Lydgate's Troy Book :: :: University of Virginia Library

O myghty Mars, that wyth thy sterne lyght
In armys hast the power & þe myȝt,
And named art from est til occident
The myghty lorde, the god armypotent,
That, wyth schynyng of thy stremes rede,
By influence dost the brydel lede
Of cheualry, as souereyn and patrown,
Ful hoot and drye of complexioun,
Irows and wood and malencolyk,
And of nature brent and coleryk,
Of colour schewyng lyche the fyry glede,
Whos feerce lokes ben as ful of drede
As the levene that alyȝteth lowe
Down by the skye from Iubiteris bowe!
Thy stremes ben so passyng despitous,
To loke vp-on, inly furious,
And causer art wyth thy fery bemys
Of werre and stryf in many sondry rewmys;
Whos lordschype is most in Caprycorn,
But in the bole is thy power lorn;
And causer art of contek and of strif,
Now, for the loue of Wlcanus wyf,
Wyth whom whylom þou wer at meschef take,
So helpe me now, only for hyr sake,
And for the loue of thy Bellona,
That wyth the dwellyth by-ȝownd Cirrea
In Lebye-londe vp-on the sondes rede;
So be myn helpe in this grete nede

To do socour my stile to directe,
And of my penne the tracys to correcte,
Whyche bareyn is of aureat lycour,
But in thi grace I fynde som fauour
For to conveye it wyth thyn influence,
That stumbleth ay for faute of eloquence
For to reherse or writen any word;
Now help, o Mars, þat art of knyȝthod lord,
And hast of manhod the magnificence!
And Othea, goddesse of prudence,
This wirke texsplyte that ȝe nat refuse,
But maketh Clyo for to ben my muse,
Wyth hir sustren that on Pernaso dwelle
In Cirrea by Elicon the welle,
Rennyng ful clere wyth st[r]emys cristallyn,
And callyd is the welle Caballyn
That sprang by touche of the Pegasee.
And helpe also, O thou Calliope,
That were moder vn-to Orpheus,
Whos dites wern so mellodyus,
That the werbles of his resownyng harpe
Appese dyde the bitter wyrdys scharpe,
Bothe of parchas and furies infernal,
And Cerberus so cruel founde at al;
He coyede also best[e], foule, and tree.
Now of thy grace be helpyng vn-to me,
And of thy golde dewe lat the lycour wete
My dulled brest, that wyth thyn hony swete
Sugrest tongis of rethoricyens,
And maistresse art to Musicyens:
Now be myn help tenlumyne with þis wirk,
Whyche am beset with cloudis dym and dirk
Of ygnoraunce, in makyng to procede,
To be lusty to hem that schal it rede.
Also in hert I am so ful of drede,
Whan prudent lysters her-to schal take hede,
That in makyng more skylle can than I,
To whom I preie, ful benignely

Of her goodnesse to haue compassioun
Wher as I erre in my translacioun.
For God I take hyȝly to wyttenesse
That I this wirk of hertly lowe humblesse
Toke vp-on me of entencioun,
Devoyde of pride and presumpcioun,
For to obeie with-oute variaunce
My lordes byddyng fully and plesaunce,
Whiche hath desire, sothly for to seyn,
Of verray knyȝthod to remembre ageyn
The worthynes, ȝif I schal nat lye,
And the prowesse of olde chiualrie,
By-cause he hath Ioye and gret deynte
To rede in bokys of antiquite,
To fyn only, vertu for to swe
Be example of hem, and also for to eschewe
The cursyd vice of slouthe and ydelnesse.
So he enioyeth in vertuous besynesse,
In al that longeth to manhood, dar I seyn,
He besyeth euere, and ther-to is so fayn
To hawnte his body in pleies marcyal,
Thoruȝ excersice texclude slouthe at al,
After the doctrine of Vygecius.
Thus is he bothe manful and vertuous,
More passyngly þan I can of hym write:
I wante connyng his hiȝe renoun tendite,
So moche of manhood men may in hym sen.
And for to witen whom I wolde mene,
The eldest sone of the noble kyng,
Henri the firþe, of knyȝthood welle & spryng,
In whom is schewed of what stok he grewe;
The rotys vertu þus can the frute renewe—
In euery part the tarage is the same,
Lyche his fader of maneris and of name,
In sothefastnesse, this no tale is,
Callid Henry ek, the worthy prynce of Walys,

To whom schal longe by successioun
For to gouerne Brutys Albyoun—
Whyche me comaunded the drery pitus fate
Of hem of Troye in englysche to translate,
The sege also and the destruccioun,
Lyche as the latyn maketh mencioun,
For to compyle, and after Guydo make,
So as I coude, and write it for his sake,
By-cause he wolde that to hyȝe and lowe
The noble story openly wer knowe
In oure tonge, aboute in euery age,
And y-writen as wel in oure langage
As in latyn and in frensche it is;
That of the story þe trouth[e] we nat mys
No more than doth eche other nacioun:
This was the fyn of his entencioun.
The whyche emprise anoon I gynne schal
In his worschip for a memorial.
And of the tyme to make mencioun,
Whan I be-gan of this translacioun,
It was the ȝere, sothely for to seyne,
Fourtene complete of his fadris regne,
The tyme of ȝere, schortly to conclude,
Whan twenty grees was Phebus altitude,
The hour whan he made his stedis drawe
His rosen chariet lowe vnder the wawe
To bathe his bemys in the wawy see,
Tressed lyche gold, as men myȝt[e] see,
Passyng the bordure of oure occian;
And Lucyna, of colour pale and wan,
Hir cold arysyng in Octobre gan to dyȝt,
Tenchace the dirknesse of the frosty nyȝt,
In the myddes of the scorpion;
And Esperus gan to wester dovn,
To haste hir cours ageyn þe morwe graye;
And Lucifer, the nyȝt to voyde a-waye,
Is callyd than, messanger of day,
Our emysperye to put out of affraye

Wyth briȝt kalendis of Phebus vpryst schene
Out of the boundis Proserpina the quene,
Wher Pluto dwelleth, the dirk[e] regioun,
And the furies haue her mansioun;
Til after sone Appollo lyst nat tarie
To take soiour in the Sagittarie.
Whyche tyme I gan the prolog to beholde
Of Troye Boke, I-made be dayes olde,
Wher was remembrid, of auctours vs be-forn,
Of the dede the verreie trewe corn,
So as it fil seuerid from the chaf;
For in her honde they hilde for a staf
The trouthe only, whyche thei han compyled
Vn-to this fyn, that we wer nat begyled
Of necligence thoruȝ forȝetilnesse.
The whiche serpent of age by processe
Engendred is fersly vs tassaille,
Of the trouth to make vs for to faille;
For ner[e] writers, al wer out of mynde,
Nat story only, but of nature and kynde
The trewe knowyng schulde haue gon to wrak,
And from science oure wittes put a-bak,
Ne hadde oure elderis cerched out and souȝt
The sothefast pyth, to ympe it in oure thouȝt,
Of thinges passed, for-dirked of her hewe,
But thoruȝ writyng þei be refresched newe,
Of oure auncetrys left to vs by-hynde;
To make a merour only to oure mynde,
To seen eche thing trewly as it was,
More bryȝt and clere þan in any glas.
For ner her writyng nowe memorial,
Dethe with his swerde schulde haue slay[e]n al,
And y-dymmed with his sodeyn schoures
The gret[e] prowes of thise conquerouris,
And dirk[ed] eke the briȝtnesse of her fame,
That schyneth ȝet by report of her name;

For vn-to vs her bokes represent
With-out[e] feynynge þe weie þat þei went
In her daies, whan thei wer alyue.
Ageyn the trouthe who so euere stryue,
Or counterplete or make any debate,
The sothe is rad of hiȝe or lowe estate,
With-oute fauour, who so list take hede;
For after deth clerkis lityl drede
After desert for to bere witnesse,
Nor of a tyraunt the trouthe to expresse,
As men disserue, with-oute excepcioun;
With lak or prys þei graunt hem her guerdoun.
Wherfore me semeth euery maner man
Schulde be his live in al that euer he can
For vertu only eschewe to don amys;
For after dethe, pleynly as it is,
Clerkis wil write, and excepte noon,
The pleyn[e] trouthe whan a man is goon.
And by olde tyme for her writing trewe
Thei cherisched werne of lordes þat hem knewe,
And honoured gretly in tho dawes;
For they enacted and gilte with her sawes
Her hyȝe renoun, her manhood and prowes,
Her knyȝthood eke and her worthynes,
Her tryvmphes also and victories,
Her famous conquest and her songe glories,
From poynt to poynt rehersyng al þe trouthe,
With-out[e] fraude, necligence, or slowthe
Thei dide her labour and her besynesse.
For elles certeyn the grete worthynesse
Of her dedis hadde ben in veyn;
For-dirked age elles wolde haue slayn
By lenthe of ȝeris þe noble worthi fame
Of conquerours, and pleynly of her name
For-dymmed eke the lettris aureat,
And diffaced the palme laureat,

Whiche þat þei wan by knyȝthod in her dayes,
Whos fretyng rust newe and newe assayes
For to eclipse the honour and the glorie
Of hiȝe prowes, whiche clerkis in memorie
Han trewly set thoruȝ diligent labour,
And enlumyned with many corious flour
Of rethorik, to make vs comprehende
The trouthe of al, as it was in kende;
Besied hem and feythfully travaylled
Agayn al that þat age wolde assaylled,
In her bokes euery thyng I-set,
And with the keye of remembraunce it schet,
Whiche lasteth ȝet, and dureth euer in oon.
Recorde of Thebes, þat was so long a-goon,
Of whiche the rueyne and distruccioun
Ȝe may beholde by gode inspeccioun,
Crop and rote, riȝt as it was in dede,
On Stace loketh, and þer ȝe may it rede:
How Polynece and Ethiocles,
The brether two, ne kowde nat lyue in pees
Til Thebes was brouȝt vn-to ruyne,
And al the maner how thei dide fyne;
The deth also of worthi Tydeus,
And how Edippus, with teris ful pytous,
Wepte oute his eyne, and al his drery peyen,
And how the smokys departid wer in tweyen,
At the fest of fires funeral—
In gret[e] Stace ȝe may reden al—
The fyre engendered by brotherly hatrede,
Wher-thoruȝ þat deth was þe cruel mede,
In verray sothe, of many worthi man,
Lyche as myn auctor wel reherse can.
Of Troye also, þat was of latter ȝeres,
By dillygence of cronyc[u]leris
Ȝe may beholde in her wrytyng wel
The stryfe, the werre, þe sege and euerydel,

Ryȝte as it was, so many ȝeres passyd.
Whos story ȝit age hath nouȝt diffaced,
Nor cruel deth, with his mortal strokys;
For maugre deth, ȝe may beholde in bokys
The story fully rehersed new and newe,
And freschely floure of colour and of hewe
From day to day, quyk & no thyng feynt.
For clerkys han this story so depeynt,
That deth nor age, by no maner weye,
The trouthe may not maken for to deye;
Al-be that somme han the trouth[e] spared
In her writyng, and pleynly not declared
So as it was, nor tolde out feithfully,
But it transformed in her poysy
Thoruȝ veyn[e] fables, whiche of entencioun
They han contreved by false transumpcioun
To hyde trouthe falsely vnder cloude,
And the sothe of malys for to schroude,
As Omer dide, the whiche in his writyng
I-feyned hathe ful many diuers thyng
That neuer was, as Guydo lyst deuise,
And thingys done in a-nother wyse
He hathe transformed than þe trouþe was,
And feyned falsly that goddis in þis caas
The worthi Grekis holpen to werreye
Ageyn Troyens, and howe þat þei wer seye
Lyche lyfly men amonge hem day by day.
And in his dites, þat wer so fresche & gay
With sugred wordes vnder hony soote,
His galle is hidde lowe by the rote,
That it may nouȝt outewarde ben espied.
And al for he with Grekis was allied,
Ther-for he was to hem fauourable
In myche thing, whiche is nouȝt commendable
Of hem þat lyst to demen after ryȝt;
For in makyng, loue hath lost his syȝt,
To ȝeue a pris wher noon is disserued,
Cupide [is] blynde, whos domys ben obseruyd

More after lust than after equite,
Or after resoun how the trouth[e] be.
For singulerte and false affeccioun
Reyseth ful ofte by veyn[e] lausioun
A man to worschip þat disserueth noon,
By false reporte, and þus ful many oon
With-oute merit hath his fame blowe—
Wher of another þe renoun is vnknowe,
That in armys hath meruelles wrouȝt,
Of whom par-aunter speketh no man nouȝt—
For fauour only is fostered more than ryȝt,
That hyndered hath many [a] worþi knyȝt.
Ovide also poetycally hath closyd
Falshede with trouthe, þat makeþ men ennosed
To whiche parte þat þei schal hem holde—
His mysty speche so hard is to vnfolde,
That it entriketh rederis that it se.
Virgile also, for loue of Enee,
In Eneydos rehersyth moche thyng,
And was in party trewe of his writyng,
Exsepte only that hym lyst som whyle
The tracys folwe of Omeris stile;
And of þis sege wrot eke Lollius,
But to-forn alle, Dares Frigius
Wrot moste trewly after þat he fonde,
And Dytes eke of the Grekys lond.
They were present and seyen euerydel,
And as it fel they write trewe and wel,
Eche in his tonge, by swyche consonaunce,
That in her bokys was no variaunce,
Whiche after wern vn-to Athenes brouȝt,
And by processe serched oute and souȝt
By dillygence of oon Cornelius,
Whyche was nevewe vn-to Salustius,
Of Rome y-born, whiche dide his dever dewe

Hem to translate, and the tracys sewe
Of thise auctours by good avisement.
But by-cause he sette [al] his entent
For to be brefe, he lefte moche be-hynde
Of the story, as men in bokys fynde,
The firste mevyng and cause original,
What was the gynnyng and rote in special,
Ne how thei come by lond or by navie,
How firste the sparke was kyndeled of envie
A-twyxe Grekis and hem of Troye town,
Of whiche Cornelye maketh no mencioun,
Of her schippes nor of her vitaille,
Nor how þat Grece is called Gret Ytaille,
And the lasse, as bokys verrefye,
Is named now the londe of Romanye,
What noumbre of kynges and of dukes went
Towarde the sege, al of oon assent,
To wynne worschip & for excersise
Of armys only, in ful knyȝtly wyse,
Abydyng there to sen the versioun
Of the cite and noble Yllyoun,
Nor what the maner was of her armure,
Nor at the sege who lengest dide endure,
In what wyse eche other dide assaile,
Nor how often thei metten in bataille,
How mony worthi loste ther his lyf
Thorouȝ olde hatrede wrouȝt vp with newe st[r]if,
Nor of her dethe he dateth nat the ȝere,
For his writyng was particuler;
With-oute frute he was compendious,
This forseyde Romeyne, this Cornelius.
Wherfore but late in comparisoun,
Ther was an auctour of ful hiȝe renoun
That besied hym the tracys for to swe
Of Dite and Dares, & cast hym nat transmwe

In al the story a worde as in sentence,
But folweth hem by swyche convenience,
That in effecte the substaunce is the same;
And of Columpna Guydo was his name,
Whiche had in writyng passyng excellence.
For he enlvmyneth by crafte & cadence
This noble story with many fresche colour
Of rethorik, and many riche flour
Of eloquence to make it sownde bet
He in the story hath ymped in and set,
That in good feythe I trowe he hath no pere,
To rekne alle þat write of this matere,
As in his boke ȝe may beholde and se.
To whom I seie, knelyng on my knee:
Laude and honour & excellence of fame,
O Guydo maister, be vn-to thi name,
That excellest by souereinte of stile
Alle that writen this mater to compile.
Whom I schal folwe as nyȝe as euer I may,
That God me graunt it be vn-to the pay
Of hym for whom I haue vndertake
So as I can this story for to make,
Preynge to alle þat schal it rede or se,
Wher as I erre for to amenden me,
Of humble herte and lowe entencioun
Commyttyng al to her correccioun,
And ther-of thanke; my wille is þat þei wynne,
For thoruȝ her support þus I wil begynne.

[Explicit prologus]

BOOK I. Here bigynneth þe first boke of Troy: howe Esone resygned þe Crowne of Thesaly to Pellee.

In þe regne & lond of Thesalye,
The whiche is now y-named Salonye,
Ther was a kyng callyd Pelleus,
Wys & discrete & also vertuous.
The whiche, as Guydo lyst to specefie,
Helde the lordschipe and the regallye
Of this yle, as gouernour and kyng,
Of whiche [þe] pepil, by record of writyng,
Myrundones were called in tho dawes,
Of whom Ovyde feyneth in his sawes,
Methamorphoseos, where as ȝe may rede
How þis peple sothfastly in dede,
So as myn auctor maketh mencioun,
Were brouȝt echon to destructioun
With sodeyn tempest and with fery levene
By the goddys sent down from þe heuene;
For they of Ire, with-oute more offence,
With the swerde & stroke of pestilence
On this yle whylom toke vengaunce,
Lyche as it is putte in remembraunce.
For this peple distroied were serteyn
With thonder dent and with haiel and reyn,
Ful unwarly, as Guydo list discryve;
For ther was noon of hem lefte a-lyue
In al the lond, that the violence
Escape myȝte of this pestilence
Excepte the kyng, þe whiche went allone

In-to a wode for to make his mone,
Sool by hym silfe, al disconsolate,
In a place that stood al discolat,
Wher this kyng, rooming to and fro,
Compleynynge ay of his fatal woo
And the harmys þat he dide endure—
Til at the laste, of caas or aventure,
Besyde an holt he sawe wher stode a tre
Of ful gret heȝt and large of quantite,
Holwe by the rote, as he kowde knowe,
Wher as he sawe, by the erthe lowe,
Of amptis crepe passyng gret plente,
With whiche syȝte he felle dovn on his kne
And made his preyer in his paynym wyse
To the goddes with humble sacrifyse,
Vp-on his wo and gret aduersite
Only of mercy for to haue pyte,
To turne thise amptis in-to forme of man.
Thus gan he praye, with colour pale and wan,
His lond tenhabite whiche stondeth disolat,
And he alone, awaped and amaat,
Comfortles of any creature,
Hym to releue of that he dide endure.
And, as Ovide maketh mencioun,
That Iubiter herde his orisoun,
And hath swiche rowth on hym at þe laste,
That he anoon fulfilled his requeste,
And of his myȝte, whiche þat is devine,
His grace he made from heuene for to schyne
Benyngnely vn-to the erthe dovn,
That a sodeyn transmutacioun
Was made of amptis to forme of men anon,
Whiche on her feet gonne streȝt to goon
To Thesalye and salue ther the kyng,
And lyche his liges token her dwellynge
With-Inne a cite called tho Egee,
As in Ovide ȝe may beholde and see.
The whiche people for her worthines,

For her strenthe and gret[e] hardynes
Myrundones so longe haue boor the name—
As in the lyfe ȝe reden may the same
Of seynt Mathewe, how thei be called soo,
Where the apostel so mochel hadde a-doo—
Whiche for wisdam & prudent aduertence,
Besy labour and wilful dilligence,
By for-seynge and discrecioun,
As I suppose in myn opinioun,
That this fable of amptis was contreved,
Whiche by her wysdam han so myche achevid
Thoruȝ her knyȝthod, who so list to loke
Her manly dedis thoruȝ-out Troie boke.
In al meschef so wel thei han hem born
That þei ful wysly prouided wern to-forn
Or that it fil, bothe in werre and pees;
For of no slouthe þei wer nat rek[e]les,
But as the ampte teschewen ydelnesse
In somer is so ful of besynesse—
Or wynter com, to sauen hir fro colde
Sche to-forne astored hath hir holde.
But in this mater I holde no sermoun,
I wil no longer make digressioun,
Nor in fables no more as now soiourne,
But there I lefte I wyl agayn retourne,
Of Pelleus ferther to procede:
Wiche kyng, forsothe, in story as I rede,
And as myn auctor lysteth to endyte,
Had a wyf that called was Tedite;
Of whiche two, platly this no les,
The manly man, the hardy Achilles,
So as Guydo lesteth to termyne,
Descended was, sothly as by lyne,
Most renomed of manhood and of myȝt
Amonges Grekis, and the beste knyȝt

I-holde in sothe, thoruȝ-oute al her lond,
In worthines preued of his hond.
Whos cruelte Troiens sore abouȝt,
So passynge Merueilles in armys þer he wrou[ȝ]t
Duryng the sege, as ȝe schal after lere,
Paciently ȝif ȝe liste to here.
But Pelleus, that I spak of a-forne,
A brother hadde of o moder born,
That hyȝte Eson, so fer y-ronne in ȝeris,
That he of luste hath lost al his desyris,
So fer he was y-cropen in-to age,
Þat al his witte was turned to dotage;
For bothe mynde and memorial
For-dulled wern and dirked so at al,
That verrailly his discrecioun
Was hym birafte, in conclusioun.
Wherfor the regne and lond of Thesalye,
Crovne and septre with al the regalye,
He hath resygned his brother for to queme,
Estate royal and also diademe:

By-cause he was croked, lame, & blynde,
And to gouerne loste boþe wit & mynde,
So febled was his celle retentif
And fordirked his ymaginatif,
That lost were bothe memorie and resoun;
For whiche he made a resygnacion
To his brother, next heyr by degre,
And next allye of his affinite.
But as somme auctours in her bokys seyn,
To ȝouthe he was restored new ageyn
By crafte of Medee, the gret sorceresse,
And renewed to his lustynesse;
For with hyr herbes and hir pociouns,
Sotyl wyrchyng[es] of confecciouns,
By que[i]ntyse eke of hir instrumentys,

With hir charmys and enchauntementys,
Sche made a drynke, in bokys as is tolde,
In whiche a ȝerde that was drye and olde
Withoute abod anoon as she it caste
To blosme and budde it be-gan as faste,
Turne grene and fresche for to beholde.
And þoruȝ þis drinke sche hath fro ȝeris olde
Eson restored vn-to lusty age,
And was of witte & resoun eke as sage
As euer he had his lyve ben a-forn.
The whiche Eson, of his wyfe y-born,
Hadde a son, and Iason was his name,
In wirk of whom Nature nas to blame;
For sche hir crafte, platly, and konnyng
Spent vp-on hym hooly in wirkyng,
Whan sche hym made, with hert[e], wil, & þouȝt,
That of hir crafte behynde was ryȝt nouȝt.
To rekne his schap and also his fayrnes,
His strenthe, his bewte, and his lyflynes,
His gentilles and wyse gouernaunce,
How large he was, and of dalliaunce
The most[e] goodly þat men koude knowe,
In al his port bothe to hyȝe and lowe;
And with al þis avise and tretable—
That of konnyng, God wot, I am nat able
For to discryve his vertues by and by.
For as myn auctor telleth feithefully,
He was beloued so of old and ȝonge,
That thoruȝ þe londe is his honour spronge;
But for þat he was but ȝonge and sklender,
Of age also inly grene and tender,
He was committed to the gouernaille
Of Pelleus, to whom with-oute faille
In euery thyng he was as servisable,
As diligent in chambre and at table,

As euere was any childe or man
Vn-to his lorde, in al þat euer he can
Devise in herte of feithful obeyschaunce;
So þat in chere nor in countenaunce,
Inwarde in herte nor outwarde in schewyng,
To his vncle ne was he nat grucchyng;
Al-be he had holly in his hande
The worthi kyngdam and þe riche lande
Of this Iason, and the eritage,
Only for he was to ȝonge of age.
Vn-to whom Pelleus dide his peyne
Ageyn[es] herte falsely for to feyne,
To schewen other þan he mente in herte,
And kepte hym cloos, þat no þing hym asterte,
Lyche an addre vnder flouris fayre,
For to his herte his tonge was contrarie:
Benyngne of speche, of menyng a serpente,
For vnder colour was the tresoun blente,
To schewe hym goodly vn-to his allye;
But inwarde brent of hate and of envie
The hoote fyre, & ȝit ther was no smeke,
So couertly the malys was y-reke,
That no man myȝt as by sygne espie
Toward Iason in herte he bare envie.
And merveil noon, for hit was causeles,
Saue he dradde þat he for his encres
And for his manhood likly was tateyne
For to succede in his faders reigne,
Whiche Pelleus uniustly ocupieth;
And day be day cast and fantasieth
How his venym may be som pursute
Vppon Iason be fully execute.
Her-on he museth euery hour and tyme,
As he þat dradde to sen an hasty pryme
Folowen a chaunge, as it is wont to done,

Sodeynly after a newe moone;
He caste weyes and compasseth sore,
And vnder colour alwey more and more
His felle malys he gan to close and hide,
Lyche a snake that is wont to glyde
With his venym vnder fresche floures;
And as the sonne is hoot a-fore þise schoures,
So of envie hattere bran the glede.
Vp-on a tyme he þouȝte to procede
To execute his menynge euery del,
In porte a lambe, in herte a lyoun fel,
Dowble as a tygre sliȝly to compasse,
Galle in his breste and sugre in his face,
That no man hath to hym suspecioun,
Howe he purveieth the destruccioun
Of his nevewe, and þat with-Inne a whyle,
Pretendyng loue, al-be the fyn was gyle.
His malys was I-schette so vnder keye,
Þat his entent [ther] can no man be-wreye;
It was conceled & closed in secre,
Vnder the lok of pryve Enmyte,
And that in soth greued hym þe more:
Vp-on hym silf þe anger frat so sore,
Abydyng ay til [vn-to] his entent
He fynde may leyser conuenient
Vp-on his purpos platly to procede
For to parforme it fully vp in dede.
Wher-of Iason hath ful lytel rouȝt—
His vncle and he [ne] wer not in o thouȝt—
Of whos menyng was no conuenience,
For malys was coupled with Innocence;
And grownde of al, [so] as I can diuise,
Was the Ethik of false couetise,

Whiche fret so sore, falsly for to wynne,
As crop and rote of euery sorowe and synne,
And cause hath ben, syth[en] goo ful ȝore,
That many a rewme hath a-bouȝt ful sore
The dredful venym of couetyse, allas!
Lat hem be war, þat stonden in this caas,
To thinke a-forne & for to haue in mynde
That al falshed draweth to an ende:
For thouȝe it bide and last a ȝer or two,
The ende in soth schal be sorwe and wo
Of alle þat ben false and envious.
Here-of no more, but forthe of Pelleus
I wil ȝow telle, þat hath so long[e] souȝt
Vp-on þis thing, til þer wer to hym brouȝt
Tidynges newe, & þat so merveillous,
That he astonyed was and alle his hous,
Of a mervaille that new[e]ly was fal
Besyde Troye, the plage oriental:
How in Colchos, as the tydyng cam,
With-Inne an Ile enclosed was a Ram
Whiche bare his flees ful richely of golde;
And for the richesse, it was kepte in holde
With gret avis and gret[e] diligence,
That no man myȝt ther-to doon offence.
And in this Ile ther was a gouernour,
A noble kynge, a worthi weriour,
That Cethes hiȝt: wis, discret, and sage,
Whiche was also [y-]ronne fer in age,
That in his tyme, as bokys can deuise,
Had vnder-fonged many gret emprise
In pes and werre, & moche worschip wonne;
And he was sone also to the sonne,
That ȝaf hym eure to honour to atteyne,
So as poetis lusteth for to feyne.
Touching his line, I leue as now þe grete;
And of this Ram my purpos is tentrete,

That was commytted, I dar ȝow wel assure,
To the kepyng and the besy cure
Of cruel Mars, the myȝty god of werre,
Whiche with þe stremes of his rede sterre
And influence of his deite,
Ordeyned hath, by ful gret cruelte,
This Ram to kepe, bolys ful vnmylde,
With brasen feet, ramegous and wylde,
And ther-with-al ful fel and dispitous,
And of nature wood and furious,
To hurte and sleen euere of o desyre.
Out of whos mouthe leuene & wylde fire,
Lyche a flawme euere blasid oute
To brenne al hem þat stode nyȝ aboute;
Eke of her eyen þe lokys moste orible
To [a] furneis the stremys wer visible.
And who that wolde, [to] encrese his glorie,
This Ram of golde wynnen by victorie,
Firste he moste of verray force and myȝt
Vn-to outraunce with thise bolys fiȝt,
And hem venquysche, aldirfirst of alle,
And make hem humble as any oxe in stalle
Vn-to the ȝoke, and do hem ere þe londe;
Of verray manhood, þis most he take on hond.
And after þat he moste also endure
With a serpent of huge and gret stature,
With-out[e] fauour, pleynly haue a-do,
To outraunce eke, with-oute wordis mo.
Þe wiche serpent, schortly for to telle,
Was lyche a fende comen out of helle,
Ful of venym and of cruel hate;
And with skalys hard as any plate
He armyd was, to sto[n]den at diffence;
And his breth wers than pestilence
Infecten wolde environ al þe eyre
In iche place wher was his repeire.

He was so ful of corrupcioun,
And so dredful of infeccioun,
That deth in sothe, schortly to deuise,
Was the fyn of this hiȝe emprise
To swyche as wolde þis querel take on hond,
I-lyche in oon, bothe to fre and bonde,
But if he koude þe bet hym silf diffende.
And of his conquest þis was eke the ende:
Þat whan he had þe myȝty serpent slawe,
He most anoon, by custom and by lawe,
Out of his hed his tethe echon arace,
And thane sowe hem in the silf[e] place
Where the oxes herid hadde aforn;
Of whiche sede ther sprang a wonder corn:
Knyȝtes armyd, passyng of gret myȝte,
Eueryche with other redy for to fyȝte
Til eche his brother hadde brouȝt to grounde
By mortail fate, & ȝoue his deþis wounde.
This was the ende of hem euerychon;
For in sothnesse of al þer was noon
That lyue myȝt by that fatal lawe
Any lenger in soth than his felawe.
And by þis weye, dredful and perillous,
Who desyreth to be victorious,
He moste passe and manly it endure,
And how so falle take his auenture.
Of noon estat was noon excepcioun,
Chese who so wele; for this conclusioun
He may not skape for fauour ne for mede,
Who euer gynne, avise hym wel I rede:
For by the statute of the kyng he may,
Who so that wele, entren and assay;
But after þat he onys hath by-gonne
He may nat chese til he haue lost or wonne.
Ȝet, as somme of þis Ram expresse,

And of þis flees also bere witnesse,
It was no thyng but golde & gret tresour,
That Cethes kyng, with ful hyȝe labour,
Made kepe it by incantaciouns,
By sorserye and false illucions,
Þat was spoke of in rewmys fer aboute;
For whyche many put her lyf in doute,
Of hyȝe desyr thei hadde for to wynne
Þe gret[e] tresour þat was shette with-Inne
Colchos lond, as ȝe haue herde deuise;
Whos pursute roos oute of couetise,
Grounde & rote of wo and al meschaunce,
By veyn reporte hem silf[e] to avaunce;
For whiche þei put hem silf in Iupartye,
With-out[e] reskuse likly for to dye.
Þer was noon helpe, ne noon sleyȝt of armys
Þat vaille myȝt ageyn þe cursed charmys;
Þei wer so strong and supersticious,
Þat many worthi, in knyȝthood ful famous,
Enhasted werne vn-to her dethe, allas,
Þat list euparten her lyues in þis cas.
And þis lasteth til afterwarde be-fel
Þat Pelleus platly herde tel
Þe gret[e] meschefes and destrucciouns
In Colchos wrouȝt on sondry naciouns,
Þat pursued þe au[n]tres to conquere—
Til Pelleus so ferforthe gan enquere,
Þat he knewe holly how þe treuthe was;
And in his herte anoon he gan compas,
How he myȝt by any sleyȝt[e] make
His nevewe Iason for to vndirtake
Þis hiȝe emprise in Colchos for to wende,
By whiche weye best he myȝt hym schende;
And [gan] pretend a colour fresche of hewe,

I-gilt outward so lusty and so newe,
As þer wer no tresoun hydde with-Inne;
And sawe it was tyme to begynne
On his purpos, þei first he made it queynte,
And gan with asour & with golde to peynte
His gay wordys in sownynge glorious,
Knowyng Iason was ȝonge and desyrous
Vn-to swyche thing, and lyȝtly wolde enclyne.
Therfor he thouȝt þat he nolde fyne
Pleynly to wirke to his confusioun,
And made anoon a conuocacioun
Of his lordys and his baronye,
Aboute enviroun the londe of Thesalye,
For tassemble estates of degre
Of al his rewme with-In þe chefe cite.
For to holde a counseil outterly he caste,
Þer-by tacheve his desire as faste;
And so his court contwneth daies thre;
Til at þe laste his hidde iniquyte
He gan out rake, þat hath ben hid so longe,
For he ne myȝte no lenger forthe prolonge
Þe venym hid, þat frat so at his herte,
In so slyȝe wyse þat no man myȝt aduerte
Vp-on no syde but þat he mente wel.
For þe tresoun was cured euerydel
And curteyned vnder trecherye;
For he this thing so slyȝly gan to guye
At pr[i]me face þat no man myȝt[e] deme
By any worde, as it wolde seme,
In cher, in port, by signe or daliaunce,
But þat he cast knyȝtly for tavaunce
His ȝonge nevewe, as by lyklynesse,
To hiȝe honour of manhood and prowesse.
For of þe entent, of whiche he gan purpose,

Þe tixte was hyd, but no thing þe glose,
Whiche was conueied so with flaterye,
Þat the peple cowde not espye
Lytel or nouȝt of his entent with-Inne.
For whiche anoon to preyse hym þei be-gynne,
Þat he suche honour to his nevewe wolde;
For with swyche cher he be-gan vnfolde
To-forn hem al his entencioun,
Þat he hath voided al suspecioun
From al þat wern assemblid in þe place;
And toward Iason he torne gan his face
Ful lovyngly in countenaunce and chere,
And to hym seide, þat alle myȝten here
Thoruȝ-out þe courte, whan maked was silence,
Þus word by worde platly in sentence:

“Cosyn Iason, take hed what I schal seyn,
For þe I am so inly glad and feyn
And supprised with myrth[e] þoruȝ myn herte,
That it enchaseth & voideth al my smerte,
For to considere in myn inspeccioun
Of þi ȝowthe þe disposicioun,
Þe whiche, schortly for to comprehende,
Saue to vertu to no thyng doth entende,
Vn-to worschip and to gentilnesse,
To manly fredam and to hyȝe largesse,
Þat verraily, wher I wake or wynke,
My Ioye is only ther-on for to thinke.
My silf I holde so passynge fortunat,
And al my londe, of hiȝe and lowe estat,
Þat lykly arn in honour for to flete,
And to lyuen in reste and in quiete
Thoruȝ thi support and þi sowpoaille,
Whos manhod may so mochel vs availle,
By lyklyhed, and so moche amende,
In verray sothe to saue vs and diffende
Agayn al tho, as I can descryue,

Þat of malys wolde ageyn vs stryue
Or rebelle in any maner weye,
Of surqued ye or pride to werreye
Our worthines, assured in tranquille,
From al assaut of hem þat wolde vs ille,
For to perturbe oure noble estat rial,
Ageyn[e]s whom, whan þou art oure wal,
Our myȝty schelde, and proteccioun:
Þus deme I fully in myn oppinioun,
For of þin age, þi witte, þi prouidence,
Þi knyȝtly hert, þi manly excellence,
Reported ben, and þin hyȝe renoun,
In many londe and many regioun
Þis rounde worlde aboute in circuyt;
How myȝt I [þanne] stonde in better plyȝt,
For þin honour, lyche as it is founde,
To my worschip so hiȝly doth rebounde,
Þat I wolde, pleynly, and nat cesse,
Ȝiffe I koude, helpe to encresse
Þin hiȝe renoun y-wis in euery hour,
And ther-vppon spendyn my tresour.
Þis hiȝe desyre, with-outen any faille,
Of enteer loue me doth so sore assaille,
Þat nyȝt nor day I may haue no reste;
And al schal turne I hope for the beste,
For to enhaunce þin honour to þe heuene,
Aboue þe pole and þe sterres seuene.
To whiche þing I haue a weye espied,
As I my witte þer-to haue applied,
Þis is to mene, what schulde I lenger dwelle,
My dere cosyn, as I schal the telle:
Ȝif it so wer by manhood souereyne,
Of þi knyȝthood þat [þou] durst atteyne
Þe flees of gold to conquere be þi strenthe,
Whiche is spoke of so fer in brede and lenthe,

And retourne hom in body safe and sounde;
Ȝif þis conquest myȝt in the be founde,
Þat þou durstest acheuen þis emprise,
More hertes Ioye koude I nat deuise
In al þis worlde; for sothly at the best,
My rewme and I set wer þan in rest:
For, For þi manhod alle wolde vs drede.
Wherfore, cosyn, of knyȝthood and manhed
Take vp-on þe my prayer and requeste,
And here my trouthe, & take it for beheste.
What euer nedeth in meyne or costage,
I wil my silf toward þis viage
Ordeyne I-nowȝ in harneys and array,
Þat nouȝt schal faylen þat is to þi pay;
And, more-ouer, I pleynly the ensure,
Þat ȝif I se þou do þi besy cure,
Þis hiȝe emprise for to bringe aboute,
Þou schalt nat fere nor [I-]be in doute,
After my day, by successioun,
For to be kyng of this regioun,
And holy han septre and regalie.
Wherfor, Iason, lyfte vp þin hertis eye,
Thenke þi name schal longe be recorded
Thoruȝ-oute þe worlde; wherfor be accor[ded]
With-in þi silf, and pleynly nat ne spare
Of þin entent þe somme to declare.”
Whan Iason had his vncle vndirstonde,
He reioyseth for to take on honde
Þis dredful labour, with-out avisement;
He nouȝt aduerteth þe menyng fraudelent,
Þe prevy poysoun vnder sugre cured,
Nor how to galle with hony he was lured,
Þe dirke deceyt, þe cloudy fals engyn,

I-gilt with-oute, but vnder was venym,
Wher-to Iason hath noon aduertence;
Þe kyng, he wende, of clene conscience,
With-out[e] fraude, had al þis þing I-ment;
Wher-for anoon he ȝeveth ful assent
At wordis fewe, and pleynly gan to seie
His vncles wyl þat he wolde obeye;
He was accorded, in conclusioun,
With humble herte and hool intencioun.
Wher-of þe kyng resseyueth swyche gladnesse,
Þat he vnnethe myȝt it out expresse;
But ryȝt as fast dide his besy peyne
For þis Iorney in hast for to ordeyne.
And for as moche as Colchos, þe cuntre,
Enclosed was aboute with a see,
And þat no man, how longe þat he striue,
With-out[e] schip theder may ariue,
To his presence anoon he dide calle
Famous Argus, þat koude most of alle
To make a schip, & first þat art y-founde
To seille with by see fro lond to londe,
Þe whiche hath wrouȝt a schip by sotil craft,
Which was þe first þat euer wawe rauȝt,
To haue entre; and Argon bar þe name.
Gramariens recorde ȝit the same,
Þat eche gret schip, firste for þat mervail,
Is called so, whiche proudly bare hir seil,
As þis boke doth vs specifye,
How it be-fel forth of þis navie.
Whan al was redi, meyne and vitaille,
Þei bide nouȝt but wynde for to saille;
And many worthi was in þat companye,
Of noble byrth, and of gret allye,
In þat viage redy for to goon,
Bothe for loue and worschip of Iason.

Amonges whiche þe grete Hercules,
Of force, of myȝt, of strenthe pereles;
And he begete was vppon Almene,
So inly fayr and wommanly to sene,
Of Iubiter, and þat ful long a-gon,
Takyng lyknesse of Amphytrion;
Down fro heuene, for al his deyete,
He was ravisched þoruȝ lust of hir bewte;
For he hir loued with hert and hool entent.
And of hem two, sothly by discent,
Cam Hercules, þe worthi famus knyȝte,
Most renomed of manhood and of myȝte,
Whiche in his tyme was so merveillous,
So excellent, and so victoryous,
Þat Ouyde lyst recorde hym silue,
Methamorphoseos, his famus dedis twelue,
Whiche ben remembrid ther in special,
In his honour for a memorial.
And to reherse hem in order by and by,
Ȝif ȝe list here, I purpose outterly:
He slouȝe Antheon in þe eyr on heyȝt,
And many geant, what with myȝt & sleiȝte,
He outraide, for al her lymes rude;
Þe serpent Ydre he slouȝ eke in Palude,
And Cerberus þe hownde he bond so sore,
At helle ȝatis þat he barke no more,
And made hym voide his venym in þat strif,
And vpwarde ȝaf hym suche a laxatyf,
Þat al þe worlde his brethe contagyous
Infected hath; it was so venymous.
And with o wynde he wolde renne a stadye;
He fledde arpies, briddes of Archadye,
And slouȝ centauris, þe bestis monstruous;
Þe feerse lyon he byrafte his hous;
Þis [is] to seyen, whan þat he was slawe,
Out of his skyn he hath hym stripte & flawe,
With cruel herte, þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun;

Þe goldene applys he bare fro þe dragoun;
Þe fyry cat he slouȝ with-out[e] more;
And of Archadye, þe cruel tuschy boor;
And at the last, on his schulders square,
Of verray myȝt þe firmament he bare.
But for þat I may not rekne[n] al
His passyng dedis, whiche ben historial,
Redeth Ovide, and þer ȝe schal hem fynde;
Of his trivmphes how he maketh mynde,
Þoruȝ-out þe worlde how he hym honour fette,
And of þe pelers at Gades þat he sette,
Whiche Alysaundre of Macedonye kyng,
Þat was so worthi her in his lyvyng,
Rood in his conqueste, as Guydo lyst to write,
With al his hooste proudly to visite;
Be-ȝownde whiche no land is habitable,
Nor see to saille sothly couenable:
So fer it is by-ȝonde þe occian,
Þat schipman noon ferþer [no] skyl[le] can;
Sibellys streytes Maryners it calle,
And þe boundes, þei named ben of alle,
Of Hercules, for he hym silf hem sette,
As for markys alle other for to lette
Ferther to passe, as Guydo maketh mynde;
And þe place is callyd, as I fynde,
Syracenyca, as fyn of his labour,
Or Longa Saphi, recorde of myn auctour.
Of þis mater more what schulde I seyn;
For vnto Iason I wil retourne a-geyn,
Þat in al haste dothe hym redy make,
Of his vncle whan he hath leue take,
Toward þe see, and Hercules y-fere,
With alle his men, anoon as ȝe schal here.

The tyme of ȝer, whan þe schene sonne
In his spere was so fer vp ronne,

Þat he was passid þe sygne of Gemeny,
And had his chare whirled vp so hyȝ,
Thoruȝ þe drauȝt of Pirous so rede,
Þat he had made in þe crabbis hede
His mansioun, and his see ryal,
Where halved is þe standyng estyval
Of fresche Appollo with his golden wayn;
Whan heerdemen in hert[e] ben so fayn
For [þe] hete to shroude hem in þe schade,
Vnder þis braunchis and þise bowis glade;
Whan Phebus bemys, þat so bryȝt[e] schyne,
Descended ben ryȝt as any lyne,
And cause þe eyre be refleccioun
To ben ful hoot, þat lusty fresche sesoun,
Whan cornys gynne in þe felde to sede;
And þe grasys in the grene mede
From ȝer to ȝer ben of custom mowe,
And on þe pleyn cast and leide ful lowe,
Til þe moystour consumed be a-way,
On holt and heth þe mery somerys day—
At whiche tyme þis ȝong[e] knyȝt Iason
With Hercules is to schip[pe] goon;
And with hem eke, as I reherse can,
Of Grekys eke [ful] many a lusty man,
Schiped echon with ryal apparaille.
And whan þei wer crossed vnder saille,
With-Inne þe schip, whiche þat Argus made,
Whiche was so stawnche it myȝt no water lade,
Þei gan to seille and had[de] wynd at wille;
Þe schip gan breke þe sturdy wawys ille
Vppon þe see, and so bothe day and nyȝte
To Colchos-ward þei helde þe weye ryȝt,
Guying her cours by the lode sterre,
Wher þei seille by costys neȝe or ferre.
For Philotetes was her alder guyde,
Þat koude a-forn so prudently prouide,

Of verray insiȝt to cast a-forn and se
Tempest or wynd, bothe on lond and see,
Or whan ther schulde trouble of stormys fal;
For he was mayster pleynly of hem alle
In schipman crafte, and chose her gouernour,
And koude hem warne aforn of euery shour
That schulde falle, whan sterrys dide apere.
And specialy, as Guydo doth vs lere,
Þis Philotetes, whiche was no fool,
Hadde moste his syȝt erect vn-to þe pool,
His aduertence and clere inspectioun,
To þe sterrys and constellacioun,
Which þe axtre rounde aboute goon,
Þat clerkis calle þe Septemtryon.
For as þe pool y-called Arthicus
Euere in on appereth vn-to vs,
Ryȝt so in sothe, who can loke aryȝt,
Antharticus is schrouded from our syȝt.
But to schipmen þat ben discrete and wyse,
Þat list her cours prudently deuise
Vp-on þe see, haue suffisaunce y-nowe
To guye her passage by Arthouris Plowe;
For it to hem is direccioun
Vn-to þe costis of euery regioun,
With help only of nedle and of stoon,
Þei may nat erre what costys þat þei gon.
For maryners þat ben discrete and sage,
And expert ben of her loodmanage
By straunge costys for to seille ferre,
Guyen her cours only by þe sterre
Whiche þat Arthour compasseth enviroun;
Þe whiche cercle and constellacioun
I-called is the cercle Artofilax:

Who knoweth it nedeth no more to axe.
For it to schipmen on þe sterry nyȝt
Iis suffisaunt, whan þei sen his lyȝt.
And as poetis of þis poolis tweyne
In her bokys lyketh for to feyne,
And in her dytees declaren vn-to vs:
Calixtone and Archadius,
Hir oune sone, wern y-stellefied
In þe heuene and y-deified;
For that Iuno to hir hadde envie,
With Iubiter whan sche dide hir espie.
For whiche sche was in-to a bere turned,
And for hir gilt sche hath in erthe morned,
Til in-to heuene, Naso can ȝow telle,
Sche was translated, eternally to dwelle
Amongis sterrys, wher as sche is stallyd,
And Vrsa Maior is of clerkys callyd;
So as hir sone, for his worthi fame,
Of Vrsa Mynor bereth ȝet þe name.
Of whiche þe course myȝt[e] nat asterte
Philotetes, þat was þe mooste experte
Of alle schipmen þat euer I herde telle;
For of konyng he myȝt bere þe belle.
And whan þe Grekys had[de] long[e] be
Fordryue and cast, seilyng in þe se,
For-weried after [her] trauaille,
Þei cast [t]arive, ȝif it wolde availle,
Hem to refresche and disporte in Ioye,
Vp-on þe boundys of þe lond of Troye.

Howe Iason arryved bysyde Troy withe Hercules for to refresshe him and his menye.

Whan Hercules and Iasoun on his hond,
Out of her schip taken han þe lond,

And with hem eke her knyȝtes euerychon,
Þat fro þe see ben to lond[e] goon,
For-weried after her trauaille;
And þei in sothe come to arivaille
At Symeonte, an hauene of gret renoun,
Þat was a lyte by-syde Troye town—
And þei wer glad to ben in sikirnesse
From storm and tempest after werynesse;
For þei ne ment tresoun, harm, nor gyle,
But on þe stronde to resten hem a while;
To hynder no wyȝt, of no maner age,
Nor in þat Ile for to do damage
To man [n]or beste, wher-euere þat þei goo,
But for to abyde þer a day or two
Hem to refresche, and repeire a-noon
Whan þat þe rage of þe see wer goon.
And whiles þei [vp-]on þe stronde leye,
Þei no thyng dide but disporte and playe,
And bathe & wasche hem in þe fresche ryuer,
And drank watrys þat were swote & clere,
Þat sprange lyche cristal in þe colde welle,
And toke riȝt nouȝt, but it were to selle.
It was no þing in her entencioun
Vn-to no wyȝte to done offencioun,
For to moleste or greuen ony wyȝt;
But þe ordre of Fortunys myȝt
Hath euere envy þat men lyue in ese,
Whos cours enhasteth vnwarly to dissese.
For sche was cause, God wotte, causeles,
Þis gery Fortune, þis lady reccheles,
Þe blynde goddesse of transmutacioun,
To turne her whele by reuolucioun
To make Troyens vniustly for to wene
Þat Grekys werne arived hem to tene.
So þat þe cause of þis suspecioun
Hath many brouȝt vn-to destruccioun.

Ful many worthi of kynges and of princes
Þoruȝ-oute þe worlde, rekned in provinces,
Werne by þis sclawnder vn-to myschief brouȝt,
For thing, allas, þat was neuer thouȝt.
For it was cause and occasioun
Þat þis cite and þis royal town
Distroied was, as it is pleynly fownde,
Whos walles hiȝe were bete down to grounde.
And many [a] man and many [a] worþi knyȝte
Were slawe þer, and many lady bryȝte
Was wydowe made by duresse of þis werre,
As it is kouthe and reported ferre;
And many mayde in grene & tender age
Be-lefte wer sool, in þat grete rage,
Behynd her fadris, allas, it falle schulde!
And for no þing but þat Fortune wolde
Schewen her myȝt and her cruelte,
In vengaunce takyng vp-on þis cite.
Allas, þat euere so worþi of estate
Schulde for lytel fallen at debate!
Whan it is gonne it is not lyȝt to staunche:
For of griffyng of a lytel braunche,
Ful sturdy trees growe[n] vp ful ofte;
Who clymbeth hyȝe may not falle softe;
And of sparkys þat ben of syȝt[e] smale,
Is fire engendered þat devoureth al;
And a quarel, first of lytel hate,
Encauseth flawme of contek and debate,
And of envie to sprede a-brod ful ferre.
And þus, allas, in rewmys mortal werre
[Is] First be-gonne, as men may rede and see,
Of a sparke of lytel enmyte,
Þat was not staunchid first whan it was gonne.
For whan þe fyre is so fer y-ronne,

Þat it enbraseth hertis by hatrede
To make hem brenne, hoot as any glede,
On ouþer party þoruȝ his cruel tene,
Þer is no staunche but scharp[e] swerdys kene,
Þe whiche, allas, consumeth al and sleth;
And þus þe fyne of enmyte is deth.
Þouȝ þe gynnyng be but casuel,
Þe fret abydyng is passyng[ly] cruel
To voide rewmys of reste, pees, and Ioye,
As it fil whilom of þis worthi Troye.
It doth me wepe of þis case sodeyne;
For euery wyȝt ouȝte to compleyne,
Þat lytel gylte schulde haue swyche vengaunce,
Except parcas þoruȝ goddys puruyaunce,
Þat þis mescheffe schulde after be
Folwyng per-chaunse of gret felicite.
For Troy[e] brouȝt vn-to destruccioun,
Was þe gynnyng and occasioun—
In myn auctor as it is specified—
Þat worthi Rome was after edefied
By þe of-spryng of worþi Eneas,
Whilom fro Troye whan he exiled was.
Þe whiche Rome, rede and ȝe may se,
Of al þe worlde was hed and chef cite,
For þe passyng famous worthinesse.
And eke whan Troye was brouȝt in distresse,
And þe wallis cast and broke down,
It was in cause þat many regioun
Be-gonne was, and many gret cite:
For þis Troyan, þis manly man Enee,
By sondri sees gan so longe saille,
Til of fortune he com in-to Ytaille,
And wan þat lond, as bookes tellen vs.
With whom was eke his sone Askanius,

Þat after Enee next be-gan succede
The lond of Ytaille iustly to possede;
And after hym his sone Silvius,
Of whom cam Brute, so passyngly famus.
After whom, ȝif I schal nat feyne,
Whilom þis lond called was Breteyne;
For he of geauntys þoruȝ his manhood wan
Þis noble yle, and it first be-gan.
From Troye also, with þis ilke Enee,
Cam worthi Francus, a lord of hiȝe degre,
Whiche vp-on Rone, tencressen his renoun,
Bilt in his tyme a ful royal tovn,
Þe whiche sothly, his honour to avaunce,
After his name he made calle Fraunce;
And þus be-gan, as I vnderstond,
Þe name first of þat worthi lond.
And Anthenor, departyng from Troyens,
Gan first þe cite of Venycyens;
And Sycanus, with-Inne a lytel while,
Gan enhabite þe lond of Cecyle.
And after partyng of þis Sycanus,
His worthi brother, called Syculus,
So as I fynde, regned in þat yle;
And after hym it called was Cecille.
But Eneas is to Tuscy goon,
It tenhabite with peple riȝt anoon;
And in Cecille he Naplis first be-gan,
To whiche ful many Neopolitan
Longeth þis day, ful riche & of gret myȝt.
And Diomedes, þe noble worþi knyȝt,
Whan Troye was falle with his toures faire,
As to his regne he cast[e] to repaire,
His leges gan to feynen a querele
A-geyn[e]s hym, and schop hem to rebelle;
And of malys and conspiracioun,

Þei hym with-hilde bothe septer & crovn,
Her duete and her olde lygaunce,
And hym denye trouþe and obeissance.
Wher-for a-noon, so as bokes telle,
With al his folke he went[e] for to dwelle
Vn-to Callabre, and gan it to possede.
And [þer] þe knyȝtes of þis Dyomede,
Þat fro Troye han him þider swed,
To forme of briddes wern anon transmwed
By Cyrces crafte, douȝter of þe sonne,
And in þe eyr to fleen anoon þei gonne,
And called ben, in Ysidre as I rede,
Amonges Grekys briddes of Dyomede.
But as som bokys of hem ber witnesse,
Þis chaunge was made be Venus þe goddesse,
Of wrath sche had to þis worthi knyȝte;
Only for sche sawe hym onys fyȝte
With Eneas, hir owne sone dere.
At whiche tyme, as þei fauȝt I-fere,
And Diomede with a darte I-grounde
Gan hame at hym a dedly mortal wounde,
His moder Venus gan anoon hym schroude
Vnder a skye and a mysty cloude,
To sauen hym þat tyme fro meschaunce.
And for þis skyl Venus took vengaunce:
In-to briddes to turne his meyne.
And in þat forme fro ȝer to ȝer þei fle
Vn-to his towmbe, wher as he is graue.
So vp-on hym a mynde ȝit þei haue,
Þat of custom for a remembraunce,
A rite þei holde and an observaunce
At his exequies, þise briddes euerychon,
A dayes space, and þennys nouȝt ne gon.
And ouer-more, as it to hem is dwe,
Þei loue Grekis, and platly þei eschewe
Latyns alle, for ouȝt þat may be-tyde:

For þei present, a-noon þei flen aside;
And eche from other, as bokys vs assure,
Þis briddes knowe, only of nature,
Grekys and Latyns kyndely assonder,
Whan þei hem seen: þe whiche is swiche a wonder
Vn-to my witte, þat I can nouȝt espie
Þe causys hid of swiche sorcerye—
But wel I wot, þouȝ my wit be blent,
Þat rote of al was fals enchauntement.
But of our feithe we ouȝte to defye
Swiche apparencis schewed to þe eye,
Whiche of þe fende is but illusioun—
Her-of no more. & þus whan Troie tovn
Euersed was, and I-brouȝt to nouȝt,
Ful many cite was I-bilt and wrouȝt,
And many lond and many riche tovn
Was edified by thocasioun
Of þis werre, as ȝe han herde me telle.
Whiche to declare now I may not dwelle
From point to point, lyche as bokis seyn,
For to Iason I wil resorte ageyn,
Þat londed is with worthi Hercules
At Symeonte, þe hauene þat he ches,
As I haue tolde, to reste hem & counforte,
And for not elles but only to disporte.
But to þe kyng, regnyng in Troye town,
Þat was þat tyme called Lamedown,
Of fals envy reported was and tolde,
How certeyn Grekis wern of herte bolde
To entre his lond, þe whiche þei nat knewe,
Wel arrayed in a vessel newe.
Whiche to arryve had[de] no lycence,
And hem purpose [for] to doon offence,
Be liklyhed, and his lond to greue:
For þei of pryde, with-outen any leue

Or safcondyte, han þe stronde y-take;
And swiche maistries on þe lond þei make,
As in her power wer alle maner thyng,
Havyng no rewarde pleynly to þe kyng;
Of his estat take þei noon hede.
Of swyche straungeris gretly is to drede,
Ȝiffe men be laches outher necligent
Fully to wit what is her entent,
But furthe prolong, & no pereil caste:
Swiche sodeyn þing wolde be wist as faste,
And nat differrid til þe harme be do;
It wer wisdam þat it were seie to:
Men may to long suffryn and abyde
Of necligence for to lete slyde
For to enqueren of her gouernaunce.
Þis was þe speche and þe dalyaunce,
Eueryche to other by relacioun,
In euery strete thoruȝ-oute Troye tovn.
Somme rovnyng & somme spak a-brood;
And þis speche so longe þer a-bood
From on to a-nother, sothly, þat þe sovn
Reported was to kyng Lamedovn,
As ȝe han herde, þe whiche of wilfulnesse,
With-out[e] counsail or avisenesse,
To hast[i]ly maked hath his sonde,
To wit how þei wern hardy for to londe
Be-syde his leue, of presumpcioun.
Wher-fore he bad, in conclusioun,
With-oute abood sone to remwe,
Or finally þei schulde nat eschewe
To be compellid, mavgre who seith nay.
And so þe kyng, vp-on a certeyn day,
In haste hath sent his embassatour
Vn-to Iason, of Grekys gouernour,
Þat novther thouȝt harme nor vylonye,

But Innocent, with his companye,
Disported hym endelong þe stronde,
And euer hath do sethen he cam to londe.
And of þe charge þat he on hym leyde,
And word by word to Iason how he seide,
As in effecte with euery circumstaunce,
Þis was þe somme pleinly in substaunce:

Howe Kenge Lamedon, by vndiscret councele, sent his messenger to Iason to go owt of his lande.

“The wise, worthi, moste famus of renoun,
Þe myȝty kyng, þe noble Lamedoun,
Hath vn-to ȝow his message sent,
Of whiche theffect, as in sentement,
Is þis in sothe: þat he hath mervaille
In-to his londe of ȝour ariuaille,
Bryngyng with ȝow Grekys nat a fewe,
And haue no condyte with ȝow [for] to schewe,
Proteccioun, pleynly, nor lycence,
In preiudise of his magnificence.
Wherfore he hath on me þe charge leyde,
And wil to ȝow þat it be platly seyde,
Þat ȝe anoon, with-oute more delay,
With-out[e] noyse, or any more affray,
Of Troye lond þe bowndis þat ȝe leve;
Or ȝow and ȝoures he casteth for to greve.
And bet it is with ese to departe,
Þan of foly ȝour lyues to Iuparte,
In any wyse, for lak of prouidence,
Ageyns his wille to make resistence,
Outher of pride or of wilfulnesse,
For to be bolde with-oute avisenesse
To interrupte his felicite;
For he desyreth in tranquillite
To holde his regne, with-oute parturbaunce.

In whos persone is made swyche aliaunce
Atwen his manhood & royal mageste,
Þat þei nyl suffre noon of no degre
Tenpugne his quiete in any maner wyse,
Wherfore I consaille, as ȝe seme wyse,
To taken hede vn-to þat I seye,
And his byddyng noȝt to disobeie,
Liste ȝe offende his kyngly excellence.
For ȝe schal fynde in experience,
With-oute feynyng, sothe al þat I telle;
Take hede, þerfor, I may no lenger dwelle
From poynt to poynt, syth ȝe be wis and sage,
For þis is hool þeffecte of my massage.”
Whan Iason herd of þe massanger
Þise wordes alle, he gan chaunge cher,
And kepte hym cloos, with sobre contenaunce,
And was nat hasty for Ire nor greuaunce;
For no rancour he cauȝte of his tale,
Saue in his face he gan to wexe pale,
Long abydyng or ouȝt he wolde seyn.
And or he spak any worde ageyn
Vn-to hym þat from þe kyng was sent,
He gan disclose þe somme of his entent
Vn-to his foolke stondyng ronde aboute;
For vn-to hem he discurede oute
Þe message hool, firste whan he abreide,
And worde by worde þus to hem he seyde:

Off the Answer of Iason to the messenger of Lamedown.

“Sirs,” he seyth, “to ȝow be it knowe—
Taketh hede, I praye, both hyȝ and lowe—
How Lamedoun, þat is kyng of Troye,
Hath sent to vs a wonderful envoye,
Chargynge in haste to hyȝe oute of his lond;

And axeth how we vp-on þe stronde
For to arive hadden hardinesse,
With-oute leue: seth here his gentillesse,
And his fredam, þe whiche is nat a lite!
How lyche a kyng þat he can hym quite
Vn-to straungerys þat entren in his Ile
For nouȝt, God wot, but for a litel while
Hem to refresche, and departe anoon,
Lyche as ȝe can recorden euerychon,
And bere witnes, bothe alle and somme.
Allas, fredam, wher is it now be-com?
Where is manhood, and gentilnesse also,
Whiche in a kyng to-gidre bothe two
Schulde of custom han her restyng place?
And wher is honour, þat schulde also enbrace
A lordis hert, whiche of knyȝtly ryȝt,
Of manly fredam, with alle his fulle myȝt,
Schulde straungeris refresche and reconforte,
Þat aftir-ward þei myȝt of hym reporte
Largesse expert, manhood, and gentillesse,
Þat þei han founden in his worthinesse.
For ȝiffe noblesse wer of his allye,
And fredam eke knyt with his regalye,
So as longeth to honour of a kyng,
He schulde haue chargid, first of al[le] thing,
His worthi liges, with al þat myȝt[e] plese,
To haue schewed þe comfort and þe ese,
With al hir myȝt and her besy cure,
Vn-to straungeris þat of aventure
Wern in þe see dryuen and dismaied,
And of our comfort nat ben euel [a]payed.
For ȝif þat he in any cas semblable,
Outher by fortune þat is variable,
By sort or happe, þat may not be wiþ-stonde,
Arived had in-to Grekys londe,

More honestly, lyche to his degre,
He schulde of vs haue resseived be,
Lyche as it longeth vn-to genterie.
But syth þat he, for ouȝt I can espie,
Hath fredam, honour, and humanite
Atonys made oute of his courte to fle,
Chose dishonour and late worschip goon—
Þer is no more, but we schal euerychon,
Þat he hath chosen help[e] to fulfille,
Whan power schal nat be lyke his wille;
Þis [is] to seyne, and sothe it schal be founde,
Þat his dede schal on hym silfe rebounde—
Sith of malys he hath þis werke be-gonne—
Paraventure or þe somer sonne
Þe sodiak hath thries gon aboute.
For late hym trust, & no þing ben in doute,
We schal hym serue with swyche as he hath souȝt;
For ȝif I lyue it schal be dere abouȝt,
Al-be þer-of I sette as now no tyde.
And in his lond I nyl no lenger byde
Til I haue leiser better to soiorne.”
And with þat worde he gan anoon to turne
With manly face and a sterne chere
Sodeynly vn-to þe massangere,
Þat fro þe kyng was vn-to hym sent;
And in þis wyse he scheweth his entent:

How Iason and Hercules toke displeasure with Kyng Lamedowne of Troye, gyuyng his messanger knowlege of their next commynge to gyue hym batayle For his vndiscreet commaundement.

“My frende,” quod he, “I haue wel vnderstande
Þe massage hool, þat þou toke on honde,
Of þi kyng to bryng[en] vn-to vs

Riȝt now vnwarly; & syth it standeth þus,
Þat I haue his menyng euerydel
From point to point, & vnderstonde it wel—
For word by worde I haue it plein conseived,
And þe ȝiftes þat we han resseived
On his by-halue in our gret[e] nede,
I wil remembre, and take riȝt gode hede
To euery þing þat þou hast vs brouȝt.
For trust[e] wel þat I forȝete it nouȝt,
But enprente it surly in my mynde;
And with al þis, how goodly þat we fynde
Þe gret[e] bounte in al maner thing,
With-in þis lond of Lamedoun þi kyng:
His wolcomyng and his gret[e] cher,
And goodly sond þat þou bryngist her,
Nat accordyng [vn-]to oure entent;
For God wel wot, þat we neuer ment
Harme vn-to hym, nor pleinly no damage
To noon of his of no maner age.
And her-vppon þe goddis inmortal,
Þat of kynde ben celestial,
Vn-to recorde with al myn hert I take;
And touchyng þis my borwys I hem make,
In witnessyng we ment[e] noon offence,
Ne toke nat, as by violence,
With-in his rewme of womman, child, nor man;
And so þou maist reporte ȝif þou can—
But for þat we, fordriuen in þe se,
Compellid wern of necessite
For to ariue, as þou haste herd me seyn,
Only to reste vs her vp-on þe pleyn,
With-oute more, vn-to a certeyn day,
And after-ward to holde furþe our way
Vp-on our Iorneye, & make no tariyng,

Liche as þou maist recorde to þi kyng—
And seye hym eke he schal þe tyme se
Þat he par-avnter schal mow þanked be,
Whan tyme comyth, by vs or by som other:
Go furthe þi waye, & seie hym þus, my brother.”
And þan anoon, as Iason was in pes,
Þe manly knyȝt, þe worþi Hercules,
Whan he had herd þis þing fro poynt to point,
He was anoon brouȝt in swyche disioint
Of hasty rancour and of sodeyn Ire,
Þe whiche his hert almost set afire,
Þat sodeynly, as he abreyde abak,
Of hiȝ disdeyn euen þus he spak,
With cher askoyn vn-to þe messanger,
And seide, “felaw, be no þing in wer
Of our abidyng, but be riȝt wel certeyn,
Þat or Tytan his bemys reise ageyn,
We schal depart and to schip[pe] goon;
Þat of oure men þer schal nat leuen oon
With-Inne þis lond, &, God to-forn, to-morwe.
And her-vp-on haue her my feith to borwe;
For we no lenger schal holden her soiour,
For elles-wher we schal make our retour
To-morwe erly in þe daw[e]nyng,
Vp peyne of repref; and so go seie þi kyng.
And or thre ȝere, ȝif God vs graunt[e] lyf,
Maugre who gruccheþ or makeþ any strif,
Vn-to þis lond we schal a-geyn retourne,
And caste anker a while to soiourne:
Take hede, þerfore, and note wel þe tyme;
A newe chaunge schal folwen of þis pryme—
And þanne his power schal not so large strecche;
Of his saufconduit lytel schal we recche.
I seie þe platly, as is oure entent,
We wil not haue [vn-]to his maundement

But lytel reward, and we þat day abide;
For takyng leue schal be set a-syde,
Be-cause he hath now be-gonne a play
Which we schal quite—be God, ȝif [þat] I may!—
Þat torne schal in-to his owne schame;
And spare nouȝt to seie þi kyng þe same.”
Þis massanger þan gan ageyn replye,
And seide, “syr, ȝe may me not denye
Of honeste my massage to declare;
A-vise ȝow, for I wil not spare
Þe kynges sonde pleynly for to telle.
And wher-so be ȝe lyst to goon or dwelle,
Ȝe may ȝit chese, who so be lefe or lothe;
Ȝe haue no cause with me to be wroth;
For it sit not vn-to ȝour worthines,
Yffe ȝe take hede be weye of gentilnes,
Of manassyng swiche arwes for to schete;
For more honest it were ȝoure þretyng lete,
And kepe secrete til ȝe ben at ȝour large.
For certeinly no parcel of my charge
Is to striue with ȝow or debate.
But bet it is by-tymes þan to late,
Þat ȝe be war for harme þat myȝt[e] fale.
And for my parte, I saie vn-to ȝow alle,
It were pite þat ȝe distroied were,
Or any man hyndre schulde or dere
So worþi persones, in any maner wise,
Whiche ben so likly to be discret & wise;
And list with wordis as now I do ȝou greue,
I saye no more, I take of ȝow my leue.”

Howe Iason and Hercules departede from the bowndes of Troy towarde Calcos londe.

The nyȝt ypassed, at springyng of þe day,
Whan þat þe larke with a blissed lay
Gan to salue the lusty rowes rede
Of Phebus char, þat so freschely sprede
Vp-on þe bordure of þe orient;
And Aurora, of hert and hool entent,
With þe swetnes of hir siluer schoures
Bedewed had þe fresche somer floures,
And made þe rose with new[e] bawme flete,
Þe sote lillye and þe margarete
For to vnclose her tender leuys white,
Oppressed hertes with gladnes to delyte
Þat drery wern aforn of nyȝtes tene;
And hony-souklis amonge þe buschis grene
Enbamed hadde enviroun al þe Eyr;
Longe or Titan gan maken his repeire,
With þe briȝtnes of his bemys merye
For to reioische al oure Emysperye:
For longe a-forn, or he dide arise,
Þis worthi Iason in ful hasty wyse,
And his felawe Hercules also,
I-charged han hir schipmen haue a-do
To hale vp anker and hem redy make;
And bad in haste euery man to take
Þe riȝt[e] weye vn-to schippe a-noon.
For in sothnes, þis manly man Iason
Þouȝt he was not stuffid of meyne
To gynne a werre on Troye þe cite;
For he was not, schortly to conclude,
Egal in noumbre nor in multitude,
As for þat tyme, a werre to be-gynne.
It was not likly þat he schulde wynne

Victorie as tho, for þei wer but a fewe;
And it is not holsom a man to hewe
Abouen his hed, whan it is ouere hiȝe,
List þe chippis wil fallen in his eye.
Wherfore of Frygye þei leue þe costis blyue;
þei lifte vp sail; þe schip be-gan to driue;
Þe wynde was good; þe goddys fauourable;
Fortune her frende, þouȝ sche be variable.
And þus to Colchos safe þei ben y-come,
And vn-to londe, boþen al and some,
Þei ben arived in a lytel space;
For in þe see þei haue founden grace
Of Neptunus, þat caused hem as blive,
As I seide her, at Colchos for tarive.
Now in þis Ile, and þis litel londe,
Þat Colchos hiȝt, ȝe schal vnderstonde,
How þat þer was a rial chef cite,
In al þat reigne moste of dignyte,
Of worthines, of ryches, and of fame,
And Iachonytos þat tyme bar þe name—
Chevest of alle, to spekyn of bildyng,
And stretes large and corious howsyng,
And þer-with-al dyched wel with-oute,
Strong[e] wallid & toured rounde aboute,
Of huge heiȝte and aboue batailled,
Maskued also, lyst þei wer assailed,
With many palys, staatly and royal,
For [þer] þe sete was most principal,
Þe kyng to abide bet þan elles-wher;
And þat tyme it happed hym be þere.
And he was callyd Cethes, as I rede,
Ful renomed of knyȝthood and manhede,
And had aboute hym a wel beseyn meyne,
Lyche as was sytting vn-to his degre;

And euery-wher, londys enviroun,
Þe fame spradde of his hiȝe renoun.
And al aboute þis myȝti chefe cite,
Wher as Cethes helde his royal se,
Wer fresche ryuers, of whiche þe water clene
Liche cristal schon ageyn þe sonne schene,
Fair[e] playnes, as Guydo bereth witnes,
And holsom hylles ful of lustines,
And many laye and many lusty welle.
And þer wer eke, my auctor can ȝou telle,
Ful many a parke, ful feir and fresche to sene,
And many wode & many medowe grene,
With sondri floures amonge þe herbes meynt,
Whiche on her stalke nature hath depeynt
With sondri hewes, with-Innen and with-oute,
After þe sesoun of somer cam aboute.
For fyschyng, foulyng, & haukyng eke also,
For venerie and huntyng bothe two,
Þe place was inly delittable;
Of corn and greyne passyngly greable,
And plenteuous in al maner thing.
For þer men herde þe briddes freschely syng
In tyme of ȝere in her armonye,
Þat þe noyse and soote melodye
On fresche braunches, ful delicious,
Reioische wolde þise folkis amerous,
Whom louys brond hath fired to þe hert,
And adawen of her peynes smert,
Þat certeinly whan þat grene ver
I-passed were, ay fro ȝer to ȝer,
And May was com, þe monyth of gladnes,
And fresche Flora, of flouris emperes,
Hadde clad þe soile new at her devise,

Þis noble place was like a paradyse.
And Ceres, goddesse of largesse and foysoun,
Swyche plente ȝaf vn-to þat regioun,
Of flesche, fische, vyn, vitaille, and corne,
Þat þe licour of her ful[le] horne
Vp-on þat lond so gan reine and snowe,
Þat alle estatis, bothe hiȝe and lowe,
Ladden her lyf in souereyn suffisaunce,
With al þat Nature coude or myȝt avaunce
Þis litel Ile with her giftes grete,
Lyche as to-forn ȝe haue herde me trete.
For þer was plente, & þer was abundaunce,
And þer was al þat myȝt[e] do plesaunce
To any herte, and al commodite.
And so bifel, that to þis cite
Iason is come, and with hym Hercules,
And after hem foloweth al þe pres,
Ful wel arraied and rially beseyn,
Armys enclosed to-gydre tweyn & tweyn—
A peple chose as it wer for þe nonys;
And þer-with-al of brawnys & of bonys,
Eueryche of hem of makyng and fasioun
Ful wel complete by proporcioun,
Ȝong of age and of good stature,
Of countenaunce sad and ful demwre,
Þat euery wyȝt had[de] gret plesaunce
To sen þe maner of her gouernaunce:
So ȝong, so fresche, hardy [and] meke also.
And al attonys þei to þe paleys goo
With swiche a cher, þat eueryche hath disport
To sen þe maner of her noble port.
So gentilmanly þei demened were,
Þat þe peple gan presen euery-where
To sen þis straungeris, lyche þe Grekis gyse,
Demene hem silfe in so thrifty wyse;

And of desyre þe peple nolde cesse
Abouten hem to gadren and empresse,
And to enquere what þei myȝt[e] be,
Þat of newe with swiche rialte
Ben sodeynly entred in-to towne.
Þus eueryche wolde with his felawe rowne;
Þei wern so rude to staren and to gase,
To gape & loke, as it wer on a mase;
Þis townysche folk do so comownly
On euery þing þat falleth sodeinly.
But how þat Cethes, liche a worthi kyng,
Whanne þat he herde first of her comyng,
Receyveth hem and hooly þe maner,
Ȝiffe þat ȝe liste, anoon ȝe schal [it] here.

Howe Kenge Cethes of Calcos wirshipffully ressavith Iason and Hercules into his Cytee Called Iaconythes, wher þe Flees of golde was.

Whan þat þe kyng hath sothly vnderstonde
How þe Grekis comen wer to londe,
And how Iason was also þer-with-al,
Borne by discent of þe blood roial
Of Thessalye, and likly to ben eyr,
If he by grace haue ageyn repeyr,
Þe aventures acheved of Colchos,
Þe kyng anoon out of his se a-roos
Of gentilnes, in al þe haste he may,
In godely wyse to mete hem on þe way,
And hem receyveth with chere ful benyngne;
And vn-to hem anoon he doth assigne
His offyceris tawayte hem nyȝt and day,
Chargyng hem in al maner way,

Þat what-so-euer may to hem don ese,
Or any þing þat may hem queme or plese,
Þat þei it haue in foysoun and plente,
Eueryche of hem, lyche to his degre.
Þus he comaundeth in al maner þing.
And þan anoon þis noble worthi kyng,
As he þat was of fredam a merour,
Thoruȝ many halle and many riche tour,
By many tourn and many diuerse way,
By many gre made of marbil grey,
Hath hem conveied a ful esy pas,
Til he hem brouȝt þer his chambre was,
Wher he with hem helde his daliaunce.
And þer anoon with euery circumstaunce
Of manly fredam, he made to hem chere;
And in his chambre, englasid briȝt and clere,
Þat schon ful schene with golde & with asure
Of many ymage þat was þer in picture,
He hath commaunded to his officeris,
Only in honour of hem þat were straungeris,
Spicys and wyn, and after þat anoon,
Þe ȝonge fresche, þe lusty man Iason,
As faste gan be lycens of þe kyng
For to declare þe cause of his comyng.
But first þe kyng, with gret rialte,
Ascendid is in-to his royal se,
Clothis of gold hanged enviroun
After þe custom of þat regioun,
Þat to be-holde it was a noble syȝte,
Stondyng aboute many [a] worthi knyȝte
And many squier and many gentil man
Ful wel be-seyn; and þe kyng riȝt than,
Vn-to Iason, stondyng in presence,
Comaunded hath of his magnificence,

With Hercules to sitte dovn by-syde,
And Iason þan no lenger liste abyde
Of his comyng þe cause for to schewe,
Þeffecte of whiche was þis in wordis fewe—
Saue Iason, or he his tale gan,
Ful wel avised, and cherid lyche a man,
Conceyved hath and noted wonder wel
From point to point his mater euerydel,
And nat for-gat a word in al his speche;
But evene lik as rethorik doth teche,
He gan his tale so by crafte conveie
To make þe kyng, to þat he wolde seie,
Condescende, and rather to encline
For tassent þat he myȝt[e] fyne
Of his comyng þe knyȝtly hiȝe emprise,
Þus worde by worde as I schal her deuise:

Howe Iason purposede his instance in þe presence of Kenge Cethes of Colcos to grante him licence to darreyn batel for þe flees of golde.

“Ryȝt worthi prince, present in þis place,
Only with support of ȝour hiȝe grace,
And ȝour goodnes, most excellent and digne,
With pacience of ȝour fauour benigne,
Disple[se] it not þat I may seyn and schewe,
And declare with wordys but a fewe
Þe fynal grounde and cause of my comyng;
So þat ȝe list, whiche ben so noble a kyng,
In goodly wyse, with-oute more offence,
Benygnely to ȝeven audience
To my request, and [þat] ȝe nat disdeyne

Goodly to graunte þat I may atteyne
In þis Ile, ȝif it may availe,
Þe flees of gold frely for tassaile,
As þe goddys in þis auenture
List to ordeyne for my fatal ewere.
In whom lyth al, pleynly, and fortune,
For to gouerne thinges in comowne,
In werre and pees, conquest and victorie,
And of armys þe renoun and þe glorie,
Discomfeture & bringyng to outraunce—
Al lyth in hem to hyndren or avaunce—
Ageynes whos myȝt no mortal man may chese.
But for al þis, wheþer I wynne or lese,
Or life or dethe be fyn of my labour,
Ȝiffe þat ȝe list to done me þis fauour,
To geve me leue and no more delaie,
I am acorded fully for to assaye,
Liche as þe statut maketh mencioun.
Me liste to make noon excepcioun,
Vp-on no syde fauour for to fynde;
But as þe Rytys pleynly make mynde,
What euer falle, I schal hem vnderfonge,
Lawly besechyng þat ȝe nat prolonge
My purpos now, and maketh no delay,
But of ȝour grace setteth me a day
Myn emprise þat I may acheve;
For myn abood stant vp-on ȝour leue—
Seith but a worde of grauntyng at þe leste,
And þan I haue þe fyn of my requeste.”
And whan þe kyng had herd ceryously
Þentent of Iason, seide so manfully,
He stynt a litel, and kepte hym clos a while;

Til at þe laste he goodly gan to smyle
Toward Iason, and seyd[e] to hym þus:
“Iason,” quod he, “þouȝ þou be desyrous
To vnderfonge þis passyng hiȝe emprise,
Mi counsail is, liche as I schal deuise,
Ful pruden[t]ly for to caste a-forne
Þe mortal pereyl, or þat þou be lorne;
For in þis þing þer is a lawe set
Be enchauntement, þat may nat be let
Nor remedied, for fauour nor for mede.
For deth in soth, who so taketh hede,
Is þe guerdoun platly or þei twynne,
Of all þat caste hem þe flees of gold to wynne.
For help is noon in manhod nor fortune;
Þe streyte weye is so importune,
So dredful eke, and so ful of rage,
Þat saue dethe, þer is no passage,
Of victorie þe palme to conquere.
For sothly, Iason, as I schal þe lere,
Founded of old by merueillous wyrkyng
Ben þe statutes of þis mortal þing;
So sore bounde vnder my regalye
Þat þe rigour I may nat modefye.
Wherfore, Iason, or þou þis þing attame,
Liste afterward on me wer laide þe blame
Of þi lesyng or destructioun,
Of feythful hert and trewe entencioun
I warne þe, my siluen for to quite;
So þat no man iustly schal me wyte,
Þouȝe þou of ȝouþe & of wilfulnes
Þi silfe distroye, with-out avisenes,
Syth I aforne, of þis perillous cas,
From point to point haue tolde þe al þe cas.
Be now avised, and put no faute in me,
For þe surplus frely lyth in þe,
Of al þis þing, siþen þou maist chese;

And wher-so [be], þat þou wynne or lese,
No man to me it iustly may arrette:
For þe lawe þat Mars hym silfe sette,
No mortal man of due riȝt may passe;
For hiȝe nor lowe get noon other grace,
Þan þe goddys list for hym ordeyne,
What euere he be þat cast hym to darreyne
Þis diuerse þing, moste furious of drede.
Wherfore, Iason, how-euer þat þou spede,
I haue to þe openly declared
Holly þe pereil, and for no fauour spared,
As fer in sothe as resoun, wil, and riȝt;
For þou wost wel, it lyth nat in my myȝt
For to debarre, or any man to lette,
Þat of manhood knyȝtly cast to sette
Vp-on þis þing, as þou hast herde me telle.
What schulde I lenger in þis mater dwelle,
Iit wer but vayn, for now þou knowest al.
Be war of hir þat turneth as a bal;
For at þis tyme þou gest no more of me—
Do as þou list, I putte þe choyse in the.”
And with þat word the kyng ros vp anoon,
Vp-on þe tyme whan he schulde goon
Vn-to his mete, and Iason by his syde,
As ȝe schal here, ȝif ȝe liste abide.

Howe Kenge Cethes sent for his doughtire Medea to chere his straungers, to his owne damage.

The tyme aprocheþ, & gan to neiȝen faste,
Þat officeris ful besely hem caste
To make redy, with al her fulle cure,
And in þe halle þe bordis for to cure;

For by þe dyal þe hour þei gan to marke,
Þat Phebus southward was reised in his arke
So hiȝe alofte þat it drowe to noon,
Þat it was tyme for þe kyng to goon
Vn-to his mete and entren in-to halle.
And Cethes þanne, with his lordis alle,
And with his knyȝtes aboute hym euerecchon,
With Hercules, and also with Iason,
Is set to mete in his roial se,
And euerych lord, lyche to his degre.
But firste of alle, þis worþi man Iason
Assigned was, by þe kynge anoon,
For to sitten at his owne borde;
And Hercules, þat was so gret a lorde,
Was set also faste by his syde.
And þe marchal no lenger list abide
Tassigne estatis wher þei schulde be,
Liche as þei wern of hiȝe or low degre;
And after þat, on scafold hiȝe a-lofte,
Þe noyse gan, lowde & no þing softe,
Both of trompetis and of clariouneris.
And þer-with-alle þe noble officeris
Ful þriftely serued han þe halle,
Liche as þe sesoun þat tyme dide falle,
With alle deintes þat may rekned be;
Þat sothfastly þe foysoun and plente
Of knyȝtly fredam vn-to hiȝe and lowe,
So fulsomly gan to reyne and snowe,
Þat þoruȝ þe halle was þe manhod preised
Of þe k[i]ng, and his renoun reysed,
Þat can his gestis, sothly for to seye,
Whan þat hym liste, cheren and festeye
So liche a kyng, and in so þrifty wyse,

With al deinte þat man can deuise.
For at þis feste and solempnite,
Þe Grekis myȝt þe grete nobley se
Of kyng Cethes, and þe worthines,
And by reporte þer-of bere witnes
Wher-so þei com, after al her lyue.
I want[e] connynge, by ordre to discrive
Of euery cours þe diuersytes,
Þe straunge sewes and þe sotiltes
Þat wer þat day seruid in þat place.
Hath me excused, þouȝ I liȝtly passe,
Þouȝ I can not al in ordre seyn;
Myn englische is to rude and eke to pleyn
For to enditen of so hiȝe a þing.
But forthe I wil reherse how þe kyng
To schewe his gestis his nobley ouer al,
Hath for his douȝter sent in special,
And bad sche schulde forth anon be brouȝt.
Þe whiche in soth, þouȝ men had[de] souȝt
Þis world þoruȝ-out, I do ȝou plein assure,
Men myȝt haue founde no fairer creature,
More wommanly of port nor of manere,
Nor more demwr, nor sadder of hir chere,
Whos bewte was not likly for to fade.
And whan sche cam þe Grekis for to glade,
Þe halle in soth sche walkyth vp and down,
Of wommanhed and pure affeccioun
To make chere vn-to þe[se] gestis newe.
And þus Medea with hir rosene hewe,
And with freschenes of þe lyle white,
So entermedled of kynde be delite,
Þat Nature made in hir face sprede
So egally þe whyte with þe rede,

Þat þe medelyng, in conclusioun,
So was ennewed by proporcioun,
Þat finally excesse was þer noon,
Of neuer nouþer; for bothe two in oon
So Ioyned wer, longe to endure,
By thempres þat callyd is Nature.
For sche hir made lyke to hir deuise,
Þat to biholde it was a paradys,
In verray soth, bothe to oon and alle,
Of olde and ȝong syttyng in the halle.
Þer-to sche was, as by successioun,
Born to be eyr of þat regioun,
After hir fader, by discent of lyne,
Ȝif sche abide and dure after his fyne;
Syth he ne hadde by riȝt[e] to succede
Non eyr male þat I can of rede.
Sche was also, þe bok maketh mencioun,
Wexe vn-to ȝeris of discrecioun,
Able for age maried for to be;
And not-with-standyng also ek þat sche
Was of bewte and of wommanhede,
On þe faireste þat I can of rede,
Ȝit [n]oon of bothe han hir ȝouthe let,
Þat to clergye hir desire was set
So passyngly, þat in special,
In alle þe artis called liberal
Sche was expert & knowyng at þe beste;
It was hir ewre to konne what hir liste.
Of swyche a womman herde I neuer telle.
At Elicon sche drank so of þe welle,
Þat in hir tyme was þer noon semblable
I-founde in soth, ne noon þat was so able
To conceyve by studie and doctrine.
And of naturis disputen and termyne
Sche koude also, and þe causis fynde
Of alle þinges formed as by kynde;
Sche hadde in lernyng so hir tyme spent,

Þat sche knewe of þe firmament
Þe trewe cours, and of þe sterris alle,
And by her mevyng what þat schulde falle,
So expert sche was in astronomye.
But most sche wrouȝt by nygromauncye,
With exorȝismes and coniurisons;
And vsed also to make illusions
With hir charmys seide in sondri wyse;
And with rytis of diuerse sacrifice,
Encens and rikelis cast in-to þe fire,
To schewe þinges liche to hir desyre—
With gotis hornys and with mylke and blod,
Whan þe mone was equat and stood
In þe fifþe or þe seuenþe hous,
And was fortuned with lokyng gracious,
To chese an hour þat were conuenient
And fortunat, by enchauntement,
To make and werke sondry apparences:
So wel sche knewe þe heuenly influences
And aspectis, bothe wroþe and glade;
For sche by hem alle her þingis made
Þat appartene to swyche experimentis.
For whan hir list, by hir enchauntementis,
Sche koude make þe wyndes for to blowe,
To thondre and liȝte & to hayle and snowe,
And frese also, to greue men with peyne;
And sodeinly sche coude make it reyne,
Schewe what wedir þat hir liste to haue,
And gasten men with sodein erthe-quave,
And turne þe day vnwarly vn-to nyȝt;
And þanne anoon make þe sonne briȝt
Schewe his bemys, ful persyng and ful schene,

With goldene hornys, to voyde nyȝtes tene;
And reyse floodis, with many dredful wowe;
And whan hir list sche koude hem eft with-drawe.
Eke ȝonge trees to sere, rote and rinde,
And afterward make hem, agein[es] kynde,
With lusty braunchis blosme and budde newe;
Also in wynter with flouris fresche of hewe
Araye þe erþe and tapite hym in grene,
Þat to beholde a Ioye it was to sene;
With many colour schewyng ful diuerse,
Of white and rede, grene, ynde, and pers,
Þe day[e]s[y]e with hir riche croune,
And oþer floures, þat wynter made froune,
Vp-on her stalke freschely for tapere.
And sodeinly, with a dedly chere,
Sche koude somer in-to wynter torne,
Causyng þe day with mystes [for] to morne;
And olde men sche koude make ȝong,
And eft ageyn, or any her was sprong,
Sche koude hem schew boþe in hed & berd
Ful hor and grey, in craft sche was so lered.
And trees with frute sche koude make bare
Of rynde and lef, to do men on hem stare;
Clipse þe mone and þe briȝt[e] sonne,
Or naturally þei hadde her cours y-ronne
To hem approprid, whiche þei may not passe;
For ȝif þat Titan his cours by kynde trace,
Whan he meveth vnder þe cliptik lyne,
Þe clips mote folowe, as auctours list diffyne:
So þat þer be, by hir discripcioun,
Of bothe tweyne ful coniunccioun,
And þat þe sonne with his bemys rede

Haue his dwellyng in þe dragoun hede,
And þe mone be set eke in þe tail,
As by nature, þan it may nat feil
Þat þer mote falle Eclips of verray nede,
In sondri bokys liche as ȝe may rede,
Be-cause of certein intersecaciouns
Of diuerse cercles, and reuoluciouns,
Þat maked ben in þe heuene alofte,
Whiche causen vs for to faylen ofte
Of þe fresche comfortable stremys
Þat ben to vs yschad fro Phebus bemys.
For þe mone hath made deuisioun
By hir sodeyn interposicioun,
Þat of oure siȝt þe stremys visual
May nat be-holde, nor I-sen at al,
Nor to oure lust fully comprehende,
How Appollo is in his chare schynende,
As we wer wont a-fornhand for to se.
But of al þis þe grete Tholome,
Kyng of Egypte, telleth þe cause why,
With-Inne his boke ful compendyously,
Bothe of Eclips and coniunccioun,
And whi þei falle by natural mocioun.
But of Medee, þouȝ þis clerke Ouide,
Tencrese hir name vp-on euery syde,
List in his fables swyche þinges telle,
Þouȝ he of poetis was þe spring & welle:
Yit God forbede we schulde ȝif credence
To swyche feynyng, or do so hiȝe offence;
Syth of nature muste be denyed
Al swyche affermyng, and also ben diffied
Of euery cristen stedefast in bileue.
For certeinly it wolde hiȝly greue

Our conscience, in any wise wene,
Ageyn[e]s kynd, whiche is so hiȝe a quene,
Þat any wyȝt or lyvyng creature
Scholde haue power, I do ȝow pleyn assure,
So cursede þinges supersticious
To do or worche, to kynde contrarious.
For God almyȝti, Iuge of Iuges alle,
Hath sette a lawe, [þe] whiche may nat falle,
Amonge planetis perpetuelly tendure,
A-forn ordeyned in his eternal cure,
Þe whiche may nat, as clerkys list termyne,
Vp-on no syde bowe nor decline;
But as þei wern from discord or debat
Eternally yformed and creat,
Thoruȝ þe fynger of his sapience,
Alwey to meve in her intelligence
Lyche as þei ben to his lordschip bovnde.
For neuer ȝit ne was eclips y-fovnde,
Þe mone not beynge in coniunccioun,
As I haue tolde, saue in þe passioun;
Þe whiche eclips was ageyn[e]s kynde;
Nature her knot þat tyme dide vnbynde,
Whan Goddis sone starfe vp-on þe rode.
Þe sonne of life was dirked for oure goode,
Whan heuene and erþe with hiȝe compunccioun
Han signes schewed of lamentacioun,
By erþequaves liȝt turned to dyrknes,
And dede bodies vpward gan hem dresse
From her tombis ageyn fro deth to lyue;
Stoon and roche a-sonder gonne riue;
In þe temple þe veil was kut on two;
And signes many wern I-schewed tho—
Þat for wonder and tokenes merveilous,

Þe grete worþi Dionisius,
Whiche at Athens, as clerkis of hym wryte,
Was called in scolis Ar[y]opagite,
Þat whan he sawe—þis noble famus clerke—
Þe briȝt[e] day sodeynly so derke—
Al-þei he were a paynym in þo dawes,
And was infecte with rytys of her lawes,
As he þat was most chef and principal
Of philisophres, for to rekne al—
Yet þat tyme, astonyed in his mynde,
Seide platly: “ouþer [þe] god of kynde
Suffreth þe dethe, ouþer—out of doute—
Þis rounde worlde whiche is so large aboute
Schal be dissoluid and y-brouȝt to nouȝt
By sodeyn chawnge, hasty as a thouȝt.”
By his clergie he knewe no better skylle.
For God þat may al chaungen at his wille,
And hath power of swiche coaccioun,
Vnder whos myȝt and disposicioun
Is lawe of kynde constreyned, soth to seie,
From point to point lowly to obeye
In euery þing þat hym list ordeyne—
Of elementis he may þe cours restreyne,
As holy writ witnesseþ: ȝe may se
How at þe requeste of worþi Iosue,
Þe briȝt[e] sonne stood at Gabaon
A dayes space in O degre, and schoon,
Schewyng þis tokne to his trewe knyȝt,
Fynally for to ȝeue hym lyȝt,
Þat he myȝt by his hiȝe prowes
His cruel foon manfully oppresse,

Whan þat he fauȝt, þis knyȝt, þis Iosue,
With kingges fyve, reignyng in Amorre:
So longe laste þe pursute and þe chas,
Til þei were take, and for her trespas
Demp[t] to be ded, þe bible can ȝou telle.
Now syth þat God þus hiȝly list fulfille
Of his knyȝt requeste and orisoun,
What wonder wast þouȝ in þe passioun
Of Criste Iesu, incarnat for oure sake,
Þe sonne bemys þouȝ þei wexe blake;
Sith he hath lordschipe of planetis alle,
And as hym list nedis it mote falle.
For of Medea thouȝe Ovidius
In his fables rehersyth and writ þus,
As he þat liste hir name to exalte,
Ȝet from þe trouþe somwhile he doth halte,
Al-be sche were a passyng sorceresse,
And ferþest named of any chanteresse—
I wil passe ouer ageyn to my matere,
And how sche cam to mete ȝe schal here.
Whan hir fader hadde for hir sent,
Sche cam anoon at his comaundement;
But or sche cam, I fynde þat to-fore,
For to make hir bewte semyn more,
In hir closet sche toke hir beste array,
For to encrese al þat [euer] sche may
Natures wirke with royal apparaille.
For þis wommen gladly wil nat feylle,
Whan þei of bewte haue plentevous largesse,
To make it more þei don her besynesse,
With riche attire vppon euery syde;

Ȝif ouȝt be mysse, þei can it close and hide,
For al þe foule schal couertly be wried,
Þat no defaute outward be espied.
But sche was bothe fayre & wel beseyn,
And in hir port [so] wommanly certeyn,
Þat hir comynge gladeth al þe halle;
For it was Ioye vn-to oon and alle
To sen þe maner tho of hir entre.
To whom hir fader bad to take hir see
Be-syde Iason, hym for to disporte
Of wommanhede, and to recomforte.

Howe Medea first lovede Iason, and of þe insaciate change and mutabilite of women.

But o, allas, þer lakked hiȝ prudence,
Discret avis of inward prouidence,
Wisdam also, with pereil caste a-fore,
To trust a maide of tendre ȝeris bore,
Of vnhappy fonned wilfulnes!
For þis kyng, of his gentelnes,
Comaunded hath to his confusioun,
To his dishonour and destruccioun,
His owne douȝter, born to be his eyr,
Þat was also so wommanly and fair,
So sodeynly doune to descende—
Considered nat þe meschef of þe ende.
Allas, why durst he in hir ȝouthe affie,
To make hir sytten of his cortesie,
Wher sche myȝt by casuel mocioun
Ful liȝtly cacche or han occasioun
To don amys; allas, whi dide he so!
Why list hym nat taken hede þer-to,
Nor to aduerte in his discresioun,

Wysly to caste a-forn in his resoun
Þe vnwar chaunge þat is in wommonhed,
Whiche euery [wise] man ouȝt[e] for to drede!
For who was euer ȝit so mad or wood,
Þat ouȝt of resoun conne ariȝt his good,
To ȝeue feith or hastily credence
To any womman, with-oute experience,
In whom is nouther trust ne sikernesse.
Þei ben so double & ful of brotilnesse,
Þat it is harde in hem to assure;
For vn-to hem it longeth of nature,
From her birth to hauen alliaunce
With doubilnes and with variaunce.
Her hertes ben so freel and vnstable,
Namly in ȝouthe, so mevynge and mutable,
Þat so as clerkis of hem liste endite
(Al-be þat I am sori it to write)
Þei seyn þat chawng and mutabilite
Appropred ben to femyn[yn]yte—
Þis is affermed of hem þat were ful sage.
And speciali while þei be tender of age,
In her wexyng, and whan þat þei be ȝonge;
Whos herte acordeth ful selde with her tonge.
For if þe trouthe inwardly be souȝte,
With þe surpluse and remnaunte of her þouȝte,
Men may þer þe trewe patron fynde
Of Inconstaunce, whos flaskisable kynde
Is to and fro mevyng as a wynde,
Þat Hercules wer nat strong to bynde,
Nouther Sampson, so as I bileue,
Wommannes herte to make it nat remeve.
For as þe blase whirleth of a fire,
So to and fro þei fleen in her desire,
Til þei acomplische fulli her delite.

For as matere by naturel appetit,
Kynd[e]ly desyreth after forme,
Til he his course by processe may parforme,
So þis wommen restreyn[en] hem ne can
To sue her lust ay fro man to man.

Howe women be nevere content in lustes Abitite til þai han assaiede þe abitite of þere Eye. And þat is, fro man to man.

Þei wil not cesse til al be assaied;
But wolde God, as mater is apaied
With o forme, and holdeth him content,
Whan of his boundys he hath þe terme went,
And not desyreth ferther to procede,
But stille abitte and wil it nat excede,
Þat by ensa[m]ple alle womme[n] wolde
Resten in on, as duelly thei schulde,
And holde hem peyde and stille þer abide.
But vnsure fotyng doth hem ofte slide;
For þei be nat content with vnite:
Þei pursue ay for pluralite,
So of nature to mevyng þei be thewed;
Al-þouȝ amonge, by signes outward schewed,
Þei pretende a maner stabilnes;
But vnder þat is hid þe dowbilnes
So secretly, þat outward at þe eye
Ful harde it is þe tresoun to espie.
Vnder curteyn and veil of honeste,
Is closed chaunge and mutabilite;
For her desyr is kepte ful cloos in mewe;
And þing þei hadde leuest for to sewe,
Only outward for to haue a laude,
Þei can decline with feynyng and with fraude.

Wherfore, Cethes, þi wit was to bareyne,
Þat þou aforne by prudence naddist seyne
What schulde folwe of þis vnhappy caas.
Whi wer þou bolde for to suffre, allas,
Þin owne douȝter, so fair and fresche of hewe,
With straunge gestis entred but of newe,
So folily for to lete hir dele!
Wher-þoruȝ þin honour, þi worschip, & þin hele
Was lost in haste, and sche to meschef brouȝt,
In straunge londe, with sorwe and myche þouȝt.
Wher as sche to grete sclaunder of þe,
In gret miserie and aduersite
An ende made; and þou wer lefte al sool.
Þou myȝtest wel compleyne and make dool.
Allas þe while, ȝif in þi prudent syȝt
Þou haddest grace to remembre ariȝt,
And to haue cast by discret purvyaunce,
And weied wysely by mesour in balaunce
Þe fraude of wommon, and þe fre[e]lte;
In whom ful selde is any sikerte,
As in [his] latyn Guydo dothe expresse.
Wherfor, þou Cethes, of verray reklesnesse
Þou hast attonys, in augment of þi woo,
With-out recure bothe two for-goo:
Firste þi tresour, and þi douȝter dere,
Þat was to þe so passyngly entere,
And eke þin ayre; for whan þat sche was goon,
As seithe myn auctor, other was þer noon,
After þi day for to occupie
Þi royal septre, nor þi lond to guye.
But what was worþ þe gret[e] prouidence,
Þe wakir kepyng, or besy diligence
Of myȝti Mars, þat god is of bataile—
What myȝt it help, diffende, or availe
Ageyn þe wit of womman, or þe sleiȝte;
Whos fraudes arn of so huge a weiȝte,

Þat as hem list ay þe game gothe,
Her purpos halt, who so be lefe or lothe—
Þei ben so sliȝe, so prudent, and so wyse!
For as þis story plainly doth devise,
Þis Medea by hir engyne and crafte,
From hir fader his tresour hath berafte
Þoruȝ þe werchyng of hir sleiȝty gyle,
As ȝe schal her with-Inne a lityl while.
For as sche sat at mete in þat tyde,
Next hir fader, and Iason by hir syde,
Al sodeinly hir fresche rosen hewe
Ful ofte tyme gan chaunge and renewe,
An hondrid sythe in a litel space.
For now þe blood from hir goodly face
Vn-to hir hert vnwarly gan avale,
And þere-with-al sche wexe ded and pale;
And efte anoon, who þat can take hed,
Hir hewe chaungeth in-to a goodly red.
But euere amonge tennwen hir colour,
Þe rose was meynt with the lillie flour;
And þouȝ þe rose stoundemele gan pase,
Ȝit þe lillie abideth in his place
Til nature made hem efte to mete.
And þus with colde and with sodein hete
Was Medea in hir silfe assailled,
And passyngly vexed and trauailed.
For now sche brent, and now sche gan to colde,
And ay þe more þat sche gan beholde
Þis ȝong Iason, þe more sche gan desyre
To loke on hym, so was sche sette a-fire
With his bewte and his semlynesse;
And euery þing sche inly gan enpresse,
What þat sche sawe, bothe in mynde & þouȝt,
Sche al enprente[t]h, and for-gat riȝt nouȝt;
For sche considereth euery circumstaunce
Bothe of his port, and his gouernaunce:

His sonnysshe here, crisped liche gold wyre,
His knyȝtly loke and his manly chere,
His contenaunce with many noble signe,
His face also, most gracious and benigne,
Most acceptable vn-to hir plesaunce;
For, as sche þouȝt, it was suffisaunce,
With-outen more, vn-to hir allone,
To considre and loke on his persone.
For in þat tyme, with-outen any drede,
Of mete or drinke sche toke but litel hede;
For sche of food hath loste hir appetit,
To loke on hym sche hath so gret delite,
He was so prented in hir remembraunce.
Loue hath hir cauȝt so newli in a traunce,
And y-marked with his firy brond,
Þat sche may nouȝt eskapen fro his hond,
Nor eschewe his strok in special;
For sche was ȝolde body, herte, and al,
Vn-to Iason, platly for to seye,
And euere among on hym sche cast hir eye,
Whan þat sche fonde a leyser oportune.
But of wisdam sche wolde nat contvne
Hir loke to longe, list men dempte amys;
But as þe maner of þis wommen is,
Sche kepte hir cloos and wonderly secree,
Þat by hir chere no man myȝt[e] see
What þat sche ment, by noon occasioun.
Sche put hem out of al suspeccioun;
For openly þer was no tokne sene.
Sche cast[e] rather þat men schulde wene
Þat þenchesoun of hir abstinence,
And why þat sche satte so in silence—
How þat it was only of wommanhede,
Of honest schame, and of chaste drede,
Þat to-gidre in hir hert[e] mette;
Þe whiche tweyn so þis maide lette

Fro mete and drink, as it wolde seme.
Þus of wisdam sche made hem for to deme,
And so to cast in hir opinioun;
And þus sche blent hem by discrecioun;
For hir chere koude euery þing excuse.
Sche ȝaf no mater folis for to muse,
No cher vnbridled þat tyme hir asterte;
For þer was oon enclosed in hir herte,
And another in her chere declared.
For maidenes han ofte sythes spared
To schewen oute þat þei desyre in dede,
As it falleth, who so can take hede;
Þat whil þei flouren in virginite,
And for ȝouthe haue no liberte
To specifie þat her hert[e] wolde,
Þei kepe hem cloos, for þei be nat bolde
To schewen out þe somme of her sentence.
And þus Medea, kepyng ay silence,
Ne lete no worde by hir lippis passe,
But couertly with sobre chere and face,
What sche ment scheweþ with hir Eye
So secretly þat no man koude espie
Þe hoote fire in hir breste y-reke;
And in hir self riȝt þus sche gan to speke,
As sche in sothe þat so moche can:
“So wolde God, þis ȝonge lusty man,
Whiche is so faire and semly in my siȝte,
Assured were to be myn owne knyȝte.
Whiche is to me most plesaunt and entere,
With berd y-sprong, schy[n]ing liche gold were,
So wel I-lemed, and compact by mesure,
Wel growe on heiȝte, and of gode stature;
And lyketh me in euery part so wel,
Þat by assent of Fortune and hir whele,
I ewred were to stonden in his grace.

For as me semeth, on his knyȝtly face
It is to me an heuene to by-holde,
Al-be þer-with myn hert I fele colde;
And ȝit in soth it may noon other be.
Allas! whi nadde he vp-on my wo pite,
Or, at þe leste, he knewe in his entente,
How moche trowth to hym þat I mente!
Of whiche, allas, he taketh no maner hede,
Al-be for hym I brenne as doth þe glede,
And to be ded I dar me not discure.
Alas! my pitous and woful aventure
Is to rewful, and my mortal peyne,
So to be mordred, and dar me not compleyne
To frende nor foo of my chaunce, allas!
To finden help or socour in þis caas.
And trew[e]ly, ȝit as I schal deuise,
I no þing mene but in honest wise,
Liche as it schal openly be fownde;
For I desire to be knet and bounde
With hym in wedlok, & neuer fro hym twynne;
For my menyng is with-owten synne,
Grounded and set vp-on al clennes,
With-oute fraude or any doubilnes—
So clene and pure is myn entencioun!”
Loo, ay þe maner and condicioun
Of þis wommen, þat so wel can feyne,
And schewen on, þouȝ þe[i] þink[e] tweyne;
And couertly, þat no þing be seyn,
With humble chere and with face pleyn,
Enclose her lustis by swyche sotilte,
Vnder [þe] bowndis of al honeste
Of hir entent, þouȝ þe trecherie
With al þe surplus vnder be y-wrye.
And þouȝ þat þei feith a-forn pretende,

And can her fraude with florissyng wel diffende,
And flaterie, only þe worlde to blende,
With dowbilnes enclosed in the ende,
Ȝit ay deceyt is benethe ment,
Vndre þe sugre of feyned clene entent,
As it were soth, in verray existence;
But, trust me wel, al is but apparence.
Þei can schewe on, and another mene,
Whos blewe is liȝtly died in-to grene;
For vnder floures depeint of stabilnes,
Þe serpent dareth of newfongilnes.
So pleyne þei seme with wordis fair[e] glosed,
But vnder-nethe her couert wil is closed;
For what þing be most vn-to þer pay,
Þei wil denye and rathest þer swere nay.
Þus liketh Guydo of wommen for tendite.
Allas, whi wolde he so cursedly write
Ageyn[e]s hem, or with hem debate!
I am riȝt sory in englische to translate
Reprefe of hem, or any euel to seye;
Leuer me wer for her loue deye.
Where-fore I preye hem to take in pacience;
My purpos is nat hem to done offence;
Þei ben so gode and parfyte euerechon,
To rekne alle, I trowe þer be nat on,
But þat þei ben in wille and hert[e] trewe.
For þouȝ amonge þei chese hem lovis newe,
Who considreth, þei be no þing to blame;
For ofte tyme þei se men do þe same.
Þei most hem purveie whan men hem refuse;
And ȝif I koude I wolde hem excuse.
It sitteth nat a womman lyue alone;

It is no stor but þei haue more þan oon.
Preying to hem for to do me grace,
For as I hope, to hem is no trespas
Þouȝ my makyng be þe same in al,
As Guydo wryt in his original—
Where he mysseyth, late hym bere þe wyte;
For it sit wel, þat þe vengaunce byte
On hym þat so þis wommen haþ offendid;
And ȝif I myȝt it schul[de] ben amendid.
He schulde reseyue duely his penaunce;
For ȝif he died with-oute repentaunce,
I am dispeired of his sauacioun,
Howe he schulde euer haue remissioun,
But he were contrite his synne to redresse;
It may not ben, as clerkys bere wytnesse.
And be my trouthe, and he were alyue—
I mene Guydo—and I schulde hym shryue,
So bitter penaunce pleynly he schulde haue,
Þat to þe tyme þat he were I-graue,
He schulde remembre, and platly not asterte
For to repente hym with al his hol[e] herte,
Þat he so spake to his confusioun.
I wil no lenger make digressioun
Fro my matere, but let Guydo be,
And telle forþe þe worching of Medee,
Þat hath licence of hir fader nome,
And to hir chaumbre is allone y-come,
Whan oute of halle with-drawen was þe pres,
And whan Iason, and also Hercules,
Liche as þe kyng after mete bad,
To her chaumbres conveied wern and lad,
Ful rially arrayed and beseyn;
For euery wal was cured in certeyn
With clothe of golde, in ful statly wyse.
And in þis while, as ȝe han herde deuise,
Was Medea to hir chaumbre goon,

Wher by hir silf, compleynyng euer in oon,
Sche ȝaf issu to hir peynis smerte,
Þat hir so sore han wounded to þe herte:
For Loue haþ brouȝt hir in a sodeyn rage,
Þat was not likly sone for taswage;
For in sothenes, þe furious god Cupide
Hath swiche a fir kyndeled in her side,
Þat it was neuer likly hir to lete,
So violent and fervent was þe hete,
Þat mor an[d] mor encresen gan hir peyne.
For in hir breste þer was atwixe tweyne
A gret debate, and a stronge bataille,
So feruently eche other dide assaile;
And þis contek, in ernes and no game,
Iuparted was betwixe Loue and Schame,
Metyng to-gidre þer at vn-set stevene,
Al-be þe felde was nat parted evene.
For Loue in soth, ful of hiȝe renoun,
Was bolde and hardy, liche a fers lyoun,
And was nat ferful of spere, swerde, nor knyf,
But hoot and hasty for to awnter his lif,
Eke surquedous, stout, and ful of pride,
Chefe champioun of þe god Cupide,
Þat causeth ofte, bothe fre and bonde,
Ful many pereil for to take on honde.
And caused hath ful many mannes dethe,
And many on to ȝelden vp þe brethe,
And made her woundes largely to blede;
For of pereil Loue taketh noon hede,
To gete hym honour by excellence of fame.
But in contraire his enmy called Schame,
Liche a coward, feynt and hert[e]les,
As he þat neuer dar put hym self in pres,
For lak of manhod drawiþ hym euer a-bak;

He is so dredful and ferful of þe wrak,
Lyche a childe, ȝong and tender of age;
For he hath nouther herte nor corage
For to assaille, he is so feble of myȝte;
And ȝit ful ofte he hath stonde in þe siȝte
Of many louer, to let hym for to spede,
Þoruȝ fals conspiring of his broþer Drede.
For Drede and Schame, whan þei ben allied,
Of on assent haue pitously denyed
Vn-to Loue, herte and hardines,
Þat he ne durst out a worde expres;
For whan þat Loue of manhod wolde speke,
Þe wode fire out of his brest to vnreke,
Vp-on þe point whan he schulde assey,
Cometh Schame anoon, & outterly seith nay,
And causeth Loue hornys for to schrynke,
To [a]baische his chere & pitously to wynke,
Cowardly his cause to appeire.
And þus is Schame froward and contrayre,
Þoruȝ help of Drede, Lovis folk to fere.
For dowt[e]les ȝif Schame nouȝt ne were—
As it is kouþe, boþe niȝ and ferre—
Love in his lawes often schulde erre,
And wynden out of honeste[e]s cheyne,
Of his boundis bridel breke a reyne,
Ryȝt as an hors out of þe traise at large;
For lite or nouȝt louers wolde charge
To folwe her wille, and her lust to sewe;
But al þe while [þat] Schame is kept in mewe,
Outward in porte Loue bereth hym lowe:
Recorde of wommen, for þei þe sothe knowe.
For ne were Schame, as clerkys han compiled,
Out of her hertis daunger were exiled,
Al straungenes and feyned fals disdeyne.
For ne were Schame pleinly þe wardeyne
Of þis wommen, by writyng of þis olde,

With-out assaut þe castel were y-ȝolde;
It were no nede a sege for to leyn:
For in swyche case longe trete were in veyne;
For of nature þei loue no processe.
But now, allas, Drede & Schamefastnesse
Han daunted Loue, in ful lowe manere,
And maked hym ful humble of port & chere;
And þei han eke by her violence,
For al his manhod, put hym in silence,
And ben gret cause of moring of his peyne.
And amyddes of þis ilke tweyne,
Of Loue and Schame even vp-on þe point,
Stood Medea in ful gret disioynt,
Þat sche ne may þe peyne nat endure,
So hoot sche brent, þis woful creature,
By-twyxe bothe—I mene Loue and Schame.
For whan þat Loue wolde eny þing attame
Of his desires to declare hem oute,
Cam Schame anoon, and put him in [a] doute;
And Drede was redy his lust for to denye.
And þus sche stood in a Iupardye
Of Loue and Schame, in maner of a traunce,
Vn-euenly hanged in balaunce;
For Schame was gret, & Loue ȝit was more,
As sche wel knewe, by hir siȝes sore,
And by hir stormy cruel aventure.
For Drede and Schame durst[e] not discure
Þe fire þat Loue had in hir brest enclosed,
Whiche was ful harde for to be deposed.
And þus sche henge euen atwixe two,
Þat sche ne wist what was best to do;
Til þat Fortune with hir double face
Vnhappily hath wrouȝt to gete hir grace,
With þe whirlyng of hir whele aboute,

Þat causeth wrecches ful lowe doun to loute,
Whan þei best wene to sitten hiȝe alofte—
Be experience, as men may sen ful ofte,
By hir gery reuolucioun.
For þis lady of transmvtacioun,
Ful ofte tyme fals and ful vnstable,
Enhasteth þinges to foolis ful greable,
Whiche in þe ende, to her confusioun,
Can vnder sugre schrowden her poysoun.
For ay Fortune, as hir maner is,
To wrechis scheweth oþir þan it is;
For with fayr chere and face of flaterie—
As sche þat can with a benigne eye
Fully of folis parforme the entent,
Wher-þoruȝ þei be in gret meschef schent
At þe ende, and can no crafte [t]eschewe
Þe vnwar harme þat at hir tail doþ sewe—
Ryȝt as it fel, whilom of Medee,
Gynnyng and grounde of hir aduersite—
For þis lady, þat called is Fortune,
I-graunted hath a leiser opportune
To schewe Iason hooly al hir herte,
Whiche made hir after ful sore wepe and smerte.
For on a day, after meridien,
Whan Appollo with his bemys schene
From þe southe plage gan to wester faste,
Cethes, hir fader, hath y-sent in haste
To Medea to com to hym anoon,
And bad to hir þat sche schulde goon
Vn-to Iason and [to] Hercules,
To make hem chere amongis al þe pres.
And whan sche cauȝte opportune space
To hir desire, and sawe eke in þe place,
Þat hir fader was most occupied,

As sche þat þouȝte not to ben espied,
Apparseyuynge his grete besynesse,
Toward Iason anoon sche gan hir dresse;
And he in haste with a ful kny[ȝ]tly chere,
In curteys wyse gan to drawe nere
Towardis hir, & sawe þer was no lette.
And whan þat þei were to-gidre sette,
Þis Medea with syȝing first abreyde,
And to Iason even þus sche seide:

Howe Medea exorted Iason not to take vpon him þis iopardy to preve his manhode. And howe she delyverde him thre þenges for to distroy Martis ordynaunce.

“Iason,” quod sche, “of þin hiȝe noblesse,
Of þi manhood and þi gentillesse,
Bothe assembled in þi persone y-fere,
And of knyȝthod, first I the requere
In þi conceyte and oppinioune
Nat to arette to presumpcioun,
To doubilnesse nor to inconstaunce
Of wommanhed, nor to variaunce,
Þat I am bold & can for no þing spare
My menyng clerly to ȝow to declare,
With-oute feynyng, in wordis plat & pleyn,
Beseching firste, to þat þat I schal seyn,
With-out[e] more, of ȝoure goodlyhede
Benyng[e]ly for to taken hede,
And paciently to my wordes leste,
And what I seye, to take it for þe beste
In ȝour entent, and no þing ȝou to greue.
For þinges two myn hert[e] sore meve,

Þis to seyne, loue and gentillesse,
What þat I mene clerly to expresse
To ȝour persone, and no þing to concele
Or we parte, liche as ȝe schal fele.
For me semeth, first of curtesye,
In sothefastnes, and of gent[e]rye,
Þat to straungeris euery maner wyȝt
Is bounde and holde of verray due riȝt
To make chere, and trewly as for me,
Be-cause, Iason, þat I in ȝow se
So moche manhod, & so gret worþinesse,
I wil not feyne with al my besynesse
To helpe and forther in al þat may ȝou like.”
And with þat word of herte sche gan to syke,
For his sake, and seide hym ouermore:
“For ȝou I fele ful gret anoy and sore,
Þat meved arn with-oute avisenesse,
Only of ȝouthe and wilful hardinesse
Þe flees of gold to geten ȝif ȝe may;
Þe whiche emprise, who-so-euer assay,
More perillous is pleynly to acheue,
In verray soth, þan ȝe koude leue:
For dout[e]les, I do ȝow wel assure,
Þe final mede of þis auenture
Is nat but deth, saue report of schame;
For þer ȝe wene to gete ȝow a name,
Þe ende pleinly schal turnen in contrarie,
Fro þe gynnyng so þe fyn schal varie.
For wit of man, nouþer engyn nor myȝt,
Þouȝ he be neuer so wel expert in fyȝt,
Or haue in armys passynge excercise,
With alle þe sleȝtes of olde or newe emprise,
Or þouȝ he be best breþed to endure,
Or what deuis þer be of his armvre,
Or what wepne also þat he brynge,
Harded with stele, trenchaunde or persynge,

Ȝit at þe last, whan he hath al souȝt,
With-out[e] me it vaille may riȝt nouȝt.
Wherefore, Iason, I haue compassioun
On ȝour ȝouthe, of pure affeccioun:
Of wilfulnes ȝe schuld[e] þus be lorn,
Þat ben of blood and lyne so hiȝe born;
For certeynly it may noon other be,
But ȝif þat ȝe ȝour conseil take of me,
For noon but I may do ȝow help or ese.
Allas, Iason, whi wil ȝe not appese
Ȝour manly corage, in þis caas I-blent,
And to my counseil ben obedient!
Þan durst I swerne ȝe schulde haue victorie,
Ben remembred and put in memorie
Perpetuelly, and þouruȝ ȝour knyȝthod wynne
Þe flees of gold, þe whiche is ȝond with-Inne,
In þe Ile þat stant here be-syde,
Of whiche þat Mars is gouernour & guyde.
Wherfore attonis in ȝour silfe assent,
To my conseil fully to consent,
At fewe wordis, ȝif ȝe list to spede,
And leue ȝour lust and wirke after my rede.”
To whom Iason with [ful] humble chere,
Answered and seide, “myn owne lady dere,
I thanke ȝow in al my best[e] wise,
Riȝt as ferforth as I may suffise,
And as my power platly may atteyne,
Myn hertis quene and lady souereyne;
Whom þat ȝe may hooly, I ensure,
Al þe while þat my life may dure,
Trusteþ riȝt wel, me list not for to feyne,
To liue or dye, at ȝour lust restreyne,
As hym þat is ȝour owne trewe man,
Ȝow for tobeye in al þat euer I can,

With-oute chaunge or any doubilnes,
While þat I lyve, in verray sothfastnes.
Þat ȝow list of trewe affeccioun,
Vp-on my life to haue compassioun,
Of gentilnes, and [þat] ȝe list to haue
Swiche cherte my body for to saue,
Þat in good feith, of verray due riȝt,
I am y-bounde to be ȝour owne knyȝt
Vn-to myn ende; and þat more specially
Þat of ȝour grace so benygnely
Ȝe liste ȝour silfe of my conseil be,
Þat neuer aforn to ȝow in no degre
Ne dide seruise to ȝoure wommanhed;
And with ȝoure wordis ful of goodlyhed,
Ȝour owne man listeth recomforte.
Þe whiche in soth, so as I can reporte,
A þousand folde be þe more plesaunt,
Þat neuer a-forn no merit gat him graunt,
Ne no decert, requeste, nor prayere;
But more frely, with hert[e] ful entere,
Liste vnrequered on my wo to rewe,
And vndeserued ben to me so trewe,
Þat I ensure vp-on my feith as faste,
In ȝour seruise I schal vn-to my laste
Perseuere, sothly, þat þer schal be no slouthe,
Nor variaunce, and þe[r]-to here my trouþe:
For finally with-outen [any] wene,
At fewe wordes, I seie riȝt as I mene,
Me list not feyne, flatre, nor delude,
For my behest with deth I schal conclude,
Whan þat parchas my lyves thred to-rende;
Þis al and som, and þus I make an ende.”
“Þanne,” quod sche, “ful wysly in ȝour herte
Ȝe moste a-forn consideren and aduerte

Þe auenture, þat ȝe take on honde,
And prudently þe pereil vnderstonde,
And ful warly caste and haue in mynde
Þe mortal harme at þe taiel be-hynde,
Þat is wel more þan it is credible;
For leue me wel, it is an impossible
To gynne [in] honour, & also for to fyne.
For þilke flees be hiȝe power devyne
Preseruyd is, and eke with Martis myȝt,
Þat who-so entreþ þere for to fiȝte,
It wer ful harde [to] hym to eskape
Þe firy flame, whan þe bolis gape,
Þat ben of bras, trapped al in leuene,
More for to drede þan liȝtnyng of þe heuene
To-fore þe dent of þe grete thonder,
Þat seuered hath many tour assondre;
For to assches þei moste a man consume.
Wherfor I rede þat ȝe nat presume
Þe Ram tassaile, lest ȝe ȝour labour lese;
With-drawe ȝour foot ȝit sithen ȝe may chese,
By good avise and discreccioun,
Ȝour honour saue, and ȝour hiȝe renoun.
Wher-so ȝe list of ȝour wilfullnes,
Only of foly and of hastines
To þis emprise of heed to procede,
Or wher ȝe list, liche as I ȝow rede,
Sauen ȝour silfe from wo & al meschaunce,
Liche as ȝe schal, ȝif to myn ordynaunce
Ȝe ȝow committe, and lowly list obeye
With-oute fraude—þer is no more to seie.”
And Iason þan, sittyng at þe borde,

Of Medea enprentyng euery worde,
Wexe for Ire almost inpacient,
And seide, “allas, [and] is þis ȝour entent,
Me to counseile to leue þis emprise?
Certis it were to fowle a cowardyse,
To gynne a thing I myȝt[e] nouȝt acheue;
For euery man wolde me repreue,
And report to my confusioun,
Þat I of pride and presumpcioun
Toke on me, whan I was at my large,
So hiȝe a þing, and so gret a charge,
Þat I ne durst for drede of meschef
Acomplisch it, whan it cam to [þe] pref.
Leuere me were, myn owne lady dere,
For to Iuparte and to putte in were
My life attonys, and, at wordes few,
On smale peces to ben al to-hewe,
Þan I schulde cowardely for-sake
Þilke emprise þat I haue vnder-take,
As ȝe wel knowe, and leue it þus, allas!
Let be ȝoure counseile pleynly in þis cas;
For what-so-euer happe or falle of me,
Trusteþ riȝt wel, it schal noon other be.
For ȝif þat I, of my cowarde herte,
Fro my purpos schulde nowe diuerte,
With-oute laude my life I schulde lede,
And schame eternal schulde be my mede
Þoruȝ-oute þe worlde noted oueral,
In euery lond spoke of in special,
Þat Iason hath so hiȝly vndirtake,
Þat he for fere dar noon ende make.
Þinketh riȝt wel, it schal not betide,
For life nor dethe what meschef I abide;
And þer-vpon my trouthe: I ȝow ensure,
Þat as ferforthe as my life may dure,

I schal parforme þat I haue begonne;
And þouȝ so be, it may not be wonne,
But þat I moste with my dethe it bye,
I wil not leue, for leuer I haue to dye
Þan lyue aschamed of cowardyse & slouthe.
For me semeth, it is to hiȝe a routhe
A man to apere or dore schewe his hede
After tyme whan his worschip is ded,
Or to lyue whan his name is slayn;
For euery man schulde be rather fayn
To dye in honour, þan lyuen as a wreche;
And þouȝ þis þing to my deth now streche,
It is welcom, I schal it wel abide:
Þis al and som, what so of me betide.”
“Þan,” quod sche, “sythen it is so,
Þat ȝe algatis desyre to haue a-do,
Þer is no more by ouȝt I can espie,
But ȝe haue leuer schortly for to dye,
Rather þan lyue and to haue a schame;
And ȝit it is an ernes and no game,
With suche monstres vnwarly for to dele,
Lyche as in dede her-after ȝe schal fele.
Wherfor I am meved of pite,
And gretly stered, þat ȝe of volunte,
With-out avis or discrecioun,
Counseil or good deliberacioun,
List take on ȝow þis merveillous viage;
For ȝour ȝouthe and also ȝour corage
Gouerned ben, as in þis matere,
Al after luste; for bothe two I-fere
Iuparted ben, ȝif ȝe ȝour purpos swe;
For impossible is to ȝow teschewe
A sodeyn deth, for nouþer fre nor bonde

By craft of man hath power to with-stonde.
Wherfor I þinke of herte and good entent
To cast a weye, ȝit or ȝe be schent,
And to ȝour Iorney schape a remedie,
Swiche rauthe I haue þat ȝe shulde dye;
For my fader, whom I loue moste,
Rather þan ȝe schulde þus be loste,
I schal offende, and outerly displese
My frendes alle, so it may do ȝow ese.
For I schal fynde swyche a mene weye,
At þe leste þat ȝe schal nat deye;
For in þis cas, I thinke be ȝour guyde,
So þat for ȝow I schal sette a-syde
My birth[e] first, of þe stoke royal,
And ouermore myn heritage with-al,
And myn honour schal be putte a-bak
Ȝow for to helpe, þat þer schal be no lak
Founden in me, so ȝe wil be kynde,
And þat ȝe liste for to haue in mynde
As I disserue goodly me to quite,
Consyderyng firste þat it is not a lite
To saue ȝour life, þat stant in iupartye
More perlously þan ȝe can espie.
But for al þis, I schal it so ordeyne,
Þoruȝ my crafte, only atwixe vs tweyn,
Þat or we parte I hope al schal be wel:
Vp-on þis point so þat I may fele,
Feithfully for Ioye, wo, or smerte,
With ful acorde of body, wille, and herte,
To my desire þat ȝe condiscende,
I vndirtake to maken a good ende.”
“Ȝis, sothly, lady,” seide Iason tho,
“I am assented, with-oute wordes moo,
For to fulfille with euery circumstaunce
What þat euer may be to ȝow plesaunce.”
“Þanne,” quod sche, “þer is no more to seyn—
But first of al, with feith & herte pleyn,

With al ȝour myȝt, and ȝour besy cure,
And menynge hool, þat ȝe me assure
Þat ȝe her-after schal take me to wyve,
To holde and kepen after al ȝour lyve,
So þat ȝour dede acorde with ȝour heste;
Þis is þe fyn and somme of my requeste:
Excepte only þat ȝe shal ordeyne,
In ȝour repeire to ȝour fadres reigne,
Þat feithfully ȝe schal me with ȝow lede;
And after þat, whan þat ȝe succede
After his day in-to ȝour heretage,
With herte ay oon, and with o corage,
Ȝe schal to me ben y-lyche trewe,
And cherische me for chaunge of any newe,
Liche myn estate, with-oute variaunce,
And while ȝe liue han in remembraunce
My kyndenes in ȝour grete nede.
For þer is noon alyue þat may spede,
Creature þat is here mortal,
For to assaille þe forcys marcial
Of þe dragoune and bolis, bothe I-fere;
But it so be of me þat he lere
Hooly þe maner how he schal hym guye,
Liche as to ȝow I thenke specifie,
Whan it happeth þat we mete ageyn;
For noon but I may helpen, in certeyn,
In þis cas, as platly ȝe schal fynde,
And I not aske but þat ȝe be kynde.”
“Sothly,” quod Iason, “al þis schal be do
As ȝe deuise, I wil þat it be so;
And here my faith, þer-on I ȝow assure,
O goodlieste of any creature
Þat euere ȝet I saie vn-to my paye,
And fairest eke, in soth it is no nay—
And of bounte ȝe ben incomperable;
For of my deth ȝe ben so merciable,

Þat while I live, I seie ȝow be my feith,
Myn hert[e] menyth as my tong[e] seith,
I wil be founde ȝour owne trew[e] man
For life or deth, in al þat euer I can;
So þat of grace it be ȝow plesaunt
For to parforme ȝour hestis and ȝour graunt,
And werche fully to my sauacioun,
As ȝe han seide, in ful conclucioun.
For trewly ȝe, of alle þat bere life,
In bewte han a prerogatyfe,
Passyng echon, me liste not for to glose,
Amongis flouris as doth þe rede rose,
Which in somer amyd þe herbes swote,
After þat ver hath made oute of þe rote
Þe humydyte kyndely tascende,
Þe bareyn soyl to clothen and amende,
And þe braunchis, þat wynter made bare,
With soote blosmys freschly to repare,
And þe medwes, of many sondri hewe,
Tapited ben with diuerse flouris newe,
Of sondry motles, most lusti for to sene,
And holsomm bawme is schad among þe grene—
Riȝt as þe rose is fairest of echon,
Riȝt so Nature sette ȝow allon,
Whan sche ȝow made, first at hir deuys,
Above alle other for to haue a pris,
As ȝe þat be of bewte spring and welle.
Þer-to in bownte sothly ȝe excelle
Alle þat lyven, for no comparysown
Ne may be made; and of discrecioun
Ȝe passen alle, as euery man may se.
And with al þis I fynde ȝow [vn-]to me
Þe most goodly þat euer ȝit was born,
With-out whom I were as now but lorn,
Of helpe and socour fully destitut,

Ne were þat I founde in ȝow refute.
Fro whom al fredam to-me-ward doþ abounde,
In so moche þat I am euer bounde
As ferforthe as my lyfe may streche,
Þat for ȝour sake of deth I ne recche,
Ȝif þer-with-al I myȝt[e] ȝow agreen,
Þat to my helpe so goodly list to seen.
For ȝif þat I of necligence schulde
Any þing refusen þat ȝe wolde,
I myȝt of resoun ful wel marked be,
And noted eke, of wilful nycete
So folily to voyde away my grace.
It were a rage a man from hym to chase
Welful Fortune, whan sche is benigne;
Wherfor as now hooly I resigne
Herte, body, my life, and eke my deth
In-to ȝour hond, while me lasteth brethe,
With alle þe othes þat I afferme may,
For to perseuere to myn endyng day
Ȝour trew[e] spouse, as I haue said and sworne,
And ȝou behested pleynly her-to-forne;
And her-vppon, euery þing obeie
Þat may ȝou plese, til tyme þat I deye.
Þis al and som; what schulde I lenger tarie?
From þis byheste I schal neuer varie.”
And whan sche sawe his grete stedfastnes,
Sche was supprised with so hiȝe gladnes,
With so gret Ioye, pleynly in hir herte,
Þat sche was voide of euery wo and smerte;
For he so lowly to hir luste obeyde.
And or sche went þus to hym sche seyde:
“Iason,” quod sche, “þan I schal ordeyne
A mene weye þat we bothe tweyne
May efte ageyn at leyser mete sone,

For to parforme al þat is to done
In þis mater, liche to oure entent,
Wher schal be made a fynal sacrament
Of oure desire, þat no man schal vnbynde,
Þouȝ now þer-to we may no leyser fynde.
Toward euen, It schal me not eskape,
Trust me ryȝt wel, a tyme for to schape,
Secrely þat we [may] mete y-fere;
For I schal sende a privy chaumberere
To ȝou of myn, whyche schal ȝou conveye
Vn-to my chambre by a privy weye,
A certeyn hour, with-outen any fable,
To oure entent þat be moste greable:
Vp-on þe point whan Phebus with his liȝt
I-westrid is, and þe dirke nyȝt
Hath with þe dymnes of his schadowes blake
Our Emysperie fully ouertake,
Þat ofte ȝeueth by fauour of fortune
Vn-to louers a leyser oportune
For to parforme her lustis and acheve.
And riȝt anoon, as it draweth to eve,
I schal for ȝow to my closet sende,
Of euery þing for to make an ende;
Wher as we schal at good leyser speke
Eueryche with oþer, and our hertis breke,
And declare þe somme of al oure wille.
And whan we han spoken al our fille,
By good leyser, I fully ȝou behete,
We schal ordeyn whan so vs list to mete,
To sette a tyme, who-euer þat seye nay,
Alweye be niȝt, whan passed is þe day.
For myȝti Iove as wysly me socoure,
As hens-forthe I wil ben hoolly ȝoure,
While þat I live, wakyng and a-slepe,
Ȝif it so be þat ȝe ȝour hestis kepe.”
To whom Iason lowly gan tencline,

And seide, “as fer as man may ymagyne,
Or any wit may clerly comprehende,
I wil to ȝou, to my lyves ende,
As a seruaunt feithfully me quyte;
And þouȝ þat I can nat seyn but lite,
My trew[e] herte wilneþ neuer-þe-lesse;
And þouȝ I can not paynt[e] nor compasse
No gay prosses, my souereyn hertis quene,
Til I be ded, trewly I schal mene;
Hath her my trouþe whil I haue life & mynde,
As in þe ende trewly ȝe schal fynde.”
And of her speche an ende þus þei make.
And Medea schope hir for to take
Hir leue anoon amonges al þe pres,
First of hir fader and þan of Hercules,
And bod no lenger, but furþe-with anoon
Vn-to hir chambre in hast[e] sche is goon,
Where vp and down sche made many went,
Noon of hir meyne wetyng what sche ment,
Castynge weyes hir purpos to acheve,
And in hir wittes gan besely to meve,
As sche rometh in hir habitacle,
On any syde ȝif þer were obstacle
Or any lettyng, whiche wolde hir sore greue.
Þis was hir studie til it drowe to eue,
Where I hir leue compleynyng in her wo,
With many a thouȝt, walkynge to and fro.
Þe mydday hour is goon and ouerslide,
Titan so fast hath in his chare I-ride,
Þe dayes arke from est to west compassid,
His fery stedis han almost I-passed
Our oriȝonte, and drawe doun ful lowe
His golden wayn, þat no man myȝt[e] knowe
Where as he hidde his fyry bemys briȝt,
In his discence ful fer out of oure siȝt;

And Herynes, with hir copis myrke,
Þe heuenyng be-gonne for to dirke,
In þe twyliȝt whan þe day gan fade;
And Esperus, with hir stremes glade,
Þat bene so fresche so lusty, and so mery,
Gan recounforte al our emesperie:
Whan Medea by hir silf allone,
Of hiȝe desire gan to make hir mone,
Þat sche so longe abood after hir knyȝt,
Alweye acountyng þe houres of þe nyȝt,
So ful of trouble and so ful of þouȝt,
Which hath ful streytly cerched out & souȝt
A redy weye vn-to hir purpos,
Al-be þat sche kept it in ful cloos
Amyd hir herte, quappyng as a wawe
For drede and fere, til hope gan a-dawe,
And bad sche schulde be riȝt mery and glad,
Til drede a-geyn-warde made hir sober & sad
Liste hir desire troubled were or let.
And þus sche was at a-bay I-set
Amyd of hope and of drede also,
Þat sche ne wyste what was best to do:
For hiȝe desire and affeccioun
So sore brent in hir oppinioun,
Of lust sche hadde to meten with Iason,
And þer ageyn[e]s drede cam in anoon,
And made hir ferful list sche were espied.
But al hir sorowe was holp and remedyed
Only by Fortune and þe dirke nyȝt,
By whiche sche was made ful glad & liȝt.
For recounforted only with þise two,
And with good hope þat made hir glad also,
Sche gan anoon to casten and deuise,
Whanne þat þe mone on heuen wolde aryse,

And whanne þat sche, with hir hornys pale,
Wolde schede hir liȝt vp-on hil and vale,
Sche gan acounte and cast[e] wel þe tyme,
And fonde a quarter was passid after pryme,
As sche þat was wel knowyng in þat arte,
And sawe in soth þat þe ferþe parte
Of þe mone was schad with new[e] liȝt,
And passed was in hir cours ful riȝt,
After þe tyme of coniunccioun,
Thre signes ful by computacioun,
And complete was seuen daies of hir age.
At whiche tyme sche, brynnyng in hir rage,
And þoruȝ-darted with Cupides arowe,
Gan to loke and beholde narwe
At euery dore, and listen besily
Ȝif any wyȝt þat sche myȝt espie
Of al þe courte ouþer walke or goo,
Or any man romyng to and froo,
So sore sche dradde, goyng vp and dovn,
Whan sche herde ouþer noyse or sown,
Or whan sche heryth wispring eny-where;
It was venym sothly in hir ere:
Sche wisched al hadde ben a-bedde.
Þis pitous life þe longe nyȝt sche ledde,
With-out respit, þouȝ no wyȝt koude it knowe,
Til hiȝe mydnyȝt þat þe cokkes crowe;
At whiche tyme, w[h]an al was hust and stille,
For to [a]complische þe remnaunt of hir wille,
And euery-where maked was silence,
Sche cleped anoon vn-to hir presence
An aged vekke, fer in ȝeris ronne,

Þat in swyche crafte mochel help[e] konne,
Thriftely to bring a þing a-boute.
For þei a-forne can casten euery doute;
Of ȝeris passed olde experience
Hath ȝoue to hem so passyng hiȝe prudence,
Þat þei in loue alle þe sleiȝtes knowe;
And sche was made as dogge for þe bowe.
To whom Medea discureth al hir þouȝt
From point to point, & for-gat riȝt nouȝt,
And charged hir, in reles of hir smert,
And recomfort of hir troubled hert,
To hasten hir anoon vp-on hir weye
Vn-to hir chambre Iason to conveye.
And sche anon, not rekles in þis cas,
Is goon for hym a ful softe pas,
As sche þat was of newe nat to lere,
And brouȝt hym forth anoon as ȝe schal here.

Howe Medea sent for Iason to com to Here in þe night, And howe he was sworn to wed here, aftire þe lawe of his panym rite.

Whan þat þe cok, comoun astrologer,
Þe mydnyȝt hour with his vois ful clere
Be-gan to sowne, and dide his besy peyne
To bete his brest with his wyngys tweyne,
And of þe tyme a mynute wil not passe
To warnen hem þat weren in þe place
Of þe tydes and sesoun of þe nyȝt,
Medea to awayte vp-on hir knyȝt
Ful redy was þe entre for to kepe,
As sche þat list ful litel for to slepe,
For þat ne was no parcel of hir þouȝt.
And whan Iason was to hir chambre brouȝt,

With-out espying of eny maner wiȝt,
Þan sche anoon conveyeth hym ful riȝt
In-to hir closet, in al þe hast sche may,
Ful wel beseyn with gret and riche araye,
Where by hir side sche made hym take his se.
And first of alle, þis ilke lees of thre,
By hir þat was moste expert in þis cas,
Was sodeynly turned to a bras;
For þe vekke to stare vp-on þe mone
Is walked out, and [haþ] hem lefte allone.
And whan Medea þe dores hadde schet,
Down by Iason anoon sche hath hir set.
But first I fynde, with al hir besy myȝt,
Aboute þe chamber þat sche sette vp liȝt
Of grete torches and cyrges ful royal,
Aboute on pilers and on euery wal,
Whiche ȝaf a liȝt, liche þe sonne schene.
And to a cheste, wrouȝt of cristal clene,
First of al, sche taketh hir passage,
Out of þe wiche sche toke a rich ymage
Of pured gold, ful lusty to beholde,
Þat by custom of þis rytes olde
To myȝti Iove, eterne and increat,
I-halwed was, and also consecrat.
Þe whiche ymage, deuoutly as sche ouȝte,
With humble herte to Iason first sche brouȝte,
And made hym lowly þer-on take his othe
Vn-to his laste, ouþer for lefe or lothe,
Þat he hir schulde take vn-to his wife
Fro þat day forth duryng al his life,
With hert vnfeyned and feith inviolat,
And cherischen hir liche to hir estat.
For to þat tyme, I fynde how þat sche
Hadde euer floured in virginite;
And as myn auctor wel reherse can,

Ay kepte hir clene from touche of any man,
In þouȝte and dede, and neuer dide amys:
For sche of herte so hool[y] ȝouen is
Vn-to Iason, and þat for euer-mo.
And he anoon hath put his honde þer-to,
And sworne fully, as ȝe han herde me say,
Al hir requestes, with-oute more delay,
To kepen hem whil his life may laste.
But, o allas! how sone he ouer-caste
His heste, his feith, with whiche he was assured,
And hadde his fraude with flaterie y-cured
So couertly þat hir Innocence,
Hir trewe menyng and hir diligence,
And al þat euer sche deuise can,
Deseyved was by falshed of þis man!
And þouȝ þat trouthe was apparent above,
Doubilnes so sliȝly was in schoue,
As þouȝ he hadde sothly ben allied
With trewe menyng, & so no þing espied
Vnder faire chere was feynyng & fallas.
For what myȝt sche ha wrouȝt more in þis cas,
Þan for þi sake, septre and regalye,
And alle þe lordis eke of hir allye
For-soke attonys, and toke of hem noon hede;
And of pite and verray goodlyhede
Loste hir frendes and hir good[e] fame,
Only, Iason, to saue þe fro schame!
And ȝit, more-ouere, forsoke hir heritage—
Sche þat was born of so hiȝe parage,
And schulde haue ben by successioun
Eyre by dissent of þat regioun.
But wommanly for sche wolde hir quite,
Of al y-fere sche sette nouȝt a myte,
But at oon hour al sche hath forsake,
And vn-to þe sche hath hir hooly take;
Only for truste þou schulde[st] haue be kynde,

Riches and honour sche hath y-left by-hynde,
And ches in exil with þe for to goon,
From al hir kyn, þis cely maide allone.
Allas, I wepe for þin vnkyndenes!
What, hath sche nat fro deth and fro distresse
Preserued þe, and ȝit þou takest noon hede,
Þat schust a deyed, nadde sche ben þin rede!
Of þi conqueste sche was þe verray cause!
Þat I may nat, schortly in a clause,
Writen hir bounte nor brefly comprehende,
Effectuelly parformed to the ende,
At wordes fewe it may nat be tolde.
Þoruȝ whom þou hast þe riche flees of golde
Manly conquered, whiche with-oute doute
Vnlikly was the to haue brouȝt aboute;
For whan þou were of helpe destitut,
Sche was þi counfort and singuler refut.
And with al þis, þou maist it nat deneye,
Al erthly honour how sche gan defye
Þe to conserue out of heuenes;
And hir fader sche hath of his riches
So emporisched, þat pite is to here:
Be exavmple of whiche, wommen myȝt[e] lere
How þei schulde truste on any man.
Allas! Medea, þat so moche can
Bothe of sterris and of astronomye!
Ȝet sawe sche nat aforn hir destenye:
Loue hadde hir put out of gouernaille,
Þat al hir crafte ne miȝt her not availle.
Sche was to slowe by calculacioun
To cast a-forn the constellacioun
Of hir birthe, and hir woful fate;
For rekleshed sche sawe it al to late.
But I suppose hir konnynge was fallible;
For dout[e]les, me semeth nat credible,
Þat ȝif sche hadde wist of it to-fore,

So pitously sche hadde nat be lore—
As ȝe schal seen here-after hastely,
So as þe story reherseth by and by,
Howe it be-fel of Iason and Medee.
But first ȝe schul þe ordre & maner se
How sche wrouȝt after he was swore:
Þe same nyȝt, allas, sche hathe forbore
Hir maidenhed, and þat was grete pite.
And ȝet sche ment nat but honeste;
As I suppose, sche wende haue ben his wyfe;
But touching þat, I holde as now no strife.
And ȝit o þing I dar afferme and seyne,
Þat þe menyng of þis ilke tweyne
Ne was nat on, but wonder fer atwene;
For al þat sche trew[e]ly gan mene,
Of honeste þinkyng noon outerage,
Liche a maide Innocent of age,
He to a-complische his fleschely fals delite
And to parforme his foule appetite,
Wrouȝt euery þing to hir entent contrarie.
Allas, þat sche was so debonaire
For to trust vppon his curtesye,
Or to quite hir of hir genterie,
So hastely to rewe vp-on his smerte:
But wommen ben of so tender hert,
Þat þei wil gladly of routhe and pite,
Whan þat a man is in aduersite,
Sauen his life, rather þan he deye.
And so Medea, schortly for to seye,
Castyng no pereil after þat schal falle,
His desyris and his lustis alle
Hooly obeyeth, with al hir ful[le] myȝt;
And þat so longe almost þat þe nyȝt
Hath his cours rounde aboute goon.
At whiche tyme to hir spake Iason,

100

And lowly seide, “my lady, it is tyme
Þat we arise, for sone it wil be pryme:
Ȝe may se wel þe day begynneth springe,
For we may here how þe briddes singe.
Preying to ȝow in al my best[e] wyse,
How I schal wirke þat ȝe list deuise,
And ceryously euery þing dispose,
I ȝow beseche, O goodly fresche rose,
Myn emprise to bringen to an ende;
And þanne at erst, hen[ne]s wil I wende—
Saue þat I þinke first with ȝou to trete
In what wyse þis contre ȝe schal lete,
And in-to Grece repeire ageyn with me,
Whiche is a londe of gret felicite.
For trusteth wel, & beth no þing in drede,
In-to þat regne with me I schal ȝou lede,
After my conquest, ȝif so be þat I wynne.
Wherfore, I praye ȝou goodly to begynne,
How I schal werke, in al þe hast ȝe may,
For in good feith anoon it wil be day.”
To whom sche spake, seying as ȝe schal here:

Howe Medea declarede to Iason the vertue of here relikis, and deliuerde þem to Iasone.

“Myn owne Iason, vn-to me more dere
Þan is my silfe, as in conclusioun,
I am assented, with ful affeccioun
Of my wittes, and [al] myn hool[e] herte,
Ȝou to enforme how ȝe schal asterte
Euery daunger of þe litel Ile,
Ȝif it so be ȝe list abide a while.”
And vp sche ros, in al þe hast sche may,
And to a cofre where hir tresour ley
Sche went anoon, & brouȝt him in her honde
A riche ymage of siluer þat sche fonde,

101

Whiche sothly was of merueillous entaille,
Whos power was and vertu to availle,
Effectuelly to her bothe entent,
Ageyn magyk and al enchaunt[e]ment,
And to with-sitte þe force of sorcerye.
For it was made be astronomye,
In houre chose & equat for þe nonys,
By clerkis olde; for ful longe a-goon is,
Whilom whan þei were flouryng in her ages,
Þat þei vsede to make suche ymages,
As dide þe kyng called Tholome.
And so to Iason commaunded hath Medee
To bere þis ymage on hym pryuely,
As ȝe han herd, to werche effectuelly
In euery þing, as sche dide assygne.
And þan sche toke to hym a medecyne
Made in maner of an oyntement,
To enoynte hym with, þat he be nat brent,
Þat was more riche & precious þan bame
Ageyn þe malis of euery fire and flame.
And after þat sche toke to hym anoon
A riche ring, where-in was sette a stoon
Þat vertu hadde al venym to distroye,
Þat on no syde it myȝt hym nat anoye.
Þe whiche stoon hadde also þis myȝt,
Þat ȝif a man coude it bere a-riȝt,
With-Inne his honde next þe skyn enclosed,
Þe strengþe of siȝt schulde be deposed
Of hem þat wolde gasen or biholde;
For who-so-euer in his hond hit holde,
By þe vertu þat was infallible,
Þe story seith, he schulde be invisible.
Þe whiche stoon wyse clerkis calle
Achates, moost vertuous of alle;
And it is founde sothly in Cecile.

102

Of whiche stoon whilom wrot Virgile,
How þat Venus to Eneas it sent
First whan [þat] he in-to Cartage went.
And after þis, sche to Iason toke
A certeyn bille, writen liche a boke,
Þat to his Iornay myȝt[e] moche availle;
And bad hym wisly þat he nat ne faille,
Ȝif he cast hym graciously to spede,
Firste of alle, þe scripture þat he rede,
Or he þe Ram touche in any wyse;
Hym chargyng eke, a-fore þis hiȝe emprise,
With humble herte and deuocioun,
Þat he knelyng seye þat orisoun,
Þat vp and doun was writen on þe bille,
Preying þe goddys lowly to fulfille
His request, and mercy for to haue,
Of verray pite from meschef hym to saue.
And after þat, for his chefe socour,
Sche toke to hym a viol with licour,
And bad hym manly with-oute fere or drede,
Whan he come vn-to þe boles rede,
Ȝif he hym schape knyȝtely to eskape,
Þat as faste as he seth hem gape,
In-to her goles þat he þe licour caste.
Þan dar hym not but litel of hem gaste;
For her Iowes to-gidre it schal glewe,
Þat on no syde þei schal not eschewe
Tobeye his luste in what hym list constreyne.
For, dout[e]les, maugre al her peyne,
He schal hem so daunte & make tame,
Þat wher hym liste, in ernest or in game,
He myȝt hem make louten and encline,
And don hem bowe boþe bak and chyne:
Þe licour schal her chawlys so coharte,

103

Þat asonder þei schal nat departe,
For to offende or noyen any wyȝt.
And whan sche hadde þus vn-to hir knyȝt
In euery þing ȝoue instruccioun,
Pleyn doctrine, and informacioun
How he schal skape þe daungeris by & by,
Ȝif he tak hede and werke avisely,
And þanne acorded, þei þouȝt[e] for þe beste
For to parte, or men out of hir reste
A-waked werne, for it drow to day,
As þei wel seie by þe morwe graye.
And list men hadde to hem suspecioun,
Of hyȝe prudence and discrecioun,
Atwen þe tweyliȝt and þe rody morwe
Þe[i] toke her leue, with seynt[e] Iohn to borwe,
With ofte kyssyng, as louers whan þei twynne;
And so he went, and sche [is] lefte with-Inne,
Beyng in hope to mete ageyn som day.
And Iason þanne, as faste as euer he may,
Gan ordeyn hym his Iorney to acheue,
And þouȝt he wolde anon go take his leue.
And in what wyse, with-in a litel while,
After þe maner of my rude stile,
Mi purpos is, sothly, and nat spare,
With ȝour support pleinly to declare.

Howe Iason requirede þe Kenge Cethes withoute delay to graunt hym to do his Armes in vinqwesshinge, if he myght, þe Flees of golde wrought by Martis ordynaunce.

Whan þat þe rowes and þe raies rede
Estward to vs ful erly gonne sprede,
Evene at þe tweyliȝt in þe daw[e]nyng,
Whan þe larke of custom gynneth syng,
For to salue in hir heuenly lay
Þe lusty goddesse of þe morwe gray:

104

I mene Aurora, þe whiche a-for þe sonne
Is wont tenchase þe blake skies donne,
And þe dirknes of þe dymme nyȝt;
And fresche Phebus, with comfort of his liȝt,
And the briȝtnes of his bemys schene,
Hadde ouer-gilt þe hiȝe hilles grene;
And floures eke ageyn þe morwe-tyde
Vp-on her stalke gan splaie her levis wyde,
Whan þat Iason with al his companye
Toward þe kyng ful fast[e] gan hym hyȝe.
Whom þat he fonde, liche to his estate,
With septer in hond, ful pompus and elate,
Hiȝe in [þe] se of his regallie,
Sittyng ful kyngly amyd his chiualrie,
And his lordys abouten enviroun.
At whiche tyme þis ȝong[e] champioun,
Vnder a vowe stondyng of þe Ram,
With sterne face to-fore þe kyng in cam,
Beseching hym of his magnificence
Þe same day to graunten hym licence
To don his armys, and make no delaies,
Concludyng playnly, þat at al assaies
He wil þat day in þe felde be founde
For to acheue, lyche as he was bounde
Of olde beheste, and nat a poynt declyne,
For lif nor deth, til he parforme and fyne
Hooly þe auntres, vn-to þe fles þat longe,
Þe kyng requeryng no lenger hym prolonge,
But goodly graunt þe fyn of his emprise.
And þanne þe kyng, in ful sobre wyse,
Consideryng þe somme of his demaunde,
To Iason spak and seide he schal commaunde
Þat his requeste parformed be in haste—
“Al-be,” quod he, “I am ful sore a-gaste,
Of wilfulnes þou schust distroied be,
List men þi deth arretten vn-to me,

105

And þer-vppon wolde a blame sette,
Of royal power þat I nat ne lette
Þi manly ȝouthe from swiche iupartie;
Whiche were in soth a gret vilonye
And preiudise to myn estat and name,
Þat afterwarde men putte me in blame
Þoruȝ false reporte & wrong oppinioun,
Þat I withstod not þi destruccioun.
Wherefore, I rede ȝit þou be avised,
And my counseil lat nat be dispised;
For bet it is, with honour in certeyn
In-to þi contre to repeire ageyn,
Þan wilfully for to take on honde
A mortal þing þat no man may with-stonde.
Þis is my rede, and fully myn avis,
Take hede þer-to, sith [þat] þou art wys,
List þou repente whan it is to late;
And ȝif so be þat þou wilt algate
Þi purpos holde, and nat don as I rede,
Almyȝti Mars I pray[e] þe to spede,
Þe for to guye, what-so-euere falle;
And eke I pray to þe goddis alle,
Saffe and sounde þi body to restore—
Þis al and som, of me þou gest no more.”
And whan Iason had[de] herde þe kyng,
Nat dismaied nor stonyed in no þing,
In knyȝtly wise dide hym reuerence,
Þankyng hyȝly his royal excellence,
Þat of his grace and benignite
Vp-on his deth hym list to haue pite;
Fully concludyng, touching his bataille,
Þat nouþer red nor counseil may auayle,
In no wyse his purpos to withdraw;
But liche þe statute, pleynly, & þe lawe,
Riȝt as ferforth as Fortune wil hym Ewre,
What so be-tide of his aventure,
Settyng a-side euery fere and drede,
Seide platly þat he wil procede

106

For to parforme þat he hath vndertake—
It wer in ydel mo skeles for to make,
Or to allege more þer ageyn.
And Iason þan, ful opunly and pleyn,
Touching þe surplus of þis dredful þing,
At his departyng seid[e] to þe kyng,
In audience of his lordis alle:
“What-so-ouer of me now be-falle,
Or who-so-euer of malis þer-on mvse,
To alle þe worlde, first, I ȝow excuse,
And to þe goddis platly ȝow to quite,
Thouȝ I deye, ȝe be no þing to wyte,
Ne no man schal [a]rette it ȝow of skele;
For þat I wirke is frely at my wille,
Ageyn þe avise of ȝour hyȝe prudence,
And lif and deth, here in ȝour presence,
Holy of herte, and neuer for to flitte,
To þe goddys and Fortune I committe,
So as hem list for me to ordeyne,
Ageyns whos wille I schal neuer pleyne,
Nor hem nor ȝou putten in no blame
What so betide, honour, Ioy, or schame,
And of þis þing þus an ende I make,
And for þis tyme of ȝou my leue I take,
And of all tho þat aboute ȝou stonde.”
And on by on he toke hem by þe honde.
And [in] what wise forthe he gan hym dresse,
To ȝou anoon I þinke to expresse.

Howe Iason, aftire his leve take of þe Kenge, enterde þe Ille of þe golden Flees.

Whan Titan had, with his feruent hete,
Draw up þe dewe from þe levis wete,

107

Toward mydmorwe, as I can diffyne,
Vpon þe hour whan þe cloke is nyne,
Iason ful manly and ful lyke a knyȝt,
Armed in steel, of chere ful glad & lyȝt,
Gan dresse him forth, what hap þat euer falle,
And seide adieu vn-to his feris alle,
He in þe bot and þei vp-on þe stronde.
And al allone, whan he cam to londe,
And in þe water had his vessel lafte,
He first of al remembring on þe crafte
Of Medea, with al þe circumstaunces,
And how he schulde kepe his obseruaunces
In euery þing, and had it wel in mynde—
And þanne anoon ful manly, as I fynde,
He schope him forþe & wente a knyȝtly pas
Toward þe bolis, þat forged wer of bras.
But at þe point whan he his Iorne gan,
For hym Medea wexe ful pale & wan,
So sore agast þat no þing myȝt hir glade—
A routh it was to se wat wo sche made:
For þe teris on hir chekis tweyne,
Ful pitously doun distille and reyne,
Þat al for-dewed wern hir wedis blake.
And ay þis sorwe sche made for his sake,
Liche a womman ferful and in doute,
While he his armys ful manly brouȝt aboute.
To sobbe & syȝe sche can not ben in pees,
List he for hast were ouȝt rek[e]les,
From point to point to don liche as sche bad.
Þis was þe life þat sche for hym hath lad.
And for to seen how he schulde hym defende,
Sche gan anoon by greces to ascende,
Of a tour in-to a hiȝe pynacle,

108

Wher as sche myȝt haue noon obstacle,
Nor lettyng nouther, for to han a siȝte
Of hym þat was hir owne chose knyȝte.
And euer among with wordis out sche brak,
And stoundemel þus to hir silf sche spake:
“O þou Iason, my souereyn hertis hele,
Ȝif þou knewe what wo for þe I fele,
Sothly, I trowe, it schul[d] þe nat asterte
For to be trewe with al þin hool[e] herte,
And God, I praye, þis Iourne at þe leste
May þis tyme tornen for þe beste,
And kepe þe sauf & sounde in euery membre,
And ȝif þe myȝt ffulli to remembre,
As I þe tauȝt, and in þe same forme,
Euery þing fully to parforme,
Only þis day þin honour to avaunce,
Whiche for to sen wer al myn hool plesance:
For certis, Iason, ȝif þe fil ouȝt amys,
Fare-wel myn helþe & al my worldly blis,
And fare-wel þanne my myrthe & my solace,
And my welfare, my fortune, and my grace,
And al attonys, myn hertly sufficiance!”
Lo, þis for him was hir gouernaunce,
From þe tyme þat he þe lond hath nome.
And first of al, whan þat he was come
Where as þe bolis, fel and dispitous,
Out caste her fire & flawme furious
At her mowþes, wonder large and huge,
Ageyn [þe] whiche, for his chefe refuge,
Hym to saue þat he wer nat brent,
He was enoynt with an oignement
On his body, þat kepte hym fro damage
Of þilke fire, þat was so ful of rage,

109

And þe smokys, dirke and ful horrible,
Whiche to eskape was almost impossible
For any man, of what estat he be,
With-oute comfort and conseil of Medee—
By whos doctrine Iason can so wirke,
Þat he is skapid from þe mystis dirke
Of þe fire with his blases blake,
Þat al þe eyre so cloudy dide make.
Sche had hym made so discrete & sage,
Only by vertu of þilke ymage,
Which þat he aboute his nek[ke] bare,
Wher-by he was so prudent & so war,
Þat whan þe bolis han most fersly gaped,
He hath her malis avisely eskapid.
For thenfeccioun of hir troubled eyr
He hath venquesched & was in no dispeire;
For in effecte, ageyn þe foule fvme,
Þat wolde a man vn-to þe deth consvme,
Þe ymage was a preseruatif,
Hym to defende and to saue his life.
And more surly to kepe hym oute of drede,
Ful ofte sythe þe writ he dide rede;
For þe vertu of þat orisoun
Was vn-to hym ful proteccioun,
Þat he nat fil in-to no distresse.
And after þat, for more sikernesse,
Hym to preserue in þis mortal caas,
He toke þe licour þat in þe viol was,
And þer-with-al, ful like a manly man,
Al attonis, he to þe bolys ran,
And for-gat nat so warly it to caste;
And þer-with-al her chaules wer made faste,
And by þe vertu so myȝtely englewed,
Þat he þer-þoruȝ hath outterly eschewed
Þenfeccioun of þe smoky leuene.

110

And whan þe eyr gan cleryn, & þe heuene,
And þe mystis wern waftid hym to-forn,
With manly hert he rauȝt[e] by þe horn
Þe sterne bolis, and by violence
He drowe hem forþe, in whom was no diffence,
And ȝoketh hem, so as þe maner was,
And with þe plowe he made hem gon a pas,
Nowe vp, now doun, and to ere þe lond.
And at his lust so buxvm he hem fonde,
Þat þe soil, smoþe, bare, and pleyn,
Þei maked han redy to bere greyn,
And on rengis it torned vp-so-dovn:
For þo in hem was no rebellioun,
But humble and meke & redy at his wille,
Alle his desires pleynly to fulfille.
And Iason þanne, liche a champioun,
Gan hym enhaste towarde þe dragoun,
Þat was a beste gret and monstruous,
Foule and horrible & riȝt venymous,
And was enarmed in skalis large and þikke,
Of whom þe brethe more perillous and wikke
Was þan þe eyr of any pestelence;
For his venym was of swiche violence,
Þat it was ful dedly and mortal.
And at his þrote þer issed oute with-al
A flawme of fire, as of a fournes mouthe,
Or liche þe leuene þat dovn by þe southe
Out of þe est is wont in tempest smyte:
Riȝt so þe dragoun, sothly for to write,
Out of his mouthe had a flawme blasid.
Wher-of Iason first a litel masid
Was in his hert of þat dredful þing,
But whan þat he remembrid on his ring,
Al fer and drede was leide a-syde & goon;
For in þat ring þe[r] was sette a stoon,

111

Ful riche and noble and riȝt vertuous,
Þe whiche, as techith gret Ysydorus,
And myn auctor also, as I fynde,
Most comovnly cometh out of Ynde,
And mot be kepte chast & wonder clene,
And of colour surmounteth euery grene.
Whos vertu is al venym to distroye,
And to withstonde þat it may nat [a]noye,
Of dragoun, serpent, adder & of snake.
And specialy, ȝif þat it be take
And yholden in þe opposyt
Of any werm, even ageyn þe syȝt,
With-oute abood, in sothe, he may not chese,
Of his venym þe force he most[e] lese,
How strong it be or violent of rage.
But to þe stoon it doth ful gret damage;
For whan he hath his vertu don, as blyue
On pecis smale it gynnyth al to rive,
And in it silf hool a-bit no while.
For in þe londe þat called is Cecyle,
Þer is a worme þat Bufo bereth þe name;
And whan men wil of malis make him tame,
And his venym outerly represse,
Þei take a squille, myn auctor bereth witnes,
Whan þei wil wirke, or a large canne,
And in þe ende þis ston þei sette þanne,
And lyne riȝt a-geyn þe wormes hed
Þei holden it, til þat he be ded.
For þat is sothly his vertu of nature,
Þat no venym may lasten nor endure
In þe presence of þis rich[e] stoon.
And as I fynde, þis Bufo riȝt a-noon,

112

Þoruȝ myȝt þer-of bresteth even on tweyne,
Only by kynde, whiche no man may restreyne.
For þe goddesse þat called is Nature,
Whiche nexte hir lord hath al þing in cure,
Hath vertu ȝoue to herbe, gras, and stoon,
Whiche no man knoweth but hir silf allon;
Þe causis hid ben closed in hir honde,
Þat wit of man can not vnderstonde
Openly þe myȝt of hir wirkynge.
And so Iason, by vertu of þis ring,
And þoruȝ his ston, þat myȝt him most avaunce,
Hath þe dragoun brouȝt vn-to vttraunce.
In whom he fonde no maner resistence
Hym to wit[h]stonde, force nor diffence,
Nouther be venym nor noon oþer strif;
Wherfor he hath berefte hym of hys life
In manly wise, & in þe felde outraied.
And Iason þan, ful glad & wel apaied,
Hath with his swerd spent on him many [a] stroke,
And leied on him as men hewe on an oke—
His briȝt[e] squamys wern so harde & dure,
Þat wel onethe he ne myȝt endure
Hym to dismembre & smyten of his hed.
And þan anoon, in þe stede of sed,
He gan his teth out of his hed arrace,
And riȝt forþe-with, in þe silfe place,
He gan hem sowe, liche as men do corn,
Vp-on þe lond þat ered was a-forn.
Of whiche sede þer sprang a wonder greyn,
Briȝt armed knyȝtes stondyng on þe pleyn,
Þe whiche anon, with scharp[e] swerdis grounde,
Eueryche gan oþer for to hurte and wounde,
Til eche his felawe hath cruelly y-slawe:
Þis of hir fate was þe fynal lawe,

113

Þat noon of hem schulde be victorie
Þe deth reioische of other by memorie;
For alle y-fere þus þei made an ende.
And after þis, Iason gan to wende
Vn-to þe Ram with al his dilligence,
In whiche he fonde no power nor diffence,
No maner strife nor rebellioun,
And myȝtely þe Ram he draweth dovn,
And sette on hond [vp-]on euery horn,
And slowe it first, and þan he hath it schorn
Out of his flees of gold so passyng riche,
Þat in þis world þer was no tresour liche.
And after þat he made no delay
To take his bote in al þe hast he may,
And roweth forthe in-to þe tother yle,
Wher Hercules, al þe mene while,
Vp-on þe brinke, with many another mo,
Abod Iason til he hadde do.
And euerychon I fynde þat as blive,
Only for Ioye whan he dide aryve,
Þei gan to þanke to her goddes alle,
So graciously þat it hath y-falle,
And þat þe flees he hath so knyȝtly wonne,
Þat schon as clere as þe somer sonne,
Whiche þat he brouȝt with hym vn-to londe,
His feris alle abyding on þe stronde.

