water salte for drede of Neptunus ¶ Of very Ire and also Golus Was vnto them in euery thynge contrary That on the londe made them longe tarye The sea was aye so fell and boylynge ¶ Tyll the grekes of Calchas enquyryng By one assent what it myght be That euer in one so dyuers was the sea In his rage both eue and morowe ¶ And he answered god gyue him euyl sorow This olde shrewe with all his prophecye That can so well when hym lyste to lye How this tempest caused was at all By the goddes and furyes infernall That neuer wolde appease nor be stylle Tyll the number platly of Achylle Auenged be and shedynge of his bloud ¶ For whiche he sayde Apollo was eke wood For his temple to him consecrate Was through his death in Troye violate By bloude agayne be made satisfaction Wherfore there muste throughe redempcyon Of her that was roote in speciall Through her beautye and orygynall Cause of his death yonge Polycene And gynnynge fyrst of his mortall tene Therfore to Apollo she might vp offred be By sacrafyce to please his deyte With death agayne to make recompence Right as by death fyrst was the offence This grekes must vtterly fulfyll If they desyre for to haue at wyll The large sea to sayle in quiet ¶ And Pirrhus tho in a furious hete Gan enquire about of euery man For Policene but no wyght tell can Of her a worde nor shortely where she was Saufe some sayde howe that Eneas And Anthenor had hyd her pryuely Wherof there rose amonge them sodeynly Suche agrutchynge of grekes all aboute Of their lyfe that they were in doubte So inwardly this thinges they toke at grefe ¶ Till Anthenor god geue hym euyll prefe That may of treason as wardeyn bere y e keye To shewe out his malys euery waye So longe hath sought till in a chamber olde He hath her founde and the grekes tolde And brought her forth vnto their presence By cruell force and hatefull vyolence Without pytye or compassyon And her delyuered to Agamenon ¶ And he alas by hastye Iudgement Without respyte or auysemente Shortely hath dempte that she shall be deade That was flourynge in her maydenhead ¶ And for to do excepcyon ¶ She was assygned by Agamenon Vnto Pirrhus and he of tirannye Ladde her forth and fast gan hym hye To the place where she shulde dye ¶ Great was the prease that in the weye Gan croude and shoue to beholde and sene This yonge mayde fayre Pollycene That for her beautye and her semlynesse Her womanhede and excellent fayrenesse Of all yfere when they toke hede They had routhe that she shal be deade Without gylte or any more trespace Where men may se vpon many face The salte teares faste falle downe Of very pytye and compassyowne For man nor childe was none so harde of hert But he felte for her sake some smert Her goodly face whan they beholde and se And fayne wolde if it might haue be Delyuered her of very force anone Fro Pirrus hande but for they wende echone Without her death neuer to haue repeire Into grece nor the wether fayre As Calchas had made suggestion And brought them all in opynyon ¶ And at the laste whan this Policene Of dede and wyll a very mayde clene Was to the graue of Achylles brought She kneleth downe w t an humble thought Caste vp her eye and gan syghe ofte And to the goddes humbly and softe With dredfull herte and deuocion Made in this wyse her lamentacion OH ye myghty y t in this worlde gouerne And euery thinge consyder and diserne By whom this world so huge large rounde Both ayre and sea heauen eke y e grounde At your deuyse with a worde was wrought And sothfastly knowe euery thought Right as it is of euery maner wyght Without lettynge so persynge is your syght That nothinge is conceyled nor ywrye From the beholdynge of your eternall eye And euery thinge maye attones se Vpon my soule haue mercy and pyte And of your grace and beninge cure Vpon my wo and pyteous auenture Haue some routhe nowe that I shall deye My wofull spyryte to lede and conueye Where as you lyst now that I shall pace For vnto you in this selfe place I me confesse with all humilyte That hytherto I haue in chastyte Ladde all my lyfe and kept my maydēhead In your seruyce both in thought and dede In porte in chere and in countenaunce Or for feture of any daliaunce With one misloke I neuer yet abrayde So that in sothe I dye shall a maide As ye well knowe of synne all innocent Though I be nowe dempt by iudgement For to be dead without gilte at all Witnesse on you that be immortall Clene of entente of that I am accused And yet alas I maye not be excused But that the swerde of vengeaunce must byte Routheles which am nothinge to wite But stande cleare and pure of all offence And discharged in my conscience I dare affirme and fully giltles Touchinge the murdre of worthy Achilles Which slewe my brother and after loued me And is nowe cause of mine aduersyte And yet in will dede worde nor thought Vnto his death assentaunt was right nought But therof was right sory im my herte Albe that I maye not now asterte For to be dead onely for his sake On me alone vengeaunce shal be take Without mercy in full cruell wise With my bloud to make sacrafise To the goddes their wrathe for to queme Oh people blinde in sothe amisse ye deme Agaynst me your herte is so cruell To mercyles to yrous and to fell Without routhe to mikel indurate To sley a mayde alone desolate Out of your herte alas pitye is gone Harder in trouthe than any stocke or stone And more cruell in your opinion For lacke of pitye than Tigre or Lion Certis ye be greatly for to blame And ought therof for to haue great shame To assent to so foule a dede To sley a maide quakinge in her dread And graunte her none oportunitye For to be wepe her virginyte ¶ That of this cruell this piteous wreche My bloude your gylte hereafter shall apeche And accuse also your great enuye To the goddes that shall iustyfye Euery vnright bothe of hygh and lowe Full egally and make to be knowe The trouthe plainly spare and no degree But make open that is now secree I saye not this nor my selfe complayne To haue redres of my fatall payne For death is now more welcome vnto me Than is my lyfe and more I take at gree Sithen my brother most worthy of renowne Be slayne all and buryed in this towne My father dead in his vnweldy age And I alone leste in all this rage And haue abyde pyteousely to se Fynally ruyne now of this cytye Whiche at my herte sytteth now so sore That leuer I haue then to wepe more Dye attones in relesse of my wo. Sith all my kynne is passed and ago Longer to
