University of Virginia Library

[The Proloug of the Fyft Buke]

In the meyn quhile tho gan Eneas hald
Sovirly hys courss throu the gray fludis cald,
Hys navy with north wynd scherand the seys.
Towart Cartage he gan behald, and seys
Be than the wallys lemand brycht and schyre
Of the onhappy Dydoys funeral fyre.
Quha had this gret fyre maid, and to quhat end,
Thai marvellyt, for the causys war onkend,
Bot by the sorofull takynnyng, not the less,
The Troianys in thar breistis tuke a gess
Quharfor it was, for weil wyst Eneas
In violait lufe quhat strenth of dolour was,
And knew alsso quhat thyngis mycht be controvyt
By women in fury rage that strangly luffyt.
Bot fra the schippys held the deyp see,
That now na mair sycht of the land thai se,
Salve hevyn abuse, and fludis all about,
A watry clowd, blak and dyrk but dout,
Gan our thar hedis tho appeir ful rycht,
And down a tempest sent als dyrk as nycht;
The streym wolx vgsum of the dym sky.
Palynurus, the maistir, gave a cry
From the eft castell heich, thar as he stude:
“Quharfor, allace! samony clowdis onrude,”
Quod he, “bylappyt hess the hevynnys, lo?
Fader Neptune, quhat etlys thou to do?”
This beyng said, commandis he euery feir
Do red thar takillis, and stand hard by thar geir,
And wightly als thar arys vp to hail;
Hym self infangis the le schete of the saill,
And eftir said: “Maist curageus Ene,
Althocht our helpar, gret Iove, wald hecht it me,
I traist not with this weddir to wyn Itale.
The wynd is contrar, brayand in our bak saill,
Hard in our berd vpblawand wondir sayr,
And al with bubbys ombesett is the ayr;
Nor we may nocht stryve nor inforss sa fast
Agane the storm, bot stowtar is the blast.
And sen that forton masteris ws, tharfor
Lat ws follow tharon, and ryn befor,
Quhiddyr that the wyndis callys ws set saill.
Not far hens, as that I beleif, sans faill,
The frendfull, brothirly costis of Erycyss
And sovir portis of Sycill beyn, I wyss,
Gif I remembir the methys of starnys weill.”
Tho quod reuthful Eneas, “So haue I seyll,
I saw langsyne the wyndis ettyll that way,
And the invayn agane thame stryve perfay.
Tyte turn ȝour salys and set thyddyr ȝour went;
Thar is na land mair lykand to myne entent,
Nor quhar me lyst sa weil, and profitabill
Our wery folkis to restyng and estabill,
Than in that cuntre quharin doith remane,
Ful deir to me, Acestes of blude Troiane,
And in his boundis, derrest outour the lave,
My faderis banys enbrasys, layd in grave.”
This beand sayd, towart the port thai stevyn,
The followand wynd blew strek thar saill furth evyn.
Fast our the wallys slydis the navy,
And in schort quhile arryvit ar blythly
At the strandis and costis weil bekend.
Bot, on the hie top of a hyll ascend,
Acestes gan behald, and had gret wondir,
And to the cost, als ferss as ony thundyr,
To meit hys frendis schippys dyd he speid,
A beyr skyn of Affryke abone hys weyd,
Ful grym of luke, with dartis keyn and rude
(Hys moder Troiane of Crinosus the flude
Consavit hym and bayr, as it is said).
Not forȝettyng hys ald kyn, blyth and glaid
Of thar return was he, and myrrely
Thame welcumand ressauyt by and by,
Gave thame of rural metis with glaid semlance,
And cherysyt thame with frendly purvyance.
The nixt morow, als sone as the brycht day,
The son vprysand, chasyt the starnys away,
Eneas gan fra euery cost about
Hys folkis all assembill in a rowt,
Syne spak thir wordis on a knollys hycht:
“O ȝe my Troiane pepill, stowt and wyght,
Discend from worthy Dardanus the kyng,
And of the hie goddis ryall ofspryng,
The son hess run hys hail courss circular,
Hys monethis twelf, and the tyme anniuersar,
Sen that the reliqueis and bonys infeir
Of my dyvyne fader we erdyt heir,
And eyk the dolorus altaris consecrate.
Less than I be dissavyt, weil I wait
Thys is the day that euermor sall I
Meyn and regrait, and altyme reverently
In wirschip keip and with gret honour hald,
For so it plesith ȝou, goddis, and so ȝe wald.
Ȝa, thocht I war wilsum, and banyst this da
Amang sey sandis of Getulya,
Or ȝyt with storm ourset in the Greik see,
Or in the cite of Myce hapnyt tobe,
Netheless suld I seruyce anniuersar
And exequeys, with solemnyt pomp and fair,
Dewly perform, and with myne awyn handis
Adorn the altaris with thar iust offerandis.
Now, as I weyn, or we persavyt the chance,
Not but the myghtis of goddis and purvyance,
Onto the assis and the bonys deir
Of my sayd fader bene we caryit heir,
Entrit in frendly portis and arryve.
Tharfor haue done, and lat ws all belyve
Perform this honour blithly, as efferis;
Ask prosper wyndis, and beseyk euery ȝeris
That my fader wald eftir this ressaue
This sacrifyce, quhilk I begunnyn haue,
Within our cite that we mon beild, God wait,
In tha templys onto hym dedicate.
Acestes, cummyn of Troy, for hys wirschip,
Two oxin sal ȝou geif for euery schyp.
Our Penates and Troiane goddis, for thy,
Bryng furth hyddir onto the maniory.
Do fech me eyk tha goddis to this cost,
Quhilk wirschippit ar by Acestes, our host.
And forthirmar, gyf that the nynt day
Ryss fair and cleyr, with hys brycht morow gay,
And gan hys bemys our the erth spreid,
First sal I ordand for my Troianys, in deyd,
Quha hess the swyftast schippis of our navy,
With al thar forss to stryfe for the mastry;
And eik, quha best on fute kan ryn, lat se,
To preif hys picht, or wersyll, and bair the gre,
Or dartis kast, and best schute arrowis lycht;
Or lyke a douchty campioun into fyght
With bustuus baston darryn stryve, or mayss—
Lat euery man address hym to this place
And mak hym reddy agane the sammyn day
Fortil opteyn and bayr the pryce away.
Annerd heirto, ilk man, rycht favorabilly,
And hald ȝour payce, but owthir noys or cry,
And do ȝour hedis with fresch bewys array.”
And sayand this, he gan hys templis twa
Covir with myrthus, that is his moderis tre.
The sam wyss dyd gret Helymus, perde,
Richt so hym self Kyng Acestes the ald,
Richt so the child Ascanyus so bald,
Quham followys al the laif in lyke maner.
The prynce Ene, from the counsale in feyr,
With mony thousandis walkand hym about,
Went to the tumbe amyd the thykkast rout,
Quhar fyrst, eftir thar payane ryte and gyss,
Twa flaconys ful of wyne in sacryfyss
Apon the erd he ȝet, and othir twane
Ful of new mylkyt mylk, and syne agane
Twa ful of hayt blude was of the offerandis,
And purpour flowris strowis with hys handis,
Syne said: “Hail, haly fader! Hail agane,
Ȝe assys cald, ressauyt al invane,
Vmquhile contenyt my faderis sawle and gost.
Allace! was it not leful, thou onlost,
The boundis of Itale, with the, and fatale landis,
Forto haue socht, and eik onto the strandis
Of Tybir in Ausonya, quhar evir it be,
Arryvit sound, in falloschip with the?”
Scars said he thus, quhen of the holl graf law
A gret eddir slydand gan furth thraw,
In sevyn lowpis lynkyt, and tymys sevyn
Circulyt the tumbe about sweitly and evyn,
And glydand syne amang the altaris onon;
Of freklit sprutlis al hir bak schone,
As goldyn mailȝeis hir skalys glytrand brycht,
Lyke to the rayn bow amang clowdis lycht,
Drawand always, forgane the son cleir,
A thousand cullouris of diuerss hewis seir.
Eneas of the syght abasyt sum deill,
Bot scho at last, with lang fard, fair and weill,
Crepis amang the veschell and cowpis all,
The drynk and eyk the offerandis gret and small
Snokis and lykkyt, syne full the altaris left
And but mair harm in the graf enterit eft.
Quharfor Ene begouth agane renew
Hys faderys hie sawle queith, for he not knew
Quhiddir this was Genyus, the god of that sted,
Or than the seruand of hys fader ded.
Fyve twyntyrris brytnyt he, as was the gyss,
And alsmony swyne, and tydy quyiss
With hydys blak, and into cowpys syne
In gret plente ȝet furth the hallowyt wyne,
Rowpand the sawle of gret Anchyses gone,
And hys gost fred from the flude Acheron.
Hys feris eik, euery man in thar degre,
Of syk thyng as thai mycht get plente,
Blithly thar offerandis addressis to inbryng,
Chargis the altaris, and brytnys styrkis ȝyng.
Sum othir per ordour caldronys gan vpset,
And, skatyrt endlang the greyn, the colis het
Vndir the spetis swakkis, to royst in threyt
The raw spaldis ordanyt for the mulde meyt.
Cummyn be thys was the desyryt day;
The nynte morow vpspryngis fresch and gay,
And Pheyton gan hys faderis chayr furth dryve.
The fame of this triumphe gan spreid belyve,
That, for wirschip of Acestes, thar kyng,
All folkis enveron dyd to the costis thryng,
Glaidly occupyand al the strandis about,
Sum to behald Eneas cowrt and rowt,
And sum, alsso, to stryfe for the mastry.
At the begynnyng, the wageouris by and by,
And the rewardis, in myddys of the feild
Befor thar eyn war set, at all beheld:
The gilt trestis, and the greyn tre,
The lawrer crownys, for the pryce and gre,
With palmys scheyn in takyn of victory,
Fair armouris of triumphe and myche glory,
The robbys fyne of purpour richly dycht,
Seir talentis eik of gold and siluer brycht.
