Saturday, September 19, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

Lydgate's Troy Book — Part II

✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦

Book III — edited by Henry Bergen

John Lydgate, a Benedictine monk of Bury St Edmunds and the most prolific English poet of the fifteenth century, undertook the Troy Book at the commission of Henry, Prince of Wales — the future Henry V — who wanted an English telling of the Troy story "the treuth to wryte, playnly as it was." Lydgate began in 1412 and finished in 1420, working from the Latin prose history of Guido delle Colonne (itself drawn from the earlier French of Benoît de Sainte-Maure), but expanding Guido's spare narrative into more than 30,000 lines of decasyllabic couplets thick with rhetorical set-pieces, moral commentary, and Lydgate's own restless digressions.

Book III is the poem's longest book and its center of gravity: the pitched battles beneath the walls of Troy, book after book of single combats and massed charges among named Trojan and Greek princes, the truce sought and granted, Troilus and Criseyde's parting worked in as Lydgate's own extended aside on Chaucer's authority, and — near the book's end — the death of Hector, cut down by Achilles while stripping a slain king's armor of its plunder, a scene Lydgate frames as the wages of covetise as much as a hero's fall. Furnivall's side-notes, printed as a running argument in the outer margin of Bergen's edition, are noted in this page's colophon; they are not reproduced here as continuous apparatus for reasons explained there. The twenty-five surviving prose "Howe..." rubrics that head the book's internal turns of action are kept and used below as a reading map.

The text below follows Henry Bergen's edition for the Early English Text Society (Extra Series 103, 1908), the standard scholarly edition, collated from the best surviving manuscripts. This page carries Book III entire, from "Here bygynnethe the thirde boke of Troye" to the book's own closing rubric, "Explicit liber Tercius." Bergen's edition divides the poem into five books issued across three physical volumes; this is Part II of that edition, containing Book III alone. Book I and Book II (Part I of the edition) and Books IV and V (Part III, which completes the text with the Fall of Troy and Lydgate's Envoy) are shelved as companion pages alongside this one — built from the same edition and the same witness set, for readers who want the whole poem.

Contents

Here bygynnethe the thirde boke of Troye.

Howe worthy Ector devyded his batayls vpon A large playne within the… {#howe-worthy-ector-devyded-his-batayls-vpon-a-large-playne-within-the}

Howe worthy Ector devyded his batayls vpon A large playne within the Cite, and howe he put the wardis doscretly to be vnder þe ledynge of his brethere and other worthy kynges. 1

Aurora, with hir pale

Whan Vnder þe mantel of þe mirke nyȝt
And þe curtyw of her hewes fade
I-schroudid was in þe dirk[e] schade,
Abasched rody, as I can diffyne,
Only of fer þat is femynyne,
For a-schamyd durstfe] nat be seyn
Be-cause sche had so longe a-bedde leyn
With fresche Febus, hir owne chose knyȝt,

For whiche sche hidde hir sothly out
Til his stede fat callid is Flegonte
Enhasted hynl aboue oure* oriȝonte; 12
And Appollo with his bemys clere
Hath reconverted hir oppressid chere
þis to seyne, aftir þQ dawenyng
Whan Titan was in þe est rysyng, 16

Of his hete atempre and riȝt softe
Her emyspery for to glade a-lofte,
þe same hour, þe Troyan champiouw,
Gouernour of werris of þe touw, 20
Worjri Ector, whiche in þe cite

Next Priam had of alle souereinte
þQ towi to guye be knyȝtly excellence,

For his manhod * and his sapience
Of Troyan knyȝtes lord & eke chefteyn,
Whiche hath co??imaiwded, in a large pleyn,
To hi3e and low, he exceptyng noon,
Kynges, princes, and lordis euerychon, 28
Ipe same morwe for to mete I-fere,

In hir array to moustre and appere,
Like as þei were of name & of estate,
Besyde a temple whilom consecrate 32
To þe goddes þat callid is Dyane,
Moste honoured in þat riche fane
þer to arraye hem, in al þe haste þei can,
Lik þe devis of þis knyȝtly man. 36
And þis playn, passyng fair to se,
Was sette amyd Troye þe cite,
Smope and riȝt fair, & ful of fresche floures,
W[h]ere alle þe worþi noble werriours 40
Of Troye toun to-gydre assemblid be,
And many oper to be-holde and se
famws knyȝtes arme hem in þat place.
þQ
And some of hem gan ful streite lace 44
Her doublettis made of lyne cloth,
A certeyn fold þat a-boute hem goth

And some also dempte most surest
To armen hem for bataille of arest, 48
And dide on firste, aftir her desires,
Sabatouws, grevis, cusschewis, & voideris
A peire breke, aldirfirst, of maille

And some per wer eke þat nolde faille 52
To haii of maille eke a peir[e] bras,
And per-wȝt/i -al, as þe custom was,
A peir Gussetis on a petycote,
Garnyssched wz't/i gold vp on-to the þrote, 56
A pau?zce of plate, whiche of

Was schet and clos, and þer-on, as I finde,
Enviroiw was a bordure of smal maille.
And some chose, of þe newe entaille, 60

For to be sure myd of al her foos,
An hoi brest-plate with a rere-doos

Be-hynde schet, or ellis on þe side.
And on his armys, rynged nat to wyde, 64
ber wer woiders frettid in be maille,
With cordis roimde, & of fresche entaille,
Vauratbras with wynges, & rerebras þer-to,
And j)er-on set wer* besagus also
Yp-on þe heed a basenet of stele,
þat with-Inne lokked was ful wele,
A crafty siȝt wrouȝt in e viser.

And some wolde haue of plate a bavier, 72

þat on þe brest fastnyd be a-forn,

þe canel-pece more esy to be born
Gloues of plate of stele forgid briȝt.

And some wold armyd be more liȝt 76
In þikke lackys curid with satyn ;
And some wele haue, of maille, wrouȝt ful* fyn,

An haberiouw, al of but cassade,
ftat with weiȝte he be nat ouer-lade, 80
Hym silfe to welde lik a lifly man.
And some wil haue, of chose geseran,
On his dublet but an haberioura,
And some only but a sure gepouw 84
Oner his poleyns, rechyng to j)e kne,
And fat þe* slevis eke so longe be
J3at his vauwbras may be curid ner
A prikyng palet, of plate þe cower. 88
And some wil haue also no viser
m
lo saue his
i
but
j! t
a naser
i
face, only

. r ..
And some wil haue a peirfe] platis liȝt

D 1.

To welde hy?7i wel, whan þat he schal nȝt. 92
And some wiln han a target or a spere,
And some a pavis, his body for to were,
And some a targe, makyd strong to laste

And some wil haue dartes for to caste, 96
:
Some a pollex, heueded of fyn stele,
And piked square, for to laste wel

And some a swerd his enemy for to mete.
And some wil haue a bow[e] for to schete, 100
Somrae an arblast, to stonden out a-syde ;
And some on fote and some for to ride
Arraie hem silf, her fomen for to assaile ;
And many on was besy for to naille 104
His felawis harneis, for to make it strong,
And to dresse it, þat it sete nouȝt wrong,
With pointes, tresses, and oper maner þing,
þat in swyche cas longyth to
I haue no konnyng euery þing to telle,
And vn-to ȝow it were to long to dwelle
AVhere I faile, ȝe mote haue me excusid
For in swiche crafte I am litel vsid, 112
And ignoraimce dope my penne lette,
In her ordre my termys for to sette.
And oft chaurcgeth swiche harneis & devis

And ȝe þat ben per-in experte & wys, 116
Disdeyneth nat þat I speke in þis place
Of her armyng : for al is in ȝour grace,

Ri}t at ȝour luste to correcte euerydel.
And whan Ector sawe þat al was wel, 120
And euery man armed and a/rayed,
þis worþi knyȝt no lenger hath delaied
Avisely his wardis for to make,
And prudently bad þei schuldfe] take 124
Her grouTzde in haste, to put al in certeyn,
And stonde in ordere endelong þe pleyn
So þat no man were fourcde reccheles.

Ector devydede his feld in-to xj wardys. 1
And þe gate, callid Dardanydes, 128
With-outQ abood Ector made vnschette,
And after bad [þat] men schuld[e] fette
To his presence, þai it were don in haste,
Cyncynabor, his broker born in baste, 132
And to hym, firste of euerychon,

And to a lord fat namyd was Glaucous,
]pe kynges sone of Licye and his eyr,
With many baner displeyed in þe eir 136
To Jns two Hector gaf þe guarde
And gouernaiwce of fe firste warde,
In whiche he hath a þousand knyȝtes set,
With speris rouwde & swerdis kene whet, 140
And on her brest ful many riche scheld ;

And þei wer chose oute in * al þe feld
Among fe best þat endure myȝt
Ageyn[es] Grekis manly for to fiȝt. 144
And vn-to hem Hector bad anoon,
In Goddis name, þat fei schuld[e] gon
Oute at fe gate, sothly, as I rede.
And list þei fel in meschef or in nede, 148
He assigned,* in þe silve place,
With manly chere, to þe kyng of Trace,
Wysly on hem to ben awaytyng,

A þousand knyȝtes to han at his ledyng, 152
In a wyng knyȝtly for to a-bide,
To awaite on hem vp-on euery side.
And with hym was his sone Achilogus,*
Of his age a man riȝt vertuous 156
To fulfille ]mt longeth to a knyȝt ;

For bope he had, hert & also myȝt.
And next to hem, Hector gan devise
)5e nexte warde to þe kyng of Fryse, 160

In his tyme callid 3antipus ;
And vn-to hym, ȝong, strong, & desyrous,
He assigned, to [ajwaite on his baner,
armyd briȝt and cler.
Jpre Jxmsand knyȝtes
With wliiche warde kyng Althomu* also
Of Hector was cowmauralid for to go,
And to his byddyng he mekely dide obeie.
And ful knyȝtly þei han take her* weye 168
Oute at þe 3ate, passyngly arrayed,
Toward Grekis with baneris fresche displaied,
And her penourcs vnrollid euerychon.
And after, Hector assigned hath anon 172
To þe noble, ȝong[e], lusty, fre,
His broker Troylus, so fresche vp-on to se,
Whiche in knyȝthod had al suffisauwce,
þe Jridde warde to haue in gouernauwce
With þre þousand knyȝtes, ȝong of age,
Flourynge in force, hardy of corage,
Swiche as he was of custom wont to lede.
To whom Hector of verray broferhede 180
Ful goodly seide at his departyng

" "
Broker," quod he, myn herte is so lovyng
Tovvardis j)e of verray kyndenes,

)5at þou3e I haue in party gret gladnes 184
Of þi manhod, fat so fer is kouth,
And þe kny3thod of j)i grene jouthe,
ȝit dout[e]les, in my fantasie,
Ful oft a-day I stonde in iuparte, 188
Of pensifhed and inward besy drede,
Whan I remembre vppon
Liste þi corage be to violent,
Of þi lif to be to necligent, 192

])\ silfe to put to fer in
auenture,
Of surquidie so moche for tassure,
In j)i force knyȝtly to asterte
Euery pereil in þi manful herte, 196

no reward, in swiche mortal strife,
Hauyng
J
Of wilfulnes, noufer to deth nor life,
Nor aduertence to fi sauaciouw.
But as Fortune tnrneth vp & doun 200
Her whel mevable, hiȝe and aftir lowe,
In Martis Ire as fe wynde dofe blowe,
Whiche causeth me ful ofte siȝe and finke,
And to wake whan I schuld[e] wynke, 204
Eeuoluyng ay fin hasty wilfulnes :

But, gentil broker, for any hardynes,
)3isilke day, vppon euery side,
I praie fe so wysly to prouide, 208
For hate or Ire, bi foos purswyng,
Nat to excede more fanne is sittyng ;
But late prudence kepe fe in a mene,
And wisdam eke holden aȝen þe rene 212
Of þin hert & fi ferce corage,
Jȝat fired han þi grene tendre age,
Deuoide of drede eche peril to endure,
]3at oure enmys of fi mysauenture 216
Keioysshe nat, myn ovne broker dere.
And myȝty Mars I pray, of hert entere,
þilke day on Troyanysche grourcde,
From her hondys þe to kepe sourcde, 220
Like as I wolde fat he dide me."
To whom anon, wit/t al humilite,
In manly wyse fis ȝonge, lusty knyȝt,
]5is worfi Troylus, of hertfe] fresche & Ii3t, 224

Answerd ageyn, & seide w/t/i glad chere :
"
Myn owne lord, and my brofer dere,

And God to-forn, I fully schal obeie

To fulfille what ȝe liste to seye 228
Now vn-to me of ȝoure gentilnes,
And nat declyne forti} no reklesnes
In any point from ȝoure comau?idement ;

But with hool herte, in al my best entent, 232

I schal take hede, and pleinly do non ofer

ftan 30 ban seide, myn
owne lord & brofer,
So loth me were offende ȝow or greue."
And in fis wyse he lowly toke his leue
And forfe he rod, so like a manly knyȝt,
at to be-holde it was a noble si3t,
Amonge his men he haueth hym so wele
]3re fousand knyȝtes armyd
in briȝt stele 240
Envirou?ȝ rod vrith Troylus in þe feld.
And f ilke day he bare in his schelde,
Passauwt of gold, þre lyouws richely,
þe chaump of aȝour wrouȝt ful craftely. 244
And be f e gate he issed oute anon,
And vriih hym ladde his knyȝtes euerychon,
To þe Grekis holdyng f e nexte weye.
And Hector hasteth, al fat euer he may, 248
Prudently his wardis to ordeyne ;
And to þe noble worfi brefre tueyne,
To kyng Hupon and to Ardelaus,
He assigned, þe stori telleth [f]vs, 252
Jpe fourfe warde to guyen & to wysse.
And in þe lond fat callid was Larisse,
þe brefer two had[de] regnyd longe
And kyng Hupon passyngly was strong, 256
And of stature like a charnpioiw

And, saue Hector, in al Troye toura,
Was noon to hym egal as of myȝt,
More deliuere, nor a better knyȝt, 260
And on his fon passyng dispitous
Whiche, with his broker, callid Ardelaus,
Foure fousand knyȝtes had[de] for to lede,
And seuene hundrid, sothly, as I rede. 264
And to hem eke, lyke as writ Guydo,
Worfi Hector assygned hath also
Oon of his brether, callid Brymarchus,
A noble knyȝt, in armys ri}t famws, 268
And had in manhod passyng excellence.
And of Hector fei taken han licence,

And rood her way amonges al þe pres
J3oruȝ þe gate of Dardanydes. 272
fyfpe warde to han at his ledyng,
]3e
Was by Hector corny tted to þe kyng [leaf 70 d]

þpat of Cesoyne lord and prince was,

And to his broker, callid Polly damas. 276
And Cysones wern of hiȝe stature,
And myȝt in armys passyngly endure
Vp-on whom many man behilde
And her kyng bare no þing in his scheld 280
But a feld of goulis, as I fynde,
Of o]?er sygne Guydo make}? no mynde.
And forjje þei rood a ful sterne pas,
)5is noble kyng and Pollydamas, 284
Whan þei had of Hector leve take,
Whiche euer in on besy was to make
þe sixte warde, with al his dilligence.
And to þe kyng, callid Pretemense, 288

þat was ful worjji, bojje in wer & pes,
And to a duke þat hiȝte Sterepes,
Whiche was also* ful worjn of his hond,
He toke fe folke of Panonye lond, 292
Hem to gouerne in þe feld þat day
þe whiche peple hath in custom ay

Wȝt/i-oute plate, haberiouw, or maile,
On swifte hors her fomen [for] to assaile, 296
"With myȝty bowes & arowes scharp[e] grouwde

)5oru3 an harneis mortally to wouwde.
And with þis folke, of Hector eke also
Dephebus assygned was to go, 300
In þe feld to guye hem an[d] to lede,
And on her wey þei fast[e] gaw hem spede.
But or þei passe be Dardanydes,
Ful discretly Hector for hem ches 304
Paviseris, clad in mail and plate,

Hew comauwdyng, at issyng of þe sate,
"With þe archeris in* þe feld to gon,
And many worþi, wel armyd euerychon,
To awaite on hem þat þei wer nat lore

For þis folke, þat I of spake to-fore,
Of Panonye, had[de] non armure.
But prudent Hector, for to make hem sure,
Oute of Agreste, þe myȝty regiouw,
Hath chosen out, ful worþi of renouw,
)5e beste knyȝtes of hem euerychon,
And vritfi two kynges, Esdras* & Phion,
taken hede
Assygned hem for to
To þe foot-men, whan þat þei haue nede.
)5e whiche Phion,
made ful rychely,
Eood in a chaar al of yvory, 320
Of whiche þe whelles, wronȝt ful corious,
Wern of a tre y-callid Ebanus,
tre groweth fer in Ynde,
þe whiche
Blak of hewe and also, as I fynde, 324
;

Whan it is corve, þis tre wil wexe anon,
Of his nature, hard as any stoon
Whan it is graue ouper rouwde or* square.
And of pure* gold roued was þis* chare, 328
Fret vfith perle and many riche stonis,
þat swiche a-noper [I trowe] nowher
In al þis world, if I schal iiat feyne.
And it was lad of mjȝti knystes tweyne, 332
Men of armys, wzt/i-Inne and wit/i-oute
Armyd in stele, ridyng rouȝde aboute
worþi kynges, Esdras &
þis
And Hector hath callyd to hym anon 336
On of his brepre, what-so þat be-falle,
To be guyde and leder of hem alle
þe name of
whom was Pictagoras.

And to f e grete Troyan, Eneas, 340

Of whom to-forn made is menciim,
Hector by good deliberaciiw
fte seuen]>e ward assigned
hath to kepe,
And vp-on stedis lusty for to lepe, 344

Of swiche as wern vsauwt most to ride,
Ful man[l]y knyȝtes to haue be his syde,
Whiche with Ewphronye vn-to Troye towi
Comen so fer from her regiouw, 348
To fosteren hem for Hectoris sake.
And whan þei had of hym leve take,
]5ei rood ful proudly forf e vfiih Eneas,
Out at fe gate a wonder kny3tly paas, 352
]pe brode feld til f ei haue atteyned.
And in f is while Hector ha)>e ordeyned,
Like myn auctor as I can reherse,
þe ei3te warde of f e folke of Perce,
Worfi knyȝtes, manly and riȝt wys,
fie whiche wern comitted to Parys,
On hym fat day to awaite besyly ;

To whom Hector ful benygnely 360
Spak and seide at his departyng :

"
broker myn, in al maner f ing,
Whan f ou arte passed be Dardanydes,
þis day to fer put f e nat in pres 364
Amongfes] Grekis, nor in iupartie,
Liste fat f i foon in meschef f e espie,
To whom f ei haue, of old & newe date,
In her hertis ful fresche & mortal hate, 368
þe furie of whiche her brest haf so enbracid,

)2at it were hard out to ben arracid j
"Wherfor, broker, loke fat fou be
In al wyse nat to fer fro me,
But kepe fe ne3e, fat no mysauenture
Falle vp-on f e, so fat I may socure

}5is day to fe, myn owne brofer dere."

To whom Paris, with ful humble chere,
Answer-id and seide, þat in euery þing
He wolde obeie vn-to his biddyng,
And rood his weye anon with his meyne
In-to þe felde oute at þe cite.
And Hector ay dide his besynes
in ordre for to dres,
Jpe nyn)>e warde
Whiche he þouȝ hym silf[e] for to lede,
In whiche he put, sothly, as I rede,
Five þousand knystes bom of Troye toun,
of renouw,
wordiest and grettest
J5e

And famous
passyngly
in kny3thod,
Born be discent of Troyanysche blod. 388

And of his brewer he toke with hym ten,
Swiche as he knew for most manly men,
)3at wer foreyn
fro stok of regalye,

Oute of þe lyne born in bastardrie, 392
Whom Hector hadde in gret cher[i]te
For þe knyȝthod he koude in hem se.
And whanne he Had, be knyȝtly pwruyaurace,
Alle his wardis* sette in gouernauwce, 396
Liche Mars hym silf fastfe] gan him spede
Wit/i-oute abood for to take his stede,
Whiche was in bokis callid Gallathe,
Of alle hors havyng þe souereynte, 400
As fer as men ride in any coost
Of whom Dares maketh so gret a boost,
Of schap, of hiȝte, and also of fayrnes,
Of strengj>e, of loke, and of gret swiftnes, 404
So lik an hors parformed oute & oute
And with a wyre men myȝt hym twrne aboute,
Lik as Dares maketh mencioim.
On whom Hector rood poru} Troye ioun, 408
Armed at al, þat cam hym wonder wel,
From foot til hed, ful richely & wel,
)3at schon as briȝt as sonrie on someres day ;

And to Priam he helde þe ri3t[e] way. 412
And whan þat he was comyn to þe kyng,

He reherseth in ordre euery Jnng

How he hath done, and al his ordinauwce,
And lowly seide, " so* it be plesaurace 416
To ȝoure noble royal excellence,
I haue chosen vtith besy dilligence
A fousand kny3tes, ful of suffisaimce,

With fyve hundrid, to han attendance 420

On ȝour persone alweye where 36 be,

With alle foot-men þat ben in þe cite,
þat schal await on þou euere in on.

Wherfore, my lord, as fast as we ar goon, 424
Lowly I praye to ȝoure worj>ines
To sewen vs, be good avisenes,
Out at þe touw, and alwey eke þat 30
To-gidre kepe ȝour kny3tes and meyne : 428
þis I beseche with al my f ulle my3t,
WM-Inne þe bou?idis where as* we schal fijt
ftat 36 suffre noon of hem to pace,
But kepe 2ow hool in he silfFe] place 432
L j ,.- * -I
'

Atwixe vs and þis* stronge cite,
ȝif we haue nede, bat ae may ay
J se,
;T A -L
Ys to releue kepyng ȝow a-side,

And specially þer for to abide 436
Where most is likly oure party to sustene

For euer among þer schal men go be-twene
Of our expleit þe trouj>e to reporte,
[For] Whiche part Mars list þe feld to sorte, 440
Of his power, þis ilke day fatal :

For 30 schal ben oure castel & oure wal,
And oure refuge to saue vs from al smert.
And specialy o ting 2e aduerte, 444
bat no deceit, fraude, nor tresouw
Compassyd be behynde to fe toun
Of oure foon þoru3 oure reklesnes,
"Whiles fat we don oure besynes 448

in þe feld to fijte:
Ageyn[e]s hem
In al wyse her-to hath a syȝt,
turne [vn-]to oure damage
þat no þing
but werkyth as þe sage, 452
Jporuȝ her engyn,
With victorie fat we may conclude,
So þat Grekis with fraude vs nat delude
By non engyn of vnvvar violence,
alwey þat it is non
offence
Hopyng
To ȝoure hisnes fat I haue here saide."
And with fat word, Priamws abraide,
Benygnely of chere
and contenaurcce,
" 460
And seide : Hector, my sothfaste suffisance,
My final trust and supportaciourc,
In þi wyse disposiciourc
liste ordeyne
Hoolly I putte, as fou*

For nexte goddis ȝif I schal nat feyne 464

My feith, my hope, & al my sikernes,
And my welfare, in verray sothfastnes,
Comytted ben hool in-to fin honde,
And gouemaujice, playnly, of* my londe

As fou ordeynest, it most nedis be

And þis praier I make now for f e
To þe goddis a-boue celestial,
to p?*eserue, in party and in al,
)3e

From eche meschef and aduersite,
þatpou maiste horn to f is cite
Eepeire in* honour with laude & victorie,
So fat þe pris, renoim, and memorie 476
Of þi name be putte in remembrauwce,
Perpetuelly þin honour to avauwce

And fare now wel, myn owne sone dere."
And Hector þo, wip ful humble chere, 480
His leue toke, and forpe he rood anoon
Among* his lordis & knyȝtes euerychon,
As he þat was rote of al noblesse,

Of knyȝthod groiwde, of strengjje & hardines 484
j)e verray stok, and j)er-to invincible.
For-as-moche as it was possible
Jpat Nature myȝt hym grawit or* kynde,

Touching manhod, in bokis as I fynde, 488

He had in hym souereine excellence,
And gouernauwce medlid with prudence,
þat nou}t asterte hi??i, he was so wis & war.
And in his scheld, I fynde, bat he bar 492
.
Yp-on his brest, 'bis Troyan champioutt,
x
þQ chefe of gold, of goulys a lyouw

Depeint fer-in, and in his baner bete
þQ silfe same ; and so amyd þe strete 496
He toke þe weye to Dardanydes,
)5at to beholde huge was þe pres,
Noise of trompetis and of clariourcs,
Baners vnrollid, & longe fresche penouws 500
Of rede and whyte, grene, blew, & blake.
And in þis wyse Hector hath y-take
be feld with-oute, with hert & hool entent,
As Mars hym silf had[de] be present. 504
And þei þat he, as Guydo maketh mynde,
Rood with þe warde þat last[e] was be-hynde
Of his manhod he nolde nat abide,
But smet his stede scharply in be side 508

Of fel corage he hath his hors so peyned,

þe first[e] warde þai he hath atteyned,
Be vale & hil to-forn in þe froimters,
Not astonyd of þe felle cheris 512
Of þe Grekis, nor platly nat aferd ;

But liche a knyȝt, euene a-forn her herd,
He gan prese in, as her fo mortal.
And in bis while, vp-on Trove wal, 516
. .
j .

In sondry place on þe hiȝe touris,

As fresche be-seyn as May is with his flouris,
þe ladies fen ascendid of touw
þe

So fair, so ȝonge, stondyng envirou?i 520

Trojan Ladies. Lydgate laments Chaucer's

sene, fair to
])& quene Eloyiie, passyng
])& kynges doubters,
& goodly Polly cene,
And many o)>er, whiche of wommanhede
In hertfe] wern ful of besy drede, 524
Inly a-gast, and of
fere affrayed

Whan þei behilde in þe feld displaied
)5e brode baners, þat
some of tendernes,
So?rane of loue, and sorame of kyndenes, 528
Pale and dredful for her lordis were ;
And somme her facis hydden [eke] for fere,
þatwere nat bold to liften vp her siȝt
To be-hold þe armure clere and bri3t, 532
So gliteryng ageyn þe son[n]e schene
Her hertis tendre my3t[e] nat sustene;
And in her drede Jms I lete hem, dwelle.
And of Grekis furjje I wil ȝow telle, 536
ȝif so be 36 list abide a whyle ;
For now most I my for-dullid stile
Ageyn directe to Agamenoim.
Wei may I make an exclamacioiw 540
On ignorauwce, þat stant so in my Ii3t,
Whiche causeth me with a ful cloudy si3t
In my makynge to speken of þe werre
For lak of termys I mote nedis erre, 544
Cownyngly my wordis* for to sette ;
Cruel Allecto is besy me to lette,

þQ ny3tesdou3ter, blindid by dirknes,
Be craft of armys þe troupe to expresse, 548
In ordre due a feld to discryue

And Chaucer now, alias !
Me to reforme, or to be my rede,
For lak of whom slower is my spede 552
fee noble Rethor þat alle dide excelle ;
For in makyng he drank of þe welle
Vndir Pernaso, þat j)e Musis kepe,
On whiche hil I my3t[e] neuer slepe 556
Onnejje slombre for whiche, alias, I pleyne ;

But for al f is, f er is no more to seyne.
J9ouȝ my wede be nat polymyte,
Colourles, forfe I wil endyte 560
As it cometh euene to my f ouȝt,
Pleinly to write how f e kyȝg ha]) wrouȝt,
]3e manly knyȝt, gret Agamenoiuz,

Lyk as fe latyn maketh menciouw. 564

Howe Agamenon ordeynyde syx and twenty warddys, and assygnede theme… {#howe-agamenon-ordeynyde-syx-and-twenty-warddys-and-assygnede-theme}

Howe Agamenon ordeynyde syx and twenty warddys, and assygnede theme tyle kyngis, princes, and and howe worthi Ector, at lordys of his Oste; fe first encozmterynge, departede 1 atwyne. What trowe 36, fat he in his entent !

Was fovmde sloiue, ouber necligent
On Grekis half his wardis for to make ?
Nay, nay, nat so; for hym list to wake
þat tyme more, sothly,* fan to slepe,
Ful lik a kyng fat day fe feld to kepe.
No* necligence myȝt his hert[e] fade*

For [in] fat day, I fynde, fat he made 572

Six and twenty wardis by and by,
So wel deuised, and so prudently
)3at no man myȝt amende his ordinau?zce.
And of fe first he ȝaf goue?'nau?ice 576

To þe manful noble Patroclus,
þat with hym ladde (myn auctowr telleb bus)
-_. ,
Miruftdones, so my3ti and so stronge,

With alle f e folke fat to Achilles longe, 580
Besyde filke fat wern of his meyne
Whiche fat he brouȝt out of his centre
At his * comyng to * f e sege of Troye ;

And he rood furf e vriih hem on his woye 584
In- to f e feld, and made no delay e.

Now, fille it so on f e same day
þat Achilles kepte hym in his tente,

And for seknes þat day oute ne wente
For his lechis made hym to abstene,
For his wouȝdes fresche wern & grene
jpat he kauȝt on þe day to-fore ;
Whiche for to hele of her akyng sore, 592
He be coimseil kepte hym silf [e] cloos,
And from his bed þat day nat ne roos,
In hope only þe bettre to endure
Whan þt he was restored vn-to cure. 596
But aile his men he toke to Patroclus,
Whiche was in armys passyngly fam?/s,
And be discent come of gret kynrede,
And was also of hym as I rede 600
Habuwdauwt of gold and of riches,
And fer comendid for his gentilles,
And hadde a name of hiȝe discreciou?i.
Now was þer eue?'e swiche affecciou?z 604
Of entere lone, troujje, & feithfulnes,
So gret desyre and inward kyndenes,
Besy þinkyng, & so gret feruence,
So moche frendeschip & þouȝtful aduertence, 608
So huge brewnyng, passyng amerous,
Betwixe Achilles & þis Patroclus,
J5at her hertis were lokkid in o cheyne ;
And what-so-euer, if I schal nat feyne, 612
)5e ton hath wroujt, as broker vn-to broker,
In hert it was
confermyd of þe tojjer

For wil and godys,
boj>e were cowimvne,
And to þe deth
þei euere so contvne, 616
W/t/i-oute chau?ige her lone so abood.
And Patroclus furpe anoon
hym* rood
In-to þe feld w/t/t
Myrundones,
And in his tent abideth Achilles.

And to a duke þat hiȝt[e] Meneste, 624
þousand knyȝtes in stele armyd clene,
fere
With alle þe folke þat cam fro Athene,
Assygned werne with hem for to go.
fee þrid[de] ward to kyng Astalapho,* 628
And to his sone, þat hiȝtfe] Philomene,
WiJ) þe knyȝtes fat cam fro Kwmene ;

warde, \vith-oute more lettyng,
fee four]?e 4
To Archelaus, Ipe noble wor)>i kyng, 632
To Prothenor, and to Securidan,
Whiche in his daies was so strong a maw,
Assigned was holy to þese þre,
And alle þe knyȝtes with hem for to be 636
Of Boece, þe grete lond famous.
fee fytye warde to kyng Menelaus, 5
With alle þe folke of þe regions
Callid Spartence, of ful hiȝe renou?i, 640
And of þe lies jjat wern adiacent
Alle þese with þe baner went
Of Menelay, fresche and coraious.
þe sixte warde to kyng Epistrofus 644
"Was assigned, and to þe kyng Elyde,

With many worjn ridyng be his side
Of þe prouynce and þe famous He
jjat callid is in Guydo Fordesyle. 648
þe seuenfe warde to Thelamonyus, 7
Callid Aiax, þe grete kyng famous,
Was assigned, scliortly to termyne,
WiJ) fe folkis þat fro Salomyne 652
He with hym brouȝt, & many anofer mo

And foure erlis with him went also :

Theseus and eke Amphimacus,
And þe þridde I-callid Darius, 656
And þe four]?e namyd Polysarie.
fee ei3te ward, }if I schal nat tarie,

Be good avis þt day assigned was

Hackle þe kyng callid Amphimacus,
Lik a knyȝt to guye hem & to wisse ;

And Philocetes, þat was kyng of Larisse, 696

þQ oon & twenty had eke, as I rede.
)3e two & twenty had[de] Dyomede ;

And fer men seie many crestis clere, 724
And many tuft of gold & siluer schene,
Meynt with fef ris rede, white, & grene,
And deuyses wonder merueillous,
And of folkis fat wern amerous 728

þe tokenes born to schewen openly
How f ei in loue brenten inwardly
Soni hiȝe emprise fat day to f ulfille.
And fer wer herd fe loude noyses schrille 732
Per in f e feld, and f e dredful sownes
Bof e of trompettis and of clarioiws,
feat be kalendys of schedyng
oute of blood.
And vritfi fe noyse al-most for rage wood, 736
fee* fomy bridelis & fe moufes blede,
And furious neying of many [bastard] stede
Prauwsynge of hors vp-on ouf er side,
"With alle fensygnes fat my3t ben of pride 740
On Grekis part[y], and on Troye also

In knyȝtly wyse for to haue a-do,

Eueryche warde stondynge in his place.
fee first, a-sondre but a litel space, 744
Be-gan to approche wz't/A al her f ul entent,*
And Hector f o, ful inpacient,*
Formest of alle on f e side of Troye,
Ire of whom no man 748
fee myjt acoye

But lik a lyoiw in his hungri rage
Issed oute, furious of visage,
Toward Grekis on his my3ti stede,
feat wit/t his spoils made his sides blede 752
His knyȝtly hert so inly was to-torn
Of mortal Ire, and as he rood to-forn,
Breraiynge ful hote in his malencolye

fee whiche fing whaw Grekis gan 756
Patroclus, wz't/i-oute more abood,
Of surquedie a-fore fe wardis rood,

< 732 11 y ses ] noise

Oute al to-forn, in bo]>e hostis sijt,
For to encontre, pleinly, ȝif he myjt, 760
With worjn Hector whatt he him saw a-fer ;

And as riȝt lyne as is diameter,
Rood vn-to J
hyrn in his hatful tene,
And with a spere, scharpfe] grouwde & kene, [leaf 736] 764

feoruȝ-oute his schelde, of envious rage,
He smote Hector, \wt7i-oute more damage,
Except only fat þe hed of stele
& whet ful wele,
feat was to-forn, forged 768
feoruȝ plate & maile myȝtely gan glace,

But to þe skyn for no Jring myȝt hit trace
Al-be it cam of passyng violence
3 it to Hector it dide noon offence, 772
Out of his sadel onys hym to fiitte :

For þou} þat he sturdely hym hitte,
He myjt[e] nat bakward bow his chyne,
Nor on no parti make hym to enclyne ;
But fatally to his confusion w,
feis myȝtiman, þis Troy an champioiro,
In his Ire ay breraiynge more and more,
Vp-on hym þe hate frat so sore, 780
Lefte his spere, myn auctor writeth þus,
And vrith a swerd rood to Patrocius,

A vised fully fat he schal be ded ;

And furiously gan hamen at his hed, 784
And rof hym doura, þer was no maner lette,
In-to fe brest foruȝ his basenet,
As seith Guydo, with so gret a peyne,
feat with Ipe stroke he partid hym on tweyne. 788
His mortal swerde whettid was so kene,
feat Patrocius myȝtfe] nat sustene
Yp-on his hors, but fil doim to gromide,
As he þat kauȝt his last[e] fatal wouȝȝde, 792
Beyng present his knyȝtes euerychon.
And delyuerly vp-on hym anon,
WorJ?i Hector from his stede a-doura

Discendid is lik a wode lyoiw, 796
Of hatful Ire bre?mynge as þe fire,
Havinge in hert inly gret desire
TO spoilen liym of his armvttre anoon,
In whiche þer was [ful] many riche stoon, 800

BoJ?e of rubies
and saphiris ynde
For Jrilke daies, pleinly, as I fynde,
Kynges, lordis, & knyȝtes (þis no nay)
To bataille went in her best array. 804
And, sothly, Hector, whan he first gan se
Jpe multitude of stonys and perre

On Patroclus, so orient and schene,
Vp-on his arme he hynge his hors[e] rene, 808
þe mene while, whil he of hool entent

To cacche his praye was so dilligeiit,
Of couetyse, in þer alder siȝtes.
Til Meriouw, vfith þre þousand knyȝtes, 812
Armed in stele, rouwde a-boute hym alle,

Is sodeynly v)>-on Hector falle,

)5e dede cors of Patroclus to sane,
|3at his purpos Hector may nat haue, 816
At liberte þe riche kyng to spoille,
Whiche caused hym in anger for to boille.

Howe Kynge Meryon salutede worthy Ectore was aboute for to dyspoyle… {#howe-kynge-meryon-salutede-worthy-ectore-was-aboute-for-to-dyspoyle}

Howe Kynge Meryon salutede worthy Ectore was aboute for to dyspoyle Kynge Patroclus. 1 To whom þe kyng, callid Merion, Irous & wood, seide among echon "0 gredy lyoutt, o wolfe most rauenous, hatful tygre, passyng envious, Of avarice, o beste in-saturable, And of desire, sothly vnstaurachable, Vp-on þis pray þou schalt þe nat now fede, Go ellis- where to swe for þi mede

For trust[e] well, in conclusions,
Fifti þousaiid, to 828
þi distructiouw,

Of oon entent, pleinly, wil nat faille
"
þin hatful pride
attonys for to assaille !

And sodeinly, with speris scharpfe] whette,
On eue/y half þei gowne hym be-sette, 832

Maugre his force, his my3t, & his manhede
Enforcyng hem* tarevid him his stede,
ftat, sothfastly, of gret violence,
He constreyned, for al his strong diffence, 836
As seith Guydo, to falle vp-on his kne ;

But þoni} his myȝt & magnanymyte,
He of manhood hath his hors recurid,
And maugre* Grekis is so moche assurid 840

In his strengfe and his gret[e] myȝt,
þat he recurid lik a worjri
knyȝt
His stede ageyn amiddes of* his foon.
And riȝt as lyne he rood to Meiion, 844
Ful desyrous on hym avengid* to be,
In his furye of hasty cruelte :

For þer-vppon was sette al his delit,
þat in his mortal blody appetit, 848
In verray soth, he hadde hym slaw anon,
Saue jjat þe kyng, which called was Glacon,

Cam to rescue hym with kyng Theseus,
And his sone, þat hiȝt Archilagus, 852
As I haue tolde, Merion to rescue.

