experyence And knowe our force sothely euerydele Right in shorte tyme truste me right we le Here in this felde in shedynge of his blode ¶ Wherfore Pirrus wexed gan as wode As any Tygre bore or wood lyon So frat the coloure in his complexyon And in his Ire fell and despytous He toke a spere pale and Furyous And ran at hir with all his myght and payne And agayne warde as she that lyste nat fayne Encountrede hym all deuoyde of fere But Pirrus firste bracke on hir his spere All be that he myght hir nat remeue In hir sadell nor but lytell greue But she agayne so sore gan hym hytte On his stede that he may nat sytte But descendeth endelonge the playne And vp he rose with full great disdayne And toke a swerde in his honde anone And made his stede lyne ryght to gone Vpon this quene of passynge wortynesse And inwardely of hate of woodnesse In herte yfret smet at hir many stroke But euer she sat styll as any oke And of force in hir yre pale Efte agayne she made hym to auale To the erthe maugre all his payne And thus the fyghte lasteth of them twayne A large whyle tyll Myrundones Haue take theyr lorde by force out of the prees And made hym his hors recure agayne And in his tyme on the selfe playne With his baner is descendyd downe The worthy kynge great Agamenowne With kynges dukes endelonge the grene With theyr wardes that wonder was to sene So prudently in the felde batayled That haue Troyans mortally assayled ¶ But tho in haste the kynge Phylymene As ye haue herde reskewed by the quene Whan he hath thanked to hir worthynesse With his knyghtes in he gan hym dresse And Pantasyllya assembled bothe in one Vpon Grekes gan for to gone Where men may se with speres sharpe grounde Eueryche other bere vnto the grounde There men may se proudely without lacke The manly knyghtes renne on horse backe And the women mortally oppresse The fell Grekes thorugh theyr hardynesse Oonly thorugh force of the myghty quene That deed they lay couerynge all the grene ¶ Wherwith came in daūz Pollydamas Fro deth reskewed and with hym Eneas Kynge Esdras eke of troye the Cyte And tho the wardes gan togydre fle On eyther partye fell and furyous ¶ But moste of all Neptolonyus That Pirrus hyghte y◠grekes Champyowne Irous and wood on them of troye towne Made his swerde in theyr flesshe to byte And Pantasyllya proudely hir to quyte Ne spareth nat with mortall woundes wyde Grekes to slee vpon euery syde Now here now there to theyr confusyon And Pirrus than is falle on Glawcon The halfe brother to Pollydamas For Anthenor eke his Fader was And Pirrus so in a cruell yre With melancolye newe sette a fyre Smot Glawcon so or that he toke hede Amonge the prees that he fylle downe dede And Pantasyllya from hir women all The same tyde is on Pirrus falle And he of hir whan he hadde a syght Rode vnto hir lyke a manly knyght And as they hurtle on hors backe yfere Of auenture with swerdes styffe and clere Eueryche made other to alyghte And hatefully on fote so they syghte Longe or outher myght of other wynne Tyll they were made of force for to twynne By the wardes that went them atwene I mene Pirrus and this hardy quene And all this tyme daūz Pollydamas So wood for Ire in his herte was Amyd Grekes for his brothers deth That whom he mette for his loue he sleth Without mercy in his hatefull tene That he alone and this worthy quene Suche a slaughter on the grekes make That they the felde vtterly forsake And gan toflee to theyr tentes downe Tyll Dyomede and Ayax Thelamowne And Pirrus eke made tourne agayne But they in sothe were so ouerlayne That they ne myght all that day releue And thus they faughte tyll it drewe to eue To moste damage of the grekes syde Tyll Phebus gan his bryght chare to hyde Lowe in the west and to shroude his lyght Vnder courteyne of the blacke nyght That eyther parte thought for the beste To departe and drawe to theyr reste And toke theyr ease that nyght as they may And all the moneth suynge day by day Without any interrupcyon They faught yfere albe no mencyon Be made therof nor wryte in specyall Of no persone but in generall Who that euer dyde euell or well In Troye boke I fynde neuer adele Saue the quene lyke as wryt Guydo Of hir women an hondred hath forgo That slayne were thylke moneth day The deth of whom playnely if she may Shall well be quyt if so that Fortune Be fauourable frendely to contune That hir face chaunge nat contrarye But she that can euery day so varye Alas the whyle and selde in one soiourne Gan fro this quene hir loke away to tourne To enhaste thorugh hir vngoodlyhede Antropose to breke hir lyues threde As the storye playnely shall you lere Benyngnely if ye lyste to here THe fatall houre harde for to remewe Of cruel deth which nomā may eschewe Nor in this lyfe fynally escape Specyally whan Parchas haue it shape Approche gan it may none other bene Alas the whyle of this hardy quene ¶ Whiche on a day furyous and wroth Into the felde out of Troye goth And gan on grekes proudely for to sette And alder firste Pirrus with hir mette Of mortall hate and indignacyowne And she in haste by the renges downe Rode vnto hym swyftly on hir stede Whose sporys sharpe made his sydes blede And as they mette theyr speres in the reste They bare so euen markynge at the breste That theyr shaftes sothly this no tale Gan to shyuer all on peces smale Without bowynge outher backe or chyne For neyther made other to enclyne Saue the hede forged harde of stele Of Pantasyllya that was grounde wele In Pirrus breste percyd hath so depe That plate in soth nor mayle myght hym kepe But the sharpnesse of the speres hede Was of his blode in party rede The whiche stroke whan grekes gan espye For astoned loude gan to crye And all attones for the noyse and sowne Vpon this quene in the felde came downe In compasse wyse goynge enuyrowne But thorugh hir prowesse hir hye renowne She hir diffendeth that it was meruayle But they alas so sore hir gan assayle That all to hewe they haue hir basenet Amyd Grekes so thycke she was beset That with axes and swerdes square Hir hede in sothe made was all bare And hir shuldres were naked eke alas The mayle hewen of and the rere bras And Pirrus than lyke as it is founde For anguysshe oonly of his grene wounde In doute playnely where he shulde escape Towarde this quene faste gan hym rape To be auenged what so euer falle Amyd the felde amonge the grekes alle And whan she sawe that he came so faste Of force oonly to mete hym yet she caste And with hir swerde firste gan hym assayle But