Howe, aftire his conqueste, Iason was ressauide of Kenge Cethes with feynide chere into his Cyte.

And whan Appollo of his daies arke
Had in the west almost ronne his marke,
And fast[e] gan downward to declyne,
And on þe wawes ful watery gan to schyne;
Ȝet or he was passed the Occian,

114

Iason is comme with many a manly man
Of his feris to þe presence of þe kyng,
As he þat had acheved euery þing
Whiche þat longeth to conquest of þe Ram.
And Cethes þan, as sone as euer he cam,
To make hym chere outward haþ him payned,
Al-be in herte þat it was but feyned;
For he was sori, with-outen any drede,
Of þe expleyt and þe good[e] spede
Of þis Iason, þat he þe flees hath wonne.
But liche in soth as þees feyners conne,
Whan þat hem list craftely compace
To schewe outward a feithful trewe face,
And þe venym enclosen hool with-Inne,
As in menyng þere wer no maner synne,
Riȝt so þe kyng with looke & forhed clere
Made vn-to Iason outward riȝt good chere,
And gan to hym speke in wordis fewe,
Of frendlyhed many signe[s] schewe,
As þei he had his conqueste euerydel
From point to point liked wonder wel,
And ben ful glad þat he was so fortuned,
Vn-to þe ende þat he hath contuned,
And reioiseth in speche and countenaunce,
Þat Fortune list hym so avaunce,
And to his paleis gan goodly hym conveye,
And day be day ful richely festeye—
Al-be þat it was no þing do of herte.
For þis no lees, he felt[e] ful gret smerte,
Þat of his tresour he was dispoiled so,
And þat he hath þe riche flees for-go
To his damage and confusioun.
And þus þer was a gret diuisioun
A-twexe his chere and menyng of his þouȝt,
As it fareth ofte ȝif it be wel souȝt,
Þat many man, in menyng fals and double,

115

Can with þe calme curen so þe trouble
Of hiȝe malis hid in his desire,
And rake falsly þe wikked couert fire,
Ful hoot[e] brennyng inward of envye.
So wel wer him þat coude hem oute espie,
And knewe her menyng false & fraudelent,
Wher-þoruȝ, allas, ful many an Innocent
Deseyved is, þat wote not what þei mene;
And namly swiche þat nat but trouþe wene;
And euery chere þat men to hem make,
Of Innocence for þe beste take,
And in no wise þenke nouȝt but wel:
Riȝt so certeyn þis Iason euerydel
Hath take in gre what þe kyng hath wrouȝt,
Not aduertyng þe grucching of his þouȝt;
For dout[e]les it sat þe kyng ful sore,
Þat he þe Ram hath lost for euere-more.
But whan þat he hath outterly yseyn,
Þouȝ he gruche, þat þer was no geyn,
But finally, of necessite,
At þat tyme it myȝt noon other be,
And pleynly sawe þat he may not chese,
But þat algate þe flees he mot[e] lese,
Wheþer it were þat he were lefe or lothe,
He feyneth chere, as he wer not wrothe;
For only he, of his gentilnes,
No signe outward of gruching dide expresse,
But day be day of verray curtesye
He cherith Iason and his companye.
At whiche tyme, abouten environ
From euery party of his regioun,
Þe peple cam to staren and to gase
Vp-on þe Ram, as it were a mase;
Þei loke & wondre & deme what hem liste,

116

On whos domys is but litel triste:
Þey ofte varie and torne to and fro,
Þat, who þat wisly taketh hede þer-to,
Þe comoun peple chaungeth as a phane,
To-day þei wexe and to-morwe wane,
As doth þe mone, þei be so flaskysable,
Who trusteth hem schal fynd hem ful vnstable.
For somme wer glad þat Iason hath sped wel,
And some sory, and like it neuer a del,
And somme seide þei wonder how he myȝt
Ageyn þe dragoun or þe bolis fiȝt,
Or how þat he ageyn þe force of Marte
Out of þe yle alyue myȝt[e] parte.
A-nother seide þat parauenture
By crafte was wrouȝt þis discomfeture,
Outher by charme or som sorserye:
Þus eche of hem after her fantasie
Gan deme of hym al þe longe day.
But at þe last, makyng no delay,
Ful glad and liȝt Medea doun descendeth
From hir chambre, & outwarde pretendeth
Sadnes of chere, as sche no þing ne knewe.
Men koude nat conseyve by hir hewe
Hir secre menyng, for sche so wommanly
Demened hir, and so prudently,
Þat sche avoyded by discrecioun
Al fantasye and suspecioun,
Þat no man koude of hir wirkyng deme
No þing but wel; for as it dide seme,
By port & chere þer was no cause why.
And so by processe sche drowe hir priuely
Toward Iason, for sche was not to lere,
And secrely bad hym in hys ere,
In al wyse þat he not ne leue
To hir chambre for to come at eue;
For maters þei hadde for to trete,

117

Whiche he schal know at leiser whan þei mete.
And so anoon, whan entred was þe niȝt,
Sool by hym silfe, with-oute torche or liȝt,
To Medea he hath þe weye take,
And sche abood sleples for his sake,
Wonder deuoutly desyryng, as I gesse,
With hym to trete of som holynes,
Touching maters of contemplacioun;
For sche was smete with a deuocioun
Of fresche Venus to holden a memorie
With hym allone in hir oratorie—
Not openly as ypocrites preye
In diuers angles Ioynyng on þe weye,
Of þe peple [for] to be comendid;
But þei not so han þe nyȝt dispendid
For veynglorie nor noon ydel laude,
But by hem silfe, þinkyng on no fraude,
Secrely þis ilke tweyne allone,
With-oute liȝt ouþer of sonne or mone,
Þe long[e] nyȝt han lad with-oute reste:
For as hem þouȝt it was not for þe beste
To speke of slepe til þat it was prime,
For þei hem cast to lose as þo no tyme.
And þus þe nyȝt to-gidre þei dispende,
Þat I am dul for to comprehende
Þe obseruaunce of swiche religious,
Prolix in werkyng & not compendious—
Demeth ȝour silfe, ȝe gete no more of me,
For wel ȝe wote, in euery faculte
Who hath knowyng and experience,
Men wil to hym raþest ȝif credence.
Wherfore I seie, ȝe þat be wyse and can,
Axeth not me, whiche am so rude a man,
To deme a þing, & namly whan þat it

118

Passyth my knowyng also and my witte;
For-dullid is myn ymagynatif,
To deme in practik or in speculatif,
Where-fore I passe and late it ouer slyde,
And forþe I þink, ȝif ȝe list abide,
Pleynly tellen of Iason and Medee.
Þe whiche acorded and assented be,
Þat sche with hym schal in-to Grece wende
Whan þat he goth, schortly þis þe ende,
Vnwist hir fader & euery other wyȝt
Saue he allone, þat hath his trouþe pliȝt
For to be trewe, boþe in wele and wo,
Vn-to his laste, to hir and to no mo.

Howe Iason stalle away by nyght withe Medea and here Faderes tresure & Richees.

And whan Iason after his Iourne,
Ful richely, liche to his degre,
Refresched was in Colchos of þe kyng
With al þat myȝt[e] ben to his likyng,
And a moneth passed was and goon,
He with his Grekys assented in-to oon,
Purposed hath, schortly ȝif he myȝt,
With Medea to stele a-weye be nyȝt,
With moche tresour and þe riche flees,
And ful acorde also of Hercules.
But o Medea! þou hastest al to faste,
Þou wer to slowe wysly for to caste
What schulde falle, whan þou þi Iourne toke!
For how þat he in meschefe þe forsoke,
And how þat he was false and eke vnkynde,
For alle his othes to þe, as I fynde,

119

And how þat þou, bothe at eve and morwe,
Þi fatal chaunce and þi pitous sorowe
By-weptist after, & gan þi silf to rende,
Til deth of al made a woful ende—
It wer but veyn to makyn rehersaille;
I wote no þing þat it myȝt availle,
Nor how Iason vnkynde for þe nonys,
Resseived hath penam tallionis
Of þe goddis for his disnaturesse;
For he in meschef and in wrechednesse
Made eke an ende þoruȝ þe cruel hate
Of fel[le] Mars: lo here þe mortal fate
Of þis tweyn þat made her ende so!
But as I trowe, liche as write Guydo,
For her gynnyng was nat vertuous,
An ende folweth ful contagious.
Allas! þei hadde take hedde a-forne,
Þan had þei nat in meschef ben so lorne.
But who wil not a-forn his meschef se,
May not eschewe to haue aduersite
In þe ende, platly to devyne;
For euene liche as a medicine
Availeth nat, whan þe seke is ded:
For what may helpen þe stomak or þe hed
Letuarie, emplastre, or pocioun,
Or any receyt or confeccioun,
Herbe or stoon, or al þat leches knowe,
Whan þat þe cors is leied in erþe lowe,
Or whan a beest is torned to carein!
Myn auctor seiþ, þat it is but veyn,
For his recure, vp-on any halve,
To his ere for to leyn a salve:
For verraily, after his fantasye,
It helpeth nat, nor doth no remedie;

120

For þing parformed in his due date
More vertu haþ þan whan it commeþ late.
Riȝt so in cas, verraily semblable,
Of worldly trust, fals & ful mutable,
Who cast no pereil til þat it be-falle,
In-stede of sugre ofte tasteth galle:
Blendid with lust, whiche þat is present,
Of þe future slouth and necligent
Þat hem ne liste a-forn no meschef caste,
Til in þe snare þei ben englued faste;
For to provide þei ben graceles,
Ful vnprudent and wilful rek[e]les.
To caste pereil or þat it be-tyde:
Þei swe her luste, her reson goth a-syde,
As it be-fil whilom of þis two,
Of Medea and [of] Iason also.
But how-so-euere of Iason þat it be,
I fynde pleynly þe harme allone had sche,
Þe grete damage and þe final smerte,
For lak of wisdam þat sche nolde aduerte
What schul[de] falle, whan sche her Iourne toke,
And hir fadir folily forsoke;
But sith sche wrouȝt only of wilfulnes,
With-oute conseil or avysenes,
Me list no more hir harmes to be-wayle,
For lite or nouȝt it myȝt[e] now avayle.
Late hir allone complayne hir damage:
For wel I wote touching hir passage,
It was not take in good plite of þe mone,
Of hastines sche began to sone,
Chesyng an hour þat was nat fortunat;
For sche allone of frendys desolat
Colchos forsoke, and is to schyp[pe] goon;
And in al haste be byddyng of Iason,
Hercules and al his companye,

121

Þat with him com oute of Thesalye,
With-oute tariynge, at onys at a worde,
I-entred ben with-Inne [þe] schippes borde,
Only for cause þat þe wynd was good
And euery þing at her lust tho stood.
And so be assent, þei stele a-wey be nyȝt
With al þe tresour þat þei cache myȝt,
And with hem had plente of vitaille;
And forthe anoon þei be-gonne to seile
By many coste & many sondry Ile,
Toward[es] Grece; and al þis mene while
Was Medea glad and of good chere,
Sche and Iason sittyng bothe I-fere.
And Hercules, of verray gentilnes,
Hir to comfort dide his besynes,
Al feyni[n]gly, for þe maner sake,
As þis louerys ful queynt can it make,
Til þei han had hooly her plesaunce;
Her lust fulfilled, þan entreþ variaunce,
As it was preved by Iason outerly,
Þat hathe for-sake ful vnkyndely
Þis Medea, in peyne, sorwe, and wo.
Of hir Guydo writ no wordis mo,
Ne maketh of hir non other mencioun,
By-cause, I trow in myn opinioun,
Þat hir sorwes, ende and euerydel,
Rehersed ben ful openly and wel
Methamorphoseos, & wryte þer ful pleyn:
Wher as Naso recordeth in certeyn
Hir deth nat only, nor hir heuynes,
But parcel eke of þe vnkyndenes
Of þis Iason, and telleth pleynli how
Medea hir bothe sonys slowe,
For þei wer like her fader of visage;
And telleth eke, þat put hir moste in rage,

122

How falsely he, I can hym not excuse,
Loued another þat called was Ceruse;
Eke in his pistles, who so taketh hede,
Hir dedly sorwe he may beholde & rede,
And how þat sche hir trouþ abouȝt[e] sore.
Of Medea ȝe gete of me no more
In al þis boke, nor of hir auenture.
But I wil now do my besy cure
Hooly to turne my stile to Iason,
And of þe werre he made on Lamedoun,
Liche as in Guydo is openly discrived,
After þat he in Grece was arived.

Howe Kenge Pellee ressavide Iason with faire visage, bot inwardly he was full woo of his gode spede in Calchos. And howe Iason requires his vnkele for a navye to destroy þe Cyte of Troy.

First whan Iason & Hercules also
I-londed werne, with many anoþer mo,
In þe regne and lond of Thesalye,
Kyng Pelleus, with al his cheualr[i]e,
Caste hym pleynly þat he wil nat faille
To mete his nevew at his arivaille.
And whan þei mette, in contenaunce & chere,
Made it outward as hool & as entere
As he had hadde souereyn[ly] gladnes
Of his knyȝthood & his hyȝe prowes,
Of his renoun and his manlyhede,
Of his exspleyt and his good[e] spede,
And þat Fortune to encrese his name
Haþ causid hym, with so noble a fame,
Out of Colchos with honour to repaire—
Al-be his chere was outerly contrarye
To his entent, þat euer he cam ageyn.

123

But for al þat, with face hool and pleyn,
He welcomed hym, al ageynes herte,
Ful sore astonyed þat he euer a-sterte
Þe auentures of Colchos perillous,
And is retourned so victorious.
But couertly his tresoun for to hyde,
Al delay he gan to sette a-syde,
And to Iason with chere ful benigne,
His heritage first he gan resigne,
Septre & crovne & kengdam at þe leste,
For to parforme þe somme of his beheste,
Liche as he was assured by his bonde.
And Iason toke al in-to his honde,
And gan his vncle in ful lowe maner
First to þanke, with al his herte entere,
And after þat ful knyȝtly gan hym preye
Goodly to here what þat he wil seie
Of a mater þat fret his herte sore,
From day to day encresyng euer more—
Besechyng hym to graunte hym audience
Touching a wrong and a violence
Don vn-to hym, whan he non harm [ne] mente,
In Troy[e] lond to Colchos as he went:
“Þis [is] to seyn, þe kyng of Troy[e] tovn,
With-in þe boundis of his regioun,
Whan I and myne in gret aduersite,
With wynd and wedir fordriven in þe see,
Vs to refresche to londe dide arive,
Not in purpos with hym for to strive,
But for to reste vs after al oure wo
A litel while, and forthe anoon to go;
For we in soþe no maner harm ne þouȝt:
But he vnkyngly of verray malys souȝt
Ageyn[e]s vs firste occasioun,
Byddyng in haste to voyde his regioun,
Not-withstondynge þat we com in pes,

124

Liche as my broþer knoweth, Hercules,
Vn-to no wyȝt doyng no distresse.
Wherfore, we praye to ȝoure hyȝe noblesse,
To oure purpos for to condescende,
Of whiche platly þis þe fynal ende:
Þat we be sette, in ful conclusioun,
Holy to werke to his distruccioun,
Liche owre avov, whan we þen[ne]s went—
Ȝif so be ȝe goodly list assent—
And al attonys, strongly and not spare,
Maugrey his myȝt to Troye for to fare,
So þat we may fynde in ȝow fauour
Vs to refresche with golde and with tresour,
And only eke, of ȝour curtesye,
Vs strenthe also with ȝour cheualrie.”
And Pelleus, with-oute more abode,
Anoon as he þis mater vnderstode,
Assented is of herte and wil al-so,
In þis viage with hem for to goo.
And alle þe worþi of þat regioun,
Kynges, dukes, and lordes of renoun,
Ben acorded, þer is not on seyth nay,
To gon with hem and helpen what þei may.
And of þis Iourne chefe solicytour
Was Hercules, þe worthi conquerour,
And he in haste, his retenu to make,
Toward Sparthos hath þe weye take,
Whiche is an Ile to Grekys partinent,
Fully obeying to her commaundement.
In which Pollux and Castor eke also,
Þe worþi kynges, þe myȝti breþer two,
Wern, as I fynde, þat tyme gouernours,
And bare her crowne liche noble werryours;
And breþern wern also to El[e]yne,

125

And as poetis liketh for to feyne,
Þat Iubiter, for al his deite,
Vp-on Dane bygat hem alle thre,
Þat in bewte alle other dide excelle.
And for Eleyne, liche as bokys telle,
Conseyved was in Tyndaris þe yle,
Vn-to þe lond Ioinyng of Cecyle,
Þerfor of somme I fynde þat sche is
After þe yle callid Tyndarys.
Of hir birth me list no more endite,
But furthe I þinke of Hercules to write,
Þat haþ besouȝt þis worþi kynges tveyne,
With myȝty hond to don her besy peyne,
Only to graunte with him for to wende
To-Troye-ward, schortly þis þe ende.
And to assenten þei sei not onys nay,
With al þe power þat þei cache may,
Ageyn what tyme þat hym list assigne.
And Hercules, with chere ful benygne,
Þanked hem of þat þei hym behyȝt;
And forthe he went in al þe hast he myȝt
To-ward Messene, þe strong[e] myȝti londe,
With-Inne whiche þe noble kyng he fonde,
Þe knyȝtly man, þe worþi Thelamoun,
Lorde and prince of þat regioun,
Þat in armys was on þe manlyest
Þat was alive, and egal with þe best.
And whan he knewe þat Hercules was come,
For Ioie he hath hym in his armys nome,
An[d] reseived in alle maner þing,
Liche as it sat to a worþi kyng.
And whan he wist sothly what he ment,
With-oute more anoon he dide assent
With hym to goon, Troyans for to greue;
And Hercules goodly toke his leue,

126

And hym enhasteth to Thesalye ageyn,
To Pelleus, and telleth hym certeyn,
How he hath sped, besechyng hym also,
In al þe haste þat it may be do,
To send[e] lettris and hys lordes calle,
And tassemble his worþi knyȝtes alle,
Thoruȝ-oute his londe, boþe neȝe and ferre,
Suche as he knewe þat wer experte in werre,
And hem also þat werne of counseyl sage—
“For wit of hem þat be ronne in age,
Is more þan force with-oute experience,
But whan monhod is meynt with sapience,
Who considereth, it may double avayle;
And þay þat longe han vsed [to] trauayle,
Lyche as it is pleynly to suppose,
May help[e] moste oure Iourne to dispose;
For vn-to age experience and witte,
To ȝouthe force and hardines[se] sitte.
And whan þat bothe ben of on entent,
Fully acorded to werke by assent,
With [a] quarel grounded vppon ryȝte,
Thoruȝ help of grace þat hath treble myȝte,
Hem dare nat drede, with spere nor with schelde
In knyȝtly wyse for to holde a felde;
For of knyȝthood þe fame nor þe glorie,
Nor in armys conquest nor victorie,
Ben not assured vp-on multitude,
But on manhod, so grace list conclude.
Þer-fore lat vs, for tavenge oure wrong,
First with riȝt make oure self[e] strong;
And oure force manly for to schewe,
Of knyȝtis chose piken out a fewe,
And devoide encombraunce of nombre;

127

And so we schal oure foos best encombre.”
And of al þat, þat Hercules hath seide,
Kyng Pelleus was riȝt wel apaide,
For hym þouȝt his conseil was riȝt good.
And Hercules, with-oute more abode,
Is in gret haste with his meyne goon
To a province þat callid is Philon,
In whiche þer was a duke of noble fame,
And as I fynde, Nestor was his name,
Ful renomed and strong of chiualrie;
And he was eke ful nyȝe of allye
To Hercules, and of þe same blood.
And whan þat he pleynly vnderstood
The purpos hool & cause of his commyng,
He grauntid hym, with-oute more tariyng,
To goon hym silfe with him in this viage,
With alle þe worþi of his baronage,
And to be redy a-ȝeyn a certen day.
And Hercules, as fast as [euere] he may,
Repayred [is] home to Thesalye,
Wher gadred was holy þe nauye
Of þe lordis, ful redy appara[i]led,
Wel enarmed and richelly vitailled.
And Pelleus hath takyn fyrste þe see,
And euery lorde, liche to his degree,
I-schiped is and redi for to goon
With Hercules and also with Iason,
Her behestes manly to fulfille,
Towardis Troye, þe cite for to spille.
And after þat, sothly as I fynde,
Þei nat abyde but vp-on þe wynde.

128

Howe Kynge Pelleus with þe myghtti puyssaunce of Grece landyde at Symeonte afor þe Cite of Troye.

Whan þat þe soote stormis of Aprille,
Vn-to þe rote ful lawe gan distille
His lusty licour, with many holsom schour,
To reise þe vertu vp in-to þe flour;
And Phebus was ascendyng in his spere,
And on þe brest smote his bemys clere
Of þe Ram, ful colerik at al,
Halvynge in ver þe equinnoccial;
Whan May kalendis entre in for-sothe,
And Zephirus, ful agreable and smoþe,
Þe tendre braunchis enspireþ & doþe springe,
And euery busche is lusty blossumynge,
And from þe hil þe water is revolvid
Of snowys white, þat Phebus hath dissoluyd,
And þe bawme vapoureth vp a-lofte
In-to þe eyre of þe erbes softe,
Þe Rotis vertu, with colde of wynter hid,
Hath hool his myȝt and his force kyd,
Oute of þe erþe in erbe and euery tree
Schad in þe braunchis his humydite,
Areised only with þe sonnys hete,
And with þe moysture of þe reynes swete;
Whan siluer welles scheden oute her stremys
In þe ryuers, gilt with þe sonne bemys,
And Flora had with newe grene ageyne
Hir lyuere schad vp-on euery playn,
And nyȝtyngales, þat al þe wode rong,
Ful amorously welcomed in hir song
Þe lusty sesoun, fresche and desyrous,
Namly to hertis þat ben amerous,
And þe see is calme and blaundisching
From trouble of wynde or wawy boilyng,

129

And from tempest is smoþe to eskape—
The same sesoun Grekys furth hem schape
Towardis Troye: erlys, dukys, kyngis,
Her schippis stoffid with al maner þingis,
Þat to werre myȝt hem moste avayle.
And riȝt anoon þei be-gan to saile,
Whan al was redy, with-oute more abode,
Eche schip by oþer on þe water rood;
And whan þe wynde at her lust gan blowe,
A Ioie it was to sen hem go by rowe,
Whiche made hem faste to hasten in her woye,
Þat in schorte tyme þei com[e] be to Troye,
And in þe hauene callid Symeonte.
Whan Phebus fer vnder her orizonte
I-westrid was, þat men ne myȝt hym see,
Grekys, eschapid alle pereils of þe see,
Caste her ankres and þouȝt[e] for þe beste,
In her schippes þe same nyȝte to reste.

The noble kynge Pelle in his Tente declarede þe fyne of his landynge, for þe sege to be layde.

And in þe morwe, whan þe larke song,
Þe worþi Grekys, so manly & so strong,
Be-gan to lond, in al þe haste þei myȝte,
On Troye grounde, and her tentis pyȝte
A-fore þe tōune, with gret diligence;
For þei ne founde no maner resistence.
And al þis while þei sette good awaite
On euery syde, list þer wer disceite,
Til on þe hour þat þe sonne briȝte
Had in þe morwe schad his rody liȝte

130

Amyd þe felde, vppon euery tent,
At whiche tyme, alle of oon assent,
Þe Grekis wern assemblid euerychon,
And by þe byddyng of þe kyng anon,
Iason firste, and with hym Hercules,
With many worþi being in þat pres,
Ben to þe tent of Pelleus come.
And whan þe lordis, boþe alle & some,
Wern to-gedre in þat place mette,
And eche of hem in his degre was sette,
Þan Pelleus, whan al [was] huscht & stille,
Be-gan riȝt þus to declare his wille:
“O noble & worþi, of hiȝe estate & lowe,
Whos knyȝtly fame þoruȝ þe worlde Is knowe,
Reported is as fer as schineth sonne,
Þat Grekis ȝit neuer þing be-gonne
Þat þei ne had victori at þe ende:
For with þe laurer, as fer as man may wende,
Þei haue be crowned of what þei toke on honde—
Suche is her hap, boþe on se and londe—
Wherfore, ȝe lordis, moste worþi of renoun,
Ȝe can remembre of kyng Lamedoun,
And of þe wrong þat he vp-on ȝow wrouȝte,
Whan harme to hym noon of ȝow ne thouȝte,
Whiche mot be quytte, schortly þis þe ende,
For we be come to stroye hym and to schende;
Wherfor anon, in al þe haste we may,
Late vs sette on with-oute more delay.
But firste I rede þat we taken hede,
To þinges þre, most helping in þis nede:
First, be avis and gode discrescioun,
For oure diffence and sauacioun,
So prudently oure wardis for to make,
Þat non of ours be at meschefe take,
Þis ilke day, for lak of prouidence;

131

Þe secunde is, to do oure diligence
With al oure myȝt and hool entencioun,
For to labour to ful distruccioun
Of oure foon, for oure owne glorie;
And þe þridde, þat we may victorie
Reioische of hem, platly at þe laste.
And after þis, ȝe may afore wel caste,
Ȝiffe we of knyȝthood, þoruȝ our hardines,
May venquische hem, we schal so hiȝe riches
Conquere of hem to oure pocessioun—
For it is knowe how þat Troye town,
Of al plente, as it schal be founde,
Of gold and tresour is passyngly habounde—
Þat oure schippis, sothly as I wene,
For to reseiue schal nat mow sustene
Þe habundaunce þat is ȝonde with-Inne,
Ȝif it so be þat we þe cite wynne,
As God vs graunte, ȝif it be his wille.”
And also faste as þe kyng was stille,
Þe noble knyȝte, þe strong[e] Hercules,
In þe presence of þat worþi pres,
Seide his counseil was heȝly to commende,
For wis begynnyng is preysed be þe ende—
“But to effecte our purpos for to bryng,
My counseil is, in þe morwenyng,
To-forne or we discured ben be day,
Þat we vs arme in al haste we may,
And on þis felde þat we do oure peyne
For to deuyde oure meyne in-to tweyne;
And of þe ton, schal kyng Thelamoun
Be gouernour, for his hiȝe renoun,
And of þe toþer, kyng Pelleus schal haue
Þe gouernaunce, wysly hem to saue;

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And I my silfe, & Iason here my brother,
Schal secrely go with alle þe toþer
Vnder þe cite, or þe sonne schynes,
And in þe bruschail and þe þikke vynes
We schal vs hyde, & kepe vs þer ful koye;
For Lamedoun, þat is kyng of Troye,
Anon as he may heren and espie
Of þe Grekis, with his cheualrye
Out of þe cite wele issen oute anoon
With ȝow to fiȝte, & venge him on his foon;
But whan he cometh to-our-schippis-ward,
Nestor þe duke schal in þe firste ward
Metyn with hym, and Castor schal also,
Whan he seth tyme, knyȝtly haue ado
To help[e] Nestor, ȝif þat it be nede.
Þe þridde warde Pelleus schal lede;
And whiles ȝe þus hym occupie,
Iason and I schal vs faste hye
To þe cite, vnwiste of hem echon,
I dout[e] nat we schal it wynne anoon.
Doth be counseil, and it wil ȝow availe;
And her my trouþe, ȝe ne may not fayle
For to conquere þe cite ȝonde a-fore;
Þis al and some—ȝe gete of me no more.”
And þei acorde with al her strenthe & myȝte
And armen hem in stele þat schon ful briȝte
Ageyn þe sonne amorwe whan he riseth,
And wrouȝt fully as Hercules deuiseth.

Howe Lamedon þe kenge of Troye, sodeynly wernede, with his Chivalry gave the Grekys batayle, & þere was sclayn.

And Lamedoun, whan he herd[e] telle
Of her comyng, hym lyst no lenger dwelle,

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But out he went with many a [noble] knyȝte,
Flourryng in ȝouthe & desirous to fyȝte,
And alle þo þat myȝt armes bere,
Or koude schete or durste handle a spere.
And whan þei were assemblid in þe felde,
Eueryche his armes depeynt vppon his scheld,
Brouded or bete vpon his cote armvre,
Þan Lamedoun with al his besy cure
Set hem in ordre, & his wardes maketh,
And in þe felde furthe his weye he taketh
Towardis þe Grekis, as eny lyne riȝte,
Fully purposyng to abide and fiȝte.
He was nat war of hem þat were behynde,
He nat aduerteth nor casteþ in his mynde
Þe grete sleiȝte nor þe trechery,
Þat hym was schape, he koude it nat espie;
But furþe he went with his wardis set.
And þe Grekis anoon with hym han met,
With herte bolde, astonyed nat at al—
Duke Nestor firste, sturdy as a wal,
In whos manhod was neuer founde lake,
Ful knyȝtly þan vppon hors[e] bake,
To hert his men & his knyȝtes eke,
Gan presen in with many worþi Greke,
With Lamedoun sturdely to mete.
At whiche tyme þei felt[e] ful vnswete,
And in þe frountel, ful many manly man
With scharpe speris first to-gidre ran;
And with swerdis, scharpe & kene grounde,
Was þilke day ȝouen many [a] wounde,
Wher as þei mette, vp-on euery syde,
Þoruȝ plate & mayle her woundis bledde wyde.
And basenettis þei riuen to þe crowne;
Þe noise of strokis in þe eyr gan sowne;
And of þe blood þat was schad of newe,

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Þe grene soile chaunged hath his hewe:
For it was died playnly in-to red,
Vp-on þe whiche ful many man lay ded,
And many worþi loste þer his lif.
And certeynly, in þis mortal strif,
Þe Grekis had discomfeted ben echon,
Nad[de] Castor socored hem anoon;
Þei of Troye so manly han hem bore,
Þat many knyȝt of Grekis were I-lore:
But whan Castor entreþ in batail
With his knyȝtes, so sore he dide assayl
Þe worþi Troyans, þat with spere and scheld
Grekis ageyn recured han þe felde,
Þat many oon lyþ slay[e]n on þe grene,
Girt þoruȝ þe body with scharp speris kene,
Þat þai of Troye, in þis mortal stour,
Were driue a-bak, til þer cam socour
To hem in hast of worþi Lamedoun,
Whiche entred [in] liche a wood lyoun,
And made weye vp-on euery syde.
And where as he made his swerde to glide,
Þer was but deth, so manly he hym bare,
Þat wel vnneþe was þer [n]on þat dar
Abide his stroke; for, ridyng vp and dovn,
He made weye aboute hym enviroun.
In þe rengis he hath his foon oute souȝt;
Þat day in armys merveiles he haþ wrouȝt,
Þat by his manhod and his worþines
He Grekis hath brouȝt in swiche distres,
Þat þei his swerde fledden as þe deth,
Merciles so many of hem he sleth.
Of whiche slauȝter þe Grekis wer confus,

135

Til Pelleus cam to her rescus,
Iros and wood, as he wer falle in rage,
He thouȝt he wolde þe grete pompe aswage
Of hem of Troye, and so he dide anoon;
For he vnhorseth of hem many oon,
And felly slowe al þat stood hym aforne,
And many harnes he hath þat day to-torne,
And made scheldes for to rive a-soundre,
Þat to be-holde it was a verray wonder,
Til Lamedoun his peple sawe goo bake,
For Pelleus brouȝt hem so to wrake.
Wher-of in hert he felte ful gret peyne,
Besechyng hem to repeyre ageyne,
And kyþe her myȝt & lyche as men endure;
And so þe felde he made hem to recure,
Til duke Nestor knewe þat Lamedoun,
Amyd þe felde, was kyng of Troye town.
And riȝt anoon, with-oute more abood,
A-geyn[e]s hym a ful gret pas he rood;
And whan þe kyng dide hym first espie,
Of hiȝe dispit, of rancour and envie,
In knyȝtly wyse gan to torne ageyn,
No þing agast, but of hiȝe disdeyn,
With Irous hert embollid al with pride,
His hors fersly gan takyn in þe syde,
Til þer ran out þe verray red[e] blood;
And to Nestor, liche as he were wood,
He rood anoon, and his spere brake;
But he ful knyȝtly kepte his hors[e] bak,
And ful deliuerly, hym ageyn to quyte,
With a spere, ful scharp[e] [whet] to byte,
Þoruȝ schelde & breste ȝaf hym swiche a wounde,
Þat from his hors he felde him dovn to grovnde
Of whiche fal, þe kyng no þing a-ferde,
But ros hym vp & pulled out a swerde,

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So anger fret hym at his hert[e] rote,
Þat he vnhorsed feȝte muste on fote;
Wher-of he was in parti ful confus,
Til oon Cedar cam to his reskus,
Þat was made knyȝte þe silfe same ȝere,
Ȝong, fresche, and lusty, and of noble chere,
Sitting þat tyme on a noble stede.
And whan þat he gan to taken hede,
And sawe þe kyng on fote at meschef fiȝte,
Gan to prike, in al þe hast he myȝte,
Toward Nestor, & with a spere hym hitte,
From his sadel þat he made hym flitte
Down to þe grovnde a-fore kyng Lamedoun.
But he anon, liche a champioun,
Recured vp, and hym silfe diffendeth;
And many strok eche on other spendeth,
With scharp[e] swerdis, kene for to bite,
Eueryche at other gan to foyne & smyte,
Til Lamedoun, with a despitous chere,
From his face raced his visere,
And by force, al at onys smet
A riche cercle from his basenet,
Of large perle goyng enviroun—
With creste and al, he fersly bette adovn:
Þat whiles Nestor þus aforn him stood,
His face was al depeynt with blood,
Þat certeynly, þe sothe to conclude,
Had nat Grekis with gret multitude
Reskewed hym, he hadde of Lamedoun
Be slaye as faste; for he was bore doun
Vn-to þe erþe a-mong þe hors[e] feet.
But Castor þoȝte þat he nolde leet
To be his helpe, as he behelde a-feer;
And Irously he toke a myȝty speer,
And to Cedar, þat I spak of late,
He gan to ride and priken in gret hate:

137

But or he cam to hym, dout[e]les,
A Troyan knyȝt, callid Segnerides,
Cosyn to Cedar, whan he haþ þis seen,
On a courser rood anoon be-tween;
And with a spere he smete Castor so,
Þat with þe stroke he brake evene atwo.
To whom Castor, with-oute more areste,
Hath with a spere, amyddes of þe breste,
Segnerides ȝoue a mortal wounde,
Þat likly was neuer for to sounde.
Wher-of Cedar cauȝte swiche envie,
Þat he anoon, of malencolye
And of dispit boilyng in his herte,
Segnerides whan he sawe so smerte,
Maugre who gruccheþ, amyddes of þe feld,
Of verray myȝt from Castor toke his scheld,
And þoruȝ viser, of rancour & of rage,
He wounded hym amyddes the visage,
And his hors from hym also he cauȝte,
And to his squier manfully it rauȝte:
Þat certeynly he stood in swiche disioynt,
Þis worþi Castor, þat he was in poynt
To haue ben take of hem of Troye tho;
For he on fote with hem moste [haue] go,
Nadde Pollux, with many manly knyȝt,
Mo þan seuene hundrid in stele armyd briȝt,
Þe raþer com Castor to reskewe;
Whiche after hem so sore gan to sewe,
Þat maugre hem, Castor whan he fond,
Of force he toke hym fre out of her hond,
And to his hors restorid hym ageyn.
And after [þat], þis Pollux in certeyn,
Of verray angre and of fervent Ire,
Agein Troyens with rancour set a-fire,
Þat al attonis he vppon hem set;

138

And in his mood, by fortune as he met
A Troyan knyȝt, called Eliatus,
In armys ȝong, fresche, and desirous,
Wonder semly and but tender of age,
Þe kynges sone, also, of Cartage,
And nevewe eke vn-to Lamedoun,
Whom Pollux hath, lyche a ferse lyoun,
With-oute routhe, pite, or mercy,
In þe rengis slawen cruelly—
Þat Lamedoun, whan he gan take hede,
Of inward dool felte his herte blede,
Whan he hym sawe, euene vppon þe deth,
Ful pitously ȝelden vp þe brethe,
Vp-on þe playn, as he lay hym be-forn.
For whiche anoon he made sowne an horn,
At whiche þer cam, in ful riche array,
Seuene thowsand knyȝtes, in al [þe] hast þei may,
Vp-on his deth avenged for to be.
Whiche mercyles, of gret[e] cruelte,
Þe Grekis han here & þer I-grounded:
Here lith on ded, þer a-noþer wounded,
So þat þei myȝt with hem haue no tak.
So mortally þei made hem gon abak,
Þat al gan turne to her confusioun;
And finaly þat day with Lamedoun
Þe tryvmphe had & þe felde y-goon,
Saue þat, allas, oute of þe toun anoon
Vn-to þe kyng þer cam a messager,
Þat hath hym tolde with a ful pitous chere,
How þe Grekis han þe cite take.
Þan for to se þe wo he dide make,
It wolde haue made a pitus hert as blyue
Of verray dool asondre for to rive,

139

So sore he gan with-in hym silfe to morne.
He wiste nat what party he myȝt turne;
But in a were he abydynge longe,
Aforn hym sawe þe myȝty Grekis stronge,
And in þe cyte anoþer host behynde:
Almost for wo he went out of his mynde;
And sodenly, bacward as he behilde
Toward þe cite, he sawe com in þe felde
First Hercules and with hym Iason,
Þat by her sleyȝt wonen han þe toun.
And in al hast, þis cruel Hercules,
Þe myȝty geaunt of force per[e]les,
Liche a lyoun, wood and dispitous,
Or a tigre in rage furious,
Gan of newe hem of Troye assaile,
And with [his] swerde perce plate and mail,
Whiche of labour wer ful mate and feynt,
And of long fiȝte with werynes atteynt.
And he cam in, lusty, fresche, and grene,
Þat þei his force myȝt[e] nat sustene;
For as he rod among hem here & ȝonder,
In cruel wyse he s[e]uered hem asonder,
And put hem holy in þis hiȝe meschaunce,
Oute of rewle and of gouernaunce;
So þat þe kyng, oppressed al with dool,
Of his wardis destitute and sool,
At meschef lefte, and al infortunat,
And of comfort fully disconsolat—
Þis Hercules, with a dispitous look,
With scharp[e] spors his stede felly toke,
And cruelly rod to Lamedoun,
And to þe erthe fersly bare hym doun,
And vp-on hym, in al þe haste he myȝte,
Downe of his hors sodeinly alyȝte,
And myȝtely rent of his basenet,

140

And with a swerde, scharp[e] grounde & whet,
Smot of his hede, þer was noon oþer grace,
And caste it furthe in þe silue place
Among þe hors, by cruel violence,
With-oute pite or any reuerence.
And in a rage raȝte his hors aȝeyn,
And lyche a lyoun rengyng on þe playn
Bar downe & slowe what cam in his weye;
And many Troyan þat day made he deye,
Þat liche to schepe wer forskatered wyde,
Al destitute of gouernour or guyde,
Ne can no rede, schortly to conclude;
For þe Grekis with double multitude
Gan hem enchace to þe deth ful blyve,
Þat wel vnneþe þer left noon alyue.
Þe feld þei han, and ben þat day victours;
And with tryvmphe, liche as conquerours,
To þe cite þei take her weye after,
And rende dovn boþe sparre & rafter;
And al þe tresour & riches of þe tovn,
Þei toke anoon to her pocessioun,
Who euer grucche or be lef or lothe,
What þei founde, pleynly with hem gothe.
In þe temples þei dide gret offence,
To þe goddis doyng no reuerence;
For al þei spoyle, with-oute drede or fere,
And vn-to schip euery þing þei bere;
And merciles on croked, olde, and lame,
Her swerde þei made cruelly atame;
And children soukyng at her moder brest,
Þei mordre & sle with-oute more arest;

141

And ȝong[e] maydenes, wepyng in distresse,
Ful gentil born, and of gret fayrnesse,
With hem þei ladde, & may hem nat excuse,
Hir fresche bewte falsly to mysvse.
Þei waste & brenne and consumen al;
And with-oute þei brake a-dovn þe wal.
And Exione, þe kynges douȝter dere,
Þat was to hym passyngly entere
By his lyve—I mene Lamedoun—
Meke and benyng of condicioun,
Hercules hath anoon hir take,
Þat for drede pitously gan quake,
And hir deliuered vn-to Thelamoun,
For he entrede first in-to þe toun.
And he his ȝifte reseyued hath at gre,
Be-cause sche was surmountyng of bewte,
And tretid hir after as he wolde,
Nat lyche as he a kynges douȝter schulde.
For syth he gat hir þat day be victorie,
For his worschip and his owne glorie,
Havyng rewarde to hir hiȝe degre,
He schulde rather of kyngly honeste,
And of knyȝthood, haue weddid hir þerfore,
Syth þat sche was of blood so gentil bore,
Þan of fals lust, ageyn al godlyhede,
Vsed hir bewte and hir womanhede
Dishonestly, and in synful wyse—
Of royal blood nat liche þe hiȝe emprise,
Nor þe doctrine of naturis riȝt,
Nor liche þe norture of [a] gentil knyȝt:
Considered first hir [birþe] and hir kynrede,
Hir grene ȝouþe, and hir maydenhed,
So gode, so fayre, so womanly þer-to.
A kynges douȝter of birth sche was also;
To haue wedded hir, it had[de] be no schame.
Now, Thelamoun, in soth þou wer to blame;

142

For þoruȝ þe errour of þi gouernaunce,
Þer kyndled was, of ful hyȝe vengaunce,
So hoot a sparke after of envye,
Þat þoruȝ þe worlde þe fyr gan multiplie,
Whiche was nat liȝt to quenchyn of his hete.
For hatred olde to brenne can nat lete
With new[e] flawme, who so taketh hede;
Ȝif it nat smeke, it is þe more [to] drede,
As in þis story her after schal be knowe.
And whan þis toun was brent & brouȝt[e] lowe,
Boþe tour & wal with þe soil made pleyn,
And no þing stood, allas, þat may be seyn,
So outterly þe Grekis hem oppresse,
Makyng al waste liche a wyldernesse—
For good & tresour & riches infinyt,
With many Iowel, ful pleysyng of delyt,
To her schippis out of þe toun þei lede,
And in schort tyme homward þei hem spede,
With tresour stuffid, & haboundance of good.
And whan þei seye þat þe wedir stood,
Þe wynde also, at her lust þei hadde,
Þei gan to saille, & with hem hom þei ladde
Exyona and many a mayde mo,
Þat out of Troye in-to Grece goo.
And seyling forþe, with-in a lytel space,
Þei ben eskapid [fro] þe se by grace,
And vn-to lond aryued merily.
At whos commyng þe Grekis outerly
So Ioyful ben of her good[e] spede;
And specialy, in Guydo as I rede,
Her schippes wern with golde & tresour lade;
Wher-of in herte þei wexe wonder glade.
And for þei hadde out so wel hem born,
To conquere Troye, and so fewe lorne

143

Of her meine, þei þanke her goddes alle,
And of þe grace þat to hem is falle.
For with þe tresour þat þei han hom brouȝt,
Ful many pore was made vp of nouȝt;
Þoruȝ-out þe lond þere was swiche aboundance,
So moche good and so gret sufficaunce,
Þat no wiȝt had among[es] hem no nede.
And many day þis blisful lyfe þei lede,
From ȝer to ȝer by reuolucioun;
And for her manhood & her hiȝe renoun,
Her honour ran rounde þe worlde aboute,
Þat hem toffende euery londe hath doute,
For her knyȝthod, & for þei wer so wyse.
And til þe story liste ageyn deuyse,
In þis mater ferþer to procede,
With þe fauour of ȝoure goodlyhed,
I wil me reste for a litel space;
And þan vp-born with support of ȝour grace,
Forþe a-complische, as I vndertook.
And here an ende of þe first[e] book
I make now, with quakyng hond for drede,
Only for fer of ȝow þat schal it rede,
Liste ȝe, allas, of hasty mocyoun,
Ne wil not haue no compassioun,
Pyte nor rouþe vp-on my rud[e]nesse;
Lowly beseching to ȝour gentilnes,
Of mercy only, boþe neȝe and ferre,
Where ȝe fynde þat I fayle or erre,
For to correcte, or ȝe ferþer flitte,
For to ȝour grace I holy al commytte.

[Explicit liber Primus INcipit liber Secundus.]

144

BOOK II.

The envious ordre of Fortunas meving,
In worldly þing, fals and flekeryng,
Ne will not suffre vs in þis present lyf
To lyue in reste with-oute werre or striffe;
For sche is blinde, fikel, and vnstable,
And of her cours, fals & ful mutable.
Who sit hiȝest, sche can doun hym enclyne
Whan he leest weneþ bring hym to ruyne,
With awaites þat gladly ben sodeyne,
And with hir face þat partid is on tweyne
Schewen most hool, whan sche is leste to triste;
Þat wel wer hym þat hir deceytes wiste,
And hir engynes & hir trappis knewe,
Þat euery day in hir courte be newe.
Of whiche, in soth, I wel afferme dar,
No mortal man may in þis lyf be war:
For sche vn-evene peisyng in balaunce,
With conterfet and feyned contenaunce,
With lokyng pleyn & chere of flaterye,
Vnwarly can blere a mannys eye,
And hym be-gyle—þis þe verray soth—
With a face blaundissching and smoþe,
Whan sche hath hym from hiȝe degre brouȝt lowe,
Ful falsly smyle & make hym þe mowe.
And ȝit som while, most varriant of hewe,
Sche vn-to somme pretendeth to be trewe;
For sche whilom to somme is fauourable,
And to somme fals and deceyvable.
Sche can reise on, & bryng another doun,

145

Þis fals[e] lady of transmutacioun;
To somme sche ȝeueth renoun and victorie,
And doth hem floure in honour & glorie;
And somme sche can apeiren with fals fame,
And gilt[e]les put a man in blame.
To somme sche is goodly and benyngne;
And of disdeyn sche can also maligne
Ageyn anoþer, & make hym loute lowe;
And from her sees sche can kynges þrowe,
And hem avale, for al her hiȝe toures.
And sche can plonge worþi emperoures
From þe hille of hiȝe prosperite
In-to þe vale of aduersite;
Þe riche emporische, of rancour & disdeyn,
And þe pore sche can enhaunce ageyn,
Þis fals[e] goddes with hir eyen blynde,
Set on aforn, a-noþer goth be-hynde;
And doth on renne, and another halte;
And on sche can in rychesse hiȝe exalte,
And anoþer plonge in pouerte,
In whom no man may haue no sikerte.
To somme sugre and hony sche distilleth;
And of somme sche þe botel filleth
With bitter galle, myrre, and aloes.
And þus þis lady, wilful recheles,
As sche þat is froward and peruers,
Hath in hir celer drinkes ful diuers;
For sche to somme, of fraude and of fallas,
Mynystreth pyment, bawme, & ypocras:
And sodeynly, whan þe sote is past,
Sche of custom can ȝeuen hem a tast,
For to conclude falsely in þe fyn,
Of bitter eysel and of egre wyn,
And corosyues þat fret and perce depe,

146

And narkotykes þat cause men to slepe.
Þus sche to hem, þat hir tonne aproche,
After soote, þe bitter can abroche—
In her regne, þis quene of variaunce,
Whos Ioye fyneth alwey with meschaunce.
Who trusteþ hir, sche wil hym ouercaste,
And hym deseyue pleynly at þe laste,
Of what estat euer þat he be,
Þis double lady of mutabilite.
Sethe here example of kyng Lamedoun,
Whom sche haþ brouȝt to confusioun
For litel cause, and for a þing of nouȝt;
Hir cruelte he haþe to dere a-bouȝt.
Wherfore, I rede, euery man take hede
To gynne a quarel where as is no nede:
For litel fire vnder asches reke
So may be kyndled þat it wil oute breke
In-to swyche flawme, men may it nat apese;
Who best can suffre most schal haue his ese.
Þerfor, ȝe kynges and lordis euerychon,
Make ȝow a merour of þis Lamedoun,
And beþ wel war to do no violence
Vn-to straungers, whan þei do noon offence,
Whan þei com fer in-to ȝoure regioun:
Ne suffre hem nat, by noon oppressioun,
In ȝoure boundis for to haue no wrong;
For in ȝoure owne, þouȝe þat ȝe be strong,
And myȝty eke among ȝoure legys alle,
A-noþer day paraunter may be-falle,
Þat whan þat ȝe ful litel þenke on hit,
Of sodeyn cas þat ȝe may be quyte
And I-thanked in a-noþer place,
Of auenture ȝif ȝe happe passe.
Þerfore, whan ȝe may eny swyche espie,

147

Doth hem good chere of ȝour curtesye,
And prudently consydereth in ȝour wit,
Þat to a lorde of gentilnes hit sit,
To euery straunger goodly hym to haue:
Þer is no þing may more his honour saue,
Þan to refresche hem frely & disport.
Þan may þei after good of hym reporte;
Be whos contrarie haþ moche wo be wrouȝt
A-fore þis tyme, ȝif it be wel souȝt:
Þe first[e] Troye vtterly distroyed,
And þe peple in sorwe & wo acloied,
Lad in-to exil, fer from her cite,
Lyvyng in þraldom and captiuite;
And Exyone, as ȝe haue herde me telle,
Lad in-to Grece with Thelamoun to dwelle.
For whom [þer was], as Guydo can ȝow teche,
After take so gret vengaunce & wreche
On ouþer parte, þat in verray trouthe
For to here it is to moche routhe,
As in þis boke ȝe may after rede,
Ceryously ȝif ȝe liste take hede.
For gladly ay þe reuolucioun
Of fatal þing, by disposicioun,
Is so envious, and alwey meynt with wo,
Þat in þis world, wher-so þat we go,
We trewly may aduerten in oure þouȝt,
Þat for þe valu of a þing of nouȝt,
Mortal causes and werris first by-gonne;
Strif and debate, here vnder þe sonne,
Wer meved first of smal occasioun,
Þat caused after gret confusioun;
Þat no man can þe harmys half endite.
For, for a cause dere y-nowȝe a myte,
Eche is redy to distroien other;
A man for litel wil strive with his broþer;
Blood is vnkynde, whiche gretly is to drede.

148

Allas! whi nyl þei taken better hede?
For olde Troye & afterward þe newe,
Þoruȝe smal enchesoun, who þe trouþe knewe,
Wer finally brouȝt to distruccioun,
As olde bokes maken mencioun;
And many worþi and many noble knyȝt
Slayn in þe feld by dures of þat fiȝt—
Kynges, princes at þe sege ded,
Whan Antropos to-brak hir lyves thred,
Þat for to telle þe meschef and þe wo,
I want[e] connynge, and I fele also
My penne quake & tremble in my hond,
List þat my lord, dredde on see and lond,
Whos worþines þoruȝ þe world doþ sprede,
My makyng rude schal beholde & rede,
Whiche of colour ful nakyd is and bare:
Þat but ȝif he of his grace spare
For to disdeyne, and list to haue pite,
For fere I tremble þat he schuld it se.
But only mercy, þat doþe his hert embrace,
Byt me preswme fully in his grace;
Seynge in hym, most vertuous and good,
Mercy anexid vn-to royal blood,
As to a prince longeþ nyȝe and ferre,
Ay to-fore ryȝt, pite to preferre.
For þoruȝe þe support of his hiȝe noblesse
Sowpowailled, I wil my stile dresse
To write forþe þe story by and by
Of newe Troye in ordre Ceriously,
As myn auctor in latyn, Guydo, writ.
Preying þe reder, wher any word myssit,
Causyng þe metre to be halte or lame,
For to correcte, to saue me fro blame:
Late hym nat wayte after coryouste,
Syth þat in ryme ynglysch hath skarsete.

149

I am so dulle, certeyn, þat I ne can
Folwen Guydo, þat clerke, þat coryous man,
Whiche in latyn hath be rethorik
Set so his wordis, þat I can nat be lyke.
To sewe his stile in my translacioun,
Word by word, lyche þe construccioun,
After þe maner of gramariens,
Nor lyke þe stile of rethoricyens,
I toke nat on me þis story to translate;
For me to forther Clyo com to late,
Þat in swyche craft hath gret experience;
I leue þe wordis and folwe þe sentence.
And trouþ of metre I sette also a-syde,
For of þat arte I hadde as þo no guyde
Me to reducyn, whan I went a-wrong;
I toke non hede nouþer of schort nor long,
But to þe trouþe, and lefte coryouste
Boþe of makyng and of metre be,
Nat purposyng to moche for to varie,
Nor for to be dyuerse nor contrarie
Vn-to Guydo, as by discordaunce;
But me conforme fully in substaunce,
Only in menyng, to conclude al on;
Al-be þat I ne can þe wey[e] goon
To swe þe floures of his eloquence;
Nor of peyntyng I haue noon excellence
With sondry hewes noble, fresche, and gay;
So riche colours biggen I ne may;
I mote procede with sable and with blake.
And [in] enewyng wher ȝe fynde a lak,
I axe mercy or I fro ȝow twynne;
And with ȝour fauour I wil a-non begynne,
And in al haste my style furthe directe;
And where I erre, I praye ȝow to correcte.

150

Of Priamus, þe sonne of Lamedoun which, at þe destruccyoun of Troye, was at the obsydey of A Castel. And howe mony sonnes and doughters that Priamus had.

The same tyme whan þat Troye toun
Destroyed was, and kyng Lamedoun
Was also slayn, þoruȝ þe cruelte
Of Hercules, vnder his cyte,
He hadde a sone, þe story telleþ vs,
Whiche was his eyr, I-called Priamus,
Wonder manly, discret, and ful prudent,
Whiche þat tyme from Troye was absent,
Whan his fader loste þus his lyf;
For he þat tyme with Eccuba his wyfe,
And with his sonys, aboute a castel lay,
And alle his knyȝtes, to gete it ȝif he may,
Þat hath on hem myȝtely werreyed:
For þei his fader han falsely disobeyed,
And vn-to hym be rebel wonder long;
Al-be Priam, with sawtis huge and strong,
Hem hadde assayled ofte & many sythe;
His strengþe on hem liche a knyȝt to kythe,
To gete in armys worschip and honour,
And hem to daunte liche a conquerour,
He caste hym fully or þat he departe.
For day by day his lyf he gan iuparte,
At her wallis for to preve his myȝt,
With many baroun and many worþi knyȝt;
For he ȝit had his ȝong[e] lusty blood,
And was of age flouryng in knyȝthod,
And at assautis & swiche maner strife,

151

On with þe first [for] to auntre his lyf.
To hert his men, hym list nat be behynde
For drede of deth, sothly as I fynde,
A-fore þe castel hiȝe and þikke wallyd.
And be his wyfe þat Eccuba was callyd,
Þis Priam had, ful worþi of degre,
Fyve sonys and ȝong[e] douȝtres thre,
Of whiche þe eldest Hector callid was.
Whiche also fer as Phebus in compas
A natural day goth his cercle aboute,
So fer of hym, with-outen any doute,
Reported was þe renoun and þe name,
Þe worþines, and þe noble fame.
For liche as bokis of hym specefye,
He was þe Rote and stok of cheualrie,
And of knyȝthod verray souereyn flour,
Þe sowrs and welle of worschip & honour;
And of manhod, I dar it wel expresse,
Example and merour; & of hiȝe prowesse,
Gynyng & grounde; & with al þis I-fere,
Wonder benigne & lawly of his chere,
Discret also, prudent and vertuous.
Of whom þe dedis & actis merveillous
Remembrid ben of so long a-goon;
For he allone excelled euerychon,
In olde auctours rede & ȝe may fynde,
Of his knyȝthood how ȝit þei make mynde.
Þe nexte broþer callid was Paris,
To whom Nature ȝaf at hir deuyse
Of schap & forme, bewte, and semlynes,
Þat to remembre his excellent fairnes,
In his tyme, with-outen any drede,
He passed alle þat I can of rede;
And he was eke a ful manly knyȝte;
But most he vsed, whan he schulde fiȝt,
In his hond for to bere a bowe:

152

For swiche an archer no man koude knowe,
For to seken bothe fer and nere,
Þat of schetyng myȝt[e] ben his pere,
As it was founde, whan he had ado;
And Alisaundre he callyd was also.
Þe þridde sone hiȝt[e] Dephebus,
A worþi knyȝt and a chiualrous,
And had in armys a ful gret renoun,
And was a man of hiȝe discrecioun,
And wyse of counseil, myn auctour telleþ þus.
Þe firthe brother, called Elenus,
Sadde and discret, and of hiȝe prudence,
And was also a man of greet science,
And renomed, þer-with in special,
In alle þe artis called liberal,
For he in hem was expert ariȝt.
Þe fyfte sone was a worþi knyȝte,
Fresche and lusty, and ȝongest of hem alle,
And, as seith Guydo, Troylus men hym calle:
A manly man founden in bataille,
And desyrous his fomen for tassaille;
Oon þe best in his tyme founde;
And called was Hector þe secounde
For his manhood, þoruȝ-oute Troye bok;
Whiche in þe werre ful ofte vp-on hym tok
Of his knyȝthod many hiȝe emprise,
As þe story here after schal deuyse.
And in his bok liche as writ Virgile,
Þe poete olde, by ful souereyn stile,
How þat þe kyng Priam had also
By Eccuba other sonys two;
And by record of þis Virgilius,
Þe ton was called Pollyodorus,
Whom Priamus, in his grene ȝouthe,
Whan þe comynge was of Grekis kouthe

153

To-Troye-ward, in alle haste anoon,
With gold, tresour, and many riche stoon,
Sent hym forth besyde vn-to a kyng,
Of ful gret trust, to haue hym in kepyng
Til tyme he seye what conclusioun
Þer schulde falle, after of þe toun,
And eke what fyn þe werre wolde take,
Þat vp-on hem þe Grekis dide make.
But þilke kyng for fals[e] couetyse
Of þis tresour, þat ȝe han herde deuyse,
Whan þat he sawe Fortunys variaunce
Toward Priam, & his vnhappy chaunce,
Like a tiraunt and murderere also,
Þe childes throte made kutte a-two.
And after þat, he ful cruelly
Made his men to burye hym priuely,
Þat no man myȝt his tresoun vnderstonde,
Be-syde a see depe vnder þe stronde.
Þe toþer sone, also as I rede
In Virgile, was callyd Ganymede,
Whom Iubiter in a forest hent
Vp-on a day as he on huntyng went,
And bare hym vp aboue þe sterres clere,
And maked hym in heuene his botelere,
Eternaly with Iuno for to wone,
In stede of Hebes, hir owne dere sone.
Þe first[e] douȝter of kyng Priamus
Hiȝte Creusa, as seith Virgilius
In his Eneydos, sothly as it was;
And sche was weddid vn-to Eneas,
As seith þis story; and eke þis ilke Enee
Was wonderful in his natiuite:
Of whom þe fader, I fynde dout[e]les,
Was in his tyme callid Anchyses,
Þat hym begat on Venus þe goddes;

154

For after hir he hadde such fairnes,
Þat neuere wyht ne kowde ȝet yse
A man þat was more passyng of bewte,
Of whom þis story, touchyng his werching,
Schal ȝow declare many wonder þing.
For it is he to whom so greet a loos
Virgile ȝaf in his Eneydos;
For he þat boke in worschip of Enee
Compiled hath, liche as ȝe may se,
Of his knyȝthod & many strong batail
Be hym achevid or he wan Ytaille,
After ful long þat þe royal toun
Of Troye was brouȝt to confusioun.
And his conquest, ȝif ȝe list take hede,
In þis poete ȝe may be ordre rede,
And þe armys wrouȝt in al his age,
And his commyng also to Cartage
Fro Troye-ward, in a litel while—
Al þis ȝe may beholde[n] in Virgile.
A-nother douȝter also, it is founde,
Kyng Priam had, of birthe þe secunde,
Callid Cassandra, of ful gret sadnes,
And was in maner a diuyneresse,
And in eche art had experience,
Of þingis future fully prescience
To telle a-forn what [þat] schal betyde;
Of whom þe fame sprang in costys wyde;
Whiche kepte hir chaste in virginite,
And ay in prayer and in honeste
Sche ladde hir lyf, and in deuocioun,
After þe ritys and religioun
Of paganysme vsed in þo dawes,
Þe obseruauncys kepyng of her lawes.
Þe þridde douȝter hyȝt[e] Polycene,
Ȝongest of al; and euer a maide clene

155

Sche kepte hir silf, and honest in hir lawe,
In-to þe hour þat Pirrus haþ hir slawe:
Of schap, of forme was neuer be Nature
Wrouȝt nor schape a fairer creature.
Eke as I fynde, þis noble kyng also
Hadde þritty sonys, þe boke seith, & no moo,
Hardy in armys and noble founde at al,
Þat callyd wern his sonys natural.
And þei wern alle, I excepte noon,
Worþi knyȝtes and manly men echon;
And her names who so list to knowe,
He schal fynde hem write vp-on a rowe
After þis story, eueryche after other,
Begynnygne first at the eldest brother.

Howe tydengys kame to kynge Priamus howe his Cite was distroyede, and his Fadire sclayn.

And whiles Priam at þe sege laye
To-fore þe castel, to gete it ȝif he may,
And þer aboute haþ many way[e] souȝt,
Þe woful tydyngys ben vn-to hym brouȝt,
How þe Grekis han take Troye toun,
And slawe his fader, worþi Lamedoun;
And how þe cite, of olde fundacioun,
Ful pitously was turned vp so doun;
Þe worþi lordys and gentil-men echon
Take and slawe, and I-left nat on
Of hem alyve, þoruȝe Grekis cruelte,
After þe ruyne, allas, of her cyte;
And Exyoun, his owne suster dere,
Lad in-to exile with hir eyne clere.
Wher-of þe kyng in hert is stonyed so,
For verray sorwe he nyste what to do,
His sodeyn wo gan hym so constreyne.

156

He sobbeth, wepeth, þat of mortal peyne
He þouȝt his hert wolde a-sondre breste,
Of hiȝe distres, for he myȝt haue no reste.
And in[-to] teris he gan hym silf distille,
Þat for to dye was fynally his wille;
And Fortune, þat can so falsly varie,
With dreri hert he be-gan to warie,
Þat sche to hym was so deseyuable,
So inly cruel and vnmerciable,
So dispitous, and so sterne of face,
So vengable and deuoyde of grace:
For of envye, with a rage thouȝt,
Sche haþ hir werst of malis on hym wrouȝt,
And felly schewed what sche myȝt[e] do;
Þat in þis world was neuer wiȝt so wo,
As I suppose, of no maner age,
To rekne al his harmes and damage.
For whiche anon, in al þat euer he may,
First he chaungeþ all his riche array,
Trist and hevy, with dedly face pale,
So astoned with þis mortal tale,
Þat his desyre was to haue ben ded;
With countenaunce enclyned and his hed,
Þis lyf he ladde, & clad hym al in blak.
And sodeynly he þe sege brak,
And wolde as þo no lenger þer abyde;
But with his folke anon he gan to ride,
Þat pytously gan with hym to morne,
And toward Troye attonys þei returne.
And whan þat he haþ þe cite founde,
Pleyn with þe soil & evene with þe grounde,
Þe hiȝe wallys, whilom þik and longe,
I-bete doun, þat wer made so strong,
And his towres and paleys principal,
Þat was in byldyng so excellent royal,

157

So famows riche, and of gret noblesse,
He fynt al turned in-to wildernesse:
His peple slayn, his suster lad a-way—
For verray wo he nyst[e] what to say,
For þe constreynt of his aduersite,
And for his harmys þat nyl recured be.
For in þat tyme he was fully sure,
Vp-on no syde þer was no recure;
Wherfore he can not but sobbe & wepe,
And from his brest, with siȝes souȝt ful depe,
Breken oute, with a ded visage.
And þus, allas, in þis furious rage,
Ful pitously al his hoste and he
With-oute respite contwne dayes thre.
Til at þe last þe myrke skyes blake
Gan of her wo in party for to slake,
And þe tempest somdel gan with-drawe,
And of her wepyng blaundische gan þe waw;
As whan þe flood of wo is ouerpassed,
Þe ebbe of Ioye folwen most in haste.
To sorwen euer, it wolde her hertis schende;
And at a terme euery wo mote ende:
For þouȝ for frendis men ay wepe & weyle,
After her deth þer may no recure vaile.
Wherfore þe kyng, after al [t]his care,
Hath souȝt a weye þe cite to repare;
And cast hym fully, ȝif it wolde be,
To make vertu of necessite;
And manfully, after al his tene,
Whan þat þe eyr gan to wexe clene
Of þe mystis of his cloudy sorwe,
And þat somdel adawe gan þe morwe,
Of heuynes after þe dirke nyȝt,
Chased aweye with a sonne bryȝt
Of new[e] Ioye: for ay þe fyn of wo
Mote be gladnes whan þat sorwe is go—

158

And so Priam after a certeyn space,
Whan his sorwe gan lite & lite pace,
And of wysdam in al his pitous smerte
Gan prudently to plukkyn vp his herte,
And of his eyne þe wawes gon[ne] clere,
A-noon he wrouȝt, riȝt as ȝe schal here.

Howe Kynge Priamus, aftire his sorowe was asswagede, Edefyede nowe Troye, and it set in þe same place where þe olde stode, so large & so wyde that tofore ne siche was nevere none it lyke.

The sorwe aswaged, & þe syȝes olde,
By longe processe, liche as I ȝow tolde,
Þis worþi kyng, callyd Priamvs,
Is in his herte nowe so desyrous,
Vp-on þe pleyn, þat was so waste & wylde,
So strong a toun of newe for to bilde,
At his devyse a cite edefye,
Þat schal thassautys outterly defye
Of alle enmyes, and his mortal foon,
With riche tourys & wallys of hard stoon.
And al aboute þe contres enviroun,
He made seke in euery regioun
For swiche werkemen as were corious,
Of wyt inventyf, of castyng merveilous;
Or swyche as coude crafte of gemetrye,
Or wer sotyle in her fantasye;
And for eueryche þat was good devysour,
Mason, hewer, or crafty quareour;
For euery wriȝt and passyng carpenter,
Þat may be founde, owþer fer or nere;
For swyche as koude graue, grope, or kerue,
Or swiche as werne able for to serue
With lym or stoon, for to reise a wal,

159

With bataillyng and crestis marcial;
Or swiche as had konyng in her hed,
Alabastre, owþer white or redde,
Or marbil graye for to pulsche it pleyn,
To make it smoþe of veynes & of greyn.
He sent also for euery ymagour,
Boþe in entaille, & euery purtreyour
Þat coude drawe, or with colour peynt
With hewes fresche, þat þe werke nat feynt;
And swiche as coude with countenaunces glade
Make an ymage þat wil neuere fade:
To counterfet in metal, tre, or stoon
Þe sotil werke of Pigmaleoun,
Or of Appollo, þe whiche as bokis telle,
In ymagerye alle oþer dide excelle;
For by his crafty werkyng corious,
Þe towmbe he made of kyng Daryus,
Whiche Alysaundre dide on heyȝt[e] reise,
Only for men schuld his fame preise,
In his conquest by Perce whan he went.
And þus Priam for euery maister sent,
For eche keruer & passynge Ioignour,
To make knottis with many corious flour,
To sette on crestis with-Inne and with-oute
Vp-on þe wal þe cite rounde aboute;
Or who þat wer excellyng in practik
Of any art callyd mekanyk,
Or hadde a name flouryng or famus,
Was after sent to come to Priamus.
For he purposeth, þis noble worþi kyng,
To make a cite most royal in byldyng,
Brod, large, & wyde, & lest it were assailled,
For werre proudly about[en] enbatailled.
And first þe grounde he made to be souȝt,
Ful depe and lowe, þat it faille nouȝt
To make sure þe fundacioun;

160

In þe place where þe olde toun
Was first ybilt, he þe wallis sette;
And he of lond many myle out mette,
Aboute in compas, for to make it large,
As þe maysters [þat] toke on hem þe charge
Devysed han þe settyng and þe syyt,
For holsom eyr to be more of delyt.
And whan þe soille, defouled with ruyne
Of walles old, was made pleyn as lyne,
Þe werkmen gan þis cite for to founde,
Ful myȝtely with stonys square & rounde,
Þat in þis world was to it noon lyche
Of werkmanschip, nor of bildyng riche,
Nor of crafte of coryous masounry.
I can no termys to speke of gemetrye,
Wherfore as now I muste hem sette a-syde;
For dout[e]les I radde neuer Euclide,
Þat þe maister and þe foundour was
Of alle þat werkyn by squyre or compas,
Or kepe her mesour by leuel or by lyne;
I am to rude clerly to diffyne
Or to discrive þis werk in euery parte,
For lak of termys longyng to þat arte.
But I dar wel of trouþe affermyn here,
In al þis world ne was þer neuer pere
Vn-to þis cite, and write it for a soþe,
As in his boke my mayster Guydo doth.
And þat it myȝt in prosperite,
In hyȝe honour and felicite,
From al assaut perpetuelly contune,
It reysed was in worschip of Neptune,
And namyd Troye, as it was to-forn,
Lyche þe firste þat was þoruȝ Grekis lorn.
Þe lenthe was, schortly to conclude,
Thre day[es] Iourne, lyche þe latitude,
Þat neuer I herd make mencioun

161

Of swiche another of fundacioun,
So huge in compas nor of swiche larges,
Nor to counte so passyng of fayrnes,
So edyfied or lusty to þe syȝt.
And, as I rede, þe walles wern on hiȝte
Two hundrid cubites, al of marbil gray,
Maskowed with-oute for sautis and assay;
And it to make more plesaunt of delyt,
A-mong þe marbil was alabaster white
Meynt in þe walles, rounde þe toun aboute,
To make it schewe with-Inne and with-oute
So fresche, so riche, and so delitable,
Þat it alone was incomperable
Of alle cites þat any mortal man
Sawe euer ȝit, sithe þe world began.
And at the corner of euery wal was set
A crowne of golde with riche stonys fret,
Þat schone ful briȝt ageyn þe sonne schene;
And euery tour bretexed was so clene
Of chose stoon, þat wer nat fer a-sondre,
Þat to beholde it was a verray wonder.
Þer-to þis cite compassed enviroun,
Hadde sexe gatis to entre in-to þe toun:
Þe first of al & strengest eke with al,
Largest also and most principal,
Of myȝty bildynge allone peer[e]les,
Was by þe kyng callyd Dardanydes;
And in story, lyche as it is fownde,
Tymbria was named þe secounde;
And þe þridde callyd Helyas;
Þe fourte gate hiȝt also Cethas;
Þe fyfte Troiana; þe syxte Anthonydes,
Strong and myȝty boþe in werre & pes,
With square toures set on euery syde.
At whos corners, of verray pompe & pride,
Þe werkmen han, with sterne & fel visages,
Of riche entaille, set vp gret ymages,

162

Wrouȝt out of ston, þat neuer ar like to fayle,
Ful coriously enarmed for batayle.
And þoruȝ þe wal, her fomen for to lette,
At euery tour wer grete gunnys sette,
For assaut and sodeyn aventurys;
And on tourettis wer reysed vp figurys
Of wylde bestis, as beris and lyouns,
Of tigers, bores, of serpentis and dragouns
And hertis eke, with her brode hornes,
Olyfauntes and large vnicornes,
Buglis, bolys, and many grete grifoun,
Forged of brasse, of copur and latoun,
Þat cruelly by sygnes of her facys
Vp-on her foon made fel manacys.
Barbykans and bolewerkys huge,
A-fore þe toun made for hiȝe refuge,
Ȝiffe nede were, erly and eke late;
A[nd] portecolys stronge at euery gate,
Þat hem þar nat noon assailyng charge;
And þe lowkis þikke, brode, and large,
Of þe gatys al of ȝoten bras.
And with-Inne þe myȝty schittyng was
Of strong yrne barres square and rounde,
And gret barre[r]ys picched in þe grounde,
With huge cheynes forged for diffence,
Whiche nolde breke for no violence,
Þat hard it was þoruȝ hem for to wynne.
And euery hous, þat was bilt with-Inne,
Euery paleys & euery mancioun,
Of marbil werne þoruȝ[-out] al þe toun,
Of crafty bildyng & werkyng most roial.
And þe heȝt was of euery wal
Sixty cubites from þe grounde acountid;
And þer was non þat oþer haþ surmountid
In þe cite, but of on heȝt alyche,

163

In verray soþe, boþe of pore and riche,
Þat it was harde of hiȝe estat or lowe
Hous or palys asounder for to knowe,
So egaly of tymbre and of stoon
Her housis wern reysed euerychon.
And if I schulde rehersen by and by
Þe korve knottes by crafte of masounry,
Þe fresche enbowyng, with vergis riȝt as linys,
And þe vowsyng ful of babewynes,
Þe riche koynyng, þe lusty tablementis,
Vynnettis rennynge in þe casementis—
Þouȝ þe termys in englisch wolde ryme,
To rekne hem alle I haue as now no tyme,
Ne no langage pyked for þe nonys,
Þe sotil Ioynyng to tellen of þe stonys,
Nor how þei putten in stede of morter,
In þe Ioynturys copur gilt ful clere,
To make hem Ioyne by leuel & by lyne,
Among þe marbil freschely for to schyne
Agein þe sonne, whan his schene lyȝt
Smote in þe gold, þat was bornyd briȝt,
To make þe werke gletere on euery syde.
And of þis toun þe stretis large & wyde
Wer by crafte so prudently prouided,
And by werkemen sette so and deuided,
Þat holsom eyr amyddis myȝt enspire
Erly on morwe to hem þat it desyre;
And Ȝephirus, þat is so comfortable
For to norysche þinges vegetable,
In tyme of ȝere, þoruȝ-oute euery strete,
With sugred flavour, so lusty & so swete,
Most plesantly in þe eyr gan smyte,
Þe Cyteȝeyns only to delyte;
And with his brethe hem to recomfort,
Whan þei list walke hem siluen to disport.
And þoruȝ þe toun, by crafty purviaunce,

164

By gret avys and discret ordynaunce,
By compas cast, & squared out by squires,
Of pulsched marbil vp-on strong pilleris,
Deuised wern, long[e], large, and wyde,
In þe frountel of euery stretis syde,
Fresche alures with lusty hiȝe pynacles,
And moustryng outward riche tabernacles,
Vowted a-boue like reclinatories,
Þat called werne deambulatories,
Men to walke to-gydre tweine & tweyne,
To kepe hem drie whan it dide reyne,
Or hem to saue from tempest, wynde, or þonder,
Ȝif þat hem list schrowde hem silue þer-vnder.
And euery hous cured was with led;
And many gargoyl & many hidous hed
With spoutis þoruȝ, & pipes as þei ouȝt,
From þe ston-werke to þe canel rauȝt,
Voyding filþes low in-to þe grounde,
Þoruȝ gratis percid of yren percid rounde;
Þe stretis paued boþe in lengþe & brede,
In cheker wyse with stonys white & rede.
And euery craft, þat any maner man
In any lond deuise or rekene can,
Kyng Priamus, of hiȝe discrecioun,
Ordeyned hath to dwellyn in þe toun,
And in stretis, seueryd her and ȝonder,
Eueryche from oþer to be sette a-sonder,
Þat þei myȝt, for more comodite,
Eche be hym silfe werke at liberte:

Howe the goldesmythes, and aftire, every crafft ware disposyde in strete by strete by hem selff.

Gold-smythes first, & riche Iowellers,
And by hem silf crafty browdereris,
Wevers also of wolne & of lyne,
Of cloth of gold, damaske, and satyn,

165

Of welwet, cendel, & double samyt eke,
And euery clothe þat men list to seke;
Smyþes also, þat koude forge wele
Swerdis, pollex, and speris scharp of stele,
Dartis, daggeris, for to mayme & wounde,
And quarel hedis scharp and square [y-]grounde.
Þer wer also crafty armoureris,
Bow[y]ers, and fast[e] by fleccheris,
And swyche as koude make schaftes pleyn,
And other eke þat dide her besy peyn
For þe werre to make [also] trappuris,
Bete baners and royal cote armvris,
And by devise, stondardis & penowns,
And for þe felde fresche & gay gytouns.
And euery crafte þat may rekned be,
To telle schortly, was in þis cite.

Howe by grete crafft ther was a Ryvere called Zanctus conveyede thorough þe Cyte.

And þoruȝ þis toun, so riche & excellent,
In þe myddes a large riuer went,
Causyng to hem ful gret commodite;
Þe whiche on tweyne haþ partid þe cite,
Of cours ful swyft, with fresche stremys clere,
And hiȝt[e] Xanctus, as Guydo doþ vs lere.
And as I rede, þat vp-on þis flood,
On eche-asyde many mylle stood,
Whan nede was her grayn & corn to grinde,
Hem to sustene, in story as I fynde.
Þis riuer eke, of fysche ful plenteuous,
Devided was by werkmen corious
So craftely, þoruȝ castyng souereyne,

166

Þat in his course þe stremys myȝt atteyn
For to areche, as Guydo doth coniecte,
By archis strong his cours for to reflecte
Þoruȝ condut pipis, large & wyde with-al,
By certeyn meatis artificial,
Þat it made a ful purgacioun
Of al ordure & fylþes in þe toun,
Waschyng þe stretys as þei stod a rowe,
And þe goteris in þe erþe lowe,
Þat in þe cite was no filþe sene;
For the canel skoured was so clene,
And deuoyded in so secre wyse,
Þat no man myȝt espien nor deuyse
By what engyn þe filþes, fer nor ner,
Wern born a-wey by cours of þe ryuer—
So couertly euery þing was cured.
Wher-by þe toun was outterly assured
From engenderyng of al corrupcioun,
From wikked eyr & from infeccioun,
Þat causyn ofte by her violence
Mortalite and gret pestilence.
And by example of þis flode þer was
Made Tibre at Rome, and wrouȝt by Eneas,
Þe which also departeth Rome on two,
Myn auctor seith, I not wher it be so.

Howe kynge Pryam made Citeȝens of foreyns, And [gaf] everich of hem certeyne grounde to belde vpone.

And to enhabite þis royal chef cite,
Kyng Priam haþ aboute in þe contre
Made for to serche, with al his hool entent,
And in provinces þat werne adiacent,
In borwys, townys, and in smale villages,
I-gadred out of al maner ages,
And of thropis folkys ful diuers,
And swiche as wern vacaunt & dispers,

167

Aboute Troye in any regioun,
He maked hath to entre in-to þe toun
Gret multitude, what of ȝong & olde,
It to enhabite, as ȝe han herde me tolde.
And hem þat wern afore to hym foreyns,
He hath in Troye maked cit[e]ȝeyns,
Ful discretly, liche as it is founde.
And whan þei gan with peple [to] abounde,
Kyng Priamus, of hiȝe affeccioun,
After þe bildyng of þis myȝty toun,
Haþ in his hert cauȝt a fantasye
His newe cite for to magnyfye.
And it to put þe more in remembraunce,
He cast fully to do some obseruaunce
To myȝty Mars, sterne & ferse of hewe;
And specialy with certeyn plei[e]s newe,
On horse and fote, in many sondry wyse,
To ȝeue his men in knyȝthod excersyse,
Eueryche to putten oþer at assaye
In iustis, bordis, and also in tornay,
To preve her force whan þei happe mete.
Þe whiche pleies wer fondid first in Crete;
And in þat lond, of hiȝe & lowe estat,
In Martys honour þei wer dedicate.
And in palestre, at wakys on þe nyȝt,
Wern [o]þer pleies men tassay her myȝt,
Only on fote with many sotil poynt;
And some of hem wer nakyd & anoynt;
To wynne a prys þei dide her ful entent.
And þer was founde, by clerkys ful prudent,
Of þe ches þe pleye most glorious,
Whiche is so sotil and so meruelous,
Þat it wer harde þe mater to discryue;
For þouȝe a man stodied al his lyve,
He schal ay fynde dyvers fantasyes
Of wardys makyng, & newe iuparties,

168

Þer is þer-in so gret diuersite.
And it was first founde in þis cite,
Duryng þe sege, liche as seyth Guydo;
But Iacobus de Vitriaco
Is contrarie of oppynioun:
For, like as he makyth mencioun,
And affermeth fully in his avys,
How Philometer, a philysofre wys,
Vn-to a kyng, to stynte his cruelte,
Fond first þis pleie & made it in Calde;
And in-to Grece from þense it was sent.
Also in Troye, by gret avysement,
Þe pleye was first founde of dees & tables,
And of castyng þe chaunces deceyvables,
Þat han be cause ofte of gret debat:
For ȝif þat on be nowe fortunat
To wynne a while be favour of his chance,
Or he be war, with sodeyn variaunce,
Vnhappely he is putte abak,
And anoþer, þat stood vp-on þe wrak,
And of losse was plounged in distresse,
Þei reysed han vn-to hyȝe ryches;
Gladnes of on is to another rage—
Adevaunte, hasard, and passage;
Ȝif on haue Ioye, anoþer suffereþ wo,
Liche as þe bonys renne to and fro;
An hundrid sythe in a day þei varie,
Now blaundisschyng, & now þei be contrarie;
No man with hem assured is in Ioye.
And first also, I rede, þat in Troye
Wer song & rad lusty fresche comedies,
And oþer dites, þat called be tragedies.
And to declare, schortly in sentence,
Of boþe two þe final difference:
A comedie hath in his gynnyng,
At prime face, a maner compleynyng,

169

And afterward endeth in gladnes;
And it þe dedis only doth expres
Of swiche as ben in pouert plounged lowe;
But tragidie, who so list to knowe,
It begynneth in prosperite,
And endeth euer in aduersite;
And it also doth þe conquest trete
Of riche kynges and of lordys grete,
Of myȝty men and olde conquerou[ri]s,
Whiche by fraude of Fortunys schowris
Ben ouercast & whelmed from her glorie.

Of a Theatyre stondynge in þe princypale paleys of Troye, declarenge the falle of Pryncys & othere.

And whilom þus was halwed þe memorie
Of tragedies, as bokis make mynde,
Whan þei wer rad or songyn, as I fynde,
In þe theatre þer was a smal auter
Amyddes set, þat was half circuler,
Whiche in-to þe Est of custom was directe;
Vp-on þe whiche a pulpet was erecte,
And þer-in stod an aw[n]cien poete,
For to reherse by rethorikes swete
Þe noble dedis, þat wer historial,
Of kynges, princes for a memorial,
And of þes olde, worþi Emperours,
Þe grete emprises eke of conquerours,
And how þei gat in Martis hiȝe honour
Þe laurer grene for fyn of her labour,
Þe palme of knyȝthod disservid by [old] date,
Or Parchas made hem passyn in-to fate.
And after þat, with chere and face pale,
With stile enclyned gan to turne his tale,
And for to synge, after al her loos,
Ful mortally þe stroke of Antropos,
And telle also, for al her worþihede,

170

Þe sodeyn brekyng of her lives threde:
How pitously þei made her mortal ende
Þoruȝ fals Fortune, þat al þe world wil schende,
And howe þe fyn of al her worþines
Endid in sorwe and [in] hiȝe tristesse,
By compassyng of fraude or fals tresoun,
By sodeyn mordre or vengaunce of poysoun,
Or conspiringe of fretyng fals envye,
How vnwarly [þat] þei dide dye;
And how her renoun and her hiȝe fame
Was of hatrede sodeynly made lame;
And how her honour drowe vn-to decline;
And þe meschef of her vnhappy fyne;
And how Fortune was to hem vnswete—
Al þis was tolde and rad of þe poete.
And whil þat he in þe pulpit stood,
With dedly face al devoide of blood,
Singinge his dites, with muses al to-rent,
Amydde þe theatre schrowdid in a tent,
Þer cam out men gastful of her cheris,
Disfigurid her facis with viseris,
Pleying by signes in þe peples siȝt,
Þat þe poete songon hath on hiȝt;
So þat þer was no maner discordaunce
Atwen his dites and her contenaunce:
For lik as he aloft[e] dide expresse
Wordes of Ioye or of heuynes,
Meving & cher, byneþe of hem pleying,
From point to point was alwey answering—
Now trist, now glad, now hevy, & [now] liȝt,
And face chaunged with a sodeyn siȝt,
So craftily þei koude hem transfigure,
Conformyng hem to þe chaunt[e]plure,
Now to synge & sodeinly to wepe,
So wel þei koude her observaunces kepe;
And þis was doon in April & in May,

171

Whan blosmys new, boþe on busche & hay,
And flouris fresche gynne for to springe;
And þe briddis in þe wode synge
With lust supprised of þe somer sonne,
Whan þe[se] pleies in Troye wer begonne,
And in theatre halowed and y-holde.
And þus þe ryyt [of] tragedies olde,
Priamus þe worþi kyng began.
Of þis mater no more telle I can.

Howe kenge Priam, aftire his Cite was parformede, ordeynede his paleys princypal, callyd Yllyoun.

But I wil furthe of þis story wryte,
And on my maner boistusly endyte,
How Priamus was passyng dilligent,
Riȝt desyrous, and inwardly fervent,
Ȝif he myȝt, among his werkes alle,
To bilde a paleys and a riche halle,
Whiche schuld[e] ben his chose chef dongon,
His royal se and souereyn mansioun.
And whan he gan to þis werke aproche,
He made it bilde hiȝe vp-on a roche,
It for tassure in his fundacioun,
And callyd it þe noble Ylyovn.
Þe siȝt of whiche, iustly circuler,
By compas cast, rounde as any spere—
And who þat wold þe content of þe grounde
Trewly acounten of þis place rounde,
In þe theatre first he moste entre,
Takyng þe lyne þat kerueþ þoruȝ þe centre,
By gemetrie, as longeth to þat art,
And treblid it, with þe sevenþe part,
He fynde myȝt, by experience,
Þe mesour hool of þe circumference,

172

What lond also, pleynly eke with al,
Contened was with-Inne þe strong[e] wal—
Þe creste of whiche, wher it lowest was,
Hadde in hiȝt ful sixe hundred pas,
Bilt of marbil, ful royal & ful strong,
And many other riche stoon a-mong;
Whos touris wern reysed vp so hiȝe,
Þat þei raȝt almost to þe skye;
Þe werk of whiche no man myȝt amende.
And who þat list by grecis vp ascende,
He myȝt[e] seen in his inspeccioun
To þe boundis of many regioun
And provincys þat stoode rounde aboute.
And þe wallys, with-Inne and with-oute,
Endelong with knottis graue clene,
Depeynt with aȝour, gold, ȝinopre, & grene,
Þat verraily, whan þe sonne schon,
Vp-on þe gold meynt among þe stoon,
Þei ȝaf a liȝt, with-outen any were,
As Phebus doþ in his mydday spere—
Þe werke of wyndowe, and [eche] fenestral,
Wrouȝt of berel and of clere cristal.
And amyddys of þis Ylyoun,
So fresche, so riche of fundacioun,
Whiche clerkys ȝit in her bokis preyse,
Kyng Pryam made an halle for to reyse,
Excellyng alle in bewte & in strenthe
Þe latitude acordyng with þe lengthe.
And of marbil outeward was þe wal;
And þe tymbre, most nobil in special,
Was halfe of cedre, as I reherse can,
And þe remenant of þe riche eban,
Whiche most is able, as I dar specefye,
With stoon to Ioyne by craft of carpentrie;
For þei of tymbre haue þe souereynte.

173

And for to telle of þis Eban tre,
Liche in bokys sothly as I fynde,
It cometh out of Ethiope and Ynde,
Blak as is get; and it wil wexe anoon,
Whan it is korve, harde as any stoon,
And euermore last[en] and endure,
And nat corrupte with water nor moysture.
And of [t]his halle ferþer to diffyne,
With stonys square by leuel and by lyne
It pavid was, with gret diligence
Of masownry and passyng excellence.
And al aboue, reysed was a se,
Ful coriously of stonys and perre,
Þat callid was, as chefe and principal,
Of þe regne þe sete moste royal.
To fore whiche was set by gret delyt
A borde of Eban and of yvor whyt,
So egaly Ioyned and so clene,
Þat in þe werk þer was no rifte sene;
And sessions wer made on euery syde,
Only þe statis by ordre to deuyde.
Eke in þe halle, as it was couenable,
On eche party was a dormant table
Of evor eke, and þis eban tre;
And euen ageyn þe kynges royal see,
In þe party þat was þer-to contrarie,
I-reised was by many crafty stayre,
Hiȝe in þe halle, in þe tother syyt,
Riȝt as lyne in þe opposyt,
Of pured metal and of stonys clere
In brede & lengthe, a ful rich auter.
On whiche þer stood, of figure & visage
Of masse gold, a wonderful ymage,
To ben honoured in þat hiȝe sete,

174

Only in honour of Iubiter þe grete.
And þe statue, for al his huge weȝgte,
Fiftene cubites complet was of heiȝgte,
A crowne of gold hiȝe vp-on his hed,
With heuenly saphirs & many rube red
Fret enviroun, with other stonys of Ynde;
And among wer medled, as I fynde,
Whyte perlis massyf, large, & rounde;
And for most chefe al dirkenes to confounde,
Was a charbocle, kyng of stonys alle,
To recounfort & gladyn al þe halle,
And it tenlumyn in þe blake nyȝt
With þe freschenes of his rody liȝt.
Þe valu was þer-of in-estimable,
And þe riches pleynly incomperable;
For þis ymage, by diuisioun,
Was of schap and proporcioun
From hed to foot so maisterly entayled,
Þat, in a point, þe werkeman haþ nat failed
It to parforme by crafty excellence.
Whom Priamus, with drede and reuerence,
Honoured hath aboue þe goddys alle,
In al meschef to hym to clepe & calle;
For in hym was his hool affeccioun,
His souereyn trust and deuocioun,
His hope also, and his affyaunce,
His heile, his Ioye, and his assuraunce;
And his welfare and prosperite
He hath commytted to his deite,
Wenyng in hert wonder sekerly,
To ben assured from al meschef þer-by,
And diffended in eche aduersite,
And hold his regne in hiȝe Felicite,
And in honour continuelly to schyne,
Whil Iubiter, þoruȝ his power diuyne,
Hym and his hath in proteccioun—

175

Þis was his trust and ful oppinioun.
And þus þis werke finally acheved,
Wher-of Priam, with Ioye ful releued,
Þat he his cite and noble Ylyoun
Hath fully brouȝt vn-to perfeccioun,
Liche his entent, whan þat he began.
And þus Priam, þis kyng, þis worþi man,
Ful many day in [t]his newe Troye,
With his liges lad his lyf in Ioye,
Wher I hym leue in his royal sete
Souereynly regnynge in quiete,
Procedyng forþe, ȝif ȝe liste to here,
Vn-to þe effect anoon of my matere.

Howe kynge Priamus, aftire that he had parfytlye parformede and ymade his Cyte, by þe serpente Of Envye was stirede and Inwardly mevede to bygyne A newe werre vpone the Grekes.

O hatful harm, whiche most is for to drede!
Kyndled so long, o spark of old hatred,
Rote of debate, grounde of envie and Ire,
With new[e] flawme hertis for to fyre!
O grayn of malys, causer of al offence!
O rancour rustid of inpacience,
Whiche hast of new made festrid soris smerte!
Whan þou art onys rakid in a herte,
Whiche for disdeyn of mercy maist nat lete
A man no while to lyuen in quiete,
But delvist vp by malis many-fold
Debatis new, þat biried wern of olde,
And falsely quikest strives to restore—
Þenvious serpent þat was slaw of ȝore,
Whiche felly hath, þis addre envyous,
Out of his rest awakyd Priamus,
And with his venym, so persyng & so ille,

176

Made him wery to lyuen in tranquille,
And mevid hym, of his iniquite,
Vp-on Grekis avenged for to be.
For wher-as he in pes held his reigne,
With his legis in Ioye souereigne,
With-oute anoy or any perturbaunce,
Þis serpent hath with new[e] remembraunce,
With-out avis, or discret arest,
So hoot a flawme kyndeled in his brest
Of old envie with fresche rancour meynt,
Þat likly is neuer to be queynte.
For Priam now in his entencioun
Cast & compaseth, revolvyng vp & dovn,
How strong he was of riches & meyne,
How noble & myȝty was also his cite,
And abundaunte, schortly to conclude,
Boþe of plente and of multitude,
Of men of armys and of chevalrye.
Whiche sterid hym to han a fantasye,
Allas þe while, to his vnhappy chaunce,
Þat to be ded he take wil vengaunce
Vp-on his foon; þe fire of hot envie
So brent hym inward by mallencolye,
Stondyng in purpos, þat no man chaunge may,
Of his damages avenged be som day,
And of Iniuries þat þei on hym han wrouȝt.
And whan þat he had a tyme souȝt
To his purpos moste conuenient,
A-noon he hath for alle his lordis sent,
And his knyȝtes callyd euerychon
To com in hast, excused was nat on,
Namly, of hem þat wern of hiȝe degre.
And þei obeying, with alle humilite,
His biddyng holly, & made no delaye,
To com echon ageyn a certeyn day;

177

And his sones wern also present,
Ector except, þat was þat tyme absent
In þe strong and myȝty regioun
Of Panonye, whiche in subieccioun
Kyng Priam helde, þoruȝ his worþines;
And to amende þinges and redres,
Ector was goon in-to þis Panonye,
Certeyn causys for to iustefye,
As in his resoun he þouȝt[e] for þe best,
To setten hem in quiete and in rest.
For he was ay so iust and so prudent,
So wel avised and so pacient,
And so demenyd in his gouernaunce,
Þat hym was loth for to do vengance,
Wher-as he myȝt in esy wyse trete
For to reforme þinges smale & grete;
For lothe he was, þis noble worþi knyȝt,
For any haste to execute ryȝt,
Or causeles by rigour to condempne.
And in þis while, ful worþi and solempne,
Kyng Priamus, of lordis grete and smale,
With-Inne Troye helde a courte royal,
As he þat list for no cost to spare;
And ceryously his menyng to declare,
He in his see, his lordis enviroun,
Gan þus to schewe his hertis mocioun:

Howe kynge Priamus in opyne declarethe þe harmes done to his progenye & hym by the Grekes.

“O worþi lordis, þat ben [now] here present,
Feithful and trew of hert & of entent,
Is nat vnknowe to ȝour discrecioun
Þe grete damagis and oppressioun
Whiche þat Grekis han vp-on vs wrouȝt,
With-oute cause, for a þing of nouȝt,

178

Þis other day, as who seith but late,
Þat, as I trowe, so new is ȝit þe date,
Þat it is fresche remembrid in ȝour mynde,
Vn-to ȝour blood ȝif þat ȝe be kynde.
For I suppose, no forȝetilnes
May put a-way þe mortal hevines
Of harmys olde, whiche ay renewe ageyn
In my memorie, I seie ȝow in certeyn;
And as I trow, pleynly in ȝoure þouȝt,
Þat euer is grene, and ne dieth nouȝt,
How þei haue slayn oure progenytours
Þat whilom wern so noble werreours,
Oure cite brent and brouȝt vn-to ruyne,
And robbid it, falsely by ravyne,
And turned al in-to wyldernes,
And in-to Grece caried oure riches,
My fader slayn, þat hiȝt[e] Lamedoun,
With-out[e] cause or occasioun,
And rauȝt from hym his gold & his tresour,
Whiche me semeth is a foul errour.
We myȝt of riȝt amendis wel chalenge,
And desyren vs iustly to revenge
A-fore þe goddis of so hiȝe offence,
Only of resoun and of conscience.
And passyng alle her mortal cruelte,
Þer is o þing most inly greveth me,
Þat þei vngodly, ageyn[e]s gentilnes,
No rewarde havyng to þe worþines,
To þe birth, nor þe royal blood
Of hir þat is so fayr and eke so gode—
I mene my suster, callyd Exyoun—
Whom þei, allas, to her confusioun,
Disuse and kepe nat lik hir degre,
From day to day in dishoneste;
Wher-þoruȝ hir honour & hir name is lorn,
Considryng nat of what stook sche was born.

179

For þei ar blynde for to taken hede,
Or to aduerte þe rote of hir kynred,
Of surquidye þei be so indurat.
And sith þat sche, of so hiȝe estat,
I-tretid is, liche as ȝe may se,
I suppose other, þat ben of low degre,
Gouerned ben ful dishonestly;
For ȝe may þinke and deme trew[e]ly
How wyvis, maidenes, in þat companye,
With oþer eke þat ben of ȝour alye,
I-haunted ben and vsed at her lust;
On þe Grekis I haue no better trust,
For þei ne spare nouther blood nor age.
And þus þei lyue in torment & seruage,
With-out routhe, mercy, or pite,
Þe whiche toucheþ ȝou as wel as me;
And as me semeth, of equite and riȝt,
Ȝe ouȝt echon with al ȝour ful[le] myȝt,
Of þe wronges with whiche ȝe ben offendid,
To seke a weye it myȝt[e] ben amendid:
And þat we werke, alle be on assent,
And procede, liche to oure entent,
On her malis and cursed cruelte,
Alle attonys avengid for to be;
And þat we be in hert[e], wille, and þouȝt
Of on acorde, and ne varie nouȝt,
For þan our force is doublid & pouste.
For riȝt and resoun & good equite
Require vengaunce on hym þat doþ þe wrong,
Þouȝ it so be þat it abyde longe.
I trust also on goddis riȝtwisnes,
Þat þei schal help oure harmes to redres,
And fauour us in oure Innocence,
To chastyse hem þat wrouȝt[e] þis offence.
Also ȝe knowe howe þat oure cite
Is strong and myȝty, & of gret surte,

180

With touris hiȝe and walles for þe werre,
Þat also fer as schyneþ sonne or sterre,
Þer is noon lyk, for to rekne al,
Þat may in force ben þer-to perigal.
Ȝe knowe also, as it schal be founde,
With cheualrie how þat we abounde,
Expert in armys and of olde assaied,
Þat for drede neuer wer dismayed;
And we haue plente also of vitaille,
Of frendschip eke, þat ne wol not faile
With al her myȝt to don to vs socour.
Wherfor I rede, with-oute more soiour,
To sette vp-on, sithen we be able,
And tyme is now, me semeth, couenable;
For manhod bit make no delaye
To venge a wrong, hap what hap[pe] may.
For in differryng is ofte gret damage,
To werke in tyme is double avauntage;
For to oure purpos lakketh neuer adel,
And þoruȝ oure manhod we ben assured wel.
But list we ben [not] holden to hasty,
Or to rakil to werke wilfully—
And werre also stant in aventure,
For ay of Marte dotous is þe Ewre—
I rede, first to Grekis þat we sende
To wit ȝif þei our harmys wil amende,
With-out[e] strif, werre, or more debat:
Þan may we sayn þat we ben fortunat;
And ȝif þei be contrarie to resoun,
To condiscende to þis conclusioun,
To graunte oure askyng of equite & riȝt,
Þan haue we cause for to preve our myȝt.
But or þat we procede by rigour,
We schal to hem offeren al mesour,
As fer as riȝt and resoun eke require;
And of disdeyn ȝif hem list nat here,

181

Þan oure quarel, devoide of wilfullenes,
I-roted is vp-on sikernes.
And ȝif þat we of her gret offence
Axe amendis first in pacience,
God and Fortune, I hope, wilne assent,
In þe ende we schal vs nat repente;
And it is bet by pes to han redresse,
Þan gynne a werre with-out avisenesse.
Þer-fore, lat vs our woful aventure
Paciently suffren and endure,
And in our port be but humble & pleyn,
Vp-on answer what þat þei wil seyn.
For þouȝ so be, in myn entencioun,
I meved am by iust occasioun
To procede of ire to vengance,
I wil al put out of remembrance,
And lete slyde be forȝetilnes
Þe wrongis don, & voide al hevines
To-ward Grekis, and of hem axe no more,
But þat þei wil Exyona restore
To vs ageyn, whiche is to me most derre,
Only to stint al debat and werre.
For þe surpluse of our mortal Ewre
We schal dissymvle, & prudently endure
Our harmys olde forþe in pacience,
Ȝif ȝe acorde [vn-]to my sentence:
Seythe her-vp-on, as ȝe ben avised;
For ȝif þis sond be of hem despised,
And þat hem list to resoun nat obeye,
Þan we may iustly seke anoþer weye
To han redres, for now þer is no more,
Saue I purpose to sendyn Anthenor,
Whiche is a man discrete and avisee,
And specialy in mater of trete,
For he is bothe wyse and eloquent,
As ȝe wel knowe, & passyngly prudent.”

182

Howe kynge Priam, by the advyce of his lordes, sente Anthenore into Grece for restitucyoun of Exioun.

And whan þe kyng had told his tale anon
To his counseyl þei consent euerychon,
Þat Anthenor þis Iourne vndirtake.
And he in hast gan hym redy make,
With-oute abode, and nolde nat denye
To take on hym þis embassetrye,
Wel avysed in his discresioun,
Toke or he went informacioun
From poynt to poynt of þis gret[e] charge;
For he hym cast to stondyn at his large,
With-oute errour, as he þat koude his gode;
For he þe effect ful pleynly vndirstode;
For euery þing he prented in his þouȝt
Or þat he went, and forgat riȝt nouȝt;
For of a word he cast hym nat to faile.
To schip he goth and began to sayle,
And in schort tyme, he & his companye,
Arived ben vp in Thesalye,
At a cite callyd Mynusyus,
Wher by fortune was kyng Pelleus
Þe same tyme; & Anthenor anoon
Vn-to þe kyng þe riȝt[e] weye is goon.
Of whom he was, as Guydo haþ conseived,
At prime face benignely receyved;
But whan he knew þe cause of his commyng,
He bad in hast, with-oute mor tariyng,
To Anthenor, with a fel visage,
Schortly to seyn þe effecte of his message.

This Troyan knyȝt, astonyed neuer-adel,
But ful demvr and avised wel,
Nat to hasty nor rakel for to seyn,
But abidynge with loke and face pleyn,
To Pelleus, with a manly chere,

183

Seide in effect riȝt þus as ȝe schal here:
“Þe worþi kyng, callid Priamus,
So wyse, so noble, so manly, and famus,
And of knyȝthod passyng excellent,
Hath first to ȝou in goodly wyse sent,
Out of Troye, his royal chefe cite,
His ful entent & message her by me,
As I schal seyn to ȝou in wordis pleyn,
Ȝif it so be þat ȝe nat disdeyne
Paciently to ȝeven audience.
Remembryng first in ȝour aduertence
Of þe harmys nat ful longe a-go,
And þe wrongis þat ȝe wrouȝt also,
Ful cruelly, with oþer eke of ȝours,
In Troye lond on his progenitours,
What Iniuries and distruccioun,
Causeles, with-oute occasyoun,
Ȝe schewed haue of verray cruelte,
And merciles distroyed his cite,
Slayn his fader, named Lamedoun,
And his cite brent and bete doun,
And nouþer left paleis, hous, nor tour,
And lad a-wey his riches and tresour,
And nouþer spared, as I reherse can,
In ȝour slauȝter womman, child, nor man,
Þer myȝt[e] non from ȝour swerd astert.
And ȝit o þing þat most he haþ at hert,
Þat his suster, called Exyoun,
Is hold and kepte of kyng Thelamoun,
Dishonestly, ageyn al genterye,
To gret dishonour & gret velenye
Of her kynred, liche as ȝe may se,
Tretid nor cheresschid lyk to hir degre!
Wherfor, sith ȝe be so wyse a knyȝt,
Ȝe ouȝt aduerte and to haue a syȝt
To swyche þinges, of iust affeccioun,

184

And considre in ȝour discreccioun,
Of gentilnes and of equite,
How swiche wrongis myȝt amendid be.
Wherfor Priam, of gret avisenes,
As he þat fully with al his besynes
Of hert and wille desireþ pes & rest,
Sendeth to ȝou, besechyng for þe best,
Þat ȝe wil don ȝour besy diligence,
To make to hym þis litel recompense,
Þat he may haue restitucioun,
Þoruȝ ȝour knyȝ[t]ly medyacioun,
Of his suster, with-oute lenger space;
And þe remenaunt he wil lete pace,
Strif and werre only to eschewe.
For he desyreth fully for to sewe
Pees and quiete, of hool affeccioun,
And to pursew mesour and resoun,
And finally, liche as ȝe may se,
Al occasioun of werre for to fle;
Consydereth þis, þat hold[e] ben so sage,
For þis þe fyn fully of my massage.”
Whan Pelleus hym pleynly vnderstod,
Of sodeyn Ire he wexe in hert[e] wood,
Of cher and loke fel and furious,
And of rancour riȝt melencolyous,
Þat he ne myȝt [a]tempre nor apese
Þe hasty fir þat gan his hert[e] sese;
For he anoon, in ful dispitous wyse,
Gan Priamus threten and dispise,
And of malis sette his sond at nouȝt,
With all þe menys þat Anthenor haþ souȝt,
And gan also þis Troyan knyȝt manace,
And bad in hast he schuld[e] voide his place,
Vp-on peril þat after falle myȝt.

185

And he anoon went out of his syȝt;
And in al hast, he and his meyne,
With-oute abood, taken han þe se,
And gan to sailen oute of Thesalye,
And in her weye so fast[e] þei hem hyȝe,
Þat in schort tyme þei arived be
Vp at Salempne, a myȝty strong cite,
Wher be fortune in þis royal toun,
Þis Anthenor fond kyng Thelamoun,
And to his palys he haþ þe wey[e] nome.
And first, I fynde, whan þat he was come,
He was accepte[d] vn-to his presence,
Benyng[e]ly with-oute[n] al offence;
For Exion was present in þat tyde,
Of auenture stondyng by his syde.
And at reuerence of hir womanhede,
Of Antenor he toke þe better hede,
Al-be of custom þat kyng Thelamoun
Had hiȝe dispit and indignacioun
Of euery Troyan þat he coude espie;
For specialy to hem he had envie,
Of rancour only, þoruȝ þe bitter rage,
Whiche in his hert myȝt[e] neuer asswage.
But for al þat, he in pacience
To Anthenor haþ ȝeven audience;
Þe whiche anoon, in ful sobre wyse
His tale gan, as I schal deuyse:
“Sir,” quod he, “with support of ȝour grace,
So ȝe me graunt opportune space,
For to declare þe cause of my commyng,
I wil reherse with-out more tarying
My mater hool, brefly in sentence,
To make it kouþe to ȝour magnificence,
Signefying, with-out[e] displesaunce,
Þat Priamus, whiche haþ [þe] gouernaunce
Of Troye toun, hath vn-to ȝow sent

186

Of feiþful menyng and of clene entent,
Besechyng first to ȝour goodlyhed,
Alle other wronges forȝetyn & eke ded,
Þat ȝe only, of ȝour hiȝe nobles,
Of equite, and of gentilnes,
Ȝe wil restore Exyona ageyn,
Whiche þat ȝe hold, to speke in wordis pleyn,
In verray soth, nouȝt like to hir estat.
Wherfore, he preyeth to stynten al debat,
And euery harme to put out of memorie,
Of kyngly honour for ȝour owne glorie,
To send hir hom and make deliueraunce
Goodly of hir with-outen variaunce,
Whom ȝe han holde so many long[e] daies.
Ne tarieth nat, ne setteth no delayes,
Ne lete in ȝow be founde now no slowþe;
For sothfastly it is to gret a routhe
To recorde how ȝe haue hir vsed,
It may of trouth nat goodly ben excused.
But we schal lete liȝtly ouerslyde,
So þat ȝe bening[e]ly prouide
To sende hir hom, lik as I haue seyd.
Loo, her þe charge þat was on me leide,
With-oute more abydyng in certeyn,
What godly answer ȝe wil send ageyn.”
Whan Thelamoun herkned had his tale,
Of hasty Ire he gan to wexe pale—
Þe fyry colre hath hym made so wode,
Þat from his face a valid was þe blood,
Whiche in his hert gan to frete & bite—
With lok askoyn, & tornyd vp þe white,
Of hiȝe disdeyn, with face dispitous,
With pale smylyng & lauȝtre furious,
Gan rakyn oute þe felle mortal fire
Of fretyng hate, þat brent in his desire,
And schortly made, in conclusioun,

187

To Anthenor þis obieccioun,
And seide, “frend, what-euer þat þou be,
I wondre gretly, & mervail is to me,
What auenture or sodeyn newe þing
Vnprudently meveth now þi kyng
Vn-to me to make swiche a sonde;
Þou wer a fole, whan þou toke on honde,
Outher vnhappy or infortunat,
To me to bryng þis embassiat;
For I with hym haue no þing a-do,
Nor he wit[h] me, and loke þou seye hym so;
For we ne ben aqueynted but a lyte,
Nor I no þing platly me delite,
At schorte wordis, ȝif þou list to here,
To don for hym, [n]or at his prayere;
For I ne haue Ioye nouþer feste
To do riȝt nouȝt, sothly, at his request.
Þis wote I wel, þat but a while ago
I was at Troye, my silfe and other mo,
For to reforme [a] þing þat was amys,
Þoruȝ ȝour offence, schortly, þus it is;
For certeyn þing wrouȝt by Lamedoun.
And by our manhood we wan þer þe toun,
And slow þe kyng & alle þat with hym hilde,
In knyȝtly wyse hym metyng in þe felde;
And for þat I, as eueryche myȝt[e] se,
Dide entre first in-to þat cite,
It was to me graunted for memorie,
In signe only of myn hiȝe victorie,
With-outen any contradiccioun,
By alle þe Grekis to haue pocessioun
Of hir þat is to me most entere,
Exiona, whom þou cleymest here.
But be wel siker, þin askyng is in veyn;
For trust[e] wel, & be riȝt wel certeyn,
Þou gest hir nat, at o word, ȝif I may;

188

For þer schal first be made ful gret affray
Or I hir leue duryng al my lyve,
Who euer grucche or þer ageyn[es] striue
It wer nat sittyng me to leue hir so,
For whom I had whilom so gret ado
Or I hir gat with spendyng of my blood;
And who þat be wroþ þer-with or wood,
I wil hir kepe, as it schal be founde;
For whom I had so many mortal wounde
At Troye toun, or þat I hir wan.
And in good feith, as ferforþe as I can,
Sche schal nat liȝtly from myn hondis passe;
For sche allone stant so in my grace
For hir bewte and hir semylyhed,
For hir bounte and hir goodlyhed,
Þat ȝif I schal my resoun schortly fyne,
Sche is in sothe þe moste femy[ny]ne
Þat euer I sawe, and with-outen drede,
Of port, of konnyng, & of womanhede,
Sche haþ alone, in verray existence,
Þe souereynte and þe excellence;
Þat Priamus, for ouȝt þat þou canst seyn,
Whil þat I lyue get her not ageyn,
But he hir bye with many dedly wounde,
With scharp[e] swerdis and square speris grounde.
For þer schal first be reysed soche a strif,
Þat it schal cost many a man his lif,
Or [þat] sche ageyn restored be;
Take þis for soþ, þou gest no more of me.
Whan hym list he may wel be-gynne;
But I suppose he schal but litel wynne,
Noon oþer wyse but as I þe tolde.
And wost [þou] what a gret fool I þe holde,
The to putte so fer in iupartye,
To execute þis embassatrye,
Þe manly Grekis so boldly to offende;

189

Be war þer-for, þat he no more þe sende,
Vp-on þi lyf, for rancour nor for pride.
Now go þi weye; for ȝif þat þou abyde
Any lenger, sothly, in my siȝt,
Þou wost þe pris of þat I haue þe hiȝt;
Þou skapest nat, who þat be lef or lothe.”
Þanne Anthenor anoon to schip[pe] goth,
And to saille hym list nat to delaye,
Toward an yle þat callyd is Achaye;
And whan þat he taken hath þe lond,
At his ryuail of auenture he fonde
Þe worþi kynges, Pollux and Castor;
And riȝt anoon þis Troyan Anthenor
With-oute abood to þe court is fare,
Vnto hem his message to declare;
And to-gydre whan þei were present,
Ryȝt þus he seide, as in sentament:
“Þe nobil kyng of Troye þe cite
Hath vn-to ȝou sent his wille by me,
Besechyng ȝou in ful lowe maner
Þat ȝe list vn-to his prayer
Of equite for to condescende,
And goodly helpyn a certeyn wrong to amende,
Touchyng his suster, callid Exyon,
Þat he may haue restitucioun
Of hir ageyn, by ȝour discrete avyse.
For sith ȝe ben so manly and so wyse,
It likly is, in his oppinioun,
Þat by ȝour good[e] mediacioun,
Sche liȝtly may ageyn restored be,
For to cherische pes and vnite.
Wherfor he prayeþ with al his hert enter,
In goodly wyse to doon ȝour deuer,
Þat hold[e] ben so knyȝtly and so sage,
And he wil pleynly al þe surplusage
Of wrongis olde puttyn in suspence;

190

For he desyreth, of kyngly hiȝe prudence,
To stint[e] werre & to norische pes;
For he is nouther rakle nor rekles,
But avisee, in his werkis alle,
To cast aforn what [þat] schal [be-]falle,
And þinges future aduertyng from a-ferre,
And seth what perel þat þer is in werre,
Wil hym conforme vn-to pes & rest;
For he conseyueth þat it is þe best,
Euery man vnite to sewe,
And prudently also to eschewe
Of debatis ecche occasioun.
Lo, here þe fyn of his entencioun,
Whiche I commytte to ȝour Iugement.”
And Castor þan, of ire impacient,
For hastynes ne myȝt[e] nat abide,
His cruel hert so swolle was with pride,
Brak out anon with a dispitous face,
And seide: “frende, I knowe of no trespas
Þat Grekis dide euer vn-to þi kyng;
To axe amendis, it is a wonder þing,
Of vs þat neuer dide hym noon offence,
Saue þat we made a maner recompense
Of a wrong wrouȝt by Lamedoun,
Þe whiche first souȝt occasioun
Ageyn[es] Grekis, in vngoodly wyse;
Þat caused vs vp-on hym to ryse,
Al attonys, and manly on hym sette,
Of due riȝt for to quite oure dette.
Liche his decert we han hym [pleinly] serued,
And no þing wrouȝt, but as he haþ disseruyd.
To axe amendis he gynneþ now to late,
For we couet more his mortal hate,
His outter malis, and his enmyte,
Þan ouþer pes, acord, or vnite;

191

As in effect her-after he schal fele,
Ȝif it hap[pe] þat he with vs dele;
Þe bargan schal ful dere ben abouȝt;
And we his frenschip, soþly, set at nouȝt.
And ouer-more, I speke now to þe,
It likly is, as semeth vn-to me,
Þat Priamus þe louyd but a lite,
Nat þe valu, I suppose, of a myte,
Whan he þe sent vp-on þis message;
And þou of foly dedist gret outrage,
To take on þe so hiȝe a perlous þing,
Vn-to Grekis to bryng[e] swiche tydyng,
Wher-þoruȝ þi lif is putte in iupartie.
But I counsel fast[e] þat þou hiȝe
Out of my siȝt, list þat þou repente.”
And Anthenor furthe to schippe went,
And with þe wynde gan to seyle anoon
Toward an yle callid Pillyon;
And in al hast, whan he dide ariue,
He schope hym forþe to þe court as blyue,
Wher duk Nestor, in al maner þing,
His housholde held, royal as a kyng.
And Anthenor, ful sadde and avisee,
To-for Nestor sittyng in his see,
Whan þat he was amytted for to seyn,
His tale he tolde ful opinly and pleyn,
From point to point, as ȝe herd a-fore;
It wer but weyn to reherse it more,
For he alwey concluded hath in oon,
Liche as ȝe herde, touching Exyon.
But duk Nestor, with face no þing red,
But of hewe as any asche deed,
Fret with col[e]re so inwardly was he,
Þat his blood from eche extremyte
Withdrawen is, doun vn-to his hert,
Whiche for Ire so sore made hym smert,
Þat he gan quake in euery Ioint & veyne,

192

Þat he his hond vnneþe may refreyne,
For malenkolye avenged for to be;
Lik a lyon, so wood & wroþe was he,
Fer from hym silf he was so alienat,
And inwardly of rancour passionat,
With loke reuersed, furious of siȝt,
Þat tempre hym silf onneþis he ne myȝt;
He felt of anger so greet aduersite.
And amyddes al his cruelte,
Of sodeyn hast attonys he out brak,
And even þus to Anthenor he spak:
“O þou,” quod he, “with alle þi wordis white,
As I suppose, [þat] þou wost ful lyte
Vn-to fore whom þou hast þi tale tolde;
For I merueile how þou art so bolde
To presume myn eris to offende;
And for Priam so proudly to pretende
A maner title in þi kynges name,
Þe worþi Grekis for to putte in blame,
And vniustly, of foule hardynes,
Requere of hem [for] to han redres
Of Iniuries wrouȝt on Lamedoun,
Boldly affermyng, of fals presumpcioun,
Vp-on Grekis wrongis outragious,
Whiche in myn eris ben so odious,
So fretyng eke, so byting and so kene,
For to list þat I may nat sustene,
In myn heryng so hateful is þe soun;
Þat, nere þe honour of myn hiȝe renoun
Refreyned me, I schulde in cruel wyse
Execute ful hastely iustyse,
Þoruȝ þe rigour of my mortal lawe,
With bestys wilde first to do þe drawe,
And þer-vp-on, for þi fayned tale,
Dismembre þe al on pecis smale,

193

In dispite of Priamus þi kyng,
To techen oþer to bringe more tydyng,
Presumptuously, or any talis newe,
To any lord, but þei þe bet hym knewe.
Þis schulde be for þi presumpcioun
Þi last[e] mede and final guerdoun,
With-out mercy, lik as I haue behiȝt.
And in al hast, be go out of my siȝt!
For outerly it doþ to gret offence
Vn-to myn ey to haue þe in presence,
For þoru disdeyn it causeth myn vnrest.”
Þan Anthenor þouȝt[e] for þe best,
It was not holsom lenger to abide,
But cast wysly, for rancour or for pride,
Þat it was best for to bern hym feyre,
And to his schippe he gan anoon repeyre,
And in al hast by possibilite,
With-oute abood he taken haþ þe see,
And gan to seyle & homward fast[e] drawe.
But sodeynly boilen gan þe wawe,
Þe see to ryse, and þe clowdes blake
For tappere, and þe wynde a-wake;
Wonder gastful also was þe heuene
With dredful fire of þe briȝt[e] leuene;
Þe þonder smot, þe tempest gan to dryue,
Þat þe mast gan a-sonder riue.
Now aloft, nowe in poynt to drowne,
Þe fel[le] wedir gan so on hem frowne,
Þat þei awaite not but vp-on deth,
Euene at þe point of ȝeldyng vp þe breth,
For þei ne sawe noon oþer remedye.
And euer-among, þei gan clepe and crye
To her goddes, and avowes make,
And devoutly for to vndertake,
Eche of hem, liche as he was of age,
Ȝif þei eskape, to gon on pilgrymage,

194

Lyche þe ritys of her paynym wyse,
To þe goddis to doon her sacrifise,
So as þei werne of substaunce & of myȝt.
And sodeynly þe wedir, dirke as nyȝt,
With new[e] lyȝt by grace gan adawe;
Þe se wexe calme, & smoþe gan þe wawe,
So þat of hap, among hem euerychon,
For al þe tempest, persschid was not on;
But to-fore Troye, with-Inne a litel space,
Þei ben aryved euerychon by grace,
Eskapid safe from euery Iupartye,
Boþe Anthenor and al his companye.
And to þe temple he toke þe riȝte waye,
And in his prayer þer ful long he lay,
With many another also for his sake,
Þankyng her goddis, þat made hem so eskape
Euery perel and tempest of þe see.
And aftir þis, vn-to þe kyng goth he,
Þat with his lordis aboute hym ful royal,
In his palys and dongoun principal
Sat and abod, ful solempnely,
Trewe report of þis embas[sa]trye;
And þis knyȝt, of al þat hath hym falle,
Hath tolde þe kyng to-forne his lordis alle.

Howe Kynge Priamus, aftire that Athenore had declarede to-fore hym and his lordes the contraryous answere of the Grekes, lete set his parlament, to wit what was to be done.

This Anthenor haþ first made mencioun,
To-fore þe kyng by iust relacioun,
Of his expleyt, by ordre by and by,
And in what wyse & how vncurtesly,
He was receyued of kyng Pelleus,
Of þe thretis and wordis dispitous,

195

Þat he suffred of kyng Thelamoun,
Beying as fers as a wood lyoun;
And afterward, he gan also compleyne
Of [þe] dispit of þe brethre tweyne,
Of his rebuke and his gret[e] drede,
And at Nestor howe he dide spede,
Þat with his lif he myȝt vnneþes skape:
Al þis he told, & gan an ende make
Of his Iourne and eke of his repaire.
And þan Priam was fully in despayre,
Outher by sorte or [by] auenture,
Euere ageyn his suster to recure;
For he conseyueth in his aduertence,
By clere report of expert evidence,
Þat ay þe more he was to hem benigne,
Þe more vngoodly ageyn hym þei malygne;
And wher he most him schewith debonaire,
Þer he fynt hem ageynward most contraire,
So frowardly euer þei hem quyte,
Schewyng by signes þat þei sette lyte
By his frendschip, for auȝt he coude aduerte.
Wherof he was pure sory in his hert,
Þat he constreyned, [riȝt] of verray nede,
Compelled was iustly to procede
To han redres only by rigour;
For profre of pes myȝt haue no fauour
To be admytted, be title of riȝtwisnes,
Þoruȝ hiȝe dispit of hasty wilfulnes;
For euery mene of mesour was in veyn,
Saue only werre engendred by disdeyn,
Be-gonne & caused al of old hatrede.
Whiche gan anon swiche a brond to brede
Of new envie in þe kynges breste,
Þat Priamus, with-oute more areste,

196

Is so inly with Ire and rancour fret,
And with disdeyn so sore grounde & whet,
Þat wher so be, þat he lese or wynne,
Vp-on Grekis he wil a werre be-gynne,
And Iupart, manly as a knyȝt,
His lyf, his deth, by-cause he had[de] riȝt.
And cast hym first a naue for to sende
In-to Grece his fomen for toffende;
And liche a knyȝt his force for to hante,
In knyȝtly wyse he cast hym for to daunte
Þe pompe of Grekis and þe sturdines,
And finaly her pride to oppres.
But seye, Priam, what infelicite,
What new[e] trouble, what hap, what destyne,
Or from a-boue what hateful influence
Descendid is, by vnwar violence,
To meue the, þou canst not lyue in pes!
What sodeyn sort, what fortune graceles,
What chaunce vnhappy, with-oute avisenes,
What wilful lust, what fonnyd hardynes,
Han putte þi soule out of tranquillite,
To make þe wery of þi prosperite!
Whi hast þou sauour in bitter more þan swete,
Þat canst nat lyue in pes nor in quyete?
Þou art travailed with wilful mocions,
Ouermaystred with þi passiouns,
For lak of resoun and of hiȝe prudence,
Dirked & blind from al prouidence,
And ful bareyn to cast a-forne and see
Þe harmys foloyng of þin aduersite!
Þou wer to slow, wisely to consydre;
For want of siȝt made þe [to] slydre,
Þoruȝ myst of errour falsely to forveye
By pathis wrong from þe riȝt[e] weye,

197

To voyde resoun of wilful hastynes!
Wher was þi guyde, wher was þi maistres,
Discrecioun, so prudent and so sad,
Avisely þat schulde þe haue lad
From þe tracis of sensualite;
Þouȝ it ful selde in mannys power be,
By suffraunce hym siluen to restreyne,
Whan sodeyn Ire doth his hert[e] streyne.
Þou schust a-forn bet ha cast þi chaunce,
Wrouȝt by counseil & nat put in balaunce
Þi sikernes—allas! whi distow so?—
And haue symuled somdel of þi wo,
And cast þi chaunce wel a-fore þe prime,
To haue forgoten wrongis of old tyme,
And þouȝt a-forn in þin aduertence,
Þat ofte falleth in experience,
Þat whyles men do most besynes
Vengably her wrongis to redres,
With double harme, or þat þei ar ware,
Þei falle ageyn in a new[e] snare;
And damages þat wer forȝete clene,
By fals report of rumour fresche & grene
Renewed ben, þoruȝ þe swifte fame,
Þat fleth so fer to hindre a lordis name;
Namly, whan þei to a purpos wende
Only of hed, and se nat to þe ende:
For of pride and of sodeyn hete,
Þei voide hem silf out of al quiete,
Aduerting nat to wirke avisely,
Nor þe prouerbe þat techeth commounly,
“He þat stant sure, enhast hym not to meve”;
For ȝif he do, it schal hym after greue;
And he þat walkyth surly on þe pleyn,
Ȝif he stumble, his wit is but in veyn;
But if so be, he list of his foly
Be necligent to putte hym wilfully

198

In aventure, and of hym silf ne reche,
Teschewen perel, I hold he be a wreche.
For sothly, Priam, þou wer to rek[e]les,
For to comytte þi quiete and þi pes,
So dredfully, duryng by no date,
To cruel Fortune or to fikel fate;
Whos maner is, of costom comounly,
Þat whan a man trusteth most souereynly
On þis goddesse, blind & ful vnstable,
Þan sche to hym is most deceyueable,
Hym to abate from his royal stalle,
And sodeynly to make hym doun to falle,
And with a trip, þrowe hym on þe bake,
Who þat geynstryueth schal haue litel tak.
Sche is so sleiȝty with hir gynny snare,
Þat sche can make a man from his welfare,
With hir panter, þat is with fraude englued,
Whan he lest weneth for to be remewed.
Þerfor, no man haue noon affyance
In Fortune, nor in hir variaunce;
Ne late no wiȝt his ese more Iupart—
List þat þe pleye wil afterward departe—
To turne his chaunce ouþer to wel or wo:
For selde in oon sche doth þe gamen go,
As ȝe may se be example of Priamus,
Þat of foly is so desyrous
To wirke of hede & folwe his oune wille,
To trouble, allas, þe calm of his tranquille—
As in [t]his boke here-after schal be founde—
Hym and his cite platly to confounde,
And outterly to his confusioun;
Þat afterward, by long successioun,
It schal be rad in story and in fable,
And remembrid, with dites delytable,
To do plesaunce to hem þat schal it here:
Þat be example þei may be war & lere,

199

Of hasty lust or of volunte,
To gynne a þing which in noun-sur[e]te
Dependeth ay, as strif, werre, and debate;
For in swiche pley vnwarly comeþ chek-mate;
And harme y-done to late is to amende,
Whos fyn is ofte other þan þei wende—
In þis story as ȝe schal after seen.
And late Priam alwey ȝour merour ben,
Hasty errour be tymes to correcte.
For I anoon my poyntel wil directe,
After þe maner of his tracis rude,
Of þis story þe remnaunte to conclude.

Howe Kenge Priam, in opyne parlement toforne his lordes, schewede the answers that Anthenor brought.

This worþi kyng, euer of o sentence,
Ay more & more fired with feruence,
Hath his breues and his letters sent
For his lordis to holde a parlement,
And hem commaundid, in al [þe] hast þei may,
To com anon at her assigned day
From euery ward and party of þe toun,
For to assemble in noble Ilyoun,
Chef of his regne; & whan þei were echon
With hym present, þis noble kyng anon,
To-forn hem alle, as schortly as he can,
His wille declareþ, & þus he be-gan:
“Sirs,” quod he, “be-cause ȝe ben wyse,
It nedeth not long proces to deuyse,
For to reherse of ȝour comyng cause;
But for to telle, schortly in a clause
What I mene, and make no delay,
Ȝe wote how I, now þis oþer day,
Sent in-to Grece, by conseil of ȝow alle,

200

A knyȝt of myn þat Anthenor men calle,
To haue recured Exyona ageyn.
Whos message was [nat] but in veyn;
For of Grekis ful vncurteisly
He was resseyued, and dispitously
Þrat & rebuked, in poynt to haue ben ded:
Vnneþe he myȝt eskapyn with his hed,
Þei put on hym swiche offence & blame,
Þat reboundeþ to oure alder schame.
And day be day it mot encresen more,
But we ordeyn sum remedie þer-fore;
For þer as we al mesour han hem offerid,
Þei haue to vs werre & strif [I-]proferid,
Of heyȝ dispit, of rancour, & of hete,
And of malis cruelly vs threte.
And, wher-as we wold[e] pes purchace,
For wrongis don, þei felly vs manace;
And for þe harmys þat þei han vs wrouȝt,
Þei nat purpos, pleynly in her þouȝt,
Other redres nor amendis make,
But outerly with werre vs to awake,
Whos Ioye is fully encres of our greuaunce.
So wold[e] God, þei wer with repentaunce
Contrit in hert to stynten al meschef,
Þat lykly is to fallyn, & þe gref
On outher part, þat it myȝt ouer-slide;
But þei, allas, with rancour & with pride
Ar swolle of newe to þreytyn more & more.
But God diffende, haluendel þe sore
By infortune euere scholde falle
As þei purpose on eny of vs alle.
But syth þei han schapin þus for vs,
We mote resisten her wille malicious,
Þoruȝ myȝt of God, of necessite,
In oure defence—it wil noon oþer be;
And best I holde vn-to oure entent

201

To wirche and don, alle by on assent,
So we oure purpos sonest schal acheue.
Wher is discorde, þer may no querel preue;
For on þat part wher hertis be nat oon,
Victorie may in no wyse goon;
Chef of conquest is pes and vnite,
Riȝt as discorde is of aduersite;
On hed of hertis makeþ rewmys sure,
Diuisioun causeth discounfeture.
Wherfore, I rede, of o wille and hert
Lete vs set on to do þe Grekis smerte;
For sothfastly, ȝif ȝe list to se,
I dar afferme þat we strenger be
Þan þe Grekis vp-on euery part,
And han of armys parfitly þe art,
And ben acounted of knyȝthod crop & rote,
And plente han of men on hors & fote,
Arrayed wel, eueryche in his degre;
And þer-with-al, so strong is oure syte,
For to with-stond our fomen euerychon—
Ȝow counseilyng to ordeyn anon,
First tassemble holy oure navye,
And stuf hem strongly with oure chevalrie,
And in-to Grece hastily hem sende,
Þe proude Grekis manly to offende;
And of iust cause & be title of riȝt,
Hem werreyn with al oure ful[le] myȝt,
Her townes brenne, & her feldes waste—
With herte vnfeyned also vs enhast
To quiten hem as þei deserued haue.
For be my red, we schal noon of hem saue,
But cruely take on hem vengaunce.
Ne hath no fer, ne lat be no grevance,
Þouȝ þei a-forn by fortune wer victours,
To sleen our auncetris and progenitours;
For he þat was of vnhap first put doun,

202

Remounteþ ofte to ful hiȝe renoun,
By þe chaunge and þe variance
Of werre & strif, þat euer is in balance.
For he þat is þis day assurid wel,
To-morwe he is caste doun of þe whe[l];
Þe victor ofte putte in auenture,
And venquysched by discomfeture
Of hym þat he hadde aforne victorie.
Now vp, now doun, in armys stant þe glorie;
In Martys chaunce no man hym assure,
But as it cometh lat hym take his vre;
For gery Mars, by his influence,
Can ȝeue a man whilom excellence
To wynne a pris, liche a conquerour,
And sodeynly, as a somer flour,
He can his honour maken for to fade.
For, whan þat he his aspectis glade
Fro a man listeth for to writhe,
His renoun old goth a-weye as blyve;
After a flowe, an ebbe folweth ay;
As men disserue, preise hem for a day.
For þouȝ Phebus þis day merie schyne,
To-morwe he may his bemys doun decline
Þoruȝ þe þiknes of þe mystis trouble;
Riȝt so of Mars arne þe chances double—
Now vp, now doun, now lowe, now olofte—
As Fortune, whiche þat chaungeth ofte,
List on hir whele make a man ascende,
And vnwarly doun ageyn descende,
Stoundemel his honour to avaunce,
And with a swyȝe þrow hym to meschaunce;
Now with favour sette hym vp ful hiȝe,
Efte avale hym, with twynklyng of an eye.
Hir pley vnstable turneþ as a bal,
While on goth vp, an-other hath a fal;

203

Sche reiseth on, & doth anoþer loute,
For euery man, whan it cometh aboute,
Mote take his turne, as hir pleye requereþ.
Who is expert and hir fraudes lereth,
Schal with hir sugre finde galle meynt,
And hir hony ay with bitter spreynt—
In pes and werre, in honour & in fame,
In dignetes, in resoun, and in schame,
At hir likyng, as hir list to graunte;
Þerfor no man his hap to moche avaunte.
For þouȝ Grekis whilom wern a-lofte,
It may her-after hem hap ful vnsofte.
Wherfore, echon schewe ȝoure worþines,
Þat so ar named of strenþe & hardynes,
And to Fortune pleinly ȝow committe,
And late no fere ȝoure manly hertis flitte,
But stondeth hool & beth in menyng pleyn,
And here-vp-on, lat se what ȝe wil seyn.”
And attonys her voys þei gonne reise,
And his sentence hiȝly for to preyse,
And of on hert, manly gon expresse,
Þei wil dispende goodys & richesse,
And her bodies put in iupardye—
Þer was nat on þat wolde it þo denye.
And of þis graunt he þanketh hem echon,
And ȝaf hem leue wher hem list to gon;
For he dissolued hath his parlement.
And euery man on his weye is went,
And repeired to his mansioun,
The kyng allone lefte in Ylyoun,
Sool by hym silf inwardly mvsyng,
How his purpos he myȝt aboute bryng;
For he in soth on no þing ellys þouȝt,
And þer-vppon euene þus he wrouȝt.

204

Howe Kynge Priamus callede his sonnes to his presence, and in secrete wyse lamentabyly opynyd and declarede his intollerabyle sorowes, askenge þer avyce in avengeinge his cause.

Kyng Priamus, makyng þus his mone,
As I ȝou told, in a chambre alone,
Many weyes castyng vp and doun,
For to parforme his conclusioun,
And to fulfille þe fyn of his entent;
He first of alle prudently hath sent
For his sonys to com to hym in hast,
As wel for hem þat wer borne in bast,
As þe toþer, for tassemble y-fere
For a purpos, liche as ȝe schal here,
To haue a counseil for nedful puruyaunce,
Ageyn[e]s Grekis to maken ordynaunce,
First by hem silf allone priuely.
And whan þei were in ordre by & by,
Eueryche of hem sette in his due see,
Liche as þei werne of age & of degre,
And Hector first, flour of cheualrie,
Repeired hom oute of Panonye,
Moste acceptable in euery wyȝtes grace,
Nexst his fader taken hath his place;
And whan Priam his leiser dide espie,
With syȝes sore, castyng vp his eye,
To hem echon sittyng enviroun,
Gan to declare his hertis mocioun.
But first, or he myȝt his wil expowne,
In-to teris he gan hym silf[e] drowne;
His hertly wo was so outragous,
Þat for wepyng & sobbyng furious,
Vnneþe he myȝt with any word out-breke,
Nor vn-to hem, for distresse, speke,
Nor openly his inward menyng schewe,
Til at þe laste he in wordis fewe

205

Gan to abreyde, in al his pitous fare,
Euene þus his menyng to declare:
“My dere sonys, so lovyng & so kynde,
As I suppose, þat ȝe haue in mynde,
And remembre discretly, and aduerte,
And enprente ful freschely in ȝour hert,
How þe Grekis, ageyn al riȝt and lawe,
With cruel swerde mordrid han & slawe
Our worþi auncetris, of ful hiȝe renoun,
And distroyed, brent, & bete doun
Þe first[e] Troye, with his wallis olde;
And how vngodly also þat þei holde
Myn oune suster, callid Exyoun,
To ful gret schame and confusioun,
And hiȝe repref to ȝour worþines,
Þat, me semeth, of verray kyndenes,
And of nature ȝe ouȝt to ben agreued,
And inwardly in hert[e] sore ameved,
To suffren hir, in hyndring of hir name,
So to be tretid, for ȝour alder schame.
Allas! why nyl ȝe do ȝour besynes,
Þis hiȝe dispit knyȝtly to redresse,
Ȝow for to avenge vp-on her cruelte,
Recure to fynde of her iniquite,
Sith þat ȝe be so myȝty and so strong!
Certis, me semeth, ȝe byden al to long,
Fro daye to day þat ȝe so differre,
In knyȝtly wyse to gynne on hem a werre,
Ȝour force & myȝt manly to assaye.
I am pure sory þat ȝe list delaye
Ȝow to conferme vn-to my desyre—
Þat in her hate brenne as hoot as fyr—
Vp-on hem, lyche as ȝe may se,
Of fretyng Ire avenged for to be,
Liche her desert to quiten hem her mede.

206

And ȝe, allas, take list non hede,
Whil ȝour renoun doth so freschly schyne,
Vn-to my lust ȝour hertis to encline;
Consyderyng, liche as it is kouthe,
How I haue fro ȝour grene ȝouthe
I-fostred ȝow & brouȝt ȝou forth echon,
Fro þilke day þat ȝe koude goon,
As tenderly as I koude or myȝte.
To whiche þing, in ȝour inward siȝt,
Ȝe schulde aduerte alweye new & new,
And of nature on my soores rewe,
To remedien myn aduersite,
Whiche toucheþ ȝou al so wel as me,
Sith [þat] ȝe wot how sore it doth me greue,
Ȝe schuld[e] schap myn harmys to releue.”
And sodeynly, as he þus gan morne,
Toward Hector he gan his face torne,
And seid, “Hector, my trust & al my Ioye,
Myn eyr also, likly to regne in Troye
After my day, and be my successour,
And named art þe verray souereyn flour
Of worþines, and of manhod welle,
And alle þi brethre in knyȝthod dost excelle,
And in armys, liche a conquerour,
Callid þe stok of worschip and honour,
I hertly praye, þouȝ þou sitte stille,
Be willy now my purpos to fulfille,
To execute þat I desyre so;
For fynally, in þe and in no mo
Is ful my feith to bryng[e] þis aboute.
Now take on þe, & be no þing in doute,
To be chef prince & also gouernour
Of þis purpos, and outerly socour;
In-to þin hond þis Iourne I committe,
Hooly of hert, so þat þou ne flitte,
Þe to conferme, by good avisement,

207

To parforme vp þe fyn of myn entent.
For of resoun, best to þe it sitte,
Whiche art so prudent & so ful of witte,
Strong & delyuer, flouryng eke in ȝouthe,
Of whom þe fame þoruȝ þe worlde is kouth,
Ȝong of ȝeris, old of discrecioun,
Ewrous to love, passyng of renoun,
Vn-to whos wille þi breþre schal obeie,
And stond with þe, boþe to lyue & deye!
Now condescende tacomplische my request,
And what þou felist, answere at the best.”
And whan þe kyng haþ schewed his sentence,
Demvre of chere, humble of reuerence,
Þis worþi Hector, example of gent[e]rie,
With softe speche, as techeþ curtesye,
His answere ȝaf, with sobre countenans,
Þeffect of whiche was þis in substauns:

[T]he answere of Ector [t]o his faders demannde.

“Myn owne lord, and my fader dere,
Benignely ȝif ȝe list [to] here,
After þe force and þe grete myȝt,
And þe somme of naturis riȝt,
Whiche euery þing by kynde doth constreyne
In þe boundis of hir large cheyne,
It fittyng is, as sche doth enspire,
And acordyng þat euery man desyre
Of wrongis don to han amendement,
And to hir law riȝt conuenient;
Namly to swiche þat with nobilite
Kynd hath endewed, & set in hiȝe degre;
For to swiche, gret repref is and schame,
Whan any wrong be do vn-to her name;
For eche trespas mote consydered be,
Iustly mesurid after þe qualite

208

Of hym þat is offendid, and also,
After þe persone by whom þe wrong is do;
Be it in werre, in contek, or debate:
For gretter gref is to hiȝe estate
To suffre an harme, of cas or auenture,
Or any wrong vniustly to endure,
Or Iniuries compassed of malys,
Is more offence, by discret avys,
To hem þat ben famous in manhod,
Renomed, & born of gentyl blood,
Þan to swiche on þat holde is but a wreche.
Wherfore, we most [gretly] charge and reche,
Only of knyȝthod oure worschip for to eke,
Of wrongis don amendis for to seke,
Oure staat consydered & oure hiȝe noblesse,
And in what plyte we stonde of worþines,
Whan þat bestis, of resoun rude and blinde,
Desire þe same by instynt of kynde.
And for my part, trusteþ in certeyn,
Ȝe haue no sone þat wolde halfe so feyn
Vp-on Grekis avenged ben as I:
For here my trouth, I seye ȝow feithfully,
For Ire of hem I brenne as doþ þe glede;
I thurst her blood more þan other mede;
For riȝt as I eldest am of age
Among ȝour sonys, so am I most with rage
I-fret with-Inne, iustly of knyȝthood,
With my riȝt hond to schede þe Grekys blod,
As þei schal fynd, paraunter or þei wene,
Whan tyme cometh, þe soþe schal be sene.
But first I rede, wysely in ȝour mynde
To cast aforn and leue nat be-hynde,
Or ȝe be-gynne, discretly to aduerte
And prudently consyderen in ȝour herte
Al, only nat þe gynnyng but þe ende,

209

And þe myddes, what weie þei wil wende,
And to what fyn Fortune wil hem lede—
Ȝif ȝe þus don, amys ȝe may nat spede.
For þat counseil, in myn oppinioun,
Is worþi litel, by discrecioun,
To haue a pris, þat cast nat by and by
Þe course of þinges by ordre ceryously,
What weye þei trace to wo or to delite;
For þouȝ a gynnyng haue his appetite,
Ȝet in þe ende, pleynly þis no fable,
Þer may þing folwe, whiche is nat commendable.
For what is worþe a gynnyng fortunat,
Þat causeth after strif and gret debat?
Wherfor, in soþe, principles are to drede,
But men wel knowe what fyn schal succede;
For a gynnyng with grace is wel fortunyd,
Whan ende and myddes aliche ben contunyd.
But whan þat it in wele ne may contene,
It is wel bet by-tymes to abstene
Þan put in doute þat stant in surete;
For who-so doth hath ofte aduersite.
But humblely to ȝour estat royal,
Of hert I praye, lat nat offende at al,
Þat I am bolde to seie my mocioun;
For in good feith, of noon entencioun,
I no þing mene ȝow to don offence;
But only þis, þat ȝour magnificence
Procede nat of hede wilfully,
Ne þat no spirit ȝou meue folyly
To gynne þing þat after wil ȝou schende,
For lak þat ȝe se nat to þe ende,
Nor taken hede in ȝoure aduertence,
To consydere by good prouidence,
How Grekis han in her subieccioun
Europ & Aufrik, with many regioun,
Ful large & wyde, of knyȝthod most famus,

210

And of riches wonder plentevous,
Riȝt renomed also of worþines.
With ȝour support þat I dar wel expresse,
Ful perlous is displese hem or disturbe;
For ȝif þat we oure quiete now pertourbe,
Whiche stant in pes, gretly is to drede;
For þouȝ al Asye help vs in our nede,
Ȝif it be lokid on euery part ariȝt,
Þei be nat egal vn-to Grekis myȝt;
And þouȝ also myn aunte Exioun
Ageyn al riȝt be holde of Thelamoun,
It is nat good for hir redempcioun,
To putte vs alle to destruccioun.
I rede nat to bien hir half so dere;
For many of vs, in hap þat sitten here,
And oþer mo, myȝten for hir sake
Deth vnderfonge, & an ende make;
Whiche were no wisdam, liche as semeþ me.
And it may happen also how þat sche
In schort tyme hir fatal cours schal fyne,
Whan Antropos þe þrede a-two schal twyne.
What had we wonne þanne & sche wer go,
But enmyte, þouȝt, sorow, & wo,
Slauȝter of oure men, deth & confusioun!
Wherfore I rede, by dissymulacioun,
With-oute more þat we oure wo endure—
And nat to putte oure silf in auenture—
Þis hold I best—& wirkyn as þe wyse.
But dout[e]les, for no cowardyse
I seie nat þis in ȝoure hiȝe presence,
But for cause I hold it no prudence,
To Fortune, ful of doubilnes—
Sith we be sure—to putte oure sikernes:
Þis al & som, þeffect of al my wille.”
And with þat worde Hector held hym stille.

211

Aftire that Ector had shewede his entente, Paris declaryde his dreme of þe golden Appyle.

And whan Hector, by ful hiȝe prudence,
Concluded haþ þe fyn of his sentence,
Ful demurly he kepte his lippis cloos.
And þer-with-al Parys vp a-roos,
And gan his tale þus a-fore þe kyng:
“My lord,” quod he, “so it be lykyng
To ȝoure hiȝnes for to taken hede,
As me semeth, we schuld litel drede
In knyȝtly wyse for to vndirtake
Vp-on Grekis a werre for to make,
Al attonys her pride to confounde;
Sith þat we passyngly habounde
Of chiualrie, here with-Inne our toun,
And haue plente and pocessioun
Of eche þing þat may to werre a-veile,
Stuf in our silf and ryal appareile
Of al þat longeth to assautis marcial,
And with al þis, more in special,
Help & socour of many regioun,
With vs to werke to her destruccioun,
Þe pompe & pride manly to abate,
And of Grekis þe malis for to mate;
For al þat þei of hert[e] ben so stoute,
Me semeth schortly þat we dar nat doute,
Nor on no part for to be dismaied.
Wherfor I rede, lat nat be delaied
Our schippes first redy for to make,
And I my silf wil fully vndirtake,
So it to ȝou be lykyng and plesance,
Of þis emprise hoolly þe gouernaunce,
And ȝow assuren & putte in certeyn
Exyona to recure ageyn.
And in what forme þat it schal be wrouȝt,
I haue a weye founden in my þouȝt,

212

Þat likly is here-after to be don,
Whiche vn-to ȝow I wil declare anoon:
First, I haue cast, with strong & myȝty hond
For to rauysche som lady of þat lond,
Of heyȝe estat, and make no tarying,
And myȝttyly in-to Troye hir bring,
Maugre her myȝt, for þis conclusioun,
Þat ȝe may haue restitucioun
Be eschange of hir þat ȝe desyre so.
And here-vp-on schal be no long a-do,
I ȝou behete, for al þe Grekis strong.
And for þat I schal ȝow nat prolonge,
I wil ȝow seyn, excludyng euery dout,
How þis avis schal be brouȝt aboute:
First, how þat I schal þis purpos fyn,
Þe goddis han þoruȝ her power devyne
Schewed to me be reuelacioun;
For þer-vppon I had a visioun
But late agoon, as I ley and slepe,
Vn-to whiche ȝif ȝe taken kepe,
Ȝe may not faile nor be in no dispeire
To han recur of hir þat is so faire,
For whom ȝe haue now so moche care.
And þe maner hol I wil declare
Of þis drem to ȝour magnificence,
Ȝif it so be ȝe ȝeue wil credence
To my tale, for I schal not dwelle
Ceriously in ordre for to telle
Þe trouþ[e] pleyn, & no fable feyn,
To ȝow þat ben my lord most souereyn.

Howe the god Marcurye brought with hym the thre ladys, Iuno, Venus, and Pallas, to-for Paris lyenge in the wod aslepe; and of the thre gyfftis that they promysed hym for þe apple.

213

First, ȝif þat ȝe remembryn in ȝour mynde,
Þis oþer day, whan I was last in Ynde,
By ȝour avis & commaundement,
For a mater whiche in ȝour entent
Was specialy had in cher[i]te,
As it is kouþe atwixe ȝou and me,
Of whiche I toke [vp-]on me þe charge
In þe boundis of þat lond ful large,
Þe same tyme ȝour desyre to spede—
Whan þat Tytan, with his bemys rede,
From Gemmyny drof his chare of gold
Toward þe Crabbe for to take his holde,
Whiche named is þe paleys of Dyane,
Þe bente mone þat wexe can & wane;
Whanne halwed is þe sonnys stacioun,
Niȝe þe myddes of þe moneþ of Ivn—
At whiche sesoun, erly on a morwe,
Whan þat Phebus, to voide nyȝtes sorwe,
Doth Pirrous hys wayn ageyn vp drawe,
And Aurora estward doth a-dawe,
And with þe water of hir teris rounde
Þe siluer dewe causeth to abounde
Vp-on herbis and on floures soote,
For kyndely norissyng boþe of crop & rote,
Vp I roos [out] of my bedde anoon,
Ful desyrous on huntyng for to goon,
Priked in hert with lusty fresche plesance
To do to Loue some due observaunce,
And Lucyna þat day to magnifie,
Which callid is lady of venarye,
And duely oure rytis to obserue,
Cithera and hir[e] for to serue,
I and my feris, oure hertis to releue,
Cast vs fully til it drowe to eve,
In þe forest to pley vs and disport,
And pleasauntly vs to recomfort,

214

As it longeþ to loue of lustines.
For þilke day to Venus þe goddes
I-sacrid was, by ful gret excellence,
With gret honour & due reuerence
Doon vn-to hir, boþe of on and alle;
And on a Fryday þis auenture is falle,
Whan we gan hast vs to þe wodis grene
In hope þat day som gam[e] for to sene,
With gret labour rydyng to and fro,
Til we hadde ful many buk & do
By strengþe slaw, as we myȝt hem fynde,
Þe hert I-chasid with houndis & þe hynde
Þoruȝ þe downys & þe dalys lowe,
Til briȝt[e] Phebus of his daies bowe
Amyd þe arke was of meridyen,
Whan his bemys ful hote wern & schene,
And we most besy wern vp-on þe chas,
Þan me byfil a wonder diuers cas.
For of fortune it happed sodeynly,
Whil I was seuery[d] fro my company,
Sool be my silf among þe holtis hore,
To fynde game desyrous, euermore,
Or I was war, þoruȝ þikke & [þoruȝ] þinne,
A ful gret hert I sawe a-fore me renne,
Dovn by þe launde and þe walys grene,
Þat I in soth myȝt[e] nat sustene,
He was so swyft, for to niȝe hym ner,
Al-be þat I priked my courser
Niȝe to þe deþ, þoruȝ many sondri schaw,
Out of my siȝt so fer he gan with-drawe,
For al þat euer [þat] I sewen myȝt,
Þat I anoon lost of hym þe siȝte
In a wode þat Ida bare þe name.
And I so feynt gan wexen of þat game,
And myn hors on whiche I dide ryde,
Fomyng ful whit [vp-]on euery syde,
And his flankis al with blood disteyned,

215

In my pursute so sore he was constreyned
With my sporis, scharp and dyed rede,
After þe hert so priked I my stede,
Now vp, now doun, with a ful besy þouȝt;
But my labour availed me riȝt nouȝt,
Til at þe last, among þe bowes glade,
Of auenture I cauȝt a plesaunt slade,
Ful smoþe & pleyn, & lusty for to sene,
And soft as velwet was þe ȝonge grene—
Wher fro myn hors I [a]liȝt as faste,
And on a bowe I his reyne cast,
So feynt & maat of werynes I was,
Þat I me laide doun vp-on þe gras,
Vp-on a brink, schortly for to telle,
Be-syde a riuer and a cristal welle.
And þe water, as I reherse can,
Like quik-siluer in his stremys ran,
Of whiche þe grauel & þe briȝt[e] stoon
As any gold ageyn þe sonne schon.
Wher riȝt anon, for verray werynes,
A sodeyn slep gan me so oppresse,
Þat fro tyme þat I first was born,
I neuer was a-slepe[d] so to-forn;
And as I ley I hadde a wonder sweuene:
For me-þouȝt hiȝe doun fro heuene,
Þe wynged god, wonderful of cher,
Mercuryus, to me dide appere,
Of whom I was somdel first a-ferde;
For he was girt with his crokyd swerde,
And with hym brouȝt, also in his honde,
His slepy ȝerde, plyaunt as a wonde,
With a serpent goyng enviroun.
And at his fete, also lowe a-doun,
Me sempte also þat þer stood a cok,

216

Singyng his houris trewe as any clok.
And to þe mouthe of þis god Mercurie,
Wer pipes sette, þat songe wonder merye;
Of whiche þe soote sugred armonye
Made in myn eris swiche a melodye,
Þat me sempte þo in myn avis,
I was ravisched in-to paradys.
And þus þis god, diuers of liknes,
More wonderful þan I can expresse,
Schewed hym silf in his apparence,
Liche as he is discriued in Fulgence,
In þe book of his methologies,
Wher be rehersed many poysyes
And many liknes, liche as ȝe may se.
And for to take þe moralite:—
His longe ȝerde, riȝt as is a lyne,
Whiche on no syde wrongly may decline,
Signefieth þe prudent gouernaunce
Of discret folke, þat þoruȝ her puruiaunce
Cast a perel or þat it be-falle;
And his pipes, loude as any schalle,
Þat þoruȝ musik ben entvned trewe,
Betokeneþ eke, with many lusty hewe,
Þe sugred dites, by gret excellence,
Of rethorik and of eloquence,
Of whiche þis god is souereyn & patroun;
And of þis cok þe soote lusty sovn,
Þat iustly kepeþ þe houris of þe niȝt,
Is outerly þavise inward siȝt
Of swiche as voide by waker dilligence
Oute of her court, slouþe & necligence;
And his swerd, whiche crokeþ so ageyn,
Þat is nat forged nor [y-]made in weyn,
Is to reuoke to þe riȝt[e] weye
Swiche as wrongly fro trouþe do forveye;

217

And þe serpent, whiche þat I of tolde,
Whiche wrinkled is, as ȝe may beholde,
Vp-on þe ȝerde and aboute goth,
Signefieth þat falshede wood & wroth
Lith in a-weyt by many sleiȝty weye,
With his gynnes trouþe to werreye.
And þis god, of elloquence kyng,
Brouȝt with hym, eke in his commyng,
Cithera, whom louer[e]s serue,
Iuno, and Pallas, þat callid is Minerue.
And þis Venus, her legis to delite,
Aboute hir hed hadde dowes white,
With loke benigne and eyen deboneyre,
Ay flikeryng with snowy wyngys fayre,
For to declare, sothly in sentence,
By þe dowes verray Innocence
Of hem in loue þat but trouþe mene,
And þat her grounde schulde honest be & clene,
I-tokenyd is, clerly be witnes,
With-out soillyng or any vnclennes;
And þe fresshnesse of þe roses rede,
Þat in somer so lustyly do sprede,
And in wynter of her colour fade,
Signyfieth þe hertly þouȝtis glade
Of ȝonge folkis þat ben amerous,
Feruent in hope, & inly desyrous,
Whan loue gynneþ in her hertis flour,
Til longe proces makeþ hem to lour
With þe wynter of vnweldy age,
Þat lust is pallid & dullid with þe rage
Of febilnes whan somer is a-goon,
As folkys knowe, I trowe mo þan on;
And þerfor Venus fleteth in a se,
To schewe þe trowble and aduersite
Þat is in Loue, and his stormy lawe,

218

Whiche is beset with many sturdy wawe,
Now calm, now rowe, who-so takeþ hede,
And hope assailled ay with sodeyn drede.
And next Venus, Pallas I be-helde,
With hir spere and hir cristal schelde,
And a raynbowe rounde aboute hir hed,
Þat of colour was grene, blew, and red;
And a-forn hir, as I can discryue,
Sche growyng had a grene fresche olyue;
And þer-vppon, with his browes fowle,
In þe brawnchis I sawe sitte an owle.
And first þe scheld of Pallas, þe goddes,
Signified, as I can expresse,
In vertu force, by manly hiȝe diffence
Ageyns vices to maken resistence;
And hir spere, scharp & kene grounde,
By iust rygour was forged to confounde
Hem þat be false, and to putte a-bake;
And for þat mercy schal medle with þe wrak,
Þe schaft, in soth, schaue was ful pleyn,
List merciles þat riȝt ne wrouȝt in veyn;
And after werre to make a ful reles,
Þer was þe olyve þat betokneth pes;
Þe owle also, so odyous at al,
Þat songis singeth at festis funeral,
Declareth pleynly, þe fyn of euery glorie
Is only deth, who hath it in memorie;
And þe raynbow grene, red, and pers,
Signifieth þe changis ful diuers
Þat ofte falle in werre and bataille,
Now to wynne and sodeynly to faille,
Now stable as blew, chaunging now as grene,
For Pallas play is alwey meynt with tene.
And alderlast, as I haue in mynde,
With hir nymphes, Iuno cam be-hynde,
Whiche of custom, as Fulgens[e] tellis,

219

Abide in flodis and in depe wellis.
And þis Iuno, as poetis seyn,
A mayden is, and of frute bareyn;
And þe pecok to þis fresche quene
I-sacrid is, with his feþeris schene,
Splayed a-brod as a large sail,
With Argus eyen enprented in his tail.
Þe water rennyng in riuer and in flood,
Is þe labour þat men haue for good,
Þe gret[e] trouble and þe besynes
Þat day & nyȝt þei suffre for ryches;
Þat who þat euer in þis flodis rowe,
Lat hym be war, for ay after þe flowe,
Of nature, riȝt as it is dewe,
Folwyng þe mone þe[r] mote an ebbe sewe;
Þe most[e] drede is ay vppon þe fulle,
List Fortune þe fresche feþeris pulle
Of riche folke þat schyne in gold so schene,
Sith sche of chaunge lady is and quene.
And Argus eyen, þat ar sette be-hynde,
In nygard hertis be oft[e] sythes blynde,
Whiche nat aduerte of goodis to þe ende,
Þat liche an ebbe sodeynly wil wende,
Whyche þei no þing consydren in her siȝt;
For as þe faire lusty fetheris briȝt
Of a pecok vnwarly falle a-wey,
Riȝt so riches, schortly at a day,
Wiln her maister sodeynly forsake,
Seyn a-dieu, and her leue take.
And as Iuno bareyn is of frute,
Riȝt so nakid, bare, and destitute
Ar þes gredy hertis couetous,
Whiche to gadre ben so desyrous,
Þat in no þing can haue sufficiaunce,
Þe fret of drede hem putte in swiche meschaunce,
Ymagenyng þat þe world wil faille;

220

And in her fere ageyn þe wynd þei saille,
Til [al] attonys þei mote go þer-fro.
And þus of good ay þe fyn is wo,
Namly of hem þat so pynche & spare:
For þis no drede, as clerkis can declare,
Þe frute of good is to spende large;
And who is manful, set but litel charge
To parte frely his tresour in comovne,
Whan he discretly seth tyme oportune.
He hath no Ioye to put his good in mwe;
For an hert þat fredam list to sewe,
Of gentilnes takeþ noon hed þer-to.
And in þis wyse, Pallas and Iuno,
With fresche Venus, ben a-doun descended,
Liche as I haue schortly comprehended,
Vnder þe guying of Mercurivs,
Whiche vn-to me gan his tale þus:

Howe Parys yaf þe golden appele to Venus, and howe sche promysed hym to rekyvere Heleyne.

‘Parys,’ quod he, ‘lifte vp þin eye and se!
Loo, þis goddesses here in noumbre thre,
Whiche fro heuene with her eyen clere
So diuersly vn-to the appere,
Wern at a fest, as I þe tellyn schal,
With alle þe goddis aboue celestial,
Þat Iubiter held at his owne borde.
Was non absent only saue Discord;
And for dispit sche was not þer present,
To be avenged sche sette al hir entent,
And in hir wittes many weyes souȝt,
Til at þe last, euene þus sche wrouȝt,
Of poetis liche as it is tolde:
Sche toke an appil rounde of purid gold,
With greke lettris grauen vp & doun,

221

Whiche seide þus, in conclusioun,
With-oute strife þat it were ȝove anon
To the fairest of hem euerychon.
And of Discord þis lady & goddes,
As sche þat is of debat maistres,
Hath þis appil, passyng of delit,
Brouȝt to þis fest, of malis and despit,
And cast it doun among hem at þe bord
With deynious chere, spekyng not a word;
But on hir weye fast[e] gan hir hiȝe.
And sodeynly so prive gret envie
In-to þe court þis appil hath in brouȝt,
So gret a werre & swiche a contek wrouȝt
In þe hertis of þis ilke thre,
Þat after long may not staunched be;
Among hem silf so þei gan disdeyn
Whiche in bewte was most souereyn,
And whiche of hem haþ best title of riȝt
For to conquere þis bornyd appil briȝt.
And first þei gan þus for bewte striue,
Þat of rancour her hertis almost ryue,
To wit of riȝt who schuld it first possede—
Loo, ȝit envye regneth in womanhede,
Þat on is fayrer þan anoþer holde;
For eche woman of hir kynde wolde
Haue on som part pris a-boue anoþer,
In eche estat, in soth it is noon other.
And eche of hem, in her owne avis,
Hath Ioye in bewte for to han a pris;
For non so foule doth in a myrour prye,
Þat sche is feir in hir owne eye.
But liche a fool he hym silf doth quite,
Þat awmber ȝelwe cheseþ for þe white.
A gowndy eye is deceyued sone,
Þat any colour cheseþ by þe mone;
For som colour is with fir made fyn,

222

And som encresid with spicis & with wyn,
With oynementis and confeccions;
And on nyȝt, by false illusiouns,
Somme appere wonder fresche and faire,
Þat loke dirke a day-liȝt in þe eyre.
Þer is no pref but erly by þe morwe,
Of swiche as nede no bewte [for] to borwe,
But as Nature hath hir silf disposed.
Þerfore fastyng, or boystis ben vnclosyd,
Make þi choyse, liche as bit Ovide,
Whan euery drogge & pot is set a-syde,
List þat þou be, after his sentence,
Deceyvid liȝtly by fals apparence,
For now-a-dayes swiche craft is ful rife.
And in þis wyse þus be-gan þe stryf
Be-twixe Iuno, Venus, and Pallas,
Þat be descendid for þis sodeyn caas,
By on assent, towching her bewte,
Þe dom þer-of comitted vn-to þe.
I speke to þe, þat callid art Parys,
And holdyn art riȝt prudent & riȝt wys,
Be avysed how þi dom schal fyne;
For þei ne may to nor fro declyne,
But obeie, alle, by oon assent,
With-oute strif to þi Iugement.
But herk[e], frist, or þat þou procede,
Of eche of hem what schal be þi mede,
Considere ariȝt, & take good hede þer-to:
Ȝif þou þe appil graunte vn-to Iuno,
Sche schal þe ȝef plente of riches,
Hiȝe renoun, of fame eke worþines,
With habundaunce of gold & of tresour,
And do þe reise to so hiȝe honour,
Þat þou allone alle oþer schalt excelle,
For þi guerdoun, liche as I þe telle.
And ȝif to Pallas, goddesse of prudence,

223

Þe liste þe fyn conclude of þi sentence,
Þat sche may lady of þe appil be,
For þi mede sche schal assure þe,
Þat of witte and of sapience
Þou schalt hooly han þe excellence,
And of wisdam and discrecioun,
To discerne by clernes of resoun;
Also fer as Phebus cast his liȝt,
Þer schal nat be a more prudent knyȝt,
Nor in þis world, sith þat it began,
Of iust report a manlier man,
Nor to þi name noon equipolente.
And ȝif to Venus, of trew & clene entent,
Þe list to graunt, in conclusioun,
Of þe appil to haue pocessioun,
Þe fresche goddes, þat sit so hiȝe aboue,
Schal þe ensure to haue [vn-]to þi loue
Þe fairest lady þat is or was to-fore,
Or in þis world euer schal be bore;
And in Grece þou schalt hir knyȝtly wynne.
Now be avised or þat þou be-gynne,
Iustly to deme, and for no þing spare.’
And I anoon gan loken vp and stare,
Gretly astoned what me was best to do,
Til at þe last I spake Mercurye to,
And seide, certeyn, þat I ne wolde there
Ȝeuen no dom, but þei naked were,
So þat I myȝt haue ful[ly] liberte
Eueryche of hem avisely to se,
And consyderen euery circumstaunce
Who fairest wer vn-to my plesaunce,
And goodliest, to speke of womonhede,
And after þat to my doom procede.
And þei anoon, as ȝe haue herde me seie,
To my desyre mekely gan obeie,
In al hast to don her besy cure

224

Hem to dispoille of cloþing & vesture,
Liche as þe statut of my dom hem bonde:
In a poynt, þei nolde it not withstonde,
Þat I myȝt haue ful inspeccioun
Of forme & schap & eche proporcioun,
For to discerne, as I can remembre,
Avisely by ordre euery membre,
And þanne at erst to iugen after riȝt.
But whanne þat I of eche had a siȝt,
I ȝaf to Venus þe appil riȝt anoon,
Be-cause sche was fairest of echon,
And most excellyng, sothly, of bewte,
Most womanly & goodly on to se,
As I dempte pleynly in my siȝt.
For þe stremys of hir eyen briȝt,
I-liche glade and egal euene of liȝt
Wern to þat sterre þat schewith toward nyȝt,
Whiche callid is Esperus so schene,
Venus hir silf, þe fresche lusty quene.
Þe whiche anon, þis heuenly Emperesse,
After my doom, of hertly hiȝe gladnesse,
Þat of þe appil sche hooly haþ þe glorie,
And wonyn hit iustly by victorie,
Reioysched hir more þan I can telle,
Þat sche hir feris in bewte dide excelle.
And sche in hast, of trewe affeccioun,
Concluded haþ, fully for my guerdoun,
Ful demurly, lowe and nat a-lofte,
To Mercurye with sobre wordis softe,
Devoide boþe of doubilnes & slouthe,
Liche hir behest holde wil hir trouth.
And sodeynly, with-out[e] more Iniurye,
Þei disapered, and þe god Mercurie
Streȝt to heuene þe riȝt[e] weye toke;
And I anon out of my slepe awoke.

