tene Therfore to Appollo she myght vp offred be By sacryfyce to please his deyte With deth agayne to make recompence Right as by deth firste was the offence This grekes muste vtterly fulfyll If they desyre for to haue at wyll The large see to sayle in quyete And Pyrus tho in a Furyous hete Gan enquere aboute of euery man For Polycene but no wyght tell can Of hir a worde nor shortly where she was Saufe some sayde how that Eneas And Anthornor hadde hyd hir pryuely Wherof there rose amonge them sodaynely Suche a grutchynge of grekes all aboute Of theyr lyfe that they were in doute So inwardly this thynge they toke at grefe Tyll Anthenor god gyue hym euyll prefe That may of treason as wardeyne bere the keye To shewe out his malys euery weye So longe hath sought tyll in a chaumbre olde He hath hir founde and the grekes tolde And brought hir forth vnto theyr presence By cruell force and hatefull vyolence Without pyte or compassion And hir delyueryd to Agamenon And he alas by hasty Iugement Without respyte or auysement Shortly hath dempte that she shal be dede That was flourynge in hir maydenhede And for to do excepcyon She was assygned by Agamenon Vnto Pyrrus and he of Tyrannye Ladde hir forth and fast gan hym hye To the place where she shulde deye Great was the prease that in the weye Gan Croude and shoue to beholde and sene This yonge mayde fayre Polycene That for hir beaute and hir semlynesse Hir womanhede and excellent fayrenesse Of all yfere whan they toke hede They hadde routhe that she shal be dede Without gylte or any more trespace Where men may se vpon many face The salte terys faste fall downe Of very pyte and compasâ—yowne For man nor childe was none so harde of herte But he felte for hir sake smerte Hir goodly face whan they beholde and se And fayne wolde if it myght haue be Delyuered hir of very force anone From Pyrrus hoÌ„de but for they wende echone Without hir deth neuer to haue repayre Into Grece nor the weder fayre As Calchas hadde made suggestyon And brought them all in oppynyon And at the laste whan this Polycene Of dede and wyll a very mayde clene Was to the graue of Achylles brought She kneleth downe with an humble thought Caste vp hir Eye and gan syghe ofte And to the goddes humbly and softe With dredfull herte and deuocyon Made in this wyse hir lamentacyon OYe almyghty that in this worlde gouerne And euery thynge consydre discerne By whom this worlde so huge large rounde Bothe eyer and see heuen and eke the grounde At your deuyse with a worde was wrought And soth fastly knowe euery thought Right as it is of euery maner wyght Without lettynge so persynge is your syght That no thynge is concelyd nor ywrye From the beholdynge of your eternall eye And euery thynge may attones se Vpon my soule haue mercy and pyte And of your grace and benygne cure Vpon my woo and pyteous auenture Haue some routhe now that I shall deye My wofull spirite to lede and conueye Where as you lyste nowe that I shall pace For vnto you in this selfe place I me confesse with all humylyte That hethertowarde I haue in chastyte Lade all my lyfe and kept my maydenhede In your seruyse bothe in thought and dede In porte in chere and in countenaunce Or for feture of any dalyaunce With one mysloke I neuer yet abrayde So that in sothe I dye shall a mayde As ye well knowe of synne all innocent Though I be nowe dempt by Iugement For to be deed without gylte at all Wytnesse on you that be inmortall Clene of entent of that I am accusyd And yet alas I may nat be excusyd But that the swerde of vengeaunce mustebyte Routheles whiche am no thynge to wyte But stonde clere and pure of all offence And discharged in my conscyence I dare afferme and fully gylteles Touchynge the murdre of worthy Achylles Whiche slewe my brother and after louyd me And is nowe cause of myne aduersyte And yet in wyll dede worde nor thought Vnto his deth assentaunt was right nought But therof was right sory in my herte Albe that I may nat now asterte For to be deed oonly for his sake On me alone vengeaunce shal be take Without mercy in full cruell wyse With my blode to make sacryfyâ—e To the goddes theyr wrathe for to queme O people blynde in sothe amys ye deme Agaynst me your herte is so cruell To mercyles to Yrous and to fell Without routhe to mykell Indurate To slee a mayde alone desolate Out of your herte alas pyte is gone Harder in trouthe than outher stocke or stone And more cruell in your oppynyon Forlacke of pyte than Tygre or Lyon Certes ye be greatly for to blame And oughte therof for to haue great shame To assent to so foule a dede To slee a mayde quakynge in hir drede And graunte hir none oportunyte For to be wepe hir virgynyte That of this cruell this pyteous wreche My blode your gylte hereafter shall apeche And accuse also your great enuye To the goddes that shall iustefye Euery vnright bothe of hye and lowe Full egally and make to be knowe The trouthe playnely spare and no degree But make open that is now secree I saye nat this nor my selfe complayne To haue reders of my fatall payne For deth is now more welcome vnto me Than is my lyfe and more I take at gree Sythen my brether most worthy of renowne Be slayne all and buryed in this towne My Fader deed in his vn weldy age And I alone lefte in all this rage And haue abyde pyteously to se Fynall ruyne now of this Cyte Whiche at my herte sytteth now so sore That leuer I haue than to wepe more Dye attones in reles of my woo Sythe all my kynne is passed and agoo Longer to lyue were to me a deth For better is here to yelde vp the breth Than to be lad out of this Cyte Amonge straungers to lyue in pouerte O Deth welcome and longer lette Thy dredefull darte to fyle to whette My tendre herte therwith all to ryue Agayne thy myght I shall neuer stryue Now is tyme to kythe thy powere On me that am of wyll and herte entere A clene mayde so as I began Without touche of any maner man In all my lyfe to this same day This lytell auaunt make yet I may In myn ende to the goddes alle After whose helpe now I clyppe and calle And to theyr mercy mekely I coÌ„mende My wofull spirite pray them that they sende To euery mayde better happe and grace Than I haue nowe and a longer space In hertely ioye and honour to contune Without assaute of any infortune To lede theyr lyfe in prosperyte And all maydens remembreth vpon me To take exaumple how ye shall you kepe And that ye wolde a fewe terys wepe Whan
herde me telle Lad into Grece with Thelamon to dwelle For whom there was as Guydo can you teche After take so great vengaunce and wreche On eyther parte that in very trouthe For to here it is to moche routhe As in this boke ye maye after rede Ceryously if ye lyste take hede For gladly aye the reuolusion Of fatall thynge by disposicion Is so enuyous and alway meynt with wo That in this worlde where so that we go We truely may aduerte in our thought That for the value of a thynge of nought Mortall causes and werres firste begonne And stryfe and debate here vnder the sonne Were meued firste of smale occasion That caused after great confusion That noman can the harmes halfe endyte For a cause dere Inough a myte Eche is redy to destroye other A man for lytell wyll stryue with his brother Blode is vnkynde whiche greatly is to drede Alas why ne wyll they take better hede For olde Troye and after the newe Thorugh small encheson who yâ— trouthe knewe Were fynally brought to distruccion As olde bokes make mencion And many worthy and many noble knyght Slayne in the felde by duteâ—â—e of that fyght Kynges prynces at the sege dede Whan Attropos to breke theyr lyues threde That for to tell the myscheif and the wo I wante connynge and I fele also My penne quake and tremble in my honde Lyste that my lorde dradde on see and londe Whose worthynes thrugh the world doth sprede My makynge rude shall beholde and rede Whiche of colour full naked is and bare That but if he of his grace spare For to disdayne and lyste to haue pyte For fere I tremble that he shulde it se ¶ But onely mercy that doth his herte enbrace Byd me presume fully in his grace Seynge in hym moste vertuous and gode Mercy anexed vnto royall blode As to a prynce longeth nyghe and ferre Aye tofore right pyte to preferre For thorugh the supporte of his hye noblesse Sowpowayled I wyll my style dresse To wryte forth the storye by and by Of newe Troye in ordre ceryously As myn Auctour in latyn Guydo wryt Prayeng the reder where my worde myssyt Causynge the metre to be halte or lame For to correcte to saue me fro blame Lete hym not wayte after curyosyte Syth that in ryme Englysshe hath scarste I am so dull certayne that I ne can Folowe Guy do that clerke that coryous man Whiche in latyn hath by rethoryke Set so his wordes that I can nat be lyke To sewe his style in my translacion Worde by worde lyke the construccion After the maner of gramaryens Nor lyke the style of rethorycyens I toke nat on me this storye to translate For me to further