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 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. knyghtê 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 The felde they haue 〈…〉 victours And 〈◊〉 tryumpheâ— lyke as conquerours To the Cyte they toke theyr waye after And â—ende downe bothe spaâ—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 with 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 〈…〉 â—â—yles on croked olde and lame 〈…〉 â—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 Theâ—amâ—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 the world the fyre gan multeply Whiche was nat lyght to quenche of his hete For haâ—â—â— 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 shal be knowe whaÌ„ this
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 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 yâ— trouthe knewe Were fynally brought to distruccion As olde bokes make mencion And many worthy and many noble knyght Slayne in the felde by duteâ—â—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 the 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 that 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 that 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 with 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 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 couÌ„sayle 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 renoÌ„med 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
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 Caâ—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 ExyonÌ„ 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 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 â—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 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 coÌ„maundement 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 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
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 ere 's 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 fouÌ„de In that myschefe they gan wepe and crye As they wolde for very routhe dye With wofull noyse and with pytous sowne The â—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 With many YÌ„mage 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 kyÌ„ge 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 certayÌ„e 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 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
he was brought there he wolde be To Achaya a londe of great renowne And he gan serche thorugh the regyon After the place and paleys pryncypall Where as the kynge helde his see royall And he so longe in the countre rode Tyll he was taught where the kynge abode There vlixes was shytte vp in mewe To whiche place in haste he gan pursewe A great party releuyd of his sorowe And on a monday erely by the morowe Vnto the brydge the ryght way he toke And founde a porter deynous of his loke And lowely firste he gan hym to praye That he wolde goodly hym conueye Into the courte and make no tariynge For a message he hadde to the kynge But proudely he denyed hym the gate And shortly sayde that he came to late To entre there in any maner wyse And vngoodly gan hym to despyse Frowarde of speche and malycyous But in all haste Thelagonyus As he that was in herte nat aferde The proude porter hente by the berde And with his fyste rofe his chawe bone That he fyll deed Muet as a stone And other eke that hym tho withstode He made proudely lepe into the flode And whan mo came to make resystence He hente a swerde by manly vyolence And furyously in his Irous tene The storye sayth he slewe of them fyftene Hym selfe almoste wounded to the deth And gan for wery sothly fayle breth And vlixes what for noyse and sowne To the brydge is descendyd downe Fyndynge his men at entre of the gate Deed and slayne by full mortall hate And he full Irous hente anone a darte Of auenture stondynge tho a parte And cruelly caste at Thelagon But the stroke as in conclucyon Damageth nat for it glode asyde And he for haste no lenger wolde abyde Hent vp the darte without more a rest And smote the kynge lowe vnder the brest Thorugh the rybbes shortly for to seye Of the wounde that he must deye Hauynge tho none oppynyon That he was kynge nor suspecyon Nor that he hadde his owne Fader slawe Whiche faste gan to his ende drawe His wounde was so deedly and so kene That he myght hym selfe nat sustene But pale and wan to the grounde gan glyde His men aboute vpon euery syde That besy were to helpe hym and releue But his sore gan so ake and greue That he well felte that he must be dede But abraydynge as he lyfte vp his hede Hauynge as yet mynde and good reason Remembre gan of his auysyon And how it was tolde hym out of drede That one that was next of his kynrede Descendyd downe from his owne lyne His sweuene shall parfourme to the fyne Accomplysshe it with a darte of stele And for he coude nat conceyue wele What that he was nor who it shulde be He badde anone vnto his meyne Without harme or any vyolence Fette anone vnto his presence The yonge man whiche at the gate stode That hath that day shad so moche blode And whan he was afore vlixes brought Of hym he hath enqueryd out and sought Firste of his kyn and nexte of his countree Certes quod he I was borne in the see Amonge fysshes myd the wawes grene And sayde also his Moder was a quene Called Circes of whom the name is kouthe Bothe Est and west and right fer by southe And tolde also his Fader was a kynge That hym begat at his home comynge Fro Troye towne towarde his countre And as my Moder Cyrces tolde me Secretely that he vlixes hyghte Of whom desyrous for to haue a syghte I entred am this myghty regyon And haue pursewed vnto this dongeon Oonly in hope my Fader to haue seyne But I se well my labour is in veyne And sythe in sothe lost is my trauayle And that it may in no syde auayle It were foly lenger here to dwelle Lo here is all that I can you telle Of my kynred axe me no more ¶ With that vlixes gan to syghe sore For lacke of blode as he that was full pale And sayde anone whan he herde his tale Now wot I well my wofull destyne Fulfylled is it may none other be Now wot I well that it is to late To grutche or stryue agayne my pyteous fate For my sone as clerkes whylom tolde Hath made an ende of my dayes olde Theron expectant with paynes full greuous And with that worde Thelagonyus Whan he wyste agayne natures lawe That he alas had his Fader slawe Whiche in that londe longe bare his crowne Without abode he fylle anone a swowne His clothes rent his yelowe heer to torne Alas quod he that euer was I borne For cursed is my wofull destyne And my Fortune whiche I may nat fle Cursed my sort cursed myn auenture And I refuse of euery creature Forwaryed eke my disposycyon And cursed is my constellacyon Cursed also and infortunat The houre in whiche my Fader me begat So wolde god without lenger rede To aquyte hym anone that I were dede To lay my lyfe for his deth to borowe And whan the kynge sawe his great sorowe And wyste he was his sone of Cyrces borne By many sygnes rehersed here toforne He vnto hym anone forgaue his deth