225

Wher-of, my lord, whom I most loue & drede,
Ȝif ȝe aduerte and wysly taken hede,
Þat þis behest, affermyd in certeyn,
Was vn-to me assured nat in veyn
Of goodly Venus, liche as I haue tolde.
Wherfore, I rede ȝe ben of hert[e] bolde,
Me for to sende with strong & myȝty hond,
With-oute abood, in-to Grekis lond,
After þe forme þat I haue ȝow seyde.
And, I hope, ȝe schal be wel apayde,
Whan I haue sped, as Venus haþ be-hiȝt,
And hom retourned with my lady briȝt:
So schal ȝe best, me list nat speke in veyn,
Beschaunge of hir ȝour suster wynne ageyn,
Whom Thelamoun with-holden haþ so ȝore.
Lo, þis is al; I can seye ȝou no more
Towching theffect hooly of myn avis.”
And after þat, stille sat Parys,
As he þat haþ fully hym silf aquyt.
But seye, Priam, allas! where was þi witte,
Of necligence for to take kepe,
Þi trust to sette on dremys or on slepe!
Ful þinne was þi discrecioun,
To take a grounde of fals illusioun,
For to procede liche þi fantasye
Vp-on a sweuene meynt with flaterye!
Allas! resoun was no þing þi guyde!
For Pallas was wrongly sette a-syde,
Nat receyued with dew reuerence;
And Iuno eke, with al hir sapience,
For al hir good & lokyng debonayre,
With hir tresour & hir hestis faire,
Refusid was, allas, of wilfulnes.
And sche þat is of loue þe goddes,
And eke also of Wlcanus þe wyf,

226

In whos seruise is euere werre and strif,
Preferrid was þe appil to possede,
Ageyn [al] riȝt, for Paris toke noon hede
Saue vn-to lust, & sette a-syde trouþe.
Wher-þoruȝ, allas,—& þat was ful gret routhe—
Þe myȝty, riche, And þe noble toun
Of Troye was brouȝt to confusioun:
Only for he knyȝthod hath forsake,
Prudence and gold, & in his choyse y-take
Only a womman, and holden hym þer-to,
Þat after was rote of al her wo,
As þis story ceryously schal telle.
But I in dremys wil no lenger dwelle,
But write furth how þat Dephebus,
Þe þridde sonne of kyng Priamus,
His tale gan in opyn audience,
And to þe kyng, schortly in sentence,
As he þat list a trouþe nat to spare,
Euene þus his conceyt to declare:
“My lord,” quod he, “ȝif þat euery wiȝt
Aduerten schuld & castyn in his siȝt
Of future þing þe pereil & þe doute,
And cerchyn it with-Innen & with-oute,
From poynt to poynt, alwey in his resoun
To cast[e] doutes & turnen vp-so-doun,
Þanne no wyȝt schulde to no purpos wende
In any mater for to make an ende,
Or dar presvme by manhod in his þouȝt.
Who cast perilles acheveþ litel or nouȝt:
For ȝif þe plowman alwey cast a-forne,
How many graynes in his feld of corne
Schal be devourid of foulis rauynous,
Þat he doth sowe in feldys plenteuous,
Þanne schulde he neuer, in vale nor in pleyn,
For cowardyse þrowe abrod his greyne.
Lat al swyche drede now be leyde a-syde;

227

I holde foly lengere to abyde,
But þat Parys, my brother, make him strong,
With his schippis for to venge our wrong
Vp-on Grekis, with al his peyne & myȝt,
To preue schortly þat he is a knyȝt.
For of resoun ȝe consydere may,
How þat no man iustly may sey[e] nay,
But þat Paris hath counsailled wele;
For be my trouþe, as fer as I can fele,
It wer errour his purpos to contrarie.
Wherfor, lat hym now no lenger tarie,
But holde his wey with a strong navie,
For to avenge þe grete villenye,
Þat Grekis han, ȝif ȝe taken hede,
Don her-to-forn to vs and oure kynred;
And, for fynal execucioun
Of þe recure touchyng Exyoun,
Whom þei trete in dishonest wyse,
Ageyn al riȝt and title of iustice,
Þat to þink, it ȝewith myn hert a wounde,
Þe schame of whiche so new[e] doth rebounde
Vp-on alle þat ben of hir allye.
Wherfor, þe best þat I can espie,
Is þat Parys take þis viage,
With swiche as ben of fresche & lusti age,
Many to wende in-to Grekes lond;
And by force of her myȝti honde,
Maugre þe Grekis, proude & most ellat,
Ravische þer som lady of estat;
And þanne ȝe may, be knyȝthod of my broþer,
Ȝif ȝe list, chaunge hir for þe toþer.
Þis most redy & schort conclusioun
Þat I can sen for restitucioun
Of Exyoun, ȝif [þat] Parys wende;
And of my conseil schortly þis þe ende.”
And þanne as fast, ful discrete & sage,

228

Elenus, þe ferþe sone of age,
Ros from his cete with gret reuerence,
Praying his fader graunte hym audience,
Þat he may seyn in presens of hem alle,
Openly what þat schal be-falle,
As he þat most of secre þinges can.
And soburly þus his tale he gan,
With clene entent and trew affeccioun:

Howe Elenus, þe fourte sone of Priame, tolde & seid þat Troye shuld be subuerted, and Parys went into Grece.

“My lord,” quod he, “with supportacioun
Of ȝour grace, wher-in is most my trust,
Lat non offence ben vn-to ȝour lust,
Nor ȝou displese, þouȝ I sey my conceyt,
Sith ȝe knowe I mene no disceyt;
For neuer ȝet failed no sentence,
But þat it fil in experience,
Liche as I tolde, in party and in al,
In pryue trete & in general,
With-out menyng of any doubilnes,
Þat it folwede as I dide expresse;
Remembre ȝou, and ȝe schal fynd it trewe.
And ȝif God wil, I schal not now of newe
Spare for to seyn, liche as I conceyue,
Nor, to be ded, with fraude ȝou deceyue,
Declaryng first of trewe entencioun,
As it schal folwe in conclusion,
Þat ȝif Paris in-to Grece wende,
Trusteþ me wel, it wil vs alle schende.
Þe goddis han, by reuelacioun,
Made vn-to me demonstracioun;
And eke I knowe it by astronomye;
For neuer ȝet in my prophesye
Nas I deceyued of þat schuld[e] falle,
Nor noon þat list me to counseil calle,

229

So am I tauȝt of þing þat schal be-tyde.
Wherfor, I praye, for rancour nor for pride,
Nor for envie of [noon] old hatered,
To take vengaunce þat ȝe nat procede
In ȝour avis, liche as ȝe purpose;
I seye ȝou pleynly, for me list nat glose,
Ȝe schal repente ȝif ȝe Parys sende
In-to Grece, þe whiche God defende!
Wyteth þis wel, for þe conclusioun
Schal fully turne to oure destruccioun,
And fynally in-to oure ruyne,
Liche as to ȝow I can a-forn devyne.
For þis þe fyn þat þer folwe schal:
Subuersioun, bothe of tour and wal,
Of paleys, house, here in oure cite,
Al goth to nouȝt; ȝe gete no more of me;
For me semeth, it ouȝte I-now suffyse,
Þat I haue seid, sith þat ȝe be wyse:
For ȝif þat ȝe aduerte to my sawe,
I doute not, þat ȝe wil withdrawe
Ȝoure hand be-tyme, or þat more damage
Assaile ȝou by constreynt of þis rage.
For bet it is be-tymes to abstene
From þis purpos, whiche is ȝet but grene,
Þan of hede hastily assente
To þing for whiche we schal echon repente;
For plenerly þer schal no þing socoure,
Þat þer schal folwe of ȝou & alle ȝoure
Despitful deth, with-oute excepcioun,
Of on and alle abydyng in þis toun.
First on ȝour silf, pleynly to endyte,
Schal þe vengaunce of þe Grekis byte,
Þoruȝ þe furie of her mortal tene;
And ȝoure wyfe, Eccuba þe quene,
Schal lede hir lyf, þoruȝ Grekis cruelte,
In sorwe & wo and in captiuite;

230

And ȝoure leges by þe swerde schal pace
Of cruel deth, with-outen any grace;
And Innocentis mercyles schal blede,
In ȝour avis ȝif þat ȝe procede
Of wilfulnes a werre for to make,
And folily for to vndirtake
For to perturbe ȝour quiete and ȝour reste,
Whiche schal turne no þing for þe best,
But to ruyne of ȝow & of vs alle.
I can no more; but or þat meschef falle,
Mi conseil is a-forn for to prouyde,
And wilfulnes for to sette a-syde;
Specialy, whan deth, as I ȝow tolde,
Mote be þe fyn, ȝif ȝe ȝour purpos holde.
Loo, here is al, with-oute wordis mo,
In-to Grece ȝif þat Parys goo!”
And in þis wyse, whan þat Elenus
Had pleinly seid, as Guydo telleth vs,
Trist and hevy, with a pale face,
Ageyn resorteth to his sittyng place,
Of whos sentence astonyd euerychon
Sat in silence, stille as any stoon,
Powerles her hertis to reswme.
To speke a word no man dar preswme
Of alle þe pres, but kept her lippes clos,
Til at þe laste, Troylus up a-ros,
Ȝong, fresche, and lusty, & coraious also,
And ay desyrous for to haue a-do
In armys manly, as longeth to a knyȝt.
And when þat he, of chere ful glad & liȝt,
Sawe his fader and breþeren euerychon
So inly trowblid, þus he spak anon:
“O noble & worþi, sittyng enviroun,
Of hiȝe prudence & gret discrecioun,
Manful also, and of hiȝe corage,
What sodeyn fere haþ brouȝt ȝou in þis rage?
What new[e] trouble is cropen in ȝour brest,

231

For þe sentence of a cowarde prest?—
Sith þei echon, as ȝe schal euer fynde,
Desyre more, verrayly, of kynde,
To lyue in lust & voide awey traueyle,
And dedly hate to heren of bataille;
For þei her wit fynally applye
To swe her lust & lyue in glotonye,
To fille her stomak & restore her mawe,
To rest & ese euer for to drawe,
And to swe her inward appetite,
Þis her Ioye and þis is her delyte,
In etyng, drinkyng, and in couetyse
Is her studie, and fully to deuyse
How þei may folwe her lust, with-out[e] more,
Of riȝt nouȝt ellis sette þei no store.
Allas, for schame! whi be ȝe so dismaied,
And sitte mwet, astonyed & affrayed
For þe wordis of þis Elenus,
Ferful for drede as a litel mows,
Þat he quaketh to here speke of fiȝt;
And, more-our, ageyn al skil & riȝt,
In preiudise of þe goddis alle,
He takeþ on hym to seyn what schal be-falle,
Of þing futur for to specyfie,
As he had a spirit of profecye
Grauntid to hym allone in special,
As þauȝe he were in konyng perigal
To þe goddis, hauyng prescience
To schew a-forn, þoruȝ his sapience,
What schal be-tide, ouþer euel or good.
Lat be, lat be! for no wiȝt is so wood,
Þat haþ his witte, to ȝeue þer-to credence,
Þat any man by crafte or by science,
Þat mortal is, haþ konyng to devine
Fortunys cours, or fatys to termyne.
Swyche causis hid, conselid in secre,
Reserued ben to goddis priuete;

232

Men may devine, but al is but folye
To taken hede; for þei don but lye.
Wherfor, I rede, as in þis mater,
Boþe on and alle, & ȝou my lord so dere,
Texclude al drede & al þat may disturbe
Out of ȝour hert, and lat no þing perturbe
Ȝour hiȝe corages, þat Elenus haþ tolde;
And ȝif þat he of hert[e] be nat bolde,
As manhod wold, to help[e] venge our wronge,
Lat hym go hyde hym in þe temple strong,
And kepe hym clos in contemplacioun,
To wake and praye by deuocioun
With-oute socour, a-dayes and a-nyȝtes,
And suffreþ swiche as be lusty knyȝtes
To hante her ȝouþe & grene lustynes,
Manly in armys to preue her hardynes,
Þat þei may haue þe better acquaintaunce
In tyme comyng, for to do vengance
On her enmyes and her cruel foon.
And commaundeth þat Parys may forþe gon
To execute þe fyn of ȝour entent,
Aforn purposed in ȝour parlament,
Vp-on Grekis for her offencioun,
To parforme vp þe peyne of talioun
For wrongis old, of whiche ȝit þe fame
Rehersid is vn-to our alder schame
Þoruȝ-oute þe world, ȝe wot þis is no les.”
And þer-with-al Troylus held his pes.
And sodeynly alle þat were present
Be-gan attonys, al be on assent,
Troilus counseil gretly for to preyse,
And his manhod to þe heuene areyse,
His fresche corage and his hiȝe prowes,
His feruent ȝel and his hardines,
And of on hert gretly hym comende;
And riȝt anoon þer þei made an ende.

233

Þan Priamus, whan þat al was don,
Vp-on þe tyme of þe hour of noon,
To mete goth with-Inne Illyoun,
Alle his sonys sittyng enviroun.
And after mete he called haþ Parys
And Dephebus also, þat was ful wyse,
And secrely bad þei schuld[e] go
Þe same day with oþer lordis mo
To Panonye, in al þe hast þei may,
To make hem redy, aȝens a certeyn day,
With al þe array of worþi chyualry
Þat þei may gete in her company,
Toward[es] Grece to seylen hastyly.
And after þat, þe kyng al sodeynly
Þe next[e] day made his counseil calle;
And euene þus he seyde a-forn hem alle:
“O noble liges, beyng now present,
My purpos is to sey ȝow myn entent,
With-oute abood, to here it ȝef ȝe list.
As I suppose, to ȝow is nat vn-wist
How þe Grekis, of pride and tyrannye,
Of malis old compasid by envie,
In many wyse han ageyn vs wrouȝt,
Whiche is so grene þat I for-ȝete nouȝt.
For day by day, encresyng euer mo
By remembraunce, renewed is my wo,
Whan I record & cast[e] vp and doun
Oure greuys alle, & how þat Exyoun
In seruitute among hem doth soiourne.
Whiche oft a day causeth me to mourne,
And myn hert almost asondre ryue,
For to considre & seen it be my lyue;
Whos cruelte we han to dere abouȝt,
Nat-with-stondyng þat I haue menys souȝt

234

To ben in rest, with-outen any more,
Whan in-to Grece I sent Anthenor,
Peysibly my suster to recure,
And þe surplus paciently tendure.
But al for nouȝt; þei toke of it non hede,
For al þat I offered of goodlyhede;
It was nat herd, for lak of gentilnes,
Record of whiche doubleth my distres.
Wherfor, we most, as techeth sorgerye,
With scharp yrens sechyn remedye,
To kut awey, by þe rote rounde,
Þe prowde flesche þat growith in þe grounde,
Whiche wil not voide with oynementis softe,
Al-be þat þei be leid þer-to ful ofte.
Riȝt so be ensample, we most be duresse
Getyn recur, whan þat with fairnesse
We may noon haue: wherfor, be ȝour avys,
My purpos is to send[e] forþe Parys
In-to Grece, som lady þer to wynne,
And bring hir hom; & we schal her with-Inne
Kepe hir strong, maugre who seyth nay,
Til we sen som agreable day,
Þat þei be fayn, liche myn oppinioun,
To haue exchaunge for hir of Exyoun,
My dere suster, whom I loue so.
We may nat faile þat it schal be do,
So þe goddis be to vs fauourable,
And þis counseil be also acceptable
To ȝou echon, as it is to me;
For whan a þing toucheþ a commvnte—
Of wyse men as it is affermed—
Of alle þe comoun it ouȝte be confermed;
Þing touchyng al schuld[e] ben aprevid
Of alle echon, or it wer a-cheuyd:
Wherfor, I cast, be avis of ȝou echon,
Pleinly to werke.” & with þat word anoon
Þis noble Priam was sodeynly in pes.

235

And after þat, among[es] al þe pres,
Whan al was hust, in her alder siȝt,
A knyȝt vp ros, and Pentheus he hiȝt,
Þat son[e] was of Euforbius—
De transformatis, as seith Ovidius—
In-to whom he feyneth þat þer was
Whilom þe sowle of Pyctagoras
Holy transmewed, so as writ Ovide:
As touchyng þat, I wil no lenger byde,
But telle forþe of þis Pentheus,
A-fore þe kyng whiche gan his tale þus:
“My lige lord, vn-to ȝour hiȝe noblesse
Displese it nat, nor to ȝour worþines,
In presence of ȝour maieste
Þat I schal seyn, for taquite me
Towardis ȝow of my feith & trouþe;
For sothfastly in me may be no slouþe
Touchyng ȝoure honour, þat with-oute drede,
With ȝel of feith I brenne as doth þe glede,
Of alle harmys to bidden ȝow be war.
For dout[e]les afferme wel I dar,
Ȝif ȝe stond in ȝour first avis,
As ȝe purpos, to sende forþe Parys,
I dout[e] nat þat it schal ȝou rewe;
For God wel wot, of old & nat of newe,
I had a fader callid Euforbius,
Discret & wis, and riȝt vertuous,
And knowyng had a-forn of euery þing
By prescience and by for-wetyng,
To telle pleinly þoruȝ his philosophie,
So clere he saw with his hertis eye,
Þat þer ne was no þing so secre
Hid from his knowyng, nor no preuite
Þat he hit knewe; he was of witte so sage.
And at þe last, wan he was of age
An hundrid ȝere, with lokkis grey & hore,

236

I can remembre how he compleyned sore
And wepe also of pite tenderly,
Fully affermyng, ȝif Paris outterly
Went in-to Grece to ravische hym a wyf,
Þer schuld[e] folwe swiche a mortal stryf
Vp-on vs alle, þat sothly þis cite
Schuld in-to asches & cyndres turned be;
And þat þer schuld no þing vs socour;
Þat Grekis swerd schal cruelly deuour
Boþe hiȝe & lowe, & pleynly spare noon.
Wherfor, I praye, among ȝou euerychon,
Of þat I telle haueþ no dispit;
Ȝour wrong to venge putteth in respit;
And rancour old, I rede þat ȝe lete;
And þe tranquille now of ȝour quiete,
Of hastynes, þat ȝe [nat] submitte
To Fortune þat can so falsly flitte;
Perturbeth nat, for non olde enmyte,
With new[e] steryng ȝoure felicite:
For ȝif þat ȝe to þis iourne assent,
Ȝe euerychon ful sore schal repente;
And ȝif ȝe wiln algatis þedir sende,
In Paris stede lat som oþer wende,
List his viage be to ȝou no spede;
Þis my counceil, & þis is [ful] my rede,
Seide vnder support only of ȝour grace.”
And sodeinly þei gan echon to chace
At Pentheus, & lowde ageyn hym crie,
Reprevyng hym and þe prophesye
Of his fader to her confusioun.
But, o allas! þe reuolucioun
Of Ioye or wo, [or] of felicite!
For þing ordeyned nedes moste be;
Þe ordre of þinges with fate is so englued,
For þat schal falle may nat be eschewed;
Whiche caused hem for to assent in on,

237

Vndiscretly, þat Parys schulde gon—
Vnhappyly with hap þei were envoluyd;
And þus concludyng, her counseil is dissoluyd.
But casuely, it by-fil riȝt þan,
Þat þis avis vn-to þe eris ran
Of Cassandra, and sche with gret affray
Of sodeyn wo gan crye “weyllaway:”
“Allas!” quod sche, “allas! what wil ȝe don?
What! schal Parys now in-to Grece gon?”
And with þat word, sche barst oute to wepe
Ful pitously with inward syȝes depe;
Sche gan to waile & swone for þe peyne,
And furiously with noyse to compleyne;
With woful rage & many pitous sown
Sche made a mortal lamentacioun:
For to be ded, sche myȝt hir nat with-holde;
With here to-torn, and with fistes folde,
Sche seyde “allas” more þan an hundrid sythe—
“O stormy Fortune, why listow to kythe
Þi cruel force to oure aduersite,
Vp-on vs alle & vp-on þis cite,
Of mortal Ire and gery violence,
With swerde of vengaunce wers þan pestilence?
O Troye, Troye, what is þi gilt, allas!
What hastow don, what is þi trespas,
To ben euersed & turned in-to nouȝt
With wilde fyre? þi synne is dere [a]bouȝt!
A! Priam kyng! vncely is þi chance!
What hastow gilt, ouþer do greuaunce
To þi goddis, or wraþþid þoruȝ vnryȝt
Hem to prouoke to schewe her cruel myȝt
Vp-on þi blod? allas, what hastow do!
O moder myn! o Eccuba also!
What maner cryme or importable offence
Hastow wrouȝt to han swiche recompense
Þe day to abyde, o noble, worþi quene,

238

Of þi sonys swiche vengaunce for to sen!
O woful deth, cruel and horrible!
Allas! whi ar ȝe now no more credible
To my conseil swiche harmys to eschewe,
Ȝour mortal purpos fully to remewe,
Þat he go nat, as it is ordeyned;
For þouȝt of whiche I am so constreyned,
Þat vnneþe I may þe wo endure!”
And to hir fader þis woful creature
Halt streyȝt hir way, & falliþ plat to grounde,
And of hir wepyng al in water wounde—
By hir chekis so þe teris reyne—
And as sche myȝt, for constreint of hir peyne,
Vp-on hym sche gan to clepe & crye,
Besechyng hym to schape remedye,
With pitous vois, as sche þat knew ful wel
In þis mater pleynly euerydel,
What schal [be-]falle, & had it ful in mynde,
Þe sodeyn harmys þat swe schal be-hynde.
But al hir clamour was [nat] but in veyn;
For þat schal falle, as somme clerkis seyn,
Ne may nat wel of men eschewed be;
And eke Fortune, by gret aduersite,
Of hasty Ire furious and wood,
And vnkynde to þe Troyan blood,
Causeles ageyn[e]s hem a-grevid,
And of rancour sodeynly amevid
With blynde a-waites to cache hem in a traunce,
Be violence of hir vnhappy chaunce,
Hath with a swyȝe turned hir whele vnstable,
As sche þat is envious and mutable,
To haste Troyans to her confusioun,
Of wilfulnes and vndiscresioun
Ageyns Grekis a quarel for to make.
And þer-vppon han her conseil take,
And acheuyd, as ȝe han herd deuyse,

239

With-oute assent of þe most[e] wyse.
For ȝif þei had þe dissuasioun
Of Hector herde, concluded in resoun,
In þis mater, and of Elenus
The counseil take, and to Pentheus
Aduertid wysely, and to his sentence
With-oute feynyng ȝoue ful credence,
And of Cassandra, þat neuer koude lye,
Prudently herde þe prophesye,
Fro point to point for to cast a-forn,
In swiche meschef þei had nat be lorn,
But floured ȝit in her felicite,
With-oute damage and aduersite.
But Fortune wil haue hir cours alwey,
Whos purpos holt, who seyth ȝe or nay;
For sche it was þat made þis viage,
With forhed pleyn and [a] false visage,
With sugre out-schad, and venym in þe rote,
Bitter of tast, and in schewyng soote,
Wrinkled double, like an hornyd snail,
Feyth in hir face & fraude ay in þe tail,
To hast Troyans acorden in-to oon,
Þat Paris schuld in-to Grece goon,
As ȝe han herde: þer is no more to seyn;
For her-vppon þei cast hem & ordeyn.

Howe Parys toke þe See with a grete navye towarde þe londe of Grece; and howe of chance he met with Kenge Menelay, Heleyns husbonde, not knowynge what he was.

The tyme aprocheþ whan þe sonne schene
His golden wayn whirlid vp a-twene
Þe clere sterris of Iades so red,
Whiche han her siȝt in þe Crabbis hed,
And Pliades, þe seuene sterris briȝt,
Of whiche sixe apperen to oure siȝt;
For þe seuenþe drawith hir asyde,

240

And couertly doth hir bemys hide,
Whilom for sche dide a gret offence,
Þat vn-to vs causeth hir absence.
For sche dar nat schewe hir stremys clere,
Nor with hir sustren openly apere,
Whilom for sche with a god mortal
Dide a synne þat was crimynal,
Whiche noised was & kouþe þoruȝ þe heuene,
Þat sche allone among þe susters seuene
Schroudeth to vs schamfastly hir chere.
And whan Tytan in þe ȝodyak spere
Atwen þis sterris had[de] take his se,
Of þe Bole in þe sixtene degre,
Vp-on þe tyme of Ioly grene May,
Whan þat Flora with hir hewes gay
Hath euery playn, medwe, hil, & vale
With hir flouris, quik and no þing pale,
Over-sprad & cladde in lyuere newe,
And braunchis blosme with many lusty hewe,
And bit vs fully to be glad & liȝ—
For by assuraunce þei haue her frute be-hiȝt
Ageyn autumpne, who so list hem shake,
Whan on vynes ripeth euery grape—
And þus þis sesoun, most lusty of disport,
Enbrasiþ hertis with new recounfort,
Only of hope by kynde as it is dew,
Þat holsom frute schal þe blosmys swe,
Whan tyme cometh by reuolucioun.
And þus in May, þe lusty fresche sesoun,
Whan briddes syngen in her armonye,
The same tyme out of Panonye
Repeyred ben Dephebus and Paris,
And with hem brouȝt, chosen by devis,
Þre þousand knyȝtes redy for to goon
With hem to Grece, & schippis many on,
Ful vitailled of al þat may hem nede.

241

And of þese schippis þe noumbre, as I rede,
Was two & twenty, liche as writ Guydo.
And after þis, with-oute more a-do,
Þe kyng commaundeth vn-to Eneas,
To Anthenor and to Polydamas,
In al hast þat þei hem redy make
With Parys knyȝtly for to vndirtake,
As ȝe han herde, þis Iourne for tacheue.
And on þe tyme whan þei toke her leue,
Priamus, with schort conclusioun,
Scheweþ þeffect of his entencioun,
And specialy þat þei her dever don
For to recure his suster Exioun,
As ȝe han herd her-to-fore me telle:
What schulde I more in þis mater dwelle?
Whan þei wer redy, with-oute more soiour,
Þis Parys first, as lord and gouernour
Of þis viage made by Priamus,
And his broþer, callid Dephebus,
Her leue toke with wepyng tenderly;
And after þat to schippe manfully,
With-oute abode þei be-gan hem dresse,
And in þe name of Venus, þe goddes,
And myȝty Iove, þei token her Iourne.
Þei hale vp ankir, and by þe large se
Þei gan to seile, and haue þe wynde at wille,
Þe water calme, blaundischyng, and stille,
With-oute trouble of any boystous wawe.
And to þe costis þei gan fast[e] draw
Of Grekis lond, for no þing hem lette;
And of fortune in her cours þei mette
A Grekysche schip, myn auctor telleþ vs,
In whiche þer was þe kyng Menelaus,
Toward Pyram, a famus strong cite,
For to visite a duke of hiȝe degre

242

Þat Nestor hiȝt; and þis Menelaus
Was broþer eke vn-to þe kyng famus,
Þe wyse, worþi, grete Agamenoun,
Most of name and reputacioun
Amongis Grekis for his worþines.
And Menelay, þis story beriþ witnes,
Husbond was to þe quene Eleyne,
Þat was suster to þe breþer tweyne,
Castor & Pollux, whiche, as I ȝou tolde,
Wer of her hond so worþi knyȝtes holde.
And in þat tyme, liche to her degre,
In Strynestar, her most chef cite,
Þei held an housholde solempne & ryal.
Þe loue of whom was so special,
Of wille & hert acordyng with þe dede,
Atwixe hem two, of verray breþerhede,
Þat noon from other koude lyue alone.
With [w]hom was eke þe maiden Hermyone,
Þe ȝong[e] douȝter of þe quene Eleyne,
Of fairnes most inly souereyne,
Most passyngly excellyng in bewte.
And þus Troyans, sailyng by þe se
Toward Grece, among þe wawis wete,
Of auenture happed[e] to mete
Kyng Menelay, seilyng by her syde;
And non of [hem] list, of verray pride,
For to enquere what þat oþer was,
But passe furþe a ful huge pas,
For non of hem oþer koude knowe.
And ey þe wynde pesybly gan blowe,
Þe Troyan flete causyng in a while
For taproche to the noble Ile
Þat callid is Cithera þis day;
And in þe hauene, in al hast þei may,
Þei cast hanker, & bond her schippis strong;

243

And after þat, hem list nat tarye long
To take þe lond, ful many lusty man,
Arraying hem as freschely as þei can.
Now, in þis Ile of passyng excellence,
Þer was a temple of gret reuerence,
Þat bilded was of olde fundacioun,
And most honoured in þat regioun,
Þoruȝ-oute þe lond, boþe fer & ner—
The fest[e] day, ay from ȝer to ȝer,
Liche as it fil by reuolucioun,
Repeyryng þeder of gret deuocioun,
In honour only of Venus, þe goddes,
Whom þe Grekis with al her besynes
Honoured most of euery maner age,
With ȝiftes bringyng and with pilgrimage,
With gret offeryng and with sacrifyse,
And vsid was in her paynym wyse.
For in þis phane, as þei knele & wake
With contrit hert, & her prayer make,
Þe statue ȝaf of euery questyoun
Pleyn answer and ful solucioun,
With cerymonyes to Venus as þei loute;
Of euery þing þat þei hadde doute,
Þei hadde ful declaracioun.
And þus þe Grekis vp-on Cytheroun
Halwyn þis fest with riche & gret array,
With rytis due, as ferforþe as þei may,
In hope fully þe better for to þrive.
And of fortune, whan he dide aryue
Vp-on þe lond, by auenture or cas,
Þe same tyme þis fest[e] halwed was
Of many Greke, commyng to and fro
From euery cost, þat to þe temple go
On pilgrimage her vowes to acquyte,
Of þe place þe reliques to vesyte.

244

Howe Parys enterde þe Ille of Citherea, wher he met with the fayre Quene Heleyne.

And whan Paris dide þis espie,
He gadred out of his companye
Þe worþiest þat he chesen may;
And to þe temple he took þe riȝt[e] waye,
Ful wel be-seyn, & in knyȝtly wyse,
And dide his honour & his sacrifyse
Ful humblely to þe Grekis liche,
With many nowche & many Iouwel riche,
With gold & siluer, stonys and perre
He spendeþ þer, liche to his degre,
And quit hym manly in his oblacioun[s];
And deuoutly in his orisouns
He hym demeneþ, þat Ioy[e] was to se.
Now was Parys of passyng gret bewte
Among[es] alle þat euer werne alyve:
For þer was non þat myȝt with hym striue,
Troyan nor Greke, to speke of semlyhede,
Wonder fresche and lusty, as I rede,
And in his port ful lik a gentil knyȝt.
Of whos persone for to han a siȝt,
Þei gan to prese, boþe nyȝe and fere,
So ryally he had hym in his gere,
And coueyte, of hiȝe estat and lowe,
What he was, gretly for to knowe;
And of his men þei aske besely,
Fro when he cam, & þe cause why,
Of his comyng enqueryng on by on.
But prudently þei kepte hem euerychon,
Þat no þing was openly espyed
In her answere, so þei han hem guyed,
Þat euery þing kepid was secre,
Eueryche of hem was so avisee;
Al-be þat somme oppenly declare

245

What þat he was, & ne list not spare,
But tolde pleynly þe cause of his commyng,
And how Priam, þe strong[e] myȝty kyng,
His fader was, most royal of renoun,
And how he cam also for Exyoun.
Þus eche of hem gan with other rowne,
At pryme face, whan he cam to towne,
And þer-vp-on wer ymagynatyf,
Sore mvsyng and inquisytif,
Eche with other be suspecioun
Demyng þer-of liche her oppinioun,
And raþest þei þat no þing ne knewe,
As folkis don of þinges þat be newe.
And whiles þei of þis mater trete
In sondry wyse amonge her wordes grete,
Þe fame of hem gan anoon atteyne
To þe eris of þe quene Eleyne,
Niȝe besyde in þat regioun.
And whan sche herd be relacioun,
And by report of hem þat cam by-twene,
Þis faire Eleyne, þis fresche, lusty quene,
Anon as sche þe soþe vndirstood,
With-oute tarying or any more abood,
Sche hasteþ hir to þis solempnite,
Þe fresche folke of Frigye for to se—
Wel mor, God wot, in hir entencioun
To se Parys, þan for deuocioun.
Vnder colour of holy pilgrymage,
To þe temple sche takeþ hir viage,
With gret meyne & ryal apparaille,
Parys to sen for sche wil nat faille.
But, o allas! what lusty new[e] fyre
Haþ hir hert enflawmyd be desyre,
To go to vigiles ouþer to spectaclis!
Noon holynes to heryn of myraclis
Hath mevid hir, þat þer schal be-falle;
But as þe maner is of women alle

246

To drawe þedir, platly to conclude,
Where as þei be sure þat multitude
Gadrid is, at liberte to se,
Wher þei may finde opportunyte
To her desyre, ful narwe þei awaite,
Now couertly her eyne for to baite
In place wher as set is her plesaunce,
Now priuely to haue her daliaunce
Be som sygne or castyng of an eye,
Or toknes schewyng in hert[e] what þei drye,
With touche of hondis [stole] among þe pres,
With arm or foot to cache vp in her les
Whom þat hem list, al-be he fre or bonde,
Of nature þei can hym holde on honde—
Ageyn whos sleiȝt availeþ wit nor myȝt:
For what hem list, be it wrong or riȝt,
Þei ay acheue, who seyth ȝe or nay,
Ageyn whos lust diffende him no man may.
Þus Guydo ay, of cursid fals delit,
To speke hem harme haþ kauȝt an appetit,
Þoruȝ-oute his boke of wommen to seyn ille,
Þat to translate it is ageyn my wille.
He haþ ay Ioye her honour to transuerse;
I am sory þat I mote reherse
Þe felle wordis in his boke y-founde.
To alle women I am so moche bounde:
Þei ben echon so goodly and so kynde,
I dar of hem nat sey[e]n þat I fynde
Of Guydo write þoruȝ-out Troye book;
For whan I radde it, for fer myn hert[e] quoke,
And verrailly my wittis gonne faille,
Whan I þer-of made rehersaille.
Liche his decert lat Guydo now be quit;
For ȝe schal here anon how þat he chit
Þe quene Eleyne, for cause þat sche went
With deuoute hert hir offring to present,

247

To þe temple of Venus, þe goddes;
Þus, word by word, he seiþ to hir Expres:

Howe Quene Heleyne, aftire that she herd of Parys, hasted here to þe Temple.

O mortal harme, þat most is for to drede!
A, fraude y-cast be sleiȝt of wommanhede,
Of euery wo, gynnyng, crop, and rote!
Ageyn[e]s whiche helpe may no bote.
Whan lust haþ dryue in her hert a nail,
Ay dedly venym sueth at þe tail,
Whiche no man haþ power to restreyne;
Recorde I take of þe quene Eleyne,
Þat hoot[e] brent, allas! in hir desires,
Of newe lust to dele with straungeris
Whom sche knewe nat, ne neuer saw a-forn,
Wher-þoruȝ, allas, ful many man was lorn,
Of cruel deth embracid in þe cheyne
With-oute pite! now, sey, þou quene Eleyne,
What gost or spirit, allas, haþ mevid þe,
Sool fro þi lord in swiche ryalte
Oute of þin house to gon among þe pres?
Whi were þou wery to liue at home in pes,
And wentist out straungeris for to se,
Takyng noon hed [vn-]to þin honeste?
Þou schust a kepte þi closet secrely,
And not haue passed out so folily
In þe abscence of þi lorde, allas!
Þou wer to wilful & rakil in þis cas
To sen aforn what schuld after swe;
For al to sone þou wer drawe out of mwe,
Þat koudist nat kepe at home þi boundis.
Þou wentist out as hare among [þe] houndis,
For to be cauȝt, of verray wilfulnes,
And þi desyre koudist not compesse;
For þou þi lust list nat to refreyne.
O many woman haþ kauȝt in a treyne

248

Her goyng oute swiche halwes for to seke;
It sit hem bet hem siluen for to kepe
Clos in her chaumbre, and fleen occasioun:
For neuer schip schulde in pereil drown,
Nor skatre on rok, nor be with tempest rent,
Nor with Karibdis deuourid nor y-schent,
Nor gon to wrak with no wedris ille,
Ȝif it wer kepte in þe hauene stille.
For who wil not occasiouns eschewe,
Nor drediþ not pereil for to swe,
He most among, of necessite,
Or he be war, endure aduersite;
And who can nat hir fot fro trappis spare,
Lat hir be war or sche falle in þe snare:
For harme y-don to late is to compleine.
For ȝif whilom þe worþi quene Eleyne
Hir siluen had kepte at home in clos,
Of hir þer nadde ben so wikke a loos
Reported ȝit, grene, fresche, and newe;
Whos chaunce vnhappi eche man ouȝt[e] rewe,
Þat cause was of swiche destruccioun
Of many worþi, and confusioun
Of hir husbonde & many other mo
On Grekis syde, and [on] Troye also,
In þis story as ȝe schal after rede.
And so þis quene, as fast as sche may spede,
To þe temple hath þe wey[e] nome
Ful rially; and whan þat sche was come
Ful deuoutly with-Inne Cytheroun,
Made vn-to Venus hir oblacioun
In presence and siȝt of many on,
With many Iowel and many riche stoon.
And whan Parys had[de] þis espied,
To þe temple anon he haþ hym hyed,
Ful þriftely in al þe hast he myȝt;
And whan þat he had[de] first a siȝt
Of þe goodly, faire, fresche quene,
Cupidis dart, þat is whet so kene,

249

Or he was war, haþe hym markid so,
Þat for a-stonyed he nist[e] what to do,
So he merveileþ hir gret semlynes,
Hir womanhed, hir port, & hir fairnes:
For neuer a-forne [ne] wende he þat Nature
Koude haue made so faire a creature;
So aungillyk sche was of hir bewte,
So femynyn, so goodly on to se,
Þat he dempte, as by liklynes,
For hir bewte to be som goddes.
For his hert dide hym ay assure
Þat sche was no mortal creature—
So heuenly faire and so celestial
He þouȝt sche was in party & in al.
And considereth ful a-visely
Hir feturis in ordre by and by
Ententifly with-Inne in his resoun,
Euery þing by good inspeccioun:
Hir golden her, lik þe schene stremys
Of fresche Phebus with his briȝt[e] bemys,
Þe goodlyhed of hir fresche face,
So repleuished of bewte & of grace,
Euene ennwed with quiknes of colour
Of þe rose and þe lyllie flour,
So egaly, þat nouþer was to wyte
Þoruȝ noon excesse of moche nor to lite.
With-Inne þe cerclyng of hir eyen bryȝt
Was paradys compassid in hir siȝt,
Þat þoruȝ a brest þe bewte wolde perce.
And certeynly, ȝif I schal reherse
Hir schap, hir forme, and feturis by & by,
As Guydo doth by ordre ceryously,
From hed to foot, clerly to devise,
I han non englysche þat þer-to may suffyse;
It wil nat be, oure tonge is not lyke.

250

I want[e] flouris also of rethorik,
To sue his florischyng or his gey peynture,
For to discriue so fayre a creature;
For my colours ben to feble and feynt,
Þat nouþer can ennwe wel nor peint;
Eke I am nat a-queintid with no mwse
Of alle nyne: þer-fore I me excuse
To ȝou echon, nat al of necligence,
But for defaut only of eloquence,
And ȝou remitte to Guydo for to se
How he discriveth bi ordre hir bewte;
To take on me it were presumpcioun.
But I wil telle how Parys vp & doun
Goth in þe temple, and his eye cast
Toward Eleyne, & gan presen fast,
As he þat brent hote in Louys fyre,
Þat was enflawmed gretly be desyre.
And oft he chaungeþ countenaunce & chere,
And euer he neieth to hir ner and nere,
I-darted þoruȝ with hir eyen tweyne.
And ageynward þe fresche quene Eleyne
As hote brent in herte pryuely,
Al-be no man it outward koude espie;
For sche þouȝt sche had neuer aforn,
Of alle men þat euer ȝet wer born
Sey non so fair, nor like to hir plesaunce;
On hym to loke was hir sufficiaunce.
For in the temple sche toke hede of riȝt nouȝt,
But to compasse & castyn in hir þouȝt
How sche may cachen opportunyte
With hym to speke at good liberte:
Þis holly was al hir besynes.
For hym sche felt so inly gret distres,
Þat ofte sche chaungeþ countenaunce & hewe.
And Venus haþ marked hem of newe
With hir brondes fired by feruence,
And inflawmed be sodeyn influence,

251

Þat egaly þei wer brouȝt in a rage.
And saue þe eye atwen was no message:
Eche on oþer so fixe haþ cast his siȝt,
Þat þei conseiue & wist[en] a-non riȝt
With-Inne hem silfe wat her hert[e] ment.
And nere to hir euer Parys went
To seke fully and gete occasioun,
Þat þei myȝt, by ful relacioun,
Her hertis conceit declare secrely.
And so bi-fel, þat Paris neiȝeþ nyȝe
To þe place wher þe quene Eleyne
Stood in her se; & þer atwen hem tweyne,
Þei broken out þe somme of al her hert,
And ȝaf Issu to her inward smerte.
But þis was don, list þei werne espied,
Whan þe peple was most occupied
In þe temple for to stare & gase,
Now her, now þer, as it wer a mase.
Þei kepte hem clos, þat no worde a-sterte;
Þer was no man þe tresoun myȝt aduerte
Of hem tweyn, ne what þei wolde mene;
But at þe last, Paris and þis quene
Concluded han, with schort avisement,
Fully þe fyn of her boþe entent,
And sette a purpos atwix hem in certeyn,
Whan þei cast for to mete ageyn.
But list men had to hem suspecioun,
Þei made an ende, with-oute more sermoun,
And depart, al-be þat þei wer loþe.
And sobirly a-noon þis Paris goth
Out of þe temple, his hert in euery part
Wounded þoruȝ-out with Louys fyry dart;
To his schippis he halt þe riȝt[e] way.
And þan anoon, in al þe hast he may,
Whan assemblid was his chiualrie,
On and oþer of his companye,

252

In few[e] wordis, as schortly as he can,
To-forn hem alle his tale þus he gan.

Howe Parys exortede his pepele for þe spoylynge of þe Tempyle of Venus within þe seid Ille of Citherea, fro whenes he karede to Troye al the Iewellys that he founde þerin.

“Sirs,” quod he, “schortly to expresse,
Þe cause is kouþe to ȝour worþines,
Whi my fader in-to Grece vs sent;
For, as ȝe knowe, þe chef of his entent
Was to recuren his suster Exyoun
Out of þe hondis of kyng Thelamoun.
Þe whiche þing, for ouȝt I can espie,
Is impossible sothly in myn eye,
Be any weye, as fer as I can se,
He is so gret & strong in þis contre
Of his alyes about on euery syde,
And in hert so inly ful of pride,
To ȝeld hir vp he haþ nat but disdeyn,
Þer-of to trete it wer [nat] but in veyn.
Wherfore, þe best þat I can devise,
Sith our power may nat now suffise
To werreye hym in þis regioun—
We be nat egal of myȝt nor of renoun,
For lak of men with hym to holde a felde;
We may not semble with spere nor with schelde
Tencountren hym with al his multitude—
Wherfor, þe best þat I can conclude,
Is, sithe Fortune haþ vs hider brouȝt,
And þe goddes han eke for vs wrouȝt
So graciously to make vs for to londe
At Venus temple, fast[e] by þe stronde,
Whiche haboundeþ with ful gret riches
Of Grekis offeryng vnto þe goddes,
Be lond & se, fro many sondry port,

253

Of men and women þat han her resort
To þat place in worschip of Venus,
So þat þe wif of kyng Menelaus
Is þer present, ful riche & wel be-seyn—
And ȝif þat we by manhod myȝt atteyn
To rauisch hir, and þe temple spoyle,
And of her tresour chesen oute & coyle
Þe chef Iowellis, & chargen our somers
With gold & siluer, and take prisoneris,
And maugrey hem to our schippis bring
Þis same nyȝt with-oute tariyng,
We may nat faille, who-euer þat sey nay,
Ȝif ȝe assent, of a riche pray.
Wherfore, in hast þat ȝe ȝou redy make,
And euery man anon his harnes take,
And arme hym wel in his best array.”
And þei assent, with-oute more delay,
And in hir schippis þei bid[e] til at nyȝt,
Whan Phebus chare withdrawen had his liȝt
Vnder wawes, & sterris dide appere
On þe heuene with her stremys clere,
Or þe mone þat tyme dide rise,
Þei schop hem forþe in ful þrifty wyse,
The manly Troyans in steel armyd briȝt,
To þe temple holdyng her wey[e] riȝt.
For þei cast no longer for to tarie,
But prowdely entre [in] þe seintuarie,
In-to þe chapel callid Cytheroun,
With-oute reuerence or deuocioun
Don to Venus in hir oratorie;
For it was clene oute of her memorie,
Honour and drede & alle obseruaunce:
For fynally al her attendaunce,
As myn auctor sothly can diffyne,
Was to riȝt nouȝt but only to ravyne.

254

Þei token al þat cam to her honde,
Riches & tresour þat was in þe londe,
Gold & siluer, stonys and Iowellis,
Reliques sacrid, þe holy eke vessels,
With-out abood oute of þe sacrarie,
And al y-fere to her schippis carye—
It is a wonder, to þenken on þe good!
Þei kille & sle al þat hem withstood—
It was a pite for to seen hem blede.
And many Greke þei to schip[pe] lede,
Þat after liveden in captiuite
Ful many ȝer in Troye þe cite.
And þer-whyles goth Paris to Eleyne,
And hir enbrasiþ in his armys tweyn,
Ful humblely & with gret reuerence,
In whom he fonde no maner resistence;
It sat hir nat, sche was so womanly,
For to Paris sche ȝalde hir outterly;
Hir hert in hap was ȝolde or sche cam þere,
Þerfor to ȝelde hir sche had lasse fere;
Sche can nat stryue, nor no woman scholde.
And he anon, as gentilnes[se] wolde,
Counforteþ hir as he best can or may,
And lad hir with hym, with-oute more delay,
To his schippes; and þer ful bysely
He sette wardis to kepe hir honestly,
Whil he returneþ to þe temple ageyn
To spoyle and robbe & to make al pleyn
Þoruȝ þe temple with his wallis wyde.
Now stood a castel faste þer be-syde,
I-stuffid wel with Grekysche sowdyours,
Þe whiche a-woke with noise of þe pilours
Þe same nyȝt, & gan make a schout;
And þer-with-al anoon þei issen out,
Armyd in stel, þe temple to reskewe,
And manfully after hem þei sewe.

255

And so be-fil whan þei to-gydre mette
With speris scharp & swerdis kene whet,
Þei ran I-fere as tigres al vnmylde,
Liche wode liouns or þis boris wylde;
Þer was no feynyng founden in her fiȝt,
Al-be þe felde departed nas a-riȝt,
For þe Troyans doubled hem in noumbre,
Þat outterly þe Grekis þei encombre,
And at meschef maden hem to fle,
Purswe after and cruelly hem sle
With-oute mercy to þe castel gate.
Ther was [no] reskvs, for þei com[e] late,
Of þis skarmysche, for þe fyn was deth;
Now her, now þer, þei ȝelden vp þe breth,
So myȝtely Troyans hem assaille,
Þat to withstond it wold[e] not availle:
For of manhod þei þe felde han wonne,
And after þat, cruelly be-gonne
In al hast to spoillen þe castel;
And to schip þei brouȝten euery-del,
Tresour & gold, & what þat þei may wynne,
And on þe morwe to seille þei be-gynne,
Stuffid with good, be þe Grekische se,
Toward þe costis of Troye þe cite.
Þe se was calm and fully at her wille,
Boþe of tempest and of stormys ille,
And clere also was þe briȝt[e] heuene,
Þat in space almost of dayes seuene
At a castel callid Tenedoun
Þei aryve vj myle fro þe toun;
And glad and liȝt þei to lond[e] went.
And after þat, I fynde, Parys sent
His messanger streiȝt vn-to þe kyng,
Þat hym enformeþ of his hom commyng;
Of her expleit he tolde hym euery-del.

256

And Priamus likeþ wonder wel,
Þat so manly þei han born hem oute,
And made puplisched in þe toun aboute
Þis tydynges with gret sollempnite,
To hiȝe & lowe, þoruȝ-oute þe cite,
Þat for Ioye þe most[e] and þe leste
For remembraunce halwe [and holde] a feste,
And þanke her goddes in ful humble wyse,
With obseruaunces and with sacrifyse
On her auteris, with gret deuocioun.
And al þis while, he at Tenedoun
Holdeth soiour with þe quene Eleyne,
Þe whiche gan ful rewfully compleyne
Hir vnkouþe lyf, to dwelle with straungers,
Al dissolat among[es] prisoners,
Fer sequestrid a-weye from hir contre,
Solitarie in captiuite.
Sche wepiþ & crieþ with a pitous chere;
Þe burbly wawes of hir eyen clere
Liche welle stremys by hir chekis reyne;
And for constreint of hir inward peyne
Ful ofte a day hir song was weylaway,
With sobbyng vois, þat sche so fer a-way
Departid is from hir Menelaus.
For whos absence in rage furious,
Hir lif sche hateþ & curseþ eke fortune;
And in þis wo sche euere doth contune
With-oute soiour, alwey more and more;
And for hir breþer Pollux & Castor,
And for þe loue of hir douȝter dere,
Now pale and grene sche wexeþ of hir cher,
Þat whilom was frescher for to sene
Þan þe lillye on his stalke grene.
Allas! chaunged is hir rosen hewe!
And euere in on hir wo encreseth newe,

257

Þat like no woman sche was to beholde;
For ay sche wept as sche to water wolde.
Til at þe last, in al hir heuynes,
Paris to hir com of gentilnes,
Hir to comforte and tapese hir rage—
He besyeth hym hir sorwes to aswage,
Seiyng to hir: “what may al þis mene,
Þat ȝe, allas, o goodly fresche quene,
List þus ȝour silfe in sorwyng disfigure?
I wonder gretly how ȝe may endure
So moche water causeles to schede,
Þat with wepyng han dewed so ȝour wede;
For liche a condut þe stremys renne doun,
Lik to a penaunt in contricioun
Ȝe ȝou disraye, allas, whi do ȝe so!
Lat be þis fare and lateth ouer go
Al ȝour wepyng, þouȝt, and heuynes,
And beth no more, my lady, in distres.
Makeþ an ende nowe of ȝour greuaunce,
For al þe ese, comfort, and plesance
Þat men may do, trusteþ ȝe schul haue.
It is but foly in sorwe þus to raue!
Let passe ouer alle þis scharp[e] schowres,
And here my trouþe: ȝe and alle ȝoures,
Of what ȝou list schal haue suffisaunce;
As ferforþe, and more habundaunce
Þan ȝe had among þe Grekis þere,
I ȝou ensure, and beth no þing in fere,
Þat I schal hold al þat I haue hiȝt,
On my trouþe, as I am trewe knyȝt,
In worde and dede with al myn hert entere.”
And sche anon, with a woful chere,
So as sche myȝt for sobbyng þo suffice,
Answerde ageyn in ful lawly wyse:
“I wot,” quod sche, “wher me be loth or lef,
Sith I am kauȝt & take at þis meschef,

258

Vn-to ȝour wil I may nat now with-seie;
I am so bounde, þat I most obeie,
Vnder ȝour daunger, þat I may nat fle,
In hold distreyned and captiuite.
Ȝe wote also, be nature, oute of drede,
Þat it ne longeth vn-to womanhede
In straunge soille to stryuen or rebelle;
An[d] namly þer, wher as hir querelle
Schal haue no fauour nor sustened be.
But ȝef ȝe list now to han pite
On me or myne, of ȝour goodlyhede,
Ȝe may of God disserue þank & mede,
Þat wil rewarde iustly alle þo
Þat comfort hem þat ben in care & wo.”
“Now lady myn,” þanne quod Parys,
“What þat may like or ben at ȝour devys,
Al schal be do, trusteth me riȝt wele;
For be my trouþe, as fer as I can fele,
In any þing þat may ȝou do plesaunce,
Ȝe schal it haue with al habundaunce:
Þis I ensure of heste not fallible;
Beth nat a-gaste, but fully beth credyble
To my wordis & hestis euerychon.”
And þer-with-al he lad hir riȝt anon
In-to a place of royal apparaille,
To comfort her, ȝif it wolde availle,
And secrely þer atwen hem two,
Þis Paris first, with-outen more a-do,
Spake vn-to hir & seyde: “lady dere,
I feyne nat, but speke of hert entere,
And þat I hope ȝe schal in dede fynde;
Wherfor, I pray, enprenteth in ȝour mynde
What I seie, and in ȝour remembraunce—
Þis is to seien, sith ȝe be puruyaunce

259

Ben of þe goddis brouȝt as now þer-to,
And Fortune eke wil þat it be so,
I dar afferme, pleinly for þe firste,
Þat þei disposed haue nat for ȝour wirst,
But for ȝour good, & so ȝe most it take.
Wherfor, I rede, to letyn ouer-shake
Al heuynes, and loke þat ȝe be
As glad and liȝt here in þis contre,
As þei ȝe werne in ȝour owne lond.
For feythfully I do ȝou to vndirstonde,
Ȝe schal haue here as moche habundance,
On euery part, with ful sufficiaunce
Of al þat may be to ȝou plesaunt:
For of o þing I dar make avaunt,
In þis contre, as it schal be founde,
Of al plente we passyn and habounde
More richely þan ȝoure Grekis ȝonder;
And þei ȝe ben from hem now assondre,
Out of þe lond þat callid is Achaye,
Ȝe haue no cause ȝow so to dismay,
Sith at worschip and more reuerence,
At more honour and gretter excellence
Ȝe schal be cherisched þan ȝe were a-fore.
And where ȝe pleine þat ȝe haue forbore
Ȝour owne lord and ben as now left sool,
For whom ȝe makyn al þis wo & dool,
Ȝe schal in haste be sette better at ese—
For certeynly, so it nat displese
Nor offende vn-to ȝour womanhede,
In stede of hym, I purpose, out of drede,
To wedde ȝou and ben ȝour trew[e] man,
To loue & serue in al þat euer I can,
With-oute feynyng, to my lyues ende,
And be to ȝou as lowly & as kynde,
As diligent and more laborious
Þan whilom was ȝoure Menelaus,

260

In euery þing ȝoure lustis to obeie—
Hath here my trouth til tyme þat I deye.
And þauȝ þat I in wordis be but pleyn,
For loue of God, haueþ no disdeyn
Of my request, nor gruchiþ nat at al;
For, at þe lest, of þe stok royal
I am discendid & comme of as hiȝe blood
As Menelay, and of birþe as good;
And can in loue to ȝou be more trewe
Þan he was euer, and chaunge for no newe.
Wherfor, stynteþ þus to pleyn & wepe,
And late som comfor[t] in ȝour bosom crepe,
Ȝour wo apeseth, whiche is not worþe an hawe,
And som myrþe late in ȝour hert adawe:
Þis I beseche, and of womanhede
To my wordis for to takyn hede.”
“Allas,” quod sche, “how myȝt þis be-falle,
Þat haue left my frendis on & alle
In straunge lond, and am here but allone?
How schuld I þan but I made mone?
I haue no cause, God wot, for to pleye,
Nor my chekis for to kepe dreye
From salt[e] teris, allas! it wil nat be,
Þat can noon end of myn aduersite.
For in good feyth, it were aȝen[e]s kynde
So sodeynly to putten out of mynde
Þilke þing þat, for Ioye or smert,
In al þis world sitteþ nexte myn hert—
For whom, allas, so sore I am distreyned.
But, sith goddis han as now ordeyned
No bettre chaunce of hope vn-to me,
I can no more—I mote it take at gre
And humblely accepte also her sonde;
For I am feble her power to withstonde.
Wherfor, I schal ageyn my wil [now] stryue,

261

Al-be for wo myn hert I fele ryue,
For to concente and lowly to admitte
Þilke þing [fro] whiche I may not flitte,
Maugre my wil, of necessite,
Fully to obeye what ȝe list do with me—
It wil nat helpe þauȝ I seide nay.”
And þus sche peyneth al þat [euere] sche may,
Lite and lite hir sorwe to aswage.
What schuld sche ay lyue in wo & rage,
To lese hir silfe, so tender a creature—
An hert of stel ne myȝt it not endure.
But ay of women þe maner & þe kynde,
Þat þei can nat of sorwe make an ende
Til þei be leiser han y-wept her fulle;
But at þe last, whan þei gynne dulle
To make sorwe, it happeþ hem as faste
Þat by grace þei sone it ouer caste
And liȝtly cache counfort of her smerte—
Þei be so tendre þat men may hem conuerte
From wo to Ioye, & þouȝt from hem disseuere.
Þer is no storme þat may lasten euere,
As clerkis wyse in bokis liste discerne;
Þing violent may nat be eterne;
For after stormys Phebus briȝter is.
And so be comfort & counseil of Parys,
Sche dawed is of hir olde sorwe:
For euene liche, as þe glade morwe,
Of kynde sweþ þe dirke, blake nyȝt,
So be processe hir hert[e] wexeþ liȝt,
And of her wepyng dried is þe welle,
Liche as þe story schal anon ȝou telle.

Howe Paris and Heleyne were ressavyde into Troye, of Pryamus and his lordys; and of þe soroweful lamentacyoun that Cassandra made when she sawe þe weddynge.

262

Whan þe quene þat callid is Eleyne
A-dawed was of hir drery peyne,
And þe wawes of hir heuy chere
On hir chekis gonne for to clere,
Paris, in herte fresche and amerous,
In haste haþ sent to kyng Priamus
For hors & men and oþer apparaille,
Clothes of gold ful noble of entaille,
Made for Eleyne & wrouȝt[e] for þe nonys
With riche perle & many sondri stonys,
A-geyn hir comyng in-to Troye toun.
And after þat, Parys fro Tenedoun
Schapeþ hym to lede hir in-to Troye;
And Priamus mette hem on þe weye
Ful ryally, as faste as he may hye,
With many a lord in his companye,
Ful many lady fresche & wel be-seyn,
And many mayde þat riden hem ageyn—
First estatis and after comwneris.
Now had Parys alle his prisoneris
Set be-forn in ordre tweyn & tweyne,
And he rood next with þe quene Eleyne,
And Dephebus vp-on þe toþer syde,
And his knyȝtes enviroun dide ride;
But nexte hym rood þe worþi Eneas
And þe Troyan, callid Pollidamas,
His meyne swyng eche in his degre
So gentilmanly, þat Ioye it was to se—
Eche from oþer kepyng a certeyn space.
And furþe þei ride but a soft[e] pace,
Til þat þe kyng hem mette sodeynly,
And hem receyveþ ful solempnely,
As he best coude, & goodly toke þe reyne
In-to his hond of þe quene Eleyne,
And hir conueyeþ furþe to his cite.
Gret was þe pres þat abood to se,

263

Of sondri folke, þat schove fast and croude;
Þe schrille trumpettis wern y-reised loude—
Vp to þe skye goth þe blisful sown
Whan al þis peple entreþ in þe toun—
And many a-noþer diuers instrument,
Þat al to-forn in at þe gatis went,
In sondry wyse þat made melodie,
Þat to heren þe heuenly armonye
Be musik touchid vp-on string & corde,
So euen in on & iustly þei acorde,
It wold an hert rauische in-to Ioye.
And whan þei wern entred in-to Troye,
Amyd his paleys kyng Priamus a-liȝt;
And anoon, as fast as euere he myȝt,
In-to a chambre, riche & wel be-seye,
Þe quene Eleyne in hast he doth conueye,
Comaundyng with hert[e], wil, and þouȝt
His officers þat hir faile nouȝt
Of any þing þat sche can be-þinke.
Þe spicis partid, anoon þe wyn þei drink,
And þan þe kyng toke leue til soper,
And sche þer-whiles chaungeþ hir attir.
But of þe Ioye þat was in þe toun,
In eche place wher men went vp & doun,
I am to rude, sothly, al to wryte,
So moche in hert þe Troyans hem delite,
Þat saufe & sounde retourned is Parys—
Þei wende haue be for Ioye in paradis,
Þat he so wel spedde in his Iourne,
And hath nat on loste of his meyne,
Wher-of þei ben in hert[e] glad & liȝt.
And in al haste after þe nexte nyȝt,
As writ Guydo, with-oute tariyng long,
Erly on morwe, a-for þe larke songe,
In Pallas temple, as myn auctor seiþe,
Assured was be oþe & eke be feiþe

264

Þe bond of wedlok of hym & Eleyne,
For euer-more to last a-twen hem tweyne,
Þe knot is knyt of þis sacrament.
And þis was don fully be thassent,
First of þe kyng, and also be thavis
Of al þe cite in fauour of Parys.
And so þe feste and gret solempnyte
Contwnyd was with moche ryalte,
Of þis weddyng in myrthe & solace,
Þorouȝ-oute þe toun be viii dayes space.
What schuld I write þe reuel or þe daunces,
Þe fresche array or þe countenaunces,
Þe stole touchis, þe lokis amerous,
Þe prevy gruchyng of hem þat wer Ielous,
Þe grete iustis, bordis, or tornay,
Amyd palastre with many sondry play,
Þe diuers coursis eke at euery feste,
Þe large plente don vn-to þe leste,
Þe straunge metis, þe manere of seruyse—
I haue noon englische al for to deuyse—
I passe ouer, for I was not þere.
But whan þis weddyng cam vn-to þe ere
Of Cassandra, and first it dide espie,
A þousand sithe “allas!” sche gan to crye
Of pitous wo with vntressid heris,
And seide þus al be-spreint with teris:
“O wrechid Troye, erryng in þis cas,
With-Inne þi silfe to suffre þis trespas,
For to concent vn-to swyche folye,
In sustenyng of foule auoutr[y]e,
Þat Paris schulde takyn vn-to wyve
Þe quene Eleyne whos husbond is alyve!
O woful Troye, to cruel is þi fate!
For to be war it is almost to late!
The tyme is come, þou schal[t] distroyed be!
For many fader schal his sone se

265

Hol in þe morwe, þat schal be slawe or eve
Amyd þe feld, þat wil him sore greue,
And many wif sore schal be-wepe
To se hir husbonde with large woundis depe
Girt þoruȝ þe body, pale, cold, & grene!
Allas, howe schal ȝe þe sorwe mow sustene!
A, wrecchid modris! how schal ȝe endure
To se ȝoure childre be cruel auenture
A-fore ȝou slayn with-oute remedie!—
It wil nat help, þouȝ ȝe clepe & crie.
A, moder myn, Eccuba, þe quene,
How schalt þou bide þe scharp[e] stoundis kene,
Þi worþi sones to sen a-for þe slawe,
And in þe feld by cruelte y-drawe!
A, blinde peple, of deth þou taxt non hede,
Why nylt þou werche [and] don after my rede,
And in þis cas more prudent ben & wys,
To take awey Eleyne from Parys,
As riȝt requireth, with-outen any more,
And to hir lord iustly hir restore?
What! trow[e] ȝe his þefte and cruel dede
Schal passe þus?—Nay! with-outen drede,
Þe swerd of vengaunce schal ful scharp[e] bite
For his offence, & we schal bere þe wyte—
Paleis & hous to seen, with-Inne a þrowe,
And touris hiȝe leide on þe erþe lowe!
Allas, allas! I seie to þe, Eleyne,
Vnhappy woman, causere of oure peyne,
Hard & vnȝely, and also graceles,
Vnwelful woman, disturber of oure pes,
Þou haste vs brouȝt in meschef & in were,
Kyndled a brond to sette vs alle a-fere!
Allas, þou art [þe] rote & grounde of al,
Of many drery fest[e] funeral
Þat schal be holde amonge vs in þis toun!”

266

And in þis wyse Cassandra vp & doun
Aboute ran in subbarbe and in strete,
And crieth euer, whom þat euer sche mete,
Ful ofte syþe: “allas and weillawey!”
Til Priamus, be-cause of hir affray,
And for þe noyse þat sche dide make,
With-oute more, anon he doth hir take
And bynd[e] fast, fetrid in presoun,
With-oute mercy or remyssioun.
Þei take noon hede to hir sadde trouþe,
Nor to hir wordis—it was þe more rouþe—
But schet hir vp in bondis gret & strong,
With-oute pite, where sche abidiþ longe.
And þus in prisoun a while I leue hir mourne,
And to [þe] Grekis I wil ageyn returne.

Of the sorowe that Kynge Menelay made when he herd that Parys had ravisshede his wyff; and of þe manly comforde and councele þat Agamenon gave hym for to revenge hym.

The vnhappy tyme & þe same while
Þat Fortune falsly gan to smyle
Vp-on Troyans & bad hem [to] be merye,
For whiche hiȝly þei gan her goddis herie,
Wenyng in Ioye to haue ben assured wele,
No þing aduerting þe turnyng of þe whele
Of hir þat lastiþ stable but a throwe—
Whan men most trust, sche can make a mowe,
Turne hir forhed, & hir face writhe,
(Suche Ioye sche haþe hir doubilnes to kiþe,
And to wrappe hir clernes vnder cloude),
Ageyn whos myȝt no man may hym schrowde—
Whan sche most flateriþ, þan sche is lest to trist:
For in her Ioye þe Troyans litel wist
What sche ment to her confusioun.

267

For while þat þei aboute in al þe toun
Wenden of Grekis haue geten ful recur
Of her damages, & euere to haue be sure
Þoruȝ þilke pray þat Parys had[de] wonne,
Þe wykke fame & rumor is y-ronne
With swyfte wynges, of al þat þei han wrouȝt.
To Menelay þe tydyngges wern [y-]brouȝt,
Whils he abood with Nestor at Pyra,
First of þe temple in Cyther[e]a,
How it was spoilled, & þe robberye
Of gold & tresour, & þe tyranye
Vp-on his men be Troyans execute,
Boþe of assaillyng & of al þe sute
Þat on Grekis þei made cruelly,
And how þat þei ne spared outterly
Man nor woman þat com in her weye,
Þat þei ne toke, & ladden as for praye
To her sch[i]ppes, and also of þe fyȝt
A-for þe castel, þat was on þe nyȝt.
And aldirlast he hereth of his wif,
Whom he louede as mykel as his lif—
More tendirly, God wot, a þousand folde.
For whom, astonyed, at hert he wexe as colde
As any ston, and paleth of his hewe.
His hertly wo so inly gan renewe,
Þat first whan he herde hir name sovne,
With-out[e] more anoon he fel a-swovne;
For he ne myȝt endure for to stonde,
Til duke Nestor toke hym by þe honde
And hym awoke of his dedly swowe.
“Allas,” quod he, “why haue I lost, & howe,
Mi lives lust, myn hertly suffisaunce!
A, com now deth and make of my greuance
Fully an ende with þi cruel dart,
Þat wounded am þoruȝ on euery parte—
Myn hert, also, korve in euery veyne

268

For ȝow, my wif, for ȝow, myn owne Eleyne,
Þat be deuorcid fro me, weillawey!
Far-wel my Ioye, farwel myn olde pley!
Now han strangeris of ȝou pocessioun,
Whiche wil to me be ful confusioun.
Allas, I not how þei ȝou cherische or trete,
My faire Eleyne, þat wer to me so mete!
Now ȝe ar gon, pensifhed me slethe—
I may nat waite now but after dethe.”
And aftir þis, amyd of al his wo,
Þis Menelay schope hym for to go
To his regne, but litel þer be-syde;
He axeth hors & seide he wolde ride
Sool to compleyne of þat he felt hym greue.
But al þis while Nestor wil nat leue
To go with hym for consolacioun,
Of frendly riȝt hauyng compassioun,
Hym to comforte with al his ful[le] myȝt,
Ledyng with hym many worþi knyȝt
In-to þe regne of þis Menelaus.
Þan, first of al, þe story telleþ vs,
How þei sent for Agamenoun,
And for Castor to com to hym anoon,
And for Pollux, ȝif it myȝt[e] be;
And whan þei wer comen alle þre,
And saie her broþer in swiche meschef brouȝt,
Almost mordred wiþ his owne þouȝt,
With-oute abood þe wyse Agamenoun
To ȝif hym counforte & consolacioun
Dide his labour & diligence entere,
Seiyng to hym, riȝt as ȝe schal here:
“O broþer myn, what wo, what heuynes,
What dedly sorwe þus inly may oppres
Ȝour knyȝtly hert or trouble ȝoure manhede,
More furiously y-wis þan it is nede;

269

For þouȝ þat riȝt requered outerly
Ȝow for to sorwe and had cause why,
Ȝet, me semeth, by iuste prouidence,
Ȝe schulde sliȝly dissymble ȝoure offence—
Sith eche wiseman in his aduersite
Schulde feyne cher & kepen in secre
Þe inward wo þat bynt hym in distresse—
Be manly force rathest þer compesse
Þe sperit of Ire and malencolie,
Where þe peple it sonest myȝt espie.
It is a doctrine of hem þat be prudent,
Þat whan a man with furie is to-rent,
To feyne chere til tyme he se leyser
Þat [he] of vengaunce kyndle may þe fer;
For sorwe oute-schewid, ȝif I shal nat feine,
Who-so take hede, it doth þinges tweyne:
It causeth frendis for to siȝe sore,
And his enymyes to reioische more—
Þi frende in hert is sory of nature,
Þin enemy glad of þi mysaventure.
Wherfore, in hert, whan wo doth most abounde,
Feyne gladnes þin enmy to confounde,
And schewe in cher as þou rouȝtist nouȝt
Of þing þat is most greuous in þi þouȝt.
And wher þou hast most mater to compleyne,
Make þer good face & glad in port þe feine;
For in-to teris þouȝ þou al distille,
And rende þi silfe, as þou woldest þe spille,
It helpith nat to aleggen þi greuance:
For nouþer honour nor pursut of vengaunce,
With sorwe makyng mow ben execut—
Þouȝ it last ay, þer cometh þere-of no frut.
Men seyn how he þat can dissymble a wrong,

270

How he is sliȝe and of herte stronge;
And who can ben peisible in his smerte,
It is a tokene he hath a manly herte,
Nat to wepen as wommen in her rage,
Whiche is contrarie to an hiȝe corage.
With word & wepyng for to venge oure peyne,
Be no menys to worschip to attayne;
Lat vs with swerde & nat with wordis fiȝt,
Oure tonge apese, be manhod preve oure myȝt:
Word is but wynde, & water þat we wepe,
And þouȝ þe tempest and þe flodis depe
Of þis two encresen euere-mo,
Þei may nat do but augmente oure wo—
And to oure foon, þer-of whan þei here,
Boþe of oure dool & oure heuy chere,
Al is to hem but encres of Ioye.
Wherfore, broþir, a while doþe a-coye
Þe cruel torment þat byndeþ ȝow so sore;
For in prouerbe it haþ ben said ful ȝore,
Þat þe prowes of a manly knyȝt
Is preued most in meschef, and his myȝt:
To ben assured in aduersite,
Strongly sustene what wo þat it be,
Nat cowardly his corage to submitte
In euery pereil, nor his honour flitte
Þoruȝ no dispeire, but hopen al-wey wel,
And haue a trust, trewe as any stel,
Tacheven ay what he take on honde.
For finally I do ȝou vndirstonde,
Þat of hym silfe who haþ good fantasie
To sette vp-on and putte in Iupartie,
What þat be-falle, [or] hap what hap[pe] may,
Takyng what chaunce wil turnen on his play,
The fyn of whiche gladly is victorie,

271

Þei feile selde of þe palme of glorie.
And tyme is now, to speke in wordis fewe,
O broþir myn, manhod for to schewe,
To pluk vp herte & ȝou to make strong;
And to venge ȝour damages & ȝoure wronge,
We schal echon help & leye to honde—
Kynges, dukes, and lordis of þis londe—
And attonys done oure besynes,
I ȝou behete, ȝour harmys to redresse.
And in dispit of whom þat euere vs lette,
We schal vs loge & oure tentis sette
Euene in þe felde a-fore Troye toun,
And leyne a sege to her distruccioun,
Al-be her-of I sette as now no day.
But, broþir, first, in al þe haste we may,
Lete make lettris, with-oute more sermoun,
To alle þe lordis of þis regioun,
Of þis mater touching ȝoure villenye,
To come to-gidre & schape remedie—
Þis is theffect of al þat I can seyn.”
And þus relessid somwhat of his peyne
Is Menelaus þoruȝ comfort of his broþer;
For whan he sawe it myȝt[e] ben noon oþer,
And of his tale þe kyng made an ende,
Þoruȝ-oute þe londe he dide his letteris sende,
First to his kyn and to his allye
To come to helpe hym of her curtesye.
And first of alle to Menelaus
Cam Achilles, and with hym Patroclus,
And alder-nexte stronge Diomede
And many an oþer to helpen in þis nede.
And alle echon, in open parlement,
Þei wer acordid ful by on assent
To be gouerned as Agamenoun
List to ordeyne in his discrecioun—
Of þis viage þei made hym gouernour,

272

And of her ost chefteyn and emperour.
Among hem alle þer was ful vnite
Vp-on Troyans avengid for to be,
And from þis purpos neuer to remewe.
But first, I fynde, Paris for to swe,
Þe viage toke þe worþi breþer tweyne,
Pollux and Castor, to recure Eleyne.
Ȝet neuer-þe-les, as somme bokis telle,
Þat þese kynges no lenger wolde dwelle,
But as fast as Paris was a-goon
Þei toke a schip and folweden a-noon,
With many worþi in her companye;
And dout[e]les, but ȝif bokis lye,
Þat or þei hadde sailed daies þre
To-Troye-ward in þe large se,
Þe tempest roos & wyndes dide awake,
Þe heuene dirke with þe cloudis blake,
Þat han þe day turned in-to nyȝt,
And briȝt[e] Phebus was myrked of his liȝt—
Þe fery leuene and stroke of þe þondre
Smote in þe mast & schiverid it a-sondre.
It was so dirke no liȝt myȝt adawe;
Þe see gan swelle with many sturdy wawe
Þat ryse on hiȝte, large as any mount,
And fille doun & swappid in þe frount
Evene of þe schip, & ploungid it ful lowe—
Now vp, now doun, for-cast & ouer-þrowe
Her schippes werne with tempest to & fro:
Þe fomy water grene, white, and blo
Of feruent boilyng, & as piche eke blak
With storme & wynde, þat al goth to wrake;
So hidously þe blastis at hem dryve,
Þat euery bord gan from oþer ryve,
And al is perschid, þer skapeþ nat a man,
But al attonys, as I reherse can,
Be dede & dreynt with tempest sodeynly—

273

Þer skaped noon, I sey ȝou certeynly,
Excepte þe breþre, whiche, as bokis telle,
Þe ton in heuene, þe toþer lowe in helle
Wer lordis made to abide eternaly.
And some feynyn in her poysy,
How þe goddis han hem deified
Hiȝe in heuene and y-stellyfied—
After her schippes wern y-go to wrake—
Þei were made sterris in þe ȝodyak,
And to þe signe transformed outterly,
Whiche of clerkis is callid Gemyny.
Þe whiche signe and constellacioun
Is to Mercurie hous and mansioun,
And is of kynde mene & masculyn,
In whiche þe Egle and also þe Dolphyn
Han her arisyng be reuolucioun;
þe tail also aboue of þe Dragoun
Is exaltat in þe þridde gre
Of Gemyny, whiche signe haþ most pouste
In hond & armys of man—out of doute—
Liche as Lucyna halt hir course aboute.
And in þis wyse wer þe breþre tweyne
To heuene rapt, as poetis feyne,
After þe tempest—ȝe gete no more of me—
For in þis wyse þe Grekis in þe see
An ende made, and þat ful rewfully:
Þis ernest first cam vnhappily
To hem echon, as gynnyng of her wo
And final chaunce to þe breþer two.

The descripcion of þe moste part of princes þat kame with þe Grekis for þe destruccyoun of Troye.

But for-as-moche as Dares Frigius
Was in his boke whilom corious
Þe forme of Troyens & Grekis to discryve,

274

Liche as he saw—þis auctor by his lyve—
Þe schap, þe forme, and complexioun,
Boþe of þe party of hem of Troye toun,
And of þe Grekis, be good avisement,
In tyme of trewe among hem as he went,
Seyng þe maner of her gouernaunce,
Her port, her chere, with euery circumstance,
Namly of þoo þat wer of hiȝe degre—
He nat for-gat color nor qualite,
Condiciouns, and also her stature—
Al to discrive Dares dide his cure,
In Grekysche tong, be-gynnyng at Eleyne,
Liche as to-forn ȝe han herde me seyne,
Of hir beute and hir semlynes
How ceryously Guydo doth expresse
(Saue he seide, in a litel space,
A strype þer was endelonge hir face,
Whiche, as he writ, be-cam hir wonder wel,
Embelyssching hir beute [e]uerydel,
Like as Dares makeþ discripcioun).
And first he seiþ how kyng Agamenoun
Was of good schap & hiȝe of his stature,
And myȝte in labour at þe best endure—
Vnpacient to lyuen in quiete,
He was to armys so egal and so mete—
Of colour white, & good proporcioun,
And flewmatik of his complexioun,
Discret and hardy, & wonder vertuous,
And of speche riȝt facundious,
And kowde him wel in euery þing demene.
But Menelay of stature was but mene,
Proporcioned atwixe schort and longe,
Worþi in armys, deliuere, & also strong,
And of corage and hert[e] vigerous,
Semly also, and ay more desyrous
To lyue in werre, rather þan in pees.

275

And, ferthermore, to speke of Achilles,
He was riȝt fair and of gret semlynes,
With hawborne her, crispyng for þiknes,
With eyen glawke, large, stepe, and grete,
And brod schuldrid, with brest ful square [and] mete,
Tendure in armys fel and coragous,
And of his loke wonder amerous,
Hiȝe of stature, and large of ȝiftes eke,
And more of strengþe þan any oþer Greke.
And to spende he sette litel charge,
He was of herte so plenteuous & large,
And in the feld passyng chiualrous.
And for to telle forþe of Tantalus,
Of sangwyn hewe, havyng moche of red,
Diuers eyed, ay mevyng in his hed,
Of huge makyng & also of gret strengþe,
Wel answeryng his brede to his lengþe,
Hatyng to stryve where he saw no nede,
Riȝt trewe of worde also, as I rede;
And neuere quarel wolde he take on honde
To fiȝt[e] fore, but he myȝt vndirstonde
Þat it were fully gronded vp-on riȝt,
And þanne he wolde quite him lik a knyȝt.
Oyleus Aiax was riȝt corpulent;
To be wel clad he sette al his entent;
In riche array he was ful corious,
Al-þeiȝe he were of body corsyous,
Of armys gret, with schuldris square & brode,
It was on hym al-most an hors[e] lode,
Hiȝe of stature & boistous in a prees,
And of his speche rude and rekkeles—
Ful many worde in ydel hym asterte,
And but a coward was [he] of his herte.
A-noþer Aiax, Thelamonivs,
Þer was also, discret & vertuous,
Wonder fair and semly to beholde,

276

Whos her was blak, & vpward ay gan folde
In compas wyse, rounde as any spere;
And of mvsik was þer noon his pere,
Hauyng a vois ful of melodie,
Riȝt wel entvned as by armonye,
And was inventif for to counterfete
Instrumentis, boþe smale and grete,
In sondry wyse longyng to mvsik.
And for al þis, ȝet had he gret practik
In armys eke, & was a noble knyȝt—
No man more orpid nor hardier to fiȝt
Nor desyrous for to han victorie,
Devoide of pompe, hatyng al veyn glorie,
Al ydel laude, spent & blow in veyn.
Of Vlixes what schal I also seyn?—
Þat was so noble & worþi in his daies,
Ful of wyles and sleiȝty at assayes,
In menyng double and riȝt deceyueable,
To forge a lesyng also wonder able;
With face pleyn he coude make it towe,
Merie wordid, and but selde lowe,
In conseillynge discret & ful prudent,
And in his tyme þe moste elloquent,
And halpe to Grekis often in her nede.
And for to speken of worþi Diomede,
Ful wel compact & growe wel on lenþe,
Of sturdy port and famus eke of strenþe,
Large brestid, & fers also of fiȝt,
And deseyueable of what þat euer he hiȝt—
Hasty, testif, to smyte rek[e]les,
And medlif ay, and but selde in pes,
To his seruantis ful impacient,
And baratous wher þat euer he went,
For litel wroþe of dispocisioun,

277

And lecherous of complexioun,
And had in loue oft[e] sythes his part,
Brennynge at hert wiþ Cupides dart,
And specheles ful oft felt[e] soor.
What schal I seyn [eke] of duke Nestor?—
Of longe stature & wel compact with-al,
With kurbe schuldris & of myddel smal,
In hondis strong, with armys large & rounde,
In counseillyng prudent & wys y-founde;
Whos wordis werne sugrid with plesaunce,
Vp-on his frende hauyng ay remembraunce:
For of his trouþe he ne koude feyne,
But in anger he myȝt hym nat refreyne;
He was so fret wiþ malencolye,
Þat no man myȝt his Ire modefie,
Al-be it laste but a litel space—
Who coude hym suffre, anon it wolde pace,
Liȝtly it cam and liȝtly went a-way.
And Protheselavs was fresche of array,
Wonder semly & of gret bewte—
I trowe a fairer no man myȝt[e] se—
Of good stature and deliuere & liȝt,
No man more swyfte; & to speke of myȝt,
Of his makyng he was passyng strong,
Fers of corage & loth to take a wrong.
And to telle of Neptolonius,
He was of makyng wonder corsious,
Whos her was blak, schynyng as doþ get,
With eyen rounde, brood[e], stepe, and gret,
Large brestid, wiþ a risyng bak,
And in speche stamered whan he spak;
But in causes he coude medle wele,
And in þe lawe ful depe he dide fele,
For al his lust was be-set on plees.
But for to telle of Pallamydes,
Kyng Naulus sone, with-outen any wene,

278

Of face faire, of body longe and lene,
Of manful hert, hardy in bataille,
And desirous his enmy to assaille—
Famylier, curteis, and tretable
In alle his dedis, & inli worschipable,
In ȝifyng large, & passyng of gret fame,
Of whos bounte ful wyde sprange þe name
In many londe, þe story telleþ þus.
And nexte, I fynde how Polydamvs,
Þe worþi Greke, was of gret þiknes,
Of wombe swolle, enbosid with fatnes,
Þat onneþe he myȝt him silfe sustene;
And ȝet of hert he was ful proude & kene,
Riȝt surquedous & ful of pensifnes,
And seld[e] glad, so þouȝt dide hym oppres.
But Machaon, lik as writ Guydo,
Of longe & schort was atwixe two,
Fel, proude, & fers, deuoyde of pacience,
And vengable, who hym dide offence;
And ȝit he was ballid as a cote,
On whos forhede, euene by þe rote,
Þe here was falle & wasted clene awey,
And selde or neuer he wolde slepe a-day.
And ouermore, to tellen of Cryseyde,
Mi penne stumbleþ, for longe or he deyde
My maister Chaucer dide his dilligence
To discryve þe gret excellence
Of hir bewte, and þat so maisterly,
To take on me it were but hiȝe foly,
In any wyse to adde more þer-to;
For wel I wot, anoon as I haue do,
Þat I in soth no þanke disserue may,
Be-cause þat he in writyng was so gay—
And but I write, I mote þe trouþe leue
Of Troye boke, and my mater breue
And ouer-passe and nat go by and by
As Guydo doþ in ordre ceryously.

279

And þus I most don offencioun
Þoruȝe necligence or presumpcioun:
So am I sette euene amyddes tweyne!
Gret cause haue I & mater to compleyne
On Antropos & vp-on hir envie,
Þat brak þe þrede & made for to dye
Noble Galfride, poete of Breteyne,
Amonge oure englisch þat made first to reyne
Þe gold dewe-dropis of rethorik so fyne,
Oure rude langage only tenlwmyne.
To God I pray, þat he his soule haue,
After whos help of nede I most[e] crave,
And seke his boke þat is left be-hynde
Som goodly worde þer-in for to fynde,
To sette amonge þe crokid lynys rude
Whiche I do write; as, by similitude,
Þe ruby stant, so royal of renoun,
With-Inne a ryng of copur or latoun,
So stant þe makyng of hym, dout[e]les,
Among oure bokis of englische per[e]les:
Þei arn ethe knowe, þei ben so excellent;
Þer is no makyng to his equipolent;
We do but halt, who-so takeþ hede,
Þat medle of makyng, with-outen any drede.
Whan we wolde his stile counterfet,
We may al day oure colour grynde & bete,
Tempre our aȝour and vermyloun:
But al I holde but presumpcioun—
It folweþ nat, þerfore I lette be.
And first of al I wil excuse me
And procede as I haue be-gonne,
And þoruȝ his fauour certeyn, ȝif I konne,
Of Troye boke for to make an ende;
And þer I lefte ageyn I wil now wende,
Vn-to Cryseyde, and þouȝ to my socour
Of rethorik þat I haue no flour
Nor hewes riche, stonys nor perre—

280

For I am bare of alle coriouste,
Þoruȝ crafty speche to enbrovde with her sleve—
Ȝet for al þat, now I wil not leue,
But ben as bolde as Baiard is, þe blynde,
Þat cast no peril what wey[e] þat he fynde;
Riȝt so wil I stumble forþe of hede
For vnkonnyng, & take no better hede,
So as I can, hir bewte to discriue.
Þat was in soth of alle þo on-lyue
On þe fayrest, þis Calchas douȝter dere,
Þer-to of schap, of face, and of chere,
Þer myȝt[e] [be] no fairer creature:
To hiȝe nor lowe, but mene of stature—
Hir sonnysche her, liche Phebus in his spere,
Bounde in a tresse, briȝter þanne golde were,
Doun at hir bak, lowe doun be-hynde,
Whiche with a þrede of golde sche wolde bynde
Ful ofte syþe of a-custummaunce;
Þer-to sche hadde so moche suffisaunce
Of kyndes wirke, with-outen any were—
[And] Saue hir browes Ioyn[e]den y-fere,
No man koude in hir a lake espien.
And, ferþermore, to speken of hir eyen,
Þei wer so persyng, heuenly, & so clere,
Þat an herte [ne] myȝt hym silf[e] stere
Ageyn hir schynyng, þat þei nolde wounde
Þoruȝ-out a brest, God wot, & biȝonde.
Also sche was, for al hir semlynes,
Ful symple & meke, & ful of sobirnes,
Þe best norissched eke þat myȝt[e] be,
Goodly of speche, fulfilde of pite,
Facundious, and þer-to riȝt tretable,
And, as seiþ Guydo, in loue variable—
Of tendre herte & vnste[d]fastnes

281

He hir accuseth, and newfongilnes.
And aftir þis, Dares doþe reherse
Amongis oþer, how þe kyng of Perce
Cam to Grekis with many worþi knyȝt
To helpe & furþere with al his ful[le] myȝt.
Þe whiche kyng was of stature longe,
And wonder fat and, as he writ, riȝt stronge;
Whos berd and her, reed as flawme of fire,
With eyen stepe, and feruent of desyre
To haue a-do, and sterne of chere & loke,
And ofte syþes of sodeyn Ire he quoke—
And had wertis plente in his face.
And þus Dares, schortly for to pace,
No more of Grekis writeþ, as I fynde,
But of Troyans for to make mynde,
Ceriously he doþe his stile dresse
Hem to discryue, as I schal expresse.
And first he seith how kyng Priamus
Was of his chere benigne and gracious,
Of hiȝe stature, with lymys sklender & longe,
Delityng moche in musik & in songe;
And specialy he was most desyrous
To heren songis þat wern amerous—
A semly man, and of gret hardynes,
And spake but lowe, as bokis vs expresse:
Devoide of drede, hatyng flaterye,
And alle þat koude ouþer glose or lye,
Trewe of his worde, & to euery wyȝt
He dide pleinly equite and riȝt;
For no mede hym list nat to decline,
And loued erly on morwe for to dyne.
In his tyme on þe worþiest
Of alle kynges, and he þat loued best
Worþi knyȝtes; & alle þat he knewe
Þat manful were and of hert[e] trewe,
He koude cherische, no man half so wele,

282

With gold & ȝiftes, þat þei myȝt[e] fele
His grete fredam & largesse eke with al.
And of his sones, for to rekne hem alle,
Þe first of birþe, so as bokis telle,
Was worþi Ector, of knyȝthod spring & welle,
Flour of manhod, of strengþe per[e]les,
Sadde & discret & prudent neuere-þe-les,
Crop & rote, grounde of chiualrie,
Of cher demvre, and of curtesye
He was example—þer-to of sobirnes
A verray merour, & for his gentilnes
In his tyme þe most[e] renomed,
To reknen al, and of goodlyhed
Þe most[e] famus, [and] in pes & werre
Ferþest spoke of, boþe nyȝe & ferre.
On eche part he was so vertuous,
And to be loued þe most gracious,
Of brawn & bonys compact be mesure,
So wel breþid in armys to endure,
So wel parformed be proporcioun,
So quik, so lifly, and of most renoun,
So huge made, so wel growe on lengþe,
So wel complet for to haue gret strengþe,
Þat in þis worlde, ȝif I schal nat feyne,
Was neuer noon þat fully myȝt attayne
To þe prowes of þis worþi knyȝt,
To rekne his hert as wel as his myȝt.
And þer-wiþ-al so wys and avysee,
Þe low[l]iest eke of his degre
To riche & pore, and of wordis fewe.
Vn-to alle suche chere he koude schewe,
Of his presence þat glad was euery wyȝt,
Whan þei at leyser hadde of him a siȝt;
He was so benygne to hem of þe toun,
And to his enmyes lyk a fers lyoun
He koude hym schewe, whan it was to do;

283

And in þe felde þer myȝt[e] no man so,
To rekene al his labour, half endure:
For þe story doth vs pleyn assure
Þat he was neuer wery in bataille,
Nor feint in hert his fomen to assaille.
Of alle good I fynde he was þe beste;
Prowes & vertu in him wer sette at reste
So passyngly, þat neuer was ne schal
Noon bore of modir to be perigal
To hym of manhod nor of chiualrie:
For alle he passed, but ȝif bokis lye,
In whom Nature was no þing to wyte,
Saue in his tonge he was let a lite;
And, as som auctours make mencioun,
He was sangwyn of complexioun.
And, ferþermore, his broþer Dephebus,
Lik as I fynde, and also Elenus,
Were liche Priam, þat sothly of hem þre
Was hard tespien any diuersyte
Of schap, of forme, or of countenaunce,
Saue of age, þer was no variaunce:
Her fader olde and þei wer ȝong & liȝt.
And Dephebus was a worþi knyȝt,
And had in armys fame & excellence;
And Elenus in clergie and science
Was wel expert, & toke but litel hede
Of alle þe werre, knyȝthod, nor manhede.
But Troylus schortly ȝif I schal discryve,
Þer was of hert non manlier on lyue,
Nor more likly in armys to endure:
Wel woxe on heiȝte and of good stature,
Ȝong, fresche, & lusty, hardy as a lyoun,
Deliuere and strong as any champioun,
And perigal of manhod and of dede
He was to any þat I can of rede

284

In doring do, þis noble worþi knyȝt,
For to fulfille þat longeþ to a knyȝt.
Þe secunde Ector for his worþines
He callid was, and for his hiȝe prowes
Duryng þe werre, he bare hym ay so wel;
Þer-to in loue as trewe as any stele,
Secre and wys, stedefast of corage,
Þe most[e] goodly also of visage
Þat myȝt[e] be, and benigne of cher,
With-oute chaunge, & of on hert entere.
He was alwey feithful, iust, & stable,
Perseueraunt, and of wil inmvtable
Vp-on what þing he onys set his herte,
Þat doubilnes myȝt hym nat peruerte—
In his dedis he was so hool and pleyn;
But on his foon, þe sothe for to seyn,
He was so fers þei myȝt him nat withstonde
Whan þat he hilde his bloodly swerde on hond:
Vn-to [þe] Grekis deth and confusioun,
To hem of Troye shelde and proteccioun;
And his knyȝthod schortly to acounte,
Þer myȝt in manhod no man him surmounte,
Þoruȝ þe worlde þouȝ men wolde seke,
To reknen al, Troyan nouþer Greke,
Noon so namyd of famus hardynes,
As bokis olde of hym bere witnes,
Excepte Ector, þer was nat swiche anoþer.
And aftir hym, to speken of his broþer,
I mene Paris, most passyng of bewte,
Þat in þis worlde no man myȝt[e] se,
In verray soþe, a more semly knyȝt;
For as I rede, þat he, be title of riȝt,
Of fairnes bare awey þe flour—
With lokkis ȝelwe lik gold were of colour.

285

And in schetyng most was his delite,
Hauyng in hunting a [ful] gret appetite;
And as Dares likith hym discryue,
Þe best archer on þer-of a-lyve;
And of his hond was eke a noble knyȝt,
A manly [man], deliuere and of good myȝt;
And in þe werre preued wel he was.
And, as I rede, þe Troyan Eneas,
As myn auctor listeth to endite,
Was wel brested and of body lite,
And bare in Troye wonder gret estat;
In his werkis discret and temperat,
And hadde a fame of passyng elloquence,
Wys of counseil and of gret sapience,
Most renomed also of lettrure,
Delytyng moche in bokis & scripture,
And euere glad, boþe of port & chere,
Sterne of his loke, with persyng eyen clere.
And amonge alle dwellyng in þe toun,
To speke of goodys and pocessioun,
Of castels and towres gret plente,
I fynde, soþely, þat noon in þat cite
Ne myȝt atteyne vn-to his reches;
And hadde also, for al his worþines,
Of gold and mebles passing gret tresour.
And his felawe, he, dawn Anthenor,
Was sclendre & longe, & of gret dalyaunce,
And circumspect in al his gouernaunce,
Wel be-louyd also of Priamus,
And of wordis wonder copious,
Resownyng ay in-to myrþe and pley.
And he was Iapyng al þe longe day
Among his feris and in companye,
So driely þat no man myȝt espie,
So sobir he was in his contenaunce,

286

Þat euery wyȝt hadde gret plesaunce
To here hym talke, whan þat he was glad;
And, al-be-it þat he of port was sad,
Ȝit al his speche ful of bourdis was.
And his sone, callid Pollydamas,
Was lik his fader of stature & of mak,
I-thewed wel, þat þer was no lak
In his persone, gentil and riȝt trewe,
Wonder strong and pale also of hewe,
And to Ire sterid sodeynly,
Al-be in wordis he kept hym couertly—
But al his hete passe wolde anoon.
And to telle of kyng Meryon,
Large brestid, & of his makyng al
Þe best[e] compact and þe most[e] tal
Of schap and forme þat men koude fynde,
And so wel parformed vp by kynde,
Þat non was lik to hym, nyȝe nor fer:
His lokkis ȝelwe, & crispyng was his her—
Stille of his port, and gentil with to play,
And inly strong maystries for to assay;
Wonder curteis, to no wiȝt dispitous,
And wrouȝt in armys dedis meruelous,
As in þis boke her-after schal be sene.
Nowe after hym, to Eccuba þe quene,
Lik þe story, my style y mote encline—
Whos lymys alle dide more decline
To schap of man þan to womanhede,
As seith Guydo; but in werke and dede
Sche was in soth þe most[e] womanly,
Þe best avised, and most prudently
In hir dedis koude hir silfe gouerne,
Þat mannys with myȝt[e] nat discerne
To fynde a bet, dout[e]les, þan sche—
So trewe example of femynyte
Sche was in soþe, and to euery wiȝt

287

Benigne of port and gracious of siȝt:
To pore also pitous and merciable,
And vn-to nedy wonder charitable.
Þe wif of Ector, hir douȝter in lawe,
After hir lore mochel dide drawe,
Andronomecha, þe feiþful trewe wyf,
So good, so iust, þe whiche in al hir lyf
In honeste dide hir moste delite—
Longe of hir schap, with brestis faire & whyte,
With rody chekis, ennewed by mesure,
With persyng eyen, of angelik figure—
Lik gold hir tressis, & rosyn lippis rede
I-liche fresche, of colour no þing dede.
Þer-to sche was of chere þe goodlieste
To riche & pore, and spake alwey þe beste
Of euery wiȝt, ay helping what sche myȝt,
Þat no man trist went out of hir siȝt;
And ouer þis, euery gentil-man
Sche forþre wolde in al þat euer sche can,
And gladly euer dide hir dilligence
To gete grace to hem þat dide offence:—
Þis was hir vsage and condicioun,
Sche was so ful of compassioun
Þat women alle myȝten of hir lere.
And Cassandra, hir ovne douȝter dere,
Was of stature wonder wommanly,
Of colour white, and þer-with riȝt semly
(Saue in her face in soundri places were
Many wertys growyng here & þere);
And al hir Ioy and felicite
Was to kepe hir virginite;
And freelte þat wommen han of kynde,
Þoruȝ vertu moral sche put out of mynde,
Of alle foly fleyng occasioun;
And ay in studie & contemplacioun

288

Of sondry bokis sche wolde [hir] occupie,
And specially of astronomye;
Of prophesye a spirit had[de] sche;
And somme men seyn sche was on of þe þre,
Of þe women þat Cebile bare þe name,
Of whom þe renoun floureth & þe fame
Vn-to þis day, and is as ȝet but grene.
And for to telle of ȝong[e] Pollicene,
And discriue hir bewte vp and doun,
It were in soþe a presumpcioun
To take on me now so gret a þing,
To clymbe so hiȝe & passe my konnyng,
Siþen Nature in forgyng of þis mayde,
Hir konnyng al outterly assaied
To make hir fair aboue eche creature,
And seide proudly: “se how I, Nature,
Whan [þat] me list, enbelissche can my wirke:
Liche as Phebus among þe cloudis dirke
Is passyng clere, so in comparisoun,
I can my wirke and operacioun
Riȝt as me list adourne & make fair,
So peint & florische, it schal nat apeire;
And my colours so craftily dispose,
Of þe lillie and þe fresche rose,
And so ennew þat þei schal nat fade,
But ay ben on; and in þis wyse I made
My dere douȝter, ȝe wite whom I mene,
Þe ȝonge, fresche, faire Policene,
A-skans þat non can þis crafte but I!”
Þus in hir wirke bosted outerly
Nature hir silf, whan sche þis maide wrouȝt,
As sche þat fully in hir hert[e] þouȝt
Abouen alle oþer to maken hir excelle,
And of bewte to be þe verray welle.
And þer-with-al in schap nor [in] stature
Ne was no lak, I dar ȝou wel assure;
And God aboue ȝaf hir souereynte
In alle thewes, and wolde sche scholde be

289

Crop & rote namyd of womanhede,
With folsomnes of al goodlyhede,
So passyngly, þat it wer ydelnes
Me to preswme by and by texpresse
Hir beute al, it wer a vayn travail;
For wel I wote myn englische wolde faile,
In whiche mater to talke felyn[g]ly,
Who-euere it can, certeyn it am nat I.
Þerfore I passe, & streȝt now wil I go
To my mater; for Dares of no mo
In al his boke maketh mencioun
Of hem of Grece nor of Troye toun:
In special he putte no mo in mynde
Þan ȝe haue herde, saue, as ȝe schal fynde
In þis story, whan it cometh þer-to,
Of hir knyȝthod & who þat best hath do,
Lastyng þe sege, þe maner euerydel.
And riȝt anon to scharp[e] my poyntel
I wil me dresse, þis story to entrete,
Of al þe werre to telle ȝou þe grete.

Here folowynge is declarede the grete noumbre of shippes that the Grekys assamblede in the havene of Athenes, bysidis a grete navye that kame to them whene þay wer at Troye.

The tyme neiȝeþ aftir þis nat ȝore,
Þat breme wynter with his frostis hore
Gan taswagen of his bitter colde;
Whan Appollo passid was þe holde
Of þe signe þat we calle Aquarie,
And in þe Fissche, fer in Februarie
I-ronne was to-ward þe Ariete;
And þat sesoun, with his feynt[e] hete,
On hillis hiȝe gan his bemys smyte,
Makyng þe snow with faire flakis whyte
In-to water kyndely relente,
Whiche from aboue to þe valey went,

290

Þat newe flodis of þe sodeyn þowe
Þe grene mede gan to ouerflowe,
And þe yis gan stoundemele distille
Doun fro þe hil þe brokis for to fille
With fomy stremys of þe wawes smale,
By broke bankis as þei dide avale;
Whan lusty ver, with his ȝonge grene,
Is recounforted by þe sonne schene,
Whiche lite and lite his hewes ay amendeþ,
Vp in his spere as Titan vp ascendeth;
Whan Marche aprocheþ, & branchis oueral
Gynne buddyn out, & þe equinoccial
Of wer is halwed, þe sesoun amerous,
Whan þe Grekis, proude & coraious,
With hool þe flour of her chiualrie
Assemblid werne, & holly her navie
In þe hauene þat was most of fame,
And of Atthenes þat tyme bare the name,
Y-gaddred was, by assent echon
Towardis Troye to seilen & to gon—
So gret [a] noumbre, þat syth þe world began,
Is nat remembrid of no maner man,
Þat to-gidre in a companye
Was met y-fere so passyng a navye
Of manly men, who so liste take hede,
In þis story as ȝe schal after rede.
And by and by to make discripcioun,
Myn auctor telleth howe Agamenoun,
Þe worþi kyng, an hundrid schippis brouȝt
With worþi knyȝtis stuffid as hem ouȝt;
And Menelaus, on whom lay most [þe] charge,
Hath with him brouȝt sixti schipes large
Out of his londe þat callid is Sparten;
And from Boece, ful of manly men,
Cam fifty schipes, þe story telleþ þus,
With Prothenor and with Archelaus;
And from þe lond, callid Sycomenye,

291

Cam xxx.ti schipes in þe companye
Of þe duke þat hiȝte Achalapus,
With whom was eke, ful fresche & desirous,
Helymux þe erle, þe worþi knyȝt;
And fifty schipes, ena[r]med for to fyȝt,
With him brouȝt þe kyng Epistrofus,
Only with helpe of kyng Cedyus;
And Thelamoun, whom Aiax som men calle,
Ful renomed, for to reknen alle,
Hath fifty schipes brouȝt to þis Iourne
From Solemyne, his royal chef cyte,
With erlis, dukis, & many worþi knyȝt,
Eueryche of hem in stele armyd briȝt.
And duke Teuter, with Amphiacus,
Erl Darion, and noble Theseus—
Þis ilke foure, ful worþi of renoun,
In þis viage cam with Thelamoun.
And olde Nestor, cruel of hert & þouȝt,
Oute of Pilon haþ fifty schipes brouȝt.
Þe kyng of Daymes, þat ful worþi was,
And eke þe kyng þat hiȝt also Thoas
Brouȝten with hem in her companye
An C schipes knyȝtly for to guye;
And Thelamoun, y-callid Cilleus,
Þat was in armys fel & dispitous,
With him brouȝt from his londe so ferre
Sixe & þritty schipes for þe werre.
Amphimacus & kyng Polibete
Þritti schipes brouȝt[e] to þe flete
From Calcedoyne; and Meryoun, þe kyng,
Wiþ Ydumeus hadde in her ledyng
Foure score schipes with hem oute of Crete;
And Vlixes wiþ Grekys dide mete
With fifti schipes stuffid oute of Trace,
Towardis Troye proudly for to pace.
Duke Mellyus, ful of manly men,

292

Brouȝt eke [wiþ] hym grete schipes ten;
And, ouermore, þe duke Perotacus
And þe duke namyd Prothisalus,
To þe hauene þat callid was Athene,
Brouȝt fifty schipes, enarmid briȝt & schene,
From Philiarcha, þe strong myȝty Ile.
And Methaon, as Guydo doth compile,
Wiþ his broþer Polidris also,
From her contre Trycianyco,
Brouȝt xxiiti schipes, as I fynde;
And from Phices, as it is made mynde,
With Achilles cam fifti ful by noumbre;
And from Rodon, Troyens to encombre,
Cam xxti schippis with kyng Thelap[ol]us;
And with þe duke þat hiȝt Antipus,
Oute of þe londe þat Hesida men calle,
Of whiche þe folke be nyȝe cherlis alle,
With sail crossyd ageyn þe briȝt[e] heuene,
In noumbre cam schipes eke eleuene;
And with hem was, of name ful famus,
Þe worþi duke, callid Amphymacus.
And Polibethes, þe strong myȝti kyng,
Fifty schipis brouȝt at his comyng,
Oute of Richa, þe noble regioun;
And with þis kyng, ful worþi of renoun,
Was Losius þe duke, eke as I rede;
And, as I fynde, þe noble Diomede,
Of schipis grete (I speke of no smal barge)
Hath with hym brouȝt from Calidoyn & Arge
Foure score in noumbre, sothely þis no tale;
And Thelemus and myȝti Euryale,
Two manly men & in armys sage,
Wiþ Diomede cam in þis viage.
And Polyphebus brouȝt[e] schipis seuene,

293

And Phyneus, þe hardy kyng, enleuene;
And Prothoylus, as I can specefie,
Brouȝt fifty schipis vn-to [t]his navie
From Demenesa, þe myȝti regioun;
And Carpenor, as made is mencioun,
Brouȝt fifti eke from Capadie his contre,
A gret provynce, of whiche kyng was he.
Trearyus, of Beysa lord and kyng,
Brouȝt xxiiti also in his comyng;
And finally, ȝif I schal nat lye,
Ful many schip was in þis navie—
Mo þan Guydo maketh rehersaile,
Toward Troye with Grekis for to saile.
For as Omer in his discripcioun
Of Grekysche schipis makeþ mencioun,
Schortly affermyng, þat man was neuer borne
Þat swych a noumbre of schippis saw to-forne—
Countid þe schipis þat Palamydes
Brouȝt with hym her noumbre to encrese—
Þat whan þese lordis a-forn-seid euerychon,
Kynges, dukes, and erlis alle in on
Assemblid wern, wiþ-outen any wene,
Afore þe hauene þat callid is Athene,
Þe famous kyng, grete Agamenoun,
So wys, so worþi, & of so hiȝe renoun,
As he þat was prince and gouernour
Of Grekis hoste, anon dide his labour,
His besy cure and wakir dilligence,
By hiȝe avis and inward prouidence
To delibre wysly in þis nede
What were to do or þat he procede
In þis mater, castyng vp and doun
And reuoluyng of hiȝe discrecioun,
Þat he may so begynnen þat þe ende

294

Conclude wel, þat wilfulnes ne schende
Holly her purpos þoruȝ no rakilnes,
Ne þoruȝ noon hast, with-oute avisenes,
So þat þei may a-forn so wysely se,
Þat finally in felicite
Þei may acomplische her purpos in certeyn.
And so þis kyng, vp-on a large pleyn,
Out of þe cite but litel fro þe stronde,
With his lordis wil for no þing wonde
To haue a conseil, þis wyse Agamenoun,
Makyng a-noon a convocacioun
Of swyche as wern most gret in special,
He sittyng first in his se royal,
And his lordis eueryche in his se,
Like as þei wern of hiȝe or low degre;
And al tumulte stinted, and silence
Was þoruȝ þe pres, to ȝif hym audyence,
Þanne he anon, in ful sobre wyse,
Began his tale, as I schal deuyse.

Howe prudently Agamenon coragyde his lordys ageyns the Troyans.

“Sirs,” quod he, “I praye ȝou takeþ hede,
Þat be so noble and so renomed
Boþe of wisdam and of worþines,
Of manhode eke and of hiȝe prowes,
Þat of knyȝthod þe report & þe fame
Þoruȝ-oute þe world reboundeþ to ȝour name:
For dout[e]les þe flour of chiualrie
Men may now fynde in þis companye;
For who sawe euer of manly men y-fere,
To-gidre met, as þer ben now here—
So ȝonge, so fresche, so coraious also,

295

So wel be-seyn for to haue a-do,
Or so likly, sith þe worlde began,
With-oute raskaile so many knyȝtly man,
Of kynges, dukes, and many anoþer lorde,
As be now here of wil & on accorde,
And of on hert assemblid in þis place,
Þat ȝif Fortune & goddis, of her grace
Be nat be-hinde oure Iourne to apreve,
We may nat faille oure purpos to acheve:
For, I deme hym pleynly in a rage,
Or wers þan wod, þat durste þis viage
In any wyse perturben, or preswme
To take ageyn vs, ouþer to asswme
Be myȝt on hym of malys to excite
Our worþines—wer it neuer so lyte—
Vs to prouoke to Ire, or doon offence,
Þat we ne schulde, be mortal recompense,
Aquyte his mede, as it liþe in oure myȝt,
Þat han among vs so many a worþi knyȝt—
Amongis whiche an hundrid & ȝit mo
I koude chese able for to go,
Be manly force & knyȝtly suffysance,
To take on hym for to do vengaunce
Vp-on Troyans be hym silf allone—
For whiche þat we be gadrid now echone—
Þat with his meyne were sufficient
To execute þe somme of his entent
And it acomplische in felicite—
Þe cause, I mene, for whiche þat alle we
Assemblid ben, boþe hiȝe and lowe.
And with al þis, to ȝou is nat vnknowe
Howe schamefully Troyens han vs grevid,
Prouokid vs & wilfully y-mevid

296

To rise ageyn hem to han recur of riȝt
Of wrongis don, with al oure force & myȝt.
Wherfore, lete vs be on assent & wille,
Settyn to han, as it is riȝt and skylle,
Redres to fynde of þat we now compleyne,
And of oon herte done oure besy peyne
Vp-on Troyens a werre for to make.
And I suppose, we schul hem so a-wake,
Þat þei schal lerne, or we þen[ne]s wende,
To remembre to þe worldes ende
How þei her-after schal dur take on honde
For to preswme in Grece more to londe,
Or to be bolde while þei haue lif or space
Ageyn[es] Grekis more for to trespace:
For whos offence, as who seyþe do but late,
With-Inne oure herte, with so brennyng hate,
Þe feruent hete and þe gredy Ire
Fro day to day so settiþ vs a-fire,
Þat it reneweþ þe constreynt of oure peyne
So inwardly, ȝif I schal nat feyne,
We mote of resoun of so hiȝe greuaunce
Our silf enforce for to do vengaunce,
As riȝt requireth, and oure iust[e] sorwe
Compelleth vs, boþe eve and morwe,
On Troyans oure harmes to be-wreke.
And for to stop tonges þat so speke
To oure repref and to oure vilenye,
We most attonys schape remedie,
Þat oure foon hen[ne]s-forþe may drede
For to do wers to vs, as God forbede,
In tyme commyng, ȝif þoruȝ oure pacience
We liȝtly suffre her importable offence
To passe forþe, and take of it noon hede.
Sith neuer ȝit of Grekis koude I rede,
Þat any man dide repref to her name,
Þat iustly myȝt rebounde to her schame,
With-oute þis, þat þei it quitte ageyn

297

Þoruȝ her manhod, so openly & pleyn,
Þat no man myȝt of hem seyn or þis
In any wyse or report a-mys.
Ne we schal nat dissymulen in þis cas,
With cher oppressed, nor with dredful face
To lete slyde or liȝtly ouer-go
Þe grete offencis þat were so late do,
Whiche wolde turne vn-to vs and ours
To gret reprefe, & to oure successoures
In tyme comyng, & schamefully be spoke,
How þat Grekis durste nat be wroke
Vp-on her foon—þe whiche may nat be,
I ȝou ensure, sith þat alle we
Ben of oon wil to reforme oure wrong,
And þer-with-al so myȝty & so strong,
Þat who is he þat koude in brede & lengþe
A-riȝt reherse our power & our strengþe,
Or who durste euer oure worþines assaile
Þat he ne schulde, with-oute any faile,
Repente in hert, or at þe ende rewe—
Saue Troyans, þis oþer day of newe,
Of wilfulnes, in a foly rage
In-to oure londe maden a viage,
Vnwar of vs, & with her praye hom went;
Þe whiche þei schal ful hastily repent,
For her trespas and gret offencioun:
For al þe worlde knoweþ vp and doun,
But late agon how Grekis but a fewe
Vp-on Troyens her power dide schewe
And slowe her kyng, callid Lamedoun,
Fadir to Priam, now kyng of þat toun,
And fordide touris and cite,
And with hem ladde in captiuite,
From Grekis swerde swiche as hem list spare,
Þat among vs in seruitude and care
Compleyne her harme whiche may nat be recurid.

298

Þan how may þei stonde full assured
Ageyn vs alle to holden chaumpartye,
Þat han so worþi in oure companye;
For it is likly a þousand to acheue
Þat four or five so liȝtly myȝt[e] preue.
And ȝit o þing aferme wel I dar,
Of oure comyng Troyens ar wel war
And don her labour & her dilligence
Ageyn[e]s vs to make resistence
With al her myȝt—I knowe it oute of doute—
And gadre frendis in contres al aboute
To helpen hem & strengþe hem in her nede,
Vs to wiþstonde, ȝif þei myȝt[e] spede.
But finally, o þing I consaille,
From þis hauene or we ferþer saille,
Þat we may be þe more fortunat,
Of oon assent to make ambassiat,
And prudently, or we ferþer wende,
In-to Delos in al hast þat we sende—
Whiche is an yle a litel here be-syde—
More discretly our Iourne to provide,
Þat we may han þe better hap & grace
Of Appollo, patroun of þat place—
To haue of hym, ȝif þat we may spede,
Fynal answer in þis grete nede
Of oure expleyt how þat it schal falle,
Ȝif it so be ȝe wil assenten alle
To þis conseil, þe meste and eke þe leste.”
And þei echon þouȝten for þe beste
To condiscende to þis conclusioun
With-outen any contradiccioun;
And alle attonys, with-outen any drede,
Þei prayse his counseil & his wyse rede;
And þer-vp-on, discretly, as þei ouȝte,
As seiþe þe stori, euene þus þei wrouȝt.

299

Howe Agamenon, by þe avyce of al þe princes of Grece, sent Achilles and Pirodus into Delphos, to haue answere of Apollo, whidere thay shulde haue þe victory of þe Troyens or no. And here-aftire is declarid, howe ydolatrye and fals godes had ther bygynnenge; And how Calchas kam to þe same Ille.

After þe tyme þat Agamenoun
Concludid haþ fully his resoun,
As ȝe han herde, & his sentence fyned,
Þe Grekis ben of herte ful enclined,
And with o vois acordid pleynly þus,
Þat Achilles and also Pirrodus,
For comoun profit, sith[en] þei wer sage,
Schal take on hem þe charge of þis message,
To Appollo for answere for to goon;
And to schip þei hem haste anoon
And seile furþe be þe large se
Toward Delphos, and in prosperite
Þei ben aryued & I-com to londe.
Þe whiche Ile, as I vndirstonde,
And as myn auctor seith, with-oute les,
Haueth his syyt amonge[s] Cyclades,
Wher men with rokkis haue so moche a-do,
Amyd þe see callid Elespontico.
Of whiche Ile to make discripcioun,
I mote a while make digressioun
Fro my mater, as myn auctor doth;
For in þis Ile, Ysidorus in soth
Reherseþ pleynly how Latona, þe quene,
Appollo firste, and Diane þe schene
I-childid haþe, by Iubiter her lord,
Whan he and Iuno wer[e]n at discord—
As writ Ovide—for a litel while.
And so by-fil, in þis litel Ile
Þer was a temple whilom dedicat

300

Vn-to Appollo, and also consecrat
In his worschipe, of olde fundacioun,
Þat was honoured with grete deuocioun,
Be-cause Appollo with his bemys clere,
After þe flood, firste þere dide appere
To schewe his hornys, raþer þere & sone,
And Diane eke, þat callid is þe mone.
Of whiche schewyng þis Ile bereþ þe name
In-to þis day, þat is of so grete fame—
Only be aperyng of þis ilke tweyne:
For Delos is in Greke no more to seyne
Þan a schewyng or an apparence.
And þus be-gan þe grete reuerence
To Appollo first, and þe honour eke
To hym y-do of so many Greke,
And to his suster þat callid is Dyane,
Þe pale mone, þat can so wexe and wane,
And callid is of paynymys a goddesse,
Þat whilom was in wode an hunteresse.
And þis lady, with þe sonne her broþer,
Of þis Ile haue lordschip & non oþer,
Only for þei at her natiuite
Schewid her liȝt firste in þat contre.
Þe whiche Ile Grekis also calle
Ortigia, in her language alle,
Be-cause curlews wer þer first I-seyn:
For Ortigias is no more to seyn
Þan a curlew, in grew, I vndirstonde;
For þei were firste engendrid in þat londe.
And Appollo is callid eke Tytan,
Þat in his tyme so moche worschip wan,
Longe to-forne or he was made a sterre,
With Iubiter whan þat he hilde werre.
And he also y-callyd is Phebus,

301

And of somme y-namyd Phicius:
For of Pheton he hadde þe victorie
Whan he him slowȝ, to his encres of glorie—
Þe grete serpent here in erþe lowe—
Wiþ his arwis and his myȝti bowe.
Of whiche conquest þe gret[e] god Cupide
Had envie, and euene þoruȝ þe syde
He woundid hym, depe to þe herte
With þe arwe of golde, þat made him sore smerte.
And of Pheton, þat Phebus made fyne,
Com Phetonysses, þat konne so devine—
I mene women þat ben devyneresses
Þoruȝ dede men, þis false sorceresses,
As oon whilom reisede Samuel
For loue of Saule, þe Byble can ȝou telle.
And in his temple large, longe, and olde,
Þer was a statue al of purid golde,
Ful gret and hiȝe, & of huge weiȝte,
And þer-in was, þoruȝ þe deuels sleiȝte,
A spirit vnclene, be false illusioun,
Þat ȝaf answere to euery questioun—
Nat þe ydole, dovmbe as stok or stoon.
And þus þe peple, deceyued euerychon,
Were by þe fend brouȝt in gret errour,
To done worschip & swyche false honour,
With sacrifise & cursed mawmentrie.
And in þis wyse began ydolatrie,
As in þis place to tellen I me caste,
And how longe it abode and laste,
Compendiously I purpose to discryve—
Gynnyng & ende, as ȝe schal here blyve,
Wiþ-outen any ambyguite.
For at þe birþe and natiuite
Of Crist Iesu, at þe incarnacioun,
Alle þe ydoles brast and fel[le] doun,
And vanisched, & wer brouȝt to nouȝt,

302

Whan Herodes þe blisful childe haþ souȝt
Þoruȝ his malis & cruelte horrible,
As holy writ recordeþ & þe Bible.
For whiche pursut and persecucioun,
Þer dide apere, be a visioun,
An holy angel to Ioseph as he slep,
And bad hym ryse & also taken kep
Vn-to þe childe, and also to Marie,
And goon his way, or Herode him espye,
In-to Egypt, þe grete regioun,
Lik as þe gospel makeþ mencioun.
And riȝt anoon, as he cam to londe,
Þer was non ydole vp-riȝt myȝt[e] stonde,
But to-schiuerede vn-to pecis smale—
Þis holy writ, pleinly, and no tale,
As was recorded first of Isaie,
How þat oure lorde on an esy skye
Ascende schulde & holde furþe his weye
Toward Egypt, & þer-wiþ schulde deye
Al mawmetrie, and no lenger duelle.
But as þe Iewes recorde of Ysmael,
Þat he was first þat mawmetrie fonde,
And made of clay an ydole with his honde,
And as peynymys write & tellen vs
Þat aldirfirst was Promotheus
Þat fond ydolis, schortly to conclude;
For simulacrum cometh of similitude—
Þat is no þing pleynly but liknes
Made after man, his ymage to expresse,
Vn-to whiche paynymys in her guyse,
With false honour & cursyd sacrifise,
Be-gonne first þis ryt for drede of man.
And somme seyn, how Belus first began
Swiche fals[e] worschip & suche mawmetrie,
In her bokis as clerkis specefie,
Þat of Assirie was lord & gouernour,

303

After whos deth his sone in his honour,
Þat Nynus hiȝt, an ymage dide make
To be worschipte only for his sake—
Al of brent gold, be fals affeccioun,
And sette it vp for consolacioun,
And for a mynde and a memorial,
Vn-to þe whiche, with hert[e], wil, and al,
Of ygnoraunce and of fleschly love
He dide honour, as to God above,
In his templis, most of excellence,
And made his peple to do reuerence,
And seide in heuene he was deified,
Þat of no man durst[e] be denyed.
Til after sone but a lytel whyle,
A wickid spirit, folkis to be-gyle,
In þis ydole entrid to abyde,
And ȝaf answer vp-on euery side
To þe peple of what him list demaunde;
And þei ageyn, what he wil commaunde
Obeye fully—þe folke of al Assirie—
Whiche vn-to God dide gret Iniurie,
Makyng þe peple in suche errour falle.
And somme Belus & somme Bel hym calle,
And somme Balym & somme Belphegor,
And fil in errour alwey more & more—
And Belȝebub he named was also,
Whiche name is made of wordis two:
Of Bel & ȝebub, þat þus signefie—
For Bel is god, and ȝebub is a flye—
Þan Belȝebub to-gidre specefies,
Ioyned in on, þe grete god of flyes.
And of þis feyned fals ydolatrie
Gan al þe worlde worschip mawmetrie;
For somme Satorn “god of goddis alle”
Gan in her errour falsly for to calle,
Þat was whilom þe myȝti kyng of Crete,

304

And ȝaf hym name after þe planete
Þat in heuene haþ so large a spere.
And as poetis in her fablis lere,
Þat he be-forn, þoruȝ his sapience,
Sawe in his dyvyne providence
Howe a sone schulde of hym discende,
And of Iuno þe goddesse, as he wende,
Þat schulde hym pleinly from his regne expelle
And suffren him no lenger for to duelle
In his kyngdam, whan he com to age—
Wher-of Satorn fil in swiche a rage,
Þat he wil schape remedie þer-fore,
Byddyng his wyf, þat whan þe childe wer bore
Þat sche to hym schulde it bring a-noon,
In stede wher-of to hym sche brouȝt a ston—
To saue hir chylde sche dide hir besynes—
And þis Satorn, þoruȝ his gredynes,
Þe ston deuoureþ in his malencolye.
And þus Satorn, but ȝif bokis lye,
Hadde sonys þre, a douȝter, & no mo:
Iubiter, Neptunus, and Pluto.
But Iubiter grattest was of name,
Most renomed & worþiest of fame
Among paynyms, as it is verefied;
For þei so hiȝe han hym magnyfied,
Þat þei hym calle “god of fire & eyr,”
Nexte to Satorne borne for to be heyr.
And nexte to hym, in bokis as I rede,
Is god of bataille, myȝti Mars þe rede;
And nexte Appollo, so cler, so schene & briȝt,
Þe daies eye & voider of þe nyȝt,
Cherischer of frut, of herbe, flour, & corne—
Þe whiche god, liche as is seid a-forne,
In Delos is worschipte and honoured.
And after, Venus, þat often haþ socoured
Many louere, þe faire, lusty quene,
And hem alleggid of hir woundis grene,

305

Þat first were hurt with hir fyry brond,
As sche þat is goddes of many lond,
And al þe worlde haþe in hir demeyne
Fast enbracid in hir firy cheyne—
I mene þe lady þat callid is Venus.
And nexte in ordre is Mercuryus,
Þat in speche hath most excellence
Of rethorik and sugrid elloquence;
Of musik, songe, and of armonye
He hath lordschipe and hool þe regalye.
Nexte þe mone, þat wexe can & wane,
Callid Lucyna and also eke Dyane,
Þat in Delos hath hir mansioun,
Lik as to-forn is maked mencioun—
Now ful of liȝt, now hornyd pale is sche,
Lady of chaunge and mutabilite,
Þat selde in on halt hir any tyme;
And so fare þei þat ben born in hir clyme,
Þat ay delite in þingis þat ben newe,
Whos hert is clad in many sondry hewe,
So þei be diuers in her affecciouns.
And in þis wyse, in sondri regiouns,
Of mawmetrie is þe venym ronne,
Lik as clerkis wel deuyse konne:
For, as I fynde, þe Mawricyens
Worschip Iulam, and Egypciens
Honouren Ysis, after her konnyng,
Whilom douȝter of Ynachus þe kyng,
Þat tauȝt hem first hir lond to ere & sowe,
And also lettris for to rede and knowe,
And in lettrure to sette her besynes—
For whiche þing þei calle hir a goddes.
And Iubiter honoured is in Crete,
Where he whilom hilde his souereyn sete,
And on hem leyde many diuers charge,

306

With egles betyn in his baner large;
And he was lord of eyr, of lond, & see,
His royal kyngdam deuidyng in-to þre:
In þe hiest hym silfe doth contune,
And hool þe se he ȝaf vn-to Neptune,
And laste þe erþe, to holde his se royal,
He ȝaf to Pluto, þat god is infernal;
And alderlast, whan he was stellified,
Þis Iubiter was moste magnified
Of hem of Crete, a-bouten ouer al,
To whom þei made for a memorial
A large tombe and a statue a-lofte,
And hym honoured in her ritis ofte
With encens and oþer sacrifice.
And of þis mater ferþer to deuise,
Þe Latynys wiþ besy dilligence
In her rytis dide reuerence
To þe goddis—ȝif it be credible—
I-callid fawny, þat ben Invisible,
And han her duellyng in þe wodis grene,
Al-be þat men her figure may nat sene.
And of Romeyns ferþer to devine,
Þei most in honour han hir god Quyryne,
Þe whiche whilom, as bokis tellen vs,
Amongis hem was callid Romulus,
Þat bilt[e] first þe wallis of þe toun;
And from an hirde he cam to swiche renoun
Þoruȝ his manhod & his worþines.
Þe spere of whom, as bokis seyn expresse,
As he þe hed picched in þe grounde,
It gan anon, lik as it is founde,
To florische & floure & buddyn by myracle,
And of nature had[de] noon obstacle
To wexe grene with fresche blomys newe.
And for þe manhod þat men in hym knewe,
For his knyȝthod and his grete fame,
Þe worþi knyȝtes of Rome bare þe name
After hym, & were querytes callid,

307

Hiȝe in heuene whan þat he was stallid
Amonge þe goddis, and y-deifyed.
And þus Romeyns han hym glorified,
As for her god, with gold & gret expencis.
And, as I rede, þe Athenyenses
Of hool[e] herte chosen for to serue
To þe goddes þat callid is Mynerue,
And Pallas eke, wiþ hir cristal schelde,
Þat with Neptunus evene amyd þe felde
Helde chaumpartye, with wommen on hir syde;
And he with men, ful sirquedous in pride,
Defendiþ hym for ȝeving of þe name
Of Athenes, a cite most of fame—
Þis to seyn, wheþer he or sche
Schulde of riȝt name þe cite—
Til it be-fil, as þei gonne stryue,
Sodeynly þer sprang a fair olyue
For Pallas part, grene & fair blosmyng,
And þer ageyn, a welle gan to springe
For hym Pluto, with water, large & depe,
Of whiche þing Appollo toke good kepe,
Whiche in his dom was nat rek[e]les;
And for þe olyve tokeneþ loue & pes,
Water trouble, contek, werre, and strif,
He ȝaf sentence anon diffynytif,
How Pallas schulde, þat callid is Mynerve,
Þe palme pleynly of þis strif disserue.
And sche anon ȝaf name to þe toun,
And callid it, be hiȝe discrecioun,
Athenes, þe whiche in special
Is to seyn, a cite in-mortal:
For wisdam first þer be-gan to floure.
And for þis skille, þis cite dide honour
Miȝty Pallas, goddesse of science,
And had hir ay moste in reuerence.
And þei of Pave, in al her regioun,
Worschip moste þe quene of Cytheroun—

308

I mene Venus, ful of doubilnes,
Of whom aforne somwhat I dide expresse—
And in hir temple, ful solempnely,
Þei sette hir hiest; & moste richely
With gold and aȝure hir statue þei do peint,
And oþer colours þat may neuer feynt,
And set hir vp in þe hiȝest se
Of all þe temple þat al men may se;
And sche stant nakid in a wawy se,
Abouten hir with goddesse þre,
Þat be assygned with besy attendaunce
To a-waite on hir & don hir obseruaunce.
And floures fresche, blewe, rede, and white
Ben hir aboute, þe more for to delyte;
And on hir hed sche haþ a chap[e]let
Of rosys rede, ful plesauntly y-set,
And from þe hed doun vn-to hir foot
With sondry gommys & oynementis soot
Sche is enoynt, swetter for to smelle;
And enviroun, as poetis telle,
Ben douvys whyte fleyng, & eke sparwis,
And be-syde Cupide with his arwys—
Hir blinde sone—for to hurte and dere,
And loseth ofte & smyt he wot not where,
As he mote nede, be-cause he is blynde.
And þus honouryd & most had in mynde
Amonge þis peple is Venus þe goddesse.
And Naxyens don her besynesse
To serue Bachus, þe myȝti god of wyn,
Whos licour is moste precious and fyn
To recomfort hertis and to glade,
And to refresche hewes þat ben fade
In facis pale, and makiþ wittis scharp,
Losnyth tongis, & doth hem loude carp,
And causeth hem to walke at liberte,
And to discure þing þat was secre

309

Wiþ-oute avys or discrecioun:
For w[h]er as wyn hath domynacioun,
No secrenesse may be kepte in mewe.
And somme of hem þat Bachus serue & sewe,
Amonge to hym haue swiche deuocioun
Þat þei som while ar voide of al resoun,
Hasty and wood, & wiþ-oute al drede;
And somme also so toty in her hede
Þat þei are voide of power & of myȝt,
And haue no foot for to stonde vp-riȝt.
And ȝit þei ben as chargaunt as a pye,
Pale cherid, wiþ a glasy eye,
Ful of resoun til his wynde be spent:
For man or woman þat is vinolent
Is verreyly a beste vnresonable,
And, to my dom, I holde hym eke vnable
To ben acceptid in any companye,
Whan þat her tonge wadeth on þe lye,
Þat þei ne may brynge forth a worde.
And þus Bachus, þe stronge myȝty lorde,
Ful ofte causeth folkis for to erre,
To debate, & to make werre
Of hastynes, wher as is no nede.
Wherfore it is wisdam þat men drede
His sliȝty werkyng, or þei falle in þe snare;
And feble braynys be mesour for to spare
Or þei vnwarly arestid ben & take,
And or Bachus make hem for to schake
In a fevere wers þan tercyen—
Ȝiffe it of custom be quotidien,
Alterat with Bachus myȝty Iows—
And afferde of tornyng of þe hous,
And for-dreynt on þe drye lond,
Whan he hath lost boþe foot & hond,
And with a strawe pleyeth like an ape,
And deuoutly gynneth for to gape,

310

And noddeth ofte with his Iowsy hed,
As he had on an hevy cappe of led.
And who þat be of þis condicioun,
He entre may þe religioun
Of myȝti Bachus, for abilite.
Þe which[e] lord hath þe souereynte
Boþe of hony and of mylke þer-to,
And of bawme, þat is so riche also,
And lordschip haþe of hiȝe power devyne
Boþe of grapis and of euery vyne,
To ȝif hem norissching by his influence.
Of whom þe honour and þe reuerence
Is reysed most, as I vndirstond,
Among wynteris in euery maner lond,
Be-cause he is to hem so gracious.
And þei of Lewne worschip Wlcanus,
Þe god of fyre, Iubiter[i]s smyth;
Þe whiche forgiþ on his blak[e] stith
Þe gret[e] þonder, hidous & horrible,
And þe levenys, þat whilom be visible
In-to þe west, oute of þe orient,
And gasteth vs with his dredeful dent—
Þis smotry smyth, þis swart[e] Vlcanus,
Þat whylom was in herte so Ialous
Toward Venus, þat was his weddid wyf,
Wher-of þer roos a dedly mortal stryfe
Whan he with Mars gan hir first espie,
Of hiȝe malis & cruel fals envie,
Þoruȝ þe schynyng of Phebus bemys briȝt,
Liggyng a-bedde with Mars her owne knyȝt.
For whiche in hert he brent as any glede,
Makyng þe sklaundre al abrood to sprede,
And gan þer-on falsly for to mwse—
As God forbede þat any man accuse
For so litel any woman euere:
Where loue is set, hard is to disseuere;
For þouȝ þei don swyche þing of gentilles,

311

Passe ouere liȝtly and bere noon hevines
Liste þat þou be to wommen odyous—
And ȝit þis smyȝt, þis false Wlcanus,
Al-be þat he hadde hem þus espied,
Among peynyms ȝit was he deified;
And for þat he so falsely hem a-woke,
I haue hym set laste of al my boke
Amonge þe goddis of fals mawmetrie.
And in þis wyse gan ydolatrie,
As ȝe han herde, þoruȝ oppiniouns
Of peple erryng in her affecciouns—
Þat al is fals, who þe trouthe cerche:
For by techyng of al holy chirche,
Þe holy doctryne and tradiciouns,
We schal dispise swiche oppiniouns,
Whiche of þe fende wer founde nat of late.
For whan angelis in hevene wer create,
He þat of alle hadde prelacye—
Of whom þe prophete callid Ysaie
Writeþ riȝt þus: how þe cedris grene
Of paradys wer nat so fair to sene,
Planys nor fir in heiȝte, soþe to seyn,
To his hiȝnesse myȝt[e] nat atteyne,
Nor al þe tres, so delicioūs,
Of paradys were nat so precioūs,
Nouþer in siȝt nor in semlynes
To ben egal to hym in fairnes;
But þo[r]uȝ his pride & his surquedie,
Whan he seide to God, þat sit so hiȝe,
He wil be like, and also set his se
Hiȝe in þe northe, passyng his degre,
He was cast doun with alle his legiouns
From þe faire hevenly mansiouns,
Al sodeynly in-to þe pitte of helle,
Perpetuely þer for to duelle.
Of whom was seide, whan he fil so ferre:

312

“How fil þou so, o þou morwe sterre,
From þe myddis of þe stonys briȝt,
Þat ben so percynge & fyry of her liȝt,
Þat whilom wer for þi gret briȝtnes
Callid Lucyfer,”—of whom Crist seiþ expresse
In his gospel, how he sawe fro hevene
Sathan discende, lik þe fyry leuene—
Þe olde serpent, þat is so lowe falle,
Whom Hebrei in her tonge [c]alle
Be-mowþe, þat doth in latyn plein expresse
A beste rude, ful of cursednesse—
Þe vile serpent, he, Leuyathan,
Whom Ysidre wel discriue can,
Whiche of kynde is euere conuersaunt
In wellis trouble, & haueþ most his haunt
Amongis watris in þe large see;
Of whom seiþ Dauid, lik as ȝe may se,
In þe sauter makyng mencioun
Of þe snake, þe monstruous dragoun,
Ful of venym, and of harde grace,
Whiche in þe se, large & gret of space,
With foule addris haþe his mansioun,
Vn-to mankynde to doon illusioun—
Whom whilom sawe þe holy monke Brandan,
As he seiled by þe occian,
Þrowe & deiect, in a pet horrible,
More foule and hidous þan it is credible,
Þer to abide, þis tortuose serpent,
Vn-to þe day pleinly of Iugement,
Þat of malis envied so mankynde.
Whiche with his gynnes & sleiȝtes, as I finde,
Cam to oure fadir first in paradys;
And to deceyve þe bet at his devys,
More couertly, þis werme in his passage
Toke of a serpent þe liknes & ymage—

313

Þat is, of chere, of loke, and countenaunce
Like a mayde, & hath þe resemblaunce
Of a womman, as recordeth Bede,
In his deceytis raþer for to spede—
I mene þe hed only, and nat ellis:
For be-hynde, so as clerkis tellis,
Like a serpent of wombe, bak, & taile
He was whan he gan hem to assaile;
And towarde Eue whan he gan to glide,
He first enqueriþ, as he hir toke a-side,
Why God for-bad hem etyn of þe tree,
Whiche ȝif þei ete, sothly schulde be
Like to goddis, knowyng good & ille.
And riȝt furþe-with, as þei gan fullfille
Þe fendis heste, her eyen were vnclosid,
And for her gilt sodeynly deposid
From paradys in-to wrechidnes,
To liuen in labour, sorwen, & distres.
And þus þe fend, first whan þat he toke
Forme of a snake & a woman loke,
And made þe tonge in hir hed to meve,
By fals engyn mankynde for to greve,
So as he doth in hem þat be travailled,
With wicked spirites vexid & assailled,
To meve her tongis falsly oute to breke
In-to blasfemye, what þing þat þei speke—
Þe same serpent, he Levyathan,
Contynvyng ay falsly as he gan
In cursid ydoles dovmbe, defe, & blynde,
Ful ofte spekith be spirites, as I fynde,
Whiche ar but fendis, Dauid writ certeyn,
Þe goddis alle, whom folkis so in veyn
Honour with ritis superstycious,
As whilom was Appollo Delphicus,
Liche as to-forn ȝe han herde deuise,

314

Whiche as for now ouȝte I-nowȝ suffise.
And, as I trowe, þe verray cause why,
Þat myn auctor rehersith by and by
Grounde & gynnynge of ydolatrie—
Þis þe cause, for ouȝt I can espie,
For þat he sawe þe mater was nat knowe
I-liche wel, boþe to hiȝe and lowe;
Par aventure ȝou to do plesaunce,
He hath þe grounde put in remembraunce
Of false goddis & of mawmetrie,
And moste for hem þat can no poisye,
And to þe story resorteþ sone ageyn,
How Achilles, as ȝe han herde me seyn,
And Pirrodus han þe weye y-nome
To þe temple, and þider ben I-come
To han answere of her embassatrie,
Of gret Appollo, whiche may nat lye.

Of the answere that Appollo gave, as welle to fals Bisshope Calchas, as to Achylles.

Of þe prestis þei han her counseil take,
In þe temple to preyen and to wake
Til þei may fynde, vn-to þere entent
To haue answere at hour conuenient
To her purpos and leiser opportune.
And of on herte so longe þei contune
In praying, fastynge, and oblacions,
Wiþ sacrifyse and sondry orisons,
To-fore þe god awayting alwey faste,
Til he to hem answerid at þe laste
Wiþ softe vois and seide: “Achilles,” twye,
“Home to Grekis fast[e] þat þou hye,
Fro whom þou were hidir to me sent,
And seye hem sothly þe somme of her entent
Schal be fulfilled, with-oute wordis mo,
And how þat þei schal to Troye go,

315

And þer abide many stronge bataille,
But at þe last, with-outen any faille,
At ten ȝere day, þei wynne schal þe toun
And bringe it pleynly to distruccioun—
Wal and touris schal falle to ruyne;
And with al þis, her purpos for to fyne,
Kyng Priamus and Eccuba his wyf
And her sonys, in þis mortal stryf
Schal þer be slayn, broþer after broþer:
Þis is þe fyn, for it may be non oþer;
For þer schal non eskapen in þe place,
But swiche as Grekis likeþ vn-to grace
Of verray rouþe and of mercy take—
Þis al and som, & þus an ende I make.”
Of whiche answere Achilles glad & liȝt
Was in his herte, & with al his myȝt
Þankiþ Appollo of þis blisful ewer;
And soudeynly, of sort or aventure,
Þe silfe tyme be-fil a wonder þing:
For out of Troye, fro Priamus þe kyng,
Was sent a bischop for þe same caas
To haue answere, whos name was Calchas.
And he cam in, sool wiþ-outen prees,
Þe same hour while þat Achilles
Was þer present, a man of gret science—
I mene Calchas—& had experience
Specyally of calculacioun,
Of sort also and divinacioun,
And lernyd was in astronomye.
And whan þat he his tyme dide espie
To haue answere most conuenyent
Of Appollo, like to his entent,
As to-fore makid is memorie,
He entrid is in þe oratorie,
Doyng his ritys & his obseruances,
Like þe custom with þe circumstaunces,
And besely gan to knele and praye,

316

And his þinges deuoutly for to saye,
And to þe god crie & calle stronge;
And for Appollo wolde him nat prolonge,
Sodeynly his answere gan atame,
And seide: “Calchas,” twies be his name,
“Be riȝt wel war þat þou ne turne ageyn
To Troye toun, for þat wer but in veyn;
For finally, lerne þis of me,
In schort tyme it schal distroyed be—
Þis is in soth, whiche may nat be denyed,
Wherfor I wil þat þou be allyed
Wiþ þe Grekis, and with Achilles go
To hem anon; my wil is it be so:
For þei schal han, as I haue disposid,
Victorie & honour, þat may nat be deposid;
For it is fatal and ne may nat varie,
And þou to hem schalt be necessarie
In conseillyng and in ȝevinge red,
And be riȝt helpyng to her good[e] sped.”
And with þat worde roos him vp Calchas,
And to Achilles he went an esy pace,
And whan þat he cam to his presence,
With gret honour & moche reuerence
He was reseyuyd, like to his estat;
And after sone þei [were] confederat,
Swor to-gidre be bonde & assuraunce
To ben al on, wiþ-oute variaunce;
And þanne in hast þei to-gidre goon
To her schipes, & schope hem furþe anon,
With Pirrodus goyng by her syde.
Þei hale vp anker and no lenger bide,
But seile furþe, Calchas & þei tweyne,
Toward Grece—hem nedeth nat compleine
On wynde nor wawe—til þei arived be
At Athenes, þat stood vp-on þe se,
A large cite of olde fundacioun;
And Achilles to kyng Agamenoun
Hath Calchas brouȝt and also Pirrodus.

317

And whan þe Grekis, þe story telliþ vs,
Assemblid wern, þei to-gidre wente
To-fore þe kyng, & Calchas represente
To alle þe lordis, and no lenger dwelle.
And riȝt anoon Achilles gan to telle
With-oute abood, in Delos how þei mette
To-fore Appollo, where þei answer fette,
And how þe god hath pleinly determyned
Þe Grekis purpos, how it schal be fyned
Vp-on Troyens, and bad Calchas also
In no wyse þat he to Troye go,
But wiþ Grekis þat he abide stille,
Til þei her purpos fynally fulfille.
Of whiche þing þe Grekis, glad of chere,
Calchas accepte with herte ful entere
For on of hem, confederat be bonde,
To ben al on on water & on londe,
Wiþ-outen chaunge or any variance—
Þe oþe is made & put in remembraunce;
And þei ageyn fully hym assure
To cherisschen hym whil her lif may dure,
For wel or wo, and so þei made an ende,
And after parte & to her loggyng wende.
Til on þe morwe, after þe sterry nyȝt,
Whan Aurora was gladid with þe liȝt
Of Phebus bemys, þe Grekis vp aryse,
And to her goddis with many sacrifice
Þei don honour in what þei can or may,
And deuoutly holdyng a feste day,
After her ritis, meynt with love & drede,
In remembraunce of þe good[e] spede,
And of þe answer þat gooddis han hem sent,
So agreable vn-to her entent,
By Pirrodus and by Achilles.
And aftir þis, amongis alle þe prees,
Is Calchas come to-fore Agamenoun,

318

Alle his lordis sittyng enviroun
Lik her estatis, eche in his place dewe,
And humblely gan hem to salue
Vp-on his knees with sobre contenaunce,
And prayde hem, it be no displesance
To stynt a while and ȝif hym audience.
And riȝt anoon, as makid was silence
Amonge hem alle, Calchas gan abreide,
And euene þus ful sobirly he seide:

How fals Calchas of Troy was conveyede to þe presences of þe prinses of Grece, and howe he innaturelly exortyde them to make mortal were vpon his kynge and kynrede, as folowith.

“O sirs,” quod he, “and my lordis dere,
Kynges, princes, & dukis þat ben here,
So noble echon, worþi, and famus,
And eke so manly and so vertuus,
Which in þis place be now here present,
Is nat þe fyn & chef of [ȝ]oure entent,
And cause, also, why þat ȝe echon
Assemblid ben to Troye for to goon
Wiþ þis power and þis grete strengþe—
Your purpos is to longe drawe a lengþe
And differrid furthe fro day to day
To ȝour damage, platly þis no nay;
For to longe ȝe soiowre in þis Ile.
And trowe ȝe nat þat Priam in þis while
Hath his espies among ȝou preuily—
I wote it wel, I saie ȝou feithfully—
To knowe þe fyn of ȝoure gouernance,
And he þer-whiles may make puruyaunce
Hym to diffende, while ȝe in ydel reste!
Me semeth, sothly, ȝe do nat for þe beste:

319

For in abydyng & in swiche delaies
Gret harme may falle, certeyn þis no nay is.
I preue it þus: for pleynly while þat ȝe
To ȝoure enmyes graunt[e] liberte
Hem to purueye, þei may with myȝti honde
Enforcen hem ȝour power to wiþ-stonde
Wiþ her frendis and her alliance,
And at leiser make her ordynaunce.
It is foly þat ȝe so differre,
Sith ȝe be redy, for to make a werre
On ȝoure enmyes, with euery circumstance;
For no þing may a quarel so avaunce
As hasty swt, it wil þe scharper bite—
Þe Iren hoot, tyme is for to smyte;
And nat abide til þat it be colde:
For nouþer þanne it plie wil nor folde.
Goth, set vp-on, alle of oon acorde,
And to schip anoon with-Inne borde
Enhasteþ ȝou, for tyme is to remewe,
Wiþ al ȝour myȝt ȝour quarel to pursewe
Ageyn[e]s hem, þat han to ȝow trespassid.
How many daies ben of somer passid,
And many moneth ronne & ouer-slide!
And Titan ofte with his chare hath ryde
From est to west, and in þe wawes depe
His stremys baþed, whil ȝe han leyn a-slepe
And spent ȝour tyme in þis place þus,
Whil þat þe wynde, callid Ȝephirus,
Benignely enspired hath on lofte
Thatempre eyr, þe wedir fair & softe,
Þe calme see from wawis stille and pleyn,
Whil ȝe waste ȝoure daies here in veyn—
Þat whan ȝour foon her-to taken hede,
Þei wil suppose þat it be for drede,
And be more bolde to sette of ȝow but lite.
Trusteþ for soþe, for I wil me quite

320

Trewly to ȝow, like as I am bounde,
And þinke how ȝe han þe goddis founde
Her-toward benigne and fortunat,
Ȝoure honour savid in hiȝe and lowe estaat,
And so schal forþe, ȝif ȝou[r] ingratitude
Prouoke hem nat ȝoure purpos to delude,
Wilfully to slouþen ȝoure fortune:
No wondir is, þouȝ þei nat contune
Towardis ȝow for to schewe hir grace.
Wherfore I rede, hen[ne]s þat ȝe passe,
And schapeþ ȝou no lenger to lyn here,
But whil þe wedir is so fair & clere,
And lusty somer abideþ in his hete
Or wynter com with his reynys wete,
And whil þe sesoun is so fresche & grene
(I speke of hert, platly as I mene)
For ȝour expleit and ȝour alder ese
(Wher it so be, I anger ȝou or plese)
Þat forþe in haste to schip[pe] þat ȝe wende—
I can no more, my tale is at an ende.”
And alle attonys þei ben condescendid
To his avis, & han it wel commendid;
And in al hast, Agamenoun þe grete—
Þe lusty tyme and þe sesoun swete
Hastyng þe Grekis, boþen hiȝe & lowe—
Made a trompet to schipward to blowe;
And þei echon his biddyng dide obeie,
And to her schippes þei goon þe riȝt[e] weye
With-oute abood—þei wil no lenger dwelle.
What schulde I more of þe noumbre telle
Of her schippis, sith ȝe han herde a-fore?—
It nedeth nat reherse it any more;
I can nat se what it myȝt availe.
But furþe þei dresse hem & be-gan to saile;
And þis is soth, pleynly & no wene,
So gret a navie was neuer ȝit y-sene

321

In al þis worlde, ne to-gider met.
Þe wynde was good, þat þei wer nat let
On her weye first whan þei be-gonne;
But after sone gan þe schene sonne
Þe clerenes chaunge of his briȝt[e] face;
And dymme cloudis gan his liȝt embrace;
And sodeynly, in ful owgly wyse,
Þe heuen dirke & þe wynde gan ryse;
Þe hidous þonder & þe leuene clere
Smet in þe mast, briȝt as any fere;
And þe blaknes of þe smoky rayn
Blindeth þe eyr, þat no þing may be seyn;
And þe wawes gan to ryse a-lofte,
And in her schippes falle no þing softe,
But plounge a-doun and in her toppis smyte,
Þat hem þouȝt þei want[e] but a lite
To haue be ded, in þe silfe stounde:
Til Calchas hath by his crafte y-founde
Þe cause of al, [and] with his orisouns,
Wiþ his charmys and incantac[i]ouns
Made sodeynly þe tempest to apese,
And with his crafte don hem riȝt gret ese.
For he fonde oute þe cause of euerydel,
How Diane liked no þing wel
Þat þe Grekis durst[e] take on honde
To be [so] bolde to parte fro þe stronde
In-to þe se, in any maner wyse,
And do to hir no maner sacrifise,
Nouþer offre to-forn or þat þei goth:
For whiche þing þe goddes is so wroth
Toward Grekis, seyling in þe se,
Þat þei echon wend haue drownyd be.
Til at þe last, kyng Agamenoun
Hath be counseil and informacioun
Of wyse Calchas made sette vp to londe,
In-to an Ile, and fast his schippes bonde.

322

And Aulides þat litel Ile hiȝte,
In whiche he fonde vnwarly in his siȝte
A litel temple and an oratorie,
Founded of olde & made in memorie
Of Diane, to whiche anoon he wente
Ful deuoutly his offeryng to presente,
And quemyd hir with his oblaciouns,
And lay þer long in his orisouns,
After þe rytis vsid in his lawe,
Til þat he sawe þe tempest gan a-dawe.
But some bokis make mencioun
Touching þis þing, þat Agamenoun,
As Ovide reherseth in his boke,—
How þis kyng his owne douȝter toke,
Effigenya, benigne of face and chere,
And endelong vppon þe autere
Þis maide he laide, dispoiled of her wede,
To-fore Dyane to maken hir to blede,
To fyn only þat he þe heuenly quene
With blood þat was Innocent & clene
Apese myȝt, and quemen of hir rage.
And þe goddes gracius of visage
Hath mercy meint with hir magnificence,
To suffre a maide ful of Innocence
Gilt[e]les in her temple slawe,
Hath be miracle a-waye hir body drawe,
And conservid from al anoye & smerte,
And in hir stede vnwarly cast an herte,
By deth of whom, as bokys make mynde,
Agamenoun first gan grace fynde
In þe goddes for to modyfye
Hir cruel Ire: and clere gan þe skye,
Þe se wexe calme, and þe wedir fair;
And Phebus eke, to glade with þe eyr,
Gan schewe newe, & his bemys cast
In-to þe se; and þe kyng as fast
Vn-to schip repeired is a-geyn,

323

Þoruȝ help of hir which is, as clerkis seyn,
Lady & quene of wayes and passage;
And goddes is callid of viage,
After sentence and oppinioun
Of hem þat werke be calculacioun,
And ȝeue her domys by astronomye.
And most of al þei hir magnifye
In þe tenþe and þe twelþe house;
For þer sche is, þei sei, most gracious,
Best fortuned, cler or in hir schade,
Ȝif sche haue counfort of aspectis glade
Of planetis stondyng in good state—
I mene swiche as be fortunat
To viage or Iourne for to make.

Howe the Grekis destroyede the Castel callede Sarabona as þey saylede towarde Troye, and it dispoylede.

And swiche tyme Agamenoun hath take
His happy weye schipped for to be;
And in good hour he taken haþe þe se
With þe Grekis, þe wedir agreable;
And Eolus hath maked acceptable
Wynde and eyr, hoolly at her wylle,
Nouþer to loude, pleynly, nor to stille,
But in a mene so merie made blowe,
Þat þei atteyn, in a litel þrowe,
To certeyn boundis of Troye þe cite,
Vn-to a castel, þat stood vp-on þe se,
Riȝt wonder strong, þouȝ it wer but lite,
Þe name of whiche, þouȝ Dares not ne write—
I mene Dares callyd Frigyus—
Ȝet oþer auctours rehersen sothly þus,
Sarobona þat it was y-callid,
Rounde aboute diched & wel wallid,
With hiȝe touris rounde, square, and wyde;
Þe se went vnder, and faste þer be-side

324

Was an hauene able for ryvaille.
At whiche, pleinly, þe Grekis wil nat faile
With her power myȝtely to aryve,
Maugre alle þo þat þer ageyn[es] stryue—
Þei myȝt[e] wel, for it was nat denyed,
Only excepte þat þei wer espied
Of hem allone þat in þe castel dwelle.
Þe whiche anoon, as þei herde telle
Of her commyng, proudly in þe berde
With hem to mete were no þing a-ferde,
But issen oute, doun vn-to þe stronde,
In purpos only to letten hem for to londe
With al her myȝt, ȝif it wolde availle.
But þe Grekis so proudly hem assaille
Þat þei ne myȝt in her diffence endure:
For wher-as þei wendyn haue be sure,
Demyng þe Grekis pleinly of þe se
Forweried and feynted hadde be,
Wiþ longe seilyng parbraked & forbroke—
Wherfor þe[i] cast on hem to haue be wroke
Al sodeinly, and settyn on of hede,
And putte hem silf in auenture & drede
Of rakilnes, vn-avisely.
Wher-of to hem ful vnhappily
It be-fil whan þei þe Grekis mette
With speris longe & swerdis scharpe whette,
Eche on oþer manhod for to schewe.
But, for cause Troyans were so fewe,
To issen oute þei dide folily;
Þe felde was nat partid egally:
For þe Grekis wern Innumerable,
Þat hem to mete þe Troyans wern nat able—
For þat tyme þei myȝt[e] nat suffice:
Þei toke on hem so passyng hiȝe emprise—
And ȝit þei nolde for no þing hem withdrawe
Til þei were wounded and y-slawe,

325

And ouerleyn of Grekis outterly—
Now here, now þere, bor doun cruelly,
Merciles, as Guydo doth reporte,
Þat hem behoveth hom ageyn resorte
Of verray nede and necessite.
And alle attonys gonne for to fle—
I mene swiche as were lefte alyve—
To þe castel þei hasten hem ful blive;
For þei ne myȝt no lenger holde felde
Ageyns Grekis, with spere nor with schelde:
Þei were to feble, schortly to conclude,
To abide so gret a multitude.
And as þei fle, þe Grekis a gret pas
Ne cesse nat to swen on þe chas,
Ful hastely to þe castel gate,
And entren in, and by cruel fate
Þei kille & sle boþen hiȝe & lowe;
Þei spare noon, ne list no wiȝt to knowe
Of non estat, but felly hem oppresse;
And what þei fond, gold & eke richesse,
Vn-to schip þei cariden anoon;
And of þe castel þei left nat a stoon
Aboue a-noþer, but turnen vp so doun
Boþe wal & tour & þe chefe dongoun,
Þat no þing stood, so þei vnder-myne.

Howe Agamenon layde his Oste byfore Thenedoun, a stronge Castele vj myle fro Troye, the which he wan, and it bet to þe grounde; and aftire þat, agally made distribucyoun of the godys.

And whan al was brouþt vn-to ruyne,
Grekis anoon to her schippes haste
Of on assent, and purpos as faste,
With-oute abood, of o wille and herte,
Fro þat hauene pleynly to diuerte,

326

And to saille towarde Tenedoun,
A strong castel, whiche fro Troye toun
In distaunce but sixe myle stood,
Ful of tresour, of riches, and of good,
Repleuysched of alle habundaunce.
And whan þat þei with her ordinaunce
I-seiled han, boþe sauf and sounde,
And fro þe se taken han þe grounde,
To her plesaunce wonder agreable,
And of syȝt a place delitable,
Holsom of eyr, þe soil riȝt fair & grene,
And lusty playnes goodly on to sene,
And was also habundaunt of vitaille,
Repleuesched of al þat may availle
To hosteiyng and to soudyours—
For firste þe lond, ful of fresche flours,
Was plenteuous boþe of corn & greyne,
Of wyn & frute, þat no þing ley bareyn,
Of best and foules passingly plente—
And fast[e] by stood also þe se,
Ful habundaunt of fysches, as I fynde,
After þe sesoun of euery maner kynde.
And whan þat þei which Inne þe castel were
Þe Grekis seie londen from a-fere,
With-oute abood þei arme hem & wente oute,
And vppon hem make an hydous schout,
Stuffyng þe castel with meine strong be-hynde,
And toke her wey, in Guydo as I fynde,
Toward her foon, & knyȝtly set vp-on.
And riȝt furþe-with Grekis eke anoon
Mette with hem vp-on þe toþer syde,
Ful surquedous and riȝt ful of pride,
Clenly armyd in harneis al of stel,
Fresche arayed and be-seye so wel
For þe felde, as þikke as swarme of ben—
On eche syde men may beholde & sen,

327

Sprad al þe pleyn doun vn-to þe stronde,
Til at þe last þei metten hond of honde,
And assemble with square speris grounde,
And hurtle I-fere, with many blody wounde.
Þer was no “gooday,” nor no saluyng,
But strokis felle, þat men herde rynge
On basenettis þe strokis rounde aboute
So cruelly þat þe fire sprange oute
Among þe tuftis brode, briȝt, & schene
Of foil of gold & feþres white & grene.
Eke in-to brestes percid many schelde,
And besagus flen a-brood þe felde,
And many a man lyn þat mortal stounde
Ful dedly pale, lowe be þe grounde,
With face gruf & blody stremys wyde.
And aldermost vp-on þe Grekis syde
Þe slauȝtre was and þe discounfiture,
So myȝtely Troyens dide endure.
Til at þe last, for þei were so fewe,
With multitude þe Grekis on hem hewe:
For mo þan fourty wer ageyn[e]s on,
Of verray force abak þei most[e] gon,
No þing for lak of manhod, I dar seyn,
But for so many han hem ouerleyn,
Þei may no lenger in þe felde soiourne,
But to her castel hom ageyn retourne
In ful gret haste, swiche as myȝt eskape
Away a-live; and somme of hem for rape
And drede of deth taken hem to fliȝt
On horse bak to Troye toun ful riȝt—
No wonder was þouȝ þei hast[e] fast;
For to þe gatis þe chas of Grekis last,
So cruelly after þei purswe.
And somme of hem þat myȝt[e] nat remewe
On Troye side, for-weried of fiȝt,

328

Þe Grekis slen with al her ful[le] myȝt—
Now here, now þere, whom þei myȝt atteyne,
Þer may no raunsoun nor no mercy geyne
Of noon estat, wiþ-oute excepcioun.
And after þat, vn-to Tenedoun
Þe Grekis went, and it be-set aboute,
Þat Troyan noon myȝt eskapen oute.
And whan þei had þe bolewerkis wonne,
To skale þe wal after þei be-gonne,
And made assaut manfully and ofte.
And Troyens, as þei stood a-lofte,
Putte hem of, þat entre þei ne myȝt,
With cast of stoon and quarel[e]s briȝt,
With bowe turkeys & schot of arblasteris,
And her gonners stondynge at corners,
Wiþ lym also, and cast of wylde fyre,
Of Irous hate ful hot in her desire,
Lik manly men hem silf[e] þei diffende.
And ay þe Grekis, as þei vp ascende,
Cruelly þei putte to þe grounde;
Til þei with-oute an ordinaunce han founde,
What with gynnys deuised for þe nonys,
And gonnys grete, for to cast[e] stonys,
Bent to þe touris, riȝt as any lyne,
And large sowis lowe for to myne—
And somme of hem vp-on þe wallis gon,
Þat were so þikke made of lyme & ston;
And to entre þei many wayes seke,
Sette her bastiles and her hurdois eke
Rounde aboūte to þe harde wal,
And skalyng ladderis for sautis marcial
Þei gan vp cast, wiþ hokis for to holde.
And vp ascende þe sturdy Grekis bolde,
Til Troyens from þe crestis caste
Þe grete stonys, whil þei wolde laste,

329

And Callyoun eke Grekis to oppresse,
And wonder manly dide her besynes
In her diffence, and made hem plounge lowe
With caste of quarel, & with schoot of bowe
Þoruȝ olietis, that of necessite
Þei put hem of, it may noon oþer be,
And broke her neckis & her schulder bonys,
As þei falle, with þe square stonys,
And leyen ded, pitous pale of hew.
But Grekis ay gan her saut renewe,
Wiþ multitude Troyens to assaille,
To withstonde þat þei gan [to] faille
And wexe feble, for reskus cam þer non;
And so of force þe Grekis ben y-gon
Þoruȝ þe wallys whan þei han hem broke,
And on Troyens so cruelly be wroke,
Þat fynally þei lefte noon alyue,
But sle and kylle; and after þat as blive,
On þe wallis her baners þei han set,
And ȝonge & olde—it myȝt[e] be no bet—
Al goth to wrak vp-on Troye side.
And after þat, þei nyl no lenger byde,
But tresour, gold, & what þat þei may fynde
Þei cast on hepe, & to-gydre bynde,
And made spoile of al þat was with-Inne;
And þanne in haste þe wallis þei be-gynne—
Pynacle & tour, and also þe dongoun
To brenne & hewe, and to bete doun;
And with þe soil þei made al euene & pleyn.
And with gret pray anoon þei went a-geyn
To her schippes, glad & liȝt of chere,
Whan þat þe fuyr with his flawmes clere
Þe castel had conswmyd & y-brent.
And after þat, avise and prudent,

330

Þe manly man, worþi Agamenoun,
Lete make anon a convocacioun
Of þe Grekis, & bad þei schuld[e] bringe
Gold and tresour, with-oute more tariyng,
With al þe pray þei wan at Tenedoun,
To his presence, for þis conclusioun:
Þat he may make destribucioun
Amongis hem, with-oute excepcioun,
Like her decert—vn-to pore & riche
He departiþ to euery man y-liche,
But moste to swiche as dide best disserue,
For to hym silf hym list no þing conserue;
For he hath leuer hertis þan þe good,
Of swiche as had spent her owne blood
So manfully þe castel for to wynne:
For who þat can with larges first be-gynne,
Ne failleþ nat after wel to spede
Þoruȝ help of men, whan þat he haþ nede:
For loue folweþ fredam comounly.
And after þis, þe kyng lete make a crye,
Þat alle þe kynges & lordis of his hoste,
Dukis, erlys com from euery coste,
The nexte morwe to-forn hym to apere.
Þe nyȝt y-passed, Phebus gan to clere
Her emyspyrie, aftir þe larke song,
Whan þat þe kyng, among þe Grekis strong,
Vp-on þe pleyn, in his se royal,
And fast[e] by, most chef & principal
Of his lordis were set in her degre—
And whan þe kyng sawe oportunyte,
Þat þer was made silence euerywhere,
His liges stondyng enviroun here & þere,
Þe kyng of chere sadde & eke Iocounde,
As he þat was of speche ful facounde,
Be-gan his tale with sobre contenaunce,
Þeffect of whiche was þis in substaunce:

331

Howe Agamenon rememberde al his princes of the vngodely answeres that Anthenor had of them when he desyerd to haue had restitucyoun of Exiona, wherupon they sent Vlixes and Dyomede to Priamus, to haue restitucioun of quene Heleyne.

