of face Lyke virgyns that were of nature Without spot vndefouled pure And of custome in wawes as they flete The songe of them is to heuenly swete So Aungelyke and full of Armonye That veryly the sugred melodye Rauysshe wolde any man a lyue Of inly ioye almoste his herte ryue Make a man of sodayne hye plesaunce Foryet hym selfe and lese his remembraunce Deuoyde hym clene from his owne thought Tyll vnwarely he be to myschefe brought And with theyr songe or he take kepe He shall be brought in a mortall slepe And they anone it may nat be withdrawe Wyll drenche his shyp lowe vnder the wawe Thus the swetnesse of theyr heuenly sowne Bryngeth a man to con fusyowne Who so euer by theyr boundes passe ¶ But with the lyfe I scaped by grace For myn ere 's with waxe gummes clere Were stopped so that I ne myght here Touche nor werble of theyr instrumentis Wherby the reason of a man blynded is And fynally thorugh my sotylte I and my men be escaped fre Saylynge forth all mate of werynesse Tyll we came vp with full great distresse At Phenyce and toke anone the londe Caste anker and our shyppes bonde But sothly there it fyll vs full vnfayre For the people cruell and contrayre Oonly of malyce fyll on me anone And slewe my men almoste euerychone Tresoure and good lytell that I hadde Was me berafte all with them they ladde And fewe of them that were left a lyue They toke them and put in pryson blyue Thus hath Fortune lad me an hir daunce With lytell ioye and plente of myschaunce Of whose daunger lernyd and experte I am fall in mychefe and pouerte And with great dole sorowe full my breest On see and londe by Southe and nat by Eest I am come vnto your presence And haue declaryd playnely in sentence Myn auentures to your worthynesse Of truste oonly and of faythfulnesse That I haue to you in specyall And now I haue rehersyd and tolde all To your hyghnesse and my beste wyse Without more to me it dothe suffyse And though in hert he was constrayned sore Thylke tyme Vlixes spake no more But helde his peas full heuy in lokynge And Ydumeus lyke a gentyll kynge Comforted hym all that euer he myght And besy was his herte for to lyght And hym besought his heuynesse lete And as longe as hym lyste in Crete With hym abyde he made hym suerte He shulde fare also well as he And nat wante of what may do hym ease And whan his sorowe some what gan apease That his cage drewe vnto an ende Leue he toke and sayde he wolde wende Out of tha◠londe home to his countre But firste the kynge of fredome and bounte Gaue vnto hym great rychesse and array And what so euer was to his pay Golde treasour and many other thynges And at partynge of thyse two kynges There were shyppes whan hym lyste to sayle Redy stuffyd with meyne and vytayle And thus vlixes gan hym redy make And whan he hath his leue fully take He hasted hym and toke anone the see And gan sayle towarde his countree But firste he wente to kynge Alphenon Whiche passyngly hadde affeccyon To se vlixes at his home comynge And desyrous ouer all thynge To haue of hym newely aqueyntaunce For vnto hym was inly great plesaunce To here hym talke for his eloquence For his wysdome and his hye prudence And there he was after all his smerte Receyued playnely with as glad an herte As euer yet was any maner man Sythen tyme that the worlde began And to encrease of his Felycytee There herde he firste of Penolopee His trewe wyfe without spot of blame Of whom yet grene is the noble fame Whiche from hir lorde for all his longe absence In thought nor dede neuer dyde offence But sothly was bothe in chere and dede Thorugh out Grece exaumple of womanhede And yet was she as bokes lyste expresse Thorugh out the world Myrour of fayrenesse And amonge Grekes borne of hyest blode Called of Auctours bothe fayre and gode And yet say bookes of hir doutlees Was neuer none that hadde so great prees But she hir kept chaungynge for no newe Vnto hir lorde euer ylyke trewe Of herte aye one nat parted into twayne That she is called quene and souerayne Of wyfely trouthe in this bokes olde And ofte I fynde hir herte wolde colde She tourne pale fro hir lorde so ferre In hir closet to here of the werre Of drede she hadde and fro fere eke quake Of fantasyes for hir lordes sake For his absence bothe eue and morowe Was deth vnto hir and importable sorowe And aye in sothe for ioye or any game Whan it fyll she herde Ectors name In any place anone she fylle a swowne And gan hir selfe in teres drowne Of womanhede so she was a ferde To here the slaughter of his mortall swerde Lyste hir lorde of knyghtly surquedye Hadde of Fortune falle in ieopardye Of hap or sorte to a mette y◠worthy knyght That selde or neuer she felte hir herte lyght And many dreme a nyghtes dyde hir gaste All the whyle that the sege laste And euery play was venym in hir syght Whan that she was from hir owne knyght For in this worlde ioye hadde she none Of hye nor lowe playnely but of one For whose sake all myrthe she refuseth And who so be that in his herte museth Of any woman any thynge but gode Of melancolye meuyd in his blode Let hym aduerte of wysdome and ysee And remembre on Penolopee For his decert lyste that he be blamyd And o Guydo thou shuldest be ashamyd To say of wyues any thynge but we le For in good fayth as ferre as I can fele Though one or two do amonge offence She that is good thorugh hir prouydence Is therof no thynge for to wyte And thoughe Guydo in his boke endyte The varyaunce of Eleyne or Creseyde Or Medea that for sorowe deyde Let the agayne of right and equytee The wyfely trouthe of Penolopee The maydenhode of yonge Polycene And the goodnesse of Eccuba the quene Of Cassandra eke the stedefastnesse And with all this take the kyndenesse Of Pantasylle without varyaunce And put all this togydre in balaunce And ye shall fynde if ye lyste accounte Maugre who grutcheth trouth shal surmoūte I dare afferme and bere away the pryse There wyll no man replye that is wyse He were to feble in his oppynyon And whyle vlixes was with Alphenon It was to hym made relacyon Of an hatefull conspiracyon That certayne lordes enuyron his countree Bauysshe wold◠his quene Penolopee Maugre all tho that were there agayne Albe that she was euer ylyke playne In hir trouthe stedfaste as a wall Yet they haue caste platly that she shall Be take of Force it may nat be eschewed But if so be in haste she be reskewed For they them caste the tyme nat aiourne For day and nyght with hir they soiourne Inly in herte for loue disamayde
laude of knyghthode and of worthynesse Of wysedome eke and of gentyllesse Fredam bounte vertue and suche grace Foryetylnesse can derke and difface And therwithall malys and enuye Yseryd hath the palme of Chyualrye By false reporte wherfore I saye for me I wyll of wysedome suche folye let be And in quyete forth my lyfe nowelede And ouer this to you thre I rede To seke peas with Troyans if ye may In hasty wyse without more delay This my counsayle platly to you alle Or that myschefe of deth vpon you falle It were well done that ye toke hede Bothe vlixes and thou Dyomede And Nestor eke sythen ye be wyse To werke playnely lyke as I deuyse This the sūme and fyne of myn entent And so reporteth to hym that hath you sent And they anone with shorte conclusyon Bepeyred be to Agamenon With suche answere as ye haue herde me sayne It nedeth nat to wryte it newe agayne And here vpon kynge Agamenon Let make anone a conuocacyon Of his lordes and in theyr presence Fro poynt to poynt sothly in sentence He hath rehersyd how that Achylles Was desyrous for to haue a pees With them of Troye and platly how that he For no prayer wyll in no degre Agayne Troyans with spere nor with shelde In helpe of Grekes be armed in the felde Wherfore the kynge as he that was full wyse Here vpon axed theyr aduyse And what them thought was beste for to do In this mater sythe it stode so And firste of all speketh Menelay With angry chere and sayde platly nay To haue a peas it was nat his entent Ne that he wolde therto be of assent Sythen the Cytee in conclusyon Stode on the prycke of his destruccyon NOw that Ector Dephebus were dede that whylom were their trust in euery nede And theyr diffence but now they are ago Farewell their truste and their hope also Without more and all their hole pryde They may nat now but after deth abyde And truste well without any les Though it so be that this Achylles Ne helpe vs nat towarde our empryse We therof nat drede in no maner wyse Withoute hym for to haue victorye By our manhode and our owne glorye I am full sure therof and certayne But vlixes gan replye agayne Qestor also of sodayne mocyon Contrayre was to his oppynyon Affermynge playnely that no wonder was Though Menelay sothly in this cas Vnto the peas wolde nat assente For openly they wyste what he mente For he was grounde and roote of all the werre And cause also they come were so ferre Out of theyr londe he and the quene Eleyne And for the sake oonly of them tweyne The Grekes all whiche no man may denye Theyr lyues put in suche Iupardye For hym and hir if the grounde be sought For well they wyste that he rought nought This Menelay what wo they endure So he his wyfe myght agayne recure And where he sayth that Ector is dede He hath an heyre to speke of manlyhede And of knyghthode as it wyll be founde And called is Ector the secounde ¶ Worthy Troylus whiche that is his brother In all this worlde is nat suche a nother Of worthynesse for to reken alle For he of Troye is the myghty walle And diffence now Ector is agone Ye knowe it well your selfe euerychone If it so be that ye lyste take hede Whose sharpe swerde sore doth vs blede Euery day in his furyous hete Amyd the felde whan we with hym mete And in stede of worthy Dephebus Whiche in his tyme was wonderly famous His brother Parys is nowe founde at all In worthynesse of knyghthode perygall So that of them we haue none auauntage Vnto this houre but rather great damage To reken all sythe we be gonne This very sothe we haue but lytell wonne But we are lykely alway more to lese If we contynue but sythe we may chese It were holsome to lyue in quyete To haue a peas and this werre lete By one assent sythe ye be wyse ANd with the worde Calchas gan to ryse The Troyan traytour with a pale chere For very Ire and sayde as ye shall here A worthy Prynces what thynke ye to done To chaunge so lyke as doth the moone Your olde purpose and your firste entent Agayne the wyll and cōmaundement Of the goddes that euery thynge gouerne By purueaunce who so can discerne Alas alas why ne wyll ye at the leste Credence and fayth gyue to theyr heste Whiche in no wyse may nat be fallyble For in sothe it were an impossyble Vtterly but Troye the Cyte Of ordynaunce and necessyte Myght be destroyed hens but alyte If your slouthe be it nat to wyte So that victorye worshyp and honour And fynall palme eke of this labour To be reported on water and on londe Reserued be hoolly to your honde In your purpose if ye forth contune And hyndre nat of folye your Fortune This in sothe I dare it well conclude And peryllous is the goddes to yllude Of neclygence or slouthe wylfully Wherfore I rede that now manfully Of herte and thought and of full vnyte Platly deuoydynge all ambygnyte To sette vpon and knyghtly to resume Your force agayne fully to consume Your cruell foon and let be shet withoute Wan hope and drede dispeyre euery doute Castynge of parryll slouthe and cowardyse And let manhode vtterly despyse All drede of deth that causeth hertes feynt With cowardyse for to be atteynt That fynally as goddes haue be hyght Thorugh prescyence of theyr eternall myght To victorye that ye shall attayne Lyke your desyre there is no more to sayne And whan Calchas in conclusyowne This false traytour vnto Troye towne The Grekes hadde thorugh his wordes fayre Touchynge the werre put out of dispayre Of herte all one they caste them to fulfylle Hoolly his counsayle though so that Achylle Be frowarde aye to helpe them in theyr nede They gaue no force nor toke of it no hede But euerychone they them redy make As ye shall here the felde in haste to take THe trewes passed of the monthes wayne Into the felde the Grekes them ordayne And they of Troye agayne them yssue oute And worthy Troylus with an huge route The Grekes gan alderfirste assayle And with his swerde he made firste to rayle The rede blode thorugh theyr harneyse bryght That as the deth theyr fledde fro his syght For he that daye thorugh his cruelte Caste hym fully auenged for to be Vpon the deth of Ector vtterly And as Dares reherseth specyally A. M. knyghtes this Troyan champyowne That day hath slayne rydynge vp and downe As myn Auctour Guydo lyst endyte Saue after hym I can no ferther wryte In his boke he yeueth hym suche a name That by his manhode and his knyghtly fame The Grekes all were put vnto flyght All that day tyll it drewe to nyght And on the morowe in the dawenynge The grekes haue at Phebus vprysynge Yarmed them with great dylygence Agayne Troyans to stande at diffence
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
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
therto haue applyed This is to mene what shuld I lenger dwelle My dere Cosyn as I shall the telle If it so were by manhode souereyne Of thy knyghthode that thou durst atteyne The flees of golde to conquere by thy strengthe Whiche is spoke of so fer in brede and lengthe And retourne home in body saufand sounde If this conquest myght in the be founde That thou durst achieue this empryse More hertis wye kowde I nat deuyse In all this worlde for sothly at the beste My realme and I were than in reste For to thy manhode all wolde vs drede Wherfore cosyne of knyghthode manhede Take vpon the my prayer and requeste ¶ And here my trouthe and take it for beheste What euer nedeth in meygne or costage I wyll my selfe towarde this vyage Ordeyney â–ª ioughe in harneyse and araye That nought shall fayle that is to thy paye And moreouer I playnely the ensure That if I se thou do thy besycure This hygh empryse for to brynge aboute Thou shalt not fere nor eke ben in doute After my daye by succession For to be kynge of this Region And hooly haue sceptre and regalye Wherfore Iason lyfte vp thyne hert is eye Thynke thy name shal be longe recorded Thurgh out the worlde wherfore be accorded Within thy selfe and playnly nat ne spare Of thyne entent the somme to declare wHan Iason had his vncle vnderstande He reioyseth for to take on hande This dredfull laboure withoute auysement He nought aduertith the meuynge fraudulent The pryue poyson vnder sugre cured Nor howe to galle with hony he was lured The derke deceyte the clowdy fals engyne Ygyâ—t without but vnder was venyme Wherto Iason hath noon aduertence The kynge he wende of clene conscyence Without fraude hadde all this thynge Iment Wherfore anon he yeueth full assent At wordes fewe and playnly gan to seye His vncles wyll that he wolde obeye He was accordyd in conclusion With humble herte and hoole entencion Wherof the kynge receyueth suche gladnesse That he vuneth myght it out expresse But right as faste dyde his besy payne For this iourney in haste for to ordayne And for asmoche as the Colchos countree Enclosed was aboute with a see And that no man how longe that he stryue Without shyp thyder may arryue To his prelence anone he dyde call Famous Argus that cowde moste of all To make a shyp and firste that art yfonde To sayle with by see fâ—o londe to londe The which hath wrought a ship by sotyl craft Whiche was the firste that euer wawe raft To haue entre and Argon bare the name Gramariens recorde yet the same That eche great shyp firste for that meruayle Is callyd so whiche proudely bare hir sayle As this boke dothe vs specefye How it byfell forthe of this nauye ¶ Whan all was redy meyne and vytayle They â—yde nought but wynde for to sayle And many worthy was in that companye Of noble byrthe and of great allye In that vyage redy for to gen Bothe for loue and worshyp of Iason Amonge whiche the great hercules Of force myght of strengthe pereles And he bygette was vpon Almene Somly fayre aud womanly to sene Of Iubiter and that full louge agon Takynge lyknesse of Amphitrion Downe fro the heuen for all his deyte He was rauysshed thurgh luste of hir beaute For he hir loued with herte and hole entente And of them two sothly by discente Came hercules the worthy famous knyght Moste renoÌ„med of manhode and of myght Whiche in his tyme was so meruaylous So excellent