Without fauour who solyste take hede For after dethe clerkes lytell drede After decrete for to bere wytnesse Nor of a tyraunt the trouthe to expresse ¶ As men disserne without excepcion with lak or prys they graunt them theyr guerdon Wherfore me semeth euery maner man Shulde by his lyne in all that euer he can For vertue oonly eschewe to do amys For after deth playnly as it is Clerkes wyll wryte and excepte none The playne trouthe whan a man is gone And by olde tyme for theyr wrytynge trewe They cherysshed were of lordes that them knewe And honoured greatly in tho dayes For they enacted and gylte with theyr sayes Theyr hyghe renowne their maÌ„hod prowes Theyr knyghthode eke and theyr worthynesse Theyr Tryumphes also and victories Theyr famous coÌ„quest their fonge glories ¶ From poynt to poynt rehersyng al yâ— trouth Without fraude neclygence or slouth They dyde theyr labour and theyr besynesse For elles certayne the great worthynesse Of theyr dedes hadde ben in vayne For dyrked age elles wolde haue slayne By lengthe of yeres the noble worthy fame Of conqueroures and playnly of theyr name For dymmed eke the letters aureat And diffaced the palme laureat Whiche that they wan by knyghode iÌ„ theyr dayes Whose fretynge ruste newe and newe assayes For to eclypse the honour and the glorye Of hyghe prowesse whiche clerkes in memorye Haue trewely set thorugh dylygent laboure And enlumyned with many coryous floure Of Rethoryk to make vs comprehende The trouthe of all as it was in kynde Besyed them and faythfully trauayled Agayne all that that age wolde assayled In theyr bokes euery thynge I set And with the key of remembraunce it shet Whiche lasteth yet and dureth euer in one Recorde of Thebes that was so longe a gone Of whiche the ruyne and destruccion Ye may beholde by good inspeccion Croppe and roote right as it was in dede On Stace loke and there ye may it rede How Polynece and Ethiocles The bretherne two ne cowde nat lyue in pes Tyll Thebes was brought vnto ruyne And all the maner how they dyde fyne That dethe also of worthy Tideus And how Edippus with terys full pyteus Wept out his eyen and all his drery payne And how the smokê departed were on twayne At the feste of fyres funerall In great Stace ye may rede all The fyre engendred by brotherly hatrede Where thorugh that deth was the cruell mede ¶ In very sothe of many worthy man Lyke as myne Auctour well reherce can Of Troye also that was of latter yeres By dylygence of Cronycleres Ye may beholde in theyr wrytynge well The stryfe the werre the sege and euerydell Right as it was so many yeres passyd Whose storye yet age hath not dyffacyd Nor cruell deth with his mortall strokes For maugre deth ye may beholde in bokes The storye fully rehersyd newe and newe And fresshely floure of coloure and of hewe From day to day quycke and nothynge feynt For clerkes haue this strorye so depeynt That deth nor age by no maner weye The trouth may nat make for to deye ¶ All be that some haue the trouthe spared In the wrytynge and playnly nat declared So as it was nor tolde out faythfully But it transformyd in theyr poysy Thorugh vayne fables whiche of entencion They haue contryued by fals transsumpcion To hyde trouthe falsly vnder clowde And the sothe of malys for to shrowde As Omer dyde the whiche in his wrytynge I feyned hathe full many dyuers thynge That neuer was as Guydo lyste deuyse And thynges done in another wyse He hath transformyd than the trouthe was And feyned falsly that goddes in this cas ¶ The worthy Grekes holpe to werrey Agayne Troyens and how that they were sey Lyke lyfely men amonge them day by day And in his dytees that were so fresshe and gay With sugred wordes vnder hony soote His galle is hyd lowe by the roote That it may nat outwarde be aspyed And all for he with Grekes was allyed Therfore he was to them fauourable In moche thynge whiche is nat coÌ„mendable Of them that lust to deme after ryght For in makynge loue hath loste his syght To gyue a prys where none is deserued Cupide is blynde whose domes ben obserued More after luste than after equyte Or after reason how the trouthe be For syngulertee and fals affeccyon Reyseth full ofte by vayne lausyon A man to worshyp that deserueth none By fals reporte and thus full many one Without meryte hath his fame blowe Wherof another the renowne is vnknowe That in armes hath meruayles wrought Of whom paraunter speketh no man nought For fauour oonly is fostred more than ryghtê That hyndred hath many worthy knyghtê ¶ Ouyde also poete ycally hath closed Falshed with trouthe that maketh men enosed To whiche parte that they shall them holde His mysty speche so harde is to vnfolde That it entryketh reders that it se Virgyle also for loue of Enee In eneydos rehersyth moche thynge And was in partye trewe of his wrytynge Excepte oonly that hym lyste some whyle The tracys folowe of Omeris style ¶ And of this sege wrote eke Lollius But tofore all Dares frigius Wrote moste trewely after that he fonde And dytees eke of the grekes londe For they were present and seyen euerydell And as it fyll they wryte trewe and well Eche in his tunge by suche consonaunce That in theyr bokes was no varyaunce Whiche after were vnto Athenes brought And by processe cerchyd out and sought By dylygence of one Cornelius Whiche was neuewe vnto Salustius Of Rome I borne whiche dyde his dewe Them to translate and the tracys sewe Of thyse Auctours by good auysement But bycause he set all his entent For to be breef he left moche behynde Of the story as men in bokes fynde The firste meuynge and cause orygenall What was the gynnynge and roote in specyall Ne how they came by londe or by nauye How firste the sparke was kyndled of enuye Betwyxt grekes and them of troye towne Of whiche Cornelie maketh no menciowne Of theyr shyppes nor of theyr vytayle Nor howe that grece is callyd yâ— tayle And the lasse as bokes veryfye ¶ Is named nowe the londe of Romanye What noumbre of kynges of dukes wente Towarde the sege all of one assente To wynne worshyp and for excersyse Of armes oonly in full knyghtly wyse Abydynge there to se the version Of the cytee and noble yllion Nor what the maner was of theyr armure ¶ Nor at the sege who lengest dyde endure In what wyse eche other dyde assayle Nor how often they mette in batayle How many worthy loste there his lyfe Thorugh olde hatred wrought vp newe stryfe Nor of theyr deth he datyth nat the yere For his wrytynge was particulere Without fruyte he was compendious This foresayd romeynge this Cornelius ¶ Wherfore but late in comparysowne There was an Auctour of full hygh renowne That besyed hym the tracys for to sewe Of dyte and Dares