Clyo came to late That in suche crafte hath great experyence I leue these wordes and folowe the sentence And trouthe of metre I sette also a syde For of that art I hadde as tho no guyde Me to reduce whan I went a wronge I toke none hede nouther of shorte nor longe But to the trouthe and lefte euryosyte Bothe of makynge and of metre be Nat purposynge to moche for to varye Nor for to be dyuers nor contrarye Vnto Guydo as by discordaunce But me conforme fully in substaunce Oonly in menynge to conclude all one All be that I ne can the way gone To sewe the floures of his eloquence Nor of peyntynge I haue none excellence With sondry hewes noble fresshe and gay So ryche colours byggen I ne may I muste procede with sable and with blacke And in ennewynge where ye fynde a lacke I axe mercy or I fro you twynne And with your fauour I wyll anone begynne And in all haste my style forth dyrecte And where I erre I praye you to correcte THe same tyme whan that Troye towne Destroyed was and kyng lamedowne Was also slayne thorugh the cruelte Of hercules vnder his eyte He had a sone the storye telleth vs Whiche was his heyce y called Pryamus Wonder manly discrete and prudente Whiche that tyme from Troye was absent Whan his fader loste there his lyfe For he that tyme with Ecuba his wyfe And with his sones aboute a castell lay And all his knyghtes to gete it if they may That hath on them myghtely werreyed For they his fader haue falsly disobeyed And vnto hym be rebell wonder longe All be Pryam with sautes huge and stronge Them hadde assayled ofte and many sythe His strengthe on them lyke a knyght of kythe To gete in armes worshyp and honour And them to daunte lyke a conquerour He caste hym fully or that he departe For day by day his lyfe he gan Iuparte At theyr walles for to preue his myght With many baron and many worthy knyght For he yet hadde his yonge lusty blode And was in age flowrynge in knyghthode And at assautes and suche maner stryfe On with the firste for to auntre his lyfe To herte his men hym lyste nat be behynde For drede of dethe sothly as I fynde Afore the castell hye and thycke walled And by his wyfe that Ecuba was called This Pryam had full worthy of degree Fyue sones and yonge doughters three Of whiche the eldest Ector called was Whiche also fer as Phebus in compas A naturell daye goth his cercle aboute So fer of hym without any doute Reported was the renowne and the name The worthynesse and the noble fame For lyke as bokes of hym specefye He was the roote and stocke of chyualrye And of knyghthod very soueraygne floure The sours and welle of worshyp honoure And of manhod I dare it well expresse Example and myroure and of hye prowesse Gynnynge and grounde with all this yfere Wonder benygne and lowely of his chere Discrete also prudent and vertuous Of whom the dedes and actes meruaylous Remembred ben of so longe a gone For he alone excelled euerychone In olde Auctours rede and ye may fynde Of his knyghthod how yet they make mynde The nexte brother called was Parys To whom nature gaue to herdeuys Of shap and fourme beaute and semelynesse That to remembre his excellent fayrenesse In his tyme without any drede He passed all that I can of rede And he was eke a full manly knyght But moost he vsed whan he shulde fyght In his hande for to bere abowe For suche an archer no man coude knowe For to seke bothe fer and nere That of shotynge myght be his pere As it was founde whan he hadde a do And Alysaundre called was also The thirde sone hyghte Dephebus A worthy knyght and a chyualrous And hadde in armes a full great renowne And was a man of hye discreciowne And wyse of couÌ„sayle myn auctor telleth thus ¶ The fourth brother called Helenus Sad and discrete and of hye prudence And was also a man of great scyente And renoÌ„med therwith in specyall In all the artes called lyberall For he in them was expert a ryght The fyfte sone was a worthy knyght Fresshe and lusty and yongest
equypollent And if to venus of trewe clene entent The lyste to graunt in conclusion Of the Appell to haue possession The fresshe goddesse that syt so hye aboue Shall the ensure to haue vnto thy loue The fayrest lady that is or was tofore Or in this worlde euer shal be bore And in Grece thou shalt hir knyghtly wynne Now be aduysed or that thou begynne Iustly to deme and for no thynge spare ¶ And I anone gan loke vp and 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 myghty haue fully lyberte Eueryche of them a vyselye to se And consydre euery circumstaunce Who fayrest were vnto my plesaunce And goodlyest to speke of womanhede And after that to my dome procede And they anone as ye haue herde me seye To my desyre mekely gan obeye In all haste to do theyr besy cure Them to dispoyle of clothynge and vesture Lyche as the statute of my dome them bonde In a poynt they ne wolde it nat withstonde That I myght haue full inspexion Of fourme and shap and eche proporsion For to discerne as I can remembre A vysely by ordre euery membre And than at erst to Iuge after ryght But whan that I of eche hadde a syght I gaue to venus the appell right anone Bycause she was fayrest of echone And moste excellynge sothly of beaute Moste womanly and goodly on to se As I deme playnly in my syght For the stremes of hir eyen bryght Ilyche glade and egall euen of lyght Were to y◠sterre y◠sheweth towarde nyght Whiche called is Esperus so shene Venus hir selfe the fresshe lusty quene The whiche anone this heuenly Emperesse After my dome of hertely hye gladnesse That of the appell she hooly hath the glorye And wonne it iustly by victorye Reioysed hir more than I can tell That she hir feres in beaute dyde excell And she in haste of trewe affeccion Concluded hath fully for my guerdon Full demurely lowe and nat a lofte To Mercurye with sobre wordes softe Deuoyde bothe of doubylnesse and slouthe Lyke her beheste holde wyll hir trouthe And sodaynly without more Iniurye They disapered and the god Mercurye Streyghte to heuen the right way toke And I anone out of my slepe a woke ¶ Wherof my lord whom I most loue drede If ye aduerte and wysely take hede That this beheste affermed in certayne Was vnto me assured nat in vayne Of goodly venus lyke as I haue tolde Wherfore I rede ye be of herte bolde Me for to sende with stronge myghty hande Without abode into Grekes lande After the fourme that I haue you sayde And I hope ye shal be well apayde Whan I haue spede as venus hath behyghte And home retourne with my lady bryghte So shall ye beste me lyste nat speke in vayne Be echaunge of hir your suster wyn agayne Whom Thelamon withholde hath of yore Lo this is all I can say you nomore Touchynge the effect hooly of myn aduyse And after that stylle sat Parys As he that fully hymselfe aquyte But saye Pryam alas where was thy wyte Of neclygence for take kepe Thy truste to sette on dremes or on slepe Full thynne was thy discrecyon To take a grounde of false illusyon For to procede lyke the fantasye Vpon a sweuen meynt with flaterye Alas reason was no thynge thy guyde For Pallas was wrongly sette asyde Nat receyued with dewe reuerence And Iuuo eke for all hir sapyence For all hir good and lokynge debonayre With hir treasour and hir 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 stryfe Preferred was the appell to procede Agayne all right for Parys toke none hede Saue vnto luste and sette a syde trouthe Where thorugh alas that was full great routhe The myghty ryche and the noble towne Of Troye was brought to confusyowne Oonly for he knyghthode hath forsake Prudence and golde and in his choyse Ytake Oonly a woman and holde hym therto That after was roote of all theyr woo As this storye ceryously shall telle But I in dremes wyll no lenger dwelle But wryte forthe how that Dephebus The thyrde sone of kynge Pryamus His tale gan in open audyence And to the kynge shortly in sentence As he that lyste a trouthe nat to spare Euen thus his conceyte to declare My lorde quod he if that euery wyght Aduerte shulde and caste in his syght Of future thynge the peryll and the doute And cerche it within and withoute From poynt to poynt alwaye in his reason To caste doutes and tourne vp so downe Than no wyght shulde to no purpose wende In any matere for to make an ende Other presume by manhod in his thought Who caste perylles acheueth lytell or nought For if the plowman alway caste aforne How many graynes in his felde of corne Shal be deuoured of foules rauynous That he doth sowe in feldes plenteuous Than shulde he neuer in vale nor in playne For cowardshyp throwe abrode his grayne Lete all suche drede nowe be layde asyde I holde folye lenger to abyde But y◠Parys my brother make hym stronge With his shyppes for to venge our wronge Vpon grekes with all his payne and myght To preue shortly that he is a knyght For of reason ye consydre may How that no man iustly may say nay But that Parys hath counsayled we le For by my trouthe as fer as I can fele It were errour his purpose to contrarye Wherfore let hym now no lenger tarye But holde his waye with a stronge nauye For to auenge the great velanye That grekes haue if ye take hede Done heretofore to vs and to our kynrede And for fynall execucyon Of the recure touchynge Exyon Whom they treate in dishonest wyse Agaynst all right and tytle of iustyse That to thynke it gyueth my herte a wounde The shame of whiche so newe doth rebounde Vpon all that be of hir allye Wherfore the beste that I can espye Is that Parys take this vyage With suche as be of fresshe and lusty age Manly to wende into Grekes lande And by force of theyr myghty hande Maugre the Grekes proude and most elate Rauysshe there some lady of estate And than ye may by knyghthod of my brother If ye lyste chaunge hir for that other This moste redy and short conclusion That I can se for restytucion Of Exyone if that Parys wende And of my counsayle shortly thus the ende And than as faste full discrete and sage Helenus the fourth sone of age Rose from his sete with great reuerence Prayeng his fader graunte hym audyence That he may say in presence of them all Openly what that shal be fall As he that most of secrete thynges can And soberly thus his tale began With clene entent and trewe affeccion My lorde