also at theyr lust they had They gaÌ„ to saile and with theÌ„ home they lad Yong Exione and many a mayde mo That out of Troye into Grece go And sayling forth within a litell space They be escaped fro the sea by grace And vnto land aryued merely At whose commyng the Grekes vtterly So ioyfull be of theyr good spede And specially in Guido as I reade Theyr shyppes were w t golde treasour lade Wherof in herte they wexe wonder glade And for they had outward so well theÌ„ borne To ouerthrowe and haue so fewe ylorne Of theyr meyne they thanke theyr goddes al. And of the grace that to theym is fall For w t y e treasour y t haue they home brought Full many pore was made vp of nought Throughout y t laÌ„d there was such habuÌ„dauÌ„ce So much good and so great suffisaunce That no wight had among theim nede And many day this blessedfull lyfe they lede From yeare to yeare by reuoluciowne And for theyr manhod theyr high renowne Theyr honour ran round the world about That theim toffende many laÌ„de hath doubte For theyr knighthod for they were so wyse Vntill the storye last agayne deuise In this matter ferther to procede With the fauour of your goodlyhead I wil me rest for a lytel space And thaÌ„ vpborne w t supporte of your grace For taccomplishe as I you vndertoke And here an ende of the first boke I make now with quakyng hand for dreade Onely for feare of you that shall it reade Lest ye alas of hasty mocion Ne will not haue no compassyon Pytye nor routhe vpon my rudenesse Lowly besechyng to your gentilcesse Of mercye onely both nigh and ferre Where ye finde that I fayle or erre For to correcte or ye further flyt For to your grace I hooly all commit ¶ The Translatour complaineth the misfortune of the Troians in the losse of theyr City liuely describyng the tykle estate of Fortunes gouernaunce beginning in the same chapyter his secound boke persewing the matter of the sayd historye Ca. x. THe enuious ordre of fortunat meninge In worldly thynge false and flikerynge Nil suffer vs as in this present life To lyue in reste without werre or stryfe For she is blinde fikel and vnstable And of her course false and ful mutable Who sitteth highest she caÌ„ him downe encline WheÌ„ he least weneth and bring hym to ruine With the awaytes that gladly ben sodayne And with her face that parted is in twayne Shewe most hole whaÌ„ she is lest to tryst That well were him that her deceytes wist And her engines and her trappes knewe That in her courte euery daye be newe Of which in sothe I well affirme dare No mortall man may in this life beware For she vneuen peysing in balaunce With counterfete and fayned countenaunce With loâ—ing playn cheare of flatterye Vnwarely can do blere a mannes eye And him begile this the very sothe With a face blandishing and smothe When she hath him froÌ„ high degre made low Full falsly smile and make to him the mowe And yet somewhyle most varyaunt of hewe She vnto some pretendeth to be trewe For she whylom to some is fauorable And to some false and like deceiuable She can reise one and bring another downe This false lady of transmutacyowne To some she giueth renowne victorye And doth theym floure in honoure glorie And some she can appayre with false fame And giltles perde put a man in blame To some she is goodly and beninge And of disdeyne she can also malygne Agayne an other and make hym lowte lowe And froÌ„ their see she can great kinges throwe And theim auayle for all their high toures And she can plonge worthy Emperours From the hyll of hye prosperetye Into the vaile like of aduersytye The ryche emprishe of rancoure dysdayne And eft the pore she can enhauÌ„ce agayne This false goddesse with her eyen blinde Set one afore another goeth behinde And doth one renne maketh another halte And one she can high in riches exalte And an other plonge in pouertye In whom no man may haue securytye To some suger and hony she distilleth And to other some she the bottel fylleth With bytter gall mirre and aloes And thus this lady wilfull and rechles As she that is froward and peruers Hath in her seller drinkes ful diuers For she to some of fraude and of fallas Ministreth piment bawme and ypocras And sodeynly when the soote is past She of custome can giue him a cast For to conclude falsly in the fine Of bytter eysell and of egre wine And corrosynes that fret and perce depe And Narcotikes that cause men to slepe Thus she to theim that her can aproche After swete the bitter can a broche Thus in her reygne this quene of varyaunce Whose ioye alwayes fineth with mischaunce Who trusteth her she will him ouercast And him deceyue playnly at the last Of what estate soeuer that he be This double lady of mutabilitye Se here example of king Lamedon Whom she hath brought to confusion For litel cause and for a thing of nought Her crueltye he hath to deare abought Wherfore I reade euery man take hede To gin a quarell where as is no nede For litell fyre vnder ashes reke So may be kindled that it will out breake Into such flawme men may it not apease Who best can suffer moste shall haue his ease Therfore ye kynges and lordes euerychone Make you a myrroure of this Lamedone And be well ware to do no violence Vnto straungers when they do none offence Whan they come fer into this region Ne suffer theim by none oppression Within your bondes for to haue no wrong For in your owne though that ye be strong And mightye eke among your lieges all Another daye perauntre may befall That when that ye ful lytell thynke on it Of sodeyne case thus may ye be aquyt And ythanked in another place Of auenture where ye may fayle of grace Therfore when ye may any such espye Do theym good cheyre of your curtesye And prudently consyder in your witt That to a lorde of gentilnesse it syt To euery straunger goodly him to haue There is nothing may more his honour saue Than to refreshe them frely and disporte Than may they after good of him reporte By whose coÌ„trary hath much wo be wrought Afore this time if so it be well sought The first Troye thus vtterly destroyed And the people in sorowe and wo acloyed Lad into exyle a farre from theyr Cytye Lyuing in thraldome and captiuitye And Exyone as ye haue herde me tell Led into Grece with Thelamon to dwell For whoÌ„ there was as Guido caÌ„ you teache After take so great vengeaunce wreche On eyther parte that in very trouthe For to heare it is to great a routhe As in this boke ye may hereafter rede Ceryously if that ye list take hede For gladly aye by reuolusyon Of fatall thing by disposicion So enuyous
the slawe And in the fyelde by cruelte ydrawe ¶ Ah blynde people of death y u takest no hede Why nylte thou worke and do after my rede And in this case more prudent be and wyse To take awaye this Heleyne fro Paris As right requireth withouten any more And to her lorde iustely her restore ¶ What trowen ye his thefte cruel dede Shall passe thus nay nay withouten drede The sword of vengeauÌ„ce shal ful sharply byte For his offence and we shall beare the wyte Paleys and house to se within a throwe And toures hye layde on the erthe alowe Alas alas I saye to the Heleyne Vnhappy woman causer of our payne Harde vnsely and also gracelese Vnwealfull woman disturbler of our peace Thou hast vs brought in mischefe in were Kyndled a bronde to burne vs all yfeare Alas thou arte the grounde and roote of all Of many drery feast funerall That shall beholde amonge vs in this towne And in this wise Cassandra vp and downe Aboute ran in subarde and in strete And crieth in one whom euer that she mete Full ofte syth alas and welaway Tyll Pryamus bycause of her affray And for the noyse that she as tho did make Without abode anone he doth her take And bounde her fast and fetred in pryson Without mercy or remyssyon They toke no hede to her sadde trouthe Nor to her wordes it was the more routhe But shet her vp in bondes great and stronge Without pitie where she abyde longe And thus in pryson a whyle I let her morne And to the grekes I wyll agayne retourne TH unhappy tyme in the same whyle That false fortune frendly gan to smyle Vpon Troyans and bad them to be mery For which highly they gan their goddes hery Wenyng with ioye to haue assured weale Nothyng aduerting the