University of Virginia Library


1

Heyr begynnys the proloug of Virgyll prynce of Latyn poetis in hys twelf bukis of Eneados
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Square brackets denote editorial insertions or emendations.

compilit and translatit furth of Latyn in our Scottis langage by ane right nobill and wirschipfull clerk Master Gawyn Dowglas provest of Sanct Gylys Kyrk in Edinburgh and person of Lyntoun in Louthiane quhilk eftyr was bischop of Dunkeld.


3

Incipit Prologus in Virgilii Eneados

Lawd, honour, praysyngis, thankis infynyte
To the and thy dulce ornat fresch endyte,
Maist reuerend Virgill, of Latyn poetis prynce,
Gem of engyne and flude of eloquens,
Thow peirless perle, patroun of poetry,
Royss, regester, palm, lawrer and glory,
Chosyn charbukkill, cheif flour and cedyr tre,
Lantarn, laid stern, myrrour and A per se,
Maister of masteris, sweit sours and spryngand well
Wyde quhar our all rung is thyne hevynly bell—
I meyn thy crafty warkis curyus
Sa quyk, lusty and maist sentencyus,
Plesand, perfyte and feilabill in all degre,
As quha the mater beheld tofor thar e,
In every volume quhilk the lyst do wryte
Surmontyng fer all other maner endyte,
Lyke as the royss in Iune with hir sweit smell
The maryguld or dasy doith excell.
Quhy suld I than with dull forhed and vayn,
With rude engyne and barrand emptyve brayn,
With bad, harsk spech and lewit barbour tong
Presume to write quhar thy sweit bell is rung
Or contyrfate sa precyus wordys deir?
Na, na, noth swa, but kneill quhen I thame heir.
For quhat compair betwix mydday and nycht?
Or quhat compair betwix myrknes and lycht?
Or quhat compar is betwix blak and quhyte?
Far grettar difference betwix my blunt endyte
And thy scharp sugurate sang Virgiliane,
Sa wysly wrocht with nevir a word invane.

4

My waverand wyt, my cunnyng febill at all,
My mynd mysty, thir may nocht myss a fall—
Stra for thys ignorant blabryng imperfyte
Besyde thy polyst termys redymyte.
And netheless with support and correctioun,
For naturall lufe and frendely affectioun
Quhilkis I beir to thy warkis and endyte—
All thocht God wait tharin I knaw full lyte—
And that thy facund sentence mycht be song
In our langage alsweill as Latyn tong—
Alsweill? na, na, impossibill war, per de—
Ȝit with thy leif, Virgile, to follow the,
I wald into my rurall wlgar gross
Wryte sum savoryng of thyne Eneados.
But sair I dreid forto disteyn the quyte
Throu my corruppit cadens imperfyte—
Disteyn the? nay forsuyth, that may I nocht;
Weill may I schaw my burall bustuus thocht
Bot thy wark sall endur in lawd and glory
But spot or falt condyng etern memory.
Thocht I offend, onwemmyt is thy fame;
Thyne is the thank and myne salbe the schame.
Quha may thy versis follow in all degre
In bewtie, sentence and in grauite?
Nane is, nor was, ne ȝit salbe, trow I,
Had, hass or sal haue sic craft in poetry.
Of Helicon so drank thou dry the flude
That of thy copioss fouth or plenitude
All mon purches drynk at thy sugurit tun;
So lamp of day thou art and schynand son
All otheris on forss mon thar lycht beg or borrow;
Thou art Vesper and the day stern at morow,
Thow Phebus lightnar of the planetis all—
I not quhat dewly I the clepe sall,
For thou art all and sum, quhat nedis more,
Of Latyn poetis that sens was, or befor.
Of the writis Macrobius sans faill
In hys gret volume clepit Saturnaill.

5

Thy sawys in sic eloquens doith fleit,
So inuentive of rethorik flowris sweit
Thou art, and hass so hie profund sentens
Tharto, perfyte but ony indigens,
That na lovyngis ma do incress thy fame,
Nor na reproche dymynew thy gud name.
Bot sen I am compellit the to translait,
And not only of my curage, God wait,
Durst interpryd syk owtrageus foly,
Quhar I offend the less reprefe serve I;
And that ȝe knaw at quhais instans I tuke
Forto translait this maist excellent buke,
I meyn Virgillis volume maist excellent,
Set this my wark full febill be of rent,
At the request of a lord of renown
Of ancistry nobill and illustir baroun,
Fader of bukis, protectour to sciens and lair,
My speciall gud Lord Henry, Lord Sanct Clair,
Quhilk with gret instance diuerss tymys seir
Prayt me translait Virgill or Homeir,
Quhais plesour suythly as I vndirstude
As neir coniunct to hys lordschip in blude
So that me thocht hys request ane command,
Half disparit this wark I tuke on hand
Nocht fully grantand nor anys sayand ȝee,
Bot only to assay quhou it mycht be.
Quha mycht gaynsay a lord so gentill and kynd
That euer had ony curtasy in thar mynd,
Quhilk besyde hys innatyve pollecy
Humanyte, curage, fredome and chevalry,
Bukis to recollect, to reid and se,
Hass gret delyte as euer had Ptholome?

6

Quharfor to hys nobilite and estait,
Quhat so it be, this buke I dedicait,
Writtin in the langage of Scottis natioun,
And thus I mak my protestatioun.
Fyrst I protest, beaw schirris, be ȝour leif,
Beis weill avisit my wark or ȝhe repreif,
Consider it warly, reid oftar than anys;
Weill at a blenk sle poetry nocht tayn is,
And ȝit forsuyth I set my bissy pane
As that I couth to mak it braid and plane,
Kepand na sudron bot our awyn langage,
And spekis as I lernyt quhen I was page.
Nor ȝit sa cleyn all sudron I refuss,
Bot sum word I pronunce as nyghtbouris doys:
Lyke as in Latyn beyn Grew termys sum,
So me behufyt quhilum or than be dum
Sum bastard Latyn, French or Inglys oyss
Quhar scant was Scottis—I had nane other choys.
Nocht for our tong is in the selwyn skant
Bot for that I the fowth of langage want
Quhar as the cullour of his properte
To kepe the sentens tharto constrenyt me,
Or than to mak my sayng schort sum tyme,
Mair compendyus, or to lykly my ryme.
Tharfor, gude frendis, for a gymp or a bourd,
I pray ȝou note me nocht at euery word.
The worthy clerk hecht Lawrens of the Vaill,
Amang Latynys a gret patron sans faill,
Grantis quhen twelf ȝheris he had beyn diligent
To study Virgill, skant knew quhat he ment.
Than thou or I, my frend, quhen we best weyn
To haue Virgile red, vnderstand and seyn,
The rycht sentens perchance is fer to seik.
This wark twelf ȝheris first was in makyng eyk
And nocht correct quhen the poet gan decess;
Thus for small faltis, my wyss frend, hald thy pess.

7

Adherdand to my protestatioun,
Thocht Wilȝame Caxtoun, of Inglis natioun,
In proyss hes prent ane buke of Inglys gross,
Clepand it Virgill in Eneadoss,
Quhilk that he says of Franch he dyd translait,
It hass na thing ado tharwith, God wait,
Ne na mair lyke than the devill and Sanct Austyne.
Haue he na thank tharfor, bot loyss hys pyne,
So schamefully that story dyd pervert.
I red his wark with harmys at my hart,
That syk a buke but sentens or engyne
Suldbe intitillit eftir the poet dyvyne;
Hys ornate goldyn versis mair than gilt
I spittit for dispyte to se swa spilt
With sych a wyght, quhilk trewly be myne entent
Knew neuer thre wordis at all quhat Virgill ment—
Sa fer he chowpis I am constrenyt to flyte.
The thre first bukis he hass ourhippyt quyte
Salfand a litill twychyng Polidorus
And the tempest furth sent by Eolus,
And that full sempilly on hys awyn gyss;
Virgill thame wrait all on ane other wyss,
For Caxton puttis in hys buke owt of toyn
The storm furth sent by Eolus and Neptune,
Bot quha sa redis Virgill suythfastly
Sall fynd Neptune salf Eneas navy.
Me lyst nocht schaw quhou thystory of Dydo
Be this Caxtoun is haill pervertit so
That besyde quhar he fenys to follow Bocass,
He rynnys sa fer from Virgill in mony place,
On sa prolixt and tedyus fasson,
So that the ferd buke of Eneadon,
Twichand the lufe and ded of Dido queyn,
The twa part of his volume doith conteyn
That in the text of Virgill, trastis me,
The twelt part scars contenys, as ȝe may se.

8

The fyfte buke of the festis funerall,
The lusty gamys and plays palustrall,
That is ourhippit quyte and left behynd—
Na thing tharof ȝhe sall in Caxtoun fynd.
The saxt buke eyk, he grantis, that wantis haill,
And, for tharof he vnderstude nocht the taill,
He callis it fenȝeit and nocht forto beleif;
Sa is all Virgill perchans, for by hys leif
Iuno nor Venus goddessis neuer wer,
Mercur, Neptune, Mars nor Iupiter;
Of Fortune eik nor hir necessite,
Sik thingis nocht attentik ar, wait we,
Nor ȝit admittis that quent philosophy
Haldis sawlys hoppys fra body to body,
And mony thingis quhilkis Virgill dyd reherss,
Thocht I thame write furthfollowand hys verss.
Nor Caxtoun schrynkis nocht siclyke thingis to tell
As nocht war fabill bot the passage to hell,
Bot trastis weill, quha that ilke saxt buke knew,
Virgill tharin ane hie philosophour hym schew,
And vnder the clowdis of dyrk poecy
Hyd lyis thar mony notabill history—
For so the poetis be the crafty curys
In similitudes and vndir quent figuris
The suythfast materis to hyde and to constreyn;
All is nocht fals, traste weill, in cace thai feyn.
Thar art is so to mak thar warkis fair,
As in the end of Virgill I sall declair.
Was it nocht eik als possibill Eneas
As Hercules or Theseus tyll hell to pass,
Quhilk is na gabbyng suythly nor na lie,
As Ihone Bocas in the Genealogie
Of Goddys declarys, and lyke as ȝhe may reid
In the Recolles of Troy quha lest tak hed.
Quha wait gyf he in visioun thydder went
By art magike, socery or enchantment,

9

And with hys fader sawle dyd speke and meyt,
Or in the lyknes with sum other spreit,
Lyke as the spreit of Samuell, I gess,
Raysit to Kyng Saul was by the Phitones?
I will nocht say all Virgill beyn als trew
Bot at syk thyngis ar possibill this I schew,
Als in tha days war ma illusionys
By dewillich warkis and coniurations
Than now thar beyn, so doith clerkis determ,
For blissit be God, the faith is now mair ferm.
Enewch tharof; now will I na mor sayn
Bot onto Caxtoun thus I turn agane.
The namys of pepill or citeis beyn so bad
Put by this Caxtoun that, bot he had beyn mad,
The flude of Touyr for Tibir he had nocht write:
All men may knaw thar he forvayt quyte.
Palente the cite of Evander kyng,
As Virgill playnly makis rehersyng,
Stude quhar in Rome now stant the cheif palyce;
This sam buke eyk in mair hepit malyce
On the self ryver of Touyr says playnly
Eneas dyd hys cyte edify.
Thus ay for Tibir Touyr puttis he,
Quhilk mony hundreth mylis syndry be,
For sykkyrly, less than wyss authoris leyn,
Ene saw nevir Touyr with hys eyn,
For Touyr diuidis Grece from Vngary
And Tibir is cheif flude of Italy,
Touyr is kend a grayn of that ryver
In Latyn hecht Danubium or Hyster—
Of gyf it be Tanais he clepis sa,
That flude diuidis Europ from Asia.
In lyke wyss eik this Caxtoun all invane
Crispina clepis Sibilla Cumane,
That in the text of Virgill, trastis ws,
Hait Deiphebe douchtir of Glawcus,

10

Quhilk was Eneas convoyar to hell.
Quhat suld I langar on hys errouris dwell?
Thai beyn so playn and eik sa monyfald
The hundreth part tharof I leif ontald.
The last sax bukis of Virgill all inferis,
Quhilk contenys strang batalis and werys,
This ilk Caxtoun so blaitly lattis ourslip
I hald my tung for schame, bytand my lyp.
The gret afferis of athir host and array,
The armour of Eneas, fresch and gay,
The quent and curyus castis poeticall,
Perfyte symylitudis and exemplis all
Quharin Virgill beris the palm of lawd,
Caxtoun, for dreid thai suld hys lippis scald,
Durst nevir twich. Thus schortly for the nanys.
A twenty devill way fall hys wark atanys,
Quhilk is na mair lyke Virgill, dar I lay,
Than the nycht owle resemblis the papyngay.
Quharfor, ȝou gentill redaris, I besich
Traste on na wyss at this my wark be sich,
Quhilk dyd my best, as the wyt mycht atteyn,
Virgillis versys to follow and no thing feyn.
Ȝhe worthy noblys, redis my wark for thy
And cast this other buke on syde far by,
Quhilk vndir cullour of sum strange Franch wycht
So Franchly leys, oneith twa wordis gais rycht.
I nold ȝhe trast I said this for dispyte,
For me lyst with nane Inglis bukis flyte,
Na with na bogill nor browny to debait,
Nowder ald gaistis nor spretis ded of lait,
Nor na man will I lakkyn nor dispyss
My warkis till authorys be sik wyss,
Bot twichyng Virgillis honour and reuerens,
Quha euer contrary, I mon stand at defens;
And bot my buke be fundyn worth sik thre
Quhen it is red, do warp it in the see,
Thraw it in the fyre or rent it euery crum.
Twichand that part, lo, heir is all and sum.

11

Syne I defend and forbiddis euery wight
That can nocht spell thar Pater Noster rycht
Fortill correct or ȝit amend Virgill,
Or the translatar blame in hys wlgar stile;
I knaw quhat payn was to follow hym fut hait
Albeit thou think my sayng intricate.
Traste weill to follow a fixt sentens or mater
Is mair practike, deficill and far strater,
Thocht thyne engyne beyn eleuate and hie,
Than forto write all ways at liberte.
Gif I had nocht be to a boundis constrenyt,
Of my bad wyt perchance I couth haue fenyt
In ryme a ragment twyss als curyus,
Bot nocht be twenty part so sentencyus.
Quha is attachit ontill a staik, we se,
May go na ferthir bot wreil about that tre:
Rycht so am I to Virgillis text ybund,
I may nocht fle less than my falt be fund,
For thocht I wald transcend and go besyde,
Hys wark remanys, my schame I may nocht hyde.
And thus I am constrenyt als neir I may
To hald hys verss and go nane other way,
Less sum history, subtell word or the ryme
Causith me mak digressioun sum tyme.
So thocht in my translatioun eloquens skant is,
Na lusty cast of oratry Virgill wantis;
My studyus brayn to comprehend his sentens
Leit me nevir taist hys flude of eloquens.
And thus forsuyth becauss I was nocht fre,
My werk is mair obscur and gross per de,
Quharof, God wait, Virgill hass na wyte—
Thocht myne be blunt, hys text is maist perfyte.
And ȝit persave I weill, be my consait
The kyng of poetis ganys nocht for rurall estait
Nor hys fresch memor for bowbardis; he or scho
Quha takis me nocht go quhar thai haue ado—

12

The sonnys lycht is neuer the wers, traste me,
All thocht the bak hys brycht bemys doith fle.
Greyn gentill ingynys and breistis curageus,
Sik ar the pepill at ganys best for ws;
Our werk desiris na lewyt rebalddaill,
Full of nobilite is thistory all haill.
For euery vertu belangand a nobill man
This ornate poet bettir than ony can
Payntand discryvis in person of Eneas—
Not forto say sikane Eneas was
Ȝit than by hym perfytely blasons he
All wirschip, manhed and nobilite,
With euery bonte belangand a gentill wycht,
Ane prynce, ane conquerour or a valȝeand knycht.
In luffis cuyr eneuch heir sall ȝhe fynd,
And schortly Virgill left na thing behynd
That mycht hys volume illummyn or crafty mak.
Reid quha hym knawys, I dar this vndertak,
Als oft as ȝe hym reid, full weill I wait,
Ȝhe fynd ilke tyme sum mery new consait.
Thoght venerabill Chauser, principal poet but peir,
Hevynly trumpat, orlege and reguler,
In eloquens balmy, cundyt and dyall,
Mylky fontane, cleir strand and royss ryall,
Of fresch endyte, throu Albion iland braid,
In hys legend of notabill ladeis said
That he couth follow word by word Virgill,
Wisar than I may faill in lakar stile.
Sum tyme the text mon haue ane expositioun,
Sum tyme the collour will causs a litill additioun,
And sum tyme of a word I mon mak thre,
In witnes of this term “oppetere.”
Eik weill I wait syndry expositouris seir
Makis on a text sentens diuerss to heir,

13

As thame apperis, accordyng thar entent,
And for thar part schawis ressonys euident.
All this is ganand, I will weill it swa be,
Bot a sentens to follow may suffice me.
Sum tyme I follow the text als neir I may,
Sum tyme I am constrenyt ane other way.
Besyde Latyn our langage is imperfite
Quhilk in sum part is the causs and the wyte
Quhy that of Virgillis verss the ornate bewte
Intill our tung may nocht obseruyt be,
For thar be Latyn wordis mony ane
That in our leyd ganand translatioun hass nane
Less than we mynyss thar sentens and grauyte
And ȝit scant weill exponyt. Quha trewys nocht me,
Lat thame interprit “animal” and “homo”
With many hundreth other termys mo
Quhilkis in our langage suythly as I weyn
Few men can tell me cleirly quhat thai meyn.
Betweyn “genus,” “sexus” and “species”
Diuersyte in our leid to seik I cess.

14

For “obiectum” or “subiectum” alsswa
He war expert couth fynd me termys twa,
Quhilkis ar als ryfe amangis clerkis in scuyll
As evir fowlis plungit in laik or puyll.
Logicianys knawys heirin myne entent,
Vndir quhais boundis lurkis mony strange went
Quharof the process as now we mon lat be.
Bot ȝit twychyng our tungis penuryte,
I meyn into compar of fair Latyn
That knawyn is maste perfite langage fyne,
I mycht also percace cum lyddir speid
For “arbor” and “lignum” intill our leid
To fynd different proper termys twane
And tharto put circumlocutioun nane.
Richt so by aboutspech oftyn tymys
And semabill wordis we compile our rymys.
God wait in Virgill ar termys mony a hundir
Fortill expone maid me a felloun blundir.
To follow alanerly Virgilis wordis, I weyn,
Thar suld few vndirstand me quhat thai meyn.
The bewte of his ornate eloquens
May nocht al tyme be kepit with the sentens.
Sanct Gregor eik forbyddis ws to translait
Word eftir word bot sentence follow algait:
“Quha haldis,” quod he, “of wordis the properteis
Full oft the verite of the sentens fleys.”
And to the sammyn purpos we may apply
Horatius in hys Art of Poetry:
“Press nocht,” says he, “thou traste interpreter,
Word eftir word to translait thi mater.”
Lo, he reprevis and haldis myssemyng
Ay word by word to reduce ony thing.
I say nocht this of Chauser for offens,
Bot till excuss my lewyt insufficiens,
For as he standis beneth Virgill in gre,
Vndir hym alsfer I grant my self to be.
And netheless into sum place, quha kend it,
My mastir Chauser gretly Virgill offendit.
All thoch I be tobald hym to repreif,
He was fer baldar, certis, by hys leif,

15

Sayand he followit Virgillis lantern toforn,
Quhou Eneas to Dydo was forsworn.
Was he forsworn? Than Eneas was fals—
That he admittis and callys hym traytour als.
Thus, wenyng allane Ene to haue reprevit,
He hass gretly the prynce of poetis grevit,
For, as said is, Virgill dyd diligens
But spot of cryme, reproch or ony offens
Eneas for to loif and magnyfy,
And gif he grantis hym maynsworn fowlely,
Than all hys cuyr and crafty engyne gais quyte,
Hys twelf ȝheris laubouris war nocht worth a myte.
Certis Virgill schawys Ene dyd na thing
From Dydo of Cartage at hys departyng
Bot quhilk the goddis commandit hym beforn,
And gif that thar command maid hym maynsworn,
That war repreif to thar diuinyte
And na reproch onto the said Enee.
Als in the first, quhar Ilioneus
Spekis to the queyn Dido, says he nocht thus,
That curss by fait was set tyll Italy?
Thus mycht scho not pretend na iust causs quhy
Thocht Troianys eftir departis of Cartage,
Sen thai befor declaryt hir thar vayage.
Reid the ferd buke quhar Queyn Dido is wraith,
Thar sal ȝhe fynd Ene maid nevir aith,
Promyt nor band with hir fortill abyde:
Thus hym tobe maynsworn may nevir betyde,

16

Nor nane onkyndnes schew forto depart
At the bydding of Iove with reuthfull hart,
Sen the command of God obey suld all
And vndir his charge na wrangwyss deid may fall.
Bot sikkyrly or resson me behufis
Excuss Chauser fra all maner repruffis
In lovyng of thir ladeis lylly quhite
He set on Virgill and Eneas this wyte,
For he was evir (God wait) all womanis frend.
I say na mair, but, gentil redaris heynd,
Lat all my faltis with this offens pass by.
Thou prynce of poetis, I the mercy cry,
I meyn thou Kyng of Kyngis, Lord Etern,
Thou be my muse, my gydar and laid stern,
Remittyng my trespass and euery myss
Throu prayer of thy Moder, Queyn of Blyss.
Afald godhed, ay lestyng but discrepans,
In personys thre, equale, of a substans,
On the I call, and Mary Virgyn myld—
Calliope nor payane goddis wild
May do to me na thing bot harm, I weyn:
In Criste is all my traste, and hevynnys queyn.
Thou, Virgyn Moder and Madyn, be my muse,
That nevir ȝit na synfull lyst refuss
Quhilk the besocht deuotly for supple.
Albeit my sang to thy hie maieste
Accordis nocht, ȝit condiscend to my write,
For the sweit liqour of thy pappis quhite
Fosterit that Prynce, that hevynly Orpheus,
Grond of all gude, our Saluyour Ihesus.
Bot forthirmor, and lawar to discend
Forgeif me, Virgill, gif I the offend.
Pardon thy scolar, suffir hym to ryme
Sen thou was bot ane mortal man sum tyme.
In cace I faill, haue me not at disdenȝe,
Thocht I be lewit, my leill hart can nocht fenȝe,
I sall the follow; suld I tharfor haue blame,
Quha can do bettir, sa furth in Goddis name.

17

I schrynk nocht anys correkkit for tobe
With ony wight grundit on cherite,
And glaidly wald I baith inquire and leir
And till ilke cunnand wight la to myne eyr.
But laith me war but owther offens or cryme
Ane brimell body suld intertrike my ryme.
Thocht sum wald swer that I the text haue vareit,
Or that I haue this volume quyte myscareit,
Or threpe playnly that I come nevir neir hand it,
Or at the wark is wers than evir I fand it,
Or ȝit argue Virgill stude weill befor,
As now war tyme to schift the werst our scor;
Ellis haue I said thar may be na compar
Betwix his versis and my stile wlgar.
All thocht he stant in Latyn maist perfyte,
Ȝit stude he nevir weill in our tung endyte
Less than it be by me now at this tyme.
Gyf I haue falȝeit, baldly reprufe my ryme.
Bot first, I pray ȝou, grape the mater cleyn,
Reproche me nocht quhill the wark be ourseyn.
Beis not ourstudyus to spy a moyt in myne e,
That in ȝour awyn a ferry boyt can nocht se,
And do to me as ȝhe wald be done to.
Now hark, schirris, thar is na mair ado;
Quha list attend, gevis audiens and draw neir,
Me thocht Virgill begouth on this maner:
I the ilk vmquhile that in the small ait reid
Tonyt my sang, syne fra the woddis ȝeid
And feildis about taucht tobe obesand
(Thocht he war gredy) to the bissy husband,
Ane thankfull wark maid for the plewchmanis art,
Bot now the horribill stern dedys of Mart,
The batalys and the man I will discryve. &c
 

Innatyve is alsmekil to say as inborn, or that quhilk cumis till ony person be thar natural inclinatioun of kynd throw thar forbearis.

Ptholome kyng of Egipt, the famous gret clerk, astronomer and discryvar of the warld, that causit lxxii interpretouris to translait the Bibill, had sa gret plesour and delyte of bukis that he gadderit togidder in ane librar xxxvi thousand volummys.

Caxton faltes.

Vnder derk poetrye is hid gret wisdome and lerning.

Thistory of Saul and the spreit of Samuel rasyt by the Phitones is in the first Buk of Kyngis, in the xxviii c.

Exhortatione to the Reder.

Admonitione vnto vnlerned peopill, quhase rudnes can nocht onderstand Vyrgill.

Oppetere is alsmekil to say as ore terram petere, lyke as Seruius exponys the sammyn term, quhilk to translate in our tung is with mowth to seik or byte the erd. And lo, that is ane hail sentens for ane of Virgillis wordis.

As for animal and homo in our langage is nocht a propir term, and thai be bot bestis that exponys animal for a beste. Ane beste is callit in Latyn bestia and pecus, and animal betakynnys all corporall substans that hass ane saull quhilk felis payn, ioy or ennoy. And vndyr animal beyn contenyt all mankynd, beist, byrd, fowll, fisch, serpent, and all other sik thingis at lyfis and steris, that hass a body, for al sik and euery ane of thame may be properly callit animal. And thus animal is ane general name for al sik maner thingis quhatsumeuer. Homo betakynnys baith a man and a woman, and we haue na term correspondent tharto, nor ȝit that signifyis baith twa in a term alanerly.

Genus is that thing quhilk is common and may be verefyt of mony other thingis different in kynd or of diuerss kyndis; as this word, a beste, may be verefeit and is common till al and syndry kynd of bestis, for a horss is a beste, ane ox a beste, a scheip a beste, a dog a beste, and swa of otheris. Species is that thing or word that is common and may be verefeit of mony thingis different in numbir, as this word, a man, may be verefeit and is common till al maner of man particular, for Iohne is a man, Thomas a man, Wilȝam a man, and furth of otheris. Syk lyke, this word, a horss, is common to this horss, and that horss—the gray is a horss, the blak a horss, the quhite a horss. Sexus is the discretioun, diuersitie or differens in schap, betwix the mail and the female in al maner corporal creatouris, for thocht a man and a woman beyn baith of a kynd and natur, ȝit ar thai different and diuerss in thar schap. Rycht swa is ane horss fra a mair, quhilk ar bath of a kynd; siklyke a cok from a hen, a kow from a bull, and swa is of all kyndis quhar the mail is distinct fra the femell.

This argument excusis nocht the tratory of Eneas na his maynsweryng, considering quhat is said heir afoir in the ii c. of this prolog, that is,

Iuno nor Venus goddes neuer war,
Mercur, Neptun, Mars nor Iupiter,
Of Forton eik, nor his necessite,
Sic thingis nocht attentik ar, wait we.

It followis than that Eneas vroucht nocht be command of ony goddis, bot of his awyn fre wyl, be the permission of God, quhilk sufferis al thing, and stoppis nocht, na puttis nocht necessite to fre wyll. He falit than gretly to the sueit Dydo, quhilk falt reprefit nocht the goddess diuinite, for thai had na diuinite, as said is befoir.

Heir he argouis better than befoir.


18

The Contentis of Euery Buke Followyng

The first contenys quhou the prynce Ene
And Troianys war dryve onto Cartage cite.
The secund buke schawis the finale ennoy,
The gret myscheif and subuersioun of Troy.
The thryd tellith quhou fra Troys cite
The Troianys careit war throu owt the see.
The ferd rehersis of fair Queyn Dido
The dowbill woundis and the mortale wo.
The fyft contenys funerale gemys glaid
And how the fyre the navy dyd invaid.
Into the saxt buke syne doith Virgill tell
Quhou that Eneas went and visseit hell.
The sevynt Ene bryngis to hys grond fatale,
And how Italianys Troianys schup to assale.
Ontill Eneas gevis the auchten buke
Baith falloschip and armour, quha list luke.
Dawnus son Turnus in the nynte, tak tent,
Segis New Troy, Eneas tho absent.
The tent declaris by the cost atanys
The batale betwix Tuscanys and Rutulanys.
In the ellevynt Rutulyanys beyn ourset
By the decess of Camylla downebet.
The twelft makis end of all the weir, but dowt,
Throu the slauchtir of Turnus, stern and stowt.
The last, ekit to Virgillis nowmyr evyn
By Mapheus, convoys Ene to hevyn.

19

The Rubric in the Formast Cheptour of the First Buke

The poet first proponyng his entent
Declaris Iunois wreth and mailtalent.
The batalis and the man I wil discrive
Fra Troyis boundis first that fugitive
By fait to Ytail come and cost Lavyne,
Our land and sey katchit with mekil pyne
By forss of goddis abufe, from euery steid,
Of cruell Iuno throu ald remembrit fede.
Gret pane in batail sufferit he alsso
Or he his goddis brocht in Latio
And belt the cite fra quham, of nobill fame,
The Latyne pepill takyn heth thar name,
And eik the faderis, princis of Alba,
Cam, and the wallaris of gret Rome alswa.
O thou my muse, declare the causis quhy,
Quhat maieste offendit schaw quham by,
Or ȝit quharfor of goddis the drery queyn
Sa feil dangeris, sik travell maid susteyn

20

A worthy man fulfillit of piete:
Is thare sik greif in hevynly myndis on hie?
Thare was ane ancyant cite hecht Cartage,
Quham hynys of Tyre held intill heritage,
Ennymy to Itail, standand fair and plane
The mouth of lang Tibir our forgane,
Myghty of moblys, full of sculys seyr,
And maist expert in crafty fait of weir,
Of quhilk a land Iuno, as it is said,
As to hir special abuf al otheris maid;
Hir native land for it postponyt sche
Callit Same—in Cartage sett hir see;
Thar war hir armys and here stude eik hir chair.
This goddes ettillit, gif werdis war nocht contrar,
This realme tobe superior and mastress
To all landis, bot certis netheless
The fatale sisteris reuolue and schaw, scho kend,
Of Troiane blude a pepill suld discend,
Wailliant in weir, to ryng wydquhar, and syne
Cartage suld bryng ontill finale rewyne,
And clene distroy the realme of Lybia.
This dredand Iuno, and forthirmor alswa
Remembring on the ancyant mortell weir
That for the Grekis, to hir leif and deir,
At Troy lang tyme scho led befor that day
(For ȝit the causys of wreth war nocht away
Nor cruell harm forȝet ne out of mynd—
Ful deip engravyn in hir breist onkynd
The iugement of Parys, quhou that he
Preferrit Venus, dispisyng hir bewte;
Als Troiane blude till hir was odyus,
For Iupiter engenderit Dardanus

21

Fra quham the Troianys cam in adultry,
And Ganymedes revist abuf the sky,
Maid him his butler, quhilk was hir douchteris office),
Iuno inflambit, musyng on thir casis nyce
The quhile our sey that salit the Troianys
Quhilkis had the ded eschapit and remanys
Onslane of Grekis or of the ferss Achill,
Scho thame fordryvis and causys oft ga will
Frawart Latium, quhilk now is Italy,
By fremmyt werd ful mony ȝeris tharby
Catchit and blaw wydquhar all seys about.
Lo quhou gret cure, quhat travell, pane and dowt
Was to begyn the worthy Romanys blude!
And as the Troianys frakkis our the flude,
Skarss from the sycht of Sysilly the land,
With bent sail full, rycht merely saland,
Thar stevynnys scowrand fast throu the salt fame,
Quhen that Iuno, till hir euerlestand schame,
The etern wound hyd in hir breist ay greyn,
Ontill hir self thus spak in propir teyn:
“Is this ganand that I my purposs faill
As clene ourcum, and may nocht from Itaill
Withhald this kyng of Troy and hys navy?
Am I abandonyt with sa hard destany

22

Sen Pallas mocht on Grekis tak sik wraik
To byrn thar schippis and all for anys saik
Drowne in the sey, for Aiax Oilus wrang?
From Iupiter the wild fyre down scho slang
Furth of the clowdis, distroyt thar schippis all,
Ourquhelmyt the sey with mony wyndy wall,
Aiax breist persit, gaspand furth flawmand smoke,
Sche with a thud stikkit on a scharp roke.
Bot I, the quhilk am clepit of goddis queyn
And onto Iove baith spouss and sistir scheyn,
With a pepill sa feill ȝheris weir sall lede,
Quha sal from thens adorn in ony stede
The power of Iuno, or altaris sacryfy,
Gif I ourcummyn be thus schamefully?”
 

Virgille reherssis not Eneas naim, bot callis him “the man” be excellens, as thocht he said “the mast soueran man.”

Lavyn, Lavinium, Lawrentum stud viii mylis fra the mowth of Tibyr, and was cyte of the king Latynus, of quham eftyr in the vii buyk, quhill the end of this volume.

Quhat is Latium, or Latio, luyk eftyr in the vi c. of the viii buyk. The cite of quham heir is mention was New Troy, quham Eneas biggit at the mouth of Tibir; and fra Ene bein namyt the Latynis, and nowdir fra the cyte nor the land.

Of Alba cyte luyk eftyr in the fyfte c. of this buyk and in the fyrst c. of the viij buyk.

Musa in Grew signifeis an inuentryce or inuention in our langgage, and of the ix Musis sum thing in my Palyce of Honour and be Mastir Robert Hendirson in New Orpheus.

The poet inqueris quhat maieste or power offendyt of Iuno, quhilk is fenyeit to haf many poweris. She is clepit queyn of goddis, mastres and lady of realmys, precident of byrthis, spouss and sistir to Iupiter &c.

Samo is an ile in Trace quhar Iuno was weddit and born, as sais Seruius, and ther, as vitnessyth Sanct Ierom, stud the farest tempil of Grece, dedicat to Iuno.

C L marginal note hir see, hir seit; B marginal note or hir sett.

Lybia or Liby is the thrid part of the warld, callit Affryk, quham now we call the land or cost of Barbary.

The iugement of Paris is common to all knawis the sege of Troy.

Hebe, douchter of Iuno and goddes of Ȝouth, seruyit Iupiter of his covp; quhilk at a fest amang the goddis makand hir seruice, slaid and schew hir schame in al thar presens, for the quhilk lak Iupiter gaif to this Ganymedes, son to Kyng Troyus, hir office. Of the ravisyng of this Ganymede, ȝe haf benayth, in the v c. of the v buyk, and of this Hebe sum thyng in the prolog of the vij buyk.

“And as the Troianys, &c.” First abuyf the poete proponis his entent, sayand, “The batellis and the man, &c.”; nyxt makis he inoucation, calland on his muse to tech hym thar, “O thou my Muse, &c.”; and ther, lyke as his muse spak to hym, declaris the caussis of the feid of Iuno, sayand, “Ther was ane anchient cyte hecht Cartage.” Now heir thridly proceidis he furth on his narration and history, and beginnys at the sevint ȝeir of Eneas departyng of Troy, as ȝe may se in the end of this first buyk, and efter the decess of his fadir Anchises, quham he erdit in Sycill at Drepanon, as ȝe haf in the end of the thrid buyk. The remanent of his auenturis beyn reseruyt, be craft of poetry, to the banket of Queyn Dido, quhar thai be then lenth rehersit by Eneas in the secund and thryd.

This offence was the ravising of Cassandra furth of the tempill of Pallas, as ȝe haue in the vij cheptour of the secund buke following. And sum says this Aiax oppressit hir in the tempill; quhilk Aiax was son to Kyng Oylus, prince of Locria, or Locrida, and his pepyll beyn nammyt Locri or Locranys.

Thoght in verite Iuno was bot ane woman, dochter of Saturn, sistir and spows to Iupiter, King of Crete, ȝit quhen poetis namys hir swa, thai ondirstand sum tyme by Iuno the erth and the watir, and by Iupiter the ayr and the fyr; and for alss mekyll as the ayr and the fyr is actyve, and the watyr and the erth patient, and that all corporall thyngis beyn engendrit therof, heirfoir bein thai clepit “spowsis.” Bot for that sum tym Iuno betakinys alanerly the ayr and Iove the fyre, than, be raison of ther contegwyte and quantite convenient, bein thai clepit sistyr and brothir; and for that all thyngis, by the influens of the planetis, starnys and hevinnis abufe, be maid of thir elymentis, therfor bein thai clepit kyng and queyn, fadir and mother to goddis and men. And ferther as twychyng this Iuno, hir other namys and proprieteis, I refer to Iohn Bocass in the Genealogy of gentille Goddis, onto the nynt buyk thereof, and first c. of the sammyn.


23

Quhou Dame Iuno tyll Eolus cuntre went
And of the storm on the Troianys furth sent.
And on this wyss, wyth hart byrnyng as fyre,
Musyng alone, full of malyce and ire,
Tyll Eolus cuntre, that wyndy regioune,
A brudy land of furyus stormy sowne,
This goddis went, quhar Eolus the kyng
In gowsty cavys the wyndis lowde quhissilling
And braithly tempestis by hys power refrenys,
In bandis hard schet in presoun constrenys,
And thai heirat havand full gret disdeyn,
Quhill all the hill resoundis, quhryne and plene
About thar closouris brayng with mony a rare.
Kyng Eolus set hie apon his chare,
With ceptour in hand thar muyd to meyss and still,
Temperis thar ire, less thai suld at thar will
Beir with thar byr the skyis, and drive about
Erd, ayr and sey, quhen euer thame lest blaw out.
Thus the hie fader almychty in cavis dyrk
Thir wyndis hyd, for dreid sik wrangis thai wyrk,
And thar abuf set weghty hillys huge,
Gave thame a kyng, quhilk, as thar lord and iuge,

24

At certane tyme thame stanching and withhald
And at command also mycht quhen he wald
Lat thame go fre at large to blaw out braid.
To quham as than lawly thus Iuno said:
“Eolus, a pepill onto me ennemy
Salis the sey Tuscane, cariand to Italy
Thar venquyst hamehald goddis and Ilion;
Bot sen the fader of goddis euery one
And kyng of men gave the power,” quod sche,
“To meyss the flude or rayss with stormys hie,
Inforss thi wyndis, synk all thar schippis infeir,
Or skattir widquhar into cuntreis seir,
Warp all thar bodeis in the deip bedeyn.
I haue,” quod sche, “lusty ladeis fourteyn,
Of quhame the farest, clepit Diope,
In ferm wedlok I sal coniune to the
For thi reward, that lilly quhite of swar,
With the for to remane for euermar,
Quhilk propir spouss and eik thi lady myld
Sal mak the fader to mony fair child.”
Eolus answeris, “O thou my lady queyn,
Quhat thou desiris to the it doith perteyn
Forto devyss, and me behuffis thi command
Obey; for thou the ceptour gevis me in hand
Of all this realme (quhat so it be) and oft
Iupiter with me consideris, and ful soft

25

Causis me feist amang the goddis at rest,
And makis me master of wyndis and tempest.”
Be this was said, a grondyn dart leit he glide
And persit the boss hill at the braid syde.
Furth at the ilke port wyndis brade in a rout
And with a quhirl blew all the erth about.
Thai ombeset the seys bustuusly,
Quhil fra the deip til euery cost fast by
The huge wallis weltris apon hie,
Rollit at anys with storm of wyndis thre,
Eurus, Nothus and the wynd Affricus,
Quhilkis est, south and west wyndis hait with ws.
Sone efter this, of men the clamour rayss,
The takillis graslis, cabillis can fret and frays.
Swith the clowdis hevyn, son and days lycht
Hyd and byreft furth of the Troianys sycht.
Dyrknes as nycht beset the seys about,
The firmament gan rummylling rair and rout,
The skyis oft lychtnyt with fyry levin,
And schortly bath ayr, sey and hevin
And euery thing mannasit the men to de,
Schawand the ded present tofor thar e.
 

The cuntre or realm of Eolus, clepit Eolia, lyis betwix Sycill and Italy, vii ilandis in the sey, of quham thir be the namys: Lipara, Hiera, Strogile, Didyme, Eriphusa, Phenycusa and Evomynos. And for alsmekyll as thir ilis bein full of cavernys, wyth bryntstan blawand and byrnand onder the erd, that therby throw the swouch of the fir may be persauyt a day or twa befor fra quhat part or art the wynd is fortocum; and this Eolus kyng therof, as an naturall man, first be experiens persauyt this, and wald schaw the pepill therby, weill two or thre dais befor, the wynd was to blaw from syk an art, for the quhilk rayson, with the rud pepill, was he nammyt kyng or god of windis. And thai put that he had vi sonnys and vi dochtiris, quhilkis ar nocht ellis bot the xii wyndis, of quham the [namys], to begin at the est and go round abowt, bein thir: Subsolanus, Ewrus, Nothus, Auster, Affricus, Ȝephyrus, Fauonius, Circius, Chorus, Boreas, Aquilo and Wlturnus.

Iohn Bocas, be Eolus set hie in his chare to rewle and dant the windis, ondirstandis raison set hie in the manis hed, quhilk suld dant, and includ the law in the cave or boddum of the stomak, the windis of peruersit appetyte, as lord and syre set be God almychty therto.

Ilion, or Ilium, was the cyte of Troy, havand his naym fra King Ilus, fadir to Laomedon. The hayll cuntre was callit Troy fra King Tros, or Troyius, fadir to this Ilus. The awld naim therof is Phrigia, bot oft bein ather of all ther namys takin for other, as Troy, alss weill for the cyte as the realm. And heir, be a maner dispite, Iuno, for the pepill or gudis of Ilion, namys the hail cyte. Thir goddis bein clepit penetes, of quham in dyuerss placis eftyr, and in speciall in the thrid buyk in the first and thrid c. And thai may be callit goddis domestyk famyliar, or hamhald goddis, bot thai be propirly the Troian goddis and nain otheris.

For alsmekill as I hafe said abufe Iuno betakinnys the air, in quham blawis thir windis, and by quham the mater quharof windis bein engendrit beyn producit to ther perfection, therfor iustly and of rycht Eolus grantis him to hald his ring of Iuno.

Ewrus is heir taken for the gret est wynd, thocht it be bot the wind est to sowthin; siklyke, Nothus for the mayn sowth, thocht it be south to est; and Affricus is takin for plat west wynd, that is bot sowth sowthwest. And thus heir the thre principall gret windis contrarius blew attanys apon thaim, and the north wind also in the nyxt c., “A blastirrand bub owt from the north braying &c.”

Quhou that Ene was with the tempest schaik
And quhou Neptune his navy salvyt fra wraik.
Belive Eneas membris schuk for cald,
And murnand baith his handis vp did hald
Towart the sternys, with petuus voce thus gan say:
“O sevin tymys quhou happy and blissit war thai

26

Vnder hie wallis of Troy, by dynt of swerd,
Deit in thar faderis syght, bytand the erd!
O thou of Grekis mast forcy, Diomed,
Quhy mycht I not on feldis of Troy haue deit
And by thi rycht hand ȝaldin forth my sprete
Quhar that the valiant Hectour losit the swete
On Achillis speir, and grisly Sarpedon,
And ondyr flude Symois mony one
With scheld and helm stalwart bodeis lyis warpit?”
And al invane thus quhil Eneas carpit,
A blastrand bub out from the north brayng
Gan our the forschip in the baksaill dyng,
And to the sternys vp the flude gan cast.
The aris, hechis and the takillis brast,
The schippis stevin frawart hyr went gan wryth,
And turnyt hir braid syde to the wallis swyth.
Heich as a hill the iaw of watir brak
And in ane hepe cam on thame with a swak.
Sum hesit hoverand on the wallis hycht,
And sum the swowchand sey so law gart lycht
Thame semyt the erd oppynnyt amyd the flude—
The stour vp bullyrrit sand as it war wode.
The sowth wynd, Nothus, thre schippis draif away
Amang blynd cragis, quhilk huge rolkis thai say
Amyd the sey Italianys Altaris callis;
And othir thre Eurus from the deip wallis
Cachit amang the schald bankis of sand—
Dolorus to se thame chop on grond, and stand

27

Lyke as a wall with sand warpit about.
Ane othir, in quham salit the Lycianys stowt,
Quhilum fallowis to Kyng Pandor in weir,
And Orontes, Eneas fallow deir,
Befor his eyn from the north wynd
Ane hydduuss sey schippit at hir stern behynd,
Smate furth the skippar clepit Lewcaspis,
His hed doune warpit, and the schip with this
Thryss thar the flude quhirlit about round,
The swokand swelth sank vnder sey and drond.
On the huge deip quhoyn salaris dyd appeir;
The Troianys armour, takillis and othir geir
Flet on the wallis; and the strang barge tho
Bair Ilioneus, and scho that bair also
Forcy Achates, and scho that bair Abas,
And scho quharin ancyant Alethes was,
The storm ourset, raif rovis and syde semmys—
Thai all lekkit, the salt watir stremmys
Fast bullerand in at euery ryft and boyr.
In the meyn quhile, with mony rowt and royr
The sey thus trublit, and this tempest furth sent
Felt Neptune, and his watir movit and schent,
The deip furthȝet in schaldis heir and thair.
Gretly commovit, out of the sey gan stair

28

His plesand hede, rasit on the hyast wall,
Lukand about, behaldis the sey our all
Eneas navy skatterit fer ysundir,
With fludis ourset the Troianys and at vnder
By flaggis and rayn dyd from the hevin discend:
Iunois dissate and ire full weill he kend.
He callis till hym Eurus and Ȝephirus,
Tha est and west wyndis, and said thame thus:
“Ar ȝe sa gretly assurit in ȝour hie kyn,
Ȝe wyndis,” quod he, “but my leif durst begyn
Baith erd and ayr to move on this maneir
And eik the sey with sa stowt stormys steir?
I sal ȝou chastyss; bot me behuffis first meyss
The motioune of fludis and thame appess.
Traist weill onpunyst ȝe sal me not astart
On sik awyss gif ȝe falt efterwart.
Withdraw ȝou hens and to ȝour kyng say ȝe
He has na power nor autorite
On seys, nor on the thre granyt ceptour wand
Quhilk is by cut gevin me to beir in hand;
Hald him on craggis and amang rochis hie,
Thair is ȝour dwelling place, Eurus,” quod he.
“Byd Eolus kepe hym in that hald conding,
Do cloyss the presoun of wyndis and tharon ryng.”
Thus said he, and with that word hastely
The swelland seys has swagit, and fra the sky
Gaderit the clowdis and chasit sone away,
Brocht hame the son agane and the brycht day.
Hys douchter Cymothoe and hys son Tryton
Enforsis thame the Troianys schippis onone

29

To rayss and lift of the scharp rolkis blynd;
The god hym self gan hesyng thame behynd
With his byg ceptour havand granys thre,
Oppynnys schald sandis and temperis weill the see,
Ourslidand lychtly the croppis of the wallis.
And as ȝe se, oft amangis commonys fallis
Stryfe and debait in thar wod fulych ire,
Now fleys the stanys and now the broyndis of fyre
(Thar greif and fury mynysteris wapynnys plente),
Bot than percace gif thai behald or se
Sum man of gret autorite and efferis,
Thai cess and, all stil standand, gevis him eris;
He wyth his wordis gan slaik thar mynd and swage.
On the sammyn wyss fell all the seys rage.
 

(1) Her fyrst namys Virgill Eneas. (2) This cald, sais Seruyus, coym of dreid; nocht that Eneas dred the ded, bot this maner of ded; and alsso he that dredis na thyng, nor kan haf na dred, is not hardy, but fuyll hardy and beistly.

The maner was swa in tha dais that nobillis slan in feld tuke ther mouth full of erd, to that effect that in the ded thrawis nain myssyttand word nor voce suldbe hard of ther mowth.

Mast forcy, that is to sey, on of the maste forcy.

Sarpedon, son of Iupiter and Laodomya, dochtyr to Bellerophon, was kyng of Lycia; of huge statur, and slan by Patroclus.

Thar lyis betwix Affryk and the ile of Sardynia, amyd the sey, a hirst or ryg of craggy rolkis, quhilk beyn callit “altaris of suple or help,” becaus therat on a tyme the pepill of Affrik and Romanys band vp perpetwall payce. And thir schald bankis of sand heir nammyt bein the twa dangeris of the sey Affrican, callit Syrtis, the mair and the less; mar perellus than Ȝairmuth sandis or Holland cost.

Off Orontes and Lewcaspis sum thing in the v c. of the vi buyk, and of this Pander or Pandarus in the ix c. of the v buyk.

Of this Ilioneus and the otheris Troianys heir nammyt beyn oft benath maid mension.

Neptun or Neptunus, brother to Iove and Pluto and son to Saturn. For that the partis of his heritage lay in Creit by the sey cost, and for he vsit mekill salyng and rowyng, and fand the craft or art therof, therfor is he clepit god of the sey. He was alsswa an the first tawcht to dant and taym horsss; and onto hym beyn consecret the fundment of wallis, for alsmekill as it is said he biggyt the wallis of Troy, or than becauss the watyr inclusyt ondyr the erth is oft tymys causs of erdqwkyng and trimbillyng or moving of the erth, as we se by experiens in watyr brekis. And perchanss thir thre poweris signefeis the thre granyt ceptour, quhilk his statw in ald days bair in hand, lyk a crepar or a graip wyth thre granys. Tha discryve hym rydand in a cart, quhilk betakinnys the weltyng our of the sey wallys, that rollys, hurlys and brais lyke cart quhelis. Quha lykis mair of him, go reid Bocas, in the first c. and tent buyk of the Genealogy of Goddis.

Heir is an notabyll doctryn, that nan nobill man suld hastely reveng him eftyr his greif. Tharfor was gevin consell to August Octavian the empriour, that eftir his commotion, or euer he did or said ocht, he suld wryte xxiiii lettiris.

This thre granyt ceptour in sum part haf I twychis [sic] abuf. It may betakyn alsswa the thre properteis of the watyr, quhis is flowand, drynkabyll and ganand to sayll or swym intyll.

Cymothoe, as sais Seruyus, is in Grew alss mekyll to say in our language as the flowand or rinnand flud, quhilk may be clepit a ganand dochtir to Neptun, god of seys. Tryton, as sais Bocas, is the bruyt or rowtyng of the wally sey: quharfor iustly is he fenȝeit trumpet to the occian and son to Neptun. Netheless, Plynyus in his Naturall History reherssis that Triton is a verray monstre of the sey, and that in the tym of Tyberius the emperour syk an was hard and seyn. His schap and portatour is discryvit in the x buyk in the iiii c., and he slais Mesenus in the iii c. of the vi buyk.

Noyte Virgill in this comparison and symilytud, for therin and in syk lyke baris he the palm of lawd, as I haf said in my proheme. It is to be considderit alsso that our all this wark, he comparis batell tyll spayt or dyluge of watyr, or than to suddan fyr, and to nocht ellis.

Cristoferus Landynus, that writis moraly apon Virgill, says thus: Eneas purposis to Italy, his land of promyssion; that is to say, a iust perfyte man entendis to mast soueran bonte and gudnes, quhilk as witnessyth Plato, is situate in contemplation of godly thyngis or dyvyn warkis. His onmeysabill ennymy Iuno, that is fenȝeit queyn of realmys, entendis to dryve him from Italle to Cartage; that is, Avesion, or concupissence to ryng or haf warldly honouris, wald draw him fra contemplation to the actyve lyve; quhilk, quhen scho falis by hir self, tretis scho with Eolus, the neddyr part of raison, quhilk sendis the storm of mony warldly consalis in the iust manis mynd. Bot, quhoubeyt the mynd lang flowis and delitis heirintyll, fynaly by the fre wyll and raison predomynent, that is, ondirstand, by Neptun, the storm is cessit, and, as followis in the nyxt c., arryvit in sond havin, quhilk is tranquilite of consciens; and fynaly Venus, in the vi c. following, schawis Ene his feris recouerit again, quhilk is, fervent lufe and cherite schawis the iust man his swete meditationys and feruour of deuotion, quham he tynt by warldly curis, restorit to hym again, and all his schippis bot on, be quham I ondyrstand the tyme lost.


30

Quhou Eneas in Affrik dyd arryve,
And thar with schote slew sevin hartis belyve.
Eftyr that the fader of the fludys Neptune
Had on sik wyss behaldyn the seys abone,
Vndir the stabillit hevin movit in his chare,
Slakking his renȝeis with prosper courss and fair,
Eneas and his feris on the strand
Wery and forwrocht sped thame to the nerrest land,
And at the cost of Lyby arryvit he.
Ane havyn place with a lang hals or entre
Thar is, with ane ile enveronyt on athir part,
To brek the wallis and storm of euery art;
Within the watir in a bosum gays.
Baith heir and thair stant large craggis and brais.
To se the hewis on athir hand is wondir
For hycht that semys pyngill with hevin, and vnder
In a braid sound sovir from all wyndis blawis
Flowis the schore deip, euer stabil but ony wawis.
A wod abufe ourheldis with his rank bewis
And castis a plesand schaddow our the clewis.
Rycht our forgane the forret of a bra
Vnder the hyngand rolkis was alswa
Ane coif, and tharin fresch watir springand,
And satis of stane neuer hewyn with manis hand
Bot wrocht by natur, as it ane howss had beyn
For nymphis, goddessis of fludis and woddis greyn.
Perbrakit schippis but cabillis thar mycht ryde,
Nane ankyr nedis mak thame arest nor byde.
Of all his navy thidder Eneas brocht
Bot sevin schippis. With gret desyre and thocht

31

Tobe on grund, Troianys sped thame to land,
As thai desyrit set softly on the sand;
Thare lethis and lymmys in salt watir bedyit
Strekit on the cost, spred furth, bekit and dryit.
Bot first Achates slew fyre of the flynt
Keppit in dry leiffis as tunder, quhil thai brynt;
Syne stikkis dry to kyndil thar about laid is,
Quhil al in flambe the bless of fyre vp bradis.
Than was the quhete (with fludis chaffit and wet)
And instrumentis to purge it swith out set.
For skant of vittal, the cornys in quernys of stane
Thai grand, and syne buke at the fyre ilkane.
In the meyn quhile, Eneas the bank on hie
Has clummyn, widequhar behaldand the large see
Gif ony schip thar on mycht be persavit
Quhilk lait tofor the wyndis had bewavit,
Or ony Troiane galay, bark or barge,
Antheus, Capis or Caicus stremeris large
Wavand or schawand from thar top on hycht.
Na schip he saw, bot sone he gat a syght
Of thre hartis waverand by the cost syde,
Quham at the bak, throu out the gravis wide,
The mekil herdis followit in a rowt
And pasturit all the large valle about.
Tharat he styntis and hynt his bow in hand;
Swift fleand arowis fast by him had berand
The traist Achates; and first the ledaris thre,
Quhilk on thar hedis bair the tyndis hie,

32

Smertly he slew, syne al the rangald persewis
With grundyn arowis amang the thik wod bewis,
And styntis not with dartis thame to bete
Quhil he to grond had brocht sevin hartis grete,
And with his schippis thar nowmyr equale maid.
Syne to the havin sped him for out abaid
And thame distribut amangis his feris all.
The wyne thar with in veschell gret and small,
Quhilk til him gave Acestes, his ryall host,
At his departing from Sycilly the cost,
To thame he byrlis and skynkis fast but weir,
And with sik wordis comfortis thar drery cheir:
“O ȝe my feris and deir frendis,” quod he,
“Of bywent perrellis not ignorant bene we.
Ȝe haue sustenyt grettar dangeris onkend,
Lyke as heirof God sal mak sone ane end.
The rage of Silla, that huge swelth in the see,
Ȝe haue eschapit, and passit eik haue ȝhe
The euer rowtand Charibdis rolkis fell;
The craggis quhar monstruus Ciclopes dwell
Ȝhe ar expert. Pluk vp ȝour hartis, I ȝou pray,
This dolorus dreid expell and do away.
Sum tyme heiron to think may help perchance:
By diuerss cacis, seir perrellis and sufferance
Onto Itale we ettill, quhar destany
Has schape for ws, in rest and quiet, herbry;
Predestinat is thar Troy sal ryss agane—
Beis stowt on prosper forton to remane.”
Syk plesand wordis carpand he has furth brocht,
Set his mynd trublit mony grewouss thocht,
With fenȝeit comfort by his cheyr outwart
The dolorus payn hyd deip gravyn in hart.
Hys feris has this praye ressauyt raith
And to thar met addressis, it to graith,

33

Hynt of the hydis, maid the bowkis bair,
Rent furth the entralis, sum in tailȝeis schare,
Syne brochit flykerand, sum gobbettis of lyre
Kest in caldronys, and othir sum bet the fyre;
Thame to refresch thus all the cost on lenth
Sped thame with fude to recover thar strenth,
On the greyn gers sat doune, and fillit thaim syne
Of fat venyson and nobill auld wyne.
Quhen hungir thus with metis was chasit away
And dischis drawin, than with lang sermond thai
Bewalit thar feris lossit on the flude:
Betwix gude hope and dreid in dowt thai stude
Quhidder thai war levand or tholit extreme ded all;
Thai answer nocht set thai oft pleyn and call.
Bot principally the pietefull Eneas
Regratis oft the hard fortoune and cace
Of stern Orontes new drownyt in the sey,
And now Amycus harm complenys he,
Now hym alone the cruel fate of Lycus,
Now strang Gyan, now stalwart Cloanthus.
 

C f marginal note setts; L B marginal note or settis.

Nympha may be clepit a spowss or a damysell. Bot thai bein taken wyth poetis for goddessis of woddis, wildirness, fludis or wellis, and Nympha is a generall naym to all syk. Nymphis of wellis bein callit Naydes; of hillis or montanys, Oreades; of woddis and forestis, Dryades; of salt fludis, Nereides; of flouris, Napee; and Hamadriades ar fenȝeit to grow and de wyth the tre, as quha wald say the sawll of the tre.

Ȝe sall ondirstand Virgill in all partis of his prosess, quhat maner or fasson he discrivis ony man at the begynnyng, sa continewys he of that samin person all thro, and Eneas in all his wark secludis from all vylle offyce; bot as twychand materris of pyety or devotion, thar labowris he euer wyth the first, as ȝe may se in the beginyng of the vi buke.

Thocht sum wald say, perchans, that in Affrik bein na hartis, therto answeris Landinus that, albeit perchans now ther be nain, in tha days tha war not to seyk, or thocht in the ferther partis of Affrik be nain, in the hiddir partis, quharto was Eneas dryve, ther beyn mony.

or gydaris.

Acestes, kyng of Sycilly; of quham in the first c. of the thrid buke.

Sylla and Charybdis bein twa gret dangeris in the Sycill sey; of quham in the vi and viii c. of the thrid buyk.

Off thir Cyclopes alsso in the ix and x c. of the thrid buyk.

Wyne the eldar the bettir, sa that it be fresch, and euery man knawis vennyson owt of ply tynys the sesson.

Quhou Iove beheld the large costis on fer
And how Venus carpis with Iupiter.
Gone was the day and all thar lang sermoun
Quhen Iupiter, from his heich speir, adoun
Blent on the sailrife seys and erth tharby,
With pepill dwellyng on costis fer syndry,

34

Heich in the hevynnys top he baid hoverand
And of Lyby beheld graithly the land.
Within his breist on diuerss curis as he thus
Musys and thynkis, ontill hym spak Venus
All dolorus, hir eyn full of brycht teris:
“O thou,” quod sche, “quhilk governys, rewlis and steris
Baith goddis and men be thyne etern empyre,
And oft affrays with thundyr and wyldfyre,
Quhou mycht myne Ene sa gretly the offend?
Or quhat mycht Troianys trespas, quhilk now at end
Ar brocht and sufferit, sa feill corsis laid ded
Throu owt the warld debarrit in euery sted
And drevin from Itale? Thou hecht vmquhill, perfay,
Of thame suld cum, efter this mony a day,

35

The worthy Romanys, and of Troianys ofspring
Princis of power our sey and land to ryng.
Quhat wikkit counsale, fader, has turnyt thi thocht?
Forsuyth at Troys distructioune, as I mocht,
I tuke comfort heirof, thinkand but baid
That hard wanwerd suld follow fortoun glaid.
Bot ȝit the sammyn myschance persewis thame sayr,
In syndry dangeris cachit heir and thair.
Of thair travell quhat end grantis thou, gret kyng?
Sen Anthenor mycht throu myd ostis thring
Of Grekis, and perss the soundis Ilyria,
And sovirly pass the strait regionys alswa

36

Of Liburnanys, and our Tymavy the flude,
Quharat nyne movthis rynnand as it war wode
The hillis resoundis, sa rudly doith it rowt,
And like a sey bettis on the brays abowt;
Thar netheless of Padva the cite
A dwelling place for Troianys biggit has he,
And nemmyt the pepill efter hym, and full ȝor
The armys of Troy has set vp in memor:
Bot we thi blude, thi kynrent and ofspring,
To quham in hevin thou grantis a place to ryng,
Schame forto say, all throw the feid of ane,
Has lossit our schippis, and ar betrasit ilkane,
And fer from Itale bene withhaldin eik—
Is this reward ganand for thame ar meik?
Is this the honour done to thame bene godlyke?
Restoris thou wss on sik wyss our kynryke?”
Smylyng sum deil, the fader of goddis and men
With that ilk sweit vissage, as we ken,
That mesys tempestis and makis the hevynnys cleir,
First kyssit his child, syne said on this maneir:
“Away sik dreid, Cytherea, be nocht efferd,
For thi lynage onchangit remanys the werd.
As thou desyris, the cite salt thou se,
And of Lavyne the promyst wallis hie.
Eik thou salt rayss abuf the sterrit sky
The manfull Eneas and hym deify.
My sentence is nocht alterit as thou trastis;
Bot I sal schaw the, sen sik thochtis the thrastis,
And heir declair of destaneis the secreit,
Full mony ȝheris tofor thai be compleit.
This Eneas, with hydwyss bargannyng,
In Itale frawart pepill sal doune thring,

37

Syne efter statut lawis for tha men
And beld townys and wal his citeis then.
Quhen thre someris in Latium or Itail
And thre wynteris he rungyn has all haill
Fra tyme Rutilyanys bene subdewit in fecht,
That the ȝong child, quhilk now Ascanyvs hecht
And to surname clepit Iulus sans faill,
For he in Ilion was of the blude ryale,
Quhill that of Troy and Ilion stude the ryng,
Thretty lang twelfmonthis rolling our sal ryng,
From Lavyne realm the seyt translait alswa
And forcely wall the cite lang Alba.
Thar sal thre hundreth ȝeris togidder remane
The ryng vnder the pepill Hectoriane,
Quhil Ilya, nun and dochter of a kyng,
Consavit of Mars, twa twynnys do furth bring;
Than with the glitterand wolf skyn our his aray,
Cled in his nuryss talbert glaid and gay,
Romulus sal the pepill ressaue and weld,
And he the mercial wallis of Rome sal beld,

38

And efter his name cal the pepill Romanys.
To thir folkis quhou lang thar ryng remanys,
Nowder term of space nor boundis of senȝeory
Nane wil I set, for to thame grant haue I
Perpetual empyre, bot end to lest,
Apirsmert Iuno, that with gret onrest
Now cummyrris erd, sey and ayr,” quod he,
“Sal turn hir mynd bettir ways and with me
Fostir the Romanys, lordis of al erdly geir,
And Latyne pepill kepe bath in payce and weir.
This is determyt, this lykis the goddis, I wyss.
Eftyr mony lustris and ȝeris ourslydyn is,
The tyme sal cum quhen Anchises ofspring
The realm of Pthythia in bondage sal doune thring,

39

And eik of Myce subdew the regioune large,
And vndir thar lordschip dant al Grece and Arge,
Cesar of nobill Troiane blude born salbe,
Quhilk sal thempyre delait to the occiane see,
And to the sternys vpspring sal the fame
Of Iulius, that takyn haith hys name
From Iulus, thi nevo, the gret kyng,
As prince discend of his blude and ofspring,
Quham, efter this, sovir of thyne entent,
Chargit with the spulȝe of the orient,
Amang the nowmyr of goddis ressaue thou sall,
And as a god men sal him clep and call.
The cruel tyme sone therefter sal cess,
And weris stanche, al salbe rest and pess;
Ancyant faith and valiant knychthed,
With chaste religioune, sal than the lawys led;
The dreidful portis salbe schet, but faill,
Of Ianus tempill, the takynar of bataill;
With hard irne bandis claspit fast in cage,
Of wykkit bargane tharin the furyus rage
Set apon grisly armour in his seyt,
And with ane hundreth brasyn chenȝeis grete

40

Behynd hys bak hard bund hys handis tway,
The horribil tyrrant with bludy mouth sal bray.”
This beand said, Iupiter ful evyn
Hys son Mercury send doune from the hevyn,
So that of Cartage baith realm and new cite
To luge the Troianys suld all reddy be,
Less than Dido, the destany mysknawand,
Wald thame expell hyr boundis or hyr land.
He with gret fard of weyngis flaw throu the sky
And to the cuntre of Lyby come in hy,
Thar dyd hys charge, and the folkis of Cartage
Thar ferss mudis and hartis gan asswage
At the plesour of the god, quhilk thame taucht.
And first of othir, the quene hir self hass kaucht
Towart the Troianys a ful frendly mynd
As on to thame tilbe bowsum and kynd.
 

Iove or Iupiter by the gentillis was clepit the mast soueran god, fader of goddis and men, and all the otheris war bot haldyn as poweris dyuerss of this Iupiter, callit “iuuans pater,” the helply fadir; bot quham we cleip swa I haf writyn in my proloug of the x buyk. Of Iupiter, as writis Sanct Augustyn in his volume clepit the Cyte of God, in the vii buke and ix c. therof, thus writis poetis:

Iupiter omnipotens, regum rex ipse, deusque,
Progenitor genitrixque deum, deus vnus, et omnes.

“Iupiter omnipotent, king of kingis, and god, fader and moder of goddis, an god, and all the goddis.” Of him largly spekis he alsswa, reprevand the gentile opinionys, in the sam volum, in the first buk and xi c. therof; and in the xii c. repreuys the opynion of Plato, that haldis God the sawll of the warld. Of Iupiter sais the poet Lucan:

Iupiter est quodcunque vides, quocunque moueris.

“Iupiter is all that euer thou seis, and all that euer movis.” Bot quhou ther beyn thre syndry Iupiteris, reid Iohn Bocas in his Genealogy of Goddis, in the first c. of the xi buyk, quhar he tretis of Iupiter, kyng of Crete, quhilk was Iupiter the thrid; and ther at the full of all the fiction and fabillis therof, and quhy he is clepit gret god, and of this Iupiter in the recollectis of Troy. Of the secund Iupiter, kyng of Archad and syne of Athenes, quhilk slew Lycaon and was fadyr to Dardanus, of quham cam the Troianys, he writis in the first c. of his v buyk. And of Iupiter the first, callit Lysanyan, and kyng Athenes, in the ii c. of his ii buke, quhar he tretis the proprieteis of Iupiter the planeyt. And now to speyk of Iupiter the planete, quhilk is secund in ordour, and vnermaste nyxt Saturn. He is gentyll and meyk, and full of gud influens, and profitabill aspectis, in sa fer that gif he conionys with a frawart planete, sik as Mars or Saturn, he meysis ther wreth. Gif he conionys with a meyn planete, as the Sone, the Moyn or Mercury, he drawis thaim and makis inclyn to his gudness. Quhen he conionys wyth Venus, or is participant wyth her, as he stud in the ascendent at this tym of Eneas landyng, quhilk is fenȝeit the commonyng betwix hym and Venus, than, as heir apperis, batakynnys all gud; for Iove is clepit “Fortuna maior,” and Venus “Fortuna minor.” He completis his curss in xii ȝeris, and by this constylation betwix him and Venus, Seruius ondirstandis felicite tocum be a woman, as followis be Dido. And that Venus was sorofull, that is to knaw, discendent, and nocht in hir strength, signifeis the sorofull departyng and myschans of Dido.

Becauss ther is mension of Anthenor, quham many, followand Gwydo De Columnis, haldis tratour, sum thing of him will I speyk, thocht it may suffis for his purgation that Virgill heir hayth namyt him, and almaste comparit him to the mast soueran Eneas, quhilk comparison na wyss wald he haf maid for lak of Eneas, gif he had bein tratour. Bot to schaw his innocens, lat vs induce the mast nobill and famus historian and mylky flud of eloquens, gret Tytus Lyuius, quhilk of Anthenor and Eneas sais thir wordis in his beginning: “It is weill wyt that, Troy beand takin, in all the otheris Troianys crudelite was exersit, exceppand twa, Anthenor and Eneas, to quham the Grekis did na harm, bot abstenyt fra all power of batall as twichyng thaim, becauss of the rayson of hospitalite, for thai had beyn ther ald hostis, and all tymys thai war solistaris and warkkaris to rendyr Helen and to procur paice.” Now I beseik ȝow, curtess redaris, considdir gif this be punctis of traison, or rathar of honour, and wey the excellent awtorite of Virgill and Tytus Lyuius wyth ȝour pevach and corrupt Gwido. Landinus sais als of this Anthenor that, for his sone Glaucus followit Paris, he depechit him of him, and for that sam caus, quhen he was aftyr slan by Agamenon, he maid na duyll for his ded.

Ilyria hes his naym fra Illyrus, son to Polyphemus, and, as sais Sextus Rufus, it contenys xvii provyncis. It extendis endlang all the gret flud Danubyum, callit Hister, on bayth the sydis, and in it is Vngary, Pannony, Sclauony, Bohem, Denmark and Macydon; and this Lyburnya is bot a part therof, contenand certan ilis. Timauus is a flud in Lumbardy, in the Venytian landis, that cumis furth of the Duch montanys at ix beginnyngis, quhilk all rynnys in a loch, quham the pepill adiacent callis a sey, and from this loch cumys the flud that rynnys to Padva, byggit be Anthenor, as heir ȝe may se. Bot it is tobe notyt that Virgill sais abuf, in the first c., Eneas coim fyrst fra Troy to Italy, and heir it apperis Anthenor caym befor him: to that sais Seruyus, tha partis quhamto coym Anthenor beyn not haldyn of Italy, bot of Lumbardy, callyt Gallia Cysalpina. Or mayr evidently may we say that Ene was the fyrst coim to Italy by fait, and at the goddis command. Anthenor coym at his awin auentur, and nocht be destine.

Venus is clepit Cytherea fra the ile Cythera, besid Creyt, quhar scho was norysit; or fra the mont Cytheron, quhar scho was gretly wirscheppit.

The cyte of Rome, or than of New Troy.

The deyfication of Eneas is eftyr, in the last c. of the xiii buyk.

Of the barganyng or batellis of this Eneas, her in dyuers bukis followand; and of the beldyng of his cyte and how lang his ryng endurit, in the last and penult c. of the xiii buyk.

Iulus is thre sillabis, spellit wyth i per se and v per se.

The cite Alba, biggit by Ascanius son of Creusa, eftyr Virgill had his naim fra the quhite swyn, as ȝe may se in the first c. of the viii buk; and was clepit Lang Alba for it was set endlang the band or ryg of a law hill, as writis Tytus Lyuius, and wass distroit by Tullus Hostilius, thrid king of Rom, and tharof in the xi c. of the xiii buke.

Pepill Hectorean, hardy as Hector, or of the kinrent and blud of Hector, for this Ascanȝus was his fift son.

Of Romulus ȝe sall knaw, that Porcas, the xi kyng of Alba or Albanys, gat twa sonys, Numytor and Amulyus, betwyx quham he dividit his realm. Bot this Amulyus banyst his brother Numytor, and slew his son Lawsus; and his dochtir, callit Ilya or Rhea, consecrat a nun onto the goddes Vesta, to that effect scho suld haf na succession, for in tha dais sik nunis, gif tha brak ther virginite, war eyrdit qwyk. Bot this Ilia consauyt and brocht furth twa childyr mayll, quham thai fenȝe to haf beyn engendyrit of Mars, becauss thai war bellicoss and chevalruss, and bygettin of sum dowchti man. And than this Amulyus gart put this Ilia to ded and bad kast tha childyr in Tybyr. Bot the flud bean speyt was flowyn sa far our the brays thai mycht nocht wyn to the crocis of the water and thus war thai left on the bra. And ane Faustus, an hyrd, had thaim haim to his howss, and maid Acca his wyf, other wyss callyt Lupa, nuryce thaim; and for that Lupa betakinnys a wolf and scho was callit Lupa, therfor is it said a wolf fosterit Romulus and Remus. And becauss this said Acca or Lupa maid Romulus hir ayr, therfor sais Virgill he was cled in his motheris or nuryce tawbart. And eftyr, quhen thai worth men, thai becam for the nanys briggantis of the wod, and by a maner pollycy or practyk convenyt that the tayn of thaim suld tak his brother and all his complicis, and sa thai did, and brocht him befor ther vncle the kyng Amulyus, as thocht he wald accuss him of a dedly cryme. And quhen thai war in presens cumin, thai bayth attanys rayss apon Amulyus and slew him, and ther declaryt ther blud and genealogy, and therefter brocht haim thar grandsyr Numytor, and restoryt to him his realm, syn went ther way and for thaim selvyn biggit Roym and wallyt fyrst. And for thai war bayth of a byrth, thai beguyth debait for the naim of the cyte. Than was appunctyt that on the morn quha saw the mast nobyll syng or takin augurian suld geif the cyte his naym. And Remus fyrst saw vi gripis, and Romulus eftyr hym xii gripis. Than said the tayn his takyn was most nobyll for that he saw thaim first; and the tother na, becauss he saw ma; bot quhiddir it was for that debait, or for the goyng our the wallis, as otheris will say, Remus was slayn be Fabyus, chyftan of weyr to Romulus, and the cyte clepit Roma eftyr Romulus. And quhou or quhy that he is callit Quyrites, and of his dowtsom end, and of the sonnis eclips the tym of his ded, and quhy he was repute a god, reid Titus Lyuius, Iohn Bocas in the last c. of the Genealogi of Godis in the ix buke, and Augustyn in the Cyte of God in the xv c. of the iii buke. And sum thing heir eftir in the xiii c. of the vi buke and the x c. of the viii buyk.

Sanct Augustyn in his volum clepit De Verbis Domini, in the xxix sermond, mokkis at this word, sayand: “Ȝit is not the end, and the empyr is translat to the Almanys. Bot Virgill was crafty,” sais he, “that wald not on his awyn byhalf rehers thir wordis, bot maid Iupiter pronunce thaim—and as he is a half fenȝeit god, swa is his prophecy.”

Pthytia was the cuntre of Achilles; Myce or Mycene, the realm of Agamenon; Arge, the realm of Kyng Adrastus, pertenyng eftir to Diomed be raison of his moder, and it is oft tane for all Grece, and the Grekis therfra bein oft clepit Argiui, or pepill of Arge.

Of Iuliuss Cesar, quhen I behald his Commentareis, and the gret volum of Lucan, and quhat of hym writis Swytoneus, I thynk bettyr hald styll my pen than wryt lytill of sa large a mater and sa excellent a prynce. Bot ȝe sall knaw that the principall entent of Virgill was to extoll the Romanys, and in specyal the famyllye or clan Iulyan, that coim from this Ascanyus, son to Eneas and Crevsa, otherwais callyt Iulus; becauss the empryour August Octavyan, quhamto he direkkit this wark, was of that hows and blud, and sistyr son to Cesar Iulyus. And therfor, quhen Cesar was slayn by the Sanatouris, Octavyan had revengit his deth, and rang passabilly at the byrth of our Salviour, quhen the starn of Bethliam apperit. Than to pless Octavian, said the Romanys that was the sawll of Cesar quhilk was deifyit, and this opynion heir twischis Virgill and alss in his Bucolyqueys.

Off the stek and of closyng of the tempill of Ianus in tym of weyr and of pace, ȝe haf in the vii buyk in the x c. And this tempill of Ianus was twyss closit befor Octauian: anys be Numa Pompilius, and the secund tym be Tytus Manlyus, and thriss be Octavyan. And this tym heyr markyt was the last tym, at the cumyng of Cryst, quhen all the warld was in pace. In wytnes therof the angellis sang pace in erd, the tym of bryth: the ii c. of Sanct Luke.

Off Mercury red in the v c. of the iiii buke; and that Mercur heir was send doun from Iupiter is nocht ellis bot the planet Mercur was at disces and Iove stud ascendent, quhilk signifeit frendschip in hast tocum bot not to lest lang.

In this cheptir ȝe haf that Eneas met his moder Venus in lykness of a virgyn or a mayd, by the quhilk ȝe sall vndirstand that Venus is fenȝeit to be modyr to Eneas becaws that Venus was in the ascendent and had domynation in the hevyn and tym of his natyvite; and for that the planet Venus was the signifiar of his byrth and had domination and speciall influens towart hym, therfor is scho fenȝeit to be his mother; and thus it that poetis fenȝeis bein full of secreyt ondyrstandyng ondyr a hyd sentens or fygur. And weyn nocht for this, thocht poetis fenȝeis Venus the planet, for the causs foirsaid, tobe Eneas mother, at thai beleve nocht he was motherless, bot that he had a fayr lady to his moder, quhilk for hir bewte was clepit Venus. And that Venus metis Eneas in form and lykness of a maid is tobe onderstand that Venus the planete that tym was in the syng of the Virgyn, quhilk betakynnyt luf and fawouris of wemen. And of Venus and hir son Cupyd I sall say sum thyng in the x c. of this sam buke.

Ene, at morow rakand throu the schaw,
Met with hys modir into habit onknaw.
Bot al this nyght the reuthfull Eneas,
That in his mynd gan mony thyng compass,
Belive as that the hailsum day wolx lycht
Dressit him furth to spy and haue a sycht

41

Of new placis, fortil serss and knaw
To quhatkyn costis he with the wynd was blaw,
Quha thame inhabit, quhidder wild bestis or men—
For al semyt bot wilderness til hym then—
And as he fand schupe till hys feris to schaw,
Hys navy dern amyd the thyk wod schaw,
Vnderneth the holkit hyngand rochis hie,
Dekkit about with mony semly tre,
Quhois schaddowis dyrk hyd weill the schippis ilkane.
And he bot with a fallow furth is gane,
With traste Achates; in athiris hand yfeir
The braid steil heid schuke on the huntyng speir.
Amyd the wod hys moder met thame tway
Semand a maid in vissage and aray
With wapynnys like the virgynys of Spartha
Or the stowt wench of Trace, Harpalica,
Hastand the horss hir fadir to reskew,
Spedyar than Hebrun, the swyft flude, dyd persew;
For Venus eftyr the gyss and maner thar
Ane active bow apon hir schuldir bar
As scho had bene a wild hunteress,
With wynd waving hir haris lowsit of tress,
Hir skyrt kiltit til hir bair kne,
And first of other, onto thame thus spak sche:
“Howe, say me ȝongkeris, saw ȝe walkand heir
By aventur ony of my sisteris deyr,
The cayss of arrowis tachit by hir syde,
And cled in to the spottit lynx hyde,

42

Or with lowd cry followand the chayss
Eftir the fomy bayr, in thar solace?”
Thus said Venus, and hir son agane
Answeris and said, “Trewly, maide, in plane
Nane of thi systeris dyd I heir ne se.
Bot, O thou virgyne, quham sal I cal the?
Thy vissage semys na mortale creatur
Nor thi voce sovndis not lyke to humane nature:
A goddess art thou suythly to my syght.
Quhidder thou be Dyane, Phebus systir brycht,
Or than sum goddess of thir nymphis kynd,
Maistress of woddis, beis to ws happy and kynd,
Releve our lang travell quhat euer thou be,
And vndir quhat art of this hevyn sa hie
Or at quhat cost of the warld finaly
Sal we arrive, thou tech wss by and by;
Of men and land onknaw we are drive will
By wynd and storm of sey cachit hiddertill;
And mony fair sacrifice and offerand
Befor thyne altar sal de of my rycht hand.”
Venus answerd, “I denȝe not to ressaue
Sik honour certis, quhilk feris me nocht to haue,
For to the madynnys of Tyre this is the gyiss
To beir a cayss of arowis on this wyss,
With rede botynys on thar schankis hie.
This is the realm of Punyce quhilk ȝe se,
The pepill of Tyre, and the cite, but mor,
Belt be the folk discend from Agenor.

43

Ȝhe bene in the merchis of Lyby, sans faill,
Inhabit with pepill ondantabill in bataill,
Quhar Dido quene rewlis the empyre,
Hydder, for hir brodir, fled from the realm of Tyre;
Lang war the iniuris, the dowtis lang tobe tald,
Bot I the vmaste of the mater sall hald.
Ane husband, quhilk Sycheus hecht, had sche,
Rychast in all the grond of Phenyce
And strangly luffit of the silly Dido,
For be hir fader, as was the maner tho,
By chans scho was in cleyn virginite
Weddit to hym. Bot of Tyre the cuntre
In heretage held Pigmalyon hir brodir,
In wikkitnes cruel abufe all othir,
Quhilk, but offence or occasioun of greif,
For blynd cwatyce of gold throu his myscheif,
Befor the altar, slely with a knyfe,
Or he was war, reft Sycheus the lyfe,
And, of the gret luf of his systir suyr,
Concelyt this cruel deid lang vndir cuyr—
That fals man, by dissaitfull wordis fair,
With vaynhope trumpit the wofull luffar.
Bot of hir husband bygravit the ymage
To hir apperis in sleip, with pail vissage,
On mervellus wyss, and gan at lenth declare
Quhou he was cruelly slane at the altare.
He schew the knyf outthrow hys breist threst,
And all the hyd cryme of hir howss manyfest,
Syne in gret haist exortis hir to fle
And leif hir native land, and tak the see,
And, forto help hir onwart by the way,
Vnder the erth quhar ald hurdis hyd lay,
Of siluer and gold revelit a huge weght.
Dido, heirat commovit I ȝou hecht,
For hir departing falloschip reddy maid;
Togidder conuenys but ony langar abaid
All thai quhilk hatis the cruell tyrrantis dedis,
Or ȝit his fellon violence sair dredis.

44

The schippis that on cayss war reddy thar
Thai tuke, and chargit full of gold but mayr.
The tresour of the wrachit Pigmaleon
Is thus caryit our the sey onone.
A woman captane is of all this deid.
To ȝone place ar thai cummyn, thou may tak heid,
Quhar now rysis ȝone large wallis stowt
Of New Cartage, with hie towris abowt.
Als mekill grond thai bocht at the first tyde
As thai mycht compas with a bullis hyde;
Ȝondir cheif castell standing on the bra
Into thar langage clepit is Byrsa,
And of this deid his name beris witnes ȝit.
Bot quhat be ȝhe, finaly wald I wyt?
Or of quhat cuntre cummyn? Or pass wald quhar?”
Sche sperand this, Eneas sichand sair,
The voce drawand deip from his breist within,
Said, “O thou goddess, gif I suld begyn
And tell our labour from the formast end,
To heir our storyis set thou myght attend,
Or I maid end, Vesper, the evyn starn brycht,
Suld cloyss the hevin and end the days lycht.
We ar of ancyant Troy (gif euer ȝe
The name of Troy has hard in this cuntre),
And caryit throuowt diuerss seys alswa,
And now by fortoune to cost of Lybia
Drevyn with tempest. Rewthfull Ene am I,
That Troiane golddis tursys in my navy,

45

Quham fra amyd our ennemyss I rent.
My fame is knaw abufe the eliment.
I seik Itale and our auld cuntre fer
And lynage cum from hyast Iupiter.
With schippis twyss ten the Phyrgyane see,
My modir a goddes techand the way, tuke we,
Followand destany quhilk was to me grant.
Of all our floyt, from wynd and wallys skant
Sevin evil perbrakit salue remanys with me.
Onkend and mysterfull in desertis of Lybe
I wandir, expellit from Europ and Asia.”
Venus na mair sufferit hym pleyn or say;
Amyd hys dolorus playntis thus spak sche:
“Quhat evir thou art, I trast weill at thou be
Favorit with the goddis, and drawis this hailsum ayr,
Quhilk is the spreit of lyfe, to thy weilfair,
Sen thou art cummyn to Cartage the cyte.
Now hald thy way and at the quenys entre
Present thy self. I schaw the for certane
Thy ferys ar salf, thy navy is cummyn agane,
In salfty brocht fre of north wyndis als,
Less than my parentis taucht me spaying craft fals.
Behald twelf swannys in randoun glaid and fair
Quham, newly from the regioun of the air,

46

Iovis fowle, the egill, discendyng fra hys hycht,
Hass sair effrayt amyd the skyis brycht;
Now with lang range to lycht thai beyn adrest
And spyis the erth about quhar thai sall rest.
As thai return, thar weyngis swouchand iolely,
And with thar courss circlys about the sky,
Cryand or syngand efter thar awyn gyss:
Thy schippys and falloschip on the sammyn wyss
Owdir ar herbryit in the havyn, I wyss,
Or with bent saill entris in the port be this.
Now pass thy way evyn furth that sammyn went.”
Thus said sche, and turnand incontinent,
Hir nek schane lyke onto the royss in May,
Hyr hevynly haris glitterand brycht and gay,
Kest from hir forhed a smell gloryus and sweit,
Hir habyt fell down coveryng to hir feit,
And in hir passage a verray god dyd hir kyth.
And fra that he knew hys moder alswith
With sik wordis he followys as scho dyd fle:
“Quhy art thou cruell to thy son,” quod he,
“Dissavand hym sa oft with fals sembland?
Quhy grantis thou nocht we mycht ioyn hand in hand
And fortill heir and rendir vocis trew?”
Thus he reprevys, bot sche is went adew.
Than to the cyte he haldis furth the way,
Bot Venus with a sop of myst baith tway
And with a dyrk clowd closyt rownd abowt,
That na man suld thame se nor twich but dowt,
Ne by the ways stop or ellis deir,
Or ȝit the cawsis of thar cummyn speir.
Hyr self vplyft to Paphum passyt swith
To vissy hir restyng place, ioly and blith;

47

Thar is hir tempill into Cypir land,
Quharin thar doith ane hundreth altaris stand,
Hait byrnnyng full of Saba sens all howris,
And smellyng sweit with fresch garlandis of flowris.
 

Mony expondis Achates for thochtfull cuyr or solicitud, quhilk all tymys is feyr and companȝeon to princis and gret men.

The madynnis of Sparta bene the Amasonys.

Harpalica douchter to Ligurgus kyng of Trace, hir fader beand tane be the pepil of Getya, assemblit hir power and with sa gret haist persewit thame that scho semyt in swiftness to forryn the swiftast flude of Trace, callit Hebrun; and with mair agilite and hardyment than is almaste tobe belevit, reskewit hir fader and ourcome hir aduersaris.

Thus said scho forto dissimyll hyr self, or than becauss that in Cypir was scho wirscheppit only wyth insens and flouris and nayn other sacrifyce, sa that it was onlefull ony blud war sched in hir tempyll.

Of Agenor ȝe sal knaw that Iupiter engendrit Ephaphus, quhilk gat Belus the first, that engendrit this Agenor, and he begat Phenix, fra quham the realm of Tyre was namyt Phenycia and the pepil bath of Tyre and Cartage Phenycianys or Punycianys. This Phenix begat Belus the secund, otherwyss callit Methres, and he was fader to this Pygmaleon and Queyn Dido, otherwyss nemmyt Elissa. This ilk Phenix also engendrit Philistenes, quhilk begat this Sycheus, otherwyss callit Sicarbas, spouss to this ilk Dido and gret preste to Hercules.

Sum sais scho gave alss mekyll gold as wald gang in a bul hid for this grund; sum haldis opynyon that in thai dais the monye was mad of cuyrbulȝe or leddyr, and this castell hes his naym therfra, for in the langage of Affrik, “byrsa” betakynnys leddyr or a hyd. Bot Seruyus is of Virgillis opynion, sayand Dido maid carve the bull hid in sa small twhangis that it cumpassyt abowt the spass of xxii stageis, that is, thre myllis quarter less.

That Eneas heyr commendis his self, it is not to be tayn that he said this for arrogans bot forto schaw his styll, as a kyng or prince onknawin in an onkowth land may but repreif reherss his estate and dygnite to mak him be tretyt as afferis. And alss, becauss he trastyt he spak wyth a goddess, that scho suld nocht aschaym to remayn and talk wyth hym therfor; and becauss scho was a woman, he schew that he was a man of autorite, wyth quham thai nedis nocht ascham to speyk, for he was that man quhilk by the common voce was clepit Eneas full of pyete. And for that Virgill clepis hym swa all thro this buyk, and I interpret that term quhylys for “rewth,” quhils for “devotion” and quhilis for “pyete” and “compassion,” tharfor ȝe sall knaw that pyete is a vertw or gud deid be the quhilk we geif our dylligent and detfull lawbour to our natyve cuntre and onto thaim beyn conionyt to vs in neyr degre. And this vertw, pyete, is a part of iustyce and hes ondyr hym twa other vertwys: amyte, callyt frendschip, and liberalyte.

Varo sais that Eneas, fra his departing of Troy quhil he coym in the feldis of Lawrentum, all the day saw the starn of Venus, and quhen he was thiddir cummyn he saw it na mair, quharby he ondirstud that was his grund fatayll.

Parentis betakynnys the childis fader and moder baith.

The Egill be poetis is fenȝeit tobe Iovis fowle, and that he maid minstration to him of the thunder and wapynnys the tyme of the batale betwix the god Dis and the Gyantis. Bot war it lefull to compar prophane fabillis to Haly Scriptour, Sanct Iohne the Ewangelist is verray Iovis egill and clepit son of thundir.

Eneas, at his moderys commandment,
Cled with the mysty clowd, to Cartage went.
Thai in the meyn tyme hastit furth thar way
As the rod led thame, quhil ascend ar thai
The hill fer rysand abuf the town on hycht,
Quhar all the cite forgane thame se thai mycht.
Eneas wondrit the gretnes of Cartage,
Quhilk lait tofor had beyn ane smal cotage;
The fair portis alsso he ferleit fast,
And of the brute of pepill tharat inpast,
The large stretys paithit by and by.
The byssy Tyrryanys lauborand ardently,
Ane part haistis tobeild the wallys wight,
And sum to rayss the gret castell on hyght
And welt vp stanys to the wark on hie,
Sum grathis fast the thak and rufe of tre,
And sum abowt delvys the fowsy deip,
Sum chesis officeris the lawys forto kepe
With counsalouris and senatouris, wyss folkis,
Ȝonder othersum the new havyn holkis,
And heir alsso, ane other end fast by,
Lays the fundament of the theatry,
And otheris eik the huge pillaris grete
Out of the querrellys gan do hew and bete
Fortill adorn that place in all degre
In tyme cummyng quhar gret triumphe suldbe—
Lyke to the beys, in feildis floryst new,
Gaderyng thar wark of mony diuerss hew,
In soft somyr the brycht son hait schynyng,
Quhen of thar kynd thame list swarmys furthbryng,

48

Or in camys incluss thar hwny cleyn
And with sweit liquour stuffis thar cellis scheyn,
Or ressavys the byrdyngis from othir tharowt,
Or fra thar hyve togyddir in a rowt
Expellis the bowbart beist, the faynt drone be;
Thar labour is bissy and fervent forto se,
The hwny smellys of the sweit tyme seid.
“O,” quod Ene, “full happy ar ȝhe in deid,
Quhais large wallis rysys thus on hie!”
A quhile he visseit the boundis of this cite,
Ane wonder thyng, coverit with a clowd about:
He entrys syne amyd the thikast rowt,
Amang the men he thrang, and nane hym saw.
Amyd the cite stude ane semly schaw,
With hys maist plesand sobir schaddowis, quhar,
As the Punycianys first vpwarpit war
Efter the stormys blastis and seys rage,
Thai delvand fand the takynnar of Cartage,
Ane mekill horss hed that was, I weyn,
As Iuno had schaw tofor, of goddis queyn,
That signyfyit the cite excellent in batale,
And plentuus eik al tymys of vittale.
In the ilke place, the Sydonas Dido
Begouth to byg a prowd tempill of Iuno
With dowreis seir and gyftis of rychess
And eik the goldyn statw of the goddes.
The entre rayss with hie stagis of brass,
With brass alsso the cupplys festynnyt was;
The brassyn durris iargis on the marbill hirst.
In this tempill, seir novelteis first
Schawin till Eneas mesyt gretly hys feir:
The first assurance of comfort was heir
And hope of releif eftir aduersite,
For as he went diuerss thingis to se,
Rowmyng about the large tempill scheyn
Fortobehald the cummyng of the queyn
And of the cite the gret prosperite,
The mony warkmen and thar craftis sle,

49

In dew proportioun, as he woundrit for ioy,
He saw perordour all the sege of Troy,
The famus batellis, wlgat throu the warld or this,
Of Kyng Pryam and athir Attrides,
And, baldar than thame baith, the ferss Achil.
He styntis, and wepand said Achates tyll:
“Quhou now, quhilk place is this, my frend,” quod he,
“Quhat regioun in erd may fundyn be
Quhar our mysforton is nocht fully proclame?
Allace, behald, se ȝondir Kyng Priam,
Lo, heir his wirschip is haldin in memor.
Thir lamentabyll takynnys passit befor
Our mortal myndis aucht to compassioun steir.
Away with dreid, and tak na langar feir!
Quhat, wenys thou na this fame sall do the gude?”
Thus said he and fed hys mynd, quhar he stude,
With thir plesand fenȝeit ymagery,
Murnand sair and wepand tendyrly,
The flude of terys halyng our hys face,
For as he lukit on the wark percace,
He saw porturate quhar in sik a place
The Grekis fled and Troianys followis the chace
Abowt the wallys of Troy as thai dyd fyght.
At ȝondir part the Troianys tak the flycht,
With creste on hed Achillis in hys chair
Persewand strangly. Not far thens saw he quhar
The quhite tentis of Kyng Rhesus, evill kepe,
Betraisit war apon the first sleip,
Quhar with gret slauchter bludy Diomeid
Distroyt all, and till hys tent gan leid
The mylk quhite horssis, fers, swift and gude,
Or evir thai taistit ony Troiane fude
Or drunkyn had of the flude Exanthus.
And ȝondir, lo, beheld he Troilus

50

Wantyng his armour, the fey barn fleand,
Fortill recontyr Achilles onganand,
The horss hym harland behynd the void cart
Hyngand wyde oppyn, and hys hed dounwart;
Supposs he held the renȝeis fast but faill,
Hys nek and harys on the erd gan traill,
The speir ourturnyt in the duste dyd write.
The sammyn tyme, the Troian madynnys quhite,
With hair doun skalit, all sorofull gan pass
Onto the tempill of the grevit Pallas
To ask supple; with thame a wympill bair thai,
With handis betand thar breistis by the way:
This fremmyt goddess held hir eyn fixt fast
Apon the grund, nocht a blenk list thame cast.
Abowt the wallis of Troy he saw quhat wyss
Achilles harlyt Hectoris body thryss;
The ded corps syne for gold he saw hym sell.
Law from his breist murnand he gave a ȝell,
Seand the void cart and spulȝe of the knycht
And the corps of his derrest frend sa dight.
Priam onarmyt streke furth handis dyd he spy
From Achilles hys sonnys body toby.
Him self alsswa mydlit persavit he
Amang princis of Grece in the melle.
The orient hostis knew he one by one,
And Vlcanus armour on blak Menon.
The madynnys cum fra Amason saw he soyn,
With crukit scheildis schapyn like the moyn,
Led by thar furyus queyn Pantissylle;
Amyd the thousandis egyrly feghtis sche,
And quhar hir pap was for the speir cut away,
Of gold tharon was belt a rych tyschay:
Ane worthy weriour suythly thai mycht hir ken,
This wench stowtly recontir durst with men.
 
Kyng Agamenon and Duke Menalay.

51

Heir to the tempil cummys Queyn Dido
Quhar that Eneas his feris fand alsso.
Quhill as the manfull Troian Eneas
To se thir nyce figuris thocht wonder was,
And as he musyt, studyand in a stair
Bot on a sycht quhar on he blenkit thar,
The queyn Dido, excellent in bewte,
To tempill cumis with a fair menȝe
Of lusty ȝyngkeris walkyng hir about.
Lyke to the goddes Dian with hir rowt
Endlang the flude of Eurot on the bra,
Or vndir the toppis of hir hill Cynthia
Ledand ryng dansys, quham followis our alquhar
A thousand nymphis flokkyng heir and thair;
On hir schulder the arrow cace baris sche,
And quhar scho walkis abufe the laif on hie
May weil be seyn; to Latone hir moder this
Gevis reiosyng and secrete hartis blyss:
Sikane was Dido, sykane hir blithly bair
Amyd thame all, the warkis and weilfair
Providing for the realm in tyme tocum.
And quhen sche to the tempill dur is cum,
Syne entryng vnder the myd volt, tuke hir sete
Heich in a trone, and cumpaneis grete
On athir half standyng of armyt men,
The domys and law pronuncis sche to thame then,
The feys of thar laubouris equaly
Gart distribut; gif dowt fallis tharby,
Be cut or kavill that pled sone partit was.
Bot suddandly persavis Eneas
Quhar with gret haist com rynnyng Antheus,
Sergest he seis, and stalwart Cloanthus,
With diuerss otheris of the Troian menȝe,
Quham the blak storm had skatterit on the see
And at ane other cost drevyn to the land.
He and his fallow awondris this seand.

52

Achates half estonyst stude in affray;
With feir and ioy smyttin baith war thai,
And langit sair to schaik handys; bot thar hart
The onkouth cace amovit in sum part
Forto dissymyll, as na thing seyn thai had,
And with the dyrk clowd hyd, to spy thai baid
Quhou it stude with thar ferys, or chansyt eft,
Or on quhat cost thar navy thai had left,
Quhat thai desyrit, for, as full weill thai saw,
From thar schippis per ordour thai com on raw,
Besekand grace and peax fast, as thame thocht,
And to the tempill with gret clamour socht.
Fra thai war enterit in the tempill tho
And licens grantit thame to speke alsso,
The gretast oratour, Ilioneus,
With plesand voce begouth his sermond thus:
“O hie princes, quhamto Iupiter hass grant
To beld ane new cyte, and to dant
The violens of prowd folk by iust law,
We wrachit Troianys, with the wyndis blaw
Throu strange stremys and mony diuerss see,
Forbyd ȝon cruell fyre, besekis the,
Suffir not to byrn our schippis in a rage,
Haue reuth apon our petuus auld lynage.
Considir frendly our mater quhou it standis:
We com nocht hiddir with drawyn swerdis in handis
To spulȝe templis or rychess of Lybia,
Nor by the cost na spreth to dryve away.
Sik violens nane within our myndis is,
Nor sa gret stowtnes to venquyst folk, I wyss.
Thar is a place quham the Grekis, thai say,
Onto hys name clepis Hesperia,
Ane nobill land, richt potent in bataill,
And fructuus grond, plentuus of vittalle,
By Kyng Onotryus inhabit first, we trow,
Bot in our days laitly, the fame is now,
Eftir thar duke it is namyt Italy.
Thidderwart our courss was laid, quhen suddanly

53

The flude boldnyt, and stormy Orion
Amang blynd bankis cachit ws onon;
The byttir blastis, contrarius al ways,
Throw wallis huge, salt fame and wilsum wais,
And throw the perrellus rowkis gan ws dryve;
Hidder at ȝour cost ar few of ws arryve.
Quhat kynd of pepill duellis heir?” quod he,
“Quhou beyn sik thewis sufferit in this cuntre?
We ar defendit to herbry on the sand,
Prouokyt eik to batale, and, drevyn to land
By forss of storm, the slyke thai ws deny.
Albeit the strenth of men ȝhe set not by
And mortal weris contempnys and comptis nocht,
Belevis weill ȝit than and haue in thocht
The goddis sall remember, traistis me,
Baith of gud dedis and iniquite.
To ws was kyng the worthy Eneas,
Ane iustar man in all the warld nane was,
Nor mair reuthfull, nor wisar into weir,
And mair valiant in dedis of armys seir,
Quham gif the fatis alyve conservit haith
To tak this hevinly ayr and draw his braith,
And not with cruell gostis hyd vnder erd,
We neid not dreid, sall nocht mak ws efferd,
Nor thou sall neuer repent the sykkyrly
To schaw ws first frendschip and curtasy.
Into the realm of Sycill als haue we
Frendis and citeis, with armyt men plente,
And of the Troian blude Acestes kyng.
Gyf ws war levit our flote on land to bryng,
That with the wynd and storm is all to schaik,
And grantit eik wod leif to hew, and take
Tymmyr to beit ayrris and other mysteris,
So that our kyng we mycht fynd and our feris,
Blithly we suld hald towart Italy,
And to the cost of Latium seik inhy.
Bot gif our weilfar and beleve cleyn gayn is,
And the, maist souerane fader of ws Troianys,

54

The Lybian sey withhaldis, gif thou be gone,
Nor of Ascanyus comfort remanys none,
Than suythly, at the leste, the Sycill see
And placis reddy fra quham hidder drevin ar we,
We sall seik, and to the kyng Acestes.”
Thus said Ilioneus, and sa can he cess,
Bot than the noyss rayss amang the Troianys—
Thai murmuryt and complenyt all at anys.
Than schortly Dido spak with vissage doun cast:
“Remove all dreid, Troianys, beis nocht agast,
Pluk vp ȝour hartis, and hevy thochtis dovn thring.
Ane hard myschans and novelte of this ryng
Constrenys me sik mastry forto schaw,
And with discurriouris kepe the cost on raw.
Quha knawys nocht the lynnage of Enee?
Or quha myskennys Troy, that ryall cyte?
The gret wirschip of sik men quha wald nocht meyn
And the huge ardent batalys at thar hass beyn?
We Phenycianys nane sa blait breistis hess,
Nor so fremmytly the son list nocht address
Hys curss frawart Cartage cyte away.
Quhiddir ȝhe will to gret Hesperia,
The grund of Saturn, quhilk now is Italy,
Or to the cost of Sycill fast tharby,
And at the kyng Acestes lyst ȝou be,
Thidder sall ȝhe suyrly pass with my supple;
I sal support ȝou with all geir may gayn.
And pless ȝhe with me in this realm remane,
The cite quhilk I byg is ȝouris fre;
Bryng in ȝour schippis hidder from the see;
Betwix a Troiane and ane Tyrriane
Na differens—all sall I rewle as ane;
And with this sammyn wynd hidder blaw in feir
Wald God Enee ȝour kyng war present heir!
Endlang the costis and far partis of Lyby
I sall forsuyth exploratouris send to spy
In ony wod gyf that he be vpdryve,
Or ȝit perchance at ony cyte arryve.”

55

Quhou Eneas with all his rowt bedene
War thankfully ressauyt of the queyn.
Uith thir wordis the spreit of Eneas
And of the strang Achates reiosyt was,
Gretly desyryng the clowd to brek in tway.
Bot first Achates till Enee gan say:
“Son of the goddes, quhat purposs now,” quod he,
“Rysis in thy breist? All is sovir, thou may se,
Thyne navy and thy ferys recoverit beyn,
Wantand but ane, amang the fludis greyn
Quham we saw droun. All other thingis, thou knawis,
Is now conform onto thy moderis sawys.”
And scarsly haith he all thir wordis spokkyn,
Quhen that the clowd abowt thame swith was brokkyn
And vanyst tyte away amang the ayr.
Vp stude Enee, in cleir lycht schynyng fair,
Lyke till ane god in body and in face
For his moder grantit hir son sik grace,
Hys crysp harys war plesand on to se,
Hys favour gudly, full of fresch bewte,
Lyke till ane ȝongker with twa lauchand eyn—
Als gracyus fortobehald, I weyn,
As evoir boyn by craft of hand weill dycht,
Or as we se the burnyst siluer brycht,
Or ȝit the quhite polist marbill stane schyne
Quhen thai beyn circulit about with gold sa fyne.
Or evir thai wist, befor thame all inhy,
Onto the queyn thus said he reuerently:
“Hym quham ȝe seik behald now present heir,
Enee the Troian, delyverit from danger
Of storm and wallys of the Libiane see.
O thou only, quhilk rewth hess and piete
On the ontellabill pyne of the Troianys,
Quhilk ws, the Grekis levyngis and remanys,
Ourset with all maner necessiteis
And euery perrell baith be landis and seis,

56

Within thy cyte ressauys till herbry
And to famyliar frendschip and ally;
To quyte the, rendring ganand thankis rycht,
That lyis nocht, Dido, intill our mycht,
Nor all the laif of the Troian menȝe,
Throw out this warld skatterit quhar euer thai be,
Bot the hie goddis, gif ony deite takis tent
To thame at petuus beyn and pacient,
For iustice eik gif euer reward beis get,
And rychtwyss myndis ramembrit and nocht forȝet,
Thai ilke goddis mot dewly reward the
Accordyng thy desert in all degre.
Quhou happy and ioyus was that tyme serene
That the producit hess, sa nobill a queyn!
Quhou wirschipfull eik war thai parentis of mycht
Quhilk the engendrit hess, sa worthy a wight!
Quhill fludis rynnys in the sey but dowt,
Quhil sonnys schaddow circlys hillis about,
And the firmament starris doith conteyn,
Thy honour and thy fame sall evir be grene,
And thy renown remane perpetualy,
Throu all realmys quharto that drevyn am I.”
Thus sayand, til his frend Ilioneus
Hys rycht hand gave he, and to Serestus
Gave his left hand, syne welcumit euery man,
The strang Cloanthus and the stowt Gyan.
The queyn Dido, astonyst a litill wie
At the first syght, behaldand his bewte,
Awondring be quhat wyss he cummyn was,
Onto him thus scho said with myld face:
“Son of the goddes, quhat hard aduersite
Throw owt so feill perrellis hass catchit the?
Quhat forss and violens drave the hyddir till ws,
Apon thir costis that beyn so dangerus?
Art thou not theilk compacient Eneas
That apon haly Venus engendrit was
Be the Troian Anchises, as thai say,
Besyde the flude Symois in Phrigia?

57

Weill I remembir, to Sydon the cyte
Sen Tewcer com, banyst from his cuntre,
Sekand supple at Belus, and sum new land;
My fader than, Belus, I vndirstand,
The rich realm of Cipir wastit by weir,
And wan it syne and gave it to Tewcer,
And evir syne of Troy, that gret cyte,
The distructioun hass beyn weill knaw to me,
Thy name alsso, and pryncis of Grece sans faill
With quham thou faught seir tymys in batale.
This ilk Tewcer hys ennemys of Troy
Rusyt and lovit, and with excellent ioy
Full oft him self extoll and vant he wald
Of Troiane blude tobe discend of ald.
Tharfor haue done, gallandis, cum on ȝour way,
Entir within our lugyng, we ȝou pray.
Siclike fortoun, throu mony feill danger,
At last onto this land hass dryve me heir;
Thus, nocht mysknawand quhat payn is ennoy to dre,
I lernyt to help all tholis aduersyte.”
Rehersyng this, convoys sche Eneas
Towart the place quhar hir ryche palyce was,
And tharwith eik commandis halyday,
Throwe owt the cyte all suldbe game and play.
And netheless, the sammyn tyme sendis sche
Down to his folkis at the cost of the see
Twenty fed oxin, large, gret and fyne,
And ane hundreth bustuus bowkis of swyne,
Ane hundreth lammys and thar moderis tharby,
With other presandis, and wyne habundandly.
The place within maist gloriusly and gay
Adornyt was all our with ryall array;
Amyd the hie rufe of the mekill hall
For the banket mony rich claith of pall
Was spred, and mony badkyn wonderly wrocht.
Of siluer playt ane huge weght furth was brocht
To set on burdis, and veschell forgit of gold
Quharin was grave (maste curyus tobehold)

58

The valȝeant dedis of forfaderis past by
Sen first begynnyng of thar geneology,
Man eftir man lyke as thai dyd succeid,
In lang rememberans of thar worthyheid.
Ene, for that his faderly piete
Wold nocht suffir hys mynd in rest tobe,
In haist Achates to the schippis send
To schaw Ascaneus all fra end till end,
Onto the cite that he onon war brocht;
On ȝong Ascaneus was haill the faderis thocht.
Seir gyftis eik he bad bryng with him syne,
Hynt and deliuerit from the Troian rewyne—
Ane rych garmont brusyt with stife gold wyre,
The purpour mantill and rycht quent attyre
That pliabill was with the gilt bordour large,
Sum tyme array of Helene, queyn of Arge,
Quhilk from the realm of Myce with hir sche brocht,
Quhen scho to Troy forbodyn hymeneus socht,
This wondrus gift gottin at hir moder Lyda;
And forthir eik, of fair Illionya
He bad hym bryng with hym the ceptre wand
Quhilum Priamus eldast douchter bair in hand,
The collar pight with orient peirlys als
That sche vmquhile wair about hir hals,
Off gold alsso the closs or dowbill crown
Set full of precyus stonys enveroun.
To do his charge, Achates bissely
The way towart the schippis socht in hy.
Quhou that Venus, all perrellis to seclude,
Send Cupide in Ascaneus similitude.
In the meyn tyme, Venus a sle wile socht
By new consait in hir mynd quhou scho mocht,
In form the vissage of sweit Ascaneus tho
Transformyt, send hir awin son Cupido

59

To beir thir presandis, so that the amorus queyn
He mycht inflambe, within hir banys greyn
The hoyt fyre of lufe to kyndill and steir:
For in hir mynd scho had a maner feir
Of this lynnage waverand and ontrew
(Tyrrhyanys dowbill tongit weill sche knew);
Of cruell Iuno the dreid brynt hir inwart,
With mony thocht ran hastely tyll hir hart.
Onto the weyngit god of luf, but weir,
For thy scho spak, and said on this maner:
“O thow my child, my strenth and my gret mycht,
O thou my son, quhilk only art so wight
That thou the dartis of Iupiter dar ganestand,
Quharwith he slew Typhon, the fell gyand,
To the I cum, to the I seik,” quod sche,
“Lawly askyn thy power and supple.
Quhat wyss thy broder Eneas, but dowt,
Is blawyn and warpit euery cost about,
Of wykkit Iuno throu the cruell invy,
All this to the is manifest, weill wait I,
For quhen I wepit tharfor, thow murnyt also.
Now hym withhaldis the Phenycian Dido
And culȝeis hym with slekit wordis sle,
Bot to quhat fyne, richt sair it dredis me,
Sall turn this plesand gestnyng in Cartage,
Quhilk is the burgh of Iuno—for in hir rage
As is begun the mater sall not remane.
Quharfor I ombethynk me of a trane
This queyn first forto cawch in luffis lace,
And so with flambe of amouris till enbrace
That by na mycht tharfra scho may remove,
Bot strangly sall with me Eneas lufe.
Hark my consait, quhat wyss this may be done:
The riall child Ascaneus full sone,
On quham maist is my thocht, grathis to pass
At command of his fader Eneas

60

To the cyte of Cartage, and gyftis seir
Tursis with hym of the ald Troian geir
Quhilk fra the storm of sey is left ontynt
And from the fyre remanys ȝit onbrynt.
Hym sall I sownd slepand steill away
And hyde apon the hight of Citheray
Or in Idalium, my hallowit schaw,
That our dissait he nowder persave ne knaw,
Nor onprovisitly cum thidder, thocht he mycht.
Tak thou his lyknes, na mair bot a nycht,
Fortobegile Queyn Dido of Cartage.
My child, cleith the with ȝon kend childis vissage,
So that quhen scho all blythast haldis the
Into hir skyrt perchance, or on hir kne,
At hir fest ryall sittand at the tabill
Amang danteis and wynys amyabill,
And gan the forto hals and to enbrace,
Kyssand sweitly thi quhyte nek and thi face,
Than may thou slely thi vennamus ardent fyre
Of fraudfull luf amyd hir breste inspyre.”
The god of luf obeys hastely
Hys moderis wordis, and laid his weyngis by,
And blythly steppis furth lyke Iulus.
Bot Venus to this ilke Ascaneus
The sweit vapour of plesand sleip and rest
On all the membris of his body kest,
And softly the goddess in hyr lap hym bair
Amyd hyr schaw of Idalium, quhar
Tendir mariolyne and sweit flowris thar out
With thar dulce smell hym schaddowit rownd about.
 

Of Typhon or Typheus, in the xi c. of the ix buke.

Of the banket, and of the gret deray,
And quhou Cupyd inflambis the lady gay.
Now passys furth Cupyd, full diligent
Fortyll obey hys moderis commandment,
Berand with hym the kyngly gyftis scheyn
Quhilkis suldbe present to the ryall queyn,

61

Blythly followyng hys ledar Achates.
And as thai come, the quene was set at dess
Vndir hir gloryus stentit capitale;
Amang provd tapetis and mych rych apparale
Hir place scho tuke, as was the gyss that tyde,
Ourspred with gold amyd a beddis syde.
Abuf all othir the fadir Eneas,
And syne ȝong gallandis of Troy, to mete set was
Apon rich beddis sydis, per ordour,
Ourspred with carpettis of the fyne purpour.
To wesch thar handis seruandis brocht watir cleir,
Syne breyd in baskettis, eftyr thar maner,
With soft serviatis to mak thar handis cleyn.
Fyfty damycellis tharin seruyt the queyn,
Quhilkis bair the cure eftir thar ordour haill
On purvyance of howshald and vittaill,
To graith the chalmeris and the fyris beld.
Ane hundreth madynnys had scho ȝong of eld
And elyke mony of the sam age ȝong swanys
The cowrsis and the mesys, for the nanys,
To set on burdis, sik as we call sewaris,
And to fill cowpys, goblettis and eweris.
And mayratour, the Tyrryanys halely
At the blith ȝettis flokkis to the maniory,
And as thai come, thai war down set onone
On brusyt or payntit tapetis eueryone.
Thai mervellit the rich gyftis of Eneas;
Apon Ascaneus feill awondrit was,
The schynand vissage of the god Cupyte
And hys dissemblit slekit wordis quhite,
The precyus mantill and quent garmond also;
Bot principaly the fey onsylly Dydo,
For the myscheif to cum predestinat,
Mycht not refreyn nor satisfy hir consait,
Bot ardently behaldis all on steir,
Now lykand weill the child, and now the geir.
As Cupyd hyngis about Eneas halss,
Enbrasit in armys, fenȝeand luf full fals,

62

By semlant as he his fader had beyn,
Full slely than he blent apon the queyn.
Scho with hir sycht and all hir mynd rycht thar
Hym to behalf sat musand in a stayr;
Sumtyme onwar hym in hir bosum held sche,
Mysknawand, allace! by fals subtilite,
Quhou the gret god of luf with all hys mycht
Wachit forto dissave hir, wofull wight.
Bot he, remembering on his moderis command,
The mynd of Sycheus, hir first husband,
Furth of hir thocht peyss and peyss begouth dryve,
And with scharp amouris of the man alyve
Gan hir dolf spreit forto preveyn and steir,
Had beyn dyssvsit fra luf that mony ȝeir.
Eftyr the first pawss, and that cowrss neir gane,
And voduris and fat trunschuris away tane,
The goblettis gret with myghty wynys in hy
Thai fill, and coverit set in by and by.
Than rayss the noyss quhill dynnyt rufe and wallis,
So thik the vocis fleys throu the large hallys.
From the gilt sparris hang down mony a lycht,
The flambe of torchis venquyst the dyrk nycht.
The queyn than askis of gold for the nanys
A weghtty cowp, set all with precyus stanys,
Bad fill it ful of the rych Ypocras,
Into the quhilk gret Belus accustomyt was
To drynk vmquhile, and fra hym euery kyng
Discend of hys genology and ofspring.
And quhen silens was maid our all the hall,
“O Iupiter,” quod scho, “on the we call,
For this rayson, that by wyss men is said
To gestis thou grantis the herbry glaid.
We the beseik this day be fortunabill
To wss Tyrranyanys, happy and agreabill
To strangearis cummyn fra Troy on thar vayage,
In tyme cummyng remembrance of our vsage
To our successioun and posterite;
The gevar of glaidness, Bachus, heir mot be,

63

And gentil Iuno to ws fauorabill and meik;
And ȝou, myne awyn Tyrryanys, I command eik
Hallow this fest with blythnes and with ioy,
Bair frendly falloschip to thir noblis of Troy.”
This beand said, the cowpe with the rich wyne
Apon the burd scho blyssit, and eftir syne
With hir lyp first tharof tuke bot a taist,
And carpand blythly gaif it Bythyus in haist.
He merely ressavis the remand tayss,
All owt he drank, and quhelmyt the gold on his face;
Syne al the nobillis tharof drank abowt—
I wil nocht say that ilkman playt cop owt.
Bot on his gylt harp berdyt Iopas,
Playand the gestis of the gret Atlas,
The monys change and oblike cowrss sang he,
And quhy the son eclipsis, as we se;
Quharof mankynd is maid he schew ful plane,
Quharof bestis, and quhat engendris rayn,
Quharof cummys thundir and fyry levyn;
The rany Hyades, quhilk ar the sternys sevyn,
And eik Arcturus, quhilk we cal the laid stern,
The dowbill Vrsys weil couth he decern,
And quhy the son into the wyntir tyde
Hastis in the sey sa fast his hede to hyde,
Quhy makis the nycht that tyme sa large delay,
And in somyr quhy sa lang is the day.
The gyld and ryot Tyrryanys dowblit for ioy,
Syne the rerd followit of the ȝonkeris of Troy.
Onhappy Dido alsso set all hir mycht
With sermondis seir forto prolong the nycht,
The langsum lufe drynkand inwart ful cald.
Full mony demand of Priam speir scho wald
And questionys seir twichyng Hector alswa;
Now with quhais armour the son of Aurora
Come to the sege, and now inquir wald sche
Quhat kynd horss Diomede had in the melle,
Quhou large of statur was ferss Achillis.

64

“Haue done, my gentill gest, sone tell ws this
Per ordour,” says scho, “fra the begynnyng, all
The dissait of the Grekis and the fall
Of ȝour pepill and of Troy the rewyne;
Thi wandring be the way thou schaw ws syne,
For now the sevynt symmyr hyddir careis the,
Wilsum and errant, throu euery land and see.”
 

C L B marginal note or oblique.

Eneas first excusys hym, and syne
Addressis to reherss Troys rewyne.
Thai cessit all atanys incontinent
With mouthis closs and vissage takand tent.
Prince Eneas, from the hie bed, with that,
Into hys sege ryall quhar he sat,
Begouth and sayd, “Thi desyre, lady, is
Renewing of ontellabill sorow, I wyss,
To schaw how Grekis dyd spulȝe and distroy
The gret rychess and lamentabill realm of Troy,
And huge mysery quhilk I thar beheld
(Quharof myself a gret part bayr and feld),
Quhat Myrmydon or Gregion Dolopes
Or knycht wageor to cruel Vlixes—
Sik materis to reherss or ȝit to heir,
Mycht thame conteyn fra weping mony a teir?
And now the hevin ourquhelmys the donk nycht,
Quhen the declynyng of the sternys brycht
To sleip and rest perswadis our appetite.
Bot sen thou hast sic plesour and delyte
To knaw our chancis and fal of Troy in weyr,
And schortly the last end tharof wald heir,
Albeit my spreit abhorris and doith gryss
Tharon forto remembir, and oftsyss
Murnand eschewis tharfra with gret dyseyss,
Ȝit than I sal begyn ȝow forto pleyss.”
Explicit Liber Primus, Incipit Prologus Secundi

65

The Prolouge of the Secund Buke

Dyrk beyn my muse with dolorus armony.
Melpomene, on the wald clerkis call
Fortill compyle this dedly tragedy
Twiching of Troy the subuersioun and fall;
Bot sen I follow the poete principall,
Quhat nedis purches fenȝeit termys new?
God grant me grace hym dyngly to ensew!
The drery fait with terys lamentabill
Of Troys sege wydequhar our all is song,
Bot followand Virgil, gif my wit war abill,
Ane othir wyss now salt that bell berong
Than euer was tofor hard in our tong.
Saturn, thou auld fader of malancoly,
Thyne is the cuyr my wofull pen to gy.
Harkis, ladeis, ȝour bewte was the cawss;
Harkis, knychtis, the wod fury of Mart;
Wyss men, attendis mony sorofull clawss;
And, ȝe dyssavouris, reid heir ȝour proper art;
And fynaly, to specify euery part,
Heir verifeit is that proverbe teching so,
“All erdly glaidness fynysith with wo.”
Heir endis the proloug and begynnys the secund buke of Eneadoss.

66

Quhou the Grekis withdrew thame of the raid,
And of the mekill subtile horss thai maid.
The Grekis chiftanys, irkit of the weir
Bypast or than samony langsum ȝeir,
And oft rebutyt by fatale destany,
Ane huge horss, lyke ane gret hil, in hy
Craftely thai wrocht in wirschip of Pallas
(Of sawyn beche the ribbis forgyt was)
Fenȝeand ane oblacioune, as it had be
For prosper returnyng hame in thar cuntre—
The voce this wyss throu owt the cite woyk.
Of choyss men syne, walit by cut, thai tuke
A gret numbyr, and hyd in bylgis dern
Within that best, in mony huge cavern;
Schortly, the belly was stuffit euery deill
Ful of knychtis armyt in plait of steill.
Thair standis into the sycht of Troy ane ile
Weil knawin by name, hecht Tenedos, vmquhile
Myghty of gudis quhil Priamus ryng sa stude;
Now it is bot a fyrth in the sey flude,
A raid onsikkyr for schip or ballyngare.
In desert costis of this iland thar
The Grekis thame ful secretly withdrew,
We wenyng thame hame passit and adew,
And, with gude wynd, of Myce the realm had socht.
Quharfor al thai of Troy, blyth as thai mocht,
Thair langsum duyl and murnyng dyd away,
Kest vp the portis and yschit furth to play,
The Grekis tentis desyrus forto se
And voyd placis quhar thai war wont tobe,
The cost and strandis left desert al cleyn.
‘Heir stude the army of Dolopeis,’ sum wald meyn,
‘Cruel Achil heir stentit his pailȝeon;
Quhar stude the navy, lo the place ȝonder down;
Heir the ostis war wont to ioyn in feild.’
And sum wondring the scaithful gyft beheld

67

Suldbe offerit to the onweddit Pallas;
Thai mervellit fast the horss samekill was.
Bot Tymetes exortis first of all
It forto leid and draw within the wall
And forto set it in the cheif palyce—
Quhidder for dissait I not, or for malyce,
Or destany of Troy wald sa suldbe.
Bot Capis than, with ane othir menȝe
Quhilk bettir avyss thar myndis set apon,
Bad cast or drown into the sey onone
That suspek presand of the Grekis dissait,
Or kyndill tharvndir flambe of fyris hait,
Or forto rype that holkit hug belly,
And the hyd hyrnys to serss and weil espy.
Quhat nedis mair? The onstabill common voce
Diuidit was in mony seir purposs,
Quhen thidder come befor thame al onone,
Followand a gret rowt, the prest Laocon
From the cheif tempil rynnand in ful gret hy.
On far, ‘O wrachit pepil,’ gan he cry,
‘Quhou gret wodness is this at ȝe now meyn,
Ȝour ennymyis away salit gif ȝe weyn,
Or gif ȝe traist ony Grekis gyftis be
Withowt dissait, falshed and subtelte.
Knaw ȝe na bettir the quent Vlixes slycht?
Owder in this tre ar Grekis closit ful rycht,
Or this engyne is byggit to our skaith,
To wach our wallis and our byggyngys bath,
Or to confound and ourquhelm our cite.
Thar lurkis sum falshed tharin, trastis me.
Lippyn nocht, Troianys, I pray ȝou in this horss;
Quhow euer it be, I dreid the Grekis forss,
And thame that sendis this gyft always I feir.’
Thus sayand, with al his strenth a gret speir
At the syde of that bysnyng best threw he,
And in ionyngis of the thrawyn wame of tre
Festynnyt the lance, that trymlyng gan to schaik;
The braid belly schudderit, and with the straik

68

The boyss cavys sowndit and maid a dyn.
And had nocht beyn that owder his wit was thyn,
Or than the fatis of goddis war contrary,
He had assayt, but ony langar tary,
Hyd Grekis covert with irne to haue rent owt;
Than suld thou, Troy, haue standyn ȝit, but dowt,
And the prowd palyce of Kyng Priamus
Suld haue remanyt ȝit ful gloryus.”
The takyng of the tresonabill Synon
And of hys fenȝeit wordis mony one.
Lo, the ilk tyme, harland onto the kyng
Troiane hyrdis with gret clamour dyd bryng
A ȝong man, baith his handis behynd his bak
Hard bundyn, that wilfully fortobe tak
Rendrit hym self, onknawyn the cawss quhy,
Forto perform his deid mair secretly;
By stowt curage reddy to athir of tway,
Owder tobryng hys slycht to gude assay,
Or faillyng tharof, dowtless reddy to de
Less than to Grekis he oppynnyt the cite.
On ather part hym tobehald atanys
Fast flokkis about a multitude ȝong Troianys,
Byssy to knak and pul the presoneir.
Now the dissait of Grekis may ȝe heir,
And all thar falshed lern by this a slycht,
For, alsso fast in myddis of al our sycht
As that drery onarmyt wyght was stad
And with eyn blent about, semyng ful rad,
Behaldand Troiane rowtis on athir hand,
‘Allace,’ quod he, ‘wald God some erd or sand
Or sum salt sey dyd swelly me alyve!
Quhat other thing now restis to me catyve,
Quhamto sal nevir amang Grekis agane
A place befundyn suythly to remane?

69

And maratour Troianys, offendyt eik,
To sched my blude by paynful deth dois seik.’
With this regrait our hertis sterit to piete;
All molestatioune cessit and lattyn be,
We hym exort reherss, and tobe bald,
Of quhat lynnage he was, and quhat he wald,
And to remembir gude hope of ferm supple
Happynnys oft to presoneris in captiuite.
He at the last this fenȝeit dreid dyd away
And on this wyss onone begouth to say:
‘Forsuyth, Schir Kyng, I sal quhat euer betyde
Grant to the all the verite and nocht hyde,
Nor, be na ways, me lyst nocht to deny
That of the Grekis menȝe ane am I.
Thys principaly I wald thou vndyrstude:
Thocht frawart fortoun miserabill and bayr of gude
Hass maid Synon, sche sal nocht mak hym als,
Quhat euer he says, nowder lear nor fals.
Gyf euer onto ȝour eris come the name,
The hie wirschip and the renownyt fame
Of Palamedes, from Belus blude discend,
Quham Grekis by fals traysoun, as weil is kend,
Throw corrupt witness stanyt to ded, but less,
For he the weir forbad and procurit pess—
Now murn thai for his dede. And with hym heir
In falloschip my puyr fader in weir
Send me of ȝouth, as to hym neir of blude.
Quhil in prosperite of the realm he stude,
And Grekis ryng by counsale was rewlit wysly,
Sum name of wyrschip and autorite bair I,
Bot efter that by envy and haitrent
Of the fals flechand Vlixes sa quent
(I iape not, for that I say weyll I knaw)
Fra he was slane, allace, and brocht of daw,
Dolorus my lyfe I led in sturt and pane,
Hevyly weyand my innocent frende thus slane.
Sess couth I nocht, bot in my franacy,
Gyf euer I happit my tyme forto espy,

70

And victour hame returnyt onto Arge,
I hecht tobe revengit; with wordis large
Thus I prouokit scharp feid and malyce baith.
To me this was fyrst apperans of skaith.
From thens fordwart Vlixes mair and mayr
With new crymys begouth affray me sair,
And dangerus rumour amang the commonys hedis
Skalit and sew of me in diuerss stedis,
And, knawyng hym self gylty, by hys consait
Grathit hys wapynnys of slycht and fals dissait,
Nor cessit he neuer his purposs to persew
Quhil the solysting of Calcas I mycht rew . . .
Bot quharto tell I or rehersis this
That be na ways displesis ȝou, I wyss?
Quhy tary I my deth? And ȝe lyst, stryke:
Gyf that ȝe favour all the Grekis elyke,
This is enewch at ȝe haue hard of me—
Now haist my pane, sen algatis I mon de.
Vlixes, quhilk is kyng of Ithacy,
Wald it war swa, and with gret price wald by
My deth Agamenon als, and Menalay.’
Than hastit we and brynt to heir hym say,
Desyrus all the maner forto heir,
Mysknawyng the gret iniquiteis seir
And sle craftis of Grekis in euery deid.
He quakand than, as it had bene for dreid,
Begouth forto tell furth the remanent,
Sayand on this wyss, with ful dissemlyt entent:
‘The Grekis oft in purposs war and will
To fle from Troy and leif it standand still
And, wery of thar lang weir, pass away.
(Wald God swa thai had done syne mony a day!)
The seys rage and storm thame stoppit oft,
And from thar passage the north wynd onsoft
Held thame abak in angwyss and in feir,
And principaly now sen this hors was heir
Of hattyr gestis beldit vp but dowt
The stormy clowdis our al the ayr gan rowt.

71

We dowtyng heiron send the preste Erypilus
Answer to seik at the tempill of Phebus,
And from the secret oratory, suyth to sayn,
Thir soroful tythyngis he wss brocht agane:
“With blude and by the slauchtir of a maid,
Grekis, ȝe mesyt the wyndis first,” he said,
“Quhen that ȝe come of Troy to the cuntre;
Ȝour haym passage by blude mon fundyn be,
And haue ȝour askyn by deth of a Gregyoun.”
Quhen to the commonys eris ran the sown
Of thir wordis, with myndis affrayit atanys
The cauld dreid ran in throu thar banys
For feir quhamto was schape this destanye
Or quho it was Apollo desyrit to die.
Vlixes than amang thame with gret dyn
Calcas the gret dyvynour has brocht in
And bissely at hym inquiris he,
By respons of the goddis, quha suld de.
Than mony ane demyt to me, ful rycht,
The cruel wraik of that dissaitful slycht
And quyetly persavit how it wald wend.
This Calcas held his tong ten days to end,
Kepand secret and cloyss al his entent,
Refusyng with his word ony to schent
Or to pronunce the deth of ony wyght.
Skars at the last, throu gret clamour and slycht
Of Vlixes constrenyt, but mair abaid,
As was devisit, the laith word furth braid
And me adiudgit to send to the altare.
Tharto alhail the Grekis assentit ar
And sufferit glaidly so the mater pass;
Quhar as tofor eueryane tobasyt was
For hym selwyn, tho blyth was page and knycht
The chance returnyt on a catyfe wyght.
Cummyn was the duylful day that doith me gryss,
Quhen that of me suldbe maid sacryfyce,
With salt meldir, as weil the gyiss is kend,
Abowt my hede a garland or a bend.

72

I grant that from the deth my self I fred,
The bandis I brast, and fast away syne fled
Ontil a muddy marrass quhar, the dyrk nycht,
Amang the rysp and redis out of sycht
Full law I lurkit, quhil vp salys drew thai,
Gif thai perchance be ȝit passit away.
Now restis thar na hope (allace, fell me!),
My natyve cuntre sal I neuer se,
Nor deir childryng, nor fader weil belovit,
Quham, as I traist, the Grekis, all ammovit
For myne eschaping, turment sal with pane—
Thai, saykles wyghtis, sal for my gilt be slane.
Quharfor, Schir Kyng, be the hie goddis abufe,
And thar mychtis that trewth best knawis and lufe,
And by the faith onfylit and leil lawte
(Gyf it with mortale folkis may fundyn be),
Haue rewth and piete on sa feil harmys smart
And tak compassioune in thi gentill hart;
Apon my wrechit sawle haue sum mercy
That gyltles sufferis sik dyseyss wrangwisly.’”
Ȝyt of the traytowris fals controvyt slycht,
That was belevit, allace, with euery wyght.
“‘Pardon and lyfe to thir terys geif we,’
Quod Priamus, ‘and mercy grantis fre.’
And first of all, the mannykillis and hard bandis
Chargit he lowss of this ilk manis handis,
With frendly wordis syne thus onto hym said,
‘Quhat evir thou art, beis mery and glad,
Forȝet the Grekis that lost ar and away,
From thens fordwart thou salbe owris, perfay.
Bot schaw trewly this a thing I inquer,
Onto quhat fyne this huge hors was heir
Of sa gret statur beldit vp on hie.
Quha wrocht the wark? Quhat may it signyfie?

73

Quhat is it—ane offerand of sum halynes
Or sum engyne of batale, as I gess?’
Said Priamus. Bot than the tother wight,
Ful weil instrukit of Grekis art and slycht,
Lowsit and laitly fred of al his bandis,
Onto the starnys hevit vp his handis:
‘O ȝhe,’ quod he, ‘euerlestand lampis brycht,
And ȝour dyvyne power and ȝour gret mycht,
That aucht not beyn forsworn, I testefy,
And ȝou altaris and cruel swordis, quham I
Am eschapit, and al ȝou goddis wyss
Quhais garlandis bair I as ȝour sacryfyss,
Leiffull is now to brek but mair abaid
The sworn promyss that I to Grekis maid.
Leifful is eik tha pepill fortil hait,
And schaw furth planely al at euer I wait,
Thar hyd slycht als to rype furth to the grund:
To na cuntre nor lawis am I bund.
Sa mot thou, Troy, quham I sal salue fra skath,
Kepe me thy promyss and thi lawte baith,
As I sal schaw the verite ilke deill
And for my lyfe sal rendir ȝou a gret weill.
The Grekis trast and comfort mony ȝheris,
From the begynnyng of thir mortale weris,
On Pallas help stude haill this towne toget,
Bot efter that Thedeus wareit get
With Vlixes, fyndar of wykkytness,
The fatale rellyk of Palladium, I gess,
Furth of hir tempill and the hallowit hald
To reif away forsabilly war so bald,
And sla the wachis of the cheif castell,
The haly ymage, grysly forto tell,
Pollute and fylit, and with thar bludy handis
Hir vyrgyne valis and blissit godly garlandis
Presumyt twich—sen syne has euermair
Bakwart of Grekis the hope went and weilfair,
Thar mychtis and thar strenthis feblit fast;
So frawart thame hir mynd this god hes kast

74

That with na dowtsum takynnys, ma than twa,
Hir greif furth schew this ilke Trytonia.
Skarsly the statw was in thar tempill vpset
Quhen all hir membris bittir terys swet,
Hir eyn glowit as ony gleid for ire
Quharfra thar flaw mony sparkis of fyre,
A teyrful thing and wonderfull to tell;
Thryss schynyng down on the grond scho fell,
Hyr targe trymlyng, and schakyng fast hir speir.
“Onone, al most ȝe wend to sey infeir,”
Cryis Calcas, “Nor Grekis instrument
Of Troy the wallis sal neuer hurt ne rent
Less than agane the land of Arge be socht
With alkyn portage quhilk was hydder brocht
In barge or bilgeit ballyngare our see:
The goddess mon be mesit als,” quod he.
And now set thai, with this ilke wynd, haue socht
Thar land of Grece or Myce, this is thar thocht,
To graith thar armour and wapynnys by and by,
And with supple of goddis in cumpany
In haist forto return agane our see:
Or ȝe beyn war, apon ȝou wilt thai be.
Thus al per ordour declaris thame Calcas,
At quhais monicioun als vp biggit was
This bustuus form, in lyknes of a horss,
For Palladium, and to appeiss the forss
Of the goddes, and into recompens
Of thar wrachit and dolorus offens.
And mairatour, of sa huge quantite
Calcas commandis beld this statw of tre
Thus large and gret, weil neir the hevyn on hycht,
So at the portis it ne entyr myght,
Nor ȝit be brocht within ȝour wallys wyde,
Nor ȝour pepill favour, help nor gyde
Eftir the auld relligioun and vsage.
For gif ȝour handis had violet, in ȝour rage,
This haly presand of the god Mynerve,
Gret wraik suld follow that al suld ȝe sterve,

75

Priamus ryng distroyit and al ȝour pelf—
Quhilk destany goddis turn rather in hym self!
Bot gif this ilk statw, standis heir wrocht,
War with ȝour handis into the cite brocht,
Than schew he that the pepill of Asya
But ony obstakill in fell batale suld ga
Bet down the townys of Arge, that regioun,
And the sam fait happyn our successioune.’
Be sik wylis and slychtis mony one
Of fals controvit and maynsworn Synone
The mater is belevit with all it heris,
And takyn ar by dissait and fenȝeit teris
Tha pepil quham the son of Thedeus,
Nor fers Achilles, clepit Larysseus,
Nor Grece ten ȝheris in batale mycht ourcum,
Nor ȝit the thousand schippis al and sum.”
Quhou stranglit was the prest hecht Laocon
And how the hoss clam our the wallis of stone.
Betyd, the ilke tyde, a fer grettar woundir
And mair dreidful to catyvis be sik hunder,
Quhilk of Troianys trublit mony onwarnyt breste.
As Laocon, that was Neptunus prest
And chosyn by kavill onto that ilk office,
A fair gret bull offerit in sacrifyce
Solemnytly befor the haly alteir,
Throw the styl sey from Tenedos infeir,
Lo, twa gret lowpit edderis, with mony thraw,
Fast throu the flude towart the land gan draw.
My spreit abhorris this mater to declare:
Abufe the watir thar halss stude euermare,
With bludy crestis owtwith the wallis hie;
The remanent swam always vnder see,
With grysly bodeis lynkit mony fald;
The salt fame stowris from the fard thai hald.

76

Onto the grund thai glaid with glowand eyn
Stuffit ful of vennom, fyre and fellon teyn,
Wyth tongis quhislyng in thar mowthis rede
Thai lyk the twynkland stangis in thar hed.
We fled away al bludeless for affeir,
Bot, wyth a braid, to Laocon infeir
Thai stert atanys, and hys twa sonnys ȝyng
First athir serpent lappit lyke a ryng,
And, with thar cruell byt and stangis fell,
Of tendir membris tuke mony sary morcell.
Syne thai the prest invadit, baith twane,
Quhilk with hys wapynnys dyd hys byssy pane
His childryng forto helpyn and reskew.
Bot thai about hym lowpit in wympillis threw
And twyss cyrkyllit his myddil rownd about
And twyss faldis thar sprutlit skynnys but dowt
About hys hals—bath nek and hede thai schent.
As he etlys thar hankis to haue rent
Of with his handis, and thame away haue draw,
Hys hed bendis and garlandis all war blaw
Ful of vennom and rank poyson atanys,
Quhilk infekkis the flesch, blude and banys.
And tharwith eik sa horribilly schowtis he,
His cryis dynnyt to the sternys on hie;
Lyke as a bull doith rummysing and rayr
Quhen he eschapis hurt from the altair,
And charris by the ax with his nek wight,
Gif on his forhed the dynt hyttis nocht rycht.
Syne thir twa serpentis hastely glaid away,
Onto the cheif tempil fled ar thai
Of stern Pallas to the hallowit place
And crap in vnder the feit of the goddess,
Hyd thame behynd the boyss of hir bukleir.
Than trymlit thar mony stowt hart for feir,
The onkowth dreid into thar brestis crap.
All said, ‘Laocon iustly, sik was his hap,
Has deir ybocht his wikkit and schrewit deid,
For he the haly horss or stalwart steid

77

With violente strake presumyt forto deir
And tharintil to fessyn his cursit speir.
Onto the hallowit sted bryng in,’ thai cry,
‘The gret fygur! And lat wss sacryfy
The haly goddes, and magnyfy hyr mycht
With orysonys and offerandis day and nycht!’
Quhat wil ȝe mair? The barmkyn down we rent,
And wallis of our cite we maid patent.
Onto that wark al sped thame bissely;
Turnand quhelis thai set in by and by
Vndir the feit of this ilke bysnyng iaip,
Abowt the nek knyt mony bassyn raip.
This fatale monstre clam our the wallis then,
Gret wamyt and stuffit ful of armyt men,
And tharabout ran childer and madis ȝyng
Syngand karrellis and dansand in a ryng—
Ful weil war thame, and glaid was euery wight
That with thar hand anys twich the cordis mycht.
Furth drawyn haldis this suttell hors of tre
And mannysand slydis throu the myd cite.
O natyve cuntre and rial realm of Troy!
O goddis howss, Ilion ful of ioy!
O worthy Troiane wallis chevalrus!
Four tymys stoppyt that monstre peralus,
Evin at the entre of the portis wyde,
And four syss the armour, that ilk tyde,
Clynkit and rang amyd the large belly;
Bot netheless, intil our blynd fury
Forȝetting this, instantly we wirk
And forto drug and draw wald neuer irk,
Quhil that myschancy monstre, quently bet,
Amyd the hallowit tempill vp was set.
Cassandra than the fatis tocum tald plane,
Bot, by command of Phebus, al was invane,
For thocht scho spayit the suthe and maid na bowrd,
Quhat euer scho said Troianys trowit nocht a word.
The tempillis of goddis and sanctuaryis all
We fey pepill—allace, quhat say I sall?—

78

Quhamtill this was the duylfull lattir day,
With festuale flowris and bewys, as in May,
Dyd weil anorn, and fest and ryot maid
Throu owt the town, and for myscheif was glaid.”
Grekis entrys by trayson in the cite,
And how Hector apperis till Ene.
Wyth this the hevyn sa quhyrlit about his speir
Out of the sey the dym nycht gan appeir,
With hir dyrk weid bath erth and firmament
Involwyng, by hir secret schaddowis quent
Covering Gregion and Myrmydonys slyght;
Within the wallis to bed went euere wyght;
Still war in all, and soft vapour of sleip
Apon thar wery lymmys fast doith creip.
Be than the army of mony a Gregioun,
Stuffit in schippis, come fra Tenedon,
Stil vnder frendly sylens of the moyn,
To the kend costis speding thame ful soyn;
And quhen the takynnyng or the bail of fyre
Rayss from the kyngis schip, vp byrnand schyre,
Of the goddis be frawart destany
Synon preservit couth this syng aspy,
The fyrryn closeris oppynnys, but noys or dyn,
And Grekis hyd the horssis cost within
Patent war maid to sight and to the ayr.
Ioyfull and blyth from that boyss statw thar
Discending, thai downlat by cordis atanys
Thersander and Sthenelus, twa capitanys,
The dowr Vlixes als, and Athamas,
Pelyus nevo Pyrrus, and Kyng Thoas,
The first Machaon, and Menelaus,
And the engyne forgyar hait Epeus.
The cite thai invaid and fast infest,
With wyne and sleip yberyit and at rest.

79

Slane ar the wachis liggyng on the wall,
Opnyt the portis, leyt in thar feris all,
Togidder ionyt euery cumpany:
Throu the cite sone rayss the noyss and scry.
Thys was that tyme quhen the fyrst quyete
Of naturale sleip, to quham na gyft mair swete,
Stelis on fordoverit mortale creaturis,
And in thar swewynnys metis quent figuris.
Lo, in my sleip I se stand me befor
(As to my syght) maist lamentabil Hector
Wyth large flude of teris, and al besprent,
As he vmquhile eftyr the cart was rent,
With barknyt blude and powder. O God, quhat skath!
Boldynnyt ful gret war feit and lymmys baith
By bandis of the cordis quhilk thame drewch.
Ha, walloway, quhat harm and wo eneuch!
Quhat ane was he, how far changit from ioy
Of that Hector, quhilum returnyt to Troy
Cled with the spulȝe of hym Achillys,
Or quhen the Troiane fyry blesis, I wyss,
On Grekis schippis thyk fald he slang that day
Quhen that he slew the duke Prothesylay!
Hys fax and berd was fadyt quhar he stude
And all hys hayr was glotnyt ful of blude.
Full mony woundis on his body bayr he,
Quhilk in defens of hys natyve cuntre
About the wallys of Troy ressavyt he had.
Me thocht I first wepyng and na thing glaid
Rycht reuerently begouth to clepe this man,
And with sik dolorus wordis thus began:
‘O thou, of Troy the lemand lamp of lycht,
O Troiane hope, maist ferm defens in fyght,
Quhat has the tareit? Quhy maid thou this delay,
Hector, quham we desyrit mony a day?
From quhat cuntre this wyss cummyn art thou?
That eftir feil slauchter of thi frendis now
And of thi folkis and cite efter huge payn,
Quhen we beyn irkit, we se the heir agayn!

80

Quhat hard myschance fylyt so thi plesand face?
Or quhy se I tha feil woundis, allace?’
Onto thir wordis he nane answer maid,
Nor to my voyd demandis na thyng said,
Bot with ane hevy murmour, as it war draw
Furth of the boddum of his breste weil law,
‘Allace, allace, thou goddes son,’ quod he,
‘Salf thi self from this fyre and fast thou fle.
Our ennemyss has thir worthy wallys tane;
Troy from the top down fallys, and all is gane.
Enewch has lestit of Priamus the ryng,
The fatis wil na mair it induryng.
Gif Pergama, the Troiane wallys wyght,
Mycht langar haue beyn fendit into fyght,
With this rycht hand thai suld haue be defendit.
Adew, fair weil, for euer it is endit.
In thi keping committis Troy but less
Hir kyndly goddis clepit Penates;
Tak thir in falloschip of thi fatis all,
And large wallis for thame seik thou sall,
Quhilk at the last thi self sall beld vp hie
Eftir lang wandryng and errour our the see.’
Thus said Hectour, and schew furth in his handis
The dreidfull valis, wymplis and garlandis
Of Vesta, goddes of the erth and fyre,
Quhilk in hir tempil eternaly byrnys schyre.”
Quhou Eneas the trayson dyd persave,
And quhat debait he maid the town to save.
In seyr placis throu the cite wyth this
The murmur rayss, ay mair and mair I wyss,
And clerar wolx the rumour and the dyne,
So that, supposs Anchyss my faderis in
With treys abowt stude secrete by the way,
So bustuus grew the noys and furyus fray

81

And ratlyng of thar armour on the streit,
Affrayit, I glystnyt of sleip and start on feit,
Syne to the howssis hed ascendis onone,
With eris prest stude thar als stil as stone.
A sownd or swowch I hard thar at the last,
Lyke quhen the fyre be fellon wyndis blast
Is drevyn amyd the flat of cornys rank,
Or quhen the burn on spait hurlys down the bank,
Owder throu a watir brek or spait of flude,
Ryvand vp rede erd as it war wod,
Down dyngand cornys, all the pleuch laubour atanys,
And dryvis on swyftly stokkis, treis and stanys:
The sylly hyrd, seand this grysly syght,
Set on a pynnakill of sum cragis hycht
Al abasit, nocht knawand quhat this may meyn,
Wondris of the sovnd and ferly at he has seyn.
Rycht so I than by cleyr takynnys enew
Manifestly al the Grekis falshed knew—
Thair hyd dissait wolx patent than to wss.
The nobil lugyng of worthy Deyphobus
Was fal to grond, the fyre vpspred onone;
The nixt howss byrnys of Vcalegon;
The large seys and costis Sygean,
Throu lycht of flambis and brycht fyris, schane.
Vpsprang the cry of men and trumpys blist;
As out of mynd, myne armour on I thryst,
Thocht be na rayson persave I mycht, but fail,
Quhat than the forss of armys couth avail,
Ȝit hand for hand to thryng out throw the press
With my feris, and rynnyng or we cess
To the castel, our hartis brynt for desyre.
The fury cachit our myndis hait as fyre,
So that we thocht maist semly in a feld
To de feghtand, enarmyt vnder scheld.
Bot lo, Panthus, slippit the Grekis speris,
Panthus Othriades son, that mony ȝheris
Was of the strenth and Phebus tempill preste,
Into his armys lappit to his breist

82

The haly rellykkis of the sanctuary,
And eik our venquist goddis by and by
With hym beryng, and in his hand alsso
Harlyng hym efter his litil nevo,
Cummys lyke a wodman til our ȝet rynnyng.
‘How now, Panthus, quhat tythingis do ȝe bryng?
In quhat estait is sanctuary and haly geir?
To quhilk other fortress sall we speir?’
Skars said I this, quhen gowlyng petuusly
With thir wordis he answerd me in hy:
‘The lattir day is cummyn of Dardanus end,
The fatale tyme quham na walyng may mend.
We war Troianys, vmquhile was Ilion,
The schynand glory of Phrygianys now is gone,
Fers Iupiter to Grece all hass translait.
Our al the cite, kyndillit in flambis hait,
The Grekis now ar lordis but ony forss.
Within the wallis ȝone mekil standand horss
Ȝettis furth armyt men, and now Synon
Is victour haill, kyndilland eueron
The new fyris glaidly, as it war sport.
At athir ȝet beyn ruschit in sik a sort,
Sa mony thousandis come neuer from Myce nor Arge.
Sum cumpanyis with speris, lance and targe
Walkis wachand in rewis and narow stretis;
Arrayit batalis with drawyn swerdis at gletis
Standis reddy forto styk, gor and sla.
Skarsly the wachis of the portis twa
Begouth defens and melle as thai mycht,
Quhen blyndlyngis in the batail fey iha fyght.’
Throu thir wordis of Panthus and goddis heste,
Amyd the flambis and armour in I preste,
Ruschand thidder quhar sorofull Erynnys,
The noys and brute me drew, and quhar I wyss
The clamour hard I ryss vp to the ayr.
And of our fallowis to me come twa pair,
Repheus fyrst, be the lycht of the moyn,
Valiant in armys Ephitus followit soyn;

83

Hypanys syne and eik Dymas in hy
Fast to our syde adionyt by and by,
Mygdoneus son alsso, Chorebus ȝyng,
Quhilk in tha days, for fey luf hait byrnyng
Of Cassandra, to Troy was cummyn that ȝeir
To help Priam and Troianys in the weir—
Onhappy he was, wald not beleif fermly
Hys sayd spowsis command and prophecy.
Quhen I thame saw this wyss adionyt to me
And wilful forto stryke in the melle,
Thus I begouth thame forthirmar to steir:
‘O ȝe maist forsy ȝong men that beyn heir,
Wyth brestis strang and sa bald curage hie,
Invayn ȝe press to succur this cite
Quhilk byrnys al in fyre and flambys rede:
The goddis al ar fled out of this stede
Throu quhais mycht stude our empyre mony day,
Now all thar templis and altaris waist leif thai.
Bot gif ȝour desyre be sa fermly prest
To follow me dar tak the vtyrmest,
Quhat fortune is betyd, al thingis ȝe se.
Thar is na mair—lat ws togidder de,
And in amyd our ennemyis army schute.
To venquist folkis is a comfort and bute
Nane hope of help tobeleif, or reskew.’
Swa with thir wordis the ȝong menis curage grew
That in the dyrk lyke ravenus wolffis on rawis
Quham the blynd fury of thar empty mawis
Dryvis furth of thar den to seik thar pray—
Thar litil quhelpis left with dry throtis quhil day—
So throw the wapynnys and our fays went we,
Apon the ded ondowtit, and wald nocht fle.
Amyd the cite we held the master streit,
The dyrk nycht hyd ws with cloyss schaddowis meit.”