As he myght for lacke and want of breth So importable was his passyon And his sone called Thelagon Whiche hath in pryson so many daye be shet To his presence in all haste was fet Whiche whan he sawe his fader in suche poynt Vpon his deth stondynge in disioynt And knewe also and the trouth hath founde By whom he hadde his laste deedly wounde A swerde he hente and mortally Irous And wolde haue ronne on Thelagonyus Of hye despyte auenged for to be But vlixes of Faderly pyte Made his men holde hym and restrayne And amyd of all his greuous payne By his prudence and that was done anone He made his sones for to be all one And gaue in charge vnto Thelamon Of enteernesse and affeccyon And of hole herte fayned neuer adele All his lyfe to loue his brother wele To parte with hym treasour golde and gode As to the nexte borne of all his blode And tho in sothe was no lenger taryed That vlixes royally was caryed Of Achaya to the chefe Cyte And after that lyued dayes thre Without more and tho gaue vp the gost I can nat say playnely to what cost After this lyfe that his soule is gone But in atoumbe of metall and of stone The body was closed and yshet And after that made was no let That Thelamon with great solempnytee Ȳcrowned was in his Fadres see Swerde and sceptre delyueryd to his honde Of Achaya a full worthy londe Ryght habundaunt of treasour and of gode And Thelagon with hym there abode A yere complet well cherysshed in his syght And of his brother toke the ordre of knyght And for hym lyste no lenger there abyde The kynge for hym wysely gan prouyde That he with golde great treasour and plente Repeyred is home to his countre And his moder of
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 with al theyr streÌ„gth myght And arme them in stele yâ— 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. ANd Lamedon whan he herde tell Of their comyng hâ— lyst no leÌ„ger 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 shoâ—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 wouÌ„dê 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 yâ— with spere and shelde Grekes agayne recouerde haue the felde That many one lyeth slayne on the grene Gyrt thorugh the body with 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 glydâ— 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 horâ— 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 delyueâ—ly hym agayne to quyte Wâ—th a spere full sharpe whette to byte Thorugh sheld brest gaue hym such a wouÌ„de That fro his hors he felde hâ— downe to grouÌ„de Of whiche falle the kynge no thynge a ferde But roâ—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 fâ—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 fâ—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
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 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 yâ— 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 coÌ„mytted 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 kyÌ„g Pryamus sent Anthenor iÌ„to Grece for to haue his suster Exyone agayne Ca. xij O Hateful harme which most is for to dred Kyndled solonge osparke of old hatred Roote of debate grounde of enuy and â—re With newe flawme hertes for to fyre 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 yâ— 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 that no man chauÌ„ge may Of his damages auenged be some day And of miuryes that 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 remeÌ„bred 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
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 yâ— 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 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 dauÌ„ger or they myght hym wyÌ„ne Thorugh the grekes with theyr lorde to twyÌ„ne 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 â—â—dde be outrayed aryuynge vp to londe Thorughe the knyghthode this is douteles Of Phylomene whom that vlixes Vâ—hoâ—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 Sorâ— 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 yâ— renneth out of lees And where he sawe that was grettest prees He preceth thorugh amyddes of the felde And with 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 the 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 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 yâ— thorugh theyr helpe they haue yâ— 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 ygrouÌ„de 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 â—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 iÌ„ his pryde He rode at hym and smote hym thorugh yâ— 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 〈◊〉 â—â—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 maÌ„ly 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 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 yâ— 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 yâ— flour Amonge all that euer yet were borne For there was no greke that hyÌ„ may staÌ„de 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 hyÌ„ to reste this Troyan knyght anone Lyke Mars hymselfe home to Troye is gone AT whose partynge grekes eâ—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 grouÌ„de But specyally they were moste desmayde Whan Ector came which hath theÌ„ 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 coÌ„mynge 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 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
euer so contune Without chaunge theyr loue so abode ¶ And Patroclus forth anone hym tode Into the felde with Myrundones And in his tente abyteth Achylles The seconde warde to kynge Meryon Assygned was by Agamenon And to the worthy kynge Ydumenee And to a Duke that hyght Menestee Thre thousande knyghtes in stele armed clene With all the folke that came from Athene Assygned were with them for to go The thyrde warde to kynge Astalapho And to his sone that hyght Phylymene With the knyghtes that came for cuâ—ene The fourthe warde without more lettynge To Archelaus the noble worthy kynge To Prothenor and to Securydan Whiche in his dayes was so stronge a man Assygned was hoolly to this thre And all the knyghtes with them for to be Of Boece the great lande famous The fyfte warde to kynge Menelaus With all the folke of the regyowne Called Spertence of full hye renowne And of Iles that were adiacent All thyse with the baner went Of Menelay fresshe and couragyous The .vi. warde to kynge Epystrophus Was assygned and to the kynge Elyde With many worthy rydynge by his syde Of the prouynce and the famous Yle That called is in Guydo Fordesyle The .vii. warde to Thelamonyus Called Ayax the great kynge famous Was assygned sâ—orâ—ely to termyne With the toâ—kes that fro Salamyne He with hym brought and many another mo And foure Erles with hym went also Theseus and eke Amphymacus And the thyrde called Daryus And the fourthe named Polysarye The .viij. warde if I shall nat tarye By good aduyse that daye assygned was Vnto the kynge that called was Thoas Ayar Cyleus the .ix. warde ladde And the .x. kynge of Phylyk hadde And to the kynge the .xi. he dyde assygne That sothely was bothe of berthe and