“Sirs,” quod he, “ful worþi of degre,
Of verray riȝt and necessite
We be compelled, boþe hiȝe & lowe,
With al oure myȝt, liche as ȝe wel knowe,
To redresse a þing þat is amys:
For þoruȝ þe world, as it reportid is,
We ben of force, of power, & of myȝt,
Of worþines in euery wiȝttes syȝt
Most renomed & most worschipable,
And I-dempte & Iuged for most able
Of alle peples, & likliest to stonde
For to parforme what we take on honde,
Who þat euere grucche[þ] or sey[þ] nay.
Ȝit, me semeth, ȝif it be to ȝour pay,
Þilke power most is acceptable
Vn-to goddis, & lengest stondeþ stable,
Þat is deuoide of surquidie & pride;
For it is kouþe vppon euery syde,
In eche lond, boþe of oon and alle,
How many harmys & grevis han be-falle
Þoruȝ rancour only, pride, & wilfulnes,
So importable, as I coude expresse,
Þat þoruȝ pride þer is don offence;
Þe hiȝe goddis make resistence
To alle þo þat be surquedous,
Whiche is a vice so contrarius
Þat it may in no place abide.
And in good feith, manhood is no pride:
For who þat hath any acqueintaunce,
Ouþer by frenschip or by alyaunce,
With a prowde man, to be confederat

332

Wiþ hym in herte, of hiȝe or lowe estat,
He nedis muste, what-euer þat he be,
To many oþer of necessite
Be lothsom first, enmy & contraire;
For no þing may a man so moche apaire
As pride, in soth, in hiȝe or lowe degre.
Wherfore, I rede pleinly how þat we
Þis foule vice oute of our hert arrace,
Þat our quarel may haue þe more grace;
And specially þat oure dedis alle
Conveied ben, how-euer þat it falle,
Be riȝtwesnesse more þan volunte:
For ȝif trouþe oure sothfast guyde be,
Vs to directe by his riȝtful lyne,
Þan oure quarel schal ay in honour schine
And contvne in ful felicite.
And, ferþermore, þis knowen alle ȝe,
How we ar come for to do vengaunce,
With oure frendschip and oure alliance,
Vp-on Priam for wrongis don of olde
By hym and hyse, as I haue ofte tolde;
And here-vp-on we han his grounde I-take,
And some of his maked to a-wake
With manful honde, & his castellis strong
I-bete doun, þat stonden haue so longe,
And take þere þe riches þat we founde,
And slawe his men with many blody wounde,
And harmys mo don in his contre,
Þat I wot wel, ȝif her enmyte
Was vn-to vs gret & moche a-fore,
I dar seie now it is in double more;
Þat ȝif þat þei avenged myȝt[e] be
On vs echon, anon ȝe schulde se
Her gret Ire, so cruel & so huge,
Ben execute with-oute more refuge.
And ȝit, in soth, I wote þei han espied

333

Oure beyng here—þouȝ we be nat askried
Of hem as ȝit, I dar seyn outterly,
Þei are wel war þat we ar fast[e] by;
And ouer-more, þis wote I wel also,
Of þe harmys þat we han hem do,
Þe whiche as ȝit ben but fresche & grene,
Ȝif þei wer strong & myȝti to sustene,
A werre on vs anon þei wolde gynne.
And ȝit þe cite whiche þei ben Inne
Is wallid strong & tourid rounde aboute,
Þat þei wene fully, oute of doute,
With þe meyne þat þei haue gadrid Inne
Of her alies, þat we schal nat wynne
Of hem but smal in werre nor in strif:
For he in sothe hath a prerogatyf
And a-vauntage, þat in his contre
Hym silfe diffendith; namly, ȝif þat he
Be stuffid strong of frendis hym be-side,
And of allies, where he doth abyde;
Like as þe rauen, with his feþeres blake,
With-Inne his nest wil ofte tyme make
Ageyn þe faukon—gentil of nature—
Ful harde diffence whil[e]s he may dure,
Or þat he be venquissched & outtraied.
And ȝit som while þe faukon is delaied,
Whils þe raven be-syde his nest doþ fle,
With-Inne his couert at his liberte;
As euery foule is froward to arest,
For to be daunted in his owne nest.
And ȝit þis wordis to ȝou I nat sey
In any wyse to putten in affray
Ȝoure knyȝtly hertis, so manly & so stable,
Nor þat to ȝou it schulde be doutable,
But þe Troiens þat we schal confounde,
And her cite, in whiche þei habounde,

334

Pleinly distroie, al-þouȝ þat it be strong,
And þei & alle þat ben hem among
Schal finally consumpt[e] be with deth,
Þoruȝ Grekis swerde ȝelden vp þe breth.
But þe cause, with-outen any drede,
Why I seye þus, is þat ȝe take hede,
For any pride or presumpcioun,
To aduerte in ȝoure discrecioun
So prudently, þat resoun in þis nede
For any hast may oure bridel lede,
And so ordeyn, or we hen[ne]s wende,
Þat laude & pris aftir in þe ende
May be reported, as I haue deuised:
For many man þat hath nat ben avised,
In his pursut, for lak of prouidence
To sen to-forn in his aduertence
What schulde falle, to deth it haþ him brouȝt:
Swiche wilful hast wer good to be þoȝt
Of vs a-forn be examynacioun,
And wel deduct by reuolucioun
Of þingkyng ofte, þat we nat repente.
And first remembriþ how þat Priam sente
To vs but late only for Exyoun,
Þat is ȝit holde of kyng Thelamoun,
Whiche was of vs, with-oute avisement,
Vndiscretly denyed by assent;
Whiche hath to vs be non avauntage,
But grounde & rote of ful gret damage.
For ȝif þat we, þoruȝ wys purviaunce,
Of hir had maked delyueraunce,
Þe harmys grete had[de] ben eschewed,
Þat aftir wern of Parys so pursewed
In the temple of Cytherea,
Þat bilded is be-side Cirrea—
Þe tresour gret, also, þat he hadde,
And Iowellis þat he wiþ hym ladde

335

Þene to Troie, and þe gret riches,
Þe slauȝtre of men, and þe heuynes
Þat ȝit is made for þe quene Eleyne
Þoruȝ-oute Grece, & þe gret[e] peyne
Of Menelay—al had ben vnwrouȝt
Ȝif we had[de] seyn þis in oure þouȝt
Wisely aforn, and Exyoun restored.
Þan had nat þe harmys be so morid
On vs echon, in verray sothfastnes,
Nor spent oure labour so in ydelnes,
Tresour nor good wasted so in veyn,
Nor come so fer for to fecche ageyn
Þe quene Eleyne, with costis importable,
With-oute harmys, now in-eschuable:
And for al þis, ȝit ne wite we,
Wheþer to Ioye or aduersite
Þe þing schal turne þat we be aboute,
Sith ofte sithe dependent & in doute
Is fatal þing, vnsiker & vnstable,
And fro þe gynnyng ofte variable
Þe ende is seyn: Fortune can transmewe
Hir gery cours; & þerfore, to eschewe
Þe harmys likly possible [for] to falle,
My conseil is, here among ȝow alle,
Vp-on trauail traueil to eschewe,
In þis mater or we ferþer swe,
To Priamus, with-outen any more,
To sende first ageyn [for] to restore
Þe quene Eleyne, as riȝt & resoun is,
And oþer harmys don eke be Parys,
Aftir his trespas & offencioun
Iustly to make restitucioun.
Þan may we alle in worschip & honour
Retournen hom, wiþ-oute more labour,
Ȝif þei assent to don as we require;
And oure axyng ȝif hem list nat here,
But folily, of her wilfulnes

336

Refusen it, þan oure worþines
Is double assured on a siker grounde,
By iust[e] title Troyens to confounde.
Wiþ þinges two we schal ben vnder-piȝt:
First oure power, borne vp with our riȝt,
Schal for vs fiȝt our quarel to dareyne,
In balaunce to weye atwixe vs tweyne
To fyn þat we schal be more excusid;
For þei to-forn han wilfully refusid
Oure iust proferes made to hem a-fore;
And we schal be þoruȝ þe world, þer-fore,
With-oute spot of trespace or of blame,
Of mysreport in hyndring of our name,
Wher þei of foly schal y-noted be,
Of wilful wodnes, pleinly, wher þat we
Schal stond[e] fre oure power for to vse;
And euery man schal vs wel excuse,
Þouȝ þat we doon execucioun
Be takyng vengaunce for her offencioun
Of man and childe, of eche sect and age,
Þat schal of deth holde þe passage,
And be þe swerd, with-outen mercy, pace,
Oon and oþer,—þer is no better grace.
But ȝit to-forn, I conseil takeþ hede
Þat ȝe to hem al[le] mesour bede:
Þis hold I best and most sikirnes;
And werketh now be good avisenes
Among ȝour silf, and no lenger tarie.”
To whiche conseil some wern contrarie
And variaunt to þis oppinioun,
Saue þei þat wer of moste discrecioun
Assentid ben pleinly to þis ende,
And chosen han to Priam for to sende
Amongis hem then bassiat to spede,
Wyse Vlixes & worþi Dyamede.
Þe whiche anon gan hem redy make,

337

And schop hem furþe and her weie take
Toward Troye, as any lyne riȝt,
Whan þe sone schon ful schene & briȝt,
Holdyng þe cours of his fyry spere
In mydday arke, wonder briȝt & clere,
And gilt eche hil, vale, pleyn, & roche
With his bemys, whan þei did aproche
To þe wallis & gatis of þe toun.
And in þei goon with-oute noyse or sown,
Ful wel be-seyn, & in her port hem hadde
Riȝt manfully; and þe wey hem ladde
To þe paleis, streiȝt as any lyne—
Hem nedeth nat a-side to decline,
But in-to a courte large, wyde, & square.
And þei ful knyȝtly for no wyȝt wolde spare
Vn-to theffect manly to procede
To don her charge, with-oute fere or drede;
For þe entre was to hem not refusid:
For þo dayes paraunter was nat vsid
To haue [no] conduit for embassatrie;
Þe custom was to no man to denye,
As I suppose, entre nor passage,
Ȝif it so wer he come for massage.

Howe wyse Vlixes and Dyomede enterde Ryale Ylion, of the which they marvelde when the byhelde þe beldynge.

And in þis court, bilt so rially,
Whan þei come, þei merveil ful gretly
Þe rial siȝt of so huge strengþe,
So wel co[m]plete boþe in brede & lengþe;
For þei nat had in her lif to-fore
Seyn noon so fayr; and ȝit þei wondre more—
In-to þe paleis as þei to-gidre goon,
Þat pauyd was al of Iasper stoon—

338

Of a tree þat amyddes stood,
On whiche to loke hem þoȝt it dide hem good,
Musing wher it wer artificial,
Erect or set by magik natural,
Or by engyne of werkmen corious,
Þoruȝ sotil craftis supersticious,
Or oþer werke of nygromauncye,
Or profond castyng of philosophie
Be apparence or illusioun,
Ouþer by craft of incantacioun:
Vp & doun þei casten in her mynde,
Out by resoun ȝif þei koude fynde
Rote & gronde of þis wondir wirke;
But þe trouþe was to hem so dirke,
Þat in her wit, þouȝ þei longe trace,
Þe pryvite þei can nat oute compasse,
To conseyue how it was possible.
For to þe eye as it was visible,
In verray soth, with-outen any fable,
To mannys hond so it was palpable;
Of whiche þe stok, of Guydo as is tolde,
In sothfastnes was of purid gold,
Whiche schon as briȝt as þe somer sonne
To enlumyne þinges þat wer donne;
And þe body as a mast was riȝt,
Proporcioned most goodly to þe siȝt,
Substancial, & of huge strengþe;
And xii cubites þe body was of lengþe;
And þe crop, rounde & large of brede;
And in compas gan so florische & sprede,
Þat al þe pleyn aboute enviroun,
With þe bowis was schadowed vp & doun.
Þe riche braunchis and þe levis faire,
Tweyne & tweyne Ioyned as a payre—
Oon of gold, anoþer of siluer schene,

339

And meynt among with stonys whit & grene,
Some rede and some saphirhewed.
And euery day þe blomys wer renewed;
And þe blosmys, with many sondri swt;
For stonys ynde it bare in stede of frut,
As seith Guydo—I can no ferþer telle.

Howe Vlixes and Diomede, withoute dewe reverence purposed þere Embassayte in þe presence of Priamus. And here ye shule se þe birthe of Eneas, and howe Agamenoun sent Achyle, and Thelefus to the Ille of Messay for an eyede of vitaile.

And þe Grekis wil no lenger dwelle,
But hilde her wey be many sondri went
To parforme þe fyne of her entent,
Til þei atteyne þe chambour principal,
Wher Priamus in his se royal,
Like his estat, in ful knyȝtly wyse
Saat, [and] aboute, ful prudent & ful wyse,
His lordis alle in setis hym be-syde—
Whan þe Grekis, surquedous of pride,
With sterne chere & froward countenaunce,
As þei þat hadde litel remembraunce
Of gentilles nor of curtesye—
For, as Guydo doth pleynly specefye,
Entryng in þei taken han her place
In thoposyt of þe kynges face,
And sette hem doun, with-oute more sermoun,
Any obeiyng or salutacioun,
Worschip, honour, or any reuerence
Done to þe kyng, for al his excellence,
In preiudyce of al gentilles.
And þan anon Vlixes gan expres
Cause of her comyng to kyng Priamus,
With-oute abood seiyng euene þus,
Not forberyng presence of þe kyng:

340

“Merueille nat nor haue no wondring,
Þouȝ we to þe do non honour dew,
In oure comyng þe for to salue,
Sith it ne longeth, in soþ, as þinkeþ me,
Wher rancour is & hertly enmyte
Of dedly hate, with salutaciouns,
Or wiþ feyned fals affecciouns
For to schewe, wher hertis ben a-fire:
For naturelly no man schal desyre
Of his enmye þe helthe nor welfare.
And platly now me list nat for to spare
Schortly to schewe þe fyn of our entent,
Liche as we haue in commaundement
In oure message from Agamenoun,
Þe noble kyng, most worþi of renoun,
Whiche vs hath sent, þer is no more to seyn,
Now vn-to þe for þe quene Eleyne,
Þat was rauissched oute of Grekis lond,
And brout to Troye be force of myȝti hond,
Ageynes riȝt, and by violence.
Wherfore, schortly, with-out more offence,
We iustly axe, with-out more demaunde,
Þat þou anon riȝtfully comaunde
To Menelay þat sche be sent ageyn;
And with al þis, we axe nat in veyn
Þat þou make restitucioun
Of wrongis don in þat regioun,
Of pilfres grete, slauȝtre, & robberye,
By Paris don of wilful tyrannye,
Whiche is þi sone, and by þe sustenyd,
And in his errour wrongfully mayntenyd.
Wherfore, come of and fully condescende,
With-oute grucching, þese wrongis to amende:
For so þou maist best þe goddis queme,
Liche as þou myȝt in þi resoun deme,

341

As riȝt requereþ, to werchen as þe wyse.
For ȝif so be, þat þou now dispise
To execute þat I haue tolde þe here,
Trust me riȝt wel, a lessoun þou schalt lere,
Whiche þou and þine schal aftir sore rewe,
With-oute feynyng þou schalt fynde trewe,
Þat, but ȝif þou a better ende make,
Cruel vengaunce schal on þe be take;
And finally, what schulde I to þe feyne,
Þe force of deth þis quarel schal dareyne
Vp-on þe and vp-on al þi blod,
Raunsomles outher of gold or good.
And questionles, reporte þis of me,
Þat mercyles þis riche strong cite
Schal doun be bete and y-layd ful lowe,
Wal & toures also ouerthrowe.
Þis al and som; be now wel avised
Þat oure axyng of þe be nat dispised,
But wisly werke & do as I haue seid.”
And sodeinly kyng Priamus abreide,
Of hasty Ire he myȝt[e] nat abide,
Of þe Grekis whan he sawe þe pride,
Þe grete outrage and presumpcioun—
Wiþ-oute abode or deliberacioun,
To Vlixes anon he gan out breke,
And [vn-]to hym euene þus to speke:
“I wondre gretly in myn aduertence,
Beyng astonyed how ȝe in my presence
So vngoodly dar make þis demaunde,
Like as ȝe had power to comaunde
And me constreyne ȝour biddyng to obeye,
And I for fere durste nat wiþ-seye
No maner þing þat ȝe axen here,
Nor contrarie what þat ȝe requere;
Wher-of sothly in hert I am amevid,
And of ȝour þretis inwardely a-grevid,

342

And astonid, surly nat a lite,
Þat ȝe ar bold so me to excite,
And vilenly myn honour to prouoke
On ȝoure wordis for to ben awroke.
But for al þis, trusteþ me riȝt wel,
I wil nat passe my boundis neuer-a-del,
Nor þe raþer, schortly at þe ende,
To ȝour axynge in no þing condescende;
For considerid þe fyn of ȝour entent,
It wer nat syttyng nor conuenient
A kyng to graunte ȝour axyng, þouȝ þat he
Stood in meschef and captiuite,
With-oute recure to outtraunce brouȝte.
It were outrage, pleinly, to be þouȝte,
To axe of hym þat ȝe axe of me!
And sothly, ȝit, I suppose nat þat ȝe
Acomplissching may so moche availle
As ȝe han seid; for platly ȝe schal faille
Of ȝour purpos, I seie, & God to-forne,
Maugre ȝoure myȝt, þouȝ ȝe had it sworne:
For ȝoure request, in euery wyȝtis siȝt,
Wanteth a grond, boþe of trouþe & riȝt—
Þat axe of me satisfaccioun!—
And were ȝoure silfe first occasioun,
Whan ȝe slowe my fader Lamedoun
And his liges, & brenten eke his toun,
And many harmys, ȝif þei wern [out] souȝt,
On hym and hyse causeles ȝe wrouȝt,
Þat it were longe al for to reherse—
Which day be day þoruȝ myn hert[e] perse—
My suster eke, callid Exyoun,
Ȝe ladde a-weye oute of þis regioun,
Þe whiche is nat vn-to hir worþines
I-tretid like, nor aftir gentillesse.
And for al þis ȝe wolde a-mendis haue
Wrongly of me, þat whilom for to saue
Al þing in pees & to stynte werre,
To ȝou sente in-to Grece ferre

343

Only to han had Exyoun ageyn,
Of whiche sond ȝe had but disdeyn,
And cruelly and in vngoodly wyse
My massanger ȝe gonne to dispise,
Þat he vnneþe myȝt eskape away
Out of Grece—ȝe knowe it is no nay—
Of ȝou he had so vngoodly chere.
And in good feith, me list nat now to here
Ȝoure request, nor ȝeven audience
To ȝour axyng, for ȝour gret offence;
For leuer I hadde, schortly, for to deye,
Þan condescende to ouȝt þat ȝe seye:
For I wil fully, for conclusioun,
Þat it be knowe to Agamenoun,
Þat we haue leuer—þis is dout[e]les—
Fynally his werre þan his pees,
Sith ȝe to me han don so gre[t] trespace.
And, by my trouþe, in þis silf[e] place
Cruelly anon ȝe schulde deye,
But for þe offis of embassatrie
Ageyn[e]s deth is fully ȝour diffence,
Þat be so bolde, with-oute reuerence,
In my presence so to þrete or speke—
Trust me riȝt [wel], it schuld anon be wreke!
Wherfore, in hast, with-out wordis mo,
My conseil is, þat ȝe ben a-go
Out of my siȝt, and voideþ þis cite;
For þus it stant: whiles I ȝou se,
In myn herte may entre no gladnes,
Þe fret of Ire put me in swiche distres,
Þat, in good feith, I may it nat sustene,
So importune is þe rage and tene
Þat inwardely bynt me for þe while.”
And Dyamedes þo be-gan to smyle,
And seid anon þus vn-to þe kyng:
“Ȝif it so be þat þou of oure comyng
In þin hert hast so moche peyne

344

Vs to beholde now þat be but tweyne,
And art þerwith so inly set a-fyre,
Þan schaltow neuere ben with-oute Ire
In al þi lif, nor deuoide of wo,
Siþen þou hast so many cruel fo
Of Grekis now entrid in þi lond—
An hundrid þousand almost at þin hond,
Ageyn whos myȝt þou maist þe nat assure
To resiste, pleynly, nor endure,
Consydred wel how þat þei be strong,
As þou schalt wit, paraunter, or ouȝt longe,
So manly men & so wel arrayed,
Expert in armys, and of old assaied,
Þat no diffence may ageyn hem vaille.
And wite eke wel, þat þou maist nat faille
Be deth of swerde of her hond to deye,
And alle þine—þer is no more to seye—
Þouȝ it so be, proudly þat þou speke,
And with þi tonge, only to be wreke,
Affermyst more þan þou maist acheue:
Bettre it were swiche wordes leue,
And to wys counseil take bettre hede.”
But þan in haste ageyn þis Dyamede,
Surquedous and most ful of pride,
Þer rose vp some be þe kynges syde
With swerdis drawe, & on hym han falle
And al to-hew, þer amonge hem alle,
Of hasty Ire brennyng as þe glede;
Til Priamus gan to taken hede,
And roos hym vp, seyng þis dissese,
And manfully þis rage gan appese,
Hem diffendyng vp-on deth & life,
Þat non of hem be hardy in þis strife
Þenbassatours to harmen or to greue:—
“For þouȝ a fool his foly wil nat leue
To presume to speke vnkonnyngly,

345

A wys man moste suffre paciently;
And [þouȝ] þat he happe doon offence
Þoruȝ foly speche, for lak of sapience,
To a wysman ne longeþ, soth to seyn,
To take hede or to speke a-geyn:
For as to a fole it is pertynent
To schewe his foly, riȝt so convenient
Is to þe wyse, softly, with suffraunce,
In al his port to haue tolleraunce.
For to folis longeth kyndely,
With-oute a-vis to speke folily,
Vndiscretly his menyng to fulfille,
Where a wysman schal heryn & be stylle
Til he se tyme, and haue pacience,
And dyssymule in his aduertence
Þe rage of folis þat last but a þrowe:
For be his tonge a fole is ofte knowe;
And leuer I hadde, I do ȝou wel assure,
In my persone damage to endure,
Þanne to suffre any messanger
In my court, of ȝow þat ben here,
To han a wronge, ouþer grete or lite—
Þe swerde of rancour may nat alwey bite,
To do vengaunce for a þing of nouȝt.
For ofte it falleth a wrong is wrouȝt:
For litel excesse folweþ gret reprefe;
And hast is ay medlid with meschefe.
Wherfore, I bidde þat ȝe sitte doun,
And in no wyse, of presumpcioun,
Attempteþ nat, in no maner wyse,
Be signe or worde more for to dispise
Þembassatours from þe Grekis sent,
But late hem frely declaren her entent,
And ȝe þer-whiles kepe ȝour lippes clos.”
And sodeinly þanne Eneas aros,
Whiche nexte þe kyng hadde þan his se,
So inwardly with rancour fret was he,

346

Þat he ne myȝt hym siluen nat restreyn,
And seid[e]: “sir, so ȝe nat disdeyne
Þat I schal seyn, me semeth þat it is
Wel a-cordyng, whan oon haþ seid amys
And reklesly spoken vn-avised,
Of his foly þat he be chastysed,
Þat oþer may exaumple by hym take,
To be wel war swiche noise & cry to make,
And specially in open audience
So toffende ȝour royal excellence!
And sothly ȝit, I wot wel þat I myȝt
So me gouerne, pleynly, in ȝoure siȝt,
Of hastynes with-oute avisement,
Þat I schulde by ȝour commaundement
Þe deth disserue for my gret offence.
And trewly ȝit, ne wer [for] ȝoure presence,
On þis tweyne þat han so I-spoke,
With-oute abood I schuld anoon be wroke:
For it wer worþi & riȝt wel sittyng,
Whan þat a fool in presence of a kyng
Is bolde or hardy of presumpcioun
To take on hym of indiscrecioun
Þing to reherse, concludyng in sentence
Preiudice of ȝoure magnificence,
Þat he were tauȝt bettre to gouerne
His large tonge, to konne bet discerne
Whan he schal speke or whan ben in pes,
To suffren hym to renne out of les,
As doth he þis þat spoken haþ so large.
Wherfor, in hast, I conseil hym & charge,
With-oute abood, or any wordis mo,
Out of ȝoure siȝt anon he be ago,
For it is best to don as I hym rede.”
To whom anon ful proudly, Dyomede,

347

Nat astonyd, but with a sterne loke,
To Eneas, þat for Ire quoke,
Answerde ageyn with wordis but a fewe,
And seide: “sir, þi speche doþe wel schewe,
What so þou be, þat þou art riȝt wys.
Wel is þat kyng, þat doþe be þin avys,
Or hath þe nyȝe of conseil for to be;
For he ne may erre in no degre—
Þat art so riȝtful in þi Iugement,
Of wilfulnes, wiþ-oute avisement,
To cause a lord his boundis for to pace.
So wolde God, in som oþer place
Þat I myȝt, be fauour of Fortune,
Metyn wiþ þe at leiser oportune,
Like my desire, þat canst so wel endite—
I nolde faile þi labour for to quyte,
And þe to þanke for þi gentil chere,
Whiche so knyȝtly þou hast vs schewed here—
Trust wel þer-to: I haue þer-of no drede!”
And þo Vlixes of þis Dyomede
Gan interrupte his wordis prudently,
And to hym seide ful avisely
Þat it was best to stynten & be stille.
“And now we know fully al þi wille,”
Quod Vlixes ful manly to þe kyng,
“We wil gon hens, with-oute [more] tariyng,
Out of þi siȝt to Agamenoun,
And make to hym pleyn relacioun
Of þin answere, in ordre by and by.”
And to hors þei went sodeynly,
And in schort tyme so hast hem on her weye,
Þat þei be come, þer is no more to seie,
Wher þe kyng sat in his tentorie;
And worde by worde, as cam to memorie,
Þei reherse þe substaunce euery-del,
Wher-of þe Grekis like no þing wel,

348

Conceyving ful þer was no remedie,
As be report of þe embassatrye,
Saf only þis: outerly procede,
Howe þei hem schal gouernen in þis nede
Ageyn[es] Troyen[s], of necessite;
For þei wel wot it may noon oþer be,
And assentid, boþe in wille and dede:
To purveye hem fast[e] þei hem spede,
In þis story as ȝe schal aftir fynde.
But or þat I make þer-of mynde,
I most a while of Eneas endyte,
As myn auctor list of hym to write:
Þe whiche, soþely, as bokis seyn, he was,
Þis manly Troyan, þis famus Eneas,
Anchises sone, of gret worþ[i]nes,
Whilom gete of Venus þe goddes,
Conquerour of many regioun.
Whan Troye was brouȝt to destruccioun,
He went his weye by þe large se,
Callid Tirene, & sailyng forþe goþe he
Be many cost & many narow passage,
Many daunger, til in-to Cartage
He rivid is, and þus gan to saille
To þe conquest of þe gret Ytaille;
And so to Rome he hath þe wey[e] take.
Of whos of-spryng, as auctour[e]s make,
Cam Augustus Cesar, þe Emperour,
Þat was whilom so noble a conqueror,
Þat his renoun to þis day doth schyne.
And of Enee, themperour Iustyne,
In his boke, callid Autentikes,
Ful pleynly writ þer in þe rubrikes:
Þat aftir Cesar, so as Sesares
Be named ȝit, riȝt so Eneades,

349

After Enee þe name schulde bere,
Whiche fro Troye comen was so fere
Vn-to Ytaille. And of þis Eneas,
As I haue tolde, Cesar discendid was
Doun lyne riȝt, ful manly & royal,
Þat first in Rome be septer imperial,
Maugre her myȝt, had[de] gouernaunce,
And of wisdam sette in gouernaunce
Comoun þinges touchyng þe cite.
And to procede ferþer of Enee,
Holly his lyf & knyȝthod by & by
Ȝif þat ȝe list to rede Ceriously,
Ȝe may se al, ful awtentik of style,
In Eneydos compiled of Virgile:
Al-be it so, þat þis noble clerke
Was graue a-forn or complet was his werk,
As bokes olde make mencioun.
But now ageyn to Agamenoun,
With-oute more, my stile I wil retourne.

Howe Achilles enterde the Ille of Messay, where Teutram was kynge, whom Achilles gave his dethes wounde. And howe Teutram resyngnede his kingdam to Thelaphus, for the affeccyon that he had to Archules, which was his Fadere, and of olde tyme made him kynge of þat Ille.

Þe whiche kyng wil no more soiourne
In þis mater delayes for to make,
But in al hast he hath his counseil take
Of his lordis, beyng þo present,
And swyche as wer nat, he haþ after sent
For oon & alle: erlis, dukis, kynges,
And seid[e], “sirs, amongis oþer þinges
To our Iourne þat be necessarie,
My counseil is, no lenger þat we tarie,

350

But first of al to maken ordinaunce,
By oon assent, with prudent purvyaunce,
Þat aldirfirste we schape for vitaille,
With-oute whiche noon host may availle
To parforme a Iourne þriftely.
Wherfor I rede, here but fast[e] by,
Ȝif it to ȝow be likyng and plesaunce,
In-to an Ile ful of habondaunce,
Callid Messa, þat we sende anoon.”
And, at a worde, assentid euerychon.
Þei chosen han worþi Achilles
And Thelefus, þe sone of Hercules,
To execute þis purpos fynally,
Wiþ many worþi in her company
I-chosen oute þoruȝ þe hoste anoon
Wiþ Achilles to Messa for to gon.
In whiche lond, riche and plenteuous,
Regned a kyng, worþi and famous,
Þat Teutran hiȝt; whiche in tranquillite,
With-oute werre or aduersite,
Had holde his septer & his royal sete
In þis Ile, so plesaunt and so mete—
Al-be þat some sein þis litel Ile
To þe kyngdam longeth of Cecile,
And hath his name ȝouen of plente,
After Messane, an huge gret cite,
Ful plenteuous, boþe on se and lond.
Þe whiche kyngdam, as I vndirstonde,
Is seide Messana, of Messes in latyn,
Þoruȝ habondaunce of frut, corn, & wyn,
At tharyuaille on her pleyn[e]s large,
Wher þei ar wont [for] to stuf and charge
Marchaunt schippes of straunge fer contre,
Þat þider saile by þe large se
To fecche vitaille, ay fro ȝer to ȝer,
Fro many cost of londis fer and ner,

351

Only beschaunge of oþer marchaundyse.
And eke also, as bokis can deuise,
And as Guydo [ful] pleinly telleth vs,
Þat of a kyng, callid Messanus,
Þis contre first of Messa toke þe name,
Þat in his tyme was of ful gret fame,
Passyng riche and wonder plenteuous.
But of al þis, Dares Frigius
In his boke makeþ no mencioun,
But schortly telleth, in conclusioun,
How Achilles, and Thelefus also,
To Messana ben to-gidre go
With þre þousand of Grekis chosen oute,
Most manly men amongis al her route.
Þe whiche as fast as þei gan to londe,
And þe kyng gan to vndirstonde
Of her comyng, [he] is descendid doun
With alle þe worþi of his regioun,
On hors and fote, in stel armyd briȝt,
Ageyn[e]s Grekis manfully to fiȝt,
Hem to deuoide, pleinly, ȝif he can.
And sodeinly þus þe skarmus gan
Atwixe Grekis and her mortal foon,
On ouþer part þat þer was many oon
Slayn and hurt, & to þe deþ y-woundid,
Euere vnlikly þer-of to be soundid;
For oþer trete was noon hem betwene,
But swerdis scharp & speris square & kene:
Now here, now þere, þat þei go to gronde;
For euery man his fo for to confounde
His labour dide & his besynes.
And þouȝ Grekis, þoruȝ her worþines,
Had on her foon moche londe I-wonne,
Ȝit to resort after þei begonne;
And merveil noon, be-cause þat her foon

352

Hadde alwey þre in noumbre ageyn[e]s on—
For þe tyme it may noon oþer be—
Til Achilles gan be-holde and se
Þe mortal slauȝter vp-on Grekis side,
Turnyng þe bak, with woundis large & wyde;
Of hasty rancour chaunge gan his blood,
And for Ire furious and wood,
Whan he be-hilde his men lese her lond,
He with þe swerde þat he hilde in his hond
Made weie, killeth, and bare doun;
And in þe felde like a ferse lyoun
He ferde in soth, whan his men wer slaw,
Makyng his foon bakward to withdraw,
And his Grekis so manly recounforte,
Þat maugre hem he made hem to resorte.
And who þat euere in his weye stood,
With-oute mercy he kylleþ in his mood,
Þat geyneþ nat in his cruelte;
For dout[e]les, nadde his manhod be,
His passyng renoun and his worþines,
His knyȝthod eke, and his hiȝe prowes,
Þe Grekis had þat day finally
Venquissched be, with-oute remedie;
But þoruȝ his helpe þei recuren al:
For Achilles, sturdy as a wal,
Gan cerche scheltrouns & her rengis brake,
To-fore whos face his fomen go to wrake.
And aldirlast, whan he gan espie
Teutran þe kyng, þoruȝ his chiualrie
Diffende hym silf lik a worþi knyȝt,
And as a lioun bern hym in his fiȝt,
Now her, now þer, Grekis so oppresse—
Þis Achilles, of cruel hardynesse,
Nolde cesse in his pursewyng
Þoruȝ þe wardis, til he cam to þe kyng,
Of manly force, stout, & ful of pride,

353

Makyng a weye rounde on euery syde,
Ageyn whos myȝt no þing myȝt availe.
And of Teutran first þe aventaile
He raced haþe, & rent þe mail a-sonder,
And al to-hewe—þat it was a wonder
To considre þat day his cruelte.
And after þat, al to-broke hath he
His basenet, with many cruel wounde,
Of verray myȝt smet þe kyng to grounde;
And in al haste he maked hath no let,
Of his hed to rende his basenet,
And merciles for to do vengaunce,
His arme he gan on heiȝte to avaunce,
Fully in purpos þat he schal be ded,
And raunsomles gan amyn at his hed
With blody swerde, & dispitous herte,
Castyng pleinly he schal hym nat asterte—
In his Ire he was so furious.
But of fortune it be-fil riȝt þus,
Þat Thelephus, þe ȝong[e], lusty knyȝt,
Casuely þer-of had a syȝt,
And of Achille þe maner ful behilde:
Þe stroke anoon he bare vp with his schelde,
And gan Achilles mekely for to preye
To han pite so to done hym deye,
Sith he lay wonded almost to þe deth,
Brouȝt to þe point to ȝelden vp þe breth,
Beseching hym, for his benignite,
Of manly rouþe & knyȝtly eke pite,
With-drawe his hond & to don hym grace,
And graunt hym lyf for a litel space:
“Sith euery knyȝt schulde of gentilles
His enmy spare, whan he is in distres,
To outtraunce brouȝt, & specialy whan he

354

Mercy requiriþ of humble volunte.”
To whom Achille, feruent in his Ire,
As he þat was of rancour set a-fyre,
Answerde ageyn: “what list þe so to praye
For hym þat nolde of pride our wyl obeye,
But folily, of vngoodlyhede,
Gan a werre, where as was no nede,
Of disdeyn and indignacioun,
Havynge a trust of presumpcion
In his manhod, whiche myȝt him nat avaylle
Ageyn[e]s Grekis to holden a bataille,
As it is preuid pleynly in þe ende,
Al oþer-wyse schortly þan he wende.
For in þe dyche iustly he is falle,
Whiche he made of malis for vs alle,
Wher we of wil nor entencioun
Ȝaf vn-to hym noon occasioun,
Vp-on no syde, platly, fer nor ner,
Nor mynystrede to hym no mater,
Nor to his londe mente no damage—
But hym silfe, grounde of al þis rage—
With-oute offence don to hym of vs.”
And efte ageyn ȝonge Thelephus
Humblely requerid of Achille,
Of knyȝtly rouȝþe his axyng to fulfille,
And to han mercy on hym in þis caas.
“For with my fader þis kyng whilom was,”
Quod Thelefus, “be bond confederat,
Whiche lithe now here al disconsolat,
Exspectaunt only, with a dedly face,
Vp-on þe hour whan his gost schal pace,
Þoruȝ-girt, allas! with many mortal wounde;
And for cause I haue in hym founde
A-fore þis tyme ful gret kyndenes—
For of manhod and of gentilles,
In þe boundis of his regioun

355

He vn-to me, þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun,
Whilom as I casuely gan ride,
Schewed in soþe, vp-on euery side,
Ful ryal chere and gret humanyte,
Þat I am bounde of verray du[e]te
To remembre & to han in mynde;
And dout[e]les, ellis I were vnkynde,
Which after wolde my name foule atwite,
And for þat I parcel wolde hym quyte,
I ȝou beseche of respit of his lif.”
And Achilles, with-outen any stryf,
Delyuered hath, þe story telleth þus,
Teutran frely vn-to Thelefus,
Wheþer hym list to sauen or to spille.
And whan þat he hadde hym at his wille,
He considrede by hys woundis grene,
Þat were so mortal, sothly, & so kene,
Of verray nede þat he muste dye—
Þer was no geyn nor no remedye,
Nor availle may no medycyne.
Þe hour whan Phebus westward gan declyne,
And þe bataille brouȝt was to an ende,
While þe Grekis to her schippes wende,
Þe mene whyle, Teutran for þe peyne
Of his woundis gan more & more compleyne,
With-oute staunche so pitously þei blede:
His officeris fast[e] gan hem spede,
In a liter, maked ful ryal,
Toward his paleis & dongoun principal
To carien hym softe and esely;
And at his prayer, ful benignely,
Thelefus and also Achilles
Conveied hym amongis al þe pres,
Til he was brouȝt þer as him list to be;
And þei reseyuid, like to his degre,
[Ful] Ryally þe kyng, ay languysschinge,

356

As he þat drowe toward his endynge,
And myȝt[e] nat lenger drawe alengþe
His woful lif, so weyk was [he] of strengþe,
Þat his spirit muste algatis wende.
And he in haste made for to sende
For Achilles and for Thelefus;
And whan þei cam, he seide [vn-]to hem þus:
“Sirs,” quod he, “ful worþi of degre,
Helpe and honour with longe prosperite
Be vn-to ȝow, and good auenture
Al þe while [þat] ȝour lif may dure;
And specially to þe, o Thelephus,
Whiche hast to me ben so gracious,
Of gentilles, in my peynes stronge,
Only of grace my lif for to prolonge—
But deth, allas! I may nat nowe eschewe,
Nor his swerde on no parte remewe,
With-oute recur knyt in bitter bondis,
Vp-on þe brinke falle of Fatis hondis,
Of my lif al fully in dispeir,
Whiche of my body neuer myȝt haue eyr
After my day, by successioun,
To gouerne þis litel regioun,
Whiche like[ly] is to stonde dissolat
Of gouernaunce, and disconsolat,
Whiche þat I wan with ful gret trauaille;
And to þis day, with werre and bataille,
I haue it kept, as ȝe wel knowe echon,
And defendid from alle maner foon,
With-oute loos, ȝeris her-to-forne.
But recurles of ȝore I hadde it lorne,
Ne had I had helpe and eke socour
Of Hercules, þe grete conquerour,
Þat whilom was fader of Thelephus—
So strong, so myȝti, and so chiualrous—
Be whos manhod & whos hardynes,

357

Be his knyȝthod and gret worþines,
Whiche day be day is newe of memorie,
Of al my foon I hadde þe victorie:
He daunted hem and made hem so a-ferde,
Only by rigour of his scharp[e] swerde,
Þat finally, þoruȝ his manlihede
He made me þis regne to possede,
Maugre her myȝt, in pes and in quiete,
With septre and crowne in my royal sete,
Þat noon of hem, til þat he was ded,
Hardy was to lyften vp þe hed
Ageyn[e]s me, to speke in wordis fewe.”
Wher-by I may fully declare and schewe
By euydence, þat þis litel Ile
Is pertynent and longeth to Secile,
Wher Hercules for a memorial
Sette pilers in his conquest royal,
Whan he had ride and go so fere,
And of Columpna ȝit þe name bere,
After hym callid Herculea—
Þouȝ somme seyn þei hote Herracula,
Þe name chaungyng by corrupcioun.
Þe whiche londe was whilom mansioun
To þe peple of wilde Barbarie;
Þe whiche kyngdam for to magnifie,
Frederik, sothly, þe secunde,
Of gold and good passyngly habounde,
Þat chose was to ben Emperour
Of Rome toun, and myȝti gouernour,
And whilom eke was kyng of Secile—
Whiche made reise in þat large Ile
A myȝti tour, hiȝe and þikke of wal,
As seyth Guydo, for a memorial
To putte his name longe in remembraunce;
And for þe soil was to his plesaunce,
With floures fresche of many sondry hewe,
In somme bokis þe lond was namyd newe

358

And I-called, as I vndirstonde,
For his fairnes, “þe lusty newe lond.”
But Teutran ay lyggyng in his peyne,
As he þat fast[e] gan þe hour atteyne
Of cruel deth, a-forn his lordis alle
He made in haste Thelefus to calle
To his presence, and with a mortal chere
Seide openly, þat alle myȝten here:
“My sone,” quod he, “now þat I schal passe
Out of þis worlde—for geyn[e] may no grace
My lif to saue, þoruȝ no mannys myȝt—
But for be-cause of equite and riȝt
I am compelled, iustly in sentence,
To declare clerly my conscience
To-fore my deth, heryng al þis pres—
Þis to seyn, þi fader Hercules,
Þe wyse worþi, and þat knyȝtly man,
Whilom þis lond þoruȝ his conquest wan;
Þe whiche only of his goodlyhede,
As he þat was þe stok of manlyhede,
Toke vn-to me, by commyssioun,
Þe gouernaunce of þis regioun,
Of his fre wille, with hool þe regallye,
And nolde hym silf þe crowne occupie;
And sothly, ȝit his riȝt was nat þe lasse.
For loue of whom, now þat I schal passe,
With al thentent of my laste wil,
To þe I graunte, as it is riȝt and skil,
As verray eyer iustly to succede,
Longe in honour þer þi lif to lede,
Makynge here a protestacioun,
Þat in ful tokene of confirmacioun
Þis is þe wil, finally, of myn herte,
Fro þe whiche no man may diuerte
Vp-on no side, nor outterly declyne.
For first my wil and discent of lyne

359

Ben to-gidre combyned now in oon,
Fro whiche þing no mortal man may gon:
For þis desire, last of my langour,
Þat þou playnly be my successour;
And finally, þus I conclude and deme,
Þat vn-to þe septre and dyademe
Deliuered be, wiþ euery circumstaunce.”
But al his wil, for more assuraunce,
He made write in his testament,
Þe fyn concludyng of his last entent.
And after þat, he ful pitously
Telephus besouȝt[e] hertely,
Of manly rouþe & knyȝtly gentilles
To done his deuer and his besynes,
After his deth, liche his estat royal,
To halwe and holde þe feste funeral
Solempnely, and þe exequies do.
And sodeynly, with-oute wordis mo,
Þe kyng Teutran ȝeldeþ vp þe gost,
And went his wey, I not in-to what cost—
I can nat deme of swiche mystyhede.
And whan Parchas broken han þe þred
On þe rokke, and he was forþe his way,
Þan Telefus, out of marbil gray
Coriously a tombe made kerue,
Þe dede cors þer-in to conserue
Ful richely; and a-boue þe graue
An Epithaphie anoon he dide graue,
In his honour pleinly to expresse
His knyȝthod boþe, and [his] worþines,
And how his gost & he wer deuocid—
Wiþ lettris riche of gold aboue enbocid
Rounde aboute wonder corious,
On his tombe, þat seide pleinly þus:

360

Howe Kenge Teutram was buryede in A riche Epethaphye graven with sotele vers.

“Here lyth Teutran þe kyng, dout[e]les,
Whilom slawe of cruel Achilles,
Þat his septre and þe regalie
Holy ȝaf, whiche no man may denye,
To Thelefus, sone of Hercules,
Whiche in his tombe resteþ now in pes.”
Whan þis parformyd was in euery þing,
And Thelefus was crowned in-to kyng,
And hiȝe and low, al be on assent,
Hadde openly in a parlement
Made feith to hym and y-don homage
Lik to her degrees, as þei wern of age,
And with hool hert, in al þer best entent,
Be othe assurid and be sacrament,
As trew[e] liges reseived hym for kyng,
Þan Achilles, with-oute more tariyng,
Whan al was sette in pes & gouernaunce,
With-oute gruchyng or any variaunce,
To her schippes anoon he made carie
Euery þing þat was necessarie
To þe Grekis, corn, frute, and vitaille,
Flesche or fysche, or what þat myȝt availle
To hosteyng, or helpe hem in her nede—
Doun to þe see al he dide lede,
Fully her vessel for to stuf & lade.
And Thelefus after þis he made
Stille in þe boundis of his regioun
For to abide, for þis conclusioun:
Þat þoruȝ his helpe & his dilligence,
Besynes and discret prouidence,
Ageyn al meschef and al skarscite,
Whan þei nede, he myȝt her socour be—
Al-be þat he, liche as seith Guydo,

361

With Achilles ful fayn wolde haue go;
But he abod, sothly for þe beste,
Be bond assured fully and beheste
In euery þing Grekis to releue.
And þan in haste Achilles toke his leue
Of Thelefus, and gan anon to saille,
Alle his schippes stuffid wiþ vitaille,
Toward Grekis, as made is mencioun;
And in schort tyme he at Tenedoun
Aryued is, and taken hath þe grounde
With alle his knyȝtis, boþe heil & sounde.
And aftir þis, to Agamenoun
He made first ful relacioun
Of his expleyt, lik as it was falle,
In þe presence of his lordis alle,
Sitting enviroun many worþi knyȝt.
And first, in Messa, he telleþ of þe fiȝt,
Whan þei entre, & of her wolcommyng;
And ceriously, he tolde eke of þe kyng
Þat Teutran hiȝt, & pleinly also how
Achilles amyd þe felde hym slowe,
And or his deth, how he of hool entent
Fully ordeyned in his testament
Thelefus also to ben his heyr.
Al þis he tolde, & eke of his repeire
Vn-to þe se, and eke of þe vitaille,
And Thelefus, how he wil nat faille
To senden hem al þat may hem plese—
Of whiche þing þe Grekis in gret ese
Were brouȝt of hert, & lyke wonder wel,
Whan Achilles had tolde hem euerydel,
And gretly preise his hiȝe prouidence,
His manhod boþe, & his sapience,
In his oute-beyng þat he bare hym so.
And aftir þis Achilles is go
To his loggyng, a litel þer be-syde,
Where his knyȝtes vp-on hym abyde,

362

Myrundones, ful glad of his commyng,
And hym reseyue as longeþ to a kyng,
Where he a-bood & restid hym a while.
But for Guydo declineþ here his stile
From þe Grekis to hem of Troye toun,
I muste also make digressioun,
Of myn auctor þe steppis for to sewe,
Like as it is conuenient & dewe
To my mater, sith he is my guyde,
And for a while Grekis sette a-side,
And reherse how Dares Frigius
In Troye boke declareth vn-to vs,
And ceriously maketh mensioun
Of þe lordis þat cam to Troye toun
To helpe hem manly in her diffence,
Ageyn Grekis to make resistence
With ordinaunce of many diuerce þinges—
Þer cam to hem erlis, dukis, kynges,
As in Dares pleinly is made mynde,
Redeth his boke & þer ȝe may it fynde.

Here folowyngly be rehersed the namys of þe kyngis that kame to help the Cite of Troye.

And aldirfirst, I rede how þat he
Specially speketh of kynges þre,
Ful manly men, & also of gret fame—
Al-be þat he reherseth nat þe name
Of her kyndammys—ȝit he writeþ þus:
Þe first of hem was callid Pandarus,
And as I rede, Thabor þe secounde,
Þe þridde Andastrus, liche as it is founde;
And as Guydo liste to specifie,
Þre þousand knyȝtes in her companye,
And manly men þei were euerychon.
And from an Ile, callid Coloson,
Liche as Dares liketh to expresse,

363

Þer cam also, of excellent prowes,
Kynges foure; of whiche þe first[e] was,
As he writ, I-named Carias,
And þe secounde hiȝt Ymasyus,
Nestor þe þride, þe fourþe Amphimacus;
And fiue þousand worþi knyȝtes alle
Þer cam with hem manly for to falle
Vp-on þe Grekis in helping of þe toun.
And from an Ile of ful gret renoun,
Callid Lycye, cam þe kyng Glaucoun,
And wiþ hym brouȝt his sone Sparedoun,
A noble knyȝt, in armys ful famous,
And was allyed to kyng Priamus;
And þre þousand, ȝif I schal nat feyne,
Þer cam of knyȝtes with þese lordis tweyne.
And from Larisse, a riche lond also,
As I fynde, þer cam kynges two;
And hem to quite manly, as þei ouȝte,
A þousand knyȝtes þei to Troye brouȝte.
And from a kyngdam named Lycaoun,
Caphemus, a kyng of grete renoun,
Brouȝt with hym, as Dares bereþ witnes,
A þousand knyȝtes of gret worþines.
And fiue hundrid, Dares telleþ vs,
Cam with Hupon and wiþ Epedus,
Manly knyȝtes, in platis siluer briȝt.
And with hym eke a kyng þat Remus hiȝt
Brouȝt þre þousand to Troye many mile
From Tabaria his large myȝti Ile;
And dukis foure, with al her chiualry,
And erlis eyȝte cam in his companye,
Hauyng in armys gret experience;
And alle þei bare, with-oute difference,
Her men & þei, whan þei wer in þe felde,
Þe chef of gold eueryche in his scheld,
Wherby þe kyng, & holy his meyne,
Among hem alle knowe myȝt[e] be,

364

Al-be þat oþer boren eke þe same.
And from Trace kyng Pilex, by his name—
Fro þilke Trace þat is most excellent,
Whiche in þe plage of þe oriente
Haueth his syyt—from whiche þis myȝti king
A þousand knyȝtes brouȝt at his comyng;
And as myn auctor recordeth eke also,
An hundrid knyȝtes ben to Troye go
Wiþ Alcamus, a duke eke ful famus,
Þat cam with Pilex, Guydo writeth þus,
Troyans to helpe in her grete nede.
And fro Panonye, soth[ly] as I rede,
Cam Pretemissus, þe noble werriour,
Lord of þat lond, kyng and gouernour,
And duke Stupex with him eke he hadde,
And of knyȝtes a þousand þat he ladde
Toward[es] Troye from his regioun.
And as þe stori makeþ mencioun,
Þat Ile stant moste be wyldernes,
And be wodis of plenteuous þiknes,
Growyng þer-in ful many diuerse tre,
And moste is forest þat men þere may se;
For þei þer bilde howses but a fewe;
And in þat lond ful diuersly hem schewe
Many liknes, queint and monstruous,
Bestis vnkouþe, to siȝt[e] meruelous,
Stoundemele, as bi apparence,
By illusioun fals in existence,
Wonder gastful, pleynly, for to sene:
For diuerse goddis of þe wodis grene
Appere þere, called Satiry,
Bycornys eke, fawny and incuby,
Þat causen ofte men to falle in rage;
And of þis lond þe peple is ful sauage,
Hardy knyȝtes, furious & wood,
And desyrous ay to scheden blood,

365

Gretly expert, specialy to schete
Wiþ dart & spere, perellous to mete,
For þei cast euen as any lyne.
And from an Ile þat named was Botyne,
In gret array to Troye þe cite,
Like as I fynde, þer cam dukis þre:
Þe first of hem callid Anphimvs,
Samvs þe secounde, þe þridde Forcynus,
And as seith Dares, whiche list nat lye,
Twelue hundrid knyȝtes in her companye.
And fro Bitvnye, as made is remembraunce,
Þe riche lond, þat hath swiche habundaunce
Of spicis, gommys, frutis, corn, & wyn,
Holsom rotis, ryndis, riche and fyn,
Wonder vnkouþe and precious also,
Out of whiche Ile þer cam kynges two,
Ful knyȝtly men, in armes desyrous—
Kyng Boetes and Episterus,
And with hem brouȝt to Troye from so ferre
A þousand knyȝtes arrayed for þe werre.
And fro þe lond callid Pafogonye,
Whiche seuerid is from al companye,
As bokis seyn þat ben historial,
Vnder þe plage þat is oriental
Set so fer, as made is rehersaille,
Þat fewe or noon to þat lond trauaille,
For þer to come is almost impossible,
For whiche þat lond is callid Invisible,
Be-cause only of his remocioun;
And ȝit it is a riche regioun,
Of gold & siluer also, and of stonys,
And habondaunt of plente for þe nonys,
It is so ful of tresour and of good,
And hath his syyt on þe riche flood
I-namyd Tygre, nat fer from Eufrates,

366

As seith myn auctor, þat callid is Dares—
Fro whiche lond, in stel armyd clene,
A þousand knyȝtes cam with Philymene,
Þe worþi kyng, whos scheldis, out of drede,
Wern of querboyl, in Guydo as I rede,
With gold depeint & fret with stonys riche,
Þat in þis world I trowe wer non liche,
Out of þe flodis chose be devis,
Whiche han her cours out of paradys—
Þe whiche kyng, a geaunte of stature,
And of makyng passyng al mesure,
Strong and deliuere also, as I fynde.
And fro þe lond þat marchiþ vp-on Ynde,
Kyng Porses cam with many knyȝtly man;
And he also, þat with his hond hym wan
So moche honour, þe noble Meryon,
And his brother callid Sygamon,
Whiche from þe lond of her subieccioun,
Of dukis, erlis, & knyȝtes of renoun,
Þre þousand brouȝt, alle in platis schene,
With speris rounde, whet ful square & kene—
From Ethiopie cam þis noble route.
And fro þe kyngdam also, out of doute,
Þat Teremo of Dares callid is,
Cam þe kyng, ful prudent & ful wis,
Þe manly man namyd Theseus,
And eke his sone þat hiȝt Archilagus,
A þousand knyȝtes in her companye;
And Theseus ful nyȝe was of alye
To Priamus, by discent of blood.
And kynges tweyne, passynge riche of good,
And renomyd of knyȝthod as be fame—
Al-be þat Guydo rehersiþ nat hir name—
Ȝet in þis story he makiþ mencioun,
Þat from Agresta, þe litel Regioun,
A þousand knyȝtes þei brouȝt vn-to Troye,
Grekis pride to daunten and acoye;

367

For þei wer chose & piked for þe nonys.
And from þe lond be-ȝonde Amaȝonys,
Lissynya, þe kyng Epistrophus,
So wys, so worþi, and inly vertuous,
Passynge of counseil and discreccioun,
And with al þis, ful worþi of renoun
He preved was also, in special,
And in þe artis callid liberal
He lernyd was, and expert a-riȝt,
Nat-withstondyng he was a worþi knyȝt,
In werre & pes manful & riȝt sage,
Al-be þat he was ronne fer in age—
And as þe stori makeþ rehersaille,
A þousand knyȝtes clad in plate & mail,
To Troye toun, I fynde, þat he ladde;
And with hym, Guydo seith, he hadde
A wonder archer, of siȝt merueilous,
Of forme & schap in maner monstruous:
For lik myn auctor as I reherse can,
Fro þe nauele vpward he was man,
And lower doun lik an hors y-schapid;
And þilke parte þat after man was makid,
Of skyn was blak & rowe as eny bere,
Couerid with here from colde hym for to were,
Passynge foul and horrible of siȝt,
Whos eyen were spark[e]ling as briȝt
As a fourneis with his rede leuene,
Or þe liȝtnyng þat comeþ doun fro heuene,
Dredful of loke, and red as fire of chere.
And, as I rede, he was a good archere;
And with his bowe, boþe at eue & morwe,
Vp-on Grekis he wrouȝt moche sorwe,
And gasted hem with many hidous loke,
So sterne he was þat many of hem quoke
Whan þei hym saw, so ogly & horrible,
And more lothsom þan it is credible,
Þat many on hath wonded to þe deth,

368

And caused hem to ȝelden vp þe breth
On Grekis side, as ȝe schal after here.
And in þis wyse assemblid ben y-fere
Kynges, dukis, and erlis of renoun,
From sondri londis with-Inne Troye toun,
Þat be gadred & come fro so ferre,
As seith Dares, to helpe hem in þis werre—
Þat wer in noumbre, as he maketh mynde,
Two and þritty þousand, as I fynde,
Of worþi knyȝtes and lordis of estate,
Þat sith þe worlde was formyd & creat,
Ne was nat seyn, I trowe, in o cite
To-gidre assemblid of so hiȝe degre,
Nor of knyȝtes so gret a multitude.
And ȝit þis Dares, sothly to conclude,
In his boke maketh of hem no mynde,
Þat cam to Troye out of smaller Ynde,
Nouþer of hem, most famus of renoun,
Þat wer with Priam born of Troye toun—
Þat finally, ȝif it be trewly souȝt,
Siþen þe hour þat þis world was wrouȝt,
I dar afferme, vndir Phebus spere
So many worþi wer nat met I-fere
Of manly men, flouryng in lustines,
So fresche, so ȝonge, and as by liklynes,
In euery point, of schap and of array
For to do wel, sothly þis no nay,
Who list considere vp-on ouþer side.
For þoruȝ þe world, wher men go or ride,
Þe flour of knyȝthod & of worþines,
Of chiualrie, and of hiȝe prowes
Assemblid was with-outen & with-Inne,
Fully assentid a werre to be-gynne.
Wherfore, ȝe listers, taketh now good hede,
Þat ȝow delite in þis boke to rede:
First for how litel [þat] þis werre gan,

369

How liȝt þe cause, for whiche so many man
Hath lost his lif in meschef pitously;
And ȝit no man can be war þer-by—
Almost for nouȝt was þis strif be-gonne:
And who list loke, þei han no þing wonne
But only deth, allas, þe harde stounde!
So many knyȝt cauȝt his deþes wounde
Wiþ-oute recure or any remedie.
And for a woman, ȝif I schal nat lye,
Gan al þis strif, it was þe more pite,
Þat so gret meschef or aduersite
Of mortal slauȝter euer schulde tyde!
Bet had ben to haue set a-side
Swiche quarellis, dere I-now amyte,
To haue lete passid or þe vengaunce bite:
For wisdam wer to cast a-forn and se
Ȝif swiche sclaundris myȝt eschewed be
Or þe venym gonne for to ripe;
For þow[ȝ] þat men with hornys blowe & pipe
Whan an hous is fired in his hete,
Of þe sparkle to late is to trete,
Þat causid al: wherfore, at þe gynnyng
Þe remedie is put of euery þing,
As euery wiȝt may deme in his resoun.

Howe the worthy kynge Pallamydes, the secunde parsone of þe Grekes, kame with thirtye shippes to Thenedone, in helpynge of the Grekes. And howe þe famous manful knyght, Dyomede, provokede them to departe fro Thenadon, and to Arryve in þe playne afore Troye.

And whil þe Grekis lay at Tenedoun,
Hem to refresche & to reste in pes,

370

Þe worþi kyng, callid Palamydes,
Wiþ þritti schipes out of Grekis lond,
Stuffid with knyȝtes, ful worþi of her hond,
Þe beste chose of al his regioun,
Arived is vp at Tenedoun.
Wher-of Grekis whan þei hadde a siȝt,
Reioyschyng hem, wer riȝt glad & liȝt,
Havyng rewarde [vn-]to his worþines,
Where þei a-forn hadde had heuynes
For his absence þat he was so longe;
And some of hem grucchid at him strong,
For he nat kepte his moustre at Athene.
But for to schewe þat he was al clene
Of any spot in his conscience,
Ful manfully, in open audience,
Liche a knyȝt he gan hym silf excuse,
Stoppyng alle þo þat þer-on list to muse,
Of his absence schewyng þe cause whi,
Þat for siknes and sodeyn maladie
He was constreyned his presence to withdrawe.
And for þei sawe þat siknes haþ no lawe,
Þei hilde excused fully his absence;
And for he was of most reuerence,
Among Grekis to no wiȝt þe secounde,
And was also ful wys & eke habounde
Of gold and good, avise & prudent,
Þat what-so-euere he set on his entent,
Knyȝtly & wysly he wolde it wel acheue,
And what he gan he ne wolde leue,
Maugre his foon, in no maner wyse,
Til þat he sawe a fyn of his emprise,
And for he was most of oppinioun
Amongis Grekis, and reputacioun,
Þei hym besouȝt þat he wold[e] be
Of her conseil, avisely to se
What wer to do in euery maner þing.

371

And he assenteth vn-to her axyng,
Benygnely of his gentilles.
And Grekis þan dide her besynes
To procede, with-oute more delay,
Hem to enhaste, in al þat euer þei may,
To gynne a sege and differre it nouȝt.
And sondri weies þei cerched han & souȝt
In her wittes, how fro Tenedoun
Þei may remewe towarde Troye toun,
From þe hauene wher her schippes be.
And somme þouȝt most comodite,
For most expleit, be niȝt priuely
Toward Troye, þat stod fast[e] by,
Proudly to saille with her schipes alle.
And somme seide, gret peril myȝt[e] falle,
Toward niȝt for to take þe se,
List with dirknes þei ennoysed be
In her passage, knowyng not þe way,
Wher-of gret harme after falle may—
And þus diuers of oppinioun,
Procedyng nat to no conclusioun:
For in effect her purpos nat ne held,
But stille lyn, ay loggid in þe felde,
Like as þei had entriked be with drede,
Til on a day, worþi Dyomede,
Of þe Grekis seyng þe cowardyse,
Euene þus his conseil gan deuyse:
“Sirs,” quod he, “þat be now here present,
Ȝif þat ȝe list, alle be oon assent,
Goodly considre, aduertyng prudently
What I schal seyn to-fore ȝow openly,
Whiche of knyȝthod han so noble a name,
Sothly me semeth, we ouȝten han gret schame,
Whiche holde oure silfe so myȝti & so strong,
And in þis lond soiourned han so longe—
Niȝe al þis ȝere—and dursten in no wyse
Remewen hens, for verray cowardyse—

372

What haue we do?—nat ellis certeynly,
But to oure foon graunted folily,
Euene at her lust, space & liberte
To make hem strong, and oportunyte
Vs to withstond, pleinly, at þe hond—
And so þei wiln, ȝe may wel vndirstond.
For day be day, to oure confusioun,
Þay haue souȝt wayes, ful wisly vp & doun,
To gete hem help in þe mene space,
And hem enforced aboute in euery place,
Her round cite with barreis & with palis,
Her wallis maskued, and ageyn oure skalis—
Trusteþ þer-on—made gret ordinaunce.
And with al þis, of oure gouernaunce
Þei han espied, seyng þat for drede
We han noon hert manly to procede
In oure purpous to hold with hem werre;
And ay þe more þei se þat we differre,
Þe more þei wiln cacchen hardynes
Vs to resiste with al her besines.
Also I se, and trust it verrailly,
Þat ȝif we had afore-hand manfully,
As we began, knyȝtly furþe contunyd,
Oure Iourne hadde better be fortunyd:
Ȝif sodeynly with strong & myȝti honde,
Þei vnavised, we had in-to her londe
With-oute abood afore þis tyme ariued,
Of whiche [a] while we must be depriued
And delaied, where first with victorie,
To oure honour, with þe palme of glorie
We myȝt sothly, nad[de] ben oure slouþe,
Our wil complisched, þis þe pleyn[e] trouþe:
Wher maugre vs, or we to lond aryue,
With strong diffence þei wil ageyn vs striue,
And put vs of or we þe stronde wynne.

373

For ay þe more we tarie to be-gynne,
Þe more, in soth, for me list nat lye,
We put oure silfe echon in iupartye—
What schulde I feyn or fage fro þe trouþe?
For oure tariyng & oure coward slouþe
Ar likly after to tourne vs to gret sorwe:
Wherfor, erly to-morwe by þe morwe,
My conseil is, oure ankres vp to pulle,
In þis mater no lenger þat we dulle,
But to enarme oure schipes for þe werre;
And at þe vprist of þe morwe sterre,
Late vs ordeyn, with knyȝtly apparaille
Out of þis hauene with þe wynde to saile,
Of manful hert & lusti fresche corage,
Our cours holdyng & our riȝt passage
Toward Troye, & londen horpidly,
What-euere falle: for trusteþ sikerly,
With-out skarmusche we may nat ariue;
For þei fro Troye descende wil as blyue,
Lik manly men, to mete vs in þe berde.
But for al þat, lat vs nat ben a-ferde,
But voide drede, & manhod set a-fore,
Þat cowardyse entre at no bore
For to astone þe manhod of oure herte.”
And with þat word, þe Grekis gan aduerte
Þe manly conseil of þis Diamede,
And in effect to procede in dede
Vn-to þe point, & for no þing spare,
And in what wyse, anoon I schal declare.

Howe the Grekes londede in the playne afor [Troye], and howe the Troyans gave theme batayle at the stronde: in whos meteynge were slayne mony A worthy knygh[t] and others.

374

The next[e] morwe, wonderly be-tyme,
Or Phebus vprist, longe or it was prime,
Whan it be-gan ful merily to dawe,
Þe Grekis host to schipward gonne drawe
With manly hert, fully deuoyde of drede,
Only þoruȝ comfort of þis Diomede.
But aldirfirst, anoon as þei a-wake,
Þe lordis wysely han her counseil take
And concludid among hem euerychon,
Whiche of her schipes schuld[e] formest gon,
And on þe se howe þei schulde hem guye,
So to ariue þat no man hem espie:
Þis was deuised at a certeyn marke.
Þe nyȝt passid, at singyng of þe larke,
Grekis be schippid with-out more tariyng,
Boþe hiȝe and low, in [þe] daw[e]nyng;
And first a-forne, an hundrid schipes of tour,
Stuffid with many worþi werriour,
Gan proudly saille, as þei had in charge;
And þe baners, brode, briȝt, and large,
Were splaied out vp-on euery side:
And þei departe þe fomy wawes wyde,
Þat to siȝt whelmen vp so grene.
And next [to] hem, for werre enarmyd clene,
A-noþer hundrid folwe fast[e] by,
Whiche bare her sailles passingly proudly,
In whiche þer was ful many worþi knyȝt,
Armyd in mail & in platis briȝt.
And after folweþ hoolly her nauye,
Þat as I trowe, swiche a companye
Of worþi knyȝtes & lordis of degre
Was neuer a-forne seyn vp-on þe se.
And Eolus was to hem fortunat;
And eke Neptune made no debat

375

With wynde nor trouble among þe [sterne] wawis;
Þatempre wedir ful mery to hem dawes,
Þat in a tyde, as þei seille riȝt,
Of Troye toun þei cauȝt anoon a siȝt,
Wher-of in hert ful glad & liȝt þei ben.
But whan Troyans first her schippes sen
So proudly saille a litel fro þe stronde,
And sawe how þei cast hem for to lond,
Þei bood no more, but arme hem hastily
In plate and mail & Iakkis richely,
With Irous hert—and þat was don anon—
And toke her hors, & forþe in hast þei goon
Out at þe ȝatis & made no tariyng:
For þei nabide prince, duke, nor kyng,
Nor oþer lord to guye hem or gouerne,
But hast hem forþe, so many and so ȝerne,
Þoruȝ-oute þe felde so gret a multitude.
Amongis whom were no folkis rude,
But manly men, & þriftily beseyn,
So clenly armyd on þe large pleyn,
Þat whan Grekis gan hem first beholde,
Of þe noumbre her hert[e] gan to colde:
For þer was noon so manly hem amonge,
So ȝong, so fresche, so hardy, nor so strong,
Of hiȝe estat nor of lowe degre,
Þat he ne was astonied for to se
Þe hardy Troyans so proudly doun descende
To lette Grekis þat þei nat ascende,
Þat þei wist and conceive outterly
Þer was no mene to arive by,
But only deth, or manly for to fiȝt,
Or cowardly take hem to þe fliȝt—
For oþer conduit pleinly noon þer was
But scharp[e] swerdis & speris in þis cas.
Til sodeinly þe hardy ferse kyng,

376

Protheselaus, whiche in his gouernyng,
Formest of alle, an hundrid schipes ladde,
Gan hasten hym for Ire þat he hadde,
Talondid first, ȝif it wold haue be,
Ta met with hem so gret desire had he.
But swyche a wynde gan in þe seil[e] driue
Of his schipis, whan he schope tariue,
Þat he vnwarly smet vp-on þe londe,
On þe gettis and þe drye sonde,
Þat his schippes schyuered al a-sondre,
And some dreint, to-broken here & ȝondre,
And deuourid of þe wawy se,
Þat it was rouþe and pite for to se—
For but of harde þer myȝte noon eskape.
And whiles some wer besy for to take
Þe drie lond, with mvd and filþe y-lade,
Troyens of hem ful cruel slauȝter made;
Maugre her myȝt, Grekis so constreyned,
Þat with her blood þe wawis wer [y-]steyned,
So mortally, þat sothly to be-holde,
Amonge þe sonde, pale, ded, and colde
Þe Grekis lyn, with woundis fresche & grene;
And al þe eyr with schot of arowis kene
I-schadwed was, þat Phebus bemys briȝt
Vp-on þe soille was dirked of his liȝt.
And new alwey Troyens hem assaille,
Þat to Grekis pleinly þis ryvaille
So mortal was & so infortunat,
So vnwelful and disconsolat,
So vndisposid þoruȝ infelicite,
Þat, I trowe, neuere out of no se
Ne cam noon host of mor harde to londe.
But for al þat, Grekis nolde wonde,
For lyf nor deth, manly to arive.
And so befil, of auenture as blyue,
Þe hundrid schipes þat next aftir sew,

377

Avisely, and in tyme dew
Ben entrid in, and hast[e] nat to faste,
And strike sail and her ankris caste,
For þe werre strongly enbatailled,
In her londyng list þei wern assailled.
And wisly first þei sette her arblasteris
And her gonners & her best archeris,
With pauiseris for to goon aforn,
Knyȝtly to londe, þouȝ Troyens had sworn
Þe contrarie, proudly hem to lette;
Ȝet for al þat, fersly vp þei sette.
The Grekysshe schot made hem to with-drawe,
And many of hem on þe lond ley slawe,
Þat maugre hem þe stronde þei recure;
And swiche as myȝt most manfully endure
Wer set aforn, til þei þe lond han take.
And al attonys swiche assaut þei make
Vp-on Troyens; and þo be-gan þe fiȝt,
Whan Prothesilaus, þe noble worþi knyȝt,
Wonder lifly & riȝt passyng strong,
With þe Grekis entrid in among
Þe hardy Troyens, & euer[y]-wher hem souȝt;
For he of armes merueilles on hem wrouȝt
Þilke day þoruȝ his worþines,
Þat many Troyan he brouȝt in distresse—
Wher he went þei felt[e] ful vnsofte,
Þoruȝ whos manhod Grekis wern a-lofte.
For þilke day, ne hadde his knyȝthood be,
Þe Grekis hadde in gret aduersite
Be venquisched by fatal puruyaunce,
And fynally brouȝt vn-to vttraunce,
I-putte a-bak, pleinly þis no lye.
But what availleþ al his chiualrie,
His worþines, or his fers corage—
What myȝt it helpe or do avauntage,
Sith seuene þousand Grekis had a-do

378

With an hundrid þousand Troyens & ȝit mo!
It merueil was how þei myȝt endure
In any wyse þe stronde to recure,
Or so fewe [for] to holde a felde.
But in hem silf o þing þei behelde,
Ful prudently, whiche þat ȝaue hem hert;
Þat þei saw þei myȝt[e] nat asterte
To eskape alyue ȝif þei wolde fle:
For at her bak was no þing but þe se,
And to-forn hem an host so gret & huge
Þat oþir way was þer no refuge,
But deye attonys or fiȝt manfully.
Wherfor þei caste & schope hem ful knyȝtly,
Lik manly men, her lyues to iuparte
Þan cowardly from her foon departe,
To lese her grounde & drenchyn in þe se.
And þus as long as it wolde be,
Grekis diffende hem fer aboue her myȝt,
Al-be þat many wer kylled in þis fiȝt,
Þat þe stremys of þe rede blood
Ran on þe sonde, large as any flood,
So cruelly Troyens on hem sette
With spere and swerde, [ful] scharp[e] grounde & whet,
Þat rouþe was and pite for to þinke,
Til þei almost drof hem to þe brinke,
Wher þe Grekis, in meschef & distresse,
In gret anguysch & passyng werines
Hem silfe diffende, maat & ful wery,
Wher þei schulde haue perschid outerly,
Recurles, in soth, for euermore,
Nadde Archelaus and worþi Prothenor
From her schipes aryued vn-to londe,
Of sodeyn hap with hem for to stonde.
And ȝit þei had ful gret aduersite
For to ariue, þoruȝ þe cruelte
Of þe Troyens; but ȝit þe lond þei wynne.

379

And Grekis þan cruelly be-gynne
Ageyn her foon to stonden at diffence
With manly force and gret violence;
And þo encreseth þe blody werre newe,
Þat al þe soil depeynt was with þe hewe,
Þat first was grene, turned in-to red,
On eche side so many on lay ded
Vp-on þe grounde, of his lif depriued.
But duke Nestor is sodeynly aryued
With his knyȝtes, felle and ful Irous,
And of hert riȝt malencolyous,
With his speris, archeris oute a-syde,
He entrid in, sterne & ful of pride.
With swerd and axe, grounde scharpe & kene,
Þei ran y-fere & mette vp-on þe grene;
And hokid arowis alwey flen among,
And schaftis schiuere, to-braste, & torne wrong;
And with her tolys, stelyd & wel whet,
Þe long[e] day þei han to-gidre met.
And þe slauȝter new alwey began,
On euery half, of many worþi man,
With woundys large, fel, & dispitous:
For Prothenor and kyng Archelaus
With swerdis stif among þe rengis kerue,
Whiche many Troyan made for to sterue—
Þei were þat day so passyng[ly] Irous,
And hem to auenge inly desyrous,
Neuer cessyng in her pursewyng.
And to releue hem, Alagus þe kyng
I-londid is, and eke kyng Athalus,
Whiche on Troyens werne ful envious,
Brennyng of Ire as þe fyry glede,
And vp-on hem, of verray olde hattrede,
With her knyȝtes sodeinly be falle;
And in her Ire, bitterer þan galle,

380

Cruelly þei her foon oppresse,
And of assent dide her besines
Maugre hem bakward to resort
Amyd þe feld, as I can report—
Þer was no choys, so þei wer constreyned
Of verray force, & of manhod peyned
To withdrawe, to her confusioun.

Here were faste devyces founde in Armes.

But þanne in hast, doun fro Troye toun,
Of worþi knyȝtes freschely armyd new,
With diuises of many sondri hewe,
With-out abood, schortly to conclude,
Þer cam doun so gret a multitude,
Eche his armys depeint vp-on his schelde,
Þat in her comyng gletereth al þe felde
Of her armwre and þe sonne briȝt;
And whan þat þei wer entrid in-to fiȝt,
Grekis metyng, felly be envie,
Þei set vp-on, fret wiþ malencolie,
With swiche a wille, of hert[e] an[d] corage,
Wiþ swiche furie in her mortal rage,
Þat vntacord was noon oþer mene,
But slauȝtre and deth hem to go betwene,
Þoruȝ strok of axe, of dagger, & of spere,
Þat of force coact þe Grekis were
To retourne bakward to þe stronde.
To whos rescus anoon þer cam to londe
Þe kyng Vlixes with his hool navie,
And ful knyȝtly, with his chiualrie,
Towardis Troyens enhasteþ him anoon;
And of on herte þe Grekis with him goon,
And her corage hooly þei reswme,
And gan her foon felly to conswme
Vn-to þe deth, her damage to revenge,

381

Þat no wiȝt may iustly hem chalenge
Of vnmanhod, so wel þei han hem born,
To quite ageyn her harmys do be-forn.
At whiche tyme, lik a ferse lyoun
Among[es] Troyens renging vp and doun,
Vlixes went with his swerde in honde:
He kylleth, sleth, & knyȝtly gan to fonde,
Þilk[e] day lyk a man be founde;
And her & þer, with many mortal wounde,
Vp-on Troyens he wrouȝt al þis wrak,
Hem beryng doun on fote and hors[e]-bak,
In his Ire his strokis wer so kene.
At whiche tyme worþi Philomene,
Lord & kyng of Pafogonye,
Whan he behild, wiþ his companye,
So many Troyan of Vlixes slawe,
Towardis hym anon he gan him drawe
On hors[e]-bak, with a spere rounde,
Out of his sadil bar hym to þe grounde;
But Vlixes ros vp anon riȝt,
Takyng his hors, lik a manly knyȝt;
Þe whiche anon as Philomene haþ seyn,
Toke eft a spere and rod to hym ageyn
So myȝtely, and with swiche violence,
Þat finally þer geyneth no diffence,
But þat he smet him evene þoruȝ þe scheld,
þe whiche fley a-sondre in þe feld;
And þoruȝ his platis, with-outen any fail,
Þe sperehed ran, & rested in þe mail,
Þat forged was of steel ful schene & briȝt,
Whiche to perce þe sperehed had no myȝt,
So trewly made was þe haberioun;
But with þat strok Vlixes was bore doun
Ȝet eft ageyn; but he vp ros anon,
Whiche of his stroke harme ne felt[e] non,

382

And rauȝt a spere, scharp[e] whet & grounde,
And Philomene he ȝaf swiche a wounde,
With al þe myȝt of his armys tweyne,
Of Irous herte, with so gret a peyne,
Þat þoruȝ his schelde, boþe plate & mail,
He smet hym vp þoruȝ his aventail,
In-to þe gorge þat þe strok gan glide,
Þat from his hors he fil doun a-side,
Ful perlously piȝte vp-on his hed,
His knyȝtes wenyng sothly he were ded.
Whiche toke hym vp & leyde him on a scheld,
And bar him hom in hast out of þe feld,
With gret daunger or þei myȝt hym wynne,
Þoruȝ þe Grekis with her lord to twynne.
And for Troyens supposid sykerly
Þat Philomene, with-oute remedye,
Had be ded, þei wer astonyed alle:
Þat ȝif þis cas þat day nad[de] falle
Of Philomene, Grekis on þe stronde
Hadde be outtraied, ariving vp to londe,
Þoruȝ þe knyȝthod—þis is dout[e]les—
Of Philomene, whom þat Vlixes
Vnhorsed hath with a mortal wounde,
In knyȝtly wyse Troyens to confounde—
Wher-of þei wer astonyd euerychon.
But Thoas þanne and Agamenoun,
Of Grekis host lord & Emperour,
Ariued is vn-to her socour
Wiþ al his knyȝtes, and Menelaus,
And eke þe worþi Thelamonyus,
Callid Aiax, is to lond[e] come;
And þei at leyser han her hors [y-]nome,
While oþer Grekis Troyens occupie,
So[re] fiȝtyng, and þei gan fast[e] hye
Toward[es] hem, makyng no delay;
Al on a frussche, in al þe hast þei may,

383

Þei ran y-fere and her speris brak,
With herte envious, vp-on hors[e]-bak.
Þer myȝt[e] men þe worþi knyȝtes se
On her stedis eche at oþer flee
With stif swerdis, schaftis gret & rounde,
With hedis square, þe pointis kene grounde—
Þer myȝt[e] men, in her furious tene,
Se many knyȝtes ded vp-on þe grene!
But most þe slauȝter and confusioun
Fil þilk[e] tyme of hem of þe toun:
Þe Grekis wern so myȝti & so strong.
And in þe feld þis contvneth long,
Til Prothesilaus, þe strong myȝti kyng,
Whiche al þe day in skarmusche & fiȝtyng
Ful lik a kynȝt had occupied be
Ageyn[e]s Troyens, in his cruelte,
Of manhod only and of wo[r]þines,
Of auenture, in his werynes
Hym to refresche & to taken eyr,
And to abreth hym, makyd his repeir
To þe stronde, where he dide ariue:
Wher as him þouȝt, his hert[e] gan to ryue
Of cruel Ire and also of pite,
Þat he kauȝt, only for to se
His men lyn slayn endelong þe stronde,
And some of hem comynge vp to londe,
Dreint in þe se among þe flodis depe.
For whiche þing he gan anoon to wepe
Ful pitously, al wer it nat espied,
Whos woful eyne myȝt[e] nat be dreyed
For þe constreynt which sat so nyȝe his hert.
Til at þe last, among his peynys smert,
So cruel Ire gan his hert enbrace,
Þat sodeynly with a dispitous face,
With-out abood, þouȝt[e] how þat he

384

Vp-on her deth wolde avengid be,
Or finally attonis with hem deye.
And on his stede he toke þe riȝt[e] weye
Toward his foon, ful Irous in his rage;
And lyne riȝt he holdiþ his passage,
Swift as grehond þat renneþ oute of lees;
And where he saw þat þer was grettest pres,
He preseþ þoruȝ, amiddis of þe feld;
And with þe swerd whiche in his hond he held,
Þat ground[e] was to keruen and to bite,
Ful mortally a-boute hym he gan smyte,
Þat Troyens myȝt hym not asterte.
Some he riveth evene to þe herte,
And some he woundeth, sothly, to þe deth,
And some he made to ȝelden vp þe breth,
And he vnhorseþ somme cruelly;
And whom he mette þat day, outterly,
From his hors he made hym to alyȝte:
For where he rood þei fled out of his siȝt,
And his presence as þe deth eschewe;
But euere in on, he gan aftir sewe
In his chaas, as a wood lyoun.
Þis pley he pleyeth with hem of þe toun,
Til Perseus, of Ethiope kyng,
From þe cite com sodeinly ridyng
Wiþ many knyȝt & many lifly man;
At whos comyng of new[e] þer be-gan
A fresche skarmusch, furious & wood,
Þat many Greke þat day lost his blood,
So fel assaut Troyens on hem make.
And among hem þe Ethiopes blake
So manly bar hem, fiȝtyng here & þere,
Þat wher Troyens wern a-forn in fere,
Remounted ben and of new assurid;

385

Þat þoruȝ her help þei han þe feld recurid,
And made hem lese also moche ageyn
As þei to-forn wonnen on þe pleyn:
For þei so hool & so myȝtily
Kept hem to-gidre, and so avisely
Gouerned hem, with pavis, spere, and schelde,
Þat Grekis werne compelled in þe felde,
Maugre who gruccheþ, of necessite,
To þe stronde bakward for to flee,
Almost dispeired, maat and confortles.
But in þat while, kyng Palamydes
To her rescus cam to a-ryvaille,
And lusty fresche entriþ in bataille
Wiþ his knyȝtes & his hool meyne,
Takyng her hors fast[e] by þe se;
And ful proudly enbusched al attonys,
With spere & swerd grounde for þe nonys,
By conveying of her worþi kyng,
Han so oppressid at her in-comyng
Þe manly Troyens, þat it was a wondre
To sen hem lyn, slay[e]n here and ȝondre.
And þis contuneþ til among þe pres
Of auenture þat Pallamydes,
Brennyng ay in his furious hete,
Amid þe feld happeþ for to mete
A worþi knyȝt callyd Sygamoun,
Whiche broþer was to [þe] kyng Menoun,
Nevew also, as Guydo doth reherse,
Þis manly man, to þe kyng of Perse,
Whiche Grekis had þat day sore oppresed
By his knyȝthod, as it is expresid:
For he Grekis by his worþines
Had ofte brouȝt in ful gret distres
Þe same day, to his grete encres.
But of fortune, allas, Pallamydes,
As I ȝow told, hath in þe feld hym met,
And with a spere, square & scharp[e] whette,

386

Whan he of knyȝthod was most in his pride,
He rood at hym & smet him þoruȝ þe syde.
And with þat last dedly fatal wounde,
From his stede he bare hym to þe grounde;
And on þe pleyn, of his blood al red,
Pallamydes lefte hym pale and ded,
Amongis hem þat of Troye were;
And furþe he rood, & bare doun here & þere
Al þat euere in his weye stood—
He was on hem so furious & wood—
Maugre Troyens to-forn him on þe pleyn,
Made resorte to þe wal ageyn,
His manly knyȝtes, alwey fast[e] by,
On his awaytyng ful en[ten]tifly
Redy to hond at euery gret emprise.
But þo began þe noise to arise,
Þe woful clamour and þe pitus crie
Of hem of Troye, þe whiche outterly
Ageyn[es] Grekis myȝt[e] nat sustene;
Þe mortal swerd was so scharp & kene
Of þe noble worþi famous knyȝt,
Pallamydes, þat with his gret myȝt
Þe long[e] day hath y-born hym so
Ageyn his foon, and so knyȝtly do,
In his persone, þoruȝ his hie renoun,
[Þat] Chased hath almost to þe toun
Troyens echon, manly made to fle.
Þe noise of whom is entrid þe cite,
Þe hidous crie and þe mortal schout,
Wher-of amevid, Hector isseth out
Furiously, in al þe hast he can,
Þe sone of Mars, þis knyȝt, þis manly man,
Of alle worþi ȝit þe worþiest
Þat euere was, and þe hardiest.
For as Phebus with his bemys clere

387

Amonge sterris, so dide he appere,
Excellyng all in stel armyd briȝt,
On whom it was a verray heuenly siȝt:
For it was he, þat, boþe nyȝe & ferre,
Of worþines was þe lode-sterre.
Þe whiche whan he entrid in-to feld,
Liche as I rede, bare þat day a schelde,
Þe feld of whiche was of purid gold
With þre lyouns, in story as is told,
Of whos colour is made no mencioun;
But, as I fynde by discripcioun,
Þei wer passaunt, ȝif I report ariȝt,
Born on þe brest of þis Troyan kniȝt,
Þat was þe ground & rote of hiȝe prowes
And flour acounted of al worþines.
Þe whiche so manly, with-out more abood,
Amongis his knyȝtes to þe Grekis rood,
So like a man, þat þei in his comyng
Astonyd wern, as he gan in þring
Amonges hem, whiche killeth doun & sleth,
And whom he mette þer was nat but deth.
A-forn his swerd Grekis go to wrak;
And her wardis of knyȝtly force he brak,
And maugre hem seuered hem assondre,
And bare al doun, ridyng here and ȝondre.
And casuelly he meteth in his way
Prothesilaus, whiche al þe longe day
Had sore fouȝte ageynes hem of Troy
And slaw alle [þo] þat come in his woye,
Þis hardy knyȝt, þis worþi, ferse kyng,
Whiche on Troyens was euer purswyng—
He to hem had so hertly gret envye.
Þe whiche þing whan Hector gan espie,
And of his knyȝthod gan to taken hed,
Towardis hym he gan to reyne his stede;
And lyne riȝt of hasty Ire he rood,

388

And with his swerd, disteyned al with blod,
He rof his hed, þoruȝ his bas[e]net,
With swiche a myȝt þat his strok nas let
By force of maille nor of þikke plate:
But finally, by ful mortal fate,
Þe swerd of Hector, þoruȝ nerf, bon, & veyne,
Þis worþi kyng parted haþ on tueyne;
For outterly, þer geyneth noon armvre
Ageyn þe strok of Hector to endure—
But þat þis kyng, so ful of worþines,
Strong & myȝty, and of gret hardines,
Receyved hath his last[e] fatal wounde,
And lith now ded, parted on þe grounde.
And Hector furthe among þe Grekis ryt;
And who-so-euer þat his strok abit,
Refute was non nor diffence but deth;
And many Greke þilke day he slethe:
For whiche of hem in his wey[e] stood,
His scharp[e] swerd he baþid in his blood,
Þat also fer as þei myȝt hym se,
As þe deth, from his swerd þei fle—
So mortal vengaunce up-on hem he wroȝt.
And many Greke at his felaw souȝt,
And gan enquere what he myȝt[e] be;
For al her lyue þei koude neuer se
Non so knyȝtly haue hym in bataile,
And pleynly dempte, as be supposaile,
It was Hector, þe noble werriour,
Whiche of knyȝthod may bere aweye þe flour
Among alle þat euer ȝit were born:
For þer nas Greke þat hym may stond a-forn;
Of alle þat day he gan hem so enchase
To þe strond, euene a-form his face—
For þei ne durst his mortal st[r]ook abide.
And whan he had vppon euery syde
Þe Grekis chacid to þe wawy se,
Wounded & maat, in gret aduersite,

389

Þan hym to rest, þis Troyan knyȝt anon,
Lik Mars him silf, hom to Troy is goon.
At whos partyng, Grekis eft preswme
Manly a-geyn her hertis to reswme,
And of newe her fomen for to assaille,
And to iupart, ȝif it wolde availle,
Lif & deth to setten at outtraunce
On Fortune, ȝif sche wolde avaunce
Her part ageyn in recure of þe felde,
And hem enforce, with myȝt of spere & scheld,
To wynne ageyn on Troyens, ȝif þei may,
Anon forþe-with, and make no delay.
For heiȝt[e] tyme sithen þei be-gonne
Þe feld þei han þat day lost & wonne,
Lyke as Fortune list to don hir cure,
Vp or down for to turne hir ewre:
For as hir whele went aboute rounde,
Riȝt so þat day þei wan & lost her grounde.
But specialy þei wer most dismaied
Whan Hector cam, whiche haþ hem so outra[i]ed
Þoruȝ his knyȝthod, whiche made her hertis riue,
And to resorte where þei dide aryue.
And þis contuneth, maugre al her myȝt,
While in þe feld was þis Troyan knyȝt,
Til Phebus chare gan to westre doun,
Þat he repeyred is in-to þe toun,
Whiche hadde Grekis wrouȝt aforn ful ille.
But nowe þe hardy, cruel, ferse Achille
Ariued is with his knyȝtes alle,
Mirundones whom men are wont to calle,
Whiche from þe se takyn han þe pleyn.
At whos commyng Grekis han a-geyn
Þe feld recured, & put hem silf in pres,
Only þoruȝ helpe of hardy Achilles,
Whiche is so felly Troyens falle vppon,

390

Þat he of hem hath slayn many on:
For þre þowsand in stel armyd briȝt
With hym he brouȝt, redy for to fiȝt,
Knyȝtes echon, ful worþi of renoun,
Whiche with Achille, Grekis champioun,
Han merciles in her cruelte
Slayn many Troyan out of þe cite.
Þei wer so feruent in her mortal Ire,
So envious of hate to desyre
Newe & newe for to schede her blood;
For Achilles þouȝt it dide hym good
With his swerde Troyan blood to schede,
And on þe soil to sen hem lyn & blede,
Routh[e]les in his malencolye.
For he to hem hath so hoot envie,
With-oute her deth þat it may nat quenche;
And he his swerd ful depe made drenche
Þe long[e] day in Troyanysche blood,
And baþid it as it were in a flood,
Whiche forgid was & I-whet so kene,
Þat many ryuer, sothly, on þe grene
Ran her and þer of her hortis sore,
And with his knyȝtes, alwey more & more
Pursewed hem, a-forn him as þei fle
To þe wallis of Troye þe cite,
Wher þei made a ful pitous cry.
And in þis while, I finde in þe story,
Þe Grekis host holy is arived,
Like in Guydo as it is descrived,
Of men of armys swyche a multitude,
And of knyȝtes, schortly to conclude,
Þat from her schipes of newe londed be,
Þat Troyens astonyd wer to se;
And abaisched þei gan wexen alle.
For sodeynly þei gan on hem falle,
On euery halfe, passyngly gret pres;

391

And euer in on þis hardy Achilles
With his swerd made her sydes rede:
For her & þer lay þe bodyes dede,
And woundid some at entre of þe gate,
And knyȝtly þere with hem [he] gan debate,
And furiously þis fel cruel knyȝt
Þe children slowe in her fadris siȝt,
Þat to be-holde it was ful gret pite.
And ȝit þe slauȝter gretter had[de] be,
With-out noumbre of hem of þe toun,
Perpetuelly to her confusioun,
Likly for euer to haue be ouer-come,
Ȝif Troylus nadde vn-to reskus come,
Ȝong, fresche, & lusty, & inly desyrous,
With whom cam eke Paris & Dephebus
And many worþi her party to socure;
So þat Grekis þo ne myȝt endure
Ageynes hem to stonden at diffence,
For al her pride, no[r] make resistence,
Worþi Troylus so wel þat tyme hym quitte.
For þis in soth, what Greke þat he hitte,
Ouþer he maymeth or he made deye:
Wherfor, as deth, þei fledde out of his weye.
And Achilles with his company—
For it was nyȝt—homward gan him hiȝe
Toward Grekis, with glorie & gret honour;
And þei reseyve hym like a conquerour,
Þat he with hem hath so wel I-met;
And þei of Troye han her gatis schet,
And made hem strong þoruȝ-out al þe toun.

Of the pichenge of the Grekes felde; and howe Agamenon reysid his tentes, pavelons, & mansyons.

392

And in þis tyme, king Agamenoun
I-cerched hath a place couenable,
Whiche hym þouȝt was most agreable,
Be liklihede, and most conuenient
For euery lord for to sette his tent.
And in a feld of ful large space,
Most competent as for logging place,
In due siyt sette fro þe cite,
Eche lord was signed wher he schuld[e] be;
And gan anon ordeyne mansiouns,
Pycche her tentis and papilliouns;
And swyche as myȝt no tentori[e]s haue
From storm & reyn hem silf[e] for to saue,
Þei deuised oþer habitacles,
Tugurries & smale receptacles
To schroude hem in; & al þe nyȝt also,
From her schipes þei had moche ado,
Or þei myȝt han her hors to londe,
And to ordeyn wher þei schuld[e] stonde.
And þei also besy were to carye
Other þinges þat wer necessarie
And nedefully vn-to a sege longe;
And eke þei made teye her schipes strong
Fer in þe depes, and her ankris caste.
And of assent, þei besied hem ful fast
For to conferme of on entencioun
To sette a sege vn-to Troye toun,
And þer-vppon, by bond assured faste,
For to abide while her lyf may laste,
Fynally with-oute repentaunce.
And prudently þei made her ordinaunce,
As þei best coude: al þe long[e] nyȝt
Þei bet her fryes, which brent wonder liȝt;
And at a space deuided fro þe fyres,

393

Þei setten vp, in maner of barreris,
And rounde aboute wher her loggyng was,
Þei palyd hem al þe feld compas.
And to acheue þe fyn of her purpos,
Þei felly wrouȝt, & kept hem silf ay clos.
And þe kyng, þat no tresoun falle,
Lete make wache with-oute his tentis alle,
Of hem þat had rested hem a-fore;
And his mynstrales he made ouer-more,
As seith Guydo, al þe longe nyȝt
To kepe her tides to-fore þe fyres briȝt,
Myrely to sowne her instrumentis.
And hem he made restyn in her tentis,
Þat had a-forn wery ben of fyȝt,
And in þe se wer feinted of her myȝt;
And oþer eke he made in her armvre
Awaite wisly ageyn al aventure,
Þat no deceit wer founde on no syde.
And þus þis kyng knyȝtly gan prouide
In his avis þat no þing hym eskape;
And al þe nyȝt I finde he dide wake,
Til on þe morwe, þat þe rowes rede
Of Phebus chare gonne for to sprede.
And þus eche þing disposid as it ouȝt,
I wil procede to telle how þei wrouȝt,
Ceriously with-outyn and with-Inne,
With ȝoure support þe þridde [boke] be-gynne.

[Explicit liber Secundus Incipit liber Tercius]

394

II. PART II. BOOK III.

395

BOOK III. Here bygynnethe the thirde boke of Troye.

Howe worthy Ector devyded his batayls vpon A large playne within the Cite, and howe he put the wardis doscretly to be vnder þe ledynge of his brethere and other worthy kynges.

Whan Aurora, with hir pale liȝt,
Vnder þe mantel of þe mirke nyȝt
And þe curtyn of her hewes fade
I-schroudid was in þe dirk[e] schade,
Abasched rody, as I can diffyne,
Only of fer þat is femynyne,
For a-schamyd durst[e] nat be seyn
Be-cause sche had so longe a-bedde leyn
With fresche Febus, hir owne chose knyȝt,
For whiche sche hidde hir sothly out of siȝt
Til his stede þat callid is Flegonte
Enhasted hym aboue oure oriȝonte;
And Appollo with his bemys clere
Hath recounforted hir oppressid chere—
Þis to seyne, aftir þe dawenyng
Whan Titan was in þe est rysyng,
Of his hete atempre and riȝt softe
Her emyspery for to glade a-lofte,—
Þe same hour, þe Troyan champioun,
Gouernour of werris of þe toun,
Worþi Ector, whiche in þe cite
Next Priam had of alle souereinte
Þe toun to guye be knyȝtly excellence,

396

For his manhod and his sapience
Of Troyan knyȝtes lord & eke chefteyn,
Whiche hath commaunded, in a large pleyn,
To hiȝe and low, he exceptyng noon,
Kynges, princes, and lordis euerychon,
Þe same morwe for to mete I-fere,
In hir array to moustre and appere,
Like as þei were of name & of estate,
Besyde a temple whilom consecrate
To þe goddes þat callid is Dyane,
Moste honoured in þat riche fane—
Þer to arraye hem, in al þe haste þei can,
Lik þe devis of þis knyȝtly man.
And þis playn, passyng fair to se,
Was sette amyd Troye þe cite,
Smoþe and riȝt fair, & ful of fresche floures,
W[h]ere alle þe worþi noble werriours
Of Troye toun to-gydre assemblid be,
And many oþer to be-holde and se
Þe famus knyȝtes arme hem in þat place.
And some of hem gan ful streite lace
Her doublettis made of lyne cloth,
A certeyn fold þat a-boute hem goth;
And some also dempte most surest
To armen hem for bataille of arest,
And dide on firste, aftir her desires,
Sabatouns, grevis, cusschewis, & voideris—
A peire breke, aldirfirst, of maille;
And some þer wer eke þat nolde faille
To han of maille eke a peir[e] bras,
And þer-with-al, as þe custom was,
A peir Gussetis on a petycote,
Garnyssched with gold vp on-to the þrote,
A paunce of plate, whiche of þe silf be-hinde

397

Was schet and clos, and þer-on, as I finde,
Enviroun was a bordure of smal maille.
And some chose, of þe newe entaille,
For to be sure myd of al her foos,
An hol brest-plate with a rere-doos
By-hynde schet, or ellis on þe side.
And on his armys, rynged nat to wyde,
Þer wer woiders frettid in þe maille,
With cordis rounde, & of fresche entaille,
Vauntbras with wynges, & rerebras þer-to,
And þer-on set wer besagus also;
Vp-on þe heed a basenet of stele,
Þat with-Inne lokked was ful wele,
A crafty siȝt wrouȝt in þe viser.
And some wolde haue of plate a bavier,
Þat on þe brest fastnyd be a-forn,
Þe canel-pece more esy to be born—
Gloues of plate of stele forgid briȝt.
And some wold armyd be more liȝt
In þikke Iackys curid with satyn;
And some wele haue, of maille, wrouȝt ful fyn,
An haberioun, al of but cassade,
Þat with weiȝte he be nat ouer-lade,
Hym silfe to welde lik a lifly man.
And some wil haue, of chose geseran,
On his dublet but an haberioun,
And some only but a sure gepoun
Ouer his poleyns, rechyng to þe kne,
And þat þe slevis eke so longe be
Þat his vaunbras may be curid ner—
A prikyng palet, of plate þe cower.
And some wil haue also no viser
To saue his face, but only a naser;
And some wil haue a peir[e] platis liȝt

398

To welde hym wel, whan þat he schal fiȝt.
And some wiln han a target or a spere,
And some a pavis, his body for to were,
And some a targe, makyd strong to laste;
And some wil haue dartes for to caste,
Some a pollex, heueded of fyn stele,
And piked square, for to laste wel;
And some a swerd his enemy for to mete.
And some wil haue a bow[e] for to schete,
Somme an arblast, to stonden out a-syde;
And some on fote and some for to ride
Arraie hem silf, her fomen for to assaile;
And many on was besy for to naille
His felawis harneis, for to make it strong,
And to dresse it, þat it sete nouȝt wrong,
With pointes, tresses, and oþer maner þing,
Þat in swyche cas longyth to armyng.
I haue no konnyng euery þing to telle,
And vn-to ȝow it were to long to dwelle—
Where I faile, ȝe mote haue me excusid;
For in swiche crafte I am litel vsid,
And ignoraunce doþe my penne lette,
In her ordre my termys for to sette.
And oft chaungeth swiche harneis & devis;
And ȝe þat ben þer-in experte & wys,
Disdeyneth nat þat I speke in þis place
Of her armyng: for al is in ȝour grace,
Riȝt at ȝour luste to correcte euerydel.
And whan Ector sawe þat al was wel,
And euery man armed and arrayed,
Þis worþi knyȝt no lenger hath delaied
Avisely his wardis for to make,
And prudently bad þei schuld[e] take
Her grounde in haste, to put al in certeyn,
And stonde in ordere endelong þe pleyn
So þat no man were founde reccheles.

399

Ector devydede his feld in-to xj wardys.

And þe gate, callid Dardanydes,
With-oute abood Ector made vnschette,
And after bad [þat] men schuld[e] fette
To his presence, þat it were don in haste,
Cyncynabor, his broþer born in baste,
And to hym, firste of euerychon,
And to a lord þat namyd was Glaucoun,
Þe kynges sone of Licye and his eyr,
With many baner displeyed in þe eir—
To þis two Hector gaf þe guarde
And gouernaunce of þe firste warde,
In whiche he hath a þousand knyȝtes set,
With speris rounde & swerdis kene whet,
And on her brest ful many riche scheld;
And þei wer chose oute in al þe feld
Among þe best þat endure myȝt
Ageyn[es] Grekis manly for to fiȝt.
And vn-to hem Hector bad anoon,
In Goddis name, þat þei schuld[e] gon
Oute at þe gate, sothly, as I rede.
And list þei fel in meschef or in nede,
He assigned, in þe silve place,
With manly chere, to þe kyng of Trace,
Wysly on hem to ben awaytyng,
A þousand knyȝtes to han at his ledyng,
In a wyng knyȝtly for to a-bide,
To awaite on hem vp-on euery side.
And with hym was his sone Achilogus,
Of his age a man riȝt vertuous
To fulfille þat longeth to a knyȝt;
For boþe he had, hert & also myȝt.
And next to hem, Hector gan devise
Þe nexte warde to þe kyng of Fryse,

400

In his tyme callid Ȝantipus;
And vn-to hym, ȝong, strong, & desyrous,
He assigned, to [a]waite on his baner,
Þre þousand knyȝtes armyd briȝt and cler.
With whiche warde kyng Althomus also
Of Hector was commaundid for to go,
And to his byddyng he mekely dide obeie.
And ful knyȝtly þei han take her weye
Oute at þe ȝate, passyngly arrayed,
Toward Grekis with baneris fresche displaied,
And her penouns vnrollid euerychon.
And after, Hector assigned hath anon
To þe noble, ȝong[e], lusty, fre,
His broþer Troylus, so fresche vp-on to se,
Whiche in knyȝthod had al suffisaunce,
Þe þridde warde to haue in gouernaunce
With þre þousand knyȝtes, ȝong of age,
Flourynge in force, hardy of corage,
Swiche as he was of custom wont to lede.
To whom Hector of verray broþerhede
Ful goodly seide at his departyng:
“Broþer,” quod he, “myn herte is so lovyng
Towardis þe of verray kyndenes,
Þat þouȝe I haue in party gret gladnes
Of þi manhod, þat so fer is kouth,
And þe knyȝthod of þi grene ȝouthe,
Ȝit dout[e]les, in my fantasie,
Ful oft a-day I stonde in iuparte,
Of pensifhed and inward besy drede,
Whan I remembre vppon þi manhede,
Liste þi corage be to violent,
Of þi lif to be to necligent,
Þi silfe to put to fer in auenture,
Of surquidie so moche for tassure,
In þi force knyȝtly to asterte
Euery pereil in þi manful herte,

401

Hauyng no reward, in swiche mortal strife,
Of wilfulnes, nouþer to deth nor life,
Nor aduertence to þi sauacioun.
But as Fortune turneth vp & doun
Her whel mevable, hiȝe and aftir lowe,
In Martis Ire as þe wynde doþe blowe,
Whiche causeth me ful ofte siȝe and þinke,
And to wake whan I schuld[e] wynke,
Reuoluyng ay þin hasty wilfulnes:
But, gentil broþer, for any hardynes,
Þis ilke day, vppon euery side,
I praie þe so wysly to prouide,
For hate or Ire, þi foos purswyng,
Nat to excede more þanne is sittyng;
But late prudence kepe þe in a mene,
And wisdam eke holden aȝen þe rene
Of þin hert & þi ferce corage,
Þat fired han þi grene tendre age,
Deuoide of drede eche peril to endure,
Þat oure enmys of þi mysauenture
Reioysshe nat, myn ovne broþer dere.
And myȝty Mars I pray, of hert entere,
Þilke day on Troyanysche grounde,
From her hondys þe to kepe sounde,
Like as I wolde þat he dide me.”
To whom anon, with al humilite,
In manly wyse þis ȝonge, lusty knyȝt,
Þis worþi Troylus, of hert[e] fresche & liȝt,
Answerd ageyn, & seide with glad chere:
“Myn owne lord, and my broþer dere,
And God to-forn, I fully schal obeie
To fulfille what ȝe liste to seye
Now vn-to me of ȝoure gentilnes,
And nat declyne þoruȝ no reklesnes
In any point from ȝoure comaundement;
But with hool herte, in al my best entent,

402

I schal take hede, and pleinly do non oþer
Þan ȝe han seide, myn owne lord & broþer,
So loth me were offende ȝow or greue.”
And in þis wyse he lowly toke his leue;
And forþe he rod, so like a manly knyȝt,
Þat to be-holde it was a noble siȝt,
Amonge his men he haueth hym so wele—
Þre þousand knyȝtes armyd in briȝt stele
Enviroun rod with Troylus in þe feld.
And þilke day he bare in his schelde,
Passaunt of gold, þre lyouns richely,
Þe chaump of aȝour wrouȝt ful craftely.
And be þe gate he issed oute anon,
And with hym ladde his knyȝtes euerychon,
To þe Grekis holdyng þe nexte weye.
And Hector hasteth, al þat euer he may,
Prudently his wardis to ordeyne;
And to þe noble worþi breþre tueyne,
To kyng Hupon and to Ardelaus,
He assigned, þe stori telleth [þ]vs,
Þe fourþe warde to guyen & to wysse.
And in þe lond þat callid was Larisse,
Þe breþer two had[de] regnyd longe;
And kyng Hupon passyngly was strong,
And of stature like a champioun;
And, saue Hector, in al Troye toun,
Was noon to hym egal as of myȝt,
More deliuere, nor a better knyȝt,
And on his fon passyng dispitous—
Whiche, with his broþer, callid Ardelaus,
Foure þousand knyȝtes had[de] for to lede,
And seuene hundrid, sothly, as I rede.
And to hem eke, lyke as writ Guydo,
Worþi Hector assygned hath also
Oon of his brether, callid Brymarchus,
A noble knyȝt, in armys riȝt famus,
And had in manhod passyng excellence.
And of Hector þei taken han licence,

403

And rood her way amonges al þe pres
Þoruȝ þe gate of Dardanydes.
Þe fyfþe warde to han at his ledyng,
Was by Hector comytted to þe kyng
Þat of Cesoyne lord and prince was,
And to his broþer, callid Pollydamas.
And Cysones wern of hiȝe stature,
And myȝt in armys passyngly endure
—Vp-on whom many man behilde—
And her kyng bare no þing in his scheld
But a feld of goulis, as I fynde,
Of oþer sygne Guydo makeþ no mynde.
And forþe þei rood a ful sterne pas,
Þis noble kyng and Pollydamas,
Whan þei had of Hector leve take,
Whiche euer in on besy was to make
Þe sixte warde, with al his dilligence.
And to þe kyng, callid Pretemense,
Þat was ful worþi, boþe in wer & pes,
And to a duke þat hiȝte Sterepes,
Whiche was also ful worþi of his hond,
He toke þe folke of Panonye lond,
Hem to gouerne in þe feld þat day—
Þe whiche peple hath in custom ay
With-oute plate, haberioun, or maile,
On swifte hors her fomen [for] to assaile,
With myȝty bowes & arowes scharp[e] grounde
Þoruȝ an harneis mortally to wounde.
And with þis folke, of Hector eke also
Dephebus assygned was to go,
In þe feld to guye hem an[d] to lede,
And on her wey þei fast[e] gan hem spede.
But or þei passe be Dardanydes,
Ful discretly Hector for hem ches
Paviseris, clad in mail and plate,

404

Hem comaundyng, at issyng of þe ȝate,
With þe archeris in þe feld to gon,
And many worþi, wel armyd euerychon,
To awaite on hem þat þei wer nat lore:
For þis folke, þat I of spake to-fore,
Of Panonye, had[de] non armure.
But prudent Hector, for to make hem sure,
Oute of Agreste, þe myȝty regioun,
Hath chosen out, ful worþi of renoun,
Þe beste knyȝtes of hem euerychon,
And with two kynges, Esdras & Phion,
Assygned hem for to taken hede
To þe foot-men, whan þat þei haue nede.
Þe whiche Phion, made ful rychely,
Rood in a chaar al of yvory,
Of whiche þe whelles, wrouȝt ful corious,
Wern of a tre y-callid Ebanus,
Þe whiche tre groweth fer in Ynde,
Blak of hewe; and also, as I fynde,
Whan it is corve, þis tre wil wexe anon,
Of his nature, hard as any stoon—
Whan it is graue ouþer rounde or square.
And of pure gold roued was þis chare,
Fret with perle and many riche stonis,
Þat swiche a-noþer [I trowe] nowher noon is
In al þis world, if I schal nat feyne.
And it was lad of myȝti knyȝtes tweyne,
Men of armys, with-Inne and with-oute
Armyd in stele, ridyng rounde aboute
Þis worþi kynges, Esdras & Phion.
And Hector hath callyd to hym anon
On of his breþre, what-so þat be-falle,
To be guyde and leder of hem alle—
Þe name of whom was Pictagoras.

405

And to þe grete Troyan, Eneas,
Of whom to-forn made is menciun,
Hector by good deliberaciun
Þe seuenþe ward assigned hath to kepe,
And vp-on stedis lusty for to lepe,
Of swiche as wern vsaunt most to ride,
Ful man[l]y knyȝtes to haue be his syde,
Whiche with Ewphronye vn-to Troye toun
Comen so fer from her regioun,
To fosteren hem for Hectoris sake.
And whan þei had of hym leve take,
Þei rood ful proudly forþe with Eneas,
Out at þe gate a wonder knyȝtly paas,
Þe brode feld til þei haue atteyned.
And in þis while Hector haþe ordeyned,
Like myn auctor as I can reherse,
Þe eiȝte warde of þe folke of Perce,
Worþi knyȝtes, manly and riȝt wys,
Þe whiche wern comitted to Parys,
On hym þat day to awaite besyly;
To whom Hector ful benygnely
Spak and seide at his departyng:
“O broþer myn, in al maner þing,
Whan þou arte passed be Dardanydes,
Þis day to fer put þe nat in pres
Among[es] Grekis, nor in iupartie,
Liste þat þi foon in meschef þe espie,
To whom þei haue, of old & newe date,
In her hertis ful fresche & mortal hate,
Þe furie of whiche her brest haþ so enbracid,
Þat it were hard out to ben arracid;
Wherfor, broþer, loke þat þou be
In al wyse nat to fer fro me,
But kepe þe neȝe, þat no mysauenture
Falle vp-on þe, so þat I may socure
Þis day to þe, myn owne broþer dere.”

406

To whom Paris, with ful humble chere,
Answerid and seide, þat in euery þing
He wolde obeie vn-to his biddyng,
And rood his weye anon with his meyne
In-to þe felde oute at þe cite.
And Hector ay dide his besynes
Þe nynþe warde in ordre for to dres,
Whiche he þouȝt hym silf[e] for to lede,
In whiche he put, sothly, as I rede,
Five þousand knyȝtes born of Troye toun,
Þe worþiest and grettest of renoun,
And passyngly famous in knyȝthod,
Born be discent of Troyanysche blod.
And of his breþer he toke with hym ten,
Swiche as he knew for most manly men,
Þat wer foreyn fro stok of regalye,
Oute of þe lyne born in bastardrie,
Whom Hector hadde in gret cher[i]te
For þe knyȝthod he koude in hem se.
And whanne he had, be knyȝtly puruyaunce,
Alle his wardis sette in gouernaunce,
Liche Mars hym silf fast[e] gan him spede
With-oute abood for to take his stede,
Whiche was in bokis callid Gallathe,
Of alle hors havyng þe souereynte,
As fer as men ride in any coost—
Of whom Dares maketh so gret a boost,
Of schap, of hiȝte, and also of fayrnes,
Of strengþe, of loke, and of gret swiftnes,
So lik an hors parformed oute & oute—
And with a wyre men myȝt hym turne aboute,
Lik as Dares maketh mencioun.
On whom Hector rood þoruȝ Troye toun,
Armed at al, þat cam hym wonder wel,
From foot til hed, ful richely & wel,
Þat schon as briȝt as sonne on someres day;

407

And to Priam he helde þe riȝt[e] way.
And whan þat he was comyn to þe kyng,
He reherseth in ordre euery þing
How he hath done, and all his ordinaunce,
And lowly seide, “so it be plesaunce
To ȝoure noble royal excellence,
I haue chosen with besy dilligence
A þousand knyȝtes, ful of suffisaunce,
With fyve hundrid, to han attendaunce
On ȝour persone alweye where ȝe be,
With alle foot-men þat ben in þe cite,
Þat schal await on ȝou euere in on.
Wherfore, my lord, as fast as we ar goon,
Lowly I praye to ȝoure worþines
To sewen vs, be good avisenes,
Out at þe toun, and alwey eke þat ȝe
To-gidre kepe ȝour knyȝtes and meyne:
Þis I beseche with al my fulle myȝt,
With-Inne þe boundis where as we schal fiȝt
Þat ȝe suffre noon of hem to pace,
But kepe ȝow hool in þe silf[e] place
Atwixe vs and þis stronge cite,
Ȝif we haue nede, þat ȝe may ay se,
Vs to releue kepyng ȝow a-side,
And specially þer for to abide
Where most is likly oure party to sustene;
For euer among þer schal men go be-twene
Of our expleit þe trouþe to reporte,
[For] Whiche part Mars list þe feld to sorte,
Of his power, þis ilke day fatal:
For ȝe schal ben oure castel & oure wal,
And oure refuge to saue vs from al smert.
And specialy o þing ȝe aduerte,
Þat no deceit, fraude, nor tresoun
Compassyd be behynde to þe toun
Of oure foon þoruȝ oure reklesnes,
Whiles þat we don oure besynes

408

Ageyn[e]s hem in þe feld to fiȝte:
In al wyse her-to hath a syȝt,
Þat no þing turne [vn-]to oure damage
Þoruȝ her engyn, but werkyth as þe sage,
With victorie þat we may conclude,
So þat Grekis with fraude vs nat delude
By non engyn of vnwar violence,—
Hopyng alwey þat it is non offence
To ȝoure hiȝnes þat I haue here saide.”
And with þat word, Priamus abraide,
Benygnely of chere and contenaunce,
And seide: “Hector, my sothfaste suffisance,
My final trust and supportacioun,
In þi wyse disposicioun
Hoolly I putte, as þou liste ordeyne:
For nexte goddis—ȝif I schal nat feyne—
My feith, my hope, & al my sikernes,
And my welfare, in verray sothfastnes,
Comytted ben hool in-to þin honde,
And gouernaunce, playnly, of my londe:
As þou ordeynest, it most nedis be;
And þis praier I make now for þe
To þe goddis a-boue celestial,
Þe to preserue, in party and in al,
From eche meschef and aduersite,
Þat þou maiste hom to þis cite
Repeire in honour with laude & victorie,
So þat þe pris, renoun, and memorie
Of þi name be putte in remembraunce,
Perpetuelly þin honour to avaunce!—
And fare now wel, myn owne sone dere.”
And Hector þo, wiþ ful humble chere,
His leue toke, and forþe he rood anoon
Among his lordis & knyȝtes euerychon,
As he þat was rote of al noblesse,

409

Of knyȝthod grounde, of strengþe & hardines
Þe verray stok, and þer-to invincible.
For-as-moche as it was possible
Þat Nature myȝt hym graunt or kynde,
Touching manhod, in bokis as I fynde,
He had in hym souereine excellence,
And gouernaunce medlid with prudence,
Þat nouȝt asterte him, he was so wis & war.
And in his scheld, I fynde, þat he bar
Vp-on his brest, þis Troyan champioun,
Þe chefe of gold, of goulys a lyoun
Depeint þer-in, and in his baner bete
Þe silfe same; and so amyd þe strete
He toke þe weye to Dardanydes,
Þat to beholde huge was þe pres,
Noise of trompetis and of clariouns,
Baners vnrollid, & longe fresche penouns
Of rede and whyte, grene, blew, & blake.
And in þis wyse Hector hath y-take
Þe feld with-oute, with hert & hool entent,
As Mars hym silf had[de] be present.
And þei þat he, as Guydo maketh mynde,
Rood with—þe warde þat last[e] was be-hynde—
Of his manhod he nolde nat abide,
But smet his stede scharply in þe side—
Of fel corage he hath his hors so peyned,
Þe first[e] warde þat he hath atteyned,
Be vale & hil to-forn in þe frounters,
Not astonyd of þe felle cheris
Of þe Grekis, nor platly nat aferd;
But liche a knyȝt, euene a-forn her berd,
He gan prese in, as her fo mortal.
And in þis while, vp-on Troye wal,
In sondry place on þe hiȝe touris,
As fresche be-seyn as May is with his flouris,
Þe ladies þen ascendid of þe toun—
So fair, so ȝonge, stondyng enviroun

410

Þe quene Eleyne, passyng fair to sene,
Þe kynges douȝters, & goodly Pollycene,
And many oþer, whiche of wommanhede
In hert[e] wern ful of besy drede,
Inly a-gast, and of fere affrayed
Whan þei behilde in þe feld displaied
Þe brode baners,—þat some of tendernes,
Somme of loue, and somme of kyndenes,
Pale and dredful for her lordis were;
And somme her facis hydden [eke] for fere,
Þat were nat bold to liften vp her siȝt
To be-hold þe armure clere and briȝt,
So gliteryng ageyn þe son[n]e schene—
Her hertis tendre myȝt[e] nat sustene;
And in her drede þus I lete hem dwelle.
And of Grekis furþe I wil ȝow telle,
Ȝif so be ȝe list abide a whyle;
For now most I my for-dullid stile
Ageyn directe to Agamenoun.
Wel may I make an exclamacioun
On ignoraunce, þat stant so in my liȝt,
Whiche causeth me with a ful cloudy siȝt
In my makynge to speken of þe werre—
For lak of termys I mote nedis erre,
Connyngly my wordis for to sette;
Cruel Allecto is besy me to lette,
Þe nyȝtes douȝter, blindid by dirknes,
Be craft of armys þe trouþe to expresse,
In ordre due a feld to discryue:
And Chaucer now, allas! is nat alyue
Me to reforme, or to be my rede,
For lak of whom slouȝer is my spede—
Þe noble Rethor þat alle dide excelle;
For in makyng he drank of þe welle
Vndir Pernaso, þat þe Musis kepe,
On whiche hil I myȝt[e] neuer slepe—
Onneþe slombre—for whiche, allas, I pleyne;

411

But for al þis, þer is no more to seyne.
Þouȝ my wede be nat polymyte,
Colourles, forþe I wil endyte
As it cometh euene to my þouȝt,
Pleinly to write how þe kyng haþ wrouȝt,
Þe manly knyȝt, gret Agamenoun,
Lyk as þe latyn maketh mencioun.

Howe Agamenon ordeynyde syx and twenty warddys, and assygnede theme tyle kyngis, princes, and lordys of his Oste; and howe worthi Ector, at þe first encounterynge, departede Patroclus atwyne.

What! trowe ȝe, þat he in his entent
Was founde slouȝe, ouþer necligent
On Grekis half his wardis for to make?
Nay, nay, nat so; for hym list to wake
Þat tyme more, sothly, þan to slepe,
Ful lik a kyng þat day þe feld to kepe.
No necligence myȝt his hert[e] fade:
For [in] þat day, I fynde, þat he made
Six and twenty wardis by and by,
So wel deuised, and so prudently
Þat no man myȝt amende his ordinaunce.
And of þe first he ȝaf gouernaunce
To þe manful noble Patroclus,
Þat with hym ladde (myn auctour telleþ þus)
Mirundones, so myȝti and so stronge,
With alle þe folke þat to Achilles longe,
Besyde þilke þat wern of his meyne
Whiche þat he brouȝt out of his contre
At his comyng to þe sege of Troye;
And he rood furþe with hem on his woye
In-to þe feld, and made no delaye.
Now, fille it so on þe same day
Þat Achilles kepte hym in his tente,

412

And for seknes þat day oute ne wente;
For his lechis made hym to abstene,
For his woundes fresche wern & grene
Þat he kauȝt on þe day to-fore;
Whiche for to hele of her akyng sore,
He be counseil kepte hym silf[e] cloos,
And from his bed þat day nat ne roos,
In hope only þe bettre to endure
Whan þat he was restored vn-to cure.
But alle his men he toke to Patroclus,
Whiche was in armys passyngly famus,
And be discent come of gret kynrede,
And was also—of hym as I rede—
Habundaunt of gold and of riches,
And fer comendid for his gentilles,
And hadde a name of hiȝe discrecioun.
Now was þer euere swiche affeccioun
Of entere loue, trouþe, & feithfulnes,
So gret desyre and inward kyndenes,
Besy þinkyng, & so gret feruence,
So moche frendeschip & þouȝtful aduertence,
So huge brennyng, passyng amerous,
Betwixe Achilles & þis Patroclus,
Þat her hertis were lokkid in o cheyne;
And what-so-euer, if I schal nat feyne,
Þe ton hath wrouȝt, as broþer vn-to broþer,
In hert it was confermyd of þe toþer:
For wil and godys, boþe were commvne,
And to þe deth þei euere so contvne,—
With-oute chaunge her loue so abood.
And Patroclus furþe anoon hym rood
In-to þe feld with Myrundones,
And in his tent abideth Achilles.
Þe secounde warde to kynge Meryoun
Assigned was by Agamenoun;
And to þe worþi kyng Ydwme[n]e,

413

And to a duke þat hiȝt[e] Meneste,
Þre þousand knyȝtes in stele armyd clene,
With alle þe folke þat cam fro Athene,
Assygned werne with hem for to go.
Þe þrid[de] ward to kyng Astalapho,
And to his sone, þat hiȝt[e] Philomene,
Wiþ þe knyȝtes þat cam fro Kwmene;
Þe fourþe warde, with-oute more lettyng,
To Archelaus, þe noble worþi kyng,
To Prothenor, and to Securidan,
Whiche in his daies was so strong a man,
Assigned was holy to þese þre,
And alle þe knyȝtes with hem for to be
Of Boece, þe grete lond famous.
Þe fyfþe warde to kyng Menelaus,
With alle þe folke of þe regioun
Callid Spartence, of ful hiȝe renoun,
And of þe Iles þat wern adiacent—
Alle þese with þe baner went
Of Menelay, fresche and coraious.
Þe sixte warde to kyng Epistrofus
Was assigned, and to þe kyng Elyde,
With many worþi ridyng be his side
Of þe prouynce and þe famous Ile
Þat callid is in Guydo Fordesyle.
Þe seuenþe warde to Thelamonyus,
Callid Aiax, þe grete kyng famous,
Was assigned, schortly to termyne,
Wiþ þe folkis þat fro Salomyne
He with hym brouȝt, & many anoþer mo;
And foure erlis with him went also:
Theseus and eke Amphimacus,
And þe þridde I-callid Darius,
And þe fourþe namyd Polysarie.
Þe eiȝte ward, ȝif I schal nat tarie,

414

Be good avis þat day assigned was
Vn-to þe kyng þat callid was Thoas.
Aiax Cileus þe ny[n]þe warde ladde,
And þe tenþe þe kyng of Philete hadde;
And to þe kyng þe xi [he] dide assigne,
Þat sothly was, boþe of birþe & lyne,
So renomed, & of so gret encres,
Þe myȝty kyng callid Pallamydes,
Kyng Naulus sone, hiȝest born of blood.
And duke Nestor, ful famus in kn[y]ȝthood,
Þe twelþe warde ladde on Grekis side,
Malencolik and surquedous of pride.
And kyng Honux, sone of on Mabente,
In-to þe feld, pleinly, whan he wente,
In ordre hadde of wardis þe þrittene,
Proudly mowsteryng endelong þe grene,
Ageyn[e]s Troyens redy for to fiȝt.
And eke þe kyng þat Vilixes hiȝt
Ladde with hym þe fourtenþe, as I rede;
And Humerus þe kyng eke dide lede
Þe fiftenþe, myn auctor writeth þus;
And a duke, callid Curibulus,
Þe xvi. ladde vp-on that day,
In whiche þe knyȝtes of kyng Prothesylay
Assigned wern by gret ordinaunce,
Tenforsen hem for to do vengaunce
Vp-on þe deth of her worþi kyng,
By Hector slawe at Grekis arivyng.
And kyng Royda ladde þe seuentene;
And he þat was kyng of Octymene,
Þe xviii warde had at his ledyng;
And Ȝantipus, þat was of Lyde kyng,
Hadde to kepe, committed to his garde,
On Grekis side þe nyntenþe warde.
And þe twenty, myn auctor lereþ vs,

415

Hadde þe kyng callid Amphimacus,
Lik a knyȝt to guye hem & to wisse;
And Philocetes, þat was kyng of Larisse,
Þe oon & twenty had eke, as I rede.
Þe two & twenty had[de] Dyomede;
And Heneus, kyng of Cypary,
Þat was whilom so noble & so worþi,
Þe þre & twenty had in gouernaille.
And þe Troyens proudly for to assaille
Þe xxiiiiti, with swerd, spere, and schelde,
Kyng Prothaylus ladde in-to þe felde;
And Carpenor, of Carpadie kyng,
In werre expert & riȝt wys in wirchyng,
Þe five & twenty, riche & wel be-seyn,
On Grekis syde brouȝt in-to þe pleyn.
Þe sixe & twenti, sothly, and þe laste,
As he þat coude sen a-forn an[d] caste
Euery þing be good inspeccioun,
Þe wyse kyng, þe grete Agamenoun,
Had with hym, þis prudent werriour,
As he þat was ordeyned emperour
Of Grekis host, as wysest of echon.

Howe bothe the wardys of þe Troyans and of þe Grekys fyrst ioynede in the felde.

And in þis wise forþe þe Grekis goon
In-to þe feld, with pompe ful royal,
With thensygnes and tokenes marcial,
Han take her ground, passingly arrayed;
And on her stondardis, richely displaied,
Brode baners an[d] many fresche penoun—
Ageyn þe wynde þat made a hidous soun,
And riȝt dredful, pleinly, for to here—

416

And þer men seie many crestis clere,
And many tuft of gold & siluer schene,
Meynt with feþris rede, white, & grene,
And deuyses wonder merueillous,
And of folkis þat wern amerous
Þe tokenes born to schewen openly
How þei in loue brenten inwardly
Som hiȝe emprise þat day to fulfille.
And þer wer herd þe loude noyses schrille
Fer in þe feld, and þe dredful sownes
Boþe of trompettis and of clariouns,
Þat be kalendys of schedyng oute of blood.
And with þe noyse al-most for rage wood,
Þe fomy bridelis & þe mouþes blede,
And furious neying of many [bastard] stede—
Praunsynge of hors vp-on ouþer side,
With alle þensygnes þat myȝt ben of pride
On Grekis part[y], and on Troye also:
In knyȝtly wyse for to haue a-do,
Eueryche warde stondynge in his place.
Þe first, a-sondre but a litel space,
Be-gan to approche with al her ful entent,
And Hector þo, ful inpacient,
Formest of alle on þe side of Troye,
Þe Ire of whom no man myȝt acoye:
But lik a lyoun in his hungri rage
Issed oute, furious of visage,
Toward Grekis on his myȝti stede,
Þat with his sporis made his sides blede—
His knyȝtly hert so inly was to-torn
Of mortal Ire,—and as he rood to-forn,
Brennynge ful hote in his malencolye:
Þe whiche þing whan Grekis gan espie,
Patroclus, with-oute more abood,
Of surquedie a-fore þe wardis rood,

417

Oute al to-forn, in boþe hostis siȝt,
For to encontre, pleinly, ȝif he myȝt,
With worþi Hector whan he him saw a-fer;
And as riȝt lyne as is diameter,
Rood vn-to hym in his hatful tene,
And with a spere, scharp[e] grounde & kene,
Þoruȝ-oute his schelde, of envious rage,
He smote Hector, with-oute more damage,
Except only þat þe hed of stele
Þat was to-forn, forged & whet ful wele,
Þoruȝ plate & maile myȝtely gan glace,
But to þe skyn for no þing myȝt his trace—
Al-be it cam of passyng violence—
Ȝit to Hector it dide noon offence,
Out of his sadel onys hym to flitte:
For þouȝ þat he sturdely hym hitte,
He myȝt[e] nat bakward bow his chyne,
Nor on no parti make hym to enclyne;
But fatally to his confusioun,
Þis myȝti man, þis Troyan champioun,
In his Ire ay brennynge more and more,
Vp-on hym þe hate frat so sore,
Lefte his spere, myn auctor writeth þus,
And with a swerd rood to Patroclus,
Avised fully þat he schal be ded;
And furiously gan hamen at his hed,
And rof hym doun, þer was no maner lette,
In-to þe brest þoruȝ his basenet,
As seith Guydo, with so gret a peyne,
Þat with þe stroke he partid hym on tweyne.
His mortal swerde whettid was so kene,
Þat Patroclus myȝt[e] nat sustene
Vp-on his hors, but fil doun to grounde,
As he þat kauȝt his last[e] fatal wounde,
Beyng present his knyȝtes euerychon.
And delyuerly vp-on hym anon,
Worþi Hector from his stede a-doun

418

Discendid is lik a wode lyoun,
Of hatful Ire brennynge as þe fire,
Havinge in hert inly gret desire
To spoilen hym of his armvure anoon,
In whiche þer was [ful] many riche stoon,
Boþe of rubies and saphiris ynde—
For þilke daies, pleinly, as I fynde,
Kynges, lordis, & knyȝtes (þis no nay)
To bataille went in her best array.
And, sothly, Hector, whan he first gan se
Þe multitude of stonys and perre
On Patroclus, so orient and schene,
Vp-on his arme he hynge his hors[e] rene,
Þe mene while, whil he of hool entent
To cacche his praye was so dilligent,
Of couetyse, in þer alder siȝtes.
Til Merioun, with þre þousand knyȝtes,
Armed in stele, rounde a-boute hym alle,
Is sodeynly vþ-on Hector falle,
Þe dede cors of Patroclus to saue,
Þat his purpos Hector may nat haue,
At liberte þe riche kyng to spoille,
Whiche caused hym in anger for to boille.

Howe Kynge Meryon salutede worthy Ectore as he was aboute for to dyspoyle Kynge Patroclus.

To whom þe kyng, callid Merion,
Irous & wood, seide among echon:
“O gredy lyoun, o wolfe most rauenous,
O hatful tygre, passyng envious,
Of avarice, o beste in-saturable,
And of desire, sothly vnstaunchable,
Vp-on þis pray þou schalt þe nat now fede,
Go ellis-where to swe for þi mede:
For trust[e] well, in conclusioun,
Fifti þousand, to þi distructioun,

419

Of oon entent, pleinly, wil nat faille
Þin hatful pride attonys for to assaille!”
And sodeinly, with speris scharp[e] whette,
On euery half þei gonne hym be-sette,
Maugre his force, his myȝt, & his manhede
Enforcyng hem tarevid him his stede,
Þat, sothfastly, of gret violence,
He constreyned, for al his strong diffence,
As seith Guydo, to falle vp-on his kne;
But þoruȝ his myȝt & magnanymyte,
He of manhood hath his hors recurid,
And maugre Grekis is so moche assurid
In his strengþe and his gret[e] myȝt,
Þat he recurid lik a worþi knyȝt
His stede ageyn amiddes of his foon.
And riȝt as lyne he rood to Merion,
Ful desyrous on hym avengid to be,
In his furye of hasty cruelte:
For þer-vppon was sette al his delit,
Þat in his mortal blody appetit,
In verray soth, he hadde hym slaw anon,
Saue þat þe kyng, which called was Glacon,
Cam to rescue hym with kyng Theseus,
And his sone, þat hiȝt Archilagus,
As I haue tolde, Merion to rescue.
And þre þousand knyȝtes gan hym swe,
Ful assentid, attonis, in bataille,
For lyf or deth Hector to assaille,
In a-wait vnwar on hym to sette.
But al þis whyle, with whom þat euer he mette,
With his swerde he kylleth & bare doun,
Þat finally þer gayneth no raunsoun:
For any Greke þat durst wyth hym mete,

420

At departyng felte ful vnswete;
He made a weye aboute hym euery-where,
Þat þei fledde hym as þe deþ for fere,
For where he rod he made a path ful pleyn.
And, as I rede, to Patroclus ageyn
He is repeired to spoille hym ȝif he myȝt,
Amyd þe feld in þe Grekis siȝt,
As he þat wolde his praye nat liȝtly lete.
Til Ydwme, þe myȝty kyng of Crete,
With two þousand clad in plate & maille,
Worþi knyȝtes, Hector to assaille
Whyles þat he was so desirous,
As I haue tolde, to spoille Patroclus—
And new ageyn, to his confusioun,
Lyk as I fynde, cam kyng Merioun;
And or Hector myȝt[e] taken hede,
Þei of force reften hym his stede,
Þat sothly he, þer was noon oþer bote,
Compellid was [for] to fiȝt on fote.
And of knyȝthod his hert[e] he reswmeth;
And with his swerde aboute hym he conswmeth
Al þat wiþ-stood, boþen hors & man;
And furiously þis Troyan knyȝt be-gan
Armys, leggis, schuldris, by þe boon,
To hewen of, amyd his mortal foon,
Þat Grekis myȝt a-forn him nat sustene.
And, as I rede, þat he slowe fiftene
Of hem þat were besy hym to take;
And swiche a slawȝter he gan a-mong hem make,
Þat þei ne durste abide a-forn his face.
And Merion, in þe silfe place,
Þis mene while, toke vp Patroclus,
With hevy chere and face ful pitous,
And on his stede he leide it hym be-forn;
And to his tent [anon] he hath it born—
Alwey Grekis, in her cruel mood,
Aboute Hector, furious and wood,

421

Felly abood, fiȝtynge vp-on fote.
Of whiche somme felt[e] ful vnswote,
Þat preswmed vp-on hym to prese;
But of manhod þei ne wolde sese
To be-sette hym vppon euery syde,
Havinge a truste, in her grete pride,
Finally at meschef hym to take:
For þei dempte he myȝt[e] nat eskape
Her hondis, schortly, be non aventure,
Nor his stede be lyklyhede recure;
For of force þei casten hym to lette,
And al attonys gan on hym to sette.
And specialy, amonge hem euerychon,
I finde, in soth, how þat þer was oon,
A Grekysche knyȝt of riȝt worþi fame,
And Carion, pleinly, was his name,
Þat him afforcede Hector to oppresse,
Whan he was most in meschef & distresse,
Be-set with Grekys hym envirownynge:
Til of fortune, on hym awaitynge
Þe longe day in þat felle fiȝt,
To his rescus þer cam a Troyan knyȝt,
Myd of Grekis whan he was be-set,
And toke two dartes, scharp & kene whet,
And furiously first he schot þe toon,
And þoruȝ þe hert he smote þis Carion,
Þat þe darte into þe felde gan glide,
By plate & maille, þoruȝ-out oþer syde,
Þat fatally of þat dedly wounde
Þis Carioun glood anoon to grounde,
Amonge an hundrid knyȝtes of his feris,
A-fore conspired with her felle cheris
To haue slayn Hector be some maner woye.
But eft ageyn þis ȝonge knyȝt of Troye
Ful deliuerly rauȝt anoþer spere,
And cast at on þat he sawe a-fere

422

Avaunce hym silfe on Hector in þe felde,
And þoruȝ his platis, pleinly, & his schelde,
Lyne riȝt, þat he ne schuld asterte,
Of verray myȝt rofe hym þoruȝ þe herte;
And after þat, in al þe haste he coude,
Vp-on Troyens he gan to crie loude
Tenhasten hem knyȝtly to socure
Worþi Hector, þat stood in auenture
Amonge Grekis, havynge no refute,
Sool by hym silfe, of helpe destitute.
At whiche cry, on Grekis al vnwar,
First of alle cam worþi Cyncybar,
Þat broþer was to Hector in bast born;
And hym silfe rydynge al to-forn,
And þe knyȝtes of whiche he was guyde,
Wonder proudly prikynge by his syde,
Sodeinly, bothe oon and alle,
In a frosche be on þe Grekis falle,
Þat hadde Hector rounde be-sette aboute;
And þoruȝ manhod of þis grete route
Þat ben enbosched on hem at þe bak,
Þe hundrid knyȝtes, of whiche þat I spak,
For-a-stonyd gan hem to withdrawe:
But þritti firste cruelly were slawe;
And maugre hem, Hector of manhede
Amydde þe felde taken hath his stede,
And entrid [is] in amonge þe prees.
And he þat day, of knyȝthood pereles,
While he hilde his blody swerde on hond,
Alle þo þat ageyn hym stonde
—Þer was noon help, pleinly, nor no red—
But þat he brak & carfe a-two þe þrede
And þe knot of cruel Antropos:
Only for he was lette of his purpos,
At good leyser to spoile Patroclus.
Þerfore, in Ire wood and furious,

423

Ful cruelly Grekis quitte her mede,
Whiche from his face faste gan hem spede,
Whos scharp[e] swerde, baþed in her blood,
Was dyed rede: for it dide hym good
Vp-on hem avenged for to be.
For þilke day [þe] lyoun pleyed he,
Vp-on Grekis his manhod for to haunte;
For he her pride so mortally gan daunte,
Þat þei hym fled, where-so þat he rood,
Makyng al hoot þe stremys of her blood
Endelonge to renne vp-on þe grene,
Til þe tyme þe duke of grete Athene,
Þat callid was whilom Menesteus,
With þre þousand knyȝtes ful famous,
Of whiche he was boþe lord & guyde,
Þe feld hath taken vp-on þe left[e] side,
For a deceyt, in ful secre wyse,
Where Troylus was with þe folke of Fryse,
Whiche [haþ] þat day, who-so liste to seke,
By his knyȝthod kylled many Greke:—
Liche a tigre, gredy on his pray,
Troylus bar hym al þe longe day,
Sleynge of Grekis many worþi knyȝt.
And while þat he was besiest in fiȝt
Ageyn his foon, with kyng Antipus
And þe kyng þat hiȝt[e] Alcanus,
Vp-on Grekis elyche fresche and newe,
Makynge her sydes al of blody hewe,
By oon assent, þis þre þoruȝ her manhede—
And specially, vppon his baye stede,
Wher-so-euer þat þis Troylus rood,
Euery Greke þat his swerd abood
Sodeinly he made for to sterve,
Þoruȝ her platis so depe he dide kerue.
And þis contvneth til duke Meneste
Of Troylus saw þe grete cruelte,

424

And þe slawȝtre þat he on Grekis made—
Of hasty Ire, wiþ face pale and fade,
Hent a spere & þrewe it in þe reste
And Troylus smet euene amyd þe breste
So sternely, þat maugre his renoun,
To þe erþe anon he bare hym doun,
In [þe] myddis of his mortal foon,
Þat cruelly hym be-sette anoon,
And him to treyne leide out hoke & laas
Rounde aboute in maner of compas—
Wiþ spere and darte & swerdis forgid briȝt.
But he hym silf diffendiþ like a knyȝt,
With gret manhod his honour to avaunce,
Al-be his lif was honged in balaunce,
Where he stood, & felte ful vnswete,
In poynt of deth amonge þe hors[e] fete,
With gret await of duke Meneste,
How þis Troylus myȝt haue take be,
Of mortal hate castyng in his þouȝt,
At meschef take þat he eskape nouȝt;—
On euery half he was so be-sette
With swerdis rounde, kene gronde & whette,
Allone, allas! mortally be-stadde—
Þei sesid hym, & furþe þei han hym ladde,
Til Miseres, a worþi knyȝt of Troye,
Gan to crye, as he stood in þe woye,
For-a-bassched, in riȝt furious wyse:
“O ȝe noble worþi men of Fryse!
Manly knyȝtes, ay preued in þe feld,
Most renomed boþe with spere & scheld,
Considereth now vn-to ȝour hiȝe fame,
And aduerteth þe glorie of ȝoure name,
How þis day, þoruȝ ȝoure necligence,
By þe power and myȝti violence
Of þe Grekis Troylus is I-take
Sool in þe feld; for ȝe han hym forsake—
Þat schal rebounde to ȝoure alder schame:

425

For ȝe, in soth, gretly are to blame,
Ȝif he, þat is of worþines[se] flour,
Be take of Grekis for lak of socour—
Þat, but ȝif ȝe taken hasty wreche,
Schamful report ȝour honour schal apeche
Perpetuelly, and seide þer-of amys,
In ȝoure defaute þat Troylus taken is,
Whiche named be so worþi & famus.”
And with þat word, þe kyng Alcamus
Of malencolye felt his hert[e] ryue,
And in his Ire hent a spere blyve,
And prikynge after, enhasteþ w[h]at he miȝt,
Til he of hem pleinly had a siȝt,
Þat besy wern Troylus for to lede.
And he, ful knyȝtly, sittyng on his stede,
Ran oon þoruȝ, þat he fil doun ded;
And eft ageyn, pale & no þing red,
In his rancour no lenger wold[e] lette,
But a Greke, þe first[e] þat he mette,
Þoruȝ þe body smette he with a spere,
Þat men myȝt[e] se þe poynt a-fere,
By brest and plate þoruȝ þe scholder-bon,
Þat to þe grounde he fil doun ded anoon.
And þer-with-al, þe worþi Freses alle
Cam flokmel doun, and on Grekis falle
So myȝtely, þat, maugre her diffence,
Þei sette vp-on with so gret violence
Þat Troylus is from al daunger fre;
And þoruȝ her knyȝtly magnanymyte
Þei maden hym to recure his stede.
And specially helpyng in þis nede
Was Ȝantipus, þe strong[e] manly kyng,
Whiche of disdeyn, at his in-comyng,
On Meneste gan his spere grate,
And þoruȝ his scheld, mail, & þikke plate,
So sore he smot, þat þis Menestee

426

Had be ded, nadde his armour be;
Whiche for Ire gan to tremble & schake,
Þat Troylus was from his hondis take,
And eskaped to be prisoner,
Dispit his berd, & maugre his power.
Wherfor he gan of hasti hoot envie
On his knyȝtes furiously to crye,
Þat wer so myȝti, renomed, & stronge,
To peynen hem for to venge his wronge
Vp-on Troyens, to mete hem in þe face.
And þei in hast gan myȝtely enbrace
Her scharp[e] speris, grounde for to bite,
And felly foyne, & to-gidre smyte;
For þo be-gan þe grete mortal werre:
Þe fire brast out, schene as any sterre,
On basenettis and her platis briȝt,
Þat þoruȝ þe feld flawmeþ þe [ferful] liȝt:
[To lyf nor deth þei toke þo non hede;]
[And] Doun þe playn, boþe in lengþe & brede,
Þe wardis gan proudly to avale;
And with lokis of envie pale,
Þei aproche, and assemble I-fere,
In hate brennynge, þat no man may stere,
And gan hurtle with spere, swerd, & darte,
And mortally, vp-on euery parte,
Þe slauȝter gan gretly for to rewe.
And Iliche, alwey newe and newe,
Hector Grekis, þoruȝ his worþines,
Where he rood manly dide oppresse,
And merciles slowe hem & bar doun—
Now here, nowe þere, with-oute excepcioun,
So furiously, þat rowthe was to se.
And þanne of new þe duke Meneste
Repeired is, with envious hert,
From his hondis þat Troylus so asterte,
And for þe slawȝter eke of his meyne,
Þat wher he rood he besy was to sle

427

Þe Troyan peple, whan he myȝt hem mete;
For tavenge hym, for no þing wold he let.
Til casuelly amonge[s] al þe pres,
A knyȝt he mette, þat hiȝt[e] Miseres,
Whiche, in dispit of þis Meneste,
Had at þe rescus of worþi Troylus be,
And maugre hym put him fro his pray.
And so be-fil [on] þe selue day,
As þei mette ageyn of aventure,
Þat Meneste, by his cote armvre
Marked hym, be armys þat he bar,
And sodeinly, or þat he was war,
Or þat he myȝt taken any hede,
Furiously on his sterne stede,
And with a spere, among þe rengis alle,
Bar him ouer, & made hym for to falle,
Maugre his myȝt, to þe erthe doun.
And panne, I finde, how þe kyng Hupoun
Discendid is, þe story list nat lye,
Two þousand knyȝtes in his companye,
Whiche on Grekis felly gan to sette,
And in þe berd king Prothenor hem mette,
And Archelaus, þe noble werriour,
Of Boece lord and gouernour—
Wiþ helpe only of þis Prothenor,
Lik a tigre or a wylde bore,
Gan Troyens assaille to þe deth,
And many on þilke day he sleth.
But kyng Hupoun, þoruȝ his chiualrie,
Þilk[e] tyme in his malencolye
Ful many Greke ȝaf his deþis wounde:
And þus þei gan eche oþer to confounde,
Swiche mortal hate amonges hem þer was.
Til of fortune a knyȝt, Polydamas,
On Troye side, sone of Anthenor,
With his knyȝtes, and hym silf to-for,

428

Is on Grekis of envious pride
Mid her wardis fallyn in a-syde,
And gan breke hem, & knyȝtly to disseuere,
Ageyn whos swerd þei myȝt[e] nat perseuere—
He was on hem so inly furious.
And hym to helpe cam þe kyng Remvs,
With a wynge on þe toþer parte,
Brekyng in with many spere & darte
Ageyn[es] Grekis with þre þousand knyȝtes,
Þat to beholde how felly þat he fiȝtes,
It was, in sothe, vn-to hem of Troy
A verray lust and an heuenly Ioye—
To sen how he Grekis brak asondre,
Þat þe noyse, loude as any þondre,
In þe feld of strokis gan a-ryse.
And while Remus, as ȝe han herd deuise,
Vp-on Grekis was so envious,
In-to þe feld cam Menelaus,
With his worþi knyȝtes of Spartense,
Ageyn Remus to make resistence;
And ful proudly, makyng no delay,
Þis worþi Remus & kyng Menelay,
On hors[e]-bak, with scharp[e] speris whette,
Mid þe felde of envie mette,
And þoruȝ her manly prowesse & renoun,
From hors[e]-bak eche bare oþer doun:
For noon þe strok of oþer myȝt[e] schoone.
And in þat while, of Anthenor þe sone,
Polydamas, lusti, fresche, and lyȝt,
As he þat was in his deliuer myȝt,
And desirous to honour to atteyne,
Mette in þe felde þe nevewe of Eleyne,
Þe myȝti duk called Mereus,
Flouring in ȝouthe and riȝt vertuous,
Fresche armed, new and lusti of corage,
And was, in soth, but twenti ȝere of age—
Whiche of so ȝonge was a noble knyȝt,

429

Riȝt renomed boþe of hert and myȝt.
But of fortune it be-fil, allas!
Þe Troyan knyȝt, daunȝ Polydamas,
With a spere, þoruȝ scheld, maille, & plate
Hitte hym so, þat, by cruel faate,
Amonge Grekis þat he fil doun ded.
Of whiche þing, whan Menelay toke hede,
And sawe hym ly, slay[e]n on þe grene,
In his hert remembringe on þe quene
—Þe quene Eleyne, whos nevew he was:—
For dool of whiche, a ful deliuer paas
To Remvs rood, in his cruelte,
Also fer as he myȝt hym se,
And ful knyȝtly mette hym in þe berd,
And smette at him with his scharpe swerde
Vp-on þe hede, in his hatful tene,
Þat on his stede he myȝt[e] nat sustene:
His wounde was so passyngly mortal,
Þat with þe stroke and þe perlous fal,
His knyȝtes wende ded he had[de] be,
And hent hym vp, and be-gan to fle
To-Troye-ward with hym a gret pas.
But it be-fil þat Pollydamas,
Þe maner of hem whan þat he be-held,
Made hem repeire knyȝtly in-to þe feld—
Excepte þat somme, as þei in biddyng had,
Worþi Remvs hom to Troye ladde,
Pale and ded, with his woundis wide.
And þo cam in on þe Grekis side
Celides, þe lusty fresche kyng,
Of whom Dares seith in his writyng,
And for a soth in his boke list telle,
How Celides alle oþer dide excelle
Boþe in bewte and in semlyhede,
Of schap, of port, and of goodlyhede,

430

Surmountynge alle, as Dares list discrive,
As in fairnes alle þo a-lyue—
Alle his lymys compact were so clene.
And, as I rede, þe ȝonge fresche quene
Of Femenye, whiche was of bewte flour,
Kyng Celides louede paramour,
Þat vp-on hym was hooly hir plesaunce,
He was so prented in hir remembraunce;
For chef resort, sothly, of hir herte,
Was vp-on hym euery houre to aduerte:
For, finally, he departeþ nouȝt,
Day nor nyȝt nor hour out of hir þouȝt;
For he was ffully al hir owne knyȝt.
But, of fortune, he, lusty, fresche, and liȝt,
Smot his stede scharply in þe syde
Of surquedie, and proudly gan to ride
Of mortal hate a ful furious paas
Riȝt as lyne to Pollydamas,
And with a spere made hym for to flytte
From his sadel, in whiche he dide sitte—
He markyd hym with so gret a myȝt.
But ageynward, þis manly Troyan kn[y]ȝt,
Pollydamas, with a dispitous face,
Or Celydes departeth fro þe place,
With a swerd so smet hym on þe hede,
From his stede þat he fil doun ded,
Whiche to Grekis was gret confusioun.
And al þis tyme, ferser þanne lyoun,
Hector Grekis knyȝtly gan enchase,
And ofte made hem for to lese her place;
Where-euere he rood, of necessite,
A-forn his swerd he made hem for to fle,
Swiche vengaunce he hath on hem take,
Þat þei þe feld were fayn to for-sake,
And to purswe wolde he neuer fyne;
Til a-monge þe peple of Salomyne,

431

Hector mette þe worþi kyng famous
Þat was hir lord, and hiȝt[e] Thesalus,
Þat many Troyan þat day had[de] slawe.
And, as Hector toward hym gan drawe,
Kyng Teuter, þat was of Grece also,
A manly knyȝt and prudent, boþe two,
Rauȝt a spere, in al þe haste he can,
And vnwarly vn-to Hector ran,
And þoruȝ his scheld, [plate], and mail of stele
—Þe spere-hed forged was so wele,
So scharpe & square, & so kene grounde—
Þat he ȝaf Hector a ful perillous wounde.
But as Hector rene gan his stede,
Proude Teuter to aquite his mede,
He ful wysly, in al þe hast he myȝt,
Was riȝt fer seuery[d] from his siȝt;
Wher-of Hector malencolius,
And of hert wod and furious
For þe akyng of his wounde grene,
In haste to avenge þe constreint of his tene,
What Greke after schortly þat he mette,
Þat was so bold his wey[e] to with-sette,
With-oute mercy, he was his deth anoon.
And, as I rede, he encountrid on,
Whiche of pride wold[e] hym diuerte,
Whom wiþ his swerd he rof to þe hert,
Þoruȝ his harneis, of malencolye.
Þe whiche stroke whan Grekis gan espie,
Þei astonyd, of oon entencioun,
Perllously besette hym enviroun,
And swiche assaut gan aboute him make,
Þoruȝ her manhod ȝif þei myȝt him take;
And of acorde, with gret multitude,
Cruelly þei gan hym to include,
Be liklyhede, in þat mortal strife
He myȝt[e] nat eskape with þe lyf,
On hym þei wern so fel & envious.

432

Howe A kynge callyde Theseus, of affeccyon warnede Ector to be ware of A iopartdy that he stode In, notwithstondynge this Thesyus was a Greke; and howe Ector raskewyde Pollydamas þe kynge.

Til þat a kyng þat hiȝt[e] Theseus,
On Grekis side, only of gentillesse,
Swiche rouþe kauȝt vp-on his distresse,
To se hym stonde so niȝe vp-on þe wrak,
Þus vn-to hym of manly pite spake:
“O flour of knyȝthod, rote of hardynesse,
Welle of manhood, stok of worþines!
Whi list þe nat to haue noon aduertence,
Þi lif to saue, of knyȝtly prouidence,
But wilfully, where most is to drede,
Þi lif iupartist, and take list noon hede,
In mortal pereil how þou arte be-set,
Amonge so many closed and I-schet,
Allone, allas! deuoide of al socour,
And to þi silfe wilt do no fauour,
But as fortune liketh to ordeyne?—
Þat euery wyȝt owȝt[e] to compleyne
To beholde þat so noble a knyȝt,
Whiche þoruȝ þe worlde cast so clere a liȝt,
In worþines, & wil hym nat with-drawe,
Reklesly þis day to be slawe,
So pitously þi persone for to lese!
With-drawe þin hond, ȝit sith þou maist chese,
Þin hiȝe prowes compelleth me to praye,
At swiche meschef þat þou nat ne deye.”
And whan Hector of hym gan take hede,
He þankid hym of his goodlyhed,
And maugre, sothly, þe power & þe myȝt
Of þe Grekis, lik a worþi knyȝt
He skapid is, myd of alle his foon,

433

And went his weye þoruȝ hem euerychon,
His blody swerd alweie in his hond.
And in his weie Pollydamas he fonde,
Ful lik a man, with al his besy peyne
Diffende hym silfe ageyn þe kynges tweyne,
Menelay and Thelamonyus,
Whiche vp-on hym were ful furious;
And, with a spere, þis Greke, þis Thelamoun
Pollydamas smot to the erthe doun,
Compellyng hym—þer was non oþer bote—
Ageyn hem two for to fiȝt on fote,
Assentid fully on hym to ben a-wroke.
And first þei han hewen and to-broke
Þe myȝti charnellis of his basenet,
And whan his viser after was of smette,
And his face nakid was and bare,
Þei fil on hym in þat mortal snare,
And token hym, þe stori can deuise,
And sent hym forþe, in ful cruel wise,
Toward Grekis, with many worþi knyȝt.
But whan Hector þer-of had a siȝt,
And sawe þe meschef of Pollydamas,
He cast fully to socur in þis caas,
And priked after, woder þanne lyoun;
And, where he rood, aboute hym enviroun
With his swerd he made a large space,
Til he cam to þe same place
Amonge Grekis, furious and wood,
Pollidamas þe silfe tyme stood,
Socourles from al remedie,
Til þat he on Hector cast his eye,
Þat Grekis made hastily with-drawe.
And þritti, first, of hem he hath slaw,
And seuered hem, maugre al her pride:—
To-forne his swerd þe[i] durst[e] nat abide
Ageyn[e]s hym, nor make noon obstacle;
But of knyȝthod, be verray hiȝe myracle,

434

Pollydamas, in meschef first awapid,
From Grekis hond frely is eskapid.
But freschely þo, þe kyng Epistrophus,
Menelay, and Thelamonyus,
With alle her knyȝtes to-gidre hol & clos,
Ageyn Troyens to geten hem a loos,
Been of newe entrid in bataille
With gret strengþe & passyng apparaille,
Þat meȝtely Troyens þei compelle,
In her weye þat þei dar nat dwelle,
Nat-with-stondynge her gret worþines,
Nor of Hector þe knyȝtly hiȝe prowes,
Þat fauȝt so manly þat tyme, as I rede,—
But cowardly þei han slawe his stede,
Þat he constreined was to fiȝt on fote,
Þat many Greke felt[e] ful vnswote.
For þer was noon þat aboute him stood,
With his swerd þat he ne schad his blood;
Þouȝ he so þikke aboute was be-leyn,
He voided hem & made a spase pleyn,
In compas rounde, be-hind & eke to-forn;
And on his feet so wel he hath him born
Þilk[e] day, þat Greke was noon, certeyn,
Þat hardy was hond on hym to leyn,
He was so strong, & sturdy as a wal.
And whanne his breþer, callid natural,
Sawe hym on fote, myd of alle his foon,
On a frusche þei fel in euerychon,
And founden hym, þe stori makeþ mynde,
Diffende hym silfe lik a tigre in Ynde;
And hym to help, þoruȝ her hiȝe renoun,
Þei fel[le] firste on kyng Thelamoun,
For he on Hector was so cruel founde:
Þei ȝaf to hym many blody wounde,
Til on of hem, namyd Dyndaron,
Hath so fer amonge þe rengis goon,

435

And born hym so, only of manhede,
Þat he hath wonne a passynge miȝti stede,
And brouȝt to Hector, sothly, þer he stood,
Amonge Grekis al baþed in her blood.
Þe whiche in hast, ful knyȝtly he be-strood,
And amonge hem, lik Mars hym silf he rood,
Ful many Greke makynge for to sterue;
And with his swerd, whetted for to kerue,
He daunted hath her envious pride:
Til Dephebus entrid in a-syde
In-to þe feld, wiþ a knyȝtly chere,
And with hym brouȝt many good archer
Of Poeme, [which] with her arowis kene,
And with feþeris of pecok, fresche & schene,
Vp-on Grekis han þe feld recured;—
In her schot þei wer so moche assured,
Þat þoruȝ mail and þikke plate of stele
Þei percyd han her harneis euerydel.
And Dephebus, ful like a manly man,
To kyng Teutran on hors[e]-bak þo ran,
And furiously gan his swerd enbrace,
And wounded hym euene amyd þe face
Þoruȝ þe viser—in his felle tene—
On hors[e]-bak he myȝt[e] nat sustene.
And þus Troyens on Grekis arn y-ronne,
Þat þei ageyn han þe feld I-wonne—
Þei wern on hem so Irous and so wood:
But Theseus ful knyȝtly hem with-stood
With þo knyȝtes þat he with hym ladde.
And, as I rede, Hector a broþer hadde,
Þe stori seith, þat hiȝt[e] Quyntylene,
Ȝonge, fresche, & lusty, armyd briȝt & schene,
Whiche with þe kyng callid Modernus
Is proudly falle vp-on Theseus;

436

And þese tweyne, to-gidre of assent,
Be falle on hym with gret avisement,
Þat, finally, to his vnhappy chaunce,
Þoruȝ her knyȝthod þei brouȝt him to outtraunce,
And cast[e] schortly þat he schal be ded:
Of whos purpos, as Hector gan take hed,
He vn-to hem, of verray genterye,
With al his myȝt loude gan to crye,
Besechyng hem for no þing þat he deye;
And louly þei his biddyng dide obeye,
And hem with-drawe for to do vengance;
For Hector had fully remembraunce
How Theseus, þe same day to-forn,
Toward hym so goodly had hym born,
Whan he hym sawe in meschef & distresse,
And knyȝtly þouȝt quite his gentillesse,
Lik as it longeth to euery gentil-man.
And Theseus ful lowly tho be-gan
To þank[e] Hector, þat he was eskapid.
But kyng Thoas þo hath fast[e] rapid
In-to þe feld, with oþer knyȝtes manye,
And specialy with hem of Calydonye
Cam Philotheas, þe myȝty kyng also,
A-geyn[es] Troyens for to haue a-do.
And, first, Thoas with a spere ran
Furiously to Cassybellan,
Oon of þe sonys of kyng Priamus,
And ȝaf hym þo a wounde so grevous,
With-oute recure þat he fil doun dede;
Of whiche strok, whan Hector gan take hede,
In his herte gan his deth compleyne,
And in al hast dide his besy peyne
On his broþer avenge him ȝif he myȝt;
And many oon he made to a-liȝt,
Þoruȝ his knyȝthood, from his hors[e]-bak,

437

Þat, sothfastly, al went vn-to wrak
On Grekis side, what cam in his way,
So worþily he bar hym al þat day.
Til duk Nestor is entrid in-to fiȝt
With five þousand in stele armyd briȝt,
Agein[es] Troyens Grekis to socure;
And with hym mette, of verray aventure,
Þe kyng Esdras, so myȝti and so bold,
And kyng Phyon in his char of gold,
With al þe worþi noble chiualrye
Þat from Agresta cam with Ieconye,
Þe kynges sone, of þe same lond,
Ful renomed & worþi of his honde.
And as þei semble, & to-gidre ran,
Þe same tyme, many worþi man
Hath lost his lyf vp-on ouþer syde;
And of slauȝter, with large woundis wide,
Al þe soil, of bodyes þat lay dede,
Lyk a ryuer ran with stremys rede,
With her cheris grisly, pale, and fade,
Þat in þe blod men myȝt goon & wade
To þe ancle: þe slauȝter was so huge.
And kyng Phion, socure and refuge
Vn-to Troyens, so bare hym in þat strife,
Þat many Greke he made lese his life
Þe same day, so wel his swerd was whet;
But he, vnwarly, so sore was be-set
With multitude of Grekis rounde aboute,
Þat of his lyf he pleynly stood in doute:
For lykly was he myȝt[e] nat eskape,
And of Grekis he schuld anoon be take,
Nadde he ben holp of worþi Ieconye,
Þat to Esdras loude gan to crye:
“Allas!” quod he, of routhe and pite,
“Worþi Phion þe kyng schal take be
Amonge Grekis, þoruȝ ȝoure necligence,

438

But in al hast ȝe do ȝoure dilligence
For to reskue þis noble worþi kyng!”
And alle attonys, with-oute more tariyng,
Maugre alle þo þat made resistence,
From Grekis swerd, be myȝti violence
Þei han reskued þe noble kyng Phion;
And at his large with hem he is goon,
Of his eskape wonder glad and liȝt.
And Hector þanne with many lusti knyȝt
Retourned is, and Dephebus also,
Pollydamas, & many anoþer mo
[Of] Troyan knyȝtes, þat desyre newe
Grekis to make sore for to rewe:
For, of assent, þei fully hem purpose
In swiche meschef Grekis to enclose,
Þat, ȝif þei myȝt, fewe schulde eskape.
And þer-vp-on, knyȝtly þei hem schape,
And hem be-gan freschely for to assaille,
Þat in þe feld Grekis gan to faille
Of her power, and to lese her londe,
Þat, finally, þoruȝ þe myȝti honde,
And þe force of Troyanysche knyȝtes,
Þe Grekis had, maugre al her myȝtes,
Be brouȝt þat day to confusioun.
But Menelay and kyng Thelamoun,
Whan þei hem sawe feblyn and apeire,
Þei of knyȝthod made hem to repeire;
And so lik men þei han hem silf diffendid,
Til Eneas from Troye is discendid
With Ewfremus þe duk, þe manly man;
And with her knyȝtes of newe þei be-gan
Efte ageyn Grekis to oppresse.
And Hector ay, þoruȝ his worþinesse,
Lyk a lyoun, with a sterne face,
Euere in oon so gan hem to enchase,
Þat compellid of necessite

439

Þei wern echon a-forn his swerd to fle,
And constreyned, riȝt of verray nede.
Of whiche þing whan Aiax gan take hede,
Hadde in herte grete compassioun
To sen þe slauȝter and confusioun
On Grekis side, Guydo maketh mynde,
And gan to loke at his bak be-hynde,
And sawe wher many warde stood a-brod,
And many baner & penoun þat a-bood
Amyd þe feld, hole and nat forbroke,
Þat redy wern attonis to be wroke,
Ȝif nede were, on hem of Troye toun;
In whiche wardis, with-oute excepcioun,
Was hool þe flour of Grekis chiualrie.
To whom, anoon, Aiax gan hym hiȝe,
As he þat was sore in herte agrevid;
And with his crye he hath hem so commevid,
Þat þei enhast hem to com to rescus,
Amongis whom was þere no refus.
And as faste as þei gan assemble,
Of noyse of hors þe erþe gan to tremble,
Furiously as þei to-gidre flinge:
Þere myȝt men þe here ryng
Of speris scharp, þoruȝ þe harneis born,
And þoruȝ scheldis, wrouȝt of stele & horn,
In-to þe brest, sturdy, squar, & brood;
And þer, I finde, how þat Aiax rood
To Eneas, and he to hym also,
So gret envie was a-twixe hem two,
Þat [nat] but deth myȝt her Ire apese:
For in hert nouþer myȝt han ese,
Til with speris scharp[e] grounde & whet,
On hors[e]-bak þei han to-gidre met.
And at coupyng so sore þei han hit,
Þat eueryche oþer to þe erþe smyt,

440

Þat to beholde was a knyȝtly siȝt.
And after [þat] þei boþe on fote fiȝt,
Be liklyhede, in her wood[e] rage,
Ouþer to falle in ful grete damage
Amonge þe hors, be-cause þat þei stood
Vp-on þe soil, al ouersprad with blood;
But Philoteas is to Aiax come,
And hath hym vp amonge þe hors I-nome,
And knyȝtly fauȝt, as makid is memorie.
And, sothly, ellis Troyens with victorie
Hadde had þe feld, pleinly for to seyne,
Til Philoteas with his wardis tweyne,
Euene in þe face, manly hem with-stood;
And with a spere he first to Hector rood,
And vp-on hym þe schafte, I finde, he brak:
But, sothly, he vp-on his hors[e]-bak
Kepte hym so wel, for al þat fel[le] stroke
Remevinge nat, but sturdy as an oke
Sat in his sadel vp-riȝt with his chyne;
And with a spere, riȝt as any lyne,
In-to body, depe þoruȝ þe schelde,
Philoteas he smote in-to þe felde,
Þat of his lyf his knyȝtes wern in doute.
But þo cam in, with so gret a route,
Kyng Humerus, and Vlixes eke,
And with hem brouȝt many worþi Greke—
Ten þousand knyȝtes, manly men echon,
Þat gan Troyens [for] to assaille anoon;
And cruelly, on euery halfe certeyn,
With multitude þei han hem so be-leyn,
Þat dispeired and disconsolat,
And of longe fiȝt awaped and amat,
Gan with-drawe, faynted in bataille;
And eke her hors, sothly, gonne faille,
Þat on her syde al went vp-so-doun.

