thy kinrede And do aduerte clerely to the fyne How thou art come of the same line And hatefull is who so can loke aryght Vnkinde bloud in euery mannes sight And Pyrrhus tho as any Tygre wrothe Afferme gan with many sacred othe That who so grutche or agaynst playne He shall hym sle with his handes twayne ¶ For hath not he by false extorsion ¶ Put Pelleus out of his regyon Whyche is your lorde and ye his trewe wyfe That fynally he shall lese hys lyfe And here anone of myne handes deye In this matter there is no more to seye And Pelleus darynge in the caue But ye of grace lyste his lyfe saue All other helpe platly is for nought This Pelleus anone forthe brought Croked and olde vnweldy eke to se And tofore Pyrrhus fell downe on hys kne Besechinge hym wyth a pyteous face At hys request take hym to hys grace ¶ And that he wolde in his manly herte Goodly beholde the deadly wo and smerte ¶ Of Atastus and the mortall payne That he tho hadde for his sonnes twaine Whiche lay dead tofore hym on the grene Slaine with your swerd y t is so sharpe kene Which he ne may recure in no wyse The sorow of which ought ynough suffyse Though ye on hym do no more vengeaunce All this well peysed iustly in balaunce Sith he is hooly submytted to your myghte Taketh now him to mercy anone ryght And let your sworde his age not consume This my request as I dare presume ANd then Pirrhus shortly for to sayne When he had put vp his sword agayne Seynge mercy myght him most auayle Without wordes or any rehersayle Fyrste of all tofore theim euerychone The kynges made accorden into one By his wysedome concludynge vp in dede That eche of theim shuld his right possede ¶ In Thesalye parted into twayne That neyther had matter to complayne Eueryche to reygne in his dewe see And while they were togyther all thre Out of presence of any other man ¶ Atastus fyrste thus his tale began ¶ Syres quod he to you is not vnknowe How through my age I am now brought so lowe And through natures kindly mocion Am wexed feble of wyt and of reason Beynge vnweldy of my lymmes all So many yeares are vpon me fall And can vnneth any thinge discerne To feble in sothe a kingedome to gouerne Of lyfe nor death takynge nowe no hede Sith that my sonnes slayne be and dead And sole lefte now withouten heyre Of worldly luste fully in dispeyre The tyme passed of my felycytye Fortunes tourne with mutabylytye Hathe taughte me playnlye I dare it well expresse In worldly ioye there is no sykernesse Nor very truste no while to abyde But I wyll now for my selfe prouyde And in all haste by prudent purueaunce Me clere discharge from all gouernaunce Agayne my sorte me list not maligne ¶ But sceptre and crowne frely I resigne Of Thesalye the lordship and the lande Of my fre will hole into thy hande There shall no man reclayme nor saye naye Interrupte nor make no delaye Touchinge this thinge by no conclusyon For I the put full in possession And hereupon of all that euer he abyde Makynge full fayth his hand in his he layde Quene Thetides syttynge there present And Pelleus of the same entent Vnto Pirrhus for his purpartye Resygned eke his ryght of Thesalye Fully affermynge that of yore ago His full desyre and his ioye also Was euer in one his neuewe to succede As ryghtfull heyre his kingdome to possede And vtterly without repentaunce All that belongeth vnto my lygeaunce Sceptre and sworde crowne and dyademe So as a kynge lyfe and death to deme Into thy hande without longer date This same houre holy to translate And when the knot of this conuencion Was fully brought to this concluson Perfourmed vp hole the vnyte For euermore atwene these kinges thre Atastus knightes disseuered enuyrowne Out of the forest be descended downe And by byddynge platly of theyr lorde They were echone sworne to this accorde And attones this lusty companye To Thesalye fast gan theim hye And Pirrhus folke lyinge on the sea Be sayled forthe streyght to the Cytye And Atastus doth sytte a parliament Where openly he gaue commaundement That all his lieges of hygh or lowe estate Wythout strife or any more debate Specially of gentyll bloud yborne The same daye to Pirrhus to be sworne Like theyr degrees in the royall hall To perseuer his trewe lieges all Durynge theyr lyfe for ernest or for game And Pelleus commaūded hath the same For his partye without any fraude And thus with ioye and with solempne laude Pirrhus was of euery maner age Gladly accepted to his heritage And on a daye fortunate and good With glad aspectes when the heuen stode Well accordynge to such maner thinge Worthy Pirrhus was ycrowned kinge Of Thesalye the riche regyon It were but vayne to make mencion Of theyr reuell nor theyr great arraye Nor of the feast made the same daye Eke in the story I finde it not in sothe I wyll passe ouer as mine auctour dothe Saue in his booke as it is specefyed That the kingdome was fer magnefyed Of Thesalye by puyssaunce and might Of this Pyrrhus whylom so good a knight Where I hym leaue in his royall see ¶ Tournynge agayne to kynge Ydumee Which in this while ygraue was vnder stone ¶ And after hym hys sonne Meeryone The story saith was crowned king of Crete That but awhyle reygninge in equyte Dyed also it wolde be none other ¶ And than in hast Leorica hys brother As rightfull heyre by successyon Was crowned kinge of that regyon ¶ In which tyme Atastus out of drede By thassent of Pyrrhus as I rede Full busy was to make in specyal A ryche toumbe passyngly royall Where buryed were with full huge prese ¶ Menalyppus and Polystenes That both two were in the forest slawe Thorugh Pirrhus swerde by full cruell law ¶ 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 father dere Of whome sothly for all hys lockes hore In Troye booke rede I can no more ¶ But now must I again to Pirrhus wende To wryte of him the sorye wofull ende Which whan he sat highest in his see Made full blinde with vayne prosperyte Gouerning tho the lande of Thesalye ¶ There hym betydde to fall in fantasye And to sette hys loue on Hermyon the quene ¶ Horestes wyfe reygnynge in Methene For whome he brent hote as any fyre And in fulfyllyng of hys foule desyre His purpose hole thus he brought aboute Her rauyshyng while her lorde was oute Tho led hir home and helde her as his wyfe Seminge to hym it was a blysfull lyfe And full relese of his paynes smerte ¶ Of whyche Horestes bare full heuy herte And caste hym playnely auenged for to be Whan he therto hath opportunyte And for that time though he susteined wrong ¶ He
language As in the latyn and the frenshe it is That of the storye we the truthe not mys No more than doth eche other nacion This was the fine of his entencion ¶ The which emprise anon I ginne shall In his worshyp as for memoryall And of the tyme to maken mencion Whan I began on this translation It was the yeare sothly for to seyne Fourtene complete tho of his fathers reygne The time of yeare shortly to conclude Whan .xx. grees was Phebus altitude The hour whā he hath made his stedes draw His rosen chariet lowe vnder the wawe To bathe his beames in the wawy sea Gresed lyke golde as men myght playnly se Passyng the bordure of our Occion And Lucina of coloure pale and wan Her colde arisynge in Octobre dyght Tenchase the darkenes of the frosty nyght That then amiddes was of the Scorpion And Hesperus gan fast to wester down Her course to haste againe the morowe gray When Lucifer the nyght to voyd away The messenger is called of the day Our hemispher to put out of Affray With bright kalēdes of Phebus vprist shene Out from y e boundes of Proserpin y e quene Where Pluto dwelleth the darke region And there the furyes haue theyr mansion Tyll after soone Apollo lyst not tarye To take his soiourne in the Sagittarye ¶ Which time I gan the prologue to behold Of Troye boke ymade by dayes olde Where written was of Auctours vs beforne Of al the dede the very trewe corne So as it fell seuered from the chaffe For in their hande they holde as for a staffe The truth onely which they haue compyled Vnto this fyne that we were not begiled Of necligence thorough foryetfulnesse The which serpent of age by longe processe Engendred is fiersely vs to assayle And of the trouth to maken vs to fayle For nere writers all were out of minde Not storyed onely but of nature and kinde The true knowing shuld haue gon to wrake And our wittes from scyence put abacke Ne had our elders serched out and soughte The sothfast pythe to impe it in our thought Of thinges passed fordyrked of theyr hewe Which through the writing be refreshed new Of Aūceters and left to vs be hynde To make a myrrour onely to our minde To se eche thinge truly as it was As bright and cleare as it were in a glasse For nere theyr writynge nowe memoryall Death w t his swerde shuld haue slayne all And ydimmed with his sodayne showres The great prowesse of these conquerours And derked eke the brightnesse of their fame That shineth yet by reporte of her name For vnto