vyllage or Cyte
That connynge hath / his tracys for to sewe
Where he go brode / or be shet in mewe
To hym / I make a dyreccyon
Of this boke / to haue inspeccyon
Besechynge them / with theyr prudent loke
To race and scrape / thorugh out all my bok [...]
Voyde and adde / where them semeth nede
And though so be / that they nat ne rede
In all this boke / no rethorykes newe
¶y •et I hope / they shall fynde trewe
The storye playne / clefly in substaunce
And who so lyste / to se varyaunce
Of worldly thynge / wrought by dayes olde
In this boke / he may full well beholde
Chaunge of Fortune / in hir course mutable
Selde or nat / faythfull outher stable
Lordes / Prynces / sfrom hir royalte
Sodaynely brought / in aduersyte
And kynges eke / plounged in pouerte
And for drede / darynge in deserte
Vnware slaunghtre / compassed of enuy [...]
Murdre execute / by conspyracye
Awayt leyinge / falshede and treason
And of kyngdome / sodayne euersyon
Bauysshynge of women / for delyte
Rote of the werre / and mortall despyte
False mayntenaunce / of auoutrye
Many worthy / causynge for to dye
Synne aye concludynge / who so taketh hede
Vengaunce vnware / for his fynall mede.
VO declare / that in all worldly luste
Who loke a right / is but lytell truste
As in this boke / exaumple ye shall fynde
If that ye lyste / enprente it in your mynde
How all passeth / and halt there no soiour
Wastynge away / as doth a somer floure
Ryche and pore / of euery maner age
For our lyfe here / is but a pylgrymage
Meynt with labour / and with moche woo
That if men wolde / take hede therto
And tofore / prudently aduerte
Lytell ioye / they shulde haue in theyr herte
To set theyr truste / in any worldly thynge
For there is nouther Prynce / lorde / nor kynge
By example of Troye / lyke as ye may se
That in this lyfe / may haue full seurte
Therfore to hym / that starfe vpon the rode
Suffrynge deth / for our aller gode
Lyfte vp your hertꝭ / & thynke on hym amonge
For be ye neuer / so myghty / nor so stronge
Without hym / all may nat auayle
For he can gyue / victorye in batayle
And holde a felde / shortly to conclude
With a fewe / agayne great multytude
[Page] And by grace / he maketh prynces stronge
And worthy kynges / for to reygne longe
And Tyrantes / sodaynely oppresse
Thorwe thē downe / for all theyr great rychesse
And in his honde / power he reserueth
Eche to aquyte / lyke as he disserueth
To whom I praye / with deuocyon
With all myn herte / and hole affeccyon
That he lyste graunte / longe contynaunce
Prosperyte / and good perseueraunce
Helthe welfare / victorye / and honoure
Vnto that noble / myghty conqueroure
Herry the fyfther / tofore yspecefyed
So that his name / may be magnefyed
Herein this lyfe / vp to the sterrys clere
And afterwarde / aboue the nynthe spere
Whan he is deed / for to haue a place
This praye I god / for to sende hym grace
At whose byddynge / as I tolde late
Firste I began / the sege to translate
And now I haue / hoolly in his honoure
Executed the fyne / of my laboure
Vnto all that / shall this storye se
With humble herte / and all humylyte
This lytell booke / lowely I betake
It to supporte / and thus an ende I make.
¶Laus deo.

¶Of the moost noble excellent Prynce kynge Henry the fyfthe.