441

But Paris þo, with hem of Troye toun
Is entrid in, in ful manly wyse;
And first he met with þe kyng of Fryse,
Þat to Vlixes was nyȝe of allye,
Whom Paris smot with so gret envie,
Þat he hym slowe; wher-of Grekis were
Sore abavid; and aftir, with a spere,
Vlixes rood to avenge hym ȝif he myȝt.
And, first, whan he of Paris had a siȝt,
In-to þe reste he gan his spere þrowe,
Þat, finally (for he bare to lowe),
Failyng of Paris, sothly, as I rede,
Vnder hym he slowe his myȝti stede,
Þat maugre hym he to grounde is goon.
And he on hym wolde haue falle anoon,
But Troylus þo mette hym in þe berde,
And furiously with his scharpe swerde
He smote Vlixes þoruȝ-out his viser,
Þat lyk a condut or a smal river,
Doun by his face, of blood þe stremys ran.
But Vlixes, lik a manly man,
Of þat strok astonyd nat at al,
But on his stede, stif as any wal,
With his swerde so myȝtely gan race
Þoruȝ þe vmbrere in-to Troylus face,
Þat he hym ȝaf a large mortal wounde:
Of whiche strok, passyngly Iocounde
Þe Grekis wern, supposyng, in her þouȝt,
How þat Troyens finally were brouȝt
Vn-to outtraunce. And sothly so þei hadde,
Saue þat Hector, with knyȝtes which he ladde,
And with hym eke Paris and Dephebus,
And alle his breþer, in knyȝthod most famus,
Troylus also, for al his last[e] wounde,
Þat was alweie so noble a knyȝt I-founde,
Alle attonys, Ioyned in-to oon,

442

Vp-on Grekis sodeinly be goon.
And worþi Hector aldir-first be-gan
Grekis to enchase, þat a-forn hym ran,
Lik as bestis þat fled fro þe deth;
And euere in on, with his swerde he sleth
Whom he mette, or durst his strok abide;
And on his foon, with fresche woundis wide,
Þe slauȝter he made alweie to renewe.
And þilk[e] day, in blody rosen hewe
He hath her platis & her harneis steyned;
And þouȝ it hadde blood fro heuene reined,
Þe soil reddere myȝt[e] nouȝt a ben:
And ay I-liche, as a swarme of been,
Þe Grekis flokmel fled out of his way.
And Guydo seith, al þat ilke day
Hector hadde, formest on þe plein,
In þe frounter of þe Grekis leyn,
Þat be-hynde, þe knyȝtes of his garde
For lak of hym wern alle out of warde.
Wherfore, whan he hadde fouȝt[e] longe,
And Grekis sawe of newe wexe strong,
To his knyȝtes he is aȝen repeired,
Whiche in hem silf gretly wer dispeired
For his absence; but þo whan þei him sen,
Ful inwardly recomforted ben,
And with glad hert han her lord received.
And her gladnes whan he hath perceiwed,
Spak vn-to hem ful effectuously,
And praied hem ful benygnely,
To remembre knyȝtly in her herte,
And considre wysly, and aduerte,
First, þe wrongis þat Grekis han hem do
Of ȝore ago, and ouermore also
Ȝif Grekis had þilke day victorie,
Far-wel for ay þe honour and þe glorie

443

Of Troyan blod, in conclusioun:—
“For, finally, we and eke oure toun
Schal mortally tourne to ruyne;
And oure honour, þat was wont to schine
Þoruȝ-oute þe world, & oure worþines,
Eclipse schal, and tourne to dirknes,
But ȝe þis day like as men ȝow quite.
Wherefore I pray, þat no man atwite
Ȝoure hiȝe renoun of any cowardyse,
To sette vp-on in ful manly wyse,
And nat to spare for drede of deth, I pray.”
And þei echon ful lowly gan obeie
To his desire, with-oute lenger tale;
And entringe in by a certeyn vale,
Vp-on Grekis, þese worþi knyȝtes alle,
Folwyng Hector, sodeynly ben falle,
Ful mortally, or þat þei wer ware.
And Hector þo no Greke wolde spare,
But euery-where, to her confusioun,
He killed & slowȝe aboute hym enviroun;
And his knyȝtes, ridyng be his syde,
Made her fomen, maugre al her pride,
To lese her lond, & flen out of her siȝte:
Til þat þe kyng whiche Thoas hiȝt,
On Grekis side, inward gan hym dresse,
And of newe ful knyȝtly oppresse
Hem of Troye, þis kyng, þis manly man,
Þat had a-forn slawe Cassibelan,
Oon of þe sonys of kyng Priamvs.
But as he rood, of fortune it fel þus:
Þat alle þe breþer on a frusche he mette,
Whiche of assent enviroun hym be-sette,
And from his sadil—þat many [Greke] be-hilde—
Amonge þe hors smet hym in-to þe feld;
And of þei rent first his basenet,
And cruelly þei had his hede of smet—
For he vnarmyd al at meschef stood—

444

Saue þat þe duke, furious and wood,
Of Athenys, rydyng a gret paas,
Reskued hym in þis mortal cas
With his knyȝtes þat aboute him rood.
And hym to helpe, with-oute more abood,
With a spere, scharpe whet and kene,
First of al he fil on Quyntylene,
Þat besy was Thoas to haue slawe;
And þe breþre he made also with-drawe,
Whan Quyntylene of his hors was þrow.
But Paris þo drow vp his myȝti bowe,
And to þis duke lete an harowe glide,
And þoruȝ his platis hit hym in þe side
Vp-on a rib, þat made hym sore blede;
Of whiche strok he ne toke noon hede
Be-cause only þat he so fervent was
Amyd his foon to helpe kyng Thoas,
Amonge þe horse þat was bore to grounde,
In point of deth, with many mortal wounde,
Only for he was naked on þe hede:
But þis duke, ful[ly] deuoide of drede,
Of his knyȝthood in þis perlous cas,
Amyd his foon hath holp[e] kyng Thoas,
And with his lyf made him skape fre.
And Hector ay, of cruel enmyte
I-lyche fresche, for no þing wolde leue
Vp-on Grekis his manhood for to preue,
Enforcyng hym to her distruccioun:
And, as he rood amonge hem vp & doun,
Kyng Humerus hath a bowe take,
And to schete gan hym redy make,
And hatfully þer-in set an arwe;
And to Hector he marked haþ so narwe,
Þat he smote hym euene amyd þe face:
But or he myȝt any ferther pace,
Hector smet hym with so gret a peyne,
Þat with his swerd he rof his hed atweyne.
Þe deth of whom whan þe Grekis knowe,

445

Myn auctor seith, þei han an horn I-blowe,
Þat vnwarly, with þat dredful sowne,
Seuene þousand knyȝtes cam attonys doun
Aboute Hector, with-oute more abood;
But he of force þoruȝ hem alle he rood,
Maugre her myȝt, þat hym þo with-sette,
And slowe alle þo þat his weie lette,
And stynt[e] nat, pleynly, til he cam
To his fader, þe worþi kyng Priam,
With many worþi, ful famvs of renoun,
Þat with his knyȝtes fast[e] by þe toun
Lay al þe day, with men on hors & fote,
As he þat was of knyȝthod crop & rote,
And kepte hym cloos, of [ful] hiȝe prudence—
Til Hector cam vn-to his presence
And hym besouȝt, in þis grete nede,
With þre þousand þat he wold hym spede
Vp-on Grekis in her felle rage,
To falle on hem at most avauntage.

Howe the Kenge Pryamus of Troye kynghtly enterde in-to þe felde at the requeste of Ectore.

And þanne in haste, þis worþi Priamvs,
With his knyȝtes fresche and desyrous,
Towarde Grekis hath þe weye take,
And swyche a mordre gan vp-on hem make,
Þat many Greke lay ded on þe pleyn:
For Priamus so sore hath hem be-leyn,
On euery half, þoruȝ his grete myȝt,
Þat þei ful fast fled out of his siȝt,
So sore of newe he vp-on hem sette.
And, as I finde, þer to-gidre mette
Hector and Aiax, of verray auenture;
And on her stedis, strong & wonder sure,

446

Þe story seith, in al þe hast þei konne,
Lyke wode lyouns þei to-gidre ronne
With so gret myȝt, þat, wer þei lefe or loþe,
Vp-on þe pleyn þei wer vnhorsed boþe.
And in þis while, Menelay þe kyng,
Sodeinly, as he cam rydyng,
He slowe of Troye a worþi ameral.
And þus þe slauȝter, passyngly mortal,
Renewed ay: for Celydonas
Þe nevew slow of þe kyng Thoas;
And Madan mette, myn auctor writeþ þus,
A Grekysche kyng callid Cedyus,
Whiche with his swerd swiche a strok him set,
Þat þoruȝ þe vmbrere out his eye he smet;
And Sardellus, þat was of Troye eke,
Þe same while slowe a worþi Greke,
A lord of name, and of hye prowes,
Al-þei Guydo his name nat expres.
And þanne also cam Margaritoun,
On Troye side, ageyn Thelamoun;
And boþe two, inly set a-fire
Of hiȝe disdeyn and of hatful Ire,—
As þei mette on horse-bak y-fere,
Kyng Thelamoun, sothly, as I lere,
Ȝaf vn-to hym a wounde ful cruel.
But þo cam in þe Troyan Phanuel,
And Prothenor smot doun of his stede:
And þus þe sonys, pleynly, as I rede,
Of Priamus, no þing disamaied,
Þe Grekis han on euery part outtraied,
And so knyȝtly al þe day hem born,
Þat many Greke fatally haþ lorn
His lif, in soth, of hate and enmyte.
And kyng Duglas is falle on Meneste,
Of Attenys duke and gouernour;
And with a spere, of Ire and old rancour,
He ran at hym, & smet hym myd þe schelde:
But for al þat, his sadil ȝit he hilde;

447

And for þe duk spere hadde noon,
He with a swerd to Duglas rood anoon,
And þoruȝ þe vmbrere rof of nyȝe his nase,
Þat he astonyd stood as in a mase,
Whan þat he sawe þe conduit of his blood
So stremyn out; but, for al þat, he rood
Out a-side, fully deuoide of fere,
In-to tyme þat he staunched were.
But Deamor, his owne broþer dere,
Whan he behild his mortal blody chere,
Of hiȝe disdeyn he rood to Meneste,
And hym vnhorseth; but vp anon sterte he,
And or he myȝt fully vp arise,
A-noþer broþer in ful cruel wyse
Is falle on hym, so þat of hem þre
Attonys wern vp-on Meneste,
Fully in purpos he schal lese his lyf.
But he so knyȝtly bar hym in þat strife
Ageyn[e]s hem, þat wonder was to se;
And vp-on hym most cruel of hem þre
Was on Thoras, eldest of echon,
Whiche him to haue slaw was besi euer in on:
For al to-broke þei han his basenet.
But whan þat Teuter saw hym so be-set
—A Grekisch kyng, as made is mencioun,—
Hadde in his herte grete compassioun,
And þouȝt[e], pleinly, of manhod him releve,
And, ȝif he myȝt, his fomen for to greve.
But al for nouȝt was his besy peyne:
For Hector þo fil on boþe tweyne,
Vp-on Teuter and on Meneste,
And had hem slayn, nad[de] Aiax be,
Whiche vn-to Hector ffaste gan hym hiȝe,
A þousand knyȝtes in his companye,
To with-stonde hym, and Meneste to saue
From his hondis, ȝif he myȝt him haue.
But Paris þo, and þe kyng of Perse,

448

With five þousand, as I can reherse,
Of worþi knyȝtes, & many Troyan mo,
Be vn-to Hector alle attonys go,
In þrifty wyse ridyng on a rowe:
For Paris made a trompet to be blowe,
At whiche þer cam, knyȝtly enbatailled,
Many Troyan, ful wel apparailled,
Whiche in þe feld of Hector wer conueied;
For of oon herte þei fully han obeied
Vn-to þe biddynge of þis Troyan knyȝt,
Al fresche and newe to begynne a fiȝt
Vp-on Grekis, as ferforþe as þei can,
Of whom was slayn many manly man.
And ay þe slauȝtre pitously reneweth,
Þat many Greke sore in herte reweth
Her gret[e] los and distruccioun,
Wrouȝt vp-on hem by hem of Troye toun,
And specially of Hector, as I finde,
Whiche on þat day, as Dares makeþ mynde,
With his hond a þousand knyȝtes slowe,
Þat neuer wern adawed of her swowe:
For Greke dar noon in his weye dwelle;
For with his swerd he koude hem so compelle
To lese her grounde, of necessite,
And like as schepe a-fore þe wolf [to] fle.

Of the Irouse langage that Ectore had to Meryon the Kynge, and howe he sclewe hym.

And, as I rede, amyd of his victorie,
Hector mette vnder a tentorie
Amonge Grekis Merioun þe kyng,
To whom he spake, with-oute more tariyng:
“O þow traytour, þe hour aprocheþ faste,
For þow arte come, sothly, to þi laste,

449

Þi fatal day hath his cours I-ronne!
For trust[e] wel, or westring of þe sonne
I cast[e], platly, to quite þe þi mede,
And with my swerd [in haste] þi blood to schede:
For þou so bolde were on me to-day
To lettyn me of my riche praye
At þe spoilynge of kyng Patroclus—
Þat for cause þou were presumptuous
Me to distourbe, þou schalt anon be ded.”
And doun he stirte, & smote of first his hed,
And hym to spoille also gan hym haste;
But Meneste cam on hym as faste,
Whan he be-hilde trauerse at his bake,
And with a spere, [in] whiche was no lake,
Smot hym in with grete violence,
With-oute siȝt, or any aduertence
Of worþi Hector, or any takynge hede,
Þe wounde of whom sore gan to blede.
But out he went, and made it faste bynde;
And Meneste stale a-weye be-hynde,
Nat in purpos, sothly, ȝif he may,
To mete Hector of al þat ilke day.
But whan þat he was [y-]bonde sore,
His wounde staunche, þat it bled no more,
More furious þan euere he was to-forn,
Repeired is, with anger al to-torne
(So ay þe Ire on his hert[e] fret),
Þat he bar doun al þat euere he met—
Sleth & kylleth, he was so mercyles,
Alle þo þat put hem silf in pres,
Or hardy wern with hym for to mete.
For in his boke lik as writ Darete,
For verray soth, and in þe stori seith
(Ȝif it be so þat men may ȝeue feyth
And credence of possibilite,

450

As in Guydo clerly ȝe may se),
Aftir þat he cauȝt his lattre wounde,
Finally Grekis to confounde
—So as it is affermed in certeyn—
A þousand knyȝtes with his hond wer slayn,
With-oute hem þo, þat I spak of rath!
And newe alweye he gan his swerd to baþe
In Grekis blod, þat sodeinly þei be
So ouer-layn þoruȝ his cruelte,
Þat Greke was noon, of hiȝe nor lowe estat,
Þat he ne was a-whaped and amaat,
Of his knyȝthod and manly excellence:
For þer was non to make resistence,
Nor outterly, þat durst[e] take on honde
Of al þat day Hector to with-stonde.
And as it is also made mencioun,
Þilke day kyng Agamenoun,
As seith Guydo, cam nat in[-to] þe felde,
For causes gret his presence he with-helde,
On Grekis side þat al goth vp-so-doun:
Hector on hem so pleyeth þe lyon,
Þat to her tentes þei fled for socours.
And þei of Troye, proudly as victours,
Sued aftir, by tracis of her blood;
And þer þei wan tresour & gret good,
And spoiled hem, in ful gret distresse,
Of her armour and of her richesse,
And felle on hem, or þat þei were ware,
And home to Troye al þe good þei bare.
For, finally, þat day wiþ meschaunce
Grekis had be brouȝt vn-to outtraunce,
With-oute recure, in soth, for euere-more,
On euery parte þei were be-leyn so sore
Þoruȝ þe manhod of Hector, & þe myȝt,
With helpe of many oþer worþi knyȝt,
Þat so felly ageyn Grekis wrouȝt:

451

For to swiche meschef, pleinly, þei hem brouȝt,
Þat nad[de] ben her owne pitous slouthe,
Of pride only, and of foly routhe,
Þei had of hem, at her volunte,
Þat day for euere hadde þe souereynte,
And recured, þoruȝ her hiȝe renoun,
Lordschip of hem and domynacioun,
Whiche schuld haue laste, & be contynuel,
Victoriously and perpetuel
Haue endurid; saue cruel Fate
Is redy ay with Fortune, to debate
Ageyn þinges þat gynne in wilfulnes,
To make hem fyne ay in wrechidnes,
Þoruȝ her envious disposicioun
Of sodeyn chaunge and reuolucioun,
And vnwar tournyng of hir false whele,
Þat wil nat bide whan a þing is wele—
Allas, freel, deuoide of sikernesse.
Þe cause was dymmed wiþ dirknesse,
Þat hath Troyens þoruȝ false oppinioun
I-blended so in her discresioun,
And specially fordirked so þe siȝt
Of worþi Hector, þe prudent manly knyȝt,
To sen a-forn what schuld after swe,
Be good avis þe meschef to eschewe
Þat folwid hem at þe bak be-hynde.
Allas! þei wern wilfully made blynde,
The same day, whan þei set[e] softe
Be victorie on þe hille a-lofte,
Þat þei nat koude of necligence se
Þe aftir-fal of her felicite—
So put a-bak was her aduertence
For lak of resoun and of hiȝe prudence:
For þei her hap han voided, & her grace,
Þat presently were sette a-fore her face.
For, in a man is nat commendable,
Ȝif Fortune be to hym fauourable

452

And blaundischinge, with a forhede clere,
To smyle on hym with a plesaunt chere,
Only of fauour for to help hym oute,
Whan he in meschef is be-set aboute—
Ȝif he refuse his hap of wilfulnes,
Fortune avoidynge þoruȝ vnkynd[e]nes
Whan sche mynystreþ to hym of hir grace:
Anoþer tyme he schal hir nat embrace,
Whan he hath nede to hir helpe at al,
To socour hym or he cacche a fal;
But raþer þan, for his ingratitude,
Frowardly, with mowes hym delude,
Whan he best weneþ stond in sikernes.
Fortune is ay so ful of brotulnes,
Remewable, and redy for to flitte
Hir welful hour, þat who list nat amytte
With hir fauour for to ben allied,
Anoþer tyme it schal be denyed,
Whan he wer leuest finde hir fauourable:
For in some hour, sothly, þis no fable,
Vn-to som man sche graunteþ his desires,
Þat wil nat after in a þousand ȝeres,
Parauenture, onys condiscende
Vn-to his wil, nor his lust hym sende,
As it hath falle þis day vnhappily
To worþi Hector, þat so wilfully
Wrouȝt of hede Grekis for to spare,
Fatally whan þei were in þe snare.
For he of hem, like a conqueroure,
With victorie, trivmphe, and honour
Miȝt haue brouȝt, þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun,
Þe palme of conquest in-to Troye toun,
Whiche he þat day reffusid folily.

453

Howe worthy Ector infortunately lefte the felde at þe requeste of his Cosyne, Thelamonus Aiax.

For, as he rood, þis Hector, cruelly
Amonge Grekis slowe and bar al doun,—
Casuely he mette Thelamoun,
I mene Aiax, nyȝe of his allye,
Þat of hate and cruel hoot envie
To Hector rood, like as he were wood,
Al-be to hym he was [ful] nyȝe of blod;
Ȝit, for al þat, þis ȝong[e] lusty knyȝt
Dide his power & his fulle myȝt,
With-oute feynyng, to haue born hym doun
(Whos fader hiȝt also Thelamoun,
Þat hym be-gat, þe stori telleth þus,
Of Exioun, suster to Priamvs).
And þis Aiax, flourynge in ȝonge age,
Fresche and delyuer, and of gret corage,
Sette on Hector, of knyȝtly hiȝe prowes;
And, as þei mette, boþe in her wodnes,
On her stedis, þis manly champiouns,
Eueryche on oþer lik tigers or lyons
Be-gan to falle, and proudly to assaille,
And furiously seuere plate and maille,—
First with speris, longe, large, & rounde,
And aftirwarde with swerdis kene grounde:
And fiȝtyng þus, longe þei contune.
Til it be-fil of cas or [of] fortune,
Tokne or signe, or som apparence,
Or by Naturis kyndly influence,
Whiche in-to hertis doþe ful depe myne,
Namly of hem þat born ben of o lyne,
Which cause was, paraunter, of þis tweyne,
Naturelly her rancour to restreyne,
And her Ire for to modefie—
Only for þei so nyȝe were of allye,

454

Vnwist of ouþer, and þer-of vnsure,
Til þei wer tauȝte, only of Nature:
For naturelly blod wil ay of kynde
Draw vn-to blod, wher he may it fynde,
Whiche made Hector kyndly to aduerte,
To be mevid and sterid in his herte,
Bothe of knyȝthod and of gentilnes,
Whan he of Aiax sawe þe worþines—
Spak vn-to hym ful benygnely,
And seide: “cosyn, I seye þe trew[e]ly,
Ȝif þou list Grekis here forsake,
And come to Troye, I dare vndirtake,
To þin allyes and to þi kynrede
Þou schalt be þere, with-outen any drede,
Ful wel receyved, in party & in al,
Of hem þat ben of þe blood royal
Sothly discendid, and hyest of degre,
Þat it of riȝt schal suffise vn-to þe,
And kynd[e]ly be to þe plesaunce
For to repeire to þin allyaunce—
To gentil herte sith no þing is so good
As be confederid with his owne blood;
For I conceyue be þe worþines,
Whiche Nature doth in þe expresse,
Of Troyan blood þat þou arte descendid,
Whiche of Grekis long hath be offendid:
Wherfore, I rede to leue hem outterly.”
And he answered ageyn ful humblely,
Þat sithen he of berthe was a Greke,
And was of ȝouþe amonge hem fostered eke
From þe tyme of his natiuite,
And taken had þe ordre and degre
Of knyȝthood eke amongis hem a-forn,
And, ouer þis, bounde was and sworn
To be trewe to her nacioun,
Makyng of blood noon excepcioun,

455

He swore he wold conserven his beheste;
And to Hector he made þis requeste:
Þat ȝif þat he of manful gentilnes,
Wolde of knyȝthood and of worþines
Shewe vn-to hym so gret affeccioun,
To make hem þat wer of Troye toun
Only with-drawe Grekis to pursewe,
And fro her tentis make hem to remewe,
And resorte ageyn vn-to þe toun,
Of knyȝtly routhe and compassioun,
With-oute assailyng, or any more affray
Made on Grekis for þat ilke day,
Sith vn-to hem ouȝt I-nowȝ suffice
Þat of þe felde, in so knyȝtly wyse,
Þei were of manhood fully possessours,
And of her fomen finally victours,
Lyk as to-forn fully is diffinyd.
To whos requeste Hector is enclyned
(Allas þe while!) of hasty wilfulnes,
And made anoon, with-oute avysenes,
Mid þe felde a trompet for to blowe,
Wher-by Troyens fully myȝte knowe
Þat be his wil þei schulde hem with-draw—
Aftir þe custom, pl[e]ynly, and þe lawe,
And þe vsaunce, boþe nyȝ and ferre,
Amongis hem þat ben expert in werre—
Whan þei were moste fervent for to fiȝt,
Vp-on Grekis for to preue her myȝt,
And had hem chacid lowe to þe stronde,
Þat þei wer weyke of power to with-stonde:
For þei of Troye, alle of o desire,
Gan settyn on with schot of wyld[e] fire
To brenne her schippis, & of hiȝe meschaunce
Finally to putte hem at outtraunce.
And so þei had, þis þe verray trouthe,
Nadde Hector had vppon hem routh,
Makynge Troyens repeire to þe toun,
Vngraciously, to her confusioun,

456

As þe story schal aftir specefie.
For þo he putte, allas, in iuparte
Life and deth, whiche myȝt haue be sure,
Þe whiche ageyn þei neuere schal recure.
Þei han mater to compleyne sore:
For fro þat day, fare-wel for euere-more
Victorie & laude fro hem of þe toun,
To hem denyed by disposicioun
Of mortal fate, whiche was contrarie
—In þis mater me liste no lenger tarie—
For þei of Troye ben entrid her cyte,
And schet her gatis for more surete;
For of þat day, [lyk] as made is mynde,
Þis was þe ende, in Guydo as I fynde—
Þei wende haue do, paraunter, for þe beste.
And whan þe sonne was I-go to reste,
Þei toke her ese al þat ilke nyȝt,
Til on þe morwe Tytan, clere & briȝt,
Schadde his bemys on her Emysperye,
Makynge þe day for to schewe myrie,
At whiche tyme Troyens anoon riȝt
—Þei þat wer hool and lusty for to fiȝt—
Gan armen hem in purpos ful þat day
Her foon to mete, platly, ȝif þei may:
For þat was hool her wil & pleyn entent.
And eke þei hadden in commaundement
To-forn of Hector redy hem to make,
Oute of her slepe amorwe whan þei wake,
Of whiche þing þei were nat necligent;
But to Pryam þe Grekis haue I-sent
Her messageris þe same day or prime,
To take trewe, only for þe tyme
Of eiȝt[e] wekes; þe whiche Priamus,
Be assent of Hector, þe story telleth þus,

457

Hath graunted hem, and by auctorite
Of þe wysest þat wern in þat cite.
In whiche tyme, while þei leiser haue,
Þe Grekis gan [for] to burye and graue
Þe bodyes þat a-forn were slawe,
Lyke þe rytes in her paynym lawe,
With al her myȝt and her besy cure;
For some brent, and by sepulture
Enclosed wern, liche her estat in al:
And þus þei hilde þe feste funeral
Fro day to day duryng ay þe pes,
In whiche space, I fynde, how Achilles
Of Patroclus þe deth hath sore pleined,
As he þat was with teris al be-reined,
So inwardly he loued hym in his herte,
Þat for þe anguysche & þe cruel smerte
He longe abood in lamentacioun,
And dide make, by grete affeccioun,
A large toumbe for a remembraunce,
Mid þe feld, as þo was þe vsaunce
Among Grekis, with grete reuerence,
Liche þe honour and þe excellence
Of royal buriyng: so þis Patroclus
I-graue was, and Protheselaus,
In her toumbes corve of marbil gray;
And nyȝe to-gidre in a plein þei lay,
Þe werke aboute hem richely I-wrouȝt;
And to þe erthe þei wer to-gider brouȝt
Solempnely, liche þe obseruaunces
Of her rytis, with þe circumstaunces
Of Grekis vsid, sothly, in þo dawes,
Fro poynt to point as longeþ to her lawes,
Of swiche as wern of þe estat royal:
So holden was þe feste funeral
Of þis two, whil þe trewe doth laste.
And þei of Troy besied hem ful faste,
With al her myȝt and her besy cure,

458

Her grene hurtis & woundes for to cure,
Be avis of hem þat wern in surgerie
Ful wel expert to schape remedie,
Her swol[le] soris to soften of her peyne,
Þat in þe space of þis monþis tweyne
Þei wer restored to helþe in euery þing.
In whiche tyme, Priamus þe kyng
Swiche sorwe made for Cassibellan
In his hert, þat no wiȝt ne can.
Hym recounforte of his hevynesse:
For day by day, of inward tendirnesse,
Ful pitously he gan to sobbe & wepe;
And þe body he made for to kepe
Aboue þe erthe for a certeyn space,
Til he had chosen oute a place
To his buriynge and his sepulture.
And, as Guydo vs fully doth assure,
In Venus temple, ryche as any shryne,
He made his werkmen a toumbe for to myne,
In marbil gray and metal rychely,
In whiche he putte ful solempnely
Þe dede cors of þis Cassibellan,
Beynge present ful many manly man,
In þe phane of Cytherea.

Howe Cassandra the prophitesse lamantably tolde þe Troyans þere deststruxion, for þe which þay emprisonde her.

In whiche þing, whan þat Cassandra
With-Inne hir silfe considered & beheld,
And saw vp offrid his helm & his sheld,
His swerd also, and vn-to Mars his stede,
Of inward wo sche felt hir herte blede,
Herynge þe noise and þe pitous crye,
Þe tendre weping & sorwynge outterly
Of hem of Troye, and lamentacioun

459

Whiche for her frendis, þoruȝ-oute al þe toun,
Þei gan to make, þat wer slawe a-fore:—
With sodeyn rage her herte was to-tore,
So inwardly, sche myȝt hir nat restreyne
Furiously to cryen and compleine,
And seide, “allas!” ful ofte, & “wellawey!”
“O woful wrecchis þat ȝe be þis day,
Vnhappy eke, and graceles also,
Infortunat and inly wo-be-go!—
How may ȝe suffre þe grete harmys kene
Whiche ȝe ar likly her-after to sustene
Durynge þe sege, in þis toun be-loke,
Seynge ȝour foon, redy to be wroke,
Aboute ȝou, beset on euery side,
To be vengid on ȝoure grete pride?
I wot riȝt wel ȝe may hem nat eschewe,
Þat þei ne schal vn-to þe deth pursewe
Ȝou euerychon, be-segid in þis place,
With-oute mercy, pite, or any grace!
Allas! allas! whi nil ȝe besy be,
Ȝe woful wrechis, schet in þis cite,
With þe Grekis for to seken pes,
Or þe swerd of vengance merciles
On hiȝe and lowe do execucioun?—
And or þis noble, worþi, royal toun
Euersid be, and y-brouȝt to nouȝt?
Why list ȝe nat consideren in ȝour þouȝt
How þe modres, with her childre smale,
In stretis schal, with face ded and pale,
Lyn mordred here þoruȝ Grekis cruelte,
And ȝonge maydenes in captiuite
Be-wepen schal, in myserie and in wo,
Her seruytude; and þis toun also,
So famous ryche,—allas, it is pite!—
With Grekis fire schal distroied be

460

In schort tyme, sothly þis no were.
Eleyne of vs, allas! is bouȝt to dere,
Sith for hir sake we schul euerychon,
Pore & riche, I excepte noon,
An ende make, woful and pitous:
Þe Ire of hem schal be so furious
Vp-on vs alle, þer is noon oþer mene
Sauf only deth vs to go betwene!”
Þis was þe noise and þe pitous cry
Of Cassandra, þat so dredfully
Sche gan to make aboute in euery strete
Þoruȝ þe toun, whom-euer sche myȝt mete,
Lyk as sche had ben oute of hir mynde,
Til Priamus fast[e] made hir bynde,
And schettyn vp—it was þe more rouȝth—
Sche was nat herde, al-be sche seide trouȝ[t]h:
For nouþer wisdam nor discrecioun,
Counseil nor wit, prudence nor resoun,
Trouth nor rede—with-outen any lye,—
Nor þe spirite of trewe proficye,
Availeth nat,—nor al swiche sapience,
In place wher þer is noon audience.
For, be a man inly neuere so wys
In counseillynge, or in hyȝe devys
In werkynge, ouþer in elloquence,
Eche þing to sen in his aduertence
Or it be falle, a-forn in his resoun,
Amyd þe eye of his discreccioun,—
Ȝet for al þis (it is þe more dool),
With-oute fauour, he holde is but a fool:
For vnfavored, wysdam vaileþ nouȝt,
Nouþer trouth, how dere þat it be bouȝt,
Liche as Cassandra, for al hir wyse rede,
Dispised was, & taken of noon hede
Of hem of Troye, to her confusioun,

461

But cruelly y-þrowen in prisoun,
Where a whyle I wele leue hir dwelle,
And of Grekis furth I wil ȝou telle.

Pallamydes gruchede agayns them that choyes Kynge Agamenon to haue domynacyon of þe Grekis.

And, first of al, how Pallamydes
Gan to gruche ageyn[e]s hem þat ches—
He beynge absent—kyng Agamenoun
To haue lordschip or dominacioun
On hem alle; namly, sith þat he
Was nat worþi to suche dygnyte,
For to gouerne so gret a myȝty host,
Þoruȝ-out þe world come from euery cost,
Of kynges, princes, so worþi of renoun:
For he þer-of had indignacioun,
And seide him silf was of more pouste
Amonge Grekis, and gretter of degre—
Concludynge þat, be no maner weye,
To his power he nolde nat obeye
In pes nor werre, as be subieccioun,
Sith he ne was at his eleccioun—
Platly affermynge how þer wer but þre,
Whan he was chose, kynges of degre,
Where-as þritty wer þat tyme absent;
For whiche he swore, it was nat his entent,
Nor acordynge with his oppinioun,
In any wyse þat Agamenoun
Of Grekis schulde haue swiche gouernaunce.
Lo, what meschef lyth in variaunce
Amonge lordis, whan þei nat accorde
For to drawe fully by o corde:
Envie is cause of swiche diuisioun,
And couetyse of dominacioun,
Þat eueryche wolde surmounte his felaw.

462

Þis cursid vise ofte hath with-drawe
Hap & grace, in many regioun:
For whan discord & false discencioun
Allied ben in hertis for to strive
Among lordis, þat kyngdam may nat þryve
Til þei reformed ben ageyn to pes
Amonge hem silf—pleinly þis no les.
Of whiche þing Grekis token hede,
And þouȝt[e] nat ferþer to procede
In þe matere þat Pallamydes
I-mevid had amonge[s] alle þe pres,
And þoruȝ her wit þei set al in quiete,
And maden hym his rancour for to lete,
And to accorde fully in his herte.
But now must I my style agein diuerte
Vn-to þe werre, and telle þe manere
After þe trewe how þei mette I-fere.

Howe Agamenon comyttede his wardys to Dyomede and othere. And Ectore prudently, of þe todire syde, was not rekelysse, them to recontyre.

Like as þis stori makeþ mencioun,
Þe worþi kyng, grete Agamenoun,
Whan þe trewes wer passid & I-goon,
In al hast he gan ordeyne anon
With al his myȝt & waker dilligence,
Devoide of slouþe & of necligence,
To sette his wardis ful a-visely;
And to Achille he ful prudently
Þe first[e] ward committeþ for to lede,
And þe secunde vn-to Dyomede,
Þe þridde, also, to kyng Menelay,
And þe fourþe, on þe same day,
Hadde Meneste, þe duk of Athene,
At his ledyng, in stele armyd clene.

463

And oþer wardes, folwyng by & by,
Agamenoun þe kyng ful manfully
Ordeyned [hath] how þei schal procede,
As he þat was in al his werke & dede
Ful circumspect, boþe in werre and pes.
And worþi Hector was nat rek[e]les
To sette his wardis of hem of þe toun
In knyȝtly wyse, of hiȝe discrecioun;
And to Troylus—so ȝong, so fresche, & lyȝt—
Þe firste warde, with many lusty knyȝt,
He hath assigned, and oþer wardes sette
So prudently, þei myȝt[e] be no bette.
And forþe in haste, hym list no lenger bide,
With many worþi ridyng by his side,
Oute at þe ȝatis he went of þe toun
Towarde Grekis, þis troyan champioun.
And, firste, whan he sawe þe ferse Achille,
He ne koude no lenger kepe hym stille,
But smot his hors felly in þe syde,
And toward hym cruelly gan ryde;
Þe whiche þing, with a dispitous eye,
Whan Achilles, sothly, gan aspye,
Ageyn Hector, of manful hardynes,
With hert envious gan his stede dresse:
And in þe felde to-gydere as þei mete,
With rounde speris, þe pointis kene whette—
At þe encountrynge, of knyȝtly excellence,
Eueryche oþer, þoruȝ gret violence,
Be verray force bar oþer vn-to grounde,
As ful ofte it happeþ, and is founde
Whan stronge doþ mete with his parigal:
Þer is no more, but euery[ch] had a fal.
But Hector first, of strengþe most assurid,
His stede ageyn haþ anoon recurid,
And lefte Achilles þo of gentilnes;
And in gret hast, forþe he gan him dres

464

Amonge Grekis, & wher-so þat he rood,
He killed & slouȝ al þat hym with-stood:
For with his swerd he made her woundis wide,
And þoruȝ þe brest, & some þoruȝ þe side
He percid haþ, and waged hem for euere,
And brak scheltrons, & made hem to disseuere;
For in his hert he þouȝt it dide hym good
To baþe his swerd in þe Grekis blood.
And þis contuneth til þat Achilles
Cauȝt his stede ageyn amonge þe pres,
And entrid in amongis hem of Troye;
And with his swerd he made large woye,
Slethe and bar doun whom þat euere he mette:
For þer was noon hardy hym to lette,
Til it be-fil, in his malencolye,
Hector he mette ridynge, sodeinly;
And whan þei saw eche oþer come a-fer,
With-oute a-bood eueryche cauȝt a spere,
And ran to-gider, þer was no more arest.
But Hector first smet him in þe brest,
Þat his spere, pleinly (þis no tale),
Al to-schyuered in-to pecis smale,
Þat Achilles of necessite
To grounde goth, it wold non oþer be,
And vn-horsed at þe erþe lay.
And Hector þan, in al þe hast he may,
Enforced hym for to cache his stede,
But many [a] Greke, in þis grete nede,
Cam to reskus of þis Achilles,
And, for his loue, putte hem silfe in pres,
Þorouȝ help of whom his hors he doþ ateyne,
Enhastynge hym with al his myȝt and peyne
To be avenged of his grete Iniurie.
And sodeinly in his wode furie,
With a swerd ful scharp[e] grounde & whet
He smot Hector vp-on þe basenet,

465

Þat from his sadel he made him to remewe,
Þe whiche stroke he myȝt[e] nat eschewe.
But, for al þat, þis noble worþi knyȝt,
Of verray force, þoruȝ his grete myȝt,
Maugre his foon his sadel haþ recurid,
As he þat was in manhood most assurid;
And sodeinly in hert he wex so wroþe
Þat in a rage to Achilles he goþe,
And with his swerd so smet hym on þe hede
Þoruȝ þe basenet, þat þe blood al rede
Be his face gan to renne doun,
Like a ryuer, his chekis enviroun:
But he hym silfe diffendiþ as a knyȝt.
And þo of newe be-gan þe cruel fiȝt
Atwen hem two, to sen þat it was wonder;
For euery stroke, grete as dent of þonder,
Range in þe eyre, for non wold oþer spare;
And þis þe soth: in her fiȝt þei fare
Like wode tigres, or bores in her rage,
Or sterne bolis, whan þei ben sauage,
Þat it sempte, in verray sothfastnes,
Ȝif þes two, so ful of worþines,
Contune longe in fiȝtynge, & endure,
Þe ton or boþe, of cruel auenture,
Most haue be dede, of necessite:
Þe whiche þing had[de] be pite,
Be-cause þei were worþi knyȝtes boþe.
But while þat þei in fiȝtyng, fel & wroþe,
Most besy wern, þe Grekis þo begynne
With her wardes for to entre Inne;
And þei of Troye, þe story makeþ mynde,
On her party lefte nouȝt be-hynde,
But in þe feld enhaste hem euerychon
In knyȝtly wyse to mete with her foon,
Þat with þe prese, here & also ȝonder,

466

Þe knyȝtes two seuered wern assonder.
And þo cam in sterne Dyomede
With þe knyȝtes whiche he dide lede,
Ful lustile, in þe silfe place,
With whom haþ mette proudly in þe face
Worþi Troylus on his hors[e]-bake,
Þat neuer had ȝet in manhod lak;
And as þei countre, þe story doth vs lere,
Eueryche vnhorsid knyȝtly hath his fere:
But first his hors recureth Dyomede,
And in al haste faste gan hym spede
Tasaille Troylus, stondynge vpon fote;
And whan he saw þer was non oþer bote,
As knyȝtly ȝet as euere dide man,
Ageyn[e]s hym diffende hym þo be-gan.
But Dyomede, hoot as any fire,
Wonder envious, & hatful of desyre,
With his swerde, of rancour for þe nonis,
Þe riche cercle, ful of ynde stonys,
Þat was þat tyme on Troylus basenet,
Ful cruelly hath racid of and smet;
But Troilus nolde, for al þat, him with-drawe:
For hym diffendynge, he hath þe stede slawe
On whiche sat þat tyme Dyomede,
Þat maugre hym he muste a-liȝt[e] nede.
And whan þei wern on fote boþe tweine,
Þei dide her myȝt & her cruel peyne
Eueryche of hem oþer to assaille
With swerdis scharp; so þat plate & maille
Þei gan to seuere and assonder race,
As wode lyouns, with mortal chere & face,
Til þe Grekis stronge, stoute, & felle,
(As myn auctor in his boke can telle)
Han þoruȝ her myȝt maked Dyomede
Sodeinly to recure a stede;
And Troyan knyȝtes, on þe toþer side,
Han Troilus brouȝt a stede for to ride.

467

And whan þei wern horsid boþe two,
With-oute more, to-gidre ageyn þei go
With stronge foynes, and I-fere ronne
Eche at oþer, as felly as þei konne,
Til at þe laste, cruel Dyomede
(Liche as ȝe may in myn auctor rede),
Wer it be cas, happe, or auenture,
In whiche no man fully may assure,
Or by Fortune, with hir false visage,
Hadde þat tyme of Troilus avauntage:
For he on hym was falle at meschef.
Þe whiche þing to him was no repref,
Þouȝ he hym toke, amonge so gret a rout,
On euery halfe with Grekis set a-boute;
Sith dotous euer is þe fyn of fyȝt—
Now vp, now doun, now dirke, & after briȝt:
For no wyȝt may ben ay victorious
In pes nor werre, nor ylyche eurous.
Late euery man, sith happe is set in doute,
Taken his torne as it cometh a-boute;
Þouȝ Troilus now was take of Dyomede,
Anoþer tyme he schal him quyte his mede:
For as þe story telleþ in þis place,
Þis Dyomede but a litel space
Troilus lad forþe as prisonere,
Þat to reskus, in stele armyd clere,
Many Troyan cam prikynge in þis nede,
Þat maugre al þe myȝt of Dyomede
Þei Troilus han from his hondis take;
And þo be-gan þe slauȝter for his sake
On euery halfe, þat wonder is to telle,
Of þe Troyans and þe Grekis felle.
Þan in-to þe felde is entrid Menelay,
Whiche on Troyens al þat ilke day
Ful besy was avengid for to be,

468

To hem he had so cruel enmyte;
And whan Paris saw him in þe felde,
Towardis hym þe riȝt[e] weye he helde,
And of purpos þei her wardis sette
Eche on oþer, til þei to-gidre mette:
And þo [þe] skarmusche & þe slauȝter gan,
On ouþer part, of many manly man.
And al þis while Hector nolde cese
Amongis Grekis cruelly to prese,
And new & new, of hym as I rede,
Iliche fresche þe blood of hem to schede:
For of his swerde þe traces wern [y-]sene,
Þat þe Grekis myȝt[e] nat sustene
To resiste nor stonde a-forn his face;
But where he rood ay þei ȝaf him place,
Til þat a knyȝt, whiche Boetes hiȝt,
Ȝonge of age, whan he hadde a siȝt
How Hector slouȝ þe Grekis mortally,
On euery side hauynge no mercy,
He presed in to encrese his name,
Perpetuelly to purchase hym a fame,
And furiously, in herte nat a-ferde,
He cast hym, platly, to mete him in þe berd.
Þe whiche þing whan Hector gan aduerte,
So hiȝe rancour enbrasid hath his hert,
Þat, with his swerde, of indignacioun
He rofe hym euene to þe nouele doun—
Fro þe crowne—wiþ so gret a peyne,
Þat in þe feld he parted lay in tweyne:
And Hector þo assigned haþ his stede
To a squyer, & bad he schuld it lede
To Troye toun, with-oute more a-bood.
And al þis while furiously he rood
Amonge Grekis, and euer mercyles
He slowe al þo þat putte hem silf in pres,
And schad her blood, of hert[e] dispitous.
Þe whiche þing whan kyng Archilagus,
Rydynge be-side, sawe & gan espie,

469

How Boetes, his cosyn and allye,
So cruelly was of Hector slawe,
Towardis hym in hast he gan him drawe
Vp-on his deth avengid for to be,
And rood at hym with grete cruelte,
Fully in purpos Hector for to quyte.
And sodeynly, as he gan at hym smyte,
Hector vnwarly hit hym on þe hed
So myȝtely, þat he fil doun ded,
Partid on two by cruel auenture,
Nat-with-stondynge his myȝti stronge armure—
Ageyn his stroke it was of no diffence:
For it was ȝoue with swiche violence,
Þat it halp hym in no maner þinge.
And þan anoon, Prothenor þe kyng
Of hatful Ire and foule hardynes,
Of surquidie and of hastynes,
Of malencolye and indignacioun
Kauȝt in his hert a presumpcioun
Tassaillen Hector, of inward foly pride,
And goth to hym, a-trauers on þe side,
Furiously, with a dispitous herte,
Þat his comynge he myȝt nat aduerte—
Only for he cam at his bak be-hynde,
Al vnwarly, in Guydo as I fynde—
And Hector smot from his hors to grounde,
In whom þer was so moche manhod founde,
Þat he anon, with a knyȝtly herte,
With-oute a-bood in-to his sadel sterte,
And riȝt fersely Prothenor pursueth,
Þat finally his hond he nat escheweþ:
For with his swerd he marked him so wel
Þoruȝ basenet, by his breste of stele,
Þat in-to tweyn, with-outen any faile,

470

He rofe him doun in-to his paunce of maile;
And he fil doun, in ful pitous wyse,
Of whiche stroke þe Grekis sore a-grise.
And specialy þe hardy ferse Achille,
Whan he behelde liked[e] ful ille—
For Prothenor was his nyȝe cosyn,
And discendid of þe same lyne—
For deth of whom he hath swiche heuynes,
So inward þouȝt, and so grete distres,
In al þis worlde he nyste what to do—
For hym he hadde so moche peyne & wo.
And for þe deth of Archilagus
To ben avengid he was ful desirous,
And in his herte many weye he caste,
And in þe wardis gan to seke faste,
With many Greke, on Hector to haue falle,
Conspired fully, in soth, amonge hem alle,
Of oon entent Hector to assaille;
But al for nouȝt,—it wolde nat availle—
He was þat day so cruel in his rage,
Þei myȝt of hym haue non avauntage.
And Troyan knyȝtes by fauour of fortune
Vp-on Grekis so myȝtely contune,
Þoruȝ conueiynge of Hector, & his myȝt,
Þat þei anon han hem putte to fliȝt,
And to her tentis, maugre who þat strive,
In her pursut for-woundid þei hem dryve,
Þat here & þere þei leien in a swouȝ;
And many Greke mercyles þei slouȝ
Þe longe day, til it drowe to nyȝt.
And sothly, þanne, for verray lak of liȝt
Þis Troyan knyȝtes, ful worþi of renoun,
Abouten Hector repeire to þe toun,
And entren in with honour and with glorie,
Þat day of Grekis havynge þe victorie:
And þus I leue hem in her toun with-Inne,
And forþe of Grekis telle I wil be-gynne.

471

Howe Kynge Agamenon, with alle the princysse of Grece, compassyd and contryvede the dethe and destruccion of worthy Ector, the which Achilles vnmanly toke on honde.

Whan Esperus, þe faire briȝt[e] sterre,
Ageyn[e]s eve, caste his stremys ferre,
And in þe weste raþest gan appere,
Whan þe twylyȝt, wiþ a pale chere,
In maner morneth þe absence of þe sonne,
And nyȝt aprocheþ with his copis donne—
Þe same tyme, whan Titan toke his leue,
Þat clerkis calle Crepusculum at eve,—
Whiche is nat ellis but þe mene liȝt
Of Phebus absence, and þe dirk[e] nyȝt,
And twyliȝt hatte: for it is a mene
Of day and nyȝt, departinge hem betwene,
Fully nouþer, but of boþe meynt,
Or þe heuene be clustryd and depeynt
With briȝt[e] sterris in þe Euenynge;—
At whiche tyme Agamenoun þe kyng
For his lordis sodeinly hath sent
To come echon anon in-to his tent.
And whan þei wern assemblid alle y-fere,
Triste & hevy, with a sorful chere,
Þe[i] gan þe slauȝter of Hector to compleine,
Affermynge playnly þei myȝt neuer ateyne
Vn-to victorie while he were a-lyue:
Wherefore þei gan to conspire blive
Þe deth of hym, in many sondry woye,
Echon concludynge, while he wer in Troy
It was nat likly Grekis for to wynne;
For he alone of hem þat were with-Inne
Was chef diffence and protectioun,
And souereynly vp-holder of þe toun,
Her myȝty castel and her strong[e] wal,

472

And vn-to Grekis dedly fo mortal:
For þei ne myȝt his grete force endure,
Nor neuer a-riȝt ageyn her foos be sure,
He stondyng hool (þei seide), in no degre,
Nor whil he floureth in felicite.
Wherfor, echon, of oon entencioun,
Þei-condiscende to þis conclusioun:
Þat be som sleiȝt of a-wait lying,
Whan he were most besy in fiȝtynge,
Amongis hem in meschef or distresse,
Þat Achilles do his besynes,
With al his myȝt vnwarly him to assaille,
Þat hym to slen for no þing þat he faille.
And Grekis alle gan her prayer make
To Achilles for to vndirtake
Of þis emprise fynally þe swt,
Þoruȝ his manhod þat it be execut—
Þe hasty deth of her mortal foo.
And Achilles, with-oute wordis moo,
Her requeste assenteth to parforme,
And to her lust gan holly hym conforme.
Fro þat tyme late hym be war, I rede,
To be to hasty þis Iourne for to spede,
Vp-on Hector his power for to kythe,
List Fortune a-wronge hir face wriþe,
To loke on hym with a froward chere,
Hym to bringe vn-to þe hondis nere,
Þoruȝ sort or hap, of Hector, folily
To put his lif of deth in iuparty,
List vn-to hym it happe euene lyche
To falle hym silfe in þe same dyche
Þat he for Hector compassid haþ & shape:
For it is wonder ȝif þat he eskape,
Sith Hector hadde, with-outen any drede,
As brennyng Ire and as grete hatrede
To Achilles his deth for to purvey,

473

Ȝif he hym founde or in place sey
Convenient for execucioun—
I trow þer schuld hym gayn[e] no raunsoun,
Nor oþer mede his herte to quyete,
But only deth, whan so þat þei mete:
Þis þe ende & fyn of þis mater,
As in þis boke after ȝe schal here.
And þus Grekis maked han an ende
Of her counseil, and anoon þei wende,
Eueryche of hem, hom to her loggynge,
And toke her reste til þe morw[e]nynge.

Howe Ector, inly desyrous to have ado with the Grekis, entyrde the felde him selff, with C and fyffty thousande of þe best chosyn of the Cite of Troye; and the Grekys of þa same wies.

Whan Aurora, with siluer dropes schene,
Hir teris shadde vp-on þe freshe grene,
Compleynynge ay in wepinge & in sorwe
Hir childis deth, euery somer morwe
—Þis to seyne, whan þe dew so sote
Enbawmed hath þe flour & eke þe rote
With lusty lycour, in April and in May,
Whan þe larke, messanger of day,
Of custom ay Aurora doth salue
With sondry notis, hir sorwe to transmve
Or Phebus ryse to Ioye and gladnes,
Þoruȝ armonye to leue hir heuynes,
Takyng hir leue, with seint[e] Iohn to borwe—
Þe same tyme, Grekis by þe morwe,
With lusty herte, erly dide a-ryse
And armed hem in al her best[e] wyse:
For þei hem caste þat day for to goon
In-to þe felde to metyn with her foon.
And Hector haþ, þe same morwe also,

474

I-caste hym fully with Grekis haue a-do,
And issed is knyȝtly oute of Troye,
In herte he hath so gret desire & Ioye
Þe same day with Grekis for to fiȝt,
And with hym ladde many lusty knyȝt
Of swiche as wern of þe cite born;
And forþe he rood, hym silfe al to-forn,
And Eneas with many a worþi
Folwede after, wonder fast[e] by,
And Paris þanne, and nexte hym Dephebus,
And sith Troylus, þat was so cor[a]ious,
With alle þe wardis made of Troye toun,
In whiche, as Dares makeþ mencioun
With-Inne his boke, þer wer on Troye syde
Of fyȝtyng men þat wente and dide ride
An hundrid þousand, armyd for to go
In-to þe felde, and fifty þousand mo
Whiche han hem cast þat day or at Eue
Of oon entent Grekis for to greue:—
And so þei mette, stronge on ouþer side,
And gan assemble and to-gedir ride
Ful cruelly, and with gret hatrede.
And with hem þo þat Paris dide lede,
He entrid in ful myȝti stronge archeris
Of Perce londe, & many arblasteris,
Þat with her arwes, filed scharp & rounde,
And with quarelles, square whet & grounde,
Ful many Greke han reued of his lyf.
And [a-]myddes of þis mortal strif
Agamenoun in-to þe felde is come,
Towardis whom Hector haþ I-nome
Þe riȝt[e] weye, & þrewe him of his stede
Amongis his knyȝtes þat he dide lede—
He spared nouȝt, for al þe grete pres.

475

And þer-with-al, anoon cam Achilles,
Þat in await of Hector hadde leyn;
And sodeinly, with al his myȝt & peyne,
Hector he smote on þe hed [so] sore,
Þat with þe stroke (myn auctor seiþ no more)
His basenet was bowed and y-crasid,—
Of whiche strok, Hector nat amasid,
On Achilles schuld anoon y-falle,
Nadde Eneas, with his knyȝtes alle,
And worþi Troylus come & go by-twene—
Þe whiche tweyne with her swerdis kene
Gan Achilles felly for to assaille,
To hewe his platis & to perce his maille:
And þo be-gan þe slauȝter on euery side
Of men of fote & of hem þat ride—
Liche a condut her woundes gonne blede.
And in þis while cruel Diomede,
Were it be hap, auenture, or caas,
So as he rood hath met with Eneas;
And riȝt anoon, as he hath him founde,
He smet at hym, and ȝaf him suche a wounde,
Þat likly was he schulde nat recure,
But ȝif þer-to be do þe bettre cure.

Howe Dyomede reprevyde Eneas as they met in the Felde, for þe answere þat he had afor in Troye.

And þer-vppon, ful dispitously
Þis Diomede in his malencolye
Repreued hath þis Troyan knyȝt Enee,
And seide to hym: “al heil, for þou art he
Þat whilom ȝaf to Priamus þi kyng
A fel conseil, hasty and bityng,
Me for to haue slaw be sodein violence
Whan I was last at Troye in his presence,
Þat trust me wel, & haue it wel in mynde,

476

Amyd þis feld if I þe efte fynde,
Þou schalt þi conseil mortally repente,
Ȝif þat Fortune her-after wil assent
To bringe þe a-riȝt vn-to myn honde
At good leyser, here in þin owne londe:
I am ful sette þi labour for to quyte—
And, here my trouþe, þis swerd schal kerue & bite
So kenely þi Troyan blood to schede,
Þat finally deth shal be þi mede,
Þe whiche I bere atwene myn hondis tweyne.”
And with þat word, he myȝt him nat restreyne,
Þis Diomede, but rood al sodeinly
Vp-on Enee, and so furiously
He smote at hym, þis hardy cruel knyȝt,
With swyche a peyne & so gret a myȝt,
Þat from his hors he made hym for to falle,
Maugre þe myȝt of his knyȝtes alle:—
Þe whiche stroke he lyked[e] ful ille.
And in þis while, Hector hath Achille
Assailled so, þat þoruȝ his basenet
He perced hath, & with his swerde hym smet,
And so narowe brouȝt hym to þe point
Of hiȝe meschef, & in swyche disioynt
Constreyned hym, þat of necessite
He had hym take, nadde only be
Sodeyn reskus of hym, chyualrous,
Þat callid is þe sone of Tideus—
I mene þe felle ferse Diomede,
Whiche Achilles haþ holpen in þis nede:
For he þoruȝ force of his armys tweyne
Smot Hector tho, with so gret a peyne,
Þat he hym ȝaf a wounde ful greuous;
But he no þing (myn auctour writeþ þus)
Astonyd was, þis knyȝt, þis manly man,
But with his swerde, in al þe hast he can,
Smot Diomede so furious & wroth,

477

Þat from his hors to þe erþe he goth,
For al his pride and his surquedie.
Þe whiche anon, as Troylus dide espie,
With-oute abood, doun of his stede aliȝt
With Diomede on fote for to fiȝt,
And eche of hem, in sothfastnes[se], þanne
Aquyt hym silf lik a manly man,
Þat nouþer was, in moche nor in lite,
In no degre of manhod for to wite.
And while þei fauȝt, Hector & Achilles
To-gider mette ageyn a-monge þe pres,
And ran I-fere fersely in her rage
As wode lyons whan þei be ramage—
Riȝt so, in soth, þei ferde in her fiȝtyng.
And in þat tyme Menelay þe kyng
Ful proudly schope hym Troyens for to mete.
Vlixes eke, and also Polimete,
And aftir hym cam Neptalonius,
Pallamydes, and eke Scelenivs,
Duke Meneste, Nestor, and Thoas,
Currunulus, and Philotheas,
And Theseus, as [it] is made mynde,
With his knyȝtes proudly cam be-hynde.
And on þe party of hem of þe toun
Cam alle þe kynges, with-oute excepcioun,
Þat were assemblid in-to her diffence,
Ageyn[e]s Grekis to make resistence,
—Excepte þe knyȝtes whiche Hector ladde,
And þe wardis þat he makid hadde
Þe same day, as seith þe latyn boke,
In knyȝtly wyse þe feld whan þat he toke.
And þo be-gan þe felle mortal fiȝt,
In whiche þat day ful many worþi knyȝt
In Fatis hondis, finally, are falle.
And of fortune, a-monge þe wardis alle,

478

Agamenoun, þe noble myȝty kyng,
Al sodeinly as he cam ridyng,
Pantisylaus in his weye mette,
Ageyn[e]s whom anoon his hors he sette;
And he to hym ful knyȝtly rood ageyn,
And as þei mette—þer is no more to seyn—
On hors[e]-bak, whiles þei were wrothe,
Of violence þei were vnhorsid bothe.
And Menelay Parys mette of newe,
Þe whiche two wel to-gidre knewe,
Ful desyrous eche oþer for to dere;
But Menelay cauȝte firste a spere,
And hitte Paris with al his inward cure,
But for surnes of his strong armvre
And myȝty platis, his wounde was but smal,
Whiche, in effecte, greued nat at al:
But with þat stroke vn-to þe grounde he goþe.
Of whiche falle Paris wex riȝt wroþe,
Wonder confus, & also red for shame,
List þe report, in hindringe of his name,
Cam to þe eris of þe quene Eleyne,
How he þat day myȝt[e] nat attayne
With Menelay to holden champartie,
Lykly to sowne in-to his vileynye—
Þe whiche at hert greuid hym ful sore.
And Adrastus þe kyng, with-oute more,
So as he rood, þe kyng Vlixes fond,
And knyȝtly boþe þei fouȝten hond of hond;
And as þe[i] fauȝt, doun to þe erþe lowe
From his hors Vlixes haþ hym þrowe,
And ful proudly, in signe of þis victorie,
He sent his hors home to his tentorie.
And in þat tyme, a-monges al þe pres,
Ful sodeinly kyng Pallamydes
Is falle on Hupon, with his lokkis hore,
And in his Ire woundid hym so sore

479

Þat he fil ded & gruf vn-to þe grounde,
His mortal swerd was so kene grounde:—
Besyde whom Neptolonyus
Assailled hath kyng Archilagus,
Þe whiche hym silf manly gan diffende;
But as þei fauȝt, & many strokes spende
In her diffence—it wolde be noon oþer—
Eueryche of hem hath vnhorsid oþer.
And þo cam in, ridyng on his stede,
Pollydamas, and gan to taken hede
Amonge þe rengis litel hym be-side,
Where as þe kyng Pallamydes doth ride;
And cruelly, so lik a manly man,
He smet his stede, and to hym he ran,
And maugre his myȝt & his worþines
—As þe story pleinly bereth witnes—
Only to venge þe deth of kyng Hupoun,
From his stede he proudly bar him doun,
And in his rancour & his cruel hete
Of þat dispite gan hym to rehete.
And þo be-side þe kyng Scelenus,
Of dedly hate & herte ful Irous,
With kyng Carras be auenture hath mette,
And furiously from his stede smet;
And þanne also þe kyng Philemene
Is on þe duke fallen of Athene,
Þat maugre boþe his manhod & his myȝt,
He hath his hors berafte him in þis fiȝt,
And lad with hym proudly by his side,
Where as hym liste þat it schulde abyde.
And Philotheas, þe worþi kyng also,
Þe silfe tyme with Remus had a-do,
And eueryche oþer, sothly, as I rede,
His felawe hath made to voide his stede;
And Theseus þe kyng, þat was so stronge,
Amyd þe feld so as he rood a-monge

480

Þe grete pres, hath mette Curyalus,
Þe worþi kyng, of knyȝthod riȝt famus,
And boþe two, in armys wonder stronge,
By hem silf fauȝt at leiser longe,
Til eche oþer, with woundes fresche & grene,
His felawe þrewe endelonge þe grene;
And afterwarde, I finde, how þei two
Vp-on fote knyȝtly hadde a-do—
Þei wern in armys so inly desyrous,
And of manhood passyngly famous.
And al þis whyle þe sonys naturel
Of Priamus bar hem wonder wel,
Amonge Grekis vp and doun ridyng,
And prudently to-gidre abidyng,
Made [a] slauȝter of Grekis ful pitous,
Of kynges, dukes, & lordis riȝt famous.
And, as I rede, how worþi Thelamoun
Þat tyme mette with kyng Sarpedoun;
And with her speres, squared ful sharply,
Euerych haþ oþer wounded mortally
Þoruȝ schilde & plate & haberioun of maille,
Þat, as þe story makeþ rehersaille,
How her harneis wex of blod al red,
And how þei fil al-most boþe ded,
At gret meschef amonge þe horse fet,
Of whos bledyng þe soiel gan wexe wet,
Þoruȝ her harneis as it gan distille.
Whiles kyng Thoas and þe ferse Achille,
As þei þat wern of kyn and allyed,
Amyd þe feld Hector han espied
Where as he fauȝt, be-set amyd his foon;
And vp-on hym of on accorde þei goon,
And mortally, ȝif it wolde availle,
On euery halfe þei gan hym new assaille,

481

And of hate, in herte born of ȝore,
Þei han be-set þis Troyan knyȝt [so] sore,
Þat þei, allas! from his hed han smet
By violence his riche basenet,
And wounded hym felly on þe hed:
But for al þat, he ne toke noon hed,
Þis worþi man, flour of chiualrye,
But hym diffendynge þo so myȝtely,
Kyng Thoas smot in þe face so,
Þat with a stroke he rofe his nose a-two,
And shortid it by þe haluendel.
At whiche stroke, þe breþer naturel
Of manly Hector fast[e] gan hem hyȝe
To socour hym, whan þei first espie
His grete meschef; and at her in commyng
Þei so manly bare hem in fiȝtynge
Ageyn Grekis, þat Thoas þei han take;
And Thelamoun so þei made a-wake,
With new assaut of sharpe woundis kene,
Þat he was take & left vp-on þe grene,
And of his men born home to his tent.
And kyng Thoas home to Troye is went,
Maugre Grekis, whiche helpe him may no more;
For Dephebus and also Anthenor
Han sent hym forþ to Troye þe cite.
And Menelay þo be-gan to se,
So as he rood, Paris stonde a-side,
And shope him shortly of hate & cruel pride,
Ȝif it wolde fallen on his chaunce,
Sodeinly to ȝeuen hym meschaunce;
But he was war, & kepte him silf so narwe
Þat Menelay he marked with an arwe,
Þe hed of whiche with venym was enoint,
Intoxicat at þe square pointe,
Þat þe kyng, of þat dredful wounde

482

Al dispeired of his men was founde,
Whiche in gret haste bar hym to his tent.
And he anoon for surgiens haþ sent,
Whiche first þe hede toke out of his wounde
—Al-be it was [y-]percid ful profounde
Þoruȝ his harneis ful depe in-to þe bon—
But konnyngly þei dide her craft echon
To drawe it oute with her instrumentis,
And sotilly, with serteyn oynementis
Þei cerched han þe wounde enviroun
To make it clene fro[m] corrupcioun;
And prudently firste þei token hede,
Þat þe venym ferþer nat procede,
Rounde in compas clensid it a-boute,
And after þat, bonde it sure with-oute,
And defensives made on euery syde.
And Menelay no lenger wolde bide,
But bad in haste bringe forþe his stede,
In purpos ful Paris to quite his mede,
Ȝif he hym finde, þe silfe same day—
Hym list no lenger put it in delay,
What-euere falle of his grene wounde.
And forþe he rood til he haþ him founde,
By auenture vn-armyd in þe felde,
With-oute swerde, polex, spere, or shelde,
Or bowe in hond—were it of reclisnes,
Or to refresche hym after werynes.
And Menelay anoon a spere haþ take,
And in his Ire felly gan it shake
Toward Paris, by gret avisenes,
And schuld haue slawe him, as bi liklines,
Nadde Eneas, whiche al þis þing behilde,
Born of þe stroke with his strong[e] schelde,
To diffende hym in [t]his auenture—
Destitute and naked of armvre,

483

Paris þat tyme in swiche peril was.
Wherfore, in hast, hath þis Eneas
Ordeyned knyȝtes, armyd briȝt in stele,
Aboute Paris for to kepe hym wele
From al meschef and confusioun,
Hym to conveie vn-to Troye toun,
Riȝt in dispite of kyng Menelay,
Whiche in a-wait so for Paris lay—
Whom Hector had I-take sodeinly,
And vn-to Troye ladde hym outterly,
Nadde Grekis come in his diffence,
Ageyn[e]s hym to make resistence.
Of whiche Hector, as þei cam in his weye,
Ful many Greke made for to deie,
And þe remenaunt put vn-to þe fliȝt,
Þat þoruȝ his manhod þat day, & his myȝt,
Troyens made þe Grekis for to fle
Vn-to her tentis, of necessite,
And hem to sue nolde neuere leue,
But slen & kille til it drowe to eve,
Þat Phebus gan fast[e] for to weste,
To draw hem hom þei þouȝt[e] for þe beste:
For Titan was at his goynge doun
Whan þei gan entre in-to Troye toun,—
Her gatis schette, þei to her loggyng wende;
And of þis day þus þei made an ende.

Howe kynge Pryamus the next day kam to þe felde, & howe he wolde have had kynge Thoas dede, þat was prysonere in Troye.

Til on þe morwe, þat þe rowes rede
Of Phebus carte gonne for to sprede
A-forn his vp-riste in the orient,
At whiche tyme, kyng Priamus haþe sent
For swiche as werne with him moste preve,

484

And of his counseille inwardly secre;
And specialy he sent[e] for be name,
For worþi Hector, þat grettest was of fame,
For Paris eke, & for Dephebus,
And for Troylus, freshe and desirous,
For Anthenor and [for] Pollydamas,
And for the Troyan called Eneas:
For he þat day cast him nat to goon
In-to þe felde to mete with his foon.
And whan þei wern to his paleis come,
Þis lordis han þe riȝt[e] weye nome
Vn-to þe kyng, with-Inne his closet;
And whan þe hussher haþ þe dore shet,
And eueryche hadde, liche to his degre,
His place take, and his dewe see,
Þis worþi kyng, as made is mencioun,
Gan to declare his hertis mocioun,
And his menynge a-forn hem specifie,
And seide: “sirs, in whom I moste affie,
To ȝow is knowe how kyng Thoas is here
In þis cite taken prisoner,
And is as ȝet be-loken in prisoun,
Whiche euere haþ be vn-to Troye toun
An enmy gret, vn-to his power,
And vs offendid, boþe fer and nere,
In many wyse (al-be we litel reche)
As fer as he his force myȝt[e] streche;
And now with Grekis cam to sege our toun,
As he þat wilneth oure distruccioun,
And [t]here-vppon hath done his besynes:
Wherfore, of doom & of riȝtwysnes,
Boþe of resoun and of equyte,
I seie pleynly, as semeth vn-to me,
So þat it be to ȝow acceptable,
And þat ȝe þink my counseil comendable,
Liche as he hath cast oure deth & shape,

485

I holde riȝtful þat he nat eskape,
But þat of deth he resseyue his guerdoun:
For riȝt requereth, and also good resoun,
Þat deth for deth is skilful guerdonynge,
Vn-to my wit, and riȝt wel sittynge—
Seth ȝour avis [now] pleinly in þis cas.”
And first of alle þo spake Eneas,
And seide: “lord, so it be noon offence
To ȝoure hiȝnes to ȝeue me audience,
Þoruȝ supporte here of hem þat be ful wys,
I shal reherse pleynly my devys,
What is to werken [as] in þis matere:
Me semeth first, my lege lorde so dere,
Þat ȝoure noble, royal excellence
Consydre shulde, with ful hiȝe prudence,
In euery werke and operacioun
To caste a-forn, in conclusioun,
Þe final ende þat may after swe;
For to a wysman, only is nat dewe
To se þe gynnynge and þe ende noȝt,
But boþe attonis peisen in his þouȝt,
And weien hem so iustly in balaunce
Þat of þe fyn folwe no repentaunce.
Whi I seie þis, &, platly, whi I mene,
Is [for] þat ȝe ouȝten for to sene
How kyng Thoas is oon þe principal
Amonge Grekis, & of þe blood royal—
Ȝif ȝe considre, descendid as be lyn:
Wherfore, ȝif he haue þus foule a fyn,
To be slawe while he is in presoun,
It myȝt happen, in conclusioun,
Þat ȝe and ȝours, þat þer-to assente,
Here-afterwarde sore to repente:
I preue it þus, þat ȝif by auenture,
Or fortune, þat no man may assure,
Some of ȝoure lordis were a-noþer day

486

Of Grekis take, as it happe may,
Or of ȝoure sonys, so worþi of renoun,
Or of kynges þat ben in þis toun,—
Trusteþ me wel, þat swiche gentilnes
As ȝe schew to hem in her distres,
Þei wil ȝou quyte whan, in cas semblable,
Fortune to hem þei finde fauerable,
Þe whiche no man constreyne may nor binde.
Wherfore, my lorde, haue þis þing in mynde:
For ȝif Thoas, of short avisement,
Shal nowe be ded þoruȝ hasty Iugement,
A-noþer day Grekis wil vs quyte,
And of rigour make her malis byte
On some of ȝouris, who-euere þat it be,
And nouþer spare hiȝe nor lowe degre,
Þouȝ he were paraunter of ȝoure blood;
Þe whiche þing, for al þis worldis good
It myȝt[e] falle, þat ȝe nolde se.
Wherfore I rede, lete kyng Thoas be
Honestly keped in prisoun,
Lyche his estate, stille here in þis toun,
List, as I seide, þat anoþer day
Somme lorde of ȝouris, as it happe may,
Casuelly were take of auenture:
Be eschaunge of hym ȝe myȝt[e] best recure,
With-oute strif, ȝoure owne man ageyn.
In þis mater I can no more seyn,
But finally þis is my ful[le] rede.”
To whiche counseil Hector toke good hede,
And for it was accordynge to resoun,
He hit commendith in his oppinoun.
But Priam, euere of oo entencioun,
Stode alweie fix to þis conclusioun,
Pleinly affermynge: “ȝif Grekis may espie
Þat we þis kyng spare of gent[e]rye,

487

Þei wil arrette it cowardyse anoon,
Þat we dar nat venge vs on oure foon,
For verray drede havyng noon hardines,
Nor herte nouþer to do riȝtwisnes;
Ȝet, neuerþeles, after ȝoure assent,
Þat he shal leue, I wele in myn entent
To ȝoure desire fully condescende.”
And of þis counseil so þei made an ende,
With-oute more, saue Eneas is go,
And Troylus eke, and Anthenor also,
In-to an halle, excellynge of bewte,
Þe quene Eleyne of purpos for to se,
With whom was eke Eccuba þe quene,
And oþer ladyes goodly on to sene,
And many mayde þat ȝonge & lusti was.
And worþi Troilus with þis Eneas
Dide her labour and her besy peyne
For to counforte þe faire quene Eleyne,
As sche þat stood for þe werre in drede;
But for all þat, of verray wommanhede,
Þilk[e] tyme, with al hir herte entere,
As she wel koude, maked hem good chere,
Havynge of konnynge inly suffisaunce
Boþe of chere and of dalyaunce.
And Eccuba, beyng in þis halle,
Verray exaumple vn-to wommen alle,
Of bounte havynge souereyn excellence,
In wisdam eke, and in elloquence,
Besouȝte hem þo, wonder wommanly,
And counsaillede eke ful prudently,
For any haste, boþe nyȝe and ferre,
Avisely to kepe hem in þe werre,
And nat iuparte her bodies folily;
But to aduerte and caste prudently
In diffence knyȝtly of þe toun,
Hem to gouerne by discrecioun:—
She spake of feith, & koude no þinge feyne.

488

And þanne of hir, & after of Eleyne
Þei toke leue, and no lenger dwelle,
But went her wey. & forþe I wil ȝou telle
How þe Grekis on þe same morwe
Amonge hem silfe compleyne & make sorwe,
Her harmys grete, in murmur & in rage,
Þe losse, þe costis, and þe grete damage
Þat þei han endured folily,
Lastynge þe werre, & wiste neuer why—
Þe deth, þe slauȝter of many worþi man
Siþen tyme þat þe werre be-gan,
Hunger & þurste, wacche & colde also,
Ful gret vnreste, sorwe, þouȝt, & wo—
And al to-gidre for a þing of nouȝt,
In sothfastnes, ȝif þe grounde be souȝt:
Þis was þe noyse & rumur eke þat ran
Þoruȝ-oute þe hoste þat day fro man to man,
And moste a-monge þe pore sodyours,
Whiche bere þe bront euere of suche shoures,
And þe meschef of werre, comounly;
And þouȝ þei pleyne, þei haue no remedie
Of þinges whiche sitten hem ful vnsofte.

Of the orryble and hydouse tempest, thondre, levene that roos sodeynly vpon the Grekys.

And þus Grekis compleyned han ful ofte
Of many meschef þat haþ on hem falle,
Þe whiche þei myȝt han eschewed alle,
Ȝif þei ne had of foly gonne a werre,
Oute of Grece nat comen halfe so ferre,
To her meschef and confusioun:
Þis was þat day her lamentacioun,
Whiche to encrese, þe same nexte nyȝt
So dirked was, with-oute sterre liȝt,
So cloudy blak, and so þikke of eyr,
Dymmed with skies foule & no þing fair,

489

So wyndy eke, with tempest al be-leyn,
Almoste for-drenchid with þe smoky reyn,
And in þe felde astonyed here & ȝonder
With sodeyn stroke of þe dredful þonder,
And with openyng of þe hydous levene,
Þat it sempte in þe hiȝe hevene
Þe cataractis hadde bene vn-do;
For þe cloudis and skyes, boþe two,
Sodeynly wexen were so blake,
Liche as þe goddis wolde haue take wrak,
And had of newe assentid ben in oon
Þe londe to drenche of Deucalyon,
And al þis world, with-oute more refuge,
To ouerflowe with a fresche deluge.

The Grekys tentys and pavelones, with stroke of thundure sodeynly wer cast oute of þe felde.

Þe wynde also so sternely gan blowe,
Þat her tentis, stondyng on a rowe,
Forpossid werne, and y-bete doun;
And furiously, to here confusioun,
Þe flodis rauȝt hem from her stondynge place,
And bare hem forþe a ful large space,
Wher-of in meschef and in gret distresse,
In gret labour & hertly hevynes
Þe Grekis biden al þe same nyȝt,
What for þe tempest & for lak of liȝt,—
Til þe flood gan ageyn withdrawe,
Þe wynde tapese, and þe day gan dawe,
And þe heuene gan ageyn to clere,
With-oute cloudis, & freschely to appere;
And Phebus eke with a feruent hete
Hadde on þe soille dried vp þe wete
And þe moysture enviroun on þe pleyn.
And Grekis had her tentis set ageyn,
And wern a-dawed of her nyȝtes sorwe

490

Þoruȝ þaperyng of þe glade morwe:
Þei hem array, no þing for þe pes,
And in-to þe felde first went Achilles,
As ȝe shal here, of entencioun
Þat day to fiȝte with hem of Troye toun.

Howe kynge Hupon, of stature lich a geante, was sclayn of his Enn[em]y Achilles; for whoos dethe, worthy Ector that day, with his swerde wrough[t] maryeylis, and kylde mony kynges.

Whanne dried was þe lusty large pleyn
With Phebus bemys, as ȝe han herd me seyn,
Þe Troyan knyȝtes, ful worþi of renoun,
Descendid ben and y-come doun,
And in þe feld toke her fiȝtynge place;
But Achilles, to mete hem in þe face,
To-forne went oute, lik as I ȝou tolde,
With his lordis & his knyȝtes bolde.
And firste, I finde, with-oute more abood,
Vn-to Hupoun furiously he rood
(I mene Hupoun þat was of his stature
Lik a geante, as bookis vs assure),
Whom Achilles with his scharp[e] spere
Þoruȝ þe body percid hym so fere
Þat he fil ded, his wounde was so kene.
And after þis, þe kyng Octamene,
As he fersely on Hector wolde haue gon,
With-oute a-bood Hector hym slowe anon,
And cruelly quitte hym his fatal mede.
And sodeynly ageyn[e]s Dyomede,
As Ȝantipus, þe worþi kyng, gan drawe,
Ful pitously he of hym was slawe.
And riȝt anon þe kyng Epistrophus
[And ek þe kyng þat hiȝte Cedius

491

Of oon assent, proudly in bataille,
Begonnen Hector mortally tassayle;
And wiþ a spere first Epistrophus]
Ran at hym, with herte dispitous,
And, as Guydo also doth deuyse,
Rebuked hym in vngoodly wyse—
To hym so sore in herte he was amevid.
Where-of Hector, furiously a-grevid,
Haþ mortally his wounde made so large,
Þat hym ne geyneþ plate, shelde, nor targe;
For he fil ded amonge his men echon,
To whom Hector bad he shulde goon
To þe furies, depe doun in helle,
Swiche wordis amongis hem to telle:—
“For here,” quod he, “men take of hem noon hede.”
And þus whan he was wagid for his mede,
Anon his broþer, callid Cedius,
Swiche sorwe made for Epistrophus,
So hertly dool, and so woful chere,
Þat pite was for to sen and here,
So inwardly on his deth he þouȝt:
And with a þousand knyȝtes þat he brouȝt,
To ben avengid by manhod of hem alle,
Dispitously on Hector he is falle,
Wher he hym fonde fiȝtinge with his foon,
Þat þoruȝ þe force of hem euerychon,
So sore enviroun þei han hym be-set,
Þat from his stede doun þei han hym smet;
Whom Cedius, ay in his cruel rage,
Whan þat he sawe to his avauntage
Hector vnhorsid, and he on his stede,
His swerd he lifte of inward[ly] hatrede,
Markynge at hym with so gret a peyne,
With al þe force of his armys tweyne,
Fully in purpos, with-oute more delay,
To slen Hector, pleynly, ȝif he may.

492

But or his stroke descende myȝt[e] doun,
Hector, of hate and indignacioun,
With his swerde, þat was ful sharp[e] whet,
From his sholdre haþ his arme of smet;
And after þat, he reued hym his lyf.
Þanne Eneas amyddes al þis strif
Cam ridynge in, wood and furious;
And as he mette þe kyng Amphymacus,
He fel on hym & slow hym in his rage.
And from Grekis holdyng her passage,
Þer cam doun, frist Menelaus,
And after hym kyng Thelamonyvs,
Þe grete duke also of Athene,
In whom þer was so moche manhod sene,
Vlixes eke, and cruel Dyomede,
And eke also, to helpe hem in her nede,
Þer cam with hem þe kyng Machaoun,
And alderlaste þe grete Agamenoun,
With alle her wardis, & fel in sodeynly
Vp-on Troyens; & þei ful manfully
Defende hem silf ageyn þe Grekis proude,
And put hem of ful knyȝtly, as þei koude:
And eche on oþer, sothly, as þei mette,
With spere & swerde enviously þei sette—
So mortal hate þer was hem betwene.
And whan þe sonne was in Meridene,
In mydday angel, passynge hote & shene,
Þe Grekis gonne felly in her tene
So myȝtely to falle on hem of Troye,
Þat þei hem made for to ȝeue woye,
Of verray force and necessite.
And Achilles, so ful of cruelte,
Amonge þe rengis as he gan him drawe,
Þe kyng Philem enviously haþ slawe;
And myd of Grekis þe same tyme Hector,
Maugre hem alle, slowe kyng Alphenor,
And eke þe kyng callid Dorovs:

493

On hem he was so cruel and Irous,
Þat, þoruȝ vertu of his knyȝtly hond,
Troyens han wonne a-geyn her londe
Vp-on Grekis, and made hem for to fle.

Of the monstrouvse Archere that was half man half hors, and was with kynge Epistrophus.

And þilke hour, from Troye þe cite,
Epistrofus, ful of manlynes,
Þe felde haþ take þoruȝ his worþines;
And on Grekis proudly, for þe nonys,
With his knyȝtes [he] falleþ al attonys,
And seuered hem & made hem for to twynne,
And gan þe felde faste vp-on hem wynne,
Havynge þat tyme in his companye,
Amongis oþer þat he dide guye,
A certeyn archer, þe whiche, as I fynde,
Was monstruous & wonderful of kynde:
For from þe myddel vp vn-to þe crowne
He was a man; & þe remenaunte doune
Bar of an hors liknes and figure;
And horsis her, þis monstre in nature
Hadde on his skyn growyng enviroun,
Ful rowe & þikke; & of his vois þe soun
Was liche þe neiynge of an hors, I rede;
And þouȝ his face, boþe in lengþe & brede,
Of shap were mannyshe, ȝet, in sothfa[s]tnes,
His colour was semblable in liknes
Vn-to þe fery, hote, brennynge glede,
Whos eyen eke, flawmynge also rede
As þe blase of an oven mouthe—
And for he was in siȝte so vnkouthe,
Wher-so-euere he was mette in þe berde,
Boþe man & hors sore werne a-ferde,
His face was so hatful and odyble,
And his loke so hydous and orible.

494

And ay he had in custom & vsaunce,
As in bokis is made remembraunce,
For to goon vn-armyd in-to þe felde,
With-oute swerde, spere, axe, or shelde;
For he no þing koude of þat myster:
But, as I finde, he was a good archer,
And bare a bowe, stif & wonder stronge;
And for he was also of tiler longe,
His arwes wern liche to his tiler,—
In a quyuer trussed wonder ner
By his side, ay redy to his honde,
Where-so he were, ouþer on se or londe.
And, as I finde, how þat noon armvre
Ageyn his schot pleinly myȝt endure;
And þer nas hors, stede, nor courser
Þat durste abide, nouþer fer nor nere,
But fled anoon with al her ful myȝt
As faste as þei of hym had a siȝt,
To hem he was so passyng odyous,
So like a deuele, and so monstruous:
And þer was founde noon so hardi knyȝt
On hors[e]-bak þat had[de] force or myȝt
To holde his hors whan þei myȝt hym se,
But þat anoon abak he wolde fle.
And of þis archer I finde writen eke,
Þat he þat day slowe [ful] many Greke,
And wounded hem with his arwes kene
Þoruȝ-oute þe platis, forgid briȝt & shene;
For þer was non a-forn hym þat abood,
But to her tentis fast awey þei rood,
Þei myȝt[e] nat his hidous loke endure.

Howe Dyomede slewe the Sagittarye bysydes his tent, with a darte intoxicayte with venyme.

Til þer be-fil a wonder auenture:
While þei of Troye by help of þis archer

495

Sewe on þe chaas to her loggynge ner,
And slowe of hem, in meschef & in drede,
Be-syde a tent met[te] Dyomede
With þis archer, of necessite;
For it stood so, þat he ne myȝt hym fle
No maner weye, nor a-bak remwe—
For lyf nor deth, he myȝt him nat eschwe,
So many Troyan was þo at his bake,
In his fleyng he had go to wrak:
Wherfor, anon, þis hardy Dyomede,
With cruel herte fast[e] gan hym spede,
And toward hym proudly for to dresse.
But þis archer, by gret avysenes,
First with an arwe smet[te] Dyomede
Þoruȝ his harneis, þat he made him blede,
Of whiche stroke he wexe so wood & wroþe,
Þat to þis monstre, so hidous & so loþe,
He went a pas, & hym vn-armyd fond;
And with þe swerde þat he hilde in his hond,
He ȝaf to hym his last[e] fatal wounde,
Þat he fil ded,—gruf vn-to [þe] grounde.
Þe deth of whom Grekis reioisshinge,
And, in al haste, her hertis resumynge,
Be-gan hem silf for to recounforte;
And in-to þe felde proudly þei resorte
By conveiynge of Polixenar,
Þe worþi duke, þat so wel him bar
Vp-on Troyens þat day in þe felde.
But whan Hector þe slauȝter of him behilde,
Vp-on þis duke anon he gan to sette;
And on her stedis fersly as þei mette,
Hector hym slouȝe, of ful grete hatrede.
And after þat, on Galathe his stede,
So as he rood forþe amonge þe þres,
Or he was war he meteth Achilles;

496

And with her speris, longe, large, & rounde,
In purpos fully eche oþer to confounde,
Þei ran I-fere, Irous & riȝt wrothe,
Þat with þe stroke þe[i] wer vnhorsid boþe:
But Achilles, with a dispitous herte,
First, as I rede, in-to his sadel sterte,
And besy was, with al his inward peyne,
Gallathe to taken by þe reyne,
Þer-of for euere Hector to deprive,
And bad his men to lede it hom as bliue,
So þat Hector—þer was noon oþer bote—
Ful like a man fauȝt stondyng on fote
Amonge Grekis and his fomen alle;
And to his knyȝtes loude he gan to calle,
For his stede þat þei shulde swe;
And þei in haste his hors to reskewe,
Bene attonys fallen on Achille,
And maugre hym, of force, ageyn his wille,
Þei han from him berafte it on þe pleyn,
And to Hector restorid it ageyn,
Whiche in knyȝthod so moche him-silf assureth,
Dispit of hem his sadel he recureth,
Whiche afterwarde ful dere þei abouȝt.
For liche a lyoun al þat day he wrouȝt,
Amonge[s] hem ridynge here & þere,
And as þe deth þei fled his swerd for fere,
Þoruȝ whos manhod Troyens efte be-gynne
Vp-on Grekis þe felde ageyn to wynne.
But it be-fil amyd her grete fiȝt,
Þat Anthenor, a certyn Troyan knyȝt,
Amonge þe pres is so fer in goon,
Þat of Grekis he was take a-non,
And to her tentis sent in haste he was;
Al-be his sone, callid Pollydamas,
To reskewe hym dide his dilligence

497

So manfully, þat no necligence
Was founde in hym, who-so liste to seke;
And þat ful dere abouȝt[e] many Greke,
Þe same day, þoruȝ his worþines:
But for cause only of dirknes,
And for þat it gan drawe towarde nyȝt,
Þei made an ende only for lake of liȝt.
[And Grekis wente hom to her loggyng,]
And eke Troyens; til on þe morw[e]nynge,
Þat Phebus gan his briȝt[e] bemys shewe,
And Aurora newe gan a-dewe
Þe herbis sote and þe grene levis,
Bothe in haies and in freshe greuys,
Siluer briȝt, with rounde perlys fyne,
Þat so clerly ageyn þe sonne shyne,
And shewe hem silf, so orient & shene,
On hil & vale, and on euery grene,
Þe rody morwe, til þe hote bemys
Of briȝt[e] Phebus with his firy stremys
Vapoureth vp her moysture in-to þe eyr,
Þe wedir clere, agreable, and feir,
And attempre also of his hete,
Whan þe Troyens [cast] hem for to mete
With her fomen, platly, ȝif þei may.
And oute þei wente in her beste array,
With her wardis in-to feld by rowe,
Ageyn[e]s whom Grekis wer nat slowe,
But shope hem forþe, with-oute lenger let,
Til þei to-gidir manfully han met;
And with her speris & her swerdis clere,
Þei ran to-gedir, with a dispitous chere,
Til shyuerid was a-sondre many spere
On shildis stronge, hem siluen for to were,

498

And ryuen was on pecis many targe;
And, with exis, rounde, brode, and large,
On basenettis as þei smyte and shrede,
Ful many knyȝt mortally gan blede,
In sothfastnes; and, as I telle can,
Þe same day was slayn many [a] man
On ouþer part, but most of Troye toun,
Al-be Guydo maketh no mencioun
Of no persone, as in special,
On nouþer syde, but in general—
Saue he concludiþ, pleynly, þat þis fiȝt
Laste fro morwe til þat it was nyȝt,
Þe whiche Troyans han ful dere a-bouȝt:
For þilk[e] day fortune halp hem nouȝt,
But turned hool to her confusioun,
And so þei bene repeired to þe toun.

Howe the Grekes sent Dyomede and Vlixes to kynge Pryamus for a trewes of thre monethes.

And to her tentis Grekis faste hem spede,
Til on þe morwe þei sent Dyomede
With Vlixes to Troye þe cite
For a trewe, only for monyþes þre,
Ȝif kyng Priam þer-to wolde assent.
And as þei two on þis message went,
A certeyn knyȝt, born of Troye toun,
Þat hiȝt Dolon, of grete discrecioun,
And was also riȝt famous of riches,
Of curtesye, and of gentilnes,
His deuer dide, and his dilligence
Hem to conueye vn-to þe presence
Of Priamus in his paleis royal;
And in his se, most chefe and principal,
Where as he sat, his lordis enviroun,

499

With many knyȝt ful worþi of renoun,
Þei gan to hym first to specefie
Holy þe substaunce of her embassatrie,
And of þe trewe þer entent þei tolde,
Ȝif it so were he assenten wolde.

Howe Kynge Priamus graunt to the Grekis ther askynge; bot worthi Ector was ther-to contrarye.

And þe kyng benygnely hem herde,
And by avys prudently answerde,
Þat þer-vppon, his honour for to saue,
At good leiser he wold a counseil haue
With his lordis, and fully hym gouerne
In þis mater like as þei discerne;
And, to conclude shortly, euerychon
Assentid ben, excepte Hector allone,
Vn-to þe trewe, & nolde it nat denye:
But Hector seide, þat of trecherie,
Only of sleiȝt and of false tresoun
Her axynge was, vnder occasioun,
First to burie Grekis þat wer dede,
And vnder colour þer-of—oute of drede—
Afterwarde hem siluen to vitaille;
For he wel knewe þat her stuf gan faille,
And enfamyned, liste þei shulde dye,
Þei souȝte a space hem siluen to purueye,
By outewarde signes þat he dide espie.
“Wherfore,” quod he, “me lykeþ nat to lye,
By apparence, as I dar preswme,
Whyles þat we wasten & conswme
Oure stuf with-Inne, as it is to drede,
Þei wil prouide of w[h]at þat þei [haue] nede;
For al þat is to hem a-vauntage,
Mut ben to vs hynderynge & damage;
And whiles þei encres[en] and amende,
We shal oure store discresen and dispende:

500

Ȝit neuerþeles, how-euere þat it be,
Towchyng þis trew as for monþes þre,
Sethen ȝe alle assenten and accorde,
Fro ȝoure sentence I wil nat discorde,
In no wyse to be variaunt.”
And þus þe trewe confermed was be graunt,
On ouþer syde hem þouȝt[e] for þe beste,
By-cause þei shulde in quiete & in reste
Þe mene while ese hem and releue;
And þei þat felte her woundis sore greue
Miȝt haue leiser hem silfe to recure.

Howe durenge the trewes Anthenore was delywerde fro þe Grekis, for kynge Thoas and Cresseyde.

And while þe trewe dide þus endure,
Þei fil in trete and in comwnynge
Of Anthenor and [of] Thoas þe kyng:
Þat Anthenor shulde delyuered be
For kyng Thoas, to Troye þe cite;
And Thoas shulde to Grekis home ageyn,
Only be eschaunge, as ȝe han herde me seyn,
Oon for a-noþer, as it accorded was.
And in þis while þe byshope, he, Calchas,
Remembrid hym on his douȝter dere,
Callid Cryseide, with hir eyen clere,
Whom in Troye he had lefte be-hynde
Whanne he wente, as þe boke makiþ mynde:
For whom he felte passingly gret smert,
So tendirly she was set at his herte,
And enprentid, boþe at eue and morwe.
And chefe cause & grounde of al his sorwe
Was þat she lefte behynde [hym] in þe toun
With-oute comforte or consolacioun,
As he caste, sothly, in his absence,

501

And specially for his grete offence
Þat he haþ wrouȝt aȝens hem of Troye;
And, as hym þouȝt, he neuer shulde han Ioye
Til he his douȝter recurid hath ageyn.
Wherfore Calchas, þe story seith certeyn,
In his wittes many weies caste
Howe he myȝt, while þe trew doþ laste,
Recure his douȝter by som maner way;
And, as I fynde, vp-on a certeyn day,
In his porte wonder humblely,
With wepynge eye, wente pitously,
In compleynynge, of teris al be-reyned,
Whos inwarde wo, soþly, was nat feined,
And on his knees anoon he falleþ doun
To-fore þe grete kyng Agamenoun,
Besechynge hym, with al humilite,
Of verray mercy & of hiȝe pite,
With oþer kynges sittinge in þe place,
To haue routhe, & for to don hym grace,
And on his wo to haue compassioun,
Þat he may haue restitucioun
Of his douȝter whom he loued so,—
Preyinge hem alle her deuer for to do,
Þat þoruȝ her prudent medyacioun,
For Antenor, þat was in her prisoun,
With kyng Thoas she myȝt eschaunged be,
Ȝif þat hem liste of her benignyte
To his requeste goodly to assente.
And þei him graunte; & forþe anoon þei sente
To kyng Priam for to haue Cryseide
For Calchas sake, & þer-with-al þei leide
Þe charge for hir wonder specially
On hem þat wente for þis enbassatrie
To Troye toun and to kyng Priamus,—
To whom Calchas was so odyous,
So hateful eke, þoruȝ-oute al þe toun,

502

Þat þis reporte was of him vp and doun:
Þat he a traytour was, & also false,
Worþi to ben enhonged be þe halse
For his tresoun and his doublenes.
And, ouermore, þei seiden eke expresse,
Þat he disserued haþ, be riȝt of lawe,
Shamfully firste for to be drawe,
And afterward, þe most orrible deth
Þat he may haue, to ȝelden vp þe breth
Liche a treytour in a[s] dispitous wyse
As any herte can þenke or deuyse—
Eueryche affermynge, as by Iugement,
Þat deth was noon ffully equipolent
To his deserte, nor to his falsenes,
As ȝonge & olde pleinly bar witnes;
Concludynge eke, for his iniquite,
Þat þei wolde assent in no degre
Vn-to no þinge þat myȝt his hert[e] plese,
Nor of Cryseide, for to don hym ese,
Þei caste nat to make delyueraunce—
Leuer þei hadden to ȝeue hym meschaunce,
Ȝif þei hym myȝt haue at good[e] large.
But finally þeffecte of al þis charge
Is so ferforþe dryuen to an ende,
Þat Priamus hath graunted sche shal wende
With kyng Thoas, shortly, þer is no more,
Vn-to hir fader for daunȝ Anthenor—
Who-euere gruche, þe kyng in parlament
Hath þer-vppon ȝoue iugement
So outterly, it may nat be repeled:
For, with his worde þe sentence was asselid,
Þat she mot parte, with hir eyen glade.
And of þe sorwe, pleinly, þat she made
At hir departynge, her-aftir ȝe shal here
Whan it ageyn cometh to my matere.

503

Howe worthy Ector, durenge the trewes, kame to the Tent of Achilles, where they were condescendyde that the quarells, as wele of the Troiayns parte as of þe Grekes, shulde be deraynede by the handys of theme two, yif þe Troians and Grekis wolde ther-to consente.

The trew affermyd, as ȝe han herd deuise,
On ouþer side, of hem þat wer ful wyse,
And ful assentid of hem euerychon,
Til þre monþes come be and goon,
Liche as I rede, on a certeyn day,
Whan agreable was þe morwe gray,
Blaundiss[h]inge and plesant of delit,
Hector in herte cauȝte an appetite
(Like as Guydo liketh for to write)
Þe same day Grekis to vesite,
Ful wel be-seyn, and wounder richely,
With many worþi in his company,
Of swiche as he for þe nonys ches.
And to þe tent first of Achilles,
I fynde, in soth, þis worþi Troyan knyȝt
Vp-on his stede toke þe weie riȝt,
Ful liche a man, as made is mencioun.
Now hadde Achilles gret affeccioun
In his herte, boþe day and nyȝt,
Of worþi Hector for to han a siȝt:
For neuer his lyue, by non occasioun
He myȝt of hym han non inspeccioun,
Nor hym be-holde at good liberte;
For vnarmyd he myȝt him neuer se.
But wonder knyȝtly, boþe in port & chere,
Þei had hem boþe as þei mette in fere,
And riȝt manly in her countenaunce;
And at the laste þei fille in dalyaunce.
But Achilles firste began abreide,
And vn-to hym euene þus he seide:

504

“Hector,” quod he, “ful plesyng is to me
Þat I at leiser nakid may þe se,
Sith I of þe neuere myȝt haue siȝt
But w[h]an þou were armyd as a knyȝt;
And now to me it schal be ful greuous,
Whiche am to þe so inly envious,
But þou of me—þer is no more to seyne—
Be slaie anon with myn hondis tweyne:
For þis, in soth, wer hoolly my plesaunce,
By cruel deth to take on þe vengaunce;
For I ful ofte, in werre & eke in fiȝt,
Haue felt þe vertu & þe grete myȝt
Of þi force, þoruȝ many woundis kene,
Þat vp-on me be ful fresche & grene
In many place, be shedynge of my blood—
Þou were on me so furious and wood,
Ay compassynge to my distruccioun;
For many a mail of myn haberion
Þi sharpe swerd racid haþe a-sonder,
And cruelly seuered here and ȝonder,
And mortally, as I can signes shewe,
My platis stronge percid & I-hewe,
And myn harneis, forgid briȝt of stele,
Miȝt neuere assured ben so wele,
In þin Ire whan þou liste to smyte,
Þat þi swerd wolde kerue & bite
In-to my fleshe, ful depe & ful profounde,
As shewiþ ȝit be many mortal wounde
On my body, large, longe, and wyde,
Þat ȝit appere vppon euery syde,
And day be day ful sore ake and smerte.
For whiche þing, me semeþ, þat myn herte
Enbolleth newe, now whan I þe se,
Of hiȝe dispit avengid for to be—
So am I fret of envious rage,
Þat it may neuer in my brest aswage
Til þe vengaunce and þe fatal sut
Of cruel deth be on þe execut.

505

And of o þing moste is my greuaunce,
Whan I haue fully remembraunce,
And in my mynde considre vp & doun,
How þou madist a diuisioun
Of me, allas! and of Patroclus,
So ȝonge, so manly, and so vertuous!
Whom I loued, as it was skyl & riȝt,
Riȝt as my silf, with al my ful myȝt,
With as hol herte and inly kyndenes
As any tonge may tellen or expres.
Now hast þou made a departisioun
Of vs þat werne by hool affeccioun
I-knet in oon, of hertly allyaunce,
With-oute partynge or disseueraunce—
So enteerly oure feithful hertis tweyen
I-lacid werne, and lokkid in o cheyne,
Whiche myȝt[e] nat for noon aduersite
Of lyf nor deth assonder twynned be,
Til cruelly þou madest vs departe,
Whiche þoruȝ myn hert so inwardly [doth] darte,
Þat it wil neuer, in soth, out of my þouȝt.
And, trust wel, ful dere shal be bouȝt
Þe deth of hym, &, be no þing in were,
Parauenture or endid be þis ȝere:
For vp-on þe, only for his sake,
Of cruel deth vengaunce shal be take,
I þe ensure, with-outen oþer bond;
Ȝif I may lyue, with myn owne hond
I shal of deth don execucioun,
With-oute abood or [long] dylacioun.
For riȝt requereth, with-outen any drede,
Deth for deth, for his final mede;
For I my silfe þer-on shal be wroke,
Þat þoruȝ þe world her-after shal be spoke,
How Achilles was vengid on his foo,

506

For Patroclus þat he loued so.
And þouȝ þat I be to þe envious,
And of þi deth inly desirous,
Ne wyte me nat, ne put on me no blame,
For wel I wote þou arte to me þe same,
And haste my deth many day desyred,
And þer-vp-on inwardly conspired:
And þus, shortly, as a-twen vs two
Þer is but deth, with-oute wordis mo,
Whan fortune hath þe tyme shape,
I hope fully þou shalt nat eskape—
Truste noon oþer, I seie þe outterly!”
To whom Hector nat to hastely
Answerid ageyn, with sobre countenaunce,
Avised wel in al his daliaunce,
As he þat was in no þing rek[e]les;
And euene þus he spake to Achilles:
“Sir Achilles, with-outen any faille,
Þou auȝtest nat in herte to mervaille
Þouȝ with my power & my ful[le] myȝt,
With herte & wylle, of verray due riȝt,
Day be day I þi deth conspire,
And euer in oon compasse it & desire,
And do my labour erly and eke late
To pursue it by ful cruel hate:—
Þou ouȝteste nat to wondren in no wyse,
But fully knowe, by sentence of þe wise,
In no maner, who-so taketh hede,
Of riȝtwysnes it may nat procede,
Þat o[u]þer I or any oþer wiȝt
Shulde hym loue, þat with al his myȝt
My deth pursuwet[h] pursuweth and destruccioun;
And ouer þis, to more confusioun,
Hath leide a sege aboute þis cite,
On my kynrede and also vppon me,
And, þer-vp-on, felly doth preswme
With mortal hate of werre to conswme
Vs euerychon—I-wis, I can nat fynde

507

In myn herte, as by lawe of kynde,
Swiche on to loue, of riȝt nor equite,
Nor haue hym chere, sothly, in no degre:
For of werre may no frendlyhede,
Nor of debate loue a-riȝt procede;
For, sothly, loue, moste in special,
Of feithfulnes hath his original,
In hertis Ioyned by convenience
Of oon accorde, whom no difference
Of doubilnes may in no degre,
Nouþer in Ioye nor aduersite,
For lyf nor deth assounder nor disseuere;
For where loue is, it contuneth euere,
But of hate al is þe contrarie.
Of whiche, sothly, from hertis whan þei varie,
Procedeþ rancour, at eye, as men may se,
Debat, envye, strife, and enmyte,
Mortal slauȝter, boþe nyȝe and ferre,
Moder of whiche, in sothfastnes, is werre,
Þe fyn wher-of, longe or it be do,
Seuerith hertis & frendship kut a-two,
And causeth loue to be leide ful lowe.
But, for al þis, I wil wel þat þou knowe
Þi proude wordis, in hert[e] nor in þouȝt,
In verray soth, a-gaste me riȝt nouȝt;
And ȝif I schal, ferþermore, oute-breke,
With-oute avaunte þe trouþe for to speke,
I seie þe, pleinly, hen[ne]s or two ȝere,
Ȝif I may live in þis werris here,
And my swerde of knyȝthod forþe acheve,
I hope, in soth, so mortally to greue
Þe Grekis alle, whan I with hem mete,
Þat þei & þou shul fele ful vnswete,
Ȝif ȝe contynewe and þe werris haunt;—
I shal ȝour pride & surquedie adaunte

508

In swiche a wyse with myn hondis two,
Þat or þe werre fully be a-do,
Ful many Greke sore shal it rewe.
For wel I wote, of olde & nat of newe,
Þat ȝe Grekis, gadred here in on,
Of surquedie are fonned euerychon,
Only for want of discresioun,
To vndirtaken of presumpcioun
So hiȝe a þing, a sege for to leyn,
And ȝoure silfe to ouercharge in veyn
With emprises whiche, with-outen fable,
Bene of weiȝt to ȝou inportable,
And þe peis of so gret heuynes,
Þat, finally, it wil ȝou alle oppres,
And ȝoure pride avalen and encline,
Þe berþen eke enbowe bak & chyne,
And vnwarly cause ȝou to falle
Or ȝe haue done, I seie to oon and alle!
And, ouermore, be ful in surete,
Þou Achilles—I speke vn-to þe,—
Þat fatal deth first schal þe assaille,
To-forn þi swerde in any þing availle
Ageyn[e]s me, for al þi worþines;
And ȝif so be, þat so gret hardines,
Corage of wil, vigour, force, or myȝt
Meven þin herte, be manhod as a knyȝt
To take on þe, as in dorynge do,
For to darreyne here betwene vs two
Þilke quarel, how-so þat be-falle,
For þe whiche þat we striuen alle,
I wil assent, pleinly, to Iuparte,
Til þat þe deth oon of vs departe—
Þer is no more, but þat þes lordis here,
Kynges, princes wil accorde I-fere
Þat it be do, fully be oon assent,
And hold[e] stable, of herte & of entent,

509

With-in a felde only þat we tweyne,
As I haue seide, þis quarel may dareyne,
And it finyshe, be þis condicioun:
Þat ȝif it hap þoruȝ þin hiȝe renoun
Me to venquyshe or putten at outraunce,
I wil ȝou maken fully assuraunce,
Þat firste my lord, Priamus þe kyng,
Shal vn-to Grekis in al maner þing,
With septre & crowne, holly him submitte,
And in a point varie nouþer flitte,
Fully to ȝelde to ȝoure subiectioun
Al his lordshipe with-Inne Troye toun;
And his legis in captiuite
Shal goon her weye oute of þis cite,
And leue it quit in ȝoure gouernaunce,
With-oute strif or any variaunce.
And here-vp-on, to maken surete,
To deuoyde al ambiguyte,
To-fore þe goddis be oþe & sacramente
We shal be swore, in ful good entent;
And, ouermore, oure feith also to saue,
To assure ȝou, in plegge ȝe shal haue,
Þe mene while to kepe hem on ȝour syde,
At ȝoure chois hostagis to abide,
From Troye toun, of þe worþieste
Þat ȝe liste chese, & also of þe beste,
So þat ȝe shal of no þing be in were
Of al þat euere þat I seie ȝou here.
And, Achilles, with-oute wordes mo,
Ȝif þat þou liste accorde ful þer-to
Þat I haue seide, þin honour to encrese,
To make þis werre sodeinly to sese,
Þat likly is for to laste longe
Be-twene Troyens & þe Grekis stronge,
Þou shalt nat only with honour & with fame
Þoruȝ-oute þe world getyn þe a name,

510

But þer-with-al—& þat is nat a lyte—
Þoruȝ þi knyȝthod to many man profite,
Þat fro þe deth shal eskape a-lyue,
And to his contre hol and sounde aryve,
Þat likly arn, by cruel auenture,
For to be ded, ȝif þe werre endure.
Come of, þerfor, & late nat be proloigned,
But lat þe day atwen vs two be Ioyned,
As I haue seide, in condicioun,
Ȝif in diffence only of þis toun
I haue victorie by fortune on þe,
I axe nat, but anoon þat ȝe
Breke vp sege, and þe werre lete,
And suffreth vs to lyuen in quiete,
In-to Grece hom whan ȝe or ar goon.”
To whiche þing Achilles anon,
Hoot in his Ire and furious also,
Brennynge ful hote for anger & for wo,
Assentid is, with a dispitous chere,
And gan anoon to Hector dresse him nere,
And seide he wolde delyuere him outterly,
Fro poynt to point, his axyng by & by,
And þer-in made noon excepcioun,
But of hool herte and entencioun
His requeste accepted euerydel,
And, as it sempte, liked it riȝt wel.
And, for his parte, he caste a gloue doun,
In signe & tokene of confirmacioun,
For lyfe or deth þat he wil holde his day
Ageyn Hector, hap what hap[pe] may,
Vn-to þe whiche Hector lifly sterte,
And toke it vp, with as glad an herte
As euere ȝit dide man or knyȝt,
Þat quarel toke with his foo to fiȝt:

511

Þer can no man, in soth, a-riȝt deuyse
How glad he was of þis hiȝe emprise,
Of whiche þe noise & þe grete soun
Ran to þe eris of Agamenoun;
And he anoon cam doun to her tent
With alle þe lordis of his parlement,
Where Achilles & Hector wern I-fere,
To wit her wille as in þis matere:
Wher þei wolden assenten finally
To putte þe quarel ful in iuparty,
Of ouþer part, atwene þese knyȝtes tweyne,
As ȝe han herde, it fully to darayne.
And with o vois Grekis it denye,
And seide þei nolde of swiche a companie,
Of kynges, dukis, and lordis eke also,
Boþe life & deth Iuparten atwene two,
Nor to [þe] course of Fortune hem submitte,
Þat can hir face alday chaunge & flitte.
And some of Troye, in conclusioun,
Iuparte nolde her lyues nor her toun,
In þe hondis only of a knyȝt
To putten al in auenture of fiȝt,
Priam except, whiche, sothly, in þis caas,
With-in hym silf fully assentid was,
Pleinly to haue put & set in iuparte
Holy þe honour of his regalye,—
Supposynge ay, as maked is memorie,
Þat Hector shuld haue had þe victorie
Of þis emprise, ȝif it he toke on honde.
But for Priam myȝt[e] nat with-stonde
Ageyn so many of oon entencioun
Þat were contrarie to his oppinioun,
Boþe of Grekis and on Troye side,
[He] helde his pes, and lete it ouere-slyde.
And so þe Grekis parted ben echon;

512

And Hector is from Achilles goon
Home to Troye, where I him leue a while,
Whiles þat I directe shal my stile
To telle of Troylus þe lamentable wo,
Whiche þat he made to parte his lady fro.

Of the sorowe that Troilus made when Cressaide shulde depart.

Allas! Fortune, gery and vnstable,
And redy ay [for] to be chaungable;
Whan folk most triste in þi stormy face,
Liche her desire þe fully to embrace:
Þanne is þi Ioye aweye to turne & wryþe,
Vp-on wrechis þi power for to kiþe—
Record on Troylus, þat fro þi whele so lowe
By fals envie þou hast ouer-þrowe,
Oute of þe Ioye which [þat] he was Inne,
From his lady to make him for to twynne
Whan he best wende for to haue be surid.
And of þe wo þat he hath endured,
I muste now helpe hym to compleyne,
Whiche at his herte felt[e] so gret peyne,
So inward wo, and so gret distresse,
More þan I haue konnynge to expresse,
Whan he knew þe partynge of Cryseide—
Almoste for wo & for peyne he deyde,
And fully wiste she departe shal
By sentence and Iugement fynal
Of his fader, ȝoue in parlement.
For whiche, with wo & torment al to-rent,
He was in point to haue falle in rage,
Þat no man myȝt apese nor a-swage
Þe hid[de] peynes which in his breste gan dare:
For lik a man in furie he gan fare,

513

And swiche sorwe day & nyȝt to make,
In compleyninge only for hir sake.
For whan he sawe þat she schulde a-weie,
He leuer had, pleinly, for to deye
Þan to lyve be-hynde in hir absence:
For hym þouȝt, with-outen hir presence
He nas but ded—þer is no more to seine.
And in-to terys he be-gan to reyne,
With whiche his eyen gon[ne] for to bolle,
And in his breste þe siȝes vp to swolle,
And þe sobbyng of his sorwes depe,
Þat he ne can nat but rore and wepe,
So sore loue his herte gan constreyne.
And she ne felt nat a litel peyne,
But wepte also, and pitously gan crye,
Desyring ay þat she myȝte dye
Raþer þan parte from hym oute of Troye,
Hir owne knyȝt, hir lust, hir liues Ioye,
Þat be hir chekis þe teris doun distille,
And fro hir eyen þe rounde dropis t[r]ille,
And al for-dewed han hir blake wede;
And eke vntressid hir her abrod gan sprede,
Like to gold wyr, for-rent & al to-torn,
I-plukked of, & nat with sheris shorn.
And ouer þis, hir freshe rosen hewe,
Whilom y-meint with white lilies newe,
With woful wepyng pitously disteyned,
And like herbis in April al be-reyned,
Or floures freshe, with þe dewes swete,
Riȝt so hir chekis moiste wern & wete
With cristal water, vp ascendyn[g] hiȝe
Out of her breste in-to hir heuenly eye;
And ay amonge hir lamentacioun,
Ofte siþe she fil aswone doun,
Dedly pale, for-dymmed in hir siȝt,

514

And ofte seide: “allas! myn owne knyȝt,
Myn owne Troylus, allas! whi shal we parte!—
Raþer late Deth with his spere darte
Þoruȝ myn hert, & þe veynes kerue,
And with his rage do me for to sterue—
Raþer, allas! þan fro my knyȝt to twynne!
And of þis wo, o Deth, þat I am Inne,
Whi nyl þou come & help[e] make an ende?
For how shulde I oute of Troye wende,
He abide, and I to Grekis goon,
Þer to dwelle amonge my cruel foon?
Allas! allas! I, woful creature,
Howe shulde I þer, in þe werre endure—
I, wreche woman, but my silf allone,
Amonge þe men of armys euerychon!”
Þus gan she cryen al þe longe day;
Þis was hir compleint, with ful gret affray,
Hir pitous noyse, til it drowe to nyȝt,
Þat vn-to hir hir owne trewe knyȝt,
Ful triste & heuy, cam ageyn[e]s eve,
Ȝif he myȝt hir counforte or releue.
But he, in soth, hath Cryseide founde
Al in a swowe, lyggynge on þe grounde;
And pitously vn-to hir he wente,
With woful chere, & hir in armys hent,
And toke hir vp: & þan atwen hem two
Be-gan of new swiche a dedly wo,
Þat it was rouþe & pite for to sene;
For she of cher pale was and grene,
And he of colour liche to ashes dede;
And fro hir face was goon al þe rede,
And in his chekis deuoided was þe blod,
So wofully atwene hem two it stood.
For she ne myȝt nat a worde speke,
And he was redy with deth to be wreke

515

Vp-on hym silfe, his nakid swerd be-side;
And she ful ofte gan to grounde glide
Out of his armys, as she fel a-swowne;
And he hym silf gan in teris drowne:
She was as stille & dowmb as any ston;
He had a mouþe, but wordis had he non;—
Þe weri spirit flikered in hir breste,
And of deth stood vnder arreste,
With-oute meinpris, sothly, as of lyf.
And þus þe[r] was, as it sempte, a strif,
Whiche of hem two shuld[e] firste pace:
For deth portreied in her ouþer face
With swiche colour as men go to her graue.

Of the worshipful recommendacyone that the monke of Bury, þat translate þis boke, gave Chaucere þe chef poete off Breteyne.

And þus in wo þei gan to-gidre raue,
Disconsolat, al þe longe nyȝt,
Þat, in gode feith, ȝif I shulde ariȝt
Þe processe hool of here boþe sorwe
Þat þei made til þe nexte morwe,—
Fro point to point it to specefie,
It wolde me ful longe occupie
Of euery þinge to make mencioun,
And tarie me in my translacioun
Ȝif I shulde in her wo procede;
But, me semeth, þat it is no nede,
Sith my maister Chaūcer her-a-forn
In þis mater hath so wel hym born,
In his boke of Troylus and Cryseyde
Whiche he made longe or þat he deyde,
Rehersinge firste, how Troilus was contrarie
[For] To assendyn vp on Lovis steire,

516

And how þat he, for al his surquedie,
After be-cam oon of þe companye
Of Lovis folke, for al his olde game,
Whan Cupide maked hym ful tame,
And brouȝt him lowe to his subieccioun,
In a temple as he walked vp & doun,
Whan he his ginnes and his hokis leide
Amyd þe eyen cerclid of Cryseyde,
Whiche on þat day he myȝt[e] nat asterte:
For þoruȝ his brest percid & his herte,
He wente hym home, pale, sike, & wan.
And in þis wise Troylus first be-gan
To be a seruaunt, my maister telleth þus,
Til he was holpe aftir of Pandarus,
Þoruȝ whos comforte & mediacioun
(As in his boke is maked mencioun)
With gret labour firste he cam to grace,
And so contuneth by certeyn ȝeris space,
Til Fortune gan vp-on hym frowne,
Þat she from hym mvst goon oute of towne
Al sodeynly, and neuer hym after se.
Lo! here þe fyn of false felicite,
Lo! here þe ende of worldly brotilnes,
Of fleshy lust, lo! here thunstabilnes,
Lo! here þe double variacioun
Of wor[l]dly blisse and transmvtacioun:
Þis day in myrthe & in wo to-morwe!
For ay þe fyn, allas! of Ioie is sorwe.
For now Cryseide, with þe kyng Thoas,
For Anthenor shal go forþe, allas!—
Vn-to Grekis, and euer with hem dwelle!
Þe hool[e] story Chaūcer kan ȝow telle
Ȝif þat ȝe liste—no man bet alyue—
Nor þe processe halfe so wel discryue:
For he owre englishe gilt[e] with his sawes,
Rude and boistous firste be olde dawes,

517

Þat was ful fer from al perfeccioun,
And but of litel reputacioun,
Til þat he cam, &, þoruȝ his poetrie,
Gan oure tonge firste to magnifie,
And adourne it with his elloquence—
To whom honour, laude, & reuerence,
Þoruȝ-oute þis londe ȝoue be & songe,
So þat þe laurer of oure englishe tonge
Be to hym ȝoue for his excellence,
—Riȝt a[s] whilom by ful hiȝe sentence,
Perpetuelly for a memorial,
Of Columpna by þe cardynal
To Petrak Fraunceis was ȝouen in Ytaille—
Þat þe report neuere after faille,
Nor þe honour dirked of his name,
To be registred in þe house of fame
Amonge oþer in þe hiȝeste sete,
My maister Galfride, as for chefe poete
Þat euere was ȝit in oure langage;
Þe name of whom shal passen in noon age,
But euer ylyche, with-oute eclipsinge, shyne.
And, for my part, I wil neuer fyne,
So as I can, hym to magnifie
In my writynge, pleinly, til I dye;
And God, I praye, his soule bring in Ioy.

Howe Guydo rebukethe Troylus. And of the mutabilite and varyant chaunge of womenne.

And where I lefte, I wil ageyn of Troie
Þe story telle,—& first how þat Guydo
With-in his boke speketh Troylus to,
Rebukyng hym ful vncurtesly,
Þat he so sette his herte folili
Vp-on Cryseide, ful of doubilnes:
For in his boke as Guydo list expresse,

518

Þat hir teris & hir compleynynge,
Hir wordis white, softe, & blaundyshynge,
Wer meynt with feynyng & with flaterie,
And outward farsed with many a fals[e] lye;
For vnder his was al þe variaunce,
Cured a-boue with feyned countenaunce,
As wommen kan falsly teris borwe—
In her herte þouȝ þer be no sorwe—
Lik as þei wolde of verray trouþe deie.
Þei can þink oon, and a-noþer seie,
As a serpent vnder floures faire
His venym hydeth, where he doþ repaire—
Þe sugre a-forn, þe galle hid be-hynde,
As approprid is vn-to hir kynde
To be dyuers & double of nature,
Raþest deceyvynge whan men most assure:
For vnder colour euery þing þei wirke,
Þe faire aboue, þe foule in þe dirke
Þei hide so, þat no man may espie;
And þouȝ so be, þat with a woful eye
Þei can outward wepyn pitously,
Þe toþer eye can lauȝ[e] couertly,—
Whos sorwes alle are temprid with allaies.
And her colour euer is meynt with raies:
For vp-on chaunge and mutabilite
Stant hool her trust and [her] surete,
So þat þei ben sure in doubilnes,
And alwey double in her sikernes,
Semynge oon whan þei best can varie,
Likest to acorde whan þei be contrarie;
And þus þei ben variaunte in a-corde,
And holest seme whan þer is discord.
And Guydo seith, how þer are fewe or noon
Þat in her herte apaied is with oon;
And ȝit þei can, be it to oon or tweyne,
To þre or foure, in her speche feyne,

519

Like as þei wern to oon & to no moo
Hool in her loue, for wele & eke for wo,
Þat eueryche shal of hym silfe deme
Þat he be next, lik as it doth seme.
And þus in hope stant eche of hem alle,
Þe trewest ay redyest to falle;
Who serueth best, nexte to ben appaired:
And þus in chaunge al her loue is feired.
Lat no man trust, but cache whan he may;
Far-wel to-morwe, þouȝ it be sure to-day!—
Þe faire of chaunge lasteth ouer ȝere,
But it is foly for to byen to dere
Þilke tresour, whiche harde is to possede,
But fleeth aweye whan men þer-of most nede.
And ȝif it hap þat no chapman be
(As seith Guydo), ȝit al day men may se
It shewed oute at large fenestrallis,
On chaumbres hiȝe, & lowe doun in hallis,
And in wyndowes eke in euery strete;
And also eke men may with hem mete
At pilgrymages and oblacioun[e]s,
At spectacles in cytes and in townys
(As seit[h] Guydo), and al is for to selle:—
But after hym I can no ferþer telle.
And eke he seith, in his sentament,
Þer is no fraude fully equipollent
To þe fraude and sleiȝty compassyng
Of a womman, nor like in worchynge:
For who þat set al his feithfulnes,
Wenynge in hem to fynde stabilnes,
He shal hem fynde stedefaste as þe mone,
Þat is in point for to chaunge sone.
Ȝif he be ȝonge, þei cast hym in a rage;
Ȝif he be olde, he falleth in dotage;
“Wherfore, my counseil is to boþe two:

520

Cast of þe bridel, and liȝtly lete hem go.”
Þus techeþ Guydo, God wot, & not I!—
Þat haþ delyt to speke cursidly
Alwey of wommen þoruȝ-out al his bok,
As men may se, who-so list to loke.
To hem he had envie in special,
Þat, in good feith, I am riȝt wroþe with al,
Þat he with hem list so to debate;
For Ire of whiche, þe latyn to translate,
Inwardly myn herte I felte blede,
Of hiȝe dispit, his clausis for to rede,
Þat resownede, in conclusioun,
Only of malys to accusacioun
Of þis women—ful euel mote he þriue!—
So generally her sect[e] to discryve,
—Whiche made nat, þoruȝ indiscrecioun,
Of good nor badde noon excepcioun.
He was to blame—foule mote he falle!—
For cause of oon for to hindren alle:
For I dar wel affermen by þe rode,
Ageyn oon badde ben an hundrid gode;
And þouȝ som oon double be & newe,
It hindreth nat to hem þat be trewe.
And be exaumple, also, þouȝ he shewe
Þat som oon whilom was a shrewe,
Þei þat be gode take shal noon hede,
For it noon hindrynge is to wommanhede,
Þouȝ two or þre can be double & feyne:
For þer ageyn, sothly, at Coleyne,
Of virgines, inly ful of grace,
Ellevene þousand in þat holy place
A man may fynde; and in oure kalendere
Ful many maide parfit and entere,
Whiche to þe deth stable wern and trewe.
For somme of hem with þe rosen hew
Of martirdom þe blisse of heuene wonne;

521

And somme also, as bokis telle konne,
With þe lillye of virginite
And violettis of parfit chastite,
Ascendid ben a-boue þe sterris clere
And þe cercle of þe nynthe spere,
Where Ioie is euere, and gladnes eterne.
Wherefor, in soth, as I can discerne,
Þouȝ som clerkis of shrewis haue myssaid,
Lat no good womman þer-of be myspaid:
For lak of oon, alle are nouȝt to blame,
And eke of men may be seide þe same.
For to þe trewe it is no reprefe,
Þouȝ it so be anoþer be a þefe;
For what is he þe werse in his degre,
Þouȝ þe toþer be honged on a tre?—
Nor vn-to wommen hindring is it noon,
Among an hundrid þouȝ þat þer be oon
Of gouernaunce þat be vicious!
For þer ageyn a þousand vertuous,
Ȝif þat ȝe liste, liȝtly ȝe may fynde.
And þouȝ Guydo writ, þei han of kynde
To be double, men shulde it goodly take,
And þer ageyn no maner grucching make:
Nature in werkynge hath ful gret power,
And it wer harde for any þat is here
Þe cours of hir to holden or restreyne;
For she wil nat be guyed be no reyne,
To be coarted of hir due riȝt.
Þerfore, eche man with al his ful[le] myȝt
Shulde þanke God, and take paciently:
For ȝif wommen be double naturelly,
Why shulde men leyn on hem þe blame?
For þouȝ myn auctor hindre so her name
In his writinge, only of Cryseide,
And vp-on hir swiche a blame leide,
My counseil is, liȝtly ouer passe
Wher he mysseith of hir in any place,

522

—To hindre wommen, ouþer eve or morwe—
Taketh noon hede, but late him be with sorwe,
And skippeth ouer wher ȝe list nat rede,
Til ȝe come where þat Dyomede
For hir was sent in-to Troye toun,
Where ceriously is maked mencioun,
First, how þat she to hym delyuered was
For Anthenor and for kyng Thoas,
And how Troilus gan hir to conveie,
With many oþer, to bringe hir on þe weie;
And after þis, how þat Dyomede,
By þe weie gan hir bridel lede
Til he hir brouȝt to hir fadres tent;
And how Calchas, in ful good entent,
Received hir, logged þer he lay,
And of hir speche duryng al þat day,
And al þe maner hool and euerydel—
Al is rehersid ceriously and wel
In Troylus boke, as ȝe han herd me seyn—
To write it efte, I holde it wer but veyn.
But Guydo seith, longe or it was nyȝt,
How Cryseyde for-soke hir owne knyȝt,
And ȝaf hir herte vn-to Dyomede
Of tendirnes and of wommanhede,
Þat Troilus wexe in hir herte as colde,
With-oute fire as ben þese asshes olde.
I can noon oþer excusacioun,
But only kyndes transmutacioun,
Þat is appropred vn-to hir nature,
Selde or neuer stable to endure,
Be experience as men may ofte lere.
But now ageyn [vn-]to my matere
I mvt resort, þouȝ þat I be ferre,
As I be-gan to writen of þe werre.

523

Howe worthy Ector, lyche Mars hym silf, toke the felde with mony worthy in his company, and scleughe sondrey kynges, and, amonge alle other, with his swerde departede Merion atweyne.

The tyme passed of þe trew y-take,
Þe next[e] morwe, whan Titan haþ forsake
Þe vnder party of oure Emysperye,
Where al þe nyȝt he hadde be ful merye
With Aurora liggyng by his side,—
But in his bedde hym list no lenger bide,
But shope hym vp, & cast his stremys shene
On Troye wall, whan Hector, armyd clene,
In-to þe felde faste gan hym hiȝe,
Fiftene þousand in his companye
Of worþi knytes and of manly men.
And, as I fynde, Troylus had[de] ten
Of knyȝtes eke, þat his baner swe;
And, in al haste, Paris gan remewe
Oute of þe toun, with hem of Perce londe;
And eche of hem a bowe had in his honde,
And arwis sharpe trussid by her side;
And of knyȝtes þat aboute hym ride
He had also þre þousand, as I fynde.
And Dephebus next hym cam be-hynde
With þre þousand knyȝtes, armyd clene,
On whos platis þe sonne shone ful shene;
And next hym cam þe Troyan Eneas.
And, as I rede, sothly, þat þer was
Þe same day with hem of Troye toun
An hundrid þousand knyȝtes of renoun,
Lik as recordeth Dares Frigyus,
And in his boke Guydo writeth þus.
And with þe Grekis, al to-forn þat day,
With seuene þousand went[e] Menelay,
Knyȝtes echon, whiche he dide lede;

524

And with as many went[e] Dyomede.
And next hem folwith þe hardy Achilles,
With his meyne callid Myrundones;
And Ȝantipus, þe worþi kyng, eke had
Þre þousand knyȝtes, whiche þat he lad
In-to þe felde ageyn hem of þe toun;
And alderlaste cam Agamenoun
With swiche a noumbre of þe Grekis felle,
Þat wonder is for to here telle.
And whan þe wardis in þe feld abrod
Had take her place, with-oute more abood,
A Grekishe kyng, whiche þat Phillis hiȝt,
Anon as he of Hector had a siȝt,
Towardis hym, sitting on his stede,
With his spere he gan hym fast[e] spede;
But whan Hector haþ his commynge seyn,
He hent a spere, & rod to hym ageyn;
And þoruȝ his shelde & his platis rounde
He ȝaf to hym his last[e] fatal wounde.
Vp-on whos deth avengid for to be,
Ful many Greke gan on Hector fle.
And, first of al, þe worþi kyng famus,
Þat of Grekis was callid Ȝantipus,
Of hiȝe disdeyn only for Phillis sake,
Toward Hector hath his cours I-take,
And with a spere ran at hym ful riȝt;
But Hector first hit him with swiche a myȝt,
Þoruȝ his harneis with his speris hed,
Þat Ȝantipus fil to grounde ded,—
Þe deth of whom þe Grekis sore pleyne,
And dide her myȝt & her besi peyne,
On euery halfe, furious and wood,
Tavenge hem on Troyanysshe blood.
And þoruȝ her passinge cruel hardinesse
Þei be-gan Troyens so to oppresse,
Þat many oon þat day ne myȝt a-sterte,

525

Þoruȝ þe breste y-perced and þe herte,
For to be ded & slayn amonge þe pres,—
Amongis whiche, cruel Achilles
Slowe Lychaon and Euforbius,
Noble knyȝtes, riȝt worþi and famus,
Þat wern y-come oute of her contre
Ageyn Grekis to helpe þe cyte.
And while Troyens constreyned [wer] so narwe,
Were it with spere, quarel, darte, or arwe,
Hector was wounded þoruȝ-oute þe viser
In-to þe face, þat, like a ryver,
Þe rede blood doun be-gan to raille,
By his harneis þoruȝ his aventaille;
Wher-of astonyd whan þei had a siȝt,
Ful many Troyan toke hym to þe fliȝt,
And to þe cite fast[e] gan hem drawe;
And at þe chas [ful] many oon was slawe,
Or þei myȝt out of þe felde remewe.
And euer in oon þe Grekis after swe,
Vn-to þe wallis almost of þe toun,
Til þat Hector, þe Troyan champioun,
Of his knyȝthod gan to taken hede,
Al-be his wounde sore gan [to] blede,—
[Ȝit] Of manhod he gan hem recomforte,
And maugre hem in-to þe felde resorte;
Namly, whan he had inspeccioun,
On þe wallis and touris of þe toun,
Howe þat Eleyne, and Eccuba þe quene,
And his suster, faire Pollicene,
With many oþer lady gan beholde—
Hym þouȝt anoon his herte gan to colde
Of verray shame his knyȝtes shold[e] fle;
And, lik a lyoun in his cruelte,
He made hem tourne, manly euerychon.
And in his wey he mette Merion,

526

A Grekishe kyng, þat was nyȝe allie
To Achilles, as bokis specefie;
And with his swerd Hector smot hym so,
Þat he hym rof vp-on pecis two.
And Achilles, whan he sawe hym ded,
Partid on two, euene fro þe hed,
He hent a spere, & þouȝt he nold[e] faille
To hitte Hector þoruȝ sheld, plate, & maille,
And rood to hym ful enviously;
And myd þe sheld be smet hym cruelly.
But with þe strok Hector neuer-a-del
Remeveth nat, he sat so fast and wel;
But with his swerd anoon, & tarieþ nouȝt,
Vn-to Achille, with an envious þouȝt,
He knyȝtly ran vp-on his courser;
And on his creste, þat shon so briȝt & cler,
With swiche a myȝt Hector haþ hym smet,
Þat he percid þoruȝ his basenet,
And raced eke from his aventaille
With þat stroke many pece of maille,
Þat Achilles constreyned was of nede,
Maugre his myȝt, to stakren on his stede,
To enclyne, and to bow his bak.

Of the wordys of worthy Ector to Achile; & howe Dyomede sent Troylus hors to Cresseyde.

At whiche tyme Hector to hym spak,
And seide: “Achille, I do ful wel aduerte
Þe grete envie of þi cruel herte,
And specially þat þou haste to me;
But ȝit be war, I counseil[le] þe,
Þi-silfe to put so in auenture:
For [of] o þing I pleynly þe ensure,
As I desire at my lust som day
Here in þe felde ȝif I þe mete may,
Trust me riȝt wel, þer geyneþ no socour,

527

Þat I shal so aquite þi labour,
So mortally, I do þe to vndirstonde,
With þis swerd þat I holde on honde,
Þat with þe lif þou shalt nat eskape,
So cruelly þe vengaunce shal be take,
Eft whan we mete, evene vp-on þin hede.”
Of whiche þing whan Achilles toke hede,
Aduertinge al þat he herde hym seyn,—
Riȝt as he wold haue ȝoue answer aȝeyn,
Worþi Troylus knyȝtly entrid Inne,
[And] Maked hem asoundre for to twynne;
And þoruȝ þe manhod of his companye
Of worþi knyȝtes, þat he dide guye,
And hiȝe prowes of his owne myȝt,
He haþ þe Grekis put ageyn to fliȝt,
And slayn of hem þat day—out of drede—
Sixe hundrid knyȝtes, sothly, as I rede.
For los of whiche þe Grekis fast[e] fle
To hir tentis, of necessite;
Til Menelay dide his besy cure
To maken hem þe feld ageyn recure,
Þoruȝ whos manhod þat day—out of doute—
And worþi knyȝtes þat wern him aboute,
Þe feld of Grekis recured was anoon.
But þo from Troye cam kyng Odemon,
And in al haste possible þat he may,
He cam enbusshed vppon Menelay,
And hym vnhorseth in þe silfe place,
And swiche a wounde ȝaf him in þe face,
Þat fro þe deth he wende nat eskape;
And, dout[e]les, anoon he had hym take
With helpe of Troylus, & lad vn-to þe toun,
But of Grekis swiche a pres cam doun
To reskue hym in þis grete nede,
Þat Odemon no ferþer myȝt[e] lede

528

Kyng Menelay toward þe cite,
Whan Dyomede cam with his meyne,
And many worþi, ridyng hym aboute,
And Troylus met, among[es] al þe route,
Al sodeynly, of hap or auenture,
And hym vnhorsith, as it was his evre;
And after þat, anoon he hent his stede,
And bad a squier þat he shuld it lede
Vn-to Cryseyde, only for hir sake,
Beseching hir þat she wolde it take
As for a gyfte of hir owne man,
Sith he þat day for hir loue it wan
Amyd þe feld, þoruȝ his grete myȝt,
Of hym þat was whilom hir owne knyȝt.
And he in haste on his weie is went,
And þer-of made vn-to hir present,
Preying hir, in ful humble wyse,
Þis litel gifte þat she nat dispise,
But it receive for a remembraunce,
And with al þis, þat it be plesaunce,
Of verray pite and of wommanhede
On hir seruaunt, callid Diomede,
To remembre, þat was be-come her knyȝt.

Of the comfortable answere that double Cresseyde gave to þe Messenger that kame frome Dyomede.

And she anoon, with hert[e] glad and liȝt,
Ful wommanly bad hym repeire ageyn
Vn-to his lord, & pleynly to hym seyn
Þat she ne myȝt, of verray kynd[e]nesse,
Of womanhede, nor of gentilnes,
Refusen hym, platly, from hir grace,
Þat was to hir, þere in straunge place,
So kynde fo[u]nde, and so counfortable
In euery þing, and so seruisable,

529

Þat it may nat liȝtly oute of mynde
To þinke on hym þat was so trewe & kynde.
With whiche answere þe messanger is goon
Vn-to his lord, and told it hym anoon,
Word by word, like as she hath seide;
And he þer-of was ful wel apayde,
Þat hym þouȝt, pleinly, in his herte,
He was recured of his peynes smerte;
And forþe he had hym in armys as a knyȝt.
But þilke day, durynge þe stronge fiȝt
Þei of Troye so manly han hem born,
Þat Grekis myȝt nat stonden hem a-forn;
For to her tentis þei han hem chacid doun,
Þat, nadde ben kyng Agamenoun,
Grekis had be dryue oute of þe feld.
Þe whiche þing anoon as he beheld,
He cam vp-on with many worþi man;
And þo of newe þe slauȝter ageyn began
On euery half vp-on þe large pleyn,
Þat Grekis han Troyens so be-leyn,
Þat efte a-ȝeyn þei haue þe feld [y-]wonne,
So þat Troyens, constreyned, þo be-gonne
To lese her lond, til Pollydamas,
Whiche with his knyȝtes þer be-side was,
Gan falle vppon, endelonge þe grene,
Hem of Troye [ful] manly to sustene.
And þe Grekis he gan so to enchase,
Whan he cam in, þat þei loste her place,
And to þe strond, evene vppon þe se,
Þoruȝ his knyȝthod he made hem for to fle,
Of her lif þat þei wern in drede.
Þe whiche meschef whan þat Dyomede
Be-held & sawe howe Pollydamas
Mortally pursued on þe chas
On hors[e]-bak, in þe feld a-fere,

530

With cruel herte hent anoon a spere,
And, springing out, rod to him ful riȝt;
And he ageyn, to quite hym lik a knyȝt,
And he þat list on no party feyne,
Of his stede held ageyn þe reyn,
And rauȝt a spere, & þrewe [it] in þe reste,
And Diomede he smet so on þe brest,
Þat mortally, liche as it is founde,
He vnhorsid hym with a greuous wounde.
And riȝt anoon, with a knyȝtly herte,
Pollydamas al attonys sterte
Vn-to þe horse of þis Diomede,
And by þe reyne proudly gan it lede
Vn-to Troylus, wher he on fote stood,
Al for-baþed in þe Grekis blod,
On euery halfe whiche þat he shadde
—Amongis hem so knyȝtly he him hadde,
Þat þei ne myȝt endure nor sustene,
His sharpe swerde grounde was so kene,—
And deliuerly, maugre al his foon,
In-to þe sadel [vp] he sterte anoon,
Of verray force, armyd as he was;
And vnwarly, by auenture or cas,
With sharpe swerdis, for þe nonys whet,
As Achilles and he to-gidre mette,
Worþi Troylus, of rancour & of pride,
Achilles smot þat he fil a-side
Doun of his hors, lowe to þe grounde.
And nat-with-stondinge his grene mortal wounde,
He ros ageyn, & faste gan hym spede,
Ȝif þat he myȝt to recure his stede:
But al for nouȝt, it wold[e] nat availle,
For sodenly, with a fresshe bataille,
Þei of Troye, as made is mencioun,
In compas wyse beset hym enviroun,

531

Eueryche of hem armyd briȝt & clene.
And Hector þo, in his furious tene,
As Dares telleþ al þe maner how,
Þe same day a þousand knyȝtes slow,
Whiche him withstode only in diffence,
For Achilles to make resistence,
Þat tyme of deth stondynge in iupartie:
Þat certeinly, but ȝif bokis lye,
Be liklyhed he myȝt[e] nat eskape
In þat meschef to be ded or take,
Hector on hym was so furious.
But, as I rede, Thelamonius
Reskued hym in þis grete nede,
And causid hym to recure his stede,
Nat-with-stondynge al þe grete pres:
For þe duke and lord of Athenes
Was in þis cas, of hert & hool entent,
To helpe Achille wonder dilligent,
Þat with hym ladde many noble knyȝt.
But for be-cause þat it drowe to nyȝt,
As þe story maketh rehersaille,
Þei made an ende as of þat bataille,
And þei of Troye entrid be þe toun.
And after þat, as made is mencioun,
By and by, havyng no delaies,
Mortally þei fauȝt[e] þritty dayes
With-outen eny Interrupcioun,
Of ouþer parte to gret destruccioun.
But aldermost, for al her gret[e] pride,
Þei lost most on þe Grekis side;
Save Priamus loste in special
Sixe of his sonys called naturel,
For whom he had ful gret hevines.
And as þe stori recordeþ eke expresse,
Þis mene while Hector, in certeyn,
In his face wounded was a-geyn.

532

Howe Kynge Priamus sent to þe Grekis for a trewe of vj monethes; & of þe discripcyon of Yllyon.

And þus þei han, in þis cruel rage,
On euery part receiued gret damage,
Til [kyng] Priam from Troye sent[e] doun
For a trewe vn-to Agamenoun,
For sixe monþes, ȝif he assent[e] wolde.
And þer-vppon he haþ a conseil holde
With his lordis, what were beste to do;
And þei echon accorded be þere-to,
And graunt his axynge, in conclusioun.
And al þis while, with-Innen Ylyoun,
Duringe þe pes, on ouþer part assurid,
Of his woundis fully to be cured
Lay worþi Hector, protectour of þe toun.
But of þis riche, royal, chefe dongoun,
Þat Ylyoun in Troye bare þe name,
Whiche of billedyng had[de] swiche a fame—
Ȝif þat I shulde comende it vp-so-doun,
As Dares doth in his discripcioun—
I wante konnynge my termys to aplie;
For in his boke as he doth specefie,
In al þis world was þer noon so riche,
Of hiȝe devis, nor of bildynge liche,
Þe whiche stood, þe more to delyte,
As he recordeth, on twelfe stonys white
Of alabastre, shortly to conclude;
And twenty pas was þe latitude,
Þe ground y-pauyd þoruȝ-out with cristal,
And vp-on heiȝt parformyd euery wal
Of alle stonys þat any man can fynde,
Of diamauntis and saphir[i]s ynde,
þe royal ruby, so orient and liȝt,
Þat þe dirknes of þe dymme nyȝt
Enchacid was with his bemys shene;
And euere amonge wern emeraudis grene,

533

With stonys alle, þat any maner man
In þis world deuyse or rekne can,
Þat wern of pris, valu, or richesse.
And þer were wrought, of large and gret roundnes,
(As seith Dares) of yvory pylers,
And þer-vp-on set at þe corners,
Of purid gold, al aboue on heiȝt,
Þer wer ymages wonder huge of weiȝt,
With many perle and many riche stoon;
And euery piler in þe halle had oon,
Of massif gold, burned clere and briȝt,
And wonderful to any mannys siȝt:
For of þis werke þe merveillous facioun
Was more lik, by estymacioun,
A þinge y-made & founded be fairye,
Þan any werke wrouȝt be fantasie,
Þoruȝ wit of man, as be liklynes.
For in his boke Dares bereth witnes,
Þat it was like to rekne, siyt and al,
In apparence a þing celestial:—
Seth in his boke—ȝe gete no more of me,
For but in writinge I myȝt neuere it se,
Al-be alle oþer þat it dide excelle;
No more þer-of I þinke now to telle.

How Kenge Priamus worschipfully burede his sonnes naturel; & howe Dyomede was wondide with loves darte.

But retourne ageyn to Priamvs,
Whiche al þis while was inly corious,
With [al] his myȝt and his besy cure,
To ordeyne for þe sepulture
Of his sonys þat afore were dede.
And al þat tyme sike laie Diomede,

534

With Louys dart woundid to þe herte,
As he þat felt inwardly gret smerte,
Of woful siȝes, wiche in his brest abraide
Ful ofte a day for loue of Cryseyde;
For he was shake with a feuere newe,
Þat causid him to be ful pale of hewe,
And to wexe boþe megre and lene;
For pitously he gan hym to abstene
Fro mete & drinke, and from [al] solace,
As it was sene in his dedly face;
And ofte a day to hir he wolde pleyne
Of his dissese and his mortal peyne,
Preiynge, of grace þat she wolde se,
Vpon his wo for to han pite,
And of mercy for to taken hede
Of hir seruaunt, only of wommanhede,
Or pleinly elles—þer is no more to seie,—
For hir sake he seide he wolde deye.
But konnyngly, & in ful sleiȝty wyse,
To kepe hym lowe vnder hir seruyse,
With delaies she hilde hym forþe on honde,
And maked hym in a were to stonde,
Ful vnsur betwene hope & dispeire.
And whan þat grace shulde haue had repeire
To putte hym oute of al heuynes,
Daunger of newe brouȝt hym in distresse;
And with disdeyn to encrese his peine,
Of double were she brouȝt hym in a treyne,
As wommen kan holde a man ful narwe,
Whan he is hurt with Cupides arwe,
To sette on hym many fel assaies,
Day be day to putte hym in delaies,
To stonde vnsur betwixe hope & drede,
Riȝt as Cryseyde lefte Diomede,
Of entent to sette hym more a-fire,

535

As þis wommen kyndely desyre,
Whan þei a man haue brouȝt in a traunce,
Vn-euenly to hange him in balaunce,
Of hope & drede to lynke hym in a cheyne,
Ay of þe fyn vnsure of boþe tweyne,
To dryue him forþe ȝeres hem to serue,
And do no force wher he lyue or sterue:
Þis is þe fyn of Lovis fyri rage.
And for she wolde haue hym in seruage,
She lokkid hym vnder swiche a keye,
Þat he wot nat wher to lyue or deye;
And in doute þus I lete hym dwelle,
And forþe I wil of þe story telle,
And to my mater eke resorte ageyn.
And as myn auctor recordeþ in certeyn,
After þe trewe were wered out & goon,
Twelve daies, swyng al in oon,
Þe Grekis fauȝt with hem of þe toun,
To gret damage and confusioun
Of ouþer party, and aduersite.
And in þis while a gret mortalite,
Boþe of swerd & of pestylence,
Amonge Grekis, by fatal influence
Of noyous hete and of corrupt eyr
Engendrid was; þat in gret dispeir
Of her lyf in þe feld þei leye:
For day be day sodeynly þei deye,
And her noumbre fast[e] gan discresse.
And whan þai sawe þat it nolde cesse,
By her avys, þe kyng Agamenoun
For a trewe sente to þe toun,
For þritty dayes; & Priamus þe kyng,
With-oute more, graunted his axyng.

536

Of A wondirful dreme that Andromacha, Ectors wiff, had, which in effect was, that yif here husbonde, the next day ensewynge, went armede to þe felde, that he shulde dy. Where-for she toke here yongeste sowkynge sonne Astromanta, and pitously, on here knees, bysought Ectore to absteyne hym fro þe felde that day.

Whan þe Moreyn & þe woful rage
Of pestilence be-gan for to swage,
And þe trews were wered oute & goon,
Þe Grekis cast to mete with her foon,
Vp-on a day, in platis armyd clene,
Whan Phebus roos, with his bemys shene,
Ful plesauntly, & gan to shede his lyȝt.
But, as I fynd, to-forne þe silfe nyȝt,
Andronomecha, þe feithful trewe wyf
Of worþi Hector, hym lovynge as hir lyf,
Be whom he had gete childre two,
Wonder semly, and inly fair also—
And Lamedonte callyd was þe ton,
So ȝonge þe toþer, þat hit ne myȝt[e] goon,
And Astronanta, I rede, þat he hyȝt,
Fetured wel & passynge fair of siȝt;
And, as Guydo listeth to endite,
Of his moder at þe pappis white,
For verray ȝong þat tyme was soukynge,
And with his armys hir brestis embrasynge.
And she þat nyȝt, as made is mencioun,
Hadde in hir slepe a wonder visioun,
I not, in soth, what I may it nevene,
Ouþer a dreme or verraily a sweuene,
Or fro a-boue a reuelacioun,
—As whilom had þe kyng Scipioun—
Or a shewynge, ouþer an oracle,

537

Or of goddis a warnyng be myracle;
For, in sothnes, slepynge as she lay,
Hir þouȝt[e] pleynly, ȝif þe next[e] day
Hector went his fomen for to assaille,
As he was wont, armyd in bataille,
Þat he ne shulde eskapen outterly,
In fatis hondis to falle finally;
And, ouermore, Antropos shal fyne
For euer-more his lyues þrede to twyne,
And shewe þe force of hir fel[le] myȝt,
Whan þe parodie of þis worþi knyȝt
Aprochen shal, with-outen wordis mo,
In-to þe feld, pleynly, ȝif he go.
Of whiche astonyd, streit & short of breþ,
Wher as she lay, abreid vp-on þe deþ,
And with a siȝe stinte for to slepe,
And pitously braste oute for to wepe
For þe constreint of hir hertly sorwe;
And specially on þe woful morwe,
Whan þat she sawe þis stok of worþines,
As he was wont, manfully him dresse
To armyn hym in stele bornyd briȝt,
Þis Troyan wal, Hector, þis worþi knyȝt,
She can no more, but at his fete fil doun,
Lowly declarynge hir avisioun,
With quakynge herte of verray wommanhede.
Where-of, God wote, he toke litil hede,
But þer-of hadde indignacioun,
Platly affermyng, þat no discrecioun
Was to trest in swiche fantasies,
In dremys shewid, gladly meynt with lyes,
Ful of iapis and illusiouns,
Of whiche, pleynly, þe conclusiouns
Be nat ellis but folkis to delude,
Al-be it so þat [þis] peples rude
Þer-in som while han affeccioun

538

To Iuge and deme in her oppinioun
Diuersly what þei may pretende,
And ofte falle & happen as þei wende,
And folweth like, in conclusioun.
For drede of whiche, þe lamentacioun
Encrese gan of Andronomecha;
And in hir swowe first she cried, “a!”
Seying, “allas! myn owne lord so dere,
Ȝour trewe wif, allas! whi nyl ȝou here,
Whiche of so feithful hool affeccioun
Desireth ay ȝoure sauacioun!”
And vp she roos, deedly of visage,
And like a womman cauȝt with sodein rage,
To kyng Priam & Eccuba þe quene
In haste she wente, hir silfe to be-mene,
And of hir wyfly hert[e], trewe as stele,
Ceriously declarid euerydele,
Hir pitous dreme, whiche þoruȝ myracle
To hir only, be devyne oracle,
I-shewed was þoruȝ Goddes puruyaunce;
And tolde hem eke þe final ordinaunce
Of Fortunes fals disposicioun,
Fully purueied to destruccioun
Of hir lord, with-oute more delay,
In-to þe felde ȝif he go þat day.
Wherfore, she preieth with a dedly hewe
Vn-to þe kyng, of mercy for to rewe,
Vp-on hir wo to haue compassioun,
For to ordeyne by discrecioun
Of his lordship and [of] souereinte,
Þat hir lord nat distroyed be
Of rekleshede, nor of wilfulnes.
And, with þat worde, of verray kyndenes,
In whom was ay so moche loue founde,
To-fore þe quene aswowne fil to grounde,

539

And seide, “allas!” with a ful pale chere,
“Helpe in þis cas, myn owne moder dere,
Of wommanhed and routh[e] doþ me grace,
Þat my lord in-to þe feld ne pace;
And doth ȝour deuer, of moderly pite
Benignely and goodly for to se
To his knyȝthod and his hiȝe prowes,
For to restreyne his renomed noblesse,
Þilke day to handle spere nor shelde,
Nor þat he go armyd in-to þe felde.”
And boþe tweyne assent[e] for þe beste,
And condescende vn-to hir requeste,
Finally accordynge in-to oon.—
Þat whan þe wardis wer redi euerychon,
On issinge oute, & Troylus, first of alle,
And Paris next, on Grekis for to falle,
And after hym þe Troyan Eneas,
Kyng Sarpedoun, and Pollydamas,
Kyng Eroys, and kyng Epistrophus,
And eke þe kyng y-called Forcius,
In plate & mail eueryche armed clene;—
And alderlaste cam kyng Philomene,
With alle þe kynges & lordes of renoun,
Þat in diffence comen of þe toun,
With þe Grekis knyȝtly to debate.
And Priamus, sothly, to þe gate
Conveied hem, at her oute goyng,
And sette her wardes, þis noble worþi kyng,
Ful prudently þoruȝ his sapience,
And after ȝaf hem conge and licence
Vp-on Grekis for to kyþe her myȝt,
Ageyn[e]s whom ful redy for to fiȝt
Her fomen wern, with royal apparaille,
Amyd þe feld abidynge þe bataille.

540

Howe kynge Priamus chargede worthy Ectore that he shulde not go armede to þe felde þat daye.

But Priamus, [in] þis mene while,
Lyk as Guydo remembriþ in his stile,
For þilke fyn, þat ȝe han herd me seyn,
To worþi Hector repeired is ageyn,
Hym contermaundynge þat he ne shold gon
Þilke day to fiȝt ageyn her foon.
For whiche þing, of hiȝe dispit he brent,
Whan þat he saw oþer lordis went
Oute at þe gate, and he allone abood;
For whiche he wexe furious & wood,
Hooly þe cause arrettynge to his wif,
Þat was of cherte so tendir ouer his lyf,
Puttinge on hir fully þe occasioun
Of his abidynge þat day in þe toun,
In preiudise of his worþines
And disencresse of his hiȝe prowes.
And list þoruȝ tongis to his hiȝe estat,
Þoruȝ fals report it were derogat,
He caste anoon, of a ful knyȝtly herte,
For lyf nor deth it shuld him nat asterte
With-Inne þe feld þat day to be founde,
Þouȝ it so wer, with many mortal wounde
He shulde on pecis hewe be a-soundre,
Vp-on þe pleyn dismembrid here & ȝonder—
So hool in manhod was his hert[e] sette,
Þat he anoon, with-oute lenger lette,
Ageyn to arme hym was ful dilligent,
A-gein þe precepte and commandement
Of his fader, & rood forþe [on] his weie.
For fer of whiche, as she wolde deie,
His wif of newe crie gan & shoute,
And with hir pappis also hanging oute,

541

Hir litel childe in hir armys tweyne,
A-forn hir lord gan to wepe & pleyne,
Besechinge hym, of routhe and pite,
Ȝif he nolde [vn-]to hir sorwe se,
At þe leste, for hir wifly trouþe,
Þat he of manhod haue in herte rouþe
Vp-on hir child and on hir also,
Whiche þat she bar in hir armys two,
And nat myȝt him fro criynge kepe,
Whan he sawe his woful moder wepe.
And, knelyng doun, vn-to hym she seide,
In hir sobbynge as she myȝt abreide:
“Myn owne lorde haue mercy now on me,
And on þis litel child whiche þat ȝe se
So pitously a-fore ȝou wepe & crye!
Haue mercy lord on vs or we deye!
Haue mercy eke vp-on þis cyte,
Myn owne lorde! haue mercy or þat we
By cruel deth passe shal echon,
For lak of helpe, allas, whan ȝe ar goon!”
Þis was þe crie of Andronomecha,
With whom was eke hir suster Cassandra,
Eccuba, and faire Polycene,
And Eleyne, þe lusty freshe quene,
Whiche alle attonys fellen hym beforn,
With heer vntressid, & wepinge al to-torn,
And loude gan to crien in þe place,
Besechinge hym, of mercy and of grace,
For þilke day to abiden in þe toun,
And in his herte to haue compassioun
On her compleint & her woful mone,
Sith al þe trust of þe toun allone
In hym abode, and al þe resistence:
For ageyn deth he was her chef diffence;
And in hym hooly was her affiaunce,
Her sur[e]te, and her suffisaunce,

542

In eche þing þat hem myȝt[e] greue.
And ȝif al þis ne myȝt his herte meve
For to abide, ȝit, of goodlyhede,
Þei hym besouȝt, to her wommanhede
He wolde enclyne his harde herte of stele,
Þat þei myȝt a litel drope fele
Only of pite on her wo to rewe,
Þat likly was to moren and renewe
Finally to her distruccioun;
For of þe cite, sothly, and þe toun,
His vnhap were endeles ruyne.
But ȝit al þis myȝt hym nat encline
Þat he nold oute, in conclusioun,
So indurat, and hertid as lyoun
He was alweie, contunynge in his rage;
Whos herte myȝt asofte nor aswage
Nouþer praier nor waymentacioun,
Hym to restreyne from his oppinioun:
For euery pereil he leide þo a-side,
And on his weie gan anoon to ryde;
Wher-þoruȝ his wif noon oþer bote can,
But in hir rage to þe kyng she ran,
So amased in hir mortal wo
Þat she vneþe myȝt[e] speke hym to,
So diffacid and ruful of hir siȝt,
Þat by hir hewe knoweþ hir no wiȝt:
For lost she had boþe myȝt & strengþe;
And plat she fil to [þe] grounde a-lengþe
To-fore þe kyng, þat rouþe was to sene,
Besechynge hym, of entent ful clene,
Of his grace to consider hir wo:
For but he help, Hector was a-go.
And he seinge hir faithful wommanhede,
At hir requeste rauȝt anoon his stede,
And priked after, only for hir sake,

543

In so gret haste, þat he haþ ouertake
Worþi Hector with-Inne þe cyte,
And hent his reyne with gret difficulte,
And maugre hym made him tourne ageyn,
In swiche wyse, he durst it nat withseyn,
Al-be þat he was ful loþe þer-to;
So þat by force & praier also,
From his stede he made hym a-liȝt,
Þe areste of whom eschewen he ne myȝt,
For he ne wolde ageyn his fader striue,
Al-be þat he felte his herte rive
Of malencolie and of hertly Ire,
And of disdeyn newe sette a-fire—
So inwardly sterid was his blod,
Þat like a tigre or a lyoun wood,
Þat wer deprived newly of hir praye,
Riȝt so firde he al þat ilke day,—
Or liche a bore þat his tusshes whette,
While þe Grekis and þei of Troye mette,
Furiously walkynge vp and doun.
And in diffence, sothly, of þe toun,
Troylus first, on his baye stede,
Of auenture mette Diomede,
And eche at oþer, surquedous of pride,
With sharpe speris gan to-gidre ryde;
And Guydo seith, with-outen any dred,
Oon or boþe had anoon be ded,
Nadde Menelay knyȝtly go be-twene.
And after þat, in a furious tene,
He smet his hors, in ful knyȝtly wyse,
And Meryem, þe myȝty kyng of Frise,
Menelaus markid hath ful wel,
And with his swerd, ful sharpe ground of stel,
Vnhorsid him, and þrewe him on þe grene;
For he þe strok myȝte nat sustene,

544

Þis Menelay was on him so wood,
Þat it was likly, euene þer he stood,
With þe lif he shulde nat eskape.
For þe Grekis ful hastily hem shape,
Þis Meriem, as ȝe han herde me seyn,
For to be-sette rounde vpon þe pleyn,
And to sese hym by þe aventaille,
On euery part, and cruelly to assaille,
Al destitut in þis dredful cas.
But hym to helpe cam Pollydamas
With his knyȝtes, & gan to neiȝen ner
Whan he hym sawe take prisoner;
And maugre alle þat vppon hym sette,
From her hondis Pollydamas him fette,
At whos reskus þer was so gret a strif
Þat many on þer-fore lost his lyf:
For Grekis raþer þan he shulde eskape
From her hondis in þat hasti rape,
Caste hem pleynly þat he shal be ded,
Fully in purpos to haue hadde his hed—
He stood of meschef in so gret disioynt.
But hym to helpe, euene vppon þe point,
Cam Troylus in, most knyȝtly of aray,
And of his manhod made swiche affray
Amongis hem [in] reskus of þis kyng,
Þat maugre hem, at his in-comyng
Delyuered was þis myȝty lord of Frise
From cruel deth, as ȝe han herd deuyse.
But þer-vppon cam Thelamonivs,
Proude in armys, and euere surquedous,
With þre þousand, ful worþi euerychon;
And he vnhorseth Pollydamas anoon,
Among his knyȝtes, & proudly bar him doun;
But Troylus hath, þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun,
Mid of his foon get hym his hors ageyn.
But þei of Troye so sore were be-leyn

545

On euery half, þoruȝ þe Grekis pride,
Þat þei [ne] myȝt a-forn hem nat abide:
For newe and newe þe hardy Achilles
Assailled hem with his Mirundones,
Þat þei compelled of necessite,
In meschef wern maked for to fle
Home to þe walles & gates of þe toun,
To gret damage and confusioun
Of her party þat abak so goon.

Of the sorowfule dethe of Margarytone, one of the Basterde sonnes of kenge Priamus.