vs their bokes represent Without fayninge the waye that they went In theyr dayes when they were alyue Agayne the trouth who so euer striue Or counterplede or make any debate The south is redde of high or lowe estate Without fauour who so lyst take hede For after death clerkes litell drede Of theyr deserte for to beare wytnes Nor of a tyraunt the truthe to expresse ¶ As men deserue without excepcion With lak or pris they graūt their guerdon Wherfore me semeth euery maner man Shulde by his lyfe in all that euer he can For vertue sake eschewe to do amys For after death playnly as it is Clerkes willlyn write and except none The playne trouth when a man is gone And by olde time for theyr writinge trewe They cheryshed were of lordes y t thē knewe And honoured greatly as in tho dayes For they enacted and gilt with theyr sayes Theyr high renowne their māhod prowes Their knighthod eke and theyr worthines Their trihumphes al and eke their victories Their famous cōquest their fonge glories ¶ Fro point to poynt rehersinge all y e trouth Without fraude neclygence or slouth They did theyr labour and theyr besinesse For elles certayne the great worthinesse Of all theyr dedes had bene in vayne For dyrked age elles would haue slayne By length of yeares the noble worthy fame Of conquerours and playnly of theyr name For dimmed eke the letters aureat And eke deffaced the palme laureat Which y t they wan by knighthod ī their dayes Whose freting ruste newe and newe assayes For to eclipse the honour and the glory Of highe prowes which clerkes in memory Haue truly set through dilygent laboure And enlumined with many curious floure Of Rethorike to make vs comprehende The trouth of all as it was tho kinde Bysied them and faithfully trauailed Agayne all that that age wold haue assayled In theyr bokes euery thinge yset And with the key of remembraunce is shet Which lasteth yet and dureth euer in one Recorde of Thebes that was so longe agone Of which the ruyne and destruction Ye may beholde by good inspection Croppe and roote right as it was in dede On Stace loke and there ye may it rede Howe Polynece and Eteocles The brethern two ne could not liue in peace Till Thebes brought was to his ruyne And all the maner howe they diden fyne That death also of worthy Tideus And howe Edipp with teares full pyteous Wept out his eyen and all his drery payne And how y e smokes departed were in twaine At the feast of fyres funerall In great Stace ye may reden al. The syre engendred by brotherly hatred Where through y e deathe was the cruel mede ¶ In very sothe of many worthy man Lyke as mine Auctour well rehearse can Of Troye also that was of latter yeares By diligence of these Cronycleres Ye may beholde in theyr writinge well The strife werre the siege and euery dell Right as it was so many yeares sin passed Whose storye yet age hath not diffaced Nor cruell deathe with his mortall strokes For maugre death ye may beholde in bokes The storye fully rehersed newe and newe As freshe as floure of coloure and of hewe From day to day quicke and nothinge feinte For clerkes haue this storye so depeynt That death nor age by any other weye The trouth may not make for to deye ¶ Al be that some haue the trouth spared In their wrytynge and playnty not declared So as it was nor tolde out faythfully But it transformed in theyr poesy Through vayne fables which of entencion They haue contriued by false transsumptiō To hide trouth falsly vnder cloude And the sothe of malyce for to shroude As Homer did the which in his writinge I feyned hath full many dyuers thynge That neuer was as Guydo lyst deuise And thinges done farre in anotherwise He hath transformed then the trouth was And feyned falsly that goddes in this case ¶ The worthy Grekes helpe to warrey Agayne Troyens how that they were sey Lyke lyfely men among theym day by day And in his dytyes that were freshe and gay With sugred wordes vnder hoony sote His galie is hyd lowe by the roote That it may not outward be aspyed And all for he with Grekes was alyed Therfore he was to theym fauorable In much thyng whych is not commendable Of theym that lust to
is and alway meynt with wo That in this world where so that we go We truely may aduert as in our thought That for the value of a thyng of nought Mortall causes of werres first begonne Strife and debate here vnderneth the sonne Were meued first of small occasyon That caused after great confusyon That no man can the harmes halfe endite And for a cause deare inough a mite Eche one is redy to destroye other A man for litel stryue will with his brother Blode is vnkynde which greatly is to drede Alas why ne will they take better hede For olde Troye and after that the newe Through smal enchesō who the trouth knew Were fynally brought to destruction As olde bokes make mencion And many worthy and many noble knight Slayne in the felde by duresse of that fight Kynges and prynces at the siege ben deade Whā Attropos lyst breake theyr liues threde That for to tel the mischiefe and the wo I want connyng and I fele also My pen quake and tremble in my hand Lyst that my lorde dradde on sea lande Whose worthines thrugh y e world doth sprede My rude makyng shal beholde and reade Whych of colour full naked is and bare That but if he of his mercye spare For to disdayne and list to haue pytye For feare I tremble that he shuld it se ¶ But onely mercye y t doth his hert embrase Byd me presume fully in his grace Seyng in hym most vertuous and good Mercye annexed vnto royall blode As to a prince longeth nigh and ferre Aye to fore ryght pytye to preferre For through the support of his high noblesse As now I will ayene my style dresse To wryte forth the storye by and by Of newe Troye in ordre seryously As mine auctour in latyn Guydo wryt Praying y e reader wher as my wordes missit Causyng the metre to be halte or lame For to correct to saue me from blame Let hym not wayte to haue curyosytye Sith that in rime Englyshe hath skersytye I am so dull certayne that I ne can Guido ensewe that clerke and curyous man Whych in latyn hath by rethoryke Set so his wordes that I cā not be lyke To sewe his style in my translation Worde by worde like the construction After the maner of gramariens Nor like the stile of rethoriciens I toke but on me this storye to translate For me to further Clio came to late That in such craft hath great experience I leue the wordes and folowe the sētence And trouthe of metre I set also asyde For of that arte I had as tho no guide Me to reduce whan I went a wrong Taking small hede eyther of short or long But to the trouth and lette curiosite Both of making and of metre be Not purposyng to much for to varye Nor for to be dyuers nor contrarye Vnto Guydo as by discordaunce But me conforme fully in substaunce Onely in meanyng to conclude all one Albe that I ne can the waye gone To sewe the floures of his eloquence Nor of peyntyng I haue none excellence With sundry hewes noble freshe and gay So ryche coloures byggen I ne may I must procede with sable and with blacke And in ennuyng where ye fynde a lacke I axe mercy or that I fro you twyn And with your fauour I will nowe begyn And in all haste my stile forth right directe And where I erre I pray you to correct THe same tyme whē that Troye towne Destroyed was y t king Lomedowne Was also slayne through the crueltye Of Hercules and that tofore his cytye He had a sonne the storye telleth vs Which was his heyre ycalled Priamus Wonder manly discrete eke and prudent Which at that time from Troye was absente When so his father lost hath so his lyfe For at that tyme with Hecuba his wyfe And with his sonnes aboute a castell laye And all his knightes to get it if they may That hath on theym mightely werreyed For they his father falsly disobeied And vnto hym be rebell wonder longe Albe Priam with sautes huge and stronge Theim had assayled oft and many syth His strength on them like a knight to kyth To get in armes worship and honour And theim to daunt like a conquerour He cast him fully or that he departe For day by day his life he gan Ieoparte Tofore their walles for to preue his mighte With many baron many worthy knight For he was flowing yet lusty bloude And was of age flouryng in knighthode And at assautes and such maner strife On with the first auenture his life To herte his men him lyst not be behind For dread of death sothly as I find Afore the castell hygh thyck ywalled And by his wife that Hecuba was called This Pryam had ful worthy of degre Fiue sonnes and yonge doughters thre ¶ Of whych the eldest Hector called was Which also fer as Phebus in compase A naturall daye his cercle goeth about So fer of hym withouten any doubte Reported was the renowne and the name The worthynesse and the noble fame For like as bokes of him specifye He was the roote and stocke of chiualrye And of knighthod very soueraygne floure The sours and well of worship and honoure And of manhode I dare