lyne So renowmed and of so great encrease The myghty kynge called Pallamydes Kynge Nawlus sone hyest borne of blode And duke Nestor full famous in knyghthode The .xij. warde ladde on Grekes syde Melancolyke and surquedous of pryde And kynge Honux sone of one Mabente Into the felde playnely whan he wente In ordre hadde of wardes the thyrtene Proudely mustrynge endelonge the grene Agayne Troyans redy for to fyght And eke the kynge that Vlyxes hyght Ladde with hym the fourtene as I â—ede And Humerus the kynge eke dyde lede The fyâ—â—eneth myne Auctour wryteth thus And a Duke called Curybulus The syxteneth ladde vpon that daye In whiche the kynght of kyng Prothesylaye Assygned were by great ordynaunce To enforce them for to do vengaunce Vpon the deth of theyr worthy kynge By Ector slayne at grekes arryuynge And kynge Roydo ladde the seuentene And he that was kynge of Occymene The .xviij. warde hadde at his ledynge And zantipus that was of lyde kynge Hadde to kepe coÌ„mytted to his garde On grekes syde the .xix. warde And the .xx. myn Auctour lerneth vs Hadde the kynge called Amphymacus Lyke a knyght to guyde them and to wysse And Phylocetes that was kynge of larysse The one and twenty ladde eke as I rede The two and twenty hadde Dyomede And Heneus kynge of Cyparye That was whylom so noble and so worthy The thre and twenty hadde in gouernayle And the Troyans proudely for to assayle The xxiiij with swerde spere and shelde Bynge Prothaylus ladde into the felde And Carpenor of Carpedye kynge In werre expert and right wyse in workynge The fyue and twenty ryche and well besayne On grekes syde brought into the playne The sixe and twenty sothely and the laste As he that coudese afore and caste Euery thynge by good inspeccyon The wyse kynge the great Agamenon Hadde with hym this prudent werryour As he that was ordayned Emperour Of grekes hoost as wysest of echone And in this wyse forthe the grekes gone In the felde with pompe full royall With the ensygnes and tokens marcyall Haue take theyr grounde passyngely arrayed And on theyr standardes rychely displayed Brode banerys and many fresshe penowne Agayne the wynde that made an hydous sowne And right dredefull playnely for to here And theremen sawe many crestys clere And many tufte of golde and syluer shene Meynt with fetheres redde whyte and grene And deuyse wonder incruaylous And of folkes that were amerous The tokens borne to shewe openly How they in loue brente inwardly Some hye empryse that day to fulfylle And there were herde the loude noyses shrylle Ferre in the felde and the dredefull souns Bothe of trumpettes and of claryouns That the kalendes of shedynge out of blode And with the noyse almoste for rage wode The fomy brydelles and the mouthes blede And furyous neyhyng of many bastarde stede Praunsynge of hors vpon eyther syde With all the ensygnes that myght be of pryde On grekes partye and on troye also In knyghtly wyse for to haue a do Euery warde standynge in his place The firste a sonder but a lytell space Began to a reproche with all their full entent And Ector tho full vnpacyent Formest of all on the syde of Torye The Ire of whome no man myght accoye But lyke a Lyon in his hungry rage Yssued out furyous of vysage Towarde grekes on his myghty stede That with his spores made his sydes blede His knyghtly herte so inly was to torne Of mortall Ire and as he rode toforne Brennynge full hote in his melancolye The whiche thynge whan grekes gan espye Patroclus without more abode Of surquedye afore the wardes rode Out all toforne in bothe hoostes syght For to encountre playnely if he myght With worthy Ector whan he hym sawe a ferre And as right lyne as is Dyameterre Rode vnto hym in his hatefull tene And with a spere sherpe grounde and kene Thorughout his shelde of enuyous rage He smote Ector without more damage Excepte oonly that the hede of stele That was afore forged and whet full wele Thorugh plate mayle myghtely gan glace But to the skynne for no thyng myght it trace Albe it came of passynge vyolence Yet to Ector it dyde none offence Out of his sadell ones hym to flytte For though that he sturdely hym hytte He myght nat bakwarde bowe his chyne Nor on no partye make hym to enclyne But fatally to his confusyon This myghty man this troyan champyon In his Ire aye brennynge more and more Vpon hym the hate frat so sore Left his spere myne Auctor wryteth thus And with a swerde rode to Patroclus Auysed fully that he shal be dede And furyously gan ayme at his hede And rofe hym downe theyr was no maner let Into the breste thorugh his basenet As sayth Guydo with so great a payne That with his stroke he parted hym it wayne His mortall swerde whetted was so kene That Patroclus myght nat sustene Vpon his hors but fyll downe to grounde As he that caught his laste fatall wounde Beynge present his knyghtes euerychone And delyuerly vpon hym anone Worthy Ector from his stede a downe Descendyd is lyke a wode lyowne Of hatefull Ire brennynge as the fyre Hauynge in herte
this noble worthy kynge And all attones without more tariynge Maugre all tho that made resystence From grekes swerde by myghty vyolence They haue reskewed the noble kynge Phyon And at his large with them he is goon Of his escape wonder gladde and lyght And Ector than with many lusty knyght Retourned is and Dephebus also Pollydamas and many another to Of Troyan knyghtes that desyre newe Grekes to make sore for to rewe For of assent they fully them purpose In suche myschefe grekes to enclose That if they myght fewe shulde escape And therupon knyghtly they them shape And them began fresshely for to assayle That in the felde grekes gan to fayle Of theyr power and to lese theyr lande That fynally thorugh the myghty hande And the force of Troianysshe knyghtes The grekes hadde maugre all theyr myghtes Be brought that day to confusyowne But Menelay and kynge Thelamowne Whan they them sawe febly and apeyre They of knyghthode made them to repeyre And so lyke men they haue themself diffendyd Tyll Eneas from Troye is discendyd With Ewfremus the Duke the manly man And with theyr knyghtes of newe they began Efte agayne grekes to oppresse And Ector aye thorugh his worthynesse Lyke a lyon with a sterne face Euer in one so gan them to enchace That compellyd of necessyte They were echone afore his swerde to fle And constrayned ryght of very nede Of whiche thynge whan Ayax gan take hede Hadde in herte great compassyon To se the slaughter and confusyon On grekes syde Guydo maketh mynde And gan to loke at his backe behynde And sawe where many warde stode abrode And many baner and penowne that abode Amyd the felde hole and nat for broke That redy were attones to be wroke If nede were on them of Troye towne In whiche wardes without excepcyowne Was hole the floure of grekes chyualtye To whom anone Ayax gan hym hye As he that was sore in herte agreued And with his crye he hath them so cōmeued That they in haste them to come to reskuse Amonges whom was there no refuse And as faste as they gan assemble Of noyse of hors the erthe gan to tremble Furyously as they togydre flynge There myght men the strokys here rynge Of sperys sharpe thorugh the harneys borne And thorugh sheldes