olde Without abode anone as she it caste To blosme and budde it began as faste Tourne grene and fresshe to beholde And thorugh his drynk she hath fro yeres olde Eson restored vnto lusty age And was of wyt and reason eke as sage As euer he hadde his lyfe ben aforne The whiche Eson of his wyfe I borne Hadde a sone and Iason was his name In werke of whom nature was not to blame For she hir crafte platlye and connynge Spent vpon hym hooly in werkynge Whan she hym made with herte wyll thought That of hir crafte behynde was right nought To reken his shap and also his fayrnesse His strengthe his beaute and his lyflynesse His gentylnesse and his wyse gouernaunce How large he was and of dalyaunce The moste goodly that men cowde knowe In all his porâ—e bothe to hyghe and lowe And with all this auyse and a tretable That of connynge god wote I am nat able For to descryue his vertues by and by For as myne Auctour telleth faythfully He was beloued so of olde and yonge That thorugh the londe is his honour spronge But for that he was but yonge and sklendre Of age also miy grene and tendre He was comytted to the gouernayle Of Pelleus to whom without fayle In euery thynge he was as seruyable As dylygent in chambre and at table As euer was any childe or man Vnto his lorde in all that euer he can Glade in herte and of faythfull obeyssaunce So that in chere nor in countenaunce Inwarde in herte nor outwarde in shewynge His vncle ne was he nat grutchynge All be he hadde hooly in his honde The worthy kyngdome and the ryche londe Of this Iason and the herytage Oonly for he was to yonge of age ¶ Vnto whom Pelleus dyde his payne Agaynst herte falsly for to fayne To shewe other than he mente in herte And kept hym close yâ— no thyng hym out sterte Lyke an addre vnderfloures fayre For to his herte his tunge was contrayre Benyngne of speche of meuynge a serpente For vâ—oâ—r coloure was the treason blente To shewe hym goodly vnto his allye But inwarde brent of hate and of enuye The hoote fyre and yet there was no smeke So couertly the malys was I reke That no man myght as by sygne espye Towarde Iason in herte he bare enuye And meruayle noon for it was causeles Saue he dradde that he for his encres And for his manhode lykly was to atteyne For to succede in his fadres reyne Whiche Pelleus vniustly occupyeth And daye by day cast and fantasyeth How his venym may by some pursute Vpon Iason be fully execute Here on he museth euery houre and tyme As he that dradde to se an hasty pryme Folowe chaunge as it is wonte to done Sodeynly after a newe mone He caste wayes and compasseth sore And vnder colour alway more and more His felle malys he gan to close and hyde Lyke a snake that is wonte to glyde With his venym vnder fresshe floures And as the sonne is hoote after thyse shoures So of enuye hatter brent the glede Vpon a tyme he thought to procede To execute his meuynge euerydell In porte alambe in herte a lyon fell Double as a Tygre slyghly to compace Galle in his breste and lugre in his face That no man hath to hym suspeccion How he purueyeth the distruccion Of his neuewe and that within a whyle Pretendynge loue all be the fyne was gyle His malys was yshet so vnder keye That his entent there can no man bewreye It was conceled and closyd in secre Vnder the locke of pryue enmyte And that in sothe greued hym the more Vpon hym selfe the angre frette so sore Abydynge aye tyll vnto his entent He fynde may leyser conuenyent Vpon his purpose platly to procede For to perfourme it fully vp in dede Wherof Iason hath full lytell rought His vncle and he ne were nat in one thought Of whose menynge was no conuenyence For malyse was coupled with innocence And grounde of al so as I can deuyse Was enuye and couetyse Whiche fret so sore falsly for to wynne As croppe and roote of euery sorowe synne And cause hath ben sythe go full yore That many a realme hath a bought full sore The dredefull venym of couetyse alas Let them beware that stonde in this caas ¶ To thynke afore and for to haue in mynde That all falshed draweth to an ende For thoughe it byde and laste a yere or two The ende in sothe shal be sorowe and wo Of all that ben false and enuyous Here of no more but forth of Pelleus I wyll you tell that hath solonge sought Vpon this thyng tyl there were to hyÌ„ brought Tydynges newe and that so meruaylous That he astonyd was and all his hous Of a meruayle that newly was falle Besyde Troye the plage oryentalle How in Colchos as the rydynge cam Whithin an yle enclosed was a Ram Whiche bare his flees full rychely of golde And for the rychesshe it was kept in holde With great aduyce and great dylygence That no man myght there to do offence ¶ And in this yle there was a gouernour A noble kynge a worthy werreour That Cethes hyghte wyse discrete and sage Whiche was also yronne fer in age That in his tyme as bokes can deuyse Had vnderfonged many great empryse In peas werre and moche worshyp wonne And he was sone also to the sonne That gaue hym vre to honour to atteyne So as poetes lysteth for to feyne Touchynge his lyne I leue as nowe the grete And of this Ram my purpose is entrete ¶ That was coÌ„mytted I dare you well assure To the kepynge and the besy cure Of cruell Mars the myghty god of werre Whiche with the stremys of his reed sterre And influence of his deytee Ordeyned hath by full great crueltee This Ram to kepe bollys full vnmylde With brasen feet ramageous and wylde