84

The woful end per ordour heir, allace,
Followys of Troy, and gestis of Eneas.
Quha sal the harmys of that woful nycht
Expreme? Or quha with tong to tell hes mycht
Sa feil ded corsis as thar lyis slane?
Or thocht in cace thai weip quhil teris rayn
Equaly may bewail tha sorowis all?
The ancyant, worthy cite down is fall
That mony ȝeris held hie senȝeory.
Stekit in stretis heir and thar thai ly,
Feil corsis ded of mony onweldy wyght,
Dung down in howsis, fey thai fal all nycht,
In sanctuarys and templis of goddis eik;
Na quhar mercy nor succor mycht thai seik.
And not only of Troianys throu owt the town
The blude is sched, thus marthyrit and slane down,
Bot sum tyme eik to thame, ourcummyn and schent,
Agane returnys in brestis hardyment,
So that sum Grekis victoris war smyte ded.
Cruel womenting occupyit euery steid,
Our alquhar dreid, our alquhar wo and cayr,
And of the deth feil gastly schaddowis thair.
Bot first enconteris wss Androgeus
With a gret cumpany of the Gregyus,
Onwarly wenyng his fallowis we hadbe.
In haymly wordis to wss thus carpis he:
‘Haist ȝou, matis, quhat slewth tareit ȝou thus lait?
Our other feris rubbis, tursyng away fut hait
The spreith of Troy, quhilk now is brynt to gledis,
And ȝe, fyrst from ȝour schippis now ȝou spedis.’
Thus said he, quhen that suddanly and onone
He felt hym self happynnyt amyd his foyn,
For we hym gave answer not traist enewch.
Estonyt with the word, abak he drewch,
As quha onwar tred on a rowch serpent
Lyggyng in the buss, and for feir bakwart sprent,

85

Seand hir, reddy to stang and to infek,
Set vp hir vennamus ȝallo boldyn nek:
On the sammyn wyss, Androgeus, of our syght
Gretly effrayt, fled in al his mycht.
On thame we schot, and in thar myd rowt duschit,
Hewit, hakkit, smate down, and al to fruschit
Tha fey Gregionys, on ilk syde heir and thair,
With dreid ourset, and wist not quhar thai war.
The first lawbour thus lukkit weil with wss.
Ioyus in hart of this chance, Chorebus,
‘O ȝe feris, hald furth this way,’ quod he,
‘Quhar forton first has schawyn ws sik supple,
Hald thidder quhar our manhed has ws taucht.
Now lat wss change scheildis, sen we beyn sawcht,
Grekis ensenȝeis do we cowntyrfeit;
Quhidder by slycht or strenth of armys gret
A man ourcum his ennemy, quha rakkis?
Thai sal ws rendir thir harnes of thar bakkis.’
And sayand thus, Androgeus cristit helm
He hynt in hy and our his hed gan quhelm;
His schynand scheild with his bawgy tuk he
And hang a Gregioun swerd down by his the.
Syklyke dyd Rypheus, my self eik, and Dymas,
And all the other ȝongmen at thar was,
Ful glaidly in that recent spulȝe warm
Belyf ilk man dyd thame self enarm.
Amang the Grekis mydlit than went we,
Nocht with our awyn takyn nor deite;
Mony debatis and onsettis haue we done,
And, throu the silens of the nycht, ondone
Feil of the Grekis, and send to hell adown.
Ane other menȝe fled fast out of town
To thar schippis and tha traist coistis nyce;
Sum part alsso for schaymfull cowartyce
Clam vp agane in the gret horssis maw
And hyd thame in that belly weilbeknaw.
Allace, onleiffull is ony man to weyn
(Contrar the plesour of goddis) ocht may sustene.

86

Lo, Priamus dochtir, the virgyne Cassandra,
Was from the tempill and sete of Mynerva
Drawyn forsabilly bairhed, with hayr down schake,
Reuthfully invane behaldand hevyn, alake,
With glotnyt eyn, for baith hir tendir handis
War strenȝeit sayr, ybondyn hard with bandis.
This dolorus syght Chorebus mycht nocht se,
But ruschit with furyus mynd in the melle,
Reddy to de, and we all followit fast,
Amang glavys and armour in we thrast.
Heir war we fyrst tofruschit and hard byset,
With dartis and with stanys all tobet
By owr awyn feris from the templis hycht—
A miserabil slauchtir thar begouth that nycht;
The portratour of armys was mysknaw,
All war bot Grekis tymbrellis at thai saw.
Als quhat for walyng of irus wordis fell
Agane reskewit said by the damycell,
Grekis flokkis togidder heir and thar
And ombesettis cruelly and sayr,
The fellon Aiax and othir Atrides
And al the rowtis clepit Dolopes.
Lyke as sum tyme the fers wyndis ȝe se,
Ȝepherus, Nothus and Eurus, all thre
Contrarius blaw thar bustuus bubbys with byr,
The woddis rerdis, bath ayk, elm and fyr
Ourturnys to grond and Nereus the fomy
From the sey grond wod wraith is cachit in hy:
On siklyke wyss the Grekis wss invadit,
For than thai alls that fled war and evadit,
Throu the dyrk nycht, quhen sum thar feris slew we,
And thame had chasit throw owt all the cite,
Thai war the first come now to do wss deir;
Our fenȝeit scheildis, wapynnys and other geir
Ful weil thai knew, and by our vocis eik
Thai notyfy that nane of wss was Greik.
By multitude and nowmyr apon wss set
All ȝeid to wraik, thar war we hail doune bet.

87

And first of all, down smyte is Chorebus
By the rycht hand of Greik Peneleus
Befor the altare of armipotent Pallas;
Rypheus down fell, ane the maist iust man was,
Amang Troianys best kepand equite—
Bot other ways the goddis thocht suldbe;
Hypanys eik and Dymas than alssua
War by thar fallowis throwgyrd bath twa;
Nor ȝit the, Panthus, quhen that thou fell down,
Thy gret pety and godly religioun
Nor habyt of Apollo hyd from skaith.
O ȝe cald assys of Troy and flawmys baith
And extreme end of cuntre folkis, heir I
Drawis ȝow to witness and doys testyfy,
Quhen that ȝe fell togrund thus and war slane,
I nowder sparit wapynnys, strenth nor pane,
Nor nane onset eschewit of Grekis mycht,
And gif fatis wald I had fallyn in fyght,
Thar with my handis wrocht I worth my ded.
Bot with the press we war relit of that sted,
Only with me Hyphitus and Pelyas—
For age Hyphitus waik and febill was,
And Pelyas slawly mycht onethis go,
By Vlixes for he was woundit so.”
Quhou to the kyngis palyce speid Ene,
That syne was take, thar helpit na suple.
Onone onto the palyce of Priamus
The schowtis and the cryis callys wss.
Thar was ane hydwyss batale forto seyn,
As thar nane other bargane ayr had beyn,
Lyke as nane slane war throu all the cite,
Sa wod ondantit melle thar we se:
The Grekis ruschand to the thak on hyght,
So thik thai thrang about the portis all nycht
That lyke a wall thai ombeset the ȝettis.
Vp to the syd wallys mony leddyr sett is

88

Quharon thai preyss fast our the rufe to speill,
Coverit with scheildis agane the dartis feill
Thar left hand heich abuf thar hed gan hald,
And oft with rycht handis gryp the battalyng wald.
Troianys agane, schaping defens to mak,
Rent turettis doune and of howss hedis the thak;
Quhen all wes lost thai se, at lattyr end,
With sik wapynnys thai schupe thame to defend.
The gilt sperris and gestis gold begane
Down on thame slyng thai, and mony costly stane,
The prowd and ryal werkis of faderis ald.
And other sum, law down within that hald,
With drawyn swerdis stude reddy to kepe the ȝet;
In a thik rowt tharat was mony set.
Our spretis war restoryt, and curage grew
The kyngis palyce to succur, and reskew
The men tharin with all help and supple,
To strenthing thame war venquyst neyr, we se.
A smal wykket thar was or entre dern,
A litil ȝet clepit a postern,
On the bak half Priamus palyce almaist,
Amang byggynnys stude desolate and waist,
Quharat was wont alane Andromocha
To entir oft to Priam and Hecuba,
And Astyanax, hir ȝong son, with hir bring
Onto his grandsyre Priamus the kyng.
Tharat I enterit, and to the wallys hyght
Vpwent, quhar wrachit Troianys as thai mycht
Threw down dartis, thocht all was bot inwaist.
We start ontil a hie turate in haist,
The top vpstrekand to the starnys hie,
Quharon we wont war al Troy forto se,
The Grekis schippis and thar tentis eik.
With instrumentis of irne we pyke, and seik
Round al about quhar the ionyngis war worn,
Reddy to fall, and corbalys al to torn;
We holk and mynd the corneris for the nanys,
Quhil down belive we tumbil it al atanys.

89

A fellon rusch it maid, and sownd with all,
And large on breid our Grekis rowtis dyd fall,
Bot sone ane other sort start in thar stedis—
Nowder stanys, nor quarellis with scharp hedis,
Nor na kynd of wapynnys war sparit than.
And first of al, befor the porch inran
Hard to the entre, in schynyng plait and mail,
Pyrrus, with wapynnys fersly to assaill,
Lyke to the edder, with schrewit herbis fed,
Cummyn furth to lycht and on the grond lyis spred,
Quham wynter lang hyd vnder the cald erd,
Now slippit hir slowch with schynand skyn new brerd,
Hir slydry body in hankis rownd al run,
Heich vp hir nek strekand forgane the son,
With forkit tong intyll hir mouth quytterand.
To the assalt with Pyrrus come at hand
Periphas, and Automedon his squyer
Was wont to govarn Achilles cart in weir,
And al the fensabill men of Scyrrya
Bownys our the wallis and howss hedis alsswa,
And fyre blesis abuf the rufe garris fle.
Bot first of al, ane stalwart ax hynt he,
The stern Pyrrus, to hew and brek the ȝet,
And furth of har the stapillis has he bet,
And bandis all of brass yforgyt weill:
Be that in twa the master bar ilk deill
Is al tofruschit, syne the hard burdis he hakkis,
And throu the ȝet ane large wyndo makkis,
By the quhilk slop the place within apperis,
The wyde hallys wolx patent al infeiris
Of Priamus and ancyant kyngis of Troy;
Secret throwgangis ar schawyn wont tobe quoy;
Armyt men se thai stand at the first port.
Bot than throw owt the inner palyce, at schort,
With duylful scryke and walyng al is confoundit;
The holl howsis ȝowlit and resowndit
For womentyng of ladeis and wemen—
The clamour vpstrak to the starnys then.

90

The woful moderis ran frayit on athir syde
Ful lamentabil throw out the chawmeris wyde,
Brasand the postis in armys, and durris cald,
And feil syss with mowthis kyss thame wald.
Instantly Pyrrus assailȝeis with al his mycht,
By naturale strenth of his fader the wight,
That nowder closeris, nor barryt ȝettis stowt,
Nor ȝit the keparis may hald thame langar owt.
Oft wyth the ram the port is schaik and duschit,
Down bet ȝet chekis and bandis al tofruschit.
The way is maid by forss, and entre brokkyn;
Grekis insprent, the formaste haue thai stokyn
And slane with swordis; the large hald heir and thar
Was fyllit full of Grekis our alquhar.
Not sa fersly the fomy ryver or flude
Brekkis our the bankis on spait quhen it is wode,
And, with hys brusch and fard of watir brown,
The dykis and the schoris bettis doun,
Ourspredand croftis and flattis with his spait,
Our al the feildis that thai may row a bayt,
Quhil howsys and the flokkis flyttis away,
The corn grangis and standand stakkis of hay.
I saw my self thair Neoptolemus
Mak fellon slauchtir, wod and furyus,
And athir brodir of Atrides alswa.
Eldmodir to ane hundreth thar saw I Hecuba,
And Priamus at the altar quhar he stude,
All our bysprent and sperklyt ful of blude
Of sacryfice, quhamto he bet the fyre.
Fyfty chawmeris held that rial syre
Quhar warryn his gude dochteris, ladeis ȝyng,
Syk fayr beleif is lost of his ofspryng.
The prowd gestis and durris gilt with gold
Of barbary wark, and hungyn mony fold
With richess and spulȝe of seyr nationys,
Sa far as from the fyre onbet adoune is
The Grekis occupyis haly—al is tharis,
Quhat so thame lyst tospil is nane that sparis.”

91

Into this nixt cheptour ȝe may attend
Of Priam, kyng of Troy, the fatale end.
Peraventur of Priamus wald ȝe speir
Quhou tyd the chance. Hys fait, gif ȝe lyst, heir:
Quhen he the cite saw takyn and downbet,
And of his palyce brokyn euery ȝet,
Amyd the secret closettis eik hys fays,
The auld grayth, al for nocht, to hym tays
Hys hawbryk quhilk was lang furth of vsage,
Set on his schulderis trymlyng than for age;
A sword but help about hym beltis he
And ran towart hys fays, reddy to de.
Amyd the closs, vnder the hevyn al bayr,
Stude thar that tyme a mekil fair altare,
Neyr quham thar grew a rycht ald lawrer tre
Bowand towart the altare a litill wie,
That with his schaddow the goddis dyd ourheld.
Hecuba thyddir with hir childer for beild
Ran al invane and about the altare swarmys,
Brasand the godlyke ymage in thar armys,
As for the storm dowis flokkis togidder ilkane.
Bot quhen scho saw how Priamus has tane
His armour, so as thocht he had beyn ȝyng:
‘Quhat fulych thocht, my wrachit spowss and kyng,
Movis the now syk wapynnys forto weld?
Quhidder hastis thou?’ quod sche. ‘Of na sik beld
Haue we now mystir, nor syk diffendouris as the,
The tyme is nocht ganand tharto we se,
In cace Hectour war present heir, my son,
He mycht nocht succur Troy, for it is won,
Quharfor I pray the syt doune and cum hydder
And lat this altare salue wss al togidder,
Or than atanys al heir lat ws de.’
Thus said scho and with sik sembland as mycht be
Hym towart hir has brocht, but ony threte,
And set the auld doune on the haly sete.

92

Bot lo, Polytes, ane of Priamus sonnys
Quhilk from the slauchter of Pyrrus away run is,
Throw wapynnys fleyng and his ennemyss all,
Be lang throwgangis and mony voyd hall;
Woundit he was, and come to seik reskew.
Ardently Pyrrus gan him fast persew,
With grondyn lance at hand so neir furthstrekit,
Almaist the hed hym twichit and arekit,
Quhil at the last, quhen he is cummyn, I weyn,
Befor his faderis and his moderis eyn,
Smate hym down ded in thar sycht quhar he stude,
The gaist he ȝald with habundans of blude.
Priamus than, thocht he was halfdeill ded,
Mycht nocht conteyn his ire nor wordis of fed,
Bot cryis furth: ‘For that cruell offens
And owtragyus fuyl hardy violens,
Gif thar be piete in the hevin abone
Quhilk takis heid to this at thou has done,
The goddis mot condyngly the forȝeld,
Eftir thi desert rendring sik gaynȝeld,
Causit me behald myne awyn child slane, allace,
And with hys blude fylit the faderis face.
Bot he quhamby thou fenys thi self byget,
Achil, was not to Priam sa hard set,
For he, of rycht and faith eschamyt eik,
Quhen that I come hym lawly tobeseik,
The ded body of Hector rendrit me,
And me convoyit hame to my cite.’
Thus sayand the ald waykly, but forss or dynt,
A dart dyd cast, quhilk with a pyk gan stynt
On his harness, and in the scheild dyd hyng
But ony harm or other dammagyng.
Quod Pyrrus, ‘Sen always thou saist swa,
To Pellyus son, my fadir, thou most ga.
Beir hym this message, ramembir weil thou tell
Him al my warkis and dedis sa cruell—
Schaw Neoptolemus is degenerit cleyn.
Now salt thou de.’ And with that word in teyn

93

The ald trymlyng towart the altare he drew,
That in the hait blude of his son, sched new,
Fundrit; and Pyrrus grippis hym by the hayr
With his left hand, and with the tother albayr
Drew furth his schynand swerd, quhilk in his syde
Festynnyt, and onto the hyltis dyd he hyde.
Of Priamus thus was the finale fait—
Fortone heir endit his gloryus estait,
Seand Ilion albyrn in fryis brown
And Troys wallis fall and tumlyt down.
That ryal prince, vmquhile our Asya
Apon sa feil pepil and realmys alswa
Ryngnyt in welth, now by the cost lyis ded
Bot as a stok and of hakkit his hed,
A corps but lyfe, renown or other fame,
Onknawyn of ony wight quhat was his name.”
Quhou Venus gan to Eneas appeir,
And of his fader and other materis seyr.
Fyrst than the grysly dreid about me start:
Astonyst I wolx, for sone prent in myne hart
The ymage of my deir fader, quhen I
The kyng his evyneild beheld sa cruelly
By deidly wound ȝaldand vp the spreit.
On dessolat Crevse, my spowss sa sweit,
I thocht alsso, and dangeris of my place;
Of litil Ascaneus sayr I dred the cace.
About I blent to behald, heir and thar,
Quha of our feris remanyt with me thar.
Al war thai fled full wery, left me alane;
Sum to the erd loppin from hie towris of stane,
Sum in the fyre thar irkit bodeis leit fall—
Thar was na ma bot I left of thame all;
Quhen in the tempil of Vesta the goddas,
Lurkand ful law intil a secrete place,

94

Tyndarus douchter, Queyn Helene, I espy—
The fyrys schane sa brycht as I went by
All thing was patent quhar so euer I went.
Scho dreding less the Troianys wald hir schent
And kast sum way for hir distructioun
Becauss al Troy for hir was thus bet doun,
Sayr punytioun of Grekis dred scho, als
Hir husbandis wroth, quham scho left and was fals,
And eik the common fatale fury of Troy,
Hir self scho hyd tharfor and held ful koy,
Besyde the altare sytting onethis seyn.
My spreit for ire brynt in propir teyn
And al in greif thocht cruel vengeans take
Of my cuntre for this myschews wrake,
With byttir panys to wreke our harmys smart.
Thocht I, sal scho pass to the realm of Spart
Hailskarth, and se Mycene hir natyve land,
And with triumphe follow hir fyrst husband?
Or lyke a queyn sal scho wend hame our see?
Hir frendis agane and childring sal scho se
Accumpanyit with mony Troiane maid
And Phrygiane seruandis in bondage with hir had—
Sen now by hir with swerd lyis Priam ded
And ryal Troy all brynt in flambis red,
Of Dardane eik the strandis and the flude
Sa oft hass bene waterit or bathit in blude?
Na, na, nocht swa, I wyss, that sal scho nocht;
And set it be nocht lovabill nor semly thocht
To punyss a woman, bot schameful hir to sla,
Na victory, bot lak, followyng alswa,
Ȝit netheless I aucht lovit tobe
Vengeans to tak on hir deservis to de.
It wil my mynd asswage fortobe wrokyn
On hir quhamby Troy brynt is and down brokyn,
And forto eik the myscheif of hir ded
Til our sorowis fyllit with assis red.
Syk thingis I thocht half wod and furyus
As owt of wit my mynd was cachit thus,

95

Quhen that my blissit moder, of sik bewte,
Apperit farer than euer I dyd hir se,
Schynyng ful cleir for al the dyrk nycht,
Confessyng hir tobe a goddess brycht
In sik form of quantite and estait
As scho is seyn with spretis deificait.
Me by the rycht hand hynt scho and held fast
And with hir rosy lippis thus said at last:
‘Son, quha sa gret and furyus cruelte
And hie ondantit ire has rasyt in the?
Quhy gois thou mad? Quhidder is went thus onkynd
Our ramembrance, or we forȝet of mynd?
Suld thou not first think quhar thou left but less
Thi wery fader, the agit Anchises?
Wenys thou or not Crevsa ȝit levand be
And Ascanyus thi ȝong son, quam al thre
The Grekis armyis walkis rownd about,
And bot my myght rasistit thame, sans dout
Thai hadbene brynt or this in flambis red,
And with thar fays swordis smyte to ded.
Not the bewte of Helene Laconya,
Quham thou hatis, nor Parys, quhilk alswa
Is blamyt oft, this rychess has ȝou reft;
Bot the wroth of the goddis has down beft
The city of Troy from top onto the grond.
Behald (for I, within a litil stound,
The clowd of dyrkness from thi sycht so cleir,
That on ȝour mortell eyn, quhill ȝe beyn heir,
Lyke to ane watry slowch standis dym about;
Thi moderis heist on na wyss nedis the dowt,
Na hir command refusyng to obey)
Quhar thir towris thou seys down fall and swey,
And stane fra stane down bet, and reyk vp ryss,
With stew, powder and duste myxt on this wyss,
Neptune the fundmentis of thir wallis hie,
With his gret mattok havand granys thre,
Vndermyndis rownd about the towne,
Furth of the grond holkand the barmkyn doun.

96

Maist cruel Iuno hass, or this, alsswa
Saysit with the fyrst the port clepit Sceya,
And from the schippis the ostis in scho callis,
Standing wod wraith enarmyt on the wallis.
The hie castellis and strenthis to and fra,
Behald, now Pallas of Tritonya
All occupyis, schynyng in weirlyke weid,
Fell Gorgones hed into hir scheild, tak heid.
The gret fader Iupiter strenth and mycht
Distributis happely to the Grekis in fyght,
And eik the goddis ire prouokis he
Aganys Troianys power in the melle.
Fle thou, my son, in haist away thou wend,
And of this laubour onprofitabil mak ane end;
I salbe with the soverly and ful koy,
Quhil to thi faderis ȝet I the convoy.’
Thus sayand, scho hir hyd in the cloyss nycht.
Than terribil figuris apperis to my sycht
Of gret goddis, semand with Troy agrevit;
And tho beheld I al the cite myschevit,
Fayr Illion all fall in gledis down,
And, fra the soyll, gret Troy, Neptunus town,
Ourtumlyt to the grond—so as ȝhe se
The lauboreris into the montanys hie
With steil axsis byssely hak and hew
A mekil ayk that mony ȝeir thar grew;
The tre branglis bostyng to the fall,
With top trymlyng, and branchis schakand all;
Quhil finaly it get the lattyr straik,
Than with a rair down duschis the mekil aik,
And with his fard brekis down bewis about.
Furth of that sted I went, and throu the rowt
Of ennemyis and flambis I me sped
(The fyre and wapynnys gave me place) and fled.
So happely the goddes gydit me,
Quhil that within the portis and entre
Of my faderis lugyng am I cummyn;
My fader than, quham I schupe to haue nummyn

97

And caryit to the nerrest hillys hycht,
And hym tharto solist with al my mycht;
Bot he reffusys or euer to leif in ioy
Eftir the rewyne and distructioun of Troy—
To suffir exile he said that he ne couth.
‘O ȝe,’ quod he, ‘in blude and florist ȝouth
That has ȝour strenth ȝit and ȝour forcy mycht,
Pass on ȝour way onone, and tak the flycht.
Gif goddis lykyt lenth my life langar space,
Thai wald haue salwyt to me this litil place.
It is eneuch, eneuch and mair, I weyn,
A distructioun of Troy that we haue seyn,
Remanyng alyve eftyr the cite tane.
So, so, hald on, leif this ded body alane;
Say the last quething word, adew, to me.
I sal my deth purchess thus,’ quod he:
‘Quhen our ennemyss seys me enarmyt stand,
Sum sal haue reuth and sla me with his brand
To get my spulȝe—quhat of the body na cure:
The corps is sone warpit in sepulture.
Hatit of the goddis, to all nedis onhabill,
Thir mony ȝeris I left inprofitabill,
Ay sen the fader of goddis and kyng of men
With thunderis blast me smate, as that ȝe ken,
And with his fyry levin me omberauch,
That we intill our langage clepe fyreflauch.’
Rehersyng this, fermly he dyd remane
At his first purpos fixt, and we agane
Furthȝetting teris, and our spowss Crevsa,
Ascanyus ȝyng, and al our menȝe alswa
Besowth my fader to salue his wery banys,
And not be wilful to peryss all atanys,
And to escheif the chance as it was went:
Plat he reffusys, anherdyng to his entynt,
The fyrst sentence haldyng euer ane.
To start to harnes I am compeld agane,
And, as maste wrachit and miserabil catyve,
Ded I desyrit, and irkyt of my lyve;

98

For by na wysdome nor chance persave I mycht
We couth eschape, nor ȝit by forss in fyght.
‘O deir fader, quhat wenys thou for ded,
A fut,’ quod I, ‘me to steir of this sted,
And leif the heir? O God! quha euer couth
Sik cryme to me be said of faderis mouth!
Bot gif it lykis to the goddis hie
Na thing be left of sa fayr a cite,
Or gyf thou hest in mynd decretit eik,
And weil lykis thi self and thine to eik
Onto the rewyne of Troy, and tobe schent,
Ded at our dur is reddy and patent.
From mekil blude schedding of Priamus
Hiddir, belyfe, sal cum cruell Pyrrus,
Quhilk brytnys the son befor the faderis face,
And gorris the fader at the altare but grace.
Is this the way, my haly moder, at thou
Suld kepe me, fays and fyris passand throu,
That I behald, within my chawmyr secrete,
Myne ennemyss, and se Ascanyus swete,
My deir fader, and Crevsa my wyfe,
Ahtir in otheris hait blude leyss thar lyfe?
Harness, seruandis, harnes bryng hydder sone!
The lattyr end, thus venquyst and ondone,
Callys ws agane to batale and assay;
Adone, cum on, this is our lattir day.
Rendir me to the Grekis, or suffir me
The bargane agane begun at I may se;
This day onwrokyn we sal neuer all be slane.’
Abowt me than my swerd I belt agane,
And schot my left arme in my scheild al meit,
Bownyng me furth, quhen lo, abowt my feit
My spowss lappit fell down into the ȝet,
And litill Iulus forgane his fader vpset:
‘Gyf thou lyst pass,’ quod scho, ‘thi self to spill,
Harl ws with the in all perrell quhar thou will;
Bot gif thou trastis, as expert in thi dedis,
Ony help by forss of armys, than the nedis

99

First to defend and kepe this howss,’ quod scho,
‘Quharin thi ȝong son and thi fader beyn, lo!
And I vmquhile that salbe clepit thi spowss;
Quham to sall we be left in this waist howss?’”
Quhou Eneas hys fader bayr away,
And how he lost Crevsa by the way.
Wyth skyrlys and with scrykis thus sche beris,
Fillyng the howss with murnyng and salt teris,
Quhen suddanly, a wonder thing to tell,
A feirful takyn betyd of gret marvell.
For lo! the top of litill Ascanyus hed,
Amang the duylfull armys wil of red
Of his parentis, from the sched of his crown,
Schane al of lycht onto the grond adown.
The leym of fyre and flambe, but ony skath,
In his haris, about his halffettis baith,
Kyndyllis vp brycht, and we than, al in weir,
Abasit, trymlyng for the dreidfull feir,
The blesand haris bet furth at brynt sa schyre,
And schupe with watir to sloyk the haly fyre.
Bot Anchises, my fader, blyth and glaid
Lyft eyn and handis to hevyn, and thusgatis said:
‘O thou almychty Iupiter,’ quod he,
‘With ony prayeris inclynyt gif thou may be,
Tak heid to ws, and gif we haue deseruyt
For our piete and rewth tobe conseruyt,
Haly fader, send ws thi help als ȝoir,
And conferm al thir takynnys seyn befor.’
Scarsly the auld thir wordis had warpit owt,
Quhen sone the ayr begouth to rumbill and rowt
On our left hand, towart the north ful rycht,
And from the hevin fell, in the dyrk nycht,
A fayr brycht starn, rynnand with bemys cleir,
Quhilk on the top of our lugyng, but weir,

100

First saw we lycht, syne schynyng went awa
And hyd it in the forest of Ida,
Markand the way quhidder at we suld spur;
Thar followis a streym of fyre, or a lang fur,
Castand gret lycht about quhar that it schane,
Quhil al enveron rekit lyke bryntstane.
With that my fader venquyst start on fute,
And to the goddis carpis tobe our bute,
The haly starn adornyt he rycht thar:
‘Now, now,’ quod he, ‘I tary na langar;
I follow, and quhidder ȝe gyde me sal I wend.
O natyve goddis, ȝour awyn kynrent defend,
Salwe ȝour nevo; ȝouris is this oracle,
In ȝour protectioun is Troy, for this myracle
I wil obey, and grantis onto ȝour will:
My deir son, quhidder euer thou wend will,
I sal na mair reffuss tobe thi feyr.’
Thus sayd he, and be than, thar and heir,
Throw out the wallis the rerd of fyris grew
Ay mair and mair, and the heit nerrar drew.
‘Have done,’ quod I, ‘fader, clym vp onone
And set the evyn abuf my nek bone;
Apon my schuldris I sal the beir, but weyr,
Nor this lawbour saldo to me na deir:
Quhat euer betyde, a weilfair and a skaith
Salbe common and equale to wss baith.
Lytil Iulus salbeir me cumpany,
My spowss ondreich eftyr our trayss sal hy.
And ȝe, my seruandis, tak heid quhat I say:
As ȝe pass furth of the cite this ilk way,
Thar is a mote, quhar ane ald tempil, but less,
Now standis desert of the goddess Ceress,
Besyde quham growis a sypir tre full auld,
With forfaderis feil ȝeris in wirschip hald;
In that place lat wss meit on athir syde.
Fader, sen that we may na langar byde,
Tak vp tha haly rellykis in thi hand,
And our penates or goddis of this land—

101

It war onleiffull and wykkitnes to me
From sa gret slauchter, blude schedding and melle
Newly departit, to twich thame, for the blude,
Quhil I be weschyn into sum rynnand flude.’
And sayng thus, I spred my schulderis brayd,
Syne our my nek, abuf the wedis, laid
A ȝallow skyn was of a fers lyoun,
And tharapon gart set my fader down;
Lytil Iulus grippis me by the hand,
With onmeit payss his fader fast followand:
Neir at our bak Crevse my spowss ensewys:
We pass by secret wentis and quyet rewyss.
And me, quhan laitly na wapyn, nor dartis kast,
Nor press of Grekis rowtis maid agast,
Ilke swowch of wynd and euery quhispir now
And alkyn sterage affrayt, and causyt grow,
Baith for my byrdyng and my litil mait.
Quhen we war cummyn almaist to the ȝet,
And al danger we thocht eschapit neyr,
A fellon dyn belyve of feit we heir;
My fader than lukand furth throw the sky,
Cryis on me fast, ‘Fle, son! fle, son, in hy,
Thai cum at hand! Behynd me I gat a sycht
Of lemand armour and schynand scheildis brycht.’
Thar knaw I nocht quhat fremmyt god onkynd
So me astonyst, and reft fra me my mynd,
For throu the secrete stretis fast I ran
Befor the laif, as weil bekend man,
Allace to me catyve! I wait neuer quhydder
My spowss Crevse remanyt or we come thydder,
Or by sum fait of goddis was reft away,
Or gif scho errit, or irkit by the way,
For nevir syne with eyn saw I hyr eft,
Nor neuer abak, fra scho was lost or reft,
Blent I agane, nor perfyte mynd has nummyn,
Quhil to the mote of Ceres war we cummyn.
And fynaly, quhen we beyn gadderit thidder,
Fast by the haly tempil al togydder,

102

Scho was away, and betrumpit suythly
Hyr spowss, hir son and all the cumpany.
Than wod for wo, so was I quyte myscaryit
That nowder god nor man I left onwaryit:
For quhat mair hard myschance, quhen Troy down fell,
Apperit to me as that, or sa cruell?
Ascanyus tho and my fader Anchises,
And eik our Troiane goddis penates,
Onto my feris betauch I for to keip
And hyd thame darn within a valy deip.
To town agane I sped with al my mycht,
Claspit ful meit into fyne armour brycht,
Wilful al aventuris newlyngis to assay,
And forto serss Troy, euery streit and way,
And eik my hed agane in perrell set.
Bot first the wallis, the darn entre and ȝet,
Quharat we yschit furth, I seik agane,
Haldyng bakwart ilk futstep we had gane,
Lukand and sersand about me as I myght.
The vgsumnes and silens of the nycht
In euery place my spreit maid sayr agast.
Fra thyne ontil our lugyng hame I past
To spy perchance gif scho had thidder returnyt;
It was with Grekis beset and hail ourturnyt,
Alhail the howss with thame sa occupyit;
Belyve the fyre al waistand I espyit
Bless with the wynd; our the rufe, heir and thar,
The flambe vpsprang and hait low in the ayr.”
Quhou Eneas socht hys sposs, al the cost,
And how to hym apperis hir gret gost.
To Priamus palyce eftyr socht I than,
And syne onto the tempil fast I ran,
Quhar at the porchis or clostir of Iuno,
Than al bot waist, thocht it was gyrth, stude tho

103

Phenix and dowr Vlixes, wardanys tway,
Forto observe and keip the spreth or pray.
Thydder in a hepe was gadderit precyus geir,
Richess of Troy, and other iowellis seyr
Reft from all partis; and of tempillis brynt
Of massy gold the veschel war furth hynt
From the goddis, and goldyn tabillis all,
With precyus vestmentis of spulȝe triumphall;
The ȝyng childring, effrayt matronys eik,
Stude al on raw, with mony petuus screik
Abowt the tresour quhymperand wondir sayr.
And I alsso my self sa bald wolx thair
That I durst schaw my voce in the dyrk nycht,
And clepe and cry fast throu the stretis on hycht
Ful dolorusly, ‘Crevsa! Crevsa!’
Agane, feil syss, invane I callit swa
Throu howsys and the cite quhar I ȝoyd,
But owder rest or resson, as I war woyd;
Quhil that the figur of Crevsa and gost,
Of far mair statur than ayr quhen scho was lost,
Befor me, catyve, hyr sekand, apperit thar.
Abasyt I wolx, and widdyrsyns start my hayr;
Speke mycht I not, the voce in my halss swa stak.
Than scho, belyfe, on this wyss to me spak,
With sik wordis my thochtis to asswage:
‘O my sweit spowss, into sa furyus rage
Quhat helpis thus thi selwyn to torment?
This chance is not but goddis willis went;
Nor it is nocht leifful thing,’ quod sche,
‘Fra hyne Crevse thou turss away with the,
Nor the hie governour of the hevin abufe is
Wil suffir it so tobe; bot the behuffis
From hens to wend ful far into exile
And our the braid sey sail furth mony a myle
Or thou cum to the land Hesperya,
Quhar wyth soft cowrss Tybris of Lydya
Rynnys throu the rych feldis of pepil stowt;
Thar is gret substans ordanyt the but dowt,

104

Thar salt thou have a realm, thar salt thou ryng
And wed to spowss the douchtir of a kyng.
Thy wepyng and thi teris do away
Quhilk thou makis for thi luffyt Crevsay,
For I, the neyce of mychty Dardanus
And gude douchtyr onto the blyssit Venus,
Of Myrmydonys the realm sal nevir behald
Nor ȝit the land of Dolopeis so bald,
Nor go to serve na matron Gregion,
Bot the gret modir of the goddis ilkon
In thir cuntreis withhaldis me for evyr.
Adew, fayr weil, for ay we mon dissevir.
Thou be gude frend, lufe weil and keip fra skath
Our a ȝong son is common til wss baith.’
Quhen this was spokkyn, fra me away scho glaid,
Left me wepyng and feil wordis wald have said,
For sche sa lychtly vanysyt in the ayr
That with myne armys thryss I presyt thar
About the hals hir fortil haue belappit,
And thryss, al waist, my handis togiddir clappit:
The figur fled as lycht wynd or the son beym,
Or maist lykly a waverand swevyn or dreym.
Thus finaly, the nycht al passit and gane,
Onto my falloschip I return agane,
Quhar that I fand assemlyt al newly
So huge a rowt of our folkis that I
Wondryt the nowmyr, thai so mony weir
Of men and women gadderit al infeir
And ȝong pepil to pass in exile abill
And of commonys a sort sa miserabill
Fra euery part that flokkyng fast about,
Baith with gude wil and thar moblis, but doubt,
Reddy to wend in quhat cost or cuntre
That evir me list to cary thame our see.
Wyth this the day starn, Lucifer the brycht,
Abuf the top of Ida rayss on hycht,
Gydand the day hard at his bak followyng:
The Grekis than we se in the mornyng

105

Stand forto kepe the entreis of the portis,
And thus quhen na hope of reskew at schort is
My purposs I left, obeyand destanye,
And careit my fader to Ida hyll on hie.”
Heir endis the secund buk of Eneados and begynnys the proloug of the thryd

107

[The Proloug of the Thryd Buke]

Hornyt Lady, pail Cynthia, not brycht,
Quhilk from thi broder borrowis al thi lycht,
Rewlare of passage and ways mony one,
Maistres of stremys, and glaidar of the nycht,
Schipmen and pilgrymys hallowis thi mycht,
Lemman to Pan, douchtir of Hyperion,
That slepand kyssit the hyrd Endymyon,
Thy strange wentis to write God grant me slycht,
Twiching the thryd buke of Eneadon.
The feirful stremys and costis wondyrfull
Now most I write, althocht my wyt be dull,
Wild aventuris, monstreis and quent effrays—
Of onkowth dangeris this nixt buke hail is full;
Nyce Laborynth, quhar Mynotawr the bull
Was kepte, had nevir sa feil cahuttis and ways.
I dreid men clepe thame fablis now on days;
Tharfor wald God I had thar erys to pull
Mysknawis the creid, and threpis otheris forvayis.
Incayss thai bark, I compt it nevir a myte;
Quha kan not hald thar peice ar fre to flyte;
Chide quhil thar hedis ryfe and hals worth hayss—
Weyn thai to murdryss me with thar dispyte?
Or is it Virgill quham thame list bakbyte?
His armour wald thai perss? Quhar is the place?
He dowtis na dynt of polax, swerd nor mace.
Quhat wenys thou, frend, the craw be worthyn quhite,
Supposs the holkis be all ourgrowyn thi face?
Deym as ȝhe lest that kan not demyng weill;
And gentill curtass redaris of gude ȝeill,
I ȝow beseik to gevin aduertenss;
This text is full of storys euery deill,

108

Realmys and landis, quharof I haue na feill
Bot as I follow Virgill in sentens;
Few knawis all thir costis sa far hens;
To pike thame vp perchance ȝour eyn suld reill—
Thus aucht thar nane blame me for smal offens.
By strange channellis, fronteris and forlandis,
Onkouth costis and mony wilsum strandis
Now goith our barge, for nowder howk nor craik
May heir bruke sail, for schald bankis and sandis.
From Harpyes fell and blynd Cyclopes handis
Be my laid star, virgyne moder but maik;
Thocht storm of temptatioun my schip oft schaik,
Fra swelth of Sylla and dyrk Caribdis bandis,
I meyn from hell, salue al go not to wraik.
Heir endys the proheme and begynnys the thrid buke

109

Quhou Eneas fra Troy has tane hys rayss,
And Polidorus graf has fund in Trace.
Eftyr that seyn and thocht expedient
Was by the goddys to dystroy and schent
Of Asya the empyre, and down to bryng,
But offens, Priamus pepil and ofspryng,
And prowd Ilion was brokyn and bet down,
And from the soyl al Troy, Neptunus town,
Ybrynt is smoke of flambis and in reik;
Syndry landis and cuntreis forto seik,
And wend exile in diuerss nationys,
Of the goddis by reuelacionys,
We war admonyst feil syth, as is said.
Schippis we graith and navy reddy maid
Bewtix Anthandros and the mont of Ida,
Oncertane quhidder the fatis wald we suld ga,
Or quhar we suld remane ȝit fynaly;
Our men togidder gadderit we in hy.
And skant begunnyn was the fresch veir,
Quhen that Anchises, myne awyn fader deir,
Bad ws mak saill and follow destany.
Than, weping sayr, my native cost left I,
The havynnys, and the feildis dissolait
Quhar Troys ryall cite stude of lait:
Furth sail I banyst throw the deip see,
With my ȝong son Ascanyus and our menȝe,
And with our frendly goddis, Penates hait,
And eik our gret goddis of mair estait.
Thar lyis a weirly cuntre weil far thens,
With large feildis lauborit ful of fens;
Of Trace the pepill ar thar inhabityng
Quhar that vmquhile strang Lycurgus was kyng—
Ane ancyant and ane tendir herbry place
To Troianys, quhil we stude in fortonys grace,
Our pepil togidder confederate and aly.
By schip thiddir our sey careit was I,

110

Quhar, at the bayand costis syde of the see,
Begouth I first set wallis of a cite,
Althocht my foundment was mysfortunat:
The toune I nemmyt efter myne estait
And fra my name it clepit Eneadas.
Onto my moder, of Dyona douchter was,
Sacrifice I maid, and to the goddis all
Quham for new warkis men happy helparis call;
And to the kyng of hevinly wightis that tyde
A quhite bull slew I by the costis syde.
On cace, thar stude a litil mote neirby,
Quhar hepthorn buskis on the top grew hie,
And evin saplynnys of myrthus, the tre funerale.
Thiddir I went, greyn bewis doune to haill,
Hard by the grond myne altare forto dycht
With burgyonys and with branchis al at rycht:
A grysly takyn, feirful to tell, I se.
As from the soyll vprent was the first tre
By the rutys, the blak droppis of blude
Distillit tharfra, that al the erth quhar it stude
Was spottit of the fylth and stenyt, allaik!
The cald dreid maid all my membris quaik,
And for effeir my blude togidder fresyt.
Ane other smal twyst of a tre I chesit
Forto brek down, the causys to assay
Of this mater, that war onknawyn alway;
And ȝit the blude followit on the sam maneir
Furth of the bark of that other, but weir.
Than in my mynd of mony thingis I musyt,
And to the goddessis of wildyrnes, as is vsyt,
Quhilk Hamadriades hait, I wirschip maid,
Onto Gradyus fader, that ryngnys glaid
Our all the land of Getya and Tarss
(Quhilk clepit is the god of armys, Marss),
Besekyng this avisioun worth happy,
And the oracle prosperite suld signyfy.
Bot efter that the thyrd syoun of treys,
Apon the sandis syttand on my kneys,

111

I schupe to haue vprevyn with mair press
(Quhidder sal I spek now, or hald my pess?),
Furth of the graif a duylful murnyng law
I hard, and to myne eris come this saw:
‘Ene, quhy rentis thou a wrechit creatur?
Haue reuth of hym now laid in sepultur,
And forto fyle thi deuote handis spair;
Of Troy I born am, to the na strangar:
This blude droppis nocht from that stok in thi hand.
Fle sone, allace, furth of this cursyt land,
Fle from this avarus kyngis cost in hy;
For lo! thus, Polidorus heir I ly,
Througyrd with dartis, and thyk steil hedis schote,
Apon sik wyss ourheildit on this mote;
The scharp lancis growis greyn and spredis owt.’
Than wist I not quhat I suld do for dowt,
The feir affrayit my mynd estonyst als,
Vpstart my hayr, the word stak in my hals.
With a gret sold of gold fey Priamus
Secretly vmquhile send this Polidorus,
Quhilk was his son, to Polynestor, kyng
Of Trace, to kepe and haue in nurysyng,
Quhen first of Troiane defens begouth he dowt
And saw the town besegyt all abowt.
Bot this ilk kyng of Trace, seand how Troy
Lossyt his myghtis be forton turnyt from ioy,
The party chesis of Agamenon,
Anherdand to the victouris syde onon;
Al faith and frendschip brak he than in hy,
And Polydorus slane has cruelly,
And thus, be forss, the tresour he doith withhold.
O cursyt hungyr of this wrachit gold!
Quhat wikkytnes or myscheif may be do
At thou constrenys not mortale myndis tharto?
Eftir this effray was fra my banys went,
Of the goddis thir feirfull wordis quent
Onto the noblis and grettast of our men,
And to my fader fyrst, rehers I then,

112

And quhat thar purposs was, eik I inquir.
Thai war al of a will and a desyr
To pass furth of this wareit realm of Trace,
And for toleif that pollut herbry place,
And set our navy to the wynd but weir.
Tharfor, to Polidorus vp a beyr
We erekkit, and of erd a gret fluyr
Kest in a hepe abuf his sepultur;
Syne, in ramembrance of the sawlis went,
The dolorus altaris fast by war vpstent,
Crownyt with garlandis al of haw sey hewis,
And with the blaiknyt cypress dedly bewis.
The Troiane wemen stude with hayr down schaik,
About the beir weping with mony, ‘Allake!’
And on we kest of warm mylk mony a skul,
And of the blude of sacrifyce cowpis full.
The sawle we bery in sepultur on this wyss,
The lattir hailsyng syne lowd schowtit thryss,
Rowpand atanys, ‘Adew!’ Quhen al is done,
Ilkane per ordour, the mon we follow sone.”
Quhou Eneas socht answer at Apollyne,
And quhou he to the land of Crete is salyt syne.
Syne, quhen we se our tyme to sail maist habill,
The blastis mesit, and the fludis stabill,
The softe piping wynd callyng to see,
Thar schippis than furth settis our menȝe:
Ȝe mycht haue sene the costis and the strandis
Fillit with portage and pepil tharon standis.
Furth of the havin we salit al onone;
The sicht of land and cite sone is gone.
Amyd the sey yclepit Egeos
Ane haly iland lyis, that hait Delos,
Beluffit of Neptune and the moder alswa
Of the Nereydes, clepit Doryda;

113

Quham the cheritabil archer, Appollo,
Quhen it flet rollyng from costis to and fro,
Saisit and band betwix other ilis twa,
Quhilk clepit ar Mycone and Gyara,
Stablisyng so that it mycht lauborit be,
And comptis nowthir the wynd nor storm of see.
Thidder ar we careit, and in that plesand land
A sovir havyn ressavit ws at hand.
Al wery beyn we yschit furth of schip
The cite of Apollo to wirschip.
The kyng tharof, yclepit Anyvs,
Prince of the men and preste eik to Phebus,
With bendis baith and haly lawrer crown
Set on his hed, met ws withowt the town;
His agit frend Anchises knew this kyng.
Handis we schuke with hartly welcumyng,
And to his palyce al with hym we went,
Quhar that I wirschip, as wes myne entent,
The god Apollo, within his hallowit hald
Or tempil beldyt al of stanys ald.
‘O thou,’ quod I, ‘Appollo Tymbreus,
Sum propir dwellyng place thou grant to ws:
We the beseik that schaw alsso thou wald
To ws irkit sum strenth and stalwart hald,
And at thou grant ws eik succession,
And for to dwel in a remanand town.
Salve ws, lattir wardis of Troy, that we ne spill,
Levyngis of Grekis and of the ferss Achill.
Geif ws thine answer quharon we sal depend;
Quhidder wilt thou, fader, at we now wend?
Quhar sall we set our lugyng to remane?
Condiscend in our myndis, and schaw this plane.’
Scarss war thir wordis said quhen that I se
Al thingis trymmyl and schaik neir abowt me,
The durris and the lawrer tre but dowt,
And al the montane movit rownd about;
A murmur or a rumysyng hard we haue
Within the courtyng and the secret cave;

114

The quyet closettis oppynnyt with a rerd,
And, we plat law gruflyngis on the erd,
A voce com til our erys, sayand thus:
‘O ȝe dowr pepil discend from Dardanus,
The ilke grond, fra quham the first stok cam
Of ȝour lynnage, with blyth bosum the sam
Sal ȝou ressaue thiddir returnyng agane:
To seik ȝour ald moder mak ȝou bane.
Thar sal Eneas lynnage haue senȝeory
Our al realmys and landis vndir the sky,
And thar sonnys, and sonnys sonnys syne,
And al that evir succedis of thar lyne.’
Thus said Phebus, and than, our folkis amang,
Mixt with blithnes a fellon dyn vpsprang:
‘Quhat place was this,’ euery ane fast gan frane,
‘Quhiddir callis Phebus? Byddis he ws turn agane?’
My fader than, revoluyng in his mynd
The discens of forfaderis of our strynd,
‘Nobillis,’ quod he, ‘harkis quhat I sal say,
And leyr at me ȝour weilfair, I ȝou pray.
The ile of Cret lyis amyd the see,
The native land of Iupiter maist hie;
Thar is the first hyll, yclepit Ida,
Thar our forbearis first in thar credlys lay;
The land maist plentevs of wyne, oyl and quhete,
Inhabyt with a hundreth citeis gret,
Quharfra thar com, gif I remembir rycht,
Our gret forfader Teucrus the wycht,
First to the cost of Rethea in Phrygy,
And for his cite chesit the set fast by—
For ȝit than was not Ilion vpbeld,
Nor the strang wallis of Troy, bot on the feld
Thai dwelt in lugys and mony litil cave.
The adornar eik of our realm we haue
From that land, the moder of goddis Cybele,
And blast of brasyn trumpettis, as ȝe se;
From thens com eik the wod of Idea,
And the traist serymonys of sacrifice alswa;

115

The fasson eik and gyss we lernyt thar
Quhou the lyonys suld draw the ladeis char.
Haue done onon, tharfor, and lat ws wend
Thiddir quhar the goddis oracle haith ws kend.
The wynd first lat ws meyss, or that we ga,
Syne seik the realm of Crete and Gnosia.
It is not thens lang cowrs nor vyage far;
Our navy salt, with help of Iupiter,
The thrid morow be at the cost of Crete.’
This beand said, ganand offerandis ful mete
Befor the altaris he slew in sacrifyce;
A bul first to Neptune, as is the gyss,
A bull to brycht Appollo for his beheist,
And to the god of tempestis a blak beist,
And to the chancy wyndis ane mylk quhite.
The fame was than, of Crete the cost stude quyte
Dissolate, but prince; for Idomeneus the kyng
Was by the pepil expellit from his ryng,
The lugyngis voyd and reddy to thar fays,
The sete left waist til ony it vptais.
The porte tharwith, Ortygia, leif we,
And with swift cowrs flaw throu the salt see;
By the iland swepit we onon
With hillis ful of wynys, hait Naxon,
By Donysa quhar growis the marbill greyn,
And by Paron with his quhite marbill scheyn,
By Olearon, and mony ilis, but less,
Skatterit in the sey, yclepit Cyclades;
We slyde throu fludis endlang feil costis fayr.
The noys vpsprang of mony marynar
Byssy at thar wark, to takilling euery tow,
Thar feris exorting, with mony heys and how,
To speid tham fast towart the realm of Crete,
With thar forfaderis and progenitouris to mete.
The followand wynd blew strek in our tail,
Quhill finaly arrive we, with bent saill,
Apon the ancyant cost of Curetanys,
A kynd of pepill quhilk into Crete remanys.

116

And sone I me enfors with diligence
To byg a wallit cite of defens;
Pargamea I namyt it, but baid:
Our folkis than, that warryn blyth and glaid
Of this kowth surname of our new cite,
Exort I to graith howsis and leif in le,
And rayss on hycht the strenth and fortaless.
Our schippis or this ful weil we gart adress
And lay almaist apon the dry sand.
The ȝong men fortil laubour thar new land,
And in honour of wedlok, as is the gyss,
Makkis thar offerand and thar sacryfyss,
And I thar statutis and seyr lawis thame tawcht,
Assyngnand ilkane propir howsis and aucht,
Quhen suddanly a cruel pest and traik,
So that cornys and frutis goith to wraik,
Throu the corruppit ayr and cowrss of hevyn,
A dedly ȝeir, far wers than I kan nevin,
Fell on our membris with sik infectioun
Was na remeid, cure nor correctioun;
The sweit sawlis lefis the bodeis ded,
Or seik thai ly gaspand in euery sted.
And forthir eik, Syryvs, the frawart star,
Quhilk clepit is the syng canicular,
So brynt the feildis al was barrand maid;
Herbis wolx dry, wallowyng, and gan to faid;
The seik grond denyis hys fruyt and fudis.
My fader exortis ws turn agane our fludis
To Delos, and Apolloys answer speir,
Besekyng hym of succurs ws to leir,
Quhat end ontil our irksum panys he sendis,
And be quhat way we mycht assay amendis
Of this turbacioun, or quhidder and quhar that he
Wil at we seik or set our cowrss our see.”

117

Quhou Troiane goddys apperis tyll Enee,
And how that he was stormstad on the see.
Cummyn is the nycht, that euery beist on grond
Desiris rest by kynd, and slepis sovnd;
Quhen that the figuris of our goddis blist,
And the Phrigiane Penates, or I wist,
Quhilkis from amyd the fyris of Troy I brocht
Thidder with me, quhar I lay and slepit nocht,
Gan to appeir standyng befor myne eyn:
With ful gret lycht graithly I haue thame seyn,
Quhar as the ful moyn schawing bemys brycht
Inthrou the tyrlyst wyndo schane by nycht.
Than said thai thus, with wordis to asswage
My thochtis and my hevy sad curage:
‘That thing,’ quod thai, ‘quhilk Apollo wald sa
And thou war brocht onto Ortygia,
Heir he the schawis, and eik, as thou may se,
Onrequirit hes send ws hidder to the.
Quhen Troy was brynt, we followit thi prowes,
Vnder thi gward to schip we wss address,
Ourspannand mony swelland seys salt;
And to the starnys eik we sal exalt
The childryn for tocum of thine ofspryng;
Thi cite sal we geif empyre to ryng
Our al the erth. Tharfor to goddis grete
Begyn to graith gret wallis and ryal sete;
Leif not thi langsum lavbour, bot fle away;
This duelling place thou mon change, we the say:
Delyvs Apollo, certis, as thou thocht,
Tocum onto this cost perswadit nocht
Nor chargit neuer in Crete thou suld remane.
A land thar is, in Grekis langage plane
Hesperya clepit, a bald cuntre in weir,
A fructuus grond of corn and richess seir,
By Kyng Onotryvs inhabit first with wyne,
Bot in our days laitly, the fame is syne,

118

Eftir thar duke it is namyt Italy.
Thar beyn our propir setis and our herbry;
Tharof com Dardane and his brothir Iasyvs,
And from that ilk prince, Schir Dardanus,
Is the discens of our genealogy.
Get vp onone, tel thi ald fader blythly
Thir tythyngis, quhilk beyn trew and certan thing.
Seik to Coryte and Italy the ryng,
For the feildis in Crete neyr Dycteus
Iupiter denyis to granting onto ws.’
Of this visioun estonyst quhar I lay,
And of tha wordis quhilkis the goddis gan say
(For this wes nowthir dreym nor fantasy;
Thar propir vissage befor me stand knew I,
With garlandis and thar cirkillettis on thar hair;
Thar figur saw I present to me thair—
The cald sweit our al my body ran),
Furth of my bed on fute son sprent I than,
And, strekand vp my handis towart hevyn,
Myne oryson I maid with devote stevyn;
A cleyn sacrifyce and offerand maid I syne,
Into the fyris ȝettand senss and wyne.
The serymoneis endit, blyth and glaid
To my fader per ordour al I said
As ȝe haue hard (quhat nedis tell agane?),
And of this mater maid hym ful certane.
Onone he knew our elderis dowtis ilk deill,
And of our clan the dowbill stok full weill:
He grantis the onkouth errour hym dissavit
Of ancyant placis, quhilk he not persavit.
Syne said he, ‘Son, thou irkit art algatis
By the contrarius frawart Troiane fatis;
Now I remembir only quhou Cassandra
Ful oft maid mensioun of Hesperya
And oft als of the realm hait Italy,
Thir materis me declaring by and by.
That land now knaw I destinate to our kyn,
Bot quha wald haue belevit at euer within

119

The realm of Itail Teucrus blude suld cum?
Or quha wald than, mair than scho had bene dum,
Set by the prophetess wordis Cassandra?
Lat ws obey Phebus, and wend awa
As we bene monyst, follow our chance, but pleys.’
Thus said he, and we glaid al hym obeys:
A few folkis thar left to kepe the town,
This sted alsso leif we, and sail maid bown;
In bowit bargis throu the large streym we slyde.
Quhen sycht of land was tynt on euery syde,
Sa that na cost apperis quhilk we mycht se,
Bot the schippis haldand the deip see,
The hevin abufe and fludis al abowt,
A watry clowd, blak and dyrk but dowt,
Gan tho appeir abone our hed ful rycht,
And down a tempest sent als myrk as nycht.
The streym apperis vgsum of the dym sky;
The wyndis weltris the sey continualy
That huge wallis boldynnys apon loft;
Skatterit widequhar our the fame ful oft
War our schippis, and the brythnes of day,
Inuolvit al with clowdis, hyd away.
The rayn and royk reft from ws sycht of hevin,
The brokkyn skyis rappis furth thunderis levin;
Forswiftit from our richt cowrss, gan we ar
Amang the blynd wallis waverand far.
For Palynurus him self maist expart,
For al his cunnyng of schip man craft and cart,
Amyd the sey forȝet the richt way,
Denyand als that the nycht from the day
He mycht discern be sycht of firmament.
Apon sik wyss oncertanly we went
Thre days wilsum throu the mysty streym,
And als mony nychtis but starnys leym,
That quhiddir was day or nycht oneith wist we.
Bot at the last, on the ferd day we se
On far the land appeir, and hillis ryss,
The smoky vapour vpcasting on thar gyss.

120

Down fallis salis, the aris sone we span;
But mair abaid, the marineris euery man
Egirly rollis our the fomy flude,
And the haw sey weltis vp as thai war woid.
Salve from the wallis at the costis of Strophe
With al our navy first arryvit we.”
Quhou till Ene the harpyes dyd gret wo,
And of the drery prophete Celeno.
Strophades in Grew leid ar nemmyt so,
In the gret sey standing ilis two,
The quhilk sey clepit is Ionium;
And, in thir ilandis quhidder we ar becum,
Dwelt and inhabit the cruel Celeno,
With all the otheris harpyes mony mo,
Evir sen thai war expeld from the land
Of Arcad, quhar Kyng Phyneus was dwelland,
And for dreid at his tabil durst not remane.
Mair wikkit monstreis than thai kan be nane,
Nor nan mair cruel pestilens is fund,
Nor fury of goddis that cummys from hellis grund,
Furth of the flude of Stix that sory place.
Thir fowlis hes a virgynys wlt and face,
With handis like to bowland byrdis clewis,
Bot the vile belleis of thai cursit schrewis
Aboundis of fen maist abhomynabill,
And pail al tyme thar mowthis miserabill
For wod hungyr and gredy appetite.
At this ilke cost as we arryvit als tyte
And in the port entrit, lo! we se
Flokkis and herdis of oxin and of fe,
Fat and tydy, rakand our alquhar,
And trippis eik of gait, but ony kepar,
In the rank gyrss pasturyng on raw;
With wapynnys thame we brittyn, but dreid or aw:
To goddis syne and Iupiter we pray,
And thame distribut a party of our pray,

121

Syne eftir, endlang the sey costis bay,
Vp sonkis set, and desys dyd array.
To meit we sat with habundans of cheir,
Quhen suddanly, with horribill dyn and beir,
From the montanys the harpeis on vs fell
With huge fard of weyngis and mony a ȝell.
Our mesis and our mete thai reft away,
And with thar laithly twich al thing fyle thai;
Thar voce alsso was vgsum fortil heir,
With sa corruppit flewyr nane mycht byde neir.
From that place syne ontil a caif we went,
Vndir a hyngand hewch, in a dern went,
With treys closs bilappit rownd about,
And thik harsk granyt pikis standing owt:
Thar vp agane our tabillis haue we dicht
And on the altaris bet the fyris bricht.
Bot of the hevin agane from syndry artis,
Out of quyet hyrnys, the rowt vpstartis
Of thai birdis, with byr and mony a bray,
And in thar crukyt clawis grippis the pray:
Evir as thai fle about fra sete to sete,
With thar vyle mowthis infek thai al our mete.
Quhen I saw this, our feris command I than
Tak thar wapynnys, and bargane euery man
Agane tha cruell pepill or byrdis fell.
As I thame chargit, schortly fortotell,
Sone haue thai done, and, vnder the gerss al bair
Ful prevaly thar swerdis in thai stair,
And darnly eik thar targis al ourheildis,
So that, quhen the sey costis and the feildis
Resoundis at down come of thir harpeys,
Mysenus, the wait, on the hie garet seys,
And with his trumpet thame a takyn maid.
Our falloschip thir fowlys gan invayd,
And onkouth kynd of batail dyd assay,
With wapynnys forto bet and dryve away
Thir laithly sey byrdis of syk effeir.
Bot thar was na dynt mycht thar fedderis scheir,

122

Nor in thar bodeis wound ressave thai nane,
Bot suddanly away tha wysk ilkane
Furth of our sycht, heich vp in the sky;
The pray half etyn behynd thame lat thai ly,
With fut stedis vyle and laith to se.
Ane, on a rolkis pynnakill perkit hie,
Celeno clepit, a drery prophetess,
Furth of hir breist thir wordis warpis express:
‘Theyfage lynnage of fals Laomedon,
Address ȝe thus to mak bargane onon?
Becauss ȝe have our oxin reft and slane,
Brytnyt our styrkis and ȝong bestis mony ane,
Schaip ȝe, tharfor, harpeys expell and dyng,
But ony offens, furth of thar faderis ryng?
Ressave for that, and in ȝour brestis enprent
My wordis, quhilk I, gretast fury of torment,
Schawis ȝou, that thing quhilk Iupiter maist hie
Schew to Phebus, and brycht Phebus tald me.
I knaw ȝe set ȝour cowrss to Italy:
Ȝe cal eftir gude wyndis and prospir sky:
To Itale sal ȝe wend, and thar tak land.
Bot first, or wallis of the cite vpstand
Quhilk by the goddis is ȝou predestinate,
For strang hungir sal ȝe stand in sik state,
In wraik of our iniuris and bestis slane,
That with ȝour chaftis to gnaw ȝe salbe fane,
And runge ȝour tabillis al and burdis,’ quod sche,
And sone away in the thik wod gan fle.
The suddane dreid so stonyst our feris than,
Thar blude congelit and al togiddir ran;
Dolf wolx thar spretis, thar hie curage down fell,
No mair thame lykis assayng sik batell,
Bot, with offerandis and eik devot prayer,
Thai wald we suld perdoun and pace requer,
In cace gif thai war goddessis or fowlis,
Vengeabill wightis or ȝit laithly owlis.
Bot our fader, hevand vp his handis,
The gret goddis dyd call, and on the sandis

123

Hallowis thar mycht with detful reverens:
‘O hie goddis, forbyd syk violens,
Stanch this bost and ondo this myscheif,
Salve petuus folkis, ameyss ȝour wrath and greif,’
Quod he, and tharwith chargit ankyrris haill,
Do lowss the rabandis, and lat down the saill.
The sowth wyndis stentis furth strait our schete;
Swiftly we slyde our bullyrand wallys grete,
And followit furth the sammyn went we have,
Quhar so the wynd and sterysman ws drave,
Quhil that amyd the fludis gan we se
The woddy ile Ȝacynth with mony tre;
Dulichium syne and Same we aspy,
And Neritos with his rochis hie;
By craggis and hewys of Itachia,
That was Laertes realm, we slyde alswa,
And fast we wary and cursyt oft, but less,
That land quhilk bred the cruel Vlixes.
Belyve the mysty toppys of mont Lewcas
Apperis, quharon Appollois tempil was,
That feirful is til euery maryner.
Al wery of our vayage thidder we steir,
And come onon afor the litil town,
And of our forschip ankyrris leit we down:
Endlang the costis syde our navy raid.
And thus at last brocht to land blyth and glaid,
Quhar as to have arryvit we not belevit,
We clenge ws first, less Iupiter war aggrevit,
Syne on the altaris kendillit sacrifyce,
And langgis the channel, eftir the Troiane gyss,
The active gemmys and sportis gart assay.
Our falloschip excerss palestral play,
As thai war wont at hame, with oyll envnte,
Nakyt wreslyng and struglyng at nyce punte.
Ioyvs thai war to haue eschapit at hand
Sa mony citeis of the Grekis land,
And to haue fled til salfte on this wyss
Throu the myd rowtis of thar ennemyss.”

124

Eneas arryvis at Epyria,
And how he spak thar with Andromacha.
Be this the son had circulit his lang ȝer,
And frosty wyntir scharpit the watir cleir
With cald blastis of the northin art.
Quhen sesson come that tyme was to depart,
Apon a post in the tempyl I hang
A bowand scheild of plait, quhilk Abas strang
Bair vmquhile, and, the maner to reherss,
I notyfy and tytillis with this verss:
‘Eneas hec de Danais victoribus arma,’
That is to say, ‘Eneas festnyt thus
This armour of the Grekis victorius.’
Syne, to depart of that havyn, I command
Syt down on hechis and span aris in hand.
Byssely our folkis gan to pyngil and stryve,
Swepand the flude with lang rowthys belyve,
And vp thai welt the stowr of fomy see,
Quhil sone the citeis of Corsyra tyne we
And vp we pyke the cost of Epyrus,
And landyt thar at port Chaonyus,
Syne to the hie town of Butrot ascendit,
Quhar tythingis, oncredibill to thame not kend it,
Come to our erys, schawyng that Helenus,
The lauchful son of the kyng Priamus,
Rang kyng our mony citeis in Greik land,
Berand tharof the ceptre and the wand
By resson of his spowss adionyt, but less,
Be Pyrrus vmquhil son of Achilles;
And that Andromacha wes wed agane
Onto ane other husband and man Troiane.
Heirof awondrit, with breist hait as fyre,
Be fervent luf kendillit in gret desyre
Our cuntre man to vissy and with hym talk,
To knaw thir strange casys, on I stalk

125

From the port, my navy left in the raid.
That ilke sesson, percace, as I furth glaid,
Befor the cite, in a schaw, I wys,
Besyde the fenȝeit flude of Symois,
Andromache maid anniuersar sacrifyce
And funerale servyce, on ful dolorus wyss,
To Hectoris puldir or hys assis brynt.
Oft wald scho clepe and call, and oneth stynt,
Apon the sawlis that onbodeit war,
Beside Hectoris voyd tumbe stannand thar,
Quhilk scho vpbeildit had of herbis greyn
With twa altaris, and oft with wepyng eyn
Bewalis scho that hard dissyverance.
And alssone as scho me aspyis perchance,
And Troiane armour and ensenȝeis with me saw,
Affrayit of the ferly, scho stude syk aw,
And at the fyrst blenk become so mait,
Naturale heyt left hir membris in sik stait
Quhil to the grond half mangit fel scho down,
And lay a lang tyme in a dedly swown
Or ony speche or word scho mycht furth bring,
Ȝit thus, at last, sayd eftir hir dwawmyng:
‘Is that thine awyn face, and suythfast thyng?
Schawis thou to me a verray sovir warnyng?
Levis thou ȝit, son of the goddes?’ quod sche.
‘Gif thou be ded, quhar is Hector?—tell me.’
And with that word, scho bryst furth mony a teir,
And walit so that piete was to heir,
Quhil al about dynnys of hir womentyng.
A few wordis skars as I mycht furth bryng
For to confort that maist lamentabill wight,
With langsum speche said, quhispirand, as I mycht:
‘I leif forsuyth and ledis lyfe, as ȝe se,
In al hard chance of fortunys extremyte.
Be nocht agast, ȝe se bot suythfast thyng.
Allace, quhat aventur, in this onkouth ryng,
Is the betyd, and hess degradit,’ quod I,
‘Eftir thi husbandis deth, was maist douchty?

126

Or quhat fortune mycht sufficient happyn the,
Spowss to maist worthy Hector, Andromache?
Art thou, or na, to Pirrus ȝit bywed?’
Hyr vissage down scho kest, for schame adred,
And, with a bass voce, thus said, as scho mycht:
‘O thou alane, befor al madynnys bricht,
Happy was, virgyne douchtir of Priam kyng,
Quhilk, vnder the wallis hie of Troys ryng,
Apon thine ennemeis grafe was maid to de;
Thou suffert no kut nor kavillys cast for the,
Nor in bondage away was thou nocht led,
Nor ȝit twichit na victour lordis bed.
Bot we, quhen that ybrynt war our kynd landis,
Careit our fremmyt seys and diuerss strandis,
The dortyness of Achillis ofspring,
In bondage, vndir the prowd Pyrrus ȝyng,
By forss sustenyt thraldome mony a day,
Quhil he at last ensewit ane othir may,
Hermyone, the douchtir of Helena,
In fey wedlok at Lachidemonya;
Than send he me, his seruand, hiddir thus,
Tobe spowsit with his seruand Helenus.
Bot Orestes, cachit in furyus rage
For cryme of his moderis slauchtir, and savage,
In lufe hait byrnyng for his spowss byreft,
Or he was war, set on this Pirrus eft,
And in Delphos (quhat nedis wordis mair?)
Smate of his hed befor his faderis altair.
Thus, by decess of Neoptolymus,
Of the realm a part fell to Helenus,
The quhilk boundis and feildis braid alsswa
He has to name clepit Chaonya
Eftir his brodir of Troy, Chaonyus,
And Troiane wallis heir has beild vp thus,
And on thir motis a strenth hait Ilion.
Bot quhat wyndis thi cowrss has hydder gone?
And quhat aventur has the hyddir dryve?
Or of the goddis quha maid the heir arrive

127

At our marchis, mysknawyng our estait?
Quhou faris the child Ascanyus now of lait,
Quham to the bayr Crevse, thi spouss and ioy,
That tyme enduryng the sege lay about Troy?
Levis he ȝit in helth and in weilfair?
Ha! how gret harm and skaith for euermar
That child has caucht throu lesyng of his moder!
O Lord! quhat ancyant vertuys, ane and othir,
And knychtly prowes in hym steris frendis befor,
Baith fader Eneas and hys vncle Hector!’
Syk wordis scho spak, wepyng with petuus mayn
And with lang sobbis furthȝettand teris invayn,
Quhen that hir lord hym self cummys from the town,
Kyng Priamus son, Helenus of renown.
Neir he approchit with ful gret cumpany,
And hys awyn natyve frendis knew in hy,
And blithly to hys cite hes ws led:
Betwix ilk word feil bricht teris furth he sched.
We passit on, and litil Troy I knaw,
Lyke the gret cite contyrfait on raw,
With Ilion, and wallis lyke Pergama,
And a smal burn half gane dry alswa
Onto his surname clepit Exanthus.
At port Seya I entir, and eik with ws
Al our Troianys togiddir welcum war
Onto thar frendly cite famyliar.
In hys wyde palyce the kyng ressauyt thaim all,
And, in the myddis of the mekil hall,
Thai byrl the wyne in honour of Bachus—
Gret fest with ioy wes maid for luf of ws,
The mesis and the danteis thyk dyd stand,
And goldyn cowpis went fra hand to hand.”

128

Quhou Helenus declaris tyll Ene
Quhat dangeris he suld thoill on land and see.
Thus drave we our in solace day be day,
Quhil at the weddir prouokis ws to assay
Our salis agane, for the sowth wyndis blast
Our piggeis and our pynsalis wavit fast.
Onto the prophet Helenus tho went I,
And with syk wordis besocht hym reuerently:
‘O gentil Troiane, dyvyne interpretur,
Quhilk the respons of Phebus hes in cur,
Quhilk knawist eik the reuelationys
Of god Apollois diuinationys,
Vndir hys trestis and burdis at Delphois schene,
And into Claryus vndir the lawrer grene,
That vnderstandis the cowrss of euery star
And chyrm of euery byrdis voce on far
And euery fowle on weyng fleyng in the sky,
Quhat thai betakyn and quhat thai signyfy;
Say me, I pray the, quhat dangeris principaly
In to my cowrss and vayage eschew sall I,
Or how I may, or be quhat meyn, eschaip
Sa gret aduersiteis quhilkis beyn to me schaip.
For as to me al devote godly wightis
Schew we suld haue a prospir rays at rychtis
And euery oracle of goddis admonyst eik
That we the realm of Italy suld seik,
Ensew tha landis quhilkis war for ws provyde
Alanerly newlyngis on that other syde;
Schame for to say the Harpye Celeno
Spays onto ws a feirful takyn of wo—
A vengeans from the goddis pronuncis sche,
With schameful hungir sal happyn our menȝe.’
Helenus than, eftir the rytis and gyiss,
The ȝong bestis slew in sacryfyss,

129

Purchesyng favour of goddis to stanch thar fed,
And lowsit the garlandis of his haly hed;
Syne me, Phebus, he ledis by the hand
Onto thi tempil, on seyr materis musand,
Quhar this gret preist gan spekyn and declar
To me thir wordis of the goddis answar:
‘Son of the goddes, sen traist is manifest
That throu deip seys thi wayage is addrest,
And eik, of forton by the boundis hie,
The purviance dyvyne wil so it be—
The kyng of goddis so distributis the fatis,
Rollyng the chancis and turnyng thame thusgatis;
Of mony wordis, schortly, a quhoyn sall I
Declare, at thou mayr sovirly tharby
May seik out throu the strange stremys onkend,
And at a port of Itale arryve at end;
The remanent heirof, quhat evyr be it,
The Werd Systeris defendis that suld be wyt,
And eik the douchtir of auld Saturn, Iuno,
Forbyddis Helenus to speik it and cryis, “Ho!”
First say I the, that twichand Italy,
Quhilk thou trastis be at hand and fast by,
And the addressis ignorantly, but weyr,
To entyr sone in the port, as it war neir,
Lang wylsum ways and far landis alswa
A ful gret space dissyveris ȝou tharfra.
Ȝour aris fyrst into the Sycil see
Bedyit weill and bendit oft mon be,
And of Ausonya the salt stremys eik
Rownd about with ȝour schippis mon ȝe seik,
And Avernus, clepit the layk of hell,
And Aheie, the ile quhar Circes dwell,
Or euer thou may sovirly vpbeild
Thi cite in land of Italy or feild.
I sall the schaw takynnys tharof ful meit,
Quhilkis thou sal hald within thi mynd secreit.
Quhen thine alane musyng as thou sal ga,
By aventur, endlang a watir bra

130

And vndir ane aik fyndis in to that steid
A gret sow ferryit of grysis thretty hed,
Lyggyn on the grond, mylk quhite, al quhite brodmell
About hir pappis sowkyng, thar, I the tell,
Is the richt place and sted for ȝour cite,
And of ȝour travell ferm hald to rest in le.
Nor the nedis nocht to gruch in tyme tocum
The rungyng of ȝour tabillis euery crum:
Destany sal fynd tharfor a ganand way,
And Phebus sal ȝou help, quhen ȝe list pray.
Bot ombyschew this cost of Italy
Quhilk nixt onto our bordouris ȝhe se ly,
Bedyit with flowyng of our seys flude,
Sen al tha citeis with wykkit Grekis, not gude,
Inhabit ar; for the Naricyanys,
Othir wyss nemmyt Locry, thar remanys,
Quhilk come with Aiax Oylus to the fecht;
And, neir the hill that Salentynus hecht,
The feildis all ar occupyit full meit
Be Idomeneus the kyng expellit from Crete;
Thar is alsso the litil cite, but less,
Of the duke of Melyboy, Phyloctetes,
Clepit Petilya, closyt with a wall—
Eschew thir citeis and thyr costis all.
Forthir, quhen that beȝond the sey sall stand
All thi navy, and thar apon the strand
Settis vp ane altare this sacrifyce to ȝeild,
Thyne haris with a purpur vail ourheild,
Less than amyd the godly fyris, per cace,
Thi ennemeis mycht occur, and knaw thi face,
And so perturbyng all thi sacrifyce.
Thou cawss thi feris keip the sammyn gyss
In thar oblacionys, and this vsage condyng;
Observe, thi self and thi chaist ofspring,
Every serimony of our religioun.
And, fra the wynd haith set thi courss adoun
From Itale towart the cost of Sycilly,
And the strait sowndis of the mont Pelory

131

Vanysys away peyss and peyss, than the land
Strekis all tyme towart the left hand,
And the left syde lang salt thou but dowt
Cyrkil, and sail mony seis about;
On the richt syde the cost and wallis evaid,
For tha partis vmquhile, as it is sayd,
Be forss of storm war in sondir ryfe,
And a huge deip gat thar holkit belyfe.
Behald quhat change and sa onkouth a kast
May be mysknaw, throw tymys lang bipast;
For, quhen that baith tha landis war al ane,
The seys rage draif in, and maid thame twane,
And forss of streym from the syde of Itale
The ile of Sycill devydit hess alhaill;
Ane narow fyrth flowis, baith evyn and morn,
Betwix tha costis and citeis insondir schorn.
The rycht syde tharof with Scilla ombeset is,
And the left with insaciabil Carybdys,
Quhar, in hir bowkit bysme, that hellys belch,
The large fludis suppys thryss in a swelch,
And othir quhilis spowtis in the ayr agane,
Dryvand the stowr to the starnys, as it war rane.
Bot Scilla lurkand in darn hyddyllis lyis,
Within hir cave, spredand hyr mouth feil syiss
To sowk the schippys amang rowkis onsure—
Lyke to a woman hir ovyr portrature,
A fair virgynys body doun to hir scheir,
Bot hir hynd partis ar alss gret, weil neir,
As beyn a hydduus huddon or a quhaill,
Quharto beyn cuppillit mony meyrswyne taill,
With empty mawys of wolfis ravenus:
Eschew, tharfor, this passage dangerus,
For bettir is thou seik the cost about
Of Pachynnus in Scycill, than stand in dout,
And turn thi cowrss on bawburd, a weilfar way,
Than anys tobe into sa hard assay
As forto se the vgly monstre fell,
Scilla, and heir the craggis rowt and ȝell

132

For barking of sey doggis in hir wame.
And mair atour, gif owthir wit or fame
Or traist may be geif Helenus the prophete,
Or gif with verite Phebus inspiris hys sprete,
This a thing, son of the goddess, I the tech,
Abuf al othir, this a thyng I the prech,
And principaly repetis the sam agane,
And seir tymys monysis heir in plane;
First of Iuno thou wirschip the gret mycht
And glaidly hallow with sacrifice al at rycht
The power of Iuno, and that mychty pryncess
To pless lawly with offerandis the address:
And on sik wyss quhen thou hir favouris hes get,
And hest alsso thi courss from Sycil set
Towart the boundis of Italy our see,
Syne, quhen thou art careit to that cuntre,
And cummyn is to the cite of Cumas,
And by the lakys dedicate to goddis doith pas
Outthrou the soundand forest of Avern,
Vndir a roch, law within a cavern,
Thar salt thou fynd the godly prophetes,
Ful of the spreit dyvyne, that schawis express
The reuelationys and fatis fortocum,
In palm tre leiffis thame notand al and sum,
Writand vp euery word as sal betyde,
Direkking the leiffis per ordour furth on syde.
Quhat euer this virgyne discrive in hir endyte,
Without the cave closyt scho lays the write:
Tha leiffis remanys onsterit of thar place,
Ne partis not furth of rewle, quhil percace
The piping wynd blaw vp the dur on char,
And dryve the leiffis, and blaw thaim out of har
In at the entre of the cave agane,
That all hir fyrst laubour was invane;
Bot, fra the blast and ȝet pertrubbil thus
Tha thyn leiffis, scho is so dangerus,
Nevir eftyr denȝeing hir within the cave
To gaddir togiddir thame with the wynd bewave,

133

Ne forto put thame into rewle agane,
Nor ione hir writis as thai dyd first remane.
Thus oft the pepil but answer gays thar ways,
And wareis the set of Sybil al thar days.
Fail not, for loss of tyme that may betyde,
Bot thou pass to that prophetis, thocht the tyde
And prospir wyndis challance the to the saill,
Ȝa, thocht thi fallowys cry owt, “Illyr haill!
On burd! a fair wynd blawis betwix twa schetis!”
Beseik hir or thou wend thocht thine hart betis,
Oppynnand hir voce, scho plesit schaw the evyn
Thy destaneys, be hir awyn mowthis stevin.
Scho sal ryply declare to the in hy
The maneris of al pepill in Italy;
The batellis fortocum scho wil the schaw,
And on quhat wyss al dangeir thou sal withdraw,
Or how thou may al lauborus payn sustene.
Wirschip this haly religyus woman cleyn,
Scho sal the grant a prospir courss at hand.
This is the effect, schortly to vnderstand,
That I am levyt with my wordis the to charge:
Adew, pass on, and by thi fatis large
The fame of mekil Troy bair vp to hevyn!’
Eftir at this prophet, with hys frendly stevyn,
Thir dyvyne answeris thus pronosticate,
Seyr weghty gyftis of massy goldyn plate
Onto our schippis chargit he beir onon,
And gret rychess of polyst eveir bone;
Our karvellis howys ladis and prymys he
With huge charge of syluer in quantite,
With caldronys and othir seir veschell ma
In Epyr land maid at Dodonea.
To me he gaif a thik clowyt habyrgeon,
A thrynfald hawbrik was al gold begone,
A rownd rich helm with creste and tymbrete fair,
The armour quhilum Neoptolemus bair:
Syne to my fader, effering to his age,
Rych rewardis he gaif of hie parage;

134

Tharto alsso he eikis and gaif ws then
Gentill horssis, pylotis and lodismen;
He ws suppleyt with rowaris and maryneris,
And armour plente atanys for al our feris.”
 

C marginal note gnawing.

C marginal note rolkis.

Of Helenus and of Andromache
And how fra thame departing gan Ene.
In the meyn quhile Anchiss, my fader, in hy
Reddy forto saill chargis mak our navy,
Less than, percace, it mycht our courss delay,
Gif so the wynd blew fair that othir day:
Quhom till this wyss interpretour of Phebus,
Helenus, with gret honour carpys thus:
‘O thou Anchiss, that worthy was,’ quod he,
‘With fair Venus conionyt for tobe,
And twyss delyverit by purviance dyvyne,
And twyss eschapit of Troy the sayr rewyne,
Lo! ȝondir for the Ausonya or Itaill;
Onto ȝone cost syde ȝondir salt thou saill.
And netheleȝ, thocht it be necessar
Out our the sey to ȝondir grond ȝe fair,
That part of Itale is a far way hyne
Quhilk is previdyt ȝour kyn be Appollyne.
Wend on’, says he, ‘thou happy and fortunate
Of thi devote son by the godly estate.
Bot quharto suld I mak langar delay?
As I haue said, fayr weil, pass on ȝour way!
Quhat nedis with my speche ȝou tary mor
Or stop this fair wynd blawing evyn befor?’
This not theless, Andromacha, wo begone,
The lattir tyme we suld depart onon,
Brocht to wss brusyt clathis and rych wedis
Figuryt and prynnyt all with goldyn thredis,
And to Ascanyus a prowd tawbart gave
Sik as was honorabill hym to weir and have;

135

Hym and his feris of hir nedyll wark
And wovyn dowreys furnyst, worth mony mark:
And thus scho said, ‘My child, ressaue alswa
Thir remembrance wrocht with my handis twa,
In takyn lang tyme to thynkyng apon me,
Thyne vncle Hectouris wife, Andromache:
Tak thir with the as lattir presandis seir
Of thi kynd natyve frendis gudis and geir.
O leif is me! the lykast thing levyng,
And verray ymage of my Astianax ȝyng!
Syk eyn had he, and syk fair handis tway,
For all the warld syk mowth and face, perfay,
And gif he war on lyve quhil now infeir,
He hadbene evyneild with the, and hedy pair.’
Quhat wil ȝe mair? quhen we behuffyt depart,
Terys brysting furth on forss, and with sair hart,
To thame I said: ‘Deir frendis, weil ȝe be,
Weil mot ȝe leif in ȝour felicite,
Quhamtill the prospir forton is brocht till end;
Bot we, from werd to werd, and chance, mon wend.
Ȝour rest is fund, ȝou nedis sewch throw na seys,
Nor seik feildis of Itail, that evir ws fleys;
Symilytude of Exanthus and Troy ȝe se
Quhilk ȝour awyn warkis hes beldit vp on hie—
God grant in bettyr tyme thai be begunnyn,
And neuer eft with Grekis forss ourrunnyn!
Gif evir in Tybir to entyr me betydis,
And, on the feildis neirby Tybris sydis,
May behald wallis vpset for my menȝe,
Or may the frendly citeis sum tyme se,
Lat ws of Epyrus and of Italy,
Cummyn baith of Dardanus genealogy,
And quhamto eik the chance of fortoun is ane,
Mak bot a Troy of athir realmys twane,
And this sam lyge with our posterite
Sal evir remane in faith and vnyte.’”

136

Quhar fyrst Eneas Itale dyd aspy,
And mony strange wentis hes salyt by.
Furth on, with this, throu owt the sey we slyde,
By the forland Cerawnya fast beside,
Quhar fra, out our the fludis forto saill,
The schortast way and courss lyis to Itaill.
Down gois the son be than, and hillis hie
Wolx dyrknyt with schaddowis of the sky;
We sort our aris, and chesis rowaris ilke deill,
And at a sownd or cost we likit weill
We strike at nycht, and on the dry strandis
Dyd bawne and beyk our bodeys, feyt and handis.
Sone on our irkyt lymmys, lethis and banys
The naturale rest of sleip slaid al atanys,
And, or the speyre his howris rollit richt
Sa far about that it was scars mydnycht,
Not sweir, bot in hys dedis deligent,
Palynurus furth of his cowch vpsprent,
Lysnyng about, and harknyng our alquhar
With erys prest to kep the wynd or ayr.
Of euery starn the twynklyng notis he
That in the still hevyn move courss we se,
Arthuris Huyf, and Hyades betakynnand rayn,
Syne Watlyng Streit, the Horn and the Charle Wayn,
The fers Orion with hys goldyn glave,
And quhen he hes thame eueryane persaue
Into the cleir and serene firmament,
Furth of his eft schip a bekyn gart he stent:
We rayss and went on burd in our the waill,
Syne slakis down the schetis and maid sayll.
Be this the dawyng gan at morn walx red
And chasit away the starnys fra euery sted;
The dym hillis on far we dyd aspy,
And saw the law landis of Italy.
‘Italy! Italy!’ fyrst cryis Achates,
Syne al our feris of clamour mycht nocht cess,

137

Bot with a voce atanys cryis, ‘Itaill!’
And hailsyng gan the land with hey and haill.
Than my fader, ammyral of our flote,
A mekil tankart with wyne fild to the throte,
And tharon set a garland or a crown,
And to the goddis maid this orysoun,
Sittand in the hie eft castell of our schip,
With ful devote reverens and wirschip:
‘O ȝe’ quod he, ‘goddis haldis in pouste
Weddir and stormys, the land eik and the se,
Grant our vayage ane esy and reddy wynd,
Inspyre ȝour favouris that prospir courss we fynd.’
Scars this wes said quhen, evyn at our desyre,
The sessonabil ayr pipis vp fair and schyre;
The havyn apperis, and thiddir nerrar we draw,
And of Mynerva the strang tempill saw
Set in the castell apon ane hillis hycht.
Our fallowis fangis in thar salys tyght,
And towart the cost thar stevynnys dyd address.
A port thar is, quham the est fludis hess,
In maner of a bow, maid bowle or bay,
With rochys set forgane the streym ful stay,
To brek the salt fame of the seys stour.
On athir hand, als hie as ony towr,
The byg hewis strekis furth lyke a wall;
Within the hawyn goith lown, but wynd or wall,
And at the port the tempill may not be seyn.
Heir fyrst I saw apon the plesand greyn
A fatale takyn, fowr horssis quhite as snaw
Gnyppand gresys the large feildis on raw.
‘Ha! lugyn land, batale thou ws pretendis,’
Quod my fader Anchiss, ‘for as weil kend is,
Horssis ar dressit for the bargane feil syss;
Weir and debait thir stedis signyfyiss.
Bot, sen the sammyn four futtit bestis eik
Beyn oft vsyt, ful towartly and meik,
To draw the cart and thoil brydill and renȝe,
It is gude hope pace follow sal,’ says he.

138

Than wirschip we the godhed and gret mycht
Of Pallas, with clattering harnes ferss in fyght,
Quhilk heth ws first ressauyt glaid and gay:
Our hedis befor the altar we array
With valys brown, eftir the Troiane gyss,
And onto Iuno of Arge our sacryfyss
Maid reuerently, as Helenus vss bad,
Obseruyng weil, as he commandyt had,
The serymonys leill. Syne, but langar delay,
Fra that perfurnyst was our offerand day,
Onon the nokkis of our rays we writh;
Down fallys the schetis of the salys swith;
The Gregionys herbry and fronteris suspek
We left behynd, and efter, in effek,
Of Taurentum the fyrth we se but less
(Biggit, as thai say, by worthy Herculess),
And, our forgane the tother syde alsso,
Rayss vp Lacynya the tempill of Iuno,
Of Cawlon cite eik the wallys hie,
And Scyllacium quhar schipbrokyn mony be.
Syne, far of in the flude, we gan aspy
The byrnand Ethna into Sycilly,
And a fell rage rowting of the sey
Alang way thens, and on the rolkis hie
We hard the iawpys bete, and at the cost
A hydduus brayng of brokyn seys bost—
Apon schald bankis boldynnys hie the flude;
The stowr vpbullyrris sand as it war wode.
My fader than cryis, ‘Howe! feris, help away,
Streke aris atanys with all the forss ȝe may!
No wondir this is the selkouth Caribdis;
Thir horribbill rolkis and craggis heir, I wyss,
Helenus the prophete ful weil dyd ws declare.’
The sammyn wyss as thai commandyt ware
Thai dyd onon, and Pallynurus fyrst
Hard halys the schete on syde, and fast gan thryst
The forschip to the wallis and the tyde,
Saland on bawburd towart the left syde;

139

Towart the left, with mony heyss and haill,
Socht all our flot fast baith with rowth and saill.
The swelland swyrl vphesyt ws til hevyn;
Syne wald the waw swak ws doun ful evyn,
As it apperit, vnder the sey to hell.
Thryss the holkyt craggis hard we ȝell,
Quhar as the swelch had the rolkis thyrlyt;
And thryss the fame furth spowt, that so hie quhirlyt
It semyt watir the starnys, as we thocht.
Be this the son went to, and ws forwrocht
Left dissolat; the wyndis calmyt eik.
We, not bekend quhat rycht courss mycht we seik,
War warp to seywart by the outwart tyde
Of Ciclopes onto the costis syde.
The port quhamto we cappit wes ful large,
And fra al wyndis blast for schip or barge
Sovir al tyme, but netheless fast by
The grisly Ethna dyd rummyll, schudder and cry,
Sum tyme thrawing owt, heich in the skyis,
The blak laithly smoke that oft dyd ryss
As thunderis blast, and rekand as the pyk,
With gledis sparkand as the hail als thik.
Vpspring the blesis and fyry lumpis we se,
Quhilk semyt forto lik the starnys hie;
Sum tyme it rasyt gret rochys, and oft will
Furth bok the bowellis or entralis of the hyll,
And lowsyt stanys vpwarpys in the ayr
Rownd in a sop, with mony crak and rayr:
The stew of byrnand heyt law from the grond
Vpstrikis thar, that doith to hevyn rebound.
The rumour is doun thrung vndir this mont
Enchelades body with thundir lyis half bront,
And hydduus Ethna abufe his belly set.
Quhen he lyst gant or blaw, the fyre is bet,
And from that furnys the flambe doith brist or glide:
Quhou oft he turnys our hys irkit syde
All Sycil trymlys, quaking with a rerd,
And vgly stew ourquhelmys hevyn and erd.

140

That nycht, lurkand in woddis we remane,
Of feirfull monstris sufferand mekil pane;
Bot quhat causyt syk noyss na thing we saw,
For nowthir lycht of planetis mycht we knaw,
Nor the brycht poyll, nor in the ayr a starn,
Bot in dyrk clowdis the hevynnys warpit darn;
The moyn was vndir walk and gave na lycht,
Haldyn ful dym throu myrknes of the nycht.”
Of the Greik clepit Achemenydes
Rehersyng Ene the natur of Ciclopes.
The secund day be this sprang fra the est,
Quhen Aurora the wak nycht dyd arest
And chayss fra hevyn with hir dym skyis donk;
Than suddanly, furth of the woddis ronk,
We se a strange man, of form onknaw—
A lenar wight na mayr pynyt I ne saw,
Nor ȝit sa wrachitly beseyn a wy;
Towart the cost, quhar that we stude in hy,
Hys handis furth he strekis askand supple.
We hym behald, and al hys corss gan se
Maist laithly ful of ordur, and hys berd
Rekand doun the lenth neir of a ȝerd,
Hys tawbart and array sewyt with breris,
Bot he was Greik be all hys othir feris,
And vmquhile was, as eftir weil we kend,
To Troy intil hys faderis armour send.
This ilk man, fra he beheld on far
Troiane habitis, and of our armys wes war,
At the first sicht he styntit and stude aw,
And fra hys payss begouth abak to draw,
Bot sone eftyr cummys rynnyng in a rayss
Down to the schoir, wepyng and askand grace:
‘O ȝhe Troianys, be all the planetis’, quod he,
‘Be all the starnys and the goddis hie,
And be the hailsum spreit of hevynnys lycht,
I beseik tak me with ȝou, catyve wycht,

141

And leid me in quhat land at euer ȝe pless:
That may suffyss, thar war my hartis eyss.
I knaw me ane of the Grekis navy;
In weir to Troy cuntre, I grant, socht I;
For the quhilk deid, gyf that of our trespas
Sa gret the offence and the iniurys was,
Rent me in pecis, and in the fludis swak,
Or drown law vndir the large seys brak.
Gyf that I perych, it is ȝit sum comfort
That I of mennys handis deing at schort,’
Quod he, and tharwith, grulyng on hys kneis,
He lappit me fast by baith the theys.
We hym exort to schaw quhat was his name,
Of quhat kynrent and blude cummyn at hame,
And syne to tell quhat forton had hym betyde.
My fader Anchiss na ma wordis wald byde,
Bot furthwith gaue that ȝong man his rycht hand,
And assurys hys spreit with that presand;
He at the last this dreid has done away,
And on this wyss begouth to carp and say:
‘Of the realm Itachia I am, but less,
And of the cumpany of fey Vlixes,
And Achemenydes onto name I hait,
Cummyn onto Troy with my fader of lait,
Bot a puyr wageour, clepyt Adamastus—
Wald God ȝit the same forton remanyt to wss!
My falloschip onwytting forȝet me heir,
Quhen tha thir cruel marchys left for feir,
And in the Ciclopes huge cave tynt me;
A gowsty hald within laithly to se,
Ful of vennom and mony bludy meyss.
Bustuus hie Poliphemus set a deyss
Thar remanys, that may the starnys schaik.
Ȝe goddis delyvir this erd from sik wraik,
For he is vgsum and grysly forto se,
Hutyt to speke of, and aucht not nemmyt be.
Thir wrachit mennys flesch, that is hys fude,
And drynkis worsum, and thar lappyrrit blude.

142

I saw my self quhen, gruflyngis amyd his cave,
Twa bodeys of our sort he tuke and rayf,
Intil hys hyddus hand thame thrymlyt and wrang,
And on the stanys owt thar harnys dang,
Quhil brayn and eyn and blude al poplit owt—
I saw that cruel fend eik thar but dowt
Thar lymmys ryfe and eyt, as he war woid,
The ȝoustir tharfra chirtand and blak blude,
And the hait flesch vndir his teith flykkerand.
Bot not onwrokyn, forsuyth, this feste he fand,
Nor Vlixes list not lang suffyr this,
Ne this kyng of Itachy hym self nor his
Myghtyn forȝet, into sa gret a plyght.
For sammyn as that horribyll fendlich wight
Had eyt his fyll, and drunk wyne he hym gave,
Sowpit in sleip, his nek furth of the cave
He straucht, fordronkyn, lyggyng in his dreym
Bokkis furth and ȝyskis of ȝowstyr mony streym,
Raw lumpys of flesch and blude blandyt with wyne.
We the gret goddys besocht and kavillys syne
Kastis quhat suld be euery mannys part,
Syne al atanys abowt and on hym start,
And with a scharpyt and brynt steyng of tre
Out dyd we boyr and pyke hys mekil e,
That lurkit alane vndyr hys thrawyn front large,
Als braid as is a Gregioun scheild or targe,
Or lyke onto the lantern of the moyn:
And thus at last haue we ravengit soyn
Blithly the gostis of our feris ded.
Bot ȝhe, onhappy men, fle from this sted,
Fle, fle this cost, and smyte the cabill in twane!
For quhou grysly and how gret I ȝou sayn
Lurkis Polyphemus, ȝymmand his beystis rouch,
And al thar pappis mylkis throuch and throuch,
Ane hundreth otheris, als huge of quantite,
Endlang this ilk costis syde of the se,
Gret Ciclopes inhabitis heir and thar,
And walkis in thir hie montanys our alquhar.

143

The moyn hess now fyllyt hir hornys thryss
With new lyght sen I haue on this wyss
My lyfe in woddis led, but syght of men,
In desert hyrnys and seyr wild beistis den,
And far out from my cavern dyd aspy
The grym Ciclopes, and oft thar grysly cry
And eik stamping of thar feyt maid me trymmyl.
My wrachit fude was berreis of the brymmyll,
And stanyt heppis, quhilk I on buskis fand,
With rutis of herbis I holkit furth of land;
And vyssyand al about, I se at last
This navy of ȝowris drawing hyddir fast,
Quhamto I me betaucht and gan avow,
Quhat flote at euer it was—for wayt ȝe quhou
It is enuch that I eschapyt haue
Ȝone cruel pepill, I set not of the lave;
For, rather ȝe or I fal in syk wraik,
Quhat deith ȝe pless, the lyfe fra me gar taik.’”
Of Poliphemus, and mony strange cost,
And how Ene hys fader in Sycill lost.
Skarss this wes sayd, quhen sone we gat a sycht
Apon ane hyll stalkand this hydduus wight,
Amang hys beystis, the hyrd Poliphemus,
Down to the costis bekend draw towartis wss,
A monstre horribyll, onmesurabill and myschaip,
Wanting hys syght, and gan to stab and graip
With hys burdon, that wes a gret fyr tre,
Fermand his steppis, becaus he mycht not se,
The wollyt scheip him followyng at the bak,
Quharin his plesour and delyte gan he tak.
About hys halss a quhissil hung had he,
Wes al his solace for tynsell of hyss e;
And, with his staf fra he the deip flude
Twichit, and cummyn at the seysyde stude,
Of hys e dolp the flowand blude and attir
He wysch away al with the salt wattir,

144

Grassilland his teith, and rummysand full hie.
He wadis furth throu myddis of the see,
And ȝit the watir wet not hys lang syde.
We, far from thens affrayt, durst not abyde,
Bot fled onon, and within burd hess brocht
That faithful Greik quhilk ws of succurss socht,
And prevyly we smyte the cabill in twane,
Syne, kempand with aris in al our mane,
Vpweltris watir of the salt sey flude.
He persauyt the sownd, quhar that he stude,
And towart the dyn movis hys payss onon,
Bot quhen he felt at we sa far war gone,
Sa that his handis wss areke ne mycht,
Nor the deip sey Ionium, for al hys hycht,
Ne mycht he waid equale ws to arest,
A fellon bray and huge schowt vp he kest,
Quharthrou the sey and al the fludis schuke;
The land alhail of Itail trymlyt and qwoyk,
And holl cavernys or furnys of Ethna rownd
Rummyst and lowyt, fordynnyt with the sound.
Bot than, furth of the woddis and hillys hie,
Walkynnyt with the cry, a huge pepill we se
Of Ciclopes cum hurland to the port,
And fillyt all the cost sydis at schort.
Tha elrych bredyr, with thar lukis thrawyn,
Thocht not avalyt, thar standyng haue we knawyn—
Ane horribil sort, with mony camscho beik
And hedis semand to the hevyn areik,
Syklyke as quhar that, with thar hie toppis,
The byg akis strekyng in the ayr thar croppys,
Or than thir cipressis berand heich thar bewys,
Growand in the woddis or hie vp on hewis,
In schawys ald, as men may se from far,
Hallowyt to Dyane or ȝit to Iupiter.
The scharp dreid maid ws so to cach haist,
Withdrawand fast, as thocht we had bene chaist,
And for toset our sail quhiddir we best mycht,
To follow the wynd, and hald na coursis rycht.

145

Aganys the counsale of Helenus, our feris
Perswadis to hald furth evyn the way that steris
Mydwart betwix Charibdis and Scylla,
A litil space fra ded by athir of twa,
For, bot we hald that courss, for owtyn fail,
Bakwartis, thai said, on Ciclopes mon we saill.
Bot lo! onon a fair wynd, or we wist,
Rayss of the north, blawing evyn as we lyst,
From the strait bay of Pelorus the mont
And sone we swepyt by, at the fyrst bront,
The mouth of flude Pantagyas ful of stanys,
The sownd Megarus, and Tapsum ile atanys.
The namys of thir costis Achemenydes,
The companȝeon of onhappy Vlixes,
Raknys to ws, as we past ane by ane,
For we return the sammyn went agane
Quhar thar navy had waverit by thar rayss.
Within the fyrth of Sycill, forgane the face
Of the flude Plemyrion ful of wallis,
Thar lyis ane iland, quhilk our elderis callis
Orthigia, quhar that the fame is so
That Alpheus, ane of the ryveris two
Of the cite of Elys in Archaid,
Vndir the sey gan thyddir flow and wayd
Throu secrete cundytis, and now eik, as thai say,
Arethusa, at thi mouth or ischay,
It entris rynnyng in the Sycill see.
The gret goddis of that place wirschip we
At command of my fader, and fra thyne
The fertill grond of Helory passyt syne,
Quhilk flude watyrris al the feild about.
Thar on the craggis our navy stude in dowt,
For on blynd stanys and rolkis hyrslit we,
Tumblit of Mont Pachynnus in the se;
And far from thens the loch Cameryna,
Quham the fatis forbyddis to do away,
Apperis to ws, and of Geloy the feildis,
Quhar that the gret cite Gela vpbeild is,

146

Havand the surname fra the flude fast by;
Syne heich Agragas far of we gan aspy,
A hyl and cite with large wallys of forss
Quhar vmquhile bred war the maist weirlyke horss;
And the alsso, Selynys, I left behynd,
For al thi palm treys, with the followand wynd.
The dangerus schaldis and cost vppykyt we,
With al hys blynd rolkis, of Lybibe.
Thar the port of Drepianon and the rayd,
Quham to remembir my hart may nevir be glaid,
Ressauyt me, quhar that, allace! allace!
I leyss my fader, al comfort and solace,
And al supple of our travell and pane;
Thar, thar, allaik! so feill dangeris bygane
And tempestis of the sey. O fader most deir,
Anchises, desolate quhy left thou me heir
Wery and irkyt in a fremmyt land?
O weilaway! for nocht wes all, I fand,
That thou eschapit samony perrellis huge.
Helenus the dyvyne, as we with hym gan luge,
Quhen horribill thingis seir he dyd aduert,
Schew not befor to me thir harmys smert,
Nor ȝit the fellon and akwart Celeno.
This wess extreme laubour of pane and wo,
Thys was the end of all hys lang vayage;
And hyddir syne, warpyt with seys rage,
Apon ȝour costis, as I fra thens was dryve,
Sum happy chance and God maid me arryve.”
The prynce Eneas, on this wyss, alane
The fatis of goddys and rasys mony ane
Rehersyng schew, and syndry strange wentis,
The queyn and all the Tyrryanys takand tentis.
And at the last he cessyt and said no moir,
Endyng his tayll as ȝe haue hard befor.
Heir endys the thryd buke And begynnys the proloug of the ferd

147

The Preambill of the Ferd Buke

Wyth bemys scheyn thou bricht Cytherea,
Quhilk only schaddowist amang starris lyte,
And thi blyndyt weyngit son Cupyd, ȝe twa
Fosteraris of byrnyng carnail, hait delyte,
Ȝour ioly wo neidlyngis most I endyte,
Begynnyng with a fenȝeit faynt plesance,
Continewit in lust, and endyt with pennance.
In fragil flesch ȝour fykkil seyd is saw,
Rutyt in delyte, welth and fude delicate,
Nurist with sleuth and mony onsemly saw;
Quhar schame is lost, thar spredis ȝour burgeonys hait;
Oft to revolue ane onleful consait
Rypys ȝour peralus frutis and oncorn:
Of wikkyt grayn quhou sal gude schaif beschorn?
Quhat is ȝour forss bot feblyng of the strenth?
Ȝour curyus thochtis quhat but musardry?
Ȝour fremmyt glaidnes lestis not ane howris lenth;
Ȝour sport for schame ȝe dar not specify;
Ȝour frute is bot onfructuus fantasy;
Ȝour sary ioys beyn bot ianglyng and iapys,
And ȝour trew seruandis sylly goddis apys.
Ȝour sweit myrthis ar mixt with byttyrness;
Quhat is ȝour drery gemme? a myrry pane;
Ȝour wark onthrift, ȝour quyet is restles,
Ȝour lust lykyng in langour to remane,
Frendschip turment, ȝour traist is bot a trane.
O luf, quhiddir art thou ioy or fulychness,
That makis folk sa glaid of thar distress?

148

Salomonys wyt, Sampson thou rubbist hys forss,
And Dauid thou byreft hys prophecy;
Men says thou brydillyt Aristotyll as ane horss,
And crelyt vp the flour of poetry.
Quhat sal I of thi myghtis notyfy?
Fair weil, quhar that thy lusty dart assalis,
Wyt, strenth, ryches, na thyng bot grace avalis.
Thou cheyn of luf, ha benedicite,
Quhou hard strenys thi bandis euery wyght!
The God abuf, from his hie maieste,
With the ybond, law in a maid dyd lycht:
Thou venquyst the strang gyant of gret mycht;
Thou art mair forcy than the ded sa fell;
Thou plenyst paradyce and thou heryit hell.
Thou makist febill wight and lawyst the hie;
Thou knyttis frendschyp quhar thar beyn na parage;
Thou Ionathas confederat with Davy,
Thou dantyt Alexander for al his vassalage,
Thou festnyt Iacob fourteyn ȝheir in bondage,
Thou techit Hercules go lern to spyn,
Reke Dyomeir hys mayss and lyoun skyn.
For luf Narsysus perysyt at the well,
For luf thou stervyst most douchty Achill;
Thesyus, for luf, hys fallow socht to hell;
The snaw quhyte dow oft to the gray maik will.
Allace! for luf how mony thame self dyd spill!
Thy fury, luf, moderis taucht, for dispyte,
Fyle handis in blude of thar ȝong chyldering lyte.
O Lord, quhat writis myne author of thi forss
In hys Georgikis, quhou thyne ondantyt myght
Constrenys so sum tyme the stonyt horss
That, by the sent of a meyr far of syght,
He bradis brays onon, and takis the flyght;
Na brydill may hym dant nor bustuus dynt,
Nowthir bra, hie roch nor brayd fludis stynt.

149

The bustuus bullys oft, for the ȝong ky,
With horn to horn wyrkis othir mony a wound,
So rumysyng with hydduus lowand cry
The feildis all doith of thar rowstis resound:
The meyk hartis, in bellyng, oft ar fond
Mak ferss bargane, and rammys togyddir ryn;
Baris twyte thar tuskis and fret otheris skyn.
The reuthtfull smart and lamentabill cace
Quhilk thar he writis of Leander ȝyng,
Quhou for thi luf, Hero, allace, allace!
In fervent flambe of hait desyre byrnyng,
By nychtis tyde, the hevynnys lowd thundering,
And, all with storm trublyt, the seys flude
Bettand on the rolkis and rowtand as it war wod;
Set he hym not to swym our, wallaway!
The fyrth betwix Sestos and Abydane
(In Europe and in Asya citeis tway);
Hys fader and moder mycht hym not call agane.
O God, quhat harm! thar wes he drynt and slane,
And quhen his lufe saw this myscheif, atanys
Out our the wall scho lap, and brak hir banys.
Lo, quhou Venus kan hir seruandis acquyte!
Lo, quhou hir passionys onbridillis al thar wyt!
Lo, quhou thai tyne thame self for schort delyte!
Lo, from all grace quhou to myscheif thai flyte,
Fra weil to sturt, fra payn to ded, and ȝyt
Thar beyn bot few exempil takis of othir,
Bot wilfully fallys in the fyre, leif brothir.
Be nevir our set, myne author techis so,
With lust of wyne nor warkis veneryane;
Thai febill the strenth; revelys secrete bath two,
Stryfe and debait engendris and feil hess slane;
Honeste, prowes, dreid, schame and luk ar gane
Quhar thai habound; attempyr thame for thy.
Childir to engendir oyss Venus, and not invane;
Hant na surfat, drynk bot quhen thou art dry.

150

Quhat, is this lufe, nyss luffaris, at ȝe meyn,
Or fals dissait fair ladeys to begile?
Thame to defowle, and schent ȝour self betweyn,
Is al ȝour lykyng, with mony suttel wyle.
Is that trew lufe, gude faith and fame to fyle?
Gyf luf be vertu, than is it lefull thing;
Gif it be vyce, it is ȝour ondoyng.
Lust is na lufe, thocht ledis lyke it weill;
This furyus flambe of sensualite
Ar nane amouris bot fantasy ȝe feill;
Carnale plesance, but syght of honeste,
Hatis hym self forsuyth, and luffis nocht the.
Thare beyn twa luffis, perfyte and imperfyte,
That ane leful, the tother fowle delyte.
Lufe is a kyndly passioun, engendryt of heyt
Kyndlyt in the hart, ourspredyng al the corss,
And, as thou seys sum person waik in spreyt,
Sum hait byrnyng as ane onbridillyt horss—
Lyke as the pacient hes heyt of our gret forss,
And in ȝong babbys warmness insufficient,
And into agyt failȝeis, and is out quent,
Rycht so in lufe thou may be excessyve,
Inordinatly luffand ony creature;
This luf alsso it may be defectyve,
To luf thine awin and geif of otheris na cure.
But quhar that lufe is rewlyt by messure,
It may be lyknyt to ane hail manis estait,
In temperat warmness, nowthir to cald nor hait.
Than is thi lufe inordinat, say I,
Quhen ony creatur mair than God thou luffis,
Or ȝit luffis ony to that fyne, quharby
Thi self or thame thou frawartis God remufis:
Fortil attempir thine amouris the behuffis.
Lufe euery wyght for God, and to gude end,
Thame be na wyss to harm, bot to amend.

151

That is to knaw, lufe God for his gudness,
With hart, hail mynde, trew servyce, day and nycht;
Nixt luf thi self, eschewand wykkytnes;
Luf syne thi nychtburris, and wyrk thame nane onrycht,
Willyng at thou and thai may haue the sycht
Of hevynnys blyss, and tyste thame not tharfra,
For, and thou do, syk luf dowe nocht a stra.
Faynt lufe, but grace, for all thi fenȝeit layis,
Thy wantoun willis ar verray vanyte;
Grasless thou askis grace, and thus thou prayis:
“Haue mercy, lady, haue reuth and sum piete!”
And scho, reuthless, agane rewys on the:
Heir is na paramouris fund, bot all haitrent,
Quhar nowthir to weill nor resson tak thai tent.
Callys thou that reutht, quhilk of thar self ne rakkis?
Or is it grace to fall fra grace? nay, nay.
Thou sekis mercy, and tharof myscheif makkis:
Renown and honour quhy wald thou dryfe away?
A brutale appetyte makis ȝong fulys forvay,
Quhilk be resson lyst not thar heyt refreyn,
Haldand opynyon deyr of a boryt beyn.
Says nocht ȝour sentens thus, skant worth a fass,
“Quhat honeste or renoun is tobe dram?
Or forto drowp lyke a fordullyt ass?
Lat ws in ryot leif, in sport and gam;
In Venus covrt, sen born tharto I am,
My tyme weil sal I spend. Wenys thou not so?”
Bot al ȝour solace sal return in gram,
Syk thewless lustis in byttir pane and wo.
Thou auld hasard lichour, fy for schame,
That slotteris furth euermar in sluggardry.
Out on the, auld trat, agit wyfe, or dame,
Eschamys na tyme in rovste of syn to ly!

152

Thir Venus warkis in ȝouthed ar foly,
Bot into eild thai turn in fury rage;
And quha schameless dowblis thar syn, ha fy!
As doith thir vantouris owthir in ȝouth or age?
Quhat nedis avant ȝou of ȝour wykkytnes,
Ȝhe that beyn forcy alane in villans deid?
Quhy gloyr ȝe in ȝour awyn onthriftynes?
Eschame ȝhe not reherss and blaw on breid
Ȝour awyn diffame, havand of God na dreid
Nor ȝyt of hell, provokand otheris to syn,
Ȝhe that lyst of ȝour palȝardry nevir blyn?
Wald God ȝhe purchest bot ȝour awyn myschans,
And war na banareris forto perych mo!
God grant sum tyme ȝe turn ȝou to pennans,
Refrenyng lustis inordinate, and cry ho!
And thar affix ȝour luf and myndis so,
Quhar euer is verray ioy without offens,
That all syk beistly fury ȝhe lat go hens.
Of brokkaris and syk bawdry quhou suld I write,
Of quham the fylth stynkis in Godis neyss?
With Venus henwyffis quhat wyss may I flyte,
That strakis thir wenschis hedis thame to pless?
“Douchtir, for thy lufe this man hes gret dyseyss,”
Quod the bysmeyr with the slekyt speche,
“Rew on hym, it is meryte hys pane to meyss”.
Syk poyd makerellis for Lucifer beyn leche.
Eschame, ȝyng virgynys and fair damcyellis,
Furth of wedlok forto disteyn ȝour kellys;
Traist nocht al talis that wanton woweris tellis,
Ȝow to deflour purposyng, and nocht ellys;
Abhor syk pryce or prayer wirschip sellys.
Quhar schame is lost quyte schent is womanhed;
Quhat of bewte, quhar honeste lyis ded?

153

Rew on ȝour self, ladeys and madynnys ȝyng,
Grant na syk reuth for evir may causs ȝou rew:
Ȝhe fresch gallandis, in hait desyre byrnyng,
Refreyn ȝour curage syk paramouris to persew;
Grund ȝour amouris on charite al new;
Found ȝow on resson—quhat nedis mair to preche?
God grant ȝou grace in luf, as I ȝou tech.
Fy on dissait and fals dissymulans,
Contrar to kynd with fenȝeit cheir smylyng,
Vndyr the cloik of luffis obseruans,
The vennom of the serpent reddy to styng!
Bot al syk crymys in luffis causs I resyng
To the confessioun of morale Ihonne Gower,
For I mon follow the text of our mater.
Thy dowbill wound, Dido, to specify,
I meyn thyne amouris and thi funeral fait,
Quha may endyte, but teris, with eyn dry?
Augustyne confessis hym self wepit, God wait,
Redyng thy lamentabill end mysfortunat.
By the wil I repeyt this verss agane,
“Temporal ioy endis wyth wo and pane”.
Allace, thy dolorus cayss and hard myschance!
From blys to wo, fra sorow to fury rage,
Fra nobylnes, welth, prudens and temperance,
In brutell appetite fall, and wild dotage;
Danter of Affryk, queyn foundar of Cartage,
Vmquhil in rychess and schynyng gloyr ryngyng,
Throw fulych lust wrocht thine awyn ondoyng.
Lo! with quhat thocht, quhat byttyrnes and pane,
Lufe onsylly bredis in euery wight!
Quhou schort quhile doith hys fals plesance remane,
Hys restless blyss how sone takis the flicht!
Hys kyndnes alteris in wraith within a nycht:
Quhat is, bot turment, all hys langsum fayr,
Begun with feir, and endyt in dispayr?

154

Quhat sussy, cuyr and strange ymagynyng,
Quhat ways onlefull, hys purposs to atteyn,
Hess this fals lust at his first begynnyng,
Quhou subtell wylis, and mony quyet meyn,
Quhat slycht dissait quently to flat and feyn!—
Syne in a thraw kan not hym selvyn hyde,
Nor at his first estait no quhile abyde!
Thou swelch, devourar of tyme onrecoverabill,
O lust, infernal furnyss, inextingwybill,
Thy self consumyng worthis insaciabill,
Quent fendis net, to God and man odibill!
Of thi tryggettis quhat tong may tell the tribbill?
With the to wrasyll, thou walxis euer moir wyght;
Eschew thyne hant, and mynnys sall thi mycht.
Se, quhou blynd luffis inordinate desyre
Degradis honour, and resson doith exile!
Dido, of Cartage flour and lamp of Tyre,
Quhais hie renoun na strenth nor gift mycht fyle,
In hir faynt lust sa mait, within schort quhile,
That honeste baith and gude fame war adew,
Syne for disdeyn, allace! hir selvyn slew.
O, quhat avalit thi brute and gloryus name,
Thi moblys, tresour and werkis infinyte,
Thi citeis beilding and thi ryal hame,
Thy realmys, conquest, weilfar and delyte?
To stynt al thing salue thine awyn appetite
So wes in lufe thi frawart destane—
Allace the quhile thou knew the strange Ene!
And sen I suld thy tragedy endyte,
Heir nedis nane othir invocatioun:
Be the command I lusty ladeis quhyte,
Be war with strangeris of onkouth natioun
Wyrk na syk woundris to thar dampnatioun;
Bot til attayin wild amouris at the thai leir:
Thy lusty pane begouth on this maneir.
Heir endis the preambill and begynnys the ferd buke
 

C marginal note De duplice amore vide Augustus de ciuitate de li. xv. c.xxii.


155

The thochtfull queyn, with mony amorus clawss
Till hir systir complenys in luffis cawss.
Be this the queyn, throw hevy thochtis onsound,
In euery vayn nurysys the greyn wound,
Smytyn so deip with the blynd fyre of lufe
Hir trublyt mynd gan fra all rest remufe.
Compasing the gret prowes of Ene,
The large wirschip feill syss remembris sche
Of his lynnage and folkis; for ay present
Deip in hir breist so was hys figur prent
And all hys wordis fixt, that, for bissy thocht,
Noyn eys hir membris nor quyet suffir mocht.
The nyxt day following, with hys lamp brycht
As Phebus dyd the grund or erth alycht,
Eftir the dawing heth the donk nychtis clowd
Chasyt from the sky and the ayr new schrowd,
Ful evil at eyss Queyn Dido on this kynd
Spak to hir systir, wes of the sammyn mynd:
“My sistir An, quhat swevynnys beyn thir”, quod sche,
“Quhilk me affrays in sik proplexite?
Quhat be he, this gret new gest or stranger,
Onto our realm laitly is drevyn heir?
Quhou wyss in speche and in his commonyng
He schawys hym self! O God, quhat wondir thing!
Quhou stout in curage, in weir quhou vailȝeand!
I trow, sistir, and, as I vndirstand,
Myne opinion is nane oncertane thing,
Thai beyn sum lynnage of verray goddis ofspring,
For dreid always and schaymful kowardyss
Degeneryt wightis and bowbartis notyfyss.
Allace, quhat wondir fatale aventuris
Hess hym bywaif! quhat travel, pane and curis,
How huge batellis, be hym eschewit, tald he!
Now certis, war it not determyt with me
And fixit in my mynd onmovabilly
That to no wyght in wedlok me list I
Cuppil nor knyt, sen my first luf is gane,
By deth dissoverit, and left me alane;

156

War not alsso to me is displesant
Genyvs chalmyr or matrymone to hant;
Perchans I mycht be venquist in this rage,
Throu this a cryme of secund mariage.
Annes, I grant to the, sen the decess
Of my sory husband Syche, but less,
Quhar that our howss with brodyrris ded wes sprent,
Only this man hess movit myne entent,
And heth my mynd inducyt to forvay:
I knaw and felis the wemmys and the way
Of the ald fyre and flambe of luffis heit.
Bot rather I desyre baith corss and spreit
Of me the erth swelly law adown,
Or than almychty Iove with thundris sovn
Me smyte ful deip onto the schaddoys dern,
Amang pail gastis of hellis holl cavern,
In the profond pot of deth and dyrk nycht,
Or I becum so schamful wrachit wyght
That I myne honeste fyle or womanhed,
Or brek ȝour lawis—na, quhil I be ded!
He that me first to hym in wedlok knyt
My first flowr of amouris tuke, and ȝyt
For euermair with hym he sal thame haue,
And he most keip thame with hym in his grave.”
Thus sayand, the brycht teris onon owtbrist
And fillyt all hir bosum or scho wist.
Annes answerd: “O thou, sa mot I thryve,
To thi systir derrar than hir awyn lyve,
Quhiddir gif thou wilt alane, in wedowhed,
Evir murnand thus waist away thy ȝowthed,
Nowthir ȝyt the comfort of sweit childring thou knawis,
Nor the plesour felis of Venus lawys?
Quhat, wenys thou assys cald and gastis in grave
Of al syk walyng ony fest sal haue?
In cayss that in thi duyll afor thir days,
Thy lord new ded, the list inclyne na ways
Nowthir prynce nor duke to tak as for husband;
Supposs thou lychtlyit than, of Lyby land,

157

Hyarbas kyng, and othir heris all,
Quhilkis in the rich sulȝe triumphall
Of Aufrik boundis dwelling wydequhar;
Quhat, wilt thou als debatyng euer mar
Agane this lykand lufe, cummys of plesance?
Consideris thou not, and hess in remembrance,
Amyddis quhays grond heir thou remanys?
On this hand, citeis of Getulyanys,
A kynd of pepill invincibill in batell;
Heir the ondantit folk of Numyda dwell,
And on that other part ombyset, I wyss,
We ar with bustuus onfrendly Syrtis;
And ȝondir the desert region alsswa,
Ay ful of thyrst, in barrand Libya;
And wydquhar thens the wild pepil of Barchay.
The weris moving from Tyre quhat sal I say,
And the gret brag and mannans of our brothir?
Be dispositioun of goddis, I weyn, nane othir,
And by the purvyans of Iuno, to our supple,
Thir Troiane schippis by prospir wynd our see
Heth hyddir set thar coursys fortunate.
O systir myne, considir in quhat estait
Thys cite, quhilk thou beildis, sal vpryss!
Persaue quhou that this realm may, on syk wyss,
Beyn vpheyt throu sa nobil a mariage!
Behald quhou mekill the glory of Cartage
Salbe extollyt, and encress in euery thyng,
Throu help in armys of the Troianys ofspryng!
Quharfor the nedis beseik goddis of thar grace,
With sacrifyce, tobe favorabil in this cace.
Do set alhaill thi cure and diligence
To causyng hym mak with the residence,
And fenȝe causys to tary hym and wythhald,
So lang as thus, duryng the wyntir cald,
The sey ragis throu watry Orion,
And quhil the stormys be al our blawyn and gon;
And quhil hys schippis, with the tempest schaik,
Be bet, byd spair nowthir fyr, elm nor aik.”

158

Dido enflambyt in the lusty heyt,
With amorus thochtis trublys al hir spreit.
Wyth thir wordys the spreit of Dido queyn,
The quhilk tofor in lufe wes kyndlyt grene,
Now al in fyre the flambe of lufe furth blesys;
Hir doutsum mynd with gude hope so scho esys
That al the schame and dreid wes blaw away;
And to the tempill furth held tha baith tway.
Eftir the serymonys of thar payane gyss,
Beneuolence and gude luk, syndry wyss,
Thai sekyng and thai serss at ilke altar;
And twyntris, walit for sacrifyce, heir and thar
Thai brytnyt; and sum in honour dyd address
Of the law ledar Ceres, the goddes,
To Phebus, and to Bachus part alsso,
Bot principaly onto the queyn Iuno,
Quhilk heth in cuyr the band of mariage.
Hir self, most gudly Queyn Dido of Cartage,
Held in hir richt hand a cowp full of wyne;
Betwix the hornys twa furthȝet it syne
Of ane ontamyt ȝong quy, quhite as snaw;
And othir quhilis wald scho raik on raw
Or payss tofor the altaris, wyth fat offerandis
Ay chargyt full, and oft with hir awyn handis
Renew and beyt the sacrifyce all day;
And rich gyftis geif Troianys; and wald ay
The beistis costis, as thai debowellit wer,
And thar entralis behald flekkyr and steir,
Accordyng the auld vsans to that effect,
Sum augury to persaue or gude aspect.
O wallaway! of spamen and dyvynys
The blynd myndis, quhilkis na way diffynys
The forss ne strenth of luf with hys hard bandis!
Quhat avalyt thir sacrifice and offerandis?
Quhat helpis to vyssy tempillis in luffis rage?
Behald onhappy Dido of Cartage

159

In this meyn sesson byrnyng hait as gleyd:
The secrete wound deip in hir mynd gan spreyd,
And of hoyt amouris the subtell quent fyre
Waistis and consumys merch, banys and lyre.
Our all the cite enragyt scho heir and thar
Wandris, as ane strykkyn hynd, quhom the stalkar,
Or scho persave, from far betis with hys flane
Amyd the woddis of Creyt, and lattis remane
The braid hed, onknaw the beste wass hyt;
Scho skypping furth, as to eschew the byt,
Gan throu the forest fast and gravys glyde,
Bot evir the dedly schaft stykkis in hir syde.
Sum tyme the queyn Ene with hir dyd leid
Throu owt the wallys onto euery steid,
The tresour al and richess of Sydony
Schawyng to hym, and offerit al reddy
The cite of Cartage at hys commandment:
Begyn scho wald to tell furth hir entent,
And in the myd word stop and hald hir styll.
And quhen the evyn come, it wes hir will
To seik ways hym to feste, as scho dyd ayr;
And, half myndles, agane scho langis sayr
For tyll enquyre and heir the sege of Troy,
And in a stair behaldis hym for ioy.
Eftir all wes voydyt, and the licht of day
Ay mair and mair the moyn quynchit away,
And the declynyng of the starris brycht
To sleip and rest persuadis euery wight,
Within hir chalmyr alane scho langis sayr,
And thocht al waist for lak of hir luffar.
Amyd a voyd bed scho hir laid adoun,
And of hym absent thinkis scho heris the sown;
Hys voce scho heris, and hym behaldis sche,
Thocht he, God wait, far from hir presens be:
And sum tyme wald scho Ascanyus, the page,
Caucht in the figur of hys faderis ymage,
And in hir bosum brace, gif scho tharby
The lufe ontellabill mycht swik or satisfy.

160

The wark and wallys begun ar not vpbrocht,
The ȝonkeris dedis of armys excersis nocht,
Nothir fortress nor turettis suyr of weir
Now graith tha mair, for al the wark, but weir,
Cessis and is stoppyt, baith of pynnakillis hie,
And byg towris, semyt to ryss in the skie.
Tyl Venus carpys Iuno the goddess,
And of thar spech and sermond, mar and less.
Alsswyth as Iuno, with syk maleyss ourtane,
Persauyt hir deir frend that remeid was nane,
Nothir fame ne honour the rage resyst mycht,
Saturnus douchtir with syk wordis on hyght
Begouth to carp onto Venus, I wyss:
“A huge honour and lawd ȝe sal of this
Raport, and richt large spulȝe beir away,
Thou and thi child forsuyth”, quod scho, “bath tway:
O Lord, quhou gret power and notabil mycht,
Gif that, of twa hie goddis throu the slycht,
A sylly woman sal ourcummyn be!
Not so, I wyss, hes thou dissavyt me,
Bot that I knaw thou had in feir and dreid
Our cite, and held the lugyng suspek in deid
Of our renownyt hie burgh of Cartage.
Bot on quhat wyss sall sesyng al this rage?
Or now quhat nedis sa gret stryfe and contak?
Far rather perpetuell pess lat ws mak,
And knyt vp band of mariage thartill,
Sen thou hess gottin al thyne hartis will;
For Dido byrnys in hait lufe al atanys,
The brym fury glydis throu owt hir banys.
Lat ws thir pepill to ws common, for thy,
Be frendly favouris govern equaly;
So that it lesum be Dido remane
In spousage bund, and serve a lord Troiane,

161

And suffir Tirreanys, and al Lyby land,
Be geif in dowry to thi son in hand.”
Than Venus (knawing hir spech of fenȝeit mynd,
To that effect scho mycht the Troiane kynd,
And werys tocum furth of Itail alsswa,
With hald and kepe from boundis of Lybia)
Answerd and sayd: “Quhat wikkyt wyght wald euer
Refuyss syk proffyr, or ȝyt with the had levir
Contend in bataill or stand at debait,
Gif that, as thou rehersis, the deid algait
Als sovirly mycht follow fortunabill?
Bot I affeir me less the fatis onstabill
Nor Iupiter consent not ne aggre
That bot a cite to Tyryanys suld be
And eik to folkis from Troy in vayage cummyn,
Or list appreif thai pepillis all and summyn
Togiddir myddill, or ioyn in lyge or band.
Thou art hys spowss; til the to tak on hand
Is lefull with request hys mynd to assay.
Pass on befor, I follow the perfay.”
Than Iuno queyn syk answer maid agane:
“This laubour I tak on hand, al myne alane.
Bot on quhat wyss, sen tyme is convenabill,
The fasson quhou this stant to do maist habill,
Hark, at schort wordys that poynt I sal ȝou say.
Eneas and onsilly Dido, baith tway,
To forest grathis in huntyng furth to wend,
To morow, als fast as Titan doith ascend
And our the warld gan hys bemys spreid.
Quhen that the rangis and the faid on breid
Dynnys throu the gravys, sersyng the woddis wyde,
And setis set the glen on euery syde,
I sal apon thame a myrk schour down skaill
Of weit and wynd, mydlit with fellon haill,
And al the hevyn with thundyrris blast sa steir
That all thar falloschip sall withdraw for feir
Enclosyt with a myst als dyrk as nycht.
Dido and eik the Troiane duke full rycht,

162

Alanerly, bot be thame selvyn twane,
Togiddir sal entir in a cave of stane:
Thar sal I be reddy, and, but delay,
Gif thi mynd be ferm tharto the ilk day,
In sovir wedlok I sal conioyn hir thar,
Tobe his propir spouss for euermair:
Apon this wyss thar wedding salbe wrocht.”
Affermys all hir wil, contrarying nocht,
Of Cetheron Venus the goddes brycht,
Lauchyng scho fund had so controvit a slycht.
Quhou that the queyn to huntyng raid at morow,
And of the first day of hir ioy and sorow.
Furth of the sey, with this, the dawyng spryngis.
As Phebus rayss, fast to the ȝettis thringis
The choss gallandis, and huntmen thame besyde,
With ralys and with nettys strang and wyde,
And huntyng sperys styf with hedis braid;
From Massilyne horsmen thik thiddir raid,
With rynnyng hundis, a full huge sort.
Nobillys of Cartage, hovand at the port,
The queyn awatys that lang in chawmyr dwellys;
Hyr ferss steyd stude stampyng, reddy ellys,
Rungeand the fomy goldyn byt gynglyng;
Of gold and pal wrocht hys rych harnasyng.
And scho at last of palyce yschit owt,
With huge menȝe walking hir abowt,
Lappyt in a brusyt mantill of Sydony,
With gold and perle the bordour al bewry,
Hyngand by hir syde the cayss with arowis grund;
Hir bricht tressis envolupyt war and wond
Intil a quayf of fyne gold wyrin threid;
The goldyn button claspyt hir purpour weid—
And furth scho passyt with all hir cumpany.
The Troiane pepill forgaderit by and by,

163

Ioly and glaid the fresch Ascanyus ȝyng,
Bot first of all, maist gudly, hym self thar kyng
Enee gan entir in falloschip, but dout,
And onto thame adionyt hys large rowt.
Lyke quhen Apollo list depart or ga
Furth of hys wyntring realm of Lysya,
And leif the flude Exanthus for a quhile,
To vissy Delos, his moderis land and ile,
Renewand ryngis and dansys, mony a rowt;
Mixt togiddir, hys altaris standing about,
The pepil of Creit, and thame of Driopes,
And eik the payntit folkis Agathirces,
Schowtand on thar gyss with clamour and vocis hie:
Apon thi top, mont Cynthus, walkis he,
Hys wavand haris, sum tyme, doyng doun thryng
With a soft garland of lawrer sweit smellyng,
And vmquhile thame gan balmyng and enoynt
And into gold address at full gude poynt,
Hys grundyn dartis clattering by hys syde—
Als fresch, als lusty dyd Eneas ryde,
With als gret bewte in hys lordly face.
And eftyr thai ar cummyn to the chace,
Amang the montanys in the wild forest,
The rynnyng hundis of cuppillys sone thai kest,
And our the clewys and the holtis, belyve,
The wild beistis doun to the dail thai dryve.
Lo! thar the rays, rynnyng swyft as fyre,
Drevyn from the hyghtis, brekkis out at the swyre;
Ane othir part, syne ȝondyr mycht thou se
The herd of hartis with thar hedis hie,
Ourspynnerand with swyft courss the plane vaill,
The hepe of duste vpstowryng at thar taill,
Fleand the hundis, levand the hie montanys.
And Ascanyus, the child, amyd the planys,
Ioyus and blith hys startling steid to assay,
Now makis hys rynk ȝondir, and now this way
Now prekis furth by thir and now by thame,
Langyng, amang faynt frayt beistis ontame,

164

The fomy bair, doun from the hyllis hycht,
Or the dun lyoun discend, recontyr he mycht.
In the meyn quhile, the hevynnys al about
With fellon noyss gan to rummyll and rowt.
A bub of weddir followyt in the tayll,
Thik schour of rayn myddillit ful of haill.
The Tyriane menȝe skalis wydequhar,
And al the gallandis of Troy fled heir and thar,
And eik with thame the ȝong Ascanyus,
Nevo to Kyng Dardan and to Venus.
For feir, to diuerss stedis throu the feildis,
Thai seik to haldis, howsis, hyrnys and beildis:
The ryveris rudly ruschit our hillis bedene.
Within a cave is entrit Dido queyn,
And eik the Troiane duke, al thame alane,
By aventur, as thai eschewyt the rane.
Erth, the first moder, maid a takyn of wo,
And eik of wedlok the pronuba Iuno,
And of thar cuplyng wittering schew the ayr:
The flambe of fyreslaucht lychtnyt heir and thar
And on the hillys hie toppis, but less,
Sat murnand nymphis, hait Oreades.
This wes the formaste day of hir glaidnes
And first morrow of hir wofull distress.
For nother the fasson nor the maner sche
Attendis now, nor fame ne honeste,
Ne from thens furthwart Dido ony mor
Musis on lufe secrete, as of befor,
But clepis it spousage, and with that fayr name
Clokyt and hyd hir cryme of oppyn schame.
 

C marginal note Gnyppand.

Of Fame that monstre, and Kyng Hyarbas fury
And how fra Iove wes send the god Mercury.
The fame heirof, belyve, gan walx and spreid
Throu cheif citeis of all Affrik on breid:
Fame is myscheif, quham na harm vndyr the lyft
In motioun nor sterage is mair swyft.

165

Movand scho growis, and, passand our alquhar,
Hir strenth encressis and walxis mair and mayr.
Lytil, for feir, the fyrst tyme semys sche,
Sone eftir rysys to the starnys on hie;
Apon the grond scho walkis fra sted to sted,
And vp amang the clowdis hydis hyr hed.
Throu greif of goddis commovyt, and nocht glaid,
Erth, the gret moder, bayr this child, as is said,
Last systir to Ceyos and Enchelades,
Ane huge, horribill and strange monstre, but less,
Spedy of fut, and on weyngis swyft as wynd.
Quhou mony fedderis bene on hir body fynd,
Als mony walkryfe eyn lurkis thar vndir,
Als feil tongis, that for totell is wondir,
With als feil mouthis carpis sche and beris,
Als mony hess scho prik vpstandand eris.
By nycht scho fleys amyd the hevyn throu owt,
Circuland the schaddow of the erth about
With huge fard, nother cuyr gevand nor keip
Hir eyn anys to rest nor tak a sleip;
Al day scho syttis, wachand byssely,
Apon the top of nobillis howsis, to spy,
Or on thir princis palyce with towris hie,
And with hir noyss gret citeis affrays sche—
Als weil ramembring fenȝeit and schrewit sawys
As scho the treuth and verite furth schawis.
Thys ilke wensch, that tyme, with mony a taill,
Glaidly this rumour gan throu the pepill skaill,
Telland the thing wrocht, and not wrocht, togiddir;
Quhou of the Troiane blude wes cummyn thiddir
Ene, with quham the fair Dido be wed
Dedenyt, and as husband go to bed;
And how the wyntir sesson betwix thame tway
Thai spend in lang reffell, lust and play,
Of thar realmys na thing remembring,
In fowle delyte ybond by Cupyd kyng.
Thys menskless goddes in euery mannys mouth
Skalys thir newis est, west, north and sowth.

166

Hir courss, onon, but langar tarying,
Addressys scho ontill Hyarbas kyng,
With hir sawis his mynd inflambyng as fyre,
Prouokand hym to wreth and fellon ire.
To Amon he wes son, beget alswa
Apon the maid revist Garamantida;
Within his large realmys huge braid
Ane hundreth tempillis to Iupiter he maid,
Ane hundreth altaris, quharon the walkryfe fyre
He dedicate, altymys byrnand schyre,
Set wachis in honour of goddis perpetuelly,
Of beistis blude the fat grond nevir dry,
Strowit with garlandis and flowris of diuerss kynd.
This ilke kyng, wod wroith, half owt of mynd,
And for thir schrewyt rumouris sor ammovit,
In presens of the goddis quhilk he luffit,
Befor the altar, to Iupiter, as thai say,
Hevand vp handis, devotly thus gan pray:
“Almychty Iove”, quod he, “quhamto, feill syss,
On brusyt beddis hie fest and sacryfyss
Of Mawrusya the pepill hantis thus,
Offeryng to the the honour of Bachus,
Consideris thou this? or quhidder, fader, gif we
For nocht the dredis, quhen thou lattis thundir fle?
Or gif thi fyreslauch, the blynd clowdis within,
To fley our myndis, invane makis noys and dyn?
Ȝone woman, lait exile and vagabund
Com to our boundis, that by pryce bocht the grund
A litil village to byg, and quhamto we
For to manuyr gave the strand of the see,
Quhamto our lawis and statutis we gart mak,
Our mariage gan lychtly and forsaik,
And in hir ryng hess tane Ene for lord.
And now that secund Parys, of ane accord
With his onworthy sort, skant half men beyn,
Abufe his hed and halffettis, weil beseyn,
Set lyke a mytir the Troiane foly hat,
Hys hair enoynt weil prunȝeit vndir that,

167

By reif mantemys hir suld owris be—
Becauss onto thi templis dayly we
Bryngis offerand and invane hallowis thi name.”
With syk wordis Kyng Hyarbas at hame
Makyng hys prayeris, and grippand the altar,
Him hard onon almychty Iupiter,
And hys eyn turnys towart the riall wallis
Of Cartage, and thir luffaris (quhilkis so fallis
At thai thar fame and gude renown forȝet),
Syne thus said to Mercuryus, but let,
And with sik maner charge gan hym direk:
“Pass, son, inhaist, graith the wyndis in effek;
Slyde with thi feddyrame to ȝon Troiane prynce,
Quhilk now in Cartage makis residence,
Gevand no cuyr of citeis in Italy
To hym ygrant by fatale destany.
Do beir my message swyftly throw the skyis,
Sa to hym thus my wordis on syk wyss:
His derrest moder promist ws not that he
Of hys gydyng sa faynt a man suldbe,
Nor, for syk causys, hym delyverit twyss
Furth of the Grekis handis, hys ennemyss;
Bot at he suld haue beyn wyss, sage and grave,
Hie senȝeoreis and gret empyre to have,
And Itale dant, quhilk brandysis in battell,
And, by his dedis, declair and cleyrly tell
Hym cummyn of Teuceris hie genealogy,
And to subdew the warldis monarchy.
Of sa gret thingis thocht na wirschip hym steris,
Nor for hys honour list not laubour as efferis,
Ȝyt than, the fader aucht na wyss to envy
That Ascanyus bruke Romys senȝeory.
Speir quhat he beildis, or how that he dar dwell
Amang a pepill salbe hys ennemyss fell.
Hys lynnage tocum in Itale forȝettis he,
And gevis na compt of Lavyne the cuntre.
Byd hym mak saill. This is all in effek;
Thiddir on our message thus we the direk”,

168

Said Iupiter, and Mercur but arest
Dressyt to obey hys gret faderis behest;
And first ontill hys feyt fast buklyt he
Hys goldyn weyngis, quharwith he doith fle,
Quhen so hym lyst, abuf the fludis on hyght,
Or on the erth, with gret fard and swyft flycht;
Syne tuke his wand, quharwith, as that thai tell,
The pail sawlis he cachis furth of hell,
And other sum tharwith gan schet full hoyt
Deip in the sorofull grisly hellys pote—
Quharwith he makis folk sleip, magre thar hed,
And revis fra othir al sleip, and to the ded
Closis thar eyn, and brekis the stryngis tway—
Throu help tharof he chasys the wyndis away,
And trubly clowdis dyvidis in a thraw.
Tho furth he fleys, till at the last he saw
The heich top and sydis braid onevyn
Of hard Atlas, baryng on his crown the hevyn,
The mysty clowdis cirkilland his hed about
(Quharon of fyrryn treis stant mony rowt,
With wynd and storm full oft to schaik and blaw),
Hys schulderis heildit with new fallyn snaw;
Furth of the chyn of this ilk hasard auld
Gret fludis ischis, and styf ise schokyllis cauld
Doun from his stern and grysly berd hyngis.
Heir first Mercur, with evynly schynand weyngis,
Gan hym arest, and with hail fard fra thens
Vnto the sey fludis maid hys discens.
Lyke till a fowle that, endlang the cost syde,
About the strandis, of fysch plentuus, and wyde,
Fleys by the watyr, skummand the fludis law;
Betwix the hevyn and erth, the sam wyss, flaw
Mercury, clepit the child Cyllenyus,
Discendyng from hys moder granscher thus,
The sandy costis and desertis of Lyby,
And eik the wyndis, persyng by and by.
And, with the weyngit solys of hys feyt,
As he of Cartage fyrst tred on the streyt,

169

Eneas foundand towris he gan aspy,
And garrand beild new lugyngis byssyly:
Belt he wes with a swerd of mettale brycht
Of quham the scawbart with brown iasp wes pight;
His rych array dyd our hys schuldris hyng,
Bet of a purpour claith of Tyre glittering,
Fettysly stykkit with prynnyt goldyn thredis;
Of mychty Didois gift wrocht all his wedis.
Mercur recontris hym and said onon:
“Of Cartage now the prowd wallis of stone
Thou foundis,” quod he, “and biggis at al devyce
A cite, excersyt intill a wyfis seruyce,
Thyne awyn materis and realm forȝetting, allace!
Hiddir onto the, from his bricht hevynly place,
The governour of goddis heth me sent,
Quhilk rewlys at will erd, hevyn and elyment;
He bad me throw the skyis bair this charge:
Quhat beildis thou heir in Lyby or Cartage?
Or to quhat fyne or beleif takis on hand
To waist thi tyme into this fremmyt land?
Gif that na lavd ne honour move the list
Of sa hie thingis as ar to the promyst,
Nor thi selvyn thou wil not occupy
To purchess thine awyn renown ne glory,
Ȝyt than behald Ascanyus vpwalxing,
And the gret hope of his seid and ofspring,
Quhamtil the realm and kynryk of Itaill,
With Romys boundis, beyn destinate, sans faill.”
On syk wyss thus carpys Mercuryus,
And in the myddis of his sermond, thus,
He vanyst far away, I wait nevir quhar,
Furth of this mortale syght, in the schyre ayr.