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
For neuer his lyfe by none occasyon He myght of hym haue none inspeccyon Nor hym beholde at good lyberte For vnarmed he myght hym neuer se But wonder knyghtly as well in porte chere They had them both as they mette in fere And right manly in theyr countenaunce And at the laste they felle in Dalyaunce But Achylles firste began abreyde And vnto hym euen thus he seyde Ector quod he full pleasynge is to me That I at leyser naked may these Syth I of the neuer myght haue syght But whan thou were armed as a knyght And now to me it shal be full greuous Whiche am to the so inly enuyous But thou of me there is no more to sayne Be slayne anone with my handes twayne For this in sothe were hoolly my pleasaunce By cruell deth to take on the vengeaunce For I full ofte in werre and eke in fyght Haue felte the vertue and the great myght Of thy force thorugh many woundes kene That vpon me be full fresshe and grene In many place byshedynge of my blode Thou wre on me so furyous and wode Aye comâ—assynge to my destruccyowne For manyâ— mayle of myn haberâ—owne Thy sharâ—e swerde racyd hath a sonder And cruellâ— seuered here and yonder And mortally as I can sygnes shewe My plates stronge percyd and yhewe And my haâ—eys forged bryght of stele Myght neuâ—r assured be so wele In thyne Yrâ— whan thou lyste to smyte That thy swâ—rde wolde kerue and byte Into my flesshe full depe and full profounde As sheweth yeâ— by many mortall wounde On my body large longe and wyde That yet appere vpon euery syde And day by day full sore ake and smerte For whiche thynge me semeth that my herte Enbolleth newe nowe whan I these Of hye despyte auenged for to be So am I fret of enuyous rage That it may neuer in my breste aswage Tyll the vengeaunce and the fatall sute Of cruell deth be on the execute And of one thynge moost is my greuaunce Whan I haue fully remembraunce And in my mynde consyderyd vp and downe Howe thou madest a dyuysyowne Of me alas and of Patroclus So yonge so manly and so vertuous Whom I loued as it was skylle and ryght Ryght as my selfe with all my full myght With as hole herte and inly kyndenesse As an tunge may telle or expresse Now haste thou made a departysyon Of vs that were by hole affeccyon Yknet in one of hertely allyaunce Without partynge or disseueraunce So entyerly our faythfull hertes twayne Ylaced were and locked in a chayne Whiche myght nat for none aduersyte Of lyfe nor deth a sonder twynned be Tyll cruelly thou madest vs departe Which thurgh my herte so iÌ„wardly doth darte That it wyll neuer in soth out of my thoughte And truste well full dere shal be boughte The deth of hym and be no thynge in were Parauenture or endyd be this yere For vpon the oonly for his sake Of cruell deth vengeaunce shal be take I the ensure without other bonde If I may lyue with myn owne honde I shall of deth do execucyon Without abode or longe delacyon For right requyreth without any drede Deth for deth for his fynall mede For I my selfe theron shal be wroke That thorugh the worlde hereafter shal be spoke How Achylles was venged on his foo For Patroclus that he loued soo And though that I be to the enuyous And of thy deth inly desyrous Ne wyte me nat nor put on me no blame For well I wotte thou arte to me the same And hast my dethe many day desyred And therupon inwardely conspyred And thus shortely as atwene vs two There is but deth without wordes mo Whan Fortune hath the tyme shape I hope fully thou shalt nat escape Truste none other I say the vtterly To whom Ector nat to hastely Answerde agayne with sobre countenaunce Auysed well in all his dalyaunce As he that was in nothynge rekles And euen thus he spake to Achylles Syr Achylles without any fayle Thou oughtest nat in herte to meruayle Though with my power and my full myght With herte and wyll of very dewe ryght Day by day I thy deth conspyre And euer in one compasse it and desyre And do my laboure erely and eke late To pursue it by full cruell hate Thou oughtest nat to wonder in no wyse But fully knowe by sentence of the wyse In no maner who so taketh hede Of rightwysnesse it may nat procede That outher I or any other wyght Shulde hym loue that with all his myght My deth pursueth and destruccyon And ouer this to more confusyon Hath layde a sege aboute this Cyte On my kynred and also vpon me And therupon felly doth presume With mortall hate of werre to consume Vs euerychone I wysse I can nat fynde In my herte as by lawe of kynde Suche one to loue of right nor equyte Nor haue hym chere sothly in no degre For of werre may no frendlyhede Nor of debate loue a right procede For sothly loue moste in specyall Of faythfulnesse hath his Orygenall In hertes ioyned by conuenyence Of one accorde whom no difference Of doubylnesse may in no degre Nouther in ioye nor aduersyte For lyfe nor deth a sondre nor disseuer For where loue is it contynueth euer But