deuise Was false enuye and hatefull couetise Whiche frette so sore falsly for to winne As croppe and roote of euery sorowe sinne And cause hath bene sith go full yore That many a realme hath bought ful sore The dreadful venim of couetise alas Let them beware that stande in this case ¶ To thinke afore and for to haue in minde That all falshed draweth to an ende For though it bide and last a yeare or two The ende in sothe shall sorowe be and woo Of all that bene false and enuious Hereof no more but forth of Pelleus I will you tell that hath so longe sought Vpō this thing till they were to him brought Tydinges newe and that so merueylous That he astoned was and all his house Of a meruayle that tho was newly falle Beside Troy the plage orientalle Howe in Colchos as the tidinges cam Within an yle enclosed was a ram Whiche bare his flese full richly all of golde And for the richesse it was kept in holde With great aduice and great dilygence That no man might there to do offence And in this I le there was a gouernour A noble kinge a worthy warrour That Oetes hight wise discrete and sage Which was also yronne farre in age That in his time as bokes can deuise Had vnderfonged many great empryse In peace warre and much worship wonne And he was also sonne vnto the sonne That gaue him vre to honour to atteyne So as these poetes listen for to feyne Touchinge his line I leue as nowe y e greate And of this Ram my purpose is to treate That was commit I dare you well assure To the keping and the busy cure Of cruell Mars the mighty god of werre Which with the stremys of his rede sterre And influence of his deytee Ordeyned hath by full great crueltee This Ram to kepe bullis full vnmilde With brasen fete ramageous and wilde And there with all fell and dispitous And of nature wood and furious To hurte and slee euer of one desyre Out of whose mouthe leuen and wylde fyre Lyke a flawme euer blased out To brenne all theim that stode nygh aobut Eke of their eyen the lokes moste horrible To a fourneys the stremes were visyble And who that wolde tencrease his glorye This Ram of golde wynnen victorie Fyrste he must of very force and myght Vnto oultraunce with these bulles to fyght And theim vanquishe alder fyrst of all And make theim humble as any oxe in stall And sithe theim yoke and do them ere y e land Of very manhode this must he take in hand And after that he must also endure With a serpent of huge and great stature Without fauour playnely haue to do To oultraunce eke without wordes mo The whiche serpent shortly for to tell Was lyke a fende comyng out of hell ¶ Full of venym and of cruell hate And with skales harde as any plate He armed was to stande at defence And by his brethe werse then pestilence Infecten wolde enuiron all the eyre In eche place where was his repeyre He was so full of foule corruption And eke so dredefull of infection That deth in soth shortly to deuyse Was the fyne of this hygh Empryse To suche as wolde this quarell take in hond Ylyke in one both to free and bonde But if he coulde the bet him selfe defende And of his conquest this was eke the ende That when he had the myghty serpēt slawe He must anone by custome and by lawe ¶ Out of his head his tethe echeone arrace And after sowe theim in the selfe place Where as the oxen eryd had aforne Of which seede there sprange a wōder corne Knyghtes armed passynge of great myght Eueryche with other redy for to fyght Til eche his brother had ybrought to groūd By mortall fate and yeue his dethes wound This was the ende of euerychone For sowfastly of all there was non That liue myght by that fatall lawe A longer tyme then lyued his fellowe ¶ And by this way dredfull and peryllous Who so desyreth to ben victorious He passe must and manly to endure And how so fall take his auenture For of estate was no excepcion Chese who so wyll for this conclusyon He may not scape for fauour ne for mede Who so begynneth a vyse him wel I rede For by the statute of the kyng he may Who so that wyll entre and assaye But after that he ones hath begonne He may not chese tyll he haue lost or wonne Yet as some other of this Ram expresse And of his flese also bere wytnesse It was nothyng but golde great treasour That Oetes kynge with full hye laboure Made kepe it as by Incantacions By sorserye and false illusyons ¶ That was spoke of in realmes fer about For whiche many put theyr lyfe in doubte Of hye desyre that they had for to wyn The great treasoure that was shyt within Colchos londe as ye haue harde deuyse Whose pursuyte rose out of couetyse Grounde and roote of wo of myschaunce By vayne reporte theim selfe to auaunce For whiche they put theim selfe in ieopardy Without rescues lykely for to dye There was no helpe ne no sleyght of armes That vaile might againe y e cursed charmes So were they stronge and supersticious That many worthy in knighthode famous Enhasted were vnto their deth alas That ieoparde list their liues as in this case ¶ This lasteth forthe tyll afterwarde byfell That Pelleus platly hath hard tell The great mischiefes and destructions In Colchos wrought on sundry nacions That haue pursued thes auntres to cōquere Tyll Pelleus so ferforth gan enquere That he knewe hooly how the trouth was And in his herte anone he gan compasse How that he myght by any slyght make His neuewe Iason for to vndertake This hye Empryse in Colchos for to wende For by that way he myght hym best shende ¶ And gan pretende a colour freshe of hew Ygylte outwarde so lusty and so newe As though there were no treasō hyd within He sawe also it was tyme to begyn On his purpose tho fyrst he made it queint And gan forthwith with golde asure paint His gaye wordes in sownyng glorious Knowynge Iason was yonge and desyrous Vnto suche thynge lyghtly wolde enclyne Therfore he thought that he wolde not fyne Playnely to worke to his conclusyon And made anone a conuocation Of his lordes and of his baronye Aboute enuyron the lande of Thesalye For to assemble estates of eche degree Of all his realme within the chiefe citee To holde a counseyle vtterly he caste Therby to acheue his desyre as faste And so his courte continued dayes three Tyll at the laste his hyd iniquitie He out gan rake that hath be hyd so longe For he ne myght no longer forth prolonge The venym hyd that fret so at his herte In so slye wyse that no man myght auerte Vpon no syde but that he mente well So was his treason couered euerydell And curtined so
now a dayes such craft is ful ryfe And in this wise first began the stryfe Betwixt Iuno Venus and Pallas That be decended for this sodayn case By one assent touchyng theyr beaute The dome therof committed vnto the. I speake to the that called art Parys And holdē arte ful prudent and right wyse Be wel auysed how thy dome shal fyne For they ne may to nor fro decline But must obeyen all by one assent Without strife as to thy iudgement But hercke first or that thou procede Of eche of theim what shall be thy mede Consydre a ryght and take good hede therto If thou the appel graunt vnto Iuno She shall the gyue plenty of richesse Hyghe renowne of fame eke worthynesse With habundaunce of golde and of treasour And do the reyse to so hyghe honour That thou alone all other shalte excelle For thy guerdon lyke as I the telle ¶ And yf to Pallas goddesse of prudence The lyst the fyne conclude of thy sentence That she may lady of the appell be For thy mede she shall assure the That of wyt and eke of sapyence Thou shalte hooly haue the excellence And of wysedome and of discrecion As to discerne by clerenesse of reason Also fer as Phebus cast may his lyght There shall not be a more prudent knyght Nor in this worlde syth it fyrst began Of iust reporte a more manly man Nor to thy name none equipollent ¶ And if to Venus of true and clene entent The lyste to graunt in this conclusyon Of the Appell to haue possessyon The freshe goddesse that syt so hyghe aboue Shall the ensue to haue vnto thy loue The fayrest lady that is or was tofore Or in this worlde hereafter shal be bore And in Grece thou shall her knightly wynne Now be aduised or that thou begynne Iustly to deme and for no thynge spare ¶ And I anone gan loke vp and to stare Greatly astoned what me was best to do Tyll at the laste I spake Mercurye to And sayde certayne that I ne wolde there Gyue no dome but they naked were So that I myght haue fully lybertee Eueriche of them aduisedly to see And well consider euery circumstaunce Who fayrest were vnto my pleasaunce And goodlyest to speake of womanhede And after that wolde to my dome procede ¶ And they anone as ye haue herde me seye To my desyre mekely gan obeye In all haste to do their busy cure Them to dispoyle of clothing and vesture Lyche as the statute of my dome them bonde For in no point they wolde it not withstonde That I myght haue full inspection Of fourme and shape and eche proporsyon For to discerne as I can remembre A vysedly by ordre euery membre And than at erst to iudge after the ryght ¶ But whan y t I of them had thus the syght I gaue to Venus the Appell right anone Bycause she was fayrest of eche one And most excellyng sothly of beatie Moste womanly and goodly on to see Tho as I demed playnly in my syght For the stremes of her eyen bryght Yleche glade and of egall lyght Were like y t sterre y t sheweth towardes y e night Whiche called is Hesperus so shene Venus her selfe the freshe lusty queene The whiche anone this heauenly Emperesse After my dome of harty hyghe gladnesse That of the appell she hooly hath the glorye And wonne it thus iustly by victory Reioysed her more than I can tell That she her feares in beautie dyd excell And she in hast of trewe affection Concluded hath fully for my guerdon Full