170

Quhou Eneas hym grathys to depart
To quhom Dido heir carpys with sayr hart.
Bot than Ene half mad and dum stude als,
Vpstart his hair, the voce stak in his hals.
Sayr he langis to fle and to depart;
And that sweit cuntre, on the tother part,
To leif ful laith wes hym, or go at large.
Astonyst he wes to syt sa hie a charge—
Or dysobey the gret godis beheste
(Allace! quhat suld he do? oneth he wist);
Or with quhat wordis suld he now assay
The amorus queyn forto requir and pray;
Or on quhat wyss hys taill he mycht begyn;
Baith to and fra compasyng, hys breist within,
Feill purpossys for euery part about.
And, at the last, thus as he stude in dout,
Thys resson hym semyt fynaly the best:
He callys to hym Mynestheus and Sergest
And strang Cloanthus, and bad thai suld in hy
Do graith hys schyppys and navyn secretly,
And gaddir hys folkis towart the cost togydder,
Armour and al thyng necessar bring thyddir,
And to dissymyll, gif ony axit quhy
Thai thus addressyt thar geyr sa suddanly.
Hym self, he said, the meyn quhile, suld assay
To purches leif to pass and go away,
And wait hys tyme to speke tharof maist habill,
Quhen that the queyn Dido, maist honorabil,
Suld not beleif sa sone he kouth depart,
Nor sa gret luf dissyvir mycht be na art.
At hys command thai al glaidly furth went
And bissely begouth speid hys entent.
Bot sone the queyn persavyt al the slycht—
Quhay may begile a luffer, day or nycht?
Thar departing at hand fyrst scho aspyis,
Dredyng all sovir thing, as is the gyss

171

Of euery luffar altyme to stand in feir.
This ilke cursyt Fame we spak of eyr
Bair to the amorus queyn noyss and gan rown,
“The schippis ar grathand, to pass thai mak thaim boun.”
Quharfor, inpacient and myndles in hir rage,
Scho wyskis wild throu the town of Cartage,
Syk wyss as quhen thir nunnys of Bachus
Ruschis and relis our bankis, brays and buss,
Quhen, euery thryd ȝeir, on thar payane gyss,
Thar goddis feist thai hallow with lowd cryis,
That, al the nycht, the mont of Cytheron
Resoundis of thar clamour, quhar thai gone.
And at the last, ȝit thus, of hir fre will,
Eftir lang musyng, scho spak Eneas tyll:
“With dissymulance wenyt thou, onfaithfull wight,
Thou mycht haue hyd fra me sa fals a slycht,
And, myne onwyttyng, steill furth of my land?
That nothir our gret lufe, promys, nor rycht hand
Gevyn me vmquhile, may the heir withhald,
Nor cruel deth of Didois corss so cald!
Gif thou depart (and forthir quhat wald thou do,
In wyntir sesson press graith thi navy, lo!)
And the address to pass throu the wod see,
Myd tyme quhen stormys and wyndis blaw maist hie—
Art thou sa cruel? I put the cace, alsso,
That to nane onkouth landis the list go
Nother to fremmyt place, nor stedis will,
Bot that auld Troy war ȝyt vpstandand still;
Aucht thou, ȝit than, leif this weilfair and ioy,
And in sik perrell seik throu the sey to Troy?
Quhat! wilt thou fle from me? allace! allace!
Be all thir teris trygland our my face,
And be that rycht hand vmquhile thou me gave
(Sen to my self nocht ellis left I have,
Now wrachit catyve), be our treuth plychting eyk,
And be our spowsage begunnyn, I the beseik,
Gif euer ony thank I deservit towart the,
Or ocht of myne to the wes leif”, quod sche,

172

“Haue mercy of our lynnage reddy to spill;
Gif tyme remanys ȝyt thou heir prayeris will,
This fremmyt mynd, I pray ȝou, do away.
For the I haue beyn hatyt, this mony a day,
With all the pepill of Affrik, and with the kyng
That rewlys the land of Numyda and ryng;
For the myne awyn Tyrianys ar with me wraith;
For the is womanheid went and wirschip baith,
And my first fame, lavd and renownye,
Quharby I wes rasyt to the starnys hie.
Reddy to de and my selvyn to spill,
My sweit gest, quhamto thou me leif will?
My gest, ha God! quhou al thyng now invane is,
Quhen of my spowss nane othir name remanys!
Bot quharto suld I my ded langar delay?
Sal I abyde quhile thou be went away,
And quhil myne awyn brothir, Pigmaleon,
Bet down the wallis of my cite onon,
Or stern Hyarbas, kyng of Getule,
Led me away into captiuite?
Bot, at the leist, tofor thi wayfleyng,
Had I a child consavyt of thyne ofspryng,
Gif I had ony ȝong Eneas small,
Befor me forto play within my hall,
Quhilk representit by symylitude thi face,
Than semyt I nocht, thus wyss, allace! allace!
Aluterly dissauyt nor dissolate.”
Thus said the queyn Dido, in febil estate.
Bot, apon Iovis message fermly he
Stude musyng so, he movit nocht ane e,
Refrenyt his will, hydand in hart his thocht,
And, at the last, thir few wordis hess furth brocht:
“O gentil queyn, that sall I nevir deny,
Thy gude deid and desart is mair worthy
Than thou with wordis or tong may expreme;
Nor it sal nevir me irk, na ȝyt mysseym,
The worthy Dido to hald in fresch memory,
So lang as that my self remembir may I,

173

Or quhil the spreit of lyfe this body steris.
As the mater requiris, a litil heris:
I purposyt nocht forto hyde thyftuusly
My vayage, nor, as ȝe weyn, secretly
Away to steil; quhat nedis ȝou sa tofeyn?
For I pretendit nevir, be na meyn,
With ȝou to mak the band of mariage,
Nor in that ȝok, ne frendschip in Cartage,
Ȝyt come I nevir: bot gif the fatis, but pled,
At my plesour sufferit me lyfe to led,
At my fre wil my warkis to modyfy,
The cite of Troy than first agane suld I
Restore, and of our deir frendis remanys
Gaddir togiddir, and to the venquist Troianys
Raparal with my handis agane thar wallis,
And beild vp Priamus palyce at now fallis.
Bot sen Appollo, clepit Gryneus,
Gret Italy to seik commandis wss,
To Itale eik oraclys of Lycia
Admonyst ws, but mair delay, to ga;
Thar is my lust now and delyte at hand,
Thar is my cuntre and my natyve land.
Gif the, of Cartage the burgh and towris swa,
Quhilk art a woman of Phenycia,
And the aspect of citeis Affricane
Delytis, and withhaldis heir toremane,
Quhat wrang is it, causs of envy or schame,
Thocht Troianys seik to Itale for thar hame?
Or is it nocht als lesum and ganand
That fynaly we seik to onkouth land?
Als oft as day is gone, and the dyrk nycht
With hir donk schaddow hydis of the erth the sycht,
Als oft as schynyng starnys doith vpryss,
My faderis gost, Anchises, als feil syss
Into my sleip mannasis me tharto fast,
And oft his feirfull ymage doith me agast;
And in lyke wyss the child Ascanyus,
Quhais deir hed suffir iniurys is hard to ws,

174

Quham of the realm of Itail I defraud,
And fra the grond to hym promyst withhawd.
Be athir of our hedis this I sweir;
Now laitly eik of goddis the messynger,
From hie Iupiter in hasty message sent,
Down throu the ayr brocht the ilk commandment:
On fair day lycht, myne awyn self dyd I se
Mercur the god entyr in this cite,
And his wordis with thir sam eris hard I.
With thy complayntis ony langar, forthy,
Lat be to vex me, or thy self to spyll,
Sen I seik nocht to Itale with fre will.”
Of the scharp wordys Queyn Dydo dyd say,
And how Eneas bownys fast away.
Dydo, aggrevit ay quhil he his tayl tald,
With acquart luke gan towart hym behald,
Rollyng vmquhile hir eyn, now heir, now thar,
With syght onstabil waverand our alquhar,
And all enragyt thir wordis gan furth braid:
“Nothir wes a goddes thy moder, as is sayd,
Nor ȝyt Kyng Dardanus cheif stok of thi kyn,
Thou treuthless wyght, bot of a cald, hard quhyn
The clekkyt that horribill mont, Cawcasus hait—
Thou sowkyt nevir womanis breist, weil I wait,
Bot of sum cruel tygir of Araby
The pappis the fosterit in the wod Hyrcany.
To quhat effect suld I hym langar perswaid,
Or quhat bettir may beleve than he hess said?
Quhiddir gif he murnyt quhen we wepit and walyt?
Quhiddir gif he steryt his eyn, as ocht hym alyt?
Quhidder gif for rewth he furth ȝet anys a teyr
Or of hys lufe had piete? Na, not to ȝeir.
Quhou sal I begyn, quhat first, quhat last to say?
Now, now, nothir gretast Iuno, wallaway,

175

Nor Saturnys son, hie Iupiter, with iust eyn
Hess our querrell considerit, na ourseyn;
For no quhar now faith nor lawte is fund.
I ressavyt hym schypbrokkyn fra the sey grund,
Wilsum, and mystyrfull of al warldis thyng,
Syne, myndles, maid hym my fallow in this ryng:
Hys navy lost reparalyt I, but faill,
And hys feris fred from the deth alhaill.
Allace! enragyt or enchantit am I;
Quhen now Appollo, with hys sossery,
And quhilis, he says, the kavillys of Lycia,
And quhilis, fra Iupiter down sent alsswa,
The messynger of goddis bryngis throu the skyis
Sa feirful charge and command on this wyss:
Lyke as the goddis abufe nocht ellys rocht,
Bot on thi passage war al thar cuyr and thocht.
Nothir wil I hald the, nor thi wordis contrar:
Pass on thi way, towart Itale thou fair;
Seik throu the fludis with wyndis to that ryng.
Forsuyth, gif reuthfull goddis may ony thing,
Amyd thi way, I traist on rolkis blak
Thou sal deir by thy treuth thou to me brak,
And clep oft my richt name, ‘Dido, Dido!’
With fyre infernale, in thine absens alsso,
I sal the follow; and, fra the cald ded
Reif from my membris this sawle, in euery sted
My gost salbe present the to agryss;
Thou salt, onworthy wyght, apon this wyss
Be punyst weil; and tharof wald I heyr—
The fame tharof sal cum onto myne eyr,
Vndir the erth, amang the schaddowys law.”
And this spokkyn, hir sermond with the ilk saw
Brak scho in twane, ful dolorus in hir thocht:
The lycht scho fled, and als fast as scho mocht
Turnys frawart hym, and wyskyt of hys sycht,
On seir materis leifand hym pensyve wight,
And purposyng to haue said mony thyngis.
The damycellis fast to thar lady thryngis,

176

That was in dedly swoun plat for dispar:
Vp thai hyr hynt, and to hyr chawmyr bayr,
Quhilk was of marbill wrocht, and in hir bed
Laid softly down apon rych carpettis spred.
Bot ȝyt, althocht the reuthful Eneas
The dolorus queyn to meyss ful bissy was,
To do hir comfort, and hir dyseyss asswage,
And with hys wordis return hir sad curage,
Bewalyng mekill hyr sorow and distress,
Proplexte in mynd by gret lufe; netheless,
The command of the goddis, by and by,
He execut, and vysseys hys navy.
Than byssely the Troianys fell to wark,
And mony gret schyp, ballyngar and bark
Langis the cost brocht in and bet full weill.
Now fletis the mekil holk with tallonyt keyll.
The burgionyt treys on burd thai bring for aris,
Weltis down in woddis gret mastis, and na thing sparis,
Saysyng half onwrocht, so ithand thai war fair bown.
Rynnand heir and thar and wendyng fast of town,
Ȝhe mycht haue seyn thame haist, lyke emmotis grete
Quhen thai depulȝe the mekill byng of quhete,
And in thar byke it careis, all and sum,
Providing for the cald wyntir tocum:
The blak swarm our the feildis walkis ȝarn,
Tursand throu the gerss thar pray to hydlys darn:
Sum on thar nek the gret cornys vpwrelis,
And our the furris bissely tharwith spelys;
Sum constrenyng the otheris fast to wirk,
And sum the sleuthful chasteis, that thocht irk
Of thar labour; quhil euery rod and went
Wolx of thar ithand wark hait, quhar thai went.

177

Quhou Dydo send hir systir Ene to pray,
And of the grysly syngnys dyd hir affray.
Quhat thocht thou now, Dydo, seand thir thingis?
Quhou mony sobbys gave thou and womentyngis
Quhen thou, out of thi castell from the hycht,
The large costis beheld thus at a sycht
Ourspred with Troianys, in fervent bissynes
Gan spedely for thar vayage addres,
And of thar clamour befor thine eyn dyd se
Dyn and resoundyng al the large see?
O wytles lufe! quhat may be thocht or do,
At thou constrenys nocht mortell myndis tharto?
Scho is compellit to fal agane to teris
And Eneas assay with new prayeris,
And condiscendyt hir provd hart to submyt
Onto the strenth of lufe thus anys ȝyt:
Less scho onwar, but causs, hir deth purvayt,
Hir list na thyng behynd leif onassayt.
Till hir scho gan hir systir call inhy:
“Annes,” quod scho, “thou seys how byssely,
Our al the cost, for this vayage haist thai,
And now the wynd blawis weil to sail away:
The maryneris glaid lays thar schippis vndyr croys.
O systir! in tyme kouth I haue trowyt this loyss
And sa gret dolour, I had providyt, but weir,
That this displesour suld haue beyn eith to beir.
And netheless, for me, onhappy wight,
Do this a thing, Annes, with al thi mycht,
Sen ȝon ilk faithles man, deir systir, the
Was wont to cheryss and hald in gret dante
And als hys secretis onto the reveill—
Hys sweit entres sum tyme thou knew ful weill,
Nane bot thou only the tyme of hys cummyng.
Pass on, systir, in my name this a thyng
Say lawly to my provd fa and declair
That in the port Aulyda I neuer swair

178

With the Grekis the Troianys to distroy,
Nor I non navy send to sege Troy,
Nor ȝyt his fader Anchises graf schent—
I nothir the muldis nor banys tharof rent.
Quhy doith he reffuss my wordis and prayeris
To lat entir in his dul ontretabill eris?
Quhidder haistis he sa fast from hys behufe?
Beseik hym grant ontil his wrachyt lufe
This lattir reward, sen algatis he wil fle:
Tary quhil wynd blaw soft, and stabill see.
His ald promys na mair wil I hym crave,
Nor band of wedlok, quhilk he hes dissave,
Nor ȝyt him pray go not to Italy,
Ne leif fair realmys onto him destany:
A litil delay I ask, but othir eyss,
A space my furour to asswage and meyss,
Quhill that my frawart forton and estait
Of my beleve schaw me I am frustrait,
And tech me for to murn mair paciently.
This lattir gift only at hym ask I.
Haue mercy, systir, of thy systir deyr—
Quhilk seruyce quhen thou done hess, without weir,
I sal the recompens weil twentyfald,
And quhil my ded the sam in memor hald.”
With syklyke wordis hir request scho maid,
Hir supplicatioun, with teris ful onglaid,
Reportis hir systir, and answer brocht agane
Quhou al hir prayeris and desyre was invane,
For al thar wepyng mycht not him anys steir;
Nane of thar wordis lykis hym to heir,
Thocht he of natur was tretabill and curtass.
The fatis war contrar thar desyre netheless,
And hys benyng eris the goddis dyttit,
That of thar askyng thar was nocht admittit.
And lyke as quhen the ancyant aik tre,
With hys byg schank, by north wynd oft we se
Is ombeset, to bet hym down and ourthraw,
Now heir, now thar, with the fell blastis blaw,

179

The swouchand byr quhisland amang the granys,
So that the hyast branchys, al atanys,
Thar croppys bowis towart the erth als tyte,
Quhen with the dynt the maister schank is smyte;
And, netheles, the ilk tre, fixit fast,
Stikkis to the rochis, not doun bet with the blast:
For quhy? als far as his crop heich on breid
Strekis in the ayr, als far hys rute doith spreid
Deip vndir erth, towart the hell adoun—
The sammyn wyss was this gentil baroun,
Now heir, now thar, with wordis ombeset,
And in his stout breist, ful of thochtis het,
Of reuth and amouris felt the perturbance.
Bot euer his mynd stude ferm, for ony chance
Onmovyt, quhar hys fyrst purposs was set,
That al for nocht the teris war furthȝet.
Than suythly, the fey Dydo, al affrayt,
Seand fatis contrar, eftir deth prayt:
Scho irkit of hir lyfe, or to tak tent
Forto behald the hevynnys firmament.
Tharfor, in takyn hir purposs to fulfill,
And leif the lycht of lyfe, as was hyr will,
As on the altaris byrnand ful of senss
The sacrifyce scho offerit, in hir presence,
A grisly thyng to tell, scho gan behald
In blak adyll the hallowyt watir cald
Changyt and altyr, and furthȝet wynys gude
Onon returnyt into laithly blude.
This visioun sche to nane reveil wald,
Nor ȝyt to An, hir deir systir, it tald.
In wirschip eik, within hir palyce ȝet,
Of hir first husband, was a tempil bet
Of marbill, and hald in ful gret reverens,
With snaw quhite bendis, carpettis and ensens,
And festuale burgeonys arrayt, on thar gyss;
Tharin was hard vocis, spech and cryis
Of hir said spouss, clepand hir ful lowd,
Evir quhen the dyrk nycht dyd the erth schrowd.

180

And oft with wild scryke the nycht owle,
Heich on the rufe, alane, was hard ȝowle
With langsum voce and a ful petuus beir.
And eik bygane the feirful sawis seyr
Of the dyvynys, with terribil monysyngis,
Affrayt hir by mony grysly syngis.
And in hir sleip, wod wroth, in euery place
Hir semyt cruel Eneas gan hir chace;
And evir, hir thocht, scho was left al alane,
And, but cumpany, mony far way had gane,
To seik hir folkis in a wilsum land—
Lyke Kyng Pentheus, in his wod rage dotand,
Thocht he beheld gret rowtis stand in staill
Of the Ewmenydes, fureys infernale,
And in the lyft twa sonnys schynand cleir,
The cite of Thebes gan dowbil to hym appeir;
Or lyke Orestes, son of Agamenon,
On theatreis, in farcis mony one,
Rowpyt and sung how he his moder fled,
With fyre brondis and blak serpentis ourcled,
And saw the furyis, and grisly goddis fed,
Sittand in the tempill port to wrek hir ded.
Quhou Dydo queyn, hir purposs to covert,
Of enchantment dyd contyrfait the art.
Thus quhen Dydo had caucht this frenasy,
Ourset with sorow and syk fantasy,
And determyt fermly that scho wald de,
The tyme quhen and maner quhou it suld be
Compasyng in hir breist, but mair abaid
Onto hir dolorus systir thus scho sayd,
Hir purposs by hir vissage dissymuland,
Schawand by hir cheir gude hope and glad sembland:
“Systir germane,” quod scho, “away ȝour smart;
Beys of ȝour systeris weilfar glaid in hart.

181

I haue the way fundyn, quharby ȝone syre
Salbe to me rendryt at my desyre,
Or me delyvir from hys lufe al fre.
Neyr by the end of the gret occiane see,
Thar as the son declynys and goys doun,
At the far syde of Ethiope regioun,
A place thar is, quhar that the huge Atlas
On schuldyr rollys the round speir in cumpass,
Full of thir lemand starnys, as we se:
Thar dwellys, systir, as it is schaw to me,
Ane haly nun, a ful gret prophetess,
Born of the pepill of Massylyne, I gess,
And wardane of the ryal tempil, thai sa,
Set in the gardyngis hecht Hesperida,
And to the walkryfe dragon mete gave sche,
That kepyt the goldyn apyllis in the tre,
Strynkland to hym the wak hunny sweit,
And sleipryfe chesbow seyd, to quykkyn his spreit.
This woman hechtis, with hir enchantmentis,
From luffis bandis to lowss al thar ententis
Quham so hir lyst, and bynd other sum alsso
In langsum amouris vehement payn and wo.
The rynnand fludis thar watir stop kan scho mak,
And eik the starnys turn thar courss abak,
And on the nycht the ded gastis assemmyll:
Vndir thi feyt the erd rayr and trymmyll
Thou most se, throw hir incantatioun,
And from the hillys treys discendyng down.
To wytnes the gret goddis draw I heyr,
And thy sweit hed, myne awyn systir deir,
Agane my wil, ful sayr constrenyt am I
Art magyk to excers or sossary.
Richt secretly intil our innar closs,
Vndir the oppyn sky, to this purposs
Pass on, and of treys thou byg a byng
Tobe a fyre, and tharapon thou hyng
Ȝon mannys sword, quhilk that wikkyt wight
Left stykand in our chawmyr this hyndir nyght,

182

Hys cote armour, and othir clethyng all,
And eik that maist wrachit bed coniugall,
Quharin I perychit and wes schent, allace!
For so the religyus commandyt hass,
To omdo and distroy al maner thyng
Quhilk may ȝon wareit man to memor bring.”
This sayd, scho held hir tong; and tharwithall
Hir vissage wolx als pail as ony wall.
Thocht Annes wenyt not hir systir wald
Graith sacryfice for hir ded body cald,
Nor that syk fury was in hyr breist consavyt;
For by na resson dred sche, nor persavyt
Now mor displesour or harmys apperand
Than for Sycheus ded, hir first husband:
Quharfor, scho hes hir command done ilk deill.
Bot quhen the gret byng was vpbeildit weill
Of ayk treys and fyrryn schydis dry,
Within the secrete closs, vndyr the sky,
The place with flowris and garlandis stentis the queyn,
And crownys about with funerale bewis greyn.
Abuf the mowe the forsaid bed was maid,
Quharin the figur of Ene scho layd,
Hys clethyng and hys sword at he had left,
Ramembring weill the thyng that followyt eft.
Feill altaris stude about the fyre funerale,
And the religyus nun, with hair down skaill,
Thre hundreth goddis with hir mouth rowpyt sche—
Herebus, the grysly of the deyp hellys see,
Chaos, confoundar of elymentis, alssua,
And the thrynfald goddes Proserpina,
The thre figuris of the virgyn Dyan.
And evir the watir strynklis scho onan,
Contyrfait tobe of Avernus the well,
Quhilk lowch is situate at the mouth of hell.
Spryngand herbys eftir the courss of the moyn
War socht, and with brasyn hukis cuttit soyn,
To get thar mylky sap and vennom blak.
Thai seik alsso, and owt gan rent and tak

183

The lump betwix the new born folys eyn,
And fra the moder byreft the lufe sa greyn,
The queyn hir self fast by the altar standis,
Haldand the meldyr in hir devote handis,
Hir ta fute bayr, and the bandis of threyd
Nocht festynnyt, bot hung by hyr lowyss weyd;
And, remembring scho was in poynt to de,
The goddis all onto wytnes drew sche,
The starnys and planetis, gydaris of fatis,
And gif thar ony deite be, that watis
Or persavys luffaris inequale of behest,
To have in memor hir iust causs and request.
Quhat sorow dreys Queyn Dydo all the nycht,
And how Mercur bad Ene tak the flycht.
The nycht followys, and euery wery wight
Throu owt the erth hath caucht, onon rycht,
The sownd plesand sleip thame lykit best.
Woddis and rageand seys war at rest;
As the starnys thar myd courss rollys doun,
All feildis still, but othir noyss or sown,
All beistis and byrdis of diuerss cullouris seir,
And quhatsumeuer in the braid lowys weir,
Or, amang buskis harsk, leyndis vndir the spray,
Throu nychtis sylence slepit quhar thai lay,
Mesyng thar bissy thocht and curis smart,
All irksum laubour forȝet and owt of hart.
Bot the onrestles fey spreit dyd not so
Of this onhappy Phenyssane Dydo,
For neuer mair may scho sleip a wynk,
Nor nychtis rest in eyn or breist lat synk.
The hevy thochtis multipleis euer on ane;
Strang luf begynnys to rage and ryss agane
And fellon stormys of ire gan hir to schaik.
Thus fynaly scho owt bradis, allaik!
Rollyng alane seir thyngis in hir thocht:
“Ha! quhat do I?” quod scho, “all is for nocht.

184

Sall I thus mokkit, and to hething dryve,
My fyrst luffaris agane assay belyve?
Or sal I lawly sum lord Numydane
Pray and beseik of mariage now agane,
Quhom I sa oft lychtlyit to spowss or this?
Na, wyll I not! Quhat, sal I than, I wyss,
Follow the Troiane navy in strange landis,
And reddely obey al thar commandis?
I hope it sal profyte, na litill thyng,
My gret help done thame and suppowellyng;
For amang kynd folkis this is na dreid,
Weil is remembrit the ald thankful deid.
Bot thocht in cace to do this war my will,
Quha wald me suffir my purposs to fulfyll,
Or in thar prowd schippis me ressaue?
Thus drevyn to hethyng, and al thi grace bywave,
Tynt woman, allace! baris thou not ȝyt in mynd
The maynsweryng of fals Laomedonis kynd?
And maratour, quhat ettill I for todo?
A queyn alane to steil away thus, lo!
Accumpanyit bot with mery maryneris?
Or than with all my Tyrianys, as efferis,
And all my power assemblit me about,
On schipburd entyr with al that huge rowt
Quhilk furth of Sydon scarsly draw I mycht,
Sal I thame cach agane our seys lycht?
Byd thame mak saill onon, and a new rayss?
Na, rather de, as thou deservyt hass,
And with a swerd mak of this duyl ane end.
O systir germane, thou me fyrst taucht and kend,
Allace the quhile! and offerit me to my fo;
Thou with thir harmys ourchargit me alsso,
Quhen I fell fyrst into this rage,” quod sche,
“Bot so to do my teris constrenyt the.
Was it not lefull, allace! but cumpany,
To me but cryme in chawmyr alane to ly,
Or led my lyfe lyke to thir beistis wild,
And not beyn thus with thocht nor harmys fild?

185

Allace! onkepit is the trew cunnand
Hecht to Sycheus assys, my first husband.”
Syk gret complayntis from hir breist bryst kan.
Bot Eneas, sovir to depart or than,
And al hys neidful thyngis grathit, by and by,
Heich in hys eft schyp sownd slepand kan ly;
Quhamto in visioun the sam god dyd appeir,
In syklyke figur as that he dyd eyr,
Onto Mercuryus lyke, in al fasson,
Baith cullour of vissage and of vocis sown,
In form of a ȝongker with membris fair,
Plesand of cheir, and ȝallow glitterand hair.
Hym thocht agane he monyst on this wyss:
“Son of the goddes, quhou is this heir thou lyis?
Quhat, may thou vndir sa gret danger sleip,
And al forvayit takis nothir cuyr nor keyp
For tobehald quhat perrellys about the standis
Nor harknys the fair wynd blawys of landis?
Scho quham thou knawys, within hir breist ful hait
Sorowfull vengeans compasis and dissait,
And certanly determyt forto de,
In diuerss stowris of ire brandysys sche.
Quhy wilt thou not fle spedely be nycht,
Quhen forto haist thou hess laser and mycht?
Thou salt, onon, behald the seys large
All ombeset with toppyt schyp and barge.
The feirful brandis and blesys of hait fyre,
Reddy to byrn thi schippys, lemand schyre,
And al the cost belyve of flambys scald,
Gyf, quhil to morow, tary in this land thou wald.
Haue done, speid hand, and mak na mair delay,
Variabill and changeand thyngis beyn wemen ay.”
And sayand this, into the dyrk nyght
He gan hym hyde, and vanyst out of sycht.
Eneas, of this hasty visioun affrayit,
Gan start on fut, and fast his feris assayit:
“Awalk onon, get vp, my men, inhy,
Tyte to ȝour wardis, span aris bissely,

186

Schaik down the salys sone and lat ws wend.
From the hie hevyn the god agane is send,
Lo! spurrand ws to haist and fle away,
And byddis smyte the twyne cabyll in tway.
O blissyt wyght! quhat god at evir thou be,
We sal obey thi charge and follow the,
And thy command fulfyll agane blithly,
Besekyng the assist to ws frendly
Help and support, with prospir influens
The hevyn and starris dress our vayage hens.”
And with that word, hys scherand sword als tyte
Hynt owt of scheith, the cabil in twa gan smyte.
The sam maner of haist caucht al the lave;
Thai hurl away, ankyrris vphynt and rave,
Left the costis desert on athir sydis.
The stabil sey vndir the schippis slydis;
The stour of fame vpwelt thai egyrly,
And swepis our the haw fludis inhy.
 

C marginal note lochis.

Quhou Queyn Dydo beheld Ene depart,
And quhat scho said with harmys at hir hart.
Be this Aurora, leifand the purpour bed
Of hir lord Titan, heth the erd ourspred
With new days licht, and quhen the queyn
The first grekyng of the day hes seyn
And fra hir hie wyndoys gan espy,
With bent sail furth caryand, the navy,
The costis and the schor al desolate
Behaldis eik but owthir schip or bate,
Hir fayr quhite breist, thar as scho dyd stand,
Feil tymys smate scho with hir awyn hand,
And ryvand hir bricht haris petuusly,
“Iupiter,” quod scho, “sal he depart, ha, fy!
And leful tyll a vavengeour stranger
Me and my realm betrump on this maner?
Sal not my menȝe to harnes ryn in hy
Our al the town, and follow bissely?

187

Speid, tak ȝon schippys! on burd fast to the raid!
Haist sone, and kast on thame fyre blesis braid!
Schute dartis thik, and qwel thame with ȝour glavys . . .
Quhat said I or quhar am I? Now thou ravys;
Quhat wodness, fey Dydo, movis thi mynd?
Now art thou hyt with frawart werdis onkynd?
Sa til haue done than had bene mair ganand
Quhen thou hym gave the ceptour of thi land.
Ha! now behald hys gret prowes,” quod sche,
“Hys reuthful piete and faith! Is not ȝon he
Quham, as thai say, the goddis of hys land
In hys navy careis our sey and sand?
Is not ȝon he quhom on his schulderis, thai say,
For reuth his agit fader bair away?
Mycht I not caucht and rent in pecis his corss,
Syne swak the gobbettis in the sey by forss
Of hym and all hys fallowys? Weill I mocht!
And eik ȝone sam Ascanyus mycht I nocht
Haue trynschit with a sword, and maid a meyss
To his fader tharof to eyt at deyss?
Forsuyth, in cace the aventur of bataill
Had beyn doutsum, wald God it war assaill!
Quham sall I dreid, now reddy forto de?
Wald God I mycht, in ȝon navy I se,
The hait fyre brandis set, and euery boyr
Fyll all with flambys red, and forthirmor
Baith fader and son, with hail generacioun,
That I had brynt, distroyit and bryttnyt doun,
And thame abuf syne ded my self had laid!
O thou brycht son, that, with thi bemys glayd,
All erdly laubour clengis, circuland about;
And thou Iuno, mediatrix, but dout,
Of al thir hevy thochtis, and weill thame knawis;
And thou Proserpyne, quhilk, by our gentile lawys,
Art rowpit hie and ȝellyt lowd by nyght,
In forkyt ways, with mony mudy wight;
And ȝe infernale fureys, that wrekis al wrang;
And ȝe goddis eik, quham now amang

188

Dido standis reddy tocum in poynt to de;
Ressaue thir wordis quhilkis I sal say,” quod sche,
“Withdraw fra hyme ȝour gret mychtis, quharby
Schrewis aucht be punyst for thar cryme, and not I;
And thir our prayeris accept, we ȝou beseik.
Gyf it be necessar and determyt eik
Ȝon wikkit hed in portis of Itale
To entir and cum or to thai boundis saill,
And gyf the fatis and Iove wil it be so
And hess decreit he fynaly thyddir go,
Ȝit, at the lest, thar mot he be assail,
With hardy pepill ay trublyt in bataill,
By forss of armys expellyt hys boundis eik,
Far from Ascanyus help, constrenyt beseik
Ayd and supple, and als that he behald
Feil cayrfull corsys of hys folk ded and cald,
And quhen alsso hym self submyt hes he
Vndir payce and lawis of iniquite,
That he bruke nowthir realm, nor gude lyfe led,
Bot fal fey or his day, and sone be ded,
And ly onerdyt in myddis of the sandis.
Thys I beseik ȝou hevand vp my handis;
Thys is my lattir word at I conclude,
Furthȝettand it togiddir with my blude.
And forthirmor, O ȝe my Tyrianys,
Quhilk now in Affrik at Cartage remanys,
Ȝon clan, with thar successioun and kynrayd,
Persew with haitrent perpetual, and invaid;
Onto my assys grant this a gift,” quod sche.
“Nevir luf nor payce betwix thir pepill be.
Of our levingis sum revengar mot spryng,
With fyre and sword to persew and doun thryng
The lauboreris discend from Dardanus.
Now fra thyne furth, all that succedis til ws,
Quhen euer thai may fynd tyme, with strenth and mycht
Batail to batail mot thai debait in fyght;
Thir costis mot be to tharis contrar ay,
And to thar stremys our seys frawart, I pray,

189

Thar ofspring eik amang thame self mot debate.”
Thus said scho, and with that word, God wate,
Hir faynt spreit in al partis writhis sche,
Sekand the way, alssone as it mycht be,
Forto bereif hir self the irksum lyve,
Tho callys scho to hyr Barcen belyve,
Nuryss vmquhile to Sychey hir husband,
For hir awyn nuryss in hir native land
Was beryit in to assis broun or than.
“Deir nurys,” quod scho, “fech my sister An;
Byd hir in haist with watir of a flude
Hir body strynkil; the bestis, and the blude,
And clengyng graith scho knawis, with hir bring.
Se on this wyss scho cum, forȝet na thyng;
And thou thy self thine halffettis als array
With haly garland. My will is to assay
And now perform the sacryfyce in hy
That onto Pluto dewly begun haue I,
To mak end of my dolorus thochtis all,
And byrn ȝon Troiane statw in flamb funeral.”
Thus said Dido, and the tother, with that,
Hychit on furth with slaw payss lyke a trat.
Heir followys of the famus Queyn Dydo
The fatale dynt of deth and mortale wo.
Bot now the hasty, egyr and wild Dydo,
Into hyr cruell purposs enragyt so,
The bludy eyn rollyng in hir hed,
Wan and ful paill for feir of the neir ded,
With chekis freklyt, and al of tychirris bysprent,
Quakyng throu dreid, ruschit furth, or scho wald stent,
Onto the innar wardis of hyr place,
As wod woman clam on the byng, allace!
And furth scho drew the Troiane swerd, fute hait,
A wapyn was neuer wrocht for syk a nate.
And sone as sche beheld Eneas clething,
And eik the bed bekend, a quhile wepyng,

190

Stude musyng in hir mynd, and syne, but baid,
Fel in the bed, and thir last wordis said:
“O sweit habyte, and lykand bed,” quod sche,
“So lang as God lyst suffir and destane,
Ressaue my blude, and this sawle that on flocht is,
And me delyvir from thir hevy thochtis.
Thus lang I levyt haue, and now is spent
The term of lyfe that forton heth me lent;
For now my gret gost vndir erth mon go.
A richt fair cite haue I beild alsso,
Myne awyn wark and wallys behald haue I,
My spowss wrokyn of my brothir ennemy,
Fra hym byreft hys tressour, and quyt hym weill.
Happy, allace! our happy, and ful of seyll,
Had I beyn, only gyf that neuer nane
At our cost had arryvit schip Troiane.”
And sayand this, hir mouth fast thristis sche
Doun in the bed: “Onwrokyn sal we de?
De ws behufis,” scho said, “and quhou beheld!”
And gan the scharp sword to hir breist vphald;
“Ȝa, thus, thus lykis ws starve and to depart!”
And with that word, rave hir self to the hart.
“Now lat ȝon cruel Troiane swelly and se
This our fyre funerale from the deip see,
And of our deth turss with hym fra Cartage
Thys takyn of myscheif in hys vayage,”
Quod scho; and tharwith gan hir seruandis behald
Hir fallyn and stekit on the irne cald,
The blude outbullyrand on the nakyt swerd,
Hir handis furthsprent. The clamour than and rerd
Went to the toppys of the large hallys;
The noyss ran wild out our the cite wallis,
Smate all the town with lamentabil murnyng.
Of greting, gowlyng and wyfly womentyng
The ruffis dyd resound, bray and rayr,
Quhil huge bewalyng al fordynnyt the air—
Nane other wyss than thocht takyn and doun bet
War al Cartage, and with ennemyss ourset,

191

Or than thar natyve cite the town of Tyre,
And furyus flambe, kendillit and byrnand schyre,
Spredyng fra thak to thak, baith but and ben,
Als weil our templis as howsis of othir men.
Hir systir An, spreitles almaist for dreid,
Herand sa feirful confluens thyddir speid,
With nalys ryvand reuthfully hir face,
And smytand with hir nevis hir breist, allace!
Fast ruschis throu the myddis of the rowt,
And on the throwand, with mony sprauch and schout,
Callys by name: “Systir germane,” quod scho,
“Och! was this it thou fenȝeit the to do?
Hess thou attempyt me with syk dissait?
This byng of treys, thir altaris and fyris hait,
Is this the thyng thai haue onto me dycht?
Quhat sall I first compleyn, now dissolate wight?
O deir systir, quhen thou was reddy to de,
Ha! quhy hess thou sa far dyspysyt me
As to reffuss thi systir with the to wend?
Thou suld haue callyt me to the sammyn end,
That the ilk sorow, the sammyn swerd, bath tway,
And the self hour, mycht haue tane hyne away.
Thys funeral fyre with thir handis biggyt I,
And with my voce dyd on our goddis heir cry,
To that effect as, cruel, tobe absent,
Thou beand thus sa duylfully heir schent!
Sistir, allace! with my counsell haue I
The, and my self, and pepill of Sydony,
The heris all, and eik thi fayr cite,
Distroyt and ondeyn for ay,” quod sche.
“Fech hiddir sone the well watir lew warm,
To wesch hir woundis, and hald hir in myne arm;
Syne with my mowth at I may sowk, and se
Gyf spreit of lyve left in hir body be.”
This sayand, the hie byng ascendis onane,
And gan enbrayss half ded hir systir germane,
Culȝeand in hir bosum, and murnand ay,
And with hir wympil wipyt the blude away.

192

And scho agane, Dydo, the dedly queyn,
Pressyt fortil vplift hir hevy eyn,
Bot tharof falys; for the grysly wound
Deip in hir breist gapis wyde and onsound.
Thryss scho hir self raxit vp to ryss;
Thryss on hir elbok lenys; and als feill syss
Scho fallys bakwart in the bed agane.
With eyn rollyng, and twynkland vp ful fane,
Assays scho to spy the hevynnys lyght,
Syne murmouris, quhen scho tharof gat a sycht.
Almychty Iuno havand reuth, by this,
Of hir lang sorow and tarysum ded, I wyss,
Hir mayd Irys from the hevyn hess send
The throwand sawle to lowyss, and mak ane end
Of al the iuncturis and lethis of hir corss;
Becauss that nothir of fatis throu the forss
Nor ȝit by natural ded peryschit sche,
Bot fey in hasty furour emflambyt hie
Befor hir day had hir self spilt,
Or that Proserpyne the ȝallow haris gilt
From hir fortop byreft, or dubbyt hir hed
Onto the Stygian hellis flude of ded.
Tharfor dewy Iris throu the hevyn
With hir safron weyngis flaw ful evin,
Drawand, quhar scho went, forgane the son cleir,
A thousand cullouris of diuerss hewys seir,
And abufe Dydoys hed arest kan:
“I am commandyt,” said scho, “and I man
Omdo this hayr, to Pluto consecrate,
And lowis thi sawle out of this mortale stait.”
Thys sayand, with rycht hand hess scho hynt
The hair, and cuttis in twa, or that scho stynt;
And tharwithall the natural heyt outquent,
And, with a puft of aynd, the lyfe furthwent.
Heyr endys the ferd buke of Eneados and begynnys the proloug of the fyft

193

[The Proloug of the Fyft Buke]

Gladys the grond the tendir florist greyn,
Byrdys the bewys and thir schawys scheyn,
The wery huntar to fynd hys happy pray,
The falconeyr rych ryver onto fleyn;
The clerk reiosys hys bukis our to seyn,
The luffar tobehald hys lady gay;
Ȝong folk thame schurtis with gam, solace and play;
Quhat maist delytyth or lykis euery wight,
Tharto steris thar curage day and nycht.
Knychtis delytis to assay sterand stedys,
Wantoun gallandis to trayl in sumptuus wedis;
Ladeys desyris to behald and be seyn;
Quha wald be thrifty courtyouris says few credis;
Sum plesance takis in romans that he redis,
And sum hess lust to that wes nevir seyn;
Quhou mony hedis als feil consatis beyn.
Twa appetitis oneth accordis with othir:
This lykis the, perchance, and not thi brothir.
Plesance and ioy richt hailsum and perfyte is,
So that the wyss tharof in proverb wrytis,
“A blith spreit makis greyn and floryst age.”
Myne author eyk in Bucolykis endytis,
“The ȝong enfant fyrst with lauchtir delytis
To knaw hys moder, quhen he is litil page;
Quha lauchis not,” quod he, “in thar barnage,
Genyus the god delytyth not thar tabill,
Nor Iuno thame to kepe in bed is habill.”
The hie wysdome and maist profund engyne
Of myne author Virgile, poete dyvyne,
To comprehend, makis me almaist forvay,
So crafty wrocht hys wark is, lyne by lyne.
Tharon aucht na man irk, compleyn nor quhryne.
For quhy? He altyrris hys style sa mony way,
Now dreid, now stryfe, now lufe, now wa, now play,
Langeir in murnyng, now in melody,
To satyfy ilk wightis fantasy;

194

Lyke as he had of euery thyng a feill,
And the willys of euery wight dyd feill.
And tharto eyk so wysly writis he
Twiching the proffyte of the common weill,
Hys sawys beyn full of sentencis, euery deill,
Of morale doctryne, that men suld vycis fle.
Bot gyf he be nocht ioyus now lat se,
For quha so lyst seyr glaidsum gemmys leyr,
Ful mony myrry abaytmentis followis heir.
Now harkis sportis, myrthis and myrry plays,
Ful gudly pastans on mony syndry ways,
Endyte by Virgil, and heir by me translate,
Quhilk William Caxton knew nevir al hys days,
For, as I sayd tofor, that man forvays;
Hys febil proyss beyn mank and mutulate,
Bot my propyne com from the press fute hait,
Onforlatit, not iawyn fra tun to tun,
In fresch sapour new from the berry run.
Bachus of glaidness, and funeral Proserpyne,
And goddes of triumphe, clepyt Victorie,
Sal I ȝou call as ȝour name war dyvyne?
Na, na, it suffysyt of ȝou ful smal memorie;
I byd nothir of ȝour turmentis nor ȝour glorie;
Bot he quhilk may ws glaid perpetualy,
To bryng ws tyll hys blyss on hym I cry.
Sen erdly plesour endis oft with sorow, we se,
As in this buke nane exemplys ȝe want,
Lord, our prottectour to all trastis in the,
Bot quham na thing is worthy nor pyssant,
To ws thy grace and als gret mercy grant,
So forto wend by temporal blythness
That our eternale ioy be nocht the less!
Heyr endys the proheym And begynnys the fifte buke

195

Ene fra Cartage salys, and quhou belyve
He with the tempest was in Sycill dryve.
In the meyn quhile tho gan Eneas hald
Sovirly hys courss throu the gray fludis cald,
Hys navy with north wynd scherand the seys.
Towart Cartage he gan behald, and seys
Be than the wallys lemand brycht and schyre
Of the onhappy Dydoys funeral fyre.
Quha had this gret fyre maid, and to quhat end,
Thai marvellyt, for the causys war onkend,
Bot by the sorofull takynnyng, not the less,
The Troianys in thar breistis tuke a gess
Quharfor it was, for weil wyst Eneas
In violait lufe quhat strenth of dolour was,
And knew alsso quhat thyngis mycht be controvyt
By women in fury rage that strangly luffyt.
Bot fra the schippys held the deyp see,
That now na mair sycht of the land thai se,
Salve hevyn abuse, and fludis all about,
A watry clowd, blak and dyrk but dout,
Gan our thar hedis tho appeir ful rycht,
And down a tempest sent als dyrk as nycht;
The streym wolx vgsum of the dym sky.
Palynurus, the maistir, gave a cry
From the eft castell heich, thar as he stude:
“Quharfor, allace! samony clowdis onrude,”
Quod he, “bylappyt hess the hevynnys, lo?
Fader Neptune, quhat etlys thou to do?”
This beyng said, commandis he euery feir
Do red thar takillis, and stand hard by thar geir,
And wightly als thar arys vp to hail;
Hym self infangis the le schete of the saill,
And eftir said: “Maist curageus Ene,
Althocht our helpar, gret Iove, wald hecht it me,

196

I traist not with this weddir to wyn Itale.
The wynd is contrar, brayand in our bak saill,
Hard in our berd vpblawand wondir sayr,
And al with bubbys ombesett is the ayr;
Nor we may nocht stryve nor inforss sa fast
Agane the storm, bot stowtar is the blast.
And sen that forton masteris ws, tharfor
Lat ws follow tharon, and ryn befor,
Quhiddyr that the wyndis callys ws set saill.
Not far hens, as that I beleif, sans faill,
The frendfull, brothirly costis of Erycyss
And sovir portis of Sycill beyn, I wyss,
Gif I remembir the methys of starnys weill.”
Tho quod reuthful Eneas, “So haue I seyll,
I saw langsyne the wyndis ettyll that way,
And the invayn agane thame stryve perfay.
Tyte turn ȝour salys and set thyddyr ȝour went;
Thar is na land mair lykand to myne entent,
Nor quhar me lyst sa weil, and profitabill
Our wery folkis to restyng and estabill,
Than in that cuntre quharin doith remane,
Ful deir to me, Acestes of blude Troiane,
And in his boundis, derrest outour the lave,
My faderis banys enbrasys, layd in grave.”
This beand sayd, towart the port thai stevyn,
The followand wynd blew strek thar saill furth evyn.
Fast our the wallys slydis the navy,
And in schort quhile arryvit ar blythly
At the strandis and costis weil bekend.
Bot, on the hie top of a hyll ascend,
Acestes gan behald, and had gret wondir,
And to the cost, als ferss as ony thundyr,
To meit hys frendis schippys dyd he speid,
A beyr skyn of Affryke abone hys weyd,
Ful grym of luke, with dartis keyn and rude
(Hys moder Troiane of Crinosus the flude
Consavit hym and bayr, as it is said).
Not forȝettyng hys ald kyn, blyth and glaid

197

Of thar return was he, and myrrely
Thame welcumand ressauyt by and by,
Gave thame of rural metis with glaid semlance,
And cherysyt thame with frendly purvyance.
Eneas in Sycill, but langar tary,
Maid for his fader the seruyce anniuersary.
The nixt morow, als sone as the brycht day,
The son vprysand, chasyt the starnys away,
Eneas gan fra euery cost about
Hys folkis all assembill in a rowt,
Syne spak thir wordis on a knollys hycht:
“O ȝe my Troiane pepill, stowt and wyght,
Discend from worthy Dardanus the kyng,
And of the hie goddis ryall ofspryng,
The son hess run hys hail courss circular,
Hys monethis twelf, and the tyme anniuersar,
Sen that the reliqueis and bonys infeir
Of my dyvyne fader we erdyt heir,
And eyk the dolorus altaris consecrate.
Less than I be dissavyt, weil I wait
Thys is the day that euermor sall I
Meyn and regrait, and altyme reverently
In wirschip keip and with gret honour hald,
For so it plesith ȝou, goddis, and so ȝe wald.
Ȝa, thocht I war wilsum, and banyst this da
Amang sey sandis of Getulya,
Or ȝyt with storm ourset in the Greik see,
Or in the cite of Myce hapnyt tobe,
Netheless suld I seruyce anniuersar
And exequeys, with solemnyt pomp and fair,
Dewly perform, and with myne awyn handis
Adorn the altaris with thar iust offerandis.
Now, as I weyn, or we persavyt the chance,
Not but the myghtis of goddis and purvyance,

198

Onto the assis and the bonys deir
Of my sayd fader bene we caryit heir,
Entrit in frendly portis and arryve.
Tharfor haue done, and lat ws all belyve
Perform this honour blithly, as efferis;
Ask prosper wyndis, and beseyk euery ȝeris
That my fader wald eftir this ressaue
This sacrifyce, quhilk I begunnyn haue,
Within our cite that we mon beild, God wait,
In tha templys onto hym dedicate.
Acestes, cummyn of Troy, for hys wirschip,
Two oxin sal ȝou geif for euery schyp.
Our Penates and Troiane goddis, for thy,
Bryng furth hyddir onto the maniory.
Do fech me eyk tha goddis to this cost,
Quhilk wirschippit ar by Acestes, our host.
And forthirmar, gyf that the nynt day
Ryss fair and cleyr, with hys brycht morow gay,
And gan hys bemys our the erth spreid,
First sal I ordand for my Troianys, in deyd,
Quha hess the swyftast schippis of our navy,
With al thar forss to stryfe for the mastry;
And eik, quha best on fute kan ryn, lat se,
To preif hys picht, or wersyll, and bair the gre,
Or dartis kast, and best schute arrowis lycht;
Or lyke a douchty campioun into fyght
With bustuus baston darryn stryve, or mayss—
Lat euery man address hym to this place
And mak hym reddy agane the sammyn day
Fortil opteyn and bayr the pryce away.
Annerd heirto, ilk man, rycht favorabilly,
And hald ȝour payce, but owthir noys or cry,
And do ȝour hedis with fresch bewys array.”
And sayand this, he gan hys templis twa
Covir with myrthus, that is his moderis tre.
The sam wyss dyd gret Helymus, perde,
Richt so hym self Kyng Acestes the ald,
Richt so the child Ascanyus so bald,

199

Quham followys al the laif in lyke maner.
The prynce Ene, from the counsale in feyr,
With mony thousandis walkand hym about,
Went to the tumbe amyd the thykkast rout,
Quhar fyrst, eftir thar payane ryte and gyss,
Twa flaconys ful of wyne in sacryfyss
Apon the erd he ȝet, and othir twane
Ful of new mylkyt mylk, and syne agane
Twa ful of hayt blude was of the offerandis,
And purpour flowris strowis with hys handis,
Syne said: “Hail, haly fader! Hail agane,
Ȝe assys cald, ressauyt al invane,
Vmquhile contenyt my faderis sawle and gost.
Allace! was it not leful, thou onlost,
The boundis of Itale, with the, and fatale landis,
Forto haue socht, and eik onto the strandis
Of Tybir in Ausonya, quhar evir it be,
Arryvit sound, in falloschip with the?”
Scars said he thus, quhen of the holl graf law
A gret eddir slydand gan furth thraw,
In sevyn lowpis lynkyt, and tymys sevyn
Circulyt the tumbe about sweitly and evyn,
And glydand syne amang the altaris onon;
Of freklit sprutlis al hir bak schone,
As goldyn mailȝeis hir skalys glytrand brycht,
Lyke to the rayn bow amang clowdis lycht,
Drawand always, forgane the son cleir,
A thousand cullouris of diuerss hewis seir.
Eneas of the syght abasyt sum deill,
Bot scho at last, with lang fard, fair and weill,
Crepis amang the veschell and cowpis all,
The drynk and eyk the offerandis gret and small
Snokis and lykkyt, syne full the altaris left
And but mair harm in the graf enterit eft.
Quharfor Ene begouth agane renew
Hys faderys hie sawle queith, for he not knew
Quhiddir this was Genyus, the god of that sted,
Or than the seruand of hys fader ded.

200

Fyve twyntyrris brytnyt he, as was the gyss,
And alsmony swyne, and tydy quyiss
With hydys blak, and into cowpys syne
In gret plente ȝet furth the hallowyt wyne,
Rowpand the sawle of gret Anchyses gone,
And hys gost fred from the flude Acheron.
Hys feris eik, euery man in thar degre,
Of syk thyng as thai mycht get plente,
Blithly thar offerandis addressis to inbryng,
Chargis the altaris, and brytnys styrkis ȝyng.
Sum othir per ordour caldronys gan vpset,
And, skatyrt endlang the greyn, the colis het
Vndir the spetis swakkis, to royst in threyt
The raw spaldis ordanyt for the mulde meyt.
Of the gemmys proclamyng, and the play,
Quhais fyrst dereyn four schippys dyd assay.
Cummyn be thys was the desyryt day;
The nynte morow vpspryngis fresch and gay,
And Pheyton gan hys faderis chayr furth dryve.
The fame of this triumphe gan spreid belyve,
That, for wirschip of Acestes, thar kyng,
All folkis enveron dyd to the costis thryng,
Glaidly occupyand al the strandis about,
Sum to behald Eneas cowrt and rowt,
And sum, alsso, to stryfe for the mastry.
At the begynnyng, the wageouris by and by,
And the rewardis, in myddys of the feild
Befor thar eyn war set, at all beheld:
The gilt trestis, and the greyn tre,
The lawrer crownys, for the pryce and gre,
With palmys scheyn in takyn of victory,
Fair armouris of triumphe and myche glory,
The robbys fyne of purpour richly dycht,
Seir talentis eik of gold and siluer brycht.

201

Tharwith, the trumpet blew, as beyn the gyss,
Apon ane hyght, declaris and notyfyiss
The gemmys tobe excersyt for that day.
With arys squair, the bargan gan assay
Four galeys fyrst, chosyn of al the flote.
The swyft Pystris witht spedy routht, fute hoyt,
Furth steris the stern Mynestheus onan,
Quhilk eftir bycam a lord Italian,
Of quhays ofspring and genealogy
The pepill ar discend, clepyt Memny.
The bustuus barge, yclepit Chimera,
Gyas, with fellon fard, furthbrocht alssua,
Sa huge of byrth a cite semyt sche,
Quham a gret nowmyr of ȝong Troiane menȝe,
In thrynfald ordour, causis furth toglyde;
The arys rays thre rawis on athir syde.
The thryd schip, yclepyt Centaurus,
Furth haldis, with hir patron Sergestus,
Quham fra the famyle come hait Sergia.
The sovir sey schip tho, namyt Scylla,
Cloanthus gydis, efter quham, ȝyt syne,
In Roym the pepill beyn callyt Cluenthyne.
Weil far from thens standis a roch in the see,
Forgane the fomy schor and costis hie,
Quhilk sumtyme, with the boldynnand wallis quhite,
Is by the iawpe of fludis coveryt quyte,
Quhen the southt est wynd, in the wynter tyde,
Gan with his stormy clowdis the starnys hyde;
And, in the calm or lowyn weddir, is seyn
Abufe the fludis hie, a fair plane greyn,
A standing place, quhar skarthis with thar bekis,
Forgane the son, glaidly thame pronȝe and bekis.
In this place stykkyt heth the prince Ene
A mark or wyttir of a greyn aik tre,
In term and takyn onto the maryneris,
Quhar, forto turn agane, as thame efferis,
And set about thar lang courss, thai mycht knaw.
By kuttis than, per ordour, al on raw,

202

Thar place thai cheysyt at the costis bay.
The patronys in eftcastellis, fresch and gay,
Stude, al in gold and purpour schynand brycht.
The remanent of the rowaris, euery wight,
In poppil tre branchis dyght at poynt,
With spaldis makyt, schayn of oyl enoynt;
Apon thar seyttis and thoftis all atanys
Thar placis hynt, arrayit for the nanys,
With armys reddy outour thar aris fald,
Abydis lysnand the takyn to behald,
Thar hartis onflocht, smytyn with schame sumdeill;
Bot glaid and ioly, in hope forto do weill,
Rasys in thar breistis desyre of hie renoun.
Syne, but delay, at the first trumpys sown,
From thar marchis atanys furth thai sprent.
Vpsprang the clamour, and the rerd furth went
Heich in the skyis, of mony maryner.
The fomy stowr of sey rayss thar and heir,
Throu ferss bak drauchtis of feil gardeys squair.
Thai sewch the fludis that, swouchand quhar thai fair,
In sondyr slydis; ourweltyt eyk with arys,
From thar forstammys the bullyr brays and raris.
Nevir sa fersly, in feild nor in barrer,
The dowbill ȝokkyt cartis in feir, of wer
Or for triumphe, furth of thar stabillys gan rusch;
Nor nevir sa thyk, with mony lasch and dusch,
The cartaris smate thar horssis fast in teyn,
With renȝeys slakkyt, and swete drepand bedeyn;
For, throu the gild and rerd of men so ȝeld,
The egyrness of thar frendis thame beheld,
Schowtand “Row fast”, all the woddis resoundis.
Endlang the costis the vocis and the sowndis
Rollys inclusyt, quhill the mekyll hyllys
Bemys agane, hyt with the brute so schil is.
Amyd the press, thus as the rerd vpwent,
Befor the laif Gyas schyp furth sprent,
Ourslydand wallys croppys byssely;
Quhom Cloanthus followys nixt inhy,

203

Mayr sle in rowth, thocht sum deil slaw was sche,
For that hir holl was of sa hevy tre.
And eftir thame, elyke, furth in evyn space,
Pistris and Centawr straif for the fyrst place.
And now hes Pistrys the fordell, and syne inhy
The byg Centawr hyr warris and slyppis by;
Now glyde tha bath togiddyr furth in front,
Sewchquhand salt fame with thar lang kelis blont.
Ȝyt quhou the schippys stryvys on the see,
Of thar nyce rayss, and quha that won the gre.
Wyth this thai gan towart the meyth approche,
And war almaist cummyn onto the roch,
Quhen that the patron Gyas, amyd the flude,
Wenying hym self victour, thar as he stude,
Callys on hys steris man, hayt Meneyt by name:
“Quhiddyr goys thou so on steirburd? Fy forschame!
Frawart me thou haldis; set thi courss innarmor;
Seik hard on burd endlang fast by the schor
And suffir that the palmys of our arys
Hyrsyl on the crag almaist, ilk rowth, and waris—
Lat the othirris hald furth the deip sey large.”
Quod Gyas. Bot Menetes, for hys barge
Of the hyd rolkis blynd sum deill afferyt,
Towart the deip fludis hyr stevin ay steryt.
“Quhar, dysmall, wilt thou now?” gan Gyas cry,
“Hald to the crag agane, Meneyt, fast by.”
And tharwith, lo, Cloanthus he dyd behald
Hard at hys taill, that gan the nar way hald,
For, rycht betwix the rolk and Gyas schyp,
On bawbord fast the innar way he leyt slyp,
And wan befor the formast schip inhy;
Now is he passyt the wittir, and rollys by
The roch, and haldis sovirly throu the see.
Bot than, God wait, quhat payn in hart gan dre

204

The ȝong Gyas—hym thocht al brynt hys banys!
The watir bryst from baith hys eyn atanys;
Forȝet was wirschip and hys honeste thar,
Forȝet was of hys falloschip the weilfair,
The ancyant treuth of Meneyt forȝettis he,
And swakkyt hym our schipburd in the see.
Hym self, as skyppar, hynt the steir in hand,
Hym self, as mastir, gan maryneris command,
And threw the ruddyr to the costis syde.
Be than the auld Meneyt our schipburd slyde,
Hevy, and al his weid sowpyt with seys,
Skars from the watir grond vpboltyt he is,
Syne swymmand held onto the craggis hycht,
Sat on the dry rolk, and hym self gan dycht.
The Troianys lauchys fast seand hym fall,
And, hym behaldand swym, thai keklyt all,
Bot mast, thai makyn gem and gret ryot,
To se hym spowt salt watir of hys throte.
Heir first gude hope arrayss to the twa last,
That is to knaw, Mynestheus and Sergest,
Gyas schyp thar by to ourcum wenyng,
That tareys sum deill for lak of gude steryng.
Tho Sergest gan the fyrst place occupy,
With schip approchand towart the roche inhy;
And, netheless, hail befor wan scho nocht,
Bot thrang hir forschip formast, as scho mocht,
So that Pistrys, hyr weryour, all the way,
Hyr forstam by hir mydschip haldys ay.
Than, rowmyng to and fra hys schyp our all,
Mynestheus gan hys feris exhort and call:
“Now, now, ȝe vailliant feris of worthy Hector,
Hail stoutly vp ȝour arys; thynk on ȝour glor;
Thynk quhou, the lattir rewyne of Troy, ȝou I
Haue walyt, and brocht with me in cumpany.
Now schaw that strenth, now schaw that hie curage,
Quhilk on the schaldis of Affryk, in stormys rage,
Ȝhe dyd excerss, and the ilk forss, I wyss,
Ȝhe schew betwix Scylla and Carybdys,

205

Quhar that Ioneum clepyt is the see,
And als forgane the styth stremys of Malee.
As to the fyrst place, now byd I nocht craif it,
Althocht I be Mynestheus, wont til haue it;
Nor I byd not to stryve and wyn the gre,
Howbeyt, wald God, that war a gloir to se!
Do lat thame bruke the mastry and the pryce,
Quhamto Neptune lyst grant at hys devyce.
Bot gret lak war to return altharlast:
Deir frendis, defend ȝou fra that kankyrryt kast,
And do ourset sa schaymful hard myschance!”
With al thar forss than at the vtyrance,
Thai pynglyt arys vptobend and haill,
With sa strang rowthis apon athir wail,
The mychty karvell schuddryt at euery straik,
Down swakand fludis vndir hyr brayd bilge of aik;
So clappys the braith in breistis with mony pant,
Quhil in thar dry throtis the aynd worth skant,
And swait down triglys in stremys our alquhar.
Betyd a chance that ilk tyme fell thame fair,
And grantyt thame that honour tha desyryt;
For as Serfest, with fers muyde half enfyryt,
Turnyt hys stevyn towart the rolk our neir,
Ontil a wykkyt place hys schip dyd steir,
Quhil on the blynd craggis, myschewsly,
Fast stykkis scho, choppand hard quhynnys inhy,
And on the scharp skelleis, to hir wanhap,
Smait with syk fard, the arys in flendris lap;
Hir forschip hang, and sum deil scoryt throu owt.
The maryneris start on fut with a schout,
Cryand, “Byde, how”, and with lang bolmys of tre
Pykyt with irne, and scharp roddis, he and he
Inforcis of to schowyn the schyp to save,
And brokkyn aris gadderyt on the streym thai haue.
Now quha was blith bot Mynestheus, ful ȝor,
Quhilk, for this chance, mair egyrly than befor,
With swyft fard of arys, and wynd at wyll,
The reddy way held our the fludis chyll,

206

And frakkis fast outthrow the oppyn see.
Als swyftly as the dow affrayit doith fle
Furth of hir hoyll, and richt darn wynnyng wayn,
Quhar hir sweit nest is holkyt in the stayn,
So fersly in the feildis furth scho spryngis,
Quhil of hir fard the howsys ryggyng ryngis;
And sone eftir, scherand the lownyt ayr,
Down from the hycht discendis soft and fair,
Not byssy weyngyt, bot planand esyly—
So slaid Mynestheus throu the sey in hy,
So followys Pistrys, was langeyr alltharlast,
With fellon fard furth swepand alsso fast.
And fyrst Sergest behynd sone left hess he,
Wreland on skelleys and ondepys of the see,
With brokkyn aris lerand to haist agane,
And cryand, “Help!” bot that was al invane.
Syne Gyas schyp, the fellon Chimera,
Persewys he fast, quhilk gave hym place allswa,
For scho was spulȝeyt of hir sterisman.
Thar restis na ma bot Cloanthus than,
Quham fynaly to persew he addrest,
And pynglys hir onto the vtyrmest.
The noyss and brute tho dowblys lowd on hycht,
For, on the costis syde, fast euery wight
Spurris the persewaris to roll bissely:
“Set on hym now! Haue at hym thar,” thai cry,
That huge clamour fordynnyt al the ayr.
The formast thocht thar awyn wirschip so fair,
And had disdeyn bot thai thar honour save,
To bruke it quhilk so hard wonnyn thai have,
Or thai thar lawd suld loyss or vassyllage,
Thai had far levir lay thar lyfe in wage.
The favorabill forton, and thar happy chance,
So gan the breistis of the otheris avance,
Thame thocht thai mocht thame wyn witht laubour lycht,
Becauss it semyt to thame at so thai mycht.
And peraventur, with equale stevynnys atanys,
The pryce thai suld haue baith caucht for the nanys,

207

War not Cloanthus in the fludis cauld
With devote prayeris baith his handis gan hald,
And on the goddis callys, and maid hys vow:
“O ȝhe goddis, quhays fludis I ryn throw,
Vndir ȝour empyre rewlyng the large see,
I sal glaidly on this cost syde,” quod he,
“A quhite bull offir in ȝour sacryfyce,
So I my vow may bruke, and wyn the pryce;
The entralis eyk, far in the fludis brak,
In ȝour reuerens, sal I slyng and swak,
And ȝet tharin the sweit liquor of wyne.”
And, be hys wordis warryn brocht to fyne,
Law fra the boddum of the seys deip
Hys prayeris war except—tharto tuke keip
The nymphis all, clepyt Nereydes,
And thai that followis Phorcus, all the press,
The maid alsso quhilk Panopea hait;
The fader of havynnys, Portunus, al the gait
With his byg hand schot the schip furth hir went,
That swyftar than the southt wynd on scho sprent,
Or as a fleand arrow to land glaid,
And in the deip port enterit but abaid.
Quhou Eneas onto the maryneris
Gaif euery man thar reward, as efferis.
Anchises son Eneas than, ful wyss,
Callys thame forrowth hym al, as wes the gyss,
And, with ane harraldis lowd voce, gan declare
Cloanthus victour was, and on hys hair
Gart set a crown, was of the lawrer greyn,
And bad onto thar schippis bair bedeyn
Thre ȝong oxin onto euery barge,
Presandis of wyne, and of siluer a charge.
Bot principaly to the capitanys he gave
Honorabill rewardis, as thame efferit to haue:

208

To the victour, a mantil brusyt with gold,
With purpour selvage writhyn mony fold,
And al byrunnyn and lowpyt lustely,
As rynnys the flude Meander in Thessaly;
Quharon was weyf, in suttel goldyn thredis,
Kyng Troyus son, the fair Ganymedys,
Vnder the thyk wod bewys of Ida
The swyft hartis chasand to and fra,
And with hys dartis baldly thame gan beyt—
He semyt porturyt pantand for the hete;
Quham, witht a surss, swyftly Iovys squyar
Caucht in hys clewis, and bair vp in the air;
The eldar huntaris, and hys keparis than,
Clappand thar lufis and thar handis, ilk man,
Sayr awondryt gan the starnys behald;
For hundis queste it semyt the lyft ryfe wald.
Onto hym, syne, Eneas gevyn hass,
That by hys vertew wan the secund place,
A habirgyon of byrnyst mailȝeis brycht,
With gold ourgilt clowit thrynfald ful tycht,
Quhilk he sum tyme, with his strang handis two,
Tyrvyt and rent of bald Demoleo,
Quham vndir Troys wallys venquyst he,
Quhar Symois rynnys swyftly in the see;
This wirschipful gift to Mynestheus he gave,
That was hys beild in armys hym to save;
Sa paysand was this cote that scarsly mycht
Phegeus and Sagaris, twa seruandis wight,
Bair it on thar nek chargyt mony fald,
Bot, tharwith cled, Demoleo ryn fast wald,
Chasand the Troianys skatterit far on breid.
The thryd gyft syne, Eneas gaif in deyd
Twa gret caldronys of brass forgyt hoyt;
Twa syluer coppis schapyn lyke a boyt,
Punsyt ful weil, and with fyguris ingrave:
And thus thar gyftis gottyn al thai haue.
Apon syk wyss, ful prowd of thar reward,
Ilkane of thame, furth pransand lyke a lard,

209

Arrayt weil the tymplis of thar hed
With purpour garlandis of the rosys red;
Quhen from the scharp rolk, scarsly, with gret slycht,
Sergestus gan vpwreil hys schyp evill dycht;
Of brokyn arys febilly with a raw,
Mokkyt and schent, scho cummys hame ful slaw.
Lyke as oft happynnys the eddyr amyd the way
Lurkand or glydand, in the hait symmyrris day,
Quham the hevy schod cart quheil doith ourtak,
Pressyng hir down, and ryvand hir tewch bak,
Or, with smart dynt or stane kast, half ded neir,
And kut in tway, leifis the travelleir;
Sche pressand fle, al for nocht, byssely,
Lang wrynklys makis oft with hir body;
The ta part ferss and fell, with byrnand eyn
Strekand hyr nek with hyssis lowd in teyn;
The tother part, lamyt, clynschis and makis hir byd,
In lowpis thrawyn and lynkis of hir hyde—
With syklyke routhe this schip slawly furth went,
Syne maid sail at the last, and tharwith bent,
Entyrris in the havyn. And Sergest Eneas
Rewardis weil, as that his promys was,
For glaid he was the schip was salue onlost,
And brocht hys ferys hailskarth to the cost.
To hym a servand woman, hayt Pholoa,
Was geyf, and, sowkand hyr, hir twynnys twa;
Of Creyt, as to hyr kynrent, born was sche,
And in the craft of Mynerve wondyr sle.
 

C marginal note weffyng; L B marginal note or mynerva.

Into this nixt cheptour followys heir
The fut mennys rynkis and rewardis seir.
Gentyll Ene, this sport endyt and done,
Ontyl a fayr plane greyn passyt sone,
Quhilk was enveronyt al with hyllys hie,
Schaddowyt with woddys rank, and mony a tre.

210

Amyd the vale, in maner of cyrkyl rownd,
A playng place was markyt on the grond,
Syk as that clepyt beyn a theatry.
Thiddir the heir with mony thousand gan hy,
And evyn amydwart in hys troyn grete,
For hym arayt, takyn hes hyss sete,
Quhar, with rewardis seir, he dyd provoke
The curage and myndis of ȝong foke,
Syk as lykyt swyftly on fute to ryn,
Cum bayr the pryce away, and wageour wyn.
On athir half than gadderis hym about
Of Troianys sammyn and Sycilyanys a rowt;
And first come Nysus and the fresch Evrille,
Ewrillyus in grene ȝouth and luf sylle,
Maist eligant of person, for quhays frendschip
And tendyrnes come Nisus in falloschip;
Quham followis nixt nobyl Dyores the gude,
Cummyn of the stok of myghty Priamus blude;
And eftir hym thar followys sone onon
Twa othirris sammyn, Salyus and Patron,
Of quham the tane born of Epyria,
And the tother was of Archadya,
Cummyn of the blude of Tegea that cite;
Twa othir ȝong men syne of Sycille,
Helymus and Panopes, baith feris
Onto the kyng Acestes ald of ȝeris,
Hantyt to ryn in woddis and in schawis;
Seir othir come eik quhais namys onknaw is,
For that thai war of law stait and degre.
Amyddis of thame all, thus sayd Ene:
“Tak tent, frendis, remembir quhat I say,
Mark this in myndis glaidly, and bair away:
Neuer ane of al this falloschip,” quod he,
“Sal onrewardyt hyne depart fra me.
I sal ȝou geiffyn ilk man as efferis,
With brycht hedis, wrocht in Creyt, twa schort speris,
A syluerit ax alsso, to bair in hand;
For ȝou al equale salbe syk presand.

211

The thre formaste salbeir the pryce and gre,
Thar hedis crownyt with greyn olyve tre.
Quha cummys fyrst, and victour our the laif,
Ane horss with precyus harnessyng sal haif.
The secund, ane arow cayss of Amaȝon,
Ful of arowys of Trace, sal haue onon,
Hungyn by a braid tysche of gold ilke ioynt,
The bukkil claspyt with a iemmys poynt.
The thryd most go hys way, and stand content
Bot of this Gregion helm, lo, heir present.”
Quhen this was said, thar placis haue thai tane,
And, fra thai hard the takyn, sone onane
Richt swyftly on thar rasys gan thai tak;
The stand thai leif, and flaw furth with a crak,
As wyndis blast, etland to the rynkis end.
Befor thame all furth bowtis with a bend
Nysus a far way, start mair spedely
Than thud of weddir, or thundyr in the sky.
Nyxt onto hym, bot nocht neir be far way,
Followys Salyus, and, a space eftir thame tway,
Ewrialus was the thryd, quham syne infeir
Followyt Helymus, quhamto held evir neir
Dyores, quhidderand at hys bak fute hait,
Hys tays choppand on hys heill al the gayt,
Writhand with hys schuldir to haue thrung hym by,
And, had he anys won mair rowm, tho inhy
He suld ful sone haue skyppyt furth befor,
And left in dowt quha come fyrst to the skoyr.
Be this thai wan neir to the rynkis end,
Irkyt sum deill befor the mark weil kend,
Quhen that Nysus fallys, onhappely,
Apon the glotnyt blude, quhar as fast by
The styrkis for the sacrifyce, per cace,
War newly brytnyt, quharof al the place
And the greyn gerss bedyit was and wet.
As this ȝongkeir heiron tred and fute set,
Ioly and blith, wenyng hym victour round,
He slaid and stumryt on the slydry grond,

212

And fell at erd gruflyngis amyd the fen,
Or beistis blude of sacrifyce; ȝyt then
Forȝettis he not Ewrialus luf, perfay,
Bot kest hym evyn ourthourtyr Salyus way,
Grulyng as he mycht apon the slydry grene,
Maid hym lycht wyndflaucht on the grond onclene.
Furth sprent Ewrialus formest, and, by supple
Of his frend Nysus, the first place wan he.
With rerd and favorabil hailsyngis furth he sprang,
As oft befallys, syk tymys, commonys amang.
Helymus nixt onto the stand is cummyn,
The thryd place now and gre Dyor has nummyn.
Tho Salyus fyllys al the court about
With lowd ramyngis, and with mony a schowt,
And gan, in presens of the nobillys, pray
Restor hys honour by dyssayt stollyn away.
The favour defendis Eurialus of hys ferys,
And of hys eyn brysting the seymly terys,
Sched for dysdeyn he suld swa leyss hys pryce—
The vertew, eyk, mair gracyus at all devyce
Was haldyn, at come of sa seymly person.
That helpyt mekyl, and Dyores evir onon
Chydis for hym fast, for alsmekill as he
The thryd place than had wonnyn and the gre;
Bot all for nocht may he the last pryce beleif,
Gyf that to Salyus the fyrst reward beys geyf.
Than the rewthfull Eneas spak and sayd:
“Ȝour enterpryss, childeryng, beys blyth and glaid,
Remanys sovir to ȝou, for, owt of weir,
As fyrst was set the pryce, sal na man steir,
It moste be to me leful, rewth to haue
Of my frendis myschance, hys lak to save,
Quhilk in hys awyn defalt tynt not the gre.”
And sayand thus, to Salyus gave he
A bustuus lyonys skyn of Getuly,
With goldyn clewys, lokkerit and weghty.
“Ha!” than quod Nysus, “gyf syk reward salbe
Gevyn onto thame at fallys and tynys the gre,

213

Gif the lyst rew on syk, quhat gyft condyng
Wilt thou geif Nysus, ran swyft in a lyng,
And worthy was the fyrst croun tohaue caucht,
War nocht the sam mysforton me ourraucht
Quhilk Salyus betyd?” And with that word,
Hys face he schew besmottyrit for a bourd,
And al hys membris in mud and dung bedoyf.
Than lewch that ryal prynce on hym to goyf,
And bad do fech a rych scheild, wrocht quently
Sum tyme by ane Dodymaon maist crafty,
And by the Grekis alsso doun was dyng
Of Neptunys tempyll post quhar it dyd hyng;
This worthy ȝong man with that gyft soverane
Rewardis he, of syk geyr as mycht gane.
Of the twa kempys suld stryfe in the press
The bustuus Entellus and Darhes.
Eftyr thir rasys done, and gyftys geif,
“Now cummys heir,” said Ene, “quha lyst preif
To streke thar armys furth, and heys on hycht,
For mayss or burdon arrayit weil at rycht;
Quha hess tharto reddy bald spreit lat se.”
For athir party the pryce ordanyt hess he:
For the victour a bul, and al hys hed
Of goldyn schakaris and royss garlandis red
Buskyt full weil; to hym venquyst, alssua,
A rych helm and a fyne sword, baith twa,
Set for hys solace. Than, but delay, Darhes
With buustuus forss schew hys face in the press.
As he vpstart, onon gret rumour rayss
Amang the commonys, sayand: “Lo! quhar he gays,
Alane was wont agane Parys debait;
Ȝon sam is he quhilk, at the tumbe, fute hait,
Quhar beryit was Hector of maist renoun,
The campion Butes ourcum and bet doun,

214

Al flat hym speldyt on the dun sand,
In the dedthrawis; quhilk Butes, to vnderstand,
Fra Bebrycy com, of statur huge rude,
And hym avansyt of Kyng Amycus blude.”
Thys ilk Darhes, berand hys hed on hie,
Reddy for batale, schew furth, at al mycht se,
Hys schulderis braid, and swakkis heir and thar
Hys armys strecht with gret flappys in the ayr.
Ane othir mache to hym was socht and speryt,
Bot thar was nane of al the rowt at steryt
Ne durst presume meyt that man on the land,
With mace nor burdon to debait hand for hand.
Ioly and glaid tharof, baith al and sum
Into bargane wenyng fortil ourcum,
Beforn Eneas feyt stad but delay,
The bul he grippys by ane of hornys tway
With hys left hand, and said apon this wyss;
“Son of the goddes, gyf na man wil ryss,
Ne dar hym self aventur in batelle,
Quhy stand I thus? Quhou lang efferis me dwell?
Command me leid away the pryce al fre.”
The Troianys with hym sammyn, he and he,
Murmuryt and bemyt on the ilke wyss;
“Reyk to the man the pryce promyst,” all cryiss.
Tho gan the grave Acest with wordis chyde
Entellus, sat on greyn sonk hym besyde:
“Entell,” quod he, “vmquhile the forcyast
Of campionys clepyt, and the worthyast,
Invane that name thou beris, I dar say,
Gyf thou, sa thoilmude, sufferis leid away
Sa gret a pryce, but dereyn of batell.
Quhar is he now, gret Erix, as thai tell,
Our god renownyt, and mastir, al for nocht?
Quhar now that fame, our al Sycil onflocht
Quhilum dywlgate, is becummyn and gone?
Quhar beyn the spulȝe triumphal mony one,
Within thine howss hyngis on euery post?”
The tother ansuerd: “Nowthir for dreid ne bost

215

The luf of worschip nor honour went away is,
Bot certanly the dasyt blude, now on days,
Walxis dolf and dull throw myne onweldy age;
The cald body hess mynnyst my curage.
Bot war I now, as vmquhile it hess bene,
Ȝyng as ȝon wanton voustour, sa strang thai weyn,
Ȝa, had I now syk ȝouthed, traistis me,
But ony pryce, I suld al reddy be;
Na lusty bull me tyl induce suld neid,
For nothir I suld haue cravyt wage nor meyd.”
Quhen this was said, he hess, but mair abaid,
Twa kempys burdonys brocht, and befor thame laid,
With al thar harness and braseris by and by,
Of weght ful huge, and schap onmesurly,
Quhar with, vmquhile, the stern Erix was wont
To feght in bargane, and geif mony dont,
In that hard bellan hys brawnys to enbrace.
All wolx estonyst beheld thame in that place:
So huge weght and so gret quantite
Thai war, that weil thame semyt fortobe
Of curbulle corvyn sevyn gret oxin hydis,
Styf as a burd that stude, on athir sydis
Stuffyt and cowchit ful of irne and leid.
Abuf al otheris, Darhes, in that sted,
Thame tobehald abasyt wolx grettumly,
Thar with to mel reffusyng aluterly,
Bot, ful of magnanymyte, Eneas
Pasys thar weght als lychtly as a fass,
Thar hydduus braseris swakand to and fro.
Syk wordis gan the auld rehersyng tho:
“Quhat wald he haue said, that perchance had se
Hercules burdon and wapynnys heir,” quod he,
“And on this ilke cost the sorofull bargane?
Thir sammyn wapynnys Erix, thi broder germane,
Was wont to bair—behald thame smottyt quyte
Of his red blude, and harnys tharon owtsmyte.
With thir agane gret Hercules stude he;
With thir was I wont mach in the melle,

216

Quhil my fresch blude mair forss and strenth me lent,
Or that onfrendlych eild had thus bysprent
My hed and halffettis baith with canus hair.
Bot gyf that Troiane Darhes reffusys thair
With thir, our cuntre wapynnys, in feild to pass,
And eyk it lykis the curtas Eneas,
So that Acest my soverane that appreve
(Be not efferd, Darhes, na thing the greve),
Erix macis to the on syde lay I,
And thou thi Troiane burdon alsso do by;
With equale wapynnys lat ws go to sone.”
And, with that word, of hys schulderis hess done
Hys dowbill habyt, and hys lymmys squair,
Baith byg bonys and brawnys, maid al bair,
Syne stythly in the sand vpstandis he,
Of hydduus statur and of quantite.
The bargane of the kempys curageus,
The ferss Darhes and stalwart Entellus.
The prynce Anchises son, Eneas, than
Twa evynly burdonys walyt, as cunnand man,
And equale armour, but dyversyte,
On schulderis and thar gardeys buklys he.
Than athir gan contrar othir styth stand,
With fyngeris fast faikand thar mace in hand,
Syne heich abufe thar hedis in the ayr
Onabasytly rasyt thar armys squair,
And from the straik thar nek drew far abak.
Now, hand to hand, the dynt lychtis with a swak;
Now bendis he vp hys burdon with a mynt,
On syde he bradis fortil eschew the dynt;
He etlys ȝondir hys avantage to tak,
He metis hym thar, and charris hym with a chak;
He watis to spy, and smytis in al hys mycht,
The tother keppys hym on hys burdon wycht;

217

Thai foyn at othir, and eggis to bargane.
Lychtar on fute and agil was the tane
And in hys lusty ȝouth sum deil ensuris;
The tother of lymmys byggar and corss mair stuyr is,
Bot hys faynt schankis gan for eild schaik;
Hys gowsty cost and membris, euery straik,
The febil braith gan to bete and blaw.
Thir hardy kempys, al in waist, leyt draw,
Athir at other, mony rowtis grete;
On holl sydis feill dowbill dyntis gan bete
And on thar breistis lychtis with huge sownd;
Oft in the ayr about thar hedis rownd
Thar handis waveryt, and the straik went myss;
Hard halffettis clappyt oft vndir the dynt, I wyss.
Entellus standis styf and grave of corss,
Not movyng from hys fyrst stand in a forss,
And, with hys body only and walkryfe e,
The strakis onfar enchewys and keppyt he.
Bot Darhes walkis about rycht craftely,
Of hys fyrst purposs frustrat, to espy
Sum avantage, with diuerss assaltis algait
Hym ombesetting sair and handland hait—
Lyke as by gret engynys quha sa wald
A strang cite assail or stalwart hald,
To wyn that strenth, or ȝyt by craftis sle
To mynde the castell on the rochys hie,
Lurkand in harness wachis round about;
Now this tocome, now by that way gan lowt,
Quhar best he may cum to hys purposs sone,
Avysand weil the place maist oportone.
Entellus raxit hym and hevis on hycht
Hys rycht hand for tosmyte in al hys mycht;
The tother, seand the dynt cum, gan provide
To eschew swyftly, and sone lap on syde,
That al hys forss Entellus gan apply
Into the ayr, so that hys grave body,
All hym alane, with huge weght and sayr,
Ruschyt flatlyngis to the grond with a rair—

218

So as, quhilum, the mekil kosch fyr tre,
On Erymanthus the mont of Archade,
Or in the wod of Ida, with a sownd
Vp by the rutis rent, ruschis to grond.
The ȝongkeris tho of Troy and Sycilly
Gan starting all on fut delyvirly;
The clamour rayss, quhil all the hevyn dyd ryng,
And fyrst to hym ran Acestes the kyng,
And for compassioun hess vphynt in feild
Hys frend Entellus, onto hym evyn eild.
Bot, nother estonyst nor abasyt heiron,
Mair egyrly the vaillyant campion
Agane to bargane went als hoyt as fyre.
Hys strenthys now encressis al of ire;
For schame, alsso, and for that weil he knew
Hys auld prowes, hys forss dowblyt and grew,
And ardently, with fury and mekil boist,
Gan Darhes kach and dryve our al the cost;
Now with the rycht hand, now with the left hand, he
Dowblys dyntis, and but abaid leyt fle,
That nother rest nor quyet may he tak.
Als fast as rayn schour rappys on the thak,
So thyk with strakis this campioun maist strang,
With athir hand, feil syss at Darhes dang,
And drave to and fra with mony rowt.
The prynce Eneas than, seand this dowt,
Na langar suffer wald sik wreth procede
Nor ferss Entellus mude thus rage and sprede,
Bot of the bargane maid end but delay,
And wery Darhes hess withdrawyn away.
With wordys hym to mesyng thus he said:
“Onsylle wight, quhou dyd thi mynd invaid
Sa gret wodness? Felys thou not ȝyt,” quod he,
“Othir strenth and mannys forss hes delt with the?
Seys thou not weil thi self at thou art fey?
Tharfor to God thou ȝeild the and obey;
The power of goddys ar turnyt in thy contrar;
Obey to God.” And with that word, but mair,

219

The bargane he dissolvyt. And than Darhess
Hys trew companȝeonys ledis of the press,
Harland hys wery lymmys dolf as led,
For sorow schakand to and fra hys hed,
And schaddis of blude furth spyttand throu hys lyppys,
With bludy gammys, led hym to thar schippys;
The helm and eik the sword with thame hess tane,
As thai commandyt war, and left alane
The bul ontil Entellus—sa was defynd.
He victour than, and abufe in hys mynd,
Prowd and reiosyt of this bull, gan say:
“Son of the goddes, and Troianys, I ȝou pray,
Behald, and knaw by this takyn and syng,
Quhat strenth was in my corss quhen I was ȝyng.
Se fra quhat ded Darhes is savyt onslane,”
Quod he, and standand the bullys face forgane,
Quhilk of thar dereyn was the pryce and gre,
Hys stern burdon behynd hys bak onhie
With hys rycht hand gan tayss and mesour swa,
It smait hym evyn betwix the hornys twa,
Persyt the harn pan, draif out the brayn inhy;
Down duschit the beist ded on the land gan ly,
Sprewland and flekkyrand in the ded thrawys.
And he abufe hym furth warpys syk sawys:
“For Darhes ded, Erix, lo, this,” quod he,
“A far mair ganand sawle, I offer the;
And victour eyk my craft and wapynnys fair
Vprendris heir, for now and evir mair.”
Into this nixt cheptour ȝe may espy
Nyse craft of schotyng and of archery.
Onon Eneas induce gan to the play,
With arowys forto schute quha wald assay;
The pryce tharfor ordanys; and syne, but let,
With forss of mennys handis vp hess set
Amyd the greyn Sergestus schippys mast;

220

Apon the top tharof gart fessyn fast
A fleand dow intil a cord, quharat
Thai suld thar arowys schuyt. The men with that
Conuenyt togiddir, and in a helm of steill
Thar kavillys haue thai castyn fair and weill.
And first of al, with frendly noyss and sound,
Hyppocaon the first place hys hess fond,
That was of kynrent cummyn from Hirtacus;
Quham nixt eftyr followys Mynestheus,
Victour afor amang the schip bargane—
The grene olyve about hys forhed schane.
The thryd kavill betyd Evricyus,
Thy brodir, O maist doughty Panderus,
Quhilk vmquhile, forto brek the trewis command,
On the Grekis fyrst set with speir in hand.
And of the helmys boddom al thar last
The ancyant kyng Acestes lot furth past,
Quhilk, for Eneas sayk, durst anys assay
With hys awyn hand ȝong mennys sport and play.
Than euery man, accordyng thar strenth ful meyt,
Thair byg bowys gan bend, and at thar feyt
Dyd schaik onone thar arowys of thar cayss.
Ȝong Hippocaon, quhilk had the first place,
A quhidderand arow leyt spang fra the stryng,
Towart the hevyn fast throu the ayr dyd thryng;
The mastis top it hyt, and tharin stak,
Quhil al the tre trymlyt with the swak;
The fowle affrayt flychtris on hir weyngis;
Of gret rumour than al the feildis ryngis.
Nixt scharp Mynestheus, war and avysye,
Onto the hed hess halyt vp on hie
Baith arow and eyn, etland at the mark.
Bot it was reuth, the fowle, for al hys wark,
Ne mycht he twich; and netheless ȝyt quyte
The bandis and lyamys in twa dyd he smyte,
Quharwith, by baith the feyt, thar fast was sche
Attachit at the mastis top onhie;

221

Sche in the ayr and dyrk skyis flaw onon.
With arow reddy nokkyt than Ewricion
Plukkis vp inhy hys bow, and maid hys vow
Onto hys brothir Pander; with that the dow
Heich in the lyft ful glaid he gan behald,
And with hir weyngis sorand monyfald;
Hys arow he threw vndir the clowdis blak,
And persyt hir quyte owtthrou the bak;
Hyr lyfe sche lost heich vp in the ayr,
Down fallys ded, and hass brocht with hir thar
The arow brochyt throu owt hir body.
Acestes now alane stude all reddy
To schute, quhen that the pryce was tynt and won;
And netheless to schuyt he hess begun,
And threw ane arow in the ayr on hycht,
Schawand hys craft, and hys byg bowys mycht,
That lowsyt of the takill with a spang.
And sone betyd and in thar sychtis sprang
A fellon grysly monstre and wondryng,
As weil was knaw syne at the endyng;
The feirfull spa men tharof pronosticate
Schrewyt chancis to betyde and bad estate.
For quhy, this schaft, fleand in the moyst ayr,
Brynt in a bless, and the randoun alquhar
With low and flambys gan do notyfy,
And al consumyt vanyst in the sky,
As doys oft starnschoit fallyng fra the hevyn,
Drawand thar eftyr a taill of fyry levin.
Estonyst in thar myndis, abasyt stude
The folk of Sycill and all the Troiane blude;
And netheless maist douchty Eneas
Reffusyt nocht the takyn, bot gan embrass
Acestes glaidly, and rych gyftis hym gave,
Syne said hym thus: “Tak, fader myne, ressaue
Sik favorabill aspectis benevolent
As the gret kyng of hevyn heth to the sent,
That lyst with onkouth syngnys honour the.
Thou sal haue heir this reward and degre,

222

A cowp of gold engrave with figuris seir,
A presand vmquhile of my fader deir,
Ancyant Anchiss, quham Cysseus, of Trace kyng,
In remembrance hym gave and lufe takynnyng.”
And sayand thus, hys tymplis al, but weir,
He gan involue and belt with grene lawrer,
And syne hess causyt, al the othiris befor,
Proclame Acestes and declair victor.
Nor gentill Euricion hys gloyr envyes nocht,
Quhoubeyt that he only the fowle down brocht,
And in the skyis smait hir ded, ȝyt than
The secund place he tuke as curtass man;
Nixt eftir quham, the wageour hess ressaue
He that the lysch and lyam in sondir drave;
And last rewardyt was he, that hys flycht
Into the mastis top festynnyt on hyght.
 

C L B marginal note or kavill.

C L B marginal note or leisch.

Quhou that Ascanyus and ȝong childer gent
Assailȝeit othir, in maner of turnament.
Eneas syne, the derenys not al done,
Epytides to hym hes callyt sone,
Mastir and gydar of Ascanyus ȝong,
Quhais secrete haris warryn ȝyt onsprung,
And in hys trasty eyr thus prevaly
He rownys, sayand: “Pass thi way inhy,
Se gyf Ascanyus hes now reddy dycht
Hys falloschip of childir and horssys lycht,
Arrayt for the rynkis and the play.
Byd hym bryng hyddir hys rowtis to turnay,
And do hys grandschir honour and renown,
In hys harness schaw hym self reddy bown,”
Sayd Eneas, and tharwith gave comand
About the cowrt the pepil on rowm to stand,
That al the feild within suldbe patent.
Than sone the childir, arrayit fair and gent,

223

Enterit in the camp alsammyn, schynnand brycht,
On stedis pransand in thar faderis syght;
And, quhar thai went, al the gallandis of Troy
And Sycill wondyrris with gret brute and ioy.
Thar harys all war tukkyt vp on thar crown,
That baith with how and helm was thrystyt doun;
Twa iavillyng speris with blunt hedis sum bair,
Sum on thar schuldyr a cace with dartys fair;
The wryth of gold, or chane lowpyt in ryngis,
About thar halss down to thar breistis hyngis.
Thai war in nowmyr cumpaneys thre,
On horssis rydand; and for ilk menȝe
A capitane walkis rewland al hys rowt;
Twyss sax childir followys ilkane about
In thar parsmentis, arrayit in armour brycht;
The chiftanys warryn equale of a hycht.
A ward thar was of childir quham, ful ioyus,
Berand hys grandschiris name, ȝong Priamus
Led and rewlyt, quhilk thi genealogy,
O Polytes, plantyt in Italy;
Apon a horss of Trace dappil gray
He raid, quhays formest feyt bath tway
War mylk quhyte, and hys crest on hycht bair he,
With bawsand face, rynggyt the forthir e.
The secund, Atys, on a cursour bay,
Fra quham the Latyn lynnage to this day
Actii bene nemmyt; and this litill Atys
With child Ascanyus weilbelovyt is.
Lusty Iulus, in bewte dyd all exceid,
Come last montyt on a Sydon steyd
Of cullour quhyte, quham Dydo, the fair lady,
In hir remembrance hym gave and luf drowry.
The remanent of the falloschip, euery one,
Sycill horssis gan swyftly ryde apon,
That from the auld Acestes purchest wer.
With revell, blythness and a maner feir,
Troianys ressauys thame, and rycht glaidly
Thar vissage gan behald, and dyd aspy

224

The prent of faderis facis on childir ȝyng.
Eftyr thai had all cirkillyt in a ryng,
On horsbak, hail the place and feild abowt,
And ioyusly behaldyn all the rowt,
All reddy hufand thar coursys fortotak;
Epytides on far a syng gan mak,
Smait with a clap, and cryis, “Go togidder!”
Than ran thai sammyn in paris with a quhidder;
The rowtis thre brak; ilkane chesyt hys feir;
And, quhen thai by war runnyn, thar horsis thai steir,
And turnys agane incontinent at commandis
To preif thar forss with iavillyngis in thar handis;
Syne went abak in sondyr a far space,
Ilkane at othir rynnyng with a rayss.
Syndry coursys and returnyngis maid thai;
Fast athir sort gan othiris rowt cumray,
And gan excers, by semblance, vndir scheild
The symylitude of batell or a feild.
Sum tyme the bak thai turn, as thai wald fle;
Sum tyme at othir threw dartis, he and he;
And, sone eftyr, assemmyl wald with a crak,
Thar handis schak, and pess togyddir mak.
Swa, as tha say, vmquhile the howss in Creyt,
Hait Laborynthus, with mony went and streyt,
Had wrynkillyt wallys, a thousand slychtis wrocht,
Forto dissaue al onkouth tharin brocht,
To wavyr and er thar onreturnabilly,
The subtell throwgangis followand sa quently—
Nane othir ways, in coursys mony ane,
Quhirlys thar trayss thir ȝong childir Troiane.
Thai lowke togiddir, and countryfatis a chayss
In maner of bargane, makand mony a rayss
And seir derenȝeis in thar sport and play;
Als swyft as dalphyn fysch, swymmand away
In the wak sey of Egyp or Lyby,
Persand the wallys, that plays iolely.
Thir maner of rynkis and iupertyis of bataill
Ascanyus hantyt, and brocht fyrst in Itaill,

225

Quhen he with wallys closyt lang Albay,
And taucht the ald Latynys to hant syk play
The sammyn gyiss as he, a child, now wrocht,
And othir Troiane childir with hym brocht.
The Albanys taucht thar childir the sammyn way;
And mychty Roym, syne efter mony a day,
Syk oyss ressavyt hess, and gan vphald
In wirschip of thar antecessouris auld;
And now, childering hantyng syk gem and ioy
Beyn Troiane rowtis namyt, and weir of Troy.
Quhou Irys, send fra Iuno in gret ire,
Gart Troiane wemen set thar schippys in fyre.
Thus, hyddyrtyllys, warryn derenys seyr
Excersyt in wyrschip of hys fader deyr,
And in this tyme gan forton fyrst remove
Fra thame agane hir fykkill faith and lufe.
For, as Troianys dyd hallow on this wyss
By diuerss gemmys, as was tho the gyss,
Solemnytly, the seruyce anniuersar
Besyde Anchises graf, furth of the air
And hevynnys hie, Saturnus get, Iuno,
That gan of wreth and malyce nevir ho,
Not satisfyit of hir ald fury ne wrok,
Rollyng in mynd full mony kankyrryt blok,
Hess send adoun onto the Troiane navy
Irys, and, that scho suld go spedely,
The prospir wynd gan eftyr hir inspyre.
Thys virgyn sprent on swyftly as a vyre,
And throu the clowdis hir trace, quhar scho went,
Schupe lyke a bow of diuerss hewis ment.
Sone slaid sche doun, onseyn of ony wy,
Gret confluence of pepill dyd aspy;
Scho walkis about the costis of the see,
Havynnys and flote left dissolate fand sche,

226

And al the Troiane wemen dyd sche ken
Syttand on the schor, secret far fra men,
The gret loyss of Anchises regratyng sair,
And al togiddir gan to weip and rair,
Behaldand the deip seys sorowfully,
And, with a voce, sayand al halely:
“Allace! behald, samony stremys gray,
And of thir salt fludis sa braid a way
Remanys ȝyt, fortyl ourslyde and sayll,
By ws wemen irkyt of lang travaill!”
Thai al besocht God send thame sone, ilkane,
A cite or a town forto remane,
And tedyus thocht the seys laubour to bair.
Iris heirfor aspyis hir tyme best thair,
As scho that was in myscheif ful expart;
Amyddis of thame all in gan scho start,
Hir godly figur and hir weid laid by,
And bycame agyt Beroes inhy
In maner schap of symylitude and face
(That was Doryclus spowss, born of Trace,
Quhilk vmquhile was of hie genealogy,
Of gret renoun, and childir had mony),
And on syk wyss amang matronys Troiane
Transformyt entrys scho, and in is gane.
“O woful wrachit wemen all,” quod sche,
“Quhilk to the deth, vndir the wallys hie
Of ȝour natyve cite and kynd landis,
War not in batell harlyt by Grekis handis!
O pepill onhappy, to quhat myschewss end
Forton reseruys ȝou of this warld to wend?
Lo! sen the fal of Troy and dolorus weir,
Byrunnyn is the sevynt symmyr and ȝeir,
Sen that samony seys, and alkyn landis,
Sa huge wilsum rolkis, and schawd sandis
And stormys gret, ourdrewyn and sufferyt haue we,
Lo, thus saland throw out the mekill see,
Quhar that we chayss Itale, that fleys ay,
And we ly warpyt on the wallys gray.

227

Heir beyn the bredyrly boundis of Erix stowt,
Our frend Acestes is our host but dowt:
Quha wil wss warn to beild vp wallys hie,
And to our citesanys set heir a cite?
O natyve land, and kynd goddis al invane
Reft from our fays, sal nevir nane agane
Troiane wallys be namyt nor vpbeild?
Sal I nevir se, allace! in all my eild,
Hectoriane fludis, Exanth and Symois?
Haue done tharfor, and now with me, I wyss,
Thir fey onhappy schippys al bedene
Lat ws go byrn, for in my sleip ȝistreyn,
The figur of Cassandra, prophetess,
Gave me byrnand fyre brandis and said express
Heir suld we rest, bad seyk Troy na forthar—
Heir was our dwellyng place for euermar.
Now is the tyme ganand our wark to speyd;
To tary ma fatale syngnys quhat suld neid?
Lo! ȝondir beyn four altaris byrnand schyre;
Neptune the god thir hait brandis of fyre
Distributis to ws, and alsso hardyment.”
And sayand thus, to perform hir entent,
The peralus fyre first hynt scho forsably;
With flambys schynand on far thai mycht espy
Hir rycht hand rasyt, the blesys in tocast.
Of Troiane wemen the myndis worth agast,
And al thar hartis sum deil stupefak,
Quhen ane, the eldast amang thame al, spak,
Clepyt Pirgo, the quhilk had beyn, feil syss,
To mony of Kyng Priamus childir nuryss:
“O matronys, ȝon was nevir Beroys,” quod sche,
“Born a Troiane, and Doryclus spouss, traist me.
Considir of hir bewte syngnys dyvyne:
Behald so brycht as baith hir eyn doith schyne,
Quhat sweit savour and smel from hir spryngis,
Quhatkyn vissage hess scho; quhou thynk ȝe ryngis
Hir vocis sown, or quhat payss goys scho now?
My self left Beroes, as I come hyyddir rycht now,

228

Lyand seyk at hame, and ful ennoyit wight,
That scho alane suld want this ryal syght,
And, as scho wald, mycht not mak sacryfyce
In Anchyss honour and funerale seruyce.”
Thus said Pirgo, bot than the matronys all
Stude fyrst in dowt quhat thing tha do sall,
And with evil willy eyn the schippys behaldis,
On hovir betwix wrachyt desyre, thame haldis
Forto abyd within that present land,
And of the fatis, on the tother hand,
That onto othir realmys doith thame call;
Quhen lo, the goddes, in form celestiall,
With equale weyngis fleys vp to the hevyn,
And, in hir went, schup vndir the clowdis evyn
The figur of a raynbow huge grete.
Than pryncipaly begouth thar hartis bete;
Of syk wondris estonyst, thai al inhy
Cachit with wodnes begouth raym and cry,
And from the hallowyt ingill reft the fyre;
Part spulȝeis altaris of thar flambys schire,
And byrnand branchis, faggottis and fyre brandis
Into the schippys swak thai with thar handis;
The flambe vpkyndilling blesys braid at large
Throw hechis, ourloft, ayr and payntyt targe.
Of the fyre sloknyng, quhilk the navy derys,
And quhou in Sycill Ene hes left hys feris.
Ontyl Anchises graf and theatry
First brocht Ewmolus word, quhou the navy
Was al infyryt. Thai luke and gan behald
The fyre sparkis fleand vp thyk fald
In a blak sop of reik, and fyrst Ascanyus,
As he on horss playt with hys ferys ioyus,
Als swyft and fersly spurris hys steid fute hoyt,
And but delay socht to the trublyt flote.

229

Hys mastirys, half ded for affray and draid,
Mycht nocht withhald hym—thyddir gan he speid,
And cryit: “Allace, O wrachit citesanys!
Quhat new wodness be this ȝou ourtane is?
Quhou now, quhou now, quhat meyn ȝe for to do?
Ȝour ennemyss floyt, nor Grekis schippys, lo,
Ȝe byrn not, bot al hope of ȝour weil fair!
Se, this is I, ȝour awyn Ascanyus, ayr
Onto my fader!” And with that word his helm
Befor thar feyt al voyd doun dyd he quhelm,
Quharwith in the derenys cled was he
And contryfait the maner of a melle.
Eneas than and al the rowtis Troianys,
Fast as thai mycht, sped thame thiddir atanys.
Bot than the wemen al, for dreid and affray,
Fled heir and thair endlang the cost away,
Socht to woddys and cavys in euery rolk,
Eschamyt with thar deid, knew thar awyn folk,
Thar myndis changit, fled the lycht for dispyte,
Al Iunois rage smate from thar breistis quyte.
Bot not for this the flambys and byrnand bleyss
Dyd stanch thar forss ondantyt, ne appeyss.
The tuffyng kyndillys betwix the plankis wak,
Quharfra outthrawis the pykky smoke coil blak;
The hait fyre consumys fast the howe;
Our al the schip discendys the peralus lowe;
Thar was na strenth of vaillyant men to waill,
Nor large fludis on ȝet, that mycht avail.
Reuthful Ene than of hys schulderis tway
The claith hess rent, and gan the goddys pray,
Vp baith hys handis hevand in the sky:
“Almychty Iove,” quod he, “aluterly
Gyf thou hess not al Troianys at haitrent,
Of gif thi reuthfull clemens takis tent,
As thou was wont, to mennys travel and pyne,
Now, haly fader, thi maieste inclyne;
Grant at our navy this fyre may eschaip,
And from distructioun delyvir and outscrape

230

Thir sobir trumpys, and meyn graith of Troianys;
Or, gif I haue deseruyt, with the remanys,
Smyte al togyddir ded with feirful thundir;
Lat thi rycht hand heir schaik wss al in sondir.”
Scarss this wes sayd, quhen that a blak tempest
Brays but delay, and al the lyft ourkest;
A huge weyt gan down powre and tumbill;
Hillys and valys trymlyt of thundir rummyll;
The drumly schour ȝet furth our al the ayr
Als blak as pyk, in bubbys heir and thar,
Fyllys the schippys, quhil thai flet our the walys;
Wrayngis half brynt bedyit in watir salys;
That al the forss of fyre was slokyt owt,
And from the perrell salf and out of dowt
Was al the navy, outtake four schippys lost.
And, quhil he rowmys vp and doun the cost,
The fader Eneas, smyte with this smart cace,
Now heir, now thar, gan huge thyngis compace,
Rollyng in mynd quhiddir he suld or nay
Remane in Sycill, or thens pass away,
Or gif he suld seik ȝyt to Italy,
Lyke as he had forȝet hys destany.
Thus as he musyt, stad in sykkyn dowt,
Ane of the eldast herys stude abowt,
Clepyt Nawtes, quham the goddes Mynerve
Our al the layf instrukkyt hym to serve
And rendryt had ful scharp and rype of wyt,
Syk answer gave and plane declaris it,
Quhat pretendis this fellon goddes greif,
And eik, accordyng thar fatis, quhat was releif,
And comfortand Eneas, thus gan say:
“Son of the goddes, lat wss follow that way,
Bakwart or fordwart, quhyddir our fatis dryve;
Quhat evir betyde, this is na bute to stryve;
All chance of forton tholand ourcummyn is.
Heir is thi tendir frend Troiane, I wyss,
Worthy Acestes, of dyvyne lynnage;
Cal hym to the in counsale, wyss and sage,

231

And weil willyng to thi purposs to apply.
Leif with hym all may nocht in thi navy
Be tursyt now, for lak of schippis lost;
Als syk as beyn ennoyt and irk almost
Of thi gret purposs, thi dedis and efferis;
And thai that beyn agyt passyt dait of ȝeris,
Or ald matronys wery of the see;
Wail out al thame beyn waik and onweilde,
Or ȝyt afferyt beyn in ilke affray—
Syk cummyrryt wightis suffir, I the say,
To haue ane hald and dwel heir in this land;
The cite salbe, as was first cunnand,
Acesta clepyt, eftir Acestes kyng.”
With syk wordis and prudent sermonyng
Of hys wyss agit frend, than Eneas
On all sydis gan ithandly cumpass
Quhat was to do; and as the dirk nycht
Rollyt hys cart ourthourt the polys bricht,
Eftir that all was went to rest and pace,
The ymage of hys fader Anchises
Gan from the hevin appeir, and but abaid
Ontil Eneas heth thir wordis said:
“O thou my child, derrer, so mot I thrive,
Quhil that I levit, than myne awin lyve;
O son, in Troiane fatis exercit sayrly;
Hiddir, at the command of Iove, cummyn am I,
Quhilk from thi navy stanchit the fyre,” quod he,
“And from hie hevin at last heth reuth on the.
Follow the counsale is maist ganand and heynd,
That agit Nautes gave the, thi trew frend,
And chose ȝong men of hart maste curagiouss
Turss in Itale with the, I tel the thus;
A dour pepill, and of conditioun fell,
The nedis in Latium ourcum in batell,
Bot first, of Pluto the infernale see,
And deip regioun of hell, behufis the se,
To cum and speke with me, myne awin son deir.
Be nocht agast, my child, and haue na feir,

232

For I am nocht withhald, I lat the wyt,
In Tartarus, the soroful hellys pyt,
Nor drery pottis deip of saulis paill,
Bot in the hailsum rowtis, furth of baill,
I dwel amyd the plane of Elyse.
The chaist virgyn Sibil wil convey the
The rycht way thidder, quhilk at thou sal tak
By blude offerit of mony bestis blak.
Thar sal thou lern all thi genolegy,
And quhat cite is to the destany.
Adew, as now na langar dwell I may.
The donk nycht is al maist rollyt away,
And the ferss Orient wil at I withdraw—
I feil the ayndyng of hys horssys blaw.”
Thus hes he said, and with that word, but mair,
Vanyst away, as the reik in the ayr.
And quhen Eneas saw him pass, he said,
“Quhidder bradis thou now sa fast, without abaid?
Quhidder hastis thou swa? Quhom fleys thou? . . . Me, allace?
Quhat is the let I may the nocht enbrace?”
Thus sayand the assys and coverit fyre bet he;
To Troiane Ingil, and the cannos Veste,
Within hys secret closet maid reuerence,
With hallowyt flour, deuotely, and incence;
Syne sone assemlyt his feris all in press,
Bot first of al the ancyant Acestes;
The wil and plesour of Iove schew thame cleir,
And eik the charge brocht by hys fader deir,
And tald thame planely his mynd and desyre.
Thai tary nocht at counsale, for this syre,
Acestes, was al reddy at command.
Than al tha folk quhilk list bide in that land,
For this new cite titil thai and writis;
The matronys first, and sik as nocht delytis
Nor hess in cure desyre of hie renoun,
Thai deput, and thai ordand for this town.
Thar hechis and thar ourloftis syne thai beit,
Plankis and gestis gret, squair and meit,

233

Into thar schippis ionand with mony a dynt,
In sted of thame war with the flambys brynt;
Thar cabillis new, and thar hed towis reparis,
And gan to forge newly wrayngis and ayris.
In numbir war thai bot a few menȝe,
Bot thai war quyk and vailliant in melle.
In the meyn tyme, Eneas with a pleuch
The cite circulit, and merkit be a seuch;
By cavillys syne the tenementis dyd depart;
Heir ordanys Ilion, and, in ȝondir art,
Of Troy commandis beld othir memoriallis.
Of this new cite and thir frendly wallis
Glaid wolx Troiane Acestes, and, but mair,
Did mak proclame thar merkattis and thar fair,
And all the hedismen gadderis and set doun,
Stabillis thar lawys and statutis for that town.
Syne, on the top of Erix the montane,
Full neir the lift, thai found, of marbill stane,
A tempil to Venus of Idalia,
And about Anchiss sepultur alssua
Ane hallowit schaw on breid as sanctuar
Plantit thai haue and stabillit prestis thar.
Eneas gan depart, and quhou Venus
Maid for hir son request to Neptunus.
Be this hass al the pepil, euery hyne,
The feste continewit fully days nyne,
And on the altaris, as was tho the gyss,
Thar offerandis endit and hie sacrifice.
The stabil ayr hass calmyt weill the see,
And sowtht pipand wyndis fair on hie
Challancis to pass on burd and tak the deip.
Bot quhen thai moste depart, lord, quhou thai weip!
Quhat huge waling rayss all the costis bay!
Brasand and halshand thai dwel al nycht and day.

234

And now thai moderis and thai onweldy men,
Quhom til, vmquhile, forto behald and ken
The seys figur was abhominabill
And eyk the forss tharof intollerabill,
Now wald thai wend, for all the seys rage,
Reddy to thoill al travale in vayage;
Quhom curtas Eneas with wordis frendly
Comfortis, and syne, wepand full tendirly,
Betaucht ontil Acest his cousing deir.
Thre velys tho, as was the auld maneir,
In wirschip of Erix he bad down quell,
And a blak ȝowe to god of tempestis fell;
Syne chargit hail thar cabillis vp belyve.
Hys awin hed warpit with a snod olyve,
Heich in a schippis forcastell dyd stand,
Haldand a cowpe of gold intil hys hand,
The bestis entralis in the see can swak,
And ȝet the cleir wyne furth in fludis brak.
From the eft schip vprays onone the wynd
And followit fast the see fararis behynd;
Eyk al the flote smate fast with arys the flude,
Kempand to welt our wallys as thai war wode.
In the meyn sesson Venus, al onflocht,
Amyd hir breist reuoluand mony a thocht,
Spak to Neptune with sik petuus regrate:
“Neptune,” quod scho, “the fel ire and consate
Of Queyn Iuno, with mynd insaciabill,
Constrenys me to condiscend thus stabill
In all maner of request and prayeris;
The quhilk Iuno nowdir lang days nor ȝeris,
Nor na divyne sacrifice, may appless;
Scho restis nevir, nor may scho leif at eyss,
Albeit the power and charge of Iupiter
Resistis scho wait, and fatis ar hir contrar.
Scho thinkis it nocht eneuch and sufficient
By wikkit malice to downbet and schent
And for euer put to distructioun
Master of the pepil of Frigia, Troys town,

235

And fortobe wrokin, be alkin panys,
Apon thar sary levingis and remanys;
Bot euer in ane ȝit stil persewis sche
The ded banys and cald assys to spulȝe
Of silly Troy, quhilk is to rewyne brocht.
A wondyr quhou scho may, intil hir thocht,
Of sa gret furour half the causys consaue!
Thi self is witnes quhou, laitly, our the laif,
Sa masterful storm amyd the Libiane see
Scho rasit sone, quhil vp to hevynnys hie
The fludis kachit war, and sair opprest,
Throu help of Eolus wyndis and tempest—
Sa gret wrang in thi realme durst scho excerss!
O this detestabil wikkitnes to reherss!
Lo, hes scho nocht, newlingis, sa schamefully,
The Troiane matronys maid byrn thar navy,
By hir wod rage? and ar, for falt of schippis,
In onkouth land left from thar falloschippis?
In tyme cummyng, I the beseik,” quod sche,
“Schaw thi mychtis, that salfly throu the see
It may be leifful thai thar salys set:
Grant at thai may alsso atteyn, but let,
The flude Tybir, throu Lawrent feildis slydis,
Admyt myne askyn, gif so the fatis gydis,
Or gif that my desyre may grantit be,
Or ȝit werd sisteris list geif thame that cuntre.”
Saturnus son Neptunus tho, I wyss,
That of the deip see fludis dantar is,
Ansuerit and said: “Citherea the fair,
It is resson, and ganand euermair,
Thou be assurit to rest at thi lyking
In my boundis and throw out al my ryng,
Quharfra thou hess thi first original,
As thi kynd grund and cuntre natural.
In othir placis als, furth of my land,
I haue deseruit thankis at thi hand,
And oft tyme hess sa gret curage, thou knawis,
Dantit baith of see and bustuus wynd at blawis.

236

To witnes draw I of this at I say,
Exanth and Symois, Troiane fludis tway,
That I na less cuyr tuke of thine Ene,
To salue him on the land, than on the see.
For quhen the ferss Achil persewit sair,
Chasand affrayt Troianys heir and thar,
The gret rowtis to the wallis thrymland,
Tofor his face half ded for feir trymland,
And mony thousandis on the grund layd ded,
The ryveris dittit with ded corpsys wolx rede,
Vndir bodeis bullyrrand; for sik multitude
Of slauchtir he maid, quhil Exanthus the flude
Mycht fynd na way to ryn onto the see;
Than, apon cace, with Achillis Ene
Matchit in fecht, nowdir of strenth or mycht
Equale be far, nor ȝit sa weil at rycht
Favorit of the goddis as Achillis, perfay,
By a dyrk clowd I staw thi son away;
Quhoubeit, the ilk tyme, my desyre was set
Law fra the grond al Troy forto down bet,
Tha maynsworn wallis biggit with my handis.
As twichand Ene, quhou evir the chance standis,
The sammyn wyss ȝit perseueris my mynd:
Haue thou na dreid, I salbe ȝit als kynd.
Onto tha havynnys he sal cum sovirly,
As thou desyris, and furthir him eyk sal I
Ontil Avern, clepit the louch of hell.
Ane sal alanerly be loste, I the tell,
Quham thou sal seik amang the fludis, dede;
For help of mony thar salbe gevin a hede.”
Eftir that with sik wordis Neptunus
Had mesit the mude of the goddes Venus,
Tho kan this fader of the see, but mair,
Hys horssis ȝok to draw his cart or chair,
With fomy bridill danting tha ferss bestis;
Thar renȝeis and thetys, at thame arestis,
With hys awin handys leit do slyp and slakkis,
And lichtly our the fludis croppis frakkis

237

Hys watry chair, furth fleand with a sownd,
Quhil al the wallis dowkis to the grownd;
Vndir the brayand quhelis and assiltre
The fludis strekis plane our al the see;
The bubbis and wyndy clowdis, heir and thar,
Gan fle onon furth of the large ayr.
Than of his court apperit figuris seir;
The hydduus quhalys, and al the rowtis in feir
Of agit Glaucus with his cannos hair,
And Palemon, Inoes son and ayr,
The swift Tritones with trump playand thar spryng,
Phorcus with al his falloschip and ofspryng,
And on hys left hand furth haldis Thetis,
With al the Nymphis hait Nereidis,
Sik as Melite, Spyo, Penopea,
Cymodoce, Nyse and Thalia.
Throu owt the flude merely salys Ene,
And Palynurus drownys in the see.
Glaidnes and comfort than, in to sum part,
Begouth to kittil Eneas thochtful hart.
“Heyss heich the cross,” he bad, “al mak thaim bown,
And fessyn bonnettis beneith the mayn sail down.”
Than al sammyn, with handis, feit and kneis,
Dyd heyss thar sail, and trossyt down thar teys;
Now the le schete, and now the luf, thai slak,
Set in a fang, and threw the ra abak;
Baith to and fra al dyd thar nokkis wry;
Prosper blastis furth careis the navy.
Befor the laif, as lodis man and lard,
And al his salis vp with fellon fard,
Went Palynure; and hail the remanent
Was chargit hald the sammyn courss and went.
Be than the donk nycht had run almaist evin
His myd courss or methis in the hevin,

238

And euery maryner, but langar kepe,
Thar bodeis restis with the plesand sleip,
Endlang the hechis lyand heir and thar is,
Or in thar hard settis lenand on ayris;
Quhen that the swift god of sleip gan slide
Furth of the starnyt hevin, by nychtis tide,
And dyd away the dirknes of the ayr,
Removing schadowit skyis maid al fair;
Onto the, Palynurus, hess he socht,
And the, al innocent, soroful slepis brocht.
Heich in the eftschip dyd this god appeir,
In figur of Phorbantus, a maryneir,
And frendfully gan warp sik wordis owt:
“Iasyus son, Palynur, luke about;
The sobir seys beris sownd our navy;
The wyndis blawis ful evin and rycht makly;
Thou may sovirly tak the ane howris rest,
Leyn doun thi hede and sleip, for that is best
Thi wery eyn thou prevely withdraw
From langsum laubour, and sleip a litil thraw,
And I my self sal glaidly in thi place
Beir thyne office, and steir a litil space.”
To quhom Palynur, skars liftand his eyn,
Ansuerd and said: “Quhat thing wald thou meyn?
Byddis thou me be sa nyce I suld mysknaw
This calm salt watir, or stabil fludis haw?
Wilt thou I traste this monstre perellus?
Or quhat in wyndis sa dissaitful til ws,
And this cleir hevin sa oft hes trumpit me,
Wald thou I lippynnyt the maist nobil Ene?”
Sik wordis he said, grippand the helmstok fast,
Lenand tharon, and by na way nor cast
Wald part tharfra, haldand his eyn ful evin
Ay tobehald the starnys in the hevyn;
Quhen lo! this god smate bath his tymplis twane
With a ful sleipry and bedyit grane,
Wet in the myndles flude of hell, Lythe,
And sowpit in Stix, the forcy hellys see;

239

Hys glotnyt and fordovirrit eyn two
He closyt hes, and sound gart sleip alsso.
Bot scarsly gan the first rest of sleip,
Or he was war, thus on his membris creip,
Quhen on him lenys this god, and tho he kneld,
And with a swak, as that the schip gan helde,
Ourburd him kest amyd the flowand see,
Richt al togidder with the helmstok of tre;
Than al for nocht apon his feris he cryis.
This god flaw vp lyke a bird in the skyis.
And nocht the less the schip held furth hir went,
As scho did ayr, throw the calm seys sprent,
But ony harm, and al the navy sone,
By the promyss of the fader Neptune.
With this almaste thai careit ar infeir
Onto the rochis and skelleis weill neir
Of Syrene, that we Marmadynnys clepe,
Dangerus vmquhile, for a mekil hepe
Of dede banys lay tharon ful quhite;
So gan the salt iawpis ythandly smyte
The holl rolkis, maid a sownd ful hayss.
Quhen Prince Ene persauyt, by his rayss,
Quhou that the schip dyd rok and tailȝeve
For lak of a gude sterisman on the see,
Him self hess than sone hynt the rudyr in hand
And throu the fludis steris the schip to land,
Bewaland gretly in his mynde pensyfe,
For that his frend was fal and lost the lyfe.
“Allace! our mekil thou lippynnyt hess,” quod he,
“Into the stabillit hevin and calmyt see:
Bair and onerdit, in ane onkouth land,
Palynurus, sal thou ly on the sand.”
Thus wepand said, and leyt his flote go large,
Quhill at the last, baith ballyngar and barge
Apon the cost that hait Ewboica
Arryvit neir the cite of Cuma.
Than to the streme thai turnyt thar forschip,
Kest down thar bewchit ankyrris, ferm of grip,

240

Into the raid, endlang the costis bay
Thar eft castellis gan mustyr in array.
And al the ȝongkeris spedis hastely
Onto the schore of Hisperia fast by.
Sum smytis fyre furth of the hard flynt stane;
Sum spedely to the thik wod ar gane,
In dern dennys, quharin wild bestis dwellis;
And sum dyd schaw the new fund springand wellis;
To beit thar mystir al bissy for the nanys,
Sum to this turn, sum to that, start atanys.
Heyr endis the fyft buke of Virgil in Eneados and begynnys sum preambleis in the sext buke tharof and first twiching the opinionys that the poetis and ald philosophouris had of hell and placis tharof

1

The Proloug of the Saxt Buke

Pluto, thou patron of the deip Achiron,
Fader of tormentis in thyne infernal see,
Amyd the fludis, Stix and Flagiton,
Lethie, Cochite, the watyris of oblivie,
With dolorus quhirling of furyus sistyris thre,
Thyne now salbe my muse and drery sang:
To follow Virgil in this dyrk poyse
Convoy me, Sibil, that I ga nocht wrang.
Quhat wenys fulys this saxt buke be bot iapis,
Al ful of leys or ald ydolatryis?
O hald ȝour pace, ȝe verray goddis apis!
Reid, reid agane, this volume, mair than twyss:
Considir quhat hyd sentence tharin lyis;
Be war to lak, less than ȝe knew weil quhat;
And gif ȝou list not wirk eftir the wiss,
Heich on ȝour hede set vp the foly hat.
“All is bot gaistis and elrich fantasyis,
Of browneis and of bogillis ful this buke:
Owt on thir wandrand speritis, wow!” thou cryis;
“It semys a man war mangit, tharon list luke,
Lyke dremys or dotage in the monys cruke,
Vayn superstitionys aganyst our richt beleve;
Quhat of thir fureis, or Pluto that plukkit duke,
Or cal on Sibil, deir of a revyn sleif?”
Wald thou I suld this buke to the declare,
Quhilk war impossibil til expreme at schort?
Virgil is ful of sentence our all quhare,
Bot heirintil, as Seruius gan proport,

2

Hys hie knawlage he schawis, that euery sort
Of his clausys comprehend sik sentence,
Thar bene tharof, set thou think this bot sport,
Maid gret ragmentis of hie intelligence.
In all his warkis Virgil doith discrive
The stait of man, gif thou list vnderstand,
Baith lif and ded in thir fyrst bukis fyve;
And now, intil this saxt, we haue on hand,
Eftir thar deth, in quhat plyte saulis sal stand.
He writis lyke a philosophour naturall;
Twichand our faith mony clausis he fand
Quhilk beyn conform, or than collaterall.
Schawis he nocht heir the synnys capital?
Schawis he nocht wikkit folk in endless pane,
And purgatory for synnys venyall,
And vertuus pepil into the plesand plane?
Ar al sik sawis fantasy and invane?
He schawis the way, evir patent, down to hell,
And rycht difficil the gait to hevin agane,
With ma gude wordis than thou or I kan tell.
Heir tretand vertu, taxis he pane for vyce,
Feil woful turmentis of wrachit catyvis sary,
Notabil histories, and diuerss proverbis wyce,
Quhilkis to reherss war our prolixt a tary;
Al thocht he, as a gentile, sum tyme vary,
Ful perfitely he writis seir misteris fell,
As quhou thir heithin childir thar werdis wary,
Wepand and waland at the first port of hell.
And, thocht our faith neid nane authorising
Of gentiles bukis, nor by sik heithin sparkis,
Ȝit Virgil writis mony iust clauss conding,
Strenthing our beleve, to confound payan warkis.
Quhou oft rehersis Austyne, cheif of clarkis,
In his gret volume of the Cite of God,
Hundreth versis of Virgil, quhilk he markis
Agane Romanys, til vertu thame to brod!

3

And of this saxt buke walis he mony a scor,
Not but gude resson, for, thocht Criste grund our faith,
Virgil sawis ar worth to put in stor.
Thay aucht not be hald vagabund nor waith—
Ful riche tresour thai bene and precius graith:
For oft by Sibilys sawis he tonys his stevyn;
Thus faithfully in his Bucolykis he saith,
The maide cummyth bringis new lynnage fra hevyn.
As twiching hym writis Ascencyus,
Feil of his wordis bene like the appostilis sawis;
He is ane hie theolog sentencyus,
And maste profound philosophour he him schawis,
Thocht sum his writis frawart our faith part drawis.
Na wondir! he was na Cristyn man, per De,
He was a gentile, and levit on payane lawis,
And ȝit he puttis a God Fader maste hie.
We trow a God, regnand in personys thre,
And ȝit angellis hevinly spiretis we call;
And of the hevinly wightis oft carpis he,
Thocht he belevit thai war not angellis all.
Quhil Cristis passioun, of Adam from the fall,
All went to hell, thocht all war nocht in pane:
Or Criste he wrait this buke, quhar reid ȝe sall
Distinit in hell specialy placis twane,
And principaly the sted of fell tormentis,
With seyr departingis in that laithly hald,
Ane other place quhilk purgator representis,
And, dar I say, the Lymbe of faderis ald,
With Lymbus puerorum, as I haue tald—
Schawis he not eik, by werkis meritory,
Quhou iust pepil, in welthis monyfald,
Raiosys, syngand sangis of hevynly glory?
And, as he twichis greys seyr in payn,
In blys, elike wyss, syndry stagis puttis he.
Quhat sal I of his wondir warkis sayn?
For al the plesance of the Camp Elyse,

4

Octauian, in his Georgikis, ȝe may se;
He consalis nevir lordschip in hell desyre,
Bot evir in hevin, intil sum his degre,
To cheyss his place, and not amang the fyre.
Quhat Cristyn clerk kouth hym haue consalit bettir?
Al thocht he was neuer Catholyk wight,
He hess writtin ful mony attentik lettir.
In that ilk buke he techis ws ful richt,
The warld begouth in veyr, baith day and nycht;
In veir he says that God als formyt man,
The son, the mone and all the starnys bright:
We grant in veir that first the warld began.
“Happy war he knew the causs of all thingis,
And settis on syde all dreid and cuyr,” quod he,
“Vndir his feyt at treddis, and down thryngis,
Chancis ontretabill of fatis and destane,
All feir of ded, and eik of hellis see.”
Happy he callys sik wightis, and sa do I.
Quhar may we swa optene felicite?
Neuer bot in hevin empire abone the sky.
Tyll write ȝou all hys tryit and notabil verss
Almaist impossibil war, and half invane,
For me behuffyt repeting and reherss
In seir placis the sammyn wordis agane.
This may suffice, I wil no mor sane:
Ane movar, ane begynnar puttis he,
Sustenys all thing, and doyth in all remane,
And, be our faith, the sammyn thing grant we.
I say nocht all hys warkis beyn perfyte,
Nor that sawlys turnys in othir bodeys agane,
Thocht we traste, and may preif be haly write,
Our sawle and body sal anys togiddir remane.
At thar bene mony goddis I wil not sane,
Thocht haly scriptur iust men “goddis” clepe.
Quhom cal I Pluto and Sibilla Cumane,
Hark; for I wil na fals goddis wirschepe.

5

Sibilla, til interpret propirly,
Is clepit a maid of goddis secret preve,
That hes the spiret divyne of prophecy.
Quha bettir may Sibilla namyt be
Than may the gloryus moder and madyn fre,
Quhilk of hir natur consavit Criste, and buyr
All haill the mysteris of the Trinite,
And maist excellent wark had vnder cure?
Thow art our Sibill, Crystis moder deir,
Prechit by prophetis and Sibilla Cumane;
Thou brocht the hevynly lynage in erd heir,
Moder of God, ay virgyne doith remane,
Restoring wss the goldin warld agane.
Sathan the clepe I, Pluto infernall,
Prynce in that dolorus den of wo and pane,
Nocht god tharof, bot gretast wrech of all.
To name the God, that war a manifest le;
Is bot a God, makar of euery thing—
I favour nocht the errour of Manache.
Set thou to Wlcane haue ful gret resembling,
And art sum tyme the minister of thundring,
Or sum blynd Ciclopes of thy laithly wra,
Thou art bot Iovys smytht, in the fyre blawing,
And dyrk fornace of perpetuall Ethna.
Thou wrocht na thyng, bot maid thi self a devill,
And that was not to mak, bot rather failȝe,
For Austyne says syn, myscheif or evill
Is nocht at all. For quhy? Thai nocht availȝe.
The dym dongeoun of Ditis till assailȝe,
Or in the lyknes this mysty poetry,
Help me, Mare; for certis, vail que vailȝe,
War at Pluto, I sal hym hunt of sty.
Heir endis the proloug and begynnys the saxt buke of Eneados

6

Ene aspyis Dedalus wark express,
And with Sibilla spak, the prophetess.
Qwil on this wyss ilk man occupyit was,
Reuthful Eneas bownys him to pas
Onone to serss the strenth and tempil tho
Dedicat ontil the myghty Apollo,
That feirfull gowsty cave far from the way,
And secret hald of Sibilla the may,
Quhais hait memor and resson oft infyrit
Delyus, the prophet divyne, and so inspirit
That scho the secretis fortocum did knaw.
With this thai entrit in the hallowit schaw
Of the thrynfald passynger Dyane,
And howss of brycht Apollo gold bigane.
The fame is so, that Dedalus, the wright,
Furth of King Mynos realm takand his flycht,
Sa bald was with swift fedrame, and happy
To aventur hym self heich in the sky,
And by a quent onvsyt way to knaw,
Towart the frosty poil artik he flaw;
Bot, at the last, softly he gan alicht
Of Chalcydonys apon the castell hicht;
And rendrit fyrst into thir landis, he
Offerit and hallowit, Phebus, onto the,
The fard and flycht of baith hys weyngis two,
And thar grathit a fair tempil alsso.
Apon the portis dyd he carve and grave
Androgyus slauchtir, falsly brocht to grave,
And for hys deth the vengeance and the wrake;
Quhou of Athenes commandit war, alake,
Twyss sevyn childir onto Creyt be send,
Perpetualy ilk ȝeir, a sair presand;
The dedly vrn stand porturat mycht thai knaw,
Owt of the quhilk the lottis warrin draw.
Forgane Athenes, a litil our the see,
The ile of Crete he wrocht, musterand ful hie

7

(The kingis cite thar hecht Gnosya),
Quharin he porturit als ful, wallowa!
The lufe abhominabill of Queyn Pasyphe,
Quhou pryvely with the bul forlane was sche;
The blandit kynd, and birth of formys twane,
The monstruus Mynotawr, doith thar remane,
Ane horribill takin of schrewit Venus wark.
Thar was alsso craftely schape and mark
That namekouth howss, quhilk Laborynthus hait,
Ful of wrynkkillit onreturnabil dissait.
Bot, netheless, Dedalus, cawcht piete
Of the gret luf of fayr Ariadne,
That was the kyngis douchtir, tawght ful rycht
Of this quent howss fortil omdo the slycht—
Quhou by a threid the subtell wentis ilkane
Thai myghtin hald, and turn that way agane.
And thou alsso, the ȝong child Icharus,
Quhilk son was onto this ilk Dedalus,
A gret part of this wark suld haue beyn thyne,
Gyf that the dolour and the huge pyne
Had sufferit hym to kyth his craft on the:
In gold to grave thi fall twyss etlyt he,
And twyss, for rewth, failȝeis the faderis handis.
Eneas tho, and al at with hym standis,
This sculptur al espyit had on breid,
Ne war Achates, quhilk befor him ȝeid,
Be than returnyt was, and with him brocht
The religyus woman quham thai socht,
Baith consecrate to Dyane and Phebus,
Hait Deiphobe, the douchtir of Glawcus,
Quhilk to the king sone spak apon this wyss:
“This tyme,” quod scho, “to stair and to devyss,
Govand on figuris, is not necessary.
Mair neidfull now it war, but langar tary,
Sevin ȝong stottis, that ȝok bur nevir nane,
Brocht from the bow, in offerand brittin ilkane,
And alsmony twyntyrris, as is the gyss,
Chosyn and ganand for the sacrifyss.”

8

On this wyss till Eneas spak Sibill,
And Troianys tareis nocht forto fulfill
Hir commandment, that, but langar delay,
The sacryfyis and offerand done haue thai;
And syne the nun to the hie tempill thame brocht,
Quhilk in maner of ane gret cave was wrocht,
Of Cuma holkit in the hillis side.
Ane hundreth entreis had it, large and wyde,
Ane hundreth durris tharon stekit closs,
Out at the quhilkis ruschit alsmony a voce,
Gevand responss onto this Sibilla.
Tho to the dur threswald cummyn ar tha,
Quhen that this virgyn said: “To ask answeris
Now is the tyme; lo, lo, the god me steris!”
And as scho gan sik wordis say and cry,
Without the entre standand, suddanly
Nowdir vissage nor cullour, as thai war air,
Remanys than, nor hir weil dressit hair,
Bot fast hir breist the breth dyd clap and bete;
Hir fers hart boldynnys vp ful grete,
Enragit of the sprete divyne alsso,
That of mair statur gan scho semyng tho;
Hir voce ne sovndis lyke a mortale wight;
For, with the goddis maieste and myght
Twichit and smyte, that drew hir mynde ful neir,
Hir hart pipis gan to flekkir and steir.
“Blyn nocht, blyn nocht, thou gret Troiane Ene,
Of thi bedis nor thi prayeris,” quod sche,
“For, bot thou do, thir gret durris, but dreid,
And grisly ȝettis, sal nevir warp on breid.”
And, with that word, scho cessit and no mor said.
The cald dreid gan tho Troianys invaid,
Thirland throu owt hard banys at euery part;
The king hym self than inkirly from his hart
Maid this oryson, and devotly said:
“O bright Phebus, that evir reuth has had
On Troys hard aduersite and wo,
Thow quhilk direkkit the Troiane dartis so

9

In Achillis body, schot by Parys hand;
This see, at goys about mony gret land,
Thou beand my gidar, entrit haue I,
And eyk the wilsum desert land Masylly,
Quhar the schald sandys strekis endlang the schor;
Now at the last, that fled ws evir mor,
The forther cost of Ital haue we kaucht,
Thocht, hiddertillis, hard fortoun hass omberaucht
The Troianys, and persewit onfrendfully.
Now all ȝe goddis and goddessis, quham by
Vmquhile was thocht gret Ilion ful of ioy,
And the schynand gloryus town of Troy
Semyng resist and gaynstand ȝour godhede,
Lesum it is to desist of ȝour fede,
And now to spair the puyr pepil Troiane.
O thou maist haly prophetess souerane,
Quhat is to cum hess knawlage of all thingis,
Grant at Tewcranys may dwel in Ital ringis,
For I ne ask na land, nor realm algatis,
Bot quhilk is grantit to ws by our fatis—
Schaw and declar for our goddis errand,
That cachit bene our mony see and sand,
Quhar sal thar resting place be to remane,
So eftir that to Phebus and Diane
Of sownd marbill tempillis beld may I,
And festual days for Appollo gar cry.
To the alsso, within our realmys, salbe
Mony secrete closet and revestre,
Quharin thi warkis and fatale destaneis,
Thi secret sawis, and thi propheceis,
Endite of my kyn and genolegy,
I sal gar kepe and obserue reuerendly;
And, O thou blissit woman, onto the
Wyss walit men sal dedicate and sacre;
So that thou write nocht on the levis thi wordis
For dreid al turn bot til a mok or bourdis,
Gif that the wynd thame skattir and blaw away.
Pronunce it with thyne awin mowth, I the pray.”

10

Tharwith he held hys pace and said no mor.
Bot than Sibill the prophetes, ful ȝor
Within the cave, as half enragit wight,
Kouth nocht contene of Phebus the gret mycht;
And evir the mair scho hyr enforcys ay
The gret god from hir breist dryve away,
The mor he gan invaid hir and infest,
Hir rageand mowth and fers hart, as him lest,
Danting at wil, and forgeand hir sayngis;
Scho was constrenyt to schaw al suthfast thingis.
The answeris and the wordys to and fra
Betwix Eneas and this Sibilla.
The hundreth gret durris of that howss, with this,
At thar awin willis warpit wide, I wys,
And brocht the prophetis ansuer to thar erys:
“O Eneas, that, eftir mony ȝheris,
Now finaly hess dryve to end,” quod sche,
“Sa mony huge gret dangeris of the see!
Bot on the land, I tel ȝou al and sum,
Far grettar perellis remanys forto cum.
The Troiane pepill to the realm of Lavyne
Sal cum (that is determyt be goddis dyvyne;
Out of thi mynde sik dowtis do away),
Bot forthirmor, I wil onto the say,
Quhen thai the grond of Italy haue nummyn,
Thai sal desyre neuer thiddir to haue cummyn.
Batalis, horribil batalis, to conclude,
I now behald, and Tibris, the gret flude,
For gret habundance of blude on spait walx reid.
Nowdyr Exanth nor Symois in that sted
Sal thou myss, nor ȝit the Grekis army.
Thou sal befor the fynd in Italy
Ane othir Achil, born als of a goddes,
Nor Iuno, Troianys persewar expres,

11

Sal neuer mair failȝe in ȝour contrary.
And quhen thou art thar, as thou waldbe cary,
Of succurss and of help al desolate,
Quhat pepill, and quhat citeis than, God wait,
In Ital salt thou beseik of supple!
Few sal remane onrequerit, trast me.
The causys of al this myscheif and pane,
Ane othir woman, a fremmyt gest agane
For the Troianys, is tobe spowss and wed,
A strange bride, or scho be brocht to bed.
Withdraw the from na perellis, nor hard thrist,
Bot evir inforss mair strangly to resist
Agane dangeris, than fortune sufferis the.
Ȝour first reskew of succurss and supple
Furth of a Gregioun cite salbe schaw,
Quhilk thou leste wenys, a wondir thing to knaw.”
Furth of hir secret closet, thus onane,
Sik sawis warpis this Sibilla Cwmane,
Horribil answeris, ful dowtsum to consave,
Quhar as scho sat rumysand in hir cave,
In subtel wordis of obscurite
Involupand the trewth and verite;
For on sik wyss Apollo hir refrenys,
Bridillis hir sprete, and, as him list, constrenys,
From hir hart pipis his fers brod withdrawing.
As the divyne fury gan first sessing,
And eik hir ragiand mowth begouth to rest,
Godly Eneas begynnys als prest,
And said: “Virgyn, na kynd of pane may ryss
Onknaw to me, of new that may me gryss;
Or now I am warnyt of al sik chance,
And hess thame rollit in my remembrance.
Bot a thing I beseik the and requeir;
Sen the entress and port, thai sai, bene heir,
Of the infernal king, and the layk dyrk
Of Acheron, gorgeit with fludis myrk,
Thocht it be rycht difficil, ȝit grant me
Thai quent realmys I may behald and se,

12

And cum onto my deir faderis sight;
Thiddir the passage, and al ways rycht,
Do teche me, and tha secret portis onschet.
I hym delyuerit amyd from flambis het,
And on thir schulderis careit him away,
A thousand speris followand to assay,
From myd ennymeis brocht him to salfte;
In my vayage, accumpaneit with me,
He went throu owt al seys and strange strandis,
All maner perrellis of fludis, stremys, and sandis,
And stormys of the hevin, thocht he was waik;
He sufferit and sustenyt, for my saik,
Ful huge pane, as he had beyn a page,
Abufe the strenth and common curss of age.
And forthir he me chargit and gan beseik
To the, lady, I reuerently suld seik,
And pass hiddir to thi sted and dwelling place.
Haue reuth now, haly woman, schaw sum grace
Baith to the son and fader, I requeir,
For thou may do all thing, I wait, but weir—
Ne not but gude resson, ful weil I knaw,
Beside Avernus, our hir hallowit schaw,
Proserpyn maid the patron and mastres.
Gif Orpheus mycht reduce agane, I gess,
From hell his spousis gost with his sweit stringis,
Playand on his harp of Trace sa plesand springis;
Or gif Pollux redemyt his broder Castor,
As he that was immortal get and boyr,
Partyng with him his immortalite,
Athir for other sufferand forto de,
That ych of thame, by coursis alternate,
Sa oft gais and returnys that gait;
Is it nocht anys lesum I pass that way?
Of Thesyus quhat nedis mair to say,
Or of the strang maste dowchty Hercules,
Quhilk thiddir went with sa gret forss and press?
Am I nocht eik discend from Iupiter?”
Sik prayer maid he, grippand the altar,

13

Quhil thus begouth the prophetess speke agane:
“Of goddis blude, Anchises son Troiane,
It is richt facil and eith gait, I the tell,
Forto discend and pass on down to hell;
The blak ȝettis of Pluto and that dirk way
Standis evir oppin and patent nycht and day:
Bot tharfra to return agane on hyght,
And heir abufe recovir this aris licht,
That is difficil wark, thar lawbour lyis.
Ful few thar bene, quhom heich aboue the skyis
Thar ardent vertu hass rasit and vphyeit,
Or ȝit quhom equal Iupiter deifyit,
Thai quhilk bene gendrit of goddis, may thidder attayn.
Al the myd way is wildirnes onplayn,
Or wilsum forest, and the laithly flude
Cochytus, with his drery bosum onrude,
Flowis enveroin rownd about that place.
Bot gif sa gret desyre and luf thou hass
Twyss til our sayll of Stix the dedly layk,
And twyss behald blak hellis pyt of wraik,
Or sa huge laubour delytis the,” quod scho,
“Harkyn quhat first behuffis the to do.
Amyd a rank tre lurkis a goldin bewch,
With aurial levis, and flexibill twystis tewch,
Onto Iuno infernal consecrate,
That standis lowkit abowt and obumbrate
With dirk schaddowis of the thik wod schaw.
Bot it is na wyss lesum, I the schaw,
Thir secret ways vndir the erd to went,
Quhil of the tre this goldin grayn be rent;
Fair Proserpyn hess institut and command
To offer hir this, hir awin propir presand.
Ane other goldin grane, to the ilk effect,
Thou sal nocht myss, thocht the first be down brek;
Incontinent evir of the sammyn mettall
Sik a lyke branch sal burgion furth withall.
The nedis, tharfor, to hald thine eyn on hight,
It forto serss and seik; syne all at right,

14

Quhen it is fund, thou hynt it in thi hand.
For, gif it list, esely that sammyn wand,
Of the awin will, sal follow thi grip fut hait,
Gif so the fatis wil thou pass that gait;
Or ellis be na strenth thou sal it ryve,
Nor kut in twa with wapyn, sword or knyve.
And mair atour, beforn the in the place,
At thou ne wait, of thi deyr frend, allace!
Onerdyt lyis of new the ded body,
That with hys corps infekkis al thi navy,
The self tyme slane thow askand our answer
And in this place remanys with ws heir.
First se that hym to hys lang hame thou haue,
And, as efferis, gar bery law in grave.
Til his funeral entyre, or sacrifyss,
Do bring the blak bestis, as is the gyss;
Lat tha be ȝour first expiationys,
And clenging graith, eftir ȝour serymonys.
So at the last, of Stix the cayrful schaw,
And realmys wilsum for levand men to knaw,
Thou salbehald,” quod scho, and tho gan sess,
Hir mowth clappit to giddir, and held hir pess.
Of Mysenus entyrment at was slane,
And quhou Eneas fand the goldin grane.
Ene, with drery cheir and eyn down cast,
Levand the cave, furth on his way is past,
And in his breste gan rollyng all on raw
Thir onkouth chancis, wondir strange to knaw.
Achates, hys traste frend, furth by hym went,
Ilk step and payss musyng the sammyn entent,
Ful mony diuerss sermondis betwix thame two
Talkand and carpand oft quhar as tha go,
Dowtsum quhilk of thar feris this mycht be
The prophetes thame tald was done to de,
Or quhat corps was this scho thame bad bery.
And, as thai come apon the strandis dry,

15

Thai gan behald, ligging in the ilk sted,
Mysenus new slane be onworthy ded,
Mysenus, Eolus son, nane mair cunnand
Ostis to assembill with brasyn trump in hand,
That with his sovnd and weirly blastis oftsyss
The martial curage maid in brestis ryss.
Sum tyme he was ane of gret Hectoris feris;
About Hector evir hantit he the werys,
Now blawing with hys trump maste craftely,
Now with a speir ionand hys mastir by.
Eftir Achil reft him the lyfe in wer,
Til dowchty Ene this forcy chyvaler
Adionyt hess him self in falloschip,
A man of na less prowes nor wirschip.
Bot now, percace, with his boyss trump as he
Went onprovisitly blawand by the see,
To stryfe prouoking the goddis with his springis,
Gif it be lesum to trast sa schameful thingis,
Triton the god, havand tharat dispite,
Or he was war, hym hyntis and dyd smyte
Amang the fomy rolkis law adown,
And in the salt wallys the man gan drown.
Quharfor about his corps with gret clamour
The Troianys stude murnand, and maid dolour;
Bot principaly the rewthfull Eneas.
Sibillais heste, as he commandit was,
Tho sped in haist forto perform weping;
For the sepulcre funerale fyre or byng,
Ane hepe of treis thai press onone to dycht,
And vp onto the hevynnys rayss on hight.
Ontil ane ancyent forest socht thai then,
Entrand in mony dern wild bestis den;
Ful of roset down bet is the fyr tre,
Smyte with the ax dyd rayr the akis hie,
Gret eschin stokkis tumlys to the grond,
With weggeis schydit gan the byrkis sovnd,
The felloun elmys weltis down the hillys.
Ene him self alsso, with ful gude willys

16

Into sik warkis, with the first, al day
For tobe bissy gan hys feris pray,
With lwme in hand fast wirkand lyke the laif;
And in hys breste gan to and fra consaif,
Ful hevely, thir materis war betyde,
Behaldand the large wod on athir syde,
Thar as he stude thus makand hys prayer:
“Wald God ȝon goldyn branch list now appeir,
And kyth the self to ws in this forest!
Sen lo, al thing the prophetes exprest
Of the, Mysenus, ar our trew, allace!”
Skars war thir wordis said, quhen, in that place,
A payr of dowis fra hevin come with a flycht,
And richt forgane the mannys face dyd lycht,
And on the grene sward thar place tuke law.
This rial prynce, alssone as he thame saw,
His moderis byrdis knew, and blithly than
Hys orison hess maid, and thus began:
“O haly fowlys, gif the way may be went,
Be ȝe my gydis to compleit myne entent.
Address ȝour courss throu owt the ayr in hy
Onto that haly schaw, with soyl myghty,
Quhar as that rych branch the grond ourheildis.
And ȝe, my blissit moder, that our beild is
Into this dowtsum cace, be nocht away:
I ȝou beseik be favorabill to our way.”
And prayand thus, efter the spamen werd,
He prentit baith his futsteppis in the erd,
Behaldand redly quhat syngnys thai schaw,
Or quhidder thai mark, etand, pasyng on raw.
Thai at the last gan flychtir furth a space,
Half stalkand on the grond a soft pace,
Sa fer befor Achates and Ene
As thai mycht weil behald thame with thar e.
And alssone as thai come to the entre
Of Avernus, that stynkand hellys see,
Vprayss thai swyftly, and in the moste ayr
Flaw furth, and syne gan alycht and repair

17

Apon thar segyss, quhar thame list tobe,
Of diuerss naturis perkit on the tre,
Throw quhais branchis, of seir hewis mony ane,
The brycht glittyrrand goldin cullour schane.
Lyke as ful oft, in chil wyntiris tyde,
The gum or glew, amyd the woddis wide,
Is wont to seym ȝallow on the grane new,
Quhilk nevir of that treis substance grew,
With saffron hewit frute doyng furth sprowt,
Circulis and wymplis rownd bewis abowt—
Siklyke was of this gold the figur brycht,
That burgionyt fayr on the rank akis hycht.
Evir as the branch for pypand wynd reboundit,
The goldin schakeris ratlis and resoundit.
Eneas smertly hynt the grayn at schone,
And but delay hess rent it dovn anone;
Desyrus to compleit hys way alssua,
Bair it onto the hald of Sibilla.
And netheless Troianys, this ilk tyde,
Mysenus deth bewalit at the cost syde,
Onto the dolorus onsilly body
Funeral seruyce completand by and by.
At the begynnyng first vp hie thai beild
A huge munge or byng amyd the feild,
Of dry ayk schydis and fat roset treys;
Al sydis tharof, als fer as ony seys,
Was dek and coverit with thir dedly bewis,
And wild cipress, the tre of mortall hewys;
The top abufe arrayt was at richt,
And adornyt with schynand armour bricht.
Sum spedis to graith hait watir bissely
In caldronys playand on the fyre fast by;
The cald ded corps is weschin and invnct,
Enbalmyt with rich gummys euery iunct.
Thai schowting, gowling and clamour abowt him maid;
The body syne bewalit haue thai laid
In a soft bed, and thar abuf was spred
Purpour robbis, quharwith he wont was cled.