And therwith all full fell and dyspitous And of nature woode and furyous To hurte and slee euer of one desyre Out of whose mouthe leuen and wylde fyre Lyke a flawme euer blased out To brenne all them that stode nyghe about Eke of theyreyen the lokes moste horryble To a fourneys the stremes were visyble And who that wolde to encrease his glorie This Ram of golde wynne by the victorie Firste he muste of very force and myght Vnto oultrance with this bullys fyght And them venquysshe alder firste of all And make them humble as any oxe in stall And to the yok and do them ere the londe Of very manhode this must he take an honde And after that he muste also endure With a serpent of huge and great stature Without fauour playnly haue a do To oultrance eke without wordes mo The whiche serpent shortly for to tell Was lyke a fende comen out of hell ¶ Full of venym and of cruell hate And with skalys harde as any plate He armed was to stonde at defence And his brethe werse than pestylence Infecten
OVr gracyous god moost in magnyfyceÌ„ce His mercyful eyen casteth froÌ„ heueÌ„ on hi Seynge his creatures in deedly vyolence Hym selfe complayneth by pyte full ruâ—fully Sayenge Deus o man deuoyde of intellygence Open thyne eeres vnto my call and crye And tell me yf I haue done to the offence That thou forsakest my wyllyngly Man suche a loue to the I dyde take This world in seuen dayes whaÌ„ I it wrought Thou was the laste thynge that I dyd make Bycause I wolde thou wanted nought What thynge the myght helpe dyd not lake That at thy nede yf it were sought Fowle fysshe all thynge for thy sake For thy comforte all was forth brought More ouer I gaue the that dygnyte All beestes to bowe the vntyll I made the also lyke vnto me And gaue the connynge and freewyll Me to serue that thou sholde se To chose the good and leue the yll I aske nothynge agayne of the But loue thy souerayne as it is skyll But vnto this takest thou none entente Thou tournest fro me full vnkyndly On loues vnlefull thy loue is lente Thy herte beholdeth not heuen so hye For all the goodes I haue the sente The lysteth not ones to saye gramercye In tyme to come or thou repente Man make amendes or that thou dye A crysten soule conceyued in synne Receyued in conscyence thus complanynge He fell downe flatte with delefull dynne And sayd Homo lorde mercy souerayne kynge I moost vnkynde wretche of man kynne I knowe I am thy traytour vntrue in my lyuynge This wycked lyfe that I lyue in I may it nought hyde frome thy knowynge I want wordes and also wytte Of thy kyndnesse to speke a cause That I haue thou gaue me it Of thy goodnes withouten cause Thoughe I haue greued the and do yet Thy benefaytes thou nought withdrawse I haue deserued to haue hell pytte So haue I lyued ayenst thy lawse But lorde thou knowest mannes feblenesse How frayle it is and hath ben aye For thoughe the soule haue thy lykenesse Man is but fulsome erthe and claye In synne conceyued and wretchednesse And to the soule rebell alwaye Fyrst a man groweth as dooth gresse And he wasteth after as floures or haye Syth man is than so frayle a thynge And thy power so grete in kynde This worlde is but a twynkelynge Thou mayst destroye the myght of the fynde With thy ryght lorde mercy mynge And to my sore salue thou sende Sore me repenteth of my my slyuynge Mercy lorde I wyll amende Deus Man I gaue the bodyly hele That thou sholde it spende in my seruyce Fayrenes also and fetures fele Man what doost thou with all thyse Thou with delytes of the deuyll doost dele Whiche is to me a great despyse Thou lyuest a lecherous lyfe vnlele Fro yere to yere thou lyst not ryse Thou studyest after nyce araye And makest great cost on thy clothynge To make the semely as who sholde saye Thou coudest amende my makynge Thou purposed the daye by daye To set my people in synnynge Thy wretched wyll thou folowest alwaye What ende synne hathe thou thynkest nothynge In Noes tyme bycause of synne And for lecherye in especyall What vengeauÌ„ce came than to maÌ„nes kynne Saue .viii. persones drowned were all On Sodome and Gomor and the men wtin How I made fyre and brymstone fall Fro heuen on them that bode therin for synne were destroyed bothe great small Man wenest thou my myght be lesse Than it was than or that elles I Thou hast no as moche wyckednesse As whan I smote the moost pyteously But yf thou wyll thy fautes redresse Thought I now spare for my mercy Man thynke on my ryghtwysnesse And make amendes or that thou dye Tabula ¶ How the Grekes toke lande before Troye how they were strongly fought with Ca. xxi ¶ The thirde boke ¶ How the thirde boke telleth how the Troyans yssued out on the morowe and fought with the Grekes how valyauntly Ector bare hym selfe that daye Capitulo xxij ¶ How the Grekes sent to kynge Pryamus for to haue trewes for Eyght wekes And of theyr Bataylles after the trewes fayled Ca. xxiij ¶ How the Troyans toke kynge Thoas prysoner ledde hym into Troye Capitulo xxiiij ¶ Howe durynge a Trewes of thre Monthes Ector walked into the grekes hoost And of the coÌ„munyacyon of Achylles hym Ca. xxv ¶ How whan the trewes was endyd they went to batayle agayne where as were many a man slayne on bothe partyes And of the Discripcyon of the Palays of ylyon And also how there dyed so many grekes of the pestylence that they demaunded trewes for .xxx. dayes whiche they obteyned Capitulo xxvi ¶ How Andromecha Ectors wyfe had a vysyon in hir slepe that and hir housbonde fought on the morowe that he shulde be slayne the whiche wold nat byleue hir nouther Fader nor mo der And how Achylles slewe hym Ca. xxvij ¶ Of the complaynt that Lydgate maketh for the deth of worthy Ector Cap. xxviij ¶ The Fourthe boke ¶ Now the fourthe Boke whiche speketh how Grekes made kynge Pallamydes chefe Capitayne of theyr Hoost and deposed kynge Agamenon Capitulo xxix ¶ How kynge Pryamus went vnto the batay le for to auenge the dethe of Ector where as he dyd meruayllous dedes of Armes Ca. xxx ¶ Howe Achylles slewe the worthy Troylus Ectors brother vnknyghtly and trayled hym