and so victoryous That Ouyde lyst recorde hym sylue Methamorphoseos his famous dedys twelue Whiche ben remembred there inspecyall In his honour for a memoryall ¶ And to reherse them in ordre by and by If ye lyst here I purpose viterly He slough Antheon in the eyer on hyght And many geauÌ„t what with myght sâ—eyght He outrayed for all theyr lymes rude The serpent yâ—dre he sloughe eke in pallude And Serberus the hounde he bonde so sore At helle gates that he brake no more And made hym voyde his venym in yâ— stryfe And vpwarde gaue hym suche a laxatyfe That all the worlde his brethe contagyous Infectyd hath it was so venymous And with o wynde he wolde renne ascadye He catchyd arpyes byrdys of archadye â–ª And slough Centaurus the bestê monstruous The firste Lyon he brast his hous This is to fayne whan that he was slawe Out of his skynne he hath hym strypt flawe With cruell herte thorugh his hye renowne The golden applys he barefro the dragone The firye catte he slough without more And of Archadye the cruell tuskye bore And at the laste on his shuldres square Of veray myght the firmament hebare But for that I may nat reken all His passynge dedys whiche ben hystoryall Rede Ouyde and there ye shall them fynde Of his tryumphes howe he maketh mynde Thorugh out yâ— world how he hym honour fet And of the pylers at gades that he set Whiche Alysaundre of macedoyne kynge That was so worthy here in his lyuynge Rood in his conquest as Guydolyst to wryte With all his hoost proudely to visyte Beyonde whiche no londe is habytable Nor see to sayle sothely couenable So ferre it is beyonde the Occian That shypmen no further no skyll can Sibilles streyghtes maryners it call And the boundes be they named eke of all Of hercules for he hym selfe them sette As for markes all other for to lette Ferther to passe as Guy do maketh mynde And the place is callyd as I fynde Siracenyca as fyne of his labour Of longa saphy recorde of myne auctour ¶ Of this mater what more shuld I sayne For vnto Iason I wyll retourne agayne That in all haste doth hym redy make Of his vncle whan he hath leue take Towarde the see and Hercules yfere With all his men anoneas ye shall here THe tyme of yere whan the shene sonne In his spere was so ferre vp ronne And he was passyd the gemyny And hath his chare whyrlyd vp so hy Thorough the draught of Pirous so reed That he had made in the crabbys heed His mansion and his see royall Where halowed is the stondyng escynall Of fresshe Appollo with his golden wayne Whan herde men in herte be so fayne For the hete to shroude them in the shade Vnder thyse braunches and thyse bowys glade Whan phebus bemys that so bryght shyne Descendyd ben right as any lyne And cause the eyer by refleccion To be full hoote that lusty fresshe season Whan cornys gynne in the felde to sede And the grassys in the grene mede Fro yere to yere ben of custome mowe And on the playne caste and leyde full lowe Tyll the moysture consumed be awaye On holte and hethe the merye somers daye At whiche tyme the yonge knyght Iason With hercules is to shyp gon And with them eke as I reherse can Of Grekes eke many lusty man Shypped echon with royall apparayle And
I fynde Parys for to sewe The vyage toke the worthy bretherne tweyne Pollux and Castor to recure Eleyne Yet neuertheles as some bokes telle That these kynges no lenger wolde dwelle But tast as Parys was agone They toke a shyppe and folowed anone With many worthy in theyr companye And â—outeles but if bokes â—ye That or they had sayled dayes thre To Troyewarde in the large see The tempest rose and wyndes dyde awake The heuen derke with the cloudes blake That haue the day tourned into nyght And bryght Phebus was myrked of his lyght The fyry leuene and stroke of the thonder Smote in the maste and shyuerde it asonder It was so derke no lyght myght adawe The see gan swelle with many sturdy wawe That rose on hyghte large as any mounte And fell downe and swapped in the frounte Euen of the shyppe and plounged it full lowe Now vp now downe forcast and ouer throwe Theyr shyppes were with tempest to and fro The famy water grene whyte and blo Of feruent boylynge and as pytche eke blacke With storme and wynde that all goth to wracke So hydouslye the blastes at them dryue That euery borde gan from other ryue And all is perysshed there scaped nat a man But all atones as I reherse can Be deed and drowned with tempest sodaynely There scaped none I saye certaynely Except the brether suche as bokes telle The toon in heuen the tother lowe in helle Were lordes made to abyde eternally ¶ And some feyne in theyr poesy How the goddes haue them deyfyed Lyke in heuen and ystellyfyed After theyr shyppes were ygo to wrake They were made sterres in the zoudyake And to the sygne transfourmed vtterly Whiche is of clerkes called gemyny The whiche sygne and constellacion Is to Mercurye hous and mansion And is of kynde femynyne and masculyne In whiche the Egle and also the Dolphyne Haue theyr arysynge by reuolucion The tayle also aboue of the dragon Is exaltate in the thirde gree Of Gemmy whiche sygne hath moste pousteâ— In hande aâ—d armesâ— of man out of doute Lyke as lucyna helde hir cours aboute And in this wyse were the brether twayne To heuen rapt as poetes fayne After the tempest ye gete no more of me For in this wyse the grekes in the see An ende made and that full â—ewfully This ernest firste came vnhappely To them echone as gyâ—â—ynge of theyr wo And fynall chaunce to the brether iâ— wo. ¶ How the Grekê assembled them togyder for to go to Troye and distroye it agayne for quene Helaynes sake Capitulo xv BVt for asmoche as Dares frigyus Was in his boke whylom coryous The fourme of Troyens Grekes to descryue Lyke as he sawe this Auctour by his lyue The shaâ— the fourme and complexiowne Bothe of the partye of them of Troye towne And of the grekes by good auysement In tyme of trewes amonge them as he went Seynge the maner of theyr gouernaunce Theyr port theyr chere with euery circuÌ„stauÌ„ce Namely of tho that were of hye degre 〈◊〉 nat fogate one loose nor qualyte Condicions and also theyr stature â—ll to â—escryue Dares dyde his cure 〈◊〉 grekysshe tunge begynnynge at Eleyne Lyke as tofore ye haue herde me seyne 〈◊〉 hir beaute and hir semelynesse 〈◊〉 ceryously Guydo doth expresse 〈◊〉 he sayde in a lytell space A strype there was end longe hir face Whiche as he wryte became hir wonder we le Embelysshynge hir beaute euerydele Lyke as Dares maketh descripcion And firste he sayth how kynge Agamenon Was of good shape and hye of his stature And myghty in laboure at the best endure Vnpacyent to lyue in quyete He was to armes so egall and so mete Of coloure whyte and good proporcyon And flematyk of his complexyon Discrete and hardy and wonder vertuous And of speche right facundyous And coude hym well in euery thynge demene But Menelay of stature was but mene Proporcyoned at wyxte and longe Worthy in armes delyuer and also stronge And of courage and herte vygorous Semely also and aye more desyrous To lyue in werre rather than in pes ¶ And ferthermore to speke of Achilles He was right fayre and of great semelynesse With aborne heer crispynge for thyckenesse With eyen glawke large â—epe and grete And brode shuldred with breste full square mete To endure in armes felâ—e and couragious And of his loke wonder amerous Hye of stature and large of gyftes eke And more of strengthe than any other greke And to spende he lette lytell charge He was of herte so plenteuous and large And in the felde passynge chyualrous And for to tell forthe of Tantalus Or sanguynehewe hauynge moche of reed Dyuerse eyed aye meuynge in his heed Of huge makynge and also of great strengthe Well answerynge his brede to his lengthe Haâ—ynge to stryue where he sawe no nede â—ight trewe of worde also as I rede And neuer quarell wolde he take on hande To syght for but he myght vnderstande 〈◊〉 were fully grounded vpon ryght And than he wolde quyte hym lyke a knyght Cyleus Ayax was right corpulent To be well cladde he sette all his entent In ryche araye he was full curyous All though he were of body corsyous Of armes great with shulders square and brode It was of hym almoste an horse lode Hye of stature and boystous in a pres And of his speche rude and recheles Full many worde in ydell hym asterte Aâ—d but a cowarde was he of his herte Another Ayax Thelamonyous There was also descrete and vertuous Wonder fayre and semely to beholde Whose hear was blacke vpward ay gan folde In compas wyse rounde as any spere 〈◊〉 of musyke was there none his pere Hauynge a voyce full of melodye Right well entuned as by armonye And was â—â—â—dentyfe for to counterfete Instrumentes bothe smale and grete In sturdy wyse longynge to musyke And for all this yet had he great practyke In armes eke and was a noble knyght No man more orped nor hardyer to fyght Nor desyrous for to haue victorye Deuoyde of pompe hatynge all vayneglorye All ydell laude spent and blowe in vayne Of vlixes what shall I also sayne That was so noble and worthy in his dayes Full of wyles and sleyghty at assayes In menynge double and deceyuable To forge a lesynge also wonder able With face playne he coude make it towghe Mery worded and but selde lowghe In counseylynge discrete and full prudent And in his tyme the moste eloquent And holpe to grekes often in theyr nede And for to speke of worthy Dyomede Fullwell compacte and growe well in lengthe Of sturdy porte and famous eke of strengthe Large brested and feers also of syghte And deceyuable of what euer he hyghte Hasty testyf to smyte reckeles And medlynge aye and but selde in pes To his seruauntes full inpacyent And baratous where that euer he went For lytell worthe of disposicyon And lecherous of complexyon And hadde in loue ofte sythe his parte Brennynge at herte
of Cupydes darte And specheles full ofte felte sore ¶ What shall I sayne eke of duke Nestore Of longe stature and well compact withall With corbe shuldres and of myddell small In handes stronge with armes large rouÌ„de In counsaylynge prudent and wyse yfounde Whose wordes were sugred with pleasaunce Vpon his frende hauynge aye remembraunce For of his trouthe he ne coude fayne But in anger he myght hym nat refrayne He was so fret with melancolye That no man myght his yre modefye Albe it laste but a lytell space Who coude hym suffre anone it wolde pace Lyghtly it came and lyghtly went awaye And Protheselaus was fresshe of araye Wonder semely and of grete beaute I trowe a fayrer no man myght se Of good stature and delyuer and lyght No man more swyfte and to speke of myght Of his makynge he was passynge stronge Fers of courage and lothe to take a wronge And to tell of Neptolomous He was of makynge wonder corsyous Whose heer was blacke shynynge as dothe geeâ— With eyen rounde brode and greet Large brested with a rysynge backe And in speche stamerde whan he spacke But in causes he coude medle wele And in the lawe full depe he dyde fele For all his luste was besette on plees But for to tell of Pallamydees Kynge Naulus â—one withouten any wene Of face fayre of body longe and lene Of manfull herte hardy in batayle And desyrous his enemye to assayle Famylyer curteyse and tretable In all his dedes and inly worshypable In gyuynge large and passynge of great same Of whose bounce full wyde sprange the name In many lande the storye telleth thus And herte I fynde of Polydamus The worthy greke was of great thycknesse Of womâ—â—wolle enbossed with fatnesse That 〈◊〉 he myght hymselfe sustene And yet of herte he was full proude and kene Right surquedrous and full of pensyfenesse And 〈◊〉 glad so thought dyde hym oppresse But Machaon lyke as wryte Guydo Of longe and shorte was betwyx two Full proude and ferse deuoyde of pacyence And vengeable who hym dyde offence And yet he was balde as a coote On whose forhede euen by the roote The heer was fallen and wasted clene away And selde or neuer he wolde stepe a day And ouermore to tell of Cryseyde My penne stombleth for longe or she deyde My mayster Chauncer dyde his dylygence To discryue the great excellence Of hir beaute and that so maysterlye To take on me it were but hye folye In any wyse to adde more therto For well I wote anone as I haue do That I in sothe no thanke deserue may Bycause that he in wrytynge was so gay And but I wryte I muste the trouthe leue Of Troye boke and my mater breue And ouer passe and nat go by and by As Guydo doth in ordre ceryously And that I muste do offencion Thorugh neclygence or presumpcion So am I sette euen amyddes twayne Great cause haue I and mater to complayne On Antropose and vpon hir enuye That brake the threde and made for to dye Noble Galfryde Poete of Brytayne Amonge our Euglysshe that made first to rayne The golden dewe droppes of rethoryke so fyne Our rude langage oonly to enlumyne To god I praye that he his soule haue After whose helpe of nede I muste craue And seke his boke that is lefte behynde Some goodly worde therin for to fynde To set amonge the croked lynes rude Whiche I do wryte as by symylytude The rubyestant so royall of renowne Within a rynge of coper or latowne So stant the makynge of hym douteles Amonge our bokes of Englysshe pereles They are esye to knowe they be so excellent There is no makynge to his equypollent We do but halte who so taketh hede That medle of makynge without any drede Whan we wolde his style counterfete We may alday our colour grynde and bete Tempre our asour and vermylyon But all I holde but presumpcyon It foloweth nat therfore I lette be And firste of all I wyll excuse me And procede as I haue begonne And thorugh his fauour certayne if I konne Of Troye boke for to make an ende And there I lefte agayne I wyll now wende Vnto Cryseyde and though to my socour Of rethoryke that I haue no flour Nor hewes ryche stones nor perre For I am bare of all curyouste Thorugh crafty speche to enbroude with hir sleue Yet for all that now I wyll nat leue But be as bolde as bayarde is the blynde That caste no peryll what way that he fynde Right so wyll I stomble forthe of hede For vnconnynge and take no better hede So as I can hir beaute to discryue That was in sothe of all tho a lyue One the fayrest this Calchas doughter dere Therto of shap of face and of chere There myght be no fayrer creature Ofhye nor lowe but mene of stature Hir sonnysshe heer lyke Phebus in his spere Bounde in a tresse bryghter than golde were Downe at hir backe lowe downe behynde Whiche with a threde of gold she wold bynde Full ofte sythe of acustomaunce Therto she had so moche fuffysaunce Of kyndes werke without any were And saue hir browes ioyned yfere No man coude in hir alacke espyen And ferthermore to speke of hir eyen They were so persynge heuenly and so clere That an herte ne myght hymsefe stere Agayne hir shynynge yâ— they ne wolde wouÌ„de Thorugh out a breste god wote be younde Also she was for all hir semelynesse Full symple and meke and full of sobernesse The beste nourysshed eke that myght be Goodly of speche fulfylled of pyte Facunoyous and therto right tretable And as sayth Guydo in loue varyable Of tendre herte and vnsted fastnesse He hir accuseth and newfongylnesse And after this Dares doth reherse Amonges other how the kynge of Perse Came to grekes with many worthy knyght To helpe and further with all his full myght The whiche kynge was of stature longe And wonder fat as he wryte right stronge Whose berde and heer redde as flawme of fyre With eyen stepe and feruent of desyre To haue a do and sterne of chere and loke And ofte sythes of sodayne yre he quoke And had wertes plente in his face And thus Dares shortly for to pace No more of Grekes wryteth as I fynde But of Troyans for to make mynde Ceryously he doth his style dresse Them do descryue as I shall expresse ¶ Of the Discripcyon of Pryamus and his sones and doughters and how yâ— Grekes toke lande before the Temple of Dyame yâ— goddesse Capitulo xvi ANd first he sayth how kyng Pryamus Was of his chere benyngne gracious Of hye stature with lymmes sklendre longe Delytynge moche in musyke and in songe And specially he was moste desyrous To here songes that were amerous A semely man and of great hardynesse And spake but lowe as bokes vs expresse Deuoyde of drede hatynge flaterye And all that coude outher glose or lye Trewe of his worde and to euery