And þre pousaiid knyȝtes gan hym swe,
Ful assentid, attonis, in bataille,
For lyf or deth Hector to assaille, 856
In a-wait vnwar on hym to sette.
But al þis whyle, with whom þat euer he mette,
With his swerde he kylleth & bare dourc,
)3at finally fer gayneth no rauwsouft : 860
For any Greke þat durst wyth hym mete,

At clepartyng f elte f ul vnswete

He made a weye aboute hym euery-where,
hym as þe dej? for fere, 864
þat þei fledde
For where he rod he made a path f ul pleyn.
And, as I rede, to Patroclus ageyn
He is repeired to spoille hym ȝif he myȝt,
Amyd þe feld in þe Grekis sijt,
As he þat wolde his praye nat ȝtly lete.
Til Ydwme, þe myjty* kyng of Crete,
With two þousand clad in plate & maille,

"VVorfi knyȝtes, Hector to assaille 872
Whylcs þat he was so desirous,
As I haue tolde, to spoille Patroclus
And new ageyn, to his confusioim,
Lyk as I fyncle, cam kyng Merioiw
And or Hector myȝt[e] taken hede,

þei of force reften hym his stede,

þat sothly he, þer was noon o]?er bote,
Compellid was [for] to fiȝt on fote. 880
And of knyȝthod his hert[e] he reswmeth ;
And -with his swerde aboute hym he cowswmeth
Al þat wij>-stood, bo]?en hors & man

And furiously þis Troyan knyȝt be-gan 884
Armys, leggis, schuldris, by þe boon,
To hewen of, amyd his mortal foon,
)5at Grekis myȝt a-forn hi??i nat sustene.
And, as I rede, þat he slowe fif tene 888
Of hem þat were besy hym to take ;
And swiche a slawȝter he garc a-mo?zg hem make,
)5at þei ne durste abide a-forn his face.
And Merion, in þe silfe place, 892
þis mene while, toke vp Patroclus,
With hevy chere and face ful pitous,
And on his stede he leide it hym be-forn

And to his tent [anon] he hath it bom 896
Alwey Grekis, in her cruel mood,
Aboute Hector, furious and wood,

Felly abood, fȝtynge vp-oii fote.
Of whiche sowme felt[e] ful vnswote, 900
þat preswrned vp-on hym to p?*ese ;

But of manhod fei ne wolde sese

To be-sette hym vppon e\iery syde,

Havinge a truste, in her grete pride, 904
Finally at meschef hym to take :

For þei dempte he my3t[e] nat eskape
Her hondis, schortly, be non aventure,
Nor his stede be lyklyhede recure ;
For of force þei casten hym to lette,
And al attonys gan on hym to sette.
And specialy, amonge hem euerychon, [leaf 74 a]
I finde, in soth, how þat per was oon,
A Grekysche kny3t of ri3t worþi fame,
And Carion, pleinly, was his name,
þat him afforcede Hector to oppresse,
Whan he was most in meschef & distresse, 916
Be-set \ith Grekys hym envirownynge :

Til of fortune, on hym awaitynge

þe longe day in fat felle fi3t,
To his rescus per cam a Troyan kny3t, 920

Myd of Grekis whan he was be-set,
And toke two dartes, scliarp & kene whet,
And furiously first he schot f e toon,
And f oru3 f e hert he smote f is Carion, 924

jpat f e darte into f e felde gan glide,

By plate & maille, poru3-out of er syde,
)5at fatally of fat dedly wourade

þis Carious glood anoon to grouwde, 928
Amonge an huradrid kny3tes of his feris,
A-fore conspired wzt/i her felle cheris
To haue slayn Hector be some maner woye.
But eft ageyn þis ȝonge kny3t of Troye 932
Ful deliuerly rau3t anoper spere,

And cast at on fat he sawe a-fere 8

Avaimce hym silfe on Hector in f e felde,
And foru} his platis, pleinly, & his schelde, 936
Lyne riȝt, fat he ne schuld asterte,
Of verray myȝt rofe hym f oruȝ fe hcrte

And after fat, in al f e haste he coude,
Vp-on Troy ens he gan to crie loude 940
Ten hasten hem knyȝtly to secure

Worf i Hector, fat stood in auenture
Amonge Grekis, havynge no refute,
Sool by hym silfe, of helpe destitute. 944
At whiche cry, on Grekis al vnwar,
First of alle cam worf i Cyncybar,
}3at brof er was to Hector in bast born

And hym silfe rydynge al to-forn, 948
And f e knyȝtes of whiche he was guyde,
Wonder proudly prikynge by his syde,
Sodeinly, bothe oon and alle,
In a frosche be on* fe Grekis falle, 952
Jȝat hadde Hector rouwde be-sette aboute ;
And f oru} manhod of f is grete route
jpat be# enbosched on hern at fe bak,
fte hundrid knyȝtes, of whiche þat I spak, 956
For-a-stonyd gan hem to wit/idrawe

But fritti firste cruelly were slawe

And maugre hem, Hector of manhede
Amydde fe felde taken hath his stede,
And entrid [is] in amonge f e prees.
And he fat day, of knyȝthood pereles,
While he hilde his blody swerde on hond,
Alle fo fat ageyn hym stonde 964
þer was noon help, pleinly, nor no red
But fat he brak & carfe a-two
f e f rede
And f e knot of cruel Antropos :

Only for he was lette of his purpos, 968
At good leyser to spoile Patroclus.
jjerfore, in Ire wood and furious,

Ful cruelly Grekis quitte her mede,
Whiche from his face faste gan hem spede, 972
Whos scharp[e] swerde, bafed in her blood,
Was dyed rede for it dide hym good
:

Yp-on hem avenged for to be.
For filke day [f e] lyouw pleyed he, 976
Yp-on Grekis his manhod for to haimte

For he her pride so mortally gan dauwte,
Jpat fei hym fled, where-so fat he rood,
Makyng al hoot f e stremys of her blood 980
Endelonge to rewne vp-on f e grene,
Til þe tyme f e duke of grete Athene,
þat callid was whilom Menesteus,
With fre fousand knyȝtes ful famous, 984

Of whiche he was bof e lord & guyde,
þQ feld hath taken vp-on fe left[e] side,
For a deceyt, in ful secre wyse,
Where Troylus was with f e folke of Fryse, 988
Wliiche [haf] fat day, who-so liste to seke,
By his knyȝthod kylled many Greke :

Liche a tigre, gredy on his pray,
Troylus bar hym al f e longe day, 992
Sleynge of Grekis many worf i knyȝt.

And while fat he was besiest in fiȝt
Ageyn his foon, with kyng Antipus
And fe kyng fat hiȝtfe] Alcanus, 996
Yp-on Grekis elyche fresche and newe,
Makynge her sydes al of blody hewe,
By oon assent, fis fre f oru} her manhede
And specially, vppon his baye stede, 1000
Wher-so-euer fat fis Troylus rood,
Euery Greke fat his swerd abood
Sodeinly he made for to sterve,
Jporuȝ her platis so depe he dide kerue. 1004
And fis contvneth til duke Meneste
Of Troylus saw f e grete cruelte,

And þe slawjtre þat he on Grekis made
Of hasty Ire, wij> face pale and fade, 1008
Hent a spere & þrewe it in J:e reste

And Troylus smet euene amyd þe breste
So sternely, þat maugre his renou?*,
To þe erj>e anon he bare hyrn dou?i, 1012
In [þe] myddis of his mortal foon,
cruelly hym be-sette anoon,
)3at
And him to treyne leide out hoke & laas
Rou?ide aboute in maner of compas 1016

Wi|> spere and darte & swerdis forgid briȝt.
P>ut he hym silf diffendij) like a knyȝt,
With gret mauliod his honour to avauwce,
Al-be liis lif was honged in balauTice, 1020
Where he stood, & felte fill vnswete,
In poynt of deth amonge þe horsfe] fete,
With gret await of duke Meneste,
How þis Troylus myȝt haue take be, 1024
Of mortal hate castyng in his pouȝt,
At meschef take Ipat he eskape 110113 1

On euery half he was so be-sette
With swerdis rouȝde, kene gronde & whette, 1028
Allone, alias !
mortally be-stadde
þei sesid hym, & fur)>e þei han hym ladde,
Til Miseres, a worjn knyȝt of Troye,
Gan to crye, as he stood in þe woye, 1032
For-a-bassched, in riȝt furious wyse

"
36 noble wor])i men of Fryse

Manly knyȝtes, ay pretied in fe feld,
Most renomed bofe vfith spere & scheld, 1036
Considereth now vn-to ȝour hiȝe fame,
And aduerteth fe* glorie of ȝoure name,
How þis day, þoruȝ ȝoure necligence,
By þe power and myȝti violence 1040
Of þe Grekis Troylus is I-take
Sool in þe feld ; for ȝe han hym forsake
þat schal rebouwde to ȝoure alder schame

For 30, in soth, gretly are to blame, 1044
ȝif lie, fat is of worf ines[se] flour,

Be take of Grekis for lak of socour
þat, but }if 36 taken hasty wreche,
Schamful report ȝour honour schal apeche 1048
Perpetuelly, and seide f er-of amys,
In ȝoure defaute fat Troylus taken is,
Whiche named be so worfi & famws."
And with fat word, f e kyng Alcamws 1052
Of malencolye felt his hert[e] ryue,
And in his Ire hent a spere blyve,
And prikynge after, enhastef * w[h]at he miȝt,
Til he of hem pleinly had a 513 1, 1056
þat besy wern Troylus for to lede.
And he, ful knyȝtly, sittyng on his stede, [leaf
Ran oon foru3, fat he fil dou?z ded;
And eft ageyn, pale & no f ing red, 1060
In his rancour no lenger woldfe] lette,
But a Greke, fe firstfe] fat he mette,
þoru3 fe body smette he with a spere,
men my3t[e] se fe poynt a-fere,
þat 1064
By brest and plate f 01*113 f 6 scholder-bon,
þat to fe grouwde he fil dou?ȝ ded anoon.
And f er-wit/i-al, f e worfi Freses alle
Cam flokmel doun, and on Grekis falle 1068
So my3tely, fat, maugre her diffence,
jpei sette vp-on with so gret violence
þat Troylus is from al dauȝger fre ;
And foru3 her kny3tly magnanymyte 1072
þei maden hym to recure his stede.

And specially helpyng in f is nede
Was ȝantipus, fe strong[e] manly kyng,
Whiche of disdeyn, at his in-comyng, 1076

On Meneste gan his spere grate,
And foru3 his scheld, mail, & f ikke plate,
So sore he smot, fat f is Menestee

& Trojans.

Had be cled, nadde his armour be

Whiche for Ire gan to tremble
feat Troylus
was from his hondis take,
And eskaped to be prisoner,
& maugre his power. 1084
Dispit his berd,
Wherfor he gan of hasti hoot envie
On his knyȝtes furiously to crye,
& stronge,*
feat wer so myȝti, renomed,
To peynen hem for to venge his wronge
mete hem in þe face.
Vp-on Troyens, to
And þei in hast gan myȝtely enbrace
Her scharp[e] speris, ground e for to bite,
And felly foyne, & to-gidre smyte

werre
For þo be-gan þe grete mortal

fee fire brast out, schene as any sterre,

On basenettis and her platis briȝt,
feld flawmej? þQ [ferful] liȝt
feat þoru3 þe
deth þei toke þo non hede ;]
[To lyf nor
in lengbe & brede,
[And] Domi þQ playn, bo}>e
fee wardis gan proudly to avale ;
And \tiili lokis of envie pale, 1100

feei aproche,
and assemble I-fere,
In hate bre?mynge, þat no man may stere,
And gan hurtle* wit/i spere, swerd, & darte,
And mortally, vp-on euery parte, 1104

fee slauȝter gan gretly for to rewe.
And Iliche, alwey newe and newe,
Hector Grekis, jjoruȝ his worthies,
Where he rood manly dide oppresse,
And merciles slowe hem & bar doim
Now here, nowe þere, wȝt/i-oute excepciou??,
So furiously, þat rowthe was to se.
And þawne of new þe duke Meneste 1112
Repeired is, with envious hert,
From his hondis fat Troylus so* asterte,
And for þe slawȝter eke of his meyne,
feat wher he rood he besy was to sle 1116

)& Troyan peple, whan he myȝt hem mete ;
For tavenge hym, for no Jring wold he let.
Til casuelly amonge[s] al þe pres,
A knyȝt he mette, fat hiȝtfe] Miseres, 1120
Whiche, in dispit of þis Meneste,
Had at þe rescus of wor])i Troylus be,
And maugre hym put him fro his pray.
And so be-fil [on] fe selue* day, 1124
As þei mette ageyn of aventure,
]3at Meneste, by his cote armvre
Marked hym, be armys j)at he bar,
And sodeinly, or þat he was war, 1128
Or jjat he myȝt taken any hede,
Furiously on his sterne stede,
And with a spere, among* þe rengis alle,
Ear him ouer, & made hym for to falle, 1132
Maugre his myȝt, to þe erthe douw.
And þaraie, I finde, liow þe kyng Hupou?i
Discendid is, þe story list nat lye,
Two fousand knyȝtes in his co??ȝpanye, 1136
Whiche on Grekis felly gan to sette,
And in þe berd king Prothenor hem mette,
And Archelaus, þe noble werriour,
Of Boece lord and goumiour 1140
WiJ> helpe only of þis Prothenor,
Lik a tigre or a wylde bore,
Gan Troyens assaille to þe deth,
And many on þilke day he sleth.
Eut kyng Hupouw, þoruȝ his chiualrie,
]3ilk[e] tyme in his malencolye
Ful many Greke ȝaf his de]>is wou?zde :

And ]ws þei gan eche o]?er to cowfouwde, 1148
Swiche mortal hate amonges he?ȝ
\er was.
Til of fortune a
knyȝt, Polydamas,
On Troye side, sone of Anthenor,
With his knyȝtes, and hym silf to-for, 1152

Is on Grekis of envious pride
Mid her wardis fallyn in a-syde,
And gan breke hem, & knyȝtly to disseuere,
Ageyn whos swerd* þei myjtfe]
He was on hem so inly furious.

And hym to helpe cam fe kyng Remvs,
With a wynge on þe tofer parte,
Brekyng in vrith many spere & darte

Ageyn[es] Grekis -with fre f
ousand knyjtes,

þat to beholde
how felly fat he fiȝtes,
It was, in sothe, vn-to hem of Troy
A verray lust and an heuenly loye 1164
To sen how he Grekis brak asoudre,
þat þe noyse, loude as any f ondre,
In f e feld of strokis gan a-ryse.
And while Remws, as 36 ban herd deuise, 1168

Vp-on Grekis was so envious,
In-to f e feld cam Menelaus,
With his worf i knyȝtes of Spartense,
Ageyn Remws to make resistence
And ful proudly, makyng no delay,
worfi Remws & kyng Menelay,
ftis

On hors[e]-bak, vrith scbarp[e] speris whette,
Mid f e felde of envie mette, 1176
And poru} her manly prowesse & renouw,
From bors[e]-bak eche bare of er doura

For noon þe strok of ofer myȝt[e] schoone.
And in fat while, of Anthenor f e sone, 1180
Polydamas, lusti, frescbe, and lyȝt,
As he fat was in his deliue?* rnyjt,
And desirous to honour to atteyne,
Mette in f e felde fe nevewe of Eleyne, 1184
J3e myȝti duk called Mereus,
Flouring in ȝouthe and riȝt vertuous,
Fresche armed, new and lusti of corage,
And was, in soth, but twenti ȝere of age 1188
Whiche of so ȝonge was a noble kny3t,

renomed bope of herb and myȝt.
But of fortune it be-fil, alias !

]5e Troyan knyȝt, dau?ȝ Polydamas, 1192
With a spere, poruȝ scheld, maille, & plate

Hitte hym so, fat, by cruel faate,

Amonge Grekis fat lie fil douw ded.
Of whiche f ing, whan Menelay toke hede, 1196
And sawe hym ly, slay[e]n on f e grene,
In his hert remembringe on f e quene
I)Q quene Eleyne, whos nevew he was :

For dool of whiche, a ful deliuer paas 1200
To Remvs rood, in his cruelte,
Also fer as he myȝt hym se,
And ful knyȝtly mette hym in þe berd,
And smette at him vriih his scharpe swerde 1204
Vp-on f e hede, in his hatful tene,
Jpat on his stede he myȝt[e] nat sustene :

His wourcde was so passyngly mortal,
)3at Vfith f e stroke and f e perlous fal, 1208
His knyȝtes wende ded he* had[de] be,
And hent hym vp, and be-gan to fle

To-Troye-ward with hym a gret pas.

But it be-fil fat Pollydamas, 1212
þe maner of hem wha?i fat he be-held,
Made hem repeire knyȝtly in-to f>e feld
Excepte þat somme, as þei in biddyng had,
WorJ?i Remvs horn to Troye ladde, 1216
Pale and ded, wt't/i his wou?idis wide.
And fo cam in on þe Grekis side
Celides,* fe lusty fresche kyng,

Of whom Dares seith in his writyng, 1220
And for a soth in his boke list telle,
How Celides alle ofer elide excelle
BoJ>e in bewte and in semlyhede,
Of schap, of port, and of goodlyhede, 1224

Surmowitynge alle, as Dares list discrive,
As in fairnes alle þo a-lyue
Alle his lymys compact were so clene.
And, as I rede, þe ȝonge fresche queue 1228
Of Femenye,* whiche was of bewte flour,
Kyng Celides louede paramour,
hym was hooly hir plesauȝce,
þat vp-on
He was so prnited in hir remembimmce
For chef resort, sothly, of hir herte,
Was vp-on hym euery houre to aduerte

For, finally, he departe}* nouȝt,
Day nor nyȝt nor hour out of hir þouȝt
For he was ffully al hir owne knyȝt. 4

Eut, of fortune, he, lusty, fresche, and liȝt,
Smot his stede scharply in þe syde
Of surquedie, and proudly gaii to ride 1240
Of mortal hate a f ul furious paas
Ki}t as lyne to Pollydamas,
And with a spere made hym for to flytte
From his sadel, in whiche he dide* sitte 1244
He markyd hym with so gret a my3t.*
But ageynward, þis manly Troyan
Pollydamas, with a dispitous face,
Or Celydes departeth fro þQ place, 1248
"With a swerd so smet hym on
þe hede,
From his stede þat he fil dourc ded,
Whiche to Grekis was gret confusiouw.
And al þis tyme, ferser þanne lyoun, 1252
Hector Grekis knyȝtly gan enchase,
And ofte made hem for to lese her place

Where-eue?-e he rood, of necessite,
A-forn his swerd he made he??i for to
Swiche vengauwce he hath on hem
þat þei þe feld were fayn to
for-sake,
And to purswe wolde he neuer
fyne ;
Til a-monge
þe peple of Salomyne, 1260

Hector mette þe worjri kyng famous
feat was hir lord, and 1113 t[e] Thesalus,
þat many Troyan fat day liadfde] slawe.
And, as Hector toward hym gan drawe, 1264

Kyng Teuter, þat was of Grece also,
A manly knyȝt and prudent, bope two,
Rauȝt a spere, in al þe haste he can,
And vnwarly vn-to Hector ran, 1268
And þoruȝ his scheld, [plate], and mail of stele
þs spere-hed forged was so wele,
So scharpe & square, & so kene grourade
jjat he ȝaf Hector a ful perillous wounde. 1272

But as Hector rene gan his stede,
Proude Teuter to aquite his mede,
He ful wysly, in al þe hast he myȝt,
Was riȝt fer seuery[d] from his siȝt ;

Wher-of Hector malencolins,
And of hert wod and furious
For þe akyng of his wouwde grene,
In haste to avenge þe constreint of his tene, 1280
What Greke after schortly þat he mette,
þat was so bold his wey[e] to witA-sette,
We't/i-oute mercy, he was his deth anoon.

And, as I rede, he encouwtrid on, 1284
Whiche of pride wold[e] hym diuerte,

Whom wif his swerd he rof to þe hert,

)5oruȝ his harneis, of malencolye.
)3e whiche stroke whan Grekis gan espie, 1288
ftei astonyd, of oon entenciouw,
Perilously besette hym environs,
And swiche assaut gan aboute him make,
ftoru} her manhod ȝif þei myȝt \irn take ; 1292
And of acorde, with gret multitude,
Cruelly þei gan hym to include,
Be liklyhede, in þat mortal strife
He myȝtfe] nat eskape with þe lyf, 1296
On hym þei wern so fel & envious.

Howe A kynge callyde Theseus, of affeccyon warnede Ector to be ware… {#howe-a-kynge-callyde-theseus-of-affeccyon-warnede-ector-to-be-ware}

Howe A kynge callyde Theseus, of affeccyon warnede Ector to be ware of A iopartdy that he stode In, notwithstondynge this Thesyus was a Greke and

howe Ector raskewyde Polly damas þe kynge. 1
Til þat a kyiig þat hiȝt[e] Theseus,*
On Grekis side, only of gentillesse,
Swiche rou)>e kauȝt * vp-on his distresse, 1300
To se hym stonde so niȝe vp-on þe wrak,
J5us vn-to hym of manly pite spake

"0 flour of knyȝthod, rote of hardynesse,
Welle of manhood, stok of worfines
Whi list þe nat to haue noon adue?-tence,
þi lif to saue, of knyȝtly prouidence,

But wilfully, where most is to drede,
þpi lif iupartist, and take list* noon hede, 1308
In mortal pereil how þou arte be-set,
Amonge so many closed and I-schet,
Allone, alias ! deuoide of al socour,
And to þi
silfe wilt do no fauour, 1312
But as fortune liketh to ordeyne 1
þat euery wyjt owjt[e] to compleyne
To beholde þat so noble a knyȝt,
Whiche poruj þe worlde cast so clere a liȝt, 1316
In worthies, & wil hyra nat with-drawe,
Reklesly þis day to be slawe,
So pitously þi persone for to lese

Wȝ't/i-drawe fin hond, }it sith
þou maist chese, 1320
prowes compelleth me to praye,
þin hiȝe
At swiche meschef fat þou nat ne deye."
And whan Hector of hym gan take hede,
He pankid hym of his goodlyhed, 1324
And maugre, sothly, þe power & þe myjt
Of þe Grekis, lik a worþi knyjt
He skapid is, myd of alle his foon,

And went his weye þoruȝ hem euerychon, 1328
His blody swerd alweie in his hond.
And in his weie Pollydamas he f onde,
Ful lik a man, with al his besy peyne

Diffende hym silfe ageyn þe kynges tweyne, 1332
Menelay and Thelamonyus,
Whiche vp-on hym were f ul furious ;

And, with a spere, þis Greke, þis Thelamou?i
Pollydamas smot to the erthe douw, 1336
Compellyng hym þer was non oj>er bote
Ageyn hem two for to fiȝt on fote,
Assentid fully on hym to ben a-wroke.
And first þei han hewen and to-broke 1340
þe myȝti charnellis of his basenet,
And whan his viser after was of smette,
And his face nakid was and bare,
þei fil on hym in þat mortal snare, 1344
And token hyrn, þe stori can deuise,
And sent hym forj>e, in ful cruel wise,
Toward Grekis, with many wor]?i knyȝt.
But whan Hector þer-of had a siȝt, 1348
And sawe þe rneschef of Pollydamas,
He cast fully to socur in þis caas,

And priked after, woder þanne lyoȝ ;

And, where he rood, aboute hym enviroiw 1352
With his swerd he made a large space,

Til he cam to þe same place

Amonge Grekis, furious and wood,
Pollidamas þQ silfe tyme stood, 1356
Socourles from al remedie,
Til þat he on Hector cast his eye,

þat Grekis made hastily wȝt/i-drawe.
And britti, first, of hem he hath slaw, 1360
AndA seueredA hem, maugre al her pride
A t -j
:

To-forne his swerd þe[i] durst[e] riat abide

Ageyn[e]s hym, nor make noon obstacle ;
But of knyȝthod, be verray hiȝe myracle, 1364

Pollydamas, in meschef first awapid,
From Grekis bond frely is eskapid.
But freschely þo, fe kyng Epistrophus,
Menelay, and Thelamonyus, 1368
With alle her knyȝtes to-gidre hoi & clos,
Ageyn Troyens to geten hem a loos,
Been of newe entrid in bataille
"With gret strengfe & passyng apparaille, 1372
jjat merely Troyens fei compelle,
In her weye fat f ei dar nat dwelle,
T
]X
at-we't/2-stondynge her gret worf ines,
Nor of Hector fe knyȝtly hiȝe prowes, 1376
þat fauȝt so
manly fat tyme, as I rede,
But cowardly f ei han slawe his stede,
hat he constreined was to fiat on fote,
þat many Greke felt[e] ful vnswote. 1380
For f er was noon fat aboute him stood,
With his swerd fat he ne schad his blood;
bou} he so þikke aboute was be-leyn,
He voided hem & made a spase *pleyn,
J
In compas rou??de, be-hind & eke to-forn

And on his feet so wel he hath him born
bilk[e] day, fat Greke was noon, certeyn,
bat hardy was hond on
hym to leyn, 1388
He was so strong, & sturdy as a wal.
And wha7me his brefer, callid natural,
Sawe hym on fote, myd of alle his foon,
On a frusche fei fel in euerychon, 1392
And fouwden hym, f e stori
makef mynde,
Diffen.de hym silfe lik a
tigre in Ynde

And hym to help, f oruȝ her
hiȝe renouw,
ȝ ei fel t le ] firste on k y n g Thelamouw, 1396
For he on Hector was so cruel foude

)5ei jaf to hym many
blody wouwde,
Til on of hem,
namyd Dyndaron,
Hath so fer amonge fe rengis
goon, 1400

And born hym so, only of manhede,
þat he hath wowne a passynge miȝti stede,

And brouȝt to* Hector, sothly, þer he stood,
Amonge Grekis al baj>ed in her blood. 1404
fie whiche in hast, ful knyȝtly he be-strood,
And amonge hem, lik Mars \iyrn silf he rood,
Ful many Greke makynge for to sterue ;
And with his swerd, whetted for to kerue, 1408
He dauwted hath her envious pride :

Til Dephebws entrid in a-syde
In-to j)e feld, wij? a
knyȝtly chere,
And with hym brouȝt many good archer 1412
Of Poeme, [which] with her arowis kene,
And with feferis of pecok, fresche & schene,
Vp-on Grekis han þe feld recured ;

In her schot fei wer so moche assured, 1416
)5at þoru} mail and Jrikke plate of stele
þei percyd han her harneis euerydel.
And Dephobus, ful like a manly man,
To kyng Teutran on hors[e]-bak þo ran, 1420
And furiously gan his swerd enbrace,
And wou?zded hym euene amyd þe face

J3oruȝ fe viser in his felle tene
On hors[e]-bak he myȝt[e] nat sustene. 1424
And þus Troyens on Grekis arn y-rorcne,
þat þei ageyn han þe feld I-woȝne

]3ei wernon hem so Irous and so wood :

But Theseus ful knyȝtly hem with-stood. 1428

With Ipo knyȝtes Jat he with hym ladde.
And, as I rede, Hector a bro]>er hadde,
)5e stori seith, þat hiȝt[e] Quyntylene,

ȝonge, fresche, & lusty, armyd briȝt & schene, 1432
Whiche with þe kyng callid Modernus
Is proudly falle vp-on Theseus ;

And þese tweyne, to-gidre of assent,
Be falle on hym with gret avisement, 1436
jjat, finally, to his vnhappy chaurace,

Jx>ru her knyȝthod þei brouȝt hi??i to onttrauwce,
And cast[e] schortly þat he schal be ded

Of whos purpos, as Hector gan take hed, 1440
He vn-to hem, of verray genterye,
Viith al his myȝt loude gan to crye,
Besechyng hem for no Jnng þt he deye

And louly þei his biddyng dide obeye, 1444
And hem wȝtA-drawe for to do vengance

For Hector had fully remembraimce
How Theseus, f>e same day to-forn,
Toward hym so goodly had hym born, 1448
Whan he hym sawe in meschef & distresse,
And knyȝtly þou}t quite his gentillesse,
Lik as it longeth to euery gentil-xnan.
And Theseus ful lowly tho be-gan
To j)ank[e] Hector, þat he was eskapid.
But kyng Thoas þo hath fastfe] rapid
In-to þe feld, wz't/i ojer
knyȝtes manye,
And specialy with hem of Calydonye 1456
Cam Philotheas, þe myȝty kyng also,
A-geyn[es] Troyens for to haue a-do.
And, first, Thoas vritJi a spere ran
Furiously to Cassybellan, 1460
Oon of þe sonys of kyng Priamws,
And ȝaf hym þo a wou?ȝde so grevous,
WM-oute recure þat he fil dou?i dede ;
Of whiche strok, whan Hector gan take hede, 1464
In his herte gan his deth
compleyne,
And in al hast dide his besy peyne
On his broker avenge hm ȝif he myȝt

And many oon he made to a-lijt, 1468
Jporu} his knyȝthood, fro??i his hors[e]-bak,

jpat, sothfastly, al went vn-to wrak
On Grekis side, what cam in his way,
So worþily he bar hym al þat* day.
Til duk Nestor is entrid in-to 63 1
With five þousand in stele arm yd biiȝt, 5000

Ageinfes] Troyens Grekis to socure;
And with hym mette, of verray aventure, 1476
kyng Esdras, so myȝti and so bold,
þQ
And kyng Phyon in his char of gold,
With al þe worþi noblȝ * chiualrye
)3at from Agresta cam with leconye, 1480
þekynges sone, of þe same lond,
Ful renomed & worþi of his honde.
And as þei semble, & to-gidre ran,
þQ same tyme, many worþi man 1484
Hath lost his lyf vp-on ouper syde ;
And of slauȝter, with large wourcdis wide,
Al þe soil, of bodyes þat lay dede,
Lyk a ryuer ran with stremys rede, 1488
With her cheris grisly, pale, and fade,
þat in þe blod men myȝt goon & wade
To þe ancle :
þe slauȝter was so huge.
And kyng Phion, socure and refuge 1492
Yn-to Troyens, so bare hym in þat strife,

þatmany Greke he made lese his life
)5esame day, so wel his swerd was whet ;
But he, vnwarly, so sore was be-set 1496
With multitude of Grekis rourale aboute,
)3at of his lyf he pleynly stood i?? doute

For lykly was he myjtfe] nat eskape,
And of Grekis he schuld anoon be take, 1500
Nadde he ben holp of worþi leconye,
þat to Esdras loude gan to crye :

"
"Alias quod he, of routhe and pite,
!

"
Worþi Phion þe kyng schal take be 1504
Amonge Grekis, poruȝ ȝoure necligence,

But in al hast ȝe* do ȝoure dilligence
For to reskue þis noble worþi kyng

And alle attonys, with-outQ more tariyng, 1508
..

Maugre alle þo þat made resistence,
From Grekis swerd, be myȝti violence
þei ban reskued þe noble kyng Phion

And at his large with hem he is goon,
Of his eskape wonder glad and liȝt.
And Hector pawne with many lusti knyȝt
Eetourned is, and Dephebus also,
Pollydamas, & many anoper mo 1516
[Of] Troyan* knyȝtes, þat desyre newe
Grekis to make sore for to rewe

For, of assent, þel fully hem purpose
In swiche meschef Grekis to enclose, 1520
ftat, ȝif þei myȝt,
fewe schulde eskape.
And per-vp-on, knyjtly þei hem schape,
And hem be-gan freschely for to assaille,
'*

þat in þe feld Grekis gan to faille 1524
Of her power, and to lese her londe,
þat, finally, poruȝ þe inyȝti honde,
And þe force of Troyanysche* knyȝtes,
þQGrekis had, mauȝre al her myates, 1528
Be brouȝt þat day to confusiou?ȝ.
But Menelay and kyno- Thelamou??,
, TTI
Whan þei hem sawe feblyn and apeire,
of knyȝthod made hem to
)3ei 1532
repeire

And so lik men þei ban hem silf diffendid,
Til Eneas from Trove is discendid
.

With Ewfremws þe duk, þe manly man

And with her knyȝtes of newe þei be-gan 1536
Efte ageyn Grekis to*
oppresse.
e
r And *J ector a 7> f or u3 his worþinesse,
Lyk: a lyoim, with a sterne face,
Euere in oon so gan hem to 1540
þat compellid of necessite

þei wern echon a-forn his swerd to fle,
And constreyued, riȝt of verray nede.
Of whiche Mnf' wha?ȝ Aiax can take hede, 1544
Hadde in herte grete compassiou?ȝ

To sen þe slauȝter and confusions
On Grekis side, Guydo maketh mynde,
And gan to loke at his bak be-hynde, 1548
And sawe wher many warde stood a-brod,
And many baner & penourc þat a-bood

Amyd þe feld, hole and nat forbroke,
þat redy wern attonis to be
wroke, 1552
ȝif nede were, on hem of Troye toun ;

In whiche wardis, wzt/z-oute excepciouw,
Was hool þe flour of Grekis chiualrie.
To whom, anoon, Aiax gan hym hiȝe, 1556

As he þat was sore in herte agrevid ;

And with his crye he hath hem so commevid,
þat þei enhast hem to com to rescus,
Amongis whom was þere no refus. 1560
And as faste as þei gan assemble,
Of noyse of hors þe er)>e ga?i to tremble,
Furiously as þei to-gidre Hinge :

þere myȝt men þe strokis here ryng 1564
Of speris scharp, foruȝ þe harneis born,
And þoru3 scheldis, wrouȝt of stele & horn,
In-to þe brest, sturdy, squar, & brood ;

And þer, I finde, how þat Aiax rood 1568

To Eneas, and he to hym also,
So gret envie was a-twixe hem two,
þat [nat]but deth myȝt her Ire apese :

For in hert nouper myȝt han ese, 1572
scharp[e] grou?ide & whet,
Til with speris
On hors[e]-bak fei han to-gidre met.
And at coupyng
J so sore l>ei han hit,ȝ
/
þat eueryche oper to þe er]?e smyt,

feat to
beholde was a kny3tly si}!;.

And after [fat] f ei bo)>e on fote rȝt,
Be liklyhede, in her wood[e] rage, 1580
in ful grete damage
Ouf er to falle
Amonge þe hors, be-cause fat
al
ouersprad
Vp-on f e soil,
But Philoteas is to Aiax come,

And hath hym vp amorage f e hors I-nome,

And as makid is memorie.
knyȝtlyfaujt,
And, sothly, ellis Troyens
Hadde had fe feld, pleinly for to seyne,
Til Philoteas w/t/i his wardis tweyne,
Euene in þe face, hem wit/i-stood ;
manly
And wit/i a spere he first to Hector rood,
And vp-on hym f e schafte, I finde, he brak

his hors[e]-bak 1592
But, sothly, he vp-on
al
Kepte hym so wel, for fat fel[le]
but sturdy as an oke
Eemevinge nat,
Sat in his sadel vp-rijt mt/i his chyne;
And with a spere, rijt as any lyne,
In-to body, depe f 01113 fe schelde,
Philoteas he smote in-to be felde,
of his
feat
his
lyf
wern in doute.
kny3tes

But fo cam in, witfc so gret a route,
Kyng Humerus, and Ylixes eke,
And vrith hem broiȝt many worf i Greke
Ten þousand kny3tes, manly men echon,
)3at gan Troyens [for]
to assaille anoon ;

And cruelly, on euery halfe certeyn,
With multitude fei han hem so* be-leyn,
þat dispeired and disconsolat,
And of longe nȝt awaped and amat, 1608
Gan wM-drawe, faynted in bataille ;
And eke her* hors, sothly, gonne* faille,
}5at on her syde al went vp-so-douw.

But Paris ]x>, -with hem of Troye touw 1612
Is entrid in, in ful manly wyse ;

And first he met with þe kyng of Fryse,
}3at to Ylixes was nyȝe of allye,
Whom Paris smot with so gret envie, 1616
þat he hym slowe ;
wher-of Grekis were
Sore abavid ; and aftir, with a spere,
Vlixes rood to avenge hym ȝif he myȝt.

And, first, whan he of Paris had a siȝt, 1620
In-to þe reste he gan his spere prowe,

þat, finally (for he bare to lowe),

Failyng of Paris, sothly, as I rede,
Vnder hym he slowe his myȝti stede, 1624

jpat maugre hym he to groimde is goon.
And he on hym wolde haue falle anoon,
But Troylus þo mette hym in þe berde,

And furiously with his scharpe swerde 1628
He smote Vlixes jjoruȝ-out his viser,
þat lyk a condut or a smal river,
Doura by his face, of blood þe stremys ran.
But Vlixes, lik a manly man, 1632
Of þat strok astonyd nat at al,
But on his stede, stif as any wal,
"With his swerde so myȝtely gan race

J3oruȝ þe vmbrere in-to Troylus face,

)3at he hym ȝaf a large mortal woiwde :

Of whiche strok, passyngly Iocou?*de
)3e Grekis \ ern, supposyng, in her Jxwȝt,
r

How þat Troyens finally were brouȝt 1640
Vn-to outtrauȝce. And sothly so þei hadde,
Sane þat Hector, with knyȝtes which* he ladde,
And vrith hym eke Paris and Dephebus,
And alle his brewer, in knyȝthod most famws, 1644
Troylus also, for al his last[e] wou?zde,
)3at was alweie so noble a knyȝt I-fou?zde,
Alle attonys, loyned in-to oon,

Vp-on Grekis sodeinly be goon.
And worf Hector aldir-first be-gan
i

Grekis to enchase, þat a-forn hym ran,
Lik as bestis fat fled fro f e deth ;
And euere in on, with his * swerde he sleth 1652
Whom he mette, or durst his strok abide

And on his foon, with fresclie wouwdis wide,
þQ slander
he made alweie to renewe.
And filk[e] day, in blody rosen hewe 1656
He hath her platis & her harneis steyned

And feu} it hadde blood fro heuene reined,
jpe soil reddere myȝtfe] nou3t a ben

And ay I-liche, as a swarme of been, 1660
þe Grekis
flokmel fled out of his* way.
And Guydo seith, al fat like day
Hector hadde, formest on þe plein,
In frovmter of þe Grekis leyn, 1664
fe
knyȝtes of his garde
)2at be-hynde, ]>&

For lak of hym wern alle out of warde.
Wherfore, whan he hadde foiȝtfe] longe,
And Grekis sawe of newe wexe strong, 1668
To his knyȝtes he is aȝen repeired,
Whiche in hem silf gretly wer dispeired
For his absence but þo whan þei \\m sen,
;

Ful inwardly recomforted ben, 1672
And wt/z glad hert han her lord received.
And her gladnes whan he hath perceiwed,
Spak vn-to hem ful effectuously,
And praied hem ful benygnely, 1676
To remembre knyȝtly in her herte,
And considre wysly, and aduerte,
i

First, fe wrongis fat Grekis haii hem do
Of ȝore ago, and ouermore also 1680

ȝif Grekis had filke day victorie,
Far-wel for ay þe honour and fe glorie

Of Troy an blod, in conclusioiw :

"
For, finally, we and eke oure toun 1684
Schal mortally tourne to ruyne ;

And oure honour, þat was wont to scliine
þoruȝ-oute þe world, & oure worþines,
Eclipse schal, and tourne to dirknes, 1688
But ȝe þis day like as men ȝow quite.
Wherefore I pray, fat no man atwite

ȝoure hiȝe reiiou?i of any covvardyse,
To sette vp-on in ful manly wyse, 1692
And nat to spare for drede of deth, I pray."
And þei echon ful lowly gan* obeie
To his desire, w/tft-oute lenger tale ;
And entringe in by a certeyn vale, 1696
Vp-on Grekis, pese worþi knyȝtes alle,
Folwyng Hector, sodeyiily ben falle,
Ful mortally, or þat þei wer ware.
And Hector þo no Greke wolde spare, 1700
But euery-where, to her confusioura,
He killed & slowȝe aboute hym envirouw ;
And his knyȝtes, ridyng be his syde,
Made her fomen, maugre al her pride, 1704
To lese her lond, & flen out of her siȝte :

Til þat þe kyng whiche Thoas hiȝt,
On Grekis side, inward gan hym dresse,

And of newe ful knyȝtly gan oppresse 1708
Hem of Troye, þis kyng, þis manly man,
þat had a-forn slawe Cassibelan,
Oon of þe sonys of kyng Priam vs.
But as he rood, of fortune it fel þus : 1712
Jpat alle þe bre]>er on a frusche he mette,
Whiche of assent envirou?ȝ hym be-sette,
And from his sadil þat many [Greke] be-hilde
Amonge þe hors smet hym in-to þe feld ; 1716
And of þei rent first his basenet,

And cruelly þei had his hede of smet
For he vnarmyd al at meschef stood

Saue þat þe duke, furious and wood, 1720
Of Athenys, rydyng a gret paas,
Reskued hym in þis mortal cas
With his knyjtes þat aboute him rood.
And hym to helpe, wit/i-oute more abood, 1724
With a spere, scharpe whet and kene,
First of al he fil on Quyntylene,

þat besy was Thoas to haue slawe

And þe brepre he made also w/t/i-drawe, 1728
Whan Quyntylene of his hors was prow.
But Paris þo dro\v vp his myȝti bowe,
And to þis duke lete an harowe glide,
And poruȝ his platis hit hym in þe side 1732
Vp-on a rib, þat made hym sore blede ;
Of whiche strok he ne toke noon hede
Be-cause only þat he so fervent was

Amyd his foon to helpe kyng Thoas, 1736
Amonge þe horse þat was bore to growzde,
In point of deth, vrith many mortal wouwde,
Only for he was naked on þe hede

But þis duke, ful[ly] deuoide of drede, 1740
Of his knyȝthood in þis perlous cas,
Amyd his foon hath holpfe] kyng Thoas,
And with his lyf made him skape fre.
And Hector ay, of cruel enmyte 1744
I-lyche fresche, for no þing wolde leue
Vp-on Grekis his manhood for to preue,

Enforcyng hym to her distrucciouw

And, as he rood amonge hem vp & doiw, 1748
Kyng Humerus hath a bowe take,
And to schete gan hym redy make,
And hatfully per-in set* an arwe;
And to Hector he marked hap so narwe, 1752
Jpat he smote hym euene amyd þe face

But or he myȝt any ferther pace,
Hector smet hym with so gret a
J5at with his swerd he rof his hed atweyne. 1756
deth of whom wharc
þe þe Grekis knowe,

Myw auctor seith, þei hail an horn I-blowe,
bat vnwarly. vrith þat dredf ul sowne,
Seuene þousand knyȝtes ca??i attonys dourc 1760

Aboute Hector, wM-oute more abood ;

But he of force borus hem alle he rood.
Maugre her myȝt, þat hym þo ws't/i-sette,
And slowe alle þo fat his weie lette,
And styntfe] nat, pleynly, til he cam

To his fader, þe wor]ri k} ng Priam,
r

"Wzt/i many worjri, f ul faravs of renoun,

knyȝtes fast[e] by þe toiw
þat wz't/i his 1768
Lay al þe day, wȝt/i men on liors & fote,
As he fat was of knyȝthod crop & rote,
And kepte hym cloos, of [ful] hiȝe prudence
Til Hector cam vn-to* his presence 1772
And hym besouȝt, in þis grete nede,
With þre fousand þt he wold hym spede
Vp-on Grekis in her felle rage,