it well expresse Patron myrrour and of high prowesse Ginning and grounde with all this yfeare Wonder benynge and lowely of his cheare Discrete also prudent and vertuous Of whom the dedes and actes merueilous Remembred ben of so long a gone For he alone excelled euerychone In olde Auctours reade and ye may finde Of his knighthod how yet they makē mynde ¶ The next brother called was Parys To whom nature gaue to her deuys Of shape and fourme beautye semelynesse That to recorde his excellent fayrnesse He in his time withouten any dread Ferre passed all that I can of reade And he was eke a full manly knight But most he vsed when so he shuld fight In his hand to beare a mighty bowe For such an archer no man coud knowe None might be foūd to seke both fer nere That of shoting might hardely be his pere As he was founde whan he had a do And Alexsandre called he was also ¶ The third sonne hight Deiphobus A worthy knight and a chiualrous And had in armes a ful great renowne And was a man of high discresciowne And wife of coūsail min auctour sayeth thus ¶ The fourth brother called was Helenus Sad and discrete and of highe prudence And was also a man of great scyence And renommed therwith in specyall In al the artes called lyberal For he in theym was full experte a ryght ¶ The fyfth sonne was a worthy knyght Freshe and lusty and yongest of theim all And as sayeth Guido Troylus men him call A manly man valyaunt in battayle And fearsely hote his fomen to assayle One of the best in his time yfounde For called he was Hector the secound For his manhode throughout Troye booke Within
deine after ryght For in making loue hath lost his sight To gyue a prys where none is deserued Cupide is blinde whose domes ben obserued More after lust then after equytye Or after reason how the trouth be For syngulertee and false affeccion Reyseth ful ofte by vayne lausion A man to worshyp that deserueth none By false reporte and thus full many one Without merite hath his fame blowe Wherof another the renowne is vnknowe That ī armes hath sūdry meruailes wrought Of whō peraunter speaketh no mā nought For fauour only is fostred more thē rightes That hindred hathe many worthy knightes ¶ Ouide also poete egally hath closed Falshed with trouthe y t make the men enosed To which parte that they shall theym holde His misty speche so hard is to vnfolde That it entriketh readers that it see Virgil also for loue of him Ene In his Eneyd reherseth much thinge And was in partie trewe of his writing Except onely that him list somwhile The traces folowe of Homeris stile ¶ And of this syege wrote eke Lollius But tofore all Daretus frigens Wrote most truely after that he fonde And Ditus eke of the Grekes londe For they were present and sene euery dell And as it fill they write trewe and well Eche in his tunge by suche consonaunce That in theyr bokes was no variaunce Which after were vnto Athenes brought And by processe serched out and sought By diligence of one Cornelius Who neuewe was vnto Salustius Of rome yborne which did his dewe Them to translate and the traces sewe Of these Auctours by good auisement But for bycause he set all his entent For to be brefe he lefte muche behinde Of the story as men in bokes finde The firste meninge and cause originall What was the ginninge and roote in speciall Ne how they come by lande or by nauy How firste the sparke was kindled of enuy Betwixt Grekes and theim of Troye towne Of this Cornelie maketh no menciowne Of theyr shyppes nor of theyr vytayle Nor how that Grece is called ytayle And the lasse as bokes verifye ¶ Is named nowe the lande of Romanye What numbre of kinges and of Dukes wēt Towarde the syege all of one assente To wynne worshyppe and for exercyse Of armes onely in full knyghtly wyse Abydyng there to se the version Of the cytye and noble Illyon Nor what the maner was of theyr armure ¶ Nor at the syege who longest did endure In what wise eche other dyd assayle Nor how often they met in battayle How many worthy lost theyr his lyfe How olde hatred wrought vp newe stryfe Nor of theyr death he dateth not the yeare For his wrytinge was so partyculere Without fruite he was compēdious This foresayd Romayne this Cornelius ¶ Wherfore but late in comparysowne There was an Auctour of ful highe renowne That besyed hym the traces for to sewe Of Dite Daret cast him not transmewe In all the story a worde as in sentence But foloweth theym by such conuenyence That in effect the substaunce is the same And of Columpna Guydo was his name Which had in writing passing excellence For he enlumineth by crafte and cadence This noble storye with many freshe coloure Of Rethorik and many ryche floure Of eloquence to make it sounde the bett ¶ He in the storye ymped hath and set That in good fayth I trowe he hath no pere To recken all that write of this mattere As in his boke ye may beholde and se To whom I saye knelyng on my kne Laude and honour and excellence of fame O Guydo mayster be vnto thy name That excellest by souerayngtye of style All that wryte this matter to compyle Whom I shal folow as nere as euer I may That god graunte it to be to the paye Of hym for whom I haue it vndertake So as I can this storye for to make Prayinge to all that shal it read or see Where as I erre there to amende me Of humble herte and lowe entencion Committing all to theyr correction And therof thanke my will is y t they wyn For through theyr support thus I wil begin The ende of the prologue The fyrste boke ¶ How y e knge of Thessalie named Pelleus lost all his men by diuine punishemēt who after by his praiers obtained others Ca. i. IN y e reigne and land of Thesalye The which is now ynamed saloni There was a king called Pelleus Wyse and discrete also vertuous The which as Guido list to specifie Helde the lordshippe and the regalye Of this yle as gouernour and kynge Of whych the people by recorde of writinge Mirundones were called in tho dayes Of whom Ouide fayneth in his sayes Metamorphoseos where as ye may rede How this people sothfastly in dede So as mine Auctour maketh mencion Were brought echeone to destruction With sodayne tempest and with fyry leuen By the goddes sent downe from the heauē For they of yre without more offence With swerde and with y e stroke of pestilence On this yle whilom toke vengeaunce Like as it is put in remembraunce For this people destroyed were certayne With thunder dint with hayle and rayne Full vnwarely as Guido list descriue For there was none of them left a liue In all the lande that the vyolence Escape might of this pestilence Except the kinge the which went alone Into a wood there to make his mone Sool by him selfe all disconsolate In a place that stode all desolate Where this kinge ronnynge to and fro Complayninge aye of this his fatall woo And the harmes that he did endure Till at the last of case or auenture Beside an holt he sawe where stode a tree Of full great hight and large of quantitye Holowe by thee roote as he coulde knowe Where as he sawe by the earthe lowe Of Antes crepe passing greate plente With which sight he fell downe on his kne And made his prayer in his panim wise To the goddes with humble sacrafise Vpon his wo and great aduersytee Onely of mercy for to haue pytee To turne these Antes into fourme of man Thus gan he praye with coloure pale wan His lande tenhabite which standeth desolate And he alone awhaped and a mate Comfortles of any creature Him to releue of that he did endure And as Ouide maketh mencion The god Iupiter herde his orison And hath such routhe on him at the leste That he anone fulfilleth his request And of his might which that is diuine His grace he made from heuen for to shine Beningly vnto the earth adowne That by a sodayne transmutaciowne The Antes were brought to fourme of mē anon Which on their fete vpright gan to gon To Thesaly and salue there the kinge And like his lieges toke theyr dwellinge Within a citye called tho Egee As in Ouide ye may beholde and se The which people for theyr worthinesse For theyr strength and great hardinesse Mirundines so longe haue bore the name As in the life ye reade may thee