the kyng haue thaÌ„ his see So inwardely with rancour fret was he That he ne myght hymselfe nat refrayne And sayde syr so ye nat disdayne That I shall saye me semeth that it is Well accordynge whan one hath sayde amys And reklesly spoken vnaduysed Of his folye that he be chastysed That other may example by hym take To be well ware suche noyse crye to make And specyally in open audyence So to offende your toyall excellence And sothely yet I wote well that I myght So me gouerne playnely in your syght Of hastynesse without aduysement That I shulde by your coÌ„maundement The deth deserue for my great offence And trewely yet ne were for your presence Of this twayne that haue so yspoke Without abode I shulde anone be wroke For it were worthy and right well syttynge Whan that a fole in presence of kynge Is bolde or hardy of presumpcyon To take on hym of indiscrecyon Thynge to reherce concludynge in sentence Preiudyce of your magnyfycence That he were taught better to gouerne His large tunge to konne bet diserne Whan he shall speke or whan be in pese To suffre hym to renne out of lese As doth he this that spoke hath so large Wherfore in hast I counsayle hym and charge Without abode or any worde mo Out of your syght anone he be a go For it is beste to do as I hym rede TO whom anone ful proudly Dyomede Nat astoned but a with sterne loke To Eneas that for yre quoke Answered agayne with wordes but a fewe And sayde syr thy wordes doth well shewe What so thou be that thou art right wyse Well is that kynge that doth by thyne aduyse Or hath the nye of counsayle for to be For he ne may erre in no degre That art so rightfull in thy iugement Of wylfulnesse without aduysement To causea lorde his bondes for to pace So wolde god in some other place That I myght by fauoure of fortune Mete with the at leyser oportune Lyke my desyre that canst so well endyte In olde fables thy labour for to quyte And the to thanke for thy gentyll there Whiche so knyghtly thou hast vs shewed here Truste well therto and haue therof no drede ANd tho Vlixes of this Dyomede Gan interrupte his wordê prudently And to hym sayde full aduysely That it was beste to stynte and be styll And now we knowe fully all the wyll Quod vlires full manly to the kynge We wyll go hense without more tariynge Out of thy syght to Agamenon And make to hym playne relacyon Of thy answer in ordre by and by And to horse they went sodaynly And in shorte tyme so hast them in theyr waye That they be come there is no more to saye Where the kynge satte in his tentorye And worde by worde as came to memorye They reherce the substraunce euery dele Wherof the grekes lyke no thynge wele Conceyuynge full there was no remedye As by reporte of the embassatrye Saue oonly this vtterly procede How they them shall gouerne in this nede Agayne Troyans of necessyte For they well wot it may none other be And assented both in wyll and bede To purueye them faste they them spede In this storye as I shall after fynde BVt or that I make therof mynde I muste a whyle of Eneas endyte As myn Auctor lyst of hym to wryte The whiche sothly as bokes saye he was This manly Troyan this famous Eneas Anchisis sone of great wortynesse Whylom gete of Venus the goddesse Conqueroure of many regyon Whan Troye was brought to destruccyon He wente his waye by the large see Called Tyrene and saylynge forth goth he By many coste and many narowe passage Many daunger tyll into Cartage He ryued is and then segan to sayle To the conquest of the great ytale And so to Rome he hath the way take Of whose ofsprynge as Auctours make Came Augustus Cesar the Emperour That was whylom so noble a conquerour That his renowne to this daye doth shyne And of Enee the Emperour Iustyne In his boke called Autentykes Full playnely wryt therin the rubrykes That after Cesar so as Cesares Be named yet right so Eneades After Enee the name shulde bere Whiche fro Troye comen was so fere Vnto ytayle and of this Eneas As I haue tolde Cesar descended was Downe lyne right full manly and royall That firste in Rome by sceptre imperyall Mauge theyr myght had gouernaunce And of wysoome sette in gouernaunce Comon thynges touchynge the Cytee And to procede ferther of Enee Hooly his lyfe and knyghthode by and by If that ye lyste to rede ceryously Ye maye se all full Autentyke of style In Eneydos compyled of virgyle Albe it so that this noble clerke Was graue afore or complete was his werke As bokes olde make mencyon ¶ How kynge Agamenon sent Achylles and Thelephus into the yle of Messa for vitaylles and how they slewe the kynge and made The lephus kynge after his deth Ca. xx BVt nowe agayne to Agamenon Without more my style I wyl retourne The whiche kynge wyll no more soiourne In this mater delayes for to make But in all haste he hath his counsayle take Of his lordes beynge there present And suche as were nat he hath after sent For one and all Erlys Dukes and kynges And sayde syres amonge other thynges To our Iourney that be necessarye My counsayle is no lenger that we tarye But firste of all to make ordynaunce By one assent with prudent purueaunce That alder firste we shape for vytayle Without whiche none hoost may auayle To parforme a Iourney thryftely Wherfore I rede here but faste by If it to you be lykynge and plesaunce Into an yle full of habundaunce Called Messa that we sende anone And at one worde assented euerychone They chosen haue worthy Achylles And Geleffus the sone of Hercules To execute this purpose fynally With many worthy in theyr company I chosen out thorugh the hoost anone With Achylles to Messa for to gone In whiche lande ryche and plenteuous Reygned a kynge worthy and famous That Tentran hyght whiche in tranquyllyté Without werre or aduersyte Hadde holde his Sceptre and his royall sete In this yle so plesaunt and so mete Albe that some saye that this lytell yle To the kyngdome longeth of Cecyle And hath his name gyuen of plente After Messane an huge great Cyte Full plenteuous both on see and lande The whiche kyngdome as I vnderstande Is sayde Messana of Messes in latyne Thorugh habundaunce of fruyt corne wyne At the aryuayle on the playnes large Where they are wonte for to stuffe and charge Marchaunt shyppes of straunge fer countree That thyder sayle by the large see To fetche vytaylle aye fro yere to yere Fro many coste of landes fer and nere Oonly by eschaunge of other march aundyse And eke also as bokes can deuyse And as Guydo full playnely telleth vs That of a kynge called Messanus This countre firste of Messa toke the name That in his tyme was of
great fame Passynge ryche and wonder plenteuous But of all this Dares Frygyus In his boke maketh no mencyon But shortly telleth in concluycon Howe Achylles and Thelephus also To Messana be togyder go With thre thousande of grekes chosen oute Moste manly men amonges all theyr route The whiche as faste as they gan to londe And the kynge gan to vnderstonde Of theyr comynge he is descended downe With all the worthy of his regyowne Ou hors and fote in stele armed bryght Agaynst Grekes manfully to fyght Them to deuoyde playnely if ye can And sodaynely thus the skarmysshe gan At wyxe grekes and theyr mortall fone On outher parte that there was many one Slayne and hurte and to the deth ywounded Euer vnlyckely therof to be sounded Hor other treate was none them atwene But swerdes sharpe and speres square kene Now here now there that they go to grounde For euery man his foo for to confounde His laboure dyde and his besynesse And though grek thrugh theyr worthynesse Hadde on theyr fooâ— moche lande ywonne yet to resorte after they begonne And meruayle none bycause that theyr fone Hadde alway thre in noumbre agaynst one For the tyme it may none other be Tyll Achylles gan beholde and se The mortall slaughter vpon grekes syde Tournynge the backe with wouÌ„des large wyde Of hasty rancour chaunge gan his blode And for Ire furyous and wode Whan he behelde his men lese theyr lande He with yâ— swerde whiche he helde in his hande Made waye kylled and bare downe And in the felde lyke a fyers lyowne He fared in sothe whan his men were slawe Makynge his foon backwarde to withdrawe And his grekes so manly recomforte That maugre them he made them to resorte And who that euer in his way stode Without mercy he kylleth in his mode There gayneth nat in his cruelte For douteles ne had his manhode be His passynge renowne and his worthynesse His knyghthode eke and his hye prowesse The grekes hadde that daye fynallye Vaynquysshed be without remedye But thorugh his helpe they recure all For Achylles sturdy as a wall Gan serche sheltrouns theyr rangys brake To fore whose face his fomen go to wrake And alderlaste whan he gan espye Tentran the kynge thorugh his chyualrye Diffende hymselfe lyke a worthy knyght And as a lyon bare hym in his fyght Now here now there grekes so oppresse This Achylles of cruell hardynesse Ne wolde cease in his putsewynge Thorugh the warde tyll he came to the kynge Of manly force stoute and full of pryde Makynge awaye rounde on euery syde Agayne whose myght no thyng myght auayle And of Tentran firste the auentayle He raced hath and rente the mayle a sonder And all to hewe that it was a wonder To consydre that day his cruelte And after that all to broke hath he His bassenet with many cruell wounde Of very myght smyt the kynge to grounde And in all haste he maked hath no lette Of his hede to rende his bassenette And mercyles for to do vengaunce His harme he gan on heyghte to auaunce Fully in purpose that he shall be dede And raunsomles gan hamyn at his hede With blody swerde and a despytous herte Castynge playnely he shuld hym nat asserte In his Ire he was so furyous ¶ But of fortune it befell right thus Thelephus the yonge lusty knyght Casuelly therof hadde a syght And of Achylles the maner full behelde The stroke anone he bare vp with his shelde And gan Achylles mekely for to preye To haue pyte so to do hym deye Syth he lay wounded almoste to the deth Brought to the poynt to yelde vp the breth Besechynge hym for his benyngnyte Of manly routhe and knyghtly eke pyte Withdrawe his hande and to do hym grace And graunte hym lyfe for a lytell space Syth euery knyght shulde of gentyllesse His enmye spare whan he is in distresse To vttraunce brought specyally whan he Mercy requyreth of humble volunte To whom Achylles feruent in his yre As he that was of rancoure sette a fyre Answerde agayne what lyst the so to preye For hym that nolde of pryde our wyll obeye Gan a werre where as was no nede Of disdayne and indignacyon Hauynge a truste of presumpcyon In his manhode which myght hy nat auayle Agaynst grekes to holde a batayle As it is preuyd playnely in the ende All otherwyse shortly than he wende For in the dyche iustely he is falle Whiche he made of malys for vs alle ¶ Where we of wyll nor entencyon Gaue vnto hym none occasyon Vpon no syde platly fer nor nere Nor mynystred to hym no matere Nor to his londe mente no damage But hymselfe grounde of all this rage Without offence done to hym of vs And efte agayne yonge Thelephus Humbly requyred of Achylle Of knyghtly routhe his axynge to fulfylle And to haue mercy on hym in this cas For with my fader this kynge whylom was Quod Thelephus be bonde conferate Whiche lyeth now here all desconsolate Expectant oonly with a dedely face Vpon the houre whan his goste shall pace Thorugh gyrte alas with many mortall wouÌ„de And for cause I haue in hym founde Afore this tyme full great kyndenesse For of manhode and of gentyllesse In the boundes of his regyowne He vnto me thorugh his hye renowne Whylom as I casuelly gan ryde Shewed in sothe vpon euery syde Full ryall chere and great humanyte That I am bounde of very duyte To remembre and to haue in mynde And douteles elles I were vnkynde Whiche after wolde my name foule a twyte And for that I parcell wolde hym quyte I you beseche of respyte of his lyfe And Achylles without any stryfe Delyuered hath the storye telleth thus Tentran frely vnto Thelephus Whether hym lyste to saue or to spylle And whan that he had hym at his wylle He consydered by his woundes grene That were so mortall sothely and so kene Of very nede that he muste dye There was no gayne nor no remedye Nor auayle may no medecyne The hour whaÌ„ Phebê° westward gan declyne And the batayle brought was to an ende Whyle the grekes to theyr shyppes wende The meane whyle Tentran for the payne Of his woundes gan more more complayne Without staunche so pyteously they blede His offycers faste gan them spede In a lytter made full royall Towarde his paleys douÌ„ge owne pryncypall To cary hym softely and easely ¶ And at his prayer full benyngnely Thelephus and also Achylles Conueyed hym amonges all the prees Tyll he was brought there as them lyste to be And they receyued lyke to theyr degre Full royally the kynge aye languysshynge As he that drewe towarde his endynge And myght nat lenger drawe a lengthe His wofull lyfe so weke was he of strengthe That his spirite muste algates wende And he in his haste made for to sende For Achylles and for Thelephus And whan they came he sayde vnto them thus Syres quod he full worthy of degre Helthe
he telleth of the fyght Whan they entred and of theyr welcomynge And ceryously he tolde eke of the kynge That Tentran hyghte playnely also howe Achilles amydde the selde hym slowe And or his dethe how he of hole entent Fully ordeyned in his testament Thelephus also to be his heyre All this he tolde and eke of his reâ—eyre Vnto the see and eke of the vytayle And Thelephus how he wyll nat fayle To sende them all that may them please Of whiche thynge the grekes in great ease Were brought of herte and lyke wonder well Whan Achilles hadde tolde them euerydell And greatly preysed his hye prouydence His manhode bothe and his sapyence In his out beynge that he bare hym so And after this Achilles is go To his lodgynge a lytell there besyde Where his knyghtes vpon hym abyde Myrundones full glade of his comynge And hym receyued as longeth to a kynge Where he abode and rested hym a whyle But for Guydo declyneth here his style From the grekes to them of Troye towne I muste also make dygressy owne Of myne Auctor the steppes for to shewe Lyke as it is conuenyent and dewe To my matere syth he is my guyde And for a whyle grekes sette asyde And reherce how Dares Frygyus In Troye booke declareth vnto vs And ceryously maketh mency owne Of the lordes that came to Troye towne To helpe them manly in theyr defence Agaynst grekes to make resystence With ordynaunce of many dyuerse thynges There came to them Erles Dukes Kynges As in Dares playnely is made mynde Rede his boke and there ye may it fynde And alder firste I rede how that he Specyally speketh of kynges thre Full manly 〈◊〉 and also of great â—aâ—e 〈…〉 〈…〉 wryteth thus 〈…〉 of them â— was called Pandaâ—us And as I rede Thabet the secounde The thuâ—e Andastrus lyke as it is founde And as Gâ—ydo â— lyste to specysye 〈…〉 knyghtes in theyr companye 〈◊〉 manly men they were euerychon And from an Iâ— called colloson Lyke as Dares lyketh to expresse There came also of excellent prowesse 〈…〉 of whiche the firste was 〈…〉 ynamed Caryas And the seconde â— hyghte ymasyus 〈◊〉 the thirdeâ— the .iiij. Amphymacus And fyue thousande worthy knyghtes alle There came with them manly for to falle Vpon grekes in helpynge of the towne And from an yie of full great renowne Called lyâ—ye came the kynge Glaucon And â—ith hym brought his sone Spardon A noble knyght in armes full famous And was allyed to kynge Pryamus And thre thousande if I shall nat fayne There came of knyghtê with these lordes twayne And from larys a ryche lande also As I fynde there came kynges two And them to quyte manly as they ought A thousande knyghtê they to Troye brought And from a kyngdome named lycaowne Caphemus a kynge of great renowne Brought with hym as dares bereth wytnesse A thousande knyghtes of great worthynesse And fyue hondred Dares telleth vs Came with Hupon and with Epedus Many knyghtes in plates of syluer bryght And with hym eke a kynge yâ— Remus hyght Brought .iij. thousande to Troye many myle From Tabaria his large myghty yle And Dukes foure with all theyr chyualrye 〈◊〉 Eries viij came in his companye Hauyngem armes great experyence And all they bare without difference Theyrmen they whan they were in yâ— felde The chief of golde eueryche in his shelde Wherby the kynge and booly his nauye Amonge them all knowen myght be All be that other bore eke the same And fro Trace kynge Pylex by his name Fro thyâ—ke Trace that is moste excellent Whiche in the plage of the Oryent Haueth his