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University of Virginia Library

An Alliterative Romance Translated from Guido de Colonna's "Hystoria Troiana"

The Gest Hystoriale of the destruction of Troy

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The “Gest Hystoriale” of the Destruction of Troy:

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I.

Here begynnes the ffirst Boke. How King Pelleus Exit Iason to get Þe ffles of Golde.

OFF ERCULES.

II.

Liber Secundus.

III.

Third Boke: how Medea enformed Iason to get the fflese of Golde.

IV.

Here begynneth þe ffourth boke. Of þe dystrucion of þe fyrst Troy by Ercules and Iason.

V.

Here beginnys the Fyfte Boke: Of the Foundyng of New Troye and of the Qwerell of Kyng Priam ffor his ffader dethe.

VI.

Here begynnes the Sext Boke: How Kyng Priam toke counsell to Werre on Þe Grekys.

VII.

Here begynnes the Seuynt Boke: how Perys went into Grese for Elan.

VIII.

Eght Boke. Of the Counsell of the Grekys fior Recoueryng of Elayne.

IX.

Neynt Boke. Of the Nowmber of Shippes and the Nauy of the Grekes.

X.

Tent Boke. How the Grekes sent unto Delphon to have onsware of a god of thayre Journay.

XI.

The xi Boke. How the Grekos sailet fro Attens to Troy.

XII.

xijth Boke. How the Grekys sent two Kinges in Message to Kyng Priam ffor Restitucion of þaire harme.

XIII.

xiij Boke. How the Grekys sent Achilles and Thelefon for vitaill for the Ost into Messam.

XIV.

xiiij Bok. How the Grekys sailet from Tenydon to Besege the Cite of Troy: And of stronge fight at þe Ariuaill.

XV.

xv Boke. Of the Ordinaunce of the Troiens to the Secund Batell.

XVI.

xvj Boke. Of a Trew Takyn two Monethes: And of the thrid Batell.

XVII.

xvij Boke. Off the Counsell of the Grekes ffor the Dethe of Ector / & Þe iiijrt Batell.

XVIII.

xviijt Boke of the ffyuet Batell in the ffelde.

XIX.

xix Boke. Of the vj Batell.

XX.

The xx Boke. Of the vijnt Batell, and Skarmiches Lastyng xxx dayes Betwene the Towne & the tenttes.

XXI.

The xxj Boke. Of the viij Batell: And of the Dreme of Ector wyffe.

XXII.

Here Begynneth the xxij Boke the Elleuynt Batell of the Citie.

XXIII.

Here Begynnys the xxiij Boke: of the xij and xiij Batell.

XIV.

xxiiij Boke: of the xiiij and xv Batell of Þe Cite.

XXV.

xxv Boke: off the Sextene & Þe xvij Batell.

XXVI.

The xxvj Boke: of the (xx) Batell of the Cite.

XXVII.

The xxvij Boke: of (xxiij) Batell of Þe Cite of Troy.

XXVIII.

The xxviij Boke: of the Counsell of Eneas and Antenor. Of the treason of the Cite.

XXIX.

The xxix Boke: Off the takyng of the toune, and the deth of Kyng Priam.

XXX.

The xxx Boke. Of Stryfe of Thelamon and Vlixes, & of þe dethe of Thelamon.

XXXI.

The xxxj Boke: Of the Passage of the Grekys ffro Troy.

XXXII.

The xxxij Boke: Of the Lesyng þat was made to Kyng Nawle; and of dethe of his son Palomydon.

XXXIII.

Here Begynnes the xxxiij Boke: How Oreste toke vengianse for his fader dethe.

XXXIV.

The xxxiiij Boke: How hit happit Vlixes aftur the Sege.

XXXV.

The xxxv Boke: Of Pyrrus and of his passyng ffrom Troy.

XXXVI.

The xxxvj Boke: Of the Dethe of Vlixes By his Son.

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OFF ERCULES.

There was honerable Ercules egur of wille,
As poyetes haue pricked of his prise fader:
He was getton of a god on a gret lady,
Þat ajoinet was Iobeter to his iuste nome,
And his moder full mylde Almena was clepid:
She was wyffe as I wene to worthy Amphitrio.
This Ercules euermore egur & nobill,
The worde of his werkes thurghe þe worlde sprange:
So mony groundes he for-justede & of ioy broght,
That no tung might hom telle þof it tyme hade.
Hit is tolde in his tyme, wo þat trawe lyst,
In his hastines he highyt vnto helle yates,
A þre hedet hounde in his honnd coght,
That was keper of the close of þat curset In:
So dang he þat dog with dynt of his wappon,
Þat þe warlag was wete of his wan atter,
And thurgh voidyng of venym with vomettes grete,
Mony prouyns and perties were put out of helle.
All þat poites haue pricket of his prise dedis,
I haue no tome for to telle ne tary no lengur.
But þe wonders þat he wroght in þis world here,
In yche cuntré ben knowen vnder Criste euyn.
Tow pyllers he pight in a place lowe,
Vppon Gades groundes, þat he gotton hade:
Too whiche pyllers priste as prouyt is before,
The mighty Massidon Kyng maister of All,
The Emperour Alexaunder Aunterid to come:
He wan all the world & at his wille aght.

[OMITTED]

[_]

A hiatus occurs here in the MS. of perhaps two or three pages.

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