University of Virginia Library

The maner than was, and the ald custum
Within the land of ancyent Latyum,
Quhilk blissit vsance efter mony a day
The citeis and faderis of Alba kepit ay,
Now the gret master souerane cite dyng
Of Rome kepis and hantis the self thing;
That is to knaw, quhen first thai move or steir
The marciall ensenȝeis for the wer,
Quhidder so thai list to set with ostis plane
On the Gethys, pepill Tartareane,
With dolorus and with ful lamentable wer
In Hyrcany or Araby to steir,
Or fortil ettill in to Inde furth eik,
Towart the dawyng and son rysyng to seik,
Or ȝit til ask and reduce hame agane
Thar standartis from the dowr pepill Persane.
Twa portis beyn of batale and debait,
So thai war clepit to thar name, and hait,
Haldyn in religioun of haly reuerence
Of Martys cruel dreid and his offence;
A hundreth brasyn hespis thame claspit queym,
And strenthy irne slottis, that dyd seym
Tobe eternal and inconsumptive;
Nor Ianus, kepar of this entre of strive,
Was no quhile furth of this ilk hallowit hald.
Bot quhen the ferm sentens of faderis ald
Was ony tyme determyt to move weir,
Than he that was cheif duke or consuler,
In rob ryall vestit, that hait Quyryne,
And rich purpour, eftir the gyss Gabyne,
Gyrd in a garmont semly and fut syde,
Thir ȝettis suld vp oppin and warp wyde;
Within that girgand hirst alsso suld he
Pronunce the new weir, batale and melle;
Quham all the fensabill men suld follow fast,
With plane assent and brasyn trumpis blast.
The kyng Latyn furthwith command thai than
On this maner, as prince and grettast man,
To proclame weir and decrete the melle
Agane Troianys, thidder cum with Ene,
And warp tha sorofull ȝettis vp on breid.
The prynce refusyt to do sa vile a deid,
Ne list not anys thame twich, nor brek his heist,
Sor agrevit planely ganestud thar requeste,
And in his secret closet hym withdrew.
Than from the hevin downe quhirland with a quhew
Come Queyn Iuno, and with hir awin handis
Dang vp the ȝettis, brak but delay the bandis:
This cruell douchter of the ald Saturn
The marbill hirst can weltir and ourturn,
And strang ȝet chekis of weirfar and batell
Strake down, and rent the gret irne postis fell.
Onsterit lang tyme, and onmovit, Ital
Now byrnys into fury bellicall.
Sum grathis thame on fut to go in feild;
Sum hie montit on horsbak vnder scheld
The dusty pulder vpdryvand with a stour,
And euery man socht wapynnys and armour;
Thar schynand scheildis sum dyd burnys weill,
And sum polist scharp speir hedis of steill,
To mak thame brycht with fat creisch or same,
And on quhitstanys thar axis scharpis at hame;
To beir pynsellis it gladis thame vp and dovne,
And ar reiosyt to heir the trumpettis sovne.
Fyve the grettast and maist cheif citeis,
Thar wapynnys to renew in al degreis,
Set vp forgis and steil styddeis fyne;
Rych Atyna, and the prowd Tyburyn,
Ardea the cite, and Crustumere,
And eik Antemne with strang towris he
And weirly wallis battellit about,
The sikkyr helmys penys and forgis owt;
Thar targettis bow thai of the lycht sauch tre,
And boss bukleris coverit with cuyrbulȝe;
Sum steil hawbrikis forgis furth of playt,
Burnyst flaukartis and leg harnes, fut hait,
With latit sowpill siluer weill annelit;
All instrumentis of pleuch graith, irnyt or stelit,
As cultyris, sokkis and the somys gret,
With sythis and al hukis at scheris quhet,
War thidder brocht and tholis temper new.
The lust of all sik wark lomys was adew:
Thai dyd thame forge in swerdis of mettel brycht,
Forto defend thar cuntre and thar rycht.
Be this, thar armour grathit and thar geir,
The draucht trumpet blawis the brag of weir;
The sloggorn ensenȝe, or the wach cry,
Went for the batale all suldbe reddy.
He pullis down his sellet quhar it hang,
Sum deill effrayt of the noys and thrang;
He dryvis furth the stampand horss on raw
Onto the ȝok, the chareottis to draw;
He clethis hym with his scheld, and semys bald;
He claspis hys gilt habirgyon and thrynfald;
He, in his breistplait strang and his byrne,
A sover swerd beltis law down by his the.