them amonge Shall fynally consumpt be with death Thorowe grekes sworde yelden vp the breth ¶ But the cause without any drede Why I saye thus is that ye take hede For any pryde or presumpcion To aduerte in your discrecion So prudently that reason in this nede For any haste may our brydell lede And so ordeyne or we hense wende That laude and prayse after in the ende May be reported as I haue deuysed For many man that hath not be aduised In his pursuite for lacke of prouidence To se tofore in his aduertence What shuld be fall to deth it hath thē brought Suche wylfull hast were good to be thought Of vs by fore examynacion And well discussed by reuolucion ¶ Of thynkyng ofte that we not repente And fyrst remembre how that Pryam sent To vs but late only for Exyon That yet is holde of kynge Thelamon Whiche was of vs without aduisement Vndiscretely denyed by assent Whiche hath to vs be none aduauntage But grounde and rote of full great damage For if that we through wyse purueyaunce Of her had made tho delyueraunce The harmes great had be then eschewed That after were of Parys so pursewed In the temple of faire Cythera That buylded is besyde Cirrea The treasour great also that he had And Iewelles thense that he with him ladde Than to Troye and the great rychesse The slaughte of men and the heauinesse That yet is made for the quene Heleyne Throughout Grece and the great payne Of Menelaye all had ben nowe vnwrought If so we had foresene this in our thought Wysely tofore and restored Exyon Than had not the harmes ne of them one Ensewed on vs in very sothfastnesse Nor spent our labour so in ydelnesse Treasour nor good wasted so in vayne Nor come so ferre for to fetche agayne The quene Heleyne with costes inportable Withouten harmes now in eschewable ANd for all this yet ne wote we Whether to ioye or to aduersytye The thynge shall tourne that we be about Syth ofte syth dependent and in doubte Is fatall thyng vnsyker and vnstable And fro the gynnynge often varyable The ende is sene fortune can transmewe Her gery course and therfore to eschewe The harmes possyble lykely for to fall My counsayle is here amonge you al Vpon arryuaile trauayle to eschewe In this matter are we further sewe To Pryamus without any more To sende fyrste agayne for to restore The quene Heleyne as ryght and reason is And other harmes done eke by Parys After his trespasse and offencion Iustely to maken restytucion Than may we all in worshyp and honour Retourne home without more labour If they assente to do as we requere And our axynge if they lyste not here But folyly of their wylfulnesse Refusen it than this our worthynesse Is double assured on a syker grounde By iuste tytle Troyans to confounde With thynges two we shal be vnder pyght Fyrst our power borne vp with our ryght Shall for vs fyght our quarell to dareyne In balaunce euen to weye atwixe vs twayne To fyne that we shal be more excused For they tofore haue wylfully refused Our iuste profers made to them afore And we shal be through the worlde therfore Without spot of trespasse or of blame Of mysreporte in hyndrynge of our name Where they of foly shall ynoted be Of wylfull wodnesse playnly where that we Shall stande free our power for to vse And euery man shall vs well excuse Though that we do execucyon By takynge vengeaunce for their offencyon Of men and chylde of eche secte and age That shall of death holden their the passage And by the sworde without mercy pace One and other there is no better grace BVt yet tofore I counsayle taketh hede That ye to them with all measure bede This holde I beste and moste syckernesse And worke now by good auisenesse Amonge your selfe and no longer tarye To whiche counsayle some weren contrary And varyaunt to his opinyon Saue they that were of most discrecion Assented be playnly to this ende And chosen haue to Pryam for to sende Amonges them the ambassyat to spede Vlyxes wise and worthy Dyomede The whiche anone gan them ready make And shope them forth and their waye take Towarde Troye as any lyne ryght When the sonne shone full shene and bryghte Holdyng the course of his fyry sphere In mydday arke wonder bryght and clere And gylte eche hyll vale playne roche With his beames when they dyd approche To the walles and gates of the towne And in they go without noyse or sowne ▪ Full well be sene and in their porte them had Ryght manfully and the waye them ladde To the paleyes streyght as any lyne Them nedeth not asyde to declyne But into a courte large wyde and square And thei ful knightly for no wight wold space Vnto the effecte manly to procede To do their charge without feare and drede For their commyng was not tho refused And in tho dayes peraunter was not vsed To haue no conduite for embassadrye The custome was to no man to denye As I suppose entre nor passage If it so were he come as for message And in this courte builded so royally When they come fyrst they meruayled greatly The royall syght of so huge a strength So well complete both in brede and length For they ne had in their lyfe tofore Sene none so fayre yet they wonder more Into the paleyes as they together gone That paued was all of Iasper stone Of a tree that amyddes stode On which to loke they thought it did thē good Musyng where it were Artifyciall Erecte or sette by magyke naturall Or by engyne of workemen curyous Through subtyll craftes supersticious Or other worke of Nycromancye Or profounde castynge of Phylosophye By apparaunce or yllusyon Outher by crafte of incantacion Vp and downe they casten in their mynde Out by reason if they myghten fynde Rote and grounde of this wonder worke But the trouthe was to them so derke That in their wytte though they longe trace The pryuitee they can not compare To conceyue how it was possyble For to the eye as it was vysyble In very soth without any fable To mannes hande so it was palpable Of whiche the stocke of Guydo as is tolde In sothfastnesse was of pured golde Whiche shone as bryght as the somer sonne To enlumyne thinges that weren donne And the body as a maste was ryght Proporcyoned most goodly to the syght Substanciall and of huge strengthe And twelue cubytes the body was of length And the croppe rounde and large of brede And in compasse gan flourishe so and sprede That all the playne aboute enuyrowne With the bowes was shadowed vp downe The ryche braunches and the leues fayre Twayne and twayne ioyned as a payre One of golde another syluer shene And meynt among w t stones whyte grene Some rede and some sapher hewed And euery daye the blomes were renewed And the blossomes with many sundry suyte For stones Inde it
As sheweth yet by many mortall wounde On my body large longe and wyde That yet appere vpon euery syde And day by day full sore ake and smerte For whiche thynge me semeth that my herte Enbolleneth newe nowe whan I the see Of hyghe despyte auenged for to be So am I fret of olde enuious rage That it may neuer in my brest aswage Tyll the vengeaunce and the fatall sute Of cruell death be on the execute ¶ And of one thyng most is my greuaunce That whan I haue fully remembraunce And in my mynde consyder vp and downe Howe thou hast made fynall deuysyowne ¶ Of me alas and of hym Patroclus So yonge so manly and so vertuous Whom I loued as it was skylle and ryght Euen as my selfe with all my full myght With as hoole herte and inly kyndnesse As an tongue may telle or expresse Now hast thou made a departisyon Of vs that were by hole affection Yknyt in one of hertie allyaunce Without partyng or disseueraunce So entyerly our faythfull hertes twayne Ylaced were and locked in a chayne Whiche myght not for none aduersyte Of lyfe nor death a sonder twynned be Tyll cruelly thou madest vs departe Which thrugh my hert so inwardly doth darte That it wyll neuer in soth out of my thought And trusteth well ful dere shal be bought The death of hym and be nothyng in were Perauenture or ended be this yere For vpon the onely for his sake Of cruell deth vengeaunce shal be take I the ensure without other bonde If I may lyue with myne owne hande I shall of death do execucyon Without abode or longe delacyon For ryght requireth without any dreade Death for death for his fynall mede For I my selfe theron shall be wroke That through y e world hereafter shal be spoke How Achylles was venged on his soe ¶ For Patroclus that he loued so And though that I be to the enuyous And of thy death inly desyrous Ne wete me not nor put on me no blame For well I wotte thou arte to me the same And hast my death many day desyred And thervpon inwardly conspyred And thus shortely as atwene vs two There is but death without wordes mo Whan fortune lyst the tyme thereto shape I hope fully thou shalte not escape Truste none other I saye the vtterly ¶ To whom Hector not to hastely Answerde againe with sober countenaunce Auysed well in all his dalyaunce As he that was in nothyng rekles ¶ And euen thus he spake to Achylles Syr Achylles without any fayle Thou ne oughtest greatly to meruayle Though with my power and my full myghte With herte and will of very dewe ryght Day by day I thy death conspyre And euer in one it compasse and desyre And do my laboure early and eke late It to pursue by full cruell hate Thou oughtest not to wonder in no wyse But fully knowe by sentence of the wyse In no maner who so taketh hede Of ryghtwysenesse it may not then procede That other I or any other wyght Should do him loue that with al his myght My death purseweth and destruction And ouer this to more confusyon Hath layde a syege aboute this Cyte On my kinrede and also vpon me And thervpon felly doth presume With mortall hate of werre to consume Vs euerychone ywysse I can not fynde In my herte as by lawe of kynde Suche one to loue of ryght nor equyte Nor haue