may hye With many a lorde in his companye Full many lady fresshe and well beseyne And many mayde that ryde them ageyne Firste estates and after comuners Now hadde Parys all his prysoners Set before in ordre tweyne and tweyne And he rode next with the quene Eleyne And Dephebus vpon the other syde And his knyghtes enuyrondyde ryde But next hym rode the worthy Eneas And the Troyan called Pollydamas His meyne suynge eche in his degre So gentylmanly that ioye it was to se Eeche from other kepynge a certayne space And forthe they rode but a softe pace Tyll that the kynge them mette sodaynly And receyued them solempnely As he beste coude and goodly toke the reyne Into his hande of the quene Eleyne And hir conueyed forthe to his Cyte Great was the prease that abode to se Of sondry folke that shoued faste and croude The shyrle trumpettes were yreysed loude Vp to the skye goth the blysfull sowne Whan all this people entreth in the towne And many a nother dyuerse instrument That all tofore in at the gates went In sondry wyse that made melodye That to here the heuenly armonye By musyke touched vpon strynge and corde So euen in one and iustly they accorde It wolde an herte rauysshe into ioye And whan they were entred into Troye Amydde his palayse kynge Pryamus alyghte And anone as faste as euer he myghte Into a chambre ryche and well besey The quene Eleyne in haste he doth conuey CoÌ„maundynge with herte wyll and thought His offycers that hir fayle nought Of any thynge that she can bethynke The spyces parted anone the wyne they drynke And than the kynge toke leue tyll suppyre And she there whyles chaungeth hir attyre ¶ But of the ioye that was in the towne In euery place where men went vp downe I am to rude sothely all to wryte So moche in herte the Troyans them delyte That safe and sounde retourned is Parys They wende to haue be for ioye in paradys That he so well sped in his iourne And hath nat one loste of his meyne Wherof they be in herte glad and lyght And in all haste after the next nyght As wryte Guydo without taryeng longe Erely on the morowe afore the large songe In Pallas temple as myn Auctor sayth Assured was by o the and eke by fayth The bonde of wedlocke of hym and of Eleyne For euer more to laste atwene them tweyne The knotte is knyt of this sacrament And thus was done fully by the assent Firste of the kynge and also by the aduyse Of all the Cyte in fauour of Paryse And so the feste and great solempnyte Contynued was with moche ryalte Of this weddynge in myrthe and solace Thorugh the towne by eyghte dayes space What shulde I wryte the reuell or the daunces The fresshe aray or the countenaunces The scole touches the lokes amerous The pryue grutchyng of them that were Ialous The great Iustes bordes or tornaye Amydde palestre with many sondry playe The dyuerse courses eke at euery feste The large plente done vnto the leste The straunge metes the maner of seruyse I haue none englysshe all for to deuyse I passe ouer for I was nat there ¶ But whan this weddynge came to the ere Of Cassandra and firste it dyde espye A thousande sythe alas she gan to crye Of pytous wo with vntrussed heere 's And sayde thus all be speynte with teeres O wretched Troye errynge in this case Within thy selfe to suffre this trespase For to consente vnto suche folye In susteynynge of foule auoutrye That Parys shulde take vnto wyue The quene Eleyne whose husbande is a lyue O wofull Troye to cruell is thy fate For to beware it is almoste to late The tyme is come thou shalte destroyed be For many fader shall his sone se Hole on the morowe that shal be slayne or eue Amyddes the felde that wyll hym sore greue And many wyfe sore shall bewepe To se her husbande with large woundes depe Gryde thorugh the body pale colde and grene Alas how shall ye the sorowe mowe sustene A wretched moders how shall ye endure To se your childerne by cruell aduenture Afore you slayne without remedye It wyll nat helpe though ye clepe and crye A moder myn Eccuba the quene How shalt thou byde the sharpe stoundes kene Thy worthy sones to seafore the slawe And in the felde be cruelte Idrawe A blynde people of deth thou takest no hede Why ne wyl thou worke and do after my rede And in this case more prudent be and wyse To take away Eleyne fro Parys As right requereth without any more And to hir lorde iustely hir restore ¶ What trowe ye his thefte and cruell dede Shall passe thus nay nay without drede The swerde of vengeauÌ„ce shall full sharpe byte For his offence and we shall bere the wyte Paleys and hous to se within a throwe And toures hye layde on the erthe lowe Alas alas I saye to the Eleyne Vnhappy woman causer of our peyne Harde and vnsely and also graceles Vnwelfull woman distourbler of our pes Thou hast vs brought in myschefe in were Kyndled a bronde to sette vs all afere Alas thou arte the grounde and roote of all Of many drery feste fymerall That shall beholde amonge vs in this towne And in this wyse Cassandra vp and downe Aboute ran in subarbe and in strete And cryeth euer whom that euer she mete Full ofte sythe alas and welaway Tyll Pryamus bycause of hir affray And for the noyse that she dyde make Without more anone he doth hir take And bynde faste fetred in pryson Without mercy or remyssyon They toke no hede to hir sadde trouthe Nor to hir wordes it was the more routhe But shet hir vp in bondes great and stronge Without pyte where she abydde longe And thus in pryson a whyle I leue hir morne And to the grekes I wyll agayne retourne THe vnhappy tyme in the same whyle That fortune falsely gan to smyle Vpon Troyans and bad them to be merye For whiche hyely they gan theyr goddes herye Wenynge in ioye to haue be assured wele No thyng aduertynge the turnynge of the whele Of hir that lasteth stable but a throwe WhaÌ„ men most truste hir she can make amowe Tourne hir forhede and hir face wrythe Suche ioye she hath hir doubylnesse to kythe And to wrappe hir clerenesse vnder cloude Agaynst whose myght no maÌ„ may hyÌ„ shroude WhaÌ„ she most flatereth thaÌ„ she is lâ—st to tryste For in her ioye the Troyans lytell wyste What she mente to theyr confusiowne For whyle that they aboute in all the towne Wende of grekes haue goten full recure Of theyr damages and euer to haue be sure Thorugh thylke praye that Parys had wonne The wycked fame and rumoure is Yronne With swyfte wyngê of all that they haue wrought To Menelay the tydynges were Ybrought Whyles he abode with Nestor at Pyra Firste of the temple in Cithera How it was spoyled and the robberye Of