of hate all is the contrarye Of whiche sothly from hertes whan they varye Procedeth rancour at eye as men may se Debate enuye stryfe and Enmyte Mortall slaunghtre bothe nye and ferre Moder of whiche in sothfastnesse is werre The fyn wherof longe or it be do Seuereth hertes and frendeshyp kut a two And causeth loue to be layde full lowe But for all this I wyll well that thou knowe Thy proude wordes in herte nor in thought In very sothe agaste me right nought And if I shall ferther more out breke Without auaunt the trouthe for to speke I say the playnely hense or two yere If I may lyue in this werres here And my swerde of knyghthode forth acheue I hope in sothe so mortally to grene The grekes all whan I with them mete That they and thou shall fele full vnswete If ye contynue and the werres haunte I shall your pryde and surquedye adaunte In suche a wyse with my handes two That or the werre fully be a do Full many greke sore shall it rewe For well I wote of olde and nat of newe That the Grekes gaderyd here in one Of surquedye are founde euerychone Oonly for lacke of discrecyon To vndertake of presumpcyon So hye a thynge a sege for to layne And your selfe to ouer charge in vayne With Empryses withoute fable Be of weyght to you importable And the peys of so great heuynesse That fynally wyll you all oppresse And your pryde auale and enclyne The berthone eke enbowe backe and chyne And vnwarely cause you to falle Or ye haue done I say to one and alle And ouer more be full in suerte Thou Achylles I speke vnto the That fatall deth firste shall the assayâ— Tofore
grene Full many one were there in sette And on the cercle of his basenette And rounde enuyrowne of his auentayle In veluet fret all aboue the mayle Saffres ynde and other stones rede Of arraye whan Ector taketh hede Towardes hym faste gan hym drawe And firste I fynde howe he hath hym slawe And after that by force of his manhede He hent hym vp afore hym on his stede And faste gan with hym for to ryde From the wardes a lytell out a syde At good leyser playnely if he may To spoyle hym of his ryche array Full glad and lyght of his newe Empryse But out alas on false couetyse Whose gredy fret the whiche is great pyte In hertes may nat lyghtly staunched be The Etyk gnaweth by so great distresse That it defaceth the hye worthynesse Full ofte sythe of these conqueroures And of theyr fame rent away the floures Desyre of hauynge in a gredy thought To hye noblesse sothely longeth nought Nor suche pylfre spoylynge nor roborye Apparteyne not to wrothy chyualrye For couetyse and knyghthode as I lere In one chayne may nat be knet yfere For kouthe it is that ofte suche rauyne Hath cause be and rote of the ruyne Of many worthy who so lyste take hede Lyke as ye may now of Ector rede That sodaynely was brought to his endynge Oonly for spoylynge of this ryche kynge For of desyre to hym that he hadde On hors backe out whan he hym ladde Reklesly the storye maketh mynde He caste his shelde at his backe behynde To welde hym selfe at more lyberte And for to haue opportunyte To spoyle hym and for no wyght spare So that his breste disarmed was and bare Except his plates there was no diffence Aagayne the stroke to make resystence Alas why was he tho so rekles This floure of knyghthode of māhode pereles Whan that his foo all that ylke day For hym alone in awayte so lay If in myschefe of hate and of enuye In the felde he myght hym ought espye This Achylles cruell and venymous Of hertely hate moste melancolyous Whiche couertely houynge hym besyde Whan that he sawe Ector disarmed ryde He hente a spere sharpe grounde and kene And of Ire in his hatefull tene All vnwarely or Ector myght aduerte Alas the whyle he smote hym to the herte Thorugh out the breste that dede he fylle downe Vnto the erthe this Troyan champyowne Thorugh neclygence oonly of his shelde The deth of whom whan Odemon behelde The worthy kynge myght hym nat refrayne But to Achylles rode with all his payne And hyt hym so amyd of all the prees Maugre the myght of his Myrundones That for dede Guydo sayth certayne Of that wounde he fyll gro felyng on the playne But his knyghtes on a shelde a lofte They layde hym and caryed hym full softe Vnto his tent in all the haste they can And there I leue this dedely wounded man Full sore syke tyll he may releue And after that whan it drewe to eue They of Troye with great reuerence Dyde theyr laboure and theyr dylygence The dede corps to carye into towne Of worthy Ector whan Tytan went downe And to the temple dolefully they wende And of that day this was the wofull ende I can no more but thus the longe nyght In heuynesse as it is skylle and ryght I wyll them leue and agayne retourne To my mater to helpe them for to mourne ¶ Of the complaynt that Lydgate maketh for the deth of the worthy Ector Cap̄ xxviij BUt now alas how shall I procede In the storye that for wo and drede Fele my hande both tremble and quake O worthy Ector oonly for thy sake Of thy deth I am so lothe to wryte O who shall now helpe me to endyte Or vnto whom shall I clepe or calle Certys to none of the Musys alle That by accorde synge euer in oon Vpon Pernaso besyde Elycon So aungelyke in theyr Armonye That tunge is none that may specefye The great swetnesse of theyr goodly songe For no discorde is founde them amonge In theyr musyke they be entunyd so It sytte them noughte for to helpe in wo Nor with maters that be with mournyng shent As Tragedyes all to tore and rent In complaynynge pyteously in rage In the Theatre with a dede vysage To them alas I clepe dare nor crye My troublyd penne of grace for to guye Nouther to Clyo nor Callyope But to Allecto and Thesyphone And Megera that euer doth complayne As