him chere sothly in no degre For of werre may no frendlyhead Nor of debate loue aryght procede ¶ For sothly loue most in speciall Of faythfulnesse hath the orygenall In hertes ioyned by conuenyence Of one accorde whom no difference Of doubylnesse may in no degre Nother in ioye nor in aduersyte For lyfe nor death asunder nor disseuer For where loue is it contuneth euer ¶ But of hate all is the contrarye Of whych sothly from hertê when they varye Procedeth rancoure at eye as men maye se Debate enuye stryfe and enmyte Mortall slaughter both to nygh and ferre Mother of whyche in sothfastnes is werre The fyne wherof longe or it be do Seuereth hertes and frendship cutte atwo And causeth loue to be leyde full lowe ¶ But for all this I wil that thou knowe Thy proude wordes in herte nor in thoughte In very sothe agasten me ryght nought And if I shall furthermore out breake Without auaunt the trouthe for to speake I saye the playnly hense or two yeare If I maye lyue in the werres here And my swerde of knighthod forthe acheue I hope in sothe so mortally to greue The Grekes all when I with theÌ„ maye mete That they and thou shall fele it full vnswete If ye contynue and the werres haunte I shal your pryde and surquedrye adaunte In suche a wise with my handes two That or the werre fully be ado Well many greke full sore shall it rewe For well I wote of olde and not of newe That the grekes gathered here in one Of surquedrye are founde euerychone Onely for lacke of discrescion To vndertake of presumpcion So highe a thinge a syege for to layne And your selfe to ouer charge in vayne With empryses withouten any fable That byn to you of weyght importable And the peys of so great heuynesse That fynally it will you all oppresse And your pride auale and lowe enclyne Which burtheÌ„ shall enbowe backe and chyne And vnwarely causen you to fall Or ye haue done I saye to one and all ¶ And ouer more be full in suerte ¶ Thou Achilles I speake this vnto the. That fatall deathe first shall the assayle Tofore thy swerde in any thynge auayle Agaynst me for all thy worthynesse ¶ And if so be that so great hardynesse Courage of wyll vygour force or myght Meue thy herte by manhode as a knyght To take on the as in derryng do For to darreyne here betwene vs two Thilke quarell how so that befall For the whych that we stryue all I wyll assent playnly to ieoparde Tyll that the death one of vs departe There is no more but that these lordes here Kinges and prynces wyll accorde yfere That it be do fully by one assent And holde stable of herte and of entente So that the felde onely by vs tweyne As I haue sayde this quarell may darreyne And ended be by this condiciowne That if it happe through thy highe renowue Me to venquishe or dryue to outtraunce I will you make fully assuraunce That fyrst my lorde Priamus the kinge Shall vnto grekes in all maner thinge With crowne and sceptre holy him submitte And in a poynt varye nother flytte Fully to yelde to our subiectiowne All his lordship within Troye towne ¶ And his lyeges in captyuytye Shall go theyr waye out of this cyte And leue it quyte as to your gouernaunce Without stryfe or any varyaunce And thervpon to make securyte To deuoyde all ambyguyte Tofore the goddes by othe of sacrament We shall be swore in full good entente And ouermore our fayth also to saue To assure
hertes may not lightly staunshed be The Etike draweth by so great distresse That it defaceth the high worthynesse Full ofte sythe of these conqueroures And of theyr fame rente away the floures Desyre of hauynge in a gredy thuoght To hygh noblesse sothly longeth nought Nor suche pylfre spoylynge nor robberye Appartayne not to worthy chyualrye For couetyse and knighthod as I lere In one chayne maye not be knet yfere For kouthe it is that ofte suche rauyne Hath cause be and roote of ruyne Of many worthy who so lyst take hede Lyke as ye maye nowe of Hector reade That sodaynly was brought to his endynge Onely for spoylynge of this ryche kinge For of desyre to him that he hadde On horse backe out whan he him ladde Reklesly the storye maketh mynde He caste his shelde at his backe behynde To welde him selfe at more lyberte And for to haue oportunyte To spoyle him and for no wyght spare So that hys brest disarmed was and bare Except his plates there was no diffence Agayne the stroke to maken resistence Alas why was he tho so reckles This floure of knighthod of maÌ„hode pereles When that his foo all that ylke daye For him alone in awayte so laye If in mischiefe of hate or of enuye In the fielde he might him ought espye This Achilles cruell and venymous Of hertye moste melancolius Whych couertly houing him beside When that he sawe Hector disarmed ryde He hente a spere sharpe grounde and kene And of yre in his hatefull tene All vnwarely or Hector might aduerte ¶ Alas the while he smote him to the herte Throughout y e brest that dead he fel adowne Vnto the earthe this Troian champyowne Through neclygence onely of his shelde The death of whom when Odemon behelde The worthy kinge might hym not refrayne ¶ But to Achilles rode with all his payne And hit him so amyd of all the prese Maugre the might of his Myrmydones That for dead Guydo sayth certayne Of that wounde fel grofeling on y e playne But his knightes on a shelde alofte The ylayde him and caryed him full softe Vnto his tente in all the haste he can And there I leue this deadly wounded man Full sore sycke tyll he maye releue And after that when it drewe to eue They of Troye with great reuerence Did their laboure and theyr diligence The dead corps to carye into towne Of worthy Hector wheÌ„ Titan went adowne And to the temple dolefully they wende And of that daye this was the wofull ende I can no more but thus the longe night In heauinesse as it is skill and ryght I will theim leue and agayne retourne To my matter to helpe theym for to mourne ¶ The complaynte of Lydgate for the death of Hector Ca. xxviii BVt nowe alas how shal I forth procede In the storye that for wo and dreade Fele my hande bothe tremble and eke quake Oh worthy Hector onely for thy sake Of thy deathe I am so lothe to wryte Oh who shall now helpe me to endite Or vnto whom shall I clepe or call Certys to none amonge the muses all That by accorde singen euer in one On Pernasus besyde Helycon So aungelyke in theyr hermonye That tunge is none that may specifye The great swetenesse of theyr goodly songe For no discorde is founde theim amonge In theyr minsyke they be entuned so It sytte theim nought for to helpe in wo Nor in maters y t be with mourninge shente As tragydyes all to tore and rente In camplayninge pyteously in rage In the Theatre with a dead vysage To theim alas I clepe dare nor crye My troubled penne of grace for to guye Nother to Clyo nor to Callyope ¶ But to Alecto and to Thesyphone And to Megera that euer doth complayne As they that lyue aye in wo and payne Eternally and in torment dwell With Cerberus depe downe in hell Whom I must praye to be gratious To my matter which is so furyous For to a wyght that is comlaplayninge A drery feare is ryght well syttinge And to a matter meynt with heuynesse Accordeth well a cheare of drerynesse To be allyed as by vnyte ¶ Wherfore helpe nowe thou wofull Nyobe Some drery teare in all thy piteous payne Into my penne dolefully to rayne ¶ And helpe also thou cruelly Yxione And Belydes that dothe the bokette gone And with thy stone helpe thou Secyphus And in thy ryuer helpe eke Tantalus That for hunger haste so huge pyne This wofull playute helpe me for to fyne Me to further do your busynesse For now the stocke and roote of worthynesse Of knighthod grouÌ„d of maÌ„hod soures well That tofore all bare away the bell Of derrynge do this floure of high prowesse And was exaumple also of gentilnesse That neuer could do amisse or seye ¶ Alas Hector alas why shuldest thou deye Oh cruell Parchas why toke ye no hede So cruelly to twine his fatall threde Ye were to hasty alas why were ye so And namely when the threde ye brake a two Thou Attropos which thrugh thy gret enuye Oh Troye alas well mayst thou wepe crye And make a wofull lamentacion Whych haste of newe to thy confusyon Loste thy diffence and thy stronge wall Thy berer vp thy suertie royall By whom thy honour chiefely was begonne Alas alas for now thy bryght sonne Eclipsed is now standest thou desolate Of all comforte and disconsolate Thy lyght is loste and thou in dercknesse Yplounged arte for in sothefastnesse Of all worthy thou haste the worthyest This daye yloste and the knightlyest That is or was or shall I the ensure Be euer borne whylse the worlde may dure No wonder is though thou be wale sore And daye by daye complayne for euermore That was thy shelde bothe in ioye and wo Whom thou were wonte for to loue so So tenderly with all thy hole herte That it maye not lyghtly the asterte To haue him euer in thy remembraunce Which was in sothe fully thy suffysaunce ¶ For as Guydo maketh mencion There was no man dwellinge in the towne That he ne hadde of very kindenesse For loue of him as he lyste expresse His childe more lefe to haue dyed in this case Other his heyre so well beloued he was If the goddes fate or destyne Disposed had that it might haue be Women also of euery maner age Be for his deathe fall in suche a rage Through the Cite aboute in euery strete That with sobbinge and with salte tearê wete And heyre to rente for their deadly wo Furyously they ronnen to and fro So mortall was their aduersyte That to beholde alas it was pyte Yonge maydes and lykewyse matrones olde Sobbe and syghe and their fystes folde And loude crye and sayde fynally Alas nowe shall our fathers cruelly In our syght be slayne day by day Alas the while and no man shal say nay Farewell our helpe nowe Hector is ygone That in the surenesse of vs euerychone Was wonte to reste now is he dead alas ¶ Of