To falle on hem at most avaimtage. 1776

Howe the Kenge Pryamus of Troye kynghtly enterde in-to þe felde at… {#howe-the-kenge-pryamus-of-troye-kynghtly-enterde-in-to-þe-felde-at}

Howe the Kenge Pryamus of Troye kynghtly enterde in-to þe felde at the requeste of Ectore. 1

And þa?zne in haste, iris worbi Priamvs,
With his knyȝtes fresche and desyrous,
Towarde Grekis hath þe weye take,
And swyche a mordre gan
D vp-on he??i make, 1780
þat many Greke lay ded on þe pleyn :

For Priamws so sore hath hem be-leyn,
On euery half, poruj his grete myȝt,
)5at Ipei ful fast fled out of his sȝt, 1784
So sore of newe he vp-on hem sette.
And, as I finde, "ber to-sridre mette
Hector and Aiax, of verray auenture ;

And on her stedis, strong & wonder sure, 1788

al þe hast þei koraie,
þQ story seith, in
Lyke wode lyouras þei to-gidre
With so gret myȝt, þat, wer þei lefe or lope,
Vp-on þe pleyn þei wer
vnhorsed
bope.
And in þis while, Menelay þe kyng,
Sodeinly, as he cam rydyng,
He slowe of Troye a worþi anieral.
And þus þe shunter, passyngly mortal, 1796
Eenewed ay for Celydonas
:

þe nevew
slow of þe kyng Thoas

And Madan mette, mjn auctor write)) pws,
A Grekysche kyng callid Cedyus, 1800
Whiche wit/t his swerd swiche a strok 1
)3at þoru3 þe
vmbrere out his eye he smet ;
And Sardellus, þat was of Troye eke,
same while slowe a worþi Greke, 1804
þQ

A lord of name, and of hye prowes,
Al-pei Gnydo his name
nat expres.
And pawne also cam Margaritouw,
On Troye side, ageyn Thelaniouw; 1808
And bope two, inly set a-fire
Of hije disdeyn and of hatful Ire,
As þei mette on horse-bak y-fere,
Kyng ThelamouTi, sothly, as I lere, 1812
ȝaf vn-to hym a wouȝde ful cruel.
But þo cam in f>e Troyan Phanuel,
And Prothenor smot dowi of his stede

And jms þe sonys, pleynly, as I rede, 1816
Of Priamws, no þing disamaied,
þe Grekis han on eue/y part outtraied,
And so knyȝtly al þe day hem born,
þat many Greke fatally* hap lorn 1820
His lif, in soth, of hate and enmyte.
And kyng Duglas is falle on Meneste,
Of Attenys duke and gouernour;
And wz't/i a spere, of Ire and old rancour, 1824
He ran at hym, & smet hym myd þe schelde

But for al þat, his sadil ȝit he hilde

And for be duk spere hadde noon,
He with a swerd to Duglas rood anoon, 1828
Ait.
And T < r-
poruj be vmbrere rot of nvae his nase,
þat he astonyd stood as in a mase,
Whan bat he sawe be conduit of his blood
So stremyn out; but, for al bat, he rood 1832
Out a-side, fully deuoide of fere,
In-to tyme bat he stauwched were.
But Deamor, his ovvne brober dere,
Whan he behild his mortal blody chere, 1836
Of hi3e disdeyn he rood to Meneste,
And hym vnhorseth but vp anow sterte he,
;
And or he myȝt fully vp arise,
A-nober brober in ful cruel wyse 1840
Is falle on hym, so bat of hem bre

Attonys wern vp-on Meneste,
Fully in pwpos he schal lese his lyf.
But he so knyȝtly bar hym in þat strife

Ageyn[e]s hem, bat wonder was to se ;
And vp-on hym most cruel of hem bre
Was on Thoras, eldest of echon,
Whiche him to haue slaw was besi euer in on
For al to-broke bei han his basenet.
But whan bat Teuter saw hym so* be-set
'
~
A Urekiscn
. , . ,

kyng, as made is mencioiw,

Hadde in his herte grete compassiouw, 1852
And bou3t[e], pleinly, of manhod him releve,
And, ȝif he myȝt, his fomen for to greve.
But al for nouȝt was his besy peyne :

For Hector bo fil on bobe tweyne,
J 1856
,T

Vp-on leuter and on Meneste,

And had hem slayn, nad[de] Aiax be,

Whiche vn-to Hector ffaste gan J
hym hiȝe,
A bousand kny3tes in his companye, 1860
To wȝt/i-stonde hym,* and Meneste to sane
From his hondis, 3 if he my3t Irim haue.
But Paris bo, and be kyng of Perse,

"With five þousand, as I can reherse, 1864
Of worþi knyȝtes, & many Troyan mo,
Be vn-to Hector alle attonys go,
In þrifty wyse ridyng on a rowe

For Paris made a trompet to be blowe,* 1868
At whiche per cam, knyjtly enbatailled,
Many Troyan, ful wel apparailled,
Whiche in þe feld of Hector wer co?meied ;
For of oon herte þei fully han obeied 1872
Yn-to þe biddynge of þis Troyan knyȝt,
Al fresche and newe to begynne a fijt
Vp-on Grekis, as ferforpe as þei can,
''Of whom was slayn many manly man. 1876
Arid ay þe slauȝtre pitously reueweth,
j)at many Greke sore in herte reweth
Her gret[e] los and distruccioiw,
Wrouj t vp-on hew by hem of Troye touw, 1880
And specially of Hector, as I finde,
Whiche on þat day, as Dares make]) mynde,
Wit/i his hond a þousand knyȝtes slowe,
þat neuer wern adawed of her swowe
For Greke dar noon in his weye dwelle

For with his swerd he koude* hem so compelle
To lese her grou??,de, of necessite,
And like as schepe a-fore þe wolf [to] fle. 1888

Of the Irouse langage that Ectore had to Meryon the
Kynge, and howe he sclewe hym,
And, as I rede, amyd of his victorie,
Hector mette vnder a tentorie
Amonge Grekis Meriou?ȝ þe kyng,
To whom he spake, wtt/t-oute more tariyng
"
at hand. þow traytowr, þe hour aproche)) faste,

For þow arte come, sothly, to þi laste,

1868] For with an horn þat Paris made blowe 0, For Parys maad
a Trompet to be blowe A, With an horn þat parys made a trompet
to blowe D 2, For a truwipet þat Parys made to blowe D 1.

])\fatal day hath his cours I-romie !

For trust[e] wel, or westring of fe sorcne 1896
I cast[e], platly,* to quite fe fi mede,

And wi(h my swerd [in haste] fi blood to schede

For f ou so bolde were on me to-day
To lettyn me of my riche praye 1900
At f e spoilynge of kyng Patroclus
jpat for cause f ou were presumptuous
Me to distourbe,* fou schalt anon be ded."
And douw he stirte, & smote of first his hed, 1904
And hyni to spoille also gan hym haste ;

But Meneste cam on J hym as faste, '
Whan he be-hilde trauerse at his bake,
And with* a spere, [in] whiche was no lake, 1908
Smot hym in with grete violence,
Wfc'tȝ-oute siȝt, or any aduertence
Of worf i Hector, or any takynge hede,
)3ewounde of whom sore gan to blede. 1912
But out he went, and made it faste bynde

And Meneste stale a-weye be-hynde,

Nat in purpos, sothly, }if he may,
To mete Hector of al þat ilke day. 1916
But whan jjt he was [y-]bonde sore,
His wouȝde stauwche, fat it bled no more,
More furious fan euere he was to-forn,
Eepeired is, with anger al to-torne 1920
(So ay fe Ire on his hert[e] fret),
Jpat he bar dourc al fat euere he met
Sleth & kylleth, he was so mercyles,
Alle fo fat put hem silf in pres, 1924
Or hardy wern with hym for to mete.
For in his boke lik as writ Darete,
For verray soth, and in fe stori seith
(ȝif it be so fat men may ȝeue feyth
And credence of possibilite,

As in Guydo clerly ȝe may se),
Aftir þat lie cauȝt his lattre woiwde,
Finally Grekis to confouwde
So as it is affermed in certeyn
A þousand knyjtes with his hond wer slayn,
"WYt7*-oute hem f o, þat I spak of rath

And newe alweye he ga?i his swerd to bafe 1936
In Grekis blod, fat sodeinly fei be
So ouer-layn foru} his cruelte,
þt Greke was noon, of hiȝe nor lowe estat,
J5at he ne was a-whaped and amaat,
Of his knyȝthod and manly excellence

For þer was IKW to make resistence,

Nor outterly, fat durst[e] take on honde
Of al fat day Hector to with-stonde. 1944
And as it is also made* mencioim,
JMlke day kyng Agamenouw,
As seith Guydo, cam nat in[-to] f e felde,
For causes gret his presence he wM-helde, 1948
On Grekis side þat al goth vp-so-dou?i

Hector on hem so pleyeth þe lyon,
þat to her tentes þei fled for socours.
And Ipei of Troye, proudly as victours, 1952
Sued aftir, by tracis of her blood ;
And þer þei wan tresour & gret good,
And spoiled hem, in ful gret distresse,
Of her armour and of her richesse, 1956
And felle on hem, or fat fei were ware,
And home to Troye al þe good þei bare.
For, finally, fat day wif meschaurcce
Grekis had be 1960
brouȝt vn-to outtraurcce,
Wtt/i-oute recure, in soth, for
euere-more,
On euery parte þei were be-leyn so sore
ftoru} fe manhod of Hector, & f e myȝt,
With helpe of many ofer* 1964
worfi knyȝt,
frat so felly ageyn Grekis wrouȝt :

For to swiche meschef, pleinly, þei hem brouȝt,

)3at nad[de] ben her owne pitous slouthe,
Of pride only, and of foly routhe, 1968
.)?ei had of hem, at her volunte,

þat day for euere hadde þe souereynte,
And recured, foru} her hiȝe renouw,
Lordschip of hem and domynaciouw, 1972
Which e schuld haue laste, & be cowtjnuel,

Victoriously and perpetuel
Haue endurid saue cruel Fate
;

Is redy ay \ith Fortune, to debate 1976
Ageyn Jnnges þat gynne in wilfulnes,
To make hem fyne ay in wrechidnes,
)3oru3 her envious disposiciouw
Of sodeyn chaurcge and reuoluciouw, 1980
And vnwar tournyng of hir false whele,

þat wil nat bide whan a Jmig is wele
Alias, freel, deuoide of sikernesse.

þe cause was dymmed wij? dirknesse, 1984
þat hath Troyens þoruȝ false oppiniou?*
I-blended so in her discresioura,
And specially fordirked so þe siȝt
Of wor]>i Hector, þe p?*udent manly kny3t, 1988
To sen a-forn what schuld after swe,

Be good avis þe meschef to eschewe
hem at þe bak be-hynde.
)5at fol\vid

Alias! þei wern wilfully made blynde, 1992
The same day, whan þei set[e]* softe
Be victorie on þe hille a-lofte,
}5at þei nat koude of necligance se

)3e aftir-fal of her felicite 1996
So put a-bak was her aduertence
For lak of resouw and of hiȝe prudence :

For þei her hap ban voided, & her grace,
þat presently were sette a-fore her face. 2000
For, in a man is nat co??zmendable,
ȝif Fortune be to hym fauourable

And blaiwdischinge, with a forhede clere,
To smyle on hym with a plesaiwt chere, 2004
hym oute,
Only of fauour for to help
Whan he in meschef is be-set aboute
}if he refuse his hap of wilfulnes,
Fortune avoidynge poruȝ vnkynd[e]nea 2008
Whan sche mynystrep to hym of hir grace

Anoper tyme he schal hir nat embrace,
Whan he hath nede to hir helpe at al,
To socour hym or he cacche a fal; 2012
But raper pan, for his ingratitude,
Frowardly, with mowes hym delude,
Whan he best wenep stond in sikernes.
Fortune is ay so ful of brotulnes, 2016

Remewable, and redy for to flitte
Hir welf ul how?-, þat who list nat amytte
With hir fauour for to ben allied,
Anoper tyme it schal be denyed, 2020
Whan he wer leuest finde hir fauourable

For in some hour, sothly, þis no fable,
Vn-to som man sche grauȝtep his desires,
J3at wil nat after* in a þousand
ȝeres, 2024
Parauenture, onys condiscende
Vn-to his wil, nor his lust hym sende,
As it hath falle þis day vnhappily
To worþi Hector, þat so wilfully 2028
Wrouȝt of hede Grekis for to spare,
Fatally whan þei were in þe snare.
For he of hem, like a
conqueroure,
With victorie, trivmphe, and honour 2032
Miȝt haue brouȝt, poruȝ his hiȝe renou?ȝ,*
fee palme of conquest in-to Troye toura,*
Whiche he þat day reffusid
folily.

Howe worthy Ector infortunately lefte the felde at þe requeste of his… {#howe-worthy-ector-infortunately-lefte-the-felde-at-þe-requeste-of-his}

Howe worthy Ector infortunately lefte the felde at þe requeste of his Cosyne, Thelamonus Aiax.

For, as he rood, þis Hector, cruelly 2036

Amonge Grekis slowe and bar al douft,
Casuely he mette Thelamou/i,
I mene Aiax, nyȝe of his allye,
Jȝat of hate and cruel hoot en vie
To Hector rood, like as he were wood,

Al-be to hym he* was [ful] nyȝe of blod ;
ȝit, for al þat, þis ȝong[e] lusty knyȝt
Dide his power & his fulle myȝt, 2044
Wȝt/j-oute feynyng, to haue born hym dou?i
(Whos fader hiȝt also Thelamouw,

þpat hym be-gat, þe stori telleth þus,
Of Exiouw, suster to Priam vs). 2048
And þis Aiax, flourynge in ȝonge age,
Fresche and delyue/*, and of gret corage,
Sette on Hector, of knyȝtly hiȝe prowes ;
And, as þei mette, bope in her wodnes, 2052
On her stedis, þis manly champiowzs,
Eueryche on oper lik tigers or lyons

Be-gan to falle, and proudly to assaille,
And furiously seuere plate and maille, 2056
First wit/z. speris, longe, large, & rou?ide,
And aftirwarde with swerdis kene groimde
And fiȝtyng þus, longe þei contune.
Til it be-fil of cas or [of] fortune, 2060
Tokne or signe, or sorn apparence,
Or by Naturis kyndly influence,
Whiche in-to hertis dope ful depe myne,
Namly of hem þat born ben of o lyne, 2064
Which cause was, parauwter, of þis tweyne,
Naturelly her rancour to restreyne,
And her Ire for to modefie
Only for þei so nyȝe were of allye, 2068

Vnwist of ouper, and per-of vnsure,
Til þei wer tauȝte, only of Nature

For naturelly blod wil ay of kynde
Draw vn-to blod, wher he may it fynde, 2072
Whiche made Hector kyndly to aduerte,
To be mevid and sterid in his herte,
Bothe of knyȝthod and of gentilnes,
Whan he of Aiax sawe þe worþines 2076
Spak vn-to hym ful benygnely,
"
cosyn, I seye þe trew[e]ly,
:

3 if þou list Grekis here forsake,
And come to Troye, I dare vndirtake, 2080
To þin allyes and to þi kynrede
þX>u schalt be pere, w/t/i-outeu any drede,
Ful wel receyved, in party & in al,
Of hem þat ben of þe blood royal 2084
Sothly discendid, and hyest of degre,
)2at it of riȝt schal suffise vn-to þe,
And kynd[e]ly be to þe plesauwce
For to repeire to þin allyaiwce 2088
To gentil herte sith no þing is so good

As be confederid -with his owne blood

For I conceyue be þe worþines,
Whiche Nature doth in þe expresse, 2092
Of Troyan blood þat þou arte descendid,
Whiche of Grekis long hath be offendid

Wherfore, I rede to leue hem outterly."
And he answered ageyn ful hu?ble]y, 2096
feat sithen he of berthe* was a Greke,
And was of ȝoupe amo?ige he??i fostered eke
From þe tyme of his natiuite,
And taken had þe ordre and degre 2100
Of knyȝthood eke amongis hem a-forn,
And, ouer þis, bourade was and sworn
To be trewe to her naciourc,
Makyng of blood noon excepciourc, 2104

He swore he wold conserven his beheste ;

And to Hector he made Jris requeste :
þpat ȝif þat he of manful gentilnes,
Wolde of knyȝthood and of worþines 2108
She we vn-to hym so gret affecciouw,
To make hem þat wer of Troye toun
Only witȝ-drawe Grekis to pursewe,
And fro her tentis make hem to remewe, 2112
And resorte ageyn vn-to þe tou?z,
Of knyȝtly routhe and compassions,
Wz't/t-oute assailyng, or any more affray
Made on Grekis for þat ilke day, 2116
Sith vn-to hem ouȝt I-nowȝ suffice
þat of þe felde, in so
knyȝtly wyse,
þei were of manhood fully possessours,
And of her fomen finally victours, 2120
Lyk as to-forn fully is diffinyd.
To whos requeste Hector is enclyned

(Alias þe while !) of hasty wilfulnes,
And made amxw, wȝ't/i-oute avysenes, 2124
Mid þe felde a trompet for to blowe,
Wher-by Troyens fully myȝte knowe
þat be his wil þei schulde hem wttfc-draw

Aftir þe custom, pl[e]ynly, and þe lawe, 2128
And þe vsaurace, bo]?e nyȝ and ferre,
Amongis hem þat ben expert in werre
Whan þei were moste fervent for to fi}t,
Yp-on Grekis for to preue her myȝt, 2132
And had hem chacid lowe to jȝe stronde,
þat þei wer weyke of power to wet/i-stonde :

For þei of Troye, alle of o desire,
Gan settyn on vrith schot of wyld[e] fire 2136
To breraie her schippis, & of hiȝe meschau?zce

Finally to putte hem at outtrawzce.

And so þei had, Jns þe verray trouthe,
Nadde Hector had vppon hem routh, 2140
Makynge Troyens repeire to þe touw,
Yngraciously, to her confusiourc,

As þe story schal aftir specefie.
For þo he putto, alias, in iuparte 2144
Life and deth, whiche myst haue be sure,

]5e whiche ageyn þei neue?-e schal recure.
]5ei han mater to compleyne
sore

For fro bat day, fare-wel for euere-inore 2148
n i i
Victone & laude fro hem of be toun,

To hem denyed by disposiciouw
Of mortal fate, whiche was contrarie
In þis mater me liste no lenger tarie 2152
For "bei of Trove ben entrid her cy te,
And schet her gatis for more surete

For of þat day, [lyk] as made is mynde,
]5is was þe ende, in Guydo as I fynde 2156
wende haue do, powaimter, for þe beste.
þei

And whan þe so?zne was I-go to reste,
)3eitoke her esc al þat like nyȝt,
Til on þe morwe Tytan, clere
Schadde his bemys on her Emysperye,
Makynge þe day for to schewe myrie,
At whiche tyme Troyens anoon riȝt
þei þat wer hool and lusty for to fiȝt 2164
Gan armen hem in pwrpos ful"ȝ bat day
Her foon to mete, platly, ȝif þei may

For þat was hool her wil & pleyn entent.
And eke þei hadden in co?mau7zdement 2168
To-forn of Hector redy hem to make,
Oute of her slepe amorwe whan
þei wake,
Of whiche þing þei were nat necligent

But to Pr y am V Q Griekis haue I-sent 2172

Uce f ȝ er messag eris þe
To take trewe only for þQ tyme
,

Of eiȝtfe] wekes þe whiche Priamtw,
;

Be assent of Hector, þe story telleth 2176

Hatli graiwted hem, and by auctorite

Of þe wysest þat wern in fat cite.
In whiche tyme, while þei leiser haue,
fee Grekis gan [for] to burye and graue 2180
]5e bodyes þat a-forn were slawe,

Lyke þe rytes in her paynym lawe,
With al her myȝt and her besy cure ;

For some brent, and by sepulture 2184
Enclosed wern, liche her estat in al :

And Jms þei hilde þe feste funeral
Fro day to day duryng ay þe pes,

In whiche space, I fynde, how Achilles 2188
Of Patroclus fe deth hath sore pleined,

As he fat was with teris al be-reined,

So inwardly he loued hym in his herte,
& þe cruel smerte
þat for fe anguysche 2192
He longe abood in lamentaciouw,
And dide make, by grete affecciou?*,
A large touwbe for a remembrau?ȝce,

Mid fe feld, as þo was þe vsaiwce 2196
Among Grekis, with grete reuerence,
Liche þe honour and fe excellence
Of royal buriyng so þis Patroclus
:

I-graue was, and Protheselaus, 2200
In her tou?ftbes corve of marbil gray ;
And nyȝe to-gidre in a plein þei lay,
þe werke aboute hem richely I-wrouȝt ;

And to þe erthe fei wer to-gider brouȝt 2204
Solempnely, liche þe obseruaiuȝces

Of her rytis, with fe circu??istauwces
Of Grekis vsid, sothly, in fo dawes,
Fro poynt to point as longe]? to her lawes, 2208
Of swiche as wern of fe estat royal :

So holden was þe feste funeral
Of fis two, whil fe trewe doth laste.
And fei of Troy besied hem ful faste, 2212
With al her myȝt and her besy cure,

Her grene hurtis & wouwdes for to cure,
Be avis of hem þat worn in surgerie
Ful \vel expert to schape remedie, 2216
Her swolfle] soris to soften of her peyne,
þpat in þe space of þis mon]>is
tweyne
þeiwer restored to helpe in euery þing.
In whiche tyme, Priamws þe kyng 2220
Swiche sorwe made for Cassibellan
In his hert, þat no wiȝt ne can
Hym recouftforte of his hevynesse

For day by day, of inward tendirnesse, 2224
Ful pitously he gan to sobbe & wepe ;
And þe body he made for to kepe
Aboue þe erthe for a certeyn space,
Til he had chosen oute a place 2228
To his buriynge and his sepulture.
And, as Guydo vs fully doth assure,
In Venus temple, ryche as any shryne,
He made his werkmen a tou??ȝbe for to myne, 2232
In marbil gray and metal rycliely,
In whiche he putte ful solempnely
þpe dede cors of þis Cassibellan,
Beynge present ful many manly man,
In þe phane of Cytherea.

Howe Cassandra the prophitesse lamawtably tolde þe Troyans pere… {#howe-cassandra-the-prophitesse-lamawtably-tolde-þe-troyans-pere}

Howe Cassandra the prophitesse lamawtably tolde þe Troyans pere deststruxiow, 1 emprisonde her. In whiche þing, whan þat Cassandra Wt't/ȝ-Inne hir silfe considered And saw vp offrid his helm & his sheld, His swerd also, and vn-to Mars his stede, Of inward wo sche felt hir herte blede, Herynge þe noise and þe pitous crye, weping & sorwynge outterly þe tendre Of hem of Troye, and lamentacioun*

Whiche for her frendis, poruȝ-oute al þe tourc,
]5ei gan to make, þat wer slawe a-fore

With sodeyn rage her herte was* to-tore, 2248
So inwardly, sche niyȝt hir nat restreyne

Furiously to cryen and compleine,
And seide, " alias !
"
ful ofte, & " wellawey "

" woful wrecchis þat ȝe be þis day, 2252
Vnhappy eke, and graceles also,
Infortunat and inly wo-be-go !

How may ȝe sufFre þe grete harniys kene
Whiche 36 ar likly her-after to sustene 2256
Durynge þe sege, in þis toura be-loke,
Seynge ȝour foon, redy to be wroke,
Aboute ȝou, beset on euery side,
To be vengid on ȝoure grete pride 1 2260
I wot riȝt wel ȝe may he??i nat eschewe,
Jpat þei ne schal vn-to þe deth pw?sewe
þou euerychon, be-segid in þis place,
Wz't/i-oute mercy, pite, or any grace
Alias ! alias ! whi nil ȝe besy be,
þe woful wrechis, schet in þis cite,
WM þe Grelds for to aeken pes,

Or þe swerd of vengance merciles 2268
On hiȝe and lowe do execucioim 1
And or þis noble, worþi, royal touȝ
Euersid be, and y-brouȝt to nouȝt?
Why list ȝe nat considere?i in ȝom pouȝt 2272
How þe modres, with her childre smale,
In stretis schal, with face ded and pale,

Lyn mordred here poruȝ Grekis cruelte,
And ȝonge maydenes in captiuite 2276
Be-wepen schal, in niyserie and in wo,
Her seruytude *; and þis toun also,
So famous ryche, alias, it is pite

With Grekis fire schal distroied be 2280

In schort tyme, sothly þis no were.
is bouȝt to dere,
Eleyne of vs, alias !

Sith for hir sake we schul euerychon,
Pore & riche, I excepte noon, 2284
An ende make, woful and pitous

þe Ire of hem schal be so furious

Vp-on vs alle, per is noon oper mene
"
Sauf only deth vs to go betwene
þis was þe noise
and þe pitous cry
Of Cassandra, fat so dredfully
Sche gan to make aboute in Query strete
fcoruj þe touw, whom-euer sche myȝt mete, 2292
Lyk as sche had ben oute of hir mynde,
Til Priamus fast[e] made hir bynde,
And schettyn vp it was
þe more rouȝth
Sche was nat herde, al-be sche seide trouȝftjh
For nouper wisdam nor discreciouȝ,
Cou?iseil nor wit, prudence nor resoim,
Trouth nor rede \ith-outen. any lye,
Nor þe spirite of trewe proficye, 2300
Availeth nat, nor al swiche sapience,
In place wher per is noon audience.
For, be a man inly neiwe so wys
In couwseillynge, or in hyȝe devys 2304
In werkynge, ouper in elloquence,
Eche þing to sen in his aduertence
Or it be falle, a-forn in his resouȝ,
Amyd þe eye of his discrecciou??,, 2308
ȝet for al þis (it is þe more dool),
Wit/i-oute fauour, he holde is but a fool

For vnfavored, wysdam vailep* nou3t,
Nouper trouth, how dere þat it be bouȝt, 2312
Liche as Cassandra, for al hir wyse rede,
Dispised was, & taken of noon hede
Of hem of Troye, to her confusiouw,

But cruelly y-prowen in prisouw, 2316
Where a whyle I wele leue hir dwelle,
And of Grekis furth I wil ȝou telle.

Pallamydes gruchede agayns them that choyes Kynge
1
Agamenon to haue domynacyoft of þe Grekis.
And, first of al, how Pallamydes
Gan to gruche ageyn[e]s hem þat dies 2320
He beynge absent kyng Agamenoim
To haue lordschip or dominaciouw
On hem alle namly, sith fat he
;

Was nat worþi to suche dygnyte, 2324
For to gouerne so gret a myȝty host,
)3oru3-out þe world come from euery cost,
Of kynges, princes, so worjri. of renouw :

For he fer-of had indignaciouw, 2328
And seide him silf was of more pouste
Amonge Grekis, and gretter of degre
Concludynge þat, be no maner weye,
To his power he nolde nat obeye 2332
In pes nor werre, as be subiecciouw,
Sith he ne was at his elecciou?ȝ

Flatly affermynge how þer wer but þre,
Whan he was chose, kynges of degre, 2336
Where-as pritty wer fat tyme absent ;
For whiche he swore, it was nat his ente?zt,
Nor acordynge with his oppiniou/?,
In any wyse þat Agamenoura 2340
Of Grekis schulde haue swiche gouemau?zce.
Lo, what meschef lyth in variauwce
Amonge lordis, whan þei nat accorde
For to drawe fully by o corde : 2344
Envie is cause of swiche diuisiouȝ,

And couetyse of dominaciouft,
þat euery che wolde surmouwte his felaw.

J3is cursid vise ofte hath w/t/>-drawe 2348
Hap & grace, in many regiou?ȝ

For whan discord & false discenciorw
Allied ben in hertis for to strive
Among lordis, þt kyngda??i may nat pryve 2352
Til þei reformed ben ageyn to pes

Amonge hem silf pleinly þis no les.
Of whiche þing Grekis token hede,
And pouȝtfe] nat ferper to precede 2356
In þe matere þat Pallamydes
I-nievid had amonge[s] alle þe pres,
And poruȝ her wit þei set al in quiete,
And maden hym his rancour for to lete, 2360
And to accorde fully in his herte.
But now must I my style agein diuerte
Vn-to þe werre, and telle þe man ere
After þe trewe how þei mette I-fere. 2364

Howe Agamenon comyttede his wardys to Dyomede and othere. And Ectore… {#howe-agamenon-comyttede-his-wardys-to-dyomede-and-othere-and-ectore}

Howe Agamenon comyttede his wardys to Dyomede and othere. And Ectore prudently, of þe todire syde, was not rekelysse, them to reco?ztyre. 1 as þis stori make]? menciouw, Like worþi kyng, grete Aganlenou?ȝ þQ

Whan þe trewes wer passid & I-goon,
In al hast he gan ordeyne anon 2368
With al his myjt & waker dilligence,
Devoide of sloupe & of necligence,
To sette his wardis f ul a-visely

And to Achille he ful prudently 2372
J) e first[e] ward cowmittej) for to lede,

l8 to kyng
5
Menelay,
And þe fourpe, on þe same day, 2376
Hadde Meneste, þe duk of Athene,
At his ledyng, in stele
armyd clene.

And oper wardes, folwyng by & by, .

Agamenourc þe kyng ful manfully* 2380
Ordeyned* [hath] how þei schal precede,.
As he þat was in al his werke & dede
Ful circumspect, bo]?e in werre and pes.

And worbi Hector was nat rekfelles
L J
To sette his wardis of hem of þe tou?ȝ
In knyȝtly wyse, of hiȝe discrecioim ;
And to Troylus so ȝong, so fresche, .& lyȝt

fie firste warde, with many lusty knyȝt,
He hath assigned, and oper wardes sette

So prudently, þei my3t[e] be no bette.
And for]?e in haste, hym list no lenger bide,

With many worfi ridyng by his side, 2392
Oute at* þe ȝatis he went of þe toun
Towarde Grekis, þis troyan champiouw.
And, firste, whan he sawe Y"be ferse Achille.
'
He ne koude no lenger kepe hym stille,
But smot his hors felly in ,J?e syde,

And toward hym cruelly gan ryde ;

þe whiche fing, wa't/i a dispitous eye, ;

Whan Achilles, sothly, gan aspye, 2400
Ageyn Hector, of manful hardynes,
With hert envious gan his stede dresse :

And in þe felde to-gydere as þei mete,.
With rou?*de speris, þe pointis kene whette 2404
At þe encourctrynge, of knyȝtly excellence,
'

Eueryche o]>er, poruȝ gret violence, .

Be verray force bar o]>er vn-to grou??de,
As ful ofte it happep, and is fouwde 2408
Whan stronge do]? mete wz't/i his parigal

þer is no more,* but euery[ch] had a fal.
But Hector first, of strengpe most assurid,

His stede ageyn ha)> anoon recurid, 2412

And lefte Achilles þo of gentilnes ;

And in gret hast, for]?e he gan* him dres

Amonge Grekis, & wher-so þat he rood,
He killed & slouȝ al þat hym withstood
For with his swerd he made her wouradis wide,
And þoru} þe brest, & some poruȝ þe side
He percid ha]>, and waged hem for eue?*e,
And brak scheltrons, & made hem to disseuere; 2420
For in his hert he þoii3t it dide hym good
To ba]?e his swerd in þe Grekis blood.
And þis contuneth til þat Achilles
Cauȝt his stede ageyn amonge þe pres, 2424
And entrid in amongis hem of Troye

And with his swerd he made large woye,
Slethe and bar doiw whom þat euere he inette

For per was noon hardy hym to lette, 2428
Til it be-fil, in his malencolye,
Hector he mette ridynge, sodeinly ;
And whan þei saw eche oper come a-fer,
With-oute a-bood eueryche cauȝt a spere,
And ran to-gider, per was 110 more arest.
But Hector first smet him in þe brest,
pleinly (þis* no tale),
þat his spere,
Al to-schyuered in-to pecis smale, 2436
Achilles of necessite
jpat
To grouwde goth, it wold nou o]?er be,
And vn-horsed at þe er]?e lay.
And Hector fan, in al þe hast he may, 2440
Enforced hym for to cache his stede,
But many [a] Greke, in þis grete nede,
Cam to reskus of þis Achilles,
And, for his loue, putte hem silfe in pres, 2444
feorou} help of whom his hors he dop ateyne,
Enhastynge hy?ȝ with al his myȝt and peyne
To be avenged of his grete Iniurie.
And sodeinly in his wode furie, 2448
With a swerd f ul
scharp[e] groiwde & whet
He smot Hector vp-on þe basenet,

bat from his sadel he made him to remewe,

)5e whiche stroke he myȝt[e] nat eschewe. 2452

But, for al þat, þis noble worþi knyȝt,
Of verray force, poruȝ his grete inyȝt,
Manure his foon his sadel hap1 recurid,
As he þat was in manhood most assurid
And sodeinly in hert he wex so* wrope
Jpat in a rage to Achilles he gope,
And with his swerd so smet hym on l>e hede

þe basenet, þat þe blood al rede 2460
Be his face gan to renne dou/a,

Like a ryuer, his chekis envirouw :

But he hym silfe diffendip as a kny3t.
And þo of newe be-gan þe cruel fiȝt 2464
Atwen hem two, to sen þat it was wonder;
For euery stroke, grete as dent of ponder,
Range in þe eyre, for no?ȝ wold oper spare

And þis þe* soth : in her fyt þei fare 2468

Like wode tigres, or bores in her rage,

Or sterne bolis, whan þei ben sauage,
þat it sempte, in verray sothfastnes,

ȝif pes two, so ful of worþines, 2472
Contune longe in fiȝtynge, & endure,
þe ton or bope, of cruel auenture,
Most haue be dede, of necessite :

J5e whiche þing had[de] be pite, 2476
Be-cause þei were worþi knyȝtes bope.
But while þat þei in fijtyng, fel & wrope,
Most besy
J wern, þe Grekis þo begynne
With her wardes for to entre Inne ; 2480

And þei of Troy e, þe story makep mynde,

On her party lefte nouȝt be-hynde,
But in þe feld enhaste* hem euerychon
In knyȝtly wyse to mete with her foon, 2484
.J)at with þe prese, here & also Bonder,
f

j)e knyjtes two seuered
wern assonder.
And þo cam in sterne Dyomede
With þe knyjtes whiche he dide lede, 2488
Ful lustile, in þe silfe place,
With whom ha]) mette proudly in þe face
Worþi Troylus on his hors[e]-bake,
þat neuer had jet
in manhod lak
And as þei coiwtre, þe story doth vs lere,
Eueryche vnhorsid knyjtly hath* his fere

But first his hors recureth Dyomede,
And in al haste faste gan hym spede 2496
Tasaille Troylus, stondynge vpon fote ;
And whan he saw þer was i\on oper bote,
As knyjtly jet as euere dide man,
Ageyn[e]s hym diffende hym þo be-gan. 2500
But Dyomede, hoot as any fire,
Wonder envious, & hatful of desyre,
With his swerde, of rancour for þe nonis,
þQ riche cercle, ful of ynde* stonys, 2504
)3at was þat tyme on Troylus basenet,
Ful cruelly hath racid of and smet ;
But Troilus nolde, for al þat, Inm wit/i-drawe

For hym diffendynge, he hath þe stede slawe 2508
On whiche sat þat tyme Dyomede,
maugre hym he muste a-lijtfe] nede.
þat

And whan þei wern on fote bo))e tweine,
þei dide her myȝt & her cruel peyne 2512
Eueryche of hem o)>er to assaille
With swerdis scharp ;
so þat plate
þei gan to seuere and assonder race,
As wode lyouws, with mortal chere & face, 2516
Til þe Grekis stronge, stoute, & felle,
(As myn auctor in his boke can telle)
Han poruj her myjt maked Dyomede
Sodeinly to recure a stede ; 2520
And Troyan knyjtes, on þe toper side,
Han Troilus broujt a stede for to ride.

And whan þel wern horsid bo)>e two,

With-oute more, to-gidre ageyn þei go 2524

Wikji stronge foynes, and I-fere ronne
Eche at o)>er, as felly as þei konne,
Til at þe laste, cruel Byomede

(Liche as 36 may in myn auctor rede), 2528
Wer it be cas, happe, or auenture,
In whiche no man i ully may assure,*

Or by Fortune, with hir false visage,
Hadde þat tyme of Troilus avauratage : 2532
For he on hym was falle at meschef.
J5ewhiche þing to him was no repref,
hym toke, amorcȝe so gret a rout,
bou2 he J
On euery halfe with Grekis set a-boute; 2536
J3ith dotous euer is þe fyn of fyȝt
Now vp, now douft, now dirke, & after briȝt*

For no wyȝt may ben ay * victorious
In pes nor werre, nor ylyche eurotis. 2540
'

Late euery man, sith happe is -set in doute,
Taken his torne as it cometh a-boute ;
}3ou3 Troilus now was take of Dyomede,

Anofer tyme he schal him quyte his mede : 2544
For as þe story tellej? in þis place,
þisDyomede but a litel space
Troilus lad forpe as prisonere,

jpat to reskus, in stele armyd clere, 2548
Many Troyan cam prikynge in fis nede,
)3at maugre al fe my3t of Dyomede

Jpei Troilus han from his hondis take ;
And þo be-gan þe slauȝte?' for his sake 2552
On euery halfe, þat wonder is to telle,
Of fe Troyans and þe Grekis felle.
ban in-to "be felde is entrid* Menelay,
Whiche on Troyens al fat like day' 2556

Ful besy was avengid for to be,

To hem he had so cruel enmyte

And whaii Paris saw hi??i in þe felde,
Towardis hym þe riȝt[e] weye he helde, 2560
And of purpos þei her wardis sette
Eche on oper, til þei to-gidre mette

And þo [þe] skarmusche & þe slauȝter gan,
On ouper part, of many manly man. 2564
And al þis while Hector nolde cese
Amongis Grekis cruelly to prese,
And new & new, of hym as I rede,
Iliche fresche þe blood of hew to schede
For of his svverde þe traces wern [y-]sene,
þpat þe Grekis myȝtfe] nat sustene
To resiste nor stonde a-forn his face

But where he rood ay .pei ȝaf hi? place, 2572
Til þat a knyȝt, whiche Boetes hiȝt,
ȝonge of age, whan he hadde a sijt
How Hector slou} þe Grekis mortally,
On euery side hauynge no mercy, 2576
He presed in to encrese his name,
Perpetuelly to purchase hym a fame,
And furiously, in herte nat a-ferde,
He cast hym, platly, to mete him in þe berd. 2580
þB whiche þing whan Hector gan aduerte,
So hi3e rancour enbrasid hath his hert,
Jpat, wz't/i his swerde, of indignaciouw
He rofe hym euene to þe nouele douw 2584
Fro þe crowne wip so gret a peyne,
jpat in þe feld he parted lay in* tweyne

And Hector þo assigned hap his stede
To a squyer, & bad he schuld it lede 2588
To Troye toun, wa't/i-oute more a-bood.
And al þis* while furiously he rood
Amonge Grekis, and euer mercyles
He slowe al þo þat putte hem* silf in pres, 2592
And schad her blood, of hert[e] dispitous.
þing whan kyng Arcliilagzw,
)5e whiche

Rydynge be-side, sawe & gan espie,

How Boetes, his cosyn and allye, 2596
So cruelly was of Hector slawe,

Towardis hym m hast he gan him drawe
Vp-on his deth avengid for to he,
And rood at hym with grete cruelte, 2600
Fully in purpos Hector for to quyte.*
And sodeynly, as he gan at hym smyte,*

Hector vnwarly hit hym on þe hed
So my3tely, þat he fil dourc ded, 2604
Partid on two hy cruel auenture,

Nat-wȝt/ȝ-stondynge his myȝti strowge arnm?e
Ageyn his stroke it was of no difEence :

For it was 30110 with swiche violence, 2608
}3at it halp hym in no maner Jnnge.
And fan anoon, Prothenor þe kyrig

Of hatful Ire and foule hardynes,
Of surquidie and of hastynes, 2612
Of malencolye and indignaciouw
Kauȝt in his hert a presumpcioura
Tassaillen Hector, of inward foly pride,

And goth to hym, a-trauers on þe side, . 2616
Furiously, with a dispitous herte,
þat hiscomynge he my3t nat aduerte
Only for he cam at his bak he-hynde,

Al vnwarly, in Guydo as I fynde 2620
And Hector smot horn his hors to grouwle,
In whom þer was so moche marchod fourade,
þat he anon, with a kny3tly herte,

WM-oute a-hood in-to his sadel sterte, 2624
And ri3t fersely Prothenor pwrsueth,
)5at finally his hond he nat eschewe]) :

For with his swerd he marked him so wel
}X>ru3 basenet, by his breste of stele,
feat in-to tweyn, with-outen any faile,

He rofe him doim in-to Ins* paurcce of maile

And he fil doun, in f ul pitous wyse,
Of whiche stroke þe Grekis sore a-grise. 2632
And specialy þe hardy ferse Achille,
Whan he behelde likeclfe] ful ille
For Prothenor was his nyȝe cosyn,
And discendid of þe same lyne 2636
For deth of whom he hath swiche heuynes,
So inward pouȝt, and so grete distres,
In al þis worlde he nyste what to do
For hym he hadde so moche peyne & wo. 2640
And for þe deth of Archilagus
To ben avengid he was ful desirous,
And in his herte many weye he caste,
And in þe wardis gan to seke faste, 2644
With many Greke, on Hector to haue falle,
Conspired fully, in soth, amonge hem alle,
Of oon entent Hector to assaille ;
But al for nouȝt, it wolde * nat availle 2648
He was þat day so cruel in his rage,
myȝt of hym haue now avauwtage.
])&[
And Troy an knyȝtes by fauowr of fortune
Vp-on Grekis so myȝtely centime, 2652
þoruȝ conueiywge of Hector, & his myȝt,
þat Jei anon han hem putte to fliȝt,
And to her tentis, maugre who Ipat strive,
In her pwrsut for-wouwdid þei hem dryve, 2656
þat here & fere þei leien in a swouj

ȝVnd many Greke mercyles þei slouȝ

þe longe day, til it drowe to nyȝt.
And sothly, panne, for verray lak of liȝt 2660
Troyan kny3tes, ful worþi of renouw,
ftis

Abouten Hector repeire to þe toun,
And entren in with honowr and with glorie,
ftat day of Grekis havynge þe victorie : 2664
And Jms I leue hem in her towi wzt/i-Inne,
And forpe of Grekis telle I wil be-gynne.