demurely lowe and not a lofte To Mercury with sobre wordes softe Deuoyde both of doublenesse and slouthe Lyke her behest holde wyll her trouth And sodaynly without more Iniurye They disapered and the god Mercurye Streyght to heauen the ryght waye he toke And I anone out of my slepe a woke ¶ Wherof my lord whom I most loue drede If ye aduerte and wisely taketh hede That this behest affyrmed in certayne Was vnto me assured not in vayne Of goodly Venus lyke as I haue tolde Wherfore I rede ye be of herte bolde Me for to sende with stronge mighty hande Without abode into the Grekes lande After the fourme that I haue to you sayde For thus I hope ye shall be well apayde Whan I haue spede as Wenus hath be hight And home retourne with my lady bryght So shall ye best me lyste not speake in vayne As by exchaunge your syster wyn agayne Whom Thelomon withholden hath of yore Lo this is all I can say you no more Touchyng theffect hooly of myne aduyse And after that tho satte hym downe Parys As he that had hym selfe full well aquytt But saye Pryam alas where was thy wytt Of neclygence for to taken kepe Thy truste to sette on dremes or on slepe Full thynne forsothe was thy discrecion To take a grounde of false illusyon For to procede lyke to the fantasye Vpon a sweuen meint with flattery Alas reason was tho nothynge thy guyde For Pallas was wrongly sette a syde Not receyued with dewe reuerence And Iuno eke for all her sapience For all her good and lokynge debonayre With her treasour and her hestes fayre Refused was alas of wylfulnesse And she that is of loue the goddesse And eke also of Vulcanus the wyfe In whose seruyce is euer werre and strife Preferred was the appell to possede Againe all ryght for Paris toke none hede Saue vnto luste and sette asyde the trouth Where through alas y t was ful great routh The myghty ryche and the noble towne Of Troye was brought to full confusyowne Only for he knyghthode hath forsake Prudence and golde and in his choyse ytake A woman only and holde hym therto That after was the roote of all their wo. As this story ceriously shall tell But I in dreames will no longer dwell But write forth how that Deiphobus That was the thirde sonne to Priamus His tale began in open audience And to the kynge shortly in sentence As he that lyste a trouthe not to spare Euen thus he gan his fantasye declare ¶ My lorde quod he if that euery wyght Aduerte shulde and caste in his syght Of future thynge the peryll and the doubte And serche it wel within and eke without From poynt to poynt alwaye in reasō To caste doubtes and tournen vp so downe Than shulde no wyght to no purpose wende In any matter for to make an ende Eyther presume by manhode in his thought Who casteth doutes achieueth lite or nought For if the plowman alway cast aforne How many graynes in his fielde of corne Shal be deuoured of foules rauynous That he doth sowe in fieldes plenteous Than shulde he neuer in vale nor in playne For cowardshyp throwe abrode his grayne Let all suche drede now be layde asyde I holde if folye longer to abyde But y t Parys my brother make hym stronge With his shyppes for to venge our wronge Vpon grekes with all his payne and
is thought to do nothinge of him selfe and therby in some mens iudgmentes hath before hād the thancke that he deserueth But if any such be that shal so discerne hereof I may accompt his iudgement like indifferent as is that mās that should iudge that he whych hath purged an ouergrowē felde of thornes stones hath also sowed y e same wyth corne shuld in y e end be no partaker of y e fruytes or increase therof And surelye who so euer shall take vpon hym thus to trauayle in others mens labores whether ye lyst to waye y e difficultie of the thing or the commoditye pleasure that shall ensewe to theym that be desirous to vnderstande the pryueties of our englishe tonge me thincketh such one worthy of his praise And that I may say my iudgemēt his trauayle ought not to be thought muche lesse then is his that writeth of his owne inuēcyō For if the one commend y e quickenes of y e witt thother declareth the ripenes of iudgement He hauyng a large fielde to discourse in thother cōpelled withī y e straight boūdes of y e writer The one may vse y e frugalitye of inuencion wytt thother must so moderate the same y t when he hath greatest neade therof yet may he not passe the lmittes Not one onely copye must be perused but many exāplars loked ouer therin he maye not chose such as lyketh his fantasye but y t which shal seme to come more nere to y e auctours meninge and maye most please and pleasure the readers So that therin he shall be compelled to put on as it were theyr fantasye and yet that so sparinglye y t he maye neither adde nor take awaye but where he shal be thereto ledd by certaine sure iudgmentes Al which thinges how easie they be who so list practise the same maye sone discerne Thus muche I haue thought good to set in wrytynge before this worke To thend the readers maye be admonyshed that this without other is the very trewe and sincere englishe historyan of the lamentable battels destinye and vtter euersion of the auncient and famouse Cytye of Troye and also to preuent the malice of suche as shal happlye accompte my trauayle herein rather rashe presumpcyon then anye vertuouse imitacion of wel doynge Finis 〈…〉 Robert Braham ¶ The prologue of the Translatour O Myghty mars that w t thy sterne lyght In armys hast the power and y e myght And named arte from easte tyl occident The myghty lorde the god Armipotent That with the shininge of thy stremes rede By influence dost the brydell lede Of chiualrie as soueraygne and patron Full hote and drye of complexion Irous woode and malencolyke And of nature brent and collerike Of colour shininge like the fiery glede Whose ferse lokes ben as ful of drede As is the leuene that alighteth lowe Downe by the skies from Iupiter his bowe So bene thy stremes passing dispyteous And to beholde so inly furious Thou causer art with thy fyrie beames Of werre and strife in many sūdrye realmes Whose lordshyp cheifest is in Capricorne But in the crabbe is thy power lorne And causer art of conteke and of strife Now for the loue of her Vlcanus wife With whom whilom y u were at mischiefe take So helpe me now onely for her sake And for the loue of thy Bellona That with the dwelleth beyonde Cirrha In Lybye londe vpon the sandes rede So be my helpe in this great nede To do succour my stile to dyrecte And of my penne the traces to correcte Whiche barrayne is of aureat lycoure But in thy grace I finde some succoure For to conuoy it with thine influence That stumbleth aye for fault of eloquence For to reherse or writen any worde Now helpe o mars y t art of knighthode lorde And hast of manhode the magnificence And other goddes y t arne of highe prudence This worke texplete that ye not refuse But maketh Clyo for to be my muse With her systren that on Pernasus dwelle In Cirrha by Helycon the welle Renning full cleare with stremes cristallyn And called is the fountayne Caballyn That springeth by touche of the Pegase Helpe me also o thou Callyope That were mother vnto him Orpheus Whose dytees weren so melodius That the werbles of his resowninge harpe Appeased all the wordes sherpe Bothe of Parchas and furyes infernall And Cerberus so cruell founde at all He coyed also bothe beast foule and tree Now of thy grace be helpyng vnto me And of thy golden dewe let the lycoure wete My dulled brest that with thy hony swete Sugrest the tunges of Rethoryciens And maystresse art to all musciens Now be mine helpe tenlumine w t thy worke Which am beset with cloudes dimme derke Of ignoraunce in making to procede To be to theym lustye that shall it reade And in herte I am so full of drede Whan prudent lysters hereto shall take hede Who as in makinge more skill can than I That they vouchesafe I pray full beningly Of theyr goodnesse to haue compassion Where as I erre in my translacion For god I take highly to witnesse That I this worke of hertie lowe humblesse Toke vpon me of good entencion Deuoyde of pride and al presumpcion For to obey withouten varyaunce My lordes biddynge fully and plesaunce Which hath desyre sothely for to sayne Of very knighthod to reporte agayne The worthinesse if so I shall not lye And eke the prowesse of olde cheualrye Bycause that he hath ioye and great deintye To reade in bokes of olde antiquitye To finde onely howe he may vertue sewe By theyr ample also and to eschewe The cursed vyce of slouthe and idelnesse So he enioyneth in verteous businesse In all y t longeth to manhode dare I sayne He busyeth him and therto is so fayne To haunte his bodye in playes marciall Through exercise to exclude slouthe in all After the doctrine of Vigecius Thus is he manfull and eke vertuous More passingly than I can of hym write I want conning his renowne to endite So much of manhode men may in him sene And for to witen whō that I would meane He eldest sonne is of the noble kinge Hēry y e fourth of knighthode well and spring In whom is shewed of what stock he grewe The rootis vertue thus can the sett renewe In euery parte the tarage is the same Lyke his father of maners and of name In sothfastnes and this no fable is Called Henry eke y e worthy prince of Wales ¶ To whom shall longe as by succession For to gouerne this Brutis albion Which hath me bydde the drery pyteous fate Of them of Troye in ynglyshe to translate The siege also and destruction Lyke as the latyn maketh mencion For to compile and after Guido make So I could and write it for his sake Bycause he would that both to highe lowe The noble storye openly were knowe And in our tunge about in euery age Written it were as well in our