tournyng of y e whele Of her that lasteth stable but a throwe WheÌ„ men most trust her she can make a mowe Tourne her forhead and her face wrythe Suche ioye she hath her doublenesse to kythe And to wrappe her clerenesse vnder cloude AgaiÌ„st whose might ther mai no maÌ„ hiÌ„ shroud WheÌ„ most she flattereth theÌ„ is she lest to triste For in her ioye the Troyans lyttell wyste What she hath mente to their confuciowne For whyle that they aboute in all the towne Wende of grekes haue gotten full recure Of their domages and to haue be sure Through thilke pray y e Paris had theÌ„ wonne The wycked fame and rumour is yronne With swift wingê of al y t they haue wroughte To Menelay the fydynges were ybrought Whyles he abode with Nestor at Pirrha Firste of the temple in Cithera How it was spoyled and the robberye Of golde and treasoure and the tyrrannye Vpon his men by Troyans execute Both of assaylyng and of all the suite That on the grekes they made cruelly And how that they ne spared vtterly Man nor woman that came in their waye That they ne toke and ladde as for praye To theyr shyppes also of the fyght Afore the Castell that was on the nyght ¶ And alder laste he heareth of his wyfe Whom he loued as derely as his lyfe More tenderly god wote a thousande folde For whom at herte he waxed is as colde As any stone and therto pale of hewe His hertye wo so inly gan renewe That fyrst whan he harde her name sowne Without more anone he fell in sowne For he ne myght endure for to stande Til that duke Nestor toke hym by the hande And hym adawed of his deadely swowe Alas quod he why haue I lost and howe My lyues luste my hertes suffysaunce Ah death come now make of my greuauÌ„ce Fully an ende with thy cruell darte That wounded am through on euery parte My herte also korne in euery veyne For you my wyfe for you myne owne Heleine That be deforced fro me welaway Farewell my ioye farewell my olde playe Now haue straungers of you possessyon Whiche wyll to me be full confusyon Alas I not how they cheryshe or trete My fayre Heleyne that were to me so swete Now ye are gone pensyfnesse me sleath I may not wayte now but after death And after this amyd in all his wo This Menelay shope hym for to go To his reygne but lyttell there besyde He axeth horse and said how he wolde ryde Sole to complaine of y t he felte him greue But all this whyle Nestor wyll not leue To go with hym for consolacion Of frendly ryght hauynge compassion Hym to comforte with all his full myght Leading with him many a worthy knyght Into the reygne of this Menelaus ¶ Than fyrst of all the story telleth vs How they sent for kyng Agamenon And for Castor to come to him anone And for Pollux if it myght so be And when that they comen were all three And saw their brother iÌ„ such mischief brought Almost murdred with his owne thought Without abode the wyse Agamenon To gyue him hoope and consolacion Dyd his labour and diligence entere Sayinge to hym as ye shall after here ¶ Oh brother mine what wo what heuinesse What deadly sorowe thus inly may oppresse Your knightly hert or trouble your manhead More furiously ywys than it is nede For though that ryght required vtterly You for to sorowe and hadden cause why Yet me semeth by iuste prouidence Ye slyly shulde dyssymule your offence Sith eche wyse man in his aduersytie Shulde fame chere and kepen in secree The inwarde wo that bynt hym in distresse By manly force rathest there compesse The spyryte of Ire and melancolye Where the people myght it not espye The doctryne of them that be prudent Than whan a man with furye is to rent To fayne chere tyll tyme he se leysure That he of vengeaunce kyndell may the fyre For sorowe out shewed if I shall not fayne Who so taketh hede it doth thynges twayne It causeth frendes for to syghe sore And his enemyes to reioyse the more Thy frende in herte is sorye of nature Thyne enemye glad of thy mysaduenture Wherfore in herte whaÌ„ wo doth most habouÌ„de Faineth gladnesse thyne enemye to confound And shew in chere as thou roughtest nought Of that most is greuous in thy thought And where y u hast moste matter to complayne Make there good face glad in porte y e faine For into teares though thou all distylle And rende thy selfe as thou woldest the spylle It helpeth not to a ledge thy greuaunce For honour nother pursuite of vengeaunce With sorowe makynge mowe be execute Though it last ay ther cometh therof no frute Men say how he that can dissimule a wronge How he is slyghe and of herte stronge And who can be peasyble in his smerte It is a token he hath a manly herte Not to wepe as women in their rage Whiche is contrary to an hygh courage With word weping for to auenge our paine And no meanes to worshyp to attayne Let vs with sworde not with wordes
w t brest ful square mete To endure in armes fel and coragious And of his loke wonder amerous High of stature and large of giftes eke And more of strength than any other Greke And to spend he set lytel charge He was of herte so plenteous and large And in the felde passyng chyualrous ¶ And for to tell forth of Tantalus Of sanguine hewe hauing much of reed Diuerse eyed aye meuing in his head Of huge making also of great strengthe Wel answeryng hys brede to his lengthe Hatinge to striue where he sawe no nede Ryght trewe of worde also as I reade And neuer quarel wolde he take on hande To fyght for but he might vnderstande That it were fully grounded vpon ryght And than he wolde quyte hym like a knyght ¶ Cilcus Ayax was right corpulent To be well cladde he set al his entent In ryche aray he was ful curyous Although he were of body corsyous Of armes great w t shoulders square brode It was of him almost a horse lode Hygh of stature and boystous in a pres And of his speche rude and rechles Ful many worde in ydel hym asterte And but a coward was he of his herte ¶ An other Ayax Thelamonyous There was also dyscrete and vertuous Wonder fayre and semely to beholde Whose heyr was black vpward ay gā folde In compas wise rounde as any sphere And of musyke was there none his pere Hauing a voyce full of melodye Right well entuned as by Hermonye And was inuentife for to counterfete Instrumentes aswell smal as grete In sundry wise longing to musyke And for all this yet had he good practike In armes eke and was a noble knyght No man more orped nor hardyer for to fight Nor desyrous for to haue vyctorye Deuoyde of pompe hatyng all vaynglorye All ydle laude spent and blowe in vayne ¶ Of Vlyxes what shall I also sayne That was so noble and worthy in his dayes Ful of wyles and sleyghty at assayes In meaning double and deceyuable To forge a leysyng also wonder able With face playn he coud make it toughe Mery worded and but selde loughe In counsayling discret and ryght prudent And in his tyme the most eloquent And holpe to Grekes often in theyr nede ¶ And for to speake of worthy Diomede Full wel compact and growe well in length Of sturdy porte and famous eke of strength Large brested and ferse also of syght And deceyuable of what euer he hyght Hasty testyf to smyte reckles And medlyng aye and but selde in peace To his seruauntes ful inpacient And baraytous where that so euer he went For lytel worthe of disposycion And lecherous eke of complexion And had in loue oft syth his parte Brenning within of Cupydes fyery darte And spechles ful ofte felt