syght froÌ„ which this myghty kyÌ„â—ge A thousande knyghtê brought at his comynge As myne Auctor recordeth eke also An hondred knyghtes be to Troye go With Alchamus a Duke eke full famous That came with Pylex Guydo wryteth thus Troyans to helpe in theyr great nede And fro Pauonye sothely as I rede Came Pretemessus the noble werryour Lorde of that lande kynge and gouernour And duke Stupex with hym eke he hadde And of knyghtes a thousande that he ladde Towarde Troye from his regyon And as this storye maketh mencyon That yle standeth moste by wyldernesse And by woodes of plenteuous thyckenesse Growe therin many full dyuerse tree And moste is forest that men may there se For they there buylde houses but a fewe And in that lande full dyuersely themshewe Many lyknesse queynte and monstruous Bestes vnkouthe to syghte meruaylous Stoundemell as by apparence By illusyon false in existence Wonder gastefull playnely for to sene For dyuerse goodes of the woodes grene Appere there called Satyrye By cornys eke fawny and incubye That cause often men to falle in rage And of this lande the people is full sauage Hardy knyghtes furyous and wode And desyrous aye to shede blode Greatly experte specially to shete With darte and spere peryllous for to mete For they caste euen as any lyne And from an I le that named was Botyne In great arraye to Troye the Cyte Lyke as I fynde there came Dukes thre The firste of all called Auphymyus Saume the secounde the thirde Forcyus And as sayth Dares whiche lyste natlye Twelue hondred knyghtê in theyr companye And fro Bytunye as made is remembrauÌ„ce The ryche lande that hath suche habundauÌ„ce Of spyces goÌ„mes fruytes corne and wyne Holsome rotes ryndes ryche and fyne Wonder vnkouthe and precious also Out of whiche I le there came knyghtes two Full knyghtly men in armes desyrous Kynge Boetes and Epysterus And with them brought to Troye from so ferre A thousande knyghtes arayed for the werre And fro the lande called Paffogonye Whiche seuered is from all companye As bokes saye that be Hystoryall Vnder the plage that is Oryentall Sette so ferre as made is rehersayle That fewe or none to that lande trauayle For there to come is almoste impossyble For whiche that lande is called muysyble Bycause oonly of his remocyon And it is a ryche regyon Of golde and syluer and also of stones And habundaunte of plente for the nones It is so full of treasoure and of gode And hath his syght on the ryche flode I named Tygre nat fer from Eufrates As sayth myne Auctour that called is Dares Fro whiche lande in stele armed clene A thousande knyghtê came with Phylymene The worthy kynge whose sheldes out of orede Were of querboyl in Guydo as I rede With golde depaynte fret with stones ryche That in this worlde I trowe was none lyche Out of the floodes chosen by deuyse Whiche haue theyr course out of Paradyse The whiche kynge a Gyaunt of stature And of makynge is passynge all measure Stronge and delyuer also as I fynde And fro the lande that marcheth vpon ynde Kynge Porses came with many knghtly man And he also that with his honde hym wan So moche honour the noble Meryon And his brother called Sygamon Whiche from the lande of theyr subieccyowne Of dukes erles and knyghtes of renowne Thre thousande brought
as wrytte Guydo Worthy Ector assygned hath also One of his bretherne called Brymarchus A noble knyght in armes right famous And hadde in manhode passynge excellence And of Ector they taken haue lycence And rode theyr waye amonge all the prces Thorughe the gate of Dardanydes The fyfte warde to haue at his ledynge Was by Ector coÌ„mytted to the kynge That of Cesoyne lorde and prynce was And to his brother called Pollydamas And Cysones were of hye stature And myghty in armes passyngly endure Vpon whom full many man behelde And theyr kynge bare no thynge in his shelde But a felde of Gowlys as I fynde Of other sygne Guydo maketh no mynde And forth he rode a full sterne pas This noble kynge and Pollydamas Whan they hadde of Ector leue take Whiche euer in one full besy was to make The sixte warde with all his dylygence And to the kynge called Pretemense That was full worthy bothe in werre pees And to a Duke that hyght Sterepes Whiche was also full worthy of his honde He toke the folke of Pauonye londe Them to gouerne in the felde that daye The whiche people hath in custome aye Without plate hawberion or mayle On swyfte hors theyr foomen for to assayle With myghty bowes arrowes sharpe grouÌ„de Thorugh an harneys mortally to wounde And with this folke of Ector eke also Deyphebus assygned was to go In the felde to guyde them and to lede And on theyr waye they faste gan them spede But or they passe by Dardanydes Full discrtely Ector for them chees Pauyseres cladde in mayle and plate Them coÌ„maundynge at yssynge of the gate And with the Archers into felde to gone And many worthy well armed euerychone To awayte on them that they were nat lore For this folke that I of spake tofore Of Pauonye hadde none armure But prudent Ector for to make them sure Out of Agrest the myghty regyowne Hath chosen out full worthy of renowne The beste knyghtes of them euerychon And with two kynges Esdras and Phyon Assygned them for to take hede To the fotemen whan that they haue nede The whiche Phyon made full rychely Rode in a chare all of Yuory Of whiche the wheles wrought full curyous Were of a tree Ycalled Ebenus The whiche tree groweth ferre in ynde Blacke of hewe and also as I fynde Whan it is korue this tree wyll wexe anone Of his nature harde as any stone Whan it is graue eyther rounde or square And of pure golde roued was this chare Fret with perle and many ryche stonys That such a nother I trowe now ther none is In all this worlde it I shall nat fayne And it was ladde of myghty knyghtê twayne Men of armes within and withoute Armed in stele rydynge rounde aboute This worthy kynges Esoras and Phyon And Ector hath called to hym anone One of his bretherne what so that be falle To be guyde and leder of them alle The name of whom was Pyktagoras And to the great Troyan Eneas Of whom tofore made is mencyon Ector by goode delyberacyon The .vij. warde assygned hath to kepe And vpon stedys lusty for to lepe Of suche as were vsed moche to ryde Full manly knyghtes to houe by his syde Whiche with Emphranye vnto Troye towne Come so ferre from theyr regyowne To fostre them for Ectors sake And whan they hadde of hym leue take They rode full proudely forthe with Eneas Out at the gate a wonder knyghtly pas The brode felde tyll they haue atteyned And in this whyle Ector hath ordayned Lyke myn Auctour as I can reherce The eyght warde of the folke of Perce Worthy knyghtes manly and ryght wyse The whiche were coÌ„mytted to Paryse On hym that day to awayte besyly To whom Ector full benyngnely Spake and sayde at his departynge O brother myn in all maner thynge Whan thou art passed by Dardanydes This daye to ferre put the nat in prees Amonge grekes nor in Iupardye Leste thy foon in myschefe the espye To whom they haue of olde and newe date In theyr hertes full fresshe and mortall hate The fyre of which their breste hath so enbraced That it were harde out to be arraced Wherfore brother loke that thou be In all wyse nat to ferre fro me But kepe the nye that no mysauentoure Falle vpon the so that I may socoure This day to the myn owne brother dere To whom Parys with full humble chere Answered and sayde that in euery thynge He wolde obeye vnto his byddynge And rode his waye anone with his meyne Into the felde out of the Cyte And Ector aye dyde his besynesse The nynthe warde in ordre for to dresse Whiche he thought hymselfe for to lede In whiche he put sothly as I rede Fyue thousande knyghtê borne of troye towne The worthyest and grettest of renowne And passyngly famous in knyghthode Borne by descent of troyans blode ¶ And of his bretherne he toke with hym ten Suche as he knewe for moost manly men That were forayne fro stocke of regallye Out of the lyne borne in bastardye Whom Ector had in great chyerte For the knyghthode he coude in themse And whan he hadde by knyghtly purueaunce All his wardes set in gouernaunce Lyke Mars hymselfe faste gan hym spede Without abode for to take his stede Whiche was in bokes called Gallathe Of all hors hauynge the soueraygnete As ferre as men ryde in any coste Of whom Dares maketh so great a boste Of shape of hyghte and also of fayrenesse Of strengthe of loke and of great swyftenesse So lyke an hors perfourmed out and oute And with a wyer men myght hym turne aboute Lyke as Dares maketh mencyowne Of whom Ector rode thorugh troye towne Armed at all that came hym wonder well From foot to hede full rychely euerydell That shone as bryght as sonne on somers day And to pryam he helde the right way And whan that he was come to the kynge He reherseth in ordre euery thynge How he hath done and all his ordynaunce And lowly sayde so it be pleasaunce To your noble royall excellence I haue chosen with besy dylygence A thousande knyghtes full of suffysaunce With fyue houndred to haue attendaunce On your persone alway where ye be With all footmen that be in the Cyte That shall awayte on you euer in one Wherfore my lorde as faste as we are gone Lowly I praye to your worthynesse To sewe vs by good aduysenesse Out at the towne alwaye eke that ye Togydre kepe your knyghtes and meyne This I beseche with all my full myght Within the boundes where as we shall fyght That ye suffre none of them passe But kepe ye hole in the selfe place At wyxe vs and this stronge Cyte If we haue nede that ye may aye se Vs to releue kepynge you asyde And specyally there for to abyde Where moste is lyckely our partye to sustene For euer amonge there shall men go betwene Of our expleyt the trouthe to reporte For whiche parte Mars lyste the felde to
on grekes of enuyous pryde Myd theyr wardes falle in a syde And gan breke them knyghtly to disseuer Agayne whose swerde they myght nat ê‘seuer He was on them so inly furyous And hym to helpe came the kynge Remus With a wynge on that other parte Brekynge in with many spere and darte Agayne grekes with thre thousande knyghtes That to beholde how felly that he fyghtes It was in sothe vnto them of troye A very luste and a heuenly ioye To se now grekes brake asondre That the noyse loude as any thondre In the felde of strokes gan aryse And whyle Remus as ye haue herde deuyse Vpon grekes was so enuyous Into the felde came Menelaus With his worthy knyghtes of Spartense Agayne Remus to make resystence And full proudely makynge no delaye This worthy Remus and kynge Menelaye On hors backe with sharpe speres whette Myd the felde of enuye mette And thorugh their manly prowesse renowne From hors backe eche bare other downe For none the stroke of other myght shone And in that whyle of Anthenor the sone Pollydamas lusty fresshe and lyght As he that was in his delyuer myght And desyrous to honour to atteyne Mette in the felde the neuewe of Eleyne The myghty duke called Mereus Flourynge in youthe and right vertuous Fresshe armed newe and lusty of courage And was in sothe but twenty yere of age Whiche of so yonge was a noble knyght Right renowmed bothe of herte and myght But of Fortune it befell alas The troyan knyght dauÌ„z Pollydamas With a spere thorugh shelde mayle and plate Hytte hym so that by cruell fate Amonge grekes that he felle downe dede Of whiche thynge whan Menelay toke hede And sawe hym lye slayne on the grene In his herte remembrynge on the quene The quene Eleyne whose neuewe he was For dole of whiche a full delyuer pas To Remus rode in his cruelte Also ferre as he myght hym se And full knyghtly mette hym in the berde And smette at hym with his sharpe swerde Vpon the hede in his hatefull tene That of his stede he myght nat sustene His wounde was so passyngely mortall That with the stroke and the pryllous fall His knyghtes wende dede he hadde be And hent hym vp and began to fle To troye warde with hym a great paas But it befell that Pollydamas The maner of them whan that he behelde Made them repayre knyghtly into felde Excepte that some as they in byddynge hadde Worthy Remus home to troye ladde Pale and dede with his woundes wyde And tho came in on the grekes syde Celydys the lusty fresshe kynge Of whom Dares sayth in his wrytynge And for a sothe in his boke lyste telle How Celydys all other dyde excelle Bothe in beaute and in semelyhede Of shape of porte and of goodlyhede Surmountynge all as Dares lyste descryue As in fayrenesse all tho alyue All his lymmes compact were so clene And as I rede the yonge fresshe quene Of Fumynye whiche was of beaute floure Kynge Celydys loued Paramoure That vpon hym was hooly hir pleasaunce He was so prynted in hir remembraunce For chefe resorte sothely of hir herte Was vpon hym euery houre to aduerte For fynally he departed nought Day nor nyght nor houre out of hir thought For he was fully all hir owne knyght But of Fortune he lusty fresshe and lyght Smote his stede sharply in the syde Of surquedye and proudely gan to ryde Of mortall hate a full Furyous paas Right as lyne to Pollydamas And with a spere made hym for to flytte From his sadell in whiche he dyde sytte He marked hym with so great a myght But agaynewarde this manly troyan knyght Pollydamas with a despytous face Or Celydys departed fro the place With aswerde so smet hym on the hede From his stede that he fylle downe dede Whiche to grekes was great confusyon And all this tyme fyerser than lyon Ector grekes knyghtly gan enchace And ofte made them for to lese theyr place Where euer he rode of necessyte Afore his swerde he made them for to fle Suche vengeaunce he hath on them take That they the felde were fayne to forsake And to pursewe wolde he neuer fyne Tyll amonge the people of Salomyne Ector mette the worthy kynge famous That was theyr lorde and hyght Thesalus That many Troyan that day hadde slawe And as Ector towarde hym gan drawe Kynge Tenter that was of grece also A manly knyght and prudent bothe two Raught a spere in all the haste he can And vnwarely vnto Ector ran And thorughe his shelde plate mayle of stele The sperehede forged was so wele So sharpe and square and so kene grounde That he gaue Ector full peryllous wounde But as Ector reyne gan his stede Proude Tenter to aquyte his mede He full wysely in all the haste he myght Was right ferre seuered from his syght Wherof Ector melancolyous And of herte wood and furyous For the akynge of his wounde grene In haste to auenge the constreynte of his tenâ— What greke after shortly that he mette That was so bolde his waye to with sette Without mercy he was his deth anone And as I rede he encountred one Whiche of pryde wolde hym dyuerte Whom with his swerde he rose to the herte Thorugh his harneys of melancolye The whiche stroke whan grekes gan espye They astoned of one entencyon Peryllously besette hym enuyron And suche assaute gan aboute hym make Thorugh theyr maÌ„hode if they myght hyÌ„ take And of accorde with great multytude Cruelly they gan hym to include By lyklyhede in that mortall stryfe He myght nat escape with the lyfe On hym they were so fell and enuyous Tyll that a kynge whiche hyght Theseus On grekes syde oonly of gentyllesse Suche routhe caughe vpon his distresse To se hym stande so nye vpon the wrake Thus vnto hym of manly pytespake O Flour of knyghthode rote of hardynes Welle of manhode stok of worthynes Why lyst yâ— nat to haue none aduerteÌ„ce Thy lyf to saue of knyghtly prouydeÌ„ce But wylfully where moste is to drede Thy lyfe Iupardest and take lyste no hede In mortall peryll how thou arte besette Amonge so many closed and yshette Alone alas deuoyde of all socoure And to thy selfe wylt do no fauoure But as Fortune lyketh to ordayne That euery wyght ought to complayne To beholde that so noble a knyght Whiche thorugh the world cast so clere a lyght In worthynesse and wyll hym nat withdrawe Reklesly this day to be slawe So pyteously thy persone for to lese Withdrawe thy hande yet syth thou mayst chese Thy hye prowesse compelleth me to preye At suche myschefe that thou nat ne deye And whan Ector of hym gan take hede He thanked hym of his goodlyhede And maugre sothly the power the myght Of the grekes lyke a worthy knyght He scapyd is myd of all his foon And went his waye thorugh them euerychon His blody swerde alway in his honde And in his waye Pollydamas he fonde Full lyke a man with