wrought of stele horne Into the breste sturdy square and brode And there I fynde how that Ayax rode To Eneas and he to hym also So great enuye was atwyxe them two That nat but deth myght theyr yre apese For in herte nouther myght haue ese Tyll with sperys sharpe grounde and whette On hors backe they haue togydre mette And at Coupynge so sore they haue hytte That eueryche other to the erth smytte That to beholde was a knyghtly syght And after they bothe on fote fyght By lyklyhede in theyr wode rage Outher to falle in full great damage Amonge the horse because that they stode Vpon the soyle a louer sparde with blode But Phyloteas is to Ayar come And hath hym vp amonge the horse ynome That knyghtly faught as made is memorye For sothely ellys Troyans with victorye Hadde had the felde playnely for to sayne Tyll Phyloteas with his wardes twayne Euen in the face manly them withstode And with a spere he firste to Ector rode And vpon hym the shafte I fynde he brake But sothly he vpon his horse bake Kept hym so well for all that felle stroke Remeuynge nat but sturdy as an oke Sat in his sadell vpryght with his chyne And with a spere right as any lyne Into body depe thorugh the shelde Phyloteas he smote into the felde That of his lyfe his knyghtes were in doute But tho came in with so great a route Bynge Humerus and vlixes eke And with them brought many worthy greke Ten thousande knyghtes manly men echone That gan Troyans for to assoyle anone And cruelly on euery halfe certayne With multytude they haue them so be layne That dispayred and disconsolate And of longe fyght awaped and a mate Gan withdrawe faynted in batayle And eke theyr hors sothly gan fayle That on theyr syde all went vp so downe But Parys tho with them of Troye towne Is entrede in in full manly wyse And firste he mette with the kynge of Fryse That to Vlixes was nye of allye Whom Parys smote with so great enuye That he hym slewe wherof grekes were Sore abasshed and after with a spere Vlixes to de to auenge hym if he myght And firste whan he of Parys hadde a syght Into the reste he gan his spere throwe That fynally for he bare to lowe Faylynge of Parys sothly as I rede Vnder hym he slewe his myghty stede That maugre hym he to grounde is gone And he on hym wolde haue falle anone But Troylus tho mette hym in the berde And furyously with his sharpe swerde He smote Vlixes thorugh out his vyser That lyke a condyte or a small ryuer Downe by his face of blode the stremys ran But vlixes lyke a manly man Of that stroke astoned nat at all But on his stede styffe as any wall With his swerde so myghtely gan race Thorughe the vmbrer into Troylus face That he hym gaue a large mortall wounde Of whiche stroke passyngly iocounde The grekes were supposyng in theyr thought How Troyans fynally were brought Vnto out traunce and sothely so they hadde Saue that Ector with kynghtes whiche he ladde And with hym eke Parys and Dephebus And all his brethren i knyghthod most famous Troylus also for all his laste wounde That was alway so noble knyght y◠founde All attones Ioyned into one Vpon grekes sodaynely be gone And worthy Ector alder firste began Grekes to enchace that afore hym ran Lyke as bestes that fledde fro the deth And euer in one with his swerde he sleth Whom he mette or durste his stroke abyde And on his soon with fresshe woundes wyde The slaughter he made alway to renewe And thylke daye in blody rosen hewe He hath theyr platys theyr harneyse steyned And though it hadde blode fro heuen reyned The soyle redder myght nat a ben And aye ylyche as a swarme of been The grekes flockmele fledde out of his way And Guydo sayth that all that ylke day Actor hadde formest on the playne In the frounter of the grekes layne That behynde the knyghtes of his Garde For lacke of hym were all out of warde Wherfore whan he hadde sought longe And grekes sawe of newe wexe stronge To his knyghtes he is agayne repayred Whiche in themselfe greatly were dispayred For his absence but tho whan they hym se Full inwardely recomforted be And with glad herte haue their lorde receyued And theyr gladnesse whan he hath parceyued Spake vnto them full affectuously And prayed them full benyngnely To remembre knyghtly in theyr herte And consyder wysely and aduerte Firste the wronges that grekes haue them do Of yore agoo and ouermore also If grekes hadde that day victorye Farewell for aye the honour and the
greue But all for nought was his besy payne For Ector the eâ—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 with 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 with 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 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 knyghtê with 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 theÌ„ 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 coÌ„mendable 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 shal be 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 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
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 maÌ„hod yâ— 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 the beste For Tytan was at his goynge downe Whan they gan entre into troye towne Theyr gatê 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 Grekê 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 couÌ„sayle coÌ„mendable 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 Thorugh supporte here of them that 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 â—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 coÌ„strayne 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 coÌ„mendeth 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 They toke leue and no lenger dwelle But went theyr way forth I wyll you
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 shal be 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 coÌ„mynge 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 knyghtê proudly bare hyÌ„ 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 The felde to holde but homewarde gan theÌ„ 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 coÌ„mynge 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 dauÌ„z 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 hyÌ„ agayÌ„e 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 ygrouÌ„de And threwe at hym gaue hyÌ„ 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 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