For to offende or noyen any wight And wheÌ„ she had thus sayd vnto her knight In euery thynge and gyue instruction Playn doctrine and informacyon How he shall scape the daungers by and by If he take hede and worke auysely ¶ And thus agreyd they thought it for y e best For to parte or men out of theyr rest Awaked were for it drewe towardes daye As they well sawe by the morowe graye And lest men had to theym suspicioÌ„ Of hye prudence and discrecion Atwene the twelight and the rody morowe They toke theyr leue w t saint Iohn y e borow With oft kyssyng as louers wheÌ„ they twinne And so he went and she is left within Beyng in hope to mete agayn some daye And Iason than as fast as euer he maye Gan ordayne him his Iourney to achieue And thought he would anoÌ„ go take his leue And in that wyse w tin a litel whyle After the maner of my rude style My purpose is sothly and not to spare With your supporte playnly to declare VVhan that the rowes the rayes rede Estward to vs full early gonnen sprede Euen at the twelyght in the dawnynge When that the larke of custome gynneth sing For to salue in her heauenly laye The lusty goddesse of the morowe graye I meane Aurora which afore the sonne Is wonte tenchâ—se the blacke skyes donne And the derkenesse of the dymmy night And freshe Phebus with coÌ„forte of his light And with the brightnes of his beames shene Had ouergylt the hye hylles grene And floures eke agayn the morowe tyde VpoÌ„ their stalkes gaÌ„ playn theyr leues wide Whan that Iason with all his companye Toward the kynge full fast gan hym hye Whom than he fonde lyke to his estate With sceptre in haÌ„deful pompous and elate Hye in the see of his regally Sittyng full kyngly amid his cheualrye And his lordes about him enuiron ¶ At why â—he tyme this yonge champion Vnder a vowe standing of the Ram. With sterne face tofore the kyng in cam Besechyng hym of his magnificence The same day to graunt him lycence To do hys armes and make no mo delayes Concluding playnly that at all assayes He will that daye in the felde be found For to achieue lyke as he was bound Of olde behest and not a poynt declyne For life nor death till he parfourme and fine Holy the auntres that to the flese belonge The kynge requyryng no loÌ„ger him proloÌ„ge But goodly grauÌ„t the fine of his empryse And than the kynge in ful sobre wyse Consydering the summe of his demaunde To Iason spoke sayd he shall commauÌ„d That his request perfourmed were in hast Albe quod he I am ful sore agast Of wylfulnesse thou shulde destroyed be Lest men thy death arected vnto me And therupon would a blame set Of royall power that I not ne let Thy manly youth from such Ieopardy Which were in sothe a great vylany And preiudice to my estate and name That afterward men should put me iÌ„ blame Through false reporte wrong opynyon That I withstode not thy destruction ¶ Wherfore I rede that y u be yet bet auysed And my counsayle let not be dispysed For better it is with honoure in certayne Into thy country to repayre againe Than wilfully for to take on hande A mortall thyng that no man may withstaÌ„d That is my rede and fully myn aduise Take hede therto syth ye aren wyse Lest thou repent when it is to late And yf so be that thou wilt algate Thy purpose holde and not do as I rede Almyghty Mars I praye to be thy spede The for to gyde whatsoeuer shal befall And eke I praye to the goddes all Safe and sound thy body to restore This all some on me thou gettest no more ¶ And whan Iason thus had herd the kyng Not dismayed nor stoned in no thyng In knyghtly wise did him reuerence Thankyng highly his royall excellence That of his grace and beningnytye Vpon his death hym lyst to haue pytye Fully concluding touchyng his battayle That nother rede nor other counsayle In no wyse his purpose should withdrawe But lyke the statute playnly and the lawe Right so far forth as fortune wyll hym eure What so besyde of this his auenture Settyng asyde euery feare and drede He platly sayd that he wyll procede For to parfourme that he hath vndertake It were in ydle mo skylles for to make Or to allege more there againe And Iason than full openly and plaine Touching y e surplus of this dredfull thing At his departyng thus sayd to the kyng In audience tho of his lordes all What so of me hereafter now be fall Or who so euer of malys theron muse To all the worlde fyrst I you excuse And to the goddes platly you acquyte That though I deye ye be nothyng to wyte Ne no man shall arecte it you of skylle For that I worke is freely at my wyll Agayne the aduice of your hye prudence And lyfe or death here in your presence Hooly of herte and neuer for to flytte Vnto the goddes and fortune I commytte So as them lyst for me to ordayne Againe whose wyll I shall neuer plaine Nor them nor you ne shall put in no blame What so betide honour ioye or shame And of this thyng thus an ende I make And for this tyme of you my leue I take And of all tho that you about stande And one by one he toke them by the hande And in what wyse forth he gan hym dresse To you anone I thyncke it to expresse VVhan that Titan had w t his ferueÌ„t hete Drawen vp the dewe fro the leues wete Towarde myd morowe as I can diffine Vpon the houre whan the clocke is nine Iason full manly and full like a knight Armed in stele of cherefull glad and lyght Gan dresse hym forth what hap that euer fal And sayd a dieu vnto his feres all He in the boote and they vpon the stronde And all a lone whan he came to londe And in the water had his vessell lafte He fyrst of all remembryng on the crafte Of Medea with all the circumstaunces And how he shulde kepe his obseruaunces In euery thing and had it well in mynde And than anone full manly as I fynde He shope him forth and went a knyghtly pase Toward the bulles that forged wer of brase But at the point whan he his iourney gan For him Medea wexed full pale and wan So sore agast that nothing might her glade A ruthe it was to see what wo she made For so her teares on her chekes twayne Full pyteously gan to destylle and rayne That all fordewed were her wedes blake And aye this sorowe she made for his sake Lyke a woman fearefull and in doubte While he his armes ful maÌ„ly brought about To sobbe and syghe she can not be in a peace Lest he for hast were ought rekles Fro point to point to do as she him bad This was the life that she
list to heare After the force and the great might And after eke the summe of natures ryght Which euerye thinge by kinde doth constrain In the bondes of her large chayne It sytting is as she doth enspyre And to that ende that euery man desyre Of wronges done to haue amendement And to her lawe ryght conuenient Namely to such that with nobylytye Kinde hath endewed and set in high degre For to such great reprefe is and shame When any wronge be do vnto theyr name For eche trespasse must consydered be Iustly measured by the qualyty Of hym that is offended and also After the parson by whom the wrong is do Be it in werre in conteck or debate For greater grefe is to high estate To suffer harme of case or auenture Or any wronge vniustly to endure Or iniuryes compassed by malyce Is more offence by discrete aduyse To theim that be famous in manhod Well renoumed and borne of gentyl blode Than to such one that holde is but a wretch Wherfore we must greatly charge and retch Onely of knighthod our worshyp for to eke Of wronges done a mendes for to seke Our state consydered our high noblesse And in what plyte we stand of worthynesse Whan that beastes of reason rude blinde Desyre the same by iust instinct of kinde ¶ And for my parte trusteth in certayne Ye haue no sonne that woulde half so fayne Vpon Grekes auenged be as I. For here my trouthe I say you faythfully For yre of theim I bren as doth the glede I thurst their blode more than other mede For ryght as I eldest am of age Amonge your sonnes so am I most w t rage I fret within iustly of knighthode With my right hand to shed the grekes blode As they shalle fele peraunter or they wene Whan time cometh the sothe shal be sene ¶ But firste I rede wisely in your minde To cast afore and leue not behinde Or ye begyn discretly to aduert And prudently consydre in your herte All onely not the gynnynge but the ende And y t the middes what way in they wil wēd And to what fine fortune will theim lede If ye thus do amisse ye may not spede For that counsayle in mine opinion Is worthy lytell by discrecion To haue a pryse that cast not by and by The course of thinges by ordre ceryously What waye they trace to wo or to delyte For though a ginninge haue his appetite Yet in the ende playnly this no fable There may thīg fall which is not cōmēdable For what is worthe a ginninge fortunate That causeth after strife and great debate Wherfore in sothe begynninges are to dread But mē well knowe what fine shall succede For a ginninge with grace is well fortuned Whan ende and middes a lyke be contuned But when that it in we le ne may conteme It is well better rather to absteine Than put in doubt that standeth in suerte For who so doth hath aduersitee But humble this to your estate royall Of herte I pray let not offende at all That I am bolde to say my mocion For in good fayth of none entencion I nothing meue to do to you offence But onely this that your magnificence Procede not of heade to wilfully Ne that no hast you meue to foly To gyn a thing that after wil you shende For lacke that ye se not tofore the ende Nor take hede in your aduertence To consydre by good prouidence How Grekes haue in theyr subiection Europe and Affryke with many region Ful large wide of knighthod most famous And of rychesse wonder plenteous Right renoumed also of worthinesse With your supporte I dare it wel expresse Ful