Tharwith, the trumpet blew, as beyn the gyss,
Apon ane hyght, declaris and notyfyiss
The gemmys tobe excersyt for that day.
With arys squair, the bargan gan assay
Four galeys fyrst, chosyn of al the flote.
The swyft Pystris witht spedy routht, fute hoyt,
Furth steris the stern Mynestheus onan,
Quhilk eftir bycam a lord Italian,
Of quhays ofspring and genealogy
The pepill ar discend, clepyt Memny.
The bustuus barge, yclepit Chimera,
Gyas, with fellon fard, furthbrocht alssua,
Sa huge of byrth a cite semyt sche,
Quham a gret nowmyr of ȝong Troiane menȝe,
In thrynfald ordour, causis furth toglyde;
The arys rays thre rawis on athir syde.
The thryd schip, yclepyt Centaurus,
Furth haldis, with hir patron Sergestus,
Quham fra the famyle come hait Sergia.
The sovir sey schip tho, namyt Scylla,
Cloanthus gydis, efter quham, ȝyt syne,
In Roym the pepill beyn callyt Cluenthyne.
Weil far from thens standis a roch in the see,
Forgane the fomy schor and costis hie,
Quhilk sumtyme, with the boldynnand wallis quhite,
Is by the iawpe of fludis coveryt quyte,
Quhen the southt est wynd, in the wynter tyde,
Gan with his stormy clowdis the starnys hyde;
And, in the calm or lowyn weddir, is seyn
Abufe the fludis hie, a fair plane greyn,
A standing place, quhar skarthis with thar bekis,
Forgane the son, glaidly thame pronȝe and bekis.
In this place stykkyt heth the prince Ene
A mark or wyttir of a greyn aik tre,
In term and takyn onto the maryneris,
Quhar, forto turn agane, as thame efferis,
And set about thar lang courss, thai mycht knaw.
By kuttis than, per ordour, al on raw,
Thar place thai cheysyt at the costis bay.
The patronys in eftcastellis, fresch and gay,
Stude, al in gold and purpour schynand brycht.
The remanent of the rowaris, euery wight,
In poppil tre branchis dyght at poynt,
With spaldis makyt, schayn of oyl enoynt;
Apon thar seyttis and thoftis all atanys
Thar placis hynt, arrayit for the nanys,
With armys reddy outour thar aris fald,
Abydis lysnand the takyn to behald,
Thar hartis onflocht, smytyn with schame sumdeill;
Bot glaid and ioly, in hope forto do weill,
Rasys in thar breistis desyre of hie renoun.
Syne, but delay, at the first trumpys sown,
From thar marchis atanys furth thai sprent.
Vpsprang the clamour, and the rerd furth went
Heich in the skyis, of mony maryner.
The fomy stowr of sey rayss thar and heir,
Throu ferss bak drauchtis of feil gardeys squair.
Thai sewch the fludis that, swouchand quhar thai fair,
In sondyr slydis; ourweltyt eyk with arys,
From thar forstammys the bullyr brays and raris.
Nevir sa fersly, in feild nor in barrer,
The dowbill ȝokkyt cartis in feir, of wer
Or for triumphe, furth of thar stabillys gan rusch;
Nor nevir sa thyk, with mony lasch and dusch,
The cartaris smate thar horssis fast in teyn,
With renȝeys slakkyt, and swete drepand bedeyn;
For, throu the gild and rerd of men so ȝeld,
The egyrness of thar frendis thame beheld,
Schowtand “Row fast”, all the woddis resoundis.
Endlang the costis the vocis and the sowndis
Rollys inclusyt, quhill the mekyll hyllys
Bemys agane, hyt with the brute so schil is.
Amyd the press, thus as the rerd vpwent,
Befor the laif Gyas schyp furth sprent,
Ourslydand wallys croppys byssely;
Quhom Cloanthus followys nixt inhy,
Mayr sle in rowth, thocht sum deil slaw was sche,
For that hir holl was of sa hevy tre.
And eftir thame, elyke, furth in evyn space,
Pistris and Centawr straif for the fyrst place.
And now hes Pistrys the fordell, and syne inhy
The byg Centawr hyr warris and slyppis by;
Now glyde tha bath togiddyr furth in front,
Sewchquhand salt fame with thar lang kelis blont.
Wyth this thai gan towart the meyth approche,
And war almaist cummyn onto the roch,
Quhen that the patron Gyas, amyd the flude,
Wenying hym self victour, thar as he stude,
Callys on hys steris man, hayt Meneyt by name:
“Quhiddyr goys thou so on steirburd? Fy forschame!
Frawart me thou haldis; set thi courss innarmor;
Seik hard on burd endlang fast by the schor
And suffir that the palmys of our arys
Hyrsyl on the crag almaist, ilk rowth, and waris—
Lat the othirris hald furth the deip sey large.”
Quod Gyas. Bot Menetes, for hys barge
Of the hyd rolkis blynd sum deill afferyt,
Towart the deip fludis hyr stevin ay steryt.
“Quhar, dysmall, wilt thou now?” gan Gyas cry,
“Hald to the crag agane, Meneyt, fast by.”
And tharwith, lo, Cloanthus he dyd behald
Hard at hys taill, that gan the nar way hald,
For, rycht betwix the rolk and Gyas schyp,
On bawbord fast the innar way he leyt slyp,
And wan befor the formast schip inhy;
Now is he passyt the wittir, and rollys by
The roch, and haldis sovirly throu the see.
Bot than, God wait, quhat payn in hart gan dre
The ȝong Gyas—hym thocht al brynt hys banys!
The watir bryst from baith hys eyn atanys;
Forȝet was wirschip and hys honeste thar,
Forȝet was of hys falloschip the weilfair,
The ancyant treuth of Meneyt forȝettis he,
And swakkyt hym our schipburd in the see.
Hym self, as skyppar, hynt the steir in hand,
Hym self, as mastir, gan maryneris command,
And threw the ruddyr to the costis syde.
Be than the auld Meneyt our schipburd slyde,
Hevy, and al his weid sowpyt with seys,
Skars from the watir grond vpboltyt he is,
Syne swymmand held onto the craggis hycht,
Sat on the dry rolk, and hym self gan dycht.
The Troianys lauchys fast seand hym fall,
And, hym behaldand swym, thai keklyt all,
Bot mast, thai makyn gem and gret ryot,
To se hym spowt salt watir of hys throte.
Heir first gude hope arrayss to the twa last,
That is to knaw, Mynestheus and Sergest,
Gyas schyp thar by to ourcum wenyng,
That tareys sum deill for lak of gude steryng.
Tho Sergest gan the fyrst place occupy,
With schip approchand towart the roche inhy;
And, netheless, hail befor wan scho nocht,
Bot thrang hir forschip formast, as scho mocht,
So that Pistrys, hyr weryour, all the way,
Hyr forstam by hir mydschip haldys ay.
Than, rowmyng to and fra hys schyp our all,
Mynestheus gan hys feris exhort and call:
“Now, now, ȝe vailliant feris of worthy Hector,
Hail stoutly vp ȝour arys; thynk on ȝour glor;
Thynk quhou, the lattir rewyne of Troy, ȝou I
Haue walyt, and brocht with me in cumpany.
Now schaw that strenth, now schaw that hie curage,
Quhilk on the schaldis of Affryk, in stormys rage,
Ȝhe dyd excerss, and the ilk forss, I wyss,
Ȝhe schew betwix Scylla and Carybdys,
Quhar that Ioneum clepyt is the see,
And als forgane the styth stremys of Malee.
As to the fyrst place, now byd I nocht craif it,
Althocht I be Mynestheus, wont til haue it;
Nor I byd not to stryve and wyn the gre,
Howbeyt, wald God, that war a gloir to se!
Do lat thame bruke the mastry and the pryce,
Quhamto Neptune lyst grant at hys devyce.
Bot gret lak war to return altharlast:
Deir frendis, defend ȝou fra that kankyrryt kast,
And do ourset sa schaymful hard myschance!”
With al thar forss than at the vtyrance,
Thai pynglyt arys vptobend and haill,
With sa strang rowthis apon athir wail,
The mychty karvell schuddryt at euery straik,
Down swakand fludis vndir hyr brayd bilge of aik;
So clappys the braith in breistis with mony pant,
Quhil in thar dry throtis the aynd worth skant,
And swait down triglys in stremys our alquhar.
Betyd a chance that ilk tyme fell thame fair,
And grantyt thame that honour tha desyryt;
For as Serfest, with fers muyde half enfyryt,
Turnyt hys stevyn towart the rolk our neir,
Ontil a wykkyt place hys schip dyd steir,
Quhil on the blynd craggis, myschewsly,
Fast stykkis scho, choppand hard quhynnys inhy,
And on the scharp skelleis, to hir wanhap,
Smait with syk fard, the arys in flendris lap;
Hir forschip hang, and sum deil scoryt throu owt.
The maryneris start on fut with a schout,
Cryand, “Byde, how”, and with lang bolmys of tre
Pykyt with irne, and scharp roddis, he and he
Inforcis of to schowyn the schyp to save,
And brokkyn aris gadderyt on the streym thai haue.
Now quha was blith bot Mynestheus, ful ȝor,
Quhilk, for this chance, mair egyrly than befor,
With swyft fard of arys, and wynd at wyll,
The reddy way held our the fludis chyll,
And frakkis fast outthrow the oppyn see.
Als swyftly as the dow affrayit doith fle
Furth of hir hoyll, and richt darn wynnyng wayn,
Quhar hir sweit nest is holkyt in the stayn,
So fersly in the feildis furth scho spryngis,
Quhil of hir fard the howsys ryggyng ryngis;
And sone eftir, scherand the lownyt ayr,
Down from the hycht discendis soft and fair,
Not byssy weyngyt, bot planand esyly—
So slaid Mynestheus throu the sey in hy,
So followys Pistrys, was langeyr alltharlast,
With fellon fard furth swepand alsso fast.
