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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Explicit prologus]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Off the Answer of Iason to the messenger of Lamedown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

100

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

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

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

101

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

102

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

103

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

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

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

104

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

105

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

106

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

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

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

107

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

108

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

109

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

110

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

111

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

112

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

113

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

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

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

114

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

115

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

116

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

117

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

118

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

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

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

119

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

120

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

121

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

122

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

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

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

123

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

124

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

125

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

126

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

127

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

128

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

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

129

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

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

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

130

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

131

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

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

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

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

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

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

135

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

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

137

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

138

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

139

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

140

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

141

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

142

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

143

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

[Explicit liber Primus INcipit liber Secundus.]

144

BOOK II.

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

145

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

146

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

147

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

148

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

149

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

150

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

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

151

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

152

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

153

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

154

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

155

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

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

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

156

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

157

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

158

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

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

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

159

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

160

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

161

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

162

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

163

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

164

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

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

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

165

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

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

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

166

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

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

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

167

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

168

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

169

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

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

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

170

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

171

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

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

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

172

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

173

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

174

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

175

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

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

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

176

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

177

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

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

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

178

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

179

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

180

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

181

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

182

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

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

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

183

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

184

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

185

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

186

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

187

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

188

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

189

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

190

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

191

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

192

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

193

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

194

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

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

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

195

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

196

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

197

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

198

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

199

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

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

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

200

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

201

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

202

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

203

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

204

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

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

205

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

206

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

207

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

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

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

208

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

209

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

210

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

211

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

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

212

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

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

213

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

214

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

215

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

216

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

217

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

218

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

219

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

220

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

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

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

221

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

222

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

223

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

224

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

225

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

226

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

227

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

228

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

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

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

229

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

230

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

231

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

232

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

233

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

234

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

235

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

236

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

237

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

238

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

239

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

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

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

240

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

241

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

242

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

243

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

244

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

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

245

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

246

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

247

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

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

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

248

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

249

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

250

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

251

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

252

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

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

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

253

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

254

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

255

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

256

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

257

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

258

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

259

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

260

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

261

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

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

262

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

263

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

264

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

265

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

266

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

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

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

267

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

268

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

269

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

270

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

271

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

272

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

273

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

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

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

274

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

275

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

276

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

277

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

278

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

279

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

280

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

281

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

282

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

283

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

284

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

285

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

286

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

287

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

288

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

289

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

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

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

290

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

291

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

292

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

293

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

294

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

Howe prudently Agamenon coragyde his lordys ageyns the Troyans.

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

295

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

296

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

297

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

298

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

299

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

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

300

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

301

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

302

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

303

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

304

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

305

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

306

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

307

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

308

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

309

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

310

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

311

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

312

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

313

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

314

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

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

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

315

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

316

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

317

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

318

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

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

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

319

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

320

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

321

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

322

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

323

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

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

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

324

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

325

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

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

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

326

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

327

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

328

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

329

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

330

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

331

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

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

332

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

333

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

334

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

335

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

336

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

337

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

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

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

338

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

339

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

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

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

340

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

341

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

342

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

343

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

344

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

345

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

346

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

347

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

348

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

349

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

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

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

350

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

351

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

352

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

353

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

354

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

355

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

356

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

357

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

358

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

359

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

360

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

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

361

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

362

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

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

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

363

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

364

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

365

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

366

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

367

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

368

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

369

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

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

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

370

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

371

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

372

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

373

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

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

374

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

375

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

376

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

377

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

378

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

379

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

380

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

Here were faste devyces founde in Armes.

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

381

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

382

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

383

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

384

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

385

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

386

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

387

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

388

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

389

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

390

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

391

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

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

392

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

393

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

[Explicit liber Secundus Incipit liber Tercius]

University of Virginia Library

I. PART I. PROLOGUE, BOOK I., AND BOOK II.

PROLOGUE[_] [MS. Cott. Augustus A. iv.] .