Þe whiche þing, whan Margariton
Behilde & sawe how þe game goth,
In his herte he gan to wexe wroth,
And passingly for to haue disdeyn;
And as þe story recordeþ in certeyn,
Þat he was boþe hardy & famus,
And sone also vn-to kyng Priamus,
A noble knyȝt, & of gret worþines.
And whan he saw þe meschef and distresse
Of hem of Troye, & how þei gan to fle,
He caste anoon avengid for to be
Vp-on Achille, for al his grete myȝt,
And ran to hym, ful like a manly knyȝt,
On horse-bak, for þe townys sake,
And hym enforseth Achilles to take
Amyd þe feld amonge his knyȝtes alle.
But Achilles—allas, it shulde falle!—
Þat day hym slowe, by cruel auenture,
Wher-þoruȝ Troyens myȝt[e] not endure
Þe felde to hold, but home[-ward] gan hem hiȝe,
And mortally to make noise & crie:
Firste, for þe deth of Margariton,
And for þe pursut þat kyng Thelamon
Made on þe chaas, þoruȝ his cruelte,

546

Home to þe gatis of Troye þe cite,
Þat slow & kylled alweie as he rood,
Al-be þat Paris manly hym wiþ-stood,
With his breþre þat in baste wer born.
But, for al þat, her ground þei haue lorn,
Lefte & forsake outterly þe felde;
And home þei went, & brouȝt[en] on a shelde
Þe dede cors of Margariton;
And after þat her gatis shette anon.
Þe whiche meschef, as Hector gan be-hold,
Of verray Ire his herte gan to colde,
And seide, platly, with-oute more delay,
He wolde avenge his deth þe same day,
And made in haste his stede to be fet,
And vp he stirte, & on his basenet—
Vnwist þe kyng, or who be lefe or loth—
Þer was no geyn—forþe anon he goth,
Til he was passid þe gatis of þe toun,
More furious þan tigre or lyoun;
At whos comynge, þikke as swarm of ben,
To-forn his swerd Grekis gonne flen—
Þei þouȝt it was tyme to with-drawe.
And first, I fynde, how þat he hath slawe
Two worþi dukes, as he with hem mette,
Þat besy wern his weie for to lette:—
Þe ton y-called was Eurypalus,
And þe toþer hiȝte Hascydyus.
And so Troyens þe feld ageyn han wonne,
And of newe manfully be-gonne
Grekis to sue, & folwen on þe chaas.
And ȝit at meschef daunȝ Pollydamas
Þe same tyme was of Grekis take;
But Hector hath so born him for his sake,
Where as he sorest was be-leyn,
And þoruȝ his knyȝthod reskued him ageyn,
And put þe Grekis in so gret distresse,
Þoruȝ his manhod and his worþines,

547

Þat wher-so-euere þilke day he rood,
His sharp[e] swerd he baþed in her blood,
He was so cruel and so mercyles.
But þan a knyȝt called Leothydes
Shope him anon with Hector for to mete,
While he was moste Irous in his hete,
And sette on hym ful presumptuously;
But Hector þo, deuoyde of al mercy,
Anoon hym slow, & þrew hym in þe feld:
Þe whiche þing whan Achilles behelde,
Þe gret[e] slauȝter and þe woundis wyde
Þat Hector made vppon euery syde,
He gan anon compassen in his herte,
And vp and doun casten and aduerte,
How þe Grekis neuer may be sure
Ageyn her foon to fiȝten [n]or endure,
Nor kepe a felde with hem for to stryve,
Al þe while [þat] Hector were a-lyue.
Wherfore, he shope & cast[e] many weie,
Be what engyne Hector myȝt[e] deye,
At avauntage ȝif he myȝt hym fynde;
And þer-to eke Polycenes of Ynde,
A worþi duke, was also of assent—
Only for he of herte & hool entent
In hope stood his suster for to wyve,
For loue of whom he felt his herte ryve.
And in hir grace better for to stonde,
He caste fully for to take on honde
Þis hiȝe emprise, as I haue ȝow tolde.
But while þat he was on him most bold,
Hector hym slow, þer was non oþer geyn;
Þe whiche anoon as Achilles hath seyn,
For Ire he wexe in his herte as wood
As boor or tigre in her cruel mood,
Vp-on Hector avenged for to be;
And furiously on hym he gan fle.

548

But Hector kauȝt a quarel sharpe [y-]grounde,
And þrew at hym, & ȝaf him swiche a wounde
Þoruȝ-oute [þe] þeiȝe, vp-on ouþer side,
Þat in þe feld he myȝt[e] nat abide,
But hym withdrow, and anoon is went
With his men home vn-to his tent,
And made anoon a surgeyn to bynde
His mortal wounde; & after, as I fynde,
Whan he was staunche, & cesseþ for to blede,
In al haste ageyn he toke his stede:
And liste he were of þat wounde ded
Afterward, as it was gret drede,
He þouȝt[e] first avengid for to be
Vp-on Hector, ȝif he myȝt hym se,
Of hap or sort, ȝif it wolde falle:
For hym þouȝt, to his peynes alle
It were [to] hym þe best[e] remedye,
Of his honde ȝif he myȝt[e] dye—
For of his lyf he rouȝt[e] nat a myte,
Be so þat he Hector myȝt[e] quyte,
Deth for deth, in conclusioun;
For þat was hooly his entencioun,
Of his desire fully suffisaunce,
By deth vnwarly to ȝeven hym meschaunce.
But al þis tyme, Hector, vp & doun,
As he was wont, pleieþ þe lyoun
Amonge Grekis in many sondri place,
And with his swerd gan hem so to enchase,
Þat as þe deth, where þei myȝt hym sen,
Þei fledde a-forn hym like a swarm of ben:
For noon so hardy was hym to with-sette.
And, in þis while, a Grekysh kyng he mette,
Were it of hap or of auenture,
Þe whiche, in soth, on his cotearmvre
Enbroudid had ful many riche stoon,

549

Þat ȝaf a liȝt, whan þe sonne shoon,
Ful briȝt and clere, þat Ioie was to sene:
For perlis white and emeraudis grene,
Ful many oon, were þere-Inne set,
And on þe cercle of his basenet,
And rounde enviroun of his aventaille,
In velwet fret, al aboue þe maille,
Safirs ynde and oþer stonys rede,
Of whos array, whan Hector takeþ hede,
Towardis hym faste gan hym drawe.
And firste, I fynd, how he haþ him slawe;
And after þat, by force of his manhede,
He rent hym vp a-forn him on his stede,
And faste gan wiþ hym for to ride
From þe wardis a litel oute a-side,
At good leiser, pleynly, ȝif he may,
To spoillen hym of his riche array,
Ful glad & liȝt of his newe emprise.
But out! allas! on fals couetyse!
Whos gredy fret,—þe whiche is gret pite,—
In hertis may nat liȝtly staunchid be;
Þe etyk gnaweþ be so gret distresse,
Þat it diffaceth þe hiȝe worþines,
Ful ofte sythe, of þies conquerours,
And of her fame rent aweie þe flours.
Desyre of hauynge, in a gredy þouȝt,
To hiȝe noblesse sothly longeth nouȝt,
No[r] swiche pelfre, spoillynge, nor robberie
Apartene to worþi chiualrye:
For couetyse and knyȝthod, as I lere,
In o cheyne may nat be knet y-fere;
For kouþe it is, þat ofte swiche ravyne
Hath cause ben and rote of þe ruyne
Of many worþi—who-so liste take hede—
Like as ȝe may now of Hector rede,
Þat sodeinly was brouȝt to his endynge
Only for spoillynge of þis riche kyng.
For of desire to hym þat he hadde,

550

On horse-bake oute whan he hym ladde,
Reklesly, þe story maketh mynde,
He cast his shelde at his bak be-hynde,
To welde hym silf at more liberte,
And for to han opportunyte
To spoillen hym, and for no wyȝt spare,
So þat his brest disarmyd was & bare:
Except his platis þer was no diffence
Ageyn þe strok to make resistence.
Allas, why was he þo so rek[e]les!
Þis flour of knyȝthod, of manhod per[e]les,
Whan þat his fo, al þat ilke day,
For hym allone in a-wayt[e] lay,
Ȝif in meschef, of hate and of envie,
In þe feld he myȝt hym oute espie,
Þis Achilles, cruel and venemous,
Of hertly hate most malencolyous,—
Whiche couertly havynge hym be-side,
Whan þat he saw Hector disarmyd ride,
He hent a spere, sharpe grounde & kene,
And of Ire in his hateful tene,
Al vnwarly, or Hector myȝt aduerte,
(Allas þe whyle!) he smote hym to þe herte,
Þoruȝ-oute þe brest, þat ded he fil doun
Vn-to þe erþe, þis Troyan champioun,
Þoruȝ necligence only of his shelde!
Þe deth of whom, whan Odemon behelde,
Þe worþi kyng myȝt hym nat restreyne,
But [to] Achilles rood with al his peyne,
And hit hym so, myd of al þe pres,
Maugre þe myȝt of his Mirundones,
Þat for ded, Guydo seith certeyn,
Of þat wounde he fil gruf on þe pleyn.
But his knyȝtes on a sheld a-lofte
Þei leiden hym, & caried hym ful softe
Vn-to his tent, in al þe haste þei can;

551

And þere I leue þis dedly wounded man,
Ful sore seke, til he may releue.
And after þat, whan it drowe to eve,
Þei of Troye, with gret reuerence
Dide her labour and her dilligence
Þe dede cors to carien in-to toun
Of worþi Hector, whan Titan went[e] doun.
And to þe temple dolfully þei wende;
And of þat day þis was þe woful ende—
I can no more—but þus þe longe nyȝt
In heuynes, as it was skil and riȝt,
I wil hem leue, and ageyn returne
To my mater to help hem [for] to morne.

The lamentacyon of kynge Priamus for the dethe of Ector.

But now, allas! how shal I procede
In þe story, þat for wo and drede
Fele myn hond boþe tremble and quake,
O worþi Hector, only for þi sake,
Of þi deth I am so loth to write.
O who shal now help me to endyte,
Or vn-to whom shal I clepe or calle?—
Certis to noon of þe mvsis alle,
Þat by accorde singen euer in on,
Vp-on Pernaso, besiden Elycon,
So angelik in her armonye,
Þat tonge is noon þat may specefie
Þe grete swetnes of her goodly song;
For no discorde is founden hem among,
In her mvsik þei bene entvnyd so—
It syt hem nouȝt for to help in wo,
Nor with maters þat be with mournynge shent,
As tragedies, al to-tore and rent,
In compleynynge pitously in rage

552

In þe theatre, with a ded visage—
To hem, allas! I clepe dar nor crye,
My troubled penne of grace for to guye—
Nouþer to Clyo nor Callyope,
But to Allecto and Thesyphone,
And Megera, þat euere doth compleine,
As þei þat lyve euere in wo and peyne
Eternally, and in turment dwelle
With Cerberus, depe doun in helle,
Whom I mote praie to be gracious
To my mater, whiche is so furious.
For to a whiȝt þat is compleynynge,
A drery fere is riȝt wel sittynge;
And to a mater, meynt with hevynes,
Acordeth wel a chere of drerynes
To ben allyed, as by vnyte.
Wherefore, helpe now, þou woful Nyobe,
Som drery ter, in al þi pitous peyne,
In-to my penne dolfully to reyne;
And helpe also, þou cruel Yxioun,
And Belydes, þat doth þe boket gon;
And with þi stoon helpe þou, Ȝeȝiphus,
And in þi riuer, helpe eke Tantalus,
Þat for hunger haste so huge pyne,
Þis woful pleint helpe me for to fyne,
Me to forthre doth ȝoure besynes.
For now þe stok and rote of worþines,
Of knyȝthod grounde, of manhod sours & wel,
Þat to-forn alle bare a-weie þe belle
Of dorynge do, þis flour of hiȝe prowes—
And was exaumple also of gentilnes,
Þat neuere koude don amys nor seie,
Allas, Hector, allas! why shuldestou deie!
O cruel Parchas, why toke ȝe noon hede,
So cruelly to twyne his fatal threde—
Ȝe were to hasty, allas! why were ȝe so!

553

And, nam[e]ly, þe þrede to breke a-two,
Þou Antropos, þoruȝ þi grete envie!
O Troye, allas! wel maist þou wepe & crie,
And make a woful lamentacioun,
Whiche hast of newe, to þi confusioun,
Loste þi diffence and þi stronge wal,
Þi berer vp, þi surete royal,
Be whom þin honour chefly was begonne!
Allas, allas! for now þi briȝt[e] sonne
Eclipsed is, and þou stanst desolat
Of al comfort, and discounsolat;—
Þi liȝt is lost, and þou in dirkenes
I-ploungid art: for, in sothfastnes,
Of alle worþi, þou hast þe worþiest
Þis day y-loste, and þe knyȝtlyest
Þat is, or was, or shal, I þe ensure,
Bene euere born, while þe world may dure!
No wonder is þauȝ þou wepe sore,
And day be day compleyne hym euermore,
Þat was þi sheld, boþe in Ioie and wo,
Whom þou were wont for to loue so,
So tendirly with al þin hole herte,
Þat it may nat lyȝtly þe asterte
To haue hym euere in þi remembraunce,
Whiche was in soth þi ful suffisaunce.
For, as Guydo maketh mencioun,
Þer was no man dwellyng in þe toun,
Þat he ne had, of verray kyndenes,
For loue of hym, as he writ expresse,
His child more lef to haue died in þis cas,
Ouþer his eyr—so wel be-loued he was—
Ȝif þe goddis, fate, or destyne
Disposid had þat it myȝt haue be.
Wommen also, of euery maner age,
Bene for his deth falle in swiche a rage,
Þoruȝ þe cyte, aboute in euery strete,
Þat with sobbyng and salt teris wete,
And here to-rent for her dedly wo,

554

Furiously ronne to and fro—
So mortal was her aduersite,
Þat to beholde, allas, it was pite!
Ȝonge maydenes & matrones olde
Sobbe and siȝe, and her festis folde,
And loude crie, and seide fynally:
“Allas! now shal oure fadris cruelly
In oure siȝt be slay[e]n day be day!
Allas þe whyle! & no man shal seie nay!—
Far-wel oure helpe, now Hector is goon,
In [whom] þe surnes of vs euerychon
Was wont to reste: now is he ded, allas!”
Of whom þe body whan it caried was
In-to presence of Priamus þe kyng,
Anoon he lost þe offys of spekyng,
And gan hym silfe in salt[e] teris drowne,
And pitously þer-with fil a-swowne
Vp-on þe cors, cold as any stoon,
Inly desyrous for to deie anoon
Wiþ-oute tariynge, on hym as he lay,
But þat he was by force rent awey.
His breþeren eke, whan þei token hed,
Trist and pale, for sorwe wer nyȝe ded,
And han hem silfe with rage al to-torn,
Þat neuer was, I trowe, seyn a-forn
Of breþere ȝit swiche anoþer care:
For eche of hem with hym silf gan fare
As þei wolde haue died on þe cors;
For of þeir lif, platly, þei ȝaf no fors,
But at þe grounde with many swoȝes sore,
Liche wylde bolis þei gan crye and rore,
Þat rouþe was her dedly wo to sene—
An herte of stele myȝt it not sustene.
What schal I seyn of Eccuba þe quene,

555

Or his suster, ȝonge Pollycene,
Or Cassandra, þe prudent and þe wyse,
Or of his wyf, þe sorwe to devise?
Whiche rent hem silf, in torment & in wo,
As finally þei wolde hem silfe for-do
By cruel deth, so þei wepe and waille.
Þat ȝif I shulde make rehersaille,
To wryte her sorwes & her compleynynges,
Her pitous sobbynge, þrowes, and wepynges,
Þe woful cries, & þe pitous sowns,
Her drery pleyntis & lamentaciouns,
And al her wo for to specifie,
A large boke it wolde occupie,
Ȝiffe eche þinge I shulde in order telle—
I trowe it were to longe for to dwelle,
For any man, and tedius to here.
For many day after, as I lere,
Þe wommen wepte a-fore þe cors liynge,
Hem silfe diffacynge in her compleynynge,
Þat wonder was how þei myȝt endure,
But þat þei han it, sothly, of nature
And of kynde for to wepe and pleyne,
To siȝe sore and in-to teris reyne,
Til þe tempeste of her woful rage
May be processe lyte & lyte aswage.
And þus I leue hem siȝe and sorwe make,
Þis cely wommen, in her cloþes blake,
Shroude her facis, & wympled mourne in veyn,
While I turne to my mater ageyn,

Howe kynge Priamus made to be wrought an oratory and A College of prestes, in the which was fabricate a Tabernacle, wherin the body of Ector was, in mannys syght, reservide intigrate and
556

hole, with his swerde in his honde, manasshinge the Grekys.

To telle pleynly how kyng Priamus
In herte was inly desyrous
To caste a weie, in his entencioun,
Þe cors to kepe from corrupcioun,
Whiche naturelly, but men take hede,
Corrupte muste, riȝt of verray nede:
For, of kyndely disposicioun,
Þer may be made noon opposicioun,
Aboue þe grounde ȝif þe body lie,
Þat of resoun it mvt putrefie,
But ȝif crafte be a-boue nature,
Vncorrupte it myȝt[e] nat endure.
Wherefore, þe kyng shope him to ordeyne
To preserue it hool fro þinges tweyne:
From odour and abomynacioun,
And þer-with eke, by crafty operacioun,
Þat it in siȝt be not founde horrible,
But þat it be lifly and visible
To þe eye, as be apparence,
Like as it were quyk in existence—
What it cost þe kyng wil spare nouȝt,
But made anoon a-forn hym to be brouȝt
Þe craftiest maisteres of þe toun,
Swiche as hadde moste discrecioun
To parforme his axynge coriously.
And þei obeie his byddynge feithfully,
With al her wille and enter dillygence,
In þe temple, moste of reuerence
Of al þe toun, whilom dedicat,
And of ful ȝore also consecrat
To Appollo, of olde fundacioun,

557

Beside a gate stondynge of þe toun,
Callyd Tymbria in her Troyan tonge,
As in story is boþe red and songe.
And in þis phane, þat I spake of here,
Þei made firste be þe hiȝe auter,
By gret devis, a litel oratorie,
Perpetuelly to be in memorie,
Where was set a riche receptacle
Made in maner of a tabernacle,
Egal of siȝt, for a large ymage,
Þat reised was on a riche stage,
Þat was born vp at eche of his corneris
Of purid golde vp-on foure pilers;
And on euerych, ful craftily y-diȝt,
An angel stood of golde burned briȝt,
Coriously þe werke to sustene,
With crafty archis, reised wonder clene,
Enbowed ouer [al] þe werke to cure—
So merueilous was þe celature,
Þat al þe rofe and closure enviroun
Was of fyn gold, platid vp & doun,
Wiþ knottis graue, wonder corious,
Fret ful of stonys, riche and precious,
Of euery kynde þat man can deuyse,
So rially, & in so þrifty wyse,
Þat þe dirknes of þe blake nyȝt
With þe bemys of her clere liȝt
Enchacid was, where þei dide shyne.
And from þe grounde, vp-riȝt as a lyne,
Þer wer degres, men by to ascende,
Made so wel þat no man koude amende
Þe werkemanship; & þei were euerychon
Parformyd vp al of cristal stoon,
Attenyng vp fro þe table bas
Where þe stondyng and þe resting was

558

Of þis riche crafty tabernacle,
Havynge a-boue, vp-on eche pynacle,
A riche ruby; and reised hiȝe on heiȝte
Stood an ymage, huge & large of weiȝte,
Of massyf gold, havynge þe liknes
Of worþi Hector, þat gan his face dresse
Toward Grekis, where he dide stonde,
Ay þretynge hem with his swerd on honde.
And amyddes al þis grete richesse,
Þei han y-set, by good avisenesse,
Þe dede cors of þis worþi knyȝt,
To siȝt of man stondynge as vp-riȝt,
By sotil crafte, as he were lyvynge,
Of face & chere, & of quyk lokynge,
And of colour, sothly, and of hewe,
Beinge as freshe as any rose newe,
And like in al, as be supposaille,
As he lyuede in his apparaille:
For on his hede, like as it is tolde,
Þoruȝ smale pipes wrouȝt & made of gold,
Þat be mesour wern enbowed doun
To an entre makyd in his crown,
Be grete avys and subtylite,
To eche party and extremyte
Of his body lyneally porrect,
Þoruȝ nerfe & synwe driven & direct,
By secre poris craftely to extende,
Wherby þe licour myȝt[e] doun discende
To kepe hym hool fro corrupcioun,
With-outen any transmutacioun
Of hyde or hewe, in any part to tourne.
And at his hede of gold was an ourne,
Þat was filde with bawme natural
Þat ran þoruȝ pipes artificial,
Þoruȝ nekke & hed in-to many place,
Penytrable by veynes of þe face,

559

Þat þoruȝ vertu & force of þe lycour
He was conserued lifly of colour,
Fresche of hewe, quyke, & no þinge pale,
So myȝtely þe bawme dide avale—
Comparysownyd, as it were semblable,
To a sowle þat were vegetable,
Þe whiche, with-oute sensibilite,
Mynystreth lyf in herbe, flour, and tre,
And, sembla[b]ly, in-to euery veyne
Of þe cors þe vertu dide atteyne,
By brest and arme spredynge enviroun:
For þe moisture by descencioun
To hand and foot, sothly, as I rede,
Þoruȝ bon and Ioynt gan his vertu shede,
And distillynge myȝtely to flete.
And at his feet, ful of gommys swete,
A viol stood, temprid with bawme & meynt,
Þat be processe may nat wexe feynt,
But day be day encresen and amende,
Of whiche þe vapour vpward gan ascende,
Causynge þe eyr enviroun be delys
To resemble a verray paradys:
For þe flavour more holsom was & soote
Þan þe odour of spice, gomme, or rote.
And of pure gold were foure lampis liȝt,
To-fore þe cors brennynge day and nyȝt,
With oyle, in soth, ȝif it be credible,
Þat was be crafte made inextinguyble;
For it ne myȝt, myn auctor seyth certeyn,
Nouþer be queint with tempest, winde, nor reyn,
Nor be processe wasten of no ȝeris—
Whiche in þe eyr be briȝt borned weris
Ful craftely reised werne a-lofte,
Of whos swetnes men reioyssed ofte,
In her corage it likede hem so wel.
And whan þis werke was complete euerydel,

560

Rounde enviroun, ful riche & freshe to se,
Þei made a parclos al of Eban tre,
Þat so longe laste may and dure;
Þe whiche tre, only of nature,
Whan it is kut smelleþ wonder swete,
And may nat waste ne bren[ne] with noon hete,
Þouȝ it be leide amonge þe colis rede,
Mid þe flawme of many firy glede—
It nat consvmeth, þouȝ men assaien ofte;
And in water it houeth eke alofte,
And kyndely to þe grounde it goth,
To swymme on heiȝte in soth it is so loth.
And like also as techeth Pluvius,
Þis tre whilom was passingly famus,
Of so hyȝe pris and reputacioun,
Þat in þe large myȝti regioun
And worþi lond of Ethiope & Ynde,
Of ȝore a-gon, þe folkis, as I fynde,
Hadden þis tre in so gret honour,
Þat þei ȝaf tribut to þe emperour,
As is remembrid of antyquyte,
Of gold and yuor and þis riche tre,—
With þese giftes, famous and royal,
To quyte her dette to hym in special.
And whan Priam, in ful þrifty wyse,
Parformed hath, as ȝe han herde deuyse,
Þis riche werke, noble & excellent,
Of hertly loue, in al his beste entent,
Ordeyned eke, as Guydo can ȝow telle,
A certeyn noumbre of prestis for to dwelle
In þe temple, in her deuociouns,
Contynuelly, with deuout orisouns,
For þe soule of Hector for to preie,
Þat þe goddis his spirit list conveie

561

Eternally with hem to dwelle y-fere,
In Ioie and blisse, a-boue þe sterris clere.
To whiche prestis þe kyng ȝaf mansiouns,
Þer to abide, and possessiouns,
Þe whiche he hath to hem amortised
Perpetuelly, as ȝe han herd deuysed.
And whiles þei knele, preie, & wake,
I caste fully an ende for to make,
Finally of my þridde boke,
On my rude maner as I vndirtoke;
And whiles þei of Troye wepe & mourne,
Vn-to þe Grekis I wil ageyn retourne,
And with dul stile on þe story trace,
Only born vp with support of ȝour grace.

[Explicit liber Tercius Incipit liber Quartus].

III. PART III. BOOKS IV AND V, COMPLETING THE TEXT.

563

BOOK IV. Her bygynneth the fourte boke of Troyee.

Howe Kynge Agamenoun and alle the princes of Grece reioyssede the dethe of worthy Ectore, and howe thay sent to Kenge Priamus for to have a trews of two monethes, whil Achilles were made hole of his woundys, and other princes.

Hector þus ded, as ȝe han herd me seid,
And Achilles in his tent I-leied,
With his woundis mortal, freshe, & grene,
Vp-on a morwe, whan þe sonne shene
Enchasid had a-way þe dirke nyȝt,
Agamenoun, þe wyse worþi knyȝt,
In his werkis passingly prudent,
Hath in al haste for his lordis sent;
And whan þei wern assemblid euerychon
With-Inne his tent, to hem he seid anoon:
“Sirs,” quod he, “and lordis þat ben here,
Kynges, princes, and dukis eke yfere,
Ȝif ȝe aduerte by clere inspectioun,
Ȝe owe echon with hiȝe deuocioun,
Hooly of herte oure goddis for to herye,
And inwardly for to be riȝt merye,
Ȝif ȝe considre and wysly taken hed
Þat oure enmy Hector is now ded,
Þat whilom was berer-vp of Troye,
Her ful[le] trust, her honour and her Ioye,

564

Her hool diffence and protectioun,
And vn-to vs deth and confusioun—
Vnlikly euere vs to han had victorie
Whiles þat he floured in his glorie,
Ageyn whos swerd we myȝt[e] not availe.
For slowe he not at oure aryvaile,
Ȝif ȝe remembre, on þe firste day
Þe noble kyng callyd Protheselay?
And after next, ȝif I shal nat feyne,
Patroclus he parted euene on tweyne
In þe felde amonge vs euerychon:
Slowe he nat [eke] þe worþi kyng Menoun,
Archilagus, and also Prothenor,
And eke þe kyng þat hiȝt[e] Alphinor,
Phillis also, and Epistrophus?
And to his ende he brouȝt[e] Ȝantipus;
And Meryon, þe myȝti stronge kyng,
In his weie as he cam ridynge
He slay[e]n hath, and oþer kynges two,
Cedius and Drodius,—also
Polycenes and stronge Polybete,
Letaboma, and þe kyng Philete,
Þe manly knyȝt, þe kyng Isydius,
And eke þe kyng þat hiȝt[e] Hvmerus:
For in his Ire and his cruel tene,
Of worþi kynges he slayn hath eiȝtene,
Whiche hider cam oute of Grekes lond,
By þe power of his myȝti hond.
Now laude and honour to þe goddis alle,
Whiche causid han þat it is be-falle
Þat he is ded, to oure encres of Ioie,
And to discres of oure foon in Troye,
As þei shal fynde in experience,
And laude also, pris, and reuerence
Be to Fortune þat vs hath holp[e] wele
With þe turnynge of hir double whele,

565

To hiȝe comfort and consolacioun
Of vs echon sittynge inviroun,
Þat stande now in parfit sikernes
Þoruȝ deth of hym þat dide vs so oppresse.
And what may þei now waiten of þe toun
But after deth and destructioun,
And hastily for to ende in wo,
Now þat her trust, Hector, is a-go,
With-oute whom þei may not long endure.
Wherfore we may fully vs assure
Oure purpos hool þat we shal acheve,
And finally daunte hem so and greve
Þat vn-to hem it shal be importable,
Of oon assent ȝif we stonde stable:
For her party turneth on þe wrak,
And her hope is fully put a-bak
And dispeired in noon-surete.
For outterly þei and her cyte
Shal mor & mor in were of deth depende;
And we, in soth, shal day be day amende,
With helpe of God, boþe on se and lond:
For now victorie is redy to oure hond,
Voide platly of ambiguyte,
And excludid, at eye as ȝe may se,
Boþe of wantrust & of foreyn drede.
But I counsaille, or þat we procede
Any ferþer vp-on oure foon to ryde,
Prudently a while to abide
And kepe vs clos for to passe oure boundis
Til Achilles be helid of his woundis,
And þan echon, be myȝty violence,
Oppresse hem, whan þei haue no diffence,
As I haue seide, þoruȝ helpe of Achilles.
And lat [vs] now sendyn for a pes

566

For two monþes to kyng Priamus,
Ȝif it so be he list to graunte it vs,
As it is likly, pleinly, þat he shal.
And þei þer-while with flawme funeral
Consvme may þe dede bodies pale
Þat lyen a-brod on euery hil and vale,
Whiche by report of hem þat han repeire,
Fro day to day infecten so þe eyre,
Þoruȝ þe feld engendringe pestilence,
Of stinke þer is so gret a violence;
And we þer-while may in ese and reste
Oure woundis cure, me semeþ for þe beste.”
And þei assent her-to euerychon.
And vn-to Troye þe messageres ar goon,
And han þe trewe graunted of þe kyng,
And be repeired, with-oute more tariyng,
And þer-of made ful relacioun
To þe Grekis a-fore Agamenoun.
And after þat, whan al was at an ende,
Home to his tent euery lord doth wende.

Howe Kynge Palamydes of newe laborde to haue Agamenoun deposyde of þe governance of þe Grekys.

And while þe trewe endureth & þe pes,
Amonge Grekis kyng Pallamydes
Compleineth sore of Agamenoun,
Þat he so hadde domynacioun
Aboue hem alle, havyng þer-at envie.
And on a day in his malencolie,
Of hiȝe despit and indignacioun,
Ful inly fret with Irous passioun,
He gan breke oute, & his rancour shewe
By certeyn signes, þouȝ he spak but fewe.

567

Til on a day wyse Agamenoun
Conceyued hath of hiȝe discrecioun
Hooly þis þing, þouȝt he nold[e] spare
From point to point him silve to declare,
Whan his lordis to-gidre were present,
To-forn hem alle in his owne tent,
As he þat was (þis noble worþi kynge)
Ful circumspect in euery maner þinge—
Nouȝt to racul nor malencolius,
But be atemperance inly vertuous,
Wel avised & wonderly prudent.
Whan þat he knewe þe menynge & þentent
And þe conceit of þis Pallamydes,
He nat to hasti nor to rek[e]les,
But longe abiding, þoruȝ prudence & resoun,
With-Inne þe boundis of discrecioun—
Whos tonge was only of sapience
So restreyned þat no necligence
Of hasti speche, sothly, for no rape
Miȝt make a word his lippes to eskape,
Vn-avised for no þing hym asterte,
But it were first examynd in his herte;
For ay his speche in so þrifty wyse
Conveied was, by doctrine of þe wyse,
Vnder þe rene of wit and hiȝe prudence.
And after þat, by forme of elloquence
Alweye so seide þat resoun went a-forn,
So þat no word was in his tale lorn.
And in þis wyse shewynge his sentence
To-forn alle in open audience,
Seide euene þus, whan þat al was pes,
Vn-to þe kyng callid Pallamydes:

How Agamenon ful worshipfully replyede agaynste the obieccyons of Palamydes, notwithstondynge he resyngned the Empire of þe Grekes to ther owne eleccyoun, as folowthe.

568

“Sothly,” quod he, “ȝif ȝe taken hede,
Me semeth, pleinly, [þat] it were no nede
—Avisely ȝif ȝe list aduerte—
To mvse so nor grucchen in ȝoure herte,
Of al þis hoste þat I haue gouernance—
Wisly considered euery circumstaunce,
How I þe-stat (whiche no man may denye)
Wolde in no maner never occupie
By oþer title þan fre elleccioun,
Nat interrupt by mediacioun
Of brocage, roted vp-on mede,
Ay vnder-meynt with fauour or falshede,
Depict with colour of trewe entencioun
To support swiche false ambicioun:—
Of whiche þing here I wil me quyte
To-fore ȝow alle, þat I am not to wyte
In any wyse of so hiȝe offence,
But stonde clere in my conscience,
With-oute spot of any swiche veyn-glorie
Touchinge þestat whiche is transitorie;
Ȝet neuer-þeles, I haue do my cure,
With al my wit to helpen & procure
Þat euery þing touching þe commovnte
Perseuere myȝt in prosperite,
Havyng þe eye of myn inward siȝt
Vn-to þe estat of euery maner wyȝt
Þat were committed to my gouernance,
With gret labour and besy attendaunce,
Indifferent vn-to hiȝe and lowe,
To helpe and fostre, wher I coude knowe
Þat any stood in meschef or in nede—
Day and nyȝt for to taken hede,
As I best koude, by avisenesse,
Ay dillygent þat nat felle in distresse.
For, sothfastly, who-so loke a-riȝt,

569

Mi daies þinkyng & my wache a-niȝt,
And of myn hert þinly aduertence,
With-oute fraude, slouth, or necligence,
Was feithfully, with al my ful[le] myȝt,
Me to aquyte to euery maner wiȝt
Liche his estat, with-oute excepcioun;
So þat no man iustly of resoun,
Greke nor oþer þat is now a-lyve,
Vn-to my gilt may dew[e]ly ascrive
Any falsehed, engyn, or trecherie
Of loue or hate, favour or flaterie,
In any cause named in special,
But þat I haue ben eliche egal
To oon and alle, with al my besy peyne,
Þat no man hath mater to compleyne
For his party, of hiȝe nor lowe estat.
And to deuoide al rancour and debat
Amongis ȝow, I haue do my dever
In general þing and particuler,
Þat her-toward no þing hath mescheued.
And, God wot wel, it shuld[e] nat agrevid
To my herte taset at any prys,
Ȝow tachose by ȝoure discret avis
Som oþer to þis domynacioun,
And I to haue ben in subieccioun
With ese of herte and tranquillite
Liche oþer lordis here of my degre,
And in my wil fully han obeied—
Like on of ȝow outterly to haue deyed
In þe quarel þat we han vndirtake,
Ȝif destine had it so y-shape,
I seie, in soth, me is ful loth to feyne.
And ouermore, also, wher ȝe pleyne
Þat I was chose with-oute ȝour assent,

570

Merueileþ nat, sith ȝe ne were present;
Nor longe after, ȝif ȝe remembre a-riȝt,
Toward Troye ȝour weie was nat diȝt—
Ȝif ȝe considre, it was after ner,
Or þat ȝe cam, passed ful two ȝer:
And so longe tabide ȝoure commynge,
It hadde ben to Grekis gret hyndrynge,
Passynge harme, and ful gret damage,
And huge lettynge vn-to oure viage.
For ȝif we had, with-outen any wene,
On ȝour comynge taried at Athene,
It likly is—ȝe can nat wel seie nay—
To haue be þere ȝit in-to þis day.
And where as ȝe, þouȝ it be nat credible,
Affermen eke for an impossible,
Þat Grekis shuld in any maner wyse
Dor take on hem any gret emprise
In ȝoure abscence manly to achewe,
It is but wynde, no þinge for to leue:
For so it be to ȝou noon offence,
Þe Grekis han, with-oute ȝoure presence,
Þoruȝ her force on water and on lond
Ful many þing parformed with her hond,
And acheved þoruȝ her worþines.
And of o þing þat in me ȝe gesse,
Þis to seyne, þat of my degre
I shulde in herte so reioisshe me
Of þis lordshipe and þis grete estat,
Þe more to be pompos and elat
In chere or port þat I it occupie—
But me to aquite trewly, & nat lye,
And to deuoide al suspecioun,
I wil make a resignacioun
To-fore ȝow alle, for to excuse me.

571

Now beth avised discretly for to se
Whom ȝe list han ageyn to-morwe prime,
With-oute settynge of any lenger tyme,
Prolonging forþe, or any more delay.”
And þus þei made an ende of þat day,
And went her weye only for þat nyȝt,
Til on þe morwe, þat Titan shadde his liȝt,
At whiche tyme a conseil general
Þe Grekis hilde; but moste in special
Of lordis was þer congregacioun,
As I haue tolde, for þe eleccioun.
And whan þei were al[le] met I-fere,
Agamenoun anoon, as ȝe shal here,
Seide evene þus, with sadde countenaunce:
“Lo, sirs,” quod he, “touchynge gouernaunce
Þat I haue had, and domynacioun,
I haue her-to with hool affeccioun
And clene entent do my besynes
Þat euery þing miȝt in welfulnes
To ȝoure encres perseueren and contvne,
Recorde I take of God and Fortune,
Whiche han conservid, & þe cause be
Ȝou for to floure in felicite,
Þat ȝoure honour and [ȝour] hiȝe noblesse
Stant hool and sounde ȝit in sikirnes.
And while ȝour fame is most in flouringe,
As semeth me, it is riȝt wel sittinge
Myne estat fully to resygne,
Specially while fortune is benygne;
For of so many þat be now present,
I am allone insufficient
With-oute helpe for to bere þe charge—
Men with to moche may ouer-lade a barge,
And nam[e]ly in tempest and in rage—
And sith ȝe bene so discret and sage,

572

Of my berþene late me be releued,
So þat no man þer-with be a-grevid;
But late vs alle of oon entencioun,
With-oute strife or dissencioun,
Chesen swiche oon þat be most acceptable
To ȝow echon, and most couenable,
Ȝow to gouerne by discressioun.”
And þei echon with hool affeccioun
Assentid ben. To speke in general,
Here men may se how it is natural
Men to delite in þing[e] þat is newe:
Þe trust of peple is feint and vntrewe,
Ay vndiscrete & ful of doubilnes,
And variable of hir sikernesse;
Ay awaitynge in her oppinioun
After chaunge and transmutacioun,
Selde or neuer stondyng hool in oon
—To-day þei loue, to-morwe it is gon—
In whom ful selde is any sikernes.
For only now of newfongilnes
Þat hath enbracid her affeccioun,
Þei haue in stede of Agamenoun
Of newe chose, only of fauour,
Pallamydes to ben her gouernour,
And of Grece, liche as þei desyre,
To haue þe septre of þe hool empire,
And to be called, [aboute] in euery cost,
Emperour of þe Grekis host,
Riȝt as to-forn was Agamenoun.
And þis was fyn and conclusioun
For þilke day of her parlement.
And after þat, euery man is went
To his loggynge, home þe riȝt[e] wey.

How Achylles grochyde Agayne the eleccyoun Of Pallamydes, concydred þe wysdam of Agamenoun.

573

But in his tent, wounded as he lay,
Þe hardy knyȝt, þe cruel Achilles,
Whan þat he herd of Pallamydes
Fro point to point, & of þe elleccioun,
He was displesed in his oppinioun,
And pleinly þouȝt, as to his avys,
Agamenoun was passingly more wys
And more discret vn-to gouernaunce
Þan þe toþer, as to his plesaunce,
And seide it was noon eleccioun,
But a maner subrogacioun,
Be-cause hym silfe in þe parlement
At þe chesyng was nat þere present;
Arrettinge it passing gret offence
Þat þe choys was made in his absence,
Wher-with he was of herte inly wroth.
But wher so be þat he be lef or loth,
Þer is no more; but in conclusioun,
In his strengþe stood þe eleccioun.

Howe Kynge Pryamus, with al the worthy of Troyans partye, kame to the felde in his owne parsone to revenge the dethe of worthy Ector, And that same day wrought mervaylis with his swerde.

The trews passid and y-werid oute,
Þe wounded eke recurid al a-boute,
Þe nexte morwe after, Priamus
In his herte was inly desirous
With þe Grekis manly for to fiȝt,
Hectoris deth tavengen ȝif he myȝt—
Þis olde Priam, knyȝtly in þe felde.
Þat whan Troyens in hem silf behilde
Þe grete wille and þe hiȝe corage

574

Of hym þat was so fer ronne in age,
Þei gan reioysshe & pluk vp her herte,
And specially whan þei gan aduerte
His grete manhod and his worþines,
His liflyhed and his hie prowes.
And for his sake euery maner man
Gan armyn hym in al þe hast þei can,
With Priamus þat day to lyve or deye.
And in-to þe felde þei proudly hym conveie
—An hundrid þousand & fyfty of þe toun,
Like as Dares maketh mencioun,
And worþi knyȝtes þei wern euerychon,
With-oute oþer þat with Priam goon—
And al to-forn went[e] Dephebus,
And Parys next, and þanne Priamus,
Menon þe kyng, and worþi Eneas,
And alderlast cam Pollydamas.
And, as I fynde, sterne & ful of pride,
Pallamydes cam on þe toþer side
In-to þe felde with many stronge bataille.
And first whan eche oþer gan assaille,
Kyng Priamus knyȝtly his weye ches
Þoruȝ þe wardis to Pallamydes,
And hym vnhorseth þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun;
And lyke a knyȝt he kylleþ & bereþ doun
Þe proude Grekis, where-so þat he rood—
Was noon so hardi þat his swerd abod:
For so narwe he gan hem to coharte,
Þat her wardis he made a-sondre parte,
On hem he was so fel and furious;
For he þat day dedis meruelous
In armys wrouȝt, þat wonder was to sene,
And a merueille how he may sustene,
Of so gret age, in þe felde tendure;
For incredible was, I ȝou ensure,

575

To sen how he, þoruȝ his grete myȝt,
Þe Grekis put proudly to þe fliȝt.
And Dephebus was also nat behynde
Ageyn his foon knyȝtly, as I fynde,
Taquite hym silfe, & make hem to go bak.
And Sarpedoun, in whom eke was no lak,
I-fallyn is on Neptolonius,
Þe proudest Greke, & most surquedous,
And most famus as of strengþe & myȝt;
Þe whiche ageynward rod ful lyn[e] riȝt
To Sarpedoun, with a spere rounde,
And deliuerly smot hym to þe grounde.
But Sarpedoun, ful Irous in his herte,
With-oute abode on his fet vp-sterte,
And Neptalonye, in his Ire al hoot,
Þoruȝ-out þe þiȝe with his swerd he smot.
And þanne anon þe kyng of Perce lond,
Þat was so worþi & famus of his hond,
Of Sarpedoun whan he taketh hede,
Knyȝtly to hym restorid hath his stede,
Nat-with-stondynge þat Menelaus
Was vp-on hym passinge dispitous,
And with hym eke þe duke of Athenes
Enclosid han amonge þe grete pres
Þe kyng of Perce—allas! it shulde falle!—
And slay[e]n hym, as he amonge hem alle
Ful knyȝtly fauȝt, like a champioun,
With multitude enclosid enviroun—
And he hym silf but allone, allas!
Al destitut in þis mortal cas.
Þoruȝ whos meschef þei of Troye toun
Gan to with-drawe; til þat Sarpedoun
Hath holpen hem to recure her lond,
Ful many Greke kyllyng with his hond.
And kyng Priam, so manly founde at al,
With his sonys called natural,

576

Which vp-on hym, wher-so þat he rood,
Þe longe day manfully abood,
Partyng nat, pleynly, fro his syde—
And as þe kyng and þei to-gidre ryde,
Ful mortally þe Grekis þei confounde;
For Priamus, with many cruel wounde,
Hath slayn of hem many worþi man,
On hors[e]-bak amonge hem as he ran:
For þer was noon þat day, ȝonge nor olde,
Of Troye toun so hardy nor so bolde,
Of noon estat, þat haþ so wel him quitte,
Amongis Grekis wher-so þat he ritte,
Fro point to point to rekne euery þinge,
As hath Priam, þe noble worþi kyng.
For he allone was confusioun
To þe Grekis, and destruccioun,
Her outter meschef and discounfeture,
A-fore whos face þei myȝt[e] not endure;
For þinges two, in his mortal Ire,
Inwardly setten hym a-fyre:
Þe hertly hate þat he bare of old
Vn-to Grekis, doublid many fold,
With þe deth, had in remembraunce,
Of worþi Hector, by contynuaunce,
Þe whiche, platly, þoruȝ his worþines,
With his swerd he shope hym to redresse.
For fret of hate & constreint of his peyne
Wer verraily þilke þinges tweyne
By whiche þat day, who-so loke a-riȝt,
His force was doublid, and his myȝt.
Where-þoruȝ he toke so cruel hiȝe vengaunce,
Þat he þe Grekis brouȝte to outtraunce,
And þoruȝ his knyȝthod put hem to þe fliȝt.
But Grekis þan attonys dide her myȝt,
By assent to assemblen in-to on;
And for a sleiȝte a-syden oute þei gon
In-to a plein, large & fair to se,

577

Betwene Priam and Troye þe cite,
To fyn only in her entencioun
Hym to debarre þe entre of þe toun:
For euery weie þe Grekis han with-set,
Þat þei of Troye hadde þo be let
At her repeire, þe stori telleþ þus,
Nadde þe manhod ben of Priamus,
Þe whiche anon, as eny lyoun stronge,
With his swerd gan riden hem amonge,
And seuered hem, with large woundis wyde,
And slowe al þo þat wold his swerd abide,
Euery-where, endelonge þe pleyn.
And Paris eke hath hem so be-leyn
With myȝti shot of his stronge archeris,
And with þe pursut of his arblasteris,
Þat þei ne myȝt of þe shot so kene
Þe mortal harme abide nor sustene,
But gan anoon [to] flen oute of þe place.
And kyng Priam so narwe gan hem chace,
Þat of nede and necessite,
Þoruȝ þe slauȝter and þe cruelte
Of his swerd, sharpe whet & grounde,
Þer was no Greke in þe feld y-founde
But fled aweye, eueryche to his tent;
And þei of Troye be to her cite went
Be-cause it drowe fast[e] toward nyȝt,
For Phebus had be-reved hem his liȝt.
And so þe honour of þis hiȝe victorie,
Þe worship eke, þe laude & memorie,
Perpetuelly, and þe palme also
Priam þe kyng hath wonnen & no mo
For þilke day, in reles of his sorwe.

Howe Priamus sent to þe Grekes for a trewe, & in þe mene tyme ordeynd þe Cors of þe Kenge of Perce to be burede.

578

And, as I rede, on þe next[e] morwe
He hath y-sent oute of Troye toun
For a trew to Agamenoun,
Whiche granted was þe silve day at prime,
—Al-be þer-of rehersid be no tyme
How longe it last, in þe boke expresse—
Duryng þe whiche þei dide her besynes,
Hertly labour, and inward dilligence
For to ordeyne with gret[e] reuerence
How þat þe cors of þe worþi kyng
Of Perce lond, with-oute more tariyng,
With kyngly honour oute of Troye toun
Shal caried ben in-to his regioun
To be buried with his predessessours,
With oþer kynges, his progenitours.
Þe whiche þing was complet be þavis
Of Alysaunder, þat called was Parys.
And first þe cors, enbawmed richely,
Conveied was ful sollempnely,
As writ Guydo, with an huge route
Of his knyȝtes rydyng him aboute,
Trist and hevy, clad in blak echon.
And with þe char þe riȝt[e] weie þei gon
Toward Perce, ledyng of þis kyng
Þe dede cors toward his buriyng,
Whiche halwed was, lyche his estat royal.
And in þis while þe fest[e] funeral
Was holde also with gret deuocioun
Of worþi Hector with-Inne Troye toun,
Liche þe custom vsed in þo dawes
And þe ritys of her paynym lawes.
Þe whiche fest, as made is mencioun,
Fro ȝer to ȝer by reuolucioun
I-halwed was þe space of fourte-nyȝt,
With many flawme and many hydous liȝt

579

Þat brent enviroun in þe seintuarye,
And called was þe Anyuersarye,
For þat it cam aboute ȝer by ȝer
A certeyn day in her kalender.
In whiche of custom for a remembraunce
Þe peple shulde by contunvance
Pleyne and wepe, & also preie and rede
For her frendis þat a-forn were dede,
Ful pitously with her heer [to-]torn,
Mornyng in blak & knelynge ay a-forn
Þe dede cors of þis worþi knyȝt,
Whiche in his tyme passing was of myȝt.
And þis was doon while þe trew[e]s dure,
So þat Grekis trustly myȝt assure
Whan þat hem list, at good liberte,
With-oute daunger entre þe cyte
Day be day; and Troyens myȝt also
Vn-to þe Grekis frely come and go.
At whiche tyme, with ful gret delyt,
Hath Achilles cauȝt an appetit
To entre and se þe maner of þe toun,
With-oute wisdam or discrecioun,
For to behold, pleinly, and to se
Hooly þe maner of þis solempnyte.

How Achilles first, in the Tempele of Apollo, was smyte with Cupidys darte, in lovynge of Polycyne.

And forþe he went on a certein day
Toward Troye, in al þe hast he may,
Vnarmyd, soth[ly], as myn auctor seith,
With-oute assuraunce or any oþer feith
Excepte þe trew, who-so be lefe or loth.
And first of al to þe temple he goth
Of Appollo: halwed was þe feste

580

Þoruȝ-oute þe toun, doun vn-to þe lest,
Þat clepid was þe Anyuersarie,
As ȝe han herde,—what shuld I lenger tarie?—
And many worþi present was þer-at,
Amyd þe temple, of hiȝe and lowe estat—
Lordis and ladyes, of affeccioun,
From euery part gadred of þe toun.
Now was the cors of þis worþi knyþt
As freshe of colour kepte vn-to þe siȝt,
As lifly eke, and as quik of hewe
To be-holde as any rose newe,
Þoruȝ vertu only of þe gommys swete
And þe bawme þat gan aboute flete
To euery Ioynt and eche extremyte.
And at þis feste and solempnyte
Was Eccuba and ȝonge Polycene,
So wommanly and goodly on to sene,
With many oþer of hiȝe estat and lowe,
To-fore þe cors sittynge on a rowe
With heer vntressid, clad in wedis blake,
Þat euere in on swich a sorwe make
Þat routh[e] was and pite for to sene
How þei pleyne & þe deth be-mene
Of worþi Hector, of knyȝthod grounde & welle.
But trowe ȝe (as Guydo list to telle)
Þat Polycene, in al hir woful rage
I-chaungid hath vp-on hir visage
Hir natif colour, as fresche to þe siȝt
As is þe rose or þe lillye whiȝt?
Ouþer þe freshenes of hir lippes rede,
For al þe terys þat she gan to shede
On hir chekis, as any cristal clere?—
Hir heer also, resemblyng to gold wyre,
Whiche lay abrood like vn-to þe siȝt
[Of] Phebus bemys in his spere briȝt,

581

When he to vs doth his liȝt avale.
And ay she rent with hir fyngeris smale
Hir golden here on hir blake wede,
Of whiche þing Achilles toke good hede,
And gan merueille gretly in his þouȝt
How God or Kynde euer myȝt haue wrouȝt
In her werkis so fair a creature:
For he þouȝt he myȝt[e] nat endure
To beholde þe briȝtnes of hir face;
For he felt þoruȝ his herte pace
Þe percyng stremys of hir eyen two,
Cupides brond hath hym markid so,
For loue of hir, þat in his desire
He brent as hoote, in soth, as any fire,
And after sone with sodeyn colde he quoke,
And alweye fix on hir he hadde his loke,
So þat þe arwe of þe god Cupide
Percid hym evene þoruȝ þe syde
To þe herte, & ȝaf hym swiche a wounde
Þat neuere was lykly for to sounde.
And ay in oon his loke on hir he caste,
As he durste, and gan to presse faste
Toward hir, namly, with his eye,
Þat hym þouȝt he most nedis deye,
But ȝif þat he founde in hir some grace—
Þer was no geyn: for pleinly in þat place
Of newe he was kauȝt in lovis snare,
Þat of helth and of al welfare
He was dispeired in his herte so,
Þat he ne knew what was best to do.
Eche oþer þing, I do ȝow wel assure,
He set at nouȝt, and toke of hit no cure;
His þouȝt was hool on hir & on no mo;
Þe longe day þus went he to and fro,
Til Phebus char lowe gan declyne

582

His golden axtre, þat so cler doth shine,
—Þis to seyne, þe sonne went[e] doun—
Whan Eccuba, quene of Troye toun,
And hir dauȝter Pollycene, also,
Oute of þe temple to þe paleis go;
And ay Achilles on hir hadde a siȝt
While he myȝt, til for lak of liȝt
He may no more haue leyser oportune
To loke on hir, cursed be fortune.

Achilles, in the syght of Polycene, kaght his dethe, and so went oute of þe Tempyle to his Tente.

For whiche in haste he makid haþe his went
With his knyȝtes home vn-to his tent,
Wher he anon, with-oute more tariyng,
To bedde goth, ful trist in compleyning,
Ay in hym silf casting vp and doun,
In his mynde, and eke in his resoun,
From hed to foot hir bewte euerydel.
And in his hert he felt & knewe ful wel
Þat final cause of his languysshinge
Was Polycene, of bewte most passinge:
For loue of whom so moche peine he felte,
Þat with þe hete he þouȝt his hert[e] melte—
Ay on his bedde walwyng to & fro
For þe constreint of his hidde wo,
For whiche almost him þouȝt[e] þat he deide,
And to him silfe even þus he seide:
“Allas,” quod he, “how me is wo be-goon,
Þat of my sorwe know[e] ende noon;
For I suppose, sith þe world be-gan
Ne was þer neuere a wofuller man:
For I þat whilom was of so gret myȝt,
So renomed of euery maner wyȝt

583

Þoruȝ-oute þe world, boþe of hiȝe & lowe—
For þer was noon, in soþe, þat koude knowe
A man in armys þat was more famus,
Nor I-holde more victorius,
To-fore þis tyme remembrid be no stile
In-to þis day—allas, þe harde while!—
Nouþer Hector, pleinly, nor noon oþer,
Of Polycene þat was þe worþi broþer,
Þat power had whan þei with me mette,
For al her myȝt, me to ouer-sette,
Nor in þe felde my force for to daunte,
Here priuely as I me dar avaunte!
But now, allas, a mayde of tender age
Hath sodeinly me brouȝt in swiche a rage,
Þat with þe stremys of hir eyen tweyne
She percid hath and corve[n] euery veyne
Of myn hert, þat I may nat asterte
For to be ded, þoruȝ constreint of my smerte!
For who shal now wissen me or teche,
Or who, allas, shal now be my leche,
Or who shal now helpe me or saue?—
Þer is but deth, and after þat my graue,
For oþer hope, pleinly, is þer noon
Saue in hir mercy, allas, & þat is goon!—
For nouþer prayer, tresour, nor richesse,
Force nor myȝt, nouþer hiȝe prowesse,
Hiȝnes of blood, birþe nor kynrede
May availle [n]or helpen in þis nede
To meven hir, nor my sadde trouþe,
Vp-on my wo euere to haue rouþe!
What newe furie or importune rage
Hath brought myn herte in-to swyche outrage,
Ageyn[e]s whiche I can not debate—
To loue hir best þat dedly doth me hate!—
And, in good feith, who wisly list aduerte,

584

Litel wonder þouȝ she me hate of herte,
Sith I am come hyder fro so ferre
On hir kynrede for to make werre,
In þe whiche, to my confusioun,
Hir knyȝtly broþer, most worþi of renoun,
Haue fatally with myn hondis slawe,
Whiche in þis worlde had[de] no felawe
Of worþinesse nor of manlyhede!
Allas! allas! now may I quake and drede,
And of my lyf fallen in dispeire:
For how shuld I be bold to haue repeire,
Or dorn, allas, comen in hir siȝt?—
I woful wreche! I vnhappy wyȝt!
Or how shal I ben hardy to appere
In þe presence of hir eyen clere?
Certys, I se non oþer mene weye
But finally þat I must[e] deye—
So dispeired I stonde on euery syde,
Of oþer helpe I can me nat prouyde.”
And riȝt anoon, with profounde siȝes depe,
Þis Achilles brast oute for to wepe,
With dedly chere, pale and funeral,
And with his face turned to þe wal,
Þat rouþe was and pite for to sene
Þe hertly furie of his peynes kene.
For so oppressed he was in his þouȝt,
Of lyf nor deth þat he rouȝt[e] nouȝt;
And þis contvneth til it drow to nyȝt,
Þat Titan haþ withdrawe his clere liȝt.

Howe Achilles sent his messanger to quene Eccuba for to have Polycene: wherfor he wolde set þe Troyans and þe Grekes at finale pece.

And euere in oon lith þis woful man
I-liche sike, of colour pale and wan,
With-oute slepe, so fretyng was his sorwe,

585

Til Lucifer, on þe nexte morwe,
To-fore þe sonne, with his bemys clere,
Ful lustely gan for to appere
In þe orient, whan þis Achilles,
Vnpacient, with-oute reste or pes,
Quakynge euere in his feuere newe,
As it was sene, pleinly, in his hewe—
Til he abreide of anguysshe sodeynly,
And called oon þat was with hym prevy,
And of counseil whom he tristeþ wel;
And vn-to hym he telleþ euerydel
From point to point with him how it stood,
And sent him forþe, be-cause he koude his god,
On his message streiȝt to Troye toun
With ful avis and informacioun
Of þis mater to Eccuba þe quene,
Þoruȝ his wisdam for to ben a mene,
Ȝif he myȝt, by his discrecioun,
Fynde any waye of sauacioun
Vn-to his lord, þat he louyd so.
And to þe quene anon he is go,
And his mater wysly gan conveie
To-forn or he of grace wolde preie
Þat she enioieth to ȝeue hym audience:
For in his tale þer was noon offence—
He was no fool, nor newe for to lere.
Wherfore, þe quene goodly gan hym here
Of al þat euere hym likeþ for to seyn—
Þer was no worde y-lost nor spoke in veyn,
For his tale no man koude amende.
[And] Craftely he gan to discende
To þe substaunce, and tolde clerly out,
With premisses ful wel brouȝt about,
Þat finally, in conclusioun,
Þe chefe, he seide, of his entencioun,
Effectuelly, ȝif it wolde be,

586

Was for to make pes and vnite
Atwene Grekis & þe folke of Troye,
To whiche þing he knew no better woye
Þan of þe werre, for her alder ese,
By his wit prudently tapese
Þe mortal strife and þe bitter rage
By allyaunce only of mariage,
Ȝif þat hir liste, þis wyse, worþi quene,
Þat hir douȝter, faire Pollycene,
May weddid be vn-to Achilles,
Wher-þoruȝ þer myȝt be a final pes—
Ȝif Eccuba, by hir discresioun,
Þoruȝ hir wit and mediacioun,
And hir prudence myȝt aboute brynge
Þat Priamus were fully assentynge,
Þat Achilles myȝt his douȝter wyve,
So þat it myȝt parformyd ben as blyue
(Lyke as I haue made mencioun),
By couenaunt only, and condicioun
Þat þe Grekis shal her werre lete,
And suffre him to lyuen in quyete—
Ȝif þe mariage of þis ilke tweyne
Parformed be, and knyt up in a cheyne.

Of the answere of Eccuba, and howe she exortede Kynge Pryamus to þe same entent.

And whan þe quene hath knowen his entent,
Ful sobirly, by good avysement,
To-forn or þat any word asterte,
Ful pitously she syȝed in hir herte;
And, at þe laste, with a sobir chere,
She seide þus to þe messager:
“My frend,” quod she, “touching þi request,
I can no more make þe beheste,

587

But at þe leste I wil condiscende
What lyth in me to bringe to an ende
Þi lordis wil, with al myn herte entere.
But here-vp-on, I muste firste requere
Þe kynges wil, ȝif he wil ȝeue assent
To þe purpos [for] whiche þou art sent;
And, ouermore, I muste wyte also
Ȝif þat Parys be willyng eke þer-to—
Of whiche þing, with euery circumstaunce,
I wil my silfe maken enqueraunce
Ful feithfully of Priam and Parys,
Þe mene whyle, what is her avys,
With-oute more, with-Inne dayes þre,
At whiche tyme come ageyn to me
From Achilles, ȝif he wil þe sende,
And finally þou shalt knowe an ende
Of þis mater, and an answere pleyn.”
And home he goth to Achilles ageyn
With ful glad chere, his lord þe mor to plese;
And for to sette his hert[e] bet at ese,
Avisely, of hiȝe discrecioun,
He hath so made his relacioun,
And told his tale in so þrifti wyse,
As he þat koude his wordis so deuyse
To bringe in hope [in-]to his lordis herte,
With ful reles of his peynes smert,
Wher-by he made his sorwe to withdrawe.
And þus while hope gan [for] to a-dawe
Amyd his brest, Eccuba þe quene
To Priam spak of þis Polycene,
Touchinge þe sonde of þis Achilles,
And of his profre for to make a pes—
She tolde hym al, & for-gat no þinge.

Howe Priamus disclosyde the privite of his conseyte and gruchinge to be allyed with Achilles.

588

Wher-of astonyd, Priamus þe kyng
Spak nat a word half an oures space,
But in hym silfe gan for to compasse
Ful prudently what it myȝt[e] mene,
Þat Achilles wolde haue Polycene
Vn-to his wyf, ay wondring mor & more;
And at þe last, siȝynge wonder sore,
He discloseth þe conceit of his herte,
And seide, “allas! how sore it doth me smerte
To remembre þat I may haue no pes—
Þe grete offence of þis Achilles
Towardis me, pleinly, whan þat he
Slowe worþi Hector, þoru his cruelte,
Þat hooly was vp-on euery side
Þassuraunce, gouernour, and guyde
Of me and myn, platly, for to seyne,
And, þer-with-al, of myn eyen tweyne
He was allone þe verray sothfast lyȝt,
Shelde & protectour þoruȝ his gret[e] myȝt
And his manhod ageyn þe mortal rage
Of Grekis werre in my croked age!
But now, allas, to my confusioun
He slawen is, so worþi of renoun,
Be Achilles, whiche may not out of mynde—
Þat in myn hert I can neuere fynde
To ben allyed with my mortal foo,
Rote & grounde of al my sorwe & wo!
It were ful harde myn hert[e] to apese
To loven hym þat causeþ myn vnese
On euery half, wher-þoruȝ my cruel foon,
Þe proude Grekis, hertid ben echon
Ageyn[e]s me, now fortune is contrarie,
Torned of newe my quarel to apaire—
Þat causeth Grekis, wood and furious,
On me, allas, to be presumptuous,
Only for Hector is me berafte away.

589

But sithen I noon oþer chese may,
Ageyn[e]s herte, þouȝ it for anger ryve,
In þis mater assay I shal to strive,
Þouȝ me be loth, & sitteth me ful sore—
Ȝit to eschewe harmys þat ben more,
Whiche likly ben here-after for to falle,
And for to saue myn oþer sonys alle,
I wil concent þat þis Achilles,
So þat he make a trewe final pes
Atwene Grekis and also þis cite,
With-oute more, pleinly, how þat he
Haue vn-to wyfe my douȝter Polycene.
But list þat he any tresoun mene,
My wil is, first, how-so þat it wende,
Of his beheste þat he make an ende,
Wiþ-oute fraude: þis is myn avis.”
To whiche conseil assenteth eke Parys,
And more rathe, in conclusioun,
For þer was made noon excepcioun
In þis trete of þe quene Eleyne,
Þat Menelaye euere shulde atteyne
Hir to recure ageyn vn-to his wyf—
For whiche Paris, with-oute noise or strife,
Or grucchinge ouþer, vn-to þis entent
With-Inne hym silf was fully of assent,
Þer-by hopynge, with-oute fere or drede,
Perpetuelly Eleyn[e] to possede
Riȝt at his lust, & no man shal seie nay.
And after þis, vppon þe þrid[de] day
Achilles hath, to wyte of þis mater,
To Eccuba sent his Messanger;
And she tolde hym þe answere of þe kyng,
Ceriously gynnynge and endynge,
And how þat he assenteth wel þer-to,
And Paris eke, & she hir silfe also,
Ȝif it so were, pleynly, she hym tolde,

590

Touchinge þe pes þat þe purpos holde,
And firste þat he his heste bring aboute
Þat þei be sure: þanne him dar not doute
Þat he shal haue his purpos euerydel,
Ȝif þat he wirke prudently and wel.
And here-vp-on, with informacioun
Þis messanger, oute of Troye toun,
With-oute abood, in al þe haste he may,
To Achilles helde þe riȝt[e] way,
And tolde him hool þeffect of þis mater.
And he alweie feruent and entere,
In herte brent hoot as any glede,
And saw þer was no waye for to spede
But only pes, as ȝe han herd me telle;
And ay his brest with siȝes gan to swelle
For þe loue of þis Polycene,
And cast a[l]way, a-monge his peines kene,
To his purpos a weie for to fynde.
And whiles he was besy in his mynde
How he shuld his purpos bringe a-boute,
And in hym silf cast[e] many a doute,
Anoon Dispeir in a rage vp-sterte
And cruelly cauȝte hym by þe herte,
Whiche hath hym þrowe in-to swiche a were,
Þat hym þouȝte it nas in his power
His beheste to fulfille in dede,
Excepte he hadde wel þe lasse drede
Euery þing to putte[n] in certeyn,
Wenyng no Greke wolde his lust withseyn,
From his desire to be variable.
And to hym silf þus was he fauourable
For to parforme, and no þing denye—
Al þat was lusty to his fantasye—
As is þe maner of louers euerychon,
Þat þei suppose to acheue anon

591

What þing it be þat þei take on honde,
In what disioint þat þe mater stonde,
Al-þeiȝ it be a verray impossible—
In her foly þei ben [ay] so credible.
And so Achilles trusteth finally
To fulfille his hestes outterly,
Supposyng ay, for his worþines,
For his manhod and his hiȝe prowes,
In whiche he dide hym silfe glorifie
Somwhat of pride and of surquedie,
How þe Grekis shulde be dispeired
Boþe of her trust & her myȝt apeired,
Vp-on Troyens to wynnen any londe,
Ȝif it so were he with-drowe his honde
To helpen hem, and þer-with-al also
Home in-to Grece þat þei wolde go
From þe sege, only for his sake,
And her quarel outterly forsake,—
But it so were þis hardy ferse Achille
With hem abood þe cite for to spille.
For whiche þing þe lordis by assent
Assemblid wern to heren þe entent
Amonge hem alle of þis Achilles,
By þe biddynge of Pallamydes.

Howe Achilles, for the love of Polycene, exortede instantly the Grekis for to take A parpetuale pece with the Troyans, þe which pece he mevyde by many a sotele mene.

And whan þei wern gadrid alle I-fere,
To-forn hem alle, like as ȝe shal here,
Þis Achilles hath his tale gonne,
And seide: “sirs, þat so moche konne
Boþe of wisdam and of hiȝe prudence,
So renomed eke of sapience

592

Þoruȝ-oute þe worlde, and of discrecioun,
And ben so worþi also of renoun,
Kynges, dukis, of whom þe rial name
From est to west floureþ ȝit þe fame,
Boþe of knyȝthod and of manlihede,
To þat I seie, I praye ȝou takeþ hede:
Þis to seyne, ȝif þat ȝe considere
Þe pleyn entent of oure comynge hider,
By good avis and discrecioun,
Had no grounde founded on resoun
Nor cause roted on no titel of riȝt,
Ȝif it so be, þat ȝe lifte vp ȝoure siȝt
And aduerten clerly in ȝoure mynde:
Ful fer abak wit was sette be-hynde,
Prudent lokynge, and avisenesse;
For first whan we, of foly hastynesse,
Toke vp-on vs to come fro so ferre
Ageyn[e]s Troyens for to gynne a werre,
And to iuparde oure lyves euerychon
For þe loue of o man allone—
Ȝe weten alle, I trow[e], whom I mene:
Kynge Menelay, defrauded of his quene—
To telle trouþe, me list nat for to feyne;
For ȝe wel wite, only þat Eleyne
Was grounde & gynnynge of al þis debate,
For whom so many worþi of estate,
Recurles of any remedye,
Life and good han putte in iupartie—
Oure londis left and oure regiouns,
Oure cites eke & oure riche tounes,
Whiche by oure absence stond[e] desolat—
Wives and childer eke disconsolat,
In wo abide, mournynge, & distresse,
Whiles þat we, þe sothe to expresse,
Fro day to day, be-set on euery syde,

593

Lyn in þe felde, and oure deth abide
In sorwe & care, in labour and in wo.
And, with al þis, ȝe wete wel also,
Siþen tyme þat þe werre be-gan,
Of oure Grekis how many worþi man
Hath loste his lyf þoruȝ deþis fatal wounde,
Þat myȝt her-to haue lyued & be sounde
At home in Grece assured wel in Ioye,
Ȝif þei ne hadde comen vn-to Troye—
Þat to remembre it is ful gret pite.
And, ouer þis, I seie also for me,
Amonge Troyens in her cruel mood,
I haue y-lost so moche of my blood,
Þat hath ful ofte made me pale of hewe;—
Þis oþer day, also, grene and newe,
I hadde of Hector swiche a mortal wounde,
With a quarel sharpe whet & grounde,
Aboue þe þiȝe, so kene was þe hed
—Þe same day a-forn þat he was ded,
Of verray hap as it was y-shape,—
Þat fro þe deth vnneþe I myȝte eskape.
Whiche [ȝit] al freshe is vppon me sene,
Large and wyde, and as ȝit but grene,
Þe smert of whiche sore ȝit I pleyne.
And, in good feith, me semeth þat Eleyne,
Ȝif ȝe aduerte wysly in ȝour þouȝt,
With swiche a pris shuld[e] nat be bouȝt,
Wher-þoruȝ oure lyf and oure good y-fere,
And oure honour arn y-put in were,
And dredfully hangen in ballaunce.
For ȝif þat ȝe in ȝoure remembraunce
Conceyve a-riȝt and cast[en] vp & doun
Þe sodeyn chaunge and reuolucioun
Þat fallen hath sith þe werre gan,
Þe slauȝter & deth of many worþi man

594

Þat for hir sake hath here lost his lyf,—
Ȝet þe werst of þis mortal strif
Doth most rebounde [in-]to oure damage,
To disencres and eke disavauntage,
And likly is to encrese more
Ȝif ordynaunce be nat made þer-fore,
And remedie shape on ouþer side,
By fyn only þat Eleyne abide
With hem of Troye, stille here in þe toun.
And late vs cast, by good inspeccioun,
For oure ese som oþer mene way,
So þat þe kyng called Menelay
Chese hym a wyf in som oþer lond,
Lyk his estat be suraunce or be bonde,
Vnder wedlok confermed vp of newe,
Þat vn-to hym wole be founde trewe,
Siþen þat he, with-oute gilte or synne,
May be þe law from Eleyn[e] twynne:
For of dyvos causis ben y-nowe,
Þoruȝ-oute þe worlde of euery wiȝt [I-]knowe,
Of avoutri for þe foule vice.
For to lawe is no preiudice,
Þouȝ Menelay iustly hir for-sake,
Whan so hym list, and anoþer take
Þat shal him bet boþe queme & plese.
And so to vs it shal be ful gret ese,
Whan þe werre is brouȝt to an ende,
Whiche likly is many man to shende,
Ȝif it so be þat it forþe contvne.
Þe grete labour is so inportune,
Þat we ne shal no while mowe sustene:
For þis is soth, with-outen any wene,
Troyens ȝit ben flourynge in her myȝt,
And with hem han ful many worþi knyȝt
To helpen hem, of hiȝe & lowe degre;

595

And þer-with-al, so stronge is her cyte
On euery parte, with-outen & with-Inne,
Þat we ar nat likly for to wynne
In oure purpos, þouȝ we euere abide.
Wherfore, be wisdam lete vs voide pride
And wilfulnes, only of prudence
To han þe eye of oure aduertence
To oure profyt more þan to veyn-glorie,
And while oure honour shyneþ by victorie,
A wysdam is to withdrawe oure hond,
Sith we may nat constreyne by no bond
Fortunys whele for to abide stable.
Wherfor, I rede, or she be mutable,
Þis gery goddes with hir double cher,
Lat vs ȝeve vp swiche þing as liþe in wer
Whiles þat we mow oure worship saue:
For of þe werre þe laude ȝit we haue,
Considered wel how by oure manlyhede
Oure most[e] fo, Hector, is now dede;
And while þat we in oure honour floure,
My counseil is, or Fortune loure,
As I seide er, to chaunge hir briȝt[e] face,
While þat best we stonde in hir grace,
By on assent and oon oppinioun,
With-outen any contradiccioun,
Of hert & wil, boþe of on and alle,
Or oure honour on any party palle,
In-to Grece þat we home retourne.
For ȝif þat we lenger here soiourne
On þe quarel þat we haue longe swed,
Dout[e]les—it may nat bene eschewed—
Ful gret damage—þis with-oute faile—
Or we haue don, shal folwen at þe taile,
Wherfore, best is oure foly vp resigne.
And while oure hap is welful & benygne,

596

Most blaundisshinge, and of face faire,
Þe tyme is best to maken oure repeire,
While þat we stonde, in party & in al,
With oure enemyes in honour perigal
And fer aboue, pleinly, ȝif þat we
Koude han an eye to oure felicite,
While þat is in his ascenceoun.
But list som man wil make obieccioun
Þat we may nat [so] oure honour saue,
To repeire, pleynly, but we haue
Eleyne ageyn, þat is cause of al:—
To whiche þing anoon answer I shal,
Ȝif any man in his fantasie,
To dishonour or to vyllenye
Arrette wolde, in any maner kynde,
We to gon hom & leven hir be-hynde,
Shortly to seyn, I holde it be no shame,
Sith þat we han on as gret of name
As is Eleyne, and of berthe as good,
Amongis vs y-come of kynges blood,
Suster to Priam, lord of Troye toun,
Exyona, whom þat Thelamoun
In kepyng haþ, ȝif I shal nat feyne,
In Troye toun as Paris haþ Eleyne.
And sithe now it may bene noon oþer,
Lete þe ton be sette ageyn þe toþer;
And þe surplus of olde enmyte
Betwyxen vs and Troye þe cite,
My conseil is, for oure boþen ese,
By on assent wysly to appese—
Þis al and som—& þat we hen[ne]s wende.
I can no more; my tale is at an ende.”

Howe Kynge Menelaus, Heleyn-is husbonde, replyede agayns the exortacyons of Achilles.

597

To whom anoon kyng Menelaus,
For verray Ire wood and furious,
And kyng Thoas, þe duke eke of Athene,
As þei þat myȝt no lenger hym sustene,
—To suffren hym þei were so rek[e]les—
Spak alle attonis vn-to Achilles,
Nat only þei, but, þoruȝ inpacience,
Þe court parturbid, with-oute prouidence
With tumult gonne to repreue
Þis Achilles, and proudly hem commeve
Ageyn[e]s hym and hys oppinioun.
And seide shortly, in conclusioun,
Vn-to his reed þei nold[e] neuere assent
Nor condescende to no þing þat he ment,
To be gouerned by hym in þis cas!
For whiche þing anoon Achilles was
So full of Ire and rancour in his hert,
Þat sodeinly from his se he sterte,
And went his way, as he were in a rage,
Triste and pale, and a wood visage,
And shortly seide, for hym list nat feyne,
Þat he ne wolde lenger don his peyne
To helpen hem, how-so þat þei spede,
Ageyn[e]s Troyens, for no maner nede;
And bad anon, þis hardy Achilles,
To his knyȝtes, called Mirundones,
Þat þei no more with spere nor with shelde
To helpe Grekis entren in-to felde,
But kepe hem clos at home with-Inne her tent.
Þus in his Ire he ȝaf commaundement
To alle his men, as ȝe han herd deuise,
Hem to withdrawe at euery hyȝe emprise,
Whan-so-euere þei goon in-to bataille.
And in þis while skarsenes of vitaille

598

Fil in þe hoste of fleshe, bred, & wyn,
Þat many Greke brouȝt vn-to his fyn;
For þei ne myȝt endure for distresse,
Constreint of hunger dide hem so oppresse,
Til at the last kyng Pallamydes,
As he þat was in no þing rek[e]les,
Hath þer-vp-on maked purviaunce,
Remedie, and redy ordinaunce.
And by assent & counseil of echon,
He haþ y-sent wyse Agamenoun,
Þe worþi kyng, to Messa þere beside,
A litel Ile, only to prouide
For þe Grekis, ȝif he myȝt[e] spede
Hem to releue in þis grete nede.
And Thelephus, kyng of þilke lond,
Of gentilnes hath put to his hond,
As he þat was large & wonder fre,
And renomyd of humanite,
To socour hem, commaundinge anoon
His puruyours in al haste to goon
From euery party abouten enviroun
Þoruȝ alle þe boundis of his regioun,
And feithfully to cerchyn euery coste
To take up vitaille for þe Grekis host.
And after þat, ful hastely he made
To stuffe her shippes, pleinly, & to lade
With euery þing þat was necessarie
To þe Grekis, and be water carie,
At request of Agamenoun,
With-oute tariynge or dilacioun.
And so þe kyng, with plente of vitaille
Frauȝt and y-lade, gan anon to saille
Toward þe sege, he & his meyne,
Ay costeiynge by þe Grekysshe se.
Þe wynde was good, & þe kyng as blyve

599

With his navie at Troye dide aryve
In fewe dayes; and Grekis anon riȝt
Of his repeire were ful glad & lyȝt,
Of his expleit and his gode speed,
Þat he so wel hath born hym in þis nede.
And after þis, Pallamydes anoon,
As seith Guydo, is to his shippes goon
For to considre and loken al aboute
Wher nede was, with-Inne & with-oute,
Any of hem to [a]mendyn or repare,
As he þat list for no cost to spare,
In euery þing, with-oute necligence,
Touching his charge to don his dilligence,
Til þe trews fully wern oute ronne,
And þe werris new ageyn be-gonne,
Whiche many man, sothly, dere abouȝt.
And ceriously to write how þei wrouȝt,
My purpose is, pleinly, in sentence,
Vnder support of ȝoure pacience.

Of the dethe of Dephebus, sclayne by the hondys of Kynge Pallamydes with a spere.

Dvring in oon þe dedly cruel hate,
Þat stynte may nor cesse by no date
Atwyxe Grekis and hem of þe toun,
To grete damage and destruccioun
On ouþer part, felyng ful vnswete,—
Til on a day þei caste for to mete,
As þei wer wont, proudly with spere & sheld,
With her wardis entryng in-to felde,
Armyd ful briȝt vp-on ouþer syde,
And embatailled stoute, & ful of pride,
Ful knyȝtly han chose her grounde, & take
Her large baners, with þe wynde y-shake,

600

Til þei to-gidre sodeinly han met.
And alderfirst, Dephebus hath set,
Freshe & lusty, and of herte Irous,
Vp-on a kyng called Cresevs;
And of envie, þe story telleþ þan,
On hors[e]-bake as þei to-gidre ran,
Dephebus first with his spere as bliue
Þoruȝ-oute þe brest euene dide him ryve
Vn-to þe herte, þat he spake no more.
Þe deth of whom Grekis pleine sore,
And for his loue swiche a wo þei make,
Þat al astonied þei han þe feld forsake,
And gan anon vn-to her tentis fle.
Þe whiche, in soth, whan þei of Troye se,
Vp-on þe chas fast[e] gan hem spede,
Vn-to þe tyme þat worþi Dyomede,
And wiþ him eke þe kyng Pallamydes,
Of hiȝe dispit, cruel and merciles,
With twenty þousand worþi knyȝtes alle,
Vp-on Troyens sodeynly arn falle,
And mortally made hem lese her woye,
And to resorte hom ageyn to Troye.
And eke with Grekis, fel & furious,
Þe same tyme cam Thelamonyvs,
Þat hiȝt Aiax, þe stronge knyȝtly man;
And like a lyoun amonge hem as he ran
Vp-on Troyens and hem ouer-sette,
Casuelly in his weye he mette
Cecylyen, lusty, freshe, and liȝt,
And of his tyme a wonder manly knyȝt,
And sone was to Priam, as I rede,
Whom Thelamoun, prikyng on his stede,
Slowe cruelly with his swerde anoon,
Racynge his arme fro þe sholder bon,
Þat he, allas! fil ded in þe feld.
Þe deth of whom whan Dephebus behelde,

601

Woder anon þan tigre or lyoun,
With a spere ran to Thelamoun,
And smet hym so þoruȝ his platis briȝt,
Of verray force þat he made hym liȝt,
And lese his sadel, be-set amonge þe pres.
Þe whiche strok, whan Pallamydes
Behelde & sawe, & clerly gan aduerte,
Irous & wood, with a furious herte
Caste hym anoon tavenge Thelamoun
On Dephebus, ful worþi of renoun,
And mortally his guerdoun hym to quyte;
And with a spere, grounde for to byte,
Sharpe & kene, large, rounde, & square,
Ful cruelly, or þat he was ware,
Þoruȝ his harneis, with-oute more arest,
Dephebus he smote so in þe brest,
Þat with þe strok he brake þe shafte a-two,
So þat þe tronchoun & þe hed also
Left in his brest, þat þer was no weye,
Finally, but þat he muste deye—
Þer was noon helpe nor remedie at al;
Þe wounde was so cruel and mortal,
Þat with þe lyf he myȝt[e] nat abyde.
And in þis while, Parys cam be-side,
Of auenture, while þis Dephebus
Was of his wounde so inly anguysshous,
And gan in hast for taprochen ner,
With face pale and [riȝt] an heuy cher,
And for distresse wepte pitously,
And his knyȝtes commandid hastily,
His wounded broþer oute a-syde fere
In al haste þat þei shulde bere,
Oute of þe wardis fro þe grete pres,
Vn-to his peyne for to do reles,
For tabreþe hym at leyser, or tavente
In open eyr. & þei vn-to hym wente,

602

Maugre þe Grekis, wher he wounded was,
And bare hym oute a ful esy pace
Toward þe wallis, fast[e] by þe toun,
And with gret dool and lamentacioun
Ful soft[e]ly on þe grounde hym layde,
Til at the laste þis dedly man abreyde,
With mortal loke and face funeral,
And chere pitous, so þat eche bal
Gan turnen vp of his dedly eye,
And euene þus to Paris he gan seie:

Dephebus requirede his brother Parys to revenge his deth vpone Kynge Pallamydes.

“O broþer myn, whom þat I louede so,
Haue now pite & rewe vp-on my wo
Of kyndenes and of broþerhede,
And to my wordis of rouþe take now hede,
Sith we be deth muste asonder twynne;
For Antropos shal no lenger spynne
My lyues þrede, but þe knot[te] breke.
Wherfor, broþer, I praye þe be wreke
Vp-on my deth, or I hen[ne]s pace,
Ȝif þat þou list [to] do me swiche a grace
Of kyndenes, ȝet or I be ded,—
Out of my brest or þis speris hed
Be rent a-wey, þat þou avenged be
Vp-on my fo, as I trust in þe,
Þat I may wyte he be ded or I,
And þat his spirit passe finally,
And first descende depe doun in helle,
Eternally with Pluto for to dwelle,
Mid his boundis, þat dirke ben & lowe.
For, finally, so þat I may knowe
Þat he be ded—þer is no more to seie,
I gif no fors how sone þat I deie.”

603

To whos requeste Paris toke good hede,
And in þe feld fast[e] gan hym spede,
For þouȝt & wo pitously wepynge,
While his broþer lay þer languysshinge,
Nat awayting but only after deth,
Vp-on þe point to ȝelden vp þe breth.
And with his knyȝtes Paris vp & doun
Þe wardis souȝt aboute[n] enviroun,
Til at þe last Pallamydes he fond
With Sarpedoun fiȝtynge hond of hond.
Now was þis kyng, þis worþi Sarpedoun,
Come in diffence of hem of Troye toun,
Whiche of his hond was a noble knyȝt.
And while þat he with al his ful[le] myȝt
Most besy was Pallamydes topresse,
Liche a lyoun whetted wiþ woodnes,
Pallamydes, in hert[e] nat aferd,
Lete fleen at hym with his sharpe swerd
So myȝtely, þat it was a wonder;
For he his þiȝe partid hath a-sonder,
And smote it of by þe harde boon,
Þat Sarpedoun fil doun ded anoon—
So þat Troyens, whan þat he was slawe,
Were compelled of force hem to with-drawe,
Þoruȝ þe pursut of kyng Pallamydes
Whiche vp-on hem was so mercyles,
And as cruel as a wood lyoun,
After þe deth of worþi Sarpedoun.
Þe whiche, allas, whan Paris did espie,
He markid hym with a cruel eye,
And hent a bowe þat passingly was stronge,
And with an arwe to his tiler longe,
Entoxycat with venym in þe hed,
Þat whom he smot þer-with was but ded,
And hitte hym so in þe aventaille,

604

Þoruȝ-oute þe stuf and þe þikke maylle
In-to his þrote þat it gan þoruȝ pace,
Þat he fil ded in þe silve place,
Pallamydes, þis manful worþi knyȝt.
Wher-þoruȝ Grekis toke hem to þe fliȝt,
And made a noyse and a woful crye,
Þe deth compleynyng wonder pitously
Of her lord and myȝty gouernour,
But late chose to ben Emperour,
Her chefe socour and souereyn refut.
But now, allas! þei stonde destitut
Of gouernaunce, broke & disaraied,
With-oute guyde, riȝt as shepe dismayed,
Disconsolat & confortles y-shent,
Þat eche of hem fleth vn-to his tent.
And þei of Troye suede on þe chas
On hors[e]-bak a wonder huge pas,
And mercyles slowe þem as þei fle,
On euery side, þat rouþe was to se,
With-oute pite or any oþer grace:
For lyke lyouns þei gan hem enchase
Til þei, compelled of necessite,
Constreyned wern þoruȝ her cruelte
To turne ageyn & hem silfe defende.
And þei of Troye doun anoon descende
Of hors[e]-bak, euene vp-on þe pleyn;
And alle attonys—þer was non oþer geyn—
Þei gan þe Grekis proudly to outraye,
And cruelly so to dis[a]maye,
Þat finally þer geyneth no diffence,
So mortal was þe myȝti violence
Of Troyens, þat Grekis so diffoille;
And aldirlast at leiser þei dispoille
Þe Grekis tentis of gold and richesse.
At whiche tyme Troylus gan hym dresse,
And Parys eke doun to her navie
With þritty þousand in her companye,

605

Kyllynge alle þo, pleynly, þat þei mette,
And on her schippes wylde fire þei sette,
Þat to þe wallis of Troye þe cyte
Men myȝt[e] [wel] þe hydous flawme se.
And all hadde gon to destruccioun,
Nadde Aiax, y-called Thelamoun,
Þoruȝ his manhod and knyȝtly excellence
Come anon and maked resistence
Of þe Grekis, with many worþi knyȝt.
And þo of newe be-gan þe mortal fiȝt
A-twen Troyens and þe Grekis stoute,
Þe rede blood raylyng al aboute
Vp-on þe pleyn, so hydous[ly] þei blede;
And here & þere, boþe in lengþe & brede,
Ded & maymed, and ful pale of siȝt,
Vp-on þe soyle lay many noble knyȝt,
Atwixen hem so cruel was þe hate:
For in her fiȝt to-gidre þei debate
As wylde boris, evene so þei fare,
For non of hem list oþer for to spare.
And in þe felde worþi Thelamoun
Þoruȝ his knyȝthod & his hiȝe renoun
So manly bare hym Grekis to diffende,
Þat no man myȝt in manhod him amende,
Þoruȝ al þe worlde þouȝ men had[de] souȝt;
For he þat day in his person hath wrouȝt
Merueille in armys, þoruȝ his gret[e] myȝt,
Þat, in sothnes, Grekis anoon riȝt
With-outen hym hadde finally be shent,
And her shippes attonys lost & brent,
Þoruȝ þe pursut of Paris þilke day,
And worþi Troylus, þat made swiche affray
Amonge[s] hem þoruȝ his hiȝe prowes,

606

Þat fifty shippes, Guydo doth expresse,
Wer lost & brent or þat Thelamoun
To reskuse cam with his knyȝtes doun
Vn-to þe se, þe remenaunt for to save.
But for al þat, Troyens þat day haue
Þe hiȝer hond of þis mortal fiȝt,
Þoruȝ þe force and þe grete myȝt
Of Troylus only, whiche hath so many slayn
Of þe Grekis, in soþ, þat þei were fayn
Hem to withdraw, and þe felde to lete,
For in abidyng þei fond ful vnswete.

Howe þe Kynge of Trace kam to þe tente of Achile, and exortyd hym to take the felde.

Wherfore, þei gan for to lese her place,
Amonge whiche þe kynges sone of Trace,
Þat Heber hiȝte, wounded to þe deth,
Þat he myȝt vnneþe drawe his breth,
With a spere in his brest stikynge,
To Achilles he cam in compleynyng
Vn-to his tent, euene þere he lay,
Whiche in þe feld was nat al þat day
For the sake only of Polycene,
Þe love of whom was so sharpe & kene,
Ay at his hert, y-liche grene and newe.
To whom Heber, with a mortal hewe,
Compleyneth sore, arettynge cowardyse,
And in manhod a verray trowandyse,
Þat he þat day myȝt[e] so—for shame!—
Withdrawen him, in hyndering of his name,
Out of þe feld, to hym ful gret repref,
Of þe Grekys seyng þe meschef
Þat þei wern In, and confusioun,
Vp-on þe brinke of her perdicioun—

607

Abrod þe feld to sen hem so lye dede,
And list not onys for to taken hede
Of his knyȝthod Grekis to releue.
And while Heber gan hym þus repreve,
And þe spere whiche in his body was
Al sodeynly was drawen oute; allas!
With eye vp-cast in rancour and in Ire,
Ful pitously Heber dide expire
In þe presence of þis Achilles.
And þer-with cam in a sodeyn res
In-to his tent a certeyn knyȝt of his,
Of whom Achilles axeþ how it is
Amonge Grekis, & clerly how it stood.
And he answered, ful Irous in his mood:
“Certis,” quod he, “ful vnhappily;
For þei of Troye han so cruelly
Oure Grekis alle þis day in her fiȝt
Ful shamefully put vn-to þe fliȝt,
So many slayn—allas & wellawaye!—
Þat vnneþe noon ne went away
Vn-hurt-maymed, or with-oute wounde,
So fel on vs Troyens were y-founde.
And of hem eke was swiche a multitude,
Þat I suppose, shortly to conclude,
Þis day þer nas, to myn oppinioun,
Nat left a man with-Inne Troye toun
Þat able was to stonden in bataille,
With spere or swerd his enmy to assaille,
I wene, in soth, but þei comen oute
With vs to fiȝt,—þer was so huge a route
Þat we ne myȝt of force take on honde
In þe feld ageyn[e]s hem to stonde.
But now, my lord, it draweþ vn-to nyȝt,
Þat þei be feynt any more to fiȝt,—
Ȝif it were plesyng to ȝour worþines,
To ȝour manhod & ȝoure hiȝe noblesse

608

To take on ȝou to ȝoure encres of fame,
For euere-more to ȝete ȝou a name,
And þer-with-al for ȝoure owne glorie,
Perpetuelly to ben in memorie,
To rysen vp and arme ȝow anoon,
And sodeinly [vp-]on hem to goon,
Feble and weyke to make resistence
Ageyn ȝoure manly famous excellence,—
Þer wer no more, but we wer victours
For euere-more, and verray conquerours,
Durynge þe world to ben in remembraunce,
And þei for euere brouȝt vn-to outra[u]nce—
In sothfastnes, I haue of hit no drede.”
But Achilles toke of hym noon hede,
Nor to Heber þat lay aforn hym ded,
Ful colde and starke, of colour like to led,
Nor onys list to ȝeve hym audience,
Nor vn-to hym han his aduertence—
Þer may no word in his hert[e] myne
To þat he seide to maken him enclyne:
For, outerly, evene like he ferde,
As þouȝe he no maner worde ne herde;
For þoruȝ his eris it passed as a soun.
Lo, here þe maner and condicioun,
Þe verray custom & þe pleyn vsaunce
Of þis loveris, hangyng in a trance:—
Honour, worship, manhod, & prowes,
Strengþe, myȝt, fame, and hardines,
Encres of name, vertu, and victorie,
Knyȝthod, noblesse, and in armys glorie—
Alle þese can Loue leyn a-syde:
Swiche is þe myȝt of þe god Cupide,
Whiche hertis hiȝe with his hok can sese—

609

So loth þei arne, pleynly, to displese
Ouþer in cher or in contenaunce,
In wil or dede or disobeisaunce
To hir þat is her souereyn lady dere.
For, with a loke of hir eyen clere,
She can ful wel daunte[n] al her pride:
For Venus sone so felly can prouyde
His arwys kene to perce nerf & veyne,
And hem enlacen in his firy cheyne,
Þat only þoruȝ his importable charge
Þei ben restreyned for to gon at large;
Whiche cause was þis day, dout[e]les,
Þat þis noble hardy Achilles
Wolde nat, with-outen any wene,
Come in þe feld, for drede of Polycene,
List þat she were offendid in hir herte
Ȝif any þing eskaped or asterte
Þis Achilles, þoruȝ mysgouernaunce.
And whiles he henge þus in balaunce,
Þe Grekis fauȝt with hem of þe toun
Til briȝt Phebus was at goynge doun,
Þat Troyens, of necessite,
For lak of lyȝt entre þe cyte.
And while þat þei homward be repeired,
Lay Dephebus, of his lyf dispeired,
Compleynynge ay on his dedly wounde.
And whan Paris & Troylus han hym founde
In þat meschef, þei gan wepe & crye,
As þei wolde for verray rouþe dye,
With woful noyse and with pitous soun:
Þe salt[e] teris gan to renne doun
On her chekis vp-on ouþer syde;
And whiles þei vppon hym abide,
Þis wounded man gan drawe to his ende,

610

Whos spirit was redy for to wende
Out of his brest, & his wery gost,
Ful hastely in-to an oþer coste,
With dedly eyen turned vp-so-doun.
Whan þat he knewe by relacioun
Þat Paris hath Pallamydes y-slawe,
Anoon he bad þat þei shulde out drawe
Þe large tronchoun with þe stelen hed;
And þer-with-al anoon he fil doun ded.
And with þe cors þei gan hem fast[e] spede
Toward þe toun: but for it is no nede
Þe dool to write and lamentacioun
Þat maked was for hym and Sarpedoun
Þoruȝ þe cite, &, namly, of þe king
And of þe quene, euere in on wepynge,
Of his breþren and his sustres dere,
It were but veyne to rehersen here.

How Priamus burede Dephebus and Sarpedone, and howe the Grekes choyes Agamenon Emperoure.

But Priam hath with gret[e] dilligence
Twey tombes made, of royal excellence,
For Dephebus and kyng Sarpedoun,
With many ymage graven inviroun,
And many knotte korven here & ȝonder,
And buried hem but a litel assounder,
Lyke þe custom of her rites olde.
And whiles þei þe feste halwe & holde
Þat called is þe feste funeral,
Þe Grekis han do made in special
A riche tombe to þe worþi kyng
Pallamydes, and for his buriyng
Solempnely maked ordynaunce
Amonges hem, as it was vsaunce;
And with gret dool & pitous heuynes

611

Þei han þis kyng of gret worþines
Rially brouȝt to his sepulture.
And for þei myȝt longe nat endure
With-oute an hed and a gouernour,
Þei chosen han to her Emperour,
By on assent and affeccioun,
Þe worþi kyng, wyse Agamenoun.
And after [þat] þei made no lettynge,
—Þei of Troye—þe nexte day suynge,
With her wardis in-to þe feld to goon,
Fully purposed to fiȝt[e] with her foon;
And Grekis manly in þe face hem mette.
But worþi Troylus so hem ouersette,
Þat Greke was noon, shortly for to telle,
Þilke day a-forn hym myȝt[e] dwelle,
So cruelly he gan hem for to chase:
For where he cam or rode in any place,
Þei fled his swerd, of her lif in doute,
His ȝonge knyȝtes rydynge hym aboute,
Swyche as he was vsant for to lede;
And euere in oon þe Grekis blod þei shede,
Whiche lyke a streme disteyned al þe pleyn.
And al þis while was so huge a reyne,
Þe same day, and so huge a myst,
Þat euery man hath his felawe myst,
Specially vp-on þe Grekis syde:
Þat for þe storme and her woundes wide,
And for þe manhod of þis Troyan knyȝt,
Worþi Troylus, so ȝong, so freshe & lyȝt,
Þei were coact, þoruȝ his cruelte,
Maugre her myȝt, for drede of deth to fle
To her tentis socour for to fynde,
Troyens ay pursuyng be-hynde
Ful mortally, with a sterne pas;
But for þe storme þei cessen of þe chas,

612

And home repeire to her cyte strong.
Til on þe morwe, þat þe larke songe,
Þat Troylus eft, most manly in bataille,
Þe Grekis new cast hym for tassaille;
And Guydo writ, þis ȝonge champioun,
Þilke day as he rod vp and doun
Amonge his foon, þoru his hiȝe renoun—
Þat þere nas kyng, duke, erle nor baroun,
With his swerd, where-so þat he wende,
Þat of her lyf he made a mortal ende,
Al þe while þat Phebus gaf his lyȝt;
Til at þe laste þat it drowe to nyȝt,
Þat he to Troye repeireth manfully.
And sevene dayes, suynge by and by,
Þis lif he ladde, with his knyȝtes felle,
Vp-on Grekis, as Guydo can ȝow telle;
Ay newe & newe he gan hem so confounde,
His cruel swerd was so kene grounde,
Þat þei ne myȝt in his mortal tene
Aforn his siȝt abide nor sustene,
Nor þe vengaunce þat he on hem toke:
For where he rod þe weye þei forsoke,
In his traas þe rengis were so rede
Of hem, in soth, þat in þe feld lay dede.
For whiche slauȝter and confusioun,
Þe Grekis newe sent[e] to þe toun
For a trew to Priamus þe kyng;
And he anoon graunted her axyng
For two monþes, fully be thassent
Of alle þe lordis of his parlement.
Wher-of þei made ful relacioun—
Thenbassatours—to Agamenoun;
And to her loggyng after furþe þei went.
But how þat he vn-to Achilles sent
Þe mene while his messageris wyse,
So as I can, I shal anoon deuyse.

613

Achilles kept his Tent, and in no wyes wolde fight agayns þe Troians, for þe love of Polycene; for the which, Agamenon, with þe princes of Grece, kam to viset hym in his tent.

Agamenoun, as Guydo list endyte,
His lordis sent Achilles to visite
For certeyn causes, like as ȝe shal here,
Whiche in þe story be rehersid here.
And with Vlixes and worþi Diomede,
Duke Nestor went, pleynly, as I rede,
To fyn only, by her conseillynge
In-to his hert þat þei myȝt[e] bringe
And induce hym to han a fantasie
To be willy, þoruȝ his chiualrie,
With hem to stonde as he haþ do to-forn,
Þat han so many of her men y-lorn
For lake only of his [hiȝe] presence.
And Achilles with digne reuerence
Reseyved hem, & with riȝt knyȝtly chere.
And after þat, whan þei wer set y-fere
Like her degre anoon in audience,
Wyse Vlixes, ful of elloquence,
Gan his tale prudently deuyse,
To Achilles seyinge in þis wyse:

Vlixes taile to Achile.

“Sir Achilles, most renomed of glorie,
Þoruȝ-oute þe world to ben in memorie,
And of knyȝthod verray sours & welle,
Displese it nat, now þat I shal telle
To ȝoure noble famous excellence,
Nor to ȝour eris late be noon offence
Þat I shal seyn, but of goodlyhede,

614

Paciently þat ȝe wil take hede
To my wordes, seide of hert and þouȝt,
I ȝow ensure, for I feyne nouȝt;
Þis to seyn, ȝif ȝe remembre wel,
Þe first[e] cause and purpos euerydel
Of þe Grekis—ȝif ȝe haue mencioun—
Was fully set by oon entencioun,
As wel of ȝow as of vs, parde,
Whan we cam firste to þis cite,
Kynges, princes, I excepte noon,
—Of whiche, in soth, to rekne euerychon,
Ȝoure-silf[e] was, to speke in special,
On of þe first & most principal—
Assentid ful how Troye þe cite
Þoruȝ oure manhod distroied shuld[e] be—
Perpetuelly brouȝt vn-to ruyne.
But now of new, I not what doth enclyne
Ȝoure worþines sodeinly to varie,
An[d] to oure purpos for to be contrarie:
Considerid first of ȝow þat ben so sage
Þe wronges done & þe gret damage
In Grekis lond of hem of þe toun,
Conspirynge ay to oure distruccioun
—Ȝif ȝe aduerte wysly in ȝoure þouȝt—
Þat slay[e]n han and to an ende brouȝt
Ful many worþi, siþen go ful ȝore,
And of tresour, þat no man may restore,
Dispoiled vs, & brouȝt in gret distresse,
Oure goodes rauȝt, oure gold & oure richesse,
Oure shippes brent, þoruȝ her cruelte!
And to al þis, allas, ȝe list nat se,
Now þat þei ben (whiche may not be delaied)
Þoruȝ ȝour manhod finally outtraied,
Sith ȝe han slayn her hope, her suffisance,
Hector, in whom was al her affiaunce,
Fully her trust and diffence also,

615

And Dephebus also is ago,
And likly arn more to ben appaired
Fro day to day, and finally dispeired,
So frowardly Fortune on hem lowreth:
And now ȝoure honour & ȝour fame floureth
In his worship, and ȝoure hiȝe renoun
Atteyned hath the exaltacioun
And hiȝest prikke of Fortunys whele,
It were gret wronge, and ȝe loke wele,
Of wilfullnes for to ben vnkynde
To hir þat ȝe so frendly to ȝou fynde,
Or to be froward while she is benygne,
By influence graciously tassygne
Hir spokes meue vn-to ȝoure plesaunce,
And hap to tourne with plente on ȝour chaunce,
After whos help ȝou nedeþ nat to calle.
Wherfore, allas, whi wil ȝe suffer passe
Ȝoure noble fame, of verray wilfulnes,
While it is hiest in his worþines?
Ȝoure knyȝtly prudence it shold not asterte!
Of whiche þing euery gentil herte
Sholde haue rouþe and compassioun.
Wherfore we praie, of discrecioun,
Þat ȝe ȝou shape þis purpos to amende,
And þat ȝe wolde of hert[e] condescende
With vs to stonde knyȝtly in þis werre,
By ȝoure manhod, þat is spoke of so ferre,
Þat ȝour renoun to þe worldis ende
Reported be, wher-so þat men wende,
Perpetuelly, by freshnes of hewe
Day by day to encrese newe,
Þat þe triumphe of þis hiȝe victorie
Be put in story and eke in memorie,
And so enprented, þat forȝetilnes
No power haue by malis to oppresse

616

Ȝoure fame in knyȝthod, dirken or difface,
Þat shyneth ȝit so clere in many place
With-oute eclipsynge, sothly, þis no les—
Whiche to conserve ȝe be now rek[e]les,
Of wilfulnes to cloude so þe lyȝt
Of ȝoure renoun þat whilom shon so briȝt,
Ȝoure myȝty hond of manhood to withdrawe.
Considred first how Grekis arn y-slawe
To-fore ȝoure tent, with mortal woundis wide,
Þoruȝ-oute þe feld vp-on euery side,
And haue disdeyn, only for lak of rouþe,
—Allas þe while!—for a litel slouþe
To leie to hond in her meschef at al,
Þat whilom wern her stronge myȝty wal,
Her chef diffence and her champioun,
Souereyn helpe and proteccioun,
For whom ȝe han so ofte shad ȝoure blood,
Ageyn her foon with hem whan ȝe stood,
Ful myȝtely her enmyes to assaille,
With-oute whom þei litel may availle,
In verray soth,—ne noon of vs echon,
But ȝe of knyȝthod list with vs to goon
Ageyn Troyens as ȝe wer wont to do,
As is oure trust and final hope also,
Þat ȝe shal helpe and oure socoure be.
And her-vppon, we praie now þat ȝe
Seye ȝoure avis and ȝoure fulle wille.”

The answer of feres Achile to the mocyoun of wies Vlixes and othere princes of Grece.

And þan anon, þe hardy ferse Achille,

617

Whanne Vlixes concludid hadde his tale,
With a face for anger ded and pale
Seide euene þus, al openly and pleyn:
“Sir Vlixes, ȝif so be as ȝe seyn,
And han declared, in conclusioun,
Þat oure purpos and entencioun
Was finally to brennen and distroye
Þis royal cite þat is called Troye,
I holde, in soth, (me liketh nat to lye)
Þat oure entent was grounded on folye—
To putte vs alle þoruȝ indiscrecioun,
Of rekleshed and hasty mocyoun,
Of lyfe and deth in swyche Iupartye.
And specially alle þe cheualrye
Of Grekis lond, for so smal a þing—
So many prince & many worþi kyng,
Þat han iupartid her body & her good,
I-lost her lyf, and I-spent her blood,
Whiche myȝt haue ben ful wel at home in pes.
And is nat now þe kyng Pallamydes
I-slawe also, as who seiþ but of newe,
Þat was so wis, so manly and so trewe,—
Of whom þe lyf was of more pris allone
Þan þe cause for whiche þat we echone
Be gadred here, who-so loke a-riȝt.
And of Grekis many a noble knyȝt
Þat haue be slayn, boþe of þe worþiest,
Þe world to seke, and þe manlyest:
For oute of euery lond and regioun,
On Grekis party, & with hem of þe toun,
Of chiualrie and of knyȝthod floure,
To wynne in armys worship & honour,

618

Assemblid ben, and come fro so ferre,—
Of whiche, in soth, by dures of þis werre
Ful many oon in þe felde is ded;
And, verraily, wiþ-outen any dred,
Þer shal wel more ȝif þe werre last:
For euery day þe noumbre lasseth fast
Of worþi knyȝtes, ded with-oute rouþe,
Þat I dar seyn & conclude of trouþe,
In þis rage, furious and wood,
Ful likly is þat al þe gentil blood
Þoruȝ-out þe world shal distroied be;
And rual folke—and þat wer gret pite—
Shal han lordshipe & holy gouernaunce,
And cherles eke, with sorwe & meschaunce,
In euery lond shal lordis ben allone,
When gentil-men slay[e]n bene echone.
Is nat Hector, þat was so noble a knyȝt,
Þat was þis worldis verray sonne & liȝt,
Of manhood flour, slay[e]n pitously
In þis werre?—in soth, and so myȝt I,
Par auenture, whiche may nat atteyne
To his noblesse, ȝif I shal nat feyne.
For be what way shal we þe deth eschewe,
With al oure myȝt ȝif we it purswe
Fro day to day while þat we lyn here?
Þerfore, shortly, me for to requere,
Touching þe werre, ouþer for to praye,
Is but [in] veyn. & herkene what I seye:
I nat purpose in þis werre or strif
For to iuparte any more my lif,
For leuer I haue þat palled be my name
Þan to be slayn, & han an Idel fame;
For worþines, after deth I-blowe,

619

Is but a wynde, & lasteth but a þrowe;
For þouȝ renoun & pris be blowe wyde,
Forȝetilnes leith it ofte a-syde
By lengþe of ȝeris and obliuioun,
Þoruȝ envie and fals collucioun.
Þe laude of knyȝthod & of worþines,
Of wysdam eke, & of gentilnes,
Fredam, bounte, vertu, & swiche grace,
Forȝetilnes can dirken and difface;
And, þer-with-al, malys and envie
I-serid hath þe palme of chiualrie
By fals report. Wherfore, I seie, for me,
I wil of wisdam swiche foly lete be,
And in quiete forþe my lyf now lede;
And ouer þis, to ȝou þre I rede
To seke pes with Troyens ȝif ȝe may,
In hasty wyse, wiþ-oute more delay.
Þis is my conseil, platly, to ȝow alle,
Or þat meschef of deth vp-on ȝow falle;
It were wel don þat ȝe token hede,
Boþe Vlixes and þou Dyomede,
And Nestor eke, siþen ȝe be wyse,
To werke, pleynly, lyke as I deuyse.
Þis is þe somme & fyn of myn entent,
And so reporteþ to hym þat haþ ȝou sent.”
And þei anoon, with short conclusioun,
Repeired ben to Agamenoun
With swiche answer as ȝe han herd me seyn,
It nedeth nat to write it new ageyn.
And her-vppon kyng Agamenoun
Lete make anoon a convocacioun
Of his lordis; &, in her presence,
Fro point to point, sothly, in sentence
He hath reheresed how þat Achilles
Was desirous for to han a pes

620

With hem of Troye, and platly how þat he
For no praier wil in no degre
Ageyn Troyens, with spere no[r] with shelde,
In helpe of Grekis ben armyd in þe feld.
Wherfore, þe kyng, as he þat was ful wys,
Her-vppon axed her avys,
And what hem þouȝte was best for to do
In þis mater, siþen it stood so.
And first of alle spekeþ Menelay,
With angry chere, & seyde, platly, nay,
To han a pes it was nat his entent,
Ne þat he wolde þer-to be of assent,
Siþen þe cite, in conclusioun,
Stood on þe prikke of his distruccioun,
Now þat Hector & Dephebus were dede
Þat whilom wern her trust in euery nede
And her diffence; but now þei arn a-goo—
Fare wel her trust & her hope also,
With-oute more, and al her olde pride,
Þei may nat now but after deþ abide:
“And trusteþ wel, with-oute[n] any les,
Þouȝ it so be þat þis Achilles
Ne helpe vs nat toward oure emprise,
We dar nat drede, in no maner wyse,
With-outen hym [for] to han victorie
By oure manhood & oure owne glorie,—
I am ful sure her-of and certeyn.”
But Vlixes gan replie ageyn;
Nestor also, of sodeyn mocioun,
Contrarie was to his oppinioun,
Affermynge, platly, þat no wonder was
Þouȝ Menelay, sothly, in þis cas
Vn-to [þe] pes wolde nat assent;
For openly þei wiste what he ment,

621

For he was grounde & rote of al þe werre
And cause also þei comen were so ferre
Oute of her lond,—he & þe quene Eleyne.
And for þe sake only of hem tweyne,
Þe Grekis alle, whiche no man may denye,
Her lyves putte in swiche Iupartye,
For hym & hir, ȝif þe grounde be souȝt;
For wel þei wiste þat he rouȝt[e] nouȝt,
Þis Menelay, what wo þei endure,
So he his wyf myȝt ageyn recure.
And wher he seiþ þat Hector is ded,
He hath an eyr, to speke of manlihed
And of knyȝthod, as it wil be fonde,
And called is Hector þe secounde,—
Worþi Troylus, whiche þat is his broþer;
In al this world is not swiche anoþer
Of worþines, for to reknen al:
For he of Troye is þe myȝti wal
And diffence, now Hector is [a-]goon;—
Ȝe knowen it wel ȝoure silven euerychon,
Ȝif it so be þat ȝe list take hede,—
Whos sharp[e] swerde sore doth vs blede
Euery day in his furious hete,
Amyd þe feld whan we with him mete.
And in stede of worþi Dephebus,
Whiche in his tyme was wonderly famus,
His broþer Paris is now founde at al
In worþines of knyȝthod perigal,
So þat of hem we han non avauntage
In-to þis hour, but raþer gret damage,
To reknen al, siþen we be-gonne:
Þis verray soth, we haue but litel wonne,
But we ar lykly alwey more to lese
Ȝif we contune; but siþe we may chese,

622

It wer holsom to lyven in quiete,
To han a pes, and þis werre lete,
By oon assent, siþen ȝe be wyse.”

Howe the Grekes had broke ther sege, ne had þe exortacyon ybe of þe Troyan traytour Calchas.

And with þat word, Calchas gan to rise,
Þe Troyan traytour, with a pale chere
For verray Ire, & seide as ȝe shal here:
“A, worþi princes, what þinke ȝe to done,
To chaunge so, lyk as doth þe mone,
Ȝoure olde purpos & ȝour first entent,
Ageyn ȝe wil and comaundement
Of þe goddis, þat euery þing gouerne
By purviaunce, who-so can discerne.
Allas, allas, whi nyl ȝe at þe leste
Credence and feith ȝeven to her heste,
Whiche in no wyse may nat be fallible:
For, in soth, it wer an impossible,
Outterly, but Troye þe cite
Of ordinaunce and necessite,
Mut be distroied hen[ne]s but a lyte,
Ȝif ȝoure slouþe be it nat to wyte,
So þat victorie, worship, and honour,
And final palme eke of þis labour,
To be reported on water & on lond,
Reserued ben hooly to ȝoure hond,
In ȝoure purpos ȝif ȝe forþe contune,
And hindre nat of foly ȝoure fortune.
Þis is in soth, I dar it wel conclude,
And perllous is þe goddis to illude
Of necligence or slouþe wilfully.
Wherfore, I rede þat now manfully,
Of herte & þouȝt, & of ful vnite,

623

Platly deuoidynge al ambyguyte,
To sette vppon, & knyȝtly to reswme
Ȝoure force ageyn, fully to conswme
Ȝoure cruel foon; & late be shet with-oute
Wanhope & drede, dispeir & euery doute,
Castynge of peril, slouþe & cowardyse;
And lete manhod outterly dispise
Al drede of deth, þat causeþ hertis feinte
With cowardyse for to ben atteynte,
Þat finally, as goddis han be-hiȝt
Þoruȝ prescience of her eternal myȝt,
To victorie þat ȝe shal atteyne
Lyke ȝoure desyre,—þer is no more to seyne.”
And whan Calchas, in conclusioun,
Þis fals[e] traytour vn-to Troye toun,
Þe Grekis had þoruȝ his wordis faire,
Touching þe werre, put out of dispaire,
Of hert al oon [þei] caste hem to fulfille
Hooly his counseil, þouȝ so be þat Achille
Be froward [ay] to helpe hem in her nede—
Þei ȝaf no force, & toke of it non hede;
But euerychon þei hem redy make,
As ȝe shal here, þe feld in hast to take.

Aftir the trewes, the Troyans and þe Grekes resumede the felde, in þe which the Grekis might not susteyne against þe swerde of Troylus; for þe which Agamenon sent for a trewe of vj monethes.

The trew[e]s passid of þe monþes tweyne,
In-to þe feld þe Grekis hem ordeyne;
And þei of Troye ageyn hem issen oute.
And worþi Troylus with an huge route
Þe Grekis gan alderfirst assaille;
And with his swerd he made first to raile
Þe rede blod þoruȝ her harnes briȝt,
Þat as þe deth þei fled[de] fro his siȝt:

624

For he þat day þoruȝ his cruelte
Cast hym fully avenged for to be
Vp-on þe deth of Hector, outterly.
And as Dares reherseth specially,
A þousand knyȝtes þis Troyan champioun
Þat day hath slayn, ridyng vp & doun,
As myn auctor, Guydo, list endite—
Saue after hym I can no ferþer write,
In his boke he ȝeveth him swiche a name—
Þat by his manhod & his knyȝtly fame
Þe Grekis alle wer put vn-to þe fliȝt
Al þilke day, til it drowe to nyȝt.
And on the morwe in þe daw[en]ynge,
Þe Grekis han, at Phebus vp-rysynge,
I-armed hem with gret dilligence,
Ageyn Troyens to stonden at diffence.
Amonges whom þat day, as I rede,
So wel hym bar worþi Diomede,
Þat many Troyan þoruȝ his cruelte
Hath loste his lyf, til Troilus gan to se
Þis Diomede in þe feld ridyng,
To whom anoon, with-oute more lettyng,
With his spere þrowe in-to þe reste,
Þis Troilus rod, & hit hym oon the breste
So myȝtely, þat of verray nede
Doun of his hors he smet Dyomede,
Al-be of wounde he had[de] no damage.
And furiously Troilus in his rage,
Of envie gan hym to abreide,
Whan he was doun, þe love of Cryseide,
Of his deceit and his trecherie.
And Grekis þan fast[e] gan hem hye,
Amonge the hors in meschef where he lay,
To drawe him oute in al þe hast þei may;
And on a sheld, brosed & affraied,
Þei bare him hom, so he was dismaied

625

Of þe stroke, home vn-to his tent.
And Menelay þe same while haþ hent
A myȝty spere tavenge Dyomede,
And to Troilus fast[e] gan hym spede,
Fully avysed to vnhorsen hym anon.
But Troylus first made his stede goon
So swyfte a course toward Menelay,
Þat he anoon at þe erþe lay,—
So myȝtely he hit hym with his spere,
Þat shelde & plate myȝt[e] hym nat were,
To sauen hym from a mortal wounde.
But his knyȝtes, anon as þei him founde,
Oute of þe pres whan þei had hym rent,
Þei bar hym hom to his owne tent,
Þe Grekis ay stondyng in distresse
Þoruȝ þe knyȝthod & þe hiȝe prowes
Of þis Troylus, whiche haþ hem so beleyn,
On euery part, where he rod on þe pleyn,
Til vn-to tyme þat Agamenoun
In-to þe felde is avaled doun
With many worþi abouten his baner,
Þat shon ful shene ageyn þe sonne cler.
And with his knyȝtes [hym] ridyng enviroun
He sore enchased hem of Troye toun,
Woundeth & sleth & put hem to þe fliȝt,
Hym silfe aquytynge lik a manly knyȝt;
But for al þat, with-oute more abood,
Amongis Troyens fersely as he rood,
Þis worþi kyng, grete Agamenoun,
With a spere Troylus smet hym doun
Maugre his Grekis—þer geineþ no socour.
And whan þei sawe her lord, her gouernour

626

In swyche meschef at þe grounde lyende,
Þei hent hym vp, & made hym to ascende,
Þoruȝ her manhod, on his stronge stede.
And he of wyt gan to taken hede,
And consider wysly in his þouȝt
In what disioynt Troylus had hem brouȝt,
And how his Grekis, for al her gret[e] pride,
To-forn his swerde myȝt[e] nat abide—
He prudently, of hiȝe discrecioun,
Þis noble knyȝt, kyng Agamenoun,
As he þat hadde ay his aduertence
On gouernaunce, þoruȝ his prouidence,
Whanne he sawe his Grekis gonne faille
And wexe feble to stonden in bataille
For lak of stuf þat shulde hem recounforte,
Ful prudently he made hem to resorte,
Eueryche of hem, to his owne tent.
And after þat he hath to Priam sent
For a trew, to Troye þe cite,
For sixe monþes, ȝif it myȝt[e] be.
And by his conseil, Priamus þe kyng,
With-oute abood granted his axyng,
Al-be þat somme, as Guydo list endite,
Were euel apaied so longe to respite
Her mortal fon, in any maner wyse;
But ȝit his graunt, as ȝe han herd deuise,
Stood in his strengþe fully, as I rede.

Howe doubyle Cresseyd, agayns the wylle of here Fader, went to vyset Dyomede in his Tente.

In whiche tyme, of verray womanhede,
Cryseyde list no lenger for to tarie,
Þouȝ hir fader wer þer-to contrarie,
For to visite, and to han a siȝt
Of Diomede, þat was be-come hir knyȝt,

627

Whiche had of Troylus late kouȝt a wounde.
And in his tent whanne she haþ hym founde,
Benignely, vp-on his beddis syde
She set hir doun, in þe silve tyde,
And platly cast in hir owne þouȝt,
Touchinge Troylus, þat it was for nouȝt
To lyue in hope of any more recure,
And þouȝt she wolde for no þing be vnsure
Of puruyaunce, nor with-oute stoor:—
She ȝaf anoon, with-outen any mor,
Hooly hir herte vn-to Diomede.
Loo! what pite is in wommanhede,
What mercy eke & benygne routhe—
Þat newly can al her olde trouthe,
Of nature, late slyppe a-syde
Raþer þanne þei shulde se abide
Any man in meschef for hir sake!
Þe change is nat so redy for to make
In Lombard Strete of crowne nor doket—
Al paie is good, be so þe prente be set:
Her lettre of change doth no man abide!
So þat þe wynde be redy and þe tyde,
Passage is ay, who-so list to passe!
No man is lost þat list to seke grace—
Daunger is noon but counterfet disdeyn;
Þe se is calme and fro rokkis pleyn:
For mercyles neuer man ne deide
Þat souȝt[e] grace!—recorde of Cryseyde,
Whiche finally hath ȝoven al hir herte
To Diomede in reles of his smerte,
And praide hym to be riȝt glad & liȝt,
And called hym hir owne man, hir knyȝt,
And hym behiȝt, raþer þan he deie,
In euery þing how she wolde obeye,
Þat were honest, hym to do plesaunce:

628

For leuere she had chaunge & variaunce
Were founde in hir þanne lak of pite,
As sittyng is to femynyte,
Of nature nat [to] be vengable,
For feith nor oþe, but raþer mercyable
Of mannys lyf stondyng in distresse.
Her-of no more; for now I wil me dresse
To telle forþe in my translacioun
Ceriously how Agamenoun
Duryng þe trewe & þe tyme of pes
Hym siluen went vn-to Achilles,
Besechynge hym som rewarde to haue,
Of his knyȝthod Grekis for to saue,
And his presence no more to withdraw,
To suffren hem so mortally be slawe
Of her enmyes, pompos and elat.
But Achilles, alweye indurat,
I-liche newe, boþe in herte & þouȝt,
From his purpos platly chaungeþ nouȝt,
Fully enclyned for to han a pes.
But for-as-moche as þis Achilles
Of enternes and affeccioun
So lovynge was to Agamenoun,
He vn-to hym graunted at þe leste
A gret parcel touchinge his request:
Þis to seyn, þat þis Achilles
Granteth to hym hys Mirundones,
Ful knyȝtly men, only in his absence
With [þe] Grekis to make resistence
In þe felde ageyn hem of þe toun.
For whiche grant, kyng Agamenoun
And duke Nestor þankyd hym of herte.
But he, alweye contunyng in his smerte
For þe loue of feire Polycene,
Ne knewe no geyn to his woundis grene,

629

But dispeired, languyssheþ euer in oon.
And whan þe trews passed wern & gon,
Vp-on a day, þe morwe, ful benygne,
Achilles his knyȝtes dide assigne
Þe feld to take with Agamenoun;
And, as þe story makeþ mencioun,
He ȝaf to hem bendys fresche of red,
Þat men may knowe by her manlyhed
With whom þei wern with-holde in special.
And lyke a man dedly and mortal,
In his tent Achilles abood,
In-to þe feld from hym whan þei rood,
Only for dool þei shuld[e] from him twynne,
In his absence a werre to be-gynne
Maugre his wille ageyn hem of þe toun;
But forþe þei went with Agamenoun
Vp-on Troyens, sterne and ful of pride.
But with hem mette on þe toþer syde
Þe manly knyȝtes of Troyanyshe blod,
Whiche wern on hem so furious and wod,
Þat cruelly þe Grekis þei oppresse,
So þat abak for fere þei gan hem dresse—
Þei wern on hem so inly fel & kene—
Til þat þe duke þat lord was of Atthene
Entrid in þe Grekis to diffende.
But vp-on hym, vnwarly, or he wende,
Cam myȝty Troylus lyk a wod lyoun,
And from his stede anoon he bar him doun;
And, after þat, he put hym so in pres,
Til he mette with Mirundones,
And of hem slowe þat day ful many on.
And so fer in Troylus is y-goon,
Þat he Grekis putte outterly to fliȝt
Þoruȝ his knyȝthod, til hit drow to nyȝt:
For from his swerd no ransoun myȝt hem borwe.
And Guydo writ, þat on þe nexte morwe
Ful mortal was þe slauȝter on owþer syde,

630

Amyd þe feld as þei to-gyder ryde,
Of manly knyȝtes, þat wonder was to sene.
And, as þei fauȝt, þe kyng Philymene
With helpe only of Pallydamas
Taken hath þe worþi kyng Thoas,
And gan hym lede toward Troye toun;
But Mirundones on hym come doun
Wonder proudly, & after gan to swe,
And þoruȝ her myȝt Thoas þei reskwe,
And hym delyuere, for þei wer so stronge.
But Troylus þan hurtled hem amonge
Furiously, lyke a champioun,—
Now her, now þer, cast & þrewe hem doun:
Somme he slowe, & somme he made blede,
Til cruelly þei slow his myȝty stede
Whiche he sat on; and ȝit, neuerþeles,
He fauȝt on fote ageyn Mirundones,
Þat had caste Troylus to haue take.
But Parys tho gan hem so awake,
With his breþer þat a-boute hym rood,
Þat in þe place where as Troylus stood
Vp-on his fet, but hym silfe allone,
Of Mirundones þei slow many one,—
Þat of knyȝthod, þoruȝ her manlyhede
Þei vn-to hym brouȝt anoþer stede,
Amyd his foon, and made hym to ascende.
And he ful knyȝtly gan hym silfe diffende,
Beset with Grekis in þe silfe stounde,
Þat neuere ȝit a better knyȝt was fonde:
Þei felt it wel, þei þat wer his foon.
But þanne his broþer, called Emergaron,
So as he fauȝt, puttynge him silfe in pres,
Was slayn, allas! amonge Mirundones.
Þe deth of whom, in a cruel ire,

631

Troylus with anger newe set a-fire,
Pleynly purposeth tavenge ȝif he may;
And with his swerd he gan to make way,
And Parys ay fast[e] by rydynge,
And alle his breþer vp-on him awaitynge,—
Whiche alle I-fere wer so mercyles,
As I fynde, vp-on Mirundones,
Þat of force and necessite
Þei wer compelled pleynly for to fle,
Troylus on hem was so furious,
So vengable eke and so dispitous,
Þat he hem ȝaf many mortal wounde.
And ȝit, in soth, þat day þei wer founde
Noble knyȝtes, & quit hem wonder wel:
For þei þe crafte knewe[n] euerydel
Longynge to armys, of hem as I rede.
But for al þat, he made her sydes blede
Þoruȝ þe maille & her plates shene,
Þat þei ne myȝt, pleynly, nat sustene
Þe swerd of Troylus, hem chasyng oueral,
Al-be þei kepte hem clos as any wal—
Hool to-gidre, and went nat asounder.
But Troylus ay hem chaseth her & ȝonder,
And seuered hem maugre al her myȝt.
Til in-to feld with many worþi knyȝt
Cam Menelay and kyng Agamenoun,
Vlixes eke, and cruel Thelamoun,
And Diomede, whiche of his woundis grene
Recured was, as seiþ myn auctor clene;—
And on Troyens sodeinly þei falle
With her wardis and her knyȝtes alle:
And þo began þe fiȝt[e] to renewe
On euery half, þat with blody hewe
Þe platis briȝt wern of newe steyned;
And þei of Troye so manly han hem peyned

632

Ageyn her foon in þis myȝty stryf,
Þat many Greke was berafte his lyf;
And where þei wern most myȝti in batail,
Troylus cam in, & gan hem to assail
On euery parte, with many blody wounde,
And by his knyȝthod gan hem so confounde
Þat ay þei fled, so þei wern aferd
Þe mortal strokis of his sharpe swerd,
Her dedly foo and destruccioun.
And þis contuneth til kyng Thelamoun,
By his manhod, whan þat he beheld,
Þe Grekis made recure ageyn þe felde,
And gan Troyens assaille wonder sore.
And þo be-gan þe slauȝter more & more
On eche-a-side, til Troylus newe ageyn
Þe Grekis hath so fersly ouerleyn,
Mirundones and hem euerychon,
Aforn his swerd þat he made hem goon
To her tentis, and þe feld forsake.
And with his hond þat day he haþ take
An hundrid knyȝtes þat cam in his woye,
Þoruȝ his prowesse, & sent hem in-to Troye.
And euere in on gan so to enchase
Mirundones, þat þei lost her place,
And to Achille, liggynge in his tent,
Þei repeire, for-wounded & to-rent,
Her harneis broke, boþe plate & maille.
And of noumbre, I fynde, þat þei faille
An hundrid knyȝtes, slayn & ded, allas,
Þat after wer y-founde in þe taas
Amyd þe feld, þoruȝ girt with many wounde
Of Troylus swerd,—Hector þe secounde.
Wher-of Achille, whan he had a siȝt,
So hevy was al þe next[e] nyȝt,

633

In his bed walwynge to and fro,
Deuoide of slepe for constreint of his wo,—
At his hert his wounde was so kene,
What for his men & faire Polycene,
Wetyng wel, ȝif he dide his peyne
To be vengid, he shulde nat atteyne
In no wyse vn-to his desire.
And þus he brent in a double fyre
Of loue and Ire, þat made him siȝe sore;
But for cause loue was þe more,
He was a-ferd ageyn hem of þe toun
In his persone to done offencioun,
List Priamus and Eccuba þe quene
Offendid wern, & namly Pollycene.
And þus he stood in a double wer,
Þat at his hert sat hym wonder ner,
With many wonder diuerse fantasie,
As haue louers þat be in point to dye:
Riȝt euene-so fareth þis woful man,
For verray wo þat no red ne can,
So entriked þat he wende dye,
Of his recure he knewe no better weye.
And while he laie þus in his þrowes white
(Liche as Guydo pleinly list endite,
And þe story makeþ mencioun),
Þat dayes seuene þei of Troye toun,
To encres & awgment of her sorwe,
With þe Grekis metten euery morwe:
Þat þoruȝ þe force of her boþer myȝt,
On ouþer part was slay[e]n many knyȝt.
And al þis while lay þis Achilles,
Of Grekis deth y-liche rec[e]les,
For loue only, & toke no maner hede
Who-so were hool or mortally doth blede,

634

Or who þat pleyneth with his woundis large—
Hym þouȝt it was no parcel of his charge,
So moche he haþ on oþer þing to þenke,
Þat ofte he waketh whan he sholde winke,
Þouȝtful ay and ymagynatyf,
And verray wery of his owne lyf.
Til on a day, kyng Agamenoun,
Seynge þe deth and destruccioun
On Grekis halfe, with-oute remedie,
To Troye sent by enbassatrye
For a trewe certeyn dayes space,
But he myȝt þer-of haue no grace
Lenger tyme, platly, to endure,
Þan for leyser of þe sepulture
Of worþi knyȝtes þat wer ded to-forn,
In þe feld on ouþer part y-lorn,
Which in þe taas ful besely þei souȝt.
And after þis, pleynly, how þei wrouȝt
Duryng þe sege with gret violence,
I shal discrive with ȝoure pacience.

Howe the Troyans, the trewes endede, made so mortale were vpone the Grekes that, thorght the manhode and the blody swerde of Troylus, the Grekes wer brought ful nygh to outterance.

The cruel force & þe mortal Ire
Of Martis myȝt, alweie set a-fire
With newe envie, gonne of old hatrede,
Brennynge in hertis hoot as any glede,
Atwixe Grekis and Troye þe cyte,
Whiche likly is nat staunched for to be
Til deth consume with his mortal darte
Ful many worþi vp-on ouþer parte,
Texecute, allas! by fynal fate

635

Eche on oþer þenvious dedly hate,
Whiche þei ne myȝt by destyne remewe
Nor for parchas at liberte eschewe:
For Antropos wil suffre it be noon oþer,
Þat is maistresse & guyer of þe rother
Of Dethis ship, til al go vn-to wrak!
And Fortune gan turne hir face bake
Of hiȝe disdeyn fro Troye þe cite,
As in þis story riȝt sone ȝe shal se.
For whan þe trews þat þei had[de] take
Wer werid oute, þei gan [hem] redy make
—Þe proude Grekis,—& in-to felde þei gon
Vp-on a morwe, whan Phebus briȝt[e] shon,
Armyd ful shene, eueryche at his devis.
And Menelay first mette with Parys,
Þilke day, in story as I rede,
And eche of hem smet oþer of his stede;
At whyche tyme, daunȝ Pallydamas
To Vlixes rod a sterne pas,
And eche at oþer, of cruel enmyte,
With stiffe swerdis gan to-gidre fle,
Þat nouþer was of manhod for to wyte.
And with a spere, squared for to byte,
Þe myȝty duke, called Meneste,
Rood lyne riȝt, þat alle myȝt[e] se,
To Anthenor, þe Troyan ful of pride,
And from his sadel cast hym doun a-side,
In his furie & his hatful tene.
And þo in al haste cam kyng Phylymene,
Only in helpe of hem of þe toun,
And gan assaille kyng Agamenoun
Þoruȝ his knyȝthod & his hardynes,
Þat he him had brouȝt in gret distresse,
To outter meschef and confusioun,
Nadde only be þat kyng Thelamoun

636

Ful proudly cam hym [for] to reskewe,
And after sore gan for to purswe
With a spere vp-on Philomene,
And from his horse he leide hym on þe grene,
Maugre his force, þe story telleþ þus,
For he to hym was mortally Irous.
And after þat, ȝonge Archilogus
A mortal cours ran vn-to Brumvs,
Oon of þe sonys of Priamus þe kyng,
Ȝonge and delyuer, & best in his lykyng;
But he hym smet with so gret a myȝt
Þat he fil ded, þis freshe lusty knyȝt:
Þe deth of whom, whan þei of Troye espie,
Þei made a shouȝt, & pitously gan crye
Of woful routh, & his deth compleyne,
Til þe noise gan outterly atteyne
To Troylus eris, platly, where he rood.
And he no lenger after þat abood,
But to þe place felly gan aproche,
And with his swerd for to sette a-broche,
With-oute rouþe, þe Grekis hatful blood,
And, mercyles, al þat hym with-stood
He slowe þat day, by cruel auenture,
Þat Greke was noon, þe whiche myȝt endure
To-forn his swerd—he gan hem so oppresse:
For of knyȝthod and [of] hiȝe prowesse
He hadde hem putte outterly to flyȝt,
Nad[de] ben þe manhod & þe myȝt
Of Mirundones, whiche al þat day
By oon assent vp-on Troylus lay,
Wher-of he was ful malencolius;
And of corage & manhod most famus,
He ne list no lenger for to lette,
B[ut] al attonys vp-on hem he sette,

637

And furiously gan amonge hem ryde.
And somme he smet euene þoruȝ þe syde,
Þoruȝ the body, & some þoruȝ þe herte;
And with his swerd þoruȝ doublet & sherte,
Þoruȝ sheld and plate, & þoruȝ haberioun
He percid hath, and like a wood lyoun
He slow þat day of hem many oon,
Þat maugre hem þei fledden euerychon,
With þe Grekis, eueryche to his tent.
And þei of Troye after hem be went
Swyftly on horse, til þei han hem take;
And swiche a morder of Grekis þer þei make,
Þat finally þer was no bet reskus
But only deth, so passyngly confus
Þe Grekis wern at meschef desolat,—
Troilus so narwe brouȝt hem to chek-maat,
Þat þei koude no better remedie
But hidously for to wayle and crye,
To deth forwounded, with a grisly chere.

Howe Achilles for-gat the love of Polycene when he sawe the Grekis at þe poynt of confusyon.

Þat Achilles, whan he gan first here
Þe dredful noise and þe woful soun,
Þat caused was by refleccioun
Of eir a-ȝen—who-so koude it knowe—
In rochis harde and kauernys lowe,
Lyke as it wer o word spoke of two,
Þat men ar wont to callen an Ecko—
So confus was þe lamentacioun
On Grekis side;—of whiche þe dedly soun
So pitously to Achilles is ronne,
Of hem þat laye ageyn þe hote sonne,
With mortal woundes ȝeldinge vp þe breþe,

638

With rowmble & swowe resownyng in-to deþe—
Swiche a noise Grekis made þere.
And what it mente Achilles dide enquere,
And what þe cause was of her clamour;
And þei tolde hym, for lak of socour
Þe Grekis wern eche in his tentorie
Of Troylus slayn, so þat þe victorie
Goth finally with hem of Troye toun
For euere-more, in conclusioun:
So many Greke lay slay[e]n in his tent,
Gaping vpward, þat haþ his blood y-spent,
Þoruȝ þe constreynt of his woundes smerte.
And while Achilles þis meschef gan aduerte,
Ful sodeinly þer cam to hym a man,
Þe whiche his tale euene þus be-gan:
“Allas,” quod he, “how many ȝe sustene
To sen ȝour men her vp-on þe grene
A-fore ȝoure face slayn & ly[e]n dede,
And liste nat onys for to taken hede,
But stonde stille, pensif in ȝoure tent,
Vp-on þe point ȝoure silfe to be shent
In hasty hour, ȝif ȝe here abide:
For fifty þousand knyȝtes here be-side,
Redy armyd in platis and in maille,
Cast hem pleinly attonys ȝou tassaille—
Þis no doute—vn-armyd as ȝe stonde,
But ȝe of knyȝthod manly take on honde
To resiste in þis silfe place,
And like a man to mete hem in þe face.”
For whiche anon, in a cruel mood,
Þis Achilles, like as he were wood,
Armed hym, fomynge as a boor;—
Fare-wel his loue! he set of it no stoor;
Of hasty hete his Ire was so kene
Þat he forgat faire Polycene
And hir bewte, þat whilom made him smerte.

639

And in a rage vp anoon he sterte,
And toke his stede, as any lyoun wroþe
Ageyns Troyens, & in-to feld he goth:
Lyche a wolfe þat is with hunger gnawe,
Riȝt so gan he ageyn his foon to drawe;
And where he rood, with-oute excepcioun,
He woundeþ, sleþ, kylleþ, & bereth doun—
Now here, now þere—in a lytel þrowe,
Þat þei of Troye gan his swerd [to] knowe,
Whiche was infect of newe with her blood:
For þer was noon as ȝit þat hym with-stood,
So mortally he gan aboute hym leyn
Þe dede bodies endelong þe pleyn.
Til casuelly Troylus gan espie
Þis Achilles, as he caste an eye,
And gan his hors with spores to constreyne,
And rood at hym with al his myȝt & peyne;
But Achilles, of hym war also,
Smette eke his stede & made hym for to go
Toward Troylus in þe silfe tyde.
And with ful cours as þei to-gider ride
Ful lyne riȝt, her speres sharpe whet,
With swiche a myȝt þei han to-gider met,
Of hiȝe disdeyn—þer is no more to seyn,—
Þat to þe grounde þei fel boþe tweyne;
But Achilles kauȝte swiche a wounde
In his body, so depe and so profounde,
Þat long he lay (myn auctour seiþ certeyn)
Or he to helþe restored was ageyn.
And Troilus eke, þoruȝ platis, mail, and al
(As writ Guydo) had a wounde smal,
Whiche vn-to hym dide no greuaunce.
And þus þat day by contynuaunce,
And dayes sixe, swynge by and by,

640

Þe proude Grekis mette cruelly
Amyd þe feld hem of Troye toun,
To gret damage and confusioun
Of ouþer party, pleinly, þis no nay:
For many worþi was slayn day by day
In her rancour & hertly hoot envie,
—Al-be Guydo doth nat specefye
Noon of her names, pleinly, in his boke,
As ȝe shal fynde ȝif ȝe list to loke.
And al þis while, for þis sodeyn þing
Pensyf & trist was Priamus þe kyng,
Þat Achilles torned hath so clene
His hert away fro ȝonge Polycene,
And for þis chaunge, so sodeyn & so newe,
Þouȝt his behestis wer[e] nat al trewe,
But on deceit and on doubilnes,
On fraude falsly, & newfongilnes,
On sleȝty tresoun and on couert gile,
Or rage of loue, þat lasteth but a while,
Was outterly founded his beheste:
For like a wynde, þat no man may areste,
Fareth a word, discordaunt to þe dede,
Of whiche a wysman take shal noon hede,
But lete passe, as he were rek[e]les.
For, al-be-it þat þis Achilles
Was whilom cauȝt with-in Louys snare,
Hym lyst nat now onys for to spare
Of hyȝe rancour his lady to offende—
It was nat lyche as þei of Troye wende,
Eccuba nouþer Pollycene.
Wher-of Priam spak vn-to þe quene
In an anger, and gan hir to abreide
Þat she hir trust so enterely leyde
On Achilles, þat can so falsly mene;
Wherof ful trist was þis Polycene,

641

Þat was inclined, with hir eyen clere,
By þe counseil of hir moder dere
To haue be wedded to þis Achilles,
To fyn only þer shuld haue ben a pes
Atwen Grekis and hem of Troye toun.

Howe the next morowe Achilles resumede the sprete of rankoure and envye, and there-vpon, agayns the ordure of knyghthode, proditoriously compassede þe dethe of worthy Troylus.

But al was fals, in conclusioun;
In þe fyn was þe trouþe sene:
For whanne Achilles of his woundes grene
Was fully curid, by a certeyn day,
He gan compasse, in al þat euere he may,
And ymagyne in his envious herte
To be venged of his woundis smerte
Vp-on Troylus, þat stak ay in his mynde,
At avauntage ȝif he myȝt hym fynde
—To hym he bar so passyngly hatrede,
In his herte brennynge as the glede,
Whiche day nor nyȝt may in no degre
Fully be queynt til he avenged be,
Þe hote rancour gan so on hym gnawe—
Avised platly þat he shal be slawe
Of his hondis, whan-so þat it falle.
And on a day to hym he gan calle
Mirundones, his knyȝtes euerychon,
Vp-on a morwe whan þe Grekis gon
To-fore þe toun, in stel armyd briȝt,
Ageyns Troyens in purpos for to fiȝt;
And þei wer come proudly in-to felde
In thoposit, with many riche shelde,
Newly depeynt with colours freshe & fyne,
Vp-on whiche ful briȝt[e] gan to shyne

642

Firy Titan, gold-tressed in his spere,
At his vprist with his bemys clere,
—Whan þis felle envious Achilles
To his knyȝtes, called Mirundones,
Vp-on Troylus gan hym to compleyne,
Besechynge hem for to done her peyne
Ageyn þis Troylus in þe feld þat day,
To cachen hym at meschef ȝif þei may,
And besely to done her dilligence
On hym to han her ful aduertence,
By oon assent, wher-so þat he ride—
Al oþer þing for to sette a-syde,
And of nouȝt ellis for to taken hede,
Sauf finally ageyn hym to procede
Ȝif þei myȝt cacche hym in a trappe—
With-Inne hem silf Troilus for to clap,
To enclose and sette hym rounde aboute
In al wyse þat he go nat oute.
And whan he were be-set amonge hem alle,
Nat to slen hym, what-so-euere falle,
But þoruȝ her myȝt manly hym conserue
Til he hym silfe come & make hym sterve,
With his swerd, he & noon oþer wyȝt.
Lo! here a manhod for to preise a-riȝt!
Vengaunce of deth, of rancour, & of pride,
Compassid tresoun, knyȝthod leyde a-side!
Worþines be envie slawe,
Falshed alofte, trouþe a-bak y-drawe!
Allas! in armys þat it shulde falle,
Of trecherie þat þe bitter galle
Shuld in þis world in any knyȝt be founde,
Þat be to trouþe of her order bounde!
Allas, allas! for now þis Achilles
Conspired haþ with his Mirundones
Þe deth of oon þe worþiest[e] wyȝt
Þat euere was, and þe beste knyȝt!

643

Allas! for wo myn herte I fele blede
For his sake, þis story whan I rede.
But whan Fortune haþ a þing ordeyned,
Þouȝ it be euere wailled and compleined,
Þer is no geyn nor no remedie
Þouȝ men on it galen ay & crye
—I can no more touchinge þis matere,
But write forþe, lik as ȝe shal here,
How Mirundones han her lord be-hiȝt,
With al her power & her ful[le] myȝt
To fulfillen his comaundement;
And in-to feld with Grekis þei be went.

Howe Mirmidones grauntede Achilles to vmbilap Troilus, wherthorgh he myght the esylyer scle hym.

But Troylus first, in þe opposit,
Of verray knyȝthood haþ so grete delit
With-oute abood manly hem to mete
—He was y-brent with so feruent hete
Of hardines and [of] hiȝe corage,
Of worþines and of vasselage,
Þat hym ne list no lenger to abide,
But with his folk in be-gan to ride
Amonge Grekis, þis stok of hiȝe renoun.
And with his swerd he woundeþ & bereþ doun,
Sleþ and kylleþ, vp-on euery halfe
So mortally, þat þer may no salue
Her sores sounde; for þer was but deth,
Wher-so he rood, and ȝelding vp þe breth,
So furiously he gan hem enchase;
And made hem lese in a litel space
Her lond echon, and a-forn hym fle:
In Troylus swerd þer was swiche cruelte,
Þat maugre hem he þe feld haþ wonne.

644

Þe same tyme whan þe briȝt[e] sonne
Hiȝe in þe south at mydday-marke shon,
Euene at þe hour whan it drowe to noon,
Whan Mirundones, gadred alle in oon,
In compasse wyse rounde aboute hym gon,
And furiously, of oon entencioun,
Þei made a cercle aboute hym enviroun,
Whan þei sawe him of help[e] desolaat.
But he of hert nat disconsolat,
Vp-on no side, þoruȝ his manlyhede
Lik a lyoun toke of hem noon hede,
But þoruȝ his famus knyȝtly excellence
As a tigre stondeth at diffence,
And manfully gan hem to encombre,
And [gan] to lasse & discres her noumbre.
And somme he maymeþ & woundeþ to þe deþ,
And somme he made to ȝelden vp þe breþ,
And somme he laide to þe erthe lowe,
And somme he made for to ouer-þrowe,
With his swerd of her blood al wet,
At gret meschef under his horse fet;—
Vp-on his stede sturdy as a wal,
Þis worthy knyȝt, þis man most marcial,
Pleyeth his pley amonge Mirundones,
Hym silf, God wote, allone al help[e]les.

How worth[y] Troylus was besett with iij. thousande Knyghtes; and how knyghtly he defendid him.

But þo, allas! what myȝt his force avail
Whan þre þousand knyȝtes hym assail,
On euery part, boþe in lengþe and brede!
And cowardly first þei slow his stede
With her speris, sharpe & square [y-]grounde:
For whiche, allas! he stont now on þe grounde
With-oute reskus, refut, or socour,
Þat was þat day of chiualrie flour.

645

But, weillawey, þei han hym so be-set,
Þat from his hed þei smet his basenet,
And brak his harneis, as þei hym assaille,
And seuere of stele þe myȝti strong[e] maille.
He was disarmyd, boþe nekke and hed,
Allas þe whyle! & no wiȝt toke noon hede
Of alle his knyȝtes longynge to þe toun;
And ȝit alweye þis Troyan champioun
In knyȝtly wyse, naked as he was,
Hym silfe diffendeth, til Achilles, allas!
Cam ridynge in, furious and wood.

How worthy Troylus was cowardly slayn by Achilles.

And whan he sawe how Troilus nakid stod,
Of longe fiȝtyng awaped and amaat,
And from his folke allone disolat,
Sool by hym silf at meschef pitously,
Þis Achilles wonder cruelly,
Be-hynde vnwarly, or þat he toke hed,
With his swerd smyteþ of his hed,
And cast it forþe of cursed cruel herte,—
And þouȝt[e] platly, it shuld him nat asterte
To shewe his malys, þis wolfe vnmerciable!
Ful vnknyȝtly to be more vengable
Vp-on þe body þat lay ded and colde
—Allas, þat euer it shuld of knyȝt be tolde,
Wryte, or rehersed, to do so foule a dede,
Or in a boke, allas, þat men shuld rede
Of any knyȝt a story so horrible,
Vn-to þe eris passingly odible:—
For þis Achille of cruelte, allas!
Þe dede cors toke oute of þe taas,
And vengably bond it, as I fynde,

646

At þe taille of his hors be-hynde,
And hatfully, þat euery wyȝt behilde,
Drowe it hym silf en[de]longe þe feld
Þoruȝ þe rengis and þe wardis alle.

How the translater compleyneth of Achilles for his treson, and deth of worthy Troylus.

But, o allas! þat euere it shulde falle
A knyȝt to bene in herte so cruel,
Or of hatred so dispitous fel
To drawe a man after he were ded!
O þou, Omer, for shame be now red,
And be astonyd, þat haldest þi silfe so wyse,
On Achilles to setten swiche a pris!
In þi bokes for his chiualrie
Above echon dost hym magnyfye,
Þat was so sleiȝty & so ful of fraude!
Whi ȝevest þou hym so hiȝe a pris & laude?
Certis, Omer, for al þin excellence
Of rethoryk and of eloquence,
Þi lusty songes and þi dites swete,
Þin hony mouþe þat doth with sugre flete—
Ȝet in o þing þou gretly art to blame:
Causeles to ȝeue hym swiche a name,
With a title of triumphe and glorie
So passingly putte hym in memorie,
In þi bokes to seyn and write so,
Þoruȝ his knyȝthod he slowe Hectoris two:
First hym þat was lik [vn-]to noon oþer,
And Troilus after, þat was his owne broþer!
Ȝif þou arte meved of affeccioun,
Whiche þat þou hast to Grekis nacioun,
To preise hym so, for þou canst endite,
Þou shuldest ay, for any favour, write

647

þe trouþe pleinly, & ben indifferent,
And seie þe soþe clerly of entent.
For whan he slowe Hector in þe felde,
He was a-forn disarmyd of his shelde
And besy eke in spoylyng of a kyng:
For ȝif he had be war of his comyng,
He had hym quytte, þoruȝ his chiualrie,
His fals deceit and his trecherie,
Þat he ne had so liȝtly from hym gon.
Troilus also was naked & allone,
Amyd foure þousand closed & be-shet
Whan Achilles haþ his hed of smet,
At his bak of ful cruel herte,
Whan he no þing his tresoun dide aduerte.
Was þat a dede of a manly knyȝt?—
To slen a man forweried in fiȝt,
Feynt of travail, al þe longe day
Amonge so many stondyng at abay,
A kynges sone, and so hiȝe born,
Naked þe hed, his armure al to-torn,
Euene at þe deth on þe silfe point,
At disavauntage, & pleinly oute of Ioynt,
Of his lyf stondyng on þe wrak—
Whan Achilles cam falsly at þe bak,
Assaillynge hym whan he was half ded,
And lyk a coward smot of þanne his hed,
Þat was to-forn hurte & wounded sore!
Wherfor, Omer, preise hym now no more.
Lat nat his pris þi rial boke difface,
But in al haste his renoun oute [a]race:
For his name whan I here nevene,
Verrailly vp vn-to þe heuene
(As semeth me) infect is þe Eyr,
Þe sown þer-of so foule is & vnfair!

648

For ȝif þat he had hadde his aduertence,
Ouþer þe eye of his prouidence
Vn-to knyȝthod or to worþines,
Ouþer to manhod or to gentilnes,
Or to þe renoun of his owne name,
Or to þe report of his knyȝtly fame,
In any wyse to haue taken hede,
He hadde neuer don so foule a dede:
So vengably [for] to haue y-drawe
A kynges sone after he was slawe!
And namly hym, þat was so gode a knyȝt,
Whiche in his tyme, who-so loke a-riȝt,
Passed Achille, I dar it wel expresse,
Boþe of manhod and of gentilnes.
But for al þat, he is now ded, allas!
Þe deth of whom whan Pallydamas
And Paris eke dide first espie,
Þei ferde, in soth, as þei wolde deye.
And specially, with face ded and fade,
Paris, allas, swiche a sorwe made
For þe constreint of his dedly wo,
Whan he sawe [þat] Troylus was a-go,
And þat he shal neuer a-lyue hym se.
Swiche sorwe also þe Troyan daunȝ Enee
For hym hath made, & many a-noþer mo.
And alle attonys þei to-gidre go,
Þe dede cors to recure ȝif þei maye;
But Grekis wern so fel on hem þat day
Þat her labour was outterly in veyn,
In any wyse þe cors to gete agey[n],
Til þat Menoun, þe noble worþi kyng,
Whiche loued Troilus ouer al[le] þing,
Cauȝt swiche routhe of affeccioun,
Þat he in haste, ferser þanne lyoun,
On his deth caste hym to be wreke.
And first for Ire þus he gan to speke

649

To Achilles for his hiȝe tresoun:
“O þou traitour! o þou scorpioun!
O þou serpent, ful of trecherie!
Whiche in dishonour of al chiualrie,
Þoruȝ fals engyn hast þis day [y-]slawe
Oon of þe best, þat hadde no felaw
Whan he deide, in þis world a-lyve!
Allas, allas! who may ariȝt discrive
Þi venym hid, þi malis & vntrouþe,
With-oute pite or, vnknyȝtly, rouþe—
To drawe a knyȝt, so gentil & so good,
A kynges sone of so worþi blood,
Þoruȝ-oute þe feld þin horse tail behinde,
Þat after euer [it] schal ben in mynde,
Þis cruel dede and vngentilnes!”
And with þat word, Menoun gan him dresse
Toward Achille, with-oute more arest;
And with a spere smet hym in þe brest,
Enviously of so grete hatrede,
Þat he vnneþe kepte hym on his stede.
And Menoun after pulled oute a swerde,
And cast hym manly to [mete] hym in þe berde,
And rood to hym, fully deuoide of drede,
And swiche a wounde ȝaf him on þe hede,
Þat maugre hym, in many mannys siȝt,
To þe erthe he made hym to aliȝt,
For al his pride, in a mortal traunce:
For of þat wounde he felt[e] swiche greuaunce,
Þat at þe deth he lay an huge whyle,
In a swowe þe space of halfe a myle,
Til Mirundones, assemblid in-to oon,
With gret labour hent hym vp a-noon,
Ful dedly pale, so he gan to blede.
But for al þat, þei sette him on his stede,
And at þe last his hert he kauȝt ageyn,
And smet his horse, of hate & hiȝe disdeyn,

650

And toward Menoun faste gan hym hiȝe.
But whan þat he his comynge dide espie,
Ful lyke a knyȝt list nat to a-bide,
But hit his horse sharply in þe side
And mette Achilles proudly on þe plein;
And with her swerdis þei to-gidre leyn,
And gan to hurtle on horse-bak I-fere,
With hert envious and dispitous chere.
But kyng Menoun was at avauntage
Of Achilles, for al his wode rage,
In poynt tabrouȝt hym to confusioun,
Til þe wardis of newe come doun
On ouþer part, boþe here & ȝonder,
Whiche sodeinly seuered hem a-sonder.
And as þe story telleth pleinly, þanne
Be-gan þe slauȝter of many manly man:
For nouþer party þe felde nolde leue
Of verray pride, til it drow to eve,
Þat Phebus gan aswagen of his hete,
And gan to baþen, in þe wawes wete,
His briȝt[e] bemys, of þe occian,
Þat fro þe feld hom goth euery man
To her loggyng; & after, seuene daies
Þei fauȝt y-fere, & made no delaies,
Ful mortally, by cruel auenture,
While Achilles besy was to cure
His woundes grene, & his soris sounde.
And þanne he hath a newe tresoun founde,
To be venged vp-on kyng Menon:
For al his wit he sette þer-vppon.
And so þis cruel envious Achilles
I-charged hath his Mirundones
Worthy Menon amonge hem to embrace,
Ȝif þei hym founde in oportune place,

651

With al her myȝt and her besy þouȝt—
From her hondis þat he eskape nouȝt
Til he hym silfe avenged on hym be.
And so bifel, as þei Menon se,
Þe nexte morwe like a manly knyȝt
Ageyn þe Grekis armyd for to fiȝt
On Troye side as he was wont to do—
Of auenture þat day it fil so,
Þat Achilles and þis Menon mette:
And eche of hem gan on oþer sette
On horse-bak, of ful gret envie;
And so longe in her malencolye,
Myn auctor writ, þei to-gidre fiȝt,
Þat eche made oþer of force to aliȝt.
And whan Menon stood vpon þe grounde,
Mirundones went aboute hym rounde,
As þei wer charged of þe ferse Achille—
Whan he, allas! with-oute Goddes wille,
Disseuered was from his knyȝtes alle.
And at meschef þei vp-on hym falle,
Destitut, allone, and help[e]les,
And in swiche point slowe hym Achilles.
But in þe story like as it is founde,
Þis Menon first ȝaf hym swiche a wounde,
To-forn his deth in al þis felle strif,
Þat he dispeired was, pleinly, of his lyf—
Þis Achilles, for al his false tresoun.
Take hede, Omer, & deme in þi resoun
Þe false fraude and þe sleiȝti gyle,
Þe tresoun caste to-forn with many wyle
Of Achilles; and Iuge now a-riȝt,
Ȝif euere he slowe any worþi knyȝt,
But it were by prodicioun—
Record I take of þe kyng Menoun:
So þat þe title of his laude, allas,

652

Entriked is with fraude & with fallas,
Þat þou, Omer, maist with no colour,
Þouȝ þou peinte with gold & with aȝour,
In þi writyng his venym nat enclose;
But as þe þorn hid vnder þe rose,
Whos malys ay dareth by þe rote,
Þouȝ þe flour a-boue be fayr & sote,
Þat men þe fraude vnder may nat se—
Of his tresoun ȝe gete no more of me.

The missauenture and discomforde that came amonges the Trogians after the deth of Troylus.

But I wil telle how Grekis do þat day,
—How Meneste and kyng Menelay,
Dyomede and Thelamonyus
On Troyens wern passyng dispitous:
For cruelly with her wardis alle,
In her meschef ben vp-on hem falle,
And made hem fle hom vn-to þe toun.
For whilom Troylus, þat was her champioun,
Is ded, allas! & hath hem now forsake.
Of whom þei haue þe ded[e] body take
Þe same day, wiþ gret diffyculte,
And dolfully in-to þe cyte
Þei han it brouȝt, criyng ofte “allas!”
And for his deth swiche a wo þer was,
Þat I trowe þer is no man a-lyue
Whiche koude ariȝt haluendel discryue
Her pitous wo nor lamentacioun:
Certis not Boys, þat had[de] swiche renoun,
With drery wordis to be-wepe and crye
In compleynynge to philosophie,
Þoruȝ his boke accusynge ay Fortune,
Þat seld or nouȝt can in oon contune—
She is so ful of transmutacioun.

653

O Stace of Thebes, make no bost nor soun
Of drerinesse for to write at al,
Nouþer of deth nor festis funeral,
Of makyng sorwe nor aduersite;
Late be þi wepynge, o þou Nyobe,
Ȝe suster also of Melleager,
Þat custom han for to fle so fer,
From ȝer to ȝere ȝoure broþer to compleyne;
And þou þat weptist oute þin eyen tweyne,
Edippus, kyng of Thebes þe cyte,
Þou woful Mirre, and Calixtone,
Þat so wel can in rage ȝou be-mene,
And Dido eke, of Cartage quene,—
Lat be ȝoure dool and contricioun!
And Philis eke, for þi Demephoun,
And Echcho eke, þat now dost be-gynne
To crie & waille, & also þou Corrynne,
Þat whilom were in so gret affray
For deth only of þi popyngay,
As in his boke telleþ vs Ouyde,—
Late al þis wo now be leide a-side,
And make of hit no comparisoun
Vn-to þe wo þat was in Troye toun
For deth only of þis worþi knyȝt!
For loue of whom, euery maner wiȝt,
Hiȝe & lowe, olde & ȝonge of age,
Are falle of newe in-to swiche a rage
Þat þei coude of her wo noon ende;
Whos salt[e] teris wil her eyen shende,
So pitous was þe lamentacioun
In euery strete þoruȝ-oute al þe toun.
Allas! who koude al her sorwes telle?—
I trowe, certis, Pluto depe in helle,
For al his torment & his peynes kene—

654

Nouþer she, Proserpina his quene,
Nouþer þe wery wode Tycyus,
Ixioun, nor hungri Tantalus
Ne coude nat, for al her bitter peyne,
So furiously wepen & compleyne
As don Troyens, Troylus, for þi sake.
For who can now swiche a sorwe make,
Or who can wepe as kyng Priamus?
Who wepeth now, with face ful pitous,
Or maketh sorwe but Eccuba þe quene?
Who wepeth now but faire Polycene?
Who wepeth now but Paris & Eleyne?
Who can now wepe or in-to teris reyne
As do Troyens, with dedly swolle chere?
It neded hem no wepers for to here,—
Þei hadde I-nowe of her owne stoor,
Allas, for now þei ben for euermor
Of helpe al sool, of counfort destitut.
For who shal now ben to hem refut,
Now þat Hector and also Dephebus
And Troylus eke, þat was so vertuous,
Be dede, allas!—who shal her socour be,
Or sustene þe werre of her cyte?
Þer is no more, in conclusioun,
But after deth fully destruccioun
Of her touris and her wallis stronge.
In þis mater what shulde I pleyne longe?—
It vailleth nat alweye so to mourne,
Wherfore, I wil new ageyn retourne
To my mater, and telle how þe kynge
To Grekis haþ, with-oute more tariynge,
For a trewe and a pes y-sent,
A certeyn tyme, by gret avisement,
Whiche graunted was of Agamenoun.
And whan þei were repeired to þe toun,

655

Kyng Priamvs dide his besy cure
For to make a riche sepulture
For Troylus cors, ful noble and rial,
As seith Guydo, of stonys & metal,
And hym enclosed, of gret affectioun.
And nyȝe beside was þe kyng Menoun
Solemnely buried and y-graue.
And after þat, day by day þei haue,
Lyke þe custom, of festis funeral
And oþer ritys Ceremonyal,
For hem boþe, with due obseruaunce,
Seruyse doon by contynuaunce
In her temple, lyk as was þe gyse,
Whiche were to longe me [for] to deuyse,
And tedius eke for ȝou to dwelle.

How Achilles was slayne by Paris in the Temple of Apollo, by the deuice [of] Eccuba þe quene.