of Cupydes darte And specheles full ofte felte sore ¶ What shall I sayne eke of duke Nestore Of longe stature and well compact withall With corbe shuldres and of myddell small In handes stronge with armes large rouÌ„de In counsaylynge prudent and wyse yfounde Whose wordes were sugred with pleasaunce Vpon his frende hauynge aye remembraunce For of his trouthe he ne coude fayne But in anger he myght hym nat refrayne He was so fret with melancolye That no man myght his yre modefye Albe it laste but a lytell space Who coude hym suffre anone it wolde pace Lyghtly it came and lyghtly went awaye And Protheselaus was fresshe of araye Wonder semely and of grete beaute I trowe a fayrer no man myght se Of good stature and delyuer and lyght No man more swyfte and to speke of myght Of his makynge he was passynge stronge Fers of courage and lothe to take a wronge And to tell of Neptolomous He was of makynge wonder corsyous Whose heer was blacke shynynge as dothe geeâ— With eyen rounde brode and greet Large brested with a rysynge backe And in speche stamerde whan he spacke But in causes he coude medle wele And in the lawe full depe he dyde fele For all his luste was besette on plees But for to tell of Pallamydees Kynge Naulus â—one withouten any wene Of face fayre of body longe and lene Of manfull herte hardy in batayle And desyrous his enemye to assayle Famylyer curteyse and tretable In all his dedes and inly worshypable In gyuynge large and passynge of great same Of whose bounce full wyde sprange the name In many lande the storye telleth thus And herte I fynde of Polydamus The worthy greke was of great thycknesse Of womâ—â—wolle enbossed with fatnesse That 〈◊〉 he myght hymselfe sustene And yet of herte he was full proude and kene Right surquedrous and full of pensyfenesse And 〈◊〉 glad so thought dyde hym oppresse But Machaon lyke as wryte Guydo Of longe and shorte was betwyx two Full proude and ferse deuoyde of pacyence And vengeable who hym dyde offence And yet he was balde as a coote On whose forhede euen by the roote The heer was fallen and wasted clene away And selde or neuer he wolde stepe a day And ouermore to tell of Cryseyde My penne stombleth for longe or she deyde My mayster Chauncer dyde his dylygence To discryue the great excellence Of hir beaute and that so maysterlye To take on me it were but hye folye In any wyse to adde more therto For well I wote anone as I haue do That I in sothe no thanke deserue may Bycause that he in wrytynge was so gay And but I wryte I muste the trouthe leue Of Troye boke and my mater breue And ouer passe and nat go by and by As Guydo doth in ordre ceryously And that I muste do offencion Thorugh neclygence or presumpcion So am I sette euen amyddes twayne Great cause haue I and mater to complayne On Antropose and vpon hir enuye That brake the threde and made for to dye Noble Galfryde Poete of Brytayne Amonge our Euglysshe that made first to rayne The golden dewe droppes of rethoryke so fyne Our rude langage oonly to enlumyne To god I praye that he his soule haue After whose helpe of nede I muste craue And seke his boke that is lefte behynde Some goodly worde therin for to fynde To set amonge the croked lynes rude Whiche I do wryte as by symylytude The rubyestant so royall of renowne Within a rynge of coper or latowne So stant the makynge of hym douteles Amonge our bokes of Englysshe pereles They are esye to knowe they be so excellent There is no makynge to his equypollent We do but halte who so taketh hede That medle of makynge without any drede Whan we wolde his style counterfete We may alday our colour grynde and bete Tempre our asour and vermylyon But all I holde but presumpcyon It foloweth nat therfore I lette be And firste of all I wyll excuse me And procede as I haue begonne And thorugh his fauour certayne if I konne Of Troye boke for to make an ende And there I lefte agayne I wyll now wende Vnto Cryseyde and though to my socour Of rethoryke that I haue no flour Nor hewes ryche stones nor perre For I am bare of all curyouste Thorugh crafty speche to enbroude with hir sleue Yet for all that now I wyll nat leue But be as bolde as bayarde is the blynde That caste no peryll what way that he fynde Right so wyll I stomble forthe of hede For vnconnynge and take no better hede So as I can hir beaute to discryue That was in sothe of all tho a lyue One the fayrest this Calchas doughter dere Therto of shap of face and of chere There myght be no fayrer creature Ofhye nor lowe but mene of stature Hir sonnysshe heer lyke Phebus in his spere Bounde in a tresse bryghter than golde were Downe at hir backe lowe downe behynde Whiche with a threde of gold she wold bynde Full ofte sythe of acustomaunce Therto she had so moche fuffysaunce Of kyndes werke without any were And saue hir browes ioyned yfere No man coude in hir alacke espyen And ferthermore to speke of hir eyen They were so persynge heuenly and so clere That an herte ne myght hymsefe stere Agayne hir shynynge yâ— they ne wolde wouÌ„de Thorugh out a breste god wote be younde Also she was for all hir semelynesse Full symple and meke and full of sobernesse The beste nourysshed eke that myght be Goodly of speche fulfylled of pyte Facunoyous and therto right tretable And as sayth Guydo in loue varyable Of tendre herte and vnsted fastnesse He hir accuseth and newfongylnesse And after this Dares doth reherse Amonges other how the kynge of Perse Came to grekes with many worthy knyght To helpe and further with all his full myght The whiche kynge was of stature longe And wonder fat as he wryte right stronge Whose berde and heer redde as flawme of fyre With eyen stepe and feruent of desyre To haue a do and sterne of chere and loke And ofte sythes of sodayne yre he quoke And had wertes plente in his face And thus Dares shortly for to pace No more of Grekes wryteth as I fynde But of Troyans for to make mynde Ceryously he doth his style dresse Them do descryue as I shall expresse ¶ Of the Discripcyon of Pryamus and his sones and doughters and how yâ— Grekes toke lande before the Temple of Dyame yâ— goddesse Capitulo xvi ANd first he sayth how kyng Pryamus Was of his chere benyngne gracious Of hye stature with lymmes sklendre longe Delytynge moche in musyke and in songe And specially he was moste desyrous To here songes that were amerous A semely man and of great hardynesse And spake but lowe as bokes vs expresse Deuoyde of drede hatynge flaterye And all that coude outher glose or lye Trewe of his worde and to euery
purpose nat ne helde But styll lye aye lodged in the felde Lyke as they had entryked be with drede Tyll on a daye worthy Dyomede Of the grekes seynge the cowardyse Euen thus his counsayle gan deuyse Syres quod he that be here now present If that ye lyste all by one assent Goodly consydre aduertynge prudently What I shall saye tofore you openly Whiche of knyghthode haue so noble a name Sothly me semeth we ought haue gret shame Whiche holde our selfe so myghty so stronge And in this lande soiourned haue so longe Nygh all this yere and durste in no wyse Remeue hense for very cowardyse What haue we do nat ellys certaynely But to our foon graunted folyly Euen at theyr luste space and lyberte To make them stronge and opportunyte Vs to withstande playnely at the hande And so they wyll ye may well vnderstande ¶ For day by day to our confusyowne They sought wayes full wysely vp downe To gette them helpe in the mene space And them enforced aboute in euery place Theyr large Cyte with barrerys with palys Theyr wall mascued and agayne our skalys Trusteth theron made great ordynaunce And with all this of our gouernaunce They haue aspyed seynge that for drede We haue no herte manly to procede In our purpose to holde with them werre And aye the more they se that we deferre The more they wyll catche hardynesse Vs to resyste with all theyr besynesse Also I se and truste it veryly That if we hadde afore hande manfully As we began knyghtly forth contynued Our iourney hadde better be fortuned If sodaynely with stronge and myghty hande They vnauysed we hadde into theyr lande Without abode afore this tyme aryued Of whiche a whyle we muste be depryued And delayed where firste with victorye To our honour with the palme of glorye We myght sothely ne had be our slouthe Our wyl complysshed this the playnetrouthe Where maugre vs or we to lande aryue With stroÌ„ge defence they wyl agayne vs stryue And put vs of or we the stronde wynne For aye the more we tarye to begynne The more in sothe for me lyste nat lye We put our selfe echone in Ieopardye What shulde I fayne or fage fro the trouthe For our tariynge and our cowarde â—louthe Are lykely after to tourne vs to great sorowe Wherfore erely by tymes to morowe My counsayle is our ankers vp to pulle In this mater no lenger that we dulle But to enarme our shyppes for the werre And at the vp ryse of the morowe sterre Lette vs ordayne with knyghtly apparayle Out of this hauen with the wynde to sayle Of manfull herte and lusty fresshe courage Our course holdynge and our right passage Towarde Troye and lande oppedlye What euer falle for truste sykerlye Without scarmousshe we may nat aryue For they fro Troye descende wyll as blyue Lyke manly men to mete vs in the berde But for all that lette vs nat be aferde But voyde drede and manhode sette afore That cowardyse entre at no bore For taste the manhode of your herte And with that worde grekes gan aduerte The manly counsayle of this Dyomede And in effect to procede in dede Vnto the poynt and for nothynge spare And in what wyse anone I shall declare ⸫ ⸫ ⸫ ¶ How the Grekes toke lande before Troye how they were strongely fought with Ca. xxi THe next morowe wonderly be tyme Or Phebus vp rose loÌ„ge or it was pÌ„me Whan it began full meryly to dawe The grekes hoste to shypwarde gan drawe With manly herte fully deuoyde of drede O only thorugh comforte of this Dyomede But alder firste anone as they awoke The lordes wysely theyr counsayle toke And concluded amonge them euerychone Whiche of theyr shyppes shulde for mest gone And on the see how