he his sore ¶ What shal I sayne eke of Duke Nestore Of longe stature and wel compact wythall With corbe shoulders and of middell small In handes strong with armes large roūde In counsalyng prudent and wyse yfounde Whose wordes were sugred wyth pleasaunce Vpon his frende hauing aye remembraunce For of his trouthe he ne coud fayne But in anger he might him not refrayne He was so fret wyth melancolye That no man myght his yre modefye Albe it laste but a lytell space Who could him suffer anone it would pace Lightly it came and lyghtly went awaye ¶ And Prothesalyus y t freshe was of araye Wonder semely and of great beaute I trowe a fayrer might no man se Of good stature delyuer and ful lyght No man swyfter and to speake of myght Of his makyng he was passyng stronge Ferse of courage and lothe to take a wronge ¶ And to tell of Neptolomus He was of making wonder corsyous Whose heyr was blacke shining as doth geat With eyen rounde brode and therto great Large brested with a rysyng backe And in speche stamerd whan he spacke But in causes he could medle wele And in the lawe ful depe he did fele For all his lust was beset on plees ¶ But for to tell of Pallamides King Naulus sonne withouten any wene Of face fayre of body longe and lene Of manful hert hardy in battayle And desyrous his enemye to assayle Famylyer curteyse and therto right tretable In al his dedes and inly worshipable In giuing large and passing of grete fame Of whose bounteful wide sprange the name In many land the storye telleth thus ¶ And next I finde of Polydamus The worthy Greke was of great thycknesse Of wombe swolle enbossed with fatnesse That vnneth he might him selfe sustene And yet of herte he was ful proude kene Right surquidrous and ful of pensyfenesse And selde glad so thought did him oppresse ¶ But Machaon like as wryte Guydo Of longe and short was betwyx two Ful proude and ferse deuoyde of pacyence And vengeable who hym did offence And yet he was as balde as is a coote On whose forhead euen by the roote The heyr was fallen wasted clene away And selde or neuer he would slepe a daye ¶ And ouermore to tellen of Crysyde Stumbleth my pen for longe or she dyed My mayster Chauncer did his diligence As to descryue the great excellence Of her beaute and that so maysterly To take on me it were but high folye In any wyse to adde more therto For wel I wote anone as I haue do That I in sothe no thāke deserue maye By cause that he in wrytyng was so gay And but I wryte I must the trouthe leue Of Troye booke and my matter breue And ouer passe and not go by and by As doth Guydo in ordre ceryously And that I must don offencion Through necligence or presumpcion So am I set euen amiddes twayne Great cause haue I matter to complayne On Attropos that through her enuye Tho brake the thred and made for to dye Noble Galfryde chefe Poete of Brytayne Among our Englishe y t caused first to rayne The golden droppes of Rethorike so fyne Our rude language onely tenlumine To god I praye that he his soule haue After whose helpe of nede I must craue And seke his boke that is left behinde Some goodly worde therin for co finde To set amonge the croked lines rude Whych I do wryte as by symylitude The rubye stant so royall of renowne Within a ryng of coper or latowne So stant the making of him doubtles Amonge our bokes of Englyshe pereles They be ful easy knowen so they be excellēt There is no making to his equipolent We do but halte who so taketh hede That medle of makyng without any drede Whan as we would his style counterfete We may alday our colour grinde and bete Tempre our asour and vermilyon But al I holde but presumpcion It foloweth not therfore I let be And fyrst of all I wil excuse me And procede as I haue erst begon And through his fauour certayn if I con Of Troye booke for to make an ende And there I left I wyl agayne nowe wende
the hard stound So many knight caught his dethes wounde Without recure or any remedye ¶ And for a woman if I shall not lye Gan all this stryfe it was the more pytie That so great mischyefe or aduersytie Of mortall slaughter euer shulde betyde Better had be to haue sette asyde Suche quarelles all dere ynough a myte And let theÌ„ passe or y t the vengeaunce byte For wysedome were to caste afore and se If suche sklaunders myght eschewed be Or the venym gynneth for to rype For though y e men with hornes blowe pype Whan the house is fyred in his hete Of the sparke to late is then to treate That caused all wherfore at the gynnynge The remedye is put of euery thynge As euery wyght may deme in his reason ¶ And while that grekes lay at Tenedon Them to refreshe and to reste in peace The worthy kyng that hyght Pallamydes With thirtye shyppes out of grekes lande Stuffed w t knightê ful worthy of their hande The beste choyse of all his regyon Aryued is vp at Tenedon Wherof the grekes whan they had a syght Reioysynge them were ryght glad and lyght Hauynge regarde vnto his worthynesse Where they afore had made heuynesse For his absence that he was so longe And some of them grutched at hym stronge For he ne kepte his mouster at Athene But for to shewe that he was all clene Of any spotte in his conscyence Full manfully in open audyence Lyke a knyght he gan him selfe excuse Stoppyng all tho that theron lyste to muse ¶ Of his absence shewyng the cause why That for sykenesse and sodeyne malady He was coÌ„strained his presence to withdrawe And for they sawe that sycknesse hath no law They helde excused fully his absence ¶ And for he was of most reuerence Amonge grekes so no wight the secounde And was also full wyse and eke habounde Of golde and good auyse and prudent That what so euer he sette on his entent Knyghtly wisely he wolde aye well achieue And what soeuer he gan he nolde it leue Maugre his foen in no maner wyse Tyll that he sawe a fyne of his empryse And for he was most of opinion Amonge grekes and reputacion They him besought that he wolde be Of their counsayle auisely to forse What were to do in euery maner thyng And he assenteth vnto their axynge Benyngly of his great gentilnesse And grekes than dyd theyr busynesse To procede withouten more delaye Them to enhaste in all that euer they maye To gyn a syege and differre it nought And sundry waies they serched haue sought In their wyttes how from Tenedowne They may remeue towardes Troye towne From the hauen where their shippes be And some thought moste commoditee For best exployt by nyght pryuely Toward Troye towne that stode but fast by Proudely to sayle with their shyppes all And some sayde great peryll might be fall Towarde night for take the sea Lest with derkenesse they ennosed bee In their passage knowynge not the waye Wherof great harme after fall maye And thus diuers of opynyon Procedyng not to no conclusyon For in effecte their purpose not ne helde But styl abyden lodged in the fyelde Lyke as they had entryked be with drede ¶ Tyll on a daye the worthy Dyomede Of the grekes seynge the cowardyse Euen thus he his counsayle gan deuyse ¶ Syres quod he that be here now present If that he lyste all by one assent Goodly consyder aduertyng prudently What I shall saye tofore you openly Whiche of knighthode haue so noble name sothly me semeth we oughteÌ„ haue gret shame Whiche holde our selfe so mighty so stronge And in this lande soiourned haue so longe Nigh all this