And fyrst Sergest behynd sone left hess he,
Wreland on skelleys and ondepys of the see,
With brokkyn aris lerand to haist agane,
And cryand, “Help!” bot that was al invane.
Syne Gyas schyp, the fellon Chimera,
Persewys he fast, quhilk gave hym place allswa,
For scho was spulȝeyt of hir sterisman.
Thar restis na ma bot Cloanthus than,
Quham fynaly to persew he addrest,
And pynglys hir onto the vtyrmest.
The noyss and brute tho dowblys lowd on hycht,
For, on the costis syde, fast euery wight
Spurris the persewaris to roll bissely:
“Set on hym now! Haue at hym thar,” thai cry,
That huge clamour fordynnyt al the ayr.
The formast thocht thar awyn wirschip so fair,
And had disdeyn bot thai thar honour save,
To bruke it quhilk so hard wonnyn thai have,
Or thai thar lawd suld loyss or vassyllage,
Thai had far levir lay thar lyfe in wage.
The favorabill forton, and thar happy chance,
So gan the breistis of the otheris avance,
Thame thocht thai mocht thame wyn witht laubour lycht,
Becauss it semyt to thame at so thai mycht.
And peraventur, with equale stevynnys atanys,
The pryce thai suld haue baith caucht for the nanys,
War not Cloanthus in the fludis cauld
With devote prayeris baith his handis gan hald,
And on the goddis callys, and maid hys vow:
“O ȝhe goddis, quhays fludis I ryn throw,
Vndir ȝour empyre rewlyng the large see,
I sal glaidly on this cost syde,” quod he,
“A quhite bull offir in ȝour sacryfyce,
So I my vow may bruke, and wyn the pryce;
The entralis eyk, far in the fludis brak,
In ȝour reuerens, sal I slyng and swak,
And ȝet tharin the sweit liquor of wyne.”
And, be hys wordis warryn brocht to fyne,
Law fra the boddum of the seys deip
Hys prayeris war except—tharto tuke keip
The nymphis all, clepyt Nereydes,
And thai that followis Phorcus, all the press,
The maid alsso quhilk Panopea hait;
The fader of havynnys, Portunus, al the gait
With his byg hand schot the schip furth hir went,
That swyftar than the southt wynd on scho sprent,
Or as a fleand arrow to land glaid,
And in the deip port enterit but abaid.
Anchises son Eneas than, ful wyss,
Callys thame forrowth hym al, as wes the gyss,
And, with ane harraldis lowd voce, gan declare
Cloanthus victour was, and on hys hair
Gart set a crown, was of the lawrer greyn,
And bad onto thar schippis bair bedeyn
Thre ȝong oxin onto euery barge,
Presandis of wyne, and of siluer a charge.
Bot principaly to the capitanys he gave
Honorabill rewardis, as thame efferit to haue:
To the victour, a mantil brusyt with gold,
With purpour selvage writhyn mony fold,
And al byrunnyn and lowpyt lustely,
As rynnys the flude Meander in Thessaly;
Quharon was weyf, in suttel goldyn thredis,
Kyng Troyus son, the fair Ganymedys,
Vnder the thyk wod bewys of Ida
The swyft hartis chasand to and fra,
And with hys dartis baldly thame gan beyt—
He semyt porturyt pantand for the hete;
Quham, witht a surss, swyftly Iovys squyar
Caucht in hys clewis, and bair vp in the air;
The eldar huntaris, and hys keparis than,
Clappand thar lufis and thar handis, ilk man,
Sayr awondryt gan the starnys behald;
For hundis queste it semyt the lyft ryfe wald.
Onto hym, syne, Eneas gevyn hass,
That by hys vertew wan the secund place,
A habirgyon of byrnyst mailȝeis brycht,
With gold ourgilt clowit thrynfald ful tycht,
Quhilk he sum tyme, with his strang handis two,
Tyrvyt and rent of bald Demoleo,
Quham vndir Troys wallys venquyst he,
Quhar Symois rynnys swyftly in the see;
This wirschipful gift to Mynestheus he gave,
That was hys beild in armys hym to save;
Sa paysand was this cote that scarsly mycht
Phegeus and Sagaris, twa seruandis wight,
Bair it on thar nek chargyt mony fald,
Bot, tharwith cled, Demoleo ryn fast wald,
Chasand the Troianys skatterit far on breid.
The thryd gyft syne, Eneas gaif in deyd
Twa gret caldronys of brass forgyt hoyt;
Twa syluer coppis schapyn lyke a boyt,
Punsyt ful weil, and with fyguris ingrave:
And thus thar gyftis gottyn al thai haue.
Apon syk wyss, ful prowd of thar reward,
Ilkane of thame, furth pransand lyke a lard,
Arrayt weil the tymplis of thar hed
With purpour garlandis of the rosys red;
Quhen from the scharp rolk, scarsly, with gret slycht,
Sergestus gan vpwreil hys schyp evill dycht;
Of brokyn arys febilly with a raw,
Mokkyt and schent, scho cummys hame ful slaw.
Lyke as oft happynnys the eddyr amyd the way
Lurkand or glydand, in the hait symmyrris day,
Quham the hevy schod cart quheil doith ourtak,
Pressyng hir down, and ryvand hir tewch bak,
Or, with smart dynt or stane kast, half ded neir,
And kut in tway, leifis the travelleir;
Sche pressand fle, al for nocht, byssely,
Lang wrynklys makis oft with hir body;
The ta part ferss and fell, with byrnand eyn
Strekand hyr nek with hyssis lowd in teyn;
The tother part, lamyt, clynschis and makis hir byd,
In lowpis thrawyn and lynkis of hir hyde—
With syklyke routhe this schip slawly furth went,
Syne maid sail at the last, and tharwith bent,
Entyrris in the havyn. And Sergest Eneas
Rewardis weil, as that his promys was,
For glaid he was the schip was salue onlost,
And brocht hys ferys hailskarth to the cost.
To hym a servand woman, hayt Pholoa,
Was geyf, and, sowkand hyr, hir twynnys twa;
Of Creyt, as to hyr kynrent, born was sche,
And in the craft of Mynerve wondyr sle.
Gentyll Ene, this sport endyt and done,
Ontyl a fayr plane greyn passyt sone,
Quhilk was enveronyt al with hyllys hie,
Schaddowyt with woddys rank, and mony a tre.
Amyd the vale, in maner of cyrkyl rownd,
A playng place was markyt on the grond,
Syk as that clepyt beyn a theatry.
Thiddir the heir with mony thousand gan hy,
And evyn amydwart in hys troyn grete,
For hym arayt, takyn hes hyss sete,
Quhar, with rewardis seir, he dyd provoke
The curage and myndis of ȝong foke,
Syk as lykyt swyftly on fute to ryn,
Cum bayr the pryce away, and wageour wyn.
On athir half than gadderis hym about
Of Troianys sammyn and Sycilyanys a rowt;
And first come Nysus and the fresch Evrille,
Ewrillyus in grene ȝouth and luf sylle,
Maist eligant of person, for quhays frendschip
And tendyrnes come Nisus in falloschip;
Quham followis nixt nobyl Dyores the gude,
Cummyn of the stok of myghty Priamus blude;
And eftir hym thar followys sone onon
Twa othirris sammyn, Salyus and Patron,
Of quham the tane born of Epyria,
And the tother was of Archadya,
Cummyn of the blude of Tegea that cite;
Twa othir ȝong men syne of Sycille,
Helymus and Panopes, baith feris
Onto the kyng Acestes ald of ȝeris,
Hantyt to ryn in woddis and in schawis;
Seir othir come eik quhais namys onknaw is,
For that thai war of law stait and degre.
Amyddis of thame all, thus sayd Ene:
“Tak tent, frendis, remembir quhat I say,
Mark this in myndis glaidly, and bair away:
Neuer ane of al this falloschip,” quod he,
“Sal onrewardyt hyne depart fra me.
I sal ȝou geiffyn ilk man as efferis,
With brycht hedis, wrocht in Creyt, twa schort speris,
A syluerit ax alsso, to bair in hand;
For ȝou al equale salbe syk presand.
The thre formaste salbeir the pryce and gre,
Thar hedis crownyt with greyn olyve tre.
Quha cummys fyrst, and victour our the laif,
Ane horss with precyus harnessyng sal haif.
The secund, ane arow cayss of Amaȝon,
Ful of arowys of Trace, sal haue onon,
Hungyn by a braid tysche of gold ilke ioynt,
The bukkil claspyt with a iemmys poynt.
The thryd most go hys way, and stand content
Bot of this Gregion helm, lo, heir present.”
Quhen this was said, thar placis haue thai tane,
And, fra thai hard the takyn, sone onane
Richt swyftly on thar rasys gan thai tak;
The stand thai leif, and flaw furth with a crak,
As wyndis blast, etland to the rynkis end.
Befor thame all furth bowtis with a bend
Nysus a far way, start mair spedely
Than thud of weddir, or thundyr in the sky.
Nyxt onto hym, bot nocht neir be far way,
Followys Salyus, and, a space eftir thame tway,
Ewrialus was the thryd, quham syne infeir
Followyt Helymus, quhamto held evir neir
Dyores, quhidderand at hys bak fute hait,
Hys tays choppand on hys heill al the gayt,
Writhand with hys schuldir to haue thrung hym by,
And, had he anys won mair rowm, tho inhy
He suld ful sone haue skyppyt furth befor,
And left in dowt quha come fyrst to the skoyr.
Be this thai wan neir to the rynkis end,
Irkyt sum deill befor the mark weil kend,
Quhen that Nysus fallys, onhappely,
Apon the glotnyt blude, quhar as fast by
The styrkis for the sacrifyce, per cace,
War newly brytnyt, quharof al the place
And the greyn gerss bedyit was and wet.