For leuer I haue that Palled be my name Than for to be slayne and haue an ydle fame For worthinesse after death yblowe Is but a wynde and lasteth but a throwe For though renowne and prise be blowe wide Foryetfulnesse leyth it ofte asyde By length of yeres and oblyuion Through enuye and false conclusyon The lande of knyghthode and of worthynesse Of wysedome eke and of gentylnesse Fredam bounte vertue and suche grace Foryetfulnesse can darke and defface And therwithall males and enuye Ysered hath the palme of Chyualrye By false reporte wherfore I saye for me I wyll of wysedome suche folye let be And in quyet forth my lyfe nowe lede ¶ And ouer this to you three I rede To seke peace with Troyans if ye may In hasty wyse without more delaye This my counsayle platly to you all Or that myschyefe of death vpon you fall It were well done that ye toke hede ¶ Both Vlixes and thou Dyomede ¶ And Nestor eke sythen ye be wyse To worke playnely lyke as I deuyse This the summe and fyne of myne entent And so reporteth to hym that hath you sent And they anone with shorte conclusyon ¶ Repeyred be to Agamenon With such answere as ye haue herde me seine It nedeth not to wryte it newe againe ¶ And herevpon kynge Agamenon Let make anone a conuocasyon Of his lordes and in their presence Fro poynt to poynt sothly in sentence He hath rehersed how that Achylles Was desyrous for to haue a peace With them of Troye and platly how that he For no prayer wyll in no degree Agayne Troians with spere nor with shelde In helpe of grekes be armed in the felde Wherfore the kynge as he that was ful wise Hereupon axed their deuyse And whan them thought what best for to do In this matter syth it stode so ¶ And fyrste of all speaketh Menelay With angry chere and sayde platly nay To haue a peace it was not his entent Ne that he wolde therto be of assent Sythen the Cyte in conclusion Stode on the prycke of his distruction NOw that Hector Deiphobê° were dead y t whylom were their trust in euery nede And their diffence but now they are ago Farewell their truste and their hope also Without more and all their hole pryde They maye not now but after death abyde ¶ And truste well without any lesse Though it so be that this Achylles Ne helpe vs not towarde our empryse We therof not drede in no maner wyse Without hym for to haue victorye By our manhode and our owne glorye I am full sure therof and certayne But Vlixes gan replye agayne Nestor also of sodayne mocyon Contrayre was to his opynyon Affyrmynge playnely that no wonder was Though Menelay sothly in this case Vnto the peace wolde not assent For openly they wyste what he ment For he was ground and roote of al the werre And cause also they come were so ferre Out of their lande he and the quene Heleyne ¶ And for the sake onely of them tweyne The grekes all whiche no man may denye Their lyues put in suche ieopardye For hym and her if the grounde be soughte 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 Hector is dead He hath an heyre to speake of manlyhead And of knyghthode as it wyll be founde And called is Hector the seconde ¶ Worthy Troylus whiche y t is his brother In all this worlde is not suche an other Of worthynesse for to recken all For he of Troye is the myghty wall ¶ And diffence now Hector is a gone Ye knowe it well your selfe euerychone If it so be that ye lyste take hede Whose sharpe sworde sore doth vs blede Euery day in his furyous hete Amyd the fyelde whan we with hym mete And in stede of worthy Deiphobus 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 recken all syth we be gonne This very soth we but lyttle wonne But we are lykely alwaye more to lese If we contune but syth we may chese It were holsome to lyue in quyet To haue a peace and this werre lete By one assent syth ye be wyse ANd with y t worde Calchas gan to ryse The Troyan treytour w t a pale chere For very Ire and sayde as ye shall here ¶ A worthy prynces what thynke ye to done To chaunge so lyke as doth the moone Your olde purpose and your fyrst entent Agayne the wyll and commaundement Of the godder that euery thynge gouerne By purueyaunce who so can discerne Alas alss why ne wyll ye at the leste Credence and fayth geue to theyr heste Whiche in no wyse may not be fallyble For in soth it were an impossyble Vtterly but Troye the citye Of ordynaunce and necessytye Myght be destroyed hense but alyte If your slouth be it not to wyte So that victorye worshyp and honour And fynall palme eke of this labour To be reported on water and on lande Reserued be hooly to your hande In your purpose yf ye forth contune And hynder not of foly your fortune This in soth I dare it well conclude And peryllous is the goddes to yllude Of neclygence or slouth wylfully Wherfore I read that now manfully Of herte and thought and of full vnyte Platly deuoydyng ambyguyte To set vpon and knyghtly to resume Your force agayne fully to consume Your cruell foen and let be shet without Wanhope and drede dispeyre euery doubte Castyng of parrell slouth and cowardyse And let manhode vtterly dispyse All dread of death that causeth hertes feynt With cowardyse and to be atteynt That fynally as goddes haue be hyght Through prescyence of their eternall might To victorye that ye shall attayne Lyke your desyre there is no more to sayne ¶ And whan Calchas in conclusyowne This false treytour vnto Troye towne The grekes had through his wordes fayre Touchynge the werre put out of dyspayre Of herte all one they caste them to fulfyll Hooly his counsayle though so that Achylle Be frowarde aye to helpe them in their nede They gaue no force nor toke of it no hede But euerychone they them redy make As ye shall here the fielde in haste to take THe trewes passed of y e monthes twayne Into y e felde Grekê gan theim ordayne And they of Troye agayne theim yssue oute ¶ And worthy Troylus with an huge route The Grekes gan alderfirste assayle And with his swerde he made for to rayle The red bloud through their harneys bright That as the death they fled fro his syght For he that daye thrugh his cruelte Caste him platly auenged for to be Vpon the death of Hector vtterly ¶ And as Dares wryteth specyally A M. knightes this Troyan champyowne That day hath slayne rydyng vp and downe ¶ As
made him to alyght For all his pryde in a mortall traunce And of that wound he felt such greuaunce That at the death he laye an huge whyle In a swowne the space of halfe a myle Tyll Myrmydones assembled into one With great laboure and hente him vp anone Full deadly pale so he gan to blede But for all that they set him on his stede And at the last his hert he caught agayne And smet his horse of hate and hye disdayne And towarde Menon fast gan him hye But when that he his cominge gan espye Full lyke a knyght lyst not to abyde But hit his horse sharply in the syde And mette Achilles proudly on the playne And wyth theyr swordes they togither layne And gan to hurtle on horse backe tho yfere Wyth herte enuyous and despytous chere ¶ But kynge Menon was at auauntage Of Achylles for all his wood rage In poynt to abrought him to confusyowne Tyll y t the wardes of newe be comen downe On other parte both of these and yonder Whych sodaynly seuered them asonder And as the story telleth playnly than Began the slaughter of many manly man For nother party the felde ne would leue Of very pryde tyll it drewe to eue That Phebus gan aswage of his hete And gan to bathe in the wawes wete His bryght beames of the Occyan That fro the felde home goth euery man To theyr lodginge and after seuen dayes They faught yfere made no more delayes ¶ Full mortall by cruell aduenture Whyle Achylles full busy was to cure His woundes grene and his sores sounde And then he had a newe treason founde To be venged vpon kynge Menon For all his wytte he sette thervpon And so this cruell enuyous Achilles Ycharged hath his Myrmydones Worthy Menon amonge theim to enbrace If they hym founde of opportune in place With all theyr might and theyr busy thought From theyr handes that he escape nought