peryllous is theim displease or disturbe For yf that we our quyet nowe parturbe Which standeth fully in peace is to drede For though all Assye helpe vs in our nede If it be loked on euery parte aryght They be not egal vnto Grekes might ¶ And though also mine Aunte Exion Agayne all right be holde of Thelamon It is not good for her redempcion To put vs all vnto destruction I rede not that we bye her halfe so deare For many of vs perhappes that syttē here And other mo might for her sake Death vnderfonge and an ende make Which were no wisedome lyke as semeth me And it may happe also how that she In shorte time her fatall course shall fine Whē Attropos the thredde a two shal twine What had we then wonne and she were go But enmite thought sorowe and wo. Slaughter of our men death and confusyō Wherfore I reade without discencion Without more that we our wo endure And not to put our selfe in auenture This holde I best and worke as the wyse But doubtles for no cowardise I saye not this in your high presence But forcause I holde it no prudence To fortune knowen so ful of doubilnesse Syth we be sure to put our sykernesse Thus all and some the effect of my will And with that worde Hector helde hym styll ANd whan y t Hector by ful high prudēce Cōcluded hath the fine of his sētence Ful demurely he kept his lippes close And therwithall this Paris vp arose And gan his tale thus afore the kinge My lorde quod he so it be lykinge To your highnesse for to taken hede As me semeth we shuld litell dread In knightly wise for to vndertake Vpon Grekes a werre for to make All at ones theyr pride to confounde Sith that we so passingly habounde Of chiualry here within our towne And haue plenty and possessyowne Of eche thinge that may to werre auayle Stuffe in our selfe and royall apparayle Of all that longeth to assautes marciall And with all this more in speciall Helpe and succour of many region With vs to worke to theyr destruction The pompe and pryde manly to abate And of Grekes the malyce to amate For al that they of herte be so stoute Me semeth shortlye that we nede not doubte Nor on no parte for to be dismayed Wherfore I reade let not be delayed Our shyppes fyrst ready for to make And I my selfe wyl fully vndertake So it to you be liking and plesaunce Of this empryse hooly the gouernaunce And you assure and put in certayne Exyona for to recure agayne And in what fourme that it shall be wrought I haue a waye deuised in my thought That likely is hereafter to be done Which vnto you I will declare anone First I haue cast with strōg myghty hand For to rauyshe some lady of that land Of high estate and make no taryinge And mightely into Troye her brynge Maugre her might for this conclusyon That ye may haue restitucion By chaunge of her that ye desyre so And therupon shall not be longe ado I you behete for all the Grekes stronge And for that I shall not this tale prolonge I wil you sayne excluding euerye doubte How this aduise shal well be brought about First how that I shal this purpose fine The goddes
fyght Our tunge appese by māhod preue or might Worde is but winde and water that we wepe And though the tempest and of fluddes depe Of this two encrease euer mo They may not do but augment our wo. And to our foon therof when they here Both of our dole and our heauy chere All is to them but encrease of ioye Wherfore brother a whyle do acoye The cruel tourment that byndeth you so sore For in prouerbe it hath be sayd full yore That the prowesse of a manly knyght Is proued most in mischyefe and his myght To be assured in aduersitee Strongly susteyne what wo that it be Not cowardly his courage to submytte In euery peryll nor his honour flytte Through no dispeyre but hope alway wele And haue a truste trewe as any stele Tacheue aye what he take an hande For fynally I do you vnderstande That of hym selfe who hath good fantasye To set vpon and put in inpartye What that befall or happe what happe may Takyng what chaunce tourneth on his play The fyne of suche gladly is victorye They fayle selde of the palme of glorye And tyme is now to speke in wordes fewe Oh brother myne manhode for to shewe To plucke vp herte and to make you stronge And to venge your damages and wronge We shall echyone helpe and lay to hande Kynges Dukes and lordes of this lande And all atones do our busynesse I you behyght your harmes to redresse And in despyte who that euer vs lette We shall vs lodge and our tentes sette Euen in the fyelde afore Troye towne And it beseage to their destructiowne Albe therof I set as now no daye But brother first in all the haste we may Let maken letters without more sermon To all the lordes of this region Of matter touchynge this your vyllanye To come to gyther and shape a remedye This is theffect of all that I can sayne ¶ And thus released somwhat of the payne Is Menelays through cōfort of his brother For whan he sawe it myght be none other And of his tale the kynge made an ende Thrugh out y e lande he did his letters sende Fyrst to her kynne and to his allye To come to helpe hym of their curtesye ¶ And fyrst of all to Menelaus Came Achylles and with him Patroclus And alder nexte the stronge Dyomede And many another to helpe in this nede And all echone in open Parlement They were accorded full by assente To be gouerned as Agamenon Lyst to ordayne in his discrecion Of this voyage they made hym gouernour And of their hooste chieftaine and Emperour Amonge them all there was full vnitee Vpon Troyans auenged for to bee And from this purpose neuer to remewe But fyrst I fynde Parys for to sewe The voyage toke y e worthy brethern tweine Pollux and Castor to recure Heleyne Yet neuertheles as some bokes lysten tell That these kynges no longer wolde dwell But alder faste as Parys was agone They toke a shyppe and folowed hym anone With many worthy in their company And doubtlesse but yf olde bokes lye That or they had sayled dayes three To Troyewarde in the large see The tempest rose and wyndes dyd awake The heauen derke with the cloudes blake That haue the day tourned into nyght And bryght Phebus was mirked of this light The fyry lenen and stroke of the thonder Smote in the maste and shyuerde it a sonder It was so derke no lyghte myght adawe The sea gan swell with many sturdy wawe That rose on hyghte large as any mounte And fell downe and swapped in the frounte Euen of the shyppe and plunged it full lowe Now vp now downe forcast and ouerthrow Their shyppes were with tempest to and fro The fomy waters grene whyte and blo Of feruent boylyng and as pytche blacke With storme wynd that al goeth to wracke So hydously the blastes at theim dryue That euery borde gan from other ryue And all is peryshed there scaped not a man But all atones as I reherse can Be dead drowned with tempest sodaynly There scaped none I say you certaynly Except the brethern such as bookes tel The one in heauen the other lowe in hel Were lordes made tabyde eternally ¶ And some fayne in theyr poesy How the goddes haue theim defyed Like in heauen and ystellifyed After theyr shyppes ware ygo to wrake They were made sterres in the zodyake And to the sygne transfourmed vtterly Whych is of clerkes called Gemyny The whych sygne and constellation Is to Mercury house and mansyon And is of kinde femell and masculyne In whych the Egle and also the Dolphyne Haue theyr arysyng by reuolucion The tayle also aboue the Dragon Is exaltate in the thyrd degree Of Gemyny whych sygne hathe most pouste In hande and armes of man oute of doubte Like as Lucina halt her course aboute And in this wyse were the brether twayne To heauen rapt as these poetes fayne After the tempest ye get no more of me For in this wise the grekes in the sea An ende made and that ful wylfully This ernest first came vnhappely To theim echone as ginning of theyr wo And finall chaunce to the brether two ¶ How y e Grekes assembled to be aduēged of y t Troians for the rauishing of Helein Ca. xv BVt for asmuche as Dares frigius Was in his boke whilom curyous The fourme of Troiens grekes to descriue Lyke as he sawe this auctour by his lyue The shape the fourme complexiowne Both of the partye of theym of Troy towne And of the grekes by good auisement In time of trewse amonge theim as they wēt Seyng the maner of theyr gouernaunce Their porte theyr chere w t euery circūstaūce Namely of tho that were of high degre He not forgate one loose nor qualyte Condicions and also theyr stature All to descryue Dares did his cure In Grekishe tunge beginning at Heleyne Like as tofore ye haue herd me seyne Of her beaute and her semelynesse How seryously Guido doth expresse Saue he sayd as in a lytell space A strype there was endlong in her face Whych as he wryte became her wonder wele Embelyshing her beaute euerydele Like as Dares maketh desripcion ¶ And first he sayeth how king Agamenon Was of good shape and high of his stature And might in laboure at the best endure Vnpacient to lyue in quyet He was to armes so egall and so mete Of coloure whyte and good proporcion And flemytek of his complexion Discrete and hardy and wonder vertuous And of speche ryght facundious And coud him wel in euery thinge demene ¶ But Menelay of stature was but meane Proporcioned atwix shorte and longe Worthy in armes delyuer and ryght stronge Of courage and of hert vygorous Semely also and aye more desyrous To lyue in werre rather than in peace ¶ And furthermore to speake of Achilles He was ryght fayre and of great semelynesse With aborne heyr crispyng for thicknesse With eyen glawke large stepe and great shuldred brode