Troyans haue full dere bought For that day Fortune holpe them nought But tourned hole to theyr confusyowne And so they be repeyred to the towne And to theyr tentes grekes faste them spede Tyll on the morowe they sent Dyomede ¶ Whith Vlixes to Troye the cyte For a trewes oonly for monthes thre If kynge Pryam therto wolde assente And as they two on this message wente A certayne knyght borne of Troye towne That hyght Dolon of great discrecyowne And also was ryght famous of rychesse Of curtely and of gentyllesse His deuer dyde and his dylygence Them to conueye vnto the presence Of Pryamus in his paleys royall And in his see most chefe and pryncypall Where as he sat his lordes enuyrowne With many knyght full worthy of renowne They gan to hym firste to specefye Hoolly the substaunce of theyr embassatrye And of the trewes theyr entent they tolde If it so were he assente wolde And the kynge benyngnely them herde And by auyse prudently answerde That therupon his honour for to saue At good leyser he wolde a counsayle haue With his lordes and fully hym gouerne In this mater lyke as they discerne And to conclude shortly euerychone Assentyd be except Ector alone Vnto the trewes and ne wolde it nat denye But Ector sayde that of trecherye Oonly of slaughter and false Treson Theyr axynge was vnder occason Firste to berye Grekes that were dede And vnder coloure therof out of drede Afterwarde them selfe to vytayle For he well knewe that theyr stuf gan fayle And enfamyned leste they shulde dye They soughte a space them selfe to purueye By outwarde sygnes that he dyde espye Wherfore quod he me lyketh nat to lye By apparence as I dare presume Whyles that we waste and consume Oure stuf within as it is to drede They wyll prouyde of what that they haue nede For all that is to them auauntage Myght be to vs hyndrynge and damage And whyles they encrease and amende We shall our store discrease and dispende Yet neuertheles how euer that it be Touchynge this trewes as for monthes thre Sythen ye all assente and accorde Fro your sentence I wyll nat discorde In no wyse to be varyaunt And thus the trewes confermyd was by graūt On outher syde them thought for the beste Bycause they shulde in quyete and in reste The mene whyle ease them and releue And they that felte theyr woundes sore greue Myght haue leyser them selfe to recure And whyle the trewes dyde thus endure They fylle in Tretee and in comunynge Of Athenor and Thoas the kynge That Anthenor delyuered shulde be For kynge Thoas to Troye the cyte And so Thoas shuld to grekes home agayne Oonly by eschaunge as ye haue herde me sayne One for a nother as it accorded was And in this whyle the bysshop hight Calchas Remembred hym vpon his doughter dere Called Cryseyde with hir Eyen clere Whom in Troye he had lefte behynde Whan he wente as the boke maketh mynde For whom he felte passyngly great smerte So tenderly she was set at his herte And enprented both at eue and morowe And chefe cause and grounde of all his sorowe Was that she lefte behynde hym in the towne Without comforte or consolacyowne As he caste sothly in his absence And specyally for his great offence That he hath wrought agaynst them of troye And as hym thought he shuld neuer haue ioye Tyll he his doughter recured hath agayne ¶ Wherfore Calchas the storye sayth certayne In his wyttes many wayes caste How he myght whyle the trewes doth laste Recure his doughter by some maner way And as I fynde vpon a certayne day In his porte wonder humbly With wepynge eye wente pyteously In complaynynge of terys albe reyned Whose inwarde wo sothly was nat feyned And on his knees anone he falleth downe Tofore the great kynge Agamenowne Besechynge hym with all humylyte Of very mercy and of hye pyte With other kynges syttynge in the place To haue routhe and for to do hym grace And on his woo to haue compassyon That he may haue restytucyon Of his doughter whom he loued so Prayinge them all theyr deuer for to do That thorugh theyr prudent medyacyon For Anthenor that was in theyr pryson ¶ With kyng Thoas she myght eschaūged be If that them lyst of theyr benygnyte To his requeste goodly to assente And they hym graūt forth anone they sente To kynge Pryamus for to haue Cryseyde For Calchas sake and therwith all they leyde The charge for hir wonder specyally On them that went for this Embassatry To Troye towne and to kynge Pryamus To whom Calchas was so odyus So hatefull eke thorugh out all the towne That this reporte was of hym vp and downe That he a Traytour was and also false Worthy to be enhonged by the halfe For his Treson and his doubylnesse And ouer more they sayde eke expresse That he disserued hath by right of lawe Shamefully firste for to be drawe And afterwarde the most horryble deth That he may haue to yelde vp the breth Lyke a Traytour in as despytous wyse As any herte can thynke or deuyse Eueryche affermynge as by Iugement That deth was none fully equypollent To his deserte nor to his falsnesse As yonge and olde playnely bare wytnesse Concludynge eke for his iniquyte That they wolde assent in no degre Vnto no thynge that myght his herte please Nor of Cryseyde for to do hym ease They caste nat to make delyueraunce Leuer they hadde to gyue hym myschaunce If they hym myght haue at good large But fynally the effect of all this charge Is so ferforth dryuen to an ende That Pryamus hath graūted she shall wende With kynge Thoas shortly there is no more Vnto hir Fader for daūz Anthenore Who euer grutche the kynge in Parlement Hath therupon gyuen Iugement So vtterly it may nat be repelyd For with his worde the sentence was asselyd That she must parte with hir eyen glade And of the sorowe playnely that she made At hir partynge hereafter ye shall here Whan it agayne cometh to my matere ¶ Howe durynge a Trewes of thre Monthes Ector walked into the Grekes hooste And of the cōmunycacyon of Achylles hym Ca. xxv ⸫ ⸫ ⸫ tHe trewes affermyd as ye haue herd deuyse On outher syde of them that were full wyse And full assentyd of them euerychone Tyll thre monthes come be and gone Lyke as I rede on a certayne daye Whan agreable was the morowe graye Blandysshynge and pleasaunt of delyte Ector in herte caught an appetyte Lyke as Guydo lyketh for to wryte The same day Grekes to vysyte Full well besene and wonder rychely With many worthy in his company Of suche as he for the nones ches And to the tent firste of Achylles I fynde in sothe this Troyan knyght Vpon his stede toke the waye ryght Full lyke a man as made is mencyon Nowe hadde Achylles great affeccyon In his herte bothe day and nyght Of worthy Ector for to haue a syght
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
despyse But it receyue for a remembraunce And with all this that it be pleasaunce Of very pyte and of womanhede On hir seruaunt called Dyomede To remembre that was be come hir knyght And she anone with herte glad and lyght Full womanly bad hym repayre agayne Vnto his lorde and playnely to hym sayne That shene myght of very kyndenesse Of womanhede nor of gentyllesse Refuse hym platly from hir grace That was to hir there in straunge place So kynde founde and so comfortable In euery thynge and so seruyable That it may nat lyghtly out of mynde To thynke on hym that was so trewe kynde ¶ With whiche answere the messager is gone Vnto his lorde and tolde it hym anone Worde by worde lyke as she hath sayde And he therof was full well apayde That hym thought playnely in his herte He was recured of his paynes smerte And forth he had hym in armes as a knyght But that day durynge the stronge fyght They of Troye so manly haue them borne That grekes myght nat stonde them aforne For to theyr tentê they haue theÌ„ chased downe That ne hadde be kynge Agamenowne Grekes hadde be dryuen out of the felde The whiche thynge anone as he behelde He came vpon with many worthy man And tho of newe the slaughtre agayne began On euery halfe vpon the large playne That Grekes haue Troyans so be layne That efte agayne they haue the felde ywonne So that Troyans constrayned tho begonne To lese theyr londe tyll Pollydamas Whiche with his knyghtes there besyde was Gan falle vpon endelonge the grene Them of Troye full manly to sustene And the Grekes he gan so to enchace Whan he came in that they loste theyr place And to the stronde euen vpon the see Thurgh his knyghthod he made theÌ„ for to fle Of theyr lyfe that they were in drede The whiche myschefe whan that Dyomede Behelde and sawe how Pollydamas Mortally pursued on the chas On hors backe in the felde a fere With cruell herte hent anone a spere And spryngynge out rode to hym full ryght And he agayne to acquyte hym lyke a knyght As he that lyste on no partye feyne Of his stede helde agayne the reyne And raughte a spere threwe it in the reste And Dyomede he smote so on the breste That mortally lyke as it is founde He vnhorsed hym with a greuous wounde And ryght anone with a knyghtly herte Pollydamas all attones sterte Vnto the hors of this Dyomede And by the reyne proudely gan it lede Vnto Troylus where he on foot stode All for bathed in the Grekes blode On euery halfe whiche that he shadde Amonges them so knyghtly he hym hadde That they ne myght endure nor sustene His sharpe swerde grounde was so kene And delyuerly maugre all his foon Into the sadell vp he sterte anoon Of very force armed as he was And vnwarely by aduenture or cas With sharpe swerdes for the nones whette As Achylles and he togydre mette Worthy Troylus of rancour and of pryde Achylles smote that he felle asyde Downe of his hors lowe to the grounde And natwtstandynge his grene mortal wouÌ„de He rose agayne and faste gan hym spede If that he myght to recure his stede But all for nought it wolde nat auayle For sodaynely with a fresshe batayle They of Troye as made is mencyon In compasse wyse beset hym enuyron Eueryche of them armed bryght and clene And Ector tho in his furyous tene As Dares telleth all the maner howe The same day a thousande knyghtes slowe Whiche them withstode oonly in diffence For Achylles to make resystence That tyme of deth stondynge in Iupardye That certaynely but if bokes lye By lyklyhede he myght nat escape In that myschefe to be dede or take Ector on hym was so furyous But as I rede Thelamonyus Reskued hym in this great nede And caused hym to recure his stede Natwithstandynge all the great prees For the Duke and lorde of Athenes Was in this case of herte and hole entent To helpe Achylles wonder dylygent That with hym ladde many noble knyght But for bycause that it drewe to nyght As the storye maketh rehersayle They made an ende as of that batayle And they of Troye entred be the towne And after that as made is mencyowne By and by hauynge delayes Mortally they foughte thurty dayes Withoute any interrupcyon On outher parte to great destruccyon But aldermost for all theyr great pryde They lost moste on the Grekes syde Saue Pryamus loste in specyall Sixe of his sones called naturall For whom he hadde full great heuynesse And as the storye lyketh to expresse This mene whyle Ector in certayne In his face wounded was agayne And thus they haue in this cruell rage On euery parte receyued great damage Tyll kynge Pryam from Troye sent downe For a trewes vnto Agamenowne For sixe monthes if he assente wolde And therupon he hath a counsayle holde With his lordes what were beste to do And they echone accorded be therto And graunte his axynge in conclusyon And all this whyle within ylyon Durynge the peas on outher parte assured Of his woundes fully to be cured Lay worthy Ector protector of the towne But of this ryche royall chefe doungeowne That Ylyon in Troye bare the name Whiche of byldynge hadde suche a fame If that I shulde coÌ„mende it vp so downe As Dares doth in his descripcyowne I wante cunnynge my termys to aplye For in his boke as he doth specefye In all this wrolde was there none so ryche Of hye deuyse nor of byldynge lyche The whiche stode the more to delyte As he recordeth on twelue stones whyte Of Alabastre shortly to conclude And twenty pase was the latytude That grounde ypaued thorugh out with crystall And vp on hyghte parformed euery wall Of all stones that any man can fynde Of Dyamountes and saphyres ynde The royall rubye so oryent and lyght That the derkenesse of the dymme nyght Enchaced was with his bemes shene And euer amonge were emeraudes grene With stones all that any maner man In this worlde deuyse or reken can That were of pryse value or rychesse Ther were wrought of large gret rouÌ„denesse As sayth Dares Yuory pyllers And therupon set at the corners Of pured golde all aboue on hyghte There were ymages wonder huge of weyghte With many perle and many ryche stone And euery pyller in the halle hadde one Of massyfe golde borned clere and bryght And wonderfull to any mannes syght For of this werke the meruaylous fasyon Was more lyke by estymacyon A thynge ymade and founded by fayrye Than any werke wrought by fantasye Thorugh wytte of man as by lyklynesse For in his boke Dares bereth wytnesse That it was lyke to reken syght and all In apparaunce a thynge celestyall Syth in this boke ye get no more of me For but in wrytynge I myght neuer it se Albe all other that it dyde excelle No more therof I thynke nowe to telle But retourne agayne to Pryamus
Troye hadde tho belet At theyr repeyre the storye telleth thus He had the manhode be of Pryamus The whiche anone as any lyon stronge With his swerde gan ryde them amonge And seuered them with large woundes wyde And slewe all tho that wolde his swerde abyde Euery where endelonge the playne And Parys eke hath them so belayne With myghty shote of his stronge Archerys And with the pursuyte of his Arbalasterys That they ne myght of the shote so kene The mortall harme abyde nor sustene But gan anone to fle out of the place And kyng pryam so narowe gan them chace That of nede and necessyte Thorugh the slaughtre and the cruelte Of his swerde sharpe whette and grounde There was no greke in the felde yfounde But fled away eueryche to his tent And they of Troye be to theyr cyte went Bycause it drewe faste towarde nyght For Phebus hadde be reued them his lyght And so the honour of his hye victorye The worshyp eke the laude and memorye Perpetuelly and the palme also Pryam the kynge hath wonne and no mo For that day in release of his sorowe And as I rede on the next morowe He hath ysent out of Troye towne For atrewes to Agamenowne Whiche graunted was the selfe day at pryme Albe therof rehersyd be no tyme How longe it laste in the boke expresse Durynge the whiche they dyd their besynesse Hertely laboure and inwarde dylygence For to ordayne with great reuerence How that the corps of the worthy kynge Of Perce londe without more tariynge With kyngly honour out of Troye towne Shall caryed be into this regyowne To be buryed with his predecessours With outher kynges his progenytours The whiche thynge was complete by the aduys Of Alysaunder that called was Parys And firste the corps enbawmed rychely Conueyed was full solempnely As wryte Guydo with an huge route Of his knyghtes rydynge hym aboute Tryste and heuy cladde in blacke echone And with the chare the right way they gone Towardes Perce ledynge of this kynge The dede corps towarde his buriynge Whiche halowed was lyke his estate royall And in this whyle the feste funerall Was holde also with great deuocyowne Of worthy Ector within Troye towne Lyke the custome vsed in tho dayes And the rytes of theyr paynem layes The whichefeste as made is mencyon Fro yere to yere by reuolucyon Yhalowed was the space of fourtenyght With many flawme and many hydous lyght That brent enuyrowne in the seyntuarye And called was the Anyuersarye For that it came aboute yere by yere A certayne day in theyr Kalendere In whiche of custome for a remembraunce The people shulde by contynuaunce Playne and wepe and also praye and rede For theyr frendes that afore were dede Full pyteously with theyr heer to torne Mornynge in blacke and knelynge aye aforne The dede corps of this worthy knyght Whiche in his tyme passynge was of myght And this was done whyle the trewes dure So that Grekes trustely myght assure Whan that them lyste at good lyberte Without daunger entre the cyte Day by day and Troyans myght also Vnto Grekes frely come and go AT whiche tyme with full great delyte Hath Achylles caught an apetyte To entre and se the maner of the towne Without wysdome or discrecyowne For to beholde playnely and to se Hooly the maner of this solempnyte And forth he went on a certayne day Towarde Troye in all the haste he may