18

Sum on thar schulderis the gret beir vpbair,
A dulful office, with mony sob and rayr,
And, as the maner of tendir frendis is,
For sorow thar facis writhis away, I wys,
Puttand the kyndling in with hait fyre brand.
Gret hepis of censs vpblesit fra hand to hand;
Cowpis and goblettis, warpit in the fyre,
Ful of oyl dolyve, brynt vp brycht and schire.
Efter all was fallin in puldir and in ass,
And the gret heit of flambis quynchit was,
The reliqueis and the dry ammeris syne
Thai sloknyt, and gan weschin with sweit wyne.
The banys, walit by and naitly chosit,
Choryneus in a brassyn twn hess closit;
And this ilk man his feris al, but dowt,
With cleyn watir clengit thryss abowt,
Strinkland a litil dewing, as was the gyss,
With the branch of a happy olyve thryss;
He purgit and aspergit weil the men,
The lattir word, “Al in done!” said he then.
Eneas tho gart vp erekkit be
A sepultur, of ful huge quantite,
In takynnyng of the mannys instrumentis,
Ane ayr and eik a trumpet tharon prentis,
Vndir the mont, vmquhile Aeryus
Was clepit, quhilk now is hait Mysenus,
Eftir his name callit perpetualy,
That evir sal his memor testify.
Of Eneas sacrifyis be nycht,
And quhou to hel he tuk the way ful rycht.
This beand done, Sibillais commandment
Ene addressis perform incontinent.
Thar stude a dirk and profound cave fast by,
A hidduus hoill, deip gapand and grisly,
All ful of cragis and of thir scharp flynt stanys,
Quhilk was weil dekkit and closit for the nanys

19

With a fowle layk, als blak as ony craw,
And skuggis dym of a ful dern wod schaw,
Abufe the quhilk na fowle may fle but skath.
Exalationys or vapouris blak and laith
Furth of that dedly golf thrawis in the air,
Sik wyss na byrd may thiddir mak repair;
Quharfor Grekis Avernus clepis this sted,
The place bot fowlis to say, or pyt of ded.
Heir first Ene, at this ilk entre vyle,
Fowr ȝong stottis addressit, blak of pyle;
The nun Sibilla ressauys thame, and syne
Amyd thar forhedis quhelmyt on cowpis of wyne,
And of thar top, betwix the hornys twa,
The ovirmast haris hass scho pullit awa,
And in the haly ingil, as was the gyss,
Kest thame, in maner of the first sacrifice,
Apon Hecate cryand, with mony a ȝell,
Mychtful in hevin and dym dungeon of hell.
Sum slevit knyvis in the bestis throtis,
And otheris, quhilk war ordand for sik notis,
The warm new blude keppit in cowp and peyss.
Ene him self a ȝow was blak of flece
Brittnnyt with hys sword, in sacrifice ful hie
Onto the moder of the fureys thre,
And hir gret systir; and to the, Proserpyne,
A ȝeld kow all to trynschit; and eftir syne
To the infernal kyng, quhilk Pluto hait,
Hys nycht altaris begouth to dedicate;
The hail bowkis of bestys, bayn and lyre,
Amyd the flambys kest and haly fyre;
The fat oly dyd he ȝet and peyr
Apon the entralys, to mak thame byrn cleir.
Bot lo, a litill befor the son rysyng,
The grond begouth to rummyss, croyn and ryng,
Vndir thar feyt, and woddy toppys hie
Of thir hillys begyn to move thai se;
Amang the schaddowys and the skuggis mark
The hell hundys hard thai ȝowl and bark,

20

At cummyng of the goddess Proserpyne.
Sibilla cryis, that prophetess dyvyne;
“All ȝe that bene prophane, away, away!
Swith, outwith al the sanctuar hy ȝow, hay!
And thou,” quod sche, “hald on thi way with me.
Draw furth thi swerd, for now is neid, Ene,
To schaw thi manheid, and be of ferm curage.”
Thus far scho said, smyte with the godly rage,
And tharwith entris in the oppynnyt cave;
Eneas onabasit, fra all the lave,
Followis his gide with equale pays ful rycht.
O ȝhe goddis, in quhais power and mycht
The sawlis beyn, and ȝhe dern skuggis dyrk,
Confusyt Chaos, quharof all thing beyn wirk,
Skaldand hellis flude, Flagiton, but lycht,
Placis of silence and perpetuall nycht:
Mot it be leful to me for to tell
Tha thyngis quhilkis I haue hard said of hell,
And, by ȝour myghtis, that I may furth schaw
Seir thingis drynchit in the erd ful law,
And deip envoluyt in myrkness and in myst!
Thai walking furth sa dyrk, oneth thai wyst
Quhidder thai went, amyd dym schaddowys thar,
Quhar evir is nycht, and nevir lyght dois repar,
Throwout the waist dongion of Pluto kyng,
Thai voyd boundis, and that gowsty ryng—
Siklyke as quha wald throw thik woddis wend
In obscure licht, quhen moyn may nocht be kend
As Iupiter, the kyng etheryall,
With erdis skugg hydis the hevynnys all,
And the myrk nycht, with hir vissage gray,
From every thing hess reft the hew away.
Befor the porch and fyrst iawys of hell,
Lamentatioun and wraikfull Thochtis fell
Thar lugyng had; and thar at dwellis eyk
Pail Maladeis that causys folk be seik,
The feirful Dreid, and als onweldy Age,
The fellon Hungir with hir ondantit rage;

21

Thar was alsso the laithly Indigence,
Terribill of port and schameful hir presence,
The grysly Ded at mony ane hess slane,
The hard Laubour, and diseysful Pane,
The slottry Sleip, Dedis cousyng of kynd,
Inordinat Blithnes of peruersit mynd:
And in the ȝet forganyst thame dyd stand
The mortal Batall with hys dedly brand,
The irne chalmeris of hellys Fureys fell,
Witless Discord, that wondryng maist crewell,
Wymplit and buskit in a bludy bend,
With snakis hung at euery harys end.
And in the myddis of the vtyr ward,
With braid branschis spred our al the sward,
A rank elm tre stude, huge gret, and stok ald—
The wlgar pepil in that sammyn hald
Belevis thir vayn dremys makis thar duellyng;
Vndir ilk leif ful thik thai stik and hyng.
Thar beyn eik monstreis of mony diuerss sort:
The Centawres war stablit at this port,
The dowbil porturat Scilla with thame infeir,
Bryareus with ane hundreth formys seyr,
The bysnyng best, the serpent of Lerna,
Horribilly quhysland, and quent Chymera
With fyre enarmyt on hir toppys hie,
The laithly Harpyes, and the Gorgones thre;
Of thrynfald bodeys gaistly formys dyd grone,
Baith of Erylus and of Geryon.
Eneas smartly, for the hasty dreid,
Hynt furth hys swerd in this place, and, gud speid,
The drawin blaid he profferis thar and heir
Onto tha monstreis, evir as thai drew neir;
And war not his expert mait Scybilla
Tawcht him thai war bot voyd gaistis all tha,
But ony bodeis, as wandrand wrechys waist,
He had apon thame ruschit in gret haist,
And with his bytand brycht brand, all invane,
The twme schaddowis smyttyn to haue slane.

22

Tyll hellys fludys Ene socht neddyrmar,
And Palynurus, hys sterysman, fand thar.
Fra thyne, strekis the way profund onone
Deip onto hellys flude of Acheron,
With holl bysme and hydduus swelch onrude,
Drumly of mud, and skaldand as it war wod,
Popland and bulrand furth on athir hand
Onto Cochitus all his slyke and sand.
Thir ryveris and thir watyris kepit war
By ane Charon, a grisly ferryar,
Terribil of schap and sluggart of array,
Apon his chyn feil cannos harys gray,
Lyart feltrit tatis; with burnand eyn red,
Lyk twa fyre blesys fixit in his hed;
Hys smottrit habyt, owr his schulderis lydder,
Hang pevagely knyt with a knot togiddir.
Hym self the cobill dyd with hyss bolm furth schow,
And, quhen hym list, halit vp salys fow.
This ald hasart careis owr fludis hoyt
Spretis and figuris in hys irne hewyt boyt,
All thocht he eildit was, or step in age,
Als fery and als swippir as a page;
For in a god the age is fresch and greyn,
Infatigabill and immortall as thai meyn.
Thiddir to the bra swarmyt all the rowt
Of ded gostis, and stud the bank abowt,
Baith matronys and thar husbandis all yferis,
Ryal pryncis, and nobill chevaleris,
Smal childering, and ȝong damysellis onwed
And fair springaldis laitly ded in bed,
In fader and moderis presence laid on beir.
Als gret numbir thiddir thikkit infeir
As, in the first frost eftir hervist tyde,
Levis of treys in the wod doys slyde;
Or byrdis flokkis owr the fludis gray
Onto the land seikand the nerrest way,

23

Quhom the cald sesson cachis owr the see
Into sum benar realm and warm cuntre.
Thar stude thai prayand sum support to get,
That thai mycht with the formast owr be fet,
And gan vp heving petuusly handis twa,
Langand tobe apon the forthir bra.
Bot this soroful boytman, with brym luyk,
Now thir, now thame, within his veschel tuke,
And other sum expellit, and maid do stand
Far from the ryvage syde apon the sand.
Awondrit of this sterage and the press,
“Say me, virgyn,” quod Ene, “or thou cess,
Quhat menys sik confluence at this watir side?
Quhat wald thir sawlys? Quhy nyl thai nocht byde?
Quhilk causis beyn, or quhat diuersite,
Sum from the brays thame withdraw I se;
And other sort, eik, of thir sawlys ded
Rollys owr this ryver, cullorit as the led?”
Thys ancyant relligius woman than,
But mair delay, to answer thus began:
“Anchises get, heynd child, curtass and gude,
Discend ondowtabill of the goddis blude,
The deip stank of Cochitus doith thou se,
And eik the hellis puyll, hait Stix,” quod sche,
“Be quhais myghtis the goddis ar full laith
And dredis sair to sweir, syne fals thar aith.
All thir thou seis stoppit at the schor
Beyn helples folk, onerdit and forlor;
Ȝon grysly ferryar to name Charon hait;
Thai beyn all bereyt he careys in hys bayt.
It is not to him lefull, he ne may
Thame ferry owr thir rowtand fludis gray,
Nor to the hydduus ȝonder costys haue,
Quhil thar banys be laid to rest in grave.
Quha ar onbereit ane hundreth ȝer mon bide,
Waverand and wandrand by this bankis syde;
Than, at the last, to pass owr in this boyt
Thai beyn admyt, and costis thame not a grote,

24

And frely may behaldyn or espy
Tha lakis, quhilkis thame langis to vissy.”
Anchises son tho styntis a litil stownd,
And baith his futsteppis fixit in the grond,
Musyng in mynd sum deil, sad in a part,
And of this hard forton kauch rewth in hart.
Thar saw he, dolorus and wofull of cheir,
But funeral seruyce, nevir laid on beir,
Lucaspes and Orontes, baith twane,
Quhilum masteris of the schyp Lyciane,
Quham baith yfeir, as said befor haue we,
Saland from Troy throw owt the wally see,
The dedly storm ourquhelmyt with a quhiddir,
Baith men and schip welt vnder flude togyddir.
Lo, Palynurus eyk, his sterysman,
Amang otheris fast to the watir ran,
Quhilk laitly saland in the Libyane see,
As that he gan behald the starnys hie,
Togidder with the helmstok, quhar he stude,
Owr schipburd swakkit was amyd the flude.
And skarsly as he, Ene, gan hym espy,
Amang dirk skowgis standand full drery,
First he him gretis, sayand to him thus:
“Quhilk of the goddis, O Palynurus,
The ws bereft, and drynt amyd the see?
Quhow tyd that cace? Declar me, I pray the.
For certis, bricht Apollo nevir or now
Was fals to me; bot I wait neuer how
Of hys answer twiching the he ravyt,
And hess my mynd tharin al hail dissavit;
That schew thou suld hailskarth owr the see
Onto the grond of Ital cum,” quod he.
“Se, thus his lawte and promyt is keip!”
The tother answeris with a petuus peip:
“Maist worthy duke, Anchises son sa deir,
Nowder hath the of Phebus the answer,
Vndir his secrete cortyne, so dissave,
Ne ȝit na god sa far hass me bywave,

25

Nor drownyt in the deip, as ȝe beleve.
Bot, as I slaid our burd to my myscheve,
The helmstok, or gubernakil of tre,
Quharwith I rewlit owr courss throu the see,
Lenand tharon sa fast, per cace it threw,
And rent away owr burd with me I drew.
The wally seys to wytnes draw I heir,
That for my self tuke I nane sa gret feir
As of thi schip, quhom that I knew ful quyte
Spulȝeit of hir graith, and lodysman furth smyte,
Dreding scho suld haue perist in sik neid,
Owr the huge swelland fludis rayss on breid.
The sowth wynd Nothus thre days me drave
Throw owt the see, with violent wallys wave;
Skarss on the ferd day at morn dyd I spy,
Heich from the wallys croppis, Italy.
Huly and fair onto the cost I swam,
And tho almaist in surte cummyn I am,
Ne war the crewel pepil of tha landis,
As that I grippit with my crukit handis
The scharp rolkis toppys at the schoyr,
In hevy wayt frog stad, and chargyt soyr,
Thai gan with irne wapynnys me invaid,
Wenyng a spy that I had beyn, thai said,
From thar cuntre sum pray to dryve away.
So now I am bedyit in fludis gray,
And wyndis warpis my corps apon the strandis,
Quhar for I pray the, hevand vp my handis,
And be the plesand light of hevyn requiris,
And be the hailsum ayr at thou inspiris,
And be thi weilbelovit fader dyng,
And gud hope of thi ȝong sonnys ofspryng;
O thou onvenquyst valyant champyoun,
Delyuyr me fra thir gret harmys onon,
Or, at the leist, grave me in sepulture,
Sen weil thow kan and may perform that cur;
Speir to the portis quhilkis Velynos hayt;
Or gyf thar may be fundyn ony gayt,

26

Quhilk thy blyssit moder hess the techit rycht,
Reke thy rycht hand onto this wrechit wight,
And haue me with the our thir fludis red;
So, at the leist, I may, eftir my ded,
Into sum plesand sted remane and rest—
For I beleve fermly thou nocht addrest
Sa large fludis but goddis authoryte,
Nor Stix this layk fortil owr swym,” quod he.
Quhen that he had thir wordis said express,
Syk answer til hym maid the prophetess:
“Palynurus,” quod scho, “thou sary syre,
Quhiddir is becummyn sik ondantyt desyre
To the, and ferss will sa onressonabill?
Wenys thou, onerdyt now, and thus onhabill,
Owr Stix the hellys puyll sik wyss to fair,
And grysly fludis, abowt quham doith repar
Thir dreidfull fureys, to behald and se?
Oncallyt, on the ȝondyr bra wald thou be?
Desist, and cess to weyn with thy prayer
The goddis decrete at thou may brek or steir.
Bot now inprent in thy ramembrance
Thir wordys, in solace of thy hard chance.
Quhar thy body is at this tyme present,
For feir tharof, the pepil adiacent,
By wondir takynnys from the hevynnys schaw
Constrenyt, sal bygrave thy banys law,
And on thy corps erect a sepultur,
Doyng tharto solempnyt funeral cur;
Palynurus to name that place for thy
Sal bar, and clepit be perpetualy.”
With thir wordis assuagyt hys hevy thocht,
And fra hys sorofull hart, as that he mocht,
Sum deil expellyt hess the dolorus cayr,
Reiosyt of the grond hys surname bayr.
Quharfor Eneas and Scybill, baith tway,
As thai begunnyn had, held furth thar way.

27

Owr Stix the flude quhou that Ene dyd fair,
And Cerberus in cave hard ȝell and rayr.
And as thai gan approch toward the flude,
This churlych boyt man, on Stix quhar he stude,
Alsswyth as he persavit thame cum swa
Throw the darn wod, and draw nerar the bra,
First with sik bustuus wordis he thame grat,
And, but offence, gan thame chidyng thus plat:
“Quhat evir thou be, that cummys enarmyt so
Towart owr fludis, quhiddir etlys thou go?
For quhat causs come thou hyddir? Tell me tyte;
Stand styl thar as thou art, with mekill syte.
Press na forthir, for this is the hald richt
Of gaistis, schaddowys, sleip, and dovyrrit nycht:
Onlefull war, and ane forbodyn thing,
Within this passyngear our Stix to bryng
Ony levand wight. Certis, in myne entent,
I am nocht glaid ȝyt of the last sa went,
Nor that I careyt Hercules owr this layk,
Ne Thesyus, and Pyrothous hys mayk,
All thocht thai war cummyn of goddis lynage
And invynsibill of strenth and vassallage.
For this ilk Hercules, with hys stalwart handis,
The grym wardane of hell strenyt in bandis,
And drew hym trymlyng from the kyngis trone.
The tother twa gret violence wald haue done;
The fresch Proserpyne, Plutois lady gay,
Furth of hir bowr begouth to led away.”
To hym agane this answer maid express
Of Amphrisya Phebus prophetess:
“Do all suspicioun furth of thy consate;
Heir is,” quod scho, “nane sik gyle nor dissate;
Na violence owr wapynnys doith pretend.
Weill lykis ws, it doith ws not offend,
Thocht in hys cave ȝour hydduus portar
Ȝowland affray the ded gaistis evyrmar;

28

We stand content, it sufficyth ws alssua,
That ay remane the chaste Proserpina
Within hir fader broderis boundis and ryng.
Bot heir is cummyn, of Kyng Troas ofspring,
Eneas, full of piete and knychthed,
To vissy hys luffit fader, quhilk is ded,
Discendit to the law skuggis of hell.
Of sa gret vertu and piete, quhilk I tell,
Gyf na considerance may the move,” quod sche,
“At leist thou knawys this goldin granyt tre,”
And with that word the branch schew and omdyd,
That pryvely vndir hyr clok was hyd.
The rageand hart, all ful of wraith and ire,
Than wolx appesit of this laithly syre,
And but ma wordys or langar delay,
Awondryt of the presand fresch and gay,
Thys fatale wand sa precyus was, I meyn,
That he tofor a lang tyme had nocht seyn,
Hys watry hewyt boyt, haw lyke the see,
Towart thame turnys and addressis he,
And gan approch onto the bra in haist,
Syne othir sawlys expellit hess and chast
Furth of hys bayt, quhilk sat endlang the wayll.
He strekyt sone hys ayris, and grathis his saill,
And tharwithall the byg weghty Ene
Within his veschell boddum ressavis he.
Vndir the paysand and the hevy charge
Gan grane or geig full fast the saymyt barge,
Sa ful of ryftys, and with lekkis perbrake,
Scho suppit huge watir of the layk.
Bot, at the last, owtour the flude ȝit than
Salfly scho brocht baith prophetess and man,
And furth thame set amyd the fowl glar,
Amang the fawch ryspys harsk and star.
Cerberus, the hydduus hund, that regioun
Fordynnys, barkand with thre mowthis sown,
Onmesurabill in hys cave quhar he lay
Richt owr forgane thame in the hie way;

29

Quhom till the prophete, behaldand quhou in hy
Hys nekkis wolx of eddyrris all grysly,
A sop, stepyt intil hunny alsfast,
And of enchantit cornys maid, gan cast.
For hungyr wod, he gapys with throtis thre,
Swith swellyand that morsell raucht had sche,
And tho hys terribyll body with a rerd
He tumlys owr, liggyn on the erd;
Of huge statur and fellon quantite,
Our all the cave furth strekit him hess he.
The circulyt ways in hell Eneas saw,
And fand Queyn Dido in the myr tre schaw.
Thus quhil the portar in sleip sowpit lyis,
The entre tho Eneas occupyis,
And owr the fludis bank ful swyftly sprent,
Quhais passage is onreturnabill went.
Onon thai hard seir vocis lamentabill,
Gret walyng, quhympring, sprachis miserabill.
In the first cyrkill, or the vtyr ward,
Ȝong babbys sawlys weping sor thai hard,
Quhom the hasty and blak duylful day
Sowkand thar moderis pap had reft away,
From the swete lyfe twynnyt ontymusly,
As cayrful corps plungit in grave gart ly.
Nixt thame, the secund place tha folkis hess
Wrangwysly put to ded for cryme sakless.
Nor, sykkyrly, thir settis to ilke wight
War nocht assignyt but iuge, doym and rycht,
For Kyng Mynos, inquistour and iustice,
The fatale vrne and ballance at device
Rewlys equaly, and be discretioun steris
To consale and to iugement as efferis;
The silly gostis callys in that secret cage,
Baith of thar life and crymys takkand knawlage.

30

Syne eftir thir, al sory and full of cayr,
The thryd place haldis, and sal evir mayr,
Giltles folk, that for disdene, wo or fed,
With thar awin handis wrocht thar self to ded,
And irkit of the life at thai war in,
Thar sweit sawlys maid fra the body twyn.
O, quhat penuryte and hard distres infeir
Wald thai now suffir tobe in this warld heir!
Bot the fatis and goddis decrete gaynstandis
That thai may nevir return onto thir landis:
The woful puyl with watyr onlufly
Withhaldis thame, so at thai may nocht go by,
And Stix, the flude, bylappis thame abowt
Nyne tymys, sa closs at thai sal nevir wyn owt.
Nocht far from thens, wide quhar on euery syde,
Thai mycht behald the large fieldis wyde
And boundis of Complaynt, all voyd of lycht
(Sa beyn thai clepit properly at rycht),
Quharin war all by strang lufe in thar days
With sik crewel infectioun wastit away is,
The hydlys held thai and the roddis darn,
A myr tre wod about thame lowkyt ȝarn;
Thar paynfull musyng and thar hevy thocht,
Eftir thar ded alsso, forȝet thai nocht.
Thar was Phedra, the spowss of Theseus,
And Procrys eyk, the wyfe of Cephalus;
In that ilke sted was trist Eryphyle—
Hir crewell sonnys wondis schawys sche;
Evadne he beheld, and Laodomya,
And Pasyphe in falloschip with tha,
And Ceneus, first a wench and syne a man,
In hyr ald schap eftir ded changit than.
Amang otheris the Phenyssyane Dido
Within the gret wod walkis to and fro,
The greyn wound gapand in hir breist all new,
Quhom as the Troiane barroun nerrer drew,
And throw the dyrk schaddowis first dyd knaw—
Sikwyss as quha throw clowdy skyis saw,

31

Or, at the leist, wenys he heth do se,
The new moyn quhen first vpwalxis sche.
The terys leyt he fall, and tendyrly
With hartly lufe begrat hir thus in hy;
“O fey Dido, sen I persave the heyr,
A sovir warnyng, now I knaw ful cleir,
Was schawin me, at thou with swerd was slaw,
Byreft thi self the lyfe, and brocht of daw.
Allace, I was the causar of thy ded!
By al the starnys schynys abone our hed,
And be the goddis abone, to the I swer,
And be the faith and lawte, gif ony heir
Trewth may be fund deip vndir erd,” quod he,
“Malgre my wyl, Prynces, sa mot I the,
From thy costis depart I was constrenyt.
Bot the commandment of the goddis onfenyt,
Quhais gret mychtis hess me hyddir dryve,
To pass throwout thir dirk schaddowis belyve,
By gowsty placis, welch savorit, must and hair,
Quhar profund nycht perpetual doith repar,
Compellit me from the forto dissevir;
Nor in my mynde ymagyn mycht I nevir,
For my departing or absens, I wyss,
Thou suldist kaucht sa gret dyseyss as this.
Do stynt thy payss! Abide, thou gentil wight,
Withdraw the not sa sone furth of my sight!
Quham fleist thou? This is the lattir day,
By werdis schape, that with the speke I may.”
With sik wordis Eneas, full of wo,
Set him to meyss the sprete of Queyn Dido,
Quhilk, all inflambit, ful of wreth and ire,
With acquart luke glowand hait as fyre,
Maid him to weip and sched furth teris wak.
All fremmytly frawart hym, as he spak,
Hir eyn fixit apon the grond held sche,
Moving na mair hir curage, face nor bre,
Than scho had bene a statu of marbil stane,
Or a ferm rolk of Mont Marpesyane.

32

Bot finaly, full swyft scho wiskis away,
Aggrevit fled in the darn woddis gray,
Quhar as Sycheus, hir first spowss, ful suyr
Corespondis to hir desyre and cuyr,
Rendring in lufe amouris equiualent.
And, netheless, fast eftir hir furth sprent
Ene, perplexit of hir sory cace,
And weping gan hir follow a weil lang space,
Regratand in his mynd, and had piete
Of the distress that movit hir so to fle.
The ward of worthy weyrmen now Ene
Beheld, and heir with Deiphobus spak he.
Wyth al his speid fra thens he tuk the gayt
That was ontil him grantit by hys fayt.
And sone thai warin cummyn to the plane
And lattir wardys, quharin dois remane
Valyant folkis in feild and chevalry,
Tha secret stedis hantand by and by.
Heir him recontrit Parthenopeus,
And intil armys valyant Tedeus,
The pail gost eik of Adrastus the king.
Thar saw he als, with huge greyt and murnyng
In mydlerd oft menyt, thir Troianys
Duryng the sege that into batale slane is,
Quhom as he gan behald wydequhar on raw,
Ful tendirly complenyng, thar he saw
Glawcus, Medontus and Thersylocus,
Anthenoris thre sonnys, and Polybetus
Onto the goddess Ceres consecrate;
Ideus saw he in his ald estate,
Baith rewland ȝit his cart, and wapynnys weildand.
Onto Eneas left side and rycht hand
The sawlys flokkis, circulyt in a rowt.
Not sufficyt thame to spy him anys abowt,

33

Bot, desiring he tareit evir mair,
Furth with him forto walkin and repar
Weil lykis thame, towart him fast to thring,
And to inquire the causs of his cummyng.
The nobillis eik of Grekis, one by one,
With the gret rowtis of Agamenon,
Alssone as thai the stalwart Troiane saw
In brycht armour amyd the schaddowis law,
Gretly afferd war smyte with fellon dreid.
Sum gave the bak, takand the flycht gude speid,
As quhilum thai onto thar schippis socht;
Sum rasyt a cry with waik voce, as thai mocht;
Bot al for nocht, thar clamour was ful skant,
The sovndis brak with gasping or a gant.
Syne Deiphobus, quhilum armypotent,
Kyng Pryamis son, with body tor and rent,
Thar he behald, and crewel maglit face,
Vissage menȝeit, and baith hys handis, allace!
Halfhedis spulȝeit, of stowyt his erys tway,
By schaymful wound hys ness cuttit away.
With gret difficulte he him skarsly knew,
Trymlyng for lak, eschamyt red of hew,
As that he mycht, hydand hys fellon woundis.
Ondemandit, with frendly wordis and sovndis
Ene hym grat, sayand: “Of gret renown,
Deiphobus, armypotent champyoun,
Quha hess, allace! the marthyrit swa and slane
By sa crewel tormentis and hydduus pane?
Quhou euer was ony sufferit the sa to dight?
It was me tald, of Troy the lattir nyght,
Thou, wery and forfochtin in that sted
For sa feil Grekis be thi dyntis ded,
Abuf the hepe of ded corpsis ourane
Fell down for bled, thar standing thyne allane.
Than I my self, fra this was to me schaw,
Down at the ness Rethe, by the costis law,
A voyd tumbe rasyt, and with lowd voce thryss
Apon the wrethis and wandrand gaistis cryis.

34

Thy armys and thy name that place doith hald.
My frend, thy body kouth I nocht behald
Nor fynd, thocht I wald it haue gravit eft,
The tyme quhen I our natyve cuntre left.”
Kyng Pryamis son maid answer: “Suyth is it,
Na thing, my deir frend, dyd thou pretermyt;
All that thou aucht to Deiphobus, ilk deill
Thou hest perfurnyst worthely and weil,
As to my berial and sprete appertenyt.
Bot my hard fatis war wers than thou wenyt,
For the detestabil cursyt wikkytnes
Of Helyn born in Lacena, I gess,
Hass me involuyt in thir harmys ȝe se—
Thir ar hir last luf drowreis left with me.
Ful weil thou wait quhou that the lattir nycht
In fals myrthis we spendyt, euery wight
(Allace the quhile, our gret mater of cayr
Behuffis ws hald in memor euermar),
Quhen that the fatale horss, to our ennoy,
Com speland owr the hie wallys of Troy,
With belly chargit ful of armyt men.
That strang lurdane than, quham weil ȝe ken,
The Troiane matronys hedis in a ryng,
Fenȝeand to Bachus feste and karellyng;
Amyddis al the laif a gret fyre brand,
Byrnand ful cleir, scho haldis in hir hand,
Quharwith, out from the master streyt of Troy,
The Grekis dyd scho bekyn and convoy.
This ilk tyme me, with hevy curis lang
Of irksum weir and sad, slumrys strang
Oppressyt, for my walkyn mony fald,
My fey chalmer gan my body hald.
Fordoverit as I lay in to that sted,
In swete profound rest of sleip lyke soft ded,
That notabil spowss furth of hir lugyng place,
This meyn sesson, al armour dyd arrace;
My trasty sword fra vnder my hed away
Stall scho, and in the place brocht Menelay;

35

The chalmer durris oppynnyt scho in hy
Wenyng to wyrk a hie plesour tharby
To hir first luffar, and hir ald schame
Tharthrou to quynche, and recovyr gud name.
Quhat suld I tary, or ȝou langar hald?
The Grekis ruschit in the chalmyr thikfald;
Amang al otheris sammyn thiddir spedis
That schrew prouocar of all wikkyt dedis,
Eolus nevo, cursyt Vlixes sle.
On siklyke wyss as thar thai dyd with me,
Gret goddis mot the Grekis recompens,
Gif I may thyg avengeans but offens!
Bot say me this agane, frend, altogidder,
Quhat aventur hess brocht the levand hydder?
Quhidder wavyt wilsum by storm of the see,
Or at command of goddis, cum thou?” quod he,
“Or quhat fortoun doith the cach and steyr,
That to this sory hald thou cummys heir,
To vissy this trublyt dym regioun,
Quhar evir is nycht, and nevir son ȝit schon?”
Sibilla carpand tyl Ene gan tell
The tormentis of deip drery paynful hell.
The quhile as thai thus carpyt to and fra,
Hir rosy charyot the fresch Aurora
Amydwart of the hevynnys assiltre
Begouth fortil vproll and rayss onhie.
The myd declynyng of hir cowrss was went,
And thai, percace, on sik wyss mycht haue spent
The tyme compleyt was for thar iourne grant;
Bot sone hym warnys Scibilla the sant,
His trew marrow gan schortlie to him say:
“The nycht, Eneas, slydis fast away;
Weping the howris we consume and waist;
Heir is the place quhar owr passage inhaist

36

Departit is, and sched in stretis twane.
This way, towart the rycht hand, strekis plane
To the hie wallys of Schir Ditis kyng;
It is our reddy went, quhilk sall ws bring
Onto the plesand playn of Elyse.
This other gait, on the left hand ȝe se,
Convoys onto the sted of fell torment,
Quhar dampnyt schrewis in Tartarus ar sent
In woful pyt perpetual to remane.”
Than Deiphobus maid this answer agane:
“Beis nocht agrevit, souerane nun, I pray,
I sal no langar dwel, bot go my way:
I sal compleyt my numbir furth,” quod he,
“And to dym schaddowis rendrit sall I be.
Pass on, pass on, our wirschip and renown,
Mair prosper chance to hant go mak the bown!”
Thus fer spak Deiphobus, and, with that saw,
About turnyt hys payss, and gan withdraw.
Eneas blent him by, and suddanly
Vndir a rolk at the left syde dyd spy
A wondir large castell, strang and stowt,
With wallys thrynfald lappit rownd about,
Quham the grysly Tartareane Flagiton,
That ravenus flude, closys enveron,
With watir blesand brym in fyry low,
And rolland stanys rumland deip and how.
The port in foirfront was ful huge gret;
Of ferm adamant war the pillaris bet,
Sa that na forss of men mycht thame down myne,
Nor ȝit the strenth of goddis with strang ingyne;
Ane irne towr stude beildit wondir hie,
Quhilk semyt forto reke vp in the skye.
Tysiphone, that furyus monstre wild,
In bludy caip revestit and oursild,
Sittys kepand, but sleip, baith nycht and day,
That sory entre and this porch alway.
Tho begouth thai first in this sted to heyr
Murnyng, granyng, gowlyng and duylfull beir;

37

Feil crewell strakis smytyn hard thai sovnd,
Frasyng of irne fettris and chanys rovnd.
Ene gan him arrest, in mynd within
Al abasit, herknand this feirfull dyn.
“O haly virgyn, say furth now,” quod he,
“Quhat kynd of grysly turment may this be?
In quhat punytioun, panys and distress
Beyn sawlis ȝondir strenȝeit, prophetess?
Quhat menys this bruyt, weping and woful cryis,
With sik walyng semys fordyn the skyis?”
Scibilla thus begouth answer agane:
“O wirschipfull and gentil duke Troiane,
It is nocht lesum to nane innocent wight
Within boundis of wikkytnes or onrycht
Til entir, nor attayn to neir that ȝet,
Bot the first tyme Proserpyn maid and set
Me mastress of Avern, hir hallowit schaw,
The goddys turmentis gan scho to me schaw
And me convoyit thar throw euery sted.
This maist dolorus realm to steir and led
Hess Radamanthus, vmquhile of Creyt kyng,
Haldand maste scharp and sayr lawys in hys ryng;
Chastiand folkis, speris thar offence express;
By turment thame compellis thar cryme confess,
Synnys committit abufe in the erd,
Quham ony, ioyand to thar awin wanwerd,
But proffyt doith conseil, hyde or delay,
Onamendit quhil dedis lattyr day.
Syk wikkyt and condampnyt wightis, als tyte
As thai cum in that dolly pyte of syte,
Tysyphone, the wrekar of mysdedis,
With quhip in hand al reddy fast hir spedis
Thame to assail, to tor, skurge and bete,
And with hir left hand terribil eddyrris gret
Thik at thame swakkis; syne to pyne thame, doith call
Of fel torment the rowt of systyrris all.
And tho at last with horribil sovndis trist
Tha wareit portis, iargand on the hirst,

38

Warpit vp braid. Lo, ȝondir may thou se
Quhat kynd wardane syttis in the porch,” quod sche,
“And quhou terribill of contenans and cheir
Thou hir behaldis kepis the entre heir;
Ane mair feirful monstre and mair fell,
Ane vgly serpent, syttis within ȝon hell,
With fyfty hydduus blak throtis gapand.
And forthir eik ȝon Tartarus ay trymland,
Quhilk is of hell the dirk dungeon and pyt,
Dippis twyss als holl down, I lat the wyt,
Semyng so law vnder the erth reke,
As that our sight may vp to hevynnys streke.
Tharin the ancyant lynage of the erd,
Thir gyantis hait Tytanas, be wanwerd
With thundris blast dovn smytyn and ourthraw,
Ar warpyt in ȝon pottis boddum law.
Thar saw I eyk Aloes twynnys twane,
Othus and Ephialtes, bredir germane,
With huge bodeis, that pressyt dovn to rent
With thar handis the large firmament,
And by thar forss begouth expell the kyng,
Hie Iupiter, furth of his hevynly ryng.
Thar I beheld Salmoneus alsswa,
In crewel torment sufferand mekil wa,
For that he gan to contyrfet him cast
Gret Iovis fyre and hevynly thundris blast.
By horssis four furth rollit was his char,
Secret condytis of fyre smytand sayr,
Throwout the pepil of Greyss and of Arcad,
Amyd the cite of Elys, blith and glaid,
Prowd and haltand in hys hart, walkyt he,
And as a god bad honorit he suld be;
For that, intil his dotage and fuyl heyt,
By sownd of brass and stampand stedis feyt,
He maid hym forto feyn a simylitude
Of clowdis blast and rumland thundir rude,
Quhilk on na wyss aucht tobe contyrfet.
Bot the hie fader almychty from hys set

39

Throw thyk clowdis at hym hys dart dyd thraw,
Nowder blak fyre brand, nor reky flambys law,
Bot suddanly, with a fel bless of thundyr
Threw hym to grond and smayt him al in sondyr.
To Tytyos thar was I schawin in deid,
With body speldyt nyne akyr on breid,
That fostyr child vmquhile was cleyp and call
Onto the Erth, quhilk moder is of all.
Ane hydduus grype with bustuus bowland beyk
Hys maw immortal doith pyk and owrreik,
Hys brudy bowellys torryng with huge payn,
Furth rentyng all, hys fuyd to fang full fayn,
Vndir his cost holkand in wail law,
And sparis nocht to rug, ryfe and gnaw:
All thocht the entralis springis new ilk day,
Thai get na rest, the fowle hess thar hys pray.
Quhat suld I rekkyn tha pepil of Thessaly,
That Lapytas ar hait, for gluttony
Distroyt all? Of Ixion to tell,
Or Pyrothous, quhat nedis langar dwell?—
Abuf quhom hyngis blak quhyn stanys gret,
Ay semand reddy to fall and thame to bete.
Befor Tantalus, and ane othir sort,
The goldin trestys schynand standis ourthwort,
Vndir ryche tablys dight for maniory,
Quharon, forgane thar face, is set reddy
All danteys langand tyl a kyngis fest.
Bot ane the gretast Fureys gan arest,
Syttand tharby, and hungyr in thame blawys,
And netheless thar handys scho withdrawys,
So that the mesys twichyn dar thai nocht;
As that thai mynt tharto, than all onflocht
With hait fyre brand in hand vp dois scho ryss,
Fleyis thame with flambe, grym luke and vgly cryiss.
Thai beyn alsso within ȝon pyt turment
Quhilk at thar bredir envy held or haitrent
Quhil that thai levyt in this present lyfe;
And tha quhom by, throu thar deray and stryfe,

40

Thar faderis warryn chasyt in exile;
All tha that ony falset, slyght or gyle
Aganys thar seruandis or famyliaris wrocht;
And tha that, only setting all thar thocht
Apon thar rychess quhilk wonnyn thai haue,
Tuke nocht thar nedis tharof, nor na man gave,
Of quhom ȝondir beyn ane ful huge rowt;
And all tha for adultry schent, but dout;
And tha that movyt wrangwyss batall or weyr;
Tha not eschamyt thar promyss to forswer,
Brekand lawte plight in thar lordys hand:
All sik inclusyt ar ȝondyr, abydand
Every day new panys perpetualy.
Speir not at me, for nocht declar can I,
Quhat diuerss kyndis of torment ȝondir thoil thai,
Nor ȝit quhat sort of payn is deput ay
For ilk trespass: to rekkyn I tak na keip
Quhat mysforton thame plungis in ȝon deip.
For sum weltris a gret stane vp the bra,
Of quhom in numbir is Sisyphus ane of tha;
On quhelis spakis speldyt otheris hyngis.
The maist wrechit of all princis and kyngis,
Phlegyas, vmquhile kyng of Thessaly,
All mortale wightis admonysys with his cry
And lowd voce throw the dyrk awytnessyng:
‘Be myne exampill all wightis, prynce and kyng,
Lernys,’ quod he, ‘to hant iustice and rycht,
And not contem the goddis strentht and mycht.’
Thar syttis eik, and sal syt evir mair,
The fey onhappy Thesyus, full of cair.
Sum ȝondir beyn, for reddy gold in hand,
Sald and betrasyt thar natyve realm and land,
And tharin brocht a myghty tyrrant strang;
Sum otheris eik, for pryce or meid to fang,
That lawys maid and onmaid, as thame list.
Thar beyn alsso, ful sorofull and tryst,
Thai quhilk thar dochteris chalmer vyolate,
Or, havand na regard to thar estate,

41

Forbodyn or incestuus mariage
Gan hantyng by ondantit lustis rage.
And schortly, all durst ymagyn or compass
Mastirfull wrang, myscheif or wykkytness,
Or ony sik consait brocht to effek,
Heir evyrmar the charge lyis on thar nek.
All thocht ane hundretht scharp tungis had I,
Ane hundreth mowthis forto clepe and cry,
Tharto my voce war strang as irne or steill,
All kynd of vicis to comprehend, half deill,
Nor all the namys of tormentis and of panys
I mycht nocht rekkyn, that in ȝon hald remanys.”
Quhou finaly Scibilla and Ene
Com to the plesand plane of Elyse.
Fra that the ancyant nun of Dan Phebus
Thir wordys endyt had, and spokkyn thus:
“Haue done,” quod scho, “now tak thi way express,
Perform thy wark quhilk thou begunnyn hess:
Speid ws fordwart, for ȝondir, lo, I se
Of Plutois chymmys the byg wallys hie,
Forgyt of irne full craftely and bet
Be the Ciclopes furth of thar furnace het;
Eik I behald, lo, heir forgane our facé
Tha portis with thar stalwart bow or brace,
Quhar our instructioun techis ws ful plane
This presand thar to leif and goldyn grane.”
Thus said scho, and onon tharwith baith tway
Gan walkyn furth throw out the darn way,
And sone our passyt hess the myddill space,
Approchyng to the portis of that place.
Eneas baldly sprang in at the ȝet,
Hys body strynkillit, or a litil wet,
With cleir spryngand watir ran tharby;
Forgane thame eik, at the entre, in hy

42

The goldyn branch he stykkis vp far and weill.
This beand done at last, and euery deil
Perfurnyst langyng the goddess gyft gay,
Ontil a plesand grond cummyn ar thai,
With battil gyrss, fresch herbys and beyn swardis,
The lusty orchardis and the hailsum ȝardis
Of happy sawlys and weil fortunat,
To blissyt wightis the placis preparat.
Thir feildis beyn largiar, and hevynnys brycht
Ravestis thame with purpur schynand lycht:
The starnys, for this place conuenient,
Knawis weil thar son and obseruys his went.
Sum thar, amyd the gresy planys greyn,
Into palestral plays thame betweyn
Thar membris gan exerss, and hand for hand
Thai fal to werslyng on the goldyn sand,
Assayand honest gemmys thame to schort;
Sum other hantyng gan ane other sport,
As forto dansyng, and to leid the ryng,
To syng ballatis, and go in karalyng.
Thar was alsso the preist and menstrale sle,
Orpheus of Trace, in syde rob harpand hie,
Playand proportionys and spryngis dyvyne
Apon his harp, sevyn diuerss sovndis fyne;
Now with gymp fyngris doyng stryngis smyte,
And now with subtel evyr poyntalis lyte.
Heir was the nobil kyn and ancyant strynde,
The maist dowchty lynage sprang be kynde
Fra Kyng Tewcer, campyones souerane,
Into mair happy ȝeris born ilkane;
Thar was Ilus, and eyk Assaracus,
And the begynnar of Troy, Schir Dardanus.
On fer Eneas and als Sibilla
Awondrit war, and mervellis baith twa
The armour and the men for tobehald,
And voyd charyotis of thir chyftanys bald.
Thar sperys stikkyng in the erd dyd stand;
Wydquhar al lowss owr feildis and the land

43

Pasturyt thar horsis, rakand thame fast by;
For quhat plesour of armys or chevalry,
Or quhat cuyr to address thar cart or wedis,
To fedyng and to dant thar sleik swail stedis,
Thai hantyt quhil thai levyt heir alyve,
The sammyn solace, be thai man or wyfe,
Ȝit doith thame follow vndir the erth stad.
And lo, ane other sort, ful blyth and glaid,
On athir hand behaldis Eneas,
At bankat on the greyn herbys set was,
In loving of the goddis ioyusly
Ympnys of pryce, triumphe and victory
All syngand glaid togydder in falloschip
And pryncipaly Apollo to worschip;
Within a wod of lawrer greyn thai dwell,
Fragrant of sweit odour and hailsum smell,
Quhar throw the schawis scheyn in strandis seir
Erydanus, the hevynly ryver cleyr,
Flowys contyrmont and vpwart to the lift.
Within this place, in al plesour and thryft,
Ar hail the pissance quhilk, in iust batal,
Slane in defens of thar kynd cuntre fell;
And al thai preistis and religius wightis
Quhilk levyt chaste cleyn lyfe, as to thame rycht is;
And al godlyke devote prophetis trew,
That suythfast thyng worthy to Phebus schew;
And thai quhilkis, by thar craftys or science fyne,
Fund by thar subtel knawlage and engyne,
Thar lyfe illumynat and annornyt cleir;
And tha by merytabil dedis and gyftis seir
That maid otheris hald thame in memory—
Of al thir war the tymplis by and by
Arrayt with a fresch garland snaw quhite.
And as thai flokkit abowt Ene, als tyte
Syk wyss onto thame carpys Sibilla,
Bot principaly to Museus, ane of tha,
Was stad amyddis of the mekill rowt,
As sche beheld hym with big schulderis stout:

44

“O ȝhe so happy sawlys, tellith me,
And thou, maste souerane poet, schaw,” quod sche,
“In quhat regioun and place bene Anchises?
Hyddir for his saik come we, and with gret press
Hess oursalit of hell the gret fludis.”
This ryall lord in few wordis concludis,
And ansuerit thus: “Frend, certane dwelling nane
In this cuntre haue we, bot all ourane
Walkys and lugis in thir schene wod schawys,
Endlang thir ryver bankis all on rawys;
Thir bene our settis, and beddis of fresch flowris
In soft bene medowis by cleir strandis all howris
Our habitatioun is and residens.
Bot gif ȝour mynd langis to haue presens
Of Anchises, pass vp ȝone swyre fut het,
I sall ȝou lyghtly in the hie way set.”
And sayand thus, befor thame furth went he,
And can thame schaw, apon the hill on hie,
The schynand planys full of all plesance.
Agane returnys he, and thai avans,
Fra thyne discending from the hillis hyght,
Quhar thai at last of Anchises gat syght.
Quhou that Eneas with hys fader met,
And athir othir with frendly wordis gret.
The meyn sesson thys Anchises, the prynce,
Intill a wondir grene vaill full of fence
Sawlys inclusit, quhilkis war forto wend
To myddil erd and thare in bodeis ascend,
Can rekkyn, and behald attentfully
Hail the nowmyr of hys geneologye,
His tendir nevoys and posterite,
Thare fatis, and thare fortonys euery gre,
Thare conditions, thare strenth and hardyment.
And sone as he persavys quhar that went

45

Forganyst him, cumand throu gresy sward,
Hys derrest son Ene with hasty fard,
Baith his handys ioyfull furthstracht he than;
The teris trynglyng our his chekis ran,
And fra his mouth slydis thir wordis myld:
“Thou art cummyn at last, my deir child!
Thy gret piete, and kyndnes weil expert
Onto thy fader, causyt the and gart
This hard vayage venquyss and ourset!
Quhat, is it grantit me? Ha, sall I get
A verray sight, luffit son, of thy face?
And grantit ws to carp or talk a space,
To heir and render frendly wordis knaw?
Within my mynd ymagynyt I on raw
Swa suld betyde, and weil belevit I
Thou was tocum, and the tyme by and by
I calculit and comptit quhen that suld be,
And my consait hes nocht dissauyt me.
O God, throu quhou feill landis braid and large,
Quhou mony seys ourcareit in thy barge,
Efter quhou feil dangeris with storm oft schaik,
I now ressaue the heir, deir son, allaik!
Quhou gretlie dred I of Lybie that ryng
Suld the haue hyndrit, and harmyt in sum thing!”
Eneas answeris: “Fader, thy drery gost,
Sa oft apperand, maid me seik this cost:
In Tyrrhean sey abydis our navy.
Grant me, fader, now grant me by and by,
We athir may with other handis schaik—
Fra myne embrasyng withdraw the nocht, allaik!”
And sayand thys, tendyrly wepit he,
Baithyng hys face in terys gret plente.
On this wyss talkyng, or thar wordis sessit,
With hys lang armys thryss Eneas pressit
About hys halss hym forto haue belappit,
And thryss, invane, hys handys togidder clappit:
The figur fled as lyght wynd, or son beym,
Or mast lykly a waverand sleip or dreym.

46

Duryng this tyme Eneas gan aduert
Within a vail fer thens closyt a part,
Quhare stude a wod with swouchand bewys schene,
The flude Lythee flowand throu the fair grene;
About the quhilk pepill onnowmerabill
And silly sawlys fleys fast, but fabill,
Quhil all the feildis of thare dyn resoundis—
Lyke as, in medowys and fresch florist boundis,
The bissy beys in schene symmeris tyde,
On diuerss colorit flouris skalit wide,
Flokkis about the blomyt lylleis quhite,
And other fragrant blosummys redymyt.
Mysknawyng quhat this ment, Eneas wight
Becam abasit of the soddane syght,
And can inquir the causys of this cace,
Quhat war tha fludys far befor hys face,
Or quhat bene tha men in syk numbyr swa
With so gret fard flokkit to athir bra.
Tho quod hys fader Anchises: “All ȝon be
Thai sawlys quhamto, by the fatis hie,
Bene other bodeis eftir this yschape,
Quhilk drynkis ȝondir, or thai may eskape,
At ȝone ryver and the flude Lythee,
The sikkyr watir but curis, trastis me,
Quharby oblyvyus becum thai als tyte,
Forȝetting pane bipast and langsum syte.
Forsuyth, I purpos furthwith to declare,
And schaw befor thy face now standand thar,
The sawlys all, and numbyr in thy presens,
Quhilkis ar tocum of my stok and discens;
So that the mair glaidly with me tharby
Thou may reioss to haue fund Italy.”
“O fader,” quod Eneas, “quhidder or nay
Is that tobe belevyt at ȝhe say,
That souerane saulys from this place sall wend,
Onto the warld abufe or erd ascend?
Quhy may thai nocht in this swete stede remane,
Bot sal return in slaw bodeis agane?

47

Quhat cursyt covatyce causith wrachit wightis
So to desyre our life and drery lightis?”
“I sal the schaw forsuyth the causs,” quod he,
“My derrest son, and sal no wyss hald the
Thochtfull in mynde, ne doutsum by na way.”
Tharwith Anchises baith hys eyn twa
Gan lyftyng vp, and towart hewyn behald,
And euery thing per ordour thus he tald.
The seir punitioun of sawlis in purgatorye,
And quhou thai pass syne to the flude Lythe.
Fra the begynnyng, all thing less and mar,
The fyry regioun, the erth, and the ayr,
The plane flowand boundis of the sey,
The lyghtnyt monys lamp that lemys hie,
The hevynnys starnys, and bryght sonnys ball,
Ane spreit thar is within, sustenys all:
In euery part the hie wysdome dyvyne
Diffundit movys this warldis hail engyne,
And by hys power mydlit is our all
This mekil body clepit vniuersal.
Fra this infusioun, and thir elementis seir,
Baith kynd of man and best cummys, but weir,
All leving foulys fleying in the ayr,
All fyschis, and the monstreis doith repar
Vndre the slekit sey of marbill hew.
A hait fyry power, warm and dew,
Hevinly begynnyng and original,
Beyn in thar sedis quhilk we saulys call,
Sa far as that thir noysum bodeis cald
Nocht tareis thame tharfra, nor doith withhald,
Nor withdrawis from souerane hevinly kynd:
Thar erdly lymmys, and eik thar irksum mynd,
Throu thar mortal membris euer deidlike,
Dullith thar curage and thar spretis godlyke.

48

Fra the quhilk cummys to al mankynd, that thai
Dredis, desiris, murnys or ioys ay;
Nor, in the dyrk mansioun and preson blynd
Of thir vyle bodeis yfettyrit and bynd,
The sawlis thar clene natur may attend.
So fer that, all efter the lattir end,
Quhen that the lif disseueris fra the body,
Than netheless nor ȝit ar fullely
All harm ne cryme from wrachit sawlis separate,
Nor ald infectioun come of the body layt:
And thus, aluterly, it is neidfull thing
The mony vycis lang tyme induryng,
Contrackit in the corps, be done away,
And purgit on seir wonderfull wyss to say.
Tharfor thai suffir panys and torment
For thar inveterat vycis ald bywent,
By punytioun satisfactioun to mak.
Sum stentit in wysnand wyndis wak,
Of sum the cryme committit clengit be
Vndre the watir or deip hydduus sey,
And in the fyre the gilt of other sum
Is purefyit and clengit all and sum.
Ilkane of ws hys ganand purgatory
Mon suffir, and fra thyne ar send in hy
Onto the large feildis of Elysee:
Thar bene of ws nane, bot a few menȝe,
Quhilkis cumis to inhabyt and remanys,
Bot ony purging, in thyr ioyful planys,
And heir mon dwell quhil that the lang day,
Be perfyt courss of tyme, heth done away
The spot of fylth hardnyt in the spreit,
For that it fand sum tyme the body sweit,
And quhil it be so purefyit and fynd,
Na thing remane bot a clene hevynly mynd,
And subtel pure flambe celestiall.
Thir other sawlis quhilk bene purgit all,
Eftir thai haue, within thir planys heir
By cirkill rollyt our a thousand ȝeir,

49

God callis thame onto this flude Lythe,
With felloun fard, in numbyr as ȝhe se,
To that effect, that thai myndless becum
Baith of plesour and ald panys all and sum,
Langing agane the warld abufe to se,
And gan begyn desire, baith he and he,
In bodeis ȝit forto return agane.”
Thus said Anchises, and tharwith baith twane,
Hys son and eik the prophet Sibilla,
Amyddys of that sort flokkit to the bra,
And gret rowt with rangald, in ledis he,
And gan ascend ontill a mote on hie,
Quharfra, per ordour, forganyst thame on raw,
Thai mycht thame rekkin all, and cleirly knaw
Thar vissagis and contenance also,
As that thai went and rowmyt to and fro.
Anchises schawis Eneas to the end
Alhail the lynage sal fra hym discend.
Now harkis, me behuffis schortlie say,”
Quod Anchises, “or thou depart away,
And rekkyn our Troian ofspring all and sum,
Quhat glor and honour beis of ws tocum,
And quhat successioun or posterite
Of Ital frendschip sal discend of the,
And tha illustir sawlis salbe sent
Heir, eftir this, in name of our kynrent;
Thy fatis and thy destany also
I sal the teche per ordour, or thou go.
Seys thou ȝon lusty springald or ȝonkeir
That lenys hym apon his hedles sper?
The formast place by chance doith occupy
Tyl pass to life in our geneology,
And first sal ryss in the ovir warld agane,
Commixit of the blude Italiane,

50

Siluius, to surname clepit Albanus,
Born efter thy decess, child posthumus;
Quham, consauyt of thyne ancyent lynage,
Thy secund spouss, Lavinia, wyss and sage,
In woddys fostir sal, a vailȝeant kyng,
And fader to al kingis of our ofspring;
Quharby our kynrent and famyl alswa
Sal ryng and lordschip hald in Lang Alba.
Ȝon is Procas that standys nixt hym be,
Of Troiane pepill the honour and glory;
Syne Capys, lo, and Munytor, baith twane;
And he that representis thy name agane,
Siluyus Eneas, notabil cheveller,
Renownyt baith of piete or in war,
Gif evir he may his tyme optene and se
To ryng into Lang Alba the cite.
Behald quhat maner ȝong gallandis bene ȝon,
Quhou gret curage thar hart is set apon,
Quhat gud semblant thai schaw of chevalre.
Bot ȝon, with coverit hedys by and by
With ciuile crownys of the strang aik tre,
Sall beld and found to thy honour,” quod he,
“Nomentum cite, and Gabios the tovne,
And Fidena, the cite of renoun;
Sum in the hillys hie sal set vp syne
The strenthis and the castellis Collatyne,
Pometios and New Castell, baith twa,
The cite Bolan, and the tovne Cora.
Thir namys salbe gevin thame efter this,
Quhar now but name the land remanand is.
Lo, Romulus, by martial wirschip
To hys grandschir ionyt in falloschip,
Quham, of Assaracus blude, the nobill kyng,
Hys moder Ilya discendit sal furth bring.
Seys thou nocht quhou apon thar hedys on hyght
Twa dowbil cristis standys schynand bryght?
Thar fader Mars, behald, this sammyn hour
Hass thame ymerkit with dyvyne honour;

51

And lo, my child, be ȝon manis prowes
That gloryus cite Rome sal so incres,
Tyll hyr empire be with the erth maid evin,
And vertuus curage equal to the hevin;
The quhilk cite all round togiddir sall
Sevin gret strenthis closs within a wall,
Happy and brudy of hir forcy ofspring—
Lyke as, throu out citeis of Phrecis ryng,
The moder of goddis, with hir towrit crovn,
Berecynthia, careit from tovn to tovn,
Within hir char yset, all ful of myrth
Of the goddis becauss of hir rich birth,
Hir hundreth childring and posterite
Ful tendirly in armys enbracis sche,
All haill the hevynly wightis to hyr behufe,
And all that weildis the hie hevynnys abufe.
Now turnys hyddir, my sweit son, albedene,
The cirkillis and the sight of baith thy eyn—
Behald thir pepill and thy cheif Romanys.
Cesar Iulyus, lo, in ȝonder planys,
And all the famyl of hym Iulius,
Quhilk eftir thys ar tocum, trastis ws,
Vndre the gret hie hevynnys assiltre.
Ȝon man, ȝon man, my son, the sam is he
Quham thou so oft has hard promist or this,
Cesar August Octauyane, I wyss,
Cum of the goddys geneology and kyn,
Quhilk sall agane the goldin warld begyn,
As vmquhile was, in tyme of Saturn ald,
Throu Ital ryng baith be firth and fald;
And hys empire sal delait and wynde
Our Garamantas, and the forthar Inde;
The landis lyis without the starnys blenk,
Outwith the ȝheris courss and sonnys renk,
Quhar the vpberar of the hevyn, Atlas,
On schuldir rollys the round speir in cumpas,
Ful of thir lemand starnys mony one.
Sall, at his hyddir cummyn, ror and grone.

52

The realme of Caspys or of Assery,
All Scithya, Meothys land fast by,
Horribill answeris sall of goddis heir;
All trublit in affray, trymlyng for feir,
To quakyng sall sevyn mowthis of Nyle flude.
Nevir, forsuyth, strang Hercules the gude
Samekil space of erth or land ourȝeid,
All thocht the wynd swift hart he schot to ded,
And stanchit Erymanthus forest roucht,
The serpent Lerna with hys bow persit throuch;
Nor Bachus, quhilk victor afor thir days
With wyne burgions the hillis top arays,
Dryvand the ferfull tygris fast away
Down fra the hyght of the gret mont Nysay.
And ȝyt we dowt onto the forthir end
Hys gret vertu and dedys to extend!
Than quha suld dreid stop ws to occupy
Or till inhabyt land of Italy?”
Anchises ȝit furthrekkynnys his ofspring,
As worthiast that euer in Rome sal ryng.
Bot quhat maner man be ȝon,” quod Anchyss,
“With olyve branch on sik gudly wyss
Arrayit, and eik berys mony a syng
Of sacrifyce and ritis of offeryng?
I knaw hys canoss har and lyard berd
Of the wysast Roman kyng into the erd,
Numa Pompilius, quhilk sall in hys days
Begyn and statut with lawys and haly lays
The cheif cite Rome; and he sal pass
From a pur land, and smal cite Curas,
Send forto rewle and bruke a gret empire;
Quhamto thar sal succeid a lordly syre,
Tullus Hostilius, that first of hys land
The peyss and quiet, quhilk solang dyd stand,

53

He sal dissolue and brek, and dolf men steir,
Quhilk lang hath bene disosyt fra the weir,
To armys and triumphe of victory,
And thame array in hostis by and by.
Quham nixt followis Ancus Martyus,
Of hys estait mar prowd and gloryus,
And ourgretlie evin now, persaue and se,
Vaynglor and favour of pepill desiris he.
Pless the behald the Tarquynys kingis two,
And the stowt curage of Brutus alsso,
Quhilk can revenge the wrang in hys cuntre,
His gret honour gif thou lest heir or se,
And ensenȝeis send fra Ethrurianys:
This ilk Brutus sall first amang Romanys
Ressaue the dignite and stait consular;
With heding swerd bath felloun, scharp and gar,
Befor hym born throu all Romys tovne,
In takin of iustice executioun,
Hys awin sonnys, movyng onkyndly wer,
To punytioun and ded sal damp infeir,
To kepe frensches and souerane liberte;
And thus onsilly fader sall he be,
Quhou sa evir the pepil hys fatel dedis
In tyme tocum sal blason, quha thame redis;
The feruent lufe of his kynd natyve land,
And excedand desyre he bar on hand
Of honour and hie glory to ressaue,
Mot at evil rumour fra his lawd byvaue.
Attour, behald, lo, athir Decyus,
And standing fer of, twa that hait Drusus;
Considir Torquatus ȝondir, doith him rax
So brym and fellon with the heding ax;
And Camyllus, the vailȝeand capitane,
Bringand the Romane standartis hame agane.
Ȝon twa sawlys, quhilk thou seis, sans faill,
Schynand with elike armys peregale,
Now at gud concord stad and vnite,
Ay quhil thai stand in myrk and law degre:

54

Allace, how gret batale and debait
Salbe betwix thame, gif thai til estait
May cum abufe, and to the lyght of lyfe!
O, how gret slauchter, assembleis and huge strife
Sal thai exerce and move into thar days!
Cesar, the eldfader, by the strait ways
With his gret rowtis our the Franch montanys
Discendand dovn Lumbardy throu the planys,
His mavch Pompey sal strech agane him went
With rayt ostis of the orient.
O my childring, cum nocht in vss to hant
Sik fremmyt batalis, bot ȝour curage dant;
Exers ȝhe neuer ȝowr vailȝeand forss,” quod he,
“Amangis the entralis of ȝour awin cuntre.
And O thou Cesar, thou formast in the press,
Cum of hevinly kyn, abstene and cess;
Myne awin lynage, obeys my command,
Do cast sik wapynnys fer furth of thy hand.
And he that standys ȝonder, Lucyus,
Onto his surname clepit Munyus,
Efter he venquist haue Corinthe tovne,
And in batale the worthy Grekis bet dovn,
His char, with mekil glor triumphale,
Sal steir furth to the hie capitol wal.
And he ȝon other, Quintus Metellus,
Ful gret honour sal conquess onto ws,
For he sal bet dovn and distroy al clene
Baith Arge and Agamenonys realm Mycene;
And ȝonder Curyus with his fallow syne,
Pyrrus, cummyn of Kyng Eacus lyne
And of Achillis armipotent ofspring,
In batel sal ourcummyn and dovne thryng,
And thare eldris of Troy wreke and revenge,
And the tempill of Mynerve pollute clenge.
Quha wold the, gret Cato, lefe onhyt?
Or quha with silens Cossus pretermyt?
Quha list forȝet the kynrent of Gracchus?
Or athir of the Scypionys gloryus,

55

Thai twa thunderis of batale in thar rage,
Fynale rwyne of Affrik and Cartage?
Quha wald, Fabricius, of the say na thyng,
That art ful myghty bot of litil thing?
Of the, Seranus, quha wald na thing schaw,
Quhar thou thi ryggis telys forto saw,
As thou was chosyn capitane of weir?
Quhidder withdraw ȝhe, Fabyus, cum neir,
Thole me na mar be irkyt ȝou tobehald:
Thow art that ilk mast souerane Fabius bald,
Quhilk only, throu thy slycht and tareyng,
Restoris the common weill of our ofspryng.”
Anchises gevis Eneas gud teching
To gyde the pepill vnder his governyng.
The pepil of othir realmys, son,” said he,
“Bene mor expert in craftis, and mar sle
To forge and kerf lyflyke staturis of brass,
Be contenans as the spreit tharin was;
I trast, forsuyth, heirefter mony ane
Sal hew quyk facis furth of marbil stane;
Sum otheris bettir can thar causis pled;
Sum bene mar crafty in ane other sted,
With rewlis and with mesouris by and by
For til exers the art of geometry;
And sum mor subtel to discryve and prent
The starnys movyng and the hevynnys went:
Bot thou, Romane, ramember, as lord and syre,
To rewle the pepil vnder thyne empyre;
Thir sal thy craftis be, at weil may seme,
The peax to modefy and eik manteme,
To pardon all cumis ȝoldin and recryant,
And prowd rabellis in batale forto dant.”
Thus said the noble fader Anchyses meik,
As thai awondrit can thir wordis eik:

56

“Behald Marcus Marcellus mast douchty,
Quhar that he walkis, lo, sa gloriusly,
With the rich spulȝe triumphale deirly dycht,
Quhilk he reft from his aduersar in fyght,
As the maste vailȝeant victor that I ken,
In bonty doith exceid all other men.
This worthy knycht the common weil Romane,
In gret affray perturbit, to rest agane
And quyet sal restor, and ȝon is he
That venquys sal the Affricane menȝe,
And the Franch rebellioun sall down bet;
The thrid armour or rych spulȝe gret,
Reft from chiftane of weir, this Marcellus
Sall hyng vp to the fader Quirynus.”
And for alsmekil as Eneas saw
In falloschip with this Marcus raik on raw
A sembly springald, a far ȝong galland,
Rycht schaply maid, in armour brycht schynand,
Bot his vissage semyt scarsly blith,
With luke doun cast, as in his face dyd kith
That he was sum deill sad and no thing lycht:
“Fader,” quod he, “quhat be ȝon drery knycht,
Quhilk haldis so with ȝon prince cumpany?
Quhidder his son, or sum nevo worthy,
Of our gret lynage and successioun?
O Lord, how gret brute, noys and sovn
Of confluens that walkyng him about!
Quhou gret apperance is in hym but dout
Tilbe of prowes, and a valȝeant knycht!
Bot a blak sop of myst, als dyrk as nycht,
With drery schaddo bilappis his hed.”
The fader tho, Anchises, in the sted,
With teris bristyng furth, begouth to say:
“O my sweit son, inquir nocht, I the pray,
The excedand regrait and womanting
Of thame bene fortocum of thyne ofspring.
The fatis sall bot for a litill space
Schaw ȝon man to the erth and wardly place,

57

And sal no langer suffer him tharin.
O goddis abufe, the Romanys blude and kyn
Semyt to ȝou our myghty and potent,
Gif so it war the giftis ȝhe hym lent
Had remanyt, or lang his lyfe had lest.
Quhou gret murnyng of men all forcyest,
For hym, furth of the feildis marcyall,
Sall dyn and resound to the cite wall!
And O thou god of the flude Tyberyne,
Quhou mony fertyrris and duyl habetis schyne
Sall thou behald, as thou flowis at Rome
Down by his new maid sepultur or tovme!
Ne nevir child cummyn of Troiane blude
In sic beleif and glory and gret gude
Sal rayss his forbearis Italianys;
Ne nevir, certis, the grund of the Romanys
Of ony fostir sal him so avance.
Allace, quhat harm of the disseuerance!
Of thy gret piete and thyne ancyant treuth,
Thy hand onvenquyst in batale, O quhat reuth!
Nane suld, but dammage, hym in harnes meit,
Quhidder so aganyst him he went on feit,
Or ȝit on horsbak, as thir knychtis rydis,
With spurris brochand the fomy stedis sydis.
Allace my child, so worthy tobe menyt,
Worthy tobe bewalit and complenyt!
Gyf thou thyne hard werdis mycht vincus,
Thou salbe namyt the souerane Marcellus.
Of fresch lilleis reke me my handis full;
The purpour flowris I sal skattir and pull,
That I may strow, with sik rewardis at lest,
My nevoys sawle, to culȝe and to fest,
And, but profit, sik costage sall exers.”
Apon this wyss seir thingis dyd reherss
Anchises, and thus wide quhar thai do walk
Our al that regioun, haldand spech and talk
Within the large feildis of hailsum air,
And euery thing per ordour visseyt thar.

58

And efter that Anchises, hand in hand,
Had thus his son led our all that land,
And his curage inflambit by and by
With the gret fame tocum and hie glory;
Syne to this valȝeant man he rekkynnys heir,
Per ordour, all the batalis and the wer
Quhilk eftir this he had to ber on hand;
And of the pepill eik in Latyn land,
And of the cite of the kyng Latyne,
He him instrukkis; and tharefter syne
Taucht him quhat wyss he myght sustene or fle
Evir hard danger or aduersite.
Thar bene ordanyt for dremys ȝettis twane,
Quharof, thai say, of horn forgit is ane,
At quham the suythfast swevynnys by and by
Departis all ways, and ischis furth lychtly;
The tother port is forgit wail perfite
Of eliphantyne and polist evor quhite,
Bot tharat goddis infernal lattis owt
The fals swevynnys to the warld about.
So as Anchises had, apon this wyss,
Rehersit, as said is, all thingis at devyss,
Sibilla and his son togidder at schort
He leit depart furth at the evor port.
Eneas spedis the strecht way to the schippis,
And can vissy agane his falloschippis.
Fra thyne thai hald, endlang the costis bay,
Onto the port of Caiet the strecht way.
Furth of the forschip leyt thai ankyris glyde;
The navy raid endlang the schoris syde.
Eneas nurys, Caieta, can decess,
Quhar ȝit the place kepis hir name, but less.
O Caieta, thou nurys of Ene,
Thou hass alsso, that tyme quhen thou can de,
Ontil our cost or fronteris of Itale
Gevin the bruyt and fame perpetual,

59

Quhil this day the ilke place and sted
Observis the renovn eftir thy ded,
Thy tumbe and banys merkit with thy name
In gret Hesperia witnessyng the same,
Gyf that be ony glory now to the.
The reuthfull than and devote prince Ene
Performyt dewly thy funerall seruys,
Apon the sepultur, as custum was and gyss,
Ane hepe of erd and litil mote gart vprayss,
And with bent saill syne furth his vayage tays;
Eftir that asswagit was the deip sey,
Thai leif the cost and sped on thar iourne.
The pypyng wynd blew in thar tail at nyght,
Nor the schene moyn hir curss and cleir lyght
Hass nocht denyit, so that the haw stremys
Couth schyne and glittir vndre the twynkland glemys.
The cost endlang the ille Circea
Thai swepyng fast by, hard on burd the bra,
Quhar as the ryche Sonnys douchtir, Circe,
Thai schawis, quhamto repar nane aucht tobe,
With hir ythand sweit sand and caralyng
Cawsys allway forto resound and ryng,
And in hir prowd place of beddis all the nycht
The weil smelland cedyr byrnys bright;
With subtil slays and hir hedlys sle,
Rich lynȝe wobbis natly wefis sche.
From this land redly on fer mycht thai her
The gret rageyng of liones and the beir,
Quhilk thai dyd mak, refusyng tobe in band
In silens, all the lait nycht rumesand;
The byrsit baris and beris in thar styis
Roryng all wod with quhrynys and wild cryis,
And gret figuris of wolffis eik infeir,
Ȝowland with ȝammering grisly forto her;
Quhilkis all this crwell goddess, hecht Circe,
By enchantment and forcy herbis sle,
Had furth of mannys figur and estait
Into wild bestis schap and form translait.

60

Quhilk monstruos transmutatioun for the nanys
Ne happin mycht onto devoyt Troianys,
Gyf thai arryvit in thai portis nyss
Thai cursit costis of this enchantryss,
At thai ne suld do entir, ne thame fynd,
Thar salis all with prosper followand wynd
Neptunus fillit, and maid thame sail swiftly,
All dangeris and gray schaldis careit by.
Heir endis the sext buke of Eneados And heir begynnys the proloug of the sevynt buke

61

[The Proloug of the Sevynt Buke]

As bryght Phebus, scheyn souerane hevynnys e,
The opposit held of hys chymmys hie,
Cleir schynand bemys, and goldyn symmyris hew,
In laton cullour alteryng haill of new,
Kythyng no syng of heyt be hys vissage,
So neir approchit he his wyntir stage;
Reddy he was to entyr the thrid morn
In clowdy skyis vndre Capricorn;
All thocht he be the hart and lamp of hevyn,
Forfeblit wolx hys lemand gylty levyn,
Throu the declynyng of hys large round speir.
The frosty regioun ryngis of the ȝer,
The tyme and sesson bittir, cald and paill,
Tha schort days that clerkis clepe brumaill,
Quhen brym blastis of the northyn art
Ourquhelmyt had Neptunus in his cart,
And all to schaik the levis of the treis,
The rageand storm ourweltrand wally seys.
Ryveris ran reid on spait with watir brovne,
And burnys hurlys all thar bankis dovne,
And landbrist rumland rudely with sik beir,
So lowd ne rumyst wild lyoun or ber;
Fludis monstreis, sik as meirswyne or quhalis,
Fro the tempest law in the deip devalis.
Mars occident, retrograde in his speir,
Prouocand stryfe, regnyt as lord that ȝer;
Rany Oryon with his stormy face
Bewavit oft the schipman by hys race;
Frawart Saturn, chill of complexioun,
Throu quhais aspect darth and infectioun
Beyn causyt oft, and mortal pestilens,
Went progressyve the greis of his ascens;
And lusty Hebe, Iunoys douchtir gay,
Stude spulȝeit of hir office and array.

62

The soyl ysowpit into watir wak,
The firmament ourcast with rokis blak,
The grond fadyt, and fawch wolx all the feildis,
Montane toppis slekit with snaw ourheildis;
On raggit rolkis of hard harsk quhyn stane
With frosyn frontis cauld clynty clewis schane.
Bewte was lost, and barrand schew the landis,
With frostis hair ourfret the feldis standis.
Seir bittir bubbis and the schowris snell
Semyt on the sward a symylitude of hell,
Reducyng to our mynd, in euery sted,
Gousty schaddois of eild and grisly ded.
Thik drumly skuggis dyrknyt so the hevyn,
Dym skyis oft furth warpit feirfull levyn,
Flaggis of fire, and mony felloun flaw,
Scharpe soppys of sleit and of the snypand snaw.
The dolly dichis war all donk and wait,
The law valle flodderit all with spait,
The plane stretis and euery hie way
Full of floschis, dubbis, myre and clay.
Laggerit leyis wallowit farnys schew,
Brovne muris kythit thar wysnyt mossy hew,
Bank, bra and boddum blanchit wolx and bar.
For gurl weddir growit bestis hair.
The wynd maid waif the red wed on the dyke,
Bedowyn in donkis deip was euery sike.
Our craggis and the front of rochis seir
Hang gret ische schouchlis lang as ony speir.
The grond stud barrant, widderit, dosk or gray,
Herbis, flowris and gersis wallowyt away.
Woddis, forrestis, with nakyt bewis blowt,
Stude stripyt of thar weid in euery howt.
So bustuusly Boreas his bugill blew,
The deyr full dern doun in the dalis drew;
Smale byrdis, flokkand throu thik ronys thrang,
In chyrmyng and with cheping changit thar sang,
Sekand hidlis and hyrnys thame to hyde
Fra feirfull thuddis of the tempestuus tyde;

63

The watir lynnys rowtis, and euery lynd
Quhislit and brayt of the swouchand wynd.
Puyr lauboraris and bissy husband men
Went wait and wery draglit in the fen.
The silly scheip and thar litil hyrd gromys
Lurkis vndre le of bankis, woddis and bromys;
And other dantit grettar bestiall,
Within thar stabillis sesyt into stall,
Sik as mulis, horssis, oxin and ky,
Fed tuskyt barys and fat swyne in sty,
Sustenyt war by mannys governance
On hervist and on symmeris purvyance.
Wyde quhar with forss so Eolus schowtis schill
In this congelit sesson scharp and chill,
The callour ayr, penetratyve and puyr,
Dasyng the blude in euery creatur,
Maid seik warm stovis and beyn fyris hoyt,
In dowbill garmont cled and wily coyt,
With mychty drink and metis confortyve,
Agane the stern wyntir forto stryve.
Repatyrrit weil, and by the chymnay bekyt,
At evin be tyme dovne a bed I me strekyt,
Warpit my hed, kest on clathis thrynfald,
Fortil expell the peralus persand cald;
I crosyt me, syne bownyt forto sleip,
Quhar, lemand throu the glass, I dyd tak kepe
Latonya, the lang irksum nyght,
Hir subtell blenkis sched and watry lycht,
Full hie vp quhirlyt in hir regioun,
Till Phebus ryght in oppositioun,
Into the Crab hir proper mansioun draw,
Haldand the hight all thocht the son went law.
Hornyt Hebowd, quhilk we clepe the nycht owle,
Within hir cavern hard I schowt and ȝowle,
Laithly of form, with crukyt camscho beke,
Vgsum to heir was hir wild elrich screke;
The wild geiss claking eik by nyghtis tyde
Atour the cite fleand hard I glyde.

64

On slummyr I slaid full sad, and slepit sound
Quhil the oriȝont vpwart gan rebound.
Phebus crownyt byrd, the nyghtis orlager,
Clapping his weyngis thryss had crawin cleir;
Approching neir the greking of the day,
Within my bed I walkynnyt quhar I lay;
So fast declynys Synthea the moyn,
And kays keklis on the ruyf aboyn;
Palamedes byrdis crowpyng in the sky,
Fleand on randon, schapyn like ane Y,
And as a trumpat rang thar vocis soun,
Quhois cryis bene pronosticatioun
Of wyndy blastis and ventositeis;
Fast by my chalmyr, in heich wysnyt treis,
The soir gled quhislis lowd with mony a pew:
Quhar by the day was dawyn weil I knew,
Bad beit the fyre and the candill alyght,
Syne blissyt me, and in my wedis dyght,
A schot wyndo onschet a litill on char,
Persauyt the mornyng bla, wan and har,
With clowdy gum and rak ourquhelmyt the ayr,
The sulȝe stythly, hasart, rouch and hair,
Branchis bratlyng, and blaknyt schew the brays
With hirstis harsk of waggand wyndill strays,
The dew droppis congelit on stibbill and rynd,
And scharp hailstanys mortfundeit of kynd
Hoppand on the thak and on the causay by.
The schot I closit, and drew inwart in hy,
Chyvirrand for cald, the sesson was so snell,
Schupe with hayt flambe to fleym the fresyng fell.
And, as I bownyt me to the fyre me by,
Baith vp and down the howss I dyd aspy,
And seand Virgill on a lettron stand,
To write onone I hynt a pen in hand,
Fortil perform the poet grave and sad,
Quham sa fer furth or than begun I had,
And wolx ennoyt sum deill in my hart
Thar restit oncompletit sa gret a part.

65

And to my self I said: “In gud effect
Thou mon draw furth, the ȝok lyis on thy nek.”
Within my mynde compasyng thocht I so,
Na thing is done quhil ocht remanys ado;
For byssynes, quhilk occurrit on cace,
Ourvoluyt I this volume, lay a space;
And, thocht I wery was, me list not tyre,
Full laith to leif our wark swa in the myre,
Or ȝit to stynt for bitter storm or rane.
Heir I assayt to ȝok our pleuch agane,
And, as I couth, with afald diligens,
This nixt buke following of profond sentens
Has thus begun in the chil wyntir cald,
Quhen frostis doith ourfret baith firth and fald. &c.
Explicit tristis prologus
Quharof the altar says thus:
Thys proloug smellis new cum furth of hell,
And, as our buk begouth hys weirfar tell,
So weill according dewly bene annext
Thou drery preambill, with a bludy text.
Of sabyll be thy lettyris illumynate,
According to thy process and estait.
Incipit Liber septimus Eneados

66

King Latyn of the goddis had command
To wed hys douchter with man of onkouth land.
Tho gan the sey of bemys walxin red,
And heich abuf, dovn from the hevinly sted,
Within hyr rosy cartis cleirly schane
Aurora vestit into brovn sanguane.
Eftir the wyndys lownyt war at will,
And all the blastis pacefyit and still,
Out our the calm streym of marbill gray
With ayris palmys sweip thai furth thar way.
And suddanly heir from the stabillit see
A large semly schaw beheld Enee,
Amyddis quham the flude he gan aspy
Of Tybir flowand soft and esely,
With sworland welis, and mekill ȝallow sand,
Into the sey dyd entyr fast at hand.
The byrdis seir of mony diuerss hewis,
About the watir, abuf vp in the clewis,
On bankis weilbyknaw and fludis bay,
Wyth wryblis sweit and myrthfull sangis gay
Gan meyss and glaid the hevynnys and the ayr,
And throu the schaw went fleand our alquhar.
To turn thar courss he gan his feris command,
And stevin thar schippis to the sammyn land;
Ioyfull and blith thai entring in the flude,
That dern about skuggyt with bewis stude.
Now, thou my muse, Erato, I the pray,
Do schaw me this, at I may scharply say
Quhatkynd process of tyme was, and quhat kyngis
In ald Latium, and in quhat stait all thingis,
Quhen first this strange army or falloschip
In Italy gan arryvyn, euery schip:
I sall declar all, and reduce fut hait,
From the begynnyng of the first debayt.
O thou sweit goddes, O thou haly wight,
Convoy and tech thy poet to say ryght!

67

I sall the horribill batellis schaw and tell,
The bludy ostis, and the feildis fell;
Quhou, throw thar curage, douchty kyngis seir
As ded corpss becum war, and brocht on beir;
The power hale of all Tuscany,
And all the gret rowtis of Italy
Assemblit into armys on the land.
Per ordour now thar risis apon hand
Fer largear materis forto treit and write,
A grettar wark begyn we to endyte.
Tha boundis, with thar lusty citeis all,
By lang proces of peax, in stait riall
The king Latinus held in governyng;
Or than full agyt was this nobill kyng,
Quham, as we haue hard tald ful long agone,
By Kyng Fawnus engendrit was apon
The mayd or nymphe of Lawrent, Marica.
And to this Fawnus fader was alssua
Picus the kyng, quhilk doith the represent,
Saturnus, for hys fader and parent:
Thou was the fyrst gan all thar blude begyn,
The first fundment and cheif stok of kyn.
By dispositioun of the goddis dyvyn,
Son nor manchild nane had Kyng Latyn,
For alsmekill as his ȝong son, a page,
Discessit was within his tendir age.
The kyngis palice and all that riall hald,
All hyr allane, a douchtir dyd with hald,
Now reddy for a man, and cum to age
In grene ȝheris to compleit mariage.
Full mony nobillis into Latium
Axit hir to wyf, throu Itale all and sum:
Turnus hir axis, cummyn of hie parage,
Abuf all other maste gudly personage,
And tharto rich of frendis, and myghty
Of eldris gret and riall anchestry,
Quham Kyng Latinus spowss, Queyn Amata,
With diligens dyd procur, day by day,

68

That he adionyt war thar son in law.
Bot feirfull syngnys by the goddis schaw,
And syndry terrouris gan tharto ganestand.
Amyddis of the palyce closs dyd stand,
With blisfull bewis, a fair grene lawrer,
Haldyn in dreid and wirschip mony a ȝer,
Quham this ilk prynce and fader Latinus
Dyd consecrat and hallow to Phebus,
For that he fand it growand in the feild
Quhar he hys ryall palyce first dyd beild:
The indwellaris of the grond, efter this tre,
Lawrentes onto name clepit hes he.
Betyd a wondir takynnyng for to say:
A gret flight of beys, on a day,
Careit our the sey heich throu the moist ayr,
With lowd bemyng gan alycht and repar
On the hie top of this forsaid lawreir;
Intill a clud ful thik togidder infeir,
Thar feyt al sammyn knyt efter thar gyss,
A swarm, or ony wyst quhou or quhat wyss,
Hang from a florist branch of this ilk tre.
Incontinent the spaymen cryis: “We se
A strange man tocum onto thir partis
With a gret rowt, and, fra the sammyn artis
Quharfra ȝon beis cam, sal hidder seik;
Quhilk, for hys bonte and his thewis meke,
Sall weild this palice and hie senȝeory.”
Abuf this, eik, betyd a mar farly:
As Kyng Latinus kyndillis, on thar gyss,
Apon the altaris for the sacrefyis,
The clene schidis of the dry fyre brandis,
Quhar that also fast by hir fader standis
Lavynya the maid, his douchter fair;
A selcouth thing to se, in hir syde hair
It semyt the hait fyre kyndillit bricht,
And hir gay clething al with lowis lyght
Gan gleit, and sperkland birn vp in a bless;
Hir ryal tressis inflambit, evil at eyss;

69

Hir crownel, picht with mony precyus stane,
Infyrit all of byrnand flawys schane;
And efter that semyt this gudly wight
Tobe involuyt in ȝallo reky lyght,
And furth our al the place and rufe on hie
The fyre blesys, thame semyt, skattirris sche.
Certis, this was reput with ȝyng and ald
A grisly thing and wondrus to behald,
For the diuinys declaris by and by
Quhat this feirful takyn dyd signyfy:
That is to knaw, at this ilk maid suld be
Of fame excelland and felicite
Bot to the pepill pronosticatioun cleir
Of suddane batale and of mortal wer.
Bot than the king, thochtfull and al pensyve
Of sik monstreis, gan do seik belyve
Hys fader Fawnus orator and answar,
Quhilk couth the fatis for tocum declar;
And gan inquiryng responsions alssua
In the schaw vndre hie Albunea,
Quhilk is a cheif gret forest, as thai tell,
And namyt from a haly rowtand well,
Quhar, from the erth, in dern wentis heir and thar,
A strang flewyr thrawis vp in the ayr.
Thiddir hail the pepil of Italia,
And al the land eik of Onotrya,
Thar dowtsum axyng tursis for ansuer,
And thar petitions gettis assolȝeit heir.
The kingis offerand and rich sacryfyss
The preist thidder gart bring, as was the gyss,
And, vnder silence of the dirk nycht,
On scheip skynnys, weil spred and couchit rycht,
Quhilk slane war in the sacrifice that day,
He strekis him adovne and tharon lay,
Demandand swevynnys and visions til appeir.
On mervellus wyss, thir fleand schaddoys seir
And figouris nyss dyd he se and aspy,
And diuerss vocis hard he eik fast by,

70

And gan the goddis carping bruke and ioys,
With speche of thai spretis that beyn ycloss
In Achyron, the depest pyt of hell,
And thame that far doun in Avernus dyd dwel.
The kyng alsso, that tyme, atour the laif,
Heir wald him self his answer ask and craif:
Ane hundreth wollit wedderis, weil ganand,
In sacryfyss he brytynnys for offerand,
On quhais soft flesys, weil and dewly spreid,
The kyng down liggis for that nyghtis bed.
And suddanly, furth of the schawys closs,
Sayand him thus, thar com a hasty voce:
“O thou my child, cummyn of my stok,
Adress the nevir to knyt into wedlok
Thi dochter til a man of Latyn land;
Lyppin nocht in ȝon allyance reddy at hand.
Tobe thi mawch sal cum ane alienar,
That of his blude sal gendir sik ane air,
Quhilk sal our name abufe the starnys vpbring;
Of quhais stok the nevoys and ofspryng
Vnder thar feit and lordschip salbehald
All landis sterit and rewlit as thai wald,
Als fer as that the son, circuland we se,
Behaldis baith the est and westir seye.”
Efter Eneas com to Itale land,
Maid sacryfice to the goddis with offerand.
The kyng thir ansueris of his fader Fawnus,
And admonitions be nyght gevin thus,
Ne hydis nocht nor closys in his moutht;
So that the fame tharof walkis full couth
Our all the citeis of Italy wyde quhar,
Quhen as the ȝonkeris of Troy arryvit war,
And at the schor, vndre a gresy bank,
Thar navy can thai ankyr fast and hank.

71

Eneas, and othir chiftanys gloryus,
And the fresch lusty springald Ascanius,
Vndre the branchis of a semly tre
Gan lenyng dovn and rest thar bodeys fre,
And to thar dyner dyd thame all adress
On grene herbis and sonkis of soft gerss.
The flowr sconnys war set in by and by,
With othir mesis, sik as war reddy;
Syne bred trynschouris dyd thai fyl and charge
With wild scrabbis and other frutis large.
Betyd, as was the will of Iupiter,
For falt of fude constrenyt so thai war,
The other metis all consumyt and done,
The paryngis of thar bred to mowp vp sone,
And with thar handis brek, and chaftis gnaw,
The crustis and the coffyngis all on raw;
Ne spar thai not at last, for lake of met,
Thar fatale four nukit trynschour forto eyt.
“Och!” quod Ascanius, “quhou is this befall?
Behald, we eyt our tabillis vp and all!”
He said na mair bot this, half deil in board.
Thame thocht thai hard a fatale voce or word,
Quhilk was as finale end of thar vayage.
Hys fader first of all, with glaid curage,
The word reft from his mouth as that he spak,
And followis on the answer stupefac:
“All hail thou grond and land,” quod he, in hy,
“By the fatis onto me destany,
And ȝe, O trast Penates,” said Enee,
“Alhail our natyve goddis, weil ȝe be!
Heir is our dwelling place quhar we sall leynd,
Forto remane heir is our cuntre heynd.
Certis, now I ramembir my fader Anchyss
Syk secret takynnys of fatis on this wyss
Schew and rehersit, sayand this to me:
‘Son, quhen in sik hungyr thou stad salbe,
As thou art careit till a strange cost,
That, all the mesis etyn, done and lost,

72

Thou art constrenyt thy burdis gnaw and fret,
Than thou, al irkyt, may thar beleif to get
A sovir duelling sted perpetualy.
Ramembir, in that place, or neir fast by,
To found thy first cite with thi hand,
Dychit with fowsys and wallys hie standand.’
This was that hungir tareit ws so lang,
This sall mak end of our myschevis strang.
Quharfor, tomorow ayrly, I ȝou pray,
First as the son vpryss, we glaidly may
Serss and inquir quhat place and land is this,
Or quhat maner of pepill tharin duellis,
And of thys kyth quhar standis the cheif cite;
Lat ws seik syndry ways fra the see.
Now mak we mery, away dolf hartis dull,
Now skynk, and offer Iupiter cowpis full,
And in ȝour prayeris and orisons infeir
Do call apon Anchyss, my fader deir!
Bryng wyne agane, set in tharof plente!”
And sayand thus, with a grene branch of tre
He dyd involup and aray his hed,
And Genyus, the god of that ilk sted,
He dyd wirschip, and gan in prayeris call
Erth, the gret moder and first god of all,
The nymphis and the fludis ȝit onknaw,
The nycht syne, with hir syngnys al on raw,
And Iupiter Ideus of Ida,
And Cibylla the mother in Phrigia;
He gan also beseik, quhar that thai dwell,
Athir of his parentis baith in hevin and hell.
The fader than almychty with cleyr lycht
Gan thundir thryss dovn from the hevynnys hycht;
And schakand in his hand, quhar as he went,
A byrnand clowd schew from the firmament,
With fyry sparkis lyke to goldyn bemys
Or twynkilland sprayngis with thar giltin glemys,
And tho belyve dywlgat round abowt is
The noyss and rumour throu the Troiane rowtis,

73

The day was cummyn, and the place quhar thai
Thar cite promist suld beld and array.
For ioy thai pyngill than fortill renew
Thar bankettis with all obseruancis dew,
And, for thir tithingis, in flacon and in skull
Thai skynk the wyne, and wauchtis cowpis full.
Quhou Eneas ambassatouris dyd send
To Kyng Latyn with rewardis and commend.
The nixt morow, with his goldin lamp bryght
As the cleir day dyd ayr and erth alycht,
Thai boundis, costis and the cheif cite
Diuerss spyis went furth to serss and se,
And fand ane stank that flowyt from a well
Quhilk Munycus was hait, and eik thai tell
This was the flude of Tibir thai had fund,
And strang Latyn pepill inhabyt this ground.
Thar with Anchises son, the wyss Enee,
Per ordour chosyn of euery degre
Ane hundreth gay ambassatouris dyd waill,
To pass onto the kyngis sted riall,
Bad bair the prynce rewardis for the nanys,
And him beseik of peax to the Troianys.
With fresch garlandis and branchis all thai be
Arrayt of the olyve of Pallas tre;
And but delay, as he thame chargit had,
With swyft payss thai on thar message glaid.
And he into the meyn tyme fast can spur
Bot with a smal sewch, or a litill fur,
To mark the fundment of his new cite;
And fast by the ilk costis syde of the see
Hys first mansioun, in maner as it had bene
Ane ost of tentis stentit on the grene,
With turettis, fowsy and erd dikis ilk deill,
He gan address to closing wonder weill.

74

Be this the ȝong men send furth in message
Sa far has sped furthwart thar vayage,
That thai the towris and the turettis hie
Of Kyng Latyn the cheif chymmys gan se.
Vndre the cite wall childir and pagis
And lusty springaldis, al of tendir agis,
Thar horssis and thar stedis dyd assay,
And dantit cartis in the dusty way;
And sum thar big bowis dyd bend and draw,
Sum with armys leyt trymland dartis thraw,
Baith with swyft curss and schuting so thai wirk,
Ilkane bissy his party forto irk.
Than, careit on ane horss, a messynger
Brocht tithingis to the ancient kyngis eyr,
A gret menȝe of sturdy men war cum,
Cled in a strange habyt all and sum.
The kyng bad bryng thame in his palyce sone,
And set hym self amyd his eldris troyn.
Thar stude a gret tempill or sail ryall,
Of Lawrent cite seyt imperiall,
Belt with a hundreth staitly pillaris hie,
Of Kyng Picus the chymmys cheif to se,
With semly schawys circulit, and lang hald
In wirschip and reuerence be faderis ald;
Quhar was statut by the consent common
The kyngis suld ressaue ceptur and crovn,
And of iustice other ensenȝeis seir,
And thar the baner fyrst rayss for the weir.
In this tempill held thai curt on raw;
That was the set eik by thar gentil law
Deput for hallowit fest and mangeory;
And heir full oft at burdis by and by
The heris war wont togidder syt all sam,
Quhen britnyt was, eftir thar gyss, the ram.
And forthir eik, per ordour mycht ȝe knaw
Within the cheif deambulatour on raw
Of forfaderis gret ymagis dyd stand,
Of ald cedir carvyt with crafty hand:

75

Kyng Italus, and fader Sabinus
That first the wyne tre plantit, stok or buss
(The crukyt huke vndre hys weid held he);
The ancyent kyng Saturn thar mycht thou se,
And Ianus statur eyk with dowbill face,
With other pryncis porturyt in that place,
From the begynnyng of thar first discens,
Quhilk, of thar natyve cuntre for defens,
In marcyal batale sufferit woundis sair.
Apon the postis alsso mony a pair
Of harnes hang, and cart quhelis gret plente,
From ennemys war wonnyn in melle;
The bowand axis, helmys with hie crestis,
Of rich citeis ȝettis, stapillis and restis,
Gret lokkis, slottis, massy bandis sqwair,
Dartis and scheildis hyngis heir and thar,
And stalwart stevynnys, baith of irne and tre,
Reft from thir schippis fechtand on the see.
The ymage porturit was of Kyng Pycus,
Dantar of horssis, in chair sat gloryus,
Cled in a ryal rob auguriall,
And in his hand a ceptre wand riall,
And in his left hand haldand a bukleir;
Quham, revist for his luf, throu vennomys seir,
Circes hys spouss smate with a goldin wand,
And in a byrd hym turnyt fut and hand
With sprutlyt weyngis, clepit a Speicht with ws,
Quhilk in Latyn hait Pycus Marcyus.
Kyng Latyn speris the causs of thar cummyng,
And Ilioneus maid gudly ansueryng.
In sik a tempill of goddis Latyn kyng,
Amyd his faderis set ryall sytting,
Gart fech the Troianys to his presens heir,
And as thai entrit, and befor him wer,

76

With glaid semlant and vissage ful benyng
Thir wordis first to thame carpis the king:
“Say me, Troianys, quhat ȝe desire,” quod he,
“For weil we knaw ȝour lynage and cite,
And it is alsso cummyn to our erys
Ȝe set ȝour courss our se thir mony ȝeris;
Schaw for quhat causis, or quhat necessite,
Ȝour schippis our sa feill haw stremys of see
Beyn hiddir to this cost of Italy
Careit or dryve, or quhidder ȝour navy
Has errit by thar courss, and far gone will,
Or ȝit by forss of storm catchyt hiddertill,
As oft wil happin by the frawart tyde
To marynaris on fludys deip and wyde.
Gyf ȝe sik wyss within our ryver bankis
Be entyrt, or remanys with our thankis
In to our port and havynnys fast heir by,
Withdraw ȝou not, ne fle nocht that harbry;
Nor mysknaw not the condityons of ws
Latyn pepill and folk of Saturnus,
Onconstrenyt, not be law bund thartill,
Bot be our inclinatioun and fre will
Iust and equale, and but offencis ay,
Ar rewlit eftir the ald goddys way.
As twichyng eik ȝour discens and ofspryng,
Weil I ramembir that I haue hard sum thing;
Bot that is passyt, or now, sa mony ȝheris,
The fame almaste forȝet is and efferis;
Agit men of the cite Arunca,
With gret avant, forsuyth, thame hard I say,
Of this cuntre Schir Dardanus ybor
Throw out the sey socht far and ferthyrmor
Tyl Samo, fyrst, in Trace, the nerrest gait,
Quhilk Samothracia now to name is hait;
Syne socht he to the land of Phrygia,
And citeis set in the wod of Ida.
The goldyn palyce now with sternys brycht
Of hevyn in seyt riall withhaldys that wyght,

77

That vmquhile socht fra hyne of Tuscany,
And Corith cite, standis our cost hard by;
That now a god is clepit our all quhar,
And to thar numbir ekis hys altar.”
Thus said the kyng, and Ilioneus, but baid,
Onto hys wordys thus wyss answer maid:
“Maist ryall prynce, cummyn of hie parage
Of god Fawnus, nowdyr the seys rage
By forss of dyrk tempest has ws dryve
Onto ȝour realm, and tharat maid arryve,
Nor ȝit the laid stern from our courss bywauyt,
Nor strange cost of this regioun dissauyt.
Bot by assent common, and of fre will,
And set purposs, we socht this cite till,
As folkis flemyt fra thar natyve cuntre,
Vmquhile the maste souerane realm, trast me,
That evir the son from the far part of hevyn
With hys bemys ourschane, or man can nevin.
From Iupiter dyd our lynnage begyn,
And all the ofspring of Schir Dardanus kyn
Of Iupiter thar forfader can reioss;
Of Iovis stok in hyast gre most choiss
Our kyng discend, the strang Troiane Enee,
In message send ws heir to thy cite.
Quhou gret tempest of batale and debait
Our Troiane feildis wyd hass walkyt layt
By cruel Grekis hydduus confluens,
Quhat fatale bargane thar maid and defens,
Athir part knawys of the warldis twa,
That is to say, Europ and Asya,
And gif thar ony ferthir regioun be,
Diuidit be the streym and occiane see
Fra the ferm land, tharof thai haue hard tell,
And thai alsso, gif ony thar may dwell,
The sonnys myd cirkill remanys vnder,
Hait Torrida Ȝona, dry as ony tundir,
Quhilk is amyd the hevynnys situat
Amang four othir plagis temperate.

78

Fra that diluge eschape and feirful spait,
Careit throu feil large haw stremys wayt,
A litil sted or mansioun, we beseik,
Grant to our natyve kyndly goddis meik,
The bair sey cost, hurtand na mannys rycht,
With air and watir common to euery wight.
Na mar lak to ȝour realm sall we be,
Nor na repreif tharby to ȝour renowne
Be ws, nor nane other, sal nevir spreid;
Nor ȝit the thankis of sa frendful a deid
Sal ony tyme into obliuion slyde;
Nor Italy, with hir braid bundis and wide,
Sal nevir repent that scho the folk of Troy
Hess ressauyt, nor tharof thynk ennoy.
Be al Eneas destaneis I sweir,
Hys trasty faith, or rycht hand into weir
Sa valȝeand at onset and defens,
And by his lang wse and experiens
Of armys, quhilk he hes in batale hantit:
Ful mony pepil, victoryus, ondantit,
Desirit ws in frendschip and ally,
And tobe ionyt in thar senȝeory;
Nor lichtly not forthy our frendly proffer,
Quhilk of our fre will onrequirit we offir,
With wordis of request and of trety,
The takynnys in our handis born vp hye;
For oft the fatis of the goddis seir
Hass ws compellit by thar strang power
Onto ȝour landis and thir costis seik.
Schir Dardanus born of this cuntre eik
Desiris hiddir to return agane;
And with commandmentis strait, ful mony ane,
Appollo chargit ws to sper bedene
To Tybyr, flowand in the sey Tirrene,
And to the fontane and the strandis cleir
Of Munycus, the hallowit fresch ryver.
And forthir eik our prince hes to the sent
Of his ald fortoun bot a smal present,

79

The sobir levyngis reft from Troys fyre.
Into this cowp of gold Anchiss hys syre
At the altar was wont to sacrify;
And of the gret kyng Pryam, mast douchty,
This was the cheif dyademe our the laif,
With quham he crownyt sat and domys gaif;
Hys ceptre als, and eik his tyar hat,
Hallowit quharwith at sacrifice he sat;
And this was eik hys precius rob ryall,
By Troiane ladeis wrocht and brusyt all.”
Herand sic wordis of Ilioneus,
Ful stil his vissage haldis Latynus;
Hys syght onmovyt to the erd dyd he prent,
Witht eyn rollyng, and erys rycht attent.
The brusyt purpur movis hym na thing,
Nor Priamus ceptour sa sar steris the kyng,
As that he musys thochtfull gretumly
Apon his douchteris spousage and ally,
And in his mind gan cumpas oft infeir
His fader Fawnus responss and answer,
Thynkand this ilk Eneas semyt tobe
The self stranger, quham fatale destanee
Signyfeit tocum furth of ane vncouth sted,
Tobe his son in law, and forto led
Equale dignite with him in that ryng,
Ful of souerane vertu, quhais ofspring
By thar power suld ioys and occupy
The haill warld vndre thar senȝeory.
And at the last, efter ful lang musyng,
Witht ioyus cheir on this wyss said the kyng:
“The goddis ȝour begynnyng furthir and speid,
And thar pronosticatioun manifest in deid.
I grant thyne axyng, Troiane messynger,
And ȝour rewardis ressauys in thank, for heir
Ȝe be all hartlie welcum, trastis me:
So lang as levys Kyng Latyn in this cuntre,
The riches of mast plentuus fertil grund
Ȝe sal nocht want, that in this realm is fund,

80

Ne ȝit nane othir welth, weilfar and ioy
Quhilkis ȝe war wont to bruke and haue in Troy.
Bot, at the lest, ȝe causs ȝour prince Enee,
Gyf that so gretlie he desiris tobe
With ws confiderat intil allyance,
Or gif he langis, but langar discrepans,
Within our palice to entir befor othir,
And be clepit our companȝeoun or brother,
Dwel no langar, bot cum hidder in haist,
Ne skar not at his frendis face as a gaist.
For the mast part of our convene and band
To me salbe to twich ȝour kyngis hand.
And now agane ȝe sal, turnand ȝour went,
Bar to ȝour prince this my charge and commandment.
I haue a douchter quham responsis schaw
Furth of my faderis oratory law,
And mony feirful takynnys of the hevin
Be diuerss ways schawin, and fyry levin,
Wil not suffir at scho in wedlok be
Gevin ontil a man of our cuntre;
Bot all the spaymen declaris, by and by
Thar suld cum to remane in Italy,
Fra strange costis, tobe our son in law,
A douchty man, vnkouth and onknaw,
Quhilk, of his lynage and posterite,
Our name abufe the sternys sal vphie.
Gyf that my mynd can ocht ymagyn rycht,
I weyn that he suldbe the sammyn knycht,
And gladly wald, with al my hartis desire,
The werdys tharto callit that rial syre.”
This beand sayd, the kyng Latyn but faill
Gart cheiss of al his stedis furth the waill.
Thre hundreth mylk quhite horss and far had he,
Seysit and fed in stalwart stallis hie:
For euery Troiane per ordour thar the kyng
With purpour howsouris bad a cursur bring;
Thar brusyt trappuris and patrellis reddy bovne,
With goldin bruchis hang from thar brestis dovne;

81

Thar harnessing of gold rycht deirly dicht;
Thai runge the goldin mollettis burnyst bright.
Ontil Eneas als, thar prynce absent,
A ryal chair richly arrayit he sent,
With twa stern stedis tharin ȝok infeir,
Cummyn of the kynd of hevinly horssis wer,
At thar neyss thirlys the fyre fast sneryng owt;
Of the ilke stok and stude sprungyn, but dowt,
Quhilk Circes, crafty and engenyus,
And mar subtell than evir was Dedalus,
Be a quent way fra hir awin fader staw,
Makand his stedis byleip meris onknaw,
That by hir sle consait and wily mynd
Sik maner horss engendrit of bastard kynd.
Iuno, persavand the Troianys beild a town,
For greif and dolour like to swelt and swoun.
Wyth sik giftis Eneas messyngeris,
And of Kyng Latyn with ioyful answeris,
Returnys, montit hie on horss ilkane,
Of peax and concord bodword brocht agane.
Bot lo, the spouss of Iove, cruell Iuno,
The self tyme can return fro Arge tho
(The quhilk cuntre, of nobill brute and fame,
From Innachus the kyng has tak his name)
And has careit throu the ayr puyr,
Quhilk is hyr proper regioun. As scho fur
Down from the skyis, on far can do spy
Of the heland Pachynnus in Scycilly;
Beheld the Troiane navy stand on raw,
And Eneas blyth and glaid scho saw
Of the ioyus bodword onto him brocht,
That bissely, with all the haist he mocht,
Inforcis thar herbry and strenth to beld,
Than all assurit of this land and feld,

82

And thar schippis left desolate and waist.
In extasy scho stude, and mad almaist;
In suddand dolour smyttin wonder smert,
Can schak hir hed, with harmys at hir hart,
And of hir breist thir wordis warpis in hy:
“Och, kynd of pepill haitfull and onworthy!
For all the willis and the fatis Troiane
Bene to our mynd and destaneis euer agane.
Mycht thai nocht all haue bene slane in Troy feildis?
Mycht thai nocht all haue swelt thar vnder scheildis?
Ar thai nocht venquist and ourcum ilkane?
Quhat, may nocht thir presoneris agane betane?
Hess nocht Troy all infyrit ȝit thame brynt?
Na, all sic laubour is fornocht and tynt.
Haue thai nocht fund, forto eschape away,
Throw myd fyre and myd ostis, sovir way?
So trast I now at last my fors and mychtis
Lyis dolf and irkit be ȝon cative wightis:
Insaciate of haitrent, I rest in pess,
That was so bald afor, and nevir wald cess,
Quhen thai war chasyt of thar natyve land,
To sturt thame on the streme fra hand to hand,
And to persew tha flemyt vavengouris
Throw all seys, my self, ilk tyde and howris.
Agane Troianys consumyt ar be me
The strenth of all the hevynnys and the see.
Quhat proffittit me Syrtis, that sowkand sand,
Or ȝit Scilla, the swelch is ay rowtand?
Or quhat avalit Caribdis bisme huge?
Ar thai not stakit at rest, and weil luge
In the desirit sond of Tybris bay,
Assoverit of the sey, and hes na fray
Of me, ne of my malice and fant thocht?
The stern pepil Lapythos bryng to nocht,
And quyt distroy, mycht Mars for his offens.
Was it nocht eik grantit in recompens
To Dyan, by the fader of goddis ichone,
To wreke hir greif in ancyent Calidone?

83

Quhat falt maid the Lapythos or trespas,
Or Calidon, at sa sar punyst was?
Abuf myssour forsuyth thai chastyit war.
Bot I, the spouss of the gret Iupiter,
Quhilk sa onhappy al ways I mycht fynd
Thame til ennoy consait left nocht behynd,
Quhilk hes myself in propir person eik
Turnyt and writhit all wentis I couth seik,
Am now venquist be a man, this Ene.
Bot, gif my power nocht sufficient be
Or gret eneuch, quhy suld I dreid or spar
To purches help, forsuyth, atour alquhar?
Gif I may nocht the hevinly goddis inclyne
To my purposs, I sal seik forthir syne
To thame that far doun into Achiron dwell,
And sal commove that depast pyt of hell.
I put the cace, that I may nocht optene
From Latyn land thame to expel al clene,
Bot be the fatis immovabill destane,
Lavynya remanys spouss to Ene:
Ȝyt at lest may fall stop or delay
In sa gret materis for a ȝeir or twa,
And lefull is it eik of athir kyng
The retennew in batale down to dyng.
Lat the eldfar and mawch knyt vp frendschip
Be price of thar pepillis and falloschip.
With gret effusioun of the blude Troiane,
And sammyn of pepill Rutiliane,
Thou salbe saisyt, madyn, to dowry;
Bellona, goddes of batale, sal stand by,
Tobe convoyar of the mariage.
Nevir Heccuba, of Cisseus lynage,
Quhilk, bund with child, dremyt scho dyd furth bring
A gleid of fyre, or hait brand lycht byrnyng,
Was deliuer of sik flambis, but faill,
As thou salber, and fyris coniugale;
And forthir eik, this Venus proper birth,
And secund Paris, Ene, litill wirth,

84

Sal rayss and kyndill dedly flambe agane
Of hait fyre brondis amang the wallis Troiane.”
Fra this was said, with horribil mynd in haist
Doun to the erth scho socht, and the laith gaist
Furth of hir set and myrk dongeoun of hell
Scho dyd provoke, and callys with a ȝell
Ane of the sory furyus sisteris thre,
Alecto, quhilk causis all myschefe tobe,
And evir mar desiris of hir kynd
And hess full grene enprentit in hir mynd
The dedly batalis and the dolorus wer,
Stryfe and dissait, harm and discordis seir.
This fendlych hellys monstre Tartareane
Is hatit with hir other sisteris ilkane,
And Pluto eik, the fader of hellis see,
Reputtis that bysmyng belch haitfull to se:
Into samony grisly formys seir
Scho dois hir self translate, and of sik feir
Bene hir cruell schappis and vissage,
Sa fowle and laithly all hir personage,
That, for hir pilis, and in sted of hir hair,
Feil snakis springis our hir body alquhar.
Quhilk fury quent, of kynd sa peralus,
Iuno tystis to myscheif, sayand thus:
“Do to me, virgyn, dochtir of the dyrk nycht,
This a seruyce, thy proper wark be richt,
Do me this laubour, quhilk is thyne of det,
That our honouris and fame be nocht ourset,
Ne ȝit subdewit into sik a place
As with ȝone Troianys, standis voyd of grace:
Lat nevir Ene so prowdly to optene
The spousage of Latinus douchter schene,
And, by na way, lat nevir his feris weld
A fut braid of Italiane grond nor feld.
Thou can brethir of ane assent mony ȝeris
Aganyst other enarm in mortale weris;
Thou may ourturn with haitrent and with strife
The hail houshald, the man agane his wife;

85

Thou may skurgyng and strakis in lugyngis rayss,
And thou of frendis may mak mortale fays,
And dedly fyrbrondis kyndill in thak and rwys;
A thousand namys thou hass that na man luffis,
A thousand ways folkis to ennoy and schent.
Knok on thy brudy breist at myne entent;
Brek and cast doun thar concord maid of new;
Causys of stryfe and batale I wald thou sew;
Gar all the power, and euerilk stowt ȝongkeir,
First in thar myndis desire to move the weir,
Syne cry, and ask armys and batale all,
And rusch tharto forsely gret and small.”
Alecto, throw persuasioun of Iuno
Queyn Amata al wytless gart sche go.
This cruel monstre, Alecto, onane
Infect with feil vennom Gorgonyane,
Socht first to Latyum, and the chymmys hee
Of Lawrentyn, the kyngis cheif cite,
And prevely begouth awach and lowr
About his spouss Quene Amatais bour,
Quhilk, all inflambit in ire and wifely thochtis
Of this new come of Troianys, all on flocht is,
The bissy curis of Turnus mariage
Skaldyng hir breist and mynd half in a rage.
Thys wikkyt goddes towart hir alsfast
Ane of hir slymy serpent haris dyd cast,
Deip in hir bosum leyt inslip with slycht,
Amyd hir hart pipis or precordialis lycht,
That be this ilk monstris instigatioun
Wod wraith scho suld perturble al the toun.
Thys eddir, slyding owr slekit bodeis soft
Of thir ladeis, amang thar wedis oft
Went thrawin so that nane felt quhar scho glidis,
The furyus queyn dissauyng on athir sydis,

86

And in hir mynd can blaw and kyndill syne
Ane felloun greif or curage serpentyne.
The grysly serpent sum tyme semyt tobe
About hir halss a lynkit gold chenȝe;
And sum tyme of hir curche, lap with a waif,
Becum the selvage or bordour of hir quafe,
Sum tyme hir hed layss, forto knyt hir hair—
Ful slyde scho slippis hir membris our alquhar.
Sone as the first infectioun a litil we
Of slymy vennom inȝet quently had sche,
Than scho begouth hir wittis to assale,
And depe amyd hir banys forto skaill
And multiply the rage or byrnand fury;
For ȝit nocht all our hyr breist cruelly
The spreit hes felt the flambe frenettical.
Quharfor the mar sobirly furth with all,
Eftir the common custum and vsage
Of ald matronys in thar wyld dotage,
With huge complaynt for hir dochter and regrate,
And Troiane wedlok contrar hir consate,
Thus said scho weping, and that ful petuusly:
“O fader Kyng Latyn, quhy wilt thou, quhy?
Quhat, sal our child, Lavynya the may,
To banyst men be geif to leid away?
Nowdir hess thou of thy tendir get piete,
Ne ȝit compassioun of thy self, ne me
Hir moder, quham sa sone, ful dissolate,
Ȝone falss sey revar wil leif in sturt, God wayt,
And cary the maid our the deip fludis haw,
Alssone as evir the first north wynd dois blaw?
Was it nocht evin be sik a fenȝeit gyrd
Quhen Parys furth of Phryge, the Troiane hyrd,
Socht to the cite Laces in Sparta,
And thar the dochter of Lydea stal awa,
The fair Helyn, and to Troy tursyt raith?
Quhat sal avale ȝour faith and hallowit aith?
Quhat of ȝour ancyent purvyance, schire kyng,
That ȝe had of ȝour frendis and ofspring?

87

Quhat of ȝour richt hand, hald sa gloryus,
Sa feil syth gevin to our cousyng Turnus?
Gyf that thou sekis ane alienar onknaw
Tobe thy mawch or thy gud son in law,
And hes that thing determyt in thy hed,
Constrenyt tharto by the command and red
Of thy fader Fawnus, as to that gate
Heir a litil my fantasy and consate.
All cuntre onsubieckit vnder our wand,
It may be clepit ane oncouth strange land,
And al at thar indwellis alienaris bene;
Of sik strangeris the goddis spak, I weyn.
And gyf we list seik forthirmar, ȝit than
To compt the first begynnyng of Turnus clan,
Inachus and Achrysyus, but weir,
Twa kyngis of Grece, his forfaderis wer;
Thus is he Greik, to compt his greis a pece,
And cum of Myce the myddil realm of Grece.”
Eftir at the quene with sik wordis, all for nocht,
Assayt had Kyng Latyn, as scho nocht,
And fand at he resistit hyr entent,
The furyus poyson than of the serpent
Deip in hir breist and entralis swiftly ȝeid,
And dyd our all partis of hir body spreid,
So that, forsuyth, catchit onhappely
With hydduus monstreis, gan scho ryn and cry
Throw owt the large cite in wild dotage,
But resson, strikkin with the nymphis rage.
As sum tyme sclentys the round tap of tre,
Hyt with the twynyt quhip dois quhirl, we se,
Quham childyr dryvis bissy at thar play
Abowt the closs and voyd hallis all day,
Scho smyttyn with the tawys dois rebound,
And rynnys about, abowt, in cirkill round:
The wytless sort of forsaid babbys ȝyng
Studeis awondrit of sa nyce a thing,
This turnyt tre so all that berdless rowt
Ferleis to se swa sleip and quhirl abowt,

88

And all thar mynd settis it to cach and dryve—
Na slawar went Amata, the kyngis wife,
Throw owt the myd citeis of Latyn land,
And throu the ferss pepill, fra hand to hand.
And forthir eik, onto the woddis grene
With swyft fard catchys furth this quene,
Fenȝeand the rage of Bacchus, and gret mycht,
A mar myschefe forto controve and slycht,
And grettar fury swyth scho can begyn;
Hyr douchter hyd thir woddy hillys within,
Tharby the Troiane spousage to delay,
Stop and prolong thar fest and brydell day.
Scho schowtis, “Hey how! Bacchus, god of wyne,
Thow only art worthy to haue our virgyne,”
And this with lovd voce cryis and schowtis sche.
To the, Bacchus, scho rasyt eik on hie
Gret lang speris, as thai standartis wer,
With wyne tre branchis wippit on thar maner;
To the scho led ryng sangis in caralyng,
To the hir hair addressit leit down hyng.
The fame heirof wyde our all dyd spreid,
Quhill at the last the sammyn fury can spreid
In all the matronys brestis of the land:
Catchit with forss tha flok fra hand to hand,
Thar howsis thai forhow and levis waist,
And to the woddis socht as thai war chaist,
And leit thar nekkis and hayr blaw with the wynd;
Sum othiris went ȝelland vnder the lynd,
Quhill all the skyis of thar scryke fordynnys;
And sum, war cled in pylchis of fowne skynnys,
Into thar handis rasyt vp on hie
The lang stowris, wond with the sweit wyne tre.
Amyd thame all the queyn Amata gais,
And fersly dyd a byrnand fyrrtre rayss,
And of hir douchter eik and of Turnus ȝyng
The wedding sangis and ballettis dyd scho syng,
With bludy eyn rollyng full thrawynly.
Oft and rycht schrewitly wald scho clepe and cry:

89

“Owt harro! matronys, quharso evir ȝe be,
All Latyn wyfis harkis now to me:
Gif ony favouris or frendschip ȝit remanys
In ȝour devote brestis, amangis thir planys,
Of the onhappy mother Amata,
Gif ony thocht remordis ȝour myndis alssua
Of the effectuus piete maternall,
Lowss hed bandis, schake down ȝour haris all,
Walk in this wod heir caraland with me,
Syng Bacchus sangis, sen na bettir may be.”
Quhou Alecto persuadit hess Turnus
To move batale incontrar Latinus.
Alecto thus, amang the woddis dern,
Mony wild bestis den and depe cavern,
Into sic rage this ilk Queyn Amata
With Bacchus fury catchis to and fra.
And efter that this wikkit fals goddes
Thocht scho had scharpit weill eneuch, I gess,
The first fury of sa dolorus rage,
Fortyll distrubbill the forsaid mariage,
And quyte pervert or turnyt top our taill
Latynus howshald, purposs and counsale,
But mar delay, with wallowit weyngis sche
Wiskis from thyne onto the wallis hie
Of the curageus Rutiliane Turnus,
Quhilk cite the douchter of Acrysyus,
Fair Danas, fundyt for hir men and hir,
Drevin to that cost with the south wyndis bir;
Quhilk sted was sumquhile clepit Ardea,
Fra Ardea, a fowle, ȝit namyt swa,
And, to this day, the forsaid riall hame
Be fortoun brukis of Ardea the name.
Within tha hyghty boundis Turnus rycht
Lay stil at rest amyddis the dirk nycht.

90

Alecto hir thrawin vissage dyd away,
Al furyus membris laid apart and array,
And hir in schap transformyt of a trat,
Hyr forret skorit with runclys and mony rat,
And with a vaill ourspred hir lyard hair,
A branch of olyve tharto knyttis ȝar;
Of Iunoys tempill semyt scho tobe
The nun and trattes, clepit Calybe.
Befor the visage of this stowt ȝong knycht
Present hir self, with thir wordis on hicht:
“Turnus, quhat, wylt thou suffir this ondocht,
Thy lang travale and laubour be for nocht,
And thy ceptre and crown delyuerit be
To ȝon banyst new cum Troiane menȝe?
The kyng Latyn the spousage of Lavyne,
And thy dowry, bocht with thy blude and pyne,
Denyis forto grant the, or ellis ocht,
And to succeid in his realm hess besocht
Ane alienar, born of ane oncouth land.
Pass now thy way, and set the to ganestand
Thir perellis, but all thankis or gaynȝeld!
Sen thou art mokkit, go down bet in feld
The ostis of Hethruria, and syne
Defend in peax and rest the folk Latyne.
Almychty Saturnus douchtir aluterly,
As thou be nycht thus doith at quiet ly,
Bad me schaw planely all thir thingis to the.
Haue done therfor, assembil this cuntre,
Addres thy fensabill men in thar array,
Enarmyt glaidly move and hald ȝour way
Towart the portis or havynnys of the see,
And set apon ȝon sam Troiane menȝe.
Dryve thar chiftanys of this land, but hone,
Thar pantit carvellis byrn. So to bedone
The gret power of hevynly goddis dyvyne
Commandit hes, decret and determyn.
Lat Kyng Latynus feil to his awyn harmys,
And haue experiens of the, Turnus, in armys,

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Bot he the grant to wife his child Lavyne,
And kepe to the hys promyss and convyne.”
The ȝyng man mokkand at the prophetes,
Herand sic speche, answeris with mouth express:
“It standis not so as thou wenys, but weris:
The messynger is nocht gone by myne erys,
Full lang or now, quhou that a strange navy
Arryvit in this Tibris streme fast by.
Fenȝe na cawsis me fortill effray:
Weyn not me list my purposs leif na nay,
Nor ryall Iuno, quene of realmys all,
List our querrell forȝet, nor thoil we sall.
Bot, O ald dame, thy vile onweldy age,
Ourset with hasart hair and faynt dotage,
Quhilk voyd is of all treuth and verite,
In sic curys invane occupyis the,
And the dissavis, as prophet, be fals dreid,
That gevis thi mynd tharon thou has na heid,
As forto treyt of batalis betweix kyngis.
Thyne occupatioun standis on othir thingis,
Quhilk suld haue cure of nocht alanerly
Bot goddis tempillis and ymagis to spy:
Thoill men of pess and wer carp and rehers,
Quhamto pertenys the batalis to exers.”
At sic wordis Alecto, hait as fyre,
Brynt in hir fury rage and felloun ire,
So that, the ȝong man spekand, suddanly
The trymlyng hynt all membris of his body;
His eyn stud abasyt in his hed;
This hellis monstre, full of wreth and fed,
Hyssyt and quhislyt with sa feill eddir sondis,
And hir figour sa grysly gret abundis,
With glowrand eyn byrnand of flawmys blak.
Turnus awondryng styntis and drawis abak,
And, as he purposit mekill mar to say,
Insted of haris scho rasit vp serpentis tway,
And of hir scurge the sound scho made him heir;
With rageand mouth syne said and fellown beir:

92

“Behald, is this my vile onweldy age,
Ourset with hasart hair and faynt dotage,
Quham eild, void of al trewth and verite,
Be fals dreid dissavys so?” quod sche.
“As forto treyt of batale betwix kyngis,
Behald gif it so be, consider thir syngis!
Lo me present, ane of the sisteris thre,
Infernal fureis of feirfull hellis see!
Se, I bar in my handis and power
The ded of batalis and the mortale wer.”
And sayand thus, at this ilk fers ȝyng knycht
Ane hait fyre brand kest scho byrnand brycht,
And in hys breste this furyus lemand schide
With dedly smok fixit deyp can hyde.
The huge dreid with this dissoluyt his slepe,
Our all his body bristling furth dyd crepe
The warm swait throw euery lith and bane,
And all enragit can eftir harnes frane;
Armour all wytles in his bed sekis he,
Armour our all the lugyng law and hie.
The gret curage of irne wapynnys can waid
Cruell and wild, and all his wyt invaid
In wikkit wodnes batale to desire,
Quharon he byrnys hait in felloun ire—
Lyke as quhen that the ingill of stikkis dry
With blesand sownd is layd to by and by,
About the sydis of the pot playing,
The licour sparklis for the heyt bulyng;
Within, the fervent bullyr violent
Of watir makyng reky froith vpsprent;
So swellis vp the skum and bellis bedene,
The veschell may na mar the broth contene,
Bot furth it poplys in the fyre heir and thar,
Quhill vp fleys the blak stew in the air.
And for alsmekill as Turnus thus was stad,
The gretast of hys chiftanys go he bad
To Kyng Latyn, and him declar, but wer,
The paix was brokyn, and he wald move the were;

93

To graith thar armour fast commandis he,
To defend Ital, and of thar awin cuntre
Thar ennemyss expell and dryve; as ȝit
He was eneuch for baith, he leyt thame wyt,
Baith to recuntyr the Latynys and Troianys.
Quhen this was said, and, on sik wyss as ganys,
The goddis callit tobe in thar helping,
Than bissely Rutilianys, our all thing,
Can athir othir fast exhort and pray
On thar best wyss for werfar to purvay.
Sum the maste semly farrand personage
Tistys to the feild, to preif his grene curage,
Sum on his ȝouthed, and his thewes gude;
Sum is movit throw hys ryall blude,
For hys progenitouris noble kyngis wer;
And sum war eik inducit to the weir
For hie prowes knawin in ilke landis,
And dedis wrocht maste knychtly with his handis.
Ascanyus huntand hass a taym hart hurt,
Quhilk was the first moving of strife and sturt.
Quhill Turnus on this wyss, about all partis,
In the Rutilyanys rasys hardy hartis,
Alecto towart Troianys, but mair tary,
With hir infernall weyngis furth can cary.
By ane new slycht a place spyit hes sche,
Quhar, for the tyme, by the cost of the see,
The ȝyng semly Ascanyus at solace
Dyd hunt the wild deir, followyng the chace.
Thar suddanly this hellis wench infest
Ane hasty fury on his hundis kest;
Thar ness thirlys with a sover sent
Scho fillis so, that bissely thai went
Eftir the fute of a taym hart, quhilk thing
Was the first causs of weirfar and fechtyng,

94

And first sterit the wild fosteris fell
To move debait, or mak thame for batell.
This hart of body was baith gret and squar,
With large hed, and tyndis burnyst far,
Quham childir of ane Tyrrheus thame amang,
Reft from his moderis pap, had nurysit lang;
Tyrrheus thar fader was fee master and gyde
Of studis, flokkis, bowis and heirdis wide,
As storour to the kyng, dyd kepe and ȝym,
Of the large plane all trast was gevin to hym.
Full dantit and full taym at thar command
Was so becum this best, that, but demand,
Siluya thar sister with all diligens
Arrayt hym of flowris sweit as sens;
Oft plet scho garlandis for his tyndis hie;
The deir also full ofttyme kem wald sche,
And feil syss wesch intil a fontane cleir.
Full weil sufferit hir handis the tame deir,
And was accustomyt so quhen he list eyt,
At his awin masteris burd to seik his meyt.
Our all the woddis wald he raik ilk day,
And at evin tide return hame the strecht way
Till hys lugyng weilbekend, fute hait,
All by him self, war the nycht neuer so lait.
This hart, errand far from hys resset,
Ascanyus wod hundis ombeset,
As that, per cace, for the hait sonnys gleme,
He held doun swymmand the cleir ryver streme,
To cuyll hys heyt vnder a gresy bra.
Ascanyus the child hym self alssua,
Byrnyng in desire of sum notable renown,
With nokkyt bow ybent all reddy bown,
Wenand hym wilde, leyt sone ane arow glide;
The goddes was all reddy fast besyde,
That can hys hand address but waveryng;
The flane flaw fast with a spang fra the stryng;
Throw owt the wame and entrellis all, but stynt,
The scharp hedit schaft duschit with the dynt.

95

The deir, so dedly woundit and to laym,
Onto his kynd resset can fleyng hame,
And entrys in his stall, and that onon,
All blude besprent, with mony grank and gron,
And like a man besocht help and supple;
With hys plenyng all the howss fillis he.
Siluya, the eldast sister, with a schowt,
Hir handis clappyng fast hir schulderis abowt,
Cryis efter help, and can togidder call
The landwart folkis and dowr foresteris all.
Thai tho assemblit to the fray in hy
And flokkis furth rycht fast onwarnystly,
For the ilk fury pestilenciall that hour
Full prevely in the dern wod dyd lowr
To cast on thame slely hir feirfull rage,
That furth vpstartis bath wife, man and page,
He with a burdon of ane lang stif tre,
The poynt scharpit and brynt a litill we,
He with a knotty club and knorry hed;
Quhat ilk man fand first reddy in that sted,
Sekand a swerd, new rynnand fra the pleuch,
Thar greif maid that thing wapyn gud eneuch.
Tyrrheus, the master storour, in a rowt
The churlys all assemlyt hym abowt,
Quhar as, per cace, byssy with weggis he
Stude schidand a four squarit akyn tre,
With mony pant, with fellon hauchis and quakis,
Als oft the ax rebundit of the strakis.
This cruell goddes, feirful Alecto,
Fortill ennoy hir tyme espyit tho,
And spelis vp ful sone, as scho war wod,
Apon a heich stabill quhar that bestis stude.
Right bustuusly apon the rufe on hie
The hyrdys ensenȝe lowd vp trumpis sche,
And in a bowand horn, at hir awin will,
A feyndlich hellis voce scho liltis schill,
At quhais sovnd all trymlyt the forest,
The dern woddis resondit est and west,

96

The blast was hard thens mylis mony ane
At the deip lowch of Triuia or Dyane;
The dyn was hard eik ellis quhar ful far
At the sulphuryus quhite ryvar callit Nar,
And at the laik or fontane of Velyne.
Baith to and fro our all the cuntre syne
Wemen and moderis, effrayt of this cace,
Thar ȝyng childring fast to thar brestis dyd brace.
Than spedely, with haste and bissy far,
The laubouraris ondantit heir and thar
Hynt wapynnys, and assemlyt on euery side
Towart the sovnd, quhar as the trump that tyde
With dedly voce blew this feirfull syng:
The Troiane power alsso can furth thring
With haill rowtis, Ascanyus to reskew.
The batalis war adionyt now of new,
Nocht in maner of landwart folkis bargane
With hard blokkis raschand all ourane,
Nor blunt steyngis of the byrsillit tre,
Bot with scharp scherand wapynnys maid melle.
The grond blaknyt and feirfull wolx alssua:
Of drawyn swerdis sclentyng to and fra
The brycht mettale, and othir armouris seir,
Quharon the sonnys blenkis betis cleir,
Glitteris and schane, and vnder bemys brycht
Castis ane new twynklyng or a lemand lycht.
This stour sa bustuus begouth to ryss and grew,
Lyke as the sey changis first hys hew
In quhite lippiris by the wyndis blast;
Syne peiss and peys, the flude boldnys so fast,
Quhill finaly the wallis vprysis mar,
That fra the grund it warpis vp in the air.
At the first cuntre into this bargane
Almon, Tyrrheus eldast son, was slane,
A fair ȝyng springald, quhilk caucht dedis wond
Throw dynt of arrow schot with felloun sound,
That smate hym rycht evin in at the halss bone;
The loppirrit blude stoppyt hys aynd onone,

97

And closyt in of lyfe the tendir spreit.
Abowt hym fell down ded, and lost the sweit,
Mony of the hyrdmen, amangis quham was ane,
The eldar Galesus, as that he allane
Offerit hym self amyd the ostis tway,
To treit concord of pess and of the fray,
Quhilk was the iustast of a rurall man
And mychtyast in hys tyme levyng than;
Our all the boundis of Ausonya
Hys fyve flokkis pasturyt to and fra,
Fyve bowis of ky ontil his hame reparit,
And with ane hundreth plewis the land he aryt.
Fra the first slauchter maid apon this wyss,
Turnus and al the pepill for batal cryis.
And as this bargane on this maner ȝeid
In plane feld and evinly batale sted,
This hellis goddes, ioysing at hir will
Hir promys, quhilk scho hecht forto fulfill,
Alssone as was this gret melly begun,
The erth littyt with blude and al ourrun,
And the first slauchter was commyt and done
In dedly weir; than Italy alssone
Scho levis, and with swift fard can do fle
Throw owt the skyis to the hevynnys hie,
Haiffand hir purpos, said with woce ful prowd,
Onto Iuno thus spak scho throw a clowd:
“Lo, now, discord perfornyst, as thou wald,
With schrewit batale and carys monyfald!
In tender frendschip lat thame now convene,
Knyt vp allyance and falloschip bedene,
Sen that I haue the Troianys all bysprent
With blude of the Italyanys, or I went,
And, gif thi mynd be ferm tharto with me,
I sal thus mekill eik to my wark,” quod sche,
“Fortill induce the citeis adiacent
Onto the bargane, or that I hyne went.

98

With schrewit rumouris, I can amang thame skaill,
Thar myndis so I sall enflambe alhaill
By wod ondantit fers desyre of Mart,
Thai sall forgaddir to help from euery art,
Quhil batale, armouris, swerdis, speris and scheldis
I sall do saw and strow our all the feildis.”
Than answerit Iuno: “At abundans thar is
Of thi dissaitfull slycht and frawd, I wyss,
And eik of feirfull terrour and deray.
Weill ar perfurnyst causys of this weir perfay:
Thai feght togidder mydlit on the land,
Baith face for face, with drawin glavis in hand,
And new sched blude littis thar armour cleyr,
Quhilk thai by fortoun cawch haue first in weir.
Ȝon worthy squyer of Venus blude and kyn,
And King Latynus, now lat thame begyn
Sik wedlok to contract and spousale feste.
Bot the gret fader of hevin, at my request,
Will suffir the at large no langar heir
To walk, nor tary abufe the skyis cleir.
Withdraw the of this place, forthy, weil sone.
Gif ony chance restis mar tobedone,
I sall my self that mater rewle and gy.”
Thir wordis spak Iuno; and scho tharwith in hy
Hir dowbill weyngis with edder sound dyd bete,
Levand the hevynnys, socht to hir hellis sete.
Amyddis Itall, vnder hillys law,
Thar standis a famus sted weil beknaw,
That for his bruyt is namyt in mony land,
The vail Ansanctus hait, on athir hand
Quham the sydis of a thik wod of tre
Closis full dern with skowgy bewys hie.
A rowtand burn amydwart tharof rynnys,
Rumland and soundand on the craggy quhynnys,
And eik forgane the brokkyn brow of the mont
Ane horribill cave with braid and large front
Thar may be sene, a thyrl or ayndyng sted
Of terribill Pluto, fader of hell and ded;

99

A ryft or swelch so grysly for to se,
Till Acheron revin dovne, that hellis see,
Gapand with his pestiferus gowle full wide;
At quhais bysme the fury can down slyde,
This hutit goddes, and by that discens
Delyverit hevyn and erd of hyr presens.
And netheless, duryng the meyn sesson,
The queyn hir self, Saturnus get, onon
Set to hyr hand, and ondyd the batell.
Off hyrdmen all the rowtis with a ȝell
Ruschit fra the feild to the cite but tary,
The sclane bodeis away with thame dyd cary—
Almon the child, and ded Galesus als,
With blud bysparkyt vissage, hed and halss.
Thai thyg vengeance at the goddis, and syne
Thai raym and cry fast on the kyng Latyne.
Turnus was by, and amyd this deray,
Thys hait fury of slauchtir and fell affray,
The terrour dowblis he and feirfull dreid,
That sik forloppyn Troianys at this neid
Suld thankfully be resset in that ryng,
Or Phrigiane blude confiderat with the kyng,
And he furth of tha boundis tobe expellit.
The self tyme eyk, for the matronys at ȝellit
And roundis sang so in thar wilde dotage,
In the dern woddis, smyttyn with Bacchus rage,
Gret rowtis dyd assembill thyddir in hy,
And rowpyt eftir batale ernystfully;
Thar the detestabill weris euer in ane,
Agane the fatis all, thai cry and rane,
Contrar answeris and dispositions all
Of goddis, for the weir thai clepe and call.
Led by the power and frawart godhed
Of cruell Iuno with ald ramembrit fed.
Full fast thai thryng about the kyngis palyce,
Bot this ilk Latyn, knawand thar malyce,
Rasistis onmovit as a rok of the see,
Quham, with gret brute of watir smyt, we se

100

Hym self sustenys by hys huge wecht
Fra wallis feill, in all thar byr and swecht
Iawpyng about hys skyrtis with mony a bray;
Skelleis and famy craggis thai assay,
Rowtand and rarand, and may not empar,
Bot gif thai sched fra his sydis the wair.
So, eftir that the kyng mycht nocht resist
Thar blynd purpos, for as evir Iuno list
The mater went, all set to cruelte;
Full mony goddis and the hevynnys hie
To wytnes drew he, all was by his will,
Bot all for nocht, na tent was take thartill.
“Allace,” he said, “we ar tobroke and ryve
By the fatis, by storm catchit and dryve.
O, O, ȝe wrachit pepill!” gan he cry,
“With cruell pane full deir ȝhe sall aby
This wilfull rage, and with ȝour blude express
The wrangis of sic sacrilege redress.
O Turnus, Turnus, full hard and hevy wraik
And sorofull vengeance ȝit sal the ourtake,
Quhen, al to lait, in thy helpyng thou sall
With prayeris on the goddis clepe and call.
For I had fund my rest and eyss,” quod he,
“Now at the dur deth reddy bydis me,
Quhar now of happy pompis funeral
I spulȝeit am, and sik triumphe riall.”
Na mor sayng, with that ilk word fut het
Ful closs within his palice he him schet,
Of all sik thingis gaue our the cure and charge,
Sen na better mycht be, to go at large.
The portis of weir to twich the prynce refusis,
Quhilkis Iuno brekis, syne al for batal musis.
The maner than was, and the ald custum
Within the land of ancyent Latyum,
Quhilk blissit vsance efter mony a day
The citeis and faderis of Alba kepit ay,

101

Now the gret master souerane cite dyng
Of Rome kepis and hantis the self thing;
That is to knaw, quhen first thai move or steir
The marciall ensenȝeis for the wer,
Quhidder so thai list to set with ostis plane
On the Gethys, pepill Tartareane,
With dolorus and with ful lamentable wer
In Hyrcany or Araby to steir,
Or fortil ettill in to Inde furth eik,
Towart the dawyng and son rysyng to seik,
Or ȝit til ask and reduce hame agane
Thar standartis from the dowr pepill Persane.
Twa portis beyn of batale and debait,
So thai war clepit to thar name, and hait,
Haldyn in religioun of haly reuerence
Of Martys cruel dreid and his offence;
A hundreth brasyn hespis thame claspit queym,
And strenthy irne slottis, that dyd seym
Tobe eternal and inconsumptive;
Nor Ianus, kepar of this entre of strive,
Was no quhile furth of this ilk hallowit hald.
Bot quhen the ferm sentens of faderis ald
Was ony tyme determyt to move weir,
Than he that was cheif duke or consuler,
In rob ryall vestit, that hait Quyryne,
And rich purpour, eftir the gyss Gabyne,
Gyrd in a garmont semly and fut syde,
Thir ȝettis suld vp oppin and warp wyde;
Within that girgand hirst alsso suld he
Pronunce the new weir, batale and melle;
Quham all the fensabill men suld follow fast,
With plane assent and brasyn trumpis blast.
The kyng Latyn furthwith command thai than
On this maner, as prince and grettast man,
To proclame weir and decrete the melle
Agane Troianys, thidder cum with Ene,
And warp tha sorofull ȝettis vp on breid.
The prynce refusyt to do sa vile a deid,

102

Ne list not anys thame twich, nor brek his heist,
Sor agrevit planely ganestud thar requeste,
And in his secret closet hym withdrew.
Than from the hevin downe quhirland with a quhew
Come Queyn Iuno, and with hir awin handis
Dang vp the ȝettis, brak but delay the bandis:
This cruell douchter of the ald Saturn
The marbill hirst can weltir and ourturn,
And strang ȝet chekis of weirfar and batell
Strake down, and rent the gret irne postis fell.
Onsterit lang tyme, and onmovit, Ital
Now byrnys into fury bellicall.
Sum grathis thame on fut to go in feild;
Sum hie montit on horsbak vnder scheld
The dusty pulder vpdryvand with a stour,
And euery man socht wapynnys and armour;
Thar schynand scheildis sum dyd burnys weill,
And sum polist scharp speir hedis of steill,
To mak thame brycht with fat creisch or same,
And on quhitstanys thar axis scharpis at hame;
To beir pynsellis it gladis thame vp and dovne,
And ar reiosyt to heir the trumpettis sovne.
Fyve the grettast and maist cheif citeis,
Thar wapynnys to renew in al degreis,
Set vp forgis and steil styddeis fyne;
Rych Atyna, and the prowd Tyburyn,
Ardea the cite, and Crustumere,
And eik Antemne with strang towris he
And weirly wallis battellit about,
The sikkyr helmys penys and forgis owt;
Thar targettis bow thai of the lycht sauch tre,
And boss bukleris coverit with cuyrbulȝe;
Sum steil hawbrikis forgis furth of playt,
Burnyst flaukartis and leg harnes, fut hait,
With latit sowpill siluer weill annelit;
All instrumentis of pleuch graith, irnyt or stelit,
As cultyris, sokkis and the somys gret,
With sythis and al hukis at scheris quhet,

103

War thidder brocht and tholis temper new.
The lust of all sik wark lomys was adew:
Thai dyd thame forge in swerdis of mettel brycht,
Forto defend thar cuntre and thar rycht.
Be this, thar armour grathit and thar geir,
The draucht trumpet blawis the brag of weir;
The sloggorn ensenȝe, or the wach cry,
Went for the batale all suldbe reddy.
He pullis down his sellet quhar it hang,
Sum deill effrayt of the noys and thrang;
He dryvis furth the stampand horss on raw
Onto the ȝok, the chareottis to draw;
He clethis hym with his scheld, and semys bald;
He claspis hys gilt habirgyon and thrynfald;
He, in his breistplait strang and his byrne,
A sover swerd beltis law down by his the.
The poet makis to goddis his prayer,
Dewly to compt the folkis grathis for this weir.
Ȝhe Musys now, sweit goddessis ichone,
Oppyn and onschet ȝour mont of Helycone,
Reveil the secretis lyand in ȝour myght,
Addres my stile, and steir my pen go rycht,
Entone my sang, and til endyte me leir
Quhat kyngis dyd remufe furth to this weir,
Quhat rowtis followit euery prynce in feild,
With ostis braid that dyd the plane ourheld,
With quhat maner of valȝeand men sik ways
The happy grund Ital flurist tha days,
With quhatkyn armys it enflambit schane:
Furthschaw thir ancyent secretis euery ane.
Ȝhe blissyt wightis forsuyth ramembris weill
All sic thingis, and, quhar ȝou list, may reveill,
Thocht scarsly, for the process of lang ȝeris,
Be smal rumour tharof cum tyl our erys.

104

First, from the land and costis hait Tyrreyn,
Onto the batale bownys stern and keyn
Meȝentius the kyng, that in hys day
Contempnar clepit was of the goddis ay.
The gydar of hys army and hys rowt
Was hys son Lawsus, valȝeant and stowt,
Abuf all other the maste semly wight,
Except the person of Turnus the gentil knycht,
Quhilk was the flour of all the Lawrenteis.
This Lawsus was weil taucht at all degreis
To dant gret horss, and as hym list arrest,
Hunt and doun bet the deir and ilk wild best.
A thousand men he led of hys convyne
From Corete the cite Agilyne.
Worthy he was to rewle a gret empyre,
And tobe cummyn of sum mar happy syre
Than of Meȝentyus, banyst and indyng,
Bot to haue beyn sum emperouris son or kyng.
The lusty Aventynus nixt in press
Hym followis, the son of worthy Hercules.
Throu gresy planys hys char with palm ryall
Was rollit furth by horss victoriall,
Quhilk, in hys musteris, schew he in the feild
Hys faderis takynnys merkit in his scheld,
Ane hundreth eddris and other snakis in sete
Lynkit abowt of Larn the serpent gret;
Quhom the nun Rhea and woman dyvyne
In the dern wod of the mont Aventyne
Bair and brocht furth onto this warldis lycht.
Ful prevely, onknaw of ony wight,
The woman mydlit with the god went bond,
Eftir this ilk Hercules had brocht to grond
And venquyst Gereon with prowd bodeis thre,
Syne in the feild besyde Lawrent cite
Was entrit as hym lyst to tak his rest,
Hys Spanȝe oxin, quhom hym likit best,
Dyd bathing and refresch, to mak thame clene,
In Ital strandis at the cost Tyrrhene.

105

This Aventinus followis in thir werys,
Bair in his handis lans stafis and burrel speris
And dangerus facheonys into staffis of tre;
With round stok swerdis faucht thai in melle,
With poyntalis, or with stokis Sabellyne.
Thar capitane, this ilke strang Aventyne,
Walkis on fut, hys body wymplit in
A felloun bustuus and gret lyon skyn,
Terribill and roucht, with taty lokkyrrand haris;
The quhite tuskis, the hed and clowis thar is:
And on sik wyss, grym and awfull to se,
Within the kingis gret palyce entris he,
Our his schuldris hyngand, as said is plane,
His faderis talbart cote Herculeane.
Twa brederyng to this batale bownys syne,
Furth of the wallit cite Tiburtyne,
Ledyng thai pepill namyt, ane and other,
Fra Tiburtus, that was thar eldar brother;
And thai war clepit, the tane Catillus,
And tother Coras, strang and curageus,
Stowt ȝyng men, Grekis born of Arge bath twane.
Befor the formast ostis in the plane
Amyd a buss of speris in raid thai,
Generit of the clowd lyke to Centaures tway,
Quhen, fra the montane top of Homolane,
Or snawy Otryn hill, downe to the plane,
With felloun fard and swift curss he and he
Can do discend, levand the holtis hie;
The large wod makis placis to thar went,
Buskis withdrawys, and branchis al to rent
Gan rattillyng and resound of thar deray,
To red thar renk, and romys thame the way.
Nor Ceculus was not absent, trast me,
The foundar of the cite Preneste,
Quham all eyldis reputis and schawis ws
Engendrit was by the god Vlcanus,
And by the fyre syd fund, a ȝyng fundlyng,
Our landwart bestis syne wolx lord and kyng.

106

A hail legioun in a rowt followis hym
Of wild wod men, quhilk doys thir catel ȝym;
All thai pepill on breid, baith he and he,
That inhabitis the heich tovn Preneste,
And thai that occupyit the feildis alsso
Of Gabyne, quhilkis ar dedicat to Iuno;
And thai that duellis langis the chil ryver
Of Anyene, and thai alsso infeir
Amang the dewy strandis and craggis remanys
Of Hernyca, in the Sabyne montanys;
And thai alsso that bred and fosterit be
In boundis of rich Anagnya cite;
And eik thai pepill dwelling fair and bene
In Champanȝe, on the flude Amasene.
Amangis al thir pepill na brycht armyng
Mycht thou heir sovnd, nor scheild our schulder hyng,
Or cartis clattir, bot of thame the maste part
To schut or cast war perfite in the art,
With leyd pellokis from engynys or staf slyng
By dyntis bla thar famen doun to dyng;
Sum dowbill dartis castyng in handis buyr,
And for defens, to keip thar hedis suyr,
A ȝallow hat woir of a wolfis skyn,
For thai waldbe lyght bodyn ay to ryn.
Thar left fut and all that leg was bair;
Ane rowch ryllyng of raw hide and of hair
The tother fut coverit weil and knyt.
Neptunus son list tho na langar syt,
Hait Mesapus, bot bownys furth to gang;
Dantar he was of stedis wild and strang,
Quham na man with steil wapyn forgit brycht,
Nor byrnand fyre, onto his ded mycht dycht.
Now hastely in armys callys he
The rowtis of hys pepill and menȝe,
Quhilkis lang tofor dysvsit had the weir
With curage dolf that idill lay thar geir;
Thar swerdis now and burnyst glavys gray
He maid thame furth bedraw and oft assay.

107

With hym thai folk in falloschip led he
That inhabitis Fascenyum the cite;
And the iust pepill, clepit Falyscy;
And thame that duellis in Saracte fast by,
A strang cite, and hie situat,
Onto the god Appollo dedicat;
And thai that in Flavynya feildis dwell,
Or that wonnys besyde the layk or well
Of Cymynyk, vndre the montane bra,
Or ȝit amang the schawys of Capua—
In gudly ordour went thai and array,
And of thar kyng sang bellettis by the way.
Syk wyss as sum tyme in the skyis hie
Throw the moste ayr doys snaw quhite swannys fle,
Quhen thai fra pastur or fedyng dois resort
To seik thar solace, and on thar gyss to sport;
Weill soundyng wriblys throw thar throtis lang
Swouchyng makis in maner of a sang,
That of thar bruyt resoundis the ryveir,
And all the laik of Asya fer and neir—
So, in like wyss, on far was nane mycht ken
That rowt had bene ane ost of armyt men,
Bot of the swouchand swannys suld he wene
A sop fleand in the ayr thai had bene,
Quhilk chasyt, or affrayt, iolely
Socht crowpyng to the costis syde fast by.
Ȝit comptis the poet the chiftanys al and sum,
Aganys the Troianys sal in weirfar cum.
Lo, Clausus eik, that douchty was and gude,
Discendit of the ancyent Sabinis blude,
A mekil rowt furth ledis to the weir,
As gret man worthy syk ane ost to steir;
Fra quham the clan and pepill Claudyane
Is cummyn our all the boundis Italiane,

108

Eftir that Rowme was gevin and maid fre
To the Sabynys, as thar proper cite.
Togiddir can assembill a huge rowt
That fra the cite Amatern flokkis owt;
The ancyent Sabynys hait Quyrites then,
And of Erety all the fensabill men,
Of Mystisca, quhilk now heicht Tribule,
Quhar growys of olyve treys gret plente;
All thai that dwellis in cite Momentyne,
Or rosy feildis besyde the laik Velyne,
Or on the scharp craggy rochis hie,
Quhilk for harsknes ar clepit Tetryce,
With hyngand hewys and mony a skowland bra;
Thidder held the cite of Casperia,
Thai that inhabittis Forolas that towne,
Or on the flude Hymella vp and downe;
All thai that drynkis of Tibir the ryver,
Or Fabarus that rynnys fresch and cleir;
And thai that wynnys in Nursya so cald,
And of Ortyne the navy gret and bald;
The Latyne pepill alsso, and all tha
Quhar the onhappy flude of Allya
Flowis throw the boundis and bedyis thar land.
Alss thik thai gadder, and flokkis fra hand to hand,
As evir the fomy bullerand wallis hie
Is seyn weltyr on the large Lybyane see,
Quhen the stormy Orion hys hed schrowdis
In wyntir vnder the blake watry clowdis;
Or how feil eichyrris of corn thik growyng,
With the new sonnys heit byrsillit, doys hyng
On Hermy feildis in the symmyr tyde,
Or in the ȝallow corn flattis of Lyde—
Alsmony scheildis clattris and targatis,
That for dynnyng of thar feyt all the gatis,
For stamping stedis, and for trumpys blast,
The grond wolx all affrayt and agast.
The ennemy to Troiane name onon,
The bastard son of Kyng Agamenon,

109

Hait Halesus, can with ferss mud acwart
Adioyn hys horss forto draw his cart,
And, in the aid of Turnus and supple,
A thousand ferss folkis assemlyt he:
Thay quhilkis with rakis ourturnys euery bra
Fertyll of wynys in the mont Massica;
And thame alsso dwelland in hillys he,
Send from the ald faderis of Arunca cite;
And thai that dwellis hard on the sey bray
Besyde the cite of Sydycina,
Or come fra Cales into Champany,
With all tha pepillis into cumpany
Inhabitant the schauld flude Wlturnus,
And frawart folkis, hait Saticulus,
Togiddir eik with the haill multitude
Of Oscores, that pepill stern and rude.
Thyr bair in feild, of wapynnys in the stedis,
Round casting dartis, or macis with pikit hedis,
Quhilk in thar leid is clepit ane “aclyd”;
And, so it mycht the mair suyrly abyde,
Onto thar armis is knyt with a tewch stryng,
Quharwith thai do it at thar fays slyng.
A ballen pavys coverys thar left sydis,
Maid of hart skynnys and thik oxin hydis;
And crukyt swerdis, bowand as a syth,
Thai bair at hand reddy to draw ful swith.
Nor thow, Oebalus, onreknyt sal nocht wend
By our metyr, but lovyng and commend,
Quham Kyng Telon engendrit, as thai say,
On Sabetrydes, the lusty nymphe or may,
That tyme quhen he ryngnyt as lord and kyng
Our Capreas ilys, and in governyng
Led the pepill hait Theleboes bald;
Or than, far step in age was he and ald.
Bot hys son, this Oebalus, in his entent
Of his faderis boundis stud nocht content,
That lang afor to his obeysans he
Subdewit had the pepill Sarraste,

110

And all the large feildis, bonk and buss,
Quhilk ar bedyit with the ryver Sarnus;
Thai that occupyit Rufa and Batulane,
In Champany rich and strang townys twane;
The planys eik and sulȝe of Celene,
Quhilk dedicat ar onto Iuno quene;
And thai behaldis the weirly wallit cite
Of Nola, witht his stalwart towris he,
Quhar gret plente of apillis orrange growis;
Quhilk pepill in thar weirfar had na bowis,
Bot war accustumit forto thraw oft syss
The castyng speris on the Duchmenis gyss;
Quhais hed ger war of ful sobir extent,
Maid of the cork or bark fra treis rent;
Bukclaris thai bair, with boyss or plait of steill,
And schynand swerdis of mettal burnyst weill.
Thai pepill eik that clepit beyn Nursanys,
Quhilkis in the strait and hie montanys remanys,
Send to the feld ane chiftane of defens,
Of worthy fame, the renownyt Vfens;
Happy in armys and redowtit was he,
Bustuus abuf al otheris his menȝe,
The folkis clepit of Equicola,
That hard furrys had telit mony a da,
And all enarmyt laubour thai thar land;
Thai hant ful oft huntyng in woddis at hand;
Evir lykis thame to cach and dryve away
The recent spreith and fresch and callour pray,
And on spulȝe to leif and on rapyne.
Onto this batale bownys the preste dyvyne,
Vmbro to name, the strenthyast a man
Of all the pepill in Marrubya clan,
Send fra the kyng Archippus with his feris,
As thar chiftane and rewlar in the weris,
Hys helm arrayt with a garland schene
Plet of the happy olyve branschis grene.
All kynd of eddir and hissand serpent fell
With incantatioun he couth gar ryfe and swell,

111

Or cast apon thame sleping with his sang,
And, with his charmys and his herbis strang,
Thar wraith and wenom couth he dant and mess,
And heill thar stangyng, and sik hurtis eyss.
Bot he couth fynd no curis nor remede
To salf hym from the Troiane speris hed:
Hys slepy charmys had no forss nor mycht,
Ne herbis gadderit on Marsys montis hycht,
To help thai hurtis he caucht in the melle.
O soverane preist, quhat reuth was it of the!
For the the woddis wepyt of Angytus,
The cristal strandis murnyt of Fuscynus,
The bewalit cleir lakis and spryng wellis,
Nymphis, virgynys, matronys and damysellis.
Furth to the batale eik held Virbyus,
The son mast semly of Hippolitus;
Hys cheif maternal cite, ful of mycht,
Aricya, furth sent this worthy knycht;
In schawis schene, endlang the watir bra
Of flud Hymetes, by Agerya
That nymphe he fosterit was ful tenderly,
Quhar as of manswete Diane fast tharby
The altar, eith fortyl apless, vpstandis,
Oft ful of sacrifice and fat offerandis.
For mony haldis opinion, sayand thus
Be common voce and fame, Hippolitus,
Efter that he slane was and to ded dycht
By falss dissait of his stepmoderis slycht,
And had eik sufferit by his blude and breth
The cruel panys of his faderis wreth,
As tobe harlit with horss that caucht affray
And skeichit at a merswyne by thir way;
Ȝit nevir the less, for the luf of Dian,
He was restorit to this ilk lyfe agane,
And come to dwell vndir our hevin and ayr,
That heir abuf contenys thir starnys fair;
Quhilk cuyr was done by Asculapyus sle,
Throw the mychtis of the royss Pyone.