As this ȝongkeir heiron tred and fute set,
Ioly and blith, wenyng hym victour round,
He slaid and stumryt on the slydry grond,
And fell at erd gruflyngis amyd the fen,
Or beistis blude of sacrifyce; ȝyt then
Forȝettis he not Ewrialus luf, perfay,
Bot kest hym evyn ourthourtyr Salyus way,
Grulyng as he mycht apon the slydry grene,
Maid hym lycht wyndflaucht on the grond onclene.
Furth sprent Ewrialus formest, and, by supple
Of his frend Nysus, the first place wan he.
With rerd and favorabil hailsyngis furth he sprang,
As oft befallys, syk tymys, commonys amang.
Helymus nixt onto the stand is cummyn,
The thryd place now and gre Dyor has nummyn.
Tho Salyus fyllys al the court about
With lowd ramyngis, and with mony a schowt,
And gan, in presens of the nobillys, pray
Restor hys honour by dyssayt stollyn away.
The favour defendis Eurialus of hys ferys,
And of hys eyn brysting the seymly terys,
Sched for dysdeyn he suld swa leyss hys pryce—
The vertew, eyk, mair gracyus at all devyce
Was haldyn, at come of sa seymly person.
That helpyt mekyl, and Dyores evir onon
Chydis for hym fast, for alsmekill as he
The thryd place than had wonnyn and the gre;
Bot all for nocht may he the last pryce beleif,
Gyf that to Salyus the fyrst reward beys geyf.
Than the rewthfull Eneas spak and sayd:
“Ȝour enterpryss, childeryng, beys blyth and glaid,
Remanys sovir to ȝou, for, owt of weir,
As fyrst was set the pryce, sal na man steir,
It moste be to me leful, rewth to haue
Of my frendis myschance, hys lak to save,
Quhilk in hys awyn defalt tynt not the gre.”
And sayand thus, to Salyus gave he
A bustuus lyonys skyn of Getuly,
With goldyn clewys, lokkerit and weghty.
“Ha!” than quod Nysus, “gyf syk reward salbe
Gevyn onto thame at fallys and tynys the gre,
Gif the lyst rew on syk, quhat gyft condyng
Wilt thou geif Nysus, ran swyft in a lyng,
And worthy was the fyrst croun tohaue caucht,
War nocht the sam mysforton me ourraucht
Quhilk Salyus betyd?” And with that word,
Hys face he schew besmottyrit for a bourd,
And al hys membris in mud and dung bedoyf.
Than lewch that ryal prynce on hym to goyf,
And bad do fech a rych scheild, wrocht quently
Sum tyme by ane Dodymaon maist crafty,
And by the Grekis alsso doun was dyng
Of Neptunys tempyll post quhar it dyd hyng;
This worthy ȝong man with that gyft soverane
Rewardis he, of syk geyr as mycht gane.
Eftyr thir rasys done, and gyftys geif,
“Now cummys heir,” said Ene, “quha lyst preif
To streke thar armys furth, and heys on hycht,
For mayss or burdon arrayit weil at rycht;
Quha hess tharto reddy bald spreit lat se.”
For athir party the pryce ordanyt hess he:
For the victour a bul, and al hys hed
Of goldyn schakaris and royss garlandis red
Buskyt full weil; to hym venquyst, alssua,
A rych helm and a fyne sword, baith twa,
Set for hys solace. Than, but delay, Darhes
With buustuus forss schew hys face in the press.
As he vpstart, onon gret rumour rayss
Amang the commonys, sayand: “Lo! quhar he gays,
Alane was wont agane Parys debait;
Ȝon sam is he quhilk, at the tumbe, fute hait,
Quhar beryit was Hector of maist renoun,
The campion Butes ourcum and bet doun,
Al flat hym speldyt on the dun sand,
In the dedthrawis; quhilk Butes, to vnderstand,
Fra Bebrycy com, of statur huge rude,
And hym avansyt of Kyng Amycus blude.”
Thys ilk Darhes, berand hys hed on hie,
Reddy for batale, schew furth, at al mycht se,
Hys schulderis braid, and swakkis heir and thar
Hys armys strecht with gret flappys in the ayr.
Ane othir mache to hym was socht and speryt,
Bot thar was nane of al the rowt at steryt
Ne durst presume meyt that man on the land,
With mace nor burdon to debait hand for hand.
Ioly and glaid tharof, baith al and sum
Into bargane wenyng fortil ourcum,
Beforn Eneas feyt stad but delay,
The bul he grippys by ane of hornys tway
With hys left hand, and said apon this wyss;
“Son of the goddes, gyf na man wil ryss,
Ne dar hym self aventur in batelle,
Quhy stand I thus? Quhou lang efferis me dwell?
Command me leid away the pryce al fre.”
The Troianys with hym sammyn, he and he,
Murmuryt and bemyt on the ilke wyss;
“Reyk to the man the pryce promyst,” all cryiss.
Tho gan the grave Acest with wordis chyde
Entellus, sat on greyn sonk hym besyde:
“Entell,” quod he, “vmquhile the forcyast
Of campionys clepyt, and the worthyast,
Invane that name thou beris, I dar say,
Gyf thou, sa thoilmude, sufferis leid away
Sa gret a pryce, but dereyn of batell.
Quhar is he now, gret Erix, as thai tell,
Our god renownyt, and mastir, al for nocht?
Quhar now that fame, our al Sycil onflocht
Quhilum dywlgate, is becummyn and gone?
Quhar beyn the spulȝe triumphal mony one,
Within thine howss hyngis on euery post?”
The tother ansuerd: “Nowthir for dreid ne bost
The luf of worschip nor honour went away is,
Bot certanly the dasyt blude, now on days,
Walxis dolf and dull throw myne onweldy age;
The cald body hess mynnyst my curage.
Bot war I now, as vmquhile it hess bene,
Ȝyng as ȝon wanton voustour, sa strang thai weyn,
Ȝa, had I now syk ȝouthed, traistis me,
But ony pryce, I suld al reddy be;
Na lusty bull me tyl induce suld neid,
For nothir I suld haue cravyt wage nor meyd.”
Quhen this was said, he hess, but mair abaid,
Twa kempys burdonys brocht, and befor thame laid,
With al thar harness and braseris by and by,
Of weght ful huge, and schap onmesurly,
Quhar with, vmquhile, the stern Erix was wont
To feght in bargane, and geif mony dont,
In that hard bellan hys brawnys to enbrace.
All wolx estonyst beheld thame in that place:
So huge weght and so gret quantite
Thai war, that weil thame semyt fortobe
Of curbulle corvyn sevyn gret oxin hydis,
Styf as a burd that stude, on athir sydis
Stuffyt and cowchit ful of irne and leid.
Abuf al otheris, Darhes, in that sted,
Thame tobehald abasyt wolx grettumly,
Thar with to mel reffusyng aluterly,
Bot, ful of magnanymyte, Eneas
Pasys thar weght als lychtly as a fass,
Thar hydduus braseris swakand to and fro.
Syk wordis gan the auld rehersyng tho:
“Quhat wald he haue said, that perchance had se
Hercules burdon and wapynnys heir,” quod he,
“And on this ilke cost the sorofull bargane?
Thir sammyn wapynnys Erix, thi broder germane,
Was wont to bair—behald thame smottyt quyte
Of his red blude, and harnys tharon owtsmyte.
With thir agane gret Hercules stude he;
With thir was I wont mach in the melle,
Quhil my fresch blude mair forss and strenth me lent,
Or that onfrendlych eild had thus bysprent
My hed and halffettis baith with canus hair.
Bot gyf that Troiane Darhes reffusys thair
With thir, our cuntre wapynnys, in feild to pass,
And eyk it lykis the curtas Eneas,
So that Acest my soverane that appreve
(Be not efferd, Darhes, na thing the greve),
Erix macis to the on syde lay I,
And thou thi Troiane burdon alsso do by;
With equale wapynnys lat ws go to sone.”
And, with that word, of hys schulderis hess done
Hys dowbill habyt, and hys lymmys squair,
Baith byg bonys and brawnys, maid al bair,
Syne stythly in the sand vpstandis he,
Of hydduus statur and of quantite.
The prynce Anchises son, Eneas, than
Twa evynly burdonys walyt, as cunnand man,
And equale armour, but dyversyte,
On schulderis and thar gardeys buklys he.
Than athir gan contrar othir styth stand,
With fyngeris fast faikand thar mace in hand,
Syne heich abufe thar hedis in the ayr
Onabasytly rasyt thar armys squair,
And from the straik thar nek drew far abak.
Now, hand to hand, the dynt lychtis with a swak;
Now bendis he vp hys burdon with a mynt,
On syde he bradis fortil eschew the dynt;
He etlys ȝondir hys avantage to tak,
He metis hym thar, and charris hym with a chak;
He watis to spy, and smytis in al hys mycht,
The tother keppys hym on hys burdon wycht;
Thai foyn at othir, and eggis to bargane.
Lychtar on fute and agil was the tane
And in hys lusty ȝouth sum deil ensuris;
The tother of lymmys byggar and corss mair stuyr is,
Bot hys faynt schankis gan for eild schaik;
Hys gowsty cost and membris, euery straik,
The febil braith gan to bete and blaw.
Thir hardy kempys, al in waist, leyt draw,
Athir at other, mony rowtis grete;
On holl sydis feill dowbill dyntis gan bete
And on thar breistis lychtis with huge sownd;
Oft in the ayr about thar hedis rownd
Thar handis waveryt, and the straik went myss;
Hard halffettis clappyt oft vndir the dynt, I wyss.
Entellus standis styf and grave of corss,
Not movyng from hys fyrst stand in a forss,
And, with hys body only and walkryfe e,
The strakis onfar enchewys and keppyt he.