they shulde them guye So to aryue that no man them aspye This was deuysed at a certayne marke The nyght passed at syngynge of the larke Grekes be shypped without more tariynge Bothe hye and lowe in the dawnynge And first tofore an hondred shyppes of toure Stuffed with many worthy warryoure Gan proudely sayle as they had in charge And the baners brode bryght and large Were I splayed out vpon euery syde And they departed the fomy wawes wyde That to syghte whelmen vp so grene And next to them for werre wel enarmed clene Another hondred folowed faste by Whiche bare theyr sayles passyngly proudely In which there was ful many worthy knyght Armed in mayle and in plates bryght And after foloweth hoolly theyr nauye That as I trowe suche a companye Of worthy kynghtes and lordes of degree Was neuer afore sene vpon the see And â—olus was to them fortunate And eke Neptune made none debate with wynde nor trouble amoÌ„ge the sterne wawes The atempre weder full mery to them dawes That in a tyde as they sayled ryght Of Troye towne they caughte anone a syght Wherof in herte full glade lyght they be But whan Troyans firste theyr shyppes se So proudely sayle a lytell fro the stronde And sawe how they caste them for to londe They bode no more but arme them hastely In plate and mayle and Iackes rychely With Irous herte and that was done anone And toke theyr hors forth in haste they gone Out at the gates and made no tariynge For they ne abyde prynce duke nor kynge Nor other lorâ—e to guyde them or gouerne But haste them forth so many and so yerne Torough out the felde so great a multytude Amonges whom were no folkes rude But manly men thryftely be sayne So clenly armed on the large playne That whan grekes gan them firste beholde Oâ— the nombre theyr hertes gan to colde For there was none so manly them amonge So yonge so fresshe so hardy nor so stronge Of hye estate nor of lowe degre That he ne was a stonyed for to se The hardy troyans so proudly downe desceÌ„de To lette Grekes that they nat assende That they wyste and conceyue vtterly There was no meane to aryue by But oonly deth or manly for to fyght Or cowardely take them to the flyght For other conduyte playnely none there was But sharpe sworde and speres in this cas Tyll sodaynely the hardy fyerse kynge Prothesylaus whiche in his gouernynge Formest of all an hondred shyppesladde Gan haste hym for Ire that he hadde To a landed firste if it wolde haue be To haue mette with them so great desyre had he But suche a wynde gan in the sayle dryue Of his shyppes whan hes hope to aryue That he vnwarely smette vpon the loude On the gettys and the drye sonde That his shyppes shyuered all a sonder And some dreynt to broke here and yonder And deuoured of the wawy see That it was routhe and pyte for to se For but of harde there myght none escape And whyles some were bely for to take The drye lande with fylthe and mudde ylade Troyans of them full cruell slaughter made Maugre theyr myght grekes so constrayned That
sorte Of his power this ylke day fatalle For ye shal be our castell and our walle And our refuge to saue vs from all smerte And specyally one thynge ye aduerte That no disceyte fraude nor treasowne Compassyd be behynde to the towne Of our foon thorugh our reklesnesse Whyles that we do our besynesse Agaynste them in the felde to fyght In all wyse therto hath a syght That no thynge tourne vnto our damage Thoughe our engyne but worke as the sage With victorye that we may conclude So that grekes with fraude vs nat delude By no engyne of vn ware vyolence Hopynge alway that it is none offence To your hyghnes that I haue here sayde And with that worde Pryamus in abrayde Benyngnely of chere and countenaunce And sayde Ector my sothfast suffysaunce My fynall truste and supportacion In thy wyse disposycion Hoolly I putte as thou lyste ordayne For next god if I shall nat fayne My fayth my hope and all my sykernesse And my welfare in very sothfastnesse CoÌ„mytted behole into thy hande And gouernaunce playnely of my lande As thou ordaynest it must nedes be And this prayer I make now for the To the goddes aboue celestyall The to preserue in partye and in all From eche myschefe and aduersyte That thou mayste home to this Cyte Repayre in honour with laude and victorye So that the prayse renowne and memorye Of thy name be put in remembraunce Perpetuelly thyne honour to auaunce And fare now well myn owne sone dere And Ector tho with full humble chere His leue toke and forthe he rode anone Amonge his lordes and knyghtes euerychone As he that was rote of all noblesse Of knyghthod grouÌ„de of strength hardynesse The very stocke and therto inuyncyble For asmoche as it was possyble That nature myght hym graunte or kynde Touchynge manhode in bokes as I fynde He hadde in hym soueraygne excellence And gouernaunce medlyd with prudence That nought a sterte hyÌ„ he was so wyse ware And in his shelde I fynde that he bare Vpon his breste this Troyan champyon The chief of golde of Gowlys alyon Depeynt therm and in his baner bete The selfe same and so amydde the strete He toke the waye to Dardanydes That to beholde huge was the prees Noyse of trumpettes and of claryons Baners vnrolled and longe fresshe penons Of rede and whyte grene blewe and blake And in this wyse Ector hath I take The felde without with herte and hole entent As Mars hymselfe hadde be present And they that he as Guydo maketh mynde Rode with the warde that lafte was behynde Of his manhode he wolde nat abyde But smote his stede sherpely in the syde Of fell courage he hath his hors so payned The firste warde that he hath attayned By vale and hylle to fore in the frounteres Nat astoned of the fell cheres Of the grekes nor platly nat aferde But lyke a knyght euen afore theyr berde He gan prease in as theyr foo mortall And in this whyle vpon Troye wall In sondry place on the hye toures As fresshe besene as May is with his floures The ladyes be ascended of the towne So fayre so yonge stondynge enuyrowne The quene Eleyne passynge fayre to sene The kynges doughtres and goodly Polycene And many other whiche of womanhede In herte were full of besy drede Inly a gaste and of fere a frayde Whan they behelde in the felde displayde The brode baners that some of tendernesse Some of loue and some of kyndenesse Pale and dredefull for theyr lordes were And some theyr faces hydde eke for fere That were nat bolde to lyfte vp theyr syght To beholde the armure clere and bryght So glyterynge agayne the sonne shene Theyr hertes tendre myght nat sustene And in theyr drede thus I â—ette them dwelle ANd of grekes forth I shall you telle If so be ye lyste abyoe a whyle For now must I my fordulled style Agayne direct to Agamenon Well may I make an exclamacyon On ignoraunce that standeth so in my lyght Whiche causeth me with a full clowdy syght In my makynge to speke of the werre For lacke of termes I must nedes erre Connyngely my wardes for sette Cruell Allector is besy me to lette The nyghtes doughter blynded by derkenesse By crafte of armes the trouthe to expresse In ordre dewe a felde to descryue And Chauncer now alas is nat alyue Me to refourme or to be my rede For lacke of whom slower is my spede The noble Rethor that all dyde excelle For in makynge he dranke of the welle Vnder Pernaso that the muses kepe On whiche hylle I myght neuer slepe Vnneth slombre for whiche alas I playne But for all this there is no more to sayne Thoughe my wede be nat Polymyte Coloures forth I wyll endyte As it cometh euen to my thought Playnely to wryte how yâ— kynghath wrought The manly knyght great Agamenon Lyke as the Latyn maketh mencyou ¶ What troweye that he in his entent Was founde slowe outher neclygent On grekes halfe his wardes for to make Nay nay nat so for hym lyste to wake That tyme more sothly than to slepe For lyke a kynge that day the felde to kepe No neclygence myght his herte fade For in that daye I fynde that he made Sixe and twenty wardes by and by So well deuysed and so prudently That no man myght amende his ordynaunce And of the firste he gaue gouernaunce To the manfull noble Patroclus That with hym ladde myn Auctour telleth thus Myrundones so myghty and so stronge With all the folke that to Achylles longe Besyde thylke that were of his meyne Whiche that he brought out of his countre At his coÌ„mynge to the sege of Troye And he rode forth with them on his waye Into the felde and made no delay Now fyll it so on the same day That Achylles kepte hym in his tente And for sykenesse that daye out ne wente For his lechesse made hym to abstene For his woundes fresshe were and grene That he caught on the day tofore Whiche for to he le of theyr akynge sore He by counsayle kepte hymselfe close And from his bed that day nat ne rose In hope oonly the bettre to endure Whan that he was restored vnto cure But all his men he toke to Patroclus Whiche was marmes passyngely famous And be descent come of great kynrede And was also of hym as I rede Haboundaunt of golde and of rychesse And ferre coÌ„mended for his gentyllesse And hadde a name of hye discresyon Now were they aye of suche affeccyon Of entyer loue trouthe and faythfulnesse So great desyre and inwarde kyndenesse Besy thenkynge and so great feruence So moche frenshyp thoughtfull aduertence So huge brennynge passynge amerous Betwyxe Achylles and this Patroclus That theyr hertes were locked in a chayne And what so euer if I shall nat fayne The ton hath wrought as broder vnto brother In herte it was confermed of the tother For wyll and goodes bothe were comune And to the deth they