very shoures and welle Displaese it nat now that I shall telle To youre noble famous excellence Nor to your Erys let be none offence That I shall say but of goodlyhede Pacyently that ye wyll take hede To my wordes sayde of herte and thought I you ensure for I fayne nought This to saye if ye remembre well The firste cause and purpose euerydell Of the grekes if ye haue mencyon Was fully sette by one entencyon As well of you as of vs parde Whan we come firste to this Cyte Kynges Prynces I except none Of whiche in sothe to reken euerychone Your selfe was to speke in specyall One of the firste and most pryncypall Assentyd full how Troye the Cyte Thorugh our manhode destroyed shulde be Perpetuelly brought vnto ruyne But now of newe I note what doth enclyne Your worthynesse sodaynely to varye And to our purpose for to be contrarye Consyder firste of you that be so sage The wronges done and the great damage In Grekes londe of them of the towne Conspyrynge aye to our destruccyowne If ye aduerte wysely in your thought That slayne haue and to an ende brought Full many worthy sythe gone full yore And of treasoure that no man may restore Despoyled vs and brought in great distresse Our goodes raughte our golde our rychesse Our shyppes brent thorugh theyr cruelte And to all this alas ye lyste nat se Now that they be whiche may nat be delayed Thorugh your manhode fynally outrayed Syth ye haue slayÌ„e theyr hope their suffysauÌ„ce Actor in whom was all theyr affyaunce Fully theyr truste and diffence also And Dephebus also is a go And lykely are more to be apeyred Fro day to day and fynally dispeyred So frowardly Fortune on them loureth And now your honour your fame floureth In his worshyp and your hye renowne Atteyned hath the exaltacyowne And hyest prycke of Fortunes whele It were great wronge and ye loke wele Of wylfulnesse for to be vnkynde To hir that ye so frendely to you fynde Or to be frowarde whyle she is benygne By influence gracyously to assygne Hir spokys meue vnto your plesaunce And hap to tourne with plente on your chaunce After whose helpe you nedeth nat to calle ¶ Wherfore alas why wyll ye suffre palle Your noble fame of very wylfulnesse Whyle it is hyest in his worthynesse Your knyghtly prudence it shulde natâ—a sâ—â—rte Of whiche thynge euery gentyll herte Shulde haue routhe and compassyon Wherfore we praye of discrecyon That ye you shape this purpose to amende And that ye wolde of herte condiscende With vs to stonde knyghtly in this werre By your manhode that is spoke of so ferre That your renowne to the worldes ende Reported be where so that men wende Perpetuelly by fresshenesse of hewe Day be day to encrease newe That the tryumphe of this hye victorye Be put in storye and eke in memorye And so enprentyd that foryetylnesse No power haue by malys to oppresse Your fame in knyghthode dyrke or difface That shyneth yet so clere in many place Without Eclypsynge sothly this no lesse Whiche to conserne ye be now reckelesse Of wylfulnesse to cloude so the lyght Of your renowne that whylom shone so bryght Your myghty hande of manhode to with drawe Consyder firste how Grekes are yslawe Tofore your Tent with mortall woundes wyde Thorugh out the felde vpon euery syde And haue disdayne oonly for lacke of routhe Alas the whyle for a lytell slouthe To ley to hande in theyr myschefe at all That whylom were theyr stroÌ„ge myghty wall Theyr chefe diffence and theyr champyowne Soueuerayne helpe and proteccyowne For whom ye haue so ofte shadde your blode Agayne theyr foon with them whan he stode Full myghtely theyr enmyes to assayle Without whom they lytell may auayle In very sothe ne none of vs echone But ye of knyghthode lyste with vs to gone Agayne Troyans as ye were wont to do As is our truste and fynall hope also That ye shall helpe and our socour be And here vpon we praye you that ye Saye your auyse and your full wylle And than anone the hardy fyerse Achylle Whan vlixes concludyd hadde his tale With a face for anger dede and pale Sayde euen thus all openly and playne Syr vlixes if so right as ye sayne And haue declaryd in conclusyon That our purpose and entencyon Was fynally to brenne and destroye This royall Cyte that is called Troye I holde in sothe me lyketh nat to lye That our entent was grounded on folye To put vs all thorugh in discrecyon Of reckeleshede and hasty mocyon Of lyfe and deth in suche Iupardye And specyally in all the Chyualrye Of Grekes londe for so smale a thynge So many prynce and many worthy kynge That haue Iuparted theyr body theyr gode Yloste theyr lyfe and yspent theyr blode Which myght haue be full well at home iÌ„ pees And is nat nowe the kynge Pallamydes Yslawe also as who sayth but of newe That was so wyse so manly and so trewe Of whom the lyfe was of more pryse alone Than the cause for whiche that we echone Be gaderyd here who so loke a ryght And of Grekes many a noble knyght That haue be slayne bothe of the worthyest The worlde to seke and the manlyest For out of euery lande and regyowne On grekes party and with them of the towne Of chyualry of knyghthod the sourayne floure To wynne in armes worshyp and honoure Assembled be and come fro so ferre Of whiche in sothe by duresse of this werre Full many one in the felde is dede And veryly without any drede There shall well mo if the werre laste For euery day the nombre lasseth faste Of worthy knyghtes dede without routhe That I dare saye and conclude of trouthe In this rage furyous and wode Full lykely is that all the gentyll blode Thorugh out this worlde shall destroyed be And rurall folke and that were great pyte Shall haue lordshyp and hooly gouernaunce And Churles eke with sorowe myschaunce In euery londe shall lordes be alone Whan gentyll men slayne be echone Is nat Ector that was so noble a knyght That was this worldes very sonne and lyght Of manhode floure slayne pyteously In this werre in soth and so myghte I Parauenture whiche may nat attayne To his noblesse if I shall nat fayne For by what waye shall we the deth eschewe With all our myght if we it pursewe Fro day to day whyle that we lye here Therfore shortely me for to requere Touchynge the werre outher for to praye Is but in vayne and herken what I saye I nat purpose in this werre or stryfe For to Iuparte any more my lyfe For leuer I haue that pallyd be my name Than to be slayne and haue an ydell fame For worthynesse after deth yblowe Is but a wynde and lasteth but a throwe For though renowne and pryse be blowe wyde Foryetylnesse leyth it ofte asyde By lengthe of yeres and oblyuyon Thorugh enuye and false conclusyon The
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 that 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 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 shal be in mynde This cruell dede and vngentyllesse And with that 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
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 That thorugh yâ— 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 wtstonde 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 yâ— syde That of that hurte there is no more to â—eye He felte well that he muste deye And whan he sawe none other remedye Forth he rode supprysed with enuye Thorugh out yâ— prees his swerde ay iÌ„ 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 shal be 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 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 that worde his swerde he gan enhauÌ„ce 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 yâ— sones of Pryamê° 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
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 Shal be 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 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 Grekê 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 CapÌ„ xxxv O Troye alas well mayest thou morne wepe In complaynynge wthertely 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 coÌ„serne 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 The whiche suÌ„me 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 with 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 fouÌ„de 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 with 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