But I purpose ceriously to telle
How Eccuba, as I can endyte,
Hir caste fully Achilles to quyte
His tyranny, sothly, ȝif she may.
And vn-to hir she calleth on a day
Alysaundre, in ful secre wyse,
And vn-to hym, as I shal deuyse,
With wepynge eyen & ful heuy chere
Seide euene þus, lyk as ȝe shal here:
“Parys,” quod she, “allas, sauf Goddis wille,
Þou knowest wel how þe ferse Achille
My sonys hath slay[e]n nyȝe echon—
Þer is non lefte but þi silf allone:
He hath me made (allas, þer is no geyn)
Ful cowardly, of children now bareyn—
Boþe of Hector & Troylus eke þer-to,
Whiche were to me in euery trouble & wo

656

Fully counfort, plesaunce, and solace.
Wherfore, I caste pleynly to compasse,
By som engyn his deth to ordeyne;
And lyke as he by tresoun dide his peyne,
Traytourly with his swerd to smyte,
Riȝt so, I þink, with tresoun hym to quyte,
As sittyng is of riȝt and equyte.
And sith þou wost pleynly how þat he
Hath sette his herte & his loue clene
On my douȝter, ȝonge Polycene,
To fyn only to hauen hir to wyve—
For whiche I caste to hym sende blyve
For to come and trete of þat mater
In þe temple of Appollo here—
In þe temple, most chef of þis cite.
Whiche tyme, my wil is þat þou be
Þi siluen armyd þer ful priuely,
With certeyn knyȝtes in þi company,
Armyd also ageyn þe same day,
Þat in no wyse he skape nat a-way
From ȝour hondis, but þat he be ded,
As I haue seid; and þerfor take good hed
Vn-to þis þing, with al myn herte, I praie,
Fro point to point my biddyng to abeie.”
And he assenteþ with al his hool[e] herte,
Behotyng hir he shulde nat asterte.
And with hym toke twenty & no mo
Of manly men, þat wel durste do;
And in þe temple, by ful good avys,
Þei wern y-hyd by byddyng of Paris,
While Eccuba, couert in hir entent,
Hir Messager to Achilles hathe sent,
As ȝe han herde, in conclusioun,
To come in haste vn-to Troye toun
After þeffect was of hir message,

657

Only to trete for a mariage.
And he in haste cometh at hir sonde,
As he þat koude no þing vndirstonde
Hir tresoun hid, nor pleinly it aduerte:
He was so hote marked in his herte
With Louys brond & his firy glede,
Of lyf nor deth þat he toke noon hede,
But sette a-side wit and al resoun,
To caste a-forn by gode discrecioun
What was to do, with lokyng ful prudent.
But he, in soth, was with love blent,
In-to Troye w[h]an he shulde goon,
Lyke as it fareth of lovers euerychon:
Whanne þei haue kauȝt in herte a fantasie,
For no pereil, þouȝ þei shuld[e] deye,
Þei haue no myȝt nor power to be ware,
Til þei vnwarly be trapped in þe snare,
Her maladie is so furious.
And þus Achilles and Anthilogus,
Nestoris sone, han þe weye nome
Toward þe toun, & ben to-gidre come
In-to [þe] temple, as ȝe han herd me telle.
And Paris þo list no lenger duelle,
But, vnwarly, with his knyȝtes alle
On Achilles is at meschef falle,
Eueryche of hem with a swerd ful briȝt.
And somme bokis seyn it was by nyȝt,
Whan his deth, longe a-forn desired,
By Eccuba & Paris was conspired.
But Achilles in þis mortal caas,
Amonge hem alle, naked as he was,
Hent oute a swerde in þe silve steuene,
And like a knyȝt he slow of hem seuene
Of verray force, maugre al her myȝt.
But whan Paris þer-of hadde a siȝt,
Þre dartes rauȝt þat were kene & square,
And sodeinly, or þat he was ware,

658

Ful secrely hid vnder þe shade,
Markyng at hym, & no noyse made,
Caste at hym euene as euere he can,
Þat hed & shafte þoruȝ his body ran;
And þer-with[-al] knyȝtes nat a fewe
With sharp[e] swerdis gan vp-on him hewe,
And left hym nat til he lay at grounde
Ful pale ded, with many mortal wounde.
And riȝtfully, of resoun as it sit,
Þus was þe fraude & þe falshede quit
Of Achilles, for his hiȝe tresoun:
As deth for deth is skilfully guerdoun
And egal mede, with-outen any fable,
To hem þat be merciles vengable.
For þilke day, Guydo writeþ þus,
Þat Achilles and Anthilogus
Of Paris wern in þe temple slawe;
And afterward þe body was out drawe
Of Achille fro þe holy boundis,
And cruelly þrowen vn-to houndis
To be deuourid in þe brode strete,
Þe canel rennynge with his wawes wete—
With-oute pite or any maner routhe.
Loo! here þe ende of falshed & vntrouþe,
Loo! here þe fyn of swiche trecherie,
Of fals deceit compassid by envie!
Loo! here þe knot and conclusioun,
How God quyt ay slauȝter by tresoun!
Loo! here þe guerdoun & þe final mede
Of hem þat so deliten in falsehede:
For euery þing, platly for to seyne,
Like as it is, his guerdoun doth atteyne,
As ȝe may se of þis Achilles,
Whiche on a nyȝt in þe temple les
His lyf; for he was ay customable
By fraude & tresoun for to be vengable.
But it befel, at request of Eleyne,
Þat þe bodies of þis ilke tweyne

659

Conservid wern from þe hungri rage
Of best and foule, gredy & ramage.
And ȝit þe[i] laie amyddes þe cite
Ful openly, þat men myȝt [hem] se,
To gret[e] gladnes to hem of þe toun,
In-to tyme þat Agamenoun
To kyng Priam sent his massageris
To haue licence to fet hem hom on beris;
By graunt of whom þei han þe corsis take.
For whom Grekis swiche a sorwe make,
Þat pite was and routhe for to here.
And eueryche spake þus vn-to his fere:
“Fare wel oure trust, now Achilles is dede!
Fare wel oure hope, & holly al our spede!
Fare wel oure Ioye, & oure chef diffence,
Þat had in manhod so gret excellence!
Fare wel, allas! oure souereyn assuraunce!
Fare wel in knyȝthod al oure suffisaunce,
For now, allas! vnlikly is þat we
Shal euere wynne or geten þis cite—
To vs, allas, so frowarde is fortune!”
But for þat þei myȝt[e] nat contune
Alweye in wo, nor in peyne endure,
Þei maked han a riche sepulture
To Achilles of stonys precious,
And a-noþer to Anthilogus.
What shuld I now any lenger dwelle
Ceriously þe rytis for to telle
Of her buriyng?—nor what wo þei make?—
Her wepyng al, nor of her cloþes blake,
Nor how somme louren in her hood,
And how somme go with mylke & blood,
With doolful herte, & in-to fire it shede?—
And how oþer caste gommys swete

660

Amyd þe grete flawme funeral,
Nor of þe pleies called palestral,
Nor þe wrastelyng þat was at þe wake?—
It were but vein me to vndirtake
To tellen al; wher-fore I lete be,
Fully in purpos, like as ȝe shal se,
To resorte, in conclusioun,
To telle how þe grete Agamenoun
For his lordis in al hast haþ sent.
And whan þei wern assemblid in his tent,
Ful prudently þis kyng, þis manly man
Wiþ gret avis þus his tale began:

How the Grekes, after that Achilles was slayne, toke their councell to fecche Pirrus his son.

“Sirs,” quod he, “Fortunys variaunce,
Hir cher fraward & dowble countenaunce,
And sodeyn torn of hir false visage
Ȝoure hertis-hath putte in swich a rage
For þe mordre, to God & man odible,
Of Achilles, cruel and orible,
By compassyng of Eccuba þe quene.
Now semeth me þat it shal be sene
Ȝif any manhod in ȝoure hertis be,
Or knyȝtly force, in aduersite
For tendure by vertu of sufferaunce,
Til of his deth ȝe take may vengaunce,
And manly quyte þis outragous offence,
Whan tyme cometh to make recompence.
But sith þat ȝe be manly and prudent,
I wolde first se þe pleyn entent
In þis mater of ȝow þat be so wyse,
Here-vppon what is ȝoure a-vyse,
By oon assent & voys in comwne:

661

Wher þat ȝe wil þe werre forþe contune,
And þe sege [y-]gonne vppon þis toun,
Til þei be brouȝt to confusioun,—
Or in-to Grece now resorte ageyn
For cause only [þat] Achilles is slayn,
Þat whilom was ȝoure stronge champioun,
Ȝoure diffence and proteccioun,—
But finally now þat he is dede:
Here-vppon, late se what is ȝoure rede—
Seith openly, and no lenger tarie.”
And somme anon gonne for to varie
And to grucche, castynge to and fro,
Stondynge in doute what wer best to do.
And some seide, on þe toþer syde,
For lyf or deth þei wolde an ende abide.
And somme of hem þat of wit were rude,
For her party gonne to conclude,
Þat þei wold home ageyn retourne.
And oþer seide þat þei wil soiorne
Stille at þe sege, hap what hap[pe] may.
And þus þei treten al þe longe day,
Euery man like his oppinioun,
Til at þe laste, in conclusioun,
Þei ben accorded fully in-to oon,
Fro þe sege neuer for to goon
Vn-to þe tyme þei haue of þe toun
Þoruȝ her knyȝthod ful possessioun,
At her fre wil to spillen and to saue,
Al-be Achilles was buried & y-graue.
For þe trust of euery worþi knyȝt
Was finally, as goddes han be-hiȝt,
Þat þei in hast shal þe toun possede:
Þis was hir hope, fully deuoide of drede,
Vndispeired in ther oppinioun.
And þanne anoon Aiax Thelamoun,
A worþi knyȝt, & famus of his hond
Among alle þo of þe Grekis lond,

662

Seide euene þus, pleinly in sentence:
“Sirs,” quod he, “þat ben here in presence,
My counseille is, platly, & my red,
Now it stant so þat Achilles is ded,
For his sone in al haste to sende
Heder to come for to sen an ende
Of þe sege, and helpe vs in þis nede,
Whiche now abit with kyng Lycomede,
His bisaiel; and named is Pirrus.
And some hym calle Neptolonyus,
Riȝt lusty, fresshe, &, by liklynes,
Able to atteyne to gret worþines,
As þe report & þe fame is kouthe,
Ȝif he him drawe to armys in his ȝouþe.
And sothfastly, but if bokes lye,
As I have red & herd by prophesye,
Þat finally Troye þe cyte
With-outen hym shal neuere wonne be—
Þus bokes seyn, þat ben of olde memorie—
And how Grekis shal haue no victorie
Til he come, þis sone of Achilles:
Wherfore, in haste, & beth nat rek[e]les,
Sendeth for hym, þat it be don anon.”
And þei commende his conseil euerychon,
And to his red fully hem assent.
And by avys ful prudently þei sent
In al haste on þis embassiat
Þe wyse kyng, ful famus of estat,—
I mene [þe] prudent noble Menelay.
And forþe he goth þe silfe same day,
And on his Iourne gan him fast[e] spede
Til þat he cam vn-to Lycomede,
Þe olde kyng, as ȝe han herd me telle,
Wher for a tyme I wil leue him dwelle,
And to Grekis in þe mene whyle,
So as I can, directe ageyn my stile.

663

How the Grekes held a great batayle agay[n]st the Troyans; and how duke Meneste slew Polidamas, a troyen knyght; and how Paris slew kynge Thelamon with an arowe.

The tyme of ȝer whan þe shene sonne
In þe Crabbe had his cours I-ronne
To þe hiȝest of his ascencioun,
Whiche called is þe somer stacioun,
Whan þe vertu oute of euery rote
Is drawen vp, and þe bawme soote
In-to þe croppe; & þe freshe floure
Moste lusty is of hewe & of coloure,
Til Phebus chare, in his discencioun,
Oute of þe Crabbe toward þe Lyoun
Holdeth his course in þe firmament—
I mene whan he is retrogradient,
And drieþ vp þe moysture & þe weete
Of herbe & floure with his feruent hete;
And al þat ver a-forn him made grene,
To whyte he turneth with his bemys shene—
Boþe seed and greyn be decoccioun:
For naturelly by digestioun,
Þat first was raw in fruitis & in flouris,
And watrie eke be plente of humours,
He drieth vp and ripeth at þe fulle
With his feruence, þat men may hem pulle,
Eche in his kynde, after þe sesoun,
Fro ȝer to ȝer by reuolucioun,
On her braunchis freshely as þei sprede:
Whan þat cheries plowbly ben & rede,
First in Iune, þat sweth after May,
Whan þe hote mery somers day
No dwery is, but like a geant longe—
Þe same tyme, þe Grekis, stoute & stronge,
With rancour brent of her envious hete,

664

Hath shapen hem with her foon to mete;
And briȝt armed in-to þe feld þei go.
And þei of Troye oute of þe toun also,
With her wardis ordeyned euerychon,
Þe feld haue take to mete with her foon,
And gan tassemble vp-on ouþer syde.
But Thelamoun, of foly and of pride,
Þe same day (of hym as I rede),
As he þat had of his deth no drede,
Disarmed was for batail of a-reste,
Of mail and plate bare vp-on þe brest:
For of foly and surquedous outrage,
Bare his hed, and bare eke his visage,
And bare also, with-oute basenet,
And naked eke of viser and palet
He rood alday, of no þing afferd,
Havyng no wepene but a naked swerd.
For wilfully he left at home his shelde
And his spere whan he toke þe feld,
Ful lyk a knyȝt sittynge on his stede.
And after hym folweth Dyomede,
Like Mars hym silfe, aboute him his meyne,
And faste by cam duke Meneste,
Kyng Vlixes, and Agamenoun.
And Priamus with hem of Troye toun
Toke eke þe feld, with a ful hevy chere:
For he was boþe ferful & in were,
In gret dispeire and inly ful of drede
To issen out, now Hector was dede—
Worþi Troylus and also Dephebus—
For in hym silfe he dempte pleynly þus:
Þat he was febled gretly of his myȝt
With-oute hem with Grekis for to fiȝt;
But oute he goth, hap what hap[pe] may,
And Parys eke, ful knyȝtly of array,

665

Kyng Philymene and Pollydamas,
Worþi Esdre, and with hym Eneas—
By oon assent, þer is no more to seie,
Þe same day, knyȝtly to lyue or deye
In her diffence, and outerly iuparte,
As goddes list, þe felde to departe.
And proudly first þe Grekes þei gan perce;
And Paris þo, with hem þat wern of Perce,
Fil in a-side wiþ þe sonne shene;
And his archeris with arowes square & kene
Þe Grekis gan assondre to disseuere:
For in þe feld þei myȝt[e] not perseuere,
Only for shot of þe strong archeris
Of Perce lond, and þe arblasteris,
Whiche made hem fle, riȝt of verray nede,
In-to þe tyme þat proude Diomede,
Whan he of Grekis saw þe sodeyn fliȝt,
Hem to releue, lyk a manly knyȝt
Is come vppon felly in his tene.
And first of al he sette on Phylymene,
A worþi kyng, þat cam on Troye syde;
Þe whiche ageyn gan at hym [to] ride,
Þat Diomede hath but litel wonne,
With swerdis stif as þei to-geder ronne—
Þat to behold it was a noble siȝt,
How eche of hem quyt hym like a knyȝt,
As þei to-gider ran on horse-bak,
Þat no man koude in nouþer se no lak.
But euere in on Troyens were so felle
Vp-on Grekis, þat þei ne myȝt[e] dwelle
To kepe her lond, so þei made hem blede,
Maugre þe force of þis Diomede.
Þe slauȝter was so hidous & so strong,
Þat þoruȝ þe feld þe woful noyse rong,

666

And mortal cry of wounded folke þat lay
Slayn on þe soyl, endelong þe way,—
Til Meneste, sittynge on his stede,
Þe worþi duke, gan to taken hede
In what meschef Grekis were be-set,
And hent anoon a spere sharp[e] whet,
Smytynge hys hors felly in þe side;
And þoruȝ þe rengis knyȝtly he gan ride,
And stint[e] nat, so furious he was,
Til þat he mette with Pollydamas,
A Troyan knyȝt and a manly man;
And vnwarly, at hym as he ran,
He hitte hym so, in many mannes siȝt,
To þe erþe þat he made hym a-liȝt;
And with a swirde, at grounde whan he lay,
He hadde him slawe þe silfe same day
In his rage and his cruel tene,
Nadde only be þat kyng Phylymene
Had hym reskwed in þis auenture,
Which so frendly for hym dide his cure,
Maugre þe myȝt of þis Meneste,
From his hondis þat he went[e] fre,
Al forbaþed & be-spreint with blood.
And al þis while Aiax proudly rood,
Of surquedie and of wilfulnes,
Of foly rage and foule hardynes,
Naked his body, hed, and euerydel,
Amyd his foon armed briȝt in stele,
And of Troyens swiche a slauȝter made
Þat þei lay dede, boþe in sonne & shade,
Þoroȝ-oute þe feld, where þis Thelamoun
Amonge hem rod woder þan lyoun—
Þat Troyen noon myȝt[e] hym withstonde
While þat he held his blodi swerd in hond,

667

Þat wonder was, naked as he rood,
With-oute wounde þat he so longe a-bood.
And, as Guydo makeþ rehersaille,
And writeþ eke for a gret mervaille,
Þat he vnslayn myȝt[e] so contune:
But whan a þing is shapen of Fortune,
It mote be-falle, what-euere þing it be,
In wele or wo, Ioye or aduersite—
Whan oon shal deye or whan he shal eskape.
But she, allas! can alder-best be-iape,
And bring a man vnwarly to meschaunce
Whan he best weneth to han assuraunce
In þis lady of transmutacioun,
Lik as it fil of worþi Thelamoun
Þis same day, whiche of foly pride
Amonge his foon gan so fer to ride,
I-liche freshe, riȝt as he be-gan,
And slowe of Perce many manly man,
And of hym silfe toke no maner hede,
His knyȝtly hert so voyde was of drede.
Til Paris sawe his gret[e] hardines,
And how þat he his knyȝtes dide oppresse,
Enchasyng hem so mortally & narwe:
With-oute abood anon he toke an arwe,
Entoxicat, sharpe, & venemous,
And in his Ire fel and despitous,
And shet at hym in þe silfe tyde,
As seith Guydo, and smet hym þoruȝ þe side,
Þat of þat hurte—þer is no more to seie—
He felte wel þat he muste deye.
And whan he sawe noon oþer remedie,
Forþe he rood, supprised with envie,
Þoruȝ-oute þe pres, his swerd ay in his hond,
In-to tyme þat he Paris fonde,
And vn-to hym, with a pale chere,
He seide þus, anon as ȝe shal here:

668

How Kyng Thelamon, after that he had his dethes wounde of Paris, Slew Paris after, with a sworde.

“Parys,” quod he, “as þis mortal wounde
Of þin arwe, sharpe & square y-grounde,
Hath finally my lyf put in dispeire,
Neuere in-to Grece for to han repeire,
Riȝt so shal I, be short conclusioun,
A weye shape, þat in-to Troye toun
With þi lyf þou entre shalt no more,
At myn hert þe venym bit so sore,
Þat oþer geyn is þer noon but deth.
But ȝit to-forn or I ȝelde vp þe breth,
Trust me riȝt wel, þer may be no socour,
Þat þou shalt first be my predecessour
And gon a-forn, depe doun in helle,
Þer with Pluto eternally to dwelle,
So as of riȝt it is necessarie:
Þe tyme is set, whiche may nat tarie,
And my trouþe for morgage in depos,
Þat in al haste I shal make a dyvos
Atwixe þe and þe quene Eleyne,
And twynne assonder eke þe false cheyne
Whiche lynked was by colour of wedlok,
And hath so longe be shet vnder loke
Only by fraude & false engyn also.
But now þe knot shal be broke a-two,
With my riȝt hond, þe trouþe to darreyne;
For þoruȝ cause only of ȝow tweyne,
In þis werre many worþi knyȝt
His lyf hath lost, & many an-oþer wyȝt,
On ouþer side, for ȝoure boþe sake.
But of al þis I shal an ende make—
Of ȝoure loue & foule avoutr[i]e:
For, finally, Paris, þou shalt dye

669

Of myn hondis, as it is þi chaunce!”
And with þat word his swerd he gan enhaunce
A-boue his hed, & smet hym in þe face,
Þat he fil ded in þe silve place;
For his hed he parted hath on tweyne.
And riȝt furþe-with, þer is no more to seyne,
Aiax, allas, of his mortal wounde
Fil ded also, gruf vn-to þe grounde
Ful pitously; & þanne þei of Troye
Han Paris take vp oute of þe woye,
And bare hym hom in-to her cite.
But Diomede & duke Meneste,
With many Greke ridynge enviroun,
Swen þe chaas euene to þe toun;
But for cause Titan gan to lowe,
Doun by þe arche of his daies bowe
Fer in-to weste, vnder þe rowes rede,
And Espirus gan his liȝt to shede
—Þis to seyn, for it drowe to nyȝt,—
Þe Grekis ben repeired anoon riȝt,
Eueryche of hem to his loggynge place
To take her reste al þat nyȝtes space—
Saue, as I rede, þat Agamenoun
Þe Grekis made fast[e] by þe toun
To sette her tentis and papillyouns,
Habitacles, and newe mansiouns,
Of verray pride faste by þe wal.
And þei of Troye, dispeired oueral,
No refut koude Grekis for to lette,
But of assent fast her gates shette,
And al þe nyȝt on þe wallis wake,
And ouere þis, swiche a wo þei make
Þoruȝ þe cite, þat Paris was so ded;
For, finally, now þei can no red,
But wepe & crye & sorwern euere in oon,

670

Now alle þe sonys of Priamus wer goon!
Fortune, allas! hath hem so appeired,
Þat of her lyf þei ben dis[es]peired,
Of al hope and of good welfare—
Perpetuelly for to lyue in care
Vn-to her deth; and þat was fast[e] by:
For now þer is no maner remedie
Vp-on no syde, nor refut noon at al,
But hem to kepe clos with-Inne wal,
Þat for to sen it was a pitous þing.
And swiche a wo makeþ now þe kyng
For Paris deth, þat for dedly smerte
Hym þouȝt[e] platly þat his sorful herte
Recurles wold[e] riue a-tw[e]yne;
And in-to terys he gan stille and reyne,
As he wolde for verray sorwe deye.
And of þe quene, allas! what shal I seye,
Eccuba his owne moder dere,
Þat crieth, wepeth with a woful chere—
Of Polycene, þat was so wo-be-goon,
And of his sustren also euerychoon,
Þat han her heer & her cloþes torn,
As þei had her owne deth [y-]sworn,
For drery wo, and for pitous peyne.
But for-by alle, þe faire quene Eleyne
Wailleth, crieth wiþ a dedly chere,
Þat her eyen, whiche whilom wer so clere,
For-dirked wern with doolful teris smerte.
And to þe cors sodeynly she sterte,
And clippid it in hir armys tweyne,
And pitously enbrace it and restreyne,
Like as she wolde with hym dye anoon;

671

For stille she lay, dowmbe as any stoon,
As marbil cold, hir lymys cravmpisshing,
Redy at al toward hir buriynge,
Til men by force from þe cors hir hente;
And she hir heer & hir chekes rente,
As she wer fallen in a rage,
Þat changed was, allas! in hir visage
Hir natif colour and hir rody hewe,
Whilom as fresche as any rose newe:
Now is she like vn-to asshes colde;
And with hir hondis, ay to-gider folde,
Hir silfe she smot on hir pale face;
And euere amonge þe cors she dide enbrace,
In hir swowes as she fil to grounde,
Twenty tyme, and wepte ful his wounde.
With wo she was so waped and amaat,
Of al counfort, allas! disconsolat,
In herte beyng inly desirous,
Þoruȝ hir rage passyng furious,
To deye attonys with hir owne knyȝt;
And toward deth enclosid was hir siȝt,
As she þat lyst to lyve now no more.
I trow[e] þat neuer man be-fore
No woman sawe falle in swiche distresse,
In swiche disioint of dedly hevynes,
Nor for no wo so pitously raue:
Nat Cleopatre goynge to hir graue,
Nor woful Tesbe, þat fro þe kave sterte,
Whan she hir silfe smote vn-to þe herte,
Nor þe feithful trewe Orestille,
Whan þat she sawe hir lord ageyn hir wille,
Marcus Plancus, vn-to shipe goon,
And for his love fil doun ded anon,
Nor þe sorwe of trewe Iulya,
Nor þe feruence of feithful Porcia,

672

Of whiche þe ton fil ded sodeynly,
For she sawe blood spreint so cruelly
On hir lordis dredful garnement,
And Porcia, so trewe in hir entent,
Whan þat hir lord Brutus lost his lyf,
For be-cause she myȝt haue no knyfe,
Wiþ colys rede slowe hir silfe, allas!
Was nat also in þe silfe caas
Arthemysya, quene of Tarse lond?—
Of Mausolus þe graue whan she fond,
Hir owne knyȝt, of whos bonis smale,
Ful wofully, & with a cher riȝt pale,
She powder made, & drank it euery morwe.
But al þe wo and þe furious sorwe
Of þese echon ȝet may nat atteyne
Vn-to þe sorwe of þe quene Eleyne,
Þat finally wil hir silfe for-do
For Paris sake, whom she loued so:
For after hym she wil nat lyve a day,
But ben awreke, pleynly, ȝif she may,
Vp-on hir lyf rather þanne disseuere.
And þus in wo ay she doth perseuere,
In hir hert Paris sat so depe.
Allas! who seith wommen can nat wepe!—
Ȝet dout[e]les þei haue it of nature,
Þouȝ it so be þat þei no wo endure,
Ȝit can þei feyne and salt[e] teris fynde,
Plente y-nowe, of her owne kynde,
And sorweles mornen and compleyne.
I seie nat þis for þe quene Eleyne,
Þat was with wo wounded to þe herte,
Þat fro þe deth she wend[e] nat a-sterte;
For deþis darte hir herte made ryve,
And ȝit she roos ageyn fro deth to lyve,

673

Only by grace, for al hir fel[le] rage:
For euery wo by processe muste aswage,
And ouergon and wasten by myracle;
For eche venym maked is triacle,
And euery wo hath his remedie.
For þouȝ Eleyne fayn[e] wolde die,
Hir kynde nolde assent[e] ȝet þer-to,
So sodeinly to slen hir silfe for wo:
She was a womman, no man shuld her wyte!
Me liste no more of hir wo endite,
List vn-to ȝou þat it were tedious
To heren alle hir peynes furious,
Hir cruel wo and lamentacioun,
Whiche wold[e] meve to compassioun,
In verray soth—to writen euerydel—
Any herte þouȝ it were made of stel.
For kyng Priam and þe quene also
Hadden swiche routh of her pitous wo,
To sene hir so wepen and compleyne,
Þat for hir þei felt as moche peyne
As þei dide al-most for Paris.
Her-of no more: for Priam by devys,
After þis rage and þis mortal wo,
Amyd þe temple sacrid to Iuno
Ordeyned hath, wiþ ful besy cure,
For þe cors a riche sepulture,
And in al haste þer-in made it shette,
Þat in sothnes ȝiffe I shulde lette
To tellen al þe ritis and þe guyse
Þat þer wer made in her peynym wyse,
And þe costis of his buriynge,
It shuld[e] be to longe a tariynge,
Ceriously þer-on to abyde,
Wherfore, as now I lete ouerslyde
Her peynym ritys supersticious.

674

How Kyng Pryam kepte the Citee of Troye, And durste no lengere holde Batayle agaynst the Grekes; and how the quene of Amaȝonis came, with other of her ladies, to helpe the Troyans.

And telle I wil how kyng Priamus
Commaunded haþ, of meschef & of nede,
Þoruȝ Troye toun, only of verray drede,
To shette her gatis strongly as þei may,
And þer-vppon, boþe nyȝt and day
To kepe wache: for, shortly, þei of Troye,
Disconsolat of al her olde Ioye,
Can no refut, but wepe and sorwe make;
For þei ne durst no more vndirtake
Ageyn Grekis in-to feld to goon.
Til on a day kyng Agamenoun
His messager by good avisement
To Priamus in-to Troye hath sent,
Requeryng hym, of manhod like a knyȝt,
To issen oute with Grekis for to fiȝt,
As he was wont, with his chiualrie.
But kyng Priam his axyng gan denye,
And shortly seide to hym þat was sent,
Þat he ne wolde at his assygnement
Nat onys passe þe gatis of þe toun,
But at his owne fre eleccioun,
Whan-euere hym list, with outen compellyng.
And ȝit, in soth, cause of his tariynge
Was for þe hardy quene of Femynye
Toward Troye faste gan hir hiȝe
Oute of hir lond, a litel regioun,
Þe whiche, as bokis make mencioun,
After þe syyt of þe firmament
Is in þe plage of þe orient,
And called is þe regne of Amaȝonys,

675

Of whiche þe custom[e] & þe wone ys,
Þat only wommen þer-in shal abide:
And þei ar wont armyd for to ryde,
And han in armys gret experience;
For her labour & her dilligence
Is finally to hauen excersyce
Fro day to day in Martis hiȝe seruyse.
And ouer-more, her custom and vsaunce,
As to þis day is maked remembraunce,
Is þat no man shal hem nyȝe ner,
But ȝif it be þre monþes in þe ȝer:
Þis to seyn, In Iune, April, & May;
And þan þe wommen han in custom ay
Vn-to an yle a litel þer be-syde,
Wher as þe men by hem silfe abide
Fro ȝere to ȝere to-gidre euerychon,
Vn-to þe men oute of her lond to gon,
And þere abide in þat regioun
Til tyme cometh of concepcioun,
With-oute tariynge any lenger while;
For þanne anoon home vn-to her Ile
Þei repeire oute of þat contre
Vn-to tyme þat þei delyuered be.
And as faste as þe childe is born,
For lak of kepynge þat it be nat lorn,
He fostrid is, til þre ȝere be a-goon,
Amonge þe wommen; & þanne riȝt anon
To þe Ile besiden adiacent,
Vn-to þe men þe childe in haste is sent,
Ȝif þat it be of kynde masculyn.
And ȝif it falle þat it be femynyn,
With þe wommen abide stille it shal
Til þat it be in actis marcial
Ful wel experte, & þat she can eke knowe
To handle a spere or to drawe a bowe,
Lyke þe statutis of þat regioun,

676

Þe whiche, as bokes make mencioun,
Is set be-twene Ewrope & Asya.
And of þis lond was Pantysyllya
Whilom lady and gouerneresse,
Ful renomed of strengþe & hardynes
Þoruȝ-oute þe world, boþe in lengþe & brede;
And ȝit, in soth, to speke of wommanhede,
For al her myȝt she had an huge pris,
For boþe she was vertuous and wys,
Wonder discret, & had an honest name,
Nat-withstondynge þe excelle of fame
Of hir renoun in armys and þe glorie:
For of conquest and of hiȝe victorie
She was most surmovntyng, out of drede,
Of any womman þat I can of rede;
And, sothly, ȝit bokes bere witnesse,
Of wommanhede and of gentilnesse
She kepte hir so þat no þinge hir a-sterte.
Þe whiche loued with al hir hool[e] herte
Worþi Hector, and with al her myȝt,
Only for he was so noble a knyȝt,
Þat hir Ioye & worldly plesaunce,
Hir hertly ese & souereyne soffisaunce,
In verray soth, where she wake or winke,
Was euere in oon vp-on hym to þinke,
Of verray feith, with-outen any slouþe.
And vn-to hym she was be bond of trouþe,
Confederat of olde affeccioun,
Þat whan she herd how þat Troye toun
Besegid was of þe Grekis felle,
Þis hardy quene liste no lenger dwelle,
But hasteth hir, as fast as euere she may,
Toward Troye in ful good array
With alle þe worþi wommen of hir londe,
Ful wel expert & preved of her honde,
Wel horsed eke, and armed richely.

677

And, as I fynde, in her company,
A þousand maidenes ridinge by her side,
Þis worþi quene, þat durst[e] wel abide,
She with hir brouȝt, in steel armyd briȝt,
For loue of Hector, hir owne trewe knyȝt.
And on hir weie fast she gan hir spede
To helpen hym ȝif she seie nede:
For in no þinge she koude hir more delite
Þanne towarde hym feithfully hir quyte,
For þat was al hir lust & hertis Ioye.
But whan þat she comen was to Troye,
And herde telle by relacioun
Þat he was ded, most worþi of renoun,
To whom she was so lovinge & so trewe,
Anoon she gan to chaungen cher and hewe,
And pitously for to wepe & crye,
And ferd in soth as she wold[e] deye
For verray wo and hertly hevynes,
And þouȝt she wold þoruȝ hir worþines
Avenge his deth, platly, ȝif she may,
On þe Grekis; and so vppon a day
She preieth Priam, with gret affeccioun,
For to oppene þe gatis of þe toun,
And to gon oute with Grekis for to fiȝt
Þat þei may knowe & be expert ariȝt
Of þis womman þe grete worþines,
And of þis quene þe famous hardines.
And so þe kyng, hopynge for þe beste,
With-oute abood graunted hir requeste
Þe nexte morwe, whan Phebus shon ful shene;
And al to-forn out goth Phylymene,
Þe noble kyng, with hem of Paffaganye;
And after hym oþer knyȝtes manye
Folwed after with worþi Eneas,
Þe Troyan eke, daunȝ Pallydamas.

678

And þanne þe quene Pantasyllya
By þe gate called Dardanyca
Toward Grekis proudly Issed oute,
With hir wommen ridyng hir aboute.
Þe whiche anoon whan Grekis dide espie,
In-to þe felde gan hem faste hiȝe:
And first of alle worþi Meneste,
Pantasillia whanne he dide se,
With his sporis made his stede gon;
And with a spere rood to hir anoon,
Of whom þe quene astonyd neuer-adel,
Cauȝt eke a spere þat was squarid wel,
Ro[u]nde þe shafte, and þe hed wel grounde,
Whiche as þei coupe smet him doun to grounde,
And maugre hym reved him his stede.
But þanne in haste in cam Diomede,
And cruelly to þe quene gan ride;
And she as faste on þe toþer side
Rood eke to hym, in platis briȝt & shene;
And as þei mette with her speris kene,
She hitte so þis felle Diomede,
For al his myȝt and his manlyhede,
Þat she hym made his sadel for to lese
—Þer is no more, he myȝt[e] þo nat chese.
And in dispite of his men echon,
She hath his sheld hym beraft anoon,
And it delyuereth, proudly as she rood,
To a maide þat vppon hir abood.

How Pantasilia toke Thelamon prisoner.

And like a tigre in his gredinesse,
Or like, in soth, to a lyounesse,
Þat day she ferde, ridynge vp & doun
Amonge þe Grekis, til þat Thelamoun
Gan beholde þe slauȝter [þat] she made,
—Of hiȝe dispit and rancour ouerlade,

679

As he þat myȝt for Ire not sustene,
Gan ren his hors to falle vppon þis quene.
But whan þat she his comynge dide espie,
She fil on hym in hir malencolye
So mortally, maugre his knyȝtes alle,
Þat to þe grounde she made him for to falle,
And Grekis put in so grete dis[a]ray,
Wher-euere she rood al þat ilke day;
For þei myȝt a-forn hir nat sustene.
And þoruȝ þe helpe of kyng Philymene,
As myn auctor recordeth in his boke,
Amyd þe feld Thelamoun she toke,
And sent hym forþe þoruȝ her hiȝe renoun
As prisoner toward Troye toun.
Til vn-to rescus cam cruel Diomede,
And cruelly on hem þat gan him lede
He fil vnwarly, with an huge route
Of his knyȝtes ridynge hym aboute,
And from her hondis, maugre al her myȝt,
He hym deliuereth like a manly knyȝt.
At whiche tyme, þis hardy quene anon,
With hir wommen aboute hir euerychon,
Þe Grekis hath a-forn hir on þe pleyn
(As writ Guydo) so mortally be-leyn,
Þat she hem made of necessite
Oute of þe feld with her swerd to fle,
Þat verrayly it was incredible,
And to leve a maner impossible,
To sene þe wommen Grekis so enchase,
Whiche myȝt[e] nat abide a-forn her face,
Nor in þe feld in any wyse stonde:
For þei hem dryve to þe silfe stronde,
Doun to þe clyf of þe salt[e] se,
And slowe of hem so huge gret plente,
Þat finally þei had[de] be distroyed
For euere-more, and outterly accloied,

680

Nadde Diomede stonde[n] at diffence,
And of knyȝthod maked resistence:
For he þat day, in parti and in al,
For Grekis stood as a sturdy wal,
And was allone her helpe & chef socour.
But for al þat, with worship & honour,
Pantasillya, as made is memorie,
Repeired is wiþ conquest and victorie,
With alle hir wommen in-to Troye toun
Vp-on þe hour of Phebus goynge doun.
And by þe side of þis hardy quene,
Armyd in stel, rood kyng Phylymene,
Whom Priamus hath with gret reuerence
Knyȝtly reseved, & dide his dilligence
Hem to refreshe with euery maner þing
Þat myȝt[e] be vn-to her likyng,
As her hertis koude best deuyse.
And after þis, in ful goodly wyse,
He þanked hath þe noble hardy quene,
Of hir goodnes þat hir lyste to sene
To helpyn hym in his grete nede,
And offrid hir (in Guydo as I rede)
Al þat he hath, tresour and richesse,
Hopynge fully þoruȝ hir worþines
Vp-on Grekis avengid for to be,
And for to kepe hym and his cite
Maugre Grekis, whiche of hem seye nay.
For, as I rede, after day be day
She stint[e] nat proudly hem tassaile,
Ageyn whos swerd þei myȝt[e] nat availe,
So mortally she made her sides blede.

How Pirrus, the son of Achilles, was Receyuyd of Kyng myrundones.

Til Menelay fro kyng Lycomede
Repeired is wiþ Neptolonyus,

681

Whiche is in bokes called eke Pirrus,
Whilom þe sone of cruel Achilles,
Whom for to sen ful huge was þe pres
Of þe Grekis goynge enviroun.
And for he was by successioun
Born to ben eyer of þis Achilles,
He was resseyued of Mirundones
With grete honour & gret solempnite,
So glad were þei her ȝong[e] lord to se,
To whom echon þei maden affiaunce,
And wern eke sworn by bonde & assurance
For lyf or deth to hym to be trewe,
As his liges, and chaunge for no newe—
To obeie his lust in al maner þing.
And after þis, Agamenoun þe kyng
Made hym knyȝt; and Thelamonivs
With a swerde girte a-noon Pirrus,
Seiynge to hym in þe silve place,
With þe baudrik whan he him dide enbrace:
“Take hede,” quod he, “myn owne cosyn dere,
To resemble in manhod & in chere,
In knyȝthod eke, and in worþinesse
To þi fader, whiche in sothfastnesse
In his tyme was so noble a knyȝt;
And ouermore, with al þi ful[le] myȝt
Tavenge his deth þat þou do þi peyne.”
And þanne of Grekis worþi dukes tweyne
Ful humblely gonne doun to knele,
And sette a spore vp-on ouþer hele,
As was þe maner, of gold bornid briȝt.
And in þis wyse Pirrus was made knyȝt,
As ȝe han herde, in ful hiȝe presence,
With gret honour and due reuerence,
Like þe custom of þe Grekis lawes
And þe rytis vsede in þo dawes.
And þanne anoon hath Agamenoun,
With ful glad chere and gret affeccioun,

682

Delyuered hym fully by sentence
Þe armys hool, with-outen difference,
Whiche Achilles be his lyve bar—
His worþi fader—on his sholdris squar,
As for next eyr of lyn[e] by discent;
And al þe tresour also & his tent,
Armvre & al, deliuered wern anoon
Vn-to Pirrus; and Grekis euerychon
Eyȝte dayes, swyng by and by,
Þoruȝ-oute þe oste, ful solempnely
Þei halwe in honour of þis ȝong[e] knyȝt.

How Pantasillia the quene and her wemen and the Troyens obtaynede a great felde agaynst the Grekys, and putt them to flyght: wich felde endured the space of iiij wekes & more.

Til on [a] morwe [whan] Phebus shoon ful briȝt,
Whiche with his liȝt þat shyneþ fro so ferre
Diffacid haþ þe stremys of þe sterre
Lucifer, þe daies Messanger,
Whan Grekis gan in platis briȝt & cler
Enarmen hem þat day, for sour or swete,
Fully in purpos with her foon to mete;
And manfully oute of her tentis wyde
Ageyn Troyens þei be-gan to ryde,
Warde after warde, proudly in-to feld.
And Pirrus bar þat day vp-on his shelde
His fadris armys, like as seit[h] Guydo;
And of þe same he hadde vp-on also
A cote armvre þat by-cam hym wel;
And forþe he rood, armed briȝt in stel,
And casuelly, formest as he was,
He mette first with Pollydamas,
A knyȝt of Troye, a ful manly man:
And furiously Pirrus to hym ran
On horse-bak, with a myȝti swerde,

683

And gan to hurtle with him in þe berde
So myȝtely, in þis hatful strif,
Pollydamas had[de] loste his lyf
Nad reskus be, with-oute more tariynge,
Of Phylymene, þe noble worþi kyng,
Only of knyȝthod & of worþines.
To whom Pirrus faste gan him dresse
With his swerd, & smet hym in þe siyȝt,
Þat from his horse he made him to a-liȝt;
For he þe strok myȝt[e] nat sustene.
And sothfastly þis worþi Philymene
Of Pirrus had y-take be anoon,
Save his knyȝtes, assemblid in-to on,
Of Pafagonye, cam hym to reskwe:
But Pirrus ay so fersly gan purswe
Vp-on þis kyng with Mirundones,
Beset in meschef amonge þe grete pres,
Þat many knyȝt of þis noble kyng
I-slay[e]n was at his reskwyng—
He stood of deth in so streit a caas.
Til of fortune cam Pollydamas
To his reskus, and dide his ful[le] myȝt
Hym to deliuere, & quyt hym lyke a knyȝt;
But, in sothnes, þere was swiche resistence
Of Pirrus knyȝtes, stondynge at diffence,
Þat ay in meschef stood kyng Philymene,
Til Pantasillya, of Femenye [þe] quene,
Wiþ hir wommen a gret companye,
Gan þis þinge of auenture espie,—
Whiche wern echon, for þe more delyt,
On her armvre þat day clad in whyt,
Þat verrayly þer was no lylye flour
Nor snowe þat flakeþ fro Iubiteris tour
Of whitnes fressher on to sene,
Þanne in þe feld was þis hardy quene,
Whiche first of alle amonge [þe] Grekes ches

684

Proudly to falle on Mirundones.
Amonges whom ridyng vp & doun,
She hem vnhorseth þoruȝ her hiȝe renoun,
And slowe of hem vp-on euery syde,
Makynge her rengis for to seuere wyde,
Til Thelamoun in a furious hete
With a spere vnwarly dide hir mete,
And in a rage smot hir to þe pleyn.
But she anoon ful lyfly roos ageyn,
And with hir swerd so marked Thelamoun,
Þat from his hors she made hym lyȝt[e] doun,
Plat to þe grounde on his hondis tweyne.
And þanne hir wommen dide her besy peyne
To make her quene hir stede to recure.
And al þis while stood in auenture
Of his lyf worþi Philymene,
Pirrus knyȝtes wern on hym so kene,
Maugre his men þat þei han hym take
—It geyneth nat diffense for to make,
Þe Grekis han so strongly hym be-set;—
And forþe þei lad him, it myȝt[e] be no bet,
Toward her tentis, þoruȝ-oute al þe feld.
Þe whiche þing whan þe quene behyld,
With hir wommen þat a-boute hir rood
Pursued after, with-oute more abood,
Þat finally þei han so after swed,
Þoruȝ her force þat he was reskwed,
Maugre þe manhood of Mirundones.
And Pantasillia was so mercyles
Vp-on Grekis, þat of necessite,
Þoruȝ hir force and hir cruelte,
Aforn hir swerd þei durst[e] nat abide.
But whan Pirrus sawe hir gret[e] pride,
To his knyȝtes lowde he gan to crye,
And seide it was shame & villenye,
For þe wommen so to lese her lond

685

And to be sleyn so felly of her hond:
“Wherfore echon ȝoure hertis doth resvme,
And of assent late vs now conswme
Þe pride of hem, þat noon awey eskape;
For, but ȝif we som remedie shape
Þis ilke day her force to confounde,
Shamful report to vs shal rebounde
Perpetuelly, wher we slepe or wake!”
And as Pirrus gan his swerde to take,
Furiously and with a knyȝtly chere,
Þis hardy quene happed for to here
Al þat Pirrus to his knyȝtes spak—
Hir liste nat onys for to tourne bake,
Nor of his thret for to taken hede;
For platly she hade of hym no drede,
But riȝt proudly gan to neiȝen nere,
And to hym seide anoon, as ȝe shal here:
“O þou Pirre, sone of Achilles,
Þat slowe Hector, in knyȝthod per[e]les,
Þoruȝ his treynes & his trecherie,
By malys only and by fals envie,
Vnwar, whan he no þinge dide aduerte!
Þe whiche neuere may oute of myn herte,
So grene it stikeþ in my remembraunce,
Vp-on his deth for to do vengaunce!
And it sit wel, as semeth vn-to me,
Þat his deth be venged vppon the
First of al, and on þi fadres blod,
For loue of hym, so gentil & so good—
Þe deth of whom shuld al þe worlde compleyne.
Nat only men done her besy peyne
To quyte his deth, but wommen eke also
With al her myȝt helpen eke þer-to,
As riȝt requereth, with-oute excepcioun,
Þer-on to done ful execucioun;

686

“And I now stonde in þe same plite.
And for þou hast vs wommen in dispit,
Of oure power, shortly in sentence,
Þow shalt in haste haue experience
And knowe oure force, sothly, euerydel,
Riȝt in short tyme, truste me riȝt wel,
Here in þis feld, in shedynge of þi blood!”
Wher-of Pirrus wexen gan as wood
As any tigre, boor, or wood lyoun—
So frat þe colre in his complexioun.
And in his Ire fel and dispitous,
He hent a spere, pale and furious,
And ran at hir with al his myȝt & peyne;
And a-geynward, as she þat list nat feyne,
Encontrid hym al deuoide of fere.
But Pirrus firste brak on hir his spere,
Al-be þat he myȝt hir nat remeve
In hir sadel, nor but litel greue.
But she ageyn so sore gan him hitte,
On his stede þat he may nat sitte,
But descendeth endelonge þe pleyn;
And vp he ros with ful gret disdeyn,
And hent a swerd in his hond anoon,
And made his stede lyne riȝt to goon
Vp-on þis quene of passyng worþines,
And inwardly of hate & of wodnes
In herte y-fret, smet at hir many stroke.
But euere she sat stille as any oke;
And of force in hir Ire pale,
Efte ageyn she made hym to avale
To þe erþe, maugre al his peyne.
And þus þe fiȝt lasteþ of hem tweyne
A large whyle, til Mirundones
Han take her lord by force oute of þe pres,

687

And maked hym his hors recure ageyn.
And in þis tyme on þe silve pleyn
With his baner is descendid doun
Þe worþi kyng, grete Agamenoun,
With kynges, dukes, endelonge þe grene,
With her wardis, þat wonder was to sene,
So prudently in þe feld batailled,
Þat han Troyens mortally assailled.
But þo in hast þe kyng Phylymene,
As ȝe han herde, reskwed by þe quene,
Whan he hath þankyd to hir worþines,
With his knyȝtes in he gan him dresse,
And Pantasillya, assembled boþe in oon,
Vp-on Grekis gonne for to goon,
Where men may se, with speris sharpe grounde
Eueryche oþer beren vn-to þe grounde.
Þer men may sen, proudly, with-oute lak,
Þe manly knyȝtes ren on horse-bake;
And þe wommen mortally oppresse
Þe felle Grekis þoruȝ her hardyines,
Only þoruȝ force of þe myȝty quene,
Þat ded þei lay, curynge al þe grene.
Wher-with cam in daunȝ Pollydamas,
Fro deth reskued, & with hym Eneas,
Kyng Esdras eke, of Troye þe cite.
And þo þe wardis gan to-gidre fle
On ouþer party, fel and furious;
But moste of alle Neptolonivs,
Þat Pirrus hiȝte, þe Grekis champioun,
Irous & wood on hem of Troye toun,
Made his swerde in her fleshe to byte.
And Pantasillya, proudly hir to quyte,
Ne spareth nat with mortal woundis wyde
Grekis to sleen vp-on euery side—
Now here, now þer, to her confusioun.
And Pirrus þanne is fallen on Glaucoun,
Þe halfe broþer to Pollydamas,

688

—For Anthenor eke his fader was—
And Pirrus so, in a cruel Ire,
With malencolye newe sette a-fyre,
Smot Glaucoun so, or þat he toke hede,
Amonge þe pres þat he fil doun ded.
And Pantasillya from hir wommen alle
Þe same tyme is on Pirrus falle;
And he, of hir whan he hadde a siȝt,
Rood vn-to hir lyke a manly knyȝt:
And as þei hurtle on hors[e]-bak I-fere,
Of auenture with swerdis stif & clere,
Eueryche made oþer to a-lyȝt;
And hatfully on fote so þei fiȝt
Longe or ouþer myȝt of oþer wynne,
Til þei were made of force for to twynne
By þe wardys þat went hem a-twene—
I mene Pirrus & þis hardy quene.
And al þis tyme daunȝ Pollydamas
So wood for Ire in his herte was,
Amyd Grekis, for his broþer deth,
Þat whom he mette for his loue he sleth,
With-oute mercy, in his hatful tene,
Þat he allone and þis hardy quene
Swyche [a] slauȝter on þe Grekis make,
Þat þei þe feld outterly for-sake,
And gan to flen to her tentis doun,
Til Diomede & Aiax Thelamoun
And Pirrus eke made hem turne a-geyn;
But þei, in soth, wer so ouer-leyn
Þat þei ne myȝte al þat day releve.
And þus þei fauȝt til it drowe to eve
—Þe moste damage on þe Grekis syde,—
Til Phebus gan his briȝt[e] chare to hide
Lowe in þe west & to sh[r]oude his lyȝt
Vnder cou[r]tyn of þe blake nyȝt,
Þat ouþer parte þouȝt[e] for þe beste

689

To departe and drawe to [her] reste,
And toke her ese þat nyȝt as þei may.
And al þe monþe, swynge day by day,
With-outen any interupcioun
Þei fauȝte I-fere, al-be no mencioun
Be made þer-of nor wryte in special
Of no persone, but in general:
Who þat euere dide evele or wel,
In Troye boke I fynde neuere-a-del,
Saue þe quene, like as writ Guydo,
Of hir wommen an hundrid hath for-go,
Þat slay[e]n wern þilke moneth day.
Þe deth of whom, pleynly, ȝif she may,
Shal wel be quyt, ȝif so þat Fortune
Be fauourable frendly to contune
Þat hir face chaunge nat contrarie.
But she þat can euery day so varie,
Allas þe while! & selde in oon soiourne,
Gan fro þis quene hir loke aweie to turne,
To enhaste þoruȝ hir vngoodlyhede
Antropos to breke hir lyves threde,
As þe story pleynly shal ȝou lere,
Benygnely ȝif ȝe list to here.

[How Penthesilea, the Queen of the Amazons, was cruelly slain by Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles; and how the Greeks slew ten thousand of the Trojans, and pursued them to the gates of their city.]

The fatal hour, harde for to remewe,
Of cruel deþ, which no man may eschewe
Nor in þis lyfe finally eskape,
Specially whan parchas han it shape,
Aproche gan—it may noon oþer bene,
Allas þe while!—of þis hardy quene,
Whiche on a day, furious and wroth,

690

In-to þe feld oute of Troye goth,
And gan on Grekis proudly for to sette.
And alderfirst Pirrus with hir mette
Of mortal hate and indignacioun;
And she in haste by þe rengis doun
Rood vn-to hym swiftly on hir stede,
Whos sporis sharpe made his sides blede.
And as þei mette, her speris in þe rest,
Þei bare so evene, markyng at þe brest,
Þat her shaftis, sothly þis no tale,
Gan to shyuere alle on pecis smale,
With-oute bowynge ouþer bak or chyne:
For nouþer made oþer to enclyne—
Saue þe hed, forged harde of steel,
Of Pantasillya, þat was grounde wel,
In Pirrus brest percid hath so depe
Þat plate, in soth, nor mail[le] myȝt hym kepe,
But þe sharpnes of þe speris hede
Was of his blod in party died rede.
Þe whiche strok whan Grekis dide espie,
For-astonyd loude gan to crye,
And alle attonys for þe noise & soun
Vp-on þis quene in þe feld cam doun,
In compas wyse goynge enviroun.
But þoruȝ hir prowesse & hir hiȝe renoun
She hir diffendeth, þat it was mervaille;
But þei, allas! so sore hir gan assaille,
Þat al to-hewe þei han hir basenet,
Amyd Grekis so þikke she was beset—
Þat with axes and her swerdis square
Hir hed in soth maked was al bare,
And hir shuldris were nakid eke, allas!—
Þe maille hewe of and þe rerebras.
And Pirrus þan, lyke as it is founde,
For anguyshe only of his grene wounde,

691

In doute pleynly wher he shulde eskape,
Toward þis quene faste gan hym rape
To be avengid, what-so-euere falle,
Amyd þe feld amonge [þe] Grekis alle.
And whan she sawe þat he cam so faste,
Of force only to mete him ȝit she cast,
And with hir swerd first gan hym assaille;
But of hir strok it happed hir to faille,
Amonge þe pres so narwe she was beset.
And Pirrus swerd was so sharp[e] whet,
Þat sodeinly of hir arme he smette—
Allas! þer was non armour hym to lette,
But raceth þoruȝ al þe shulder bon,
So þat þis quene fil doun ded anon.
And of malys for to venge hym more,
At his hert þe Ire frat so sore,
Þat with a chere of verray angir pale
He hath hir hewe al on pecis smale,
Þe whiche was to foule a cruel dede!
But euere in on Pirrus so gan blede,
Niȝe to þe deth, of his mortal wounde,
For lak of blod þat he fil to grounde—
In a trawnce ful longe gruf he lay,
Til his knyȝtes, in al þe haste þei may,
Han take hym vp & leide him on a sheld;
And doolfully home oute of þe feld
Þei han hym born, wounded as he was.
And þe wommen of þe quene, allas!
For verray sorwe & inward dedly wo,
Whan þei sawe her lady was a-go,
For to be ded þei were so desirous,
Þat in al haste, wood and furious,
In a rage, with-oute gouernaile,
Grekis þei gan of newe for to assaille
—Tavenge her quene þei wer so hertly kynde—
Þat þei slowe, sothly, as I fynde,

692

Two þousand Grekes—on hem þei wer so wod.
But, o allas! in gret disioint þei stood,
Only for lak þei haue no gouernour;
For she was goon þat was her chef socour,
Whiche was also, to speke of hardynes,
Of wommen alle lady and maistresse,
As of hir hond—þat I can of rede.
O ȝe Troyens! ȝe stonden in gret drede,
Amyd þe feld al oute of gouernaunce!
Þe day is come of ȝoure vnhappi chaunce:
For now haue ȝe leder noon nor gyde—
Far wel ȝoure trust now on euery side!
And Grekes ben vp-on ȝou so stronge
Þat ȝe þe feld may nat kepe longe;
For þei cast hem fully ȝou to quyte
Þis same day, as Dares list endite:
For, as he writ, homward as þei drawe,
Ten þousand Troiens wern of Grekis slawe.
For alle her wardis cam attonys doun,
And mortally, with-oute excepcioun,
Þei kille and sle al þat hem withstood;
And moste þei wern on þe wommen wood
To be avenged, pleinly, as I rede,
On euery halfe, & her blood to shede
With-oute mercy or remyssioun,
Chasyng Troiens home in-to þe toun
Oute of þe felde; for þer was noon abod,—
So pitously þo with hem it stood
Þat þei ne can noon oþer recure caste,
But kepe her toun & shet her gatis faste,
For al her hope clene was agoon
Any more to fiȝte wiþ her foon.
For now her trust of knyȝthod was a-way,
Her worþi men slay[e]n, weillaway!
Refut was noon, but in her cyte
To kepe hem clos—it may noon oþer be:

693

For hem þouȝt þei myȝt it kepe longe,
Her walles wern so myȝti & so stronge,
Ȝif þei had plente of vitaille;
Þouȝ all þe world attonis hem assaille,
Þei may be sure while þei kepe hem In,
For euere-more þat no man shall hem wynne.
Ȝet neuer-þeles, erly and eke late
Þe Grekes made to-forn euery gate
Ful myȝti wache & a-wait ful stronge,
Wiþ pryvy spies goynge in amonge,
Þat of her foon noon eskape away
By noon engyn, as ferforthe as þei may.

[The sorrow of the Trojans for the death of Penthesilea; and how the Greeks cast her dead corse in a lake.]

And, in þis while, with-Inne Troie toun,
More þan I can make descripcioun,
For þe quene þer was so gret a sorwe
Of euery whiȝt, boþe at eve & morwe,
Þat she, allas! was slay[e]n for her mede,
Whiche cam so fer to helpe hem in her nede;
And aldermost for þei ne myȝt[e] haue
Þe dede cors, to burie [it] and to graue
With reuerence and wiþ honour dwe,
For whiche þei gan to þe Grekis swe
With gret praier and gret[e] besynes.
But al in veyn and in ydelnesse
Was her requeste—þe Grekis wer so wroþe.
And finally, with many sondry oþe,
Only of malys and of hoot envie,
Þe dede cors to hem þei denye,
And shortly seide, of mortal enmyte,
Þat of houndis it shal deuoured be—
Þer was no geyn—her rancour to compesse.

694

But Pirrus þanne of verray gentilnesse
Nolde assent to so foule a dede;
But, wood and wroþe, cruel Diomede
Seide openly, how it was fittynge
Þat she faile of hir buriynge,
Þat slay[e]n hadde so many worþi man.
And þus þe strif amonge þe Grekis gan,
With grete rumour and altercacioun,
Til at þe laste vnder Troye toun
Of hir þei han þe dede cors y-take,
And cruelly in a profounde lake
Þei han it cast, where I lete hir lye,
And vn-to Troie ageyn I wil me hye
To telle forþe howe þei lyve in pyne.

[How the translator complaineth of Mars for his cruelty to the Trojans; and of the treason of Anchises, Æneas, and Anthenor.]

O cruel Mars, þat hast made for to fyne
Þoruȝ þin Ire al þe worþi blood
Of Troie, allas! why hastow ben so wood
Ageyn[e]s hem, to slen her knyȝtes alle?
Why hastow lete þi bitter venym falle
On hem, allas, þou sterre infortunat!—
With al þe world to make hem at debat,
O hatful sterre, hoot, combust, and drye,
Fyry, Irous, grounde of al envie,
Hasty euere, ful of discencioun,
And col[e]rik of þi complexioun!
In mordre and deth ay is þi delit,
In takyng vengaunce most þin appetit,
First meuer of anger and of hate,
Rote of contek, causynge to debate!
In strif and murmur most is þi desyre,

695

Ferful of loke as any wylde fyre,
And gastful euere of þi wode siȝt!
As any levene so flawmynge is þi liȝt,
Liche in twynklynge to þe sparkis rede
In grete fyres þat abrod so sprede,
Conswmynge ay be malencolye
Hertis þat ben enbracid wiþ envie,
Þi wrath is ay so fretynge & so kene!
And causest men to be longe & lene,
Consumpt, sklendre, broun & citryn hewed,
Vnmerciable & riȝt evele thewed,
Wounder sleiȝty and Engynyous,
Compassynge and suspecious,
Trist and soleyn, & ful of hevines,
And assentynge to al cursidnes—
To awaitynge, deth, and robberie,
To mordre also, and to trecherie,
Wiþ-oute remors of any conscience,
So venymous is þin influence!—
And helper art vn-to fals tresoun,—
Þe hous of whom is þe Scorpioun,
And crowned art in þe Capricorn,
But in þe Bole is þi kyngdam lorn;
For þer-in is þi deieccioun,
Þi power lost and domynacioun.
And hast also in þi subieccioun
Exile, werre, cheynes, and presoun,
Proscripcioun and captiuite,—
Þat for þi malys on Troye þe cite,
So wolde God, I koude chide a-riȝt,
Þat hast on hem kyd þi felle myȝt,
Of þi rancour hooly þe outtraunce:
First on hem [for] to do vengaunce
With speris sharp & swerdes kene whet,
An[d] now in prisoun tenclosen hem & shet,
So vengably þat þei dar nat oute,

696

Þe Grekis felle ay liggynge hem aboute.
Þei be nat holde in no maner wyse
In þi temple to do sacrifyse,
Nouþer with boles nor with bores wylde,
Nor with bestis þat euere ben vnmylde,
As tigres, beris, nor þe wood lyoun,
Of whiche þou art souereyn and patroun.
Þei ar nat holde to do þe brynston smoke
On þin auteris, whiche art so felly wroke
On hem, allas! & now ȝit, werst of alle,
Þou hast shad out chef of al þi galle,
Amonge hem silfe to bringe in tresoun,
Feyned trouþe and symulacioun,
To maken hertis amonge hem silfe devide!
Lo, how þe serpent of discord can glyde
Ful slyȝly in til he haue cauȝt a place
To voide away boþe hap and grace
With his venym of dissencioun,
Whan it is sprad in any regioun,
In any comoun, borwe, [toun], or cite,
Amongis men of hiȝe or lowe degre!
For whan hertis in loue ben nat oon,
Fare wel Fortune, her grace is clene a-goon:
For wher Discord holdeth residence,
It is wel wers þan swerd or pestilence!
For what is worse, ouþer fer or nere,
Þan a foo þat is famylyer?—
For who may more harmen, ȝif hym liste,
Þan an enmye vp-on whom men triste?
Þat to discryve, shortly in a clause,
Þe verray rote and þe trewe cause
Of al meschef and confusioun
In euery lond is dissencioun,
And more perlous ȝif it be preve.
Recorde I take on Troye þe cyte,

697

Þat fond Fortune frendly ay at nede,
Til longe hid hate gan a-brood to sprede.
For prudence, sothly, hath prouyded
Þat a regne in hit silfe deuided
Shal recurles tourne wilde and wast,
And þe dwellers desolat in hast:
For Mars þat is of envie lord
Amonge hem silfe sowen hath discord,
Ageyn þe whiche may no socour be—
For wers þan werre, sothly, semeth me
Tresoun cured vnder a feyned pes.
And rote of al was olde Anchyses,
With his sone called Eneas,
Daunȝ Anthenor, and Pollydamas,
Þat han contreued amonge hem outterly,
And vnder veil concelyd secrely,
Ȝiffe it falle þat Grekis Troye haue,
First how þei may her owne lyves save
By som e[n]gyn, sleiȝtis or trete.
And ȝif so wer þat it may nat be
As þei caste, by no maner woye,
Þei wold[e] raþer traitours be to Troye,
Priuely, so it wer nat espied,
And couertly with Grekis ben allyed,
Þan stonden hool with þe toun of trouþe,
And wilfully, of necligence & slouþe,
Suraunce & oþe of old made to þe toun
Refuse pleinly, in conclusioun,
And allyaunce lete slake and slyde,
And her lygaunce sette also a-syde,
In her avys þei þouȝt[e] for þe beste.
For þei hem caste [for] to lyve at reste,
And meryer eke, for ernest or for game,
To saue her lyf & wander forþe in shame
Þan wilfully dyen at meschef.

698

To traisshe her toun þei hild it no repref,
So þei myȝt eskape hem silfe a-lyve,
Hem list no þinge for þe toun to stryue;
Þei souȝte, in soth, for sour or for swete,
A mene weie to lyven in quiete.
And here-vp-on þei han her weie nome
Vn-to þe kyng; & whan þat þei wer come
To his presence, in ful couert wyse,
Vnder colour þei be-gan deuyse
To telle her tale, so þat finally
Her counseil was, þat Priam outterly
In no maner be nat rekkeles
To purswe to Grekis for a pes,
—Ȝif it so be þat he it geten may—
And ȝelde ageyn to kyng Menelay,
With-oute strife, þe freshe quene Eleyne,
And, ouermore, þat he nat disdeyne
Þe harmys don by Paris gon ful ȝore
In Citheroun iustly to restore.
But, o allas! of fals iniquite
Þis counseil roos; for vndre in secre
Þe venym was, as sugre vnder galle:
For wel þei wist þat þe Grekis alle
Nolde acorde, in conclusioun,
To haue a pes with hem of Troye toun
Whiles þei wern to swiche meschef brouȝt—
To trete þer-of, in soth, it was for nouȝt.
For Priam þanne, and Eccuba þe quene,
With his sones, and wiþ Polycene,
Þat ȝit were lefte with hym in þe toun,
Miȝt haue regned by longe succession,
Ȝif þat Grekis ful (and nat repented)
Vn-to a pes hooly hadde assentid.
But þat conseil ȝoue was to late,
Syþen Grekes of wel elder date
Hadde profrid first at Thenedoun

699

By thavys of kyng Agamenoun
A fynal pes, shortly for to seyn,
So he wolde restore ageyn Eleyn
Wiþ amendis, requerid of resoun,
Of damages wrouȝt at Cytheroun,
His messageris first whan þat he sent
To Priamus, þat wold[e] nat assent
To þe requeste iustly þat þei brouȝt:
For of pes þe menes þat þei souȝt
Of verray pride wern to hem denyed,
By wylfulnes, allas, so wer þei guyed,
For lak only of wyt & of prudence.
But now þei han with cost & gret dispence,
With slauȝter of men and many grete damage,
Þe sharpe shoures & þe cruel rage
Abiden fully of þis mortal werre;
It is ful sure þat þei wil nat differre
Þe tyme forþe to trete for a pes,
Hem list no þing to be so rekkeles,
Nor vn-avysed what hem ouȝt to do.
Trowe ȝe þei wil so lyȝtly go
Home in-to Grece with-outen recompense?—
Þei wold[e] seme it were a necligence.
Speke nat þer-of, for it wil nat be,
Specialy now Troye þe cite
In meschef stant vp-on þe final fate.
Þis remedie shape was to late!
For Grekis þouȝt [riȝt] of verray trust,
Þat þei of Troye stoden at her lust,
Holdynge hem silfe verrayly victours,
And of her foon fully conquerours,
Wiþ-oute doute or ambiguyte.
For þe counseil of þis ilke Enee,
Of Anthenor and þis Anchises,
As ȝe han herd, to trete for a pes,
Ne roos in soth but of doubilnes,

700

Only of tresoun & of hiȝe falsenes,
As Priamus conceyueþ by her chere,
Lyke in þis boke as ȝe shal after here.

How Kynge Priamus and his son Amphimacus helde a great councell amonges the Troyens, as concernyng the pece betwene them and the Grekes, att the concell of Anthenour, wherof he made delay.

For on a day whan þat Priamus
With his sone called Amphymacus
A conseil helde, with oþer of þe toun,
Þis þre han made a suggestioun
Vn-to þe kyng touchynge þe trete;
But he anon, discret and avisee,
Prudently, or he wolde assent,
Gan vndergrope, pleinly, what þei ment,
Only of witte and discrecioun,
Or he it putte in execucioun,
Makynge þer-of a maner of delay.
But proudly þanne, stondynge at a-bay,
Þis Anthenor wiþ-oute reuerence
Spak to þe kyng in open audience,
And shortly seide with a sterne chere:
“Ȝif þou liste oure counseil for to here
And do þer-after, platly, þou maist chese,
And but þou wilt, wher þou wynne or lese,
Þis is þe fyn, þou gest no more of me,
Werke after hem þat of þi counseil be.”

The wise and discrete answere that Kyng Priamus made vnto Anthanor.

To whom þe kyng wonder soberly
Answered ageyn ful benygnely:
“Sir Anthenor, ȝe ouȝte ȝou nat to greue,

701

For myn entent is nat to repreue
Ȝoure wyse conseil nor ȝour prudent rede,
Ȝif it conclude to þe comoun spede
Of my peple and sauacioun;
But wete riȝt wel, iustly of resoun,
Vnder sugre ȝif þer be cured galle,
In preiudice of my liges alle,
Causyng hem in meschef for to fyne,
I wil þer-from outterly declyne,
As riȝt requereth, for oure alder ese.
And, me semeth, þis shold[e] not displese
To þi conceit, nor do þe noon offence:
For euery man is holden of prudence
Þe wers to leue and þe better take,
Wysdam to swe and foly to forsake,
And remedie to seke for his sore.”

The Replicacion of Anthenor and Enee to the ansswere of Kyng Priamus.

And with þat word, þe Troyan Anthenor
Of sodeyn Ire gan to chaunge his blod,
And, abreidynge, on his feet he stood,
And ful felly seide vn-to þe kyng:
“Now, sekerly, þis is a wonder þing,
How ȝour wisdam & avisenesse
Ar blinded so of verray wilfulnesse,
Þat ȝe may nat on no side se
Þe grete meschef nor aduersite
Þat we are In, vp-on euery side;
For we may nat dyssymvle nor hide
In what disioint, pleinly, þat we stonde.
Be nat oure foon also here at honde,
And han be-set oure walles rounde aboute?—
And we for fer dar nat issen oute,
Nor be so bolde to vndone a gate,
Wiþ hem to fiȝt þat vs dedly hate,—

702

We be so feble, & þei are so stronge.
For, sothly ȝit, þei han hem amonge
Fifty kynges worþi of renoun,
Confederat to oure destruccioun,
And þer-vp-on, platly, wil abide,
Whiche vowed han in her grete pride,
Neuere to parte hen[ne]s fro þe toun
Til þe walles be turned vp-so-doun.
Ȝoure worþi sonys also be now dede,
Þat ȝow were wont to helpen in ȝour nede;
Ȝoure manly knyȝtes slay[e]n euerychon,
Þat vs to saue remedie is noon!
It is in veyn to treten of diffence.
Wherfor, I rede, of resoun & prudence,
Or we be slayn and oure cite lese,
Of tweyne harmys þe lasse for to chese:
Þis to seyn, þat in oure entent,
As fittynge is and expedient,
We trete of pes and no lenger feyne,
And her-wiþ-al restore ageyn Eleyne,
For loue of whom many worþi man
Hath lost his lif sithen þe werre gan—
For now Paris is vnder stoon y-grave—
Þe beste rede, in soth, þat ȝe may have,
To sende hir home ageyn to Menelay,
And to profre, as ferforthe as ȝe may,
To restore with-Inne a litel while
Þe harmys done by Parys in þe Ile
Whiche men are wont Cithera to calle.
Þis is my rede here a-fore ȝou alle.”
And with þat word vp roos Amphymacus,
To þis counseil ful contrarius,
And shortly seide [þat] it shal nat be

703

As Anthenor haþ raad, in no degre;
And evene þus, with-oute more respit,
He spak to hym of verray hiȝe dispit:
“Þou Anthenor, I haue espied wel,
We may truste in þe neueradel
Wiþ vs to stonde in oure gret[e] nede:
For trouþe & faiþe in þe be now dede,
Falshed hath slayn in þe stabilnes;
And in stede of þi sikernes
We fynde in þe, sothly, varyaunce.
Wher is be-come þe feith of þi lygaunce,
Þin hestis made to stonde with þi kyng?
Where ben þin oþes, so double in menynge?
Wher is now hid þin olde assuraunce?
Where is be-come þi feyned fals constance?—
In stede of whiche, mvtabilite
Hath take his place, like as we may se,
With new[e] chaunge. Þou art so rem[e]vable,
Vp-on no grounde þou maist nat stonde stable;
Þi trouþe is goon, of old affeccioun,
Þat þou shuldist han to stonde with þe toun,
Of feith with vs for to lyve or deye:
For trust & hope exiled bene a-weye
In þi persone, shortly for to wryte,
Þat besi arte þe kyng to excite,
In disencres of his estat royal,
Vn-to Grekis now to be so thral
To seke a pes, as it were for drede!
Þou shuldest rather of þi manlyhede
Haue profrid hym þe cite to diffende,
Þer-on þi life at outtraunce to dispende!
Wherfore, in sothe, here I þe assure,
Raþer þan we shulde þis endure,
Twenty þousand shal with spere & sheld
Vp-on a day be slay[e]n in þe feld.
Þi worde I holde for no prophesie,
For it procedeth of verray trecherie,

704

Of doubilnes & of false tresoun,
Vndirmynynge with prodicioun—
Þouȝ þat þou outward shewe faire,
Þe venym hid þi tale doth empaire,
Liche a serpent stinginge vndir floures—
Þer be to fele of swiche conseillours!”
And in þis wyse with wordis dispitous
Ful bytyngly hath Amphymacus
Al openly Anthenor repreved,
With his counseil so he was agreved,
Seynge þe tresoun þat he wolde mene,
Til Eneas gan to goon be-twene
With florisshed speche ful of flaterie,
And gan his tale so to modifie
Like as he ment trouþe in his entent;
But þer-in was double intendement:
He spak but oon, & ȝit he ment[e] tweyne,
Amphymacus only to refreyne,
Tatempren hym of his malencolye,
Only til he myȝt a tyme espie,
Liche his purpos þat he may procede
To execute it fully vp in dede.
And whan þat he founden had a space,
Vnder pretens of a trewe face
With his tale he gan to breken oute,
Many Troyan stondynge him aboute,
And shortly seide, for conclusioun,
Touching diffence, pleinly, of þe toun,
How þat it hinge hooly in ballaunce,—
“For boþen hope, truste, and assuraunce
Of þe cite taken han her fliȝt;
For finally oure manhod & oure myȝt
And oure knyȝthod to-gidre ben a-goo,
With þe Grekis more to haue a-do.
And þei ben redy vppon vs to sette;
And we dar nat oure gatis more vnshet,

705

We ben, allas! supprised so wiþ drede.
Þan, semeth me, how it wer gret nede
By good avys for to seke a mene
In þis meschef how we shal vs demene.
And, for my parte, sothfastly I seie,
I know as now noon so redy weie
As prudently for a pes to trete.”
But Priam þanne, in a sodeyn hete,
Wiþ-oute abood, of chere and face pale,
Of rancour gan interrupte his tale;
For he attempre myȝt[e] nat his herte,
So fretingly þe tresoun made hym smerte.
And for he myȝt him silfe nat restreyne,
Þus he seide vn-to boþe tweyne,
To Anthenor and also to Enee:
“I wonder gretly þat ȝe hardy be
In ȝoure trouþe, for shame! so to varie,
And þat ȝe ben so rebel & contrarie
To me, only of false collusioun
Vs to bringe in disperacioun—
Me and my liges, ȝif I shal nat feyne,
Of false entent to cacche vs in a trayne!
Allas! how may ȝe in ȝour hert[e] fynde
Ageyn Nature for to ben vnkynde,
Þat whylom wern of my counseil chef
Of euery þing or it was brouȝt to pref;
For ȝe absent, I koude no þing fyne.
And now, allas! ȝe cast[e] to declyne
Away fro me, bareyne lefte and sool,
Þat to remembre it is to gret a dool,—
How any wyȝt, allas! so chaunge can!
For who shal more trusten any man,
Whan ȝe be founde double of entent?
Can ȝe nat þinke, how by ȝour assent,
By ȝoure conseil and by ȝoure avys,
Whilom how I sent[e] forþe Paris

706

In-to Grece, of ful ȝore a-goo?
And, Anthenor, þou wost þi silfe also,
How þou were first made embassatour,
And þer-vppon chevest conseillour
Touchinge þe sonde made for Exioun;
And, after þat, cause and mocioun
Þou were in soth þat Paris shuld[e] go
In-to Grece,—þou wost wel it is so!
For I ne durst, of presumpcioun,
Haue sent Paris vn-to Cytheroun
Wiþ-oute avis and auctorite
Of Eneas, pleinly, and of þe—
Vp-on Grekis a werre to haue gonne.
I trowe in soth þat ȝe nouþer konne
Excuse hym silfe, and ȝe ben avised;
For euery þing wrouȝt was & deuised
And execut by conseil of ȝou tweyne:
For whan Paris wente for Eleyne,
Grounde & rote, to speke in special,
Were þou, Enee, and cause principal,
Present also whan euery þinge was wrouȝt,
Oute of Grece whan she was heder brouȝt.
For þis þe soþe, oute of þat regioun
She neuere hadde comen to þis toun
Ȝif þou haddest be þer-to contrayre,
Al-be þou woldest with þi wordes faire
Þi silfe excuse here in audience,
As þou knewe nouȝt of þat offence,
But fully were vnwytinge of þe dede.
And now my sones euerychon be dede,
And ȝe me sen allone, destitut,
Ȝoure conseil is, as for chef refut,
Me to purswe to Grekis for a pes,
As I were forȝetel, rekkeles
To remembre þe infinit outtrages,
Þe mortal werre, slauȝter, & damages,

707

Þe cruelte and distruccioun
Þat þei han wrouȝt here vp-on þis toun,
Þat, verraily, whan I al recorde,
For to be ded, I can nat acorde
With hem to trete, like as ȝe deuise.
For I espie in many sondri wyse
In ȝoure entent a riȝt perlous snare,
So couertly vnder falshed dare,
Þat it wil be to my confusioun
Ȝif ȝe acheve ȝoure entencioun
Finally as ȝe haue it shape.
For impossible it were to eskape
Shamefully at meschef me to dye,
With-oute recure of any remedie:
For þis þe fyn, I knowe it oute of doute,
Of þe trete þat ȝe ben a-boute!”
And riȝt anoon þe Troyan Eneas
Of Ire & rancour so [a]meved was
Ageyn þe kyng, with a swollen herte,
Þat sodeynly oute at þe dore he sterte,
After he hadde, for to ben a-wroke,
Ful many worde ageyn þe kyng y-spoke—
He went his way and Anthenor also.
And Priamus of verray Ire and wo
Sodeinly braste oute for to wepe,
—He myȝt hym silf nat for anguysh kepe,
Þe anger frat vp-on hym so sore—
With-Inne hym silfe conceivynge more & more,
By evidence of discrecioun,
Þe couert gyle and þe false tresoun
Þat þei for hym and [for] his cite
I-shapen han, but he avised be—
Dredynge ay þat þese ilke tweyne
Be som engyn or conspired treyne
To þe Grekes wolden hym be-tray.

708

How Kyng Priamus, with his son Amphimacus, deuysed to bryng Eneas and Anthanour to deth.

Wherfore, þe kyng cast & wolde saie
Shape a wei her malis to with-stonde,
So þe tresoun þat þei toke on honde,
Only of riȝt, in dede, or it were founde,
Vp-on hem silfe myȝt ageyn rebounde,
Þat þe fulle execusioun
Of her contrived conspiracioun
Resorte ageyn, in ful due wyse,
Only on hem þat gan it first deuyse.
Tresoun for tresoun is conuenient:
For to falshede þe guerdoun pertynent
Is shameful deth, and þe final mede.
Wherfore, to shape in þis grete nede
A remedie, þis olde Priamvs
Calleth to hym his sone Amphimacus,
And pitously, allone but þei tweyne,
In teris drownid gan to hym compleyne
On Anthenor and on þis Eneas,
And seide: “sone, take hede in þis caas,
And þinke how I am þi fader dere,
And how þer be now no more in fere
Of my sonys lefte with me a-lyve
But þou allone; & þerfore as blyve,
Touchynge þe tresoun conspired & y-sworn,
What-euere falle, lat vs be to-forn
Only of wysdam a weie for to make,
Þat we may first in þe trappe hem take,
And to purveie for hem evenelyche,
Þat iustly þei may fallen in þe diche
Whiche þei han made & for vs y-treyned.
And in al hast late so be ordeyned

709

Þat þis mater cloos be kepte in mewe,
To fyn only þat þei nat eschewe
For to be slayn, of equyte and riȝt,
In þis place evene toward nyȝt.
For I purpose, pleinly, for her sake,
A-geyn þat hour a counseil for to make,
And, vnder coloure, make hem boþe calle,
And þou vnwarly shalt vp-on hem falle
With knyȝtes sworne [vn-]to þe and me,
In þis mater for to ben secre.”
And riȝt anoon þis Amphymacus
Assentid is vn-to Priamus,
To acomplishe in ful secre wyse
Fro point to point, as ȝe han herde deuise.
But soth is seid of ful ȝore a-goon
Of olde wyse, þat counseil is þer noon
In al þis wor[l]d so priuely y-cast
Þat it wil oute, platly, at þe last.
For þe peple which þat is rual
Seith þat secres, whiche be nat kouþe at al,
Þe erthe wil, as þei make mynde,
Discuren hem of his owne kynde,
And of nature vp casten & disclose
Þe þing þat men ar wont in it to close.
Late euery man be war, as it is good,
Or his counseil go to fer a-brood;
And specialy lordes han grete nede:
Of alle men þei stonde most in drede,
So gret a-wait is vp-on hem laide,
Þat whan it happeþ [þat] a þing be seide
Or onys spoke of a lordis mouþe,
It falleth ofte þat it is ful kouþe,
And reported & y-sprad ful wyde
In many cost by hem þat stonde a-side,
Or he be ware, by sodeyn auenture.

710

For somme, in hap, in whom he doth assure,
Wil first of al hym report amys;
Þerfore, in soth, best for hem is this:
For to be war and to kepe her tonge.
A purpose cast shuld[e] nat be ronge
Nor spoke a-brood amonges folkes rude;
For gladly ay þe werst[e] þei conclude
Of euery þing, while þat it is newe,
In report variaunt and vntrewe.
For after resoun no þing þei expowne,
But after wil, þe folke þat ben of tovne,
Like þe purpos whiche þei desire;
For þei faren as a wisp a-fire:
Whanne it brenneþ briȝtest in his blase,
Sodeinly it wasteþ as a mase.
On swiche folke, platly, is no trist,
Þat fire & water holden in her fist,
Beinge with boþe y-liche indifferent,
Now hoot, now colde;—liche as þere entent
Of newe changeþ, so, in her corage,
After þe calm folweth sodeyn rage:
To-day þei loue [&] to-morwe hate,
To trust a comovn lasteþ by no date—
Late nat a lord make hem to secre!
For now þe conseil is ronne to Enee,
Þat Priam wend had[de] ben ful cloos:
For þe rumour & þe wynde a-roos
By false report, and so fer is blowe,
Þat Eneas & Anthenor well knowe
Ende & gynnynge, & euery maner þing,
And hool þe conseil of Priamus þe kyng.
And boþe two, ful of oon entent,
Wiþ oþer [eke] þat wern of her assent
Conspired ben and to-gidre sworne,
And couertly caste a weie a-forne,

711

Þat finally Troye þe cite
By her engyn shal distroied be,
And of accorde caste pleinly þus:
Ȝif it hap þat kyng Priamus
Sende for hem, shortly to conclude,
Þei wolde com with swiche a multitude
Of armed men, ȝif þei seie nede,
Þat of hym þei shulde no þing drede.
For Eneas was in þat cite
Of gret power and auctorite,
Boþe of blood & of kynrede allied,
And for his gold gretly magnyfied
Þoruȝ þe cite most in special,
Þat he in myȝt & power perigal
(As seith Guydo) was vn-to þe kyng.
And Anthenor almoste in euery þing
Was vn-to hym egal of power.
And boþe tweyne of oon herte entere
Conspired han in soth ageyn þe toun,
Finally to þis conclusioun,
Þat þei of Grekis myȝt haue surete,
With her tresour to goon at liberte,
With her allies borne of Troye toun,
Whanne al wer brouȝt to distruccioun—
With lif & good, sauf, with-oute mor.

How Eneas & A[n]thanour Vnderstode how the Kyng had conspired their deth, came to þe kyng with a grete multitude, & seide

At whiche tyme for daunȝ Anthenor
And Eneas Priamus hath sent,
To a-complishe þe fyn of hys entent.
And þei in haste with so gret a route
Cam of knyȝtes stuffed hem aboute,
Þat þer-of was astonyd Priamus,
And made sende for Amphymacus,

712

Commaundinge him to chaunge his purpos;
For wel he wist his counseil was nat clos,
And be signes gan wel vndirstonde
Þat þe mater whiche þei had on honde
Discured was, to his confusioun:
Boþe þe mordre and conspiracioun,
A-parceivynge in his inward siȝt
Þe grete power of þis Troian knyȝt,
And þe fauour of þis Eneas,
And of þe comoun how he fostred was.
Þe whiche prowdly in open audience
To-fore þe kyng declareth his sentence,
Fully concludinge, maugre who seith nay,
How þat þer was noon oþer mene way,
Refut nor geyn, nor oþer remedie
But only pes, who-so it denye—
Oþer eskapynge, pleinly, was þer noon.
And þer-vppon þe comouns euerychon
With o vois gan to gale and crye,
And his conseil gretly magnefie,
Al-be þe kyng was þer-to contrarie.
But Eneas list no lenger tarie
Nor differre þe fyn of his purpos,
But wonder Irous from his se he ros,
And ful vngoodly spak vn-to þe kyng,
And shortly seide, with-oute more tariyng:
“Wher-so be-falle þou be lefe or lothe,
Or wiþ þis purpos plesid ouþer wroþe,
Þou maiste wel truste it shal noon oþer be:
For finally, herkene þis of me!
Maugre þi wille & also [al] þi myȝt,
Þis same day, ȝit or it be nyȝt,
For a pes wiþ Grekis we shal trete!”
And whanne þe kyng sawe þe feruent hete
Boþe of þe comoun and of Eneas,
He gan anoon dissymulen in þis cas;
For of prudence he clerly gan to se,

713

For þat tyme it may non oþer be.
Wherfore, sith he myȝt it not a-mende,
He wysly gan for to condecende
To þe purpos, platly, of Enee,
And seide he wolde goodly take at gre
And accepte what hym list ordeyne.
And so þe kyng lerned for to feyne
Ageyn þe conceit, platly, of his herte;
For oþer wyse he koude nat asterte,
Coact of force and of violence.
And whan he sawe in his aduertence
Þat he myȝt diuerten on no side
From þe fraude, þat sowe was so wide,
With-oute grucching he fully ȝaf assent,
Þat Anthenor shulde forþe be sent
By comoun choys to trete for þe toun—
Whiche was to-forn, in conclusioun,
With [þe] Grekis acorded finally,
Touchinge theffect of his embassatry,
Fro point to point, wher he wolde stonde
Variaunt fro þat he toke on honde.
And for þei had a-forn hym ful conceived,
With better chere he was of hem received.
And in þis while þat Anthenor was oute
For to trete with þe Grekis stoute,
As ȝe han herde, for a pes final,
In þe toun aboute on euery wal
Þei of Troie gan ascende blyve
With þe braunchis of many freshe olive,
In tokne of pes; & Grekes eke ageyn
Amyd þe feld, endelonge þe pleyn,
Shewed hem, þat alle myȝt[e] sene,
Eke of olyue lusti bowes grene.
And to conferme þis fro point to point,
And þat no þing stood in no disioint,
Þe worþi kyng, grete Agamenoun,

714

Committed hath of hiȝe discrecioun
Fully power and auctorite
For þe Grekis, pleinly, vn-to þre,
First of al for a pes to trete:
Vn-to þe wyse worþi kyng of Crete,
To Vlixes and to Diomede—
To chese mo hem þouȝt it was no nede;
For what þei do þei wil holde stable,
And finally nat be variable
From þe ende, platly, þat þei make.
And here-vppon was assurance take
Of ouþer part by bonde of sacrament.
And so þei be with Anthenor y-went
Oute a-side, þese worþi lordes þre.
And whanne þei wern at her liberte,
From al tvmulte allone prively,
Þis Anthenor, ful of trecchery,
Replet of falsehod & of doubilnesse,
Gan his purpos vn-to hem expresse,
Byhotynge hem to traisshe þe cite,
So þei wolde make hym surete,
Þat first hym silfe & with hym Eneas
Shal fredam han in euery maner caas,
Wiþ her allies and goodis euerychon,
Wher þat hem list at large for to goon,
At her chois, or dwellen in þe toun,
With her richesse and posessioun,
With-outen harme or any more damage,
Liche as þei se it be to avauntage
Of her personys, to voiden or abide.
And þei wer sworn on þe Grekis side
Couenaunt to holde in parti and in al,
As was rehersid a-forn in special,
And as þei werne by her oþes bounde,
So þat þer be no variaunce founde

715

On ouþer parti, platly, nor no strif,
And þei be-hiȝte vp pereil of her lyf.
And whan he had assuraunce of hem þre,
He charged hem to kepen in secre
Al þat was seid, þat no þing be discured
Vn-to tyme þat þei were assured
Of þe ende, grocid vp in dede:
For it were good þat þei toke hede
List her purpos perturbed were or shent
By commvnynge, wiþ-oute avisement,
Of þis tongis, þat be so longe & large.
Wherfore he gan coniuren hem & charge,
In al[le] wyse for to bene preue,
So þat no wyȝt but he and þei þre,
Of noon estat, nowþer hiȝe nor lowe,
Fully þe fyn of her entent ne knowe.
“And couertly oure purpos for to hide,”
Quod Anthenor, “vp-on euery side
To voide a-weie al suspecioun,
Þis myn avys: þat to Troye toun
Þe wyse kyng called Taltibyvs
Shal go with me to kyng Priamus,
For he is hoor and y-ronne in age,
Coy of his port, sleiȝti & riȝt sage,
And þer-with-al sadde, demwr, & stille.
Of whom Troyens no þing shal mysille,
But þat he come to tretyn for a pes,
To ben assured and witen dout[e]les
Wher þe Troiens agreen wil þer-to,
In euery þing finally to do
As Anthenor þe Grekis hath be-hiȝt.
Þus shal þei ben devoided anoon riȝt
Þoruȝ his comynge from al suspecioun,
Til þat we han oure conclusioun,

716

As ȝe han herde, parformed euerydel.”
Of whiche þing þe Grekis like wel,
And ben apointed vp-on euery þing
What þei wil do, & how þis olde kyng
Wiþ Anthenor shal to Troye goo.
And after þis, he axede eke also
Of Pantasile þe body for to haue,
In þe cite þat men myȝt it graue
With due honour longynge to hir estat,
To voide aweie suspecioun and debat.
And Anthenor (for it drowe to eve)
Of þe Grekis taken hath his leue,
And with þis kyng repeireþ in-to toun.
Where-of was made anoon relacioun
To kyng Priam, with-oute more delay.
And he in hast vp-on þe nexte day
Made assemble alle his Citeȝeyns,
Secrely deuoidyng alle foreyns,
Where Anthenor in open audience,
Þoruȝ þe halle whan maked was silence,
His tale gan with sugred wordis swete,
Makyng þe bawme outward for to flete
Of rethorik and of elloquence,
Of cher nor word þat þer was noon offence,
In shewynge oute so circumspect he was,
Þat no man koude, in no maner cas,
Be signe outward nor by countenaunce
Parceive in hym any variance
—So harde it was his tresoun to espie—
Theffect declaringe of his embassatrie,
With cler report of his answer ageyn,
In his menyng þouȝ he wer nat pleyn:
For vnder-neþe he was with fraude frauȝt,
Þis sleiȝti wolfe, til he his pray haþ kauȝt:
For he was clos and couert in his speche

717

As a serpent, til he may do wreche,
Hydinge his venym vnder floures longe;
And as a be, þat stingeþ wiþ þe tonge
Whan he haþ shad oute his hony sote,
—Sugre in þe crop, venym in þe rote—
Riȝt so, in soth, with tonge of scorpioun
Þis Anthenor, rote of al tresoun,
His tale tolde wiþ a face pleyn,
Liche þe sonne þat shyneþ in þe reyn,
Þat fair[e] sheweþ þouȝ þe weder be
Wonder diuers & troubly for to se.
So þis tigre, ful of doubilnesse,
So couertly his tresoun dide expresse,
As he nat ment but trouþe to þe toun,
Fully affermyng, in conclusioun,
How þe Grekis myȝti were and stronge,
And likly eke to abide longe,
Day be day redy hem tassaille,
And hadde also plente of vitaille—
Concludynge ay þer was no remedie
Ageyn[e]s hem to holde champartie
Nor with hem any more to stryue.
For (he seide) þei had ȝet a-lyve
Her worþi knyȝtes, hardy as lyouns,
Her manly men and her champiouns,
Whiche, here lyves, platly, to iuparte,
From þe cite caste hem nat departe
Til her purpos acheued be in al:
“For finally nouþer tour nor wal,
Nor ȝoure gatis of Iren þouȝ ȝe shette,
Þe Grekis shal on no side lette,
But þat þei wiln vs wynne at þe laste!
Wherfor, it nedeth a mene weie to caste,
Siþen of myȝt nor fauour of fortune
We may nat longe ageyn[es] hem contwne.
Wherfore,” qoud he, “so ȝe condescende,
I can riȝt wel al þis þing amende,
Remedien, so þat ȝe nat varie

718

To þat I seie for to be contrarie—
Þis to mene, shortly out of doute,
Embassatour whan [þat] I was oute
Wiþ þe Grekis last whan ȝe me sent,
Þei seide goodly, how þei wold assent
Vn-to a pes by þis condicioun:
Þat ȝe wil make restitucioun
Of þe harmys and þe violencis,
Þe wrongis done, and also þe offencis
By Paris wrouȝt in Grece at Citheroun,
As it is riȝt, me semeth, of resoun.
For her request is meint with equite,
And we be driven of necessite
Vn-to her lust iustly to enclyne,
Maugre oure wil þe werre for to fyn;
For al is now in her elleccioun,
We may nat make no rebellioun,
Now þe mater is so fer y-brouȝt,
To strive a-ȝeyn, in soth, it helpith nouȝt,
It may apeire but no þing availle!
Therfore þe beste þat I can consaille,
As in prouerbe it hath be seied of ȝore,
Þat ȝif a man be constreyned sore,
And may nat fle, to fallen in a treyne,
Lete hym chese þe lasse harme of tweyne,
And þe gretter prudently eschewe.
And lete oure gold, þat is kepte in mewe,
To saue oure lif make redempcioun:
For better it is, demeth of resoun,
Spoiled to ben only of richesse,
Þan wilfully deyen in distresse:
Þe lyf is bet þan gold or any good—
Set all at nouȝt in saving of ȝour blood!
For foly is a man for his welfare
Þoruȝ couetyse any gold to spare!

719

And now oure lyf dependeþ in balaunce,
Late gold fare wel & goon with meschaunce,
We may here-after, by sort or auenture,
Gold by grace and good ynowȝ recure!
And sithen we, as I haue ȝow tolde,
May byen [a] pes finally for golde,
And with oure tresour stinten eke þe werre,
It were foly, pleinly, to differre
With þe Grekis outterly tacorde:
For ȝif so be I to hem recorde
Þat ȝe assent, with-outen variaunce,
Þer may of pes be no parturbaunce—
It is so lyȝt now to be recured!
For as sone as þei ben assured,
By iust report, of ȝoure entenciouns,
Þei wil do write obligaciouns
Of couenauntis, þat nat be byhynde;
And þat ȝe shal in hem no faute fynde,
Whan assuraunce from ouþer parte is hadde,
Þer-vppon endenturis shal be made,
So þat of feith ȝe mow hem nat repreue.
And for þat þei fully trust and leue,
With-oute fraude, my relacioun,
I wil now make no dilacioun
To signefie to hem, in certeyn,
Hooly þeffect of þat ȝe wil seien.”

How that A[n]thanor, Enee, and Taltibus were made Imbassators to the Grekes, to trete for A pece; and of the Answer of Kynge Vlixes, Diomede, and the King of Crete, and of theire demaund.

And þe peple loude gan to crye
Alle with o vois, and to magnyfie
Al þat euere Anthenor hath seide;
And vp-on hym þei han þe charge leide

720

Of her answere and entent final,
And by record to reporten al,
Þat no þing be forȝeten in þis cas.
Þei han assigned also Eneas
Wiþ hym to goon for þe same þing,
In þe presence of þe olde kyng
Taltibivs, whiche also of entent
With Anthenor was to Troye sent:
Þe whiche þre han pleinly vndirtake,
As ȝe han herde, a final pes to make,
Al-be þat þei in couert tresoun ment.
And on her weie forþe anoon þei went,
With pleyn power committed of þe toun.
But kyng Priam hath ay suspecioun
To Anthenor and also to Enee,
How þat þei shal distroyen his cite;
And to hym silfe, trist of hertly wo,
He seide: “allas! what is best to do
In þis meschef þat I am in falle!—
And ȝit is þis to me werst of alle,
Þat I am now þoruȝ myn aduersite
Bounde & compelled of necessite,
Maugre myn hed, in maner of ransoun
For my lyf, to make redempcioun
Vn-to my foon þat I haue most at herte.
I se riȝt wel I may it nat asterte:
For I mote paye—þer geyneth no socour—
My good, my gold, richesse & tresour
To my most foon, and dar it nat denye!
And ȝit I stonde of lif in iupartie,
With-oute refut hanginge in ballaunce,
Allas! constreyned þoruȝ my woful chaunce
Tobeie her lust, þat mortally me hate,
Driven þer-to of birþe þoruȝ my fate,
So parchas han my destine y-shape,

721

By noon engyn I may it nat eskape!”
And while Priam gan þus [to] compleyne,
To Anthenor cam þe quene Eleyne,
Beseching hym in his embassatrie
Of gentilnesse for to specefie,
Þoruȝ his prudent mediacioun,
To fynd a waie in conseruacioun
Of hir estat, finally þat she
To Menelay may reconcyled be,
—Ȝif so falle þat þe trete holde—
So þat hir lord of his grace wolde
Restoren hir vn-to hir degre,
Only of mercy and of hiȝe pite.
And Anthenor vn-to hir requeste
Ȝaf audience, makynge a beheste
How he wolde, with al his herte entere,
Be dilligent to trete of þis matere;
And þer-with-al of hym she toke hir leve.
And þis was done on þe same Eue
Þat Anthenor (I pray God ȝif him sorwe!)
To Grekis went on þe nexte morwe,
Only to trete for a pes final.
And in þis while þe feste funeral
Was holde in Troye, myn auctor writeþ þus,
Of a lorde þat called was Glaucus,
A manly knyȝt to-forn in his lyvinge,
And sone was to Priamus þe kyng.
And ouer þis, liche as seith Guydo,
Þat kyng Priam besi[e]de hym also,
Of Pantasillya how þe body myȝt
Be conseruid freshely to þe siȝt;
And, for loue of þis worþi quene,
Of purid golde & of stonys shene
He lete make a vessel ful royal,
And filde it ful of bawme natural

722

To kepe þe cors fro corrupcioun
Til þe werre of Grekis & þe toun
Þoruȝ þe trete wer y-stynted clene:
So þat þe kyng callid Philymene
Þis dede quene myȝt of affeccioun
Carye it home in-to hir regioun,
With hir auncetris buried for to be,
Liche þe maner of old antiquite,
And þe custom vsid in þat tyme—
It wer in veyn mor þer-of to ryme;
I passe ouere vn-to þe trete
A-twene Grekis and Troye þe cite.
And for þe parti of Grekis, as I rede,
First Vlixes, and with hym Diomede,
Assigned wern, and þe kyng of Crete,
With Anthenor and Eneas to mete.
And alle y-fere, shortly in sentence,
By conduit first, and after by licence
Of þe noble wyse Agamenoun,
Þei entred ben in-to Troye toun
By conveiynge of þis Eneas.
Of whos commynge swiche a Ioye þer was
Of þe comowns, whiche in þinges newe
Reioyshen ay, after þouȝ þei rewe,
Wenynge ful wel in her oppinioun,
Þat by þe good[e] mediacioun
Of Vlixes and þe kyng of Crete,
And Diomede, þat cam eke to trete,—
Þat þese þre shulde make as fast
A final pes, euere for to last,
And a ful ende of her alder sorwe.
And þer-vppon, erly þe nexte morwe
Priam lete make a convocacioun
Of alle þe worþi with-Inne Troye toun.
And whan þei were assemblid alle in oon,
Þe wyse Vlixes roos hym vp anoon,

723

And his tale gan in swiche a wyse,
So prudently his wordis to deuyse,
Þat to herkene euery man hath Ioye,
And specially þei þat werne of Troye,
Þat of his inward menynge fraudelent
Ful litel wiste, nor of his entent,
To her plesaunce so he koude feyne.
And first he axeþ of hem þinges tweyne.
Þe ton was þis: þat of þe cite
He wolde haue gold an huge quantite
In recompense of harmys þat wer do;
A-noþer þing he axede eke also:
With-oute abood þat Amphymacus,
Þat sone was to kyng Priamvs,
Perpetuelly þat he exiled be,
Neuere to entre Troye þe cite,
For gold, praier, nor for no ransoun.

How A[n]thenor is confederate with the Grekes, and of his grete dissimulacion agaynst his prince, kynge Priamus. And of the suspectioun of a great noyse of Armure herd in Troy by nyght.

And þis was doon by sugestioun
Of Anthenor, fals and malicious,
Only for he was contrarious
Þat he shold[e] treten for a pes,
And for þat he was nat rek[e]les
To seyn a trouþe—þis Amphymacus.
Þerfore, in soth, þis serpent envious,
Now he hath founde a tyme for to byte,
He þouȝt he wold cruelly hym quyte
For trouþe only þat was in his entent.
Þerfore it is ful expedient,
Of prudence euery man to charge,
Þat his tonge be nat ouer-large:
Trouþes alle be nat for to seyn;

724

For wisdam is, som tyme for to feyne
And dissymule in aduersite,
Specially whan men in trouble be,
And sene her speche may hem nat availle:
Better is þanne þat her tonge faille,
Þan folily to her damage speke.
Men most amonge cure and ouerreke
Þe trouþe of þinges, only of prudence,
And humblely suffre in pacience
For fals report of folkes envious.
Who can so done, I holde hym vertuous:
For bet it is a whyle to abide
Þan seyn al oute of rancour & of pride.
Silence, in soth, hath ofte in hasty strif
Hadde of victorie a prerogatyf,
And þe palme of debatis wonne,
Þat wel are þei þat so suffre konne,
And bene of speche nat presumptuous.
For, as I tolde, þis Amphymacus,
Not-wiþstondynge þat he trouþe ment,
Ȝit for a worde he [in-]to exile went,
Al-be þat God ful iustly afterwarde
Hath Anthenor quyt for his rewarde;
For with þe same he was after hit
For his falshede, duely as it sit:
Þis to seyn, for his iniquite
He was to exile and captiuite
For-iuged after, in-to proscripcioun,
And relegat oute of Troye toun
Perpetuelly by þe procuringe
Of Eneas. Lo! how þe riȝtful kynge,
Þat al may sene in his prouidence,
Ful iustly can maken recompence
Of doubilnes and simulacioun,
And of al swiche contrived fals tresoun:
For who avengeþ with falshed for his part,
He shal ben hit wiþ þe same dart;
He skapeþ nat for to haue a wonde.

725

For falshede ay wil ageyn rebounde
Where it roos first, to his original
Resorte ageyn, riȝt as doth a bal.
For, who for fraude euere doth him caste,
Truste riȝt wel, it wil out at þe laste;
And who supplaunteþ shal supplaunted be,
By good example, as ȝe shal after se,
Of Anthenor þe story ȝif ȝe rede.
And whiles þei treten and procede
Touchinge þe exile and proscripcioun,
Captiuite and relygacioun
Þat þei caste for Amphymacus,
Þer was herde a noyse merveilous,
A gret tumulte and a wounder soun,
Like as it were a lamentacioun
Of sondri folke pleynyng in distresse
For hetly wo and inward heuynesse.
Oute of þe trete evene whan þei gon,
Þis confus cry after gan anoon,
Where-of Vlixes and eke Diomede
Sodeinly fillen in a drede,
Supposynge in her oppinioun
Þat som rumour was fallen in þe toun,
Amonge þe peple and þe commovnte
Of hasty rancour avenged for to be
For þe loue of Amphymacus,
Þat causeles was exiled þus
Of volunte, ageyn al trouþe & riȝt.
Wherfor þei drad, whan it drow to nyȝt
To be mordrid of comouns of þe toun
For þe fraude and conspiracioun
Falsly compassid of old enmyte
By Anthenor and by fals Enee.
And, sothly ȝit, þer was no maner man
Þat koude wyte where-of it be-gan,
Nor espie first where it aroos,
In al þe paleis nor þoruȝ-oute þe cloos:

726

Þei herde it wel, but þei seie nouȝt.
Wher-of þei werne astonyd in her þouȝt,
And affraied of verray sodein drede,
Vlixes moste, and also Diomede,
Liste wiþ commovns þei had be byset.
But Anthenor, with-oute lenger let,
To make hem sure, from al tvmulte & cry
Þe Grekes hath conveied secrely.
And whan þei wern assured of her place,
Vlixes first, with a chaunged face,
Gan pynche sore in þe selfe while
At Anthenor of tresoun and of gyle,
Þat with his hestis so fro day to day,
Of verray sleiȝte, putte hem in delay,
Semynge fully, for ou[ȝ]te he koude espie,
Þer was deceit, fraude, or trecherie
In þe covenauntis þat he hath be-hiȝt.
To whom anoon, þis fals[e] Troyan knyȝt,
With sadde chere & sobre contenaunce,
Wel avised in his dalyaunce,
Answered ageyn, & pleinly dide expresse:
“I-wys,” quod he, “I take vn-to witnesse
Þe hiȝe goddes, þat euery þing may se,
With-oute feynynge þat I haue besy be
Fro point to point ȝour purpos to acheue;
But finally, so it ȝow nat greve,
And paciently þat ȝe list to here,
Þer is o þing perturbeth þis mater,
Whiche þat I shal, so it be noon offence,
Pleinly remembre here in ȝoure presence:
Þis to seyn, of olde antiquite,
First at þe bildyng of Troye þe cite,
Þat whilom was y-called Yllyoun,
—For cause only at his fundacioun,
Kyng Ylyvs, sith[en] go ful longe,

727

Þe founder was of þe walles stronge,
After whom, as made is mencioun,
It called was and named Ylyoun,—
In þe whiche, with grete & besy charge,
In Pallas name he made a temple large,
Þat passyngly was hadde in reuerence.
And whan þis phane of most excellence
Parformed was by masounri ful wel,
And, saue þe rofe, complet euerydel,
Of myȝti stoon þe bildynge wel assured—
But or it was with led & tymber cured,
Ageyn[es] tempest for to bene obstacle,
Þer fil a wounder only by myracle,
Þat I dar wel afferme in certeyn,
Swiche a-noþer was þere neuere seyn
—Who-so list se and considren al—
Þis merveil was so celestial:
For þer cam doun from þe hiȝe heuene,
By Pliades and þe sterris seuene,
And þoruȝ þe eyr holdyng his passage,
Like a fairy a merueillous ymage,
Þat in þis world þouȝ men had[de] souȝt,
Ne was þer noon halfe so wel [y-]wrouȝt.
For, as it is trewly to suppose,
Pigmalyon, remembrid in þe Rose,
In his tyme hadde no konnyng
To graue or peint so corious a þing:
For it was wrouȝt wiþ dilligent labour
By hond of aungil in þe heuenly tour,
Þoruȝ Goddes myȝt & devyn ordinaunce,
And hider sent þoruȝ his puruyaunce,
For a relik, only of his grace,
And prouided to þe same place,
Þer tabide for a proteccioun,
For a diffence and saluacioun,

728

Perpetuelly whil þe world may dure,
Ageyn al meschef and mysauenture,
Euery trouble and tribulacioun,
In sustenynge and reuelacioun,
And souereyn helpe eke of þis cite.
Þe whiche neuer may distroyed be,
By noon engyn þat men may purchase:
Þe goddes han graunted swiche a grace,
And swiche vertu annexed eke þer-to,
Þat Troye in soth may neuer be for-do
Til þis relik stole be a-way.
And ȝit, in soth, þer is no man þat may
From þe place stere it nor remewe,
But þe prest to whom it is dwe
Only of offys to touche it with his hond.
So myȝtely conseruyd is þe bond,
Þat who attempteth, in conclusioun,
It to remewe of presumpcioun,
At þe fyn, platly, he shal fayle:
For force noon may him nat availle;
For it in soth wil nat remeved be
Excepte of hym to whom of duete
It aparteneth, as ȝe han herde to-forn.
And, ouermore, þer is no man ȝit born,
Þat rede can, nor telle in no degre,
Verraily, wher it be stoon or tre,
Nor how it was deuysed nor y-wrouȝt—
Þer is no wyȝt so sotil in his þouȝt
Ceriously to tellen þe manere.
For Minerua, þat is so freshe & clere,
Þe sterne goddesse, þoruȝ hir gret[e] myȝt,
Þat is so dredful boþe of loke & siȝt,
Whiche on hir brest haueth of cristal

729

Hir shilde Egys—þis goddesse inmortal—
I-graunted hath, in bokes as I lerne,
Þoruȝ hir power whiche [þat] is eterne,
Þis holy relik for a memorial
To hir temple of bildyng most royal,
It to conserue from al assaut of drede,
And to socour in euery maner nede
Ageyn her foon vn-to Troye toun,
While it is kept with deuocioun:
So þat alweye by successioun,
From kyng to kyng in þe lyne doun,
By iust title lyneally succede,
Here-to annexed þat þei taken hede,
Prudently avoidynge necligence,
It to conserue with due reuerence,
As þei are bounde & y-holde of riȝt.
Þanne shal noon enmy power haue nor myȝt
To do damage in hyndrynge of þe toun.
And whi it is called Palladyoun,
Like as clerkis write of it and seyn,
Is, for Pallas, to make hir toun certeyn,
Þis relyke sent fro þe heuene doun.
And to conclude shortly my resoun,
Þis is þe cause oure purpos is so let.”
“Þan,” quod Vlixes, “sith it may be no bet,
Oure labour is in ydel and in veyn,
With-oute recure, ȝif it be certeyn,
As þou hast seyd, þis toun in no degre
Þoruȝ þis relyk may not distroied be:
It was foly þe to vndirtake
Vn-to Grekis beheste for to make,
With-oute þis, þou haddest be ful sure.”
Quod Anthenor, “ȝit þer is recure:
As I haue hiȝt, ȝe shal haue þe toun,

730

Al-þeiȝ þer be a dilacioun;
And þe maner anoon I shal telle,
Ȝif it so be ȝe list a whyle dwelle
With-oute noyse ouþe[r] perturbaunce.
Þe prest, þe whiche hath þe gouernaunce
Of þis relyk, shal be spoke vn-to,
By good avys, and y-treted so,
Þat he shal be ful of oure assent;
For he with gold & tresour shal be blent,
Þat he accorde shal to oure purpos,
To bringe þe relike, whiche is kept so clos,
To what place þat ȝe list assigne.
Beth stille of port, goodly, & benigne
In ȝoure werkis til I haue brouȝt aboute
Fully þis þing, and beth no þing in doute,
I dar my silfe take it wel on honde.”
And whan þei had his menyng vndirstonde,
Þei toke leue & wente oute of þe toun.
But first to voide al suspecioun,
At her goynge Anthenor hath hiȝt
How þat he wold goon þe same nyȝt
To Priamus, “to maken ordinaunce
How þe bondis and þe assuraunce
Of þe pes shulde y-maked be,
And for to knowe eke þe quantite
Of þe gold þat ȝe shal receyve:
Þus shal I best þe purpos aparceyve
Of þe kyng to knowe it euerydel.”
And þei concent, & like wonder wel
Euery þing þat Anthenor hath seide;
And so þei parte, glad & wel apaide,
And wente her way & made no tariyng.
And Anthenor goth vn-to þe kyng,
Hym counseillynge, he make no delay
To calle his lordis ageyn þe next[e] day,
And his liges to assemble y-fere,

731

Finally tengrosse þis matere,
As it was sittinge and expedient.
And whanne þe kyng in open parlement
Crowned sat in his regalie,
Þis Anthenor gan to specefie
In audience, þat men myȝt[e] knowe,
To eche estat, boþe hiȝe and lowe,
Þe Grekis wille, ȝif þei agre þer-to,
And what þe some was of gold also
Whiche þei axe, ȝif þe pes shal stonde:
Twenti þousand marke to haue in honde
Of pured gold, whiche most anon be paid,
And of siluer, þat may nat be delaied,
Þei most eke han þe same quantite;
And ouer þis, as þei accorded be,
Certeyn mesours be couenaunt also haue
Of whete & flour, her lyues for to saue
In her repeire by þe large se,
Whan þei saille home to her contre,—
And þat þe collect maked be anoon,
By good avis of hem euerychoon,
Þat al be redy be a certeyn day.
Þer was no man þat durst þo seie nay
Nor contrarie þat Anthenor haþ seide,
Wher-so þei wer wel or evele apaide,
But ful assent, in conclusioun.
And in al haste, þoruȝ-oute al þe toun,
Þe colytours gadrid vp þe gold,
Like þe somme þat I haue ȝou told,—
Of pore and riche þer wer spared noon.
Þe whiche tyme Anthenor is goon
Vn-to þe prest þat called was Thonaunte,
Ȝif he myȝt in any wyse hym daunte:
To make his herte fully to enclyne,
Ful craftely he leyde oute hoke & lyne,

732

With lusty bait of fals[e] couetyse,
Excitynge hym in ful secre wyse,
Þat he wold[e] ben of his assent,
And condescende vn-to his entent,
To putten hym in pocessioun
Of þe relik called Palladioun,
With-oute abood it may delyuered be;
And ȝaf hym gold an huge quantite,
And hym to blende moche more him [be-]hyȝt,
—And þis was don ful preuely by nyȝt,—
Shortly concludynge, ȝif he condescende,
Þat he wolde his estat amende
So passyngly, þat for euermore
He and his heires shulde haue gold in store,
Plente y-nowe, þat noon indigence
Shulde haue power him to done offence.
“For vn-to þe, þis a-vow I make,”
Quod Anthenor, “and platly vndirtake,
Of gold & good þou shalt haue suffisance,
And of tresour passinge habundaunce,
Þat þou shalt, in verray sikernesse,
Al þi kyn excellen in richesse,
Ȝif þou delyuere, like to myn axynge,
Palladioun, whiche is in þi kepynge.
And I be-hote—þou maist trest[e] me—
By bond of feiþ it shal be secre,
List it were hindringe to þi name:
For ȝif so be, þat þou drede shame,
To be esclaundrid of so foule a dede,
I shape shal þat þe thar nat drede
Nor ben agast in no maner wyse;
For swiche a way, in soth, I shal deuise,
Þat no man shal be suspecious
To þi persone, nor engynyous

733

To deme amys, how þis mater goth.
For be wel ware, þat me were as loth
To be diffamed of so false a þing,
To knowe þer-of, or be assentynge
In any maner, þat þei of þe toun
Sholde to me haue suspecioun,—
Lat be, lat be,—leuere I hadde deie!
We shal þer-for cast a-noþer weie,
Oure honour saue, so þat þou & I
Shal goon al quyte—I seie þe outterly,
Þat nouþer shal be hold[e] partener
Of þis thefte, but stond[e] hool & cler
What-euere falle, with-outen any shame:
For Vlixes shal beren al þe blame
Of þis dede and þis þefte also;
For men shall sein, whan [þat] it is go,
By his engyn & his sleiȝti wyle,
Þoruȝ his treynes & his false gyle,
Þat he hath stole aweie Palladioun
From þe temple, in lesyng of þe toun—
Þat, finally, duringe al his lyve
Men shal to hym þis falshed ascryve,
And al þe gilt arretten his offence!
Þat þou and I, only of Innocence,
Þoruȝ-oute þe world of þis iniquite
Shal be excused, platly, & go fre.
It nedeth not tarie in þis matere,
Come of attonys! lo, þi gold is here!
For þou ne shalt lenger delaied be.
And sith þou seste þat no difficulte
Is on no part, pereil nor repref,
Shame nor drede, sclaunder nor meschef,
Delaie nat to take þis þing on honde!”
And first þis prest gan hym to with-stonde

734

Ful myȝtely, and seide, for no þinge,
Nouþer for praier nor for manacinge,
For gold nor good, ne no maner mede
He nolde assent to so foule a dede!
(Þus he answered at þe prime face.)
But ofte sithe it happeth men purchase
By ȝifte of good, to speke in wordis pleyn,
Þat trouþe in pouert myȝt neuer atteyne:
For mede more by falshede may conquere
Þan title of riȝt, þat men in trouþe lere;
And ȝiftes grete hertis can encline;
And gold, þat may in stele & marbil myne,
Þis prestis hert hath so depe graue,
Þat Anthenor shal his purpos haue,
For to possede þe Palladioun,
Þoruȝ false engyn and conspiracioun
Of þis prest, þat called was Tonaunt,
Whiche of falshede myȝt hym best avaunte,
Þat þis relik fro þe temple rent.
And to Vlixes Anthenor it sent,
Oute of þe toun, in al þe haste he myȝt,
By a seruaunt secrely by nyȝt:
Wher-of Troyens mortally dismaied,
And þoruȝ tresoun finally outtraied,
Wrouȝt by þis prest with couetise blent,
False Anthenor beynge of assent.

How the translatour compleyneth hym of the transmutacioun and couetousnes of priestes.

O Troye, allas! wel maistow mourne & wepe,
In compleynynge with hertly siȝes depe,
Falsly defraudid of Palladioun,
And putte for euere oute of pocessioun.
O myȝti goddes, þat þe world gouerne,

735

And euery þing þoruȝ ȝour myȝt concerne,
Riȝt as it is, of ȝoure deite,
And trouþe & falshed may to-gedre se
In euery herte þoruȝ ȝoure puruyaunce,
Whi toke ȝe nat on þis prest vengaunce?—
Þat traitourly, þoruȝ his iniquite,
For gold and good be-traisshed þe cite
Of Troye, allas! with-oute more recure.
Who shal emforþe any more be sure,
Or any place stonde in sikerte,
Sith holynesse of so hiȝe degre
May bene infect & corrupt wiþ mede?
Euery hert ouȝte quake and drede
To sene, allas! by false ypocrisye,
Prestis, þat shulde þe worlde exemplifie
With good[e] doctrine of perfeccioun,
To make so sone a transmutacioun,
Of double entent sodeinly to varie!
For dout[e]les, ȝif þe seintuarie
Be pollut founde in conuersacioun,
Naked and bare of deuocioun,
And þat þe shynyng of her parfit liȝt
I-turned be by derknes vn-to nyȝt,
Vn-to what place shal men ferþer go
To take ensaumple what hem ouȝt[e] do?
Certis, þe rote & grounde of euerydel
Is couetise—who-so loke wel,—
Of whiche þe greyne is so fer y-sowe,
Þat who-so list auarice knowe,
Amonge prestis he shal it rathest fynde;
For þer-with-al þei be maked blynde
To her estat, þat þei may nat se.
For, in sothnes, þer is no degre

736

Gredier nor more ravynous
Of worldly good, nor more coueitous
Þan prestis ben to cacche what þei may:
For it is goon sithen many day,
Þat in her brest ficched was þe rote
Of couetise, whiche sit so sote
Þat no man may arrace him nor remewe;
For at her tail euere it doth hem swe,
Þis false werme, moder & norice
Of al meschef and of euery vice.
For gold is now so shynyng & so briȝt,
So percinge eke, & so clere of lyȝt,
Þat prestis ben with his stremys blent:
For, in sothnes, þei ben in her entent
Of couetise verray receptacle,
And to possede eke þe tabernacle.
Her hert is ay so gredy to embrace,
Þat auarice haþ his loggyng place
Mid of her breste, þis vice of vices alle!
Þat causeþ vertu raþest for to falle,
Wher he abit, so he can supplaunte.
Recorde I take of þe preste Tonaunte,
Þat for tresour to Anthenor haþ sold
Þe riche relik þat he had in hold,
Palladioun, while þei of Troye toun
Han gadrid vp abouten enviroun,
Of riche and pore þoruȝ[-out] þe cite,
Gold and siluer an huge quantite,
Flour & whete to paien her raunsoun.
Þe whiche somme of entencioun
Þei made kepe wysly and conserve
In þe temple þat longeþ to Minerve,
Purposynge after, of oon affeccioun,
—Þe citeȝens þoruȝ-oute al þe toun,
Hopynge þer-by for to fare þe bet—
Vp-on a day, assigned and y-set,

737

To Appollo in her paynym wyse
Solempnely make a sacrifise,
With slauȝter of bestis, with encence & blood.

Off the Meruelous obstacle and wondre perceyued in makyng of their sacrifice to Appollo; and how an Egle dyd bere away their sacrifice.

On whiche day, whan þe prestis stood
In compas rounde abouten þe autere,
And gan to kyndle þe coles briȝt & clere
Vp-on þe are, pleinly, as I rede,
To offren vp þe bestis þat were dede,
In þe flawme and þe grete levene,
To Appollo stellefied in heuene,—
Whan þei to offre wer most laborious,
Þer be-fil two þinges merueilous:
Þe first[e] was, þat þe sacrid fire
Ne wolde brenne like to her desire,
Nor þe flawme vp ascende alofte,
Al-be þat þei assai[e]den ful ofte,
More þanne ten tyme, & ȝit it nolde be;
For ay it queinte, þat þei ne myȝt[e] se
Nouȝt but smoky resoluciouns,
Horrible and blak, like exalac[i]ouns
Of newe lyme whan þat it is meint
Wiþ water colde & of his hete queynt,—
Þat þei myȝte in no maner wyse,
For lak of fir, don her sacrifise;
For ay þei fonde a wonderful obstacle!
And þe nexte was a mor miracle:
On her auter whan þei gan to sprede
Þe entrailles of bestis þat were dede,
To queme Appollo with flawmys [briȝt and] faire,
Þer cam anon doun oute of þe ayre
A royal egle, ful percinge of his loke,

738

And in his clees þe offringe vp he toke
And þe entreylles liggynge enviroun,
In his discence makynge swiche a soun,
Þat noon so hardy of herte nor manhod,
But þat he was astonied þer he stood,
And supprised þoruȝ nerf and euery veyne
Of þis merueile and þis cas sodeyne.
But þe egle, abidinge þer no more,
Ouer þe toun ful hiȝe gan to sore,
Toward Grekis enhastinge what he myȝt,
And on her shipes sodeynly a-liȝt,
And þe entrailles of þe bestis alle
Þis egle lete from his clees falle:
Wher-of Troyens, whan þei token hede,
Dis[a]maied wiþ a mortal drede,
By signes han clerly comprehendid
Þat her goddes gretly wer offendid
Ageyn þe toun, whan þe fire went oute;
And for þei wold be putte oute of doute,
To be sure what þis merveile ment,
To Cassandra in al haste þei went,
Fully to han declaracioun,
And þer-vp-on plein exposicioun.

How Appollo, their god, by many signes and tokynges shewing vn[to] them, perceyuid he was sore displesid for the polucioun of his temple with the blode of Achilles, wich by treason was slayne in the temple.

And she tolde hem, platly, oute of drede,
Þat þe quenchinge of her fires rede
Was vn-to hem a demonstracioun
Boþe of Ire and indignacioun
Þat Appollo hath to Troye bore,
For þe blood þat was shad be-fore
Of Achilles, in his temple slawe,
Vengably mordrid and y-drawe,

739

With-outen any maner reuerence
Or honour done to þe excellence
Of Appollo, beynge þer present,
Þat þe phane and placis adiacent
Wern defouled and pollut with [þe] blood.
Wherfore, she seid[e] shortly, it was good
Þat þei went on processioun,
With herte contrit and deuocioun,
To þe toumbe of Achilles at nyȝt,
Only to fette on her tapris liȝt
Sacrid fire, brennynge at þe wake,
Fully in purpos by assent to make
For his mordre satisfaccioun,—
“Þe whiche fire be noon occasioun
Shal nat quenche, but his flawmys holde,
Þoruȝ noon assaut of stormy wyndes colde;
Þe sacrifise vp-on þe autere
To-forn Appollo brenne shal so clere.”
And þei of Troye wrouȝt[e] by her rede.
But of þe egle she bad hem taken hede,
[Þat] No þinge was but tokne of tresoun,
Pronostik and declaracioun,
Finally how Troye and Yllyoun
Shal turne in haste to destruccioun:
For þe fleynge of þis foule royal
Ouer þe toun and þe myȝti wal,
With his fethres mailed, briȝt, & shene,
And þe entreylles in his clees kene,
To Troye was a final demonstraunce,
Sothfast shewynge & signeficaunce,
Þat grace and ewre [and hap] of olde fortune
Be lyklyhed myȝt[e] nat contvne
Nor perseuere in her first[e] lyȝt;
For alle attonys þei haue take her fliȝt,—
Palladioun myȝt hem nat wiþ-holde,

740

Þat stole was, like as I ȝow tolde;
For no man may his fatal chaunce refuse.
And Grekis eke faste gan to mvse,
And inwardly in her wittes souȝte
Of þe entrailles þat þe egle brouȝte,
And þer-vp-on gan to-gider rowne,
Til þat Calchas dide euery þing expowne,
And vn-to hem fully gan assure
Þat þe fyn of þis aventure
Conclude shulde vppon her welfare,
And bad also, for no cost þei spare
To perseuere and ben of herte stable,
By fortune hem silfe to enable,
Hem counseillynge to do her besy peyne,
Solempnely in haste to ordeyne
A certeyn offringe, born oute of þe felde,
To faire Pallas with hir cristal shelde,
And to hir make a riche sacrifise,
As þe story by ordre shal deuyse.

How the Traytor Bysshop Calcas ymagined a large horse of brasse, wherin was a Ml. knyghtes, fainyng a sacrifice to be done to Paullas.

Bysshop Calchas, with his lokkes hore,
Traitour forsworn siþen go ful ȝore,
Þat falsid haþ trouþe & his lygaunce,
Whom clerkis han putte in remembraunce
In her bokis, wiþ lettris, olde and newe,
To exemplifie no man be vntrewe:
For þauȝ ȝeris passe faste a-weye,
Ruste of sclaundir liȝtly wil nat deye;
Þe fret þer-of is so corosif,
Þat it lasteþ many mannys lyf,

741

And is ful hard to arrace away;
Of whos venym ful selde is made alay—
Reporte þer-of blowen is so wyde,
Perpetuelly þat it wil abide,
Remembrid new & freshly had in mynde.
Recorde of hym þat koude a weye fynde:
Olde Calchas, evele mote he sterue!—
Vnder colour of offringe to Mynerue,
To make Grekes entren in-to toun,
Þis sleiȝti serpent, fader & patroun
And fynder-vp of tresoun and of gyle,
Compassid hath and y-founde a wyle,
How Grekis shal þe cite wynne & take,
Pretendynge hem sacrifise to make
Vn-to Pallas, as I shal expresse:
For þis traitour, merour of falsnesse,
Þe Grekis bad for to do her peyne
To Minerva an off[e]ringe to feyne,
And in al haste þat þei shuld hem spede.
And of assent þei dide make a stede,
Large and wyde, of coper & of bras,
By crafte of Synoun, þat contrived was
Þat it myȝt resseive large and wel
A þousand knyȝtes armed briȝt in stel,—
Þoruȝ þe sleiȝte and þe compassynge,
Þe sotil wit & merveillous werchinge
Of þis wyse and crafty Greke Synoun,—
Whiche, þoruȝ his castynge and discrecioun,
Parformed haþ þis riche stede of bras,
As ȝe han herd, be biddinge of Calchas,
And by thavys of Appivs þe wyse,
Þat halpe also þe stede to deuyse,
To fyn only þat of deuocioun
Grekis myȝt requeren of þe toun—

742

Whan it were made—to graunt[e] hem licence
It to present in þe reuerence
Of myȝti Pallas, in stele armyd briȝt,
Amyd hir temple, large & ful of liȝt,—
By þe offringe to fynde occasioun
To haue entre frely in-to toun,
By pilgrimage her vowes to fulfille:
In whiche stede daren shal ful stille
A þousand knyȝtes, as Calchas be devis
Ordeyned haþ, þat was so sliȝe & wys.
By crafte of Synoun and of Appivs,
Þis large stede, of makynge merveillous,
Vnder pretence of oblacioun,
Was complet ful to his perfeccioun
Of werkemanshipe, as I tolde a-fore,
Þe same ȝere þat Troye was for-lore,
Whan þe sege, sothly, gan to fyne,
And þe cite was brouȝt to ruyne
Þoruȝ Grekis myȝt; & þe walles stronge
Were bete doun, large, þikke, and longe;—
Þe whiche ȝere, as made is mencioun,
A lite a-forn takynge of þe toun,
Kynges echon þat come fro so ferre,
A-lyve lefte after þe mortal werre,
Whan þei saw how Priam be couenaunte
Vn-to Grekis haþ outterly made graunte
Al hast possible to paien his ransoun,
Þei toke leve, and went oute of þe toun.
And first, I fynde, how kyng Philymene
With hym ladde þe body of þe quene
Pantasillya home to hir contre,
Ful richely þer to buried be;
And of two þousand knyȝtes þat þis kyng
Brouȝt vn-to Troye first at his comyng,

743

No mo þan fifty home with hym he ladde.
And of wommen þat þe quene eke hadde,
Of a þousand, þe story seith certeyn,
But foure hundrid repeired hom ageyn.
And þus whan alle were fro Troie gon,
Þe morwe next Priamus anon
With his lordis rood oute of þe toun,
As was þacord for confirmacioun
Of pes final vp-on ouþer syde.
And in þe feld Grekis hym abide;
And, on relikes openly y-born,
Þer þei wern on ouþer parti sworn,
On þe forme to ȝow a-fore recorded,
As Anthenor with Grekis was accorded.
And for Grekis firste swore Diomede,
Þei of Troie takynge lytel hede
How þe oþe was in condicioun,
Cured a-bove vnder false tresoun,
Siþen Grekis þo in her sweryng
Ne bounde hem silfe to no manere þing
To stonde to, as in special,
But for to holde & kepe in general
Þe poyntes hool engrosid, and no mor,
In þilke trete þat daunȝ Anthenor
With Grekis helde, þis traytour fraudelent!
In whiche þei werne ful double of entent
—Meint with tresoun, as ȝe han herd to-forn,—
Whiche to obserue only þei wer sworn,
By fraude of oþe, & nat by wordis pleyne,
Her aduersaries to taken in a treyne,
Excludyng hem fro her menyng ferre,
Pes in þe face, but in þe herte werre,
Al openly confermyd with her hond,
Inly to tresoun, by assurance of bond.

744

But þouȝ þe venym was closid with a wal,
It was nat hid from him þat knoweþ al:
For, certeynly, so as clerkes teche,
Who þat swereth falsly in his speche,
Florisshinge outward by a fair colour
For to desseive his trewe neȝ[e]bour,
He is forsworn, what-so-euere he be!
Þe tresoun hid þouȝ men may nat se,
How-so þe word be a-way [y-]born:
Who swereþ by craft is by craft for-sworn;
Þer may be made noon excusacioun.
For God þat knoweþ þe entencioun,
Demeth þe herte, & þe word riȝt nouȝt;
For he þe wil knoweþ and þe þouȝt
Of euery man, nyȝe and eke a-fere:
Þerfore be war, no man him for-swere,
As Grekis dide Troiens to deceyve,
Þat þe fraude koude nat conceyve,
Supposinge þat þe Grekis hadde be
Feithful and trewe of her surete—
But no þing oon þei in herte þouȝt,—
Whiche in þe ende þei ful dere abouȝt,
Whan þei founde fully þe reuers,
And to her speche þe dede so diuers.
It were but veyn by & by to write
Her feyned oþes, nor her wordis whyte,
Nor þe cheris þat þei koude feyne.
But, to conclude with, þe quene Eleyne,
Duri[n]ge þe trete, vp-on þe same day
Delyuered was to kyng Menelay;
And after þat, was payed þe raunsoun,
Grauntid to-forn and gadrid in þe toun:
Gold & siluer, whete & also flour;
And to her shippes with dilligent labour,

745

In ful gret hast euery þing was brouȝt,
Wher-þoruȝ þe cite after cam to nouȝt.
And Grekis þanne, by symulacioun,
Makyng a colour of deuocioun,
Þoruȝ holynes, vnder ypocrosye,
Falsly feyned by fraude & flaterie,
Þe kyng han preied to han liberte
Frely to entre in-to þe cite,
To make a-seth by oblacioun
For þe þefte of Palladioun,
And offren vp þe riche stede of bras
To þe goddes þat called is Pallas,
—Whan kyng Priam likeþ to assigne—
Þat she to hem be willy & benygne
In her repeire seilynge be þe se
Home in-to Grece toward her contre,
Whan she is quemed with þis large stede.
Of whiche, allas! Priam toke noon hede;
Þe tresoun hidde he koude nat aduerte,
But graunted hem with al his hole herte,
Whan þat hem list to bringe it in-to toun,—
By false entising and suggestioun
Of Anthenor and also of Enee,
Havynge no drede nor ambyguyte
In his entent, nor suspecioun
Nouþer of feynyng nor of fals tresoun,
But, riȝt frendly, liche to his beheste,
Condescendeth vn-to her requeste,
Her avowes þat þei myȝt obserue,
To offren vp þis hors vn-to Minerue.
And Grekis þo, with gret[e] dilligence,
Ful gret honour and huge reuerence
Han shapen hem with processioun
To bringe þe stede in-to Troie toun,
Þe men of armys being ay þer-Inne,
By whom þei cast Troie for to wynne
In short tyme, for it stood on þe date.

746

How the Grekes had licens to breke the walle of Troy, to brynge in their large stede of brasse, to Offer vnto Pallas in sacrifice; & how the knyghtes came oute in the nyght, & betrayde þe citie.

And whan þis hors brouȝt was to þe gate,
It was so narwe þat þer was no space
For þe stede in-to þe toun to passe,
Al-be þat þei assaied oueral.
Wherfore Priam bete adoun þe wal
To make it large, riȝt at her devys,
In whiche þing, allas! he was vnwis:
For cause chef of his confusioun
Was þat þis hors cam in-to þe toun.
But humblely forþe þei gan procede
To þe temple wiþ þis large stede;
And to Pallas mekely doun knelynge,
Alle attonis þei made her off[e]ringe,
With feyned chere and fals deuocioun.
Wherof in herte glad was al þe toun,
And specially þei þat wern of Troye.
But soth is seid, þat ay þe fyn of Ioye
Wo occupieth, as men ful ofte se:
For vnwarly cometh aduersite
After gladnes, and mysaventure,
Whan men best wene for to stonde sure.
In worldly blis is noon affiaunce,
So diuers is his vnhappi chaunce—
Ful of deceit, euere meint with trouble,
And for to triste variaunt and double,
And selde in oon abidinge eny þrowe.
For worldly lust, þouȝ it be now blowe
With pompe and pride, & with bost & soun,
Anon it passeth: record of Troie toun,
Þat wende wel, by þis riche stede

747

To haue be sure & deuoide of drede
Perpetuelly, as I haue told to-fore.
But whan Grekis han þis hors y-bore
To-fore Pallas, as ȝe haue herde me telle,
Hem liketh nat lenger for to dwelle
In þe boundis of þis myȝti toun;
But of purpos to þe Greke Synoun
Þei haue committed hool þe gouernaille
Of þis stede, [þe] whiche wil nat faile,
Whan he seth best oportunyte,
By his engyn to traisshe þe cite.
And Grekis han in þis while founde
A newe sleiȝte hem fully to confounde:
Þis to seyn, þei haue made her sonde
To kyng Priam, þei wold[e] go fro londe
Vn-to þe see toward Tenedoun,
And þedir seille, for þis conclusioun:
For þat Eleyne, by good avysement,
In secre wyse þedir shal be sent;
For þei dradde ȝif vppon þe londe
She were delyuered, shortly, to her honde,
Grekis wold of malys done her peyne,
Þe more parti to sleen þe quene Eleyne:
For she was grounde & gynnynge of her wo,
Þe verray rote and þe cause also
Of þe slauȝtre of many worþi man,
Siþen þe tyme þe sege first be-gan.
Wherfore, (þei seide) for to stinte al strif,
And to be sure for to saue hir lyf,
Þe beste was to send hir oute of siȝt,
Secrely to Tenedoun be nyȝt.
Þus þei feyned of ful false tresoun,
Priam to putte from al suspecioun,
Askauns þei wolde neuere after her lyve
Resorte ageyn with Troye for to strive

748

—Þus þei made Priam for to wene;—
But in þe hond he was deceived clene,
Of her deceit knowynge neuere-a-del;
For in his herte he þouȝt[e] nat but wel,
Grauntinge hem al þat myȝt hem plese.

How the Grekes spoyled and burned the citie of Troy, and after toke shipping; and of their misauenture on þe see.

And whanne þei had at leiser & good ese
Fro Troye seiled vn-to Tenedoun
With her navie, þe false Greke Synoun
In Troie waker gan to take kepe
Þe hour whan men wern in her first slepe;
And, in al haste, wiþ his sleiȝty gyn,
Many vys and many sotyl pyn
In þe stede he made aboute goon,
Þe crafty lokkes vndoynge euerychon;
And oute [he] goth, & gan anoon to calle
With-Inne þe hors þe worþi knyȝtes alle,
So secrely no man myȝt espie;
And traitourly he gan hym for to hiȝe
Vp-on þe walles, þe silfe same nyȝt,
And toward Grekis gan [to] shewe a lyȝt,
Where as þei leye to-fore Tenedoun,
Redy armyd to falle vppon þe toun.
And whan þei hadde þe sodein liȝt espied,
On hors[e]-bak anoon þei han hem hyȝed
Toward Troy, armed clene at al;
And in þei went by þe same wal
Whiche for þe hors was but late broke;
And mortally, for to ben a-wroke,
Þe knyȝtes eke in þe stede of bras
Han with hem mette, a ful sterne pas,
And gan anoon þoruȝ-oute þe cite

749

On euery half for to kylle & slee,
With blody swerd vp-on euery side,
And made her wondes brode, large, & wyde
—While þei, allas! no þing aduertinge,
At mydnyȝt hour a-bedde laie slepynge,
Ful Innocent and þouȝt[e] nouȝt but good—
Al for-baþed in her owne blood,
Boþe man & childe, with-oute excepcioun,
Þe Grekis sparinge no condicioun
Of old nor ȝong, womman, wif, nor maide—
Þat with þe cry Priamus abraide
Oute of his slepe, & sodeynly a-woke,
Whiche laye al nyȝt & noon hede [ne] toke
Of þe slauȝter and mordre in þe toun;
But þo he wist þat þer was tresoun
Falsly compassid vn-to his cite
By Anthenor and also by Enee,
Of whos malis he was no mor in doute:
For þe venym was now broken oute,
And now þe galle of conspirac[i]oun,
Þat vnder sugre of symulacioun
Hath so longe closid ben and hidde,
In dede is now execut and kyd.
And now þe fraude fully of tresoun,
Þe cast also of false collusioun
Be raked oute, and abrood y-blowe,
And þe autours openly y-knowe.
Now hath envie and contrived hate
Of her engyn set a-brood þe gate;
Now hath deceit & olde conspiracie
And feyned oþes, alle of oon allie,
Openly shewed her falsnesse,
And disclosid al hir doubilnesse
So fer a-brod, þat now is þer no geyn!
For now, allas! þe wilde fire is seyn

750

In touris hiȝe with þe wynde y-blasid,
Wherof Priam, astonyd & amasid,
Al awaped sterte oute of his bedde,
And counfortles to þe temple is fledde
Of Appollo, to saue hym ȝif he myȝt.
And ay þe flawme of þe fires briȝt
Brent in þe toun, & conswmeth al
Þe riche bildinge, whilom so royal,
Þat þe walles with her roves huge,
Couered with leed for a chef refuge,
Were now, allas! bare & bareyne maked.
Þe Grekis ay wiþ her swerdes naked
Mordre and sle where-so þat þei go,
Þat twenti þousand, þilke nyȝt, & mo
Þei kylled han, longe or it was day;
And in þis slauȝter & þis grete affray
Spoile & robbe, & take what þei fynde,
Tresour & good, and left[e] nat bi-hinde,
Be myȝti hond & sturdi violence.
And þe temples, wiþ-oute reuerence
Þei han dispoilled þoruȝ-oute al þe toun,
And gredely rent and racid doun
Of golde & siluer þe ornementes alle
To-fore þe goddes—foule mote hem falle!—
Kyng Priam ay with a dedly chere
To Appollo makyng his praiere
Furiously, þis hertly woful man,
As he, in soth, þat no red ne can
But waite his deth & his fatal ewre.
And Cassandra, þat holy creature,
Of inward wo desirous to sterve,
Compleynynge ran vn-to Minerve,
Makynge to hir a lamentacioun
With oþer gentil-wommen of þe toun.

751

And þer, allas! as þei wolde dye,
Ful pitously þei sobbe, wepe, and crie.
And in her dool þer y lete hem dwelle;
For alle her sorwes ȝif I shulde telle
In þis story, and her wo descrive,
Mi penne shuld of verray routhe rive,—
Rehersinge eke how in euery strete,
Her cloþes blake, rodi, moiste, and wete,
As þei, allas! bothen oon and alle,
On her lordes doun a-swone falle,
With her blod be-dewed & y-spreint,—
Wher men may seen þe cristal teris meynt
Of her wepinge in þer woundes grene,
Þat lay and bledde ageyn þe sonne shene,
With dedly eyen castinge vp þe whyte:
It were but veyne al her wo to write,
Nor þe maner of her mortal sorwe.
But Guydo writ, þat þe same morwe,
How Anthenor, and with hym [fals] Enee,
Conveied han þoruȝ-oute þe cite
Þe myȝti Grekis vn-to Ylyoun,
Þe royal tour and riche mancioun
Þat whilom was of most excellence;
In þe whiche þei founde no diffense
Of hiȝe nor lowe, nor of noon estat,
For it was left allone dissolat,
With al þe gold and richesse of þe toun
Shet & closed in þe chefe dongoun.
But for þer was no man þat with-stood,
Þei brake þe lokkes & rauȝt [away] þe good
And þe tresour þat was shet with-Inne,
Eche for his part[y] þat he myȝt[e] wynne:
Þei ȝaf no fors who was lef or loth.
And Pirrus after to þe temple goth

752

Of Appollo by gret cruelte,
And fil on Priam knelynge on his kne,
And wiþ his swerd, furious and wood,
To-fore þe autere shad[de] þere his blood,
Þat þe stremys of his woundys rede
So hiȝe rauȝt, boþe in lengþe and brede,
Þat þe statue of gold bornyd briȝt
Of þis Appollo, for al his grete myȝt,
For al his power and his sterne face,
Defouled was, and pollut al þe place—
Only by deth of þis worþi kynge
By Pirrus slayn while he lay knelynge,
Of olde hatrede & envious pride,
While Anthenor and Enee stod be-side—
Þat routhe was and pite to beholde,
To sen hym lyn on þe stonys colde,
So pitously to-forn þe auter blede.
Where-of, allas! whan Eccuba toke hede,
And hir douȝter, faire Polycene,
With here to-rent, as any gold wyr shene,
Inly supprised wiþ sorwe to þe herte,
Whan þei began considren and aduerte
Þe noble kyng, [with] blody stremys rede
Al fordrowned, his eyen dirke & dede,
Wiþ Pirrus swerd girt þoruȝ ouþer side,—
For mortal fere þei durst[e] nat abide;
But inwardly þoruȝ-darted with þe siȝt,
Al in a rage toke hem to þe fliȝt.
And ȝit, in soth, þoruȝ-oute þe cite
Þei wist[e] neuer whiderward to fle,
Reskus was noon nor no remedie
Of kyn nor frend, nor of noon allie;
With Grekis swerd þe toun was so be-set.

753

And, in her fliȝt, þis woful quen haþ met
Eneas, causer of al þis wrak,
Vn-to whom, rebukynge, þus she spak:
“O þou traitour, most malicious!
Þou false serpent, adder envious!
Crop and rote, fynder of falsnesse,
Sours and welle of vnkyndenesse,
How myȝtestow in þin herte fynde
Vn-to þi kyng to be so vnkynde?—
Gynner and ground, exaumple of tresoun,
And final cause of oure destruccioun!
How myȝt[e]stow, devoide of al pite,
Be hold, allas! þoruȝ þi cruelte
Of þi kyng to shede so þe blood,
Þat euere haþ ben so gentil & so good,
So gracious lord, specialy to the!
And, ouermore, þoruȝ his hiȝe bounte
The honoured and y-magnified
Al his lyve—it may nat be denyed—
Þat liþ now ded in þe temple, allas!
Þou wer nat only traitour in þis cas,
But to his deth conspiryng & vnkynde,
Pirrus conveiyng where he shuld h[i]m finde,
To-forn Appollo myd of þis cite,
Where þou sholdest of verray duete
Raþer haue ben his protectioun,
His myȝti sheld and sauacioun—
Þat hast þis cite & þis toun y-lorn
In whiche þou were fostrid & y-born,
On þe gretest of reputacioun
Of alle þe lordis dwellyng in þis toun,
In whiche þou haddest whilom most plesaunce!

754

But al is now oute of remembraunce!
Ȝit in þin herte ȝif any drope be
Of gentilnesse, merci, or pite,
In þis dedly rage ful of tene,
Rewe on my douȝter, ȝong[e] Polycene,
From Grekis swerd hir ȝouþe for to save,
—Ȝif þin herte may eny rouþe haue,—
Of manly pite on hir maydenhede
Diffende hir now & kepe hir oute of drede,
Ȝif þou canst fynde any weye,
In any wyse þat she may nat deye,
Þat her-after, whan men sen and rede
Þe false tresoun and þe foule dede
Þat þou hast don vn-to Troye toun,
It may in parti be proteccioun
To þi fame, þe venym to allaye
Of þis tresoun;—whan men wiln assaie
By iust report þi name to accuse,
Þis dede may [þe] helpen to excuse
Ageyns tonges þat speken of Enee:
Þan wiln þei seyn, þou haddist ȝit pite
On Polycene, only of gentilnes,—
Þer-with to sugre al þe bitternesse
Of þi decert, blowe forþe by fame,
By rehersaille of þe foule blame
Þat shal of þe þoruȝ þe world be born,
With sclaunder infect whan þou art al to-torn,
Þat þou ne shalt þe shame mowe sustene!—
Þan shal my douȝter faire Polycene
Be þi defence ageyns swiche famus strif,
Ȝif it so be now þou saue hir lyf—
Of me no fors—þouȝ þou make as blive
Þe swerde of Grekis þoruȝ myn hert[e] rive.”
And so by praier of þis woful quene,
Þis Eneas toke to hym Polycene,

755

Whos traitour hert, for al his cruelte,
On hir ȝouþe was mevid of pite,
Only of rouþe þat in his brest aros,
And secrely putte hir vp in clos,
List þat Grekis founde occasioun
Ageyn[e]s hym. & Aiax Thelamoun
Toke to his warde Andronemecha,
Ectoris wyf, and wyse Cassandra
Oute of þe temple longinge to Minerue,
From Grekis swerd her lyves to conserue.
And Menelay toke þe quene Eleyne
In-to his garde, for whom so grete a peyne
Bood in his hert many day to-forn,
By whom, allas! þe cite is now lorn.
And Grekes ay were besy in her Ire
To sleen and kylle, & cruelly to fire
On euery side and to bete doun
Palais & house & walles of þe toun:
Þei spare nouȝt, for al goth to þe fire,
So feruent hate brent in her desire
Of olde envie avenged for to be,
Þat þei ne lefte with-Inne þe cite
No þing vnbrent; and also Ylyoun
Was in þis rage turned vp-so-doun.
Þer maked wern noon excepciouns,
Only outake þe possessiouns
Of Anthenor (evele mote he fare)
And Eneas, whom þe Grekis spare,
As þei to hem were bounde by her oþe.
And þus þe Grekis, furious & wroþe,
Han al þat day robbed and y-brent,
Til þat þe kyng Agamenoun haþ sent
For his lordis to assemble I-fere
In Pallas temple, only for to here
Her wyse avis vppon þinges tweyne:

756

First, ȝif þei wolde holde, & nat feyne,
Holy her feith, with-oute excepcioun,
To hem by whom þei wan first þe toun?
And, ouermore, he axed hem also,
Touching þe goodis, what þei wold[e] do
With gold, tresour, and possessioun
Þat þei haue wonne þoruȝ her hiȝe renoun?
And þei answerid, with-oute more tariyng,
Þei wolde her feith kepe in euery þing
As þei wer sworn, & her hestis holde;
And, ouer þis, þei seide [how] þei wold
Þat gold, tresour, and good of þe cite,
As riȝt requereth and also equyte,
Be iustly partid by diuisioun,
To euery wyȝt made distribucioun
Liche his merit, of hiȝe & lowe degre;
And þat þe kyng eke of resoun se
Eche to rewarde after his labour,
So as it longeth to a conquerour,
Þat no man haue mater to compleyne.
And so þei fil in spekynge of Eleyne,
Eueryche after his oppinioun;
And to-forne alle Aiax Thelamoun
Shortly seide she haþ deserued deth,
For whom so many haþ ȝolden vp þe breth,
Pleinly affermynge þer in parlament,
Of riȝtwisnesse and trewe iugement
She shulde nat eskape with þe lyf,
Þat gynnyng was & cause of al her strif,
Rote and grounde of al her sorwe & wo;
And so seide eke many a-noþer mo.
And for þe noyse and þe grete affraye,
Agamenoun nor kyng Menelay
Ne durste a worde for her parti meve
To saue þe quene, list Grekis wold hem greve,

757

Ageyn[e]s hem þer was so gret rumour.
Til Vlixes, chefly hir socour,
Þoruȝ his wit and his elloquence,
His deuer dide and his dilligence
To saue hir lyf, and fully to purchace
Of þe Grekis for to gete hir grace.
And, as Guydo also doth vs lere,
Agamenoun gan Grekis to [r]equere
To graunten hym, for a chef guerdoun,
Of Cassandra to han possessioun,
Al her lyve wiþ hym to abide.
Eke Eneas & Anthenor beside
Of Elenus to þe Grekis tolde,
How to þe werre he neuere assent[e] wolde,
And how þat he, prudent & vertuous,
In counseillyng was contrarius
To alle þo, of hiȝe and lowe estat,
In Troye first þat be-gan debate
A-twixe Grekis and þis myȝti toun;
Eke by his helpe and mediacioun
Achilles was buried and y-graue,
Þe dede cors from houndes for to saue,
Whan he was slayn in ful cruel wyse
By nyȝter tyme, as ȝe han herd deuise:
For, sothly, he and Cassandra boþe
Of þis mordre in herte were ful wroþe
And sory eke of many anoþer þing
Wrouȝt in þe toun with-oute her wytinge.
And for þei wer of malys Innocent,
Þe Grekis han fully by assent
Graunted to hem a prerogatif
By parlement for to han her lyf.
But Elenus, first in teris drowned,
To-fore þe kyng pitously haþ swowned,

758

And abraidinge, with a dedly face,
In humble wyse besouȝt him of his grace,
Of knyȝtly pite to haue his aduertence
To spare his swerde fro blood of Innocence,
And of merci þat he nat disdeyne
To graunt[e] lyf to þe sones tweyne
Of worþi Hector, his broþer moste entere,
And eke to rewe on her moder dere,
Only of grace, þat she be nat ded,—
A wido lefte, allone, and can no red,
And wot not whider þat she may diuerte.
And so þe kyng, ameved in his herte
Of his wordis and his woful chere,
Benignely graunted his praiere,
And ȝaf eke lyf & fredam for to go
To þe moder and hir childer two;
And to þe ladies & gentil-wommen alle
Þat for mercy to his grace calle,
He graunted eke of compassioun
A saufconduit and a fre pardoun,
Where þat hem list in þe toun abide,
Or in þe contre adiacent beside—
He put it hool in her eleccioun.
And, þankyng hym, þei fel on knees doun
With many tere dewed in þe face;
And so þe kyng parteth fro þe place.
And after þat, Grekis riȝt a-noon
Fully purpos to schip[pe] for to goon,
In haste to seile toward her contre.
But swiche a tempest roos vp in þe see,
Of wawe & wynde & of cloudes blake,
Al a moneth þat þei dar nat take
Þe water salt, for drede þat Neptunus
Of verray Ire, and also Eolus

759

Was vn-to hem in euery þing contrarie,
Þat on þe lond made hem longe tarie—
Þe se was ay so fel and boilynge:
Til þat Grekis of Calchas enqueringe
By on assent, what it myȝt[e] be,
Þat euere in oon so diuers was þe se
In his rage boþe at eve and morwe?—
And he answered (God ȝeve hym evele sorwe,
Þis olde shrewe, with al his prophesie,
Þat can so wel whan him list to lye!)
How þis tempest caused was at al
By þe goddes and furies infernal,
Þat neuere wolde apese nor be stille
Til þe mordre, platly, of Achille
Avenged be, & shedynge of his blood.
For whiche (he seide) Appollo was eke wood,
For his temple to hym consecrat
Was þoruȝ his deth in Troye violat:
Wherfore þer muste þoruȝ redempcioun
By blood ageyn be made satisfaccioun
Of hir þat was rote in special,
Þoruȝ hir bewte, and original,
Cause of his deth—ȝonge Polycene—
And gynnynge first of his mortal tene;
Þerfore to Appollo she mut [vp] offrid be,
By sacrifice to queme his deiete,
With deth ageyn to make recompense,
Riȝt as by deth first was thoffense:
Þis Grekis muste outterly fulfille,
Ȝif þei desire for to han at wille
Þe large se to seillen in quiete.
And Pirrus þo, in a furious hete,
Gan enquere aboute of euery man
For Polycene; but no wyȝt telle can
Of hir a word, nor, shortly, wher she was,

760

Sauf some seide how þat Eneas
And Anthenor hadde hid hir preuely,
Wher-of þer ros amonge hem sodeynly
Swiche a grucchinge of Grekis al aboute,
Of her lyf þat þei wern in doute,
So inwardly þis þing þei toke at gref.
Til Anthenor (God ȝeue him euele pref!
Þat may of tresoun as wardein ber þe keie),
To shewen oute his malis euery weie,
So longe hath souȝt, til in a chaumbre olde
He hath hir founde, and þe Grekis tolde,
And brouȝt hir forþe vn-to her presence,
By cruel force & hatful violence,
With-oute pite or compassioun,
And hir deliuered to Agamenoun.
And he, allas! by hasti Iugement,
With-oute respit or avisement,
Shortly hath dempte þat she shal be ded,
Þat was flouringe in hir maidenhed.
And for to don execusioun,
She was assigned by Agamenoun
Vn-to Pirrus; & he of tyranye
Ladde hir forþe, & fast[e] gan hym hiȝe
To þe place where she shulde deye.
Gret was þe pres, þat in al þe weye
Gan crowde & shoue to beholde & sene
Þis ȝonge maide, faire Polycene,
Þat for hir bewte & hir semlynesse,
Hir wommanhed and excellent fairnesse—
Of al y-fere whan þei token hed—
Þei hadden rouþe þat she shulde be ded,
With-oute gilt or any more trespas,—
Where men may sen vppon many face
Þe salt[e] teris faste falle doun,
Of verray pite and compassioun.

761

For man nor child was noon so harde of herte,
But he felt for hir sake smerte,
Hir goodly face whan þei beholde & se,
And fayn[e] wolde, ȝif it myȝt haue be,
Delyuered hir of verray force anoon
From Pirrus hond, but for þei wende echon
With-oute hir deth neuer to han repeir
In-to Grece, nor þe wedir fair,
As Calchas had made suggestioun
And brouȝt hem alle in oppinioun.
And at þe last, whan þis Polycene,
Of dede & wil a verray maide clene,
Was to þe graue of Achilles brouȝt,
She kneleth doun, & with an humble þouȝt
Caste vp hir eye & gan siȝen ofte,
And to þe goddes, humblely & softe,
With dredful herte and deuocioun,
Made in þis wyse hir lamentacioun.

How Cruele Pirrus, tavenge þe dethe of his fadire, dismembred yonge Pollycene, and threwe here blode abowt his fadirs grave. And of þe sorwful lamentacyon þat she made to the goddys.

“Oȝe almyȝti, þat þis world gouerne,
And euery þing considren & discerne,
By whom þis world, so huge, large, & rounde,
Boþe eyr & see, heuene & eke þe grounde
At ȝoure devis with a word was wrouȝt,
And sothfastly knowen euery þouȝt,
Riȝt as it is, of euery maner wyȝt,
With-oute lettinge, so percynge is ȝoure siȝt,
Þat no þing is conseled nor y-wrye
From þe beholdyng of ȝoure eternal eye,
And euery þing may attonis se,—
Vp-on my soule hath merci and pite!

762

And of ȝoure grace & benigne cure,
Vp-on my wo and pitous auenture
Haueth som rouþe, now þat I shal dye,
My woful spirit to leden & conveye
Where as ȝow list, now þat I shal pace!
For vn-to ȝou, in þis silfe place,
I me confesse with al humylyte,
Þat heder-towarde I haue in chastite
Lad al my lyf, & kept my maydenhede
In ȝoure seruyse, boþe in þouȝt & dede,
—In port and chere, and in countenaunce,
Of forfeture of any dalyaunce,
With o mysloke I neuer ȝit a-breide,
So þat in soth I deye shal a mayde,
As ȝe wel knowe, of synne al Innocent,
Þouȝ I be now dempte by Iugement
For to be ded, with-oute gilt at al
—Witnesse of ȝou þat ben inmortal,—
Clene of entent of þat I am accused!
And ȝit, allas! I may nat be excused,
But þat þe swerd of vengaunce mote byte,
Routheles, whiche am no þing to wyte,
But stonde clere & pure of al offence,
And dischargid in my conscience,
I dar afferme, and fully gilt[e]les
Touchinge þe mordre of worþi Achilles,
Whiche slowe my broþer, & after loued me,
And is now cause of myn aduersite:
And ȝit, in wil, dede, word, nor þouȝt,
Vn-to his deth assentid was riȝt nouȝt,
But þer-of was riȝt sory in myn herte,
Al-be þat I may nat now asterte
For to be ded, only for his sake.
On me allone vengaunce shal be take,

763

With-oute merci, in ful cruel wyse
With my blood to make sacrifice
To þe goddis, her wrathe for to queme!
O peple blinde! in soth amys ȝe deme,
Ageyn[e]s me ȝoure herte is to cruel,
To merciles, to Irous, and to fel,
With-oute rouþe, to mykel indurat,
To sleen a maide, allone disolat!
Oute of ȝoure herte, allas, pite is gon!
Harder, in trouþe, þan ouþer stok or stoon,
And more cruel in ȝoure oppinioun,
For lak of pite, þan tigre or lyoun.
Certis, ȝe ben gretly for to blame,
And ouȝte her-of for to haue gret shame
To assent to so foule a dede,
To slen a maide, quakyng in her drede,
And graunte hir noon oportunyte
For to be-wepe hir virginite:
Þat of þis cruel and [þis] pitous wreche
My blood ȝoure gilt her-after shal apeche,
And accuse also ȝoure grete envie
To þe goddes, þat shal iustefie
Euery vnriȝt, boþe of hiȝe and lowe,
Ful egally, and make to be knowe
Þe trouþe plein, & spare no degre,
But maken open þat is nowe secre.
I seie nat þis, nor my silfe compleyne
To haue redres of my fatal peyne,
For deth is now more welcom [vn-]to me
Þan is my lyf, and more I-take at gre,
Siþen my breþere, most worþi of renoun,
Be slay[e]n alle and buried in þis toun:
My fader ded in his vnweldy age,
And I allone lefte in al þis rage,
And haue abide pitously to se
Fynal ruyne now of þis cite,

764

Whiche at myn herte sitteþ now so sore,
Þat leuere I haue þanne to wepe more
Deye attonis in reles of my wo,
Siþ al my kyn is passed & a-go,—
Lenger to lyve were to me a deth.
For bet is here to ȝelden vp þe breth
Þan to be ladde oute of þis cite,
Amonge straungeris to live in pouerte!
O deth, welcome! & no lenger lette
Þi dredful dart to filen and to whette,
My tendre hert þer-wiþ-al to ryve;
Ageyn þi myȝt I shal neuer striue.
Now is tyme to kyþe þi power
On me þat am of wil & herte entere
A clene maide, so as I be-gan,
With-oute touche of eny maner man
In al my lyf to þis same day—
Þis lite avaunte make ȝit I may,
In myn ende, to [þe] goddes alle,
After whos helpe now I clepe & calle.
And to her merci mekely I commende
My woful spirit, & praie hem þat þei sende
To euery maide better happe and grace
Þan I haue now, and a lenger space
In hertly Ioie and honour to contvne,
With-oute assaut of any infortwne
To lede her lyf in prosperite!
And alle maidenes, remembreþ vp-on me
To take exaumple how ȝe shal ȝow kepe,
And þat ȝe wolde a fewe teris wepe
Whan þat ȝe þinke vppon Polycene,
Þat was of age and of ȝeris grene
Whan she was slayn by cruel auenture.
And to þe goddes, for to han in cure,
My dredful goost hooly I betake,
Eternally; and þus an ende I make.”
And with þat word hir hed she gan enclyne
Ful humblely, whan she shulde fyne,

765

And of hir eyen helde þe lydes down.
And Pirrus þanne, woder þan lyoun,
Dismembrid haþ with his sharpe swerde
Þis maide ȝonge, dredful & a-ferd;
And, ouermore, his cruelte to shewe,
On pecis smale he haþ hir al to-hewe
End[e]long his fadris sepulture.
Allas! how myȝt his cruel herte endure,
Merciles to done so foule a dede!
I am astonid, sothly, whan I rede,
After hir deth, how it dide hym good,
Like a tiraunte to cast abrood hir blood,
Or a tigre, þat can no routhe haue,
Rounde enviroun aboute his fadris graue
He spreint of hate and of cruelte.
O þou Pirrus! þou maist [ful] wel [y-]be
Achilles sone by lyneal discent;
For like to hym of herte & of entent
Þou wer, in soth, deuoide of al pite,
And wers þan he ȝit in o degre:
For of þi fader in al his lyvynge
Ne redde I neuere ȝit so foule a þing
—Þouȝ I wold of hatrede hym abraide—
For no rancour þat euere he slow a maide!
I fynd[e] wel þat he hadde his part
Whilom in loue of Cupides dart,
Þat made hym sore in his lyue smerte,
Whan þat he was wounded to þe hert
With þe castyng only of an eye,
Wenynge þer-by wistly for to deye—
He myȝt[e] nat þe sodeyn stroke eskape;
And afterward, as his fate hath shape,
He mordrid was for loue of Polycene,
Whom þou hast sleyn in þi cruel tene,
Furiously, with-oute routhe or shame:
For whiche þing þe foule hatful fame

766

Þoruȝ al þe world her-after shal be sprad,
Whan þis story rehersid is and rad;
Þan shal be seide, how Pirrus rouþeles
Slowe in his Ire a maide gilt[e]les,
And warie shal þi name most odible
For þis dede passingly horrible,
For loue only of faire Polycene.
Þe deth of whom whan Eccuba þe quene
Hath seyn, allas! as she be-side stood,
For verray wo gan to wexe wood,
And for sorwe oute of hir wit she went,
And hir cloþes & hir heer she rent
Al in [a] rage, and wot nat what she doth,
But gan anoon with hondis & with toþe
In her furie cracchen and eke byte,
Stonys caste, and with fistes smyte
Whom she mette; til Grekis made her binde,
And sent hir forþe, also, as I fynde,
In-to an Ile to Troye pertenent,
Wher she was slayn only by Iugement
Of þe Grekis, and stonyd to þe deth.
And whan she had ȝolden vp þe breth,
Þis woful quene, by cruel auenture,
Þe Grekis dide make a sepulture
Coriously of metal and of stoon,
And toke þe cors and buried it anoon
With gret honour and solempnite,
Þat longe after men þer myȝt[e] se
Þe riche toumbe, costful and royal,
Þere set and made for a memorial
Of Eccuba, whilom of gret[e] fame;
And after ȝaf to þat place a name,
And called it, to be long in mynde,
Locus infestus, in Guydo as I fynde.
And þus þe quene, only for sorwe wood,

767

Whan hir douȝter had[de] shad hir blood,
Of Grekis stonyd dide hir ende make,
As ȝe han herde, pleinly, for þe sake
Of Polycene, whilom by Calchas
Vn-to Appollo falsly offrid was,
By Pirrus swerd Achilles avengynge,
To make þe se calm & blawndisshinge,
Þat þe goddes take no vengaunce
Vp-on Grekis. Þat an evele chaunce
Come [to] þeis false goddes euerychoon!
And her statues of stokkes & of stoon,
In whiche þe serpent & þe olde snake,
Sathan hym silf, gan his dwellinge make;
And fraudently folkes to illude,
Ful sotilly kan hym silfe include
In ymagis, for to make his hold,
Þat forged bene of siluer & of gold,—
Þat by errour of false illusioun,
He hath y-brouȝt to confusioun,
Þoruȝ myscreaunce, þe worþi kynde of man,
Siþen tyme þat aldirfirst be-gan
Þe false honour of ydolatrie
And þe worship [vn-]to mawmetrie,
By sacrifice of bestis and of blood,
Tapesen hem whan þat þei are wood,
And to queme, boþe at eve and morwe.
I praie to God, ȝeue hem alle sorwe,
Wher-so þei ben, with-Inne or with-oute!
I noon excepte of þe false route,—
Satorn nor Mars, Pallas nor Iuno,
Iubiter, Mercurius, nor Pluto,
Nouþer Flora, þat doth þe floures sprede,

768

Nouþer Bachus, with grapis whyte & rede,
Nor Cupido, with his eyen blinde,
Nouþer Daphne, closed vnder rinde,
Þoruȝ Tellus myȝt, of þe laurer tre,
Nor þou Diane, with þi chastite,
Miȝti Venus, nor Cytherea,
With þi dartis, nor Proserpyna,
Þat lady art depe doun in helle,
Nor Belides þat draweþ at þe welle,
Ixyoun, nor þou Ȝeȝiphus,
Nor with þin appil, þou cruel Tantalus,
Nor þe furies þat bene infernal,
Nor ȝe þat spynne þe lives þrede fatal
Vp-on þe rokke of euery maner man,
Nor þe mvses þat so singen can
Atwen þe coppis of Nysus & Cirra,
Vp-on þe hil be-side Cirrea,
Nor þe, Cibeles, nor Ceres with þi corn,
Nor Eolus, of whom þe dredful horn
Is herde so fer, whan þou list to blowe,
Nor Ianus Bifrons, with bak corbed lowe,
Nor Priapis, nor Genyvs þe prest,
Þat curseth ay, with candel in his fist,
Hem þo echon þat froward be to Kynde,
Nor Imenevs, whos power is to bynde
Hertis þat ben coniunct in mariage,
Til þe goddesse of discorde and rage
Disceuereth hem by diuisioun,
Nouþer Manes, þat han her mansioun
Mid þe erþe in derknesse and in wo,
Nor þeis elves, þat are wont to go
In vndermeles, whan Phebus is most shene,
Nouþer fauni, in tender grevis grene,
Water-nymphes, nor þis nay[a]des,

769

Satiry, nouþer driades,
Þat goddesse bene of wode & wildernes,
Nor oþer goddes,—nouþer more ne lesse,—
As Morpheus þat is [þe] god of slepe,—
I holde hym wood þat takeþ any kepe
To done to hem any obseruaunce:
He may nat faille for to haue meschaunce
At þe ende, pleinly, for his mede!
For al swiche feined falsnes, oute of drede,
Roos of þe deuel, and first by his engyn,
And of his sleiȝti treynes serpentyn,
Only mankynde whane he made loute
To false ydoles; þe whiche, oute of doute,
Are but deuelis, Dauid bereþ witnesse
In þe Sauter, where he writ expresse,
And confermeth þer as he endites,
How þe goddes of paganysme rytes,
On & alle—he excepteth noon—
Be made of gold, of siluer, and of stoon,
Forged of bras, of metal and of tre,
And eyen han, and ȝit þei maye nat se,—
And alle are fendes, so as Dauid seith.
Þat who in hem haueth any feith,
Hope, credence, or in hem delite,
It is no drede, þat þei wil hym quyte
With swiche guerdoun as þe soule sleth
Perpetuelly, so þat þe fyn is deth
Of her seruise, whan men hen[ne]s passe,
And in her lyf vnhap and evele grace,
Meschef and wo, and confusioun,
As men may sene example be þis toun,
Þat wende wel assured for ta be,
And to haue stonde in longe prosperite
Ageyn her fon þoruȝ helpe of Appollo,
Of Venus eke, and favour of Iuno,
Þoruȝ Pallas myȝt, Diane and Minerue,

770

Whom þei wer wont to honour & to serue
With Cerymonyes & with sacrifise,
As ȝe to-forn han herde me deuise,
Þat hem han brouȝt now vn-to ruyne,
By cruel deth maked hem to fyne.
Here may ȝe sen how þe venym bites,
At þe ende, of swiche olde rytes,
By evidence of þis noble toun.
What may availle now Palladioun?
What may now helpe her frauded fantasie
Of al her olde false ydolatrie?
Allas, [allas!] þei bouȝt it al to sore.
Now fare wel Troye, farwel for euere-more!
Farwel, allas! to cruel was þi fal!
Of þe no more now I write shal.
For þi sake, in soþe, whan I take hede,
Of inward wo myn herte I fele blede;
And whan þat I remembre in my þouȝt,
By ruyne how þou art brouȝt to nouȝt,
Þat whilom were so noble & so riche,
Þat in þis world I trowe noon was liche
Nor perigal, to speken of fairnesse,
To speke of knyȝthod and of worþinesse,
As clerkis seien þat þi bildyng knewe,
Þat al þe world ouȝt[e] for to rewe
On þi pitous waste walles wylde,
Whilom so rial whan men gan to bilde
Þin touris hiȝe, & kyng Priamus
Þe first be-gan, most riche & glorious,
And sette his se in noble Ylyoun.
O, who can write a lamentacioun
Conuenient, o Troye, for þi sake!
Or who can now wepe or sorwe make,
Þi gret[e] meschef to compleyne & crie?