they that lyue euer in wo and payne Eternally and in tourment dwelle With Cerberus depe downe in helle Whom I must praye to be gracyous To my mater whiche is so furyous For to a wyghte that is complaynynge A drery fere is right well syttynge And to a matere meynt with heuynesse Acordeth well a chere of drerynesse To be allyed as by vnyte ¶ Wherfore helpe now thou wofull nyobe Some drery tere in all thy peteous payne Into my penne dolefully to rayne And helpe also thou cruelly yxione And Belydes that doth the boget gone And with thy stone helpe thou zepherus And in thy ryuer helpe eke Tantalus That for hungre haste so huge pyne This wofull playnte helpe me for to fyne Me to further do your besynesse For now the stocke and roote of worthynesse Of knyghthod groūde of māhod shours well That tofore all bare awaye the bell Of derrynge do this floure of hye prowesse And was example also of gentyllesse That neuer coude do amys nor seye Alas Ector alas why shuldest thou deye O cruell Parchas why toke ye no hede So cruelly to twyne his fatall threde Ye were to hasty alas why were ye so And namely the threde to breke a two Thou Antropos thorugh thy great enuye O troye alas well mayst thou wepe and crye And make a wofull lamentacyon Whiche haste of newe to thy confusyon Loste thy diffence and thy stronge wall Thy beret vp thy suerte royall By whom thy honour chefely was begonne Alas alas for now thy bryght sonne Eclypsed is and thou standest desolate Of all comforte and disconsolate Thy lyght is loste and thou in derkenesse I plounged arte for in soth fastnesse Of all worthy thou haste the worthyest This day yloste and the knyghtlyest That is or was are shall I the ensure Be euer borne whyle the worlde may dure No wonder is though thou wepe sore And day by day complayne hym euermore That was thy shelde both in ioye and wo Whom thou were wont for to loue so So tenderly with all thy hole herte That it may nat lyghtly the a sterte To haue hym euer in thy remembraunce Whiche was in soth thy full suffysaunce For as Guydo maketh mencyon There was no man dwellynge in the towne That he ne hadde of very kyndenesse For loue of hym as he wryte expresse His childe more lefe to a dyed in this caas Outher his Eyer so well belouyd he was If the goddes fate or destyne Disposyd hadde that it myght haue be Woman also of
euery maner age Be for his deth falle in suche a rage Thorugh the cyte aboute in euery strete That with sobbynge and salte terys wete And heer to rent for dedely wo Furyously ronne to and fro So mortall was theyr aduersyte That to beholde alas it was pyte Yonge maydens and matrones olde Sobbe and syghe and theyr fystes folde And loude crye and sayde fynally Alas nowe shall our Faders cruelly In our syght be slayne day by day Alas the whyle and no man shall saye nay Farewell our helpe now Ector is gone In the surnesse of vs euerychone Was wont to reste nowe is he dede alas Of whom the body whan it caryed was Into presence of Pryamus the kynge Anone he loste the offyce of spekynge And gan hym selfe in salte terys drowne And pyteously therwith fylle a swowne Vpon the corps colde as any stone Inly desyrous for to deye anone Without tariynge on hym as he lay But that he was by force rent away His bretherne eke whan they toke hede Tryste and pale for sorowe were nye dede And haue them selfe with rage all to torne That neuer was I trowe seen aforne Of bretherne yet suche another care For eche of them with hym selfe gan fare As they wolde haue dyed on the cors For of theyr lyfe platly they gaue no fo rs But at the grounde with many sorowes sore Lyke wylde bulles they gan crye and rore That routhe was theyr dedely wo to sene An herte of stele myght it nat sustene ¶ What shall I saye of Eccuba the quene Or his suster yonge Polycene Or Cassandra the prudent and the wyse Or of his wyfe the sorowe to deuyse Whiche rent them self in tourment and in wo As fynally they wolde them selfe for do By cruell deth so they wepe and wayle That if I shulde make rehersayle To wryte theyr sorowes theyr complaynges Theyr pyteous sobbynge throwes wepyÌ„ges The wofull cryes and the pyteous sowns Theyr drery playntes and Lamentacyowns And all theyr woo for to specefye A large boke it wolde occupye If eche thynge I shulde in ordre telle I trowe it were to longe for to dwelle For any man and tedyous to here For many day after as I lere The women wepte afore the corps lyinge Them selfe defacynge in theyr complaynynge That wonder was how they myght endure But that they haue it sothely of nature And of kynde for to wepe and playne To syghe sore and into terys rayne Tyll the tempest of theyr wofull rage May by processe lytell and lytell aswage And thus I leue them syghe sorowe make This cely women in theyr clothes blake Shroude theyr faces wympled more iÌ„ vayne Whyle I tourne to my mater agayne To telle playnely how kynge Pryamus In herte was inly desyrous To caste awaye in his entencyon The corps to kepe from corrupcyon Whiche naturelly but men take hede Corrupte must right of very nede For of kyndely disposycyon There may be made none opposycyon Aboue the grounde if the body lye That of reason it must putrefye But if crafte be aboue nature Vncorrupt it myght nat endure ¶ Wherfore the kynge shope hym to ordayne To preserue it hole fro thynges twayne From odoure and abhomynacyon And therwith eke by crafty operacyon That it in slyght be nat founde horryble But that it be lyfly and vysyble To the eye as by apparence Lyke as it were quycke in existence What it coste the kynge wyll spare nought But made anone afore hym to be brought The craftyest maysters of the towne Suche as hadde moste discrecyowne To parfourme his axynge curyously And