Bot Darhes walkis about rycht craftely,
Of hys fyrst purposs frustrat, to espy
Sum avantage, with diuerss assaltis algait
Hym ombesetting sair and handland hait—
Lyke as by gret engynys quha sa wald
A strang cite assail or stalwart hald,
To wyn that strenth, or ȝyt by craftis sle
To mynde the castell on the rochys hie,
Lurkand in harness wachis round about;
Now this tocome, now by that way gan lowt,
Quhar best he may cum to hys purposs sone,
Avysand weil the place maist oportone.
Entellus raxit hym and hevis on hycht
Hys rycht hand for tosmyte in al hys mycht;
The tother, seand the dynt cum, gan provide
To eschew swyftly, and sone lap on syde,
That al hys forss Entellus gan apply
Into the ayr, so that hys grave body,
All hym alane, with huge weght and sayr,
Ruschyt flatlyngis to the grond with a rair—
So as, quhilum, the mekil kosch fyr tre,
On Erymanthus the mont of Archade,
Or in the wod of Ida, with a sownd
Vp by the rutis rent, ruschis to grond.
The ȝongkeris tho of Troy and Sycilly
Gan starting all on fut delyvirly;
The clamour rayss, quhil all the hevyn dyd ryng,
And fyrst to hym ran Acestes the kyng,
And for compassioun hess vphynt in feild
Hys frend Entellus, onto hym evyn eild.
Bot, nother estonyst nor abasyt heiron,
Mair egyrly the vaillyant campion
Agane to bargane went als hoyt as fyre.
Hys strenthys now encressis al of ire;
For schame, alsso, and for that weil he knew
Hys auld prowes, hys forss dowblyt and grew,
And ardently, with fury and mekil boist,
Gan Darhes kach and dryve our al the cost;
Now with the rycht hand, now with the left hand, he
Dowblys dyntis, and but abaid leyt fle,
That nother rest nor quyet may he tak.
Als fast as rayn schour rappys on the thak,
So thyk with strakis this campioun maist strang,
With athir hand, feil syss at Darhes dang,
And drave to and fra with mony rowt.
The prynce Eneas than, seand this dowt,
Na langar suffer wald sik wreth procede
Nor ferss Entellus mude thus rage and sprede,
Bot of the bargane maid end but delay,
And wery Darhes hess withdrawyn away.
With wordys hym to mesyng thus he said:
“Onsylle wight, quhou dyd thi mynd invaid
Sa gret wodness? Felys thou not ȝyt,” quod he,
“Othir strenth and mannys forss hes delt with the?
Seys thou not weil thi self at thou art fey?
Tharfor to God thou ȝeild the and obey;
The power of goddys ar turnyt in thy contrar;
Obey to God.” And with that word, but mair,
The bargane he dissolvyt. And than Darhess
Hys trew companȝeonys ledis of the press,
Harland hys wery lymmys dolf as led,
For sorow schakand to and fra hys hed,
And schaddis of blude furth spyttand throu hys lyppys,
With bludy gammys, led hym to thar schippys;
The helm and eik the sword with thame hess tane,
As thai commandyt war, and left alane
The bul ontil Entellus—sa was defynd.
He victour than, and abufe in hys mynd,
Prowd and reiosyt of this bull, gan say:
“Son of the goddes, and Troianys, I ȝou pray,
Behald, and knaw by this takyn and syng,
Quhat strenth was in my corss quhen I was ȝyng.
Se fra quhat ded Darhes is savyt onslane,”
Quod he, and standand the bullys face forgane,
Quhilk of thar dereyn was the pryce and gre,
Hys stern burdon behynd hys bak onhie
With hys rycht hand gan tayss and mesour swa,
It smait hym evyn betwix the hornys twa,
Persyt the harn pan, draif out the brayn inhy;
Down duschit the beist ded on the land gan ly,
Sprewland and flekkyrand in the ded thrawys.
And he abufe hym furth warpys syk sawys:
“For Darhes ded, Erix, lo, this,” quod he,
“A far mair ganand sawle, I offer the;
And victour eyk my craft and wapynnys fair
Vprendris heir, for now and evir mair.”
Onon Eneas induce gan to the play,
With arowys forto schute quha wald assay;
The pryce tharfor ordanys; and syne, but let,
With forss of mennys handis vp hess set
Amyd the greyn Sergestus schippys mast;
Apon the top tharof gart fessyn fast
A fleand dow intil a cord, quharat
Thai suld thar arowys schuyt. The men with that
Conuenyt togiddir, and in a helm of steill
Thar kavillys haue thai castyn fair and weill.
And first of al, with frendly noyss and sound,
Hyppocaon the first place hys hess fond,
That was of kynrent cummyn from Hirtacus;
Quham nixt eftyr followys Mynestheus,
Victour afor amang the schip bargane—
The grene olyve about hys forhed schane.
The thryd kavill betyd Evricyus,
Thy brodir, O maist doughty Panderus,
Quhilk vmquhile, forto brek the trewis command,
On the Grekis fyrst set with speir in hand.
And of the helmys boddom al thar last
The ancyant kyng Acestes lot furth past,
Quhilk, for Eneas sayk, durst anys assay
With hys awyn hand ȝong mennys sport and play.
Than euery man, accordyng thar strenth ful meyt,
Thair byg bowys gan bend, and at thar feyt
Dyd schaik onone thar arowys of thar cayss.
Ȝong Hippocaon, quhilk had the first place,
A quhidderand arow leyt spang fra the stryng,
Towart the hevyn fast throu the ayr dyd thryng;
The mastis top it hyt, and tharin stak,
Quhil al the tre trymlyt with the swak;
The fowle affrayt flychtris on hir weyngis;
Of gret rumour than al the feildis ryngis.
Nixt scharp Mynestheus, war and avysye,
Onto the hed hess halyt vp on hie
Baith arow and eyn, etland at the mark.
Bot it was reuth, the fowle, for al hys wark,
Ne mycht he twich; and netheless ȝyt quyte
The bandis and lyamys in twa dyd he smyte,
Quharwith, by baith the feyt, thar fast was sche
Attachit at the mastis top onhie;
Sche in the ayr and dyrk skyis flaw onon.
With arow reddy nokkyt than Ewricion
Plukkis vp inhy hys bow, and maid hys vow
Onto hys brothir Pander; with that the dow
Heich in the lyft ful glaid he gan behald,
And with hir weyngis sorand monyfald;
Hys arow he threw vndir the clowdis blak,
And persyt hir quyte owtthrou the bak;
Hyr lyfe sche lost heich vp in the ayr,
Down fallys ded, and hass brocht with hir thar
The arow brochyt throu owt hir body.
Acestes now alane stude all reddy
To schute, quhen that the pryce was tynt and won;
And netheless to schuyt he hess begun,
And threw ane arow in the ayr on hycht,
Schawand hys craft, and hys byg bowys mycht,
That lowsyt of the takill with a spang.
And sone betyd and in thar sychtis sprang
A fellon grysly monstre and wondryng,
As weil was knaw syne at the endyng;
The feirfull spa men tharof pronosticate
Schrewyt chancis to betyde and bad estate.
For quhy, this schaft, fleand in the moyst ayr,
Brynt in a bless, and the randoun alquhar
With low and flambys gan do notyfy,
And al consumyt vanyst in the sky,
As doys oft starnschoit fallyng fra the hevyn,
Drawand thar eftyr a taill of fyry levin.
Estonyst in thar myndis, abasyt stude
The folk of Sycill and all the Troiane blude;
And netheless maist douchty Eneas
Reffusyt nocht the takyn, bot gan embrass
Acestes glaidly, and rych gyftis hym gave,
Syne said hym thus: “Tak, fader myne, ressaue
Sik favorabill aspectis benevolent
As the gret kyng of hevyn heth to the sent,
That lyst with onkouth syngnys honour the.
Thou sal haue heir this reward and degre,
A cowp of gold engrave with figuris seir,
A presand vmquhile of my fader deir,
Ancyant Anchiss, quham Cysseus, of Trace kyng,
In remembrance hym gave and lufe takynnyng.”
And sayand thus, hys tymplis al, but weir,
He gan involue and belt with grene lawrer,
And syne hess causyt, al the othiris befor,
Proclame Acestes and declair victor.
Nor gentill Euricion hys gloyr envyes nocht,
Quhoubeyt that he only the fowle down brocht,
And in the skyis smait hir ded, ȝyt than
The secund place he tuke as curtass man;
Nixt eftir quham, the wageour hess ressaue
He that the lysch and lyam in sondir drave;
And last rewardyt was he, that hys flycht
Into the mastis top festynnyt on hyght.
Eneas syne, the derenys not al done,
Epytides to hym hes callyt sone,
Mastir and gydar of Ascanyus ȝong,
Quhais secrete haris warryn ȝyt onsprung,
And in hys trasty eyr thus prevaly
He rownys, sayand: “Pass thi way inhy,
Se gyf Ascanyus hes now reddy dycht
Hys falloschip of childir and horssys lycht,
Arrayt for the rynkis and the play.
Byd hym bryng hyddir hys rowtis to turnay,
And do hys grandschir honour and renown,
In hys harness schaw hym self reddy bown,”
Sayd Eneas, and tharwith gave comand
About the cowrt the pepil on rowm to stand,
That al the feild within suldbe patent.
Than sone the childir, arrayit fair and gent,
Enterit in the camp alsammyn, schynnand brycht,
On stedis pransand in thar faderis syght;
And, quhar thai went, al the gallandis of Troy
And Sycill wondyrris with gret brute and ioy.
Thar harys all war tukkyt vp on thar crown,
That baith with how and helm was thrystyt doun;
Twa iavillyng speris with blunt hedis sum bair,
Sum on thar schuldyr a cace with dartys fair;
The wryth of gold, or chane lowpyt in ryngis,
About thar halss down to thar breistis hyngis.