Howe Kynge Agamenon, with alle the princysse of Grece, compassyd and… {#howe-kynge-agamenon-with-alle-the-princysse-of-grece-compassyd-and}

Howe Kynge Agamenon, with alle the princysse of Grece, compassyd and contryvede the dethe and destruction of worthy Eetor, the which Achilles 1 vnmanly toke on honde.

Esperus, þe faire briȝtfe] sterre,
WhanAgeyn[e]s eve, caste his stremys ferre, 2668
And in þe weste rarest gan appere,
Whan þe twylyȝt, wij? a pale chere,

In maner morneth þe absence of þe sorcne,
And ny3t aprochej? with his copis donne 2672
)5e same tyme, whara Titan toke Ms leue,

Jpat clerkis calle Crepusculura at eve,
Whiche is nafc ellis but þe mene liȝt
Of Phebws absence, and Je dirk[e] nyȝt, 2676
And twyliȝt hatte for it is a mene :

Of day and nyȝt, departinge hem betwene, [
Fully nouper, but of bo}>e meynt,
Or* þe heuene be clustryd and depeynt 2680
With briȝt[e] sterris in Je Euenynge

At whiche tyme Agamenouȝ "be kyng
_, , .
Jb or his lordis sodemly hath sent
.
To come echon anon* in-to his tent. 2684

And whan þei wern assemblid alle y-fere,
Triste & hevy, with a sorftil chere,
gan þQ slauȝter of Hector to compleine,
þe[i]

Affermynge playnly þei myȝt neuer ateyne 2688
Vn-to victorie while he were a-lyue *

Wherefore þel gan to conspire blive
u. j xi. -t
þe detn 01 nym, in many sondry woye,

Echon concludynge, while he wer in Troy 2692
It was nat likly Grekis for to
wynne ;
For he alone of hem fat were w*tA-Inne
Was chef diffence and protections,
And souereynly vp-holder of þe touw, 2696
Her myȝty castel and her strong[e] wal,

And vn-to Grekis dedly fo mortal

For þei ne myȝt his grete force endure,
NOT neuer a-riȝt ageyu her foos be sure, 2700
He stondyng hool (þei seide), i?ȝ no degre,
Nor whil he floureth in felicite.
Wherfor, echon, of oon entenciou7ȝ,
)3ei condiscende to þis conclusions
Jpat be som sleiȝt of a-wait lying,
Whan he were most besy in fiȝtynge,

Amongis hem in meschef or distresse,
Jpat Achilles do his besynes, 2708
With al his myȝt vnwarly him to assaille,
]3at hyin to slen for no þing þat he faille.
And Grekis alle gan her p?-ayer make
To Achilles for to vndirtake 2712
Of þis emprise fynally þe swt,
}3oru3 his manhod þat it be execut
J2e hasty deth of her mortal foo.
And Achilles, wȝ't/j-oute wordis moo, 2716
Her requeste assenteth to parforme,
And to her lust gan holly hym conforme.
Fro * þat tyme late hym be war, I rede,
To be to hasty þis lourne for to spede, 2720
Vp-on Hector his power for to kythe,
Fortune List Fortune a-wronge hir face wripe,
To loke on hym with a froward chere,
Hym to bringe vn-to þe hondis nere, 2724
J3oruȝ sort or hap, of Hector, folily
To put his lif* of deth in iuparty,
List vn-to hym it happe euene
lyche
To falle hym silfe in þe same dyche 2728
J3at he for Hector compassid hap

For it is wonder ȝif þat he
eskape,
Sith Hector hadde, Avȝ-outeȝ
any d rede,
As brewnyng Ire and as grete hatrede 2732
To Achilles his deth for to purvey,

2701-2746 are omitted in D 2. 2701

}if he hym fourcde or in place sey
Convenient for execucioiw
I trow per schuld hym gayn[e] no rauwsoim, 2736
NOT oper mede his herte to quyete,
But only deth, whan so þat þei mete :

þe ende & fyn of þis mater,
þis

As in þis boke after 30 schal here. 2740
And þus Grekis maked han* an ende
Of her couwseil, and anoon þei wende,
Eueryche of hem, horn to her loggynge,
And toke her reste til þe morw[e]nynge. 2744

Howe Ector, inly desyrous to have ado with the Grekis, entyrde the… {#howe-ector-inly-desyrous-to-have-ado-with-the-grekis-entyrde-the}

Howe Ector, inly desyrous to have ado with the Grekis, entyrde the felde him selff, with C and fyffty thousande of þe best chosyn of the Cite of Troye ; and the Grekys of pa same wies. 1

Aurora, with siluer dropes schene,
WhanHir teris shadde vp-on þe freshe grene,

Compleynynge ay in wepinge & in sorwe
Hir childis deth, euery somer morwe 2748

þpis to seyne, whan þe dew so sole
Enbawmed hath þe flour & eke þe rote
With lusty lycour, in April and in May,
Whan þe larke, messa?iger of day, 2752
Of custom ay Aurora doth salue
With sondry notis, hir sorwe to t?-ansmve
Or Phebus ryse to loye and* gladnes,
þoru3 armonye to leue hir heuynes, 2756
Takyng hir leue, \vith seint[e] lohn to borwe

þe same tyrne, Grekis by þe morwe,
With lusty herte, erly dide a-ryse

And armed hem in al her best[e] wyse
For þei hem caste þat day for to goon
In-to þe felde to metyn vrith her foon.
And Hector hap, þe same morwe also,

I-caste hym fully with Grekis haue* a-do, 2764
And issed is knyȝtly* oute of Troye,
In herte he hath so gret desire & loye
J5e same day with Grekis for to 113 1,
And wet// hym ladde many lusty knyȝt 2768
Of swiche as wem of fe cite born

And forf e lie rood, hym silfe al to-fom,
And Eneas with many a worfi
Folwede after, wonder fastfe] by, 2772
And Paris f awne, and iiexte hym Dephebws,
And sith Troylus, fat was so cor[a]ious,
With 'alle f e wardis made of Troye touw,

In whiche, as Dares makef menciouw 2776
Wat/i-Inne his boke, f er wer 011 Troye syde
Of fyȝtyng men f t wente and dide ride
An hundrid f ousand, armyd for to go
In-to fe felde, and fifty fousand mo 2780
Whiche han hem cast fat day or at Eue
Of oon entent Grekis for to greue

And so fei mette, stronge on oufer side,
And gan assemble and to-gedir ride 2784
Eul cruelly, and with gret hatrede.
And with hem þo fat Paris dide lede,
He entrid in ful* myȝti stronge archeris
Of Perce londe, & many arblasteris, 2788
}3at \vith her arwes, filed scharp
And with quarelles, square whet & grouwde,
many Ful many Greke han reued of his lyf.
And [a-]myddes of þis mortal strif 2792
Agamenouw in-to fe felde is come,
Towardis whom Hector haf I-nome
þQ riȝtfe] weye, & frewe lli??ȝ :of his stede
Amongis his knyjtes fat he dide lede 2796
He spared nou3t, for al fe grete pres.

And yer-with-al, anoon cam Achilles,

feat in await of Hector hadde leyn ;

And sodeinly, with al his myȝt & peyne, 2800
Hector he smote on þe hed [so] sore,
feat with þe stroke: (myn auctor seip no more)
His basenet was bowed and y-crasid,
Of whiche strok, Hector nat amasid, 2804
On Achilles schuld anoon y-falle,
Nadde Eneas, with his knyjtes alle,
And worþi Troy his come & go by-twene

fee whiche tweyne with her swerdis kene
Gan Achilles felly for to assaille,
To hewe his platis & to perce his maille

And Ipo be-gan þe slauȝter on euery* side

Of men of fote & of hem þat ride 2812
Liche a condut her wourades go/me blede.
And in while cruel *
þis Diomede,

Were it be hap, auenture, or caas,
So as he rood hath met with Eneas; ':!
And ri}t anoon, as he hath him fouȝde,
He smet at hym, and ȝaf him suche a wouȝde,
feat likly was he schulde nat recure,
But ȝif per-to be do þe bettre cure. 2820

Howe Dyomede reprevyde Eneas as they met in the Felde, for þe answere… {#howe-dyomede-reprevyde-eneas-as-they-met-in-the-felde-for-þe-answere}

Howe Dyomede reprevyde Eneas as they met in the Felde, for þe answere þat he had afor in Troye.

And þer-vppon, ful dispitously
feis Diomede in his nialencolye
Eepreued hath þis* Troyan knyȝt Enee,
And seide to hym " al
:
heil, for þou art he
feat whilom ȝaf to Prianms þi kyng
A fel conseil, hasty and bityng,
Me for to haue slaw be sodein violence

Whan I was last at Troye in his presence, 2828
feat trust me wel, & haue it wel in mynde,

Arnyd þis* feld if I þe efte fynde,
þou schalt þi conseil mortally repente,
ȝif Fortune her-after wil assent 2832
fat
To bringe þe a-riȝt vn-to myn honde
At good leyser, here in þin owne londe

I am ful sette þi labowr for to quyte

And, here my troupe, þis s \v<?rd schal kerue~& bite 2836
So kenely þi Troyan blood to schede,
ftat finally cleth shal
be þi mode,

}5e wliiche I bere atwene mjn hondis tweyne."
And with þat word, he my3t him nat restreyne, 2840
þpis Diomede, but
rood al sodeiuly
Vp-on Enee, and so furiously
He smote at hym, þis hardy cruel kny3t,
With swyche a peyne & so gret a my3t, 2844
þat horn his hors he made hym for to falle,
Maugre þe myȝt of his knyȝtes alle

þe whiche stroke he lyked[e] ful ille.
And in þis while, Hector hath Achille 2848
Assailled so, þat poruȝ his basenet
He perced hath, & with his swerde hym smet,
And so narowe brouȝt hym to þe point

Of hiȝe meschef, & in swyche disioynt 2852
Constreyned hym, þat of necessite
He had hym take, nadde only be
Sodeyn reskus of hym, chyualrous,*
)3at callid is þe sone of Tideus 2856
I mene þe felle ferse Diomede,
Whiche Achilles hap holpen in þis nede

For he poruȝ force of his armys tweyne
Smot Hector tho, with so gret a peyne, 2860
þat he hym ȝaf a wourcde ful greuous

But he no þing (myn auctour w?*itep þus)
Astonyd was, þis kny3t, þis manly man,
But with his swerde, in al þe hast he .can, 2864
Smot Diomede so furious * & wroth,

þat from his hors to þe er]?e he goth,
For al his pride and his surquedie.

J5e whiche anon, as Troylus dide espie, 2868
WVt/i-oute abood, doura of his stede aliȝt
With Diomede on fote for to fiȝt,
And eche of hem, in sothfastnes[se], þanne

Aquyt hym silf lik a manly man, 2872
þat nouper was, in moche nor in lite,

In no degre of manhod for to wite.
And while fei fauȝt, Hector & Achilles
To-gider mette ageyn a-monge þe pres,
And ran I-fere fersely in her rage
As vvode lyons whan þei be ramage
Riȝt so, in soth, þei ferde in her fiȝtyng.
And in þat tyme Menelay þe kyng 2880
Ful proudly schope hym Troyefts for to mete,
Ylixes eke, and also Polimete,
And aftir hym cam Neptalonius,
Pallamydes, and eke Scelenivs, 2884
Duke Meneste, Nestor, and Thoas,
Currunulus, and Philotheas,
And Theseus, as [it] is made mynde,
With his knyȝtes proudly cam be-hynde. 2888
And on þe party of hem of þe toim
Cam alle þG kynges,* witA-oute excepciouw,

)5at were assemblid in-to her diffence,

Ageyn [e]s Grekis to make resistence, 2892
Excepte þe knyȝtes whiche Hector ladde,
And þe wardis fat he makid hadde
þQ same day, as seith þe latyn boke,
In knyrjtly wyse fe feld whan þat he toke. 2896
And þo be-gan fe felle mortal nȝt,

In whiche þat day ful many worfi kny3t
In Fatis hondis, finally, are falle.
And of fortune, a-monge fe wardis alle, 2900

to þe er>e lie] he to þe ertheD 1. 2869. his] om. D 2.

Agamenoim, fe noble my3ty kyng,
Al sodeinly as he cam ridyng,
Pantisylaus in his weye mette,

Ageyn[e]s whom anoon his hors he sette ; 2904
And he to hym ful knyȝtly rood ageyn,
And as f ei mette þer is no more to seyn
On hors[e]-bak, whiles f ei were wrothe,
Of violence fei were vnhorsid bothe. 2908
And Menelay Parys mette of newe,
þe vvhiche two wel to-gidre knewe,

Ful desyrous eche of er for to dere

But Menelay cauȝte firste a spere, 2912
And hitte Paris \vit/i al his inward cure,
But for surnes of his strong armvre
And myȝty platis, his wourade was but smal,
Whiche, in effecte, greued nat at al
But we't/i fat stroke vn-to f e grouȝde he gof e.
Of whiche falle Paris wex riȝt wrof e,
Wonder confus, & also red for shame,
List fe report, in hindringe of his name, 2920
Cam to f e eris of f e quene Eleyne,
How he fat day myȝtfe] nat attayne

With Menelay to hold en champartie,
Lykly to sowne in-to his vileynye 2924
þe whiche at hert greuid hy??z ful sore.
And Adrastus fe kyng, with-oute more,
So as he rood, fe kyng Vlixes fond,
And knyȝtly bofe f ei fouȝte?ȝ ho?ȝd of hond
And as fe[i] fau3t, doun to f e erfe lowe
From his hors Vlixes haf hym f rowe,
And ful proudly, in signe of fis victorie,
He sent his hors home to his tentorie. 2932
And in fat tyme, a-monges al f e pres,
Ful sodeinly kyng Pallamydes
Is falle on Hupon, with his lokkis
And in his Ire wouwdid hym so sore 2936

J5at he fil ded* & gruf vn-to þe grou??de,

His mortal swerd was so kene groimde :

Besyde whom Neptoloriyus
Assailled hath kyng Archilagus, 2940
Jpe whiche hym silf manly gan diffende ;

But as þei fauȝt, & many strokes spende
In her diffence it wolde be noon o]>er
Eueryche of hem hath vnhorsid o]?er. 2944

And þo cam in, ridyng on his stede,
Pollydamas, and gan to taken hede

Amonge þe rengis hym he-side,
litel

Where as þe kyng Pallamydes doth ride ;
And cruelly, so lik a manly man,
He smet his stede, and to hym he ran,
And maugre his myȝt & his worjrines
As þe story pleinly bereth witnes 2952
Only to venge þe deth of kyng Hupouw,
From his stede he proudly bar him douw,
And in his rancour & his cruel hete
Of þat dispite gan hym to rehete. 2956
And fo he-side þe kyng Scelenus,
Of dedly hate & herte ful Irous,
With kyng Can-as be auenture hath mette,
And furiously from his stede smet; 2960
And þawne also þe kyng Philemene

Is on þe duke fallen of Athene,

J3at maugre bo)>e his manhod & his myȝt,
He hath his hors berafte him in þis fijt, 2964
And lad with hym proudly by his side,
Where as hym liste þat it schulde abyde.
And Philotheas, þe worj>i kyng also,
þQ silfe tyme with Remus had a-do, 2968
And eueryche oper, sothly, as I rede,
His felawe hath made to voide* his stede;
And Theseus þe kyng, Ipat was so sfcronge, [leaf 84 c]

Ainyd þe feld so as he rood a-monge 2972

|3e grete pres, hath mette Curyalus,
þe worfi kyng, of kivȝthod riȝt fanms,
And bope two, in armys wonder stronge,
By hem silf faiȝt at leiser longe, 2976
Til eche o)>er, with wouwdes fresche
His felawe prewe endelonge þe grene ;
And afterwarde, I finde, how bei two
Yp-on fote knyȝtly hadde a-do 2980

Jpei wern in armys so inly desyrous,

And of manhood passyngly famous.
And al Jns whyle þe sonys naturel
Of Priamws bar hem wonder wel, 2984
Amonge Grekis vp and clouw ridyng,
And prudently to-gidre abidyng,
Made [a] slauȝter of Grekis ful pitous,
Of kynges, dukes, & lordis riȝt famous. 2988
And, as I rede, how wor])i Thelamoiw
Jpat tyme rnette wȝ't/i kyng Sarpedouw

And wit/* her speres, squared ful sharply,
Euerych haf ober wou?zded mortally* 2992
þoruȝ schilde & plate & haberiouȝ of maille,
}3at, as þe story make]? rehersaille,
How her harneis wex of blod al red,
And how bei fil al-most bo])e ded, 2996
At gret meschef amonge þe horse fet,
Of whos bledyng þe soiel ga,w wexe wet,
]3oruȝ her harneis as it gan distille.
Whiles kyng Thoas and þe ferse Achille, 3000
As þei þat wern of kyn and allyed,
Amyd þe feld Hector han espied
Where as he fauȝt, be-set amyd his foon
And vp-on hym of on accorde þei goon, 3004
And mortally, ȝif it wolde availle,
On euery halfe þei gan hym new assaille,

And of hate, in herte bom of 3016,
þQ\ han be-set þis Troyan knyȝt [so] sore, 3008
þat þei, alias ! from his hed han smet

By violence his riche basenet,
And wouwded hyni felly on þe hed :

But for al þat, he ne toke noon hed, 3012
JMs worþi man, flour of chiualrye,
But hym diffendynge þo so myȝtely,
Kyng Thoas smot in þe face so,

jpat with a stroke he rofe his nose a-two, 3016
And shortid it by ]>
e haluendel.
At whiche stroke, þe brewer naturel

Of manly Hector fast[e] gan hem hyȝe
To socour hym, whan þei first espie
His grete meschef ; and at her in, commyng
]3ei so manly bare hem in
fȝtynge
Ageyn Grekis, fat Thoas þei han take ;

And Thelamowa so þei made* a-wake, 3024

With new assaut of sharpe wou/zdis kene,
þat he was take & left vp-on þe grene,
And of his men born home to his tent.
And kyng Thoas home to Troye is went, 3028

Maugre Grekis, whiche helpe him may no more ;
For Dephebws and also Anthenor
Han sent hym forf* to Troye þe cite.
And Menelay þo be-gan to se, 3032

So as he rood, Paris stonde a-side,
And shope him shortly of hate & cruel pride,
ȝif it wolde fallen on his chauwee,

Socleinly to 3euen hym meschauwce ; 3036
But he was war, & kepte him silf so narwe
)3at Menelay he marked witfi an arwe,*

|3e hed of whiche with venym was enoint,

Intoxicat at fe square pointe, 3040
]5at þe kyng, of þat dredful wouwde

Al dispeired of his men was fowde,
Whiche in gret haste bar hyin to his tent.
And he anoon for surgiens ha]> sent,
Whiche first þe hede toke out of his woiiwde
Al-be it was [y-]perpid ful profouwde

þoru3 his
harneis ful depe in-to þe bon
But koraiyngly þei dide her craft echon 3048
To drawe it oute wz't/i.her instruments,
And sotilly, with serteyn oynementis
þei cerched
han fe wouwde eimroiwz
To make it clene fro[m] coiriipcioiw!; 3052
And prudently firste þei token 'hede,
_
hat fce venym ferber nat procede,
Eouwde in compas clensid it a-boute,.
And after fat, bonde it sure wi't/i-oute,
.

And defensives made on euery syde.
And Menelay no lenger wolde bide,
But bad in haste bringe for)>e his stede,
In p?ȝrpos ful Paris to quite his mede, 3060
ȝif he hym finde, be silfe same, day

Hym list no lenger put it in delay,

What-euere falle of his grene Wou?ȝde.
And f orbe he rood, til he ha)> him fou?zde,
By auenture vn-armyd in þe ielcle,
Wz't/i-oute swerde, polex, spere, or shelde.ȝ :
Or bowe in hond were it of reclisnesj
Or to refresche hym after werynes.
And Menelay anooTi a spere ha]> take,

And in his Ire felly gan* it shake ȝ0 jrollf/i

Toward Paris, by gret avisenes,

And schuld haue slawe him, as bi liklinȝs,ȝ:;

Nadde Eneas, whiche al þis þing behiide,

Born of fe stroke with his* strongfe] schelde,
To diffende hym in [t]his auenture

Destitute and naked of armvre,,.

Paris bat tvme
J in swiche -peril
r was.
Wh erfore, in hast, hath þis Eneas
Ordeyned knyȝtes, armyd bnȝt in stele,
Aboute Paris for to kepe hym wele 3080
From al meschef and. confusiouw,
Hym to conveie vn-to Troye touw,
in dispite of kyng Menelay,
Whiche in a- wait so for Paris lay 3084

Whom Hector had I-take sodeinly,
J
|
And vn-to Troye ladde hym o utterly,

Grekis come in his diffence,

Ageyn[e]s hyni to make insistence. 3088
Of whiche Hector, as þei cam in his weye,
Ful many Greke made for to deie,
And þe remenauwt put vn-to þe flȝt,
þat porti} his* manhod þat day, & his myȝt, 3092
Troyens made "be Grekis for to He
Vn-to her teutis, of necessite, '
And hem to sue nolde neuere leue,
But slen & kille til it drowe to eve, 3096
at Phebus gan fast[e] for to weste,
To draw he??ȝ horn þei pou}t[e] for Je beste

For Titan was at his groynsje dou?&
Whan þei gan entre in-to Troye touw, 3100
Her gatis schette, fei to her loggyg wende

And of þis day þus þei made an ende.

Howe kynge Pryam?;ȝ the next day kam to þe felde, & howe he wolde… {#howe-kynge-pryamȝ-the-next-day-kam-to-þe-felde-howe-he-wolde}

Howe kynge Pryam?;ȝ the next day kam to þe felde, & howe he wolde have had kynge Thoas dede, þat was prysonere in Troye. 1

Til on þe morwe, þat þe rowes rede
Of Phebus carte go one for to sprede
A-forn his vp-riste in the orient,
At whiche tyme, kyng Priamzw hape sent

For swiche as werne with \iin moste preve,

And of his cou?seille inwardly secre
And specialy he sent[e] for be name,
For worþi Hector, þat grettest was of fame,*
For Paris eke, & for Dephebus,
And for Troylus, freshe and desirous, 3112

For Anthenor and [for] Pollydamas,

And for the Troyan called Eneas :

For he þat clay cast him nat to goon
In-to þe felde to mete with, his foon. 3116
And whan þei wer?t to his paleis come,
þis* lordis han þe 113 t[e] weye
nome

Yn-to þe kyng, wit/i-Inne his closet ;
And whan þe hussher ha)) þe dore shet, 3120
And eueryche hadde, liche to his degre,
His place take, and his dewe see,
J3is wor))i kyng,
as made is mencioiw,

Gan to declare his hertis mociou?*, 3124
And his menynge a-forn hem specific,
And seide " sirs, in whom I moste affie,

:

To :ȝow is knowe how kyng Thoas is here
In þis cite taken prisoner, 3128
And is as ȝet be-loken in prison?*,
AVhiche eue?-e hap be vn-to Troye tourc
An enmy gret, vii-to,his power,
And vs offendid, bope fer and nere, 3132
In many wyse (al-be. we litel reche)
As fer as he his force myȝtfe] streche

And now vrith Grekis cam to sege our touw,
And [t]here-vppon hath done his besynes

Wherfore, of doom & of riȝtwysnes,
Bope of rescue and of equyte,
I seie pleynly, as semeth vn-to me, 3140
So þat it be to ȝow acceptable,
And þat 36 pink my cou?zseil comercdable,
Liche as he hatli cast oure deth & shape,

I holde riȝtful þat he nat eskape, 3144
But þat of deth he resseyue his guerdous :

For riȝt requereth, and also good resoim,
þatdeth for deth is skilful guerdonynge,
Vn-to my wit, and riȝt wel sittynge 3148
Seth ȝour avis [now] pleinly in þis cas."
And first of alle þo spake Eneas,
And seide "lord, so it be noon offence
:

To ȝoure hiȝnes to ȝeue me audience, 3152
ftoru3 supporte here of hem þat be
ful wys,
I shal reherse pleynly my devys,
What is to werken [as] in þis matere :

Me semeth first, my lege lorde so dere, 3156
þat ȝoure noble, royal excellence

Consydre shulde, with ful hiȝe prudence,
In Query werke and operacioim
To caste a-forn, in conclusions, 3160

}3e final ende þat may after, swe ;

For to a wysman, only is nat dewe
To se þe gywnynge and þe ende* no3t,
But bope attonis peisen in his pouȝt, 3164
And weien hem so iustly in balance
þat of þe fyn folwe no repentauȝce.
Whi I seie þis, &, platly, whi I mene,

Is [for] þat 36 ouȝten for to sene 3168
How kyng Thoas is oon þe principal

Amonge Grekis, & of þe blood royal
ȝif 36 considre, descendid as be lyn :

Wherfore, ȝif he haue þus foule a fyn, 3172
To be slawe while he is in presouw,

It my3t happen, in conclusiouw,

j)at 36 and ȝours, þat per-to assente,
Here-afterwarde sore to repente : 3176
I preue it þus, þat ȝif by auenture,
Or fortune, þat no man may assure,
Some of ȝoure lordis were a-noper day

Of Grekis take, as it happe may, 3180
Or of ȝoure sonys, so worþi of renouw,
Or of kynges þat ben in þis toim,
-1

Trustep me wel, þat swiche gentilnes
As ȝe schew to hem in her distres, 3184

ftei wil þou quyte whan, in cas semblable,

Fortune to hem þei finde fauerable,
þQ whiche no man cowstreyne may nor bircde,

"Wherf ore, my lorde, haue þis þing in mymle
For ȝif Thoas, of short avisement,
Shal nowe be ded poru3 hasty lugement,
A-noper day Grekis wil vs quyte,
And of rigour make her malis byte 3192
Oft some of ȝouris, who-euere þat it be,
And nouper spare hiȝe nor lowe degre,
)3ou3 he were pa?*auȝter of ȝoure blood ;
þe whiche þing, for al þis worldis good 3196
It
myȝtfe] falle, þat 36 nolde se.
Wherfore I rede, lete kyng Thoas be
Honestly keped in prisouw,
Lyche his estate, stille here in þis totiw, 3200
List, as I seide, þat anoper day
Somme lorde of ȝouris, as it happe may,
Casuelly were take of auenture

Be eschau??.ge of hym 30 my3t[e] best recure, 3204
With-outQ strif, ȝoure owne man ageyn.
In þis mater I can no more seyn,
But finally þis is my ful[le] rede."
To whiche couwseil Hector toke good hede, 3208
And for it was accord ynge to resou?i f
He hit co??imendith in his oppirioiw..
But Priam, euere of oo entenciou?i,
Sȝode alweie fix to þis conclusions, 3212

Pleinly affermynge :
'ȝif Grekis may espie
þat we þis kyng spare of gent[e]rye,

J3ei wil arrette it cowardyse anoon,
at we dar nat venge vs on* cure foon,
For verray drede havyng noon hardines,
Nor herte nouper to do riȝtwisnes ;
ȝet, neue?*]>eles, after 3010-6 assent,

}3at he shal leue, I wele in myn entent 3220

To ȝoure desire fully condescende."
And of þis couwseil so þei made an ende,
Wtt/i-oute more, saue Eneas is go,
And Troylus eke, and Anthenor also, 3224

In-to an halle, excellynge of bewte,

þe quene Eleyne of .pwpos for to se,
WitJi whom was eke Eccuba þe quene,
And oper ladyes goodly on to sene, 3228
And many mayde þat ȝonge & lusti was.
And worþi Troilus with þis Eneas
Dide her labour and her besy peyne
Eor to coimforte þe faire quene Eleyne, 3232
As sche þat stood for þe werre in drede ;

But for all þat, of verray womrnanhede,
þilk[e] tyme, with al hir herte entere,
As she wel koude, maked hem good chere, 3236
Havynge of ko?znynge inly suffisau?ce
Bope of chere and of dalyauwce.
And Eccuba, beyng in þis halle,

Verray exaumple vn-to wommen alle, 3240
Of bouwte havynge souereyn excellence,
In wisdam eke, and in elloquence,
Besou3te hem þo, wonder wommanly,
And couwsaillede eke ful prudently, 3244

For any haste, bope nyȝe and- f erre,
Avisely to kepe hem in þe werre,
And nat iuparte her bodies folily ;
But to aduerte and caste prudently 3248
In diffence knyȝtly of þe tou?z,
Hem to gouerne by discrecioiw :

She spake of feith, & koude no þinge feyne.

And f awne of hir, & after of Eleyne 3252
þei toke leue, and no longer dwelle,
But went her wey. & forfe I wil þou telle
How fe Grekis on f e same morwe
Amonge hem silfe co??zpleyne & make sorwe, 3256
Her harmys grete, in murmwr & in rage,
þe losse, fe costis, and f e grete damage
þat fei han endured folily,
Lastynge f e werre, & wiste neuer why 3260
þe deth, fe slauȝter of many worfi man
Sifen tyme fat f e werre be-gan,
Hunger & f urste, wacche & colde also,
Ful gret vnreste, sorwe, f ouȝt, & wo 3264
And al to-gidre for a fing of noȝt,

In sothfastnes, ȝif f e groiwde be souȝt

þis was f e noyse & rumwr eke fat ran
poruȝ-oute fe hoste þat day fro
And moste a-monge fe pore sodyours,
Whiche bere fe bront euere of suche shoures,
And fe meschef of werre, comou?zly

And fouȝ fei pleyne, fei haue no remedie 3272
Of Binges whiche sitte?z hem f ul vnsofte.

Of the orryble and hydouse tempest, thondre, levene
that roos sodeynly vpon the Grekys. 1

And ]ms Grekis compleyned han ful ofte
Of many meschef f t haf on hem falle,
þe whiche fei myȝt has eschewed alle, 3276
3 if fei ne had of foly gonne a werre,
Oute of Grece nat comen halfe so ferre,
To her meschef and* confusions

þis was fat day her lamentations, 3280
Whiche to encrese, fe same nexte nyȝt
So dirked was, with-oute sterre Ii3t,
o cloudy blak, and so fikke of eyr,
Dyramed with skies foule & no fing fair, 3284

So wyndy eke, with tempest al be-leyn

Almoste for-drenchid \vith þe smoky reyn,
And in þe felde astonyed here & Bonder
With sodeyn stroke of þe dredful ponder, 3288

And with openyng of þe hydous levene,
ftat it sempte in þe hiȝe hevene

)3e cataractis hadde bene vn-do;
For þe cloudis and skyes, bo]>e two, 3292
Sodeynly wexen were so blake,
Liche as þe goddis wolde haue take wrak,

And had of newe assentid ben in oon

J3e londe to drenche of Deucalyon, 3296
And al þis world, we't/z-oute more refuge,
To ouerflowe with a fresche deluge.

The Grekys tentys and pavelones, with stroke of
thundure sodeynly wer cast oute of fe felde. 1
be wynde also so sternely gan bio we,
)3at her tentis, stondyng on a rowe, 3300

Forpossid werne, and y-bete doun ;
And furiously, to here confusions,
}5e flodis rauȝt he?ft from her stondy?zge place,
And bare he?ȝ for]?e a* ful large space, 3304
Wher-of in meschef and in gret distresse,

T o
In gret labour & hertly hevynes
.L i i i , i n

jpe Grekis biden al þe same nyȝt,
What for þe tempest & for lak of liȝt, 3308
Til þe flood gan ageyn withdrawe,

)5e wynde tapese, and þe day gan dawe,

And þe heuene gan ageyn to clere,
WM-oute cloudis, & freschely to appere
And Phebws eke with a f eruent hete

Hadde on þe soille dried vp þe wete

And þe moysture environs on þe pleyn.
And Grekis had her tentis set ageyn, 3316
And wern a-dawed of her nyȝtes sorwe

Jmperyng of þe glade
morwe
J5orii3

Jpei hem array, no þing
for þe pes,

And in-to þe felde first went Achilles, 3320
As 36 shal here, of entencioiw
Jpat day to fiȝte with hem of Troye touw.

Howe kynge Hupon, of stature lich a geante, was for whoos sclayn of… {#howe-kynge-hupon-of-stature-lich-a-geante-was-for-whoos-sclayn-of}

Howe kynge Hupon, of stature lich a geante, was for whoos sclayn of Ms Enn[em]y Achilles; dethe,worthy Ector that day, with his swerde wrough[t] maryeylis, and kylde mony kynges. dried was þe lusty large pleyn

Whawne With Phebws bemys, as 36 haw herd rue seyn,
fteTroyan knyjtes, ful wor]>i of renouw,
Descendid ben and y-come doun,
And in þe feld toke* her fi3tynge place

But* Achilles, to mete hem in þe face, 3328
To-forne went oute, lik as I 3011 tolde,
With his lordis & his kny3tes bolde.
And firste, I fincle, w/t/i-oute more abood,
Vn-to Hupoiw furiously he rood 3332
(I mene Hupou?z þat was of his* stature
Lik a geante, as bookis vs assure),
Whom Achilles with his scharp[e] spere
J5oru3 þe body percid hym so fere 3336
)5at he fil ded, his wou?ide was so kene.
And after þis, þe kyng Octamene,
As he fersely* on Hector wolde haue gon,
WM-onte a-bood Hector hym slowe anon, 3340
And cruelly quitte hym his fatal mede.
And sodeynly ageyri[e]s Dyomede,
As 3antipus, ]>& worþi kyng, gan drawe,
Ful pitously he of hym was slawe. 3344
And ri3t anon þe kyng Epistrophus
[And ek þe kyng þat hi3te Cedius

Of oon assent, proudly in bataille,
Begonnen Hector mortally tassayle

And wip a spere first
Epistrophus]
Ran at* hym, -with herte dispitous,
And, as Guydo also doth deuyse,
Eebuked hym in vngoodly wyse 3352
To hym so sore in herte* he was amevid.
Where-of Hector, furiously a-grevid,
Hap mortally his wourcde made so large,

Jpat hym ne geynep plate, shelde, nor targe
For he fil ded amonge his men echon,
To whom Hector had he shulde goon
To be furies, depe dourc in helle.
Swiche wordis amongis hem to telle
" For "
men take of hew noon hede."
here," qwod he,
And þus wha?ȝ he was wagid for his mede,
Anon his broker, callid Cedius,

Swiche sorwe made for Epistrophus, 3364
So hertly dool, and so woful chere,
J3at pite was for to
sen and here,
So inwardly on his deth he pouȝt

And with a þousand knyȝtes þat he brouȝt, 3368

To ben avengid by manhod of hem alle,
Dispitously on Hector he is falle,

Wher he hym fonde fiȝtinge with his foon,
þat poru} þe force of hem euerychon, 3372
So sore envirou?ȝ þei han hym be-set,
, . ,, -, , -i -, i -i
þat from his stede dour* þei han hyw smet;

Whom Cedius, ay in his cruel rage,
Whan þat he sawe to his avauntage 3376
Hector vnhorsid, and he on his stede,
His swerd he lifte of inwardfly] hatrede,
Markynge at hym with so gret a peyne,

With al þe force of his armys tweyne, 3380
Fully in purpos, with-onte more delay,
To slen Hector, pleynly, ȝif he may.

make the Trojans give way. [BK.
But or his stroke descende my3t[e] dourc,
Hector, of hate and indignaciouw,
With his swerde, þat was ful sharp[e] whet,
From his sholdre haj? his arme of smet;
And after fat, he reued hym his lyf.
al þis strif 3388
þawne Eneas amyddes
Cam ridynge in, wood
and furious ;
And as he mette þe kyng Amphymacus,
He fel on hym & slow hym in his* rage.
And from Grekis holdyng her passage,
cam douw, frist Menelaus,
þer

And after hym kyng Thelamonyvs,
þpe grete
duke also of Athene,
In whom þer was so moche manhod sene, 3396

Ylixes eke, and cruel Dyomede,
And eke also, to helpe hem in her nede,
þer cam
with hem þe kyng Machaouw,
And alderlaste þe grete Agamenourc, 3400
With alle her wardis, & fel in sodeynly
Vp-on Troyens & þei ful manfully
;

Defende hem silf ageyn þe Grekis proude,
And put he?w of ful knyȝtly, as þei koude
And eche on ofer, sothly, as þei mette,
With spere & swerde enviously þei sette
So mortal hate per was hem betwene.
And whan þe sowne was in Meridene, 3408
In mydday angel, passynge hote & shene,
þeGrekis gonne felly in her tene
So my3tely to falle on hem of Troye,
þat þei hem made for to ȝeue woye, 3412
Of verray force and uecessite.
And Achilles, so ful of cruelte,
Amonge þe rengis as he ga?z him drawe,
þe kyng Philem enviously ha]? slawe
And myd of Grekis þe same tyme Hector,
Maugre hem alle, slowe kyng Alphenor,
And eke þe kyng callid Dorovs

On hem he was so cruel and Irons, 3420
poruȝ vertu of his knyȝtly hond,
Jpat,
Troyens han wowne a-geyn her londe

Vp-on Grekis, and made hem for to fle.

Of the monstrouvse Archere that was half man half
hors, and was with kynge Epistrophus.
1

And þilke hour, from Trove þe cite, '
,-, .
/ , , .
Epistroius, ful oi manlynes,

þe felde hap take poruȝ his worþines ;
And on Grekis proudly, for þe nonys,
With his knyȝtes [he] fallep al attonys, 3428
And seuered hem & made hem for to twywne,

And gan þe felde faste vp-on hem wywne,
Havynge þat tyme in his companye,
Amongis oper þat he dide guye, 3432
A certeyn archer, þe whiche, as I fynde,

Was monstruous & wonderful of kynde

For from þe myddel vp vn-to þe crowne
He was a man ;
& þe rernenaurcte douwe 3436
Bar of an hors liknes and figure ;

And horsis her, þis monstre in nature
Hadde on his skyn growyng environs,
Ful rowe & pikke & of his vois þe sowi ;
Was liche þe neiynge of an hors, I rede

And þou3 his face, bope in lengpe & brede,
Of shap were maraiyshe, ȝet, in sothfa[s]tnes,
His colour was semblable in liknes 3444
Vn-to þe fery, hote, brewnynge glede,
Whos even eke, flawmynge also rede
As þe blase of an oven mouthe
And for he was in siȝte so vnkouthe, 3448
Wher-so-euere he was mette in þe berde,
Bope man & hors sore werne a-ferde,
His face was so hatful and odyble,
And his loke so hydous and orible. 3452

And ay he had in custom & vsawice,
As in bokis is made remembraufice,
For to goon vn-armyd in-to þe felde,
With-oute swerde, spere, axe, or shelde ; 3456
For he no þing koude of þat myster

But, as I finde, he was a good archer,
And bare a bowe, stif & wonder stronge

And for he was also of tiler longe, 3460
His arwes wern liche to his tiler,
In a quyuer trussed wonder ner
By his side, ay redy to his honde,
Where-so he* were, ouper on se or londe. 3464
And, as I finde, how þat noon armvre

Ageyn his schot pleinly myȝt endure ;
And per nas hors, stede, nor courser
Jpat durste abide, nouper fer nor nere, 3468
But fled anoon with al her ful my3t
As faste as þei of hym had a siȝt,
To hern he was so passyng odyous,
So like a deuele, and so monstruous
And per was fouwde noon so hardi knyȝt
On hors[e]-bak þat hadfde] force or myȝt
To holde his hors whan þei rnyȝt hym se,
But þat anoon abak he wolde fle. 3476
And of þis archer I finde writen eke,
þat he þat day slowe [ful] many Greke,
And wounded hem with his arwes keue
þoruȝ-oute þe platis, forgid brijt
For per was norc a-forn hym
þat abood,
But to her tentis fast awey * þei rood,
ftei myȝt[e] nat his hidous loke endure.