MOost worthy / Prynce of knyghthode soures and welle
Whose hye renowne / thorugh the worlde dothe shyne
And all other / in manhode doest excelle
Egall of meryt / to the worthys nyne
And borne also / by discent of lyne
As rightfull heyre / by tytle to attayne
To bere y • crowne / of worthy Realme twayne
And also fer / as Phebus in his spere
From Eest to west / shedyth his bemys bryght
And Lucyna / with ashrouded chere
Gothe compasse rounde / with hir pale lyght
Thou art yrekened / for the best knyght
To be registred / worthy as of name
In the hyest place / of the house of fame
To holde a palme / of knyghthod in thy honde
For worthynesse / and for hye victorye
As thou that art drade / on see and londe
And euermore / with laude honoure and glorye
For iuste conquest / to be put in memorye
With a crowne / made of laurer grene
Vpon thy heed / tofore that famous quene
Whylom ordeyned / oonly for conquerours
Stable of herte / with longe perseueraunce
And gaue nat vp / tyll they were victours
Empryses take / for no sodayne chaunce
Whose name / ay floureth w t newe remēbraūce
And fadeth nat / of yeres yore agone
Amonges whiche / thou mayste be set for one
For thorugh the worlde / in many regyon
Reported is / with fame that flyeth wyde
That naturelly / thy condycyon
On thynge begonne / is knyghtly to abyde
And for the tyme / manly set asyde
Rest and ease / what cost theron be spente
Tyll thou haue cheued / the fyne of thyn entente
Moste circumspect / and passynge auysee
All thy werkes / conueyed with prudence
Sad and demure / lyke to Iosuee
Agayne whose swerde / is no resystence
And hast also / heuenly influence
With Salamon / wysely to discerne
Oonly by grace / thy people to gouerne
Mercy eke meynt / with thy magnyfycence
On all oppressed / for to haue pyte
And of rebelles / by manly vyolence
Abate canste / the great cruelte
And so with Dauyd / thou haste kyngly pyt [...]
And hye prowesse / with Sesar Iulyus
In his tyme / moost victoryous
And manly holdest / in thy hondes two
Who can beholde / by clere inspeccyon
The swerde of knyghthode / thy Scepture also
The tone to brynge / to subieccyon
Hertes made proude / by false rebellyon
And with the Sceptre / to rewle at the best
Thy trewe people / that can lyue in rest
Now thou y • haste / manhode / vertue & grace
Attemperaunce / fredome and bounte
Lowly I praye / with dredefull face
Disdayne nat / benyngely to se
Vpon this boke / rudely made by me
To fyne oonly / to agrene thyne hyghnesse
And rewe of mercy / vpon my symplesse
And in thy noble / kyngly aduertence
Consydre & se / my soueraygne lorde most dere
Of thyne inuat / famous sapyence
That criste Ihesu / receyued with good chere
The twey Munytys / you of herte entere
By the wydowe / whiche of wyl and of thought
Gaue all hir good / & kept hir selfe right nought
By whiche ensaumple / so that it nat offende
Thorugh myn vnconnyng / to thy hye noblesse
Let good wyll / my lytell gyfte amende
And of thy mercy / and renowmed goodnesse
Haue no disdayne / of my bareyne rudenesse
And in makynge / though I haue no muse
Let trewe menynge / the surplus all excuse
More than good herte / hath no maner wyght
To present / nouther to god nor man
And for my parte / to the as it is ryght
That gyue I hole / as ferforth as I can
Aye to perseuere / fro tyme that I gan
With wyll & thought / for thyne estate to praye
Whiche to conserue / thus fynally I saye
Firste of all / almyghty god to queme
With all that may / be to his plesaunce
And to thy crowne / and thy dyademe
Grace and good Eure / w t longe contynuaunce
Of thy lyeges / faythfull obeyssaunce
And eche vertue / that man may specefye
I praye god / graunte vnto thy regalye.
¶Explicit Liber quintus & vltimus.

¶Lenuoye.

[...]Oo lytell boke / and put the in the grace
Of hym that is / moste of excellence
And be nat hardy / to appere in no place
Without supporte / of his magnyfycence
And who so euer / in the fynde offence
Be nat to bolde / for no presumpcyon
Thy selfe enarme / aye in pacyence
And the submytte / to theyr correccyon.

¶Verba translatoris ad librum suum.

And for thou art / enlymned with no flowres
Of Retoryke / but with whyte and blacke
Therfore thou muste / abyde all showres
Of them that lyste / set on the alacke
And whan thou art / most lykely go to wracke
Agaynst them / thyne Errour nat diffende
But humbly / with drawe and go a backe
Requerynge them / all y • is amysse to amende.

Here endeth the Troye booke otherwyse called the Sege of Troye / translated by Iohn̄ Lydgate monke of the Monastery of Bery / And Emprynted the yere of oure Lorde a. M.CCCCC. &. xiij. by Richard Pynson / pryn­ter vnto the kyngꝭ noble grace.

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