112

Than Iupiter almychty fader hie,
Havand disdene ony mortal suld be
Rasyt to lyfe, or over warldis lyght,
From the dyrknes of neddir hellis nycht,
The fyndar of this crafty medycyne,
Quhilk was byget be the god Appollyne,
That is to knaw, this Asculapyus,
With thunderis dynt bath fell and dangerus
Vnder the erth smate dovn, forto remane
In hellis ground and watir Stigiane.
Bot than the thrynfald Diane ful of blyss
In secret place Hippolitus with this
Hyd, and betaucht Agerya the may
Tobe kepit in the ilk forest gay,
Quhar, him allane, in woddis of Italy
Hys lyfe he led onknaw of ony wy,
And quhar he, first was hait Hippollitus,
Changit his name, yclepit Vyrbyus.
And, be this self resson ȝit alsso,
From the tempill of Dian euermo
Thir horny hovit horsis bene debarrit,
For sa mekil as thai at the sey monstreis skarrit,
And brak the cart throw thar ondantit mycht,
And furth swakkit Hippolitus, gentil knycht.
Ȝit netheless, hys son, this Virbyus,
The ardent stedis fers and chevalrus
Throw owt the plane feild dryvis al in feir,
And furth hurlis his chariot to the weir.
Quhou Turnus to this batal bownys to ga,
And als this weirlyke woman Camylla.
Turnus him self, of weir the cheif capitane,
Amyd pryncis and gret chiftanys ilkane
Enarmyt walkis, turnand to and fro
With corps of statur eligant, that so,

113

Quhar as he went throw out the rowtis on hie,
Abuf thame all hys hed men mycht weil se,
Quhar on his helm set ful richly schane
With cristis thre lyke til ane lokkyrrit mane;
Tharon as tymbrill standing Chymera,
That wondrus monstre, with wide chaftis bla
Furth blawand fyre and flambe sulphureus,
Lyke byrnand Ethna, that mont peralus;
The mair wod wraith and furyus wolx sche,
With sorofull fyre blesys spowtand hie,
Evir as the batale worthis mor cruell
By effusioun of blude and dyntis fell.
Hys schynand scheld was all of fyne gold bet,
Quhar in thar was in sted of armys, set
Io the wench, sum tyme but hornys, now
With hair ourgrow, transformyt in a kow;
Quhilk was gret argument and probatioun
That he was of his blude a Gregioun.
The kepar eik of this ilk maid, Argus,
Was porturit thar, and fader Inachus,
Furth of ane pantyt pig, quhar as he stude,
A gret ryver defundand or a flude.
Ane ost of fut men, thik as the hail schour,
Followys this Turnus, dryvand vp the stour;
With scheildis schrowdyt mony huge rowt
Thik forgaderis the large feildis about:
Thai ȝonkeris quhilk of Grekis war discend
The power of Arunca thiddir send,
The garnysons alsso of Rutilyanys,
And the ancyent pepill hait Sycanys,
Of Sacrane the army bald in feildis,
The Lybicanys eik with thar pantit scheildis,
Quhilk telys on thy bankis, Tybyr flude,
Or ȝit endlang thy gresy brays gude
Of Munycus, thou hallowit fresch ryver,
And thai that with scharp cultyr teil and scheir
Of Rutuly the hilly knollis hie
Or camy eyge and holtis fair to se,

114

That Circeus to surname clepit ar—
Quhar Anxurus, the berdless Iupiter,
For patron is hallowit our the planys,
And Iuno eik ful ioyusly remanys
In Feronya, hir sweit schaw ay greyn,
Neir by the blak laik clepit Satureyn,
Quhar as the chil ryver, hait Vfens,
Sekis with narrow passage and discens
Amyd holl valeis his renk and ische,
And hydis hym self within the Tyrrhene see.
Abuf all thir the stowt wench Camylla,
Of the famyl and kynrent of Volsca,
Com ledand armyt ostis and stern feldis
In burnyst plait arrayt and schynand scheldis.
Forsuyth, ane worthy weriour was sche:
Hir womanly handis nothir rok of tre
Ne spyndill vsit, nor brochis of Mynerve,
Quhilk in the craft of claithmakyng doys serve;
Bot ȝit this maid was weil accustumate
To suffer bargane dowr and hard debait,
And throu the speid of fut in hir rynnyng
The swift wyndis prevert and bakwart dyng;
Or than alsso so spedely couth scho fle
Our the cornys, ourtred thar croppis hie,
That with hir curss na reid nor tendir stra
Was harmyt ocht, nor hurt by ony way;
And, throu the boldnand fludis amyd the see
Born soverly, furth hald hir way mycht sche,
The swyft solis of hir tendir feyt
Nocht twichand anys the watir hir to weit.
All ȝong folkis, on hir forto ferly,
Furth of howsys and feildis flokkis in hy:
Litil childer and matronys awondring
On far behaldis hir stowt pays in a lyng,
So manfully and baldly walkis sche,
With spreit abasyt thai gove hir forto se
Quhat wyss hir slekyt schuldris war array
With kyngly purpour, honorabill and gay;

115

And quhou the hair was of this damoysell
Knyt with a button in a goldyn kell;
And how a quavir closs scho bair alssua,
With grondyn dartis wrocht in Lycia;
And ane hail sipplyn of a gret myr tre,
Quhilk hyrdis mycht ourheld with bewis he,
In maner of a speir in hand scho bair,
Hedit with forgit steill ful scharp and squair.
Alswith as Turnus, our the master towr
Of Lawrentum, hys baner quhite as flour
In syng of batale dyd on breid display,
The trumpys blast and hornys maid deray,
And stern stedis stampyng for the dyn,
The armour clattris, fast ilk man can ryn;
Incontinent togidder, with myndis amovit,
All Latyum assemblit sone controvit
Ane coniuratioun or hasty convyne,
As in feirfull affray thar land to tyne,
And wod wraith wolx thir ȝonkeris, he and he,
With byrnand hartis fers to the melle.
The first chiftanys for assay or defens,
The gret Mesapus, and the strang Vfens,
With Meȝentyus, of goddis contempnar,
The rowtis for supple baith neir and far
Compellis to assemble with thar poweris,
And large feildis laid waist of lawboreris.
Ane Venulus alsso was send, a Greik,
To gret Diomedis cite, to beseik
Supple and help, and to schaw all and sum
Quhou Troianys war discend in Latyum;
Ene with navy arryvit vp at hand,
And brocht his venquyst goddis in thar land,
Sayand that, by the fatis and destanee,
He thiddir callit was as kyng tobe;
And that he suld eik to Diomedis schaw
That mony pepill war adionyt and draw

116

Onto this ilk forsaid strangear knycht,
For he was cummyn of Dardanus the wyght,
And wyde quhar our al partis of Italy
Hys name begouth to spreid and multiply;
And sen he had begun sic thing on hand,
Quhat syne he etlyt mycht be vnderstand,
That is to knaw, gif forton war so heynd
By aventour of weir tobe his frend,
Mair evidently he covat to proceid
Agane his ancyent ennemy, Diomed,
Than to ourset the ȝong knychtly Turnus,
Or ȝit ourcum the ald kyng Latynus.
Heir endis the sevynt buke of Eneados And syne begynnys the proloug of the aucht buke

117

[The Proloug of the Aucht Buke]

Of dreflyng and dremys quhat dow it to endyte?
For, as I lenyt in a ley in Lent this last nycht,
I slaid on a swevynnyng, slummyrrand a lite,
And sone a selcouth seg I saw to my sycht,
Swownand as he swelt wald, sowpyt in syte
(Was nevir wrocht in this warld mair wofull a wycht),
Ramand, “Resson and rycht is rent by fals ryte,
Frendschip flemyt is in Frans, and faith hes the flycht,
Leys, lurdanry and lust ar our laid starn,
Peax is put owt of play,
Welth and weilfar away,
Luf and lawte baith tway
Lurkis ful darn.
“Langour lent is in land, all lychtnes is lost,
Sturtyn study hes the steir, distroyand our sport,
Musyng marris our myrth half mangit al most;
So thochtis threthis in thra our brestis ourthwort,
Bailfull bessynes baith blyss and blithnes can bost.
Thar is na sege for na schame that schrynkis at schort,
May he cum to hys cast be clokyng, but cost,
He rakkis nowder the rycht nor rakles report;
All is weill done, God wate, weild he hys will.
That bern is best can nocht blyn
Wrangwyss gudis to wyn;
Quhy suld he spair, for ony syn,
Hys lust to fulfyll?
“All ledis langis in land to laucht quhat thame leif is:
Lufferis langis only to lok in thar lace
Thir ladeis lufly, and louk but let or releifis,
Quha sportis thame on the spray sparis for na space;

118

The gallyart groym grunschis at grammys hym grevis,
The fillok hyr deformyt fax wald haue a fair face,
To mak hir maikles of hir man at myster myscheif is;
The gudwif grulyng befor God gretis efter grace,
The lard langis efter land to leif to his ayr;
The preist for a personage,
The seruand efter his wage,
The thral tobe of thrillage,
Langis ful sair.
“The myllar mythis the multyr with a met skant,
For droucht had drunkyn vp his dam in the dry ȝeir;
The cadgyar callis furth his capill with crakkis wail cant,
Calland the colȝar a knafe and culron ful qweir;
Sum schippart slais the lardis scheip and says he is a sanct,
Sum grenys quhil the gyrss grow for his gray meir,
Sum sparis nowder spiritual, spousyt wife nor ant,
Sum sellis folkis sustynance, as God sendis the feir,
Sum glasteris and thai gang at, and all for gait woll,
Sum spendis on the ald vse,
Sum makkis a tvme ruyss,
Sum grenys efter a guse
To fars his wame full.
“The wrach walis and wryngis for this warldis wrak,
The mukkyrrar murnys in his muyd the meill gaue na pryce,
The pyrat pressys to peill the peddar hys pak,
The hasartouris haldis thame heryt hant he nocht the dyce,
The burgess byngis in hys boith, the brovne and the blak
Byand bessely, and bane, buge, bevir and byce,
Sum ledys langis on the land, for love or for lak,
To sembyll with thar schaftis and set apon syss,
The schipman schrenkis the schour and settis to schor,
The hyne crynys the corn,
The broustar the beir schorn,
A fest the fedlar to morn
Covatis full ȝor.

119

“The ralȝear raknys na wordis, bot ratlis furth ranys,
Full rude and royt ressons baith roundalis and ryme;
Swengeouris and scurryvagis, swankeis and swanys,
Gevis na cur to cun craft, nor comptis for na cryme,
With berdis as beggaris, thocht byg be thar banys,
Na laubour list thai luk till, thar luffis ar byrd lyme;
Get ane bysmer a barn, than all hir blyss gane is,
Scho will nocht wirk thocht scho want, bot wastis hir tyme
In thiggyn, as it thrift war, and other vayn thewis,
And slepis quhen scho suld spyn,
With na will the warld to wyn;
This cuntre is full of Caymis kyn,
And sik schire schrewis.
“Quhat wikkytnes, quhat wanthrift now in warld walkis!
Baill hes banyst blythnes, bost gret brag blawys,
Prattis ar reput polycy and peralus pawkis,
Dignyte is laid dovn, darth to the dur drawis.
Of tratlys and tragedyis the text of all talk is:
Lordis ar left landles be onleill lawys,
Burgessis bryngis hame the bothe to breid in thar bawkis,
Knychtis ar kowhubeis and commonys plukkyt crawis,
Clerkis for oncunnandnes mysknawis ilk wight,
Wifis wald haue all thar will,
Enewch is nocht halff fyll,
Is nowder resson nor skill
In erd haldin rycht.
“Sum latyt latton, but lay, lepys in lawyd lyt,
Sum penys furth a pan boddum to prent falss plakkis;
Sum gowkis quhill the glass pyg grow full of gold ȝit,
Throu cury of the quynt essens, thocht clay muggis crakkis;
Sum wernour for this warldis wrak wendis by hys wyt;
Sum crachour crynys the cunȝe, and kepys corn stakkis;
Sum prygpenny, sum pyke thank with prevy promyt,
Sum iarris with a ied staf to iag throu blak iakkis.
Quhat fenȝeit fair, quhat flattry and quhat fals talys!

120

Quhat mysery is now in land!
Quhou mony crakkyt cunnand!
For nowther athis, nor band,
Nor selis avalis.
“Prestis, suldbe patterraris and for the pepill pray,
Tobe papis of patermon and prelaceis pretendis;
Ten tendis ar a trump, bot gif he tak ma
Ane kynryk of parroch kyrkis cuppillit with commendis!
Quha ar wyrkaris of this weir, quha walkynnaris of wa,
Bot incompetabill clergy, that Cristyndome offendis?
Quha revis, quha ar ryotus, quha rakles, bot tha?
Quha quellys the puyr commonys bot kyrkmen, weil kend is?
Thar is na stait of thar stile that standis content,
Knycht, clerk, nor common,
Burgess, nor barroun—
All wald haue vp that is dovn,
Weltrit the went.”
And as this leyd at the last lyggand me seys,
With a luke onlufsum he lent me sic wordis:
“Quhat bern be thou in bed, with hed full of beys,
Grathit lyke sum gnappar, and, as thi greis gurdis,
Lurkand lyke a longeour?” Quod I: “Lovn, thou leys.
Ha, wald thou feght?” Quod the freik: “We haue bot few swordis.
Thar is sic haist in thi hed, I hope thou wald neyss,
That brawlys thus with thi bost quhen bernys with the bourdis.”
Quod I: “Churle, ga chat the, and chyde with ane other.”
“Move the nocht,” said he than,
“Gyf thou be a gentill man,
Or ony curtasy can,
Myne awyn leif brother.
“I spek to the into sport; spell me this thyng,
Quhat lykis ledis in land? quhat maste langis thou?”
Quod I: “Smake, lat me sleip, Sym Skynnar the hyng:
I weyn thou byddis na better bot I brek thi brow.

121

To me is myrk myrrour ilk mannys menyng;
Sum waldbe cowrt man, sum clerk and sum a cachkow,
Sum knycht and sum capitane, sum Caser, sum kyng,
Sum wald haue welth at thar will, and sum thar wame fow,
Sum langis for the luffyr ill to lyk of a quart,
Sum for thar bontay or boyn,
Sum to se the new moyn—
I lang to haue our buke done,
I tell the my part.”
“Thy buke is bot brybry,” said the bern than,
“Bot I sal leir the lesson to lyss all thi pane.”
With that he racht me a roll: to reid I began
The roytast ane ragment with mony rat rane,
Of all the mowys in this mold sen God merkyt man—
The moving of the mapamond, and how the moyn schane,
The Pleuch, and the polys, the planettis began,
The son, the Sevyn Starnys, and the Charl Wayn,
The Elwand, the elementis, and Arthurus Hufe,
The Horn and the Hand Staf,
Prater Iohne and Port Iaf,
Quhy the corn hes the caf,
And kow weris clufe.
“Thys romans ar bot rydlys,” quod I to that ray,
“Leyd, lern me ane other lesson, this I ne like.”
“I persaue, schir parson, thi purposs perfay,”
Quod he, and drew me doun dern in dolf by a dyke,
Had me hard be the hand quhar a hurd lay,
Than prevely the pennyss begouth vp to pike—
Bot, quhen I walknyt, all that welth was wiskyt away,
I fand nocht in all that feild, in faith, a be byke;
For as I grunschit at this grome and glifnyt abowt,
I grapyt graithly the gyll,
Every modywarp hyll,
Bot I mycht pyke thar my fyll
Or penny come owt.

122

Than wolx I teyn at I tuke to sic trufis tent,
For swevynnys ar for swengeouris that slummyrris nocht weill;
Mony mervellus mater nevir merkit nor ment
Will seggis se in thar sleip, and sentens but seill:
War all sic sawys suythfast, with schame we war schent.
Thys was bot faynt fantasy, in faith, that I feill,
Nevir word of verite, bot all in waist went,
Throw roytnes and ravyng, that maid myne eyn reill,
Thus lysnyt I, as losanger, syk lewydnes to luke;
Bot, quhen I saw nane other bute,
I sprent spedely on fute,
And vndre a tre rute
Begouth this aucht buke.
Heir endis the proloug of the vii buke of Eneados and begynnys the aucht buke of the sammyn

123

Quhou Tiberinus, god of the ryver,
Till Eneas in visioun gan appeir.
As thys convyne and ordinance was maid
Of Latyum throw owt the boundis braid,
Quhilk, euery poynt, this Troiane lord onon,
Cummyn of the howss of Kyng Laomedon,
In hevy curis flowand all on flocht,
Avysys weill, how all this thing was wrocht,
And hastely in mynd on euery sydis
Now for this purposs, now for that, providis,
Now heir, now thar, ryvest in syndry partis,
And sersys, turnand to and fra all artis—
Lyke as the radyus sonnys bemys brycht,
Or than the glymerand monys schaddo lycht,
Reflexit from the brasyn veschell, we se,
Fillyt with watir to the cirkyll on hie,
Our all the howss reboundis and doys spreid
Schynand, and sersys euery sted on breid,
Quhil in the ayr vpgoys the twynkland lycht,
Glitterand on euery spar and ruf on hyght.
The nycht come, and al thing levand sessit;
Wery of wark baith byrd and brutal best
Our all the landis war at rest ilkane,
The profund swouch of sleip had thame ourtane;
Quhen this ilk prince, Eneas, all on flocht,
With mynd sowpyt in cuyr and hevy thocht,
And for this sorofull batale richt onglaid,
Apon the ryver bank hym self dovn laid
Vndre the cald firmament for the nanys,
And gave schort rest onto his wery banys.
Quham to the god of that sted dyd appeir,
Tyberynus, furth of the still ryver,
Amyd the branchis of the popill treys,
As agyt man semyng hym self vpheis;

124

A lenȝe watry garmond dyd hym vaill,
Of cullour fawch, schaip lyke a hempyn saill,
And leiffy redis dekkis weill hys haris.
To meyss Eneas thochtis and hys sarys,
Thus he begouth to speke, and sayd, but dyn:
“O gentill get, cummyn of hie goddis kyn,
Quhilk from thy fays to ws with mekill ioy
Hes hyddir brocht the gret cite of Troy,
And Pergama, the Troiane wallys wight,
Eternaly conservis throu thy myght;
Desyrit maist of lang tyme, now welcum
Onto the grond and soill of Lawrentum,
And all the feildis eik of Latyn land.
Heir is thy sikkir duellyng place at hand,
Ane sovir ferm habitatioun for ay;
Withdraw the not fra hyne, pass nocht away,
Nor dreid na thing the bost of this batell.
The rancour all of goddis, I the tell,
And boldynnand wreth, appesyt ar almaste.
And so thow weyn not at my wordis be waist,
Nor fenȝeit dremys do to the appeir,
Vndyr sawch treis by thir bankis neir
Onon thou sall do fynd a mekill swyne,
With thretty hed ferreyt of grysys fyne,
Of cullour quhite, thar lugyng on the grond,
Hyr quhite brodmell abowt hyr pappis wond.
That is the place to set vp thy cite,
Quhilk of ȝour laubour sovir rest salbe;
Quhar that, as thretty ȝheris byrun and gane is,
Ascanyus sal do beld of lyme and stanys
The cite hait fair Alba of delyte,
Berand hys name fra the fair cullour quhite.
Thus I declar the nane oncertane thing,
But verray suythfast takynnys and warnyng.
Now harkis bot a litill, I the pray,
I sall the lern in quhat wordis, quhat way
Thow may cum speid, and haue the haill ourhand
Twichand this instant mater now at hand.

125

Thar bene pepill of Arcad from the ryng
Cummyn in this land, discend of Pallas kyng,
Quhilk, with Evandir kyng in cumpany,
Followand the syngnys schaw, hess fast heir by
Chosyn a sted and beldit a cite
Amang the knollis round or motis hie,
Efter thar forfader of nobill fame,
Pallas, clepyt Pallanteum to name.
Contynualy thir folkis euery ȝeir
Agane the Latyn pepyll ledis weir;
Adione to thir thyne ost in falloschip,
Do mak with thame a lyge, and bynd frendschip.
I sall my self convoy the the rycht way
Betwix thir brays vp the fludis gray,
So that agane the streme, throu help of me,
By ayris rowth thydder careit sall thou be.
Haue done, get vp, thou son of the goddess;
First as the starris declynys, the address,
I meyn into the dawyng rycht ayrly,
Dewly to Iuno se thou sacryfy,
Hyr wreth and all sik mannans to ourset
With devoyt supplications maid of det:
And, quhen thou has optenyt victory,
To me thou sall do wirschip by and by.
I am God Tybris, watry hewyt and haw,
Quhilk, as thou seys, with mony iawp and iaw
Bettis thir brays, schawyng the bankis dovn,
And with full flude flowand fra tovn to tovn,
Throw fertill feildis scheryng thar and heir,
Vnder the lift the maste gentill ryver.
Heir is myne habitatioun huge grete,
Of mychty citeis cheif and souerane sete.”
This beand sayd, this ilk god of the flude
Vnder the deip can dowk dovn quhar he stude,
And socht onto the watir grond onone,
So darnly hyd nane wist quhar he was gone.

126

The sow with grysis, as Tiberinus said,
Eneas fand, and sacrifice hass maid.
The nycht fled, and the sleip left Ene.
On fut he startis, and onon can he se
Furth of the orient in the brycht mornyng
The sonnys hevynly bemys newly spryng,
And in the holl lufis of his hand quhar he stude
Dewly the water hynt he fra the flude,
Syne to the hevyn thus wyss his prayeris maid:
“O nymphys all of fludis blith and glaid,
And O ȝe haly nymphys of Lawrentum land,
Quham fra this fresch ryveris, and euery strand
That flowys rynnyng as we se sa cleir,
Hess thar begynnyng furth of sowrssys seir;
And O thou haly fader Tiberyne,
With Tybris eyk, thy blissyt flude dyvyne,
Ressaue Eneas to ȝow onbekend,
And now at last from all perrellys defend.
And, gif thou takis rewth of our gret skathis,
Heir I awow and promittis with aithys,
Quhar evir thy lowch or fontane may be fund,
Quhar evyr so thy spryng is, in quhat grund,
O flud mast plesand, the sall I our all quhar
Hallow with honorabill offerandis euermar.
Hornyt ryver, ryngand as lord and kyng
Our all the fludis in to Itall ryng,
Be in our help, now at last, I requer;
Eftyr sa feill dangeris and perellis seir,
Conferm thy promys and orakill in hy.”
Quhen this was said, furth of all his navy
Twa galeis dyd he cheiss the ilk tyd,
With dowbill raw of ayris on athir syde,
And for the rowyng weil grathit thaim hess he,
Syne for the weir instrukkit his menȝe.

127

Bot lo, in haist befor hys eyn he saw
A mervalus and wondrus thyng to knaw—
A mylk quhite sow within the woddis lay
Apon the grene watris bank in hys way,
With hir lyttar new ferreit in that sted,
All of a cullour, grysys thretty hed,
Quham the devoyt Eneas on hys gyss
Onto the, gretast Iuno, in sacryfyss
Brytnys, and, with hyr flok and followaris,
Hes set and offerit vp on thy altaris.
Tybyr his swelland fludis all that nycht,
Quhow lang at evir it was quhil days lycht,
Stabillys and cawmys at hys awin will;
The streme bakwartis vpflowys soft and still;
On syk wyss mesand his watir, that he
Ane standand stank semyt for tobe,
Or than a smoith puyl, or dub lovn and fair,
So that the ayris mycht fyndyn na contrar.
Tharfor Eneas can hys tyme aspy,
And hastis on hys vayage bissely;
With prosper curss and sobyr quhisperyng
The pikkyt bargis of fyr fast can thryng,
And slydis throw the schaldis stil and cleir;
The watir ferleys of thar fard and beir;
The forest, nocht accustummyt to se
Sik thingis, wondris quhat at this mycht be,
As to behald schynand scheldis on far
On mennys schuldris ay cummand nar and nar,
The pantit carvellis fletyng throu the flude.
Baith nycht and day ilk man, as thai war wod,
Can spend in rowth with irksum lauboryng,
The lang stremys and welys rovnd sworlyng
Our slydyng fast vpwartis the ryver,
Hyd and ourheldit with mony treys seir;
Endlang the still fludis calm and beyn
Thai seik and schar throu owt the woddis greyn.

128

Quhou Eneas with Kyng Evander met,
And bandis of kyndnes hass betwix thame knet.
The fyry son be this ascendit evin
The myddill ward and regioun of the hevyn;
That is to knaw, be than it was myd day,
Quhen that on far the cite wallis se thai,
With towris and the howss hedis on raw
Skatterit disperss, and bot a few to knaw;
Quhilk now the mychty power of Rome tovn
Hes onto hevyn maid equal of renovn.
The kyng Evander, of moblys nocht mychty,
Held for that tyme bot sobyr senȝeory.
In haist thyddir thar stevynnys can do steir
Eneas sort, and to the tovn drew neyr.
Thys Kyng Evander, born was of Arcad,
Percace the self day a gret honour mayd,
Solempnyt fest, and full hie sacryfyss,
Onto the gret Hercules on thar gyss,
That fostyr son was till Amphitrion,
And to the other goddis euery one,
Befor the cite in a hallowit schaw.
Pallas, hys son, was thydder alsso draw,
Togiddir with the principalis of ȝonkeris,
The sobir senatouris, and puyr officeris,
All sammyn kest ensens; and with a stew
Besyde the altar blude sched and scalit new,
Beand lew warm, thar full fast dyd reik.
Bot ȝit als swyth as thai persauyt eyk
The gret bargis slydand thus on raw,
And throw the dern woddis fast thydder draw,
So stilly bendand vp thar ayris ilk wight;
Thai worth affrayt of the suddand syght,
And euery man thai left the burdis in hy,
On fut gan starting from the mangeory.
Quham hardy Pallas dyd forbyd and diffend
Thar sacrifyss tobrek, quhill it war end:

129

He hynt a wapyn, with a few menȝe
Thame to recontyr onon furth haldis he,
And ȝit weill far from a hill or a know
To thame he callys: “Standis, ȝyng men, howe!
Quhat causs hes movit ȝou apon sik way
Thir strangis wentis onknawin to assay?
Quhiddir ettill ȝe, or quhat kynrent ȝe be?
Schaw quhens ȝe com, and quhilk is ȝour cuntre.
Quhidder do ȝe bryng onto our boundis heir
Bodword of peax, or cumis in feir of wer?”
Eneas tho, the fader of wirschip,
Maid answer from the pulpyt of the schip,
And in hys hand straucht furth, at he mycht se,
In takyn of peax a branch of olyve tre:
“My frend,” quod he, “thou seys pepill of Troy,
To Latyn folkis ennemyss, man and boy;
Quhilk, flemyt of our realm, newly agane
Thai ilk Latynys hess socht with prowd bargane.
Onto the kyng Evander all seik we,
Hym to requir of succurss and supple.
Bair hym this message, and declar hym plane,
That chosyn men discend from Kyng Dardane
Beyn hyddir cummyn, besekyng hys frendschip,
To knyt vp band in armys and falloschip.”
Pallas, estonyst of sa hie a name
As Dardanus, abasyt worth for schame:
“Cum furth,” quod he, “quhat evir thou be, bern bald,
And say befor my fader quhat thou wald,
And entyr in our lugyngis the to rest,
Quhar thou salbe ressauyt welcum gest.”
And furth onone he hynt hym by the hand,
A weil lang quhile hys rycht arm embrasand;
Syne furth togiddir rakyt thai on raw,
The flud thai leif, and entris in the schaw.
Eneas tho, with frendly commonyng,
Spak curtasly, thus sayand to the kyng:
“O thow maste curtass prynce, and best in neid
That evir was byget of Grekis seyd,

130

Quhamto fortoun wald I suld cummyn heir,
The lawly to besekyng and requir,
And wald alsso I suld furth reke to the
Wippyt with bendis the branch of olyve tre,
In takyn that of thy supple I neid;
Forsuyth, I caucht na maner feir ne dreid,
Thocht thou a capitane of the Grekis be,
Yborn alsso of Arcad the cuntre,
Of blude coniunct to the Atrides tway,
I meyn onto Agamenon and Menelay:
Bot myne awin vertu, and haly oracleis
Of the goddis be devyn miracleis,
And our forbearis all of a kynred,
Thy fame dyuulgat into euery sted,
Hess me fermly adionyt onto the;
The fatis eik tharto inducis me,
That wilfully I obey thar command.
Schir Dardanus, the kyng first in our land
That belt the cite Troy or Ilion,
Our cheif fader, as Grekis grantis ilkone,
Born of Electra, Atlas douchter ȝyng,
Careit be schip come first to Troys ryng;
And this Electra gret Atlas begat,
That on hys schuldyr baris the hevynnys plat.
Mercur is fader of ȝour clan alssua,
Quham the schene madyn, the fair fresch Maya,
Apon the frosty hillys top all bair,
Quhilk Cillenus is hait, in Arcad bair;
And this ilk Maya suythly, gif that we
Ony credens to it we heir or se
May geif, Atlas bygat, that sam Atlas
That rollys the hevynly starrit speir cumpas;
So baith our kynrentis, schortlie to conclud,
Devidit ar furth of a stok and blude.
Quharfor, havand confidens in thir thyngis,
Nothir by ambassat, message nor writingis,
Nor other craft, thy frendschip first socht I;
Bot myne awin self in person com in hy,

131

That onto the submittit has my hed,
And the to pray socht lawly to this sted.
For the ilk pepill vnder Dawnus kyng,
That the Rutilianys has in governyng,
Quhilk ledis weir aganys thi cuntre,
With cruell batal now persewis me;
And gif thai mycht expell ws of this land,
Thai weyn tharby that nocht may thame ganestand,
Bot at thai sall vnder thar senȝeory
Subdew alhaill in thraldom Italy,
And occupy thai boundis oriental
Quhar as the ovir see flowys alhaill,
And eik thai westir partis, trastis me,
Quhilkis ar bedyit with the neddir see.
Ressaue and knyt vp faith and ferm cunnand,
Tak our promyt and geif ws treuth and band;
Strang bodeis til abyde bargane haue we,
With hardy myndis in batal or melle,
Exercit in weir, and expert at sik nedis,
In lusty ȝouth likly to do our dedis.”
Thus said Eneas, and Evander than,
Fra tyme that he first forto speke began,
Hys eyn, hys mowth, and all hys body rycht
Gan to behald, espying with hys syght,
Syne schortly maid hys ansuer thus agane:
“O quhou glaidly the, mast forcy Troiane,
I do ressaue as tendir frend and feir!
Quhou blythly now I knaw and weil may heir
The voce, the wordis and the speche, but less,
Of thy fader, the gretast Anchises!
And full perfytly now I draw to mynd
The vissage of that worthy knycht maste kynd.
For weill I do ramembir, lang tyme gone,
Quhou Priamus, son of Laomedon,
To vissy hys sisteris land Hesiona,
Socht to the cite hait Salamyna,
And at the sammyn rayss hys vayage maid
Throu the cald frosty boundis of Arcaid.

132

My grene ȝouth that tyme with pilis ȝyng
First cled my chyn, or berd begouth to spryng;
I ioyt to se the Troian dukis ilkone,
And on the son of Kyng Laomedone,
That is to say, this ilk ȝong Priamus,
Forto behald was mervel gloryus;
Bot thy fader Anchises, quhar he went,
Was hyar far than all the remanent.
My mynd brynt, of ȝouthed throu desire,
To speke and common with that lordly syre,
Tobe acquentit, and ioyn hand intil hand,
Cunnand to knyt, and bynd fordwert or band.
To hym I went desyrus of frendschip,
And sped that sammyn so in falloschip,
Within the wallys of Pheness I hym led,
And quhen he dyd depart, or thens hym sped,
Ane courtly quavir full curyusly wrocht,
With arowis, maid in Lycia, wantand nocht,
Ane garmond he me gaue, or knychtly weid,
Prynnyt and wovyn full of fyne gold threid,
Twa goldyn bridillis eik, as he dyd pass,
Quhilk now my son occupyis, ȝong Pallas.
Quharfor our allyance, faith and richt hand,
As ȝe desire, ar ellys adionyt in band—
We bene of ald confideratis, perfay:
Quharfor to morn, alssone as the brycht day
Begynnys allycht the landis and the sky,
With succurss and suppovell blythly I
Sal ȝou fra hyne hame to ȝour army send,
And with my gudis and my mobillis amend.
And in the meyn tyme, sen, my frendis deir,
Onto our sacrefyis ȝe be cummyn heir,
Quhilk ȝeirly vsyng we as anniuersary,
That bene onlefull to defer or tary:
Tharfor with ws do hallow our hie fest,
And with glaid semlant blythly maste and lest
Accustom ȝou from thens, and now instant
Our tabillis as ȝour frendly burdis hant.”

133

Quhen this was said, mesis and cowpis ilkane,
Quhilk war away tak, bad he bring agane,
And he hym self the Troiane men fut het
On sonkis of gresy scheraldis hes doun set.
Thar pryncipal capitane syne, Ene,
Beside hym self on dess ressauys he;
The benk, ybeldyt of the grene holyne,
With lokkyrrit lyoun skyn ourspred was syne.
Than ȝong men walit bissy heir and thar,
And eik prestis of Hercules altar,
The rostit bullys flesch set by and by,
The bakyn breid of baskettis temys in hy,
And wynys byrlys into gret plente.
Eneas, sammyn with hys Troiane menȝe,
Dyd of perpetual oxin fillettis eyt,
And purgit entralis, clepit clengyng meit.
Evander tellith till Eneas, but baid,
The verray causs quhy this sacerfice was maid.
Eftir that stanchit was the hungris rage,
And appetit of meit begouth asswage,
Said Kyng Evander: “Na superstitioun vayn,
Nor mysknawlage of goddis ancyane,
Thys hie fest and gret solempnyte,
Nor this bankat and mesys, as ȝe se,
Hes institut to ws, and this alter
Of sa excelland maieste standyng heir;
Bot, my deir frend and nobill gest Troiane,
We, preservit from cruel peralus pane,
Hantis this seruys apon sik maner,
As proper det and observans ilk ȝer.
First, do behald ȝone schorand hewchis brow,
Quhar all ȝon craggy rochis hyngis now,
Quhou the huge weghty brays bene dovn cast,
The holkit fows in the mont syde left waste,

134

Quhar as the craggy quhynnys, dovn declyne,
Has drawyn of the hill a huge rewyne.
Ȝon was a cavern or cove in ald days,
With gousty entray far furth of all ways,
A grisly den and ane forworthyn gap
Of Cacus, that na mar had bot the schap
Of mannys form, for skant half man was he
Throw cruel dedis of iniquyte,
That in ȝone fendlich hole dwelt hym allane—
A hellis byke, quhar sonnys beme nevir schane,
Quhar the vile flur evir lew warm was spred
With recent slauchter of blud newly sched.
Befor that tyrrandis ȝet of men that ded is
Affixit stud mony dolorus hedis,
With vissage blaknyt, blude byrun, and bla,
The laithly ordur or filth stilland thar fra.
Onto this hutyt monstre, this Cacus,
The god of fyre was fader, Wlcanus;
And at hys mouth, a wondir thing to se,
Hys faderis reky flambe furth ȝiskyt he.
As to hys body, quhar so evir he passit,
Of bustuus statur lyke nane other was it.
Proces of tyme at last hess ws inspirit,
And send ws help, as we full lang desyrit,
Be cummyng of the mychtful goddis presens;
For the danter of monstreis, our defens,
The maste redoutit Hercules, com at hand
Be aventour onto this ilke land,
New from the slauchter into stern melle
Of Geryon, the quhilk had bodeis thre.
With prowd spulȝe arryving triumphal,
This conquerour maid thyddir dryve and call
Hys bullys and hys oxin huge gret,
And eik hys ky, to pastur and to eyt
Endland ȝone valle that is large and wyde,
And tuk thar lugyng on this ryver syde.
Bot the ondantit fury mynd of this theif,
Schrewit Cacus, all way ful of myscheif,

135

By his frawart engyne and sle consait
So that no maner wikkytnes nor dissait
Mycht be, that he ne durst nocht tak on hand,
Ne onassayt leif, out from thar stand
Four semly oxin of body gret and squar,
Als mony tendir quyis excedand fair,
Of all tha catal away with hym drave.
And, that thar tred suld na way be persaue,
Onto hys cave ay bakwartis by the talys
To turn thar futsteppis he thame harlys and tralys;
And thus his spreith he had ontil his in,
And with a queym stane closyt hes the gyn.
Sik way he wrocht that, quha thar tred list goif,
Na takynnys suld convoy thame to his coif.
In the meyn quhile, as all the bestis war
Repatyrit weil efter thar nychtis layr,
At morow ayrly first as thai removit,
For Hercules depart from thens behuffit,
The catal gan to rowtyng, cry and rar;
The woddis rang of thar sound our alquhar,
And with thar noys dynnyt hillis and knowys,
Quhil in the caif as that a quyok lowis,
With lowd voce squeland in that gousty hald,
All Cacus trast reuelit scho and tald.
Bot tho in greif this worthy Hercules,
Alceus nevo, the douchty Alcides,
That so oft syss was clepit commonly,
Within hys skyn begouth to byrn and fry
In brym fury of his bitter gall;
Hys wapynnys and his armour hynt withall,
Hys weghty burdon, or his knorry mayss,
And to the hillys hycht held in a rayss.
Than was the first tyme that ony in this erd
Of our pepill persavyt Cacus efferd,
Within his hed trublit his eyn tway.
Swyft as the wynd he fled and gat away,
And to his cave hym sped with ery spreit—
The dreid adionyt weyngis to his feyt.

136

And fra he had hym self sesyt tharin,
A stane of huge weght for to closs the gyn
He leyt do fall, and with sic haist doun thrang,
The chenȝeis brak quharwith it festnyt hang,
That forgit war by hys fadris engyne;
With gret irne slottis schet the entre syne.
Bot lo, in haist Hercules come at hand
With furyus mynd careyng our the land,
Passage and entre sekyng bissely,
Now heir his eyn, now thar, rollyng in hy,
Graslyng hys teith and byrnand full of ire.
Of Aventynus hill thryss all the swyre
He sersys our, and thryss assays he
To brek and rent that craggy stone entre,
Bot all for nocht, thocht he was nevir sa wight;
So, thryss irkyt, doun from the hillys hyght
To rest hym is he to the valle gone.
Thar stude a pynnakill of quhyn or flynt stone,
Apon the baksyde of this cavern cald,
That rayss on end rycht hie fortobehald,
For wild fowlys of reif a ganand sted,
That rent raw flesch of bestis bonys ded;
The craggis all about this rolk war worn,
With wedderis blast to holkyt and to torn:
And as it stud on schor sweyand that tyde,
Down with the bank towart the watir syde,
Hercules it smytis with a mychty towk
Apon the rycht half, forto mak it iowke,
Inforsyng hym to welt it our the bra;
And sa rudly it branglys to and fra,
That from the rutis he it lowsyt and rent,
And tumlyt dovn fra thyne, or he wald stent.
The large ayr dyd reirding with the rusch,
The brays dyndlit, and all dovn can dusch;
The ryver wolx effrayt with the rak,
And demmyt with the rokis, ran abak.
Than this gret cove, of Cacus sail ryall,
Was discoverit; hys inwart cavernys all,

137

Wont tobe dyrk, worth patent now and knaw—
Non otherwyss than quhen the erd ourthraw
By fors of thundyr, or erdquake with a clap,
Ryvys vp a terribill sewch or grisly gap,
Oppynnand the hellis mansioun infernall,
And onclosys that dyrk regioun paill
Quhilk of the goddis al abufe is hayt;
Or thocht the hellis bysme in sik estait
War oppynnyt, that his bodum se men mycht,
And dampnyt sawlys effrayt of new lycht.
Quharfor this worthy stalwart Hercules,
That on this wyss had Cacus set in press,
And fund onwarnyst by this lycht suddane,
Quhar he was closyt in a cave of stane,
Fast rumesand apon a strange maner;
This campyoun with dartis fell of weir
Gan down tobet, and in his wod fury
Eftir all kynd wapynnys can do cry,
With branchis rent of treis, and querral stanys
Of huge weght dovn warpand all at anys.
Bot this ilk Cacus, quhen that he dyd se
Fra this danger thar was na way to fle,
Furth of his throt, a wondruss thing to tell,
A laithly smok he ȝiskis blak as hell,
And all the houss involuyt with dyrk myst,
That sone the syght vanyst, or ony wist,
And reky nycht within a litill thraw
Gan thikkyn our al the cavern and ourblaw,
And with the myrknes mydlit sparkis of fyre.
The hie curage of Hercules, lordly syre,
Mycht this na langar suffir, bot in the gap
With hasty stert amyd the fyre he lap,
And thar as maist habundyt smokis dyrk,
With huge sop of reyk and flambis myrk,
So that the caif dyd glevyn of the heyt,
Thar hass he hynt Cacus, that wikkyt spreit,
That all invane hys hait kyndlyng furth gaspyt;
For as a ball he hym in armys claspyt,

138

And so strenȝeis hys throt, furth chirt hys eyn,
Hys hals worth dry of blud. Than mycht be seyn
This mirk dungeoun and onsemly hald:
The entre oppynnyt Hercules the bald,
Bet doun the closeris, and syne brocht to the lycht
Hys oxin fra him reft by subtel slycht;
And by the feyt furth harlyt was onon
Of Cacus the deformyt carion.
The hartis than and myndis of our menȝe
Mycht nocht be satisfyit on him to luke and se,
As to behald hys vgly eyn twane,
Hys terribil vissage, and hys grisly gane,
The rouch byrsys on the breist and creste
Of that monstruoss half deil wilde beste,
And in his gorge stikkand the sloknyt fyre.
Evir sen that tyme, to Hercules the gret syre
We haue this honour mayd and sacrifice;
Al our ofspring and ȝong men on this wyss
This day kepis solempnyte, as ȝe se.
Potitius first master heir with me,
And the famyll of Pynaria the bald,
The cheif keparis of Hercules hallowyt hald,
Ȝon altar in this cuthyll dyd vpbeild,
That onto ws in euery tyme of eild
Is clepyt maist solempnyt and hie altar,
And salbe reput gretast euermar.
Tharfor haue done, ȝong gallandis; now in hy
In wirschip of this fest and mangeory,
Of greyn branschis plet for ȝour hed garlandis,
Do waucht and drynk, bryng cowpys full in handis,
Call on our patron common god dyvyne is,
And with gud will do skynk and birl the wynys.”
Thus sayand, the party popill grayn
Heldit his hed with skug Herculyane,
The levis from the plettis dovn hyngand,
Ane haly cowp fillit in hys rycht hand.
Than ilk man smertly tastis the wyne at tabill,
Prayand thar goddis fortobe aggreabill.

139

In lovyng of the douchty Hercules
The pepill syngis hys warkis mar and less.
In the meyn sesson Hesperus drew neir,
Throw the declynyng of the hevynly speir:
Tharwith the prestis of the sacryfyis,
Gyrdyt in skynnys, eftir thar auld gyss,
Gan trasyng furth togidder in a rowt,
And formest went Potityus the stowt,
All do thai beir the byrnand hait fyre brandis,
And, to renew the bankat, with thar handis
Ful delicat danteis for the secund mete
Thai dress onone, and furth of platis gret
With paysit flesch plenyst the altaris large,
Tharon bestowyng in hepis mony a charge.
Syne the menstralis, syngaris and danseris,
To syng and play with soundis, as afferis,
Abowt the kyndlit altaris, quhil thai brynt,
Assemblit ar ful swyth, and wald nocht stynt,
With poppil tre hattis buklyt on thar hed.
The ȝonkeris ȝonder in ane other sted
Led rowndis, dansys and fresch caralyng;
Other agit persons thame addressit to syng
In ympnys, ballettis and lays, throu the press,
The lovabill gestis of mychty Hercules:
Quhou the first monstreis of his stepmoder sle,
Lugyng a bab in creddill, stranglit he;
That is to knaw, twa gret serpentis perfay,
The quhilk he wyrreit with hys handis tway;
And how this ilke Hercules of renovn
The ryall citeis assegis and bet dovn,
Of Troy, and eik the strang Echalia,
A thousand hard iourneis sufferyng alssua,
Vndre the kyng clepit Euristeus,
By Iunoys frawart will mast envyus.
And thus thai syng: “Invyncybill weriour,
That bair of strenth and hardyment the flour,

140

The stern Centawres thou slew and dovn bet,
Dowbill of form, and on the clowd byget;
Thow brytnys eik and with thi hand hess slane
Pholus and Helyus, stalwart gyantis twane;
Of Creit the monstreis dantis thou at full,
The savage bestis, as wild bair and bull;
Vndre a roik, Nemee forest within,
Thou slew and rent the hydwyss lyoun skyn.
The laik off Stix trymlyt for dreid of the;
The grisly portar of the hellys see,
Lugyng in caif on ded banys half gnaw,
Dyd quaik for feir, quhen he thy vissage saw.
Na kynd of bysnyng figour dyd the gryss,
Nor byg Typheus, that agane Iove oftsyss
Movyt batell, with wapynnys fell in hand
Mycht the affray, nor thy gret strenth ganestand;
Nor the serpent of Lern, thou put to ded,
Fand the want nowder wysdom nor manhed,
Thocht scho, of hedis with hir mekil rowt,
The dyd assail and ombeset about.
Hail, verray child of Iove; hail, honour hie
Adionyt to the goddis in maieste!
Baith ws and eik thi sacrifyce infeir
We pray the wissy, at thou may cum heir
With prosper presens and ful happy fut,
In our helpyng fortobe our bute.”
In sic sangis thar fest thai sanctify,
And Hercules hie lovyng syng and cry.
Bot principaly, and last of the laif,
Thai maid mensioun of Cacus slane in caif,
And quhou that he the flambis furth dyd blaw.
The wod resoundis schill, and euery schaw
Schowtis agane of thar clamour and dyn,
The hillys rerdis, quhil dyndlis roik and quhyn.
Syne, quhen dyvyne seruys was at end,
To the cite bownys ilk man to wend.
Furth held the kyng onweldy in ald ȝeris,
Fast by hym haldand, as his frendis and feris,

141

The prynce Eneas and his ȝong son Pallas,
And, quhil thai thus towart the cite pass,
With syndry sermondis schortis he the way.
Eneas awondris of that he dyd say,
And kest his eyn about delyuerly,
Thai stedis all to serchyn and espy;
Sa fair placis to se and vissy tyte
This strange knycht caucht plesance and delyte,
And glaidly can inquiryng euery thing,
And hard the answer of the agit kyng,
Quhilk teching him perordour to him tald
Memorialis of seir forfaderis auld.
Quhou Kyng Evander rehersis til Enee
In eldris days the rewle of that cuntre.
Thys kyng Evandrus than, the first foundar
Of Romys burgh or palyce, can declar
And dyd reherss ontil his gest Enee:
“Thir woddis and thir schawis all,” quod he,
“Sum tyme inhabyt war and occupyit
With nymphis and fawnys apon euery syde,
Quhilk fairfolkis, or than elvys, clepyng we,
That war engendryt in this sam cuntre,
That with ane kynd of men yborn, but leys,
Furth of ald stokkis and hard runtis of treis;
Quhilkis nowder maneris had nor polecy,
Na couth thai eir the ground, nor occupy
The plewis, nor the oxin ȝok infeir,
Nor ȝit had craft to conquyss nor wyn geir,
Nor kepe thar moblis quhen it gadderit was;
Bot, as thir bestis, or the doillit ass,
Thar fude of treis dyd in woddis fet,
Or of the wild veneson scharp to get.
First from the hie hevynnys into this land
Saturnus com, fleand gret Iovis brand,

142

Hys realmys reft, and banyst eik was he;
Bot tha ontaucht pepill of this cuntre,
That skatterit dwelt in hie hillis greyn,
He maid forgadder togidder and conveyn,
Gaue thame lawys and statutis thame to lede,
And wald also this regioun euery sted
War callit Latium, and clepit to hyss name,
For that he surly lurkyt in the same.
And as thai tel, and redis in mony ryme,
Of gold the warld was in that kyngis tyme;
Sa lykandly, in paix and liberte,
At eyss his common pepill governyt he;
Quhil, peiss and peiss, the elde syne war and war
Begouth to wolx, that cullour fading far,
As, in the sted of paix, the rage of wer
Begouth succeid, and covatyss of geyr.
Syne the pissance com of Ausonya,
And the pepill Sycany hecht alsswa,
By quham the land of Saturn, war and wyss,
Hes left and changit his ald name oftsyss.
Syne kyngis com, amangis quham for the nonys
Stern Tybrys rygnyt, a man byg of bonys,
Fra quham, ay syne, all the Italiane blude
Thar gret ryver hess clepit Tibrys flude;
Thus Albula hys auld trew name hes lost.
And me also to duel within this cost,
Banyst and flemyt of my natyve land,
Strang destany, quhilk may nocht be gaynstand,
And fortoun eik, clepit omnipotent,
Throu all extremys of sey hes hydder sent.
The reuerend alss and dreidfull monysyngis
Of Carmentes my moder, in mony thingis
Expert as nymphe and prophetes dyvyne,
And the autorite of god Appollyne,
Hes me constrenyt to dwel in this hald.”
Scarss hes Evandrus all thir wordis tald,
Quhen, walkyng thens furth bot a litil space,
He can do schaw the altar and the place

143

Quhilk in the langage Romane ȝit, sans faill,
Is to this day clepit port Carmentaill,
Quharby ramemmorit is in the ilk tovn
This ald Carmentes wirschip and renovn,
Quhilk was baith nymphe and fatale prophetes,
That first declarit, in hir sawys express
The gret pryncis fortocum of Ene,
And of Pallanteum the nobilite.
The kyng syne schew him to the haly schaw,
Quhilk strang Romulus dyd reduce and draw
In maner of franches or of sanctuary.
He schew him eik, but ony langar tary,
Vnder the frosty bra, the coif, was call
Ful mony ȝeris in thar leid Lupercall,
Efter thar gyss of Arcaid and estait,
To Pan the god of Lyce consecrait.
He schew alsso the wod hait Argilete,
That to the man of Arge, thar lost the swete,
Was dedicat, and drew to witnes that sted
That he was nevir culpabill of his ded,
And can to him declar the mater plane,
Quhat wyss his gest, this man of Arge, wess slane.
Fra thyne, to mont Tarpeya he him kend,
And beknyt to that sted, fra end to end,
Quhar now standis the goldin Capitoll,
Vmquhil of wild buskis rowch skroggy knoll,
Thocht, the ilk tyme, ȝit of that dreidfull place
Ane feirfull reuerent religioun, per cace,
The ery rural pepill dyd affray,
So that this crag and scroggis wirschippit thai.
“In ȝon schaw, on this woddy hillis top
That skowgit is with mony buskis crop,”
Quod Evander, “tharon a god dois dwell,
Bot quhat god at he be can na man tell:
My pepill that bene cummyn from Arcaid
Wenys thai saw ȝonder, as thai me said,
Gret Iove hym self, as he ful oft at large
Dyd schake his tawbart, or his beknyt targe,

144

And with his rycht hand dyd assembill and steir
The watry clowdis, that makis thundris beir.”
And furthir eik he said ontill Enee,
“Ȝon twa town stedis thou behaldis,” quod he,
“With barmkyn down bet and euery wall,
Of forfaderis thai bene memoriall:
This cite beldit our ald fader Ianus,
And ȝonder cite fundit Saturnus:
Ianiculum this hecht, myne awin leif brother,
And Saturnya clepit was that other.”
Amangis thame with sic carpyng and talk,
Towart Evandrus pur lugyng thai stalk:
The catal eik behald thai raik on raw,
And in that sted thar pasturand thai saw,
Quhar now in Rome is the cheif merkat platis,
Baith squeil and low in thai ilk plentuus gatis
Quhilk sum tyme hecht Caryne, fair and large,
Quhar the howsis war like a turnyt barge.
And quhen thai cummyn to the palice wer,
Quod Evander, “At thir ilk ȝettis heir
The conquerour entrit, douchty Hercules;
This sobir manss ressauyt hym, but less.
My gentil gest, enforss the and address
To lern to dar contemp welth and richess,
And do thi self compone, and schaw in deid
In goddis steid worthy to succeid,
With thame equal ressauyt in sic herbry;
Amang smal geir now entris bowsumly.”
And sayand this, the myghty gret Ene
Within hys narrow chymmys ledis he,
And maid him sytting doun apon a bed,
That stuffit was with levys, and ourspred
With the rouch skyn of a bustuus wild beir
In Affrik bred befor mony a ȝer.

145

Ontil Eneas Venus armour requiris
Fra Wlcanus, quhilkis grantis hir desiris.
The nycht approchis with hir weyngis gray,
Ourspred the erd and put all lycht away,
Quhen Venus moder till Ene efferd,
And not but causs, seand the felloun rerd,
The dreidfull bost and assemly attanys
Aganys hir son of pepill Laurentanys,
To Wlcanus, hir husband and gud man,
Within hys goldyn chalmyr scho began
Thus forto spek, and with hir wordis the fyre
Of dyvyne luf can towartis hym inspire.
Quod sche: “Quhil that the kyngis of Grece and Arge
Down bet the Troiane wallys wyde and large,
That destinat war, bath towr, town and wall,
Of ennemyss be flambys to down fall,
Na help onto thai wrachit folkis I socht,
Nane armour axit, nor thy craft besocht,
Nor the, my deirest spowss, exerss bad I
Thy craft, nor wark invane wald occupy,
Albeit that to the childring of Pryam kyng
I was bedettit into mekill thing,
And the ontollerabill laubour of Ene
Bewalit oft wepand ful sair,” quod sche,
“Quhilk now by Iovys power stad remanys
Within the boundys of Rutilyanys.
Quharfor this tyme I, thy ilk spowss and wyve,
Thy blissyt godhed, derrest to me on lyve,
Cummys lawly tobeseik and requer
For wapynnys, harness, armour and sic ger:
For my deir son I, moder, prays the,
Sen Nereus douchter, Thetys, mycht,” quod sche,
“Induce the till enarm hir son Achill,
And eik Tythonus spouss, at hir awin will,
Aurora, with hir terys so the brak
Fortill enarm hir child Menon the blak.

146

Behald quhat pepill, lo; assemblit bene,
Quhat wallit townys with ȝettis closyt in teyn
Gryndys thar wapynnys aganys me and myne,
To bring ws to distructioun and rewyne.”
Thus said the goddess, and in hir milk quhite armys
Ful tendirly belappys him and warmys,
Quhil that he musys so, that hait fyre sle
Of luf bekend onon ressauyt he;
The natural heit into the merch dyd glyde,
Persand the banys maid soft on every syde:
Nane other wyss than as, sum tyme, we se
The schynand brokkyn thundris lychtnyng fle
Wyth subtil fyry stremys throu a ryft,
Persand the watry clowdis in the lift.
Venus hys spowss, confiding in hir bewte,
Ful glaid persavys that hym caucht had sche.
The fader than Vulcanus, god abuf,
Lokkyt in the eternal cheyn of luf,
Answerd and said: “Quharfor, myne awin hart deir,
Sa far about thou glosys thy mater?
Why axis thou nocht planely thy desire?
Quhiddir is becum of me, thy lord and syre,
The ferm confidence, thou suld haue, goddess?
Quhat nedyt mor bot schaw thy mynd express?
Gyf siclike curis and desire had bene
Into thy mynd that sam tyme, I meyn
Duryng the subuertioun of Troys ryng,
To ws it had bene bot a lesum thing
Troianys til haue enarmyt at thy request:
Nowder the fader almychty at the lest,
Ne ȝit the fatis contrary dyd ganestand,
Bot Troys cite mycht haue langar stand,
So that Kyng Priamus ryng, by our power,
Mycht haue remanyt fully othir ten ȝeir.
And now, gif thou the grathis forto fecht,
And tharto be thy mynd set, I the hecht
All maner thing, with solist diligens,
That may be wrocht in my craft or sciens,

147

Or ȝit may be forgit in irne or steill,
Or moltyn mettal graif and burnyst weill,
Sa far as fyre and wynd and hie engyne
Into our art may cumpass or dyvyne.
Tharfor desist of thi strenth to haue dreid,
Or me to pray in ocht at thou hess neyd,
For in sic cacis thar nedis na request.
Am I nocht reddy to fulfill thy behest?”
Thir wordis beyng said, this hait syre
Gan hir enbrasyng al at his desyre,
And, lappit to hys spowsys breist in armys,
The plesand natural sleip, to beit his harmys,
And eyss hys wery membris, can he tak.
Syne as he had slummyrrit bot a snak,
Quhen the first silence of the quyet nycht
Hys myddil curss and cirkill run had rycht,
Provokyng folk of the first sleip awaik;
Lyke as the puyr wife, quhilk at evin had raik
Hyr ingill, rysys fortobeit hir fyre,
As scho that hess nane other rent nor hyre
Bot with hir rok and spynnyng forto thryve,
And tharwithall sustene hir enty lyve;
Hir day wark to encress, or scho may se,
Thartill a part of the nycht eikis sche,
And at the candill lycht hir handys tway,
And eik hir pur damysellis, as scho may,
Natly exercis forto wirk the lyne,
To snoif the spyndill, and lang thredis twyne,
Quharby scho mycht sustene hir powerte,
Kepe chaist hir spowsys bed in honeste,
And tharwith eik foster hir childer lyte—
The mychty god of fyre this tyme als tyte,
And no slawar, bot on the sam maner,
Furth of hys bed startis, and hynt his geir,
And to hys smyddy craft and forge hym spedis.
Thar standis ane ile, with reky stanys as gledis,
Vpstrekyng hie betwix the cost Sycille
And Lyparen, god Eolus wyndis ille;

148

Vndre the quhilk byg iland in the see
Ane coif thar is, and hyrnys feill thar be,
Lyke till Ethna holkyt in the mont
By the Ciclopes fornace worn or bront,
That makis rumlyng, as quha dyd thunder heir,
The bustuus dyntis on the styddeys seir;
Ane huge dyn and noys the strake doyth mak.
The irne lumpys in tha cavys blak
Can byss and quhissill, and the hait fyre
Doith fuf and blaw in blesys byrnand schire;
Quhilk forges bene Wlcanus duellyng call,
And efter Wlcan that cuntre nemmyt all.
The mychty god of fyre dovn from the hevin
Into this forsaid ile discendit evin,
Quhar as, intill hys large and gowsty caif,
The hydduus Ciclopes forgit furth and draif,
Brontes, Steropes, and nakyt Pyracmon,
The glowand irne to well and peyn onon.
The fyreflaucht, ȝyt nocht formyt perfitely,
Quhilk the fader of goddis oft throw the sky
From euery art dovn in the erth doys cast,
Thai had into thar handys wirkand fast;
That ane part polist, burnyst weill and dycht,
Thar other party not perfytit rycht.
Thre rawys wel tha of the frosyn hail schour,
Thre of the watry clowd, to eik the stowr,
Thre blesys of the byrnand fyris brycht,
With thre blastis of the south wyndis lyght,
Syne to thar wark, in maner of gun powder,
Thai myddillyt and thai myxit this feirful sowder,
A grysly sound, gret dreid, and goddis ire,
Quham followys ay the fel flambys of fyre.
Ane other sort ful bissely to Mart
The rynnyng quhelys forgis, and weir cart,
Quharwith the men to batale doys he steir,
And movys citeis to rayss mortal weir.
Thai dycht and polyss egirly alssua
The horribill terget, bustuus Egyda,

149

Quhilk is the grevyt Pallas grysly scheild,
With serpent scalys puldrit in goldyn feild,
Togidder lynkyng lowpyt eddris twa
And in the breist of the goddess graif thai
Gorgones hed, that monstre of gret wondir,
With eyn wawland, and nek bane hak in sondyr.
“Away with this, ȝhe Ethna Ciclopes,”
Quod Wlcanus, “and all sic warkis sess,
And at I say enprentis in ȝour thocht.
Ontill a forcy man ar tobe wrocht
Harness and armour; now nedys it,” quod he,
“Ȝour strenth exerss and pythis schaw; lat se
Quha nymlyast can cum and turn thar handis;
Now on all master poynt of craft it standis.
Do put away in haist all maner delay.”
Na mar he said, bot wondir frakly thai
Onto thar laubour can thame all address,
Assignand euery man hys part express:
The irne the mettal throw ther cundyttis flowys,
The moltyn gold and weirlyk steil hait glowys,
And furth of gousty furnace fundyt ran.
Maste craftely to forgyng thai began
A hug gret semly target, or a scheild,
Quhilk only mycht resistyng into feild
Agane the dynt of Latyn wapynnys all;
In euery place sevin ply thai well and call.
Sum can ressaue the glowand heyt, sum wynd
With blawand bellys bet the fyre behynd;
Sum of the trowch apon the sparkand gledis
The byssand watir strynklys and ourspredis.
The huge coif and all the mont within,
For strak of styddeys, can resound and dyn.
Amangis thame self thai grisly smythys gret
With mekill forss dyd forge, peyn and bet,
And can thar armys hesyng vp and dovn
In nowmyr and in dew proportioun,
And with the grippand turcass oft alsso
The glowand lump thai turnyt to and fro.

150

Evander telland Eneas thingis seir,
Vlcanus armour dyd in the sky appeir.
Quhil that the fader of Lemnos, Wlcanus,
Within the boundis of wyndy Eolus
To wyrk this geir hastis on euery syde,
The blisfull lycht ayrly at morrow tyde,
And myrthfull sangis of the byrdis bay,
The swallow, syngis on the ruf hir lay,
Awalknyt Kyng Evander, and maid ryss
Within his sobir chymmys quhar he lyis.
Vpstart the ald, and cled hym in hys cote,
Apon his feyt hys meit schoys hote
War buklyt on the gyss of Tuscany;
Syne our hys schuldris, down hys myddil by,
Hyngis buklyt hys trasty swerd Arcaid;
From hys left arm, about the rycht syde layd,
Ywymplyt was the spottit pantheris skyn;
Hys twa keparis can furth by hym ryn
From the hie palyce, bustuus hundis two,
That haldis thar lordis payss quhar evir he go.
Furth held this heir the secret prevy way
Towart the sted quhar as Eneas lay,
Hys Troiane gest, ramembring al at rycht
Hys help and promys grantit ȝister nyght.
On the sam wyss, at morow ful ayrly,
Eneas hastis vp, and mycht nocht ly.
The kyng only bot with his son Pallas,
Achates with Eneas accumpaneit was.
Thai ionyt handis sone as thai war met,
And syne amyd the chalmer doun thame set,
Quhar, finaly, thai fel in commonyng
Of secret materis and attentik thing.
The kyng begouth, and said first til Ene:
“Maist souerane ledar of Troiane cumpane,
Quha beand on lyfe nevir grant I sall
Troy is distroyt, nor castyn doun the wall,

151

Nor ȝit the Troiane power put at vnder;
We haue bot sobir pissance, and no wonder,
To help in batale, and to mak supple
Onto so hie excellent maieste:
On this half closyt with the Tuscane flude,
On ȝonder syde ar the Rutylianys rude,
Nyddris our boundis, as full oft befallis,
With thar harnes clatteryng about our wallis.
Bot I purposs adione to the onon
A huge pepill, and landis mony one,
Ostis of fertill realmys neir fast by.
O fortoun, or we wyst, so happely
Thou schawist the in our help and supple!
And O maste douchty campioun Ene,
Desyrit of the destany and fatis,
Heir ȝe be weill arryvit many gatis!
Fundyt of ald stanys, not far hyne,
Inhabyt stand the cite Agyllyne,
Quhar that the worthy pepill Lydyane,
Vailȝeant in batale, duellis and dois remane
Apon the egge of the Hetruscan hillys.
Thir folkis all in lykyng at thar willis
This land inhabyt, vale, mont and swyre,
Quhil fynaly, ful prowd in his empyre,
Meȝentyus begouth thar tobe kyng,
And in gret forss of armys tharon ryng.
Suld I reherss the ontellabil myscheif,
The cruel dedis, slauchter and huge greif,
Of that tyrant, quhilk ȝit the goddis dyng
Apon hys hed reseruys and ofspring!
For he, besyde his othir wikkyt deyd,
The quyk bodeis, speldit furth on breid,
Adionyt to the corps and caryoun ded,
Layd hand to hand, baith face to face and hed,
Quhil quyk mowthis dyd ded mowthis kyss—
O, quhat maner of torment call ȝe this!
Droppand in worsum and filth laithly to se,
So miserabilly enbrasyng, thus wyss he

152

By lang process of ded can thame sla.
Quhil, at the last, of this ennoy and wa
Hys citesanys irkyt, syne in a rowt
Enarmyt ombeset his manss abowt.
Hym al enragit on his wild maner
Besegit thai, and of his complicis seir
Hes slane onon, and all in pecis hakkit,
And fyre blesis on his hie biggingis swakkit.
Amyd the slauchter, on cace, eschapit he,
And to the feildis Rutilyane can fle,
Quhar intill armys, be Turnus hys ost,
He hym begouth defend apon that cost.
Quharfor Hetrurya all, full iustly
Aggrevyt, rayss in armys by and by,
Onto punytioun and all tormentis seir
Thar kyng to ask, and seik in feir of weir.
To thir mony thousand pepill,” quod he,
“Souerane ledar I sal the ione, Ene.
For now thar schippys ful thik reddy standis,
Brayand endlang the costis of thir landis.
Thai byd display thar baneris owt of faldis,
Bot ane ancyent dyvynour thame withhaldis,
Schawand the fatale godly destyne:
‘O ȝe mast valȝeand ȝong gallandis,’ quod he,
‘And pepill cummyn from Meonya,
Ȝhe that bene flour of chevalry alssua,
The vertu and the strenth of vassallage
Of ancistry and men of ȝour lynnage,
Quham iust dolour steris on this wyss,
Baldly aganys ȝour ennemyss to ryss:
All thocht Meȝentyus, to hys myscheif,
Hess weil deservit aganys hym ȝour greif
Thus in commotioun forto rayss and steyr,
Ȝyt neuertheless belevys, owt of weir,
So gret a pepill, as vnder Turnus kyng
And Latynus leyndis, forto down thryng
Onlesum is till ony Italyane—
Ȝow behuffis to seik a strange chiftane.’

153

Of Hetrurya the ostis vnder scheild
With that word stoppit in the sammyn feild,
Of the goddis admonysyng all effrayt.
Tarchon hym self, thar duke, lyst not delay it,
Bot to me send ambassatouris all bovn,
Offerand to me the ceptre and the crovn
Of al thar realm, and thar ensenȝeis brocht,
Requyryng me that I refusyt nocht
Tocum and be chiftane of thar army,
The realm Tyrrheyn eik to ressaue in hy.
Bot my febill and slaw onweldy age,
The dasyt blude gane far by the hait rage,
Or than the owtworn dait and mony ȝeris,
With forss falȝeit to hant the strange weris,
Envyis that I suld ioys or bruke empyre.
My son Pallas, this ȝong lusty syre,
Exhort I wald to tak the steir on hand,
Ne war that of the blude of this ilk land
Admixit standis he, takand sum strynd,
Apon hyss moderis syde, of Sabyne kynd.
Bot thou, quham baith thi ȝeris and thy blude
The fatis favouris, and is so conclude
By the goddis abufe as, owt of weir,
Tobe callyt and schaip for this mater,
Go to the batal, campyoun maste forcy,
The Troianys baith and Italyanys to gy.
And forthir eik, this sammyn ȝyng Pallas,
Our son, our hop, our comfort and solace,
I sal adione in falloschip,” quod he,
“As his master, to exerss vndre the,
And lern the fayt of knychtly chevalry,
Hard marcyall dedis hantyng by and by,
Tobe accustummyt and behald thy feris,
For wondyr followyng thy warkis in ȝyng ȝeris.
Twa hundreth walyt horss men, wight and stern,
Of Arcaid, sal I geif onto that bern,
And of hys awin behalf, in thy supple,
Alss mony Pallas sal promyt to the,

154

Quhilk in the hail may weill four hundreth bene.”
Skant this was said, quhen castyng dovn his eyn,
Trast Achates, and Anchyss son Ene,
Sat starrand on the grond, baith he and he,
And in thar hartis dyd full oft compass
Ful mony hard aduersyte and cace,
With drery cheir and myndis sad bath twa,
Ne war Venus, lady Citherea,
Dovn from the hevin of comfort to thame sent
Ane oppyn takyn, cleir and evident.
For suddanly thai se, or thai be war,
The fyreslaucht betyng from the lyft on far,
Cum with the thundris hydduus rumlyng blast,
Semyng the hevyn suld fall and all doun cast;
The ayr onon can dynnyng vp and doun
With brag of weir and Tyrreyn trumpys sovn.
Thai lysnyng to persaue and heir the dyn,
Ay mar and mar agane it dyd begyn
To rerd and rattill apon a feirfull wyss,
Quhill at the last thai se and al espyiss
Throw the cleir sky and regioun of the hevyn,
Amang the clowdis, brycht as fyry levyn,
The glitterand armour burnyst lemand schene,
And, as thai schuke, thar rayss thunder bedene.
Abasyt in thar myndis worth the laif,
Bot this lord Troiane knew and dyd persave
Full weil the sound and all the cace express
Be promyss of hys moder the goddes;
Syne can rehers it plane, and thus gaitis said:
“Forsuyth, forsuyth, my gentill ost, be glaid,
The nedis not to ask, ne ȝit speir
Quhat signyfyis thir wondris dyd appeir;
For I am callyt to the hevin,” quod he.
“The haly moder, my genitryce, schew me
That sic a takyn suldbe send, scho said,
Gyf ony wald with batale ws invaid,
And, in my helpyng, hecht doun throu the ayr
To send Wlcanus armour, gude and fair.

155

Allace, how feill slauchter now apperis
To wrachit Latynys in thir mortal weris!
By me, Turnus, quhat panys salt thou dre!
O Tybir fair that rynnys in the se,
Quhou mony scheldis, helmys and stern body
Vndre thy fludis warpyt law sall ly!
Lat thame array thar ostis now lat se,
And baldly brek thar frendschip maid with me.”
Evander sendis hys son, the ȝong Pallas,
With hys army in help of Eneas.
Fra this was sayd, from his hie set he start;
And first the sloknyt fyris hes he gart,
The rakyt harthis and ingill ȝister nycht,
On Hercules altar beyt and kyndill bryght,
And glaidly went to wirschip and to call
Sobir Penates, goddis domesticall;
And walyt twynteris, efter the auld gyss,
He slew and brytnyt onto sacryfyss,
With hym Evander eik, and all hys feris
Of Troiane menȝe, lusty fresch ȝonkeris.
Syne doun in haist he went onto hys schippys,
Hys folkis he visseyt and his falloschippys,
Of quhais nowmyr hess he walyt owt
Ane certane, the mast lykly, bald and stowt,
Quhilk suld hym follow into euery place.
The remanent tuk byssely thar rayss
Down by the watyr, on the followand flude
Discendand slawly, to beir message gude
Sone efter this ontill Ascanyus ȝyng,
Twychand hys fader and of euery thing.
The horssys syne war gevin and furth brocht
To the Troianys that onto Tuscane socht;
And till Eneas led onon thai gaue
A gentill steyd excedand all the laif,

156

On quham at all partis was ourspred and fold
A dun lyonys skyn with nalys of gold.
Than throu the litil cite all on raw
The fame onon dywlgat swyftly flaw,
Quhou that the horsmen spedis thame bedene
To go onto the land and cost Tyrrene.
The wyssys and avowys than, for feir,
By woman and the matronys dowblet wer;
Mor grew the dreid the narrar drew dangar,
Now Martis ymage semys walxin mair.
The fader than Evander, as thai depart,
By the rycht hand thame gryppyt with sair hart,
Hys son enbrasyng, and full tenderly
Apon hym hyngis, wepand ontellabilly,
And thus he sayd: “O sen omnipotent
Hie Iupiter my ȝyng ȝheris by went
Wald me restor! in sic strenthis and eild,
So as I was quhen first in batal feild
The armys of the ostis down I dang
Of Preneste vndir the wallis strang,
And victor of myne ennemyss, as prowd syre,
Hail hepys of thar scheildis brynt in fyre;
Quhar, with this sammyn rycht hand quellyt and slane,
Vndre the hellys grond Tartareane
Kyng Herylus was sent to dwell for ay,
Quhamtill hys moder Feronya the gay,
Into the tyme of hys natiuite,
Grisly to say, had gevyn sawlys thre,
And that he suld beir armour thryss in fyght,
And thryss behwyt to the ded be dicht;
Fra quham that tyme this rycht hand, not the less,
Tha sawlys all bereft, and thar express
Of alsmony enarmouris spulȝeit clene.
Gyf so war now with me as than hess bene,
Ne suld I nevir depart, myne awyn child deir,
From thyne maste sweit enbrasyng, for na weir;
Nor our nychtbour Meȝentyus in hys fed
Suld na wyss, mokkand at this hasard hed,

157

By swerd haue killyt so feill corpss as slane is,
Nor thys burgh of samony citesanys
Left desolat and denudyt,” quod he,
“Bot O ȝe goddis abuf, and Iove mast hie,
The governour of hevynly wyghtis all,
On ȝou I cry, on ȝou I clepe and call;
Begyn to haue compaciens and piete
Of ȝour awin wofull kyng of Arcadye;
Oppyn and inclyne ȝour dyvyne godly erys,
To heir and ressaue the faderis meik prayeris.
Gyf it be so ȝour godhed and gret myghtis
Be presciens provyd hess, and forsychtis,
Pallas my son in salfty hail and feir,
Gyf the fatis preservys hym of danger,
So onys in my lyfe I may hym se,
Agane togidder assemblyt I and he;
I ȝow beseik my febill lyfe to respyte,
That I mycht lyf, and endur ȝyt a lyte
All pane and laubour that ȝou list me send.
Bot, O faynt fortoun, gyf thou doys pretend
And mannancis ony myschewoss cace,
Now, now furthwith, into this sammyn place
Suffir me swelt, and end this cruel lyfe,
Quhill dowtsum is ȝyt all sic sturt and stryfe,
Quhil hope oncertane is of thing tocum,
And quhil I thus, my deir child, all and sum
My lustis plesance, and my last weilfair,
The in myne armys enbrasis but dispar;
So that, eftir, na sorowfull messynger
With smert ennoy hurt nevir myne agit eyr.”
The fader Evander with full sory hart,
At lattir poynt quhen thai war to depart,
Thir wordis spak, syne fel in swoun rycht thar:
Hys men hym hynt and to hys chalmyr bar.
Be this, the rowt of horsmen strang in fyght
War ischit at the portis euery wight;
Amangis the formast the duk Eneas,
And eik the trast Achates, furth can pass,

158

Syne other nobillis of the Troianys stowt;
The ȝyng Pallas rydyng amyd the rowt,
So farrand and so lusty personage,
Cled in a mantill in hys tender age,
Quhilk dyd ourheld hys burnyst armour brycht—
On hym to luke was a mor gudly syght
Than on the day stern, quhilk at morn ayrly
Baithit in the occeane rysys in the sky,
Quhois fyry bemys Venus in speciall
Chosys abuf all starnys gret and small,
Heich in the hevin liftyng hys vissage schene,
To chayss away the myrknes with hys eyn.
The wofull moderis, quakand for cald dreid,
Stude on the wall behaldand quhar thai ȝeid,
And dyd convoy or follow with thar sight
The dusty sop, quharso the rak went rycht,
Govand apon thar bryght armour at schane,
So fer as that thar luke mycht thame attane.
The cumpany al sammyn held array
Throw scroggy bussys furth the narrest way,
Enarmyt rydyng thyddir as thai wald.
The brute and dyn from thame vpsprang thik fald,
The hornyt hovyt horss with four feyt
Stampand and trottand on the dusty streyt.
Quhou that Venus ontill Eneas brocht
The godly armour be Wlcanus wrocht.
Thar growys a gret schaw, neir the chil ryver
Quhilk that flowys with hys frosty stremys cleir
Down by the cite of Agillyna,
That other wyss is clepyt Cereta,
Quhilk is in wirschip haldyn and in dreid
By faderis ald, the large boundis onbreid,
As sanctuar; and with deip clewchis wyde
Thys schaw is closyt apon euery syde—

159

Ane thyk ayk wod of skowgy fyrris stowt
Belappys all the said cuthill abowt.
The fame is that the Grekis ancyane,
Quhilk clepyt bene to surname Pelasgane,
That quhilum lang tyme in the formast eildis
The Latyn boundis occupeyt and feildis,
To Syluanus fyrst dedicat this schaw,
The god of bestis and of feildis faw,
And constitut to hym solempnyt fest.
Duke Tharcon, and the Tuscanys maste and lest,
Not fer from thens, intyll a strenthy place
Thar palȝeonys all had plantyt apon cace,
That from the top of the hillys hyght,
The army all thai mycht se at a syght,
With tentis stentit strekand to the plane.
Thyddyr held Eneas, the souerane Troiane,
And all the bernys of hys ryall rowt
Chosyn for the batall, lusty, stern and stowt,
And, wery of thar travale, thocht thai best
Thar self and horssis to refresch and rest.
Bot than Venus, the fresch goddes, bedene
Amang the hevynly skyis brycht and schene,
Berand with hir the dyvyne armour cleir,
To mak tharof a presand, can draw neir,
And as on far hir son scho dyd behald,
Secret allone by the chill ryver cald,
Amyd ane holl cleuch, or a dern valle,
Of hir fre will tyll hym apperis sche,
And with sic wordis to hym spak, sayng:
“Lo, my reward heir, and my promysyng
Fulfillyt iustly by my husbandis wark;
So that, my son, now art thou sovyr and stark,
That the not nedis to haue ony feir
Fortill resist the prowd Latynnys in weir,
Nor ȝit the strang Turnus to assaill,
Hym to provok, or challance for batale.”
Thus said the scheyn Citherea fair of face,
And, with that word, can hyr deyr child enbrace,

160

And thar the schynand armour forgane his sycht
Vndre a bowand aik layd dovn full rycht.
Seand sic gyftis of this trast goddess,
This gentill knycht reiosyt wolx, I gess,
Glaid that so gret honour ressauyt he,
That scarsly kowth he satisfyit be
Forto behald thir armour bryght and schene;
On euery peyss to vissy kest hys eyn,
Tharon wondrand; betwix hys handis two
And byg armys thame turnys to and fro.
The grysly crystit helm he can behald
On feirfull wyss spowtand the fyre thik fald,
The fatale swerd, dedly to mony ane,
The styf hawbryk of steill yburnyst schane,
Of huge weght and bludy sangwyne hew,
That sic a glanss or variant cullour schew,
As quhen the byrnand sonnys bemys brycht
The watry clowd persand with hys lyght,
Schynand on far, forgane the skyis how
Schapys the figour of the quent rayn bowe.
The lyght legharnes on that other syde,
Witht gold and burnyst laton puryfyde,
Grathit and polyst weill he dyd aspy,
The speir, and eik the scheild so subtelly
Forgyt that it was ane ontellabill thyng.
For Vlcanus, of fyre the lord and kyng,
Knawand full weill the art of prophecy,
And syndry thingis tocum eik by and by,
The valȝeand dedis of Italyanys,
The gret triumphys als of the Romanys,
And of Ascanyus stok all nobil knyghtis,
Thar batalys all per ordour, weir and fyghtis,
Had tharin porturat properly and grave,
Amang all otheris, in Martis gresy cave
The sukkyn wolf furthstrekand breste and vdyr;
Abowt hir pappys, but feir, as thar moder,
The twa twynnys, smal men childer ȝyng,
Sportand ful tayt gan to wrabill and hyng;

161

And scho hir lang rovnd nek bane bowand raith
To geif thame sowke, and can thame culȝe baith,
Semyng scho suld thar bodeis by and by
Lyk with hir tong, and clenge full tenderly.
Not fer from thens Rome cite eikyt he,
Quhar by ane new inuentioun wonder sle,
Settand into ane holl valle or slak,
Within the lystis for the triumphe mak,
War Sabyne virgynys revyst by Romanys,
As that thai war assemblyt for the nanys
The gret gammys Circenses forto se,
Quhilk iustyng or than turnament cleip we.
With hasty sterage thar most thou behald
The werys rasyt aganys Romanys bald
By agyt Tatyus and fell Curitanys:
Syne the ilk princis, and the said Romanys,
The weris sessyt sammyn all infeir,
Enarmyt stad befor Iovys alter,
With cowpys full in hand for sacryfyss
Thar mycht thou se thame, efter the ald gyss,
The swyne stekit brytnyt sone and slane,
Conferm thar trewys and mak paix agane.
Quhou that Wlcanus thar, amang the laif,
Storys tocum dyd in the armour graif.
Fra thyne not far the chariot thou mycht knaw,
Metus Suffytius in seir pecis draw;
Albeit thou thocht this cruelte, Kyng Albane,
Quhy wald thou not at thy promyss remane?
Quhy list thou not thy faith obserue and saw?
Thys faithles wyghtis entralys war outdraw,
By command of Tullus Hostilyus,
And throw the woddis harlyt, euery buss,
Quhil that the tharmys and the bowellys rent
Scroggis and breris all with blude bysprent.

162

Thar mycht thou se Tarquynus in exile
Furth cast of Rome, and syne, within schort quhile,
By Kyng Porsenna into batale plane
Commandit fortobe ressauyt agane;
With that a felloun sege al Rome about
Dyd ombeset, and closyt with hys rowt;
The Romanys than discendit from Enee
Rusch onto wapynnys for thar liberte.
Thou mycht behaldin eik this ilk Porsen
Lyke as he had dyspite, and bostand men;
For that the hardy Cocles, darf and bald,
Durst brek the bryg that he purposit to hald,
And eik the virgyn Chelya, quhar scho stude,
Hyr bandis brast, and swam our Tibir flude.
Manlyus the knycht abufe into the scheild,
In the defens for Iovys tempil beild,
Kepand the strenth and castell Tarpeia
And haldand the heich Capitoll alssua,
Stud porturat, neir the chymmys calendar,
Quhais ruffis laitly ful rouch thekit war
With stra or gloy by Romulus the wight.
Thar was alsso engravyt all at ryght
The siluyr ganer, flyghterand with lowd scry,
Warnand all reddy the gilt entre by,
Quhou the Franchmen dyd the ȝet assaill:
Thar mycht thou se the Franch army alhaill
Haist throu the bussys to the capitoll,
Sum vndermyndand the grond with a hoill,
So that almaist thai wan the forteress;
Gret help thame maid the closs nychtis myrknes;
Thar haris schane as doith the brycht gold wyre,
And all of gold wrocht was thar rich attyre,
Thar purpour robbys bygareit schynand brycht,
And in thar hand withhaldand euery knycht
Twa iavillyng speris, or than gyssarn stavis,
Forgit in the montanys al sik maner glavys,
Thar bodeis all with lang tergis ourheild.
Syne ȝonder mar was schapin in the feld

163

The dansand prestis, clepit Salii,
Hoppand and syngand wonder merely,
And Panos prestis, nakit Lupercanys,
The toppyt hattis quhar the woll threid remanys,
And bowyt buklaris falland from the sky.
Thar mycht besene, forgyt maste craftely,
The chaist matronys throw the cite all
In soft charis thar gemmys festual
Ledand, and playand with myrthis and solace.
A far way thens ful weill engravit was
The vgly hellis set Tartareane,
The deip dungioun quhar Pluto dois remane,
And of the wikkyt pepill all the pyne;
Thar was thou markyt, cursyt Catylyne,
Hyngand out our ane schorand hewch or bra,
And trymland for the feirfull dreid and wa,
To se the furyus grysly sisteris facis,
That with thar scurgis wikkit pepill chacis;
The rychtwyss folkis, at levit deuotly,
Fra thame war partit in a place far by,
And the wyss man Censorius Cato
Gevand thar iust rewardis till all tho.
Myd way betwix the other storeis seir,
The swelland seys fygour of gold cleir
Went flowand, bot the lippyrrand wallys quhyte
War pulderit full of fomy froith mylk quhite;
The delphyn fysches, wrocht of siluer schene,
In cirkill swepand fast throu fludis grene,
Sewchand swyftly salt stremys; quhar thai far,
Vpstrake thar talys the stour heir and thar.
Eneas mervellys of the storeys seir
Wrocht be Wlcanus in hys armour cleir.
Amyd the seys mycht be persauyt weill
The weirly schippis with thar snowtis of steill,
The Actiane batalys, semyng as quha dyd se
The mont Lewcata, standand by the seye,

164

For ostis arrayt glowand as the gleyd;
Of glitterand gold schane all the flude on breid.
On that a party, thar myght thou behald
Cesar August Octauyan the bald,
Movand to batale the Italyanys,
With hym senatouris and worthy pepill Romanys,
And goddis domestik, quhilk Penates hait,
With all the gret goddis of mair estait;
Heich in the forstam stand he mycht be sene,
From hys blyth browys brent and athir eyn
The fyre twynklyng, and hys faderis star
Schew from hys helmys top schynand on far.
The byg and stowt Agrippa, hys frend deir,
Hys navy led at hand weil by neir,
As he that in hys help and succurss fyndis
The prosper favouris baith of goddis and wyndis:
Quhais forhed schane of ane prowd syng of weris,
A crown with stammys sic as schippis beris.
Marcus Antonyus cummys thame aganys
With hail suppovel of barbaryanys,
As nobill victour and cheif conquerour,
Careand with hym of Orient the flour;
Diuerss armyis and pepillys for melle,
From Perss, Egipt and costis of the Red See,
The power all assemblit in hys flote,
Ane huge rowt and multitude, God wote,
The ȝondermast pepill, clepit Bractanys,
Quhilk neir the est part of the warld remanys.
Hym followys to the feild, ane schame to say,
Hys spouss Egiptiane, Queyn Cleopatra.
Thai semyt sammyn ruschand all togidder,
Quhill all the sey vpstowris with a quhidder;
Ourweltit with the bensell of the ayris,
Fast fra forstammys the flude swowchis and raris,
As thai togiddir matchyt on the depe.
Thou suld haue wenyt, quha tharto tuke kepe,
The gret ilandys, Ciclades, hail vprent,
Apon the sey fletand quhar thai went,

165

Or huge hie hillys, concurrand all atanys,
Togiddir rusch and meyt with other montanys;
On athir hand with sa gret forss and weght
The men assalys in schip of towr to feght.
Thai warp at other brycht blesys of fyre,
The kyndillyt lynt and hardis byrnand schire;
The castyng dartis fra hand to hand dyd fle,
Slang gaddis of irne, and stane cast gret plente:
Neptunus feildis, all the large flude,
For new slauchter wolx blandit red of blude.
Amyd the ostis Cleopatra queyn
The rowtis dyd assembill to feght bedene,
With tympane sound, in gyss of hir cuntre,
Prouocand thame to move in the melle:
Nor ȝit beheld scho not the eddris twane
Behynd hir bak, that efter hes hir slane.
The monstruus goddis figuris, of al kynd
That honorit ar in Egipt or in Inde,
And eik the barkand statw, Anubis,
Agane Neptune, agane Venus, I wyss,
And als agane Mynerva, porturat standis
In that bargane, with wapynnys in thar handis.
Amyd the feld stude Mars, that felloun syre,
In plait and mail, wod brym and ful of ire;
The sorofull Fureys from the firmament
By the goddys to tak vengeans war sent;
In went Discord, ioyus of that iourne,
With mantill rent and schorn men mycht hir se;
Quham followit Bellona of batell,
With hir kynd cosyng, the scharp scurgis fell.
Actyus Appollo, seand in the sky
Of this melle the dowtsum victory,
Hys bow abufe thar hedis hes he bent,
Lyke forto schote hys dartis and down sent;
For dreid of quham all the Egiptianys,
All thai of Ind, and the Arabyanys,
And thai of Sabey, turnyt bak to fle.
Cleopatra the queyn thar mycht thou se

166

Wynd sayll about, and gang befor the wynd,
Ay mar and mair dredand persute behynd,
Sclakand schetis, and haldand rowme at large,
With purpour saill abufe hir payntit barge.
The mychty god of fyre hir wrocht and maid
Ful pail of hew, sorowfull and not glaid,
In syng tocum of hir smert hasty ded,
Amangis ded corpsis new of slauchter red,
And, with the west wynd and the wallys haw,
Frawart the flude of Nyle our stremys blaw;
Quhilk Nylus ryver, murnand for thar diseyss,
Hys large skyrt onbrede spred thame to pless,
With all his habyt oppynnyt thame to call,
As thocht hym list ressaue the venquyst all
Within hys watry bosum, large and rude,
And hyde in secret condyte of his flude.
Within the wallis syne of Romys cite,
Cesar, ressauyt with triumphis thre,
Thou mycht behald, thar offerand on his gyss
Till Itale goddis immortal sacryfyce;
Our all the cite, in maist singular ioy,
The blysfull fest thai makyng man and boy,
So that thre hundreth ryall tempillys dyng
Of ryot, ryppet and of revellyng
Ryngis, and of the myrthful sportis seir
The stretis soundyng on solacius maner;
At euery sanctuary and altar vpstent
In caralyng the lusty ladeis went;
Befor the altaris eik, in cirkyll round,
The brytnyt bestis strowyt all the ground.
Cesar hym self, seysit in sete ryall,
Within the snaw quhite statly merbill wall
Of God Phebus tempill, thar as he sat
Visseand the pepillis gyftis, this and that,
And on the prowd pillaris, in takynnyng
Of hys triumphe, maid thar be vp hyng.
The pepill by hym venquyst mycht thou knaw,
Befor hym passand per ordour, all on raw,

167

In langsum tryne; and how feil kyndis seir
Of tungis and of langage men mycht heir,
Alss mony diuerss habyttis wor thai strange,
Alss feil sortis of armouris dyd thai change.
Vlcanus heir the beltles Numydanys,
And thai folkis that in Affrik remanys,
Had gravyn weill; and ȝonder porturat was
The Leleganys, and the pepill Carras,
And Gelones, tha pepill of Sythia,
In archery the quhilk ar wonder thra.
The mekill flude Eufrates, fast by,
With streym now semyt flow mair sobirly;
The Moryn pepill eik, fast by the see,
Of men reput the last extremite,
The forkyt flude of Reyn eik pantit was,
And the ondantit Danys thar dyd pass,
The flude Arax of Armeny alsso,
Havand disdene a bryg our it suld go.
Eneas, of hys moderis gyft wondryng,
Our al Vlcanus scheild samony a syng
Wrocht on sic wyss, nocht knawand the mater,
To se the figouris of thir storeis seir
Reiosyt wolx, and syne deliuerly
Apon hys schulder hyntis vp in hy
The famus honour, and hie renownye,
Or gloryus iestis of hys postheryte. etc.
Explicit liber octauus Eneados Incipit prologus noni libri eiusdem Sequitur prologus

169

[The Proloug of the Nynth Buke]

Thir lusty warkis of hie nobilyte
Agilyte dyd wryte of worthy clerkis,
And tharin merkis wysdome, vtilyte,
Na vilyte, nor sic onthryfty sperkis;
Scurilyte is bot for doggis at barkis,
Quha tharto harkis fallys in fragilyte.
Honeste is the way to worthyness,
Vertu, doutless, the perfyte gait to blyss;
Thou do na myss, and eschew idilness,
Persew prowes, hald na thing at is hys;
Be nocht rakless to say sone ȝa, I wyss,
And syne of this the contrar wyrk express.
Do tyll ilk wight as thou done to waldbe;
Be nevir sle and doubill, nor ȝit our lyght;
Oyss not thy mycht abufe thyne awin degre,
Clym nevir our hie, nor ȝit to law thou lycht;
Wirk na malgre, thocht thou be nevir sa wyght,
Hald with the rycht, and press the nevir to le.
Eneuch of this, ws nedis prech na mor,
Bot, accordyng the purposs said tofor,
The ryall style, clepyt heroycall,
Full of wirschip and nobilnes our all,
Suldbe compilit but thewhes or voyd word,
Kepand honest wyss sportis quhar thai bourd,
All lowuss langage and lychtness lattand be,
Observand bewte, sentens and grauyte.
The sayar eik suld weil considir thys,
Hys mater, and quhamto it entitilit is:
Eftir myne authouris wordis, we aucht tak tent
That baith accord, and bene conuenient,

170

The man, the sentens, and the knychtlyke stile,
Sen we mon carp of vassalage a quhile.
“Gyf we discryve the woddis, the treis,” quod he,
“Suld conform to that manis dignyte
Quhamto our wark we direct and endyte.”
Quhat helpis it? Full litill it wald delyte
To write of scroggis, broym, haddir or rammale;
The lawrer, cedyr or the palm triumphale
Ar mar ganand for nobillis of estait:
The muse suld with the person aggre algait.
Stra forto spek of gayt to gentill wight;
A hund, a steid, mar langis for a knyght,
Quhamto efferis hant na rebald daill—
Thar suld na knycht reid bot a knychtly taill.
Quhat forsis hym the bussart on the brer,
Set weil hym semys the falcon heroner?
He comptis na mair the gled than the fewlume,
Thocht weil hym lykis the goshalk glaid of plume.
The cur, or mastys, he haldis at smal availl,
And culȝeis spanȝellis, to chace pertryk or quaill.
Ne byd I not into my stile for thy
To speke of trufis, nor nane harlotry;
Sen that myne author with sic eloquens
Hys buke illumnyt hes, and hie sentens,
Sa fresch endyte, and sang poeticall,
That it is clepyt the wark imperiall,
Endyt onto the gret Octauyane,
The emperour excellent and maste souerane;
By quham, the gospell makis mensioun,
The hail warld put was to discriptioun
To numbir all the pepill tharin suldbe,
So, but rebellioun, al quhar obeyit was he.
Bot, sen that Virgill standis but compar,
Thocht in our leid hys sayngis to declar
I haue in ryme thus far furth tane the cur,
Now war me laith my lang laubour myssur:
All thocht my termys be nocht polist alway,
Hys sentence sall I hald, as that I may.

171

Gyf ocht be weill, thank Virgil and nocht me;
Quhar ocht is bad, gays myss, or owt of gre,
My lewytnes, I grant, hess all the wyte,
Kouth not ensew hys ornat fresch endyte,
Bot, with fuylhardy curage malapert,
Schupe to enterprit, and dyd perchance pervert,
Thys maist renownyt prynce of poetry—
Quhar I sa dyd, mea culpa I cry.
Ȝit, by my self, I fynd this proverb perfyte,
“The blak craw thinkis hyr awin byrdis quhite:”
Sa faris with me, bew schirris, wil ȝe hark,
Can nocht persave a falt in all my wark,
Affectioun sa far my rayson blyndis.
Quhar I mysknaw myne errour, quha it fyndis
For cheryte amendis it, gentil wight,
Syne pardon me, sat sa far in my lycht,
And I sal help to smor ȝour falt, leif broder;
Thus, vail que vail, ilk gude deid helpis other.
And for I haue my wark addressyt and dycht,
I dar sa, baith to gentil barroun and knycht,
Quhais name abufe I haue done notyfy,
And now of prowes and hie chevelry
Behuffis me to write and carp a quhile;
The mar glaidly I sal enfors my stile,
And for hys saik do scharp my pen all new,
My maste renownyt author to ensew,
That thar salbe, wyll God, litill offens,
Salvand owr bustuus wlgar differens.
Na mar as now in preambill me list expone,
The nynt buke thus begouth Eneadon. etc.
Explicit prologus Incipit liber nonus Eneados

172

Iuno to Turnus in message Iris sent,
To sege the Troianys, Eneas tho absent.
Quhyll on this wyss, as I haue said or this,
Sik materis and ordinancis wirkand is
In diuerss placis set full fer ytwyn,
Saturnus get, Iuno, that list not blyn
Of hir auld malyce and iniquyte,
Hir madyn Iris from hevin sendys sche
To the bald Turnus malapert and stowt,
Quhilk for the tyme was with all his rowt
Amyd ane valle wondyr lovn and law,
Sittand at eys within the hallowyt schaw
Of god Pilumnus, hys progenitor.
Thamantis douchtir knelys hym befor,
I meyn Iris, this ilk fornamyt maid,
And with hir rosy lippys thus hym said:
“Turnus, behald on cace reuoluyt the day,
And of hys fre will sendys the, perfay,
Sik avantage and oportunyte,
That set thou wald haue axit it,” quod sche,
“Thar was nevir ane of all the goddis dyng
Quhilk durst haue the promittit sic a thing.
Eneas, desolat levand hys cite,
Hys navy eik, hys ferys and hail menȝe,
Is till Evander socht, and Palatyne,
That burgh. But not eneuch, for farther syne
To the extreme citeis of Tuscany
In mont Corythus haldys he in hy,
And doys assembill the wild lauboreris,
That quhilum com fra Lyd, till armys in weris.
Quhat dredis thou? Now tyme is to prik horss,
Now tyme fortill assay ȝour cartis and forss.
Haue done, mak na mar tary nor delay,
Set on thar strenthis sone, gif thame affray.”
Quod sche, and tharwith, in hys presens evin,
With equale weyngis flaw vp in the hevin,

173

Vndre the clowdis schapand, quhar scho went,
A gret rane bowe of diuerss hewys ment.
The ȝong man knew hir weill, and hastely
Vp baith hys handis hevis to the sky,
With sic wordis followand, as scho dyd fle:
“Iris, thou bewte of the hevynnys hie,
Throw all the clowdis and thir skyis brovn,
Quha hess the send to me in erth a dovn?
Quhow is becummyn on this wyss,” quod he,
“Sa brycht weddir and cleir serenyte?
I se the hevynnys oppynnyt and devyde
And movand sternys in the lyftis syde:
So gret takynnys and reuelacions schaw
I sal persew, and fallow quhat befaw;
Quhat evir thou be that callys to the weris,
Thy command sal I obey, as efferis.”
And thar withall, with wordis augurall,
Eftir thar spayng cerymonys diuynal,
Onto the flude onon furth steppis he,
And of the stremys crop a litill we,
The watir lyftis vp intill his handis,
Full gretumly the goddys, quhar he standis,
Besekand till attend to hys prayer,
The hevynnys chargeyng with feil awowis seir.
With this the ostis all in the plane feild
Held furth arrayt, schynand vnder scheld.
Men mycht behald full mony riall stedis,
Full mony pantyt targe and weirlyke wedis;
Of giltyn geir dyd glytter bank and buss.
The formast batale ledis Mesapus;
The hyndmast ostis had in governyng
Of Tyrrhyus the sonnys or childer ȝyng;
Turnus thar duke rewlys the myddill ost,
With glave in hand maid awful feir and bost,
Thame till array raid turnand to and fro,
And by the hed alhaill, quhar he dyd go,
Hyear than all the rowt men mycht hym se.
In sik ordour furth haldis his menȝe

174

Lyke as sum tyme Ganges, the flude Indane,
Sevyn swelland ryveris efter spayt of rayn
Ressauyt in hys large bosum inhy,
In hys deip trowch now flowys esely;
Or as vmquhile the fertill flude, Nylus,
Ourfletand all the feildis, bank and buss,
Syne, efter the gret fludis watry rage,
Returnys swagit to hys auld passage.
Turnus segis the Troianys in gret ire,
And all thar schippis and navy set in fyre.
Be this the Troianys in thar new cite
A dusty sop vprysand gan do se,
Full thik of stowr vp thryngand in the ayr,
And all the feildis myrknyt mair and mair.
Caycus first cryis, as he war wod,
Dovn from the hie garrat quhar he stude:
“O citesanys, how gret ane ost,” quod he,
“Is lappit in ȝone dusty stew I se!
Swith hynt ȝour armour, tak ȝour wapynnys all,
Bryng hydder dartis, speil vp on the wall!
Our ennemys cummys at hand, but dowt!”
“Hay, hay, go to!” than cry thai with a schowt,
And with a huge bruyt Troianys at schort
Thar wallys stuffyt and closyt euery port,
For sa Eneas, maste expert in armys,
At hys departing, dredand for thir harmys,
Gaif thame command, gif thai assalȝeit wer
Or hys returnyng, be hard fortoun of weir,
That thai ne suld in batale thame array,
Nor in the plane thar ennemys assay,
Bot bad thai suld alanerly withhald
Thar strenth within thar fowseis, as he wald,
And kepe thar wallys forsely and weill,
With fowcy dichis and wapynnys styfe of steill.

175

Tharfor, all thocht baith schame and felloun ire
Thar breistis had enflambyt hait as fyre,
In the plane feild on thar famen to set,
Ȝit neuertheless thar portis haue thai schet
Fortill obey the command of Enee;
On boss turrettis and on towris hie
Enarmyt stude thar fays till abyde.
Turnus the chiftane on the tother syde
Come to the cite, or that ony wist,
Furth fleand swipperly, as that hym best list,
Befor the ost, quhilk went bot esy pass,
With hym a twenty chosyn men he hass;
Apon a sterand steid of Trace he sat,
Of cullour dapill gray and wail fat,
Full hie rysand abuse his knychtly hed
Hys goldin helm, with tymbrel al blude rede.
“Go to, ȝyng gallandis, quha that list,” quod he,
“Thar ennemyss assailȝe first with me!”
And, with that word, threw a dart in the air,
As he to geif batale all redy war,
Syne in plane feild with browdyn baneris gay
Bargane to byde drew hym till array.
Hys feris all ressauyt the clamour hie,
And followand thar chiftane, he and he,
The bruyt rasyt with grisly sound attanys,
And gan to mervell the dolf hartit Troianys,
That durst nocht, as thame semyt, in plane feild
Thame self aventour, nor ȝit with sper and scheld
Mach with thar fa men in patent bargane,
Bot hald thame in thar strenthis euery ane.
And all commovit, brym and full of ire,
Baith heir and thar Turnus the grevyt syre
Went on horsbak, seirsand abowt the wall
Every dern way and secret passagis all,
Gyf ony entre or tocome espy
He myght, fortill assail the cite by.
Lyke as we se, wachand the full scheip fald,
The wild wolf ourset with schowris cald

176

Of wynd and rane, at myddis of the nycht,
Abowt the bowght plet all of wandis tyght
Brays and gyrnys; tharin bletand the lammys
Full sovirly liggis vnder thar dammys;
He brym and felloun his rageand furour
Aganys the absentis, reddy to devour,
Rasys in ire, for the wod hungris lyst;
Hys wysnyt throt, havand of blude sic thrist,
Gendris of lang fast sic ane appetyte
That he constrenyt is in extreme syt—
Nane other wyss, the feirfull fervent ire
In Turnus breist vpkyndillis hait as fyre,
Seand thir wallys and fortressis attanys;
The huge ennoy byrnys hym throu the banys,
Imagynand by quhat resson or way
Hys ennemyss he mycht wyn till assay,
And on quhat wyss the Troianys fra thar strenth
He mycht expell, and in plane feild on lenth
Mak thame to ische in patent batale place.
And as he musand was heiron, percace,
The navy of thar schippys he dyd invaid,
That fastby ionyt to the wall was layd,
With dychys and with fowseis dern abowt,
In the flude watir, as neir owt of dowt;
Quham fra he had espyit, but abaid
At hys feris, quhilkis wilfull war and glaid,
Eftir the fyre and kyndillyng dyd he cry,
And in hys awin handis hyntis vp in hy
A blesand fyre brand of the fyrryn tre.
Than byssely Rutilyanys, he and he—
So the presens of Turnus dyd thame steir,
That euery man the rekand schydis in feir
Rent fra the fyris and on the schippis slang;
The semys crakkis, the watir byssyt and sang,
The tallowynt burdis kest a pikky low,
Vpblesis owrloft, hechis, wrangis and how,
Quhill myxt with reik the fell sparkis of fyre
Heich in the air vpglydis byrnand schire.

177

Quhou the fyre was expellit fra he navye,
The schippis translait in nymphis or goddessis of see.
Say me, O Musys, reherses and declare,
Quhilk of the goddis sa cruel flammys sayr
Held from Troianys? quha sa vehement fyre
Drave from thar schippis, thus wyss byrnand schire?
The deid is auld forto beleif or wry,
Bot the memor remanys perpetualy.
The first tyme quhen the Troiane Eneas
By sey to tak hys vayage schap to pass,
And gan do beld his schippis vp ilkane
In Ida forest, that mont Phrygiane,
The moder of goddis, Berecyntia,
Spak to hir son gret Iupiter, thai sa,
With sikkynd wordis, sayand: “My child deir,
Grant this ane axin quhilk I the requeir,
Grant thy belovit moder bot a thing,
Thou at art master of the hevynly ryng.
Apon the top of Gargarus,” quod sche,
“Thar grew a fyr wod, the quhilk into dante
Full mony ȝeris held I, as is knaw.
Thys was my cuchill and my hallowit schaw,
Quhar that the Phrygianys maid me sacrifice;
Ful weill me lykyt thar to walk oftsyss,
With pikky treis blak skuggit abowt,
And abundans of hattyr gestis stowt,
Quhilk glaidly I haue gevin a ȝong Troiane,
Strang Eneas, discend from Kyng Dardane,
Fortill support the mysteris of hys navy.
And now the dowtsum dreid, for the ilk quhy,
Full pensyve haldis me and doith constrene:
Deliuer me of thys feir be sum meyn,
My deir son, suffir at thy moderis request
Be admittit this a tyme, be the leste,
So that tha schippis be nevir mair ourset
With contrar curss, nor ȝit with storm dovn bet;

178

Quharby thai may haue sum avale,” quod sche,
“At thai vmquhile grew in our hillys hie.”
Hyr son, the quhilk rewlys at hys lykyng
The hevyn, the starris, and all erdly thyng,
Ansuerd and said: “O moder best belovyt,
Quhou art thou thus agane the fatis amovyt?
Or quharto axis thou to thir,” quod he,
“With mortale handis wrocht of stokkis and tre,
That is to say, thir schippis so habill to faill,
That lesum war thai suldbe immortale?
And that Enee, in dedly corps onsure,
Assoverit fermly throw all dangeris fuyr?
Quhat god hess to hym grantyt sik frelage?
Bot for thy saik, quhen fully thar vayage
Thai haue compleyt, and at costis of Itale
Arryvit ar, and in tha portis set sail,
And thar duke Troiane careit our the see
To boundis of Lawrentum, that cuntre,
Alsmony of thame as than hess eschaipe
The wally fludis sall I turn and schaip
Furth of thar mortale formys corruptabill,
And sall command thame fortobe mair habill
From thens forthwart, as immortale,” quod he,
“In nymphes turnyt and goddessys of see,
Lyke as Nereus douchter, Clotho gay,
And Galathea, throw fomy fludis gray
Scheryng with braid brestis delytabill,”
Quod Iupiter, and till hald ferm and stabill,
Be Stix the flude, Pluto hys broderis see,
Hys godly aith and promyss sworn hes he;
Be that ilk pykky laik with brays blak,
And laithly sworlys, till kepe at he spak
He dyd afferm hys hecht, and in takynnyng
The hevynnys all maid trymmyll at hys likyng.
Tharfor the day that he by promys set
Is now at hand, and the ful tyme of det
By the werd sisteris schaip is now compleit,
Quhen Turnus thus in hys iniuryus heit

179

Admonyst hess hys pepill and commandis,
With dry schydis and with hait fyre brandis,
The moder of goddis by sik flambys fell
Furth of hir hallowyt schippis to expell.
At this tyme first apperis in hir syght
A new takynnyng of gret plesand lycht,
And a braid schynand clowd thai dyd aspy
Cum from the est, rynnand our all the sky;
The rowtis eik onone thai gan behald
Of Ideanys, tha wightis that in the hald
Ar of the moder of the goddis closs;
Dovn throu the air eik come a feirful voce,
And fillit all the ostis baith atanys
Of Troiane pepill and Rutulianys,
Sayand: “Troianys, dreid na thing, haist ȝou nocht
Fortill defend my schippis, albeit ȝe mocht,
For that causs tak na wapynnys in ȝour handis,
For rather, now as that the mater standis,
Sal it be lefull Turnus fyre the see,
Or that he byrn my bargis maid of tre.
O ȝe my schippys, now to ȝou I say,
Go fre at large quhar ȝou list away,
Go furth and swym as goddessis of the see;
The moder of goddis commandis so tobe.”
And, wyth that word, als tyte furth from the bra
Ilk barge bownys, cuttand hir cabyll in twa,
Lyke delphyn fysch onon as thai tuke kepe,
Thar snowtis dowkand held vnder the deip.
Syne from the grond, a wonder thing to say,
With als feill virgyne facis vpsprang thai,
And throu the fludis, quhar thame list, dyd fair,
Quhou mony steill stammyt bargis that ayr
Stude by the costis syde, or thai war fyryt.
Rutylianys wolx affrayit with myndis myryt;
Mesapus musyng can withdraw on dreich,
Seand hys stedis and the horssis skeich;
And eik the ryver brayt with hayss sovnd,
Quhill Tyberinus bakwartis dyd rebound,

180

As thocht hyss curss dyd stop and step abak.
Bot netheless, for all the feir thai mak,
The hie curage and forcy hardyment
Baid onamovyt in Turnus stowt entent,
So that baldly with hardy wordis on hie
Thar spretis rasyt, and rycht fersly he
Can thame repreve, that tuk for nocht affray.
“Thir monstruus takynnys at ȝe se, perfay,
Sekis myscheif to the Troianys,” said he,
“And by this way gret Iupiter, as ȝe se,
Hess now byreft thar help and confidens,
Quharby thai wont war to fle for defens.
Now nowder Rutyliane fyre nor swerdis dynt
May thai withstand, for all thar fors is tynt.
Sen that thai may not eschape by the see,
Nor hess na maner hope away to fle,
The maist half of the Troiane help is lost;
This land is in our power, feld and cost;
So that thai sal na wyss eschape our brandis,
Quhou mony thousand douchty men of handis
Ar heir assemblyt, all Italyanys.
I compt na thing all thocht ȝon fant Troianys
Rakkyn thar fatis that thame hydder brocht;
All syk vayn ruyss I feir as thing of nocht,
In cace thai prowd be of the goddis answeris,
And thame avant tharof with felloun feris.
It may weill suffyss, and eneuch, I wyss,
Baith to thar fatis and Venus grantit is,
That evir thir Troianys in this cost fast by
Hes anys twichit the bowndis of Italy.
My werdis eik and fatale destane
Be the contrar is grantit onto me,
Thys cursyt pepill tobet down with my glave,
For my deir spouss, quham byreft me thai have:
Nor this ennoy alanerly twichis nocht
The twa Atrydes, that Troy to rewyne brocht
(I meyn the principal chiftanys, breder twa,
That is to knaw, Agamennon and Menelay);

181

Nor ȝit allane this causs to armys steris
The pepill of Myce to move batale and weris;
Bot principaly this querrell myne I knaw.
Gif it had bene eneuch, as that thai schaw,
At thai bot anys distroyit aucht tobe,
It war enewch and mycht suffyss, think me,
That thai haue faltit anys lang tyme befor.
Quhy dowbill thai thar trespass mor and mor?
All thocht that wemen brocht thame to foly,
Ȝyt hait thai not wemen aluterly.
Quhat meyn thai be this myddill mantill wall,
This litill stop of dykis and fowseis all?
Weyn thai this be a strenth that may thame save?
Thar lyfe is now in iuperte, thai raif,
Full neir thar ded thai stand: all man may knaw
Quhidder gif the wight wallys of Troy thai saw,
Belt by the hand of Neptunus, that syre,
Rent and bet down, and all the town in fyre.
Bot O ȝe walyt knychtis of renown,
Quham I behald with pykkis brekand dovn
Ȝon forteress, and now present with me
Assalȝeand this affrayt strenth we se;
Ws nedis not Wlcanus armour heir
Aganys thir maste fant Troianys in our weir,
Nor ȝit we mystir not a thousand schippis.
All thocht hail Tuscany in to falloschippis
With thame adione, and cum on euery syde,
Lat thame nocht dreid that we, be nyghtis tyde,
Sall thyftuusly Palladium steill away,
Nor sla thar wachis slepand; na perfay,
Dern in ane horssis belly large or wyde,
Thame to dissave, we sall ws neuer hyde,
For we determyt haue by forss in fyght,
In plane batale, and on days lyght,
With fyre and swerd ȝon wallys ombeset.
So dowchtely we schape to do our det,
That thai sall not beleif weir vndertane
Agane Grekis, nor pepill Pelasgane,

182

Quhilkis in thar weris previt sa spreitless men
That Hector thame delayt ȝeris ten.
Now, chosyn men and walyt weriouris,
Sen the maist part of this days howris
Is gane,” said he, “I hald it for the best
Eftir this gud iournay ȝe tak ȝou rest;
Do eyss ȝour bodeis and ȝour horss quhil day,
Bot hald ȝou reddy for the batale ay.
In the meyn tyme, of the nycht wach the cur
We geif Mesapus, the ȝettis to discur
And forto beit brycht fyris abowt the wallys.”
Twyss sevin Rutilianys for al chance befallys
Was chosyn with knychtis forto wach the town;
Ilkane ane hundreth fallowys reddy bown
Of ȝoung gallandis, with purpour crestis red;
Thar giltyn geir maid glitteryng euery sted
Quhar so thai walk and romys still and soft.
Thai stalk about, and wardis changis oft,
And sum tyme, on the greyn herbys down set,
Thai byrll the wyne, and ilk man dyd hys det
Fortil ourturn goblettis of mettell bryght.
The schynand fyris our al the land kest lycht;
And all the fornycht thir wachis sikkyn way,
But sleip, dyd spend in revale, gam and play.
Heir Nysus carpis to his frend Eurilly
Till vndyrtak ane aventur onsilly.
The Troianys, from thar forttress quhar thai stude
All thar deray beheld and vnderstude,
And baith with armour and with wapynnys brycht
The towr hedys thai stuffyt all that nyght,
And feill tymys in hasty effeir for dreid
The portis vissy thai, gyf ocht war neid,
And draw briggis befor the ȝettis vprasyt,
Iunct to the wallys, at thai suld nocht be trasyt;

183

And euery man stud reddy in hys geir
Enarmyt weill, and in his hand a speir.
Mnestheus stern and eik Serestus stowt
Ful bissy war to walk and go abowt,
Tyll ordinance forto put every thing,
For thame Eneas at his departyng
Had deput rewlaris to hys ȝong son deir,
And master capitanys of hys ost in weir,
Gyf so betyd ony aduersyte
Or aventour befor hys returne.
Ane haill legioun about the wallis large
Stude wachyng, bodyn with bow, speir and targe;
The danger was by cuttys sone decyde,
At euery corner quha, or quha, suld byde,
And euery man his curss abowt dyd sleip,
Quhill that his fallow had his ward to keip.
Nisus, Hirtacus son, that tyme was set,
As for hys stand, to byde and kepe the ȝet,
As he that was in armys bald and stowt,
Ane the maist valȝeant intill all that rowt,
Quham Ida hys moder, ane huntryce,
In falloschip send with Ene ful wyss;
To cast dartis nane sa expert as he,
Nor forto schoyt swyft arrowys half sa sle.
Euryalus, hys fallow, stude hym by,
Of all Eneas ost nane mair gudly,
Nor ȝit mar semly cled in Troiane armys,
Stowt, of hie curage, dredand for na harmys;
Hys florist ȝouth ravest hys vissage ȝyng,
Ȝit nevir schavyn, with pilis newly spryng.
To thir twa was a will in vnyte,
A lust, and mynd in vniformyte;
Sammyn thai ȝeid to mete, to rest or play,
And baith togidder in batale ruschit thai;
Now sammyn eik thai war in statioun set,
As baith in feir to kepe the common ȝet.
Nisus thus spekis: “O brothir myne Ewrylly,
Quhiddir gif the goddis, or sum spretis sylly,

184

Movys in our myndis this ardent thochtfull fyre,
Or gif that euery manis schrewit desyre
Be as his god and genyus in that place,
I wait nevir how it standis; bot this lang space
My mynd movys to me, heir as I stand,
Batale or sum gret thyng to tak on hand.
I knaw not to quhat purposs is it drest,
Bot be na way may I tak eyss nor rest.
Behaldis thou not so surly, but affray,
Ȝon Rutylianys thame haldis glaid and gay?
Thar fyris now begynnys schyne full schire,
Sowpyt in wyne and sleip baith man and syre
At quyet lugyng ȝondyr at thar will;
Queym silens haldis the large feildis still.
Considir this profundly, I the pray,
Quhat suld I dreid, quhat thynkis thou, now say.
Baith common pepill and the heris bald
To bryng agane Eneas ful fane thai wald;
Langyng ful sair efter hys hame cummyng,
And of hys mynd to haue sur wrytyng,
Thai all desyre sum attentik men be send.
Gyf, as I wald, thou had licens to wend,
Sen weill I knaw thy famus nobill dedis,
In sik a cace, me think, na ma thar nedis,
Vndre ȝon moyte the way fund weill I se
To hald onto the wallys of Pallante.”
Ewrialus, smyte with hie fervent desyre
Of new renown, quhilk brynt hym hait as fyre,
And half eschamyt of this bodword glaid,
Thus til hys best belovyt fallow said:
“Nisus broder, in souerane actis hie,
For ony causs, quhou may thou refuss me
With the to go in falloschip as feir?
Suld I the send allane in sik danger?
My fader, Opheltes, the quhilk all hys days
The weris hantit, nevir apon that ways
Instrukkit me, nor tawcht sik cowardy.
Was I not lernyt to hant chevalry

185

Amyd the Grekis brag, and Troiane weris?
Haue I me born with the, at thou afferis
Off my curage? The maist douchty Enee,
And of fortoun to the last extremyte,
Haue I not followyt, refusand na pyne?
Heir is, heir is, within this corps of myne,
A forcy spreit that doith this life dispyss,
Quhilk reputtis fair to wissyll, apon sik wyss,
With this honour thou thus pretendis to wyn,
This mortale stait and life that we bene in.”
Nisus ansueris: “Forsuyth, my broder dyng,
Of the, God wait, ȝit dred I nevir sic thing,
For so to think in faith onlefull wer.
So hail and feir mot salf me Iupiter,
And bryng me sowund agane with victory,
As euer ȝit sic consait of the had I.
To wytnes draw I that ilk god,” quod he,
“With frendly eyn quhilk dois ws heir and se,
And in my mynd first movit this consait.
Bot gif that so betyde, as weill ȝe wait
In sic aventouris thar bene dangeris seir,
Be hard fortoun or aventour of weir,
Or goddys dispositioun happin it fall,
My will was the to salue fra perrellis all:
Thy florist ȝouth is mair worthy to leif
Than forto put in danger of myscheif.
I wald alsso at hame sum frend haue had
That gif at I war takyn and hard stad,
Or fra me reft the lyfe, and sa with hald,
Quhilk my body or banys ranson wald,
And lay in grave eftir our Troiane gyss;
Or, gyf fortoun wald suffir on na wyss
My body mycht be brocht to beriall,
Than to hys frend the seruyce funeral
With obsequeis to do for corps absent,
And in my memor vp a tumbe to stent.
Ne wald I not alsso that I suld be
Causs or occasioun of sic duyll,” quod he,

186

“To thy maist reuthfull mother, trast and kynd,
Quhilk anerly of hir maist tender mynd,
From all the other matronys of our rowt,
Hess followyt the, hir luffyt child, abowt,
Ne for thy saik refusyt not the see
And gave na forss of Acestes cite.”
The tother tho hym ansuerit sone agane:
“My frend, for nocht thou says sik wordis vane,
Ingirand cacis ar of nane effek;
My first entent I list not change nor brek.
Haist ws,” quod he, and tharwithall baith twa
The nixt wach thai walknyt quhar thai lay,
Quhilk gat on fut and to thar rowmys went.
Eurialus, to fulfill hys entent,
With Nysus furth can hald hys way onon,
And to the prynce Ascanyus ar gone.
Quhou at the consal the fornamyt two
Ontill Eneas purchest leif to go.
Apon the erth the othir bestis all,
Thar bissy thochtis sessyng, gret and small,
Ful sownd on sleip dyd cawcht thar rest be kynd,
All irksum laubour forȝet owt of mynd;
Bot the cheif ledaris of the Troiane rowt,
And flowr of fensabill ȝyng men stern and stowt,
In the meyn tyme sat at wyss consell
For common weill and materis hie befell,
Consideryng wisly quhat ado thar was,
Or quha suld message beir to Eneas;
Amyddis thar tentis, in feild quhar thai stand,
With scheildis schrowd, apon thar speris lenand.
Tho Nysus and Eurialus, baith twane
Glaid of this cast, seand thair tyme maste gane,
Besocht thai mycht be admittit to say
A gret mater of weght, quhais delay

187

Mycht harm gret deill, and eik be thar avyss
Thar erand was worth audiens and of price.
Ascanyus first, seand thar hasty way,
Admittit thar desire, and bad thame say.
Than this Nisus, Hirtacus son, thus said:
“Gentill Troianys, with equal myndis glaid
Ressaue my wordis, for this thing,” quod he,
“Quhilk I ȝow tell may nocht considerit be
With sik as ws, nor men sa ȝong of ȝheris,
Bot to ȝour wisdomys till avyss efferis.
The Rutilianys, ourset with sleip and wyne,
Lyggis sowpit, fordoverit, drunk as swyne:
To set apon thame, and await with skaith,
The place surly we haue espyit baith,
Quhilk reddy may ful esely be get
In ȝondir forkyt way, strekis fra the ȝet
Down to the seys cost the nerrest went,
Quhar the fyris fast falȝeis, neir owt brynt,
So that the blak reik dyrknyss all the air.
Gif that ȝe suffir wald, as I said ayr,
That we mycht vse this oportunyte
Quhilk fortoun hass ws grant, sone suld ȝe se
Eneas socht by ws at Pallantyne,
And hyddir brocht in schort quhile efter syne,
With ryche spulȝe, and mekill slauchter maid.
We knaw the way thidder full weill,” he said,
“And all the watyr of Tibyr vp and down;
In dyrk valeys oft we saw the town,
As we by custum oft the huntyng hantit.”
Agit Alethes, that na wisdome wantit,
Bot baith was rype in consale and in ȝheris,
Onto thir wordis digestly maid ansueris:
“O kyndly goddis of our natyve landis,
Vndre quhais myghtis all tyme Troy vpstandis,
All thocht the weill tharof in dowt remanys,
Ȝit list ȝou not distroy all the Troianys,
Ne thame so clene defait aluterly,
Sen sa stowt myndis as we heir aspy

188

And sa bald reddy breistis gevin haue ȝhe
To thir ȝongkeris.” And sayand thus, can he
The rycht handis and schuldris of baith embrace,
With terys tryncland our his chekis and face.
“O manly knyghtis, quhat reward condyng
May ganandly be geif for syk a thyng,
Forsuyth I can nocht in my mynd devyss;
Bot ȝour maist cheif ganȝeld and gyft to pryss
The gret goddis mot rendyr ȝou,” said he,
“And ȝour awin vertu mot be renowne;
The remanent onone ȝe sall ressaue,
Sa that na wyss ȝe sal ȝour medis crave,
By the handys of reuthfull Eneas;
Or, gif he sone from this lyfe happynnys pass,
Ascanyus, quhilk as ȝit is bot page,
Ȝong and fordward into hys hailsum age,
Sall render ȝour desert, I tak on hand,
And sik thankis, quhil that he is levand,
Sal nevir be forȝet nor do away.”
The sammyn word onon, as he dyd say,
Furth of hys mowth Ascanyus hes hynt:
“I hecht forsuyth that deid sall nevir be tynt,
For all my weil alanerly doys hyng
Apon my faderis prosper hame cummyng.
Nysus,” said he, “I ȝou pray and beseik,
Be our Penates, kyndly goddis meik,
And be Assaracus goddis domesticall,
Quham ȝe the cheif stok of our kynrent call,
And be the secret closettis or entre
Of the venerabill auld canus Veste,
Bryng hame my fader sone, I ȝou exort:
All that perteynyng is to me, at schort,
Baith twychand consale and commandment,
Or aventouris of fortoun, in ȝour entent,
In ȝour willys, I put all haill,” quod he,
“Bryng hame my fader that I may hym se,
For had we hym ressauyt, I dar say,
Is no thing suld ennoy ws nor effray.

189

Twa siluer cowpys, wrocht rycht curyusly
With figuris grave, and punsyt ymagery,
I sall ȝou geif (the quhilk my fader wan
Quhen conquest was the cite Arisban),
Twa charis rych, or trestis quently fold,
And twa gret talentis of the fynast gold,
And eik the crafty ancyent flacconys two
Quhilkis to me gave the Sydoness Dido.
And gyf, certis, as victouris ws betydis
To conquyss Ital, as the fatys provydis,
Tharin to bruke the crown and ceptre wand,
And to distribut the pray, as lord of land—
Beheld ȝe nocht quhat kyn a cursour wycht,
Quhou prowd armour, weil gilt and burnyst brycht,
That Turnus bair this ȝister nyght?” quod he.
“The sammyn scheld, and helm with crestis thre
Semyng of fyre all rede, and the ilk steid,
Fra this sammyn hour, Nysus, salbe thy meid;
I sall thame sort fra all the remanent.
And forthir eik my fader, of hys ascent,
Twelf chosyn matronys sall ȝou geif all fre,
To be ȝour sclavys in captiuite,
With all thar childryng and thar hail ofspryng,
Thar moblys, catal, rentis and armyng;
And eik that feild and pryncipal peyss of land
Quhilk Kyng Latinus hess now in hys hand.
And O thou wirschipfull ȝong child, quhais age
Is to my ȝouthed in the nerrest stage,
With all my hart I the ressaue evin heir,
In all cacis as tendir fallow and feir.
But the, na glorius act in my materis
Salbe exercyt, nother in paix nor weris:
In euery thing, baith into word and deid,
The maist trast salbe geif the for thy meid.”
Ewrialus maid this answer for hys syde:
“That day sal neuer cum, nor tyme betyde,
For my defalt onworthy sall I be
Fortyll attene sa souerane dignyte.

190

Lat fortoun send ws gude luk, gif scho lest,
Or mysaventour, I sal do my best—
Lo, this is all, na mair I may promyt.
Bot, abuf all thingis, a gift grant me ȝit,
That I beseik the oft and monyfald:
Ane moder, cummyn of Priamus blude of ald,
Within this town I haue, quhilk silly wyfe,
Me forto follow not comptand hir lyfe,
The realm of Troy mycht not withhald,” said he,
“Nor ȝit in Sycyll Acestes fair cite.
Now hir I leif onhalsyt as I ryde,
Of this danger, quhat so evir betyde,
All ignorant and wait no thyng, puyr wight;
To wytnes draw I heir this ilk gude nycht,
And thy rycht hand, my lord and prynce maste hie,
The wepand teris may I not suffir nor se
Of my deir moder, nor that rewthfull syght.
Bot I beseik thy gentyll hart of ryght
Forto comfort that cayrfull creatur;
That desolat wight to succur schaw thi cuyr.
Grant this a thyng, and suffir that of the
This a gude hop I bair of town with me;
And far the baldar, quhat so fortoun send,
Ontill all dangeris glaidly sall I wend.”
The Troianys all for reuth, at speke hym heris,
Smyte with compassioun, brastis furth of terys,
With tender hartis menand Ewrialus.
Bot principaly lusty Ascanyvs,
The ymage of hys faderly piete
Prent in hys mynde, hym strenys swa that he
Wepand answerd, and said: “My brother deir,
I promyss all thou desiris, out of weir,
For thy commancement and stowt begynnyng
Is sa douchty I may the nyte na thyng.
Forsuyth this woman, quhat so evir scho be,
Fra thyne fordwart sal moder be to me,
Wantyng na mar of my moder in plane
Alanerly bot Creusa, hyr name;

191

And thus of sik a byrth na litill blyss
Sall hyr betyde, quhou evir efter this
The chans turnys, owder to weill or wo.
Be this ilk hed I swer to the also,
By quhilk my fader wont was forto swer,
All that I haue onto the promyst heir
Gyf thou returnys in prosperyte,
Failȝeand tharof, as Iove defend swa be,
To thy moder and onto thy kynred
Sall fully bene obseruyt, in thy sted.”
Thus sayd he wepand, and tharwith alssua
Hys gyltyn swerd he hynt his schuldris fra,
Quham wonder craftely in the land of Creyt
Lycaon forgyt had, and wrocht it meyt
Within a burnyst scheith of evor bone;
Thame baith togiddir he gaue Ewrill onone.
Syne Mnestheus a bustuus lyon skyn,
That rowch and weirlyke tawbart na thing thyn,
To Nysus gave; and the traste Alethys
With hym hes helmys cosyt, and gaue hym hys.
Furth haldis Nysus and Eurillius baith tway,
And huge slauchter thai haue maid be the way.
Onon thai held enarmyt furth thar way,
Quham all the nobillys ȝyng and ald, perfay,
Convoyt to the portis, na thyng fayn,
Prayand full oft Iove bryng thame weil agane.
Bot principaly the fresch Ascanyus ȝyng,
Abufe al otheris in hys commonyng
Schawand the wysdome, consait and forsyght
Of agit man, and eik the curage wight,
Gave thame feill chargis and commandmentis
To beir hys fader, twychand hys ententis;
Bot with the wynd tha skatterit war on raw,
And all for nocht amang the clowdis flaw.

192

Furth ischit thai, and by the fowcyis went is,
In silens of the dyrk nycht, amangis the tentis
And perellus pailȝeonys, to thame ennemy,
Thai entrit ar, and caucht gret harm tharby
(Bot netheless, or ony skaith thai hynt,
The ded of mony was thar douchty dynt).
Apon the gyrss, ourset witht sleip and wyne,
Fordoverit, fallyn down als drunk as swyne,
The bodeys of Rutylianys heir and thar
Thai dyd persaue; and by the cost alquhar
The cartis stand with lymowris bendyt strek,
The men lyggyng, the hamys abowt thar nek,
Or than amangis the quhelys and the thetis;
All sammyn lay thar armour, wyne and metys,
Baith men and cartis myddillyt all our ane.
With ane bass voce thus Nysus spak agane:
“Ewrialus, the mater now thus standis,
Fortobe stowt and forcy of our handis.
Thys is our passage, quhilk way we mon wend.
Thy part salbe to kepe and to defend
That nane onset cum on ws at the bak;
Spy far about, tharto gude tent thou tak.
I sall befor mak voyd passage and way,
And the convoy throu a large streit away.”
Rehersand this, onon he held hym closs,
So that na noys mycht thar be hard or voce,
And tharwith eik with drawyn swerd in press
He can assail the pompus Rhamnetes,
Quhilk lay, percace, slepand soft and sownd
On prowd tapetis spred apon the grond;
A kyng he was, and a spa man, suyth to sayn,
To Turnus kyng mast trast auguriane,
Bot with hys diuinatioun nor augury
The trake of deth ne cowth he not put by.
Thre of hys seruandis, that fast by hym lay,
Ful raklesly he kyllyt, all thocht thai
Amang thar speris lyggyng war infeir;
And quellyt ane to Remus was squyer.

193

The cartar syne, luggyng apon the streit,
He hynt onon amang the horssis feyt,
And with hys swerd hys nek, hyngand on syde,
In twane hes hakkyt; and the sammyn tyde
Thar lordis hed, I meyn this said Rhamneyt.
Of smytis he, quhill all the bed wolx weyt;
Lyke a ded stok the corps wantand the hed
Lay bullerand, al besprent with sprayngis red,
And als the erth grew warm with teppet blude.
Attour he stekit hes eik, quhar he stude,
Twa forcy men, Lamus and Lamyrus,
And als the lykly ȝong child, Serranus,
That all the fornycht in ryot and in play
Had spendyt as he lyst, and now he lay
With membris strekit, and plesand vissage brycht,
Ourset with god Bachus mekill of myght:
Ful happy and weill fortunat had he be,
In sport and gam on the sam wyss gif he
All the remanent of that nycht had spent,
Quhil the lycht day, and tyl hym self tane tent.
Lyke as the empty lyoun, lang onfed,
Be nychtis tyde quhen all folk sleip in bed,
Trubland the fald full of silly scheip,
The wod rage of hys hungir is so deip
That he constrenyt is sik wyss to fair;
He ryvis and he harlys heir and thar
The tendir bestis, that for awfull feir
Of hys presens dar nowder bleyt nor steir;
He rummysis with bludy mowth and brays—
So dyd Ewrilly, and none other ways,
And na less slauchter maid he in the plane,
Of ire inflambyt in his wod brane.
A multitude of commonys of birth law,
By quhilk resson thar namys ar onknaw,
He ombeset and put to confusioun,
And Fadus syne with Hesebus dang he down,
And Arabys also onwarnystly,
And Rhetus eik, lay walkand hard thame by

194

Behaldand all thar sterage and deray,
Bot, of the stowt Ewrialus for affray,
Behynd a wyne bote or a pype hym hyd,
Quham Eurialus, as the cace betyd,
Keppyt on hys swerdis poynt, that all the blaid
Hyd in hys cost vp to the hyltis glaid—
To ded he duschis down bath styf and cald,
And vp the purpour spreit of lyf he ȝald,
And blude and wyne mixt he can furth schaw,
At he last drank owt ȝeskis in the ded thraw.
And, by sik slyght full brym, thus he enforcis
To mak huge slauchtir of onweldy corpcis,
Etlyng wightly to the nixt stude fast by.
Thar as Mesapus feris all dyd ly,
And the last fyris almaste quynchit owt,
The horss, per ordour, tyit weill abowt,
Etand thar meit he mycht behald and se;
Quham schortly Nysus bad sess and lat be,
For he persauyt Eurialus by his feris
Had our gret lust to slauchter, and dangeris
Persauyt nocht quhilkis war apperand eft.
“Desist,” quod he, “this mater mon be left,
For the day lycht, quhilk is to ws onfrend,
Approchis neir, we may na langar lend.
Gret harm is done, eneuch of blude is sched,
Throw owt our fays a patent way is red.”
And sayng thus, thai sped thame on thar way:
Behynd thame, for vptakyng quhar it lay,
Mony brycht armour richly dyght thai left,
Cowpys and goblettis, forgyt far, and beft
Of massy syluyr, lyand heir and thar,
Prowd tapysry, and mekill precyus war;
Salf that Eurialus with hym tursyt away
The rial trappouris, and myghty patrellys gay,
Quhilkis war Rhamnetes stedis harnessyng,
And, for the mair remembrance in takynnyng,
Ane rych tysche or belt hynt he syne,
The pendentis wrocht of burnyst gold maste fyne

195

(Quhilk gyrdill ane Cedicus, that was than
Duryng his tyme ane the myghtyast man,
Bereft a strang Rutiliane, as thai tell,
Quham he venquyst in singular batell,
And send it syne to ane Remulus hes he,
That duke was of the Tiburtyne cite,
In syng of frendschip and ferm acquentans:
Thus athir absent ionyt allyans;
Syne this ilk prynce, into hys legacy,
That tyme apon hys ded bed dyd he ly,
This gyrdill left to ȝongar Remulus,
Hys tendyr nevo, that is heir slane thus);
Euryll, as said is, hess this iowell hynt,
Abowt hys sydis it brasyng, or he stynt—
Bot all for nocht, supposs the gold dyd gleit.
Mesapus helm syne, for him wondir meit,
With schynand tymbret and with crystis hie,
Apon hys hed onon buklyt hes he.
Furth of the tentis with this bownyt thai,
And fra thar fays held the sovyr way.
Quhou capitane Volscens, cumand Turnus till,
Recontrit Nysus and hys fallow Ewrill.
In the meyn quhile, as this other army
Thus at the sege gan in the feildis ly,
From Lawrentum, Kyng Latinus cite,
War horsmen sent to Turnus, forto se
Quhat he plesyt, and the kyngis entent
Tyll hym to schaw; thre hundreth men furth went
With scheild on schuldir vndre capitane Volscens,
And be this cummyn war to the distens
Neir to thar ost, and, as the cace dyd fall,
Thai held fast vnder this new cite wall.
Quhar as on far towart the left hand thai
Turnand thar curss bakwart persauyt tway

196

(For the brycht helm in twynkland starny nycht
Mythis Eurilly with bemys schynand lycht,
Quhilk he, onwar, persauyt nocht, allace!),
And as thai scars war thus aspyit on cace,
Volscens the capitane, from amyd his rowt,
Said, “Stand, fallowis,” and cryis with a schowt,
“Quhat is the causs of ȝour cummyng,” said he,
“That rydis thus enarmyt? Quhat ȝe be,
And quhidder ar ȝe bown, ȝe schaw ws plane.”
The tother twa maid nane ansuer agane,
Bot in the woddis hyis at the flicht,
Assurit gretly in dirknes of the nycht.
The horsmen than prekis, and fast furth sprentis
To weil beknawin pethis, and turnys wentis
Baith heir and thar; sone ombeset haue thai
The owtgatis all, thai suld nocht wyn away.
The wod was large, and rowch of buskis ronk,
And of the blak ayk schaddowis dym and donk,
Of breris ful, and thyk thorn ronnys stent—
Scarsly a strait rod or dern narow went
Tharin mycht fundyn be that men mycht pass,
Quharthrou Eurialus gretly cummyrrit was;
Quhat for myrknes, thik buskis, branch and breir,
And weght also of the new spulȝeit geir,
Tharto the hasty onset and affray
Maid hym gang will in the onknawin way.
Nysus wes went, and by this chapyt cleir
Hys ennemys, onwar quhar was hys feir:
And as he stude at that sted, efter syne
From Alba cite clepit was Albyne,
Quhar, for the tyme, this forsaid Latyn kyng
Hys horss at pastour held in stabillyng,
He blent abowt to se hys frend so deir,
Bot all for nocht, thar was na man hym neir.
“Ewrill,” quod he, “allace onhappely
In quhat part of this land the left haue I?
Or quhar sall I the seik? O wailaway!”
Tharwith this ilk wilsum perplexit way

197

Bakwart he held, euery futstep agane,
Throw the dern wod dissaitfull and onplane;
Quhil, at the last, amang rank buskis he
Errit by the way, becauss becaus he mycht nocht se.
The horss stampyng and the dyn he heris,
The wordis and the takynnys come to his erys
Of thame quhilk at persewit hym at the bak.
A lytil space efter tent gan he tak,
And hard a scry; harknand quhat that suld be,
Eurilly takyn in handys dyd he se,
Quham the dissaitfull onbekend dern way,
The myrk nycht, and the hasty dowtsum fray,
Betrasyt had, that all the mekill rowt,
Or he was war, hym lowkyt rownd about.
Full gret debait he maid, as that he mocht;
Ourset he was, defens was all for nocht.
Quhat mycht than silly Nysus do or say?
Be quhat forss or wapynnys dar he assay
Forto deliuer hys tendir cousyng deir?
Suld he or not aventour hym self heir,
And rusch amyd hys ennemys in that sted,
To procur in haist by wondis ane honest ded?
Vprasys he onon hys arm bakwart
To thraw a gevillyng or a castyng dart,
And, lukand vpwart towart the cleir moyn,
With afald voce thus wyss he maid hys boyn:
“O Latonya, goddes of mekill myght,
Mastres of woddis, bewte of sternys brycht,
Be thou present, and send me thy supple,
Address my wark, be directrix,” said he:
“Gif euer that Hirtacus, my fader deir,
Offrit for me sum gift at thy alter;
Or gif that I of my huntyng and pray
Ekyt thy honour ony maner way,
Or, at thy standart knoppit post of tre,
Thy haly tempillys rufe, or bawkis hie,
Gif evir I hung or fixit ony thyng,
Wild bestis hed, wapynnys or armyng;

198

Thoil me to trubbill this gret rowt of men,
Do dress my dartis in this wilsum den,
So that my schote and myssour may go rycht
Throu the dyrk ayr and silens of the nycht.”
Thus sayand, with al forss of hys body
The grundyn dart he leyt do glyde in hy.
The fleand schaft the nycht schaddoys devydis,
And rycht forgane him on the tother sydis
It smate Sulmonys scheild, hang on his bak,
Quharin the querral al in schuldir brak;
Bot with the dynt the rynde is revyn swa,
Hys hart pipis the scharp hed persyt in twa.
Down duschis he in ded thraw all forlost,
The warm blude furth bokkand of his cost,
And for the cald of deth hys lungis lap,
With sobbys deip blawys with mony clap.
Hys ferys lukis about on euery syde,
To se quharfra the grundyn dart dyd glyde.
Bot lo, as thai thus wondrit in effray,
Thys ilk Nysus, worthin provd and gay,
And baldar of this chance swa with hym gone,
Ane other takill assayt he onon,
And with a sownd smate Tagus, but remede,
Throu athir part or tymplis of his hed;
In the harn pan the schaft he hes affixt,
Quhil blude and brane al togidder mixt.
The felloun capitane, Volscens, neir wod wendis,
Seand na man quhamof to get amendis;
He mycht do stanche his ire, and syth his thocht,
For quha that threw the dartis saw he nocht.
“Thou, not the less,” quod he, “that standis by,
With thy hait blude for baith twa sal aby
The pane for this myscheif.” And with that word,
He ran apon Euryll with drawyn sword.
Than Nisus, dredand for his fallow kynd,
Begouth to cry, all wod and owt of mynd,
Nor na langar in dern hym hyde he mycht,
Nor of his frend behald sa reuthfull syght:

199

“Me, me, ȝe sla; lo, I am heir,” he said,
“That dyd the dede; turn hidder in me ȝour blaid
And swerdis all, O ȝe Rutilyanys!
All be my slycht now ȝour feris slane is;
That silly innocent creatour so ȝyng
Myght, nor ȝit durst, on hand tak sic a thing—
Be hevynnys he, and all the starnys, I swer,
That ws behaldis with thar bemys cleir.”
Sik wordis said he, for on sic maner,
And sa strangly, his frend and fallow deir,
That sa myschancy was, belovit he,
That rather for hys life him self list de.
Bot thar was na remedy nor abaid:
The swerd, wightly stokit, or than was glaid
Throu owt hys cost—allace, the harmys smart!
That mylk quhite breist is persyt to the hart.
Down ded ruschit Eurialus ryght thar.
The blude bruschand outour his body fair,
And on hys elbok lenand a litill on wry,
Hys hed and hals bowys hevely—
Lyke as the purpour flour in fur or sewch,
Hys stalk in two smyt newly with the pleuch,
Dwynys away, as it doith faid or de;
Or as the chesbo hedis oft we se
Bow down thar knoppis, sowpit on thar grane,
Quhen thai be chargyt with the hevy rane.
Bot Nysus than ruschit amyd the rowt,
Amangis thame all sekand Volscens the stowt,
And on Volscens alanerly arestis,
Thocht rownd about with ennemys he prest is,
Quhilk heir and thar onon at euery syde
Hym ombeset with warkand woundis wyde.
Bot netheless thame stowtly he assalit,
Not amovit, as na thing him had alit,
And euer his schynand swerd about him swang,
Quhil at the last in Volscens mouth he thrang,
As he, forgane him standand, cryit and gapit.
Allace, quhat reuth was it he not eschapit!

200

For he deand bereft his fa the life;
Stekit and hurt sa oft with speir and knyfe,
Fell down abuf his frendis ded body,
Quhar best him likit ded to rest and ly.
O happy baith, O fortunat and dyng!
Gif myne endyt or stile may ony thing,
Nevir day nor process of tyme sal betyde,
That ȝour renown sal owt of memor slyde,
Quhil the famyl and ofspring of Enee
The stane immovabill of the Capitolie
Inhabitis, and sa lang as Romanys bald
The monarchy of the empyre sal hald.
The schamful victouris, thir Rutilyanys,
The pray and spreth, and other geir that ganys,
Ioysyng but obstakil, Volscens ded body
Onto the tentis wepand bair in hy.
And na less murnyng hard thai in that sted
For Rhamnetes, fund hedless, pail and ded,
Togiddir with samony capitanys,
And gret herys, so wrachitly as slane is,
Serranus ȝyng, and the gentill Numa,
And nobill corpsis brytnyt mony ma.
Gret press flokkit to se the bodeis schent,
Sum men ȝit throwand half ded on the bent;
Of recent slauchter and the hait effray
The feld abowt all warmyt quhar thai lay,
That all with spait was blandyt and on flude
In bullyrrand stremys of the fomy blude.
The spulȝe led away was knaw full rycht,
Mesapus rich hewmet schynand brycht,
The goldin gyrdill, and trappouris prowdly wrocht,
With mekill swete and labour agane brocht.

201

Ewrillys moder hir sonnys deth bewalis,
And quhou Rutilianys the cyte first assalis.
Be this Aurora, levand the safron bed
Of hir lord Titan, had the erth ourspred
With new cleirness, and the son scheyn
Begouth defund hys bemys on the greyn,
That euery thing worth patent in the lyght.
Turnus, enarmyt as ane douchty knyght,
Till armys steris euery man abowt,
In plait and maill full mony forcy rowt
Prouocand to the bargane and assay;
Ilk capitane hys folkis settis in array,
And gan thar curage kyndill in ire to fyght,
Be schamefull murmur of this ȝister nycht.
And forthir eik, ane miserabill thing to se,
Ewril and Nysus hedys, on speris hie
Fixit, thai rasyt haldand to the wall,
With huge clamour followyng ane and all.
The forcy and the stowt Eneadanys,
That for the tyme in this cite remanys,
The bront and fors of thar army that tyde
Endlang the wallis set on the left syde,
For on the rycht hand closyt the ryver;
Thai held the forfront quhar thar was danger,
Kepand the braid fowseis and towris hie;
And as thai stand ful dolorusly, thai se
The twa hedys stikkand on the speris,
A miserabil syght, allace, onto thar feris;
Thar facis war ourweil bekend, baith twa,
The blaknyt dedly blude droppand tharfra.
In the meyn quhile, throw the drery cite
The weyngit messynger, Fame, dyd swyftly fle,
And slippand come to thy moder, Ewrilly.
Than suddanly that wrachit wight onsilly
Al pail become, as na blude in hir left,
The naturale heit was from the banys reft.