bryng forth a worde ¶ And thus Bachus the strōg mighty lord Ful oft causeth folkes for to erre For to debate and to maken werre Of hastynesse where as is no nede Wherfore it is wysedome that men drede His sleyghty workyng or they fall in snare And feble braines by measure for to spare Or they vnwarely arested be and take And or Bachus make theim for to shake In a feuer worse than tercyen If it of custome be cotydyen Alterat with Bachus myghty Ious And affered of tourning of the hous And fordreynt on the drye lande When he hath lost the vse of foote hande And with a strawe playeth lyke an ape And deuoutly ginneth for to gape And noddeth oft wyth his Iowsy heade As he had on an heauy cappe of leade And who that be of this condicion He entre maye the relegyon Of myghty Bachus for habylite The whych lorde hath the souereynte Both of hony and of mylke therto And of bawme that is so ryche also And lordshyp hath of high power diuine Both of grapes and of euery vyne Theim to nouryshe through his influence Of whom the honour and the reuerence Is reysed most as I vnderstande Amonges vynters in euery maner lande Bycause he is to theim so gracious ¶ And they of Lemnos worshyp Vulcanus The god of fyre Iubyter his smythe The whych forgeth on his blacke stythe The great thonder hydous and horryble And the leuens that whylom be visible Into the west out of the Oryent And gasteth vs with his dredful dent The smotry smyth this swarte Vulcanus That whylom in herte was so Ialous Toward Venus that was his wedded wife Wherof there rose a deadly mortall strife Whan he with Mars gan her first espye Of hygh malyce and cruell false enuye Through y e shining of Phebus bemes bright Lying abed with Mars her owne knight For which in herte he brent as any glede Making the slaundre all abrode to sprede And gan theron falsly for to muse And god forbede that any man accuse For so lytell any woman euer Where loue is set hard is to disseuer For though they do such thing of gentilnesse Passe ouer lyghtly and beare none heuinesse Lest that thou be to women odius And yet this smythe this false Vulcanus Albe that he had theim thus espyed Amonge Paynems yet was he defyed And for that he so falsly theim awoke I haue him set last of all my boke Amonge the goddes of false mawmentrye And in this wyse gan ydolatrye As ye haue herde through oppynyons Of people erryng in theyr affections That all is false who the trouthe serche For by teaching of all holy churche By holy doctryne and tradicions We shal despyse such opynyons Whych of the fende were founde not of late For whan aungelles in heauen were create He that of all had the prelacye Of whom the prophete called Esaye Wryteth ryght thus how the Cedres grene Of Paradyse were not so fayre to sene Planys nor fyrre in heyght soth to sayne To his highnes might not attayne Nor all the trees so delycious Of Paradyse were not so precious Nouther in sight nor in semelinesse To be egall to him as in fayrnesse But through his pryde and his surquidrye Whan so he sayde to god that syt so hye He wyll be lyke and also set his see High in the north passyng his degre He was cast downe wyth all his legyons From the fayre heauenly mansyons All sodaynly into the pyt of hel Perpetually there for to dwell Of whom was sayde whan he fel so ferre How fell thou so O thou morowe sterre From the middes of the stones bryght That be so persyng and fyery of theyr lyght That whilom were for thy great bryghtnesse Called Lucifer of whō Christ sayeth expresse In his gospell how he sawe fro heauen Sathan descende lyke the fyery leuene The olde serpent that is so lowe yfall Whom the Hebrues in theyr tunge call ¶ Bemoth that doth in latin playne expresse A beast rude full of cursednesse The vile serpent he Leuiathan Whom I sydore well descryue can Whych of kynde is neuer conuersaunt In welles trouble and hath most his haunt Amonges waters and in the large sea Of whom sayth Dauid like as ye may se In his Psalter making mencion Of the snake the monstruous Dragon ful of venym and of hard grace Whych in the sea large and great of space Wyth foule adders hath his mansyon Vnto mankynde to do illusyon Whom whylom sawe the holy monke Brādā As he sayled forthe by the Occyan Thorowen and deiect in a pyt horryble More foule and hydous than it is credible There to abide this tortuous serpent Vnto the daye playnly of Iudgement That of malyce enuyed so mankynde Whych with his ginnes sleightes as I find Came to our fathers first in paradyse And to deceyue the bet at his deuyse More couertly this worme in his passage Toke of a serpent the lyknesse and ymage That is of cheare of loke and countenaunce Lyke a mayde and hath resemblaunce Of a woman as recordeth Bede In his deceytes rather for to spede I meane the face onely and not elles For behynde so as clerkes telles Lyke a serpent of wombe backe and tayle He was whan he gan him to assaile And towarde Eue whan he gan to glyde He fyrst enquereth as he her toke asyde Why god forbad theim eten of the tree Whych if they eate sothly they shulden be Like to goddes knowing good and yll And right forthwith as they gan fulfyll The fendes hest theyr eyen were vnclosed And for theyr gylt sodaynly deposed From Paradyse into wretchednesse To lyue in labour sorowe and distresse And thus the fende whan that fyrst he toke Fourme of a snake and a womans loke And made the tunge in her heade to meue By false engene mankinde for to greue So as he doth in theim that be trauayled With wycked spyrytes vexed and assayled To meue theyr tunges falsly out to breake Into blasphemy what thinge y t they speake The same serpent he Leuiathan Continuing aye falsely as he gan In cursed Idolles dombe deafe and blinde Ful oft speaketh by spyrytes as I finde Which are but fendes Dauid wryte certayne ▪ The goddes all whom folkes so in vaine Honour with rites supersticious As whilom was Apollo Delphicus Like as tofore ye haue herd deuise Which as for now ought inough suffise ¶ And as I trowe the very cause why That myne auctour reherseth by and by Grounde and ginnyng of Idolatrye This the cause for ought I can espye For that he sawe the matter was not knowe Ilyche well both to high and lowe Perauenture you to do pleasaunce He hath the grounde put in remembraunce Of false goddes and of mawmentrye And most for theim that can no poesye ANd to y e storye resorteth soone agayne How Achilles as ye haue herd me saine And Patroclus haue the waye ynome To the temple and thyther be ycome To haue aunswere of theyr
deye ¶ But cunnyngly and in full sleyghty wyse To kepe hym lowe vnder her seruyce With delayes she helde hym forth on hande ▪ And caused hym as in a were to stande Full vnsure betwene hope and dispayre And whan that grace shuld haue had repaire To put hym out of all this heuynesse Daunger of newe brought hym in distresse And with disdayne to encrease his payne Of double were she brought him in a trayne As women can holde a man full narowe Whan he is hurte with Cupydes arowe To sette on them with many fell assayes Day by day to put hym in delayes To stande vnsure betwyxe hope and dread Ryght as Creseyde lefte this Dyomede Of entent to sette hym more a fyre As this women kyndly aye desyre Whan they a man haue brought in to a traūce Vneuenly to hange hym in balaunce Of hope and dread to lynke hym in a chayne And of the fyne vnsure of bothe twayne To dryue hym forth yeres them to serue And do no force where he lyue or sterue This is the fyne of loues fyry rage And for she wolde haue hym in seruage She locked hym vnder suche a keye That he wote not where to lyue or deye Wherof in doubte thus I lette hym dwell And forth I wyll of the story tell And to my matter eke resorte agayne And as myne auctour recordeth in certayne After the trewse were wered out and gone Twelue dayes suyng all in one The grekes haue faught w t thē of the towne To great damage and confusyowne Of outher partye and aduersyte And in this whyle a great mortalyte Both of sworde and of pestylence Amonge grekes by fatall influence Of noyous hete and of corrupte eyre Engendred was that tho in great dispayre Of theyr lyfe in the fyelde they leye For day by day sodaynly they deye Wherby theyr nombre fast gan dyscrece And whan they sawe that it ne wolde sece By theyr aduyse the kyng Agamenowne For a trewse sent vnto the towne For thirty dayes and Priamus the kinge Without abode graunted his axynge ¶ How Andromecha was by a dreame forwarned of the death of her husbande Hector if he the day folowing entred the fielde wher of she admonyshed him and he therto hauing no respect was the next day slain of Achilles Capitulo .xxvii. VVhan the moreyne and the wofull rage Of pestylence began for to aswage And the trewse were wered out and gone The grekes caste to meten with their foen Vpon a day in plates armed clene Whan Phebus rose with his beames shene Full pleasauntly and gan to shede his lyghte ¶ But as I fynde tofore the selfe nyght Andromecha the faythfull trewe wyfe Of worthy Hector hym louyng as her lyfe By whom he had gette chyldren two Wonder semely and inly fayre also ¶ And Lamedowne called was the tone So yonge the tother that it ne myght gone ¶ And Astyonax I read that he hyght Fetured well and passynge fayre of syghte And as Guydo lysteth to endyte Of his moder at the pappes whyte For very yonge that tyme was suckynge And with his arme his brestes embrasyng And she that nyght as made is mencyon Had in her slepe a wonder vysyon I note in sothe what I may it neuene Outher a dreame or veryly a sweuene Or fro aboue a reuelacyon As whylom had the kyng Scypyon Or a shewyng outher an Oracle Or of goddes a warnyng by myracle For in sothnesse slepynge as she laye Her thought playnly if the nexte daye ¶ Hector went his fomen for to assayle As he was wonte armed in battayle That he ne shulde escape vtterly In fates hondes to falle fynally