771

Certis, I trowe nat olde Ieremye,
Þat so be-wepte þe captiuite
Of þilke noble rial chefe cite
Ierusalem, and his destruccioun,
With al þe hole transmygracioun
Of þe Iewes; nor þou Eȝechiel,
Þat were þat tyme þat þe meschef fel
Vn-to þe kyng y-called Sedechie,
In Ba[b]ilon, & for þi prophesie
With stonys were cruelly y-slawe;
Nor he þat was departed with a sawe,—
Ȝe boþe two, þat koude so compleyne,—
Nor Danyel þat felt so gret[e] peyne
For þe kynges transmutacioun
In-to a beste, til þoruȝ þe orisoun
Of Daniel he restored was
To mynde ageyn, & ete no more no gras:—
Ȝet verrailly, þouȝ ȝe alle þre
With ȝoure weping had alive be
And present eke at þe destruccioun
Of þis noble worþi royal toun,
To haue beweiled þe meschef & þe wo,
And þe slauȝter at þe sege do
On ouþer party in ful cruel wyse,—
Alle ȝoure teris myȝt[e] nat suffise
To haue be-wepte her sorwes euerychon,
Be tresoun wrouȝt, as wel as be her foon!
Here-of no more; for it may nat availle.
But like as he þat gynneth for to saille
Ageyn þe wynde, whan þe mast doþ rive,
Riȝt so it were but in veyn to strive
Ageyn þe fate, bitterer þanne galle,
By hiȝe vengaunce vp-on Troye falle,
Nor to presvme her furies, sharpe whette,
Ceriously in þis boke to sette:
So gret a þing I dar nat vndirtake,

772

But evene here a pitous ende I make
Of þe sege, after my symplesse;
And þouȝ my stile, blottid with rudenes,
As of metre, be rusty and vnfiled,
Þis ferþe boke, þat I haue compiled
With humble hond, of fer þat doth me quake,
Vn-to ȝoure grace holy I betake,
Of ȝoure merci no þing in dispeir,
So as I can, makyng my repeir
To þe Grekis, & no lenger dwelle,
Her aventures of þe se to telle,
In þer resort home to her contre;
And how [þat] þei þere received be,—
Only of support, so ȝe not dispise,—
Þe fi[f]the boke shortly shal deuise.

[Explicit liber Quartus Incipit liber quintus & vltimus]

773

BOOK V. Her bigynneth þe fifft boke, & þe laste, of Troye.

Whan Eolus, which doþ þe windes rore,
Apesid was, þat he blewe no more,
—Which is of stormys gouernour & lord—
And was also fully of accord
Wiþ myȝti Iuno, lady of þe eyr,
To make þe skye and þe wedir fair,
Þat cloude noon in heuene dide appere,
And Neptunus, blaundisshing of chere,
Was of assent, þe stori seith forsoþe,
To make þe se fro tempest calm & smoþe,
With-oute boilyng or trouble of [any] wawe,—
Þe myȝti Grekis to shipward gan hem drawe
For to repeire home to her contre,
After þei had wonnen þe cite,
Put her fomen fully at þe worse.
But Fortune, ay froward and peruerse,
Hath with her myrthe meynt aduersite:
For whan þei wende ful assurid be,
And haue stonde stedefast in quiete,
Þis blinde lady falsly made flete
In-to her sugre galle of discordance,
Amonge hem silf to bring in variaunce,
And her hertis, of rancour & of pride,
Contagiously to seueryn & deuyde,
Whan þei sat hiest in her glorie,
With þe palme of conquest & victorie,
Fully reioyssinge, þoruȝ her hiȝe renoun,
Þe crowne of laurer in possessioun,

774

And had also at her lust al wonne,—
Whan briȝtest shon þe lusti freshe sonne
From Est to west of her worþines,
A cloudy sky vnwarly with dirknesse
Eclipsed hath a parti of her liȝt,
And diffacid þe holsom bemys briȝt
Of her welfare and prosperite,
By þenvious fals contagiouste
Of þe serpent, pompos and elat,
Amonge hem silfe to make hem at debat,
Inducinge in rancour and discord:
For or þei entre with-Inne shippes bord,
Ageyn Vlixes worþi Thelamoun,
In presence of kyng Agamenoun,
Purposed hath, pleinly, his matere
To-fore Grekis, a-noon as ȝe shal here.

How Thelamon, in presence of Kyng Agamenon, vttred his grugge agayn Kyng Vlixes.

“Sirs,” quod he, “so it ȝow nat greue,
Me semeþ iustly of resoun I may meve,
Touching þe wynnyng & geting of þis toun,
With gold, richesse, and possessioun,
Fully deliuered and taken to oure hond,
With al þe tresour founden in þe lond,—
Þe whiche, me þinkeþ in myn inward siȝt,
Ne hath nat bene departed halfe a-riȝt
Amonges vs, by iust diuisioun,
Nor be egal distribusioun—
Considred first, by title of equite,
Of euery wyȝt þestat and dignite,
Remembrid eke, in þis sharp[e] shour,
Þe worþines, [þe] merite, & labour,
And decertis in þis mortal strif,
Graunting to eueryche his prerogatif
Lik fortune as he hath disseruyd.

775

But þis ordre hath nat ben obserued,
Amonges vs, with-oute excepcioun,
In delyuerance of Palladioun,
Whiche Vlixes, I seie with-oute drede,
To-fore ȝou alle vniustly doth possede,
On hym vsurpinge by fals oppinioun,
By meritorie retribucioun
And apparence his title for to gronde,
Vnder pretense of colour, falsly founde,
Þat he þis relik reioisshe shulde of riȝt,
Be sleiȝte wonne raþer þan of myȝt,
And vsurpeth, be maner of avaunt,
As it were ȝoue to hym by graunt
Of ȝou echon for a chef guerdoun.
But I wil make a replicacioun,
Þat þis relik is nat to hym mete,
Whiche he shal nat reioisshe in quiete,
Ȝif þat I may disturben hym or lette:
For I it cleyme duely of dette
As for guerdoun to me conuenient;
So þat ȝe list to bene indifferent,
Of resoun only, as it doth ȝou seme,
Atwen vs two egally to deme,
Iustly, first, with euery circumstaunce,
Oure ouþer merit weied in ballaunce,
First considered—ȝif it may availle—
Mi dilligence & my gret travaille
Þat I endured forþe fro day to day
Al þe while þat þe sege lay,
Þat ȝe shulde of plente of vitaille
On no side for no meschef faille.
And ȝif I shal, with-oute avaunt, oute breke,
As of knyȝthod and armys for to speke:
In þe feld by longe contynuaunce
Of manly force and perseueraunce,
Vp-on oure foon, þat wer so fel & kene,
Day by day I was armyd clene—

776

It nedeth nat to make mencioun,
With my riȝt hond how I slowe Philemoun,
As ȝe wel know, which had in his keping
Þe ȝong[e] sone of Priamus þe kyng,
Freshe and lusti, and of gret fairnesse,
And with hym had infinit richesse,
Of tresour, gold passingly plente,
And euerydel was brouȝt to ȝou by me,
Ȝif ȝe remembre & list take hede,
Þat ȝe were quyte of indigence & nede
By occasioun of þat gret[e] good.
And þoruȝ my manhod shad I nat þe blood,
Merciles, in ful cruel wyse,
For ȝoure sake of þe kyng of Fryse,
And þe tresour in his cofres souȝt,
And al y-fere to þe sege y-brouȝt?
And be my knyȝthod, sith[en] go ful ȝore,
Haue I nat eke awmentid & made more
Þe Grekis lond with possessiouns,
By conquest only of two regiouns,
Þoruȝ my prudence & my labour wonne,
Siþen þat ȝe þe sege first begonne,
With provinces to Troye adiacent?—
To ȝoure encres I was so dillygent!
And with Achilles, þe worþi werrioure,
Ȝe bene expert ful wel of my labour,
Þat we wrouȝt to ȝoure avauntage!
And siþen ȝe so prudent ben & sage,
Nat forȝetil, but fully remembring,
It nedeth nat rehersen euery þing.
And to dispreve, manly as a knyȝt,
His title and cleime þat he hath no riȝt,
—Þe doom committyng to ȝoure oppiniouns—
Be rehersaille of his condic[i]ouns:
He nouþer haþ manhod nor prowes,

777

Force, knyȝthod, nouþer hardines,
And, at a point for to haue rewarde,
In doring do preved a coward!
Experience hath shewed ȝow, in dede,
How þat he is, whan it commeth to nede,
But word & wynd & sleiȝti compassyng,
And on falshede euere ymagynyng:
For neuere ȝit to þis day was preved,
Þat eny þing was by hym acheved
Whiche myȝt be entitled to his laude,
But þe ende medlid were with fraude.
For vnder colour he can curen al,
Pretende fair, liche a peinted wal,
Diuers hewed, þat nouþer hiȝe nor low,
Þer may no man his pleyn[e] menyng know!
And with swiche sleiȝt compassid be tresoun,
Oute of Troye he gat Palladyoun,
Whiche is gret shame & sklaunder to us alle:
For of oure conquest it is þus be-falle,
More of tresoun we haue þe cite wonne
Þanne of knyȝthod, [as] men report[e] kone.
And crop & rote, ȝif I reherse shal,
Vlixes here is grounde & cause of al,
And gynnynge first of þis vnhappi fame
Þat reboundeth to oure alder shame!
And siþ þe trouþe is platly knowe & wist,
Mi tale is ended,—demeth as ȝou list.”

How Kyng Vlixes vnderstode the maleys of Thelamon, and of þe great stryff, and [how] Aiax was slayn.

Vlixes þanne, in his aduertence
Conceived hath þe grete inpacience
Of Thelamoun, and þe grete envie,
Þe fervent rancour & malencolie,

778

For-bar hym first, be ful gret avis,
As he þat was ful prudent & ful wys,
And þouȝt he wolde make þer-of no Iape,
By no word for haste þat shuld eskape,
Nouþer by noon vnbridled contenaunce
Outward conceived in his dalyaunce,
And abraiding, wiþ a stable face,
“Sirs,” quod he, “so I may haue grace,
Vnder support of ȝoure hiȝe presence,
Þat my tale may haue audience,
I nouþer am in doute nor in drede,
Of equite þat I shal possede
Palladioun duringe my lives day,
Maugre þe myȝt of who[-so] þat seie nay.
For ȝif ȝe list of resoun for to se,
At þe sege leide first to þis cite
I haue my silfe in double wyse aquit,
As wel by knyȝthod, sothly, as by wit,
And þoruȝ my counseil & my besy cure
Ben oft cause of her discounfeture,
Ay dilligent to ȝoure avauntage,
Wrouȝt & compassid [vn-]to her damage,
Þat to þis day, in soth, ne hadde I be,
Þei had floured in her felicite,
In her force contuned and welfare.
And ȝif þat I þe trouþe shal nat spare,
Ȝif it be dempt & loked of resoun,
I was most cause of her confusioun,
Who-so-euere ageyn[e]s it replie!
How ofte went I on embassatrie,
With importable costis & dispense,
Þe trete ay concludinge in sentence
To þe forþering of ȝoure entencioun,
And disencrese & hindringe of þe toun!
And whan I sawe oþer mene noon,
In myn avis and wittis euerychon,
By oure force þe cite for to wynne

779

While þei hadde þe relik hem with-Inne,
Þer-vp-on so sotilly y wrouȝt,
Þat vn-to ȝow Palladyoun I brouȝt,—
Whiche Thelamoun, þat of malis stryveth,
Of olde hatrede vn-to my gilt ascriveþ
Hooly þis þing þat I haue for ȝow wrouȝt.
But ȝe, þat ben so prudent in ȝoure þouȝt,
Aduerteth wisly and an ende maketh,
And in ȝoure hond þis quarel fully takeþ,
Palladyoun iustly to prouyde,
And al favour late be leide a-side
Sith al þis þing ȝe platly vnderstonde,
And lete vs boþe to ȝoure demynge stonde
By oon assent, how-so þe mater wende—
Lo, here is al—my tale is at an ende.”
Þanne Thelamoun, in Ire ful feruent,
Of [inward] hate made inpacient,
And of envie inwardly amevid,
Vlixes hath [de]spitously reprevid,
Only of malis and of hiȝe disdeyn;
And Vlixes rebukyng him ageyn
Ful bitterly, with-oute abood anoon,—
And so þei tweyne made ful mortal foon
In þe presence of Agamenoun.
But furiously Aiax Thelamoun,
Of malencolie pale & no þing red,
Þratte Vlixes þat he shal be ded
Of his hondis—he shuld it nat eschewe!
And Grekes þo, al rancour to remewe,
Þis quarel putte in arbitracioun
Of Menelay and Agamenoun,
Þat caused after a ful mortal strif:
For, be sentence anoon diffinitif,
Þei putte Vlixes in possessioun
Perpetuelly of Palladyoun,
With hym confermyng to abide stable.
And cause why þei were favourable

780

To Vlixes, lyche as Guydo writ,
Was for þat he so goodly hath him quit
Vn-to Eleyne at getyng of þe toun,
Beynge in cause of hir saluacioun,
Dispeired and of hir lyf in drede,
Grekis willinge to haue had hir dede.
But þoruȝ his prudent mediacioun,
Maugre þe myȝt of þis Thelamoun,
He hath þe quene fro [þe] deth preservid,
Al-be þat she hadde it wel deseruyd,
As Grekis seide in þeir oppinioun.
And þus diffrauded of Palladyoun,
As ȝe haue herde, was þis worþi knyȝt,
For al his manhod & his grete myȝt;
Wher-þoruȝ þer gan in his hert[e] brede
Passinge envie & ful gret hatrede,
And þouȝt he wolde avengid be som day
Vp-on Vlixes and on Menelay,
And eke also vp-on Agamenoun;
And oute he brak like a wode lyoun,
With his knyȝtes aboute him þat wer stronge,
And seide, pleinly, of þis grete wronge,
For to be ded, he wolde avenged be,
And specially on þis ilke þre.
And þer-with-al, furious and wroth,
Tornynge his bak oute anon he goth,
In herte fret with ful mortal tene,
With many Greke his quarel to sustene,
Þat in herte sore gan disdeyne
Ageyn Vlixes and þe toþer tweyne.
But þei ful war, what-so-euere falle,
Her knyȝtes made aboute hem for to calle,
And with gret stuf, wher þei wake or slepe,
To waite on hem & manly for to kepe
With ful good wache enviroun al þe cloos.
But ful erly or þe sonne aroos,

781

Þis worþi Aiax in his bed vp-riȝt
I-mordrid was, þe silue same nyȝt,
And al be-bled in þe morwe founde,
On pecis hewe with many mortal wounde,—
Þat for þis þing, cruel and horrible,
To God & man lothsom & odyble,
Ful many Greke þat woful morwe wep
To sen a knyȝt so mordrid in his slep,
Þat þe cri and þe noise ran
Þoruȝ-oute þe hoste anon fro man to man.
And for constreint of þis foule dede,
Eueryche of hem felt his herte blede,
Ful desirous to make an ordinaunce
On þis mordre for to do vengaunce,
Havinge þer-of gret suspecioun
To Menelay and Agamenoun,
But to Vlixes moste in special,
By comoun vois to him arettinge al,—
Þe foule fame he myȝt[e] nat asterte.
But Pirrus moste toke þis þing at herte,
Makynge a vowe, furious and wood,
To be vengid, pleynly, on þe blood
Of Thelamoun, vp-on Vlixes hed,
Hym manascinge þat he shal be ded,
So sore on hym freting was þe sorwe.
But Vlixes erly on a morwe,
For drede of Pirrus taken hath þe se,
And with his shippes fast[e] gan to fle.
But or he went, platly, as I rede,
Palladyoun he toke to Dyomede,
Hauynge in herte a ful gret remors.
And Pirrus þanne taken hath þe cors
Of Thelamoun, for loue in special,
And dide make a flawme funeral,
Large & gret, of colis hoot & rede;
And amyddes þe feruent firy glede,
Ful many Greke stondynge to biholde,

782

He let hit brenne in-to asshes colde.
And, in þe story after as Is tolde,
He closed hem in an vrne of golde
Ful reuerently, & after hath it shet;
And þer-vp-on he hath þe prent [y-]set
Of his armys, coriously y-graue,
From al meschef þe asshes for to saue,
And sent hem home by gret affeccioun
To be conserued in þe regioun
Where he was kyng while he was a-lyue;
And euery þing was parformed blive,
After þe rytes in þo daies vsid.
And euere in oon Pirrus hath y-mvsid
Vp-on þe mordre traitourly y-wrouȝt,
And caste it shulde be ful dere abouȝt,
Þe pitous deth of þis Thelamoun,
Hauynge ay herte to Agamenoun,
And hadde eke suspect olde Menelay,—
Þat in a-wait eche for oþer lay,
Makynge hem silfe with her knyȝtes strong,
To trien oute who hath riȝt or wrong:
For Pirrus nolde lete it liȝtly goon.
And þus þei wern maked mortal foon,
Þis ilke þre, platly, to þe deth,
Þoruȝ false envie whiche her hertes sleth.
And while þei wern among hem silfe vntrewe,
Strif vp-on strif gan euery day renewe,
And debatis for to mvltiplie,
Til Anthenor gan þis þing espie,
And, by his wisdam, to stinten al disdeyn
Hem recounciled vn-to pes ageyn,
And caused hem to accorde in al,
And after made a feste ful royal,
Beseching hem ful lowly, alle þre,
To graunten hym þer-at for to be,
Of gentilnesse, þat Grekis myȝt echon

783

Outward conceive þat þei were al oon.
And to þis feste he manly made calle,
As writ Guydo, þe worþi Grekis alle—
Of hiȝe nor lowe was noon excepcioun.
But ȝif I shulde make descripcioun,
How þe lordes and estates sete,
Of sondry coursis, & þe ȝiftes grete
Þat Anthenor ȝaf on euery side,
It were to longe to ȝou for to abide,
Þer was of plente so gret suffisaunce.
And, I finde, þei fil in daliaunce,
Sittinge at mete, to speken of Enee,
Brouȝte In of hate & of enmyte,
And of disdeyn, shortly in sentence,—
Þei putte on him many grete offence,
And specially, in her hasti tene,
Whilom how he conceiled Policene,
And by his sleiȝte made hir be withdraw,
Which was in cause Achilles was slawe—
Shortly concluding, by oon oppinioun,
His final exile oute of Troie toun,
Not-with-stondinge þe graunt & liberte
Ȝoven to hym tabide in þe cyte,
Al-so longe as hym list deuise.
But Grekis han annullid his fraunchise,
Fro þe lowest vp on-to þe meste,
Þat wern present at þis hiȝe feste;
But dout[e]les I can nat wel espie
By whom was wrouȝt þis conspiracie,
In Troie boke I finde can no more,
Saue þat hym silfe witte it Anthenor—
I-liche false boþe in o degre,
As ȝe haue herd, betraisshinge þe cite,
Liche as þei hadde spronge out of o rote!
And whan he knewe þer was noon oþer bote,
Þis Eneas his dome to modifie,

784

He preied hem of her curtesie,
At þe lest for to graunte him grace
Foure monþes, þat he myȝt haue space
To make his stuf & his apparaille,
And hym silf to purueie of vitaille,—
Eke to graunte hym þat þei wold assent
Þilke shippes þat with Paris went
To Cytheroun, vn-to þat temple olde,
Þat wern in noumbre two & twenti tolde.
And with ful graunt of his peticioun,
He is retourned home to Troye toun,
Triste and heuy to sen & beholde
Þe waste cite with his wallis olde,
And for sorwe felt his herte blede,
With-Inne hym silfe whanne he takeþ hede
And remembrid in his aduertence
Þe false tresoun and þe grete offence
By hym compassid to þe toun a-forn,
And how þat he so sodeinly hath lorn
Þe grace of Grekes, & stood discounsolat,
Þat whilom was of so gret estate,
Now in his herte fully dissepeired,
Þat he vnwarly was so euele appaired
Vn-to Grekis behinden at his bak,
Beinge vngilti and with-outen lak;
And be whom he koude nat wel deme,
Saue be signes, as it dide seme,
Þat Anthenor was most for to wyte,
And caste pleinly þat he wolde hym quyte.

Howe Eneas, beyng still in Troy, councelled the Troyans to sende for A[n]thenor, and to make hym their kyng.

And þoruȝ þe toun he made sende blive
For þilke fewe þat were lefte a-lyve,

785

Comynge anoon at his commaundement;
And whan þei wern euerychon present:
“Sirs,” quod he, “ȝe sen how þat Fortune
Towardis me gynneth discontune,
Ay vnstable with hir eyen blynde,
As ȝe expert in ȝoure silfe now fynde,
Whilom froward, now turned in-to werse,
Þat of clerkis called is aduerse,
Whan hir list hir cruelte to shewe.
Now it stant so: ȝe be her but a fewe,
And I mvt parte, and ȝe stille abide;
But it so be þat ȝe wil prouide,
Stondynge allone deuoide of al socour,
Amonge ȝour silf to make a gouernour,
I can nat se but ȝe shal be acloied
On euery parte, & finally distroied,
A[s] sely shepe, þat ne can no rede,
Al disparpiled, whiche stond in grete drede.
Wherfore, best is, in þis dredful þing,
By oon assent to chese ȝow a kyng;
And most able þestat to occupie,
From al assaut manly ȝow to guye
Is Anthenor, of knyȝthod & renoun,—
Ȝif it accorde with ȝoure oppinioun.
Wherfore in haste, vn-to þis entent,
With-oute abood late hym fore be sent;
And, at his comynge, pleinly, in-to towne,
Vp-on his hed lat be set a crowne,
Grauntynge to hym scepter and regally,
By his wysdam þat he may ȝou guy
From al assaūt of any perturbaunce,
By his knyȝthod and prudent gouernaunce.”
And þei assent, makynge no delay;
Þer was neuer oon þat likeþ to seie nay,
But wer riȝt glad in al manere þinge,

786

As ȝe han herde, for to make him kyng.
But þei ful litel, sothly, in her sonde,
Of Eneas þe menynge vndirstonde,
For he ne ment but tresoun & falsehede,
How at his ent[e]ringe he shal be dede—
Ful traitourly in a-wait liggynge
To slen hym falsly at his [in-]comynge.
But Anthenor, of al þis no þing war,
Disarmyd cam & no wepne bar;
And Eneas with an huge route
With swerdis drawe set hym rounde aboute,
Til þei of Troie, boþe ȝonge & olde,
Ran a-twen & manly hym with-holde,
And on her knees fil[le] mekely doun,
Besechinge hym to haue compassioun,
Of worþines & also of manhede,
Liche as a knyȝt for to taken hede
How þei were lefte but of peple bare,
Besechinge him his dredful swerd to spare,
And his rancour & his Ire leve,
List þe slauȝter wolde hem alle greve,
And on þe comoun þei besouȝt him rewe.
Quod Eneas, “is he nat vntrewe?
Is he nat double, traitour, & eke fals,
Worþi to bene honged by þe hals,
Of al deceit & of fraude welle,
Amonge no comoun worþi for to dwelle?
Hath he nat be chef occasioun
Of ȝoure vndoynge & destruccioun?
And of newe, þis serpent which her goth,
Vndisservid made þe Grekis wroth
Ageyn[e]s me, by false collusioun,
And myn exile conspired fro þe toun,
Whiche may nat be repellid nor withdrawe!
But with my swerd first he shal be slawe,
Þat his falshede may finally be dauntid,

787

Riȝt as he haþ me traitourly supplauntid,
Þe Grekis mevyng, fer oute of þis Ile,
By his engyn me, pleinly, to exile,
Where-as I caste, ȝif it myȝt haue be,
Boþe in Ioie and in aduersite
To haue had my part, what[-so] had[de] falle,
Duringe my lyf, her amonge ȝou alle.
But he, þoruȝ whom al is wronge & kourbid,
Of my desire hath þe fyn perturbid,
Whiche in myn herte abideþ alwey grene.
Was he nat cause eke þat Pollicene
I-slawe was at Achilles graue?—
And for al þis, ȝit ȝe wolde hym save!
But outterly þer shal no mene geyne,
Who-so-euere þer ageyn[e]s pleyne,
Þat he, whos hert al tresoun haþ compiled,
Perpetuelly shal now ben exiled
Oute of þis toun—þer shal hit no man lette!”
And by assent þei his tyme sette,
Whiche he shold for no raunsom passe:
Þis was þe fyn, he get noon oþer grace.
Þus boþe fals, as broþer like to broþer,
Eueryche of hem haþ exiled oþer,
Traitours boþe to Troye þe cite,
Þis Anthenor & with hym eke Enee.
But Anthenor gan hym redy make,
And in al haste hath þe see y-take
With many Troian in gret apparaille.
Þe wynde was good, & he gan to saille
By many cost & many sondry yles—
It nedeth nat rehersen alle þe myles,
Nor þe perelles, pleinly, whiche þat he
At gret meschef eskaped in þe se,—
I haue no Ioie þer-vppon to dwelle,
His auentures by & by to telle.
But, shortly, he in a litel while
Arived vp at a noble Ile

788

Þat whilom was Corbodya y-called,
Where he bilt a cite strongly walled,
As writ Guydo, large, wide, & longe,
Vp-on a roche, which passingly [was] stronge,
Whiche had enviroun, as myn auctour tellis,
Wodis, rivers, and many lusty welles,
And had plente of al maner þing.
And Thetides called was þe kyng
Þat helde in pes his scepter & his crowne,
On whom Fortune list nat for to frowne,
But fauourable fully to his wille,
Conseruynge hym in pes & [in] tranquille,
With-oute trouble many [a] day a-for,—
To whom accepted was þis Anthenor,
And riȝt welcome, as þe story seith,
And vn-to hym confederat by feith,
Fully assured, be-cam his lige man,
Whom Thetides in al þat euere he can,
Þis worþi kyng, dide magnefie.
And from Troye gret noumbre of his allie
Þer cam in soth to visite hym and se,
And tenhabite þis myȝti stronge cite,
Ful coriously bilt of lym and stoon,
In þilke daies called Menelon,—
To whiche he dide gret riches acroche
—Be-side þe se set vp-on a roche—
And besi was with plente it tastore.
Of þis traitour what shuld I write more?
With his name my penne is so accloyed,
By whos falshed Troye was distroied,
As in þe story ȝe haue rad & seyn.
But now most I pleinly resort ageyn,
And to reherse do my besi cure,
How Cassandra told euery auenture
Þat to þe Grekis after shuld[e] falle;
And how þat she told amonge hem alle,

789

As she þat was prudent & vertuous,
Þat traitourly with-Inne his owne hous
Agamenoun shulde mordrid be:
Þat fatal ende for no þing myȝt he fle.
Lat hym be war, & prudently prouide;
For in þis lyf he shal nat longe abide,
Ageyn his fate was noon oþer red.
Eke Guydo writ, whan Thelamoun was ded
By fals mordre (as ȝe han herd to-forn),
Two sonis he had of sondri wyves born,
Þat wer comitted to be [in] kepynge
With worþi Theutre, a ful manly kyng,
Þat norisshed hem, þe stori seith for soþe,
Til þei after were worþi knyȝtes boþe:
Þe ton of hem called Anthenicus,
And þe toþer hiȝt Antyssacus,
Of shap ful semly & wonder fair of face.
And shortly here Guydo doth forþe pase,
And list of hem no lenger processe make,
But bringeþ in, how Menelay haþ take
His leue of Grekis, with Agamenoun,
Eueryche to saille to his regioun,
With many a Greke in her companye.
And þouȝ Grekis first gan hem denye,
At þe last with instaunce and peyne
Þei had leue to seille boþe tweyne.
And to þe se þei faste gan hem hiȝe,
Mid of autumpne, whiche is cold & drye,
Melencolyk of compleccioun,—
Whan Phebus is passed þe Lyoun,
Þe heuenly beste, þe beste moste royal,
And half y-ronne þe signe virginal,
Whiche after somer is naked & bareyn,
Whan Ceres hath ful riped euery greyne,
Þe tyme of ȝere ful straunge & [ful] diuers,—
And sondri floures, rede, white, & pers,

790

Þe whiche in May so lusti wern & glade,
Vp-on her stalke gynne droupe & fade,
And enclyne her freshe lusty cheris
At goynge oute of þe caniculeris,—
Whan wykked humours inwardly habounde,
With sodeyn fevere folkis to confounde,
To maken hem in an accesse shake;
And of custom wyndes gynne wake,
Boþe bowe & leef causing for to falle,
On þe tyme whan folk to Bachus calle
From storme & reyn her grapis to conserue,
Þat hidous tempest make hem nat to sterue,
Nor no duresse of fretinge of no frost,
Where-þoruȝ ful ofte moche fruit is lost,
And also eke with þondringe & with levene,
Whiche vnwarly smyte fro þe heuene,—
Þe se ful ofte with swiche wedris kene
Boilyng vp with many wawes grene,
Roringe & rowȝe, & froward to manace,
And passingly perlous by to passe,
Al-be þat it be blandyssinge a while,
Þe dredful calm, þouȝ it be smoþe & smile,
Þer is no trust þat it will long abide.

Off A grete tempest of thonder & lytenynge that came to the nauye of Greekes, that brente and drowned .ccxxij. of their Shippes.

Recorde of Grekis, þat swiche a lusty tide
Þe se han take & be-gan to saille
With al her stuf and her apparaille
Home in-to Grece, ful many lusti man,
With al þe gold & tresour þat þei wan
At þe sege, and infinit richesse.
And daies þre, devoide of al distresse,
Þe se obeyed fully to her wille,

791

Devoide of trouble and of wedris ille:
For þei [ful] lusti with-Inne shippes bord,
Þe foure wyndes beinge of accord
Hem to conveie to euery maner cost.
But gladly euere whan men trust[e] most
Vn-to Fortune to stonden in her grace,
She sodeinly change can her face,
Smyle a-forn & mowen at þe bak;
For she vnwarly turned al to wrak,
Þis chaunteresse & þis stormy quene:
For whan Grekis effectuously best wene
In her passage fully assured be
Vp-on þe se þat called was Egee,
Þis false goddesse he[m] anoon forsoke;
And Boreas, þe felle wynde, a-woke,
And with his hidous dredful noise & soun
He turned al her quiete vp-so-doun,
And made þe wowes grisly to arise.
And, as þe story shortly doth deuyse,
Þe briȝt[e] day was turned in-to nyȝt,
Þe heuene dirk, except þe dredful liȝt
Of þe leuene, whiche made hem sore agast;
And þe þondre, þat seuerede seil & mast,
Her toppes smet in-to peces smale,
And in-to water made hem lowe avale;
And fir of liȝtnynge sodeinly þere-wiþ,
Þat Wolcanus forgeth on his stith,
Hath bord fro bord with þe flawme rent,
And two & twenti of her shipes brent,
Wiþ-oute eschape, platly, or refuge,
Þoruȝ þe rage of þis fel deluge.
For al to wrak þis woful navie goth,
Whilom with Grekes Minerva was so wroth,
For þei dide hir no reuerence;
And specially for þe grete offence
Þat spitfully Cylleus Aiax wrouȝt,

792

Whiche in þis tempest he ful dere abouȝt:
For whan [h]is shippes wer almost [y-]drowned,
Þis goddesse haþ so on him frowned,
And of vengaunce so felly hym awaked,
Þat he was fayn for to swymme naked,
As seith myn auctour, at meschef to þe lond.
And þer he was fonden on þe sonde,
Al-most at deth, with-oute remedie,
To hym Minerva hath so gret envie;
For he so woodly to hir temple went,
And Cassandra to-fore hir auter hent
By cruel force & hatful violence.
Lo, what pereil is to don offence
Of hiȝe dispit to any hooly place!
I doute nat, he shal faile grace,—
Who-so-euere vseth hit in dede,
At þe last God wil quyte his mede
[And] Rewarde hym lyk as he disserveth.
And for swiche þing many Greke now sterveþ,
Be-cause only of swiche occasioun,—
Texemplefie, for no presumpcioun
Folily tatame, as I haue tolde:
For ageyn God who-so be to bolde
Shal repent sonner þan he weneth;
And many man þat noon harme [ne] meneth
Suffreþ vengance for trespas of oon;—
Þe first auctor goth not quite allone,
But many oþer his offence abeith.
For ceriously Guydo writ & seith,
Suynge in ordre þe woful auenture
Þat euery Greke homward did endure,
Of hiȝe and lowe sparinge noon estat:
How some welful & some infortunat,
Boþe of her wo & [of] her welfare,
Riȝt as it fil þe stori shal declare.

793

How Kyng Naulus by treason was caused to sett vpon the Grekes nauye, & draue þem vppon Rokkes.

In Grece whilom was a worþi kyng,
Manly & riche, & prudent of living,
And had, in soth, lik as writ Guydo,
In his tyme worþi sonys two:
Pallamydes was þe eldest broþer,
And Oetes called was þe toþer,
Boþe tweyne of o moder borne.
And as þe stori rehersed hath to-forne,
Pallamydes was a noble knyȝt,
Ful famous eke of power & of myȝt,
And fer spoke of in many sondri cost,
And hadde also of al þe Grekis host
For his wisdam whilom gouernaille;
But he, allas! was slay[e]n in bataille,
Þoruȝ vnhap of Martis cruel tene,
Whanne þe sonne shon most briȝt & shene
Of his knyȝthod & his worþines,
Lik as to-forn þe stori bereth witnes,
And of his deth doth pleinly specefie.
But now, of malys, hatrede, & envie,
Of swiche as haue tonges infortunat,
To make [only] kyng Naulus at debat
With þe Grekes, contrived was of newe
An hiȝe tresoun, fals & ful vntrewe,
Þe whiche, in soth, was neuer don ne wrouȝt,
Nor, in effect, ymagined nor þouȝt,
But a fals þing [y-]feyned of malis:—
Þat þis kyng, so manly & so wys,
And so prudent, þis Pallamydes,
Shuld of envie, God wot, causeles,
At þe sege of Troye þe cite,

794

Vp-on a nyȝt falsly mordred be,—
So þat þis slauȝter & þis lothsom dede
By Vlixes & by Dyomede
Wer fully wrouȝt, as ȝe han herd deuise,
Whiche euery hert ouȝt[e] to a-grise.
Þis fals also, þat þis tale han feyned,
To kyng Naulus han traitourly compleined
—Al-be in dede it was neuere ment—
Þat Grekis wern also of assent
To þis mordre and conspiracioun,
Boþe Menelay and Agamenoun—
Al-be, in soth, þat euerydel was false!
—Þat hanged be þei hiȝe be þe halse,
Þat can talis so forgen & contrive,
To make frendes causeles to strive!—
For þei þoruȝ fraude of fals collusioun
Kyng Naulus putte in suspecioun,
Þat Grekis had conspired, dout[e]les,
Vp-on þe mordre of Pallamydes,
Making her ground, whiche þei dide feyne,
Þat fro Troye wer sent lettris tweyne
To Pallamydes, in-mediately direct,
Whiche concluded tresoun in effect:
How þat he was, for al his hiȝe estat,
Falsly allied and confederat
To hem of Troye for a somme of gold,
(Al þis þei han feyned and y-told)
And how he had oute of þe cite
Of gold resseyved huge quantite,
To fyn only Grekes to be-traye,
And to prolonge hem, platly, and delay
At þe sege in getynge of þe toun,
By his engyn and mediacioun.
And to conferme al þis in sentence,
To make Naulus ȝeue ful credence,
Þei seide pleinly, in conclusioun,

795

Þe lettres which wer sent fro þe toun
I-fonde wern enclosed in a sheld
Vp-on a knyȝt y-slawen in þe feld,
Comprehendynge hool þe trecherie,
Þe tresoun ful, and confederacie
Atwene þe toun and Pallamydes,—
Verraily, þouȝ he were gilt[e]les.
And to ȝeuen more open euydence,
To make a pref of þis grete offence,
Þei seide Vlixes—affermynge in certeyn,—
Accorded was with a chaumberleyn
Þat was in offis with Pallamydes,
Wondre secre & no þing rekkeles,
For to assent to þis conspiracie,
Wrongly compassid of brennyng hot envie,
Behotynge hym guerdoun & gret mede,
Like his devis texecute in dede:
To take a tresour & a somme of good,
Ful secrely, & knyt it in an hood,
And hyden it, whan voided was þe pres,
Vnder þe bedde of Pallamydes.
And more to putte Grekis in surete,
Þe tresour was þe same of quantite,
—Þat it ne myȝt after be denyed,—
Liche as þe lettris had[de] specified.
And whan al þis founde was & knowe,
Þoruȝ-oute þe hoste noised & y-blowe,
Boþe of þe lettris & þe gold also,
Fro point to point according boþe two,
Whiche þat þis kyng, assentyng to tresoun,
Receyved hadde oute of Troye toun,
To be assentid (as ȝe han herd me telle),
Þe Grekes þo no lenger wold[e] dwelle,
But shop hem forþe, alle of on entent,
And in al haste cam in-to þe tent
Of þis kyng, ful Innocent & clene,
Þat litel knewe what þei wolde mene,

796

But vp-on hym, ful knyȝtly as he stood,
In her Ire furious and wood,
To be vengid loude gan to crie—
Þer may no man her malys modefie,
Þei wern on hym so merciles at al.
And, as I fynde, most in special,
Kyng Menelay and Agamenoun,
Only meved of indignacioun,
Wolde haue proceded vn-to Iugement,
Of hasty rancour with-oute auysement
On þis tresoun avenged for to be,
Nat-with-stondynge al his hiȝe degre;
But, in sothnes, whan þis worþi kyng
Conceyued hath þis malis in werkyng,
First astonid in his inward siȝt,
Al sodeynly stirt vp lik a knyȝt,
Þis wyse worþi, þis Pallamydes,
Hardy as lyoun amyd al þe pres,
No þing agast, him knyȝtly gan excuse,
And pleinly seide he wolde nat refuse
Taquite hym silf of þis orrible cas,
Nat excepting þat he so worþi was
Of birþe & blood & of hiȝe kynrede,
Al þis devoidinge, of knyȝthod & manhede,
As he þat gaf of lif nor deth no fors,
To-forn hem alle to iuparte his cors
With-Inne a feld, wher hem list ordeyne,
Lyk as a knyȝt his quarel to darreyne
With who þat list or durst it vndirtake,
Excepcioun hym liked noon to make
Of hiȝe nor lowe, who þat were so bolde
To preue þe tresoun, þat I haue ȝow tolde,
Besechinge hem to make no delay
Nor prolonge hym, but þe same day
Manly requeringe it may be don in hast.
But þei þat had falsly þis þing compast,

797

Of his answer astonyd wern echon
In al þe host þat þer was nat oon
Þat hardy was, ȝif I shal nat feyne,
In chaumclos þis quarel to darreyne—
Nouþer Vlixes, nouþer Dyomede,
Chef werkers of þis foule dede.
But Vlixes, as he was customable,
In euery þing to be deceyuable,
Double in his werk & ful ay of deceit,
Liche a serpent þat lyth in a-wait,
Whiche vnder floures can so glide & trace,—
Riȝt so Vlixes, with a feyned face,
Whan þat he sawe þe knyȝtly hiȝe prowesse,
Þe manly cher, and þe hardynesse
And hiȝe renoun of þis Pallamydes,
Anoon of falshede put hym silf in pres,
And liche a frende þat ment[e] nat but wel,
Brotel as glas, pretendinge outward stel,
With oon þe first gan [him] to excuse,
Hem conseillinge no lenger for to muse
On þis mater, for her alder ese,
And by craft gan hem so appese,
Touching þe rumour of þis hiȝe tresoun,
Þat he hath voided al suspecioun
Oute of her hertis,—concludynge, in certeyn,
Þis accusynge made was in veyn,
And conspired only of hatrede—
Al-be hym silf was rote of al þis dede.
But whanne he saw he myȝt[e] nat acheve,
As ȝe han herd, þis worþi kyng to greue,
Som spot of tresoun on hym for to leye,
He hath anon founde anoþer weye
By thassent fully of Diomede:
Vnder pretence, pleinly, of frendlyhede
Comynge to hym ageyn a certeyn nyȝt,
Vnder surance, as he was trewe knyȝt,
Counseil to kepe, ouþer for sote or sour,
Enformyng hym of a grete tresour

798

Of gold & good and infinit richesse
To hem discured vnder secrenesse,
Þe whiche, sothly, no man dide knowe,
Hid & enclosid in a welle lowe
With-Inne a feld a litel þer be-side,
Þe whiche hem list fro hym nat to hyde,
But of trust vn-to hym discure,
So he wolde done his besy cure
Þe same nyȝt with hem for to go
Vn-to þe welle—þei þre & no mo—
To fet a-way þat grete some of good.
And he, in soth, þat no þing vndirstood
What þei ment, assentid was anoon;
And so þei þre be to-gidre goon
Vn-to þe welle, lik as I haue told,
And for þat he most manly was & bold,
Pallamydes, liche as þei hym telle,
Descended is lowe in-to þe welle,
Supposinge to haue a tresour founde.
But þei, allas! hym falsly to confounde,
Han mordrid hym with stonys gret & huge,
He in þe botme havynge no refuge;
And whan þei had acomplished þer entent,
Þei be repeired eueryche to his tent.
Þis þe tale, þe stori telleth vs,
Þat feyned was to þe kyng Naulus,
Tochinge þe deth of Pallamydes,
Hem to disclaundre þat were gilt[e]les!
For Vlixes, & with hym Diomede
Were Innocent, platly, as I rede,
And Grekis alle, boþe nyȝe & ferre:
For he was slayn knyȝtly in þe werre,
Duringe þe sege, of Paris with an arwe.
But who is fals, feyne can ful narwe
To fynde a tale þat neuere ȝit was þouȝt!
And of þe tresoun þat shuld haue be wrouȝt

799

Touchynge þe lettris sent oute of þe toun,
Þer was no swiche conspiracioun
By Grekis wrouȝt, but a fable vnsoth,
Falsly feyned to make Naulus wroth
With Vlixes and Diomede also,
Agamenoun, and oþer Grekis mo,
To letten hem homward in her weye,
And hyndre also—þer is no more to seie—
As þei repeire to her regiouns.
And Naulus þanne by þis occasiouns,
And Oetes his sone, a manly man,
Accorded ben, in what þei may or can,
Be oon assent tavenge merciles
Þe cruel mordre of Pallamydes,
And to ordeyne at her hom passage
To werke fully in-to her damage,
For Grekes moste of necessite
Homward saille for-by his contre.
Wherfore þis kyng shapen hath a wyle:
On hilles hiȝe, by a lytel yle,
In wynter sesoun euery maner nyȝt
To make fires and to sette vp lyȝt,
To causen hem on þe se to erre.
For, as Grekis sawe þe fire a-ferre,
Vnwar of harme, cast hem for to londe,
As þei þat coude no pereil vndirstonde,
But shopen hem with al her ful[le] myȝt
For to arive fast[e] by þe liȝt,
Wher-with two hundrid of her shippes brak
Amonge rokkes, and fully go to wrak,
Þat þer was drowned many worþi man.
And þus þe vengaunce alderfirst be-gan
Þat kyng Naulus hath on Grekis take
Of dedly hate for his sonis sake,
To gret mischef and confusioun
Of Grekis navie; but Agamenoun

800

With gret pereil is þe deth eskaped,
Þat had almost among hem be beiapid:
For erlys, dukis, & worþi kynges crowned,
Þoruȝ þis treyne in þe se wer drowned.
But Menelay and also Diomede
Eskapeden þis meschef, as I rede.
And when þei wern from al daunger goon,
Þis Oetes, wood for Ire, anoon
In his herte shope anoþer wyle,
And þouȝt he wold Agamenoun be-gyle,
Compassinge a ful mortal strif,
Leet send a lettre anon to þe wyf
Of þis myȝti grete Agamenoun,
In whiche þer was included fals tresoun;
For evene lik, ȝif I shal nat lye,
Þus in effect þei dide specefie:
First, how hir lord Agamenoun þe kyng
Hadde at þe sege wrouȝt a wonder þing
In preiudyse and sclaunder of hir name,
Al-be in hir was no maner blame,
(Liche as he wrot) platly, nor trespace
His kyngly honour of foly to difface;—
Þis to seyn, Guydo telleth þus,
He loued a douȝter of kyng Priamus,
And for bewte had hir to wyve take,
And hir in herte finally for-sake,
Þis worþi quene, whilom of so gret fame;—
And Clemestra sothly was hir name,
Wonder semly and riȝt fair with-al,
And be descent borne of þe stook royal,—
Hir tellynge eke, for al hir excellence,
Al-be þat she neuere dide offence,—
Ȝet hir lord of newfangilnesse
Toke anoþer, þe lettres dide expresse,
Fully in purpos anoon at his repeire,
Þouȝ Clemestra wer boþe good & fayre,

801

Al sodeynly hir[e] to exile
Oute of his lond many þousand myle,
Warnyng hir þat she be prudent.
Þis was þe substaunce, as in sentament,
Þat Oetes wrote vn-to þis quene,
Al-be þe kyng was Innocent & clene,
And was to hir in al his forn lyvynge
Lovynge and trewe in al maner þing,
And hir to plese passinge ententif
In word and dede duryng al his lyf,
As fer as ouȝt of resoun be desyred.
But þe letteris, þat falsly were conspired,
Þei han hir put, par cas of Innocence,
For to ȝeven to hastily credence,
Þankynge first Oetes for his trouþe,
Þat so goodly hym list to haue rouþe
Vp-on hir wronge of hiȝe compassioun.
(And ȝet þe story makeþ mencioun
Here-afterward, as I shal descrive,
Þat she was þe falsest oon alyve
Vn-to hir lord in his longe absence.)
And in al hast she made strong diffence
Ageyn þis kyng, & gan hir to purueie
Be swiche fraude þat she shal nat deie;
But of hir werk, in soth, she was to wyte,
Þe whiche, allas! I must anoon endite,
As þe story, platly, doth me lere,
Whiche doolful is & mortal for to here!

How kynge Agamenon, by treason of Oetes aforesaide, by his owne quene Clemestra was slayne in his bedde; and how she maried Egistus.

Ovnsur trust of al worldly glorie,
With sodeyn chaunge put oute of memorie!
O Ioie vnstable of veyn ambicioun,

802

With vnwar torn reuersed vp-so-doun!
O ydel fame, blowe up to þe skye,
Ouer-whelmyd with twyncling of an eye!
O pompe, o bost of tryumphe & victorie,
Liche a shadewe wast & transitorie!
O Fortune, fals and vnassured,
Þat [to] no man was neuer fully lured,
To hiȝe nor lowe of no maner estat,
With bond of feith to be confederat;
Ageyn whos myȝt no man may him diffende,
But at his torne þat he shal descende
Whan he sit hiȝest on þin vnstable whele,—
Þi brotel fauour, forgid not of stele,
Meynt and allaied with mutabilite:
For welfulnesse and fals felicite
With sodeyn swiȝ froward þou canst avale!
Now freshe of chere, now for anger pale,
Of hiȝe disdeyn þou sparest no degre;
For princes, dukes, hiȝest in her se,
Miȝti kynges & worþi Emperours
Þat richest regne in her royal floures,
With sceptre & crowne þou canst pulle doun!
I take witnesse of Agamenoun,
Þat was so noble & myȝti in his lyve,
As sondry auctours his hiȝe renoun discrive;
But, sothfastly, for al his excellence,
He myȝt[e] nat make no diffence,
With alle þe kynges þat his baner swe,
Conspired mordre to voiden & eschewe.
Reskus was noon þat he koude make!
For whiche, allas! my penne I fele quake,
Þat doth myn ynke blotten on my boke.
O myȝti God, þat with þin inward loke
Sest euery þing þoruȝ þin eternal myȝt,
Whi wiltow nat of equite and riȝt
Punishe & chastise so horrible a þing,
And specialy þe mordre of a kyng?

803

Allas! þe peyne of Yxyoun in helle,
Or of Manes þat with Sathan dwelle,
Were nat egal nor equipolent
To venge mordre, nor sufficient:
For it excedeth in comparisoun
Al felonye, falshede, and tresoun.
Wherfor, o Lord, þat sest & knowest al
Þoruȝ þi power þat is eternal,
Suffre non swiche to live vp-on þe grounde—
Wers þan tigre or Cerberus þe hounde,
Þat cheyned lyth, bounde at helle gate;
Whiche, of malis pleinly þouȝ he hate,
He berkeþ first or he do offence:
But mordre gladly is wrouȝt in silence
Or men aduerte or taken any kepe.
Allas! a prince to slen hym in his slepe,
On his pilwe whanne he slepeth softe,
Þat crieth wreche to hiȝe God alofte
And axeþ vengaunce to be take as faste:
Þouȝ it abide it wil oute at þe laste!
Allas! a kyng, spoken of so ferre,
Þat was so worþi outeward in þe werre!
His cruel fate, passinge odious,
Disposed hath in his owne hous
His mortal ende to ben execute,
Ageyn[e]s whiche þer was no refute.
For riȝt as he his ship to lond[e] sette,
Þe quene Clemestra on þe strond [him] met
With humble chere & loke ful benigne,
And shewed oute many feithful signe
Of wifly trouþe in hir countenaunce,
Al-be in herte þer was variaunce,
Nat parceived pleinly in her face.
Whom þe kyng goodly dide embrace,
As he in soth þat but trouþe ment;
And to his paleis þe hiȝe weie he went,

804

Nat aduerting þe tresoun þat was shape,
Þe whiche, allas! he myȝt[e] nat eskape—
Of þe falshede he koude no þing fele.
But I ne may no lenger it concele,
Ageyn hir lord how Clemestra wrouȝt;
For on hir bond of wedlok she ne þouȝt;
Þe trewe lok, sothly, of spousaille
Ageyn hir malis lite myȝt availle
Vn-to hir lord hir trouþe to conserue.
Newfangilnesse causede to sterve
Hir olde feith and hir assuraunce.
Hir loue abood on a fikel chaunce;
Longe absence had hir hert appalled.
She loued oon þat was Egistus called,
Whiche a-forn alle in hir grace stood,
Þat nouþer was of birþe nor of blood
Litel or nouȝt of reputacioun,
Nor renomed of manhod nor renoun,
Nor of knyȝthod nor of hiȝe prowesse,
But for his labour & his besynesse
And good await [vp-]on hir be nyȝt.
Þerfor he was best forþered in hir siȝt,
Suche drede hadde she for to lyn allone,
Sorweles so wel she koude grone.
I can nat seyn what lif þat þei ladde,
Except þat she by hym a douȝter hadde;
And Erigona Guydo seith she hyȝt.
And vn-to hym Clemestra behiȝt,
Assurynge hym vp peyne of hir hed,
He sholde regne whan hir lorde wer ded;
And to enhaste þis conclusioun,
Hir worþi lord, kyng Agamenoun,
Þe next[e] nyȝt was mordred & I-slayn
By fals Egistus: & þe quene ful fayn
No lenger bood, þe story can ȝou lere,
But in al hast þei wedded wern I-fere.

805

And by hir false & sleiȝti compassyng
Of Messene she made hym crowned kyng,
And putte hym ful in possessioun.
Allas! þat synne hath domynacioun
To forþer wronge and abate riȝt!
For in þis worlde falshed hath more myȝt
Ful ofte sithe þan haþ riȝtwisnesse,
And in þestat set of worþinesse.
Lo, how þe synne of avouterye
Brouȝt in mordre by conspiracie!
Synne vp-on synne lynked boþe tweyne,
And, enbracid in þe fendis cheyne,
Perpetuelly in helle to endure!
Allas! who shal hym silfe ful assure
Fro cruel mordre his body to withdrawe,
Whan þat kynges in her bed are slawe?—
Whiche bringeth in alyenacioun,
By extort title fals successioun;—
Þer may colour of pretense seme,
But ful streitly God shal after deme
And iustly venge with due recompense
Intrusioun brouȝt in by violence,
And felly quite swiche horrible þinges
As sodeyn slauȝter, specially of kynges,
Gretly to drede in euery regioun.
And, as I finde, þat Agamenoun
By Clemestra, þe false double quene,
Hadde a sone passing fair to sene,
Riȝt gracious in euery mannys siȝt;
And Horestes þe bok seith þat he hiȝt,
Wonder semly & but ȝong of age.
And for gret fer in þis mortal rage
List he wer slayn, as it was to drede,
Tanulle his title þat he nat succede,
Hym to preserue þat he wer nat shent,
Kyng Taltibus with power haþ hym sent

806

Ful secrely oute of þat cuntre
Vn-to a kyng called Ydumee,
Þat held his sceptre & his royal sete
Ful myȝtely in þe lond of Crete.
And Carkasis named was þe quene,
Þat hadde a douȝter called [eke] Clymene,
Born to ben eir of þat regioun.
And, as it is made eke mencioun,
Þis Horestes, to reknen al[le] þing,
Was with þe quene and also with þe kyng
Cherisshed as wel, þe story can ȝou lere,
As Clymena hir owne douȝter dere,
And was eke kept and hadde in cherte
Fro point to point, liche to his degre,
With attendaunce convenient & due
To his estat, þat euere vp-on hym sue,
Of swiche as wern most expert & sage
To gouerne hym til he com to age,
To reioishe, ȝif God ȝaf hym myȝt,
His heritage to whiche he hadde riȝt
By clere discent, ȝif happi were his chaunce.
Þus leue I hym vnder gouernaunce,
Þe ȝonge sone of Agamenoun.
For I mvt make a digressioun
Fro þis mater, and telle of Diomede
Þe auentures, in Guydo as I rede,—
His woful fate & his peynes smerte,
Þe whiche, allas! he myȝt[e] nat asterte,
As is remembrid pleinly in writing,
Þat Oetes, sone of þe riche kyng
Called Naulus, as ȝe han herd to-forn,
Swiche hevines in his herte haþt born
Vn-to Grekis repeiring home fro Troye,
Þat his lust & his inwarde Ioie
Was hem to hindre, boþe hiȝe & lowe;
And cause whi to ȝou is nat vnknowe:
To hem he was so passing envious,

807

In wil and þouȝt yliche desirous
Ȝif he myȝt, sothly þis no lees,
Þe deth tavenge of Pallamydes,
Liche as to-forn þe story can deuise
To ȝou þat ben so prudent & so wyse.
And how Oetes now of malis wrouȝt,
And traitourly newe menys souȝt
Ȝif he myȝt be any maner weye
Diomedes vnwarly distroye,—
Of al þis þing I cast[e] nat to faile
Ceriously to make rehersaille.

How quene Egra, the wyff of Dyomede, exilede hym when he wolde have reparyde to his owne kyngdam fro Troye, by the fals ymaginacyoun of Oetes, Palamydes brothere.

In Grece was a kyngdam wyde & large,
Coniunct in oon, Calydonye & Arge,
Ful abundaunt of riches and of rent,
Of whiche þe kyng called was Pollent,
A worþi man & of a noble fame,
And had a son—Assandrus was his name—
And a douȝter passing fair of siȝte,
And, sothly, Egra I fynde þat she hiȝte.
And for hir fader, lik as writ Guydo,
Had no mo but þese children two,
For hem he haþ of wisdam so prouyded,
Þis myȝti regne for to be deuided
Atwene hem two after his disses,
Eche with his part for to liven in pes,
Texcluden hem fro indigence or nede.
And she was wyf vn-to Diomede,—
Al-be to-forn þe story of hym saide

808

Þat he whilom loued wel Cressaide—
I can nat seine wher it was doubilnesse,
But wel wot I, Guydo bereth witnesse
And in his book, sothly, seith non oþer,—
And how Assandrus, his owne wyves broþer,
Ful lusti, fresshe, & ful of manlihede
To Troie went wiþ þis Diomede;
But in þe se for-driven vp-so-doun,
Þei ryved vp in þe regioun
Called Boece, al discounsolat,
With tempest drive, wery & ful maat,
Hem to refresshe & for non oþer þing;
In whiche lond Thelephus was kyng.
Of whos rivaille whan he herd[e] seyn,
In his herte he hadde hiȝe disdeyn
Þat þei wer bold to don so gret offence,
Tentre his grounde havinge no licence;
And ȝit, in soth, þei dide no damage
To hiȝe nor lowe of no maner age,
Nor toke nat þat myȝt disavaille
Vn-to þat lond, but it were vitaille,
For whiche þei paied iustly at þe fyn,
For flesshe & fysshe & for bred & wyn.
Ȝit for al þat, of indignacioun
Kyng Thelephus is descended doun
With gret array, to harme hem ȝif he myȝt;
And so þei gan to bikeren & to fiȝt.
And Assandrus, ful of hiȝe prowesse,
Liche a lioun his fomen gan oppresse,
And wonder knyȝtly þe feld vp-on hem wan,
And slow þat day many worþi man,
Of hiȝe corage and of manly pride.
And whan þe kyng, whiche þat stod a-side,
Sawe his men slawe on euery part,
Of hiȝe disdeyn hent anon a dart

809

And cast at hym, allas, þe mortal fate!
And percid hath þoruȝ mailles & plate
Of Assandrus, þat he fil doun ded,
Þe soil aboute of his blood al red,
His dedly wounde so be-gan to blede.
And wod as tigre þo cam Diomede,
And hym to avenge bar hym lik a knyȝt,
Sleþ and kylleþ, & putte hem to þe fliȝt,
And after þat swiche sorwe gan to make
Of knyȝtly rouþe for his broþer sake,
Þat he ne wist what was best to do.
But, as I fynde, myd of al his wo,
Fro best & foule þe dede cors to save,
Liche his estat he lete make a graue
And buried hym after rytes olde.
But Oetes to his sister tolde
Þat he was slayn by fraude of Diomede,
To fyn þat he myȝt[e] [ful] possede
Þe regne of Arge hool, with-oute strif,
With þe purpa[r]ti annexid to his wif;
For by his deth he myȝt[e] sesoun take:
And told [hir] eke þat she was for-sake,
Þis faire Egra, for al hir wommanhede,
Of hir lord called Diomede.
All þis he told (in helle be he cheyned!).
And, ouermore, he forged haþ & feyned
How of envie Assandrus lost his lyf;
And how hir lord haþ take a-noþer wif,
Þat was to hir dishonour & shame,
And passingly gret sclaunder to hir name
In preiudise doon to hir estat.
Al þis he tolde to make hem at debate,
Liche as he wrot, in conclusioun,
To Clemestra of Agamenoun,

810

Whiche hir herte made sore greve:
For he putte hir fully in byleve
Of al þe tresoun, ȝe haue herde me told,
Þat for Ire she wexe pale and cold,
Vnkyndenesse so hir herte sleth,
And hevinesse of hir broþer deth.
For neuer ȝit, Guydo doth assure,
No womman louede bet a creature
Þan she louede hym, in no manere age:
[For] First at nouȝt she sette hir heritage
In comparisoun of hir broþer lyf—
Lo, how Oetes made a newe strif,
As ȝe han herde in þe story rede!—
Þat gilt[e]les worþi Diomede,
Whan he haþ long at þe sege leyn,
And to his kyngdam wolde han comme ageyn,
By myȝti hond of þis worþi quene,
And hir liges þat assented bene,
He was exiled oute of þat regioun,—
Þer may be made no mediacioun.
Þus, in hym silfe maat & dis[es]peired,
Discounsolat he is ageyn repeired
To Salerne, a lond of gret richesse,
Wher þat Teuter þoruȝ his worþinesse
With crowne and scepter had[de] regned longe
With his liges and his knyȝtes stronge,
And broþer was to Aiax Thelamoun,
Mordred to-forn, as made is mencioun.
And Diomede, pore and destitut,
May in Salerne fynde no refut:
For whan Teuter first gan hym espie,
He suede after by ful gret envie,
Havynge to hym ay suspecioun
Touching þe deth of kyng Thelamoun.
But Diomede on a certeyn nyȝt
Ful secrely hath taken hym to fliȝt,

811

And fro Salerne fast[e] gan hym hiȝe
In hope to fynde better remedie,
Helpe or socour in som oþer place,
Ȝif fortune wolde graunt hym grace.
For of hym silf ashamed & confus,
As man forsake, abiect, and refus,
Riȝt so ferde he, wandring to & fro,
As he þat nist what was best to do.
But, I fynde, þe Troyan Eneas,
Þat al þis while stille at Troye was,
Only of rouþe and compassioun
To supporte hem þat wer left of þe toun,
Beynge alweye of her lyf in doute,
Of her fomen rounde be-set aboute,
As þei þat lyvede for lak of an hed
Continuelly in meschef and in dred,
Knowynge no refut nor counfort in þis cas,—
Til by counseil of þis Eneas,
To support hem in þis gret[e] nede
Þei sent in haste for þis Diomede,
Knowynge ful wel his desolacioun,
How he was proscript fro his regioun—
Besechinge hym, of manhod & of rouþe,
Hym to enhaste, with-outen any slouþe,
With al þe stuf þat he gete can,
And sowden vp euery manly man
With-oute abood & to Troie hem lede,
To socour hem in þis grete nede.
And Diomede cam, & tarieth nouȝt,
At her request, as he was be-souȝt,
To releue hem in þis sharp[e] shour,
And with hym brouȝt many soudiour.
And Eneas on þe weie hym mette
In frendely wyse, & in-to toun hym fette,
And to hym made passingly gret chere.
And þer þei gan to comwne y-fere

812

Her auentures boþe on lond and se,
Entermedlyd wiþ gret aduersite,
Þat no man may deuoide nor eschewe,
But take his part, as it to hym is dwe,
As sort or hap doth his bridel lede.
And in þis story shortly to procede,
Cely Troiens, þat almost were shent
With her fomen of Iles adiacent
Þat hem be-set abouten enviroun,—
[But] Þoruȝ þe manhod and þe hiȝe renoun
Of Diomede and his sowdiours
And oþer knyȝtes, noble werriours,
Þei wer reskued & holpen outterly;
And foure daies þei fauȝt by and by,
In knyȝtly wyse deffendinge þe cite;
And þoruȝ þe prowesse also of Enee
Þei slen and take al þat hem with-stood,
And in diffense of Troianyshe blood,
Swiche as þei founde to þe cite fals,
Þei henge hem vp hiȝe by þe hals,
And punyshe[d] hem for her gret[e] wrong.
And Diomede þus gan wexe stronge
By longe processe, as made is mencioun,
Chef protector now of Troie toun,
Þat enmy noon by a large space
Durst abide, but he hadde grace,
To his ligaunce so he made hem loute.
And þus his name sprede gan aboute,
Þat of his fame þe gret oppinioun
Dilated is vn-to þe Regioun,
By swift report, of Calydonye & Arge,
Whiche þe quene gretly gan to charge;
And astonyd, whan she takeþ hede,
His power gan & his myȝt to drede,
List he wolde hir lond vp-on hir wynne,
And of knyȝthod a werre newe be-gynne.
And secrely gan mvsen on þis þing,
Þat hir lord & hir myȝti kyng,

813

Late exiled & [y-]putte to fliȝt,
Hath grace founde in Fortunys siȝt,
And is remounted to so hiȝe estat.
Wherof she was in hir self chek-maat,
And weyes cast, as she þat was prudent,
By hool avis of hir parlement,
With-oute grucchinge or rebellioun,
Hym to reuoke to his Regioun;
And þer-vppon to hym louly sent.
And with lettres þe messager forþe went,
Þe cause anullynge for whiche he was exiled,
And how he was fully reconsiled
By hool assent of his liges alle,
And ful louly, euerychon, þei calle,
For her offence & [for] her trespace,
With-oute rigour for to don hem grace.
And he anoon, liche a manly knyȝt,
Mor of mercy, sothly, þanne of riȝt,
Whan he hath her sond[e] wel conceived
And her menynge fully apparceived,
To stint al strif þouȝt[e] for þe beste
In goodly wyse to graunte her requeste;
And to his regne with-Inne a certeyn day
He is repeired in ful riche array.
Of whos commyng ful glad his liges ben;
And recouncyled boþe he & quene,
And al rancour of any old offence
Only of wysdam þei put in suspence;
And of oon hert a blisful lyf þei lede—
In Troie boke no more of him I rede,
But late him lyve in felicite!
Ageyn resortynge to tellen of Enee,
After how he hath his tyme spent,
Whiche is fro Troie with many Troyan went.
His shippes stuffed, he & his meyne
Be seiled forþe by many straunge se,

814

Many daunger & many streit passage,
To-forn or he arived in Cartage,
Ledyng wiþ hym his fader Anchises,—
Þat, be þe waye, I fynde þat he les
His wyf Crewsa by fatal auenture;—
But al þe wo þat he dide endure,
Who-so list ceriously to sene,—
And how þat he falsede þe quene,
I mene Dido, of wommanhede flour,
Þat gaf to hym [hir] richesse & tresour,
Iowelys & gold, & al þat myȝt hym plese,
And euery þing þat myȝt[e] do hym ese,
But for al þat, how he was vnkynde,—
Rede Eneydos, & þer ȝe shal it fynde:—
And how þat he falsly stale away
By nyȝter tyme while she a-bedde lay,
And of his conquest also in Yta[i]lle,
Where he had many stronge bataille,
His auentures and his werkes alle,
And of þe fyn þat is to hym falle,—
Ȝe may al seen, by ful souereyn style
From point to point compiled in Virgile,
Written & made siþen go ful ȝore;
For Troie boke spekeþ of hym no more,
But procedeth, as I shal endite,
How Horrestes cast hym for to quyte
His fadres deth, pleinly, & nat spare,
Ȝif ȝe list here as Guydo shal declare.

Howe Horrestes was commawnded by the goddis, that he shulde repayre to his kyngdam, and Cruelly, without pite, scle his moder Clemestra, for the mordere of his Fader, Agamenoun.

It is requerid of equite & riȝt,
Of þilke Iuge þat is most of myȝt
And egally holdeth his balaunce,
On deth conspired for to do vengaunce:

815

Þe vois of blood doth so ay contune
To crye wreche with clamoure importune
On hem, in soth, þat it iniustly shede;
For mordre wrouȝt wil han his egal mede
And his guerdoun, as he hath disservid.
Þei may nat fle þe Iugement reservid
Of hym þat sitte hiȝest in his throne,
And al beholdeth by hym silf allone,
Ful riȝtfully, þe noble myȝti Kyng;
For þouȝ he suffre, he forȝet no þing,
But al considereth in his inspeccioun.
And for þe mordre of Agamenoun,
Þe myȝti Lord, whiche is most souereyn God,
Made his mynystre of þe same blood,
Ȝonge Horrestes, ful of hiȝe prowesse,
Texecute his dome of riȝtwisnesse,
And gaf to hym power, grace, & myȝt.
And he anoon toke þe ordre of knyȝt
Of Ydumeus, liche as it is tolde,
Whan he was foure & twenti wynter olde,
Fresshe and lusty, & wonderly prudent,
And inwardly desirous of entent,
Ȝif fortune wolde hym nat wyth-seyn,
His heritage to recure ageyn
Whiche Egistus falsly hym denyeth,
And þe crowne iniustly occupieth
By fals title of hir þat was his wyf.
But Horrestes wil iupart his lif,
And aventure, while him lasteth breth:
First to be venged on his fadris deth
Vp-on hem þo þat þe tresoun wrouȝt.
And alderfirst ful louly he be-souȝt
Kyng Ydumee of his goodlyhede
To forþeren hym in þis gret[e] nede;
And þe kyng benignely anoon
Assigned hath with hym for to goon

816

A þousand knyȝtes, manly & riȝt stronge,
To redresse þe grete horrible wronge
Of Egistus wrouȝt by violence.
And by his wysdam & his dilligence,
Þis Horrestes gan hym so purueie,
With-Inne a while, þer is no more to seie,
Þat he hym gat (þe story wil nat lye)
A-noþer þousand in his companye
Of worþi knyȝtes, alle of oon accorde
To go with hym, as with her souereyn lord,
In euery þing his biddyng to obeie,
As ȝe han herde, Egistus to werreye.
And þus Horrestes, in ful riche array,
Gan hosteye & made no delay,
And his loggynge aldirfirst gan chese
In a cite þat called was Troeȝe,
Received þere with grete reuerence
Of þe kyng, þat named was Forence,
A manly knyȝt, as bokes specefie,
And bare in herte passing gret envie
To Egistus, by double occasioun:
First, for þe deth of Agamenoun,
And eke for he hadde a douȝter dere
Þat was to hym inwardly entere,
Boþe good & fair, & but ȝonge of age,
Þat whilom was ȝoven in mariage
To Egistus; but he of doubilnesse,
Of fals tresoun & newfongilnesse
Þe kynges douȝter haþ outterly for-sake,
And in al haste dide a lybel make,
And forge a writ of repulsioun,
Al-be he hadde no trewe occasioun,
Þis Egistus, þat he hir for-soke,
Saue þat he falsly to wyve toke
Þe quene Clemestra, a-geyn al [riȝt and] lawe,

817

Whanne by assent þei mordred han & slawe
Agamenoun, as it to-forn is tolde,
Þat whilom was so myȝti & so boold.
And for þe hatful fals conspiracie,
As wel of mordre as [of] avoutrie,
To venge boþe by due recompense,
Þe worþi knyȝt, þe myȝti kyng Forrense
Offred Horestes for to make hym stronge
And go with hym to helpe venge his wrong,
And with hym ladde, armed briȝt in steel,
Foure hundrid knyȝtes, horsed wonder wel,
Takynge þe feld with a manly chere.
And so Horestes and þe kyng y-fere
Be riden forþe with many manly man.
But Horestes, or [he] þis werre gan,
Whan briȝt[e] Phebus in þe Bole shoon,
To þe temple is ful lowly goon,
And to þe goddis in his best[e] wyse
With humble herte dide sacrifise,
Fully in hope þe better for to fare:
Wher he was bode, for lif nor deth to spare,
With-oute merci or remissioun,
Þe deth to venge of Agamenoun
On Clemestra, þat was most to wyte,
And þat he make first his swerd to bite
On his moder, with his hondis tweyne,
And ouermore to done his besy peyne,
With-oute pite, & no merci shewe,
On smale pecis til she be to-hewe
And dismembrid assondre Ioint fro Ioint,
And eke þat he forȝete nauȝt a point,
Iustly to punyshe by rigour & by riȝt
Egistus eke, þe fals vntrewe knyȝt,
And þat he be nat slowe nor necligent
To execute þe commaundement
Of þe goddes, list what after falle.

818

And þanne Horestes with his knyȝtes alle,
And Forense þe myȝti kyng also,
Of oon herte be to þe sege go
Of þe cite þat called was Methene,
With-Inne whiche was þe fals[e] quene
Clemestra,—God ȝif hir harde grace!
And whanne Horestes seged haþ þe place,
With his knyȝtes set it rounde aboute,
False Egistus was y-riden oute
To gadre men and to ben awreke,
And falle vppon & þe sege breke
Ȝif he myȝt, on eny maner side;
And with gret stuf þus he gan to ride,
Takyng vp men fro euery cost,
Til he hym made a ful myȝti host.
But Horestes, whiche at þe sege lay,
His gouernaunce espieth day be day,
And sent oute men, as he þat was ful sage,
To stoppe weies & lettyn his passage,
And made knyȝtes, a ful huge route,
To pursewe hym euery cost aboute.
And of þe sege, manfully be-gonne,
By assaute he hath þe toun y-wonne,
And entrid in on a nyȝt ful late,
And set[te] wardis stronge at euery gate.
And in [a] dongoun, moste stronge & principal,
Þat was of bildynge myȝti and royal,
Þis Horestes first his moder fond,
Þe quene Clemestra, lady of þat lond,
Whiche for drede sore gan to quake;
But merciles anoon he made hir take
And putte in cheynes til þe next[e] morwe.
And Egistus,—God ȝif hym euele sorwe!—
With al þe stuf þat he myȝt acroche,
Toward þe toun fast[e] gan a-proche
In purpos ful Horestes for to greve,
And hem with-Inne sodeynly releve.

819

But al, in soth, myȝt[e] nat availle;
For or þat he þe cite myȝt availle,
Horestes knyȝtes vnwarly han hym met,
And alle attonis proudly on hym set:
First slayn his men & putte hem to þe fliȝt,
And taken hym, maugre al his myȝt,
And with cheynes, lik as þei hym finde,
Merciles ful fast[e] þei hym binde,
And shet hym vp, fetrid in prisoun.
And alle fals founden in þe toun,
Þat wer assentid, willy, or helpynge
To þe mordre of þe worþi kyng,
Grete werkers and conspiratours,
Ageyn her lord rysing as traitours,—
Alle were take and bounde be rigour
Þe same nyȝt, & shet vp in a tour,
Til on þe morwe, lik as þe lot be drawe,
Eueryche of hem vndirfonge his lawe
Liche his decert,—excepcioun was noon.
And whanne þe nyȝt passed was & goon,
And Phebus ros estwarde in his spere
And on þe toures shon ful briȝt & clere,
Whanne Clemestra, rote of al falshede,
Was brouȝt forþe, quakyng in her drede,
Beforn Horestes to Iugement I-fet,
He, with a swerde, sharpe and kene whet,
Liche as þe goddes chargid hym to-forn,
On pecis smale he hath hir al to-shorn,
And made hir bern oute of þe tovnis boundis
To be vowrid of bestis & of houndis:—
Pite was noon in his brest reseruyd,
But quitte hir fully as she haþ disservid
Fro point to point, & forgat riȝt nouȝt.
And þanne cheyned Egistus was forþe brouȝt,
And iustly dempt by rigour of þe lawe

820

On an hirdel naked to be drawe
Þoruȝ-oute þe toun, þat alle myȝt[e] se,
And after hiȝe [en]hangid on a tre,
For to rote & drye ageyn þe sonne.
Lo, how mordre haþ his guerdoun wonne!
Lo, how falshede his maister can awake!
And alle þe traitours in þe toun y-take
Wern on galwes enhonged euerychon,
Til þei were seuered asonder bon fro bon,
Hiȝe on an hil ageyn þe sterres shene.
Þus was þe toun fro tresoun purged clene,
And with trouþe awmentid & y-morid;
And to his regne Horestes ful restorid,
As þe story suynge shal expowne,
And of þe day whan he toke his crowne.

Howe kynge Menelay, brother to Agamenon, set a parlement at Athenes, wher he entendyde to haue deprivede Horrestes of his kyngdam, for þe dethe of his moder; bot Horrestes was crownyde.

And whan þe myst & euery cloudy skye
Of fals tresoun and conspiracie
Were tried oute, vp-on euery side,
Þat falshed had no place to abide,
Þe story seith, in ordre rehersynge,
Þe same tyme Menelay þe kyng,
Oute of þe se ful of wawys wete,
Fro Troie-ward arived was in Crete,
Frely eskapid many drede and peyne,
With his quene, þe goodly freshe Eleyne.
And for cause she was so famous fair,
Gret was þe pres & merveilous repaire
Fro euery part hir bewte to beholde,
For whom Troie, with wallis not ful olde,
Destroied was, þe noble royal toun;

821

And many man, ful worþi of renoun,
Haþ lost his lyf—þer may no man seie nay—
Al for Eleyne, wyf to Menelay:
Whan þing is doon, it may be noon oþer.
But whan þis kyng knewe fully of his broþer
Agamenoun mordre and euerydel,
He was ful trist, & liked no þing wel,
But inwardly felt[e] ful grete smerte;
And his nevew he hadde also at herte—
I mene Horestes—þat so merciles,
Liche a tyraunte þat were graceles,
His moder slowe, and had[de] no pite,
Of mortal Ire in his cruelte,—
And fully cast þat he wolde blive
Of scepter & crowne, platly, hym deprive,
Fully affermynge, for þis hatful cas
By al lawe þat he vnworþi was
His fadris regne as eyr to possede,
Iustly considrid his horrible dede.
And al attonis, furious and wroth,
With-oute abood vn-to ship he goth,
Malencolyk in his grete tene,
Oute of Crete seiling to Athene,
And toke þe lond oute of shipes bord
Where duke Nestor was gouernour & lord,
Whiche hym receiveth, like a gentil knyȝt,
With al his power, dilligence, and myȝt.
But Menelay, of rancour and gret hete
Gan with þe duke secrely to trete
To fynde a mene in his inwarde siȝt
For to deprive Horestes of his riȝt.
And þer-vp-on to haue a iugement,
At Athenes was holde a parlement
Of þe lordis of þat regioun,
To ȝeve þer-on a diffinicioun,
In whiche was shewed, openly y-nowe,
How Horestes his owne modir slowe,

822

And þe maner of his grete offence,
Hym silf[e] þo beyng in presence.
And whan þis þing he fully dide espie,
For his party he gan ageyn replie,
As he þat felte hym frely at his large,
For hym alleggynge þat he had in charge
Of þe goddis, shortly to declare,
His mortal swerde þat he nat ne spare
Vp-on Clemestra, rote of false tresoun,
Þat slowe hir lord, kyng Agamenoun,
And þe mordre þoruȝ hir malis wrouȝt.
Wherfore Horestes humblely besouȝt
Þe lordes alle, with a manly herte,
Of equite considren and aduerte,
For no malis, rancour, nor for rage
Hym to deprive of his heritage,
Siþen he was sone of Agamenoun,
Borne to ben eyr of þe Regioun,
As ȝe han herd, þat called was Methene,
Al-be his moder, Clemestra þe quene,
Compassid had his destructioun.
But duke Nestor, ymeved of resoun,
In sustenyng of Horestes riȝt,
Roos vp anoon lyk a manly knyȝt,
Offringe him silf proudly for his sake
Þis hiȝe quarel for to vndirtake,
With his body to þe deth darreyne
Wiþ whom þat list his title to with-seyne.
But þer was noon in al þat companye
Þat durste a word a-geyn[e]s him replye,
So hool he stood in his oppinioun.
And by his knyȝtly mediacioun
He bar hym so, feynyng in no þing,
Þat Horestes was [y-]crowned kyng
Of Methene, alle beyng of assent.
And whan dissoluyd was þe parlement,
Þis Horestes of his liges trewe

823

Resseyved was with a crowne newe,
And by trete of lordis many oon
Kyng Menelay & he wer made at oon,
And gan her Ire & her rancour lete.
And Ydumee, þe myȝty kyng of Crete,
So prudently gouerneth þis matere,
Þat Hermyone, þe ȝong[e] douȝter dere
Of Menelay and þe quene Eleyne,
So ȝong, so freshe, of bewte souereyn,
I-wedded was with-oute more tariyng
To Horestes, þe newe lusty kyng.
And by cause of þis allyaunce
Devoided was al rancour and distaunce
Atwene þe kynges, Menelay þe olde
And Horestes, of whom riȝt now I tolde.
Þus leue I hem, as it was þe beste,
Eche in his regne lyve in pes & reste;
For al strif was cessid in þis cas.
But Erygona, þat þe douȝter was
Of Egistus, as ȝe han herd me telle,
For sorwe & drede list no lenger dwelle,
But toke a rope, & liste no þing to spare,
And þer-with-al gan hir silf to gnare,
Þe story seith, hiȝe vp-on a tre:
Þis was hir fyn,—ȝe gete no more of me—
But I wil forþe ceriously entrete
Of þe story to tellen ȝow þe grete.

The wonderfule eskaipis of Vlixes aftire þat he departede fro Troy; and howe he made a soroweful compleynte against fortune to the worshipful kynge, called Ydumye.

O Vlixes, by ordre in my writyng,
Þin aventures commen on þe ring,
Ful wonderful boþe on lond and se,
Entermedlid with grete aduersite!

824

For Guydo, first discrivinge þi repeire,
Seith how þou founde weder foule & faire,
Now agreable, now þe thounder sowne,
Now stille and smothe, now with clowdis frowne,
And seith also, þat þou dedist ordeyne
To þi passage myȝty shippes tweyne,
Apparailled al for marchaundise,
Þat þou myȝtest in most secre wyse
Euery meschef of þe se eskape.
But for al þat þou haddist a fel iape:
For as þis auctor þi resort doþ wryte,
He seith Vlixes, for al his wordis white,
I-robbed was of riches and of good,
Contrarious wynde so a-geyn him stood
Þat he was drive, to his confusioun,
In-to þe myȝty stronge regioun
Where Thelamoun regned by his lyve;
And þere he was hent & take blyve,
Be myȝti hond sesid by þe brest,
And merciles put vnder arest;
For þei him had suspect in werkyng,
Touching þe mordre of þe same kyng.
But he so wrouȝt by his sleiȝti wyle,
And his tale sette in swiche a stile,
Þat hem alle he [pleinly] hath be-iaped,
And fro her hond frely is eskaped—
Except þat he, for al his queynt[e] fare,
Of his tresour was [y-]made ful bare;
And for his passage was to him vnkouþe,
He fil a-geyn in-to þe wolves mouþe:
For, verraily, as it is specified,
Kyng Naulus men han hym eft espied,
Take & bounde & cheyned mercyles,
For þe mordre of kyng Pallamydes.
But þe story reherseth in certeyn,
By his prudence he eskaped is a-geyn,
—For he was boþe expert, wys, & olde—

825

Al-þei þe maner be not fully tolde
Of his eskape, þoruȝ his besy peyne,
Out of daunger of þese kynges tweyne—
Til þoruȝ fortune he cam fro meschef fre
To þe presence of kyng Ydumee
In symple array and torne apparaile.
Wher-of þe kyng gretly gan mervaile
To sen his pouert in so lowe maner;
But for al þat he maked him good cher,—
Þouȝ þilke tyme he were Infortunat,
He hym resseiveth liche to his estat.
And whan þei wern boþe tweyne allone,
In compleynyng Vlixes made his mone
Vn-to þe kyng, as he þat was ful sage,
Ceriously þe sort of his passage,
With face sad and a sobre chere,
Fro point to point, anon as ȝe shal here.
“My lord,” quod he, “shortly to expresse,
Of trust I haue in ȝoure gentilnes,
I shal to ȝow myn aventures alle
Rehersyn her, riȝt as it is falle:
First, whan þat I Troye lond forsook
And þe water with my shippes took,
I was a-noon with wynde pesible blowe
To an yle whiche was to me vnknowe,
Callid Mirma, of gret haboundance;
And al[le] þing þat was to my plesaunce,
Þat may for siluer or for gold be bouȝt,
I redy fonde, & wantid riȝt nouȝt,
And þer abood ful long[e] while in Ioie
With þe tresour þat I gat at Troye,—
My shippes stuffed, my men hool & sounde,
And for commodite of þat ilk[e] grounde,
We lyked so þe contre enviroun,
Þat, for disport and recreacioun,
Oure tariyng þer we þouȝt not longe,

826

For no man dide vn-to vs no wronge.
Til on a day þat þe eyr was stille,
Þe wynde also fully at oure wille,
We seyled forþe in quiete and in pes
Vn-to a port called Clanstafages,
Wher with my meyne long & many day
I fond al þing according to my pay,
—Þe wedir lusty, agreable, and feir—
But who may trust ouþer in wynde or eyr!—
For vp-on feith of þe smoþe skye
Ageyn to ship fast I gan me hye,
Taried nouȝt, but tok anoon þe see,
Smoþe & calm enduring daies þre,
Þat in þe wedir founde was no lak.
But sodeynly þe heuene turned blak,
Þe hydous tempest & þe wawes grene
Oute of hope han me dispeired clene,
Troublid my spirit & made me [so] pensif,
With-oute refut teskape with þe lyf,
Possid & drive by many sondri yle,
Til at þe last, cast vp at Cecyle,
Recuryng lond with gret annoy & peyne,
Wher þilke tyme regned kynges tweyne.
And as I can remembre douteles,
Þe ton of hem called Sorigenes,
Whiche vn-to me ful contrarious was,
And þe toþer named Coclopas,—
Breþren of birþe, and, in conclusioun,
I-lyche cruel of condicioun:
For þouȝ my sort had shape for þe nonys,
Boþe tweyne fil on me attonys,
Oppressing me in ful gret distresse,
Spoiled my shipes of tresour & richesse,
And for no pite liked not to spare,
Til I was left destitut and bare
Of al my good, allas, my mortal chaunce!

827

And most of al was to me grevaunce,
Whan of my gold þei myȝt no more restreyne,
Þei sent doun her myȝti sonys tweyne:
Alipham, þat was ful large & long,
And Polipheme þe myȝti geaunt strong,
Whiche on my men tavenge hem wer so fayn,
Þat þei of hem han an hundred slayn,
Disaraied to stonden at diffence.
And of malys, with sodeyn violence
Þei token me, for meschef almost lorn,
And Alphenor, myn owne broþer sworn,
And hatfully, as þei han vs founde,
In cheynes cast and in stokkys bounde,
And after þat ylokked in presoun.
And for to make platly mencioun,
Þis myȝti man, þis gret[e] Polypheme,
A suster had, shortly for to deme,
Oon þe fairest þat euer ȝit was born—
She myȝt in bewte so be set a-forn,
Nature hir gaf swiche a prerogatyf—
A clene mayde, sothly, & no wyf,
Flouryng boþe in fairnes & bounte,
Whom Alphenor whan he dide se,
Al-be he was fetrid in prisoun,
For loue he lost wit & eke resoun,
And wex al mad, so na[r]we she dide him binde,
—Saue [vp-]on hir alwey was his mynde,
And closid ay was his perlous wounde.
And sixe monþes þus we leie bo[u]nde,
Boþe he & I, to seyn þe plat[te] trouþe,
Til Polypheme had vp-on vs rouþe;
And þoruȝ his grace and mediacioun
He quyt vs fre out of þat prisoun,
And shewed vs, of mercy and pite,
After oure sorwe gret humanite.
But Alphenor, yliche of oon entent,

828

Was with þe brond of Cupide brent,
And felt his part with many mortal fyt,
Til he so wrouȝt by his sotil wyt,
Þat on a nyȝt, who was lef or loþe,
He stale þis mayde, & his weye he goþe,
Þoruȝ help of men with him at þat tyme.
But on þe morwe at þe hour of pryme
Poliphemus gan vs for to sewe,
Whos myȝti hond we myȝt[e] nat eschewe;
And swiche a-saut on vs þei gan make,
Þat of force þei han þe mayde take
From Alphenor, maugre al his rage.
And Polypheme vn-to my damage
With his knyȝtes so sore vp-on me lay,
Þat I myȝt vnneþe eskape a-way
To saue my lyf, compassid enviroun,
To deth purswyd of þat champioun.
But whan I sawe þer was non oþer geyn,
To fle þe deth, shortly for to seyn,
While þis geaunt most fersly on me sette
With my swerd oute his eye I smette;
And vn-to ship with my companye
I fledde in haste, þat no man myȝt espie
Where I be-cam, nor Alphenor my fere.
And whan þe wawes gon[ne] for to clere,
And gracious wynd gan to vs awake,
Þilk contre we han anoon forsake—
It was nat holsom for vs to abide.”
—But of þis man like as writ Ovide,
Poliphemus þe geaunt, out of drede,
Had an eye mydde of his forhede,
Whiche Vlixes smot out at a stroke;
And like þe bowes of a braunchid oke
Was al his heer & his longe berde,—
On whom to loke childer were a-ferd.
And whan þat he had[de] lost his siȝt,
A-monge þe hilles he renneth day & nyȝt,

829

In a rage, to fynde hym som refuge,
Cast[e] roches and grete stones huge
On euery part enviroun þe contre,
On Vlixes avenged for to be.
Þus seith Ovide, in conclusioun,
In his boke of transformacioun—
Methamorphoseos—þer ȝe may it se,
Whan-so-euere þat ȝour leyser be
Ceriously þe story for to rede.
And in writinge forþe I wil procede,
How Vlixes, with face ded and pale,
To Ydumee told[e] forþe his tale,
Rehersyng þus, supprised & a-wapid:
“Fro Polipheme whan we wern eskaped,
Þoruȝ oure vnhap and infelicyte
In-to an yle myddes of þe see
We were dryve, whan it gan to nyȝte;
And Elodium þat litel kyngdam hyȝte,
Wher þat Circes, þe gret enchaunteresse,
Þilke tyme was lady and goddesse,
Þat koude hir craft so wonderly performe,
Al sodeynly a man for to transforme
To haue þe liknes (& lesen his resoun)
Of hors or bere, tigre or lyoun,
Wolf or fox, or what hir list deuise—
Hir dredful craft was shapen in swiche wise,
So myȝti wern hir straunge pociouns,
Her letuarye[s] and confecciouns.
And she also so fair vp-on to se,
Þat fro hir power to man myȝt[e] fle.
For be þe werke of þis sorceresse,
I was so fonned vppon hir fairnesse,
Þat finally þus with me it stood:
Þat al a ȝere I with hir [a]bood,
And pleynly had power noon ne myȝt
For to depart, nouþer day ne nyȝt,

830

So lusti was þe lyf þat I ladde,—
In whiche tyme by me a child she hadde,
Riȝt inly fair & goodly to þe siȝt.”
—And Thelagonivs in sothnes he hiȝt,
Whiche afterward, I [wel] reherse can,
By processe wex a manly man.—
“And be my sotil secre prouidence,
Of hir craft I hadde experience,
Þat maugre hir enchauntementes olde,
I stale a-way—she myȝt[e] me nat holde.
And finally my fate to conclude,
With my konnyng hir craft I gan delude,
Þat with my men I skaped fro her hond
And went at large fre out of hir lond.
But al þis þing me litel dide availe;
For on my way as I gan to saile,
For al my sleiȝt, in a litel while
I blowe was vp in-to an yle
Wher Calypha, suster to Circes,
Was crowned quene, & held her scepter in pes;
Whos craftis wern so myȝty & so strong,
Maugre my wil she held me þer ful long.
But she, in soþe, to speke of wommanhed,
Of bounte, fredam, and of goodlyhed,
Surly had so souereyn excellence,
Þat myn abood to me was noon offence.
But who-so-euere þer-at crye or clappe,
At þe last I skaped fro hir trappe
And cam to an yle, riȝt as any lyne,
Whiche specialy þoruȝ hiȝ power devyne
Ordeyned is of ȝore be myracle,
As it were, a spiritual oracle—
A man to haue in a temple þere
Sodeyn answere of what him list enquere,
Of questiouns and demaundes alle,
And of soule[s] what shal eke be-falle

831

Whan men ar dede & graven vnder stoon.
And I gan axe in þe temple anoon
Myn aventures þat shuld after swe,
And wher a man myȝt his fate eschewe;
And of al þis, lyk to myn entent,
I had answere ful conuenient—
Saue what befalleth whan a soule is goon,
Diffynycioun vn-to me was noon,
Swiche þing tasoile acordeþ nat to riȝt:
It is reserued vn-to Goddes myȝt,
And excedeth resoun & wit of man.
And fro þens forþe to seile I gan,
Dreven with wynde, & no part socoured,
Wher I was lyk to haue be deuourid
Of Caribdis, with his profounde welle,
Where Sirenes, Meremaydnes, dwelle,
Þat fro þe brest, with skalis siluer shene,
Ben of her shap fysches freshe & clene,
And vpper-more, Kynde doth compasse
Hem to apere femynyn of face,
Lyk virgines þat were of nature
With-oute spot, vndefouled pure.
And of custom, in wawis as þei flete,
Þe song of hem is so heuenly swete,
So angelik and ful of armonye,
Þat verrailly þe sugred melodie
Ravisshe wolde any man a-lyve,
Of inly Ioie almost his hert[e] ryue—
Make a man, of sodeyn hiȝe plesaunce,
Forȝete hym silf & lese his remembraunce,
Devoide hym clene from his owne þouȝt,
Til vnwarly he be to meschef brouȝt.
And with her song, or he take kepe,
He shal be brouȝt in a mortal slepe;
And þei anoon—it may not be withdrawe—
Wil drenche his ship lowe vnder þe wawe!

832

Þus þe swetnes of her heuenly soun
Bringeth a man to confusioun—
Who-so-euere by her boundis pace.
But with þe lif I eskaped by grace:
For myn erys with wex & gommys clere
Were stoppid so, þat I ne myȝt[e] here
Touche nor werble of her instrumentis,
Wher-by þe resoun of [a] man y-blent is.
And, finally, þoruȝ my sotilte,
I and my men ben eskapid fre,
Seiling forþe, al mat of werynesse,
Til we cam vp, with ful gret distresse,
At Phenyce, & toke a-noon þe lond,
Cast anker, and oure shippes bond.
But, sothly, þer it fil vs ful vnfaire;
For þe peple, cruel and contraire,
Only of malis fil on me anoon,
And slowe my men almost euerychon;
Tresour & good, litel þat I hadde,
Was me by-raft; and al with hem þei ladde;
And fewe of hem þat wer left alive,
Þei token hem & put in prisoun blyve.
Þus haþ Fortune lad me on her daunce
With litel Ioie and plente of meschaunce,
Of whos daunger lerned and expert,
I am falle in meschef and pouert;
And with gret dool & sorwe ful my brest,
On se and londe, by souþe & nat by est
I am com vn-to ȝoure presence,
And haue declared pleinly in sentence
Myn auentures to ȝoure worþinesse,
Of trust only and of feithfulnesse
Þat I haue to ȝow in special.
And now I haue rehersid & told al
To ȝoure hiȝnesse in my best[e] wyse,
With-oute more—to me it doth suffise.”

833

Of þe grete comforte that kynge Ydumeus shewed to Vlyxes; and howe kynge Alpheon, for his grete wysdam, ressavyd hym worshipfully, and conveyed hym to his kyngdam.

And þauȝ in hert he was constreyned sore,
Þilk[e] tyme Vlixes spak no more,
But held his pes, ful hevy in lokyng.
And Ydumeus lik a gentil kyng
Counforted hym al þat euere he myȝt,
And besy was his hert[e] for to liȝt,
And hym besouȝt his heuynes[se] lete,
And as long as hym list in Crete
With hym abide,—he made hym surete
He shuld[e] faren also wel as he,
And nat want of what may do him ese.
And whan his sorwe som-what gan apese,
Þat his rage drow vn-to an ende,
Leue he toke, & seide he wolde wende
Oute of þat londe home to his contre.
But first þe kyng, of fredam & bounte,
Ȝaf vn-to hym gret riches and array,
And what-so-euere was vn-to his pay,
Gold, tresour, & many oþer þinges;
And at þe partynge of þese tweyne kynges
Þere wer shippes whan him list to saile,
Redy stuffid with meyne and vitaile.
And þus Vlixes gan hym redy make;
And whan he haþe his leue fully take,
He hasted hym & toke anoon þe se,
And gan saile toward his contre.
But first he went to kyng Alphenoun,
Whiche passingly hadde affeccioun
To sen Vlixes at his home-comyng,
And desirous ouer al[le] thing
To han of hym newly aqueyntaunce:

834

For vn-to hym was inly gret plesaunce
To here hym talke, for his elloquence,
For his wysdam & his hiȝe prudence
And þer he was, after al his smert,
Receyved pleinly with a[s] glad [an] hert
As euere ȝit was any maner man
Siþen tyme þat þe world be-gan;
And to encres of his Felicite,
Þer herd he first of Penolope,
His trewe wyf, with-oute spot or blame,
Of whom ȝit grene is þe noble fame,
Whiche from hir lord, for al his long absence,
In þouȝt nor dede nevir dide offence,
But sothly was, boþe in chere & dede,
Þoruȝ-oute Grece example of wommanhede.
And ȝit was she, as bokes list expresse,
Þoruȝ-oute þe world merour of fairnes,
And among Grekis born of hiȝest blood,
Called of auctours boþe fair and good;
And ȝit seyn bokes of hir, douteles,
Was neuer noon þat had so gret pres,
But she hir kepte, chaunging for no newe,
Vn-to hir lord euere I-liche trewe,
Of hert [ay] oon, nat partid in-to tweyne,
Þat she is called quene & souereyne
Of wyfly trouþe in þis bokis olde.
And oft, I fynde, hir hert[e] wold[e] colde,
She turne pale for hir lord so ferre,
In hir closet to heren of þe werre,
Of drede she had, & for fere eke quake,
Of fantasies for hir lordes sake;
For his absence, boþe eve & morwe,

835

Was deth to hir & importable sorwe.
And ay, in sothe, for Ioie or any game,
Whan it fel she herd Hectoris name,
In any place anoon she fil a-swowne,
And gan hir silf al in teris drowne,
Of wommanhed so she was a-ferde
To here þe slauȝter of his mortal swerde,
List hir lord, of knyȝtly surquedie,
Hadde of fortune falle in iupartye,
Of hap or sort tamet þat worþi knyȝt,
Þat selde or neuer she felt hir hert[e] liȝt.
And many a dreme a-nyȝtes dide hir gaste,
Al þe while þat þe sege laste;
And euery play was venym in hir siȝt,
Whan þat she was from hir owne knyȝt:
For in þis world she had Ioie noon
Of hiȝe nor lowe, pleinly, but of oon,
For whos sake al myrþe she refuseth.
And who-so be þat in his hert[e] museth
Of any womman any þing but good,
Of malencolye mevid in his blood,
Lat hym aduerte of wisdam and [y-]se,
And remembre on Penolope,
For his decert list þat he be blamyd!
And, o Guydo, þou shuldest ben ashamed
To seyn of wyves any þing but wele:
For, in good feith, as fer as I can fele,
Þouȝ oon or two do among offence,
She þat is good þoruȝ hir prouidence
Is þer-of no þing for to wyte.
And þouȝ Guydo in his boke endite
Þe variaunce of Eleyne or Cryseyde,
Or Medea, þat for sorwe deyde,
Lete þer ageyn, of riȝt and equite,
Þe wyfly trowþe of Penolope,
Þe maydenhed of ȝong[e] Policene,

836

And þe goodnes of Eccuba þe quene,
Of Cassandra eke þe stedfastnes,—
And with al þis, take þe kyndenes
Of Pantasile, with-oute variaunce,
And put al þis to-gidre in balaunce,
And ȝe shal fynde, ȝif ȝe list acounte,
Maugre who grucchiþ, trouth[e] shal surmounte,—
I dar aferme—& bere a-weye þe pris:
Þer wil no man replie þat is wys,—
He were to feble in his oppinioun!
And while Vlixes was with Alphenoun,
It was to hym made relacioun
Of an hatful conspiracioun,
Þat certeyn lordis enviroun his contre
Ravisshe wolde his quene Penolope,
Maugre alle þo þat were þer ageyn,
Al-be þat she was euere I-like pleyn,
In hir trouþe stidefast as a wal.
Ȝet þei haue cast, pleynly, þat she shal
Be take of force, it may nat be eschewed,
But it so be in haste she be reskewed:
For þei hem cast þe tyme nat aiourne;
For day and nyȝt with hir [þei] soiourne,
Inly in herte for loue disamaied.
But of wisdam she haþe hem so delaied,
Þat þer was noon so manly nor so sage,
Þat koude of hir geten avauntage,
So avise she was in hir wirkyng.
And whan Vlixes conceyved al þis þing,
And fully knewe by open evidence,
And also [had] in special credence
Sent vn-to hym fro Penolope,
Þe mater hool declaringe in secre,
His owne sone Thelamonevs,
He wexe in herte wood and furious,

837

And wolde make no delacioun,
But in al haste besouȝte Alphenoun,
Þe myȝti kyng, of his hiȝ bounte
To releue hym in his aduersite,
And þat he wold þoruȝ his myȝti hond
Of gentilnes conveye hym to his lond.
He graunteþ hym & seiþ nat onys nay;
And boþe two in ful gret array
Taken þe se whan þe wynd was good;
Wel fortuned, for no þing hem with-stood,
Þei be arived & hadde no lettyng,
Wher Vlixes, as ȝe han herd, was kyng.
And secrely a-nyȝt þei wer conveied
To hem þat han his ligaunce disobeied;
And merciles, or þei myȝt a-wake,
In her beddes þei han hem alle take,
Makyng noon prolongyng til þe morwe,
But in al hast, for no wyȝt durst hem borwe,
Smet of her hedes by iugement final
And set hem vp on þe castel wal,
Eueryche by oþer endelong þe rowe,
Vp-on þe hour whan þe cok gan crowe.
And þus al nyȝt þei kept hem silf[e] cloos,
Til þat Phebus meryly aroos
In þe orient, whan þe larke song;
And þo þis kynges with her meyne strong,
Freshely beseyn, entre þe cite.
Who was þo glad but Penolope!
Who made Ioie but þis goodly quene,
Ful desirous hir owne lorde to sene!
But ȝif I shulde al in ordre sette,
Þe grete myrþe þei made whan þei mette,—
Make rehersaile of compleintes olde,
And how þei gan her hertes to vnfolde
Eche to oþer, and list no þing concele,

838

And þe gladnes þat þei inly fele,—
Ȝif I shulde put al in memorie,
Þe reioisshinge and þe hertly glorie
Þat his liges made at his comynge,
Þe costis eke þei hadde at his metynge,
Þe ȝiftes grete and presentis riche,
—In al þis world, I trow[e], noon I-liche—
It were to long tariyng for my boke!—
And how þat he newe assuraunce toke
Of his lordis and his liges alle,
And how þat þei to his grace falle,
Þe chere he made eke to Alphenoun
Of gentilnes þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun,
And how þe douȝter, inly debonaire,
Of Alphenoun, Nausia þe faire,
By Vlixes mediacioun
I-wedded was vn-to Thelamoun,
Born by discent—þer may no man say nay—
To reioisshe his crowne after his day:
And þus cam in by his purviaunce
Of two regnes þe myȝti alliaunce,—
And how al þis brouȝt was to þe knotte,
Men wolde deme me pleinly to sotte,
To presume of oppinioun
For to delate a descripcioun,
Siþen Guydo, touching but þe chef
In þis mater, of stile was but bref,
Shortly rehersing how kyng Alphenoun
Repeired is hom to his regioun,
And Vlixes in his chefe cite
Abood stille with Penolope,
Where I hym leue in Ioie and in solace
Til Antropos likeþ to purchace
For to ficche finally þe date,
Þe thred [to] vntwyne of his lyues fate.

839

Howe Pirrus, the sonn of Achilles, scleughe Menalippus and Polistines, sonnes to Atastus, which kept kenge Pelle out of his kyngdam, to þe which Pirrus restoryd him ageyne.

Now mvste I ful besy ben a whyle,
To directe þe tracis of my stile
In discryving, shortly of entent,
Þe stok of Pirrus by lyneal discent,
Myn auctor folwe & be compendious—
Whos olde fader hiȝte Pelleus,
His granmoder called Thetides,
Of whiche two cam worþi Achilles,
Þat at Troye by tresoun lost his lyf;
And Dardanya called was his wyf,
Pirrus moder, & douȝter, as I rede,
Vn-to þe kyng called Lycomede,
Havyng a fader þat Atastus hiȝte,
Whiche, in sothnes, al þat euere he myȝt
Bare heuy herte to kyng Pelleus,
To Achilles and also to Pirrus,—
To al þe kyn, pleinly, on þat side.
And of malis, rancour, & of pride,
And of envie in an hatful rage,
Whan Pelleus falle was in age
He beraft hym boþe septer and crowne,
And from his se lowe aliȝte him downe;
And in-to exile, availle may no stryf,
He made hym go with Thetides his wif,
Of hiȝe disdeyn,—geyne may no grace,—
And in his hert gan day & nyȝt compasse
Þe deth of Pirrus,—kepe him ȝif he can!—
And þer-vp-on maliciously began
To shape a way, by await liggynge
Hym for to slen at his home comynge.
But þis Pirrus, from his treynes fre,
Many daunger eskaped of þe se,

840

Many wawe and many tempest wood,
With gret[e] los boþe of men and good,
At Malasus aldirfirst gan londe,
A strong cite a litel fro þe stronde,
Wher þat he was refreshed wonder wel.
And þer he knewe grounde & euerydel,
First of þe exile, like as men hym tolde,
Of Thetides and Pelleus þe olde,
And how Atastus bar to hym hatrede
Vn-to þe deth; wher-of he gan drede,
And þouȝt he wolde, as he þat was riȝt wys,
Be som engyn eschewen his malys,
And þer-vp-on don his besy peyne.
Now hadde Atastus oþer sonys tweyne,
Menalippus and Polistenes,
And a douȝter called Thetides.
And al þis while woful Pelleus,
In a castel olde and ruynous,
With Thetides, ful of sorwe and care,
For drede of deth day & nyȝt gan dare,
Dis[es]peired in his vnweldy age
Recur to finde of þis mortal rage,
Except þat he had an hope of ȝore
Þat Pirrus shuld help him and restore
At his repeir, whan-so þat it falle—
After whos comyng often he gan calle,
Þe tyme curse þat he so long abood.
But whan Pirrus al þis vndirstood
At Malasus by relacioun,
Ful faste he gan haste oute of þe toun,
Toke þe se and faste gan hym hyȝe
Toward þe lond called Thesalye,
Of entent to maken ordinaunce
On Atastus for to do vengaunce.
But aldirfirst, þis Pirrus ful prudent,
Espies tweyne he to-forn hath sent

841

To Thesalye forþe to-gidre goon;
And Crilippus called was þe ton,
And Adrastus named was his fere—
Þei wern expert, hem nedeth nat to lere.
In whos expleit, to more avauntage,
Þis Pirrus haþe direct his message
Of Thesalye to a citeȝeyn
Called Assandrus, a maner chamberleyn
With Pelleus, and whilom ful secre
While he was flouringe in felicite.
And whan Pirrus, in conclusioun,
Knewe al þe sothe by relacioun,
On se nor lond hym ne list to tarie,
Al-be þat he fond þe wynde contrarie;
But he, eskaped many dredful stoundis,
Of Thesalye aprocheþ to þe boundis:
For Eolus hath his lust obeied,
And, of fortune wonderly conveied,
He driven was, as it wer, by grace
To ariven in þe same place
Wher Pelleus in a doolful cave
For drede of deth lay hym silf to saue,
Soule saue his wyf, with-outen any feris,
Al enclosed with busshes and with breris.
And Pirrus þer went vp first to londe,
Sool by hym silf walkyng on þe stronde,
Pensif and trist, and his weye toke
Where Pelleus in þe caue quoke,
Hauyng with hym þo noon oþer guyde
Saue his swerd hangynge by his syde.
And vnwarly, with a dredful hert,
Pelleus oute of þe caue sterte
Disamayed, of his lyf in doute,
Whan he behelde a knyȝt þere walke aboute,
And astonyd abood & stood ful stille,
Imaginynge þat he sawe Achille,
By þis Pirrus stondyng in þe place,

842

By alle þe signes shewid in his face:
For nature, with-oute variaunce,
Made hem so lik of chere & contenaunce,
Of forme, of shap, and lymys euerychon,
Þat difference in effect was noon.
And Pelleus, with-oute lenger space,
Gan anoon Pirrus to enbrace,
And abraide oute of his dedly þouȝt,
And for Ioie sette al his sorwe at nouȝt;
And gan to hym by & by declare
Boþe his exile and his euele fare,
His pitous lyf, his pouert & meschaunce,
And Fortunys fals[e] variaunce,
And of Adastus þe feruent hoot envie,
Þe cruelte and þe tyranye—
Ceriously he told Pirrus al.
And he, ful sobre, stood stille as a wal.
With face pale and in hert[e] wroth,
Specheles to ship a-geyn he gooth;
And þer [he] was informed, dout[e]les,
Þat Menalippus and Polistenes
And Adastus, to-gidre alle þre,
With huge array and a gret meyne
Þe same day, ful surquedous of pride,
Hunte a forest, a litel þere beside.
And whan Pirrus þer-of toke good hede,
With-oute a-bood chaunge gan his wede,
Ful porely, rent, and disarayed,
—Liche a man þat were for þouȝt dismaied—
Girt with his swerde, made no delay,
But to þe forest toke þe ryȝt[e] way,
Sool by hym silf, with-oute companye,
So secrely þat no man myȝt espie.
And as he drewe many diuers boundis,
He herd[e] hornes & vncouplyng of houndis;

843

And, like a man þat list make his mone
Fro siȝt of folke, he drewe him ay allone.
And, casuely disseuered fro þe pres,
First he mette with Polistenes,
Menalippus ridyng by his side;
And boþe two on Pirrus gan abide,
And boistously of hym to enquere
Fro whens he cam & also what he were,
So febly clad and of so pore estate,
Walkyng þere as he were disolat.
And lowly he of chere & contenaunce,
Stille and humble in his dalliaunce,
Answerid ageyn, & seyde how þat he
Fordriven was with meschef of þe se,
And affermyd, pale & no þing red,
His felaship drowned was and ded—
Fyve hundrid—þe wawes were so rage—
Of olde & ȝonge and of mydel age—
And he eskaped—þe tempest was so rif,
As he hem tolde,—vnneþe with þe lyf.
And, ouer-more, he tolde hem platly eke,
Towching his birþe, þat he was a Greke,
And went[e] þer, destitut of Ioie,
Late comen fro þe sege of Troye,
And besouȝt hem toward his lyving
To helpen hym with som refreshing,
As hym þat had catel loste and good,
Like as þei sawe naked how he stood,
Praiyng also, in hope it shulde availe,
Hym to releue with cloþing or vitaile,
To his refut sumwat to prouide.
And þei bad hym þat he shuld abide;
For þei wil wit, pleynly, what he can.
And þilk[e] whyle be-sides hem þer ran
A ful gret hert doun by þe riuer;
And Menalippus priked his courser,

844

As hym sempte it was to hym dewe,
Þoruȝ þinne & þikke only to purswe
He spareth nat, but alweye after rood;
And his broþer with Pirrus stille abood—
Polistenes—and toke of it noon hede,
But in al haste a-liȝte fro his stede,
On þe grene to reste hym þer beside,
As he þat was wery for to ryde,
With-oute meyne beyng hym silf[e] sool,
Lestynge of Pirrus þe compleint & þe dool.
But sodeynly, or he myȝt aduerte,
Cruel Pirrus ran hym to þe herte,
And left hym ded, lyggynge on þe plein.
Whan Menalippus repeired was ageyn,
Seynge his broþer baskyng in his blood,
And Pirrus eft, furious and wood,
With a face of colour pale and wan,
To Menalippus in his ire ran,
And slowe hym eke, or þat he toke hede.
And þus þei laie on þe grounde & blede,
Þe breþer two, with Pirrus swerd I-slawe.
And he anon aside gan hym drawe,
Metyng a knyȝt, wer it of sort or cas,
As seith þe story, called Cynaras,
Of whom Pirrus gan in hast enquere,
Whos man he was or what he dide [t]here;
And he answered, & made no tariynge,
He was servaunte with þe myȝti kyng
Called Atastus, lord of þat contre.
And Pirrus þo, of dedly enmyte,
With cruel swerde, al freshe & red of blod,
Ran hym þoruȝ-oute, as any lyoun wood.
And after þat þe forest he forsoke,
And in al hast þe riȝt[e] weye he toke
To ship ageyn, pale & blak of hewe,

845

And gan anon to araie hym newe,
Al in purpil, whiche, as clerkes telles,
Is for kynges & for no wyȝt elles.
And þanne Pirrus, freshe & wel be-seyn,
To þe forest repeired is ageyn,
Wher sodeynly of hap in his walkyng
In short while he mette with þe kyng,
Old Atastus, þat asked of Pirrus,
“What man art þou, [þat] be þi silf[e] þus
Walkest þus [here] al day to and fro?”
“Certes,” quod Pirrus, “ful of sorwe & wo,
Inly supprisid of hertly compleynyng,
Oon of þe sonys of Priamus þe kyng
I was whilom, put oute of memorie,
Whan þat Troye floured in his glorie,
Now refutles, in-to meschef brouȝt,
I walke sool, ful of care & þouȝt,
Fer in exile oute of Troie toun,
With cruel Pirrus to lyven in presoun,
Bounde vn-to hym, þouȝ me be ful loth,
Myn hond assured with many ful gret oth
Tobeye his lust in captiuite—
Lo, here is al,—þus it stant with me!”

Howe Atastus enquyred of Pirrus if he knewe ought of Pirrus governance, and Pirrus made him a synge to þe Cave wher Pelle was, to thentent to scley hym in lokenge thidere.

Atastus þo, of entencioun,
After many oþer questioun,
Enquered of hym in his daliaunce,
Ȝif he knewe ouȝt of Pirrus gouernaunce,
Or ȝif þat he koude ouȝt vnderstonde
Wher he hym kepte sith he cam to londe.
“I-wis,” quod he, “ȝif ȝe list hym haue,

846

He kepiþ hym cloos in þe ȝonder cave
Amonge bruskaile with a shrouded face,”—
Makyng a signe to þe same place.
And al was doon for an ydel maȝe:
For while þe kyng þedirward gan gaȝe,
Hasti Pirrus gan his swerd oute drawe
In purpos ful Atastus to haue slawe;
But wonderly, þe story can ȝow lere,
Quene Thetides dide anoon appere,
Al be-reyned with terys on hir face,
And gan þe swerd of Pirrus to embrace,
Preiyng him his dedly hond restreyne.
“Hastow nat slayn my ȝong[e] breþer tweyne?—
And now, allas! my fader, hoor and gray,
Merciles fro me wilt take a-way?
Put vp þi swerde! & no blood ne shede!
And haue pite vp-on þi kynrede,
And aduerte clerly to þe fyn,
How þou art come of þe same lyne,
And hatful is, who-so loke a-riȝt,
Vnkynde blood in euery mannys siȝt.”
And Pirrus þo, as any tigre wroþe,
Gan afferme, with many ful gret oþe,
Þat who-so grucche or a-geyn[e]s pleyne,
He shal hym sleen with his hondis tweyne:
“For hath nat he be fals extorcioun
Put Pelleus oute of his regioun,
Whiche is ȝour lord, & ȝe his trewe wif?—
Þat finally he shal lese his lyf,
And here anoon of myn hondis deye;—
In þis mater þer is no more to seye.”
But Pelleus, darynge in þe cave,
Of grace only list his lif to saue—
Al oþer help platly is for nouȝt.
And Pelleus was anoon forþe brouȝt,
Croked & olde, vnweldy eke to se,
And to-fore Pirrus fil doun on his kne,

847

Beseching hym with a pitous face
At his request taken hym to grace,
And þat he wold in his manly herte
Goodly considre þe dedly wo & smerte
Of Atastus, and þe mortal peyne
Þat he hadde for his sonys tweyne,
Whiche laie ded to-forn hym on þe grene,
“Slayn with ȝour swerde þat is so sharp & kene,
Whiche he ne may recuren in no wyse,
Þe sorwe of whiche ouȝt I-now suffyse,
Þouȝ ȝe on hym do no more vengaunce:
Al þis peised iustly in balaunce;
Sith he is hooly submitted to ȝour myȝt,
Takeþ now hym to merci anoon riȝt,
And late ȝoure swerd his age not consume—
Þis my request, as I dar presume.”
And þanne Pirrus, shortly for to seyn,
Whan he hadde put vp his swerd ageyn,
Seynge merci myȝt[e] most availe,
With-oute wordis or any rehersaile,
First of al, to-forn hem euerychon,
Þe kynges made accorden in-to oon,
By his wisdam, concluding vp in dede,
Þat eche of hem shulde his riȝt possede
In Thesalye, parted in-to tweyne,
Þat nouþer hadde mater to compleyne,
Eueryche to regne in his dewe se.
And while þei were to-gidre alle þre,
Oute of presence of any oþer man,
Atastus first þus his tale gan:

Howe Atastus resygnede his parte of the kyngdam of Thesalye to his cosyne Pirrus.

“Sirs,” quod he, “to ȝow is nat vnknowe
How þoruȝ age now I am brouȝt lowe,

848

And þoruȝ naturis kyndly mocyoun
Am wexe feble of wyt and [of] resoun,
Beyng vnweldy of my lymes alle
—So many ȝeris arn vp-on me falle—
And can vneþe any þing discerne,
To feble, in soth, a kyngdam to gouerne,
Of lyf nor deth takyng now noon hede,
Sith my sonys slay[e]n ben and dede,
And sool am left now with-oute eyr,
Of worldly lust fully in dispeir,
Þe tyme passed of my felicite.
Fortunys turne with mvtabilite
Hath tauȝt me, pleinly, I dar it wel expresse,
In worldly Ioie is no sikernesse,
Nor verray trust no while to abide;
But I wil now for my silf prouide,
And in al hast, by prudent puruyaunce,
Me discharge of al gouernaunce—
Ageyn my sort me list not maligne;
But septer & crowne frely I resigne,
Of Thesalye lordshipe & eke lond
Of my fre wil hool in-to þin hond,—
Þer schal no man reclayme nor seye nay,
Interupte nor make no delay
Touching þis þing, by no collusioun,
For I þe putte in pocessioun.”
And, here-vp-on, of al þat euere he seide
Makyng ful feith, his hond in his he leide,
Quene Thetides sittyng þere present.
And Pelleus, of þe same entent,
Vn-to Pirrus for his purpa[r]tye
Resigned eke þe riȝt of Thesalye,
Fully affermyng þat of ȝore a-go
His ful desire and his Ioie also
Was euere in oon his nevew to succede,
As riȝtful eyr his kyngdam to possede,

849

“And outerly, with-oute repentaunce,
Al þat longeþ [vn-]to my lig[e]aunce,
Septer & swerd, crowne & diademe,
So as a kyng lyf and deth to deme,
In-to þin hond, with-oute lenger date,
Þis same houre hooly I translate.”
And whan þe knotte of þis conuencioun
Was fully brouȝt to conclusioun,
Parformyd vp hool þe vnite
For euermore, atwen þese kynges þre,
Atastus knyȝtes, disseuered enviroun,
Oute of þe forest be descended doun,
And be bidding, platly, of her lord
Þei were echon sworn to þis acord.
And attonis þis lusti companye
To Thesalye fast[e] gan hem hiȝe;
And Pirrus folke, ligginge on þe se,
Be seiled forþe, streit to þe cite.
And Atastus doth sette a parlement,
Where openly he gaf commaundement
Þat alle his liges, of hiȝe or lowe estat,
With-oute strif or any more debate,
Specially of gentil blod y-born,
Þe same day to Pirrus to be sworn
Like her degres in þe royal halle,
To perseuere his trew[e] liges alle
Durynge her lyf, for ernest or for game.
And Pelleus commaunded haþe þe same
For his parti, with-outen any fraude.
And þus with Ioie & solemne laude,
Pirrus was of euery maner age
Gladly accepted to his heritage.
And on a day fortunat and good,
With glad aspectus whan þe heuene stood,
Wel according to swiche maner þing,
Worþi Pirrus was y-crowned kyng

850

Of Thesalye, þe riche regioun—
It were but veyn to make mencioun
Of her reuel ne her gret array,
Nor of þe fest made þe same day,
Eke in þe story I fynde it nat, in soth.
I wyl passe ouer as myn auctor doth—
Saue in his boke it is specefied
Þat þe kyngdam was fer magnified
Of Thesalye by þe grete myȝt
Of þis Pirrus, whilom so good a knyȝt,
Where I leue hym in his royal se,
Tournyng agayn to kyng Ydumee,
Whiche in þis while was graue vnder stoon.
And after hym, his sone Mereoun,
Þe story seith, was crownyd king of Crete;
But a while regnyng in quyete,
He deide also—it wold[e] be noon oþer.
And þanne anon Leorica, his broþer,
As riȝtful eyr be successioun
Was crowned kyng of þat regioun,
In whiche tyme Atastus, out of drede,
By þassent of Pirrus, as I rede,
Ful besi was to make in special
A riche toumbe, passyngly royal,
Where buried wern with ful huge pres
Menalippus and Polistenes,
Boþe two in þe forest slawe
Þoruȝ Pirrus swerde, be ful cruel lawe—
Of hem can I noon oþer processe make,
But euene her fully my leve I take
Of hem boþe, and also eke yfere
Of Atastus, her owne fader dere,
Of whom, sothly, for al his lokkes hore,
In Troye boke rede I can no more.
But now mvst I ageyn to Pirrus wende,
To write of hym þe sory woful ende,

851

Whiche, whan he sat hiȝest in his se,
Made ful blind with veyn prosperite,
Gouernyng þe lond of Thesalye,
He falsly fil in-to a fantasie
To sette his loue on Hermyon þe quene,
Horestes wyf, regnynge in Methene,
For whom he brent hoot as any fyre.
And in fulfillyng of his foule desire,
His purpos hool þus he brouȝt aboute:
Hir rauyssynge whil hir lord was oute,
Lad hir hoom & hilde hir as his wyf,
Semyng to hym it was a blisful lyf
And ful reles of his peynes smerte.
Of whiche Horestes bar ful hevy herte,
And cast hym pleynly avengid for to be
Whan he may haue opportunyte;
For þilk[e] tyme, þouȝ he had[de] wrong,
He was to feble & Pirrus was to strong.
Whiche held also, in stori it is tolde,
Andronomeca with hym in housholde,
Hectoris wyf, by whom whylom she had
A litel child, whiche with hir she lad—
Þe sege complet and destruccioun—
Whan she was brouȝt out of Troye toun:
Lamedonta, I fynde, was his name,
Encresyng after to ful worþi fame.
And by Pirrus she had a sone also
Called Achilleydos, so as writ Guydo;
And þis wommen, for al hir gret estate,
Atwen hem silf amonge wern at debate:
And Hermonye, in hir Ire al hoot,
In compleynyng to hir fader wrot
Þat hir fere, for al hir hiȝe degre,
Andronomeca was cherisshed bet þan she
Of kyng Pirrus, besechyng Menelay
Tenhasten hym, in al þat euere he may,
Come hym silf anoon þat it were do,

852

To sle þis woman & hir childe also.
And he bood nat, but faste gan him hiȝe,
In an hete, towarde Thesalye
To be venged with his swerde of stele
Vp-on hir þat trespasseþ neuer-a-dele.
But maugre hym, in al his cruelte,
She was reskewed myd of þe cite.
It is a þing whiche haþ nat ben herd:
To a womman a kyng to drawe his swerd—
I wil no more in þis mater dwelle,
In maner shamed it to write or telle.

How Cruelly kynge Horrestes, in the Tempylle of Appollo within the Ille of Delos, scleugh Pirrus, for that he had ravisshede quene Hermone, his wyff, and here kept in avoutreye.

But þis was doon while Pirrus of corage
To Delos was goon on pilgrymage,
Havyng with hym but a litel rout,
To Appollo to knelen & to loute,
For þe soule to preyen of Achille,
And his avowes also to fulfille,
And þanken hym with humble affeccioun
Of good expleit he had at Troye toun,
And for wreche, also, þat was take
At þe cite for his faderis sake.
But al þis þing here y-specified
Kyng Horestes warly hath espied,
And to Delos gan hasten him ful riȝt,
Ledyng with hym many lusty knyȝt;
And vnwarly he with Pirrus mette,
And vengably vp-on hym he sette,
Þat finally in þat straunge londe
Horestes slow hym with his owne hond.

853

I fynde, in soth, he made no diffence,
So sodeyn was þe mortal violence
Of his enmy, he koude nat asterte:
For or þat he myȝt his swerd aduerte,
He was on hym enviroun al be-set,
Þilke tyme it myȝt[e] be no bet;
For þer was nouþer socour nor declyn.
Þus was Pirrus brouȝt vn-to his fyn,
Late crowned kyng of Thesalye.
Lo, here þe guerdoun of avout[e]rie!
Lo, how þe mede and reward is ful rif,
To mysuse anoþer mannys wyf!
It is no drede, folowe shal vengaunce,
Sodeyn deth, or vnwar meschaunce,
Whiche euery man gretly ouȝte charge.
And in Delos in a temple large
Kyng Pirrus was lokked vnder stoon;
And Horestes forthe his weie is goon,
And by force gat his wyf ageyn—
Þer was no wyȝt durste hym þo with-seyn—
And to Methene proudly is repeired.
And Thesalye, pitously dispeired,
Destitut, as þei þat can no red,
Whan þei wist her worþi kyng was ded—
And eyr was noon, by successioun
To gouerne þat noble regioun
Saue Achilleydos, þat but litel a-forn
In Pirrus abscence was in Grece born,
Fully of age nat a quarter clene:
Þe ȝouþe of whom, sothly, was to grene,
Who liste considre, & to tendre of myȝt,
Ful many day, to reioishe his riȝt,
And to gouerne with septer in his hond
Þe large boundis of so gret a lond.
And ȝit þis child, likly and riȝt faire,
In verray soth was born to ben eyre

854

After Pirrus: þis is þe trouth[e] pleyn—
Þer was no man þat list it with-seyn.
But, I fynde, whan he cam to age
He resigned hool his herytage
To his broþer frely and his riȝt—
Lamedonte, a wonder manly knyȝt,
Þat was discendid of Troianysshe blood,
Doun fro þe stook of hym þat was so good,
Flour of knyȝthod, diffence of Frigia,
Þat hym begat on Andronomeca—
Ordeyned now, who-so gruche or frowne,
Of Thesalye for to bere þe crowne.
And whan he was made lord of þat lond,
And al was frely resigned to his hond,
He hath comaunded, no man dar replie,
Þoruȝ þe kyngdam of al Thesalye,
Þat alle þat wern in captiuite
Or prisoners of Troye þe cite,
For loue or hate, excepcioun was noon,
Þat alle shulde at her large goon,
By ful assent of Achilleydos;
And swiche as wern eke in presoun cloos,
With-oute raunsoun shal deliuered be,
And reioisshe þe fulle liberte
By custom vsid, boþe in borwe & toun,
Of þe liges of þat regioun.
And þus þe folke þat cam þral fro Troye
Restored ben sodeinly to Ioie
By Lamedonte, and I-maked fre.
And he eke regned in his royal se
Ful myȝtely, as I haue made mynde;—
In Troye boke no more of hym I finde,
Nor of Pirrus, nor of his kynred.
Fro hens forþe I can no processe rede,
But incidentes þat bere no substaunce,
Whiche were but veyn to put in remembrance,

855

—Except myn auctor, I not to what entent,
Here Impeth in a litel incident
I-wrouȝt & doon of ful ȝore a-goon,
Touching þe deth of þe kyng Menon,
Whiche be envie of cruel Achilles
Was slawe, in soth, among Mirundones,
Only for he proudly gan purswe
Vp-on Achilles Troylus to reskwe.
Whom kyng Priam made buried be
Beside Troylus in Troye þe cite,
In a temple y-bilt of marbil olde.

Howe quene Menone, longe aftire that she dyed, kam to þe towmbe of here husbonde, & karide away his bones.

And to what fyn [þat] þis tale is tolde,
In þis chapitle I shal reherse anoon:
Þe noble quene of þis kyng Menon,
After þe tyme long & many day
Þat she was ded & grauen vnder clay,
At hys toumbe heuenly gan appere
Al be-set with briȝt[e] sterris clere,
Whos similitude, for to rekne al,
Was lyke a þing þat were immortal,
Þat no man myȝt outterly sustene
To beholde,—of lok she was so shene,—
Doun discendyng fro þe firmament,
Ful many man being þere present,
Clad in a mantel ful celestial,
And of hir port passingly royal,
With swet[e]nes freshe as any rose,—
Made in al haste þe toumbe to vnclose
Of hir lord, & takeþ oute þe bonys,
And in a cheste made of gold & stonys

856

She couched hem, as fast as euer she may,
Disapered, & wente anoon hir way.
And to-for þat nor after, in certeyn,
In þilke place she was neuer seyn.
Somme affermyng, as by liklynes,
She was ouþer aungel or goddes,
Þe soule or fate of þe same kyng—
I can not deme in swiche heuenly þing,
Nor þer-in holde noon oppinioun,
For it transcendeth, shortly, my resoun.
And me list nat in swiche mater diffyne,
But resort riȝt as any lyne
To Vlixes, & a while dwelle,
Of his ende þe surplus for to telle,
And how þat he myȝt[e] nat eskape
Þe parodye, þat was for hym shap;
For Parchas han his laste terme set,
And Antropos mesured oute & met
His lyues þrede, on þe rokke sponne.
Defende þi silf, Vlixes, ȝif þou konne!
Shewe þi manhod, & be nat afferde,
And be wel war of þi sonys swerde!
For I shal now, lyk as I am wont,
Sharpen my penne, boþe rude & blont,
To descryue þe fyn of þi soiour,
Vp-on þe boundis set of my labour:
For almost wery, feint & waike I-now
Be þe bestes & oxes of my plow,
Þe longe day ageyn þe hil to wende.
But almost now at þe londes ende
Of Troye boke, ficche I wil a stake,
Saue I mote spende a fewe lines blake
Þe laste chapitle shortly to translate
Of al þis werke, and ympen in þe date
Of þilke day deth sette on hym arest,
Ful execute by hym he louede best.

857

Of A wonderful dreme that kynge Vlyxes had, and þe last in his days, which was a[ss]ingede by his clerkes, that one next of his blode shulde gyve hym his dethes wounde.

Lowe on my knees now I muste loute
To þilk[e] god þat makeþ men to route,
And causeth folke to haue glad[e] swevenes,
Boþe at morwe & on lusti evenes,
Whan Morpheus, with his slepi wond,
Whiche þat he holdeth alweie in his hond,
Hath marked hem a-geyn þe dirke nyȝt,
To maken men boþe mery and lyȝt,
And somwhile for to han gladnes,
And sodeynly to falle in hevynes,
Lik as to hem he ȝeveth euydence
By sondry signes in his apparence.
Vn-to þat lord now moste I mekely preie,
At þis tyme my stile to conveye
Of Vlixes þe dreme to discrive,
Þe laste of alle he hadde be his lyue,
Declaryng hym be tokenes ful notable
And by signes verray demonstrable,
As he slepte ageyn þe pale mone,
His fatal day þat shulde folwe sone.
For it fel þus: as he a-bedde lay,
After mydnyȝt, to-fore þe morwe gray,
Hym þouȝt he sawe appere a creature
To his siȝt celestial of figure—
Noon erthely þing, but verraily devyne,
Of port, of chere wonder femynyne,
And, as hym sempte in his fantasye,
Like a þing sent oute of fair[i]e;
For þe bewte of hir goodly face
Recounforted, pleynly, al þe place,
Moste surmountynge & most souereyne;
And þe clernes of hir eyne tweyne,

858

Al sodeynli, or men myȝt aduerte,
Perce wolde euene to þe herte—
Diffence noon myȝt[e] be devysed.
And Vlixes, with hir loke supprysed,
Gan hir beholde al-weie more & more,
And in his slep for to siȝe sore,
Presyng ay with ful besy peyne
Hir tenbracen in his armys tweyne;
But ay þe more he presed hir to se,
Ay þe more from hym [she] gan to fle;
And ay þe more [þat] he gan purswe,
She ageynwarde gan hym to eschwe,
So contrarie to hym was fortune!
And whan she sawe he was importune,
She axed hym, shortly, what he wolde;
And he to hir þe plat[te] trouþe tolde:
“Certis,” quod he, “my lyues emperesse,
Wher þat ȝe ben woman or goddes
I can not deme nor Iugen half ariȝt,
I am so dirked and blendid in my siȝt;
But I dar wel affermyn in þis place,
My lyf, my deth stant hooly in ȝour grace,
More of merci requiryng þanne of riȝt
To rewe on me, whiche am ȝour owne knyȝt,
And of pite and compassioun
Goodly to sen to myn sauacioun:
For my desire but I may fulfille,
Þis silf[e] nyȝt to haue of ȝow my wille,
To my recure I can no remedie,
For lak of rouþe but I most[e] dye.
Now haue I al, a-twexe hope & drede,
My silf declared to ȝoure wommanhede.”
And after þat she kepte hir clos a while,

859

And ful sadly gan on hym to smyle,
And, as it is put in remembraunce,
Seyde vn-to hym, with sobre countenaunce:
“Sothly,” quod she, “þin affeccioun
Wolde fully turne to confusioun
Of vs boþe, it is so perillous,
So inly mortal and contagious,
Þat outterly, þer geyn[e] may no red,
But oon of vs moste anoon be ded—
Þis is þe fyn of þe hatful chaunce
Þat shulde folwe after oure plesaunce.”
And as Vlixes gan to neyȝe nere,
Beholdyng ay on hir heuenly cher,
Where-as she stood vpriȝt on þe grounde,
He sawe hir holde a spere longe & rounde,
Þe hed þer-of al of burned stele,
Forged new & grounde wonder wele;
And þer-vppon in his avisioun
He sawe a baner blased vp & doun,
Þe felde þer-of al [of] colour ynde,
Ful of fysshes betyn, as I fynde,
And in som bokys like as it is tolde,
In þe myddes a large crowne of golde.
And or þat she turne gan hir face,
Likly anoon to parte oute of þe place,
She spak to hym, & seyde in wordes pleyn:
“Þis ful tokene of partyng of vs tweyn
For euere-more, nowþer for sour nor swete,
After þis day neuer ageyn to mete!”
And, disapering, anoon hir leue she toke.
And after þat he sodeynly a-woke,
And gan to mvse in his fantasie
What þing þis dreme myȝt[e] sygnyfie;
But wher it ment owþer euel or good,
Þe secrenes he nat vndirstood,
For it surmountid, sothly, his resoun.

860

Þer-fore he sent þoruȝ his regioun
For swiche as wern sotil expositours
Of fate or sort, or crafti devinours,
For alle þe clerkis soget to his crowne,
Tassemble in oon his sweuene to expowne.
And whan þei knewe be informacioun
Þe maner hool of his avisioun,
Þei conclude, accordynge in-to oon,
Þe tyme aprocheþ & shal come anoon
Þat oon þat is nexte of his kynrede
With a spere shuld[e] make hym blede.
—Lat se wher he his fate can remewe!
Siþ it is hard destyne to eschewe,
As seyn þo folke in þer oppinioun,
Þat werke & truste on constellacioun.—
And Vlixes, mvsyng on þis tale,
Chaungeth colour & gan wexe pale,
Wonder dredful & ful of fantasies,
Gan in hym-silf seke remedyes
To voide a-weie þing þat wil nat be—
He stareth brode, but he may nat se,
His inward loke was with a cloude shent;
But wenyng he to haue be prudent,
Made calle his sone Thelamoun,
And to be take & shette vp in presoun,
He supposyng fully in his wit
Fro alle meschef þer-by to go quyte—
He nat aduerteth nor ne toke noon hede
To þe sharpnes of [þe] speris hed,
Nor to þe fysshes in þe baner bete,
Nor to þe se, wher þei swymme & flete,
Nor of þe quene þat called is Circes,
Þat signes brouȝt of werre & nat of pes,
Nor of þe crowne, tokene of dignite
Of oon þat shal holde his royal se,
Mid þe wawes, boþe fel & wood,

861

Amonge þe fysshes in þe large flood;—
And he shal make þe devisioun,
To-forne remembrid in thavisioun,
Ageyn his wil, of verray ignoraunce,
And execute þe fatal purueiaunce
Vp of þe dreme with his spere of stele,
Whiche Vlixes considereth neuere-a-dele,
Nor to no wyȝt hath suspecioun
But to his sone called Thelamoun,
Þat is closed & shet vp in a tour.
And Vlixes, with coste & gret labour,
Fro day to day doth his besynes
For hym-silf to make a forterresse,
Bilt on a roche, of lym & square stonys,
Depe diched aboute for þe nonys,
Þat no man may entre on no side,
Where he casteþ al his lyue tabide
With certeyn men chose in special,
Niȝt & day to wache on þe wal
Þat no wyȝt shulde haue [noon] entre,
But it so falle þat he be secre,
Knowe of olde, and to counceil sworne.
Now, as þe story rehersed hath to-forne,
Þe olde fool, þis dotard Vlixes,
A sone hadde be-geten on Circes—
Freshe & lusti, ȝonge and coraious;
And he was called Thelagonyus,
Born in þe se amonge þe flodis rage,
Þat was also, [for] to rekne his age,
Fyue & twenti ȝere or þere a-boute;
But of his fader he was ay in doute
What man he was or who it myȝt[e] be,
Beinge þere-of in noon-surete.
Til on a day he, desirous to knowe,
To his moder fil on knees lowe,
Beseching hir, goodly (& nat spare)
Of his fader þe trouþe to declare;

862

What he was, & where he shulde dwelle,
He besouȝt þat she wolde telle.
But, sothly, she long and many daies
Of prudence put hym in delayes,
Til þat she sawe she myȝt haue no reste,
So inportune he was in his requeste;
And whanne she knewe þer was non oþer bote,
Fro point to point she tolde hym crop & rote
Of Vlixes, & where þat he was kyng.
And he anoon made no lettyng,
But toke leve—it may no better be—
And seide pleinly he wolde his fader se;
Wher-of þe quene gan in herte colde.
But whan she sawe she myȝt him nat with-holde,
She hym besouȝt, with chere debonaire,
Þat he wolde sone ageyn repeire.
And forthe he seileth onward on his wey,
With-oute abood, þe silf[e] same day,
By many port and many fer contre,
Til he was brouȝt þere he wolde be—
To Achaia, a lond of gret renoun.
And he gan cerche þoruȝ þe regioun
After þe place and paleis principal
Where-as þe kyng helde his se royal;
And he so long in þe contre rood,
Til he was tauȝt where þe kyng abood,
Þer Vlixes was shet vp in mewe,
To whiche place in haste he gan purswe,
A gret party releued of his sorwe.
And on a Monday, erly be þe morwe,
Vn-to þe brigge þe riȝt[e] weie he toke,
And fond a porter deynous of his loke;
And lowly first he gan hym to preie
Þat he wold goodly hym conveie
In-to þe courte, & make no tariyng,
For a message he hadde to þe kyng.
But proudly he denyed hym þe gate,

863

And shortly seide þat he cam to late
To entre þere in any maner wyse,
And vngoodly gan hym to dispise,
Frowarde of speche and malicious.
But in al haste Thelagonyus,
As he þat was in herte nat afferde,
Þe proude porter hent[e] be þe berde,
And with his fyste brast his chawle boon,
Þat he fil ded, mvet as a stoon;
And oþer eke þat hym þo with-stood
He made proudly to lepe in-to [þe] flood;
And whan mo cam to make resistence,
He hent a swerde, be manly violence,
And furiously in his Irous tene
(Þe story seith) he slowe of hem fiftene,
Hym-silfe al-moste wounded to þe deth,
And gan, for-wery, sothly, faile breth.
And Vlixes, what for noise & soun,
To þe brigge is descendid doun,
Findinge his men at entre of þe gate
Ded & slayn be ful mortal hate;
And he ful Irous hent anoon a darte,
Of auenture stonding þo a-parte,
And cruelly caste at Thelagoun.
But þe stroke, as in conclusioun,
Damageth nat, for it glood a-side;
And he for haste no lenger wolde abide,
Hent vp þe darte, with-oute more areste,
And smot þe kyng lowe vnder þe breste
Þoruȝ þe ribbes, shortly for to seie,
[Þat] Of þe wounde he moste [nedis] deie,—
Having þo noon oppinioun
Þat he was kyng, nor suspecioun,
Nor þat he had his owne fader slawe.
Whiche faste gan to his ende drawe;
His wounde was so dedly & so kene

864

Þat he myȝt him silve nat sustene,
But pale & wan to þe grounde gan glide,
His men aboute vp-on euery side,
Þat besy wern to help hym and releue.
But his sore gan so ake and greve
Þat he wel felte þat he mvste be ded;
But abrayding, as he lifte vp his hed,
Havyng as ȝit mynde & good resoun,
Remembre gan on his avisioun,
And how it was tolde him, oute of drede,
Þat oon þat was nexte of hys kynrede,
Descendid doun from his owne lyne,
His sweuene shal parforme to þe fyne
And a-complisshe with a dart of stele.
And for he coude nat conceyve wele
What þat he was, nor who it shulde be,
He bad anoon vn-to his meyne,
With-oute harme or any violence
Fette anoon vn-to his presence
Þe ȝonge man whiche at þe gate stood,
Þat hath þat day shad so moche blood.
And whan he was a-forn Vlixes brouȝt,
Of hym he hath enquered oute & souȝt,
Firste of his kyn and nexte of his contre:
“Certis,” quod he, “I was born in þe se,
Amonge fysshes myd þe wawes grene,”—
And seide also his moder was a quene
Called Circes, of whom þe name is kouþe
Boþe Est & west, and riȝt fer be souþe,
And tolde also his fader was a kyng,
Þat hym begat at his home-comyng
Fro Troye toun, toward his contre;—
“And as my moder Circes tolde me
Secrely, þat he Vlixes hiȝte,
Of wham desirous for to han a siȝte,
I entred am þis myȝti regioun,
And haue pursuyd vn-to þis dongoun

865

Only in hope my fader to haue seyn;
But I se wel my labour is in veyn.
And sith, in soth, loste is my traueyl,
And þat it may on no side aveyle,
It were foly lenger here to dwelle:
Lo, here is al þat I can ȝou telle
Of my kynred; axeth me no more.”
With þat Vlixes gan to syȝe sore,
For lak of blood, as he þat was ful pale,
And seide anoon, whan he herde his tale:
“Now wote I wel my woful destine
Fulfilled is—it may noon oþer be!—
Now wote I wel þat it is to late
To grucche or strive ageyn my pitous fate;
For my sone, as clerkes whylom tolde,
Hath made an ende of my daies olde,
Þer-on expectant, with peynes ful greuous!”
And, with þat word, Thelagonyus,
Whan he wist ageyn natures lawe
Þat he, allas! hadde his fader slawe,
Whiche in þat lond long[e] bar his crowne,
With-oute abood he fil anoon a-swo[w]ne,
His cloþes rent, his ȝolwe here to-torn:
“Allas!” quod he, “þat euere was I born!
For cursid is my woful destine
And my fortune, whiche I may nat fle!
Cursid my sort, cursid myn auenture!
And I, refus of euery creature,
Forwaried eke my disposicioun,
And cursid is my constellacioun—
Cursed also and infortunat
Þe hour in whiche my fader me [be]gat!
So wolde God, with-oute lenger red,
—Taquiten hym anoon—þat I were ded,
To leie my lif for his deth to borwe!”
And whan þe kyng sawe his gret[e] sorwe,

866

And wist he was his sone of Circes born,
By many signe rehersed here-to-forn,
He vn-to hym anoon for-gaf his deth,
As he myȝt for want & lak of breth,
So importable was his passioun.
And his sone ycalled Thelamoun,
Whiche haþ in presoun so many day be shet,
To his presence in al haste was fet;
Whiche, whan he saw his fader in swiche point,
Vp-on þe deth stondyng in disioint,
And knewe also, & þe trouþe [haþ] founde
By whom he had his laste dedly wounde,
A swerd he hent, &, mortally Irous,
And wolde haue ronne on Thelagonivs,
Of hiȝe dispit avenged for to be.
But Vlixes of faderly pite
Made his men hold hym & restreyne;
And amyd of al his greuous peyne,
By his prudence—& þat was don anoon—
He made his sones for to be al oon;
And gaf in charge vn-to Thelamoun,
Of enternes and affeccioun,
And of hool herte, feyned neuer-adel,
Al his lyue to loue his broþer wel,
To parte with hym tresour, gold, & good,
As to þe nexte born of al his blood.
And þo, in soth, was no lenger taried,
Þat Vlixes rially was caried
Of Achaya to þe chefe cite;
And after þat lyued daies þre,
With-oute more, & þo gaf vp þe gost.
I can nat seyn, pleynly, to what cost,
After þis lyf þat his soule is goon,

867

But in a towmbe of metal & of stoon
Þe body was closed and yshet;
And after þat maked was no let,
Þat Thelamoun, with gret sollennite,
I-crowned was in his fadres see,
Swerd & septer deliuered to his hond
Of Achaya, a ful worþi lond,
Riȝt abundaunt of tresour & of good.
And Thelagoun with hym þer abood
A ȝere complet, wel cherisshed in his siȝt,
And of his broþer toke þe ordre of knyȝt;
And for hym list no lenger þer abide,
Þe kyng for hym wysly gan prouide,
Þat he with gold, gret tresour, & plente
Repeired is home to his contre;
And his moder, of age wex[e] sad,
Of [his] repeire passingly was glad,
As she þat sawe be hir sorserie
He skaped was many iupartie,
Many pereil, & many gret distresse.
And after þat, she fil in-to seknesse,
And hir dette ȝalde vn-to nature,
Whiche eskape may no creature
In al þis world þat is here lyuyng.
After whos deth hir sone was made kyng
Of Aulydos, þe merueillous contre,
As I haue tolde, enclosed with a see,
Amonge rokkes, wher many shippes drowne;
And sixti ȝere þer he bar his crowne,
Þis manly man, [þis] Thelagonyus.
And his brother, Thelamonyus,
Regned also in his regioun
Seuenti wynter, as made is mencioun.
And after þat, þei made a royal ende,
And boþe two to Iubiter þei wende,

868

To regne þere among þe sterris briȝt.

But now þe lanter and þe clere liȝt
Is wastid oute of Frigius Darete,
Whilom of Troye wryter & poete,
Guyde haue I noon, forþe for to passe:
For euene here in þe silf[e] place
He ficched hath þe boundis of his stile,
At þe sege he present al þe while,
And ay in oon with hem dide abide—
Dites þe Greke on þe toþer side.
And boþe two as in her writyng
Ne varie nat but in litel þing
Touching mater, as in special,
Þat is notable or historial:
I do no fors of incidentes smale,
Of whiche, in soth, it is but litel tale.
Saue þis Dites maketh mencioun
Of þe noumbre slay[e]n at þe toun
Lastinge þe sege, affermyng, out of drede,
Eyȝte hundrid þousand & sixe wer þer dede
On Grekis side, vpriȝt in þe felde;
And as Dares also þere behelde,
On Troye party in þe werre kene
Six hundrid þousand seuenti & sixtene
Were slay[e]n þere—in Guydo ȝe may se—
With hem þat cam to help[e] þe cite
Fro many coost & many regioun,
In diffence & reskus of þe toun.
And ful ten ȝere, so as I can caste,
And sixe monþes þe myȝti sege laste,
Or it was gete,—Dares writ hym silve—
And, ouermore, complet dayes twelve
Or Grekis hadde ful pocessioun,
By fals engyn of þe Greke Synoun,

869

Like as to-forn rehersid was but late.
I haue no more [of] latyn to translate
After Dites, Dares, nor Guydo,
And me to adden any more þer-to
Þan myn auctours specefie & seyn,
Þe occupacioun, sothly, wer but veyn,
Lik a maner of presumpcioun.
And tyme complet of þis translacioun,
By iust[e] rekenyng & accountis clere,
Was a þousand & foure hundrid ȝere,
And twenti ner,—I knowe it out of drede—
After þat Crist resseyved oure manhede
Of hir þat was Emperesse and quene
Of heuene & helle, and [a] maide clene—
Þe eyȝte ȝere, by computacioun,
Suynge after þe coronacioun
Of hym þat is most gracious in werkyng,
Herry þe Fyfþe, þe noble worþi kyng
And protector of Brutis Albyoun—
And called is, þoruȝ his hiȝe renoun,
Þoruȝ his prowes & his chiualrie,
Also fer as passeþ clowde or skye,
Of Normaundie þe myȝti conquerour:
For þoruȝ his knyȝthod & diligent labour,
Maugre alle þo þat list hym [to] with-seyn,
He hath conquered his herytage ageyn,
And by his myȝti prudent gouernaunce
Recured eke his trewe title of Fraunce;
Þat who-so liste loken and vnfolde
Þe pe-de-Grew of cronycles olde,
And cerchen bokes y-write longe a-forn,
He shal fynde þat he is iustly born
To regne in Fraunce by lyneal discent.
And onward now he is made regent
Of þilke lond durynge his fader lyf,

870

Of his goodnes to voide werre & stryf,—
He to reioisshe, with-oute more delay,
Septer & crowne after þe kynges day,
As it is clerly, in conclusioun,
Enrolled vp in þe conuencioun.
And þanne I hope þe tyme fortunat,
Of þe olde worlde called aureat,
Resorte shal, by influence of grace,
Þat cruel Mars shal no more manace
With his lokis furious and wood,
By false aspectus for to shede blood
A-twene þe folkes of þis rewmys tweyne,
Whiche euery wyȝt ouȝt[e] to compleyne.
But, as I trust in myn oppinioun,
Þis worþi kyng of wisdam & resoun
And of knyȝthod shal so doon his peyne
To maken oon þat longe hath be tweyne:
I mene þus, þat Yngelond and Fraunce
May be al oon, with-oute variaunce,
Oute of hertis old rancour to enchase
By influence of his myȝti grace,
Þat called is of clerkis, dout[e]les,
Þe souereyn lord and þe prince of pes.
And I hope his grace shal now reyne,
To sette reste atwene þis rewmys tweyne:
For in his power, sothly, stondeth al;
And alliaunce of þe blod royal,
Þat is knet vp by bonde of mariage,
Of werre shal voide aweie þe rage,
To make pes with briȝt[e] bemys shyne.
And on þat is called Kateryne,
And namyd is riȝt good & faire also,
Shal be mene a-twixe boþe two,
Of grace enprentid in hir wommanhede,
Þat to compleyne we shal haue no nede.
And I hope hir gracious arryvaille

871

In-to þis lond shal so moche availle,
Þat Ioie, honour, and prosperite,
With-oute trouble of al aduersite,
Repeire shal, & al hertly plesaunce,
Plente, welfare, & fulsom abundaunce,
Pes & quiete, boþe nyȝe and ferre,
With-oute strife, debat, or any werre,
Meschef, pouert, nede, or indygence,
With ful ceessyng of deth & pestilence—
Sothly, al þis I hope ȝe shal sen
Come in-to lond with þis noble quene,
Þat we shal seyn of hert, & feyne nouȝt:
Blessed be she þat al þis hath vs brouȝt!
—And he þat haþ þoruȝ myȝt of his werkyng,
Of his knyȝthod concluded al þis þing,
And swiche mervailles in armis don & wrouȝt,
And his purpos fully aboute brouȝt
Of hiȝe wisdam set in his inward siȝt,
Reioisshynge al þat longeth to his riȝt,
And hiȝest sit of worþinesse in glorie
With þe scepter of conquest and victorie—
I praie to God only for his beste,
Whan he hath al set in pes and reste,
And is ful put in clere pocessioun
Of al þat longeth to his subieccioun,
To sende hym home with as gret honour
As euere ȝit hadde any conquerour,
Longe after, in Ioie and in quyete
For to regnen in his royal sete!
Þus shal I ay—þer is no more to seye—
Day & nyȝt for his expleit y-preye
Of feythful herte & of hool entent,
Þat whylom gaf me in commaundement,
Nat ȝore a-go, in his faderes tyme,
Þe sege of Troye on my maner to ryme,

872

Moste for his sake, to speke in special.
Al-þouȝ þat I be boistous and rual,
He gaf me charge þis story to translate,
Rude of konnynge, called Iohn Lydgate,
Monke of Burie be professioun,
Vsynge an habite of perfeccioun,
Al-be my lyf acorde nat þer-to—
I feyne nat; I wote wel it is so—
It nedeth nat witnesse for to calle,
Record I take of my brethren alle,
Þat wil nat faille at so gret a nede.
And al þat shal þis noble story rede
I be-seche of support and of grace,
Þer I offende in any maner place,
Or wher-so-euere þat þei fynde errour,
Of gentilnesse to shewe þis fauour:
Benygnely for to done her peyne
To correcte, raþer þan disdeyne.
For wel wot I moche þing is wrong,
Falsly metrid, boþe of short & long;
And, ȝif þei shuld han of al disdeyn,
It is no drede, my labour wer in veyn.
Late ignoraunce & rudnesse me excuse:
For ȝif þat ȝe, platly, al refuse,
For certeyn fautes whiche ȝe shal fynde,
I doute nat, my þank is set be-hynde;
For in metring þouȝ þer be ignoraunce,
Ȝet in þe story ȝe may fynde plesaunce
Touching substaunce of [þat] myn auctour wryt.
And þouȝe so be þat any word myssit,
Amendeth it, with chere debonaire;
For an errour to hyndren & appaire,
Þat is nat seide of purpos nor malys,
It is no worshippe to hym þat is wys;
And no wyȝt gladly so sone ȝeveþ [a] lak
(Specialy be-hynden at þe bake),

873

As he, in sothe, þat can no skyl at al—
He goth ful hool þat neuer had[de] fal!
And I nat fynde, of newe nor of olde,
For to deme þer is noon so bolde,
As he þat is blent with vnkonnyng:
For blind Baiard cast pereil of no þing,
Til he stumble myddes of þe lake!
And noon so redy for to vndir-take
Þan he, in soth, nor bolder to seie wers,
Þat can no skyl on prose nor on vers;
Of alle swiche þat can nat be stille,
Litel forse, wher þei seie good or ille!
For vn-to hem my boke is nat direct,
But to swiche as hauen, in effect,
On symple folke ful compassioun,
Þat goodly can by correccioun
Amende a þing, & hindre neuere-adel,
Of custom ay redy to seie wel:
For he þat was gronde of wel-seying,
In al hys lyf hyndred no makyng,
My maister Chaucer, þat founde ful many spot—
Hym liste nat pinche nor gruche at euery blot,
Nor meue hym silf to parturbe his reste
(I haue herde telle), but seide alweie þe best,
Suffring goodly of his gentilnes
Ful many þing enbracid with rudnes.
And ȝif I shal shortly hym discryve,
Was neuer noon to þis day alyue,
To rekne alle, boþe ȝonge & olde,
Þat worþi was his ynkhorn for to holde.
And in þis lond ȝif þer any be,
In borwe or toun, village or cite,
Þat konnyng haþ his tracis for to swe,
Wher he go brood or be shet in mwe—
To hym I make a direccioun
Of þis boke to han inspeccioun,

874

Besechyng hem, with her prudent loke,
To race & skrape þoruȝ-oute al my boke,
Voide & adde wher hem semeth nede;
And þouȝ so be þat þei nat ne rede
In al þis boke no rethorikes newe,
Ȝit I hope þei shal fynde trewe
Þe story pleyn, chefly in substaunce.
And who-so liste to se variaunce,
Or worldly þing wrouȝt be daies olde,
In þis boke he may ful wel beholde
Chaunge of Fortune, in hir cours mutable,
Selde or nat feithful ouþer stable,
Lordes, princes from her royalte
Sodeinly brouȝt in aduersite,
And kynges eke plounged in pouert,
And for drede darynge in desert,—
Vnwar slauȝter compassed of envie,
Mordre execut by conspirasie,
Await[e] liggyng falshede and tresoun,
And of kyngdammys sodeyn euersioun,—
Rauysshyng of wommen for delyt,
Rote of þe werre & of mortal despit,
Fals mayntenaunce of avout[e]rye,
Many worþi causyng for to dye,
Synne ay concludynge, who-so takeþ hede,
Vengaunce vnwar for his final mede—
To declare, þat in al worldly lust,
Who loke ariȝt, is but litel trust,
As in þis boke exaumple ȝe shal fynde,
Ȝif þat ȝe list enprente it in ȝour mynde—
How al passeth & halt here no soiour,
Wastyng a-way as doth a somer flour,
Riche & pore, of euery maner age:
For oure lyf here is but a pilgrymage,
Meynt with labour & with moche wo,
Þat ȝif men wolde taken hede þer-to
And to-forn prudently aduerte,

875

Litel Ioie þei shuld han in her herte
To sette her trust in any worldly þing;
For þer is nouþer prince, lord, nor kyng,
Be exaumple of Troye, like as ȝe may se,
Þat in þis lif may haue ful surete.
Þerfore, to hym þat starf vppon þe rode,
Suffringe deth for oure alder goode,
Lyfte vp ȝoure hertis & þinke on him among:
For be ȝe neuere so myȝti nor so strong,
With-oute hym al may nat availle;
For he can ȝif victorie in bataille
And holde a felde, shortly to conclude,
With a fewe ageyn gret multitude.
And be grace he makeþ princes stronge,
And worþi kynges for to regne longe,
And tirauntis sodeynly oppresse,
Þrowe hem doun, for al her gret richesse;
And in his hond power he reserueth
Eche man taquite liche as he disserueth—
To whom I preie with deuocioun,
With al myn herte & hool affeccioun,
Þat he list graunt longe contenuance,
Prosperite, and good perseueraunce,
Helþe, welfare, victorie, and honour
Vn-to þat noble myȝti conquerour,
Herry þe Fyfþe, to-forn y-specefied,
So þat his name may be magnified
Here in þis lyf vp to þe sterres clere,
And afterward, aboue þe nynþe spere,
Whan he is ded, for to han a place!
Þis praie I God for to send hym grace,
At whos biddynge, as I tolde late,
First I be-gan þe sege to translate.
And now I haue hooly in his honour
Executed þe fyn of my labour.
Vn-to alle þat shal þis story se,

876

With humble herte and al humylite
Þis litel boke lowly I be-take,
It to supporte—and þus an ende I make.

Explicit liber quintus et Vltimus.

LENVOYE.

Most worþi prince, of knyȝthod sours & welle,
Whos hiȝe renoun þoruȝ þe world doþ shine,
And alle oþer in manhood dost excelle,
Of merit egal to þe worþi nyne,
And born also by discent of lyne
As riȝtful eyr by title to atteyne,
To bere a crowne of worþi rewmys tweyne!

And also fer as Phebus in his spere
From est to west shedeþ his bemys briȝt,
And Lucyna, with a shrowdid chere,
Goth compas rounde with hir pale liȝt,
Þou art [y-]rekned for þe best[e] knyȝt,
To be registred worþi as of name
In þe hiȝest place of þe hous of fame,

To holde a palme of knyȝthod in þin hond,
For worþines and for hiȝe victorie,
As þou þat art drad on se & lond,
And euermore with laude, honour, & glorie,
For iust conquest to be put in memorie,
With a crowne made of laurer grene
Vp-on þin hed, to-fore þat famus quene—

Whilom ordeyned only for conquerours,
Stable of herte, with longe perseueraunce,
And gaf nat vp til þei wer victours,
Emprises take for no sodeyn chaunce,

877

Whos name ay floureþ with newe remembraunce
And fadeth nat of ȝeris ȝore a-goon,
Amonge whiche þou maist be set for oon:

For þoruȝ þe world in euery regioun
Reportid is with fame þat fleth wyde,
Þat naturelly þi condicioun
On þing be-gonne is knyȝtly to abide,
And for þe tyme manly sette a-side
Reste and ese, what cost þer-on be spent,
Til þou haue cheved þe fyn of þin entent.

Most circumspect and passinge avysee,
Al þi werkes conveied with prudence,
Saad & demvre, like to Iosue,
Ageyn whos swerd is no resistence,
And hast also heuenly influence,
With Salomon, wysly to discerne,
Only be grace þi peple to gouerne—

Mercy eke meynt with þi magnificence,
On alle oppressed for to haue pite,
And of rebelles be manly violence
Abate canst þe grete cruelte;
And so with Dauid þou hast kyngly pite,
And hiȝe prowes with Sesar Iulius,
In his tyme most victorius.

And manly holdest in þin hondes two
—Who can beholde by clere inspeccioun—
Þe swerd of knyȝthod & þe scepter also:
The ton to bring to subieccioun
Hertes made proude by fals rebellioun,
And with þe scepter to rewle at þe beste
Þi pore liges, þat wolde live at reste.

Now, þou þat haste manhod, vertu, & grace,
Attemperaunce, fredam, & bounte,
Lowly I praie, with a dredful face,
Disdeyne nat benyng[e]ly to se

878

Vp-on þis boke rudly made by me,
To fyn only to agreen þin hiȝnesse—
And rewe of merci vp-on my symplesse,

And [eke] in þi knyȝtly aduertence
Considre & se, my souereyn lord most dere,
Of þi Innat famous sapience,
Þat Crist Iesus received with good chere
Þe twey Mynutes ȝoue of herte entere
By þe wydowe, whiche of wille & þouȝt
Gaf al hir good, & kepte hir silf riȝt nouȝt.

By whiche ensample, so þat it nat offende
Þoruȝ myn vnkonnynge to þin hiȝe noblesse,
Late good wil my litel gift amende,
And of þi mercy & renomed goodnesse
Haue no disdeyn of my bareyn rudnesse,
And, in makyng þouȝ I haue no mvse,
Late trewe menyng þe surplus [al] excuse.

More þan good hert hath no maner wyȝt
To presente nouþer to God nor man,
And for my part to þe, as it is riȝt,
Þat gyf I hool as ferforþe as I can,
Ay to perseuere, fro tyme þat I gan,
With wil & þouȝt for þin estate to preie,
Whiche to conserue, þus finally I seie:

First of al, Almyȝti God to queme
With al þat may be to his plesaunce,
And to þi crowne and þi diademe
Grace & good eure with long continuaunce,
Of þi liges feithful obeisaunce,
And eche vertu þat man may specefie,
I praye God graunte vn-to þi regalye!

879

Verba translatoris ad librum suum.

Go, litel bok, & put þe in þe grace
Of hym þat is most of excellence;
And be nat hardy to apperen in no place
With-oute support of his magnificence:
And who-so-euere in þe fynde offence,
Be nat to bold for no presumpcioun—
Þi silfe enarme ay in pacience,
And þe submitte to her correccioun.

And for þou art enlumined with no floures
Of rethorik, but with white & blak,
Þerfore þou most abide alle showres
Of hem þat list sette on þe a lak;
And whan þou art most likly go to wrak,
Ageyn[e]s hem þin errour nat diffende,
But humblely with-drawe & go a-bak,
Requerynge hem al þat is mys to amende.

Amen Amen

University of Virginia Library

[Troy Book]

I. PART I. PROLOGUE, BOOK I., AND BOOK II.

PROLOGUE[_] [MS. Cott. Augustus A. iv.] .