they obeye his byddynge faythfully With all theyr wyll and entyer dylygence In the Temple moste of reuerence Of all the cowne whylom dedycate And of full yore also consecrate To Appollo of olde foundacyowne Besyde a gate standynge of the towne Callyd Tymbrâ—a in theyr Troyan tonge As in storye is botheradde and songe And in this phane that I speke of here They made firste by the hye autere By great deuyse a lytell oratorye Perpetuelly to be in memorye Where was sette a ryche receptacle Made in maner of a tabernacle Egall of syght for a large ymage That reysed was on a ryche stage That was borne vp at eche of his corners Of puryd golde vpon foure pyllers And on eueryche full craftely ydyght An Aungell stode of golde borned bryght Ceryously the werke to sustene With crafty Archys reysed wonder clene Enbowed ouer all the werke to cure So meruaylous was the celature That all the rofe and closure enuyrowne Was of fyne golde platyd vp and downe With knottes graue wonder curyous Fret full of stones ryche and precyous Of euery kynde that man can deuyse So ryally and in so thryfty wyse That the derkenesse of the blacke nyght With the bemys of theyr clere lyght Enchacyd was where they dyde shyne And fro the grounde vpright as a lyne There were degrees men by to ascende Made so well that no man coude amende The workemanshyp they were euerychone Parformed vp all of cristall stone Atteynynge vp fro the table bas Where the standynge and the restynge was Of this ryche crafty tabernacle Hauynge aboue vpon eche pynacle A ryche rubye and reysed hye on hyghte Stode an ymage huge and large of weyghte Of massyfe golde hauynge the lykenesse Of worthy Ector that gan his face dresse Towarde Grekes where he dyde stonde Aye thretynge them with his swerde in honde And amyddes all this great rychesse They haue yset by good aduysenesse The dede corps of this worthy knyght To syght of man standynge as vp ryght By sotyll crafte as he were lyuynge Of face and chere and of quycke lokynge And of colour sothly and of hewe Beynge as fresshe as any rose newe And lyke in all as be supposayle As he lyued in his apparayle For on his stede lyke as it is tolde Thrugh smale pypes wrought made of gold That by mesure were enbowed downe To an entre made in his crowne By great aduyse and subtylyte To eche partye and extremyte Of his body lyuealy porrect Thorugh nerfe and synewe dryuen and direct By secrete porys craftely to extende Wherby the lycour myght downe descende To kepe hym hole fro corrupcyon Without any transmutasyon Of hyde and hewe in any part to tourne And at his hede of golde was an ourne That was fylde with bawme naturall That ran thorugh pypes artyfycyall Thorugh necke and hede into many place Penetrable by vaynes of the face That thorugh vertue and force of the lycoure He was conserued lyfely of coloure Fresshe of hewe quycke and no thynge pale So myghtely the bawme dyde auale Comparysownyd as it were semblable To a soule that were vegetable The whiche without sensybylyte Mynystreth lyfe in herbe floure and tree And semblably into euery vayne Of the corps the vertue dyde attayne By breste and arme spredynge enuyron For the moysture by discencyon To hande and fote sothly as I rede Thorugh bone ioynte gan
come downe On outher parte bothe here and yonder Whiche sodaynely seuered them a sonder And as the storye telleth playnely than Began the slaughter of many manly man For nouther party the felde ne wolde leue Of very pryde tyll it drewe to eue That Phebus gan asswage of his hete And gan to bathe in the wawes wete His bryght bemys of the Occyan That fro the felde home goth euery man To theyr lodgynge and after seuen dayes They faughte yfere and made no delayes Full mortall by cruell aduenture Whyle Achylles besy was to cure His woundes grene and his sores sounde And than he hath a newe treson founde To be vengyd vpon kynge Menon For all his wytte he set therupon And so this cruell enuyous Achylles I charged hath his Myrundones Worthy Menon amonge them to enbrace If they hym founde in opportune place With all theyr myght and theyr besy thought From theyr hondes that he escape nought Tyll he hym selfe auengyd on hym be And so befell as they Menon se The nexte morowe lyke a manly knyght Agayne the Grekes armed for to fyght On Troye syde as he was wonte to do Of auenture that day it fylle so That Achylles and this Menon mette And eche of them gan on other sette On horse backe of full great enuye And so longe in theyr melancolye Myn Auctor wryt they togydre fyght That eche made other of force to a lyght And whan Menon stode vpon the grounde Myrundones wente abounte hym rounde As they were charged of the fyerse Achylle Whan he allas without goddes wylle Dysseuered was from his knyghtes alle And at myschefe they vpon hym falle Destytute alone and helples And in suche poynt slewe hym Achylles But in the storye lyke as it is founde This Menon firste gaue hym suche a wouÌ„de Tofore his deth in all this felle stryfe That he dispeyred was playnely of his lyfe This Achylles for all his false treson Take hede Omer and deme in thy reson The false fraude and the sleyghty gyle The treson caste afore with many wyle Of Achylles and Iuge now a ryght If euer he slewe any worthy knyght But it were by prodycyon Recorde I take of the kynge Menon So that the tytyle of his laude alas Entryked is with fraude and with fallas That thou Omer mayste with no coloure Though thou paynte with gold with asoure In thy wrytynge his venym nat enclose But as the thorne hyd vnder the rose Whose malys aye dareth by the rote Though the floure aboue fayre and sote That men the fraude vnder may nat se Of his treson ye gette no more of me BUt I wyll tell how