202

Furth of hir hand the spynnyng quheil smate sche,
The ȝarn clewis, spyndill and broche of tre,
All swakkit our, and full onhappely
Furth fleys scho with mony schowt and cry,
With wepyng and with wifly womentyng,
Ryvand hir haris, to the wallys can thring
All wod enragit, and with a spedy payss
Dyd occupy tharon the formaste place,
Takand nane hed, na ȝit na maner schame,
Swa amangis men to ryn, and rowp or raym;
Na maner feir of perrel seys sche,
Nor mynd of dartis cast that fast dyd fle.
And as that from the wall hyr sonnys hede
Behaldis sche, wofull, and will of rede,
With hir petuus rewthfull complantis sayr
The hevynnys all scho fillyt and the ayr.
“O my Ewryll,” lamentabilly scho cryis,
“Sall I the se demanyt on syk wyss?
O thou, the lattyr quyet of myne age,
Quhou mycht thou be sa cruell in thy rage
As me to leif alyve, thus myne allane?
O my maist tendir hart, quhar art thou gane?
Na licens grantit was, nor tyme, ne space,
To me thy wrachit moder, allace, allace,
Quhen thou thy self onto sik perrellis set,
That I with the mycht samekill laser get
Als forto tak my leif for evir and ay,
Thy last regrait and quethyng wordis to say.
Ichane, allace, intill ane oncouth land,
Nakyt and bair thy fair body on sand
To fowlys of reif and savage doggis wild
Sall ly as pray, myne awin deir only child!
Nor I, thy moder, layd not thy corps on beir,
Nor with my handis lowkyt thyne eyn so cleir,
Nor wysche thy wondis to reduce thy spreit,
Nor drest the in thy lattir clathis meyt,
The quhilkis I wrocht, God wayt, to mak the gay,
Full bissely spynnand baith nycht and day,

203

And with sic wobbis and wark, for the, my page,
I comfort me in myne onweldy age,
And irkyt not to laubour for thy sake.
Quhar sall I seik the now? allake, allake!
Or in quhat land lyis now, maglyt and schent,
Thy fair body, and membris tyrvit and rent?
O deir son myne, O tendir get,” quod sche,
“Is this the comfort at thou dois to me,
Quhilk hes the followyt baith our seys and landis?
O ȝe Rutilianys, steik me with ȝour brandis;
Gyf thar be rewth or piete in ȝour banys,
Do swak at me ȝour dartis all atanys;
With ȝour wapynnys first ȝe sal me sla.
O thou gret fader of goddis,” can scho say,
“Haue reuth apon me, wrach of wrachis all,
And on my catyve hed thou lat dovn fall
Thy thundris dynt of wildfyre fra the hevin,
Law vndre hell tharwith to smyte me evin,
Sen that this langsum cruel life I ne may
Consume nor endyng be nane other way.”
With this regrait the Troiane myndis all
War smyte with reuth; endlang the large wall
The duylfull murnyng went and womentyng;
Thar hie curage, to tel a wondyr thyng,
That oneffrayt was batale to sustene,
Wolx dolf and dull the petuus sycht to sene.
Bot as scho thus kyndillis sorow and wo,
Ane Ideus, and Actor, Troianys two,
At the command of Illyoneus past,
And ȝyng Ascanyus wepand wonder fast,
And hynt hyr vp betwix thar armys squar,
Syne hamewart to hir lugyng thai hyr bair.
Bot than the trumpettis weirly blastis abundis,
With terribill brag of brasyn bludy soundis;
The skry, the clamour, followys the ost within,
Quhill all the hevynnys bemyt of the dyn.
The Volscenaris assemblyt in a sop
To fyll the fowseis and the wallis to slop,

204

All sammyn hastand with a pavyss of tre
Hesyt togidder abuf thar hedys hie;
Sa sairly knyt that maner embuschment
Semyt tobe a closs volt quhar thai went.
Ane other sort pressyt to haue entre,
And clym the wallis with leddyrris large and hie,
Quhar as the army of the Troiane syde
Was thynnast scattyrrit on the wallis wyde,
And brycht arrayt cumpany of the men
War diuidit or sloppit, at thai mycht ken
The weirmen not sa thyk in syk a place.
Bot the Troianys, that oft in sik lyke cace
Be lang vsage of weir war lernyt and kend
Quhou thai thar town and wallys suld defend,
All kynd of wapynnys and dartis at thame slyngis,
And dang thame down with pikkis and poyntit styngis,
Down weltyng eik of huge weght gret stanys,
Be ony way gif tharby for the nanys
Thai mycht on forss dissevyr that punȝe
Quhilk thame assalȝeit thekit with pavyss he,
For weill thai knew thar fays al maner of teyn
Vndir that volt of targis myght systeyn,
Sa lang as thai sammyn onsyverit war.
Bot now thai mycht thar ordour hald na mar;
For the Troianys, or evyr thai wald cess,
Thar as the thikast rowt was and maist press,
Ane huge weght or hepe of mekill stanys
Ruschys and weltis down on thame atanys,
That diuerss of Rutilianys lay thar ondyr;
The laif skalyt on brede; brok was in sondir
The covertouris and ordinance of thar scheldis.
Fra thens, the hardy Rutilianys in the feildis
Pressyt na mar in hydlys forto fyght,
Bot thame enforcis now with all thar mycht,
With ganȝeis, arrowys, and with dartis slyng,
Thar famen from the wallys forto dyng.
And at ane other syde with felloun feir
Meȝentyus the grym, apon a speir,

205

Or heich styng or stour of the fyr tre,
The blak fyre bless of reik in swakkis he;
And Mesapus, the dantar of the horssys,
Neptunus son, with hys menȝe enforcis
Tyl vndermynd the dike and rent the paill—
Leddyris he axis the wallys to assaill.
Quhou Turnus set the ȝet towr into fyre,
And maid gret slauchter of Troianys in his ire.
Calliope, and O ȝe musys all,
Inspire me til endyte! On ȝou I call
To schaw quhat slauchter and occisioun,
Quhou feill corpsis thar war brytnyt doun
By Turnus wapynnys and hys dartis fell,
Quham euery man kyllit and send to hell:
Help and assist to revolue heir with me
The extreme dangeris of that gret melle.
Ȝhe blissyt wightis, forsuyth, ramembris weill
Sik thyngis, and quhar ȝou lyst may reveill.
Thar stude a towr of tre, huge of hycht,
With batellyng and kyrnellys all at ryght,
Set in ane neidfull place neir by the ȝet,
Quham to assailȝe, ourcum and down bet,
With hail pyssance all the Italianys
At vtir power ombeset atanys;
And by the contrar, on the tother syde
Alkynd defencis can Troianys provyde,
Threw stanys down, and sillys heir and thar,
At euery part or oppyn fenystar
The grundyn dartis leyt down fle thikfald.
Turnus the prynce, at was baith darf and bald,
Ane byrnand bleiss leyt at the fortress glyde,
And festynnyt the fyre hard to the towris syde,
Quhilk with the wyndis blast, thar as it stak,
Vpblesyt in the burdis and the thak,
And spreddis wide amangis the gestis gret;
The byrnand low consumyt all throu hete.

206

Within thai schuddrit for the fell effray,
Bot all for nocht to press to wyn away;
Na laser was the danger to eschape,
For as thai ran abak, and can thame schaip
Fortill withdraw towart the tother syde
Quhar as the fyre was not ȝit ourglyde,
And hurlyt all togydder in a hepe,
Tho with thar swechtis, as thai reill and leipe,
The byrnand towr down rollys with a rusche,
Quhill all the hevynnys dyndlyt of the dusch.
Down weltis the men half ded with brokyn banys,
The huge heip thame followit all atanys,
On thar awyn wapynnys stikkand he and he,
Sum stekit throu the cost with spilys of tre
Lay gaspand, of thame all that scarsly tway,
Ane Helenor and Lycus, gat away;
Of quhom the formest, this ilk Helenor,
Now in hys florist ȝouth, was get and bor
Betwix Meonyus kyng, in prevyte,
And Lycynya the boynd wench wondir sle,
Quhilk hym to Troy had send that hendyr ȝer,
Onkend, in armour forbodyn for wer;
Delyver he was with drawin swerd in hand
And quhite target, onsemly and evill farrand.
Thys Helenor, seand hym self in dowt
Amyd thousandis enarmyt of Latyn rowt,
Behaldand graithly apon athir hand
Arrayt ostis of Latyn pepill stand;
Lyke the wild ragyt best, quham huntaris stowt
Hess ombeset with thyk range all abowt,
Seand be na meyn that scho mycht evaid,
Apon the wapynnys rynnys with a braid,
Slyppis hir self, and with gret forss hir beris
Apon the pantis of the huntyng speris—
Nane othir wyss, this ilk ȝong Helenor,
Thus ombeset behynd and als befor,
Amyd hys fays ruschys reddy to de,
Quhar thikkast was the press thar etlys he,

207

Quhilkis, but abaid, alssone hess hym slane
As spark of gleid wald in the sey remane.
Bot Lycus, spedyar far on fut than he,
Throw owt the ostis and armyt men can fle,
And to the wallys wan, and vp on hyght
Enforcis hym to clym with all hys mycht
And forto grip sum of hys feris handis;
Quham Turnus, lanssand lychtly our the landis,
With speir in hand persewys forto spill,
And quhen he hess ourtane him at his will,
Thus dyd hym chyde: “O catyve wytless knaip,
Quhat, wenyt thou our handis to eschaip?”
And tharwith drew hym doun, quhar he dyd hyng,
And of the wal a gret part with hym bryng—
Lyke as the egill, Iovis squyer, straucht
Within hys bowand clukis had vp clawcht
A ȝong cygnet, or quhit swan, or a hair,
Tharwith resursyng heich vp in the ayr;
Or as a ravanus bludy wolf throu slycht
Hyntis in hys gowl, furth of the fald be nycht,
The litill tendyr kyd, or the ȝong lam,
With feill bletingis socht by the gait, hir dame.
Rutilianys for ioy than rasyt a schowt,
And fast invadys the cite all abowt;
With hepys of erd the fowsy do thai fyll;
Sum otheris presyt with schydis and mony a syl
The fyre blesys abowt the ruf to slyng.
Bot Ilioneus that tyme dyd doun dyng
With a gret quhyn, or roch of cragy stone,
Ane Lucetyus, and brak hys nek bone,
As that he dyd approche towartis the ȝet,
The hait flammys of fyre tharin to set.
Liger a Troiane from the wall also
Doun bet a Rutiliane hait Emathio.
A Phrigiane eik, Asylas, stern and stowt,
All tofruschit Choryneus withowt,
Quhilk was in dartis castyng wonder sle;
On far to schute scharp flanys and lat fle

208

Nane mar expert than this Emathio.
Ceneus ourquhelmyt Ortygius also;
And this Ceneus, quhilk than gat the mastry,
Belyve Turnus with a dart ded gart ly;
And down dyngis alsso this ilk Turnus
Ithis, Clonyus, and eik Dioxippus,
Promulus als, and bustuus Sagaras,
And syne the huge byg Troiane, hait Idas,
Standand forto defend the towris hie.
Capys, a Troiane, bet doun Pryverne,
Quham Themyllas with a scharp casting dart
Had newly hurt and wondyt in sum part;
And he hys hand plat to the wound in hy,
Hys scheild besyde hym swakkand fulychly,
So that the fedderit arrow furth dyd glyde,
And nalyt hys hand plat to the left syde;
The schaft and hed remanyt in hys cost,
Be dedly wound the lyfe thus hes he lost.
Arcens, Arcentis son, stude on the wall,
In brycht armour ful semly schynand all,
Hys mantill of the purpour Iberyne,
With nedill wark brusyt rych and fyne,
Of vissage was he plesand forto se;
Hys fader Arcens send him with Enee;
Fostyrrit he was and vpbrocht tendirly
Within hys moderis hallowyt schaw, fast by
The flude Symethus into Sycill land,
Quhar as the plentuus fat altar dyd stand
Of the placabill goddis, Palycy hecht.
Ane gret staf slung byrrand with felloun weght
Hynt Meȝentius, hys scheild syne by hym lays,
The stryngis thryss abowt hys hed assays,
And this ilk Arcens standyng hym forgane
Hes smertly with a ledyn pellok slane;
Hys harn pan and forhed al to claif,
Quhil at the led in sondir brak and raif,
That he ourtumlys speldit on the sand.
Thus gret slauchtir was maid fra hand to hand.

209

Heir ȝyng Ascanyus the strang Numanus slew,
Quhill wordis owtragyus to the Troianys schew.
Ascanyus this ilk tyme, as is said,
That wont was with his schot bot to invaid
The wild bestis, quhilkis cowth do not bot fle,
First heir in bargane leyt swyft arrowys fle,
And by hys handis slew strang Numanus,
That was to surname clepit Remulus,
Had laitly Turnus ȝyngast systir wed,
As for hys spowss, and brocht ontill hys bed.
This ilk Numanus Remulus in that sted
Befor the frontis of the batell ȝeyd,
Furth schawand mony diuerss sawys seir,
Baith ganand and onganand forto heir,
Rycht prowd and hely in his breist and hart
That newlyngis of the kynrik was a part
To him befall. His gret estait this wyss
Woustand he schew with clamour and lowd cryis:
“Aschame ȝe nocht, Phrigyanys that twyss taik is,
Tobe inclosyt amyd a fald of stakis,
And be assegit agane sa oft syss
With akyn spilis and dikis on sik wyss?
Schame ȝe not to prolong ȝour lyvis?” said he.
“Thir venquyst cowart wightis behald and se,
That dar our spousage into batale craif!
Quhat wild dotage so maid ȝour hedis raif?
Or quhat onthrifty god in sic foly
Hes ȝou bywavit heir till Italy?
Heir ar not the slaw weirmen Atrydes,
Nor the fenȝear of fair speche Vlixes.
Bot we, that bene a pepill derf and dour
Cumyn of kynd, as keyn men in a stour,
Our ȝoung childring, the first tyme born thai ar,
Onto the nixt rynnand flude we bair
To hardyn thar bodeis and to mak thame bald
With the chil frostis and the watyr cald.

210

Our childir ȝyng exercis bissely
Huntyng with hundis, hornys, schowt and cry,
Wild deir throw owt the woddis chaiss and mait.
To dant and reyn the horssis ayr and layt,
That is thar game and sport thai hant on raw,
Or with thar bowys schute, or dartis thraw.
Our ȝong spryngaldis may all laubouris endur,
Content of litill fuyde, I ȝou assur,
Of ȝouth thai be accustumat tobe skant,
The erd with plewch and harrowys forto dant,
Or than in batal bettis citeis down.
In euery age with irne graith ar we bown,
And passand by the plewys, for gad wandis,
Broddis the oxin with speris in our handis;
Nor ȝit the slaw nor febill onweldy age
May waik our spreit, nor mynyss our curage,
Nor of our strenth to altyr ocht or pair.
The steill helmys we thrist on hedis hair;
Best likis ws all tyme to rug and reif,
To dryve away the spreth, and thar on leif.
Ȝour pantit habittis dois of purpour schyne;
Ȝour hartis lykis best, so I dyvyne,
In idilness to rest abuf al thing,
To tak ȝour lust, and go in karellyng;
Ȝour cotys hess traland slevys our ȝour handis,
Ȝour foly hattis trappouris and brasyng bandis.
O verray Phrygiane wifis, dasyt wightis!
To call ȝou men of Troy that on rycht is;
Ȝe be onworthy to sa hie style to clame.
On Dyndyma top go, and walk at hame,
Quhar as the quhissill rendris soundis seir,
With tympanys, tawbronys, ȝe war wont to heir,
And boss schawmys of turnyt buschboun tre
That grew in Berecyntia montane hie,
Onto the moder of Ida dedicat,
Callys efter ȝou to danss, and nocht debait:
Ȝeld ȝou to men, and leif al ȝour armyng,
Rendir ȝour swerdis, and all wapynnys resyng.”

211

Ascanyus ȝyng, byrnand for proper teyn,
Sa gret owtrage of wordis mycht not sustene,
Herand sa hie avant of pompus pryde,
And sik dispyt blawyn owt apon hys syde.
Hys bow with horss sennonys bend hes he,
Tharin a takill set of sovir tre,
And tasand vp his armys far in twyn,
Thus onto Iove lawly dyd begyn
To mak hys first petitioun and prayer:
“Omnipotent hie Iupiter, me heir
Assist to this hardy commancement.
My self onto thy templis sal present
Solempnyt gyftis, maste gudly may be get,
And eik befor thyne altar sall I set
A ȝoung bullok of cullour quhite as snaw,
With goldin schakaris hys forhed arrait on raw;
The best salbe full tydy, tryg and wight,
With hed equale till hys moder on hycht,
Can all reddy with hornys fuyn and put,
And scrape or skattyr the soft sand with his fut.”
The fader of hevin exceppit hys prayer,
And, on that part quhar the lift was maist cler,
Towart the left hand maid a thundyrryng;
All sammyn soundyt the dedly bowys stryng.
Quhyrrand smertly furth flaw the takill tyte,
Quyte throw the hed the Remulus dyd smyte;
The grundyn steill outthrowch hys tympillys glaid.
“Hald on thy ways in haist,” Ascanyus said,
“Thy self to loif, knak now scornfully
With prowd wordis all at standis by.
Sik boydword heir the twyss takyn Troianys
Sendis for hansell to Rutylianys.”
Thus far spekis Ascanyus, and na mair.
Bot the Troianys rasyt a scry in the ayr
With rerd and clamour of blithnes, man and boy,
That to the starnys thar curage sprang for ioy,
Ascanyus extolland abuf the skyis.
And, as thai mak this ryot on sik wyss,

212

Down from the regioun of the hevin tho
The brycht curland haryt Appollo,
Apon a clowd sittand quhar he wald,
The ostis of Italianys can behald,
And eik new Troys cite, with cheir glaid
Till Iulus the victor thus he said:
“Eik and continew thy new vailȝeand dedis,
Thou ȝong child, for that is the way the ledis
Vp to the starnys and the hevynnys hie,
O thou verray goddis ofspring,” quod he,
“That sall engendir goddis of thy seyd.
In the, be verray resson and of neid,
All batalys, quhilkis by werd ar destinate
Agane Assaracus howss to move debait,
Salbe appasit, and to quyet brocht.
This litill town of Troy, that heir is wrocht,
May nocht withhald the in sik boundis lyte.”
And sayand thus, from the heich hevin als tyte
Discendis he, movand the hailsum ayr,
And to the child Ascanyus socht rycht thar;
Hys figur changit that tyme as he wald
In lykness of ane Butes, hayr and ald,
That pursevant tofor and squyer had be
To Troiane Anchyss, fader of Enee,
And trasty kepar of hys chalmyr dur;
Now had Ene committ to hym the cur
For tyll attend apon Ascanyus ȝyng.
Lyke to this ancyent Butes in al thyng
Furth steppys Phebus, baith in voce and hew,
With lokkis quhite and armour na thing new,
Rowsty, and with a felloun sound clattring,
And sic wordis spak to Iulus ȝyng,
That otherwyss is hayt Ascanyus,
With ardent mynd of bargane desyrus:
“Eneas verray douchty son and ayr,
It may suffice, the nedis do na mair,
Sen, thou onhurt, with thy schote in this sted
The strang Numanus thou hess dung to ded.

213

This first loving and eik hie renownee
The souerane Apollo grantys the,
Nor na disdene at the sal haue, suthly,
Tobe hys peregall intill archery.
Leif of, my child, and of sic batale cess;
Na mair at this tyme; draw the owt of press.”
On this wyss carpys the brycht Appollo,
And in the myddis of hys sermond tho
He vanyst far away, I wait neuer quhar,
Furth of this mortal sycht in the schire ayr.
The nobillys, and the Troiane capitanys trew,
Be thir takynnys the god Appollo knew,
And hard hys arrowys clatterand in hys cace.
Tharfor thai haue withdraw furth of that place
Ascanyus, at brycht Phebus mychty charge,
And wald no langar thoill hym go at large;
All thocht to feght he had desyre and ioy,
Hame to hys innys dyd thai hym convoy;
Syne to the bargane hess thame sped agane,
In oppyn perrellys, dangeris and all pane
Thar personys and thar lyvys for thar town
Offerand, and for defens maid thame bown.
Quhou Pandarus and Bitias, brethir twane,
Kest vp the ȝettis, and thar was Bytias slane.
Endlang the wallys kyrnellys euerystand,
The bruyt and clamour rayss fra hand to hand;
Thar bustuus bowys keynly do thai bend,
Scharp querrellis and castyng dartis furth send,
Quhilk thai with lyamys and thwangis lang owt threw;
Sa thik the ganȝeis and the flanys flew,
That of schaftis and takillys all the feildis
War strowit, and the large planys ourheldis.
In boss helmys and scheldis the weirly schote
Maid rap for rap, reboundand with ilk stot.

214

Scharp and awfull incressis the bargane,
Als violent as euer the ȝet doun rane
Furth of the west doith smyte apon the wald
In October, quhen the twa sternys cald,
That clepyt beyn the Kyddis, first vpspryngis;
And als thik as the hail schour hoppys and dyngis
In furdys schald, and brays heir and thar,
Quhen trublit beyn the hevynnys and the ayr
With stormy tempest and the northyn blastis,
Quhill clowdis clattris, and all the lyft ourcastis.
Pandarus and Bytias, twa brethir germane,
By Alcanor engendryt, that Troiane,
Quham Hybera, the wild foresteress knaw,
Bred and vpbrocht in Iovys haly schaw,
Sa byg ȝong men thai war, sa gret and wight,
That equale semyt thame tobe of hight
With fyr treis of thar landis or hillys;
And tharto eik sa egyr of thar willis
At thai the port, quhilk be Eneas charge
Was commandyt to kepe stekit, all at large
Has warpyt oppyn onbreid to the wall,
And baldly dyd thar fays clepe and call
To entyr, gyf thai durst, and thame assay,
Sa gret confidens in thar forss had thai.
And thai within stude by the ȝet, that tyde,
Quhilk oppin was on the rycht and left syde,
As thai had towris beyn baith gret and squar,
Enarmyt with thar wapynnys brycht and bar,
The hie tymbrettis of thar helmys schane—
Lyke tobehald as bustuus akis twane
Besyde the beyn ryver Athesys grow,
Or flowand fludis bankis of the Pow,
Vpstrekand thar byg croppys to the ayr,
And onsned branschis wavand heir and thar.
Alsswith as the Rutylianys dyd se
The ȝet oppyn, thai rusch to the entre,
Quercens formast, and Equycoly,
A lusty knycht in armys rycht semly,

215

Wight Tynarus, ferss myndyt to assaill,
And bald Hemon, with curage marcyall.
Bot thai with all thar complicis in fyght
War dung abak, and constrenyt tak flycht,
By Troiane rowtis, or than in that stryfe
Quha that abaid lost in the port thar lyfe.
The brymmar grew thar ferss mudis within,
So that the Troianys can flok and sammyn ryn
Towart that place, and maid felloun debait;
So bald thai wolx that in the plane gait,
Ischand without the portis on the land,
Thai durst recontyr thar fays hand for hand.
A messynger to Turnus come that tyde,
That wondir fersly at ane othir syde
The town assalȝeis; and thar he til hym schew
Quhat hait slauchter hys fays maid of new,
And sik a port had all wyde oppyn set.
Hys first purposs he left, and to that ȝet,
With felloun ire movit, furth sprent he tho,
Towart the Troianys and prowd brethir two;
And fyrst hes slane byg Antyphates,
That him on cace met formest in the press,
Son to the bustuus nobill Sarpedon,
In purchess get a Thebane wench apon.
Hym smate he down with the cast of a dart;
The fleand schaft Italian to his hart
Glydand, throw owt the schire ayr duschit sone,
The stomok persyt, and in the cost is done.
The how cavern of his wond a flude
Furth bruschit of the blaknyt dedly blude;
So deip the grundyn steill hed owt of sycht is,
Ful hait and warm it festnyt in his lychtis.
Syne Meropes and Erymanthus he
And Aphydnus slew with his hand al thre;
And efter that, with a stern mynd full teyn,
Slew Bytias, for al his glowrand eyn,
Bot that was nother with dart, swerd nor knyf
(For na sik wapyn mycht him haue reft the lyfe),

216

Bot with ane hydduus byssand fyry speir,
That clepit is “phalarica” in weir,
Quhilk with sa vehement fors this Turnus threw
That as the thundris dynt at him it flew,
Quham nowder scheld of twa bull hydis thik,
Nor ȝit the dowbill malyt traste hawbrik,
All gilt with gold, mycht it resist nor stynt.
The bustuus body down duschit of the dynt,
Quhil all the erd to granyt with a rattill;
The hydduus scheild abufe him maid a brattill—
Lyke as the hie pillar of marbill stone
Standand apon the cost Euboycon,
Vmquhile besyde Bais, the rych cite,
With grysly swecht down duschit in the see;
Quhilk was of ald of massy stanys a byng,
And by the fludis sik wyss doun was dyng,
Hys fall drew down the cite quhar it stude,
And ruschit in a fer way in the flude;
The seys mixt ourran, and all ourhed
Blak slyke and sand vp poplit in the sted;
Quhill of the feirfull sovnd the ilandis twa
Trymlyt, Inaryme and eik Prochita;
Quhil Inaryme, at Iupiteris command,
Full hard bed is to Typheus the gyand.
At this tyme Mars, the god armypotent,
Ekyt the Latynys fors and hardyment,
With felloun ire prikland so thar myndis
That as hym lyst he turnys so and wyndis;
And makis the Troianys tak the flycht gud speid,
On thame he kest sik feir and schamfull dreid.
The Latyn pepill flokkis on euery syde
Quhen thai beheld the port sa oppynnyt wyde,
Seand thai had a rowm to fecht at will;
The god of stryfe thar curage steris thartill.

217

Quhou Turnus the byg Pandarus smat doun,
Lyke a wod lyoun past within the town.
Pandarus, seand hys brotheris corps at erd,
And on quhat wyss thus fortune with thame ferd,
And quhou the chance of batale ȝeid al wrang,
Full forcyly with hys braid schuldris strang
He thristis to the levys of the ȝet,
And closyt queym the entre, and furth schet
Without the port a gret sort of hys feris,
In hard bargane amyd the mortal weris;
And of hys ennemyss sum inclosyt he,
Ressavand all at thrang to the entre.
A fuyll he was and wytles in a thyng,
Persauyt not Turnus, Rutilian kyng,
So violently thryng in at the ȝet;
Quham he onwar within the cite schet,
Lyke as ane rageand wild tygyr onstabill
Amang the febill bestis onfensabill.
Sone as Turnus hym hess inclusyt seyn,
A glowand new lyght brystis from hys eyn,
Hys armour ryngis or clattris horribilly;
Hys crystis trymlyt on hys hed in hy,
That in hys sanguane bludy scheild als straucht
Kest schynand fyry bemys lyke fyre flaucht.
All suddanly, affrayit Eneadanys
Hys face onfrendly persauit and byg banys.
The hydduus Pandarus than hym self furth schew,
That wonder fervent in hys furour grew;
Hys broderis slauchter to revenge in will,
Thus austernly he spekis Turnus ontill:
“Thys is not Queyn Amatais cheif cite,
Suld the begeif into dowry,” said he,
“Nor ȝit the myddis of Ardea cite bald,
Thi faderis burgh, Turnus, doith the withhald.
Thou seys thy fays strenth and wallys wyde;
Ȝeild the for thy, thou may eschape na syde.”

218

Turnus agane, with curage blyth and glaid,
Nocht abasyt, ful baldly to hym said:
“My frend, begyn, gif thou hess hardyment,
And mach with me allone apon this bent,
And hand for hand, gif at it be thy will,
Thou sal schaw Pryam heir thou hes fund Achill.”
The tother tho a huge speir of haill tre,
With bark and knottis altogidder, leyt fle
In al his forss, bot the dynt dyd no deir;
Nocht bot the ayr was wondyt with the speir,
For wikkyt Iuno, the ald Saturnus get,
Choppyt by the schaft, and fixt it in the ȝet.
“Ha!” quod Turnus, “sa sal thou not astart
Thys wapyn now in faith or we depart,
Nor on sik wyss eschape this bytand brand,
Quhilk my gret forss thus rollys in my hand;
For he that aw this swerd, and wond sal wyrk,
Is not sa faynt, ne sa sone sall nocht irk.”
And with that word, standand on hys typtays,
Hevyng hys swerd, heich hys hand dyd rayss;
Down with the dynt duschit the steil blaid keyn
Amyd hys forhed, hard betwix hys eyn,
Hys berdless chekis or hys chaftis rownd
In sondyr schorn hess with a grysly wound:
Sa felloun sownd or clap maid this gret clasche,
That of hys huge weght, fell with a rasche,
The erd dyndlyt, and all the cite schuke.
So large feild hys gowsty body tuke,
That fer onbreid ourspred was all the plane,
Hys armour sparkyt with hys blude and brane.
Baith to and fra, apon hys schuldris tway,
Hys hed clovyn in equale halfis lay.
Of dreidfull raddour trymlyng for affray,
The Troianys fled rycht fast and brak away,
And gif Turnus had than incontinent
Ramembryt hym, and kauch in mynd to rent
The lokkis vp, and oppyn the ȝettis wyde,
So that hys feris without the port that tyde

219

Mycht haue entryt, and cumyn in the cite,
The last day of the batale that had be,
And latter finale end to the remanys
Of Phrigiane folkis and pepil Troianys.
Bot sic ardent hie furour marcyall,
And of slauchter desire insaciall,
Draif hym to follow thame that hym gaynstandis;
And first he kyllit Phalarys with his handis,
And ane other, that Gyges hecht, alssua,
Of quham the howchys bath he smate in twa;
Syn speris rent and hynt vp all on raw
And at the flearis bakkis fast dyd thraw,
That wondir was to se hym quhar he went,
For Iuno ekyt hys strenth and hardyment.
Syne ane Hales onto the corpsis ded
In cumpany he ekyt in that sted;
And Phegeas doun brytnys in the feld,
Spetit throw owt the body and hys scheld;
Alchandrus syne, and the prowd Halyus,
Nemonas eik, and keyn Prytanyus,
Quhilkis mysknew Turnus was within the wall,
And to the bargan dyd that feris call,
Apon the grund onon al ded he layd,
In bargan full expert; syne dyd invaid
With schynand swerd, hard at the dykis syde,
Ane Lynceus, the quhilk the sammyn tyde
Resistys, as he myght, with fell afferis,
And efter help cryis apon hys feris;
Bot with a strake he smate hys nek in twa,
Baith helm and hed flaw far the body fra.
And, efter thir, ane Amycus he slew,
That bayn had beyn to wild bestis enew;
Was nane other mair happy nor expert
To graith and til invnct a castyng dart,
And with vennom to garnys the steil hedis.
By Turnus handis the ilk tyme done to ded is
Eolus son, hait Clytius, the heynd,
And Creteus also, was the Musys frend—

220

Creteus, poet to Musys famyliar,
That in hys mynd and breist all tymys bar
Sangis and gestis, musyk and harpyng;
Apon hys stryngis playd he mony a spryng,
Lays and rymys on the best awyss,
And euermar hys maner and his gyss
Was forto syng, blason and discryve,
Men and stedis, knychthed, wer and stryve.
The Troianys set on Turnus dyntis rude,
Quhill at he fled, and lap into the flude.
At last Mnestheus and strang Serestus,
The Troiane capitanys, herand quhow that thus
Thar pepill slane war doun, dyd convene;
Thar feris fleand pail and wan haue thai sene,
And thar cheif ennemy closyt in thar wallys.
Mnestheus on thame clepys thus and callys:
“Quhar ettill ȝhe to fra hyne? Quhidder wald ȝhe fle?
Quhar other wallys seik ȝhe, or cite?
Quhat haue ȝe other strenth or forteress?
O citesanys, behaldis heir express
Nane bot a man standand ȝou aganys,
Closyt within ȝour dykis and wallys of stanys,
Onrevengit, sa gret occisioun
And huge slauchter sal mak within ȝour tovn,
Or sa feill valȝeand ȝyng capitanys kend,
Onresistit, thus down to hell sall send!
O maste onworthy cowartis, ful of slewth,
Of ȝour onsilly cuntre haue ȝhe na rewth,
Nor piete of ȝour ancyent goddis kynd?
Think ȝhe na lak and schame into ȝour mynd,
To do sa gret owtrage to strang Enee,
In hys absens thus catyfly to fle?”
The Troianys by sik wordis as he said
In curage grew, and fermly all abaid,

221

Abowt thar fa man flokkand in a rowt.
Turnus a litil, thocht he was stern and stowt,
Begouth frawart the bargane to withdraw,
And sattil towartis the ryveris syde a law,
Ay peyss and peyss, to that part of the tovn,
Was closyt with the ryver, rynnand dovn.
Troianys, that seand, the mar apertly
Assalȝeit hym with mony schowt and cry,
And thikkyt fast abowt hym inveroin.
As quhen abowt the awfull wild lyoun,
With thar invasibill wapynnys scharp and squar,
Ane multitude of men bilappyt war,
And he full fers, with thrawin wlt, in the start,
Seand the scharp poyntis, recullys bakwart,
Bot forto gif the bak and fle away
Nowder hys greif nor curage suffir may;
And, thocht he wald, for all hys mekill mycht,
Agane samony men and wapynnys brycht
To press fordwart may he cum na speid.
Nane other wyss Turnus, at sik a neid,
Steppys abak with huly payss full still,
Hys mynd scaldand in greif and egir will;
And forthir eik amyd hys fays he
Twyss ruschit in, and schuddrit the melle;
And twyss also that onrebutit knycht
Endlang the wallys put thame to the flycht.
Bot al togidder, intyll ane convyne,
Apon hym haill the town assemlyt syne,
Nor Saturnus get, Iuno, in that fyght
Agane thame durst him minster strenth nor mycht;
For Iupiter had from the hevynnys fair
Send dovn Iris, quhilk duellis in the ayr,
Onto hys spouss and sister thar at hand
Ful scharp chargis bryngis and command,
Less than Turnus, quhou evir the chance befallis,
Withdrew hym fra the fatale Troiane wallys;
Quharthrow this valȝeand campioun ȝong and keyn
Nowder with his scheild sa mekil mycht sustene,

222

Nor sic defens mak with his hand, as ayr.
With dartis at him swakkit heir and thar
On sik wyss is he quhelmyt and confundyt,
That euer in ane hys boss helm rang and soundyt,
Clynkand abowt hys halfheddis with a dyn;
Hys sovir armour, strang and na thyng thyn,
Is brokkyn and byrsyt with feill stonys cast;
So thik war dyntis, and strakis smyt so fast,
That of his helm down bettyn war the crestis;
Sa sair the bosys of hys target prest is,
Hys scheild na langar mycht sik rowtis sustene;
The Troianys, with this Mnestheus, in thar teyn
Dowblys thar dyntis at hym with speris cast,
As it had bene the hydduus thundris blast.
Our all hys body furth ȝet the swait thik,
Lyke to the trynland blak stremys of pyk;
Ne gat he laser anys hys aynd to draw—
The febillit brath ful fast can beit and blaw
Amyd hys wery breist and lymmys lasch.
Than at the last, al suddanly, with a plasch,
Harnes and al togiddir, quhar he stude,
Him self he swakkis and lap into the flude.
With giltyn stremys hym keppyt the ryver,
And bar hym vp abuf hys wallis cleir,
Syne blithly careit to hys feris bedene;
All blude and slauchter away was weschyn clene. &c
Explicit liber nonus Sequitur prologus in decimum

223

Incipit prologus libri decimi

He plasmatour of thyngis vniuersall,
Thou renewar of kynd that creat all,
Incomprehensibill thy warkis ar to consave,
Quhilk grantyt hess to every wight to haue
Quhat thing mast ganys onto hys governall.
Quhou mervellus beyn diuisions of thy gracis,
Distribut so to ilk thing in all placis!
The son to schyne our all and schaw hys lyght,
The day to laubour, for rest thou ordanyt nycht,
For diuerss causys schupe seir sessonys and spacis,
Fresch veir to burgioun herbys and sweit flowris,
The hait symmyr to nuryss corn all howris
And breid all kynd of fowlys, fysch and beste,
Hervist to rendir hys frutis maste and leste,
Wyntir to snyb the erth with frosty schowris.
Not at thou nedyt ocht, all thyng thou wrocht,
Bot to that fyne thou maid al thing of nocht,
Of thy gudnes to be participant;
Thy Godhed na rychar, nor ȝit mar skant,
Nowthir now nor than, set thou ws wrocht and bocht.
Thy maist supreme indiuisibill substans,
In ane natur thre personys, but discrepans,
Regnand etern, ressauys nane accident;
For quhy? thou art rycht at this tyme present
It at thou was, and evir sal, but varians.

224

Set our natur God hass to hym vnyte,
Hys Godhed incommixt remanys perfyte,
The Son of God havand verray naturis twane
In a person, and thre personys all ane
In deite, natur, maieste and delyte.
The Son the self thing with the Fader is,
The self substans the Haly Gaist, I wyss,
Is with thame baith; thre distinct personage,
Ar, war and be sall, euer of ane age,
Omnipotent, a Lord, equale in blyss,
Quhilk souerane substans, in gre superlatyve,
Na cunnyng comprehend may nor discryve;
Nowther generis, generat is, nor doith proceid,
Allane begynnar of euery thing, but dreid,
And in the self remanys etern on lyve.
The Fader, of nane generat, creat ne boir,
Hys only Son engendris evirmor;
Not makis, creatis, bot engendris all way
Of hys substans; and all tyme of baith twa
Procedis the Haly Gaist, equal in glor.
Of baith, from ane begynnyng, procedis he;
So bene the warkis of the Trinite
Maist excellent, and wondirfull to consave—
Ȝit thame to traste the mair meryte we have,
That be na manys rayson prevyt may thai be.
The Fader knawys hym self, quhilk knawlege spredis
Be generatioun etern, that evir bredis
Hys Son, hys word and wysdom eternall:
Betwix thir twa is luf perpetuall,
Quhilk is the Haly Gaist, fra baith procedis.

225

Not at the Faderis natur mynyst is,
Of hys substans he generis his Son in blys;
Ne so the Son of hys kynd is ybor,
That he a part hess tharof, and na mor;
Bot all he gevys hys Son, and all is hys.
The ilk thing he hym gevis, that he remanys:
Thys syngill substans indifferently thus ganys
To thre in ane, and ilkane of tha thre
The sammyn thing is in a maieste,
Thocht thir personys be seuerall in thre granys:
Lyke as the sawle of man is ane, we wait,
Havand thre poweris distinct and separate,
Vndirstandyng, rayson and memor;
Intelligens consideris the thing befor,
Rayson discernys, memor kepys the consait.
As thai beyn in a substans knyt all thre,
Thre personys ryngnys in a Deite.
We may tak als ane other similytude,
Grosly the sammyn purposs to conclud;
Flambe, lyght and heit bene in a fyre we se.
Quhar euer the low is, lycht and heit bene thar,
And had the fyre bene byrnand euermar,
Evyr suld the flambe engendrit haue hys lyght,
And of the byrnand low the flambys brycht
Perpetualy suld heit haue sprung alquhar.
So generis the Fadir the Son with hym etern,
From baith procedis the Haly Gaist coetern.
Thus rude exemplys and figuris may we geif;
Thocht, God by hys awin creaturis to preif,
War mair onlikness than liknes to discern.

226

Frend, farly nocht, na causs is to complene
Albeit thy wyt gret God may nocht attene,
For mycht thou comprehend be thyne engyne
The maist excellent maieste dyvyne,
He mycht be reput a pretty God and meyn.
Considir thy raison is so febill and lyte,
And hys knawlage profund and infynyte,
Considir quhou he is onmensurabill:
Hym, as he is, to knaw thou art not habill;
It sufficis the beleif thy creid perfyte.
God is, I grant, in all thing nocht includyt;
Gevis all gudness and is of nocht denudyt;
Of hym hēss all thing part, and he nocht mynyst;
Hail he is alquhar, not diuidit ne fynyst;
Without all thing he is, and nocht excludit.
O Lord, the ways beyn investigabill!
Sweit Lord, thy self is sa inestimabill,
I can write nocht bot wondris of thy mycht,
That lawyt sa far thy maieste and hyght
Tobe born man intill ane oxis stabill.
Thow tuke mankynd of ane onwemmyt maid,
Inclosyt within a virginis bosum glaid,
Quham all the hevynnys mycht nevir comprehend;
Angellis, scheiphyrdis and kyngis thy Godheid kend,
Set thou in cryb betwix twa bestis was laid.
Quhat infynyte excellent hie bonte
Abufe thy warkis all, in wonderfull gre,
Lord, quhen thou man wrocht to thyne awyn ymage,
That tynt him self throu hys fulych dotage!
Thou man becam, and deit to mak hym fre.

227

Maid thou not man first president vnder the,
To dant the bestis, fowlys and fysch in see,
Subdewit to him the erth and all tharin,
Syne paradice grantit hym and all his kyn,
Gave him fre will, and power nevir to dee,
Enarmyt him with raison and prudence,
Only bad hym kepe thyne obediens,
And to hym suld all creatouris obey?
Bittir was that fruyt for his ofspryng, and fey,
Maid deth onknawin be fund, and lyfe go hens.
O thyne inestimabill luf and cheryte
Becam a thrall to mak ws bondis fre,
To quykkyn thy sclavys tholyt schamfull ded maste fell!
Blissyt be thou virginal frute, that hereit hell,
And pait the pryce of the forbodin tre!
Thocht thou large stremys sched apon the rude,
A drop had bene sufficient of thy blude
A thousand warldis to haue redemyt, I grant;
Bot thou the well of mercy wald nocht skant,
Ws to provoik to lufe the, and be gude.
Our all this syne, thyne infynyte Godhed,
Thy flesch and blude in form of wyne and bred,
Tobe our fuyd of grace, in plege of glor,
Thou hest ws geif, in perpetuall memor
Of thy passioun and dolorus paynfull ded.
Quhat thankis dew or ganȝeld, Lord benyng,
May I, maist wrachit synfull catyve indyng,
Rendir for this souerane peirles hie bonte?
Sen body, saule and all I haue of the,
Thou art my pryce, mak me thy praye condyng.

228

My makar, my redemar and support,
Fra quham all grace and gudnes cumis at schort,
Grant me that grace my mysdedis til amend,
Of this and all my warkis to mak gud end:
Thus I beseik the, Lord, thus I exort.
From the begynnyng and end be of my muse:
All other Iove and Phebus I refuss.
Lat Virgill hald hys mawmentis to him self;
I wirschip nowder ydoll, stok nor elf,
Thocht furth I write so as myne autour dois.
Is nane bot thou, the Fader of goddis and men,
Omnipotent eternal Iove I ken;
Only the, helply Fader, thar is nane other:
I compt not of thir paygane goddis a fudder,
Quhais power may nocht help a haltand hen.
The scripture clepys the God, of goddis Lord;
For quha thy mandat kepys in ane accord
Bene ane with the, not in substans, bot grace,
And we our Fader the clepys in euery place:
Mak ws thy sonnys in cherite, but discord.
Thow haldis court our cristall hevynnys cleir,
With angellis, sanctis and hevynly spretis seir,
That, but cessyng, thy glor and lovyng syngis:
Manifest to the, and patent, bene all thyngis,
Thy spowss, and queyn maid, and thy moder deir.
Concord for ever, myrth, rest and endles blyss,
Na feir of hell, nor dreid of ded, thar is
In thy sweit realm, nor na kynd of ennoy,
Bot all wilfair, eyss and euerlestand ioy;
Quhais hie plesance, Lord, lat ws neuer myss! Amen
Explicit prologus Incipit liber decimus &c.

229

Quhou Iupiter the court of goddis dyd call,
And Venus makis complaynt amangis thame all.
On breid or this was warp and maid patent
The hevynly hald of God omnipotent.
The kyng of men and fader of goddis all
Ane consale or a sessioun maid do call,
Amang the spretis abufe and goddis gret,
Within hys sterrit hevyn and mylky set:
Quharfra, amyd hys trone sittand full hie,
Our all the erd he mycht behald and se
The Troianys castellys and the pepill Latyne.
Down sat the goddis in thar segis dyvyne,
The faldyn ȝettis baith vp warpyt braid.
First Iove hym self begouth, and thus he said:
“O hevynly wightis, of gret power and mycht,
Quhou is betyd ȝour myndis bene sa lycht,
That ȝour decreit fatale and sentens hie
Retretit thus and turnyt bakwartis suldbe?
Or quhy with frawart myndis now of layt
Aganys ȝour ressonabill oraclys ȝe debait?
My will was not at the Italianys
In batale suld concur contrar Troianys.
Quhat maner discord be this at we se,
Express agane our inhibitioun?” said he,
“Quhat dreid or reuerens thame, or thame, hess movyt
To ryn till armys, and rasys weir controvit?
Or hes sic wyss persuadyt to bargane,
With bludy wapynnys rent, and mony slane?
Haist not the sesson to provoke nor prevene;
Of batale cum sal detfull tyme bedene,
Heirefter, quhen the ferss burgh of Cartage
To Romys boundis, in thar feirfull rage,
Ane huge myscheif and gret qualm send sall,
And thyrll the hie montanys lyke a wall:
Than war iust tyme in wreth to mak debait,
Than war the tyme to rug and reif thus gait.

230

Now of sic thingis leif and desist; with me
Glaidly do makis frendly amyte.”
A few wordis on this wyss Iupiter said,
Bot not in quhoyn wordis him answer maid
The fresch goldyn Venus: “O thou,” quod sche,
“Fader of all, O eternal powste,
Regnand abufe all men, and goddis eik,
To the I cum, the rewthfully beseik,
Sen thar nane other maieste bene ne glor
That in sik neid may help ws to implor.
Thow seys quhou, with bost and felloun feir,
The Rutilianys makis gret derray and steir,
And quhou Turnus, pransand on semly stedis,
Throw owt the ostis rydis in steill wedis,
And quhou orpyt and prowdly ruschis he
Amyd Troianys, be fawour of Mars,” quod sche,
“The strenth of wallys, nor the portis schet,
May nocht salf Troianys; lo, within the ȝet,
Amyd the closs muralȝeis and paill
And dowbill dikis, quhou thai thame assaill,
Quhill the fowceis of blude rynnys on spait;
Eneas absent of this na thing wait.
Quhidder gif that thou list suffir neuermar
Thar sege scalit, nor thame fre of dangar?
Behald agane abowt New Troys wall,
Ȝit bot begyn to byg, and not closs all,
Quhou inverioin musteris thar ennemyiss;
Ane other ost and sege abowt thame lyis,
And newly, lo, Tedeus son, not far
From Arpos cite into Calabar,
To wery Troianys movis, Diomed.
I feill agane my wondis newly bleid,
And I, thy blude, thi get and douchter schene,
Ȝit mortale wapynnys mon thoil eik and sustene!
Gyf the Troianys, but thy benevolens,
Or repungnant to thy magnificens,
Hess socht onto the cost of Italy,
Lat thame be punyst and thar cryme aby,

231

And I sall suythly stand content for me,
Thou mak thame na kynd help nor ȝit supple.
Bot gif thai followit haue for thar behufe
Sa feill responsis of the goddis abufe,
With syndry admonitions, charge and redis
Of the infernal wightis and spretis that ded is,
Than wald I knaw the causs or resson quhy
That ony mycht pervert or ȝit bewry
Thy commandmentis? How, or quharfor, may thai
New fatys mak and the ald do away?
Quhat nedis to reherss, quhou on the cost
Of Scycilly thar schippis brynt war lost?
Or quharto suld I dwel, to schaw ȝou thus,
Quhou be the god of tempest, Eolus,
The rageand wyndis send war our alquhar,
Or Iris catchit throw clowdis of the ayr?
Now movyt eyk bene fendlych wightis affrayt:
Befor, only that chance was onassayt,
Bot now Alecto newly is furth sent
Into the ovir warld, that fell torment,
With Bacchus fury enragit by and by,
Walkand throu all citeis of Italy.
Na thyng I pauss on the empyre,” quod sche,
“All thocht we hoip had at sic thing suld be,
Quhen fortoun schew tharof sum apperans:
Lat thame be victour quham thou lyst avans.
And gif na realm in this warld remanys,
Quhom thy stern spouss list geif to the Troianys,
I the beseik of Troy by the rewyne,
By that subuersioun rekand, and huge pyne,
Suffyr that ȝyng Ascanyus mot be
Salf fra all wapynnys, and of perrell fre;
And, at the lest, in this ilk mortall stryve
Suffir thy nevo to remane alyve.
As for Ene, forsuyth, I mak na cair:
Thoill hym in onkowth stremys, as he was ayr,
Be dryve and warpyt euery sey abowt,
To follow furth in danger and in dowt

232

Quhat curss and went at fortoun lyst hym sent;
Most it pless the fader omnipotent
That I may bot defend ȝon litill page,
And hym withdraw from this ferss weris rage.
I haue in Cipyr the cite Amathus,
And the hie standand burgh that hayt Paphus,
And eik the ille yclepyt Cythera,
The hallowyt hald als of Idalya,
Quhar, rendryt vp all armys in that stede,
Duryng hys age he sobir lyfe may led.
And command eik with gret forss and mastry
The burgh of Cartage down thryng Italy;
Fra thyne sall na thyng resist nor gaynstand
Contrar citeis of Tyre or Affrik land.
Quhat proffit hass it done, or avantage,
Of Troys batale to haue eschape the rage,
And throw amyd the Grekis fyrys eik
Haue fled away, and throw the sey haue seik,
Sa feill dangeris bywent and ourdryve
Our streym and landis; gyf that thus belyve
Troianys hes socht till Itaill, to vpset
New Troys wallys, tobe agane doun bet?
Had not bene bettir thame in thar natyve hauld
Have syttyn still amang the assys cauld,
And lattyr isillys of thar kynd cuntre,
Or barrand soyll quhar Troy was wont tobe,
Than thus, fra ded to ded, from payn to payn,
Be catchit on, and euery day be slane?
Restor, I pray the, to thai wrachit wightis
Xanthus and Symoes, fludis quhilk of rychtis
Was wont tobe thar propyr herytage.
O fader, suffir the fey Troiane barnage
To seik agane quhat hard myschance befallys
To Troy or Ilyon with thar brokyn wallys.”

233

To Venus complaynt Iuno fra end till end
Maid hasty ansuer, hir actioun to defend.
The queyn Iuno than, but mair abayd,
Prykkyt with felloun fury thus furthbrayd:
“Quhy doys thou,” said sche, “to me sik offens,
Constrenyng me brek closs profund sylens,
And with thy wordis, quhar ayr I was koy,
Prouokis to publyss and schaw myne hyd ennoy?
Quhat maner man, or quhilk of goddis, lat se,
To move batale constrenyt hess Ene,
Or to engyre hym self to Latyn kyng
As mortal fa, within hys proper ryng?
I geif the cace, to Italy socht he
Of the fatys by the autoryte,
Provokyt tharto be the wyld dotage
Of wod Cassandra in hir fury rage.
Lat se, for all this, gyf that anys in sport
To leif hys strenthis we dyd hym exhort,
Or forto put hys lyfe in ony danger,
To sayll, or submyt hym to wyndis seir?
Lat se, gyf we hym causyt to walk at large,
And till ane bab commyt the batellys charge,
And governance haill of hys cite wallys?
Lat se gyf we, how evir the chance befallys,
Persuadyt hym forto commove and steir
Other quyet pepill with hym to rayss the weir,
Or till adione vp frendschip and ally
With Tyrrhene pepill and folk of Tuscany?
Quhat god amovit hym with sic a gawd
In hys dedis to oyss sik slyght and frawd,
Or quhilk of our hard poweris wrocht sic thyng?
Quhar was Iuno with all, this lady ȝyng?
Or quhar was sche also quhen, ȝistir nycht,
Irys was send down throu the clowdis brycht?
Is this a thing ful onlesum, but let,
Thocht Italianys with flambys ombeset

234

The new cite of Troy vprysand, lo?
And is it not full gret dispyt also
That, in hys natyve land and faderis ryng,
Turnus remane, or pretend tobe kyng,
Quhamto the god Pylumnus grandschir is,
And haly nymphe Venylia moder, I wyss?
Quhat, thinkis thou lesum is at Troianys infeir
Violens to mak with brandis of mortall weir
Agane Latynys, syk onkouth heritage
Tyll occupy and subdew in bondage,
And thar catale in spreth to dryve away?
Quhat, haldis thou lesum als, I pray the say,
From otheris to withdraw sa thyftuusly
Thar eldfaderis and maist tendyr ally,
Or, from betwix thar breist and armys tway,
Thar treutht plyght spowsys forto reif away?
Tocum and beseik trewys in strange landis,
With syng or takyn of paix born in thar handis;
And netheless, to mak reddy for weir,
Purvay thar schippis, provide armour and geir?
To salf Ene, hess thou not power and mycht
From Grekis handis hym to withdraw be slycht,
And set in sted of that man, light as lynd,
Owder a clowd or a waist puft of wynd?
And eik thou may transform the schippis,” quod sche,
“Intil alsmony goddessis of the see.
Bot, be the contrary, Rutilyanys ofspryng
We suld support, that is forbodyn thyng!
Thy son Ene, mysknawyng this deray,
As thou allegis, is absent now away:
And quhat iniurys, absent mot he remane,
And ignorant for ay of this bargane?
Thow hass Paphos, thyne is Idalia,
And thyne mot be the ile of Cithera.
Sen thou hess all thir at command and will,
Lat other folkis in paix and rest dwell styll.
Quharto assalȝeis thou a strang cite,
That hess bene oft exercyt in melle,

235

And lyst invaid pepill with hartis kene?
I can not fynd quhat occasioun ȝe meyn.
Haue we etlyt the Phrigyane febill geir
Down from the grund to welt our into weir?
Quhidder was it we, or than Parys, that faltyt,
That wrachit Troianys by Grekis war assaltit?
Quhat was the causs that Europ and Asya
To rayss the weir in armys war sa thra
Aganyst otheris, and thar auld allyans
With thiftuus reif to brek on sic myschans?
Was I not governour and cheif ledar thar,
The tyme quhen that the Troiane adulterar
Ombesegyt the cite of Spartha,
And the queyn Heleyn reft and brocht awa?
Or quhidder gif I evir into that weir
Mynysterit dartis, wapynnys or sic geir?
Or ȝit that bargane stuffyt or bet, lat se,
With Cupydis blynd lust and subtilite?
Than had bene honest tyme, and ganand baith,
Till haue previdit for thy frendis skaith.
Now, al to layt, with thyne iniust complantis
Aganyst ws thou rysis, and attantis
Forto warp owt thy vane wordis chydyng,
Quhilk certis may avale the in na thing.”
With siclyke wordis Iuno fra end to end
Gan hir querrell sustene and als defend,
And all the hevynly wightis dyd quhyspir and rown,
In opynyonys full diuerss, vp and down—
Lyke as first, or wyndis blast be persave,
The swouch is hard within the woddis waif,
With frasyng soundis quhisland, ȝit onknaw
Quharof cumis this bruyt owt throw the schaw,
All thocht it be to maryneris a syng,
Of wyndis blast to follow sur taknyng.
The fader than omnipotent maist hie
That our all thingis hess souerane maieste,
Begouth to say, and quhen he spak, all cessyt,
The hevynly heich howss of goddis was pecyt,

236

The erthis grund schuke trymlyng for feir,
And still but movyng stud the hevynnys cleir,
The wyndis eik thar blastis lownyt sone,
The sey calmyt hys fludis playn abone.
“Ressaue,” quod he, “my sawis, and tak tent,
And thir my wordis within ȝour myndis enprent.
Sen that algatis ȝit may not sufferit be
Latynys confidir with Troianys and Ene,
Nor ȝe can nocht mak end of ȝour debait,
I sal me hald indifferent, the meyn gait,
And as for that, put na diuersyte
Quhiddir so Italianys or Troianys thai be;
Quhow evir this day the fortoun with thame standis,
Bruke weill thar chance and werd on athir handis,
Lat ich of thame hys hoip and forton sew:
Quhidder so the fatys hess determyt of new
Troianys to be assegit with Italianys
To thar myscheif, or wraik of the Troianys,
Quhilkis with frawart admonytions sa lang
Peraventour hess errit and gane wrang—
Nowder Troianys nor Rutilianys freith will I.
Lat athir of thame thar awin fortoun stand by,
And bruke thar wark thai haue begun; but faill,
Kyng Iupiter salbe to all equale.
The fatis sal provyd a way mair habill.”
And with that word, fortill hald ferm and stabill
Hys godly aith and promys, sworn hess he
Be Stix the flude, Pluto hys broderis see,
Be that ilk pykky layk with brays blak,
And laithly golf, to kepe all that he spak,
And, til afferm hys aith, at hys lykyng
The hevynnys all maid trymbill, for a syng.
Thus endit was the consale, and al doyn,
And Iupiter rayss fra hys goldyn troyn,
Quham hevynly wightis amyddis thame with ioy
Ontill hys chymmys ryall dyd convoy.

237

Quhou the Troianys defendis thar cyte,
Eneas absent sekand mair supple.
Duryng this quhile, all the Rutilianys stowt
The cite portis lappit rownd abowt,
Forto down bet the Troianys, euery syre,
Inveroin all the wallys with hait fyre.
Eneas barnage, at myschefis huge
Thus ombeset, and segyt but refuge,
Inclusyt war but hop to wyn away,
And sobyrly at defens, as thai may,
On the hie towris hedis stud on raw.
Ful thyn the cirkyllys of the wallys law
Thai mannyt abowt, for in the first front stude
Iasyus, Imbrasus son, and eik the gude
Tymetes, son of strang Icetoan,
And by thame alsso the Assaracus twane,
The eldar Thybrys with Castor full wroth,
Brethir germane to Kyng Sarpedon boith,
Quham Clarus had and Hemon, ferys twa,
Followyt from the hie realm of Lycya.
Ane Agmon of Lyrnesya fast thar by
Presys with all the forss in hys body
A felloun stone to welt the wallys tyll,
Quhilk semyt be a gret part of a hyll;
Na less of statur than hys fader Clytyus
Was he, nor ellys hys brother Mnestheus.
With dartis thai assaill the cite fast,
And thai defend with slungis and stane cast;
Sum presys thik the wyld fyre into slyng,
The arrowys flaw spangand fra euery stryng.
The Dardane child, the ȝyng Ascanyus,
Principall thocht and cuyr of Dame Venus,
Amyd the rowtis, in covert quhar he ȝeid,
Thar mycht be seyn in hys fresch lustyhed,
Lyke as ane gem, with hys brycht hew schynyng,
Departis the gold set amydwart the ryng,

238

Or in the crownell pyght, or rych hynger,
Quhilk doys the nek array or the hed ger;
And mair semly than evor bane to se,
Craftely closyt within the box of tre,
Or than amyd the blak terbynthyn
Growys by Orycia; and, as the geit dois schyne,
Hys curland lokkis hyngis down weill dek
About hys schuldris our hys mylk quhyte nek,
Ane circulet of plyabill gold so bryght
Abuf hys haris apon hys hed weil pyght.
Thow Ismarus, of magnanymyte
Fulfyllit, eik thar myght men the se,
Invnctand venemus schaftis the ilk tyde,
Address dartis, and wyrk wondis full wyde;
Cummyn of the gentill blude of Meony,
In Lyde cuntre born thou was, fast by
The plentuus sulȝe quhar the goldyn ryver
Pactolus warpys on grund the gold vre cleir.
Reddy at hand was Mnestheus wight,
Quham the renowne of this ȝistir nycht,
For that he Turnus our the dychys drave,
Full prowd maid in hys curage our the laif.
With hym was Capys thar alsso, quham by
The town Capua is namyt in Champany.
Thus athir party into hard barganyng
Stude at debait, quhill Eneas the kyng,
With all hys ferys, baith day and mydnycht
Slydis throw owt the salt famys lyght.
For efter that fra Kyng Evander he
Departit was, as heir abufe said we,
And entrit in amyd the Tuscane tentis,
The kyng he socht, and tald hym hys ententis,
Hys name to hym rehersyng and hys blude,
And hys desyre, fully to conclude,
Hess schawyn planely, twychand quhat he socht,
And quhat supple alsso with hym he brocht,
And tald quhat army prowd Meȝentyus
Had convenyt, and how the bald Turnus

239

So violent and ferss was in hys will,
Exhortyng hym to tak gude heyd heirtill,
And how instabill was all warldis chance,
All manis surte hyngand in ballance;
And onto this hys request and prayer
Adionyt hess on ful gudly maner.
Thar was na mair delay, bot Tarchon kyng
All reddy was to fulfyll hys lykyng,
With moblys and all ryches at command,
And vp gan knyt thar fordward and cunnand
Of amyte and perpetuall ally.
Than of the fatys fre, in thar navy,
At command of the goddis, pepill Tuscane
Ar entrit in thar schyppys euerilkane,
Submytting thame ontill a strange duke.
Eneas barge than furth the vayage tuke
Befor the laif, as almeral of the flote,
And in hir stevyn kervyn full weil, God wot,
The lyonys that the Phrygyane armys bene,
Abufe the quhilkis porturat fair and greyn
Was Ida forest, to fugytyve Troianys
Thar best belovyt forest and natyve wanys.
In hyr was set the gret prynce Eneas,
That with hym self can mony thing cumpas
Twychyng the chancis of batal in that tyde.
Pallas adionyt sat by hys left syde,
And he at hym dyd wysly ask and speir
The curss and namys of the starnys cleir,
Quhilk in the styl hevyn schynys on the nycht;
Now speris he, franand with all hys myght,
To knaw Eneas wandryng be the see,
And quhou huge payn he had on landis dre.

240

Heir comptis Virgill the pepil of Tuscane,
Quhilkis with Eneas com to the bargane.
Ȝhe Musys now, sweit goddessis ychone,
Oppyn and oncloss ȝour mont of Helycon,
Reveil the secretis lyand in ȝour mycht,
Entone my sang, address my style at rycht,
To schaw quhat pyssance, ostis and army
At this tyme from the boundis of Tuscany
In falloschyp com with the prynce Ene,
And stuffyt schippys of weir set to the see.
Fyrst, Prynce Massycus cummys with hys rowt,
Into hys barge Tygrys, with stelyt snowt,
Sowchand throw owt the fludis quhar scho went,
A thowsand stowt ȝong men of hys talent
Vndir hym ledyng, for the batale bown,
From Clusyum com vmquhile, that nobill town,
And fra the Tuscane cite of Cosa;
Baith castyng dartis and flanys vsyt tha,
With arrow casys and other quavyrris lycht,
And mortal bowys buklyt for the fyght.
Sammyn furth salys Abas, and hym by
Hys barnage stud enarmyt rychly;
Hys weirlyke schip our the fludis ilkane
Of god Appolloys goldyn statw schane.
The rych cyte of Populonyas,
Hys natyve cuntre, quharof born he was,
Sax hundreth men of armys in wer expert
With hym hess send, and the ile in that part
Illua callyt, within the Tuscane see,
Sa rych of steill it may nocht wastyt be,
Thre hundreth eik hess send with hym to pass.
The thryd capitane, worthy Asylas,
Of goddis eik and men interpretur,
Of euery spayng craft that knew the cuyr,
Quhat the hart pypis and bestis entralys ment,
Quhat signyfeit the starnys, quhar thai went

241

Thar rycht cursis abufe the hevynnys hie,
And euery byrdis vocis weil knew he,
And quhat betaknyt, schynyng from the hevyn,
Thyr fyry blastis or this thundris levyn;
A thousand men assemlyt with hym ledis,
With awful speris and scharp grundyn hedis;
Quham the Hetruscane cite, Pysa gud,
Inhabyt first from Alpheus that flude,
Send tyll obey hym as thar capitane.
Syne followys Astur, the semlyast of ane,
Astur, maist sovyr horsman forto seik,
Of variant cullour was hys armour eik;
Thre hundreth walyt men with hym he led.
All of a will, furth to the batal sped
The folkis alhail dwelt in the cite sweit
Of Agelyn, otherwyss callyt Cerete,
And thai that dwellys in tha feldis, I wyss,
Endlang the bankis of flud Mynyonys,
Or intill ancyent Pyrgus town alssua,
Or inhabytis the cyte Grauyssa,
Ful contagius of tempest and grewss ayr.
Suld I the pretermyt, sen thou was thar,
I meyn the, Cygnus, of Lygurianys
The cheif ledar, amang other capitanys
Ane the maist forcy into batal sted?
Ne wil I not forȝet, suld I be ded,
The, strang Cupauus, with thy few menȝe,
Fra quhais tymbret rysys apon hie
The lusty swannys fedrame, brycht and scheyn
(The cryme and cawss of all ȝour woful teyn
Was luf and amouris), or pompus array
Schrowd in ȝour faderis connysans al to gay.
For, as thai tell, quhil dolorusly Cygnus
Maid hys complant amang the scroggy buss
Of poppill tre branschis lang and squar,
Quharin the twa systeris transformyt war,
And gan bewail Phaeton, hys best belovyt;
Quhil that he sang and playt, as hym behwyt,

242

The dolly tonys and lays lamentabill,
With sic regrate to comfort and astabill
Hys hevy amorus thochtis ennoyus,
In quhite canoss soft plumys ioyus
Became ourheld, in lyknes of a swan,
And led hys age na mar furth lyke a man,
Bot tuke hys flycht vp from the erd in hy
And with a swouchand voce socht in the sky.
Hys son, this tyde, havand hys falloschippys
Distribut equaly into syndry schippys,
Amang the navy and the flote at large,
With ayris rollys furth hys bustuus barge,
Clepyt Centaurus, and ithandly syne he
Dryvys throu fludis of the stormy see.
Byg of statur stude he lyke to feght,
Bostand the streme with ballast of huge weght,
And with hys lang and lusty ballyngar
Ourslydis the deip fludis in thar fair.
The nobill Ocnus from hys natyve land
A fair army assemlyt brocht at hand,
Son of god Tibris, the Tuscane ryver,
Beget apon Manthus the lady cleir,
That was baith nymphe and famus prophetes.
Thys Ocnus was the ilk man quhilk express
Of Mantua the cite dyd he wall,
And eftir hys said moderis name can call
Mantua, myghty of ald ancystry
And forfaderis. Bot hys geneology
Was not of ane kynrent cummyn all,
For that town had thre clannys principall,
And, vnder euery clan or trybe of tha,
War other sobyr famyllis twyss twa;
Mantua eik was cheif and principall hed
Till all thir pepill wonnyng in that sted,
Takand thar forss and hardyment ilkane
From the lynage and nobill blude Tuscane.
Meȝentius, throu hys auld tyrranny,
Furth of this cite aganyst hym in hy

243

Fyve hundreth men till armys maid do steir;
Quham Myncyus, the fresch rynnand ryver,
That from the lowch of Bennacus ischis down,
And is ourheldyt all with redis brovn,
Hess careit to the braid seys large
Within thar weirly schip and awfull barge.
Furth held the stowt and degest Aulestes,
Quhilk with gret strenth of rowaris in that press,
Rasyng thame on thar thoftis for the nanys,
The fludis smate with hundreth arys at anys,
Quhill that the fomy stowr of stremys le
Vpweltis from the braid palmys of tre.
The mekill howke hym bair was Tryton callyt,
For in hir forstam was the monstre stallyt,
With watry trumpe fleyand the fludis gray;
Quhar as scho salyt, men mycht se hym ay
With byrsy body porturyt, and vissage
All rowgh of harys, semyng of cullage
In mannys form fra hys cost to hys crown,
Bot from hys belly, and thens fordwart dovn,
The remanent straucht lyke a fyschis tayll,
In symylitud of huddon or a quhaill;
Vndre the breist of this ilk bysnyng thyng
The sey wallys bulrand makis murnyng.
Sa mony walyt capitanys, nobill men,
In help of New Troy, with schippys thryss ten,
Slydis throw the salt stremys of the see
With stelyt stevynnys and bowand bylge of tre.
Eneas schippis, translait in nymphis of see,
Tald hym quhou Turnus assegit cyte.
Be this declynyt was the days lyght;
The moyn intill hyr waverand cart of nycht
Held rollyng throw the hewynnys myddil ward,
As Eneas, the Troiane prynce and lard,

244

For thochtis mycht na wyss hys membris rest,
Samony curys in hys mynd he kest,
Bot sat in proper person, and nane other,
To steir hys carvell and to rewle the ruther,
And forto gyde the salys takand tent.
Onone, amyd hys curss, thar as he went,
Recontyris hym hys falloschip in hy
Of nymphis, quham of schippys and his navy
The haly moder, clepyt Cybele,
Maid to becum goddessys in the see.
All sammyn swam thai, hand in hand yfeir,
And throw the wallys fast dyd sewch and scheir,
Als feill in numbyr nymphys throu the flude,
Als laitly with thar stelyt stevynnys stude
Of Troiane schippys by the costis syde.
A weil far way, as our the streme thai glyde,
Thar kyng thai knaw, and all in carralyng
About hys schyp went circulyt in a ryng,
Amangis quham, in speche the maist expert,
Cymodocea to the wail astart,
And with hir rycht hand can the eft casteill
Do gryp onon, that all hir bak ilk deill
Abuf the sey watir dyd appeir;
Beneth the calmyt stremys fair and cleir
With hir left hand craftely swymmys sche;
Syne on this wyss spekis till Enee,
That of this wonderus mervell knew na thing:
“Walkis thou or not, thou verray goddis ofspryng,
Our prynce and master Eneas? Now awaik,
Takill thy schippys, and thy schetis sclaik.
We beyn thy navy and thy flote,” quod sche,
“Bowyt sum tyme of fyr and bych tre,
Grew in the haly top of mont Ida,
And now, as present thou behald ws may,
Nymphes we beyn, and salbe euermor.
For, as ȝon faithles Turnus by the schor
Invadyt ws with glavys and with fyre,
On forss constrenyt for the flambys schire,

245

Thy cabillys we in sundyr brak in haist,
To seik the throw the sey, as we war chaist;
And than the moder of goddis, Cybele,
Havand of ws compassioun and piete,
In this figour hass ws all translait,
For euermar tobe deificat,
As goddessys, quhar so ws lykis best,
Amangis the fludis forto leif and lest.
Bot thy deir child, ȝyng Ascanyus stowt,
Besegyt is, and closyt rownd abowt
With wallys, fowcy and trynschis, ather syde,
Amyd dartis or quarrellys fast doys glyde,
And dreidfull hostis of stern pepill Latyne,
By weir enforsyng to distroy all thyne.
Evandrus horsmen, clepyt Arcadanys,
Mydlyt sammyn with Hetrurianys,
Quham in thy help thou sendis by the land,
Thai placis now, quhar as thou gaue command,
Can occupy, abydand thy cummyng:
Bot Turnus hess determyt, as certane thing,
Gret garnysonys to send betwix thame sone,
That ȝour hostis sall not togidder ioyn.
Get vp, haue done, and sone in the mornyng,
Alsswyth as the brycht day begynnys to spryng,
Thy ferys haill thou fyrst to harnes call,
And with thy scheild invynsibill tharwithall
Thy selvyn schrowd, quham mychty god of fyre
To the, as ane maist souerane lord and syre,
Hass wrocht and gevyn, and with gold sa brycht
The bordouris hass ourgylt and forgit at rycht.
Gyf thou belevys not my sawys invayn,
The lyght of day to morn, I schaw the playn,
Huge hepys sal behald in feld dung down
Of Rutilianys by fell occisioun.”
Thus said sche, and, departand with a skyp,
By hir rycht hand schowys furth the schyp
As scho that was in that craft rycht expert,
And throw the wallys on the tother part

246

Glydys away vndir the fomy seys,
Als swyft as ganȝe or feddyrrit arrow fleys,
That stryvys forto pyngill with the wynd:
The remanent hir followys fast behynd.
Anchises son, the gret Troiane Ene,
Awondris, onwyttyng quhat this mycht be,
And, netheless, hys curage dyd avance
With this ilk fatale augury or chance;
Syne schortly, lukand to the hevyn abone,
On this maner can pray and maid hys boyn:
“O blyssyt moder of the goddis,” quod he,
“That hallowyt art in the montane Ide,
Quhamto the toppys of mont Dyndymane,
And eik the towryt citeis mony ane,
With renyt lyonys ȝokkyt to the char,
Ful tendyr bene and hartly euermar;
Be thou in batall now my president,
Be my protectrix, dewly takand tent
At this orakyll be hastyt to our weill;
O haly goddess, with happy fute of seill
Cum and assistis to thyne awyn Troianys.”
No mor he spak, bot, with that word atanys,
In the meyn quhile vpspryngis the brycht day,
Chasand the clowdis of the nycht away.
And fyrst Eneas gan hys ferys command
Thar baneris to displayt and follow at hand,
Thar curage eik and curace to address,
And graith thame for the batail all express.
For he, be than, hys Troianys mycht behald,
And of the eft schyp into hys town and hald
Men mycht hym se and knaw, quhar at he stude,
Hys schynand new scheild from amyd the flud
Into hys left hand rasyt hie on hyght.
The Troianys from the wallys of that sycht
War sa reiosyt, vp thai rasyt a cry
That rerdis to the starnys in the sky.
The hoip of hys returnyng hait as fyre
Dowblyt thar curage, and vprasyt thar ire,

247

That with thar handis fast thai dartis slyng,
With sic a dyn of clamour and crying,
And trumpys blast rasyt within the town
Sik maner bruyt, as thocht men hard the sovn
Of crannys crowplyng, fleand in the ayr
With spedy fard in randoun heir and thar;
As from the flude of Trace, hait Strymone,
Vndre the dyrk clowdis, oft we se,
Thai fle the weddris blast and rak of wynd,
Thar glaidsum soundis followand thame behynd.
Bot quhat mycht meyn this affeir and deray
A gret farly and wondyr was, perfay,
To Turnus, kyng of Rutuleis, that tyde,
And the Italiane dukis hym besyde,
Quhill thai at last beheld towart the cost,
And saw the navy cum and mekill ost,
Semand the sey of schippys all ourflet.
The creist or schynand tymbret that was set
Abufe Eneas helm and top on hyght
Kest byrnand flambys with a glytterand lycht,
And eyk the goldyn boyss of hys bukleir
Large fyry stremys on breid schew fair and cleir—
Lyke as the comete stern sanguynolent,
With hys red cullour tryst and violent,
Schynys sum tyme apon the donk nycht;
Or frawart Syrius, that fervent star brycht,
Quhilk with the scaldand heyt at hys rysyng
Byrnys the erth of drowth, and is the syng
Pretendand tyll all mortale folk, I gess,
Contagyus infirmyteis and seiknes,
That with hys schrewyt lyght canicular
Infekkyt all the hevynnys and the ayr.
Bot Turnus hardy stalwart hie curage,
For all this feir, demynyst nevir a stage,
Quhilk manfully schup thame to withstand
At the cost syde, and dyng thame of the land,
That on na wyss thar thai suld arryve;
And with glaid semlant gan his folk belyve

248

Exortyng forto rayss thar spretis on hie,
And with hys wordis forthirmar eik he
Gan thame repreif of thar sa hasty feir.
“Lo! now present,” says he, “is cummyn heir
The mater quhilk ȝe lang desyrit haue;
The tyme is now to gryp in hand ȝour glaif;
The tyme of batale reddy is at hand,
Quhar strenth beis schawyn in stalwart stowr to stand.
Now euery man ramembir on his spowss,
Thynk on thar natyve land and dwellyng howss;
Reduce ȝe now onto ȝour mynd, ilkane
The worthy actis of ȝour eldris bygane,
Thar lovabyll fame, and ȝour awyn renowne;
And lat ws formest haist ws to the see,
And thar recontyr our fays, or thai land,
Quhill as thai first set fut apon the sand,
With slyde tocummyn, half deil in effray,
Or thai thar fut steppis ferm, and tak array.
Hap helpis hardy men, be myne avyss,
That weil dar tak on hand stowt interpryss.”
Thus said he, and tharwith in hys thocht
Devisys quham maist ganandly he mocht
Led with hym, to resist and meit his fays,
Or quham he suld not from the sege vprays,
Bot styll remane to ferm and closs the town,
The wallys and the trynschis enveroun.
Eneas fra the schippis landit his ost,
And Turnus thame assalit at the sey cost.
In the meyn sesson, the Troiane Ene
Begouth hys folkis from thar schippis hie
On bryggis and on plankis set on land:
Mony abaid the ebbyng of the sand,
Quhill the swarf fard wallys abak dyd draw,
Than in the schaldis dyd thai leip on raw;

249

And sum with ayris into coggis small
Etlyt to land. But tho amang thame all
The prynce Tarchon can the schor behald,
Thar as hym thocht suldbe na sandis schald,
Nor ȝit na land bryst lyppyrryng on the wallys,
Bot quhar the flude went styll, and calmyt all is
But stowr or bullyr, murmour or movyng;
Hys stevynnys thydder steryng gan the kyng,
And on this wyss hys ferys dyd exort:
“Now, O ȝe walyt flour of weir, at schort,
Bend vp ȝour ayris styth, and rayss ȝour schippys.
Haist owr the flude, bair to the schoyr with skyppys,
And with ȝour stelyt stevynnys, ane and all,
Thys ground onfrendly to ws and inimicall
Do scheir and cleif in sundyr lyke a stok,
Lat euery barge do prent hir self a dok:
Na forss I not in sik port by this meyn
To brek the schyp, sa we the land atteyn.”
Fra Tarchon had thir wordis said, but mair
Hys feris startis ilk man till ane ayr.
The stowrand famy bargis dyd rebound,
Inrowand fast towart the Latyn grond,
Quhyl that thar stammys tuke the bankis dry,
And thar kelys stak in the slyke fast by,
Bot ony harm or danger, euery one.
Bot sa tyd not onto thy schyp, Tarchon,
For in the schald scho stoppys, and dyd stand
Apon a dry chyngill or bed of sand,
A lang tyme all to schakyng with the flude,
Quhill fynaly, thar rokkand as scho stude,
To brystis scho, and ryvys all in sondyr,
Warpyt the men amyd the faym thar vndir;
The plankis, hechis and mony brokyn ayr,
That on the streym went flotand heir and thar,
Maid to thar landing gret impediment,
And slyddry glar so from wallys went
That oft thar feyt was smyttyn vp on loft;
Bot finaly, all drowkyt and forwrocht,

250

Thai salwyt war, and warpyt to the cost.
Than na delay of sleuth nor feir ne bost
With held Turnus, bot with hys haill armee
Aganyst Troianys by the cost of the see
He dyd array all sammyn in that stound.
The trumpettis blew thar bludy weirlyke sownd.
And fyrst, in syng of gud luk in the weris,
Ene the rowtis of the lauboreris,
Or rurall husbandis, invadis and ourset,
And hess the Latyn commonys haill doun bet,
By slauchter fyrst of thar chiftane, Theron,
Amang all otheris the biggast man of one,
Quhilk set apon Eneas or he wyst;
Bot he throw owt hys syde hys swerd hes thryst,
Persyt the stalwart platit scheild of steill,
And throw the schynand hawbrek euery deill;
The giltyn mailȝeis makis hym na sted,
For in the cost he tholys dynt of ded.
Syne smate he Lychas, and hym hess al to torn,
That of hys ded moderis waym was furth schorn,
And onto Phebus god was consecrait,
And was sa chancy in hys ȝong estait
That he the swerd eschapit by hys hap;
Bot not at this tyme so the dedis clap.
And not far thens this douchty Eneas
Kyllyt the dowr and stalwart Cysseas,
And put to deth the bustuus Gyas strang,
That with hys burdoun down haill rowtis dang:
Thar strenthy handis helpyt thame na thyng,
Nowder Hercules wapynnys nor armyng
Mycht thame defend, nor ȝit thar syre, that heght
Melampus, and companȝeon was in feght
To Hercules in hys sair iourneis feill,
Quhil he in erth was levand and in heill.
And lo, as Pharon cryis and dois rowst
With haltand wordis and with mekill woust,
Eneas threw a dart at hym that tyde,
Quhilk, as he gapyt, in hys mowth dyd glyde.

251

And thou also, the fey Greyk, Cydon,
Quhilk strangly luffyt thir ȝong childer ichone,
As thou the ȝyng Clytius dyd persew,
Quhais ȝallow berd begouth to spryng of new,
And was alhaill thy new lust and desyre,
Be the rycht hand of this ilk Troiane syre
Thar had bene maid end of thy amouris greyn,
And wrachitly had lyin ded, I weyn,
War not the brethir of the clan Phorcanys
Apon Eneas assemblit all atanys;
In numbyr sevyn thai war, and dartis sevin
Alsammyn thai kest, forcy as fyry levin,
Of quham sum dyd but harm or other deir
Stot from hys scheild, his hewmet or hed geir,
And sum, that wald haue hyt hys corpss in hy,
Venus hys haly moder choppyt by.
Than to the traist Achates said Ene:
“Reik me dartis and castyng speris,” quod he,
“That in the Grekis bodeis fixit stude,
Quhylum in Troys planys bedyit with blude,
And my rycht hand sall thraw thame so ilkane
On Rutulanys, that nane sal fle invane.”
A bustuus schaft with that he grippyt hass,
And incontrar hys aduersaris gan tayss
Quhilk flaw towartis Meonyus fast by;
Owt throw the scheild platit with steill in hy
Duschyt the dynt, and throw the corslettis glydis,
Gyrd throw the cost persyng baith the sydis.
Onto hym startis Alcanor, hys brothir,
To beir hym vp, quhen that he saw hym schuddir,
With hys rycht arm, bot throw hys gardy sone
The grundyn hed and bludy schaft ar done,
Furth haldand the self randoun as it went;
The ryght arm, from the schulder al to rent,
Apon the mankyt sennonys hyngis by,
As impotent, quyte lamyt, and dedly.
Than Numytor furth of hys brotheris corps
Ruggis the trunschon, and with all hys forss

252

It swakkis at Ene, bot he na mycht
Had till attane ne wond the nobill knycht;
Ȝyt with the dynt the gret Achates thee
He hurt and strenȝeit hass a litill wee.
With this come Clawsus, full of vassalage,
Confidand in hys ȝouth and florist age,
The Curytanys with hym brocht in the press,
And with a lang styf speir ane Dryopes
Smate in the halss, vnder the chyn, sa sair
That hym byreft was in the place rycht thar
Baith voce and spreit of lyfe, and that na wonder,
For hys nek bayn and throte war carf in sondir,
That doun he duschys with a felloun rerd,
Quhil that hys forret raschit on the erd,
And of hys mouth, a petuus thing to se,
The lopprit blude in ded thraw voydis he.
Thre otheris syne this ilk Clawsus hass slane,
Born into Trace of the clan Boryane;
And thre com fra the cite of Idas,
And other thre of cite Ismaras,
By diuerss chancis put he al to ded.
Alesus hym recontris in that sted,
And all the barnage com from Aurunca,
That auld cite; and thame followys alssua
To that melle the son of Neptunus,
That is to knaw, the worthy Mesapus,
Quhilk into horsman craft was maist expert.
Now presys this syde, and now ȝonderwart,
To reill abak and to expell in fyght
Thar aduersaris, and mak thame tak the flycht.
Thus by the cost Ausonya that tyde
Hard wolx the batale apon athir syde.
As thocht sum tyme amyd the large ayr
The contrar wyndys stryvys heir and thar,
With brethfull blastis in thar equale nychtis,
Nane lyst obey tyll other, all sa wight is,
Nowder thai amang thame self, nor ȝit the clowdis,
Ne ȝit the rageand seys, quhilkis sa lowd is;

253

So that the bargane lang standis in dowt,
Quha salbe victor, and quha vnderlowt,
Sa forcyly remanys the elementis
Contrary otheris to thar awin ententis—
Nane other wyss the Troiane hostis in feild,
And Latyn rowtis ȝokkit vnder scheild,
Metys in the melle: ionyt sammyn than
Thai fewtyr fut to fut, and man to man.
Quhou Pallas confortis his ost of Archadye,
Quhilkis gave the bak and tuke purposs to fle.
Bot quhen that Pallas at ane owtyr syde
Persavyt hys Arcad army that tyde
In sic a place had takyn land attanys,
Quhar as a burn had warpyt rowand stanys,
And buskis with the brays down had bet,
That thai war in sa hard myscheif ourset,
As men nocht vsyt forto go feght on fute,
And than, constrenyt, knew nane other buyt,
For scharpness of that sted, bot leif thar horss;
That weil persauyt he how that on forss
Thai gave the bak, and schupe to tak the flycht,
The Latynys followand thame in all thar mycht:
Than, quhile with prayer, now with wordis sowr,
Thar curage he enflambis to the stowr,
Quhilk maner havyngis, suyth as is the creid,
As vtir poynt remedy at sik a neid.
“My ferys,” say he, “quhidder do ȝe fle?
I ȝou beseik, be ȝour gret renowne,
And be ȝour forcy dedis done of ald,
And by ȝour pryncis fame, Evander bald,
And be the ostis and mony victoryss
That ȝe in weir and batale wan feill syss,
And be my gude beleif and hoyp, that now
With haill confidens restis fixt in ȝow,

254

As to atteyn onto my faderis glor,
To ondertak sik dedis done befor;
Do nevir, for schame, onto ȝour self that lak,
To lyppyn in speid of fute and gyf the bak.
With swerdys dynt behuffis ws, perfay,
Throw amyddis our ennemys red owr way.
Quhar ȝondir sop of men thikkis in a rowt,
Ȝondir is the passage quhar we moste wyn owt;
Ȝondir ȝour nobill cuntre wyl ȝe pass;
Ȝon way to wend exhortis ȝour duke Pallas.
Heir is na power of dyvynyte,
Nor goddis myght gaynstandyng ws,” quod he,
“Nane other bargane haue we in thir fyghtis
Bot agane dedly and with mortale wightis:
Alsmony mortale bodeis heir haue we,
And als feill handis to debait the melle.
Behaldis, quhou the sey with obstakill gret
Inclusys ws, and at our bak can bet;
On land is left ws heir na place to fle.
Quhat, wald ȝhe ryn to Troy owt throw the see?”
Thus said he, and furthwith, or he wald cess,
Amyd hys fays ruschit in the press,
Quhar as the rowtis thikast war in stowr.
And first of other, to hys fatale howr,
Hym metys Lagus, a Rutilyane,
Quham fyrst ourrollyt with a mekill stane,
Throw gyrd hys cost syne with a castyng dart,
Persyng hys rybbys throuch, at the ilk part
Quhar beyn the cupplyng of the ryg bone,
And the ilk schaft stak in hys corss onone.
Pallas it ioggillit, and furth drew in hy;
Quham ane Hysbon, standand neir tharby,
Wenyt to have kawcht, bot the gryp he falyt;
For as onwar he stowpyt, and devalyt
Wod wroth for wo of this myschewss ded
Of hys deir fallow, in the ilk sted
Pallas hym keppyt syk wyss on hys brand
That all the blaid, vp to the hylt and hand,

255

Amyd hys flaffand longis hyd hass he,
On sik maner that na man mycht it se.
Syne Pallas set apon Anchemolus
And Sthenelus, that of the kyng Rhetus
Prynce of Marrubyanys, ancyent pepill, beyn;
The quhilk Anchemolus was that ilk, I weyn,
Defowlyt hys faderis bed incestuusly,
And had forlayn hys awyn stepmoder by.
And ȝe alsso, stowt gemel brether twa,
Childir and sonnys onto hym Dawcya,
Tymber, I meyn, and thy brother Laryde,
Amyd the feild Rutiliane dyd abyde;
Ȝe war sa lyke in form and symylitude
Nane mycht decern betwix ȝou quhar ȝe stude
(Quhilk maner errour, or sik mysknawyng,
To fader and mother is oft plesand thyng.
Seand thar childer resembill ane lykness);
Bot at this tyme hass Pallas, as I gess,
Markyt ȝou swa with sic rud differens,
That by hys keill ȝe may be knaw fra thens.
For swa stud with the, Tymber, thou art ded,
Evandrus swerd hess swepyt of thy hed;
And thy rycht arm of smyttyn, O Laryd,
Amyd the feild lyis the besyde,
And half lyfless thi fyngyrris war sterand,
Within thy neif doys gryp and faik the brand.
Than schame and dolour, mydlit baith ourane,
Baldis the pepill Arcad eueryane
To the bargane aganyst thar ennemyss,
For Pallas wordis maid thar curage ryss,
And eik, for thai beheld befor thar eyn
Hys dowchty dedis, thai hym love and meyn.
For Pallas than throw gyrd Rhethus the kyng,
As he on cace glaid by on char fleyng:
Na mair space was of tary ne delay
That Ilus deth prolongit the ilk day;
For as agane the, Ilo, with fell feir
Pallas addressyt had a stalwart speir,

256

Rhetheus start in betwix, and cawch the dynt,
As he on cace was fleand ferss as flynt
From thy handis, the maist forcy Teutras,
And thy brother Tyres, that by the was:
Ourweltis Rethus in ded thrawys atanys,
And with hys helys smayt the Rutilian planys,
Tumlyt from hys hie cart chargit quhar he sat,
And on the grund rebundis with a sqwat.
And lyke as sum tyme in the symmyris drowth,
Quhen wyndis rysys of the north or sowth,
In seir placis the hyrd, at hys desire,
Amang the scroggy rammell settis the fyre;
Wlcanus hostis of brym flambys red
Spredand on breid, vpblesys euery sted;
Than he that set the kyndillyng glaid and gay
Behaldis quhou that the low doys mak deray,
Blesand and crakand with a nyce reuery—
Non other wyss, the Archadanys in hy
All sammyn socht in feild with all thar mycht,
And maid debait to help Pallas in fyght.
Bot tho Alesus, keyn into batale,
Thame to recontyr etlys, and assaill,
And gan hym self weil schrowd vnder his scheild,
Syn manfully ruschit amyd the feild,
Quhar that he slew ane Lacon, and Pheres,
And Demodocus eftir in the press
As hym Strymonyus by the gorget grippyt,
With hys brycht brand hys rycht hand he of quhyppyt;
And Thoas syne sa smayt apon the hed
With a gret stane, quhil myxt of blud all red
The harnys poplit furth on the brayn pan.
Thys ilk Alesus fader, as witty man,
Forto eschew hys sonnys fatys strang,
Hyd hym prevely the thik woddis amang;
Bot, fra the auld Alesus lay to de,
And ȝeldis vp the breth with wawland e,
The fatale systeris set to hand onon,
And can this ȝong Alesus so dispon,

257

That by Evandrus wapynnys, the ilk stownd,
He destinat was to caucht the dedis wond;
Towart quham Pallas bownyt hass ful sone,
And in hys renk on this wyss maid hys boyn:
“Now grant, thou god and fader Tyberyne,
Gude chance and forton to this hed of myne
The quhilk I tayss apon this castyng speir,
That it may throw Alesus body scheir;
And ȝon harness, cote armour and spulȝe brycht,
Quhilk now sa weirly schynys on ȝon knycht,
Sall hyng apon ane ayk fast by thi bra.”
The god hys askyn hard as he dyd pray,
For quhil Alesus onavisytly
Cled with hys scheild Imaonus, hym by,
That was to hym hys frend and fallow deir,
Hys breist stud nakyt, but armour or geir,
Quharin he Pallas dedly schaft ressauyt.
Bot Lawsus, wilfull hys syde to haue savyt,
As he that was a gret part of the ost,
And lyst not suffir, with sik feir na bost,
Or slauchter maid be Pallas and deray,
At his cumpanȝeis suld caucht mair affray,
Ruschit in the melle; and first in hys teyn
Slew Abas, that gret bargane dyd sustene.
The thikast sop or rowt of al the press,
Thar as maist tary was, or he wald cess,
Thys Lawsus alto sparpillyt and invadys:
Down bettyn war the barnage of Archadyss,
Down bettyn eik war the Hethruryanys,
And ȝhe also, feil bodeis of Troianys,
That war not put by Grekis to vtyrrans.
Than all the ostis semlyt with speir and lans,
The chiftanys all ionyt with hail poweris,
The hyndmast wardis swarmyt al yferis;
So thik in staill all marryt wolx the rowt,
Oneyss mycht ony turn hys hand abowt
To weild hys wapyn, or to schuyt a dart.
Full douchtely Pallas on the ta part

258

Inforcis hym to greif hys fays that tyde;
Lawsus resistis on that othir syde.
Thar agis was not far indifferent,
And of maist semly statur, quhar he went,
Thai war excellent of bewte baith tway;
Bot so it stude, at fortoun, walloway,
Wald nother suffir to hys realm resort.
And netheless to meyt sammyn at schort,
As into feild to preif thar hardyment,
The governour of hevyn omnipotent
Lyst na way thoill; for, belyve eftir this,
To athir of thame thar dedly fatys, I wyss,
To ane far grettar aduersar remanys,
As heir onon doys follow vnder anys.
Quhou that ferss Turnus has ȝong Pallas slane,
For quham hys folkis makis gret dolour and mayn.
Duryng this fervour of the bargane swa,
The haly nymphe, clepit Iuturna,
Hir brother Turnus dyd monyss and exhort
To succur Lawsus, and hys folk support;
The quhilk Turnus, as in hys spedy char
The myd rowtis went sloppand heir and thar,
Beheld hys ferys debatand with Pallas:
“Lo, now is tyme to desist, and lat pass
All sic bargane,” quod he, “cessis in hy;
For I will set on Pallas anerly;
Only to me, and to nane other wight,
The victory pertenys of sik a knycht;
Glaidly I wald hys fader stude heirby,
This interpryss to dereyn and aspy.”
Thus said he, and hys feris at command
Voydit the feild, and all plane left the land.
Than ȝong Pallas, seand Rutylianys
Withdraw the feild sa swith, and rovm the planys,

259

At the prowd byddyng of thar prynce and kyng,
Amervellit full gretly of this thing,
And farly can on Turnus to behald,
Our all hys bustuus body, as he wald,
Rollyng hys eyn, and all hys corps in hy
With thrawyn luke on far begouth aspy;
Syne movyng fordwart, with sic wordis on hie,
To answer Turnus speche, thus carpys he:
“Owthir now”, quod he, “for ay be lovyt I sall
Of rych kyngly spulȝe triumphall,
Quhilk heir I sall rent from myne aduersar,
Or than salbe renownyt evirmar
Of ane excellent end moist gloryus.
Do wa thy bost and mannance maid to ws,
For my fader, quhom thou desyris besyde,
Reputtis all elyke, quhou evir the chance betyde.”
And sayand thus, amyd the plane furth startis:
The blude congelyt abowt Archadyane hartis.
Turnus down lepys from hys twa quhelit char,
And bownys fast towartis his aduersar.
Lyke as ane lyoun from the hillys hycht,
Amyd the valle had scharply gottin a sycht
Of sum prowd bull, with hys horn in the plane
Addressand hym reddy to mak bargane,
Cummys bradand on the best fast in a lyng—
On siclyke wyss was Turnus tocummyng;
And quhen that Pallas saw hym cum sa neir
He mycht areke to hym a casting speir,
Formast he bownys to the ionyng place,
Gyf sa betyd that forton, of hir grace,
Hys interpryss for stowt ondertakyng
Wald help, or hym support in ony thing,
As he that ȝong was, and of strenth all owt
Na wyss compeir to Turnus stern and stowt;
And to the gret goddis in hevyn abone
Apon this maner prayand said he sone:
“I the beseik, thou myghty Hercules,
Be my faderis gestnyng, and the ilk dess

260

Quhar thou strangear was ressauyt to herbry,
Assist to me, cum in my help in hy,
To perform this excellent fyrst iourne,
That Turnus in the ded thraw may me se
Bereif fra hym hys bludy armour red,
And ȝaldand vp the breth in the ilk sted,
Mot with hys eyn behald me hym befor
In hie tryumphe, with ourhand as victor.”
Gret Hercules the ȝong man hard onon,
And from the boddum of hys hart can gron,
Hydand hys smart for rewth of Pallas ȝyng,
Seand the fatys wald haue hys endyng;
And for ennoy salt terys, all invayn,
Furth ȝettyng our hys chekis thyk as rayn.
Tho Iupiter, hys curage to astabill,
Thus to hys son spak wordys amyabill:
“Tyll euery mortale wofull wight, perfay,
Determyt standis the fixit lattir day;
Ane schort and onrecoverabill term is set
Of lyfe, quhen all most neydlyngis pay that det:
Bot, to prolong thar fame by nobill dedis,
Fra vertuus wark that cumys and procedis.
Quhou mony sonnys and deir childryn,” said he,
“Of goddis kyn, vnder Troy wallys hie
War done to ded, and brytnyt blude and bone,
So that amangis all otheris Sarpedon,
My tendir get, my kyn and blude, lyis slane.
Forsuyth also, I say the into plane,
The fynale fayt awatis Turnus in feild,
The dait and methis approchis of hys eild.”
Of this wyss spak gret Iove to Hercules,
And with that word, hys eyn towart the press
On the Rutilian feild addressis he.
And, the ilk stownd, ȝong Pallas lattis fle
With mekill forss at Turnus a gret speir,
And syne onon hys brycht brand burnyst cleir
Hyntis furth of the scheith to mak debait.
The schaft flaw towart Turnus, and hym smait

261

Apon the schulder, abuf the gardis hie
That rysys vmast therapon we se,
And throw the bordour of the scheild swa persyt
Quhill fynaly in sum deill it traversyt,
And hurt a part of Turnus byg body.
Than Turnus smyttyn, full of felony,
A bustuus lance with grundyn hed ful kene,
That lang quhile taysyt he in proper teyn,
Leyt gyrd at Pallas, and thus wyss said he:
“Considir ȝongkeir, gyf our lancis be
Bettir of tempyr and mair penytratyve.”
And, with the word, the schaft flaw furth belyve,
So that the scharp poynt of the brangland speir
Throw owt amyddis of the scheild can scheir,
Persand sa mony platis of irne and steill,
And sa feill plyis of bull hydis ilk deill,
All sammyn cowchit in hys target strang,
The bustuus strake throw all hys armour thrang,
That styntit na thing at the fyne hawbryk,
Quhil throu the cost thyrlyt the dedly pryk.
Pallas, nocht schrynkand for the mortale dynt,
Invane the hait schaft of hys wond hess hynt,
For al togidder by the sammyn way
The blude and sawle passys hyne bath tway.
Apon hys wond onon he ruschis down,
Abuf hym rang hys harness with a sovn,
And that onfrendly erth ennymycall
That in hys deth he suld not scryk nor call,
As was the gyss, with bludy mowth bait he.
Turnus, abufe hym standand, carpys on hie:
“O ȝhe pepill of Arcaid, takis tent,
And my wordis do reherss and present
To Kyng Evandar, sayand hym playnly,
That hys son Pallas to hym send haue I
In sik array as that he hess deservyt;
And, of my gentryss, wil he be preservit
To all estait and honour funerall,
With all solace pertenyng beryall

262

Of tumbe and of entyrment, as efferis.
Na lytill thyng, perfay, into thir weris
Hes hym bycost the frendschip of Ene.”
And sayand thus, with hys left fut hes he
Pallas ded corps ourwelt, or euer he stent,
And syne abowt hys sydis sone hass rent
Hys goldyn gyrdill, pasand a gret deill,
Quharin was gravyn craftely and weill
Of Danavs douchteris the iniquyte,
Quhou that the fyfty ȝong men, schame to se,
War fowlly murthuryt on the first nycht,
As thai war spowsyt to thar ladeis brycht;
The chalmeris portyrit war bysprent with blude;
Quhilk historeis Eurition, warkman gude,
Had carvyt weill and wroch full craftely
In weghty platis of the gold massy,
Of quhais spulȝe now is Turnus glaid,
Ioyfull and blyth that he it conquest had.
O manis mynd, so ignorant at all
Of thingis tocum and chancis quhilkis may fall!
Vpheit sone in blynd prosperyte,
Can not be war, nor myssour hald with the!
The tyme sall cum quhen Turnus sall, perfay,
Hait and wary this spulȝe and this day,
Desyrand he mycht by for mekill thing
That he had nevir twichit Pallas ȝyng.
Abowt the corps assemblit tho his feris,
With mekill murnyng and huge plente of terys;
Apon a scheild Pallas body thai laid,
And bair hym of the feild, and thus thai said:
“O Pallas, quhou gret dolour and wirschyp
To thy fader, and all hys falloschip,
Sall thou rendir and bryng hame,” said thai.
“Thys was to the in weyrfar the first day,
Quhilk first in bataill dressyt the to go;
The ilk for ay hass the bereft tharfro!
And, not the less, thy swerd leiffis in the planys
Gret hepys ded of the Rutilianys.”

263

The rich Magus na ranson mycht reskew,
And preist Hemonydes, baith Eneas slew.
Tho nane incertane rumour nor demyng,
Bot sovyr boydword cam thar, and warnyng,
Ontill Eneas of this gret myschance,
Schawand quhou that his folkis stud in ballance,
As bot in litill distans all from ded;
The tyme requiryt forto set remeid,
And succur Troianys quhilkis had tane the flycht.
Than, as wod lyon, ruschit he in the fight,
And all quham he arekis nerrest hand
Without reskew dovn mawis with his brand;
The bytand blaid abowt hym inveroum
Amyd the rowtis reddis large rovm.
Enragit and inflambit thus in ire
Throw owt the ostis Turnus, that prowd syre,
Quhilk had this new slauchtir maid, socht he,
Ay prentand in his mynd befor hys e
The gudly Pallas, was sa stowt and ȝyng,
And the gret gentryce of Evander kyng,
The cheir and fest hym maid bot a stranger,
Per ordour all thing, quhou and quhat maner
He was ressauyt and tretit thankfully,
Syne of hys band of frendschip and ally
With athis sworn and interchangit handis,
Remembryng tho his promyss and cunnandis.
Amovit in this heit, or euer he stynt,
Four ȝong men quyk he hess in handis hynt,
That born was of the cite hecht Sulmon;
Alsmony syne he takyn hass onon
Bred and vpbrocht besyde the flude Vfens,
Quham that he etlys forto send from thens
To Pallas lykewalkis and obsequeis,
To strow his funeral fyre of byrnand treis,
As was the gyss, with blude of presoneris,
Eftir the ald rytis into mortale weris.

264

Syne hynt Eneas a perellus lance in hand,
And it addressis far furth on the land
To ane Magus, that subtell was and sle,
And iowkit in vnder the speir hass he;
The schaft schakand flaw furth abufe hys hed;
And he Eneas in that sammyn sted
Abowt the kneis grippyt humylly,
With petuus voce syne thus begouth to cry:
“By thy deir faderys gost I the beseik,
And be that gud beleif quhilk thou hass eik
Of Ascanyvs vprysyng to estait,
Thys silly sawle of myne, sa faynt and mayt,
Thow salf to my a son and fader deir.
I haue a howss, rych, full of mobillis seir,
Quharin bedelvyn lyis a gret talent,
Or charge of fyne siluer, in veschell quent
Forgyt and punsyt wonder craftely;
Ane huge weght of fynast gold tharby,
Oncunȝeit ȝit, ne nevir put in wark:
Sa thou me salf, thy pyssans is so stark,
The Troianys glory nor thar victory
Sall na thyng change nor dymynew tharby,
Nor a puyr sawle, thus hyngand in ballance,
May sik diuisioun mak nor discrepans.”
Thus said this silly Magus, all invane,
Quhamtill Eneas answeris thus agane:
“Tha mony talentis of fyne siluyr and gold,
Quhilkis thou rehersand heir befor hess told,
Do kepe onto thi small childyr and ayris;
Lat thame bruke weill, I consent it be tharis.
All interchange and ransonyng, perfay,
In this batale Turnus hess done away,
Now laitly slayand ȝong Pallas, allace!
That rewthfull harm, and that myschews cace,
Felys baith Ascanyus and my faderis gost,
For thai na litill thyng tharby hess lost.”
Thus sayand, by the helm hym grippys he
With hys left hand, and fast as he mycht dre

265

Writh down hys nek, quharin, but mair abaid,
Hys bludy brand vp to the hyltis slaid.
Not far thens stude Hemonydes allane,
Prest onto Phebus and the thrynfald Dyane,
On quhais hed wympillit holy garlandis
With thar pendentis lyke to a mytyr standis,
Hys habyt as the scheyn son lemand lycht,
And all hys armour quhite and burnyst brycht;
Quham Eneas assalyt myghtyly,
And gan to chayss owt throw the feld in hy,
That fleand stummyrryt and to grond went sone;
The Troiane prynce down lowtis hym abone,
And with hys brand hym brytnys at devyss,
In maner of ane offerand sacryfyss.
The large schaddow of Eneas in feild
Dyd haill the ded corps of this preist ourheld.
Serestus sortis vp hys armour gay,
And on hys schuldris careit hess away,
To hyng as trophe or syng victoriall
Tyll Mars the god, quhilk Gradyus is call.
Quhat douchty chiftanys of the Latyn land
That day Eneas kyllit with hys hand.
Ceculus, discendit of Wlcanus blude,
And Vmbro eyk, the stalward chiftane rude,
That cum was fra the montanys Marsyane,
The bargane stuffis, relevand in agane.
Bot Eneas, discend from Dardanus,
Ganstandis thame, ful brym and furyus,
And onto ane, hech Anxurus, in the feild
Of strak the left arm all dovn with the scheld;
Quhilk had maid sum gret vant, spekand prowdly,
Wenyng that in hys sawys by and by
Thar had bene gret effect and hardyment,
As thocht he wald extoll in hys entent

266

Hys manhed to the hevyn and starnys hie,
And promyss to hym self, for hys bonte,
Agit cannos hayr and lang process of ȝeris:
Lo, now he lyggis law, for all hys feris!
Syne baldly with glaid curage, as I gess,
Agane Eneas can Tarquytus dress,
In schynand armour wonder prowd and gay,
Of Dryope born, the nymphe or schene may,
To Fawnus wonnyng in the woddis greyn;
And, to recontyr Ene inflambyt in teyn,
Kest hym selvyn; bot the tother, but feir,
Buyr at hym mychtyly with a lang speir
Throw owt hys scheild of payss and hawbrik fyne,
That to the grund gan dovn hys hed declyne;
All thocht he than full humylly hym besocht,
And schupe to say mekill, all was for nocht;
Hys pallat in the dust bedowyn stude,
And the body baithit in the hait blude
Ene ourweltis, sayand thir wordis withall,
With trublit breist and mynd inimicall:
“Now ly thou thar, that wenyt the so wight
That thou was feirfull ontill euery wight.
Thy best belovit mother sall the not haue
To erd, as custum is, nor delf in grave,
Na do thy bonys honour with sik cuyr
As thame to lay in fadyrris sepultur;
Bot salbe left to the wild bestis fuyd,
Or than the spait watir of this flude
Sal bair the in the deip, and thar on raw
With empty throtis sal thy banys gnaw
Thir sey monstreys in thar wod rage,
And lape thy blude thar hungir to asswage.”
Syne, but delay, Antheus and Lycas,
Quhilkis that of Turnus first ward ledaris was,
Persewys he, and also Numa bold,
And Camerthes, brycht schynand all of gold,
Son of the manly Volscens capitan;
In all the fertill grond Ausonyane

267

The richast man, and kyng was this Volscens
Of Amyclys the cite of silens.
And lyke as Egeon, the kyng of gyandis,
Quhilk had, thai say, ane hundreth armys and handis,
And fyfty mowthys, of quham the fyre dyd schyne,
As he into the batale gigantyne
Incontrar Iovis thundir and fyre flaucht
With alsmony scharp drawyn swerdis fawght,
Clatterand in bargane with samony scheildis—
The sammyn wyss, enragent throw the feildis
Went Eneas, as victor with ourhand,
Fra tyme that anys bedyit hys burnyst brand
And wet he had in hait Rutiliane blude.
So that alsso, in this ilk fury wod,
He draif at Nypheus amyd the breste bane,
Set in hys fourquhelit chariot allane;
Bot fra the horss on far dyd hym aspy
Sa grym of cheir stalkand sa bustuusly,
For feir thai start abak, and furth can swak
The duke Nypheus wyd oppyn on hys bak,
And brak away with the cart to the schor,
With stendis feill and mony bray and snor.
The self stound, amyd the press fut hoyt
Lucagus entyris in hys chariote,
With quhyte horss drawyng wonder lustely,
Hys brother Lyger sittand neir hym by;
This Lyger led the renȝeis with hys hand,
Bot bald Lucagus swakkis a burnyst brand.
Eneas mycht nocht suffir nor sustene
Of thame sic fervour in thar felloun teyn,
Bot ruschit furth, and with a gret speir
Forganyst thame can into feght appeir;
Quhamto this Liger carpys upon hie:
“Thou seys nocht Dyomedis stedis heir,” said he,
“Nor ȝit Achillis char persavis draw,
Thocht athir venquyst the in feild, we knaw;
Nor ȝit the Troiane planys behaldis thou.
The end of thyne age and of bargane now

268

Salbe maid in thir landis on this grond.”
Sic wordis vayn and omsemly of sovnd
Furth warpys wyde this Lyger fulychly,
Bot the Troian barroun onabasitly
Na wordis pressis to rendir hym agane,
Bot at hys fa leyt fle a dart or flayn,
That hyt Lucagus, quhilk, fra he felt the dynt,
The schaft hyngand into hys scheild, but stynt
Bad dryf hys horss and char al fordwart strecht,
As he that hym addressit to the fecht,
And strekit furth hys left fut in hys char;
Bot sone Eneas speir was reddy thar,
Beneth hys schynand scheild reversyt law,
So that the grondyn hed the ilk thraw
At hys left flank or leisk persyt tyte,
Quhill clar owt our the charyot is he smyte,
And on the grond weltis in the ded thrawys;
Quham on this wyss with sowr wordis and sawys
The petuus Eneas begouth to chyd:
“Lucagus,” said he, “forsuyth as at this tyde
Na slaw curss of thy horssys onweldy
Thy cart has rendryt to thyne ennemy,
Nor ȝit na vayn wrathys nor gaistis quent
Thi char constrenyt bakwart forto went,
And malgre thyne withdraw thi fays gryppys;
Bot lo now, of thy fre will, as thou skyppys
Owtour the quhelys of thy cart, God wait,
Levand the renys and horss all desolat.”
Thys beand said, the horss renys he hynt.
The tother fey brother, or evyr he stynt,
Lap fra the cart, and kneland petuusly,
Vphevand hys bayr handis, thus dyd cry:
“O Troiane prynce, I lawly the beseik,
Be thyne awyn vertuus and thy thewys meyk,
And be thy parentis maist of renowne,
That sik a child engendryt hess as the,
Thow spair this wofull sylly sawle at lest,
Haue rewth of me, and admyt my request.”

269

With wordis feill as he thus can requer,
Ene at last on this wyss maid answer:
“Syk sawys war langer furth of thy mynd.
Sterve the behuffis, less than thou war onkynd
As for toleif thy broder desolait
All hym allane, na follow the sam gait.”
And tharwithall the hyrnys of hys gost
He rypyt with the swerd amyd hys cost,
So tyll hys hart stoundis the pryk of deth;
He weltis our, and ȝaldis vp the breth.
Thys Dardane prynce as victor thus in weir
Samony douchty corpsis brocht on beir,
Amyd the planys reddand large gait,
As doys a rowtand ryver red on spait;
That for hys dyntis wolx hys fays agast,
As for the feirfull drumly thundris blast;
Quhil fynaly Ascanyus the ȝyng page,
And the remanent of Troian barnage,
Quhilk war, as said is, besegyt invane,
Thar strenth hess left and takyn hess the plane.
Iuno rycht quayntly causys Turnus to fle,
Ane fenȝeit figour persewand of Enee.
The ilk stound, of hys awyn fre volunte,
Iove callys Iuno, and thus carpys he:
“O thow my syster german and my feir,
My best beluffyt spowss, most leif and deir,
Thyne opynyon hass not dissauyt the,
As thou belevyt: now may thou not se
Quhow Venus doys susteyn and fortyfy
The Troiane rowtis and pyssans by and by?
Nane actyve handis, nor stowt myndis, I weyn,
Nor bodeys reddy all perrellys to sustene,
Haue thai, thou may se be experiens.”
Quhamto Iuno, with humyl reverens,

270

Answeryt: “My sweit and mast gudly husband,
Quharto lyst the renew my sorow at hand,
As cayrfull wight, that lykis nocht sic bourdis?
All efferd of thy fatal dreidfull wordis
I am bestad; bot war I now, I weyn,
Als strangly belovyt as I sum tyme haue bene—
Thocht ȝit, God wait, accordyt so tobe
Baith to myne honour and thy dignyte—
I say, war I beluffyt as I was ayr,
Thou Iove almyghty ryngand euermar
Suld not deny me sa sobyr a thyng,
Bot at I mycht withdraw, at my lykyng,
Furth of the feild Turnus, and hym save
Onto hys fader Dawnus, that our the lave
Belovyt hym, as rayson wald,” quod sche.
“Now sall he perysch, and now sal he de,
And sched hys gentyll blude sa pacient,
In grewss panys be Troianys tort and rent;
And netheless hys kyn origynall
Is renownyt of godly stok ryall,
Discendit of our seid and hevynly clan,
Fra god Pylumnus to rekkyn the ferd man;
And eik thow wait, full oft with large hand,
With mony oystis and ryght fair offerand,
Thy templys and thyne altaris chargit hass he,
In wirschyp of thy myghty maieste.”
The souerane kyng of hevyn imperiall
In few wordis maid answer thus at all:
“Gif thow askis a resput or delay,
Bot for a tyme or tyll a certane day,
Of thys evident deth of Turnus ȝyng,
Desyrand I suld grant the sik a thyng,
All thocht he mortale be rycht sone we knaw,
I leif the to remove hym and withdraw,
And from this instant perrellus hard fayt
Steill hym away, and gyde hym by the gait,
For so lang space ȝyt restis at will of me
To lenth hys lyfe, quhilk I the grant,” quod he.

271

“Bot gif sa beys, that vndre thy request
Mair hie pardon lurkis, I wald thow cest;
For gif thou wenys that all the victory
Of the batale, and chancis by and by,
May be reducyt and alterat clar agane,
A mysbyleve thou fosteris all invane.”
To quham Iuno on this wyss said wepyng:
“Quhat harm mycht fall, thocht be sum takyn or syng
Thow schew thy mynd, and grantit that,” quod sche,
“Quhilk be thy wordis of fatale destane
Now grunschis thou to geif or to conceid?
That is to say, quhat forss, thocht thou in deid
Waldyst appreif and ratyfy agane
That Turnus lyfe a lang tyme suld remane?
Bot now approchis to that innocent knycht
A feirfull end—he sal to ded be dicht,
Or than my sawys ar voyd of veryte.
And O, wald God at rathar sa suldbe
That I dissauyt war bot with fals dreid,
And at thou list, as thou has mycht in deid,
Thy fatale promyss and thy statutis strange
In bettir purposs to translait and change!”
Fra scho thir wordis had said, the ilk tyde
Dovn from the hevyn scho leyt hir selvyn slyde,
Befor hyr dryvand a tempestuus wynd,
And all abowt, befor and eik behynd,
Within a clowd of myst circulyt cleyn:
So throw the air bownyt furth this queyn
Towart the Troiane hostis in the planys,
And to the tentis socht of Lawrentanys.
Thys goddes than furth of ane boyss clowd
In lyknes of Ene dyd schaip and schrowd
A voyd figur, but strenth or curage bald,
The quhilk wondyrus monstre tobehald
With Troiane wapynnys and armour grathis sche,
With scheild and helm and tymbret set on hie,
Be semlant lyke Eneas godlyhed;
And tharto ekis scho in euery sted

272

Quent fenȝeit wordis, fant and contyrfait,
With voce, but mynd, or ony other consait;
And fenȝeis eik hys concernans and pacis
(Syklyke as that, thai say, in diuerss placis
The wraithis walkis of goistis that ar ded,
Or as the slepy dremys, fra sted to sted
Fleand in swevyn, makis illusionys,
Quhen mennys myndis oft in dravillyng gronys);
And all befor the forfront of the feild
Richt haltandly, as curageus vnder scheild,
Musturis this ymage, that with dartis keyn
Aggrevyt Turnus, and dyd hym chyde in teyn,
Prouocand hym to bargane and tyl ire.
And Turnus tho als hoyt as any fyre
Thys figur dyd invaid, and tharat he
In gret dispyte a quhirrand dart leyt fle;
Bot this ilk schaddo, as sum deill addred,
Turnyt abowt, and gaif the bak and fled.
Than Turnus, wenand Ene had tane the flycht,
And al awondryt of that selcouth syght,
Within hys mynd a vayn comfort kawch he,
And cryis lowd: “Quhydder fleys thou now, Ene?
Leif nevir, for schame, thus dissolait and waist
Thy new allyans promyst the in haist,
Of Lavynya the spousyng chalmyr at hand,
And all this ilk regioun and this land,
Quhilk thou sa far hass socht owt our the se:
My rycht hand sal the saysyng geif,” quod he.
With sik wordis he schowtand dyd persew,
And ay the glymmyrand brand baith schuke and schew,
Nathyng persavand quhou this myrth and blyss
Away quyte with the wynd bewavit is.
On cace thar stude a mekill schip that tyde,
Hyr wail ionyt til a schor rokis syde,
With plankis and with bryggis layd on land,
The entre reddy grathit weill thai fand;
In the quhilk schyp Osynyus kyng, I wyss,
Come laitly from the cite of Clusys.

273

Thydder went this wrath or schaddo of Ene,
That semyt, all abasyt, fast to fle,
And hyd hyr dern vndre hychis tharin.
Na slawar Turnus hastis hym to ryn,
That but delay he spedis to this schyp,
Ran owr the bryg, and inwith burd can skyp;
And scars was entrit in the forcastell,
Quhen Saturnys douchter saw hir tyme befell;
Than soyn the cabyll in sondir smytis sche,
And fra the schor draif the schip throu the see.
Bot Turnus absent thus that sammyn howr
Eneas seyrssys throw amyd the stowr,
And in hys renk quham euer be met lay ded;
Full mony a man he kyllit in that sted.
And tharwithall hys lycht and fenȝeit gost,
Fra tyme the schip was chargyt fra the cost,
No langar sekis hyrnys hir to hyde,
Bot flaw vp in the ayr the sammyn tyde,
And al dissoluyt into a dyrk clowd.
The meyn sesson, can forss of wyndis lowd
Turnus far furth amyd the deip sey dryve;
He dyd behald abowt hym tho belyve,
All ignorant quhat wyss this chance was wrocht,
And of hys lyfe salvyng na thyng he rocht;
With handis iunct vphevit towart hevyn,
Syk wordis he furth braid with drery stevyn:
“Almychty fader of the hevynnys hie,
Hass thou me reput on sic wyss tobe
Confusyt in this schame for myn offens?
And will I suffyr syk torment and pennans?
Quhidder am I dryve, and from quhens am I cumyn?
Quhat maner eschewyng or fleyng haue I nummyn?
In quhat estait sall I return agane?
Sall I evir se the wallys Lawrentane,
Or evir eft my tentis sall I se?
Quhat may ȝon ost of men now say of me,
Quhilkis my querrell and me followit to feild,
Quham now, allace, lo, feghtand vnder scheild

274

Ȝondir (schame to say the harm) sa wikkytly
Reddy to myschews deth beleft haue I?
Lo, I behald thame fleand paill and wan,
And heris the granyng of mony douchty man
In my defalt falland fey to grond.
Quhat sal I do, allace the wofull stond,
Or quhilk land (thocht a thousand tymys I stervit)
May swelly me sa deip as I haue servyt?
Bot, O ȝe wyndis, rathar haue mercy,
On rowkis and on craggis by and by
Do swak this schyp, sen heir na erth I se,
And haue of wrachit Turnus sum pyete,
Quhilk of hys fre will, stad in this maner,
Besekis ȝow with all hartly prayer;
Do warp my body on the schaldis onkend,
Far furth on Syrtys at the warldis end,
Quhar Rutilyanys me nevir fynd agane,
Sa that na fame nor rumour may remane
Eftir my deth of this schaymfull trespass.”
And, sayand thus, in mynd dyd he cumpass
Full mony chancis rolland to and fro,
Quhiddir gif he suld, for proper lak and wo,
Into this fury smyte hym with hys brand,
And thryst the bludy blaid in with hys hand
Throw owt hys rybbys and sched his hart blude,
Or than to swak hym self amyd the flude,
Swymmand to seik the nerrest costis bay,
In feild agane the Troianys to assay.
Athir way till assay thryss presyt hes he,
And thryss hym styntis Iuno, queyn mast hie,
Havand compassioun of this ȝong man bald,
And can asswage hys mynd, and hand withhald.
Furth held the schip, slydand owt our the fludis,
With prosper wynd and followand tyde sa gude is,
Quhill he is careit suyrly throw the see
Tyll Ardea, hys faderis auld cite.

275

In Turnus sted Meȝentius dyd succeid,
Killyt doun his fays, and spulȝeit of thar weid.
Durand this quhile, in fatis marciall,
Meȝentyus movyt with ardour bellycall,
Be instigatioun of Iove in that neid,
Can to the batale in hys place succeid,
And the Troianys to invaid na thing sparis,
That semyt prowd as all the feild war tharis.
Than sammyn to recontyr hym atanys
Semlyt haill ostis of Hethrurianys,
And all assailȝeit Meȝentyus allon;
Aganyst a man thai rowtys euery one,
Inflambyt all in malyce, maid persutys,
And thik as haill schour at hym schaftis schutis.
Bot he, lyke to a ferm rowk, quhilk we se
Strekyt on lenth amyd the large see,
Sytuat aganys the rageand wyndis blast,
And brym wallys boldynnand wondyr fast,
From all that violens doys hym self defend,
And haill the forss sustenys to the end
Baith of the hevynnys and byr of seys rage,
Remanand onremovyt ferm in hys stage:
Als stern standis Meȝentyus in that stound.
And first he hes fellit and laid to the grond
Hebrus, the son of ane Dolycaon,
And hym besyde Latagus slew onon,
And Palmus eik, accustumat to fle:
Bot with a stane Latagus brytnyt he
Quhilk of a montane semyt a gret nuke,
With quham hym on the vissage he ourtuke;
And Palmus howgh sennonys smait in tway
Maid hym sa slaw he mycht nocht fle away;
Thar armour syne to Lawsus gevyn hess he
To weir on hys schuldris, and crovn on hie
Thar creistis set, the quhilk sa rychly schane.
He slew also Evantus a Troiane,

276

And Mynas syne he kyllys in the feild,
Quhilum to Parys companȝeoun and evin eild;
Quham on a nycht Theana, gude and fair,
To hys fader Amycus in Troy bair,
Quhen Heccuba, douchter of Cisseus,
Dremyt scho was gret, the story tellis thus,
With a fyre broynd, and the self samyn nycht
Was delyver of Parys, the fey knycht,
Quhilk in hys natyve cite maid hys end:
Bot thir feildis Lawrentan ombekend
Withhaldis now the body of Mynas.
So brym in stowr that stond Meȝentyus was,
Lyke to the strenthy sangler or the bor,
Quham hundis quest with mony quhryne and ror
Down dryvyng from the hightis maid discend,
Quhilk mony wyntyr tofor had hym defend
In Vesulus, the cauld montane hie,
That is ourheldyt with mony fyr tre;
Or than the bustuus swyne weil fed, that bredis
Amang the buskis rank of ryspe and redis,
Besyde the layk of Lawrens, mony ȝheris,
Quham that he is betrappyt fra his feris
Amyd the huntyng ralys and the nettis,
Standis at the bay, and vp his byrsys settis,
Grasland hys tuskis with astern fyry eyn,
With spaldis hard and harsk, awfull and teyn,
That nane of all the huntmen thar present
Hym to engreif hass strenth or hardyment,
Nor dar approchyng within hys byt neir,
Bot standand far on dreich with dart and speir,
Assoverit of hys reik, the beste assays,
With felloun schowtis, bustuus cryis, and brays.
Nane other wyss stud all the Tuscane rowt
This stalwart knycht Meȝentius abowt,
And, thocht thai iust cawss had of wreth and feyd,
Thar was nane of thame durst hym put to ded,
Nor curage had with drawyn swerd in hand
Hym till assaill, nor mach apon the land;

277

Bot with takillis and castyn dartis on far
Thai warp at hym, bot durst not ane cum nar,
And with huge clamour hym infestis that tyde;
He, onabasyt, abowt on euery syde
Behaldis, gyrnand full of proper teyn,
And with hys scheild choppyt by schaftis bedene.
Furth of the ancyent boundis of Coryt tho
Was cum a Greik, quhilk clepyt was Acro,
That fugityve into his lusty heyt
Had left hys spowsal trewth plicht oncompleit;
Quham as Meȝentius saw amyd the rowt
Hym grevand soir, as weriour stern and stowt,
And saw the plesand plomys set on hycht
Of hys tymrell, and eik the purpour brycht,
Quhilk of his trewthplycht lufe he bair in syng;
Than lyke a hungry lyon rumysyng,
Constrenyt by hys rageand empty maw,
The beistis dennys circuland all on raw,
Gif he on cace aspyis a swyft ra,
Or the ȝyng hart with spryngand tyndis twa,
Ioyful he bradis tharon dispytuusly,
With gapand gowle, and vprasys in hy
The lokkyrris lyand in his nek rowght,
And all the bestis bowellis thrymlys throwght,
Hurkylland thar on, quhar he remanyt and stude,
Hys gredy gammys bedyis with the red blude—
On the sammyn wyss, Meȝentyus rycht baldly
Mydwart hys fays rowt ruschit in hy;
Down smytis fey Acron amyd the ost,
That in the ded thraw, ȝaldand vp the gost,
Smate with hys helys the grond in maltalent,
And brokkyn schaftis with hys blude bysprent.
This ilk Meȝentius eik dedenȝeit nocht
To sla Orodes, quhilk than was onflocht,
That is to knaw, quhill frawart hym he went,
And reput na wyss, as by hys entent,
Syk ane fleand to wond into the bak,
Onawarnyst, quhen he na defens mycht mak,

278

Bot ran abowt and met hym in hys rayss;
Than athir man assemblit face for face.
Orodes mair of prattik was all owt,
Bot the tother in dedis of armys mair stowt,
That to the erth ourthrawyn he hess his feir,
And possand at hym with hys stalwart speir,
Apon hym set hys fut, and thus he said:
“O now my feris, beys blyth and glaid;
Lo, a gret party of this weir, but less,
Heir lyis at erd, the douchty Orodes.”
Hys feris sammyn rasyt vp a cry,
With ioyus sound in syng of victory,
And blew the pryss triumphall for his deth;
Bot this Orodes, ȝaldand vp the breth,
Onto Meȝentyus carpys thus on hie:
“Me onrevengit, thou sal nocht victour be,
For weill I wait that sone I salbe wrokyn,
Na, for all thy prowd wordis thou hass spokkyn,
Thow sall nocht lang endur into sik ioy;
Bot siclyke chancis and semblant ennoy
Abydis the, thocht thou be nevir sa bald,
Thys sammyn feild sall thy ded corps withhald.”
To quham Meȝentyus smyland said in teyn:
“Thou sall de first, quhat evyr to me forseyn
Or previdyt hass myghty Iove,” quod he,
“Quham fader of goddis and kyng of men cleip we.”
And sayand thus, the schaft the ilk thraw
Furth of hys wond and body dyd he draw.
Tho Orodes the hard rest doith oppress,
The cauld and irny slepe of dethys stress,
And vp the breth he ȝald onon rycht
With eyn closyt in evir lestand nycht.
Cedicus altotrynschit Alcathous,
And Sacrator to grund laid Hydaspus;
Rapo, ane Arcaid, hass Parthenyus slane,
And Orses, wondir byg of blude and bane;
And Mesapus kyllyt the stowt Clonyvs,
And Erycates with Lychaonyus;

279

The formast lyggand at the erd he ourraucht,
That by hys hedstrang horss a fall had cawcht,
And Lychaonyus eik, a fut man, he
Lyghtit on fut and slew in the melle.
Aganys hym than went a man of Arge,
Hait Lycyus, bodyn with speir and targe;
Bot by the way Valerus, gude in nedis,
Nocht inexpert in douchty eldris dedis,
Recontryt hym, and put hym to the ded;
Salyus a Troiane in that sammyn sted
Atronyus slew; and Nealces, expert
To schut the fleand arrow or castyng dart,
Quhilk invadis a man or he be war,
Slew Salyus with schot, beand on far.
Quhou Eneas the ȝong Lawsus hass slane,
Quhilk fred his fader hurt in the bargane.
Thus awfull Mars equaly with hys brand
The sorow rasyt apon athir hand:
Huge slauchter mayd was and seir woundis wyd,
Thai kyll and ar bet down on euery syde,
That sammyn in the feild thai fall infeir,
Baith the victouris, and thai that venquyst weir,
And nother party wist, nother he nor he,
To salf hym self quhar away to fle:
So that the goddis in Iovys hevynly hald
Had compassioun and rewth for tobehald
The wroith and ire of athir in the fightis,
That sik distress rang amang mortal wightis.
Venus towart the Troiane syde tuke tent;
Aganyst quham, all full of maltalent,
Saturnus douchter Iuno, that full bald is,
Towart the party aduersar behaldis;
And the pail furour of Tysiphone
Walkis wod wroth amydwart the melle.

280

Bot pryncipaly Meȝentyus all engrevyt,
With a gret speir, quharwith he feill myschevit,
Went brangland throu the feild all hym allon;
Als bustuus as the hydduus Orion,
Quhen he on fut woyd throu the mekill see,
Scherand the streym with hys schuldris hie,
Abufe the wallys of the flude apperis;
Or lyke ane ancyent ayk tre, mony ȝheris
That grew apon sum montane toppys hycht,
Semand so hie to euery manis sycht,
Quhilk, thocht hys rutis spred in the grond all sydis,
Hys crop vpstraucht amyd the clowdis hydis—
Syk lyke Meȝentius mustyrris in the feild,
With huge armour, baith speir, helm and scheild,
Aganyst quham Eneas fast hym hyis,
Fra tyme amyd the rowt he hym aspyis.
The tother, onabasyt, all reddy thar
The cummyng of hys douchty aduersar
Abydis stowtly, fermyt in hys forss,
And massely vpstude with bustuus corss:
And, mesurand with hys e als large spaiss
As he mycht thraw a castyng speir, thus says:
“My rycht hand, and this fleand dart mot be,
Quhilk now I tayss, as verray God to me!
Assistyng to my schot I ȝou beseik;
For I awow, and heir promittys eyk,
In syng of trophe or triumphall meith,
My lovit son Lawsus forto cleith
With spulȝe and all harness rent,” quod he,
“Of ȝondir rubbaris body, falss Enee.”
Thus said he, and fra hys hand the ilk tyde
The castyng dart fast byrrand lattis glyde,
That fleand sclentis on Eneas scheild,
Syne, standand far onrovm ȝond in the feild,
Smate worthy Anthores the ilk thraw,
Betwix the bowellys and the rybbys law:
Anthores, ane of gret Hercules ferys,
That com from Arge into hys lusty ȝheris,

281

Inherdand to Evander the Arcaid,
And had hys dwellyng and hys residens maid
In Palentyn, cite Italian,
Onhappely now lyggis thus down slane,
All of a wound and dynt quhilk in the fycht
Addressit was towart ane other knycht.
Ȝit, deand, he beheld the hevynnys large,
And can ramembir hys sweit cuntre of Arge.
Than the reuthfull Eneas kest hys sper,
Quhilk throu Meȝentius armour all dyd scher;
Throw gyrd hys targe platyt thryss with steill,
And throw the cowchit lynnyn euery deill,
And thrynfald plyis of the bullys hydis,
That law down in hys flank the dynt abydis;
Bot it byreft hym nowder lyfe ne mycht.
Eneas tho, quhilk was expert in fyght,
Ioyfull quhen that Meȝentius blude saw he,
Furth hynt hys swerd at hang law by hys thee,
And fervently towart hys fa can pass,
Quhilk, for the dynt, sum deill astonyst was.
Quhen Lawsus saw this aventour of weir,
He wepyt wail sair for hys fader deir;
Sa wobegone becam this lusty man
That salt teris fast our hys chekis ran.
Forsuyth, I sall not ourslyp in this sted
Thy hard myschance, Lawsus, and fatale ded,
And thy maist dowchty actis bellycall:
O fresch ȝongker, maist dyng memoriall
I sall reherss, gyf ony faith may be
Gevyn to sa gret dedis of antiquyte.
With this Meȝentyus menȝeit drew abak,
Harland hys leg quharin the schaft stak,
That quhar he went he baris our the feild
Hys ennemyss lance fixit in hys scheild.
Betwix thame ruschys in the ȝong Lawsus,
Amyd thar wapynnys, stern and curagus,
Hym self hass set forto sustene the fyght;
Vnder Eneas rycht hand rasyt on hycht,

282

That reddy was to smyte a dedly wond,
In steppis he, and baldly the ilk stound
The bytand brand vphevyt keppyt he,
And can resist and stynt the gret Enee.
Hys feris followys with a felloun schowt;
Quhill that Meȝentius of the feild wan owt,
Diffend and coverit with hys sonnys scheild,
Thai cast dartis thikfald thar lord to held,
With schaftis schot, and flanys gret plente,
Perturband thar stern aduersar Ene,
That all enragyt hys sovir targe erekkit,
And thar vndre hym haldis closly dekkyt.
And lyke as sum tyme clowdis brystis attanys,
The schowr furthȝettand of hoppand hailstanys,
That all the plewmen and thar hynys inhy
Fleis of the croftis and feildis by and by;
And eik the travellour ȝond vnder the wald
Lurkand withdrawys to sum sovir hald,
Owdir vnder watyr brays and bankis dern,
Or in sum craggis clyft, or deip cavarn,
So lang as that the schour lestis on the plane,
That he may, when the son schynys agane,
Exers hys iourne, or hys wark alsfast—
Syk wyss Ene with schoit and dartis cast
Was all ourheld, and ombeset ilk syde,
Quhil he the press of batale styntis that tyde,
And all thar forss sustenyt and deray;
Reprevand Lawsus, thus begouth to say,
And mannansyt hym with brand of blude all red:
“Quhidder hastis thou sa fast apon thy ded?
Or quhou dar thou ondertak into fyght
Syk interpryss, quhilk is abuf thy mycht?
Thou art nocht wyss; thy tendir hart,” quod he,
“And rewthfull mynd all owt dissavis the.”
Bot for all thys ȝong Lawsus, vail que vaill,
Wald no wyss cess Eneas till assaill.
Than hyear rayss the wraith and felloun ire
Of the ilk manfull Troiane lordly syre,

283

And eyk the fatale sisteris tho in deid
Had wymplyt vp this Lawsus lattyr threid:
For so Eneas stokis hys styf brand
Throw owt this ȝongker, hard vp to hys hand,
That swerd, befor maid mannansyng and bost,
Throw gyrd that gentill body and hys cost,
Hys target persand and hys armour lycht,
And eik hys cote of goldyn thredis brycht
Quhilk hys moder hym span; and, to conclude,
Hys bosum all is fillyt of hait blude;
Sone efter is the spreit of lyfe furth went
Down to the goistis law with sad entent,
And left the body ded, and hyne dyd pass.
Bot quhen Anchises son, ferss Eneas,
Beheld hys wlt and contenans in deyng,
Hys sweit vissage sa in the ded thrawyng
Becummyn wan and paill on diuerss wyss,
He sychit profundly owder twyss or thryss,
And drew abak hys hand, and rewth hass hynt;
For sa into hys mynd, eftir the dynt,
The ymage of hys faderly piete
Imprentit wass, that on this wyss said he:
“O douchty ȝynglyng, worthy tobe menyt,
Worthy tobe bewalyt and complenyt,
Quhat sall the reuthfull compacient Ene
For sa gret lovabill dedis rendir the?
Or quhat may he the ȝeld sufficient
For sik natural and inborn hardyment?
Thyne armour, quharof sumtyme thou reiosyt,
With the I leif, for ay tobeyn eniosyt;
Onto thy parentis handis and sepulcre
I the belief tobe entyrit,” quod he,
“Gyf that sic maner of triumphe and cost
May do thame plesour, or eyss onto thy gost.
Bot thou, onsilly child, sa will of red,
Do comfort heirwith thy lamentabill ded,
That thou ourmatchit art and thus lyis slane
By the gretast Eneas handis twane.”

284

Syne he hys feris can repreif and chyde
That thai sa lang delayt hym besyde,
Makand na haist to bair hys corps away;
And he hym self betwix hys armys tway
The ded body vplyftis fra the grond,
That with red blude of his new grene wond
Besparklyt had hys ȝallow lokis brycht,
That ayr war kemmyt and addressyt rycht.
Fra Meȝentius knew ȝong Lawsus decess,
Hym to revenge his lyfe lost in the press.
The meyn sesson, hys fader with his feris,
Down at the fludis syde of Tyberis,
Stanschit his wondis with watyr by and by,
Weschand the blude and swait from hys body.
Hys helm of steil besyde hym hang weil ne
Apon a grayn or branch of a grene tre;
Hys other weghty harness, gud in neid,
Lay on the gyrss besyde hym in the meid;
Hys trasty chosyn verlettis hym abowt;
And he ful sor wondyt, all in dowt,
Stude lenand with hys wery nek and bonys,
Owt our a bowand tre, with sair gronys;
Hys weil kemmyt berd, hyngand ful straucht
Apon his breist, onto hys gyrdill raucht;
And feill tymys on Lawsus menys he,
Prayand full oft he mycht hym salfly se,
And mony messyngeris onto hym hess send,
To withdraw hym the feild, and to defend
That he abyde na langar in bargane
And schaw quhat sorow for hym hys fader had tane.
Bot than Lawsus ded owt of the feild
Hys wofull feris careit apon a scheild,
Wepand sa gret a man was brocht to grond,
And discumfyt with sa grysly a wond.

285

Meȝentius mynd and consait, the ilk tyde,
Suspekand the harmys quhilkis war betyde,
Onfar considerit the causs of thar murnyng,
And on hys canos hair the dust gan slyng,
With mekill powdir fyland hys hasart hed;
And baith hys handis in that sammyn sted
Towart the hevin vphevis in a fary,
And he the goddis and starnys fast dyd wary;
Syne, lenand on hys sonnys corps, thus cryis:
“O my deir child and tendir get heir lyis!
Had I sa gret appetit and delyte
Onto this wrachit lyfe, sa ful of syte,
That I the sufferit to entyr in my sted
Vndre our fays hand, and with thy ded
My lyfe is salfit? Ha, I thy fader heir,
Quhilk the begat, my only son sa deir,
Suld I be salf and lyfand eftir the,
Throu tha sa grisly wondis that I se?
Allace, onto me, wrachit catyve thing,
Myne exill now at last and banysyng
Becummyn is hard and insufferabill!
The stound of deth, the panys lamentabill,
Is deip engravyn in my hart onsound;
Now am I smyttyn with the mortal wond!
I, the self man was the causs of thy ded,
With my trespass, my child, in euery sted
Filyt the glor and honour of thy name,
Thy hie renovn bespottand with my schame,
As I that was, by invy and haitrent
Of my awin pepill, with thar haill assent,
Expellit from my ceptre and my ryng,
And was adettyt, for my mysdoyng
Onto our cuntre, till haue sufferit pane:
I aucht and worthy was to haue bene slane,
And to haue ȝald this wikkyt sawle of myne
Be all maner of turment and of pyne,
Fortill amend myne offencis and fed.
Ha, now I lyf, allace, and thou art ded!

286

Ȝit want I not off men the cumpany,
Nowder lyght of lyfe, ne cleirness of the sky,
Bot soyn I sal thame leif and part thar fra.”
And sayand thus, sammyn with mynd ful thra
He rasyt hym vp apon hys wondit thee,
And determyt to revenge hym or de;
For thocht the violens of hys sair smart
Maid hym onfery, ȝit hys stalwart hart
And curage ondekeit was gude in neid.
He bad go fech Rhebus, hys ryall steid,
Quhilk was hys wirschip and hys comfort haill,
And hys support hys fays to assaill;
For by this horss in euery gret iourne
Hame fra the feild victour eschapit he.
Quhamto Meȝentyus, but mair abaid,
Seand the steid drowpand and sad, thus said:
“Rhebus, we twa hess levit lang yfeir,
Gyf that to mortal wightis in this erd heir
Ony tyme may be reput lang,” quod he.
“Owder this day beys thou revengear with me
Of Lawsus dolorus deith, and wrek our schame,
And sall as victour with the bryngyn hame
Ȝon bludy spulȝe, and Eneas hed;
Or, gif na fors nor strenth into that sted
Will suffir ony way that it be so,
We sal in feild sammyn de baith two.
For, O moist forcy steid, my lovyt foill,
I can na wyss beleif at thou may thoill
Tobe at ony otheris commandment,
Nor that the list dedeyn, gif I war schent,
Till obey ony master or lord Troiane.”
And sayand thus, ful towartly onane
The steid bekend held to hys schulder plat,
And he at eyss apon hys bak doun sat,
And baith hys fystis fillyt with dartis keyn,
With helm on hed burnyst brycht and scheyn,
Abuf the quhilk hys tymbret buklyt was,
Lyke till a lokryt mayn with mony fass.

287

And into sik array with swyft curss he
Furth steris hys steid, and draif in the melle.
Deip in hys hart boldynnys the felloun schame,
Myxit with dolour, angir and defame;
The fervent luf of hys son ȝyng of age
Gan catchyng hym into the furyus rage;
Tharto alsso persuadis to the fyght
Hys forss weil knawin, hys hardyment and mycht;
And, in sik poynt, throw owt the rowtis all
With mychty voce thryss dyd Eneas call.
Eneas hard hym cry, and weil hym knew,
And glaid tharof can towartis hym persew,
And prayand says: “The fader of goddis hie,
And eik mychty Apollo, that grant to me,
Thou wald begyn in bargan on this land
To mell with me, and to meyt hand for hand.”
Thus carpyt he, and with stern lance, but tary,
Furth steppys forto meyt hys aduersary.
Bot Meȝentius, seand hym cumand,
Cryit to hym onon and bad hym stand:
“O thou maist cruell aduersar,” said he,
“Quhat wenys thou so to effray and bost me,
Sen thou my son hass me bereft this day,
Quhilk was only the maner and the way
Quharby thou myght ourcum me and distroy?
Now, sen that I haue tynt all warldis ioy,
Nowdyr I abhor the ded, to starve in fycht,
Nor rak I ocht of ony goddis mycht.
Desist, and cess to bost me or mannass,
For I am cum to de in this ilk plass;
Bot first I bryng the thir rewardis,” quod he.
With that word, at his fa a dart leyt fle,
And efter that ane other hass he cast,
And syne ane other hass he fixit fast,
About hym prekand in a cumpas large:
Bot all thir dyntis sustenyt the goldin targe.
Thryss on the left half fast, as he war wod,
About Eneas raid he quhar he stude,

288

Thik with hys handis swakkand dartis keyn;
And thryss this Troiane prynce our all the greyn,
Intil hyss stalwart stelyt scheild stikand owt,
Lyke a hair wod the dartis bair abowt.
At last, as he ennoyt of this deray,
This irksum traysyng, iowkyng and delay,
And cumryt wolx samony dartis invane
Thus oft to draw furth and to cast agane,
As he that was matchit that tyme, but faill,
With hys fa man in bargane inequale,
Quhilk ay was at avantage and onflocht,
Full mony thing revoluyt he in thocht;
Syne on that weirman ruschit he in teyn;
In the forhed, betwix the horsys eyn,
He kest hys speir with all his fors and mycht.
Vpstendis than the stalwart steid on hycht,
And with his helys flang vp in the ayr;
Down swakkis the knycht sone with a fellon fair,
Foundris fordwart flatlyngis on hys spald,
Ourquhelmyt the man, and can hys feit onfald.
Than the Latynys, and eik pepill Troianys,
The hevynnys dyndlit with a schowt at anys.
Eneas gyrd abufe hym with a braid,
Hynt furth hys swerd, and forthir thus he said:
“Quhar is he now, Meȝentius, sa stern?
Quhar is the ferss stowt curage of that bern?”
Quhamto Meȝentius, this ilk prynce Tyrrheyn,
Fra that he mycht alyftyn vp his eyn
To se the hevynnys licht, and draw hys braith,
And hys rycht mynd agane recoverit haith,
Thus answeris: “O thou dispetuus fo,
Quharto me chydis thou reprochand so,
And mannancis me to the ded by and by?
Of my slauchter I think na villany,
Nor on sik wyss heir com I not in feild,
That I stand aw to swelt vnder my scheild;
Nor, I beleif, na frendschip in thy handis,
Nane syk trety of sawchnyng nor cunnandis,

289

My son Lawsus band vp with the, perfay.
Bot of a thyng I the beseik and pray,
Gif ony plesour may be grantit or beld
Till aduersaris, that lyis venquyst in feild;
That is to knaw, suffir my body haue
Ane sepultur, and with erd be bygrave.
I knaw abowt me standand in this sted
My folkis byttyr haitrent and gret feid:
Defend me from thar furour, I requeir,
And grant my corps, besyde my sonnys infeir,
Into sum tumbe entyrit for tobe.”
And sayand thus, knawand at he most de,
Befor hys eyn persavyt the burnyst brand,
That throuch hys gorge went from Eneas hand;
Within hys armour, schortly to conclude,
Furth bruschit the sawle with gret stremys of blude.
Be this the son declynyt was almost,
So that the Latynys and Rutilian ost,
Quhat for the absens of thar duke Turnus,
And new slauchter of bald Meȝentius,
Withdrew thame to thar raset in affray,
And Troianys went onto thar rest quhil day.
Explicit liber decimus Eneados Sequitur prologus in Vndecimum eiusdem

1

[The Proloug of the Elevint Buke]

Thow hie renown of Martis chevalry,
Quhilk gladis euery gentill wight to heir,
Gif thou mycht Mars and Hercules deify,
Quharfor beyn nobillys to follow prowes swer?
Weill auchtyn eldris exemplis ws to steir
Tyll hie curage, all honour till ensew:
Quhen we considir quhat wirschip tharof grew,
All vyce detest, and vertu lat ws leyr.
Prowes, but vyce, is provit lefull thyng
By haly scriptur into syndry place,
Be Machabeus, Iosue, Dauid kyng.
Mychael, and eyk hys angellys full of grace,
That can the dragon furth of hevynnys chace
With vailȝeand dyntis of ferm myndis contrar,
Nane other strokis nor wapynnys had thai thar,
Nother speir, buge, pol ax, swerd, knyfe nor mace;
In takynnyng that in chevalry or fyght
Our myndis suld haue iust ententioun,
The grond of batale fundyt apon rycht;
Not for thou lyst to mak discentioun
To seik occasyons of contentioun,
Bot rype thy querrell, and discuss it plane:
Wrangis to reddress suld wer be vndertane,
For na conquest, reif, skat nor pensioun.
To speke of moral vertuus hardyment,
Or rathar of dyvyne, is myne entent;
For warldly strenth is febill and impotent
In Goddis sight, and insufficient.

2

The Psalmyst says that God is not content
In mannys stalwart lymmys nor strenth of corss,
Bot into thame that trastis in hys forss,
Askand mercy, and dredand iugement.
Strang fortitud, quhilk hardyment cleip we,
Abuf the quhilk the vertu souerane
Accordyng pryncis, hecht magnanymyte,
Is a bonte set betwix vicis twane:
Of quham fuyl hardynes clepit is the tane,
That vndertakis all perrellis but avice;
The tother is namyt schamefull cowardyce,
Voyd of curage, and dolf as ony stane.
The first is hardy all owt by mesur,
Of tyme nor rayson gevis he na cuyr,
No dowt he castis, bot all thinkis suyr,
Nocht may he suffir, nor hys hait endur;
The tother is of all prowes sa puyr,
That evir he standis in feir and felloun dreid,
And nevir dar vndertake a douchty deid,
Bot doith all curage and all manheid smuyr.
The first soundis towart vertu sum deill,
Hardy he is, couth he be avyse;
Of hardyment the tother hass na feill:
Quhou may curage and cowardys agre?
Of fortitud to compt ȝou euery gre,
As Arestotill in hys Ethikis doith express,
It wald, as now, conteyn our lang process;
Quharfor of other chevalry carp will we.
Gyf Crystis faithfull knychtis lyst ws be,
So as we aucht, and promyst hess at font,
Than mon we byd baldly, and neuer fle,
Nowder be abasyt, tepyt nor ȝit blunt,
Nor as cowartis to eschew the first dunt.
Pawle witnessith, that nane sall wyn the crown,
Bot he quhilk dewly makis hym reddy bown
To stand wightly, and feght in the forfront.