withoute more taryinge To bedde goth full tryste in complaynynge Aye in hym selfe castynge vp and downe In his mynde and eke in his reasowne From hede to fote hir beaute euerydell And in his herte he felte and knewe full well That fynall cause of his languysshynge Was Polycene of beaute moste passynge For loue of whom so moche payne he felte That with the hete he thought his herte melte Aye on his bedde walowynge to and fro For the constreynt of his hydde wo For whiche almoste hym thought that he deyde And to hym selfe euen thus heseyde Allas quod he how me is wo begone That of my sorowe knowe ende none For I suppose syth the worlde began Ne was there neuer a wofuller man For I that whylom was of so great myght So renowmed of euery maner wyght Thorugh out the worlde bothe of hye lowe For there was none in sothe that coude knowe A man in armes that was more famous Nor yâ—holde more victoryous Tofore this tyme remembred by no style Vnto this day alas the harde whyle Nouther Ector playnely nor none other Of Polycene that was the worthy brother That power hadde whan they with me mette For all theyr myght me to ouer sette Nor in the felde my force for to daunte Here pryuely as I me dare auaunte But now alas a mayde of tendre age Hath sodaynely me brought in suche arge That with the stremys of hir eyen twayne She perced hath and clouen euery vayne Of my herte that I may nat a sterte For to be dede thorugh constreynt of my smerte For who shall now wysshe me or teche Or who alas shall now be my leche Or who shall now helpe men or saue There is but deth and after that my graue For other hope playnely is there none Saue in hir mercy alas and that is gone For nouther prayer tresour nor rychesse Force nor myght nouther hye prowesse Hyghnesse of blode byrthe nor kynrede May auayle nor helpe in this nede To meue hir nor my sadde trouthe Vpon my wo euer to haue routhe ¶ What newe furye or inportune rage Hath brought my herte into suche outrage Agaynst whiche I can nat debate To loue hir beste that dedely doth me hate And in good fayth who wysely lyste adueret Lytell wonder though she me hate of herte Syth I am come hyder fro so ferre On hir kynred for to make werre In the whiche to my confusyowne Hir knyghtly brother most worthy of renowne Haue fatally with myn hondes slowe Whiche in this worlde hadde no felowe Of worthynesse nor of manlyhede Alas alas nowe may I quake and drede And of my lyfe falle in dispeyre For how shulde I be bolde to haue repeyre Or dare alas come in theyr syghte I wofull wretche I vnhappy wyghte Or how shall I be hardy to appere In the presence of hir eyen clere Certys I se none other mene weye But fynally that I muste deye So dispeyred I stonde on euery syde Of other helpe I can me nat prouyde And right anone with profounde syghes depe This Achylles braste out for to wepe With dedely chere pale and funerall And with his face tourned to the wall That routhe was and pyte for to sene The hertely furye of his paynes kene For so oppressyd he was in his thought Of lyfe nor deth that he rought nought And this contynued tyll it drewe to nyght That Tytan hath withdrawe his clere lyght And euer in one lyke this wofull man Ilyche syke of coloure pale and wan Without slepe so fretynge was his sorowe Tyll Lucyfer on the next morowe Tofore the sonne with his bemys clere Full lustely gan for to appere In the oryent whan this Achylles Vnpacyent without reste or pees Quakynge aye in his feuer newe As it was sene playnely in his hewe Tyll he abrayde of anguysshe sodaynely And called one that was with hym preuy And of counsayle whom he trusteth well And vnto hym he telleth euerydell Fro poynt to poynt with hym how it stode And sent hym forth bycause he coude his gode On his message streyght to Troye towne With full aduyse and informacyowne Of this mater to Eccuba the quene Thorughe his wysedome for to be amene If he myght by his discrecyon Fynde any way of sauacyon Vnto his lorde that he louyd so And to the quene anone he is go And his mater wysely gan conueye Tofore or he of grace wolde preye That she enioyeth to gyue hym audyence For in his tale there was none offence He was no foole nor newe for to lere Wherfore the quene goodly gan hym here Of all that euer hym lyketh for to sayne There was no worde ylost nor spoke in vayne For his tale no man coude amende And craftely he gan to discende To the substaunce and tolde clerely oute With premysses full well brought aboute That fynally in conclusyon The chefe he sayde of his entencyon Effectuelly if it wolde be Was for to make peas and vnyte Atwene Grekes and the folke of Troye To whiche thynge he knewe no better weye Than of the werre for theyr alder ease By his wytte prudently to appease The mortall stryfe and the bytter rage By allyaunce oonly of maryage If that hir lyste this wyse worthy quene That hir doughter fayre Polycene May wedded be vnto Achylles Where thorugh theyr myght be a fynall pees If Eccuba by hir discrecyon Thorugh hir wytte and medyacyon And hir prudence myght aboute brynge That Pryamus were fully assentynge That Achylles myght his doughter wyue So that it myght parformed be as blyue Lyke as I haue made mencyon By couenaunt oonly and condycyon That the Grekes shall theyr werre lete And suffre hym to lyue in quyete If the maryage of these ylke twayne Parformed be and knyt vp in a chayne And whan the quene hath knowen his entent Full soberly by good auysement Tofore or that any worde asterte Full pyteously she syghed in hir herte And at the laste with a sobre chere She sayde thus to the messagere My frende quod she touchynge thy requeste I can no more make the beheste But at the leste I wyll condescende What lyeth in me to brynge to an ende Thy lordes wyll with all my herte entere But here vpon I muste firste requere The kynges wyll if he wyll gyue assent To the purpose for whiche thou arte sent And ouer more I muste wytte also ¶ If that Parys be wyllynge eke therto Of whiche thynge with euery circumstaunce I wyll my selfe make enqueraunce Full faythfully of Pryam and Parys The mene whyle what is theyr aduyse Without more within dayes thre At whiche tyme come agayne to me From Achylles if he wyll the sende And fynally thou shalte knowe an ende Of this matere and an answere playne And home he goth to Achylles agayne ¶ With full glad chere his lord the more to plese And for to sette his herte better at ese Auysely of hye discrecyon He hath so made his relacyon And tolde his tale in so
very shoures and welle Displaese it nat now that I shall telle To youre noble famous excellence Nor to your Erys let be none offence That I shall say but of goodlyhede Pacyently that ye wyll take hede To my wordes sayde of herte and thought I you ensure for I fayne nought This to saye if ye remembre well The firste cause and purpose euerydell Of the grekes if ye haue mencyon Was fully sette by one entencyon As well of you as of vs parde Whan we come firste to this Cyte Kynges Prynces I except none Of whiche in sothe to reken euerychone Your selfe was to speke in specyall One of the firste and most pryncypall Assentyd full how Troye the Cyte Thorugh our manhode destroyed shulde be Perpetuelly brought vnto ruyne But now of newe I note what doth enclyne Your worthynesse sodaynely to varye And to our purpose for to be contrarye Consyder firste of you that be so sage The wronges done and the great damage In Grekes londe of them of the towne Conspyrynge aye to our destruccyowne If ye aduerte wysely in your thought That slayne haue and to an ende brought Full many worthy sythe gone full yore And of treasoure that no man may restore Despoyled vs and brought in great distresse Our goodes raughte our golde our rychesse Our shyppes brent thorugh theyr cruelte And to all this alas ye lyste nat se Now that they be whiche may nat be delayed Thorugh your manhode fynally outrayed Syth ye haue slayÌ„e theyr hope their suffysauÌ„ce Actor in whom was all theyr affyaunce Fully theyr truste and diffence also And Dephebus also is a go And lykely are more to be apeyred Fro day to day and fynally dispeyred So frowardly Fortune on them loureth And now your honour your fame floureth In his worshyp and your hye renowne Atteyned hath the exaltacyowne And hyest prycke of Fortunes whele It were great wronge and ye loke wele Of wylfulnesse