Vnarmed sothly as myn Auctour sayth Without assuraunce or any other fayth Except the trewes who so be lefe or loth And firste of all to the temple he goth Of Appollo halowed was the feste Thorugh out the towne downe vnto the leste That cleped was the Anyuersarye As ye haue herde what shulde I lenger tarye And many worthy present was there at Amyd the temple of hye and lowe estat Lordes and ladyes of affeccyowne From euery parte gaderyd of the towne Now was the corps of this worthy knyght As fresshe of coloure kept vnto the syght As lyfely eke and as quycke of hewe To beholde as any rosenewe Thorugh vertue oonly of the gommys swete And the bawme that gan aboute flete To euery ioynt and eche extremyte And at this feste and solempnyte Was Eccuba and yonge Polycene So womanly and goodly on to sene With many other of hye estate and lowe Tofore the corps syttynge on a rowe With heer vntrussyd cladde in wedes blake That euer in one suche a sorowe make That routh was and pyte for to sene How they playne and the deth by mene Of worthy Ector of knyghthod groūd welle But trowe ye as Guydo lyste to telle That Polycene in all hir wofull rage Ychaunged hath vpon hir vysage Hyr natyfe colour as fresshe to the syght As is the rose or the lylyes whyte Outher the fresshenesse of hir lyppes rede For all the terys that she gan to shede On hir chekes as any crystall clere Hyr heer also resemblynge to golde wyere Whiche lay abrode lyke vnto the syght Phebus bemys in his spere bryght Whan he to vs doth his lyght auale And aye she rent with hir fyngers smale Hyr golden heer on hir blacke wede Of whiche thynge Achylles toke good hede And gan meruayle greatly in his thought How god or kynde euer myght haue wrought In theyr werkes so fayre a creature For hym thought he myght nat endure To beholde the bryghtnesse of hir face For he felte thorugh his herte pace The persynge stremys of hir eyen two Cupydes bronde hath hym marked so For loue of hyr that in his desyre He brente as hote as any fyre And after soone with sodayne colde he quoke And alway fyxe on hir he had his loke So that the arrowe of the god Cupyde Perced hym euen thorugh the syde To the herte and gaue hym suche a wounde That neuer was lykely for to be sownde And aye in one his loke on hir he caste As he durste and gan to prese faste Towarde hir namely with his eye That hym thought he must nedes deye But if that he founde in hir some grace There was no geyne for playnely in y◠place Of newe he was caughte in loues snare That of helth and of all welfare He was dispeyred in his herte so That he ne knewe what was beste to do Eche other thynge I do you well assure He set at nought and toke of it no cure His thought was hole on hir and no mo The longe day thus went he to and fro Tyll Phebus chare lowe gan declyne His golden axtre that so clere doth shyne This to saye the sonne went downe ¶ Whan Eccuba quene of Troye towne And hir doughter Polycene also Out of the Temple to the paleys go And aye Achylles on hir had a syght Whyle he myght tyll for lacke of lyght He maye no more haue leyser opportune To loke on hir cursed be Fortune For whiche in haste he maked hath his went With his knyghtes home to his Tent Where he anone
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
were so clere For dyrked were with dolefull terys smerte And to the corps sodaynely she sterte And clyppyd it in hir armes twayne And pyteously enbrace it and restrayne Lyke as she wolde with hym dye anone For styll she lay dombe as any stone As marbyll colde hir lymes Craumpysshynge Redy at all towarde hir buriynge Tyll men by force from the corps hir hent And she hir heer and his chekes rent As she were fallen in a rage That chaunged was alas in hir vysage Hir natyfe coloure and hir rody hewe Whylom as fresshe as any rose newe Now is she lyke vnto asshes colde And with hir handes aye togydre folde Hir selfe she smote on hir pale face And euer amonge the corps she dyde embrace In hir swownes as she fyll to grounde Twenty tymes and wept full his wounde With wo she was so wapyd and amate Of all comforte alas disconsolate In herte beynge inly desirous Thorugh hir rage passynge Furyous To dye attones with hir owne knyght For towarde deth enclosyd was hir syght As she that lyst to lyue now no more And I trowe that neuer man before No woman sawe falle in suche distresse In suche disioynt of deedly heuynesse Nor for no wo so pyteously yraue Nat Cleopatre goynge to hir graue Nor wofull Tesbe that fro the kaue sterte Whan she hir selfe smote vnto the herte Nor the faythfull trewe Orestylle Whan that she sawe hir lorde agayne hir wylle Marcus Prolancus vnto shyppe gone And for his loue fyll downe deed anone Nor the sorowe of trewe Iulia Nor the feruence of faythfull Porcia Or whiche the one fyll deed sodaynely For she sawe blode speynt so cruelly On hir lordes dredefull grauement And Porcia so trewe in hir entent Whan that hir lorde Brutus loste his lyfe For bycause she myght haue no knyfe With colys rede slewe hir selfe alas Was nat also in the selfe caas Arthemysya quene of Tarse londe Of Mansalus the graue whan she fonde Hir owne knyght of whose bones smale Full wofully and with a chere right pale She poudre made dranke it euery morowe But all the wo and the furyous sorowe Of these echone yet may nat atteyne Vnto the sorowe of the quene Eleyne That fynally wyll hir selfe for do For Parys sake whom she loued so For after hym she wyll nat lyue a day But be a wreke playnely if she may Vpon hir lyfe rather than disseuere And thus in wo aye she doth perseuere In hir herte Parys sat so depe Alas who sayth that women can nat we This douteles they haue it of nature Though it so be that they no wo endure Yet can they feyne and salte terys fynde Plente ynough of theyr owne kynde And sorowles morne and compleyne I saye nat this for the quene Eleyne That was with wo wounded to the herte That fro the deth she wende nat asterte For dethes darte hir herte made ryue And yet she rose agayne fro deth to lyue Oonly by grace for all hir felle rage For euery wo by processe muste aswage And ouer gone and wasted by myracle For eche venym made is Tryacle And euery wo hath his remedye For though Eleyne fayne wolde dye Hir kynde ne wolde assent yet therto So sodaynely to slee hir selfe for wo She was a woman no man shulde hir wyte Me lyste no more of hir wo endyte Lyste vnto you that it were Tedyous To here all hir paynes furyous Hir cruell wo and lamentacyon Whiche wolde meue to compassyon In very sothe to wryte euerydele Any herte though it were made of stele For kynge Pryam and the quene also Hadde suche couthe of hir pyteous wo To se hir so wepe and complayne That of hir they felte asmoche payne As they dyde almost for Parys Hereof no more for Pryam by deuys After this rage and this mortall wo Amyd the Temple sacryd to Iuno Ordayned hath with full besy cure For the corps a ryche Sepulture And in all haste therin made it shette That in sothnesse if I shulde lette Totelle all the rytes and the gyse That there were made in theyr paynym wyse And the costes of his buriynge It shulde be to longe a tariynge Ceryously thereon to abyde Wherfore as nowe I lette ouerslyde Theyr paynym rytys supersticyous ¶ How Pantasyllya the Quene of Amazone came for to socoure kynge Pryamus of Troye And howe Pirrus Achylles sone slewe hir⸫ Capitulo xxxiiij ANd tell I wyll how kynge Pryamus CoÌ„mauÌ„ded hath of myschefe of nede Thorugh troye towne oonly of very drede To shytte theyr gates strongly as they may And therupon bothe nyght and day To kepe watche for shortly they of Troye Disconsolate of all theyr olde ioye Can no refute but wepe and sorowe make For they ne durste no more vndertake Agayne Grekes into felde to gon Tyll on a day kynge Agamenon His messager by good auysement To Pryamus into Troye hath sent Requerynge hym of manhode lyke a knyght To yssue out with Grekes for to fyght As he was wonte with his Chyualâ—ye But kynge Pryam his axynge gan denye And shortly sayde to hym that was sent That he ne wolde at his assignemenet Nat ones passe the gates of the towne But at his owne fre eleccyowne Whan euer hym lyste without compellynge And yet in sothe cause of his tariynge ¶ Was for the hardy quene of Femynye Towarde Torye faste gan hir hye Out of hir lande and lytell regyon The whiche as bokes make mencyon After the syght of the firmament Is in the plage of the Oryent And called is the reygne of Amazonys Of whiche the custome and the vse is That oonly women therin shall abyde And they are wonte armed for to ryde And haue in armes great experyence For theyr laboure and theyr dylygence Is fynally to haue excercyse Fro day to day in Martes hye seruyse And ouer more theyr custome and vsaunce As to this day is made remembraunce Is that no man shall them nyghe nere But if it be thre monethes in the yere This to say in Iune Apryll and May And than the women haue in custome aye Vnto an I le a lytell there besyde Where as the men by them selfe abyde Fro yere to yere togydre euerychone Vnto the men out of theyr lande to gone And there abyde in that regyon Tyll tyme coÌ„meth of concepcyon Without tariynge any lenger whyle For than anone home vnto theyr yle They repeyre out of that countre Vnto tyme that they delyuered be And as faste as the childe is borne For lacke of kepynge that it be nat lorne He fostryd is tyll thre yere be agone Amonge the women and than right anone To the I le besyde adiacent Vnto the men the childe in haste is sent If that it be of kynde masculyne And if it falle that it be Femynyne With the women abyde stylle it shall Tyll that it be in actes mercyall Full well experte and that she can eke knowe To handle a spere or to drawe a bowe Lyke the
of Appollo Of Venus eke and fauour of Iuno Thorugh Pallas myght Dyane Mynerue Whom they were wont to honour serue With Cerymonyes and with sacryfyce As ye tofore haue herde me deuyse That them haue brought now vnto ruyne By cruell deth in a bed them to fyne Here may ye se how the venym bytes At the ende of suche olde rytes By euydence of this noble towne What may auayle now Palladyowne What may nowe helpe theyr frauded fantasye Of all theyr olde false Ydolatrye Alas alas they bought it all to sore Now farewell Troye farewell for euermore Farewell alas to cruell was thy fall Of the no more now I wryte shall For thy sake forsothe whan I take hede Of inwarde woo my herte I fele blede And whan that I remembre in my thought By ruyne how thou arte brought to nought That whylom were so noble and so ryche That in this worlde I trowe none was lyche Nor perrygall to speke of fayrenesse To speke of knyghthode or of worthynesse As clerkes say that thy byldynge knewe That all the worlde ought for to rewe On thy pyteous waste walles wylde Whylom so royall whan men gan to bylde Thy toures hye and kynge Pryamus The firste began moste ryche and gloryous And sette his see in noble Ylyon O who can wryte a lamentacyon Conuenyent O troye for thy sake Thy great myschefe to complayne and crye Certes I trowe nat olde Ieremye That so be wepte the captyuyte Of thylke noble royall chefe Cyte Ierusalem and his destruccyon With all the hole transmygracyon Of the Iewes nor thou Ezechyell That were that tyme whan the myschefe fell Vnto the kynge ycalled Sedeclye In Babylon and for thy prophesye With stones were cruelly yslawe Nor he that was departyd with a sawe Ye bothe two that coude so complayne Nor Danyell that felte so great payne For the kynges transmutacyon Into a beste tyll thorugh the oryson Of Danyell he restored was To mynde agayne and ete nomore gras ¶ Yet veryly though ye all thre With your wepynge hadde a lyue be And present eke at the destruccyowne Of this noble worthy royall towne To haue bewayled the myschefe and the wo And the slaughter at the sege do On outher partye in full cruell wyse All your terys myght nat suffyse To haue bewept theyr sorowes euerychone By treason wrought aswell as by theyr sone Hereof no more for it may nat auayle But lyke as he that gynneth for to sayle Agayne the wynde whan the maste doth ryue Right so it were but in vayne to stryue Agayne the face bytterer than galle By the vengeaunce vpon Troye falle Nor to presume theyr Furyes sharpe whette Ceryously in this boke to sette So great a thynge I dare nat vnder take But euen here a pyteous ende I make Of the sege after my symplesse And though my style be blotted with rudenesse As of metre be rusty and vnfyled The fourthe boke that I haue complyed With humble honde of drede yâ— doth me quake Vnto your grace hoolly I betake Of your mercy no thynge in dispeyre So as I can makynge my repeyre To the Grekes and no lenger dwelle Theyr auentures of the see to telle In theyr resorte home to theyr countre And how that they there receyued be Oonly of supporte so ye nat despyse The fyfthe Boke shortly shall deuyse ¶ Here begynneth the fyfth Boke of Troye the whiche speketh howe the Grekes retourned into Grece after the dystruccyon And howe they were perysshed almoste all in the see And after they that escaped dyed myscheuously Capitulo xxxvi WHan Eolus which doth the wyÌ„des rore Apesed was that he blewe no more Which is of stormys gouernor lorde And was also fully of accorde Whiche myghty Iuno lady of the ayre Tomake the skye and the weder fayre That clowde none in heuen dyde appere And Neptunus blaundysshynge of chere Was of assent the storye sayth for sothe To make the see fro tempest calme and smothe Without boyllynge or trouble of any wawe The myghty grekê to shypward gan theÌ„ drawe For to repeyre home to theyr countre After they hadde wonne the Cyte Put theyr fomen fully at the werse But Fortune aye frowarde and peruerse Hath with theyr merthe meynt aduersyte For whan they wende full assuryd be And haue stonde stedefaste in quyete This vlynde lady falsly made flete Into the yrsugre galle of discordaunce Amonge them selfe to brynge in varyaunce And theyr hertes of rancour and of pryde Contagyously to seueryne and deuyde Whan they sat hyest in theyr glorye With the palme of conquest and victorye Fully reioysynge thorugh theyr hye renowne The crowne of laurer in possessyowne And hadde also at theyr lust all wonne Whan bryghtest shone the lusty fresshe sonne From Eest to west of theyr worthynesse A clowdy skye vnwarely with derkenesse Eclypsed hath a party of theyr lyght And diffacyd the holsome bemys bryght Of theyr welfare and prosperyte By the enuyous false contagyouste Of the serpent pompouse and ellat Amonge them selfe tomake them at debate Indusynge in rancoure and discorde For or they entre within shyppes borde Agayne vlixes worthy Thelamon In presence of kynge Agamenon Purposed hath playnely his matere Tofore Grekes anone as ye shall here SYres quod he so it you nat greue Me semeth iustly of reasoÌ„ I may meue Touchyng the wyÌ„nyng gettyng of this towne With golde rychesse and possessyowne Fully delyuered and taken to our honde With all the treasoure founde in the londe The which me thynketh in my inwarde syght Ne hath nat ben departed halfe a ryght Amonge vs by iuste dyuysyon Nor by egall distrybusyon Consydred firste by tytle of equyte Of euery wyght the estate and dignyte Remembred eke in this sharpe shoure The worthyest the meryte and laboure And decertys in this mortall stryfe Grauntynge to eueryche his prerogatyfe Lyke Fortune as he hath deseruyd But this ordre hath nat be obseruyd Amonges vs without excepcyon In delyueraunce of Palladyon Whiche Vlixes I say without drede Tofore you all vniustly doth possede On hym vsurpynge by false oppynyon By merytorye retrybucyon And apparence his tytle for to grounde Vnder pretense of coloure falsly founde That he this relyke reioyse shulde of ryght By sleyghte wonne rather than of myght And vsurpeth by maner of a vaunt As it were gyuen to hym by graunt Of you echone for a chefe guerdon But I wyll make a replycacyon That this relyke is nat to hym mete Whiche he shall nat reioyse in quyete If that I may distourbe hym or lette For I it cleyme duely of dette As for guerdon to me conuenyent So that ye lyste to be indifferent Of reason oonly as it doth you seme Atwene vs two Egally to deme Iustly firste with euery circumstaunce Out outher meryte weyed in ballaunce Firste consydered forth fro day to day All the whyle that the sege lay That ye shulde of plente of vytayle On no syde fro no myschefe fayle And if I shall wtout auaunt out breke As