aboute the felde at his hors tayle Ca. xxxi ¶ How Parys slewe Achylles in the Temple of Appollo and Anthylogus duke Nestors sone Capitulo xxxij ¶ Howe Parys Thelamon Ayax slewe eche other in the felde Capitulo xxxiij ¶ Howe Pantasyllya the Quene of Amazonâ— came for to socoure kynge Pryamus of Troye And howe Pyrrus Achylles sone slewe hir â–ª Capitulo xxxiiij ¶ 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 distroyed for euer Cap. xxxv ¶ The fyfthe boke ¶ The fyfthe boke of Troye the which speketh how the Grekes retourned into Grece after the distruccyon And after they that escaped dyed myscheuously Capitulo xxxvi ¶ Howe the translatoure wryteth the stocke of Pyrrus by lyneal discent how his Graunfader hyghte Pelleus and his Graunmoder called Thetydes Capitulo xxxvij ¶ Of the moost worthy kynge Henry yâ— fyfthe ¶ Explicit Tabula Here after foloweth the Troye boke otherwyse called the Sege of Troye Translated by IohnÌ„ Lydgate monke of the Monastery of Bury And Emprynted at the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of oure Soue raygne Lorde the kynge Henry the .viij. By Richarde Pynson prynter vnto his most noble grace The yere of our Lorde god a. M. CCCCC and xiij⸫ The Prologue of the Translatoure O Myghty Mars that with thy sterne lyght In Armys hast the power yâ— myght And named art from est tyl occident The myghty lorde the god Armypotent That with shynynge of thy stremes rede By influence doest thy brydell lede Of chyualrie as soueraygne and patron Full
in this mater dwell It were but vayne for now thou knowest all Beware of hir that tourneth as a ball For at this tyme thou gettest no more of me Do as thou lyste I put the choys in the And with that worde the kynge rose vp anone Vpon the tyme whan he shulde gone Vnto his mete and Iason by his syde As ye shall here if ye lyste abyde THe tyme aprocheth gan to neygh fast That offycers full besely them cast To make redy with all theyr full cure And in the halle the bordes for to cure For by the dyall the hour they began to marke That phebus shouthward was reysed iÌ„ his arke So hye a lofte that it drewe to noone That it was tyme for the kynge to gone Vnto his mete and entre into halle And Cethes than with his lordes alle And with his knyghtê about hym euerychon With Hercules and also with Iason Is sette to mete in his royall see And euery lorde lyke to his degree But firste of all this worthy man Iason Assygned was by the kynge anoon For to sytte at his owne borde And hercules that was so great a lorde Was set also faste by his syde And the marshall no lenger lyste abyde To assygne estates where they shulde be Lyke as they were of hye or lowe degree And after that on scaffolde hye a lofte The noyse gan loude and no thynge sofâ—e Bothe of trompers and of claryoners And there with all the noble offycers Full thryftely serued haue the halle Lyke as the season that tyme dyde falle With all deyntes that may rekened be That sothfastly the foyson and plente Of kyngly fredom vnto hye and lowe So fulsomly gan to reygne and snowe That thorugh yâ— hall was yâ— manhode preysed Of the kynge and his renowne reysed That can his gestes sothely for to sye Whan that hym lyste chere and fesâ—ey So lyke a kynge and in so thryfty wyse With all deynte that man can deuyse For at this feste and solempnyte The grekes myght the great nobley see Of kyng Cethes and the worthynesse And by reporte therof bere wytnesse Where so they come after all theyr lyue I wante connynge by ordre to discryue Of euery cours the dyuersytees The straunge sewes and the sotyltees That were that day serued in that place Haue me excused thoughe I lyghtly passe Though I can nat all in ordre sayne Myn Englysshe is to rude and eke to playne For to endyte of so hye a thynge But forthe I wyll reherse how the kynge To shewe his gestes his nobley ouer all Hathe for his doughter sent in specyall And bad she shulde forth anoon be brought The whiche in sothe though men had sought This world thrugh out I do you playn assure Men myght a founde no fayrer creature More womanly of porte nor manere Nor more demure nor sadder of hir chere Whose beaute was nat lykely for to fade And whan she came the grekes for to glade The halle in sooth she walketh vp and downe Of woman hede and pure affeccy owne To make chere vnto these gestes newe And thus Medca with hir rosen hewe And with fresshenesse of the lyllye whyte So enter medled of kynde by delyte That nature made in hir face sprâ—de So egally the whyte with the rede That the medlynge in conclusion So was ennewed by proporcion That fynally excesse was there none Of one nor other for bothe two in one So ioyned were longe to endure By the emperesse that called is nature For she hir made lyke to hir deuyse That to beholde it was a paradyse In very sothe bothe to one and all Of olde and yonge syttynge in the hall Therto she was as by successyon Borne to be heyre of that regyon After hir fader by discent of lyne If she abyde and dure after his fyne Syth he â—e had by right to succede Noon heyre male that I can of rede She was also the boke maketh mencyon Were vnto yeres of discrecyon Able for age maryed for to be And not withstondynge also eke that she Was of beaute and of womanheed One of the fayrest that I can of reed Yet none of bothe haue hir youthe let That to clergye hir desyre was set So passyngly that in specyall In all the artes called lyberall She was expert and knowynge at the beste It was hir vre to konne what hir leste Of suche a woman herde I neuer telle At Elycon she dranke so of the welle That in hir tyme was there none semblable I founde in sothe ne none that was so able To conceyue by studye and doctryne And of natures dispute and termyne She koude also and the causes fynde Of all thynges formed as by kynde She had in lernynge so hir tyme spent That she knewe of the fyrmament The trewe cours and of the sterres all And by theyr meuynge what that shulde fall So expert she was in astronomye But moste she wrought by nygromanyce With exorsismes and