for to be vnkynde To hir that ye so frendely to you fynde Or to be frowarde whyle she is benygne By influence gracyously to assygne Hir spokys meue vnto your plesaunce And hap to tourne with plente on your chaunce After whose helpe you nedeth nat to calle ¶ Wherfore alas why wyll ye suffre palle Your noble fame of very wylfulnesse Whyle it is hyest in his worthynesse Your knyghtly prudence it shulde natâ—a sâ—â—rte Of whiche thynge euery gentyll herte Shulde haue routhe and compassyon Wherfore we praye of discrecyon That ye you shape this purpose to amende And that ye wolde of herte condiscende With vs to stonde knyghtly in this werre By your manhode that is spoke of so ferre That your renowne to the worldes ende Reported be where so that men wende Perpetuelly by fresshenesse of hewe Day be day to encrease newe That the tryumphe of this hye victorye Be put in storye and eke in memorye And so enprentyd that foryetylnesse No power haue by malys to oppresse Your fame in knyghthode dyrke or difface That shyneth yet so clere in many place Without Eclypsynge sothly this no lesse Whiche to conserne ye be now reckelesse Of wylfulnesse to cloude so the lyght Of your renowne that whylom shone so bryght Your myghty hande of manhode to with drawe Consyder firste how Grekes are yslawe Tofore your Tent with mortall woundes wyde Thorugh out the felde vpon euery syde And haue disdayne oonly for lacke of routhe Alas the whyle for a lytell slouthe To ley to hande in theyr myschefe at all That whylom were theyr stroÌ„ge myghty wall Theyr chefe diffence and theyr champyowne Soueuerayne helpe and proteccyowne For whom ye haue so ofte shadde your blode Agayne theyr foon with them whan he stode Full myghtely theyr enmyes to assayle Without whom they lytell may auayle In very sothe ne none of vs echone But ye of knyghthode lyste with vs to gone Agayne Troyans as ye were wont to do As is our truste and fynall hope also That ye shall helpe and our socour be And here vpon we praye you that ye Saye your auyse and your full wylle And than anone the hardy fyerse Achylle Whan vlixes concludyd hadde his tale With a face for anger dede and pale Sayde euen thus all openly and playne Syr vlixes if so right as ye sayne And haue declaryd in conclusyon That our purpose and entencyon Was fynally to brenne and destroye This royall Cyte that is called Troye I holde in sothe me lyketh nat to lye That our entent was grounded on folye To put vs all thorugh in discrecyon Of reckeleshede and hasty mocyon Of lyfe and deth in suche Iupardye And specyally in all the Chyualrye Of Grekes londe for so smale a thynge So many prynce and many worthy kynge That haue Iuparted theyr body theyr gode Yloste theyr lyfe and yspent theyr blode Which myght haue be full well at home iÌ„ pees And is nat nowe the kynge Pallamydes Yslawe also as who sayth but of newe That was so wyse so manly and so trewe Of whom the lyfe was of more pryse alone Than the cause for whiche that we echone Be gaderyd here who so loke a ryght And of Grekes many a noble knyght That haue be slayne bothe of the worthyest The worlde to seke and the manlyest For out of euery lande and regyowne On grekes party and with them of the towne Of chyualry of knyghthod the sourayne floure To wynne in armes worshyp and honoure Assembled be and come fro so ferre Of whiche in sothe by duresse of this werre Full many one in the felde is dede And veryly without any drede There shall well mo if the werre laste For euery day the nombre lasseth faste Of worthy knyghtes dede without routhe That I dare saye and conclude of trouthe In this rage furyous and wode Full lykely is that all the gentyll blode Thorugh out this worlde shall destroyed be And rurall folke and that were great pyte Shall haue lordshyp and hooly gouernaunce And Churles eke with sorowe myschaunce In euery londe shall lordes be alone Whan gentyll men slayne be echone Is nat Ector that was so noble a knyght That was this worldes very sonne and lyght Of manhode floure slayne pyteously In this werre in soth and so myghte I Parauenture whiche may nat attayne To his noblesse if I shall nat fayne For by what waye shall we the deth eschewe With all our myght if we it pursewe Fro day to day whyle that we lye here Therfore shortely me for to requere Touchynge the werre outher for to praye Is but in vayne and herken what I saye I nat purpose in this werre or stryfe For to Iuparte any more my lyfe For leuer I haue that pallyd be my name Than to be slayne and haue an ydell fame For worthynesse after deth yblowe Is but a wynde and lasteth but a throwe For though renowne and pryse be blowe wyde Foryetylnesse leyth it ofte asyde By lengthe of yeres and oblyuyon Thorugh enuye and false conclusyon The
of knyghthode and armes for to speke In the felde by longe contynuaunce Of manly Force and ê‘seueraunce Vpon our foon that were so fell and kene Day by day I was armed clene It nedeth nat to make mencyon With my right honde I slewe Phylemon As ye well knowe whiche had in his kepynge The yonge sone of Pryamus the kynge Fresshe and lusty and of great fayrenesse And with hym hadde infynyte rychesse Of treasoure golde passyngly plente And euerydele was brought to you by me If ye remembre and lyst take hede That ye were quyte of Indigence and nede By occasyon of that great gode And thorugh my manhode shad I nat yâ— blode Mercyles in full cruell wyse For your sake of the kynge of Fryse And the treasour in his cofres sought And all yfere to the sege ybrought And by my knyghthode sythe go full yore Haue I nat eke augmented and made more The Grekes londe with possessyons By conquest oonly of two regyons Thorugh my prudence and my labour wonne Sythen that ye the sege firste begonne With prouynces to Troye adiacent To your encrease I was so dylygent And with Achylles the worthy warryoure Ye be experte full well of my laboure What we wrought to your auauntage And sythen ye so prudent be and sage Nat foryetyll but fully remembrynge It nedeth nat reherse euery thynge And to dispreue manly as a knyght His tytle and cleyme that he hath no ryght The dome coÌ„myttynge to your oppynyons By rehersayle of his condycyons He nouther hath manhode nor prowesse Force knyghode nouther hardynesse And at a poynt for to haue rewarde In dorynge do preued a cowarde Experyence hath shewed you in dede How that he is whan it cometh to nede But worde and wynde sleyghty coÌ„passynge And on falshode euer ymagynynge For euer yet to this daye was preuyd That any thynge was by hym acheuyd Whiche myght be entytled to his laude But the ende medlyd were with fraude For vnder coloure he can cure alle Pretende fayre lyke a paynted walle Dyuerse hewed that nouther hye nor lowe There may no man his playne menyÌ„ge knowe And with suche sleyghte coÌ„passyd by treason Out of Troye he gat Palladyon Whiche is great shame sclaundre to vs alle For of our conquest it is thus befalle More of treason we haue the cyte wonne Than of knyghthode as men reporte konne And crop and rote if I reherse shall Vlixes there is grounde and cause of all And gynnynge firste of this vnhappy fame That reboundeth to our alder shame And syth the trouthe is platly knowen wyste My tale is endyde deme as ye lyste VLixes than in his aduertence Conceyued hath the great inpacyence Of Thelamon and the great enuye The feruent rancoure and melancolye Forbare hym firste by full great aduyse As he that was full prudent and right wyse And thought he wolde make therof no iape By no worde for haste that shulde escape Nouther by none vnbrydled countenaunce Outwarde conceyued in his regardaunce And abraydynge with a stable face Syres quod he so I may haue grace Vnder supporte of your hye presence That my tale may haue audyence I nouther am in doute nor in drede Of equyte that I shall possede Palladyon durynge my lyues day Maugre the myght of who that say nay For if ye lyste of reason for to se At the sege layde firste to this cyte I haue my selfe in double wyse a quyt As well by knyghthode sothly as by wyt And thorugh my counsayle and my besy cure Be ofte cause of theyr discomfyture Aye dylygent to your auauntage Worught and compassyd vnto theyr damage That to this day in sothe ne hadde I be They hadde floured in theyr felycyte In theyr force contuned and welfare And if that I the trouthe shall nat spare If it be dempt and lokyd of reason I was moste cause of theyr confusyon Who so euer agaynst it replye How ofte wente I on embassatrye With importable costes and dispense The treate aye concludynge in sentence To the forthrynge of your entencyowne And disencrease and hyndrynge of the towne And whan I sawe other mene none In myne aduyse and wyttes euerychone By our force the cyte for to wyn Whyle they hadde yâ— relyke them within Therupon so sotelly ywrought That vnto you Palladyon ybrought ¶ Whiche Thelamon that of malys stryueth Of olde hatrede vnto my gylt ascryueth Hoolly this thynge yâ— I haue for