yeare and dursten in no wise Remoue hense for very cowardise What haue we do nought elles certaynly But to our foen graunted folyly Euen at their lust space and liberte To make theim stronge and oportunite Vs to withstande playnly at the hande And so they will ye may well vnderstande ¶ For daye by daye to our confusiowne They sought waies full wisely vp downe To get theim helpe in the meane space And theim enforced aboute in euery place Their large Cite with barres with palis Their walles mascued and agayn our skalis Trusteth theron made great ordinaunce And with all this of our gouernaunce They haue espyed seyng that for drede We haue no herte manly to procede In our purpose to hold with them the werre And aye the more they se that we differre The more they will catchen hardinesse Vs to resyste with al their businesse Also I se and trust it veryly That if we had afore hand manfully As we began knightly forth contynued Our Iourney had better be fortuned If sodaynly with stronge and mighty hande They vnauysed we had into their lande Without abode afore this time ariued Of which a while we must be depriued And delayed where fyrst the victorye To our honour with palme of high glory We might sothly ne had be our slouthe Our will complyshed this the playne trouthe Where maugre vs or we to lande ariue With stroÌ„g defeÌ„ce they will agayne vs striue And put vs of or we the stronde may win For aye the more we tarye to begin The more in sothe for me list not lye We put our selfe echone in Ieopardye What should I sayne or fage from y e trouthe For our tarying and our cowarde slouthe Are likely after to tourne vs to great sorowe Wherfore betimes on the next morowe My counsayle is our ankers vp to pulle In this matter no longer that we dulle But to enarme our shippes for the werre And at the vprise of the morowe sterre Let vs ordayne with knightly apparayle Out of thys hauen with the winde to sayle Of manly herte and lusty freshe courage Our course holdinge and our right passage Towarde Troye and landen openlye What euer fall for truste sykerlye Without scarmishe we may not ariue For they of Troye descende will as bliue Like manly men to mete vs in the berde But for all that let vs not be aferde But dreade avoyde and manhod set afore That cowardise ne entre at no bore For to adaunt the manhode of your herte And with that worde grekes gan aduerte The manly counsayle of this Diomede And in effect to procede in dede Vnto the poynt and for nothinge wyll spare And in what wise anone I will declare ¶ How the grekes laÌ„ded tofore Troy where they were stoutly fought with all Ca. xxi THe next morowe wonderly betime Or Phebus rose longe or it was prime Whan it began full merily to dawe The grekes hoost to shipward ginnen drawe With manly herte fully deuoyde of drede Onely through comforte of this Diomede But alder first anone as they awake The lordes wisely gan their counsayle take And concluded amonge theim euerichone Which of their shippes shulde y e formest gone And on the sea how they shoulde theim guye So to ariue that no man
of loue and some of kyndnesse Pale and dreadfull for theyr lordes were And some theyr faces hyden eke for feare That were not bolde to lyfte vp theyr syghte For to heholde the armure cleare and bryght So glytterynge aye agayne the sonne shene Theyr hertes tender myght not sustene And in theyr dreade thus I lette theim dwel ANd of grekes forth I shall you tell Yf so be ye list abyde but a whyle For now must I my fordulled style Agayne dyrect to Agamenon Well maye I make an exclamacion On ignoraunce that staunt so in my lyght Which causeth me with a full cloudy syght In my makynge to speken of the werre For lacke of tearmes I must nedely erre Conningly my wardes for sette Cruell Alecto is busy me to lette The nyghtes doughter blynded by derknesse By crafte of armes the trouthe to expresse In ordre dewe a felde to descryue And Chauncer nowe alas is not alyue Me to refourme or to be my rede For lacke of whom slower is my spede The noble Rethor that all did excelle For in making he dranke so of the welle Vnder Pernaso that the muses kepe On which hylle I neuer yet might slepe Vnneth slombre for whych alas I playne But for all this there is no more to sayne Though my wede be not pollymyte As of coloures forth I wyll endyte As it cometh euen to my thought Playnly to write how y e kinge hath wrought The manly knight the great Agamenon Lyke as the latyn maketh mencion ¶ What trowen ye that he in his entente Was founde slowe other neclygente On grekes halfe his wardes for to make Nay nay not so for him lyst to wake That tyme more sothly than to slepe For lyke a kinge that daye the felde to kepe No neclygence myght his herte fade For in that daye I fynde that he made Syxe and twenty wardes by and by So well deuysed and so prudently That no man might amende his ordynaūce And of the fyrst he gaue gouernaunce To the manfull noble Patroclus That w t him ladde myn auctour telleth thus Myrmydones so myghty and so stronge With all the folke that to Achilles longe Besyde thylke that were of his meyne Whych that he brought out of his countre At his cominge to the siege of Troye And he rode forth with theim on his waye Into the syelde and made no delaye Now fell it so on the same daye That Achilles kept him in his tente And for sycknesse that daye out ne wente For his lechesse made him to abstene For his woundes freshe were and grene That he caught on the daye tofore Whych for to heale of theyr akyng sore He by counsayle kept him selfe close And from his bedde that daye not ne rose In hope onely the better to endure Whan that he was restored vnto cure But all his men he toke to Patroclus Which was in armes passyngly famous And by discent come of great kynrede And was also of hym as I reade Hoboundaunt of golde and of rychesse And ferre commēded for his gentilnesse And had a name of hygh dyscrecion ¶ Now were they aye of suche affection Of entyre loue trouthe and faythfulnesse So great desyre and inwarde kyndenesse Busy thynkyng and so great feruence So much frendship w t thoughtful aduertēce So huge brennyng so passyng amerous Betwyxt Achilles and this Patroclus That theyr hertes were locked in a cheyne And what soeuer if I shall not fayne The tone hath wrought as brother vnto brother In herte it was confermed of the other For wyll and goodes weren both commune And to the death they euer so contune Without chaunge theyr loue so abode ¶ And Patroclus forth anone rode Into the fyelde with Myrmydones And in his tente abydeth Achilles ¶ The secounde warde to kinge Menon Assygned was by Agamenon ¶ And to the worthy kinge Ydumenee And to a Duke called Menestee Thre thousand knightes in stele armed clene Wyth all the folke that comen from Athene Assygned were wyth theim for to go ¶ The thyrde warde to king Ascalapho And to his sone that hyght Phylomene With the knightes that came from Cumane ¶ The fourth warde without more lettynge To Archelaus the noble worthy kynge To Prothenor and to Securydan Whych in his dayes was so stronge a man Assygned was holly to these three And all the knyghtes with theim for to be Of Boece the myghty lande famous ¶ The fyfth warde to kinge Menelaus With all the folke of the regyowne Called Spertence of full high renowne And of yles that were adiacent All