Thai war in nowmyr cumpaneys thre,
On horssis rydand; and for ilk menȝe
A capitane walkis rewland al hys rowt;
Twyss sax childir followys ilkane about
In thar parsmentis, arrayit in armour brycht;
The chiftanys warryn equale of a hycht.
A ward thar was of childir quham, ful ioyus,
Berand hys grandschiris name, ȝong Priamus
Led and rewlyt, quhilk thi genealogy,
O Polytes, plantyt in Italy;
Apon a horss of Trace dappil gray
He raid, quhays formest feyt bath tway
War mylk quhyte, and hys crest on hycht bair he,
With bawsand face, rynggyt the forthir e.
The secund, Atys, on a cursour bay,
Fra quham the Latyn lynnage to this day
Actii bene nemmyt; and this litill Atys
With child Ascanyus weilbelovyt is.
Lusty Iulus, in bewte dyd all exceid,
Come last montyt on a Sydon steyd
Of cullour quhyte, quham Dydo, the fair lady,
In hir remembrance hym gave and luf drowry.
The remanent of the falloschip, euery one,
Sycill horssis gan swyftly ryde apon,
That from the auld Acestes purchest wer.
With revell, blythness and a maner feir,
Troianys ressauys thame, and rycht glaidly
Thar vissage gan behald, and dyd aspy
The prent of faderis facis on childir ȝyng.
Eftyr thai had all cirkillyt in a ryng,
On horsbak, hail the place and feild abowt,
And ioyusly behaldyn all the rowt,
All reddy hufand thar coursys fortotak;
Epytides on far a syng gan mak,
Smait with a clap, and cryis, “Go togidder!”
Than ran thai sammyn in paris with a quhidder;
The rowtis thre brak; ilkane chesyt hys feir;
And, quhen thai by war runnyn, thar horsis thai steir,
And turnys agane incontinent at commandis
To preif thar forss with iavillyngis in thar handis;
Syne went abak in sondyr a far space,
Ilkane at othir rynnyng with a rayss.
Syndry coursys and returnyngis maid thai;
Fast athir sort gan othiris rowt cumray,
And gan excers, by semblance, vndir scheild
The symylitude of batell or a feild.
Sum tyme the bak thai turn, as thai wald fle;
Sum tyme at othir threw dartis, he and he;
And, sone eftyr, assemmyl wald with a crak,
Thar handis schak, and pess togyddir mak.
Swa, as tha say, vmquhile the howss in Creyt,
Hait Laborynthus, with mony went and streyt,
Had wrynkillyt wallys, a thousand slychtis wrocht,
Forto dissaue al onkouth tharin brocht,
To wavyr and er thar onreturnabilly,
The subtell throwgangis followand sa quently—
Nane othir ways, in coursys mony ane,
Quhirlys thar trayss thir ȝong childir Troiane.
Thai lowke togiddir, and countryfatis a chayss
In maner of bargane, makand mony a rayss
And seir derenȝeis in thar sport and play;
Als swyft as dalphyn fysch, swymmand away
In the wak sey of Egyp or Lyby,
Persand the wallys, that plays iolely.
Thir maner of rynkis and iupertyis of bataill
Ascanyus hantyt, and brocht fyrst in Itaill,
Quhen he with wallys closyt lang Albay,
And taucht the ald Latynys to hant syk play
The sammyn gyiss as he, a child, now wrocht,
And othir Troiane childir with hym brocht.
The Albanys taucht thar childir the sammyn way;
And mychty Roym, syne efter mony a day,
Syk oyss ressavyt hess, and gan vphald
In wirschip of thar antecessouris auld;
And now, childering hantyng syk gem and ioy
Beyn Troiane rowtis namyt, and weir of Troy.
Thus, hyddyrtyllys, warryn derenys seyr
Excersyt in wyrschip of hys fader deyr,
And in this tyme gan forton fyrst remove
Fra thame agane hir fykkill faith and lufe.
For, as Troianys dyd hallow on this wyss
By diuerss gemmys, as was tho the gyss,
Solemnytly, the seruyce anniuersar
Besyde Anchises graf, furth of the air
And hevynnys hie, Saturnus get, Iuno,
That gan of wreth and malyce nevir ho,
Not satisfyit of hir ald fury ne wrok,
Rollyng in mynd full mony kankyrryt blok,
Hess send adoun onto the Troiane navy
Irys, and, that scho suld go spedely,
The prospir wynd gan eftyr hir inspyre.
Thys virgyn sprent on swyftly as a vyre,
And throu the clowdis hir trace, quhar scho went,
Schupe lyke a bow of diuerss hewis ment.
Sone slaid sche doun, onseyn of ony wy,
Gret confluence of pepill dyd aspy;
Scho walkis about the costis of the see,
Havynnys and flote left dissolate fand sche,
And al the Troiane wemen dyd sche ken
Syttand on the schor, secret far fra men,
The gret loyss of Anchises regratyng sair,
And al togiddir gan to weip and rair,
Behaldand the deip seys sorowfully,
And, with a voce, sayand al halely:
“Allace! behald, samony stremys gray,
And of thir salt fludis sa braid a way
Remanys ȝyt, fortyl ourslyde and sayll,
By ws wemen irkyt of lang travaill!”
Thai al besocht God send thame sone, ilkane,
A cite or a town forto remane,
And tedyus thocht the seys laubour to bair.
Iris heirfor aspyis hir tyme best thair,
As scho that was in myscheif ful expart;
Amyddis of thame all in gan scho start,
Hir godly figur and hir weid laid by,
And bycame agyt Beroes inhy
In maner schap of symylitude and face
(That was Doryclus spowss, born of Trace,
Quhilk vmquhile was of hie genealogy,
Of gret renoun, and childir had mony),
And on syk wyss amang matronys Troiane
Transformyt entrys scho, and in is gane.
“O woful wrachit wemen all,” quod sche,
“Quhilk to the deth, vndir the wallys hie
Of ȝour natyve cite and kynd landis,
War not in batell harlyt by Grekis handis!
O pepill onhappy, to quhat myschewss end
Forton reseruys ȝou of this warld to wend?
Lo! sen the fal of Troy and dolorus weir,
Byrunnyn is the sevynt symmyr and ȝeir,
Sen that samony seys, and alkyn landis,
Sa huge wilsum rolkis, and schawd sandis
And stormys gret, ourdrewyn and sufferyt haue we,
Lo, thus saland throw out the mekill see,
Quhar that we chayss Itale, that fleys ay,
And we ly warpyt on the wallys gray.
Heir beyn the bredyrly boundis of Erix stowt,
Our frend Acestes is our host but dowt:
Quha wil wss warn to beild vp wallys hie,
And to our citesanys set heir a cite?
O natyve land, and kynd goddis al invane
Reft from our fays, sal nevir nane agane
Troiane wallys be namyt nor vpbeild?
Sal I nevir se, allace! in all my eild,
Hectoriane fludis, Exanth and Symois?
Haue done tharfor, and now with me, I wyss,
Thir fey onhappy schippys al bedene
Lat ws go byrn, for in my sleip ȝistreyn,
The figur of Cassandra, prophetess,
Gave me byrnand fyre brandis and said express
Heir suld we rest, bad seyk Troy na forthar—
Heir was our dwellyng place for euermar.
Now is the tyme ganand our wark to speyd;
To tary ma fatale syngnys quhat suld neid?
Lo! ȝondir beyn four altaris byrnand schyre;
Neptune the god thir hait brandis of fyre
Distributis to ws, and alsso hardyment.”
And sayand thus, to perform hir entent,
The peralus fyre first hynt scho forsably;
With flambys schynand on far thai mycht espy
Hir rycht hand rasyt, the blesys in tocast.
Of Troiane wemen the myndis worth agast,
And al thar hartis sum deil stupefak,
Quhen ane, the eldast amang thame al, spak,
Clepyt Pirgo, the quhilk had beyn, feil syss,
To mony of Kyng Priamus childir nuryss:
“O matronys, ȝon was nevir Beroys,” quod sche,
“Born a Troiane, and Doryclus spouss, traist me.
Considir of hir bewte syngnys dyvyne:
Behald so brycht as baith hir eyn doith schyne,
Quhat sweit savour and smel from hir spryngis,
Quhatkyn vissage hess scho; quhou thynk ȝe ryngis
Hir vocis sown, or quhat payss goys scho now?
My self left Beroes, as I come hyyddir rycht now,
Lyand seyk at hame, and ful ennoyit wight,
That scho alane suld want this ryal syght,
And, as scho wald, mycht not mak sacryfyce
In Anchyss honour and funerale seruyce.”
Thus said Pirgo, bot than the matronys all
Stude fyrst in dowt quhat thing tha do sall,
And with evil willy eyn the schippys behaldis,
On hovir betwix wrachyt desyre, thame haldis
Forto abyd within that present land,
And of the fatis, on the tother hand,
That onto othir realmys doith thame call;
Quhen lo, the goddes, in form celestiall,
With equale weyngis fleys vp to the hevyn,
And, in hir went, schup vndir the clowdis evyn
The figur of a raynbow huge grete.
Than pryncipaly begouth thar hartis bete;
Of syk wondris estonyst, thai al inhy
Cachit with wodnes begouth raym and cry,
And from the hallowyt ingill reft the fyre;
Part spulȝeis altaris of thar flambys schire,
And byrnand branchis, faggottis and fyre brandis
Into the schippys swak thai with thar handis;
The flambe vpkyndilling blesys braid at large
Throw hechis, ourloft, ayr and payntyt targe.
Ontyl Anchises graf and theatry
First brocht Ewmolus word, quhou the navy
Was al infyryt. Thai luke and gan behald
The fyre sparkis fleand vp thyk fald
In a blak sop of reik, and fyrst Ascanyus,
As he on horss playt with hys ferys ioyus,
Als swyft and fersly spurris hys steid fute hoyt,
And but delay socht to the trublyt flote.