3

And quha that sall nocht wyn the crown of meid,
That is to say, the euerlestand blyss,
The fyre eternall neidlyngis most thai dreid:
For Cryst into his gospell says, I wyss,
Quha bydis nocht with me contrar me is;
And gif thou be aganyst God, but weir
Than art thou wageour onto Lucifer.
God salf ws all from sik a syre as this!
The armour of our chevalry, perfay,
So the Apostyll techit ws express,
Not corporall bot sperituall beyn thai,
Our conquyst haill, our vassellage and prowes,
Aganyst spretis and pryncis of myrknes;
Not agane man, owr awyn brother and mait,
Nor ȝit aganyst our makar to debait,
As rabell tell all vertu and gudness.
The flesch debatis aganys the spiritual gost,
Hys hie curage with sensual lust to law,
And, be the body victor, baith ar lost;
The spreit wald vp, the corpss ay down list draw:
Thy secund fa the warld, ane other thraw,
Makis strang assaltis of covatyss and estait,
Aganyst quham is full perrellus debait;
Thir fays famyliar beyn full quaynt to knaw.
Lyff in thy flesch as master of thy corps,
Lyf in this warld as nocht ay to remane;
Resist the fendis slycht with all thy forss,
He is thy ancyent ennemy, werst of ane;
A thousand wylys he hess, and mony a trane,
He kendillis oft thy flesch in byrnand heit,
He causys wrachit plesans seym full sweit,
And, for nocht, of this fals warld makis the fane.
He is thy fa and aduersar principall,
Of promyssioun wald the expell the land,
For he the sammyn lost, and caucht a fall;
Enfors the strangly contrar hym to stand.

4

Rayss hie the targe of faith vp in thy hand,
On hed the halsum helm of hoip onlace,
In cheryte thy body all embrace,
And of devoit oryson mak thy brand.
Stand at defens, and schrynk not for a schor;
Thynk on the haly marthyris at ar went,
Thynk on the payn of hell, and endless glor,
Thynk quhou thy Lord for the on rude was rent,
Thynk, and thou fle fra hym, than art thou schent,
Thynk all thou sufferis ontyll hys paynis nocht is,
Thynk with quhou precyus pryce as thi sawll bocht is,
And ay the moder of grace in mynd enprent.
Feill beyn thy fays, fers and full of slycht,
Bot be thou stalwart campioun and knycht;
In feild of grace with forsaid armour brycht
Thou may debait thame lyghtly in ilk fyght:
For of fre will thyne acton is sa wight
Nane may it perss, wilt thou resist and stand;
Becum thow cowart, crawdoun recryand,
And by consent ory cok, thy ded is dycht.
Thynk quhou that fa is waik and impotent,
May venquyss nane bot thame lyst be ourcum;
He sall the nevir ourset, but thy consent.
Eith is defens to say nay, or be dum;
And for thy weill, lo, thys is all and sum:
Consent nevir, and thou sall nevir be lost,
By disassent thou may venquys ane ost,
And, for anys ȝa, tyne thy meid euery crum.
Na wondir is, for by exempill we se,
Quha servys hys souerane intill all degre
Full mony days, and efter syne gif he
Commyttis anys trayson, suld he nocht de,
Less than hys prynce, of gret humanyte,
Pardoun hys falt for hys lang trew seruys,
Gyf he wald mercy craif? The sammyn wyss
We beyn forgevyn, so that repent will we.

5

Bot quhat avalys begyn a strang melle,
Syne ȝeld the to thy fa, but ony quhy,
Or cowartly to tak the bak and fle?
Na, thar sall nane optene hie victory,
Less thai sustene the bargane dowchtely;
And quha so perseueris to the end
Ane conquerour and campioun euer is kend,
With palm of triumphe, honour and glory.
The maist onsilly kynd of forton is
To haue beyn happy; Boetius techis so;
As, to haue beyn in welth and hartis blyss,
And now tobe dekeit and in wo:
Richt so, quha vertuus was, and fallys tharfro,
Of verray rayson malewrus hait is he;
And ȝit, by grace and hys fre volunte,
He may recovir meryt agane alsso.
I say “be grace”, for quhen thou art in grace,
Thou may eik grace to grace, ay mor and mor;
Bot quhen thou fallys be syn tharfra, allace,
Of thy meryt thou gettis hyr nevirmor;
Ȝit quhen thou dewly disponys the tharfor,
Doand all that in the thar may be done,
Of hys gudnes the etern Lord alssone
Restorys the meryt, with grace in arlys of glor.
Haill thy meryt thou had tofor thy fall,
That is to say, thy warkis meritabill,
Restorit ar agane baith gret and small
And grace tharto, quhilk is sa profitabill
That thou tharby to eik meryt art habill;
Bot nocht ilk gre of grace thou had befor;
That gettis thou not sa soyn, quhill forthyrmor:
Be war tharfor, fall not, bot standis stabill.
For lyke as quha offendit had hys lord,
That lang tofor hys trew servand had bene,
And syne agane becumis at ane accord
With hys master, all thocht hys lord wald meyn

6

On hys ald seruyce, ȝit netheless, I weyn
He sall nocht soyn be tendir, as he was ayr:
Be war tharwith, and kepe ȝou fra the snair,
Tyne nocht ȝour laubour and ȝour thank betweyn.
Exempill takis of this prynce Ene,
That, for hys fatale cuntre of behest,
Sa feill dangeris sustenyt on land and see,
Syk stryfe in stour sa oft with speir in rest,
Quhill he hys realm conquest bath west and est:
Sen all this dyd he for a temporall ryng,
Press ws to wyn the kynryk ay lestyng,
Address ws fast fortill opteyn that fest.
He may be callyt, as says Sanct Augustyn,
Ane delicat, owr esy, Crystyn knycht,
Refusys to thoill traval, sturt or pyne,
And but debait wenys till optene the fycht.
To wyn the feild, and nevir preif thy mycht,
That war nyce thyng! Thy kyng Cryste in batell
Quhat sufferit he for the, O catyve wight?
Lyis thou at eyss, thy prynce in bargane fell?
Aschamys of our sleutht and cowardyce!
Seand thir gentyles and the paganys ald
Ensew vertu, and eschew euery vyce,
And for sa schort renown warryn so bald
To susteyn weir and panys teyr ontald;
Than lat ws stryve that realm forto posseid,
The quhilk was hecht till Abraham and hys seyd;
Lord, at ws wrocht and bocht, grant ws that hald! etc.
Explicit prologus Sequitur liber vndecimus

7

Eftir the feild Enee maid sacrifyce,
Offerand the spulȝe to Mars, as was the gyss.
Duryng this quhile, furth of the sey dyd spryng
The fresch Aurora with the brycht dawyng.
Ene, albeyt hys hasty thochtfull curis
Constrenyt hym, as twychyng sepulturis
Of hys folkis new slane and berying,
Forto provide a tyme mast accordyng,
And gretly eik in mynd he trublyt was
For the slauchtyr and ded corps of Pallas;
Ȝit netheless, as first the son vpsprent,
Scheddyng hys bemys in the orient,
As victor he onto the goddis als tyte
With sacryfyce can hys vowys acquyte.
Ane akyn tre, was huge gret and squar,
The branschis sned and kut abowt alquhar,
Apon a motys hycht vpset hass he,
And all with schynand armour cled the tre;
The coyt armour and spulȝe tharon hang
Of Meȝentius, the vailȝeand campion strang;
To the, gret god of stryfe, armypotent,
In syng of trophe tharon was vpstent
Hys cryst and hewmet all besprent with blude,
The brokyn trunschions of hys speris rude,
And hys fyne hawbyrk, with speir, swerd and macis,
Assayt and persyt into twyss sax placis;
Hys stelyt scheild dyd on the left syde hyng;
Abowt hys gorget, or hys nek armyng,
Was hung hys swerd with evor scawbart fyne.
And thus exortis Ene hys ferys syne,
The chiftanys all abowt hym lowkyt war,
Quhilk glaidsum warryn of this ioyus fair:
“O douchty men,” quod he, “worthy in weris,
The grettast part of our warkis and afferis
Beyn endit now, sa that in tyme cummyng
All feir and dreid ar passyt of ony thyng:

8

Thir bene the spulȝe and first weirly weid
Reft from the prowd kyng be my handis in deid;
Lo, heir Meȝentius venquyst lyis doun bet.
Now to the wallys of Lawrent and the ȝet
The way is maid to Kyng Latyn to wend.
Tharfor address ȝour myndis, and attend
To armys and to weirfar euery ane,
Provydand in ȝour consatis for bargane;
So that ȝhe reddy be, and na delay
May stoppyn ȝou, nor stunnys ane other day,
Be ȝour awyn sleuth, for lak of gude forsycht,
Gif ȝe onwarnyst beys callyt to the fycht:
Alssone as fyrst the goddis omnipotent
By sum sygnys or takyn lyst consent
The ensenȝeis and baneris be vphynt,
And all the ȝonkeris meyt for swerdis dynt,
Of thar tentis convoyt in array,
Se ȝhe all reddy be than, but delay.
And in the meyn quhile, lat ws to erd haue
The corpsys of our fallowys onbegrave,
Quhilk only honour is haldyn in daynte
At Acheron, the lawest hellys see.
Pass on,” he said, “tha sawlys valȝeant,
Quhilk, with habundans of thar blud besprent,
Hass conquyst ws this realm apon sik wyss,
Do honour with thar funeral servys,
And wirschip with thar finale last rewardis.
Bot first, befor all corpsis of tha lardis,
Ontill Evandrys dolorus cite
Of ȝong Pallas the body send mon we,
Quham, wantand na vertu nor prowes,
The wofull day hess ws byreft express,
And with a wofull slauchter caucht, allace!”
Thus said he, wepand salt terys our hys face;
Syne tuke hys vayage towart the ilk sted
Quhar Pallas lyfless corps was lyggand ded;
Quham ancyent Acetes thar dyd kepe,
With flottyryt berd of terys all beweip;

9

The quhilk Acetes had tofor ybe
Squyer to Kyng Evander, from the cite
Of Parrha cummyn into Arcady,
And at thys tyme was send in cumpany
With hys deir fostyr child he had in cur,
Bot not, as ayr, with happy aventur.
About the corps alhaill the multitud
Of servyturis and Troiane commonys stud,
And dolorus Phrigyane wemen, on thar gyss,
With hair down schaik, and petuus spraichis and cryis.
Bot, fra that enterit was Eneas bald
Within the portis of that large hald,
A huge clamour thai rasyt and womentyng,
Betand thar brestis quhill all the lyft dyd ryng;
So lowd thar wofull bewalyng habundis
That all the palyce dynnys and resoundis.
Thys prynce hym self, fra that he dyd behald
The snaw quhite vissage of this Pallas bald,
Hys hed vphald, mycht nocht the self sustene,
And eik the gapand dedly wond hess sene,
Maid by the sperys hed Rutilyane
Amyd hys sneith and fair slekyt breist bane,
With terys brystand from hys eyn, thus plenyt:
“O douchty child, maist worthy tobe menyt,
Hass fortoun me envyit sa far that, eft
Our weill is cummyn, thus thou art me bereft,
Sa that thou suld not se our ryng,” said he,
“Nor ȝit as victor with prosperyte
Onto thy faderis cite hame retour?
Syk promyss hecht I not the lattir hour
To thy fader Evandrus, quhen that he
At my departyng last embrasyt me,
And send me to conquyss a large empyre;
And, dredand syk for the, that lordly syre
Vs monyst tobe war and avyse,
Becauss the men quhamwith to do had we
War bald and stern; said we had wer at hand
With bustuus folk that weill in stryfe durst stand.

10

Now, certis, he levand in hoip, invane,
For thy prosper returnyng haym agane
Perchans doith mak prayer and offerandis,
Chargand the altaris oft with hys awyn handis:
Bot we hys lyfless child, quhilk aw na thyng
Onto the goddis of the hevynly ryng,
With womentyng heir menand tendyrly,
And vayn honour, accumpaneis by and by.
O fey onhappy kyng Archadian!
Now thy sonnys ded corps crewelly slane
Thou salbehald: allace, the panys strang!
This is our haymcom thou desyrit lang;
This salbe our triumphe thou lang abaid,
To se thy a son on hys beir tre laid!
Ha, quhat, is this my promyss and gret faith?
Bot, O Evander, beys not with me wraith;
Thou sall not se thy son was dryve abak
With schamefull wondis that he caucht in the bak;
Ne thou hys fader, war he alyve this day,
Suld nevir haue lak of hym, ne for hym pray
For hys desert he deit a schamefull deth;
And now with honour hess he ȝald the breth.
Bot, netheless, quhat harm, ful ways me!
Quhou large support, hey, quhat beld or supple
In hym hess tynt Ausonya the ryng,
And quhou gret deill hess lost Ascanyus ȝyng!”
Ȝong Pallas corps is till Evander sent,
With all honour accordyng hys tyrment.
Quhen he bewalyt had on this maner,
This wofull corps he bad do lyft on beir,
And with hym send a thousand men in hy
Walyt of euery rowt and cumpany,
Forto convoy and do hym falloschip
At hys last honour and funeral wirschip,

11

And tobe present at the lamentyng
Of hys fader, to comfort hys murnyng;
Thocht smal solace was that to hys regrait,
Quhilk was sa huge, bot to hys estait
Accordit weill that sik thingis suld be,
Quhen all wightis mycht rew on hym to se.
Sum of Eneas ferys bissely
Flakis to plet thame presys by and by,
And of small wikkyris fortobeld a beir
Of sowpill wandis and of bronys seir,
Bund with the syonys or the twystis sle
Of small rammell or stobys of akyn tre.
Thyr beddis beldyt, or funeral lytteris,
Syk tumbys as for ded corpss efferis,
With greyn burgionys and branschys fair and weill
Thai gan ourheld, and stentys euery deill:
Amyd the quhilkis, of blumys apon a byng
Strowyt full hie, thai laid this Pallas ȝyng;
Lyggyn tharon als semly forto se
As is the fresch flowris schynand bewte,
Newly pullyt vp from hys stalkis smaill
With tendyr fyngeris of the damysaill,
Or the soft violet that doys freschly schyne,
Or than the purpour flour, hayt iacynthyne;
Quham all thocht the erth hys moder with sap
Hym nurys not, nor comfortis on hir lap,
Ȝyt than hys schene cullour and figur glaid
Is not all went, nor hys bewte defaid.
Eneas syne twa robbys furth gart fold
Of rych purpour and styf burd of gold
Quhilk vmquhil Dydo, quheyn of Sydones,
Of sik laubour full byssy tho, I gess,
As at that tyme to pless hym wonder glaid,
With hir awyn handis to hym wrocht and maid,
Wovyn full weill, and brusyt as rych wedis,
Of costly stuf and subtell goldyn thredis;
And with the tane of thir full dolorusly
Eneas cled the ȝyng Pallas body,

12

Tobe hys finall and hys last honour;
Hys lokkis and hys harys the self hour,
Quhilkis war forto be brynt in assys cald,
Into the tother habyt dyd he fald.
Abuf all thys, rewardis mony ane,
Yconquest in this batall Lawrentane,
In haill hepys with hym hess he send,
And bad thai suld tak gud kepe and attend
To leid the pray per ordour pompusly.
Feill horssys als he gaue thame by and by,
With wapynnys eik, and other precyus geir,
That he had reft hys fa men in the weir;
The presoneris alsso, quham he had tak,
He sent with handis bund behynd thar bak,
Quhilkis, at the obsequeis or entyrment,
To the infernal gostis suldbe sent,
And with thar bludis sched, as was the gyss,
The funerall flambe strynkyll in sacrifyss.
He bad the capitanys and the dukis all,
In syng of trophe or pomp triumphall,
Gret perkis bair or treyn saplyng that squair is,
Cled with the armour of thar aduersaris,
To wryte and hyng tharon baith all and sum
The namys of thar ennemyss ourcum.
Furth led was the onsilly Acetes,
Ourset with age, and sorow mycht nocht cess;
Now bludyand hys awyn breist with hys fystis,
Now with hys nalys hys face rentis and brystis,
And oft down fallys spaldit on the erd,
With mony gowl, and a full petuus rerd.
And furth war led rych cartis for the nanys,
Besprent with blude of the Rutylianys.
And eftir com Aethon, hys werly steid,
Dispulȝeit of hys harnessyng and weid;
Wepand he went for wo, men mycht haue seyn
With gret terys floddyrrit hys face and eyn.
Ane bair hys helm, ane other bair hys speir;
For the remanys of hys harness and geir,

13

Syk as hys rych gyrdill and cotarmour,
Turnus victor byreft hym in the stour.
Furth haldis syne the drery cumpany
Of Troianys, and Tyrrheyn dukis thame by;
And wofull Archadis, in syng of dolour, weris
Scheldis reversyt, and doun turnyt thar speris.
And efter that, per ordour, by and by,
Thai beyn furth passyt euery cumpany,
Eneas tho can styntyng and abaid,
And with a petuus regrait thus he said:
“The horribill batellys of thir sammyn weris
Tyll otheris funerall womentyng and terys
Callys ws from thens; we may nocht follow the,
Thyne entyrment forto behald and se.
Adew for ay, Pallas, beluffyt best,
Fair weill for evyr intill eternall rest!”
Na mair he said, bot went towart New Troy,
Entrand tharin with terys of ennoy.
Quhou Eneas onto the Latynys gave
Twelf days of respyt the ded corpsis to grave.
Be this war cum fra Kyng Latynys cyte
Ambassatouris, with branch of olyve tre,
Besekand favouris and benevolens;
That he wald suffir tobe careyt from thens
Tha corpsys ded, quhilkis on the feldis broun
Lay strowyt heir and thar, with swerd bet down,
And thame restor agane of hys gentre,
To suffyr thame begravyn fortobe;
Assuryng hym, thar mycht be led na weir
On venquyst folkis, that lyfless mycht not steir,
And prayt spair thar pepill at syk myschans,
Quhylum clepyt hys frendis and acquentans.
Quhen that Eneas, heynd, curtass and gud,
Thar peticioun sa ressonabill vndirstud,

14

As man that was fulfillyt of bonte,
Thar hail desyre full glaidly grantit he,
And forthir eik onto thame thus he said:
“O Latyn folkis, quhat mysfortoun onglaid
Hass ȝou involuyt in sa onhappy weir
That ȝhe chayss ws away, ȝour frendis deir?
Desyre ȝhe paix bot for thame that bene lost
By marcyall fayt, and slane into this ost?
And I, forsuyth, tyll all that levand be
Wald glaidly grant the sammyn, I say for me.
Neuer hyddyr had I cummyn, wer not, perfay,
Into this sted the fatys hecht for ay
Our restyng place providit and herbry;
Ne na weirfar with ȝour pepill led I.
Bot ȝour kyng hass our confiderans vpgeif,
And rather hess settyn all hys beleif
On Turnus vassalage and his hie prowes;
Thocht mor equale and ganand war, I gess,
To this Turnus, the brekar of our paix,
Till aventour hym self to de in press.
Gif he pretendis in batale with a brand
To end the weir, or Troianys of this land
Forto expell, heir semyt hym vnder scheild
With wapynnys to recontre me in feild,
That nane bot ane of ws war left levand,
Quhais lyfe God lyst withhald, or hys rycht hand.
Now haldis on, and all the lyfless banys
And corpsis of ȝour wofull citeȝanys
Do byrn and bery efter ȝour awyn gyss,”
Says Eneas, the Troiane war and wyss.
Than of hys speche so awondrit war thai,
Kepit thar silens, and wist nocht quhat to say;
And athir towartis otheris turnys, but mayr,
And can behald his fallow in a stair.
The eldast man amang thame, finaly,
Clepyt Drances, that had full gret envy
At ȝyng Turnus, all way to hym infest
For ald malyce or of cryme manyfest,

15

Begouth to speke and ansuer thus agane:
“O huge gret is thy fame, thou duke Troiane,
Bot far grettar all owt we may aspy
Thy dedis of armys and thy chevalry;
With quhat lovyngis equaill may I compair
The to the goddis in hevyn abuf the ayr?
Quhidder sall I fyrst extoll, and wonder in the,
Thy gret gentryce and sa iust equyte,
Or thy gret fors and laubour bellicall?
Glaidly, forsuyth, now haymwart bair we sall
Ontill our natyve bundis and cite
Thir sa gret sygnys of humanyte:
And, gif that ony chanss can fynd the way,
We sall do fully all that evir we may
The to conione with Kyng Latyn in hy:
Lat Turnus quhar hym list go seik ally.
And forthir eik weil lykis ws at all
To help till rayss this fatale massy wall,
And fortober apon our schuldris war ioy
Thir stonys gret to this new wark of Troy.”
Thus said Drances, and all the remanent
Tharto annerdis with haill voce and consent.
Twelf days of trewys thai band, to stanch debait,
Forto kepe paix, and werys sequestrate;
Than throu the woddis and thir holtis hie
Troianys and Latynys sammyn, he and he,
Quhar so thame list, wandris but danger.
The heich eschis soundis thar and heir
For dyntis rude of the scharp stelyt ax;
Down weltit ar with mony granand strakis
The fyrrys rekand to the sternys on hie;
The mekill syllis of the warryn tre
With weggis and with proppis beyn devyd;
The strang gustand cedyr is al to schyde;
Na cess thai not apon the iargand wanys
The gret akys to turss away atanys.

16

The kyng Evander complenyt sor and wareit,
Quhen his son Pallas ded was to hym careit.
Than Fame with this, alsfast as scho mycht spryng,
As messynger of sa gret womentyng,
Flaw furth, and all with murnyng fillys sche
Evander kyng hys palyce and cyte,
Quhilk layt tofor had schawyn that Pallas
In Latyum landis sa victoryus was;
Now says sche, “Lo, is he brocht on beir!”
The Archadis ruschit to the portis in feir,
And euery wyght in handis hynt als tyte
Ane hait fyre broynd, efter the ald ryte,
In lang ordour and rabill, that all the stretis
Of schynand flambys lemys brycht and gletis,
Quhil all the large feildis of the light
Myght seueraly be raknyt at a sight.
The Troiane rowtis, on the tother hand,
With thame adionys thar folkis sair wepand,
Quham as the matronys beheld on sik wyss
So duylfully wend to the kyngis palys,
The dolorus town in euery streit and way
With petuus scrykis and gowlyng fyllit thai.
Than was na fors Evander mycht refreyn,
Bot in amyddis thame with gret disdene
He ruschis, plenand on wofull maner,
And fell on growf abuf ded Pallas beir,
Wepand and waland as his hart wald breke;
Embrasyt hym, bot no word mycht he spek
And scars at last with gret difficulte
The cundytis of his voce war lowsyt fre.
Quhen he mycht speke, than thir hys wordis was:
“This is nocht thy last cunnand, son Pallas,
Thou promyst not so vnto thy fader deir,
Bot at thou suld pass mair warly in weir,
And not in danger of the cruell Mart.
Owr weill I wist, with harmys at my hart,

17

Quhat aventour, and of quhou mekill mycht
Till ony ȝong man, the first feld in fight,
Was gret desire of new loif or glory,
And how sweit was renown of chevalry.
Allace, the first commancement and assays
To ȝyng men beyn in weir full fey always,
And rycht hard bene the first entechment
Of hasty batall to thame beyn not acquent.
My vowys nor my prayeris gret and small
War not accept to nane of goddis all.
O thou my blissyt spowss, decessit or now,
Full happy of that ded in faith was thou,
That to thys sorow not preservyt was!
Bot be the contrar I, allace, allace,
Ourlevit hass my fatys profitabill,
And am alyve as fader miserabill;
Quham wald God in ȝon sammyn mortale weris
Rutilyanys had ourquhelmyt with thar speris,
That, followand to the feild my feris of Troy,
I mycht haue ȝald this sawle full of ennoy,
So that this funeral pomp, quhilk heir is wrocht,
My body, and nocht Pallas, hame had brocht!
Ne byd I nocht ȝou, Troianys, to argew
Of amyte and allyance bund of new,
Ne our rycht handis and promyss, quhilkis we
In frendschip knyt and hospitalyte:
This mysfortoun is myne of ald thirlage,
As tharto detbund in my wrachit age.
Bot had this hasty ded, sa ondigest,
Haue sufferit bot my son a stound to lest,
Quhill of Rutilianys he had slane thousandis,
And investit the Troianys in thar landis,
That is to say, in Latyum or Lavyn,
Weill lykyt me that he had endyt syne.
And forthir eik, Pallas, my son so deir,
Na mair rychly cowth I the lay on beir,
Nor with mair wirschip list me entyre the,
Than is providit be reuthfull Enee,

18

Be myghty Troianys and pryncis Tyrrheyn;
For all the Tuscane menȝe, as heir is seyn,
Gret trophe and rich spulȝe hydder bryngis,
On perkis rychly cled with thar armyngis
Quham thy richt hand in feild had put to ded.
Bot, O thou Turnus, in this sammyn sted
Amangis otheris heir suld thou haue be,
In form and maner of a stok of tre,
Gyf ȝhe of age had beyn equale and perys,
And baith elyke cummyn to ȝour strenthy ȝheris.
Bot now, allace, I, fey onhappy wight,
Quharto delay I Troianys from the fyght?
Pass haym in haist, and remember to say
Thir my desiris to ȝour prynce, I ȝou pray:
Evander says that thy ryght hand, Ene,
Is all the cawss that he delays to de,
Or that this haitsum lyfe sustene he wald,
Sen now is lost hys son Pallas the bald:
Sa till hym that he oblist is of det,
Baith to the son and the fader, to set
Ȝon Turnus slauchter for owr recompens:
To the Eneas only, but offens,
And to fortoun, remanys this iournay ȝit,
Quharwith thou may thankfully be acquyt.
Tell hym, na lust to lyf langar seyk I;
Onlesum war syk plesour I set by;
Bot for a thraw desyre I to lest heir,
Turnus slauchter and deth with me to beir,
As glaid tithandis onto my child and barn,
Amang the gostis law in skowgis dern.”
Heir athir party takis byssy cuyr
The ded bodeis to graif in sepultur.
The meyn sesson Aurora rasyt hir lycht,
Richt confortabill for euery mortall wight,
Rendryng agane the oportunyte
Of laubour and of wyrkyng, as we se.

19

The prynce Eneas, and the kyng Tarchon,
Gret byngis hass of treys mony one
Vpbeldyt, by the bowand costis bay.
Thydder euery ane dyd cary, but delay,
Efter thar eldris gyss, onto that sted
The corpsis of thar frendis that war ded,
As fortodo thar observans of det;
And thar vnder the smoky fyre hass set,
Quhill that the hevynnys hye dyd walxin dirk,
Involuyt with the reky stewys myrk.
And thryss on fut all sammyn euery man
In schynand armour abowt the fyris ran,
And thryss the wofull funerall inglys thai
Circulyt abowt on horsbak in array,
With gowlyng and with vocis myserabill;
Quhill that of trigland terys lamentabill
The feildis strowyt war in euery place,
Armouris all wet with wepyng, and thar face.
The clamour of the men and trumpys stevyn
Gan spryngyng vp on hight onto the hevyn.
Syne cumis sum, and in the fyre dyd slyng
The weirly wedis, spulȝe and armyng
Rent from the Latynys slane into the weir,
As helmys, scheildis, and rych swerdis seir,
Brydillys, and all thir stedis trappouris fair,
The hasty hurland charyot quhelys squair;
Ane other sum kest in the fyre syk geir
As weilbekend the corps was wont to weir,
Thar awyn wapynnys, and thar onsilly scheildis,
Quhilk mycht thame nocht defend into the feildis.
Full mony carcage of thir oxin gret
Abowt the fyris war brytnyt and downbet,
And bustuus bowkis of the byrsyt swyne,
Our feildis all byreft from euery hyne;
Thai steik the beistis, and swakkis in the fyre,
Endlang the costis all tho byrnand schyre;
And can behald quhou that thar feris brynt,
Observand weill the gledis half owt quent,

20

And eik the assys half brynt of the ded;
Ne may thai thens be harlyt of that sted,
Quhill at the hevyn ourquhelmyt the dirk nycht,
That ganand is for fyry sternys brycht.
And, netheless, the Latynys lamentabill
In placis seir fyris innumerabill
Vpbeldit hass, and sum with wofull rerd
Feill corpsis deip bedelvys vnder erd;
And sum alsso in cartis haue thai sent
To townys in the feildis adiacent;
And sum alsso war send to the cite,
Tobe entyrit as thame accordyt be.
The remanent all sammyn assemlyt ourane,
But numbyr and but ordour, euery ane,
Of corpsys slane in huge heip byrn thai;
And thus on athir sydis, the hie way
And large feildis dyd oft of fyris schyne.
As that the thryd days lycht eftir syne
The dyrk nycht removyt from the sky,
The assys deip, murnand with mony a cry
Doun dyd thai cast, and scrapis owt atanys
The hait amyrris and the byrslyt banys;
And ȝit all warm, onculyt, sone thai haue
Bedelvyn thame, and in the erd begrave.
Bot, certis, than renewys the womentyng
Within the mychty burgh of Latyn kyng,
The rumour rayss and murmour principaly
Of bewalyng all owt the maist party.
The wofull moderis and matronys wepis heir,
The eldmoderis, and eyk the systeris deir;
Thar mycht be hard with duylfull breistis greyt
The ȝyng babbys walyng on the streyt,
That had thar faderis slane this hynder day,
Cryand, “Ichane, allace, and weill away!”
Thai curss and wary fast this vengabill weir,
And Turnus wedlok bannys with mony a teir:
All in a voce thai cry, desirand he
Suld ondertak the batall and melle,

21

And feght allane to mak end of this thing,
As he the quhilk pretendis to weld the ryng
Of Italy with honour pryncipall,
Desyrand that he suldbe lord of all.
The brym Drances aggregis weill this thyng,
And buyr on hand baldly befor the kyng
Nane bot this Turnus challance wald Enee,
Turnus only to feght desyris he.
And, be the contrar, mony sensymentis
For Turnus schawys evident argumentis:
Of Queyn Amatha the gret authoryte
Dekkis and defendis hym with wordis sle;
And hys gret fame and actis triumphall
Hys querrell dyd susteyn agane thame all.
Befor Kyng Latyn and hys consale in deid
Venulus schawis responss of Diomeid.
Abuf all this, lo, the ilk stound onon
Thyr messyngeris, all trist and wobegon,
Returnyt haymwart into thar maist neid
From the gret cite of Schir Dyomed,
Reportand answer, that alhaill was lost
Thar lang travale and maist sumptuus cost;
Schortly, thai had doyn thar na thyng at docht,
The rych gyftis nor gold avalyt nocht,
For all thar large requestis and prayeris;
To help the Latyn pepill in thar weris
Behuffyt thame to seik other supple,
Or to mak paix with Troiane prynce Ene.
Herand thir wordis, this ald Latyn kyng
Falys all curage, with gret lamentyng,
For patently the goddis wraik, hym thocht,
Schew that by fait Ene was thyddir brocht,
And manifest mycht of goddis hym dyd sustene,
That schew the new gravys befor thar eyn.

22

Quharfor, a gret consale assemlys he,
And callys the cheif ledaris of hys menȝe,
Chargeand thai suld in hys palyce conveyn
Onto the riall chymmyss. Tho bedeyn
Thai flok so fast that euery way was hyd.
Thys ancyent kyng dyd set hym dovn amyd
The cepturyt men, as first and pryncipall,
Bot no thyng semyng glaid of cheir at all.
Than the ambassat, that was returnyt agane
From Dyomedis cite Etholiane,
He bad do schaw the credens that thai brocht,
Per ordour haill thar answer, faland nocht.
Silens was maid, ilk man hys tong held than,
And Venulus, of thame the gretast man,
Begouth fortill obey the kyngis charge,
And schew hys credens planly thus at large:
“O citeȝanys, we haue visseit Diomed,
And seyn thai strenthys by thame of Arge in deid
Vpbeldyt in the boundis of Italy;
The ways thiddir we haue met by and by,
And eschapyt all dangeris by the gait,
All thocht our iourney was nocht fortunait.
We haue twichit that sammyn douchty hand
By quham of Troy distroyt was town and land;
Quhilk now as victor, in the feildis plane
Besyde the skyrtis of the mont Gargane,
Within boundis of Iapigya sulȝe,
That now on days Apulȝe clepyng we,
Vprasyt hess the cite Argyripas,
Quham fra hys natyve pepill namyt he was.
Fra that we entryt war in hys presens,
And forto speke was geif ws audiens,
The gyftis and rewardys present we;
Our credens, our estait, and our cuntre,
Declaryt plane, and quha with wer ws socht,
And quhat occasioun had ws thidder brocht.
He hard ws weill, and on a frendly wyss
Thus answer maid with wordis war and wyss:

23

‘O fortunat folk, quhar Saturn regnyt swa,
Ȝhe ancyent pepill of Ausonya,
Quhat mysaventour and onkyndly heyt
Ȝou steris from ȝour lang rest and quyet,
Prouocand ȝou to movyng, rayss and steir
Sa peralus, onknowth and onthrifty wer?
For euery ane of ws that dyd offens
In Troys bundis with swerd and violens,
Or cruell handis set fortill invaid
Kyng Priamus, and of hys realm degraid
(I leif ontald all thai that in the feld
By Troys wallys hess swelt vnder scheld,
Or that the flude of Symois by the town
Drownyt in stremys warpis vp and dovn),
Our all the warld of ws hail the remanys
Beyn punyst sor with onrehersabill panys,
And sufferit hess all maner of turment.
Ful weill knawis my wordis, quhat I ment,
The sorofull constillatioun of Mynerve,
Quhilk causyt mony douchty man to sterve;
And on the costis of Euboica
The rokis beris witness ȝit alssua,
And the montane Caphareus, God woit,
That vengeans tuke and wraik apon our floyt.
From that weirfar and cursyt chevalry
We cachyt ar to syndry costis, far by
Our natyve bundis and ald heritage.
Lo, Menelay, ane of the cheif barnage
And Atrius son, yclepyt Atrydes,
To Protheus pillaris, hait Pyramydes,
Constrenyt is in exill forto wend;
Vlixes alsso, as full weill is kend,
Bewavyt is wyd quhar our all the see,
So that the Ciclopes of Ethna saw he.
Quhat suld I tell of Neoptolemus,
That other wyss to name is hait Pyrrus,
The hard myschans and tynsell of hys ryng?
Or quhou aganys Idomens the kyng

24

Hys kyndly goddis and cuntre dyd rebell,
And hym gan of hys natyve realm expell?
Or quhou the Locrys, Aiax Oelyus ost,
Now doys inhabyt the waist Lybyan cost?
Sen he hym self the gret Agamenon,
The kyng of Myce, and cheif ledar of on
Of all the Grekis ostis in batale,
Ha, schame to say, fowlely befell
That by the handis of hys awyn wife
The first nycht in hys palyce lost hys lyf.
And he that venquyst Asya lyis ded;
The sle adultrar occupiis hys sted.
The goddis eik sa far dyd me invy,
That in my natyve land neuer sall I spy
My chaist spousage, lyke as befor hess bene,
Ne Calydon my realm of crymys cleyn.
And now alsso, a grisly thyng to se,
Ane selcouth monstre, lo, betyd hes me:
My ferys lost with plumys in the ayr
As thame best lykis ar fleand our alquhar
(Allace of my folkis the vengeabill wraik!),
Transformyt in fowlys, wandris by the laik,
And of thar lamentabill and wofull sowndis
The large costis dynnys and redoundis.
Thir myschevys for my trespass and cryme,
I may traist, hess betyd me sen that tyme
That I, witles and so rakless, perfay,
The hevynly bodeis durst with swerd assay,
And with smert wond was our presumptuus
To violat the rycht hand of Venus.
Solist na mar,’ quod he, ‘persuaid me nocht
That to so dangerus batellis I be brocht.
Eftir the bettyng down of Troys wallys,
With the Tewcranys, quhat chance that euer befallis,
I will na mair debatis mak nor weris;
Nor of our ald stryfe thir hynder ȝheris,
That so myschews was and bad to se,
May I glaidly remember now,’ said he.

25

‘Tha gyftis rych and mony fair presandis
Quhilkis ȝe to me hess brocht furth of ȝour landis,
Return and beir onto the prynce Ene.
Contrar hys keyn dartis ellis stand haue we,
And hand for hand matchit hym in fycht:
Beleif me as expert, quhou stowt and wight
Is he owther in batale place or feld,
And how sternly he rasys vp hys scheild,
Or with quhou gret a thud in the melle
Ane lance towartis hys aduersar thrawys he.
Forthir,’ he said, ‘I certify ȝou alssua,
That, gif the forsaid grond of Phrygia
Twa othir sik men fosterit had or bred,
The citeis all of Arge mycht sor haue dred,
And the ofspryng of Dardan esely
Mycht in our realmys arryvit by and by,
So that Grece suld haue murnyt, euery tovn,
The fatis ald reuersit vp syd dovn.
Alhail the stop, resistans and delay
Mayd at Troy wallys, quhil the sege thar lay,
Was by the handis of Hector and Ene:
The Grekis conquyst lang tyme, trastis me,
By thame was styntit, apon sik maner
That it prolongit was quhil the tent ȝer.
Athir of thame in bonte and curage
Excelland war, and full of vassalage;
Athir of thame maist souerane and douchty
In dedis of armys, prowes and chevalry;
Bot this Ene was first all owt express
Of reuth, compassioun and of gentilnes.
Tharfor all sammyn adionys ȝour rycht handis
In ferm allyance of concord, and sik bandis
Be ony wyss se ȝhe obtene,’ quod he;
‘For, gif thai start till armys in melle,
Be war with thame fortill debait, I red.’
Maist nobill kyng of kyngis, in this sted
Hys answer hess thou hard, as I haue tald,
And twichand this gret batale quhat he wald.”

26

The kyng proponys with Enee to tak pess
Incontrar Turnus; tharto persuadis Drances.
Scars had the messyngeris thir wordis said,
Quhen all the Latynys, trublyt, full onglaid,
Fra hand to hand quhispyris fast and roundis,
On diuerss wyss demyng with murmour soundis—
Lyke as the swyft watir stremys cleir
Sum tyme rowtand men on far may heir,
Quhar it is stoppit with thir stanys round,
That of the ryveris brute and brokkyn sound,
Brystand on skelleis our thir demmyt lynnys,
The bankis endlang all the fludis dynnys.
Bot efter that thar mudis mesyt wer,
Thar waverand wordis stanchit and sik beir,
With reuerens first blyssand the goddis mycht.
The kyng thus carpys from hys trone on hycht:
“O Latyn pepill, forsuyth I wald al gait,
And so had beyn far better, weill I wait,
Full lang or now avisyt had we be
Twychand the common weill and materis hie;
And not at sik a poynt, apon this wyss,
Our consale to assembill and to avyss,
Quhen that our fays and aduersaris ar bown
Forto bysege the wallys of our town.
O citeȝanys, we move and ledis at hand
Ane wer inoportune, quhilk is onganand,
Aganys folkis of goddis clan discend,
That beyn invincybill, and weill can defend
So that na bargane may thame irk nor tyre;
Nor thocht thai venquyst war, baith man and syre,
May thai desist, ne withdraw the melle.
Gif ony hope or confidens had we
In chevalry of the Etholianys,
Quhilkis in Napillis with Dyomed remanys,
And for thir men of armys thidder send,
Do all sik traste away, and ȝou defend:

27

Lat euery man in his awyn self haue hope.
But quhou febill sik traste is ȝe may grope,
And eik befor ȝour eyn cleir may ȝe se
In quhou gret perrell and proplexite
All other materis lyis now or standis;
All sic thyngis bene braid amang ȝour handis.
I will accuss nor argu now na wight.
All haill the forss or strenth mycht be in fycht
Exercyt was, I wait; sen all the flour
And pyssans of this realm dyd stryve in stour.
Now so it is that I will breifly end,
And in schort wordis mak onto ȝou kend
The dowtsum purpos in my mynd remanys;
Attendans geif, and harkis all at anys.
I haue, besyde Tyber the Tuscane flud,
Ane ald feld onprofitabill and rude,
Far strekand west to the bundis quhar remanys
The Scicyll pepill, quhilkis clepit ar Sycanys;
The folk Auruncane and of Rutuly
This grund sawys full onthriftely,
With scharp plewis and steill sokkis seir
Thai hard hillys hyrtis forto eyr,
And on thir wild holtis harsk alsso
In faynt pastur doith thar bestis go.
All that cuntre and band of hillis hie,
Sa full of rochis pynnakillis, as we se,
Lat it be geif for amyte and concord
To the Troianys, and Eneas thar lord;
Syne offer thame equale trety condyng,
And, as our perys, do call thame in this ryng;
All sammyn lat thame dwell heir by and by;
Gif thai haue sik desyre to Italy,
Do lat thame beld thar cite wallys squar.
Bot gif so be that thai lyst ellis quhar
To othir costis or pepill forto wend,
Thar duellyng place for ay to apprehend,
And possibill be that of our boundis thai
May so depart, and from thens wend away;

28

Twyss ten schippis lat ws beld agane
Of strang tymmyr and treis Italyane,
And gif thai wald compleit ma in this land,
The stuf lyis all reddy by the strand;
Of thar schippis the numbir and maner
Lat thame command, and we sal furnyss heir
The irne graith, the wark men, and the wrychtis,
And all that to the schippis langis of rychtis.
And forthir eik it lykis me,” quod he,
“To ber my wordis to this prynce Ene,
And to conferm our frendschip and our pess,
Ane hundreth gay ambassatouris, but less,
Of gretast blude of the Latyn menȝe,
And in thar handis reke furth the paceabill tre;
And bair hym giftis and rewardis large,
Of gold and evoir mony sovm and charge,
The char or sete accordyng for the ryng,
Our rob ryall, ensenȝeys of a kyng.
Avyss heiron amangis ȝou for the best,
And help to bryng our febill weill to rest.”
Ane Drances tho vpstud, and speke began,
The quhilk Drances was the self man
That, as we said haue laitly heir tofor,
Was rycht molest to Turnus euermor,
Quham the renovn of Turnus and glory
Prikkyt full sor with lurkand hyd envy;
Of moblis rych and plentuus was he,
And maste expert in speche and wordis sle,
Bot of his handis into batale sted
Full cald of curage, dolf as ony led,
And into consalys gevyng he was hald
A man nocht indegest, bot wyss and cald;
Bot ane seditioun or a brek to make
Sa masterfull, tharin was nane hys mayk;
The nobill kynrent of hys moderis syde
Maid hym full gret of blude, and full of pryde;
Hys fader was oncertane and onknaw.
And vp he startis in this ilk thraw,

29

With thir wordis Turnus to ourcharge,
Aggregyng on hym wrath and malyce large:
“O douchty kyng, thou axis consale,” said he,
“Of that mater quhilk, as semys me,
Is nother dyrk nor dowtsum, bot full cleir,
That mysteris not our avicis beyn heir.
The pepill haill grantis that thai wait
Quhat forton schawys, and in quhat estait
Our materis standis; bot thai ar arch to schaw,
Quhispirand amangis thame, thai stand sik aw.
Bot causs hym geif thame liberte to speke,
Do way his bost, at thar breth may outbreke;
I meyn of hym, by quhais onhappy werd
And fraward thewys, now ded on the erd
Samony cheif chiftanys and dukis lyis:
Forsuyth, I sall say furth all myne avyss,
All thocht with brag and bost, or wapynnys, he
Me doith await, and mannans forto de;
For by hys dedis may we se express
Thys cite haly plungit in distress,
Quhillys that he has maid hym to assay
The Troianys strenth, and stall sa sone away,
Havand assurans to withdraw and fle,
And into armys dois bost the hevynnys hie.
Bot, O thou all thar best and riall kyng,
To all thir gyftis ekis bot a thyng;
Onto thir presandis and wyss wordis seir,
That to Troianys thou hass byd say and beir,
Ekis a gift, and lat neuer demyt be
The bustuusness of ony may dant the.
Bot that thi douchter, O thou fader gude,
Onto ȝon worthy prynce of gentill blude
Be gevyn, tobe thy son in law, I wyss,
As he that worthy sik a wedlok is;
And knyt vp paix, but mor disseuerans,
With that eternall band of allyans.
And gif sa gret raddour or dreid haue we
Within our myndis or our breistis,” quod he,

30

“That, for Turnus, we dar nocht do sik thyng,
Than lat ws for the weilfar of this ryng
Beseik hym tharfor and with haill entent
Requir hym at he wald grant hys consent,
So that the kyng, at hys fre volunte,
Mycht oyss and do hys proper dewyte,
And, for the weill publik of this land,
Desyre that he na wyss tharto ganestand.
O Turnus, hed and causar verraly
Of thir myschevis gret in Italy,
Quharto sa feill syss in playn perrellis now
Thir sylly wrachit citeȝanys warpis thou?
Nane hoip of weilfar haue we in this wer:
For paix halely we all the requer,
Togiddyr with Lavinia the schene may,
Quhilk is the pand or plege, this dar I say,
Of paix tobe kepit inviolate.
And I, forsuyth, quhilk, as be thy consait,
Thou fenys thyne evill willar fortobe,
And for the common weill, sa mot I thee,
So fortocum I refuss nocht, gud broder,
Bot lo me heir, now formest of all other
Humylly the besekyng: I requer,
Haue mercy, lord, of thyne awyn frendis deir,
Lat be thy stowt mynd, go thy way but lak,
With ane mair strang rebute and dryve abak.
Ded corpsis bet down enew haue we seyn,
Our large feildis and boundis all betweyn
Left desolate and waist of induelleris.
Bot gif thy fame and gret renown the steris,
Gyf in thy breist sa hie curage and mycht
Thou hass consauyt, thynkand the sa wight,
And gif that on sik wyss this hald ryall
Suldbe thy dowry and rych gyft dotall
Thou berys in hart, and is to the sa deir;
Do vndyrtake this thyng, and end the weir:
Address thy body baldly, and not spayr
Forto recontyr alone thyne aduersar,

31

To that entent, that Turnus all hys lyfe
May weld the kyngis douchter to hys wyfe;
So that we, dolf of curage as the led,
Be not doun strowit in the feildis ded,
In cumpaneis onberyit or bewalyt.
Bot thou, that hass in feild sa feil assalyt,
Gyf ony strenth thou hass or hardyment,
Or marciall prowes steryng thyne entent
For thy cuntre; aganyst the, for hys rycht,
Behald thy fa prouocand the to fyght,
Ȝondir all reddy to mak hys party gude;
Delay no mor, bot manfully go to it.”
Turnus, at Drances speche commovit sair,
Rycht subtelly allegis the contrar.
The fers mude of Turnus, this bald syre,
At sik sawys kyndillyt hait as fyre,
Sychand rycht sor deip in hys breist onon,
Thir wordis pronuncis with a petuus grone:
“Drances,” said he, “forsuyth euer hess thou beyn
Large and to mekill of spech, as weil is seyn
Now, quhen the batale desyris wark at hand;
The consale syttand, first thou doys vpstand.
Bot not with wordis suld the cowrt be fillyt,
Set thou be gret tharin and ful evill willyt,
With haltand wordis fleand from the heir,
Quhen thou assouerit art of al danger,
Sa lang as that our strenthty wallys gude
Our ennemys debarrit doith exclude
Or quhil the fowceis of our forteress
Rynnys not our of bludy spait, I gess.
Tharfor trump vp, blaw forth thyne eloquens,
As thou was wont to do, mak thy defens:
Bot than thou may, Drances, be myne avice,
Me to reproch of feir and cowardyce,

32

Quhen that thi rycht hand into batale sted
Samony hepis of Troianys hes laid ded,
And quhen thou takynnyt hess so worthely
With syng tropheall the feildis, as haue I.
Full eith it is fortill assay, and se
Quhat may our sprety fors in the melle;
And, as full weill is knawyn to ws eik,
Our fais beyn not far from hens to seik,
Bot plant about the wallis of our town:
Aganyst thame go mak ws reddy bown.
Quhy duellys thou and tareis thus al day?
Quhidder gif thy marcial dedis, as thai war ay,
Into thy wyndy clattrand tung salbe,
And in tha cowart feit, euer wont to fle?
Says thou I was repulsyt and dryve away?
O maist onworthy wight, quha can that say,
Or me iustly reprochyng of syk lak,
That I rebutyt was or dung abak,
By me quhen thou behald mycht Tyber flude
Boldyn and ryn on spait with Troian blude,
And all the famyll of Evander kyng
Brocht onto grond alhail and his ofspryng,
And the Archadis, confundyt and ourset,
With mony ma in armys I doun bet?
The grysly Bytias, and Pandarus his brother,
Thai ar expert gif I fled one or other,
And eik thai thousand sawlys on a day
As victor I to hell send hyne away,
Quhen that I was inclusyt at distress
Amyd myne ennemyss wallis and forteress.
Thou says, in weir na hoip is of weilfar:
O wytless wyght, pronunce that, and declar
Sik chance betyd ȝon Dardan capitane,
And spa sik thyng onto thy dedis ilkane!
And forthir eik, sen thou art mad becum,
Cess not forto perturbill all and sum,
And with thy felloun raddour thame to fley;
The febill myghtis of ȝon pepill fey,

33

Into batale twyss venquyst schamefully,
Spar not fortill extoll and magnyfy;
And, by the contrar, the pissans of Latyn kyng
Do set at nocht, bot lychtly, and down thryng.
Now the nobill Myrmydon capitanys
Quakis in armys for feir of the Troianys,
And now Tedeus son Diomedes
Agast is, and Larissyane Achilles;
And Aufidus, the swyft flowand ryver,
Rynnys contyrmont frawart the sey for feir.
And quhill alsso this ilk schrewit wight,
That is controvar of mony wykkyt slycht,
Fenȝeis hym fleyt or abasyt tobe,
That he dar not chide furth incontrar me,
Than with hys dreid and sle controvit feir
My cryme aggregis he on hys maner.
Desist, Drances, be not abasyt, I pray,
For thou sal neuer loss, schortly I the say,
By my wapyn nor this rycht hand of myne,
Sik ane pevych and catyve saule as thyne:
Nay, lat it duell with the, as best may gane,
Within that wrachit corps, and thar remane.
Now, O thou gret fader and prynce souerane,
To the and thy consale I turn agane.
Gyf thou list no thyng trasting nor affy
Into our armys nor our chevalry,
Gyf that we be of help all desolate,
And haill at vnder into this last debait,
Distroyt for ay, and na help may mak,
For that our ost was anys drevyn abak,
And forton hess na return ne regress;
Lat ws beseik for paix at sik distress,
Mak hym request to rew apon our harmys,
And reke hym furth our ryght hand bair of armys.
Quhou beit, O, wald God in this extreme neid
That ony thyng of curage or manheid
Remanyt, as was wont with ws tobe!
Abufe the laif thame worthy thinkis me,

34

Maist fortunat in fatys marcyall,
And excellent in hie curage our all,
Quhilk wilfully, as that thame selvyn wald,
At thai ne suldyn sik myscheif behald,
Fell ded to grond by fatale happy werd,
And with thar mowth anys bait the erd.
Bot gif we haue rychess and moblys seir,
And nevir assayt ȝit fresch ȝong power,
And, in our helpyng, of Italianys
Citeis and pepillys habundis and remanys,
Or gif that also to the Troiane syde,
With effusioun of blude and wondis wyde,
This victory betyd is (trastis me,
Thai haue als feill ded corpsis as haue we,
Gyf this tempestuus trake of the batale
On baith the halfis is all owt equale),
Quhy failȝe we so schaymfully our mycht
Into the first entre of the fycht?
Quhy quakis thus our membris vp and dovn,
Befor the bludy blast and trumpis sovn?
For tyme, feill syss, and eik the variant chance
Of our onstabill lyfe hung in ballance,
Reducit hess full mony onlykly thyng
To bettir fyne than was thar begynnyng;
And fortoun interchangabill with blenkis quent
Full mony ane dissauyt hess and schent,
Syne efter in a thraw, this weill I wait,
Restoryt thame agane to thar ferm stait.
I put the cace, set the Etholianys,
With Dyomed and the pepill Arpanys,
Lyst not cum in our helpyng nor suple;
Ȝit than the bald Mesapus weill wylbe,
And the happy Tolumnyus alsso,
With all tha other dukis mony mo
That fra so feill pepillys beyn hydder sent:
And na litill renown, be myne entent,
Followys the chosyn folkis of Italy,
Nor thame that duellis in Lawrent feildis heirby.

35

Haue we not eik the stalwart Camylla,
Of the famyll and kynrent of Volsca,
Ledand thir armyt ostis and stern feildis,
In byrnyst plait arrayt and schynand scheldis?
Bot gyf the Troiane pepill, euery ane,
Desyris me to feght in feild allane,
Gif that be plesand onto the, schir kyng,
And I sa far, efter Drances menyng,
Gaynstandis the common weill; into that cace,
That schame sal nevir betyd me in na place,
For victory me hatis not, dar I say,
Nor lyst syk wyss withdraw thir handis twa,
That I refuss suld to assay ony thyng
Quhilk mycht sa gret beleif of weil inbryng.
With stowt curage agane hym wend I will,
Thocht he in prowes pass the gret Achill,
Or set in cace sik armour he weris as he,
Wrocht by the handis of God Vlcanus sle.
To ȝou, and Kyng Latyn my fader in law,
I Turnus heir, quham full weill ȝe knaw
No thyng behynd, nor tobe reput less,
To nane of all our eldris in prowes,
This saul and life, the quhilk sa weil I lufe,
Doith promyss and awowis for ȝour behufe.
Thai say, allon me challancis Ene;
And I beseik gret God he challance me:
Ne byd I not that Drances deir aby
Ocht with hys deth, quhar that apposit am I;
Nor, quhidder this turn to goddis wrethfull wraik,
Or hardyment and honour, we ondertake,
Na thing at all tharof salbe his part—
The chans is myne, I will it not astart.”

36

Duryng this disputatioun, as is said,
Enee hys ost abowt the town hass laid.
Quhill thai thus at gret altricatioun wer
Amangis thame self in dowtsum thingis seir,
Eneas all his ost and haill army
Hess rasyt, trumpyng to the town in hy.
A messynger com ruschand in with haist,
Amyd the rowtis ran as he war chaist,
That with huge rumour and a feirfull dyn
Fillit onon the kyngis riall in,
And with gret dreid the cite stuffit alquhar;
Schawand quhou that thar fays cummyn war
In plane batale arrayt, to conclud,
The Troiane barnage from Tibir the flude,
With ordinance of Tuscan, that dyd spreid
In forfront al the large feildis on breid.
Onon the pepillis hartis effrayt wer,
And commonys breistis proplexit all for feir;
In sum, the greif and ire dyd fast habund,
Rasyt with brethfull stangis full onsond,
And with a felloun dreid all on steir
Thai hynt to harnes, and cryis eftir thar ger:
“Harness, harnes,” all the ȝong citeȝanys
With fellon brute and noys schowtis atanys;
The febill and agyt faderis wobegone
Can pleyn and weip with mony a petuus grone.
In euery part the gret clamour and cryis
In diuerss opinionys rayss vp to the skyis—
Nane other wyss than as sum tyme we knaw
The flycht of byrdis fordynnys the thik schaw,
Or than the rawk vocit swannys in a rabill,
Sondand and swouchand with noys lamentabill
Endlang the bemand stankis and stremys cleir
Of Padusa, sa full of fyschis seir.
Turnus, that fand hys tyme sa oportune,
Now baldly says he: “Citeȝanys, haue doyn;

37

Do call ȝour consale, takis avysment,
Sittand at eyss ilkane say his entent,
Carpys of paix, and ruyss it now, lat se,
Quhen that thai ȝonder invadis ȝour cuntre,
Ȝour mortale fays enarmyt ȝou to assaill.”
Na mar he said, but startis vp sans faill,
And of the cheif palyce ischit furth in hy,
Thus carpand to the noblys stud hym by:
“Go tyte, Volusus, to the banereris
Of the Volscanys, and thame that standartis beris;
Charge thame thar ensenȝeis forto rayss on hycht,
And in thar armour adress thar men to fyght:
And ȝhe, Mesapus, Coras, and ȝour broder,
The horsmen all enarmyt, ane and other,
Convoys furth onto the feildis braid.
A party of the citeȝanys,” he said,
“Do stuf the entreis, and the portis defend;
Sum to the towris and wall hedis ascend;
The remanent of all our hail menȝe,
Quhen I command, lat thame set on with me.”
Onon our all the cite by and by
Vp on the wallys ryn thai than in hy.
The kyng Latyn hys consale, full onglaid,
And gret materis quhilkis he begunnyn had,
Left and differrit quhil ane other day,
Trist in his mynd, and trublit of that delay;
And mony ways hym self he accusyt,
That he sa lang had slewthit and refusyt
To ressaue glaidly the Troiane Ene;
Repentyng sor, for weill of his cite,
That he had not requirit hym and draw,
Or than, tobe his mawch and son in law.
Sum tho, thar cite entre forto kepe,
Befor the portis delvis trynschis deip;
Sum to the ȝettis weltis weghty stonys,
And sum gret iestis and sillys for the nonys;
The bass trumpet with a bludy sovn
The syng of batell blew our all the tovn.

38

The wallis than thai stuffit rownd abowt
With diuerss sortis of mony syndry rowt,
Baith wifis, barnys, childer, men and page
(Na kynd of stait was sparit tho, nor age);
The heyast poynt and lattir resistens
Callit euery wight to laubour and defens.
The queyn also, Amata, furth can hald
Onto the tempill and Pallas souerane hald,
Born in hir char, and walkyng hir abowt
Of matronys and nobil wemen a rowt;
Offerandis and gyftis brocht with hir scho had;
Nixt hand hir went Lavynia the maid,
The causs of all this harm and wofull teyn,
That dovn for schame dyd cast hyr lusty eyn.
The matronys entris in the goddis presens,
And smokis the tempill with sweit vapour and sens,
And reuthful vocis warpis lovd on hie.
Alssone as thai attenyt the entre,
“O thou,” said thai, “Pallas armipotent,
Tritonia clepit, maid, and president
Of batale and of weris eueryone,
With thy virginal handis breke onon
Ȝon Troiane revaris wapynnys and his speir;
Hym self als tyte dovn to the grund thou ber,
Vndre our portis and our wallis hie
Down warp hym ded, that we that sycht may se.”
Heir Turnus and Camylla gan devyss
Practikis of weir, the Troianys to suppryss.
Turnus hym self, als fers as ony gleid,
Ful bissely addressyt on his weid,
Desyrus of the batale and bargane.
Intil a closs curass Rutilyane
Be than his body weill embrasyt had he,
Hys burnyst armour, awfull for to se,

39

With lymmys claspit in platis gilt with gold
And hed all bair; ȝit, as hym selvyn wold,
Hys dedly brand he beltis by his syde;
And, schynand all of brycht gold, fast can glide
Throw owt the palyce ryall heir and thar,
Reiosyt in his mynd, as thocht he war
In ferm beleif fortill ourset his fo;
And on sik wyss gan walkyng to and fro,
With hart hyngand on the ioly pyn.
As sum tyme dois the curser start and ryn,
That brokkyn hes his band, furth of his stall,
Now gois at large out our the feldis all,
And haldis towart the studis in a rage,
Quhar merys rakis in thar pasturage,
Or than onto the deip rynnand ryver,
Quhar he was wont to drynk the watir cleir;
He sprentis furth, and full provd walxis he,
Heich strekand vp his hed with mony a ne,
Out our his spaldis and nek lang by and by
His lokkyrrit mayn schakand wantonly—
Siklyke this Turnus semys, quhar he went.
And, as he bradis furth apon the bent,
The maid Camylla cumis hym agane,
Accumpaneit with hir ostis Volscane.
Befor the portis dovn lyghtis the queyn,
Quham all the rowt hess followyt bedeyn,
Discendand from thar horssis esely;
Syne on sic wyss this lady spak in hy:
“Turnus,” says sche, “gif ony hardy wight
May traste or assur in thar awyn mycht,
I vndertak, and dar promyss, allane
To mach in feild the ostis Eneadane,
And baldly dar recuntir in melle
All the horsmen of the Tuscane menȝe.
I the requyr, suffir me to assay
With my retenew and thir handis tway
The first danger in batale, or I stent:
Byde thou behynd on fut in enbuschment,

40

And kepe the wallis of this tovn,” scho said.
Turnus his eyn hes fixit on this maid,
That weirlike was and awfull onto se,
Syne on this maner to hir ansueris he:
“O thou virgyn, glory of Italy,
Quhat thankis ȝeld or rendir the may I,
Or quhat may I refer of thy renovn?
Bot, sen thou art to all thyng reddy bovn,
Surmontyng all in curage souerane,
Now at this tyme of sic laubour and payn
Grant me my part, so that on athir syde
Betwix ws twa the bargane be dyvyde.
Hark, I sall schaw ȝou myne avyss,” quod he,
“Ȝon detestabill and myschews Enee,
As that the rumour surly hess maid kend,
And als my spyis schawis was thidder send,
A certane horsmen, lycht armyt for the nanys,
Hes send befor forto forray the planys;
Hym self ascendis the hie band of the hyll
By wentis strait and passage scharp and wyll,
Schaip on our cite fortocum prevely.
Tharfor a prattik of weir devyss will I,
And ly at wait in quyet enbuschment
At athir pethis hed or secrete went;
In the how slak, be ȝonder woddis syde,
Full dern I sall my men of armys hyde.
Set thou apon the Tuscan horsyt rowt,
With pynsellis semlyt sammyn with a schowt.
The stalwart Mesapus with the sall go,
The Latyn barnage, and the brethir two,
That capitanys come fra Tyburtyn cite,
With all thar ordinance and hail menȝe:
Tak thou the cuyr with thame to rewle and steir
Alhaill that ryall army into weir.”
Thus said he, and with sic wordis at schort
Mesapus to the fyght he dyd exhort,
And all his feris, syne euery capitane;
And syne towart his aduersaris is gane.

41

Thar lay a valle in a crukyt glen,
Ganand for slycht till enbusch armyt men,
Quham, wonder narrow, apon athir syde
The bewys thik hampirrit and doith hyde
With skowgis darn and full obscur, perfay,
Quharthrow thar strekit a rod or a strait way,
Ane narrow peth, baith outgang and entre,
Full scharp and schrowit passage wonder sle;
Abufe the quhilk, apon the hill on hycht,
Quhar men may spy about a weil far sycht,
Thar lyis a playn to the Troianys onknaw;
Bot, quha so list towart that sted to draw,
It is a stellyng place and sovir harbry,
Quhar ost in stail or enbuschment may ly,
Quhidder men list the bargane to abyde
Owder on the rycht hand or on the left syde,
Or on the hycht debait thame for the nanys,
And on thar fays welt dovn weghty stanys.
Thyddir ȝong Turnus held and dyd ascend,
As he that all the passage weil bekend;
The place he tuke, and ful prevy, onknaw,
Lyggis at wait vnder the darn wod schaw.
Quhou that Opis was doun from Dyane send,
And of quhat kyn Camylla was discend.
The meyn sesson, Latoneis douchter Dyan,
Within hir set of hevynnys souerane,
The swyft Opys, a nymphe ane of hir feris,
Ane haly virgyne of hir sort mony ȝheris,
To hir callis, rycht dolorus and onglaid,
And, sychand sair, to hyr syk wordis said:
“O virgyn deyr, lo now, Camylla gays
To cruell batall aganyst hyr mortal fays,
And, al invayn, with hir into syk werys
Our wapynnys and our armour with hyr berys.

42

I the declar and certifeis,” quod sche,
“Abuf all other full deyr is sche to me;
Ne this luf, suythly, is nocht cummyn of new,
Nor ȝit of lait in Dyanys brest vpgrew,
And with a hasty sweitness movyt my spreit,
Bot of ald kyndnes lang tyme onforleit.
For quhen hir fader, Metabus the kyng,
Was throw invy expellit hys ancyent ryng
Of Pryvernum, and for the cruelte
Of his pepill fled from that cite,
With hym he bair this ȝong infant sa deir,
Tobe his fallow in exill, and play feir,
And efter hir moderis name, hait Casmylla,
Camylla hes clepit, a lettir tane awa.
Befor hym in hys bosum he hir bair
And socht onto the wilsum holtis hair.
Hys cruel fays with thar wapynnys keyn
Hym ombeset on all partis in teyn.
With armyt men and wageouris the Volscanys
So neir almost bylappyt hym at anys,
Thar was na passage quhar away to fle;
For lo, amyd the went quhar etlyt he,
Amasenus, that ryver and fresch flude,
Abuf the brays bulryt as it war wod;
From the clowdis war bryst sik spait of rayn
The ryver flowis our the large plane.
He, dressand hym to swym, at the bank syde
For luf of the ȝong bab most neid abyde,
And, for his deir byrdyng dredand soir,
Ilk chance in haist dyd roll in his memor;
And scars this sentens prent into hys mynd,
Hys douchtir forto closs within the rynd
And stalwart sapplyn or bark of cork tre
(For in hys hand the self tyme had he
A bustuus speir, per cace, baith styth and stuyr,
As he that was a worthy weriour;
The schaft was sad and sound, and weill ybaik);
Ywympillit in this bark tho dyd he take

43

Hys ȝong douchter, and with hys awyn hand
Amyddis of this lans full suyrly band;
Quhilk tasand with hys rycht hand, sone on hye
Onto the hevyn abuf thus carpys he:
‘O blissyt maid Latonya, our alquhar
Of wild forestis the inhabitar,
I, fader, heir professys servand to the
Thys tendir ȝonglyng, bund onto this tre;
Fleand hys fays throw the skyis, llo,
Knyt to thy schaft, lawly besekis scho.
Ressaue hir, lady, and testify, God wait,
As thyne alhail, onto the dedicate,
Quhilk now thou seis standis in danger,
Commyttit to the wyndis and the ayr.’
Thus said he, and onon with a swak
Hys gardy vp hass bendit far abak,
And threw the speir with all hys fors and mycht;
The stremys soundyt of the schaftis flycht.
Owr this ferss ryver to the farthyr bra
This fey onsilly bab, ȝong Camylla,
Flaw knyt onto this quhirrand schaft of tre.
Bot this Metabus, quhen that he dyd se
The gret press of hys fays cum sa neir,
Na langar duelt, bot swam throu the ryver;
And cummyn to hys purposs blyth and glaid,
The speir onon, sa buklyt with the maid,
In presand onto the thrynfald Dyane,
Furth of the gresy sward he has vp tane.
Na rurall byggyngis, nor ȝit na strang cite,
Wald hym ressaue within thar wallys he,
Nor, thocht thai wald hym to harbry haue tane,
Hys fers mynd couth not subdew to nane;
So that, in maner of hyrdis in pasturage,
On wild montanys he wonnyt all his age;
Quhar that his dochtyr, amang buskis ronk,
In dern sladis and mony scroggy slonk,
With mylk he nurist of the beistis wild,
And with the pappys fosterit he his child

44

Of savage stude meris in that forest;
Oft tymys he thar pappys mylkit and prest
Within the tendir lippys of his get.
And, fra the child myght fut to erd set,
And with hir solis first dyd mark the grond,
With dartis keyn and hedis scharply grund
Hir fystis and hir handis chargyt he;
And at hir schuldir buklyt hess on hie
Ane propir bow and litil arow cace;
And for hir goldyn garland or hed lace
In sted eik of hir syde garmont or pall,
Our the schuldris fro hir nek down with all
The grisly tygrys skyn of rent dyd hyng.
The self tyme ȝit sche bot tendir ȝonglyng
Thir dartis and the takillis swyft leit glyde;
And oft abowt hir hed the ilk tyde
Wald warp the stryngis of the stowt staf slyng,
Quhar with feill syss to grund ded wald scho dyng
The cran of Trace, or than the quhite swan.
For nocht scho was desirit with mony a man,
And moderis feill throu the townys Tuscane
Desirit hir thar gud douchter, invane;
For scho only, full ferm in hir entent,
Of Diane, goddes of chastyte, stud content,
And list to hant evyr in woddis with me
The dartis schutyng, and love virginyte,
Remanand incorrupt and a cleyn maid.
I wald, forsuyth, at this tyme scho abaid,
And had not hastit to sic chevalry,
Forto molest the Troianys stowt army;
Bot that ane of my ferys scho suld be,
As scho that is at all tyme deir to me.
Haue done onon, thou nymphe Opys,” scho said,
“With wikkyt fatis sen bestad is ȝon maid,
Thou slyde down from the hevyn, and that inhy;
The Latyn feildis thou vissy and aspy,
Quhar, in the wofull batale and melle,
To ane onhappy chance betaucht is sche.

45

Tak thir dartis, and sone owt of my cayss
That ilke revengeabill arow thou owt rayss:
Quha evir with wond doys hurt or violat
Hyr haly body onto me dedicat,
Quhiddir he be Troiane or Italiane,
All is in like, that he onon be slane,
And with hys blude myn offens deir aby.
My self thar eftir the reuthfull corps in hy
Amyd a boyss clowd sall cary away,
Onspulȝeit of hir armour or array,
And hir bygrave, reducit to hir cuntre,
In sepultur full gloryus,” said sche.
Than Opys lyghtly of the hevynnys glad,
Throw owt the skyis sowchand fast doun slaid,
Persand the ayr with body all ourschrowd
And dekkyt in a watry sabill clowd.
Quhou that Eneas with hys haill power
Towart the cyte wallys drawis neir.
Dvryng this quhile, the Troiane power all
Approchys fast towart the cite wall,
The Tuscane dukis and horsmen rowtis alhaill
Arrayt in batale, euery ward and staill,
Our all the planys brays the stampand stedis,
Full galȝart in thar bardis and weyrly wedis,
Apon thar strait born brydillis brankand fast,
Now thrympand heir, now thar, thar hedis can cast:
The large grond worth grysly onto se
Of steill wapynnys and scharp speir hedis hie;
And as the fyre all byrnand schayn the feildis
Of brycht armour, heich helmys, and braid scheildis.
Aganyst thame alsso onon apperys
The bald Mesapus, valȝeant in werys;
The agill Latyn pepill with hym was,
And duke Catyllus, with his brother Coras,

46

And eik the weyng of Wolscane pepill in feild
With the stowt wench Camylla vnder scheild;
And furth thai streik thar lang speris weill far,
Drew in thar armys with schaftis chargit on far,
Tasyt vp dartis, taclys and fleand flanys;
The contyr or first tocome for the nanys
Full ardent wolx, and awfull forto se,
The men byrnand to ioyn in the melle,
And furour grew of stedis sterand on stray.
Now thai, approchyng sammyn in array
Within ane arow schot on athyr syde,
Syne maid a litill stop, and still dyd byde;
Rasyt vp a schowt, bad on thame with a cry,
Quhil bruyt and clamour fordynnyt the sky.
Thar fers stedis dyd for the bargane cheir;
On athir half thai mak a weirlike feir;
And tharwithall at anys on every sydis
The dartis thik and fleand takyllys glydis,
As doith the schour of snaw, and with thar flycht
Dyrknyt the hevynnys and the skyis lyght.
Tyrrhenus tho, ane of the Tuscane rowt,
And Acontevs, a Rutilyane full stowt,
Togidder semblyt with thar speris ran,
To preif the first fall sammyn, man for man.
Thai meit in melle with a felloun rak,
Quhil schaftis al to schuldris with a crak;
Togiddir duschis the stowt stedis atanys,
That athyris contyr fruschyt otheris banys.
And Aconteus, lyke to the thundris blast,
Smyte from hys sadill a far way was cast,
Or lyke a stayn warpyt from the engyne,
That altofruschit dovn he dyd declyne,
With sik rebund and rewyne wonder sair
That he his lyfe hes sparpellit in the ayr.
All suddanly the Latynys tuke affray
And gaue the bak bedeyn, and fled away,
Thar scheldis our thar schuldris kest behynd,
And to the tovn spurris als ferss as wynd.

47

The Troianys dyd persewyng on the chayss,
And fast invadis thame Prynce Asyllas.
Quhen thai approchyng to the portis neir,
The Latyn pepill returnys all infeir,
Thar weill dantit horss nekkis quhelit abowt,
Syne gaue a cry, and on thame with a schowt:
The tother party than hess tane the flight,
Leit ga the brydill, and fled in all thar mycht.
Lyke as the flowand sey with fludis rude
Now ruschis to the land, as it war woyd,
And on the skelleys at the costis bay
Vpswakkis fast the fomy wallys gray,
And with his iawpys coverys in and owt
The far sandis our the bay abowt;
Now with swyft fard gois ebband fast abak,
That with hys bulrand iaschis and owt swak
With hym he sowkis and drawys mony stayn,
And levis the strandis schald and sandis plane—
The Tuscane folk the Latynys on sik wyss
Onto the cite wallys chasyt twyss;
And twyss thar self dyd fle and gif the bak,
With scheldis at defens behynd thame swak.
Bot tharefter the thryd assay thai mak,
The ostis sammyn ionyt with a crak,
That euery man hess chosyn hym his feir.
And than, forsuyth, the granys men mycht heir
Of thame that stervyn and dovn bettyn beyn,
That armour, wapynnys, and ded corpss bedeyn,
And stedis throwand on the grond that weltis,
Mydlit with men quhilk ȝeld the gaste and sweltis,
Bedowyn lay full deip in thar awyn blude.
The stowr encressis furyus and woyd.
Orsilochus, a Troiane, with all his forss
Dressis his lans at ane Remulus horss,
For hym to meit he stude a maner feir;
The hed remanyt vnder the horssis eyr,
The steid enragit for the cruell dynt,
And lansys vp on hycht als fers as flynt,

48

As he that was inpacient of hys wond,
That Remulus down weltis on the grond.
Catillus, ane of the brethir Tyberyne,
Iollas down bet, and thareftir syne
The gret Hermynyus, wondir byg of corps,
Bot far byggar of curage and of fors;
Quhais hed and schuldris nakyt war and bar,
And on his crovn bot lokrand ȝallow hair;
And thocht he nakyt was, and voyd of geir,
Na wond nor wapyn mycht hym anys effer;
Forgane the speris so bustuus blomyt he,
That this Catillus stalwart schaft of tre
Throw gyrdis baith hys stalwart schulder banys,
And with the dynt stud schakand all at anys,
Transfixit so, and persand euery part,
It dowblis and renewys the manis smart.
The blaknyt dedly blude on athir syde
Furth ruschis owt of warkand wondis wyde;
The swerdis baithit wolx in bargane red;
Feill corpsis kyllit in the feild fell ded,
And caucht a douchty end to swelt in fycht,
By hurtis feill forto manteym thar rycht.
Quhou Camylla hir fays doun can dyng,
And venquyst Awnus, for all his fair flechyng.
The awfull maid Camylla the ilk tyde,
With cace of arrowis tachit by hyr syde,
Amyd the slauchter and melle apon hyr foyn
Prowdly pransys lyke a wench Amaȝon,
That, forto hant the bargane or assay,
Hyr rycht pap had cut and brynt away.
And now the sowpill schaftis baldly sche
On ather sydis thik sparpellis and leit fle;
Now, not irkyt in batale stith to stand,
Ane stalwart ax scho hyntis in hir hand;

49

Apon hir schulder the giltyn bow Turcas,
With Dyanys arowys clatterand in hyr cayss.
And gif that so betyd into that fight
Hyr ferys gave the bak and tuke the flycht,
Into the chaiss oft wald scho turn agane,
And, fleand, with hir bow schuyt mony a flane.
Abowt hir went hir walit stalwart feris,
The maid Laryna and Tulla ȝong of ȝheris,
And Tarpeia, that stowtly turnys and swax
With the weil stelit and braid billit ax;
Italyanys born; quham the nobil Camylla
Had to hir lovyng and honour deput swa,
Tobeyn hir servandis in ganand tyme of paix,
And in batale to stand by hir in press.
Lyke as of Trace the wenchis Amaȝonys
Dyndillis the flude Thermodoon for the nonys,
As in thar payntit armour do thai fycht,
Owder abowt Hippolita the wight,
Or by the weirlyk maid Penthesile,
Rolland hir cart of weir to the melle;
The wemen rowtis baldly to the assay,
With felloun bruyt, gret revery and deray,
Furth haldis sammyn our the feldis sone,
With crukyt scheldis schapyn like the moyn.
O thou stern maid Camylla, quhat sal I say?
Quham first, quham last, thou smait to erth that day?
Or quhou feil corpsis in the batale sted
Thou laid to grond, ourthrew and put to ded?
With the formast, Ewmenyus, that was one
Son to Clysius; quhais braid breist bone
With a lang stalwart speir of the fyre tre
Throw smyttyn tyte and persyt sone hes sche;
He cavis owr, furthbokand stremys of blude,
And with his teith eik, schortly to conclude,
The bludy erd he bait; and, as he sweltis,
Apon hys wond oft writhis, tumlys and weltis.
Abuf this nixt scho ekis other two,
Lyris, and ane Pegasyus alsso,

50

Of quham the tane, that is to say, Lyris,
As that he fordward stowpand was, I wys,
To hynt hys horssis reyn that gan to fundir,
And the tother present, to kep hym vndir,
Furth straucht his febill arm to stynt his fall,
To grund togidder ruschit ane and all.
And to thir syne the son of Hyppotes,
Amastrus hait, ded scho adionyt in press;
And lenand fordwart on hir lance of tre,
Terreas and Harpalicus chasys sche,
Persewand eik full bustuusly onon
The bold Chromys, and strang Demophon:
Quhou feill dartis with hir hand kest this maid,
Alsmony Troianys ded to grund scho laid.
Ane Ornytus, ane huntar, far on raw,
In armour and in cognycens onknaw,
Raid on a curser of Apulȝe throu the feild;
Hys braid schuldris weill cled war and ourheld
With a ȝong bullis hyde newly of hynt;
Hys hed coverit, to salf hym fro the dynt,
Was with ane hydduus wolfis gapand iowis,
With chaftis braid, quhyte teith and bustuus powis.
To mak debait, he held intill his hand
A rural club or culmas in sted of brand;
And, quhar he went, amyd the rowtis on hie
Abuf thame all his hail hed men myght se.
Camylla hym at myscheif hess on set,
Scho bair hym throw, and to the grund dovn bet;
Nor na gret curage, forsuyth, was that, na mycht,
For all his rowt tofor had tane the flycht.
Bot forthir eik this forsaid Camylla,
With mynd onfrendly, can thir wordis sa:
“Thow Tyrrheyn fallow, quhat, wenyt thou tobe
In woddis chasand the wild deir?” quod sche.
“The day is cummyn that ȝour prowd wordis hait
A womanis wapyn sal resist and debait.
And, not the less, na litill renowne
From thens thou sal do turss away with the,

51

And to our faderis gostis blythly schaw
That with Camyllais glave thou art ourthraw.”
Incontinent this madyn eftir thys
Slew Orsilochus, and ane that hait Butys,
Twa biggast men of body and of banys
Of all the ost and fallowschip Troianys.
Bot this ilk Butys, standand hir befor,
Outthrou the nek dyd scho perss and bor,
Betwix the hawbrig and the helm inhy,
Quhar that his halss scho dyd nakyt aspy;
For our his left schulder hang his scheld.
Bot this Orsilochus fled hir in the feild,
And gan to trump with mony a turnyng went;
In circulis wyde scho drave hym our the bent,
With mony a curss and iowk, abowt, abowt;
Quhar euer he fled scho followis in and owt;
And at the last scho hess ourtak the man,
And throw hys armour all, and his harn pan,
Hir braid poll ax, rasyt so on hie,
With all hir forss and mycht syne strykis sche;
As he besocht for grace with gret request,
Scho dowblit on hir dyntis, and so hym prest,
With feil wondis his hed hass tort and rent;
Hys harnys hait our all his vissage went.
Than Awnus son, quhilk also Awnus hait,
On cace betyd approche in the debait
Towart this maid, and, alsone he hir saw,
Abasyt huvis still for dreid and aw:
Into the mont Appennynus dwelt he,
Amang Liguriane pepill of his cuntre;
And not, forsuyth, the lakest weriour,
Bot forsy man, and rycht stalwart in stour,
So lang as fatis sufferit hym in fycht
To excerss prettykis, iuperty or slycht.
This Awnus, fra that weil persavit he
Na way to fle nor eschew the melle
Nor mycht eschaip the queyn stude him agane,
Than he begouth assay hir with a trayn,

52

And with a sle dissait thus first he said:
“Quhat honour is till a stowt wench or maid
Fortill assur and trast in a strang horss?
Leif thy swyft steid, and traste in thyne awyn forss;
At nane avantage, quhen thou lyst to fle,
Lyght on this plane, and hand for hand with me
Address ws to debait on fut allone:
Thar sall thou se, thar sall thou knaw onon,
Quhamto this wyndy glor, voust, or avantis,
The honor or, with payn, the lovyng grantis.”
Thus said he, bot scho than als hait as fyre,
Aggrevit sor, inflambit in felloun ire,
Alycht, and to hir mait the horss betaucht;
At his desyre onon on fut vpstraucht,
With equale armour bodyn wondir lycht,
The drawyn suerd in hand that schane full brycht,
And onabasyt abaid hym in the feild,
Abylȝeit only bot with a quhite scheild.
The ȝong man, wenyng with his sle dissait
He had begilit hir be his consait,
Abowt his bridill turnyt but mar delay
And at the flycht sprent furth and brak away,
And feil syss leit the horss sydis feill
The scharp irne spurris prik apon his heill.
“O,” quod the maid, “thou fals Liguriane,
Our wanton in thy prowd mynd, all invayn;
O variant man, for nocht perfay,” quod sche,
“Hess thou assayt thy cuntre craftis sle!
Dissaitfull wight, forsuyth I to the say,
Thy slycht and wylis sal the nocht beir away,
Nor haylscarth hyne do turss the hame fra ws
Onto thy faderis howss, the fals Awnus.”
Thus said the wench onto this other syre,
And furth scho sprent as spark of gleid or fyre;
With spedy fut so swyftly rynnys sche,
By passyt the horssis renk, and furth can fle
Befor hym in the feild with gret disdeyn,
And claucht onon the curser by the reyn;

53

Syne set apon hym baldly, quhar scho stude,
And hir revengit of hir fays blude—
Als lychtly as the happy goishalk, we se,
From the hycht of a rokis pynnakill hie
With swyft weyngis persewis wonder sair
The silly dow heich vp into the ayr,
Quham finaly he clippis at the last,
And lowkyt in his punsys sarris fast,
Thristand his tallans sa throu hir entralis
Quhill at the blude abundantly furth ralys;
And, with hir beik deplumand, on al sydis
The lycht downys vp to the skyis glidis.
Tarchon, gret chiftane of the Tuscan ost,
The fleand folkis to turn agane can bost.
The fader of goddis and men with diligent eyn
Hass all hir dedis vnderstand and seyn,
And, situat in his hevynly houss on hie,
Inducis and commovis to the melle
Tarchon, of Tuscanys pryncipall lord and syre,
In breithfull stoundis rasyt brym as fyre;
So that amyd the ful myschewoss fyght,
The gret slauchter and rowtis takand the flycht,
On horsbak in this Tarchon baldly draw,
Wilfull his pepill to support and saw;
The wardis all of euery natioun
With admonitions seir and exhortatioun
And diuerss wordis tystis to feght, for schame,
Clepand and calland ilk man be his name,
Quhill thai that drevyn war abak and chaste
Relevys agane to the bargane in haist.
“O Tuscane pepill, quhou happynnys this,” said he,
“That ȝhe sal evir sa doillyt and bowbartis be
Onwrokyn sik iniurys to suffir heir?
O, quhat be this? Quhou gret a dreid and feir,

54

Quhou huge dolfnes and schaymful cowardice
Hes ombeset ȝour myndis, apon sik wyss
That a woman allon, and thus belyve,
Apon sik wyss sal scattir ȝou and dryve,
And gar sa large rowtis tak the flycht?
Quharto bair we thir steill egis in fyght?
Or quhat avalys to hald in hand, lat se,
For nocht thir wapynnys, gyf we a wife sall fle?
Ȝe war not wont tobe sa lyddyr ilkane
At nycht batellys and warkis venerian
Or quhar the bowand trumpet blew the spryng,
At Bachus dans to go in caralyng,
Syne go to fest at tabill, and syt at dess,
Se cowpys full, and mony danty mess:
Thar was ȝour lust, plesour, and appetite,
Thar was ȝour bissy cuyr and ȝour delyte;
Quhen that the happy spay man, on hyss gyss,
Pronuncit the festual haly sacryfyss,
And the fat offerandis dyd ȝou call on raw
To banket amyd the dern blissyt schaw.”
And, with that word, amydwart the melle,
Reddy to sterf, his horss furth sterys he,
And awfully onon with all his mayn
Ruschit apon Venulus, stud hym agane;
And with hys rycht arm can hys fa enbrass,
Syk wyss he dyd hym from hys horss arraiss,
And with huge strenth syne dyd hym cowch and lay
Befor his breist, and bair hym quyte away.
The Tuscanys rasyt a clamour to the sky,
And Latynys all thar eyn abowt dyd wry.
This Tarchon, ardent as the fyry levyn,
Flaw furth swyft as a fowle vp towart hevyn,
Berand with hym the armour and the man;
And fra his speris poynt of brak he than
The stelit hed, and syne seyrsis all artis,
Euerilk entre, and all the oppyn partis,
Quhar he mycht fynd into sa litil stovnd
A place patent to geif hym dedis wond.

55

And, be the contrar, Venulus full wight
Maid all debait and obstakill at he mycht,
And can hys hand from hys throt oftsyss chop
With all hys strenth, hys violens to stop.
Lyke as, sum tyme, the ȝallo egill be sycht
The eddir hyntis vp and careis on hyght,
Syne, fleand, in hir feit strenȝeis sa fast
That oft hyr punsys outthrow the skyn dois thrast;
Bot the serpent, wondyt and al toschent,
In lowpyt thrawys wrythis with mony a sprent,
Hyr sprutlyt skalys vpset grysly to se,
With quhisland mouth strekand hir hed on hie;
All thocht scho wreill and sprynkill, bend or skyp,
Evir the sarar this ern strenys hys gryp,
And with hys bowand beik rentis grewsly,
Sammyn with hys weyngis soursand in the sky—
Noyn othyr wyss, this Tarchon tursys hys pray
Throw owt the Tyburtyn rowtis glaid and gay.
The pepill Tuscane, quhilum cum fra Lyde,
Seand the exempill and prosper chans that tyd
Of thar stowt duke, followys hys hardyment,
And with a rusch sammyn in the bargane sprent.
Quhen as ane Aruns, by hys mortal fait
Onto myschewos ded predestinate,
Circulis at the wait, and aspyis abowt
The swyft madyn Camyll, of all the rowt
In honest fait of armys maist expert,
And best betaucht to schute or cast a dart;
He sekis by quhat ways or fortoun
To fynd the fassoun and tyme oportune
Maist esely this lady to assaill;
And all the wentis and renkis, sans faill,
This furyus maid held mydwart the melle,
The sammyn gait and passage haldis he,
And prevely hir futsteppys dyd espy;
And quhar scho dyd return with victory,
With fut bakwart frawart hir aduersar,
This ilk Aruns was ful reddy thar,

56

And thyftuusly onon the sam way he
Withdrew hys payss, and held on hir hys e;
Lurkand at wayt, and spyand rownd about,
Now this tocome, now that onset, but dowt,
At euery part thys pevech man of weyr,
And schuke in hand hys oneschewabill speir.
Aruns the preist slays Camylla be slycht,
Syne cowartly onon takis the flycht.
Per chans that tyde Choreus, of gret estait,
Ane spiritual man blissyt and consecrat,
That to Cybele sum tyme preist had be,
A weill lang space ȝond in the melle
Abilȝeit rychly and full gloryus schane
In pompus armour and array Phrygiane:
Furth dryvys he the fomy sterand steid,
With weirlyke bardis cled, and sovir weid
Of coyrbulȝe or leddir with gilt nalys,
Cowchyt with plait of steill als thik as skalys;
And he hym self, in brovne sangwane weill dycht,
Abuf hys onkouth armour blomand brycht,
Schaftis he schot, and takillys wrocht in Creyt,
With Lycyane bow nokkyt with hornys meyt,
And clattryng by hys schuldyr for the weir
Hys ganȝe cays and goldyn awblaster;
The helm of gold schane on the prestis hed;
Of safron hew, betwix ȝallow and red,
Was hys rych mantill, of quham the forbreist lappys,
Ratlyng of brycht gold wyre, with gyltyn trappys
Or cordis fyne was buklyt with a knot;
Of nedill wark all brusyt was hys cote;
Hys hosyng schane of wark of barbary
In porturatour of subtell brusery.
Thys man only of all the mekyll rowt
The maid Camvlla followis fast about;

57

Quhyddir so it was that Troiane armour shce
Lyst hyng in tempill for memor of trophe,
Or than desyryt this wantoun hunteress
In goldyn attyre hir selwyn to address,
Quhilk scho in feild byreft hyr aduersar;
Throw owt the ost onwarly went alquhar,
Blynd in desyre this Troiane to assay,
In womanly appetyt ardent of this pray,
This precyus spulȝe, and array sa prowd,
Quharwith, as said is, was this preist yschrowd.
Thys forsaid Aruns liggyng at the wait,
Seand this maid onflocht at sik estait,
Chosys hys tyme that was mast oportune,
And towart hir hys dart adressyt sone.
With voce express hys prayer thus maid he:
“O brycht Apollo, souerane god mast hie,
Of haly mont Soractis the wardane,
Quham pryncipaly we wirschip euery ane,
Quhamto the fyry smok of sens, we se,
Blesys in the kyndillit byngis of fyr tre;
As we that wirschippis the with obesans,
Be support of thy devoyt observans,
Oft with our futsteppys and our nakyt solys
Down thryngis feil hait syndris and fyry colys;
Grant me, fader almychty, now I pray,
With our wapynnys this schame to do away.
I ask na trophe, nor the pomposs weyd
Of this maid dovn bet or repulsyt in deid,
Nowder byd I therof spulȝe nor renovn;
My other dedis syne mot mak me bovn
To report honour and lawd efter this;
Bot at this tyme I byd na mair, I wyss,
Salf that this wench, this vengeabill pest or trake,
Be bet dovn ded by my wond and smert strake,
And syne that I may to my kynd cite
Bot ony glor return alyve,” quod he.
Phebus hym hard and grantit to fulfyll
Of hys axin a party, at hys wyll;

58

Bot for the tother part, suyth to say,
He leit do waif with the swyft wynd away;
Consentand that he suld doun bet and sla
By hasty ded the awfull Camylla;
Bot, at hys cuntre hailscarth haymwart brocht
Suld se hym eftir that, he grantit nocht;
And in the clowdy blastis of the sky
That voce and wordis flaw away in hy.
So that, als fast as from hys hand, that stond,
Thirland the ayr this takill gaue a sound,
The rowtis can aduert and takis tent,
Turnand thar syghtis, ilk wight, with a blent
Towart the queyn, thar lady, this Camyll;
Bot scho nane heyd nor tent hess tane thartill,
Nowder of the hasty motioun of the ayr,
Nor ȝit the byrrand sovnd this flycht maid thar,
No ȝit persavyt this awfull schaft of tre
Discendand swyftly fra the hevyn on hie;
Quhill that the lance hir smate and hurt, perfay,
Quhar that hir pap was schorn and cut away,
And weggyt deip within hir cost stude,
Furth sowkis largely of this madynnys blude.
Hyr complicis alsammyn in this neyd
Start to thar lady in affray and dreid;
And sone thai claucht and lappyt in thar armys
This queyn, that funderand was for hir smart harmys.
Bot fyrst of all, for feyr and fell affray,
Thys Aruns fled full fast and brak away,
With blythnes mydlyt havand paynfull dreid:
For he na langar durst into this neyd
Assur forto debait hym with hys speir,
Na ȝit abyd the virgynys wapyn, for feyr.
And lyke as that the wild wolf in hys rage
Knawand hys recent falt and gret owtrage,
Quhen that he hass sum gret ȝong oxin slane,
Or than weryit the nolt hyrd on the plane,
Tofor hys fays with wapynnys hym persew,
Onon is he to the heich mont adew,

59

And hyd hym self full far owt of the way;
Hys taill, that on hys ryg befor tymys lay,
Vnder hys waym lettis fall abasytly,
And to the wod can hast hym intill hy—
Nane other wyss Aruns, that fleyt wight,
Fled, and belyve withdrew hym owt of sycht;
Content only to gyf the bak and fle,
Amang the thikast press hym hyd hess he.
And this Camylla, stervand the ilk stound,
The schaft hass pullyt of hir dedly wound
With hir awyn hand; bot ȝit amang the banys
The scharp steill hed fixt to the rybbys remanys
In a full deip wond and a grewos sayr.
All paill and bludles swarthis scho rycht thar,
And in the deth closys hir cald eyn;
The rudy cullour, vmquhile as purpour scheyn,
Blaknyt, and fadys quyte owt of hir face;
And, ȝaldand vp the gost in the ilk place,
Onto ane of hir damysellis and ferys,
Clepyt Acca, that had beyn mony ȝheris
Only maste trast, and hald in speciall
To Camylla abuf the otheris all,
That knew alhaill the secretis of hir hart,
With quham hir thochtful curys wald scho part,
That tyme scho spak, and said on this maner:
“Acca, Acca, my leif systyr deyr,
Onto this hour I haue done at I myght;
Bot now this dolorus wond so hess me dycht
That all thyng dymmys and myrknys me abowt.
Go fast thy way, and hy the of this rowt;
Schaw Turnus thir my last commandis,” quod sche,
“Byd hym entyr in fecht in sted of me,
And fra the cite thir Troianys dryve away.
Adew for evir! I haue na mar to say.”
Sammyn with that word the renȝeis slyp leyt sche,
And slayd to grond, nocht of fre volunte.
Than the cald deith and last stondis mortall
The spreit dissoluyt from the corps our all;

60

Hyr sowpil crag inclynand and nek bayn,
Bowyt dovn hyr hed that was with deth ourtane;
Furth sprent hyr armys in the ded thrawyng,
And fra hir kest hir wapynnys and armyng.
The spreit of lyfe fled murnand with a grone,
And with disdene dovn to the gostis is goyn.
Opis the nymphe with dartis of Dyane,
Camylla to revenge, hass Aruns slane.
Ane huge clamour than dyd ryss on hycht,
That semyt smyte the goldyn starnys brycht.
The bargane walxis mair cruell and het
Quhar that the stowt Camylla was down bet,
For all the rowtis of the bald Troianys,
The Tyrrheyn dukis semlyt all at anys,
And eik Evandrus wardys of Arcadys,
Sammyn in the press thar aduersaris invadis.
Bot Opis tho, the nymphe, that weill neirby
Be thrynfald Dyane send was to espy,
Sat a lang space apon ane hillys hight,
And onabasyt dyd behald the fyght.
Syn tharefter onfar scho can espy,
Amyd quhar as thir ȝonkeris rasyt this scry,
With schaymfull deth ourtane, Camyll the maid;
Scho wepyt soir, and plenand thus scho said,
Sobband full deip law from hir breist within:
“Allace, virgyne, to mekill, and that is syn,
To mekill all owt, sa cruell punysyng
Hass thou sufferit, certis, for sik a thyng,
Becauss thou hest inforsyt with all thy mycht
Fortill ennoy the Troianys in this fight!
Quhat proffitis the in buskis thyne allane
To haue servyt so lang the blissyt Diane?
Or by thy syde, or than on schuldir hie,
So lang our quavyrris to haue born?” quod sche.

61

“And, netheless, but honour in this sted
Thy queyn hess not the left in poynt of ded;
Nor this thy slauchter but ramemberyng
Amang all pepill sall not be, nor menyng;
Ne salt thou not that schame suffir, trast me,
Forto betald thou suld onwrokyn be.
Quha evir with wond hess schent or violait
Thy fair body, to Dyane dedicate,
He sal repent the tyme that euer thou stervit,
And with his deth aby, as he hes servyt.”
Vnder the montane law thar stude fute hoit
A byng of erth, vphepit like a moyt,
Contenyng the cald assis and brynt banys
Of ald Dercennus, kyng of Lawrentanys,
Ourheld with akyn treis and bewys rank:
Thyddir this goddess, hastand dovn the bank,
Hyr self hess careyt, and thar huvys styll,
And from this knowys hycht, or lityll hyll,
Abydis this ilk Aruns till espy.
And fra scho hym persavys glydand by,
In rich armour schynand wonder brycht,
And all invayn, prowd, wantoun, gay and lycht:
“Quhy haldis thou awaywart so?” quod sche.
“Dress hyddermar thy futsteppis towart me;
Now cummys hyddir to peryss and to sterve,
And caucht dewly, as that thou hess deserve,
Thy reward for Camyllys ded, perde.
On Dyanys dartis, ha, suld syk ane de?”
And with that word, lyke a stowt wench of Trace,
The swyft gilt arow schuke owt of hir cace,
And, rycht amovit, hir hornyt bow hass bent,
Quharin onon the takill vp is stent;
Syne halys vp in ire and felloun haist,
Quhil that the bow and nokkis met almaist;
And now hir handis raxit hyt euery sted,
Hard on the left neyf was the scharp steill hed,
The stryng, vp pullit with the rycht hand in feir,
Went by hir pap almaste ontil hir eyr.

62

Aruns onon the motioun of the ayr
Sammyn with the quhislyng of the takill squar
Persavit hess, and eik the dynt atanys;
The dedly hed throu gyrd his body and banys.
Hys ferys all hess hym forȝet allane,
Quhar as he swelt with mony a wofull grane,
And in ane onkouth feld hess left hym ded,
Bedoif in dust and puldyr, will of red:
Syne Opys with hir weyngis swyft can fle
Abufe the skyis heich in the hevynnys hie.
Acca to Turnus schawys Camyllais chance,
Hir army fled, and left all ordinans.
The swyft army and active rowt wyth this
Of Camilla fled first the feld, I wyss,
For thai had lost thar lady and capitane:
The pissans haill and ostis Tyburtane
Affrayt all togydder gave the flycht;
The bak hess tane Atynas bald and wight;
The chiftanys brak array, and went thar gait,
The banneris left all blowt and desolait,
Socht to warrand on horsbak, he and he,
Frawart thar fays, and held to the cite.
For nane of thame, sa mayt and sa agast,
The ferss Troianys, quhilk thame assalȝeit fast,
Onto the ded and myscheif dyd invaid,
With wapynnys anys to styntyng maid a braid,
Nor thame sustene ne ȝit resist thai mycht,
Bot all atanys sammyn tuke the flycht,
And on thar wery schuldris with gret schame
Thar byg bowys onbent hass tursyt hame;
And the stowt stedis with thar huvys sovnd
With swyft renkis dyndlyt the dusty grond.
The blak stowr of puldir in a stew
Als dyrk as myst towart the wallys threw;

63

On the barmkyn abufe, and turettis hie,
The wemen bet thar breistis, was reuth to se,
Rasand atanys a wofull wyfly cry
Went to the starnys and thyrlyt throw the sky.
And quha mycht formest, with swyft curss hess thame set
To brek in at the oppyn patent ȝet;
The rowtis of thar ennemyss myxt ourane
Apon thame ruschis, and ourthrawys mony ane;
Nor thar eschape thai nocht the wrachit deth,
Bot in the portis ȝaldis vp the breth,
Stekit amyd thar native wallys hie,
And amang howsis quhar sovir semyt thame tobe.
A part closyt the entre and the portis,
Ne to thar ferys, nor ȝit nane other sortis,
The ȝettis listyng oppyn, nor mak way,
Nor, thocht thai oft besekyng thame and pray,
Durst thame ressaue within thar wallys squar.
A duylfull slauchter onon vprisys thar
Of thame in armys stude the portis to defend,
And thame with glavys war kyllyt and maid end.
The son furthschet, that pety was to seyn,
Befor thar wepand wofull faderis eyn;
Sum in the holl fowcy war tumlyt dovn,
Sa thik thame cummyrris the press thrang to the tovn;
Sum hasty and onwarly at the flycht
Sclakis thar brydillys, spurrand in all thar mycht,
Can with a ramrayss to the portis dusche,
Lyke with thar hedis the hard barris to frusch.
The moderis eik and wemen albedene,
Fra tyme Camylla kyllyt haue thai sene,
Knawand thar was extreme necessite,
With all debait stude on the wallys hee.
Sik thyng to do that tyme and tak on hand
The perfyte luf thame taucht of thar kynd land,
And all agast dartis and stanys doun threw:
The syllys squar and hedyt styngis enew,
And perkis gret with byrslyt endis and brunt,
Full hastely doun swakkis, dunt for dunt,

64

And, for defens of thar kynd wallys hie,
Offerit thame self with the formest to de.
In the meyn quhile, as Turnus at the wait
Lay in the wod, fast by the passage strait,
All the maist cruell tithingis fillys hys erys,
For Acca schawys to hym and all hys ferys
The huge affray, quhou the batale was gane,
The Volscane ostis distroyt, and Camyll slane,
Thar noysum fays encressyng furyus rage,
And by thar prosper Martis vassallage
Discumfyst all hys ostis, euery rowt,
That now the cite wallys stud in dowt.
He walxis brayn in furor bellicall,
So desyrus of dedis marciall,
For the hard fatys and strang mychtis he
Of the gret Iove wald that so suldbe:
The hyllys heich he left quhar at he lay,
And from the dern woddis went away.
And scarsly was he passyt owt of syght,
In the plane feild cummyn all at rycht,
Quhen that the prynce Ene with all his men
Hess entryt in and passyt throu the glen,
And our the swyre schawys vp at hys hand
Eschape the dern wod, and won the evyn land;
So that baith twa with thar haill rowtis at last
In all thar speid held to the cite fast.
And na lang space thar ostis war in sondir,
Bot that Ene the feildis reik lyke tundir
Of dusty stowr persauyt a far way,
And saw the Latyne rowtis ryde away;
And ferss Eneas, wyrkar of hys harmys,
Turnus persauyt also ryde in armys,
The dynnyng of thar horss feit eik hard he,
Thar stampyng sterage, and thar stedis ne.
Incontinent thai had to batale went,
And in the bargane previt thar hardyment,
Ne war, as than, the rosy Phebus red
Hys wery stedis had dowkyt our the hed

65

Vnder the stremys of the occeane see,
Reducyng the dyrk nycht, thai mycht not se;
Alhaill declynyt had the days lycht.
To tentis than befor the tovn ilk wight
Bownyng to rest, al thai that war with owt,
And delvys trynschis all the wallys abowt.
Explicit liber vndecimus Eneados Incipit prologus in duodecimum eiusdem

67

The Proloug of the xii Buke of Eneados

Dyonea, nycht hyrd and wach of day,
The starnys chasyt of the hevyn away,
Dame Cynthia dovn rollyng in the see,
And Venus lost the bewte of hir e,
Fleand eschamyt within Cylenyus cave;
Mars onbydrew, for all his grundyn glave,
Nor frawart Saturn from hys mortall speir
Durst langar in the firmament appeir,
Bot stall abak ȝond in hys regioun far
Behynd the circulat warld of Iupiter;
Nycthemyne, affrayt of the lyght,
Went ondir covert, for gone was the nycht;
As fresch Aurora, to myghty Tytan spows,
Ischit of hir safron bed and evir hows,
In crammysyn cled and granyt violat,
With sangwyne cape, the selvage purpurat,
Onschet the wyndois of hir large hall,
Spred all with rosys, and full of balm ryall,
And eik the hevynly portis cristallyne
Vpwarpis braid, the warld till illumyn.
The twynklyng stremowris of the orient
Sched purpour sprangis with gold and asur ment,
Persand the sabill barmkyn nocturnall,
Bet doun the skyis clowdy mantill wall;
Eous the steid, with ruby hamys red,
Abuf the sey lyftis furth hys hed,
Of cullour soyr, and sumdeill brovn as berry,
Forto alichtyn and glaid our emyspery,
The flambe owtbrastyng at his noyss thyrlys;
Sa fast Pheton with the quhyp hym quhyrlys,
To roll Appollo hys faderis goldyn char,
That schrowdith all the hevynnys and the ayr;
Quhill schortly, with the blesand torch of day,
Abilȝeit in hys lemand fresch array,

68

Furth of hys palyce ryall ischit Phebus,
With goldyn crovn and vissage gloryus,
Crysp haris, brycht as chrisolyte or topace,
For quhais hew mycht nane behald hys face,
The fyry sparkis brastyng from hys eyn,
To purge the ayr, and gylt the tendyr greyn,
Defundand from hys sege etheryall
Glaid influent aspectis celicall;
Befor hys regale hie magnificens
Mysty vapour vpspryngand, sweit as sens,
In smoky soppys of donk dewis wak,
Moich hailsum stovys ourheldand the slak;
The aureat fanys of hys trone souerane
With glytrand glans ourspred the occiane,
The large fludis lemand all of lycht
Bot with a blenk of hys supernale sycht.
Fortobehald, it was a glor to se
The stablit wyndis and the cawmyt see,
The soft sesson, the firmament sereyn,
The lowne illumynat ayr, and fyrth ameyn;
The syluer scalyt fyschis on the greit
Ourthwort cleir stremys sprynkland for the heyt,
With fynnys schynand brovn as synopar,
And chyssell talys, stowrand heir and thar;
The new cullour alychtnyng all the landis,
Forgane thir stannyris schame the beriall strandis,
Quhil the reflex of the diurnall bemys
The beyn bonkis kest ful of variant glemys;
And lusty Flora dyd hyr blomys spreid
Vnder the feit of Phebus sulȝart steid;
The swardit soyll enbrovd with selcouth hewys,
Wod and forest obumbrat with thar bewys,
Quhois blisfull branschis, porturat on the grund,
With schaddoys schene schew rochis rubicund;
Towris, turettis, kyrnellis, pynnaclys hie
Of kyrkis, castellis and ilke fair cite,
Stude payntit, euery fyall, fayn and stage,
Apon the plane grund, by thar awyn vmbrage.

69

Of Eolus north blastis havand no dreid,
The sulȝe spred hir braid bosum on breid,
Ȝephyrus confortabill inspiratioun
Fortill ressaue law in hyr barm adoun;
The cornys croppis and the beris new brerd
With glaidsum garmont revestyng the erd;
So thik the plantis sprang in euery peyce,
The feildis ferleis of thar fructuus fleyce;
Byssy Dame Ceres and provd Pryapus,
Reiosyng of the planys plentuus,
Plenyst sa plesand and mast propyrly,
By natur nurysyt wondir nobilly,
On the fertill skyrt lappys of the grund
Strekyng on breid ondyr the cyrkyll rovnd;
The variand vestur of the venust vaill
Schrowdis the scherald fur, and euery faill
Ourfret with fulȝeis of figuris full diuerss,
The spray bysprent with spryngand sprowtis dispers,
For callour humour on the dewy nyght.
Rendryng sum place the gerss pilis thar hycht,
Als far as catal, the lang symmyris day,
Had in thar pastur eyt and knyp away;
And blisfull blossummys in the blomyt ȝard
Submittis thar hedis in the ȝong sonnys salfgard:
Ive levys rank ourspred the barmkyn wall,
The blomyt hawthorn cled hys pykis all;
Furth of fresch burgionys the wyne grapis ȝyng
Endland the treilȝeis dyd on twystis hyng;
The lowkyt buttonys on the gemmyt treis
Ourspredand leyvis of naturis tapestreis,
Soft gresy verdour eftir balmy schowris
On curland stalkis smylyng to thar flowris;
Behaldand thame sa mony diuerss hew,
Sum perss, sum paill, sum burnet, and sum blew,
Sum greyce, sum gowlys, sum purpour, sum sangwane,
Blanchit or brovne, fawch ȝallow mony ane,
Sum hevynly culloryt in celestiall gre,
Sum watry hewit as the haw wally see.

70

And sum depart in freklys red and quhite,
Sum brycht as gold with aureat levys lyte.
The dasy dyd onbreid hir crownell smaill,
And euery flour onlappyt in the daill;
In battill gyrss burgionys the banwart wild,
The clavyr, catcluke, and the cammamyld;
The flour delyss furthspred hys hevynly hew,
Flour dammes, and columby blank and blew;
Seir downys smaill on dent de lyon sprang
The ȝyng greyn blomyt straberry levys amang;
Gymp gerraflouris thar royn levys onschet,
Fresch prymross, and the purpour violet;
The royss knoppys, tutand furth thar hed,
Gan chyp, and kyth thar vermel lippys red,
Crysp scarlet levis sum scheddand, baith atanys
Kest fragrant smell amyd from goldyn granys;
Hevynly lylleis, with lokrand toppys quhyte,
Oppynnyt and schew thar creistis redymyte,
The balmy vapour from thar silkyn croppys
Distilland hailsum sugurat hunny droppys,
And syluer schakaris gan fra levys hyng,
With crystal sprayngis on the verdour ȝyng;
The plane pulderit with semly settis sovnd,
Bedyit full of dewy peirlys rovnd,
So that ilk burgioun, syon, herb and flour
Wolx all enbalmyt of the fresch liquour,
And bathit hait dyd in dulce humouris fleyt,
Quharof the beys wrocht thar hunny sweit,
By myghty Phebus operations,
In sappy subtell exalations.
Forgane the cummyn of this prynce potent,
Redolent odour vp from rutis sprent,
Hailsum of smell as ony spicery,
Tryakill, droggis, or electuary,
Seroppys, sewane, sugur, and synamome,
Precyus invnctment, salve, or fragrant pome,
Aromatik gummys, or ony fyne potioun,
Must, myr, aloes, or confectioun—

71

Ane paradyce it semyt to draw neir
Thir galȝart gardyngis and ilke greyn herber.
Maist amyabill walxis the amerant medis;
Swannys swouchis throw owt the rysp and redis,
Our al thir lowys and the fludis gray
Seirsand by kynd a place quhar thai suld lay.
Phebus red fowle hys corall creist can steir,
Oft strekyng furth hys hekkill, crawand cleir,
Amyd the wortis and the rutys gent
Pykland hys meyt in alleis quhar he went,
Hys wifis, Toppa and Partelot, hym by,
As byrd al tyme that hantis bigamy.
The pantyt povn, pasand with plomys gym,
Kest vp his taill, a provd plesand quheill rym,
Yschrowdyt in hys fedrame brycht and scheyn,
Schapand the prent of Argus hundreth eyn.
Amang the bronys of the olyve twestis
Seir smaill fowlys wirkand crafty nestis,
Endlang the heggeis thyk and on rank akis,
Ilk byrd reiosyng with thar myrthfull makis.
In corneris and cleir fenystaris of glass
Full bissely Aragne wevand was,
To knyt hir nettis and hir wobbys sle,
Tharwith to caucht the myghe and litill fle.
So dusty pulder vpstowris in euery streit,
Quhil corby gaspyt for the fervent heit.
Vnder the bewys beyn in lusty valys,
Within fermans and parkis cloyss of palys,
The bustuus bukkis rakis furth on raw;
Heyrdis of hertis throw the thyk wod schaw,
Baith the brokkettis, and with braid burnyst tyndis,
The sprutlyt calvys sowkand the red hyndis,
The ȝong fownys followand the dun days,
Kyddis skippand throw ronnys efter rays;
In lyssouris and on leys litill lammys
Full tayt and tryg socht bletand to thar dammys,
Tydy ky lowys, veilys by thame rynnys;
All snog and slekit worth thir bestis skynnys.

72

On salt stremys wolx Doryda and Thetis,
By rynnand strandis Nymphes and Naedes,
Sik as we clepe wenschis and damysellis,
In gresy gravys wandrand by spryng wellis,
Of blomyt branchis and flowris quhite and red
Plettand thar lusty chaplettis for thar hed;
Sum sang ryng sangis, dansys ledys, and rovndis,
With vocis schill, quhill all the dail resovndis;
Quharso thai walk into thar caralyng,
For amorus lays doith the rochys ryng:
Ane sang, “The schyp salys our the salt faym,
Will bryng thir merchandis and my lemman haym;”
Sum other syngis, “I wilbe blyth and lycht,
Myne hart is lent apon sa gudly wight.”
And thochtfull luffaris rowmys to and fro,
To lyss thar pane, and pleyn thar ioly wo,
Eftir thar gyss, now syngand, now in sorow,
With hartis pensyve, the lang symmyris morow:
Sum ballettis lyst endyte of hys lady,
Sum levis in hoip, and sum aluterly
Disparit is, and sa quyte owt of grace,
Hys purgatory he fyndis in euery place.
To pleyss his lufe sum thocht to flat and feyn,
Sum to hant bawdry and onlesum meyn;
Sum rownys to hys fallow, thame betwene,
Hys myrry stouth and pastans lait ȝisterevin:
Smyland says ane, “I couth in previte
Schaw the a bovrd.” “Ha, quhat be that?” quod he,
“Quhat thyng?” “That most be secrete,” said the tother.
“Gud Lord, mysbeleif ȝe ȝour verray broder?”
“Na, neuer a deill, bot harkis quhat I wald;
Thou mon be prevy.” “Lo, my hand vphald.”
“Than sal thou walk at evin.” Quod he, “Quhidder?”
“In sik a place heir west, we baith togydder,
Quhar scho so freschly sang this hyndyr nycht;
Do choyss the ane, and I sall quynch the lycht.”
“I salbe thar I hope,” quod he and lewch,
“Ȝa, now I knaw the mater weill eneuch.”

73

Thus oft dywlgat is this schamefull play,
Na thyng accordyng to our hailsum May,
Bot rathar contagius and infective,
And repugnant that sesson nutrytyve,
Quhen new curage kytlys all gentill hartis,
Seand throu kynd ilk thyng spryngis and revertis.
Dame Naturis menstralis, on that other part,
Thar blysfull bay entonyng euery art,
To beyt thir amorus of thar nychtis baill,
The merl, the mavyss and the nychtyngale
With mery notis myrthfully furth brest,
Enforcyng thame quha mycht do clynk it best:
The cowschet crowdis and pyrkis on the ryss,
The styrlyng changis diuerss stevynnys nyss,
The sparrow chyrmys in the wallis clyft,
Goldspynk and lyntquhite fordynnand the lyft;
The gukgo galys, and so quytteris the quaill,
Quhill ryveris rerdit, schawis and euery vaill,
And tender twystis trymlyt on the treis
For byrdis sang and bemyng of the beys;
In wrablis dulce of hevynly armonyis
The larkis, lowd releschand in the skyis,
Lovys thar lege with tonys curyus,
Baith to Dame Natur and the fresch Venus,
Rendryng hie lawdis in thar obseruance;
Quhais suguryt throtis maid glaid hartis danss,
And al smail fowlys syngis on the spray:
“Welcum the lord of lycht and lamp of day,
Welcum fostyr of tendir herbys grene,
Welcum quyknar of floryst flowris scheyn,
Welcum support of euery rute and vayn,
Welcum confort of alkynd fruyt and grayn,
Welcum the byrdis beild apon the brer,
Welcum master and rewlar of the ȝer,
Welcum weilfar of husbandis at the plewys,
Welcum reparar of woddis, treis and bewys,
Welcum depayntar of the blomyt medis,
Welcum the lyfe of euery thyng that spredis,

74

Welcum storour of alkynd bestiall,
Welcum be thy brycht bemys, gladyng all,
Welcum celestial myrrour and aspy,
Attechyng all that hantis sluggardy!”
And with this word, in chalmer quhar I lay,
The nynt morow of fresch temperit May,
On fut I sprent into my bair sark,
Wilfull fortill compleit my langsum wark
Twichand the lattyr buke of Dan Virgill,
Quhilk me had tareit al to lang a quhile;
And tobehald the cummyng of this kyng,
That was sa welcum tyll all warldly thyng,
With sic tryumphe and pompos curage glaid
Than of hys souerane chymmys, as is said,
Newly aryssyn in hys estait ryall,
That, by hys hew, but orleger or dyall,
I knew it was past four howris of day,
And thocht I wald na langar ly in May
Less Phebus suld me losanger attaynt—
For Progne had or than sung hir complaynt,
And eik hir dreidfull systir Philomeyn
Hyr lays endyt, and in woddis greyn
Hyd hir selvyn, eschamyt of hir chance;
And Esacus completis hys pennance
In ryveris, fludis, and on euery laik;
And Peristera byddis luffaris awaik:
“Do serve my lady Venus heir with me,
Lern thus to mak ȝour obseruance,” quod sche,
“Into myne hartis ladeis sweit presens
Behaldis how I beynge, and do reuerens.”
Hyr nek scho wrynklys, trasyng mony fold,
With plomys glitterand, asur apon gold,
Rendryng a cullour betwix greyn and blew,
In purpour glans of hevynly variant hew;
I meyn our awyn natyve byrd, gentill dow,
Syngand in hyr kynd, “I come hydder to wow,”
So pryklyng hyr greyn curage forto crowd
In amorus voce and wowar soundis lowd,

75

That, for the dynnyng of hir wanton cry,
I irkyt of my bed, and mycht not ly,
Bot gan me blyss, syne in my wedis dress,
And, for it was ayr morow, or tyme of mess,
I hynt a scriptour and my pen furth tuke,
Syne thus begouth of Virgill the twelt buke. etc
Explicit scitus prologus,
Quharof the autour says thus:
The lusty crafty preambill, “perle of May”
I the entitil, crownyt quhil domysday,
And al with gold, in syng of stait ryall
Most beyn illumnyt thy letteris capital. etc

76

Turnus, persavand the Latyn pepill faill,
Promittis Eneas allone hym tyll assaill.
Quhen Turnus knew the Latyn pepill haill
Irk of the weir, and saw thar curage faill,
By the frawart aduersiteis of Mart,
Quhilk war tofor onbrokyn and stowt of hart,
And thocht the tyme requiris hym, but abaid,
Forto compleit the promys he had maid,
Semyng as towartis hym tho euery wight
To that effect addressyt thar luke and sycht,
Than, onrequirit, by insaciabill desyre
Langang to feght, and byrnand hait as fyre,
Full hie rasand hys curage and hys cheir,
He gan amyd the audiens appeir.
Fers as a wild lyoun ȝond in Trace,
By the huntar wondyt in the chace,
Quhen the smert straik in hys breist all fast is,
For ire the lokkyrris of hys nek vpcastis,
Than first begynnyng to rayss hys stern moyd,
Reiosyt of the bataill, fers and wod,
Onabasytly raschand the schaft in sundir,
And on the man liggand at wait thar vndir,
Hym to revenge, with bludy mouth doys bray—
Nane other wyss ferd Turnus the ilk day,
Smytyn so brym in fervent violens,
That all commouyt in the kyngis presens
On this maner begouth to speke and say:
“Thar sall in Turnus be fund na delay;
And al for nocht ȝon cowart Eneadanys
Thar promyss and thar wordis cumis aganys,
Willyng retreit thar behestis and sawys;
Sa salt thai nocht; we wil nane sik lawys:
I sal thar falshed resist and ganestand,
And feght contrar thar chiftane hand for hand.
Thou ryall prynce and fader, Kyng Latyne,
Do sacryfy and conferm this convyne:

77

For owdyr sall I with thir handis twa
Ȝon ilk Troiane, banyst of Asya,
Do put to deth, send down to hell,” quod he,
“Lat Latyn pepill syttyng by to se
Quhou, myne allane with swerd in thar presens
I sall revenge and end our allyris offens;
Or than, gyf so betyd he wyn the gre,
Lat ws all venquyst to hym subiect be,
Ȝeld hym the crown enduryng term of lyve,
And lat hym ioys Lavinia to hys wyfe.”
Kyng Latyn tho with sad and degest mynd
To hym answeris, and said apon this kynd:
“O douchty ȝyngkeir, excellent of curage,
Quhou far as by thy forcy vassallage
My febill age thou doith exceid,” quod he,
“Als far mair diligently pertenys me,
And ganand is, to consell and provyde,
And exemyn euery chance may betyde,
As I that hass in part a maner feir,
Be lang experiens knawand the dowtis of weir.
Thow weldis Dawnus thy faderis realm and land,
And feil citeis conquest with thyne awyn hand;
Tharto thou hass alsso a gentill hart,
Liberall and fre, and in weir most expert,
And Kyng Latyn hess gold to geif the eik.
Perfay, enew otheris, not far to seik,
Of madynnys beyn onwed in Latyum wyde,
And in the Lawrent feildis heir besyde,
Of blude and frendschip na thyng myssemand,
Bot worthy to be queyn of ony land.
Thoill me, I pray the, al dissait done away,
Thir wordis quhoyn of weght to the till say,
And sammyn prent thir sawys in thy wyt.
Onlesum is I suld in wedlok knyt
My douchtir till ald wowaris of this land,
That hir tofor had axit in sik band:
All the spa men and goddis revelyng
Declarit plane that was onlesum thyng.

78

And netheless, I, venquyst cleyn but weir,
For luf of the my spowsys cousyng deir,
Ourcummyn be hir wofull terys and syte,
All maner bandys now hess brokyn quyte;
And fra my son in law, full wrangwisly,
Hys spouss onto hym promyst reft haue I,
And forthir on hym movit a wikkyt weir.
Sen syne in quhate chance I stand and danger,
And quhou fers batellis now persewys me,
Full weill thou wait and seis, Turnus,” quod he,
“And quhou huge travale thou has tholit and pane,
As principall maste douchty capitane.
Lo, twyss in batale venquyst haue we be,
And now scantly within our wallit cite
The hope and weill of Italy defendis;
Now of our recent blude, as noterly kend is,
The flude of Tibir walxis hait agane,
And of our huge banys quhite semys the plane.
Quhou am I sterit thus in purposs seir?
And quhidder flow I thus oft thar and heir?
Quhat mad foly all tochangis my thocht?
Gyf that I reddy be and dowtit nocht
The Troianys for my frendis to ressaue,
Gif so war Turnus ded war and bygrave,
Quhat, aucht I nocht far rather end the weir
He beand in prosperyte haill and feir?
Quhat wald our cosyngis, the Rutilianys,
Or quhat wald say the other Italianys,
Gyf the I suld thus wyss sa wilfully,
Axyng our douchteris wedlok and ally,
Expone or offer to the ded?” quod he.
“Forton defend that chance at sa suld be!
Behald the chance of batale variabill,
Persave of weir the fykkill ward onstabill:
Haue reuth and mercy of thy fader ald,
Quham Ardea now, hys cuntre, doys withhald,
Diuidit far and disseuerit from the,
And for thy saik quhou wobegone is he.”

79

Thus said the kyng, bot the violent curage
Of Turnus hie mynd bowit neuer a stage;
Quha wald with cuyr of medycyne hym meyss,
The moir encressys and growys hys mail eyss;
And, eftir that he first mycht speke agane,
Thus he began expreym with wordis plane:
“O thou maist souerane fader, I the pray,
To salue my honour, thou wald do away
Thir curis, thochtis and solicitude
For me thou takis; and, schortly to conclude,
Suffir me forto plege my deth in wage,
For gloryus renovn of vassillage;
For we, fader, can swak dartis and brandis,
Nocht with febill bot stalwart rycht handis,
And of our wondis the red blude ruschis owt.
To ȝonder provd Troiane, clepit sa stowt,
Hys moder at this tyme salbe far to seik,
Quhilk goddes with hir subtell slychtis eik
Hir son, accustumat to tak the flycht,
Was wont to dek, and to hyde owt of sycht
Within a wifly clowd, as for a trayn,
And heild hir self alsso in schaddois vayn.”
The queyn perswadis Turnus fra stryfe desist,
Bot he for batal can agane resist.
Be than the queyn Amata, all in feir
Of this onkouth and new maner of weir,
Wepyng full soir, all dedlyke, full of harmys,
Hyr son in law Turnus hynt in hir armys,
That was sa fervent in his ardent desyre.
“Turnus,” said scho, “thou best belovit syre,
Be thir ilk wofull terys I the pra,
And be the wirschip thou aw till Amata,
Gyf ony honour of hir or thy kyn
Twichys or movis into thy breist within,

80

I the beseik a thyng, myne awyn knycht;
Desist and cess to mach Troianys in fight.
Thou only comfort of our febill eld,
Thou all our rest, our weilfar and our beld,
Haue reuth and piete of my wofull baill:
In thy power and mycht restis alhaill
The wirschip and empyre of Kyng Latyn;
Hys howss and famyll, now lyke to declyne,
In the remanys, and is by the vpbor.
I the assuyr, and certifeis tharfor,
Quhat aventour in this fight sall happyn the,
The self chance, Turnus, sall betyd me:
Sammyn with the, gif thou endis in that stryfe,
I sal depart furth of this irksum lyfe,
Nor nevir thrall sall I remane to se
Ȝon ilk Eneas son in law to me.”
Lavinia the maid, with soir smert,
Hyr moderis wordis felt deip in hyr hart,
So that the rud dyd hyr vissage glow,
And full of terys gan hyr chekis strow;
The fervent fyre of schame rysys on hie,
Kyndland mar large the red culloryt bewte,
So that the natural heit the blude dyd chace
Our all the partis of hir quhitly face;
Quhill that this virgyn, in this wofull rage,
Syk cullouris rendris from hir fresch vissage,
As quha byspark wald the quhite evor Indane
With scarlet droppis or with brovn sangwane,
Or quhar the scheyn lylleis in ony sted
War pulderit with the vermel rosys red.
The hait luf trublys sor the knyght,
That on this maid he fixis all hys sycht,
And all the mair he byrnys in desyre
Of bargane into armys, hait as fyre;
Syne to the queyn Amata, but abaid,
In few wordis on this wyss he said:
“O my deir moder, of thy wepyng ho,
I ȝow beseik, do not, do not so,

81

Persew me not thus with ȝour grete and teris,
Nor quhen I pass onto thir mortall werys,
In marciall bargane contrary my fo,
Do wa to present me sik takyn of wo:
In Turnus myghtis lyis nocht,” quod he,
“The chance of deth to mak hym selvyn fre,
I say, gyf deth this way be to me schaip,
Now may I not astart, nor it eschape,
For at this tyme instant my messynger,
Idmon clepyt, my credens hecht tober
Now to ȝone Troiane tyrrand, rehersyng
My wordis, quhilkis lykis hym na thyng,
That is to knaw, to morow, als ayrly
As brycht Aurora in the orient sky
With rosy chariot lyftis vp hir hed,
The firmament schrowdyng in cullour red,
That he move not aganys Rutilyanys,
Hys ostis, nor nane army of Troianys,
Bot athir half fra batale, for the best,
Baith sall Troianys and Rutilianys thame rest;
And lat ws twa, this bargane to conclude,
Betwix ws only dereyn with our blude,
And into ȝonder feld, in stalwart stryfe,
Lat athir seik Lavinia to hys wyfe.”
Fra this was said, fast to hys in he spedis,
And bad onon do lat hym se hys stedis:
Behaldand thame reiosys he in hart,
To se thame stand sa fers with curage smart;
Quhilk kynd of horss quhilum, as thai say,
Orythia, the lusty fresch may,
Of Athenis the kyngis douchter and ayr,
As ane maste ryall presand, wonder fair,
Send from hir cuntre to Kyng Pilumnus,
Was forgrandschir onto this ilk Turnus;
The quhilk stedis, schapyn at all delyte,
Excedit far the snaw in cullour quhite;
To speke of speid, thar swyftnes was ontald,
For thai the wyndis blast forryn wald.

82

The byssy knapys and verlettis of hys stabill
Abowt thame stud, full ȝaip and seruyabill,
And with thar holl luyffis gan thame cheir,
Dyd clap and straik thar leyndis to mak thame steir,
Thar lokrand manys and thar crestis hie
Dressys with trelȝeis and camys honestlye.
Fra thens onto hys chalmyr went he syne;
Abowt his schuldris assays hys halbryk fyne,
Of burnyst maill, and schynand rychely
Of fynast gold and quhitly alcomy.
Tharwith alsso hys swerd addressis he,
Quhat way he wald it oys in the melle;
Hys sovir scheld assays he alsso,
And eik hys tymbret helm with crestis two;
Quhilk swerd was maid onto Dawnus hys syre
Be Wlcanus, the myghty god of fyre,
That forgyt this blaid and temperit with hys handis,
Hait glowand dyppyt in the Stigiane strandis.
Syne with gret fors, enarmyt in all hys geir,
Full lychtly vp he hynt hys stalwart speir,
Quhilk tho amyddis the hall lenand stud
Vp by a pillar huge squar and rude,
Quhilum the spulȝe he byreft from ane
Clepyt Actor, a capitane Auruncane;
The schaft he schuke and branglys lustely,
Tharto with lowd voce thus can he cry:
“O now thou speir, that nevir failȝeit thy deid
Quhen I the callyt to my desyre in neid,
Quhilum the weldit Actor, mast douchty knycht,
Now the in hand withaldis Turnus wight;
Now is the tyme that I maste myster the;
Forto dovn bet the corps thou grant to me
Of ȝondir Phrigiane, is skant half a man,
That with my stalwart handis I may than
Hys halbrik of hys body to arrass,
Hakkyt and rent and persyt in mony place,
And in the dusty puldyr heir and thar
Suddill and fyle hys crispand ȝallow hair,

83

That ayr maid creyss, and curlys now sa weill,
Yplet ilk nycht on the warm broch of steill,
Dekkyt and donk, on hys wifly maner,
Of fragrant myr and other envnctmentis seir.”
With sykkyn fury rage catchyt is he,
That thus he carpys till a schaft of tre;
And from the vissage of this ardent syre
The sparkis glydis as the hait fyre,
For veray fervour of the feirfull teyn
Schynys and brystis furth of baith hys eyn—
Lyke as the bull, that bargane begyn wald,
Gevis terribill rowstis and lowis monyfald,
Or than aggrevit, bustuus and furthborn,
Presys hys ire to assay with hys horn,
Lenand hys spald to the stok of a tre,
And with hys dynt the wynd torentis he,
Or, forto mak debait apon the land,
With hys hard clufe vpwarpys fast the sand.
In the self tyme, na less of curage, Enee,
Cled in hys moderis armour awfull to se,
Scharpys hym self in furour marciall,
Rasand hys greif for ardour bellicall,
And ioyus wolx of weir to mak ane end
By syk proffer and poyntment as was send.
Syne comfortis he hys ferys dolorus,
And mesyt the dreid of sad Ascanyus,
Declarand thame the fatale ordinans,
Thar destyne, and goddis purvians;
And to the kyng of Lawrenteis, Latyn,
Twychand this forsaid trety and convyne,
Bad the messyngeris bair hame but delay
Sovir answer, as thai desyrit alway,
And of the peyss and trewys, as thai spak,
Proclame articulis and lawys of contract.

84

Iuno, knawand Turnus last day at end,
To stop the bargane hass Iuturna send.
Scarsly vpsprang the nixt day followyng,
Scheddand the bemys of hys bryght mornyng
Apon the toppis of the montanys hie,
As Phebus stedis first of the deip se
Rasyt thar hedis and noyss thirlys on hight,
Our all the feildis blawand the cleir lyght;
Quhen that the Troianys and Rutilianys
The grund myssouris, evynnys, dichtis and planys,
Vndir the wallys of the cheif cite,
Thar as the feild and fechtyng place suldbe;
Amyddis quham the harthis vp thai set,
Quharon the fyris suldbe maid and bet,
And to the common goddis eik bedeyn
The altaris coverit with the scherald greyn.
Sum otheris brocht the fontane watir fair,
And sum the haly ingill with thame bair;
With lynnyng valis or lyke apronys lycht
Thai war arrayt, and thar hedis dicht
In wyppys of the haly herb vervane.
The legionys tho furth haldis to the plane,
And all the rowtis of Awsonyanys,
That otherwyss ar hait Italyanys,
Furth thryngis at the portis full attonys,
With lancis lang and pykkis for the nonys.
Thydder all the Troianys wardis, by and by,
And Tyrrheyn ostis ruschis hastely,
Bodyn full weill in nobill armour seir;
Nane otherwyss with wapynnys and with geir
Arrayt for the batale all at rycht,
Than thocht the fury of Mars thame callit to fycht.
Amyd the thousandis swyftly throw the planys
Furth sprentis lustely thir capitanys,
In rich purpour arrayt and fyne gold brycht,
Assaricus sonnys and Mnestheus wight,

85

And on the tother part strang Asilas,
And bald Mesapus also with hym was,
Neptunus son, expert in horss dantyng.
And eftir that the trumpet blew a syng,
Than euery partyment bownys to thar stand,
And gan thar speris stik doun in the land,
Set by thar scheildis, to behald the fyne.
The wemen wedois and the matronys syne,
Desyrys forto se the bargane stowt,
Of childyr and of commonys mony a rowt
That couth na wapynnys weld, nor armour weir,
With the onweldy agit folk infeir,
Clam on the hight and hedis of the towris,
The wallys all and howsis ryggyngis flowris;
And sum abufe apon the portis hie
Ascendit ar to behald the melle.
Bot Iuno tho dovn from the hycht, I wyss,
Of the montane that Albane clepit is
Now in our days (set than this hyllys dovn
Had nowder name, honour nor renovne),
Scho dyd behald amyd the feildis plane
Athir batellis and the ostis twane,
Baith of the Troianys and the Laurenteis,
And Kyng Latynus cite eik scho seys.
Onon to Turnus systyr vp on hie,
That clepit was Iuturna, carpys sche,
Thys goddes to that haly nymphe, mastres
Of wellys, stankis and rowtand stremys express,
Quhilk honour Iove, the kyng of hevynnys hie,
Hyr gave for the byreft virginite,
Said: “O thou nymphes, wirschip of fludis cleir,
That to my saul is hald maste leif and deir,
Thow knawys weill, I the preferrit ay
To all the otheris damysellys, perfay,
Of Latyn cuntre, quhat so evir thai wer
That wrangwisly ascendit or drew neir
The bed onprofitabill of Iupiter mast hie;
And glaidly eik haue I not stakyt the

86

Intill a party of the hevyn alssua?
Hark now thy sorow, thou Iuturna,
And wyte me not bot I the warnyt haue.
Turnus and thy cheif cite haue I save,
Sa lang as that the fatis sufferit me,
And quhill werd sisteris sa tholyt tobe;
Bot now I se that ȝong man haste, but faill,
To mach in feild with fatis inequaill;
The lattir day and term approchis ne
Of fatale fors and strangast destyne.
Nowder this bargane ȝonder on the greyn
Nor confideratioun may I se with eyn.
Pass thou on, for thy deir brothir germane
Gyf thou dar suffir ony mar dreidfull pane;
To the this semys and pertenys,” quod sche,
“Gyf that, perchans, ony bettyr may be,
Or eft betyd onto ȝon catyvis kend.”
Scars had Iuno thir wordis brocht to end,
Quhen that the nymphe Iuturna bedeyn
Plente of terys furthȝet from hir eyn;
Hyr fair quhite breist, thar as scho dyd stand,
Thryss or four tymys smait with hir awyn hand.
Saturnus get, this Iuno, says: “Tha terys
Na wyss to this tyme pertenys nor efferys.
Hast the, gyf that thou can be ony way
Withdraw thy brother from the deth away;
Or than do mak the ostis baith on steir,
Provok the batale, and thame move to weir,
And this convyn and trety, new consave,
Do brek, disturb and with the wynd bywave.
I sall the warrand and the wyrkar be
To mak the baldly vndertak,” quod sche.
On this wyss Iuno can this nymphe exort,
And left hir hail in weir and dowt, at schort,
With mynd full tryst, wobegone and onsound,
Full deip smyttyn with the sorowfull wound.