haste for this Dyomede Knowynge full well his desolacyon How he was proscrip fro his regyon Besechynge hym of manhode and of routhe Hym to enhaste without any slouthe With all the stuffe that he get can And souldeours also manly euery man Without abode and to Troye them lede To socoure them in this great nede And Dyomede came and taryed nought At theyr request as he was besought To releue them in this sharpe shoure And with hym brought many souldeoure And Eneas on the way hym mette In frendely wyse and into towne hym fette And to hym made passyngly great chere And there they gan to comune yfere Theyr auentures bothe of lande and see Entermedlyd with great aduersyte That no man may deuoyde nor eschewe But take his parte as it to hym is dewe As sorte or hap doth his brydell lede And in this storye shortly to procede Cely Troyans that almost were shent With theyr fomen of Yles adiacent That them besette aboute enuyrowne But thorugh the manhode the hye renowne Of Dyomede and his souldeours And other knyghtes noble werry ours They were reskued and holpen vtterly And foure dayes they foughte by and by In knyghtly wyse deffendynge the Cyree And thorugh prowesse also of Enee They slewe and toke all that them withstode And in diffence of Troyanysshe blode Suche as they fonde to the Cyte false They henge them vp hye by the halse And punysshed them for theyr great wronge And Dyomede thus gan wexe stronge By longe processe as made is mencyowne Chefe protectoure nowe of Troye towne That enmye none by a large space Durste abyde but he hadde grace To this lygaunce so he made them loute And thus his name sprede gan aboute That of his fame the great oppynyon Dylated is vnto the regyon By swyfte reporte to Calydonye and Argâ— Whiche the quene greatly gan to charge And astoned whan she taketh hede His power gan and his myght to drede Lyste he wolde hir londe vpon hir wynne And of knyghthode a werre newe begynne And secretely gan muse on this thynge That hir lorde and hir myghty kynge Late exyled and yput to flyght Hath grace founde in Fortunes syght And is remounted to so hye estate Wherof she was in hir selfe chekmate And wayes caste as she that was prudent By hole aduyse of hir Parlement Without grutchynge or rebellyon Hym to reuoke to his regyon ¶ And therupon to hym lowly sent And with lettres the messager forth went The cause annullyng by which he was exyled And how he was fully reconcyled By hole assente of his lyeges alle And full lowly euerychone they calle For theyr offence and of theyr trespace Without rygoure for to do them grace And he anone lyke a manly knyght More of mercy sothly than of ryght Whan he hath theyr sonde well conceyued And theyr menynge fully apparceyued To stynte all stryfe thought for the beste In goodly wyse to grauute theyr requeste And to his reygne within a certayne day He is repeyred in full ryche array Of whose coÌ„mynge full glad his lyeges bene And reconcyled bothe he and the quene And all rancoure of any olde offence Oonly of wysdome they put in suspence And of one herte a blysfull lyfe they lede In Troye boke no more of hym I rede But lette hym lyue in felycytee Agayne resortynge to tell of Enee After how he hath his tyme spent Whiche is fro Troye with many Troyan went His shyppes stuffed he and his meynee Be sayled forth by many straunge see Many daunger and many strayte passage Tofore or he aryued in Cartage Ledynge with hym his fader Anchyses And by the way I fynde that he les His wyfe Crewsa by fatall auenture But all the woo that he dyde endure Who so lyste ceryously to sene And how that he falsehede the quene I mene Dido of womanhede floure That gaue to hym hir rychesse and treasoure Iewellys and golde all yâ— myght hym please And euery thynge that myght do hym ease But for all that how he was vnkynde Rede Eneydos and there ye shall it fynde And how that he falsely stale away By nyght tyme whyle she a bedde lay And of his conqueste also in Itaylle Where he hadde many stronge bataylle His auentures and his workes all And of the fyne that is to hym fall Ye may all se by full souerayne style Fro poynt to poynt compyled in virgyle Wryte and made sythen go full yore For Troye boke speketh of hym no more But procedeth as I shall endyte How Horestes caste hym for to quyte His fadres deth playnely and nat spare If ye lyste here as Guydo shall declare IT is requered of equyte and ryght Of that iuge that is moste of myght And Egally holdeth his balaunce On deth conspyred for to do vengaunce The voyse of blode doth so aye contune To crye wreche with clamour importune On them in sothe that it iniustly shede For murdre wrought wyll haue his egal mede And his guerdon as he hath disseruyd They may nat flee the iugement reseruyd Of hym that sytte hyest in his Trone And all beholdeth by hym selfe alone Full rightfully the noble myghty kynge For though he suffre he foryet no thynge But all consydereth in his inspeccyon And for the murdre of Agamenon The myghty lorde that is most souerayne gode Made his Mynystre of the same blode ¶ Yonge Horestes full of hye prowesse To execute his dome of ryght wysnesse And gaue to hym grace power and myght And he anone toke the ordre of a knyght Of you meâ—s lyke as it is tolde Whan he was foure and twenty wynter olde Fresshe and lusty and wonderly prudent And in wardely desyrous of entent If Fortune wolde hym nat withsayne His herytage to recure agayne ¶ Whiche Egistus falsly hym denyeth And the crowne in iustly occupyeth By false tytle of hir that was his wyfe But horestes wyll Iuparde his lyfe And auenture whyle hym lasteth breth Firste to be venged on his fadres deth Vpon them tho that the treason wrought And alderfirste full lowely he besought Kynge yâ—dumee of his goodlyhede To forther hym in this great nede And the kynge benygnely anone Assigned hath with hym for to gone A thousande knyghtes manly right stronge To redresse the great horryble wronge Of Egistus wroughte by vyolence And by his wysedome and his dylygence This Horestes gan hym so purueye Within a whyle there is no more to seye That he hym gat the store wyll nat lye Another thousande to his companye Of worthy knyghtes all of one accorde To go with hym as with theyr souerayne lorde In euery thynge his byddynge to obeye As ye haue herde Egistus to werreye And thus Horestes in full ryche array Gan hoostey and made no delay And his lodgynge alderfirste gan chese In a Cytee that called was Troyese Receyued there with great reuernece Of the kynge that named was Forence A manly knyght as bookes specefye And bare in herte passynge great enuye To