Hys mastirys, half ded for affray and draid,
Mycht nocht withhald hym—thyddir gan he speid,
And cryit: “Allace, O wrachit citesanys!
Quhat new wodness be this ȝou ourtane is?
Quhou now, quhou now, quhat meyn ȝe for to do?
Ȝour ennemyss floyt, nor Grekis schippys, lo,
Ȝe byrn not, bot al hope of ȝour weil fair!
Se, this is I, ȝour awyn Ascanyus, ayr
Onto my fader!” And with that word his helm
Befor thar feyt al voyd doun dyd he quhelm,
Quharwith in the derenys cled was he
And contryfait the maner of a melle.
Eneas than and al the rowtis Troianys,
Fast as thai mycht, sped thame thiddir atanys.
Bot than the wemen al, for dreid and affray,
Fled heir and thair endlang the cost away,
Socht to woddys and cavys in euery rolk,
Eschamyt with thar deid, knew thar awyn folk,
Thar myndis changit, fled the lycht for dispyte,
Al Iunois rage smate from thar breistis quyte.
Bot not for this the flambys and byrnand bleyss
Dyd stanch thar forss ondantyt, ne appeyss.
The tuffyng kyndillys betwix the plankis wak,
Quharfra outthrawis the pykky smoke coil blak;
The hait fyre consumys fast the howe;
Our al the schip discendys the peralus lowe;
Thar was na strenth of vaillyant men to waill,
Nor large fludis on ȝet, that mycht avail.
Reuthful Ene than of hys schulderis tway
The claith hess rent, and gan the goddys pray,
Vp baith hys handis hevand in the sky:
“Almychty Iove,” quod he, “aluterly
Gyf thou hess not al Troianys at haitrent,
Of gif thi reuthfull clemens takis tent,
As thou was wont, to mennys travel and pyne,
Now, haly fader, thi maieste inclyne;
Grant at our navy this fyre may eschaip,
And from distructioun delyvir and outscrape
Thir sobir trumpys, and meyn graith of Troianys;
Or, gif I haue deseruyt, with the remanys,
Smyte al togyddir ded with feirful thundir;
Lat thi rycht hand heir schaik wss al in sondir.”
Scarss this wes sayd, quhen that a blak tempest
Brays but delay, and al the lyft ourkest;
A huge weyt gan down powre and tumbill;
Hillys and valys trymlyt of thundir rummyll;
The drumly schour ȝet furth our al the ayr
Als blak as pyk, in bubbys heir and thar,
Fyllys the schippys, quhil thai flet our the walys;
Wrayngis half brynt bedyit in watir salys;
That al the forss of fyre was slokyt owt,
And from the perrell salf and out of dowt
Was al the navy, outtake four schippys lost.
And, quhil he rowmys vp and doun the cost,
The fader Eneas, smyte with this smart cace,
Now heir, now thar, gan huge thyngis compace,
Rollyng in mynd quhiddir he suld or nay
Remane in Sycill, or thens pass away,
Or gif he suld seik ȝyt to Italy,
Lyke as he had forȝet hys destany.
Thus as he musyt, stad in sykkyn dowt,
Ane of the eldast herys stude abowt,
Clepyt Nawtes, quham the goddes Mynerve
Our al the layf instrukkyt hym to serve
And rendryt had ful scharp and rype of wyt,
Syk answer gave and plane declaris it,
Quhat pretendis this fellon goddes greif,
And eik, accordyng thar fatis, quhat was releif,
And comfortand Eneas, thus gan say:
“Son of the goddes, lat wss follow that way,
Bakwart or fordwart, quhyddir our fatis dryve;
Quhat evir betyde, this is na bute to stryve;
All chance of forton tholand ourcummyn is.
Heir is thi tendir frend Troiane, I wyss,
Worthy Acestes, of dyvyne lynnage;
Cal hym to the in counsale, wyss and sage,
And weil willyng to thi purposs to apply.
Leif with hym all may nocht in thi navy
Be tursyt now, for lak of schippis lost;
Als syk as beyn ennoyt and irk almost
Of thi gret purposs, thi dedis and efferis;
And thai that beyn agyt passyt dait of ȝeris,
Or ald matronys wery of the see;
Wail out al thame beyn waik and onweilde,
Or ȝyt afferyt beyn in ilke affray—
Syk cummyrryt wightis suffir, I the say,
To haue ane hald and dwel heir in this land;
The cite salbe, as was first cunnand,
Acesta clepyt, eftir Acestes kyng.”
With syk wordis and prudent sermonyng
Of hys wyss agit frend, than Eneas
On all sydis gan ithandly cumpass
Quhat was to do; and as the dirk nycht
Rollyt hys cart ourthourt the polys bricht,
Eftir that all was went to rest and pace,
The ymage of hys fader Anchises
Gan from the hevin appeir, and but abaid
Ontil Eneas heth thir wordis said:
“O thou my child, derrer, so mot I thrive,
Quhil that I levit, than myne awin lyve;
O son, in Troiane fatis exercit sayrly;
Hiddir, at the command of Iove, cummyn am I,
Quhilk from thi navy stanchit the fyre,” quod he,
“And from hie hevin at last heth reuth on the.
Follow the counsale is maist ganand and heynd,
That agit Nautes gave the, thi trew frend,
And chose ȝong men of hart maste curagiouss
Turss in Itale with the, I tel the thus;
A dour pepill, and of conditioun fell,
The nedis in Latium ourcum in batell,
Bot first, of Pluto the infernale see,
And deip regioun of hell, behufis the se,
To cum and speke with me, myne awin son deir.
Be nocht agast, my child, and haue na feir,
For I am nocht withhald, I lat the wyt,
In Tartarus, the soroful hellys pyt,
Nor drery pottis deip of saulis paill,
Bot in the hailsum rowtis, furth of baill,
I dwel amyd the plane of Elyse.
The chaist virgyn Sibil wil convey the
The rycht way thidder, quhilk at thou sal tak
By blude offerit of mony bestis blak.
Thar sal thou lern all thi genolegy,
And quhat cite is to the destany.
Adew, as now na langar dwell I may.
The donk nycht is al maist rollyt away,
And the ferss Orient wil at I withdraw—
I feil the ayndyng of hys horssys blaw.”
Thus hes he said, and with that word, but mair,
Vanyst away, as the reik in the ayr.
And quhen Eneas saw him pass, he said,
“Quhidder bradis thou now sa fast, without abaid?
Quhidder hastis thou swa? Quhom fleys thou? . . . Me, allace?
Quhat is the let I may the nocht enbrace?”
Thus sayand the assys and coverit fyre bet he;
To Troiane Ingil, and the cannos Veste,
Within hys secret closet maid reuerence,
With hallowyt flour, deuotely, and incence;
Syne sone assemlyt his feris all in press,
Bot first of al the ancyant Acestes;
The wil and plesour of Iove schew thame cleir,
And eik the charge brocht by hys fader deir,
And tald thame planely his mynd and desyre.
Thai tary nocht at counsale, for this syre,
Acestes, was al reddy at command.
Than al tha folk quhilk list bide in that land,
For this new cite titil thai and writis;
The matronys first, and sik as nocht delytis
Nor hess in cure desyre of hie renoun,
Thai deput, and thai ordand for this town.
Thar hechis and thar ourloftis syne thai beit,
Plankis and gestis gret, squair and meit,
Into thar schippis ionand with mony a dynt,
In sted of thame war with the flambys brynt;
Thar cabillis new, and thar hed towis reparis,
And gan to forge newly wrayngis and ayris.
In numbir war thai bot a few menȝe,
Bot thai war quyk and vailliant in melle.
In the meyn tyme, Eneas with a pleuch
The cite circulit, and merkit be a seuch;
By cavillys syne the tenementis dyd depart;
Heir ordanys Ilion, and, in ȝondir art,
Of Troy commandis beld othir memoriallis.
Of this new cite and thir frendly wallis
Glaid wolx Troiane Acestes, and, but mair,
Did mak proclame thar merkattis and thar fair,
And all the hedismen gadderis and set doun,
Stabillis thar lawys and statutis for that town.
Syne, on the top of Erix the montane,
Full neir the lift, thai found, of marbill stane,
A tempil to Venus of Idalia,
And about Anchiss sepultur alssua
Ane hallowit schaw on breid as sanctuar
Plantit thai haue and stabillit prestis thar.
Be this hass al the pepil, euery hyne,
The feste continewit fully days nyne,
And on the altaris, as was tho the gyss,
Thar offerandis endit and hie sacrifice.
The stabil ayr hass calmyt weill the see,
And sowtht pipand wyndis fair on hie
Challancis to pass on burd and tak the deip.
Bot quhen thai moste depart, lord, quhou thai weip!
Quhat huge waling rayss all the costis bay!
Brasand and halshand thai dwel al nycht and day.
And now thai moderis and thai onweldy men,
Quhom til, vmquhile, forto behald and ken
The seys figur was abhominabill
And eyk the forss tharof intollerabill,
Now wald thai wend, for all the seys rage,
Reddy to thoill al travale in vayage;
Quhom curtas Eneas with wordis frendly
Comfortis, and syne, wepand full tendirly,
Betaucht ontil Acest his cousing deir.
Thre velys tho, as was the auld maneir,
In wirschip of Erix he bad down quell,
And a blak ȝowe to god of tempestis fell;
Syne chargit hail thar cabillis vp belyve.
Hys awin hed warpit with a snod olyve,
Heich in a schippis forcastell dyd stand,
Haldand a cowpe of gold intil hys hand,
The bestis entralis in the see can swak,
And ȝet the cleir wyne furth in fludis brak.
From the eft schip vprays onone the wynd
And followit fast the see fararis behynd;
Eyk al the flote smate fast with arys the flude,
Kempand to welt our wallys as thai war wode.