Tyll he hym selfe auenged on hym be ¶ And so befell as they Menon se The nexte morowe lyke a manly knyght Agayne the Grekes armed for to fyght On Troye syde as he was wonte to do Of auenture that daye yt fell so That Achilles and this Menon mette And eche of theim gan on other sette On horse backe wyth full great emiye When as so longe in theyr melancolye Mine auctour wryt they togyther fyght That eche made other of force to alyght ¶ And whan Menon stode vpon y e grounde ▪ Myrmydones wente aboute him rounde As they were charged of the fyerse Achylle When he alas wythout goddes wylle Dysseuered was from his knyghtes all And at myschyefe they vpon him fall Destitute alone and helples And in suche poynt slewe him Achylles But in the story lyke as it is founde This Menon fyrst gaue him such a wounde Tofore his death in all this fell stryfe That he dyspeyred was as of his lyfe This Achylles for all his false treason Take hede Homer and demeth in thy reason The false fraude and the sleyghty gyle The treason caste afore wyth many wyle Of Achylles and iudge now a ryght If euer he slewe any worthy knyght But if yt were by preodycyon Recorde I take of the kynge Menon So that the tytle of his laude alas Entriked is wyth fraude and with fallace ¶ That thou Homer mayst with no coloure Though thou paynte with gold w t asoure In thy wrytynge his venym not enclose But as the thorne hyd vnder the rose Whose malyce aye dareth by the roote Though the floure aboue fayre and soote That men the fraude vnder may not se Of his treason ye get no more of me BVt I wyll tell how Grekes do that day How Meneste and kynge Menelay Dyomede and Thelamonyus On Troyans were passyng despytous For cruelly wyth theyr wardes all In theyr myschyefe be vpon them fall And made theim flee home vnto the towne For whylom Troylus chyefe champyowne Is deade alas and hath them nowe forsake Of whom they haue the dead body take The same daye with great difficulte And dolefully they into the Cyte Haue tho it brought crying oft alas And for his death such a wo there was That I trowe there is no man alyue Whych could aryght halfe dele descriue Theyr pyteous wo nor lamentacyowne Certeyse not Boys that hath suche renowne With drery wordes to be wepe and crye ¶ In complaynynge to Phylosophye Throughe his boke accusynge aye fortune That selde or nought can in one contune She is so full of transmutaciowne Oh stace of Thebes make no bost nor sowne Of drerynesse for to wryte at all Nother of death nor festes funerall Of makynge sorowe nor aduersyte ¶ Let be thy wepynge oh thou Nyobe ¶ Ye syster also of Ayeliager That custome haue for to flee so fer Fro yere to yere your brother to complayne And thou that weptest out thine eyen twaine Oedippus kyng of Thebes the cyte Thou wofull Myrrha and Calyxtone That so well can in rage you bemene And Dydo eke whylome of Cartage quene Lette be your dole and your contrycyon ¶ And Phyllys eke for thy Dymophon ¶ And eke Cecho that newe dost begyn To crye and wayle and also thou Corynne That whylom were in so great affray For death onely of thy Popyngay As in his boke telleth vs Ouyde Let all this wo now be layde asyde And make of it no comparisowne Vnto the wo that was in Troye towne For death onely of this worthy knyght For loue of whom euery maner wyght Hygh and lowe olde and yonge of age Are falle of newe into suche a rage That they ne coulde of their wo none ende Whose salte teares wyll their eyen shende So pyteous was the lamentaciowne In euery strete throughout all the towne Alas who coulde all their sorowes telle ¶ I trowe certeys Pluto depe in helle For all his torment and his paynes kene Nouther she Proserpyna his quene Nother the wery wood Tycius Iryon nor hungry Tantalus Ne coulde not well for all their bytter peyne So furyously wepen and complayne As do troyans Troylus for thy sake For who can nowe suche a sorowe make ¶ Or who can wepe as kyng Pryamus Who wepeth now with face full pyteous Or sorowe maketh but Hecuba the quene ¶ Who wepeth now but fayre Pollycene Who wepeth nowe but Parys and Heleyne Who can now wepe into teares reyne As Troyans do with deadly swole chere It neded them no wepers for to hyer They had ynough of their owne store Alas for nowe they be for euermore Of helpe all sole of comforte destytute For who shall nowe be to them refute ¶ Nowe that Hector and also Deyphobus And Troylus eke that was so vertuous Be dead alas who shall their succour be Or helpe sustene the werre of there Cyte There is no more in conclusyon But after death fully destruction Of theyr towres and their walles stronge In this matter what shulde I playne longe It vayleth not alway so to morne Wherfore I wyll now
the prise There will no man replye that is wise He were to feble in his opynion ¶ And while Vlixes was with Alphenon It was to him made relacyon Of an hatefull conspiratyon That certayne lordes enuyron his countre Rauishe would his quene Penolope Maugre all tho that were there agayne Albe that she was euer ylyke playne In her trouthe stedfaste as a wall Yet they haue caste platly that she shall Be take of force it maye not be eschewed But it so be in haste she be reskued For they them caste the time not aiourne For daye and nighte with her they soiourne Inly in herte for loue disamayde But of wisedome she hath theim so belayde There was none so manly nor so sage That could of her get auauntage So aduyse s he was in her workynge And when Vlixes conceyueth all this thinge And fully knewe by open euydence And had also in specyall credence ¶ Sente vnto him fro Penolope The matter hole declarynge in secretee ¶ His owne sonne Thelamonius He wexe in herte wood and furyous And would make no dylacyon ¶ But in all haste besoughte Alphenon The mighty kinge of his high bounte To releue him in his aduersyte And that he would through his mighty hāde Of gentillesse conueye him to his lande He graunteth him and saye not ones naye And both two in ful great araye Toke the sea when the winde was good Well fortuned for nothinge theim withstode They be ariued and had no lettynge Where Vlixes as ye haue herde was kinge And secretly in a night they were conueyed To them that haue his ligaunce disobeyed And mercyles or they might awake In theyr beddes they haue theim all take Makynge no prolongyng tyll on the morowe But in all haste for no wight durst thē borow Smet of theyr heades by iudgement fynall And set theim vpon the castell wall Eueriche by other endlonge the rowe Vpon the toure when the cocke gan crowe And thus all nyght they kept theim selfe close Till that Phebus meryly arose In the Orient when the larke songe And tho these kinges w t theyr meyne strōge Freshly besene entre the cetee Who was so glad but Penolope Who made ioye but this goodly quene Full desyrous her owne lorde to sene ¶ But if I should all in ordre sette The great myrthe they made when they met Make rehersayle of complayntes olde And how they gan theyr hertes to vnfolde Eche to other and lyst nothinge concele And the gladnesse that they inly fele If I shulde put all in memorye The reioysynge and the hertye glorye That his lyeges made at his comynge The coste eke they had at his metynge The giftes great and presentes ryche In all this worlde I trowe none ylyche It were to longe taryinge for my boke And how that he newe assuraunce toke Of his lordes and lyeges all And how that they to his grace fall The cheare he made eke to Alphenowne Of gentylnesse through his high renowne And how the doughter inly debonayre Of Alphenon Nausica the fayre By Vlixes medyacyon Ywedded was vnto Thelamon Borne by discent there may no man saye nay To reioyce his crowne after his daye And thus came in by his purueyaunce Of two reygnes the myghty allyaunce And how all this brought was to the knotte Men would deme playnly me to sotte To presume of opynyon For to delate a descripcyon Sythen Guydo touchinge but the chyefe In this matter of stile was but brefe ¶ Shortly rehersynge how kinge Alphenon Repeyred is home to his regyon And Vlixes in his chiefe cyte Abode styll with Penolope Where I him leue in ioye and in solace Till Attropos liketh to purchase For to fyche fynally the date The threde to vntwine of his liues fate ¶ How the translatour wryteth the stocke of Pirrhus by lyneall dyscent and how his father hight Pelleus and his graundmother called Thetydes Ca. xxxviii NOw must I full busy be a while To directe the traces of my stile In discriuinge shortly of entente The stocke of Pirrhus by lyneall discente Myn Auctour folowe and be compendious ¶ Whos 's olde father hyght Pelleus His graundmother called Thetydes Of whych two came worthy Achilles That at Troye by treason lost his lyfe And Dardanica called was his wife ¶ Pirrhus mother and doughter as I reade Vnto the kynge called Lychomede ¶ Hauinge a father that Atastus hight Whych in sothnesse all that euer he myght ¶ Bare heauy herte to kinge Pelleus To Achilles and