these with the baner wente ¶ Of Menelay freshe and couragyous The .vi. warde to kynge Epystrophus Was assygned and to the kinge Gelyde With many worthy rydyng by his syde Of the prouynce and the famous yle That called is in Guydo Fordesyle ¶ The seuenth warde to Thelamonius Called Ayax the great kynge famous Was assygned shortly to termyne With the folkes that from Salomyne He with him brought and many another mo And foure Earles with hym went also ¶ Theseus and eke Amphymacus And the thyrde that called was Doxus And the fourth named Polyxarye The .viii. warde if I shall not tarye By good aduyse that daye assygned was Vnto the kinge that called was Thoas ¶ Ayax Cileus the .ix. warde tho ladde And the tenth king Philoctetes hadde ¶ And to the kinge the .xi. he did assigne That sothly was both of byrth and lyne So renowmed and of so great encrease The mighty kynge called Pallamides Kinge Naulus son highest borne of blode And Duke Nestor full famous in knighthod The .xii. warde ladde on grekes syde Melancolyke and surquedous of pryde And kinge Honux son of one Maberte Into the fyelde by hym selfe aparte In ordre hadde of wardes the thyrtene Proudly musterynge endlonge on the grene Agayne Troians redy for to fyght ¶ And eke the kinge that Vlyxes hight Ladde with him the fourtene as I rede ¶ And eke Humelius the kinge did lede The fiftenth mine auctour writeth thus ¶ And a Duke called Curibulus The sixtenth had in gouernaunce that daye In which the knightes of king Prothesylay Assygned were by great ordinaunce To enforce theim to do vengeaunce Vpon the death of their worthy kinge By Hector slayne at grekes ariuinge ¶ And kinge Rodus ladde the seuentene And he that was the kinge of Occymene ¶ The eyghtenth warde had at his ledinge He zantipus that was of Lyde kinge Had to kepe committed to his garde On grekes syde the .xix. warde ¶ And the twenty mine auctour lerneth vs Had the kinge called Amphimacus Like a kinge to guyde theim and to wysse And Philoctetes that kinge was of Larysse The one and twenty ladde eke as I reade The two twenty hadde king Diomede ¶ And Eneus kinge of Cyparye That was whylom so noble and so worthy The thre and twenty had in gouernayle And the Troians proudly for tassayle The .xxiiii. with swerde spere and shelde ¶ King Prothecatus lad into the felde ¶ And Carpenor of
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
Palladion Without abode it maye delyuered be And gaue him golde an huge quantytye And him to blend much more behyght And this was done pryuely by nyghte Shortly concludinge if he condescende That he would his state amende So passyngly that for euer more He and his heyres shoulde haue golde store Plenty ynough that none indygence Shoulde haue power hym to do offence For vnto the this a vowe I make Quod Anthenor and platly vndertake Of golde good thou shalt haue suffysaunce And of treasour passynge habundaunce That thou shalt in very sykernesse All thy kyn excelle in rychesse If thou delyuer lyke to myne axynge Palladyon whych is in thy kepynge And I behote thou mayste trust me By bonde of it shal be secree Lest it were hyndrynge to thy name For if so be that thou dreadest shame To be esclaundred of so foule a deede I shape shall that thou nede not drede Nor be agaste in no maner wyse For such a waye in sothe I shall deuyse That no man shall be suspecyous To thy person or engenyous To deme amysse how this matter goth For be well ware that me were as lothe To be diffamed of so foule a thynge To knowe therof or be assentynge In any maner that they of the towne Shoulde to me haue suspecyowne Let be let be leuer I had deye We shall therfore caste an other wey Our honour saue so that thou and I Shall go all quyte I saye the vtterly That neyther shall beholde ne perceyuere Of this thefte but stande hole and clere What euer fall without any shame For Vlyxes shall beare all the blame Of this dede and this thefe also For men shall saye when it is ago By his engyne and his sleyghty wyle Through his traynes and his false guyle That he hath stole awaye Palladyowne From the temple in leasynge of the towne That fynally durynge all his lyue Men shall to hym his falshede descryue And all the gylte arreten his offence That thou and I onely of innocence Throughout the worlde of this iniquytye Shall be excused platly and go free It nedeth not tarye in this mattere Come of attones lo thy golde is here For thou ne shalt longer delayed be And sith thou seest no difficultye Is on no parte perle nor reprefe Shame nor dread slaundre nor mischyefe Delaye not to take this thinge on hande And first this priest gan him to withstande Full myghtely and sayde for nothinge Nother for prayer nor for manasinge For golde nor good ne no maner mede He ne would assente to so foule a deede Thus he answered at the pryme face But ofte sith it happeth men purchase By gifte of good to speake in wordes playne That trouth in pouerte might neuer attayne For mede more by falshed maye conquere Than tytle of ryght that men in trouthe lere And gyftes great hertes can enclyne And golde they maye in stele marbyll mine This priestes herte hath so depe graue That Anthenor shall his purpose haue For to possede the Palladion Through false engyne and conspiracion Of this priest that called was Tonaunte Which of falshede myght him beste auaunte That this relyke fro the temple rente And to Vlyxes Anthenor it sente Out of the towne in all the haste he might By a seruaunt secretly by nyght Wherof Troians mortally dismayde And through treason fynally outrayed Wrought by this priest with couetise blent False Anthenor beinge of assente ¶ Howe the Grekes made an horse of brasse wherin was men of armes and vnder colour of peace brought it into Troye by the whych it was vtterly destroyed for euer Cap. xxxv OH Troy alas wel mayst y u morne wepe In complaynyng w t hertye sighes depe Falsly defrauded of Palladyon And put for euer out of possessyon ¶ Oh mighty goddes y t the worlde gouerne And euerything through your might cōserne Ryght as it is of your dewtye And trouthe and falshed maye togither se In euery herte through your purueyaunce Why toke ye not on this priest vengeaunce That traytoursly through his inyquytye For golde and good betrayshed the cytye Of Troye alas without more recure Who shall emforth and more be suer Or any place stande in sykertee Syth holynesse of so hygh degree Maye be infecte and corrupt with mede Euery herte ought quake and drede To se alas by false ypocrasye Priestes that should the worlde exemplefye With good doctryne of perfection To make so soone a transmutacion Of double entent sodainly to varye For doubtles if the Sanctuarye Be pollut founde in conuersacyon Naked and bare of deuocyon And that the shynynge of theyr parfyte light Ytourned be by derkenesse vnto nyght Vnto what place shall men further go To take example what them ought to do Certys the roote and ground of euerydele Is couetyse who so loke wele Of whych the grayne is so farre ysowe That who so lyst aueryce to knowe Amonge priestes he shall it rathest fynde For therwythall they be made blynde To theyr estate that they maye not se For in sothenesse there is no degre Gredyer nor more rauynous Of worldly good more couetous Than priestes be to catche what they maye For it is gone syth many a daye That in theyr