dede durynge all his lyfe As fer as oughte of reason be desyred But the lettres that falsly was conspyred They haue hir put parcas of Innocence For to gyue to hasty credence Thankynge firste Oetes for his trouthe That so goodly hym lyst to haue routhe Vpon hir wronge of hye compassyon And yet the storye maketh mencyon Here afterwarde as I shall descryue That she was the falsest one alyue Vnto hir lorde and in his longe absence And in all haste she made stronge dâ—ffence Agayne this thynge and gan hir to purueye By suche fraude that she nat ne deye But of hir werke in sothe she was to wyte The whiche alas I muste anone endyte As the storye platly doth me lere Whiche dolefull is and mortall for to here OVnsure truste of all worldly glorye with sodayne chauÌ„ge put out of memorye O ioye vnstable of vayne ambycyon With vnware tourne reuersed vp so downe O ydell fame blowe vp to the skye Ouer whelmyd with twynclynge of an eye O pompe o boste of tryumphe and victorye Lyke a shadowe waste and transytorye O Fortune false and vnassured That to no man was neuer fully lured To hye nor lowe of no maner estate With bonde of fayth to be conferate Agayne whose myght no man may hyÌ„diffende But at his tourne that he shall discende Whan he syt hyest on thyne vnstable whele Thy brotyll fauour forged nat of stele Meynt and allayed with mutabylyte For welfulnesse and false felycyte With sodayne sweygh frowarde thou canst auale Now fresshe of chere now for anger pale Of hye disdayne thou sparest no degree For Prynces Dukes hyest in theyr see Myghty kynges and worthy Emperours That rychest reygne in theyr royall floures With Sceptre and crowne thou canst pull downe I take wytnesse of Agamenowne That was so noble and myghty in his lyue As sondry Auctours his hye renown descryue But sothfastly for all his excellence He myght nat make no diffence With all the kynges that his baner sewe Conspyred murdre to voyde and eschewe Rescuse was none that he coude make For whiche alas my penne I fele quake That doth myn ynke blotte on my boke O myghty god yâ— with thyne inwarde loke Seest euery thynge thurgh thy eternal myght Why wylt thou nat of equyte and ryght Punysshe chastyse so horryble a thynge And specyally the murdre of a kynge Alas the payne of Ixyon in helle Or of Manes that with Sathan dwelle Were nat egall nor equypolent To venge murdre nor suffycyent For it excedeth in comparyson All felonye falshede and treason Wherfore o lorde that seest and knowest all Thorugh thy power that is eternall Suffre no suche to lyue vpon the grounde Worse than Tygre or Cerberus the hounde That chayned lyeth bounde at helle gate Whiche of malyce playnely though he hate He berketh firste or he do offence But murdre gladly is wrought in sylence Or men aduerte or take any kepe Alas a Prynce to sle hym in his slepe On his pyllowe whan he slepeth softe That cryeth wreche to hye god a lofte And axeth vengaunce to take as faste Though it abyde it wyll out at the laste Alas a kynge spoken of so ferre That was so worthy outwarde in the werre His cruell fate passynge odyous Disposed hath in his owne hous His mortall ende to be execute Agaynst whiche there was no refute For right as he his shyppe to londe sette The quene Clemestra on the stronde hyÌ„ mette With humble chere and loke full benygne And shewed out full many faythfull sygne Of wyfely trouthe in hir countenauce Albe in herte there was varyaunce Nat parceyued playnely in hir face Whom the kynge goodly dyde enbrace As he in soth that but trouthe mente And to his paleyse the hye way he went Nat aduertynge the treason that was shape The whiche alas he myght nat escape Of the falshede he coude no thynge fele But I ne may no lenger it concele Agayne hir lorde how Clemestra wrought For on hir bonde of wedlocke she ne thought The trewe loke sothly of spousayle Agayne hir malyce lytell myght auayle Vnto hir lorde hir trouthe to conserue Newfangelnesse caused to streue Hir olde fayth and hir assuraunce Hir loue abode on a fykyll chaunce Longe absence hadde hir herte appalled She loued one that was Egistus called Whiche afore all in hir grace stode That nouther was of byrthe nor of blode Lytell or nought of reputacyowne Nor renowned of manhode nor renowne Nor of knyghthode nor of hye prowesse But for his labour and his besynesse And good awayte vpon hir by nyght Therfore he was best furthrede in hir syght Suche drede hadde she for to lyue alone Sorowles so well she coude grone I can nat say what lyfe that they ladde Except that she by hym a doughter hadde And Exyona Guydo sayth she hyght And vnto hym Clemestra behyght Assurynge hym vpon payne of hir hede He shulde reygne whan hir lorde were dede And to enhaste this conclusyon Hir worthy lorde kynge Agamenon The nexte nyght was murdred yssayne By false Egistus and the quene full fayne No lenger bode the storye can you lere But in all haste they wedded were yfere And by hir false and sleyghty compassynge Of Messene she made hym crowned kynge And put hym full in possessyon Alas that synne hath domynacyon To furthre wronge and abate ryght For in this worlde falshede hath more myght Full ofte sythe than hath rightwysenesse And in the estate sette of worthynesse Loo how the synne of auoutrye Brought in murdre by conspyracye Synne vpon synne lynked both twayne And enbraced in the fendes chayne Perpetuelly in helle to endure Alas who shall hymselfe full assure Fro cruell murdre his body to withdrawe Whan that kynges in theyr bed are slawe Whiche bryngeth in Alyenacyon By extort tytle false successyon There may coloure of pretense seme But full straytely god shall after deme And iustly venge with dewe recompence Intrusyon brought in by vyolence And felly quyte suche horryble thynges And sodayne slaughter specyally of kynges Greatly to drede in euery regyon And as I fynde that Agamenon By Clemestra the false double quene Hadde a sone passynge fayre to sene Right gracyous in euery mannes syght And Horestes the boke sayth that he hyght Wonder semely and but yonge of age And for great fere of this mortall rage Lyste he were slayne as it was to drede To anulle his tytle that he nat succede Hym to preserue that he were nat shent Kynge taltybus with power hath hym sent Full secretely out of that countre Vnto a kynge called Ydume That helde his sceptre and his royall sete Full myghtely in the lande of Crete And Carkasys named was the quene That hadde a doughter called eke Clymene Borne to be heyre of that regyon And as it is made eke mencyon This Horestes to reken all thynge Was with the quene and also with the kynge Cherysshed as well the storye can you lere As Clymen a theyr owne doughter
haste for this Dyomede Knowynge full well his desolacyon How he was proscrip fro his regyon Besechynge hym of manhode and of routhe Hym to enhaste without any slouthe With all the stuffe that he get can And souldeours also manly euery man Without abode and to Troye them lede To socoure them in this great nede And Dyomede came and taryed nought At theyr request as he was besought To releue them in this sharpe shoure And with hym brought many souldeoure And Eneas on the way hym mette In frendely wyse and into towne hym fette And to hym made passyngly great chere And there they gan to comune yfere Theyr auentures bothe of lande and see Entermedlyd with great aduersyte That no man may deuoyde nor eschewe But take his parte as it to hym is dewe As sorte or hap doth his brydell lede And in this storye shortly to procede Cely Troyans that almost were shent With theyr fomen of Yles adiacent That them besette aboute enuyrowne But thorugh the manhode the hye renowne Of Dyomede and his souldeours And other knyghtes noble werry ours They were reskued and holpen vtterly And foure dayes they foughte by and by In knyghtly wyse deffendynge the Cyree And thorugh prowesse also of Enee They slewe and toke all that them withstode And in diffence of Troyanysshe blode Suche as they fonde to the Cyte false They henge them vp hye by the halse And punysshed them for theyr great wronge And Dyomede thus gan wexe stronge By longe processe as made is mencyowne Chefe protectoure nowe of Troye towne That enmye none by a large space Durste abyde but he hadde grace To this lygaunce so he made them loute And thus his name sprede gan aboute That of his fame the great oppynyon Dylated is vnto the regyon By swyfte reporte to Calydonye and Argâ— Whiche the quene greatly gan to charge And astoned whan she taketh hede His power gan and his myght to drede Lyste he wolde hir londe vpon hir wynne And of knyghthode a werre newe begynne And secretely gan muse on this thynge That hir lorde and hir myghty kynge Late exyled and yput to flyght Hath grace founde in Fortunes syght And is remounted to so hye estate Wherof she was in hir selfe chekmate And wayes caste as she that was prudent By hole aduyse of hir Parlement Without grutchynge or rebellyon Hym to reuoke to his regyon ¶ And therupon to hym lowly sent And with lettres the messager forth went The cause annullyng by which he was exyled And how he was fully reconcyled By hole assente of his lyeges alle And full lowly euerychone they calle For theyr offence and of theyr trespace Without rygoure for to do them grace And he anone lyke a manly knyght More of mercy sothly than of ryght Whan he hath theyr sonde well conceyued And theyr menynge fully apparceyued To stynte all stryfe thought for the beste In goodly wyse to grauute theyr requeste And to his reygne within a certayne day He is repeyred in full ryche array Of whose coÌ„mynge full glad his lyeges bene And reconcyled bothe he and the quene And all rancoure of any olde offence Oonly of wysdome they put in suspence And of one herte a blysfull lyfe they lede In Troye boke no more of hym I rede But lette hym lyue in felycytee Agayne resortynge to tell of Enee After how he hath his tyme spent Whiche is fro Troye with many Troyan went His shyppes stuffed he and his meynee Be sayled forth by many straunge see Many daunger and many strayte passage Tofore or he aryued in Cartage Ledynge with hym his fader Anchyses And by the way I fynde that he les His wyfe Crewsa by fatall auenture But all the woo that he dyde endure Who so lyste ceryously to sene And how that he falsehede the quene I mene Dido of womanhede floure That gaue to hym hir rychesse and treasoure Iewellys and golde all yâ— myght hym please And euery thynge that myght do hym ease But for all that how he was vnkynde Rede Eneydos and there ye shall it fynde And how that he falsely stale away By nyght tyme whyle she a bedde lay And of his conqueste also in Itaylle Where he hadde many stronge bataylle His auentures and his workes all And of the fyne that is to hym fall Ye may all se by full souerayne style Fro poynt to poynt compyled in virgyle Wryte and made sythen go full yore For Troye boke speketh of hym no more But procedeth as I shall endyte How Horestes caste hym for to quyte His fadres deth playnely and nat spare If ye lyste here as Guydo shall declare IT is requered of equyte and ryght Of that iuge that is moste of myght And Egally holdeth his balaunce On deth conspyred for to do vengaunce The voyse of blode doth so aye contune To crye wreche with clamour importune On them in sothe that it iniustly shede For murdre wrought wyll haue his egal mede And his guerdon as he hath disseruyd They may nat flee the iugement reseruyd Of hym that sytte hyest in his Trone And all beholdeth by hym selfe alone Full rightfully the noble myghty kynge For though he suffre he foryet no thynge But all consydereth in his inspeccyon And for the murdre of Agamenon The myghty lorde that is most souerayne gode Made his Mynystre of the same blode ¶ Yonge Horestes full of hye prowesse To execute his dome of ryght wysnesse And gaue to hym grace power and myght And he anone toke the ordre of a knyght Of you meâ—s lyke as it is tolde Whan he was foure and twenty wynter olde Fresshe and lusty and wonderly prudent And in wardely desyrous of entent If Fortune wolde hym nat withsayne His herytage to recure agayne ¶ Whiche Egistus falsly hym denyeth And the crowne in iustly occupyeth By false tytle of hir that was his wyfe But horestes wyll Iuparde his lyfe And auenture whyle hym lasteth breth Firste to be venged on his fadres deth Vpon them tho that the treason wrought And alderfirste full lowely he besought Kynge yâ—dumee of his goodlyhede To forther hym in this great nede And the kynge benygnely anone Assigned hath with hym for to gone A thousande knyghtes manly right stronge To redresse the great horryble wronge Of Egistus wroughte by vyolence And by his wysedome and his dylygence This Horestes gan hym so purueye Within a whyle there is no more to seye That he hym gat the store wyll nat lye Another thousande to his companye Of worthy knyghtes all of one accorde To go with hym as with theyr souerayne lorde In euery thynge his byddynge to obeye As ye haue herde Egistus to werreye And thus Horestes in full ryche array Gan hoostey and made no delay And his lodgynge alderfirste gan chese In a Cytee that called was Troyese Receyued there with great reuernece Of the kynge that named was Forence A manly knyght as bookes specefye And bare in herte passynge great enuye To
Croked and olde vnweldy eke to se And tofore Pyrrus fyll downe on his kn◠Besechynge hym with apyteous face At his requeste take hym to grace And that he wolde in his manly herte Goodly consydre the deedly wo and smerte Of Atastus and the mortall payne That he hadde for his sones twayne Whiche lay deed tofore hym on the grene Slayne with your swerde y◠is so sharpe kene Whiche he ne may recure in no wyse The sorowe of whiche ought ynough suffyse Though ye on hym do no more vengaunce All this peysyd iustly in balaunce Syth he is hoolly submyttyd to your myght Take now hym to mercy anone ryght And let your swerde his age nat consume This my request as I dare presume ANd than Pyrrus shortly for to sayne Whā he had put vp his swerde agayue Seynge mercy myght moost auayle Without wordes or any rehersayle Firste of all tofore them euerychone The kynges made accorde into one By his wysdome concludynge vp in dede That eche of them shulde his right possede In Thesalye partyd into twayne That neyther hadde mater to complayne Eueryche to reygne in his dewe see And whyle they were togydre all thre Out of presence of any other man Atastus firste thus his tale began Syres quod he to you is nat vnknowe How thorugh age now I am brought lowe And thorugh natures kyndely mocyon Am wexed feble of wyt and reson Beynge vnweldy of my lymmes alle So many yeres are vpon me falle And can vnneth any thynge discerne To feble in sothe a kyngdome to gouerne Of lyfe nor deth takynge now no hede Syth my sones slayne be and dede And sool lefte now without heyre Of worldly luste fully in dispeyre The tyme passyd of my felycyte Fortunes tourne with mutabylyte Hath taught me playnly I dare it wel expresse In worldly ioye is no sykernesse Nor very truste no whyle to abyde But I wyll now for my selfe prouyde And in all haste by prudent purueaunce Me discharge of all gouernaunce Agayne my sort me lyste nat malygne But sceptre and crowne frely I resygne Of Thesalye lorshyp and eke londe Of my fre wyll hole into thy honde There shall no man reclayme nor say nay Interupte nor make no delay Touchynge this thynge by no collusyon For I the put in possessyon And hereupon of all that euer he sayde Makynge full fayth his honde in his he layde Quene Thetydes syttynge there present And Pelleus of the same entent Vnto Pyrrus for his purpartye Resygned eke his right of Thesalye Fully affermynge that of yore ago His full desyre and his ioye also Was euer in one his neuewe to succede As rightfull heyre his kyngdome to possede And vtterly without repentaunce All that longeth vnto my lygeaunce Sceptre and swerde crowne and dyademe So as a kynge lyfe and deth to deme Into thy hande without longer date This same houre hooly to translate And whan the knot of this conuencyon Was fully brought to conclusyon Perfourmed vp hole the vnyte For euermore atwene these kynges thre Atastus knyghtes disseueryd enuyrowne Out of the forest be descendyd downe And by byddynge platly of theyr lorde They were echone sworne to this accorde And attones this lusty companye To Thesalye faste gan them hye And Pyrrus folke lyinge on the see Be sayled forthe streyght to the Cytee And Atastus doth sette a Parlement Where openly he gaue cōmaundement That all