grekes do that day How Meneste and kynge Menelay Dyomede and Thelamonyus On Troyans were passynge despytous For cruelly with theyr wardes alle In theyr myschefe be vpon them falle And made them flee home vnto the towne For whylom troylus yâ— was their chaÌ„pyowne Is dede alas and hath them now forsake Of whom they haue the dede body take The same day with great diffyculte And dolefully into the Cyte They haue it brought cryeng oft alas And for his deth suche a woo there was That I trowe there is no man a lyue Whiche coude a right halfdele descryue Theyr pyteous wo nor lamentacyowne Certeyse nat Boys that had suche renowne With drery wordes to be wepe and crye In complaynynge to Phylosophye Thorugh his boke accusynge aye Fortune That selde or nought can in one contune She is so full of transmutacyowne O stace of Thebes make no boste nor sowne Of drerynesse for to wryte at all Nouther of deth nor festes funerall Of makynge sorowe nor aduersyte Let be thy wepynge o thou Nyobe ¶ Yâ—e suster also of Mellenger That custome haue for to fle so fer Fro yere to yere your brother to complayne And thou that weptest out thyn Eyen twayne Edippus kynge of Thebes the Cyte Thou wofull Myrre and Calixtone That so well can in rage you bemene And Dydo eke of Cartage quene Lette be your dole and contrycyon And Phyllys eke for thy Demophon And Ecto eke that newe dost begynne To crye and wayle and also thou Corynne That whylom were in so great affray For deth oonly of thy Popyngay As in his boke telleth vs Duyde Let all this woo now be layde asyde And make of it no comparysowne Vnto the woo that was in Troye towne For deth oonly of this worthy knyght For loue of whom euery maner wyght Hye and lowe olde and yonge of age Are falle of newe into suche a rage That they coude of theyr wo none ende Whose salte terys wyll theyr eyen shende So pyteous was the lamentacyowne In euery strete thorugh out all the towne Alas who coude all theyr sorowes telle I trowe certeys Pluto depe in helle For all his tourment and his paynes kene Nouther she Proserpyna his quene Nouther the wery woode Tycyus Ixyon nor hungry Tantalus Ne coude nat for all theyr bytter payne So furyously wepe and complayne As do troyans Troylus for thy sake For who can now suche a sorowe make Or who can wepe as kynge Pryamus Who wepeth nowe with face full pyteous Or maketh sorowe but Eccuba the quene ¶ Who wepeth nowe but fayre Polycene Who wepeth nowe but Parys and Eleyne Who can nowe wepe or vnto terys reyne As do Troyans with dedely swolle chere It neded them no wepers for to here They hadde ynough of theyr owne store Alas for nowe they be for euermore Of helpe all sole of comforte destytute For who shall nowe be to them refute Nowe that Ector and also Dephebus And troylus eke that was so vertuous Be dede alas who shall theyr socoure be Or sustene the werre of theyr Cyte There is no more in conclusyon But after deth fully destruccyon Of theyr toures and theyr walles stronge In this mater what shulde I playne longe It vayleth nat alway so to morne Wherfore I wyll now agayne retorne To my mater and telle how the kynge To grekes hath without more tariynge For a trewes and a peas Ysent A certayne tyme by great auysement Whiche graunted was of Agamenowne And whaÌ„ they anone were repeyred to yâ— towne ¶ Howe Parys slewe Achylles in the Temple of Appollo and Anthylogus duke Nestors sone Capitulo xxxij BYnge Pryamus dyde his besy cure For to make a ryche sepulture For Troylus corps full noble and ryall As sayth Guydo of stones and metall And hym enclosed of great affeccyon And nye besyde was the kynge Menon Solempnely buryed and ygraue And after that day by day they haue Lyke the custome of Festes funerall And other Rytis cerymonyall For them bothe with dewe obseruaunce Seruyse done by contynuaunce In theyr Temple lyke as was the guyse Whiche were to longe me for to deuyse And Tedyus eke for you to dwelle But I purpose ceryously to telle Howe Eccuba as I can endyte Hir caste fully Achylles to quyte His Tyrannye sothely if she may And vnto hir she calleth
dede may the helpe to excuse Agaynst tonges that speke of Enee Than wyll they say thou haddest yet pyte On Polycene oonly of gentyllesse Therwith to sugre all the bytternesse Of thy decert blowe forth by fame By rehersayle of the foule blame That shall of the thorugh the worlde be borne With sklaundre infect whan thou art all to torne That thou ne shalt the shame mowe sustene Than shall my doughter fayre Polycene Be thy diffence agayne suche famous stryfe If it so be now thou saue hir lyfe Of me no forse though thou make as blyue The swerde of grekes thorugh my herte ryue And so by prayer of this wofull quene This Eneas toke to hym Polycene Whose traytour herte for all his cruelte On hir youthe was meued of pyte Oonly of routhe that in his breste arose And secretely put hir vp in close Lyste that Grekes founde occasyon Agaynst hym and Ayax Thelamon Toke to his warde Andronomecha Actors wyfe and wyse Cassandra Out of the Temple longynge to Mynerue From Grekes swerde theyr lyues to conserue And Menelay toke the quene Eleyne Into his Garde for whom so great a payne Bode in his herte many day toforne By whom alas the Cyte is now lorne And grekes aye were besy in theyr yre To slee and kylle and cruelly to fyre On euery syde and to bete downe Paleys and house and walles of the towne They spare nought for all goth to the fyre So feruent hate brent in theyr desyre Of olde enuye auenged for to be That they ne lefte within the Cyte No thynge vnbrent and also Ylyowne Was in this rage tourned vp so downe There made were none excepcyons Oonly out take the possessyons Of Anthenor euyll mote he fate And Eneas whom the