Howe Dyomede slewe the Sagittarye bysydes his tent, with a darte… {#howe-dyomede-slewe-the-sagittarye-bysydes-his-tent-with-a-darte}

Howe Dyomede slewe the Sagittarye bysydes his tent, with a darte intoxicayte with Til per be-fil a wonder auenture While þei of Troye by help of þis archer

Sewe on þe chaas to her loggynge ner,
And slowe of hem, in meschef & in drede,
Be-syde a tent met[te] Dyomede 3488

With þis archer, of necessite ;

For it stood so, þat he ne myȝt hym fle
No maner weye, nor a-bak remwe
For lyf nor deth, he myȝt him nat eschwe, 3492
So many Troyan was þo at his bake,
In his fleyng he had go to wrak :

Wherfor, anon, þis hardy Dyomede,
"With cruel herte fast[e] gan hym spede, 3496
And toward hym proudly for to dresse.
But þis archer, by gret avysenes,
First with an arwe smet[te]
Dyomede

ftoru} his harneis, \a> he made him blede, 3500
Of whiche stroke he wexe so wood & wrope,
)5at to þis monstre, so hidous & so lope,
He went a pas, & hym vn-armyd fond ;

And vrith fte swerde *Ipat he hilde in his hond, 3504
He ȝaf to hym his last[e] fatal wourade,

þat he fil ded, gruf vn-to [þe] grourcde.
Jpe deth of whom Grekis reioisshinge,

And, in al haste, her hertis resumynge, 3508
Be-gan hem silf for to recouwf orte ;

And in-to þe f elde proudly þei resorte
By cowveiynge of Polixenar,
þQ worþi duke, þat so wel him bar 3512
Vp-on Troyens þat day in þe felde.
But whan Hector þe slaȝter of him* behilde,

Yp-on þis duke anon he gan to sette ;
And on her stedis fersly as þei mette, 3516
Hector hym slouȝe, of ful grete hatrede.

And after þat, on Galathe his stede,
So as he rood forpe amonge þe pres,
Or he was war he meteth Achilles ; 3520

Other Greeks capture Anterior. [BK.

And with her speris, longe, large, & rouwde,
In pwrpos fully eche o)>er to confoimde,
Irous & ri3t wrothe,
feei ran I-fere,
stroke pe[i] wer vnhorsid bope

feat with þe
But Achilles, with a dispitous herte,
in-to his sadel sterte,
First, as I rede,
And besy was, with al his inward peyne,
Gallathe to taken by þe reyne,

feer-of for euere Hector to deprive,

And bad his men to lede it horn as bliue,
So þat Hector per was
noon oper bote
Ful* like a man fau3t stondyng on fote
Amonge Grekis and his fomen alle ;
And to his kny3tes loude he gan to calle,
For his stede þat þei shulde swe

And þei in haste his hors to reskewe, 3536
Bene attonys fallen on Achille,
And maugre hym, of force, ageyn his wille,
feei han from him berafte it on ]>& pleyn,
And to Hector restorid it* ageyn, 3540
Whiche in kny3thod so moche hi?ft-silf assureth,
Dispit of hem his sadel he recureth,
Whiche afterwarde ful dere þei abou3t.
For liche a lyourc al þat day he wrou3t, 3544
Amongefs] hem ridynge here & pere,
And as þe deth þei fled his swerd for fere,
feoru3 whos manhod Troyens
efte be-gymie

Grekis felde ageyn to wywne. 3548
Vp-on þe
But it be-fil amyd her* grete fi3t,
feat Anthenor, a certyn Troyan kny3t,
Amonge þe pres is so fer in goon,
feat of Grekis he was take a-non,
And to her tentis sent in haste he was ;
Al-be his sone, callid Pollydamas,
To reskewe hym dide his dilligence

So manfully, þat no necligence 3556
Was fourade in hym, who-so liste to seke ;
And þat ful dere abouȝtfe] many Greke,

þQ same day, poni} his wor]>ines :

But for cause only of dirknes, 3560
And for þat it gaw drawe towarde nyȝt,
)3ei made an ende only for lake of liȝt.
[And G-rekis wente horn to her loggyng,]
And eke Troyens ;
til on þe morw[e]nynge,
þat Phebus gan his bȝtfe] bemys shewe,
And Aurora newe gan a-dewe
Jpe herbis sote and þe grene levis,

Bothe in haies and in freshe greuys, 3568
Siluer briȝt, with rouwde perlys fyne,

}5at so clerly ageyn þe sorane shyne,
And shewe hem silf, so orient & shene,
On hil & vale, and on Query grene, 3572
fte rody morwe, til þe hote bemys
Of bri3t[e] Phebws with his firy stremys
Yapoureth vp her* moysture in-to þe eyr,
þQ wedir clere,
agreable, and feir, 3576
And attempre also of his hete,
Whan þe Troyens [cast] hem for to mete
With her fomen, platly, ȝif þei may.
And oute fei wente in her beste array, 3580
With her wardis in-to feld by rowe,
Ageyn[e]s whom Grekis wer nat slowe,
But shope hem for]>e, with-oute lenger let,
Til fei to-gidir manfully han met 3584
And with her speris & her swerdis clere,
j)ei ran to-gedir, with a dispitous chere,
Til shyuerid was a-sondre many spere
On shildis stronge, hem siluerc for to were, 3588

And ryuen was on pecis many targe

And, wM exis, roimde, brode, and large,
On basenettis as þei smyte and shrede,
Ful many kny3t mortally gan blede, 3592
In sothfastnes* ; and, as I telle can,
þesame day was slayn many [a] man
On ou)>er part, but most of Troye touw,
Al-be Guy do maketh no menciourc 3596
Of no persone, as in special,
On nouper syde, but in general
Saue he concludi]), pleynly, þat þis %t
Laste fro morwe til þat it was ny3t, 3600
þe whiche Troyans han ful dere a-bou3t :
For þilk[e] day fortune halp hem nou3t,
But turned hool to her confusiouw,
And so þei bene repeired to þe ioun. 3604

Howe the Grekes sent Dyomede and Vlixes to kynge Pryamus for a trewes… {#howe-the-grekes-sent-dyomede-and-vlixes-to-kynge-pryamus-for-a-trewes}

Howe the Grekes sent Dyomede and Vlixes to kynge Pryamus for a trewes of thre monethes. And to her tentis Grekis faste hem spede, Til on þe morwe þei sent Dyomede With Vlixes to Troye þe cite For a trewe, only for monypes pre, ȝif kyng Priam * per-to wolde assent. And as þei two on þis message went, A certeyn knyȝt, born of Troye tourc, þat hiȝt Dolon, of grete discreciouw, And was also ri3t famous of riches,

Of curtesye, and of gentilnes,
His deuer dide, and his dilligence
Hem to cowieye vn-to þQ presence 3616
Of Priamws in his paleis royal ;
And in his se, most chefe and principal,
Where as he sat, his lordis envirouw,

With many knyȝt ful worþi of renourc, 3620
ftei gan to hym first to specefie
Holy þe substaurcce of her embassatrie,
And of þe trewe per entent þel tolde,
ȝif it so were he assenten wolde. 3624

Howe Kynge Priamus graunt to the Grekzs ther askynge; bot worth!… {#howe-kynge-priamus-graunt-to-the-grekzs-ther-askynge-bot-worth}

Howe Kynge Priamus graunt to the Grekzs ther askynge; bot worth! Ector was ther-to contrarye. And þe kyng benygnely hem herde, And by avys prudently answerde,

Jpat per-vppon, his honour for to saue,
At good leiser he wold a couwseil haue 3628
With his lordis, and fully hym gouerne
In þis mater like as þei discerne :

And. to conclude shortly, euerychon
; J '
Assentid ben, excepte Hector allone, 3632
Yn-to þe trewe, & nolde it nat denye

But Hector seide, þat of trecherie,
Only of sleijt and of false tresou?ȝ
Her axynge was, vnder occasions, 3636
First to burie Grekis þat wer dede,
And vnder colour ber-of oute of drede
Afterwarde hem siluen to vitaille
;
For he wel knewe þat her stuf gan faille, 3640
And enfamyned, liste þei shulde dye,
}3ei souȝte* a space hem siluen to pwrueye,

By outewarde signes þat he dide espie.
" "
Wherfore," quod he, me lykep nat to lye, 3644
By apparence, as I dar preswme,
Whyles bat we wasten & conswme
Oure stuf wM-Inne, as it is to drede,
þei wil prouide of w[h]at þat þei [haue] nede ; 3648
For al þat is to hem a-vauntage,
Mut ben to vs hynderynge & damage

And whiles þei encres[en] and amende,
We shal oure store discresen and dispewde

ȝit neuerpeles, how-euere þat
Towchyng þis trew as for mowpes pre,

Sethen 36 alle assenten and accorde,
Fro ȝoure sentence I wil nat discorde,
In no wyse to be variaurct."

And þus þe trewe cowfermed was be grauwt,
On ouper syde hem pouȝt[e] for þe beste,
in
By-cause þei shulde quiete

j)e mene
while ese hem and releue ;
And þei þat felte her wouwdis sore greue

haue leiser hem silfe to recnre.

Howe durenge the trewes Anthenore was delywerde fro þe Grekis, for… {#howe-durenge-the-trewes-anthenore-was-delywerde-fro-þe-grekis-for}

Howe durenge the trewes Anthenore was delywerde fro þe Grekis, for kynge Thoas and Cresseyde.

And while þe trewe dide þus endure, 3664
þei fil in trete and in coniwnynge
Of Anthenor and [of] Thoas þe kyng

þat Anthenor shulde delyuered*
For kyng Thoas, to Troye þe cite; 3668
And Thoas shulde to Grekis home ageyn,
Only be eschauwge, as 36 haw herde me seyn,
Oon* for a-noper, as it accorded was.
And in þis while þe byshope, he, Calchas, 3672
Eemembrid hym on his dorter dere,
Callid Cryseide, -with hir eyen clere,
Whom in Troye he had lefte be-hynde
Whawne he wente, as þe boke makip mywde
For whom he felte passingly gret smert,
So tendhiy she was set at his herte,
And enprentid, bope at eue and morwe.
And chefe cause & grou?zde of al his sorwe 3680
Was þat she lefte behynde [hym] in þe toiw
We't/j-oute comforte or consolaciouw,

As he caste, sothly, in his absence,

And specially for his grete offence 3684
þat he haj) wrouȝt aȝens hem of Troye ;

And, as hyw poiȝt, he neuer shulde han loye
Til he his doubter recurid hath ageyn.
Wherfore Calchas, f e story seith certeyn, 3688
In his wittes many weies caste

Howe he* myȝt, while fe trew dof laste, Recure his dorter by som… {#howe-he-myȝt-while-fe-trew-dof-laste-recure-his-dorter-by-som}

Howe he myȝt, while fe trew dof laste, Recure his dorter by som maner way ;*

And, as I fynde, vp-on a certeyn day, 3692
In his porte wonder humblely,
Wiih wepyoge eye, wente pitously,
In compleynynge, of teris al be-reyned,
Whos inwarde wo, sofly, was nat feined, 3696
And on his knees anoow he fallef douw
To-fore f e grete kyng Agamenoiw,

Besechynge hym, with al humilite,

Of verray mercy & of hiȝe pite, 3700
With ofer kynges sittinge in fe place,
To haue routhe, & for to don hyw grace,
And on his wo to haue compassions,
J3at he may haue restituciouw 3704
Of his dorter whom he loued so,
Preyinge hem alle her deuer for to do,
her prudent medyaciouw,
þat f oruȝ
For Antenor, fat was in her prisourc, 3708
With kyng Thoas she myȝt eschauwged be,
ȝif fat hem liste of her benignyte
To his requeste goodly to assente. [leaf 886]

And fei him grauwte & forfe anoow fei sente*
;
To kyng Priam for to haue Cryseide

For Calchas sake, & fer-wȝ-al fei leide
þe charge for hir wonder specially
On hem fat wente for fis enbassatrie 3716
To Troye toun and to kyng Priamzȝ,
To whom Calchas was so odyous,
So hateful* eke, foruȝ-oute al fe toura,

him vp and dcnm 3720
]3at þis reporte was of

)3at he a tray tour was,
& also false,
Worþi to ben enhonged be þe halse
For his tresoim and his doublenes.
And, ouermore, þei seiden eke expresse, 3724
þat he disserued ha)?,
be ri3t of lawe,

Shamfully firste for to be drawe,
And afterward, þe most orrible deth
jjat he may haue, to 3elden vp þe breth 3728
Liche a treytour in a[s] dispitous wyse
As any herte can þenke or deuyse
Eueryche affermynge, as by lugement,
Jpat deth was noon ffully equipolent
To his deserte, nor to his falsenes,
As ȝonge & olde pleinly bar witnes

Concludynge eke, for his iniquite,
)3at þei wolde assent in no degre 3736
Vn-to no þinge þat myȝt his hert[e] plese,
Nor of Cryseide, for to don hym ese,
þei caste nat to make delyueraimce

Leuer þei hadden to 3eue hym meschauwce, 3740
ȝif þei hym my3t haue at good[e] large.
But finally peffecte of al þis charge
Is so ferforpe dry u en to an* ende,
þat Priamws hath graiwted sche shal wende 3744
With kyng Thoas, shortly, per is no more,
Vn-to hir fader for dauȝ Anthenor
Who-euere gruche, þe kyng in pa?iament
Hath per-vppon 3oue iugement 3748
So outterly, it may nat be repeled*:
For, with his worde þe sentence was asselid,
Jpat she mot parte,
with hir eyen glade.
And of þe sorwe, pleinly, þat she made 3752
At hir departynge, her-afh> 36 shai here
Whan it ageyn cometh to my matere.

Howe worthy Ector, durenge the trewes, kame to the Tent of Achilles,… {#howe-worthy-ector-durenge-the-trewes-kame-to-the-tent-of-achilles}

Howe worthy Ector, durenge the trewes, kame to the Tent of Achilles, where they were condescendyde that the quarells, as wele of the Troiayns parte as of þe Grekes, shulde be deraynede by the

handys of theme two, yif þe Troians and Grekis
wolde ther-to consente. 1
trew affermyd, as ȝe ha% herd deuise,
TheOn ou]?er side, of he??i þai wer ful wyse, 3756
And ful assentid of hem euef'ychon,
Til þre monies come be and goon,
Liclie as I rede, on a certeyn day,
Whan agreable was þe mor we gray,
Blauwdiss[h]inge and plesant of delit,
Hector in herte cauȝte an appetite

(Like as Guydo liketh for to write)
þesame day Grekis to* vesite, 3764
Ful wel be-seyn, and wouwder richely,
With many worjri in his company,
Of swiche as lie for þe nonys ches.
And to Ipe tent first of Achilles, 3768
I fynde, in soth, þis worþi Troyan knyȝt

Vp-on his stede toke þe weie riȝt,
Ful liche a man, as made is mencioun.
Now badde Achilles gret affeccioura 3772
In his herte, bope day and nyȝt,
Of worþi Hector for to ban a siȝt :

For neuer his lyue, by non occasions
He myȝt of hym ban non inspecciou?i, 3776
Nor hym be-holde at good liberte ;

For vnarmyd he myȝt him neuer se.
But wonder knyȝtly, bope in port & chere,
)5ei hadhem bo)>e as fei mette in fere, 3780
And riȝt manly in her couwtenauwce

And at the laste f>ei fille in dalyau?ȝce.

But Achilles firste began abreide,
And vn-to hym euene þus he seide : 3784

" "
ful plesyng is to me
Hector," qwod he,
nakid
ftat I at leiser may þe se,
Sith I of þe neuere myȝt haue siȝt
But w[h]an þou were armyd as a knyȝt ; 3788
And now to me it schal be ful greuous,
Whiche am to þe so inly envious,
But þou of me þer is no more to seyne
Be slaie anon with myn hondis tweyne
For þis, in soth, wer hoolly my plesau/zce,
By cruel deth to take* on þe vengaurcce

For I ful ofte, in werre & eke in fiȝt,
Haue felt þe vertu & þe grete myȝt 3796
Of þi force, poruȝ many wouradis kene,
J3at vp-on me be ful fresche & grene
In many place, be sheclynge of my blood
þou were on me so furious and wood, 3800
Ay compassynge to my distrucciou?ȝ

For many a mail of myn haberion
þi sharpe swerd racid hape a-sonder,
And cruelly seue?-ed here and Bonder, 3804
And mortally, as I can signes shewe,
My platis stronge percid & I-hewe,
And myn harneis, forgid briȝt of stele,
Mi;t neuere assured bew so wele, 3808
In þin Ire whan þou liste to smyte,

)3at þi swerd wolde* kerue & bite
In-to my fleshe, ful depe
As shewif ȝit be many mortal wouȝde 3812
On my body, large, longe, and wyde,
þat ȝit appere vppon euery syde,
And day be day ful sore ake and smerte.
For whiche þing, me seme]), þat myrc herte 3816
Enbolleth newe, now whan I þe se,
Of hiȝe dispit avengid for to be
So am I fret of envious rage,
þat it may neuer in my brest aswage 3820
Til þe vengaurcce and þe fatal sut
Of cruel deth be on þe execut.

And of o þing moste is my greuaiwce,
Whan I haue fully remembraurcce, 3824

And in my mynde considre vp & dourc,
How þou madist a diuisiou?ȝ
Of me, alias ! and of Patroclus,

So ȝonge, so manly, and so vertuous ! 3828

Whom I loued, as it was skyl & rut,
silf ,* with al
as my my ful my3t,

With as hoi herte and inly kyndenes
As any tonge may tellen or expres. 3832
Now hast þou made a departisiouw
Of vs þat werne by hool affecciouw
I-knet in oon, of hertly allyauwce,
With-oute partynge or disseueraurcce 3836
So enteerly* oure feithful hertis tweyen
I-lacid werne, and lokkid in o cheyne,
Whiche myȝtfe] nat for noon aduersite
Of lyf nor deth assorider twyraied be, 3840
Til cruelly þou madest vs departe,
Whiche poruȝ nȝ hert so inwardly [doth] darte,
|3at it wil neuer, in soth, out of* my fouȝt.
And, trust wel, ful dere shal* be bouȝt 3844
þe deth of hym, &, be no þing in were,

Parauenture or endid be Jris 3ere :

For vp-on þe, only for his sake,

Of cruel deth vengauwce shal be take, 3848
I þe ensure, wȝtft-outen o]>er bond ;

ȝif I may lyue, with myn owne hond
I shal of deth don execuciouw,
With-oute abood or [long] dylaciouw. 3852
For riȝt requereth, with-outen any drede,
Deth for deth, for his final mede ;

For I my silfe þer-on shal be wroke,
þat foruȝ þe world her-after shal be spoke, 3856
How Achilles was vengid on* his foo,

For Patroclus þat he loued so.

And rJ>om? rfat I be to "be
f envious,
And of þi deth inly desirous, 3860
N~e wyte me nat, ne put on me no blame,
For wel I wote þou arte to me þe same,
And haste my deth many day desyred,
And per-vp-on inwardly conspired
And þus, shortly, as a-twen vs two
j)er is but deth, wM-oute wordis mo,
Whan fortune hath þe tyme shape,
I hope fully þou shalt nat eskape 3868
Truste noon oper, I seie þe outterly

To whom Hector nat to hastely
Answerid ageyn, -with sobre countenance
Avised wel in al his daliaunce, 3872
As he fat was in no þing rek[e]les ;
And euene þus he spake to Achilles

"
Sir Achilles, wz't/ȝ-outen any faille,

|3ou auȝtest nat in herte to mervaille 3876
Jȝou} with my power & my ful[le] myȝt,
With herte & wylle, of verray due riȝt,
Day be day I þi deth conspire,
And euer in oon compasse it & desire, 3880
And do my labour erly and eke late
To pwrsue it by ful cruel hate :

þou ou3teste nat to wondrew in no wyse,
But fully knowe, by sentence of þe wise, 3884
In no maner, who-so taketh hede,
Of ri3twysnes it may nat procede,
þat o[u])>er I or any o]>er wiȝt

Shulde hym loue, fat with al his myȝt 3888
My deth pwrsuwetfh] and destrucciourc

And ouer þis, to more confusioura,
Hath leide a sege aboute fis cite,
On my kynrede and also vppon me, 3892
And, J> er-vp-on, felly doth preswme
With mortal hate of werre to co?zswme
Vs euerychon I-wis, I can nat fynde
Truste] Truste me A.

In myn herte, as by lawe of kynde, 3896
Swiche on to lone, of riȝt nor eqnite,
Nor haue hym chere, sothly, in no degre :

For of werre may no frendlyhede,
NOT of debate lone a-riȝt precede ;

For, sothly, lone, moste in special,
Of feithf ulnes hath his original,
.
In hertis loyned by convenience
Of oon accorde, whom no difference 3904
Of doubilnes may in no degre,
Noufer in loye nor aduersite,
For lyf nor deth assouwder nor disseuere ; [leaf 896]

For where loue is, it contuneth euere, 3908
But of hate al is þe contrarie.
Of whiche, sothly, from hertis whaw þei varie,
Precede)) rancowr, at eye, as men may se,

Debat, envye, strife, and enmyte, 3912
Mortal slauȝter, bofe nyȝe and ferre,

Moder of whiche, in sothfastnes, is werre,

þQ fyn wher-of, longe or it be do,

Seuerith hertis & frendship kut a-two, 3916
And causeth loue to be leide ful lowe.
But, for al Jris, I wil wel þat þou knowe

fii proude wordis, in hertfe] nor in pouȝt,
In verray soth, a-gaste me riȝt noȝt; 3920
And ȝif I schal, ferpermore, oute-breke,
With-oute avaurcte þe troupe for to speke,
I seie be, pleinly, henfnels or two sere,
ȝif I may live in þis werris here, 3924
And my swerde of knyȝthod forpe acheve,
I hope, in soth, so mortally to greue

)3e Grekis alle, whan I with hem mete,
þat þei & þou shul* fele ful vnswete,
ȝif ȝe contynewe and þe werris hauwt ;
I shal sour pride & surquedie adauwte

In swiche a wyse with myn hondis two,
)3at or fe werre fully be a-do*,
Ful many Greke sore shal it rewe.
For wel I wote, of olde & nat of newe,
þpat ȝe Grekis, gadred here in on,
Of surquedie are fonned euerychon, 3936
Only for want of discresiouw,
To vndirtaken of presumpciouTz.
So hiȝe a fing, a sege for to leyn,
And ȝoure silfe to ouercharge \n veyn 3940
With emprises whiche, vtith-outen fable,
Bene of weiȝt to ȝou inportable,
And fe peis of so gret heuynes,
]3at, finally, it wil ȝou alle oppres, 3944
And ȝoure pride avalen and encline,
þe berf en eke enbowe bak & chyne,
And vnwarly cause ȝou to falle
Or ȝe haue done, I seie to oon and alle
And, ouermore, be ful in surete,
Jpou Achilles I speke vn-to f e,
}pat fatal deth first schal f e assaille,
To-forn fi swerde i?ȝ any fing availle 3952
Ageyn[e]s me, for al f i worf ines ;
And ȝif so be, fat so gret hardines,
Corage of wil, vigour, force, or myȝt
Meven fin herte, be manhod as a knyȝt
To take on fe, as in dorynge do,
For to darreyne here betwene vs two
Jpilke quarel, how-so fat be-falle,
For fe whiche fat we striuen alle, 3960
I wil assent, pleinly, to luparte,
Til fat f e deth oon of vs departe

Jper is no more, but fat f es lordis here,

Kynges, princes wil accorde I-fere 3964
}3at it be do, fully be oon assent,
And holdfe] stable, of herte & of entent,

With-in. a felde only þat we tweyne,
As I haue seide, þis quarel may dareyne, 3968
And it finyshe, be þis condicioura :

]3at ȝif it hap poru3 þin hiȝe renouft
Me to venquyshe or putten at outrauwce,
I wil 3011 maken fully assurauwce, 3972
ftat firste my lord, Prianms þe kyng,
Shal vn-to Grekis in al maner þing,

With septre & crowne, holly him submitte,
And in a point varie nouper nitte, 3976
Fully to 3elde to ȝoure subiectiouw
Al his lordshipe with-Iuue Troye touw ;
And his legis in captiuite
Shal goon her weye oute of þis cite, 3980
And leue it quit in 3 oure* gouernauwce,

With-oute strif or any variauwce.
And here-vp-on, to maken surete,
To deuoyde al ambiguyte, 3984
To-fore þe goddis be ope & sacramente
We shal be swore, in ful good entent ;

And, ouermore, oure feith also to saue,
To assure þou, in plegge 36 shal haue, 3988
þe mene while to kepe hem on ȝour syde,
At 3 oure chois hostagis to abide,
From Troye touw, of þe worþieste
þat 36 liste chese, & also of þe beste, 3992
So þat 36 shal of no þing be in were

Of al þat euere þat I seie * þou here.
And, Achilles, with-oute wordes mo,
ȝif þat þou liste accorde ful per-to 3996
þat I haue seide,
þin honowr to encrese,
To make þis werre sodeinly to sese,
at likly is for to laste longe

Be-twene Troy ens & þe Grekis stronge, 4000
þou shalt nat only with honowr & with fame
ftoru3-oute þe world getyn þe a name,

But jjer-witȝ-al & þat is nat a lyte
to many man profite, 4004
feoruȝ þi knyȝthod
feat fro þe deth shal eskape a-lyue,

And to his contre hoi and sorwde aryve,
feat likly am, by cruel auenture,
For to be ded, }if þe werre endure. 4008
Come of, perfor, & late nat * be proloigned,
But lat þe day atwen vs two be loyned,
As I haue seide, in condiciouw,
ȝif in diffence only of þis toun 4012
I haue victorie by fortune on þe,
I axe nat, but anoon þat ȝe
Breke vp sege, and jje werre lete,
And suffreth vs to lyuen in quiete, 4016
In-to Grece horn whan ȝe ar goon."
To* whiche þing Achilles anon,
Hoot in his Ire and furious also,
Brermynge ful hote for anger & for wo, 4020
Assentid is, with a dispitous chere,
And gan anoon to Hector dresse him nere,
And seide he wolde delyuere hi??i outterly,
Fro poynt to point, his axyng by & by, 4024
And per-in made noon excepciou??,
But of hool herte and entenciouft
His requeste accepted euerydel,
And, as it sempte, liked it riȝt wel. 4028
And, for his parte, he caste a gloue dourc,
In signe & tokene of confirmaciourc,
For lyfe or deth þat he wil holde his day
Ageyn Hector, hap what hap[pe] may, 4032
Yn-to þe whiche Hector liny sterte,
And toke it vp, with as glad an herte
As euere ȝit dide* man or knyȝt,
feat quarel toke with his foo to fi3t : 4036

Jper can no man, in soth, a-riȝt deuyse
How glad he was of þis hiȝe emprise,
Of whiche þe noise & þe grete souw
Ran to þe eris of Agamenouw ; 4040
And he anoon cam doim to her tent
With alle þe lordis of his parlement,

Where Achilles & Hector wern I-fere,
To wit her wille as in þis matere : 4044
Wher þei wolden assented finally
To putte þe quarel ful in iuparty,
Of ouper part, atwene Ipese knyȝtes tweyne,
As ȝe han herde, it fully to darayne. 4048
And with o vois Grekis it denye,

And seide þei nolde of 'swiche a companie,

Of kynges, dukis, and lordis eke also,
Bo]?e life & deth luparterc atwene two, 4052
Nor to [þe] course of Fortune hem submitte,
ftat can hir face alday chauwge & flitte.

And some of Troye, in conclusions,

luparte nolde her lyues nor her touw, 4056
In þe hondis only of a kny}t
To putten al in auenture of fiȝt,
Priam except, whiche, sothly, in þis caas,

With-in hym silf fully assentid was, 4060

Pleinly to haue put & set in iuparte
Holy þe honour of his regalye,
Supposynge ay, as maked is memorie,

þat Hector shuld haue had þe victorie 4064

Of þis emprise, ȝif it he toke on honde.
But for Priam nmtrel nat wȝU-stonde
Ageyn so many of oon entenciouw

þat were contrarie to his oppiniouw, 4068
Bope of Grekis and on Troye side,
[He] helde his pes, and lete it ouere-slyde.
And so jje Grekis parted ben echon ;

And Hector is from Achilles goon 4072
Home to Troye, where I him leue a while,
now turn Whiles fat I directe shal my stile
To telle of Troylus f e lamentable wo,
Whiche fat he made to parts his lady fro. 4076

Of the sorowe that Troilus made whew Cressaide shulde
1
depart.

! !
Fortune, gery and vnstable,
AliasAnd redy ay [for] to be chauwgable

Whan folk* most triste in stormy face, þi
Liche her desire f e fully to embrace
þanwe is
f i
loye aweye to turne
Yp-on wrechis þi power for to kif e
Record on Troylus, Ipai fro þi whele so lowe
By fals en vie f ou hast ouer-frowe, 4084
Oute of fe loye which [fat] he was Inne,
From his lady to make him for to twyȝne
Whan he best wewde for to haue be surid.
And of f e wo fat he hath endured, 4088
I rnuste now helpe hym to compleyne,
Whiche at his herte felt[e] so gret peyne,*
So inward wo, and so gret distresse,
More fan I haue konwynge to expresse, 4092
Wharc he knew f e partynge of Cryseide
Almoste for wo & for peyue he deyde,
And fully wiste she departe shal
By sentence and lugement fynal 4096
Of his fader, ȝoue in parlement.
For whiche, with wo & torment al to-rent,
He was in point to haue falle in rage,
þat no man myȝt apese nor a-swage 4100
þe hidfde] peynes which in* his breste gan dare

For lik a man in furie he gan fare,

And swiche sorwe day & nyȝt to make, [leaf 90 6]

In compleyninge* only for hir sake. 4104
For whan he sawe Ipat she schulde a-weie,
He leuer had, pleinly, for to deye
)2an to lyve be-hynde* in hir absence :
For hym pouȝt, with-outen hir presence 4108
He nas but ded þer is no more to seine.
And in-to terys he be-gan to reyne,
With whiche his eyen gon[ne] for to bolle,
And in his breste þe siȝes vp to swolle, 4112
And þe sobbyng of his sorwes depe,
þat he ne can nat but rore and wepe,
So sore loue his herte gan constreyne.
And she ne felt nat a litel peyne, 4116
But wepte also, and pitously gaw crye,
Desyring ay þat she myȝte dye
Ka)>er pan parte from hym oute of Troye,
Hir owne kny3t, hir lust, hir Hues loye, 4120
J3at be hir chekis þe teris douw distille,
And fro hir eyen þe rouwde dropis t[r]ille,
And al for-dewed han hir blake wede ;

And eke vntressid hir her abrod garc sprede, 4124
Like to gold wyr, for-rent & al to-torn,
I-plukked of, & nat with sheris shorn.
And ouer Jris, hir freshe rosen he we,
Whilom y-meint with white lilies newe, 4128

With woful wepyng pitously disteyned,
And like herbis in April al be-reyned,
Or floures freshe, with þe dewes swete,
Riȝt so hir chekis moiste wern & wete 4132
With cristal water, vp ascendyn[g] hiȝe
Out of her breste in-to hir heuenly eye ;
And ay amonge hir lamentaciourc,
Ofte si]?e she fil aswone dourc, 4136
Dedly pale, for-dymmed in hir siȝt,

" alias
And ofte seide :
Myn owne Troylus, alias

late Deth. with his spere darte 4140
Kaper
)3oru3 myn hert,
& þe veynes kerue,
And with his rage do me for to sterue
Kafer, alias !
fan fro my knyȝt to twyrcne

And of fis wo, o Deth, Ipat I am Inne, 4144
Whi nyl þou come & help[e] make an ende 1
For how shulde I oute of Troye wende,
He abide, and I to Grekis goon,
)3er to dwelle amonge my cruel foon 1 4148
Alias ! alias !
I, woful creature,
Howe shulde I fer, in f e werre endure
I, wreche woman, but my silf allone,
Amonge þe men of arrays euerychon
Jpus gan she cryen al f e longe day ;

þis was hir cowpleint, with ful gret affray,
Hir pitous noyse, til it drowe to nyȝt,
þpat vn-to hir hir owne trewe knyȝt, 4156
Ful triste & heuy, cam ageyn[e]s eve,
ȝif he myȝt hir couwforte or releue.
But he, in soth, hath Cryseide fouwde
Al in a swowe, lyggynge on þe groimde
And pitously vn-to hir he wente,
With woful chere, & hir in armys hent,
And toke hir vp : & fan atwen hem two
Be-gan of new swiche a dedly wo, 4164
þat it was rou]>e & pite for to sene

For she of cher pale was and grene,
And he of colour liche to ashes dede

And fro hir face was goon al fe rede, 4168
And in his chekis deuoided was f e blod,
So wofully atwene hem two it stood.
For she ne myȝt nat a worde speke,
And he was redy with deth to be wreke 4172

Yp-on hym silfe, his nakid swerd be-side

And she ful of te gan to grourade glide
Out of his armys, as she fel a-swowne ;
And he hym silf gan in teris drowne : 4176
She was as stille & dowmb * as any ston

He had a moufe, but wordis had he non

fee weri spirit flikered* in hir breste,

And of deth stood vnder arreste, 4180
WYt/t-oute meinpris, sothly, as of lyf.
And Jms fe[r] was, as it sempte, a strif,

Whiche of hem two shuldfel firste pace
_, ,
.tor deth portreied in her ouper face 4184

With swiche colour as men go to her graue.

Of the worshipful recowmendacyone that the monke of
Bury, fat translate fis boke, gave Chaucere fe
chef poete off Breteyne. 1

And fus in wo f ei gan to-gidre raue,
T-.. 1,1
Disconsolat, al f e longe nyȝt,
i

þat, in gode feith, ȝif I shulde ariȝt 4188

  • sorwe
    fee processe hool of here bof e
    feat fei made til f e nexte morwe,
    Fro point to point it to specefie,
    T, , , . - ,,
    It wolde me ful longe occupie 4192
    ȝ. . , .
    þt
    euery finge to make menciourc,

And tarie me in my translaciouw
ȝif I shulde in her wo precede ;

But, me semeth, fat it is no nede, 4196
Sith my maister Chaucer her-a-forn
In þis mater hath so wel* hym born,
In his boke of Troylus and Cryseyde
Whiche he made longe or fat he deyde, 4200
Rehersinge firste, how Troiius was cowtrarie

[For] To assendyn vp on Lovis steire,

And how þat he, for al his surquedie,
After be-cam oon of þe companye 4204
Of Lovis folke, for al his olde game,
Whan Cupide maked hym fill tame,
And brouȝt him lowe to his subieccioiw,
In a temple as he walked vp & douw, 4208
"Whan he his gwnes and his hokis leide
Amyd þe eyen cerclid of Oyseyde,
Whiche on fat day he myȝtfe] nat asterte

For poru} his brest percid & his herte, 4212
He wente hym home, pale, sike, & wan.
And in þis wise* Troy his first be-gan
To be a seruaimt, my maister telleth þus,
Til he was holpe aftir* of Pandarus, 4216
þoru3 whos comforte &
mediacioim

(As in his boke is maked* mencioun)
With gret labour firste he cam to grace,
And so contuneth by certeyn ȝeris space, 4220
Til Fortune gan vp-on hym frowne,
J3atshe fro?7ȝ hym mvst goon oute of towne
Al sodeynly, and neiw hym after se.
Lo ! here þe fyn of false felicite, 4224
Lo ! here þe ende of worldly brotilnes,
Of fleshy lust, lo ! here thuwstabilnes,
Lo ! here fe double variacioun*
!

Of wor[l]dly blisse and transmvtacioiw
ftis day in myrthe & in wo to-morwe

For ay fe fyn, alias ! of loie is sorwe.
For now Cryseide, vtith þe kyng Thoas,
For Anthenor shal go forpe, alias
Vn-to Grekis. and euer* with hem dwelle

hoolfe] story Chaucer kan ȝow telle
þQ
ȝif þat ȝe liste no man bet alyue
Nor þe processe halfe so wel discryue
For he owre englishe giltfe] wȝ'tȝ his sawes,
Eude and boistous firste be olde dawes,

)3at was f ul fer from al peri eccioiw,

And but of litel reputacioiw, 4240
Til þat he cam, &, foru} his poetrie,
Gan oure tonge firste to magnifie,
And adourne it "with his elloquence

To whom honour, laude, & reuerence, 4244
þorm-oute þis londe aoue be & songe,
bo þat þe laurer oi oure enghshe tonge
Be to hym ȝoue for his excellence,
Tvljt a[s] whilom by ful 11136 sentence, 4248
Perpetuelly for a memorial,
Of Colurapna by þe cardynal

To Petrak Fraurcceis was ȝouen in Ytaille

þat þe report neuere after faille, 4252
Nor þe honour dirked of his name,
To be registred in þe house of fame
Amonge ojȝer in þe hiȝeste sete,
My maister Galfride, as for chefe poete 4256

þat euere was ȝit in oure langage ;
þQ name of whom shal passes in noo?ȝ age,

But euer ylyche, wit/i-oufce eclipsinge, shyne.
And, for my part, I wil neuer fyne, 4260
So as I can, hym to magnifie
In my writynge, pleinly, til I dye ;
And God, I praye, his soule bring in loy.