age wexe sad Of his repeyre passyngly was glad As she that sawe by hir Sorcerye He scapyd was many Iupardye Many pereyll and many great distressâ— And after that she fylle into sykenesse And hir dette yelde vnto nature Whiche escape may no creature In all this wolde that is here lyuynge After whose deth hir sone was made kynge Of Anlydos the meruayllous countre As I haue tolde enclosed with a see Amonge rockes where many shyppes drowne And syxty yere there he bare his crowne This manly man Thelagonyus And his brother Thelamonyus Reygned also in his regyon Seuenty wynter as made is mencyon And after that they made a royall ende And bothe two to Iubyter they wende To reygne there amonge the sterres bryght BVt now the lanterne the clere lyght Is wasted out of Frygyus Darete Whylom of Troye wryter Poyete Guyde haue I none ferther for to passe For euen here in this selfe place He fychched hath the boundes of his style At the sege he present all the whyle And aye in one with them dyde abyde Dytes the Greke on the tother syde And bothe two as in theyr wrytynge Ne vary nat but in a lytell thynge Touchynge matere as in specyall That is notable or hystoryall I do no force of incydentis smale Of whiche in sothe it is but lytell tale Saue this Dytes maketh mencyowne Of the nombre slayne at the towne Lastynge the sege affermynge out of drede Eyght hondred thousaÌ„de syx were there dede On Grekes syde vp right in the felde And as Dares also there behelde On Troye partye in the werre kene Syxe hondred thousande seuenty and syxtene Were slayne there in Guydo ye may se With them that came to helpe the Cyte Fro many coste and many regyowne In diffence and reskus of the towne And full ten yere so as I can caste And syxe monthes the myghty sege laste Or it was gette Dares wryte hym selfe And ouer more complet dayes twelue Or Grekes hadde full possessyon By false engyne of the Greke Synon Lyke as tofore rehersyd was but late I haue no more of latyn to translate After Dytes Dares nor Guydo And me to adde any more therto Than myn Auctours specefye and seynâ— The occupacyon sothly were in veyne Lyke a maner of presumpcyon And tyme complet of this translacyon By iuste rekenynge and a countis clere Was a thousande and foure hondred yere And twenty nere I knowe it out of drede After that criste receyued our manhede Of hir that was Emperesse and quene Of heuen and helle and a mayde clene The eyghte yere by computacyon Suynge after the Coronacyon Of hym that is most gracyous in werkynge Herry the fyfthe the noble worthy kynge And protectoure of Brutys Albyowne And called is thorugh his hyerenowne Thorugh his prowesse and his Chyualrye Also fer as passeth cloude or skye Of Normadye the myghty conquerour For thorugh his knyghthod dilygent labour Maugre all tho that lyste hym to withseyne He hath conqueryd his herytage ageyne And by his myghty prudent gouernaunce Recuryd eke trewe tytle of Fraunce That who so lyste loke and vnfolde The pee de Grewe of Cronycles olde And sercheth bokes ywryt longe aforne He shall fynde that he is iustly borne To reygne in Fraunce by lyneall discent And onwarde now he is made regent Of thylke londe durynge his Faders lyfe Of his goodnesse to voyde werre and stryfe He to reioyse without more delay Sceptre and crowne after the kynges day As it is clerely in conclusyon Enrolled vp in the conuencyon And than I hope the tyme Fortunat Of the olde worlde called Aureat Resorte shall by influence of grace That cruell Mars shall no more manace With his lookes furyous and wode By false Aspectes for to shede blode Atwene the folkes of thyse Realmes twayne Whiche euery wyght ought to complayne But as I truste in myn oppynyon This worthy kynge of wysedome and reson And of knyghthode shall so do his payne To make one that longe hath be twayne I mene thus that Englonde and Fraunce May be all one without varyaunce Out of hertes olde rancour to enchace By influence of his myghty grace That called is of clerkes douteles The soueraygne lorde and the prynce of pees And I hope his grace shall now reygne To set reste atwene thyse Realmes twayne For in his power sothly stondeth all And allyaunce of the blode royall That is knet vp by bonde of maryage Of werre shall voyde away the rage To make peas with bryght bemes shyne And one that is called Katheryne And named is right good and fayre also Shalbe mene atwyxe bothe two Of grace emprynted in hir womanhede That to complayne we shall haue no nede And I hope hir gracyous aryuaylle Into this londe shall so moche auaylle That ioye honour and prosperyte Without trouble of all aduersyte Repeyre shall and all hertely plesaunce Plente welfare and fulsome habundaunce Peas and quyete bothe nyghe and ferre Without stryfe debate or any werre Myschefe pouert nede or indigence With full cessynge of deth and pestylence Sothly all this I hope ye shall sene Come into londe with this noble quene That we shall say of herte and feyne nought Blessyd be she that all this hath vs brought And he yâ— hath thorugh myght of his werkyÌ„g Of his knyghthode concludyd all this thyng And suche meruayles iÌ„ armes done wrought And his purpose fully aboute brought Of hye wysedome set in his inwarde syght Reioysynge all that longeth to his ryght And hyest syt of worthynesse in glorye With the Sceptre of conquest and victorye I praye god oonly for his beste ¶ Whan he hath all set in peas and reste And is full put in clere possessyon Of all that longeth to his subieccyon To sende hym home with as great honour As euer yet hadde any conquerour Longe after in ioye and in quyete For to reygne in his royall sete Thus shall I aye there is no more to saye Daye and nyght for his expleyt I praye Of faythfull herte and of hole entent That whylom gaue me in coÌ„maundement Nat yore ago in his faders tyme The sege of Troye on my maner to ryme Most for his sake to speke in specyall All though that I be boystous and rurall He gaue me charge this storye to translate Rude of connynge called IohnÌ„ Lydgate â—onke of Burye by professyon Vsynge an habyte of perfeccyon Albe my lyfe accorde nat therto I feyne nat I wot well it is so It nedeth nat wytnesse for to calle Recorde I take of my brethren alle That wyll nat fayle at so great a nede And all that shall this noble storye rede I beseche of supporte and of grace Where I offende in any maner place Or where so euer that they fynde errour Of gentyllesse to shewe his fauour Benyngnely for to do theyr payne To correcte rather than disdayne For well wot I moche thynge is wronge Falsely metryd bothe of short and longe And if they shulde haue of all
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 peâ—re On Patroâ—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 thousaÌ„de 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 yâ— nat now fede Go elles where to sewe for thy mede For truste well in conclusyon Fyfty thousande to thy destruccyon Of one entent playnely wyll nat fayle Thyne hatefull pryâ—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 â—lody appetyâ—e In very sothe he had hym slayne anoon Saue yâ— 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 thâ—e thousande knyghtes gan hym sewe Full alâ—â—â—ted attones in batayle For lyfe or dâ—th Ector to assayle In awayte vnware on hym to sette But al this whyle with whom yâ— 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 with 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 amoÌ„ge theÌ„ 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 â—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 aâ—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 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 that 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 maÌ„hede 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 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 â—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 coÌ„mynge 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 yâ— felde flaumeth the 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 sâ—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 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 yâ— 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