grekes spare As they to them were vounde by theyr othe And thus the grekes furyous and wrouthe Haue all that day robbed and ybrent Tyll that the kynge Agamenon hath sent For his lordes to assemble yfere In Pallas temple oonly for to here Theyr wyse aduyse vpon thynges twayne Firste if they wolde holde and nat fayne Hoolly theyr hope without excepcyowne To them by whom they wonne first the towne And ouer more he axed them also Touchynge the goddes what they wolde do With golde treasour and possessyowne That they haue won thurgh their hye renown̄ And they answerd without more tariynge They wolde theyr fayth kepe in euery thynge As they were sworne and hestys holde And ouer this they sayde how they wolde That golde treasour and good of the Cyte As right requyreth and also equyte Be iustly partyd by dyuysyon To euery wyght made distrybucyon Lyke his meryt of hye and lowe degre And that the kynge eke of reason se Eche to rewarde after his laboure So as it longeth to a conqueroure That no man haue mater to compleyne And so they fylle in spekynge of Eleyne Eueryche after his oppynyon And tofore all other Ayax Thelamon Shortly sayde she hath deserued deth For whom so many haue yelde vp the breth Playnely affermynge there in Parlement Of rightwysnesse and trewe Iugement She shulde nat escape with the lyfe That gynnynge was cause of all theyr stryfe Rote and grounde of all theyr sorowe wo And so sayde eke many a nother mo And for the noyse and the great affray Agamenon nor kynge Menelay Ne durste a worde for hir party meue To saue the quene lyste grekes wold them greue Agaynst them there was so great rumour Tyll Vlixes chefely hir socour Thorugh his wyt and his eloquence His deuer dyde and his dylygence To saue hir lyfe and fully to purchace Of the grekes for to gette hir grace And as Guydo also doth vs lere Agamenon Grekes gan requere To graunte hym for a chefe guerdo◠Of Cassandra to haue possessyon All hir lyfe with hym to abyde Eke Eneas and Anthenor besyde Of Elenus to the Grekes tolde How to the werre he neuer assent wolde And how that he prudent and vertuous In counsayllynge was contraryous To all tho of hye and lowe estate In Troye firste that began debate At wixe grekes and this myghty towne Eke by his helpe and medyacyowne Achylles was buryed and ygraue The deed corps from houndes for to saue Whan he was slayne in full cruell wyse By nyght tyme as ye haue herde deuyse For sothly he and Cassandra bothe Of this murdre in herte were full wrothe And sory eke of many another thynge Wrought in the towne wtout theyr wyttynge And for they were of malys Innocent The Grekes haue fully by assent Graunted to them a prerogatyfe By Parlement for to haue theyr lyfe But Elenus firste in teers drowned Tofore the kynge pyteously hath swowned And abraydynge with a deedly face In humble wyle besought hym of his grace Of knyghtly pyte to haue his aduertence To spare his swerde fro blode of Innocence And of mercy that he nat disdayne To graunte lyfe to the sones twayne Of worthy Ector his brother most entere And eke to rewe on theyr moder dere Oonly of grace that she be nat dede A wydowe left alone and can no rede And wote nat whyther that she may dyuerte And so the kynge ameued in his herte Of his wordes and his wofull chere Benygnely graunted his prayere And gaue eke lyfe and fredam for to go To the moder and hir children two And to ladyes and gentyll women alle That for mercy to his grace calle He graunted eke of compassyon A safe conduyt and a fre pardon Where that them lyst in the towne abyde Or in the countre adiacent besyde He put it hole in theyr eleccyowne And thankynge hȳ they fyll on knees downe With many tere dewed in the face And so the kynge parteth fro the place And after that grekes right anone Fully purpose to shyp for to gone In haste to sayle towarde theyr countree But suche a tempest rose vp in the see Of wawe and wynde also of cloudes blake All a moneth that they dare nat take The water salte for drede of Neptunus Of very Ire and also Golus Was vnto them in euery thynge contrarye That on the londe made them longe tarye The see was aye so fell and bolyinge Tyll that grekes of Clachas enquerynge By one assent what it myght be That euer in one so dyuerse was the see In his rage both at eue and morowe And he answerd god gyue hym euyll sorowe This olde shrewe with all his prophesye That can so well whan hym lyst to lye How this tempest caused was at all By the goddes and furyes infernall That neuer wolde appese nor be stylle Tyll the murdre platly of Achylle Auenged be and shedynge of his blode For whiche he sayde Appollo was eke wode For his temple to hym consecrate Was thorugh his deth in Troye vyolate By blode agayne be made satysfaccyon Wherfore there muste thorugh redempcyon Of hir that was roote in specyall Thorugh hir beaute and orygynall Cause of his deth yonge Polycene And gynnynge firste of his mortall