also to Pirrhus To all the kyn playnly on that side And of malyce rancour and of pryde And of enuye in an hatefull rage ¶ When Pelleus fall was in age He berafte him both sceptre and crowne And from his see lowe alight him downe And into exyle auayle maye no stryfe He made him go with Thetydes his wyfe Of high disdayne gayne maye no grace And in his herte gan daye and night cōpace The death of Pyrrhus kepe him if ye can And therupon maliciously began To shape a waye by awayte lyinge Him for to sley at his home comynge But this Pyrrhus from his treynes free Many daunger escaped of the sea Many wawe and many tempest wood With great losse both of men and good At Malasus alderfyrst gan londe A stronge Cyte a lytell from the stronde Where that he was refreshed wonder wele And there he knewe grounde and euery dele Fyrste of Thexyle lyke as men him tolde ¶ Of Thetides and Pelleus the olde And how Atastus bare to him hatrede Vnto the death wherof he gan drede And thought he would as he y t was right wise By some engyne eschewe his malyce And therupon do his busy payne ¶ Now had Atastus other sonnes twayne ¶ Menalippus and Polistenes And a doughter ycalled Thetydes And all this whyle wofull Pelleus In a castell olde and ruynous With Thetydes full of sorowe and care For dread of death daye and night gan dare Dispeyred in his vnweldy age Recure to fynde of this mortall rage Except that he had an hope of yore That Pyrrhus shoulde helpe him and restore At his repeyre when so that it fall After whose comynge often he gan call The tyme curse that he so longe abode But when Pyrrhus all this vnderstode At Malasus by relacyowne Ful faste he gan haste out of the towne Toke the sea and fast gan him hye Towarde the lande called Thesalye Of entent to make ordynaunce On Atastus for to do vengeaunce But alder fyrste this Pyrrhus ful prudent Espyes twayne he tofore hath sent To Thesalye forth togyther gone ¶ And Crilippus named was the tone And Adrastus named was his fere They were expert theim nedeth not to lere In whose exployte to more auauntage ¶ This Pyrrhus hath dyrecte his message Of Thesalye to a cytezyne Called Assandrus a maner chamberlayne With Pelleus and whilom ful secree While he was flourynge in felycytee And when Pyrrhus in conclusyon Knewe all the sothe by relacyon On sea nor lande hym ne lyst to
wounde A sworde he hente and mortally yrous Woulde tho haue ronne on Thelagonius Of hygh despyte auenged for to be ¶ But Vlixes of fatherly pytye Made his men holde and restrayne And amyd of all his greuous payne By his prudence and that was done anone He made his sonnes for to be all one ¶ And gaue in charge vnto Thelamon Of enterenesse and affection And of hole herte fayned neuer adele All his life loued his brother wele To parte with him treasour golde and good As to the next borne of all his bloud And tho in sothe it was no longer taryed That Vlixes full royally was caryed Of all Achaya to the chyefe cyte Where after that he liued dayes thre Without more and tho gaue vp the goost I can not saye playnly to what cost After this lyfe that his soule is gone But in a tumbe of metall and of stone The body was closed and yshet And after that there made was no let That Thelamon wyth great solempnytye Ycrowned was in his fathers see Sworde and Sceptre delyuered to his hand Of all Achaya a ryche and worthy lande Ryght habundaunt of treasour and of golde And Thelagon wyth hym there abode A yeare complete well cheryshed in his syght And of his brother toke ordre of a knygt And for him list no longer there abyde The kynge for him wysely gan prouyde That he with golde and of treasure plente Repeyred is home to his countre ¶ And his mother of age wexen sadde Of his repeyre passyngly was gladde As she that sawe by her sorcerye He scaped was many ieopardye Many peryll and many great dystresse And after that she fell into sycknesse And her dette yelde as vnto nature The whych escape maye no maner creature In all this worlde that is here lyuynge After whose death her son was crowned king Of Aulydos the meruaylous countre As I haue tolde enclosed with a sea Amonge rockes where many shippes drowne And sixtye yere there he bare his crowne This manly man this Thelagonins And his brother Thelamonius Reygned also in his regyon Seuentye wynter as made is mencyon And after that they made a royall ende And both two to Iubiter they wende To reygne there amonge the sterres bryght BVt now the lanterne and the clere lyght Is wasted out of Frygyus Darete Whylom of Troye wryter and Poete Guyde haue I none further for to passe For euen here in this selfe place He fytched hath the boundes of his style At the syege he present all the whyle And aye in one wyth them did abyde Dites the Greke on the tother syde And both two as in theyr wrytynge Ne varye not but in a lytell thynge Touchynge matter as in specyall That is notable or hystoryall I do no force of incydentes smale Of whych in sothe is but lytell tale ¶ Saue this Dites maketh mencyon Of the nombre slayne tofore the towne Lastynge the syege afferminge out of dreade Eyghte hundred thousande six weren deade On Grekes syde vp ryght in the fyelde And as Dares also there behelde On Troye partye in the werre kene Six hundred thousande seuentye and syxtene Were slayne there in Guydo ye maye se With theym that came in helpe to the Citye Fro many coste and many regyowne In diffence and rescues of the towne ¶ And full ten yere so as I can caste And sixe monthes the mighty syege did laste Or it was gette Dares wryte him selfe And ouermore complete dayes twelue Or Grekes had full possessyon By false engyne of the Greke Synon Lyke as tofore rehersed was but late I haue no more of latyn to translate After Dytes Dares nor Guydo And me to adde any more therto Than myn Auctours specyfye and sayne The occupacyon sothly were in vayne And lyke a maner of presumpcyon The tyme complete of this translatyon By iuste reckenynge and accountes clere Was a thousande and foure hundred yeare And twentye nere I knowe it out of dread After that christe receyued our manhead Of her that was emperesse and quene Of heauen and hell and a mayde cleane The eyghte yeare by iuste computacyon Sewynge next the coronacyon Of him that is most gracyous in workynge Henry the fyfthe the noble worthy kinge And protectour of brutes albyon And called is through his high renowne Through his prowesse and his chyualrye Also ferre as passeth anye cloude or skye Of Normandye the mighty conquerour For through his knighthod his high labour Maugre all tho that list him to withsayne He conquered hath his herytage agayne And by his myghty prudent gouernaunce Recured eke hys tytle vnto Fraunce ¶ That who so lyst loke and doe vnfolde The pee de Grewe of these cronicles olde And sercheth bokes ywryt longe toforne He shall fynde that he is iustly borne To reygne in Fraunce by lineall dyscente ¶ And onwarde nowe he is ordeined regent Of thylke lande durynge his fathers lyfe Of his goodnesse to voyden werre stryfe He to reioyse without more delay Septre and crowne after the kinges day As it is clerely in conclusion Enrolled vp in the conuencyon ¶ And than I hope the tyme fortunat ¶ Of the olde world called Aureat Resorte shall by influence of grace That cruell Mars shall no more manace With his lokes furious and wodde By false aspectes for to shede bloude Atwene the folkes of these realmes twayne Which euery wyght iustly ought complayne ¶ But as I truste in myne opynion Thys worthy kynge of wysdome reason And of knighthode shall so doe hys payne To make one that longe hathe betwayne I meane as thus that England and FrauÌ„ce May be all one withouten varyaunce Out of hertes olde rancour to enchace By influence of his mighty grace That called is of clerkes douteles The soueraygne lord and the prince of peace So that I hope his grace now shall reygne So set a peace atwene these realmes twayne For in hys power sothly standeth all ¶ And allyaunce of the blode royall That is knet vp by bonde of mariage Of werre shall voyde away the rage To make peace with bryght bemes shyne ¶ And one that is called Katheryne And named is right good and fayre also Shal be a mene atwyxt bothe two Of grace emprynted in her womanhede That to complayne we shal haue no nede ¶ And as I hope her gracyous aryuayle Into thys lande shall so much auayle That ioye honour and prosperytye Without trouble of all aduersytye Repeyre shall and all hertye pleasaunce Plentye welfare and fulsome habundaunce Peace and quyet both to nigh and ferre Without strife debate or any werre Myschiefe pouerte nede â–ª nor indigence With full ceassinge of death and pestylence Sothly I hope all this ye shall sene Come into lande with that noble quene That we shall saye of herte and feyne nought Blessed be she that all this hath vs broughte And he y t hath through might of his working Of his knighthod concluded all this thyng And such meruayles iÌ„ armê done