And ouermore Attropos shall fyne For euermore his lyues threde to twyne And shewe the force of her fell myght When the Parodye of this worthy knyght A proche shall without wordes mo Into the fyelde playnly if he go Of which astoned strete and short of breth Where as she laye abrayde vpon the death And with a syghe stynte for to slepe And pyteously brast out for to wepe For the constraynte of her herty sorowe And specyally on the wofull morowe When that she sawe this stocke of worthinesse As he was wonte manfully hym dresse To arme hym in stele borned bryght This troian wall Hector this worthy knight She can no more but at his fete fell downe Lowly declaryng her a vysyowne With quakyng herte of very womanhead Wherof god wote he toke full lyttle hede But therof had hygh indignacion Platly affyrmynge that no discrecion Was to trusten in suche fantasyes In dreames shewed gladly meinte with lyes Full of Iapes and of illusyons Of whiche playnely the conclusyons Be not elles but folkes to delude Albe it so that these people rude Therin some whyle haue affection To iudge and deame in their oppynion Dyuersly what they may pretende And ofte falle and happen as they wende And foloweth lyke in conclusyon For dread of whiche the lamentacion Encrease gan of this Andromecha And in her swone fyrst she cryed ha Sayinge alas myne owne lorde so dere Your trewe wyfe alas why nyll ye here Whyche of so faythfull hoole affection Desyreth aye your saluacyon And vp she rose deadly of vysage And lyke a woman caught with sodayne rage To kynge Pryam and Hecuba the quene In haste she went her selfe to be mene And of her wyfely herte trewe as stele Ceryously declared euery deale Her pyteous dreame which through myracle To her onely by deuyne oracle Yshewed was through goddes purueyaunce And tolde them eke the fynall ordynaunce Of fortunes false dispocisyon Fully purueyed to destruction Of her lorde without more delaye Into the fyelde yf he go that daye ¶ Wherfore she prayeth with a deadly hewe Vnto the the kynge of mercy for to rewe Vpon her wo to haue compassyon For to ordeyne by hyghe discrecion Of his lordshyp and of soueraynte That her lorde may not destroyed be Of reckeleshead or wylfulnesse And with that worde of very kyndnesse In whom was aye so moche loue founde Tofore the quene in sowne fell to grounde And sayde alas with a deadly chere Helpe in this case myne owne mother dere Of womanhead and routh do me grace That my lorde into the fyelde ne pace And do your deuer of motherly pytee Benyngnely and goodly for to se To his knyghthode and his hygh prowesse For to restrayne his renowmed noblesse This ylke day to handle spere or shelde Nor that he go armed into fylde ¶ And both twayne assent for the beste And condescende vnto her requeste Fynally accordynge into one That whē the wardes were redy euerychone ¶ On yssuynge out and Troylus fyrst of all ▪ And Parys next on grekes for to fall ¶ And after hym the troyan Eneas Kinge Sarpedan and Pollydamas Kyng Eroys and kyng Epystrophus And eke the kyng ycalled Forcyus In plate and mayle eueryche armed clene And alderlast came kyng Phylomene Withall the kynges and lordes of renowne That in deffence come of the towne With the grekes knyghtly
ne he felte That with the heat he thought his hert melt Aye on his bedde walowinge to and fro For the constreynt of his hidde wo For which almost him thought that he deyde And to him selfe euen thus he seyde ¶ Alas quod he howe me is wo begone That of my sorowe knowe ende none For I suppose sith the worlde began Ne was there neuer a more wofull man For I that whylom was of so great myght So renowmed of euery maner wyght Throughout the worlde both of high lowe For there was none in sothe that could know A man in armes that was more famous Nor yet yholde more victorious Tofore this time remembred by no stile Vnto this daye alas the harde while Nother Hector playnly nor none other Of Pollicene that was the worthy brother That power had when they with me mette For all theyr might me to ouersette Nor in the felde my force for to daunte Here pryuely as I me dare auaunte ¶ But nowe alas a mayde of tender age Hath sodaynly me brought in suche a rage That with the streames of her eyen twayne She perced hath and clouen euery vayne Of my herte that I maye not asterte For to be dead thrugh constreynt of my smert ¶ For who shall nowe wishe me or teache Or who alas shall nowe be my leche Or who alas shall helpe me or saue There is but death and after that my graue For other hope playnly is there none Saue in her mercy alas and that is gone For nother prayer treasour nor rychesse Force nor might nother high prowesse Highnes of bloud byrthe nor kinrede Maye auayle nor helpen in this nede To meue her nor my sadde trouthe Vpon my wo euer to haue routhe ¶ What newe furye or inportune rage Hath brought my hertin to suche outrage Agaynst whych I can not nowe debate ¶ To loue her beste that deadly doth me hate ¶ And in good fayth who wysely lyste aduert Lytell wonder though she me hate of herte Syth I am come hither fro so ferre On her kinrede for to make werre In the whyche to my confusyowne Her knightly brother most worthy of renown Haue fatally with mine handes slawe Whych in this worlde had no felowe Of worthynesse nor of manlyheade Alas alas nowe maye I quake and dreade And of my lyfe fallen in dispeyre For howe shoulde I be bolde to haue repeyre Or dare alas come in theyr syghte I woful wretche I vnhappy wighte Or howe shall I be hardy to appeare In the presence of her eyen cleare Certys I se none other mene weye But fynally that I must nedes deye So dispeyred I stande on euery syde Of other helpe I con me not prouyde And ryght anone with scaldinge sighes depe This Achilles braste out for to wepe With deadly cheare pale and funerall And with his face tourned to the wall That routhe was and pyte for to sene The hertye furye of his paynes kene For so oppressed he was in his thoughte Of lyfe nor death that he rought nought And this continued till it drewe to nyght That Titan hath withdrawe his clear light And euer in one like this wofull man Ilyche like of coloure pale and wan Without slepe so fretinge was his sorowe ¶ Tyll Lucifer on the next morowe Tofore the sonne with his beemes cleare Full lustely gan for to appeare In the oryent whan this Achilles Vnpacient wythout reste or peace Quakinge aye in his feuer newe As it was sene playnly in his hewe Tyll he abrayde of anguishe sodaynly And called one that was with him pryue And of counsayle whom he trusteth well And vnto him he telleth euerydell Fro poynt to poynt with him howe it stode And sent him forth bycause he could his good On his message streyght to Troye towne With full aduise and informaciowne Of this mattere to Hecuba the quene Through his wisedome for to be a mene If so he might by his discrecion Finde any waye as of saluacion Vnto his lorde that he loued so And to the quene anone he is go And his matter wisely gan conueye Tofore or he of grace would her preye That she enioyeth to gyue him audience For in his tale there was none offence ¶ He was no foole nor newe for to lere Wherfore the quene goodly gan him here Of all that euer him liketh for to sayne There was no word ylost nor spoke in vaine For his tale no man could amende And craftely he gan to discende To the substaunce and tolde clerely oute With premisses full well brought aboute That fynally in conclusyon The chiefe he sayde of his entencion Effectuelly if it would be Was for to make peace and vnyte Atwene Grekes and the folke of Troye To whych thinge he knewe no better weye Than of the werre for their alder ease By his witte prudently to appease The mortall stryfe and the bytter rage By allyaunce onely of maryage If that her lyst this wise worthy quene ¶ That her doughter fayre Pollicene Maye wedded be vnto Achilles Where through theyr might be a fynall peas If Hecuba by her discrescion Through her wytte and medyacion And her prudence might about brynge That Pryamus were fully assentinge ¶ That Achilles might his doughter wyue So that it might parfourmed be as blyue Lyke as tofore made is mencin By couenaunt onely and condicion That the Grekes shall theyr werre lete And suffer him to lyuen in quyete If the maryage of these ylke twayne Parfourmed be and knyt vp in a chayne ¶ And when y e quene hath knowen his entēt Full soberly by good aduysement Tofore or that any worde asterte Full pyteously she sighed in her herte And at the laste with a sobre cheare Euen thus she sayd to the messagere My frende quod she touchynge thy requeste I can no more make the beheste But at the leste I will condescende What lyeth in me to bringe to an ende Thy lordes wyll with all my herte entiere But herevpon I must fyrst requere The kinges wyll if he lyst to assente To the purpose for whych thou arte sente And ouermore I must wytte also If that Parys be willynge eke therto Of whych thynge with euery circumstaunce I wyll my selfe maken enqueraunce ¶ Full faythfully of Priam and Parys The meane whyle what is theyr aduyse Without more within dayes thre At whiche time come againe to me From Achilles if so he will the sende And fynally thou shalt knowe an ende Of this matter and an aunswere playne And home he goeth to Achilles agayne ¶ With full glad cheare his lorde the more to please And for to set his hert at better ease Auysedly of high discrescion He hath so made his relacion And tolde his tale in so thrifty wyse As he that could his wordes so deuyse To brynge in hope into his lordes herte With full relese of his paynes smerte Wherby he made his sorowe to withdrawe And thus whyle hope gan to adawe ¶ Amid his breke and Hecuba the