coniurisons And vsed also to make illusions With hir charmes sayde in sondry wyse And with rytes of dyuers sacrifyse Encens and rechelys caste into the fyre To shewe thynges lyke to hir desyre With gootes hornes and with mylke blode Whan the mone was equat and stode In the fyfthe or syxte hous And was fortuned with lokynge gracious To chese an houre that were conuenyent And fortunat by enchauntement To make and werke sondry apparences So well she knewe the heuenly influences And aspectes bothe wrothe and glade For she by them all hir thynges made That appartene to suche experymentes For whan hir lyste by hir enchauntementes She cowde make the wyndes for to blowe To thondre and lyghte and to hayle snowe And frese also to greue men with payne And sodeynly she cowde make to rayne Shewe what weder that hir lyste to haue And gasten men with sodeyne erthe quaue And turne the daye vnwarely vnto nyght And than anone make the sonne bryght Shewe his bemes full persynge and full shene With golden hornes to voyde nyghtes tene And reyse floodes with many dredfull wawe And whan hir lyst she cowde them eft wtdrawe Eke yonge trees to sere roote and rynde And afterwarde make them ageyne kynde With lusty braunches blosme budde newe Also in wynter with floures flresshe of hewe Aray the erthe and tappte hym in grene That to beholde a Ioye it was to sene With many coloure shewynge full dyuers As whyte and rede grene ynde and pers The dayesye with hir ryche crowne And other floures that wynter made frownâ— Vpon theyr stalke fresshely for to appere And sodeynly with a dedely chere She cowde somer into wynter tourne Causynge the daye with mystes for to morne And olde men she cowde make yonge And eft agayne or any here was spronge She cowde them shewe bothe in heed berde Full hore and graye in crafte she so lerede And trees with fruyte she cowde eke make bare Of rynde and leef to do men on them
And eke vntrussed hir heer a brodegan sprede Lyke to golde wyre for rent and all to torne Yplucked of and nat with sherys shorne And ouer this hir fresshe rosen hewe Whylom ymeynt with whyte lylyes newe With wofull wepynge pyteously disteyned And lyke Erbys in Apryll all be reyned Or floures fresshe with the dewes swete Right so hir chekes moyste were and wete With crystall water vp ascendynge hye Out of hir breste into hir heuenly eye And aye amonge hir lamentaeyowne Ofte sythe she fyll in a swowne downe Dedely pale for dymmed in hir syght And ofte sayde alas myn owne knyght Myn owne Troylous alas why shall we ê‘te Rather let deth with his spere darte Thorugh my herte and the vaynes kerue And with his rage do me for to stryue Rather alas than fro my knyght to twynne And of this wo O deth that I am inne Why ne wylt thou come helpe make an ende For how shulde I out of Troye wende He abyde and I to grekes goon There to dwelle amonge my cruell foon Alas alas I wofull creature How shulde I there in the werre endure I wretched woman but my selfe alone Amonge the men of armes euerychone Thus gan she crye all the longe day This was hir complaynte with full great afray Hir pyteous noyse tyll it drewe to nyght That vnto hir hir owne trewe knyght Full tryste and heuy came agaynes eue If he myght hir comforte or leue But he in sothe hath Cryseyde founde All in a swowne lyinge on the grounde And pyteously vnto hir he went With wofull chere and hir in armes hent And toke hir vp and than atwene them two Began of newe suche a dedely wo That it was routhe and pyte for to sene For she of chere pale was and grene And he of coloure lyke to asshes dede And fro hir face was gone all the rede And in his chekes deuoyded was the blode So wofully atwene them two it stode For she ne myght nat a worde Yspeke And he was redy with deth to be wreke Vpon hym selfe his naked swerde besyde And she full ofte gan to grounde glyde Out of his armes as she fylle a swowne And he hym selfe gan in terys drowne She was as stylle and dumbe as any stone He had a mouthe but wordes had he none The wery spyryte flyckered in hir breste And of deth stode vnder a reste Withoute menprys sothely as of lyfe And thus there was as it semed a stryfe Whiche of them two shulde firste ypasse For deth portrayed in herte outher face With suche coloure as men go to theyr graue And thus in wo they gan togydre raue Disconsolate all the longe nyght That in good fayth if I shulde a ryght The processe hole of theyr bothe sorowe That they made tyll the next morowe Fro poynt to poynt it to specefye It wolde me full longe occupye Of euery thynge to make mencyon And tarye me in my translacyon If I shulde in hir wo procede But me semeth that it is no nede Syth my mayster Chaucer here afore In this mater hath so well hym bore In his boke of Troylus and Cryseyde Whiche he made longe or that he deyde Rehersynge first how Troylus was contrayre For to ascende vp on loues stayre And how that he for all his surquedye After became one of the companye Of loues folke for all his olde game Whan Cupyde made hym full tame And brought hym lowe to his subieccyowne In a temple as he walked vp and downe Whan he his gynnes and his hookes leyde Amyd the Eyen cerclyd of Cryseyde Whiche on that day he myght nat asterte For thorugh his breste percyd and his herte He wente hym home pale syke and wan And in this wyse Troylus firste began To be a seruaunt my mayster telleth thus Tyll he was holpe after of Pandarus Thorugh whose comforte and medyacyon As in his boke is made mencyon With great laboure firste he came to grace And so contynueth by certayne yeres space Tyll fortune gan vpon hym frowne That she fro hym must go out of towne All sodaynely and neuer hym after se Lo here the ende of false Felycyte Lo here the ende of wordely brotylnesse Of flesshely luste lo here the vnstablenesse Lo here the double varyacyon Of worldly blysse and transmutacyon This daye in myrthe and in wo to morowe For aye the fyne alas of ioye is sorowe For now Cryseyde with the kynge Thoas For Anthenor shall go forth alas Vnto Grekes and euer with them dwelle The hole