87

Heir followis the sacrifyce and prayer
Fyrst of Eneas, syne Kyng Latyn infeir.
In the meyn tyme, the kyngis of athir rowt
From thar citeis and strenthis ischis owt.
Amyd a four quhelit char Latyn that thraw
With huge pomp by stedis fowr was draw,
Quhais haris and hys tymplis war weil dycht
With ryall crown of fyne gold burnyst brycht,
Quharon stud turrettis twelf, lyke bemys scheyn,
As it ane rych enornament had beyn
Of cleir Phebus, that was hys grandschir hald:
Nixt quham furth rollyt was Prynce Turnus bald
Within a twa quhelyt chariot of delyte,
That drawyn was with stedis twa mylk quhyte;
In athir hand held he, in feir of weir,
The braid hed brangland on the ievillyng speir.
The fader Eneas alsso furth withall,
Of Romane lynnage the originall,
Apon the tother half com thame agane,
With byrnyst scheild that brycht as starris schane,
And hevynly armour lemand all of lycht:
Besyde hym raid Ascanyus the sweit wyght,
That semyt weil, till euery manis doym,
Ane other gude beleif and hope to gret Roym.
Furth come the preste, quhamto accordyt mak
The sacrifice of concord and contract,
In vestment cleyn, for syk religioun wrocht,
And a ȝong byrsyt swyne befor thame brocht,
With a rowch twyntyr scheip sammyn infeir,
Quhais woll or fleyce was neuer clyp with scheir;
The bestis furth hess tursyt this ilke syre
Onto the altar blesand of hait fyre.
The princis tho, quhilkis suld this payce makyng,
Turnys towartis the brycht sonnys vprysyng,
With the salt meldyr in thar handis raith;
The forrettis of thir bestis toppys baith

88

They clyp and myssour, as tho was the gyss,
And cowpys full of wyne in sacryfyss
Abowt the altaris ȝettis he and he.
With drawyn swerd syne the reuthfull Enee
Hys orison furth maid, and thus he said:
“O thou brycht son, with thy scheyn bemys glaid,
Be wytnes now till my behest, I pray;
And this ilk grund mot testyfy quhat I say,
For quham sa gret payn and aduersyte
I sufferit haue feill syth on land and see;
And thou almychty Iove heir my prayer;
Saturnus douchtir, thou hys spowss sa deir,
Now mor benyng than thou was of befor,
Sweit goddess, heir me now, I the implor;
And gentill Mars now takis tent heirtill,
That withhaldis and writhis at thy will
Every batale, stryfe, weirfar or debait
Vndyr thy hie power deificait;
All fludys I call, fontanys and stremys cleir,
And all maner of reuerend goddis seir
Abuf the hevyn ydred and starrit sky;
And ȝow eik, blissyt wightis, I testify,
That vnder erth or law in hell doun beyn,
Or in the fomy seis stremys greyn:
Gif so betyd, that fallys the victory
To Turnus on the Ausonyan party,
It is conuenient, and we grant to fle,
As venquyst folk, till Evandrus cite;
Ascanyus sall als tyte thir feildis withdraw,
Nor Eneadanys neuer, from the ilk thraw,
Aganyst ȝou sall rebell nor move weir,
Ne with na wapynnys eft thys cuntre deir.
Bot gif so beys, Mars our god glorius
The victory and ouyrhand grantis ws
(As I beleif far rathar sal befall,
And that als tyte conferm mot goddis all
Throw the gret mychtis of thar deite!),
Gif that sa fair fortoun betydis me,

89

Ne will I not command Italianys
Tobe subiect, nor obey the Troianys,
Ne ȝit this realm desyre I not to me;
Bot athir of our pepill mot go fre,
Onthrall, onvenquyst, in lawys all evynly
Confiderat in perpetuall ally.
The wirschipyng of goddis in sacryfice
I sal thame lern and tech at my devyss:
My fader in law, the kyng Latinus heir,
Most rewle the pepill baith in peax and wer;
My fader in law, as souerane lord and syre,
Duryng hys lyfe most bruke solempnyt empyre.
Suffir my Troianys than, as we ar bovn,
For me to beild a strenth and wallyt tovn,
And to this cite, quhar we sall duell at hame,
Lat the madyn Lavinia gif the name.”
Thus first Eneas said, and efter syne
Apon this wyss hym followys Kyng Latyn,
Behaldand towart hevyn quhar he dyd stand,
And to the starnys vphevyis hys rycht hand:
“By this ilk erth, seys and starnys hie,
I sweir inlike wyss onto ȝou, Enee,
And by Latoneis byrth, or twynnys twa,
The brycht Apollo, and chast Diana,
And by the dowbill frontit Ianus, and all
The pyssans of the goddis infernal,
And by the dyrk sanctuary, blak as sabill,
Of grevoss Pluto, that god revengeabill:
The hie fader abuf mot heir my cry,
That dois with thundir sik concord ratify.
I twich thyr altaris and ingill present,” quod he,
“And testifyis ilk godly maieste;
Sall nevir tyme, sesson nor day betyd,
To breke this peax on the Italian syde,
Ne this confiderans anys part in two,
Quhat way that evir happynnys the mater go;
Ne na manner of violens, bost nor aw
Sall ony wyss me tharfra withdraw,

90

Bot ferm and stabill all sall haldyn be:
All thocht the erth wald myddill with the see,
And with diluge or invndatioun schent
Covir and confund athir eliment;
Or thocht the hevyn in hell resolue wald,
Our promyss sall inuiolat be hald.
Lyke as this ilk ceptour wand ȝhe see,”
(Perchans that tyme a ceptour in hand bair he)
“Sall nevyr burgioun, nor spred branchis lyte,
Nowder rank levys, nor blosum of delyte,
Sen it is anys in wod, thar as it grew,
Law from hys stok hard by the rutis hew,
And wantis now hys moder of nurysyng;
For all the syonys and twystis wont to spryng
Or grow thar fra, as ȝhe may se perfay,
With egge lumys bene sned full quyte away;
Vmquhile a growand tre, thar it dyd stand,
That now thus by the crafty wark manis hand
Inclusyt is and coverit lustely
In burnyst gold and fynast alcomy,
And gevyn our forfaderis of Latyn land,
As ceptour ryall, fortober in hand.”
With wordis sik and ferm relatioun
This fynal suyr confideratioun
Athir pryncis hass confermyt and sworn,
Amyd thar nobillys standyng thame beforn:
Syne, eftyr thar auld cerymonys and gyss,
The bestis dewly adrest for sacryfyss
Thai brytnyt haue amyd the flawmys red,
And rentis out, or thai war fully ded,
The entralys of thir bestis ȝit alyve;
Syne furth of platys or ballancis belyve
With pasyt flesch plenyst the altaris large,
Tharon bestowand in hepys mony a charge.
Bot tho begouth of new this ilk bargane
Semyng to the Rutilianys, euery man,
Tobe ane rycht onevynly interpryss,
And diuerss rumour can in thar brestis ryss,

91

With mony syndry demyng and consait;
He thynkis thus, and he ane other gait;
And ay the nerrar and mar diligently
At thai the mater consider and aspy,
Weill thai persaue and behaldis, sans faill,
Thir campionys war not of strenth equaill.
And onto this opinioun the ilk thraw
Helpit mekill, that with still payss so slaw
This Turnus musand towart the altar past,
And it lawly adournyt with face doun cast,
With chekis walxin leyn, to thar semyng,
Quharon the soft berd newly dyd furth spryng,
As all to ȝyng with sic ane till haue daill,
Thai thocht hys vissage all becummyn paill.
Quhou Iuturna be slycht and enchantment
Brekis the peax, and hasty batale sent.
And eftyr that this ilk commonyng
Thus walxand mar and mar by mony a syng
Iuturna hys systyr dyd persaue,
And saw the common wlgar hartis wave
In diuerss sentencis and ententis seir;
Than in amyd the rowtis drew scho neir,
In form and lyknes of Camertis bald,
Of nobill blude cummyn and lynnage ald,
And of hys fader the bruyt and renowne
Was magnifeit in wirschip wonder hie,
Tharto hym self maste douchty cheveller
In dedis of armys and in fait of weir.
Amyd the ostis this wyss dyd scho thryng,
Not onexpert to convoy sik a thing,
And diuerss rumouris in the press skalis sche,
Syne siclyke wordis carpis apon hie:
“O Rutilianys, aschame ȝhe not for feir
Into sa gret a perrell and danger

92

A sylly sawle to put in aventour,
That for ȝow all sall vndirly sik cuyr?
Quhiddir ar we not equale in our entent,
To the Troianys in numbyr or hardyment?
Lo, all the Troianys and Archadianys
Befor ws heir arrayt on the planys:
The fatall pissans is hail in this sted,
And the Tuscanys that Turnus hess at fed.
Sa few tha beyn, ȝhe may behald and se,
That gif we list mak onset, trastis me,
The half of all our menȝe gret and small
Sall not fynd ȝondyr a fa to mach withall.
Ȝon Turnus, to the goddis abuf full straucht,
To quhais altaris hym vowyt and betaucht
He hess for ȝou, as that ȝhe se,” said sche,
“With fame eternal sal vpheit be,
As euermar alyve and maist name couth,
Carpit and sung in euery mannis mowth;
Quhen we, as thrallys, leif sal our natyve land,
And onto prowd tyrrantis, hess the ovirhand,
Salbe compellit as lordis till obey,
That now, thus sleuthfully, sa fant and fey
Hufys still on thir feldis as we war ded,
And for our self list schape for na remed.”
With siclike wordis the myndis and consait
Of the ȝongkeris was inflawmyt hait,
And mair and mar now, all the feld abowt,
The murmur crepys out throw euery rowt;
So thai quhilkis air desyrit peax and rest,
And for the common weill thocht it was best
To mak end of the bargane on this wyss,
Ar alterit haly in ane other avyss;
For now desyre thai batale, but abaid,
Prayand God this contract had neuer bene maid,
And hass compassioun caucht in hart, but faill,
Of Turnus chans, semyng so inequale.
Thys self tyme eik hess Iuturna, I wyss,
Ane other grettar wondir ekit to this,

93

And heich vp from the hevyn befor thame plane
A takyn hess scho schawyn auguriane;
Syk a syng, that nane other to that entent
Was mar effectuus nor conuenient
To trubbill Italian myndis and mak thame raif,
And with fals demonstratioun to dissaue.
For Iovis fowle, the ern, com sorand by,
Fleand vp heich towart the brycht red sky,
Befor hym catchand ane gret flycht or ost
Of fowlys that dyd hant endlang the cost,
Quhilk on thar weyngis, sair dredand hys wraik,
Skrymmys heir and thar with mony sprauch and craik;
Quhil suddandly this egill with a surss,
As he towartis the fludis maid hys curss,
Dispittuusly intill hys punsys he
Hes claucht a swan excellent of bewte.
Than the Italianys apon athir syde
Rasyt thar myndis to se quhat suld betyd,
And sone the other fowlys heich in the sky
Turnyt agane with money screym and cry,
To chaiss and to assail thar aduersar,
A wondir thing to se, vp in the air:
The lyght thai dirkyn with thar pennys thik,
And throw the skyis with mony a strake and pik,
Sammyn in a sop, thik as a clowd, but baid,
Thar fa thai dyd assalȝe and invaid,
Sa lang, quhil that by forss he was ourset,
And of the hevy byrdyng sa mait and het
That hys mycht falȝeit, and of his clukis rude
The egill leit hys pray fall in the flude,
And vp amang the clowdis flaw away.
Than the Rutilianys all, full glaid and gay,
With huge brute and clamour lowd onan
Salust this syng or takyn augurian;
Syne sped thar hand, and maid thame for the fight.
And, first of othir, Tolumnyus the wight,
That was a spa man and diuinour sle:
“Ȝa, this was it, ȝa, this was it,” quod he,

94

“Quhilk oft I visseit and desirit by and by:
This gud takyn I ressaue and ratify,
And knawys the goddis favour in our supple.
Rutilianys, hynt ȝour wapynnys, and follow me,
Quham now ȝon vauengeour, ȝon ilk stranger,
Affrays so with hys onworthy weir,
Lyke tyll onweldy fowlys on the cost,
And our marchis with fors and mekill bost
Inuadis, rubbis and spulȝeis, as ȝe se:
He sall, for fer, sone gif the bak and fle,
Mak sail onon, and hald for euer away
Throu the deip sey outour the fludis gray.
Tharfor ȝhe sall all sammyn, with ane assent,
Assembil now ȝour rowtis heir present,
And into feild defend, as men of mayn,
Ȝour kyng Turnus he be nocht reft and slane.”
Thus said he, with that word als sa fast
Towartis his fais forganys hym dyd cast
A weirly dart onon with all his byr:
The sovir schaft flaw quhisland with a quhir,
Thar as it slydis scherand throw the ayr,
Oneschewabill, bath certane, lang and squar.
Sammyn with this, vp rysis for the nanys
Ane huge noys and clamour all at anys;
With sik affray and hydduus dyn and beir
The wardis all and ostis war on steir,
That, for the rerd and deray, hait in ire
The hartis kyndillis of euery bald syre.
Furth flaw the takill rycht our forgane his face,
Thiddir as for the ilk tyme stude, percace,
Nyne brethir germane, fresch and ȝyng of age,
Nane in thar ost mair semly personage,
Quham the trew faithfull wife Tyrrhene ilkane
Bair till hir spowss Gilip Archadiane;
Of quham this dart hyt ane, thar he dyd stand,
A gudly spryngald, a fair ȝyng galland,
Richt schaply maid, in armour schynand brycht,
And at the myddill markyt hym full rycht,

95

Quhar as the wovyn gyrdill or tysche
Abufe his navill was beltit, as we se,
And smate hym evyn into the sammyn place
Neyr quhar the bukkill hys sydis dyd enbrace,
Throw gyrd hys body with a grevoss wond,
And spaldyt hym stark ded apon the grond.
Bot than hys bald brethir in a rowt,
Wod wraith for wo, sum hyntis swerdis owt,
Sum claucht in hand the dart with the steil hed,
And in thar blynd fury, full of fed,
Ruschit on thar fays with a feirfull braid.
Aganys quham to resist and invaid,
The rowtis of the army Lawrentanys
Ran to recontyr thame; and tho atanys
Agane assemblit, as a spait of flud,
The Troianys and the Tuscanys wraith and woid,
With thame of Arcad in arrayt feildis,
With burnyst armour and thar payntit scheildis;
Apon sik wyss that all, with ane assent,
Caucht haill desyre to feght apon the bent,
And to dereyn in feild with bytand brand
The haill mater. Sum schot doun with thar hand
The altaris markyt for the sacryfyss.
Belyve our all the lyft vp semyt ryss
The fell tempest of dartis schote and flanys,
So thik as ony schour of scharp hailstanys,
As dyd incress this flycht of stelit hedis.
Full grewos grew the bargane in all stedis:
Sum ran to the wyn flacconys for gret ire,
And sum hynt vp the furnace full of fyre.
The kyng hym self, Latinus, for the affray,
Fled to the cite, and tursyt with hym away
Hys goddis and hys mawmontis, drevyn abak
With a schamefull rebute and mekill lak,
Left the concord ondone, not brocht till end.
Sum brydillys stedis and cartis vp dyd bend,
And sum in haist with a lowp or a swak
Thame self vpcastis on the horsys bak,

96

And war all reddy in the stowr at hand
With drawyn swerd and nakit burnyst brand.
Mesapus, full desyrus in the press
Fortill confund the trety and the pess,
A kyng Tyrreyn, Aulestes, in that sted
With kyngis ensenȝeis and with crown on hed,
Affrays sor, at hym dryvand hys steid;
The tother drew away for feir and dreid,
And bakwartis fallys on hys schuldris and crovn,
Onhappely, apon ane altar dovn,
Quhilk stud percace behynd hym on the land.
Mesapus than, full ferss, with speir in hand
Apon hym drave, thocht he besocht hym fair,
And with this schaft, that was als rude and squar
As it had beyn a cabyr or a spar,
Dovn from hys stowt cursor, na thyng skar,
Smait hym a grewoss wond and dedly byt,
And syne thir wordis said: “Ha, art thou hyt?
Ha, that thou hass! This is, be myne avyss,
To our gret goddis mair ganand sacrifyss.”
Italianys hurlys on hym in a floyt,
Spulȝeit hys corps, hys membris ȝit all hoyt.
Chorineus tho, that was a stowt Troian,
To meit ane Ebusus, com hym agan,
That wald haue smyt hym with a bustuus dynt,
And on ane altar a byrnand schide hass hynt,
And gan it rycht amyd hys vissage stair,
That blesyt vp hys lang berd of hair,
Quhilk, scaldit thus, a strang fleur dyd cast.
And forthir this Chorineus alsso fast
Ruschit on hys fa, thus fyrefangit and onsaucht,
And with hys left hand by the hair hym claucht,
Syne with hys kne hym possit with sic a plat
That on the erd he spaldit hym all flat,
And with hys styf stok swerd in sik estait
Throu baith the sydis at the first dynt hym smait.
And Podalirius with drawyn swerd list not cess
Alsus the hyrd to persew throu the press,

97

Quhilk ruschis abak for feir, hys life to save,
In the vangart, throw mony a poyntit glave;
Bot quhen he saw his fa sa neir invaid
That he na wyss mycht eschew nor evaid,
Vphesit he hys braid ax rude and squair,
And akwartly strake at hys aduersar,
Quhilk from amyd hys forhed, neir hys crovn,
Onto hys chyn the egge dyd carvyn doun,
That far onbreid hys armour, quhar he stude,
Was all bysprent and blandit full of blude.
Tho Podalirius the hard rest dyd oppress,
Or cald and irny sleip of dethis stress,
And vp the breith he ȝald into thar sycht,
With eyn closyt in euerlestand nycht.
Enee sair wondyt of the feild dyd pass,
In quhais absens Turnus mair cruell wass.
Than the reuthfull and pacient Eneas,
Behaldand quhou all wrang the gem dyd pas,
Hys rycht hand onenarmyt to stynt thar fed,
Furth strekis and oncoverit hess hys hed,
And cryis and clepis on his pepill tho:
“My frendis deir, quhidder now hurll ȝe so,
Ilkane aganys other? Quhou may this be?
Quhat hess movit this hasty discord?” quod he,
“O, stanch ȝour wraith for schame, or all is lorn!
The payce and concord now is twichit and sworn,
And the articulis and the lawys dyng
Appunctit vp, and promist euery thing.
Of det and ryght I aucht apon this land
Allane Turnus recontyr, hand for hand:
Suffir me perform my dereyn by and by,
And do away all dreid and villany.
I sall with my hand sone make ferm and stabill
Our appoyntment, for evir onvariabill,

98

For this ilke sacrifice violate in this sted
Sall rendir onon Turnus to me ded.”
Amyd sic sawys, as he thir wordis said
Forto asswage thar mynd, but mar abaid
A quhirrand arrow, lo, with fedderit flycht
At swift randon dyd in hys the bayn lycht,
Oncertane fra quhat hand that it was sent,
Quhat kynd of schote, nor of quhat instrument.
The hie glory of sa notabill a deid
Is hyd, that nane knew quha it dyd but dreid,
Nor wist quha wrocht had to the Rutilianys
Sa gret wirschip and lovyng for the nanys;
Quhidder it betyd on cace and aventur,
Or of sum god be dispositioun suyr;
Nor nevir person eftir, he nor he,
Dyd hym avant he wondit had Ene.
Quhen Turnus all the chiftanys trublit saw,
And Eneas sair wondit hym withdraw,
Than, for this hasty hope als hait as fyre,
To mell in feght he caucht ardent desyre;
He askis horss and harnes baith atanys,
And haltandly in hys cart for the nanys
He skippis vp and musturis wantonly,
Furth sprentand throu the feildis by and by,
And at his will, quharso hym list tobe,
With hys awyn hand the renȝeis rewlis he;
And dryvand furth thus into his ire
Laid feill corpsis ded and mony bald syre,
Down strowand eik vnder fut in the plane
Diuerss otheris ȝit throwand and half slane:
Owder with his cart the rowtis he drave away,
Or, as thai tuke the flycht for gret affray,
Castyng speris and dartis scharp hynt he,
And leit thame thik amang his fays fle.
Sik wyss as bludy armipotent god Mars,
Besyde hys frosty flude Hebrum in Trass,
Full hastely bownand to batale feild,
Makis gret bruyt and clatteryng with hys scheild,

99

Quhen he list movyng weir mast chevalrus;
Furth steris hys stedis, ferss and furyus,
Quhilk fleys furth sa swith with mony a stend
Owtour the planys at large quhar thai wend,
That thai forryn and goys befor alway
Ȝephyrus and Nothus, swyftest wyndis tway;
And, with the dyn of thar feyt and hys cart,
All Trace gronys onto the ferthar part;
Abowt hym walkis, as hys godly feris,
Dreid with paill face, Debait, and mortale Weris,
The Wraith, and Ire, and eik fraudfull Dissait,
Lyggyng vndir covert at enbuschment or await—
Turnus siclike, als chery, prowd and lycht
Amyd the batale catchys to the fycht
Hys stedys, rekand of swete quhar thai raid,
And sa baldly hys fays dyd invaid,
With sik slauchter, that piete was to se;
And sik deray hass maid in the melle,
That hys swift stedis hovys, quhar thai went,
Spangit vp the bludy sparkis our the bent,
Quhil blude and brane, in abudans furth sched,
Mydlit with sand vndir horss feit was tred.
For he, or now, hess doun bet Sthelenus,
And kyllit eik Thamyrys and Polus
(The formast twa he slew machit at hand,
And this Polus, as he far of dyd stand);
On far eik slew he of Imbrasyus
The sonnys twa, Glawcus and Iasus,
Quham this Imbrasyus fosterit had, baith twa,
Into the far cuntre of Lycia,
And thame instrukit had full equaly
In fait of armys, and to hant chevelry,
Owder till assaill befor, or ȝit behynd,
Or with swift horss fortill forryn the wynd.
Ȝond, in ane other part, amyd the feild
The ferss Eumedes walkis vnder scheild,
Quhilk was the son and air, as that thai tell,
Of agit Dolon valȝeant in batell:

100

The name he bair of hys forgrandschir wight,
Bot the strang handis and stowt curage in fight
Of hys awyn fader, this Dolon, he bair;
Quhilk at Troy vmquhile, as the sege lay thar,
And was of sa stowt curage and hie will
That he durst ask the chariot of Achill
To his reward, for that he sa baldly
The Grekis tentis tuk on hand to aspy;
Bot the son of Tedeus, Diomed,
Ane other fasson hess hym quyt his meid
For sa stowt ondyrtakyn, and hym slewch;
And ȝit for all his renovn, provit eneuch,
Ne durst anys pretend, for all hys dedys,
That he was worthy to weld Achillys stedys.
Bot to our purposs: this forsaid Eumedes
As Turnus dyd behald ȝond in the press,
On the plane feld thar as he dyd ryde,
First weill a far way at hym leyt he glyde
A fleand dart; and furth with that, rycht thar,
Gan stynt hys horssis and his quhirland char,
And ferely dyd lepyng from hys cart,
And sone apon hys aduersar astart,
Quhilk tho was fall to grond, and half deill ded;
Syne with hys fut doun thryst in the ilk sted
Hys fair nek bayn, and owt of hys rycht hand
Richt austernly hass he thrawyn the brand,
Quhilk schynand brycht into hys throte he wet,
And tharto ekyt thir wordys wondyr het:
“O thow prowd Troian, lyggand thar at grond,
Now may thou myssour the feld at thou hass fund;
Lo heir the bundis, lo heir Hesperia,
Quhilk thou to seik in weirfar was sa thra!
Thys is the bontay tha sal bair away
That dar with wapynnys or armour me assay.”
To hym in feir also hass he laid
With a scharp castyn hed, but mar abaid,
Ane Butys, and eftyr hym ane Chloreus,
Syne Sybar, Dares, and Thersilocus,

101

And Thymetes, a man of full gret fors,
Castyn from hys staffage, skeich and hedstrang horss.
And as the blastis with thar bustuus sovn
From mont Edoin in Trace cumis thuddand doun
On the deip sey Egean fast at hand,
Chasand the flud and wallys to athir land;
And quhar the wyndis assalys, the suyth to say,
The clowdis fleys fast our the hevyn away—
The sammyn wyss, quhat way at Turnus went,
The rowtis red hym plane rovm on the bent,
And all the ostis fast abak dyd fle,
For with sik forss and fard furth dryvys he,
Hys bissy movand tymbrell euery art
Catchis the wynd and ayr forgane hys cart.
Phegeus, a Troiane, seand Turnus all mad
Sa instantly assaill with strakis sad,
Na langar mycht hym thoill, bot with bald hart
Hym self kest in the way to meit hys cart;
And he the renys in hys ryght hand hynt,
Syne writhit hess about, or euer he stynt,
The fomy mowthis of the hasty stedis.
And as this douchty man, sa gud at nedis,
Thus hang and harlyt was in euery art
By the lymmouris and hamys of the cart,
That he hys body mycht nocht kepe nor held,
To covyr with hys armour and his scheld,
The speir hym followis with scharp hed and braid,
And rent hys hawbrik of dowbill plyis maid,
Hurt his body sum deill, nocht fully sond,
Persand the hyde, and maid a litill wond.
He, nocht the less, agane hys fa furthsprent,
With hys braid scheild or target evir vp stent,
And in hys hand held drawyn the burnyst blaid,
Cryand for help his aduersar till invaid;
Quham tho (allace, gret piete was to se!)
The quhirland quheill and spedy swyft extre
Smate doun to grond, and on the erd lay plat;
And, as he fell, Turnus followis with that,

102

And evyn betwix the helm can hym arrass
And vmast roll or hem of hys curass,
Smait of his hed clenly with hys brand,
And left the corps lyke a stok in the sand.
Na mannys cuyr nor craft of surrurgyne
Mycht heill Eneas, bot Venus medycyn.
And as Turnus thus in the batale sted
With the ovirhand sa feil corpsis laid ded,
The meyn quhil Mnestheus and traste Achates
Hess led the bald Eneas of the press,
Ascanyus ȝyng with thame in cumpany,
And to the tentis brocht hym all bludy,
With steppis slaw furth stalkand all in feir,
Lenand ilk payss on a lang poyntit speir.
Wod wroith he worthis, for dysdene and dispyte
That he ne mycht hys ferys succur als tyte.
He wrythis, and enforsys tyll owt draw
The schaft in brokkyn, and the hed withall:
He axis help at all thar standand by,
Quhat was the nerrest way and maist reddy,
And bad thai suld with a scharp knyf that tyde
Scheir doun the wond, and mak it large and wyde,
Rype to the boddum weill, and tak gude tent
To serss the hyrnys quhar that the hed was went,
That thai mycht hast thame self, but mair delay,
To the batale, forto stynt this effray.
Now was thar than present in the press
Iapis, that was son of Iasides.
Abuf all otheris to the god Phebus he
Was best belovyt and haldyn in dante;
With quhais favour vmquhile strangly caucht,
This god Appollo gladly hass hym taucht
Hys craftis and hys officis, by and by,
Of diuinatioun or of augury,

103

The musik tonys to play on harp waill sle,
And forto schute and lat swyft arrowis fle.
Bot this Iapis, fortill prolong, perfay,
Hys faderis fatis, quhilk as bedrall lay
Befor hys ȝet, of hys lyfe in dispar,
Had levyr haue knawyn the sciens and the lair,
The myght and forss of strenthy herbys fyne,
And all the cunnyng of vse of medycyne,
And with sik secrete craftis prevely
To leid hys lyfe and tyme mair esely.
Eneas standis byttyrly chidand,
Lenand apon a bustuus speir in hand,
Amyd gret confluens of thir childer ȝyng,
And eik his son Ascanyus sair wepyng;
Bot he na thing hym movit at thar terys.
Than this Iapis, sage and ald of ȝheris,
With habyt schapyn on surrugyn mak,
Vprollit weill and wymplit far abak,
Richt bissely with hys nait handis tway
Begouth fortill exem, and till assay
The wond with mony crafty medycyn,
And mychty herbys taucht be god Appollyn;
Bot all for nocht his travale and hys pane.
Oft with hys rycht hand sersis he, invane,
To rype the owtgait of the wond sa wyde,
And forto seik the schaft on euery syde,
With hys wynrys and grippand turcas sle
To thrist the hed, and draw furth, pressis he;
Bot, for na chance that evir betyd may,
Wald forton dress hys hand the sovir way.
Na thing avalyt hys crafty medycyne,
Nor ocht hym helpys his master Appollyn.
And now the grisly dreid, ay mair and mair,
Our all the feildis walkis heir and thar,
Nerrar drawys the perrell and effray,
So that all dyrknyt wolx the cleir day
Of dusty puldir in the hevyn dyd stand;
The horsmen all approchis fast at hand,

104

That dartis thik amyd the tentis fell.
Wofull clamour with mony cry and ȝell
Went to the skyis of ȝong men faucht in feild,
And thame that swelt, sair wondit vnder scheild.
Venus hys moder tho, this pane to meyss,
Caucht rewth and piete of hir sonnys dyseyss,
And from the wod of mont Ida in Creit
Vp hess scho pullit dittam, the herb sweit,
Of levis rank, rypit and wondir fair,
With sprowtis, sprayngis and vanys our alquhar,
As that we se on sik verdour spryngand,
And on the top a purpour flour curland:
Sik gresis gude beyn nowyss onknaw
To the wild bestis, quhen that ony thraw
Thai with the fleand arrow beyn ourtake,
The hed stikand owther in syde or bak.
Thiddir brocht Venus this herb (and scho was schrowd,
Baith face and body, in a watry clowd),
And with the herb alsso mydlit hess sche
The hailsum thryfty watir wondir sle,
That from hir brycht lippys scho ȝet inhy;
And temperis and enbalmys prevely
The plastyr tharwith, strynkland all ourane
The hailsum ius of herb ambrosian,
And the weill smelland herb hait panaces.
This ancyent surrigian, Iapes,
With sik watir or ius, that he nocht knew,
The wond mesys, and softnyt hes of new;
And suddanly the payn vanyst als cleyn
Of hys body, as thocht it had beyn
Bot a dyrlyng or a litill stond;
All blud stanchit and stud in the deip wond.
Tharwith baith hed and schaft com owt droppand,
But ony pull followyng of manis hand,
That strenth and fors of new to mak debait
Restoryt war onto thar ald astait.
“Harnes, harnes, bryng hym hydder in hy!
Quhy stand ȝe sa?” Iapis gaue a cry,

105

And with this word aganyst thar fays he
Hess first thar spreit inflammyt to melle.
“O Eneas,” quod he, “I mak ȝou suyr,
Throw manis mycht was neuer wrocht this cuyr,
Nor be na mastir craft of medycyne:
Thou art not helyt by this hand of myne,
Bot be sum grettar god, full weill I se,
The quhilk to grettar warkis preservis the.”
Eneas tho, desyrus of bargane,
Hys lymmys in legharnes gold begane
Claspyt full closs and dyd hym self array,
Bad speid in haist, for he hatit delay;
He schuke and branglit fast his speir that tyde.
And eftir hys active scheild was by his syde
Cowchit full meit, and on his bak full thik
Seysit his curace or his fyne hawbrik,
Ascanyus ȝyng tendirly the ilk place,
With all his harness bilappit, dyd embrace,
And throw his helmys vental a litill we
Hym kyssyt hass; syne on this wyss said he:
“O thou my child, do lernyng, I the pray,
Vertu and verray laubour till assay
At me, quhilk am thy fader, as thou wait;
Desyre tobe chancy and fortunate
As othir pryncis, quhilkis mair happy beyn.
Now sall my rycht hand thy querrell susteyn,
And the defend in batale by and by,
To mak the partis man of gret senȝeory.
Do thou siclyke, I pray the, myne awyn page,
Als fast as thou cumis to perfyte age,
Ramembir heiron, and revolue in thy mynd
Thy lynage, thy forbearis, and thy kynd;
Exempill of prowes in the steris frendis befor,
Baith fader Eneas and thyne vncle Hector.”

106

Iuturna gydys hir brotheris cart rycht sle
Frawart the batal, he suld nocht mache Enee.
Quhen this was said, furth at the portis hee,
Schakand in hand a gret speir, ischit he.
With hym also to the feild ruschis owt
Anteus, Mnestheus, and ane full thyk rowt:
Alhaill the barnage flokkis furth atanys,
Left voyd the tovn and strenth with wasty wanys.
Than was the playn ourset, quha com behynd,
With dusty stew of puldyr maid folk blynd,
And, for stampyng and fell dynnyng of feyt,
The erd movit and trymlyt euery streyt.
Turnus, apon the party our rycht forgane,
Persauyt thame thus sterand throw the plane,
Thame saw also the pepill Ausonyanys,
And the cald dreid for feir ran throw thar banys.
First of the Latynys all, this ilke maid
Iuturna thame knew, and was not glaid;
Scho hard the soundis and the fell deray,
And quakand fast for feir hess fled away.
Bot this Eneas, full bald vndyr scheld,
With all hys ost drave throw the plane feld,
And with hym swyftly bryngis our the bent
A rowt coill blak of the stew, quhar he went.
Lyke as the bub or plaig of fell tempest,
Quhen that the clowdis brekis est or west,
Dryvys by fors throw the sey to the land,
Doand the cayrfull husbandis vnderstand
The gret myscheif tocum and felloun wraik;
Quhilk, with sair hartis quakand, “Allake, allaik!”
Says, “Lo, ȝon bub sall stryke dovn growand treys,
Doun bet our cornys, and by the ruyt vpheis,
And far onbreid ourturn all doys vpstand:
Hark, heir the swouch cumis brayand to the land”—
On siclyke wyss this ilk chiftane Troian
The corsy pasand Osyris hess slane.

107

Mnestheus kyllyt Archet, and Achates
Byhedit hass the wight Epulones;
Gyas doun bet Vfens the gret captane;
Dovn fell also the gret augurian,
Tolumnyus him self, that the ilk day
Threw the first dart hys fays till assay.
Vprysis than the clamour, and a scry
Quhilk semyt wend onto the starnyt sky.
Thar curss abowt than the Rutilianys
Hess tane the flyght, and gave the bak atanys,
Skatterit throw owt the feildis heir and thar,
Quhil stovr of puldir vpstrikis in the air.
Bot the chiftane, this vailȝeant Ene,
Dedenȝeit nane doun bet as thai dyd fle,
Ne thame invaid that met hym face for face,
All thocht thai fawght with wapyn, swerd or mace;
Bot throw the thikast sop of dust in hy
Only Turnus went to seik and aspy,
And hym allane, accordyng the tretye,
He askis and requiris into melle.
With dreid heirof the mynd was smyttyn so
Of Iuturna, the verray virago
(Quhilk term to expone, be myne avyss,
Is a woman exersand a mannys offyss);
Amyd the lyamys and the thetis thar
Doun swakkis scho Metiscus the cartar
That Turnus char had forto rewle on hand,
And left hym lygand far ȝond on the land,
Fra the cart lymmowris warpit a gret way;
And scho in sted hyss office dyd assay.
And with hir handis abowt writhis sche
The flexibill renys frawart the melle,
Berand the lyknes in all maner thing
Of Metiscus voce, person and armyng.
Als feill wrynklis and turnys can scho mak
As dois the swallow with hir plumys blak,
Fleand and seirsand swiftly thar and heir
Our the gret lugyngis of sum myghty heir,

108

Apon hir weyngis scummand euery syde
Thir heich hallys, bene full large and wyde,
Gadderand the small morcellis est and west
To bair hir byrdis chepand in thar nest;
Now into gowsty porchis doith scho fle,
Now by the donky stankis soundis sche:
In siclike wyss this Iuturna belyfe
Throw owt the ostis gan the horssis dryfe,
Circuland abowt with swift fard of the cart
The feildis our allquhar in euery art,
And schew hir bruthir Turnus in his char,
Now brawland in this place, now voustand thar;
Na be na way wald scho suffir that he
Assembill hand for hand suld with Enee;
Bot fled hym far, and frawart hym held ay,
Writhand hir cartis curss ane other way.
In na less haist Eneas on the bent
Hys quhelys turnys and writhis mony a went;
The man he seirsis throw the effrait rowtis,
And on hym callis with lowd cry and hie schowtis.
And als feill syss as he his eyn kest
Apon his fa, al tymys he hym adrest
To chass hym with swyft curss throu the melle,
On horssis that semyt ryn as fowle dois fle;
Bot evir als oft Iuturna ane other art
Awaywart turnys and writhis hyr broderis cart.
And thus Eneas remanys all on flocht
In syndry motioun of ire, bot all for nocht.
Allace, ne knawis he not now quhat to do:
Diuerss thochtis and seir consatis, lo,
Hys mynd in mony contrar purposs sent.
And as he thus was trublit in entent,
Mesapus, that on cace was neirhand by,
And in hys left neif haldis all reddy
Twa sowpill castyng speris hedit with steill,
Of quham that ane full sovirly and weill
Towart Ene addressit leit he glyde.
Eneas hovit still the schote to abyde,

109

Hym schrowdand vndir his armour and his scheild,
Bowand hys howch, and stude a litill onheld;
And, netheless, this speir, that scharply schar,
Of hys basnet the tymbrell quyte doun bair,
And smait away the creistit toppis hie.
Than mair in greif and ire vpgrowis he,
Seand hym catchit with dissait and slycht,
Quhen that he hess persauyt in his sycht
Turnus horssis furth drevyn ane other art,
Awaywart turnyng sa feill syss his cart:
Tho mony tymys lowd did he testify
Gret Iupiter, quhou that sa wrangwisly
He was iniurit, and constrenyt to fight;
To witness drew he als with gret onrycht
The altaris of confiderans violate;
And now at last, full furyus and hait,
The mydwart of his ennemyss dyd invaid.
With prospir chance of batale, sa onglaid
And terribill to his fays walxis he,
That hail, but ony differans of degre,
All goith to wraik, for na man list he spair:
A cruell slauchter he hess rasit thar.
All kynd of wreth and breithfull ire now he
Leyt slyp at large, but brydill, with renȝeis fre.
Heir followys of the slauchter monyfald
Maid by Turnus and be Eneas bald.
Quhat god sall now me techyng to endite
Samony wondis and this cairfull syte,
Or quha me lern in metyr to declar
Sa feill and diuerss slauchteris as was thar,
And gret decess of dukis in that sted,
Our all the feildis strowyn lyggis ded,
Quham euery ane sammyn hys curss abowt
Now down bet Turnus, now Eneas stowt?

110

O Iupiter, was it plesand to the,
With sa gret motioun of crudelyte
Athir pepill suld rusch on other in press,
Quhilkis eftir suldbe ane in etern pess?
Eneas first, that tareit not to lang,
Smate ane Sucron, a Rutilian strang;
A grevouss wond he hyt hym in the syde,
Throw owt hys rybbys can the stif swerd glide,
Persyt hys cost and breistis cundyt inhy,
Thar as the fatale deth is maste hasty:
This bargane first fermyt Troianys to stand,
That langeir fled Turnus fra hand to hand.
Tho Turnus hass rencontyrit in the press
Amycus, and hys brother Diores,
Quham, fra thar horssis on the grond doun bet,
On fut in feild strangly he ombeset;
And the formast with a lang stif speir
Smate ded, and with a swerd the tother in feir,
Syne baith thar hedis hakkit of in hy,
And at his cart thame hyngis by and by,
The blude tharfra dreipand, tursys away.
The self stound Eneas at ane assay,
Or ane onset, hess kyllit Tanaus,
Talon also, and the stowt Cethegus;
Syne, eftyr thame, he kyllyt in the press
The sad and ay sorofull Onytes,
Renownyt of Thebes blude, and the ofspryng
Discendyng down from Echion the kyng,
And of hys moder born, Peridia.
This othir chiftane, Turnus, killit twa,
That brethir war, and owt of Lycia send,
Appollois cuntre, Troianys to defend;
And efter thame ane Meneit hess he slane,
A ȝong man that was born ane Archadane,
That all his days evir hatit the melle,
Bot all for nocht, for he most neid thus de—
About the laik of Lern and fludis gray
Hys craft was forto fysching euery day;

111

A puyr cote houss he held, and buyr hym law;
Rewardis of rich folkis war to hym onknaw;
Hys fader eyrit and sew ane peyss of feld
That he in hyregang held tobe his beild.
And lyke as that the fyre war new vpbet,
And in sum dry wydderit wod vpset,
Baith heir and thar, at diuerss partis seir,
Amyd the sovndand buskis of lawrer;
Or quhar the fomy ryveris, red on spait,
Hurlys doun from the month a large gait,
With hydduus bruyt and felloun fard atanys,
Thar as thai ryn ourflowand all the planys;
Ilkane distroys, wastis and dryvis away
All that thai fynd befor thame in the way—
Na slawar baith this Turnus and Ene
Hurlys and ruschis ferss throw the melle.
Now, now, the brethfull ire and felloun thocht
Within thar myndis boldynnys all on flocht,
And tha breistis, can na wyss venquyst be,
Now bristis full of greif and cruelte;
Now lasch thai at with bludy swerdis brycht,
Fortill mak wondis wyd in all thar mycht.
The tane of thame, that is to know, Enee,
Kyng Murranus, of anchestry mast hie,
Sovndand the name of his forfaderis ald,
Our all the clan of Latyn kyngis bald
Observyt man by man onto his day,
Furth of hys cart hess smyttyn quyt away,
And bet hym doun onto the erd wyndflaucht,
With a gret roik or quhirrand stane ourraucht;
That this Murranus the renys and the thetis,
Quharwith hys stedis ȝokkit war in thretis,
Vndyr the quhelis hess do weltit doun,
Quhar, as he lyggis in hys mortall swoun,
Of hys awyn stedis abuf hym rap for rap
The sterand hufis, stampand with mony clap,
Ourtreddis and doun thryngis thar master law,
And gan thar lordis his estait mysknaw.

112

And Turnus hess recontryt ane Hilo,
That ruschand hurlit throw the melle tho,
Full ferss of muyd and austern of curage;
Bot this Turnus, for all hys vassalage,
At hys gilt halffettis a grundyn dart dyd thraw,
That fixit throu hys helm the schaft flaw,
Persand hys brane, quhill owt bruschit the blude.
Nor thy rycht hand, Creteus, sa gude,
Thou forcyast Greik, cumyn from Archad land,
Mycht the deliuer from this ilk Turnus brand.
Nor all hys goddis Cupencus in the plane
Myght defend from Ene, com hym agane,
Bot at hys breist with the steill poynt is met,
That thirlyt hes throu all, and hym doun bet,
That nother scheild nor obstant plait of steill
This catyvis breist hes helpit neuer a deill.
O Eolyn, the feildis Lawrentan
Hess the behald tharon dovn bet and slane,
And with thy braid bak in thy rich weid
The grund thou hess byspred rycht far onbreid:
Thar lyis thou ded, quham Gregioun ostis in fycht
Nother venquyss nor to the erth smyte mycht,
Nor ferss Achilles to the grund couth bryng,
That was ourquhelmar of Kyng Pryamus ryng:
Heir war thy methis and thy term of ded:
The houss and famyll or the nobill sted
Of thy kynrent stant vndir mont Ida,
In the gret cyte of Lyrnessia,
Bot in the feildis of Lawrentane sulȝe
Thy sepultur is maid for ay tobe.
Apon this wyss the ostis and wardis haill
On athir part returnyt in bataill,
Aganyst othir to feght sammyn attanys,
All the Latynys and alhaill the Troianys;
Duke Mnestheus, and the stern Serestus,
And, on the tother half, Prynce Mesapus,
That of gret horss the dantar clepit was,
And with hym eik the stalwart Asylas,

113

The Tyrreyn rowtis semblit all atanys,
And Kyng Evandrus army Archadianys:
Euery man for hym self, as he best mycht,
At the vtyrrans of all hys forss gan fyght.
No rest nor tary was, thai so contend,
Sum to confundyng all, sum to diffend.
Quhou Eneas segit the tovn agane,
And Queyn Amata hir self for wo hass slayn.
At this tyme, the bargane induryng thus,
Eneas moder, the farest dame Venus,
Into hys mynd scho hass put this entent,
To hald onto the wallys incontinent,
And steir hys ost the cyte till assay
With hasty onset and suddane affray,
At gret myscheif the Latynys to effeir,
Quhilk of hys cummyng tho onwarnyt wer.
And as at he held movyng to aspy
Turnus throu syndry rowtis by and by,
On euery syde he hass castyn hys e,
And at the last behaldis the cite,
Saikless of batale, fre of all syk stryfe,
But payn or travale, at quyet man and wyfe.
Than of a grettar bargane in hys entent
All suddanly the figour dyd imprent:
He callys Mnestheus and eik Sergestus,
Chiftanys of hys ost, and strang Serestus,
And on a lytill mote ascendit inhy,
Quhar sone forgadderit all the Troian army,
And thik abowt hym flokkyng can, but baid;
Bot nother scheld nor wapynnys doun thai laid.
And he amyddis on the knollis hight
Onto thame spak thus, herand euery wight:
“Heir I command no tary nor delay
Be maid of my preceptis, quhat I sal say,

114

Nor se that na man be sweir nor slaw to ryn;
Till our hasty onset we wil begyn,
Sen Iupiter assistis onto our syde.
Now harkis quhat I purposs do this tyde:
This day I sal distroy and cleyn bet doun
Of Lawrent haill the cite and the tovn,
Quhilk is the causs of all our werying,
And quyte confund the kyng Latinus ryng,
Less than thai wil ressaue the bridill at hand,
Be at obeysans, and grant my command;
And ȝon hie turrettis, and tha toppis hie
Of rekand chymnais ȝondir, as we se,
I sal mak plane and equale with the grond.
Quhat suld I tary or delay a stond,
Abydand heir into sik plyte,” quod he,
“Quhil Turnus lyst feght with ws in melle;
Or quhil that he, ane other tyme agane
Ourcum and venquyst into batale plane,
May haue refuge to this tovn to releif,
Syne efter in feild vs recontyr and greif?
O citeȝanys, the hed is this cite
Of our weirfair, and cheif of iniquyte:
Turss thiddir inhy the hait byrnand fyre brandis,
And with the blesand flawmys in ȝour handis
Renewys and requir agane,” said he,
“The trety sworn and promyst ȝou and me.”
Quhen this was said, thai put thame in array,
Togiddir all the cite tyll assay:
Thai pyngill thraly quha mycht formest be
With dowr myndys onto the wallys hie:
Knyt in a sop, with gret pissans thai thrist
The leddyrris to the wallys, or ony wist,
And hasty fyre blesis dyd appeir.
Sum otheris of the Troianys ruschit infeir
Onto the portis, and the first thame met
Hes kyllyt at the entre and doun bet:
Sum otheris schotis dartis, takillis and flanys
At thame quhilkis on the barmkyn hed remanys,

115

That with the flycht of schaftis heir and thar
Thai dyrknyt all the skyis and the air.
Ene hym self with the formast can stand
Vndyr the wallys, puttand to hys hand
To the assalt, and with lowd voce on hie
The kyng Latinus fast accusys he,
Drawand the goddys to wytnes, quhou agane
He is constrenyt on forss to move bargane,
And quhou at the Italianys thus twyss
At syndry tymys schew thame hys ennemyss,
And how falsly that day thai brokyn had
The secund confideratioun sworn and maid.
Amang the citeȝanys, into gret affray,
Vpraiss discord in mony syndry way:
Sum bad oncloss the cite, and als fast
Warp vp the portis, and wyde the ȝettis cast
To the Troianys, and thar gret prynce Ene
Ressaue as for thar kyng in the cite;
Otheris start to thar wapynnys and thar geir,
Forto defend thar tovn in feir of weir.
As we may geif a symylitude, wail lyke
Quhen that the herd hess fund the beys byke,
Closit vnder a dern cavern of stanys,
And fillit hess full sone that litill wanys
With smoik of sowr and byttir rekis stew;
The beys within, affrayt all of new,
Ourthwort thar hyvis and walxy tentis rynnys,
With mekill dyn and bemyng in that innys,
Scharpand thar stangis for ire, as thai wald fycht—
Swa heir the laithly odor raiss on hycht
From the fyre blesis, dyrk as ony roik,
That to the ruffis toppys went the smoik;
The stanys warpit in fast dyd rebund,
Within the wallis rayss gret bruyt and sound,
And vp the reik all void went in the air,
Quhar as na tenementis stud nor howsis war.
Betyd alsso to thir wery Latynys,
Quhilk so irkit at sik myscheif and pyne is,

116

Ane chance of mysfortoun, that all the tovn
With womentyng straik to the boddum doun.
For as the queyn Amata saw syk wyss
The cyte ombeset with ennymyss,
The wallys kyndlyt be with flambys heit,
The fyre blesis abuf the ruffis gleyt,
Na Turnus army cumand thame aganys,
Nor ȝit nan ostis of Rutilianys;
Scho, full onhappy, in the batell sted
Wenyt ȝong Turnus feghtand had bene ded;
And tho for verray sorow suddanly,
Hyr mynd trublit, gan to rame and cry,
Scho was the causs and wyte of all this greif,
Baith crop and ruyte and hed of sik myscheif;
And in hir dolorus fury thus myndless,
All enragit for duyll tho dyd express
Full mony a thyng, and reddy to de with all
Rent with hir handis hyr purpour weid ryall,
And at ane hie balk teyt vp scho hass
With a lowp knot a stark cord or a lass,
Quharwith hir self scho spilt by schamefull ded.
And fra the Latyn matronys, will of red,
Persavit hess this vile myschewoss wraik,
Thai rent thar hair, with, “Harrow,” and, “Allaik!”
Hyr douchter first besyde the ded corps standis,
Ryvand hyr gyltyn tressys with hir handis,
Hyr rosy chekis to tor and scartis sche;
Than all the laif, that piete was to se,
Of ladeis that about the ded corps stud,
Rentis and ruggis thame self as thai war wod,
That of thar gowlyng, greting and deray
The large hald resundis a far way,
Quhill from the kyngis palyce inveroin
Dywlgat went and spred our all the tovne
The fey onhappy fame of sik a deid;
Than euery wight tynt hart for wo and dreid.
With habyt rent Kyng Latyn on the gait
Walkis wobegone, astonyst of the fait

117

Of hys deir spouss, and of the cite syne,
That semyt brocht onto fynall ruyne:
Hys cannos hair, sair movit in hys entent,
With onclene puldyr has he all bysprent,
And mony tymys hym selvyn hess accusyt,
That he sa lang had lachit and reffusyt
To ressaue glaidly the Troiane Ene;
Repentyng sair, for weill of the cyte,
That he had nocht requirit hym, and draw
Or than tobe his mawche and son in law.
The quenys decess fra Turnus cleirly wist,
Went to the sege Eneas to resist.
In the meyn tyme, as weriour vnder scheild,
Turnus ȝond at the far part of the feld
A few menȝe persewand our the plane,
Quhilk at the stragill fled in all thar mayn,
Sum deill or than walxis dolf this syre,
Seand his horssis begyn to sowpe and tyre;
That euer the less and less ioyus was he
Of thar renkis and gait throu the melle.
Tharwith the wynd and sowchquhyng of the air
This feirfull clamour brocht to hym rycht thar,
Mixt with oncertane terrour and affeir;
The confusioun of sovnd smait in his eyr,
Com from the cyte, of fellon murmuryng,
Rycht onglaid bruyt of cayr and womentyng.
“Ha, ways me!” he said, “quhat may this be?
Quhou beyn the wallys trublit of this cite
With so gret duyll and sorrow as I heir?
Or quhou thus ruschis so fellon noyss and beir
And clamour from the tovn at euery part?”
Thus hass he said, and can do stynt his cart,
And all enragit tyt the renȝeis abak;
Quhamto his sistir tho Iuturna spak

118

(As scho that was turnyt, as I said air,
In semlant of Metiscus the cartar,
That horssis, renȝeis, sydrapis and cart dyd sche
Rewle and direct amydwart the melle),
With sic wordis scho ansueris hym fute hait:
“Turnus, lat ws persew Troianys this gait,
Quhar victory ws schawis the reddy way;
Thar beyn enew otheris, be my fay,
Forto defend and weill manteym the tovn.
Ȝon is Eneas makis the brute and sovn,
That can invaid Italianys, as ȝe heir,
Mydlit in batale on sik feir of weir.
Tharfor lat ws with cruell hand in this sted
Lay als feill corpsis of the Troianys ded;
For with na less numbir slane vnder scheild,
Nor less honour, sall thou wend of the feild.”
Turnus answeris: “O thou my sistyr deir,
I knew full weill at it was thou, langer,
That be thi craft and quent wylis sa sle
Our confideratioun trublit and trete,
And entrit in this batell quhilk thou wrocht:
And now, goddes, thy wylis ar all for nocht.
Bot quha was that send the from hevyn so scheyn,
So huge sturt and travell to susteyn?
Quhidder gif thou com to that entent to se
The cruell deth of thy fey brother?” said he.
“Quhat sall I do, lat se, quhar sall I now?
Or quhat succurss promittis fortoun, and quhou?
I saw my self befor myn eyn langeir
Gret Murranus, quham nane mair leif and deir
Onto me was that levand is this day,
Swelt on the grund, and with lowd voce, perfay,
On me dyd call, quhar as he lay onsound
At erth discomfyt with ane grisly wond:
And lo, doun bet and slane in hys defens
Is not alsso the stowt capitane Vfens,
That he suld not our lak and schame behald?
Hys corps and armour doys Troianys baith withhald.

119

Sall I als suffir thame doun the cyte dyng?
Of our myscheif thar restis bot that a thing.
Nor sall I not with this rycht hand inhy
Confund Schir Drancis langage onworthy?
Sall evir this grund behald or se sik lak,
That I sall fle, or Turnus gif the bak?
Is it all owt sa wrachit thing to de,
That, or thai stervyn, men suld rathar fle?
Ȝhe Manes, clepit goddis infernal,
Beis to me frendly now, sen that all
The goddis myndis abuf ar me contrar;
Be ȝhe benevolent quhen that I cum thar.
Ane haly saule to ȝou discend sall I,
Saikless of all sic cryme or villany,
Na wyss onworthy namyt fortobe
With my eldris and forfaderis mast hie.”
Scars hess he said, quhen, lo, throu the plane
Ruschand amyd hys fays, com hym agane
Ane Sages, montit on a fomy steid
(And he was wondit sair, and gan to bleid,
In the face with ane arrow vnder the e),
Cryand, “Help, Turnus, be his name, quhar is he?
Turnus,” quod he, “in the and thy twa handis
The extreme help and lattir weilfar standis:
Haue reuth and piete of thyne awin menȝe.
Now, as the thundris blast, faris Enee
In bargane, so enragit he doith mannayss
The cheif cyte of Italy doun to arrayss,
And into fynal ruyne to bet doun
The principall palyce and all the ryall tovn;
And now onto the thak and ruffis hie
The flambys and the fyre blesys doys fle.
In the thar wltys, in the thar eyn, but faill,
The Latyn pepill dressyt hess alhaill:
The kyng hym self Latinus, the gret heir,
Quhispyris and musys, and is in maner feir
Quham he sal cheiss or call, into this thraw,
Tobe hys douchteris spouss, and son in law,

120

Or to quhat frendschip or allyans fyne
Is best hym selwyn at this tyme inclyne.
And forthirmor, Amata the fair queyn,
Quhilk at all tymys thyne afald frend hass bene,
With hir awyn hand doith sterve, now liggand law,
And for affray hir self hess brocht of daw.
Only Mesapus and Atynas keyn
At the portis doys the stour susteyn:
Abowt thir twa on athir syde thik standis,
Arrayt rowtis, with drawyn swerdis in handis,
Full horribill and austern athir barnage,
Cled in steill weid with wapynnys, man and page;
And thou, thus rollyng furth thy cart bedene,
Walkis at avantage on the void grene.”
Turnus astonyst stude dum in studeyng,
Smyt with the ymage of mony diuerss thyng:
Deip in hys hart boldynnys the felloun schame,
All mixt with dolour, angyr and defame;
Syne fervent luf hym catchit in fury rage,
And hys bykend hardyment and curage.
As first the schaddois of pertrublans
Was dryve away, and hys rememberans
The lycht of resson hass recoverit agane,
The byrnand sycht of baith his eyn twane,
Sor aggrevit, towart the wallis he kest,
And from hys cart blent to the cyte prest.
Bot lo, a sworll of fyre blesys vpthraw!
Lemand towart the lyft the flambe he saw,
Amang the plankis and the loftis schire
Stremand and kyndland fast the hoyt fyre,
That caucht was in a mekill towr of tre,
Quhilk towr of sillys and gestis gret belt he,
And thar vnder, to roll it, quhelis set,
With staris hie and batelling weirly bet.
“Now, now, systir,” quod he, “lo, all and sum
The fatis hass vss venquyst and ourcum:
Desist tharfor to mak me langar tary;
Lat ws follow that way, and thiddir cary,

121

Quhar God and this hard fortoun callys me.
Now standis the poynt, I am determyt,” quod he,
“Eneas hand for hand fortill assaill;
Now standis the poynt, to suffir in bataill
The bittir ded and all paynfull distress.
Na langar, sistir germane, as I gess,
Sall thou me se schamefull onworthy wight.
Bot, I beseik the, manly as a knycht
Into this fervent furour suffir me
To go enragit to batale, or I de.”
Thus hass he said, and from the cart inhy
Apon the land he lap deliuerly,
And left his sistir trist and dissolate;
Thrist throu hys fays and wapynnys all, fute hait,
And with sa swift fard schot throu the melle
That the myd rowtis and wardis schuddris he.
And like as the gret roch crag with a sovn
From the top of sum montan tumlyt doun,
Quhen at it is our smyt with wyndis blast,
Or with the drumly schowris spait doun cast,
Or than be lang process of mony ȝheris
Lowsyng tharfra the erd, and away weris,
Is maid to fall and tumbill with all his swecht,
Lyke till a wikkit hill of huge weght,
Halding his fard the discens of the bra
With mony skyp and stend baith to and fra,
Quhill that he schut far on the plane grund,
And all that he ourrekis doith confund;
Woddis, heyrdis, flokkis, catale and men
Our welterand with hym in the deip glen—
Towart the wallys Turnus ruschit als fast
Throw owt the rowtis, by hys fard doun cast,
Quhar tho the grund wet and bedyit stude
A weill far way with effusioun of blude,
And large on breid the skyis and the ayr
For schaftis schot dyd quhissilling heir and thar:
A bekyn with hys hand to thame maid he,
And sammyn eik with lowd voce cryis: “Lat be!

122

Stynt, ȝe Rutilianys, se ȝhe feght na mair,
And, ȝhe Latynys, ȝour dartys castyng spar;
Quhou evir the forton standis at this tyde,
The chance is myne, the fait I mon abyde.
It is mair iust and equale I allane
For ȝou sustene the payn was ondertane,
And purge the cryme, so happynnyt now of lait,
Of this confideratioun violate:
Lat me stand to my chans, I tak on hand
Forto derene the mater with this brand.”
Than euery man amydward thame betwene
Can draw abak, and maid rovm on the greyn.
Eneas feghtis and Turnus, hand for hand,
And Turnus fled, for he had brokkyn his brand.
Thys fader than, this gret prynce Ene,
Herand the name of Turnus cryit on hie,
The wallys left, and fra the tovn went away
Richt hastely, secludand all delay;
Styntis all the wark that he begunnyn had,
And hoppit vp for ioy, he was so glaid;
The huslyng in his armour dyd rebund,
And kest a terribill or a feirfull sound.
Vpraxit hym he hess amyd the place,
Als byg as Athon, the hie mont in Trace,
Or heich as mont Erix in Scycily,
Or than the fader of hillys in Italy,
Clepyt mont Apennynus, quhen that he
Doith swouch or bray with roky quhynnys hie,
And ioys to streik hys snawy top on hycht
Vp in the ayr amang the skyis brycht—
That is to say, amang all other wightis
Eneas semyt to surmontyn in hyghtis
The remanent of all the mekill rowt,
As thir montanys excedis the knollys abowt.

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And than, forsuyth, Rutilianys egyrly,
And all the Troian ostis or army,
Towart thar dukis dyd return thar eyn;
The Rutilianys, I say, and eik bedeyn
All the Latynys that on the wallys stud,
And all thai als tofor as thai war woid
The barmkyn law smait with the rammys fast,
Now of thar schuldris can thar armour cast.
The kyng hym self, Latyn, abasyt to se
Twa men sa byg of huge quantite,
Generit and bred in realmys far insundir
Of seir partis of the warld, that it was wondir
Twa of sik statur, onmysurly of hycht,
Fortill assembill sammyn into fyght,
Or forto se thame, matchit on the greyn,
Dereyn the bargane with thar wapynnys keyn.
And than athir thir campionys vndir scheild,
Quhen voydit weill and rowmyt was the feild
That patent was the plane a weil large space,
With hasty fard on far hess tane thar rayss,
And can thar speris cast, or thai cum neir,
Quhil scheildis soundit and all thar other geir;
Ane marcial batale thai begyn, but baid,
And athir sternly dyd hys fa invaid.
So dyd the strakis dyn on thar steill weid,
The erd granys and dyndlys far onbreid,
Syne raschit togidder with swerdis, or euer thai stynt,
And rowtis thik thai doublit, dynt for dynt;
With fors of prowess and fatale aventur
Mydlit sammyn the bargane thai endur.
Lyke as twa bustuus bullys by and by,
On the hie month Taburn in Champany,
Or in the mekill forest of Syla,
Quhen thai assembill in austern bargane thra,
With front to front, and horn for horn, attanys
Ruschand togiddir with cronys and feirfull granys,
That fe masteris and hyrdmen, euery wight
Abasyt gevys thame place, so brym tha fight;

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For feir the bestis dum all standis by,
And all in dowt squelys the ȝong ky,
Quha salbe master of the catal all,
Or quhilk of thame the bowys follow sall;
Thai twa bullys, thus stryvand in that stond,
By mekill forss wyrkis other mony a wond,
And duschand festynnys fast thar hornys stowt,
Quhill that abundans of blude stremys owt,
That can do wesch, bedy, or all to baith,
Thar grym nekkis and thar spaldis baith;
That of thar rowstyng all the large plane
And woddis rank rowtis and lowys agane—
Nane other wyss Ene, the Troian heir,
And Dawnus son, Turnus, sammyn infeir
Hurlys togiddir with thar scheildis strang,
That for gret raschis all the hevynnys rang.
Thus Iupiter hym self hess atheris chance
A weill lang space to hungyn in ballance
Be equale myssour, and pasyt hess alsso
The fatis diuerss of thame baith two;
Quham the stowt laubour suld deliuer fre,
And quham the pasand wecht ourwelt to de.
Turnus at this tyme walxis bald and blyth,
Wenyng to caucht a stound hys strenth to kyth
But ony danger or aduersyte;
He raxis hym, and hevis vp on hie
Hys bludy sword, and smait in al hys mayn.
A gret clamour gave the pepill Troian,
And eik the Latynys quakyng gaue a schowt,
Full prest thame tobehald stud athir rowt.
Bot this ontraste fals blaid is brokyn in sundyr,
And ardent Turnus brocht hess in gret blundir;
For it amyddis of hys dynt hym falys,
And dissolet hym left, that nocht avalys
To hym hys strenth, hardyment and mycht,
Less than he tak for hys defens the flycht:
Ȝa, swyftar than the wynd he fled, I gess,
Quhen that he saw hys rycht hand wapynless,

125

And persauyt the plummet was onknaw.
For so the fame is, at the ilk thraw
Quhen he first ruschit in hys cart inhy,
And gart do ȝok hys stedis by and by
To go onto the batale the sam day,
That, for the suddand onset and effray,
The cartar Metiscus sword hynt in hand,
And all forȝet hys faderis nobill brand;
And this ilk swerd was sufficient a lang space,
Quhill that he followit the Troianys in the chaiss,
That gaue the bak, as we haue said or this;
Bot alsfast as it twichit and matchit is
By dyvyn armour maid by god Wlcan,
And tharon smyttyn in al Turnus mayn,
This ontrew temperit blaid and fykkill brand,
That forgit was bot with a mortal band,
In flendris flaw, and at the first clap,
As brukkill ice, in litill pecis lap,
Quhill the small partis of the blaid brokin in twa
As glass gletand apon the dun sand lay.
Quharfor this Turnus, half myndless and brane,
Socht diuerss wentis to fle throu owt the plane;
With mony wyndis and turnys, all on flocht,
Now heir, syne thar, onsovirly he socht.
Troianys stude thik bylappit inveroun
In maner of a conpass or a crovn;
And on the ta half eik a laik braid
Hym so inclusyt that he mycht nocht evaid,
And on the tother syde fermyt als was he
With the hie wallys of the cheif cyte.
And thocht the wond tareis Ene sum deill,
Wrocht to hym by the takill with hed of steill,
To weild hys kne maid sum impediment,
That he mycht nocht braid swiftly our the bent,
With na less press and haist ȝit, nocht for thy,
He, fute for fut, persewys him fervently.
Lyke as, sum tyme, quhen that the huntar stowt
Betrappit hass and ombeset about

126

With hys ralys and with hys hundis gude,
The mekill hart swymmand amyd the flude,
Quhilk thar inclusit neidlingis mon abyd;
For he may not eschape on nother syd,
For feir of hundis, and that awfull bern
Baryng schaftis fedderit with plumys of the ern;
The rynnyng hund dois hym assail in threte
Baith with swift rayss and with hys questis grete;
Bot this hart, all abasyt of thar slycht,
And of the strait and stay bankis gret hycht,
Can fle and eik return a thousand ways;
Bot than the swypir Tuscan hund assays
And nerys fast, ay reddy hym to hynt,
Now, now, almaste lyke, or euer he stynt,
He suld hym hynt, and, as the beste war tak,
With hys wyd chaftis at hym makis a snak,
The byt oft falȝeis for ocht he do mycht,
And chakkis waist togiddir hys wapynnys wycht—
Right so, at this tyme, apon athir syde
The clamour rayss, that all the laik wyde
And brays abowt thame answerd, so thai ferd,
The hevyn our all eik rumlyt of ther rerd.
And Turnus, fleand, sammyn fast can call
Rutilianys, chidand baith ane and all,
Every man clepand by hys proper name,
To reke hym hys trast swerd for schame;
And by the contrar, awfully Ene
Can thame mannans, that nane sa bald suldbe,
And schew present the deth all reddy heir
To thar ondoyng, gif that ony drew neir,
And quakyng for affeir maid thame agast,
Schorand the cite to distroy and doun cast,
Gif ony help or supple to hym schew,
And, thocht he sair was, fersly dyd persew.
Thus fyve tymys round intill a rayss
About the feild can thai fle and chaiss,
And alss feill syss went turnyng heir and thar,
Lyke as befor the hund wiskis the hair.

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And na wondir, for sa the mater lyis,
To na bowrdyng twichit thar interpryss,
Na for small wagis thai debait and stryfe,
Bot apon Turnus blude schedding and lyfe.
On cace, amyd this feild had grow of lait
Ane wild olyve to Fawnus consecrait,
Quharon grew bittyr levys, and mony ȝheris
Was hald in wirschip with all maryneris;
At the quhilk tre, quhen thai eschapit had
The stormys blast, and wallis maid thame rad,
Tharon thar offerandis wald affix and hyng
Onto this god vmquhile of Lawrent kyng,
And tharon eik the clathis bekend vpstent.
Bot tho the stok of this tre doun was rent
By the Troianys, mysknawand it hallowit was,
To that entent to plane the batale place.
Eneas byg lance or hys castyng speir
Percayss apon the poynt was stykand heir;
Thiddir this schaft the gret fors of his cast
Had thraw the ilk stund, and thar fixit fast,
Amang the grippill rutis fast haldand,
Weggit full law the lance on end dyd stand.
The Troiane prynce it grippis in that sted,
Willyng in hand to pull owt the steill hed,
With cast tharof to follow hym at the bak,
Quham he throw speid of fut mycht nocht ourtak.
Bot than Turnus, half mangit in effray,
Cryis: “O thou Fawnus, help, help, I the pray!
And thou Tellus, mast nobill god of erd,
Hald fast the speris hed by ȝour werd;
As I that evir hass wirschipit on thir planys
Ȝour honour, that be the contrar Eneadanys
Hess violet and prophanyt be stryfe,” quod he,
“With blude scheddyng, and down hewyn ȝour tre.”
Thus said he, and no thyng invane, I wyss,
The goddys help he axit, for, at hys wyss,
A full lang tyme wrelis and tareis Ene
Furth of the teuch rutis of this ilk tre

128

Hys speir to draw, and bytis on his lip;
Bot festynnyt sa is in the war the gryp,
That by na maner forss, thocht he was wight,
Furth of the stok the schaft vp pull he mycht.
And as he brymly thus inforcis fast
To draw the speir, this goddess at the last,
I meyn Iuturna, douchter of Dawnus kyng,
Owt throu the feld com rynnand in a lyng,
Changit agane, as that befor scho was,
Into Metiscus semlant and lyknes,
And to hir brother hess hys swerd betauch;
Quhar at Dame Venus gret disdenȝe caucht,
Sik thyng suldbe tholit this bald nymphe to do;
Than suddanly to the speir rakis scho,
Baith schaft and hed onon, or evir scho stent,
At the first pull from the deip rute hess rent.
Than athir restit and refreschit weill
Baith in curage and scharp wapynnys of steill,
He trastand in hys swerd that weill wald scheir,
And he full prowd and stern of hys byg sper.
Incontrar otheris baldly lang thai stand
In marciall batale athir resistand,
Ilkane full wilfull otheris till ourthraw,
At sic debait that baith thai pant and blaw.
Quhou Iupiter and Iuno dyd contend
Eneas stryfe and Turnus fortill end.
The fader almychty of the hevyn abuf,
In the meyn tyme, onto Iuno his lufe,
Quhilk tho down from a watry ȝallow clowd
Beheld the bargane therof na thing prowd,
Thus spak and said: “O my deir spouss, quhat now?
Quhat end salbe of this mater, or quhou?
Quhat restis finaly now at all lat se.
Thou wait thi self, and grantis thou wait, Enee

129

Is destinat onto the hevin to cum,
And fortobe clepit with all and sum
Amang the goddis a god indigites,
And by the fatis forto rest in pess,
Sesit abuf the starry skyis hie.
Quhat purposis or etlys thou now lat se,
Or into quhat beleif, or quhat entent,
Hyngis thou swa in the cald firmament?
Was it honest a godly dyvyn wight
With ony mortal strake to wond in fight?
Or ȝit ganand, the swerd lost and adew,
To rendir Turnus, lo, hys brand of new,
And strenth encresss to thame at venquist be?
For quhat avalit Iuturna, but thy supple?
Desist heirof, now at last, be the lest,
And condiscend to bow at our request;
Ne suffir not thy hyd sorrow, I pray,
Na langar the consume and waist away,
That I na mar sik wofull thochtis se
Schyne nor appeir in thy sweit face,” quod he,
“For now is cum the extreme lattir punct.
Thou mycht, quhil now, haue catchit at disiunct
The silly Troianys baith be sey and land;
And eik thou mycht alsso at thyne awin hand
A fell ontelabill batal rayss or weir,
Deform the howshald, and bryng all on steir
Be mony diuerss ways of fury rage,
And all with murnyng mixt thar mariage:
Bot I forbyd ȝou ony mar sic thing.”
Thus spak and carpis love, gret hevynnys kyng.
Saturnus dochtir, Iuno the goddess,
Ansuerit on this wyss, castand doun hir face:
“O Iupiter, deir lord, certis,” said sche,
“Becauss this thy gret will was knawyn to me,
On forss tharfor, and incontrar my mynd,
I left the erd and my frend Turnus kynd.
Ne, war not that, suld thou me se allon
Thus sittand in the ayr al wobegon,

130

Sustenand thus al maner of myscheif,
And euery stress, baith lesum and onleif;
Bot at I suld, gyrthit with flambis red,
Stowtly haue standyn in ȝon batale sted,
And suld haue drawyn ȝon Troianys, ane and all,
Into fell mortal bargane inimicall.
I grant, I dyd persuading owt of dreid
Iuturna to pass doun at sik neid
To hir brothir, and for his lyfe eik I
Approvis weill, and als dois ratify,
To vndertak mair than to hir pertenyt;
Bot I forsuith persuadit neuer, nor menyt,
That scho suld dartis cast, or takillis draw,
Nor with the bow mak debait ony thraw:
I swer tharto be the onplesand well
Of Stix, the flud and cheif fontan of hell,
Quhais only dreidfull superstitioun heir
The goddis kepis, that nane dar it forswer.
And now, forsuith, thy will obey sall I,
And giffis owr the causs perpetualy,
And heir I leif sik werys and debait,
The quhilk, certis, I now detest and hait.
Bot for the land of Latium or Itaill,
And for maieste of thine awin blude, sans faill,
A thing I the beseik, quhilk, weill I wait, is
Na wyss include in statutis of the fatis:
That is to knaw, quhen that, as weill mot be,
With happy wedlok and felicite
Ȝon pepillis twane sall knyt vp peax for ay,
Bynd confiderans baith coniunct in a lay,
That thou ne wald the ald inhabitantis
Byd change thar Latyn name nor natyve landis,
Ne charge thame nother tobe callit Troianys,
Nor ȝit be clepit Phrigianys nor Tewcranys,
Ne ȝit the Latyn pepill thar leid to change,
Nor turn thar clething in other habyt strange.
Lat it remane Latium, as it was air,
And lat the kyngis be namyt euermar

131

Pryncis and faderis of the stile Albane;
The lynage eik and gret ofspring Romane
Mot discend tharfra potent and mychty,
Vndir the virtuus titill of Italy.
Troy is doun bet—doun bet lat it remane,
With name and all, and neuer vpryss agane.”
Than gan to smyle Iupiter the gret kyng,
That is producear of men and euery thing:
“Syster german,” quod he, “to Iove art thou,
And secund child to Saturn ald; ha, quhou
Sa gret a storm or spait of felloun ire
Vndir thy breist thou rollis hait as fyre?
Bot wirk as I the byd, and do away
That wreth consauyt but ony causs, I pray.
I geif and grantis the thi desyre,” quod he,
“Of fre will, venquyst, referris me to the.
Thir ilk pepill clepit Ausonyanys,
On other wyss callit Italianys,
The auld vsans and leyd of thar cuntre
Sall bruke and ioys, and eik thar name salbe
As it is now, and as thar stile remanys:
Alanerly thar personys the Troianys
Sall entyr myddill and remane thame amang:
The fassonys and the ritis, that nocht ga wrang,
Of sacrifice to thame statute I sall,
And Latyn pepill of a tung mak thame all.
The kynd of men discend from thir Troianys,
Mydlit with kyn of the Italianys,
Thou sal behald in piete and gentilness
To go abufe baith men and goddis express;
Nor neuer clan or other nation by
Lyke thame sall hallow, ne ȝit sanctify
Thy wirschip, eik and honour, as thai sal do.”
Iuno annerdit, and gaue consent heirto,
Ful blith and ioyus of this grant, perfay,
Fra hir ald wraith hess writhit hir mynd away;
And in the meyn tyme onto the hevyn hir drew,
And left the clovd, and bad Turnus adew.

132

Thys beand done, as said is, on sik wyss,
This hie fader can with hym self devyss
Ane other craft, and providis the way
Quhou that he sal Iuturna dryfe away
From helpyng of hir brother intill armys.
Thar beyn twa vengeabill monstreis full of harmys,
Clepit to surname Dire, wikkit as fyre,
That is to say, the goddis wraik or ire,
Quhilk myschewoss and cruell sisteris twa,
Sammyn with the hellys fury Megera,
The Nycht thar moder, that barntyme miserabill,
Bair at a birth, for na thing profitabill;
And all elike wymplit and cled thir trakis
With eddris thrawin, and harys full of snakis,
And tharto ekit weyngis swift as wynd.
Thir wikkit schrewys reddy sal ȝe fynd
Befor the troyn of Iove, and eik also
Within the wanys of cruell Kyng Pluto.
Thai scharp the dreid to mortale wrachit wightis,
Quhen euer the kyng of goddis by his mychtis
The deth, or the contagius seikness seir,
Disponys hym to send in the erth heir,
Or quhen that hym list do smyte and affray
Citeis with weirfar, as deservit haue thai.
Iove ane of thir, full swipper to discend,
Furth of the hevin abuf onon hess send,
And bad hir hald doun baldly to the erd,
Forto resist Iuturnais ire and werd.
And scho onon doun flaw, to pless the lard,
And to the grund thuddis with hasty fard.
Nane other wyss than from the stryng doith fle
The swift arrow owt throw the ayr we se,
Or, into bittyr vennom wet, sum flane
Castyn or schot by sum archer Persayn,
By sum Persayn or man of Cydony
The schaft thrawyn, that quhyrris throu the sky,
And, quhar it hyttis, wyrkis a wond of pyne,
Oncurabill by the craft of medycyne,

133

And sa swiftly slydis throu the clowdis gray
That quhar it went nane may persave the way—
On sik maner the nyghtis douchtir onflocht
Throw the skyis doun to the erth sone socht;
And efter that scho saw the Troian ostis,
And Turnus rowtis arrayt on the costis,
Scho hir transformyt in lyknes of a fowle,
Quhilk we a litil howlet cleip, or owle,
That sum tyme into gravis, or stokkis of tre,
Or on the waist thak, or howss rufis hie,
Sittand by nycht syngis a sorowfull toyn
In the dyrk skowgis, with scrykis inoportoyn.
This vengeabill wraik, in sik form changit thus,
Evyn in the face and vissage of Turnus
Can fle and flaf, and maid hym forto grow,
Scho soundis so with mony hyss and how,
And in hys scheild can with hyr weyngis smyte.
A new dolfnes dissoluyt hys membris tyte;
For verray dreid and for gret horrour als
Vp stert hys hair, the voce stak in hys hals.
Bot as Iuturna soyn on far dyd heir
Of this fury the quhislyng and the beir,
The swouchyng of hir weyngis and hir flycht,
This woful sister hyr hair rent for that sycht,
With nalys ryvand reuthfully hir face,
And smytand with hir nevis hir breist, allace!
“Turnus, my best belovit brother,” quod sche,
“Quhat may thy sistir help now, wa is me!
Or quhat now restis to me, wrachit wight?
Thy life prolong quhou may I? Be quhat slycht
May I oppone me to resist or stryve
With sik a monstre? Na, nane wight alyve.
Now, now, I leif the feild, and goys away.
O ȝe myschewoss fowlis, I ȝou pray,
Do me na mair agryss trymland for feir;
The clappyng of ȝour weyngis I knaw and heir,
And eik the dedly sovndis weill onfar.
The provd command of myghty Iupiter,

134

That gydis al thing by hys maieste,
Dois me not now astart, for I it se.
Is this the ganȝeld that he rendris me
In recompens of my virginite?
Quharto eternal lyfe hess he me geif?
Quharto suld I on this wyss euer leif?
Quharto is me byreft the faculte
Of deth, and grantit immortalite?
For, gif I mortal war, now, now suythly,
Thir sa gret dolouris mycht I end inhy,
And with my reuthfull brother go withall
Amangis the dym schaddoys infernall.
O deir brother german, without the
Is na thing sweit nor plesand onto me.
O now quhat grund, land or erd tewch
Sal swelly me tharin half deip enewch,
And, thocht I beyn a goddess, doun me draw,
And send ontil infernal wightis law?”
Thus mekil said scho, and tharwith bad adew,
Hir hed valit with a haw claith or blew,
And murnand gretly thar as that scho stud,
This goddes dowkit deip vnder the flud.
At Eneas Turnus a stane dyd cast,
Bot Eneas hass slane hym at the last.
Ene with this instantly list not cess
Forto recontyr Turnus in the press,
And hys big speir apon hym schakis he,
Quhilk semyt rude and squar as ony tre,
And with a bald and bustuus breist thus spak:
“Quhat menys this langsum delay ȝhe mak?
Quhy tary ȝe for schame, Turnus, all day?
Quharto withdrawis thou the so away?
We pyngill not for speid na curss to ryn,
Bot we debait suld, this barress within,

135

With wapynnys keyn and with our burnyst brandis,
Togiddir met dereyn it with our handis.
Do change thy self, or turn at thy awyn eyss
In all maner of figuris as the pleiss;
Gaddir togiddir and assembill now, lat se,
All that thou hass of strenth or subtelte;
Wyss now to fle vp to the starnys on hycht
With fedderit weyngis forto tak thy flycht,
Or forto cloyss thy self this ilk thraw
Into sum cavern vnder the erd law.”
Turnus, schakand hys hed, said: “Thou fers fo,
Thy fervent wordis compt I not a stro,
Thy sawis makis me not agast, perfay:
It is the goddis that doith me affray,
And Iupiter becummyn myne ennemy.”
Ne mor he said, bot blent about inhy,
And dyd aspy quhar that a gret roke lay,
Ane ald crag stane huge gret and gray,
Quhilk on the plane, percace, was liggand neir,
A marche set in that grund mony ȝeir
Of twa feildis, forto decern tharby
The ald debait of pley or contrauersy;
Scarsly twyss sax stowt walit men and wight,
Quhilk now the erd producis, hess sik mycht
To charge it on thar schuldris or to beir;
Quham full lychtly Turnus, that nobill heir,
Hynt in hys hand, and swakkit at his fo,
And raxit hym on hicht thar vndir alsso,
And tharwith chargit a full swyft curss ran.
Bot sa confundit is this douchty man
That he ne knew hym selvyn in that sted,
Nowder quhar that he ran, nor quhar he ȝed,
Nor felt hym self liftand on the land
The mekill stane, nor steir it with his hand.
Hys kneis stummerit and hys lymmys slydis,
The blude congelit for feir within his sydis,
So at the stane he at his foman threw
Fayntly throwowt the voyd and waist air flew,

136

Ne went it all the space, as he dyd mynt,
Nor, as he etlyt, perfornyst not the dynt.
Lyk as, sum tyme, in our swevyn we tak keip,
Quhen langsum dravillyng or the onsond sleip
Our eyn oursettis in the nyghtis rest,
Than semys ws full bissy and full prest
That we ws streke, and doith adress inhy
Lang renkis forto mak and ryn swiftly;
Bot all for nocht, for at the first assay,
Or in the myddis of the start, by the way,
All fante we faill, as forfeblit war we;
The tung avalis not, it will not be;
Ne ȝit the strenthis in our body knaw
Semys sufficient to ws at that thraw;
For, set we press ws fast to spek owt braid,
Ne voce nor wordis followys, nocht is said—
Siklyke wyss hess this goddess myschewss
Ombeset all the ways of Turnus.
Quhat evir to do by hys strenth etlyt he,
Scho maid obstakill; all that ganestandis sche.
Than in hys mynd becom his wittis strange
And begouth forto vary and to change;
And oft he dyd behald Rutilianys,
And oft the cite with all that ryall wanys.
He hovirris all abasyt for dreid and feir,
And gan do quaik, seand at hand the speir;
Ne can he fynd quhiddir away to wend,
Nor on quhat wyss hym self he may defend,
Nor with quhat strenth assaill hys aduersar,
Nor be na ways persaue hys cart or char,
Nor se hys sistir, that had hys cartar be.
And as he stud on hovyr thus, Ene
The fatale dedly speir in hand gan tayss,
And with hys eyn markit and walit hass
Ane place be fortoun to smyte oportune,
And with the hail fors of hys body soyn
Furth from hys hand weil far the lance gan thraw.
Neuer sa swyftly quhidderand the stane flaw

137

Swakkit from the engyne onto the wall,
Nor fulderis dynt, that causis towris fall,
With sik a rummyll com bratland on sa fast.
Lyke the blak thud of awfull thundris blast
Furth flaw the schaft to smyte the dedly straik,
And with it brocht cruell myschewos wraik;
Quhilk throu the hawbrik skyrtis persyt hass,
And the extreme bordour gan arrass
Of hys strang scheild, cowchit of sevyn ply,
And quhirrand smait hym throw the thee in hy,
That with the dynt huge Turnus, full onsound,
With faldyn howchis duschit to the grund.
Vpstart Rutilianys sammyn complenyng
With a ȝelloch and cairfull womentyng,
Quhill all the hillys rumysit thame abowt,
And far on breid thyk woddis gaue a schowt.
And Turnus, than, quhar he at erth dyd ly,
Addressis furth full humyll and lawly
Towart Ene hys syght and eyn tway,
And strekis eik hys rycht hand hym to pray,
And thus he said: “Forsuyth I haue deserve
The deth, I knaw, and of thy hand to sterve,
Ne wil I not beseik the me to spair.
Oyss furth thy chance: quhat nedis process mar?
Bot gif that ony cuyr or thocht,” quod he,
“Of ony wofull parent may twich the,
Haue rewth and mercy of Kyng Dawnus the ald
(Thou had forsuyth, as I haue hard betald,
Anchises, sik a fader as is he),
And me, or than, gif bettir lykis the,
My body, spulȝeit and the life byreft,
Onto my folkis thou may rendir eft.
Thou hess me venquyst, I grant, and me ourcum.
Italian pepill present all and sum
Hess sene streke furth my handis humylly.
Lavinia is thy spowss, I not deny:
Extend na forthir thy wraith and matalent.”
Eneas stern in armys tho present

138

Rolland hys eyn toward Turnus dyd stand,
And lyst nocht stryke, bot can withdraw hys hand,
And mor and mor thir wordis, by and by,
Begouth inclyne hym to reuth and mercy,
Abydand lang in hovir quhat he suld do,
Quhen, at the last, on Turnus schuldir, lo,
The fey gyrdill hie set dyd appeir,
With stuthis knaw and pendes schynand cleir,
The belt or tysche of the child Pallas,
Quhilk by this Turnus laitly venquyst was,
As we haue said, and with a grews wond
Slane in the feld, bet doun, and brocht to grund,
And Turnus, in remembrans of this thing,
Abowt his schuldris bair this onfrendly syng.
Bot eftir that Eneas with hys eyn
Sa cruell takynnys of dyseyss hess seyn,
And can sik weid byreft thar aspy,
All full of furour kyndlys he inhy,
Full brym of ire and terribill thus can say:
“Sall thou eschape me of this sted away,
Cled with the spulȝe of my frendis deir?
Pallas, Pallas, with this wond rycht heir
Of the ane offerand to the goddys makkis,
And of thy wikkit blude punytioun takkis.”
And sayand thus, full ferss, with all hys mayn,
Law in hys breist or cost, lay hym forgayn,
Hys swerd hess hyd full hait; and tharwithall
The cald of deth dissoluyt hys membris all.
The spreit of lyfe fled murnand with a grone,
And with disdeyn vnder dyrk erth is goyn. etc.
Explicit liber duodecimus Virgilii in Eneados

141

Heir begynnys the Proloug of the Threttene and last Buk of Eneados ekit to Virgill be Mapheus Vegius

Towart the evyn, amyd the symmyris heit,
Quhen in the Crab Appollo held hys sete,
Duryng the ioyus moneth tyme of June,
As gone neir was the day and supper doyn,
I walkyt furth abowt the feildis tyte,
Quhilkis tho replenyst stud full of delyte,
With herbys, cornys, catal, and frute treis,
Plente of stoir, byrdis and byssy beys,
In amerant medis fleand est and west,
Eftir laubour to tak the nychtis rest.
And as I lukit on the lift me by,
All byrnand red gan walxin the evyn sky:
The son enfyrit haill, as to my sight,
Quhirlit about hys ball with bemys brycht,
Declynand fast towart the north in deid,
And fyry Phegon, his dun nychtis steid,
Dowkit hys hed sa deip in fludis gray
That Phebus rollis doun vndir hell away;
And Esperus in the west with bemys brycht
Vpspryngis, as forrydar of the nycht.
Amyd the hawchis, and euery lusty vaill,
The recent dew begynnys doun to scaill,
To meyss the byrnyng quhar the son had schyne,
Quhilk tho was to the neddir warld declyne:
At euery pilis poynt and cornys croppis
The techrys stude, as lemand beryall droppis,
And on the hailsum herbis, cleyn but wedis,
Lyke cristal knoppis or smal siluer bedis.
The lyght begouth to quynchyng owt and faill,
The day to dyrkyn, declyne and devaill;

142

The gummys rysis, doun fallis the donk rym,
Baith heir and thar scuggis and schaddois dym.
Vpgois the bak with hir pelit ledderyn flycht,
The lark discendis from the skyis hycht,
Syngand hir complyng sang, efter hir gyss,
To tak hir rest, at matyn hour to ryss.
Owt our the swyre swymmys the soppis of myst,
The nycht furthspred hir cloke with sabill lyst,
That all the bewte of the fructuus feld
Was with the erthis vmbrage cleyn ourheld;
Baith man and beste, fyrth, flude and woddis wild
Involuyt in tha schaddois warryn syld.
Still war the fowlis fleis in the air,
All stoir and catall seysit in thar lair,
And euery thing, quharso thame lykis best,
Bownys to tak the hailsum nychtis rest
Eftir the days laubour and the heyt.
Closs warryn all and at thar soft quyet,
But sterage or removing, he or sche,
Owder best, byrd, fysch, fowle, by land or sey.
And schortlie, euery thing that doith repar
In firth or feild, flude, forest, erth or ayr,
Or in the scroggis, or the buskis ronk,
Lakis, marrasis, or thir pulys donk,
Astabillit lyggis still to slepe, and restis;
Be the smaill byrdis syttand on thar nestis,
The litill mygeis, and the vrusum fleys,
Laboryus emmotis, and the bissy beys;
Als weill the wild as the taym bestiall,
And euery othir thingis gret and small,
Owtak the mery nychtgaill, Philomeyn,
That on the thorn sat syngand fra the spleyn;
Quhais myrthfull notis langyng fortil heir,
Ontill a garth vndir a greyn lawrer
I walk onon, and in a sege down sat,
Now musyng apon this and now on that.
I se the poill, and eik the Vrsis brycht,
And hornyt Lucyn castand bot dym lycht,

143

Becauss the symmyr skyis schayn sa cleir;
Goldyn Venus, the mastres of the ȝeir,
And gentill Iove, with hir participate,
Thar bewtuus bemys sched in blyth estait:
That schortly, thar as I was lenyt doun,
For nychtis silens, and this byrdis sovn,
On sleip I slaid, quhar sone I saw appeir
Ane agit man, and said: “Quhat dois thou heir
Vndyr my tre, and willyst me na gude?”
Me thocht I lurkit vp vnder my hude
To spy this ald, that was als stern of spech
As he had beyn ane medicyner or lech;
And weill persavit that hys weid was strange,
Tharto so ald, that it had not beyn change,
Be my consait, fully that fourty ȝeir,
For it was threidbair into placis seir;
Syde was this habyt, round, and closyng meit,
That strekit to the grund doun our his feit;
And on his hed of lawrer tre a crown,
Lyke to sum poet of the ald fasson.
Me thocht I said to hym with reuerens:
“Fader, gif I haue done ȝou ony offens,
I sall amend, gif it lyis in my mycht:
Bot suythfastly, gyf I haue perfyte sycht,
Onto my doym, I, saw ȝou nevir ayr,
Fayn wald wyt quhen, on quhat wyss, or quhar,
Aganyst ȝou trespassit ocht haue I.”
“Weill,” quod the tother, “wald thou mercy cry
And mak amendis, I sal remyt this falt;
Bot, other ways, that sete salbe full salt.
Knawis thou not Mapheus Vegius, the poet,
That onto Virgillis lusty bukis sweit
The thretteyn buke ekit Eneadan?
I am the sammyn, and of the na thyng fayn,
That hess the tother twelf into thy tong
Translait of new, thai may be red and song
Our Albyon ile into ȝour wlgar leid;
Bot to my buke ȝit lyst the tak na heid.”

144

“Mastir,” I said, “I heir weill quhat ȝhe say,
And in this cace of perdon I ȝou pray,
Not that I haue ȝou ony thing offendit,
Bot rathir that I haue my tyme mysspendit,
So lang on Virgillis volume forto stair,
And laid on syde full mony grave mater,
That, wald I now write in that trety mor,
Quhat suld folk deym bot all my tyme forlor?
Als, syndry haldis, fader, trastis me,
Ȝour buke ekit but ony necessite,
As to the text accordyng neuer a deill,
Mair than langis to the cart the fift quheill.
Thus, sen ȝhe beyn a Cristyn man, at large
Lay na sik thing, I pray ȝou, to my charge;
It may suffyss Virgill is at ane end.
I wait the story of Iherom is to ȝou kend,
Quhou he was dung and beft intill hys sleip,
For he to gentilis bukis gaif sik keip.
Full scharp repreif to sum is write, ȝe wist,
In this sentens of the haly Psalmyst:
‘Thai ar corruppit and maid abhominabill
In thar studeyng thyngis onprofitabill’:
Thus sair me dredis I sal thoill a heit,
For the grave study I haue so long forleit.”
“Ȝa, smy,” quod he, “wald thou eschape me swa?
In faith we sall nocht thus part or we ga!
Quhou think we he essonȝeis hym to astart,
As all for consciens and devoit hart,
Fenȝeand hym Iherom forto contyrfeit,
Quhar as he lyggis bedovyn, lo, in sweit!
I lat the wyt I am nane hethyn wight,
And gif thou hass afortyme gayn onrycht,
Followand sa lang Virgill, a gentile clerk,
Quhy schrynkis thou with my schort Cristyn wark?
For thocht it be bot poetry we say,
My buke and Virgillis morall beyn, bath tway:
Len me a fourteyn nycht, how evir it be,
Or, be the faderis sawle me gat,” quod he,

145

“Thou salt dier by that evir thou Virgill knew.”
And, with that word, doun of the sete me drew,
Syne to me with hys club he maid a braid,
And twenty rowtis apon my riggyng laid,
Quhill, “Deo, Deo, mercy,” dyd I cry,
And, be my rycht hand strekit vp inhy,
Hecht to translait his buke, in honour of God
And hys Apostolis twelf, in the numbir od.
He, glaid tharof, me by the hand vptuke,
Syne went away, and I for feir awoik
And blent abowt to the north est weill far,
Saw gentill Iubar schynand, the day star,
And Chiron, clepit the syng of Sagittary,
That walkis the symmyrris nycht, to bed gan cary.
Ȝondyr dovn dwynys the evyn sky away,
And vpspryngis the brycht dawyng of day
Intill ane other place nocht far in sundir
That tobehald was plesans, and half wondir.
Furth quynchyng gan the starris, on be on,
That now is left bot Lucifer allon.
And forthirmor to blason this new day,
Quha mycht discryve the byrdis blisfull bay?
Belyve on weyng the bissy lark vpsprang,
To salus the blyth morrow with hir sang;
Sone our the feildis schynys the lycht cleir,
Welcum to pilgrym baith and lauborer;
Tyte on hys hynys gaif the greif a cry,
“Awaik on fut, go till our husbandry.”
And the hyrd callis furth apon hys page,
“Do dryve the catall to thar pasturage.”
The hynys wife clepis vp Katheryn and Gill;
“Ȝa, dame,” said thai, “God wait, with a gude will.”
The dewy greyn, pulderit with daseis gay,
Schew on the sward a cullour dapill gray;
The mysty vapouris spryngand vp full sweit,
Maist confortabill to glaid all manis spreit;
Tharto, thir byrdis syngis in the schawys,
As menstralis playng “The ioly day now dawys.”

146

Than thocht I thus: I will my cunnand kepe,
I will not be a daw, I will not slepe,
I wil compleit my promyss schortly, thus
Maid to the poet master Mapheus,
And mak vpwark heirof, and cloyss our buke,
That I may syne bot on grave materis luke:
For, thocht hys stile be nocht to Virgill lyke,
Full weill I wayt my text sall mony like,
Sen eftir ane my tung is and my pen,
Quhilk may suffyss as for our wlgar men.
Quha evir in Latyn hess the bruyt or glor,
I speke na wers than I haue doyn befor:
Lat clerkis ken the poetis different,
And men onletterit to my wark tak tent;
Quhilk, as twiching this thretteynt buke infeir,
Begynnys thus, as furthwith followis heir.
Explicit prologus in decimumtertium librum Eneados Sequitur liber decimustertius de maphei vegii carmine traductus per eundem qui supra interpretem etc.

147

Rutilian pepill, eftir Turnus decess,
Obeys Eneas, and takis thame to hys pess.
As Turnus, in the lattir bargan lost
Venquyst in feild, ȝald furth the fleand gost,
This marciall prynce, this ryall lord Enee,
As victor full of magnanymyte,
Amyddis baith the rowtis baldly standis,
That tobehald hym apon athir handis
Astonyst and agast war all hym saw.
And tho the Latyn pepill haill on raw
A fellon murnyng maid and wofull beir,
And gan devoid and hostit owt full cleir
Deip from thar breistis the hard sorow smart,
With curage lost and doun smyttyn thar hart—
Lyke as the huge forest can bewaill
Hys granys doun bet and his branchis skaill,
Quhen thai beyn catchit and alltoschakyn fast
With the fell thud of the north wyndis blast.
For thai thar lancis fixit in the erd
And lenys on thar swerdis with a rerd,
Thar scheldis of thar schuldris slang away:
That bargan and that weir fast wary thai,
And gan abhor of Mars the wild luf,
Quhilk laitly thay desyrit and dyd appruf.
The brydyll now refuss thai nocht to dre,
Nor ȝok thar nekkys in captiuite,
And to implor forgyfnes of all greif,
Quyet, and end of harmyss and myscheif.
As quhen that twa gret bullys on the plane
Togiddir rynnys in bittir gret bargane,
Thar lang debait mydland quhar thai stand
With large blude scheddyng on athir hand,
Quhill athir of thame onto the batalis fyne
Hys awyn bestis and heyrdis doys inclyne,
Bot, gyf the pryss of victory betydis
Till ony of thir twa on athir sydis,

148

Onon the catall, quhilkis favorit langer
The best curcummyn as thar cheif and heir,
Now thame subdewis vnder his ward inhy
Quhilk hass the ovirhand wonnyn and mastry,
And of fre will, all thocht thar myndis be thra,
Assentis him till obey—and evin rycht swa
The Rutilianys, all thocht the gret syte
Thar breistis had bedowit and to smyte,
With gret effray of slauchter of thar duke,
Ȝit thocht thame levir, and haill to purposs tuke,
To follow and obey, for all thar harmys,
The gentill chiftane and bettir man of armys,
And thame subdew to the Troian Enee,
And hym beseik of peax and amyte,
Of rest and quyet evirmar from the weir,
For thame, thar landis, moblis and other geir.
Eneas tho with plesand voce furth braid
And, standand abuf Turnus, thus he said:
“O Dawnus son, quhou com this hasty rage
Into thy breist with foly and dotage,
That thou mycht nocht suffir the Troianys,
Quhilkis at command of goddis onto thir planys
And by power of hie Iove ar hiddir cary,
Within the bundis of Italy to tary,
And, all invane, thame so expellyng wald
Of thar land of behest and promyst hald?
Lern forto dreid gret Iove, and nocht gaynstand,
And to fulfyll glaidly the goddis command;
And for thar greif weill aucht we tobe war:
Sum tyme in ire will grow gret Iupiter,
And oft remembrans of the wikkit wraik
Solistis the goddis tharof vengeans to take.
Lo, now of all sik furour and effeir
The lattir meith and term is present heir,
Quhar thou aganyst reson and equyte,
Aganyst lawte, and brokyn all vnyte
Of confideratioun sworn and bund or now,
The Troian pepill sair trublit hess thow.

149

Behald and se the extreme fynale day,
To geif all otheris gud exempill for ay
That it mot nevir lefull be agane
Tyll ony to contempne gret Iove invane,
As forto rayss with sik dreid and effeir
Sa onworthy motioun of wikkit weir.
Now beis glaid, bruke thyne armour but pled;
Allace, a nobill corps thou lyggis ded,
The, gret Turnus, and, as to my demyng,
Lavynya hass the cost na litill thyng:
Nor thou na schame nedys thynk in na part,
That of Eneas hand thou kyllit art.
Now cumis heir, Rutilianys, but delay,
The body of ȝour duke turss hyne away.
I grant ȝou baith the armour and the man:
Hald on, and do tharto all that ȝe can,
As langis onto the honor of bereyng,
Or tobewaill the deth of sik a kyng.
Bot the gret pasand gyrdill and sik geir
That Pallas, my deir frend, was wont to weir,
To Evandar I will send, fortobe
Na litill solace to hym, quhen he sall se
Hys felloun fa is kyllit thus, and knaw,
Full glaid tharof, Turnus is brocht of daw.
And netheless now, ȝe Italianys,
That otherwyss be clepe Ausonyanys,
Ramembir heirof, and lern in tyme cummyng
With bettir aspectis and happy begynnyng
To move and tak onhand debait or weir;
For, be the blyssit sternys brycht I sweir,
Neuer nane ostis nor ȝit armour glaidly
Aganyst ȝou in batal movit I,
Bot constrenyt by ȝour fury, as is kend,
With all my forss I set me to defend
The Troian party and our awyn ofspryng,
As, lo, forsuyth this was bot lesum thing.”
No mor Eneas said, bot tharwithall
Addressys hym towart hys cite wall,

150

And throu the feildis socht full ioyusly
To hys new Troian reset and herbry.
Sammyn hym followis all the rowt atanys,
The pissans haill and ȝynkeris of Tewcranys,
And our the planys, glaid and wondir lycht,
Thar swyft stedis, as the fowle at flycht,
Throu speid of fut assays by and by,
And oft with bittir mouth dyd crying, “Fy!”
And can accuss the Latyn pepill all,
Oft fant folkis and sleuthfull dyd thame call;
That with thar rerd and bemyng, quhar thai fair,
For the deray full heich dynnys the air.
Quhou Eneas, glaid of hys victory
Lovyt the goddis, and can tham sacryfy.
And thocht Ene the bissy thochfull curis
Constrenyt hass as twychand sepulturis
Of hys folkis yslane, and bereyng,
With funeral fyre and flambis accordyng,
Ȝit, netheless, in hys breist rollys and sterys
Ane grettar mater and largyar, as efferis.
For first the soueran honour on thar gyss
On the altarys with detfull sacrifice
He ordand hass, and than, fra hand to hand,
Eftir the ryte and vsans of thar land,
The ȝyng oxin gan thai steik and sla:
Within thar tempill haue thai brocht alssua
The bustuus swyne, and the twynteris snaw quhite,
That with thar clovis can the erth smyte,
With mony palt scheddand thar purpour blude.
Furth haue thai rent thar entralis, full onrude,
And gan denude and strippyn of thar hydis,
Syne hakkyn thame in talȝeis, and besydis
The hait flambis brochit hess thame laid.
And furth thai ȝet the wyne in cowpis glaid,

151

God Bachus giftis fast thai multiply;
With platis full the altaris by and by
Thai can do charge, and wirschipis with fat lyre;
The smelland sens vpblesis in the fyre.
Than throu that hald thai fest and mak gud cheir,
Vprayss the mery rerd and ioyus beir:
Thai dyd extoll and lovyng with gret wondir
Gret Iupiter, the feirfull god of thundir;
And Dame Venus thai wirschippit alsso;
And the, Saturnus douchter, Queyn Iuno,
Now pacifyit and bettir than befor,
Ane huge lawd thai ȝald to the tharfor;
And eik hym self Mars, the gret god of armys,
Thai magnyfy as wrekar of thar harmys;
Syne haill the remanent of the cumpany
Of the goddys thai name furth by and by,
With hie vocis and with lowd cryis
Lovit and born vpheich abuse the skyis.
Befor thame all maste gracius Eneas
Hys handis twa, as tho the custum was,
Towart the hevyn gan vplift and arays,
And syne the child Ascanyus dyd embrass,
Sayand a few wordis, that all mycht heir:
“O thou my son and only child mast deir,
In quham only restis thy faderis beleve,
Quham throu samony laubouris of myscheve
I careit haue, catchit full mony gatis
Be the hard fortoun and the frawart fatis,
Lo, now our rest and quyet fund for ay!
Lo, now the last and maist desyrit day,
To mak end of our harmyss and distres!
Our paynfull laubour passit is express:
Lo, the acceptabill day for euermor,
Quhilk I full oft haue schawin the befor
Quhen ontill hard bargan callit was I,
This was tocum and betyd by and by
Be dispositioun of the goddys abuse.
And now, my derrest child, for thy behufe,

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To morn, soyn as Aurora walxis red,
To the cite of Lawrent, that ryall sted,
I sall the send, as victor with ovirhand,
Tobe mastir and to maynteym this land.”
And eftir this he turnyt hym agane
Onto hys folkis and the pepill Troian,
And from the boddum of hys breist weill law
With soft spech furth gan thir wordis draw:
“O ȝe my ferys and my frendis bald,
Throu mony hard perrellis and thikfald,
Throw sa feill stormys baith on land and se,
Hiddir now careit to this cost with me,
Throu sa gret fervour of batall into stowr
And dowbill fury of weirfar in armour,
Be sa feill wynteris blastis and tempestis,
By all ways noysum and onrestis,
And all that horribill was, or ȝit hevy,
Wofull, hydduus, wikkyt, or onhappy,
Or ȝit cruell or myschews; now stad
In bettir hoip, return ȝour mynd, beys glaid:
Now is the end of all ennoy and wo,
The term is cumyn, heir sall thai stynt, and ho:
And, lyke as we desyrit for the best,
With Latyn pepill in ferm peax and rest
We sall conioyn, and leif in vnite;
And Lavinia, of that ilk blude,” quod he,
“Quham I defendit haue in strang bargan,
Of Troiane kyn, with blude Italian
Sammyn mydlit, to me as spouss in hy
Sal ȝeld lynnage to ryng perpetualy.
A thing, my fallowis and my frendis deir,
I ȝou besekyng, and I ȝou requer:
Bair ȝour myndis equale, as all anys,
And common frendis to the Italianys,
And to my fader in law, the kyng Latyn,
Obeis all, and with reuerens inclyn—
Ane myghty ceptre and riall beris he—
This is my mynd, this is my will, perde.

153

Bot into batale and douchty dedis of armys,
Ȝou forto wreke and revenge of ȝour harmys,
Lern forto follow me and tobe meik,
Ȝhe contyrfyt my reuth and piete eik.
Quhat glor is ws betyd full weil is knaw,
Bot the heich hevyn and starris all I draw
To witnessyng, that I, the sammyn wight
Quhilk ȝou deliuerit hess into the fight
From sa huge harmys and myschevis seir,
I sall ȝou seyss and induce now, but weir,
In far largyar rewardis myghtyly
And ȝou rendir ȝour desert by and by.”
With sik wordis gan he thame comfortyng
And in his mynd full mony syndry thyng
Of chancis bipast rollyng to and fro,
Thynkand quhou he is brocht to rest alsso
With na litill laubouris, sturt and panys;
And with excedand luf of the Troianys
Full ardently he flowis all of ioy,
Glaid at the last from danger and ennoy,
So huge and hevy perrellis mony fald,
Thai war eschapit, and brocht to sovir hald.
Lyke as quhen that the gredy gled on hycht
Scummand vp in the ayr oft turnys hys flycht,
With fellon fard wachand the chiknys lyte,
Thar deth mannasand, reddy forto smyte:
The cristit fowle, thar moder, tho full smert
For hyr pullettis, with harmys at hir hart
Affrait gretly of thar wofull chance,
Gan rax hir self and hir curage avans,
Forto resist hir fa scharpand hir byll,
And with haill fors and mycht and egir will
Apon hir aduersar baldly settis sche,
Quhill, at the last, to gif the bak and fle
With mekill payn and verray violens
Scho hym constrenys, and to pyk hym thens:
Hyr byrdis syne, clokkand, scho sekis on raw
And all affrait dois thame sammyn draw,

154

Ennoyt gretly for hir childir deir:
And quhen thai beyn assemlit all infeir,
Than glaid scho worthis and thar meyt gan scrape
For that thai haue sa gret perrell eschape—
Nane other wyss the son of Anchises
With frendly wordis thus amyd the press
The Troian myndis gan meyss and asswage,
As man fulfillit of wit and vassalage,
Dryvand furth of thar hartis all on flocht
The ald dreid and byrnand hevy thocht,
That weill thame lykis now thar ioy and eyss
At last fundyn eftir sa lang diseyss;
And it that layt tofor was tedyus
To suffir or sustene, and ennoyus,
Now to ramember the sammyn or rehersyng
Doys to thame solace, comfort and lykyng,
Bot maist of all onto the gret Ene,
Quhilk in excelland vertu and bonte
Excedit all the remanent a far way.
And for sa feill dangeris and mony affray
The goddis power and mychty maieste
With gyftis gret and offerand wirschippis he,
Eyk Iupiter, the fader of goddis and kyng,
Gan to extoll with maist souerane lovyng.
Quhou Turnus folkis for hym maid sair regrait,
And Kyng Latyn contempnys his wrachit estait.
In the meyn tyme the Rutilianys ichone
The gret ded corps reuthfull and wobegone
Of thar duke Turnus slayn, as said is air,
Within the cite of Lawrentum bair
With mekill murnyng in thar myndis enprent,
And from thar eyn a large schour furth sent
Of teris gret, as thocht the hevyn dyd rayn,
And far on breid dyd fyll the erys twayn

155

Of Kyng Latyn with cry and womentyng,
That all to irkyt was the nobill kyng,
And in his breist the self tyme in ballance
Was rollyng mony diuerss selcouth chance.
Bot quhen he hard thar lowd womentyng
Incressyng mair and mair, and Turnus ȝyng
With sa grysly a wond throw gyrd hess seyn,
Than mycht he nocht fra terys hym conteyn;
And syne this rowt, sa tryst and wobegone,
Full curtesly chargis be still onon,
Baith with hys hand and wordis in his presens
Inionyt hass and commandit thame silens.
Lyke as quhen that the fomy bair hess bet
With his thunderand awfull tuskis gret
Throw owt the cost and eik the entralis all
Ane of the rowt, the hund maste principall;
Than the remanent of that questing sort,
For this onsilly chance effrait, at schort
Withdrawys, and abowt the master hunteir
With quhyngeand mouthis quakand standis for feir
And with gret ȝowlyng doith compleyn and meyn;
Bot quhen thar lord rasys hys hand bedeyn
And byddys cess, thai hald thar mowthis still,
Thar quhyngng and thar questyng at his will
Refrenys, and all closs gan thame withhald—
The sammyn wyss thir Rutilianys, as he wald,
Gan at command debait thar voce and cess,
To heir the kyngis mynd, and held thar pess.
Than thus, wepyng, from hys hart ruyt waill law
The kyng Latyn begouth thir wordis schaw:
“O quhou gret motioun, quhat alteryng onstabill,
Quhou oftsyss interchangit and variabill
Beyn the actis and dedis of man!” quod he,
“With quhou gret trubbill, but tranquylyte,
Is quhirlit abowt the lyfe of man, behald!
O dampnabill pryde and ambitioun, that wald
Bruke crovn or ceptre, prowd in thyne entent,
Quhilk beyn sa fragyll, and not permanent!

156

O fury, O lust, that beyn our gretumly
Bred in our brestis, to covat senȝeory!
Thou blynd desyre insaciabill, may not tary,
Our mortal myndis quhidder doith thou cary?
O glory and renoun of loyss, invayn
Conquest with sa feill perrellis and huge pane,
To quhat conditioun or to quhat estait
Thou sterys furth thir prowd myndis inflait!
Quhou mony slichtis and dissatis quent
With the thou tursis, quhou mony ways to schent,
Quhcu feill maneris of deth and of distress,
Quhou feill tormentis, gret harm and wikkytnes!
Quhou mony dartis, quhou feill swerdis keyn,
Gyf thou beheld, thou hess befor thyne eyn!
Allace, thou sweit vennom schawis, and ȝit
This warldly wirschip hess the dedly byt.
Allace, the sorofull reward in all thyng
Of realmys, and thame covatis forto ryng,
Quhilk costis oft na litill thing, but weir.
Allace, the hevy byrdyng of warldly geir,
That nevir hour may suffir nor permyt
Thar possessour in rest nor peax to syt.
Allace, the miserabill chance and hard estait
Of kyngly honour sa mysfortunate:
The chance of kyngis standis onderlowt,
To mekill dreid ay subiect, and in dowt
From thar estait to dekey suddanly,
That all quyet and eyss is thame deny.
O Turnus, quhat avalit the to steir
In huge bargan so and feir of weir
All Italy with sik deray atanys,
And to perturbe the strangis Eneadanys,
Constrenyng thame hard batal to assay?
Or quhat avalis now, I pray the say,
Fortill haue brokkyn, violate or schent
The haly promyss and the bandis gent
Of peax and concord oblisit and sworn?
Quhou was thi mynd to rent and all to torn

157

With samekill impaciens on this wyss,
That the lyst move the weir, but myne avyss,
With tha pepill, sa strang, bald and sage,
That beyn discendit of the goddys lynnage,
And at command of Iove the god of thundir
Ar hyddir careit? and forto mak sic blundir,
That wilfully, but motyve, so belyve
Enforsyt the thame from our cost to dryve?
And forto brek the band that promyst we
Of our douchtir till our gude son Ene?
And with thy hand hard bargan rayss and steir,
Quhen I planely denyit to move weir?
Quhou was sa gret foly and dotage
Involuyt in thy mynd with fury rage?
Quhou oft, quhen thou to awfull batale wend
Amyd thy rowtis, and on thy steid ascend
In schynand armour arrayt all at rycht,
I assayt the to withdraw from fycht,
And feill tymys defendit the and forbad
To go the way that thou begunnyn had,
And all efferit, quhen thou wald depart,
Amyd the ȝet the stoppit with sair hart!
Bot all for nocht; no thyng mycht styntyng the.
Quhat I haue sufferit sen syne, quhou standis with me,
Our cyte wallys wytnessyng fut het,
With tenementis and biggyngis half doun bet,
And the large feldis strowit quhite of banys,
And haill the pissans of Italianys
All wastit and distroyit thus, allake!
The huge slauchtir and myschews wrake,
And all the fludis walxyn red or brovn
Of mannys quelling gret and occisioun,
The lang abasit quakyng feirfull dreid
And hard laubour, quhilk in extreme neid
I in myne age sa oft hess ondertane,
In sa feill dangeris quhar remed was nane.
Bot now, Turnus, heir thou lyggis ded:
Quhar is the nobill renovn of thy ȝouthed?

158

And quhar is thyne excellent hie curage?
Quhiddir is went thy strenth and vassallage?
Quhar is the staitly bewty of thy face?
Quhar is thy schynand figur now, allace?
Of thy fair vissage quhidder ar gone but weir
Thy plesand forret schaply and eyn cleir?
Ha, quhou feill terys and wofull dolouris smart
Sall thou, Turnus, rendir to Dawnus hart!
And with quhou large wepyng, duyll and wa
Ourfleit sal all the cite of Ardea!
Bot thai sal nocht behald the with sik lak
Througyrd with schamefull wond caucht in thi bak,
Ne noyt the of na cowardyss in thar mynd,
Nor that thou was degenerit owt of kynd,
And to thy wofull fader, will of red,
At lest this salbe solace of thy ded,
All thocht thy harmys doith hym soir smart,
That gret Eneas swerd hess persyt thy hart.”
And sayand thus, with terys of piete
Hys chekis baith and face ourchargit he:
Syne, turnand hym towart the mekill rowt,
The reuthfull corps of this ilk Turnus stowt
Bad turss away and cary furth onon
Ontill hys faderis cite wobygon,
And commandit to do the body cald
All funerall pomp, eftir the vsage ald.
Quhou Turnus corps till Ardea was sent,
Quhilk was by suddand fyre brynt doun and schent.
The Rutilianys onon all in a rowt
This ded corps, that slayn lay, start abowt;
The gentill body of this stowt ȝongkeir
Thai haue adressit and laid on a rich beir,
And with hym eik feill takynnys by the way,
Reft from Troianys in the bargan, bair thai,

159

Baith helmys, horss, swerdis and other geir,
Scheildis, gittarnys and mony stalwart speir.
Syne eftir this hys wery cart furth went,
Of Troian slauchter and hait blude all bysprent.
Furth haldis wepand Metiscus, the carter,
As he that in the craft was not to leir,
Ledand the steid bedowyn all of swete
And chekis wait of flotterand terys grete,
Quhilk steyd had careit Turnus oft tofor
As victor hame with gret triumphe and glor
Full pompusly, apon ane other wyss,
Efter fervent slauchter of his ennymyss.
Ȝondir otheris, about hym inveroun,
Baris thar armour and scheildis turnyt dovn;
The remanent syne of the haill barnage
Followys wepand, knycht, swane, man and page,
With habundans of mony trigland teyr
Wetand thar brestis, wedis and other geir;
And thus wery furth went thai euery wycht
Amyd the dirk silens of the nyght,
Betand thame self with wondir drery cheir.
And Kyng Latyn with all thame with hym wer
Towart hys palyce gan return onon
With mynd trublit, trist and wobygon
For sa excelland ded corps as was slane.
Terys all sammyn furth ȝettis eueryane—
Baith agit men, matronys and childer lyte
The cite fyllis with womentyng and syte.
Dawnus, hys fader (na wyss wittand tho
He suld remane to se sik duyll and wo,
Nor that his son hys stalwart spreit had ȝald
And maid end in the lattir bargan bald,
That thus was brocht to tovn ded by his feris
With sik plente of bittir wepand terys),
The sammyn tyme with other dyseyss was socht,
At mekill sad dolour and hevy thocht.
For as the Latyn pepill war ourset
Into batall by Troianys, and dovn bet,

160

And Turnus be his hait and recent ded
Had with hys blude littit the grund all red,
A suddan fyre within the wallys hie
Ombeset halyly Ardea cite;
The biggyng of this fader wobegon,
Brynt and doun bet, of reky flammys schone,
And all returnys intill assys red;
The fyry sparkis into every sted
Twynkland vpspryngis to the starnys on hie,
That now na hope of help may fundyn be,
Quhidder so it was onto the goddis lykyng,
Or that the fatis befor list schaw sum syng
Of Turnus deth, in horribill batal slane.
And quhen the pepill saw remed was nane,
Belyfe the wofull trublit citesanys
Thar drery brestis betand all atanys,
Gan fast bewaill with petuus wepand face
Of this onhappy chance the wrachit cace;
In lang rabill the wemen and matronys
With all thar forss fled reuthfully atonys
From the bald flammys and brym blesys stowt.
And lyke as that of emottis the blak rowt,
That ithandly laubouris and byssy be,
Had beldit, vnder the ruyt of a heich tre,
Intill a clift thar byke and duellyng sted,
To hyd thar langsum wark and wyntyr bred;
Gyf so betyde thai feill the ax smyte
Apon the treis schank, and tharon byte,
So that the crop doun weltis to the grund,
That with the felloun rusch and grysly sond
Thar small cavernys all tobrok and rent is;
Than spedely this litill rowt furth sprentis
All will of red, fleand thai wait nocht quhar,
Tursand thar byrdyngis affraytly heir and thar—
Or lyke as that on the howss syde the snaill,
Schakand hir coppit schell or than hir taill,
Fleand the byrnand heit that scho doith feill,
A lang tyme gan do wrassill and to wreill,

161

Thristand fast with hir feit onto the wall,
And ȝit hir hed with forss and strenthis all
Frawart the fervent flammys fast withdrawys;
Scho scaldis, and with mony wrikis and thrawys
Presys forto eschew the feirfull heit—
Nane other wyss in sa feill perrellis gret
Thir woful citesanys gan thame self slyng,
Ruschand with trublit mynd intill a lyng
Baith heir and thar, and wist not quhar away.
Bot maist of all, allace and weil away!
With reuthfull vocis cryand to the hevyn,
The agit kyng Dawnus with wofull stevyn
Gan on the goddis abuf clepe and call.
And tho amyd the flambis furthwithall
Ardea the fowll, quham a heron clepe we,
Betand hir weyngis, thai behaldyn fle
Furth of the fyre heich vp in the air,
That baith the name and takyn our alquhar
Baris of this cite Ardea the ald,
Quhilum with wallis and towris hie ontald
Stud weirly wrocht, as strenth of gret defens,
That now is changit and full quyte goyn hens
With weyngis wyde fleand baith vp and doun,
Now bot a fowle, was ayr a ryall tovn.
Astonyst of this nyce and new cace
And of the wonderus mervellis in that place
(Quhilk semyt no thing litill fortobe)
As thocht thai send war by the goddis hie,
The pepill all confusyt still dyd stand,
Thir byrdyngis on thar schuldris caryand,
And movit nowther fut, tung nor mouth:
And Kyng Dawnus, for this affray onkouth
With ardent luf smyttin and hait desyre
Of hys cheif sete distroyt and brynt in fyre,
The hard dolour and the sorow smert
Haldis full closs, deip gravyn in hys hart.

162

Fra that Dawnus his son Turnus saw ded,
Huge lamentatioun maid he in that sted.
Amyd all this deray and gret effeir,
Fame, of dyseyss forrydar and messynger,
Com hurland with huge movyng fast to tovn
And with large clamour fyllys inveroun
Thar myndis all, quhou ane ded corps new than
Was cumand at hand with mony wofull man,
And Turnus lyfless laid with mortal wond,
In feld discomfist, slane and brocht to grund.
Than euery wight, trublit and wobegon,
The blak blesand fyre brandis mony on,
As was the gyss, hess hynt into thar handis;
Of schynand flammys glitteris all the landis;
Thus thai recuntyrrit thame that cumand weir,
And sammyn ionyt cumpaneis in feir.
Quham alsfast as the matronys gan espy,
Thai smait thar handis and rasyt vp a cry,
That to the sternys went thar wofull beir.
Bot fra Dawnus the corps of hys son deir
Beheld, he gan stynt and arrest hys paiss,
And syne, half deill enragit, in a rayss,
With huge sorow smyte, in ruschis he
Amyd the rowt, that reuth was forto se,
And apon Turnus corps hym strekis doun,
Enbrasyng it ongrouf all in a swoun,
And, alsfast as he spek mycht, hess furth braid
With wordis lamentabill, and thus wyss he said:
“Son, the dyseyss of thy fader thus drest,
And of my febill eild the reuthfull rest
Now me byreft, quhy hess thou so, allace,
Into sa gret perrellys and in sik cace
Me catchit thus, and dryve quhidder?” quod he,
“And vndir cruell bargan, as I may se,
Now fynaly thus venquyst and ourcum,
Quhar is thy worthy valour now becum?

163

Quhar hess the douchty constans of thy spreit
Me careit thus from rest and all quyet?
Is this the notabill honour and lovyng
Of thy manhed, and glory of thy ryng?
Is this the gret wyrschip of thyne empyre?
O my deir son, quhilum thou bald syre,
Bryngis thou ws hame sikkyn triumphe as this?
Is this the rest and eyss thou dyd promyss
To thy fader, sa tryst and wobegone,
And oft ourset with ennemyss mony one?
Is this the meith and finale term or end
Of all laubouris, as we desyrit and wend?
O ways me, wrachit and wofull wyght!
Quhou hastely doun fallyn from the hight
Thir slyddir wardly chancis dryvis fast!
With quhou gret fard ourrollyt and down cast
So hastely beyn thir fatis, behald!
He that was laitly sa stowt, heich and bald,
Renownyt with gret honour of chevelry
And haldyn gret throu owt all Italy,
Quham the Troianys sa awfull felt in armys
And dred sa oft hys furour, wrocht thame harmys,
Myne awyn Turnus, lo now apon sik wyss
Ane lamentabill and wofull corps thou lyis:
Now dum and spechless that hed liggis thar,
Quhilum in all Italy nane sa fair,
Nor nane mair gracius into eloquens,
Nor nane so byg but harnes, nor at defens!
Son, quhar is now thy schynand lustyhed,
Thy fresch figour, thy vissage quhite and red,
Thy plesand bewte, and thyne eyn twan
With thar sweit blenkand lukis mony ane,
Thy gracyus glitterand semly nek lang,
Thy vocis sovn, quhilk as a trumpet rang?
The glor of Mars in batale or in stowr
Is conquest with sik aventouris sowr:
Had thou sic wyll thy selvyn to submyt
To fervent bargan and to dedis byt,

164

Quhen thou departit of this sted fra me,
Forto return with sik pompe as we se?
O haitfull deth! that only, quhar thou lykis,
With thy revengeabill wapynnys sa sair strikis,
That thou thir prowd myndis brydill may;
To all pepill elyke and common ay
Thou haldis evyn and baris thi ceptre wand,
Eternaly obseruand thy cunnand,
Quhilk gret and small doun thryngis, and nane rakkis,
And stalwart folkis to febill equale makkis,
The common pepill with the capitanys,
And ȝouth and age assemblys baith attanys.
Allace, detestabill deth, dyrk and obscur!
Quhat chance onworthy or mysaventur
Hess the constrenyt my child me to byreif,
And with a cruell wond thus ded to leif?
O systir Amata, happy queyn,” quod he,
“Be glaid of sa thankfull chance hapnyt the,
And of thyne awyn slauchtir be blith in hart,
Quharby thou hass sa gret dolour astart,
And fled sa huge occasions of myscheif,
Sa hard and chargeand huge wo and greif!
O goddis abuf, quhat ettill ȝe mor to do
Onto me wrachit fader? sen ellys, lo,
My son ȝhe haue byreft, and Ardea
My cite, into flambis brynt, alssua
Consumyt is and turnyt in assys red,
With weyngis fleys a fowle in euery sted.
Bot ha, Turnus, mar trist and wo am I
For thy maste petuus slauchter sa bludy:
Wantit this last myschance ȝit or sik thing
To thyne onweldy fader, auld Dawnus kyng.
Bot sikkyrly, with sic conditioun ay
Thir warldly thyngis turnys and writhis away,
That quham the furyus Forton lyst infest
And eftir lang quyet bryng to onrest,
Brayand apon that catyve for the nanys,
With all hir forss assalȝeis scho attanys,

165

And, with all kynd of torment, in hir greif
Constrenys hym with stundys of myscheif.”
Thus said he, wepand sadly, as man schent,
With large flude of teris hys face bysprent,
Drawand the sobbys hard and sychis smart,
Throw rageand dolour, deip owt from hys hart;
Lyke so as quhar Iovis byg fowle, the ern,
With hir strang tallonys and hir punsys stern
Lychtyng, had claucht the litill hynd calf ȝyng,
Torryng the skyn, and maid the blude owt spryng;
The moder, this behaldand, is all ourset
With sorow for slauchter of hir tendir get.
Kyng Latyn till Eneas send message
For peax, and eyk hys douchteris mariage.
The nixt day followyng with hys bemys brycht
The warld on breid illumnyt hess of lycht:
The kyng Latinus tho seand, but let,
Italyanys discumfyt and ourset
By the fatale aventour of weir,
And weill persavit quhou and quhat maner
The forton haill turnyt to strang Enee;
And in hys mynd revoluyt eik hess he
The huge dowt of batall and deray,
Full mony feirfull chance and gret effray,
Hys confideratioun and hys sworn band,
The wedlok promyst and the ferm cunnand
And spousal of hys douchtir hecht withall:
Of all the rowt ontill hym gart he call
A thousand worthy men walit at rycht,
The quhilkis the Troian duke and dowchty knycht,
Quham he desyrit, suld convoy to town;
In robbys lang also, or traill syde govn,
With thame he ionyt oratouris infeir
And to thame gaif feill strait commandis seir,

166

And forthir eik, quhen thai depart can,
Of hys fre will thame chargit euery man
That, sen be favouris and admonysyngis
Of the goddis, be mony feirfull syngis,
Expedient it was the kyn Troian
Conioyn and myddill with blude Italian,
At tharfor glaidly to thame gang wald thai,
And with gud willis vissy, and assay
Forto convoy the said Eneadanys
With ioy within hys hie wallys attanys.
In the myd quhile, hym self full bissy went,
The cite, quhilk was disarayt and schent,
To put to poynt and ordinans agane,
And the onweldy common pepill ilkane
To causs adress eftir thar faculte—
Thar myndis mesys and estabillis he,
And gan thame promyss rest in tyme cummyng,
And quhou, within schort tyme, he suld thame bring
Intyll eternall peax for evirmar.
Syne chargit he the pepill our alquhar,
In ioy, blithness, solace and deray,
Tryumphe to mak, with myrth, gam and play,
As was accordyng, and in lugyngis hie
Thar kyngly honour and sport ryall tobe;
And merely commandis man and page,
With ane assent, blith wlt and glaid vissage,
Hys gud son thai suld do welcum and meit
And with hail hart ressaue apon the streit
The Troian pepill, festand thame in hy
With glaid semlant, ryot and melody,
And to furthschaw seir takynnys of kyndnes,
And of new peax so lang desirit soless.
Be this the rowt, as thai instrukkit wer,
In full gude rewle and ordinans infeir
Ar entrit in the Troianys new cite,
And on thar hed garlandis of olyve tre;
Peax thai besocht as cheif of thar message.
Quham gentill Eneas, euery man and page,

167

Within hys palyss ryall to presens
Chargit convoy, and gafe thame audiens,
And of thar cummyng the causys and maner
With vissage full debonar dyd inqueir.
Than the agit Drances with curage hoyt
Begowth the first hys tong forto noyt,
As he that was baith glaid, ioyfull and gay
For Turnus slauchter, that tho was doyn away;
And thus he said: “O gentill duyk Troian,
Ferm hope and glory of the pepill Phrigian,
To quham of piete and dedis of armys fair
In all the warld thar may be na compair:
We venquyst folkis to witnessyng doith call,
And by the goddis sweris and goddessis all,
Contrar hys willis sair the kyng Latyn
Beheld the gret assemly and convyn
Of the Italyanys and folk of Latyn land;
Agane his stomak eyk, I bair on hand,
Owtragyusly the contract is ybrokkyn,
Ne nevir he in deid nor word hess spokkyn
That mycht the Troian honour trubbill ocht,
Bot far rathar, baith in deid and thocht
(Sen that the goddis responsis swa hess tald),
The weddyng of hys douchter grant ȝou wald,
And with full gret desyre, full weill I knaw,
Oft covat ȝou tobe hys son in law.
For all the brek and sterage that hess beyn
In feir of weir and burnyst armour keyn,
With sa gret rage of laubour and of payn,
The wild fury of Turnus, now lyis slayn,
Inflambit with the stang of wikkytnes,
And infekkit with hie haitrent expres,
Hess brocht on hand and movit sa to steir,
Agane thar will to rayss batale and weir
The Latyn pepill constrenyng by and by,
Quhilk thai playnly refusyt and gan deny:
Hym all the ost, turnand bakwart agane,
Besocht to cess, and draw fra the bargan,

168

And suffir the gret Anchises son of Troy
Hys wedlok promyst enioys but ennoy.
Syne the maist nobill kyng Latyn, full fayn
Hym forto breke and to withdraw agane,
Hys auld onweldy handis twa dyd hald,
Hym to requir hys purposs stynt he wald
(For weill he saw, in our ardent desyre
Of the bargan he scaldit hait as fyre),
Bot all our prayeris and requestis kynd
Mycht nowder bow that dowr mannys mynd,
Nor ȝit the takynnys and the wondris seir
From goddis send with dyvyne ansuer,
Bot that evir mor and mor fersly he
Furth spowtit fyre, prouocand the melle.
And, for syk succudrus ondertakyng now,
Hys awin myscheif, weill worthy to allow,
He fundyn hess, quhilk finaly, on the land
Thou beand victour with the ovirhand,
Hym bet to grond hess maid do gnaw and byte
The blak erd intill hys mortall syte.
Now lat that ilk rahatour wend inhy
The blak hellys byggyngis to vissy
Vndir the drery deip flude Acheron—
Lat hym go serss, sen he is thiddir gone,
Other ostis or barganys in hys rage
And als ane other maner of mariage.
Thou, far bettir and gret deill worthiar
To bair the riall ceptyr and tobe ayr,
Succeid to realm and heritage sall
Of Lawrent cuntre with the moblys all:
In the alhaill the howss of Kyng Latyn
And hys onweldy age, lyke to declyne—
Hys hope and all beleif restis in the,
And the only Italianys all,” said he,
“Abufe the schynand sternys, as gold brycht,
Full wylfull ar fortill vphie on hycht;
As maste excelland worthy weryour
Thai the extoll in batale and in stowr,

169

Thy hevynly armour eik with lowd stevin
And thy verray renoun syngis to the hevyn.
The grave faderis of consale venerabill
In thar digest decretis sage and stabill,
The ancyent pepill onweldy for age,
The glaid ȝong gallandis stalwart of curage,
The lusty matronys newfangill of syk thyng,
Wenschys onwed, and litill childryn ȝyng,
All, with a voce and haill assent at accord,
Desyris the as for thar prynce and lord,
And ioyus ar that into feild fut het
Vndir thy wapynnys Turnus lyis doun bet:
The all Itaill, clepit Ausonya,
Besekis heirof, and forthirmor alssua
Doith the extoll maste worthy, wyss and wight;
In the only returnyt is thar syght:
The kyng hym self Latinus, now full ald,
Hys ancient onweldy lyfe to hald,
Hess only this beleif and traste,” quod he,
“That he hys douchter may do wed with the,
Quhilk of kyn, successioun and lynnage,
Be that ilk souerane band of mariage,
Of Troian and Italian blude discend
Sall childryng furth bryng, quhill the warldis end
Perpetualy to ryng in hie impyre.
Tharfor haue doyn, cum on, thou gudly syre,
Thou gret ledar of the Troian rowt,
Cum entyr in our weirly wallys stowt,
Ressaue this worthy notabill fair proffyr
And saisyn tak of honouris quhilkis we offir.”
Thus endit he, and all the remanent
Intill a voce sammyn gave thar consent,
Quham the reuthfull Eneas with glaid cheir
Ressauyt hess full tendyrly infeir,
And, in few wordis and a frendly mynd
Thame ansuerand, he carpys on this kynd:
“Not ȝou, nor ȝit the kyng Latyn, but less,
That wont was forto ryng in plesand pess,

170

Will I argew of this maner offens:
For suyth I wait the wilfull violens
Of Turnus all that gret wark brocht abowt,
And I am sovir eik and owt of dowt
Sa gret danger of batale it was he
Provokit swa and movit to melle,
For ȝyng desyre of hie renown, perfay,
And loyss of prowes mair than I byd say.
And netheless, quhou evir it be, I wyss,
This spowsage Italian at me promyst is
Ne will I not refuyss on nakyn wyss,
Nor forto knyttyng vp as ȝhe devyss
This haly peax with frendly allyans,
With etern concord but disseuerans.
The sam Kyng Latyn, my gud fader ald,
Sall hys impyre and venerall ceptour hald,
And I Troian for me vp in this feild
Ane new resset and wight wallys sall beld,
Quhilk cite sall ressaue hys douchteris naym;
And my goddis domesticall, that fra haym
With me I brocht, I sall with ȝou conioyn;
In concord and in vnyte all common
In tyme tocum sammyn athir falloschip
Vndir a law sall leif in gret frendschip.
In the meyn tyme, go to and speid ws soyn
Onto our wark that restis ȝit ondoyn,
And lat ws byrn the bodeis, and bery eft,
Quham the hard wofull rage hess ws byreft,
And into batale kyllyt lyis ded;
Syne, tomorn ayrly, as the son worthis red,
And with hys cleir days lyght doyth schyne,
Blithly we seik to cyte Lawrentyne.”
Thus said he, and the Latynys, quhill he spak,
With vissage still beheld hym stupifak,
Of hyss wyss gracius answeris wonderand all,
And of sik wordis debonar in speciall;
Mayr evidently gan mervell he and he
Of hys gret warkis of reuth and sik piete.

171

Belyve, with all thar forcis, euery wyght
Weltis doun treys grew full hie on hycht,
And hastely togiddir gadderit hass
In hepys gret, the funerall fyre to rayss,
And thar abuf thar citiȝanys hess laid,
Vndir quham syne thai set in blesys braid:
The flambe and reik vpglydis in the ayr,
That of the laithly smokis heir and thar
The hevyn dyrknyt and the firmament.
Thai hynt from all the feildis adiacent
Innumerabill rowch twyntir scheip syne,
And of thir akcorn swellyaris, the fat swyne;
And tydy ȝyng oxin steik thai fast
And in the funerall fyris dyd thame cast.
The large planys schynys all of lycht,
And, throw thir hait scaldand flambys brycht,
Stude blowt of bestis and of treys bair:
With huge clamour smyt, dyndillit the ayr.
Quhou Kyng Latinus metis with Eneas keyn,
And frendly talkyng was thir twa betweyn.
Be this the schynand secund days lyght
Vprasit Phebus with goldyn bemys brycht:
Than all the Troianys and Ausonyanys
Full blithly in a rowt assemblit attanys,
Montit on horss and held thar ways syne
Onto the mastir cite Lawrentyne,
With wallys hie and biggyngis weirly maid.
Befor thame all rewthfull Eneas raid;
And nixt per ordour Drances, that to the kyng
As agit man carpis of mony thyng;
Syne come hys only child Ascanyus,
That other wyss was clepyt Iulus;
Nixt hym Alethes, with mynd full digest,
Grave Ilyoneus, Mnestheus and stern Serest;

172

Syne followys thame the forcy Sergestus,
Gyas alsso, and stalwart Cloanthus,
Eftir quham, mydlit sammyn, went arayn
The other Troianys and folk Italian.
In the meyn quhile the Latyn citeȝanys
Withowt thar wallys ischit furth atanys,
That with gret lawd, in mych solempnyte
And triumphe ryall hass ressauyt Enee.
Be this thai cummyn war onto the town,
Quham with blith front, to meyt thame reddy bown,
The kyng Latyn with huge cumpany
Thame welcumis and festis by and by.
And fra that he beheld amyd the rowt
Eneas cumand, the Dardan capitan stowt,
Hys verray figur dyd hym nocht dissaue,
For, quhar he went, excellent all the lave
And hyear far a gret deill semys he,
That far on breid his ryall maieste
And pryncely schynand contenans dyd appeir.
And quhen that he cummyn was so neir
That athir gudly to othir speke mycht
And heir the wordis carpyt apon hycht
And, lyke as thai desyrit, on the land
To lap in armys and adion hand in hand,
The kyng Latinus, as a curtas man,
With glaid semblant thus first to speke began:
“Weill be ȝe cummyn finaly, Enee,
And the ferm hope hess not dissavit me
Of my desyrus mynd, now full of ioy;
O schynand gloryus light to folkis of Troy!
Quham the command of the gret goddis mycht,
Throu sa feill chancis catchit and evill dycht,
In Italy within our boundis plane
Hess destinat and ordanyt to remane,
All thocht that manis wanton willfull offens,
Be our malapert and ondantit licens,
In thar fury with brag and mekill onrest
Tha haly lawis trublit and infest,

173

Prouocand and commovand the goddis greif;
So that alsso, quhidder me war loith or leif,
Full oft resistand and denyand the weir,
Constrenyt I was and warpit thar and heir,
That, mawgre my hed, me behuffit susteyn
The hard dangeris of Mars and mekill teyn.
Now is it endit, bot, certis, na litill thyng
Hass it cost sum man sik vndertakyng—
The godly power, wilfull vengeans to tak,
Havand disdeyn at sik deray was mak,
Onto tha wikkyt sawlys for the nanys
Hess send condyng punytioun and iust panys.
Haue doyn, gret Troian prynce, now I the pray,
Sen baith the crop and rutys ar away
Of all seditioun and discord, I wyss,
And wyrkaris of sa gret trespass and myss;
Cum and ressaue thy spowss and mariage
To the promyst; succeid to heritage.
Realmys I haue, and citeys mony ane
Full strangly beldit with hie wallis of stane,
And sum alsso that I in weir conquest
And thar barmkynnys to grund bet and doun kest;
Bot only the beleif and beld,” quod he,
“Of my wery age and antiquyte,
A douchtir haue I, quhilk suldbe myn ayr,
Quharfor in tyme cummyn for euermar
I the ressaue and haldis in dante
As son in law and successour to me.”
To quham the gentill Eneas reuerently
This ansuer maid agane, and said in hy:
“Maist riall kyng, all tyme accustumate
To lyf in plesand peax, but all debait,
Of this weirfar and sa gret stryfe,” quod he,
“I trastit evir thar was no wyte in the:
Tharfor, my derrest fader, I the pray,
Do all sik dowtis of suspicioun away,
Gyf ony sik thochtis restis in thy mynd,
And trastis weill Enee afald and kynd.

174

Now am I present, reddy as ȝe wald,
That ȝou ressavis and fra thens sall hald
As fader in law, and in all chancis, per de,
As verray fader that me bigat, but le:
The figour of the gret Anchises ded
I se heir present to me in this sted,
And I agane in fervent hayt desyre
Ȝow forto pless, my fader, lord and syre,
Sall byrn in lufe, as sum tyme wont was I
Towartis hym me engendrit of his body.”
Heir Eneas, that worthy nobill knycht,
Was spowsyt with Lavinia the brycht.
Wyth sikkyn sermond athir othir grat,
And sammyn to the cheif palyss with that
Thai held infeir: than mycht thou se with this
The matronys and ȝong damysellis, I wyss,
That gret desyre hess sik thing tobehald,
Thryng to the stretis and hie wyndoys thik fald;
The agit faderis and the ȝyng gallandis
Per ordour eik assemlyt reddy standis
In gret rowtis, to vissy and to se
The gudly personys of the Troian menȝe.
Bot specialy and first of all the laif
The gret capitan Enee notyt thai haue,
Attentfully behaldand euery wight
Hys stowt curage, hys byg statur and hycht,
And in thar mynd comprasyt hys kyn maste hie,
Hys plesand vissage and knychtly large bonte;
And, glaid and ioyfull, extoll and loif thai can
The gret apperans of gud in sik a man,
And sa fair gyftis and beleif, but less,
As thai desyrit, of finale rest and pess.
Lyke as quhen the gret ithand weit or rayn,
From the clowdis furth ȝet our all the playn,

175

Haldis the husbandis ydill aganys thar will
(Lang with hys crukyt beym the plewch lyis still);
Syne, gif brycht Tytan list do schaw hys face,
And with swyft curss far furth a large space
Doith cach hys stedis and hys giltyn char,
And kythis hys goldyn bemys in the ayr,
Makand the hevynnys fair, cleir and scheyn,
The weddir smowt, and firmament sereyn;
The landwart hynys than, baith man and boy,
For the soft sesson ourflowis full of ioy,
And athir otheris gan exhort inhy
To go to laubour of thar husbandry—
Nane other wyss the pepill Ausonyan
Of this glaid tyme in hart wolx wonder fayn.
Be this the kyng Latyn, lord of that land,
With maste nobill Eneas hand in hand,
Within the cheif palyss, baith he and he,
Ar entryt in the saill ryall on hie;
Quham followys nixt the ȝyng Ascanyus fair,
That was hys faderis only child and ayr;
Syne folk of Itaill, mydlit with Troianys,
Ar entrit in that riall hald attanys:
With pomposs fest and ioyus myrth our all
Resoundis tho baith palys, bowr and hall,
And all the chymmys riall rownd abowt
Was fyllyt with thar tryne and mekill rowt.
And tharwithall, of chalmyr by and by,
With sa gudly a sort and cumpany
Of ladeis fair and damysellys onwed,
Innumerabill almast, als furth was led
The fair fresch Lavinia the may,
Amyd thame schynand in hir ryall array;
The crystall bemys of hir eyn twane,
That as the brycht twynkland starnys schayn,
Sum deill eschamyt, towart the erth doith hald.
Quham as this Troian prynce first gan behald,
Of bewte, schap and all afferys, perfay,
Sa excelland that wondir war to say,

176

At the first blenk astonyst half wolx he,
And musyng hovirris styll on hir to se,
And in hys mynd gan rew the hard myschans
Of Turnus, quham na litill apperans
Sa baldly movit to dereyn bargan,
To rayss the weir and feght for sykkyn ane;
For weill, he thocht, the hope of syk a wight
To dedys of armys aucht constreyn ony knycht.
Syne, to abbryge our mater, hand in hand
Thai war coniunct intill eternall band
Of matrimonye, and tho at all devyss
Thar wedlok with honour, as was the gyss,
Be menstralys and herraldis of gret fame
Was playd and sung and throw the cowrt proclame.
Than ioy and myrth, with dansyng and deray,
Full mery noyss and sovndis of gam and play
Abuf the bryght starnys hie vpwent,
That semyt forto perss the firmament,
And ioyus vocis ryngis furth alsso
Our all the palyss ryall to and fro.
And syk ryot indurand amyd the press,
Ene thus carpys to traste Achates,
And bad hym go belyve, but mair delay,
Do fech the rych robbys and array,
The fresch attyre and all the precyus wedis,
Wrocht craftely and weif of goldyn thredis
Quhilum be fair Andromachais hand,
By quham thai war hym gevyn in presand;
And eyk the collar of the fyne gold brycht,
With precyus stanys and with rubeys pight,
Quham scho also abowt hir halss quhyte
Was wont to weir in maste pompe and delyte,
Quhill that the Troian weilfar stud abufe;
The gret cowpe eyk, the quhilk in syng of lufe
Quhilum Kyng Priam to hys fader gave,
Ald Anchises, of fyne gold and engrave.
Than, but delay, Achates at command
Brocht thir rych gyftis, a wonder fair presand;

177

Syne to hys fader in law, the kyng Latyn,
The precyus cowp gave he of brycht gold fyne,
And to hys spowss, Lavinia the may,
The wedis ryall and the collar gay.
Than athir dyd thar dewly obseruans
With breistis blyth and plesand dalyans,
To festyng, entertenyr and cheryss
Thar ferys abowt on the maist gudly wyss:
With diuerss sermond carpyng all the day
Thai schort the howris and dryvis the tyme away.
Gret myrth and solace was maid at the festis,
Rehersand mony historeis ald and gestis.
Be this it walxis layt towart the nycht,
And fast declynyng gan the days lycht,
The tyme requiryng, eftir the ald maner,
To go to meyte and syt to the supper;
Onon the bankat and the mangeory
For fest ryall accordyng, by and by,
With all habundans pertenyng to syk thyng,
As weill efferit in the howss of a kyng,
With alkyn maner ordinans was maid
Amyd the hallys heich, lang and braid,
Apparalyt at all devyss and array.
Onto the bankat haill assemlyt thai
And on the carpettis spred of purpour fyne
To tablis set, quhar thai war servit syne
With alkyn danteys and with metys seir
That all to rakkyn prolixit war to heir—
As quhou the crystall eweris to thar handis
The watir gave, and quhou feill servandis standis
To mak thame ministratioun in all curys,
And quhou thai trasyng on the large flurys
With blyth vissage intil euery sted,
And quhou that first on burdis thai set bred:

178

Sum with mesys gan the tabillys charge;
Ane other sort doith set in all at large
The cowpys gret and drynkyn tassis fyne,
And gan do skynk and byrll the nobill wyne,
That to behald thame walkyn to and fro
Throw the rowm hallys and sa byssy go,
And thame at tabillis makand sa glaid cheir,
A paradyss it was to se and heir.
Bot with hys eyn onmovit Latyn kyng
Gan fast behald the child Ascanyus ȝyng,
Wondrand on his afferis and vissage,
And of the speche and wordis grave and sage
Of sik a childis mowth syk wyss suld fall,
And of his digest and reddy wyt withall
Befor the ȝheris of maturyte;
And of feill thingis hym demandis he,
Athir to other renderand mony a saw;
And syne wald he alsso, ane other thraw,
Full tenderly do kyss hys lusty face
And lap hym in hys armys and embrace;
And, wondirly reiosyt, declar wald he
Happy and to the goddis bedettit Ene,
Quhilk hym had gevin syk a child as that.
And quhillis thai thus at the supper sat,
Eftir that with samony danteis seir
Thar appetit of metis assuagit wer,
With commonyng and carpyng euery wyght
The lang declinand and ourslippand nyght
Gan schape full fast to mak schort and ourdryve:
Now the Troianys hard aventouris belyve
Rehersyng our, and all the Grekis slycht;
Now the ferss bargan and the awfull fight
Of Lawrent pepill callyng to thar mynd,
As quhou and quhar, quhamby and be quhat kynd
The ostis first discumfist war in feild,
And quhar that athir rowtis vndir scheld,
With dartis castyng, dynt of swerd and mayss,
Constrenyt was to fle in syk a place,

179

And leif the feild, and quha best dyd hys det,
Quha bald in stowr eyk maid the first onset,
And quha first, on ane startland cursour gude,
Hys burnyst brand bedyit with red blude.
Bot principaly Eneas Troian bald
And Latinus the kyng sage and ald
Of conquerouris and soueran pryncis dyng
The gestis can reherss fra kyng to kyng,
Twichand the stait, quhilum be days gone,
Of Latium that myghty region,
Quhou vmquhile Saturn, fleand hys sonnys brand,
Lurkyt and dwelt in Italy the land,
Be quhilk rayson he dyd it Latium call;
That kynd of pepill, dwelt skatterit our all
In montanys wild, togyddir maid conveyn
And geif thame lawys and statutis, and full beyn
Tawcht thame to grub the wynys, and al the art
To eyr and saw the cornys and ȝok cart;
And quhou the gret Iupiter, god dyvyne,
To this hys faderis resset socht hess syne;
And quhou that he engendrit thar alssua
On Atlass douchter, the fair wench Electra,
Schir Dardanus, that efter, as thai sayn,
Hys awyn brother Iasyus hess slayn,
Syne from the cyte Choryte in Italy
To sey is went with a gret cumpany
And gan arryve eftir in Phrigia,
And belt the cyte on the mont Ida,
And quhou that he, in syng, for hys baner,
From Iupiter ressauyt, hys fader deir,
The fleand egill displayt fair and playn,
Ane knawyn takyn to pepill Hectorian,
As the first nobill armys and ensenȝe
Baith of the Troian ancistre and menȝe,
By hym erekkit and vprasyt stud,
Was first begun, and cheif stok of that blude.
Thus, with syk maner talkyn, euery wight
Gan dryvyn our and schortis the lang nycht.

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Tharwith the bruyt and noyss rayss in tha wanys,
Quhill all the large hallys rang attanys
Of mannys voce and sound of instrumentis,
That to the ruyf on hie the dyn vp went is;
The blesand torchys schayn and sergis brycht,
That far on breid all lemys of thar lycht;
The harpys and the githornys plays attanys;
Vpstart Troianys and syne Italianys
And gan do dowbill brangillys and gambatis,
Dansys and rowndis traysyng mony gatis,
Athir throu other reland, on thar gyss;
Thai fut it so that lang war to devyss
Thar hasty fair, thar revellyng and deray,
Thar morysis and syk ryot, quhil neir day.
Bot forto tellyng quhou with torch lycht
Thai went to chalmer and syne to bed at nycht,
Myne author list na mensioun tharof draw—
Na mair will I, for sik thingis beyn knaw;
All ar expert, eftir new mariage,
On the first nycht quhat suldbe the subcharge.
Eneas foundis a wallit town and squair;
Quhamto Venus can diuerss thingis declar.
And thus thai festyng days nyne at all,
With large pompe and kyngly apparall
Accordyng sych a spowsage as was this,
And quhen the tent morrow cummyn is,
Than this ilk souerane and maste douchty man,
Eneas, forto found hys town began;
Fyrst gan he mark and cirkill with a pleuch
Quhar the wallys suld stand, thar drew a sewch;
Syne Troianys fundis tenementis for thame self,
And gan the fowceis and the dichis delf.
Bot lo, onon, a wonder thing to tell,
Ane huge bleyss of flambys braid doun fell

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Furth of the clowdis, at the left hand straucht,
In maner of a lichtynnyng or fyre flaucht,
And dyd alicht rycht in the sammyn sted
Apon the crown of fair Laviniais hed,
And fra thyne hie vp in the lyft agane
It glaid away, and tharin dyd remane.
The fader Eneas astonyst wolx sum deill,
Desyrus this syng suld betakyn seill;
Hys handis baith vphevis towartis hevin
And thus gan mak his boyn with myld stevin:
“O Iupiter, gif euer ony tyme,” said he,
“The Troian pepill, baith by land and see,
Thyne admonitions, command and impyre
Obeyt hass, page, man or syre;
Of gif that I ȝour power and godhed
Dred, and adornyt intyll ony sted
Ȝour altaris, or ony wirschip dyd tharto;
And be that thyng ȝit restis forto do,
Gif ony thyng behynd ȝit doith remane—
With this ȝour happy takyn augurian
Ȝeld ws ȝour plesand rest and ferm pess,
Mak end of all our harmys and causs thame cess.”
As he sik wordis warpys owt that tyde
Hys goldyn moder apperis hym besyde,
Confessand hir tobe the fair Venus,
And with hir blissyt mowth scho carpis thus:
“Son, do syk thocht and dreid furth of thy mynd,
Ressaue thir godly syngis in bettir kynd,
And ioyusly enioys, myn awyn Enee,
The gret weilfar fra thens sal betyd the.
Now is thy rest and quiet fund and kend,
Now of thy harmys is cummyn extreme end;
Now at the last, as thou desyris, perfay,
This warld with the sal knyt vp peax for ay.
Abhor thou nocht the fyre and flambis brycht,
From thy deir spowsys hed glaid to the hycht,
Bot constantly thy mynd thou now address;
It salbe scho, I the declar express,

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That sall with blude ryall the douchty name,
Thy successioun, renown and nobill fame,
And Troian pryncis, of thy seid discend,
Abufe the clowdis hie and sternys send.
Scho sall of thy lynnage, my son Enee,
Bair childryng full of magnanymyte,
Of quhais ofspryng sik men sal succeid
That all this large warld far onbreid
With thar excelland wirschip sall fulfill,
And by thar mychty power, at thar will,
As conquerouris, vnder thar senȝeory
Subdew and rewle this warldis monarchy;
Of quham the schynand souerane glor sall wend,
And far beȝond the occean see extend,
Makand thame equale with the hevynnys hie;
Quham, finaly, thar ardent gret bonte
And soueran vertu, spred sa far onbred is,
Eftir innumerabill sa feill douchty dedis,
Sall mak thame goddis and thame deify,
And thame vpheiss full hie abufe the sky.
This flambe of fyre the wirschip and renovn
Doith signyfy of thy successioun;
The god almychty from his starrit hevin
Hass schawin tharfor this syng of fyry levin:
Tharfor, in recompens of sykkyn thyng,
And samekill wirschip of hir sal spring,
This cite, quhilk thou closys with a wall,
Eftir thy spowsis name clepe thou sall.
And forthir eyk, the goddis quham thou hynt
Of Troy, that tyme quhen it in flambys brynt,
Penates, or the goddis domesticall,
Thou set alsso within the sammyn wall:
Tharin thou gar thame soyn be brocht inhy
In hie honour, and tyme perpetualy
Thar to remane, eternaly to dwell.
I sall to the of thame a wonder tell:
Thai sall sa strangly luf this new cyte,
That, gyf thame happynnys careit fortobe

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Tyll ony other sted or place tharby,
All be thame self agane full hastely
Thai sall return to this ilk town of thyne,
That thou beildis in boundis of Kyng Latyn;
Ȝa, quhou oftsyss that thai away be tayn,
Thai sal return haymwart agane ilkane.
O happy cyte and weil fortunat wall,
With quham sa gret rellykis remane sall,
Quharin thou sall in tyme tocum, but leyss,
Govern the Troian folk in plesand pess!
Eftir this at last Latyn, thy fader in law,
Wery of hys lyfe and far in age draw,
Doun to gostis in the campe Elyse
Sall wend, and end his dolly days, and de:
Onto hys ceptre thou sall do succeid,
And vnder thy senȝeory, far onbreid,
Sall weld and led thir ilk Italianys,
And common lawis for thame and the Troianys
Statut thou sall; and syne thou sall ascend,
And vp to hevyn glaidly thy self send:
Thus standis the goddis sentens and decreit.”
Na mair scho said, bot, as the gleym doith gleit,
From thens scho went away in the schyre ayr,
I wait nocht quhidder, for I com neuer thar.
Enee astonyst, havand hys mynd smyte
With syk promyss of renown and delyte,
Hys blissyt moderis command gan fulfill:
And now at plesand rest, at hys awyn will,
The Troian pepill rewlit he in pess.
With this the kyng Latynus can decess
And left the ceptre vacand to hys hand;
Than the reuthfull Ene our all the land
Of Italy succedis in hys sted
And gan full large bundis in lordschip led,
That halely obeyt to hys wand,
And at hys lykyng rewlit all the land.
Now equaly of fre will euery ane,
Baith pepill of Troy and folk Italian,

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All of a ryte, manerys and vsans,
Becummyn ar frendly but discrepans;
Thar myndis and thar brestis in amyte,
In ferm concord and gret tranquylite,
Gan leif at eyss, confiderat in ally,
As vnder a law sammyn coniunct evynly.
Quhou Iupiter, for Venus causs and lufe,
Hass set Eneas as god in hevyn abufe.
Venus with this, all glaid and full of ioy,
Amyd the hevynly hald, rycht myld and moy,
Befor Iupiter down hir self set
And baith hir armys abowt hys feyt plet,
Enbrasand thame and kyssand reuerently;
Syne thus with voce express scho said inhy:
“Fader almychty, that from thy hevynly ryng
At thy plesour rewlys and sterys al thyng,
That manis dedys, thochtis and aventuris
Reknys and knawys, and therof hess the curis;
Weill I ramember, quhen that the pepill Troian
With hard onfrendly forton was ourtane,
Thou promyst of thar laubouris and distress
Help and support, and efter dyseyss soless.
Nowder thy promyss, fader, nor sentens
Hess me dissauyt, for lo, with reuerens
All the faderis of Italy hess se,
But discrepans, fully thir ȝheris thre,
In blyssyt peax my son enioyss that land;
Bot certis, fader, as I vndirstand,
Onto the starnyt hevynly hald on hie
Thou promyst rayss the maste douchty Enee,
And, for hys meryt, abufe thy schynand sky
Hym forto place in hevyn and deify.
Quhat thochtis now doith rollyng in thy mynd,
Sen, ellys, doith the vertuus thewys kynd

185

Of this reuthfull Eneas the requyr
Abuf the polys brycht to rayss that syre?”
The fader tho of men and goddis all
Gan kyss Venus hys child, and tharwithall
Thir profund wordis from hys breist furth braid:
“My deir douchtir Citherea,” he said,
“Thow knawys quhou strangly the mychty Ene
And the Eneadanys all of hys menȝe
Ithandly and onyrkyt luffyt haue I,
On se and landis catchit by and by
In perrellis seir, and quhou that ofttyme eik,
Havand piete of the my douchtir meik,
For lufe of the, for thar dyseyss was wo;
And now I haue, lo, finaly alsso
All thar harmys and ennoy brocht till end,
And maid Iuno, as that full weill is kend,
Fortobecum frendly and favorabill:
Now lykis me, forsuyth, all ferm and stabill
My sentens promyst to compleit,” quod he,
“Quhen that the riall Troian duke Ene
Amang the hevynnys institut I sall,
And hym to numbyr of the goddis call:
All this I grant with gud willis per fay,
Tharfor, se that thou clenge and do away,
Gif thar be in hym ony mortall thyng,
And syne abuf the starnys thou him bryng:
I sall alsso heich ony of hys kyn,
Quhilk of thar proper vertu lyst do wyn
Perpetuall lovyng by dedis honorabill,
And doith contemp the wrachit warld onstabill;
Thame in lyke wyss abufe the hevynnys hie
I sal do place and deify,” quod he.
The goddis abuf alhaill gave thar consent,
Nor ryall Iuno, at that tyme present,
Lyst not contrary, bot gan perswaid full evyn
To bryng the gret Ene vp to the hevyn,
And frendly wordis of hym carpys thar.
Than Venus slaid discendand throw the ayr

186

And socht onto the feildis Lawrentan,
Neir by quhar that Numycus throu the playn,
That fresch ryver, flowys to the see,
Dekkyt abowt with redis growand hie;
Quharin the body of hir son sa deir
Scho maid do wesch, and vnder the stremys cleir
All that was mortale or corruptibill thyng
Gart do away; and syne, at hir lykyng,
The recent happy sawl with hyr hynt sche
And bair it vp abuf the ayr full hie
Onto the hevyn, quhar reuthfull Eneas
Amyd the starnys chosyn hass his place;
Quham the famyll and kynrent Iulian
Doith clepe and call amangis thame euery ane
Indigites, quhilk is alsmekill to say
As god induellar, at thar sudiornys ay;
And, in remembrans of this ilk turn,
Thai gan hys templis wirschip and adorn. etc.
finis
Explicit liber decimus tertius Eneados

187

Conclusio

Now is my wark all fynyst and compleit,
Quham Iovis ire, nor fyris byrnand heit,
Nor trynschand swerd sal defass ne doun thryng,
Nor lang process of age, consumys al thyng.
Quhen that onknawyn day sal hym address,
Quhilk not bot on this body power hess,
And endis the dait of myn oncertan eld,
The bettir part of me salbe vpheld
Abufe the starnys perpetualy to ryng,
And heir my naym remane, but enparyng;
Throw owt the ile yclepit Albyon
Red sall I be, and sung with mony one.
Thus vp my pen and instrumentis full ȝor
On Virgillis post I fix for evirmor,
Nevir, from thens, syk materis to discryve:
My muse sal now be cleyn contemplatyve,
And solitar, as doith the byrd in cage,
Sen fer byworn is all my childis age,
And of my days neir passyt the half dait
That natur suld me grantyn, weil I wait.
Thus sen I feill down sweyand the ballans,
Heir I resyng vp ȝyngkeris observans:
Adew, gallandis, I geif ȝou all gud nycht,
And God salf euery gentill curtass wight!
Amen.
Heir endis the thretteyn and final buke of Eneados quhilk is the first correk coppy nixt efter the translation Wrytin be Master Matho Geddes scribe or writar to the translatar