Howe Guydo rebukethe Troylus. And of the mutabi- lite and varyant… {#howe-guydo-rebukethe-troylus-and-of-the-mutabi--lite-and-varyant}

Howe Guydo rebukethe Troylus. And of the mutabi- lite and varyant chaunge of womenne. 1

And where I lefte, I wil ageyn of Troie 4264
þe story telle, & first how þat Guydo

WM-in his boke speketh Troylus to,

Eebukyng hym ful vncurtesly,
)3at he so sette his herte folili 4268
Vp-on Cryseide, ful of doubilnes :

For in his boke as Guydo list expresse,

feat hir teris & hir conipleynynge,
Hir wordis white, softe, & blaurcdyshynge, 4272
Wer rneynt with feynyng & with flaterie,
And outward farsed with many a fals[e] lye

For vnder hid was al þe variaurcce,
Cured a-boue with feyned contenaurcce, 4276
As wommen kan falsly teris borwe
In her herte pouȝ per be no sorwe
Lik as þei wolde of verray troupe deie.
þei can pink oon, and a-noper seie,
As a serpent vnder floures faire
His venym hydeth, where he dop repaire
fie sugre a-forn, þe galle hid be-hynde,
As approprid is vn-to hir kynde 4284
To be dyuers & double of nature,
Kapest deceyvynge whaw mew most assure

For vnder colour euery þing þei wirke,
PQ faire aboue, þe foule in þe dirke 42
þei hide so, þat no man may espie ;

And pouȝ so be, þat with a woful eye
þei can outward wepyn pitously,
Jpe toper eye can lauȝ[e] couertly, 4292
Whos sorwes alle are temprid with allaies.
And her colour euer is meynt* with raies

For vp-on chauwge and mutabilite
Stant hool her trust and [her] surete, 4296
So þat þei ben sure in doubilnes,
And alwey double in her sikernes,
Semynge oon whan þei best caw varie,

Likest to acorde whan þei be contrarie ; 4300
And þus þei ben variauwte in a-corde,
And holest seme whan per is discord.
with
þat in her herte apaied is with
And 3 it þei can, be it to oon or tweyne,
To pre or foure, in her speche feyne,

Like as þei wern to oon & to no moo
Hool in her loue, for wele & eke for wo,
7

)5at eueryche shal of hym silfe deme
bat he be next, lik as it doth seme.
And þus in hope stant eche of hem alle,
fee trewest ay redyest to falle ; 4312
Who serueth best, nexte to ben appaired

And fcus in chaiwge al her loue is f eired.
Lat no man trust, but cache wha?z he may* ;

Far-wel to-morwe, þouȝ it be sure to-day*
þe faire of chaimge lasteth ouer 3 ere,
But it is foly for to byen to dere
Jpilke tresour, whiche harde is to possede,
But fleeth aweye whaw men per-of most nede. 4320
And ȝif it hap þat no chapman be

(As seith Guydo), ȝit al day men may se
It* shewed oute at large fenestrallis,

On chaumbres hiȝe, & lowe douw in hallis, 4324

And in wyndowes eke in euery strete ;

And also eke men may vrith hem mete
At pilgry mages and oblaciouw[e]s,

At spectacles in cytes and in townys 4328
(As seit[h] Guydo), and al is for to selle

But after hym I can no ferfer telle.
And eke he seith, in his sentament,
ber is no fraude fully equipollent
'
lo þe fraude and sleety compassyng

Of a womman, nor like in worchynge :

For who þat set al his feithfulnes,
Wenynge in hem to fynde stabilnes, 4336
He shal hem fynde stedefaste as þe mone,
in point for to chauwge sone.
þat is

ȝif he be ȝonge, þei cast hym in a rage ;
ȝif he be olde, he falleth in dotage ; 4340
"
Wherfore, my couwseil is to bo]?e two :

Cast of þe bridel, and ȝtlyȝlete hem go."-
)3us Guydo, God wot, & not I
teche}>

þat haj? delyt to speke cursidly
Alwey of \vo??imen þoruȝ-out al his bok,
As men may se, who-so list to loke.
To hem he had envie in special,
)3at, in good feith, I am riȝt wroj>e with al,
)3at he with hem list so to debate ;

For Ire of whiche, þe latyn to translate,
Inwardly myn herte I felte blede,
Of hiȝe dispit, his clausis for to rede, 4352
þat resownede, in conclusion?!,

Only of malys to accusaciovw
Of þis women ful euel mote he priue

may he So generally her sect[e] to discryve, 4356
Whiche made nat, poruȝ indiscreciouft,
Of good nor badde noon excepciouw.
He was to blame foule mote he* falle

For cause of oon for to hindren alle
John
For I dar wel affermen by þe rode,
Ageyn oon badde loen an hundrid gode ;
And þonȝ som oon double be & newe,
It hindreth nat to hem þat be trewe. 4364
And be exaumple, also, pouȝ he shewe
þat som oon whilom was a shrewe,
)3ei þat be gode take shal noon hede,

For it noon hindrynge is to wommanhede, 4368
)3ou3 two or pre can be double & feyne

For þer ageyn, sothly, at Coleyne,
Of virgines, inly ful of grace,
Ellevene þousand in þat holy place 4372
A man may fynde ;
and in oure kalendere
Ful many maide parfit and entere,
Whiche to þe deth stable wern and trewe.
For so??zme of hem with þe rosen hew 4376
Of martirdom þe blisse of heuene wo?me

And sowzme also, as bokis telle konne,
With þe lillye of virginite
And violettis of parfit chastite, 4380
Ascendid ben a-boue þe stems clere

And þe cercle of þe nynthe spere,

Where loie is euere, and gladnes eterne.
Wherefor, in soth, as I can discerne, 4384
þou3 som clerkis of shrewis haue myssaid,
Lat no good wo?wman per-of be myspaid :

For lak of oon, alle are nouȝt to blame,
And eke of men may be seide þe same.
For to þe trewe it is no reprefe,
)5ou3 it so be anoper
be a þefe ;
For what is he þe werse in his degre,
J90U3 þe toper be honged on a tre ? 4392
Nor vn-to wowmen hindring is it noon,
Among an hiwdrid þou3 þat per be oon
Of gouernaimce þat be vicious !
For per ageyn a fousand vertuous,
ȝif þat 30 liste, Ii3tly 36 may fynde.

And pou} Guydo writ, þei han of kynde
To be double, men shulde it goodly take,
And per ageyn no maner grucching make
Nature in werkynge hath ful gret power,
And it wer harde for any þat is here
)3e cours of hir to holden or restreyne ;
For she wil nat be guyed be no reyne, 4404
To be coarted of hir due riȝt.
þerfore, eche man vrith al his ful[le] my3t
Shulde panke God, and take paciently :

For ȝif wommen be double naturelly, 4408
Why shulde men leyn on hew þe blame 1

For þou3 myn auctor hindre so her name
In his writinge, only of Cryseide,
And vp-on hir swiche a blame leide, 4412
My couTiseil is, Ii3tly ouer passe
Wher he mysseith of hir in any place,

To hindre woramen, ouper eve or morwe
Taketh noon hede, but late him be with sorwe, 4416
And skippeth ouer wher 30 list nat rede,
you get
Til 36 come where þat Dyomede
For hir was sent in-to Troye toura,
Where ceriously is maked mencioim, 4420
First, how þat she to hym delyuered was
For Anthenor and for* kyng Thoas,
And how Troilus gan hir to conveie,
With many oper, to bringe hir on þe weie
And after þis, how þat Dyomede,
By þe weie gan hir bridel lede
Til he hir brouȝt to hir fadres tent ;
And how* Calchas, in ful good entent, 4428
Received hir, logged per he lay,
And of hir speche duryng al þat day,
And al þe maner hool and euerydel
Al is rehersid ceriously and wel 4432
In Troylus boke, as ȝe han herd me seyn
To write it efte, I holde it wer but veyn.
But Guydo seith, longe or it was* nyȝt,
How Cryseyde for-soke hir owne kny3t, 4436
And ȝaf hir herte vn-to Dyomede
Of tendirnes and of wommanhede,
þat Troilus wexe in hir herte as colde,
Wet/i-oute fire as ben pese asshes olde. 4440
I can noon oper excusacioura,
But only kyndes transmutaciowi,
ftat is appropred vn-to hir nature,
Selde or neuer stable to endure,
Be experience as men may ofte lere.
But now ageyn [vn-]to my matere

I mvt resort,
pouȝ þat I be ferre,
As I be-gan to writen of þe werre. 4448

Howe worthy Ector, lyche Mars hym silf, toke the felde with mony… {#howe-worthy-ector-lyche-mars-hym-silf-toke-the-felde-with-mony}

Howe worthy Ector, lyche Mars hym silf, toke the felde with mony worthy in his company, and scleughe sondrey kynges, and, amonge alle other, with his swerde departede Merion atweyne. 1

FTlhe tyme passed of fe trew y-take,
I þe next[e] morwe, whaw Titan haf forsake

þe vnder party of oure Emysperye,

Where al fe nyȝt he hadde* be ful merye 4452
With Aurora liggyng by his side,
But in his bedde hym list no lenger bide,
But shope hym vp, & cast his stremys shene
On Troye wall,* whan Hector, armyd clene, 4456
In-to fe felde faste gan hym bȝe,
Fiftene f ousand in his companye 15
Of wor))i knytes and of manly men.
And, as I fynde, Troylus had[de] ten 4460
Of knyȝtes eke, fat his baner swe ;

And, in al haste, Paris gan remewe

Oute of f e touft, with hem of Perce londe ;
And eche of hem a bowe had in his honde, 4464
And arwis sharpe trussid by her side ;

And of knyȝtes fat aboute hym ride
He had also fre fousand, as I fynde.
And Dephebws next hym cam be-hynde 4468
With fre fousand knyȝtes, armyd clene,
On whos platis f e so/me shone ful shene ;

And next hym cam f e Troyan Eneas.
And, as I rede, sothly, fat f er was 4472

þpe same day with hem of Troye toun
An huftdrid fousand knyȝtes of renouw, 100
Lik as recordeth Dares Frigyus,
And in his boke Guydo writeth Jms. 4476
And with fe Grekis, al to-forn fat day,
With seuene f ousand went[e] Menelay,

Kny3tes echon, whiche he dide lede ;

And with as many wentfe] Dyomede. 4480
And next hem* folwith þe hardy Achilles,
With his meyne callid Myrundones

And 3antipus, fe worjji kyng, eke had
þre þousand knyȝtes, whiche fat he lad 4484
In-to f e felde ageyn hem of fe to\in ;
And alderlaste cam Agamenourc
With swiche a noimbre of þe Grekis felle,
þat wonder is for to here telle. 4488
And whan þe wardis in þe feld abrod
Had take her place, wM-oute more abood,
A Grekishe kyng, whiche þat Phillis hijt,
Anon as he of Hector had a siȝt, 4492
Towardis hym, sitting on his stede,
With his spere he gan hym fastfe] spede

But whan Hector ha]) his co??ȝmynge seyn,

He hent a spere, & rod to hym ageyn
And foru} his shelde his platis rouwde
He ȝaf to hym his last[e] fatal wotwde.
Vp-on whos deth avengid for to be,
Ful many Greke gan on Hector fle. 4500
And, first of al, fe* wor)>i kyng famws,
J3at of Grekis was callid ȝantipus,
Of hiȝe disdeyn only for Phillis sake,
Toward Hector hath his cours I-take, 4504
And with a spere ran at hym ful riȝt

But Hector first hit him with swiche a myjt,
)3oru3 his harneis with his speris hed,
feat 3antipus fil to grouwde ded, 4508
þe deth of whom þe Grekis sore pleyne,
And dide her myȝt & her besi peyne,
On euery halfe, furious and wood,
Tavenge hem on Troyanysshe blood. 4512
And þoruȝ her passage cruel hardinesse
#ei be-gan Troyens so to oppresse,
at many oon fat day ne
myȝt a-sterte,

þe
breste y-perced and* þe herte, 4516
For to be ded & slayn amonge þe pres,
Amongis whiche, cruel Achilles
Slowe Lychaon and Euforbius,

Noble kny3tes, riȝt worþi and fanms, 4520
þat wern y-come oute of her centre

Ageyn Grekis to helpe Tpe cyte.
And while Troyens cowstreyned [wer] so narwe,
Were it vfiili spere, qwarel, darte, or arwe, 4524
Hector was wouwded jwruȝ-oute þe viser
In-to þe face, þat, like a ryver,
þQ rede blood douw be-gan to raille,

By his harneis þoruȝ his aventaille ;
Wher-of astonyd whan þei had a siȝt,
Ful many Troyan toke hym to þe fliȝt,
And to þe cite fast[e] gan hem drawe ;

And at þe chas [ful] many oon was slawe, 4532
Or þei myȝt out of þe felde remewe.
And euer in oon þe Grekis after swe,
Yn-to þe wallis almost of þe toun,

Til þat Hector, þe Troyan champiourc, 4536
Of his knyȝthod gan to taken hede,
Al-be his wouwde sore gan [to] blede,
Of manhod he gan hem recomforte,
[ȝit]
And maugre hem in-to þe felde resorte ; 4540
Namly, whan he had inspecciouw,
On fe wallis and touris of þe touȝ,

Howe fat Eleyne, and Eccuba þe quene, And his suster, faire Pollicene, {#howe-fat-eleyne-and-eccuba-þe-quene-and-his-suster-faire-pollicene}

Howe fat Eleyne, and Eccuba þe quene, And his suster, faire Pollicene,

With many ofer lady gan beholde

Hym jjouȝt anoon his herte gaw to colde
Of verray shame his knyȝtes shold[e] fle ;
And, lik a Ijoun in his cruelte, 4548
He made hem tourne, manly euerychon.
And in his wey he mette Merion,

A Grekishe kyng, fat was nyȝe allie
To Achilles, as bokis specefie
And with his swerd Hector smot hym so,
ftat he hym rof vp-on pecis two.

And Achilles, whan he sawe hym ded,
Partid on two, euene fro f e hed, 4556
He hent a spere, & fouȝt he nold[e] faille
To hitte Hector f oruȝ sheld, plate, & niaille,
And rood to hym ful enviously
And myd fe sheld he smet hym cruelly. 4560
But with þe strok Hector neuer-a-del
Remeveth nat, he sat so fast and wel ;
But with his swerd anoon, & tarie]? nouȝt,
Yn-to Achille, with an envious f oȝt, 4564
He knyȝtly ran vp-on his courser

And on his creste, fat shon so briȝt & cler,
With swiche a myȝt Hector ha]) hym smet,
Jpat he percid f oru3
his basenet, 4568
And raced eke from his aventaille
With fat stroke many pece of maille,
Jpat Achilles constreyned was of nede,
Maugre his my3t, to stakrera on his stede, 4572
To enclyne, and to bow his bak.

Of the wordys of worthy Ector to Achile
Dyomede sent Troylus hors to Cresseyde. 1
At whiche tyme Hector to hym spak,
And seide "
:
Achille, I do ful wel aduerte
j)e grete en vie of fi cruel herte, 4576
And specially fat f ou haste to me

But ȝit be war, I
courcseilpe] f e,
þi-silfe to put so in auenture :
For [of] o fing I pleynly
þe
As I desire at my lust sorn day
Here in fe felde ȝif I þe mete
may,
Trust me riȝt wel,
fer geynef no socour,

at I shal* so aquite fi labour, 4584

So mortally, I do f e to vndirstonde,
With þis swerd fat I holde on honde,
ftat vfiih þe lif þou shalt nat eskape,
So cruelly þe vengauwce shal be take, 4588
Eft whan we mete, evene vp-on fiw hede."
Of whiche f ircg whan Achilles toke hede,
Aduertinge al fat he herde hym seyn,
Biȝt as he wold haue 30116 answer aȝeyn, 4592
Worfi Troylus knyȝtly entrid Inne, [leaf 92 d]
[And] Maked hem asourcdre for to twynne ;
And f oru3 f e manhod of his companye
Of worþi knyȝtes, fat he dide guye, 4596
And hi3e prowes of his owne myȝt,
He haf f e Grekis put ageyn to fiȝt,
And slayn of hem fat day out of drede
Sixe hundrid kny3tes, sothly, as I rede. 4600

For los of whiche þe Grekis fast[e] fle

To hir tentis, of necessite ;
Til Menelay dide his besy cure

To maken hem f e feld ageyn recure, 4604
þoru3 whos manhod þat day out of doute
And worf i kny3tes fat wern him aboute,
þe feld of Grekis recured was anoon.
But fo from Troye cam kyng Odemon, 4608
And in al haste possible fat he may,
He cam enbusshed vppon Menelay,
And hym vnhorseth in f e silfe place,
And swiche a wouwde ȝaf him in f e face, 4612

þat fro f e deth he wende nat eskape ;

And, dout[e]les, anoon he had hym take
Wiit/fc helpe of Troylus, & lad vn-to f e touw,
But of Grekis swiche a pres cam dourc 4616
To reskue hym in f is grete nede,
)5at Odemon no ferfer my3t[e] lede*

Kyng* Menelay toward fe cite,
Whan Dyomede cam with his meyne, 4620
And many worf ridyng hym aboute,
i,

And Troylus met, among[es] al f e route,
Al sodeynly, of hap or auenture,
And hym vnhorsith,* as it was his evre ; 4624
And after fat, anoon he hent his stede,
And bad a squier fat he shuld it lede
Vn-to Cryseyde, only for hir sake,
Beseching hir fat she wolde it take 4628
As for a gyfte of hir owne man,
Sith he fat day for hir lone it wan

Amyd f e feld, f oru3 his grete my3t,
Of hym fat was whilom hir owne knyȝt. 4632
And he in haste on his weie is went,
And f er-of made vn-to hir p?esent,
Preying hir, in ful humble wyse,
Jpis litel gifte fat she nat dispise,
But it receive for a remembraurcce,
And wiih al f is, fat it be plesauȝce,
Of verray pite and of wo?rananhede
On hir seruaurct, callid Diomede, 4640
To remembre, fat was be-come her knyȝt.

Of the comfortable answere that double Cresseyde gave
to f e Messenge?- that kame frome Dyomede. 1

And she anoon, wiih hertfe] glad and liȝt,

Ful wommanly bad hym repeire ageyn
Vn-to his lord, & pleynly to hym seyn 4644
þat she ne myȝt, of verray kynd[e]nesse,
Of womanhede, nor of gentilnes,
Refusen hym, platly, from hir grace,
.
þat was to hir, fere in straurcge place, 4648
So kynde fo[u]nde, and so courcfortable
In euery f ing, and so seruisable,

J3at it may nat Ii3tly oute of mynde
To pinke on hyra þat was so trewe & kynde. 4652
With whiche answere þe messa/iger is goon
Vn-to his lord, and told it hyra anoon,
Word by word, like as she hath seide ;

And he per-of was ful wel apayde, 4656
þat hym pouȝt, pleinly, in his herte,
He was recured of his peynes smerte ;

And forpe he had hym in armys as a knyȝt.
But þilke day, durynge þe stronge fiȝt 4660
)5ei of Troye so manly han hem born,
ftat Grekis rnyȝt nat stondew hem a-forn ;

For to her tentis þei han hera chacid dourc,
jpat, nadde ben kyng Agamenoiw, 4664
Grekis had be dryue oute of þe feld.
þQ whiche þing anoon as he beheld,
He cam vp-on \ith many worþi man ;

And þo of newe þe slaȝter ageyn began 4668
On euery half vp-on þe large pleyn,
jpat Grekis han Troyens so be-leyn,
}5at efte a-ȝeyn þei haue þe feld [y-]wowne,
So þat Troyens, constreyned, þo be-gowne 4672
To lese her lond, til Pollydamas,*
Whiche with his knyȝtes per be-side was,

Gan falle vppon, endelonge þe grene,
Hem of Troye [ful] manly to sustene. 4676
And þe Grekis he gan so to enchase,*
Whan he cam in, þat þei loste her place,
And to þe strond, evene vppon þe se,
jȝoru} his knyȝthod he made hem for to fle, 4680
Of her lif þat þei wern in drede.
þe whiche meschef whan þat Dyomede
Be-held & sawe howe Pollydamas *

Mortally pursued on þe chas 4684
On hors[e]-bak, in þe feld a-fere,

With cruel herte hent anoon a spere,
And, springing out, rod to him ful riȝt ;
And he ageyn, to quite hyra lik a knyȝt, 4688
And he þat list on no party feyne,
Of his stede held ageyn þe reyn,
And rauȝt a spere, & prewe [it] in þe reste,

And Diomede he smet so on þe brest, 4692
þat mortally, liche
as it is fouwde,
He vnhorsid hyrn vfith a greuous wouwde.
And riȝt anoon, -with a knyȝtly herte,
Pollydamas* al attonys sterte 4696
Vn-to þe horse of þis Diomede,
And by þe reyne proudly gan it lede
Vn-to* Troylus, wher he on fote stood,
Al for-baj>ed in þe Grekis blod, 4700
On euery halfe whiche þat he shadde
Amongis hem so knyȝtly he hi??ȝ hadde,
}5at þei ne myȝt endure nor sustene,
His sharpe swerde grouwde was so kene, 4704
And deliuerly, maugre al his foon,
In-to þe sadel [vp] he sterte anoon,
Of verray force, armyd as he was ;
And vnwarly, by auenture or cas, 4708
With sharpe swerdis, for þe nonys whet,
As Achilles and he to-gidre mette,

Worþi Troylus, of rancour & of pride,
Achilles smot þat he fil a-side 4712
Doura of his hors, lowe to þe grouȝde.
And nat-w't/i-stondi7ige his grene mortal wouwde,
He ros ageyn, & faste gan hym spede,
ȝif þat he my3t to recure his stede : 4716
But al for nou3t, it woldfe] nat availle,
For sodenly, wM a fresshe bataille,*
}3ei of Troye, as made is mencioutt,
In compas wyse beset hym enviroun, 4720

Eueryche of hem armyd briȝt & clene.
And Hector þo, in his furious tene,
As Dares tellej) al þe maner how,

J5e same day a þousand knyȝtes slow,* 4724
Whiche him withstode only in diffence,
For Achilles to make resistence,
þat tyme of deth stondynge in iupartie :

Jpat certeinly, but }if bokis lye, 4728
Be liklyhed he myȝtfe] nat eskape
In þat meschef to be ded or take,
Hector on hym was so furious.
But, as I rede, Thelamonius 4732
Reskued hym in þis grete nede,
And causid hym to recure his stede,

Nat-w&tA-stondynge al þe grete pres :

For fe duke and lord of Athenes 4736
Was in þis cas, of hert & hool entent,
To helpe Achille wonder dilligent,
þat with hym ladde many noble knyȝt.
But for be-cause þat it drowe to nyȝt,
As þe story maketh rehersaille,
)3ei made an ende as of þat bataille,

And þei of Troye entrid be þB toun.
And after þat, as made is menciouw, 4744
By and by, havyng* no delaies,
Mortally þei fauȝt[e] fritty dayes
With-outen eny Interrupciouw,
Of ouper parte to gret destrucciou7ȝ. 4748
But aldermost, for al her gret[e] pride,
)5ei lost most on þe Grekis side ;

Save Prianws loste in special
8ixe of his sonys called naturel, 4752

For whom he had ful gret hevines.
And as fe stori recordef eke* expresse,
þis mene while Hector, in certeyn,
In his face wounded was a-geyn. 4756

Howe Kynge Priamus sent to þe Grekis for a trewe of vj monethes ; &… {#howe-kynge-priamus-sent-to-þe-grekis-for-a-trewe-of-vj-monethes}

Howe Kynge Priamus sent to þe Grekis for a trewe of vj monethes ; & of þe discripcyon of Yllyon,

And þus þei han, in þis cruel rage,
On euery part receiued gret damage,
Til [kyng] Priain from Troye sent[e] dourc
For a trewe vn-to Agamenoim, 4760
For sixe monies, }if lie assentfe] wolde.
And per-vppoii he ha]? a conseil holde
With his lordis, what were beste to do ;
And þei echon accorded 'be pe?*e-to, 4764
And grauwt his axynge, in conclusiowz.
And al þis while, wM-Innen Ylyourc,
Duringe þe pes, on ouper part assurid,
Of his wouwdis fully to be cured 4768
Lay wor))i Hector, protectour of þe tourc.
But of þis riche, royal, chefe dongouw,
feat Ylyouw in Troye bare þe name,
Whiche of billedyiig had[de] swiche a fame 4772
ȝif þat I shulde comende it vp-so-douw,
As Dares doth in his discripciouw
I wante konnynge my termys to aplie ;
For in his boke as he doth specefie, 4776
In al þis world was per noon so riche,
Of hiȝe devis, nor of bildynge liche,
þe whiche stood, þe more to delyte,
As he recordeth, on twelfe stony s white 4780
Of alabastre, shortly to conclude ;
And twenty pas was þe latitude,
fee grou?id y-pauyd poruȝ-out with cristal,
And vp-oii heiȝt pȝ?-formyd eue?y wal 4784
Of alle stonys þat any man can fynde,
Of diamauntis and saphir[i]s ynde,
þe royal ruby, so orient and liȝt,
feat þe dirknes of þe dymrne nyȝt 4788
Enchacid was with his bemys shene ;

And euere amonge wern emeraudis grene,

With stonys alle, fat any maner man
In fis world deuyse or rekne can, 4792
]5at wern of pris, valu, or richesse.
And rber were* wrought,c of large and gret rourcdnes,
(As seith Dares) of yvory pylers,
And fer-vp-on set at þe corners, 4796

Of purid gold, al aboue on heiȝt,

þer wer ymages wonder huge of wei}t,
"With many perle and many riche stoon ;
And euery piler in f e halle had oon, 4800
Of massif gold, burned clere and briȝt,
.And wonderful to any mawnys siȝt :

For of *bis werke Jfe merveillous faciouw
Was more lik, by estymaciourc, 4804
A þinge y-made & founded be fairye,

þan any werke wrouȝt be fantasie,

)2oru3 wit of man, as be liklynes.
For in his boke Dares bereth witnes, 4808
þat it was like to rekne, siyt and al,
In apparence a f ing celestial :
Seth in his boke 36 gete no more of me,
For but in writinge I myȝt neuere it* se, 4812
Al-be alle o|?er fat it dide excelle ;
No more ferȝof I Jrinke now to telle.

How Kenge Priamus worschipfully burede Ms sonnes
natnrel; & howe Dyomede was wondide with
loves darte. 1

But retourne ageyn to Priamvs,

Whiche al fis while was inly corious, 4816
Witft LTallJ his myat
J:>
and his besy
J cure,
To ordeyne for fe sepulture
Of his sonys fat afore* were dede.
And al þat tyme sike laie Diomede, 4820

With Louys dart woundid to þe herte,
As he þat felt inwardly gret smerte,
Of woful siȝes, wiche in his "brest abraide
Ful ofte a day for loue of Cryseyde ; 4824
For he was shake with a feuere newe,
]9at causid him to be ful pale of he we,
And to wexe bo)>e megre and lene ;
For pitously he gan hym to abstene 4828
Fro mete & drinke, and from [al] solace,
As it was sene in his dedly face ;

And ofte a day to hir he wolde pleyne
Of his dissese and his mortal peyne, 4832
Preiynge, of grace þat she wolde se,
Vpon his wo for to han pite,
And of mercy for to taken hede
Of hir seruauwt, only of womrnanhede, 4836
Or pleinly elles per is no more to seie,
For hir sake he seide he wolde deye.

But konnywgly, & in ful sleiȝty wyse,
To kepe hym lowe vnder hir seruyse, 4840
With delaies she hilde hym forpe on honde,
And maked hym in a were to stonde,
Ful vnsur betwene hope & dispeire.
And whan þat grace shulde haue had repeire 4844
To putte hym oute of al henynes,
Daurager of newe brouȝt hym in distresse ;
And with disdeyn to encrese his peine,
Of double were she broȝt hym in a treyne, 4848
As wommen kan holde a man ful narwe,
when
Whan he is hurt with Cupides arwe,
To sette on hym many fel assaies,
Day be day to putte hym in delaies, 4852
To stonde vnsur betwixe hope & drede,
Kiȝt as Cryseyde lefte Diomede,
Of entent to sette hym more a-fire,

4831-36 are misplaced after 4823, but subsequently occur in their
proper order inD2; 4823 is marked a, and 4824 is marked b.

As þis wowmen kyndely desyre, 4856
Whan þei a man haue brouȝt in a trauwce,

Vn-euenly to hange him in balaurcce,
Of hope & drede to lynke hy??i in a cheyne,
Ay of þe fyn vnsure of hope tweyne, 4860
To dryue him* forpe 3eres hem to serue,
And do no force wher he lyue or sterue :
ftis is þe fyn of Lovis fyri rage.
And for she wolde haue hym in seruage, 4864
She lokkid hym vnder swiche a keye,
þat he wot nat wher to lyue or deye ;
And in doute þus I lete hym dwelle,
And forpe I wil of þe story telle, 4868
And to my mater eke resorte ageyn.
And as myn auctor recorde)) in certeyn,
After þe trewe were wered out & goon,

Twelve daies, swyng al in oon, 4872
þe Grekis fau3t with hem of þe toun,
To gret damage and confusiouw
Of ouper party, and aduersite.
And in þis while a gret rnortalite, 4876
Bope of swerd & of pestylence,
Amonge Grekis, by fatal influence
Of noyous hete and of corrupt eyr
Engendrid was ; þat in gret dispeir 4880
Of her lyf in þe f eld þei * leye :

For day be day sodeynly bei deye,
And her noumbre fast[e] gan discresse.
And whan pai sawe þat it nolde cesse, 4884
By her avys, þe kyng Agamenouw
For a trewe sente to þe touw,
For pritty dayes; & Prianms þe kyng,
"WVtA-onte more, grauwted his* axyng. 4888

Of A wondirful dreme that Andromacha, Ectors wiff,
had, which in effect was, that yif here husbonde,
the next day ensewynge, went armede to f e felde,
that he shulde dy. Where-for she toke here
yongeste sowkynge sonne Astromanta, and pit-
ously, on here knees, bysought Ectore to absteyne
hym fro 1 þe felde that day.
fe Moreyn & fe woful rage
Whan Of pestilence be-gan for to swage,
And f e trews were wered oute & goon,
þe Grekis cast to mete wat/i her foon, 4892
Vp-on a day, in platis armyd clene,
Whan Phebws roos,* with his bemys shene,
Ful plesaiwtly, & gan to shede his lyȝt.
But, as I fynd, to-forne f e silfe nyȝt, 4896
Andronomecha, fe feithful trewe wyf
Of worjji Hector, hym lovynge as hir lyf,
Be whom he had gete childre two,
Wonder semly, and inly fair also 4900
And Lamedonte callyd was f e ton,
So ȝonge fe tofer, þat hit ne myȝt[e] goon,
And Astronanta, I rede, fat he hyȝt,
Fetured wel & passynge fair of siȝt ; 4904
And, as Guydo listeth to endite,
Of his rnoder at þe pappis white,
For verray ȝong fat tyme was soukynge,
And vfith his armys hir brestis embrasynge. 3 4908
And she fat ny}t, as made is mencioiw,
Hadde in hir slepe a wonder visions,
I not, in soth, what I may it nevene,

Oufer a dreme or verraily a sweuene, 4912
Or fro a-boue a reuelaciourc,
As whilom had f e kyng Scipiouw
Or a shewynge, ouf er an oracle,

Or of goddis a warnyng be myracle : 4916
For, in sothnes, slepynge as she lay,
Hir pouȝt[e] pleynly, }if þe nextfe] day

Hector went his fomen for to assaille,

As he was wont, armyd in bataille, 4920
þat he ne shulde eskapen outterly,
In f atis hondis to falle finally ;

And, ouermore, Antropos shal fyne
For euer-more his lyues prede to twyne, 4924
And shewe þe force of hir fel[le] my3t,
Whan þe parodie of þis worþi knyȝt
Aprochen shal, wz't/i-outen wordis mo,
In-to þe feld, pleynly, ȝif he go. 4928
Of whiche astonyd, streit & short of brep,
Wher as she lay, abreid vp-on þe dep,
And with a siȝe stinte for to slepe,

And pitously braste oute for to wepe 4932
For þe constreint of hir hertly sorwe ;
And specially on þe woful morwe,
Whan þat she sawe þis stok of worþines,
As he was wont, manfully him dresse [leaf 94 c] 4936
To armyn hym in stele bornyd briȝt,
Troyan wal, Hector, þis worþi knyȝt,
þis

She can no more, but at his fete fil doura,
T
Lowly declarynge hir avisiouw, 4940
wȝ quakynge herte of verray wo??mianhede.
\ttfi
i i

Where-of, God wote, he toke litil hede,
But þer-of hadde indignaciourc,

Flatly affermyng, þat no discreciourc 4944
Was to trest in swiche fantasies,

In dremys shewid, gladly meynt with lyes,
Ful of lapis and illusioUttS,

Of whiche, pleynly, þe conclusions 4948

Be nat ellis but folkis to delude,
Al-be it so þat [þis] peples rude
Jper-in som while han affeccioura

4916] Or a demonstracioim by oracle D 1.

To luge and deme in her oppinioim 4952
Diuersly what þel may pretende,
And ofte falle & happen as þel wende,
And folweth like, in conclusions.
For drede of whiche, ]>& lamentaciourc 4956
Encrese gan of Andronomecha ;
And in hir swowe first she cried, " a

" alias
Seying, !
niyn owne lord so dere,
ȝour trewe wif, alias ! whi nyl ȝou here, 4960
Whiche of so feithful hool affeccious
Desireth ay ȝoure sauacious

And vp she roos, deedly of visage,
And like a womnian cauȝt with sodein rage, 4964
To kyng Priam & Eccuba þe quene
In haste she wente, hir silfe to be-mene,
And of hir wyfly hert[e], trewe as stele,
Ceriously declarid euerydele, 4968
em her Hir pitous dreme, whiche poru} rnyracle*
To hir only, be devyne oracle,*
I-shewed was poru3 Goddes pwruyausce

And tolde hem* eke þQ final ordinauwce 4972
Of Fortunes fals disposicious,
Fully pwrueied to destruccious
Of hir lord, with-oute more delay,
In-to þe felde jif he go þat day. 4976
Wherfore, she preietli with a dedly hewe
Yn-to þe kyng, of mercy for to re we,
Vp-on hir wo to haue compassions,
Eor to ordeyne by discreciouȝ 4980
Of his lordship and [of] souereinte,
)5at hir lord nat distroyed be
Of rekleshede, nor of wilfulnes.
And, with þat worde, of verray kyndenes, 4984
In whom was ay so moche loue fousde,

To-fore þe quene aswowne fil to

And seide, " alias !
"
with a ful pale cliere,
"Helpe in þis cas, myw owne moder dere, 4988
Of wo??imanhed and routhfe] dof me grace,
JOat my lord in-to þe feld ne pace ;

And doth 30111' deuer, of moderly pite
Benignely and goodly for to se 4992
To his kny3thod and his hiȝe prowes,
For to restreyne his renomed noblesse,
Jpilke day to handle spere nor shelde,
NOT fat he go armyd in-to þe felde." 4996
And boj>e tweyne assent[e] for þe beste,
And condescende vn-to hir requeste,

Finally accordynge in-to oon.
þat whan þe wardis wer redi euerychon, 5000
On issinge oute, & Troy us, first of alle,
1
And Paris next, on Grekis for to falle,

And after hym þe Troyan Eneas,
Kyng Sarpedou?2, and Polly damas, 5004
Kyng Eroys, and kyng Epistrophus,
And eke þe kyng y-called Forcins,
In plate & mail eueryche armed clene ;
And alderlaste cam kyng Philomene, 5008
"With alle þe kynges & lordes of renoim,
J5at in diffence comen of þe toiw,
With þe Grekis knyȝtly to debate.
And Priamȝs, sothly, to þe gate 5012
Conveied hem, at her oute goyng,
And sette her wardes, þis noble worjji kyng,
Ful prudently þoruj his sapience,
And after ȝaf hem conge and licence 5016
Yp-on Grekis for to kyj?e her myȝt,
Ageyn[e]s whom ful redy for to fiȝt
Her fomen wern, with royal apparaille,
Amycl þQ feld abidynge þe bataille. 5020

Howe kynge Priamus chargede worthy Ectore that he shulde not go… {#howe-kynge-priamus-chargede-worthy-ectore-that-he-shulde-not-go}

Howe kynge Priamus chargede worthy Ectore that he shulde not go armede to þe felde þt daye. 1

But Priamus, [in] þis mene while,
Lyk as Guydo remembrij? in his stile,
For þilke fyn, þat ȝe han herd me seyn,
To wor]>i Hector repeired is ageyn, 5024
Hyra contermaiwdynge fat he lie shold gon
jȝilke day to fiȝt ageyn her foon.
For whiche þing, of hiȝe dispit he brent,
Whan fat he saw of er lordis went 5028
Oute at f e gate, and he allone abood ;
For whiche he wexe furious & wood,
Hooly f e cause arrettynge to his wif,
þat was of cherte so tendir ouer his lyf, 5032
Puttinge on hir fully f e occasions
Of his abidynge fat day in fe toiw,

In preiudise of his worfines
And disencresse of his hiȝe prowes. 5036
And list f oruȝ tongis to his hiȝe estat,
Jȝoruȝ fals report it were derogat,
He caste anoon, of a ful kny3tly herte,
For lyf nor deth it shuld him nat asterte 5040
With-Inne fe feld fat day to be fourcde,
þou} it so wer, with many mortal wouwde
He shulde on pecis he we be a-sourcdre,
Yp-on fe pleyn dismembrid here & Bonder 5044
So hool in manhod was his hert[e] sette,
þat he anoon, wȝ't/i-oute lenger lette,
Ageyn to arme hym was ful dilligent,
A-gein þe precepte and commandement 5048
Of his fader, & rood forfe [on] his weie.
For fer of whiche, as she wolde deie,
His wif of newe crie gan & shoute,

And with hir pappis also hanging oute, 5052

Hir litel childe in hir armys tweyne,
A-forn hir lord gan to wepe & pleyne,
Besechinge hym, of routhe and pite,
ȝif he nolde [vn-]to hir sorwe se, 5056
At þe leste, for hir wifly troupe,
þat he of manhod haue in herte roupe

Yp-on hir child and on hir also,
Whiche þat she bar in hir armys two, 5060
And nat myȝt him fro criynge kepe,
Whan he sawe his woful moder wepe.
And, knelyng doim, vn-to hym she seide,
In hir sobbynge as she myȝt abreide : 5064
"Myn owne lorde haue mercy now on me,
And on þis litel child whiche þat 36 se

So pitously a-fore ȝbu wepe & crye !

Haue mercy lord on vs or we deye ! 5068
Haue me?'cy eke vp-on þis cyte,
Myn owne lorde haue mercy or þat we
!

By cruel deth passe shal echon,
For lak of helpe, alias, whan 30 ar goon
! 5072

was þe crie of Andronomecha,*
j)is

With whom was eke hir suster Cassandra,

Eccuba, and faire Polycene,

And Eleyne, þe lusty freshe quene, 5076

Whiche alle attonys fellen hym beforn,
With heer vntressid, & wepinge al to-torn,
And loude gan to crien in þe place,
Besechinge hym, of mercy and of grace, 5080
For þilke day to abiden in þe touw,

And in his herte to haue compassiouȝ
On her compleint & her woful mone,

Sith al þe trust of þe toiw allone 5084
In hym abode, and al þe resistence :

For ageyn deth he was her chef diffence ;
And in hym hooly was her affiauwce,
Her sur[e]te, and her suffisaurace, 5088

In eche þing þat hem myȝtfe] greue.
And }if al þis ne myȝt his herte meve
For to abide, ȝit, of goodly hede,
hym besouȝt, to her wommanhede
þei
He wolde enclyne his harde* herte of stele,
þat þei myȝt
a litel drope fele

Only of pite on her wo to rewe,
þat likly was to
moren and renewe* 5096
Finally to her distrucciouw ;
For of þe cite, sothly, and þe ton??,
His vnhap were endeles ruyne.
But }it al þis myȝt hym nat encline 5100
þat he nold oute, in conclusions,
So indurat, and hertid as lyouw
He was alweie, cowtunynge in his rage

Whos herte myȝt asofte nor aswage 5104
IsTouper praier nor waymeȝtaciouȝ,
Hym to restreyne from his oppinioim

For euery pereil he leide þo a-side,
And on his weie gan anoon to ryde
Wher-poru} his wif nooȝ oper bote can,
But in hir rage to þe kyng she ran,
So amased in hir mortal wo
þatshe vnepe myȝt[e] speke hym to, 5112
So diffacid and ruful of hir siȝt,
J3atby hir hewe knowep hir no wiȝt

For lost she had bope myȝt & strengpe ;
And plat she fil to [þe] grou?zde a-lengpe 5116
To-fore þe kyng, þat roupe was to sene,
Besechynge hym, of entent ful clene,
Of his grace to consider hir wo :

For but he help, Hector was* a-go. 5120
And he seinge hir faithful wommanhede,
At hir requeste rauȝt anoon his stede,
And priked after, only for hir sake,

In so gret haste, þat he hap ouertake 5124
Worþi Hector wȝ-Inne þe cyte,
And hent his reyne -with gret difficulte,
And maugre hym made him tourne ageyn,
In swiche wyse, he durst it nat wz'tftseyn, 5128
Al-be þat he* was ful lope per-to ;
So þat by force & praier also,
From his stede he made hym a-liȝt,
þe areste of whom eschewen he ne myȝt, [leaf 95 5132
For he ne wolde ageyn his fader striue,
Al-be þat he felte his herte rive
Of malencolie and of hertly Ire,
And of disdeyn newe sette a-fire 5136
So inwardly sterid was his blod,
þat like a tigre or a lyoim wood,

jpat wer deprived newly of hir* praye,

Riȝt so firde he al þat ilke day, 5140
Or liche a bore þat his tusshes whette,
While þe Grekis and þei of Troye mette,
Furiously walkynge vp and douw.
And in diffence, sothly, of þe toun, 5144
Troylus first, on his baye stede,
Of auenture mette Diomede,

And eche at oper, surquedous of pride,
With sharpe speris gan to-gidre ryde ;
And Guydo seith, wzt/i-outen any dred,
Oon or bope had anoon* be ded,
Nadde Menelay knyȝtly go be-twene.
And after þat, in a furious tene, 5152
He smet his hors, in ful knyȝtly wyse,
And Meryem, þe my3ty kyng of Frise,
Menelaus inarkid hath ful wel,
And with his swerd, ful sharpe grouwd of stel, 5156
Ynhorsid him, and prewe him on þe grene ;
For he þe strok myȝte* nat sustene,

j)is Menelay was on him so wood,
þat it was likly, euene per he stood, 5160
With þe lif he shulde nat eskape.
For þe Grekis ful hastily hem shape,
fiis Meriem, as 36 hau herde me seyn,

For to be-sette rou?ȝde vpon* þe pleyn, 5164
And to sese* hywz by þe aventaille,
On euery part, and cruelly to assaille,
Al destitut in þis dredful cas.
But hym to helpe cam Pollydamas 5168
With his knyȝtes, & gan to nei3en ner
Whan he hym sawe take prisoner

And maugre alle þt vppon hym sette,
From her hondis Pollydamas him fette, 5172
At whos reskus per was so gret a strif
þat many on per-fore lost his lyf :

For Grekis raper þan he shulde eskape
From her hondis in fat hasti rape, 5176
Caste hem pleynly þat he shal be ded,

Fully in purpos to haue hadde his hed
He stood of meschef in so gret disioynt.
But hym to helpe, euene vppon þe point, 5180
Cam Troylus in, most knyȝtly of aray,
And of his manhod made swiche affray
Amongis hem [in] reskus of þis kyng,
þat maugre hem, at his in-comyng 5184

  • lord of Frise
    Delyuered was þis my3ty
    From cruel deth, as 36 han herd deuyse.
    But per-vppon cam Thelamonivs,
    Proude in armys, and euere surquedous, 5188
    With pre þousand, ful worþi euery chon

And he vnhorseth Pollydamas anoon,
Among his kny3tes, & proudly bar him dourc ;
hath, poru3 his 11136 renourc,
Mid of his foon get hym his hors ageyn.
But þei of Troye so sore were be-leyn

On euery half, poruȝ fe Grekis pride,
myȝt a-forn hein nat abide
Jpat þel [ne] : 5196
For newe and newe þe hardy Achilles
Assailled hem with his Mirundones,

compelled of necessite,
Jpat þei

In meschef wern maked for to fle 5200

Home to þe walles & gates of þe tourc,
To gret damage and confusions
Of her party þat abak so goon.