In the meyn sesson Venus, al onflocht,
Amyd hir breist reuoluand mony a thocht,
Spak to Neptune with sik petuus regrate:
“Neptune,” quod scho, “the fel ire and consate
Of Queyn Iuno, with mynd insaciabill,
Constrenys me to condiscend thus stabill
In all maner of request and prayeris;
The quhilk Iuno nowdir lang days nor ȝeris,
Nor na divyne sacrifice, may appless;
Scho restis nevir, nor may scho leif at eyss,
Albeit the power and charge of Iupiter
Resistis scho wait, and fatis ar hir contrar.
Scho thinkis it nocht eneuch and sufficient
By wikkit malice to downbet and schent
And for euer put to distructioun
Master of the pepil of Frigia, Troys town,
And fortobe wrokin, be alkin panys,
Apon thar sary levingis and remanys;
Bot euer in ane ȝit stil persewis sche
The ded banys and cald assys to spulȝe
Of silly Troy, quhilk is to rewyne brocht.
A wondyr quhou scho may, intil hir thocht,
Of sa gret furour half the causys consaue!
Thi self is witnes quhou, laitly, our the laif,
Sa masterful storm amyd the Libiane see
Scho rasit sone, quhil vp to hevynnys hie
The fludis kachit war, and sair opprest,
Throu help of Eolus wyndis and tempest—
Sa gret wrang in thi realme durst scho excerss!
O this detestabil wikkitnes to reherss!
Lo, hes scho nocht, newlingis, sa schamefully,
The Troiane matronys maid byrn thar navy,
By hir wod rage? and ar, for falt of schippis,
In onkouth land left from thar falloschippis?
In tyme cummyng, I the beseik,” quod sche,
“Schaw thi mychtis, that salfly throu the see
It may be leifful thai thar salys set:
Grant at thai may alsso atteyn, but let,
The flude Tybir, throu Lawrent feildis slydis,
Admyt myne askyn, gif so the fatis gydis,
Or gif that my desyre may grantit be,
Or ȝit werd sisteris list geif thame that cuntre.”
Saturnus son Neptunus tho, I wyss,
That of the deip see fludis dantar is,
Ansuerit and said: “Citherea the fair,
It is resson, and ganand euermair,
Thou be assurit to rest at thi lyking
In my boundis and throw out al my ryng,
Quharfra thou hess thi first original,
As thi kynd grund and cuntre natural.
In othir placis als, furth of my land,
I haue deseruit thankis at thi hand,
And oft tyme hess sa gret curage, thou knawis,
Dantit baith of see and bustuus wynd at blawis.
To witnes draw I of this at I say,
Exanth and Symois, Troiane fludis tway,
That I na less cuyr tuke of thine Ene,
To salue him on the land, than on the see.
For quhen the ferss Achil persewit sair,
Chasand affrayt Troianys heir and thar,
The gret rowtis to the wallis thrymland,
Tofor his face half ded for feir trymland,
And mony thousandis on the grund layd ded,
The ryveris dittit with ded corpsys wolx rede,
Vndir bodeis bullyrrand; for sik multitude
Of slauchtir he maid, quhil Exanthus the flude
Mycht fynd na way to ryn onto the see;
Than, apon cace, with Achillis Ene
Matchit in fecht, nowdir of strenth or mycht
Equale be far, nor ȝit sa weil at rycht
Favorit of the goddis as Achillis, perfay,
By a dyrk clowd I staw thi son away;
Quhoubeit, the ilk tyme, my desyre was set
Law fra the grond al Troy forto down bet,
Tha maynsworn wallis biggit with my handis.
As twichand Ene, quhou evir the chance standis,
The sammyn wyss ȝit perseueris my mynd:
Haue thou na dreid, I salbe ȝit als kynd.
Onto tha havynnys he sal cum sovirly,
As thou desyris, and furthir him eyk sal I
Ontil Avern, clepit the louch of hell.
Ane sal alanerly be loste, I the tell,
Quham thou sal seik amang the fludis, dede;
For help of mony thar salbe gevin a hede.”
Eftir that with sik wordis Neptunus
Had mesit the mude of the goddes Venus,
Tho kan this fader of the see, but mair,
Hys horssis ȝok to draw his cart or chair,
With fomy bridill danting tha ferss bestis;
Thar renȝeis and thetys, at thame arestis,
With hys awin handys leit do slyp and slakkis,
And lichtly our the fludis croppis frakkis
Hys watry chair, furth fleand with a sownd,
Quhil al the wallis dowkis to the grownd;
Vndir the brayand quhelis and assiltre
The fludis strekis plane our al the see;
The bubbis and wyndy clowdis, heir and thar,
Gan fle onon furth of the large ayr.
Than of his court apperit figuris seir;
The hydduus quhalys, and al the rowtis in feir
Of agit Glaucus with his cannos hair,
And Palemon, Inoes son and ayr,
The swift Tritones with trump playand thar spryng,
Phorcus with al his falloschip and ofspryng,
And on hys left hand furth haldis Thetis,
With al the Nymphis hait Nereidis,
Sik as Melite, Spyo, Penopea,
Cymodoce, Nyse and Thalia.
Glaidnes and comfort than, in to sum part,
Begouth to kittil Eneas thochtful hart.
“Heyss heich the cross,” he bad, “al mak thaim bown,
And fessyn bonnettis beneith the mayn sail down.”
Than al sammyn, with handis, feit and kneis,
Dyd heyss thar sail, and trossyt down thar teys;
Now the le schete, and now the luf, thai slak,
Set in a fang, and threw the ra abak;
Baith to and fra al dyd thar nokkis wry;
Prosper blastis furth careis the navy.
Befor the laif, as lodis man and lard,
And al his salis vp with fellon fard,
Went Palynure; and hail the remanent
Was chargit hald the sammyn courss and went.
Be than the donk nycht had run almaist evin
His myd courss or methis in the hevin,
And euery maryner, but langar kepe,
Thar bodeis restis with the plesand sleip,
Endlang the hechis lyand heir and thar is,
Or in thar hard settis lenand on ayris;
Quhen that the swift god of sleip gan slide
Furth of the starnyt hevin, by nychtis tide,
And dyd away the dirknes of the ayr,
Removing schadowit skyis maid al fair;
Onto the, Palynurus, hess he socht,
And the, al innocent, soroful slepis brocht.
Heich in the eftschip dyd this god appeir,
In figur of Phorbantus, a maryneir,
And frendfully gan warp sik wordis owt:
“Iasyus son, Palynur, luke about;
The sobir seys beris sownd our navy;
The wyndis blawis ful evin and rycht makly;
Thou may sovirly tak the ane howris rest,
Leyn doun thi hede and sleip, for that is best
Thi wery eyn thou prevely withdraw
From langsum laubour, and sleip a litil thraw,
And I my self sal glaidly in thi place
Beir thyne office, and steir a litil space.”
To quhom Palynur, skars liftand his eyn,
Ansuerd and said: “Quhat thing wald thou meyn?
Byddis thou me be sa nyce I suld mysknaw
This calm salt watir, or stabil fludis haw?
Wilt thou I traste this monstre perellus?
Or quhat in wyndis sa dissaitful til ws,
And this cleir hevin sa oft hes trumpit me,
Wald thou I lippynnyt the maist nobil Ene?”
Sik wordis he said, grippand the helmstok fast,
Lenand tharon, and by na way nor cast
Wald part tharfra, haldand his eyn ful evin
Ay tobehald the starnys in the hevyn;
Quhen lo! this god smate bath his tymplis twane
With a ful sleipry and bedyit grane,
Wet in the myndles flude of hell, Lythe,
And sowpit in Stix, the forcy hellys see;
Hys glotnyt and fordovirrit eyn two
He closyt hes, and sound gart sleip alsso.
Bot scarsly gan the first rest of sleip,
Or he was war, thus on his membris creip,
Quhen on him lenys this god, and tho he kneld,
And with a swak, as that the schip gan helde,
Ourburd him kest amyd the flowand see,
Richt al togidder with the helmstok of tre;
Than al for nocht apon his feris he cryis.
This god flaw vp lyke a bird in the skyis.
And nocht the less the schip held furth hir went,
As scho did ayr, throw the calm seys sprent,
But ony harm, and al the navy sone,
By the promyss of the fader Neptune.
With this almaste thai careit ar infeir
Onto the rochis and skelleis weill neir
Of Syrene, that we Marmadynnys clepe,
Dangerus vmquhile, for a mekil hepe
Of dede banys lay tharon ful quhite;
So gan the salt iawpis ythandly smyte
The holl rolkis, maid a sownd ful hayss.
Quhen Prince Ene persauyt, by his rayss,
Quhou that the schip dyd rok and tailȝeve
For lak of a gude sterisman on the see,
Him self hess than sone hynt the rudyr in hand
And throu the fludis steris the schip to land,
Bewaland gretly in his mynde pensyfe,
For that his frend was fal and lost the lyfe.
“Allace! our mekil thou lippynnyt hess,” quod he,
“Into the stabillit hevin and calmyt see:
Bair and onerdit, in ane onkouth land,
Palynurus, sal thou ly on the sand.”
Thus wepand said, and leyt his flote go large,
Quhill at the last, baith ballyngar and barge
Apon the cost that hait Ewboica
Arryvit neir the cite of Cuma.
Than to the streme thai turnyt thar forschip,
Kest down thar bewchit ankyrris, ferm of grip,
Into the raid, endlang the costis bay
Thar eft castellis gan mustyr in array.
And al the ȝongkeris spedis hastely
Onto the schore of Hisperia fast by.
Sum smytis fyre furth of the hard flynt stane;
Sum spedely to the thik wod ar gane,
In dern dennys, quharin wild bestis dwellis;
And sum dyd schaw the new fund springand wellis;
To beit thar mystir al bissy for the nanys,
Sum to this turn, sum to that, start atanys.