storye ChauÌ„cer can you telle If that ye lyste no man better a lyue Nor the processe halfe so well descryue For he our englysshe gylte with his sayes Rude and boystous firste by olde dayes That was full fer from all parfeccyon And but of lytell reputacyon Tyll that he came and thorugh his poetrye Gan our tunge firste to magnefye And adourne it with his eloquence To whom honoure laude and reuerence Thorugh out this lande gyuen be and songe So that the laurer of our englysshe tonge Be to hym gyuen for his excellence Right as whylom by full hye sentence Perpetuelly for a memoryall Of Columpna by the Cardynall To Petrark Fraunceyse was gyuen in Ytayle That the reporte neuer after fayle Nor the honour dyrked of his name To be regystred in the hous of fame Amonge other in the hyest sete My mayster Galfryde as for chefe Poete That euer was yet in our langage The name of whom shall pallen in none age But euer ylyche without eclypsynge shyne And for my parte I wyll neuer fyne So as I can hym to magnefye In my wrytynge playnely tyll I dye And god I praye his soule brynge in ioye And where I lefte I wyll agayne of troye The storye telle and firste how that Guydo Within his boke speketh Troylus to Rebukynge hym full vncurteysly That he so sette his herte folyly Vpon Cryseyde full of doubylnesse For in his boke as Guydolyste expresse That hir terys and hir complaynynge Hir wordes whyte softe and blandysshynge Were meynt with faynynge with flaterye And outwarde farsed with many a false lye For vnderhyd was all the varyaunce Curyd aboue with fayned countenaunce As women can falsely terys borowe In theyr herte though there be no sorowe Lyke as they wolde of very trouthe deye They can thynke on and a nother seye As a serpent vnder floures fayre His venym hydeth where he doth repayre The sugre afore the galle hydde behynde As appropryd is vnto theyr kynde To be dyuerse and double of nature Rathest deceyuynge whan men moste assure For vnder coloure euery thynge they werke The fayre aboue the foule in the derke They hydde so that no man may espye And though so be that with a wofull Eye They can outwarde wepe pyteously The tother eye can laffe couertly Whose sorowes all are tempryd with allyes And theyr coloure euer is meynt with rayes For vpon chaunge and mutabylyte Stande hole theyr truste and theyr suerte So that they
disdayne It is no drede my labour were in vayne Let ignoraunce and rudenesse me excuse For if that ye platly all refuse For certayne Fautes whiche ye shall fynde I doute nat my thanke is set behynde For in metrynge though there be ignoraunce Yet in the storye ye fynde may plesaunce Touchynge substauÌ„ce of yâ— myn Auctour wryt And though so be that any worde mysse syt Amende it with chere debonayre For an Errour to hyndre and appayre That is nat sayde of purpose nor malyce It is no worshyp to hym that is wyse And no wyght gladly so soon demeth a lacke Specyally behynde at the backe As he in soth that can no skylle at all He gothe full hole that neuer hadde fall And I nat fynde of newe nor of olde For to deme there is none so bolde As he that is yblent with vnconnynge For blynde bayarde caste pereyll of no thynge Tyll he stumble myddes of the lake And none so redy for to vndertake Than he in sothe nor bolder to say werse That can no skylle on prose nor on verse Of all suche that can nat be stylle Lytell forse where they say good or ylle For vnto them my boke is nat dyrect But to suche as haue in effect On symple folke full compassyon That goodly can by correccyon Amende a thynge that hyndre neuer adele Of custome aye redy to say wele FOr he that was grouÌ„de of well sayinge In all his lyfe hyndred no makynge My mayster Chaucer yâ— founde full many spot Hym lyst nat pynche nor grutche at euery blot Nor meue hym selfe to parturbe his reste I haue herde tolde but sayde alway the beste Suffrynge goodly of his gentyllesse Full many thynge embraced with rudenesse And if I shall shortly hym descryue Was neuer none to this daye alyue To reken all bothe yonge and olde That worthy was his ynkehorne for to holde And in this londe if there any be In borugh or towne vyllage or Cyte That connynge hath his tracys for to sewe Where he go brode or be shet in mewe To hym I make a dyreccyon Of this boke to haue inspeccyon Besechynge them with theyr prudent loke To race and scrape thorugh out all my bokâ— Voyde and adde where them semeth nede And though so be that they nat ne rede In all this boke no rethorykes newe ¶ yâ—et I hope they shall fynde trewe The storye playne clefly in substaunce And who so lyste to se varyaunce Of worldly thynge wrought by dayes olde In this boke he may full well beholde Chaunge of Fortune in hir course mutable Selde or nat faythfull outher stable Lordes Prynces sfrom hir royalte Sodaynely brought in aduersyte And kynges eke plounged in pouerte And for drede darynge in deserte Vnware slaunghtre compassed of enuyâ— Murdre execute by conspyracye Awayt leyinge falshede and treason And of kyngdome sodayne euersyon Bauysshynge of women for delyte Rote of the werre and mortall despyte False mayntenaunce of auoutrye Many worthy causynge for to dye Synne aye concludynge who so taketh hede Vengaunce vnware for his fynall mede VO declare that in all worldly luste Who loke a right is but lytell truste As in this boke exaumple ye shall fynde If that ye lyste enprente it in your mynde How all passeth and halt there no soiour Wastynge away as doth a somer floure Ryche and pore of euery maner age For our lyfe here is but a pylgrymage Meynt with labour and with moche woo That if men wolde take hede therto And tofore prudently aduerte Lytell ioye they shulde haue in theyr herte To set theyr truste in any worldly thynge For there is nouther Prynce lorde nor kynge By example of Troye lyke as ye may se That in this lyfe may haue full seurte Therfore to hym that starfe vpon the rode Suffrynge deth for our aller gode Lyfte vp your hertê thynke on hym amonge For be ye neuer so myghty nor so stronge Without hym all may nat auayle