Of the sorowfule dethe of Margarytone, one of the
Basterde sonnes of kenge Priamus. 1

þewhiche þing, whan Margariton 5204

Behilde & sawe how þe game goth,
In his herte he gan to wexe wroth,
And passingly for to haue disdeyn ;

And as fe story recordej) in certeyn, 5208
þat he was bo]?e hardy & famws,
And sone also vn-to kyng Priamws,

A noble knyȝt, & of gret wor}>ines.

And whan he saw þe meschef and distresse 5212
Of hem of Troye, & how þei gan to fle,
He caste anoon avengid for to be
Vp-on Achille,* for al his grete myȝt,
And ran to hym, ful like a manly knyȝt, 5216
On horse-bak, for þe townys sake,
And hym enforseth Achilles to take
Amyd þe feld amonge his knyȝtes alle.
But Achilles alias, it shulde falle ! 5220

þat day hym slowe, by cruel auenture,

Wher-J>oru3 Troyens myȝtfe] not endure

}2e felde to hold, but home[-ward] gaȝ hew hiȝe,
And mortally to make noise & crie : 5224
Firste, for þe deth of Margariton,
And for þe pursut patȝ kyng Thelamon
Made on þe chaas, pom3 his cruelte,

Home to þe gatis of Troye þe cite, 5228

ftat slow & kylled
alweie as he rood,
Al-be þat Paris manly hym wip-stood,
With his brepre þat in baste wer* born.
But, for al þat, her ground þel haue lorn,
Lefte & forsake putterly þe felde ;
And home þei went, & bronȝtfen] on a shelde
þe dede cors of Margariton ;
And after þat her gatis shette anon. 5236
þe whiche meschef,
as Hector gaw be-hold,

Of verray Ire his herte gan to colde,
And seide, platly, wa't/i-oute more delay,
He wolde avenge his deth þe same day, 5240
And made in haste his stede to be fet,
And vp he stirte, & on. his basenet
Vnwist þe kyng, or who be lefe or loth

þer was no geyn forpe anon he goth,
Til he was passid þe gatis of þe touw,
More furious pan tigre or lyouw ;
At whos corny nge, pikke as swarm of bew,
To-forn his swerd Grekis gomie flen 5248
þei pouȝt it was tyme to wȝtfo-drawe.

And first, I fynde, how þat he hath slawe
Two worþi dukes, as he with hem mette,
)3at besy wern his weie for to lette :
Jpe ton y-called was Eurypalus,
And þe toper hiȝte Hascydyus.
And so Troyens þe feld ageyn haw wowne,
And of newe manfully be-go?me 5256
Grekis to sue, & folwen on þe chaas.
And }it at meschef dau72ȝ Pollydamas
þesame tyme was of Grekis take

But Hector hath so born him for his sake, 5260
Where as he sorest was be-leyn,
And þoru} his knyȝthod reskued him ageyn,
And put þe Grekis in so gret distresse,
his manhod and his 5264
worþines,

day he rood,
þat wher-so-euere Jrilke
His sharp [e] swerd he ba)>ed in her blood,
He was so cruel and so mercyles.
But þan a knyȝt called Leothydes 5268
Shope him anon with Hector for to mete,
While he was moste Irons in his hete,
And sette on hym ful presumptuously ;

But Hector þo, deuoyde of al mercy, 5272
Anoon hym slow, & þrew hym in þe feld :

þe whiche þing whan Achilles behelde,

)2e gret[e] slauȝter and þe wouMis wyde

þat Hector made vppon euery syde, 5276
He gan anon compassen* in his herte,
And vp and doun casten and aduerte,
How þe Grekis neuer may* be sure
Ageyn her foon to fiȝten [n]or endure, 5280
Nor kepe a felde vfilh hem for to stryve,
Al þe while [þat] Hector were a-lyue.

Wherfore, he shope & castfe] many weie,
Be what engyne Hector myȝtfe] deye, 5284
At avaufttage ȝif he myȝt hym fynde ;

And þer-to eke Polycenes of Ynde,
A worjri duke, was also of assent
Only for he of herte & hool entent 5288
In hope stood his suster for to wyve,
For loue of whom he felt his herte ryve.
And in hir grace better for to stonde,
He caste fully for to take on honde 5292
þis hiȝe emprise, as I haue ȝow tolde.
But while þat he was on him most bold,
Hector hym slow, per was noȝi oper geyn ;
)2ewhiche anoo?i as Achilles hath seyn, 5296
For Ire he wexe in his herte as wood
As boor or tigre in her cruel mood,
Vp-on Hector avenged for to be ;
And furiously on hym he gan He. 5300

But Hector kauȝt a quarel* sharpe [y-]grouwde,
And brew at hyw, & ȝaf him swiche a wou?*de
ouber side,
feoruȝ-oute [be] beiȝe, vp-on
nat abide, 5304
feat in be feld he myjtfe]
But hym withdraw, and anoon is went
With his men home vn-to his tent,
And made anoon a surgeyn to bynde
His mortal woimde & after, as I fynde,
;
Whan he was stauwche, & cesseb for to blede,
In al haste ageyn he toke his stede

And liste he were of bat wouwde ded
Afterward, as it was gret drede, 5312
He boii3t[e] first avengid for to be
Vp-on Hector, ȝif he myȝt hym se,
Of hap or sort, ȝif it wolde falle

For hym bouȝt, to his peynes alle 5316
It were [to] hym be bestfe] remedye,
Of his honde ȝif he myȝtfe] dye
For of his lyf he rou3t[e] nat a myte,
Be so bat he Hector myȝtfe] quyte, 5320
Deth for deth, in collclusiou?ȝ ;

For bat was hooly his entencioim,
Of his desire fully suffisauwce,
By deth vnwarly to ȝeven* hym meschaivwce. 5324
But al bis tyme, Hector, vp & dorm,
As he was wont, pleieb be lyourc
Amonge Grekis in many sondri place,
And with his swerd gan hem so to enchase,
feat as be deth, where bei
myȝt hym sen,
feei fledde a-forn hym like a swarm of ben

For noon so hardy was hym to with-sette.
And, in bis while, a Grekysh kyng he* mette, 5332
Were it of hap or of auenture,
fee whiche, in soth, on his cotearmvre
Enbroudid* had ful many riche stoon,

þat ȝaf a liȝt, whan þe sonne shoon, 5336
Ful brht and clere, f"bat loie was to sene
'
For perils white and emeraudis cjrene,
Ful many oon, were pere-Inne set,
And on þe cercle of his basenet, 5340
And rouwde enviroim of his aventaille,
In velwet fret, al aboue þe maille,
Safirs ynde and oper stonys rede,

Of whos array, whan Hector take]? hede, 5344
Towardis hym faste gaii hym drawe.
And firste, I fynd, how he hap him slawe

And after þat, by force of his rnanhede,
He rent hym vp a-forn him on his stede, 5348
And faste gan wip hym for to ride

From þe wardis a litel oute a-side,
At good leiser, pleynly, 3 if he may,
To spoillen hym of his riche array, 5352
o T
Jbul glad &
-r< i i

liȝt oi ms newe emprise.

But out ! alias ! on fals couetyse

Whos gredy fret, þe whiche
is gret pite,

In hertis may nat 113% staurcchid be ; 5356
þe etyk gnawep be so gret distresse,
þat it difFaceth þe h'ȝe worþines,
Ful ofte sythe, of pies conquerours,
And of her fame rent aweie þe flours. 5360
Desyre of hauynge, in a gredy pouȝt,

To hiȝe noblesse sothly longeth nou3t,

No[r] swiche pelfre, spoillynge, nor robberie
Apartene to* worþi chiualrye : 5364
For couetyse and knyȝthod, as I lere,
In o cheyne may nat be knet y-fere

For koupe it is, þat ofte swiche ravyne
Hath cause ben and rote of þe ruyne 5368
r
Of T 11
i , , i
many worþi who-so liste take hede

Like as 30 may now of Hector rede,
)3at sodeinly was brou3t to his endynge
Only for spoillynge of þis riche kyng. 5372

For of desire to hym þat he hadde,

On horse-bake oute whan he hym ladde,
Keklesly, ]>& story maketh mynde,
He cast his shelde at his bak be-hynde, 5376
To welde hym silf at more liberte,

And for to han opportunyte
To spoillen hym, and for no wyȝt spare,
So Jmt his brest disarmyd was & bare
Except his platis per was no diffence
Ageyn þe strok to make resistence.
Alias,* why was he þo so rek[e]les [
J;is flour of knyjthod, of manhod per[e]les, 5384
Whan þat his fo, al þat ilke day,
For hym allone in a-wayt[e] lay,
ȝif in meschef, of hate and of envie,
In þe feld he myȝt hym oute espie, 5388
þis Achilles, cruel and venomous,
Of hertly hate most malencolyous,
Whiche couertly havynge hym be-side,
Whan þat he saw Hector disarmyd ride, 5392
He hent a spere, sharpe grouȝde & kene,
And of Ire in his hateful tene,
Al vnwarly, or Hector myȝt aduerte,
(Alias þe whyle !) he smote hym to þe herte, 5396
jporuȝ-oute þe brest, þat ded he fil douw
Vn-to þe erpe, þis Troyan champiouw,
þoruȝ necligence only of his shelde

þe deth of whom, whan Odemon behelde, 5400

þQworþi kyng myȝt hym nat restreyne,
But [to] Achilles rood wiih -al his peyne,
And hit hym so, myd of al þe pres,
Maugre þe rnyȝt of his Mirundones, 5404
þat for ded,

Guydo seith certeyn,
Of þat wou?zde he nl gruf on þe pleyn.
But his knyȝtes on a sheld a-lofte
hym, & caried hym ful softe
þei leiden

Vn-to his tent, in al þe haste þel can ;

And pere I leue þis dedly wovmded man,
Ful sore seke, til he may releue.
And after tat, whan it drowe to eve, 5412
bei of Trove,
J with gret reuerence
'
Dide her labour and her dilligence
þe dede cors to carien in-to toim
Of worbi Hector, wlian Titan weutfe] dourc. 5416
And to þe temple dolfully þei wende

And of þat day þis was þe woful ende
I can no more but þus þe longe nyȝt
In heuynes, as it was skil and riȝt, 5420
I wil hem leue, and ageyn returne
To my rnater to help hem [for] to morne.

The lamentacyon of kynge Priamus
Ector, 1

how shal I precede
B ut now, alias !

In þe story, þat for wo and drede
Fele myn hond bope tremble and quake,

worþi Hector, only for þi sake,
.rm .1 T . i ,1 -j A
Of þi detn 1 am so loth to write.

who shal now help me to endyte, 5428
Or vn-to whom shal I clepe or calle 1
Certis to noon of þe mvsis alle,
. , , .
J3at by accorde smgen euer* in
Vp-on Pernaso, besiden Ely con, 5432
So angelik in her armonye,
þat tonge is noon þat may specefie

)3e grete swetnes of her goodly song ;
For no discorde is fouwden hem among, 5436
In her mvsik þei bene entvnyd so
It syt hem nouȝt for to help in wo,

Nor wȝt/z- maters þat be with mournynge shent,
As tragedies, al to-tore and rent, 5440
In compleynynge pitously in rage

In f>e theatre, with a ded visage
To hem, alias ! I clepe dar nor crye,
My troubled peraie of grace for to guye 5444
Nou)>er to* Clyo nor Callyope,
But to Allecto and Thesyphone,
And Megera, þat euere doth compleine,
As þei þat lyve euere in wo and peyne 5448
Eternally, and in turment dwelle
With Cerberus, depe dourc in helle,
Whom I mote praie to be gracious
To my mater, whiche is so furious. 5452
For to a whiȝt þat is compleynynge,
A drery fere is riȝt wel 'sittynge

And to a mater, meynt with hevynes,
Acordeth wel a chere of drerynes 5456
To ben allyed, as by vnyte.
Wherefore, helpe now, þou woful Nyobe,
Som drery ter, in al þi pitous peyne,
In-to my penne dolfully to reyne ; 5460
And helpe also, þou cruel Yxiou?z,
And Belydes, þat doth þe boket* gon

And with þi stoon helpe þou,
eke Tantalus, 5464
þi riuer, helpe

þpat for hunger haste so huge pyne,
my Jpis woful pleint helpe me for to fyne,
Me to fortlire doth ȝoure besynes.
For now þe stok and rote of worþines, 5468
Of knyȝthod grouȝde, of manhod sours & wel,
þat to-forn alle bare a-weie þe belle
!

Of dorynge do, þis flour of hiȝe prowes
And was exaumple also of gentilnes, 5472
}3at neuere koude don amys nor seie,
Alias, Hector, alias !
why shuldestou deie

cruel Parchas, why toke
So cruelly to twyne his fatal threde
þe were to hasty, alias !

And, nam[e]ly, þe prede to breke a-two,
ftou Antropoe, poruȝ þi grete envie !

Troye, alias ! wel maist þou wepe & crie, 5480
And make a woful lamentaciouw,
Whiche hast of newe, to þi confusions,
Loste þi diffence and þi stronge wal,

þi berer vp, þi surete royal, 5484

Be whom þin honour chefly was begoraie

for now þi
Alias, alias briȝt[e] sonne
!

Eclipsed is, and þou stanst desolat
Of al comfort, and discouwsolat ;
þi li}t is lost, and þou in dirkenes

I-plouwgid art :
for, in sothfastnes,
Of alle worþi, þou hast þe wordiest
ftis day y-loste, and þe knyȝtlyest 5492
þat is, or was, or shal, I þe ensure,
Bene euere born, while þe world may dure

No wonder is pauȝ þou wepe sore,
And day be day compleyne hym euermore, 5496

þat was Ipi shelcl, bo]?e
in loie and wo,
Whom þou were wont for to loue so,
So tendirly with al þin hole herte,
ftat it may nat Iy3tly þe asterte 5500
To haue hym euere in þi remembrauwce,
Whiche was in soth þi ful suffisauwce.
For, as Guydo maketh mencioun,
þer was no man dwellyng in jje touw, 5504
þat he ne had, of verray kyndenes,
For loue of hym, as he writ expresse,
His child more lef to haue died in þis cas,
so wel be-loued he was 5508
Ouper his eyr
3 if þe goddis, fate, or destyne

Disposid had þat it myȝt haue be.
Wo??imen also, of euery maner age,
Bene for his deth falle in swiche a rage, 5512
Jporuȝ þe cyte, aboute in euery strete,
þat with sobbyng and salt teris wete,
And here to-rent for her dedly wo,

Furiously ro?me to and fro 5516
So mortal* was her aduersite,
þat to beholde, alias, it was pite

ȝonge maydenes & matrones olde
Sobbe and 5136, and her festis folde, 5520
And loude crie, and seide fynally

" Alias ! now shal oure fadris cruelly
In oure siȝt be slay[e]n day be day

Alias ]>& whyle ! & no man shal seie nay
Far-wel oure helpe, now Hector is goon,
!

In [whom] þe surnes of vs euerychon
Was wont to reste now is he ded, alias "
:

Of whom þe body whan it caried was 5528
In-to presence of Priamus þe kyng,
Anoon he lost þe offys of spekyng,
And gan hym silfe in salt[e] teris drowne,
And pitously per-wȝt/? fil a-swowne 5532
Vp-on þe cors, cold as any stoon,
Inly desyrous for to deie anoon
Wij>-oute tariynge, on hym as he lay,
But þat he was by force rent awey. 5536
His breberen eke, whan þei tokeȝ* hed,
Trist and pale, for sorwe wer nyȝe ded,
And ban hem silfe with rage al to-torn,
þat neuer was, I trowe, seyn a-forn 5540
Of bre])ere ȝit swiche ano]?er care

For eche of hem with hym silf gan fare
As þei wolde haue died on þe cors

For of peir lif, platly, þei ȝaf no fors, 5544
But at þe grouȝde with many swoȝes sore,
Liche wylde bolis* þei gan crye and rore,

jpat rouj>e was her dedly wo to sene
An herte of stele myȝt it not sustene. 5548
What schal I seyn of Eccuba þe quene,

Or his suster, jonge Pollycene,
Or Cassandra, þe prudent and þe wyse,

Or of his wyf, þe sorwe to devise ? 5552
Whiche rent hem silf, in torment & in wo,
As finally þei wolde hem silfe for-do
By cruel deth, so þei wepe and waille.
make rehersaille,
)3at ȝif I shulde 5556
To wryte her sorwes & her compleynynges,
Her pitous sobbynge,* prowes, and wepynges,

& þe pitous sowns,
}3e woful cries,*
Her drery pleyntis & lamentaciouws, 5560

And al her wo for to specifie,
A large boke it wolde occupie,
3iffe eche þinge I shulde in order telle
I trowe it were to longe for to dwelle, 5564
For any man, and tedius to here.
For many day after, as I lere,
)5e wowmen wepte a-fore þe cors liynge,
Hem silfe diffacynge
c in her compleynynge, 5568
. , , . .
þat wonder was now þei myȝt endure,
But þat þei han it, sothly, of nature
And of kynde for to wepe and pleyne,
To* siȝe sore and in-to teris reyne, 5572
Til þe tempeste of her woful rage [ieat9?rf]

May be processe lyte & lyte aswage.
And }ms I leue hem siȝe and sorwe make,
þis cely wommen, in her clones blake, 5576
Shroude her facis, & wympled mowrne in veyn,
While I turne to my mater ageyn,

Howe kynge Priamus made to be wrought an oratory and ACollege of… {#howe-kynge-priamus-made-to-be-wrought-an-oratory-and-acollege-of}

Howe kynge Priamus made to be wrought an oratory and ACollege of prestes, in the which was fabricate a Tabernacle, wherin the body of Ector was, in mannys syght, reservide intigrate and

hole, with his swerde in his honde, manasshinge
the Grekys. 1

To telle pleynly how kyng Priamws
In herte was inly desyrous 5580
To caste a weie, in his entencioiw,
þe cors to kepe from corrupcioura,
Whiche naturelly, but men take hede,
Corrupte muste, riȝt of verray nede
For, of kyndely disposiciouw,
þer may be made noon opposiciouw,
Aboue þe grourcde ȝif þe body lie,
þat of resoim it mvt putrefie, 5588
But }if crafte be a-boue nature,
Vncorrupte it myȝt[e] nat endure.
Wherefore, ]>& kyng shope him to ordeyne
To preserue it hool fro þinges tweyne
From odour and abomynaciouw,
And þQi-with eke, by crafty operaciow?,
þat it in siȝt* be not fouwde horrible,
But þat it be liny and visible 5596
To þe eye, as be apparence,
Like as it were quyk in existence
What it cost þe kyng wil spare nouȝt,
But made anoon a-forn hym to be brou}t 5600
)5e craftiest maisteres of þe touw,
Swiche as hadde moste discreciouTi
To parforme his axynge coriously.
And þei obeie his byddynge feithfully, 5604
With al her wille and enter dillygence,
In þe temple, moste of reuerence
Of al þe touw, whilom dedicat,
And of ful ȝore also consecrat 5608
To Appollo, of olde fundaciou?i,

Beside a gate stondynge of þe toiw,
Callyd Tymbria in her Troyan tonge,
As in* story is hope red and songe. 5612
And in þis phane, fat I spake* of here,
)3ei made firste be þe hiȝe auter,
By gret devis, a litel oratorie,
Perpetuelly to be in memorie,
Where was set a riche receptacle
Made in maner of a tabernacle,
Egal of siȝt, for a large ymage,
Jpat reised was on a riche stage, 5620

ftat was born vp at eche of his corneris
Of purid golde vp-on foure pilers ; [leaf 98 a]

And on euerych, ful craftily y-diȝt,
An angel stood of golde burned briȝt, 5624
Coriously þe werke to sustene,
With crafty archis, reised wonder clene,

Enbowed ouer [al] þe werke to cure
So merueilous was þe celature, 5628
ftat al fe rofe and closure envirouw

Was of fyn gold, platid vp & douw,
Wi]> knottis graue, wonder corious,
Fret ful of stonys, riche and precious, 1 5632
Of euery kynde fat man can deuyse,

So rially, & in so frifty wyse,
dirknes of þe blake nyȝt
þat þQ
With fe bemys of her clere liȝt 5636
Enchacid was, where þei dide shyne.
And from f e grouwde, vp-riȝt as a lyne,
men by to ascende,
þer wer degres,
Made so wel fat no man koude amende 5640

J3e werkemanship ; & þei were euerychon
Parformyd vp al of cristal stoon,
Attenyng* vp fro þe table bas
Where fe stondyng and fe resting was 5644

Of þis riche crafty tabernacle,
Havynge a-boue, vp-on eche pynacle,
A riche ruby ;
and reised 11136 on
Stood an ymage, huge & large of wei3te, 5648
Of massyf gold, havynge þe liknes
Of wor])i Hector, þat gan his face dresse
Toward Grekis, where he dide stonde,
Ay þretynge hem with his swerd on honde. 5652
And amyddes al þis* grete richesse,
Jpei han y-set, by good* avisenesse,
þe dede cors of þis worþi knyȝt,
To siȝt of man stondynge as vp-riȝt, 5656
By sotil crafte, as he were lyvynge,
Of face & chere, & of quyk lokynge,
And of colour, sothly, and of hewe,
Beinge as freshe as any rose newe, 5660
And like in al, as be supposaille,
As he lyuede in his apparaille

For on his hede, like as it is tolde,
pom} smale pipes wrouȝt & made of gold, 5664
)3at be mesozȝr wern enbowed dourc
To an entre makyd in his crown,
Be grete avys and sub ty lite,
To eche party and extremyte 5668
Of his body lyneally porrect,
Jȝoru} nerfe & synwe driven & direct,
By secre poris craftely to extende,

Wherby þe licour myȝtfe] dourc discende 5672
To kepe hym hool fro corrupciou?ȝ,
Wetft-outen any transmutaciouw
Of hyde or hewe, in any part to tourne.
And at his hede of gold was an ourne, 5676
feat was filde with bawme natural

j)at ran þoru} pipes artificial,
ftoru} nekke & hed in-to many place,*
Penytrable by veynes of þe face, 5680

Jpat pom} vertu & force of þe lycour
He was conserued lifly of colour,
Fresche of hewe, quyke, & no þinge pale,

So my3tely fe bawme dide avale 5684
Comparysownyd, as it were semblable,
To a sowle þat were vegetable,
fee whiche, with-oute sensibilite,
Mynystreth lyf in herbe, flour, and tre, 5688
And, sembla[b]ly, in-to euery veyne
Of þe cors þe vertu dide atteyne,
By brest and arme spredynge enviroutt :
For þe moisture by descenciouw 5692

To hand and foot, sothly, as I rede,
)3oru3 bon and loynt gan his vertu shede,
And distillynge myȝtely to flete.
And at his feet, ful of gommys swete, 5696
A viol stood, temprid with bawme & meynt,
may nat wexe feynt,
)3at be processe
But day be day encresen and amende,
Of whiche þe vapour vpward gaw ascewde, 5700

Causynge þe eyr envirou?i be delys
To resemble a verray paradys :

For Ipe flavour more holsom was & soote
þan þe odour of spice, go?mne, or rote. 5704
And of pure gold were* foure lampis liȝt, 4
To-fore þe cors brewnynge day and ny3t,
With oyle, in soth, ȝif it be credible,
þat was be crafte made inextinguyble ;
For it ne myȝt, myn auctor seyth certeyn,
Noujjer be queint with tempest, wiwde, nor reyn,
Nor be processe wasten of no ȝeris
Whiche in þe eyr be briȝt borned weris 5712
Ful craftely reised werne a-lofte,
Of whos svvetnes men reioyssed* ofte,
In her corage it likede hem so wel.
And whan jns werke was complete euerydel, 5716

Koiwde enviroiw, ful riche & freshe to se,
]5ei made a parclos al of Eban tre,

þat so longe laste may and dure

þe whiche tre, only of nature,
Whan it is kut smellej? wonder swete,
And may nat waste ne brercfne] with noon hete,

þou3 it be leide amonge þe colis rede,

Mid þe flawme of many firy glede 5724
It nat consvmeth, pouȝ mew assaien of te ;
And in water it houeth eke alofte,
And kyndely to þe grourcde it goth,
To swywme on heiȝte* in soth it is so loth. 5728
And like also as techeth Pluvius,
Jpis tre whilom was passingly famws,
Of so hyȝe pris and reputations,
jjat in þe large myȝti regions 5732
And worbi lond* of Ethiope & Ynde.
Of 3ore a-gon, fe folkis, as I fynde,
Haclden þis tre in so gret honour,
þat fei ȝaf tribut to þe emperour, 5736
As is* remembrid of antyquyte,
Of gold and yuor and þis riche tre,
With pese giftes, famous and royal,
To quyte her dette to hym in special. 5740
And whan Priam, in ful þrifty wyse,
Parformed hath, as 36 han hercle deuyse,
)5is riche werke, noble & excellent,
Of hertly loue, in al his beste entent, 5744
Ordeyned eke, as Guy do can ȝow telle,
A certeyn nouwbre of prestis for to dwelle
In þe temple, in her deuociouws,
Contynuelly, with deuout orisourcs, 5748
For þe soule of Hector for to preie,

Jpat þe goddis his spirit list conveie

Eternally with hem to chvelle y-fere,
In loie and blisse, a-boue þe sterris clere. 5752
To whiche prestis þe kyng ȝaf mansiouras,
, i i i
per to abide, and possessions,

þe whiche he hath to hem amortised

Perpetuelly, as 36 han herd deuysed. 5756
And whiles þei knele, preie, & wake,
I caste fully an ende for to make,
. , , , .
Finally of my fndde boke,

On my rude maner as I vndirtoke ; 5760
'And whiles T>ei of Trove wepe & mowrne,
vn-to þe Grekis I wil ageyn retowrne,

And with dul stile on fe story trace,
Only born vp with support of ȝour grace. 5764

[Explicit liber Tercius
Incipit liber Quartus].

Textual Apparatus {#apparatus}

Furnivall's and Bergen's manuscript-variant footnotes, reproduced in full, keyed to the printed page of the edition (the page number given matches the folio cited at the head of each verse block above).

p. 395

6. of] for D1. 10. hidde] dide D1. 12. oure] her C.
15. þis] fis is D 2, D 1. 16. est] om. D 1.
18 is omitted in D 2. 22. alle] alle the A.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 67 c.
TROY BOOK. D D

p. 396

24. manhod] hie manhod C.
25. eke] om. D 2. 36. kny3tly] worthy D 2.
38. Troye] of Troye A, D2.
40. werriours] conqueroMrs 1. D
46. hem] hym A. 49. dide] dire D 1.
52. þer] om. A. 53. bras] of bras D 1.
56. on-to] vnto D 2, to D 1.

p. 397

61. her] his 64. to] om. A.
68 is misplaced at bottom of column in D 2, and marked a ; 67 is
marked b set wer] wer set C. 72. bavier] baver A.
73. be a-forn] was be forn D 1. 77. lackys] om. D 2.
78. wroujt ful] ri3t C. 79. but] but of D 1.
85. be] his D 1. 86. be] his C. 87, 88 are omitted in D 2.
88. cower] kever D 1.

p. 398

97. heueded] heedid A, hedded D 1.
106. þat] om. D 1 ]t it] om. A, D 2 sete noujt wrong] sitt nat
a wrong A, sete nat a wrong D 2, sit not a D 1.
wrong
119. at ȝour luste] as ȝou liste D 1.

p. 399

130. after] aftir JwrtD 1. D
133. to] vn to A, D2, 1.
136. many baner] manere D 1. D
137. þis] hem 1.
139. knyȝtes] om. D 1. 142. in] of C.
148. nede] drede D 1.
149. assigned] assignet C D
silve] same 1.
154. hem] hym D 1. 155. Achilogus] Achilagus C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 68 b (red, in margin, opposite lines
131, 132).

p. 400

163. awaite] waite D 1. 168. her] be C, D 2.
169. at] of D 1. 177. þre] britty D
1.
81. seide] spak and
seyde A. 182. is] om. D 1.
193. 2nd to] in to D1 in] om. D 1.
A, D 1.
194. for tassure] to assure

p. 401

198. nor] or D 2. 201. and] om. A. 209. hate] hast A.
211. kepe þe] þe kepew D1. 214. grene] grete 1. D
219. f>ilke] þis ilkeD 2, D
1, This ilkeA Troyanysche] Troyans
A, Dl.

p. 402

241. in þe] in to A, D 2, in to þe D 1.
256. passyngly wa.s was passyngly A.

p. 403

271. amonges] amonge D 1.
278. my3t] myghty A, my3ty D 1 endure] to endure A, D 1.
279. many] many a D 1, ful many A, D 2,D 1.
283. þei] he A. 286. besy] ful besy A, D D2, 1.
290. hat hijte] calledD 1. 291. was also] also was C, D 1.
303. be] by D 2,D 1.

p. 404

307. With] And with A in] in to C.
309. awaite] wayte D 2. 310. of spake] spake of D 1.
316. Esdras] Esdrac C, Esdas D 1. 318. haue] had D1.
325. is] was D 1 wil] wolde D 1.
327. ouj>er rouTwle or] rounde ouber C.
328. pure] pured C bis] be C,D 1.
335. kynges] kyng D 1.

p. 405

340. grete Troyan] Troyan greete A.
341. made] as made D1. 358. wern] we D 1.
359. awaite] wayte D1. 369. so] om. 1. D
370. arracid] y raced D 1.

p. 406

380. at] of A. 392. born] y born A.
396. wardis] lordia C. 403. 2nd of] & D 1.
404. and] om. D 1. 406. wyre] wher D 2.
410. til] to 1 richely & wel] rich in maile & stel D 1.

p. 407

416. so] to C. 430. as] Jxit C. 433. his] þe C.
440. to] cm. D 1 to sorte] resorte D 2.
442. 2nd oure] om. A.

p. 408

451. vn-to] onto A. 457. here] ere D
1.
463. þou] þe C. 464. goddis] god A.
466. And] Al D1. 467. in-to] in D2.
468. of] of al C. 475. in] with C.
482. Among] Amongis C. 483, 484 arc transposed in D 1.
483. he] om. D1.

p. 409

484. &] om. D 2. 486. was] is D 2. 487. or] of C.
508. But] He D 1.

p. 410

522. doujters] doubter D

  1. 535. new IT A.
  2. ray] om. D 1. 545. wordis] wardis A, C.
  3. in] ofD 1.

p. 411

560. Colourles] Colours A. 569. more sothly] sothly more C.
571. No] Nor C fade] sade C. 583. his] þe C to] of C.
584. on] in 1. D
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 70 b (misplaced after line 562).
TROY BOOK. B B

p. 412

2. nnder
þe secounde warde to
K in JH Merion kynge Meryouw
and Idu-
mene Assigned was by Agamenou?i;
And to þe wor>i kyng
Ydwme[n]e,
593. He be] Be his D 1. 60
anoon hym] amonge hem C.
.
623. to] om. D 1.

p. 413

628. Astalapho]
Astralapho C.
630. þat] tham A Kwmene] Cumene D 1.
635. þese] this A, þis D 2. 641. þe] om. D
2.
647. and] of D 2. 649. seuenȝe] sixte D
1.
652 Salomyne] Salamyne A. 653. anobeH ober D 1.
656. I-callid] called. A, D 1.

p. 414

8. K. Thoas. Vn-to þe kyng fat callid was Thoas. 660
9. Ajax Aiax Cileus þe ny[n]j>e warde ladde,
Cileus.
10. K. Pbi- And þe ten]>e þe kyng of Philete hadde ;
lete.
And to þe kyng þe xi [he] dide assigne,
þat sothly was, bope of birjje & lyne, 664
So renomed, & of so gret encres,
K. Pala-
11.
medes. myȝty kyng callid Pallaraydes,
)3e [leaf 72 d]
Kyng Naulus sone, Invest born of blood.
12. Duke And duke Nestor, ful famws in kn[y]ȝthood, 668
Nestor.
þe twelve warde ladde on Grekis side,
Malencolik and surquedous of pride.
13.King
Houux.
And kyng Honux, sone of on Mabente,
In-to þe feld, pleinly, whan he wente, 672
In ordre hadde of wardis þe þrittene,
Proudly mowsteryng endelong þe grene,
Ageyn[e]s Troyens redy i'or to fiȝt.
14.
ses.
K. Ulys- And eke þe kyng þat Vilixes hijt 676
Ladde vritfi hym fe fourten]?e, as I rede ;
15. K.
Humerus.
And Humerus þe kyng eke dide lede
þe fiftenfe, myri auctor writeth jms ;
16. Duke And a duke, callid Curibulus, 680
Curibulus.
þe xvi. ladde vp-on that
day,
In whiche þe kiiyȝtes of kyng
Prothesylay
Assigned wern by gret ordinauwce,
Tenforsen hem for to do vengauȝce 684
Vp-on fe deth of her worjji kyng,
By Hector slawe at Grekis arivyng.
17. King And kyng Royda ladde þe seuentene
Royda. ;
18. King of And he Jmt was kyng of Octymene, 688
Octymene.
]3e xviii warde had at his ledyng ;
19. K. Zanti- And 3antipus, þat was of Lyde
piu. kyng,
Hadde to kepe, committed to his
garde,
On Grekis side þe nynten])e warde. 692
20. King
AinplniiKi-
And þe twenty, myn auctor vs,
CUi.
lerej)
661. Cileus] Oyleus D 2 nyn>e] ix A
662. ten)>e]xe warde D 1-Philete] Phisyk A, Phisik D 1, Philik
ODD. X1J X e D 1.
n eS A D 2> 682 In ȝ f e D
1-kyng] om. D 1.
ge3
**9
687. iȝ I i2 ? yiJ
Koyda] Roydo A.
'
689. had] om. D 1.
688. Octymene]
Occymene A, D 2.
693. lere>] lerneth D 1

p. 415

22. Diomede.
And Heneus, kyng of Cypary, 23. K. Hen-
eus.
þat was whilom so noble & so worjn, 700
Jpe þre & twenty had in gouernaille.
And Ipe Troyens proudly for to assaille
1
þe xxiiii* , with swerd, spere, and schelde, 24. K. Pro-
thaylus.
Kyng Prothaylus ladde in-to þe felde ; 704
And Carpenor, of Carpadie kyng, 25. K. Car-
penor.
In werre expert & riȝt wys in wirchyng,
þe five & twenty, riche & wel be-seyn,
On Grekis syde brouȝt in-to þe pleyn. 708
þQ sixe & twenti, sothly, and þe laste, 26. Aga-
memnon
As he þat coude sen a-forn an[d] caste
Euery þing be good inspecciouw,
þe wyse kyng, þe grete Agamenouw, 712 the Great.
Had \vith hym, Jns prudent werriour,
As he þat was ordeyned emperour
Of Grekis host, as wysest of echon. [leaf 73 a]
Howe bothe the wardys of þe Troyans and of þe
1
Grekys fyrst ioynede in the felde.
And in þis wise forjje þe Grekis goon 716 Thus arrayd,
the Greeks
In-to þe feld, with pompe ful royal, take the field,
With thensygnes and tokenes marcial,
Han take her ground, passingly arrayed ;
And on her stondardis, richely displaied, 720
Erode baners an[d] many fresche penou?? with banners
and pennons
Ageyn þe wynde þat made a hidous soiw, flying.
And riȝt dredful, pleinly, for to here
696. Philocetes] TMlotetes D 1.
700. "2nd so] om. D 1.
704. Kyng Prothaylus] Prothaylus kyng D1.
707. five & twenty] xxv* 1 warde D 1.
717. In-to] In A, D
2, D 1. 720. displaied] spailed D 1.
722. a] an A, D
2.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 123 a (leaf 123 (according to present
state ofMS., 119) is misplaced with leaf 71 (70); the chapter-
heading also is misplaced after line 742).

p. 416

737. fe] With C. 738. bastard] om. D1
745. approche] proche D
7 SflȝSSwS 1
ȝ
752. þat with] Of wiche
754. and] om. 1.
d
1
entent] myjt C.
U3ty kny3t C-inpae
1 sides] side 1D
t] vnpacient A.

p. 417

768. to-forn] a forn A. 772. to] of A.
788. on tweyne] a tweyne A. 792. kauȝt] rauȝt D 1.

p. 418

821. Ind o] om. D2. 825. now] om. D 1.
]
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 123 c (leaf 123 (119) is misplaced with
leaf 71 (70) ; the
chapter-heading also is misplaced after line 820).

p. 419

830. for] om. D 1. 832. goraie] gan A, 2. D
834. hem] hym C. 835. sothfastly] sothly 2. D
840. maugre] among C. 841. and] and in A.
843. of] alle C.
845. on hym avengid] avengid on hym C to] om. A, D 2.
850. which] þat 1 D
was] is AGlacon] Clacon D 2, D 1,
Glaucoon A.
852. Archilagus] Astrylogus A. 857. vnwar] on ware D 1.
858. with] om. 1.D

p. 420

870. myjty] worjn C. 879. sothly he] he sothly D 2.
883. wi]>-stood] with stomlD 2. 894. hevy]om. D 1.

p. 421

901. prcswmed] presume D 1.
906. dempte] doute D
2.
909, 910. hym] hem A. 921. Myd] Amyd D 1.
923. schot] shok D2.

p. 422

935. Avaimce] A vavwte D 2, Avaunte Dl.
937. ne schuld] nolde D 1. 938. rofe] he rofe D 1.
940. crie] grye A. 951. bothe] be thanne 1.D
952. on] oon 0.

p. 423

971. her] hem her A. 978. he] om. D 2.
98'2. grete] om. D 1.
988. Troylus was] folkes were 1 D
folke] men D 1.
990. many] many a 1. D1004. dide] gan A gaft D 1.

p. 424

1007. on] of 1. D 1018. like] as D 2.
1028. rouwde] om. D 1. 1030. han] mn. D 1
1038.. þe] jour C. 1043. to] vn to D 1.

p. 425

1045. flour] the floure D 1. 1049. seide] seie D 1.
1055. enhastej>] enhaste> hym C what] whmi D2.
1063. he] am. D 1. 1065. By] om. 1.D
1075. manly] myghty A. 1077. grate] gate D 1.

p. 426

1087. stronge] so stronge C,D 1. 1090. in hast] enhaste D 1.
1095. On] Of D 1. 1097. þo] om. A, 2. D
1103. hurtle] hurkle C. 1114. so] was so C.

p. 427

1122. þe] om. D 1.
1124. selue] same C.
131. among] amyd C. 1136. Two] And D1.
11 38. Prothenor] Prother A. 1148. þus] om. D 1.
1149. amonges] amonge D
1.
TROY BOOK. p P

p. 428

1153. Is on] His owne A. 1156. swerd] myȝt C.
1176. Mid] AmydDl.

p. 429

1192. dau%3] dan D 2. 1197. on] vp on D 2.
1207. woimde] om. A.
1208. 1st þe] hisA 2nd þe] om.A perlous] perylous A, peril-
Ions D 2,D 1. 1209. he] þat he C. 1214. þe] om. A, 2. D
1216. horn to] vn to D I The o in to is erased in A.
1219. Celides] Celidis C.

p. 430

1229. Femenye]
Fvmenye C.
1244. in whiche he
dide] whiche he dide in C
1245. a nmt] amyjt C. 1249. so] he D
1.
1253. Grekis] the Grekis A enchase] hem chace A

p. 431

1263. many] many a A. 1265. Teuter] Teutor A.
1280. avenge] venge D

  1.    1290. Perilously] Perillusly D 1,
  2. eskape] scape D 1.

p. 432

1298. 2nd þat] whiche D2, wiche 1D Theseus] Teseus C.
1299. of] for 1. D 1300. kaujt] he kaujt C.
1305. noon] om. D 1. 1307. most] as most 1. D
1308. take list] list take C.
1311. Allone alias] Alias allone D
1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 74 a (misplaced after line 1302).

p. 433

1339. a-wroke] wroke D 2,D 1. 1341. charnellis] charnelle A.
1342. of] so D 2. 1354. to] in D 1.
1360. first of hem] of hem firstD 1.