his lyeges of hye or lowe estate Without stryfe or any more debate Specyally of gentyll blode yborne The same daye to Pyrrus to be sworne Lyke theyr degrees in the royall halle To perseuere his trewe lyeges alle Durynge theyr lyfe for ernest or for game And Pelleus cōmaundeth hath the same For his partye without any fraude And thus with ioye and solempne laude Pyrrus was of euery maner age Gladly accepted to his herytage And on a day fortunat and gode With glad aspectis whan the heuen stode Well accordynge to suche maner thynge Worthy Pyrrus was ycrowned kynge Of Thesalye the ryche regyon It were but vayne to make mencyon Of theyr reuell nor theyr great array Nor of the feste made the same day Eke in the storye I fynde it nat in sothe I wyll passe ouer as myn Auctour dothe Saue in his boke it is specefyed That the kyngdome was fer magnefyed Of Thesalye by great myght Of this Pyrrus whylom so gode a knght Where I se hym in his royall see Tournynge agayne to kynge ydumee Whiche in this whyle was graue vnder stone And after hym his sone Meryone The storye sayth was crowned kynge of Crete But a whyle reygnynge in equyte He deyed also it wolde be none other And than in haste Leorica his Brother As rightfull heyre by successyon Was crowned kynge of that regyon In whiche tyme Atastus out of drede By the assent of Pyrrus as I rede Full besy was to make in specyall A ryche toumbe passyngly royall Where buryed were with full huge prees Menalyppus and Polystenes Bothe two in the forest slawe Thorugh Pyrrus swerde by full cruell lawe Of them can I none other processe make But euen there fully my tale I take Of them bothe and also eke yfere Of Atastus theyr owne fader dere Of whom sothly for all his lockes hore In Troye boke rede I can no more ¶ But now must I agayne to Pyrrus wende To wryte of hym the sory wofull ende Whiche whan he sat hyest in his see Made full blynde with vayne prosperyte Gouernynge the londe of Thesalye He falsly fyll on a fantasye To sette his loue on Hermyon the quene Horestes wyfe reygnynge in Methene For whom he brent hote as any fyre And in fulfyllynge of his foule desyre His purpose hole thus he brought aboute Hir rauysshynge whyle hir lorde was oute Ladde hir home and helde hir as his wyfe Semynge to hym it was a blysfull lyfe And full relese of his paynes smerte Of whiche Horestes bare full heuy herte And caste hym playnely auengyd for to be Whan he may haue opportunyte For that tyme though he hadde wronge He was to feble and Pyrrus was to stronge ¶ Whiche helde also in storye it is tolde Andronomecha with hym in housholde Ectors wyfe by whom whylom she hadde Alytell childe whiche with hir she ladde The sege complete and destruccyowne Whan she was brought out of Troye towne Lamedouta I fynde was his name Encreasynge after to full worthy fame And by Pyrrus she hadde a sone also Called Achylleydos so as wryt Guydo And these women for all theyr great estate Atwene them selfe amonge were at debate And Hermyone in hir yre all hote In complaynynge to hir Fader wrote That hir fere for all hir hye degree Andronomecha was cherisshed better thā she Of kynge Pyrrus besechynge Menelay To enhaste hym in all that euer he may Come hym selfe anone that it were do To sle this woman and hir childe also And he abode nat but faste gan hym hye In an hete towarde Thesalye To be venged with
statutes of that Regyon The whiche as bokes make mencyon Is sette bytwene Ewrope and Asya And of this lande was Pantasyllya Whylom lady and gouernesse Full renowmed of strengthe and hardynesse Thorugh out the world both in length brede And yet in sothe to speke of womanhede For all hir myght she hadde an huge pryse For bothe she was vertuous and wyse Wonder discrete and hadde an honest name Nat withstondynge the excellence of fame Of hir renowne in armes and in glorye For of conquest and of hye victorye She was moste surmuntynge out of drede Of any woman that I can of rede And sothely yet bokes bere wytnesse Of womanhede and of gentyllesse She kepte hir so that nothynge hir asterte The whiche loued with all hir hole herte ¶ Worthy Ector and with all hir myght Oonly for he was so noble a knyght That hir ioye and worldly plesaunce Hir hertely ease and soueraygne suffysaunce In very sothe where she wake or wynke Was euer in one vpon hym to thynke Of very fayth without any slouthe And vnto hym she was by bonde of trouthe Confederat of olde affeccyowne That whan she herde how that Troye towne Besegyd was of the Grekes felle This hardy quene lyste no lenger dwelle But hasteth hir as faste as euer she may Towarde Troye in full good array With all the wrothy women of hir lande Full well experte and preuyd of theyr honde Well horsyd eke and armed rychely And as I fynde in hir company A thousande maydens rydynge by hir syde This worthy quene that durste well abyde She with hir brought in stele armed bryght For loue of Ector hir owne trewe knyght And on hir way faste she gan hir spede To helpe hym if she se nede For in no thynge she coude hir more delyte Than towarde hym faythfully hir quyte For that was all hir luste and hertes ioye But whan that she come was to Troye And herde telle by relacyowne That he was dede most worthy of renowne To whom she was so louynge and so trewe Anone she gan to chaunge chere and hewe And pyteously for to wepe and crye And fared in sothe as she wolde dye For very wo and hertely heuynesse And thought she wold thurgh hir worthynesse Auenge his deth platly if she may On the Grekes and so vpon a day She prayeth Pryam with great affeccyowne For to open the gates of the towne And to go out with Grekes for to fyght That they may knowe and be experte a ryght Of this women the great worthynesse And of this quene the famous hardynesse And so the kynge hopynge for the beste Without abode graunted hir requeste The next morowe whaÌ„ Phebê° shone ful shene And all tofore out goth Phylymene The noble kynge with them of Paffagonye And after hym other knyghtes manye Folowed after with worthy Eneas The Troyan eke dauÌ„z Pollydamas And than the quene Pantasyllya By the gate called Dardanyca Towarde Grekes proudely yssued oute With hir women rydynge hir aboute The whiche anone whan grekes dyde espye Into the felde gan them faste hye ANd firste of all worthy Meneste Pantasyllya whan he dyde se With his spores made his stede gone And with a spere rode to hir anone Of whom the quene astoned neuer adele Kaught a spere that was squaryd wele Rounde the shafte and the hede well grounde Which as they coupe smet hyÌ„ downe to grouÌ„de And maugre hym reuyd hym his stede But than in haste in came Dyomede And cruelly to the quene â—an ryde And she as faste on the tother syde Rode eke to hym in plates bryght and shene And as they mette with theyr sperys kene She hytte so this felle Dyomede For all his myght and his manlyhede That she hym made his â—adell for to lese There is no more he myght tho nat chese And in despyte of his men echone She hath his shelde hym berafte anone And it delyuereth proudely as she rode To a mayde that vpon hir abode And lyke a Tygre in his gredynesse Or lyke in soth to a Lyonesse That dayeshe fared rydynge vp and downe Amonge the grekes tyll that Thelamowne Gan beholde the slaughter that she made Of hye despyte and rancourouer lade As he that myght for Ire nat sustene Gan reyne his hors to fall vpon this quene But whan that she his coÌ„mynge dyd espye She fyll on hym in hir melancolye So mortally maugre his knyghtes all That to the grounde she made hym for to fall And Grekes put in so great disray Where euer she rode all that ylke day That they myght afore hir nat sustene And thorugh the helpe of kyng Phylymene As myn Auctor recordeth in his boke Amyd the felde Thelamon she toke And sent hym forth thorugh hir hye renowne As prysoner towarde Troye towne Tyll vnto reskus came cruell Dyomede And cruelly on them that gan hym lede He fyll vn warely with an huge route Of his knyghtes rydynge hym aboute And from theyr handê maugre al theyr myght He hym delyuereth lyke a manly knyght At whiche tyme this hardy quene anone With hir women aboute hir euerychone The grekes hath afore hir on the playne As wryt Guydo so mortally belayne That she them made of necessyte Out of the felde with hir swerde to fle That veryly it was incredyble And to leue a maner impossyble To se the women Grekes so enchace Whiche myght nat abyde afore theyr face Nor in the felde in any wyse stonde For they them dryue to the selfe stronde Downe to the clyffe of the salte see And slewe of them so huge great plente That fynally they hadde be destroyed For euer more and vtterly accloyed Ne hadde Dyomede stonde at diffence And of knyghthode made resystence For he that day in party and in all For Grekes stode as a sturdy wall And was alone theyr helpe and chefe socoure But for all that with worshyp and honoure Pantasyllya as made is memorye Repeyred is with conquest and victorye With all hir women into Troye towne Vpon the houre of Phebus goynge downe And by the syde of this hardy quene Armed in stele rode kynge Phylymene Whom Pryam hath with great reuerence Knyghtly receyued and dyde his dylygence Them to refresshe with euery maner thynge That myght be vnto theyr lykynge As theyr hertes coude best deuyse And after this in full goodly wyse He thanked hath the noble hardy quene Of hir goodnesse that hir lyst to sene To helpe hym in his great nede And offrede hir in Guydo as I rede All that he hath Treasour and rychesse Hopynge fully thorugh hir worthynesse Vpon Grekes auenged for to be And for to kepe hym in his Cyte Maugre grekes whiche of them say nay For as I rede after day by day She stynte nat proudely them to assayle Agayne whose swerde they myght nat auayle So mortally she made theyr sydes blede Tyll Menelay frokynge Lycomede Repeyred is with Neptolonyus Whiche in his bokes called eke Pirrus Whylom the sone of cruell Achylles Whom for
to se full huge was the prees Of the Grekes goynge enuyron And for he was by successyon Borne to be heyre of this Achylles He was receyued of Myrundones With great honour and great solempnyte So glad were they theyr yonge lorde to se To whom echone they made affyaunce And were eke sworne by bonde assuraunce For lyfe or deth to hym to be trewe As his lyeges and chaunge for no newe To obeye his lust in all maner thynge And after this Agamenon the kynge Made hym knyght and Thelamonyus ¶ With a swerde gyrte anone Pirrus Sayenge to hym in the selfe place With yâ— bawdryke whan he hym dyd embrace Take hede quod he myn owne cosyn dere To resemble in manhode and in chere In knyghthode eke and in worthynesse To thy Fader whiche in sothfastnesse In his tyme was so noble a knyght And ouer more with all thy full myght To auenge his deth that thou do thy payne And than of grekes worthy Dukes twayne Full humbly began downe toknele And sette a spore vpon eyther hele As was the maner of golde bornyd bryght And in this wyse Pirrus was made knyght As ye haue herde in full hye presence With great honoure and due reuerence Lyke the custome of the grekes layes And the ryghtes vsed in tho dayes And than anone hath Agamenon With full glad there and great affeccyon Delyuered hym fully by sentence The armes hole without difference Whiche Achylles by his lyfe bare His worthy Fader on his shuldres square As for next heyre of lyne by discent And all the Tresour also and his Tent Armure and all delyueryd were anone Vnto Pirrus and grekes euerychone Eyght dayes suynge by and by Thorugh out the hoost full solempnely They halowe in honour of this yonge knyght Tyl on a morowe whaÌ„ Phebê° shone ful bryght Which with his lyght that shyneth fro so ferre Diffaced hath the stremys of the sterre Lucyfer the dayes messagere Whan grekes gan in plates bryght and clere Enarmed them that day for soure or swete Fully in purpose with theyr foon to mete And manfully out of theyr tentes wyde Agaynst Troyans they began to ryde Warde after warde proudely into felde And Pirrus bare that day vpon his shelde His Faders armes lyke as sayth Guydo And of the same he hadde vpon also A cote armure that became hym wele And forth he rode armed bryght in stele And casuelly formest as he was He mette firste with Pollydamas A knyght of Troye a full manly man And furyously Pirrus to hym ran On hors backe with a myghty swerde And gan to hurtle with hym in the berde So myghtely that in this hatefull stryfe Pollydamas hadde loste his lyfe Ne hadde reskus ben without more tariynge Of Phylymene the noble worthy kynge Oonly of knyghthode and of worthynesse To whom Pirrus gan hym dresse With his swerde and smet hym in the syghte That from his hors he made hym to a lyghte For he the stroke myght nat sustene And sothfastly this worthy Phylymene Of Pirrus hadde ytake be anone Saue his knyghtes assembled into one Of Paffagonye came hym to rekewe But Pirrus aye so fyersly gan pursewe Vpon this kynge with Myrundones Beset in myschefe amonge the great prees That many knyght of this noble kynge yslayne was at his reske wynge He stode of deth in so streyt a caas Tyll of Fortune came Pollydamas To his reskus and dyde his full myght Hym to delyuere and quyte hym lyke a knyght But in sothenesse there was suche resystence Of Pirrus knyghtes stondynge at diffence That aye in myschefe stode kyÌ„ge Phylymene Tyll Pantasyllya of Femynye the quene With hir women a great companye Gan this thynge of auenture espye Whiche were echone for the more delyte On theyr armure that day clade in whyte That veryly there was no lylye floure Nor snowe that flaketh fro Iupyters toure Of whytnesse fressher on to sene Than in felde was this hardy quene Whiche firste of all amonge the grekes chees Proudely to falle on Myrundones Amonges whom rydynge vp and downe She them on horseth thorugh hir hyerenowne And slewe them vp on euery syde Makynge theyr renges for to seuâ—r wyde Tyll Thelamon in a furyous hete With a spere vn warely dyde hir mete And in arage smote hir to the playne But she anone full lyfely rose agayne And with hir swerde so marketh Thelamowne That from his hors she made hyÌ„ lyght dow ne Plat to the grounde on his handes twayne And than hir women dyde theyr besy payne To make theyr quene hir stede to recure And all this whyle stode in auenture Of his lyfe worthy Phylymene Pirrus knyghtes were on hym so kene Maugre his men that they haue hym take It geyneth nat diffence for to make The grekes haue so strongly hym beset And forth they lad hym it myght be no bet Towarde theyr tentê thorugh out all the felde The whiche thynge whan the quene behelde With hir women that aboute hir rode Pursued after without more abode That fynally they haue so after sewed Thorugh theyr force that he was reskewed Maugre the manhode of Myrundones And Pantasyllya was so mercyles Vpon Grekes that of necessyte Thorugh hir force and hir cruelte Afore hir swerde they durst nat abyde But whan Pirrus sawe hir great pryde To his knyghtes loude he gan to crye And sayde it was shame and vyllanye For the women so to lese theyr londe And to be slayne so felly of hir honde Wherfore echone your hertes doth resume And of assent let vs nowe consume The â—ryde of them that none away escape For but if we some remedye shape This ylke day theyr force to confounde Shamefull reporte to vs shall rebounde Perpetuelly where we slepe or wake And as Pirrus gan his swerde to take Furyously and with a knyghtly there This hardy quene happed to here All that Pirrus to his knyghtes spake Hirlyste nat ones for to tourne bake Nor of his thret for to take hede For platly she hadde of hym no drede But right proudely gan to drawe nere And to hym sayde anone as ye shall here O thou Pirre sone of Achylles That slewe Ector in knyghthode pereles Thorugh his treynys and his trecherye By malys oonly and by false enuye Vnware whan he no thynge dyde aduerte The whiche neuer may out of my herte So grene it stycketh in my remembraunce Vpon his deth for to do vengeaunce And it syt well as semeth vnto me That his deth be venged vpon the Firste of all and on thy Faders blode For loue of hym so gentyll and so gode The deth of whom shuld all yâ— world coÌ„playne Nat oonly men do theyr besy payne To quyte his deth but women eke also With all theyr myght helpe eke therto As right requyreth without excepcyon There on to do full execucyon And I now stonde in the same plyte And for thou haste vs women in despyte Of our power shortly in sentence Thou shalt in haste haue