Egistus by double occasyon Firste for the deth of Agamenon And eke for he hadde a doughter dere That was to hym in wardly entere Both good and fayre but yonge of age That whylom was gyuen in maryage To Egistus but he of doubylnesse Of false treason and new fangylnesse The kynges doughter hath vtterly forsake And in all haste dyd a lybell make And forge a wryt of repulsyon Albe he hadde no trewe occasyon This Egistus that he hir forsoke Saue that he falsly to wyue toke The quene Clemestra agayne all ryght lawe Whan by assent they murdred haue slawe A gamenon as it tofore is tolde That whylom was so myghty and so bolde And for the hatefull false conspyracye As well of murdre as auoutrye To venge bothe by dewe recompence The worthy knyght yâ— myghty kyng Forence Offrede Horestes for to make hym stronge And go with hym to helpe venge his wronge And with hym ladde armed bryght in stele Foure hondred knyghtes horsed wonder wele Takynge the felde with a manly chere And so Horestes and the kynge yfere Be ryden forthe with many manly man ¶ But Horestes or he this werre gan Whan bryght Phebus in the bole shone To the temple is full lowely gone And to the goddes in his best wyse With humble herte dyde sacryfyse Fully in hope the better for to fare Where he was bode for lyfe nor deth to spare Without mercy or remyssyon The deth to venge of Agamenon On Clemestra that was moste to wyte And that he make firste his swerde to byte On his moder with his hondes twayne And ouer more to do his besy payne Without pyte and no mercye shewe On smale peces tyll she be to hewe And dismembred a sonder ioynt fro ioynt And eke that he foryet nat a poynt Iustly to punysshe by rygoure and by ryght Egistus eke the false vntrewe knyght And that he be nat slowe nor neclygent To execute the coÌ„maundement Of the goddes lyst what after falle And than Horestes with his knyghtes alle And Forensis the myghty kynge also Of one herte be to the sege go Of the Cyte that called was Methene Within whiche was the false quene Clemestra god gyue hir harde grace And whan Horestes seged hath the place With his knyghtes set it rounde aboute False Existus was Yryden oute To gadre men and to be a wreke And falle vpon and the sege breke If he myght on any maner syde And with great stuffe thus he gan to ryde Takynge vp men from euery coost Tyll he hym made a full myghty hoost But horeste whiche at the sege lay His gouernaunce espyeth day by day And sent out men as he that was full sage To stoppe wayes and lette his passage And made knyghtes a full huge route To pursue hym euery coste aboute And of the sege man fully begonne By assaute he hath the towne y wonne And entrede in on a nyght full late And sette wardes stronge at euery gate And in a doungeon moste strong pryncypall That was of byldynge myghty and royall This horestes firste his moder fonde The quene Clemestra lady of that londe Whiche for drede sore gan to quake But mercyles anone he made hir take And put in chaynes tyll the nexte morowe And Egistus god gyue hym euyll sorowe With all the stuffe that he myght accroche Towarde the towne fast gan approche In purpose full horestes for to greue And them within sodaynely releue But all in sothe myght nat auayle For or that he the Cyte myght abayle Horestes knyghtes vnwarely haue hym mette And all attones proudely on hym sette Firste slewe his men put them to the flyght And taken hym maugre all his myght And with chaynes lyke as they hym fynde Mercyles full faste they hym bynde And shet hym vp fetryd in prysowne And all false founde in the towne That were assentyd wynynge or helpynge To the murdre of the worthy kynge Great werkers and conspyratours Agayne theyr lorde rysynge as traytours An were take and bounde by rygoure The same nyght and shet vp in a toure Tyll on the morowe lyke as the lot be drawe Eueryche of them vnder fonge his lawe Lyke his decerte excepcyon was none And whan the nyght passed was and gone And Phebus role esswarde in his spere And on the tours shone full bryght clere ¶ Whan Clemestra rote of all falsehede Was brought forthe quakynge in hir drede Before Horestes to Iugement yfet He with a swerde sharpe and kene whet Lyke as the goddes charged hym toforne On peces smale he hath hir all to shorne And made hir bere out of the townes boundes To be vouryd of bestes and of houndes Pyte was none in his breste reseruyd But quyt hir fully as she hath disseruyd Fro poynt to poynt and forgat right nought And thaÌ„ chayned egistus was forth brought And iustly dempt by rygour of the lawe On an herdell naked to be drawe Thorugh the towne that all myght se And after hye hanged on a tree For to rot and drye agayne the sonne Loo howe murdre hath his guerdon wonne Loo how falsehede his master can awake And all the traytours in the towne ytake Were on galowes enhonged euerychone Tyll they were seueryd a sonder bone fro bone Hye on an hylle agayne the sterres shene Thus was the towne fro treason purgyd clene And with trouthe augmentyd and ymoryd And to his reygne Horestes full restoryd As the storye sewynge shall expowne And of the daye whan he toke his crowne ANd whan yâ— myste euery cloudy skye Of false treason and conspyracye Were tryed out vpon euery syde That falsehede hadde no place to abyde The storye sayth in ordre rehersynge The same tyme Menelay the kynge Out of see full of wawes were Fro Troyewarde aryued was in Crete Frely escapyd many drede and peyne With his quene the goodly fresshe Eleyne And for cause she was so famous fayre Great was the prees and meruayllous repayre Fro euery parte hir beaute to beholde For whom Troye with walles nat full olde Destroyed was the noble royall towne And many man full worthy of renowne Hath loste his lyfe there may no man say nay All for Eleyne wyfe to Menelay Whan thynge is done it may be none other But whaÌ„ this kyng knew fully of his brother A gamenon murdre and euerydele He was full tryste and lyked no thynge wele But inwardly felte full great smerte And his neuewe he hadde also at herte I mene Horestes that so mercyles Lyke a tyraunt that were graceles His Modre slewe and had no pyte Of morrall yâ—re in his cruelte And fully caste that he wolde blyue Of sceptre and crowne platly hym depryue Full affermynge for this hatefull caas By all lawe that he vnworthy was His faders reygne as heyre to possede Iustely consydred his horryble dede And all attones Furyous and wrothe Without abode vnto shyp he gothe Melancolyke in his great tene Out of Crete saylnge to Athene