brest fyxed was the roote Of couetyse whych syt so soote That no man maye arrace it nor remewe For at theyr tayle euer it doth them sewe This false worme mother and noryce Of all myschyefe and of euery yvce For golde is nowe so shynynge and so bryght So persynge eke and so clere of lyghte That priestes be with his steemes blent For in sothnesse they be in theyr entente Of couetyse very receptacle And to possede eke the tabernacle Theyr herte is aye so gredy to embrace That aueryce hath his dwellynge place Mid of their brest this vice of vyces all That causeth vertue rather for to fall Where he abyde so he can supplaunte Recorde I take of the priest Tonaunte That for treasour to Anthenor hath solde The ryche relyke that he had in holde Palladion while they of Troye towne Haue gathered vp aboute enuyron Of riche and poore throughout the citye Golde and syluer an huge quantytye Floure and whete to paye theyr raunsom The whych summe of entencion They made kepe wysely and conserue In the Temple that longeth to Mynerue Purposynge after of one affectiowne The citezyns throughout all the towne Hopinge therby for to fare the bet Vpon a daye assygned and yset To Apollo in theyr panym wyse Solempnelye make a sacrafise With slaughter of bestes w t encense bloude On whych daye when the pryestes stode In compasse rounde about the aultere And gan to kyndle the coles bryght and clere Vpon the aulter playnly as I reade To offer vp the beastes that were deade In the flawme and the great leuen To Apollo stellyfyed in heauen When they to offer were most laborous The fyrste was that the sacryde fyre Ne would brenne lyke to his desyre Nor the flawme vp ascende alofte Albe that
this ordre hath not be obserued Amonges vs without excepcyon In delyueraunce of Palladyon Whiche Vlyxes I saye without drede Tofore you all vniustly doth possede On hym vsurpynge by false opynyon By merytorye retrybucyon And apparence his tytle for to grounde Vnder pretense of colour falsely founde That he this relyke reioyse shulde of ryght By sleyght wonne rather then of myght And vsurpeth by maner of a vaunt As it were gyuen vnto hym by graunt Of you echone for a chyefe guerdon But I wyll make a replycation That this relyke is not to hym mete Whiche he shall not reioyse in quyete If that I maye disturbe hym or do lette For I it cleyme duely as of dette And for guerdon to me conuenyent So that ye lyste to be indifferent Of reason onely as it doth you seme Atwene vs two egally to deme Iustly fyrst with euery circumstaunce Our outher meryte weyed in balaunce Firste consydered forth fro day to daye By all the longe whyle that the syege laye That ye shulde of plentye of vitayle On no syde fro no myschyefe fayle ¶ And if I shall without auaunt out breke As of armes and knyghthode for to speke In the fyelde by longe continuaunce Of manly force and perseueraunce Vpon our foen that were so felle and kene Day by daye I was armed clene It nedeth not to make mencyon With my right hand I slewe him Phylomene As ye well knowe whiche had in his kepynge The yonge sonne of Pryamus the kynge Freshe and lusty and of great fayrenesse And with hym had infynyte rychesse Of treasoure golde passyngly plentye And euery dele was brought to you by me If ye remembre and lyste to take hede That ye were quyet of indygence and nede By occasyon of that great good And through my manhode shed I not y e blode Mercyles in full cruell wyse For your sake of the kynge of Fryse And the treasour in his cofers sought And all yfeare to the syege ybrought And by my knyghthode syth go full yore Haue I not eke augmented and made more The grekes lande with possessyons By conquest onely of two regyons Through my prudence and my laboure won Sythen that ye the syege fyrst begonne With prouynces to Troye adiacent To your encrease I was so dyligent ¶ And with Achylles the worthy warryour Ye be experte full well of my laboure What we wrought to your auauntage And sythen ye so prudent be and sage Not foryetell but fully remembrynge It nedeth not rehersen euery thynge ¶ And so to dispreue manly as a knyght His tytle and cleyme that he hath no ryght The dome cōmyttynge to your opynyons By rehersayle of his condycyons He nother hath manhode nor prowesse Force knyghthode nother hardynesse And at a poynt for to haue a rewarde In darynge do is preued a cowarde Experyence hath shewed you in dede How that he is when it cometh to nede But worde and wynde sleyghty cōpassyng And on falshode euer ymagynynge For neuer yet to this daye was preued That any thynge was by hym acheued Whiche might be entitled to his laude But the ende medlyd were with fraude For vnder colour he can cure all Pretende fayre lyke a paynted walle Dyuerse hewed that nother hye nor lowe There may no man his plaine mening know ¶ And with suche sleyght cōpassed by treason Out of Troye he gat Palladyon Whiche is great shame sclaunder to vs all For of our conquest it is thus befalle More of treason we haue the cytye wonne Than of knyghthode as men reporte koune And crop and rote yf I reherse shall Vlyxes there is grounde and cause of all And gynnynge fyrste of this vnhappy fame That reboundeth to our alder shame And syth the trouthe is platly knowen wiste My tale is ended demyth as ye lyste VLyxes then in his aduertence Conceyued hath the great inpacyence Of Thelamon and the great enuye The feruent rancour and melancolye ¶ Forbare him fyrst by full great aduyse As he that was full prudent and ryght wise And thought he wolde make therof no iape By no worde for haste that shulde escape Nother 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 hyghe presence That my tale maye haue audyence I nother am in doubte nor in drede Of equytye that I shall possede Palladyon durynge my lyues daye Maugre the myght of who that say naye For yf ye lyst of reason for to se At the syege layde fyrst to this cyte I haue my selfe in double wise acquyt As well by knyghthod sothly as by wyt And through my counsell and my busy cure Be ofre cause of theyr discomfiture Aye dylygent to your auauntage Wrought and compassed vnto theyr domage That to this daye in sothe ne had I be They had floured in theyr felycytye In theyr force contuned and welfare And if that I the trouth shall not spare If it be dempt and loked of reason I was most cause of theyr confusyon Who so euer agaynst it replye ¶ How ofte went I on your imbassadrye With importable charge and dyspense The treate aye concludynge in sentence To the forthrynge of your entenciowne And disencrease and hindringe of the towne And when I sawe other meane none In myne aduyse and wittes euerichone By our force the cyte for to win While they had y t relyke them within Therupon so sotylly I wrought That vnto you Palladyon I brought Which Thelamon that of malyce striueth Of olde hatred vnto my gilt ascriueth Hooly this thinge y t I haue for you wrought ¶ But ye that be so prudent in your thought Aduerteth wysely and an ende maketh And in your hande this quarell fully taketh Palladion iustly to prouyde And all fauour let be layde asyde Sith all this thinge ye platly vnderstande And let vs both to our demynge stande By one assent how so the matter wende Lo here is all my tale is at an ende ¶ Then Thelamon in Ire full feruent And through rancoure made inpacient And of enuye inwardely ameued Vlyxes hath dispyteously repreued Onely of malys and of hyghe disdaine And Vlixes rebukyng him agayne Full bytterly without abode anone And so they twayne made full mortall foen In the presence of Agamenon ¶ But furyously Ayax Thelamon Of melancolye pale and nothynge red Thrette Vlyxes that he shall be dead Of his handes he shulde it not eschewe And grekes tho all rancour to remewe This quarell put in arbytration Of Menclaye and Agamenon That caused after a full mortall stryfe For by sentence anone dyffynytyfe They put Vlixes in possessyon Perpetually of thilke Palladyon With hym confyrmynge to abyde stable And cause why they were fauourable To Vlyxes lyke as Guydo wryte Was for that he so goodly hath hym quyte Vnto Heleyne at gettynge of the towne Beynge in cause of her sauaciowne Dispeyred and of her lyfe in drede Grekes willynge to haue had