protection His myghty shelde and sauacion That haste this citie and this towne ylorne In whiche thou were fostred and yborne On the greatest of reputacion Of all the lordes dwellinge in this towne In which thou haddest whilom most plesauÌ„ce But all is now out of remembraunce ¶ Yet in thy hert yf any drape be Of gentylnesse mercy or pytye In this deadly rage full of tene Rewe on my doughter yonge Polycene From grekes sworde her youthe for to saue If thy herte may any routhe haue Of manly pytye on her maydenheade Defende her nowe and kepe her out of drede If thou canste fynde any weye In any wyse that she maye not deye ¶ That hereafter when men se and rede The false treason and the foule dede That thou haste done vnto Troye towne It maye in partye be protectiowne To thy fame the venym to allye Of this treason when men wyll assaye By iuste reporte thy name to accuse This dede may the helpe to excuse Agaynst tonges that speake of Enee Than wyll they saye thou haddest yet pytye On Polycene onely of gentilnesse Therwith to sugre all the bytternesse Of thy deserte blowe forth by fame By rehersayle of the foule blame That shal of the through the worlde be borne With sklauÌ„der infect wheÌ„ thou art al to torne That thou ne shalte the shame mowe sustene Then shall my doughter fayre Polycene Be thy defence agayne suche famous stryfe If it so be now thou saue her lyfe Of me no force though thou make as blyue The sworde of grekes through 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 her youthe was meued of pytye Onely of routhe that in his brest arose And secretely put her vp in close Lest that grekes founde occasyon Agaynst hym and Ayax Thelamon Toke to his warde Andromecha Hectors wyfe and wyfe Cassandra Out of the temple longing to Mynerue From grekes sworde their lyues to conserue ¶ And Menelaye toke the quene Heleyne Into his garde for whom so great a payne Bode in his herte many daye toforne By whom alas the cytye is now lorne ¶ And grekes aye were busye in their yre To slea and kylle and crullly to fyre On euery syde and to beate downe Palyce and house and wall of the towne They spare nought for all goth to the fyre So feruent hate brent in their desyre Of olde enuye auenged for to be That they ne lefte within the Cyte Nothynge vnbrent and also ylyowne Was in this rage tourned vp so downe There made were none exceptions Onely but take the possyons Of Anthenor euyll mote he fare And Eneas whom the grekes spare As thâ—y to them were bounde by their othe And thus the grekes furyous and wrothe Haue all that daye robbed and ybrent ¶ Tyll that the kynge Agamenon hath sent For his lordes to assemble yfeare In Pallas temple onely for to here There wyse aduyse vpon thynges twayne Fyrste if they wolde holde and not fayne Hooly their hope without exceptiowne To theÌ„ by whom they wonne fyrst 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 thrugh their hie renown ¶ And they answered without more taryinge They wolde their faith kepe in euery thynge As they were sworne and hestes holde And ouer this they sayde howe they wolde That golde treasour and good of the Cyte As ryght requietrh and also equitye Be iustly parted by deuysion To euery wyght made distribucyon Lyke his meryt of hygh and lowe degree And that the kynge eke of reason se Eche to rewarde after his labour So as it longeth to a conquerour That no man haue matter to compleyne And so they felle in speakynge of Heleyne Eueryche after his opynyon And tofore all other Ayax Thelamon Shortly sayde she hath deserued death For whom so many haue yelde vp the brethe Playnely affyrmynge there in Parlement Of ryghtwysenesse and trewe iudgement She shulde not escape with the lyfe That gynnyng was cause of all their strife Rote and grounde of all their sorowe and wo And so sayde eke many an other mo And for the noyse and the great affraye ¶ Agamenon nor kinge Menelaye Ne durst a worde for her partye meue To saue y e quene lest grekes wold them greue Agaynst them there was so great rumour Tyll Vlixes chiefely her socour Through his wyt and his eloquence His deuer dyd and his dylygence To haue her life and fully to purchace Of the grekes for to gette her grace ¶ And as Guydo also doth vs lere Agamenon grekes gan requere To graunt hym for a chiefe guerdon Of Cassandra to haue possession All her lyfe with hym to abyde Eke Eneas and Anthenor besyde Of Helenus to the grekes tolde How to the werre he neuer assente wolde And how that he prudennt and vertuous In counsaylyng was contrarious To all tho of hygh and lowe estate In Troye first that began debate Atwyxe grekes and this myghty towne Eke by his helpe and medyatiowne Achylles was buryed and ygraue The deade 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 both Of this murder in herte were full wrothe And sory eke of many an other thynge Wrought in the towne w tout their wyttynge ¶ And for they were of malyce Innocent The grekes haue fully by assent Graunted to them a prerogatyfe By Parlement for to haue theyr lyfe But Helenus first in teares drowned Tofore the kynge pyteously hath sowned And abraydynge with a deadly face In humble wyse besought hym of his grace Of knyghtly pytye to haue his aduertence To spare his sworde fro bloud of Innocence And of mercy that he not disdayne To graunt lyfe to the sonnes twayne ¶ Of worthy Hector his brother most entere And eke to rewe on their mother dere Onely of grace that she be not dead A wydowe lefte a lone and can not reade And so the kynge ameued in his herte And wote not whither that she maye diuerte Of his wordes and his wofull chere Benygnely graunted his prayer And gaue eke lyfe and fredom for to go To the mother and her chyldren two ¶ And to ladyes and gentyll women all That for mercy to his grace calle He graunted eke of compassyon A safe conduite and a fre pardon Where that them lyste in the towne abyde Or in the countre adiacent besyde He put it hole in their electiowne ¶ And thanking him they fell on knees down With many teare dewed in the face ¶ And so the kynge parteth fro the place And after that grekes ryght anone Fully purpose to shyp for to gone In haste to sayle towarde their countre But suche a tempest rose vp in the sea Of wawe and wynde also of cloudes blacke All a moneth that they dare not take The
and confuse As man forsake abiecte and refuse Ryght so fared he wandrynge to and fro As he that ne wyst what was best to do BVt I fynde the Troyan Eneas That all this while still at Troye was Onely of routh and compassyowne To support thē that were left of the towne Beynge alway of theyr life in doubte Of theyr fomen rounde beset aboute As they that lyued for lacke of an hede Contynually in myschyefe and in dread Knowing no refute nor cōfort in this case Tyll by counsell of this Eneas To supporte theym in this great nede They sent in haste for this Dyomede Knowynge full well his desolacyon How he was proscrypt fro his regyon Besechynge hym of manhode and of routhe Him to enhaste wythout any slouthe With all the stuffe that he get can And souldyers also manly euery man Without abode and to Troye them lede To succoure them in this great nede ¶ And Dyomede came and taryed nought At theyr request as he was besought To releue them in this sharpe shoure And wyth hym brought many a souldeour And Eneas on the waye him mette In frendly wyse and into towne hym fette And to him made passyngly great chere And there they gan to commune yfere Theyr auentures both of lande and sea Entermedled with great aduersyte That no man maye deuoyde nor eschewe But take his parte as it to him is dewe As sorte or hap doth his brydell lede And in this storye shortly to procede Cely Troyans that were almost shent With theyr fomen of yles adiacent That theim besette aboute enuyrowne But through the manhod the hye renowne Of Dyomede and his souldeours And other knyghtes noble werreours They were reskued and holpen vtterly And foure dayes they fought by and by In knyghtly wyse defendynge the Cytee And through prowesse also of Enee They slewe and toke all that them withstode And in diffence of Troyanyshe bloud Suche as they fonde to the cytye false They hange them vp hye by the halse And punyshed them for theyr great wronge ¶ And Dyomede thus gan wexe stronge By longe processe as made is mencyon Chiefe protectour now of Troye towne That enuye none by a large space Durst abyde that he had grace To his lygeaunce so he made them loute And thus his name sprede gan aboute That of his fame the great opynyon Dylated is vnto the regyon By swifte reporte to Calydonye and Arge Which the quene greatly gan to charge And astoned when he taketh hede His power gan and his might to dreade Lest he would her lande vpon her wynne And of knighthod a werre newe begynne And secretly gan muse on this thinge That her lorde and her myghty kynge Late exyled and yput to flyght Hath grace founde in fortunes syght And is remonuted to high estate Wherof she was in her selfe checke mate And wayes caste as he that was prudent By hole aduyse of her parliament Without grutchynge or rebellyon Him to reuoke to his regyon ¶ And therupon to him lowly sente And with letters the messager forth went The cause annullyng by which he was exiled And how he was fully reconsyled By hole assent of his lyeges all And ful lowly euerychone they call For theyr offence and of theyr trespace Without rygour for to do them grace And he anone like a manly knyght More of mercy sothly then of ryght When he hath theyr sonde well conceyued And theyr meninge fully apparceyued To stynte all strife thought for the best In goodly wise to graunt theyr requeste And to his reigne within a certayne daye He is repeyred in full riche arraye Of whose comynge full glad his