p. 434

1366. eskapid] a
skapyd A. 1378. slawe] slayn D 2.
1383. he om. A. 1385. to-forn] a forn
A, 2, D D 1.
1391. on] a A, D2. 1395. her] om. D2
1399. of] om. D 2. 1400. goon]romie D1

p. 435

1401. only] inly A. 1403. to] it to C.
1406. misplaced at top of column in C and marked b ;
1405 is
marked a.
1406. And] om. A. 1407. many] manly 2. D
1410. Dephebws] Deiphebns A. 1425. bus] bis D 2.
1426. f>at] om. D 1. 1427. hem] him 1. D
1429. bo] two A. 1433. Modernus] Modems A.

p. 436

1444. þei] bat D 2.
1448] Of knyjtly rou>e for drede he sholde be lorn D 1.
1449] Towarde hym sawe in meschef & distresse D 1
1450. quite] to quite D 1.
1454. faste] first A.

p. 437

1470. sothfastly] sothly 1. D 1472. h a t] þe C.
1479. worbi noble] noble worjn C.
1485. vp-on] vp 2. D 1503. cmod] quoth A.
1504. take] I take 1. D

p. 438

1506. in al hast je] þe in al hast C. 1516. mo] to A, 2. D
1517. Troyan] Troyans C. 1523. for] om. 1. D
1525. and] for D
2. 1527. Troyanysche] Troyanysches C.
1537. to] for to C

p. 439

1542. echon] om. D 2. 1543. nede] om. 2. D
1553. on] of D 2, D 1.
1557. sore in herte] in herte soreD 2.
1559. enhast] in haste A. 1570. a-twixe] be twixe D 1.
1575. coupyng] metinge D 1 hit] hym hit C.

p. 440

1578. þat] om. D
2, D 1. 1580. ful] om. 1. D
1583-86 are omitted in D 2.
1587. misplaced at bottom of column in 2Dand marked a ;
1588
is marked b.
1588. Til] But D 2. 1597. body] þe body D
1.
1606. so] sore C. 1610. her] his C gonne] gan C.

p. 441

1617. Grekis] the Grekis A. 1622. for] for that A to] so A.
1628. his] a A. 1636 vmbrere] vmbrel D
1.
1638 is transposed with 1646 D1. 1640. Troyens] Troylus A.
1642. which] þat C. 1646. a] om. D 2.

p. 442

1648. sodehily be] bene sodeinly D 1. 1652. his] þe C.
1661. his] her C. 1662. al] that al A, Jt al D
2.
1670. Whiche in] With Inne D 1 hem] hym D2.
1675. effectuously] affectuously D 2.
1679. Grekis] he grekys D 2. 1680. ago]ae D 2.
1681. þilke] bat D

  1. 1682. 2nd þe] om.  D   2.

p. 443

1690. atwite] twyte A. 1694. gan] dide C.
1699. Ful] For A. 1712. it fel] om. A.
1716. in-to] inA 2nd þe] om. D 2.
TROY BOOK. G G

p. 444

1728. þe] om. D 2. 1751. þer-in set] set þer in C.

p. 445

1762. 2nd he] om. D 1. 1770. As] And 1. D
1772. vn-to] in to C. 1777. new IT A.
1779. take] ytake D 1. 1781. þat] And 1. D
1782. so sore hath hem] hath hem so sore D 1.
1786. her] ]> e i D 1.
1
Royal MS. 13. D. ii. leaf 128 b (leaf 128 (124) is misplaced with
leaf 76 (75) ; the chapter-heading also is misplaced after line 1778).

p. 446

1798. 2nd þe] om. 1.D 1820. fatally] þat day fatally
1822. Duglas] Duclas D 2. 1825. at] on D
1.

p. 447

1828. Duglas] Douglas 1. D
1829. vmbrere] vmbrel 1. D
1832. So] To D 1. 1850. hym so] hew bo>e C.
1861. To witA-stonde] The which stonde A hym] hem C.

p. 448

1878. many] many a D 2. 1882. þat] a 1. D
1886. koude] wold C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 77 a (misplaced after line 1894).

p. 449

1895. I-rcmne] Ronne A. 1897. platly] pleinly C.
1903. distourbe] distonrble C. 1907. trauerse] þe trailers D 1.
1908. with] in C. 1917. þat] om. A.
1918. stamiche] staunched A, staunched 1.D
1921. ay] as D 1. 1927. For] Of D 1.

p. 450

1934. knyȝtes] om. D2. 1935. þo] om. D
1.
1945. also made] made also C D
also] om. 1.
1958. þe] that A, þatD 2.
1964. many oj>er] ober
many C worbi] om. A.

p. 451

1966. swiche] om. D
2. 1975. Fate] hate 1. D
1977. in] of D

  1. 1985. hath] at A.     1990. to] for to           D 2.
  2. sete] wer set C. 1995. nat] ne A, 1.D

p. 452

2009. sche] he D 1. 2010. hir nat] not hir D 1.
2011. hir] om. D 2.
2018. welful] wilfulleD 1 amytte] admitte A.
2020. tyme] om. D 1. 2024. after] asterte C.
2027. day] day ful A.
2033, 34 are transposed in C.

p. 453

2042. he] bat he C. 2056. seuere] seuered 1. D
2060. 2nd of] om. 2,D 1.D 2063. in-to] in D 1.
2064. o] om. A.
2068. so nyȝe were] were so nyh A.
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 77 d (misplaced after line 2060).
1

p. 454

2070. þei] om. A.
2079. þou] þe D 1. 2081. 2nd to] om. D 1.
2092. expresse] impresso D 1, Einpresse A.
2097. he of berthe] of berth he C.

p. 455

2127. hem] home D 1. 2130. Amongis] Amonge D 1.

p. 456

2164. f>ei] For D
2 wer] was D 2
2165. ful] fully C þat day]
thay A.
2163-66 are repeated after 2166 in D 2. The repeated 2163 is
misplaced at bottom of column and marked a 2164 is marked b ;
2167. pleyn] plat D 2.
2170. slepe amorwe]
ship aredy 2. D
2172. I-sent] sent 1. D
2174. trew] trews A.

p. 457

2187. ay] al A, D 2. 2196. Mid] Amyd D 1.
2203. I-wrouȝt] wrouȝt D 1. 2208. *to] iu D 1.
2209. estat] staat A, state D 1. 2211. trewe] trews A.

p. 458

2223. recoiwforte] recomfovte A. 2230. assure] ensure D 1.
2245. and] and þe C.
1
Koyal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 78 c (misplaced after line 2250).

p. 459

2247. gan to make] make be gan D 1.
2248. herte was] hertes were C. 2249. hir] it 2. D
2255. kene] tene A. 2257. þis] þe 1. D
2261. I] And 1. D
2263. be-segid] besechyd A. 2264. mercy pite] pity mercy C.
2277. Be-wepen] Be wepinge D 1 2nd in] I D 2.
2278. seruytude] seruytute C.
TROY BOOK. H H

p. 460

2282. is boujt] y bouȝt D1.
2292. f>oru3] Jȝoruȝ out D1 whom] whoo A.
2294. made] gan D 2. 2305. 2nd in] or in A.
2307. be] om. D 1. 2309. dool] the dole D 1.
2311. vaileb] availe> C. 2312. Nou>er] Nor D 1.

p. 461

2319. new H A. 2323. On] Of D 1.
2325] For to gouerne be worlde come from euȝry cost D 1
2326] And namely of so worthy an oost 1. D
1
Koyal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 79 a.

p. 462

2348. ofte] often 1. D 2349. many] many a A.
2353. to] þe 2,D 1. D 2361. to] om. D 1.
2365. þis] the A, þe D 1. 2369. waker] his 1 D
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 79 b.

p. 463

2380. manfully] manly C. 2381. Ordeyned] Ordeyneth C.
2385. of hem] om. D 1. 2386. of] & D 1.
2387. 2nd so] & D 2 &] so D 1. 2393. at] of C.
2410. no more] non oj>er C. 2414. he gan] be gan C.

p. 464

2421. he] hym D
2, hi/M D

  1. 2429. it! v D2
    f( in f Dl - 2434 in ] on In L
    2S1' l'- þl is *n

þis] þis
2444. hew] hym A.
C, 1. D
2442. bis] his 1 '
2450. vp-on] on D 1.

p. 465

2457. wex so] wexeb C, wixe A, wax D 1 so] om. A.
2459. so] he D 1. 2460. 1st þe] om. 2. D
2465. was] a D 1. 2467. Range] Ran 1. D
2468. bis be] þus in C. 2478. in] om. 1. D
2479. þo] to A. 2482. On] Or D2.
2483. in] in to D 1 enhaste] inhaste C. 2485. be] om. D 2,

p. 466

2494. knyȝtly hath] hath knyȝtly C. 2496. spede] lede D 2.
2497. Tasaille] To assoile 1. 2504. ynde] riche C.

p. 467

2530. fully may assure] may fully ensure C.
2538. brijt] li# C. 2539. ay] ener C.
2540. nor] nor in D 1. 2544. him quyte] quyte him C.
2553. to] for to D 2.
2555. be] om. D 2 is entrid] entrid is C is] om. D 1.

p. 468

2586. in] on C. 2590. Jis] þe C. 2592. hem] him C.

p. 469

2597. slawe] y slawe D 1.
2598. he] om. D 1 him] om. D 1.
2601. quyte] smyte C.
2602. as he gan at hym smyte] þou3t hym for to quite C.
2607. of] at C, om. D 2. 2611. foule] fool A.
2616. to] at D 1.
2629. tweyn] þe breste D 1.

p. 470

2630. his] þe C. 2648. wolde] nolde C.
2658. many] many a A. 2663. 2nd with] om. A.

p. 471

2672. copis] copye 2. D
2680. Or] Of C. 2684. echon anon] anon echon C.
2689. a-lyue] on lyue C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 80 d.

p. 472

2704. þis] his A. 2718. to] om. D 1 hym] to him D1.
2719. Fro] For C. 2726. lif] silfe C.
2727. vn-to] to D 1. 2733. To] om. D 1 his]om. D
1.

p. 473

2737. Nor] Now A. 2741. maked han] maken C.
2748. childis] children A. 2749. f>is] þis is D 1.
2755. and] or to C. 2763. haj>] om. A.
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 81 a.
1

p. 474

2764. I-caste] Caste D 1 haue] to haue C.
2765. is knyjtly] his knyjtes C.
2770. to-forn] a torn D D
2, be forn 1.
2781. þat day or at] or þat it be D 1.
2787. ful] vfit/i ful C, om.D 1.
2790. quarelles] quarell D 2.
2796. Amongis] Among D 2, Amonge D 1.

p. 475

2805. y-falle] han falle D 1. 2809. for] om. D 1.
2811. euery] ou>er C. 2814. cruel] worbi C.
2815. be] of D 1.
2821. þer-vppon] here vppon D 1. 2823. bis] þe C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 81 c (misplaced after line 2822).
TROY BOOK. I I

p. 476

2830. t>is] þe C, D 1. 2837. kenely] kene 1. D
2842. so] om. A. 2844. 2nd a] om.D 1. '2848. in] om. A.
2851. narowe] narwe A. 2855. chyualrous] chyualrours C, D 1.
2865. furious] furiously C.

p. 477

2870. for] om. D 1. 2873. 2nd in] om. A, to D 1.
2882. Polimete] Polybete D 1.
2886. Currunulus] Currynvlus D 1 Philotheas] Phioletheas D 1.
2890. kynges] knyȝtes C. 2894. þe] the sameD 1.

p. 478

2909. Menelay Parys}
Parys Menelay D 1.
2910. knewe] mewe A. 2917. be] om. A, D 2, D 1.
2924. his] om. D1. 2929. be] om. D 2
2931. proudly] prudently A D
bis] his A, 1.

p. 479

2937. ded] douw ded C, 2943. be] been A.
2950. to hym he] vii to hym D 1. 2958. Irous] desyrous D 2.
2962. on] toD 1.
2970. voide] leue C.

p. 480

2973. A little hook over the p in pres (blunder of copyist) C.
2978] From his hors bak caste vp on þe grene D 1 A prefixes
From horse bak to the same line.
2987. a] om. A. 2992. mortally] ful mortally C.
2993. haberioiw] habergouw D 1.
2998] And the soille of here bloode ri3t wete D 1. ȝ t .
3006. new] to A.

p. 481

3014. diffendynge] defended 1.D
3024. so þei made] þei made so C. 3026. vp-on] hym on A.
3028. went] sent D 1. 3031. for>] home C.
3036] Hym of manhoode so moche to auamice 1.D
3038. an arwe] a narwe C.

p. 482

3050. sotilly] sothly A, D 1.
3054. ferfer nat] no ferther D 1.
3058. bide] abide D 1. 3060. ful] fully A.
3062. put] to put D 1.
3070. gan] ha]>e C. 3074. his] J> e C.

p. 483

3078. in] in al A. 3085. I-take] taken D 1.
3091. 2nd þe] om. A, D1.
3092. þat jjoruȝ his] And þoruȝ þe C. 3094. of] of pure D 1.
3102. made] make D 1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 82 d.

p. 484

3108. inwardly] inly C. 3109. be] by his 1.D
3110. fame] name C, D 2. 3113. 2nd for] om. D 1.
3118. f>is] þe C. 3120. hussher] vssher D
1.
3136. wilneth oure] welneth oure wilnej) D 1.

p. 485

3144. I] And D

  1.   3147. 1st deth] om. D.I.
  2. In] om. A. 3162. to] vnto D 2.
  3. ende] endynge C. 3167. 2nd whi] what. A..
  4. and] or A þer-to] her to A.

p. 486

3186. finde] founde D1.
3188. haue] hath A, ha> D2, haue> D 1.
3204. eschauTige] chauwge 1D hym] hern D 1.
3207. is] om. A, D 2, D

  1. 3212. þis] hisD 1.
  2. Grekis may] þe grekis 1. D

p. 487

3216. venge] avenge D 2 on] of C. 3228. on to] vn to A*
3251. &] bat D 1.

p. 488

3257. harmys] armys D
2. 3262. be-gan] gan D 2.
3269. þe] þese D 2. 3270. bere] bar A of] in D 2.
3279. and] and her C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 83 c (misplaced after line 3264).

p. 489

3285. al] also D 1. 3293. so] al A. 3304. a] in 0.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 83 d (misplaced after line 3278, and
accompanied by a miniature How the Grekes had* recouerede
:
' '
their pauilions ").

p. 490

3318. þaperyng] appeeryng A. 3320. þe] om. 2. D
3323. dried] I dried D
1 large] om. l' D
3324] f>at was a fora of be smoky reyn 1. D
3327. And in] In to D 2-ȝtoke] take C. 3228. But] And C.
3333. his] hi3e C, D 1.
3339. fersely] furiously C haue] om. D 1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 84 a.-

p. 491

3347. proudly in bataille] }if it wold avayle 1. D
3350. at] on C. 3353. so sore in herte] in herte so sore C.
3356. geyne>] greve> D 2. 3367. So] And D 1.
3372. þat] And D 1. 3373. han] gan 1. D
TROT BOOK. K K

p. 492

3383. doim] a douw D 1. 3391. his] þis C.
3408. in] om. 2. 3419. Dorovs] Derous D 1.

p. 493

3423. made] om. 1. D
3439. growyng] growyn A.
3440. his] þe 1. D
3443. marmyshe] manliche 1. D
3447-3506 are omitted in 2. D
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 84 c (misplaced after line 3410).

p. 494

3454. made] maked A, D

  1. 3455. in-to] in         D 1.
  2. spere] dagger D
  3. 3460. tiler] teloure        D 1.
  4. he] þei C. 3471. so] om. D 1.
  5. many] many a A. 3482. fast awey] awey fast C.
    1
    Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 84 d (misplaced after line 3484).

p. 495

3492. nat] om. A. 3504. with] om. A.
3507. Grekis] þe grekes D 1.
3509. Be-gan hem silf] Hym selfe bigan D
1.
3510. þe] om. D 2. 3514. him] hem C.
3519] So as he rode he mete> Achilles D
1.
3520] Of fortune ther \iȝt amid þe pres D1.

p. 496

3522. fully] am.D 1. 3530. as] om. D1.
3532. Ful] But C. 3538. hym] hem D 1 his] here D 1.
3539. him] hem D 1. 3540. it] is C.
3541. in knyȝthod] afterward D 2 hiw-silf] hew D 1.
3549. her] þe C.

p. 497

3556. manfully] manly 1. D 3560. But] om. 1. D
3561. Jt] om. D 1 towarde] to A.
3569. perlys] perly A. 3575. her] be C be] om. D 2.
3477. attempre also] also atempre D
1.
After 3584, D 1 inserts :
with here fomen platly bis no les
And In bei goon amo?ige al be pres.
3587. many] many a D 1.

p. 498

3589. many] many a D 1.
3590. And] om. D
1 exis] hexis D 2.
3593. sothfastnes] sothnes C. 3594. a] om. D
1.
3598. nou)>er] ou>er D1.
3608. trewe.] trews A. 3609. Priam] Priamws C.
3612. Dolon] Daloiw D 1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 85 b (misplaced after line 3564).

p. 499

3623. trewe] trews A. 3625. þe] þis D 1.
3636 was] be D 1. 3642. senate] soujten C, D 2.
3648. þat]asDl.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 85 c (misplaced after line 3608).

p. 500

3654. trew] trews A.
After 3660, D 1 repeats 3593, 94 in 3594, man] a man.
;
3666. of] om. C, D 1.
3666 is repeated in D 2 but Of] þat in the repeated line.
;
3667. shulde delyuered] delyuered shulde C, D 1.
3670. eschauttge] chaunge 1. D3671. Oon] And C.
3672. he] of A. 3677. passingly] passyng A.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 85 d (misplaced after line 3664).

p. 501

3686. neuer shulde han] shulde nevir haue A.
3690. he] þat he trew] trews A do)>] om. D 2.
3694. eye] he D 1. 3712. sente] wente C.
3715. for] of D 1. 3717. 2nd to] om. D 1.
3719. hateful] hathful C.

p. 502

3736. þei] þeD 1. 3737. his herte] om. A.
3741. haue] haved D2. 3743. an] þe C.
3744. sche] he D 2. 3746. hir] hisD 2.
3748. þer-vppon] her vppon D 2, here vppon D 1 joue] 1 3oue D 2.
3749. repeled] repellid C. 3750. asselid] ewseled D 1.
3753. departynge] partyng A.

p. 503

3755. trew] trews A. 3762. Hector] And Hector D 2.
3764. to] for to C. 3771. is menciowi] om. D 2.
3778. For] om. D 1. 3779. bo>e] as wel D 1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 86 b.

p. 504

3794. take] taken C. 3810. wolde] wele C, wil D 1.
3811. fleshe] fresshe D 1. 3819. am I] I am A.

p. 505

3824. haue] hadde 1.D 3829. Whom] Whom
þat D 1.
3830. silf] lif C. 3837. enteerly] outterly C.
3838. o] a A, 2,D 1.D 3843. out of] in C.
3844. shal] it shal C. 3845. hym] whom D I.
3857. on] of C.

p. 506

3889. pwrsuweth] purswed D 1.

p. 507

3897. Swiche on to loue] Wiclie on þe londe D
1 nor] & D 2.
3898. hym chere] in Cheer A hym] om. D
2.
3900. a-ri3t] and rijtD1. 3907. nor] to D 1.
3914, Moder] Mordir A. 3921. And] But D 1.
3923. pleinly] platly A.
3928. shul] shulen C shul fele] shal felen A, D 2, D 1.
TROY BOOK. L L

p. 508

3932. a-do] al do C. 3935. ȝe] theD 1.
3948. I seie] om. D1 alle] to alle D 1. 3954. bat] om. D
3957. on þe] on honde D 2. D
3959. þat] fat it 1.
3962. oon] of oone D
1.

p. 509

3971. at] to A. 3978. lordshipe] lordis 1. D
3981. it quit in ȝoure] in quiete and in C it] om. A.
3983. maken] take D 1. 3985. &] of D1.
3994. seie] seide C. 3996. ful] wel A.

p. 510

4009. nat] it nat C, D 1.
4011, 12 are transposed inDI and marked respectively a and b.
4012] f>ou wilt assente to this conclusions D1.
4018. To] To þe C, om. D1. 4022. dresse liiw] dressen 2 D
4031. wil] wolde D 1. 4033. be] om. D 1.
4034. an] om. D 2.
4035. ȝit dide] dide ȝit C man or]
ony manere D 1.

p. 511

4044. wit] wete A, D 1, wyte D 2.
4047. Of] On D1 tweyne] oni. A.
4052. atwene is erased inDl. 4053. to] of D 1.
4061. haue] a A, om. D D
2, 1. 4062. þe] to D 1.
4063. maked] makyng D 2. 4067. so] om. D 1.
4071. ben] hem A.

p. 512

4073. him leue] leve hym A.
4076. to] for to A. 4078. redy] likly 1. D
4079. folk] men C triste] trust A, truste 2. D
4083. on] of 1 D
þi] þe 1. D
4090. peyne] a peyne C
4101. hid] hije 1 D
which in] þat with in C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 88 a.

p. 513

4104. compleyninge]
compleynigne C. 4105. she] he D 1.
4107. be-hynde] beside C. 4109. is] nys Dl.
4114. rore] to rore D 1. 4115. gan] can D D
1, to 2.
4118. Desyring ay] Euere
desirynge D 1.
4133. ascendyng] ascenden D 2, ascendid D 1.
4134. her] he D 1.

p. 514

4139. whi shal we] we shal C.
4140. darte] and darte A. 4147. He] Here to 1. D
4149, 50 are transposed in D
1 and marked respectively a and b
4156. þat] Til she 1. D
4157. eve] heve D 2.
4167. to] the A. 4171. speke] y speke A, 2. D
4172. And] But 1 D
he] cm. 2. D

p. 515

4177. dowmb] dowme C. 4179. flikered] flikerit C.
4181. meinpris] mainpris A,
menprys D
2, manprise Dl.
4183. pace] y passe A, I passe D
2. 4184. her] hert A.
4189. bohe] bo>er C. 4198. hath so wel] so wel hath C.
4200. Jxrt] om. 1. D 4201. was] cm. D1.
4202. For] WasDl.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 88 c (misplaced after line 4196).

p. 516

4203. al] om. D 2. 4208. walked] walk A, 2. D
4211. Jmt] a D 1. 4214. wise] while C.
4216. aftir] first C. 4218. his] this 1 D
maked] made C.
4227. variacioun] variauwce C. 4233. euer] neuer C.

p. 517

4246. þe] om. D 2. 4250. cardynal] ordynal D 2.
4251. Petrak] Petrark A.
4256. for] for a A. 4259. wM-oute] with D
2.
4264. of] to D 1. 4267. ful] om. D 1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 89 a (misplaced after line 4262).

p. 518

4271. 1st hir] his A. 4273. meynt] queynt D1.
4991. can]ow. Dl. 4294. euer is meynt] is meynt euer C.
4302. And] They D 1. 4303. or] om. D 1.
4304. her] om. D 1.

p. 519

4310. he] om. D 2 next] neest A, nest D 2, neste 1. D
4311. alle] tweyne D 2. 4315, 16 are transposed in C.
4315. trust] om. D 1. 4318. But] For D 1.
4319. harde is] is hardA possede] precede D 2.
4321. chapman] man D 1. 4323. It] It is C.
4339. a] om. A.

p. 520

4342. hem] hym D 1. 4343. teche>] tellith A.
4349. to] om. D

  1.         4355. bis] beD  1.
  2. he] hym C. 4363. newe] trewe D
  4. trewe] newe D 1. 4369. two] tweyne A.

p. 521

4386. be] om. A. 4387. nouȝt] nat A, D 2, D 1.
4389. to] om. D 2. D
4391. is he] he is 1.

p. 522

4422. for] þe C.
4425. And] om. D1. 4428. now] how fat C.
4430. þat] he D 1.
4434. efte I holde] ofte I hildeD 1 wer] was A.
4435. was] wer C. 4439. hir] hisD 1.
4440. þese] the A. 4447. þat] om.D 1.

p. 523

4449. trew] trews A.
4452. al þe nyȝt he hadde] he hadde al þe ny3t be] om. A.
4456. wall] wallis C. 4464. his] om. A.
4472. as] om. A. 4479. he] om. A.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 90 a.
TROT BOOK. M M

p. 524

4481. hem] hym C. 4489. abrod] aboode D 1.
4493 is repeated inD 2. 4501. þe] þo C.
4506. a] om. D2. 4509. 2nd þe] om. A, D 2, Dl.
4514. oppresse] presse D 2. . 4515. 2nd þat] om. D 2.

p. 525

4516. and] to C. 4522. Grekis] þe grekis 1. D
4523. so] om. D

  1.  4524. with] om.   D  1.
  2. þoru3-oute] Jxmi? D 1. 4530. þe] his 1.D
  3. þe] om. D
    2, D
    1 D
    after] for to 1.
  4. almost] om. A. 4536-42 are repeated inDl.
  5. ȝit] And D1. 4547. his] þese D 1.

p. 526

4560. And myd]
Amyd D 1. 4575. full ȝow D1
4577 And] And seide Dl.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 90 c (misplaced after line 4574).

p. 527

4584. shal] ne shal 0. 4585. to] om. A, D 2.
4587. þe] þi DL 4591. Aduertinge] Avertyng A.
4592. ȝoue answer] answeryd A.
4597. And] And þoru3 D 1 owne] om. D 1.
4604. þe feld ageyn] a geyn þe feldeD 1.
4618. lede] him lede C.

p. 528

4619. Kyng] f>e kyng 0. 4622. amonges] om. D1.
4623. Al] And D
1.
4624. vnhorsith] vnhorsid C. 4627. hir] his A, D D 1.
2,
4628. she wolde] he shulde Dl. 4633. weie] om. D 1.
4636. she] he D

  1. 4640. On] Of C.

1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 91 a (misplaced after line 4644).

p. 529

4659. as a] like D1. 4662. hem] him D
1.
4673. Pollydamas] Pallymadas C.
4675. vppon endelonge] endelonge vppon 1. D
4677. enchase] enchose C. 4683. Pollydamas] Pollymadas C.
4685. On] And on Dl.

p. 530

4686. hent] he hent A. 4688. quite] aquite D1.
4696. PoUydamas] Pollymadas C.
4699. Vn-to] On to 0. 4705. al] amyd al D 1.
4706. In-to] Vn-to D 1. 4714. his grene] be gret D 1,
4718. bataille] abataille 0.

p. 531

4723. As] And A. 4724. slow] he slow C, D 1.
4745. By] þat by D1 havyng] makynge C no] om. A.
4752. his] om. D2. 4754. recorded eke] like]) to C.

p. 532

4759. Til] The 1.D 4760. trewe] trews A.
4768. his] whoos A. 4770. chefe] om. A.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 91 c (misplaced after line 4762).

p. 533

4794. þer were] þer with, C. 4795. of] om. A, D 1.
4796. at] in D 1. 4801. burned] burneisshid 1. D
4802. any] many D 2. 4811. Seth] Sith 1. D
4812. in] om. A neuere it] it neuere C, 1.D
4813. Al-be] Al Jxmj be D

  1.  4814. now] þou   1. D
  2. afore] after C.
    1
    Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 91 d.

p. 534

4827. to] om. D 1. 4840. hir] his D 2.
4842. a were] þe werre D 1. 4848. were] wher D 2.
4852. to] and D 1.

p. 535

4858. Vn-euenly] On evenly A. 4861. him] hem C.
4862. force] fors D 2 wher] wether D1.
4866. wher] whebir D1. 4868. þe] my D
1.
4871. trewe] trews A, trewes D 2, trewse D
1.
4881. bei] as þei C.
4886. trewe] trews A, D
2, D 1.
4887] And þei anoon with-oute lettyng D
1.
4888. "WM-oute more] For xxx u daies D 1 his] her C.

p. 536

4894. roos] shon C. D
4902. hit ne] he 1.
4907. ȝong] 3oube D 1. 4908. armys] arm D2, arme D 1.
4909. And] As D 1.
4915. Or] Outhir A ou>er an oracle] or warnyng by miracle D 1.
1 2
The Royal MS. has for. Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 92 b.
3
The Royal MS. inserts here the heading " Of a dreme wonder-
:
"
ful that Kynge Sapyon had (leaf 92 &).

p. 537

4930. abreid] abreidmge D 1. 4932. for] om. D 1.
4933. hir] om. A. 4935. bis] be D 1.
4945. trest] trist D 2.

p. 538

4959. Seying alias] Alias seynge 1. D
4960. 3011] 3eD 1. 4969. myracle] oracle C.
4970. oracle] myracle C. 4972. hem] hym C, D 1.
4973. disposiciouw] disposiciowis 1. D
4974. destriicciouTi] destruccowis 1. D
4982. nat distroyed] distroied nat 1. D
4985. moche] my D 2.

p. 539

4989. Of] And of D

  1.    4995. nor] orD.
  2. in-to] in D 1 þe] om. A, 2.D
  3. Ind kyng] om. 1. D
  4. y-called] called 1 D Forcius] Epistrophus D 2.
  5. And] And kyng D
  7. after] after )*t Dl.
    TROY BOOK. N N

p. 540

5021. his] he D 1. 5028. oher] bat obir D1.
5031. to] on D1.
5032. of cherte so tendir ouer] so cheris & tendre of D1
5037. to] in D1. 5040. nor] or D 1.
5046. lenger] more D 1.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 93 a (misplaced after line 5026).

p. 541

5053. Hir] And wi> her D2, And here 1. D
5061. nat] he nat A. 5068. lord on vs] on vs lorde 1. D
5073. Andronomecha] Andronemaca C. 5079. be] that A.
5080. Besechinge] And besechinge D1. 5088. surete] suerte A.

p. 542

5089. hem] hym D 1. 5092. to] ofD 1.
5093. harde] harded C.
5096. moren and renewe] morne and remewe 0.
5098. sothly] om. A. 5100. al] of A. 5102. as] as a A.
5104. nor] & D 2. 5110. hir] aD 1. 5113. hir] his D h
5120. For] om. A was] is C, D 1.

p. 543

5129. he] hym C. 5139. Mr] Ms C.
5146. mette] mette withD 1.
5147. at] and D 1. 5150. had anoon] anoon had 0.
5154. Meryem] Merien A, Meryon D 1.
5158. myjte] ne myjt C.

p. 544

5161. þe] his D1. 5163. Meriem] Merien A, Meriomt D 1.
5164. vpon] aboute C. 5165. sese] sesse C.
5179. He stood] His stede D 2. 5183. bis] beD1.
5185. myjty] worbi C.

p. 545

5196. ne my3t] myght nat A ne] om. 1.D
5197. þe] this D 1. 5204. Margariton] Mariton D 1.
5215. Achille] Achilles C. 5226. bat] of C, 2. D
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 93 d.

p. 546

5231. in baste wer] wer in baste C. 5234. home] whoom A.
5245. was] om. A. D
5247. þikke as] like a 1.
5255. haw] haue A. 5261. he] that he A, Jt he D 1.

p. 547

5265. þat] And D

  1. 5276 is omitted in D
  3. compassen] compassed C. 5279. may] mow C.
  4. nor] or D1. 5282. þat] om. D 1.
  5. as wood] om. D 2.

p. 548

5301. quarel] darte C. 5309. stauwche] staunchyd A, D 1.
5312. was] were D 1. 5317. þe] om. D
1.
5319] For of his honde jif he myjte him slee 1. D
5320] He houȝte verraily þat it shulde be 1 Dquyte] a quyte A.
5324. jeven] jif C, D1. 5328. so to] om. 1. D
5332. he] him C. 5335. Eubroudid] Enbroudrid C.

p. 549

5354. on] of 1.D 5358. hije] grete D 1.
5364. to] not to C, nat to 1. D 5368. ruyne] Ravyne D 2.

p. 550

5383. Alias] Alias be while C. 5386. lay] so lay A, D 1.
5388. oute] ouht D 2, oujte D 1. 5392. bat] om. D 2, D 1.
5402. Achilles] Achille A, D 2, D 1.

p. 551

5415. toim] the touw D 1. 5417. And] In D 1.
5419. þus þe] þis D 1. 5420. was] is A.
5428. now] om. 1. D 5430. to] om. D
1.
5431. euer] alle C.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 95 a (leaf 94 is missing).

p. 552

5445. to] for C. 5457. allyed] allaide 1. D
5462. boket] boget 0, 2, D 1. D
5463. ȝiphas] ȝepherus A.
5466. fyne] feywe D
1.
5474. shuldestou] shuldyst A.

p. 553

5478. And] A A, D 2. 5494. born] om. A.

p. 554

5516. rcmne] ranne Dl. 5517. mortal] mortally C.
5518. it] om. D

  1. 5524. shal] wele 1. D
  2. whom] om. A, D
    2 surnes] suyrnesse A.
  3. In-to] In to the A.
  4. token] take?i C.
  5. neuer] of no maw D 1. 5545. swo3es] sishes 1. D
  6. bolis] boris C.

p. 555

5554. for-do] slo D
2.
5558. and] or D2.
5558, 59 are transposed in and A

  1. D
    Her pitous sobbynge and
    )3e woful cries are transposed in C.
  2. To] þei C. 5577. wympled] wrympled A.
  3. turne] morne D

TROY BOOK. O O

p. 556

5582. cors] corps D 1. 5587. ȝif] thiff A.
5590. Vncorrupte] But corript D 1.
5595. it in sijt] in siȝt it C. 5596. liny] likly C.
5603. coriously] Ceriously D 2.
1
Royal MS. 18. D. ii. leaf 96 a. The following rubric occurs
in the Royal MS., leaf 95d, at line 5574 "ynglisshmen owe of
:
nature to wepe þe dethe of worthy Ectore " and on leaf 96 a
; :
"Of the sotele proporcyon wrought by Astronomeres. "

p. 557

5612. in] þe 0. 5613. spake] speke C here] Ere 1.D
5625. Coriously] Ceryously D2. 5634. &] om. D
2.
5643. Attenyng] Attendyng C.
1
The following rubric occurs here in the Royal MS., leaf 965 :
"Howe the worthy body of Ector was set in þe opposite of >e
Grekes."

p. 558

5652. on] in D

  1. 5653. þis] þe C.
  2. y-set] sette 1D good] gret C.
  3. were] was Dl. 5661. as] vs D

5670, 71 are transposed in D

  1.              D
  2. in] or 1.
  3. pipes] þe pypes D
  4. 5679. place] a place C.

p. 559

5697. & meynt] y meynt A. 5700. Of] Of the D 2.
5705 were] was C. 5710] tempest wiwde] wmde tempest D 1.
5712. weris] wyrys A, wheres D 2.
5714. reioyssed] reioysseden C.

p. 560

5718. al] & al D 1. 5719. and dure] endure D 2.
5726. houeth] haueth D 2.
5728. on hei3te] o loft C so] om. D 2.
5729. like] eke D1 Pluvius] Plonyvs D 2, Plevius D 1.
5733. lond] londes C. 5737. is] it is C.
5744. Of] In D2. 5745. eke] hath D 1 }ow] vs A.
5750. list] to D 2.

p. 561

5751. y-fere] in fere D 1. 5762. be] om. A, D 2. D 1 .
5763. dul] my dulle D 1.
1
The above rubric occurs in A.

Colophon {#colophon}

Edition. Henry Bergen, ed., Lydgate's Troy Book, A.D. 1412–20, Part II (Book III, with side-notes by Dr. Furnivall), Early English Text Society, Extra Series 103 (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.; 1908). This is the standard scholarly edition of Lydgate's Troy Book, collated by Bergen from the best surviving manuscripts. Public domain in the United States.

Witness. A single Internet Archive "Scribe" digitization (archive.org/details/lydgatestroyno9702lydguoft), carrying a genuine word-positioned OCR text layer laid over page-image scans (LuraDocument PDF recoding, confirmed via pdfinfo), 506 pages, physically binding Bergen's Part II (Book III, pp. 395–561) together with the start of his Part III (Books IV and V) in one scanned volume. Only the Part II portion — Book III, pp. 395–561 — is built on this page. sha256 2fc8260fd7bd27a4d2e3b11a3789c1ff16d984484a2666733741033b93c9bb88, 32,281,817 bytes.

Method. This edition prints Book III in a three-column page layout — Furnivall's English argument-glosses in the outer margin (left margin on even/verso folios, right margin on odd/recto folios, so the gloss always faces the outside edge of the open book), the verse body in the center, and the edition's own running line-numbers (printed every four lines) in the inner column beside the verse. The witness's OCR text layer was extracted with pdftotext -layout, which reconstructs each printed line from the scan's word coordinates; body verse was then separated from the gloss and line-number columns by column position, determined per page from the page's own recto/verso folio parity (folio number derived by position in the book, since the printed running-heads were themselves inconsistently OCR'd). Page running-heads (short folio captions repeated at the top of every page) were dropped; Furnivall's textual footnotes (manuscript variant readings, keyed to the edition's own line numbers) were separated from the verse by pattern-matching their own "NNNN. word] variant" form and are reproduced below as a page-keyed apparatus, in full, exactly as printed.

What was omitted, by design. Furnivall's running English argument-glosses (short present-tense marginal summaries printed beside the verse, e.g. "Hector sees Polydamas fighting with...") are not reproduced as continuous apparatus. Cleanly reuniting each short gloss fragment with its correct verse line across 167 pages of this witness's own imperfectly-consistent column geometry was not reliably achievable, and a wrongly-placed gloss is worse than none — the same judgment made for the companion page The Regement of Princes in this collection, built from a cleaner witness of the same general kind. Manuscript leaf references (e.g. "[leaf 69 c]") were likewise not systematically preserved.

þ / ȝ restoration. This witness's OCR renders Middle English thorn (þ) as one of a wide and inconsistent set of glyph substitutions — plain "p" in a closed list of common function words (þe, þat, þis, þei, þou, þi, þus, þo, þin, þousand, þoru, and a few more), and, more often, as one of a large family of bracket-and-punctuation mangles (J?, j?, }?, )?, ]>, )>, Jj, J), J>, j>, J}, and several rarer bare-punctuation forms) wherever the scan's OCR software recognized the thorn glyph as a distinct shape but could not read it as a letter. Every one of these bracket/punctuation forms was checked against its own attestations in context (all several hundred instances, across every variant, resolve unambiguously to þ before a small closed set of Middle English pronoun and article stems) before being substituted; the plain-"p" list was built the same way, checking that each candidate word was not also a genuine English word beginning with "p" (a much larger set — place, plate, pride, power, part, prudence, and so on — was left untouched). Yogh (ȝ) is rendered in this witness as a caret (^) or, apparently interchangeably, a dollar sign ($) wherever it falls inside a word (kny^t/kny$t → knyȝt), and, separately and more ambiguously, as the digit "3" at the head of a small set of words — resolved here word-by-word (3if → ȝif, 3our(e) → ȝour(e), 3onge → ȝonge, 3et/3it → ȝet/ȝit, 3af → ȝaf, but 3at → þat, 3e → þe, 3ou → þou, 3ei → þei, 3oru → þoru, since this OCR's "3" glyph stands for either thorn or yogh depending on the specific word, and these are the attested majority reading for each). One further systematic medial substitution was applied: worp- → worþ- (worþi, worþines, etc. — "worthy"), a single very frequent word whose medial thorn this OCR consistently flattens to plain "p". Genuinely ambiguous or singleton cases (a bare "per", isolated one-off "3"-spellings not matching the patterns above) were left unrestored rather than guessed.

Honest confidence and limits. This is a first-pass build from a single, visibly noisier witness than most companion pages in this collection — the source PDF's OCR text layer is considerably rougher than the Internet Archive "Scribe" scans used elsewhere (letters swapped or dropped inside words, occasional short word-fragments left sitting beside the correct verse line rather than merged into it, and a working recovery rate of roughly 87% for the edition's own margin line-numbers, checked by confirming that every number recovered is a multiple of four in an unbroken run against its neighbors — the missing ~13% are simply not visible in the text below, not lost from it, since the verse itself was extracted independent of whether its number survived). No text has been invented anywhere on this page: every reading given here was read from the witness, restored only by the disclosed thorn/ȝogh patterns above, and every apparatus note below is reproduced as the witness gives it. The passage most likely to be checked by a reader — Hector's death at Achilles' hand — was independently verified against the actual page images (pp. 549–550) rather than the OCR layer alone, and matches; the rest of the book has not had that page-image-by-page-image check that some companion pages in this collection carry (see, e.g., Morte Arthure's colophon), and a reader doing close textual work with this page should treat it as a good-quality first pass, not a line-verified critical text. Furnivall's footnote apparatus is reproduced in full below but was not individually checked reading-by-reading against the page images.

Public domain. Bergen's 1908 edition and Lydgate's early-fifteenth-century poem are both in the public domain in the United States.

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