glorye Of Troyan blode in conclusiowne For fynally we and eke our towne Shall mortally turne to ruyne And our honour that was wont to shyne Thorugh out the worlde and our worthynesse Eclypse shall and turne to derkenesse But ye this day lyke as men you quyte Wherfore I praye that no man atwyte Your hye renowne of any cowardyse To sette vpon in full manly wyse And nat to spare for drede of deth I praye And they echone full lowely gan obaye To his desyre without lenger tale And entrynge in by a certayne vale Vpon grekes this worthy knyghtes all Folowynge Ector sodaynely be fall Full mortally or that they were ware And Ector tho no greke wolde spare But euery where to theyr confusyon He kylled and slewe aboute hym enuyron And his knyghtes rydynge by his syde Made theyr â—omen maugre all theyr pryde To lese theyr londe flewe out of theyr syght Tyll that the kynge whiche Toas hyght On grekes syde in warde gan hym dresse And of newe full knyghtly gan oppresse Them of Troye this kynge this manly man That hadde afore slayne Cassybelan One of the sones of kynge Pryamus But as he rode of fortune it felle thus That all the bretherne on a frusshe he mette Whiche of assent enuyron hym be sette And from his sadell that many greke behelde Amonge the hors smethym into the felde And of they rente firste his basenet And cruelly they hadde his hede of smet For he vnarmed all at myschefe stode Saue that the Duke furyous and wode Of Athenys rydynge a great pace Reskued hym in this mortall cace With is knyghtes that aboute hym rode And hym to helpe without more abode With aspere sharpe whette and kene Firste of all he felle on Quyntylene That besy was Thoas to haue slawe And the bretherne he made also withdrawe Whan Quyntylene of his hors was throwe But Parys tho drewe vp his myghty bowe And to this duke lette an arowe glyde And thorugh his plates hyt hym in the syde Vpon a ryb that made hym sore blede Of whiche stroke he ne toke no hede Bycause oonly that he so feruent was Amyd his foon to helpe kynge Thoas Amonge the hors that was bore to grounde In poynt of deth with many mortall wounde Oonly for he was naked on the hede But this Duke fully deuoyde of drede Of his knyghode in this pecyllous caas Amyd his foon hath holpe kynge Thoas And with his lyfe made hym scape free And Ector aye of cruell enmytee Ilyche fresshe for no thynge wolde leue Vpon grekes his manhode for to preue Enforsynge hym to theyr destruccy wone And as he rode amonge them vp downe Kynge Humerus hath a bowe take And to shote gan hym redy make And hatefully therin sette an arowe And to Ector he marked hath so narowe That he smote hym euen amyd the face But or he myght any fertherpase Ector smet hym with so great a payne That with his swerde he rose his hede at wayne The deth of whom whan the grekes knowe Myn Auctor sayth they haue an horne yblowe That vnwarly with that dredefull sowne Seuen thousaÌ„de knyghtê came attones downe Aboute Ector without more abode But he of force thorugh them all he rode Maugre theyr myght that hym tho with sette And slowe all tho that his waye lette And stynte nat playnely tyll he cam To his Fader the worthy kynge Pryam With many worthy full famous of renowne That with his knyghtes faste by the towne Lay all the daye with men on hors and foote As he that was of knyghode croppe and roote And kept hym close of full hye prudence Tyll Ector came vnto his presence And hym besoughte in this great nede With thre thousande that he wolde hym spede Vpon grekes in theyr felle rage To falle on them at moost auauntage ANd than i hast this worthy Pryamus With his knyghtes fresshe desyrous Towarde grekes hath the waye take And suche a mordre gan vpon them make That many grekes lay dede on the playne For Pryamus so sore hath them be layne On euery halfe thorugh his great myght That they full faste fledde out of his syght So sore of newe he vpon them sette And as I fynde they togydre mette Actor and Ayax of very auenture And on theyr stedes stronge and wonder sure The storye sayth in all the haste they konne Lyke wood lyons they togydre ronne With so great myght yâ— were they lefe or lothe Vpon the playne they were vnhorsed bothe And in this whyle Menelay the kynge Sodaynely as he came rydynge He slewe of Troye a worthy Amyrall And thus the slaughtre passyngly mortall Benewed aye for Celydonas The neue we slewe of kynge Thoas And Madan met myn Auctor wryteth thus A grekysshe kynge called Cedyus Whiche with his swerde suche a stroke hym sette That thorughe yâ— vmbrer out his eye he smette And Sardellus that was of Troye eke The same whyle slewe a worthy greke A lorde of name and of hye prowesse All though Guydo his name nat expresse And than also came Margaryton On troye syde agayne Thelamon And bothe two inly sette a fyre Of hye disdayne and of hatefull yre And they mette on hors backe yfere Kynge Thelamon sothly as I lere Gaue vnto hym a woundefull cruell But tho came in the troyan Phanuell And Prothenor smote downe of his stede And thus the sones playnely as I rede Of Pryamus no thynge disamayde The grekes haue on euery part outrayed And so knyghtly all the daye them borne That many greke fatally hath lorne His lyfe in sothe of hate and enmyte And kynge Duglas is falle on Meneste Of Athenys Duke and gouernoure And with aspere of Ire and olde rancoure He ran at hym smet hym amyd the shelde But for all that his sadell yet he helde And for the duke spere hadde none He with a swerde to Duglas rode anone And thorugh the owmbrer rofe of nye his nase That he astoned stode as in a mase Whan that he sawe the condyte of his blode So streme out but for all that he rode Out asyde fully deuoyde of fere Vnto tyme that he staunched were But Deamor his owne brother dere Whan he behelde his mortall blody chere Of hye disdayne he rode to Meneste And hym vnhorseth but vp anone sterte he And or he myght fully vp aryse Another brother in full cruell wyse Is falle on hym so that of them thre Attones were vpon Meneste Fully in purpose he shall lese his lyfe But he so knyghtly bare hym in that stryfe Agaynst them that wonder was to se And vpon hym moste cruell of them thre Was one Thoras eldest of echone Whiche hym to a slayne was besy euer in one For all to broke they haue his basenet But whan that Tenter sawe hym so beset A grekysshe kynge as made is mencyon Hadde in his herte great compassyon And thought playnly of manhode hym releue And if he myght his foomen for to