lieges bene And reconsiled both he and the quene And all rancour of any olde offence Onely of wisedome they put in suspense And of one herte a blisful life they lede In Troye booke no more of hym I reade But let him liue in felycytee Agayne resortynge to tell of Ene After how he hath his tyme spent Which is fro Troye w t many Troyan went His shippes stuffed he and his meyne Be sayled forth by many straunge sea Many daunger and many strayte passage Tofore or he aryued in Cartage Ledinge with him his father Anchises And by the waye I finde that he les His wife Crewsa by fatall auenture But all the wo that he dyd endure Who so list ceryously to sene And how that he falshede the quene I meane Dido of womanhead floure That gaue to him her rychesse treasoure Iewelles and golde al y t mighte him please And euery thing that might do him ease ¶ But for all that how he was vnkinde Reade Eneydos and there ye shall it fynde And howe that he falsly stale awaye By nyghte tyme while she a bedde laye And of his conquest also in ytayle Where he hadde many stronge battayle His auentures and his workes all And of the fyne that is to him fall Ye maye all se by soueraygne style Fro poynt to poynt compyled in Virgile Wryte and made sythen go full yore For Troye boke speaketh of him no more ¶ But procedeth as I shall endyte How Horestes caste him for to quyte His fathers death playnly and not spare If ye lyst heare as Guydo doth declare IT is requyred of equit and of right Of that iudge that is most of myght And egally holdeth his balaunce On death conspyred for to do vengeaunce The voyce of bloud doth so aye contune To crye wreche with clamour importune On them in sothe that it iniustly shede For murdre wrought wil haue his egall mede And his guerdon as he hath deserued They maye not fle the iudgement reserued Of him that sit highest in his trone And all beholdeth by him selfe alone Full rightfully the noble mighty kinge For though he suffer he forget nothinge But all consydreth in his in inspectyon And for the murdre of Agamenon The mighty lorde y t is most soueraygne good Made of mynystre of the same bloud Yonge Horestes full of high prowesse To execute his dome of ryghtwisenesse And gaue to him grace power and might And he anone toke the ordre of a knyght Of Ydumeus like as it is tolde When he was foure and twentye wynter olde Freshe and lustye and wonderly prudent And inwardly desyrous of intente If fortune would him not with sayne His heritage to recure agayne ¶ Which Egistas falsly hym denyeth And the crowne vniustly occupyeth By false tytle of her that was his wife ¶ But Horest's will ieoparde his lyfe And auenture while him lasteth breth Fyrst to be venged on his fathers death Vpon them tho that the treason wrought And alderfyrst full lowly he besought ¶ Kinge Ydinne of his goodlyhead To further him in this great nede ¶ And the kinge benignely anone Assigned hath with him for to gone A thousand knightes manly and right strōge To redresse the great horrible wronge Of Egistus wrought by violence And by his wisdome and his dyligence This Horestes gan him so purueye
was full trist and liked nothinge wele But inwardly felte ful great smerte ¶ And his neuewe he had also at herte I meane Horrestes that so mercyles Like a tyraunt that were graceles His mother slewe and had no pytye Of mortall yre in his crueltye And fully caste that he would bline Of sceptre and crowne platly him depriue Full afferminge of this mortall case By all lawe that he vnworthy was His fathers reygne as heyre to possede Iustly consydred his horrible dede And all at ones furyous and wroth Without abode vnto ship he goth Melancolike in his great tene Out of Crete saylinge to Athene And toke the lande out of shippes borde Where duke Nestor was gouernour and lord Which them receyueth like a gentyll knyghte With all his power diligence and myght But Menelay of rancour and great heat Gan with the duke secretly to trete To fynde a meane in his inward syght ¶ For to depriue Horrestes of his right And therupon to haue a iudgement At Athenes was holde a Parliament Of all the lordes of that regyon To giue theron a diffinicion In whych was shewed openly ynough How Horrestes his owne mother slough And the maner of his great offence Him selfe tho beynge in presence And when this thinge he fully did espye For his partye he gan agayne replye As he that felte him frely at his large For him alledginge how he had in charge Of the goddes shortly to declare His mortall sworde that he not ne spare Vpon Clemestra roote of false treason That slewe her lorde kinge Agamenon And the murdre through her malice wrought Wherfore Horrestes humbly besought The lordes all with a manly herte Of equit consydre and aduerte For no malice rancour nor for rage Him to depriue of his heritage Sith he was sonne of Agamenon Borne to be heyre of that regyon As ye haue herde that called was Methene Albe his mother Clemestra the quene Compassed had his destruction ¶ But duke Nestor ymeued of reason In sustaynynge of Horestes ryght Rose vp anone lyke a manly knyght Offrynge hym selfe proudely for his sake This hye quarell for to vndertake With his body to the death darreyne With whom that lyst his tytle to withseyne ¶ But there was none in all that companye That durste a worde agayne hym replye So hoole he stode in his opynion And by his knyghtly mediacyon He bare hym so feynynge in nothynge That Horestes was ycrowned kyng Of Meneste all beynge of assent And whan dissolued was the parlement This Horestes of his lyeges trewe Receyued was with a crowne newe And by treate of lordes many one Kyng Menelay and he were made attone And gan their Ire and their rancour lete ¶ And Ydume the worthy kynge of Crete So prudently gouerneth this mattere That Hermyone the yonge doughter dere ¶ Of Menelay and the quene Heleyne So yonge so freshe of beaute souerayne Ywedded was without more taryinge To Horestes the yonge lusty kynge And bycause of this allyaunce Deuoyded was all rancour and distraunce Atwene the kynges Menelay the olde And Horestes of whom ryght nowe I tolde Thus leue I them as it was the beste Eche in his reygne lyue in peace and reste For all stryfe was ceased in this case ¶ But Erygona that the doughter was Of Egistus as ye haue herde me telle For sorowe and drede lyste no longer dwelle But toke a rope and lyst nothynge to spare And therwithall gan her selfe to gnare The storye sayth hye vpon a tree This was her fyne ye gette no more of me But I wyll forth ceryously entreate Of the storye to telle you the great OH Vlixes by ordre in my wrytynge Thyne auentures come on the rynge Full wonderfull both on londe and sea Entermedlyd with great aduersytye For Guydo fyrste descryuynge thy repayre Saith how thou founde wether foule fayre Nowe agreable now the thonder sowne Now styll and smoth now w t cloudes frowne And sayth also that thou dyddest ordeyne To thy passage myghty shyppes twayne Apparayled all for marchandyse That thou myghtest in most secrete wyse Euery myschyefe of the sea escape ¶ But for all that thou haddest a felle iape For as this auctour thy resorte doth wryte He sayth Vlyxes for all his wordes whyte Yrobbed was of rychesse and of good Contraryous wynde so agayne hym stode That he was dryue to his confusyon In to the myghty stronge regyon Where Thelamon reygned by his lyue And there he was hent and take blyue ¶ By myghtye hande seased by the brest And mercyles put vnder arest For they hym had suspecte in workynge Touchynge the murther of the same kynge But he so wrought by his sleyghty wyle And his tale sette in suche a style That them all he playnly hath be iaped And fro their hande frely is escaped Excepte that he for all his queynt fare Of his treasour was ymade full bare And for his passage was to hym vnkouth He fell agayne into the wolfes mouthe For veryly as it is specyfyed Kynge Naulus men haue hym efte espyed Take and bounde and chayned mercyles For the murther of kynge Pallamydes ¶ But the storye reherseth in certayne By his prudence he scaped is agayne For he was both expert wyse and olde Although the maner be not fully tolde Of his escape through his busy peyne Out of daunger of these kynges twayne Tyll through fortune he came fro mischefe fre To the presence of kyng Ydume In symple arraye and torne apparayle Wherof the kynge greatly gan meruayle To se his pouert in so lowe manere But for all that he made hym good chere Though that tyme ye were infortunate He hym receyueth lyke to his estate And when they were both twayne alone In complayninge Vlixes made his mone Vnto the kinge as he that was ful sage Ceryously the sorte of his passage With face sad and a sobre cheare Fro poynt to poynt anone as ye shall heare ¶ My lorde quod he shortly to expresse Of truste I haue in your gentylnesse I shall to you my auentures all Reherse here ryght as it is fall FIrste when that I Troye lande forsoke And the water wyth my shippes toke I was anone with winde peceably blowe To an yle which was to me vnknowe ¶ Called Mirma of great habundaunce And all thynge that was to my pleasaunce That maye for siluer or for golde be bought I redy founde and wanted ryght nought And there abode full longe while in ioye With the treasour that I gat at Troye My shyppes stuffed my men safe and sounde And for commodyte of that ylke grounde We lyked so the countre enuyron That for disporte and recreacyon Our taryinge there we thought not ful lōge For no man dyd vnto vs no wronge Tyll on a daye that the eyer was styll The winde also fully at our wyll We sayled for the in quyete and in peace Vnto a porte called Claustafages Wherwyth my meyne longe and many daye I founde all thinge accordynge to my paye The