For he can gyue victorye in batayle And holde a felde shortly to conclude With a fewe agayne great multytude And by grace he maketh prynces stronge And worthy kynges for to reygne longe And Tyrantes sodaynely oppresse Thorwe theÌ„ downe for all theyr great rychesse And in his honde power he reserueth Eche to aquyte lyke as he disserueth To whom I praye with deuocyon With all myn herte and hole affeccyon That he lyste graunte longe contynaunce Prosperyte and good perseueraunce Helthe welfare victorye and honoure Vnto that noble myghty conqueroure Herry the fyfther tofore yspecefyed So that his name may be magnefyed Herein this lyfe vp to the sterrys clere And afterwarde aboue the nynthe spere Whan he is deed for to haue a place This praye I god for to sende hym grace At whose byddynge as I tolde late Firste I began the sege to translate And now I haue hoolly in his honoure Executed the fyne of my laboure Vnto all that shall this storye se With humble herte and all humylyte This lytell booke lowely I betake It to supporte and thus an ende I make ¶ Laus deo ¶ Of the moost noble excellent Prynce kynge Henry the fyfthe MOost worthy Prynce of knyghthode soures and welle Whos 's hye renowne thorugh the worlde dothe shyne And all other in manhode doest excelle Egall of meryt to the worthys nyne And borne also by discent of lyne As rightfull heyre by tytle to attayne To bere yâ— crowne of worthy Realme twayne And also fer as Phebus in his spere From Eest to west shedyth his bemys bryght And Lucyna with ashrouded chere Gothe compasse rounde with hir pale lyght Thou art yrekened for the best knyght To be registred worthy as of name In the hyest place of the house of fame To holde a palme of knyghthod in thy honde For worthynesse and for hye victorye As thou that art drade on see and londe And euermore with laude honoure and glorye For iuste conquest to be put in memorye With a crowne made of laurer grene Vpon thy heed tofore that famous quene Whylom ordeyned oonly for conquerours Stable of herte with longe perseueraunce And gaue nat vp tyll they were victours Empryses take for no sodayne chaunce Whose name ay floureth with newe remeÌ„brauÌ„ce And fadeth nat of yeres yore agone Amonges whiche thou mayste be set for one For thorugh the worlde in many regyon Reported is with fame that flyeth wyde That naturelly thy condycyon On thynge begonne is knyghtly to abyde And for the tyme manly set asyde Rest and ease what cost theron be spente Tyll thou haue cheued the fyne of thyn entente Moste circumspect and passynge auysee All thy werkes conueyed with prudence Sad and demure lyke to Iosuee Agayne whose swerde is no resystence And hast also heuenly influence With Salamon wysely to discerne Oonly by grace thy people to gouerne Mercy eke meynt with thy magnyfycence On all oppressed for to haue pyte And of rebelles by manly vyolence Abate canste the great cruelte And so with Dauyd thou haste kyngly pytâ— And hye prowesse with Sesar Iulyus In his tyme moost victoryous And manly holdest in thy hondes two Who can beholde by clere inspeccyon The swerde of knyghthode thy Scepture also The tone to brynge to subieccyon Hertes made proude by false rebellyon And with the Sceptre to rewle at the best Thy trewe people that can lyue in rest Now thou yâ— haste manhode vertue grace Attemperaunce fredome and bounte Lowly I praye with dredefull face Disdayne nat benyngely to se Vpon this boke rudely made by me To fyne oonly to agrene thyne hyghnesse And rewe of mercy vpon my symplesse And in thy noble kyngly aduertence Consydre se my soueraygne lorde most dere Of thyne inuat famous sapyence That criste Ihesu receyued with good chere The twey Munytys you of herte entere By the wydowe whiche of wyl and of thought Gaue all hir good kept hir selfe right nought By whiche ensaumple so that it nat offende Thorugh myn vnconnyng to thy hye noblesse Let good wyll my lytell gyfte amende And of thy mercy and renowmed goodnesse Haue no disdayne of my bareyne rudenesse And in makynge though I haue no muse Let trewe menynge the surplus all excuse More than good herte hath no maner wyght To present nouther to god nor man And for my parte to the as it is ryght That gyue I hole as ferforth as I can Aye to perseuere fro tyme that I gan With wyll thought for thyne estate to praye Whiche to conserue thus fynally I saye Firste of all almyghty god to queme With all that may be to his plesaunce And to thy crowne and thy dyademe Grace and good Eure with longe contynuaunce Of thy lyeges faythfull obeyssaunce And eche vertue that man may specefye I praye god graunte vnto thy regalye ¶ Explicit Liber quintus vltimus ¶ Lenuoye â—Oo lytell boke and put the in the grace Of hym that is moste of excellence And be nat hardy to appere in no place Without supporte of his magnyfycence And who so euer in the fynde offence Be nat to bolde for no presumpcyon Thy selfe enarme aye in pacyence And the submytte to theyr correccyon ¶ Verba translatoris ad librum suum And for thou art enlymned with no flowres Of Retoryke but with whyte and blacke Therfore thou muste abyde all showres Of them that lyste set on the alacke And whan thou art most lykely go to wracke Agaynst them thyne Errour nat diffende But humbly with drawe and go a backe Requerynge them all yâ— is amysse to amende Here endeth the Troye booke otherwyse called the Sege of Troye translated by IohnÌ„ Lydgate monke of the Monastery of Bery And Emprynted the yere of oure Lorde a. M. CCCCC xiij by Richard Pynson prynter vnto the kyngê noble grace