wether lusty agreable and fayre But who maye truste other winde or ayre For vpon fayth of the smothe skye Agayne to shyppe faste I gan me hye Taryed nought but toke anone the sea Smothe and calme enduringe dayes three That in the wether founde was no lacke But sodaynly the heauen tourneth blacke The hidous tempest and the wawes grene Out of hope haue me dyspeyred clene Troubled my spyrite made me so pensife Without refute to escape with the lyfe Tossed and driuen by many sundrye yle Tyll the laste caste vp at Cecyle Recuringe lande with great annoye payne Where that tyme reygned kynges twayne And as I can remembre doubtles The tone of theim called Sorygines Whiche vnto me full contrarious was ¶ And the tother named Coclopas Brethren of byrthe and in conclusion Ylike cruell of condycyon For though my sorte had shape for the nones ¶ Both twayne fell on me attones Oppressinge in full great dystresse Spoyled my shippes of treasour and richesse And for pyte liked not to spare Till I was lefte destitute and bare Of all my good alas my mortall chaunce And most of all was to me greuaunce WheÌ„ of my golde they may no more restrayne They sent downe their mighty sones twayne ¶ Alipham that was ful large and longe ¶ And Polipheme y e mighty gianut stronge Which on my meÌ„ to auenge theÌ„ wereful fame That they of them haue an hundred slayne Disarayed to stande at diffence And of malice with sodayne violence They toke me for mischiefe almost lorne ¶ And Alphenor mine owne brother sworne And hatefully as they haue vs founde In chaynes caste and in stockes bounde And after that ylocked in prison And for to make platly mencyon This mighty man this great Polypheme A syster had shortly for to deme One of the fayrest that euer yet was borne She might in beaute so be set aforne Nature her gaue suche a prerogatife A cleane mayde sothly and no wyfe Flouringe both in fayrenesse and bounte Whom Alphenor when he did se Albe he was fetred in prison For loue he loste wit and eke reason And wex al mad so narowe she did him binde Saue vpon her alway was his minde And closed aye was his perillous wounde And sixe monethes thus we laye bounde ¶ Both he and I to saye the platte trouthe Til Polipheme had vpon vs routhe And through his grace and mediacion He quit vs fre out of that pryson And shewed vs of mercy and pite After our sorowe great humanite ¶ But Alphenor ylike of one entente Was with the bronde of Cupide brent And felte his parte with many mortall fit Till he so wrought with his sotyll wit That on a night who was leef or lothe He stale this mayde and his waye he gothe Through helpe of men with hym at that time ¶ But on the morowe at the houre of prime ¶ Poliphemus gan vs for to sewe Whose mighty hande we might not eschewe And suche assaulte on vs they gan make That of force they haue the mayde take ¶ From Alphenor mauger all his rage And Polipheme vnto my domage With his knightes so sore vpon me laye That I might vnneth scape awaye To saue my selfe compassed enuyron To death pursewed of that champyon But when I sawe there was no other gayne To fle death shortly for to sayne While this giaunt most fiersly on me set With my sworde out his eye I smet And vnto ship with my companye I fled in haste that no man might espye ¶ Where I became nor Alphenor my fere And when the wawes gan for to clere And gracious winde gan to vs awake That countre we haue anone forsake It was not holsome for vs to abyde But of this man like as write Ouide ¶ Poliphemus the Giaunt out of dread Had an eye amid of his forhead Which Vlixes smote out at a stroke And like the browes of a branched oke Was all his heyre and his longe berde On whom to loke children were aferde And when that he had lost his syght Amonge the hilles he runneth daye night In a rage to finde him some refuge Caste rockes and great stones huge On euery parte enuyron the countre On Vlixes auenged for to be Thus sayth Ouide in conclusion In his boke of transformacion Metamorphoseos there ye maye it se When so euer that your leyser be Ceriously the storye for to reade And in my writinge forth I will procede How Vlixes with face dead and pale To Ydume tolde forth his tale Rehersinge thus supprised and awaked Fro Polipheme when we were escaped Through our vnhappe and infelicyte Into an yle middes of the sea We were driue when it gan to night And ElidiuÌ„ that litell kingedome hight Where that Circes the great enchauntresse Thilke time was lady and goddesse That could her crafte so wonderly ê‘fourme All sodaynly a man for to transforme To haue the liknesse and lese his reason Of Horse of Bere Tygre or Lyon Wolfe or For or what her list deuise Her dreadful crafte was shapen in such wise So mighty were her straunge pocions Her letuaries and confections And she also so fayre vpon to se That tho her power no man might fle For by the worke of this sorceresse I was so founced vpon her fayrenesse That fynally thus with me it stode That all a yeare I with her abode And paynly had power none nor myght For to deparie neyther daye nor night So lusty was the life that I ladde In whych time by me a childe she had Right inly fayre and goodly to the syght And Thelagonius in sothnesse he hight Which afterwarde I wel reherse can By processe wexe a manly man And by my subtyll secret prouidence Of her crafte I had experyence That maugre her enchauntementes olde I stale awaye she might me not holde And fynally my fate to conclude With my connynge her crafte I can delude That with my men I scaped fro her hande And went at large fre out of her lande But all this thinge me litell did auayle For on my waye as I gan to sayle For all my sleyght in a litell whyle Yblowe was vp into an yle ¶ Where Calipha syster to Circes Was crowned quene held her sceptre iÌ„ peace Whose craftes were so mighty and so strong Maugre my will she held me there ful longe But she in sothe to speake of womanhede Of bounte fredome and of goodlyhead Surely had so soueraygne excellence That mine abode to me was none offence But who soeuer therat crye or clappe At the laste I scaped fro her trappe And came to an yle ryght as any lyne Which specyally through high power diuine Ordayned is of yore by myracle As it were a spirituall oracle A man to haue in a temple there Sodayne answere of what him list enquere Of questions and demaundes all And of soules what shall eke befall When men are dead and grauen vnder stone And I gan axe in the temple anone Mine auentures that should