you worught But ye that be so prudent in your thought Aduerteth wysely and an ende maketh And in your honde this quarell fully taketh Palladyon iustly to prouyde And all fauour let be layde a syde Syth all this thynge ye platly vnderstonde And let vs both to your demynge stonde By one assent how so the mater wende Lo here is all my tale is at an ende Than Thelamon in Ire full feruent Of hate made inpacyent And of enuye inwardly ameued Vlixes hath dispyteously repreued Oonly of malys and of hye disdayne And Vlixes rebukynge hym agayne Full bytterly without abode anone And so they twayne made full mortall fone In the presence of Agamenon But furyously Ayax Thelamon Of melancolye pale and nothynge rede Thratte Vlixes that he shal be dede Of his hondes he shulde it nat eschewe And grekes tho all rancour to remewe This quarell put in arbytracyon Of Menelay and Agamenon That caused after a full mortall stryfe For by sentence anone diffynytyfe They put Vlixes in possessyon Perpetuelly of Palladyon With hym confermynge to abyde stable And cause why they were fauourable To Vlixes lyke as Guydo wryt Was for that he so goodly hath hym quyt Vnto Eleyne at gettynge of the towne Beynge in cause of hir â—auacyon Dispeyred and of hir lyfe in drede Grekes wyllynge to haue had hir dede But thorugh his prudent medyacyon Maugre the myght of this Thelamon He hath the quene fro the deth preserued Albe that she hadde it well deserued As Grekes sayde in theyr oppynyon And thus defrauded of Palladyon As ye haue herde was this worthy knyght For all his manhode and his great myght Where thorugh there gan in his herte brede Passynge enuye and full great hatrede And thought he wolde auenged be some day Vpon Vlixes and on Menelay And eke also vpon Agamenon And out he brake lyke a wood lyon With his knyghtes aboute hym yâ— were stronge And sayde playnely of this great wronge For to be deed he wolde auenged be And specyally on this ylke thre And therwithall Furyous and wrothe Tournynge his backe out anone he goth In herte fret with full mortall tene With many greke his quarell to sustene That in herte sore gan disdayne Agayne Vlixes and the tother twayne But they full ware what so euer falle Theyr knyghtes made aboute them for to calle And with great stuffe where they wake or slepe To awayte on them and manly for to kepe With full good watche enuyron all the close But full erely or the sonne arose This worthy Ayax in
can remebre douteles The tone of them called Sorygenes Whiche vnto me full contraryous was And the tother named Coclopas Bretherne of byrthe and in conclusyon Ylyke cruell of condycyon For though my sorte hadde shape for the nones Bothe twayne fylle on me attones Oppressynge in full great distresse Spoyled my shyppes of treasour and rychesse And for pyte lyked nat to spare Tyll I was lefte destytute and bare Of all my good alas my mortall chaunce And moste of all was to me greuaunce Whan of my golde they may nomore restrayne They sent downe their myghty sones twayne Alypham that was full large and longe And Polypheme the myghty gyauÌ„t stronge Which on my men to auenge theÌ„ were so fayne That they of them haue an hondred slayne Disarayed to stonde at diffence And of malyce with sodayne vyolence They toke me for myschefe almost lorne And Alphenor myn owne brother sworne And hatefully as they haue vs founde In chaynes caste and in stockes bounde And after that ylocked in pryson And for to make platly mencyon This myghty man this great Polypheme A suster hadde shortly for to deme One of the fayrest that euer yet was borne She myght in beaute so besette aforne Nature hir gaue suche a prerogatyfe A clene mayde sothly and no wyfe Flourynge bothe in fayrenesse bounte Whom Alphenor whan he dyde se Albe he was fetred in pryson For loue he loste wyt and eke reason And wexe all mad so narowe she dyd hyÌ„ bynde Saue vpon hir alway was his mynde And closed aye was his peryllous wounde And syxe monthes thus we lay bounde Both he and I to say the platte trouthe Tyll Polypheme hadde vpon vs â—outhe And thorugh his grace and medyacyon He quyt vs fre out of that pryson And shewed vs of mercy and pyte After our sorowe great humanyte But Alphenor ylyke of one entent Was with the bronde of Cupyde brent And felte his parte with many mortall fyt Tyll he so wrought with his sotyll wyt That on a nyght who was leef or loth He stale this mayde and his way he goth Thorugh helpe of men with hym at that tyme But on the morowe at the houre of pryme Polyphemus gan vs for to sewe Whose myghty honde we myght nat eschewe And suche assaute on vs they gan make That of force they haue the mayde take From Alphenor mauge all his rage And Polypheme vnto my damage With his knyghtes so sore vpon me lay That I myght vnneth scape away To saue my selfe compassyd enuyron To deth pursued of that champyon But whan I sawe there was no other gayne To fle the deth shortly for to sayne Whyle this geaunt most freesly on me sette With my swerde out his eye I smette And vnto shyp with my companye I fledde in haste that no man myght espye ¶ Where I be came nor Alphenor my fere And whan the wawes gan for to clere And gracyous wynde gan to vs a wake That countre we haue anone forsake It was nat holsome for vs to abyde ¶ But of this man lyke as wryt Ouyde Polyphemus the Geaunt out of drede Hadde an eye amyd of his forhede Whiche vlixes smote out at a stroke And lyke the browes of a braunched oke Was all his heer and his longe berde On whom to loke childre were aferde And whan that he hadde lost his syght Amonge the hylles he ronneth day and nyght In a rage to fynde hym some refuge Caste rockes and great stones huge On euery parte enuyron the countre On Vlixes auenged for to be Thus sayth Ouyde in conclusyon In his boke of transformacyon Methamorphoseos there ye may it se Whan so euer that your leyser be Ceâ—yously the storye for to rede And in wrytynge forth I wyll procede How vlixes with face deed and pale To ydumee tolde forth his tale Reâ—ersynge thus supprysed and awaked Fro Polypheme whan we were escaped Thorugh our vnhappe and infelycyte Into an yle myddes of the see We were dryue whan it gan to nyght And ElodiuÌ„ that lytell kyngdome hyght ¶ Where that Circes the great enchaunteresse Thylke tyme was Lady and goddesse Thâ—â— coude hir crafte so wonderly ê‘forme All sodaynely a man for to transforme To haue the lykenesse and lese his reason Of horse of bere Tygre or lyon Wolfe or fox or what hir lyste deuyse Hir dredefull craft was shapen in suche wyse So myghty were hir straunge pocyons Hir letuaryes and confeccyons And she also so fayre vpon to se That fro hir power no man myght fle For by the werke of this sorceresse I was so founcyd vpon hir fayrenesse That fynally thus with me it stode That all a yere I with hir abode And playnely hadde power none nor myght For to departe nouther day nor nyght So lusty was the lyfe that I ladde In whiche tyme by me a childe she hadde Right inly fayre and goodly to the syght And Thelagonyus in sothenesse he hyght Whiche afterwarde I well reherse can By processe wexe a manly man And by my sotyle secrete prouydence Of hir crafte I hadde experyence That maugre hir enchauntementes olde I stale away she myght me nat holde And fynally my fate to conclude With my connynge hir crafte I gan delude That with my men I scaped fro hir honde And went at large fre out of hir londe But all this thynge me lytell dyd auayle For on my way as I gan to sayle For all my sleyghte in a lytell whyle Yblowe was vp into an yle ¶ Where Calypha suster to Circes Was crowned quene helde hir sceptre in pees Whose craftes were so myghty and so stronge Maugre my wyll she helde me there full longe But she in sothe to speke of womanhede Of bounte fredome and of goodlyhede Surely hadde so souerayne excellence That myne abode to me was none offence But who so euer there at crye or clappe At the laste I scaped fro hir trappe And came to an Yle right as any lyne Whiche specyally thorugh hye power dyuyne Ordeyned is of yore by myracle As it were a spirituall oracle A man to haue in a temple there Sodayne answere of what hym lyst enquere Of questyons and demaundes alle And of soules what shall eke befalle Whan men are dede and grauen vnderstone And I gan axe in the temple anone Myn auentures that shulde after sewe And where a man myght his fate eschewe And of all this lyke to myn entent I hadde answere full conuenyent Saue what befalleth whan a soule is gone Diffynycyon vnto me was none Such thyng to assoyle accordeth nat to ryght It is reseruyd vnto goddes myght And excedeth reason and wyt of man And fro thense forth to sayle I gan Dryuen with wynde and no parte socoured Where I was lyke to haue be deuoured Of Karybdes with his profounde welle Where Syrenes Meremaydenes dwelle That fro the brest with scales syluer shene Be of theyr shape fysshes fresshe and clene And ouer more kynde doth compasse Them to appere Femynyne