cast hym nat transmewe In all the storye a worde as in sentence But foloweth them by suche conuenyence That in effect the substaunce is the same And of columpna Guydo was his name Whiche had in wrytynge passynge excellence For he enlumyneth by crafte and cadence This noble storye with many fresshe coloure Of Rethoryk and many ryche floure Of eloquence to make it sowne bet ¶ Hein the storye hath ympyd in and set That in good fayth I trowe he hath no pere To reken all that wryted of this matere As in his boke ye may beholde and se To whom I saye knelynge on mykne Laude and honour and excellence of fame O Guydo mayster be vnto thy name That excellest by souereygne of style All that wryte this mater to compyle Whom I shall folowe as nere as euer I may That god graunte it to be to thy pay Of hym for whom I haue vndertake So as I can this storye for to make Prayeng to all that shall it rede or se Where as I erre to amende me Of humble herte and lowe entencion Commyttynge all to theyr correccion And there of thanke my wyll is that they wyn For thorugh their support thus I wyl begyn ¶ Explicit Prologus Here begynneth the Troye boke translated by IohnÌ„ Lydgate monke of Bery the whiche speketh firste How the kynge of Thesalye named Pelleus had all his men slayne by dyuyne punycyon And how thorugh his prayer he had other agayne Ca. Primo IN the reygne and londe of Thesalye The whiche is now ynamed Salonye There was a kynge callyd Pelleus Wyse and discrete and also vertuous The whiche as Guydo lyste to specyfye Helde the lordshyp and the regalye Of this yle as gouernour and kynge Of whiche the people by recorde of wrytynge Myrundones were callyd in tho dayes Of whom Ouyde seyneth in his sayes Methamorphoscos where as ye may rede How this people soth fastly in dede So as myn Auctour maketh mencion Were brought echone to destruccion With sodayne tempest and with fyry leuen By the goddes sent downe from the heuen For they of yre without more offence With the swerde and stroke of pestylence On this yle whylom toke vengaunce Lyke as it is put in remembraunce For this people distroyed were certayne With thunder dynt with hayle and rayne Full vnwarely as Guydo lyst descryue For there was none of them lefte a lyue In all the lande that the vyolence Escape myght of this pestylence Except the kynge the whiche went alone In to a wood for to make his mone Sool by hym selfe all disconsolate In a place that stode all desolate Where this kynge romynge to and fro Complaynynge aye of his fatall wo And the harmys that he dyde endure Tyll at the laste of caas or auenture Besyde an holt he sawe where stode a tree Of full great heyght and large of quantytee Hole by the roote as he cowde knowe Where as he sawe by the erthe lowe Of Amptys crepe passynge great plente With whiche syghte he fylle downe on his kne And made his prayer in his paynym wyse To the goddes with humble sacrefyse Vpon his wo and great aduersytee Oonly of mercy for to haue pytee To tourne these Amptys into fourme of man Thus gan he praye with colour pale wan His lande to enhabyte whiche staÌ„deth desolate And he alone a wapyd and a mate Comfortles of any creature Hym to releue of that he dyde endure And as Ouyde maketh mencion That Iubiter herde his orison And hath suche routhe on hym at the leste That he anone fulfylleth his requeste And of his myght whiche that is dyuyne His grace he made from heuen for to shyne Benyngly vnto the erthe downe That a sodayne transmutaciowne Was made of Amptê to fourme of meÌ„ anoon Whiche on theyr fete gonne streyght to goon To Thesalye and salue there the kynge And lyke his lyeges toke theyr dwellynge Whithin a Cytee callyd tho Egee As in Ouyde ye may beholde and se The whiche people for theyr worthynesse For theyr strengthe and great hardynesse Myrundones so longe haue bore the name As in the lyfe ye rede may the same Of seynt Mathewe how they be callyd so Where the apostle so moche hadde a do Whiche for wysdome and prudent aduertence Besye laboure and wylfull dylygence By forseynge and discrecyon As I suppose in myn oppynyon That this fable of Amptys was contryued Which by their wysdom haue somoch acheued Thorugh theyr knyghthod who so lyst to loke Theyr manly dedys thorugh Troye boke In all myscheif so well they haue them borne That they full wysely prouyded were toforne Of that it fyll bothe in werre and pes For of no sâ—outhe they were nat rekles ¶ But as the Ampte to eschewe ydelnesse In somer is so full of besynesse Or wynter come to saue hir fro colde She tofore astoryd hath hir holde ¶ But in this matere I holde no sermon I wyll no lenger make digression Nor in fables no more as now soiourne But there I lefte I wyll agayne retourne Of Pelleus ferther to procede Whiche kynge forsothe in storye as I rede And as myn Auctour lysteth to endyte Hadde a wyfe that callyd was Tedyte Of whiche twayne platly this no lees The manly man the hardy Achilles So as Guydo lysteth to termyne Descendyd was sothly as by lyne Moste renoÌ„med of manhode and of myght Amonges Grekes and the beste knyght I holde in sothe thorughout all the lande In worthynes preued of his hande Whose cruelte troyens sore abought By his meruayles that he there wrought Durynge the syege as ye shall after lere Pacyently yf yelyst to here ¶ This Pelleus that I of spake aforne A brother had of one moder borne That hyght Eson so ferre I ronne in yeres That he of lust hath loste all his desyres So ferre he was cropen in to aege That all his wyt was turned to dotage For bothe mynde and memoryall Fordulled were and derked so all That verayly his dyscrecyon Was hyâ— berafte in conclusyon Wherfore the regne londe of Thesalye Crowne and ceptre with all the regalye He hathe resygned his brother for to queme Estate royall and also dyademe ¶ How kynge Eson crowned his broder Pelleus kynge bycause that he was fallen in age myght not welde it Ca. ii Bycause he was croked lame blynde And to gouerne lost both wyt mynde So feble was his celle retentyfe And forderked his ymagynatyfe That lost were bothe memorye and reason For whiche he made a resygnacyon To his broder nexte heyre by degre And nyest allye of his affynyte But as some Auctours in theyr bokes sayne To youthe he was restoryd newe agayne By crafâ—e of Medee the great Sorceresse And renewed to his lustynesse For with hir herbys and with hir pocions Sotyll workynge of confexions By queyntyse eke of hir instrumentes With hir charmes and enchauntementes She made a drynke in bokes as is tolde In whiche a yerde that was drye and